The More You Ignore Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

know the temperature
this morning was going to be sixty degrees Fahrenheit so that’s hardly
freezing.’
    ‘You’re
doing a Valerie Singleton, though,’ said Doug.
    ‘Pardon?’
said Gina.
    ‘Erect
nipples,’ said Doug. ‘Don’t you remember her coming out of the water on Blue
Peter with that swimming cossie on? Ooh, I was shocked.’
    Steady
on, thought Keith.
    Gina
began to laugh and an expression crossed her face for a split second that gave
the merest of hints that some insight into her situation was still possible.
    ‘Come
on, Gina, for Gawd’s sake,’ said Doug, ‘or this ladder’s gonna break, I’ll get
killed and you’ll be responsible.’
    Gina
hesitated. ‘You promise you won’t do anything.’
    ‘Like
what?’ said Doug.
    ‘Like
drag me into that Godforsaken hospital again. I couldn’t stand it.’
    Doug’s
honest, open face belied his duplicitous intent. ‘Gina, do I look like someone
who would bullshit you?’ Gina began to edge down towards him, looking magnificent
in the morning sun, Doug thought, whereas Keith was thinking, Christ, I hope
she doesn’t roll like Smelly.
    She
didn’t and between them they managed to get her intact to the ground. Rather short-sightedly
they had not agreed what to do next, but they both instinctively moved towards
her to contain her so they could begin the long journey to hospital and some
treatment.
    Gina,
realising they were bearing down on her, began to scream as loud as she could,
which brought Alice out into the garden from the safety of a cartoon on TV.
    ‘What’s
the matter with Mum, Dad?’ she cried above the noise.
    ‘She’s
not well, tiddler,’ said Keith, ‘and me and Doug are going to take her to
hospital.’
    Gina
screamed louder.
    ‘Hold
her, Doug,’ shouted Keith. ‘I’ll get some clothes.’ He ran into the house and
reappeared with her dressing gown which seemed to be the only article of
clothing they had a chance of getting her into.
    ‘Get in
the car, love,’ Keith said to Alice. ‘In the front.’ He turned to Doug. ‘I’ll
take Gina in the back with me, you drive, and we’ll swap if it all gets too
bad.’
    ‘It
fucking will get bad, you bastard,’ screamed Gina. ‘How dare you, I have my
rights, let go of me, scum.’ She tried to bite Keith who managed a body swerve
away from her jaws.
    ‘Can I
help?’ said a voice. It was Marie Henty who, having dropped into the village
shop and heard that Doug had gone up to the Wilsons’ cottage, had walked up to
help.
    ‘Oh
Jesus, so you’re in on it as well,’ said Gina through clenched teeth. ‘You
fucking witch, keep your hands off my husband.’
    Marie
Henty blushed and hoped Keith hadn’t noticed. He hadn’t.
    ‘Just
help me get her in the back of the van, will you?’ said Keith. ‘We’re going to
the hospital.’
    Keith
opened the back doors of the van and he, Gina and Marie all tumbled in
together. Doug banged them shut, put a seatbelt round Alice and the van began
its epic journey through the lanes, accompanied by much screeched abuse from
Gina and some familiar squeaking.
    ‘What’s
that?’ Doug asked Alice.
    ‘It’s
Smelly,’ said Alice. ‘I didn’t want to leave him on his own.
    All
went reasonably well until they reached the outskirts of Hereford. Doug and
Alice sang along to some hits on the car radio and Keith and Marie Henty lay in
the back of Keith’s old van on some oily blankets, listening to the disordered
thought processes of Gina as she oscillated between pathetically begging them
to let her go and railing against them as if they were handmaidens of the
devil. Keith’s warm breath occasionally drifted towards Marie and she found
herself inappropriately wishing he would lean across and kiss her. She took in
the pained expression on his face and loved him all the more for it, not
realising he was desperate for a pee. Gina quietened down and as they
approached the first set of traffic lights, a strange moment of calm descended
on the