Forty

At first Marjorie was taken aback when she opened the front door and found Donald, wearing a beatific smile and a twinkle in his eye like a roguish monk. But she recovered quickly when she spotted the enormous bunch of red roses he was carrying, which he suddenly thrust towards her, almost as if they were lovers.

‘Oh!’ she exclaimed, then noticed the boastfully large Donald Duck he held in his other hand. ‘That’s strange.’

Donald raised an eyebrow, an expression he had perfected over the years. ‘I’m sorry?’

‘Ted bought her a Donald Duck as well.’ Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. ‘And your name’s Donald.’

Donald chuckled. ‘Two minds but a single thought. I’m her Uncle Donald. Her wicked Uncle Donald.’

‘So you’re going to be Tracey’s uncle, are you?’

‘Tracey!’ Donald looked ill. ‘Is that what you’ve called her? Tracey?’

‘What’s wrong with that?’

‘Nothing, but I just thought something more suitable for the little angel might be more...’

Marjorie interrupted him. ‘You haven’t seen her yet.’

‘No, but I can imagine how beautiful she must be. Your little treasure.’

‘Hmm,’ said Marjorie as she sniffed the roses, almost hoping they might bring on a bout of hay fever.

Donald smiled hugely. ‘Your Ted’s besotted by her.’

‘Is he? When did he tell you that?’

Donald shrugged off her questions. ‘Can I come in and see her?’

`Marjorie stepped aside reluctantly. ‘I suppose so.’

‘Thanks,’ said Donald, noticing the strong smell of boiled fish and lavender floral air spray as he stepped inside. Marjorie grasped his arm in a claw-like grip as he shut the door.

‘What about your friend?’

‘Friend?’

‘Yeah. The one with the funny name.’

‘Oh! Bamber!’

‘Yeah. Him.’

Donald laughed uneasily. ‘Don’t suppose you’ve ever watched University Challenge?’

‘I might have done. A few times. If there was nothing else on. What about it?’

‘Bamber’s mother named him after the quizmaster. Bamber Gascoine. She was a fan, you see.’

‘Oh,’ said Marjorie, releasing her grip on Donald’s arm. ‘And what does he think of all this?’

Donald frowned deliberately. ‘Bamber, you mean? I’m not with you.’

‘What does he think about you and my husband going out together?’

‘He’s ... er ... well, put it this way - Bamber prefers the mind-numbing, mindless thud of rock music to the seductive language of the bard.’

‘Seductive?’ Marjorie questioned, peering suspiciously at Donald.

‘Er, just an expression.’

Ted appeared at the top of the stairs. He blushed when he saw Donald.

‘Hello. Ted,’ enthused Donald. ‘Once again - congratulations!’ He waved Donald Duck in the air. ‘Look what I’ve got for ... er ... Tracey.’

Ted giggled sheepishly. ‘I got her one as well.’

‘Not quite the same,’ said Marjorie, sniffing disdainfully. ‘Donald’s one is much bigger than yours.’

Donald looked down at the floor. He didn’t dare catch Ted’s eye.

***

Although it was late afternoon, Pran still felt shaky and unsteady on his feet. He didn’t have a definable headache, but somewhere inside his head a swarm of something decidedly painful buzzed around in an endless and disturbingly unreal aggravation. When the doorbell rang, he struggled to pull himself into a sitting position on the sofa, fumbled for the remote, and clicked off Deal Or No Deal.

When he eased open his flat door, he was puzzled to discover an extremely attractive mixed-race girl. Not that he was attracted to the opposite sex in any way, shape or form. But he could see she was a lovely looking, with a figure that many women would have died for.

‘Mr. Kapoor?’ she said.

He nodded, puzzled and unable to comprehend any discernible reason for her visit. Surely the creditors were not on to him already? He was aware that his unemployment was eating into his savings, but as far as he knew he was still afloat.

She gave him a wonderfully warm and gleaming white smile from a perfect set of teeth before she spoke. ‘I’ve tracked you down, from your previous employment. I took over your job after you walked out. And I’ve had terrible problems with my manager. t was so bad, I took the organisation to an industrial tribunal. I’m taking them to court to try to get compensation. So I’d like to talk to you about the problems you had with her.’

Pran’s hangover seemed to vanish instantly. This was the revenge he’d been waiting for, being handed to him on a plate. He grinned at his visitor.

‘You’d better come in. I’m happy to talk to anyone who can get even with that bitch.’