MENNIE SCAPENS

Page 3 of 3

Sorting Things Out

Reenie is weaving magic with her words. The hard edges of the bitch’s face soften. She tells them that the judge might let Lana do community service to work off the fines. A hundred, maybe one hundred and twenty hours will do it. It depends which judge she gets on the day.

‘That’s a fantastic solution, Lani, don’t you think?’ Aunty Reenie sounds thrilled. ‘You could come and work at the school. Or maybe the hospice. Maybe you could do the patients’ hair for them.’

‘I’m not up to work, Aunty Reenie. I haven’t got the energy.’ Lana feels like lying down right there on the floor of the fines office and sleeping for a week. She’s never felt so tired. ‘Anyway I’m over hairdressing for now.’

‘You wouldn’t have to do it right now, Lani. You could wait a few weeks till you’re feeling stronger. But don’t you see? This is a way you can sort things out for yourself.’ Reenie’s enthusiasm is enough to make a person wilt. ‘Imagine how it will feel to have all this paid off and behind you. What a load off your shoulders that will be. You can start again with a clean slate.’

Reenie talks as if it has already happened. As if.

‘I notice your car warrant has recently expired,’ the bitch chimes in from behind her know-everything computer screen.

Oh God, and her car needs new tyres. ‘I really do need to lie down, Aunty Reenie,’ Lana says. ‘I’m exhausted. Can we go home now?’

Lana sees her aunt’s sympathetic expression slip for just a second. Sees something less positive flash across her face.

‘I know you’re tired, Lana,’ she says firmly. ‘But this is important. We will get your car warranted today, we will get your application to do community service underway today, then, once you’ve got these fines settled and behind you, it’s your job to make sure it doesn’t happen again.’

But Lana’s feet are sliding out from under her, her body slipping slowly down the wall. The linoleum feels cold against her cheek. She hears a pale voice saying, ‘Yeah, I know, Auntie Reenie, I know.’ Blah blah blah.

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