WRONG WAY - GO BACK 


By Tessa Harvey


Eden was astonished, looking from one face to the other. 
    Eden and Blanche face up to "Ahmed." He pulls out a few dirty bills and plonks them roughly in Eden's hands. Blanche looks a query at the other woman, who shakes her head. The policewoman stares at the angry boss, dark eyes drilling into slightly grey ones. Reluctantly he hauls out a few more tattered folds of money, shoots them both a hostile glare and goes growling off to the rest of the staff who quickly become very busy at various chores as though they have nothing else in the whole world to think of or do.
    James asks quietly when the women return: "Is there anyone else worthy of rescuing?"
Eden thinks.... of Lopez, who bothers her daily with nasty talk, of Marla who pinches and pushes, of Jacques who is always angry and bitter. She closes her eyes. "No," she finally says, No-one."
    The police escort her back to her lodgings. James waits in the car while Blanche helps Eden pack up her few belongings. She goes to find the landlady, nervously peeling bright carrots in the dingy kitchen. "Ere, I don't want no trouble..." she begins, but Eden pays her what she owes and thanks her for helping her when she was sick. Unexpected tears pool in the older woman's tired eyes and she suddenly hugs Eden.
    "I 'opes yer does well," she says gruffly and goes back to her carrots, wiping her eyes on her sleeve and sniffing noisily.


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