The next morning, I was awoken by banging and crashing below us.  I jumped up and ran in to Dads room, instinct kicking in to go to him whenever there was a sign of danger.  He sleepily rubbed his eyes while his mind tried to catch up with where he was and what was going on "Dad, Dad what is that noise?"

He jumped up with the next crash beneath us "stay here I'll go check" he whispered.

"No way I'm coming with you".
He didn't argue he knew it was pointless once I'd set my mind to something.

We crept downstairs to find people scurrying around like worker bees, no one even looked or glanced in our direction.  There, in the corner, the crazy old lady sat with a pile of papers, skimming through and muttering to herself.  Dad walked up to her, she didn't even glance up so he lightly coughed to get her attention.  She lowered her paper and peered over the top. "Where would you like me to start?" Dad nervously inquired.

She whistled and a little man scuttled forward "Show him the ropes, this is your new boss" she waved her hand then went back to her paper.

Dad bent down to me "Jane pop back upstairs I'll be up in a minute, I'll try and find something to eat".

The old lady placed down her paper "She can sit here with me" she sensed his apprehension "Or you can leave her upstairs unattended in a strange place she's never been in... Whilst hungry or leave her here with me and I'll get her some breakfast".

The thought of food sounded so good right now I feel my stomach rumble with the pure thought of it. "I'll be fine" I reassure him and he ruffles my hair.

She scoffs "You're worried for her, you do remember it was me you two who tried to mug last night, She will be fine."

Dad looks embarrassed and his cheeks blush "I'm sorry it's just that we were..."

"Desperate" she finishes his sentence "desperation is human infliction suffered by many youre not the first and won't be the last".

I squeeze Dads hand "I'm fine, leave me here with ... then it dawns on us both, not at one point has she told us her name, she grins at our awkwardness that both of us feel silly asking a simple question.  When we've come to this unknown place with a complete stranger without at one point thinking to ask who she is !

She breaks the deafening silence "Call me Bell".

As if by magic within minutes Bell has summoned one of the many worker bees to make me a bacon sandwich.  I devour it, not caring for her opinions on my table manners.  We sat in silence until I finished every last mouthful then she folds her papers and sighs "I think we need to go for a walk" I shift nervously in my seat "we won't go far but don't you think you should know where you live".

I crane my neck around to look for Dad but I can't see him and I know he wouldn't like me just going.  As if she's read my thoughts she leans in "I'll get one of the girls to tell your father we've gone for stroll".
I'm feeling like it's impossible to say no to her so I nod.

As we walk through the funny little town with its odds and ends shops I become very aware that everyone seems to know Bell.  Every other person smiles or says hello, she nods back and quietly says hello back but generally seems disinterested whilst hidden behind her large dark sunglasses. "You know a lot of people ?" I inquire curiosity getting the better of me.

She smirks "Or do a lot of people know me".

A little old lady stumbles out of the shop and smiles at Bell "Morning Bell" and she replies back before the little old lady shuffles off.

Bell leans in to me "Do you know she killed her first husband" I gasp at the outrageous thing she's saying about that tiny frail old lady "ohh he had it coming he drank like a fish then would come home and knock ten bells of shit out of her, so one night when he came home steaming drunk he started again and she pushed him down the stairs ... Goodbye husband" she sniggered.

"How long was she in prison?" I squeaked

"Prison! good heavens no, nobody knows.  Everyone thinks he was just drunk and fell down the stairs and she got her life back"  I'm puzzled if no one knows how does she know?  She points across the road "do you see him?" I look across the road to a sharply well-dressed man in his 30s.  "He's an estate agent but he likes to go into people's homes to sniff and sometimes wear the owners underwear, then pleasure himself before the owners return". She giggles at the thought of this odd pervert with his bizarre  and some what rancid behaviour.

I turn on her "you're making that up" I growl.

"Am I? like I did about your mother ?" she challenges me.  I look her in the eyes trying to read if she's lying or possibly trying to trick me, what is she up to?  But her face is like steel, not giving away anything, no crack in her armour and then it dawns on me, she's telling the truth.

"How do you know?  Did he tell you?  Why would he tell you?"  I feel my frustration building up I hate not feeling in the loop.

"I just do and no he didn't tell me, why are you so surprised?  All humans have their dirty little secrets, their little mark they hide from the world, pretending they are perfect, all is perfect, their life is perfect. You are smarter than that Jane".

I huff "well not me and not Dad".

We walk around the town, she shows me Whitstable Castle with the beautiful gardens and the people playing games of bowls.  Through the harbour to watch all the boats coming and going, the sailors shouting out to each other whilst lugging today's catch in their giant nets, the smell of fish bombarding your nose with the aroma clinging to your clothes.  Down to Squeeze Gut Alley where the alley slowly shrinks like something out of Alice in Wonderland which was used by the smugglers for the trade of tobacco and spirits and then back to the pub.

Before we walk in she stops me "I didn't mean to upset you earlier Jane, I should never have said those things, sometimes I forget myself and you being a child I should never have gossiped like that".

I suddenly feel indignant "I'm not a kid" I fire back.

"Of course not youre far more mature than most your age, I mean no offence".

I straighten up trying to seem taller and more adult than I am and smile back. "It's fine, I was just tired and snappy, I'm sorry I shouldn't have been so rude after everything you've done for us".

The door swings open, Dad standing there looking petrified.  "Where have you been?"  I gasp then look at Bell.

She simply strolls in past Dad and then leans in the bar and sighs "I'm so sorry I told the girls to tell you we were going for walk, I'll fire them instantly we can't have them not passing on a simple message you must have been so worried...I hear the chip shop is hiring" she dramatically sighs.

Dad lunges forward "No it's fine, no harm is done, just in future let me know" I grasp his hand and whisper sorry.  He winks at me, his way of saying it's all ok.  Funny how we know each other and what the others thinking without saying a word it gives me great comfort, whatever happens, I will always have him the one constant thing in my life.  Just me and him against the world.