The Camden Tales

19 - Into The Fire

-=₪ May 1924 ₪=-

Home / 150 Camden Road / 8.54pm

Malka left the nursery and washed in the bathroom. Her face wasn't any worse, if anything the darkness of her bruising was already starting to turn lighter.

The bathroom door to the master bedroom opened and Malka walked through looking for Alfie. The room was still in chaos as their shared junk from the previous week was strewn around. There was no sign of Alfie however, just his discarded coats and hat on the bedroom floor. Her eyes then traced to the cane sitting in the umbrella stand.

The house was deathly silent and no lights were on as she decended the stairs to the first floor. Everything was dark with the exception of two glowing light sources. One from the drawing room and one from the boudoir. Malka decided to check the drawing room first.

Going through the door she noticed Alfie's end table lamp was switched on, casting his profile up the wall as he slouched motionless on the sofa. He remained still as Malka tentatively made her way further into the room. Her eyes were transfixed on him in the dim light as she walked around his end table and finally saw his face.

His eyes were red and tear stricken. In one hand he gripped an almost empty bottle of rum, which sat on the sofa next to his leg. In the other hand he held a crystal tumbler, which had a shot of the amber drink tilting inside it as it hung off the edge of his thigh.

"Alfie?" she ventured.

"Wha'?" he mumbled.

It became quickly obvious that Alfie was drunk, very drunk, possibly paralytic. His skin had a glow about it as he sweat booze.

Just as well the fire isn't burning, she thought, because he'd most likely burst into flames if it was.

"What happened that evening with Aron?" she enquired.

Malka had become aware that maybe now wasn't the best time, but she needed to know and frankly was getting tired of tiptoeing around her husband. Never, was going to be a good time to ask, which strangely meant that now was as good as time as any.

"Nuffin' he just fuckin' worked it ou' di'n't he?" Alfie slurred, "an' so, he fuckin' said it! Ou' fuckin' loud, wivou' a care."

Malka found Alfie difficult to understand as he breathed heavily, sighed and slurred his way through his words. She hadn't seen him this drunk since the Elephant incident with Sibini.

"He fuckin'...." said Alfie with narrowed eyes and spitting as he spoke, "said that he always knew I'd regret marrying you."

Malka's stomach lurched.

"You regret marrying me, Alfie?" she asked trembling at what the answer may be.

"Don't be fuckin' daft. He's just a cun', Mal."

"No, no Alfie, he would not have said it without a reason." her heart was pounding.

Alfie sighed heavily.

"He was tryin' to make me feel shi' for not--" he stopped and sighed again.

Malka was stood between the fireplace and his end table, self soothing by rubbing her hands together.

"For not what, Alfie?" she ventured, terrified about what he might say.

"For no'... he finks, has always funk, ya wan' fuckin' kids."

Alfie tried to make out he wasn't interested in her thoughts on this subject, but he couldn't stop his eyes tracing up to her. She stood in quiet thought before she spoke.