by RJ Hunter
"A cup of that coffee would be nice. It'll only take a few minutes to load these rails." He replied chirpily, as he cast his eye over the shapely brunette.
Sally had been right about Jeremy's crush on Lizzie. He had fallen for her the first time they had met, but Jeremy was engaged to be married at the time. Lizzie certainly hadn't been short of boyfriends during those days, and they were all handsome, debonair and rich, but nothing had ever lasted more than a few months.
Although Jeremy knew how to make money, he was always conscious that he was somewhat lacking in the looks department and this held him back from making a move on Lizzie. He also felt a little out of his depth with her, as she could on occasion, be quite extravagant and rather over the top. It was as if he was forever deciding if they were compatible, and whether he could actually make her happy.
Just as Lizzie had finished making his coffee, the postman arrived with a bundle of mail. She sorted through the letters, which were mostly bills, and circulars until she came to one particular envelope with a London postmark. She quickly tore it open and read the contents, hoping it to be a positive reply from a leading chain of women's fashion shops she'd been in contact with. The company had sent a buyer just before Christmas to look at some of the boutique's stock. Although the woman had been very shrewd and astute, Lizzie felt she was quite taken with one particular range of garments. These were light, cotton smock dresses that Lizzie had designed for the summer. They were cool, airy and tantalisingly see through.
"A thousand smocks!" Gasped Lizzie in total shock. "Jeremy, come here, quickly!"
Jeremy thought there had been some sort of accident, and came rushing in from the van.
"Lizzie, are you alright. What's happened?"
"They've ordered a thousand of those smock tops, that's what's happened!" She then grabbed Jeremy and planted a huge kiss on the surprised Canadian.
"Wow, Lizzie! I should be around more often when you get orders!" He exclaimed excitedly with a red lipstick mark on his cheek.
"Wait, there's more," she gasped again. "They want us to model some of those awful Trevira suits. There's no accounting for taste! This is big Jeremy!"
He had never seen Lizzie so exuberant before, and it excited him.
"I think this calls for a celebration!"
"I'll say," replied Lizzie, still unable to quite take in what she had just read.
Sally was equally shocked when she arrived at the boutique a short while later.
"Gosh, we're going to have our work cut out making up all these tops."
"Yes, I know. I think we may have to get some extra help." Replied Lizzie misty eyed. "Oh and before I forget, we must buy something for Jeremy. He's just taken that last order into town for us. He's been so good."
Sally broke into a grin. Lizzie could be very naive about certain things, despite her often scary business-like persona.
"Jeremy likes you Lizzie, that's why he helps out."
"Nonsense," Lizzie said, immediately dismissing Sally's observation. "He's an up and coming property developer, what would he want with a half-crazed clothes designer?"
"Lizzie, you're as bad as me at putting yourself down!"
It took a little over a month to prepare the order of a thousand smock dresses of assorted sizes and patterns. It meant long hours working into the night and every weekend. They hired an extra seamstress and between them the mountain was soon reduced. As a bi product, both Sally and Lizzie lost weight. It wasn't that they needed to in any way. It was simply because they were so focussed on making a success of Scarlet's, that they put themselves second, and that meant skipping meals.
The modelling session was booked in for early March, and Sally and Lizzie decided to don the garments and do the modelling themselves. They already had a stockpile of the Trevira range and decided not to make any more just in case an order wasn't forthcoming.
Both women dazzled. They were natural models. William just gazed with pride at seeing his wife strut her stuff with such abandon. When Lizzie took to the catwalk, Jeremy simply couldn't take his eyes off her, which didn't go unnoticed by more or less everyone present.
"Honestly, how can a man get so excited at seeing a woman in polyester?" Exclaimed Lizzie a bit later on in the changing room.
"I don't think it was the outfit he was looking at Lizzie. You had him mesmerised!"
"Okay, Mrs. know it all, so why doesn't he do anything about it then?"
"I think I might have a little chat with our Jeremy."
"Don't you dare, Sally Peddlescoombe. There are some things you just have to leave to fate."
But Sally did take it upon herself to find out what was going on with Jeremy. It was one afternoon in the shop a few days later. Lizzie had gone out to see a client, and Sally was busy running up some of the dreaded Trevira outfits to be used as staff uniforms.
"So you're a bit taken with Lizzie are you Jeremy?" Sally blurted out as he came in to fetch some stock.
"Who told you that?" He replied defensively.
"Oh, come on, it's the worst-kept secret in the world. You can't keep your eyes off her."
"Is it that obvious, Sally?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so! Why don't you just ask her out?"
He scratched his head and sat down alongside her, watching intently as she went about stitching a hem using the sewing machine.
"I'm scared Sally."
"Scared? But you're a successful business man Jeremy?"
"Well, I don't know about that, but look at me, I'm balding, short and not the most attractive man on the planet!"
"So, you're afraid Lizzie will turn you down, is that it?"
"Yes, in a nutshell." He replied, looking anxious.
"Don't you have anyone in your life at the moment, Jeremy?"
"I was engaged to a girl back in Canada, but it all went wrong."
Sally stopped sewing, and turned to face him.
"How do you mean, what, she got cold feet?"
Jeremy sighed and looked away.
"No, not in the least, she found someone else and ditched me."
"Oh that's awful. But from the way I see it, perhaps you're better off without her. So did you know who she went off with?"
"Yeah, he was like a guy I used to work with. Handsome devil, all the girls liked him."
"I see, so that knocked your confidence a bit where women are concerned?"
"You've got it dead right Sally. There's no keeping secrets from you is there?"
Sally laughed, and turned her attention back to her sewing.
"If I were you Jeremy, I would ask Lizzie, while there's still an opportunity."
"Do you think there's a possibility she might say yes?"
"I wouldn't be telling you this, if I didn't think you stood a chance."
"Thank-you, Sally. That's just what I needed to know. Valentine's day is coming up soon, I think I might just send her a card."
"Don't forget the roses Jeremy, you're known for your roses!"
"So you know about those too, do you?"
"It's pretty obvious it's you, but Lizzie doesn't seem to realise it!"
A week later Sally and Lizzie went into the Orange Tree pub, next door to the boutique for a drink after work. It was Lizzie's idea, as she had something preying on her mind and seemed a bit jumpy.
Sally sat at an empty table, while Lizzie went to the bar to order the drinks.
"It's been so hectic, lately Sally," Remarked Lizzie, taking a seat beside her friend. "My fingers are actually getting calloused from all the stitching I'm doing!"
"Mine too, but we're over the worst now, and it's exciting seeing Scarlet's taking off like this." Sally then took a sip of her wine, before adding; "So what is it you wanted to tell me, I'm intrigued?"
Lizzie coughed and nearly choked on her wine, as her eyes darted around the crowded pub.
"You know this mystery chap who sends me the red roses?"
"Yes, it's so strange." Laughed Sally. "So has he sent you another one?"<
br />
"Well, yes he has, but a dozen this time, and he sent me a Valentine's card too!"
"You're lucky. William totally forgot about Valentine's day!"
"Most men do, once they've snared you!" Replied Lizzie dryly as she lit a cigarette. "He wrote in the card to meet him here for a drink, in exactly five minutes time!"
"Oh, my god, that's at seven o'clock, how romantic." Gasped Sally, pretending to be surprised. "Who do you think it is?"
"I'm not sure. There's one or two buyers who have shown an interest, and I did think it could be Jeremy at one time, but he's far too shy."
"Well, it's all very mysterious, so how will you know him?"
"He said he'll be wearing a flower, Silly!"
"Yes, of course!" Giggled Sally. "This is so exciting, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Oh, I don't know, it all seemed a bit weird, and as you know, I don't do weird."
"So, Lizzie Marchmont doesn't do weird? Pull the other one!"
At dead on seven, Jeremy strolled in, looking a little sheepish. Lizzie put him under scrutiny, but he didn't appear to be wearing a flower.
"Hello, ladies, can I get you another drink?" He asked politely.
"Yes, I'll have a glass of Chablis." Replied Lizzie, finishing her drink. Sally declined and started to think about leaving, in order to give Jeremy some space.
He sat down and joined them, chatting about how they were getting through the huge order. Lizzie, however, seemed pre-occupied and kept glancing up whenever someone walked into the pub.
There was a roaring log fire on one side of the bar, which was throwing out a considerable amount of heat.
"It's rather warm in here, I think I'll take my coat off," remarked Jeremy, as he rose to his feet. Lizzie wasn't really paying any attention, but when he sat back down again, she couldn't help noticing that he was wearing a T-shirt with a distinctive red rose design on the front. She gasped, nudging Sally, and the two women stared at Jeremy's garment in amazement.
"That's a very unusual T-shirt? Remarked Lizzie, grinning. "I never took you to be the type to show your feminine side, Jeremy?"
"Do you like it?" He asked. "We're offering a T-shirt printing service in one of the shops in London. You can have whatever you want printed on them."
"Whatever next!" Replied Lizzie. "That's fascinating, what a good idea."
"Yes, they're selling like hotcakes. We also print customer's names on fake newspapers and posters, that kind of thing."
"You're very innovative, Jeremy. I like that in a man."
Sally couldn't help smiling. Lizzie and Jeremy were getting along like a house on fire. Lizzie loved extravagance and was very tuned into those who displayed extrovert tendencies.
Jeremy finished his lager, and asked if he could replenish the women's glasses. Sally refused, and said she had to be going as William would be struggling looking after the children, but Lizzie never turned a drink down and readily accepted Jeremy's offer.
As he returned to the bar, a bit of a commotion seemed to break out. People were looking and commenting on what was written on the back of Jeremy's T-shirt.
Sally and Lizzie glanced over to see what the excitement was all about, and were shocked to read; 'LIZZIE, IF I ASK YOU OUT, WILL YOU SAY YES?' written in bright red capital letters on Jeremy's back.
"I think that's a cue for me to be off!" Said Sally, putting on her coat. "I'll leave you two lovebirds to it!"
Jeremy tried to laugh it off, but he was clearly embarrassed. He hadn't planned on the whole pub knowing his intentions. It was just then, that the landlord came over to the table. He was a portly, red-faced man, who obviously enjoyed his work.
"Could you please tell me, which of you young lady's would be Lizzie?" He asked in a jovial manner.
"That would be me." Replied Lizzie, going slightly red.
"Well perhaps you ought to give this poor chap an answer, and put the rest of us out of our misery!"
The pub went quiet, and now all eyes were on Lizzie and Jeremy.
Lizzie took a sip of her wine and tried to maintain her composure.
"Most certainly!" She replied in a confident tone. "I do believe the answer is a very positive, yes!"
A cheer went up from the other customers, and Jeremy brought the whole pub a round of drinks. As he went to sit back down, a chorus of Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! could be heard, and Lizzie and Jeremy, not wanting to disappoint, duly obliged.
Lizzie then became rather overwhelmed by it all and had to rush off to the ladies room to touch up her make-up. While she was gone, Jeremy looked up to Sally.
"Before you go, Sally, I just wanted to say thanks for giving me such good advice. You certainly weren't wrong."
"That's quite alright, Jeremy. I'm never wrong about things like that. Just you take good care of my friend, and don't keep her out late - she's got lots of work to do!"
"I'll try not to, Sally but there's a nightclub in Mayfair everybody's talking about. I'm hoping to take Lizzie there."
"Oh, really," replied Sally, "What's it called?"
"It's called, Lake's. Have you ever heard of it?"
"No, I can't say I have." Was Sally's reply.
1981
The smoke was everywhere, and William didn't know what to do next. He pulled out the grill pan, and rescued what was left of the bacon, meanwhile, the toast had popped up, and the sausages were burning.
Opening the back door to let some air inside, he tried to re-gain his composure. The frying pan was bubbling, and this too was beginning to smoke as he removed it from the heat, before attempting to crack more eggs. The last two efforts had resulted in both the yolks breaking upon impact. He had then placed the damaged eggs onto a plate, which would eventually form part of the breakfast he would eat.
William then realised he'd forgotten, not only the mushrooms, but the tomatoes as well. He delved into the fridge, and quickly prepared the mushrooms, before putting them into the pan where the sausages had been.
Giving up on the tomatoes, he then searched in the larder for the tinned variety, just as the doorbell rang. Suspecting who it could be, William called up to Sally and the others, saying he would answer the door.
He was right, it was Sally's bouquet, and very impressive it looked. He checked that the attached card was correct and gave the driver his payment, before returning to the battlefield that was the kitchen. Perhaps, he should have just done scrambled eggs after all, he thought with a sigh, as he tried to persevere.
It was May 18th, and the day of William and Sally's eighteenth wedding anniversary. William knew his wife wouldn't eat all the full-English breakfast he'd just cooked, because of the calorie content, but felt he had to make the effort. He placed the plate of food on a tray, along with the toast, fresh orange juice and a pot of Earl Grey tea, and proudly carried it upstairs to the waiting Sally.
Business was brisk at Scarlet's and orders were coming in thick and fast. As Sally was needed at the boutique, and it being a Monday, they had decided to go into London later that afternoon, check into a hotel, have a meal, then see a show.
"William, how delicious, and you didn't break the yolks - I'm very impressed!"
William smiled, and ran back down to collect the bouquet and the card, before presenting them to Sally with a flourish, and kissing her passionately on the cheek.
"Happy anniversary, darling!"
"Oh, William, they're lovely. You shouldn't have!"
"You wouldn't be saying that, if I had forgotten!"
"True, but you didn't, you remembered!" Replied, Sally affectionately, taking a bite from her toast. "Eighteen years! Did you still think we'd we be together all this time?"
"When I first saw you in the library all those years ago, I knew you were the only one for me. I married you for life, Sally, and I'll never ever leave you. So, yes, I knew we'd still be together."
"How sweet," she replied, kissing him on the cheek.
William gazed into her blue eyes.
"Did you
think we'd still be together, Sally?"
"Of course I did, silly! After all, I did come back to you, didn't I? Do you remember when you took me out fishing in your boat?"
"How could I ever forget, you nearly got us both drowned!"
They were both in fits of laughter recalling when Sally had tumbled back in the boat, with the carp falling down on top of her, when they heard the telephone ringing. William ran down to answer it, but Laura had already beaten him to it.
"It's for Mum," she said, passing the phone to her father, and going off into the kitchen to make herself a coffee.
Sally put on her dressing gown and came down to take her call.
"Who is it?" She asked, but William shrugged his shoulders and handed her the phone.
"Hello, It's Sally speaking, can I help you?"
"Yes, I hope so, Mrs. Peddlescoombe. My name is Sarah Clifton, and I'm a reporter for Entrepreneur's Weekly. Have you seen it on TV?"
"Yes, I have many times." Replied Sally, a little puzzled. "In fact, it's one of my favourite shows."
"That's just what I wanted to hear, Mrs. Peddlescoombe. We've been hearing some wonderful things about Scarlet's Boutique, and would really like to feature you on next week's programme."
"Really?" Exclaimed Sally excitedly. "When, and what will it involve?"
"Obviously we'd like to do it as soon as possible, and we'd bring along a camera crew. We would like all of your staff present, and Lizzie Marchmont of course."
"Yes, I'm sure we can arrange that. What about the questions?"
"Don't worry about the questions, Sally. We'll give you a list of them well in advance so you can prepare your answers. Can you all wear something designed by the boutique, it's for the viewers you understand?"
"Yes certainly!" Said Sally, smiling at William. We can do it either late afternoon tomorrow or Wednesday?"
It was arranged for the Wednesday, and Sally flung her arms around William.
"We're going to be on TV! Scarlet's is going to be on the Entrepreneur's Weekly!"
