We hadn’t seen Nelson for almost a week and we were getting worried about him. At least, me and Monica were getting worried about him, it didn’t seem to be bothering Jack.
‘Perhaps we should go and see him,’ I said to Jack.
‘No, he’s probably just got a cold or something.’
‘He’s had plenty of colds before,’ said Monica, ‘but he still comes out to play.’
Jack was looking everywhere except at us. ‘He’ll come round when he’s ready.’
‘Why can’t we just check on him?’ I demanded.
Jack went red in the face. ‘Because you can’t, alright?’
‘Why not?’ said Monica. ‘What’s the big secret?’
‘Why don’t you both mind your own business?’ snapped Jack and he stomped off down the road.
We caught up with him. ‘You don’t have to shout,’ I said. ‘We’re just worried about him. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?’
Jack stopped walking and faced us. ‘Nelson wouldn’t want you to go round to his house, alright?’
‘Why not?’ I said.
I could see that Jack was struggling, that he didn’t know what to say to us. I got the feeling that he was somehow protecting Nelson.
‘Look,’ I said, quickly, ‘it doesn’t matter.’
‘Doesn’t it?’ said Monica.
‘No, it doesn’t,’ I said, glaring at her.
‘Oh right, OK. It doesn’t matter, Jack.’
We walked onto the green that was at the end of our street. There were loads of kids playing on the field. The boys were kicking a ball around and the girls were sitting on the grass. We walked to the far end, away from everyone else, and sat down.
Me and Monica exchanged looks; we didn’t know what to make of it. Jack was pulling up bits of grass. After what seemed like forever he said, ‘I’ve already been to see him.’
‘Why didn’t you tell us that in the first place?’ said Monica.
‘What’s wrong with him?’ I said.
‘I can’t tell you.’
I was even more worried now. ‘He’ll be alright though, won’t he?’
‘He’ll be alright in a few days.’
I felt like crying. Nelson was my friend but then I realised that I knew very little about him. I didn’t even know where he lived. Nelson didn’t say much, he was a quiet boy, but somehow you missed him. I missed him and I was scared. I could feel my eyes filling with tears. ‘Has someone hurt him?’
‘He won’t thank me if I tell you. He’ll tell you himself if he wants to.’
‘You’ll look after him though, won’t you, Jack?’
‘Of course I will.’
And I knew that whatever had happened to Nelson, Jack would be there for him.
Another week passed before we saw our friend again. We didn’t say anything about the bruises on his face and his legs, we acted as if they weren’t there but we all tried to be extra kind to him.
That night in bed I cried into my pillow.
‘What’s wrong, Maureen?’ whispered Brenda.
In See Saw Lane we had a bedroom each but we were so used to being together that Brenda climbed into my bed every night. I liked her being next to me; I liked to feel her warm little body next to mine.
‘Why are you crying?’
‘Someone hurt Nelson.’
‘Who hurt Nelson?’
‘His bloody dad.’
‘Are you going to tell Daddy?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘You should tell Daddy, Maureen. That’s what you should do.’
‘Go to sleep, love,’ I said.
Brenda put her arms around me. ‘I like Nelson,’ she said.
I kissed the top of her head. ‘So do I, now go to sleep.’
Brenda yawned. ‘I think we should light a candle for him next to the dead dog. We could ask the Blessed Virgin Mary if she would be so kind as to kill his bloody dad.’
‘I think that’s a great idea, Brenda. We’ll go down the church first thing after school tomorrow.’
I lay there thinking about Nelson in his brown jumper that had holes in the elbows. I hoped his mum loved him, even if his dad didn’t, that’s what I hoped and I hoped that the Blessed Virgin Mary could see her way clear to causing his dad some grievous bodily harm.
The next day after school me and Brenda headed straight to the church. I loved our little church, I thought it was beautiful. The altar was blue and gold and there was always a candle lit beside the statue of the Virgin Mary and it always smelled of incense, even when the Blessed Sacrament wasn’t there. We dipped our fingers in the holy water that was just inside the door and we made the sign of the cross.
‘I don’t think that we should light a candle for two doors down’s dog today, I want the Blessed Virgin Mary to concentrate on Nelson.’
‘Are you going to ask her to kill his dad, Maureen?’
‘I’m just going to tell her what he did to Nelson and leave her to make up her own mind.’
Brenda looked worried. ‘She couldn’t help Jesus though, could she? What makes you think she can help Nelson?’
‘I don’t think she was supposed to help Jesus, Brenda, because he had to die on the cross to save the sins of the world. Jesus probably told her not to get involved.’
‘I’d forgotten that.’
‘We just have to send up a silent prayer and appeal for her to intercede.’
‘What’s intercede?’
‘I’m not sure but Aquinas is always banging on about it.’
‘Perhaps she’d take us more seriously if we put a penny in the slot.’
‘We haven’t got a penny.’
‘Do you think she answers the rich people’s prayers first?’
‘No, I don’t. Now close your eyes and appeal.’
We both knelt down in front of the statue. Dear Blessed Virgin Mary, I said in my head. I know that your son Jesus is all-seeing and all-knowing and if you are as well, then you’ll know that Nelson is a good, kind boy and he doesn’t deserve to be beaten up by his dad…
‘I don’t know what to say,’ whispered Brenda.
‘Ask her to intercede.’
‘Intercede,’ whispered Brenda.
‘You have to say more than that, she won’t know what the hell you’re going on about.’
‘What shall I say then?’
‘Ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede on your behalf. We’re going to be here all day at this rate.’
I closed my eyes again. ‘Sorry about that, Mary, now, where was I? Oh yes. As you know, Nelson is a good, kind boy and—’
‘What’s that word again, Maureen?’
‘Inter-bloody-cede,’ I hissed.
‘It’s not an easy word, is it?’
‘This is not an easy situation, Brenda, but we have to appeal to her in the best way we can.’
Bear with me, Mary, I’m doing my best here but Brenda keeps butting in. Now, I don’t want you worrying about the dead dog today, this is all about my good friend Nelson. What I really want is for someone to bash his dad over the head with a hammer. Now I realise that maybe you don’t go in for murder but I’m hoping you might know someone who does. Perhaps you could have a word with that sinner who was hanging on the cross next to Jesus. You must know each other pretty well by now. I looked up at the statue, she was smiling down at me like she always does. Look, Mary, if you can’t manage the murder bit perhaps you could just amputate his hands so that he can’t punch Nelson any more. Amen.
Satisfied that I’d done all I could, I sat down and thought about my friend. I thought about his smiley face and his hair that stuck up all over the place and I thought about how different he was to Jack and how the two of them had become friends and why Jack’s mum had even allowed it, given that she was such a bloody snob.
‘Shall we go now?’ said Brenda.
I nodded and we started to walk out of the church. Halfway up the aisle, I stopped.
‘What?’ said Brenda.
‘I just want to ask the virgin for one more favour.’
I walked quickly back down the aisle and knelt down again in front of the statue.
I hope you don’t think I’m pushing it, Mary, but once you’ve sorted his dad out, could you see your way clear to getting Nelson a new jumper? Amen.
I got up, then knelt back down again.
He likes brown.