Broken City

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

I spend the rest of the afternoon in a state of emotional overload until I’m numbed against either excitement or trepidation and when my Mother calls me to tell me it is time to leave for the meeting I’m startled to find enough food for the five thousand taking up pretty much all of our kitchen surfaces.

The meeting is to be held in the dancehall, it seems strange taking the stairs to that that floor so soberly and in my case miserably, it feels wrong somehow when I remember the times that I have taken them happily, tricked out in my best dress and giggling fit to burst in anticipation of a party.

I look around me again at the other people on the stairs so silent and grim, staring at the floor too embarrassed to look up in case inadvertently they should make eye contact with another. The only sound I can hear is that of our uniform marching like a scene from a nightmare, unreal and chilling.

Finally we reach the dancehall and look around, it looks so different with chairs set out across the wooden floor: cold and unfriendly with no trace of its usual gaiety.

Tom, Uncle Jep and the children are already present and as I enter the room I catch his eye, his expression is faintly sardonic, for a moment I don’t understand why and then I see that their chairs have been segregated a little way off from the rest of us.

 Others to are already present; my father, Mr. Grey and Mr. Clark all stand by the desk waiting to set the proceedings in motion. Jamie and Ralph are standing uncomfortable and irresolute half way between the Jepsjons and the rest of us.

The last person I notice is Mr. Denby seated as far away from The Jepsjons as possible as though he’s afraid that somehow their Andak filth will rub off on him, he glances at me as I enter and with the vague hope of heaping fiery coals I send him my sweetest smile all the while hoping that one of the uncontrollable rages that he will no doubt fling himself into during the proceedings will finish him off.

Nella is sitting on the front row conversing, to my great surprise, with Jamie and Ralph. Ralph lifts his hand in a friendly salute causing Nella to turn in her seat, she motions to me that I should join them and I look quickly to my father, he nods briefly and I make my way towards them.

“Mr. Denby has been here since half past three being completely obnoxious,” whispers Nell as I slide on to the chair beside her, she is wearing a thunderously moody expression. “It was he that insisted the accused—the accused, Deeta!—were separated from the rest of us.”

For a second I think she might spit like an angry cat.

“Cool down, Nella he’s not worth getting het up about.”

At Jamie’s words I expect Nella to make a caustic reply but she shrugs her shoulders and answers that although Jamie’s right, it’s a very difficult maxim to put into practice. I suppose I must seem surprised because Ralph leans forwards to whisper conspiratorially in my ear.

“Jamie has taken Tom’s side in all of this and has been quietly talking people round to the fact that Tom is,” Ralph hesitates not wanting to use the name, “one of them. Nell was impressed I think, in any case—you can’t say this isn’t an improvement.”

I nod in agreement looking towards the two of them, it’s strange that these two erstwhile enemies are talking in a comradely fashion whilst Tom and I who have been friends for what seems an eternity, now meet with all the warmth of an early frost.

This change in Jamie and Nella’s relationship does of course make the atmosphere much better for me, at this moment to have them sniping at each other would have been the last straw.