Nothing is Forever by Grace Thompson Read Free Book Online Page A

considered their home.
    ‘What we need,’ Megan said, when they talked about their situation later, ‘what we desperately want is a third to share. Then we could afford to rent a place.’
    ‘What we need,’ Mali said, looking at the sleeping Mickie, ‘what we desperately need, is an angelic third, someone who can cope with our Mickie, bless him.’

    Jack had found a place to sleep that he used for a couple of nights, sharing with another man, an ex-soldier who was unable to return to the life he had led before joining the army and serving in France. On the first night, each wrapped in a sour-smelling blanket on opposite corners of the leaky shed, they didn’t speak. Jack slept fitfully, opening an eye whenever the other man moved, afraid of losing the valuable items in his bundle.
    After a second night, the two men met in a field through which a small stream meandered. Jack was washing himself in the breathtakingly cold water and, seeing the man approach leapt up and stood warningly over his bundle.
    ‘Got soap, have you?’ the man asked hopefully and Jack offered the slim remains of a bar.
    ‘Is there any place where I can get some shoes?’ Jack asked. ‘I’m right through the bottom of these, no mistake.’
    ‘You English? You sound English.’
    ‘Sure am.’
    ‘Ex army?’
    ‘Shoes?’ Jack asked irritably. ‘Where can I find some shoes?’
    ‘There’s a church and in the basement they sometimes have stuff. You have to show them what you’ve got and if they think you need a better pair and they’ve got some that fit you might be lucky. Want me to show you where it is? I’ll treat you to a cuppa if you like?’
    ‘I’ll treat you to a cup of tea.’ Then Jack looked at the man and shook his head. ‘But they won’t let you into a café smelling like you do. Use that soap and I’ll be waiting in the lane.’
    ‘Bossy bloke, aren’t you?’
    ‘Don’t be too long.’
    The church was closed but a notice explained when there would be someone there and they settled to wait. In the porch of the church there was a carrier bag filled with woollen items that someone had left. The two men searched through and helped themselves to shirts and a jumper each. Not a good fit but clean and in reasonable condition. They hid what they’d found and waited patiently in the hope of some shoes.
    After answering a series of questions, followed by advice on finding work and somewhere to stay, they were invited to join in a prayer, then each was given a warm coat and shoes and sent on their way.
    ‘Can I trust you?’ Jack asked, as the man was about to leave. ‘If I can, I know how you can earn a few shillings.’
    ‘What d’you want me to do? Nothing illegal, mind.’
    ‘I have something valuable which I want to sell.’
    ‘Stolen?’
    ‘They belonged to my grandmother,’ Jack replied.
    ‘Then why don’t you sell them?’
    ‘I don’t want my uncle to see me. Family heirlooms, mate; he’d be angry if he saw me selling them.’
    ‘I thought you were from England?’
    ‘Look, if you don’t want a few shillings clear off!’
    ‘All right, what is it?’
    The silver was taken into Henry’s shop and only Tabitha, his assistant, was there. She was tall, very thin and was dressed in old-fashioned, ill-fitting clothes. Her voice was low and nervous but she asked politely what the man had to offer in the bag he placed on the counter. The man looked at her and asked boldly if he could talk to the boss as he had something to sell. He didn’t imagine for a moment that this person was in charge of buying and he needed to get rid of this, and fast. Whatever his partner said, there was something iffy about all this. ‘Hurry up,’ he said irritably.
    ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to deal with me,’ she said, trying to sound firm. She was suspicious of the nervous man who offered the items for sale but he told a good story and she took a chance. Henry allowed her to buy occasionally, aware of her wide knowledge