by Pam Howes
‘You’re right. You usually are.’
He fished a ten-pound note from his pocket. ‘Buy the boys a drink, and, Jess, when we get home, maybe you could start looking for a part-time job.’
‘Yeah, I will, but The Zoo will be making enough money to keep me soon.’ She left the room as the boys clattered down the stairs.
Jane shook her head and took a sip of wine.
Roy grinned. ‘She’s got big ideas.’
‘That’s my girl,’ Eddie said. ‘We need to sort things out with the band when we get back. I keep telling her they’ll do better with Livvy on board.’
‘I agree,’ Roy said. ‘The lads want her in and so do I. Band meeting, Livvy included, as soon as we get home.’
‘God help you,’ Jane said. ‘But you’re right. Livvy’s a fabulous singer, and if she doesn’t join them soon, someone else will snap her up.’
Eddie nodded. Livvy’s powerful vocal chords could be the making of The Zoo and was the perfect compliment to Jess’s soft and soulful voice.
***
CHAPTER TWO
‘Let’s have a drink on the pier before we find a club,’ Jon suggested as he, Nick and Jason strode in the direction of The Palace Pier.
Nick slipped his arm around Jess’s waist and pulled her close.
‘Has your dad told you how much Celia’s left you yet?’
‘No, and there’s not been the right moment to ask him. He’s still really upset.’
‘I know how much you’re getting,’ Jon said. ‘I found out this morning.’
‘Is it enough for me and Nick to find somewhere to live?’
‘Plenty.’ Jon wished it wasn’t. The thought of Jess living with Nick was almost too much to bear. ‘You’ll have to wait until tomorrow. Dad wants to tell you himself.’
‘Tell me now.’ Jess slipped out of Nick’s arms and grabbed Jon’s hand. ‘Please, Jon.’
‘No.’ He looked into her eyes and felt his stomach lurch. He reached out and brushed her hair back from her face and was conscious of Nick giving him a strange look. He pulled his hand away and carried on walking ahead. They made their way to the white painted tables and chairs outside a bar and sat down. Jon went inside and came back with four pints of lager.
The bar was quiet. It was still early in the season and dusk was setting in as the bright neon lights of the fairground rides danced in their eyes. Relax, by Frankie Goes to Hollywood blasted from the overhead speakers. Nick sang along, smiling at Jess. She giggled as he leant across and whispered in her ear.
‘Better not, Nick. We need to keep the parents sweet for when we tell them we’re moving in together.’
‘They wouldn’t know. You’re in the attic; they’re on the floor below. C’mon. Jess, for me,’ he whispered, giving her the special smile that melted her bones.
‘What are you two on about?’ Jon said as Nick looked into Jess’s eyes.
‘Nick wants to share my room,’ she replied.
‘You’ll have to be back in ours before Mum wakes up,’ Jason said. ‘Remember what she said last night about no hanky-panky between you and Jess?’ He stood up, placed his hands on his hips in a camp fashion and did a perfect imitation of his mother as the others laughed.
Jess rolled her eyes. ‘It’s ridiculous. We’d be living together already if we had a place. Why shouldn’t we share a room?’
‘You can, as long as Nick’s back in ours before they get up,’ Jon said. ‘Try and keep the peace for once, please, Jess. You’d better borrow my travel alarm. Now stop sulking and drink up.’ He downed his pint. ‘C’mon, Jase, let’s find a woman each.’
Jason smiled shyly and followed the others, Jess linking her arm through his.
‘You okay, Jase?’
‘Yeah. Would have been nice if Jules could have come with us though.’
Nick turned. ‘Don’t you see enough of gay-boy at college? Bloody Hell, Jase, you’ll never get a woman with him hanging round. People think you’re a couple.’
‘Leave it, Nick,’ Jon said as Jason’s brown eyes clouded. Nick was always goading him about his mate and it really annoyed Jon. Jason didn’t have Nick’s confidence and swagger. He and Jules were close, maybe a bit too close, Jon thought. But that was Jason’s business and Nick should keep his bloody thoughts to himself.
***
Jon paused for a moment outside the pier entrance. ‘So, this is where the famous Mods and Rockers riots began?’
‘Yeah,’ Jess nodded. ‘According to Sammy, this area was awash with Rockers and then The Mods rode up on their scooters, chanting and shouting. God, I bet it was such a thrill, just like a scene from Quadrophenia.’
‘I wouldn’t have fancied being stuck in the middle of it all,’ Jon said. ‘Quadrophenia was bad enough and that was just the film. Mind you,’ he smirked, ‘I’d play the part of Jimmy any day, getting to shag Lesley Ash in that backyard!’
‘Trust you,’ Jess laughed. ‘Those riots happened before we were born, but Dad talks about ’em as though it was yesterday.’
‘I was born, but I lived with Angie then,’ Jon said.
‘Do you ever wonder what she was like?’ Jason asked as they set off for the town centre.
‘Sometimes. It didn’t bother me when I was younger. I mean, she died when I was three so I hardly remember her. But now, well – I’d like to know more. I’m told I look like her, green eyes and curls and all that. I was twelve when Dad told me Jane wasn’t my mum and that my real mother had died in an accident. I thought they were joking at first.’
Jon smiled as Jess squeezed his arm. One of his earliest memories was of Dad telling him he always had to take great care of her. She’d been upset when they’d told him about Angie, she’d cried with him, but not really understanding what it was all about. He’d soon got over the shock and carried on as normal, putting it to the back of his mind until recently, when curiosity had started to surface.
As far as he was concerned, Jane had always been Mum. But as time passed the need to find out more about Angie grew stronger. For years, birthday and Christmas cards from his grandparents and aunt had been the only communication he’d had with her family. Apart from making him write thank-you letters for money received in his cards, Dad, for whatever reasons, didn’t encourage contact.
‘Listen.’ Nick’s eyes lit up as they turned into a side road. ‘That’s our kind of sound. C’mon, let’s go in there.’
Music, blasting through open doors further along the road, reached their ears. They paid their entrance fee and walked past two burly, black-suited bouncers into a crowded, smoky room. The brick walls of the building, which had begun life as a warehouse, were painted a myriad of bright colours. Garish flashing lights assaulted their eyes even further and the music was so loud it seemed to bounce off the walls.
‘Get us a drink, Jon, I’ll pay,’ Nick shouted above the noise as they weaved their way through the sweating, gyrating dancers.
‘Here, take this.’ Jess fished in her bag and handed Dad’s tenner to Jon. ‘Lager for me please and whatever you lot want.’ She made her way to a vacant table, followed by Nick and Jason.
As Jon lounged against the bar he spotted a couple of girls standing to his left. They were looking across to where Jess and the boys were seated. One of them, a willowy blond, made eye contact with Nick and smiled. Nick smiled back and winked. Jess won’t like that, Jon thought, as Jess pulled Nick to his feet and onto the dance floor.
She wound her arms around his neck. Nick smiled. He held her, lips seeking hers. Then Jon saw his sister grinning in the blonde’s direction. She got the message that Nick was not available and turned her attention to Jon as he carried the drinks over.
She smiled, revealing even white teeth, and tossed back her long, blonde hair. ‘Hi, I’m Helen.’
‘I’m Jon, that’s Jason.’ He gestured to an empty chair. Helen sat down and crossed her long legs, revealing firm thighs as her skirt rode up. Jon caught a glimpse of white lace, felt a definit
e twitch and thought, this could be his lucky night.
Jason nodded, looking intimidated by Helen who was eyeing Jon as though he were a prize stud bull at a cattle market. She beckoned to a small, dark-haired girl who smiled shyly as she joined them.
‘This is Ronnie, my mate. Meet Jon and Jason.’
‘Ronnie?’ Jon said. ‘Short for Veronica?’
‘It’s really Rhonda,’ Ronnie said and rolled her eyes. ‘Mum was a Beach Boys fan. You know, Help Me Rhonda. But I prefer Ronnie.’
‘I’m not surprised.’ Jon held out his hand. ‘Nice to meet you, really Rhonda.’
‘You on holiday, Jon?’ Helen asked.
‘Not really.’ Jon detected a northern accent. ‘Are you?’
‘Yeah, we’re staying in Rottingdean with my aunt. We’re from Pickford in Cheshire.’
‘Bloody hell, there’s a coincidence. We’re from Ashlea Village,’ Jon said. The DJ changed tempo and Lionel Ritchie sang Hello. ‘That’s better, I can hear myself speak. Fancy a dance?’ Helen nodded. He led her onto the floor, leaving Jason and Ronnie staring after them.
Jon slipped his arms around her trim waist and she put hers around his neck.
‘Who’s the couple you’re with?’ She nodded in Nick and Jess’s direction.
‘My half-sister Jess and Jason’s brother Nick.’
‘They’re very into one another.’ She looked at the pair who were swaying, eyes closed in ecstasy. ‘How old are they?’
‘Jess is eighteen and Nick’s eighteen next month.’ Jon glanced at Nick and Jess and felt the familiar surge of jealousy.
‘Have they been together long?’
‘All their lives. They were born a year apart. Both families lived together at our home, Hanover’s Lodge,’ he explained.
‘Hanover’s Lodge? I’ve heard all about that place. Mum and her mates hung around outside the gates after school. The Raiders used to live there.’
Jon nodded. ‘Our dad Ed was their drummer. Jason and Nick’s dad is Roy, their lead singer. The group’s disbanded now but Dad and Roy earn a living as songwriters and they manage our band The Zoo.’
‘Your band? You mean the four of you?’
‘Yeah,’ Jon said. ‘I’m the drummer, Jess plays bass and sings, Jason plays keyboards and Nick’s on lead and sings backing vocals.’
‘Wow! I’ll have to come to a gig. Do you have a home down here, too?’
‘Dad’s aunt died and left her house to him. We’re clearing it before he sells it. Right, now you know my life history, let’s hear yours.’
‘There’s nothing to tell really. Mum’ll be gobsmacked when I tell her who I’ve met. She was crazy about your dad. Bought all The Raiders records and has scrapbooks full of cuttings and autographs. She used to say Eddie Mellor had the most gorgeous blue eyes she’d ever seen.’
‘He still has,’ Jon said. ‘So has Jess. They look right into your soul. C’mon, I’ll get you a drink.’
‘I’ll have a Coke please,’ she said and went back to her seat. Jon frowned as he waited at the bar. With her tall, model girl figure, sexily clad in a short white rah-rah skirt and skimpy black cutaway top, he thought Helen looked about eighteen. He ordered a round of drinks and carried the tray to the table.
‘How come you don’t want alcohol?’ He sat next to Helen, bumping thighs. ‘How old are you?’
She leant forward and whispered, ‘Sixteen – next month. How old are you?’
Jon nodded, thinking shit, jailbait, just my luck. ‘I’m twenty-two. Is that too old for you, or what?’
She shook her head as Nick and Jess returned to the table. ‘Lads my age are childish.’
‘Do you think they’ll have gone to bed yet?’ Nick interrupted, looking at his watch.
‘It’s only just gone eleven,’ Jon said. ‘Give them a bit longer. Don’t be so bloody impatient, Nick.’
‘You don’t have to go yet, do you?’ Helen touched Jon’s arm.
‘No, these two have got the hots for one another.’
Jess stared at Helen, eyebrows raised questioningly.
‘This is Helen,’ Jon introduced her. ‘And that’s Rhonda, or Ronnie, as she prefers. They live in Pickford, believe it or not. Helen’s mum was a Raiders fan in the sixties. She was into Dad and his blue eyes.’
‘So was half the town, apparently,’ Jess said. ‘You should come to the house and meet him. Roy’s down here, too. You’d better bring your camera though, or your mum might not believe you.’
Helen looked at Jon. ‘Would that be okay?’
‘Yeah. Come tomorrow. They won’t bite. They’re just dead ordinary parents, no different to anyone else’s.’
‘Then I’d love to. How about you, Ronnie?’
Ronnie nodded and smiled at Jason who smiled back.
‘We’ll have one more dance, Jess and then chance going,’ Nick said. ‘Give me the key, Jon. I’ll leave the catch on the door for you and Jase. Where’s your alarm clock.’
‘On the bedside table.’ Jon handed the key to Nick. ‘Knowing your luck I bet they’re still up singing.’ He took a swig of lager and hoped that they were.
‘Better not be.’ Nick rolled his eyes. ‘I’m going for a pee. Back in a minute.’
Jon followed Nick into the gents. ‘Listen, mate, on second thoughts, I wouldn’t risk staying in Jess’s room all night. Dad’ll kill you if he caches you.’
‘Well he won’t catch me, will he?’ Nick swayed slightly as he zipped himself up. ‘Nobody’s gonna stop me being with my girl, besides, they’ll never know. I’ll be tucked up with you and Jason long before that lot surfaces.’
Jon stared after him as he swaggered away. It took all his self control to stop himself grabbing Nick and punching his lights out.
***
Nick and Jess were on the floor when Jon rejoined Helen. ‘Let’s dance.’ Jon pulled her to her feet and held her close. She was a decent looking girl and felt good in his arms. She’d take his mind off Nick shagging Jess, for now, anyway.
‘Doesn’t Jason like dancing?’ Helen’s voice interrupted his thoughts. He smiled at her.
‘Not really. He looks happy enough with your mate though.’
‘Ronnie’s not a dancer either. She’s happier just to sit and talk.’
‘They should get on well then. Meet me in front of the pier tomorrow night at seven.’
She nodded. ‘I’m so glad we came into Brighton tonight.’
‘Yeah, me too.’ Jon looked up and caught Jess staring at him. He wondered if Nick had told her what he’d said. He bent to kiss Helen. When he glanced back Jess was still looking and he saw something in her eyes that he hadn’t seen before. She gave a forced smile and turned her attention back to Nick.
***
Nick crossed his fingers as he and Jess went indoors. They flicked on the lounge lights and found the room deserted.
‘Yes, all quiet on the western front.’ Nick sniffed the air as Jess hooked her fingers through the belt loops of his jeans and pulled him close. ‘They’ll be out for the count.’ He pointed to an ashtray, where tell-tale joint ends remained. ‘You can’t leave ’em alone for five minutes.’
Jess stifled a giggle. ‘They’re worse than us. Go and find Jon’s clock and I’ll get into bed. But for God’s sake be quiet.’
They crept upstairs, hardly daring to breathe as they passed their parents’ bedroom doors. Jon’s warning came back to Nick and he half expected Jess’s dad to appear at any moment, demanding to know where he was going. They turned onto the second staircase that led to the attic and Jess slipped into her room. Nick was with her in seconds, clutching Jon’s clock. He set it for six.
‘God,’ Jess groaned. ‘Why so early?’
‘It’s either that, or I go back before we fall asleep. I want to hold you all night, so there’s no choice.’
Jess smiled and peeled off her clothes. She tossed them onto the floor and pranced around naked.
Nick laughed and pulled her onto the single be
d. He kissed her while she unbuttoned his shirt. He wriggled out of his clothes and threw them down with hers. Jess kissed him and ran her fingers through his hair. For the next half hour they kissed and explored each other. Nick was desperate to enter her, but held back because she liked lots of foreplay. As Jess moaned that she needed him, a noise outside on the landing made them jump.
‘What was that?’ Jess whispered.
‘Don’t know,’ Nick began as someone tapped lightly on the bedroom door.
‘Shit, what if it’s Dad?’ Jess held her breath, the door opened slightly, and Jon popped his head in.
‘Nick, your mum’s downstairs making a cup of tea,’ Jon whispered. ‘Didn’t you hear her get up?’
‘Fuck! She’ll go nuts.’ Nick leapt out of bed. Jess tried to pull him back, saying it would be okay if they just kept quiet.
‘I’d better go,’ he said, throwing her a kiss. ‘I’ll come back later.’ He wrapped a sheet around his middle, tripping over a dangling corner. He pushed past Jon as he hurried from the room.
***
Jon felt a surge of heat as he looked at Jess; her lips swollen from kissing, her face flushed with arousal. He averted his eyes from her naked body as she pulled a sheet over herself.
‘Sorry about that,’ he began, sitting on the edge of the bed. ‘But Sammy saw me and Jason come in and asked where you two were. I told her you left the club before us. I was worried that she might pop her head in our room to say goodnight to Nick.’
‘It’s okay.’ Jess touched his arm and he jerked away as though she’d bitten him. It was all he could do to keep his hands off her. He stood up as she looked at him, a bewildered expression in her eyes.
‘Jon, what is it?
He shook his head. ‘Nothing. I’m off to bed. See you in the morning.’ He pecked her cheek quickly and hurried from the room. Outside on the landing he leant against the door and sighed. He felt like crying and swallowed hard. He heard footsteps on the stairs and peered over the banister. Sammy was on her way up. She went into her first-floor room and closed the door.