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by Bruce.
Rated: 18+ · Chapter · Romance/Love · #2056786
Judy calls to see Kenny, and Kathy turns things around.
Chapter 26


҉


Badger and Kenny were chatting in The Ring O'Bells when the sound of stiletto heels on the hard passage floor interrupted their conversation. The footsteps stopped as Judy called at the bar and then continued into the small room.

         "Hiya, Kenny. Hiya, Badge."

         Kenny looked at her, gave a begrudged nod and looked away.

         Badger stood up and ignored her presence. "I'm going in the other room, Ken," he said and walked past her.

         "There's no need to ignore me, Badger. It wasn't my fault, you know." She watched him until he left the room and then walked across and sat opposite Kenny. "I was so sorry to hear about Tommy. I cried my eyes out. I only spoke to him a couple of weeks ago." She kept waiting for Kenny to speak, but he just looked back at her. "We've had some great times with Tommy. He was a good friend to all of us in the old days and I know what a good friend he was to you."

         "The best. Someone I could trust. Unlike you, someone who wouldn't dream of stabbing me in the back or betraying me. You've said your piece about Tommy and you probably mean it, but what makes you think that I suddenly give a shit about how you feel. Why are you really here, Judy?"

         "I think you know why I'm here, don't you?"

         "Yes. Yes maybe I do," Kenny said. "And you've got no fucking chance."

         "There’s no need to speak to me like that, is there? We were friends long before we were lovers."

         "Brian's a friend."

         "I know that, Kenny. You don't really think I like what happened, do you? You know our Steve; you know what he's like, but the other two are not like him. They do what he tells them to do, not what they want to do. I know they're sods but Steve's the only really bad one. They're my brothers Kenny, I love them." Judy paused waiting for Kenny to say something.

         "Go on, Judy. You're not making much headway."

         "Oh, can't you give a little bit? You used to play games with my brothers when you came to our house. It's you who taught Steve to fight. You helped to make him what he is. You should see him. You should see what you've done to his face. It looks terrible. And his leg, he's had ten stitches in his leg. You can't do that to the other two, Kenny, you can't." Judy was becoming upset and she looked into his eyes looking for a glimmer of hope but all she saw was coldness. He continued to stare at her without saying a word. The tears that had been forming in Judy's eyes began to trickle down her face as she continued. "This is nothing to do with Brian, is it? This is about me, isn't it? You think that I hurt you, now you want to hurt me. Well, I've been hurting for three years, ever since you threw me out of your life. Don't you know, Kenny? Don't you know that I still feel my heart being ripped apart every time I think about you? Is that not enough for you? You want to hurt me some more, is that it? Well, take me outside now and beat the shit out of me, but please, please will you leave my brothers alone? Please, Kenny."

         "And you can stop that bloody crying. It doesn't work anymore."

         "Doesn't work anymore. What do you mean, Kenny? It's never worked. You are so hard, so bloody hard, aren't you? You have no idea how horrible the last three years have been for me. If it weren't for our Craig I don't think I would have survived." She took out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes before taking a sip of her drink. "You haven't been near, Kenny. You never go into Barfield anymore, never go to Minstrels on Friday nights like we used to. Every Friday I still go there with the girls hoping and praying that you'll turn up. I've tried writing to you but you never answer any of my letters. And on all the times when I used to come to Locksford to try to talk to you, you either ignored me or humiliated me. But the worst thing, the thing that hurts me most is that not once, not once have you been up to see your son."

         "My son. My son," he shouted. "How the hell do you know he's my son?"

         "How the hell do you know he's not? Jesus Christ, Kenny, you only have to look at him." Judy opened her bag, took out a photograph of Craig and put it on the table. "Go on then take a look, he's your bloody double."

         "I don't want that, so you can take it away." Kenny pushed the photograph back across the table without looking at it. He took a swig of his beer before speaking. "Tell your brothers we'll call it quits, now piss off back to Barfield."

         "Thanks. Thanks, Kenny." Judy gave a smile immediately followed by a sigh. "What about us, Kenny? Can we call it quits? Can we give it another go?"

         "Bollocks."

         "Kenny, we've had some good times together. We were the perfect couple. Everybody said it, everybody. You know. You know we had a fantastic life together."

         Kenny smiled, remembering the good times: the crowd at Minstrels clearing the floor, clapping and cheering at their advanced rock'n'roll performances: setting up home together: the wonderful and passionate lovemaking sessions, but his expression changed when he remembered her infidelity. "And who messed that up?" he said.

         "I made a mistake and got drunk. Do you think I don't know that? Do you think I don't regret it every day of my life? But what happened wasn't my fault."

         "Oh, and whose fault was it then? Was it my fault? Was it my fault for going to Liverpool, to see my friends, and trusting you on your own while I was away?"

         Judy looked down with tear-filled eyes at her drink on the table and took a deep intake of breath. She took a drink, ran a hand through her hair and gave a sigh before looking back up at him. "I love you, Kenny. I love you so much and I know that you love me. Why do you pretend to hate me? Why won't you just give me another chance?"

         "Judy." He sat looking at her for a while as if deliberately trying to prolong her suffering. "I've no wish to spend the rest of my life, with a whore."

         Judy just stared at him for a moment and then she stood up and walked towards the door.

         Kenny called after her. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

         She turned to look at him. "No, you're right, Kenny. Perhaps that's all I'll ever be, because if I can't give my love to you, then I'll never give it to anyone else. Thanks again for letting my brothers off the hook. You know where I am. If you have any feelings for me at all, please put an end to all this misery." Judy turned and walked out.

         Kenny looked down at the photograph before reaching over to pick it up. He smiled as he stared at the image for a moment and then put the photograph in his pocket.



         All day Kathy had been teasing me about her date. Sometimes saying how thrilled she was and looking forward to it and then saying she would not go when he turned up because of the times he had let her down. I knew that Kathy was having great fun teasing me but although it annoyed me at times, I tried not to show that it was having an effect on me. I didn't want Kathy knowing how much I was attracted to Brian. I knew he was picking Kathy up on his motorbike at five o'clock to go swimming, and I thought that might be the reason why Kathy didn't seem to be so enthusiastic. I knew that unlike me, Kathy had never liked swimming.

         We went into Kathy's house after work. Kathy had asked me to help with the dinner so that she would have a bit more time to get ready. "Right, what do you want me to do, Kathy?"

         "It's all right, sit down. I fancy a brew."

         "Are you joking? You haven't got time to sit about."

         "Got loads of time. My dad won't be home till six, but he will expect his dinner on the table."

         "Stop messing, Kathy. Brian will be here at five. You can't expect him to hang about. We can prepare the dinner and your sister can serve it up."

         "I'm not really that bothered, Lynn. I don't think I'll go out with him anyway."

         "Oh, Kathy, don't start again."

         "No, I'm serious. He's a pig and I don't go out with pigs."

         "I don't know what's the matter with you today. He is not a pig."

         "He is. He's a swill eating, smelly, rotten pig."

         "If you don't pack this in, I'll bloody well meet him myself."

         "I knew it! I knew you'd do this to me. You've been trying to put me off him all day."

         "What! What are you talking about?"

         "You're gonna take my boyfriend from me and break my poor little heart. Oh, woe is me, woe is me, what have I done to deserve this?"

         I started laughing. "Pack it up you, idiot." I looked at Kathy who was laughing with me. "Come on, let's get a move on. You don't have much time."

         "No, I really am being serious now. I don't want to go out with him."

         "But why? He's a nice lad and bloody good-looking as well."

         "That's why. I wouldn't feel comfortable with him. I couldn't go out with a lad knowing how much you fancy him."

         I gave a look of astonishment, but I was not sure if Kathy was still fooling about. "What on earth makes you think that?"

         "Walk about with a sandwich board why don't you? That would be more discreet. You go all gooey-eyed every time you see him. You don't stop talking about him and look at that time at the garage. You could hardly keep your lecherous eyes off him. Anyway, your mum told me."

         "She didn't."

         "She did." Kathy laughed at my shocked expression. "I don't want to go swimming anyway, it'll ruin my hair. I made the date for you. Go and get yourself ready but make sure you're back here for five o'clock."

         "Are you sure. Are you really sure?" I asked excitedly. I could feel my heart beating fast as the adrenaline pumped through my body at the thought of a date with Brian.

         "Yes, I've got my eyes on somebody else. Somebody with lots and lots of money."

         "That lad with the Jaguar, Adrian," I said. Kathy winked and then smiled at me.

         "Have you got a swimsuit I can borrow? I don't want to wear my bikini."

         "Wear your bikini. Go get him, girl."

         I gave Kathy a kiss on the cheek and then hugged her tightly. "Thanks, Kathy. I love you." I walked to the door but looked back. "You've stressed me out all day you sod, but I'll get you back for it."

         "Piss off and get ready. You haven't much time." I left the house and rushed off home. I got myself ready and left a note for my mother telling her I wouldn't be home for tea. I left the Mini at home and ran along the pavement in my sneakers, tee shirt and ice-blue jeans, my duffel bag over my shoulder. I was soon back at Kathy's house and made my way straight to the hall mirror to check that everything was perfect.

         I stood waiting, nervously playing with the car keys I had brought with me and I kept walking over and looking out of the window. Kathy looked at me and smiled. "You've really got it bad, haven't you?" Kathy laughed and I laughed with her before putting a hand up to my forehead. Got it bad; you don't know the half of it, Kathy. I feel both nervous and excited. I can't wait to see Brian pulling up on his motorbike. I suddenly have a terrible thought that he might let us down again. And what if when he comes and I rush over to him, he pushes me away and calls out to Kathy to join him. I looked at Kathy; I have never really realised how wonderfully attractive she is. Even though Brian has never turned up he has always been keen to date Kathy, but he has never asked me out. Have I got this wrong. I hope not, I really do. I can hear a motorbike in the distance. Please, please let it be him. I'm hoping he will like the change of plan, or will it all be a complete disaster?



 Love In Cheshire 1966. Chapter 27.  (18+)
Things start looking good, until Vivien comes back on the scene.
#2056788 by Bruce.
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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/2056786-Love-In-Cheshire-1966-Chapter-26