Inside Loriana smiled at memories of conversations, moments when Alfie made her laugh. She missed him greatly, only the second love of her life, and she needed to find him urgently; she would not miss out on happiness a second time.
* * * *
Tania Streatham was busy, which was annoying because she was flagging owing to a late night. On this occasion, however, she had not been up all night drinking, in a club, with a man; she’d been at home completing coursework for her college course in Aromatherapy and Massage. This was a newly determined, much more focused Tania Streatham; she’d learned her lesson after the ignominy of the Lee Etchman affair and the subsequent beating she’d suffered in the wake of her drunken pre-Christmas fumblings.
Realising for the first time how people perceived her, and disliking what she’d become, Tania made a conscious effort to change and, so far, it had been a success. Gone was the long blonde hair and outrageous revealing outfits; replaced by her natural red hair worn in a short bob, and more mature, less porn-star style clothing. Tania had also thrown herself into her college work in an attempt to make something of herself yet Kuldeep remained in her thoughts. However, it wasn’t all roses and sunshine. Tania wasn’t overly enamoured with her job at the Narracott and felt exhausted all the time, although at least in the hotel her boss didn’t buy her presents in return for sex.
Tonight she was helping out in the hotel restaurant and bar because someone had called in sick and, unfortunately for Tania, the restaurant was quite full. Two women had just been seated; they looked like they might be sisters. Both women were smartly dressed and their clothes appeared expensive. She was certain she recognised one of them but couldn’t think why.
She worked her way around the restaurant checking orders were satisfactory, clearing plates and glasses, until she came to the sisters table. Tania didn’t make eye contact but merely removed the starter dishes and turned to leave, unable to avoid overhearing a few words of their desperate sounding conversation. A single word caused Tania to stop in her tracks.
Alfie.
‘Excuse me,’ she said, turning to face the women.
‘Yes dear,’ said the lady on the left.
‘I erm, well, I heard you mention Alfie. Was it Alfie Gorman by any chance?’
The women seemed taken aback.
‘Why yes, but what concern is that of yours?’
Tania’s mind had already made all necessary connections and she proceeded with certitude.
‘Because I used to work in the park when Alfie was Park Keeper. He was kind to me when not many people were being.’
‘You worked in the park, tell me, did you by chance know Lee Etchman?’
Tania nodded. ‘If I was gonna guess I’d say you were his wife. No offence, but your husband’s a lying cheating bastard.’
The sisters laughed loudly and agreed whole-heartedly with Tania, putting them all at ease.
‘Young lady, my husband is of no concern to me now, but Alfie is. You know he has left the park, left Morecambe?’
‘Yeah, I saw him the day he went. I was there for a chat, like I said, he was kind to me.’
‘I don’t suppose he mentioned where he was going?’ Loriana asked, hardly daring to hope.
‘Course he did, we’re mates me and Alfie.’
‘So you have his number?’
‘I’ve got his flaming address haven’t I? How come you haven’t if you’re so keen?’
Loriana blushed. ‘We had…words. I left town and when I returned Alfie was gone.’
‘So that’s why he was so worked up that day, he’d fallen out with you. Shame on you,’ Tania chastised. ‘Alfie’s a diamond, just about the nicest bloke I’ve ever met and you made him leave.’
‘Yes, yes, okay.’ Chiara chimed in. ‘My sister is upset enough. Now, young lady…’
‘Name’s Tania.’
‘Tania, may we have the address, it is vitally important we find Alfie as soon as possible.’
‘I dunno, after all you let him go once, maybe it’s best I don’t give you the address. Besides, he said it might only be temporary.’
‘Young lady,’ Chiara said firmly. ‘I have met Alfie only once and on that occasion he told me of his love for my sister. Do you wish Alfie happiness?’
‘Course I do, Alfie’s one of the good guys.’
‘Then please tell us where he is and allow Alfie and Loriana the chance to be together, to be happy.’ Chiara pleaded.
‘You really love him eh?’ Tania asked.
Loriana nodded. ‘Oh yes, a great deal.’
Tania shrugged, disappeared and returned a moment later with a scrap of paper. On it, in Alfie’s handwriting, was an address. Loriana took the paper with shaking fingers and held it tightly. On her face was an expression of the utmost gratitude and relief.
‘This is his brother’s address, his family?’ She asked, assuming quite incorrectly that Alfie would return to them.
‘Dunno, he never mentioned anything like that to me. Either way, I hope you find him, Alfie’s deserves to be happy. Oh, and say hello from me.’
‘I cannot believe it!’ Loriana exclaimed.
‘It’s meant to be, sister. Go find him, bring him back to Morecambe.’
‘What if I can’t find him, what if he won’t see me?’
‘You’re a Cipriani, don’t take no for an answer.’
28 Last minute preparations and a last minute reprieve
The following morning it was a timorous, but effusive, Loriana who boarded a train to Blackpool in pursuit of her inamorato, Alfie. Meanwhile, across town, last minute preparations for the evening’s debate were taking place inside the Great Hall on the campus of Morecambe University.
The Great Hall, so named because of its size as opposed to any singularly impressive architectural features or past events, was the larger of the two halls on the campus, the smaller being the confusingly named New Great Hall. The hall comprised a wooden floor large enough to seat five hundred people and an upper tier with space for another hundred. At the front of the hall was a stage, perhaps five feet high, making it ideally suited to the plays and concerts for which it was used.
On the stage stood Mr Bhumbra, self-appointed organiser and overseer of events, although so far his management had extended only to ensuring that Sharada was busy at one end of the hall, while a disgruntled Brandon was occupied at the other.
Already in place were lighting rigs provided by the university drama department, row upon row of metal chairs, the front row of which were fitted with cushions for those guests perceived as being Very Important People. Mr Bhumbra had decided that the far side of the hall, opposite the entrance, should offer some sort of bar, manufactured by pushing together a number of long tables from which wine and curry could be served.
The local television news had promised they’d dispatch a camera crew and reporter to cover the event – purely because local MP Leslie Horsham Fox had telephoned personally and hinted that one of his slightly more famous Westminster colleagues may be in attendance.
The debate had finally sparked some genuine interest in CHIMP from Mr Bhumbra. Until now, while he enjoyed having a captive audience at which to spout his views, his prime interest had been in keeping a close eye on Brandon. Recently, however, it seemed that the young mans relationship with Sharada may have cooled, certainly Brandon rarely asked after her while Sharada appeared less and less inclined to be involved with the group. This pleased Mr Bhumbra, not because he wished his daughter unhappiness, but because he wished more for Sharada than Brandon could ever hope to offer.
Five short months ago Mr Bhumbra had been despondent, dissatisfied with what he’d achieved. He felt it was not enough, that he’d let himself down, failed to live up to the faith shown in him by his family. He’d decided to make more effort, to try harder with the business and instead found his energies diverted into CHIMP, led by his daughter into this ramshackle political group in need of his munificence. It was not what Mr Bhumbra planned,
or hoped for, but it was certainly proving an interesting diversion.
Finally everything was in place, except for the banners. Mr Bhumbra had been to see a local printer and had several grandiose banners made, each over ten feet long, featuring a monkey tucking into a curry. From his vantage point on the stage it was a sight to behold and, if the reactions of the other group members were any indication, people would certainly be surprised by them.
* * * *
‘Hey, how you doing?’ Brandon asked Sharada smoothly during a break from hanging banners.
‘Me, fine, why wouldn’t I be?’ She replied abruptly without looking at her ex-boyfriend.
‘No reason, I just thought, you know, that it might still be a bit awkward for you.’
‘Why?’
‘You know, because of us, what happened and everything.’
‘Get over yourself Brandon. I’ve moved on, you should too.’
Sharada was very proud of herself and thought she sounded very grown up.
‘Right, as long as you’re okay being around me and stuff…’
‘Shouldn’t be a problem, besides once Mauro gets here I’ll be talking to him all night I expect.’
She was unable to hold back a satisfied smile as Brandon’s expression altered.
‘Mauro?’ Brandon asked, mystified and obviously jealous.
‘Sorry, I must’ve forgotten to mention it, I’ve been seeing him for a few weeks now…anyway I’m sure you’ll meet him later.’
Sharada breezed away, mentally punching the air in delight. She may have embellished the facts a little but it made her feel better and it was worth it to see the look on Brandon’s face.
* * * *
In a small, fetid flat on a backstreet in a neglected part of Blackpool, Alfie Peter Gorman stood naked in the bath which itself was overflowing with water. On a stereo in the living room Scott Walker sang ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’; Alfie mouthed along with the words, a four socket extension cable clutched in his hand.
In the bath tub, partially submerged, was a microwave oven, an electric convection heater and a toaster, all three of which were plugged into the extension cable. In Alfie’s other hand was a single plug that ran over the edge of the bath to another two socket extension connected to a cable plugged into the mains socket in the living room where Scott Walker now sang about there being ‘No Regrets’.
Propped up on the toilet seat was Alfie’s photograph album, open at a arbitrary page of pictures showing a small boy playing with his older brother on a beach, a small boy with his mum and dad on a promenade, a boy in an oversized cowboy hat outside a fairground, his hands making the shape of a pistol. All happy, all smiling, all so long ago.
Alfie sighed, he’d been here before of course, but this was the worst it had been for a long while because now he was also thinking about a new loss, just as raw and painful as his missing brother; Loriana, it hurt just to think her name. It was time to stop procrastinating and put an end to it, finally.
* * * *
10:37. Blackpool North railway station. Loriana stepped gratefully from the train. It had been a very long time, decades, since she’d travelled by train and she had certainly not enjoyed the experience. She found the carriage grimy, rickety and cramped and didn’t appreciate the seats all facing each other. For the final half hour of the journey an unusual looking gentleman with a can of lager in one hand and a tattoo on his face stared at her quite openly.
But she was here now and hopefully she’d find her man. Throwing herself on the knowledge of the first taxi driver in the rank outside the station Loriana read out the address. The cabbie looked at her in his rear view mirror, saw a well-dressed lady from out of town and asked her if she was sure she had the right address. Loriana showed the piece of paper to the driver. The cabbie nodded and pulled away, so far so good. She had no idea what she was going to say when she saw Alfie, but she hoped he’d make it easy for her and agree to come home.
Ten minutes later the driver pulled up on a dingy street of terraced houses and pointed out the building in question. Loriana paid the driver and sighed, there was no way she would allow such a dear, sweet, compassionate man as Alfie to stay here another minute, no matter how much he might protest.
* * * *
Alfie looked first at his left hand, holding the socket extension, then at his right hand clutching the plug. He actually felt a sense of relief now the decision was made. After all, it wasn’t that he hadn’t tried, given it a shot, because he had. He’d played fair, followed the rules, it was just, he supposed, that nice guys seemed to finish last, no sense dwelling on it.
Suddenly, as he brought his hands together to call time on his life, the awful, shrill buzz of his shoddily-wired doorbell startled him and he almost lost his footing. That would’ve been just my luck he thought, to fall and bang my head then lie here for days in agony. He hated that doorbell; it was at the perfect pitch to make him clench his teeth and wince, even over the greatest hits of Scott Walker and The Walker Brothers.
Alfie regained his equanimity, tried to pay no heed to the bell and focus on the task at hand. Probably a salesman anyway, or kids, after all he didn’t know anybody in Blackpool and the only other person with his address was…Tania. No, it wouldn’t be her, why would it be? But still, what if it was, Alfie thought, there was a chance. The bell ceased ringing, whoever it was had left, it wasn’t Tania; there would be no last minute reprieve this time.
‘Alfie, Alfredo?’
He shook his head; it couldn’t be, how could it possibly be? He scrambled to get out of the bath, stubbing his toe on the microwave and crying out in pain. The bathroom door with its one cracked panel swung open and there she stood, the love of his life, a look of unmitigated terror on her face. Her mouth opened and she screamed, then a man appeared at her side, a neighbour from the ground floor flat.
‘’Fredo, what’s happened to you! Loriana cried.
‘Bloody hell mate, what the fuck’s all that in the bath?’ The neighbour added.
Alfie grabbed a towel and wrapped himself quickly.
‘How on earth did you get in here?’ He asked, his voice high with panic.
‘Heh, used my key.’ The man explained. ‘This used to be my flat but I moved downstairs when the old geezer that lived there died, bigger flat you see, kept my key though.’
‘’Fredo are you okay?’ Loriana ran to Alfie, taking care not to slip on the water or trip over the cables. ‘You weren’t doing anything silly?’
The neighbour snorted. ‘I reckon he bloody was love, look, he’s all plugged in and ready to go. Would’ve shorted the whole house and there’s me about to do a fry up.’
The man unplugged the cables and left them alone, shaking his head as if he’d seen it all before.
‘How on earth did you find me?’
‘Tania, the young lady from the hotel, she says hi.’
Alfie smiled, good old Tania, he knew she was a good kid deep down.
‘So, why are you here, I thought you’d left Morecambe, that you wanted nothing to do with me?’
‘Oh Alfie, why are you here, alone, like this? What has happened to you my darling? This cannot continue. Please, allow me to call someone.’
‘No, no, there’s no need, I’m fine now you’re here.’
‘Stop it ‘Fredo please, you are far from fine, look how I have found you. What if I had not come now, what would I have found tomorrow, a body?’
Loriana began to weep at the thought.
‘No, of course not. I was just…’
She raised her hand.
‘Enough,’ she commanded. ‘It is obvious what is happening, anything you say now would be a lie.’
‘I’m…I’m sorry you had to see me like this.’
‘Better like this than…than…’ Loriana could not finish the sentence. ‘Why?’ She asked, her eyes pleading. ‘How have you come to this?’
Alfie looked at Loriana’s beautiful, but tired, face, saw the effec
t he was having on her and sighed feebly.
‘When I was just a kid, I had some sort of break down I suppose you’d call it, even ended up in therapy for a while, there was a nice lady called Mrs Cowley at the clinic, I liked her.’
‘Therapy?’ Loriana was perplexed. ‘What on earth for?’
Alfie shrugged. ‘Because of Frank I suppose.’
‘Frank? I do not understand. What has this got to do with your brother?’
Tears began to course unreservedly over Alfie’s cheeks, a sob escaped his lips.
‘I just miss him, so much I can’t stand it.’
‘Miss him; can you not see him when you wish?’
‘I haven’t seen him since I was little boy,’ Alfie confessed quietly.
‘But all those wonderful stories you told me, he was in the army, he took you camping, looked after you…’
Alfie shook his head and could not meet her eyes.
‘Oh poor man, my poor Alfie. Come, let me take you home.’
‘Home to Morecambe, I don’t know Loriana, I stayed there too long as it was, there’s nothing there for me now.’
‘There is me Alfredo, there is us. I’ve been a very foolish woman but there is no way I am going to leave the man I love in a place like this a minute longer than necessary.’
‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, you love me?’ He asked, flabbergasted.
‘Well yes, of course, why else would I be here?’
‘I love you too,’ Alfie said, looking at her. ‘I’ve been meaning to mention it for a while now, I’m glad I got the chance.’
Loriana smiled and in that moment had all the confirmation she would ever need that the decision she reached in Palermo had been the right one. She had seen in Pietro’s eyes the same things she saw in Lee Etchman’s; lust, a need to possess, a need for control, to have the upper hand. In Alfie’s gaze all she saw was love. He did not care about the clothes she wore, the size of her house or the extent of her wealth.
All the Fun of the Fair Page 25