The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (96 page)

***

‘Poor old Ted, all battered and
worn.’ Jon held a balding, one-eyed teddy bear in his hands. He and Jess were
sitting in bed surrounded by half the contents of Angie’s box. He reached in,
pulled out a scrapbook and opened it. Pasted inside were newspaper cuttings of
Buddy Holly’s plane crash and on the next page a report of Eddie Cochran’s death.
There was also a poster advertising a local gig at a Pickford club with
The Raiders
- top of the bill.

  
Several records were neatly stacked to one side, still in their original
sleeves. ‘Wow! Look at these.
Buddy
Holly, Elvis, The
Everly Brothers
,
all in mint condition. These are worth a few bob now,’ Jon enthused.

  
A large brown envelope held swimming certificates and school reports,
each declaring that Angie had been a bright pupil. There was a lock of brown
hair, fastened up with a blue ribbon. The message,
written on the envelope it was stored in, declared that it was Eddie’s hair
from November 1959.

  
Jess smiled as she lifted out several exercise books, all bearing the
legend that -
Angie Turner loves Eddie
Mellor
. ‘She was really into Dad to some tune, wasn’t she?’

  
Jon nodded, picking out a handful of black and white snapshots. ‘Here
she is with Cathy and some other girls. It’s written on the back where it was
taken. “
Mario’s Club, Xmas 1959.
”
Here’s another one dated the same time with Dad, Roy and Tim. Angie’s sitting
on Dad’s knee, kissing him. Well, they certainly looked happy enough then.’

  
Jess lifted out an oblong tin box that was fastened at the front with a
small padlock. The box was labelled, “
Keep
Out, Very Private.”

  
‘Is there a key?’ Jon frowned, peering in the box.

  
‘Not unless it’s fallen to the bottom. Probably her crown jewels.’

  
‘No, this is her jewellery box.’ Jon held up a small, wooden treasure
chest and opened it. Inside was a collection of trinkets - a silver charm
bracelet, clip-on gold earrings and a silver locket and chain.

  
Jess prised open the oval locket and smiled. Inside were tiny photos of
her dad and Angie. ‘I wonder if Dad gave her the locket, like the gold one he
gave Mum on their wedding-day.’

  
‘Who knows? But I don’t fancy asking him,’ Jon replied. ‘In fact, I’m
going to keep this box in the staffroom at work. It might upset Mum and Dad if
they see it. I’ll leave it in the car-boot for the time being.’

  
‘Good idea. How on earth can we get into this box?’ Jess turned it over
and over.

  
‘I could unscrew the hinges or try and prise the padlock open. There’s a
set of screw drivers in the car.’

  
‘Go and get them then.’ Jess smiled as he leapt up, pulled on some
clothes and dashed from the room, returning minutes later with a small toolbox.

  
He tried one of the screwdrivers. ‘Damn! These are rivets, not screws.
I’ll have to force the padlock.’ He pushed and poked and eventually managed to
break it. He looked inside. ‘Note books. But why lock them away?’

  
Jess lifted out the top book and caught her breath. Printed inside the
cover in a neat hand were the words,
Diary
1959
. ‘They’re her diaries, Jon. These will give you an insight into her
thoughts and the kind of girl she was.’

  
Jon nodded silently. He shivered.

  
Jess ran her hand down his arm. ‘What’s wrong?’

  
‘I don’t know. Maybe we’re prying into something very private.’

  
‘Would you rather we didn’t read them?’

  
He shook his head. ‘We’ve come this far. I want to know everything there
is to know about Angie,
all
about her.’
 

  
Jess turned over the first page and began to read out loud.

  
January 7
^th
1959
:
 
Back
to boring school today. I’ll get to see Ed again. Haven’t seen him since Boxing
Day. He’s always too busy playing and rehearsing new songs with the group.

  
Jess smiled and turned a few pages. ‘She hasn’t written an entry for
everyday. You can read them properly yourself when you get some time. Here’s a
bit where she’s actually dating Dad properly.’

August 10
^th
1959
:
School
hols. Met Ed, Roy, Tim and Sue on the rec. Went back to Roy’s and drank his
mum’s sherry. Necked with Ed all afternoon while Sue and Roy went upstairs.

  
‘Ah, bless. All very innocent,’ Jon laughed. ‘Sue must have been Roy’s
girl before he met Sam.’

  
‘Hmm, innocent, you reckon? Listen to this.’

November 20
^th
1959
:
Babysat
for Sally with Ed. We got a bit drunk and he asked me to go all the way but I
said no.

  
‘Randy little git!’ Jess grinned.
  

  
Jon picked up the next book and opened it. ‘This is 1960, the year Dad
met Jane.’

January 3
^rd
1960
:
Babysat
for Sally with Ed. Roy and Sue came round and brought a bottle of horrible red
wine. Me and Ed went upstairs and we had a big row. He said I tease him and
don’t love him, but I do. He said prove it and go all the way. I said I would
next time.

  
Jon looked at Jess and laughed.

  
‘Look, here’s an entry about Mum,’ Jess said.

April 12
^th
1960
:
 
Ed’s seeing someone else. He hasn’t said
anything, but he’s been very off with me for the last few weeks. I think it’s
one of those snooty Grammar School girls. Cathy said she’d find out.

August 20
^th
1960
:
The
Raiders played at Mario’s tonight. Eddie’s girlfriend came back from her
holidays today and he kissed her right in front of me. He did it on purpose.
Richard Price gave me a lift home and Eddie saw me getting into his car.

August 21
^st
1960
:
Cathy
told me that Eddie asked her if I was seeing Richard and she told him to mind
his own business
.
  

  
As Jess leafed through the rest of the diary entries for that year, they
confirmed what her father had told her. How Jane had discovered that he was
seeing Angie behind her back and finished with him. After that, and according
to Angie, she and Eddie seemed to be inseparable for a while then he went back
to Jane. Jess picked up the diary for the following year and leafed through it.

May 1
^st
1961
:
I’m
almost six weeks late. I’m sure I’m
pregnant and I don’t know what to do. Cathy said I have to tell Eddie, but I’m
scared he’ll go crazy and say it’s not his baby.

  
Jon looked up. ‘So they must have got back together. But why would Dad
say I wasn’t his?’

  
Jess frowned and shook her head. ‘I don’t know. Have we missed
something?’ She flicked back a few pages and studied each entry, her eyes
opening wide.

  
‘What is it?’ Jon took the book from her.

March 15
^th
1961
:
Ed was
on his own tonight and he walked me home from Mario’s. He came in and we did it
on the rug. When I told him that I love him he was really odd with me and
rushed off home. He’s probably worried that I’ll tell Jane what we did.

March 22
^nd
1961
:
Ed’s
been ignoring me so
I went out with
Richard to dinner in a posh
restaurant. I really fancy him. We went for a drive and then we made love in
his car.

  
‘Do you think Dad knew that she slept with Richard?’ Jess frowned,
taking the book from him.

  
‘Well, she doesn’t actually say she went all the way, just that they
made love. In those days it might not have meant full sex.’

  
‘Oh come on, Jon. She was no angel, she fancied Richard; she said so.
Dad must have known what she was like, or else why would she be so worried that
he’d say the baby wasn’t his?’

  
Jon shrugged and lay down with his hands behind his head. ‘Read me some
more.’

April 7
^th
1961
:
Jane’s
dumped Ed. He told her he’d slept with me behind her back because I said I was
going to tell her. I thought he’d come back to me but he won’t even speak to me
now.

July 10
^th
1961
:
 
Still
haven’t told Ed I’m pregnant. Cathy said I have to do it tonight after the gig,
but I don’t know who the father is.
       

Back from the gig and I still haven’t told Eddie. Jane was there
tonight looking very sexy and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Cathy said
Mac’s girlfriend told her they’re back together. That’s all I need, him back
with Jane. I’m going to go round to his parents place now and get it over with.
I’ll tell him I’ll go away until the baby’s born and then get it adopted. Mum
will go mad. She wouldn’t let me keep it anyway. Ed can stay with Jane and we
can all get on with our lives.

  
Jess bit her lip and looked at Jon, whose face had drained of colour.

July 11
^th
1961
: What have I done? I went to see Ed and he was in bed with Jane. He
told me they were back together for good and she’d agreed to marry him. I told
them I’m pregnant and he’s the father. I don’t know why I said it. Jane was
hysterical and Ed said it couldn’t be his. I can’t tell him about Richard now,
I just can’t. I’ll have to go along with it and hope that it is Ed’s.

  
Jess put down the book. ‘Do you want me to carry on?’

  
He looked at her, pale-faced, and nodded. ‘Please. Now we’ve started, I
need to know everything.’

  
The diaries were dated up to 1964, the year Angie died. Jess leafed
through a few more pages. ‘Well, the outcome is as Dad told me. Their parents
rushed them into marriage and you were born in December. They lived in an awful
little flat in Pickford, had no spare money and argued all the time. God, Jon,
it sounds horrendous. Poor kids, because that’s all they were.’

January 10
^th
1962
:
I’m convinced Jonny is Richard’s. He looks
exactly like him. His eyes are deep green and his hair is dark and curly, he’s
nothing like Eddie. What can I do? I feel trapped and so does Ed. He hates
being married to me, but he loves Jonny.
    

February 12
^th
1962
:
Cathy
also thinks Jonny looks like Richard. She says I should be honest with Eddie
and tell him the truth, but I can’t.
 

July 8
^th
1962
:
Richard
has married Louise and gone to live in
Wales
. Jonny even smiles like him now. I can’t
tell Ed the truth. He already hates me for trapping him. He’d kill me if he
knew. He misses Jane and the group and all his friends. I miss my job and I
feel like doing myself in some days.

December 10
^th
1962:
I
overheard Roy telling Ed that Jane is going steady with Mark Fisher now and
he’s been horrible ever since. He’s always threatening to leave me but I tell
him I won’t let him see the baby if he does that. I know he’ll never desert
Jonny.

  
‘Jon, this is a mess,’ Jess said,
looking at his stricken face. ‘Are you sure you want me to carry on?’ She put
her arms around him and hugged him. His safe, secure world was crumbling around
him, but he was compelled to know the truth and nodded bravely.

  
‘Skip up to the time Dad actually leaves her; see why he goes.’

  
‘Okay,’ she nodded, leafing through the diary for 1964.

February 28
^th
1964
:
Eddie
got the sack from his job last week and he’s joined The Raiders again.
I’m sure he’s seeing Jane. He goes missing for hours on his motorbike and he
smells of perfume when he co
mes
home.
Richard’s marriage hasn’t worked out and he’s come back to the salon. We went
for a drink after work. I want to tell him about Jonny. He’ll only have to look
at my little boy to know he’s his father. I don’t know why Eddie can’t see it.
Maybe it’s because my mother is always saying Jonny looks like my dad as a
child.

March 10
^th
1964
:
Eddie
has started working at Flanagan and Grey’s record store with Jane. He’s
admitted they’re having an affair and he’s guessed about Richard and me. He
told me he wants a divorce as soon as possible.

March 15
^th
1964
:
Eddie’s
left me. He wants custody of Jonny. Richard’s told me he loves me. I think he
may have guessed that Jonny is his. He hasn’t said anything, but I saw him
looking at Jonny the other night as though he’d guessed. I don’t think he’ll be
too disappointed.

April 12
^th
1964
:
Cathy
told me Ed and Jane are engaged. They’ll have a long wait to get married. Our
divorce will take forever. Ed’s complaining about his access to Jonny. He says
he wants him all weekend. He’s never satisfied, always causing trouble. Richard
said it’s gone on long enough. He has to be told the truth sooner rather than
later. I’m pregnant again. Richard is really excited.