Rock Stars Don't Like Big Knickers

by Nikki Ashton

  Suddenly Luke’s mobile began ringing in his pocket. He snatched it out and looked at the screen.

  “Hey, Noah,” he said. “You okay?”

  “Not really Uncle Luke,” Noah replied. “Betty’s been taken into hospital.”

  Luke jumped up from his seat and paced towards the window, looking down towards Martha’s cottage. “What’s happened?” he asked.

  “The doctors aren’t sure, they think she may have had her drink spiked, they’re doing some tests now.” Noah’s voice, full of emotion, started to crack. “She’s not stopped throwing up for the last five hours.”

  “How the hell did that happen?” Luke barked. “Did I not tell you to keep your eye on your drinks, and Betty?” Luke ran a hand through his hair, wondering what sort of state Martha must be in.

  “We did, I did. I never let her leave my sight. We even bought some stopper things with a straw attached to put on our bottles.”

  Luke wasn’t sure but thought that Noah was crying. “Okay, okay,” he said in a softer tone. “What makes them think it’s drugs then? You didn’t take any did you?”

  “No, you know I wouldn’t do that. We were fine, having a great time, watching the band and then she suddenly went dizzy and couldn’t see and her head was hurting.” Noah took a huge breath before he continued. “I got her back to the tent but then she just started throwing up. After a couple of hours of it I got the Paramedics to look at her.”

  Luke could sense that Noah was on the verge of cracking up totally.

  “Okay, buddy. Where are you? I’ll come straight over.” Luke snatched up the pen he’d used as a missile and grabbed an old envelope. “Give me the address.”

  Noah told Luke exactly where they were, and Luke scribbled it down.

  “Have you told Martha yet?” Luke asked.

  Noah sighed. “I daren’t, she’ll go mad and think I didn’t look after Betty.

  “No she won’t. Look, do you want me to tell her?”

  “Please, Uncle Luke.”

  “Okay,” Luke replied. “And don’t worry, we’ll get there as soon as we can, but Betty will be fine.”

  “What’s going on?” Tom asked, concern etched on his face as Luke stalked across the room.

  “Betty’s in hospital, Noah thinks her drink was spiked.” Luke stopped with his hand on the door handle. “I need to go and tell Martha and get her over to Oxfordshire as quickly as possible.”

  “Shit,” Jake said. “Do you want us to come with you?”

  Luke shook his head. “No, thanks anyway, but you stay here and keep Mamma company. She’ll be worried sick, she really cares about Betty.”

  Tom and Jake nodded both moving in to give Luke a hug.

  “Call us if you need anything,” Tom said.

  Luke nodded and rushed out, only stopping to pick up his keys from the hall table.

  Martha took the news slightly better than Luke expected. She was worried and shocked when Luke told her, but she didn’t shout, lose control or blame Noah – she held it together as best she could; now was not the time to turn into a heap of jelly. With tears in her eyes, she simply asked for the address as she grabbed her handbag and car keys.

  “I’ll take you,” Luke said as he followed her out of the door.

  “No it’s fine, I don’t expect you to take me all that way.” Martha gave him a weak smile. “I can drive myself.”

  In all honesty, Martha wasn’t sure she could drive. Despite her exterior appearance, she felt sick to her stomach, her hands were shaking and she was scared for her daughter.

  Luke shook his head. “Not happening babe. No disrespect but I’m not sure Fifi, or whatever her name is, will get you there.” Luke gently took the car key from Martha’s hand and dropped it into his jeans pocket.

  “Luke,” Martha started to protest.

  “Sorry, but for once please don’t argue with me,” He said, softly rubbing her arm. “Please Martha.”

  Martha sighed. He was right, Fiona would more than likely break down on such a long drive, and Luke’s car would get them there much quicker. Betty was her baby and she needed her, so despite her fears at spending a few hours alone with Luke, Martha nodded.

  “Okay,” she said. “Thanks.”

  The journey to Cornbury, in Oxfordshire, took them almost three hours. It would probably have been a lot longer if Luke hadn’t sweet talked a Motorway Police Officer to allow them to follow him down the hard shoulder during a traffic jam. At the point that the traffic ground to a halt, Martha was starting to lose the self-control that she’d been working so hard to keep. She’d begun hyperventilating when she saw the never ending line of red brake lights in front of them. Seeing the police vehicle already on the hard shoulder, Luke pulled up behind it and begged for their help.

  “Here, this is it,” Luke said over his shoulder to Martha, whom he was pulling along by her hand. “This is the ward.”

  Luke and Martha pushed through the door, quickly used the hand cleanser and then ran to the desk.

  “Betty Bright,” Martha panted. “She was brought in a few hours ago.”

  “She’s here with her boyfriend,” Luke added.

  The nurse behind the desk smiled warmly at them both. “She’s in the private room at the end on the left.” She pointed down the ward.

  “Thank you,” Martha called over her shoulder as she and Luke raced off.

  As soon as Martha saw her pale and sweaty daughter propped up in bed, holding a grey cardboard sick bowl, her self-control got up and left the building. She burst into tears, throwing herself onto Betty.

  “Oh sweetheart,” she cried. “How bad do you feel?” Martha smoothed back Betty’s sticky auburn hair and hugged her to her chest.

  “Mum,” Betty groaned. “You’re choking me.”

  “I’m sorry,” Martha said hugging Betty tighter, “but I’ve been so worried about you.”

  Luke gave a quiet chuckle and gently pulled Martha’s arms away from Betty.

  “Babe, she needs to breathe,” he said.

  “Oh God, I’m sorry sweetheart.” Martha pulled her arms away and dropped onto the side of Betty’s bed. “Are you still being sick?”

  Betty shook her head. “No, they gave me something that finally kicked in about half an hour ago.”

  “What, they only just gave you something?” Luke snapped.

  “They wanted to check out what was causing it first,” Noah answered. So far he’d been silent, a little afraid that Martha might let loose on him with her tongue.

  “And?” Luke pulled up a chair next to his nephew. “What is it, has she been drugged?”

  “No, it’s severe migraine brought on by dehydration.” Noah reached for Betty’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “She’s had too much sun, not enough sleep and hasn’t drunk enough water.”

  “Thank God,” Martha sighed. “I was petrified that you’d been slipped something really dangerous.”

  “Not a chance with old Hawkeye there,” Betty said nodding towards Noah. “He even stood outside the chemical toilet every time I wanted to go.” She smiled weakly at Noah.

  “Well thank you Noah,” Martha said giving him a huge smile. “I appreciate you looking after my little girl.”

  “Oh Mother,” Betty groaned. “Do you have to?”

  “Hey,” Luke said. “Cut her some slack, she’s been worried sick.”

  Looking suitably chastised Betty took Martha’s hand. “Sorry, Mum.”

  “That’s okay. So when can you come home?”

  “I’m not coming home; we’re meeting the girls and Dan tomorrow.” Betty pulled her hand away from Martha’s. “Please don’t make me come home, we’ve got Glastonbury and V Festival tickets, oh and Creamfields.”

  Martha looked at Betty’s crumpled face and sighed. “Okay, but only if the doctor agrees that it’s okay, and only if you start looking after yourself better.”

  “I will, and you can ask him yourself in the morning.” Betty grinned at Martha. “That�
�s when he’s going to check up on me. He’s prescribed me some migraine tablets, but I feel loads better already.”

  Martha shook her head and took back Betty’s hand. “Okay.”

  “I’d better try and find us somewhere to sleep tonight then,” Luke said getting up from his chair.

  Martha felt her face heat up and knew that she was blushing. He hadn’t suggested that they sleep together, but for some reason Martha felt as though the insinuation was there.

  “No, you don’t need to stay,” she said. “I can get a train back tomorrow.”

  “No way. I’m staying, no argument.” It was definitely a command by the tone of Luke’s voice.

  Martha nodded. “Okay, but I’m sure that you have better things to do.”

  Luke shook his head. “Nowhere else I’d rather be babe,” he said quietly as he left the room.

  Almost half an hour later, Luke came back into the room with a worried look on his face. He sighed heavily as he sat down next to Martha, who along with Noah, was watching Betty sleep.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked looking at Luke warily. “You look worried.”

  “Well, the thing is,” he replied picking at his jeans. “I could only manage to get us a bed and breakfast for tonight.”

  “Okay, that’s fine. I didn’t expect a big fancy hotel.” Martha shook her head bewildered. Luke knew that she wasn’t the sort of person to demand luxury.

  “Yeah, but the problem is…well.” Luke drew his mouth into a thin line. “You’re not going to like this.”

  “What?”

  Noah snorted. “I bet I can guess,” he chuckled.

  “Noah! The problem is, well they’ve only got one room,” Luke said quickly, hoping that it wouldn’t sound so bad if he said it all in one breath. “I’ve tried everywhere, but with the festival, everywhere is fully booked. I only got this because the couple who had it cancelled. The guy has got food poisoning from the festival.”

  Noah slapped a hand over his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter. “Oh the irony,” he muttered.

  “Noah, I will hit you if I have to,” Luke said through gritted teeth.

  Martha shook her head. “That can’t happen. I’ll stay here. I’ll sleep in the day room or get the nurses to bring me a bed in.”

  Noah gave an embarrassed cough. “Betty has already asked them if I can stay,” he said apologetically.

  “Well you can’t, I am.” Martha cried like a spoilt toddler.

  Suddenly Betty stirred. “What’s wrong?” she asked sleepily. “What are you shouting about?”

  “Your mum wants to stay here instead of me,” Noah blurted out grabbing hold of Betty’s hand.

  “No Mum, I love you dearly, but I want Noah to stay…please,” she pleaded.

  Martha looked from Betty to Noah, and then to Luke and huffed.

  “You better not be lying to me Luke.” She wagged her finger at him. “If I find out that there is more than one room available I won’t be happy.”

  “I swear on my mamma’s life.” Luke licked his finger and made the sign of the cross across his heart.

  “Ooh Nonna won’t like that,” Noah said. “A good Catholic boy swearing on her life.”

  Luke’s eyes narrowed. “I’m hardly a good Catholic boy, and she won’t find out, will she!”

  Noah understood his uncle’s threat and shook his head. “No Uncle Luke she won’t,” he said with a smile on his face.

  “Good that’s settled.” Betty snuggled down under the covers. “Now can I get back to sleep please?”

  Martha looked at Luke and arched her perfectly shaped eyebrow.

  “Okay,” she said. “But no funny business.”

  “Okay babe,” Luke replied with a chortle. “Whatever you say.”

  Chapter 36

  “And you definitely don’t have any other rooms?” Martha asked the landlady of the B&B as they followed her up the stairs.

  “No lovey, nothing at all.” The silver haired lady groaned at the strain of reaching the top stair. “Everywhere is chock-a-block what with the festival an’ all.”

  Luke poked Martha in the back. “See, I told you,” he whispered.

  It wasn’t that Martha didn’t want to sleep in the same room as Luke, she did, and that was the problem. She was desperate to be back in his arms and let him perform his magic on her until she screamed, but she also knew that if she did she’d be opening herself up to heartache yet again. She had to admit though; it was getting harder and harder not to let her barriers down – and her knickers for that matter.

  “So here you go.” Mrs Bates, whose name had caused both Martha and Luke to snort with laughter, and Luke to make a stabbing motion behind Mrs Bates’ back, opened up a door and swept her hand to indicate for them to go in.

  To say the room was flowery was an understatement. Flowered curtains hung at the window, with a mismatched flowered bedspread and on the floor a garish flowered carpet.

  “Fuck,” Luke muttered. “It’s a shrine to Alan Titchmarsh. It’s like floral puke.”

  Martha chuckled and elbowed Luke in his side. “Sssh,” she whispered.

  “Well it is.”

  “So loveys will you be comfortable in here?” Mrs Bates smiled warmly at them.

  Luke and Martha both stared at the bed that could hardly be called a double and nodded.

  Luke’s mind was thinking of how close he’d be to Martha, while Martha was considering whether it would be rude to ask Luke to sleep on the floor.

  “There’s an en suite through there.” Mrs Bates pointed to a salmon pink door that had flowered decoupage stuck to it. “And breakfast is from seven until nine.”

  “Thank you,” Martha said, still distracted by the size of the bed.

  “Well I’ll leave you two to get settled. Nighty, nighty.”

  “Nighty, nighty,” Luke said with a huge grin and a wave.

  “This is a nightmare,” Martha groaned as the door closed behind Mrs Bates. “The bed is far too small, I feel like I’m on the set of the ‘Day of The Triffids’, and what the hell is that smell?” she asked wrinkling her nose.

  “God, now you mention it. It reminds me of the school toilets.” Luke moved over to the window and pulled it up to let out the strong smell of disinfectant. “Is that better?” he asked.

  Martha nodded. “Slightly, although it’s coming from by the window.” She moved over to Luke and pulled the curtains back. On the windowsill, behind each curtain, were three bright blue toilet blocks.

  Luke started to laugh and flopped down onto the bed. “She obviously finds them cheaper than air freshener.”

  “Obviously,” Martha replied as she picked each of them up and went into the bathroom. “But, they belong in the toilet.” Martha lifted up the toilet seat and dropped the blocks inside.

  When she went back into the bedroom, Luke was stretched out on the bed, his hands behind his head, his legs crossed at the ankles.

  “So what do you fancy doing now?” he asked. “It’s only just gone eight, maybe we should go and get some dinner.”

  Martha looked down at her jeans, t-shirt, leather jacket and Converse pumps. “I’m hardly dressed for it,” she replied.

  Luke’s eyes examined Martha’s body. As far as he was concerned she looked beautiful, even with tired eyes and tousled hair; in fact he’d never seen anyone more beautiful.

  “You look great, babe,” he replied. “We’ll just grab a pub meal though, if that makes you feel better.”

  Martha gave a weak smile. It didn’t matter where they went, she would always pale into insignificance standing next to Luke. “Aren’t you worried about being recognised?” she asked.

  Luke shook his head. “I’ll just deny it’s me, it generally works. Anyway, most music fans will be down at the festival ground listening to the bands.”

  “Okay,” Martha said quietly. “A pub it is.”

  “Excellent, let’s go then.” Luke jumped up and, grabbing Martha’s hand, pulled her out of the r
oom and down the stairs.

  “Nooo Lukey, don’t do that,” Martha cried as Luke shinned up a drainpipe. “You’ll hurt yourself.”

  “I’ll be fine.” Luke had seen a hanging basket outside a shop and insisted on taking one of the flowers for Martha. “I promised you a flower, so that’s what I’m doing.”

  They were both extremely drunk having totally forgotten to get something to eat. Once the first drink had gone down quickly, Luke had insisted on another, then another, until they’d both agreed that eating was cheating and just wanted to consume as much alcohol as possible.

  “Lukey, quick before someone comes,” Martha hissed.

  “Ssssshhh.”

  Luke put a finger to his lips to quieten Martha, forgetting that his other hand was reaching for a flower, so no hands were holding onto the drainpipe. As he started to fall backwards Luke cried out and tried to make a grab for the cast iron pipe, but it was too late and he tumbled backwards down onto the pavement, landing by Martha’s feet.

  “Lukey!” Martha cried falling to her knees. “Oh my God, are you alright, are you dead?” she asked poking Luke in the face with her finger.

  Luke didn’t move and his eyes were shut tight. Martha took hold of his shoulders and shook them, causing Luke’s head to rock from side to side, but he still didn’t respond. Her heart beat rapidly and she was struggling to breathe. Okay, so he wasn’t hers anymore, but she’d much rather be able to covet him from afar than mourn his memory.

  “Please Luke, wake up,” Martha cried. “Don’t die, I love you.” She looked around panic stricken, hoping that someone was around to help, but there was no one in sight. Tears started to spill down her cheeks as she shouted out. “Help, someone, help me please.”

  “I think I need the kiss of life,” Luke muttered. His eyes were still closed and there was huge grin on his face.

  “Lukey, you’re alive.” Martha bent down and lifted him, pushing him against her chest. “I thought you’d died,” she cried.