Bad To The Bone

24

Seeing my mother was like a breath of fresh air. Even though I was practically on house arrest at the Gallaghers. I felt myself again. Even though I had my own savings and Noel's amex card, more than enough to live on. I felt as though I should get a job whilst I am here, just to occupy my head, instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself and watching Simpsons of the orginal seasons 1 - 3. They never showed the newer ones on freeview. Noel had got me the box set on VHS as a gift for my birthday, although he only gave me it a few weeks back.
The next day, I walked up to The Ram And Half Quarter, where I used to work from when I was nineteen right up until I got the job at NME at twenty-one.
It was only across the estate from Peggy's and technically still in burnage. I was kinda kicking myself for selling my old house next door because being at hers was driving me insane, not like I werent already. I had met the people I had sold it to again one morning and they asked if I had sold their house to buy the house next door to which i chuckled and said 'no its my mother-in-law's house' and they looked at me like I was mad. But fuck them its none of their business.

I walk in and sit at the bar. "Can I help yer love?" A man in his sixties with a very mancunian accent asks me. I look up at him. "Well fuck me sideways and call me Pablo, It's Jessica Hamilton, you've grown".

"Well I am almost thirty Mick" I chuckle "and thats Gallagher I'll have you know".

"Oh god dont tell me yer married Liam" he tuts in a Jokey way, everyone around here had heard of the Gallagher brothers.

"Nah, even worse, I've married Noel" I reply sarcastically.

"Well, they're doing well for themselves now, arent they on tour in europe, shouldnt yer be with them?" He asks.

"Havent yer been reading the papers recently? Everyone thinks we're still engaged as the wedding hasnt been planned yet but we went up the registry and signed the papers and that. Also im not with them because im in therapy and staying with Peggy, cocaine addiction and repressed shit dont mix" I explain. At this point i was so open about it because the sun had already fucking told everyone so i might aswell own it.

"Fuckin' hell. Why arent yer at yer mams?".

"Have yer ever met me mam Mick? I cant just barely stand going to visit 'er and that Alan drives me barmy. She made me call him dad for almost ten years" I reply "hes a prick, a big ugly fat prick".

"Fair enough, how is she though? I saw Siobhan and Tony with the baby yesterday, hes a good dad".

"She's alright i went up to see her yesterday. The kid isnt Tone's though, it's me brother Tel's I leave you lot alone for six years and yer all go bloody berserk. He dont even see his real daughter" I reply "it is a cute baby though. Noel claimed it was his at first".

"Oh well thats because of the custody battle though int it, can i get yer anything?".

"Yeah a coke and a favour mate".

"Go on" mick pours me a coke with ice and a straw.

"I've lost me high paid job at NME due to being sectioned. So i kinda need a temp job here. Just for a couple months until Noelie gets back" I reply, sipping my drink.

"Well, yer in luck love 'cause we needed someone... can you do evenings?".

"Anytime before 11pm" I smile.

"Great, yer hired".
It was as easy as that. It was quite nice being back in my old haunt.
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Two mundane months later I was doing an afternoon shift, I had got into a routine and the days flew by so fast it felt like a week, whilst watching some football match between Man City and Hull City on the projector, it was in the same place as it always had been. The sun shone in through the windows and it was fairly quiet so I just polished the glasses and put them away, occasionally topping my coke up.