One for the Road

by Will Roberts

  “Oh, yeah! I’ve heard that before, Jackie,” Tom answered. “Quiet tonight, gents. Only a few couples and that girl at the bar. Arrived with one of the not-so-regulars who was off his head. He left about an hour ago – after throwing up on the pavement – dirty bastard!” Tom gave them an update of the club residents.

  Jackie and Joe went to the bar. “What’ll it be, gents?” Andy the barman asked.

  “Usual for me, Andy,” Jackie replied.

  “I’ll have the same, Andy.” Joe was normally a beer drinker, but tonight he needed something stronger.

  Within a few moments, two tumblers of Scotch whisky with ice were placed before them.

  “Cheers, Jackie!” Joe raised his glass.

  “Cheers, Joe!” Jackie said as he raised his glass.

  They both finished their drinks in one gulp.

  “Same again, Andy!” Joe called to the barman, who had gone to serve one of the couples sitting in one of the cosy booth seats and making their affection towards each other extremely obvious.

  “Be right with you, Joe!” Andy called back.

  While they were waiting, Joe took a long look at the stranger at the other end of the bar. She was sitting on a bar stool, like Joe and Jackie, and her legs were crossed, revealing suspenders that were holding up fishnet stockings. She wore a black dress that Joe could see was an expensive number. Harrods came to mind. Joe just had the side profile of her face, but it was clear she was a real beauty.

  Andy finished serving the amorous couple in the booth and placed the two whiskies in front of Jackie and Joe.

  “What’s she drinking, Andy?” Joe whispered to the barman, indicating the girl at the end of the bar with a slight movement of his head.

  “Champagne, Joe,” Andy whispered back.

  “I could see she had expensive taste!” Joe replied. “Okay, one bottle, but not the Moët & Chandon,” Joe added.

  “Moët & Chandon is all we serve, Joe!” Andy answered.

  “Be careful, Joe. Isn’t she a bit out of your league, me old cocker?” Jackie interrupted.

  Before Joe could reply, the girl at the end of the bar spoke.

  “Not going cheap on me are you Joe?” she asked sarcastically.

  “No, no – Moët & Chandon it is, Andy!” Joe stammered in reply.

  There was another warning from Jackie – “Be careful, Joe,” as Joe got up from the stool.

  “Don’t worry, Jackie,” Joe whispered back, after finishing his whisky.

  “Make that two glasses, Andy,” Joe said as he walked to the other end of the bar.

  “I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage. You know my name and I have no idea of your name,” Joe said, as he sat down on the bar stool alongside this extremely attractive woman.

  “I’m Maria,” she answered, as she offered her hand, which Joe took in his and raised to his lips.

  “Maria, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Joe replied.

  “Likewise, Joe,” Maria answered with a suggestive smile.

  They both then raised their champagne glasses and clinked them together.

  “So what is it that brings you to this part of the big city?” Joe asked after taking a substantial sip of champagne.

  “I was just passing, so to speak. The ‘gentleman’ I was with wanted another drink, but he’d already had too much. He went outside to vomit, about an hour ago, and didn’t return… What about you, Joe? I would assume this is a regular watering hole for you,” she continued.

  “Yes, when I want an after-hours drink, this is where I come,” Joe replied.

  There was then some movement at the other end of the bar. Jackie was about to leave.

  “Goodnight, Casanova!” Jackie called. “I’ve covered the drinks, I’ll see you around.”

  Joe turned on his stool.

  “You leaving so soon, Jackie?” Joe asked, surprised his best friend was leaving so soon. “Come on, Jackie, have one for the road!”

  “No, I’m done, Joe. I’ll see you. Goodnight, Joe,” Jackie answered.

  “Goodnight, Jackie! I’ll see you,” Joe called back as he turned on his seat to face the sexy lady alongside him.

  “Goodnight, Jackie,” Maria called.

  “Goodnight, lady,” Jackie replied.

  The door closed and was locked again by big Tom; Joe and Maria continued their small talk.

  “What do you do then?” Joe asked

  “I’m an actress,” she answered.

  “What do you mean, in the West End or in the films, like?” Joe asked.

  “West End. I’m a theatre actress, currently working on Bless the Bride, at The Adelphi. It’s a musical.”

  Joe was not one to visit the theatre and never had been, though his mother and father were often seen in the West End at one of the many shows on at the many theatres that London boasted.

  “And what about you, Joe, what do you do?” Maria asked.

  “I’m a driver,” Joe answered.

  “What sort of driver?” Maria asked. “And what driver can afford to buy a girl a bottle of Moët & Chandon?” she continued.

  “I drive people around, those that can afford to be driven in a Jaguar Mark V,” Joe replied.

  Maria was impressed. “So you drive a Jag? Very nice. You will have to take me for a spin in your Jag one day, Joe.”

  “Any time you like, Maria,” Joe said as he brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek. He then moved closer and kissed her gently on her lips. She kissed him back and Joe was immediately aroused.

  “Let’s get out of here, Joe,” she whispered.

  “You bet,” Joe whispered back.

  “What I owe, Andy?” Joe asked the barman.

  “Nothing, Joe. Jackie got it all,” Andy answered.

  “Champagne as well?” Joe asked.

  “Yep, champagne as well!” Andy answered.

  “Nice one, Jackie,” Joe said as he helped Maria on with her coat.

  “Goodnight both,” Tom said as he opened the door and gave Joe a wink.

  “Be good,” he mouthed to Joe.

  Joe smiled back.

  Outside Joe pulled Maria to him and they kissed again, this time long and hard.

  “Where shall we go, Joe?” Maria asked when eventually they drew apart.

  “I know just the place, a nice little hotel, just a five-minute walk and very discreet,” Joe replied as they began to walk along the street, Maria’s arm through Joe’s.

  When Joe woke the next morning, in the hotel bed, Maria had gone. She had not bothered to wake him and had not left a note.

  He thought about the night before. The sex had been as if in a frenzy, almost desperate, but she was good, very good. The recollection of this brought a smile to his face. Then he remembered she’d had bruising on her arms and back. He had asked her about them but she’d refused to discuss it.

  Joe realised he knew almost nothing about her. Her name was Maria – no surname. What else? She was an actress, he recalled, but where was she performing? Did she say the Adelphi? He couldn’t remember, but he was sure he would find out. He reached out for a cigarette, lit a match and exhaled the smoke from the strong tobacco.

  Suburbs of Cardiff, Wales

  December 1949

  It was early evening and Jenny Evans had just finished washing the dishes from the lunchtime meal when the doorbell rang. She put down the tea towel and went to the front door.

  The silhouette in the glass door clearly showed a man of around average height, wearing a trilby and raincoat and carrying a suitcase. Who might this be? she thought. She was not expecting anyone and her husband, who was working late, was not due home for another hour.

  She slowly and cautiously opened the door.

  “Yes,” she said, “can I help you?”

  She did not immediately recognise the man before her. The beard he was wearing was unkempt and the clothes looked like they needed a good wash. The trilby was worn forward, shielding the man’s face, and he was smoking a cigarette.<
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  “Jen, it’s Joe!” the man said as he removed the trilby hat from his head.

  “Joe!” Jen cried as she rushed forward and threw her arms around her brother.

  Joe dropped the suitcase and hugged his sister tightly.

  “What are you doing here, Joe? Why didn’t you call? What’s with the trilby? You hate wearing hats!” Jen cried as she pulled away from Joe’s embrace.

  Joe was about to reply when a little voice was heard from behind Jen.

  “Who is it, Mummy?” the voice asked.

  Jen turned to reveal her three-year-old daughter, with the most angelic-looking face surrounded by blonde curly hair.

  “It’s your uncle Joe, darling, come to visit from London,” Jen answered.

  “Joe, this is Sian. Sian, this is Uncle Joe.”

  “Hello, Uncle Joe,” Sian said.

  Joe threw his cigarette onto the gravel drive and leant down and picked up the niece he was seeing for the first time.

  “Hello, Sian. First, just call me Joe and, second, if I’d known I had such a beautiful niece, I would have come to visit sooner. Now come and show me your sister. I think she must be hiding from me!”

  “She’s not hiding, Joe. She’s sleeping. She’s only one!” Sian corrected her uncle.

  “Okay, little lady, let’s go see if she’s asleep, shall we?” Joe said as he carried his niece into the modest semi-detached house, followed by his sister who had picked up his suitcase.

  Jen had not failed to notice Joe’s look back down the street before he entered the house.

  “Cuppa tea, Joe?” Jen asked as Joe began to walk up the stairs to find his other niece.

  “Luv one, Jen!” Joe answered.

  After a few minutes, Joe came into the kitchen where Jen was making the tea, still carrying Sian.

  “You can put Sian down now, Joe,” Jen said. “Sian, go and draw Joe a nice picture, will you? And don’t forget it will soon be your bedtime.”

  “But I want Daddy to put me to bed,” Sian replied.

  “And he will when he comes home from work. Now go and draw Joe a picture.”

  “Okay, Mummy,” Sian said as she turned and skipped into the lounge.

  “You have two beautiful daughters, Jen. I wish I’d come to see them sooner,” Joe said.

  “Is everything okay, Joe? I mean what’s with the beard and the trilby?” Jen was serious as she poured Joe a steaming cup of tea.

  “Help yourself to milk and sugar,” she added as she handed Joe the tea.

  “Thanks, Jen.”

  Joe poured a little milk and several teaspoons of sugar into the small cup. He then brought out a pack of Woodbines and offered one to Jen, who duly accepted. He lit her cigarette before lighting his own with a match.

  Jen coughed several times after inhaling the strong tobacco.

  “I’ll get an ashtray – I don’t know how you smoke these cigarettes? They’re too strong for me – Joe Woodbine Watts! Gareth smokes something much milder. Not that he smokes very much, just in the evening and the weekend when he’s relaxing.”

  Jen then rose from the kitchen table and took an ashtray from one of the kitchen cupboards and promptly stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray.

  “Where is Gareth? Still working?” Joe asked.

  “Yes, he should be home in about half an hour,” she said as she glanced at the kitchen clock. “He normally has a few drinks with some clients on a Friday evening.”

  “That sounds good, Jen. Why don’t I take you and Gareth for a few bevvies tonight? My treat. Eh? Can you get somebody to look after the girls?” Joe asked.

  “Okay, Joe. Sounds good to me. I’ll call the babysitter – see if she’s available tonight. We can go to the Wheatsheaf. It’s about a ten-minute walk.”

  Jen then went to the lounge, where she picked up the black Bakelite telephone and dialled the babysitter’s number. After a few seconds, somebody picked up.

  “Hi, Helen! It’s Jen. Is Stella there? – Oh good, thanks.” After a few more seconds – “Hi Stella! It’s Jen. I was wondering if you were available to sit for us tonight? – You can? That’s great. About eight thirty, if that’s okay? Great! See you then. Bye.” Jen replaced the telephone handset in the cradle.

  “Joe, you’d better use the bathroom before Gareth comes home. It looks like you need it!” Jen said, looking Joe up and down.

  “Yes, I do, Jen. I’ll go now,” Joe replied as he stubbed out his cigarette.

  “You can use the back bedroom, Joe. Sian can sleep with Gareth and me tonight,” Jen called as he disappeared up the stairs.

  “Oh goody, Mummy. Joe is staying the night and I’m sleeping with Mummy and Daddy!” Sian said as she continued drawing her picture for Joe.

  Jen sat down on the lounge floor alongside her daughter.

  “That’s a lovely picture, Sian. I can see a man with a suitcase and beard and a hat. You’ve drawn Uncle Joe.”

  “No, Mummy, I’ve drawn Joe. He doesn’t like to be called Uncle Joe,” Sian corrected her mother.

  “Yes, my darling, you are right. He doesn’t like to be called Uncle Joe, does he? Now give me your hand and we can write Joe’s name on the top of the page, shall we?” Jen said.

  Jen then guided Sian’s hand with the crayon.

  “There we are. J – O – E, Joe!”

  Sian then shrieked with joy and was given a big hug by her mother.

  “I like Joe, mummy. How long will he stay with us?” Sian asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know darling, but knowing Joe, it won’t be for very long,” Jen answered her daughter.

  The lounge was then lit up by the headlights of a car pulling onto the gravel drive at the front of the house.

  “Daddy’s home!” Sian whispered.

  “Yes, he is. Go and say hello then.”

  As the front door opened, Gareth Evans was greeted by his daughter. As she ran towards him, she was plucked up into his arms.

  “Daddy,” she cried.

  “Ah ha, my little princess. I hope you have been a good girl for your Mummy?” Gareth asked.

  “Of course Daddy, and I’m sleeping with you and mummy because Joe is sleeping in my bed,” Sian declared proudly.

  “Joe? Your brother, Joe? What’s he doing here?” Gareth asked his wife who had appeared in the doorway.

  “He’s just visiting, Gareth. It’ll only be a few days,” Jen answered.

  Joe then came down the stairs, clean-shaven, hair slicked back, wearing fresh clothes and looking a completely different person. He was also carrying two gifts neatly wrapped in Christmas paper, for his two nieces for Christmas.

  “Hi, Gareth! Err… I’m sorry about the intrusion. I hope it’s no bother, but as Jen says it’ll only be a couple of days – max, I promise!”

  “Okay, Joe. No problem – it’s good to see you. It’s been a long time. You look good, Joe?” Gareth added.

  “Better than he looked ten minutes ago. That’s for sure,” Jen muttered.

  “Oh no, Joe, I’m going to have to draw another picture because you shaved your beard off!” Sian explained.

  “You’ve drawn a picture of me? Why don’t you show me?” Joe said, as he took Sian’s hand and was led into the lounge.

  “Are those for me and Rachel?” Sian asked, seeing the two presents Joe was holding.

  “Yes, they are, Sian, but they are not to be opened until Christmas, okay!” Joe answered his niece. “Now where should I put them?”

  “Under the tree of course!” Sian answered.

  Sian led Joe into the lounge, which was brightly decorated with streamers and snowflakes hung from the pelmet over the curtains in the bay window. There was a large Christmas tree in the corner of the room, which was also brightly decorated with lights and gold and red baubles, and looked impressive, and there were two large stockings hung from hooks over the mantelpiece, where an electric fire was blazing and keeping the room warm and cosy, Joe thought. A large fireguard surrounded the whole fireplace.<
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  Sian led Joe to the Christmas tree and placed the presents under the tree, alongside other presents that were already there.

  “Are you hungry, Gar?” Jen said as she gave her husband a kiss. “Joe has invited us out for drinks, so you had better get yourself into the bathroom – Stella will be here in thirty minutes. If you’re hungry, we can get some fish and chips. Joe’s not eaten either.”

  Gareth returned the kiss. “All arranged I see. Okay, I’ll get washed and changed. I had a sandwich earlier, but a few beers would be great!”

  “As Joe said, it’s only for a couple of days, you’ll see,” Jen assured her husband.

  “We’ll see!” Gareth said as he began to ascend the stairs.

  “I think the last time I saw Joe was at our wedding,” Gareth mumbled to himself as he disappeared up the stairs.

  Jen returned to the lounge where Joe was sitting on the floor alongside Sian, who was showing him the drawing she had made of him.

  “But now you don’t have a beard. I’ll have to start again!” she declared.

  “You know, Sian, this is the best drawing anyone has made of me and I want to keep it – can I?” Joe asked.

  “Yes, of course, Joe, and tomorrow I’ll make another one, but without a beard,” Sian promised.

  “That sounds great, Sian. Thank you so much,” Joe replied, with tears welling in his eyes.

  “Now young lady, it’s time for bed. Daddy’s upstairs in the bathroom. Go and clean your teeth and he will put you to bed. Now, give Joe a kiss and say goodnight,” Jen instructed her eldest daughter.

  “Goodnight, Joe!” Sian whispered, as she planted a big kiss on his cheek.

  “Goodnight, Sian,” Joe replied as he wiped the back of his hand across his eyes.

  “A little emotional there, Joe! – I’m going to get ready myself, so sit tight and let Stella in when she arrives, will you?” Jen asked.

  “Yeah. No problem. Go get yourself ready Jen, then we’ll have a nice evening down the boozer,” Joe said.

  Stella arrived right on time. Joe let her in and introduced himself, just as Gareth and Jen were coming down the stairs.

  Stella was a petite girl about sixteen years of age, with auburn hair and glasses. She was still at school, which was obvious as she carried an armful of books.