Young Writers Society

The package

All three of them walked towards the headmaster. Gloria gulped for a moment when she saw Mary.

Alex sensed that Mary was uncomfortable, so he squeezed Mary's hand and said,

'It's okay, I'm with you and I'm not going to let anything happen to you.'

The director said, 'MaryAnna Bradshaw.'

Mary tried to look straight into his eyes without fear and said:

'Director.'

He looked at Alex and Jake who had now released Mary's hand and stood beside her like two bodyguards ready to jump in if something did go wrong.

Mary was ready to hear the next sentences where the headmaster would say she was suspended from school and that he was going to call her father. Father did not like it when the headmaster or whoever from school called him for some reason that Alex or she had done something, forcing him to go to school. And a suspension, what would father think? He might never send her to school again, she thought or they would have to move again to somewhere where he wouldn't have to be ashamed of what Mary, still there as a girl, had done with the headmaster's daughter.

The headmaster cleared his throat and said:

'No matter how much I am embarrassed now, but I believe Gloria owes you an apology, Ms Bradshaw.'

Mary was surprised, she was not suspended? Jake and Alex were both very happy for Mary. Mary said:

'Sir, that's not necessary.'

'I want Gloria to do it.'

Mary said nothing more. Gloria did not look at Mary, but she stared at the ground.

'Sorry about 'the' necklace.'

The headmaster cleared his throat again and said sternly:

'Gloria.'

'Sorry, that I wanted to take YOUR necklace and pretend it was mine. I won't do it again, Mary. Please forgive me.'

Mary heard the sarcasm in Gloria's voice at the last sentence, but she said nothing. It was already a miracle that the well-known Gloria Stone stood here and apologized. Had it not been for her father's sake she might never have done it.

Mary smiled and said:

'It's okay.'

The headmaster looked pleased that Mary was handling it so well, despite the fact that she had taken Gloria down considerably.

'Hey Jake,' Gloria said softly as Jake walked past her.

Jake completely ignored Gloria and walked with Mary.

Alex laughed and said:

'Wow, I didn't expect that.'

Jake said: 'Me neither, but I'm glad nothing bad happened.'

Mary said to Jake:

'Well, it certainly seems that someone is interested in you, Jake?'

Alex laughed and said:

'Well, that's not unexpected or new. Jake has attracted quite the attention from a few ladies at school. With his wavy hair and handsome looks.'

Jake laughed and said:

'Stop it, Alex. As if girls don't look at you.'

Mary said:

'A single Tamara in particular.'

Alex rolled his eyes and said:

'Her name is Amara.'

'Of course, Amara. He knows exactly how to spell that,'

Jake said teasingly. Alex gave Jake a poke in his side.

'Don't make me start bringing your reputation down, MILKSHAKE!'

Mary started laughing as the two friends were arguing. The bell rang half an hour after that and all three went to their classes.

Alex and Jake were both in the same class, this was their fourth year and Mary's second.

* * *

Martha was inside the kitchen doing the dishes. She seemed to be staring at the dirty dishes, but on the other hand she was watching the postman leave a parcel on their gate. Martha left it and went to iron Richard's clothes, after an hour she heard the shrill. It couldn't be Richard first, as he came late today, nor could it be the children, as they were at school.

The alarm engineer had come by, Martha opened the door and said,

'Yes?'

'Mrs Bradshaw, I am the alarm engineer.'

'Oh yes, Richard said you were coming.'

She let him in.

'Uhm, Mrs Bradshaw there was a package on the gate, I thought I'd take it for you.'

Martha took the brown-wrapped parcel from him and thanked him. She pointed out to him where the alarm was switched on and went to the kitchen. She opened the packet and on it was a small note attached.

The note said:

Call me as soon as you get your hands on this, Martha.

- Ben

Martha opened the parcel and saw a phone.

Who was Ben, now? What did he want from Martha?

She took the phone and turned it on, there was literally, only one app on it. That was the call app, she clicked on it. There was only one number stored under the name Ben. Martha hesitated for a moment and then made the call anyway. The alarm engineer was upstairs, so that was good thought Martha then at least she could talk privately.

* * *

The phone was ringing in some kind of office. A secretary was supposed to answer the phone for his boss, but the boss said:

'No, Bob. I have to take this one myself.'

The man who answered the phone seemed to be very young, probably thirty. He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, but had the sleeves rolled up. He was not very tall, but had some height. His ears were hidden under his tousled hair and he had a light beard. His face looked normal, only his eyes shone a bit darkly.

He took the horn and put it against his ear, he said:

'Where there are bees...'

He waited for an answer from Martha and she said,

'Ben, come on.'

The young man was Ben, why was he in touch with Martha? Why did he say the sentence of the bees now?

'Martha, listen for a moment.'

Martha said:

'After twelve years you call, then you ask me to listen? No, you listen Ben.'

Ben sighed and said:

'You know why I couldn't call.'

'Then you didn't have to call now either,'

Martha said heartlessly, starting to cry softly as she clung to the kitchen counter.

'I don't want this anymore, Ben, please.'

Ben said: 'Martha, breathe.'

Martha was crying and said:

'You know who you are to her. Come see her, she needs you.'

'Does she know?' Ben asked calmly

'No, but Ben.'

The alarm engineer had come down and was now checking the front room, Ben heard him and said,

'Who's here, Martha?'

Martha said, fighting her tears:

'The alarm engineer. Ben, please. You have to come.'

'Martha, calm down. Please don't cry and pull yourself together. The man can't know you're calling me, right?'

Martha began to dry her tears and said,

'Yes, he can't know. But you do work with the police, can't you get Richard arrested?'

Ben said,

"The police are working on it, you'll have to be patient for a while.'

Martha was so carried away by everything that she didn't even realize the alarm engineer had already left. But there was someone else in the house now. Was it Ben, he seemed to be so close, yet so far away, Martha thought to herself.

Ben said:

'I'm going to try to come as soon as possible, please trust me.'

Martha was just about to say something to him when the person who was in the house shouted at her.

'Margaret! Are you on the phone with that idiot again!'

Martha saw that it was Richard, he was home earlier.

Martha said:

'No, Richard. It's not Ben, it's just a brother of my friend.'

Richard was furious! He gave Martha a hefty slap in the face and said,

'Give me that phone here.' Martha did not hand it over.

Martha thought she had already laid down, but Ben was still on the line and heard everything that happened. Ben called out to Martha, he was worried. He heard Richard's screams, Martha's crying and antagonizing and all the violence Richard was doing.

He put the phone down on the table and walked to the back. He slammed a fist against the wall and said,

'Shit!'

Bob, who was sitting there said:

'Boss, are you okay?"

"Am I okay!"

shouted Ben.

'Sorry Bob,' he then said, 'I'm just really irritated, can you put the handset on the phone.'

Bob put the handset on the phone and said,

'Coffee?'

'Bob! you're fired.'

Bob got up from his work chair, took out his thin folder and walked towards the door. He knew Ben would call him back, because he always does that when he is angry. He would open the door, but Ben said:

'Stop acting stupid, come back Bob.'

Bob smiled and said:

'Sure thing boss.'

* * *

Who was Ben and why did Martha know him? Who did he have to come and see? Was Ben a police officer who would save Martha from all violence? Would Martha dare to team up with a policeman for a better life for Mary and Alex or was it something else?

* * *

Richard had beaten Martha completely to pieces.

He had beaten and abused her before, but it had almost never been this bad. It had happened once before, but you'll hear about that later.

He had to take her to a hospital otherwise she could die.

There in the hospital, the nurse asked Richard to fill in a form regarding Martha's details. He was very annoyed, but did it anyway. He was able to answer the first questions easily, but then came that one question, where he got stuck for a moment.

'Reason: that the patient had to be rushed to the hospital?'

He had to think deeply, because he could not just write that he had beaten her. He could go to jail for that and then he would spoil his name himself.