The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (57 page)

  
Eddie, spotting
Roy
’s stricken expression, quickly
took charge and handed the assistant his own card while
Roy
carried the tray over to a vacant
table and sat down.

  
‘She’s certainly been
busy,’ Eddie said, taking a seat.

  
Roy
checked his wallet again. He
pulled out several folded bank notes. They too had been neatly cut in half,
re-folded to look whole and then replaced back in the wallet. ‘Can you believe
it?’

  
‘I can. Jane would no
doubt do something similar. I think Sammy’s trying to show you that she means
business with the scissors. It’s a symbolic gesture. I’d keep my wits about me
if I were you. Make sure you lock the bathroom door when you’re taking a
shower.’

  
‘She must have gone
downstairs and wreaked havoc while I was sleeping. My wallet was in my jacket
pocket. It’s the only jacket she hasn’t ruined, apart from the cream one at the
dry cleaners.’

  
‘You’re very lucky to
still have it then,’ Eddie said, tucking hungrily into his eggs and bacon.

  
‘It was my last birthday
present from her. She designed it and had it specially made. It cost a small
fortune,’
Roy
said sadly as he looked at the black, soft leather, thigh-length
jacket, with its equally soft, red leather lining. ‘Oh, Ed, how on earth can I
make amends? Livvy told me to go back to Sammy the other night you know.

  
‘When I got home I
apologised. We talked; Sam was on the verge of forgiveness, until I made the
big mistake of kissing her. She pushed me away, said she could smell Livvy on
me and ran off before I could stop her. She threw up, and that was it. She’s
hardly spoken to me since. Now she’s wrecked my clothes, my car and my cards.
And
you
tell me she’s already filed for divorce.’
Roy
’s eyes were bright with unshed
tears.

  
‘
Roy
, come on; pull yourself together,
man. Eat your breakfast. It’s not very hot to start with.’
  

  
Eddie was conscious of
the stares of a group of middle-aged women who were sitting at a table a few
feet away. He heard one of them mutter, “
It
is
them! I’d know them anywhere
.”

  
‘Maybe she’ll change her
mind. Who knows what the next few days will bring. At least you’re away from
both of them for a while. Here, have a fag and let’s try and concentrate on the
job in hand. We’ll stop at Brent’s Cross and get you a change of clothes. I’ll
put them on the company credit card and you can pay the business back for your
personal spending later.’

  
‘Thanks, Ed, you’re a
real pal,’
Roy
said and tried to eat the congealing fried breakfast.

***

Jess was packing and addressing the winter mail order catalogues
on Friday afternoon when the office phone rang. ‘It might be Nick for me,’ she
said as Sammy answered and passed the receiver over.

  
‘It
is
Nick, for
you. Let me speak to him before you hang up, love.’

  
Jess, ‘yes-ed’, ‘no-ed’
and then, ‘Oh that’s a great idea, Nick, see you later. Love you, too.’ She
handed the phone back to Sammy.

  
Sammy spoke to Nick and
replaced the receiver. ‘Now that’s a lovely thought.’

  
‘What is?’ Jane glanced
up from her invoices.

  
‘The party Jess and Nick
were going to tonight’s been cancelled. So they’re taking us out for a meal
instead.’

  
‘Oh lovely,’ Jane said.
‘Who’s paying?’ She looked at Jess, one eyebrow raised.
  

  
‘We are of course,
Mother. What do you take us for?’ Jess was indignant.

  
‘Just going off your
track record, darling,’ Jane teased.

  
‘I’ll go home a bit
earlier, get ready and drive over to your place,’ Sammy said. ‘We can relax
over a couple of G&T’s and then Nick and Jess can pick us both up from
there.’

  
‘Stay over tonight then.
You can have your old room. Ed and Roy are not coming back until tomorrow. Ed
phoned last night and confirmed it. Did
Roy
call?’

  
‘
Roy
who?’ Sammy said dismissively.

  
Jane rolled her eyes.
‘You have to talk to him next week. This situation is crazy. You still love him
and
he
loves you. Ed said he’s in
bits; can’t concentrate on anything. He sat in the hotel bar on his own last
night and got legless. He wouldn’t even go out for a meal with Ed and the lads
from
Perry’s Dream
. That’s not like
Roy
. He loves to be involved as a
rule.’

  
‘He was probably sulking
about his car, or hoping to pick up another blonde bimbo,’ Sammy replied.
‘Talking of bimbo’s, I wonder if
she’s
had her solicitor’s letter yet.
Roy
’s came this morning. It’s waiting
for him at home.’

  
‘We can ask Jon later,’
Jane said. ‘She’s bound to have confided in him now that it’s out in the open.
I’d better call him, make sure he’s going to be home tonight and ask him to
mind the kids.’
 

  
‘Can’t your mum and dad
do it?’ Sammy asked.

  
‘They’ve gone to
Gloucester
for the weekend to see our Pete
and his wife,’ Jane replied, dialling Flanagan and Grey’s number. ‘I dropped
them off at Westlow station this morning.’ She pulled a face as the phone was
answered. ‘It’s her,’ she mouthed at Sammy. ‘Can I speak to Jon please? It’s
his Mum.’ Putting her hand over the mouthpiece she said, ‘She sounds really
miserable.’

  
‘Good,’ Sammy said.
‘Serves her bloody well right.’

  
‘Hi, Mum
,’ Jon said.

  
‘Hi, Jon. Are you free to
baby-sit tonight while Nick and Jess take me and Sam for a meal?’

  
‘Yes, no problem. Can Helen stay over then? I’d arranged to take her
out.’

  
‘Of course she can – if
you’re sure her mother won’t object. I’ll treat you to a take-away and you can
help yourself to a bottle from your dad’s wine cellar. Oh - have you?’ Jane
raised her eyebrows and looked across at Sammy. ‘How on earth did she know
where you were working? - I see. Oh well, we’ll discuss it over the weekend
when your Dad gets home. See you later. Bye, love.’

  
‘What’s up?’ Sammy asked.

  
‘Jon’s had a phone call
from his Aunt Sally, Angie’s sister. Angie’s dad’s popped his clogs and the
family want Jon to go to the funeral next Monday. One of Sally’s sons found out
that Jon’s working in Flanagan and Grey’s and told his mother. Sally took a
chance and called him. I don’t expect she wanted to contact him through Ed.’

  
‘Will it pose a problem?’
Sammy frowned.

  
‘God knows. Ed hates him
having any contact with them for obvious reasons. But at the end of the day
they
are
Jon’s family and they always
remember him on his birthday and at Christmas.’

  
‘Bloody Hell, there’s
always something to worry about,’ Sammy sighed.

***

Jane drove home as quickly as she could in the Friday rush hour
traffic; stopping on the way to collect Katie and Dominic from Lucy’s house.
With her mum and dad away as well as Eddie, it meant she had to do all the
organising
and
the morning school run. Thankfully, Lucy’s mum had
offered to care for the children after school today.

  
Back home, Jane fed the
hungry pair and settled them in front of the television while she took a quick
bath and washed her hair. Jon arrived with Helen and Jane met them on the
landing as Jon was ushering Helen into his room.

  
‘This is okay, isn’t it,
Mum? Helen sharing my room, I mean?’

  
‘Yes, as long as you’re
careful,’ Jane replied absent-mindedly, then clapped her hand over her mouth.
‘Oh, Jon, what am I saying? I’m sorry, love. You’re an adult and I still treat
you like a little boy.’ She grinned as her strapping stepson gave her a bear
hug.

  
Helen smiled at the pair.
‘Going somewhere nice, Jane?’

  
‘Jess and Nick are taking
me and Sam out for a meal. When your dad rings later, Jon, tell him to call me
back about
midnight
, please.’

  
‘Will do.’ Jon carried on
into his room with Helen.

  
Jane rushed back into her
bedroom to dry her hair and paint her fingernails. She carefully applied her
makeup, fastened her gold chain and locket around her neck and slipped into her
red silk Chinese dress. The Mandarin neckline hid her locket, but as long as
she could feel it next to her skin she was comforted. Eddie had given it to her
on their wedding day and she treasured it. She was missing him, hated him being
away. Still, the only alternative was to live closer to the recording studios
in
London
and that was something she’d
always refused to do.

  
When Sammy arrived, Jane
poured their favourite tipple and they waited in the lounge for the arrival of
their offspring. Jess had called earlier confirming that she and Nick would be
there for seven-thirty. The table at Rozzillo’s was booked for eight.

 
Jon and Helen sauntered
into the lounge, holding hands. They smiled as they greeted Sammy.

  
‘How are you, Sam?’ Jon
asked, bending to kiss her cheek.

  
‘Fighting fit,’ she
replied with a wry grin.

  
‘So I believe. Mum told
me what you did to his car and clothes. That was very brave. I bet he was
absolutely livid?’

  
‘If your dad hadn’t taken
him away on Thursday morning we’d have ended up killing each other,’ Sammy
replied. ‘By the way, has Livvy said anything to you?’

  
Jon shook his head. ‘Not
really. She’s been very withdrawn the last few days, even before all this blew
up. She seems to be a bit off colour.’

 
‘Not off colour enough to
stop her sleeping with
Roy
,’ Sammy said. ‘Your mum tells me Aunt Sally’s been in touch.’

  
Jon nodded. ‘My
Grandfather passed away and the family want me to go to the funeral. I’m not
sure that I want to go really, but I suppose I should.’

  
Jane patted his arm.
‘It’s up to you, love; I don’t think your dad will be too pleased. But at the
end of the day it’s your decision.’

  
‘I’ve got all weekend to
think about it. I’ll go and collect our take-away. I presume you’ll be gone by
the time I get back, so enjoy yourselves and I’ll see you later. Say hi to Nick
and Jess. Tell them if I don’t see them tonight, I’ll see them on Tuesday at
the college gig.’

  
‘You’ll see them later,
won’t you? They’ll come back here with us,’ Jane said.
   

  
‘Err, depends what time
you get back. Helen and I were planning an early night,’ Jon replied as Helen
blushed.

  
‘Okay, Jon, enough said,
you’re embarrassing Helen. Go and get your meal,’ Jane said.
 

  
‘Would you read us a
story, Helen?’ Dominic held out a book, a hopeful expression on his young face.

  
‘Of course I will, Dom.’
She ruffled his hair affectionately.

  
Katie, looking puzzled,
planted herself in front of her mother, hands resting on her hips. She’d been
watching TV with one ear tuned to the earlier conversation. ‘I thought Grandpa
had gone to see Uncle Peter with Grandma,’ she began.
          

  
‘He has, Katie, they went
this morning,’ Jane replied.

  
‘Well then, why did you
say he was dead?’ she demanded.

  
Jane gasped. Katie had
obviously taken in every word she’d overheard. Jane looked across at Sammy for
inspiration, but Sammy shook her head and shrugged. Jane took a deep breath.
‘Jon has another grandpa and grandma, Katie. Well, he
did
have, but the
grandpa died this week.’

  
Katie looked even more
puzzled. ‘Are they my grandpa and grandma, too?’

  
‘No, they’re not,’ Jane
replied.