plastic signs hanging over the Portacabin declared that Tarasov Prestige Motors specialised in The finest second-hand Jaguar and Mercedes automobiles, but the reality was a ragged mixture of retired company cars and small hatchbacks.
Not many people buy cars on a Wednesday morning, so Pete Tarasov didn’t mind helping Dave fit the new compressor for the air-conditioning and some other bits that they’d picked up at the scrap yard the previous day. Both lads were underneath the jacked-up Mondeo when Leon lumbered out of the cabin holding two mugs.
‘Hot tea standing on the bonnet,’ Leon shouted.
Dave crawled out from under the car and got a weird ground-level perspective on Leon’s massive gut.
‘Raul tells me yesterday was your one and only,’ Leon grinned.
Dave wasn’t sure if he was supposed to talk in front of Pete.
‘It’s OK. He knows the score.’
‘A little granny trouble, so I’m told,’ Pete smirked, as he picked up his mug with greasy fingers and took a swig.
‘I’m sorry, Leon,’ Dave said. ‘I’ve been in foster homes and institutions my whole life. I want to make this work for me and James. I don’t want to run the risk of getting banged up.’
‘I understand,’ Leon nodded. ‘No hard feelings. It sounds like you caught a rough one and not everyone has the stomach for nicking cars.’
‘You know, Uncle Leon, I was thinking,’ Pete said.
Leon grinned. ‘Why is it that every time you use your brain my wallet gets nervous?’
Pete smiled. ‘Seriously, Uncle Leon, I’m off to university in a couple of months. Dave’s gonna be my perfect replacement here on the lot. He knows his way around a car. He can fix up any little niggles when the new stock comes in from the auctions. Keep ’em clean, maybe even start doing a bit of selling when it gets busy on Saturdays.’
Leon shrugged. ‘I can think of worse ideas, but what about school?’
‘I’m thinking about applying for college, but only part-time,’ Dave said.
‘I can show Dave the ropes over the next month or so while I’m still here,’ Pete said.
‘I’ll put you on a month’s trial. Six quid an hour to start and we’ll work out your hours as things go along.’
‘Cheers, Leon,’ Dave grinned. ‘I can’t believe how great you guys have been to me and James.’
Dave turned and thanked Pete, as Leon lumbered back to the Portacabin.
‘Don’t mention it,’ Pete grinned. ‘Just make sure you’re not lying under one of the cars when my uncle finds out what you’ve been up to with his daughter.’
*
James recovered from the disappointing draw with Tottenham, taking a couple of easy scalps in his FIFA 2005 Premiership campaign. He ended up ten points clear with five games left to play, meaning the title was almost in the bag. He paused the game when Hannah rang his mobile.
‘Aren’t you in school?’ James asked.
‘I’m too cool for school,’ Hannah giggled. ‘I’m on the bus home. It’s the last day of term. I got up to the school gates and I thought, I can’t handle this.’
‘Last day of term’s usually a riot,’ James grinned. ‘Running around the corridors and booting the classroom doors open. One school I was in, we had seven fire alarms in a day.’
‘Not at my school. I think the high point of the festivities was going to be a clarinet recital. So, do you fancy hanging out, or what?’
‘Cool,’ James grinned. ‘I’m only sitting on my butt playing computer games.’
‘My parents will both be out at work, and your place isn’t exactly, erm …’
‘You can say it,’ James laughed. ‘I know I live in a complete dump. It’ll be much better round your gaff if you’re sure it’s safe.’
When Hannah hung up, James took off the pause and finished his match. It was only a few minutes after that when Hannah tapped her ring on the living-room window. She led James to her flat, which had an upstairs, like the Tarasovs’. The interior was over the top, like somebody had watched too many home makeover shows on TV, but Hannah’s room was cool. She had a collection of lava lamps, a white sheepskin rug and a life-sized Austin Powers cut-out pinned on her door.
‘Retro,’ James grinned, as he inspected an old record player with its loudspeaker built into the front.
‘I like finding old things in markets and that,’ Hannah explained. ‘Shops are so boring, everyone ends up with exactly the same stuff.’
James knelt down and inspected a two-metre line of singles. ‘Where’d you get all these?’