The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (18 page)

‘Have you been together long?’
Jane asked.

‘Since you finished with him,’
Vicky said. ‘Off and on, that is. Eddie’s a great drummer and he’s got a
fabulous voice.
The Raiders
are much
better than Mark’s group, but don’t let on I said that.’

‘I won’t.’ Jane smiled and held
out her hand, showing Vicky her ring. ‘I’m engaged to Eddie now, but maybe you
shouldn’t tell Mark.’

‘He knows. Erm, Jane, can we get
together for a coffee sometime? I’d like to ask you a few things about Mark. I
work fairly near to Flanagan and Grey’s. I’m a typist at Robinson’s Brewery.’

‘That’s just up the road from the
shop. Pop down in your lunch hour one day next week. Something tells me you don’t
want Mark to know.’

Vicky nodded. ‘He’s on his way
back,’ she whispered. ‘See you soon.’

‘You go back to Tony and Sarah,’
Mark ordered. ‘I’ll get the drinks in.’

Vicky dutifully walked away and
Jane stared after her.

‘She’s a nice girl, Mark. I’m
glad you’ve found someone else.’

‘Don’t you dare patronise me!’ He
grabbed her by the arm, his upper lip curling. ‘You and I are a long way from
finished. I think you know that.’

He let her go and turned his
back. He ordered a round of drinks and carried away a laden tray without a
backward glance.

Sammy, who had just come back
from the ladies, said. ‘What on earth’s he doing here? And why was he holding
you like that?’

Jane could see Eddie making his
way towards her. ‘I think he’s had too much to drink. For God’s sake, don’t
tell Ed he was anywhere near me. I don’t want them fighting.’

‘You okay?’ Eddie asked as he
picked up his pint and knocked it back. ‘God, I needed that.’

‘I’m fine. Got a bit of a
headache, that’s all,’ she fibbed.

‘Shall I cancel the flat warming?’

‘No, but I don’t think we should
let everyone stay too late. We’ve got Jonny tomorrow. We need to be up early to
tidy the place before Angie brings him over. We should try and create a good
impression so she won’t stop you having access.’

‘Stop worrying, Jane. We’ll stick
a joint in your hand as soon as we get home. That’ll loosen you up a bit.’

‘My dad would have a hairy fit if
he could hear you,’ she said, laughing. ‘I doubt he’d let me near you again,
let alone live with you.’

***

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jane woke with a throbbing head
and a feeling of impending doom. She recalled last night’s confrontation with
Mark and how she’d kept it from Eddie. Also, today, Angie was coming to the
flat for the first time. She made a decision to hide in the bedroom so she
wouldn’t have to face her, and slid out of bed, pulled on her nightdress and
made her way to the bathroom.

The door to the lounge stood open
and she glanced inside. Empty cider bottles and overflowing ashtrays littered
the room and the heady smell of cannabis hung in the air. Pat and Tim were
sprawled on a makeshift bed, arms entwined, dead to the world. Must be Sammy
and Roy’s turn for the bedroom. She
threw a blanket over the very private pair who would be horrified to realise
they’d been on view in all their naked glory.

The bathroom cabinet yielded no
aspirin. In the kitchen she rinsed a glass, filled it with water and drank
thirstily. Back in the lounge she opened the windows to let out the sweet smoky
smell. Pat stirred and sat up slowly, holding her head.

‘Morning.’ Jane greeted her.

‘What time is it?’ Pat groaned
and rubbed her eyes.

‘Just gone nine. Go back to
sleep.’

‘Why are you up so early then?’

‘I've got a head that feels like
someone’s playing a drum solo in it.’

‘Talking of drummers; how’s Ed?
He looked a bit worse for wear when you dragged him off to bed.’

‘He was. He survived. I’ll let
him sleep it off. We’ve got Jonny today, so he’ll need his wits about him.’

‘I’ll help you clean up. You’ll
need to pass muster for Angie’s inspection.’ Pat stood up, wobbling slightly.
She picked up Tim’s black T-shirt from the floor and pulling it on. ‘This’ll
do, it covers my backside. Don’t know where my knickers are! Don’t even
remember taking my clothes off. Oh dear, my legs are not mine.’

Jane grabbed a carrier bag and
began filling it with empty bottles. The noise disturbed Tim who sat up pale
and dishevelled, blinking like an owl.

‘Go and lie on the bed in our
room, Tim. Ed’s still asleep in there. You can grab another hour while we clean
up.’ She found Tim’s jeans behind the sofa and threw them at him, discreetly
turning her back while he put them on.

‘I feel terrible,’ he mumbled,
walking unsteadily across the room.

Pat vacuumed the carpet while
Jane wiped down every surface.

‘Looks better now,’ Pat said and
sank down on one of the sofas with a mug of steaming black coffee and a plate
of hot buttered toast.

‘It does,’ Jane agreed, joining
her. ‘Bet Angie wouldn’t notice if we’d left it in a mess.
Eddie told me their place was always a pigsty.'

Pat nodded. ‘Good night, wasn’t
it? What I can remember of it, that is!’

‘Think so,’ Jane agreed. ‘Judging
by the state we’re all in, the amount of empty bottles and joint ends, I reckon
it must have been.’

The bedroom door flew open and
Eddie, clad in skimpy red underpants, leaving nothing to the imagination,
wandered into the lounge, a confused expression on his face.

‘Can anyone tell me why I’m in
bed with Tim? He flung his arm around me, called me Pat and made lewd
suggestions!’

Pat smiled and blushed prettily.
‘Hope he didn’t give too many secrets away.’

‘I
sent him in while we tidied up,’ Jane said. ‘Put some clothes on
and I’ll make you a coffee.’

‘I’ll have a wash and shave
first.’ He stumbled into the bathroom and emerged ten minutes later, groaning.
‘What on
earth
did we drink?’

‘Gallons of cider,’ Jane said.
‘You were smoking dope all night. No wonder you feel ill. I’m surprised you can
even stand this morning.’

One by one the others emerged.
Sammy sank down on the sofa and drank several mugs of strong black coffee.

‘We’ve got to go home soon,’ she
said, nibbling delicately at a slice of toast. ‘It’s Mum and Tom’s wedding
anniversary. Pat and I promised to cook lunch. Will you give us a lift in the
van, please, Roy?’

Roy
looked at her pale face and smiled. ‘Of course I will, my sweet. ’ He turned to
Eddie. ‘Tim and I will make ourselves scarce this afternoon while you and Jane
look after Jonny.’

‘Thanks, mate.’ Eddie smiled
gratefully and yawned.

***

The doorbell rang at two. Eddie
let in Angie’s friend Cathy, who was carrying Jonny in her arms, her face
flushed from the effort of climbing two flights of stairs.

‘Why have
you
got him?’ he demanded, taking his son from Cathy and looking
past her. ‘Where’s Angie?’

‘She’s not feeling well. She
asked me to drop him off. I’ll collect him about seven.’ Cathy peered through
to the lounge and waved at Jane who waved back.

‘Fine.’ Eddie made to close the
door.

Cathy nervously cleared her
throat. ‘My sister was at the gig last night. She said you were brilliant. Is
the drumming permanent now?’

‘It is. When you go blabbing back
to Angie you can also tell her that Jane and I are engaged. I’ve got back
everything she robbed me of. Very soon I’ll have custody of my son.’

‘There’s no need to take that
tone with me.’ Cathy folded her arms. ‘I’m not here to act as a go between.
What happened with you and Angie wasn’t my fault. You shouldn’t have married
her.’

‘Huh, tell me something I don’t
already know.’

‘If it’s any consolation, I tried
my best to talk her out of marrying you, but she wouldn’t listen.’

He nodded. ‘Sorry for being
snappy. Thanks for bringing Jonny round. Once this mess
is sorted I’ll have him all weekend until I get custody. I wish Angie would get
her finger out and reply to my solicitor’s letters, it’s been weeks now.’ He
wanted her to go. Her presence in his flat stirred memories he was trying to
put behind him.

She said goodbye. He carried
Jonny, and the bag of toys and nappies that Cathy had brought, into the lounge.

‘What was all that about?’ Jane
said, frowning at his tense expression.

‘Angie’s not well, apparently.
Probably hung over, knowing her.’

‘Well, look at the state of us
two,’ she said, laughing at his disapproving face.

He grinned, seeing the funny
side. ‘I’ve just had an awful thought. Can you change nappies? It’s the first
time I’ve had Jonny without mum being around.’

‘I’ve never done one before, but
I can probably manage.'

‘Thank God for that.’

***

‘I feel better now,’ Eddie said
as he and Jane strolled home arm in arm from the park, where they’d spent a
pleasant hour playing with Jonny. ‘The fresh air’s blown away a few cobwebs.’

Cathy was late collecting Jonny
and by eight there was still no sign of her. He was tired, so Jane bathed him
and dressed him in one of Eddie’s T-shirts. She took a blanket from their bed
and tucked him up on the sofa. He was asleep within minutes, sucking his thumb.

‘Where the hell is she?’ Eddie
paced up and down the room.

‘Calm down, Ed, she’ll be here
soon.’ Jane tried her best to placate him as the minutes ticked by. ‘I need to
go home. Mum and Dad will be wondering where I am.’

‘You can’t leave me. What if he
wakes up and needs changing again?’ he said, suddenly helpless.

‘You watched me do it when I
bathed him. Look, I’ll fold you a nappy, then you just lay him on it and put a
pin in each side.’ Jane laid Jonny’s teddy on the nappy and demonstrated. ‘See,
it’s so simple.’

‘But the teddy lies still, Jonny
wriggles all over the show! I might stick the pin in him.’

‘You’re bloody hopeless,’ she
said. ‘What about all these babies you want with me? Who’s gonna help me look
after them? I’ll call Mum; see if I can stay another night. But try ringing
Cathy first, or even Angie.
We
could
take Jonny home.’

Eddie tried Angie and Richard’s
number, but there was no reply. He slammed the phone down. ‘She’s obviously not
ill enough to stay home. Where the bloody hell is she? I can’t ring Cathy, I
don’t have her number.’

Jane called her mother, who
agreed it was better if she stayed at the flat until someone came for Jonny.
She hung up and turned to Eddie. ‘I can stay over again if Cathy doesn’t come
for him.’

‘Oh good,’ he said, relieved. ‘I
half hope she doesn’t then. But my solicitor will hear about this on Monday.’

‘How come Jonny’s still here?’ Roy
nodded his head towards the sleeping child when he and Tim arrived home.

‘Nobody’s collected him yet,’
Jane said.

‘Have you been to the club
tonight?’ Eddie asked. ‘Did you see Cathy or Angie in there?’

‘Neither,' Tim said. ‘It was very
quiet tonight. Just Stu and Mac from our crowd.’

‘Right, Ed, I’m off to take a
bath,’ Jane said. ‘I may as well assume I’m gonna be here all night. Jonny
won’t wake up just yet, so don’t panic. Anyway, you’re not on your own, Roy
and Tim can help you.’

‘I don’t know the first thing
about kids,’ Tim said, a look of alarm crossing his face.

‘Nor I,’ Roy
said, frowning. ‘That’s why women make the best mothers!’

Jane shook her head and went to
run a bath.

***

As she lay back in the bubbles,
relaxing properly for the first time that day and realising just how tired she
was, Jane heard the phone ring.

She heard Eddie say, “Hello,”
then, “
Christ, you’re joking!”
Next thing he was hammering at the door. ‘Jane, Jane, let me in, quick.’

‘It’s unlocked,’ she called,
sitting up. ‘What is it?’

He was white faced. ‘That was
Cathy. Angie’s been in a car crash. Richard’s dead. Angie's being operated on
at the moment. Cathy needs me at the hospital. Will you come with me, please?’
He threw her a towel. ‘Quick, get dry. We’ll have to take Jonny to my mum’s first.
I’ll phone her and let her know we’re on our way.’

‘Bloody Hell,’ she said, jumping
out of the bath. She towelled herself dry and threw on jeans and a sweater.

***

Cathy met them in the busy
waiting room where Eddie gripped her shoulders.

‘What happened?’

‘Oh, it’s terrible,’ she cried.
‘They were on their way back from Wales.
A van skidded and hit them head on. Richard died instantly. Angie went through
the windscreen.’

‘I thought she was ill. What the
fucking hell was she doing in Wales?
This afternoon you told me she was ill.’ Eddie was shaking Cathy roughly as
though everything was her fault. Jane gasped as Roy
stepped between them.

‘Ed, that’s enough. Can’t you see
the state she’s in?’ Roy put his
arms around Cathy’s shoulders and spoke gently, ‘Tell
me,
Cathy. Why was Angie in Wales?’

Between sobs Cathy told Roy
that Angie and Richard had been away for the weekend, celebrating their
engagement. Jonny had been left in
her
care and Angie had concocted the
story of being ill so Eddie wouldn’t realise she’d left him with her.

Eddie sat down on the nearest
chair. ‘Why lie? We’re getting divorced. She can do what the fuck she likes.
But she had no right to leave Jonny with you. He’s not your responsibility,
he’s
my
son.’

Cathy looked away with
embarrassment. ‘She left him with me because of Jane. She can’t bear the
thought of her looking after him, that’s why.’

‘But that’s ridiculous,’ Jane
said. ‘I’ll be Jonny’s stepmother. We need the contact so he gets to know me
properly.’

‘Where are Angie’s parents and sister?’
Roy asked.

‘Her mum and dad are on holiday.
Sally isn’t on the phone. The police found my number in Angie’s bag. I called
Eddie as soon as I could.’ Cathy was distraught, choking on her words. ‘The
police have gone to Sally’s house. She’ll know where their parents are
staying.’

‘Jane, see if you can find a cup
of tea for us,’ Roy suggested,
sitting Cathy down next to Eddie.

‘I could use something stronger
than tea.' Eddie turned to Cathy. ‘I know you won’t believe this, but I
did
try at first. Perhaps it wasn’t enough. She wasn’t the easiest person to live
with, and I know
I’m
not, but I
did
try. She’s the mother of my
boy when all’s said and done.’ His anger spent, his shoulders shook with sobs.

Jane put her arms around him and
held him while Roy went off to find
the tea. By the time he came back, Angie’s sister and her husband, Martin had
arrived.

In between hysterical sobs Sally
told Eddie she’d left a message at the hotel
where her parents were staying.

A young nurse walked through the
swing doors at the end of the corridor, making her way towards them. ‘Mr
Mellor?’ she looked quizzically at Eddie, Roy and Martin.

‘Me, that’s me,’ Eddie said.

‘Follow me, please.’ She turned
to go.

‘I’m Angie’s sister, can I come
too?’ Sally looked down her nose at Eddie. ‘He’s her ex, they’re separated.’

The nurse turned, a look of
surprise on her face. ‘Then who is Mrs Mellor’s next of kin?’

‘Me, I suppose,’ Eddie replied,
stepping forward. ‘I’m still her husband.’

‘Then please, Mr Mellor, follow
me.’ She led the way to a small consulting room, leaving Sally staring after
them.

The surgeon looked up wearily
from his desk and gestured to a chair. ‘Mr Mellor, we did everything possible.
Your wife suffered severe internal injuries. She haemorrhaged badly. There was
nothing we could do to save her or the child. I’m very sorry. We’ll require you
to make a formal identification as soon as you’re ready.’

‘What child?’ Eddie asked. ‘I
don’t understand. Our child was at home with me.’

The surgeon frowned. ‘The child
she was carrying. Your wife was five months pregnant. I’m very sorry.’

The nurse, who had shown Eddie
into the room, touched his arm. ‘You didn’t know - about the baby, I mean? I’m
so sorry.’

He shook his head. ‘I’d no idea.
But then, I’d be the last person to be told. It wasn’t mine. Her boyfriend was
killed in the accident. I can’t take this in. I’ll identify her then I’ll go
and tell the others.’ He stood up. ‘I have a son at home who’s not quite three.
How on earth do I tell him where his mummy’s gone?’