ENSHROUDING LIGHT

THE VISIT

CHAPTER 16

THE VISIT

'I can tell something exciting is going to happen,' Tom said as they crossed the main road that led to Mark's.

How anything could be exciting for Jack and Winston, she didn't know. It was bad enough that she was out of work, but at least she still had her home and everything in it. With everything in the café and the flat above destroyed, Winston and Jack had to move in with Mark. All they had to their names were Jack's weapons and the clothes they were wearing at the time—in Jack's case, his martial arts uniform. Tom said he was upset by what happened, but he was dealing with it the only way he knew how; by being positive. For days he'd been telling her that good often comes out of bad. She couldn't believe he'd used Adaeze's phrase, but hoped he was right.

As she turned down the side of the skate park, Tom stood under the archway on the clover patch with his mouth open.

She nudged him. 'I told you it was great, didn't I?'

His eyes filled with tears as they scanned the patches of flowers, ornaments, and water-featured ponds. 'It's a beautiful, unknown place to escape to. I love this place, Mum!' He ran across the garden with his arms raised. 'It feels wonderful.' After squealing with delight past almost every landscaped patch, he skipped up the steps to the home and peered through the letterbox of the double entrance doors. 'Mark, Winston, Jack!'

The letterbox opened from the inside and out peered two boggling, unfocused eyes. 'What yer doin'? Yer don' wanna come in 'ere 'cause I'm mad!'

'Are you?' Tom asked politely.

'That's riiight. I'm maaad! Mad as a box o' frogs. Mad as a hatter and...well...any other thing that's really really maaaaaaaaad!'

Tom waited for her to finish. 'I'm Tooom...Is Maaark there?'

Nevaeh reached the doorstep and gripped his shoulder. 'Don't take the mick, Tom.'

'I'm not taking anyone, Mum.'

'I'll have to teach you some slang. It means don't mimic someone.'

'What yer sayin' to the lad?'

'Oh nothing, Mad-Doris.' Nevaeh cringed. Why did she have to call her this in front of Tom?

'Your name is Mad-Doris as well as you being mad?' Tom's eyes lit. 'What a coincidence.'

Mad-Doris yanked open the door. 'Yer look like a nice enough little shit boy. I'll let you in bu' yer mum in't allowed 'cause she's a right money grabbin'...'

'Let them both through please, Mad-Doris!'

Mad-Doris scowled at Mark, but moved aside. 'Who are yer, laddie?' She poked Tom on the shoulder, squinting and pointing her chin whiskers upward. She straightened her back, her face strained like she was trying to control her shoulders from twitching. Maybe it was an attempt to look orderly, but the woman just looked constipated.

'I'm Tom Croft.'

Mad-Doris set her fists on her hips as he walked through. 'Hmm, no one tol' me we'd be 'avin' a Tom Croft.' She scowled, bent down and seemed to take in every detail of his face. She placed her hand on his head and turned him around, looking him up and down.

Tom giggled and spun obediently.

'As lon' as yer know that I'm mad...and you're veeery wary of me...yer can stay.'

Tom swayed from side to side, his eyes rapid. 'Thank you.'

'Mad-Doris,' Mark said, shaking his head, 'it would be nice if you could say hello to a guest now and again, you know.'