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Features
> Unseen Christmas Tales: The Mangels by
Ryan
Nell Worthington smiled and waved to her beloved husband John as she watched him tidying the garden from the window. She was slowly recovering from her latest bout of heart problems and looking forward to a family Christmas. Of course it was frustrating to watch other people take over the planning, but Jane was a sensible girl, and if anyone could match up to Nell’s exacting standards, it was her. Even Joe’s new wife Melanie – who Nell had remembered as a rather silly girl with a dreadful laugh, mixed up with Madge Ramsay’s jailbird son, of all people – was proving very helpful.
As if on cue, Melanie appeared at the garden gate, weighed down with shopping bags. ‘Yoohoo Mrs Mang… Worthington!’ she called cheerfully as she came in. ‘I think I’ve got everything! I got a great shirt for Joe, and that book you wanted for Mr Worthington… the shops here are just amazing!’
‘Thank you so much Melanie dear’, said Nell. ‘Of course, you know I’d prefer to do my Christmas shopping myself; that way I know everything’s just as it should be. But I must say, you and Jane have done a very good job’.
‘Oh that’s a point; Jane’, said Melanie. ‘I couldn’t really find much I liked for her’.
Nell gave her daughter-in-law an enigmatic smile. ‘Oh I wouldn’t worry Melanie’, she replied. ‘I have a very special Christmas surprise planned for Jane…’
****
‘Are you sure this is a good idea Dad?’ asked Amanda, her fox-fur coat billowing in the wind as she hailed a taxi. ‘Mum’s not exactly going to be pleased to see you, is she?’
‘Your mother is very rarely pleased about anything Amanda’, Len replied wryly. ‘In any case, it’s not her I’m here to see; it’s my son. If Nell can make things up with him, so can I. In any case’, he added, ‘she’ll be so delighted to hear things are over between me and Gwen she won’t have time to be angry’.
‘Hmmm. Somehow I don’t think she’ll be so pleased to hear about me and Peter’, said Amanda. ‘You know what a good catch she thought he was’.
‘Well it’s not as if you’ll be left penniless, is it?’ Len said. ‘A good divorce lawyer will set you up for life’.
Amanda laughed bitterly. ‘I doubt it Dad’, she replied. ‘That young floozy of his will bleed him dry; not that there’s anywhere near as much money as she thinks there is’.
Len looked up sharply. ‘What do you mean? I thought Peter was doing well’.
‘That’s what I wanted you and Mum to think. Quite frankly the business has been going downhill for years. He’s put a block on the joint account; I barely had enough for my airfare’.
Amanda gazed out of the window as the cab pulled out of Heathrow, barely noticing the worried look on her father’s face. ‘Oh I do hope Jane will listen to me’, she sighed. ‘I’ve got to make things right with her’.
****
‘Nan! I told you I’d bring it into you on a tray!’
‘Nonsense Jane’, said Nell. ‘I may not have been well recently, but I’m quite capable of sitting down at my own dining table with my family. I hope you haven’t overcooked the cauliflower again’, she added, lowering herself into her chair.
‘No Nan’, sighed Jane good-naturedly as she began dishing up. The doorbell interrupted before Nell could argue any more. ‘You’re not expecting anyone are you?’ Jane asked.
‘Not yet’, said Nell mysteriously.
‘I’ll go’, volunteered John, getting up.
‘Well whoever it is, they’re not keeping me from my tucker’, said Joe, helping himself to more potatoes. ‘I could eat a horse’.
‘Will a chicken do?’ laughed Jane.
‘Jane!’ called John from the hall. ‘Jane, I think you’d better come out here’.
Joe and Melanie exchanged glances as a concerned looking Jane left the room. ‘Alright Mum’, Joe said, seeing Nell’s expression, ‘what’s going on?’
‘As I told Melanie’, Nell replied, ‘I have a Christmas surprise for Jane. It looks as if it’s arrived’.
‘I don’t know why you’re here, either of you’, said Jane angrily in the hall, ‘but Nan’s got a weak heart. The last thing she needs is this’.
‘Mum knew I was coming’, insisted Amanda. ‘She’s been looking forward to seeing me. She was hoping you would be too. I was hoping you might be. Jane?’
Jane looked at her mother and grandfather, betraying no emotion. ‘Nan obviously had her reasons for not telling me you were coming’, she said. ‘What I want to know is why you brought him with you’.
‘Him? I’m still your grandfather, young lady’, Len put in.
‘Yes Granddad, you are’, Jane replied, ‘and I’m the ‘young lady’ who had to cope with Nan nearly having a nervous breakdown when you walked out on her. She’s happy again now, why are you here?’
‘That’s what I’d like to know’. Joe’s face showed no pleasure as he appeared in the doorway.
‘I’m here to see you Joe’, Len replied. ‘It’s been a long time’.
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‘Not long enough’, said Joe. ‘Well now you’ve seen me – so you can rack off’.
‘Joe please, think of your mother’, pleaded John. ‘Let’s sort this out calmly’.
‘I’ll stay calm if he gets the hell out!’
‘Joe, what is all this shouting?’ The colour drained from Nell’s face as she stepped into the hall and saw her ex-husband standing there. She barely noticed the daughter she had been so looking forward to seeing. ‘Get out of this house’. Nell was almost whispering, but the anger in her tone was unmissable. ‘Get out!’
****
‘Should I make some more tea?’ Melanie’s attempt to break the silence went largely unnoticed.
‘It’s really very simple’, Len said eventually. ‘I have things to discuss with Joe, Amanda has things to discuss with Jane; we’ve come a very long way to do so, so it’s time we started talking’.
‘I keep telling you, I’ve got nothing to say to you’, snapped Joe.
‘And what about you Jane?’ said Amanda quietly. ‘Do you have anything to say to me? We haven’t seen each other in four years’.
‘And I’ve managed very well, thanks’, Jane replied coolly.
‘Jane, please’, said Nell, her voice wavering slightly. ‘I invited your mother here because I thought you two could sort things out. I never thought your Uncle Joe and I would be close again; it’s only thanks to you he’s here. I only wanted to do the same for you. And if I have to endure your grandfather’s presence’, she added, quickly recovering from her moment of vulnerability, ‘I should at least get to see my daughter and my granddaughter on speaking terms’.
Jane looked around the room; at stubborn, unmoved Joe, at uncomfortable John, at helpless Melanie. She turned to her mother. ‘We’ll talk in my room’, she said. ‘Grandad, Uncle Joe clearly isn’t in the mood to talk right now. Why don’t you go to your hotel? I’ll call you later, I promise’.
‘I’d be happy to drive you’, John put in, relieved someone had taken charge.
Len stood up. ‘I’ll be back tomorrow Joe’, he said. ‘I can wait’.
‘You’ve changed your hair’, said Amanda. ‘It’s lovely’.
‘Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer me with bunches and thick glasses?’ Jane replied bitterly.
‘I’m so sorry about last time’, insisted Amanda, taking her reluctant daughter’s hand. ‘Please, just let me explain’. She paused, dropping her eyes. ‘The truth is… I was jealous. That’s it, pure and simple. I used to go to parties at your father’s firm and see all the partners were their frumpy little wives, all envying him; and me. Then one day I arrived in Ramsay Street and there you were – my little girl. Except you weren’t my little girl anymore; you were a young woman. A beautiful young woman. And I’m ashamed of it, but I was jealous’.
The silence seemed to last for hours. ‘That was one trip’, Jane said eventually. ‘What about the first fifteen years of my life? What was the problem then Mum? Where was the love then, the caring?’
‘How was I supposed to be loving?’ cried Amanda. ‘No one ever taught me how! When was I ever shown a mother’s love? You know what your grandmother’s like’.
‘You’re blaming Nan now?’ Jane said with disbelief. ‘You’re right; I know what Nan’s like. I know she’s buttoned up and doesn’t show her emotions much, but she was the first person to show love when it mattered. She gave me a home. You and Dad never did that. And where is Dad, where’s he in this sudden display of parental love?’
Amanda took a deep breath. ‘Your father… has left me for his secretary. A girl barely five years older than you. And I feel like a foolish old woman with nothing and no one in the world’.
Amanda would remember the next moment forever. The first time in years her daughter had given her a hug.
****
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‘I told you yesterday, I don’t want a bar of you’, snapped Joe as Len walked in. ‘You might as well go home now, I’m sure as hell no one else wants you here either’.
‘Why does it have to be like this Joe?’ sighed Len. ‘You’ve forgiven your mother; why can’t you forgive me? It was her who wouldn’t believe you about where that gun came from’.
‘And what did you do to back me up?’ Joe demanded. ‘At least she had the guts to tell me to get out. You just hid behind her skirts! You were weak then and you’re weak now, trying to sneak your way back in with Amanda’.
‘You were always jealous of her, weren’t you Joe? Because she made something of herself and you ended up hanging around with criminals. Isn’t it time you grew up?’
‘Oh, so you think I’ve made nothin’ of meself? Well the way I look at it, I’ve got a wife and two kids who love me. That’s a damn sight more than you’ve got’.
Joe headed for the door without a backward glance. ‘Let me know when he’s gone’, he muttered to Jane as she entered the room.
Len smiled at his granddaughter ruefully. ‘He’s even less pleased to see me than you were’.
‘That’s not quite true Granddad’, said Jane. ‘I am pleased to see you; I missed you when you left us. But you didn’t see how Nan was afterwards. I had to deal with it all on my own. Mum was nowhere to be found, as usual’.
‘I thought you two were working things out. Please don’t be too hard on her, Jane. She’s taken your father’s affair very badly. And that’s not to mention that he’s left her virtually penniless’.
Jane looked up sharply. ‘Penniless? That can’t be right’.
‘She told me herself on the way here. She said she barely had enough for the airfare’.
‘No, no, Mum’s a bright woman; she’d have known if the business was in trouble, she’d have made plans. She’s probably got ten times what the plane tickets cost in her fox-fur’.
Len looked up sharply. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Oh, it’s nothing…’
‘Go on’.
‘The last time she came to Australia, she hid her money in the lining of her coat. A lot of money. Less questions at customs I suppose; you can’t really stuff your suitcase with thousands of dollars, can you?’
‘Really?’ said Len with a smile. ‘Clever girl, my Amanda’.
‘I’d be grateful if you’d leave my house now’, Nell said after Jane had left for work. ‘Joe clearly doesn’t wish to speak to you, and if Jane or Amanda would like to see you, I’m sure they are more than capable of making their way to your hotel’.
‘Joe will see me. Joe will see me because you’re going to help me make sure of it’.
‘Help you?’ scoffed Nell. ‘I’d say you gave up any right to my help when you ran off with that… strumpet!’
‘Well you’ll be glad to hear Gwen has… moved on’, Len replied sarcastically.
‘It’s of no consequence to me what that woman has or hasn’t done’, sniffed Nell. ‘I suppose I should thank her really – both of you. If you had shown any respect for your marriage vows, I would have never have met John. It’s quitE a relief to meet a gentleman who understands how to treat a lady properly’.
‘A lady?’ Len turned to face his ex-wife. ‘Would John still think you were a lady if he knew where you came from? If he knew about Nellie Newton, dumped in a children’s home with her parents in prison?’
Len paused for a moment to enjoy the anguish in Nell’s face. The pain of the reminder of something she never allowed herself to think of. Eventually she managed to speak. ‘Leonard Mangel! I’ll thank you not to talk of things that are in the past, things I have no wish to discuss ever again!’
‘And you never will have to discuss them again, Nell’, Len said, cool as a cucumber, ‘if you help me’.
Nell refused to let any emotion show in her face. ‘Melanie is cooking a special Christmas Eve meal tomorrow’, she said. ‘I’ll make sure an extra place is set. I’ll speak to Joe tonight’.
****
‘So Melanie’, said Len, battling against the stony atmosphere at the dinner table, ‘Jane tells me you lodged with Joe before you got married’.
‘That’s right’, she replied, smiling at Joe. ‘I don’t know what I would’ve done without him after Des left’.
‘Des? Is that’s Sky’s father?’ Len asked. The stunned silence that followed surprised even Len.
‘I’M Sky’s father’, Joe retorted icily.
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‘But… but I thought…’
‘Sky’s our stepdaughter’, Melanie cut in, anxious to avoid further unpleasantness. ‘Her mum, Kerry… she was killed’.
‘Oh Joe… Joe, I’m so sorry’. Even Nell could see the emotion in his voice was genuine. ‘I had no idea’.
‘You wouldn’t, would you?’ Joe snapped. ‘You weren’t there. And you shouldn’t be here now’.
‘Now come on Joe’, said Nell, aware of Len’s gaze. ‘Your father is… doing his best. And I’m sure you don’t want to make poor Melanie feel uncomfortable. Or indeed any of us’.
‘Why’ve you changed your tune all of a sudden?’ demanded Joe. ‘You never wanted him here any more than I did’.
‘Because I… I know how hard it was when you and I were… estranged. Now at least try and be civil. It is Christmas after all; it’s a time for families’.
Silence fell again. ‘So were you and Des married long, Melanie?’ said Amanda to break it.
‘Oh god no, Des and I weren’t married!’ gasped Melanie. ‘I was just his lodger. Des was…’
‘Des was the man I was going to marry’, Jane said, her eyes hard as she stared at Amanda. ‘Remember Mum?’
Joe snorted as horror crept over Amanda’s face. ‘This your idea of family?’ he scoffed. ‘A dad who doesn’t even know his son lost his missus. A mum who doesn’t remember her daughter was gonna get married. I’ve had enough’.
‘All right Joe’, sighed Len, ‘You’ve made your point. I’ll go’. He looked directly at Nell. ‘Unless your mother can persuade you otherwise?’
Nell could barely trust herself to speak – but knew she had to. ‘I think it’s high time you stopped this kind of behaviour Joe’, she said with all the strength she could muster. ‘Because your father… your father will be joining us for Christmas dinner tomorrow’.
‘Are you sure about this Nell?’ hissed John as the others concentrated on a TV show to avoid conversation. ‘It was only a few days ago you didn’t even want him in the house; now he’ll be here for Christmas?’
‘I have to do this for Joe!’ Nell lied. ‘I’m so sorry, I know how hard it must be to have him in your house…’
‘It’s your house too. But I must admit, I’m not looking forward to explaining to Caroline why her stepmother’s ex-husband is at Christmas dinner’.
‘I’m really very sorry John. But I’m sure Caroline will understand how important it is for Joe to reconcile with his father’. Nell’s stomach turned as she thought of how much worse it would be to explain to Caroline, and everyone, if Len carried out his threat and told them all the truth.
‘Thank you so much for washing up, Mr Mangel’, said Melanie as Len entered the lounge. ‘I feel terrible, you’re the guest’.
‘Nonsense Melanie; it’s the least I could do after you cooked. But I should go now’. He turned to Jane. ‘Would you like to share my taxi, Jane? You are still meeting your friends?’
‘I don’t know’, Jane said, looking around uneasily. ‘Maybe I should…’
‘No Jane, you must go out’, Amanda put in. ‘We have all day tomorrow to spend together as a family, see your friends tonight’.
‘Well, thanks then Granddad, I’ll call for one now’. Jane went to fetch her coat.
‘I’ll see you all tomorrow then’, said Len, ignoring Joe’s steely stare. ‘Merry Christmas’.
****
Len moved slowly and deftly as he turned the key in the lock. Nell’s fastidiousness had driven him to distraction during their marriage; tonight he praised the heavens for it. The spare key had been in the kitchen drawer under the knives, just as it had been in their marital home. Nell would have been in bed at 10.30 sharp, as soon as the news was over, and Len would have bet his last penny on no husband of hers daring to stay up a moment longer. Any other night the chain would have been on the door, but not with Jane due back late. He had wondered if Joe and Melanie might have stayed up late, but Len remembered how tiring small children could be, and as he’d approached the house he’d been relieved to find it in darkness.
The scissors were easy to find, even in the dark. All he needed now was the fox-fur.
‘She just won’t settle Joe’, Melanie said as she cradled a sobbing Sky. ‘Whatever she was dreaming about, it’s really upset her’.
Joe gave up on trying to get back to sleep. ‘Okay; I’ll sit with her, you go and get her some warm milk or something’. He sat up and scooped Sky into his arms. ‘Come on bub, don’t cry. It’s Christmas!’
Melanie took care as she crept down the stairs, afraid of waking Nell and John. She didn’t put the light on until she reached the kitchen. At first she was too shocked to speak; a frozen Len didn’t even know who had switched the light on and found him taking scissors to the lining of his daughter’s coat.
‘Mr Mangel? What on earth are you doing?’
‘Melanie, please’. Len found his feet and dropped the scissors. ‘Melanie, it’s not what it looks like’.
‘Amanda’s coat; why are you…’ Melanie was utterly confused, but the fear in Len’s face told her enough to know something was very wrong. ‘Joe! JOE!’
‘Melanie, it’s a misunderstanding!’
‘JOE!’
‘Strike me, you’ll wake the whole bloody house… What the flamin’ hell are you doing here?’ Joe tried to take in the scene in front of him. ‘And what the hell are you doing to Amanda’s coat? Are you off your bloody rocker as well as everything else?’
‘Joe I’m scared, get him out of here’, cried Melanie.
‘Please Melanie, Joe…’
‘Dad?’ In the confusion Amanda had entered the room unnoticed. ‘Dad, what are you doing?’
‘Amanda, it isn’t…’
‘That’s my coat’. The horror of it began to dawn on her. ‘Jane told you, didn’t she? DIDN’T SHE?’
‘Right, that’s it, one of you’s telling me what’s going on’, demanded Joe.
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