Tumbledown Read online

  Chapter 2

  On the day of her move Phoebe was visited in her room by Jolene who seemed genuinely pleased for her.

  “Wow you are getting out of here that is just fab.”

  Studying the young girl’s face Phoebe could not detect anything but a selfless delight in her release from Clarendon.

  “You’re not worried about the ox then?”

  “I can take care of that one, don’t you worry about me.”

  It was a brave face thought Phoebe but she wondered how truthful Jolene was actually being.

  “When she comes for you make a run for it and if that is not possible scream as loud as you can. You are no match for her when it comes to a physical fight.”

  It may have been good advice but in reality if Kate Nolan wanted to hurt Jolene she would get to her somehow.

  “Like I said I can take care of myself, I have been doing that for a long time.”

  She was beginning to sound like her-self thought Phoebe.

  “There is no shame in asking for help and there are others here that hate the big ox.”

  A smile from Jolene showed Phoebe that she was not really listening and had resigned herself to her fate.

  “Goodbye Phoebe I hope you never have to come back here.”

  “It is Maddie my friends call me Maddie or Maddison.”

  It was the first time since she had been taken away from home that she had told anyone her preferred name and Maddie was not quite sure why she had done it at the moment she was leaving Jolene behind.

  Turning back Jolene said.

  “Maddie, I love it. You never really suited Phoebe.”

  With that Jolene turned the corner and was gone, leaving her friend Maddie alone to contemplate what was in store for her at the Harrisons.

  John Harrison was in his early forties and had been very successful in business and even though he was not sure that he wanted a strange fifteen year old girl under his roof he would do anything to please his wife Jennifer. It was Jennifer that wanted to foster and although she already had a sixteen year old son she felt that it was Important to help those less fortunate than herself.

  The journey to Eynsford, a small village in Sevenoaks, was quick and uneventful. The duty social worker had tried to make conversation but Phoebe gave nothing back, leaving her to chatter on with no response whatsoever.

  “Now that we are here I want you to be on your best behaviour young lady and do try to find your voice. I don’t want them to think that I have bought them a mute girl.”

  Maddie did not really care what the Harrison’s thought of her and would only speak if she felt that she had something worth saying.

  “I will behave just like myself Mrs Archer and if they don’t like it then I am quite happy to go back to Clarendon with you.”

  It was not quite true, Maddie hated Clarendon and thought that just about anywhere would be better but that was no reason to give Archer or anyone else that information. If they knew that you cared then they would also know that they could hurt you and worse they would know how to get to you.

  “Hello Phoebe, it is lovely to meet you. This is my husband Jonathan and my son John. I do hope that you will enjoy your stay with us and come to think of this place as your home.”

  Fat chance thought Phoebe.

  “Say hello Phoebe.”

  The prompt from Mrs Archer was not necessary as Maddie found the warmth coming from Jennifer Harrison compelling.

  “Thank you for letting me stay Mrs Harrison and I will do my best to live up to the faith you have shown in me.”

  The sincerity in Maddie’s voice was unmistakeable and even Impressed old Mrs Archer who thought she had seen everything.

  “Well I will leave you to get settled young Phoebe and you have my number if there are any issues Mrs Harrison.”

  “Yes thank you so much for coming, do let me show you out.”

  With the two women out of the room Maddie was left alone with the male contingent of the Harrison’s.

  “Well young lady I think one of us should show you to your room and as I am getting old and decrepit I think it should be a younger man that carries your bags would you not agree?”

  Maddie smiled thinking that John Harrison looked anything but decrepit, if anything he looked fitter than his son who grudgingly agreed to take Maddie’s bags upstairs.

  Once out of earshot of his father John Harrison spoke for the first time.

  “Don’t get used to this kind of treatment as far as I am concerned you are not welcome here and I want nothing to do with a little vagrant like you.”

  There it was, the lines were drawn between them and that was fine by Maddie, at least she knew where she stood with the son. It would be interesting to see how long before his parents showed their true colours.

  “Thank you John and if I need anything else I will ring for you.”

  Maddie enjoyed seeing the exasperated look on John Harrison’s face as she mocked him.

  “You will regret taking the mickey out of me you dirty little guttersnipe.”

  Seeing John storm off in a black mood was very satisfying to Maddie as she decided that he was not much of a threat to her. It should be no problem handling an overweight soft boy that had relied on his parents to provide for him all of his privileged life.

  Looking out of her new room’s window Maddie could see a beautiful stream that was nestled in a woody area that looked ripe for her to explore and she could not wait to get started.

  In the middle of her unpacking Mrs Harrison knocked on the door.

  “Phoebe it is me. May I come in please?”

  This would take some getting used to, at Clarendon they would just barge in without warning.

  “Yes Mrs Harrison, that is fine.”

  “Oh my dear please call me Jennifer, Mrs Harrison makes me feel so old.”

  “Yes Mrs, I mean Jennifer.”

  “That is lovely. I just wanted to know what it was that you wanted for your tea, is there anything special that you like or anything that you cannot eat?”

  Maddie could see that Mrs Harrison was really trying and found to her surprise that she appreciated that she made the effort.

  “Thank you Jennifer, I am not fussy. I will be happy to eat whatever you and your family eat.”

  “I do hope that one day you will think of us as family Phoebe.”

  A nice idea but not very likely thought Maddie.

  “I am sorry Phoebe I know that you have your own family and I should not be so presumptuous. Tea will be ready shortly, I will get John to come and fetch you.”

  It was not long before John Harrison came for Maddie and unlike his mother he pushed the door open abruptly saying.

  “They are ready for you so don’t dawdle.”

  “It is very rude to burst in on a person without knocking.”

  “This is my house and I will go where I please and you are not a person to me you are more of a parasite.”

  John slammed the door shut before Maddie could answer back, which was just as well for she might just have went for him there and then.

  When Maddie arrived in the dining room the three members of the Harrison family were sitting patiently waiting for their guest.

  “Took your time didn’t you? It is not like I have all day to wait around for you to grace us with your presence.”

  A glare from his mother shut the boy up and this was reinforced by stern words from John’s father.

  “You will apologise immediately young man and if you ever treat a guest in our home like that again there will be severe consequences for you, do you understand?”

  “Yes father, I am sorry.”

  “Do not direct your apology to me you clod, it is not me that you have insulted.”

  “I am sorry Phoebe I did not mean anything by what I said; I just have things to do this afternoon.”

  Maddie could see that John’s words held no sincerity and so had no worth to her.

  “That is alright I
will try and be more punctual in future, I was under the Impression this was just a casual tea and had no idea that there was a regimented time to arrive.”

  Maddie was trying to sound as though it did not matter what John Harrison said but in truth he was beginning to get under her skin.

  “And you would be correct Phoebe we do not stand on ceremony here and in future we will not be so formal. For your first meal with us it just seemed right to wait for you to arrive before starting, now sit and tuck in.”

  John Harrison had spoken and his family dutifully did as he suggested while Maddie sat and looked on.

  “Is there something wrong Phoebe?”

  “Not at all Mrs, I mean Jennifer it is just that I do not know where to begin.”

  “I see my dear perhaps you should try the juice it is freshly squeezed and the croissants are to die for.”

  Tucking into the veritable feast before her Maddie could not remember eating such good food, probably because she was used to the slop that they served up at Clarendon. It had been years since her mother had been well enough to cook a decent meal and that was back when her father was still alive.

  “You must have been starving; don’t they feed the likes of you at the shelter?”

  A smirking John Harrison could not help himself from commenting on Maddie’s eating habits.

  “If you do not eat fully at Clarendon then you go to bed hungry.”

  This honest comment from Maddie stunned the Harrison’s into a silence that was only broken when John Harrison spoke.

  “I am very sorry Phoebe we did not raise our son to be so rude and he will be punished for his insensitivity.”

  “I don’t need you to punish him on my account Sir, I am fine.”

  The look of anger on Mr Harrison’s face told Maddie that he would not be taking her needs into account and she wondered if he had even heard her words at all.

  “John you will leave the table now and go straight to your room and if I find that you have turned on any of your fancy electronic entertainment systems before I come up to talk to you then I will be very disappointed.”

  It was the politest telling off Maddie had ever heard, it reminded her of her father who could reprimand you with the softest voice that conveyed complete authority.

  “Don’t be too hard on him Jonathan I am sure that he did not mean to hurt Phoebe’s feelings.”

  A tough look from her husband silenced Jennifer Harrison who looked to Maddie for help.

  “It is alright Mr Harrison I have heard much worse from people over the years and I am sure that John meant nothing insulting he was just making an observation.”

  John Harrison looked at Maddie as if he wanted to jump across the table and throttle the girl for defending him.

  “You are being very generous Phoebe and by the way my name is Jonathan, please use it.”

  “Are you really going to punish me over this, I mean she is not family and won’t be here for very long so what does it matter how I talk to her?”

  The look on Jonathan’s face was a mixture of disappointment and rage.

  “Get out of my sight boy before I do or say something that you will regret.”

  With that John stormed out of the dining room and his father excused himself leaving Maddie alone with Jennifer Harrison.

  “I am sorry Phoebe but John is an only child and we did not consult him on the question of having a guest for the summer. I do hope that you will forgive him for his remarks and I can assure you that he is a good boy with a decent character.”

  A mother protecting her son thought Maddie who was not at all convinced of John Harrison’s supposed good character.

  “It is ok Mrs Harrison this is John’s home and he is entitled to his opinion of me and my barbaric ways.”

  “Oh dear I see that he has really upset you but please do not give up on him and you can be sure that his father will put him straight on his behaviour towards you.”

  A not very convinced Maddie asked if it was ok for her to go out and explore the area.

  “Of course my dear, you must feel free to come and go as you please. Would you like me to show you around?”

  “No thank you. I would prefer to discover the secrets of the place myself.”

  After her first meal at the Harrison’s home Maddie tried to keep her distance from John Harrison who though polite when his parents were present treated her with contempt when they were absent.

  “I see that you have been wearing those old dungarees almost every day since you have been here Phoebe, I think perhaps it would be nice to take a trip to town and buy you some new clothes.”

  Maddie was not at all keen on Mrs Harrison’s idea and tried to tell her so as diplomatically as she knew how.

  “There is no need Jennifer. I am very comfortable in the clothes that I have and I am very fussy about buying anything new.”

  “Nonsense we shall find you something and of course if you do not like anything that we see there will be no question of us buying it. There is a lovely little cake shop that we can visit after our shopping; they do a lovely selection of fancies there.”

  Maddie could see that it would be Impossible to get out of the trip without appearing to be an ungrateful wretch and so gave in gracefully.

  “Thank you Jennifer I do hope that you enjoy your cakes as I doubt that I will find anything new to wear.”

  Maddie’s dungarees had become part of her armour and without them she did not know that she could defend herself from the hostility of the world around her. It had taken her a long time to feel comfortable in the way that she dressed and Maddie was not about to give up that sense of security for some fancy new clothes even if they were being provided by a well-meaning soul like Mrs Harrison.

  Jennifer Harrison had always wanted a daughter and the idea of a shopping trip where she had the opportunity to buy lovely, feminine clothes for her young charge delighted her.

  “That is splendid we will go this afternoon and have a fabulous time together. Just don’t tell Mr Harrison how much we spend after all he is just a man and would not understand.”

  It amused Maddie that Jennifer Harrison thought that she understood the excitement she obviously felt at a simple shopping trip.

  “Will John be joining us?”

  “Oh no dear, John is like his father and hates even the idea of shopping with his poor old mother.”

  Maddie could not hide her relief and Jennifer was quick to pick up on this.

  “I know that John can be a little moody but I am sure that given time he will come around and you will become good friends.”

  Maddie smiled and nodded all the while thinking Jennifer was living in cloud cuckoo land.

  “I will be ready whenever you want to leave, just give me a call.”

  While waiting in her room for Mrs Harrison John Harrison knocked on Maddie’s door.

  “Come in.”

  Maddie was surprised to see John enter her room.

  “My mother says that you are going on a little shopping trip, is this true?”

  A puzzled Maddie replied.

  “Yes Jennifer wants to take me into town.”

  “I thought it would not be long before you would take advantage of my mother’s generous nature. The first chance you get you wangle a shopping trip to get free stuff from my family, you make me sick and the sooner you go back where you belong the better. By the way my mother is waiting downstairs for you.”

  The nasty way that John Harrison spoke to Maddie gave rise to an anger that she had not felt for a long time. Usually she could shrug off the insults of others and take comfort in the fact that she really did not care what they thought of her but with John it was different.

  Twenty minutes later there was another knock on the door.

  “Phoebe it is time to go, I would like to miss the rush hour traffic if possible.”

  When Jennifer Harrison received no answer she opened the door to Maddie’s room.

  “Are you not ready dear?
I sent John up to let you know that it is time to go.”

  Maddie was sitting on the bed staring at the wall with little intention of going anywhere.

  “Is there something wrong dear? I do hope that John did not say anything to upset you.”

  The pained look on Mrs Harrison’s face prompted Maddie to say.

  “Of course not, I just don’t think I want to go with you. I don’t need more clothes.”

  Maddie felt like a sulky child saying this but for some reason she did not want John thinking that she was taking advantage of his mother.

  “I am so sorry that you feel that way I was looking forward to showing you around town but of course you don’t have to come if you do not wish to.”

  The disappointment in Mrs Harrison’s voice was too much for Maddie and she decided it was not fair to let her down like this, to hell with John.

  “I am sorry Jennifer I am just being silly I would love to come into town with you.”

  John’s mother could not hide her excitement and squealed.

  “That is excellent my dear. I promise that we will have a wonderful time, just us girls together.”

  Once downstairs Maddie glared at John as his mother said goodbye and could not help but add her own farewell.

  “Goodbye John. I will try and stop your mother from spending too much of your inheritance.”

  The look from John Harrison was priceless thought Maddie and well worth the effort.

  “Come along Phoebe we have some serious shopping to get done and time is a wasting.”

  Maddie smiled sweetly in John’s direction and was rewarded with a fierce glare that told her she was getting to the nasty little pig.

  Oblivious to the atmosphere between her son and Maddie Mrs Harrison called back to John as she left.

  “I will bring you back something nice baby.”

  Seeing John wince at his mother calling him baby Maddie silently mouthed the word and blew him a kiss.

  It took all of John Harrison’s self-control to stand still as Maddie did this safely from behind his mother.

  “Thank you mother but I am sure that Phoebe will keep you too busy for you to think about anyone else’s needs.”

  His words were obviously aimed at Maddie and for some reason they stung more than she thought they should. How did John Harrison know how to get to her so easily? It was a question that Maddie would love to have an answer to.

  Jennifer Harrison could not stop talking all the way to town and Maddie found her-self warming to the chatty woman next to her.

  “We are here Phoebe and I cannot wait to get you into the shops to show you how much is on offer.”

  Maddie could not truly share Jennifer’s excitement but found it infectious to a degree and was looking forward to rambling around the shops with her new guardian.

  “I warn you Jennifer I will have to be cut out of these dungarees and I do not exaggerate.”

  Maddie smiled when she said this but thought it basically accurate.

  “Come now Phoebe you are fifteen and you cannot spend the rest of your life in overalls. A beautiful dress and some more feminine touches are definitely the order of the day.”

  It was no use thought Maddie, Mrs Harrison was not listening and if making her happy meant walking round a few shops it was a small price to pay.

  “A dress? What do you think I am, a girl? I will have you know that I have an image to protect and I will defend it with my life.”

  “Will you now my girl? Well I will have you know that I have a rep to and I will not have it ruined by a pair of dungarees that have seen better days?”

  Hearing the middle class Mrs Harrison use the word rep in that context amused Maddie to no end.

  “You have a rep, who with, the ladies that do lunch?”

  Realising that she was being gently mocked by the smiling young girl Jennifer gamely joined in.

  “The ladies that do lunch are not to be taken lightly, you should hear what they can do with a sharp tongue and as for their designer handbags, well you really do not want to know what is inside them.”

  Maddie was surprised to find that Jennifer was happy to laugh at herself and her peers.

  “Is that Yves Saint Laurent hanging from your arm?”

  “No my dear it is just one of his bags, I don’t think that I could afford to have him on my arm and Mr Harrison would surely object.”

  Jennifer’s deadpan delivery was perfect and Maddie could not help but laugh out loud at her silliness.

  This friendly banter went on until Jennifer directed them into what looked like an upmarket boutique that immediately made Maddie feel uncomfortable.

  “Really a doorman at the front of a shop, that is a bit over the top don’t you think?”

  “He is just there to greet you and make you feel welcome dear.”

  Strange then that he made Maddie feel the complete opposite of welcome.

  “Just wander around Phoebe and see if there is anything that takes your fancy. I will be in the accessories section.”

  Maddie walked away from Jennifer and could not help but stare at the other customers that frequented the shop. The more she looked at them the more uncomfortable she felt and decided to head for the exit.

  “Where are you going Phoebe? We have just arrived you can’t have given the place much of a chance!”

  It was true thought Maddie as she had not looked at anything that the place had for sale.

  “It really is not my kind of style Jennifer and I cannot see anything that I would consider wearing in there.”

  Mrs Harrison shot her a not very convinced look.

  “Nonsense Phoebe you barely scratched the surface, come back in with me and we will look together.”

  This was beginning to feel like torture thought Maddie as she allowed herself to be dragged back into the posh boutique.

  “Look here my girl there are some lovely skirts and tops here, you would look lovely in this red skirt.”

  Mrs Harrison was holding up a short skirt that had frills all over it and Maddie would not be seen dead in such a garish thing and said so in a very blunt fashion.

  “You have to be joking Jennifer, do you really think that I would wear such a loud piece of crap and have you seen the price they want for it?”

  Mrs Harrison looked hurt by this response from Maddie and so the girl tried to explain her feelings more diplomatically.

  “I am sorry Jennifer I do appreciate that you are being very generous it is just that I could never wear something like that, it is just not who I am.”

  “Not to worry dear we will persevere, there is another little shop that we can try across town and it is very near to our cake shop. I think perhaps they may have something more to your taste and if not did I mention we will be very close to the best cakes ever?”

  It was nice that Jennifer had listened to her thought Maddie but she did not hold out much hope for this other shop either.

  “Cakes did you say cakes? I may have heard you mention cakes but I am not sure, can you clarify, will there be cakes?”

  It was fun joining in with Jennifer as they continued the quest for her beloved cakes but Maddie did not really have much of a sweet tooth and with Jennifer’s figure she doubted that she had eaten more than a morsel of cake in her life.

  The name outside the next shop was Urban Apparel and underneath was the words Ethical, Organic, Relevant. Inside there was a sign that read outlet for new and upcoming designers.

  To Maddie’s surprise there were racks and racks of practical clothing that appealed to her utilitarian style. The place was filled with jeans, shorts, t-shirts, jackets, hiking boots and all of it was top quality merchandise.

  Seeing that Maddie was much more comfortable in this store Mrs Harrison said excitedly.

  “Anything that you see just put in this basket and please do not worry about the prices.”

  This of course caused Maddie to check out the prices of the wondrous little shop.

  “My God t
hat is outrageous. Who can afford to pay that much for a Jacket?”

  “We can Phoebe and you need to have some new clothes. It maybe pricey but the quality is excellent and they will last you for years unlike some of the cheap stuff you can get on the high street.”

  It was a good argument thought Maddie even though the dungarees that she was wearing had cost only a fraction of the clothes here and had lasted her forever.

  “If I do pick out some items then I would like to work for them, are there any chores I can do around the house to help out with?”

  Jennifer Harrison did not need any help around the house. There was a cleaner that came every day and a gardener that tended the garden on a regularly basis but she was not about to tell Maddie that.

  “I am sure that we can find something for you to do if that is what you want; now please just see if you can find something that you like.”

  Maddie took the basket from Mrs Harrison and spent the next half hour searching the shop for clothes that she found to her liking. It was not difficult finding things that she liked, the difficulty came in choosing what to put in the basket and what to leave on the hangers.

  “I hope that this is not too much Jennifer, I can put some back if it is.”

  Maddie had filled the basket with T-shirts, shorts and a masculine pair of boots that Jennifer Harrison thought totally unsuitable for a girl.

  “Don’t be ridiculous Phoebe, if anything I think you should go around again to make sure that you have all that you need.”

  Maddie steadfastly refused to look for anything else and felt that she was already taking advantage of her guardian’s generosity.

  “Alright if you are sure then we will try one more shop before scoffing down some cakes.”

  The numbers of bags that they walked out of the shop with just made Maddie feel even guiltier with every step.

  “I think that we have enough Jennifer, we really do not need to buy anything more.”

  “Hurry along now and this is not just about you young Phoebe, I just might want to treat myself you know.”

  Once she knew that the next stage of their shopping did not revolve around her Maddie felt a little better.

  “Do you need anything in particular for yourself?”

  “Oh no my dear Phoebe it seems to me that you have not fully grasped the shopping concept. Let me enlighten you, it is not about what you need, it is not even about what you want, shopping is about the experience.”

  Maddie did not really have any idea of what Jennifer was talking about but she could see that the woman was enjoying herself immensely.

  The third shop was not to Maddie’s taste and she was glad that she did not have the pressure of finding anything for herself there.

  “Wow! Come over here Phoebe, I have found the perfect dress for you.”

  Oh God thought Maddie as she trudged over to Mrs Harrison.

  “What do you think, isn’t it just perfect?”

  The dress that Jennifer Harrison had in her hand was indeed perfect thought Maddie.

  “It is very nice Jennifer but you have already brought me far too much and I really can’t accept anything more.”

  “Oh poppycock Phoebe, just try the dress on and if it is not perfect we will leave this place never to return.”

  The amateur dramatics amused Maddie and to please Jennifer she agreed to try the dress on.

  “Ok I will try it on but don’t get too carried away, I don’t look good in dresses and this will probably be no different.”

  “You do talk nonsense sometimes young lady, you are a very pretty girl and in this dress you will look gorgeous.”

  Maddie smiled doubtfully as she took the dress to the changing room.

  “You look fantastic Phoebe! We just absolutely have to buy this dress; I will brook no argument on this matter.”

  Maddie really did not want to argue with Jennifer as she loved the dress and the way it looked on her. It went so well with her boots and once she put her leather biker jacket over it she knew that she would feel the outfit was complete.

  “We will have to get you some appropriate shoes and maybe some…..”

  Maddie felt she had to interrupt Mrs Harrison before she went too far.

  “I am sorry Jennifer I do love the dress and if we do get it then I would have to wear it my way and with my own style.”

  Jennifer Harrison was not sure what Maddie meant by this but that did not matter she had put her in a dress and that was a start. Small victories she told herself, small victories.

  “That is fine Phoebe you must do as you think best and I think you should wear the dress home.”

  A smile from Maddie and moments later they were heading for cakes with the young girl wearing the dress that Jennifer had picked out for her.

  As she looked across the table at Maddie Jennifer could not help but think how lovely she would look if she were to grow her thick mop of black hair out.

  “Your hair is quite short Phoebe, have you ever considered letting it grow to your shoulders?”

  Maddie had always favoured shorter hair and would not even let it grow for her mother whom she loved dearly.

  “It would not be me anymore if I was to do that and I am happy with the way that I look even if others are not.”

  Jennifer felt the girl slipping away from her after her remark and was quick to correct her mistake.

  “Oh dear I am sorry if I have offended you it is just that I am used to seeing girls of your age with long hair and I guess for me that has become the norm.”

  The apology was genuine and Maddie was happy to accept it graciously.

  “Didn’t I tell you that the cakes here were magnificent?”

  “Yes you did and they live up to their reputation, I could not eat another thing.”

  “Then we shall be on our way, it is getting late and I have had a lovely time.”

  Maddie too had a great day, in fact she could not remember the last time that she had enjoyed herself so much and it was all thanks to Jennifer.

  “Thank you Jennifer. I have had a wonderful time and you have been great today.”

  It was more than Jennifer Harrison could have hoped for and on the drive home she felt that she had bonded with the young girl sitting beside her.

  “WE ARE HOME, IS THERE ANYONE IN?”

  There was no response to Jennifer’s loud announcement.

  “I guess the boys are out dear, you go upstairs and put your new purchases away and I will get on with the dinner.”

  Maddie did as she was asked and realised when she reached the top of the stairs that she was not alone.

  “Look at the dag; she is a girl after all. I was beginning to wonder.”

  It was John with two of his friends who found his insult incredibly funny.

  “I thought you were out lardass, I guess that was too much to hope for.”

  With that Maddie slammed her door behind her to contemplate why John Harrison’s words always stung so deeply.

  After their last exchange Maddie kept away from John as much as possible and enjoyed the company of his mother whenever she was available. Having John’s parents around acted as a buffer for her from the unpleasant boy that seemed to hate her so much that he wanted to hurt her at every opportunity that he got.

  It was on the night of the Harrison’s twentieth wedding anniversary that Maddie was to feel the full force of John’s resentment toward her. They left at eight o’clock and Maddie went straight to her room when they were gone. Her plan was to stay there until the morning and avoid any interaction with John.

  Maddie would have stuck to this plan rigidly if she had not heard John leave a little while later, giving her the opportunity to pop down and raid the fridge for some snacks. Unfortunately for Maddie the tiresome boy came back almost immediately to find her in the kitchen making a sandwich.

  John had felt bad about the way that he treated Maddie when his friends were around that day and was ashamed of how he had taken his anger out o
n her since she arrived.

  “Phoebe I just wanted to say that I am……”

  Maddie was not in any mood to listen to what this jerk had to say and could not contain the words that spewed forth from her.

  “I don’t give a damn what you have to say you lardy gasbag, if it were not for your mother I would have torn you to pieces after you first opened your mouth to me.”

  John was utterly shocked at the fierceness of Maddie’s words and tried one more time to make his apology.

  “I guess I deserve some of what……”

  Once again he was unable to finish and found himself at the end of another tongue lashing from an irate Maddie.

  “You deserve a good beating and nothing less you lazy fat oaf.”

  That was it for John, he had heard enough and was not about to let her last insult pass.

  “Whatever you may think of me, at least I am not the product of a criminal father and a filthy drug addled mother that cannot even take care of herself.”

  Maddie was incensed and could not stop herself from crossing the room and laying into the larger boy with her fists.

  “You will take that back you great big pig.”

  With her fists landing mostly on John’s forearms and doing little damage, he grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her back onto the floor.

  Maddie got up three times and each time launched herself at John who to his credit did not hit back once but only pushed her away from him.

  “Please stop Phoebe, you will only hurt yourself.”

  The frustration and rage within Maddie had built to a point that she could no longer think straight.

  “You are such an arse. I hate you and I never want to see you or your family again.”

  Maddie ran from the kitchen straight to her room, grabbed her leather biker jacket, threw it on over the dress that Jennifer had brought her and left the Harrison home, for what she thought would be the last time, with tears streaming down her face.