AVENGE

CHAPTER TEN - BRIDGET BARNES

10.

BRIDGET BARNES

"Oh damn it," cursed Bridget as she shook her, now wet, foot. "Not again," she held onto the pram for support as she balanced on one foot. the rain had stopped a while ago and the sun had dried up most of it. Only a few puddles were to be found and she'd managed to step in the only one on the path. Although it was cold she had come out in her ankle-length red dress. The sort of dress most women would go to a fancy restaurant in. She was at her daughter's school - ready to pick her up. Her shoes began to tap on the path again as she continued on towards the playground.

The playground gate had been left open by one of the few parents already waiting there so she passed straight through. She smiled and waved to two other mothers who were waiting in the round shelter that had been built in the middle of the playground. These two friends were dressed similarly to herself. They were always quietly competing with each other. Who looked the best. Who had the nicest car. Who had bought the most expensive piece of jewellery this week. Bridget didn't drive, and her husband worked twenty miles away from 8.30 - 6.00, so she always walked to and from school.

"Hello girls," she called as she manoeuvred the pram into the shelter.

"Hello Bridget," they called back, their voices' harmonising perfectly.

"How's little Raquel?" asked Jane. At five and a half foot Jane stood four inches lower than Bridget. The nine-inch heels she had on didn't help very much as both Bridget and Francis wore the same - not competing in any way.

"She's fabulous darling - but don't wake her," said Bridget and Jane leaned over the pram and withdrew the hand that was about to touch the sleeping child.

"Oh - I remember when Tamara was a baby," Francis spoke up quickly. "She was just as cute as Raquel."

"Really," Bridget didn't think so but she'd never actually say it.

"I think all babies are cute. Take my five. They were all cute little things at that age," Jane's eyes were sparkling as she thought back to those days.

Bridget was looking at Jane's stomach, "Are you pregnant again dear?"

Jane looked down at her body. Having five babies had taken its toll on her. She constantly struggled to keep her figure under control, "No."

Bridgett raised her hand to her mouth, her eyes widening, "Oh - I'm sorry Jane. I didn't mean..."

"It's alright - really," she replied as she tried to dismiss the thoughts going through her mind with a wave of her hand. "Multiple child births - you know," she added.

An awkward silence fell over them as Bridget tried, and failed, to think of another subject, "It's probably for the best. You'd have to build another extension if you were." Bridget had just dug a little deeper and was saved by their third friend who had just turned up.

"Who's building an extension," Nadia Beardsley had approached them from behind.

"Oh - no ... no-one," stammered Bridget. "Although I do plan to have an extra room built for my studio."

"Really. Will John go for that?" asked Nadia.

"I don't mean right away. But I'm running out of room now."

"Have you sold any of your work yet?" asked Francis.

"Not yet," Bridget smiled sweetly at her. "They're just for myself at the moment."

"Will you use Robin again?" asked Nadia.

"But of course. He's built all the other extensions so I know he's good."

"I imagine it's not the only thing he's good at," said Francis with an exaggerated wink.

They all laughed and Bridget caught one of the other parents looking at them, "Can I help you with something?"

The lady shrugged and turned away.

"It's a wonder she has any children," Bridget continued in a lower tone. "I mean - she's so ugly. How could any man want that."

The other three women looked at her and nodded their agreement. They turned back to each other and after a few moments Nadia said, "What were we talking about?"

"Robin Toft," answered Jane.

"I can't believe you all fancy him," said Bridget. "He's - how old - forty something surely."

"It doesn't matter how old he is. His body is excellent, his teeth are excellent - hell, he's just excellent," said Jane.

"Hey - you've already got five kids," said Nadia. "If you even so much as touch him - nine months later you'll have six."

Jane stared at Nadia, "You make me sound like a slut. I've never cheated on Ben."

"That's not what I ... Oh never mind," Nadia waved her hand in an 'I can't be bothered' gesture.

"He's got a nice ass though," said Francis.

Again they all laughed. Bridget glanced in 'ugly nosey parker's' direction and sneered at her.

"The doors are opening," said Jane.

They all focused their attention on the doors and waited for their children to be released by Miss Squires. As she spotted the parents of the various children in her charge she pointed and let go of them. Each child ran or walked to their parents.

Soon all four of them had their children back. The noise level had risen with the chatter of hundreds of children telling their parents what had happened at school that day. Nadia spotted the local celebrity - Henry Morton - talking to Miss Squires.

"Hey girls, look over there," she nodded behind them. "Now there's a fine figure of a man."

"Oh. Mr Morton," said Francis.

"She's giving him something," said Nadia.

"No - he's giving it back," said Bridget.

"I wonder if he's boffing her," said Jane.

They all looked at her and said, "Boffing?"

"Yeah ... you know," Jane made a circle with her thumb and forefinger and poked her other forefinger through the circle as she mouthed 'sex'.

"Urrggh," Bridget wrinkled her nose. "I don't think so."

They all looked back towards Mr Morton and Miss Squires with renewed interest and had to look away quickly as Henry Morton walked away from Miss Squires and saw them staring. He gave them a quick wave and said, "Hi ladies."

They all half-smiled and averted their eyes while making various different noises.

Henry Morton raised his eyebrows and carried on past them before scooping up his son and leaving all four women behind to start their conspiracy theories.