BeCuming Spangna - The Mercy Begheshian Story

Chapter 2 : The CSA Is On My Arse As I'm In Arrears

It was about seven in the evening and it was already dark outside when Mercy opened the door and walked into the bedsit that her boyfriend rented, she noticed that it was just as cold as the stairwell outside.

"Matt...?" She called out as she put the wrapped parcel of fish and chips on a small square table by the sofa, the varnish of which was littered with cup rings.

"I'm in the bog!" He called back.

"Okay." She called back as she flicked the light switch, but the light didn't turn on. She then noticed that there wasn't a bulb in the socket. She saw that a game had been paused on the large screen in the living area.

Matthew walked in and slumped onto the sofa, pulling the quilt back over himself. He had moved to Manchester from Newcastle where he grew up. He was handsome, thirty-six and of average build with muscular arms and a slight beer stomach, but at five-eight it wasn't too apparent. When he spoke, he had a thick Geordie accent. He got on well with Mercy's mother even though she largely disapproved of their relationship, "Hey, Mercy. Oh! You brought tea, cheers!" He said as he reached for the food that was wrapped in white paper and had large grease spots through it.

Mercy kept her coat on and walked over to the sofa. She sat down and pulled some of the quilt over herself as well, "Why is it so cold in here?" She said as she leant over and kissed him.

"Oh, no money on the gas meter. I'm on the emergency fiver on the leccy." He said as he picked up the Xbox controller and started playing again.

"Ohh... don't worry! I love you anyway." She said with a smile.

"I love ya too, babe." He replied.

"How did it go down job centre today?" Mercy asked.

"Same bollocks as always, babe. I show them the rejection letters, they threaten me with sanctions, I say I'll try harder. They now insist on my joining a recruitment agency, but the problem is nobody's bloody recruiting! And those who are expect you to be a rocket scientist." Matthew said.

"Well, what about cleaning? Mum does that and she gets by." Mercy said.

"I'm not fucking getting up at five in the bloody morning and fucking cleaning for minimum wage. If I wanted to clean, I'd clean this bloody place! Anyway, cleaning products set off me allergies." Matthew said.

"How about the supermarkets? I've seen loads of jobs in the warehouse and driving the delivery vans." Mercy suggested.

"Yeah, I applied to them this afternoon when I got back. If I didn't they'd cut my universal credit and JSA." He said.

"Need to get a job then. Whatever it is." Mercy said.

"Yeah, but I can't work full time or it'll affect my universal credit, and I can't work too little because I've got the CSA on my arse as I'm in arrears."

"Well, you gotta do right by your baby." Mercy replied with a shrug as she ate a chip.

"How did it go down the social with you and your mum?"

"Oh, I think she just tells them what they want to hear so they leave us alone. They can't be arsed to do anything anyway as when I turn sixteen they won't give a shit anyway as I'll be out the system." Mercy said with a sigh as she poured vinegar over the chips.

"Good. I know Maureen is sick of going to those meetings." He said as the light, tv and gaming console turned off.

"Fucksake!" She exclaimed in the dark.

"That'll be the emergency dosh run out." He replied, "You 'aven't got a tenner on you, have you?"

"No. I haven't." Mercy replied.