For Old Time's Sake

"Look, dad, your meeting is on a Friday this time. Why don't you stay over on the Saturday night as well and take Goldie out again? I'm sure it would do you both good," Angela suggested.

"Baby, I get the distinct impression that you are trying to play match maker here. Now you've never met Stella, you don't know what she's like and you might find that you do not like her at all."

"It isn't me who's going out with her, dad, it's you! You aren't too keen on some of my boyfriends and within reason you hold your tongue. Although I don't know what scared that Johnny Clements away; did you have anything to do with that? He was quite keen on me until he stopped around the house that time."

I think I must have coloured up a little when Angela said that; but I smiled, because I was safe. I thought back to the occasion in question.

Whilst the poor lad - who was an onerous little creep by the way, that I wouldn't have trusted as far as I could throw him - was waiting for Angela to get ready, Jimmy and Johnny Clements had gone outside to look at the car that Clements appeared to be so proud of. It was nothing more than an old (and somewhat rusty) Ford Escort that had liberally been sprinkled with go-faster stripes, actually.

Anyway, suddenly I'd heard the garage door open; so I'd made my way to the kitchen service door to see if I could hear what the two boys were doing in there.

"Yeah, that's his motorbike!" I heard Jimmy say. "He belonged to one of the toughest biker gangs around. You know, if anyone upsets my dad; he just has to make one phone call and they all get together again. I wouldn't like to be the guy who takes any liberties with my sister either. Do you get where I'm coming from here, Johnny?"

I didn't hear Johnny's reply; I closed the door again and left Jimmy to his good works, surprised and pleased with the lengths he would go to protect the sister he so often appeared to be in open warfare with.

"And what was all that biker gang talk about, Jimmy?" I asked once Angela and the Clements boy had left.

"Ah, dad, that Johnny Clements is a real creep, always bragging about what he gets up to with the girls in that old wreck of his," Jimmy replied.

"Don't you trust your sister not to do anything stupid?"

"Of course I do, but I don't trust Johnny Clements not to try something underhand. You know Angela does drink and what with these date rape drugs and things. Well, I just think that Johnny Clements is daft enough to.... Oh, you know what I mean. Anyway he drives like an idiot!"

I'd let the matter drop after that, although I was extremely proud of my son, at that moment. Oh and I'd never heard Angela mention Johnny Clements again. Until this moment!

"Angela, if I don't like the look of your dates, I tell you. I have never frightened any boy away from you that you haven't asked me to. Although to be honest with you I can't be sure what your little brother gets up to; he loves you very much, even if he doesn't always show it."

"You're funning me! James chasing Johnny Clement away! I don't believe it. Mind you I wasn't too keen on him anyway. Too high opinion of himself and he couldn't drive for nuts," Angela said smiling.

"Anyway we've got off the subject. How do you manage to do that all the time? Mum said that if you didn't want to talk about something, you subtly change the subject."

"I didn't change it, Angel, you did!" I replied.

"Well, I think you should stay over another night and take Goldie out again. You know it's a good idea."

++++++++++++++

At the meeting, everyone sang my praises for most of the day. Although that kind of treatment from the big bosses did a lot for my ego, I wasn't dumb enough to let it go to my head too much. And as I somehow guessed they would, they did drop some rather overly optimistic targets in my lap. It looked like the next six weeks was going to be just as hard work as the last few had proved to be, to me. But we were back up to strength on the staff and, with a much happier atmosphere in the office; I thought that we could probably do it.

I didn't say that to them though, I umed and ah'd about everything. I'm not sure that some of them were so enamoured about that. But later in the evening after dinner the chairman pulled me to one side; he told me that getting anywhere near the targets would be better than Bill Morgan had managed to achieve and not to let them frighten me.

"Don't worry about anything, Gary; just do your job as well as you have in the last few weeks. You've proved you're a company man and you're pretty much ring fenced from here on in. Give it a year or so and you'll be surprised what could be in store for you," he said as he walked me to my car. "First thing Monday morning, get on to transport and ask them where your company car is, as well. I'll chase the buggers from this end."

After the ups and downs of the day I couldn't wait to get to bed. Mind you, I stopped for a quiet drink in the hotel bar, to unwind before I went to my room.

Sitting there I watched some of the other folks sitting around, mostly couples up to the big city for the weekend I thought. Although there were a few businessmen like myself probably staying over after a late meeting or something. Suddenly I felt very lonely. Finishing my drink I went to reception and booked my room for the Saturday evening as well.

The following day I was up early. I'm not sure why because Stella would probably be working in the café all day. But I had the fidgets on; I don't know, probably some kind of childish excitement.

"Well, are you staying over?" Angela enquired when I called her.

"I think I might well do; it depends on what Stella has got planned for today," I replied. "Anyway you two behave yourselves and if I'm staying over I'll call you."

"Only call if you're not staying over, dad; you'll be too busy otherwise. And beside it'll warn Jimmy and me to cancel the party and give us time to clear up a bit after last night's shindig!"

"You wish!" I replied knowing full well that Angela was pulling my leg. I thanked the lord that I had two such sensible and intelligent children. I think that was more do to with Elaine's efforts than my own. God, I missed that woman!"

I must have got to the café about eleven o'clock. I parked up and made my way inside, but there was no sign of Stella. The two young schoolgirls behind the counter looked at me perplexed when I asked for Goldie.

"Oh, it's you again!" Sam's head poked through the bead curtain that separated off the kitchen. "Stella's got the day off today. I think she was going out with her kids or something."

"Oh! Okay, thanks," I said, somewhat taken aback, then turned and left the café.

"You stupid idiot," I thought to myself, "She's got a life of her own. What'd you think; she's sitting around up here waiting for you to show up again?"

Almost kicking myself, I got back into my car, then got out my mobile and called Angela to tell her that I was coming home.

"Well, have you been round to her house to see if she's actually gone out yet? You said that she didn't have a car, perhaps you can drive them to wherever they are going?" Angela suggested.

I supposed that Angela's idea was logical, so ten minutes later I pulled up outside Goldie's house. I was half way up the garden path, when the door was opened by young Toby.

"He's here!" the boy shouted over his shoulder and bid me to come in.

Somewhat confused by the boy's statement, I followed the lad into the lounge.

"Would you like tea or coffee?" he asked. "My mother will be down in a minute."

"Coffee would be nice, black, please, with sugar."

"Black coffee with sugar, Claire!" Toby shouted at the kitchen door and then he disappeared up the stairs, assumedly to find his mother.

I was still sitting there in some kind of shock, when Claire came out of the kitchen carrying my coffee.

After politely saying hello she placed the mug on the table in front of me. Then she left the room again. I could still feel some hostility radiating from her. I wondered whether I'd be able to taste the arsenic in the coffee. Yes, Claire's hostility really did appear that strong to me. But I hoped that I was overreacting.

Goldie came down the stairs a few minutes later. God, she looked good. I'm sure that I was correct in assuming that her hair had recently had a pile of dough spent on it. The red dress that she was wearing was something to behold as well, and I had to secretly marvel at the way she managed to fill that dress out. This wasn't the little café waitress I'd seen six weeks previous.

"My, you look a picture, Stella. Does he know how lucky he is?" I asked.

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" she replied and then planting a little kiss on my cheek asked. "Where are you planning on taking me today anyway?"

That question took me completely by surprise; it led me to believe that it was me she was expecting and that she'd got all dressed up for. But I hadn't told her I was coming that day.

"You were expecting me to be here this morning?" I asked, taken back by the realisation that that actually was the case.

"Of course! The last time you were here you'd said you'd see me again and you mentioned that you'd be in town every six weeks for your company meetings. So I figured you'd be here sometime today! I'm just pleased you've turned up early."

Yeah, well, Stella came out so quickly and boldly with that reply that it never crossed my mind to question it. It rolled off of her tongue so glibly that it had to be true, didn't it?

"Oh, yeah, I did, didn't I," I replied, "and there was me thinking that I'd surprise you today. I guess I was a little too excited about my promotion to remember what I said really."

Yeah, don't say it - like a bloody lamb to the bleeding slaughter!

"Well, we've got all day. Where do you and the kids fancy going? Sam at the café told me that you were planning spending the day with them."

"Well, we could take the children along if you'd like. But I think Sam got the wrong end of the stick. I didn't tell him that I was going out with them today. I guess he thought that I was because normally that's the only reason I ever take a day off. How about it kids? Fancy a day out with a couple of old fogies?" Goldie shouted the last part so that the children could hear.

Toby was up for it in a flash, but Claire was reticent. She did however deign to join us in the end. I'm not sure who suggested Thorpe Park, but the youngsters enjoyed themselves on all the rides there, although it was pretty crowded. We'd only just arrived when Goldie latched onto my arm and I don't think she let go again for longer than a couple of minutes all day.

Claire pulled me up twice during the day for calling her mother Goldie.

"Her name's Estelle or Stella, not Goldie!" Claire said indignantly when her mother had disengaged from my left arm just long enough for a quick visit to the ladies conveniences.

I tried to remember to use her mother's proper name - well, Stella anyway - after that. Of course I knew that Goldie's proper name was Estelle but I'd never heard anyone use it. I'd nicknamed her Goldie when we'd first met and through our teenage years that's what everyone came to call her.

But Claire pulled me up again later when I forgot and called Stella Goldie again. The second time Claire said it to me while Stella had gone into a shop with Toby.

To be honest I was getting a little tired of Claire's hostility, but she was being quite subtle about it; she really only showed her hostility when her mother and brother were not about. I decided to fight fire with fire.

Goldie was somewhat confused when I started calling her Estelle and continued to do so for the rest of the afternoon. She didn't actually say anything, but I could tell that she was acutely aware of it. As time went on Claire began to look a little uncomfortable as her mother looked backwards and forwards between the two of us.

We left Thorp Park as it closed around six-ish. I suggested that we all go for a slap-up meal somewhere, but young Toby suggested that Goldie and I drop the two youngsters back home, then go and have a nice meal together.

"You don't want a couple of kids playing gooseberry on you!" he announced.

Stella gave Claire some money for McDonald's, which was probably Toby's plan in the first place and his reason for suggesting that Goldie and I eat alone.

"What's all with the Estelle bit, Scratch? You've never used my real name in all the years I've known you?" Goldie asked over dinner.

"I'm afraid that Claire doesn't appreciate me calling you Goldie!"

"Oh, she's being a problem, is she?"

"I think she might resent me a little, yes."

"Toby always called me Goldie, but he got it from you in the first place; I'll tell her, perhaps that'll do something. Funny, I thought it would have been Toby who could have been a problem, but he seems to have taken to you quite well."

"More likely he likes getting Big Macs when I take you out to dinner," I observed.

"Anyway let's not talk about the children tonight. How's your old Triumph coming along? Ready for the road yet?" Goldie asked.

"No, there's plenty of work to do yet. Hold on, how did you know that I was getting the Triumph back in working order?" I asked, unable to understand how Goldie knew I was working on it.

There was just the slightest delay before Goldie replied; something that didn't register in my mind at the time.

"Look, Scratch, I'll bet that the last time I saw you was the first time that you'd thought about your motorcycle in years. We talked about old times riding the bike and, well, stands to reason you'd get stuck into it when you got back home again." Goldie smiled at me.

Yeah well, I thought that was a pretty logical bit of thinking at the time as well. But when I looked back on it later, there had been just that slightest pause before Goldie had answered me. Just long enough for Goldie to come up with that explanation. That women's intuition type statement that we men fall for all the time.

The headwaiter came to our table as we finished our meal and asked us if we'd mind having our coffees in the lounge, as he called the bar. Apparently they were very crowded and they had people waiting for our table.

When we got into the lounge Goldie sat beside me. Very closely beside me! She'd done the foot running up and down my calf bit over dinner again, but I'd pretended to ignore her this time. Now she was really pulling out all the stops and when I turned to look at her, our lips met and then all hell broke loose. Shit, I was out of practice and had to come up for air.

"It's been a long time since you kissed me like that," Goldie said.

"It sure has, but you taste as good as you ever did," I replied.

What was I talking about? Goldie had just kissed me, not the other way around. Still, it had been bloody enjoyable, so I went back for another sample.

"Um, I think we're the centre of attention here," Goldie said, sounding slightly embarrassed.

I looked around and, sure enough, I think everybody in the place was watching the two forty year olds sitting there, kissing like teenagers.

"Let's finish our coffee and get out of here," Goldie suggested.

Ten minutes later we resumed our snogging session out in my car. Things were soon getting heavy and we were parked in the main road, with people and cars going past.

"I think we need to take this somewhere a little less public, Goldie," I said catching a glimpse of one guy almost walking into a lamppost because he was staring at us.

"How about Old Redding?" Goldie suggested.

Old Redding is a local beauty spot, popular with courting couples in the evenings.

"Um, I'm a bit old for messing about in cars, Goldie."

"Never, you're as young as you feel. But if you don't fancy Old Redding, how about your hotel room?"

"Goldie! Do you realise what you're suggesting."

"Come on, Scratch, it isn't like we haven't done it before. Who was it who took my virginity in the first place by the way, and that was in a field out Radlett way," Goldie said in quite a scolding voice, I thought. "Besides I'm a grown woman now and, if I fancy a bit of the other, I can have it with whoever I like, and I want you ... TONIGHT!"

It seemed that Goldie's mind was made up. Hey, look, I wasn't going to turn the lady down. And I've got to admit that I wanted her big time. But we weren't in the sixties anymore and we weren't youngsters either. My world no longer revolved around getting my end away with any bird who would let me.

No, nowadays my mind was on other things, like long-term relationships and my children of course. I really wasn't expecting Goldie to jump into bed with me at the first opportunity.

"Goldie, are you sure we are doing the right thing here?" I asked, on the drive to my hotel.

"Scratch, I'm beginning to think you don't want me anymore. There was a time when you'd have taken me in that car beside the road there and who cares who's watching!" Goldie was sounding very annoyed or maybe it was disappointment in her voice.

"No, Goldie, please don't get me wrong, but I've only just found you again and I'm worried that we are going too fast. I think I was hoping..." I stopped speaking my mind in a kind of haze.

'What was I hoping?' I thought to myself. I was being carried along by events here; I couldn't think of any conscious thoughts I'd had about where things were actually heading. I'd loved this woman at one time and meeting her again had raised the old testosterone levels. But where was it all leading to?

Stupid question! I'd wanted Goldie to be mine once, and I still wanted the same thing now, in my subconscious. But I was thinking long-term relationship, not a bit of fun on the side. I wondered what Goldie was thinking of.

At the hotel I led Goldie, not to my room or the lounge bar; that was too crowded. Ah, the hotel library was empty; that would do nicely. Goldie looked at me obviously confused about my intentions when I guided her into the one of the library's big club chairs.

"Two coffees please," I said to the waiter who'd seen us enter and followed us in.

"Scratch, what's up with you?" Goldie asked when he'd closed the door.

I sat myself on the footstool directly in front of Goldie.

"Goldie, I mean Stella, this is important!" I said to her, fixing her eyes with my gaze. "Stella, I love you, I always have. But I don't want to go rushing into anything that's going to come back and haunt us. I would like to build a relationship with you that is going to last; hopefully if we can overcome all of the obstacles, you will agree to become my wife one day."

Stella, who'd been sitting forward expectantly in the chair, lent towards me and kissed me lightly on the lips. Then she settled back and smiled at me.

"Scratch, you always were the biggest dumb cluck of the bunch. I'd marry you tomorrow if you asked. I've always loved you; didn't you know that? We were stupid kids back then, fumbling around in the dark. Don't you think I haven't lain in bed hundreds of times wondering what might have been?

"Don't get me wrong I had a wonderful marriage with Toby but he's gone now, and I've got two children that I love deeply. But there's always been the spectre of Scratch Caisey hanging over everything. You don't know what it did to me when you walked into the café that day."

Goldie stopped speaking when the waiter brought the coffees in, placed them on a nearby table and left again.

"So if you still have a soft spot in your heart for me and I've always loved you, where do we go from here, if it isn't into bed together? Anyway what obstacles are there to us getting married if we want to, Scratch?"

"Our children, Goldie! We'd have to think very carefully about how they are going to accept having a new mother or father being dumped into their lives.