I still remember the time when my so-called loving cousins left me and my mother in a bit of a predicament. They meant it in jest; I’m sure, but for a little while there...
My name’s Tom and this happened a year or so back when I was thirteen. Sue and Amy had come to stay with me and my mother for the weekend – my father was away on business, and my aunt (their mother) wanted some time to herself with my uncle. Sue is the older of the two, and was sixteen at the time. Amy was two years younger, but a year above me at the local academy. Both had brown hair, which in the case of Sue was long while Amy had hers cut short.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and my mum had to go work. Her name was Ellen – Ellen Vandenburg, Manageress, as it proudly proclaimed on the name badge she had to wear – and she was 35 years old, with a wonderfully slim body and the same light blonde colour of hair as me. She worked as a receptionist at a hotel in town, and sometimes had to do the Saturday day shift if there was a large party checking in. This was one of those days, so she had left me with the girls to amuse ourselves until she got back.
By the time it had come round to 3 o’clock, my cousins had finished all their homework, and we’d all sat down to watch an old detective program on the television. It showed an all female gang carrying out a bank raid, with the staff been held hostage as they emptied the raid. Sue nudged Amy in the ribs and said “Do you remember when we used to play those games with Johnny?â€
“Who’s Johnny,†I heard myself asking.
“Just this boy we used to hang out with,†Amy said quietly. “He likes to play cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers, all those sort of games. Didn’t you play them with your friends?â€
“When we were younger, yeah, but I’m a grown man now. How did you use to play them?â€
I saw the smile on Sue’s mouth before she said “We used to be the damsels in distress – the widow who would not sign the deeds, the heiress who was kidnapped that sort of thing. We used to enjoy it when he made sure we couldn’t move...â€
She let those words hang in the air for a moment, watching my face as they sank in. “You used to get tied up?†I finally let the words out.
“Sometimes – you?â€
“Never – I mean, I like watching programs where the girl gets held hostage, but...â€
My face must have gone red, for Sue and Amy looked at each other and then back at me. “Do you think Aunt Ellen might like to play a game when she came back in,†Sue finally said.
“What sort of game?â€
“Wait and see – let’s watch the film first.â€
It was five o’clock when my mum came back from work. She sat down and let out a huge sigh, saying “Thank God that’s over with†as she did so. She was wearing a grey sleeveless dress with a thin red belt, red open toed shoes with three inch heels, dark stockings and a red scarf around her neck. “Give me a few minutes, Tom, and then we’ll sort out dinner with the girls.â€
She looked over at me, and saw I was looking at her with a funny look on my face. “What’s the matter,†she finally said as she sat up.
“I was talking to Sue and Amy this afternoon,†I began to stammer out, “and they told me about some of the games they used to play with a boy called Johnny.â€
“I’ve heard about Johnny from their mother,†my mum said, “and he was a rough one. What sort of games were they talking about?â€
“Cops and robbers,†I whispered as I looked at my mum.
“I see,†she said. “Sue, Amy, would you come in here for a moment please.â€
I watched my cousin walking in, with a carrier bag in Sue’s hand. “Yes, Aunt Ellen?â€
“Tom tells me you have been telling him about the games you used to play. I have the distinct feeling he wants to play the same sort of game.†She looked at me, as she said “Is that right, Tom?â€
I couldn’t look at her at that point, but just nodded.
“I see – well, I can spare an hour or so, so what do you want the game to be?â€
“We want you to be the bank manager,†Sue said with a smile, “and Tom comes to see you about a loan. We’re then going to rob the bank.â€
“And what will happen to us?â€
“That would spoil the surprise.â€
My mum sat for a moment, and then stood up. “I need to go to the toilet,†she said, “You girls make yourselves ready. After I come into the room, give us five minutes. What else do you need to do?â€
“We just need to change,†Amy said. They were both wearing shorts and t-shirts, so I wondered what they were going to wear instead.
“Well, go and get ready,†mum said as she went to the room door.
Five minutes later, my mum came back in and sat by the dining table. “Tom, go out and come back in,†she said to me. I stood up and walked out of the room, waited two minutes and knocked on the door. I heard my mum say “Come in,†and as I opened the door she walked over with a smile on her face and her hand extended.
“Come in, Tom,†she said, “I’m Ellen Vandenburg. I understand that you need to arrange a loan?â€
“Yes m... Mrs Vandenburg,†I corrected myself as I shook her hand. I could see she had taken the money from a Monopoly set and laid it out on the table, alongside a pad and pen.
“Have a seat,†mum said as she pulled one out next to her, “and tell me what you have in mind.â€
I took a seat, and started to open my mouth to speak, when the door was thrown open. Sue and Amy came in; both dressed in black jumpers and leggings with two of my mum’s scarves tied over their faces.
“Neither of you move,†Sue said in a deep voice through her bandana mask. “This is a raid.†Amy had a water pistol in her hand, while Sue still had the carrier bag in hers. Mum looked at me, before raising her hands and saying “Please don’t hurt us – we’ll do whatever you say.â€
“What about you mate,†Sue said looking at me, “Are you going to play the hero?†I looked at my mother, who winked as I raised my own hands. “I’m sorry, Mrs Vandenburg,†I said quietly, “but I don’t want either of us to be hurt.â€
“Smart move,†Sue said as she placed her bag on the table. “Keep an eye on them while I have a word with the bank lady here.†She walked over and stood in front of mum, saying “Stand up,†as she did so. Mum slowly stood up, and said “Just take the money – we won’t stop you.â€
“No you won’t,†Sue said as she took out what I recognised as one of two lengths from what was left from our washing line. “You, hero – stand up and take this rope.†I stood up and took the rope from Sue as she looked at mum.
“Tie her hands behind her back,†Sue said looking at me. Mum said “You don’t have to do this, we won’t get in the way,†but Amy just pointed the water pistol at her and let off a small shot of water. Mum had to stop herself from laughing as Sue said “Just do as you’re told, lady – hands behind your back.â€
Now, I’d never tied anyone up, let alone my own mother, but I had been a scout, so I knew how to lash two sticks of wood together. She looked over her shoulder at me, said “It’s all right, Tom, just do as they say†and smiled. “All right, Ellen,†I said as I put her hands together, palm to palm, and started to tie her wrists together. The rope was soft, and I didn’t want to hurt her, so I made it just tight enough to hold them together without biting into her skin, passing it between her arms a couple of times as well. As I tied the last knot, Sue took mum by the hand and helped her to sit down against the wall.
I watched as the skirt of her dress rode up as she sat down, her feet extended out in front as Sue passed me the second length of rope. “Do her ankles now,†she said to me as Amy shot a jet of water at my back. I shot a look of anger at her, seeing her laugh as her shoulders rose, before I put my mother’s ankles together and tied them with the other length of rope. I knew for a fact these were the only two lengths of rope in the house, so I wondered what they were going to do with me.
“Nice job, handsome,†Sue said as I tied the ends of the rope off. “Now, can I trust you to keep quiet, lady?â€
“I won’t make any noise,†mum said as I watched Sue walk back to the bed. I hoped that was the end of it, but to my dismay I saw her take out a pair of old jump ropes that they must have found somewhere.
“Are you all right, Ellen,†I said as I felt my own hands been pulled behind my back as Sue used one of the jump ropes to tie my own wrists together. She was quite tough as well, pulling the rope tightly around my own wrists, but a sit was thicker than the clothes line I had used on mum she had to settle with just tying my wrists together side by side.
“I’m all right, Tom,†Mum said as Sue made me sit next to her. “Are you all right?â€
“I’ll cope,†I said as I watched Sue taking my shoes off, and tying my ankles together with another skip rope. She did a good job, as I felt my legs been drawn together, I looked at my mum sitting there, with her hands behind her back and her legs stretched out, and realised I had never seen her looking like this before. She must have caught the way I was looking at her, for she gave me a wink to show she was all right.
“Get the money in the bag,†Sue said to Amy as she put the gun down, “and I’ll check the safe.†She walked over to an old cabinet and started to look inside, as Amy stuffed the Monopoly money into the bag. I whispered “I think I can get you free – turn and put your back to me.â€
“Not yet,†Mum whispered out of the corner of her mouth, “They may hurt us.†As she said this, Sue turned back round and returned to the table. “Open up, both of you,†she said as she brought some of my mum’s hankies over.