Susan cried with happiness as the pub erupted in claps and cheers. Kevin had never been much of a romantic, and it was the nicest speech she’d ever heard. He’d said some lovely things on the night he proposed, but tonight meant more, as he’d said it in front of so many people.
As Rockin’ Ronny played The Dixie Cups’ ‘Chapel of Love’, everybody felt emotional for the happy couple. Everybody except Ethel, that was.
‘I bet it don’t bleedin’ last. Either Susan’ll fuck things up, or he’ll start knockin’ her about again.’
Maureen looked at her in horror. ‘Can’t you be nice just for one night, Mum? Jesus Christ, it’s their engagement party.’
Ethel nudged Gladys. ‘I’m never wrong, you mark my words.’
Gladys, who didn’t know what day it was, nodded politely.
At the insistence of the youngsters, Rockin’ Ronny halted his beloved rock’n’roll and played some disco instead.
As Kool & the Gang’s, ‘Get Down On It’ blasted out of the speakers, Maria grabbed Tommy’s and Freddie’s hands.
‘Come on, boys,’ she said, pulling them seductively towards the dancefloor.
James stood in the corner, watching her out of the corner of his eye. He pretended to listen to Ellie, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Maria. She was by far the prettiest girl in the pub, but not only did she know it, she was also acting like a slag. Fuming, he grasped Ellie’s hand. ‘Come on babe, let’s dance.’
Ellie Phillips was in dreamland. Not only was James all over her like a rash, but it was all in front of Maria, the bitch she’d fallen out with.
Maureen watched events unfold on the dancefloor with sadness. Her plan to get Maria and James together had gone well and truly tits up. She guessed that Maria was getting her own back for what she’d witnessed on her arrival, and Tommy and Freddie were as pissed as farts, so it wasn’t their fault. If only James hadn’t been pawing that tarty girl earlier. If anything, it was his bloody fault for thinking through his dick. He didn’t even like the girl, the silly little bastard.
‘Do you wanna dance, Maur?’
Maureen smiled as Kenny took her hand and led her onto the dancefloor. He made her feel twenty-one all over again, did Kenny.
Changing the tempo, Rockin’ Ronny put on Elvis’s ‘Love Me Tender’ and unable to stop himself, sang along with him. He sounded just like his hero singing this particular track, everybody said so.
As Kenny took her in his arms, Maureen felt like a woman for the first time in years. She knew there was nothing in it – he was married to Wendy, for Christ’s sake.
‘Do you know what, Maur, I wish . . .’
Maureen stopped him there and then. ‘Please don’t say any more, Kenny. Come on, I’m not in the mood for this dancing lark. Let’s go and get another drink, eh?’
Unaware of the tears in her eyes, Kenny followed her up to the bar.
At Freddie’s insistence, Tommy had swapped partners with him. ‘She’s all right, that Alison; I wouldn’t mind giving her one. You dance with Maria.’
Tommy was quite happy with the swap, as Maria was by far the sexiest bird in the boozer.
Pretending not to look at Maria, James stuck his tongue as far down Ellie Phillips’s throat as he possibly could.
Stuck in a time-warp, Rockin’ Ronny put on ‘Jailhouse Rock’.
Gladys, who had been behaving like a ventriloquist’s dummy for the past hour, suddenly broke into life. ‘Let’s rock!’ she screamed, throwing herself onto the dancefloor.
Maureen and Kenny roared as Ethel chased after her.
Rockin’ Ronny finished his set with ‘An American Trilogy’, and called it a night. ‘I wanna thank each and everyone of you for being so fantastic,’ he said in an American drawl. ‘Goodnight, God bless, I love you all.’
Susan was tired, her feet were aching and she had a terrible headache. Kev would be sure to want afters, and she couldn’t face a late one.
‘Me mum and nan are going, Kev, I think I might go with ’em. I’ve had three glasses of wine and I can’t have no more. You can stay, I don’t mind, honest.’
Kevin shook his head. ‘I’ve had more than enough, Suze. I’ll come with yer, babe. Why don’t you ask your mum if we can have a nightcap round hers?’
Pleased that he didn’t want to stay in the pub without her, Susan agreed and went off to find Maureen.
‘I’ve always fancied you, you know. Can’t we go somewhere? Just me, you, Freddie and Alison.’
Tommy looked at Maria in amazement. He’d never realised that she had the hots for him. Too drunk to think straight, he glanced around for James. Thankfully, he was nowhere to be seen.
‘I’ll have a word with Freddie, see if we can go back to his. You OK it with Alison, while I sort something out. Worst ways we can go to a hotel.’
Maria dragged Alison into the toilets. She was so drunk now that she didn’t give a damn about anything.
Freddie was drunk, but he could handle his drink more than Tommy.
‘We can go to mine. Me mum’s gone away for the weekend to me aunt’s in Canvey Island. Surely you ain’t gonna shag Maria, though. What about James?’
Tommy shrugged. ‘Look, James has been with that Ellie bird all night, he’s well over Maria, he ain’t bothered. Anyway I ain’t gonna fuckin’ tell him, am I? You was the one that made me swap partners – I’d have been happy shagging your one.’
Freddie smiled. ‘We’ll go back to mine, then.’
Seeing his brother and Freddie alone, James grabbed Ellie’s hand and marched her over to them. He was desperate to know what the score was with Maria. He was just about to find out by pulling Tommy to one side when, to his dismay, Maria returned from the toilet. Unable to look her in the eye, he said the first thing that entered his drunken brain.
‘I’m shooting off now, everyone. I’m staying round Ellie’s, Tom, so tell Mum I won’t be home.’
Dragging Ellie behind him, he marched out of the door.
Maria felt next to nothing as she watched them leave together. James wasn’t the person she’d thought he was and Ellie Phillips was just a slag. In fact, they were welcome to one another. Smiling at Tommy, she seductively put her arms around his waist. She’d drunk so much wine that she was desperate for an adventure.
‘Are we going back to Freddie’s?’
Tommy nodded. He hadn’t had a bunk-up for weeks and wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Most of the birds he pulled were reasonably good looking, but Maria was outstanding. Itching to have his wicked way with her, he turned to Freddie.
‘Order the cab, let’s get out of here.’
Back at Maureen’s, the party carried on where it had left off.
You made me love you,
I didn’t wanna do it,
I didn’t wanna do it.
You made me want you
And all the time you knew it
I guess you always knew it.
Maureen felt happy as she poured out the drinks. Not only had her family come back, but also Sandra and Brenda. Now all the oldies were being played, she’d never get to sleep. She smiled as she handed Kenny his scotch. He was a different person when Wendy wasn’t about. He loved a good drink, and thoroughly enjoyed a singalong. It was such a shame that the woman he’d married had learned the knack of sucking the life out of him.
Kenny smiled at her.
I want some love that’s true,
Yes I do,
Indeed I do,
You know I do.
Maureen joined in with him.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme what I cry for.
You know you’ve got the brand of kisses that I die for.
You know you made me love you.
As they locked eyes, Kenny tore his away. ‘Christ, I didn’t realise it was gone two. I’d better ring a cab. Wendy’ll be citing for divorce if I ain’t home soon,’ he joked.
Maureen handed him the phone and carried on singing with the girls. They couldn’t stop laughing as Gladys leaped out of her seat and hitched up her skirt.
‘My old man said follow the van and don’t dilly dally on the way.’
‘Bless ’er, she remembers all the words to the songs, yer know,’ Ethel said fondly to Maureen.
Maureen squeezed Ethel’s hand. ‘Glad’s fine, she’s had a whale of a time tonight. She’s living with you now and we’re all here to help yer look after her.’
Ethel smiled. ‘You’re a daughter-in-law in a million, you are.’
‘Mum, Maur, me cab’s here. I’m going now.’
Ethel gave Kenny one of her famous looks. ‘Night, love. You’re much better company when yer without that miserable cow by yer side. Let’s hope she’s got the flu again next time we have a party.’
‘Mum,’ Maureen said, giving her daggers.
Seeing Kenny out, she apologised. ‘You know what yer mum’s like, Kenny, she don’t mean anything by it.’
Kenny smiled. ‘She’s right though, ain’t she?’
Hugging Maureen, Kenny kissed her on the cheek.
‘Thanks for the lovely night, Maur, it’s been wonderful, just like old times.’
Maureen waved as he got into the cab. Shutting the door, she took a deep breath. It had definitely been like old times, too much so for her liking.
Maria let out a groan as Tommy pumped away on top of her. He thought she was showing enjoyment, but she knew differently.
‘Ah, baby, you’re so fuckin’ sexy. Jesus, Maria. Ah, ah, ah.’
Maria felt ill as he rolled off her. What had she done? How could she have been so bloody stupid?
Putting an arm around her, Tommy laid back on the bed. He’d shagged some birds in his time, but it had never felt like that before.
‘That was fucking blinding. Was it good for you, babe?’
‘It was nice,’ Maria said, her voice trembling. It was as much as she could do to stop herself crying.
Tommy wasn’t the one she wanted. She was in love with his brother, but now she’d messed things up for good. As Tommy began snoring, Maria started to sob. This was it now, end of. She hadn’t just lost her virginity tonight, but also her pride, her best friend and the man of her dreams.
TWENTY-TWO
As soon as daylight broke, Maria crept out of the bed and quietly got dressed. Usually, the sound of the birds singing made her feel happy. But today they didn’t; she felt dirty and disgusted with herself.
Finding her knickers, she sat on the bed and slipped them on. She couldn’t wait to get home, have a bath and scrub away the smell of Tommy Hutton.
Aware of her movements, Tommy opened his eyes and sat up. ‘What yer doing? What’s the time? You ain’t going home already, are yer?’
Unable to bring herself to look at him, Maria finished getting dressed. ‘It’s nearly seven. I’ve gotta go, me mum’ll be worried sick.’
Reaching towards her, Tommy grabbed her arm. For the first time in his life, he was well loved-up. ‘Stay another hour, come back to bed and we’ll have a little cuddle.’
Maria shook her head; she couldn’t think of anything worse. ‘I don’t want to, Tommy. I’ve got a headache, I feel ill, and I just wanna get home.’
Surprised by her abrupt manner, Tommy leaped out of the bed and walked towards her.
‘What’s the matter, babe?’ he said, taking her hands in his. ‘You’re not worried about James, are yer? He’s with that Ellie bird now, he’ll be all right. Anyway, if we’re gonna be seeing one another regularly, I’ll break the news to him gently.’
Maria looked at him in horror. Seeing each other regularly! Was he having a laugh, or what?
As he put his arms around her and tried to kiss her, she smelt his beery, stale breath and felt her body go rigid. His touch made her feel ill and she had to put him straight.
‘Look Tommy, we were both very drunk last night and we made a stupid mistake. I really like you as a friend, but I don’t wanna relationship with you. You’re far too old for me, anyway. I need to meet someone nearer my own age.’
Tommy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Cheeky little mare, who the fuck did she think she was? Annoyed that he’d mugged himself off, he did his best to sound cool. ‘I don’t give a shit if we see one another again or not, Maria. You know what I’m like with birds, I usually love ’em and leave ’em anyway. I was just being kinder to you ’cause we live next door to one another,’ he lied.
Maria forced a smile. She wanted sod all to do with him, but she didn’t want to make an enemy of him, either. ‘Well at least we both feel the same way, Tommy, eh? Can we keep this a secret from James? If me and you was just a one-off, there’s no point in him finding out about it, is there?’
Tommy shrugged. ‘Fine by me.’
Maria picked up her clutch bag, ‘I’ll see you around, then.’
Shocked by her rejection of him, Tommy tried to contain his anger, but couldn’t resist a parting shot. ‘I promise, Maria, I won’t say a word about last night to anyone. You were nothing special anyway, girl, so why would I wanna brag about yer?’
Maria opened the bedroom door. ‘The feeling’s mutual, Tommy,’ she said, as she closed the door behind her.
Fuming, Tommy flopped back onto the bed. He was used to birds falling at his feet, not giving him the fucking brush-off. Remembering the shy bird, Lucy, he’d met in the Bancroft, he decided to give her a call later. Fuck Maria, there were plenty more fish in the sea!
James woke up just before midday. Thankful that he was in his own bed, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. His stomach lurched as he remembered all that had happened the previous evening. He’d made a right prick of himself in the pub – he didn’t even like Ellie Phillips and now everyone, including Maria, thought they were a couple. Thank God he’d had the brains not to shag her when he’d taken her home. He hadn’t even gone in her house, he’d kissed her goodnight at the gate and staggered off home.
Seeing Maria flirting with Tommy and Freddie had really done his head in. Looking at his brother’s empty bed, James wondered what had happened after the party. Surely Tommy hadn’t got hold of her. He often stayed out all night, but the thought of him being with Maria made James feel physically sick.