Copper to Red (The Dillwyns' Stories)

by Bladen, Ceri

  “Yes, you know, Janet Dawkins. Her parents run the Red Lion. She is a couple of years younger than me.”

  “Oh yes, I remember, tall girl. I think she was in the same class as Michael, or was it Ria? Pretty girl, lots of curly, blonde hair?”

  Now Tom was confused. “Yep, I guess so.” He rubbed his stubble, he had forgotten to shave again. He pictured Willow. Yes, he supposed she was pretty, he hadn’t really thought of her in that way as she had always been with Robert. Now he came to think of it, she did have glorious wavy blonde hair back in school. Now-a-days, it was usually tied up when she worked behind the bar at her parents’ pub. For reasons unbeknown to him, Tom suddenly remembered he had a slight crush on Willow in school, when she had started filling out, but within no time she was with Robert, so his attentions quickly turned elsewhere. He shook the thoughts out of his mind and changed the subject again.

  “Is Ria coming over this weekend with the kids?”

  A smile lifted Meg’s face once more, a strong pride surging through her as she clasped her hands together. “Yes, on Sunday. The children are going to start attending Sunday School.” Her face beamed when she talked about her grandchildren. “Johnny is getting so big now, the image of his Dad too, such a handsome little boy. And my little Rose, such a sweetheart. I love it that she has got Ria’s copper hair….” Meg pondered, smiling, “…and her temper too! I try not to laugh when she stamps that little foot.” She shook her head. “She already has that Daddy of hers wrapped around her finger.” Meg laughed, memories of her own children, when they were small, flittered through her mind.

  Tom downed the rest of his tea as he rose up from the chair. “Not only her Dad. I think she has everyone wrapped around her finger! I’ll be able to see them if they come on Sunday as I’m off work. I’ve got to have a kiss from my little niece.”

  Anne, Tom’s younger sister, came through the door into the kitchen and gave her brother a wry smile. “You have enough kisses off women; don’t start counting pecks off your niece too!”

  “Good Morning to you too, Anne. Do I get a kiss on the cheek from you this morning, or just cheek?” Tom jested. With one hand, he picked up his warm, black work jacket, as the April wind was still brisk, while using his index finger of his other hand to tap his cheek.

  “Ha, ha, very funny!” Anne swivelled around from her teasing brother. She turned her nose up when she saw the tea pot on the table. “Why is it that we never have coffee anymore, just because Ria doesn’t live here?”

  “Why don’t you go to work and earn money to buy your fancy coffee?” Tom countered, sometimes annoyed with his sister’s self-centeredness. “Which, by the way, is where I’m going now. Bye dear sister. Love you Mam.”

  He had turned before he saw Anne poking her tongue out at his back and Megan rolling her eyes at them both.

  Chapter 4

  “Four pints and four of your lovely steak and ale pies please, Mrs D.”

  “Coming right up. David, come and pour these lads a pint while I get the pies.” Shirley looked toward David, her husband of thirty years and still felt the tug of love when she watched his tall frame walk towards her, a smile on his mouth. They had plenty of ups and down during their marriage, money worries, miscarriages, the birth of their only child, Janet, or Willow as she was now known. Shirley frowned slightly when she thought of her daughter. It upset her to see what Willow had been through in the last couple of years. As a mother, she always tried to do anything to protect her daughter, this time she could not help, which didn’t sit well. Robert’s betrayal had been a curve ball for them all; no one had seen it coming. Robert and Willow had seemed so happy, which made the sad situation even worse. Willow had even had a little chat with her a couple of weeks before, she had told her that she was coming off the pill to start a family.

  When Willow had arrived at the pub, on that wet Wednesday morning, she was as white as a sheet. Shirley had been secretly jumping inside; she thought the whiteness was due to morning sickness. No, it had just been shock - shock that Robert had left her for someone else. She sighed, she knew her daughter still wasn’t over him and she feared that she never would. To put that much trust and love in someone and then have it thrown back in your face must have been devastating. She looked towards David, she was so lucky to have met her husband.

  David walked towards her, cleaning a glass with his ever present tea towel. “Okay Shirley, you go and sort out the pies. How are things going Tom?” he enquired while pulling the pint.

  “Great. We’ve just had a big delivery at the market, which we had to unload. So the rest of the night is for relaxing as my muscles are killing me!”

  “How is the new market now?” The second pint was placed carefully on the bar.

  “New? It’s been open since 1961, four years now.” Tom chuckled.

  “What, that long? Where does time fly?” David turned to grab another glass. “I still remember when the market was devastated by the bombs during the Second World War.” David looked reflectively into space. “They had a makeshift market while the site was cleared. They said the glass roof, which by the way, was the largest structure of glass and wrought iron in the UK when it was built in 1897, had reflected so the bombers knew where to bomb.” David shuddered at the memory. “Never mind, that was a long time ago. Take these pints while I pour the rest; the pies won’t be long.”

  Tom went to pick up the pints. “Where’s Willow tonight?” He cursed under his breath as that was the second time he had mentioned her today. What was wrong with him and why did she keep popping into his mind? He must be working too hard. Never mind, Jane was meeting him in the snug later on.

  “Ah, she has gone off with her friend, Emma, to that new hairdresser in town for some pampering. She will be in later.”

  Tom turned to walk back to his friends, as David served Hugh, the local milkman. Willow, once again, forgotten.

  ~~~~

  Willow smoothed down her new miniskirt, not that there was much material to smooth. Oh, gosh, her father was going to have a fit!

  She looked into the mirror again, hoping it would give her some encouragement to go down stairs into the bar. Perhaps she shouldn’t have let Emma persuade her into buying it. Willow knew the skirt was the height of fashion, but it was the first time she had ever worn a miniskirt. She had been a married woman for goodness sake. She held her breath, well she wasn’t married now, and at twenty six should be able to make her own decision on clothes and hair! She almost stamped her foot in agreement.

  She had gone to the hairdressers earlier to cheer herself up as she had been thinking of Rob and her marriage break down all day. The saloon had just opened and as a bonus, had given her a make-up lesson too. She peered closely at her reflection in the mirror. Although she wasn’t used to the amount of make-up around her eyes, they did look quite sultry and smoky. Willow smiled, the hairdressers were right, the miniskirt, which showed off her never ending legs, and her new haircut and make-up gave her a good feeling about herself. She was ready to go downstairs, after giving her skirt one last tug.

  David nearly dropped the pint glass he was filling when his daughter came downstairs into the bar area. Being an alert Landlord, he also noticed how many male eyes turned towards her too. A very uncomfortable feeling came over him; the apple of his eye was all grown up. Hell, he knew she had been married, but she had just sort of flowed into that. Here and now, it was all too real for her father. David cleared his throat and sidled up to her, whispering so only Willow heard, “Hey, Janet, no bending down in that skirt. Ask me if you need me to get anything.”

  Willow chuckled at his protectiveness and looked him straight in the eye, a beautiful smile playing over her uncommonly painted lips, “I love you Daddy.” She kissed his cheek. “Now, back to work. Who needs serving?”

  “Me!” came the chorus of replies from the numerous males standing at the bar.

  David sighed and shook his head, while Willow put on a smile for the customers.
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br />   ~~~~

  Time had flown once again in the busy public house. It was nearly closing time and her mother had gone upstairs to count the takings.

  “I’m going to collect the remaining glasses Dad.”

  “Okay love. I’ll sort the bar out. Ask the lingering customers to start making their way home. Check the snug too, I think I saw some people in there.”

  Willow picked up the cloth, bucket and brush for the tables and ashtrays. She felt strangely deflated. When she had come down into the bar, she had felt top of the world; the responses she got from the customers had been a boost to her self-esteem. Throughout her life she had been told by numerous people that she was beautiful, but she never really believed them. That childhood teasing had a lot to answer for. She exhaled, she was an adult now and knew she had grown out of that, but Robert’s abandonment had brought up all those negative feelings to the surface again. She had only truly felt beautiful when he was around to love her, but now he loved someone else. Willow chastised herself, she knew she was the one who had to build her confidence, it had to come from her first, not from someone else. She had slowly learned that, but it was a nice boost when someone else commented on how good she looked. She picked up the full ashtray to empty, one of her least favourite jobs, having never smoked herself. During the menial task she tried to work out her perplexed feelings. She knew she looked good tonight, she had enough confidence to know that, but Willow wondered why she felt deflated when everyone had been so complementary?

  She nearly dropped the ashtray she was cleaning, when realisation hit her. To her amazement, she was disappointed that Tom Dillwyn wasn’t in to see her all done up! Realising that she had spent most of the night wondering where he was, why he wasn’t with his friends, she cursed her stupidity. Why on earth was she thinking about Tom Dillwyn? He was one of the worst men she knew for being with different women. He was dark, handsome and dangerous looking, with a fit body from working in the markets and he was tall, so much taller than most. He also always knew when to flash his pearly whites and he knew the right lines to use on women. She shook her head to try to shake away the confusion. Logically she knew her body responded to him, which was easy to deal with, as she knew they would never have the opportunity to act on it. Never in a million years could she trust him, which was fine too, but it didn’t explain why she was disappointed not to see him. Willow bent and continued to wipe the drink rings off the table. Perhaps he was someone that she wanted to make an impression on, but only to boost her own ego. It would be marvellous, if someone who dated lots of women, would notice her. She smiled in triumph. Yes, that was it. She had been badly broken when her one true love had left her for another, so now she just needed an ego boost. She brushed the ash into the bucket. No, she did not want a real relationship with anyone, she wouldn’t allow her heart to be hurt again and, truthfully, she didn’t think she could ever love again. All she wanted to do was to have someone, like Tom who had never shown the remotest bit of attention other that treating her like one of the lads, take a little superficial interest in her. She persuaded herself that was why she wanted him to see her all made up. Proper relationships were not for her, as her broken heart would testify.

  Still in a day dream, she pushed open the snug’s frosted glass door and froze.

  ~~~~

  Tom felt Jane stiffen and pull away from his embrace. With a mixture of alcohol, tiredness and contentment, he opened his eyes slowly. Relaxed.

  He wasn’t prepared for what he saw. His eyes began at a sexy pair of low slung heels, travelled up never-ending, shapely legs, moved over the tiniest skirt, up a tight fitting t-shirt and ended up looking into a pair of smouldering eyes the colour of malt whiskey.

  Tom could of sworn his tongue was on the floor when he croaked out, “Willow?” Jane was long forgotten.

  He caught a look of annoyance flick through Willow’s eyes as she took in the scene. “Sorry, I didn’t realise the snug had turned into a brothel.”

  “What?” spluttered Jane as she managed to get the top button of her shift dress done up. Jane hit Tom, wanting him to say something in her defence, annoyed that he was silent.

  “What?” the jar to his ribs had made some of the fog clouding his brain clear. “Sorry.” He smiled weakly, looking at Willow.

  Jane huffed, “That’s not what I meant! She insulted me and you are just sitting there letting her!”

  Tom turned his glazed green eyes away from Willow and looked towards Jane, “Well, your dress was undone.”

  Jane slid him a chilling look. A smack with her handbag made him realise that perhaps his reply wasn’t the smartest move his alcohol addled brain could have come up with. He watched her pick up her umbrella and storm out of the snug, shoving Willow as she passed. She threw over her shoulder, “We’re finished Tom Dillwyn. Forever!”

  He shrugged his shoulders at Willow, who slammed the snug door shut, after scowling at him for a while.

  Tom sighed, what was it with the women tonight? He needed to get home, he must have drunk too much.

  Chapter 5

  Tom rolled over in bed, pulling the pillow with him. His head was pounding. It felt like a jackhammer was going off. He squeezed his eyes shut, he couldn’t remember drinking the amount that would make him feel this bad.

  He tried to recall the night, which was still fuzzy in his hung over brain. Some of the it came back to him, he cringed and stuck the pillow over his head. He remembered meeting Jane in the snug. They had started drinking vodka and Cherry Bs, not his usual drinks, which explained the thumping hangover. He recalled, after all her friends had left, she had got a little amorous. Christ, that woman had arms like an octopus! She had been rubbing her hand up and down his thigh all night, under the table, so her friends couldn’t see, but he could certainly feel it. She practically sat on his lap as soon as they were alone in the snug. There were only so much of her obvious come-ons that he could successfully ignore in his inebriated state, eventually starting to kiss her back. What he didn’t know, being drunk, was that she had started to open the dress that she was wearing. If he had been sober enough to be aware of what she was doing, he would have stopped her. He cursed, and then cursed again when his head pounded, he was twenty eight years old for goodness sake, not a youth that would try and undress a woman in a public place.

  Then he remembered Willow had come in! He cringed, perhaps if he was sober, he would have cringed then as well, instead of sitting there looking dumbstruck. But Christ, those legs on Willow, they had stopped him in his tracks! And she had done something with her hair and face, she looked stunning. Well, she looked stunned as well as stunning, coming to think of it! He remembered the anger flickering in her eyes. Tom let out a shallow moan realising he had been spending more and more time thinking about Willow. The way his body was responding right now, she was obviously more than a fleeting thought.

  Anne interrupted his thoughts with a shout up the stairs. “Get up Tom! Ria has just arrived!”

  ~~~~

  Johnny burst through the front door, running as fast as his five year old legs could carry him. He jumped straight into Evan’s open arms and was swung in the air by his grandfather. His young laughter filled the crowded room.

  “Faster, Taid!” he squealed in pure delight.

  While pulling her coat off and carefully hanging it up, Ria looked towards her father and son. She attempted to put a stern face on, but was secretly smiling inside, “Dad, you’ll have his breakfast up all over his Sunday school clothes.”

  Her Dad looked towards her, a huge smile on his face, it was so obvious he loved being a grandfather. They had chosen to call her parents Taid and Nain, the North Wales words for grandparents. Ria had been a little unsure at first as she remembered getting frustrated in primary school when her teachers didn’t know how to spell Taid and Nain; they always wrote tide and nine. Ria knew they had spelt them incorrectly, they just sounded the same. Frustrated with her teachers she would say I want the Welsh for Gra
ndfather and Grandmother, but they used to give her the South Wales versions, Tad-cu and Mam-cu. Now as an adult and being proud of her Celtic heritage, Ria had decided she did want to use Welsh names, so they would have to deal with any problems, if they came up. They had chosen the South Wales versions for Morgan’s parents. The children had no trouble at the moment, Johnny being really cute when he shouted Tadkeeeyyy and Mamkeeeyy to get Morgan’s parents attention.

  Ria turned as the door opened and Morgan walked in. He was a while behind Ria, having emptied the car of everything they needed. Rose, his daughter, was balancing in the crook of his left arm. Her red curly hair was already coming loose from the pony tail she had struggled to keep still for. “Kiss for Nain and Taid, kiss for Nain and Taid.” Her little podgy arms sought out her grandmother, leaning away from her Morgan, who was having difficulty holding her.

  “Hey, wait a minute darling, you will fall before Nain can catch you!” Morgan adjusted the hold on his wiggling daughter and passed her over to Megan.

  Meg started showering kisses over Rose’s face, her squeals of delight mixing with her brother, who was still being swung around by Evan. Meg loved being a grandmother, her children had grown up and she missed having young ones around. The noise, the arguments, the laughter and even the mess was something she missed greatly; life seemed to have gone so fast. While she still had four of her children at home, they were all pretty much independent of her. She sat down on the chair and started to bop Rose up and down singing Horsey, Horsey don’t you stop.

  A knock on the door was followed by Doris’s head peeping around it. Doris was a neighbour and good friend of Megan. Doris’s husband had died in a mining accident years before and, as she didn’t have children, she treated Ria’s like her own grandchildren. “Is there anyone in here that likes chocolate?”

  Rose rapidly lost interest in the bouncing game, chocolate seeming the better option, as she scrabbled out of Megan’s lap. “Me, me!” Johnny and Rose shouted out in unison, jumping up and down in front of Doris.