One Rainy Day (8 page)

‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ Poppy said, slightly out of breath with walking quickly. ‘I had an accident with my coat, and I almost didn’t come because I didn’t expect you to wait so long.’

Peter was studying her face as she was speaking, and he told himself she was exactly the same as the vision he’d had of her in his mind since he’d met her at the Grafton. He’d never been as attracted to any girl as he had been to her, and now, by the light from the street lamp, she was even more beautiful than he’d imagined. ‘I’d almost given up, but I’m glad now that I waited that little bit longer.’ He cupped her elbow. ‘You are well worth waiting for. A sight for sore eyes, a vision to delight the eye.’

‘Don’t overdo it, Pete. I can’t stand false flattery.’ Poppy grinned, ‘Don’t take any notice of what I said, ’cos there isn’t
a female alive who doesn’t like to be flattered. By the way, is your name Pete?’

He shook his head. ‘I get Peter at home. Only a few of my friends call me Pete, and never within earshot of my mother, who says, “His name is Peter. Had I wanted him called Pete, I would have had him christened Pete.”’

‘I’m on your mother’s side,’ Poppy said. ‘Peter is a nice name.’

He cupped her elbow. ‘Where would you like to go? Dancing or the pictures? Mind you, we would have missed all the shorts at the cinema.’

‘Let’s go to the pictures,’ Poppy said. ‘Myrna Loy is on at the Odeon, and I could do with a good laugh. We’d be in time for the big picture. Unless there’s somewhere else you would prefer to go? I’m easy.’

‘It’s what you want, Poppy. I asked you out.’ He turned his head, ‘There’s a tram coming now, or would you prefer to wait for a bus?’

‘No, I love the trams. They’ll all be gone soon, they reckon, and there’ll only be buses. I’ll be sorry, ’cos they’ve always been part of Liverpool and I’ll miss them.’

‘Then let’s make a run for it.’ Peter grabbed her hand and pulled her after him. ‘Make the most of them before they disappear.’

Seated by the window on the tram, Poppy said, ‘You’re nothing if not a man of action, are you? You really pulled me off me feet then. For a while I had visions of being flat out on the ground for the second time today.’

Peter paid the conductor for two tickets to Lime Street, then turned to ask, ‘What did you mean? Have you fallen over once already?’

A smile hovered around Poppy’s mouth. ‘I didn’t fall, I was pushed. And that was the reason I was late meeting you. My
mother had to wash the dirt off this coat and make it presentable.’

‘Who the heck pushed you over? Were you larking about?’

‘I wasn’t larking about, I’m too old for that. No, some bloke pushed me over with his umbrella. He couldn’t help it – he didn’t see me because he was opening it up. But I landed on the ground looking ridiculous.’

‘I don’t believe you could ever look ridiculous, Poppy. And by the way, is Poppy your real name? I’ve never known a girl with that name before.’

‘I’m not the only girl in the world called that, it’s just that there aren’t many in Liverpool. It was my dad who chose the name for me, and my mam gave in to him. I’m glad she did ’cos it means I’ll never forget him. I was eight or nine when he died, but I can remember him telling me one day that him and me mam had gone for a walk in the country with my brother David in his pram, and they came across a field full of poppies. My mother was expecting me at the time, and that’s why my dad chose the name. So there you have it, Peter: my life story on the tram going into Liverpool.’

‘It’s a nice story, and I’m on your dad’s side. I think it’s a lovely name and it suits you.’ Peter glanced through the tram window and saw they were passing St George’s Hall. He jumped to his feet, saying, ‘This is our stop.’

Poppy stood in the foyer of the cinema and waited for Peter as he went to the kiosk for the tickets. When he came back, he handed her a box of Cadbury’s chocolates. She felt embarrassed, hoping he wasn’t leaving himself skint. ‘You shouldn’t have bought them, Peter. I’m quite happy coming to the pictures.’

‘I have a fairly decent job, Poppy, so you don’t have to worry your pretty head about me. And now, if we don’t want
to miss the beginning of the big picture, I suggest we move ourselves.’

When the usherette showed them to seats in the back stalls, Poppy’s mind went back to when she’d laughingly told her mother that if her date took her in the best seats she’d know he wasn’t skint. But that had been in fun, and the truth was she didn’t like blokes spending money on her, especially if they were on poor pay.

They had only just settled in their seats when the lights were dimmed, and Poppy sat back to enjoy Myrna Loy, one of her favourite stars. She opened the box of chocolates, offered it to Peter, and said, ‘Help yourself, save me passing it to you.’ Then she fixed her eyes on the screen, and was laughing at the antics of Myrna Loy and her dog when she felt a hand covering hers. She froze for a few seconds, thinking she didn’t even know the bloke and he had a bit of a cheek. Then she decided it would be childish and churlish to make a fuss. So she ate the chocolates with one hand while her other remained captive.

When the lights went up, Peter was very attentive. He took the half-empty chocolate box from her, then turned up the seats to make the way out of the row easier. Once outside the cinema, he put his arm round her waist as they walked to the bus stop. Poppy felt he was being over-familiar, but he’d behaved more like a gentleman than many of the men she’d dated, who had straying hands. Some of them thought that when the lights went down in the cinema it was time to get something in return for the money they’d forked out for her ticket. She’d walked out halfway through a film more than once because she couldn’t stand being mauled.

‘You don’t have to see me home, Peter,’ she said. ‘Not if it’s out of your way.’

‘Good heavens, Poppy, what sort of man would let a young lady make her own way home after a date? I don’t know about any of the other dates you’ve had, but this date takes the young lady right to her front door, so I know you get home safe and sound.’

Poppy couldn’t resist the retort that came to her lips. ‘Even on the first date? I mean, I wouldn’t mind to the top of the street, but to the front door suggests I’m not capable of looking after myself.’

‘Not at all,’ Peter told her. ‘I believe you are more than able to look after yourself. Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, and if you think that, well, I’m sorry. But that’s the way I’ve been brought up. If I offended you, then I apologize.’ He handed her the half-empty box of chocolates. ‘If you prefer to make your own way home, I won’t stop you.’

Poppy reached for his arm as he turned to walk away. ‘Good grief, Peter! What are yer taking the huff over? I didn’t mean to insult you.’ She waited until he was facing her before she told him what she hadn’t even told her mam and her brother. ‘I’m not usually so sarcastic, letting me tongue run away with me like that. I told you what happened to me this morning, and I’ve made light of it to everyone because I didn’t want them to feel sorry for me. So, trying to be clever and brave, I put a false face on. And I’ve done the same with you. The only reason I’m telling you this now is because I don’t want you to think I’m rude and sarcastic. The truth is, though, it wasn’t only me pride that was hurt, it was the bottom of me back and me two elbows. And it was a shock to me whole body. I ache all over. I didn’t tell me mam or she’d be worried sick and fuss over me. And my brother would have insisted on finding the bloke who knocked me over and giving him a piece of his mind.’

‘Here comes the bus, Poppy, and I’m getting on it with you, even though it is out of my way. I asked you for a date, you agreed, so let’s do what most couples do when they date. I’ll take your arm and see you home safely. And in return, you can be nice to me and say that if I ask you for another date, you’ll agree.’

Sitting by the window on the bus, Poppy couldn’t find any excuse in her head not to like him. He was good-looking, dressed and spoke well, and wasn’t big-headed or pushy. ‘We could go dancing one night,’ she told him. ‘I’d have to meet you inside because I always go with my friend Julie. We’ve been friends for years and I wouldn’t let her down.’

‘And would your friend object if I joined you? I do want to be friends with you, Poppy. I was attracted to you as soon as I set eyes on you in the Grafton.’

‘You are very persuasive and persistent, aren’t you? I’m surprised you haven’t got a steady girlfriend already. Or do you have half a dozen to choose from?’

‘I’ve had several dancing partners, and one or two girlfriends.’ The bus swayed and Peter was thrown closer to her. He quickly pulled away and put a hand on the seat in front to steady himself. ‘But I’ve never had one I liked well enough to take home to meet my mother. Does that satisfy your curiosity?’

Poppy grinned. ‘I’m giving you a hard time, aren’t I? I’m not always like this, honestly. This just happens to be your unlucky day, unfortunately. But I’ll make it up to you at the Grafton, I promise. And in case you haven’t noticed, the next stop is where I get off.’

‘Correction,’ Peter said, standing in the aisle to let her out. ‘It’s the stop where we both get off.’

Peter wouldn’t let Poppy talk him out of walking her right
to her front door. She wasn’t too happy about it, for now he knew exactly where she lived. And no boy she’d ever been out with had got any further than the corner of the street. That was because none of them had lit a flame in her heart. Her mother had told her she’d know the man who was right for her as soon as she saw him. If just being near him didn’t set her heart beating, then a touch of his hand, or a kiss, would light the flame.

‘Shall we meet at the Grafton tomorrow night, then?’ Peter asked. ‘Although I would prefer to meet you outside and escort you in. And your friend, of course. A casual meeting in a dance hall isn’t a date, but if it’s the only way I can get to see you, then so be it. But before I bid you goodnight now, will you promise to come out with me again? Just the two of us?’

When Poppy didn’t answer right away, fumbling in her bag for the door key, Peter gripped her arm. ‘Please say you will, Poppy, then I can go to sleep with a smile on my face.’

‘Oh, I’d better agree then,’ Poppy said, thinking he hadn’t put a foot wrong all night, or said anything she could fault. He’d been thoughtful and attentive, and she wasn’t going to tell a lie to let him down. He deserved better. ‘I’ll see you on Wednesday at the Grafton. And I promise I won’t be late this time.’ She put the key in the door and pushed it open. ‘Thank you for a nice night – I’ve enjoyed meself.’ She stepped into the hall. ‘Goodnight, Peter. See you Wednesday.’

‘Well, how did the date go, sweetheart?’ Eva searched her daughter’s face. ‘Was the boy nice?’

Poppy gave her mother a hug. ‘Mam, he wasn’t a boy, he’s a man. I stopped going out with boys when I was sixteen.’ She draped her coat over her arm. ‘He’s about twenty-one or two, I would guess. And yes, he was very nice. Well dressed, well spoken, and just the type you would bring home to meet the family. Not me, of course – I’ve only been out with him tonight for the first time, so I wouldn’t know what he’s really like. He could have been on his best behaviour, trying to make a good impression.’ Then she felt a stab of guilt. ‘I’m being unfair to him, Mam, ’cos he was well mannered and treated me like a lady.’ She handed over the chocolate box. ‘Not only the best seats, but a box of chocolates to go with them. He did the job properly – even insisted on bringing me home right to the door.’

‘He sounds a good person, sweetheart. You should have asked him in. I think I’ve only ever met one boy you went out with, and although I didn’t say it at the time, I really wasn’t impressed. He wasn’t the sort I would like for a son-in-law.’

Poppy went into the hall to hang her coat up, and she was laughing when she came back. ‘Oh dear, Mam, that was
years ago. I remember the lad now: his nickname was Ginger ’cos he had red hair. Oh, and he had pimples all over his face. But I didn’t go out with him, Mam. I was only sixteen and he walked me home from a dance at the church hall.’ To her mother’s surprise, Poppy took a fit of laughing. Bent over double, she spluttered, ‘He doesn’t have pimples any more. What he does have is the last laugh on me, you, and all the other girls around here. I saw him last week and he was driving his own car! He stopped to ask how I was, but I think it was only to make sure I didn’t miss the car. His dad used to work in a garage, as a mechanic. He told me his dad owns the garage now, and the car was a birthday present.’

‘Go ’way!’ Eva looked astonished. ‘Driving a car at his age? I didn’t think it was allowed.’

‘Oh, I think you can drive at seventeen or eighteen, as long as you pass a test. Anyway, Ginger looked the picture of health and very prosperous. And I say good luck to him. He deserves it, after all the ribbing he got at school. The lads in his class gave him a terrible time. That’s why I danced with him, ’cos I felt sorry for him. But he’s got the last laugh at all the lads who made fun of him.’

Eva nodded. ‘You always get paid back if you make fun of anyone worse off than yerself, sweetheart. I hope I’ve drummed that into you and David. And now would you like a cup of tea, and you can tell me what the film was about? And are you seeing this young man again?’

‘I won’t have a drink, thanks, Mam. But I am seeing Peter again, so that’s one little bit of news for you. I’m meeting him in the Grafton on Wednesday. Yer know I always go with Julie, and I’m not going to let her down. He wasn’t very happy about it, but he can’t expect me to let a friend down when I’ve only known him a few days.’

Eva agreed. ‘Never let a friend down, sweetheart, because a good friend will be for ever, while a boyfriend can be here today and gone tomorrow. Unless he’s the man you want to spend the rest of your life with.’

‘I’ve never met one yet that sent a shiver down my spine.’ Poppy tilted her head. ‘I remember you saying that the first time my dad looked into your eyes, your feet tingled and your heart beat fifteen to the dozen.’

‘I can remember that feeling as though it was yesterday,’ Eva said with a touch of sadness. ‘And the first time he kissed me I thought my legs were going to give out on me ’cos they turned to jelly.’