One Week in August

by Margaret Thornton

  They went back to Blackpool a different way. After walking along the broad driveway to the park gates they went down a tree-lined avenue and boarded a tram back to the town centre. Sam said he would wait for her outside her hotel at eight o’clock, then they would spend the evening together.

  Val was relieved that Cissie, also, had made plans with Jack.

  ‘So we’ve all got dates tonight,’ said Cissie. ‘Janice an’ all. She’s seeing that RAF lad, isn’t she? Where are you and Sam going then?’

  ‘We haven’t decided,’ said Val, ‘but it doesn’t matter. It’s just nice getting to know one another.’ She smiled, remembering the happy day they had spent together.

  ‘You’re falling for him, aren’t you?’ said Cissie.

  ‘Yes, maybe I am.’

  ‘Just watch yourself, Val. I don’t want to see you getting hurt.’ Cissie really did seem quite concerned.

  ‘I’m sure I won’t,’ replied Val. ‘But the same applies to you. Just be careful, Cissie.’ Personally, she wouldn’t trust Jack as far as she could throw him.

  ‘I’m OK,’ answered Cissie, with an exaggerated sigh. ‘I’ve told you before, I can take care of meself. There’s no need to worry about me.’

  Val feared that there might be every need. But what could she do? She was not responsible for her friend.

  NINE

  Sam was waiting outside when Val left the hotel at eight o’clock. Cissie had already left to meet Jack at North Pier.

  ‘Hello again,’ said Sam. ‘Have you had a good meal?’

  ‘Yes, lovely, thanks,’ she replied. ‘We seem to do nothing but eat this holiday. It was steak and kidney pie – homemade, I’m sure – and sherry trifle.’

  ‘I’ve had a hearty meal, too,’ said Sam. ‘What about a walk along the prom? You’re not too exhausted by the exertions of the day, are you? The putting and all the walking?’

  ‘No, not at all. I’m as fit as a flea. This Blackpool air is really bracing, isn’t it? I can’t remember when I felt so well.’

  ‘Let’s make the most of it then. Unless … would you rather go to the pictures?’

  ‘No, certainly not. Not on a lovely evening like this.’

  ‘My feelings exactly.’ He took hold of her hand as they walked towards the prom. They crossed the road to the sea side of the promenade, then down a slope to the lower prom. This was where the waves dashed over the sea wall in stormy weather, drenching the intrepid folk who liked to play games with the tide. But the sea was calm tonight, gradually creeping towards the land. A few people were still walking on the remaining stretch of sand, no doubt keeping an eye on the incoming tide. There were danger signs and lifebelts at intervals along the prom, warning of the danger of swimming in the treacherous sea. There had been several fatalities over the years.

  Sam put his arm around her as they walked towards Gynn Square, then ascended a slope back to the higher level. He suggested that they should spent the rest of the evening in the comfort of the Carlton Hotel. When they arrived back Val’s feet were telling her that she had done enough walking for that day.

  The lounge was roomy and comfortable with large settees and easy chairs, subdued lighting and little tables dotted here and there. There was a homely, welcoming feel to the place. They chose a seat near the window overlooking the prom. Dusk was falling, and the trams rattling along the track were lit up inside. Their clanging sound was always there in the background, but one grew accustomed to it. It was part of the Blackpool experience.

  Val admitted to Sam that she wasn’t all that used to social drinking, so what should she choose? At first she had not wanted to look foolish, but now that she knew him better she realized that it didn’t matter, that he would never make her feel inferior. He suggested that she should try a Snowball, a cocktail of lemonade and creamy advocaat, which he said was a liquer made from eggs, sugar and brandy. She found it delicious and had to resist the temptation to drink it all at once. During the evening she drank two of them, refusing a third for fear of being light-headed. Sam ordered coffee before he saw her back to her hotel. It was served with cream and brown sugar lumps, with dark chocolate mints.

  They sat close together on the settee, with Sam’s arm around her. ‘It’s been a wonderful week,’ he told her, ‘more especially so because I’ve met you. You do want to go on seeing me, don’t you, after we get back home?’

  ‘Yes, I would like to, very much,’ she replied. She knew now that he was serious about what he said, that he would not ‘lead her up the garden path’, as the saying went. ‘But people will talk, won’t they? The girls at work, I mean. They’ll say I’m getting big ideas, hobnobbing with the boss, that sort of thing. And what about your family? I’m sure they’ll have a lot to say about it … that is if you intend to tell them?’

  ‘Of course I shall tell, them! Why shouldn’t I? It’s none of their business who I choose to have as a friend. I won’t be dictated to by my mother or by Jonathan. Fortunately my father is a pretty understanding sort of chap.’

  ‘Yes, I’ve always thought so …’

  ‘And surely you can hold your own with the girls in the office? They might be surprised, but so what? We met on holiday and discovered that we like one another. It would have been just the same if I’d got to know you back home, but I didn’t, did I?’ He smiled at her. ‘This had to happen, Valerie, love. You and me. Don’t you think so?’

  ‘Yes, I hope so, Sam,’ she replied,

  He leaned forward and kissed her gently. ‘Now, I’d better see you back to your hotel.’

  As they walked the short distance to where Val was staying Sam explained that the next time he would see her was when they were back home.

  ‘I’m spending tomorrow with Jeff and Colin,’ he told her. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was going to meet you, and we’d planned to have a golfing holiday.’

  ‘You don’t need to explain,’ said Val. ‘You came away with your friends, and I came away with Cissie. I don’t know what plans she might have made for tomorrow with this Jack she’s met, but I should think she’ll want to spend the last day with me.’

  ‘And tomorrow night we’re going to the Opera House show,’ said Sam. ‘We’ve heard such good reports of it, and it’s a must when you’re in Blackpool, to see one of the shows. We don’t get anything like that back home.’

  ‘All the same, that’s where we live, isn’t it?’ said Val. ‘It’s great to come away, but it’s always nice to go back home.’

  ‘Even more so, now I know I’ll be seeing you again,’ replied Sam. He put his arms round her when they stopped at the gate, then he kissed her, more deeply and longingly than before. ‘I’m afraid it’s goodbye for now, but I’ll see you next week, as soon as I can. Don’t worry, now, it’s all going to be fine. Enjoy your last day here … And I’ll see you soon.’

  ‘Yes … see you, Sam.’ She kissed his cheek. ‘It’s all been lovely. Thank you … for everything.’

  ‘The pleasure is all mine. Thank you … for saying you’ll go on seeing me. You’re a wonderful girl, Valerie.’ He held her close for a moment, then reluctantly drew away.

  She watched him as he walked back along the street. She could scarcely believe all that had happened over the last few days. It had been like a dream, but going home would be a return to reality. She would think about that, though, only when it was time to do so. She still had her last day in Blackpool to enjoy with Cissie, and to look forward to seeing Sam again.

  Janice and Phil spent an enjoyable evening together, doing not very much apart from getting to know one another and discovering what else they had in common.

  Her mother had told her she must have the afternoon and evening off, and Nancy and Olive had agreed that they could cope with the evening meal.

  ‘Off you go and enjoy yourself,’ they told her. ‘You’re only young once so you make the most of it.’

  Lilian had taken a liking to Philip Grundy as soon as she met him. He was very polite to her and Ale
c, without being engratiating or too effusive. He was just nice and friendly and she felt she could trust him with her daughter. He had certainly put a smile on her face. Janice had cheered up considerably these last couple of weeks. She was enjoying her job of waitressing and was very popular with the guests. She had also made friends with the two Yorkshire girls who were staying there; Val and Cissie, a lively pair who had invited her to share in some of their outings. Lilian had been concerned that she was spending too much time on her own and was pleased that she had some new friends. The two girls would be returning home on Saturday, but Janice had said that they intended to keep in touch. And the lasses were already talking about staying at Florabunda again next summer. But who could tell what another year might bring?

  Phil called for Janice soon after six thirty. ‘What would you like to do?’ he asked as they walked towards the promenade. ‘We could go to the pictures, but I’d have to make sure to catch the last bus back to camp or else it’d be a long walk.’

  ‘Oh, I’m not bothered about the pictures,’ said Janice, ‘It’s a nice evening, why don’t we just walk on the prom?’ She had complained recently that she was tired of solitary walks to the pier and back, but it was different now she had met Phil.

  ‘That’s the best idea of all,’ said Phil, ‘but I didn’t want you to think I was too mean to pay for the cinema.’

  She laughed. ‘Of course I don’t! Actually, my mum suggested you might come back and have some supper at our place, if you like. I’ll make sure you don’t miss your bus.’

  ‘That would be great,’ he agreed. ‘It’s a damned nuisance always having to keep an eye on the time. There’s a later bus on a Saturday, so I thought we could go to the Tower, if you would like to?’

  ‘I’d love to,’ she said. ‘It’s not a place I’d go to on my own or with the girls, it can get a bit rowdy sometimes. I remember you saying that you like Reginald Dixon, and I’d like to hear him play again.’

  ‘That’s settled then,’ he said with a satisfied smile. ‘Let’s walk north, shall we, to the cliffs? Then we can get the full benefit of the Blackpool breeze – if it’s not too windy, of course.’

  It was certainly breezy when they got to the cliffs; the air was hardly ever still in Blackpool. Janice told him about the popular meeting place, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which had stood on the cliffs near that point during the last century. It had been no more than a wooden hut with the figures of Uncle Tom, Topsy and little Eva, from the story of the same name, up on the roof. It had been a favourite place for refreshments and for dancing until the sea had done its worst. The cliff side had eroded and the building had eventually fallen into the sea.

  ‘Long before our time, but I’d love to have seen it,’ said Janice.

  ‘Not so sophisticated as the Winter Gardens or the Tower,’ commented Phil, ‘but I guess it was jolly good fun. Shall we head back now?’

  He took hold of her hand as they strolled back along the cliff top. The sun was setting and soon it would disappear at the point where the sea met the sky. The clouds were tinged with orange and red, golden-rimmed where the sun caught their edge. Dusk was falling by the time they arrived back. It was already two months past the longest day with autumn approaching far more quickly than Janice could wish. At the end of September she would be off to Leeds University. It would mean sharing ‘digs’ with two other students, about which she had mixed feelings. Unlike many girls she was not looking forward to this as a great adventure. She was happy at home and had no desire to leave. But she got on well with most people, so maybe it would not be so bad. Just lately she had been making sure that she knew how to cook, simple dishes at least, so she would not be completely helpless in the kitchen.

  Besides, Phil would be there, not far away in Ilkley. They talked on the way back about her move to Yorkshire. He was due to be demobbed early in September, a couple of weeks before she went to college

  ‘You’ll be able to spend some time with us,’ he told her. ‘My parents will be pleased to meet you. You won’t have lectures on a Sunday, will you? And there are the evenings as well. There’s a good bus service from Ilkley, and the uni’s not far from the city centre, is it?’

  ‘No, just a short tram ride. And I expect my digs will be near the college.’

  They enjoyed a light supper when they returned to the hotel. Lilian had made some ham sandwiches for them, as well as the usual coffee and biscuits for the visitors. She left them on their own for a while. There were no other people in the lounge as there would be later, when the visitors returned from a show or the cinema.

  Phil did not attempt to be any more intimate with her. They sat side by side on a settee but without any contact. Janice guessed he was being circumspect because he was in her home, with her mother not far away. But she was quite content with the situation at the moment. She and Phil were becoming good friends. They chatted together easily and never ran out of things to say, just as though they had known one another for ages. It was, in fact, still less than a week.

  Lilian came in after a while to see if any of the guests wanted supper drinks. There were two couples there, and when she had served them with tea and biscuits she sat down to chat with Phil and Janice.

  Lilian and Phil compared their respective guest houses. ‘My parents’ place is more of a country pub,’ he said. ‘We can’t accommodate as many guests as you have here – there are only five bedrooms apart from the family ones – but we stay open all year. No high season as you have in Blackpool.’

  ‘We’re lucky here,’ Lilian told him, ‘because the season is extended with the Illuminations trade, and that goes on till the end of October. It tails off then, but we open again at Easter if we get any bookings, and the real season starts round about Whitsuntide.’

  Phil said that he had been training to be a chef, so he would continue with that and help his parents, for the time being. ‘Dad’s still quite young, though,’ he said, ‘and he’s no thoughts of retiring. So I might consider a move if something interesting turns up. Who knows?’

  ‘We’ll bear you in mind then,’ said Lilian with a smile.

  Phil looked at Janice and grinned. She smiled back at him a little unsurely, not knowing what to make of her mother’s remark. Most likely it was made in jest, but Mum had certainly taken to the young man,

  He looked at his watch. ‘Well, I’m sorry to break up the party, but it’s time I was on my way. Thank you for the supper, Mrs Butler, and for making me feel so much at home.’

  ‘It’s a pleasure, Phil,’ she replied. ‘You’re always welcome. We’ll see you soon, I dare say? ‘Bye for now …’

  Janice walked to the gate with him. ‘You’ve made quite a hit with my mum,’ she said. ‘She really likes you.’

  ‘And I like her, too,’ said Phil. ‘She’s a lovely lady … and so are you.’ He put his arms round her then, the first time he had done so, apart from when they were dancing, then he kissed her firmly on the lips.

  ‘I’ll see you on Saturday then. I’ll call for you at – what time shall we say – half past seven?’ He kissed her cheek then hurried away.

  Janice smiled to herself. So far, so good. He certainly knew the correct way to behave, and her mother liked him, too.

  Cissie met Jack outside the pier as arranged, and they crossed the road to Talbot Square and the Tivoli cinema. It was small compared with many of the cinemas in the town and felt stuffy inside.

  ‘Gentlemen prefer blondes!’ said Jack as they made their way up the stairs. ‘And so do I!’ He squeezed Cissie’s arm as he led her towards the seats on the back row.

  She might have known what to expect, but she was quite agreeable to a kiss and a cuddle, so long as he did not attempt anything else. The news was showing as they sat down. He put his arm round her straight away, then after a moment he kissed her and carried on doing so until the news ended. When the big picture started she told him she would like to watch it if he didn’t mind. He shrugged and took his arm away, but after a momen
t he took hold of her hand. They watched the picture for most of the time, with an occasional kiss which, despite her misgivings, she was starting to enjoy.

  ‘That Marilyn Monroe, she’s quite a corker, isn’t she?’ he whispered, ‘but no more than you, Cissie.’ He fondled her hand in an intimate way. ‘I’ll bet she’s pretty hot stuff an’ all.’

  Cissie didn’t answer, but as the film went on she felt herself getting closer and closer to Jack. When the film ended they pushed and jostled their way with the crowd, down the narrow stairs and into the street.

  ‘The night’s still young,’ he said, although it was after half past ten. ‘You don’t want to go back yet, do you?’

  ‘No, not really. I’ve got a door key,’ she told him.

  ‘Let’s make the most of our last evening, then … Our last one for now, I mean. I won’t be seeing you tomorrow, Cissie. I’ll be spending the day with the lads. You don’t mind, do you?’

  ‘No, of course not. I’m going to spend tomorrow with Val. Sam’s playing golf with his mates.’ She grinned. ‘Don’t suppose you’re doing that, are you?’

  ‘What, me? Not on your Nellie! We’ll most likely go to t’ Pleasure Beach. We’ve not been there yet. And tomorrer night, well, a pub crawl, I reckon.’

  Jack was heading towards Yates’s Wine Lodge which was on the corner near to the cinema. ‘Come on, let’s go and have a drink … or two,’ he said.

  The bar room was crowded but Jack found a table for two tucked away in a corner.

  ‘What are you havin’ then?’ he asked. She decided to have a short drink, not lager or shandy, or she would be wanting the loo before long.

  ‘I’ll have a gin, please,’ she said. ‘A gin and lime.’

  ‘Okey-doke. Coming up right away.’ Jack pushed his way to the bar, and it didn’t take him long to get served.

  One gin and lime led to two, then to three as they talked together. Jack knocked back his pints without showing any ill effects. Cissie was beginning to feel light-headed, but pleasantly so as she felt Jack’s arm around her and listened to him telling her how much he liked her and wanted to go on seeing her after they got back home.