4 LaTisha has finished her morning patrol of the supermarket she's about to let in the earlies who prefer empty aisles to whiz their trolleys down without worrying about knocking over old ladies or young children once it's opened, she's off upstairs to the office to check her emails and see who's pretending to be sick, a system open to exploitation as they don't have to provide a doctor's note until their seventh day of skiving as someone who abused the system more than most, she knows now she's a good citizen determined to catch out those who aren't, like Carter, who asked for holiday leave two weeks before Christmas and when she refused, called in sick from Thailand produced a sick note ten days later, from a dodgy foreign doctor, no doubt, and kicked up a fuss because she wouldn't accept it, it's too late, Carter, and Thailand isn't even in the EU last time anyone looked so it's not eligible at any time, she said calmly while he bellowed long distance that he was going to take out a grievance against her you can do what you like, Carter, it's your prerogative feeling proud of herself for suppressing the old LaTisha who'd've bellowed back – and see where it gets you, you fucking cunt the one who got herself two 'A' levels at evening school which really did her head in, her brain throbbed with headaches from too much thinking and memorizing, her eyes hurt from so much reading she lost half her brain cells doing those courses, she did the other half she's using for an online retail management degree with the Open University in her second year, part-time, four more to go who's nearly thirty and settled on being single for as long as it takes to meet a man who's right for her and her kids apparently Tyrone, Section Manager of Electronics and Appliances, has a thing for her, she's been studying his behaviour to ascertain whether he's a
player around women, so far so good he's single, unmarried, no kids she'll keep her eye on him, won't rush into anything if ever, maybe never her longest relationship was Kamal, who lasted nine months, they went on proper dates, she met his friends and family, he spent time at hers Mum thought he was okay, Jayla liked him because he played computer games with her, the kids took to him because he spoilt them with sweets the five of them looked like a family on his Instagram page the relationship ended because although he liked her kids, he wanted his own and although she liked him, she was done with being a baby machine time to move on, they agreed, maturely, face to face no lying or cheating or badness on his part after him she dated a couple of guys she met at parties and discovered one of them was two-timing her with another woman who confronted her when she left his flat one morning the other one seemed to have several women on the go, according to his texts, Tinder, WhatsApp and Facebook which she read while he slept both men were unceremoniously dumped with immediate effect who still lives with Mum and Jayla in the family home with Jason (twelve), Jantelle (eleven) and Jordan (ten) her and Jantelle double up, the boys have the converted attic, Jayla and Mum have their own rooms Jason is the oldest and cleverest, he likes studying more than the others, maybe because he's more responsible as the oldest as such she has the softest spot for him, can't believe he spent so many months growing inside her without her knowing which makes her feel sad, he might have felt lonely without her talking to him and stroking her belly, which is what she did with the other two
Jantelle's special as the only girl, she looks most like her, a mini-me, and is the most thoughtful, whenever LaTisha is at her desk yawning, she'll come up to her and say, time to take a nap, Mummy, shall I bring you hot milk with honey in it? Jordan looks like Trey and she suspects he's inherited his characteristics Jordan's already been suspended from school, causes the most problems at home, refuses to go to bed, or stay in it when he's forced to, steals money, starts fights with his older siblings, and sneaks out to play when he's been grounded she caught him watching porn on the family computer recently the kids have three mothers LaTisha is the strictest and most fascistic: homework, obedience, manners Mum is the sweetest and more forgiving of her grandchildren's naughtiness than she was with her Jayla is the maddest, won't leave the house at all now, won't see a psychiatrist, is really pale due to Vitamin D deficiency and is glued to her computer doing godknowswhat then Daddy turned up unannounced a few weeks ago LaTisha came home to find him sitting on his old armchair in the living room, as if he'd never left it he was just as huge, his dreadlocks were more grey than black, and he had a big stomach he looked at her admiringly, lovingly, when she walked in the room it didn't work out with Marva, he missed his real family Mum didn't look like she was going to kick him out any time soon, it was as if her love for him was flowing back in uncontrollable waves Jason and Jantelle sat there perched on the edge of the sofa unsure what to make of this giant who was their grandfather Jordan had already decided, edged towards his grandfather who reached out and put an arm around him when he was close enough to be cuddled Jordan beamed up at his grandfather, with such an angelic look on his face she realized her youngest son needed her father in his life.
Chapter Three Shirley