Part Twenty
At one o'clock that afternoon, Nikki Victoria and Denny left for their round of calls. When Nikki said that
they'd be going to see Rachel Hicks first, Denny looked worried.
"You know, she might not want to see me."
"Why?" Asked Victoria.
"Well, I used to be Shell's bird. She just might not want to be reminded of that bitch, that's all."
"I'm sure it'll be fine, Denny," Came Nikki's reassuring tone. "If it isn't, well, we'll have to see what we can do
to persuade her. You're taking these photos if it's the last thing we do. You're the best photographer we
there is." Victoria recognised the unmasked flattery that Nikki was using to calm Denny and she smiled.
Denny blushed.
"Cheers, man."
When they drew up outside Rachel's mother's house, Victoria was surprised to see how large it was. Denny
saw her look of surprise and said,
"Yeah, I know. You'd think that with her mum living like she does, Rachel wouldn't have to go out whoring.
But Rachel's mum wouldn't have nothing to do with her when Rachel got pregnant. She threw her out. I bet
the only reason she's taken her back is because of Shell burning her house down."
"Denny, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention Shell," Said Nikki.
"I won't, but I bet Rachel does." Nikki rang the doorbell and it was Rachel who answered. She gaped at all
three of them.
"What're you lot doing here?"
"Rachel, we'd like to talk to you."
"What about? The fire was ages ago. That Dockley bitch got put away. What more can you want?"
"It's about you being in court yesterday," Said Victoria. Rachel looked at her, as if remembering how nice
Victoria had been to her whilst she was in hospital.
"You can come in, but my mum won't like it. She's already given me enough grief about being arrested."
Rachel led them in to a sitting-room filled with far too much flower patterned furniture for Nikki's liking. Mrs.
Hicks was sitting reading today's issue of the Lark city Post. Nikki shared a grin with Victoria when she saw
this. Rachel introduced them to her mother and explained why they were there.
"We don't need your sort making the situation worse," Said Mrs. Hicks.
"We're not here to do that," Nikki responded. "We're here because we're running a story on why many
young mothers see prostitution as the only answer to their problems." Mrs. Hicks told Rachel to go and
make them some tea. When she'd gone, the older woman began her tirade.
"Rachel only started mixing with that lot when she started hanging around with that waste of space who got
her pregnant with Maddy. He was in to drugs. I told her from the start that he was bad news, but she
wouldn't listen to me. Anyway, when she started selling herself, I told her she didn't belong here anymore.
After Maddy was born and after Tom killed himself, she didn't bother to come back. Well, not until she had
too."
"Tom didn't kill himself, mother, he overdosed."
"That's the same thing in my book, Rachel. You know that." Rachel put cups of tea down on the coffee
table.
"Mum, don't you have to be somewhere?"
"Trying to get rid of me now, are you?"
"It might be easier if I get this over with when you're not here."
Once Rachel's mother had left for a meeting in town, Rachel seemed to relax. Denny lightened the
atmosphere by saying,
"Jesus, your mum doesn't change does she, Rachel." Rachel smiled.
"No, I'm going to have to move somewhere else soon. She doesn't like having Maddy in the house.
Maddy's asleep now but mum hates having a crying baby around the place." Victoria took up the
conversation.
"Rachel, why did you get in to prostitution in the first place?"
"We needed the money for the rent. Neither of us were in a job at the time and I knew that Tom had debts
with a couple of dealers. My mum threw me out when she found out I was pregnant. All she kept telling me
was that tom was a waste of space and that staying with him would only bring trouble. You know all about
what happened to Tom after Maddy was born," At this she looked at Nikki and Denny. "You were both
round here then. I had to go on the streets even more after Tom died, because I was the only one bringing
in any money. Then there was all that stuff with Shell. Anyway, when the police were doing the raids on
Saturday, they picked me up and that's how I ended up in court yesterday."
"Did you ever have a job when you were living with Tom?" Asked Nikki.
"Yeah, I worked in the local off-licence and Tom used to have gardening jobs here and there but when
you've got a baby on the way, you need a regular income. The dealers were on Tom's back all the time,
that's why I eventually went on the game. I wouldn't be doing it now except that I've got to start saving
something if I'm ever going to get a place of my own again. We lost everything but the clothes we were
wearing the night Dockley set fire to the house."
"So, to be blunt, you're currently working on the streets to be able to get straight again?" Asked Victoria.
"yeah. If I don't, I'll never get straight again."
"Can we take some pictures of you and Maddy?" Asked Denny. Rachel went upstairs and brought her
baby back down with her. Maddy was still asleep so the pictures didn't take all that long.
"Rachel, how many of the other girls you work with are mothers?"
"Practically all of them. Most of us do it because we've got kids to support. We wouldn't do it if we didn't
have to. Nobody in their right mind would sleep with the likes of Jim Fenner if they didn't have to."
"Can we use that as a quote," Grinned Nikki.
"Do you ever hear from Dockley?" Rachel asked Denny.
"You're the second person to ask me that today. She keeps writing to me to tell me to go and see her."
"If you do, tell her from me she's got a hell of a lot to answer for."
When they'd left, Denny was very quiet. She opened the back window of the car and lit a cigarette.
"Her mother's a real bitch," Commented Victoria. Denny snorted.
"Yeah. No wonder Rachel ended up doing what she did. Rachel's mum's almost as bad as Shell's."
"Denny, are you okay?" Asked Nikki.
"Do you reckon I should go and see her?" Asked Denny, who'd clearly been mulling this one over for some
time.
"Do you want to go and see her?" Asked Nikki.
"I don't know. Shell's part of the old me. I'm okay with Shaz. I don't do drugs anymore and I'm kind of
settled. Shell might kick all of that out from under me." This was getting very philosophical for Denny,
mused Nikki. "But maybe I owe it to her," Said Denny.
"It sounds to me like you owe her nothing," Said Victoria.
"I know," Agreed Denny. "But Shell was there for me when my mum turned up and then pissed off again. I
don't want to owe her nothing when and if she gets out. Maybe if I go and see her, I can put all of that stuff
behind me."
At one o'clock that afternoon, Nikki Victoria and Denny left for their round of calls. When Nikki said that
they'd be going to see Rachel Hicks first, Denny looked worried.
"You know, she might not want to see me."
"Why?" Asked Victoria.
"Well, I used to be Shell's bird. She just might not want to be reminded of that bitch, that's all."
"I'm sure it'll be fine, Denny," Came Nikki's reassuring tone. "If it isn't, well, we'll have to see what we can do
to persuade her. You're taking these photos if it's the last thing we do. You're the best photographer we
there is." Victoria recognised the unmasked flattery that Nikki was using to calm Denny and she smiled.
Denny blushed.
"Cheers, man."
When they drew up outside Rachel's mother's house, Victoria was surprised to see how large it was. Denny
saw her look of surprise and said,
"Yeah, I know. You'd think that with her mum living like she does, Rachel wouldn't have to go out whoring.
But Rachel's mum wouldn't have nothing to do with her when Rachel got pregnant. She threw her out. I bet
the only reason she's taken her back is because of Shell burning her house down."
"Denny, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention Shell," Said Nikki.
"I won't, but I bet Rachel does." Nikki rang the doorbell and it was Rachel who answered. She gaped at all
three of them.
"What're you lot doing here?"
"Rachel, we'd like to talk to you."
"What about? The fire was ages ago. That Dockley bitch got put away. What more can you want?"
"It's about you being in court yesterday," Said Victoria. Rachel looked at her, as if remembering how nice
Victoria had been to her whilst she was in hospital.
"You can come in, but my mum won't like it. She's already given me enough grief about being arrested."
Rachel led them in to a sitting-room filled with far too much flower patterned furniture for Nikki's liking. Mrs.
Hicks was sitting reading today's issue of the Lark city Post. Nikki shared a grin with Victoria when she saw
this. Rachel introduced them to her mother and explained why they were there.
"We don't need your sort making the situation worse," Said Mrs. Hicks.
"We're not here to do that," Nikki responded. "We're here because we're running a story on why many
young mothers see prostitution as the only answer to their problems." Mrs. Hicks told Rachel to go and
make them some tea. When she'd gone, the older woman began her tirade.
"Rachel only started mixing with that lot when she started hanging around with that waste of space who got
her pregnant with Maddy. He was in to drugs. I told her from the start that he was bad news, but she
wouldn't listen to me. Anyway, when she started selling herself, I told her she didn't belong here anymore.
After Maddy was born and after Tom killed himself, she didn't bother to come back. Well, not until she had
too."
"Tom didn't kill himself, mother, he overdosed."
"That's the same thing in my book, Rachel. You know that." Rachel put cups of tea down on the coffee
table.
"Mum, don't you have to be somewhere?"
"Trying to get rid of me now, are you?"
"It might be easier if I get this over with when you're not here."
Once Rachel's mother had left for a meeting in town, Rachel seemed to relax. Denny lightened the
atmosphere by saying,
"Jesus, your mum doesn't change does she, Rachel." Rachel smiled.
"No, I'm going to have to move somewhere else soon. She doesn't like having Maddy in the house.
Maddy's asleep now but mum hates having a crying baby around the place." Victoria took up the
conversation.
"Rachel, why did you get in to prostitution in the first place?"
"We needed the money for the rent. Neither of us were in a job at the time and I knew that Tom had debts
with a couple of dealers. My mum threw me out when she found out I was pregnant. All she kept telling me
was that tom was a waste of space and that staying with him would only bring trouble. You know all about
what happened to Tom after Maddy was born," At this she looked at Nikki and Denny. "You were both
round here then. I had to go on the streets even more after Tom died, because I was the only one bringing
in any money. Then there was all that stuff with Shell. Anyway, when the police were doing the raids on
Saturday, they picked me up and that's how I ended up in court yesterday."
"Did you ever have a job when you were living with Tom?" Asked Nikki.
"Yeah, I worked in the local off-licence and Tom used to have gardening jobs here and there but when
you've got a baby on the way, you need a regular income. The dealers were on Tom's back all the time,
that's why I eventually went on the game. I wouldn't be doing it now except that I've got to start saving
something if I'm ever going to get a place of my own again. We lost everything but the clothes we were
wearing the night Dockley set fire to the house."
"So, to be blunt, you're currently working on the streets to be able to get straight again?" Asked Victoria.
"yeah. If I don't, I'll never get straight again."
"Can we take some pictures of you and Maddy?" Asked Denny. Rachel went upstairs and brought her
baby back down with her. Maddy was still asleep so the pictures didn't take all that long.
"Rachel, how many of the other girls you work with are mothers?"
"Practically all of them. Most of us do it because we've got kids to support. We wouldn't do it if we didn't
have to. Nobody in their right mind would sleep with the likes of Jim Fenner if they didn't have to."
"Can we use that as a quote," Grinned Nikki.
"Do you ever hear from Dockley?" Rachel asked Denny.
"You're the second person to ask me that today. She keeps writing to me to tell me to go and see her."
"If you do, tell her from me she's got a hell of a lot to answer for."
When they'd left, Denny was very quiet. She opened the back window of the car and lit a cigarette.
"Her mother's a real bitch," Commented Victoria. Denny snorted.
"Yeah. No wonder Rachel ended up doing what she did. Rachel's mum's almost as bad as Shell's."
"Denny, are you okay?" Asked Nikki.
"Do you reckon I should go and see her?" Asked Denny, who'd clearly been mulling this one over for some
time.
"Do you want to go and see her?" Asked Nikki.
"I don't know. Shell's part of the old me. I'm okay with Shaz. I don't do drugs anymore and I'm kind of
settled. Shell might kick all of that out from under me." This was getting very philosophical for Denny,
mused Nikki. "But maybe I owe it to her," Said Denny.
"It sounds to me like you owe her nothing," Said Victoria.
"I know," Agreed Denny. "But Shell was there for me when my mum turned up and then pissed off again. I
don't want to owe her nothing when and if she gets out. Maybe if I go and see her, I can put all of that stuff
behind me."