Where Memories Are Made (12 page)

She didn't get to finish as Roger blurted out to Joyce, ‘You game, love?'

She nodded vigorously. ‘I am if you are.'

Jackie grinned. ‘Then let's go and get you two married!'

With Joyce at the back, arms clamped around Roger's waist, Jackie herself virtually sitting on his knee, she revved up the engine. Wobbling precariously due to the extra weight the scooter was unused to carrying, they set off.

The journey of twenty or so miles took longer than it would normally have done because not only was Jackie's second-hand vehicle struggling to cope with being overloaded, she was worried about encountering a constable cycling around on his beat or the possibility of Joyce's daughter passing them in her taxi on the way to Mablethorpe, so had decided it would be best to take a route off the beaten track. Perched precariously on Roger's bony knees as she was, Jackie was having difficulty steering the scooter around the winding, bumpy back lanes, many with deep fens full of water to either side. She was constantly mindful that time was rapidly ticking by towards four-thirty. Thankfully they finally arrived outside of the register office with three minutes to spare after no mishaps. As soon as he got off the scooter, Roger bent over to give his knees a vigorous rub and then stamped his feet several times hard on the pavement, saying. ‘Thank goodness we arrived when we did. My legs have gone dead!'

‘Oh, but that was fun, wasn't it?' Joyce enthused as she straightened her clothes and did her best to smoothe down her tousled hair. ‘I enjoyed myself as much as I did at the funfair the other night, especially when we took that corner a little fast and I did worry for a moment we were going to land in the ditch. How about you, dear?' she asked Roger.

Diplomatically he replied, ‘Well, let me just say I won't be forgetting that journey in a hurry.' Then he said to Jackie, ‘We can't thank you enough for all you've done for us.'

She smiled at them both. ‘Just doing my job. Now hurry up and get inside before the registrar thinks you've changed your mind. Best of luck.'

Joyce looked at her aghast. ‘But you can't go! After what you've done for us, we'd both be very honoured if you'd be a witness, wouldn't we, Roger?'

He said with conviction, ‘Oh, goodness, yes.'

Jackie felt privileged to be asked but she really hadn't time, not if she wanted to leave promptly tonight, but then she reasoned with herself that the ceremony would only last for fifteen minutes and she could just about spare that. Besides, she could tell by their expectant expressions that they would both be dreadfully disappointed if she declined, and hadn't the heart to do it to them.

With her as one witness it just remained to find another. The old man he approached wasn't at all interested until Roger offered him a couple of pounds for his trouble when he soon changed his mind. All four of them went inside.

It was forty minutes later when they returned, having had to wait twenty-five minutes as the appointments were running behind. Jackie had never seen such a radiant bride and groom, having finally achieved their dream of becoming man and wife. They were both aware they would have to face the inevitable backlash from Joyce's daughter when they returned home, but were determined she would not come between them. With the old man already on his way to the pub to spend his windfall, Jackie gave them both a hug and waved them on their way to a restaurant for a celebratory meal before they got a taxi back to Jolly's, then she climbed back on her scooter to speed her way back to the camp.

I
t was just gone a quarter-past six by the time Jackie arrived back in the office. Reception closed at six so she was spared having to answer Ginger's curiosity over what had transpired. Until she next saw her that was, when Jackie knew she would demand a blow-by-blow account. Harold Rose had gone home as usual on the dot of half-past five, but Al was waiting in case Jackie had need of him, keeping busy meantime by making a list of stationery supplies they were running low on for her to order.

She said to him apologetically, ‘I'm so sorry for keeping you back late. I haven't got time now as I really need to get home but I'll tell you why tomorrow. Nothing that needs my attention tonight, I hope?'

He shook his head and told her, ‘Chef Brown and Jim Smithers the photographer wanted to see you, but that can wait until tomorrow. I took a couple of calls from people hoping to make last-minute bookings and wrote down their details for you to contact them.'

She took the notes from him. ‘Thank you, Al. Put the extra time on your agency time-sheet to make sure you get paid for it. Now get packed up and off home.' Then she realised he would have missed the bus and the next one wasn't due until half-past seven. She felt in the circumstances she really ought to offer him a lift at least partway home. ‘I'm going out tonight, Al, and have to rush like mad to get ready in time for Keith picking me up at half-seven, but I can give you a lift to Mablethorpe?'

His thoughts whirled. He'd need to be careful how he responded, not give Jackie any inkling whatsoever that he was no longer residing in lodgings in Skegness but was installed in a dwelling right here on the site, without permission. ‘Oh, er … I'm not going straight home tonight. I'm going …' Where was he going? Then he said the first thing that came into his mind. ‘I'm … er … meeting Ginger and we're going for a drink in Paradise … er … at the carousel bar.'

Jackie thought it strange that Ginger had agreed to have a drink in that particular bar as it was the favourite haunt of the older campers. Still, she must have her reasons for arranging to meet Al there. Ginger had been after a date with him for a long time and Jackie was pleased that she had finally got her wish. She told Al, ‘I hope you enjoy yourselves.'

He couldn't meet her eye when he responded, ‘Thank you.'

Half an hour later Jackie wheeled her scooter down the entry behind the terraced house where she lived with her mother and younger brother, quickly secured it for the night, then hurried across the slabbed yard to the back door, letting herself inside. There was a steaming pan on the stove with a covered plate set on top. That would be her dinner. She'd have to gobble it down quickly if she was going to stand a chance of being ready in time for Keith to pick her up. She heard the sound of the television coming from the back room and presumed her mother was watching one of her favourite programmes,
Crossroads
. Jackie decided she would go and join her while she quickly ate her dinner. Since her father had died, Jackie's dearest wish was that her mother would find happiness again, but as she never went out socially, except to visit friends in their homes or for the occasional game of bingo at the local hall, seeing that wish fulfilled didn't seem likely. Still, her mother seemed happy with her life the way it was, and so as long as she was happy so was Jackie. Picking up a tea towel, she lifted the cover off the plate on the pan, then carefully carried it through to the back room.

Stepping in at the doorway she opened her mouth to greet her mother, but the sight of two people on the sofa, entwined together passionately kissing, shocked her rigid. Jackie dropped the plate, which smashed on the floor.

The unexpected noise set the couple on the sofa springing apart, eyes darting in the direction it had come from. When they saw who was standing in the doorway, they both froze, stupefied.

The three of them stared at each other for what seemed like an age. It was Gina Sims who was the first to gather her wits. ‘Oh, there you are, love. Keith arrived early to pick you up so we were just watching the television. We were worried you were having to work late again and wouldn't be home in time to go to the party. Never mind the mess. I'll clean it up and make you something else …'

Jackie's mind had completely shut down. It was as if she didn't want to acknowledge what her eyes had just witnessed in an effort to stall the pain this was going to cause her. She blankly watched her mother get up and hurry towards her, automatically moving aside to let her pass by to go into the kitchen. Then she told Keith, ‘I'll go and get ready.'

At Jackie's words his frozen face thawed. Smiling brightly at her, he responded, ‘Take your time, it won't matter if we're a few minutes late.'

She responded matter-of-factly, ‘But it does really. You're the best friend of the prospective bridegroom and he won't be picking you as his best man for the wedding if you're late for his engagement party.'

She walked across the room and placed her hand on the knob of the door leading upstairs. It was then that her brain suddenly whirred into life again. What she had seen and the repercussions of it exploded like a bomb inside her head. She spun back to face Keith and said, ‘You were kissing my mother when I came in, weren't you.' It wasn't a question but a statement.

He had relaxed back on the sofa by now, his eyes fixed on the television screen, but her words set him jerking upright to stare at her. ‘No … no, we weren't. Of course we …'

Jackie interjected, ‘You had your arms around each other and your lips pressed together. I've always understood that when two people do that they're kissing, Keith.' Devastating pain shot through her then, like bolts of lightning searing through her entire body. She hurled at him, ‘That was no friendly kiss you were having either. What I saw was two lovers kissing.'

He was vehemently shaking his head. ‘No, you've got it …'

‘Don't you dare take me for an idiot, Keith. I may be stupid – you and my mother between you have proved to me I am – but I'm not blind. I know what I saw. How long have you been carrying on together behind my back?
HOW LONG, KEITH
?'

Gina appeared by her daughter's side then, placing a hand on her arm, imploring, ‘Please listen, love. It really wasn't what you think …'

But Jackie shook her arm free, jumping away from her mother as though the touch had seared her skin. ‘It's not what I think! I repeat, I know what I saw. Lovers kissing. Why can't you both be honest and admit it?' Mystified she asked, ‘How could you betray me like this, Mum? I'm your daughter, for God's sake. I always hoped you'd meet someone and be as happy with them as you were with Dad, but did you have to pick on
my
boyfriend?' Then she spun round to look at Keith, hurt oozing from her. ‘As for you! I thought you were the most loyal, kind, caring man I could ever wish to meet. I really believed you loved me. I really thought we were together for life. I stupidly imagined you were going to propose to me soon … maybe even tonight. I was so pleased my mother and boyfriend got on well. I just didn't realise how well, did I? If I hadn't walked in when I did tonight, would we have gone to the party with you acting the part of being happy with me, when all the time it was my mother you wanted to be with? Would you have carried on deceiving me until you could both summon up the courage to tell me? Now, I asked you before, how long this has been going on?'

Gina implored, ‘It hasn't, Jackie. It was just tonight … we got carried away … it was only that one kiss you saw when you walked in. It was a moment of madness …'

Keith interjected, ‘No, I can't carry on like this, Gina. Jackie deserves to know the truth.' He looked at her steadily as he said, ‘I care for you very much, Jackie, but I've fallen in love with your mother. We never meant this to happen. It just did. I've been spending a lot of time with her while you've been working late and …'

Incredulous, Jackie cut in, ‘You're blaming
me
for this because I've had to work late?'

He gave a shrug. ‘No … well, maybe I am. If you hadn't had to work late then maybe I wouldn't have got to see a side of Gina I hadn't before. Not Gina the mother but Gina the woman … the wonderful woman she is … and, well, I couldn't help myself. I fell for her.'

‘But she's old enough to be your mother!'

‘No, she isn't, Jackie. She's only eleven years older than me. Besides, age doesn't matter when you love someone.'

Jackie turned her pain-filled eyes on her mother and asked, ‘And you love Keith?'

Gina looked at her for several long moments before she lowered her head and murmured, ‘Yes, I do, Jackie. We were trying to work out the best way to break this to you so we could … well, I didn't want to lose you, Jackie. I still love you.'

She snapped, ‘If you
loved
me then you would never have allowed yourself to become involved with my boyfriend in the first place!'

Gina said quietly, ‘It's not as simple as that, love. You can't pick and choose who you fall for. Keith and I fought our feelings, neither of us wanting to hurt you, but eventually it became impossible. I was just hoping … we were both hoping …'

Her voice trailed off, so Jackie finished for her. ‘That I'd be understanding, give you my blessing, be chief bridesmaid at your wedding?' The looks on both their faces gave her her answer. ‘You both hoped for a lot, didn't you? I'm sorry I can't oblige. Does Robby know about this?'

Gina shook her head. ‘No.'

‘Well, when you do tell him, I hope he's more understanding than I am.'

Jackie felt an all-consuming need to get out of here, away from the two people who had brought her world crashing down around her. She kicked up her heels and fled upstairs where she rammed her clothes and personal belongings into a holdall. When she arrived back downstairs her mother was crumpled on the sofa, head in her hands, sobbing her heart out. Keith sat slumped in an armchair, staring transfixed at the television, though it was apparent he was neither seeing nor hearing the programme being transmitted. His face was stricken.

It was glaringly obvious that they had been telling the truth; they'd not wanted to hurt Jackie but their feelings for each other had proved to be too strong for them to deny. Now they were both suffering from dreadful remorse. At the moment Jackie could find no shred of compassion for either of them as her own pain was too great. They had each other to turn to for comfort. Rhonnie or Drina, or both together, would have come to her rescue, offering her a shoulder to cry on, words of wisdom, their unwavering support to see her through this trauma. Ginger would too, but there was no one available to her right now. Jackie was completely alone. She hurried across the room and into the kitchen, grabbing her coat from the hook on the back door. Without stopping to put it on, she left.