Ruby by Heather Burnside (carter reed txt) 📗

She dashed through the flat calling Shelley’s name, but it was soon apparent that Shelley was no longer there. The kitchen was also half empty, most of the cupboard doors left open, although some basic pots and pans were still there and a few tins of food. Shelley had even had the cheek to leave a sink full of dirty pots!

Inside Shelley’s bedroom it was the same story; anything of value was gone and the remaining items were discarded on the floor. Then a thought hit Trina with startling clarity. What about her own room? What if Shelley had found her hiding place? She rushed through the flat and over to the chest of drawers where she had hidden her valuables on the floor beneath the bottom drawer. But she was disturbed to find that all the drawers had been wrenched out and slung on the bed.

She raced over to the empty chest and looked inside, but there was nothing there. Everything was gone. Her jewellery. Her money. And the ruby necklace she loved so much. ‘Fuck you, Shelley!’ she howled as she tried to come to terms with what her one-time friend had done to her.

Then Trina collapsed onto the bed and sobbed as she hammered her fists into the mattress in frustration. ‘Just wait till I get my fuckin’ hands on that thieving little bitch!’ she yelled, knowing that she would rather be pummelling Shelley’s face than the mattress.

Shelley had evidently been planning this for some time, deliberately waiting till she knew Trina was going to be out for a while. Then she’d rushed through the flat grabbing anything of value and leaving anything that didn’t matter to her.

No wonder she was so interested in Trina’s viewing. It wasn’t because she didn’t want her to leave: it was because she knew Trina would be out of the flat for longer than usual, giving her time to empty the place of all the valuables. Trina continued sobbing for some time as this realisation hit her. She felt betrayed, and by someone who she’d once thought so much of.

Once she was over the initial shock Trina thought about the wider implications. How the hell was she going to keep this place going on her own as well as keeping herself fed and clothed? And what if Shelley still owed rent? How was she going to pay that back?

She thought briefly about returning home but knew it wasn’t what she wanted. Then she thought ironically about one of her mother’s favourite phrases, Be careful what you wish for, child. Well, she’d certainly wished to have her own place. But not like this. Shelley had hurt her deeply and Trina knew she was unlikely to ever see her again. Neither would she recoup the money Shelley had taken or her precious ruby necklace.

42

October 1998

Trina was exhausted when she got up at midday. It was some weeks after Shelley’s disappearance and was the fifth night in a row that she’d worked. Although she hadn’t got to sleep till the early hours, Trina wanted to do a bit of cleaning before she went to work and then grab some shopping.

Ideally she would have liked to have taken the night off but it wasn’t possible. Ever since Shelley had left, Trina had been putting in extra hours to ensure she earnt enough to live on.

Shelley’s absence had been a revelation. When the landlord came to collect the rent, Trina discovered that not only had Shelley not paid the arrears but she’d also racked up a further month’s rent. It meant there was a thousand pounds owing altogether. At first the landlord was hostile towards Trina, but when she’d explained the situation with Shelley and offered to pay extra each month towards the arrears, he had mellowed. Trina thought it was perhaps because she had paid something towards the arrears previously and he recognised her willingness to sort things out.

As if the rent arrears weren’t bad enough, Trina also found out that most of the other bills on the flat were behind too. So, not only did she have to pay all the bills and her own living costs but she also had to catch up with the debts Shelley had left and replace a lot of the furniture and other items Shelley had taken.

Having all of these problems made her realise how difficult it must have been for her mother to run a home and provide for four children. And she was beginning to realise just how much she missed her mother and brothers. The few chores she’d had to do when she had been at home seemed nothing in comparison to having to run her own place and meet all the bills. But she couldn’t go back home now; her pride wouldn’t let her admit that she’d been foolish to leave.

Because of all the financial demands Trina was working extra hours, and she was finding it difficult. There wasn’t as much custom in early evening or towards the end of the night so she had to find new places in which to solicit.

The more Trina had to work, the more she grew to detest what she did for a living; having to have sex with repulsive, smelly men who talked down to her and treated her roughly. And she felt resentful towards Shelley who hadn’t told her any of this when she had enticed her into prostitution, probably so she’d have someone to help with the bills.

That night when Trina arrived at her usual spot, it took a whole half hour until she got her first customer. The night was chilly. Trina was wearing a short skirt to show off her long, toned legs and a bomber jacket with the zipper half open, revealing her cleavage. Her clothing didn’t protect her very well from the cold weather and she was glad to get inside the stranger’s car and warm her frozen thighs.

When the man brought her back,