Perhaps Mona had been right about more than Fay?
Was I destined to have the riches she predicted for me?
*****
I’ve always thought that if I ever won big on the lottery,the first thing I’d do is buy something lovely for Carrie – to thank her forall she’s done for me throughout my life. Now, my plan would be to pay off myentire debt to April Bentham in cash (including the shocking amount of interestshe demands) and take an enormous amount of delight in telling her where shecan shove it! After that, I’d go shopping for Carrie (with perhaps a tinylittle detour to buy the handbag and shoes I’ve had my eye on for weeks.)
I can’t believe I’m sitting here, counting down the minutesuntil the draw, when it’s so obviously going to end in disappointment oncemore.
Another minute or so and the announcer will put me out of mymisery.
It’s time.
I glance down at my numbers: 5, 7, 16, 21, 28 and 30. I’vebeen doing the lottery for years and never had more than three numbers come up.But there’s something about tonight – a feeling, aknowingdeep inside?– that’s telling me that maybe tonight is my night. My throat feels dry as Istare at the screen.
The first number drawn is sixteen. And the second ball thatrolls out is five.
When the next ball to appear is seven, I gasp in a breathand hold it. Feeling light-headed with anticipation, I wait for another of mynumbers to be drawn.
Twenty-two.
My heart sinks. But it’s too soon to give up. Five numbersand the bonus ball would be a guaranteed million-pound prize!
Twenty-seconds later, I throw the ticket onto the coffeetable, feeling sick.
Three. I’ve got three numbers.
I guess that means I won’t be getting rid of April Benthamany time soon, then...
CHAPTERFOUR
I’m supposed to be making regular payments to one of April’s‘employees’ every Monday lunchtime in a car park on the industrial estate, butI couldn’t scrape together enough for the last one. The envelope I handed over (toa boy in a dark hoodie, who could have been no more than fifteen) was almost ahundred pounds short, which obviously didn’t please April at all, becausethat’s when I had the brick through my window and the menacing phone calls increasedin frequency. They’re always silent – except I can hear breathing at the otherend – and they happen late at night, which seems to ramp up the terror athousand-fold.
Since I don’t get paid for another two weeks, it looks like I’llhave to miss the next payment altogether. And what will happen then? Aprilwon’t stick at broken windows and silent phone calls, that’s for sure.
I’ve thought of borrowing money from Adam or even Carrie topay her off. But there are two glaring flaws to that plan. First, neither ofthem is in a position to lend me several thousand pounds. And second, theiropinion of me would plummet when they found out why I needed the cash sodesperately, and I really couldn’t bear that.
But what am I going to do? Look for a second job? Even if Iworked in a pub at nights, it would still take me many months to pay off thedebt – actually, more like years because all the time, April would be adding heftyinterest onto the money still owed.
As if on cue, my mobile starts to ring.Unknown number.Quickly, I disconnect the call. But five seconds later, it’s ringing again.Unknownnumber. With trembling fingers, I turn off my phone. Throwing it aside, Ilie back on the sofa staring miserably at the ceiling, my stomach clenched withfear.
I should bite the bullet and tell Carrie what’s going on. Ihate the thought of seeing the inevitable disappointment in her eyes –pooruseless Krystle has gone and ballsed things up again– but they say aproblem shared is a problem halved.
Will I tell her?
No chance. My fragile ego won’t let me.
Wearily, I get up and go into the kitchen to pour myself aglass of wine.
Hopefully the wine will numb my brain and let me sleep. ThenI can escape the nightmare I’ve found myself in, if only for a few hours...
*****
In bed, I quickly turn on my phone to check for messagesfrom people I’d actually like to hear from. But there’s nothing, apart from afew email adverts from companies offering loans.
Sighing, I snuggle down. My credit rating is rubbish, soeven if I were to apply for a loan to pay April off, I know I’d be refused. There’sno point in even trying.
I’m just nodding off when the phone goes again, shocking meawake. I’d forgotten to turn it off again. I lie there, feeling sick, as therhythmic ring blasts into my head. No one I know would phone me this late, soit’s obviously another threatening call.
