Free Cockney Orphan by Carol Rivers

Before he’d finished swallowing Gran was pointing her bony finger. ‘Tip
your cup and turn three times.’
    ‘Do I have to?’
    ‘Gave you the best china, didn’t I?’
    Groaning, he tipped and the tealeaves swam over the saucer in rocky little piles. To Vic it looked a mess. But he knew that to Gran it was probably the meaning of life.
    She took a sharp, wheezy gulp of breath. Her eyes went wide until Vic could see their whites, then slowly she relaxed and her eyelids fluttered. ‘Well now, that’s a to-do, that is, a
real to-do.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘I’m sorry to say she has trouble ahead.’
    Vic sighed inwardly. It wasn’t fair. He’d hardly got back to knowing Connie yet. He’d been sweet on her at school and too shy to do anything about it. She wasn’t giggly
or mouthy like the other girls. She’d had these amazing blue eyes that filled her face and warmed him up the moment he looked in them. Her hair was all wavy right down her back, like a field
of corn in the wind. And now Gran was telling him about troubles and mucky stuff, just what he didn’t want to hear.
    ‘Gran, you know I don’t understand all this stuff,’ Vic protested miserably. He wanted to enjoy today with Connie. In fact, he wanted to enjoy a lot more time with her if given
the chance. It wouldn’t be so bad in a reserved job if he had Connie as his girl.
    ‘I’ve told you before, son,’ Gran said patiently. ‘We all have lights. Around us, shimmering like a second skin. You can tell if a person’s not well, or what
troubles they’re in—’
    ‘Yeah yeah, I know that, Gran. But it’s only you that see them. How should I know what Connie’s got—’
    ‘So it
is
Connie Marsh?’
    Vic rolled his eyes. ‘It’s nothing serious,’ he insisted, but Gran was already shaking her head.
    ‘It’s dead serious, lad, you mark my words. Your lights are an identical match, like rainbows you both are, like the sun and the rain, they need each other.’ She shook the
saucer gently. ‘And there’s something else too.’
    ‘I don’t want to know,’ Vic groaned, pushing back his chair.
    Gran was silent then and reached out to grasp his hand. Her fingers were shaking as she squeezed his knuckles. ‘There’s an envelope on its way. Brown it is. Same as the mucky
lights.’
    ‘A letter’s nothing to worry about,’ Vic joked, clasping the frail hand tightly between his own. ‘There might be money in it.’
    ‘No, it’s not money.’ Gran frowned as she indicated a little pile of tealeaves that bore an uncanny resemblance to the shape of the British Isles. ‘Britain see? The old
woman sits on her pig. Scotland, the rider, Wales, the pig’s head. Over here, the east and the beast’s bum.’
    Vic gave a little shudder as he shifted uncomfortably. ‘Yeah, I remember me geography, Gran, though I can’t say it was taught like that.’
    ‘Well in my day it was – now concentrate. I don’t like the pig’s head. My advice to you is sit astride the animal and take fate into your own hands.’
    He laughed nervously. ‘Can I go now?’
    ‘Remember what I said.’
    ‘Righto, Gran,’ he said quickly and stood up. ‘And just to put you out of your misery, yes, I am seeing Connie, that is, if I can find any trousers to put on.’
    Gran waved her hand. ‘They’re hanging over your chair upstairs. Oh, and don’t go up West today. I’d stay local if I was you.’
    ‘Why’s that?’
    Gran looked up. ‘Me water’s telling me they’ll be over soon.’
    Vic didn’t stop to ask any more. He wanted to see Connie more than he wanted to listen to any more forecasts about the future.

Chapter Five
    ‘V ic, this is Mum and Dad.’ Connie knew she was stating the obvious but was too embarrassed to stop as the family lined up in order to
be introduced. ‘And this is Kevin and Sylvie – and Billy.’
    If it hadn’t been for the bus being late when she’d left Dalton’s, she would have been safely outside the