Over the next few days, Harley was intrigued by the identity of his mother. She hadn't change abit from the photo he had seen of her around the time of his conception only difference was she was older. He should have revealed himself then and there but he couldn't bring himself to do so.
One Thursday afternoon, Harley was working on the stall when he spotted someone hovering over the clothes stall, Harley kept a close eye on her and when she grabbed a small black skirt, he went up to her and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, "Oi, what the fuck are you doing?!", she shouted as Harley dragged her towards Bianca. "Caught her nicking." Harley said to Bianca who looked surprised. The girl removed herself from his grasp and shouted, "I weren't fucking nicking! I was gonna pay for them!", and she took out her purse from her jeans pocket taking out a tenner and passing it to Bianca who took it and gave her the skirt in a bag. The girl stuck her fingers at Harley who scowled at her. Then Bianca turned on him, "Harley, What do you think your playing at?!", she snapped and Harley stood there not answering, "Your losing me customers. Go on, your sacked! Your bloody useless!", she shouted and Harley stormed off. Why didn't he tell Bianca about he really was when he applied? She wouldn't have believed him though, would have thought he was a nutter with nothing better to do but say he was something he wasn't. He walked up Albert Square and watched the residents in their day to day activities, Winston selling stuff on the market, Ian cleaning tables outside his cafe and his mother. His mother. Carol was helping Ian with the costumers outside and was oblivious to the knowledge that her long lost son was watching her. But seeing him for the first time a few days ago had brought up the past and when she had to make the hardest decision to save her marriage. The boy had looked familiar somehow and Carol had a sneaking suspicion that he was the son that had been brought up by her sister. She had to know more about him and she hoped to see him again. And then out of the corner of her eye she saw him. Harley was standing in the middle of the square looking at her. She blinked her eyes and looked in the same direction again but this time he was gone.
Harley ran up the alleyway, dodging people as he ran. Finally he took refuge behind the car lot. she was starting to suss him out now, he knew it. He sunk downwards and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. He couldn't go back to Dot and tell her he didn't have a job because he feared that she would tell him to leave and then he would have to go back but he couldn't, now knowing that April wasn't his biological mother. He buried his face in his hands, not knowing what to do.
"Excuse me, are you alright?", a voice called out and Harley jumped to his feet. A man approached him, a tall dark, handsome middle aged man dressed in a suit walked towards him, "Yeah I'm ok." Harley responded, the bloke got further to him. He looked him over and then said, "Don't I know you? Oh yeah, your that lad who got the sack from the stall. Bit stupid that, concluding that someone was nicking when they weren't. But still we all make mistakes." He said in a patronising tone and Harley felt an urge to punch him but instead he barged past him and walked onwards. "Never mind mate. You can always get a job in the cafe." The man called after him, Harley walked faster up the square, in the direction of the square.
He was unaware that the man he had just spoken too was his biological father.
David Wicks.
