is, all I can think about is where the bloody hell has he put my teeth!’ Glenda said and for a brief moment a small smile crossed her face.
Frank couldn’t believe how resilient this woman could be. ‘Well, it ain’t all bad,’ he said, trying to make light of the situation. ‘You’ve got plenty of others in your mouth!’
But Frank’s joke suddenly seemed in bad taste when Glenda’s face fell and she burst out crying.
‘I’m gonna look terrible, Frank. He’s damaged me good and proper this time. Look at my crooked nose! Oh, blimey, what if it scares my Johnnie?’
Frank wanted to take her in his arms, soothe her pain and tell her it would all be okay, but he knew he would be sacked for doing that. Instead, he looked her straight in the eyes.
‘Look at me,’ he said, pan-faced and very serious. ‘No matter what that evil bastard has done to you, take it from me, Glenda Jenkins, you are still and always will be a beautiful woman. So what, you’ve got a bit of a bumpy nose and a couple of missing teeth. It ain’t the end of the world. You still look like you. Of course you ain’t gonna scare your little boy. But you’ve gotta get away from his father, Glenda. He’s dangerous and you and Johnnie deserve better.’
Glenda had regained her composure and Frank hoped that what he’d said had made her feel a little better. He handed her a hanky from his trouser pocket. ‘Dry your eyes, love, and let’s get you out for some fresh air.’
Once outside in the hospital gardens, Frank handed out some stale bread from the hospital kitchens to a few of the women and soon a flock of sparrows were bobbing around the small group, along with a couple of pigeons.
Glenda was pleased to feel the warm sun on her face and thought how Johnnie would have enjoyed seeing all the chirping birds fluttering around.
Frank sat on a park bench beside her wheelchair.
‘Penny for them,’ he said gently.
‘I was just thinking about my Johnnie. He always chuckles when he sees birds,’ Glenda answered.
‘Does he?’ asked Frank. ‘Well, then, once you get home, I know a lovely little place we should take him to. You get all sorts of birds and wildlife there, lovely countryside, clean air, not like the dirty town pigeons and rotten air here.’
It sounded very inviting. Glenda would love to take Johnnie out to the country, but it was impossible with Harry the way he was. ‘Frank, you know I couldn’t, even if I wanted to.’
‘I’ve told you, Glenda, you can’t go back to living with that animal of a man. Look what he’s already done to you, and what if it’s worse next time? He could kill you and what about Johnnie then? Have you thought about that?’
‘Of course I have,’ Glenda answered, almost angrily, ‘but I don’t have any choice. I had this very same conversation with my friend Helen just this morning. Where would I go? What would I live on? Not only that, if I tried to leave Harry he would find me and then he’d definitely kill me.’
It felt hopeless to Glenda. She didn’t want to go back home to a man she no longer loved, a man who now terrified her, but she’d thought about leaving him before and had come to the same conclusion. With no other choice she would have to stick it out – to placate Harry by being the perfect wife so he didn’t lose his temper again. As Maude had said, sometimes it’s better the devil you know – yet that thought didn’t stop Glenda’s shiver of fear at what the future might hold.
Frank had always enjoyed his job, and for the last week the thought of seeing Glenda had made it even more of a pleasure to go to work. He had been leaving home early and coming home late, just so that he could spend some extra time with her. But this morning he felt glum as he sat at the kitchen table and drained the dregs of his tea. Glenda was due to be discharged from hospital and he couldn’t stand the thought of never seeing her again.
His brother Billy ambled into the kitchen and lifted the lid off the teapot.
‘Huh,’ he grumbled, ‘you didn’t bother saving me a cuppa.’
‘Sorry, Billy, I didn’t know you was up, and good morning to you too!’ answered Frank.
‘Good? What’s bloody good about it? It’s all right for you, drinking the last cup of tea and working in a warm hospital. What about me, eh, shovelling shit out there in the freezing cold? Still, least I’ve got a real job, not some poncy job like you.’
Frank rolled his eyes and ignored his brother’s quips. He was used to hearing Billy dig at him whenever the opportunity arose and had learned a long time ago to turn the other cheek. It was much easier that way and saved their mother any upset. Frank could never understand why Billy seemed to resent him so much. It had been frosty between them for years and had started when they were kids, with Billy moaning about having to have Frank’s hand-me-downs. It wasn’t as if the boy never got anything new for himself, but he was always jealous of anything Frank had.
Frank left Billy to sulk at the kitchen table and made his way to the hospital. He had arranged to meet Glenda for the last time in the canteen before his shift started. He hoped he would have the courage to ask her out but was worried about what her reaction would be.
As he walked into the canteen, Glenda was already seated and greeted him with a beaming smile. The swelling on her lip hadn’t quite subsided, which almost hid the gap where her teeth were missing, but Frank still thought she looked beautiful.
‘Good morning. You don’t ’alf brighten up a miserable day,’ said Frank with a wink and he noticed that Glenda blushed.
‘Morning, Frank. Is it miserable outside then?’
‘It’s a bit nippy but you’ll find out for yourself soon enough. What time are you off?’
‘Harry’s coming for me at ten-thirty. I can’t wait to see my Johnnie!’
‘I bet you can’t, and I bet he’s missed his mum too. I got to say it, Glenda – I hope I never see you in here again.’ He wanted to add that he would love to see her again somewhere other than the hospital, but the words stuck in his throat and he couldn’t get them out. He could have kicked himself.
‘I hope so too, Frank. This is the last place I ever want to be again, but thank you so much for being my friend in here. It’s been good to have someone to talk to. I’ve never really told anyone about what Harry does to me. I suppose I’ve been too ashamed. You’ve been such a good listener and I’ve really come to trust you. I’ll miss you.’
Frank reached across the table and took Glenda’s hand. ‘I’ll miss you too,’ he said. More than she would ever know.
Harry shifted impatiently in the entrance of the hospital ward. Get a move on, he thought, as he waited for Glenda to gather her belongings.
Harry was pleased that his wife was finally coming home after nine days in the ward. He had missed her home cooking. He’d been at Maude’s every night for his tea, but his mother wasn’t nearly as good a cook as Glenda. And he missed her warm body in their bed at night. But right now he felt peeved that the hospital wouldn’t release her without someone coming to collect her. It meant he had had to take the morning off work, which would give him a lighter pay packet at the end of the week, and he could really have done without that, especially as he had good reason to go out and celebrate tonight now that his wife was home.
‘OK, Harry, I’m ready now,’ Glenda said.
She does look a bloody sight, thought Harry, what with that thick lip and her purple eye. Gawd knows what people are gonna think when I get on the tram with her looking like that. Maybe I should have forked out for a taxi after all.
‘Ain’t you got no dark glasses or a