Under the Arches

smiled. ‘Listen Angelina, you are young and are entering a volatile period of your life. Sometimes things come out the wrong way. Your mum knows this.’

  ‘But I meant every word of it,’ she cried. ‘He’s a nasty man and I’ve no idea what she sees in him.’

  ‘Perhaps there is a softer side that you are yet to see,’ said Zeus, beckoning to Judas, who trotted over and laid his shaggy head in Angelina’s lap. She reached down and began stroking his ears affectionately.

  ‘I don’t think so,’ she said with a sniff.

  ‘There is good in everyone Angelina,’ said Zeus firmly.

  ‘Everyone?’

  ‘Everyone. Perhaps if you spoke to your mum about it in a calm fashion, you would hear her side to it. I am not expecting you to become best friends with him, but maybe you have not given him a fair chance. After all, your mum has been a lot happier in the last month or so.’

  ‘That’s because she’s been having lots of sex,’ said Angelina grumpily.

  ‘Oi, none of that attitude,’ said Zeus taking an apple from the bowl in the middle of the table and taking a large bite out of it. ‘Where’s that bright smiley girl I once knew eh?’

  As he said it a spray of apple juice flew out of his mouth.

  ‘Urgh, yuck!’ said Angelina wiping her cheek. ‘She’s still here OK, just no more of your spit.’

  ‘Deal!’ said Zeus rocking back in his chair and putting both his feet up on the table. ‘Just so you know though, my spit could create a forest in the middle of a desert. Now then, what are you doing for Hallowe’en?’

  ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘Hallowe’en. It’s only a fortnight away, you know.’

  ‘Do you celebrate Hallowe’en?’

  ‘Well I wouldn’t say ‘celebrate’, but I can’t see anything wrong with having a bit of fun. Want to come trick or treating?’

  Angelina stared at him. ‘I think I’m a bit old for that,’ she said.

  ‘Nah, it’ll be fun. Come on, don’t be a spoil-sport.’

  ‘Oh all right,’ she said. ‘Can’t think of a better way of spending my last Hallowe’en than trick or treating with Jesus.’

  ‘That’s the spirit!’ said Zeus. ‘If you meet me in the usual spot on Saturday we’ll go and find some costumes.’

  Despite her guilt about her outburst, Angelina did not feel ready to return home immediately and to her surprise, Zeus did not press her to do so. Instead she discovered that he had a stash of Playstation games tucked under the sofa, and they spent a good few hours racing supercars round busy streets and famous circuits on the giant screen. Angelina, who had never really given much time to video games, found it great fun and managed to pick it up quite quickly, although Zeus laughed at the way she kept moving the joypad in the direction she wanted to go.

  ‘I’m sure it helps,’ he said as they completed another race with Angelina barely a second behind him.

  ‘It does,’ she said indignantly. ‘Besides, you’ve had way more practice than me.’

  ‘I wouldn’t say way more, but you’re definitely a natural.’

  ‘Is that a gift to be proud of, playing computer games?’

  ‘Of course. All gifts should be viewed as such.’

  ‘Even people who can turn their eyelids inside out?’

  ‘Well, I wouldn’t really call that a gift. And before you ask, farting isn’t either.’

  ‘I wasn’t even thinking of it,’ said Angelina.

  ‘So then, see you in town on Saturday?’

  ‘Is that my cue to leave?’

  ‘It’s half past twelve!’

  ‘Is it? Oh bugger it, now I really am in trouble.’

  ‘Off you go then.’

  ‘Yes, I’ll see you Saturday.’

  ‘Cheerio, and don’t forget to make up with your mum!’

  Angelina did not get the chance to do so the following evening, since her mum was out when she got back from her English tutoring, but on Friday she was home and Derek was nowhere to be seen. A tearful heart to heart followed, with apologies from both sides. They went on to discuss her mum’s relationship with Derek and although Angelina was still far from convinced about him as a person, she agreed to tolerate having him around, since he appeared to be making her mum so happy.

  The next day Angelina awoke bright and early feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy the weekend. Unfortunately the weather seemed to have other ideas. As she stared out of her bedroom window at the grim rain-washed streets, she knew that autumn had finally arrived, and wondered whether or not she would actually be able to meet Zeus in his usual spot.

  She spent longer than normal getting ready that morning, not because she wanted to tart herself up, but merely because she didn’t feel inclined to go outside and brave the elements. She lounged around until two o’clock flicking idly through the TV channels and managed to catch an episode of Spongebob, which improved her mood. Then she went to the cupboard, got out her furry-hooded coat, and left the flat.

  Outside, the rain had died off somewhat, but it still continued to drizzle persistently from the grey sky and before long the outer layer of her coat was soaked. Angelina pulled the folds of her hood in close around her face as the spray kicked up by passing cars left a fine layer of mist hanging in the air. Several times she had to skip smartly to one side as the drivers passed through puddles in the gutter and threatened to soak her through.

  For the most part though, she kept to the side of the road where the slowly queuing traffic edged inch by inch closer to the retail park. It was almost like Watford’s own indoor theme park, where punters could come on a wet and windy day and spend hours frittering away their cash on stuff they didn’t need, but for some reason really, really wanted. Angelina shuddered at the thought of all those screaming kids towing their parents around Toys ‘R’ Us, always wanting something slightly more expensive than they were allowed. As she passed the car showrooms, all the gleaming convertibles that sat proudly in the windows seemed a little pointless. They would never get to see the open road on a bright, June afternoon.

  Angelina reached the High Street to find it pretty much deserted, save the odd hardy shopper scurrying from one store to the next as quickly as possible. She entered the Harlequin centre through the back of Boots and worked her way through the hoards of people inside, until she had reached Marks and Spencer. Already she had passed and noted several places selling Hallowe’en costumes that they would be visiting later.

  If it was at all possible, the crowds were even denser in M&S than they had been in the main Harlequin walkways. It took Angelina a full ten minutes to negotiate her way between the countless rails of skirts, cardigans and trousers, and in all that time she only stopped to look at two items. Quite an achievement. Once downstairs, it was easier for her to make her way through the food and groceries section to the main doors out on to the High Street.

  She could see Zeus even before she got there, his hunched figure clearly visible through the glass doors as he sat against the wall to keep out of the rain. For some reason Angelina felt an overwhelming sense of pity for him, and she sprinted the last few metres and propelled herself through the door.

  ‘Zeus, Zeus, are you OK? I’m so sorry I’m late. Have you been waiting long?’

  The bobble-hatted head raised, and from within the jungle of dreadlocks Zeus’ friendly face smiled up at her.

  ‘Don’t apologise!’ he said, adjusting his appearance so the thick clumps of hair were no longer in his face. ‘I didn’t specify a time for us to meet.’

  He climbed to his feet and rubbed his hands together for warmth. ‘Slim pickings today,’ he added.

  ‘It’s horrible, isn’t it?’ said Angelina. ‘Why didn’t you wait inside you poor thing? You must be freezing.’

  ‘They don’t really like me in there,’ said Zeus, with a sidelong glance through the glass. ‘They think I damage the image of the store.’

  ‘Well there’s no point us standing out here in the cold. It won’t take us lo
ng to walk through the shop.’

  Zeus collected up his stack of Big Issue magazines and put them in a shopping bag he found in his pocket. Then he followed Angelina into the store.

  It was nice and warm inside and the smell of freshly baked cakes and buns filled their delighted nostrils.

  ‘Mmm, I might have myself one of them later,’ said Zeus as they passed a counter stacked with chocolate muffins.

  ‘Oh I don’t think I could finish one of them myself,’ said Angelina. ‘They’re huge!’

  They were just about to pass the checkouts when a man in a blue uniform stepped out from one of the aisles and caught Zeus by the arm.

  ‘Hey buddy, what have I told you before?’

  There was a distinct foreign twang to the man’s voice. Zeus looked him up and down. There was a name badge on the man’s jumper.

  ‘Hi Christophe, how’s it going? Listen, we’re just passing through. Won’t keep you a minute. Have a nice day!’

  He took a further step forward, but the man held on to his arm.

  ‘Listen mate, I said last week that you have to stay out of the store.’

  ‘Hey mister,’ said Angelina with her hands on her hips. ‘We’re literally going straight through into the Harlequin. It won’t take a minute.’

  ‘You can, but he’s not,’ said the security guard.

  ‘Why not?’ asked Angelina defiantly. ‘He has money too. Is his cash worth less than anyone else’s?’

  ‘You don’t understand miss, he makes our customers uneasy.’

  ‘Why? Because of the way he looks and dresses? That’s discrimination you