Broke Read Online Free Page A

home.
    By lunchtime, the tenner was burning a great big hole in Mark’s pocket and he couldn’t wait to get to the bookie’s. It was another week and a half before he was due to be paid, and he needed cash asap. But he had no intention of telling Steve where he was going, because he could do without one of his mate’s legendary lectures about the folly of throwing money away on gambling when he could be spending it on booze instead.
    Hoping to avoid Steve now, he darted into the staffroom and changed out of his paint-splattered overalls. But Steve popped his head around the door just as he was pulling on his jacket and asked if he was ready.
    ‘Er, no, I’m giving the pub a miss today,’ Mark told him cagily.
    ‘Yeah, right.’ Steve smirked. ‘And the pope’s coming round mine for dinner tonight. Come on, the lads are waiting.’
    ‘No, I’m serious,’ Mark said, following him out. ‘I’ve got an errand to run for Amy.’
    ‘I don’t mind subbing you a couple of pints if you’re broke,’ Steve offered.
    ‘Cheers.’ Mark gave him a grateful smile. ‘But I promised Amy I’d check up on this thing she’s waiting for from the catalogue.’
    ‘Whatever,’ Steve said dismissively, accurately guessing where Mark was really going. ‘Just don’t be late back.’
    ‘I won’t,’ said Mark, grinning as he set off in the opposite direction.
    Mark had no clue about form, or any of that other shit, so when he had the money to take a punt he generally picked out horses whose names gave him ‘a feeling’. It was a shit system, and nine times out of ten he came out of the bookie’s with less in his pocket than when he’d gone in. But not today. Today, luck was on his side, and he had two hundred and fifty quid in his hand by the time he realised he was late back to work.
    Another race was about to start, and it was a real temptation. But he managed to drag himself away and ran all the way back to the depot.
    The gaffer, Stan, was waiting when he sneaked in through the back door.
    ‘What time do you call this?’
    ‘Sorry, boss, an old lady fell over when I was on my way to the butty shop,’ Mark lied. ‘I had to call an ambulance, then wait with her till it came.’
    ‘And that took two hours?’
    ‘I know, it’s shocking, isn’t it?’ Mark shook his head, the picture of innocence and indignation. ‘I gave them a right mouthful when they turned up. I said, what are youse playing at, leaving an old woman lying on the pavement for that long? She could have froze to death.’
    ‘Such compassion,’ Stan drawled, not believing a word of it.
    ‘What was I supposed to do?’ Mark asked. ‘Leave her lying there?’
    ‘ Yes , if it meant getting back to work on time,’ barked Stan. Then, pointing a finger in Mark’s face, he said, ‘Do it again and you’re out. Consider yourself warned.’
    Mark gave a chastened nod and looked down at his feet until Stan had gone about his business. Then, smirking, he slipped his jacket off and his overalls on, and sauntered through to the workshop.
    ‘Where’ve you been?’ Steve hissed when Mark joined him at the paint-mixing machine. ‘Stan’s been going off his nut, threatening to sack you, and everything.’
    ‘He’s all talk,’ Mark replied unconcernedly. ‘I’m going nowhere.’
    ‘I wouldn’t be so sure,’ Steve said grimly. ‘You’re pushing your luck, mate.’
    ‘If you say so.’ Mark smirked.
    Amy had just sat the kids down in front of the telly and was about to make a start on dinner when Mark got home that evening. Surprised, because he was earlier than usual, she reached up to kiss him.
    ‘I’m just putting dinner on. Go and sit down – I’ll bring it in when it’s ready.’
    ‘No need.’ Mark grinned. ‘I stopped off on the way home and got these.’
    A frown skittered across Amy’s brow when he produced two pizza boxes from behind his back. Closing the door into the living room so the kids wouldn’t hear, she whispered,