Part Three
As Yvonne drove towards home, she wondered just what had possessed her to invite Karen round for dinner. This was Yvonne Atkins here, and Yvonne Atkins never did things on the spur of the moment. At least, not until now it seems. She pulled in to the Tesco car park and briefly wondered what on earth she could cook. She wandered aimlessly round the supermarket for a while, trying to dredge up some inspiration. Eventually, she picked up some vegetables for a salad, as well as some good-looking strawberries and a couple of very nice fillet steaks. One of the best things for Yvonne about being out of prison, besides the obvious comfort of her own large house with the added bonus of a swimming-pool, was being able to spend pretty much what she liked. There was no more Body bag telling her how many cigarettes she could have or that she couldn't have any for a fortnight because the prison was on lock down.
When she reached home, she put the food in the fridge, and as it was only five o'clock and Karen wasn't due till after seven, Yvonne went for a swim in her incredibly decadent outdoor pool. Charlie might have been one of the biggest bastards she'd ever known, but when it came to houses he'd certainly had style. It had been his idea to have the pool put in when Lauren and Ritchie had still been at school. As the sun beat down on her and she lay on her back, gently drifting from one end to the other, Yvonne felt like all the dirt from the prison was slowly being washed out of her soul. It didn't matter that Yvonne had spent nearly four years in that place, every time she went to visit Denny, she came away feeling filthy, as if the very air of the place could insinuate its way under her skin. After half an hour of luxuriating in the warm tranquility of her garden, she showered to get the chlorine out of her hair and renewed her make up. Yvonne had been and always would be a proud woman. Not even for someone who was becoming a close friend would she present a face devoid of cosmetic enhancement.
As Karen drove passed Sloan Square tube station and along Sloane street itself, she reflected that this was one part of London where she would never be able to shop. Only someone like Yvonne or Cassie could afford to frequent the many fashionable boutiques that came in to her line of vision. But as she drove further out of the city center and towards the suburbs, she began to wonder just what the Atkins house would look like. It's a well known fact that you can tell a lot about a person by what they have on their coffee tables, but Karen knew that this evening's date for want of a better word would certainly be a learning experience. When she finally pulled up in front of the address Yvonne had scribbled down for her, she was stunned.
"So, this is how the other half lives," She thought as she made her way through the small group of very expensive cars on the wide expanse of driveway in front of the house. She recognised Yvonne's red Farari but she couldn't put an identity to any of the others. As she rang the doorbell, she had a burning curiosity to see the rest of the house and possibly a deeper level to see how it's occupant lived.
When Yvonne heard the doorbell, she put down the knife she'd been using to chop the salad, dried her hands on a tea towel and, wondering quite what she thought she was doing, went to answer the door. Yvonne's large black Alsatian, Trigger, had ran in to the hall and was stood staring at Karen through the glass, giving her an impression of enormous gaping jaws and huge pointed teeth. Yvonne only had to yell,
"Shut up!" once for it to calm down. When she let Karen in, she said, "Don't worry, he's all talk and no action these days like most blokes." Karen stepped in to the hall and after handing Yvonne a bottle of Chablis, she bent down to stroke the dog. Karen hadn't had a dog since her childhood, and to suddenly become acquainted with one was a bit like coming home.
"What's his name?" She asked Yvonne, letting the dog sniff her hand, almost as if to reassure him she wasn't any enemy.
"his name's Trigger," Grinned Yvonne, pleased to see Karen so at home with one of the fixtures of her household. "Charlie named him after his favourite hobby." As the full meaning of this hit Karen, she straightened up and stared at Yvonne. After a slightly stunned silence where Karen wondered if any other household animals would be named after the parts of a gun, both women laughed. It seemed to break the ice. Leading Karen through to the kitchen, Yvonne asked her what she would like to drink.
"I'd love a scotch if there's one going," Said Karen, knowing that whisky would feature prominently in any place Yvonne stayed for any length of time. When Yvonne had put the Chablis in the fridge and poured them both a scotch, she returned to preparing the salad.
"Can I do anything to help?" Asked Karen. Yvonne smiled.
"No thanks, it's fine. I got salad, fillet steaks and strawberries, is that okay?"
"Wonderful," Sighed Karen in anticipation. "I haven't had anyone cook for me after a hard week's work for a long time." Yvonne placed the prepared salad and the washed strawberries in the fridge and picked up her glass.
"I bet your curiosity's on overdrive," She said, leading Karen out to the garden.
"Just a little," Admitted Karen ruefully. "It isn't every day I get to see the house that I've been speculating about for nearly a year." She tactfully left out the fact that Yvonne's having very obvious criminally earned money behind her would clearly be a factor in this speculation.
"Charlie bought this place when Ritchie was seven and Lauren was three. I think he was planning for more kids to fill up the space. The house itself was quite small then but we just kept adding to it." Leading Karen across the terrace and toward the steps that went down to the pool, she said, "He put this in when Ritchie was in his teens." when Karen saw the oval pool with steps at one end, and a mosaic of two entwined dolphins on the bottom, she just stared.
"I never knew people had outdoor pools this close to central London." Yvonne realised that this was Karen's way of trying to cover up her shock and awe of seeing just what the Atkins money had been spent on over the years. Trigger had followed them outside and now made his way round to the other side of the pool where began a long stretch of lawn which eventually ended in trees and a high stone wall. He lay down in the shade of one of the trees and lazily thumped his tail. They sat down under a green tasseled umbrella and Karen, for the first time that day began to relax. They both lit up cigarettes and Yvonne said,
"Charlie might have been a wanker of the highest order, but when it came to building, he did have style." Karen grinned.
"And I know that with most men like Charlie Atkins, most of the decorating will have been left to his wife. You should be very proud of this place." Yvonne smiled widely.
"Cheers. Here's to the end of what's probably been a horrendous week for you."
"I won't disagree with that," Said Karen taking a long drink of her scotch. "when I left them this afternoon, Di and Sylvia were arguing over who wasn't going to take Merriman to court next week."
"Can't Fenner do any of it?" Asked Yvonne.
"No, not while he's appearing as a prosecution witness he can't."
"So they both want the joys of accompanying a psychopath to the dock?" Yvonne was slightly astounded.
"I think Di Barker gets off on the notoriety of it all, and Sylvia just wants a day out. Supervising one worthless con has to be easier than supervising fifty. At least that's how she sees it."
"Typical Body bag," Yvonne laughed. Karen grinned.
"Do you know something, people have called her that ever since I've been at Larkhall."
"I might be wrong," Replied Yvonne, "But I think it was Zandra who came up with that one."
"I shouldn't say it," Said Karen, clearly having no qualms about it at all, "But it suits her."
After a while, they went in and Yvonne briefly grilled the two excellent-looking steaks. Putting the two plates and the bowl of salad on a tray with some cutlery, Yvonne stood in front of the large wine rack which took up a good proportion of one kitchen wall. Eventually selecting a bottle of Chatteau Neuve de Pape and putting it on the tray with two glasses, she carried it outside and they ate under the evening sun. Karen having taken notice of the stock of equally good reds and whites in the wine rack said,
"Who's the wine buff around here then?" Yvonne smiled.
"A fascination with good wine was probably the one saving grace my father ever had," She said, swallowing a mouthful of medium-rare steak. "It's something I guess I inherited from him. Charlie used to act to his mates like he knew one from the other, but he always used to get me to pick them out beforehand." Karen laughed.
"So you didn't take part in any brewing in Larkhall?" She hadn't known whether or not Larkhall and Yvonne's time there would be a safe subject, but the full bodied red in her glass had given her courage.
"Good god, no," Said Yvonne in disgust. "That stuff the Costa Cons made was vile. If I wanted any alcohol in there I made sure it came in already bottled." As the evening progressed, Karen gradually found it easier and easier to relax on Yvonne's territory. Yvonne didn't flaunt her wealth, it was simply something that was part of her and that she accepted as being part of her. Yvonne lived a rich, sometimes decadent life simply because she could, not because she desperately needed it. Yvonne knew herself well enough to know that possessions didn't make a person what they were, but what that person did with their possessions. Karen began to see Yvonne's surroundings as just part of the way Yvonne had lived for a long, long time. They hadn't prevented Yvonne from suffering one of the worst fates any human being can suffer, to be locked up behind bars for a number of years. Under her expensive clothes and behind the appearance of her house, her pool and the wine she liked to serve, Yvonne was still a normal woman, capable of being hurt by the same things as Karen, and just as vulnerable to the whims of a man she had once loved. They passed a relaxing evening, finding it easier to talk the more wine they consumed, until Yvonne found herself wondering why she'd never asked Karen over before. When Karen eventually left, full of steak and strawberries, and a little too much wine to drive, she felt content. Yes, the trial was starting on Monday, but tonight had been wonderful. Tonight had been for both of them, the calm before the storm.
As Yvonne drove towards home, she wondered just what had possessed her to invite Karen round for dinner. This was Yvonne Atkins here, and Yvonne Atkins never did things on the spur of the moment. At least, not until now it seems. She pulled in to the Tesco car park and briefly wondered what on earth she could cook. She wandered aimlessly round the supermarket for a while, trying to dredge up some inspiration. Eventually, she picked up some vegetables for a salad, as well as some good-looking strawberries and a couple of very nice fillet steaks. One of the best things for Yvonne about being out of prison, besides the obvious comfort of her own large house with the added bonus of a swimming-pool, was being able to spend pretty much what she liked. There was no more Body bag telling her how many cigarettes she could have or that she couldn't have any for a fortnight because the prison was on lock down.
When she reached home, she put the food in the fridge, and as it was only five o'clock and Karen wasn't due till after seven, Yvonne went for a swim in her incredibly decadent outdoor pool. Charlie might have been one of the biggest bastards she'd ever known, but when it came to houses he'd certainly had style. It had been his idea to have the pool put in when Lauren and Ritchie had still been at school. As the sun beat down on her and she lay on her back, gently drifting from one end to the other, Yvonne felt like all the dirt from the prison was slowly being washed out of her soul. It didn't matter that Yvonne had spent nearly four years in that place, every time she went to visit Denny, she came away feeling filthy, as if the very air of the place could insinuate its way under her skin. After half an hour of luxuriating in the warm tranquility of her garden, she showered to get the chlorine out of her hair and renewed her make up. Yvonne had been and always would be a proud woman. Not even for someone who was becoming a close friend would she present a face devoid of cosmetic enhancement.
As Karen drove passed Sloan Square tube station and along Sloane street itself, she reflected that this was one part of London where she would never be able to shop. Only someone like Yvonne or Cassie could afford to frequent the many fashionable boutiques that came in to her line of vision. But as she drove further out of the city center and towards the suburbs, she began to wonder just what the Atkins house would look like. It's a well known fact that you can tell a lot about a person by what they have on their coffee tables, but Karen knew that this evening's date for want of a better word would certainly be a learning experience. When she finally pulled up in front of the address Yvonne had scribbled down for her, she was stunned.
"So, this is how the other half lives," She thought as she made her way through the small group of very expensive cars on the wide expanse of driveway in front of the house. She recognised Yvonne's red Farari but she couldn't put an identity to any of the others. As she rang the doorbell, she had a burning curiosity to see the rest of the house and possibly a deeper level to see how it's occupant lived.
When Yvonne heard the doorbell, she put down the knife she'd been using to chop the salad, dried her hands on a tea towel and, wondering quite what she thought she was doing, went to answer the door. Yvonne's large black Alsatian, Trigger, had ran in to the hall and was stood staring at Karen through the glass, giving her an impression of enormous gaping jaws and huge pointed teeth. Yvonne only had to yell,
"Shut up!" once for it to calm down. When she let Karen in, she said, "Don't worry, he's all talk and no action these days like most blokes." Karen stepped in to the hall and after handing Yvonne a bottle of Chablis, she bent down to stroke the dog. Karen hadn't had a dog since her childhood, and to suddenly become acquainted with one was a bit like coming home.
"What's his name?" She asked Yvonne, letting the dog sniff her hand, almost as if to reassure him she wasn't any enemy.
"his name's Trigger," Grinned Yvonne, pleased to see Karen so at home with one of the fixtures of her household. "Charlie named him after his favourite hobby." As the full meaning of this hit Karen, she straightened up and stared at Yvonne. After a slightly stunned silence where Karen wondered if any other household animals would be named after the parts of a gun, both women laughed. It seemed to break the ice. Leading Karen through to the kitchen, Yvonne asked her what she would like to drink.
"I'd love a scotch if there's one going," Said Karen, knowing that whisky would feature prominently in any place Yvonne stayed for any length of time. When Yvonne had put the Chablis in the fridge and poured them both a scotch, she returned to preparing the salad.
"Can I do anything to help?" Asked Karen. Yvonne smiled.
"No thanks, it's fine. I got salad, fillet steaks and strawberries, is that okay?"
"Wonderful," Sighed Karen in anticipation. "I haven't had anyone cook for me after a hard week's work for a long time." Yvonne placed the prepared salad and the washed strawberries in the fridge and picked up her glass.
"I bet your curiosity's on overdrive," She said, leading Karen out to the garden.
"Just a little," Admitted Karen ruefully. "It isn't every day I get to see the house that I've been speculating about for nearly a year." She tactfully left out the fact that Yvonne's having very obvious criminally earned money behind her would clearly be a factor in this speculation.
"Charlie bought this place when Ritchie was seven and Lauren was three. I think he was planning for more kids to fill up the space. The house itself was quite small then but we just kept adding to it." Leading Karen across the terrace and toward the steps that went down to the pool, she said, "He put this in when Ritchie was in his teens." when Karen saw the oval pool with steps at one end, and a mosaic of two entwined dolphins on the bottom, she just stared.
"I never knew people had outdoor pools this close to central London." Yvonne realised that this was Karen's way of trying to cover up her shock and awe of seeing just what the Atkins money had been spent on over the years. Trigger had followed them outside and now made his way round to the other side of the pool where began a long stretch of lawn which eventually ended in trees and a high stone wall. He lay down in the shade of one of the trees and lazily thumped his tail. They sat down under a green tasseled umbrella and Karen, for the first time that day began to relax. They both lit up cigarettes and Yvonne said,
"Charlie might have been a wanker of the highest order, but when it came to building, he did have style." Karen grinned.
"And I know that with most men like Charlie Atkins, most of the decorating will have been left to his wife. You should be very proud of this place." Yvonne smiled widely.
"Cheers. Here's to the end of what's probably been a horrendous week for you."
"I won't disagree with that," Said Karen taking a long drink of her scotch. "when I left them this afternoon, Di and Sylvia were arguing over who wasn't going to take Merriman to court next week."
"Can't Fenner do any of it?" Asked Yvonne.
"No, not while he's appearing as a prosecution witness he can't."
"So they both want the joys of accompanying a psychopath to the dock?" Yvonne was slightly astounded.
"I think Di Barker gets off on the notoriety of it all, and Sylvia just wants a day out. Supervising one worthless con has to be easier than supervising fifty. At least that's how she sees it."
"Typical Body bag," Yvonne laughed. Karen grinned.
"Do you know something, people have called her that ever since I've been at Larkhall."
"I might be wrong," Replied Yvonne, "But I think it was Zandra who came up with that one."
"I shouldn't say it," Said Karen, clearly having no qualms about it at all, "But it suits her."
After a while, they went in and Yvonne briefly grilled the two excellent-looking steaks. Putting the two plates and the bowl of salad on a tray with some cutlery, Yvonne stood in front of the large wine rack which took up a good proportion of one kitchen wall. Eventually selecting a bottle of Chatteau Neuve de Pape and putting it on the tray with two glasses, she carried it outside and they ate under the evening sun. Karen having taken notice of the stock of equally good reds and whites in the wine rack said,
"Who's the wine buff around here then?" Yvonne smiled.
"A fascination with good wine was probably the one saving grace my father ever had," She said, swallowing a mouthful of medium-rare steak. "It's something I guess I inherited from him. Charlie used to act to his mates like he knew one from the other, but he always used to get me to pick them out beforehand." Karen laughed.
"So you didn't take part in any brewing in Larkhall?" She hadn't known whether or not Larkhall and Yvonne's time there would be a safe subject, but the full bodied red in her glass had given her courage.
"Good god, no," Said Yvonne in disgust. "That stuff the Costa Cons made was vile. If I wanted any alcohol in there I made sure it came in already bottled." As the evening progressed, Karen gradually found it easier and easier to relax on Yvonne's territory. Yvonne didn't flaunt her wealth, it was simply something that was part of her and that she accepted as being part of her. Yvonne lived a rich, sometimes decadent life simply because she could, not because she desperately needed it. Yvonne knew herself well enough to know that possessions didn't make a person what they were, but what that person did with their possessions. Karen began to see Yvonne's surroundings as just part of the way Yvonne had lived for a long, long time. They hadn't prevented Yvonne from suffering one of the worst fates any human being can suffer, to be locked up behind bars for a number of years. Under her expensive clothes and behind the appearance of her house, her pool and the wine she liked to serve, Yvonne was still a normal woman, capable of being hurt by the same things as Karen, and just as vulnerable to the whims of a man she had once loved. They passed a relaxing evening, finding it easier to talk the more wine they consumed, until Yvonne found herself wondering why she'd never asked Karen over before. When Karen eventually left, full of steak and strawberries, and a little too much wine to drive, she felt content. Yes, the trial was starting on Monday, but tonight had been wonderful. Tonight had been for both of them, the calm before the storm.