Pam took her daughter by the hand, led her into the lounge and sat down in the chair opposite her. Steph’s erratic behaviour had worried her so much this week that she had rung up work this morning and told her boss that her daughter was ill and she would need to take a day or two off to care for her. ‘Barry will write to you, I know he will, but I told you only yesterday that his letters will come by airmail and they take ages to arrive.’
‘But he promised he’d write to me every day.’
‘And he probably has! Once you’ve received the first one, you’ll probably get letters off him most days after. You must remember, though, he is working, Steph, and he might not have the time to write to you every single day. Now, you’ve not eaten enough to keep a rabbit alive this week, so how about me and you shoot down to Broad Street where Cathy works and get ourselves a nice bit of scran in her café. You’ve gotta eat, angel. Barry ain’t gonna want you if you’re all skin and bones, is he?’
‘I so wish he hadn’t gone to Spain, Mum. I ain’t got nothing to look forward to now. I hate his mother, she is such a bitch.’
Pam moved over to the sofa where Steph was sitting and held her in her arms. She knew her daughter was bound to be upset after Barry had left, but she hadn’t expected her to be anywhere near this bad and she was beginning to wish that the old slapper hadn’t emigrated after all. To make matters even worse, Marlene’s daughter was still living at the house opposite and her Indian boyfriend had now moved in with her. Day and night they had music blaring out, and Pam was sure that they were serving up drugs from there as well, as they seemed to have more visitors than a whorehouse handing out free prostitutes.
‘Listen to me, Steph, and listen to me carefully. If that boy truly loves you and you love him, then you will end up together, no matter what. Your dad was in the army when I first met him. Away for months on end he was, and I barely saw him for the first year we were together, but we still ended up getting married, didn’t we? I know that Barry going away is horrible for you, but instead of moping about, darling, you need to look at it as a small blip. Nothing will ever get in the way of true love, remember that. Now, I’m bleedin’ Hank Marvin and so must you be, so let’s go and put some food in our stomachs, shall we?’
For the first time in days, Stephanie managed a weak smile. ‘OK, and thanks, Mum.’
Another person worried about Stephanie’s mental state was her best friend Tammy, and as she explained the situation to Wayne Jackman, he seemed just as concerned as she was.
‘Perhaps I should have made more of an effort to check that Steph was OK. I promised Bazza I would keep an eye on her for him and I sort of guessed she would be a bit down this week. Shall I talk to her and see if I can cheer her up a bit?’ Wayne asked Tammy.
‘I dunno. Nothing I’ve said or done seemed to help and she ain’t even come into school today. What about if we go and knock for her tomorrow morning and take her out somewhere for the day? I think we should go for a drink. It’ll do her good to let her hair down, and she might even have had a letter or phone call from Barry by then. He promised he was gonna ring her every Saturday morning at nine o’clock, English time, so if we knock for her about ten, she might have lightened up a bit if he’s phoned her.’
‘I’m meant to be going West Ham tomorrow, but I can meet yous early evening. Why don’t you go round there in the morning, take her for a mooch round Romford or somewhere, and then meet me at Heathway Station at six o’clock. Then we can all get pissed together. My nan and grandad go up the Millhouse on Saturday nights, so we can sit round mine and play some music and stuff, if you like? It’s better than hanging about on street corners in this cold weather, ain’t it?’
Tammy grinned. ‘That sounds like a fab idea, but you ain’t bringing Cooksie and Potter with you, are you?’
‘Nah. I still see ’em at football and in school and stuff, but I don’t really hang about with them any more. I’ve been knocking about with Danno instead.’
‘Who’s Danno?’
‘Danny MacKenzie. Top lad he is, but I think it’s best if it’s just the three of us tomorrow in case Steph’s still upset and stuff. I shouldn’t think she’s gonna wanna spill her guts in front of strangers, and Danno’s in my year, so she won’t know him that well.’
Thinking what a nice chap Wayne Jackman had turned out to be, Tammy stood up. ‘See you tomorrow at six then.’
Stephanie woke up feeling a lot better the following morning. Not only had getting some food inside her and the chat with her mother done her the world of good, but she was also extremely excited, as today was the day that Barry had promised to phone her.
Seeing her sister buzzing about like a blue-arsed fly, Angela sat up in bed. ‘What you gonna do if he don’t ring?’ she asked.
‘Of course he’ll ring if he said he will. Why wouldn’t he?’ Steph replied, anxiously.
‘Because he might have met another girl. Even if he ain’t yet, I bet he does when the holiday season starts. That Spain is full of pretty birds in bikinis and stuff and Barry ain’t exactly shy, is he?’
‘How do you know what Spain’s like, Ange? We’ve never been no further than Camber Sands.’
‘Because I’ve seen it on the telly. All the girls walk about naked and stuff. If I was you, sis, I would forget all about Barry and find yourself another boyfriend who lives in England.’
With her sister’s words dampening her sprightly mood, Stephanie sank onto her bed and put her head in her hands. ‘I won’t forget about him, Ange. Not ever.’
Pam sang away happily to a song on the radio as she put the sausages into the pan of lard. This was only the second Saturday she had taken off work in over a year, and when she had called in this morning to tell her boss that she would return on Monday, he had promised to pay her her full week’s wages. ‘Steph, Ange, breakfast is nearly ready,’ she shouted out.
‘I don’t want mine yet. It’s quarter to nine and Barry’ll be ringing soon,’ Steph replied, bounding down the stairs. Her stomach had butterflies and she knew that she would be unable to eat a morsel, let alone one of her mother’s massive fry-ups.
‘It won’t be ready for another five minutes or so, and if Barry does ring, I’ll keep it warm in the oven for you.’
‘Why did you say it was ready now then?’ Angela asked, appearing behind her sister.
‘Because I wanted to know if you wanted beans or bloody spaghetti with it,’ Pam yelled. Sometimes she wished she had given birth to two boys, as they couldn’t be as much aggravation as girls, surely?
‘I’ll have spaghetti,’ Angela said.
About to tell her mother she wanted neither beans nor spaghetti, the phone rang and Stephanie darted towards it. Angela grinned as an excited Stephanie answered it and then her voice deflated like a burst balloon. Angela had told her friend Chloe to ring at exactly this time and was thrilled she had remembered to do so.
‘Can’t you call her back? You know I’m waiting for Barry to ring,’ Steph said, handing the phone to her sister.
‘No, I can’t,’ Angela replied, snatching the phone out of her sister’s hand.
Steph paced up and down the hallway listening to her sister waffling on about a load of old rubbish. It was five to nine now and she was so afraid that she would miss Barry’s call. Frustrated beyond belief, she started to cry. ‘Please, Mum, tell her to get off the phone,’ she begged.
Clocking her daughter’s distressed manner, Pam marched into the hallway with the spatula in her hand. ‘End the call now and tell Chloe you’ll ring her back after you’ve eaten your breakfast,’ she ordered Angela.
‘No, why should I? You’re only saying that ’cause she wants to use the phone,’ Angela replied, nodding towards Stephanie.
Pam lifted the spatula above her head as if to hit her youngest daughter. ‘Put the phone down now, else you’re grounded all weekend.’
Angela did as she was told, with so much force that the phone very nearly broke in two. ‘I hate you. You alw
ays stick up for her,’ she screamed, as she ran up the stairs.
Seconds later, the phone rang again and Stephanie grabbed it. ‘Barry, is that you?’ she croaked emotionally.
‘Of course it’s me, babe. How you doing? Did you have a good birthday? I’ve sent you a card.’
‘No. I had a rubbish birthday and I’ve missed you so much,’ Stephanie said, tears rolling down her cheeks at the sound of his cockney voice.
‘I’ve missed you an’ all. I hate it out here, Steph. There’s so much work to be done in the bar and all me muvver and Jake do is sit on their arses drinking and larging it. I’ve lost about half a stone in weight ’cos I don’t stop grafting. It’s awful.’
Relieved that Barry wasn’t having a good time, Steph stopped crying. ‘Is it hot out there? Have you seen loads of pretty girls in their bikinis yet?’ she asked, remembering what her sister had told her earlier.
‘You’re having a laugh. The birds are pig ugly, it’s bleedin’ freezing, and it certainly ain’t bikini weather. Have you got my letters yet? I sent the first one to you on Wednesday.’
‘No, but me mum said they take ages to come. As soon as I get it, I’ll write straight back to you.’
‘Listen, the pips are going and me money’s gonna run out soon. Just remember I love you. If you’re missing me, look at that heart and remember what I told you.’
‘I will, I love you too, Barry,’ Steph replied tearfully, before the line went dead.
Angela, who had been earwigging at the top of the stairs, couldn’t help but laugh. Her sister was such an unclued-up sap. ‘Love you too, Barry,’ she mimicked.
Tammy Andrews was in a world of her own as she walked towards Stephanie’s house. She had a major crush on Wayne Jackman, was so looking forward to seeing him tonight, and even though she had a feeling that with her ginger hair and freckles, she didn’t have a cat in hell’s chance, she couldn’t help the way she felt about him.
Tammy walked into a newsagent’s, bought a can of Tizer and sat down on a nearby bench. When they had first got involved with Wayne Jackman, Tammy had thought he was the biggest dickhead ever to walk the earth. How wrong was I? Tammy mused, as she sipped her drink. Wayne was kind, thoughtful, funny, and with his ravishing good looks, possessed every quality Tammy wanted in a boyfriend. Debating whether or not to tell Steph about her crush on him, Tammy quickly decided against it. Not only would it be embarrassing if Steph mentioned it to Wayne and he was repulsed, but with Barry leaving as well, it just didn’t seem like appropriate timing. Pleased with her sensible decision, Tammy threw her empty can under the park bench and ran the rest of the way to her friend’s house.
‘Barry rang. He hates it out there, Tam, says it’s real boring, the girls are ugly, and all he does is work,’ Stephanie exclaimed, as she opened the front door with a smile on her face.
‘See, I told you so. What else did he say?’ Tammy asked excitedly.
Stephanie led her friend into the lounge and repeated the conversation virtually word for word until she was interrupted by her little sister.
‘He said I love you, Steph; then she said, I love you too, Bal,’ Angela mocked.
‘Go away. This is a private conversation,’ Steph yelled.
‘She is such a bitch that girl. If she was my sister I’d have throttled her by now,’ Tammy said as Angie slammed the living-room door.
Stephanie shrugged. She had spent years sticking up for Angela, but just lately, even she felt that she was running out of excuses for her sister. ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with her, Tam. I mean, this morning her mate Chloe rang up just as Barry was meant to ring. I begged her to get off the phone, but she wouldn’t, not till me mum stepped in and sorted it.’
‘I bet she told Chloe to ring her at that time on purpose,’ Tammy said, knowingly.
‘Nah, I don’t think she’d do something as evil as that, but she can be a bitch at times. I don’t understand why, though. She used to be so sweet and loving. I reckon she’ll grow out of it when she’s older, don’t you? I mean, who’s to say people never said the same about me and you when we were thirteen.’
Tammy gave a sarcastic smile, but said nothing. In her eyes, Angela was a vile piece of work and would never be any different, but she didn’t want to upset her friend by saying so. They were sisters, after all.
Wayne Jackman sauntered out of Dagenham Heathway Station with a real spring in his step. West Ham had just won and he was in the mood for getting drunk to celebrate the rather rare occurrence of his team playing so well.
‘All right Jacko? You look cool. Is that a new tracksuit?’ Steph asked, punching his arm playfully.
‘Yeah. Me mate’s chored it in Holland for me,’ Wayne replied, dusting the top of his new red Fila tracksuit down in case it had picked up any nasty bugs on the filthy District Line train he’d just got off.
‘So, are we still gonna get some drink and go round yours?’ Tammy asked, unable to look the object of her affection straight in the eyes.
‘Yep, that’s the plan. Or shall we really push the boat out and have a couple in the Church Elm first?’ Wayne suggested, cheekily.
‘Me and Tam couldn’t get served in there last time we tried and we’ve only got our pocket money on us, Jacko. How much is half a cider in there?’ Stephanie asked, opening her purse and counting the change she had.
Wayne grinned, put one arm around Steph, the other around Tammy, and led them down Heathway Hill. ‘I can easily get served in there and I’ve got plenty of dosh on me.’
Half an hour later, Tammy and Steph were sitting in the corner of the pub, on their second half of cider, listening to the music pumping out of the jukebox. Both girls felt extremely grown-up and were enjoying themselves immensely.
‘So what did Bazza have to say then?’ Wayne asked Stephanie.
Stephanie repeated the conversation she’d had with her boyfriend and then showed Wayne her present. ‘It’s half a gold heart split down the middle with a jagged edge. Barry’s wearing the other half and he says when he comes home, our hearts will fit together perfectly, forever.’
Wayne chuckled. ‘He was always one for words and gestures, was our Bazza. When we were kids he had a crush on a girl called Rosie Smith. He used to write her little verses and leave her presents under her mother’s plant pot. Trouble was, she was five years older than him and she was also his babysitter.’
Tammy laughed, but Stephanie didn’t.
‘I’ll get us another beer. What is it, same again?’ Wayne asked, standing up.
Tammy nodded, and as Wayne walked towards the bar, she lit up two cigarettes and handed one to Stephanie. ‘Ain’t he cool, Wayne? I mean, when we first got talking to him up the Heathway that time, who would have thought we would all be good pals like we are now?’
‘Yeah, he’s really nice,’ Steph said, sadly.
‘What’s a matter with you? You’ve been on cloud nine all day and all of a sudden you look like someone’s just died.’
Stephanie turned to Tammy and clutched at her arm. ‘It’s that story that Jacko just told us. I mean, if Barry has a history of buying presents and sweet-talking girls, how can I know that he can be trusted? My sister said that in Spain all the girls walk around half naked, and she reckons that Barry’ll be off like a shot in the summer when all the holidaymakers arrive.’
‘Don’t take no notice of your bloody sister. Not only is she a bitch, but she’s also jealous of you, Steph. She is envious of what you and Barry have, that’s why she’s saying stuff like that. I saw her face that day when Barry brought you that bunch of flowers when he came round your mum’s for dinner. She was furious, mate, proper jealous, so don’t you dare let her spoil things for you.’
‘What’s up?’ Wayne asked, as he returned from the bar with the three drinks in his hands.
‘Steph’s worried about what you just said about Barry giving that girl the presents and stuff. Tell her she’s got nothing to worry about, will you, Jacko? That cow of a sister of h
ers, your ex, has been sticking her oar in an’ all trying to twist Steph’s mind.’
Cringing at the mention of his underage ex, Wayne leaned across the table and held Stephanie’s hands in his. ‘Obviously, now Bazza’s in Spain, things can change, but even if he does date other birds, I’m sure he will still come back on his sixteenth birthday. Anyway, whatever happens you’ve got nothing to worry about – I’ll always be here to look after you. I’ll never leave you like Bazza did, and that’s a promise.’
When Steph began to cry, Tammy stared at Wayne with her mouth wide open. Thank God she hadn’t told anyone how she felt about him. The look in his eyes, what he had just said, the way he was holding Stephanie’s hands so tenderly. It all added up now. Barry Franklin wasn’t the only person in love with her best friend, Wayne Jackman was as well.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
As Christmas approached, Stephanie became more and more concerned about whether her and Barry’s relationship could survive the distance between them. He still rang every Saturday morning, but was only ever on the phone for a couple of minutes, and his letter writing had dwindled to just one or two per week. Steph knew she still loved Barry, and whenever he rang her he told her the same, but Steph couldn’t help but wonder if her sister and Wayne, who had warned her not to build her hopes up too high, were actually right.
In his last few letters, Barry had mentioned a girl called Sally who he had become good pals with. Apparently, they were both in the same boat, which is why they had clicked. Sally’s father was a villain from Manchester and had fled to Spain because of an armed robbery that went wrong. Sally was very much in love with her boyfriend, Johnny, and had had to leave him behind in England. That’s why they got on so well, Barry had explained in his latest letter. Barry had also told Steph that Sally was plain, dumpy, and not his type at all, but Stephanie only had his word for that. Reading Barry’s letter again, Stephanie debated whether to wake Angela up and ask her opinion. Angela had really changed over the past couple of weeks. Not only had she started being incredibly nice to Steph, but she also seemed very quiet and tearful. Stephanie guessed that things weren’t going so well with Jason, but knowing how volatile her sister could be at times, she decided not to pry too much.
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