by Carrie Stone
Two years she’d waited. It was just as they’d agreed. Two years in order to allow enough time for travel, the house renovations and, of course, Alf’s career advances. It had passed so quickly – much quicker than she’d expected. It seemed almost yesterday that they’d had the conversation – she could still recall the moment she’d blurted out her feelings. It had been minutes before they’d left the house for her monumental thirtieth birthday dinner. He’d been surprised; she remembered the shock on his face. But then he’d hugged her and explained his reasons for not asking sooner. They’d talked about it for what seemed like hours, but it was, in fact, probably only minutes. Two years is what he’d said and she’d remained silent on the matter ever since, not wanting to push him.
And now, tonight – two years later, on her thirty-second birthday – if Alf was true to his word, Kate was about to fulfil her deepest wish – accepting his engagement proposal. Her heart fluttered at the thought.
She was more than ready to become Mrs Alf Stafford.
Alf drove eagerly out of their suburban housing estate as Kate gazed quietly out of the passenger window, scanning the rows of identical red-brick terraced houses. She’d never given much thought to their mid-terrace property until lately. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy living in Ramsley Way – they’d bought the rendered white two-bed home six years previously and had been more than happy living there. Yet, looking at the mass of similar houses, she realised she was yearning to become more individual. They’d never planned to live there long term. It was supposed to be a starter home, but that idea had seemed to have fallen by the wayside…
She noticed that the detached pointed-roof house that sat on the corner of Worthington Road had recently been renovated. Its fresh coat of white exterior paint, potted shrubs either side of the green door and new sweeping brick driveway made her spirits lift even further. She’d been fixated on that particular property for some time now. It seemed so grandiose in comparison to their own home. It was idyllic – the type of marital home that she hoped to one day share with Alf and their children.
‘What are you smiling at?’ Alf asked, glancing sideways.
Kate grinned excitedly. ‘I’m just happy – it’s not often a girl gets to celebrate turning thirty-two with a handsome man by her side.’ She rubbed her hand on his leg and returned to looking out of the window.
Alf smiled at the comment and stared ahead. His spirits were high, but he hoped Megan hadn’t taken it upon herself to interfere and let Kate know the finer details of the surprise he’d planned. Their close friendship puzzled him. Kate’s ways were so different from those of the showy and attention-seeking Megan. She wasn’t anything but troublesome in his opinion – always filling Kate’s head with silly ideas and notions of riches and glamour. Kate was gentle, grounded; it bothered him that Megan couldn’t appreciate that.
‘So, am I allowed to know where we are going?’ Kate asked with a sparkle of anticipation in her eyes.
Alf grinned, feeling himself swelling with pride. Arranging surprises wasn’t his forte, but even he had surpassed his own expectations with what he’d organised. He was certain Kate was going to be impressed with the thought behind his idea.
Tapping his nose cheekily, he narrowly missed the left turn needed for the venue and just managed to pull the car onto a verge before hitting the A road ahead. Kate reached out for the dashboard to brace herself as the car came to a sharp, abrupt stop.
‘Sorry – I should have taken a left back there.’ Putting the car into reverse gear, he cursed under his breath as he waited for the traffic to ease to make his U-turn.
Trying to hide her mild confusion, she remained silent. She had been so certain that they’d been going to the small country pub venue she’d discreetly found bookmarked on his laptop. It hadn’t helped that Megan had remained uncharacteristically tight-lipped on the subject. Yet it made sense; the country pub was the typical type of event venue that Alf would go for. It looked cosy, quaint and welcoming. She’d already envisioned herself walking into the pretty beamed entrance to the cheers of her nearest and dearest. Perhaps a DJ playing in the corner…
Why then, was Alf heading in the direction of a nearby town? She tried to think rationally – could the venue have been changed at the last moment? She felt her stomach flutter with nerves and was relieved she’d opted for her trusty black dress – thankful that she wouldn’t be dealing with unsightly sweat marks.
She was so looking forward to seeing who’d be there. Familiar faces danced through her mind and she mentally made a note of who she wanted to spend time catching up with. She didn’t often get to see those closest to her, what with her long working hours at Oak Park Care Home, especially over the past nine months since she’d taken on more responsibility. She wanted to make the most of it. Thinking of work made her mind drift to Vivian, one of the residents. She hadn’t been looking her perky self of late and Kate was a little worried that there was more to it than was meeting the eye.
‘I hope you’re ready for some fun tonight’ Alf said, suddenly animated and fiddling with his top shirt button. He stole a sideward glance at Kate and was happy to see her radiant expression. These days it was rare these days to see her being spirited about life. It hadn’t gone unnoticed, either, that she’d seemed distracted over the past month and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He was hoping the evening would be the key to bringing her back out of her shell.
They’d been driving through country lanes for a while when Kate observed that the car was slowing just as Alf hit the right-side indicator. Her stomach somersaulted. She recognised the road that they were heading into. Pearmont Manor Road. Pearmont Manor was one of the area’s most exclusive wedding venues. She’d only seen the stately home in various magazine articles, but its breathtaking exterior surrounded by exquisite landscaped greenery had provided a backdrop for stunning photographic memories. Remembering the various interior event rooms, her heart skipped a beat.
Surely not? Hardly able to contain her nerves and excitement she swallowed back a squeak.
‘Everything okay?’ Alf asked, eyeing her in amusement as the car smoothly made its approach into the wide tree-lined road. Pearmont Manor growing bigger on the left side of them as they travelled parallel to it.
Kate suppressed a grin and tried to calm her racing heart. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought Alf would arrange something so special. She wanted to fling her arms around him and kiss him passionately – but it would have to wait. Soon she could do as she wished – hopefully in front of their guests whilst Alf was down on one knee. Just the thought made her giddy and lightheaded.
The car slowed as the Pearmont entrance came into view. ‘Here we are,’ Alf said, clicking his left indicator. As the last of the tall hedging bushes and conifers cleared, the full magnificence of the stately home made it presence known, causing both of them to inhale sharply – for completely different reasons. The car shuddered and stalled as Alf fumbled with the ignition.
‘Oh, sorry, wrong entrance. This isn’t the one.’ With a panicked stance, he flicked off his indicator and quickly restarted the engine. Feeling Kate’s confused stare burning into him, he tried not to let his tension show. He was well aware that the mishap could well have set him on a fast track to failure.
‘It’s not?’ Kate asked, trying to keep her voice steady as the car gradually picked up pace and the Manor slowly faded behind them. Was there another entrance around the back? It was, after all, a very big venue. There was undoubtedly more than one entrance, she told herself. Trees and conifers clouded her view as the road narrowed in front of them. Minutes seemed to pass before the car slowed for a second time and Alf once again flicked on the left indicator.
Kate clenched her fists in anxiety as the hedging cleared once again and a sign came into view. She could see the word ‘Pearmont’ and relief washed over her. Thank goodness, another entrance.
‘We’re here’ Alf said, slightly dubious and wondering i
f he’d chosen correctly after all. What if she hated it?
The car approached a paved entrance and turned slowly left onto a gravel driveway. Kate looked up at the large sign that had given her fresh hope only moments earlier and tried not to gasp as Alf’s hand squeezed hers encouragingly.
Pulling the car to a stop he switched off the engine and gently kissed her hand, pushing aside his doubts and beginning to feel more zealous.
‘Welcome to Pearmont Greyhound Stadium, babe.’
He broke into an excited grin; one that made Kate’s heart plummet to even further depths, for she could see it was no humorous joke on his part – only genuine enthusiasm.
‘You’re probably wondering why I chose here?’ He looked at her intently and squeezed her knee. ‘I thought it’d be special to recapture our first date seven years ago – except this time I’m going to make it an unforgettable night.’
Kate, lost for words, struggled to contain tears, the disappointment and dismay hitting her with full force. This was not what she’d been expecting. Not at all.
‘Say something…?’ Alf said quietly, growing more and more concerned. He knew Kate well enough to know when she was shocked. But her face was telling him that it wasn’t a happy shock. ‘Look, I know it’s not the Manor next door. I made a wrong turn back there. This stadium is really nice, though. I know you’ll love it – even though it’s not the one where we first met….’ He tailed off, suddenly edgy.
Looking into his squinting eyes in the dimming evening light, Kate caught his worried expression. She took a deep breath, forcing a light, reassuring tone to her voice. ‘I’m just a little taken aback – it’s not what I expected, that’s all.’ She bit down on her lip, wondering what to say. ‘It’s a lovely idea, though, so thoughtful.’ She was lying, but what more could she do? She felt a lump in her throat and tried to swallow it down.
‘You understand the relevance, right? I thought it’d be special. And fun. I thought you’d be excited about it.’ Alf sounded a little dejected and defensive. He fiddled with his seatbelt awkwardly.
Leaning forward, Kate gently kissed him on the lips, silencing him. She pulled back slowly, noticing that his air of excitement had evaporated. He looked forlorn. She grabbed his arm and linked hers through hers, trying to be upbeat.
‘Of course it’ll be fun. We’re together and it’s my birthday. I know tonight is going to be special, so let’s just go inside and enjoy it.’
Pushing aside the mental images of Pearmont Manor and her dashed hopes, she allowed Alf to lead her towards the entrance of the stadium, with a heavy heart and only one remaining thought. He was the man that she dearly loved, spent every available moment with and had been by her side for over seven years…
So how could he have got it so very very wrong?
Chapter 2
‘You could have at least warned me,’ Kate whispered, retouching her eye make-up in the bright lighting of the ladies’ toilet. She watched as Megan – who was standing against the hand dryer – shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably and lowered her gaze.
‘I’m so sorry, Kate – if Alf hadn’t made me promise then I would have. But he was so taken with the idea and I knew how disappointed you’d probably be, but truthfully, Kate – it wasn’t my place to warn you.’
‘But didn’t you try to change his mind?’ Kate asked, exasperated. Megan knew her better than anyone – surely she should have intervened in some way?
Tossing her chocolate-brown, wavy hair to one side, Megan sighed. She had known from the moment Alf had sent her the email of his proposed venue that Kate would be less than enthused. Annoyed at his suggestion, for a fleeting moment she had wondered whether to call him on the internal switchboard and suggest meeting in the staff canteen of the large corporate insurance brokers they both worked for; but she’d decided against it. Alf had made it painfully clear over the years that he didn’t value her input or appreciate her outgoing personality. She was certain he wouldn’t want to listen to her concerns. Besides, she’d already caught wind of a potentially bigger revelation that was sure to rock Kate’s world if it transpired. The venue was the least of her worries.
‘You know as well as I do that if I’d tried to change his mind, he’d have dismissed me without giving it a second thought.’ She gave Kate a wry smile. ‘Anyway, part of me hoped that you’d be so bowled over with the romance behind the idea that you’d forgive him for the awful choice.’
Kate sighed. She knew Megan was right. Alf wasn’t one to be swayed once he’d set his heart on something – least of all by a woman he didn’t favour. Megan did have a point – the gesture behind his idea was romantic.
She could hardly believe that seven years had passed – it seemed like a lifetime ago that Megan had persuaded her to attend her summer works’ do. It certainly wasn’t the place she’d wanted to spend her evening, yet events beyond her control had led to her finding herself at a dog stadium in an unfamiliar town.
It just so happened that she’d been parted from Megan and the other colleagues in a flurry of visitors placing their bets, and a kind, dark-haired man with a slightly crooked smile had asked if she was okay. From the moment she locked eyes with Alf, she’d had a sixth-sense feeling he was going to be in her life forever. And here she was, tearing apart his romantic gesture because she’d expected something more to her taste.
Glancing into the mirror Megan quickly applied a fresh coat of the clear liquid gloss to her full lips. She’d never been a big fan of too much make-up, but then she’d never really needed it. Satisfied with her appearance, she picked up her purse and tried steering the conversation in a new direction.
‘I still can’t believe you spilt nail varnish over your dress. Honestly Kate, you are the clumsiest woman on earth. You have got to get that dress dry-cleaned or something. It’s too stunning to waste.’
Kate nodded grimly. ‘Yes, I was gutted, but then Alf did make a comment that he preferred me in this dress, which was a bit strange. He said I looked more understated and simple.’
Spinning around with her forehead furrowed questioningly, Megan tried not to let her disdain be too obvious. ‘Understated? Simple? Are you serious? You looked absolutely gorgeous in that dress.’ She shook her head in disgust. ‘What is wrong with him? Dearie me, Kate, it seems he’d like to keep you as dull as dishwater.’
Staring at Megan incredulously, Kate angrily picked up her clutch bag. ‘Wow, thanks for that – that’s really cheered me up! Nice to know I’m as dull as dishwater.’
Despite the tension, Megan laughed lightly. ‘Don’t over-react – you know what I’m referring to. I’ve told you countless times you need to get more of a life and when I saw you in that cream dress, it just reminded me of well, you, the real you….’ She squeezed Kate’s arm gently, noticing a shadow pass across her friend’s face. ‘I just want to see you happy again, you know that.’
Kate’s expression softened. ‘I know that. But I am happy – Alf makes me happy. Plus it’s my birthday and he has another surprise up his sleeve… I can feel it.’ Her eyes sparkled in excitement.
Megan wanted to believe Kate’s convincing words, but she knew her friend too well. She’d noticed a vast change in her over the last year and couldn’t help but refer back to the passing comments Kate had made about Alf on various occasions. Whether she realised it or not, she’d been disclosing a side of her partner that Megan saw in its true colour – insecurity. As well as Kate’s growing introversion, Alf seemed to be projecting all of his own issues onto Kate. It wasn’t a healthy situation.
Wisely ignoring the reference to Alf having another surprise for the evening, Megan smoothed down her tight blue bodycon dress and turned towards the door. She knew full well that Kate had quietly set her hopes on Alf proposing, given their two-year deadline. But her intuition was telling her otherwise. Anyway, if the office gossip that had filtered down from management was true, Alf would have other life decisions to concentrate on. She only hoped that Kate wasn’t going
to be too devastated if she didn’t get the proposal she was expecting.
‘Right then, enough talking – let’s get out there and get you enjoying your party.’
Kate followed, feeling more enthusiastic. She could already hear the beat of a song she favoured in the background and she’d noticed so many familiar faces she couldn’t wait to catch up with.
‘Oh, just one last thing. Did you decide on the colour theme? Or was that Alf too?’
Megan looked around and pulled a face in distaste. ‘Do you really need to ask that? I tried to suggest pink, white and silver, but he was having none of it.’
Kate smiled; she’d thought as much. Pink, white and silver would have been so much better. She stepped into the hallway, allowing the heavy bathroom door to swing shut behind her. They both giggled at the green ‘Happy 32nd Birthday’ banner that had been stuck wonkily on the overhead beam and walked towards the venue room.
Alf watched from across the room as Kate’s face lit up at something one of her friends had said. She threw her hands up in a mock shock and broke into a wide grin. She looked so animated. Luminous. He was pleased the venue had paid off. For a moment when they arrived, from the expression on her face, he thought he’d screwed things up, but she’d soon cheered up. The red and green balloons had been a good idea, too. Not pink, white and silver, as Megan had suggested. He knew Kate better than anyone and she wasn’t one of these fluffy women who needed pink things in their life. She’d seemed pleased with the decorations, commenting on them as they walked towards the private-event room he’d arranged. He could have easily gone for the country pub venue but this idea was better – he hoped it had reminded her of his unique and creative side. He wasn’t a dull person and yet that’s exactly how he’d felt lately – grey. He was sure he wasn’t the only one feeling it – it was good to see Kate looking happy again.
