Cold as Ice

Chapter 33

The next morning Ebony sat in the housing office with a ticket number in her hand. Archie was asleep in the buggy. Archie had seen Ebony a few times plus he was a good baby and used to going to nursery whilst Cabrina worked for an accountancy firm, so he never minded strangers. Archie was a serious baby; very sparing with his smiles. Ebony thought he could just pass as her child. He had the look of the sun about him: Cabrina was Greek, Carter was half Italian so the mix had produced a stunning baby with a double dose of shiny black hair. Carter had told her what she needed to know to look after him for a few hours and he’d dressed him all in blue today.

She and Archie had been waiting for an hour when her number was called. She went up to the booth. The young man waited for her to sit. He looked at her file.

‘You’ve been sent over to us from our Luton branch?’

‘Yes.’

‘Can I ask why?’

‘Just had some personal issues. I wanted to make a new start.’

He nodded, barely interested. He just needed an answer that corresponded to a question on his form and a box that needed ticking.

‘Any preference where you’d like to live?’

‘My college is in Holloway, so I don’t mind as long as I can reach it by bus. Somewhere where there’s a park would be good.’

‘Where are you staying now?’

‘We’re sleeping on a friend’s floor.’

Ebony knew what the file said. Robbo had shown her and it was faultless. It said she was to be given priority. The lad shrugged, looked resigned. It was no skin off his nose if she queue-jumped. Someone somehow thought she deserved it.

He picked up a sheet of available flats.

‘I have something I can offer you by Beacon Park in Hackney Wick. It’s a two-bedroomed apartment on the sixth floor.’ He looked at Ebony’s expression. She was mulling it over, thinking about the location. ‘There’s a lift,’ he added. ‘Can’t guarantee it works but flats are few and far between – I’d take it if I were you. It’s on a bus route to Holloway. It’s near Victoria Park – kiddies’ playground.’ She nodded.

‘Thanks.’

‘Do you want to take a look?’

She shook her head. ‘No need. I’ll take it. Thanks.’

‘Okay.’ He left his desk and returned with an envelope. ‘Here are the keys. Here’s the address. The housing officer will be in to make sure it’s all working for you.’

‘Thanks.’

Ebony negotiated the heavy exit door with Archie’s buggy and stopped outside. She took out her phone as she pushed the buggy one-handed and rang Carter.

‘Have just secured a flat.’

‘Did you enrol in the classes?’

‘I’m on my way there now. You sure Cabrina doesn’t mind about borrowing Archie?’

‘Nah… Free childcare. Plus, it’s an outing.’

Now Ebony knew he hadn’t asked Cabrina. ‘Not exactly an ideal activity recommended for a nine-month-old.’

‘He’ll love it. Buy him a Big Mac.’

Ebony shook her head, couldn’t help a smile; she knew Carter was joking. She knew he loved Archie to bits but she also knew Carter had some growing up to do. Still, it left her feeling hungry; she was now obsessing about a Maccy D’s. As she hung up the phone and peered around the front of the buggy. Archie’s bright brown eyes looked back at her. Ebony was beginning to think Archie was the perfect child for her. He observed the world and occasionally demanded some attention but it was never for anything unnecessary or frivolous; he never grizzled; he never asked for something he didn’t really need. Archie smiled at Ebony.

‘Fancy a McFlurry?’ She shook her head; better not.

She steered Archie’s buggy awkwardly through the revolving college doors. There was a rather tacky Christmas tree with flashing lights just inside the reception area and hanging swathes of tinsel looping down from the light fittings. She walked up to the reception desk.

‘I would like to talk to someone about enrolling on a teaching course please.’

‘Have you got an appointment?’ Ebony shook her head. ‘Okay.’ The receptionist smiled. ‘Let me see if someone’s free from student advisory to talk to you.’ She winked at the other receptionist as she pressed the extensions number on her switchboard. ‘Let’s see who we can drag out of the Christmas party.’ She smiled mischievously at Ebony as she covered the phone with one hand whilst she talked to Ebony in a stage whisper. ‘The college will be closing for Christmas in a week. We’ve all had our parties today.’ She waited for a response from Ebony but got none so she screwed up her face irritably and swivelled her chair round to the desk adjacent, with her back to Ebony as she waited for someone to answer the phone and then gave up.

‘First door on your left, corridor straight ahead, down there…’ She turned back round and waved her hand in the direction of a corridor leading off from the reception area. ‘They’re not expecting you but they’re all free.’ She smiled coldly. Ebony didn’t register it. She was too busy thinking about her cover story and about whether Archie might choose now to get restless. Plus Ebony was used to people mistaking her lack of response as rude when really it was just what it said on the tin.

Ebony tried to redeem herself with the receptionist by overdoing the thanks and then pushed Archie past the Christmas tree and down the corridor. She followed the noise coming from a busy office on her left.

Inside, there was excitement and the smell of mulled wine hung in the air. A young woman honed in on Archie. She knelt by the buggy and breathed mulled wine and turkey dinner into his face.

‘You look just like your mummy,’ she cooed. Ebony smiled at the thought of what Carter would say to that.

‘Yan, there’s a client here.’ The young woman giggled, stood and called across the office. She winked at her colleague – ‘No peace for the wicked.’ A geeky-looking lad with glasses and what looked like a leftover attempt to grow a moustache for November smiled at her. He had a ‘just got out of bed’ look going on with his hair.

‘Great.’ He grinned sheepishly at Ebony. ‘You thinking of enrolling in a course?’

‘Yeah.’ She nodded. ‘I just really wanted to talk things through.’

He reached out for the slip of paper and held Ebony’s gaze.

‘Of course. Come with me.’ His glasses were dirty. He looked at the piece of paper. ‘Ebony?’ She nodded.

He steered her towards the far side of the room to a quiet corner booth. He sat beside her and steered Archie’s buggy in for her when it got jammed on the leg of a chair. Archie started grumbling, just enough to warrant paying attention to. The grumbling began to include a few trial screams.

‘If you need to feed him I can find you somewhere quiet?’ Yan asked as if breastfeeding was an everyday occurrence in his world. Only when Ebony didn’t seem to get it did the red come to his face.

‘I expect he’s hot.’ Ebony stood and pulled back the covers on Archie’s buggy, taking off his hat to reveal a shock of black curls.

She also reached inside the pram cover for the bottle she’d left there.

‘Oh, okay. Do you want me to heat that up?’

‘Please,’ answered Ebony.’

‘No problem.’

Yan took it from her and disappeared into the rooms at the back of the office. Ebony was really glad she’d listened hard to Carter’s instructions as she took Archie out of his buggy and stripped him down. He was hot, but easily pacified. He stared at Ebony and the surroundings; he seemed to be taking it all in. She was hoping he wouldn’t suddenly think to himself: hang on a minute! One of the women stopped to talk to him and he smiled his near toothless grin back at her.

Yan came back and Ebony didn’t have to do much beyond screw the teat on the bottle and check it as Archie grabbed with two hands and started drinking. Ebony was aware of a clock ticking in her head. Things went in one end – they came out the other after a short interval. She was quite taken aback with the fact that Carter knew a lot more than he let on about Archie’s routines. He’d shown her how to change a nappy with such precision: it was typical of Carter to have bought himself a special set that included disposable gloves and three different kinds of wipes. Ebony still didn’t feel she could do it – what if Archie started to howl and she got poop everywhere?

‘Let’s start with form-filling,’ said Yan as he sat back behind his desk.

Age?’

‘Twenty-five.’

‘Ethnicity?’

‘Anglo-Caribbean.’

He looked up and smiled. ‘Lucky you. Do you go to the Caribbean much?’

She nodded. ‘I lived there for just over twelve years.’

‘Whereabouts?’

‘Kingston.’

‘I know it well. Whereabouts?’

Ebony felt heat come to her face. ‘Just near the Adventist church on South Side, Manning Street?’

He shook his head. ‘No, don’t know it. Kingston’s a great party town. What made you come over here?’

‘I was born here. When I had Archie, all the gang shootings in Kingston got me thinking I’d rather live back here. ‘

He looked at her address. ‘What, in super-safe Hackney? I’d rather be in living in the sunshine any day.’

He looked towards Archie, who was holding the bottle for himself as if he’d worked out that Ebony was probably not an expert. ‘I guess you have to think differently. The partying gets curbed for a bit.’

‘You’ve lived in Jamaica?’ Shit, thought Ebony.

He nodded, grinned. ‘Lovely. Spent time there when I was young.’ Phew – when he was young. Won’t remember. She relaxed. ‘My mum was one of those hippy types,’ he said. ‘She believed in education on the move. We travelled a lot.’

She smiled; she could picture him on a boat, the salt spray on his glasses. Some people were funny when they opened up to her for no reason. Sometimes Ebony thought it was because she left a lot of silences in the conversation so that people thought they needed to fill the gaps with snippets about their lives. Robbo said she would make a good counsellor. Carter said she should concentrate on being a good detective and ask more questions.

‘You must have loved it?’

He nodded his head. ‘Most of the time – it was a kid’s dream. No school, no restrictions. Seems a world away now. This is the stark reality of working for a living.’ Archie pushed the bottle away and struggled to sit more upright on Ebony’s lap. He pulled off his shoe and threw it across at Yan. Yan caught it with a lightning reflex.

‘Little boy blue has lost his shoe.’ Yan laughed and handed it back to Ebony, who struggled to put it back onto Archie’s foot, which seemed to have the ability to change size and shape at will.

‘Your name is interesting,’ Ebony ventured, trying to mask her incompetence. ‘It’s not very British-sounding.’

‘As I said, my mum loved anything foreign.’

He looked back down at his desk and picked up his pen ready to resume filling in the remainder of the form.

‘What about qualifications?’ Ebony looked at him dumbly. ‘Schooling? That kind of thing?’ She’d gone blank for a second. She’d forgotten what it was she was supposed have.

‘I took Cape examinations – A levels basically.’

‘Okay, great, well that will save you some time – a year of training at least. Okay, now for a few personal details to start. Married or co-habiting with a partner?’ He kept his eyes on the page as he waited, poised to fill in the blanks.

‘Single parent. I live on my own.’

‘Okay, good.’ Ebony looked up from tickling Archie’s palm with ‘round and round the garden’.

‘I mean you’ll be entitled to the most help,’ he said. ‘It makes the form-filling a bit longer but it’ll be worth it.’ Archie burped loudly. Yan grinned.

Ebony blushed. ‘Sorry. Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.’

‘It’s no problem at all.’

Ebony kept her eyes on Yan as she tickled Archie’s other hand.

‘Yes. It is. I’m looking for a new start. New flat, new life for me and Archie. Just us.’

‘I’m sure you’ll make it. Well… if I can help in any way?’ He looked ready to conclude the interview. Ebony thought she’d handled the worst of it – now she could relax somewhat and try to work on Yan a little. He seemed the sympathetic type.

‘Is this a good college to come to for single parents?’ He looked momentarily flustered and blinked behind his glasses. ‘I mean, is there some social life here? I’m not much of a party girl but I would like to meet people, you know? Make a few friends. My family aren’t around. It’s just me and Archie, as I said.’

‘Oh yes. I see. It’s a good place if you make an effort. There’s a fair bit of socializing via Facebook, that kind of thing. There’s a Christmas party going on in the canteen right now. We could butt in if you like? Just say hello. Some of the people you’d be doing the teacher training course with will be in there. Some have been studying for a year or two. Would you like to meet them?’

‘Love to. I’m a bit out of practice with socializing. Since I had Archie I haven’t really been out much.’

‘Perfect chance then – nothing too scary, I promise. Follow me. I’ve already been in there with one group for lunch but… what the hell… After all, it’s working in the broad sense of the word.’ He walked back through the office and called across to his colleague on the way. It was the same woman who’d directed Ebony across to Yan in the first place. ‘Just showing a new student where the canteen is and introducing her to the group – okay?’

She looked up from her desk, grinned and rolled her eyes.

‘Go on then.’

She winked at Ebony as if she were used to his liberty-taking. He turned back to Ebony with a smile.

‘Wish it was Christmas every day. It’s a miracle what a couple of lunchtime drinks will do.’

Ebony followed Yan through the office. She caught the buggy on the leg of a chair. He steered it expertly out of the way.

‘I’ll push if you like. I’m used to negotiating buggies through the office.’

‘Thanks. Have you worked here long?’

‘I’ve been here three years. I came here like everyone else to try and catch up on missing qualifications. Which I did, and then I applied for a clerical job here and worked up to being an advisor. I wasn’t expecting to like it that much but I find it a really worthwhile job. It’s nice to help people. I mean, I don’t intend to stay here for ever.

‘What do you want to do?’

‘I don’t have any idea what I want to do long-term. But then hardly anybody does, do they?’

‘No. I don’t.’ Ebony was thinking how strange it must be not to have a twenty-year plan. Her goal was to take her sergeant’s theory exam next year, in March and work in the different departments within MIT, including Organized Crime and Vice. She wanted to learn more about major fraud cases. When she felt ready, she’d take her inspector’s exam. That was her main aim – she wanted to be an inspector in the Murder Squad within ten years. At the end of twenty years she wanted to be a superintendent at least. None of the plan involved a marriage or babies.

‘Do you have a lot of single parents coming through?’ she asked as they walked along.

He turned back to her and smiled, nodding. ‘A lot of people wanting to get off the treadmill they’re on. It’s the nice side of my job, when people come back a couple of years later and their circumstances are really changed – you know? They’re happy. It’s a lot about self-esteem.’

He looked back at her with a quick glance then manoeuvred the buggy effortlessly through the office, out into the corridor, left before the reception desk and down towards the smell of a canteen.

Ebony looked at posters advertising job opportunities on the walls on the way.

‘Yes. Must be satisfying, your job. Helping people change their lives around, learn new skills?’

‘Yes it is. I won’t lie though – I’d rather be lying on the deck of a boat in the sunshine. Or drinking rum in…? Where’s the newest place to go in Kingston?’

‘Oh… there are so many, aren’t there?’ Ebony looked nervously at the people they were approaching. She was hoping she’d managed to cover her tracks a bit and confuse him into thinking she was anxious about something other than remembering all the facts she’d had hardly any time to learn. She’d definitely look them up later and find out what was current in Jamaica.

‘Here they are – meet the rabble.’ In the corner of the canteen a group of mainly women were chatting noisily, with kids running around unchecked. Some were standing, bouncing fractious babies on their hips. He steered Archie’s buggy across to the group and Ebony followed. The canteen looked like it had seen a fair few parties that day. The cleaners were sweeping up party streamers from the floor.

One of the women standing, rocking a buggy whilst holding a glass of wine in her hand, turned and called out to Yan as they approached:

‘You can’t keep away, can you?’

Someone else echoed it with a: ‘What? You back again?’

He gave an exaggerated shrug and rolled his eyes in embarrassment.

‘It’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it. Meet Ebony.’ He turned and waited for Ebony to come level with him. ‘Hopefully, she’ll be joining the group after Christmas.’ There was a chorus of hellos and the end of the table opened up as people made space for them to sit down. An Asian woman with a gold stud in her ear and enormous beautiful eyes poured a glass of red wine and handed it to Ebony from across the table.

‘Sorry, there’s only red left.’

‘Red’s great, thanks.’ Ebony took it from her and took a sip. ‘Cheers.’ She raised her glass and then put it back on the table. There was shrieking and howls of laughter at the other end of the table.

‘I told you they were a rowdy bunch.’ Yan settled Archie’s buggy next to the table. Archie was sleeping. ‘Let me introduce you…’ He worked his way around the table, calling the women out by name. ‘I’ll leave you to chat now. Call and see me on the way out if you need to, otherwise ring me in a couple of days. I’ll have done most of your paperwork by then. I’m on Facebook if you feel like chatting.’

Ebony smiled and nodded as Yan stood and, amongst a few friendly tipsy attempts at berating him for leaving the table, he went on his good-humoured way.

The woman who had first greeted them sat down next to Ebony. She was young, elfin-featured; her name was Sammy.

‘You joining the group then?’

Ebony nodded. ‘Hopefully.’ She’d watched Yan go, thinking about how he’d be checking out all that she had said. Her existence, national security number, her housing association history. All of it had been set up meticulously by Robbo. Now they would see how well it worked. ‘You all seem to get on well?’

‘Yes. It’s quite a social group as well as hard work,’ answered Selena, a friendly-faced woman with a shock of tumbling curls and a peasant blouse, long silver earrings. She had black kohl eyeliner around her pretty green eyes. ‘We support each other – have to, a lot of us are single parents.’

‘Teaching seems the ideal job.’ Ebony looked around. Down the other end of the table there was one man in the group. He was joining in with the laughter.

‘That’s Christian. He’s the token man on the team. His little girl is so sweet,’ said Selena.

‘Is he the only man on the course?’

‘Yeah. He’s been on it since the beginning. He’s been studying here for years.’

Selena leaned towards Ebony in a stage whisper. ‘Most of the women fancy him; he has a new one every week. The person he’s most in love with is himself.’

Ebony made a face that said ‘Really?’

Selena laughed and nodded. ‘Not me personally but the women who are talking to him now – they really like him.’

Just then the women stopped laughing and looked their way. The man, Christian, had been half eavesdropping into Ebony’s conversation. He excused himself and walked down the outside of the row of chairs, stopped by Ebony and held out his hand.

‘Christian.’

‘Ebony.’

Ebony tried to stand to shake his hand. She got her leg caught in the chair.

‘No, don’t get up; I didn’t mean to interrupt, just came to say hi to the new girl. And to tell her not to believe everything this lot say. This is the naughty end of the table.’

‘Yeah, right.’ Selena laughed.

‘It’s nice to have you on the course. Are you going to do computer skills and word processing?’ Ebony looked unsure. ‘Oh well, I’ll see you in there if you are. Nice to meet you.’

‘You too.’

‘If you need anything you can Facebook me. I’m Christian Goddard.’

‘Okay.’ She smiled. Christian walked back along the row and continued his raucous conversation with the women at the other end from Ebony. There were shrieks and giggles on his return.

Selena was grinning when she looked back.

‘Never takes him long to hit on the new girl.’

Ebony rolled her eyes. ‘Doesn’t he have any competition?’

‘We had a couple.’

‘Men?’

‘Yeah, there are a few around. But Christian seems to be the Alpha male.’

‘He dates exclusively single mothers,’ said Sammy.

‘I suppose he’s got a child. He wants to find someone in the same circumstances?’ Ebony said as she sipped her wine.

‘It doesn’t seem to get them very far with him,’ retorted Selena. ‘It doesn’t do them any good either. Some of them end up dropping out of the course.’ She looked across for confirmation from her friend. ‘I was thinking of a couple of women that dropped out – what was her name?’

‘Who?’ asked Sammy.

‘The girl from IT who dropped out, or she just didn’t come back. Not sure why?’

‘There’ve been a few,’ Sammy answered. ‘One was called Emily.’

‘What happened to her?’

‘Did you see the news? She was pulled out of the Regent’s Canal.’