Page 89 of Waiting for a Bright New Future

There were suddenly three voices talking at once at the other end of the phone and Stuart could decipher none of it. Then Florence rose in volume. “I’ll call you back later when I have a plan. It will be 28 February.”

Stuart marked the date on the calendar and felt suddenly brighter. The routine was going to be broken by something out of the ordinary, something involving Florence. But the box marked ‘Not To Be Opened’ must remain closed for reasons of sanity.

Jayne listed all the problems involved with hosting the party. From food stains on the carpets, to broken windows and parents suing when their offspring fell down the stairs.

“Neither of us have any experience of children,” she said. “Fifteen boys will wreck the joint and Robert and George will force you to make good the damage. Let Florence hire a church hall or take them to a burger joint or something.”

“No. Shayne asked me himself. I can’t let him down. You don’t have to be involved.”

“Of course I have to be involved. I’m your fiancée. Even though it means wasting a whole day of my weekend when I’ve been working and looking after Mum all week.”

If that was a dig at Stuart’s meagre part-time work compared to her full-time, much better job, he didn’t rise to it. Instead he tried to placate her.

“Your support is most welcome. Thank you. And of course Lillian is expected as well.”

* * *

Florence arrived early on the morning of the party to prepare all the food, move furniture and make the house as little-boy-proof as possible. She gave Stuart the job of filling party bags.

Apparently, every child had to go home with a bag of goodies. The small plastic bags were printed with images of pirates and the skull and cross bones. The contents consisted of a myriad of sweets, plastic dinosaurs, a whistle and a fake gold medal on a ribbon. Most of it would be discarded by tomorrow but the little boy inside him felt the excitement this trash would bring.

When the bags were filled, he buttered bread and then removed all breakable objects from the downstairs of the house. It was grey outside but Stuart put out a couple of footballs he’d bought for the occasion and then couldn’t resist dribbling one around the edge of the lawn. His skills were rusty and he and the ball ended up in a flower bed. He eased it back onto the grass and looked forward to a swarm of small boys chasing around and imagining themselves Premier League players.

In the kitchen Florence was spreading buttercream generously over a chocolate cake, seven candles in holders shaped like racing cars on the table next to her. Her tongue poked halfway from her mouth in concentration. As the day and the preparations moved on, the tension in Florence’s stance increased. Surprising since she’d never seemed to suffer from stage fright or nerves. Eventually she spoke.

“I’m so scared this will all go horribly wrong and leave your house a wreck. I should never have let Shayne ask you.”

“It’s going to be great!” Stuart’s excitement was bubbling more than he’d expected. “This house needs a burst of life. It’s been dowdy and boring for too long. Like its inhabitant.”

Florence smiled at him. “You do yourself an injustice. At another time I might—”

The doorbell cut into her words and she went silent. For a second neither of them moved. Florence with indecision on her face and Stuart hoping she’d finish what she was about to say. The doorbell rang again. Florence obeyed its demand.

It was the man with the bouncy castle, swiftly followed by Jim with Eunice and a version of Shayne that Stuart had never seen before. He was wearing a brand-new football strip, bouncing instead of walking, and talking madly about the afternoon to come. Then Jayne and Lillian arrived. Jayne was frowning as she stepped through the front door. Lillian was grinning and holding a brightly wrapped parcel. Shayne grabbed it almost before it was offered and tore at the paper to reveal an Action Man colouring book and a set of pens.

“Thank you.” His grin spoke louder than his words.

After that everything happened at once. Small boy after small boy was deposited at the front door with parents yelling their thanks for being able to disappear home to a couple of hours of peace. Stuart opened the French doors and shooed the boys onto the giant inflatable to wear themselves out. Jayne acted as health and safety, ensuring that all shoes were removed before bouncing. Eunice helped Florence finish preparing the food and Jim set himself up as a goalie for those who didn’t want to jump. Stuart stood next to Lillian and watched the somersaults, star jumps and play fights.

The whole event was something that had never happened at this house in Stuart’s lifetime. Maybe when Robert and George were young, small boys and birthdays were still enough of a novelty to warrant a party, but by the time it was Stuart’s turn, sons were routine and the much-wanted daughter was dead.

Don’t blame me for something over which I had no control. I did actually fight to stay alive.

It was an effort now to conjure up Sandra’s voice. More and more these days, his thoughts were totally his own.

He became aware of Florence calling him into the kitchen. Worried that a loose cannon of a boy might catapult off the inflatable and accidentally floor Lillian, he guided the old lady into the house with him.

“How’s it going?” Anxiety was all over Florence’s face. “Anything broken? Bones or furniture?”

“Everything’s absolutely fine.” He touched Florence on the arm to reassure her and then remembered Lillian was watching and removed his hand. “Don’t worry.”

“Tell me if I’ve forgotten anything, food-wise? Shall I pour the orange squash?”

“Yes, pour. And everything looks great.”

“Can I call them in?” Eunice had started bouncing up and down now.

Stuart gave her the thumbs-up and then the gannets landed. Jayne, Lillian and Jim stood to one side while Florence and Stuart kept everyone plied with sandwiches, pizza slices and sausage rolls followed by chocolate biscuits in a myriad of shapes. When everyone looked sated, Florence gave the nod. Jim started filming on his phone, Stuart lit the seven candles, Shayne was placed in front of the cake and Lillian started the singing of ‘Happy Birthday’. Stuart tried to remember such a crowd around him and a cake, but the memory eluded him.

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