“Out of my house!” said Mother.
“Out,” Mother said, her voice perfectly calm.
Claire smirked and leaned back in her chairshe was certain Mother was speaking to her friend.
“Out of my flat!” Beth turned to her daughter, eyes fixed.
“Jenny, did you see the notice?” Her friend burst into the kitchen, still bundled in her coat. “Claire’s had her baby! Seven pounds and twenty and a half inches.”
A spitting image of her father, same button nose. I went round to every shop and bought wee outfits. Why the gloomy face?
“Congratulations, Beth. I’m really pleased for you,” Jenny said, rising to pour some tea. “Come, take your coat off.”
“Oh, I can’t stay long,” Beth perched on the edge of a chair. “So much to do, so much to do. Claire’s done brilliantly, she managed everything herself, hard worker that one.”
Her husbands a gem, they’ve just taken out a mortgage and are finishing up the renovations. Im so proud of my girl. I must have raised her right!
Jenny set the cup quietly in front of her friend. Right, she thought… If only Beth knew…
***
It was two years ago now, when Claire, Beths daughter, arrived at her door without phoning ahead. Her eyes were puffy from crying, and her hands shook.
“Aunt Jenny, please, dont tell Mum. Please! If she finds out, itll break her heart,” Claire wailed, twisting a wet handkerchief.
“Claire, calm down now. Tell me properly what happened?” Jenny was truly frightened.
“I at work” Claire stifled a sob. “One of my colleagues purses went missing. Five hundred pounds.”
And the CCTV showed me entering the office when no one else was there. I swear I didnt take it, Aunt Jenny! Honestly!
But they told me: return the five hundred pounds by tomorrow lunchtime, or theyll go to the police.
They have a witness who claims they saw me hide the purse.
Its a setup, Aunt Jenny! But who will believe me?
“Five hundred pounds?” Jenny frowned. “Did you go to your father?”
“I did!” Claire broke into tears again. “He said it was my own fault, that he wouldnt give me a penny, seeing as Im such a simpleton.”
He said, “Go to the police, let them teach you some sense.”
He wouldnt even let me in the house, yelled through the door.
Aunt Jenny, I’ve nowhere else to turn. Ive got two hundred pounds saved up. I still need three hundred more.
“What about Beth? Why not tell your mum? She is your mother.”
“No! Shed kill me. She always says Im her shame, and now this theft…”
She works at the local school, everybody knows her.
Please, could you lend me three hundred? I promise Ill pay you back, two or three tenners a week. Ive even found a new job!
Please, Aunt Jenny!
Jennys heart ached for the girl. Twenty years old, her whole life ahead of her, and stained like this.
Father refused, turned his back, and the mother would likely blow her top
Who hasnt made mistakes in life? Jenny thought back then.
Claire kept sobbing.
“All right,” said Jenny. “Ive got the money. Was putting it away for my teeth, but they can wait.”
Just promise this is the last time. And I shan’t say a word to your mum, if youre that afraid.
“Thank you! Thank you, Aunt Jenny! Youve saved my life!” Claire wrapped her arms around her.
The first week, Claire really did come with twenty pounds. She was cheerful, said it was sorted now, no trouble with the police, everything fine at the new job.
Then she simply stopped replying to messages. A month passed, then two, then three. Jenny saw her at Beths birthday, but Claire acted like they barely knew each othera frosty “hello” and nothing more.
Jenny wouldnt press on. She thought:
“Shes young, shes ashamed, let her be.”
She resolved not to let three hundred pounds spoil her long friendship with Beth. She wrote off the loan.
***
“Are you listening to me at all?” Beth waved a hand in front of Jennys face. “Where have you wandered off to?”
“Oh, nowhere in particular,” Jenny shook her head. “Just my own thoughts.”
“Look,” Beth lowered her voice, “I saw Kate the other dayyou remember our old neighbour? She came up to me at the shop. Bit odd, really.”
Started asking about Claire, how she was, whether shes paid off her debts. I didnt really get what she meant.
Told her that Claire stands on her own two feet, earning her way. Kate just gave a crooked sort of smile and left.
You dont know, did Claire ever borrow from her?
Inside, Jennys stomach twisted.
“No idea, Beth. Perhaps just a little.”
“Right, well Id better be off. Need to pop by the chemist,” Beth got up, gave Jenny a peck on the cheek, and whisked herself out.
That evening, Jenny finally gave in. She found Kates number and called.
“Kate, its Jenny. You saw Beth today, right? What debts were you asking about?”
There was a weary sigh on the other end.
“Oh, Jenny… I thought youd know, being so close to them.”
Two years ago, Claire dashed over to mine. All tears, red eyes. Said they accused her of theft at work.
That she needed three hundred pounds, or it was jail. Begged me not to tell her mum, sobbed and pleaded.
And stupidly, I gave it to her. She promised shed pay me back in a month. Havent seen a penny.
Later I heard from Vera, down the road, that Claire came to her too.
Vera gave her four hundred pounds, same story.
Even Mrs. Harris, their old teacher, rescued Claire from prison. Fifty hundred she gave.
“Wait now” Jenny sat down heavily. “Are you saying she went to each of us with the same story?”
“So it looks,” Kates voice sharpened. “She simply bilked money from all your mums friends. Everyone, three or four hundred apiece.”
Made up the story about theft, played on our pity. We all loved Beth, didnt want to upset her, so we kept it secret.
Claire probably blew it all. Month after, her social feeds were full of photos from Spain.
“I gave her three hundred myself,” Jenny admitted quietly.
“So there you are,” Kate said dryly. “There must be five or six of us. Might as well be a business, Jenny.”
This isnt some poor youthful mistake, its sheer fraud. And Beths none the wiser. Still walks around proud of her lovely daughter. But her daughter’s nothing but a thief!
Jenny hung up. Her ears rang. She wasnt sorry for the moneyshed long since written that off.
She felt sick thinking how calculating, how cold a twenty-year-old could be, playing grown women with their trust.
***
Next day, Jenny went to see Beth. She wasnt planning a scene. She just wanted to look Claire in the eye.
Claire had just come from the hospital, and with her mortgage flat under renovation, she was staying at her mothers house.
“Oh, Aunt Jenny!” Claires smile was forced as she opened the door. “Do come in. Tea?”
Beth bustled round the cooker.
“Jenny, love, pull up a chair. Why didnt you ring first?”
Jenny sat down across from Claire.
“Claire,” she began steadily, “I ran into Kate, and then Vera, and Mrs. Harris. Last night, we had a long talk. Set up a kind of club for the harmed and duped.”
Claire froze, her colour fading. She shot a glance at her mothers back.
“What are you talking about?” Beth turned.
“Well,” said Jenny, “Claire knows very well what I mean. You remember, Claire, that tricky affair two years ago?”
When you asked me for three hundred? And Kate for three hundred. Vera for four. Mrs. Harris for five hundred.
All of us rescued you from jail. Each thinking we alone knew your shameful secret.
Beths hand trembled; the kettle hissed as water spilled.
“What five hundred pounds?” said Beth, quietly setting down the kettle. “Claire? Is this true? Did you borrow from my friends? Even Mrs. Harris?”
“Mum… its not how it sounds” Claire stuttered. “I Ive paid most of it back”
“You paid nothing, Claire,” Jenny cut in. “You gave me twenty quid, and vanished.
You tricked each of us out of almost two thousand pounds total, with a made-up story. We all kept silent, feeling sorry for your mother.
But I see nowpity should have gone to us, not to you.”
“Claire, look at me. You scammed my friends out of money? Spun that tale about theft to empty the wallets of my guests?”
“Mum, I needed money to move out!” Claire shouted. “None of you ever helped me!
Dad wouldnt give me a penny, but I needed to start my life!
So what? They can spare itthey wont miss it!”
Jenny was repulsed. So thats how it is
“I see. Beth, Im sorry to dump this all now, but I can’t keep hiding it.
I wont be complicit in this. Shes treated all of us like fools!”
Beth stood braced against the table, shoulders trembling.
“Out,” she said once more, very calmly.
Claire smirked, certain her mother meant Jenny. She leaned back in her chair.
“Out of my flat!” Beth turned to her daughter. “Gather your things and go to your husband. I dont want to see you here again!”
Claires face went ashen. “Mum, I have a baby! I shouldnt get upset!”
“Youve no mother, Claire. The girl I raised, shes gone. Youre a thief.”
Mrs. Harris oh Lord, shes rung me every day and not said a word How will I ever look her in the eye again? How?!
Claire grabbed her bag, hurled a towel to the floor.
“Keep your bloody money!” she shouted, tears brimming. “Pair of dried-up old crows! To hell with the both of you!”
She dashed into the next room, seized the babys cot and stormed out.
Beth slumped onto the chair, covering her face. Jenny felt a wave of shame rise.
“Im sorry, Beth”
“No, Jenny Its me thats sorry. For raising such a criminal. I really thought shed made her own way, stood on her own feet, but oh, the shame…”
Jenny patted her on the shoulder as Beth broke down entirely.
***
A week later, Claires husband, worn and pale, went to each of the lenders, apologising without meeting their eyes. He promised everyone would be repaid.
And little by little, repayments beganBeth herself returned the five hundred pounds to Mrs. Harris.
Jenny doesnt blame herself. After all, a trickster deserves their punishment. Doesnt she?
