Love In Cheshire 1966. Chapter 7.

Chapter 7

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I was sitting on the back seat of the bakery works' bus with my friend Kathy. We travelled through town, up Warwick Hill, and were heading towards the Meadowview housing estate.

         "So, Lynn, two weeks eh?"

         "You know, Kathy, I wish I had lovely long curls like you have." My blonde bob was a contrast to Kathy's dark curls but although I was being obviously evasive I really did envy Kathy's natural tresses as much as she envied my silky, blonde hair.

         "Oh, no you don't. I'm not having you changing the subject again."

         I gave a laugh. "It's two weeks tomorrow, actually."

         "Oh, actually now, is it? Upmarket Lynn, now you're dating the town stud. Won't be able to speak to you soon 'specially when you pass your test and he buys you a sporty car."

         "Wouldn't that be nice? But seriously, I think he's the answer to my dreams. My mum and brothers get on so well with him and even my dad likes him."

         "Hold on, I can hear music playing in the background. Here she comes through the mist, Upmarket Lynn, the girl for whom the sun always shines; floating on a cloud and in love with the man known as, The Vain, Conceited, Stud."

         "He's not a stud."

         "And how do you know?"

         "I don't, but he's not. Anyway, I don't think you'd kick him out of bed."

         "Tch. I don't believe you said that. But I suppose it could be true, or maybe not. If you want to find out if I can steal him from you, why don't you fetch him in The Coffee Bar tonight?"

         “If you want him that much you can have him,” I said, although it was obvious I didn’t mean it.

         “I’d best pass on that,” Kathy said and gave a laugh. "But why don’t you bring him anyway? It’ll turn a few heads if you do."

         "I have asked him a couple of times but he won't go in there. There's not enough people for him, I suppose. He likes it at The Kings Arms with all the girls bogging at him when we walk in. He thrives on it."

         "If the police catch you in there your dad'll go blinking mad."

         "There's girls in there a lot younger than me and I'll soon be eighteen anyway. Joking aside, you should come out with us one night. Mike won't mind, he likes you."

         Kathy didn't answer me. We were passing the doctor's surgery and we noticed her mother coming out. "My mum's at the doctor's again. I dunno what's going on, Lynn. My sister Jackie said she heard her talking to our Aunt Sheila about going into hospital. When I asked her about it she told me it's nothing to worry about but I am worried. It frightens me because she won't talk to me about it. I know she's scared. She can't hide it from me, I can feel it."

         "If your mum says it's nothing then it's probably not serious. Don't go getting yourself in a tizz just because your mum's been to the doctors. I went myself last week. I thought I'd go and inquire about getting put on that new birth control pill but he wouldn't give me any. He said I'd have to get married first."

         Kathy returned a wide-eyed, open-mouthed, stare at me. "You're not, you and Mike?"

         "What, not getting married or not having sex?"

         "Either."

         "Neither, I was joking but it's livened you up a bit, hasn't it?"

         "I've heard he's a right randy sod. You want to be careful with him, Lynn."

         "Don't worry, he's not gonna be randy with me," I said. I had also heard the rumours but in the two weeks we had been together Mike always behaved himself. All right he tried it on a couple of times but they all do, don't they?

         "Bet he's tried though. Bet he's tried to get his hand up your kilt."

         "Kathy!" I glanced around the bus, hoping no one heard her. "Anyway, all boys try it on, don't they? It's something boys do. It doesn't matter if they're successful or not. It's like a ritual trying as if there's something wrong with them if they don't try to get their hand up your skirt or kilt as you so poetically put it."

         "I knew he was trying it on."

         "He's not."

         "He is."

         "All right he is, but he's not having any success."

         "I knew it. I knew it, the blinking beast."

         "Oh, go back to the pasture."

         Kathy gave a puzzled look.

         I laughed before continuing. "Jealous cow."

         Kathy laughed briefly before standing up. "I'm getting off to see my mum."

         I reached up to pull the bell cord. "I'll come with you then."



         Later at Meadowview, Mike and I were relaxing after an enjoyable evening out with my parents celebrating my parents' wedding anniversary at one of the better restaurants in the town. The atmosphere had been friendly and chatty and Mike seemed pleased with the way my parents seemed to think he could do no wrong.

         I thought everything in my life was perfect and nothing could spoil it. After Mike left, I went up to my bedroom and was just about to get changed into my nightdress when someone began banging loudly and frantically on our front door. I went to the top of the stairs as my mother opened the door.

         "Whatever's the matter…" was all my mother could say before Kathy's sister, Jackie, threw herself into my mother’s arms crying loudly.

         "My mum, it's my mum, she's died," she sobbed.

         I dashed down the stairs, shocked to hear about this terrible tragedy in Kathy's family. I spoke to her mother earlier in the day and although she didn't look well, I had no idea she was so ill as to cause her to die such a short time later.

         "They rushed her to hospital and said she'd be all right," Jackie sobbed. "They said she'd be all right but they lied to me. My mum died in the hospital."

         "Oh, Jackie, I'm so sorry," I said but my words seemed useless and did nothing to ease the girl's distress or stop the tears. My mother had more success by cuddling her. I was struggling to find the words to help her. "Where's Kathy?" I asked.

         "She's at home with Aunt Sheila. Dad's at the hospital; he wouldn't let me go with him to the hospital to see her. He wouldn't let me see my mum."

         "I'll look after Jackie," my mother said. "You get down to Kathy's, she'll be worried about Jackie and she might need you."

         I grabbed my coat and dashed from the house.



         The night before Kathy's mother's funeral, I was out with Mike at the Crossways Tavern near the Meadowview Estate and due to my feelings of grief over the tragedy, I drank a few too many Cherry Bs.

         “Come on,” Mike said. “Let’s get you home.”

         “Not yet.”

         Mike pulled me up from my seat and I didn’t have the will to protest further. I felt ill when we went outside and was swaying slightly as Mike helped me over and into the van. I dozed off to sleep but when the van came to a stop I snapped my head up. “Where are we?” I asked.

         “We’re at the gym.”

         “What for? You’re supposed to be taking me home.”

          “I can't take you home in that state. I’ll make us some coffee and try to sober you up a bit. Your dad will go mad if you go home drunk.” Mike got out, walked to the passenger side, and opened the door.

         “I’m not drunk. Had a little too much maybe but I’m not drunk. What time is it anyway?”

         “Ten o’clock.” Mike took my hand and helped me from the van.

         “All right then, we’ll have a coffee and by that time my dad will probably have gone to bed.”

         Mike helped me to the entrance, unlocked the door and guided me across the gloomy gym into the office. “And no more tears,” he said.

         “Tears! I don’t think I’ve got any left in me.” I stared at the wall clock. "You said it was ten o'clock; it's half eleven."

         "Clock's wrong," he said.

         "No, I don't think so. I remember now, the bar was closing when we left; it must have been after eleven."

         Mike tried to get me in an embrace but I turned away from him. “Don’t, Mike, I’m not in the mood and I'm really annoyed you lied to me.”

         He pulled me backwards and unbalanced me causing me to tumble to the floor with him following me down.

         “Mike, what the hell do you think you're bloody playing at?" I was expecting him to help me up. "You could've bloody hurt me,” I called out. He didn’t answer me but began pulling my skirt up.

         “Stop it. Stop it, Mike. What the hell's got into you?”

         Mike ignored my words, knocked my shoes off and despite me struggling he dragged my pants and tights down my legs and off my feet before dropping down on me again. I kicked out and tried to punch him but he grabbed my arm and held it in a vice-like grip. “Oh no, no, Mike, please don’t do this to me,” I yelled. I became hysterical and started shouting for him to leave me alone but he pressed his hand over my mouth before continuing with his evil deed.



         It was well after midnight when Mike dropped me home after telling me he wanted to make sure my family were asleep in bed before bringing me home.

         Even though I'd had too much to drink I sobered up a lot after Mike attacked me and was relieved to see the house was in darkness. I was in a mess and if any of my family saw me is such a state the whole family would be alerted before I could stop them. It was obvious I had been attacked and I was worried about how my father would react if he saw his little girl in such a state.

         “I’ll see you after the funeral,” Mike said as if nothing had changed. He reached over to kiss me but I turned away, got out of the van and dashed across to my door without a word. I hurried upstairs and crept into the bathroom to clean myself up before going to bed.

         The next day I was sitting at my dressing table just staring blankly into the mirror. My mother looked in the room briefly and said she was ready to leave. I pulled down the short sleeve on my black blouse, concerned because it kept riding up a little, revealing part of a large bruise on my arm. I dare not let my mother see the bruise and I went to the wardrobe to put on a long-sleeved cardigan. I could still feel the dull pain between my legs and wondered if I should go to see my doctor but I thought he might tell the police, or even, my mother. I knew my mother would be sure to make a fuss and would tell my father. If my father found out he would go into a rage and would go out looking for Mike. When he found him he would do him some serious physical damage. I didn't want that nor did I want my father locked up for grievous bodily harm, or worse.

         My thoughts kept returning to the previous night. I was upset and yes I'd had too much to drink but that was no reason, no excuse. How could he have taken advantage like that? How could he have continued to do something that was causing me so much distress, as if I didn't matter, as if he were just using me like a piece of his gym equipment?

         I stared blankly at the wall; I couldn't erase the memory from my mind. The screams, the crying, I could picture the endless flow of tears pouring down my face. I could see it all so clearly as if I were looking on, as if it were not me. It couldn't be me. I began to tremble, my eyes were filling with tears and I began to sniffle as my nose became runny. I was looking for a handkerchief when my mother looked into the room again.

         Although my mother was concerned about my obvious distress, I knew she had drawn the wrong conclusion about the reason for it. My mother stepped into the room. "I know how you feel, Lynn," she said. "But you have to be strong for the girls. Come on, we'll have to get a move on."

         I looked at my mother. Yes, I had to be strong and I had to control the urge I was getting to run to my mother's arms and cry my eyes out, those loving arms that would hold, comfort, and protect me. A tear started to roll down my cheek and my mother moved forward to give me a comforting hug. It was too much for me, throwing my arms tightly around my mother I burst into tears.

         "Oh, Lynn, it's all right. We won't go. We don't have to go."

         "I've got to go, Mum," I sobbed. "I've got to."

         My mother took out her handkerchief and wiped my eyes and nose as if I were a child. She gave a large sigh. "Come on then, sweetheart. If you're sure you're up to it."

         We made our way up to the church. It was mid-afternoon by the time the service was over and we re-grouped at the cemetery. The sunshine beamed down from a clear blue sky, the summer flowers were in bloom, birds were singing, squirrels were darting along branches and then stopping to look around before continuing on their journey. It could have been a lovely day but the sad-faced people were standing in dark clothing. The final chapter of a dearly loved woman's life had just closed.

         My friend Kathy was seventeen and she stood trying to keep control, trying to be strong, but the tears flowed down her cheeks. Her younger sister Jackie was crying loudly and openly in their aunt's arms. Their father stood with his head bowed, receiving support from his friends. Mother and I stood a little further back from the group looking on solemnly.

         Kathy looked about her, looking at all the people around the grave before turning her head to look at me. She didn't speak but I could see that she was pleading for help. I rushed over to comfort her and to try to ease the terrible hurt she was feeling whilst hiding the physical and emotional pain I was feeling myself following the unexpected attack from the man I loved.

Love In Cheshire 1966. Chapter 8.  (18+) Brian makes a mistake, and George seizes his opportunity. #2056598 by Bruce.