by Sue Welford
‘No,’ she said, flashing her eyes at him. ‘It isn’t.’
They stood by the gate. ‘Anyway,’ Drew said. ‘I hope your mum will be OK.’
‘Yes,’ Cindy sighed. ‘Me too.’
He resisted the urge to put his hand over hers. ‘If there’s anything I can do...’
She looked up at him. One eyebrow creased in a slight frown. There was something in her eyes that made her look as if she was seeing him for the first time. ‘Thanks,’ she said softly.
‘Look,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry about what I said about Carl... as I told you, we go back a long way. We’ve never really seen eye to eye.’
‘No,’ she said. ‘I gathered that. Maybe you’ll tell me about it some time. You know, me and Carl virtually grew up together, then we went to Oz and I didn’t see him for years. When we got back.. well, he’d just grown into about the best looking guy I’d ever seen... I’d really like to know what he was like in those years we were away.’
‘Yeah?’ Drew said managing a grin. ‘Well I could tell you a few things but maybe it’s better I don’t.’
She laughed. ‘No, maybe you’re right. It doesn’t really matter anyway. It’s now that counts.’ She glanced round. ‘I’d better go. Thanks again, Drew. I won’t forget that burger.’ She closed the gate behind him, watched as he put on his helmet and gunned the engine. She waved. ‘See you.’
At the end of the road, Drew passed a yellow Rolls purring it’s way towards Cindy’s house. Carl’s father, John Hickson, was at the wheel. He was big and beefy like his son. He wore sunglasses even though the day was cloudy. His hair was smoothed back and darkened with gel and his muscles had turned to fat long ago. Mrs Hickson sat beside him.
Drew couldn’t get his mind off of Cindy all afternoon. She was so friendly towards him, so natural. And she still looked at him as if she thought he was someone special. Could it really only be his imagination? After all, she was still crazy about Carl. He just didn’t know what to think.
He always did the same jobs on Saturday. Sweeping up the car parks and round the front entrance. Tidying the flower beds, emptying the bins. Sometimes he disliked the job so much he thought he’d go mad. It wouldn’t have been quite so rotten if he didn’t have to wear those stupid green overalls.
He was just finishing up and trying to decide whether to work out in the gym before meeting Skip at the shopping mall when he saw Carl’s car pull up in the car park. He got out and took his sports bag from the back seat. Drew frowned. Why wasn’t he with Cindy? She really needed him right now.
Carl must have seen him staring because he came over to speak to him. Drew’s heart sunk. The last thing he wanted was a conversation with Hickson, he just might say something he regretted.
‘Devlin.’
Drew knew he’d got to keep cool. None of it was any of his business. He tipped his cap to the back of his head and leaned on his broom.
‘Carl,’ he said evenly.
‘I’ve been talking to Cindy,’ Carl said.
‘Really? Well, that’s a surprise seeing as she’s your girlfriend,’ Drew said.
Carl’s eyes smouldered. ‘Don’t get smart, Devlin.’
Drew made a mock salute. ‘No, sir. Sorry, sir.’
‘She said you fixed her car.’
‘That’s right.’
‘I hadn’t realised you knew each other so well,’ Carl said, frowning. ‘Lending her books... now doing her car. What’s going on, Devlin?
‘What do you mean, what’s going on?’
‘I mean how come you’re so friendly with my girl?’
‘It’s a free country,’ Drew said. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Surely Carl couldn’t be jealous of old Drew Devlin? He almost grinned at the thought.
‘Yeah... well.’ Carl said. ‘Just don’t get any ideas, that’s all...’
‘Would I?’ Drew said.
‘Not if you’ve got any sense.’
‘How’s her mum?’ Drew asked.
Carl’s eyes narrowed. ‘What’s it to do with you?’
‘Nothing really. I just wondered, that’s all. Cindy just seemed upset this morning. In need of a shoulder to cry on.’
‘Yeah, well, they’re all at the hospital.’ Carl gave a shudder. ‘I can’t stand those damn places.’
‘So you’re here instead.’
‘Right. Anyway,’ Carl glanced at his watch. ‘Don’t want to stop you working, Dev, my father doesn’t reckon on paying people for doing nothing.’ Drew didn’t miss the barely veiled threat. ‘See you.’
Carl walked away, swinging his sports bag by his side. Drew went on leaning on the broom. He watched Carl stride up the steps and push his way through the front doors of the hotel. Why couldn’t Cindy see what type of guy Hickson was? He just hoped she would be too hurt when she found out. He sighed. Well, didn’t they say love was blind? He shook his head and carried on sweeping up.
Drew finished work at four and went to meet Skip at the shopping mall. He told his friend about Cindy and Carl.
‘... and she can’t see what he’s really like,’ Drew said. ‘I reckon all she can see is the good looks and a great body.’
‘Maybe that’s all she wants to see,’ Skip said. He looked at Drew shrewdly. ‘Anyway, it’s not really anything to do with you.’
Drew took the last swig of his Coke. They were sitting on one of the seats by the fountains. The mall was packed with Saturday shoppers. ‘Tell me about it,’ he said with a grin. Then he looked more serious. ‘The thing is she’s really nice... I mean she’s not just the greatest looking girl that ever walked on two legs... she’s got a really good personality to go with it. Sensitive... you know.’ Drew leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, and stared at the floor.
‘You’re an expert, are you? Come off it, Drew, you’ve only spoken to her a couple of times.’
‘I know.’ Drew crushed his Coke can and chucked it into the bin. ‘That’s the trouble.’
‘Well, if I were you,’ Skip advised. ‘I’d forget her. Carl Hickson is the last person you’d want to mess with. Not if you want to keep your job, anyway.’
‘OK, OK, don’t rub it in.’ Drew sat up. ‘Fancy going to the pictures tonight?’ He knew he’d got to do something to get Cindy off his mind.
‘What’s on?’
‘That new sci-fi’
‘Great. Of course,’ Skip joked. ‘You’d rather being going with Cindy.’
‘Yeah,’ Drew grinned. ‘But as you said the other day, beggars can’t be choosers.’ He sounded light hearted but deep down he knew what Skip had said was true. But who was he kidding? It was obvious Cindy liked him as a friend but certainly nothing more.
Skip glanced at the clock. ‘I’d better get back, Marie’s lost her key so if she gets home before me, she can’t get in. Will you pick me up later?’
‘Sure.’ Drew got up too. ‘Do you want a lift home now?’
Skip shook his head. ‘It’s OK, I’ve got my bike.’ He raised his hand. ‘See you later.’
Drew wandered down the mall, looking in the shop windows. He was just passing the florists, wishing he could afford to buy his mum a bunch of roses when he heard a voice.
‘Hi, Drew.’
When he turned, Cindy was standing behind him. He wasn’t prepared for the sudden lurch of his heart when he saw her.
‘Cindy!’ He tried to sound casual and normal. ‘Fancy seeing you.’
She indicated the carrier bag over her arm. ’I’ve just come to get Mum a few things.’
‘Is she OK?’
‘Well, we’ve settled her in. She’s got to go on one of those dialysis machines... you know, they fix you up to it and it cleans your blood.’
‘Sounds terrible.’
She shrugged. ‘It’s not too bad, it’s better than dying.’
She looked so unhappy Drew didn’t know how he didn’t put his arm around her. He had a fleeting vision of what it would be like to hold her in his arms. To feel her head restin
g against his shoulder, the soft silk of her hair against his face. He swallowed hastily and sought desperately for something to say. ‘My mum works at the hospital,’ he blurted out. ‘I wonder if she’s on her ward.’
Cindy raised her eyebrows. ‘Is she a nurse?’
‘Yep.’
‘They’re brilliant those nurses,’ Cindy said. ‘They were so kind...’ she broke off and her eyes filled with tears. She brushed her hand across her eyes impatiently. ‘I’m sorry, I’m being a real wimp.’
He put his hand on her arm. ‘No, you’re not. Hey, come and have a Coke or something.’
‘We could have that burger if you like.’ she suggested, brightening up. ‘I’m starving, I haven’t had anything to eat all day.’
‘Right, come on.’
MacDonalds was packed. They managed to find a seat over by the children’s area. You could hardly hear yourself think.
Cindy put down her tray and dumped her carrier on the table. Drew sat next to her, his arm up against hers. She broke the seal on her milk shake carton and sucked some up through the straw. ‘Umm,’ she said. ‘Yummy.’
When they had finished eating, she sat back with a sigh. ‘That feels better. I’m really glad I met you, Drew.’
‘I’m really glad you paid the bill,’ he said, grinning. ‘I’m broke as usual.’
‘Is that why you work at the hotel?’ she asked. ‘It seems such a rotten job.’
‘It’s OK,’ he fibbed. ‘And, yes, that is why I work there. I really need the money.’
‘Don’t you get an allowance?’
He laughed. ‘An allowance, you’ve got to be joking.’ As soon as he’d said that he regretted it. Someone like her couldn’t be expected to know what it was like to be really hard up.
She flushed. ‘Sorry.’
‘No, I’m sorry. You weren’t to know. It’s just that things have really been tough since...’ He was going to say since my dad went into prison but stopped himself just in time. He really didn’t think Cindy would want to know about his personal life. Anyway she had enough problems of her own to deal with.
But she was looking at him as if she wanted him to go on.
‘Since what...?’ she asked.
He shrugged. ‘Nothing.’
She was still gazing at him. ‘Look,’ she said. ‘I’ve been going on about my problems why don’t you tell me some of yours.’
‘Didn’t Carl tell you anything about me?’ Drew had the sudden feeling that maybe Carl had taken pleasure in telling Cindy about his father.
‘No,’ she said. ‘He just...’ She broke off.
‘What?’
‘He just said he warned you not to get any ideas about me. He’s pretty jealous of me talking to other guys... I hadn’t realised.’
‘I can’t think why,’ Drew said lightly. ‘I’m hardly in his league.’
She gave him a quick glance but didn’t comment. ‘You were going to tell me about your problems,’ she reminded him.
‘Are you sure you really want to know?’
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘What are friends for?’
And so Drew found himself telling her about his father. It was strange, his usual shyness around girls seemed to disappear. Maybe it was because she really looked as if she was interested in what he was saying. Most of the girls he knew only seemed to care about the latest fashions, or what was top of the charts that week.
He told her how tough it had been for them since his dad went away. She didn’t looked shocked or horrified as he thought she might. All she did was watch his face as he spoke to her, making now and then, noises of sympathy in her throat.
When he broke off, afraid he was rattling on too much, she shook her head. ‘I’m really sorry.’
‘Yeah, well..,’ Drew said. He finished his milk shake, noisily sucking the very last bit up into his straw. He clasped his hands together on the table in front of him and stared at them. ‘So am I. You know...’ he hesitated. He realised he was just about to tell Cindy something he’d never told anyone before.
‘What?’ she asked gently.
‘I... I sometimes feel it was all my fault, that’s all.’
Cindy gazed at him, her eyes glistening. ‘How on earth could it have been your fault?’
Drew shrugged and ran his hand through his hair. He leaned right forward, his elbows on the table. He steepled his fingers together. ‘I don’t know... I just felt if I’d left school and got a job instead of insisting on going to college then I could have helped him. None of us had any idea he was in such debt.’
Cindy bent across the table and put her hand over his. ‘It wouldn’t have made any difference, Drew. You might not have been able to get a job and anyway.. you couldn’t have earned enough to help him out.’
Drew swallowed. He could feel Cindy’s soft fingers rubbing the back of his hand. He looked down to see them moving gently over his knucklebones as if she was testing the roughness of his skin. Her head was bowed, so close to his face he could smell the fragrance of her shampoo. He knew it was crazy but suddenly he wanted to cry. She’d think him a right wally if he burst into tears like a five year old kid. Especially in the middle of MacDonalds.
‘Maybe if he could have talked to me more,’ he said huskily. ‘You know what it’s like when you’re young... you’re so tied up with your own problems you don’t think about anyone else’s, especially your parents.’
Cindy took her hand away. ‘That’s true,’ she said. ‘I never really thought much of my mum being ill at first. I just thought it was the move back to England... that she was exhausted. Then it turns out she’s really sick. I felt guilty too but she says I’ve no need.’
‘No,’ Drew said. ‘I’m sure you haven’t.’
Cindy glanced up at the clock. ‘Drew, I’m sorry, I’d better get going. I’ve got a date this evening.’
‘Yeah, me too.’ Drew began to wonder if he’d have time to go home before picking up Skip.
‘We’re going to see that new sci-fi movie.’ Cindy said. ‘How about you?’
‘What a coincidence,’ Drew grinned. ‘So are we.’
‘I said I wasn’t really in the mood,’ she went on. ‘But Carl insisted. He’s been busy mowing his dad’s lawn this afternoon.’
‘Yeah?’ Drew almost said he’d seen him going into the fitness centre but thought better of it. He knew Cindy would be hurt if she found out Hickson had been lying to her.
‘His dad insists he helps around the place,’ she said, half smiling to herself. ‘Mind you, he hates doing stuff like that.’
‘I bet,’ Drew said. He was surprised though. It didn’t look as if Carl had everything handed to him on a plate after all.
Cindy began piling their empty cartons on to a tray.
‘Look, Cindy,’ Drew said quickly. ‘I’m sorry if I was going on about my dad. It’s not something I usually do.’
‘It’s OK. As I said, what else are friends for?’
By now they had unloaded the trays into the waste bin. The walked out of the restaurant and headed towards the multi-storey car park where Cindy had left her car. Drew’s bike was parked outside the mall.
‘I’ll see you around,’ Cindy said. ‘Probably at college.’
‘Right,’ Drew said. ‘Thanks for the chat. Don’t forget to let me know if there’s anything I can do while your mum’s in hospital.’
She smiled up at him. ‘Thanks, Drew.’ The lift doors opened and she stepped inside. ‘Bye.’ She pressed the button. the doors closed and she disappeared from sight.
Drew turned and headed for the outside car park. His brain was in a whirl. One thing was for sure, the more he talked to Cindy, the more he liked her. He could tell she liked him too and if she wanted to be his friend then it was certainly all right with him.
But whether it would be all right with Carl... that was a different thing altogether.
4
Drew was late picking Skip up for the pictures. His neighbour had nabbed him on the way
out wanting advice about the dismantled lorry. When he and Skip got to the cinema, the queue was enormous.
About half dozen couples in front of them stood Carl and Cindy. Carl’s powerful shoulders were hunched against the wind, his chin buried in his collar. Cindy had her arm linked through his although they didn’t seem to be saying much to each other. Cindy was staring at the movie poster on the wall while Carl was watching the traffic go past.
Inside, Drew waited while Skip went to get some popcorn. Carl was by the counter, holding the biggest carton money could buy. He seemed to be having an argument with the cashier.
Cindy waited by the ticket booth. She caught sight of Drew and came over, a smile on her face. She looked better than she had that afternoon. She had piled her hair on top of her head and wore a pair of dark denims with a black leather jacket.
‘Are you haunting me or something?’
He grinned. ‘I reckon it’s the other way round.’ Their eyes locked for a minute then she lowered her gaze.
‘Your date,’ she said. ‘She hasn’t stood you up, has she?’
‘She?’ Drew suddenly realised she had thought he was meeting a girlfriend. ‘No, I’m with Skip, you know, my mate from college.’
‘Oh,’ she looked confused. ‘I thought you....’
‘No girlfriend, I’m afraid. Not at the moment anyway.’
‘Oh,’ she said again. ‘I’m surprised.’
‘Yeah?’ Drew said. ‘Why’s that?’
She shrugged. ‘I don’t know really. I just assumed you would have that’s all.’
She was just about to say something else when Carl called her loudly from over the other side of the foyer. ‘Cindy, you coming in or not?’
‘Oops.’ She pulled a face at Drew and hurried away. Carl put his arm round her as she joined him then together they went up the stairs to the circle.
Drew suddenly realised the last thing he wanted was to be seated near them. It wasn’t only that he didn’t want to be the target of any of Carl’s comments. He didn’t think he could bear to see them together... not close together, maybe even kissing. He was beginning to realise that his feelings for Cindy went far deeper than just friendship.