Page 24 of Waiting for a Bright New Future

Slowly Stuart’s brain cranked into gear. “You’re a grandma!”

“Yes. Child bride.” Florence reached the bottom of the stairs and ferreted in her oversized handbag. “I have a grandson and a granddaughter.” She produced a photograph on her phone and moved closer to Stuart so he could look. “Shayne and Eunice. And that’s my daughter, Shirley, named after my singing idol, Shirley Bassey. And that’s her partner, Jacob, standing behind. Only he’s left her now.”

“Lovely children.” He hoped that was the right thing to say. “How’s Shirley coping on her own?”

Unusually there was no immediate bouncy, witty remark from his lodger. For a few seconds Stuart thought she wasn’t going to reply and wondered if he’d put his foot in it.

Florence took a breath. “To be honest, she’s up and down. I’m worried about the kiddies. That’s why I’m going to visit. It’s a surprise — she doesn’t know I’m coming.”

“What about your gigs?”

“Our guitarist fell off a ladder and sprained both wrists so we’re temporarily off the circuit. Don’t worry, I’ll still pay my rent.”

The house would be his again! There would be no enforced jollity, no windows flung open to ‘air’ the place, no damp underwear, no dancing and no music. He could return to the warm cocoon of Radio 4 or silence, whichever he chose. Free will would return!

Florence’s grin returned. “It leaves the coast clear for you to invite Jayne into your love nest.”

It was true what they said about a woman’s intuition. He hadn’t told her anything about last night.

“Please could you run me to the station?” Florence’s eyes widened slightly. Even if he’d wanted to, saying no to that expression would have been impossible. “It’ll be nicer than getting a taxi.”

Stuart carried her suitcase to the car. She sat in the front and fiddled with the radio until she found something she could sway along to.

“No need to park up,” she said when the station came into sight. “I’ll just hop out and grab my case from the boot.”

He did park properly and he carried the suitcase onto the concourse for her. He stood there while she examined the departures board, bought a coffee and two chocolate bars.

“What happened to the diet?” he asked. Florence didn’t need to diet, that was all in her head and voiced out loud to him when she caught herself at the wrong angle in the mirror.

“A train journey isn’t a train journey unless there’s something nice to eat. If you take an apple and a carrot — pouf! All the excitement is gone.” She turned and looked down the length of the track. “This is mine, just pulling in.” She had no free hands but stretched her neck up to kiss Stuart on the cheek. “Thanks for the lift.” Then she tottered down the platform in her little red boots, the coffee balanced in the crook of her arm and the freed-up hand pulling the suitcase.

Dancing music sprang from the car stereo as soon as Stuart started the ignition. Without Florence swaying along next to him it sounded fake and over the top. He switched back to Radio 4, which was part way through a drama he couldn’t follow. He turned the noise off and retreated inside his own head and the bright prospect of seeing Jayne again that evening.

Have you decided on the film, bro? And the snacks? And the clothes you’re going to wear? It wouldn’t do to appear on a second date in the same outfit you wore for the first.

“Stop making it into such a big deal. We’re two old friends going to the cinema together.”

How many ‘old friends’ linger in an alley for twenty minutes snogging? It was beautifully sweet but definitely more than just old friends.

* * *

“You remembered!” Jayne laughed and squeezed his hand when she saw the name of the film over the entrance to the small independent cinema.

“How could I forget? You were always talking about it. How many times did you see it?”

“Every time it did the rounds. When I went with you, it was my fourth time. And you bought me an ET cuddly toy for Christmas.”

“I was too embarrassed to ask Dad for the money. I got that paper round especially to save up for it.”

“You big softy! I was so stupid to let you go.”

It was impossible to stop smiling with Jayne at his side again. This time round they bought coffee instead of coke and bypassed the popcorn, but the magic of sitting close together in the dark was exactly the same. Stuart draped his arm along the back of Jayne’s seat in the same way he’d done as a teenager. Back then, the film had been halfway through before he’d had the courage to move his arm to Jayne’s shoulders and it had been nearly time for the final credits before she’d turned her head towards him so that he could gamble on a kiss. This time they held hands from the beginning, occasionally gently squeezing fingers to reassure the other that they were more important than the film.

“That was really lovely.” Jayne smiled at him as he killed the engine on the gravel drive in front of his garage. “Thank you.”

He leaned over the handbrake and kissed her.

“I used to take ET to bed with me and wish it was you.”

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