by Pam Howes
‘A couple of tops, underwear and perfume,’ Jess replied. ‘Dad bought you some Chanel No 5. It’s a surprise, so don’t let on I told you.’
Jane smiled. ‘He must have noticed I’m almost out, bless him. What are you going to wear with this sweater?’
Jess frowned. ‘Well normally blue jeans, but I can’t get them over my plaster. It’ll have to be a skirt. The denim one maybe; or what about that pale grey leather one Nick bought me earlier this year. I’ve hardly worn it.’
Jane removed the skirt from the wardrobe, taking into account that Jess had mentioned Nick without even flinching. She helped her into the skirt and pulled the sweater on. The blue set off her eyes perfectly and the pale grey stripes were an exact match for the leather skirt. Jane brushed her long hair until it shone and Jess applied a sweep of blusher and kohl rimmed her eyes.
‘What about your legs?’ Jane said. ‘You’ll be cold after living in jogging bottoms for weeks.’
‘Well I can’t put tights on and I’m not wearing socks for goodness sake. I’ll be okay. We’ll be in the car and the pub most of the time and my legs are still quite brown from the summer.’
‘Okay, well I’ll go down and see if Dad needs a hand with dinner. I’ll ask Jon to carry you back downstairs.’
Jane knocked on Jon’s bedroom door. He called come in and she found him lying on the bed, an unfathomable expression on his face. ‘Are you all right, Jon?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Will you carry Jess downstairs please?’
‘Of course.’
***
Jon breathed a sigh of relief as Mum left the room. He was so sure she’d been suspicious of him and Jess. He told himself it must be guilt. She’d no reason to be suspicious at all. He jumped up and went back to Jess.
‘That was a close shave,’ she said as he shut the door.
‘I know. I meant what I said before she interrupted. I’m falling in love with you, Jess.’
Jess swallowed hard. ‘What the hell do we do now?’
He shook his head. ‘I don’t know. How do you feel?’
‘I’m falling for you too, Jon. Do you think it’s too soon after Nick to feel like this?’
He kissed her and swung her up into his arms. ‘I don’t think time has anything to do with it. We’ll talk later when we’re out, either before or after we’ve spent time with Jason. I like the sweater by the way. Is it one of the new ones?’
She nodded. ‘It is.’
‘I don’t suppose you’ve got that black lacy thing on underneath?’
‘No, I’m saving it for a special occasion.’
‘What special occasion?’
‘The one where you take me out for a meal after I’ve had my ankle plaster off and I can dress up properly.’
His eyes lit up. ‘I’ll look forward to that.’
***
Sammy lay on her bed. She was supposed to be getting ready to go out with Stuart, but the last thing she felt like doing was dressing up and putting on fresh makeup. Her hair needed a wash after the ravages of being with Roy. She smiled as she thought back to lunchtime. He never changed, still thought he was twenty-one. Mind you, he had the body and stamina of a much younger man.
Jason knocked on the door and strolled in, carrying a china cup and saucer. ‘Thought you might fancy a cup of Earl Grey, Mum; you still going out with Stuart tonight? You look fit for nothing.’
She sat up and took the cup. ‘Thank you, love; I am going out with Stuart, but I feel really tired. It’s been a funny week all round. Everything that’s happened has left me drained.’
‘I’m not surprised. Did you see Dad today?’
‘Yes, I had lunch with him at The Grand.’
‘Was he okay?’
‘He’s fine, Jason. He’ll want to talk to you over the weekend. Make some time for him, will you? He’s sorry for what happened with Jules. How is he, by the way?’
‘He’s a bit of a mess. His eyes are going black, but he’ll be okay. Mum, what happened with Dad and Livvy last night? Did he sort things out?’
‘Yes, he’s offered her help.’
‘Will he want to see the baby? I mean, it’ll be my half-brother or sister.’
Sammy sighed and sipped her tea. ‘It will. I don’t know if he’ll want contact, I hope he doesn’t, but that will be up to him.’
‘I suppose we’ll have to wait and see then,’ Jason nodded.
Sammy drained her cup and handed it back. ‘What time are Jess and Jon coming over?’
‘About eight. I’m looking forward to seeing them. It’s been weird, them not being around. I’ve felt very lonely.’
‘Do you think that’s maybe why you’ve turned to Jules?’ she asked gently.
Jason shrugged. ‘No, Mum, and don’t get the wrong idea. Jules isn’t around because I’m lonely. Jules is around because I want him to be.’
‘Of course he is.’ She patted his arm affectionately. ‘I’d better get in the shower and wake myself up a bit. If Stuart arrives early, show him into the lounge and offer him a drink. There’s a bottle of your dad’s single malt in the drinks cupboard. I remember Stuart being rather partial to a drop of that.’
***
Stuart’s eyes lit up as Sammy walked into the room and he gave a low whistle. He placed his empty tumbler on the table next to the sofa and stood up to greet her. ‘Wow! You look absolutely stunning, Sam.’ He admired her cream silk shift and navy jacket with the padded shoulders. ‘Very Alexis Colby! One of your own designs?’
‘Jacques Vert, actually,’ she said, blushing slightly, a fact that didn’t go unobserved by Jason, Jon and Jess who exchanged knowing looks. ‘Thank you, Stuart. I’ll see you kids later.’
‘Have a nice meal, Mum.’ Jason kissed her cheek as she and Stuart left the room.
‘Enjoy yourself, Sammy,’ Jess called after her.
***
‘New car, Stu?’ Sammy asked as he helped into his silver Honda Accord and shut the door.
‘Yes,’ he replied, sliding in beside her. ‘Not as up-market as yours, but it’s new all the same. Are you all right, Sammy? You seem a bit preoccupied.’
Sammy smiled as he swung off the drive onto Jasmine Lane. ‘I’m a little tired. It’s been a busy day and I spent a hectic couple of hours with Roy this afternoon…,’ she trailed off, feeling her cheeks warming.
Stuart chuckled. ‘Say no more. I know Roy of old. I warned you about him years ago and what did you say at the time?’
‘I want some fun!’ they chorused, laughing together.
‘Well you’ve certainly had plenty of that, haven’t you?’
‘I have. It’s just lately everything’s fallen apart; Nick’s death, Roy’s affair and now this baby.’ She remembered too late that Stuart didn’t know about the baby.
‘What baby?’ He frowned. ‘He’s never put Livvy in the club?’
‘Unfortunately, yes.’
‘Shit! How do you feel about that?’
‘Not very happy, I can tell you.’
‘I bet you’re not. Is that why Roy’s moved out?’
‘He moved out before we knew about the baby. We needed a break while we sort our heads out. He’s hoping I’ll allow him home eventually, and I will, because I love him very much. I don’t want to lose him to her.’
‘I understand. You’ve been together since you were kids. It’s a lifetime. But you’re a very forgiving woman. Most would have killed for a lesser crime.’
‘Don’t think I haven’t been tempted!’ Sammy said and related to Stuart what she’d done to Roy's clothes and car earlier in the year.
Stuart grinned and pulled onto the restaurant car park. He helped Sammy out and took her arm as they walked inside. She glanced at his profile as they waited to be seated. He was still good looking. Tall and slim with light brown hair, he’d always had nice twinkly green eyes and an attractive dimple in his chin.
Benito recognised Sammy at once and came over, looking behind her f
or Roy.
‘He’s not with me tonight,’ she told the puzzled waiter.
‘Okay,’ he nodded. ‘Follow me.’ He seated them in a private alcove, where the table was set for two, and lit the candle decoration.
‘I take it this is your usual restaurant?’ Stuart said.
‘It is, but we haven’t eaten here since I found out about Roy’s affair. Then Nick and Jess had their accident at the end of that week. So all in all we haven’t been out anywhere for ages, other than to Ed and Jane’s place.’
‘It must have been a very difficult time.’
Benito brought over a carafe of wine and the menus. ‘Is red okay, Miss Sammy?’
‘Perfect, thank you, Benito.’ She smiled at the little man.
‘Mr Roy, he is not ill, I hope?’
‘No, no he’s fine, really,’ she assured him. ‘This is my friend and business colleague, Stuart Green.’
Benito nodded, happy with her explanation, and left them alone to study the menus.
‘What you were saying just then, Stu, about it being a difficult time, it was, it still is. Our family life, as we knew it, is over forever. I can’t quite believe it sometimes. I wake up in the middle of the night and Roy isn’t next to me. Then I worry about Nick and Jess and hope that they’re okay in their little flat, and then it hits me, Nick’s dead. Then there’s Jason’s little problem.’ She lowered her eyes as her voice trailed off.
Stuart frowned and looked at her. ‘What about Jason? He seemed fine when he let me in earlier.’
Sammy looked around to make sure no one could overhear her. ‘He thinks he’s gay,’ she whispered.
‘No!’
‘Yes,’ she nodded. ‘He’s got this friend, Jules, he met at college. Yesterday Roy found them together in a bit of a compromising situation and thumped Jules.’
‘Jesus Christ, Sam! How on earth have you kept your sanity with all this going on? You look so cool and collected.’ Stuart shook his head and took a swig of wine.
‘I’m not cool inside,’ Sammy admitted. ‘I only found out about Livvy’s pregnancy yesterday morning. I told Roy last night. He was so shocked he fainted clean away. I tell you, Stuart it was like a scene from a Brian Rix farce! And to top it all, Pat and Tim will arrive home on Saturday right in the middle of this mess.’
Stuart smiled at Sammy’s description of her problems.
‘And how are Jane and Ed these days? Any more shocks in store for me?’
‘Oh, everything’s rosy in their court,’ she said, smiling. ‘Still as love struck as they’ve always been.’
After Benito re-filled their glasses and took their order, Stuart told her he’d spent yesterday evening in the company of John and Margaret Grey who’d suggested having a welcome home party for Pat and Tim sometime in the next week or two.
‘That would be wonderful. I haven’t seen anyone socially for months now, not since Nick’s eighteenth birthday party. They were all at his memorial service of course, but I wasn’t really in a fit state to talk to anyone.’
‘Well, John said he would call you over the weekend and arrange a time,’ Stuart said.
The food arrived and in-between courses, Stuart asked Sammy if she would like to accompany him to a textile exhibition at Earls Court in November.
‘The companies I represent from the States and Italy will be having stands to launch their new designs and I’m sure you’ll enjoy mixing with like minded people.’
Sammy nodded. ‘I’d love to; I haven’t been to a textile show this year.’
‘I’ll book the accommodation then. The exhibition starts mid-week until the weekend. If I book for Thursday and Friday nights, will you be able to organise the time off?’
‘Yeah, no problem. Jane will look after the place. I’m afraid I’ve let things slide a bit since the accident. Fortunately, I’ve good, loyal staff in both the shops and the factory. The business runs quite smoothly. All I really need to do is the designing and choosing the right fabrics. Mum does virtually all the accounts and Jane and Jess run the mail order side of things.’
‘I didn’t realise Jess worked for you, too. It’s a real family affair then.’
‘Jess works part time, although she hasn’t been in for weeks. I suppose you noticed the plaster cast on her ankle, and she’s only just had the one on her wrist removed.’
‘Jess reminds me of Jane. It’s the long dark hair, but those blue eyes and dimples are pure Ed.’
‘You should see Katie, their youngest daughter, she’s the spit of Jane and so is Dom.’
‘How old are their younger two? I’ve lost count.’
‘Katie’s eight – going on eighteen. Dom’s seven. They keep Ed very busy. He and Jane swapped roles. Ed’s a house-husband and Jane works.’
‘He and Roy are still writing songs though, aren’t they?’
‘Yes, of course. There’s a new single out on Monday by a band called Perry’s Dream. Jason tells me it’s tipped for the top. There’s a plan afoot to re-form The Raiders as soon as Tim arrives. Sammy took a sip of wine and Stuart topped up their glasses. ‘We’ve hardly discussed business, Stu. I’ve waffled on all night about my problems, you should have stopped me.’
‘I think you needed a fresh shoulder to cry on. And it’s been nice to catch up on what everyone is up to. We can discuss business anytime.’
‘How come you never married, Stu? Didn’t you meet the right girl?’
He smiled and took her hand. ‘I met her all right, but by the time I realised it she’d fallen in love with my friend, Roy.’
‘Stuart,’ Sammy faltered. ‘You never said a word.’
‘Well before I had a chance to say anything, Roy already had the hots for you. The day I told Ed that Jane fancied him, Roy asked me about you. I told him you liked him and I promised to introduce you at the coffee bar that Saturday night. He went on and on about your legs all the time, drooling like a lovesick puppy. I hadn’t the heart to tell him that I fancied you as well. Anyway, once you set eyes on Roy that was it. You were glued to one another’s lips for most of that night and no one else stood a chance. What Roy wanted, he got, end of story!’ Stuart finished with a grin.
Sammy smiled, remembering back to the night Stuart was referring to. ‘That was January 1959, so long ago, yet I can remember it as though it were yesterday.’
‘So can I, you had long hair almost down to your bottom, legs to die for and you could jive superbly.’
Sammy grinned. ‘I bet I couldn’t do that today if I tried. You also used to jive well, if I remember rightly.’
‘When we go to London, I’ll take you to a club. We’ll have a few dances for old time’s sake, pretend we’re kids again.’
‘Yeah, why not?’ Sammy yawned and put her hand over her mouth.
‘Oh I’m sorry, Stuart, I feel so drained.’
‘You’re whacked; I’ll get the bill. It’s been quite a week for you.’
‘It’s certainly not one I’d like to repeat in a hurry,’ she admitted.
Stuart settled the bill and they left the restaurant. ‘Thank you for a lovely evening and your delightful company,’ he said as he pulled up outside Jasmine House.
‘Would you like a night-cap?’ Sammy asked her stomach fluttering slightly as he gazed into her eyes.
He touched her cheek gently. ‘No thank you, you’re shattered. Another time, maybe? I’ll call you over the weekend; make sure Tim and Pat are back safe and sound. Maybe we could go out for a meal with them one night next week?’
‘That would be lovely, Stuart and thank you for listening to my problems.’
He leant over and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘It was my pleasure. Goodnight, Sammy.’
As she stood on the steps watching Stuart drive away, the door opened behind her and Jason popped his head out.
‘I heard the car. Had a nice time, Mum?’
‘Very nice thank you, Jason, very nice indeed. Have Jon and Jess gone home?’ She followed him indoors.
; ‘Yeah, they dropped me off a while ago. We went for a drink and had a good talk. When Jess gets some strength back in her wrist and can play her bass again, we’re gonna do a bit of jamming. Jules sings quite well, not so good as Nick did, but there’s always room for improvement and Jon and Jess are okay about him joining us. If it works out we might have ourselves a new band.’
‘Oh, Jason, that would do you all the world of good, give you a new lease of life.’
‘Mum, you’re all flushed. Is that the wine or is it down to Stuart’s company?’ Jason teased.
‘The wine, cheeky! Stuart’s just a friend. Anyway, I’m going up to bed. I promised your dad I’d call him as soon as I got home.’
‘Why? Doesn’t he trust you?’
‘He's terrified of losing me, Jason, that’s why,’ she replied, willing him to understand how insecure Roy was feeling.
‘He should have thought about that before he jumped into bed with Livvy.’
‘He knows that and he regrets it.’ Sammy stuck up for Roy, knowing she probably shouldn’t.
‘He’s an idiot,’ Jason declared. ‘Anyway, I’m off to bed, see you tomorrow, Mum.’
‘Goodnight, love.’ Sammy kissed his cheek and he sauntered off up the stairs.
***
Sammy was put through to Roy’s room. He answered immediately, as though he had been sitting on top of the phone.
‘Sammy?’
‘Well who else are you expecting at this time of night,’ she teased.
She heard a sigh of relief. ‘Oh good, you’re home then?’
‘I am.’
‘Did you have a nice time?’
‘Lovely thank you; Stuart’s very good company.’
‘Oh, I see.’
‘Roy?’
‘Yes?’
‘I love you, you idiot!’
‘Oh, Sam, I love you too. Do you fancy having lunch with me again tomorrow?’
‘Only if strawberries are on the menu.’ She smiled to herself.
‘I’ll make sure they are. Same time then?’
‘Yes. Then I’d like us to take flowers to Nick’s grave. I think I can handle a visit now.’
‘Okay, love. We’ll do that. I feel ready too.’
‘Goodnight, Roy.’
‘Goodnight, darling.’