(Part 01)
Clare Harwood and her mother Anna lived in the village of Clarence which was a mile or so from Purplemere.
She was 27 years old, pale skinned, strawberry blonde, five foot nothing tall and whippet thin and her mother was just an older version of her daughter.
Her Father David had died the year before and as she was an only child there was only the two of them.
They both worked at the Royal Downshire Hospital in Purplemere Anna was a clerical officer and Clare was a district nurse.
The two of them did a lot of things together, shopping, eating out and the theatre.
But for Mother’s Day Clare had bought a three day, all-inclusive spa break for her mum, plus one, at the Tipton Manor Hotel and Spa in the north of the county.
She booked for two because she knew her mum would never go to a place like that on her own.
But her mum insisted she wanted to go with Clare, so they could spend some quality time together doing girls stuff.
Well that wasn’t the kind of thing Clare had in mind, it wasn’t her kind of thing at all.
The younger Clare wasn’t the rest and relaxation detox kind of girl at all, she was more of a “burning the candle at both ends” and toxing her socks off kind of girl.
So it was with some trepidation that she agreed to accompany her mum.
In order for her to get the best possible deal Clare had booked a midweek mini break, she was a nurse after all, so money didn’t grow on trees, but the earliest she could get was at the end of April.
It was a long drive from Clarence, on the outskirts of Purplemere, to Tipton in the north of the county but then they had taken the decision after getting off the expressway to take the scenic route through The Pepperstock Hills National Park.
But the scenery in the Park was well worth the additional time with its stark contrasts from the extensive tract of magnificent mixed forestry to the south and east, the old Quarries reclaimed by Nature to the west to the bare, and often barren crags to the north.
However despite the scenic splendour she had witnessed when they arrived Clare was not in the best of spirits.
To her mind there were much more enjoyable ways of spending her days off than babysitting her mother.
As much as she loved her she wasn’t exactly the type of company she was interested in she would have preferred to spend her days off searching for her prince charming, god knew it was difficult enough to do without having your mother riding shotgun.
But she resolved to make the best of it and try to get her monies worth.
They were greeted in reception by a very attractive specimen of a man and Clare’s spirits rose.
He was over six feet tall, lean and muscular, very good looking and well groomed, he was manicured and pedicured, toned, tanned and smelt like a perfume counter.
Naturally Clare marked him down as gay.
(Part 02)
Clare and Anna were greeted in reception by a very attractive specimen of a man and Clare’s spirits rose.
He was over six feet tall, lean and muscular, very good looking and well groomed, he was manicured and pedicured, toned, tanned and smelt like a perfume counter.
Naturally Clare marked him down as gay.
“Good morning ladies” he said with the faintest hint of a French accent.
“Good morning” they replied in unison
“We have a booking in the name of Harwood” Clare said
“Ah the Harwood sisters” he said
“You know very well we're not sisters you cheeky boy” Mrs Harwood said in a style something akin to a Carry on movie.
“You're not sisters?” he asked feigning surprise
“Mother and daughter” she said
“And which one are you Mademoiselle” he said and kissed her hand
“Cheeky” she said and blushed
Clare didn’t contribute to the converse but continued her appraisal of the man and concluded what a waste it was for him to play for the other side.
When the Oscar Wilde capers were over and done with they managed to get themselves checked in, it was while her mum was signing in that Clare caught him at the back doing some appraising of his own, of her and her mother and she began to question her initial assessment.
“When you have settled into your room I will give you a tour of the facilities” he said “Shall we say on the terrace in 30 minutes?”
“That will be fine” Clare said
“Of course with your lovely pale skin you two will need to stay in the shadows” He said.
Clare smiled and her mum blushed at the compliment.
According to his name badge his name was Claude and he was very handsome and she thought things might well be looking up if he didn’t bat for the other side.
“You can check my skin anytime” Clare said
“I’ll bare that in mind” he retorted
“You’re a terrible flirt Clare” mum said
“I know” she said, “although I think of it more as advertising”
They went up to their rooms and settled in and then went down stairs to find Gorgeous Claude.
However as the approached the terrace they came across him fawning over another group of women of mixed ages, ranging from 16 to 60, and they watched as he ogled and drooled over all of them and Clare felt her skin crawl and she shivered.
“Yes I know what you mean” her mum said “he’s a real lounge lizard.
So they decided to skip oily Claude’s tour and just wandered around on their own.
Their sojourn took them to the pool area first, they saw the Rock sauna, infra-red sauna, aroma steam room, ice fountain, drench showers, Jacuzzi, a Romanesque pool and the swimming pool as well.
After which they headed towards the sun lounge and refreshments which was when they literally bumped into Phil Grice and his uncle, Roger Greven.
(Part 03)
The collision between the Harwood’s and Roger Greven and his nephew Phil Grice resulted in Clare falling into a planter and Roger lying flat on his back with Anna on top of him nose to nose.
Phil Grice was the only one left standing and unsure who he should help first.
He decided on the pretty young one in the planter, who was left like an upturned beetle, with her legs waving about, which was what he noticed, her lovely legs, she was also giggling which he liked to.
“I’m terribly sorry”
He said and took her hands and pulled her to her feet, it took little effort as she was a tiny little thing and he was over six feet tall.
She was still giggling and was unable to respond and when she saw her mum lying on top of a strange man her giggles turned to belly laughs.
All four of them were laughing by the time everyone was on their feet again and between the laughter everyone expressed their apologies for their clumsiness.
In between giggles Clare kept giving appraising glances at the good looking man who had pulled her to her feet and she liked what she saw, to the point that she though he put Claude in the shade.
He was six feet two inches, athletically built with short sandy hair, blue eyes and a close cropped beard.
And while she was looking at him he was sneaking glances at her, he had been very impressed with her legs when she was in the planter but now she was stood up on them they rather paled into insignificance compared to the rest of her.
When the laughter had subsided her mum said
“We were headed to the sun lounge for a coffee, perhaps you would join us”
The two men agreed and Clare thought “Nice one mum”
When they were seated in the lounge and the drinks were ordered the introductions were made.
Roger Greven, who walked with a stick, was a year older than Anna and Phil Grice was the same age as Clare.
Roger was there for aqua therapy to rebuild his muscles after shattering his pelvis following a fall from his horse, and his nephew Phil was there because Roger hadn’t been passed fit to drive.
“Are you from Tipton?” Clare asked
“No we are from Sharping St Mary in the Finchbottom Vale” Phil replied
“Really?” Clare exclaimed “we’re from Clarence”
“So we are practically neighbour” Anna said to Roger
They stayed in the lounge for over half an hour in which time Anna and Clare discovered that Roger was widowed and Phil was single.
Unfortunately before they could glean any further information one of the therapist staff approached the table and informed Roger that it was time for his session.
So they parted company with expressions that they hoped they would run into each other again during their stay.
After they had gone Clare and Anna looked at each other and said in unison
“Well they were nice”
(Part 04)
During the remainder of their first day and all of the next, despite their best efforts, they didn’t see Roger or his nephew.
But they had a great time using the facilities and enjoyed the full range of what was on offer, fitness classes, gym, rock sauna, infra-red sauna, aroma steam room, ice fountain, drench showers, Jacuzzi, a Romanesque pool, Reflexology, Raki, facials, scalp massage, hand massage, Manicure and Pedicure you name it they had it.
But by the end of the second day Clare was getting increasingly frustrated that she hadn’t even had a glimpse of the lovely Phil.
After her and her mum had dinner together Anna went off to bed as she said she was exhausted and Clare went off to the Gym to try and relieve some of her sexual tension.
After an hour she realised it wasn’t working so she decided to have a swim before turning in.
While she was swimming Clare noticed she was not alone, and wondered what it was that brought them to pool.
She swam another two lengths and then got out but as she reached the entrance to the changing rooms her companion spoke.
“I see you managed to not bump into anyone” Phil said as he exited the pool.
“Yes” she replied “That’s because there was no one around”
“Ah that would explain it” Phil said
“I did try to bump into you again, but I could find you” Clare said flirtatiously have you been avoiding me”
“No” he replied “I just haven’t been here, I was only here to drop Uncle Roger off, and then I had to leave for an appointment”
“For what?” Clare asked nosily, hoping it wasn’t an assignation
“I had to see a client about a commission” he replied “I’m an artist”
“So when did you get back?”
“About 20 minutes ago, I was a bit stiff after the drive so I thought a swim might relax me before bed” he replied
“And did it work?”
“Not really” he replied
“What you need is a massage” Clare said
“Unfortunately there are no masseurs around at this time of night” he said regretfully
“I’ll do you if you like” she offered hoping he would take it the right way. “I’m a nurse and I have healing hands”
“Ok” he agreed
So she led him into a cubicle and said
“Lie down on the table while I find the oil”
Phil complied with her instruction and climbed onto the table and lay face down on the towel she had prepared.
When she had found the oil she turned around to see him lying on the table like a delicious buffet.
She applied the oil and began to rub it into his muscular shoulders
“That feels nice” he said and for the next 15 minutes she continued her massaging caresses of his sculpted body.
Although it was relaxing Phil it was unfortunately having the opposite effect on her so she slapped his buttock and said
“That’s you done”
“Wow that’s what I call a relaxation massage” he replied
“That was bloody marvelous”
“I told you I had healing hands” she said and he sat himself up and swung his legs around so he was sat facing her
“Do you have anything more to show me from your repertoire?”
“Well I do but I don’t think this is the time or the place for it” she replied provocatively
“But I do think this is the time and the place for a kiss though”
She continued and stepped in close to him
“But I’ve never kissed a man with a beard before”
“Nor have I” Phil retorted and kissed her.
Clare and her mum had to go home after lunch the next day but they spent lunchtime with Phil and his Uncle and when they left Clare and Phil found a secluded corner to share a goodbye kiss which would have to sustain them until the weekend when they were meeting up again.
Friday 31 March 2017
Thursday 30 March 2017
Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (31) Like a Thief in the Night
(Part 01)
Sharpington-by-Sea is a traditional seaside resort complete with a Victorian Pier, seafront hotels, crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens, promenade, theatre and illuminations, all the usual things to have a great time by the seaside, as well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park.
Which was the first purpose built amusement park to open in Britain, which had an assortment of rides, like the Rotor and the Wild Mouse, The Cyclone and the Morehouse Galloper, all very tame compared to a 21st century roller coaster but still great fun.
It was also a popular resort for retirees and boasted a number of static caravan parks.
Seventeen year old Wendy Corney lived on the Potters Lane caravan park in Sharpington with her alcoholic mother.
She was a skinny waif with short mousy blonde hair which made her look like a shaggy dog.
Wendy was a tomboy, a pretty one with elfin features, but a tomboy none the less, and two things defined her, one was her mother who neglected her and the other was her inherent goodness, despite her low self-esteem, and all she needed was a break.
Which she eventually got as a result of a break in.
It was June 6th and her mother was passed out drunk on the sofa and Wendy was starving.
There was no food in the caravan and her mum had spent the last of the money on the booze that had led to her comatose state.
So she left her slob of a mother unconscious in the caravan and went out looking for food.
As she walked towards the town she saw Mr Goodman walking the other way, he was a retired school teacher and she knew where he lived and that he lived alone.
Once in his back garden, she stood and stared at the bungalow and wondered what she should do next.
She’d never stolen before, but she was desperate and it was that or rummage through the bins behind the chicken shop.
Wendy hated her mother for driving her to the brink but she hated herself more for letting her.
Wendy stuck to the shadows as she approached the house but when she got to the back door she had no idea what to do.
She could have smashed the window she supposed but it was bad enough she was planning to steal from him without causing damage as well.
Wendy walked away from the kitchen door and grabbed the handle of the garage door instead, she was in luck the door was unlocked so she pushed it gently open.
(Part 02)
She had been rummaging around by torchlight for about half an hour when all of a sudden the two lights lit up but one of the bulbs, the one at the rear, blew immediately, returning it to near darkness.
It was a tandem garage and there was a car in the front half but the other half was full of everything and nothing, old pieces of furniture, tools, packing boxes and so on, junk mainly, and as a result not much light got from one end of the garage to the other because of everything in between, so she darted for the shadows.
Whoever had switched on the lights used their phone torch to search for her and in the gloomy light she made a bolt for the door.
Unfortunately she misjudged the distance between the figure and the door and glanced against their shoulder and she felt a hand grab her.
“Got you” he said as he bundled her towards the workbench and pinned her down while he got a better purchase on her.
She wriggled and squirmed and then lashed out at him and she thought she connected with his face, but then he shifted his body weight which meant her hands had to support herself.
However she alternated her hands to have quick swipes at him while he tried to subdue her and in the process he grabbed her breast.
“You’re a girl” he said and released his hold and grabbed her shoulder instead.
“Of course I’m a girl” she said inside her head but at the same time she was completely pinned down while he used his phone again to have a look at her.
“My god you’re just a kid” he said and slapped her hard on the buttock.
“Get out of here” he said angrily “And don’t come back again”
Wendy scurried away, but felt ashamed of what she had done so she waited in the shadows and watched Mr. Goodman walk back to the kitchen door.
She wanted to apologize to him but lost her nerve as she got close to the bungalow so she hid in the garage.
She sat down on the workbench and tried to summon the courage to go and knock on his door.
But she froze when the garage door opened and he walked in and reached up to replace the bulb and it lit immediately and when it did he looked straight at her.
“Didn’t you hear me tell you not to come back?” he asked her
“Yes” she said meekly
“So what are you doing back here again?” he asked sharply
“Um”
“Why are you back?” he said standing directly in front of her
“Well?”
“I wanted to say sorry” she said quietly and he softened
“How old are you?” he asked her
“17” she replied
“And what’s your name?”
“Wendy”
“And what were you after in here anyway?” he asked
“I was looking for food”
“Why?” he asked with surprise
“Because I was hungry”
“What?”
“I was hungry” she repeated
“Where are you from? Where are your parents?”
“I live on the caravan park, Potters Lane, with my mum”
“Why hasn’t she fed you?” he questioned
“She’s not well,” she said tearfully
“Come in the house” he said “And I’ll make you something”
So David took her in the house and sat her in the kitchen while he made her bacon and eggs, which she polished off in no time flat.
(Part 03)
As she was sitting drinking a hot chocolate Wendy asked
“Why did you feed me?”
“Because you were hungry” he replied
“But I was trying to steal from you” she pointed out
“Yes but you didn’t”
“That’s because you turned the light on and disturbed me” she stated
“But I could tell you weren’t a bad girl” David said washing up her plate
“But you thought I was a boy until you grabbed my...”
Wendy left the word unsaid and blushed
“No you’re right” he said “I wouldn’t have grabbed you there had I realized you were a girl”
“So why did you feed me bacon and eggs?”
“Because you came back and apologized” David explained “That’s why”
“So you don’t think I look like a boy?”
“No I think you look like an urchin” he corrected her and smiled
“Seriously do you think I’m ugly?”
“No I don’t, why would you think that?” David said
It would have been true to say she wasn’t stunningly beautiful but there was something about her elfin features, a distinct cuteness, she was a tomboy certainly but a pretty one.
“Everybody thinks I’m ugly and worthless” she said and she started to cry
“Even my mum” she added between the sobs so he went over to her and hugged her and she instantly locked her skinny arms around his neck.
“No one thinks you’re ugly” he said reassuringly
“You do,” she sobbed
“No, I think you’re cute”
“Really?” She said then cried into his neck
“So why did you think I was a boy?”
He thought about it for a while before answering
“Because it was dark and I’m old” he said
“Now dry your eyes and I’ll walk you home it’s getting late,” he said giving her his hankie
“You don’t have too” she said between sobs
“I know but I’m going to do it anyway” he insisted
She couldn’t believe how kind he was being.
“Does your mum work?” he asked as they walked towards Potters Lane
“No” she replied, “She’s not well enough”
“What about you?”
“No one’ll give me a job” she said and laughed
“Why not?”
“No don’t tell me, because you’re ugly and worthless”
She nodded
“Do you want a job?” he asked
“Yes”
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t care what I do, anything” she said earnestly
“So if I could get you some work, would you be interested?”
“Oh yes” she replied as they reached the end of her road.
“Ok, I’ll see what I can do” he said “But you have to promise you won’t let me down?”
“No way” she said
“Shake on it then” he said and held out his hand which she shook as she looked him squarely in the eye before turning off into the caravan park.
“And the next time you’re hungry come and knock on the door” he called after her
“Ok”
Wendy couldn’t understand why Mr. Goodman had been so nice when she had been trying to steal from him.
And he said he would try and find her a job which she would love, it would give her some worth and as well as some money in her pocket.
Her mum was still passed out on the sofa when she got back to the caravan, so she checked she was ok and then went to bed feeling more positive than she had for months.
(Part 04)
She woke up on Sunday feeling less confident than the night before and the doubts about her worthiness to be happy had returned.
What hadn’t left her though was her anger at her mum so she avoided speaking with her and left.
She wandered off in the direction of the pier and the amusements, not to play them but to check for any coins left in the trays or on the floor and she made enough in an hour to buy herself a burger, fries and a large coke.
On Monday she didn’t have anywhere to go or anything in particular to do so she just walked around aimlessly for a while, but then she was used to that.
Wendy crossed the footbridge over the railway and then turned left and ended sitting on the banks of a little stream dangling her naked feet in the water.
She had been there for about ten minutes when she was startled by a voice behind her.
“Hello you” he said startling her
“You made me jump” she said and giggled.
“What are you up to?” he asked
“Nothing as usual” she replied glumly.
“Just as well I’ve found some work for you”
“Really?” She said excitedly
“You’re not just winding me up,” she asked as she was used to being let down.
“No I’m serious” David said
She felt the tears welling up so she turned away from him so he wouldn’t see.
“Well come on then” he said “Get your shoes on, they’re waiting for you”
“What, now?” She said wiping her face on her sleeve and nearly falling in the stream then she threw her long arms around him in a big gawky hug.
“Thanks David” she said and then she sat down again and he handed her a hankie which she gave a double take at, not knowing whether to dry her eyes or her feet, so she did both in the end, eyes first.
As they walked back into the village he filled her in with what odd bits of work he had found for her so far.
“The gardener Alison Williams said she will give you a trial and Miss Quinton-Smith says she has some odd jobs for you”
He said
“But for this morning Sabr Hemmings has said she can use you in the shop”
“All of them want to give me work?” she asked in surprise
“Yes” he said
“Thank you so much” she said
“All I did was ask” he said “But the rest is up to you”
“I won’t let you down David, I promise” she said and when they arrived outside the shop David added
“It’s only temporary while Mrs. Hemmings is ill but if you work hard, I’m sure they’ll use you again”
And on hearing those words she stood up straight and gave him a wonky smile.
“What if she doesn’t like me?” She said nervously and he wiped the last remnants of her tears away and took her into the shop.
“Sabr! This is Wendy” he said
Since her mother’s Belinda’s illness, Hemmings General Store was run by Sabr.
Sabr was an Arabic word for the Islamic virtue of “patience”, although neither Belinda or her husband were Arabs or Islamists, she read it in a book when she was expecting her daughter and fell in love with the name.
“Hello Wendy” Sabr said
“Hi” she replied trembling
“Don’t look so worried” Sabr said “I won’t bite”
It wasn’t complicated work on that first day, filling shelves mainly but at the end of her shift Sabr said
“You did well Wendy”
“Thanks” Wendy said “I enjoyed it”
“Good, same time Thursday then”
(Part 05)
The following Monday she walked up to David Goodman’s garden to introduce herself to Alison William’s.
She was a self-employed gardener and was a muscular, big chested and thirty something with a great unruly shock of vivid ginger hair and Wendy thought she looked terrifying.
“Aaaalison” she said
“Hello sweetie, you’re just in time, come and help me unload the mower”
They did five gardens and at the end of the day Wendy was nervous about how well she had done but when they finished loading the truck Alison said
“Jump in, I’ll take you Ravensbrooke and get you some safety boots and overalls”
Ravensbrooke was a nursery and Garden Center, on the outskirts of Sharpington.
“Did I do alright then?”
“You did great, now jump in” she said but Wendy didn’t move “What’s the matter?”
“I don’t have any money” she said
“You don’t need any” Alison said “Now get in”
Apart from being a nursery and Garden Center Ravensbrooke was also a Country Store so it was possible to buy anything from top soil to designer leisurewear.
They walked through the automatic doors and headed towards where the work boots were on display.
They found a suitable pair for her and then went in search of overalls and then as they were looking at work Gloves a man appeared from the stock room right where they were standing.
“Hhhhello Aaaalison” he said
“Hi Ged” Alison said
Alison was so pleased with Wendy that by the time the first month was over she was working with Alison for four days a week and in the shop for two as well as some evenings.
She was also doing odd jobs for Gwen Quinton-Smith in her spare time.
So at the end of the first month Wendy was carrying some empty sacks from the truck when she saw Alison talking with David Goodman.
“Hello” she shouted
“Hi Wendy” he shouted back then he said something to Alison that she couldn’t hear.
When they were finished at David Goodman’s they went over to Ravensbrooke to pick up some more materials, Wendy noticed they made a lot of trips over there.
A couple of days later it was raining and Alison was at Ravensbrooke again so Wendy was to meet her outside David Goodman’s bungalow.
But Alison was late so she started pottering about in the garden to kill time.
“WENDY” a voice shouted and she immediately looked up and waved.
“COME HERE” David Goodman called to her and accompanied it with a gesture so she stopped what she was doing and trotted up the path to the back door.
“Hi David” she said her rain soaked face smiling, and then she shivered.
“Come in out of the rain for a bit”
“Ok” she said, “have you got the kettle on?”
As they sat in the kitchen he said
“So how are you getting on?”
“Great” she said
“How’s your mum?”
“The same” she replied “But I’m working most of the time”
“And how’s that going?”
“Brilliant I work with Alison the most, and Sabr at the shop use’s me as and when in the shop and Miss Quinton-Smith has been giving me odd jobs as well”
“Gwen is a good woman” he said
“Talking about jobs, I bumped into Emma Goldup at the Dinner Dance last weekend and she asked if you were available”.
“Is she the blonde girl with the horse?” She asked
“Yes” he said “I don’t know what work she has in mind, it might well be shovelling muck”
“Oh I don’t mind what I do” Wendy said “I just like being useful”
“Good for you” he said
When Alison arrived she was very apologetic for being late but she was in a very good mood, in fact she was like the cat that got the cream.
(Part 06)
September 6th was Wendy’s 18th birthday, a very significant birthday for anyone else but for her it was just another day.
Her mother was too hungover to know what month it was let alone that it was her daughter’s special day.
So she spent the morning mooching around on the seafront and then walked up to Miss Quinton-Smith’s house.
Gwen wanted some help tidying her garage so that was how she planned to spend the bulk of the day.
But despite the fact that she was not going to celebrate her coming of age she wasn’t bothered after all it wasn’t the first birthday that had gone unmarked it was just the latest in a long line, and it probably wouldn’t be the last one that her mother would be too drunk to remember.
She knocked on the front door and after a moment it opened and Gwen said
“Hello Wendy, right on time”
“Hi Gwen, shall I make a start?” she said and headed towards the garage door.
“No I thought we’d have a drink first” she said “Come in”
“Oh ok”
Gwen stepped aside and let Wendy pass and then urged
“Go through”
And when Wendy pushed open the door she was greeted by a rousing
“Happy Birthday!”
Gwen had organised a surprise party, complete with banners and balloons and guests.
David Goodman, Leslie Maher, Sabr Hemmings, Alison Williams and one other, a young dark haired young man who was introduced to her as Oliver.
There were lots of hugs and kisses of best wishes and Wendy got very tearful.
“Ok sit down sweetie” Alison said “open your presents”
“Presents?” Wendy said
“Yes, on the table” Gwen said
“They’re all for me?” she ask in disbelief and tears filled her eyes again.
“This one first” Alison said and brushed her ginger locks off her face as she knelt beside her.
Wendy couldn’t remember the last birthday present she had received and she wanted to savour the one Alison had given her so instead of ripping the paper off it so she carefully pulled the tape off one piece at a time and she was concentrating so much that she had her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth and when she finally got to the contents, they were thermal long johns.
“Brilliant” she squealed and hugged Alison
“You’re going to need them in the winter sweetie”
After that first gift she was less patient and opened the rest of the presents in quick succession.
Leslie bought her a wrist watch, David, a pair of converse shoes, Gwen, an MP3 player and Sabr, a hoody.
And so as not to be left out Oliver gave her a box of Crazy Chocolatiers Truffles he bought in Sharpington that morning.
“Thank you” she said and they exchanged a lingering look.
18 year old Oliver Kingham was David’s grandson and was staying with him for a couple of weeks and they were attracted to each other immediately.
(Part 07)
They were sitting together and Wendy kept looking at her presents, apart from her converse and hoody which she was wearing.
“You like all your presents then” he said
“Oh yes” she said and then she whispered to him
“How do I put music on the MP3?”
“You can do it from your computer” he said
“Oh” she exclaimed a little deflated “I don’t have a computer”
“Not to worry” Oliver said brightly “I can do it from my laptop”
“Really?” she said
“Yes, what kind of music do you like? Do you have a favourite band?”
“I don’t know” Wendy said “I mean I know some songs but I don’t know who the singers are”
Wendy liked to sit in the Fun Park in Sharpington and listen to the music coming from the rides and the amusements but she didn’t know what she was listening to.
“That’s ok” he said “I have an idea, I’ll download some tunes and you can tell me which ones you like and I’ll delete the ones you don’t”
“Would you do that for me?” she asked with surprise
“Of course” he replied and she wiped a tear from her eye with her sleeve.
“But you don’t even know me” she said with her eyes glistening
“But they all do” he said with a sweeping gesture.
When it was time to go she put her old shoes and sweater in a carrier bag and quietly said to Gwen
“Can I leave my watch here for safe keeping?”
“Of course you can my dear” she replied
A great deal of hugs and kisses followed and then with tears in her eyes again she headed towards the door
“I’ll walk you home Wendy” Oliver said
“You don’t have to do that” she half-heartedly protested
“I know, but I want to” he insisted
When they reached the end of Potters Lane she said
“You don’t have to take me any further” and handed him the MP3 player.
“Thank you”
“No problem, give me your mobile number and I’ll text you when I’ve done it”
Oliver said
“I don’t have a mobile phone” she admitted
“Don’t you?” he said
“Well never mind I’ll bring it over to Potters Lane”
“Oh no please don’t” she urged “I’ll be at David’s on Wednesday”
“Ok I’ll see you then” he said and gave her a hug.
As she walked the rest of the way on her own she was feeling the happiest she had felt and for the first time in her life she felt truly special.
The day after her birthday surprise she was working in one of the gardens across the street from David’s bungalow and she was startled by a voice from behind her.
“Hi Wendy”
She turned around and she saw it was Oliver and she immediately blushed.
“Oh hello”
“I’ve got your MP3 player” he said
“You’ve done it already?” she said
“Yes I did it last night” Ollie said
“Thank you” she said looking at the device “but I don’t know how to use it”
“I’ll show you” he said and explained what she should do and finished by saying
“Let me know which ones you like tomorrow”
“I’m working in the shop tomorrow, Hemmings” she said
“I’ll see you there then” he said
“I have a break at 12” she called after him
(Part 08)
It had been a busy morning in the shop and she was really surprised when she looked up at the clock and saw that it was 11.55am.
However once she knew what the time was it seemed to slow down and those last five minutes seemed to take an hour to pass.
Sabr had noticed her watching the clock, which wasn’t like her, so she assumed she had somewhere to be so she said
“You’d better take you lunch now honey, before the rush starts again”
“Ok, great, see you later” she said and scampered out of the shop, which made Sabr smile.
When she got outside she found Oliver leaning against a lamp post waiting for her.
They spent most of her lunch hour sitting on the seawall listening to her MP3 with one earphone each.
It was the best lunchbreak she had ever had but she couldn’t believe how quickly it had gone, and she felt a bit sad when he walked her back to Hemmings.
It was late in the evening and she was crouching in the shadows of Potters Lane sobbing uncontrollably when Leslie Maher, who was out walking her dog Trio, so called as he had three legs, discovered her.
There was sufficient moonlight for her to recognize her
“Wendy?” she said “Is that you?”
She mumbled something incomprehensible in response
She could also see the she was in a bit of a state.
“Come home with me and you can tell me what’s wrong” she said
But Wendy reacted angrily and drew her knees up to her chin and sobbed uncontrollably.
“I’ll go and get David” she said
Leslie and David were neighbours and had recently become a couple but they still had their own homes, for the time being at any rate.
David and his grandson Oliver were sat in the lounge playing chess when there was a persistent knocking on the front door.
“Who’s that, at this time?” David said and tutted as he got up from his chair and he muttered to himself all the way down the hall and then he opened the door and found an agitated Leslie standing there with Trio.
“Hello” he said surprised “is everything ok?”
“Come quick” she said and headed down the path.
“Hold on, let me get something on my feet” David said and briefly went back inside.
“Oliver!” he called “Get you shoes on we’re going out”
He and his grandson were ready to leave at the same time.
“Come on hurry up” Leslie urged
“Ok what’s the problem?” he said when he and Oliver emerged and rushed after Leslie who was now almost out through the gate
“It’s Wendy” she said
“Why what’s happened?” Oliver asked
“I found her sobbing in the street” she answered, “She’s inconsolable, and…”
“And what?” David said
“She’s been beaten” Leslie replied sombrely
“What?” he said incredulously “who?”
“I think her mother hit her,” she said “hard”
“Where is she?” he demanded
“In the bushes in Potters Lane” she answered “but she won’t come out”
They ran the short distance to Potters Lane and sitting in the shadows was the quivering figure of Wendy with her knees drawn up to her chin and she was still sobbing uncontrollably.
(Part 09)
“You two wait here” David said to the other two and started walking towards her.
“Hey Wendy” he called and she looked up and as soon as she saw him she was on her feet and bowling towards him at a rate of knots and she was still crying as she launched herself at him
“Oh David” she cried
“It’s alright, I’ve got you now” he said and just let her sob into his shoulder.
After about five minutes she had calmed down considerably.
“Ok” he said, “let’s have a look at you”
Wendy had a bruise on her forehead and her right eye was badly swollen, she had a fat lip and her nose was bloodied, Mrs Corney had given her daughter a real pasting.
“Right let’s get you home” he said with a smile and her whole body went rigid and panic covered her face and her head was shaking.
“No baby girl not that home, my home” he reassured her and he could see the relief cross her face instantly.
He took out his hanky and gently wiped away the blood, snot and tears from her face.
“Come on then and we’ll get you cleaned up”
“Ok” she said managing a week smile
“Do you want me to come too David?” Leslie asked quietly
“Yes please” he said as he put his arm around Wendy’s shoulder and steered her slowly down the lane, but by the time he had reached the road she was managing to walk under her own steam and she continued to do so for the short distance from there to his front door.
When they reached the front door Oliver opened it and let Wendy in
“I’m sorry” she said
“What for?”
“For being a nuisance” she replied
“Don’t be daft” he said and kissed the top of her head
“Now go to the kitchen with Ollie”
David looked over his shoulder to where Leslie was fussing around the dog
“I’ll follow you in when I’ve tied Trio up” she said
“Don’t be silly, bring him in” he insisted “he’s no trouble”
Leslie nodded and she and Trio followed him inside where he was waiting to give her a kiss.
(Part 10)
In the sanctuary of the kitchen, as Leslie made coffee and Oliver held Wendy’s hand, David got to work cleaning Wendy up and attending to the cuts on her face.
“Does this happen often?” David asked
“No” she answered with a sniffle “she’s normally too drunk to catch me”
“What happened today?” Leslie asked
“I fell over and she caught me” and she sniffled again while Leslie shook her head.
“She’ll be really sorry tomorrow” Wendy said defensively
“So she ought to be” Leslie muttered with disgust.
“What brought it on?” Oliver asked “why did she want to hit you?”
“She wanted my money” she said “for booze”
“And did she get it?” David asked
“No” she said “because I don’t have any”
Her answer puzzled him somewhat because since he had intervened in her life she was always working, either with Alison the gardener or Sabr at the corner shop, odd jobbing for Gwen or mucking out at the stables and countless other odds and ends Wendy Corney was a regular cottage industry and she never went anywhere to spend her earnings.
“How come?” he asked
“Sabr opened a post office account for me, all my money goes in there” then she laughed “I’ve got loads”
“I take it your mum didn’t laugh” Leslie said
“No” she said and put her hand to her swollen eye.
“I told her I didn’t have any money so then she wanted me to give her the book”
“But you didn’t” I added
“No” she said, “because I don’t have it”
This time she noticed the puzzlement on David’s face and added
“I gave it to Gwen to look after”
“Clever girl” he said proudly “I assume that didn’t go down well”
“No, she went absolutely berserk and that was when I took my chance and got away”
“Good for you” Leslie said and patted her back, which made Wendy wince and she immediately apologized.
“I’m sorry luvvie, did I hurt you?”
Leslie gently pulled her shirt up and could see the bruises immediately and they resolved at that moment that she would not be living under her mother’s roof for one more night as Leslie and David exchanged a look.
No one deserved to be treated that way but especially not Wendy.
“How about a long hot bath?” Leslie suggested and looked at David
“That’s a great idea” he said
“Oh yes please” she answered brightly “with bubbles?”
“Yes with bubbles and whatever other lotions and potions your heart desires” Leslie said
It was amazing to think that a simple thing like a bubble bath could illicit such joy and it was simply heart breaking that this hard working and good natured girl had been denied such a simple pleasure due to the short comings of her alcoholic mother.
Leslie led Wendy down the hall to the bathroom and David sorted out some fresh towels and then left Leslie to take charge.
(Part 11)
When Leslie returned, David and Oliver were still in the kitchen.
Ollie had a very grave expression on his face as she entered.
“Is she alright?” he asked
“She’s feeling a bit happier now” Leslie reassured him
“I’m just going to pop next door to get her some clean clothes, I have a few bits that Karen and Amy left the last time they visited”
Karen and Amy were her granddaughters.
“They’re very different shapes of course but they’ll be better than what she had on”
And with that she hurried out of the door as she was about to cry.
She returned 10 minutes later having dried her eyes and composed herself
“These should do the trick” she said and went and put the clothes on the bed, she told Wendy where they were and returned to the kitchen a few minutes later.
Oliver was pacing up and down looking very anxious while David and Leslie sat silently at the table and drank their coffee.
Finally Leslie broke the silence
“That poor girl’s body is black and blue David”
He nodded in response
“That woman should be locked up,” she continued and he nodded again
“So what are we going to do about it?” she asked angrily “and don’t just nod your head”
But he remained silent
“We have to do something” Oliver said
“And we will” David said
“But what?” Leslie pressed
“Well for one thing she’s not going back to her mother’s”
“I agree,” she concurred “but where can she go, she can’t stay here”
“I know” he said “And I have a plan”
“Oh”
“I think you should let Gwen know what’s happened” he suggested, “She thinks a lot of Wendy”
“I know she does, but how will that help...” she began then as she slowly processed the input she continued to answer her own query
“Yes I see what you’re getting at, that’s very clever, yes that could very well work”
Then she drained her coffee cup and stood up with a look of determination on her face she called
“Come on Trio, We’re off on a mission”
It was another five minutes before Wendy reappeared looking altogether better.
The unbruised sections of her face were pink and fresh and her hair was damp and tousled.
The clothes Leslie sorted out for her, fitted well enough though the trousers were a bit short.
“Are you feeling a bit better now?” Oliver asked her with real concern.
“Much” she said, “where’s Leslie?”
“She’s gone to tell Gwen what happened” David said, “she worries about you, you know”
Wendy went very quiet and looked at her feet
“Do you mind her knowing?” David asked
“Oh no I like Gwen she’s a really nice lady” she answered then she went quiet again
“What’s wrong?” Oliver asked but she just shrugged
“Come on, out with it” David insisted
“I don’t understand why you’re all so kind to me,” she said which made David laughed and Ollie smile
“Isn’t it obvious?” he said, “It’s because we all like you”
And David gave her a hug and Oliver held her hand
“Now then” he said, “have you eaten anything?”
“Yes Sabr fed me at the shop”
“Good, how about some hot chocolate then?”
“Yes please”
“I’ll make it” Oliver offered and stood up but Wendy was reluctant to release his hand.
“I’ll only be a minute” he said softly
“Go and sit in the lounge and then Ollie will bring it through” David suggested
“Ok” she said meekly
“Put the TV on if you want” David added
While Ollie was boiling some milk there was a knock at the front door, David got up from the table and went to open it.
When he did Leslie, Gwen and Trio were standing there.
(Part 12)
“How is the poor girl?” Gwen asked with real concern
“Much better” he answered, “come in”
They went into the kitchen and while Oliver finished making the hot chocolate he chatted to the ladies.
“I was beginning to wonder where you’d got to” he said
“Well, we would have been quicker but Slugger Quinton-Smith here wanted to go and smash Linda Corney’s face in”
“Seriously?” Oliver asked
Leslie nodded and Gwen blushed
“I was a bit miffed” Gwen said
“What happened?” David sked
“I persuaded her that it probably wasn’t the best course of action” Leslie relayed
“And that Wendy should be our main concern at the moment”
“Quite right” Oliver said pouring the hot milk into the waiting mug.
“Ok let’s go and see her” David suggested, “She’s in the lounge, go through”
And Ollie followed on with the hot chocolate.
But when they arrived in the lounge they found Wendy fast asleep on the sofa.
Oliver put the mug down briefly while he picked up a flowered throw and gently covered the sleeping figure.
He then picked up the hot chocolate and all four of them tiptoed from the room.
In the kitchen Leslie said
“Well that solves the problem of where she’s going to sleep”
“For tonight at least” he added
“I’ll look after her” Oliver said as Gwen appeared to be lost in thought and said nothing.
Leslie and David just exchanged a look and smiled.
Oliver went to bed and let David and Leslie kiss goodnight but once his grandfather had settled down for the night he sneaked out of his room just as the rain began to fall planning to spend the night sleeping in an arm chair in the lounge.
He had been asleep for a couple of hours and then the thunder rolled in and lighting flashes lit the sky, he was facing the window and had a great view through the open curtains.
But when a particularly loud clap of thunder shook the house at about 3am Wendy let out a yell
“NO DON’T”
Ollie leapt straight out of his chair and knelt beside her
“It’s ok Wendy” he said “You’re safe now”
“Oh Ollie” she said and locked her skinny arms around his neck.
“Don’t leave me”
“I won’t” he said and kissed the top of her head “I promise”
Although he had planned to sleep in the armchair Oliver actually spent most of the night on the floor beside the sofa where Wendy was.
He woke the next morning with the smell of bacon filling his nostrils.
After an uncomfortable night keeping Wendy company he was as stiff as a board when he got up.
“Hello” Wendy said “Thank you”
“What for?”
“For looking after me” she replied
“I wanted to” He said and kissed her forehead “Now come on I smell bacon”
“Hi Grandad” Oliver said as he walked into the kitchen
“Morning, how’s the patient?”
“She’s ok I think” Ollie replied
“Good” David said just as Wendy appeared and walked gingerly to the table.
“Oh dear, are you a bit stiff?”
“Very” she replied and lowered herself gently onto the chair next to Ollie.
(Part 13)
They all sat together at the kitchen table eating eggs and bacon and when they had cleared their plates David said
“You know we can’t let you go and live with your mum anymore?”
“I know” she concurred sadly “But I can’t live here”
“I know” David responded, “Which is why we need to find you somewhere else”
A puzzled look spread across her face.
“Don’t worry hon I have somewhere in mind” he reassured her “I can’t say where yet but…”
He was interrupted by a loud banging on the back door and when he looked up it was the gardener Alison.
“Hello Alison” he said brightly
“I’m looking for Wendy, is she here?” she asked
“Yes, come in”
“Is she ok?” Alison asked with concern as she bent down to undo her boots
“Never mind the muck just come in” he said and once inside the kitchen she clucked around Wendy like a mother hen
“Oh sweetie, look at the state of you,” she said
“I’m fine now,” Wendy said bravely
“Fine my arse” Alison barked poking Wendy’s black eye until she winced.
“And your mum did this?”
Wendy nodded
“I might have to kill her sweetie,” Alison said without humour
“You’ll have to get in the queue behind Gwen” Oliver said
“Really?” she queried with raised eyebrow and David nodded
“Good for her” Alison said proudly
“But seriously what are we going to do?” she said soberly
“We can’t let her go back there again”
“What about my stuff?” Wendy suddenly said, “I need my clothes for work”
Alison was about to say don’t worry
“And clean knickers” Wendy blurted out, and then blushed scarlet when she realised what she had said.
“I can take you home to collect your stuff” Alison suggested “But then what?”
“Bring it back here,” David said matter-of-factly
“She can’t stay here” Alison said bluntly
“That’s what I said,” Wendy confirmed
“I know that she can’t stay here” He said and Alison relaxed
“I actually have a plan” he added but didn’t elaborate
Alison drove a rather nervous Wendy and a concerned Oliver to the caravan and parked the truck.
Oliver understood now why she was so vehement about him not going to Potters Lane.
Oliver held Wendy's hand as they walked up the path to the half open door and Alison followed on.
When they were inside they found her mum collapsed on the sofa in a drunken stupor.
“I’ll watch her while you grab your stuff” Alison instructed
“Okay” Wendy said but wouldn’t release Ollie’s hand.
It didn’t take long, maybe 10 minutes to gather together everything of importance to her in one shoulder bag and all her clothes in a black sack.
“Do I really not have to come back?” she asked almost pathetically “Ever”
“Not ever” Alison replied and Oliver hugged her and she looked down contemptuously at the prone figure of her mother and wiped a tear from her eye.
“Now go and change your knickers and get your dungarees on,” Alison commanded, once they were back at David’s
“We have work to do”
“Ok boss” she said and headed upstairs
“Are you sure she should work today?” Oliver asked after Wendy had left.
“Definitely” she replied “it’s just what she needs”
Then with a doubtful look she added
“And it will give your Grandfather time to work on his master plan, whatever that is”
(Part 14)
The “Master Plan” such as it was involved a drive over to Dulcet-on-Brooke and lunch at The Waterside Inn with an abundance of wine.
Those present were David, Leslie, Gwen and Oliver, who was the designated driver.
As they sat at a table Leslie asked
“Shall we have wine?”
“What a good idea” David said working off Leslie’s script.
“I’m game,” said Gwen and so it began.
The “master plan” as Alison had put it, in essence involved getting Gwen Quinton-Smith, a little bit squiffy on wine and then suggest to her what a good idea it would be for her to take Wendy in as a lodger.
They knew Gwen was very fond of her and she had plenty of spare rooms and to cap it all she was lonely.
Furthermore they knew that Wendy liked Gwen and needed someone to care about her.
So the plan was virtually symbiotic.
Two hours and two bottles of wine later they had succeeded in their mission and Gwen had agreed to have Wendy as her lodger.
“I was going to suggest it myself,” she said as David settled the bill.
Gwen’s only condition was that she should tell Wendy herself.
So having phoned ahead to ensure she should be there they drove back to his bungalow and when he stepped through the back door, he found Wendy and Alison sitting at the kitchen table.
“At last” Alison snorted
“Well hello gardening ladies” he slurred
“Sorry I’m late but I had to go and meet Wendy's new landlady”
“Really?” Wendy asked
“Yes indeed” he replied “Would you like to meet her?”
“Yes please” she replied excitedly so he stepped aside and Gwen walked in.
“Gwen” Wendy shouted and raced across the kitchen and hugged her “I’m so glad it’s you” she squealed and they both started to cry.
She moved in that night and Ollie carried her things over for her.
On Friday morning the rain had come once again, with a vengeance and added to the gloom she already felt.
It had been a rollercoaster of a week beginning with her surprise birthday party and was ending with her having to say goodbye to the boy she had fallen in love with in between.
Oliver was starting at Abbottsford University the following week and had to go home to Purplemere to pack and like a thief in the night he had stolen her heart and was now leaving with it.
They were standing on the door step of Gwen house saying their goodbyes.
“I’ve got you a present” he said
“What is it?” she asked
“It’s a mobile phone, it’s just a “Pay as you go”” he said “I’ve programmed my number in so we can call and text”
“Can we?” she asked innocently
“If you had a computer we could even Skype”
“I don’t know what that is” Wendy said
“Ask Granddad, we Skype a lot” he said “He’ll show you”
“Oh ok” she said and looked around nervously until he worked up the courage to do what he wanted to do and kissed her.
(Part 15)
After two weeks of washing and ironing her clothes Gwen had become aware of the meagre selection that she had and the overall quality.
With all her jobs, Wendy had accumulated a nice pot of money, Gwen knew that because she looked after her savings book, but she never did anything or went anywhere to spend it.
So Gwen suggested taking her into Abbottsford on a shopping expedition.
“Abbottsford? Really?” she said
“Yes” Gwen replied “When was the last time you were there?”
“I’ve never been to Abbottsford before” she said “I’ve never been out of Sharpington”
“Well we had better make a day of it then” she said
She was very excited about going shopping and she’d talked of nothing else all week to Alison and Sabr at the shop or Emma at the stables and of course Oliver.
However she didn’t know how much money to take, she knew how much she had, and she had an idea of what she wanted to buy but she didn’t know how much cash to take.
So she asked Gwen for some guidance and she advised that she should only take about £50 in cash as she would use her credit card for most purchases and then Wendy could reimburse her later.
“But you have to let me pay” Wendy insisted
Come the day, the expedition was every bit as exciting as she imagined it would be.
They set off from Gwen’s at 6.30 in the morning and were in the Espresso Phoenix Coffee House in the Phoenix Centre having breakfast by 8 o’clock.
And from the moment the first shop opened they shopped till they dropped and on the return journey Wendy fell asleep in the car.
As it was gardening day he expected to see Alison and Wendy pottering about in the garden but when he looked out through the window he could only see Wendy who was raking leaves off the lawn so he opened the door and called out
“Wendy!”
She turned around instantly and smiled
“Hello David”
“Come inside a minute, I’ve got something for you”
“Ok” she replied “just for a minute though”
Wendy came into the kitchen and stood on the mat.
“Where’s Alison today?” David asked her
“She cut her hand yesterday so I’m on my own” Wendy said rubbing her hands “she needed 8 stitches”
“I’ve got something for you” he said, “So sit yourself down”
“What is it?” she asked
“Well, have a look and you’ll find out” he said
She stooped down and untied her boots and then slipped them off before walking to the table and sitting down and then he turned the lap top around to face her.
“Hi Wendy” Oliver said and David took his coffee into the other room.
(Part 16)
After that first Skype with Oliver in David’s kitchen she liked it so much that they arranged to do it once a week at David’s bungalow.
Of course had she realized that she had more than enough money in her savings to buy her own laptop they could have Skyped every day.
But she didn’t know so they made the best of it and she spent the whole week looking forward to it and when it came she loved every second.
The weekly Skype went on from that first time in October right through until December which was a significant time as that would be when she got to see him again.
When she wasn’t thinking about Oliver or looking forward to seeing him again, she was working hard.
But she did get some time off, but even at those times she kept herself busy and one day a few days before Christmas she used her free time to deliver cards and presents to her friends and family.
She started at her mum, it was the first time she’d been back since that day in September when she picked up stuff, she hadn’t seen her mum since that day and she wasn’t in any hurry to change that.
But she was still her mum so she went to the caravan early when she knew she would still be out of it.
She would give Alison her present the next day when she saw her at work and as she was working at the shop on Christmas Eve she would give Sabr and the Hemmings their gifts then and Gwen’s was already under the tree.
So after her mum’s she was mainly delivering Christmas Cards but she did have a gift for Leslie and David.
She called at Leslie Maher’s house first and just as she reached the front door she stepped out onto the doorstep.
“Hello Wendy”
“Merry Christmas Leslie” she said and handed her a package adorned with ribbons and bows.
She took it from her and read the tag.
“Have a Merry Christmas Leslie, with love and gratitude”
“Well that’s a really nice thing to do,” she said and they exchanged a kiss and a hug before she had to go and Wendy went next door and knocked at David’s door.
When it opened, she found David standing there wearing a Santa Hat.
“Happy Christmas” she said beaming “And handed him a present”
“Hey! Happy Christmas hon” David responded, “come in”
“Ok” she said still smiling broadly “Just for a minute”
“Just for a minute” he agreed and Wendy stepped inside
“You didn’t have to get me a gift,” he said to her as he took her coat and as she sat down on the sofa she said.
“Last Christmas my mum was drunk for ten days in a row, we had no decorations, no Christmas dinner and no electricity”
Tears were beginning to form in her eyes as she added
“This year, I have three jobs, I have a proper home, I have someone to mother me, I have money in the bank and a boyfriend and it’s all thanks to you”
David tried to interrupt but Wendy continued unabated.
“If you hadn’t helped me, looked out for me, set me on the right path, I wouldn’t be here now having the best Christmas I’ve ever had and I will always be grateful for that”
Then she stood up and gave him a big hug.
“Well why don’t you go in the lounge and put the present under the tree for me then and I’ll bring the drinks through” he suggested
“Ok” she said
She walked down the hall and pushed open the door into the lounge and when she looked ahead she did a double take because standing by the Christmas tree was Ollie.
“Ollie” she squealed and launched herself at him.
Sharpington-by-Sea is a traditional seaside resort complete with a Victorian Pier, seafront hotels, crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens, promenade, theatre and illuminations, all the usual things to have a great time by the seaside, as well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park.
Which was the first purpose built amusement park to open in Britain, which had an assortment of rides, like the Rotor and the Wild Mouse, The Cyclone and the Morehouse Galloper, all very tame compared to a 21st century roller coaster but still great fun.
It was also a popular resort for retirees and boasted a number of static caravan parks.
Seventeen year old Wendy Corney lived on the Potters Lane caravan park in Sharpington with her alcoholic mother.
She was a skinny waif with short mousy blonde hair which made her look like a shaggy dog.
Wendy was a tomboy, a pretty one with elfin features, but a tomboy none the less, and two things defined her, one was her mother who neglected her and the other was her inherent goodness, despite her low self-esteem, and all she needed was a break.
Which she eventually got as a result of a break in.
It was June 6th and her mother was passed out drunk on the sofa and Wendy was starving.
There was no food in the caravan and her mum had spent the last of the money on the booze that had led to her comatose state.
So she left her slob of a mother unconscious in the caravan and went out looking for food.
As she walked towards the town she saw Mr Goodman walking the other way, he was a retired school teacher and she knew where he lived and that he lived alone.
Once in his back garden, she stood and stared at the bungalow and wondered what she should do next.
She’d never stolen before, but she was desperate and it was that or rummage through the bins behind the chicken shop.
Wendy hated her mother for driving her to the brink but she hated herself more for letting her.
Wendy stuck to the shadows as she approached the house but when she got to the back door she had no idea what to do.
She could have smashed the window she supposed but it was bad enough she was planning to steal from him without causing damage as well.
Wendy walked away from the kitchen door and grabbed the handle of the garage door instead, she was in luck the door was unlocked so she pushed it gently open.
(Part 02)
She had been rummaging around by torchlight for about half an hour when all of a sudden the two lights lit up but one of the bulbs, the one at the rear, blew immediately, returning it to near darkness.
It was a tandem garage and there was a car in the front half but the other half was full of everything and nothing, old pieces of furniture, tools, packing boxes and so on, junk mainly, and as a result not much light got from one end of the garage to the other because of everything in between, so she darted for the shadows.
Whoever had switched on the lights used their phone torch to search for her and in the gloomy light she made a bolt for the door.
Unfortunately she misjudged the distance between the figure and the door and glanced against their shoulder and she felt a hand grab her.
“Got you” he said as he bundled her towards the workbench and pinned her down while he got a better purchase on her.
She wriggled and squirmed and then lashed out at him and she thought she connected with his face, but then he shifted his body weight which meant her hands had to support herself.
However she alternated her hands to have quick swipes at him while he tried to subdue her and in the process he grabbed her breast.
“You’re a girl” he said and released his hold and grabbed her shoulder instead.
“Of course I’m a girl” she said inside her head but at the same time she was completely pinned down while he used his phone again to have a look at her.
“My god you’re just a kid” he said and slapped her hard on the buttock.
“Get out of here” he said angrily “And don’t come back again”
Wendy scurried away, but felt ashamed of what she had done so she waited in the shadows and watched Mr. Goodman walk back to the kitchen door.
She wanted to apologize to him but lost her nerve as she got close to the bungalow so she hid in the garage.
She sat down on the workbench and tried to summon the courage to go and knock on his door.
But she froze when the garage door opened and he walked in and reached up to replace the bulb and it lit immediately and when it did he looked straight at her.
“Didn’t you hear me tell you not to come back?” he asked her
“Yes” she said meekly
“So what are you doing back here again?” he asked sharply
“Um”
“Why are you back?” he said standing directly in front of her
“Well?”
“I wanted to say sorry” she said quietly and he softened
“How old are you?” he asked her
“17” she replied
“And what’s your name?”
“Wendy”
“And what were you after in here anyway?” he asked
“I was looking for food”
“Why?” he asked with surprise
“Because I was hungry”
“What?”
“I was hungry” she repeated
“Where are you from? Where are your parents?”
“I live on the caravan park, Potters Lane, with my mum”
“Why hasn’t she fed you?” he questioned
“She’s not well,” she said tearfully
“Come in the house” he said “And I’ll make you something”
So David took her in the house and sat her in the kitchen while he made her bacon and eggs, which she polished off in no time flat.
(Part 03)
As she was sitting drinking a hot chocolate Wendy asked
“Why did you feed me?”
“Because you were hungry” he replied
“But I was trying to steal from you” she pointed out
“Yes but you didn’t”
“That’s because you turned the light on and disturbed me” she stated
“But I could tell you weren’t a bad girl” David said washing up her plate
“But you thought I was a boy until you grabbed my...”
Wendy left the word unsaid and blushed
“No you’re right” he said “I wouldn’t have grabbed you there had I realized you were a girl”
“So why did you feed me bacon and eggs?”
“Because you came back and apologized” David explained “That’s why”
“So you don’t think I look like a boy?”
“No I think you look like an urchin” he corrected her and smiled
“Seriously do you think I’m ugly?”
“No I don’t, why would you think that?” David said
It would have been true to say she wasn’t stunningly beautiful but there was something about her elfin features, a distinct cuteness, she was a tomboy certainly but a pretty one.
“Everybody thinks I’m ugly and worthless” she said and she started to cry
“Even my mum” she added between the sobs so he went over to her and hugged her and she instantly locked her skinny arms around his neck.
“No one thinks you’re ugly” he said reassuringly
“You do,” she sobbed
“No, I think you’re cute”
“Really?” She said then cried into his neck
“So why did you think I was a boy?”
He thought about it for a while before answering
“Because it was dark and I’m old” he said
“Now dry your eyes and I’ll walk you home it’s getting late,” he said giving her his hankie
“You don’t have too” she said between sobs
“I know but I’m going to do it anyway” he insisted
She couldn’t believe how kind he was being.
“Does your mum work?” he asked as they walked towards Potters Lane
“No” she replied, “She’s not well enough”
“What about you?”
“No one’ll give me a job” she said and laughed
“Why not?”
“No don’t tell me, because you’re ugly and worthless”
She nodded
“Do you want a job?” he asked
“Yes”
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t care what I do, anything” she said earnestly
“So if I could get you some work, would you be interested?”
“Oh yes” she replied as they reached the end of her road.
“Ok, I’ll see what I can do” he said “But you have to promise you won’t let me down?”
“No way” she said
“Shake on it then” he said and held out his hand which she shook as she looked him squarely in the eye before turning off into the caravan park.
“And the next time you’re hungry come and knock on the door” he called after her
“Ok”
Wendy couldn’t understand why Mr. Goodman had been so nice when she had been trying to steal from him.
And he said he would try and find her a job which she would love, it would give her some worth and as well as some money in her pocket.
Her mum was still passed out on the sofa when she got back to the caravan, so she checked she was ok and then went to bed feeling more positive than she had for months.
(Part 04)
She woke up on Sunday feeling less confident than the night before and the doubts about her worthiness to be happy had returned.
What hadn’t left her though was her anger at her mum so she avoided speaking with her and left.
She wandered off in the direction of the pier and the amusements, not to play them but to check for any coins left in the trays or on the floor and she made enough in an hour to buy herself a burger, fries and a large coke.
On Monday she didn’t have anywhere to go or anything in particular to do so she just walked around aimlessly for a while, but then she was used to that.
Wendy crossed the footbridge over the railway and then turned left and ended sitting on the banks of a little stream dangling her naked feet in the water.
She had been there for about ten minutes when she was startled by a voice behind her.
“Hello you” he said startling her
“You made me jump” she said and giggled.
“What are you up to?” he asked
“Nothing as usual” she replied glumly.
“Just as well I’ve found some work for you”
“Really?” She said excitedly
“You’re not just winding me up,” she asked as she was used to being let down.
“No I’m serious” David said
She felt the tears welling up so she turned away from him so he wouldn’t see.
“Well come on then” he said “Get your shoes on, they’re waiting for you”
“What, now?” She said wiping her face on her sleeve and nearly falling in the stream then she threw her long arms around him in a big gawky hug.
“Thanks David” she said and then she sat down again and he handed her a hankie which she gave a double take at, not knowing whether to dry her eyes or her feet, so she did both in the end, eyes first.
As they walked back into the village he filled her in with what odd bits of work he had found for her so far.
“The gardener Alison Williams said she will give you a trial and Miss Quinton-Smith says she has some odd jobs for you”
He said
“But for this morning Sabr Hemmings has said she can use you in the shop”
“All of them want to give me work?” she asked in surprise
“Yes” he said
“Thank you so much” she said
“All I did was ask” he said “But the rest is up to you”
“I won’t let you down David, I promise” she said and when they arrived outside the shop David added
“It’s only temporary while Mrs. Hemmings is ill but if you work hard, I’m sure they’ll use you again”
And on hearing those words she stood up straight and gave him a wonky smile.
“What if she doesn’t like me?” She said nervously and he wiped the last remnants of her tears away and took her into the shop.
“Sabr! This is Wendy” he said
Since her mother’s Belinda’s illness, Hemmings General Store was run by Sabr.
Sabr was an Arabic word for the Islamic virtue of “patience”, although neither Belinda or her husband were Arabs or Islamists, she read it in a book when she was expecting her daughter and fell in love with the name.
“Hello Wendy” Sabr said
“Hi” she replied trembling
“Don’t look so worried” Sabr said “I won’t bite”
It wasn’t complicated work on that first day, filling shelves mainly but at the end of her shift Sabr said
“You did well Wendy”
“Thanks” Wendy said “I enjoyed it”
“Good, same time Thursday then”
(Part 05)
The following Monday she walked up to David Goodman’s garden to introduce herself to Alison William’s.
She was a self-employed gardener and was a muscular, big chested and thirty something with a great unruly shock of vivid ginger hair and Wendy thought she looked terrifying.
“Aaaalison” she said
“Hello sweetie, you’re just in time, come and help me unload the mower”
They did five gardens and at the end of the day Wendy was nervous about how well she had done but when they finished loading the truck Alison said
“Jump in, I’ll take you Ravensbrooke and get you some safety boots and overalls”
Ravensbrooke was a nursery and Garden Center, on the outskirts of Sharpington.
“Did I do alright then?”
“You did great, now jump in” she said but Wendy didn’t move “What’s the matter?”
“I don’t have any money” she said
“You don’t need any” Alison said “Now get in”
Apart from being a nursery and Garden Center Ravensbrooke was also a Country Store so it was possible to buy anything from top soil to designer leisurewear.
They walked through the automatic doors and headed towards where the work boots were on display.
They found a suitable pair for her and then went in search of overalls and then as they were looking at work Gloves a man appeared from the stock room right where they were standing.
“Hhhhello Aaaalison” he said
“Hi Ged” Alison said
Alison was so pleased with Wendy that by the time the first month was over she was working with Alison for four days a week and in the shop for two as well as some evenings.
She was also doing odd jobs for Gwen Quinton-Smith in her spare time.
So at the end of the first month Wendy was carrying some empty sacks from the truck when she saw Alison talking with David Goodman.
“Hello” she shouted
“Hi Wendy” he shouted back then he said something to Alison that she couldn’t hear.
When they were finished at David Goodman’s they went over to Ravensbrooke to pick up some more materials, Wendy noticed they made a lot of trips over there.
A couple of days later it was raining and Alison was at Ravensbrooke again so Wendy was to meet her outside David Goodman’s bungalow.
But Alison was late so she started pottering about in the garden to kill time.
“WENDY” a voice shouted and she immediately looked up and waved.
“COME HERE” David Goodman called to her and accompanied it with a gesture so she stopped what she was doing and trotted up the path to the back door.
“Hi David” she said her rain soaked face smiling, and then she shivered.
“Come in out of the rain for a bit”
“Ok” she said, “have you got the kettle on?”
As they sat in the kitchen he said
“So how are you getting on?”
“Great” she said
“How’s your mum?”
“The same” she replied “But I’m working most of the time”
“And how’s that going?”
“Brilliant I work with Alison the most, and Sabr at the shop use’s me as and when in the shop and Miss Quinton-Smith has been giving me odd jobs as well”
“Gwen is a good woman” he said
“Talking about jobs, I bumped into Emma Goldup at the Dinner Dance last weekend and she asked if you were available”.
“Is she the blonde girl with the horse?” She asked
“Yes” he said “I don’t know what work she has in mind, it might well be shovelling muck”
“Oh I don’t mind what I do” Wendy said “I just like being useful”
“Good for you” he said
When Alison arrived she was very apologetic for being late but she was in a very good mood, in fact she was like the cat that got the cream.
(Part 06)
September 6th was Wendy’s 18th birthday, a very significant birthday for anyone else but for her it was just another day.
Her mother was too hungover to know what month it was let alone that it was her daughter’s special day.
So she spent the morning mooching around on the seafront and then walked up to Miss Quinton-Smith’s house.
Gwen wanted some help tidying her garage so that was how she planned to spend the bulk of the day.
But despite the fact that she was not going to celebrate her coming of age she wasn’t bothered after all it wasn’t the first birthday that had gone unmarked it was just the latest in a long line, and it probably wouldn’t be the last one that her mother would be too drunk to remember.
She knocked on the front door and after a moment it opened and Gwen said
“Hello Wendy, right on time”
“Hi Gwen, shall I make a start?” she said and headed towards the garage door.
“No I thought we’d have a drink first” she said “Come in”
“Oh ok”
Gwen stepped aside and let Wendy pass and then urged
“Go through”
And when Wendy pushed open the door she was greeted by a rousing
“Happy Birthday!”
Gwen had organised a surprise party, complete with banners and balloons and guests.
David Goodman, Leslie Maher, Sabr Hemmings, Alison Williams and one other, a young dark haired young man who was introduced to her as Oliver.
There were lots of hugs and kisses of best wishes and Wendy got very tearful.
“Ok sit down sweetie” Alison said “open your presents”
“Presents?” Wendy said
“Yes, on the table” Gwen said
“They’re all for me?” she ask in disbelief and tears filled her eyes again.
“This one first” Alison said and brushed her ginger locks off her face as she knelt beside her.
Wendy couldn’t remember the last birthday present she had received and she wanted to savour the one Alison had given her so instead of ripping the paper off it so she carefully pulled the tape off one piece at a time and she was concentrating so much that she had her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth and when she finally got to the contents, they were thermal long johns.
“Brilliant” she squealed and hugged Alison
“You’re going to need them in the winter sweetie”
After that first gift she was less patient and opened the rest of the presents in quick succession.
Leslie bought her a wrist watch, David, a pair of converse shoes, Gwen, an MP3 player and Sabr, a hoody.
And so as not to be left out Oliver gave her a box of Crazy Chocolatiers Truffles he bought in Sharpington that morning.
“Thank you” she said and they exchanged a lingering look.
18 year old Oliver Kingham was David’s grandson and was staying with him for a couple of weeks and they were attracted to each other immediately.
(Part 07)
They were sitting together and Wendy kept looking at her presents, apart from her converse and hoody which she was wearing.
“You like all your presents then” he said
“Oh yes” she said and then she whispered to him
“How do I put music on the MP3?”
“You can do it from your computer” he said
“Oh” she exclaimed a little deflated “I don’t have a computer”
“Not to worry” Oliver said brightly “I can do it from my laptop”
“Really?” she said
“Yes, what kind of music do you like? Do you have a favourite band?”
“I don’t know” Wendy said “I mean I know some songs but I don’t know who the singers are”
Wendy liked to sit in the Fun Park in Sharpington and listen to the music coming from the rides and the amusements but she didn’t know what she was listening to.
“That’s ok” he said “I have an idea, I’ll download some tunes and you can tell me which ones you like and I’ll delete the ones you don’t”
“Would you do that for me?” she asked with surprise
“Of course” he replied and she wiped a tear from her eye with her sleeve.
“But you don’t even know me” she said with her eyes glistening
“But they all do” he said with a sweeping gesture.
When it was time to go she put her old shoes and sweater in a carrier bag and quietly said to Gwen
“Can I leave my watch here for safe keeping?”
“Of course you can my dear” she replied
A great deal of hugs and kisses followed and then with tears in her eyes again she headed towards the door
“I’ll walk you home Wendy” Oliver said
“You don’t have to do that” she half-heartedly protested
“I know, but I want to” he insisted
When they reached the end of Potters Lane she said
“You don’t have to take me any further” and handed him the MP3 player.
“Thank you”
“No problem, give me your mobile number and I’ll text you when I’ve done it”
Oliver said
“I don’t have a mobile phone” she admitted
“Don’t you?” he said
“Well never mind I’ll bring it over to Potters Lane”
“Oh no please don’t” she urged “I’ll be at David’s on Wednesday”
“Ok I’ll see you then” he said and gave her a hug.
As she walked the rest of the way on her own she was feeling the happiest she had felt and for the first time in her life she felt truly special.
The day after her birthday surprise she was working in one of the gardens across the street from David’s bungalow and she was startled by a voice from behind her.
“Hi Wendy”
She turned around and she saw it was Oliver and she immediately blushed.
“Oh hello”
“I’ve got your MP3 player” he said
“You’ve done it already?” she said
“Yes I did it last night” Ollie said
“Thank you” she said looking at the device “but I don’t know how to use it”
“I’ll show you” he said and explained what she should do and finished by saying
“Let me know which ones you like tomorrow”
“I’m working in the shop tomorrow, Hemmings” she said
“I’ll see you there then” he said
“I have a break at 12” she called after him
(Part 08)
It had been a busy morning in the shop and she was really surprised when she looked up at the clock and saw that it was 11.55am.
However once she knew what the time was it seemed to slow down and those last five minutes seemed to take an hour to pass.
Sabr had noticed her watching the clock, which wasn’t like her, so she assumed she had somewhere to be so she said
“You’d better take you lunch now honey, before the rush starts again”
“Ok, great, see you later” she said and scampered out of the shop, which made Sabr smile.
When she got outside she found Oliver leaning against a lamp post waiting for her.
They spent most of her lunch hour sitting on the seawall listening to her MP3 with one earphone each.
It was the best lunchbreak she had ever had but she couldn’t believe how quickly it had gone, and she felt a bit sad when he walked her back to Hemmings.
It was late in the evening and she was crouching in the shadows of Potters Lane sobbing uncontrollably when Leslie Maher, who was out walking her dog Trio, so called as he had three legs, discovered her.
There was sufficient moonlight for her to recognize her
“Wendy?” she said “Is that you?”
She mumbled something incomprehensible in response
She could also see the she was in a bit of a state.
“Come home with me and you can tell me what’s wrong” she said
But Wendy reacted angrily and drew her knees up to her chin and sobbed uncontrollably.
“I’ll go and get David” she said
Leslie and David were neighbours and had recently become a couple but they still had their own homes, for the time being at any rate.
David and his grandson Oliver were sat in the lounge playing chess when there was a persistent knocking on the front door.
“Who’s that, at this time?” David said and tutted as he got up from his chair and he muttered to himself all the way down the hall and then he opened the door and found an agitated Leslie standing there with Trio.
“Hello” he said surprised “is everything ok?”
“Come quick” she said and headed down the path.
“Hold on, let me get something on my feet” David said and briefly went back inside.
“Oliver!” he called “Get you shoes on we’re going out”
He and his grandson were ready to leave at the same time.
“Come on hurry up” Leslie urged
“Ok what’s the problem?” he said when he and Oliver emerged and rushed after Leslie who was now almost out through the gate
“It’s Wendy” she said
“Why what’s happened?” Oliver asked
“I found her sobbing in the street” she answered, “She’s inconsolable, and…”
“And what?” David said
“She’s been beaten” Leslie replied sombrely
“What?” he said incredulously “who?”
“I think her mother hit her,” she said “hard”
“Where is she?” he demanded
“In the bushes in Potters Lane” she answered “but she won’t come out”
They ran the short distance to Potters Lane and sitting in the shadows was the quivering figure of Wendy with her knees drawn up to her chin and she was still sobbing uncontrollably.
(Part 09)
“You two wait here” David said to the other two and started walking towards her.
“Hey Wendy” he called and she looked up and as soon as she saw him she was on her feet and bowling towards him at a rate of knots and she was still crying as she launched herself at him
“Oh David” she cried
“It’s alright, I’ve got you now” he said and just let her sob into his shoulder.
After about five minutes she had calmed down considerably.
“Ok” he said, “let’s have a look at you”
Wendy had a bruise on her forehead and her right eye was badly swollen, she had a fat lip and her nose was bloodied, Mrs Corney had given her daughter a real pasting.
“Right let’s get you home” he said with a smile and her whole body went rigid and panic covered her face and her head was shaking.
“No baby girl not that home, my home” he reassured her and he could see the relief cross her face instantly.
He took out his hanky and gently wiped away the blood, snot and tears from her face.
“Come on then and we’ll get you cleaned up”
“Ok” she said managing a week smile
“Do you want me to come too David?” Leslie asked quietly
“Yes please” he said as he put his arm around Wendy’s shoulder and steered her slowly down the lane, but by the time he had reached the road she was managing to walk under her own steam and she continued to do so for the short distance from there to his front door.
When they reached the front door Oliver opened it and let Wendy in
“I’m sorry” she said
“What for?”
“For being a nuisance” she replied
“Don’t be daft” he said and kissed the top of her head
“Now go to the kitchen with Ollie”
David looked over his shoulder to where Leslie was fussing around the dog
“I’ll follow you in when I’ve tied Trio up” she said
“Don’t be silly, bring him in” he insisted “he’s no trouble”
Leslie nodded and she and Trio followed him inside where he was waiting to give her a kiss.
(Part 10)
In the sanctuary of the kitchen, as Leslie made coffee and Oliver held Wendy’s hand, David got to work cleaning Wendy up and attending to the cuts on her face.
“Does this happen often?” David asked
“No” she answered with a sniffle “she’s normally too drunk to catch me”
“What happened today?” Leslie asked
“I fell over and she caught me” and she sniffled again while Leslie shook her head.
“She’ll be really sorry tomorrow” Wendy said defensively
“So she ought to be” Leslie muttered with disgust.
“What brought it on?” Oliver asked “why did she want to hit you?”
“She wanted my money” she said “for booze”
“And did she get it?” David asked
“No” she said “because I don’t have any”
Her answer puzzled him somewhat because since he had intervened in her life she was always working, either with Alison the gardener or Sabr at the corner shop, odd jobbing for Gwen or mucking out at the stables and countless other odds and ends Wendy Corney was a regular cottage industry and she never went anywhere to spend her earnings.
“How come?” he asked
“Sabr opened a post office account for me, all my money goes in there” then she laughed “I’ve got loads”
“I take it your mum didn’t laugh” Leslie said
“No” she said and put her hand to her swollen eye.
“I told her I didn’t have any money so then she wanted me to give her the book”
“But you didn’t” I added
“No” she said, “because I don’t have it”
This time she noticed the puzzlement on David’s face and added
“I gave it to Gwen to look after”
“Clever girl” he said proudly “I assume that didn’t go down well”
“No, she went absolutely berserk and that was when I took my chance and got away”
“Good for you” Leslie said and patted her back, which made Wendy wince and she immediately apologized.
“I’m sorry luvvie, did I hurt you?”
Leslie gently pulled her shirt up and could see the bruises immediately and they resolved at that moment that she would not be living under her mother’s roof for one more night as Leslie and David exchanged a look.
No one deserved to be treated that way but especially not Wendy.
“How about a long hot bath?” Leslie suggested and looked at David
“That’s a great idea” he said
“Oh yes please” she answered brightly “with bubbles?”
“Yes with bubbles and whatever other lotions and potions your heart desires” Leslie said
It was amazing to think that a simple thing like a bubble bath could illicit such joy and it was simply heart breaking that this hard working and good natured girl had been denied such a simple pleasure due to the short comings of her alcoholic mother.
Leslie led Wendy down the hall to the bathroom and David sorted out some fresh towels and then left Leslie to take charge.
(Part 11)
When Leslie returned, David and Oliver were still in the kitchen.
Ollie had a very grave expression on his face as she entered.
“Is she alright?” he asked
“She’s feeling a bit happier now” Leslie reassured him
“I’m just going to pop next door to get her some clean clothes, I have a few bits that Karen and Amy left the last time they visited”
Karen and Amy were her granddaughters.
“They’re very different shapes of course but they’ll be better than what she had on”
And with that she hurried out of the door as she was about to cry.
She returned 10 minutes later having dried her eyes and composed herself
“These should do the trick” she said and went and put the clothes on the bed, she told Wendy where they were and returned to the kitchen a few minutes later.
Oliver was pacing up and down looking very anxious while David and Leslie sat silently at the table and drank their coffee.
Finally Leslie broke the silence
“That poor girl’s body is black and blue David”
He nodded in response
“That woman should be locked up,” she continued and he nodded again
“So what are we going to do about it?” she asked angrily “and don’t just nod your head”
But he remained silent
“We have to do something” Oliver said
“And we will” David said
“But what?” Leslie pressed
“Well for one thing she’s not going back to her mother’s”
“I agree,” she concurred “but where can she go, she can’t stay here”
“I know” he said “And I have a plan”
“Oh”
“I think you should let Gwen know what’s happened” he suggested, “She thinks a lot of Wendy”
“I know she does, but how will that help...” she began then as she slowly processed the input she continued to answer her own query
“Yes I see what you’re getting at, that’s very clever, yes that could very well work”
Then she drained her coffee cup and stood up with a look of determination on her face she called
“Come on Trio, We’re off on a mission”
It was another five minutes before Wendy reappeared looking altogether better.
The unbruised sections of her face were pink and fresh and her hair was damp and tousled.
The clothes Leslie sorted out for her, fitted well enough though the trousers were a bit short.
“Are you feeling a bit better now?” Oliver asked her with real concern.
“Much” she said, “where’s Leslie?”
“She’s gone to tell Gwen what happened” David said, “she worries about you, you know”
Wendy went very quiet and looked at her feet
“Do you mind her knowing?” David asked
“Oh no I like Gwen she’s a really nice lady” she answered then she went quiet again
“What’s wrong?” Oliver asked but she just shrugged
“Come on, out with it” David insisted
“I don’t understand why you’re all so kind to me,” she said which made David laughed and Ollie smile
“Isn’t it obvious?” he said, “It’s because we all like you”
And David gave her a hug and Oliver held her hand
“Now then” he said, “have you eaten anything?”
“Yes Sabr fed me at the shop”
“Good, how about some hot chocolate then?”
“Yes please”
“I’ll make it” Oliver offered and stood up but Wendy was reluctant to release his hand.
“I’ll only be a minute” he said softly
“Go and sit in the lounge and then Ollie will bring it through” David suggested
“Ok” she said meekly
“Put the TV on if you want” David added
While Ollie was boiling some milk there was a knock at the front door, David got up from the table and went to open it.
When he did Leslie, Gwen and Trio were standing there.
(Part 12)
“How is the poor girl?” Gwen asked with real concern
“Much better” he answered, “come in”
They went into the kitchen and while Oliver finished making the hot chocolate he chatted to the ladies.
“I was beginning to wonder where you’d got to” he said
“Well, we would have been quicker but Slugger Quinton-Smith here wanted to go and smash Linda Corney’s face in”
“Seriously?” Oliver asked
Leslie nodded and Gwen blushed
“I was a bit miffed” Gwen said
“What happened?” David sked
“I persuaded her that it probably wasn’t the best course of action” Leslie relayed
“And that Wendy should be our main concern at the moment”
“Quite right” Oliver said pouring the hot milk into the waiting mug.
“Ok let’s go and see her” David suggested, “She’s in the lounge, go through”
And Ollie followed on with the hot chocolate.
But when they arrived in the lounge they found Wendy fast asleep on the sofa.
Oliver put the mug down briefly while he picked up a flowered throw and gently covered the sleeping figure.
He then picked up the hot chocolate and all four of them tiptoed from the room.
In the kitchen Leslie said
“Well that solves the problem of where she’s going to sleep”
“For tonight at least” he added
“I’ll look after her” Oliver said as Gwen appeared to be lost in thought and said nothing.
Leslie and David just exchanged a look and smiled.
Oliver went to bed and let David and Leslie kiss goodnight but once his grandfather had settled down for the night he sneaked out of his room just as the rain began to fall planning to spend the night sleeping in an arm chair in the lounge.
He had been asleep for a couple of hours and then the thunder rolled in and lighting flashes lit the sky, he was facing the window and had a great view through the open curtains.
But when a particularly loud clap of thunder shook the house at about 3am Wendy let out a yell
“NO DON’T”
Ollie leapt straight out of his chair and knelt beside her
“It’s ok Wendy” he said “You’re safe now”
“Oh Ollie” she said and locked her skinny arms around his neck.
“Don’t leave me”
“I won’t” he said and kissed the top of her head “I promise”
Although he had planned to sleep in the armchair Oliver actually spent most of the night on the floor beside the sofa where Wendy was.
He woke the next morning with the smell of bacon filling his nostrils.
After an uncomfortable night keeping Wendy company he was as stiff as a board when he got up.
“Hello” Wendy said “Thank you”
“What for?”
“For looking after me” she replied
“I wanted to” He said and kissed her forehead “Now come on I smell bacon”
“Hi Grandad” Oliver said as he walked into the kitchen
“Morning, how’s the patient?”
“She’s ok I think” Ollie replied
“Good” David said just as Wendy appeared and walked gingerly to the table.
“Oh dear, are you a bit stiff?”
“Very” she replied and lowered herself gently onto the chair next to Ollie.
(Part 13)
They all sat together at the kitchen table eating eggs and bacon and when they had cleared their plates David said
“You know we can’t let you go and live with your mum anymore?”
“I know” she concurred sadly “But I can’t live here”
“I know” David responded, “Which is why we need to find you somewhere else”
A puzzled look spread across her face.
“Don’t worry hon I have somewhere in mind” he reassured her “I can’t say where yet but…”
He was interrupted by a loud banging on the back door and when he looked up it was the gardener Alison.
“Hello Alison” he said brightly
“I’m looking for Wendy, is she here?” she asked
“Yes, come in”
“Is she ok?” Alison asked with concern as she bent down to undo her boots
“Never mind the muck just come in” he said and once inside the kitchen she clucked around Wendy like a mother hen
“Oh sweetie, look at the state of you,” she said
“I’m fine now,” Wendy said bravely
“Fine my arse” Alison barked poking Wendy’s black eye until she winced.
“And your mum did this?”
Wendy nodded
“I might have to kill her sweetie,” Alison said without humour
“You’ll have to get in the queue behind Gwen” Oliver said
“Really?” she queried with raised eyebrow and David nodded
“Good for her” Alison said proudly
“But seriously what are we going to do?” she said soberly
“We can’t let her go back there again”
“What about my stuff?” Wendy suddenly said, “I need my clothes for work”
Alison was about to say don’t worry
“And clean knickers” Wendy blurted out, and then blushed scarlet when she realised what she had said.
“I can take you home to collect your stuff” Alison suggested “But then what?”
“Bring it back here,” David said matter-of-factly
“She can’t stay here” Alison said bluntly
“That’s what I said,” Wendy confirmed
“I know that she can’t stay here” He said and Alison relaxed
“I actually have a plan” he added but didn’t elaborate
Alison drove a rather nervous Wendy and a concerned Oliver to the caravan and parked the truck.
Oliver understood now why she was so vehement about him not going to Potters Lane.
Oliver held Wendy's hand as they walked up the path to the half open door and Alison followed on.
When they were inside they found her mum collapsed on the sofa in a drunken stupor.
“I’ll watch her while you grab your stuff” Alison instructed
“Okay” Wendy said but wouldn’t release Ollie’s hand.
It didn’t take long, maybe 10 minutes to gather together everything of importance to her in one shoulder bag and all her clothes in a black sack.
“Do I really not have to come back?” she asked almost pathetically “Ever”
“Not ever” Alison replied and Oliver hugged her and she looked down contemptuously at the prone figure of her mother and wiped a tear from her eye.
“Now go and change your knickers and get your dungarees on,” Alison commanded, once they were back at David’s
“We have work to do”
“Ok boss” she said and headed upstairs
“Are you sure she should work today?” Oliver asked after Wendy had left.
“Definitely” she replied “it’s just what she needs”
Then with a doubtful look she added
“And it will give your Grandfather time to work on his master plan, whatever that is”
(Part 14)
The “Master Plan” such as it was involved a drive over to Dulcet-on-Brooke and lunch at The Waterside Inn with an abundance of wine.
Those present were David, Leslie, Gwen and Oliver, who was the designated driver.
As they sat at a table Leslie asked
“Shall we have wine?”
“What a good idea” David said working off Leslie’s script.
“I’m game,” said Gwen and so it began.
The “master plan” as Alison had put it, in essence involved getting Gwen Quinton-Smith, a little bit squiffy on wine and then suggest to her what a good idea it would be for her to take Wendy in as a lodger.
They knew Gwen was very fond of her and she had plenty of spare rooms and to cap it all she was lonely.
Furthermore they knew that Wendy liked Gwen and needed someone to care about her.
So the plan was virtually symbiotic.
Two hours and two bottles of wine later they had succeeded in their mission and Gwen had agreed to have Wendy as her lodger.
“I was going to suggest it myself,” she said as David settled the bill.
Gwen’s only condition was that she should tell Wendy herself.
So having phoned ahead to ensure she should be there they drove back to his bungalow and when he stepped through the back door, he found Wendy and Alison sitting at the kitchen table.
“At last” Alison snorted
“Well hello gardening ladies” he slurred
“Sorry I’m late but I had to go and meet Wendy's new landlady”
“Really?” Wendy asked
“Yes indeed” he replied “Would you like to meet her?”
“Yes please” she replied excitedly so he stepped aside and Gwen walked in.
“Gwen” Wendy shouted and raced across the kitchen and hugged her “I’m so glad it’s you” she squealed and they both started to cry.
She moved in that night and Ollie carried her things over for her.
On Friday morning the rain had come once again, with a vengeance and added to the gloom she already felt.
It had been a rollercoaster of a week beginning with her surprise birthday party and was ending with her having to say goodbye to the boy she had fallen in love with in between.
Oliver was starting at Abbottsford University the following week and had to go home to Purplemere to pack and like a thief in the night he had stolen her heart and was now leaving with it.
They were standing on the door step of Gwen house saying their goodbyes.
“I’ve got you a present” he said
“What is it?” she asked
“It’s a mobile phone, it’s just a “Pay as you go”” he said “I’ve programmed my number in so we can call and text”
“Can we?” she asked innocently
“If you had a computer we could even Skype”
“I don’t know what that is” Wendy said
“Ask Granddad, we Skype a lot” he said “He’ll show you”
“Oh ok” she said and looked around nervously until he worked up the courage to do what he wanted to do and kissed her.
(Part 15)
After two weeks of washing and ironing her clothes Gwen had become aware of the meagre selection that she had and the overall quality.
With all her jobs, Wendy had accumulated a nice pot of money, Gwen knew that because she looked after her savings book, but she never did anything or went anywhere to spend it.
So Gwen suggested taking her into Abbottsford on a shopping expedition.
“Abbottsford? Really?” she said
“Yes” Gwen replied “When was the last time you were there?”
“I’ve never been to Abbottsford before” she said “I’ve never been out of Sharpington”
“Well we had better make a day of it then” she said
She was very excited about going shopping and she’d talked of nothing else all week to Alison and Sabr at the shop or Emma at the stables and of course Oliver.
However she didn’t know how much money to take, she knew how much she had, and she had an idea of what she wanted to buy but she didn’t know how much cash to take.
So she asked Gwen for some guidance and she advised that she should only take about £50 in cash as she would use her credit card for most purchases and then Wendy could reimburse her later.
“But you have to let me pay” Wendy insisted
Come the day, the expedition was every bit as exciting as she imagined it would be.
They set off from Gwen’s at 6.30 in the morning and were in the Espresso Phoenix Coffee House in the Phoenix Centre having breakfast by 8 o’clock.
And from the moment the first shop opened they shopped till they dropped and on the return journey Wendy fell asleep in the car.
As it was gardening day he expected to see Alison and Wendy pottering about in the garden but when he looked out through the window he could only see Wendy who was raking leaves off the lawn so he opened the door and called out
“Wendy!”
She turned around instantly and smiled
“Hello David”
“Come inside a minute, I’ve got something for you”
“Ok” she replied “just for a minute though”
Wendy came into the kitchen and stood on the mat.
“Where’s Alison today?” David asked her
“She cut her hand yesterday so I’m on my own” Wendy said rubbing her hands “she needed 8 stitches”
“I’ve got something for you” he said, “So sit yourself down”
“What is it?” she asked
“Well, have a look and you’ll find out” he said
She stooped down and untied her boots and then slipped them off before walking to the table and sitting down and then he turned the lap top around to face her.
“Hi Wendy” Oliver said and David took his coffee into the other room.
(Part 16)
After that first Skype with Oliver in David’s kitchen she liked it so much that they arranged to do it once a week at David’s bungalow.
Of course had she realized that she had more than enough money in her savings to buy her own laptop they could have Skyped every day.
But she didn’t know so they made the best of it and she spent the whole week looking forward to it and when it came she loved every second.
The weekly Skype went on from that first time in October right through until December which was a significant time as that would be when she got to see him again.
When she wasn’t thinking about Oliver or looking forward to seeing him again, she was working hard.
But she did get some time off, but even at those times she kept herself busy and one day a few days before Christmas she used her free time to deliver cards and presents to her friends and family.
She started at her mum, it was the first time she’d been back since that day in September when she picked up stuff, she hadn’t seen her mum since that day and she wasn’t in any hurry to change that.
But she was still her mum so she went to the caravan early when she knew she would still be out of it.
She would give Alison her present the next day when she saw her at work and as she was working at the shop on Christmas Eve she would give Sabr and the Hemmings their gifts then and Gwen’s was already under the tree.
So after her mum’s she was mainly delivering Christmas Cards but she did have a gift for Leslie and David.
She called at Leslie Maher’s house first and just as she reached the front door she stepped out onto the doorstep.
“Hello Wendy”
“Merry Christmas Leslie” she said and handed her a package adorned with ribbons and bows.
She took it from her and read the tag.
“Have a Merry Christmas Leslie, with love and gratitude”
“Well that’s a really nice thing to do,” she said and they exchanged a kiss and a hug before she had to go and Wendy went next door and knocked at David’s door.
When it opened, she found David standing there wearing a Santa Hat.
“Happy Christmas” she said beaming “And handed him a present”
“Hey! Happy Christmas hon” David responded, “come in”
“Ok” she said still smiling broadly “Just for a minute”
“Just for a minute” he agreed and Wendy stepped inside
“You didn’t have to get me a gift,” he said to her as he took her coat and as she sat down on the sofa she said.
“Last Christmas my mum was drunk for ten days in a row, we had no decorations, no Christmas dinner and no electricity”
Tears were beginning to form in her eyes as she added
“This year, I have three jobs, I have a proper home, I have someone to mother me, I have money in the bank and a boyfriend and it’s all thanks to you”
David tried to interrupt but Wendy continued unabated.
“If you hadn’t helped me, looked out for me, set me on the right path, I wouldn’t be here now having the best Christmas I’ve ever had and I will always be grateful for that”
Then she stood up and gave him a big hug.
“Well why don’t you go in the lounge and put the present under the tree for me then and I’ll bring the drinks through” he suggested
“Ok” she said
She walked down the hall and pushed open the door into the lounge and when she looked ahead she did a double take because standing by the Christmas tree was Ollie.
“Ollie” she squealed and launched herself at him.
Mornington-By-Mere – (31) Roving Angel
(Part 01)
Nineteen year old Jenna Crockford lived at number 5, The Close, in the picturesque village of Mornington-By-Mere with her parents and three siblings.
She was small girl, a smidge over five foot, with delicate features and long strawberry blonde hair and a large heart and that heart was full to overflowing with love.
And most of that love was directed at John Cooper the blonde haired, blue eyed boy next door at number 4 where he lived with his parents Roy and Sally and a brother and sister.
John was not oblivious to the young girl next door, far from it but he thought she was way out of his league, and she was stunningly attractive and he was an ordinary looking man.
The other problem was that she was not yet 20 whereas he was more than five years older and that had to make a difference.
John was an Electrician, and a good one at that, and although he did a lot of work in and around the village and was a “first call” tradesman for the Mornington Estate, most of the time he worked away on bigger jobs and as Jenna was in her second year at Abbottsford University their paths seldom crossed anymore which for Jenna at least made her want him even more.
Apart from his professional work he was also very active in the church, at St Winfred’s as well as farther afield.
This involved among other things, being a greeter at the church services, delivering Parish Magazines, and helping at the Christmas Bazaar in fact you name it and he did it and that was only in the village.
His wider good works included the Soup Kitchens in Finchbottom or Purplemere, the Christmas Charity Wagon in Sharpington, which was an old Mornington Brewery dray pulled by two white shire horses with the whole thing bedecked with tinsel and lights and carried on the back a multi denominational choir.
John Cooper was among those going from door to door, as the wagon drove around the town, collecting donations in plastic buckets and handing out sweets to the excited children.
He also helped out on the Santa Express, which was something else to behold.
The Santa Express was a renovated steam engine and coaches, which ran from Sharping St Mary station to a secret location where Santa was waiting in his grotto.
It picked up the local children and their parents late afternoon so that they arrived at the grotto in darkness in order to make the most of the spectacular lights.
It was one of the high points of his year, he well remembered his parents taking him when he was a young lad and he liked to see other the kids as excited as he used to be at their age.
But then as if all his other good deeds weren’t enough he decided to volunteer for the Roving Angels and after his training at St John’s Church in Purplemere, and his receipt of his Roving Angels uniform he was deemed ready for duty.
(Part 02)
He had timed his first Patrol to be in January so as not to impact on his other commitments around the busy Christmas period.
On Friday he finished work at lunchtime as that night was his first patrol with the Roving Angels.
He couldn’t deny that he had reservations about doing it despite all the encouragement and wondered if it was really for him.
He left the house in his newly acquired uniform, worn over several layers including Long John’s and stout boots and thick socks.
As it was forecast to be minus 6 that night he was going to need every stitch of clothing to keep warm so he donned a woollen hat, scarf and gloves.
The Roving Angels had been in existence for about two years and was similar to the Street Angels, Street Pastors and other groups that had sprung up all across the UK in the previous 12 or 15 years.
They had made a really positive impact on crime and antisocial behaviour in Finchbottom and Purplemere town centres over the first two years particularly in the general vicinity of the bars and clubs.
They provided a calming presence on the streets late at night in situations where a police uniform might have the opposite effect.
In the two years since they began Roving Angels had contributed to a 29% fall in public place violence on the weekends.
It all began when Christian Churches in the area came together with the Police and the Borough Council to establish the Angels.
But it took people of Faith to make it work as with so many things in life.
To be perfectly honest he was feeling a little apprehensive about his maiden patrol as he drove to Finchbottom.
He was after all doing something he had never done before and patrolling the streets in the small hours was not without its risks one of which being that drunks are such unpredictable creatures.
Not to mention the fact it was a bitterly cold night and he was a bit of a wimp and it was to be a long shift starting at 10pm and possibly finishing as late as 4am.
All the bars and clubs closed for the night at 3 am but the clientele have been known to hang around.
He had to confess that when he went into the council building where the Angel volunteers congregated he had butterflies in his stomach.
He supposed he was nervous of meeting a bunch of strangers but when he walked in he found that he knew almost half of the assembled group one of whom was Michael Hargrave who also lived in Mornington.
“John” he said offering his hand “good to see you”
“Hi Mike” he responded taking his hand “I didn’t know you were an Angel”
“Yes” he said “since the beginning”
“Really?” he asked
“Yes” he responded proudly “two years now”
Although he had been trained he didn’t really know what to expect so he was quite relieved to find he was going out on the first hour, the quiet hour, with Mike, who was a veteran.
As expected it was an uneventful maiden patrol which saw Michael taking the lead with him carrying the back pack full of Flip Flops, lollipops, space blankets and the first aid kit.
(Part 03)
Going out on his first patrol with Michael Hargrave was useful for him, Mike showed him the boundaries of the patrol area and he pointed out the potential hotspots for later, he showed him all the CCTV camera locations and identified areas not covered and crucially the radio dead zones.
Also the quiet stroll gave him and Mike a chance to chat and catch up.
After the first uneventful hour there was an hour of coffee and chat in the council building then out again at midnight until one.
That also proved to be rather uneventful in fact Michael said he had never known it so quiet, they concluded it must be the low temperature, nobody was hanging around.
On their last lap around town they did come upon a group of girls who had just spilled out of one bar and were negotiating with the bouncers to get in another one and on the periphery of the group was a face John recognised.
He hesitated before speaking because he didn’t want to embarrass the girl but while he was wondering what best to do she spoke to him.
“Hello John” Jenna said a little tipsy
“Hello Jen” he said
“What are you doing out this late?” he asked himself.
It was then that he noticed a small group of lads lurking in the shadows.
“Are you on your own?” he asked, “Where’s Kath?”
Kathryn Williams was her best friend
She nodded in response to the first part and shrugged at the second, which he interpreted to mean they had had a falling out.
“You make sure you get a cab home,” he told her
“Ok” she answered
“Have you got enough money?” John asked
“Yes John” she replied
“What’s it got to do with you?” a loud mouthed girl from the main group said
“Are you a paedo?”
“That’s enough of that if you want to get in here,” the bouncer said and then they all filed into the pub, Jenna included.
The other girls were much older than her and he was a little worried, then the group of lads emerged from the shadows and also entered the pub.
“You know her then” Mike said as they headed back to the office.
“Yes” he replied, “So do you, Jenna Crockford, she lives in the village”
He was mightily relieved to get back inside at one o’clock, he was frozen and he didn’t understand how the girls could walk around half naked in that weather.
It took almost all the next hour to thaw out and he was not looking forward to another shift and he was mightily relieved when the Supervisor announced that they would be finishing at 3am.
Because it was so cold no one was hanging around to cause trouble so his final patrol was deemed unnecessary.
With that news John and Mike said their farewells and headed out towards the car park.
As they were walking down the road they saw a most extraordinary sight on the other side of the road.
There was a girl squatting beside a parked car peeing against the hubcap, which to all intents and purposes sounded like it was being jet washed.
At the same time her friend, they presumed she was a friend as they were engaged in conversation, was peeing like a horse against a shop door.
But the remarkable thing to Johns mind was that while this was going on a young man walked briskly down the path between them and said
“Alright girls?” as he high fived them both.
John was absolutely gobsmacked at what he was seeing.
But Mike on seeing his reaction just laughed, he had clearly seen it all before.
(Part 04)
When John and Mike reached the carpark they were parked within a few cars of each other and after a brief chat Mike got in his and had driven out of the car park before John had even started the engine.
Once the engine had warmed up a bit and hot air started to blow through the vents he got out and took off his coat and fleece.
He knew from the journey over, that once the heater got running full throttle it would be too hot with them on and as he drove out of the car park the car was toasty warm.
As luck would have it his route took him past the railway station and the taxi rank and as he reached the former he noticed Jenna staggering towards the latter and more alarmingly just behind her was the small bunch of lads he had seen following her earlier.
So he pulled up just ahead of her and wound down the window.
“Do you want a lift?” he called
“I’ve got taxi fare,” she slurred
“Look” and she waved a ten-pound note at him.
“You’d better get in then” he said
When she got in the car John noticed she was shivering so he reached over to the back seat and grabbed his fleece
“Put that around you” he suggested
“Ok” she said, “Oooh it’s still warm”
Then he gave her his coat as well and put it over her legs and lap and tucked it around her.
When he looked up the young lads were just passing the car and they all stared in so he locked the doors.
On the journey back to the village he garnered from Jenna that she had indeed fallen out with her best friend Kath.
It was a typically trivial reason brought about by Kath texting her boyfriend while Jenna was on a sleepover at Kathryn’s.
Jenna also admitted she got jealous and stormed out of Kath’s house and went to see another friend, Summer, who had the bright idea of going into Finchbottom.
Summer then met her ex-boyfriend and abandoned Jenna who then tagged along with the group of older girls that John saw her with and it was then that she started crying.
As luck would have it they were just approaching a lay-by so he pulled over to comfort her, nothing else.
He had offered her a lift out of genuine Christian kindness and because he cared about her and not because he wanted to take advantage of her while she was drunk.
He just pulled over to give her a hug and calm her down and as soon as he pulled on the hand brake she leapt into his arms.
“Oh John what am I going to do?” she sobbed, “I’ve been so stupid”
Well it took about 10 minutes to calm her down enough to establish that Kathryn wasn’t expecting her back that night but he certainly couldn’t take her home in her drunken state, her parents would not have been pleased so as he had the house to himself he said
“You can sleep on the sofa at mine”
“It doesn’t have to be the sofa” she slurred and placed her hand on his crotch.
“You can stop tha...” he began but she had passed out and her hand went limp.
When he got back to the house he pulled up on the drive and set about carrying the drunken Jenna into the house.
Not an easy task even taking into account she was barely seven stones.
In the end he chose the fireman’s lift technique, which was easiest once he got her out of the car.
John took her straight into the lounge and deposited her on the sofa.
He left her there and went back to lock the car and secure the front door.
He then threw a blanket over her, turned off the lights and went upstairs.
When he finally got to his bed he went out like a light the moment his head hit the pillow.
(Part 05)
It was just after eight when he went downstairs to check on Jenna and found she was already up.
And as soon as he walked into the lounge she threw herself in his arms.
“I’m sorry” Jenna whispered
“What for?” he asked
“For being a drunken bum.” she said “and embarrassing myself”
“As long as you’ve learned a lesson,” he said sagely
“Am I forgiven then?” she asked
“Of course” he replied “but what about Kath?”
“I phoned her already and I’m off to see her now to make things up”
Then she kissed him long and passionately and then she was gone.
For some reason, despite the fact that he had only had four hours sleep he was wide awake, it was probably the intensity of the kiss, but he decided not to go back to bed.
He was quite hungry so he cooked himself a full English breakfast and he ate it on his lap in the lounge while watching TV.
After that he still wasn’t tired so he had a long soak in the bath and by the end of it he was yawning so after finishing his ablutions he returned to bed where he had a lovely restful dream filled sleep dreaming about Jenna and that kiss.
It was a lovely dream so vivid that he imagined he could feel her soft lips on his.
It left him thinking that the age difference between them didn’t matter and when she kissed him she didn’t seem to think he was out of her league.
So as he got out of bed he was feeling very positive until he looked in the mirror.
“It was obviously drink induced” he said to his reflection “She passed out in the car after all”
He slipped on his bathrobe feeling more optimistic.
“But she wasn’t drunk when she snogged me this morning before she left” he said triumphantly and opened the bedroom door.
“Hungover then” his doubtful side countered as he walked to the bathroom
“Oh this is getting me nowhere” he snapped as he stepped in the shower “Does she fancy me or not?”
By the time he had finished in the shower he had made a decision so after shaving and dressing he slipped out the front door heading for the Crockford’s, however halfway there he lost his nerve and diverted down the alley.
In between the Cooper’s at number 4 and the Crockford’s at number 5
There was an alleyway which lead from The Close and emerged between Mazzone’s Hairdressers and the Dental Surgery in The Street.
But John didn’t proceed down the alley he merely paced up and down muttering to himself that he needed to get a back bone.
He had been pacing for about ten minutes when he heard a voice from above.
It was Jenna who had been watching him with amusement from her bedroom window, but her amusement was giving way to frustration.
“Are you ever going to get round to asking me out?”
“That depends” he replied
“On what?”
“On whether you say yes or no” John said
“Well why don’t you knock on the front door and find out” she said and closed the window.
John took a deep breath and knocked on the glass and the door opened immediately and a grinning Jenna was on the other side of it.
“Hello John this is a nice surprise” she said
“Hi Jen” he said
“What can I do for you?”
“I was just wondering…” John began falteringly
“Yes” Jenna said
“I mean would you….”
“Yes” Jenna said again
“Will you….”
“Yes, yes, yes” she said “how many times must I say yes before you snog my face off?”
It proved to be a rhetorical question as she followed it by taking the kiss she desired which was prolonged and spine tingling.
Nineteen year old Jenna Crockford lived at number 5, The Close, in the picturesque village of Mornington-By-Mere with her parents and three siblings.
She was small girl, a smidge over five foot, with delicate features and long strawberry blonde hair and a large heart and that heart was full to overflowing with love.
And most of that love was directed at John Cooper the blonde haired, blue eyed boy next door at number 4 where he lived with his parents Roy and Sally and a brother and sister.
John was not oblivious to the young girl next door, far from it but he thought she was way out of his league, and she was stunningly attractive and he was an ordinary looking man.
The other problem was that she was not yet 20 whereas he was more than five years older and that had to make a difference.
John was an Electrician, and a good one at that, and although he did a lot of work in and around the village and was a “first call” tradesman for the Mornington Estate, most of the time he worked away on bigger jobs and as Jenna was in her second year at Abbottsford University their paths seldom crossed anymore which for Jenna at least made her want him even more.
Apart from his professional work he was also very active in the church, at St Winfred’s as well as farther afield.
This involved among other things, being a greeter at the church services, delivering Parish Magazines, and helping at the Christmas Bazaar in fact you name it and he did it and that was only in the village.
His wider good works included the Soup Kitchens in Finchbottom or Purplemere, the Christmas Charity Wagon in Sharpington, which was an old Mornington Brewery dray pulled by two white shire horses with the whole thing bedecked with tinsel and lights and carried on the back a multi denominational choir.
John Cooper was among those going from door to door, as the wagon drove around the town, collecting donations in plastic buckets and handing out sweets to the excited children.
He also helped out on the Santa Express, which was something else to behold.
The Santa Express was a renovated steam engine and coaches, which ran from Sharping St Mary station to a secret location where Santa was waiting in his grotto.
It picked up the local children and their parents late afternoon so that they arrived at the grotto in darkness in order to make the most of the spectacular lights.
It was one of the high points of his year, he well remembered his parents taking him when he was a young lad and he liked to see other the kids as excited as he used to be at their age.
But then as if all his other good deeds weren’t enough he decided to volunteer for the Roving Angels and after his training at St John’s Church in Purplemere, and his receipt of his Roving Angels uniform he was deemed ready for duty.
(Part 02)
He had timed his first Patrol to be in January so as not to impact on his other commitments around the busy Christmas period.
On Friday he finished work at lunchtime as that night was his first patrol with the Roving Angels.
He couldn’t deny that he had reservations about doing it despite all the encouragement and wondered if it was really for him.
He left the house in his newly acquired uniform, worn over several layers including Long John’s and stout boots and thick socks.
As it was forecast to be minus 6 that night he was going to need every stitch of clothing to keep warm so he donned a woollen hat, scarf and gloves.
The Roving Angels had been in existence for about two years and was similar to the Street Angels, Street Pastors and other groups that had sprung up all across the UK in the previous 12 or 15 years.
They had made a really positive impact on crime and antisocial behaviour in Finchbottom and Purplemere town centres over the first two years particularly in the general vicinity of the bars and clubs.
They provided a calming presence on the streets late at night in situations where a police uniform might have the opposite effect.
In the two years since they began Roving Angels had contributed to a 29% fall in public place violence on the weekends.
It all began when Christian Churches in the area came together with the Police and the Borough Council to establish the Angels.
But it took people of Faith to make it work as with so many things in life.
To be perfectly honest he was feeling a little apprehensive about his maiden patrol as he drove to Finchbottom.
He was after all doing something he had never done before and patrolling the streets in the small hours was not without its risks one of which being that drunks are such unpredictable creatures.
Not to mention the fact it was a bitterly cold night and he was a bit of a wimp and it was to be a long shift starting at 10pm and possibly finishing as late as 4am.
All the bars and clubs closed for the night at 3 am but the clientele have been known to hang around.
He had to confess that when he went into the council building where the Angel volunteers congregated he had butterflies in his stomach.
He supposed he was nervous of meeting a bunch of strangers but when he walked in he found that he knew almost half of the assembled group one of whom was Michael Hargrave who also lived in Mornington.
“John” he said offering his hand “good to see you”
“Hi Mike” he responded taking his hand “I didn’t know you were an Angel”
“Yes” he said “since the beginning”
“Really?” he asked
“Yes” he responded proudly “two years now”
Although he had been trained he didn’t really know what to expect so he was quite relieved to find he was going out on the first hour, the quiet hour, with Mike, who was a veteran.
As expected it was an uneventful maiden patrol which saw Michael taking the lead with him carrying the back pack full of Flip Flops, lollipops, space blankets and the first aid kit.
(Part 03)
Going out on his first patrol with Michael Hargrave was useful for him, Mike showed him the boundaries of the patrol area and he pointed out the potential hotspots for later, he showed him all the CCTV camera locations and identified areas not covered and crucially the radio dead zones.
Also the quiet stroll gave him and Mike a chance to chat and catch up.
After the first uneventful hour there was an hour of coffee and chat in the council building then out again at midnight until one.
That also proved to be rather uneventful in fact Michael said he had never known it so quiet, they concluded it must be the low temperature, nobody was hanging around.
On their last lap around town they did come upon a group of girls who had just spilled out of one bar and were negotiating with the bouncers to get in another one and on the periphery of the group was a face John recognised.
He hesitated before speaking because he didn’t want to embarrass the girl but while he was wondering what best to do she spoke to him.
“Hello John” Jenna said a little tipsy
“Hello Jen” he said
“What are you doing out this late?” he asked himself.
It was then that he noticed a small group of lads lurking in the shadows.
“Are you on your own?” he asked, “Where’s Kath?”
Kathryn Williams was her best friend
She nodded in response to the first part and shrugged at the second, which he interpreted to mean they had had a falling out.
“You make sure you get a cab home,” he told her
“Ok” she answered
“Have you got enough money?” John asked
“Yes John” she replied
“What’s it got to do with you?” a loud mouthed girl from the main group said
“Are you a paedo?”
“That’s enough of that if you want to get in here,” the bouncer said and then they all filed into the pub, Jenna included.
The other girls were much older than her and he was a little worried, then the group of lads emerged from the shadows and also entered the pub.
“You know her then” Mike said as they headed back to the office.
“Yes” he replied, “So do you, Jenna Crockford, she lives in the village”
He was mightily relieved to get back inside at one o’clock, he was frozen and he didn’t understand how the girls could walk around half naked in that weather.
It took almost all the next hour to thaw out and he was not looking forward to another shift and he was mightily relieved when the Supervisor announced that they would be finishing at 3am.
Because it was so cold no one was hanging around to cause trouble so his final patrol was deemed unnecessary.
With that news John and Mike said their farewells and headed out towards the car park.
As they were walking down the road they saw a most extraordinary sight on the other side of the road.
There was a girl squatting beside a parked car peeing against the hubcap, which to all intents and purposes sounded like it was being jet washed.
At the same time her friend, they presumed she was a friend as they were engaged in conversation, was peeing like a horse against a shop door.
But the remarkable thing to Johns mind was that while this was going on a young man walked briskly down the path between them and said
“Alright girls?” as he high fived them both.
John was absolutely gobsmacked at what he was seeing.
But Mike on seeing his reaction just laughed, he had clearly seen it all before.
(Part 04)
When John and Mike reached the carpark they were parked within a few cars of each other and after a brief chat Mike got in his and had driven out of the car park before John had even started the engine.
Once the engine had warmed up a bit and hot air started to blow through the vents he got out and took off his coat and fleece.
He knew from the journey over, that once the heater got running full throttle it would be too hot with them on and as he drove out of the car park the car was toasty warm.
As luck would have it his route took him past the railway station and the taxi rank and as he reached the former he noticed Jenna staggering towards the latter and more alarmingly just behind her was the small bunch of lads he had seen following her earlier.
So he pulled up just ahead of her and wound down the window.
“Do you want a lift?” he called
“I’ve got taxi fare,” she slurred
“Look” and she waved a ten-pound note at him.
“You’d better get in then” he said
When she got in the car John noticed she was shivering so he reached over to the back seat and grabbed his fleece
“Put that around you” he suggested
“Ok” she said, “Oooh it’s still warm”
Then he gave her his coat as well and put it over her legs and lap and tucked it around her.
When he looked up the young lads were just passing the car and they all stared in so he locked the doors.
On the journey back to the village he garnered from Jenna that she had indeed fallen out with her best friend Kath.
It was a typically trivial reason brought about by Kath texting her boyfriend while Jenna was on a sleepover at Kathryn’s.
Jenna also admitted she got jealous and stormed out of Kath’s house and went to see another friend, Summer, who had the bright idea of going into Finchbottom.
Summer then met her ex-boyfriend and abandoned Jenna who then tagged along with the group of older girls that John saw her with and it was then that she started crying.
As luck would have it they were just approaching a lay-by so he pulled over to comfort her, nothing else.
He had offered her a lift out of genuine Christian kindness and because he cared about her and not because he wanted to take advantage of her while she was drunk.
He just pulled over to give her a hug and calm her down and as soon as he pulled on the hand brake she leapt into his arms.
“Oh John what am I going to do?” she sobbed, “I’ve been so stupid”
Well it took about 10 minutes to calm her down enough to establish that Kathryn wasn’t expecting her back that night but he certainly couldn’t take her home in her drunken state, her parents would not have been pleased so as he had the house to himself he said
“You can sleep on the sofa at mine”
“It doesn’t have to be the sofa” she slurred and placed her hand on his crotch.
“You can stop tha...” he began but she had passed out and her hand went limp.
When he got back to the house he pulled up on the drive and set about carrying the drunken Jenna into the house.
Not an easy task even taking into account she was barely seven stones.
In the end he chose the fireman’s lift technique, which was easiest once he got her out of the car.
John took her straight into the lounge and deposited her on the sofa.
He left her there and went back to lock the car and secure the front door.
He then threw a blanket over her, turned off the lights and went upstairs.
When he finally got to his bed he went out like a light the moment his head hit the pillow.
(Part 05)
It was just after eight when he went downstairs to check on Jenna and found she was already up.
And as soon as he walked into the lounge she threw herself in his arms.
“I’m sorry” Jenna whispered
“What for?” he asked
“For being a drunken bum.” she said “and embarrassing myself”
“As long as you’ve learned a lesson,” he said sagely
“Am I forgiven then?” she asked
“Of course” he replied “but what about Kath?”
“I phoned her already and I’m off to see her now to make things up”
Then she kissed him long and passionately and then she was gone.
For some reason, despite the fact that he had only had four hours sleep he was wide awake, it was probably the intensity of the kiss, but he decided not to go back to bed.
He was quite hungry so he cooked himself a full English breakfast and he ate it on his lap in the lounge while watching TV.
After that he still wasn’t tired so he had a long soak in the bath and by the end of it he was yawning so after finishing his ablutions he returned to bed where he had a lovely restful dream filled sleep dreaming about Jenna and that kiss.
It was a lovely dream so vivid that he imagined he could feel her soft lips on his.
It left him thinking that the age difference between them didn’t matter and when she kissed him she didn’t seem to think he was out of her league.
So as he got out of bed he was feeling very positive until he looked in the mirror.
“It was obviously drink induced” he said to his reflection “She passed out in the car after all”
He slipped on his bathrobe feeling more optimistic.
“But she wasn’t drunk when she snogged me this morning before she left” he said triumphantly and opened the bedroom door.
“Hungover then” his doubtful side countered as he walked to the bathroom
“Oh this is getting me nowhere” he snapped as he stepped in the shower “Does she fancy me or not?”
By the time he had finished in the shower he had made a decision so after shaving and dressing he slipped out the front door heading for the Crockford’s, however halfway there he lost his nerve and diverted down the alley.
In between the Cooper’s at number 4 and the Crockford’s at number 5
There was an alleyway which lead from The Close and emerged between Mazzone’s Hairdressers and the Dental Surgery in The Street.
But John didn’t proceed down the alley he merely paced up and down muttering to himself that he needed to get a back bone.
He had been pacing for about ten minutes when he heard a voice from above.
It was Jenna who had been watching him with amusement from her bedroom window, but her amusement was giving way to frustration.
“Are you ever going to get round to asking me out?”
“That depends” he replied
“On what?”
“On whether you say yes or no” John said
“Well why don’t you knock on the front door and find out” she said and closed the window.
John took a deep breath and knocked on the glass and the door opened immediately and a grinning Jenna was on the other side of it.
“Hello John this is a nice surprise” she said
“Hi Jen” he said
“What can I do for you?”
“I was just wondering…” John began falteringly
“Yes” Jenna said
“I mean would you….”
“Yes” Jenna said again
“Will you….”
“Yes, yes, yes” she said “how many times must I say yes before you snog my face off?”
It proved to be a rhetorical question as she followed it by taking the kiss she desired which was prolonged and spine tingling.
Downshire Diary – (31) She’ll be Wearing Pink Pyjamas
(Part 01)
Anthony Flood was approaching his 44th birthday and had never felt so young and vital as he had since the episode when had kissed Fiona Fortson in the stationary cupboard, or more precisely she had kissed him.
At the time he had known her for roughly six months and had had a crush on her since the first moment he saw her.
She was in his sister’s bible study group which was held at his house every two or three weeks.
When the diminutive woman standing 4 feet 11 in her stocking feet looked at him with her large saucer eyes he was ensnared.
Even before she deployed the warm mesmerizing smile he was smitten.
But as remarkably beautiful as her face was, her figure on the other hand was singularly unremarkable.
She had short chubby legs, a flat chest and a barely distinguishable waist.
Though her bum was an altogether different proposition and each buttock was beautifully defined inside her cargos.
Anthony however despite being attracted to her didn’t envisage that anything would ever come of it, he was 12 years her senior and she was a sensible Christian girl.
So it came as quite a surprise when his sister Jane volunteered him to help Fiona retrieve something from the stationary cupboard and he ended up helping himself to a snog.
After the event Anthony felt a surprising lack of guilt about it even though he had snogged a fellow congregant on church property during the Sunday service while his sister Jane sat in the congregation.
He didn’t know if Fiona felt guilty, he hadn’t seen her to ask her.
Though in fairness it was Fiona who had initiated the action in the cupboard when she feigned a slip from the steps and fell into his arms.
He remembered so well watching Fiona taking her seat after the event and she looked across at him and smiled,
Anthony winked at Fiona and her face went scarlet and then she looked away.
But when a moment later she turned and looked at him again she smiled broadly and he knew the stationary cupboard kiss was a proper beginning.
However in the week following that eventful Sunday Anthony was away in Nettlefield on business so it hadn’t been the beginning of anything and so it was the next Monday when he decided to act and he decided to visit one of the places she worked and talk to her away from the church.
Fiona had a wonderful work ethic, which was something else he admired her for and she held down three part time jobs.
Monday to Wednesday she worked at Abbotts Gardens Centre, Thursdays and Fridays she worked Dustbusters domestic cleaning services and at weekends she worked in the café and bookshop at St Joseph’s church, which was situated on the edge of the town centre.
(Part 02)
Fiona had a wonderful work ethic, which was something else he admired her for and she held down three part time jobs.
Monday to Wednesday she worked at Abbotts Gardens Centre, Thursdays and Fridays she worked Dustbusters domestic cleaning services and at weekends she worked in the café and bookshop at St Joseph’s church, which was situated on the edge of the town centre.
He visited the Abbotts Gardens Centre numerous times but failed to see her, so he went into the café and bookshop on three separate occasions just in case she was doing extra shifts but there was no sign of her there either.
So he thought that she was obviously racked with guilt and was either keeping a low profile or had left.
Anthony couldn’t keep turning up at the church looking for her as people would doubtless notice and be suspicious, he had already visited the bookshop more times in one week than he had in the previous two years.
And that would have been that had it not been for an overheard conversation between his sister and the café and bookshop manager, Mrs Patmore.
“Yes I can do a couple of hours on Saturday” Jane said “And I hope Fiona is better soon”
After Jane had hung up the phone Anthony asked
“What was all that about?”
“Mrs Patmore is looking for help at the café while Fiona is laid up” she replied
“Why what’s wrong with her?” his asked casually
“She fell off those rickety steps last Sunday” Jane said in her “I knew that would happen”
He and Jane hadn’t been to St Dunstan’s that day as they had a christening to attend at St Lucy’s in Sharpington
“Oh dear” he said wondering if she was thinking about the previous weeks antics “is she ok?”
“Badly sprained ankle” Jane said
It was Wednesday when he got the news about Fiona’s fall, and once he realised she wasn’t seriously hurt Anthony wondered if it would be classed as a fall from grace.
Particularly if she was reminiscing on the previous outing on the steps.
He spent the next couple of days trying to think of a plausible ruse that would enable him to go round and see her.
The ruse would be superfluous for Fiona as she would know why his was really there, the ruse was for the benefit of Judith who was Fiona’s flatmate.
He racked his brain for a solution but none came so he resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn’t see her until she returned to work.
On Saturday morning he was busy in the garden pruning back the shrubbery when Jane appeared at the backdoor
“I’m doing a shift at the café this afternoon” she called
“Ok” he replied
“There is a bunch of flowers on the table” she continued “I don’t have time to drop them off, so can you do it?”
“Sure” he replied “who are they for?”
“Fiona of course” she said “why do you never pay attention”
Flowers, why didn’t he think of flowers, it was perfect.
So as soon as Jane had left he went upstairs and showered and shaved.
Then he got in his car and drove the six miles to the small block of flats where Fiona lived.
(Part 03)
As soon as Jane had left he went upstairs and showered and shaved.
Then he got in his car and drove the six miles to the small block of flats where Fiona lived
He walked up to the first floor and rang the bell and a few minutes later it was opened by Judith Small the flat mate.
“Hi Judith” he said “I have flowers for the invalid”
“Hello Mr Flood” she said politely “Do come in”
As he followed Judith down the hall staring at her denim clad derriere he thought that Fiona’s flat mate had the three main attributes that Fiona lacked youth, height and breasts, but despite that there was something Judith didn’t have and that was the equal to her bum and more importantly her heart.
“It’s Mr Flood” Judith announced as he walked in
“Hello Anthony” she said recumbent on the sofa with her sprained ankle resting on a chair supported by a large cushion.
She was wearing a blue fleecy dressing gown over the top of pink striped pyjamas.
“What a lovely surprise”
“I come bearing gifts” he said and proffered the bunch of flowers which Judith snatched from his grasp and took them away to the kitchen
“They’re lovely” said the Carrington Chase educated girl and motioned with her head like someone watching the grand prix and has just seen the car race down the home straight.
He sat down on the sofa next to her.
“I would have come sooner” he said after Judith had gone.
“But…” He didn’t finish his sentence as Fiona had taken hold of his hand which she continued to hold until Judith reappeared.
“What happened?” Anthony asked with concern
“I fell off those blessed steps and you weren’t there to catch me” she said
“Or kiss me” she added in a whisper
“I wish I had been” he said and she blushed
Just then Judith’s mobile went off and she took it out of the room to answer it and the moment she went out the door Fiona took hold of his hand again but released it a moment later when Judith returned
“Will you be alright if I just pop into town?” she asked “I won’t be long”
“Of course” Fiona replied “Anthony will keep me company for a little while, won’t you Anthony?”
“Oh yes” he replied “I’ll take good care of her”
The second they heard the front door close Fiona took hold of his hand again and held it against her cheek.
“How’s your ankle?” he asked
“Not too bad” she said and Anthony took that to mean that she wanted a cuddle so he put his arm around her.
“I was hoping you would come to see me” she said in her posh wanton accent
“I came as soon as I could” he explained
“I know” she said holding his palm against her cheek and he moved closer to her and kissed her mouth.
She reciprocated instantly with lips, soft and yielding, and her mouth was hot and her tongue was inquisitive.
In the hour and a half that Judith left them alone together they did more than kiss, they declared their love for each other.
But they decided to keep it to themselves for the time being which they thought made their relationship all the more exciting.
Anthony Flood was approaching his 44th birthday and had never felt so young and vital as he had since the episode when had kissed Fiona Fortson in the stationary cupboard, or more precisely she had kissed him.
At the time he had known her for roughly six months and had had a crush on her since the first moment he saw her.
She was in his sister’s bible study group which was held at his house every two or three weeks.
When the diminutive woman standing 4 feet 11 in her stocking feet looked at him with her large saucer eyes he was ensnared.
Even before she deployed the warm mesmerizing smile he was smitten.
But as remarkably beautiful as her face was, her figure on the other hand was singularly unremarkable.
She had short chubby legs, a flat chest and a barely distinguishable waist.
Though her bum was an altogether different proposition and each buttock was beautifully defined inside her cargos.
Anthony however despite being attracted to her didn’t envisage that anything would ever come of it, he was 12 years her senior and she was a sensible Christian girl.
So it came as quite a surprise when his sister Jane volunteered him to help Fiona retrieve something from the stationary cupboard and he ended up helping himself to a snog.
After the event Anthony felt a surprising lack of guilt about it even though he had snogged a fellow congregant on church property during the Sunday service while his sister Jane sat in the congregation.
He didn’t know if Fiona felt guilty, he hadn’t seen her to ask her.
Though in fairness it was Fiona who had initiated the action in the cupboard when she feigned a slip from the steps and fell into his arms.
He remembered so well watching Fiona taking her seat after the event and she looked across at him and smiled,
Anthony winked at Fiona and her face went scarlet and then she looked away.
But when a moment later she turned and looked at him again she smiled broadly and he knew the stationary cupboard kiss was a proper beginning.
However in the week following that eventful Sunday Anthony was away in Nettlefield on business so it hadn’t been the beginning of anything and so it was the next Monday when he decided to act and he decided to visit one of the places she worked and talk to her away from the church.
Fiona had a wonderful work ethic, which was something else he admired her for and she held down three part time jobs.
Monday to Wednesday she worked at Abbotts Gardens Centre, Thursdays and Fridays she worked Dustbusters domestic cleaning services and at weekends she worked in the café and bookshop at St Joseph’s church, which was situated on the edge of the town centre.
(Part 02)
Fiona had a wonderful work ethic, which was something else he admired her for and she held down three part time jobs.
Monday to Wednesday she worked at Abbotts Gardens Centre, Thursdays and Fridays she worked Dustbusters domestic cleaning services and at weekends she worked in the café and bookshop at St Joseph’s church, which was situated on the edge of the town centre.
He visited the Abbotts Gardens Centre numerous times but failed to see her, so he went into the café and bookshop on three separate occasions just in case she was doing extra shifts but there was no sign of her there either.
So he thought that she was obviously racked with guilt and was either keeping a low profile or had left.
Anthony couldn’t keep turning up at the church looking for her as people would doubtless notice and be suspicious, he had already visited the bookshop more times in one week than he had in the previous two years.
And that would have been that had it not been for an overheard conversation between his sister and the café and bookshop manager, Mrs Patmore.
“Yes I can do a couple of hours on Saturday” Jane said “And I hope Fiona is better soon”
After Jane had hung up the phone Anthony asked
“What was all that about?”
“Mrs Patmore is looking for help at the café while Fiona is laid up” she replied
“Why what’s wrong with her?” his asked casually
“She fell off those rickety steps last Sunday” Jane said in her “I knew that would happen”
He and Jane hadn’t been to St Dunstan’s that day as they had a christening to attend at St Lucy’s in Sharpington
“Oh dear” he said wondering if she was thinking about the previous weeks antics “is she ok?”
“Badly sprained ankle” Jane said
It was Wednesday when he got the news about Fiona’s fall, and once he realised she wasn’t seriously hurt Anthony wondered if it would be classed as a fall from grace.
Particularly if she was reminiscing on the previous outing on the steps.
He spent the next couple of days trying to think of a plausible ruse that would enable him to go round and see her.
The ruse would be superfluous for Fiona as she would know why his was really there, the ruse was for the benefit of Judith who was Fiona’s flatmate.
He racked his brain for a solution but none came so he resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn’t see her until she returned to work.
On Saturday morning he was busy in the garden pruning back the shrubbery when Jane appeared at the backdoor
“I’m doing a shift at the café this afternoon” she called
“Ok” he replied
“There is a bunch of flowers on the table” she continued “I don’t have time to drop them off, so can you do it?”
“Sure” he replied “who are they for?”
“Fiona of course” she said “why do you never pay attention”
Flowers, why didn’t he think of flowers, it was perfect.
So as soon as Jane had left he went upstairs and showered and shaved.
Then he got in his car and drove the six miles to the small block of flats where Fiona lived.
(Part 03)
As soon as Jane had left he went upstairs and showered and shaved.
Then he got in his car and drove the six miles to the small block of flats where Fiona lived
He walked up to the first floor and rang the bell and a few minutes later it was opened by Judith Small the flat mate.
“Hi Judith” he said “I have flowers for the invalid”
“Hello Mr Flood” she said politely “Do come in”
As he followed Judith down the hall staring at her denim clad derriere he thought that Fiona’s flat mate had the three main attributes that Fiona lacked youth, height and breasts, but despite that there was something Judith didn’t have and that was the equal to her bum and more importantly her heart.
“It’s Mr Flood” Judith announced as he walked in
“Hello Anthony” she said recumbent on the sofa with her sprained ankle resting on a chair supported by a large cushion.
She was wearing a blue fleecy dressing gown over the top of pink striped pyjamas.
“What a lovely surprise”
“I come bearing gifts” he said and proffered the bunch of flowers which Judith snatched from his grasp and took them away to the kitchen
“They’re lovely” said the Carrington Chase educated girl and motioned with her head like someone watching the grand prix and has just seen the car race down the home straight.
He sat down on the sofa next to her.
“I would have come sooner” he said after Judith had gone.
“But…” He didn’t finish his sentence as Fiona had taken hold of his hand which she continued to hold until Judith reappeared.
“What happened?” Anthony asked with concern
“I fell off those blessed steps and you weren’t there to catch me” she said
“Or kiss me” she added in a whisper
“I wish I had been” he said and she blushed
Just then Judith’s mobile went off and she took it out of the room to answer it and the moment she went out the door Fiona took hold of his hand again but released it a moment later when Judith returned
“Will you be alright if I just pop into town?” she asked “I won’t be long”
“Of course” Fiona replied “Anthony will keep me company for a little while, won’t you Anthony?”
“Oh yes” he replied “I’ll take good care of her”
The second they heard the front door close Fiona took hold of his hand again and held it against her cheek.
“How’s your ankle?” he asked
“Not too bad” she said and Anthony took that to mean that she wanted a cuddle so he put his arm around her.
“I was hoping you would come to see me” she said in her posh wanton accent
“I came as soon as I could” he explained
“I know” she said holding his palm against her cheek and he moved closer to her and kissed her mouth.
She reciprocated instantly with lips, soft and yielding, and her mouth was hot and her tongue was inquisitive.
In the hour and a half that Judith left them alone together they did more than kiss, they declared their love for each other.
But they decided to keep it to themselves for the time being which they thought made their relationship all the more exciting.
Wednesday 29 March 2017
Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (30) The Verger’s Patience
(Part 01)
The village of Highfinch sits just on the edge of the Pepperstock Hills and the Lily Green Hollows Golf Club separated the village from the Hamlet of Lily Green, and the combination of the two made up the parish of St Martins.
The Vicar of the said parish was Reverend Jenna Lawton, soon to be Faulkner.
Although she was relatively new to the role of Vicar she had previously been Reverend Mortimer’s Curate, a position she held for ten years.
However when the previous Vicar suffered a serious heart attack it was so severe he was unable to resume his duties.
Almost her first act as Vicar of St Martins was to appoint Tom Rowlands as her Verger.
He was replacing 70 year old Carl Daniel who had held the position under Reverend Mortimer for 30 years and when his old friend was struck down he took it as a sign that he should retire his services.
Tom had lived in Lily Green all of his life and still lived in the same cottage where he was born.
Lily Green was an idyllic hamlet and the cottage had proper chocolate box quaintness.
In fact it was perfect in almost every way save one, he didn’t have someone special to share it with.
His parents were gone and he had no siblings, his mother had him late in life.
He was an unremarkable looking man, anonymous looking really.
In fact everything about him was average, average height, average build, grey eyes and mousy hair.
He was 33 years old and he’d been alone for 5 years but the church offered him something he had never had, a large family.
He responded to the love he found at St Martin’s and became a hard worker on their behalf in every aspect of Church life.
Choir, parish magazine, youth groups, Sunday school, Fund Raising, sales, Fetes, and Bazaars.
And it was through the church that he met Patience Rudd.
His reward for all his hard work was a phone call a few days after Jenna Lawton was confirmed as the new Vicar.
“Tom?” a woman’s voice said
“Yes that’s me” he replied
“It’s Jenna” she said “Jenna Lawton”
“Hello Vicar” he said.
“What can I do for you?”
“I know its short notice but...” she hesitated
“Would you mind taking Carl Daniel's place on the church committee?”
“What me?”
“Yes you” She confirmed “we are fast approaching the festive season and well…”
“Of course, when do you need me?”
“Ten minutes?” she asked hopefully
“Ok” he said “I’ll leave now”
After his first meeting sitting on the church committee he was asked to stay on afterwards by the Vicar and he was a little nervous when she closed the door.
“Thank you for stepping into the breech” Jenna said
“That’s ok Vicar”
“I have something else to ask of you” she said
“Ask away”
“I would like you to apply for the Vergers job” Jenna said
“Oh no” he replied “I couldn’t do that”
“But you would be perfect” she said “nobody works harder than you do for St Martins”
“But that’s just on a voluntary basis” he said “I’m not qualified to be Verger”
“You are perfectly qualified” Jenna said “Please think about it”
(Part 02)
Tom took the Vicars advice and applied to fill the vacancy as Verger and his first official task saw him carrying the Virge at the Sunday service on the first Sunday of Advent and he had never felt prouder but when he went home he had no one to share it with.
He did have someone in mind who he would have liked to share his big moment with and that was Patience Rudd.
He had known her for 5 years ever since he started attending St Martins, she was a few years younger than him and was also unremarkable looking, and ticked all the average boxes but to him she was far from ordinary.
Unlike him she had always been part of the Church since she was a little girl.
She was one of the first people he met when he made his first tentative steps into St Martin’s and Tom fell in love with the shy timid Patience instantly and the attraction was mutual.
But neither of them did anything about it, they were far too shy.
Despite the fact that they did so much together for the Church they never took the tiny final step to be together.
So as the weeks turned into months and the months to years the gulf seemed to grow exponentially and the tiny step seemed more like it was a giant leap.
They always radiated towards each other on committees, pastorates and church groups and always volunteered for the same things.
And they talked freely with no awkwardness of self-consciousness as long as they didn’t think about the other in the way they wanted them to be.
Even after he became the Verger things didn’t change between them.
Although he came very close at the St Martin’s Christmas Bazaar.
Both Tom and Patience arrived early at St Martin’s School and it was already a hive of activity.
“Goodness” he said “And I was worried I was too early”
“Yes me too” she agreed
“Shall we get stuck in then” he suggested
“Yes lets”
They worked together all morning and he would have liked to have helped her on the Bric-à-brac stall but he had already volunteered to help out in Santa’s Grotto.
“I’ve got to go” he said
“Oh ok” she said flatly
“But I’ll come and help you pack up at the end if you like”
“Yes please”
To get to the grotto he had to enter via an adjoining classroom, festively decked out, which acted as an ante room where a small number of children and their accompanying parents waited their turn, and where the school’s drama teacher, Cherry Overton-Brown, who for some reason was dressed as Robin Hood, kept order.
And beyond the anteroom in the corridor there was a sizable queue of expectant children.
(Part 03)
The grotto opened to the first child at 1 pm and there was a pretty constant stream almost non-stop until 4 o’clock.
The new Curate, Rosie, dressed as and Bernard the Elf, escorted the excited or apprehensive child in from the ante chamber, who would then climb up on to Santa’s lap.
Santa would then have a quick chat with them and give them their gift, and then Tom, would take a photo.
Rosie then escorted the happy child back out to their parents and this well-oiled machine kept operating like that for 3 hours and when Rosie escorted the final child back to their waiting parents Tom followed them out.
Tom then hurried to the hall and was greeted by a smiling Patience.
In fact so radiant was her smile that he decided there and then to ask her out.
“Patience I…” he began but the Vicar suddenly appeared and started rummaging through the books and the moment was gone and he lost his nerve.
After losing his nerve at the Christmas Bazaar when the Vicar interrupted him on the verge of asking Patience out, Tom never regained it again.
So they returned to the same pattern as before, they saw a lot of each other but never went to the next level and would probably have remained that way indefinitely had fate not intervened on a late spring morning.
Tom was in the vestry talking to Hemmings Funeral Directors about three impending funerals when the Vicar appeared in the doorway wearing a worried expression, he completed his call and hung up.
“Hello Vicar” he said “Is everything ok?”
“I’m not sure” she replied “Have you heard from Patience today?”
“No I haven’t, why?”
“Well she hasn’t been in to pick up her quota of Parish Magazine’s from the Village Hall” she explained
The first Monday of the month was Parish Magazine delivery day and all the volunteers would pick them up by 10 o’clock.
But by 11.30 everyone had been in bar Patience.
“That’s not like her” he said
“No it’s not” the Vicar agreed “I’ve tried ringing but her mobile is just going to voice mail”
On hearing that Tom offered his services in her stead.
“I’ll do her round” he said “And I’ll call in to the farm and make sure she’s ok”
“That would be great Tom” she said with real relief in her voice “Thank you”
It wasn’t how he planned to spend his day but he didn’t mind and being out and about in the fresh air on such a lovely day was not a chore and it would put his mind at rest.
Patience Rudd’s “patch” was on the Kettlewell side of the village and consisted of about 25 dwellings dotted along Kettlewell Lane and Finchtop Way, it was about a two hour round trip at an average pace
But he was in a rush to check up on Patience so even though it was a warm pleasant day he set off at pace with the bag slung across his shoulder.
(Part 04)
Tom had only one thought in his head as he delivered the Parish Magazines on his way up Kettlewell Lane, Patience, and he wanted to get to Rudd’s Farm, the furthest most destination from the village on his route.
He turned off Kettlewell Lane and into Finchtop Way which was a horseshoe shaped road that climbed quite steeply up the hill then eased down the other side re-joining Kettlewell Lane some ¾ of a mile nearer to Highfinch.
Just as he was insight of Rudd’s farm it started to rain a typical spring shower which would soak him to the skin and there were no convenient trees to shelter under, so he made a run for it some fifty yards or so and just ahead was the hay barn and he thought it the most likely source of shelter so he ran in that direction.
Once he got close he noticed the door was a jar so he pushed on it softly.
“Hello” he called as the door opened and inside he found Patience Rudd laying in a heap on the floor.
“Patience!” he called and rushed to her side
He could see straight away that her leg was broken by its unnatural position.
It was obvious what had happened she had fallen from the hayloft.
“Patience!” he said and took hold of her hand which was cold.
Her eyes opened and squeezed his fingers.
“Tom” she said and gave a weak smile.
He released her hand long enough to take his coat off and lay on top of her, then he held her hand again which she gripped tightly.
“It really hurts Tom” she said
“I’ll go and get help”
“No don’t leave me” she begged
“But I need to get someone” he retorted
“There’s no one here” she explained “Mums gone to Purplemere and Dad and the boys are on the other side of the farm clearing ditches”
“Ok I’ll phone for an ambulance” he suggested
“But don’t leave me” she insisted
“Ok I’m not going anywhere”
He dialled 999 and responded to all the operators’ questions.
“Ambulance please”
“Rudd Farm, Finchtop Way, off Kettlewell Lane”
“A girl has fallen from the hayloft, and has a broken leg”
“I don’t know if she lost consciousness, I don’t even know when she fell, but she’s cold frightened and in pain”
“My name is Tom Rowlands and I’m not going anywhere”
“Do you promise” Patience said weakly
“Do I promise what?” he asked
“Not to go anywhere” she said
“Absolutely”
“Say it then” she begged
“I promise not to go anywhere” Tom said “I promise not to leave you, and I promise that I’m never going to leave you”
“That’s a lot of promises”
“I mean to keep them all” he said
All the feelings of hopeless longing he had felt for her over the previous 5 years came swimming to the surface, and along with them came anger.
Anger at his weakness, his cowardice at not telling her how he felt and now she was laying broken and bruised on the floor of the barn and he could lose her forever.
Having never told her how much she was loved and how much he loved her.
And then a grave dark thought filled his mind about how the next conversation he had with Hemmings Funeral Directors could be to arrange Patience’s funeral.
“You have to tell her now before it’s too late!” he screamed inside his head
“You must”
Tom took her small hand in his hands and said
“Patience, darling, I have something important to say to you”
“Did you call me darling?” she asked dreamily
“Yes I did”
“I like that” she said
Tom was concerned she was going to lose consciousness before he said the words
“Patience, I have something very important to say to you”
“What’s that?” she said very quietly
“I love you, Patience Rudd” Tom said “I have always loved you, and I always will”
Patience never responded and drifted off into unconsciousness so he was unsure if she had heard a word he had said let alone understand it.
(Part 05)
A few moments after he had made his declaration of love he heard the ambulance approaching.
“They’re here darling” he said and kissed her hand then he rushed outside to show them the way.
“Over here!” he shouted
He kept in the back ground while the paramedics did their thing and listened intently to what they were saying.
He was right about the broken leg but in addition she had a dislocated shoulder and several cracked ribs.
Tom went out into the yard and phoned the Vicar and let her know what had happened.
While he was there Mrs Rudd drove into the yard and broke sharply.
“What’s happened?” she shouted
“Patience fell from the hay loft” Tom said
“Is she ok?”
Just as Tom was about to tell her what he knew. Andy Mason, the paramedic, appeared from the barn, at one end of a trolley so Tom deferred to him.
While he explained to Mrs Rudd the rest of the trolley appeared with Patience aboard, Andy finished just as the procession reached the back of the ambulance and then he said
“We’ll take her to The Royal Downshire in Purplemere”
“Ok I’ll follow on in the car” she replied
But just before they loaded Patience into the ambulance she opened her eyes and pulled the oxygen mask aside and said
“I love you too Tom”
Then she closed her eyes again and Andy replaced her mask.
“I suppose you’d better come in the car with me” Mrs Rudd said and smiled
The village of Highfinch sits just on the edge of the Pepperstock Hills and the Lily Green Hollows Golf Club separated the village from the Hamlet of Lily Green, and the combination of the two made up the parish of St Martins.
The Vicar of the said parish was Reverend Jenna Lawton, soon to be Faulkner.
Although she was relatively new to the role of Vicar she had previously been Reverend Mortimer’s Curate, a position she held for ten years.
However when the previous Vicar suffered a serious heart attack it was so severe he was unable to resume his duties.
Almost her first act as Vicar of St Martins was to appoint Tom Rowlands as her Verger.
He was replacing 70 year old Carl Daniel who had held the position under Reverend Mortimer for 30 years and when his old friend was struck down he took it as a sign that he should retire his services.
Tom had lived in Lily Green all of his life and still lived in the same cottage where he was born.
Lily Green was an idyllic hamlet and the cottage had proper chocolate box quaintness.
In fact it was perfect in almost every way save one, he didn’t have someone special to share it with.
His parents were gone and he had no siblings, his mother had him late in life.
He was an unremarkable looking man, anonymous looking really.
In fact everything about him was average, average height, average build, grey eyes and mousy hair.
He was 33 years old and he’d been alone for 5 years but the church offered him something he had never had, a large family.
He responded to the love he found at St Martin’s and became a hard worker on their behalf in every aspect of Church life.
Choir, parish magazine, youth groups, Sunday school, Fund Raising, sales, Fetes, and Bazaars.
And it was through the church that he met Patience Rudd.
His reward for all his hard work was a phone call a few days after Jenna Lawton was confirmed as the new Vicar.
“Tom?” a woman’s voice said
“Yes that’s me” he replied
“It’s Jenna” she said “Jenna Lawton”
“Hello Vicar” he said.
“What can I do for you?”
“I know its short notice but...” she hesitated
“Would you mind taking Carl Daniel's place on the church committee?”
“What me?”
“Yes you” She confirmed “we are fast approaching the festive season and well…”
“Of course, when do you need me?”
“Ten minutes?” she asked hopefully
“Ok” he said “I’ll leave now”
After his first meeting sitting on the church committee he was asked to stay on afterwards by the Vicar and he was a little nervous when she closed the door.
“Thank you for stepping into the breech” Jenna said
“That’s ok Vicar”
“I have something else to ask of you” she said
“Ask away”
“I would like you to apply for the Vergers job” Jenna said
“Oh no” he replied “I couldn’t do that”
“But you would be perfect” she said “nobody works harder than you do for St Martins”
“But that’s just on a voluntary basis” he said “I’m not qualified to be Verger”
“You are perfectly qualified” Jenna said “Please think about it”
(Part 02)
Tom took the Vicars advice and applied to fill the vacancy as Verger and his first official task saw him carrying the Virge at the Sunday service on the first Sunday of Advent and he had never felt prouder but when he went home he had no one to share it with.
He did have someone in mind who he would have liked to share his big moment with and that was Patience Rudd.
He had known her for 5 years ever since he started attending St Martins, she was a few years younger than him and was also unremarkable looking, and ticked all the average boxes but to him she was far from ordinary.
Unlike him she had always been part of the Church since she was a little girl.
She was one of the first people he met when he made his first tentative steps into St Martin’s and Tom fell in love with the shy timid Patience instantly and the attraction was mutual.
But neither of them did anything about it, they were far too shy.
Despite the fact that they did so much together for the Church they never took the tiny final step to be together.
So as the weeks turned into months and the months to years the gulf seemed to grow exponentially and the tiny step seemed more like it was a giant leap.
They always radiated towards each other on committees, pastorates and church groups and always volunteered for the same things.
And they talked freely with no awkwardness of self-consciousness as long as they didn’t think about the other in the way they wanted them to be.
Even after he became the Verger things didn’t change between them.
Although he came very close at the St Martin’s Christmas Bazaar.
Both Tom and Patience arrived early at St Martin’s School and it was already a hive of activity.
“Goodness” he said “And I was worried I was too early”
“Yes me too” she agreed
“Shall we get stuck in then” he suggested
“Yes lets”
They worked together all morning and he would have liked to have helped her on the Bric-à-brac stall but he had already volunteered to help out in Santa’s Grotto.
“I’ve got to go” he said
“Oh ok” she said flatly
“But I’ll come and help you pack up at the end if you like”
“Yes please”
To get to the grotto he had to enter via an adjoining classroom, festively decked out, which acted as an ante room where a small number of children and their accompanying parents waited their turn, and where the school’s drama teacher, Cherry Overton-Brown, who for some reason was dressed as Robin Hood, kept order.
And beyond the anteroom in the corridor there was a sizable queue of expectant children.
(Part 03)
The grotto opened to the first child at 1 pm and there was a pretty constant stream almost non-stop until 4 o’clock.
The new Curate, Rosie, dressed as and Bernard the Elf, escorted the excited or apprehensive child in from the ante chamber, who would then climb up on to Santa’s lap.
Santa would then have a quick chat with them and give them their gift, and then Tom, would take a photo.
Rosie then escorted the happy child back out to their parents and this well-oiled machine kept operating like that for 3 hours and when Rosie escorted the final child back to their waiting parents Tom followed them out.
Tom then hurried to the hall and was greeted by a smiling Patience.
In fact so radiant was her smile that he decided there and then to ask her out.
“Patience I…” he began but the Vicar suddenly appeared and started rummaging through the books and the moment was gone and he lost his nerve.
After losing his nerve at the Christmas Bazaar when the Vicar interrupted him on the verge of asking Patience out, Tom never regained it again.
So they returned to the same pattern as before, they saw a lot of each other but never went to the next level and would probably have remained that way indefinitely had fate not intervened on a late spring morning.
Tom was in the vestry talking to Hemmings Funeral Directors about three impending funerals when the Vicar appeared in the doorway wearing a worried expression, he completed his call and hung up.
“Hello Vicar” he said “Is everything ok?”
“I’m not sure” she replied “Have you heard from Patience today?”
“No I haven’t, why?”
“Well she hasn’t been in to pick up her quota of Parish Magazine’s from the Village Hall” she explained
The first Monday of the month was Parish Magazine delivery day and all the volunteers would pick them up by 10 o’clock.
But by 11.30 everyone had been in bar Patience.
“That’s not like her” he said
“No it’s not” the Vicar agreed “I’ve tried ringing but her mobile is just going to voice mail”
On hearing that Tom offered his services in her stead.
“I’ll do her round” he said “And I’ll call in to the farm and make sure she’s ok”
“That would be great Tom” she said with real relief in her voice “Thank you”
It wasn’t how he planned to spend his day but he didn’t mind and being out and about in the fresh air on such a lovely day was not a chore and it would put his mind at rest.
Patience Rudd’s “patch” was on the Kettlewell side of the village and consisted of about 25 dwellings dotted along Kettlewell Lane and Finchtop Way, it was about a two hour round trip at an average pace
But he was in a rush to check up on Patience so even though it was a warm pleasant day he set off at pace with the bag slung across his shoulder.
(Part 04)
Tom had only one thought in his head as he delivered the Parish Magazines on his way up Kettlewell Lane, Patience, and he wanted to get to Rudd’s Farm, the furthest most destination from the village on his route.
He turned off Kettlewell Lane and into Finchtop Way which was a horseshoe shaped road that climbed quite steeply up the hill then eased down the other side re-joining Kettlewell Lane some ¾ of a mile nearer to Highfinch.
Just as he was insight of Rudd’s farm it started to rain a typical spring shower which would soak him to the skin and there were no convenient trees to shelter under, so he made a run for it some fifty yards or so and just ahead was the hay barn and he thought it the most likely source of shelter so he ran in that direction.
Once he got close he noticed the door was a jar so he pushed on it softly.
“Hello” he called as the door opened and inside he found Patience Rudd laying in a heap on the floor.
“Patience!” he called and rushed to her side
He could see straight away that her leg was broken by its unnatural position.
It was obvious what had happened she had fallen from the hayloft.
“Patience!” he said and took hold of her hand which was cold.
Her eyes opened and squeezed his fingers.
“Tom” she said and gave a weak smile.
He released her hand long enough to take his coat off and lay on top of her, then he held her hand again which she gripped tightly.
“It really hurts Tom” she said
“I’ll go and get help”
“No don’t leave me” she begged
“But I need to get someone” he retorted
“There’s no one here” she explained “Mums gone to Purplemere and Dad and the boys are on the other side of the farm clearing ditches”
“Ok I’ll phone for an ambulance” he suggested
“But don’t leave me” she insisted
“Ok I’m not going anywhere”
He dialled 999 and responded to all the operators’ questions.
“Ambulance please”
“Rudd Farm, Finchtop Way, off Kettlewell Lane”
“A girl has fallen from the hayloft, and has a broken leg”
“I don’t know if she lost consciousness, I don’t even know when she fell, but she’s cold frightened and in pain”
“My name is Tom Rowlands and I’m not going anywhere”
“Do you promise” Patience said weakly
“Do I promise what?” he asked
“Not to go anywhere” she said
“Absolutely”
“Say it then” she begged
“I promise not to go anywhere” Tom said “I promise not to leave you, and I promise that I’m never going to leave you”
“That’s a lot of promises”
“I mean to keep them all” he said
All the feelings of hopeless longing he had felt for her over the previous 5 years came swimming to the surface, and along with them came anger.
Anger at his weakness, his cowardice at not telling her how he felt and now she was laying broken and bruised on the floor of the barn and he could lose her forever.
Having never told her how much she was loved and how much he loved her.
And then a grave dark thought filled his mind about how the next conversation he had with Hemmings Funeral Directors could be to arrange Patience’s funeral.
“You have to tell her now before it’s too late!” he screamed inside his head
“You must”
Tom took her small hand in his hands and said
“Patience, darling, I have something important to say to you”
“Did you call me darling?” she asked dreamily
“Yes I did”
“I like that” she said
Tom was concerned she was going to lose consciousness before he said the words
“Patience, I have something very important to say to you”
“What’s that?” she said very quietly
“I love you, Patience Rudd” Tom said “I have always loved you, and I always will”
Patience never responded and drifted off into unconsciousness so he was unsure if she had heard a word he had said let alone understand it.
(Part 05)
A few moments after he had made his declaration of love he heard the ambulance approaching.
“They’re here darling” he said and kissed her hand then he rushed outside to show them the way.
“Over here!” he shouted
He kept in the back ground while the paramedics did their thing and listened intently to what they were saying.
He was right about the broken leg but in addition she had a dislocated shoulder and several cracked ribs.
Tom went out into the yard and phoned the Vicar and let her know what had happened.
While he was there Mrs Rudd drove into the yard and broke sharply.
“What’s happened?” she shouted
“Patience fell from the hay loft” Tom said
“Is she ok?”
Just as Tom was about to tell her what he knew. Andy Mason, the paramedic, appeared from the barn, at one end of a trolley so Tom deferred to him.
While he explained to Mrs Rudd the rest of the trolley appeared with Patience aboard, Andy finished just as the procession reached the back of the ambulance and then he said
“We’ll take her to The Royal Downshire in Purplemere”
“Ok I’ll follow on in the car” she replied
But just before they loaded Patience into the ambulance she opened her eyes and pulled the oxygen mask aside and said
“I love you too Tom”
Then she closed her eyes again and Andy replaced her mask.
“I suppose you’d better come in the car with me” Mrs Rudd said and smiled
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