Acid Row Read Online Free PDF Page B

off to a friend every day."
    The girl eyed her maliciously. "Yeah, well, she's not quite the little angel you think she is and, 'cept for tying her up, there's not much I can do to keep her here. It's about bloody time you found her out.
    She's been at Patsy's every day since the end of term, and most evenings she only gets in a few minutes before you do. It's fucking hilarious listening to you make a fool of yourself." She dropped into exaggerated mimicry of Laura's more educated speech. "Hev you been a good gel, darling? Did you prectise your ballay? Air you enjoying your reading? Lovey .. . dovey .. . Mummum's little pumpkin." She pointed two fingers at her open mouth. “It's bloody sick-making.”
    She must have been mad to leave Amy with them .. . "Well, at least she's got a mother,“ she spat. ”Where's yours, Kimberley?"
    “None of your sodding business.”
    Anger made her vicious. "Of course it's my business. I wouldn't be here if she hadn't abandoned you to have babies with someone else." Her eyes flashed. "Not that I blame her for leaving. What do you think it feels like to be known as the mother of Miss Piggy and Jabba the Hutt?"
    “Bitch!”
    Laura gave a small laugh. "Snap. But at least I'm a thin bitch.
    What's your excuse?"
    “Leave her alone,” said Barry angrily. "She can't help being heavy.
    It's rude to call her Miss Piggy."
    “Rude!” she echoed in disbelief. "My God, you don't even know the meaning of the word. Pool's the only word you understand, Barry.
    That's the reason you and Kimberley are heavy? She put sarcastic stress on the words. "And of course you can help it. If you used some energy to clear up once in a while you'd have some excuse she pointed an angry finger at the dirty plates 'but you stuff your faces all day then waddle away from the trough as if some servant is going to clear up after you. Who do you think you are exactly?"
    She had promised herself she wouldn't do this. Criticism was corrosive, eating away at self-esteem and ravaging trust. In rare moments of accord between her and her husband distant memories now Martin had claimed it was a disease. Cruelty's in the blood, he said.
    It's like a herpes virus. It stays dormant for a period, then a trigger sets it off.
    “It's my house. I can do what I want,” Barry retorted furiously, his feet thrashing against the carpet as he tried to gain purchase to struggle out of the sofa.
    It wasn't clear what his intentions were, but it was funny watching him. Even funnier when she placed a mocking hand on his forehead and pushed him backwards. “Look at you,” she said in disgust as he fell against the cushions. “You're so fat you can't even stand up.”
    “You hit him,” accused Kimberley triumphantly. "I'll phone Childline .. . that'll learn you."
    “Oh, grow up!” said Laura dismissively, turning away. "I didn't hit him, I pushed him, and if someone had taught you to speak English properly you'd understand the difference. That'll learn you makes about as much sense as Barry saying this is his house."
    There was a perceptible rush of air as Kimberley surged out of her chair and made a grab at the woman's shirt.
    Laura's instinctive response was to deliver a stinging slap to the girl's face and wriggle out of her grasp, but there was a split second of mutually recognized hatred before she had the sense to take to her heels.
    “BITCH! BITCH!” the furious youngster roared, pursuing the woman down the corridor towards the kitchen. "I'm gonna fucking KILL you for that!"
    Laura slammed the door and leaned her shoulder against it to keep Kimberley out, her heart thumping against her lungs. Was she mad? She was no match for the girl in terms of bulk, but she used the strength of her grip to stop the handle turning, betting on Miss Piggy's fingers being slippery from stuffing chips into her mouth. Even so, it was a war of attrition which only came to an end when the lower panels began to crack under the assault from Kimberley's