AVENGE

PART ONE - TRADEGY - CHAPTER ONE - HENRY MORTON

1.

HENRY MORTON

"Daddy, daddy - can you pick John up? Pleeeassse - daddy."

Henry was glad he'd locked the bathroom door before sitting down. He could see the handle rapidly moving down an up - down and up as little Samuel tried to gain entry. It simply wouldn't do to have to cover up and try to get his son to leave again.

"I'm not sure Sammy. Go and ask your mother. I'm fine with it if she is," Henry's raised voice echoed around the bathroom.

"Mummy'll be fine. Can you - can you," Samuel's pleading voice had taken on a higher level.

Henry smiled at the picture forming in his mind of little Samuel jumping up and down outside the door with his infectious little grin spread across his face, "Go ask your mother. I'll be down in a couple of minutes."

The only answer he heard was the sound of little feet running along the landing followed by the sound of his bottom sliding down the stairs at a speed that frightened him.

Why can't he just walk down them, he thought.

Henry rose and finished his business before washing his hands. He touched his beard as he noticed a few strands of grey at the corner of his mouth. Getting older, he thought.

There was a light tapping on the door and Henry looked at it through the mirror, "Yes." He knew who it was - only Ellie, his four year old, knocked that gently.

"I need a wee daddy."

Henry opened the door and bowed to her, "Go right ahead your highness."

Ellie giggled and ran past her daddy.

"I'll wait outside in case you need me," he said. Henry closed the door behind him and waited. Neither of them shut any doors. I suppose that'll change as she gets older. I'll be the one banging on the door and demanding she get out of there.

His thoughts were interrupted by Samuel's voice from downstairs, "Dadeeeeeeeee. I'm waiting daddy."

"I'll be down in a minute Sammy."

The bathroom door opened and Ellie walked out.

"Er - little Miss. Have you forgotten something?" said Henry.

Ellie looked up at him and rolled her eyes, "No."

"You haven't flushed."

"Oh daddy," Ellie strode back in and pulled the handle down then watched the water cascade into the bowl before setting down again.

"That's better," said Henry.

Ellie lifted her arms up and waited for her daddy to pick her up. He obliged and carried her downstairs while pretending to pull her nose off between his first two fingers. She started giggling again and Henry tickled her ribs which caused the giggles to evolve into proper laughter.

As they got to the bottom Samuel ran into the hallway so Henry squatted down and scooped him up. He walked into the kitchen with a child in each arm.

"Samuel. Sit back down and finish your breakfast," scolded his mother.

Samuel wrinkled up his nose and stuck out his tongue.

Josephine, who had her back to them, was at the sink, "And don't pull a face at me Sammy."

Henry let Samuel down and carried Ellie to the table, "Hi honey - how's things?"

"Fine babe. Have you told Samuel you're taking John to school?"

"No hon - I told him to ask you."

Jo turned away from the sink with a playful frown on her face, "Samuel."

"Tricked you mummy."

"I'll ring his mummy and see if it's okay to pick him up. Now finish your breakfast," Jo walked to the phone hanging on the kitchen wall. "Can you sort their drinks Henry."

He had just settled Ellie in her seat, "Yes." Henry collected two beakers and a glass from their usual resting place and took them over to the island in the centre of the kitchen. He took the jug from the fridge annd half-filled each beaker with orange squash. Then he filled his own glass with Coke and placed them all on the table. He ruffled the childrens' hair, "There you go."

"Thank you daddy."

"Thank you daddy."

They both drank some of their juice before Samuel continued to eat. Henry began to sort his own breakfast.

"Are you making other grown-ups do silly things today daddy?" called Samuel during a brief pause from demolishing his porridge.

"Tonight Sammy. You're all coming to watch as a treat."

"Yey," chorused both children.

"Will they bark like a dog?" asked Ellie.

"Maybe."

"Will they make trumpy noises daddy?" asked Samuel.

"I don't know yet my babies," Henry was smiling at the thought his children had conjured within his head. He sat at the table and started his cornflakes.

"Can you make mummy do something?" asked Samuel.

"I already do enough," interrupted Josephine. "Mrs Pressman says yes. She'll be expecting you in around half-an-hour," she placed Ellie's toast in front of her - cut into four squares, the way she likes it. "Now - eat up - you don't want to be late."

                                                                                * * *

Because John Pressman's house was slightly out of their way, Henry had dropped John and Samuel off first. It normally made Ellie a little late for school, especially if Henry was held up in traffic, but on this occasion they were just on time.

He walked Ellie into the playground and saw that only two of the four doors into the school remained open. Ellie's was one. She ran on ahead and disappeared inside before Henry could give her a goodbye kiss.

"Bye then Ellie," he called to the back of her head as he waved in her direction. He looked at the teacher's assistant on door duty and shrugged, "Kids."

The teacher's assistant smiled, "I've got tickets to see your show Mr Morton. Are you going there now?"

"Yes. Final preparations and all that. Have you seen it before?"

"Once. Last year actually. My friend has seen it a lot of times though."

"Did she recommend it to you?"

"He. He did - yes. He's the manager at Morrisons."

"Well - I look forward to seeing you later. Would you like to come up on stage and take part?"

"Yes! Owen's wanted to do that for years."

"Okay bring both tickets to me at the end of school and I'll make my mark on the back. Show the mark to the doorman when you go in and they'll place you in the front row."

"Oh wow - really!"

"Really."

"April Squires, by the way," she held out her hand.

Henry shook it, "I really must be going now April. See you later."

"Bye," April had turned scarlet. She had touched the great 'Henry Morton'. My friends will never believe this, she thought.