The Other Family

by Linda A. Hardy

  “Caversham, where is that?”

  “near Reading, where I was born”

  I told him about my first genealogy job, and how exciting it is to finally be doing something that I love to do, even if work is a bit slow at least I am on the road to being my own boss.

  After dinner he helped me clear away the dishes and he changed the battery for me in my smoke alarm, then came the time for him to go, now is the moment I needed to grab him and steer him towards the bedroom.

  “hey I really enjoyed having you here for tea tonight Kev, better than spending it on my own”

  “yeah I often grab a bite to eat on my way home, cannot be bothered cooking for myself most of the time”

  “that is no way to look after yourself”

  “yeah I know, I need someone to look after me”

  The next minute there was this awkward pause, we both stood up and stared at each other, I am a woman who is in my fifties, he is a young man of twenty five, this is ridiculous I was thinking, I was about to suggest would he like a cup of tea or coffee, I needed to do something to keep him in my flat but it was Kevin who suggested going to the local pub for a drink. Cannot remember the last time I went to a pub, there is no way I would go in one by myself.

  “you sure you do not mind Kev being seen out with an older woman” I tried to laugh.

  “what no, we are friends aren’t we?”

  “well yes of course but I am old enough to be your mother”

  “I like mature women, they know what they want more than girls my own age, girls my age are too damn emotional all the time, they are such drama queens, cry at the drop of a hat, mature women are more experienced in every way, anyway your not that old”

  I think Kevin was a little nervous asking me out, and he was certainly indicating that he prefers an experienced woman, tonight might be the night after all girl, I was thinking to myself.

  “come on Kev, let’s hit the pub then” and off we went.

  Kevin and I headed towards The Swan Inn, within walking distance of where we lived, Kev ordered a lager whilst I opted for a bourbon and coke, we sat next to each other by the window sipping our drinks, I was thinking, gee this is good I really should get out more and do this, but I would die if I sat by myself in a pub and you never know what unsavoury characters might approach a woman by herself, that is why I generally stay at home.

  When we finished our drinks I asked Kevin if he would like another and he suggested we should try another pub, so we walked for a short while before we reached The Gunners Arms, and their we ordered the same drinks and some crisps.

  “hey this is fun isn’t it” said Kevin.

  “yes I haven’t been out for age’s to be honest, don’t come to pubs by myself”

  “well maybe we could go together more often” Kevin suggested.

  “well maybe”

  “lets get another round in shall we”

  “I only normally have two drinks, don’t want to get tipsy you know plus we did have a couple of glasses of wine at home”

  “hey you need to live it up a bit, anyway I know where you live so I’ll carry you home if you get too tipsy” he laughed.

  “and I know where you live so I guess I can prop you up on the way home if you get too tipsy” I said laughing.

  After downing our drinks and eating the crisps, I suggested we go on to another pub, I was feeling relaxed and a little tipsy already and feeling very randy.

  “hey lets try another pub, I’m being a bit daring tonight”

  “oh come on then darling lead the way”, said Kevin, he is now calling me darling, that is a real good sign, Kevin and I had let down our brick walls and on the way to the next pub we walked arm in arm, I did not think about our age difference and no one else seemed to notice, it felt good, and I felt like I was now part of a couple and this is what it would feel like if I was part of a couple, or maybe it was just the drink making me feel that way.

  After several more drinks in the next pub in which I had gone from drinking bourbon and coke to drinking something blue with an umbrella in it, and a couple more packets of crisps and nuts, we made our way towards home, it was getting late, nearly midnight, we walked arm in arm, I think we were propping each other up, Kevin was telling a few jokes and we were laughing our heads off, I could not stop giggling.

  Next minute we heard “hoy its nearly midnight and some of us are trying to sleep, keep the racket down” said some grumpy old man from his bedroom window, and I could not believe what I did next, I shouted back “hoy I’m on the prowl and this cougar has just pulled herself a toyboy so shut the fuck up”, I was definitely drunk, and to be honest I think Kevin was too, we laughed our heads off nearly all the way home.

  Kevin and I just looked at each other and burst into giggles as we continued our walk home, and I said to him “did I really say what I think I just said”, Kevin replied “no luv what you really said was you wanted to shag the old fart” and with that we burst into laughter once again.

  I don’t know what I was expecting when we got home, Kevin stands outside my flat and we stare into each other’s eyes and fall into my flat and make passionate love on the living room floor, but instead we stood outside my door and I flung my arms around Kevin’s neck, and he had his arms holding my waist, any minute now I was going to kiss him, I was already puckering my lips waiting for his.

  “do I get a kiss goodnight Kevin?“

  “your drunk Lindsay, come on lets go inside and have a coffee”

  “your welcome to stay the night, if you want too” I said still holding my hands around his neck

  “let’s just have coffee Lindsay, come on open your door”

  “condoms are in the bathroom cabinet if you need them” I whispered in his ear and then I let go of him and turned and unlocked my door.

  Chapter 18

  The next morning I awoke and was thinking about my search for Thomas Caxton and hoping the postman would bring me my Certificates today, when I turned my head and saw Kevin lying beside me asleep in my bed, in that split second that I realised I was in bed with a man I also realised at that moment that I had no clothes on, and a quick peek under the duvet revealed Kevin was the same.

  I slid out of bed as quietly as I could so as not to disturb Kevin and grabbed my dressing gown and wrapped it around me and walked into the kitchen, I put the kettle on to make a cup of tea.

  All I was thinking was, oh Linds you didn’t did you?, how could you be such a fool?, did we?, I don’t know, did we? all I could remember was making the coffee, I think I may of tried to throw myself at Kevin before we even had the coffee, had no idea what I said last night, I think we drank the coffee but what happened after that?.

  I was feeling mortified, oh my god I could not remember what happened after making the coffee, is Kevin the type to slip something into my drink and you know, that date rape drug, no I don‘t think he would, he is to nice a lad for that, I just had too much to drink, simple as that, I got myself drunk and have now made a fool of myself, Linds this is why you do not go out, this is why you only have two drinks, because you end up doing something stupid and now I have done something stupid, I told myself.

  Ten minutes later Kevin comes out of my bedroom, thankfully dressed in his jeans and shirt, I was still in my dressing gown with nothing on underneath, after all how could I go into my bedroom and get dressed with Kevin lying in bed, supposing he had woken up and saw me getting dressed.

  “morning Lindsay luv, great night last night” he said with a big smile.

  “was it”

  “of course it was, you were having a great time at the end, how‘s your head?”

  The end of what? I was thinking, which end?, the end at the pub? or the end when having coffee? or the end in my bedroom? oh god did we really do it? I could not remember and I felt too embarrassed to ask him. I know I was fantasizing about him and feeling randy and horny and all of the above but I did not think anything would really happen between us, it
was only a fantasy.

  “the head is fine thanks Kev, look sorry if I made a fool of myself last night”

  “should take you out on a pub crawl more often, and you didn‘t make a fool of yourself at all, stop worrying”

  At that moment Kevin came over and put his arm around my shoulder and kissed me on the cheek.

  “you worry too much Lindsay, you were real good last night, having fun is what it’s all about, you really let your hair down when you have a drink or two don‘t you?, I see you flirting with one of the barmen, and the old fart on the way home, anyway sorry I got to dash got a few things to do today, catch you soon”

  Oh god please tell me I was not flirting with a barman, wonder which pub that was in? I cannot go in there again, I die of embarrassment, I was thinking, and the old fart, what old fart?

  “would you like some breakfast?”

  “no don’t normally eat breakfast”

  “you really should eat you know”

  “yeah I will catch something after I have popped up to my flat and had a shower and change”

  “just before you go, just wondered, um did you sleep alright last night”

  “yeah sorry I know I should of gone up to my flat but I think I just fell asleep after the coffee, I just crashed out, it was good of you to let me have your bed, though I don’t know how I got there, did you undress me you naughty girl?”, he says with a wink, and continued “did you sleep alright on the sofa?”

  He thinks I slept on the sofa, oh maybe he cannot remember what happened last night either, well that might be a good thing I was thinking to myself.

  “um yes I slept like a baby, no problem, no I didn’t undress you, you must of woken up during the night and undressed yourself without realising, I am not the sort to take advantage of someone who has had a bit too much to drink you know, I would never do that, not ever, I wouldn‘t”, I hoped he believed me.

  “yeah I know that Linds, don’t worry about it, me either, you can trust me Linds to do the right thing”

  “yeah I know, don’t worry, its all good, I think we both had a bit too much and just crashed out afterwards, that is what usually happens when I drink alcohol, a couple of glasses and I end up falling asleep” I joked.

  With that Kevin kissed me on the cheek again and I was left standing in my kitchen contemplating whether we actually shagged each other last night or not, maybe he was feeling embarrassed as well and with me being the older mature more wiser person, who am I kidding, I should really of been more careful. After Kevin left my mind started thinking, so I was real good last night, I let my hair down last night, I was flirting last night, I might of even undressed him last night, shame I do not remember that part, he has got quite a nice body though I was thinking, when I had a peek under the duvet this morning, I could definitely go for that, Lindsay stop it, what the hell you thinking, clearly I am having a moment of not thinking.

  But I carried on thinking, I let my knickers down too last night because they definitely were not on this morning, infact nothing was, hope Kevin got a thrill pulling my knickers off?, I had even worn black lacy one’s just for him, hope he liked them, Lindsay stop it now your like a dog on heat, oh god how could I be so stupid, looks like he doesn’t remember anything either, maybe just as well. Does this mean I am officially a cougar now? I smiled at that thought. As I was thinking this at that moment the postman popped my mail in my letterbox, hooray my Certificates had arrived.

  Chapter 19

  I opened the envelope and read first Tom’s birth certificate, just as I suspected, Thomas Dennis Caxton son of Dennis Charles Caxton and Harriet Matilda Caxton formerly Armstrong, born 18th July 1925 at 52 Biscay Road, Hammersmith. Next I looked at the four marriage certificates, yes oh joy, he had married, as I read.

  Thomas Dennis Caxton, age 30, married on 22nd July 1950 at St Mary’s Church, Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire, his occupation Owner of bicycle store, fathers name Dennis Caxton, a Labourer, his wife’s name was Valerie Ann Smith, age 25, occupation Clerk, daughter of Philip Smith, a carpenter.

  Well now I knew who Tom had married, I switched on my computer and next checked the birth indexes to see if they had any children, as I logged into the computer I wondered if I should give Dorothy a ring or wait until I had more information.

  I searched for births, fathers name Caxton, mother’s name Smith, I got a long list of names come up but after 1950 there was only one child listed, they had a daughter named Philippa Vera Caxton born in 1955 in Reading. I next checked the Electoral Roll for a Valerie Ann Caxton and did not find one. Oh great now what?, there are twenty Thomas D. Caxton’s on the Electoral Roll but no Valerie.

  I decided to check the death indexes as I knew Tom was not listed so there was a chance he was still alive somewhere, but I checked for Valerie and sadly there she was, Valerie Ann Caxton died March quarter of 1988 in Reading.

  One clue I did have on Tom however was he owned a bicycle store, but where was this store? Could it of been in Reading where he lived? I checked the telephone directory online and wrote down the address of the local studies library in Reading, I thought I would pay them a visit to try and find out where this bicycle store was, they might have some information but first I thought I would give Dorothy a ring to let her know of my progress.

  I picked up the phone and dialled Dorothy’s number, after three rings she picked it up sounding a bit breathless.

  “hello this is Dorothy Bellowes”

  “hello Dorothy this is Lindsay Harrison, are you ok? You sound a bit out of breath”

  “I was upstairs when the phone rang and I was trying to get down the stairs as quick as I could to answer the phone”

  “oh sorry about that Dorothy, would you like me to call you back in a minute or two?”

  “no it is alright, I should really have a phone put in upstairs, but I do not like to rush when coming down the stairs incase I have a fall”

  “just thought I would give you a little update on what I have found so far”

  “ok dear that sounds good”

  “I ordered Tom’s birth certificate, but most importantly I have found out that Tom married in 1950 to Valerie Ann Smith, they were married in Reading in Berkshire”

  “Reading, so he must of moved to Reading then dear”

  “yes he was living in Reading, that’s not all though Dorothy, his marriage certificate states that he owned a bicycle store”

  “oh really, he used to have a bicycle when I was a kiddie, he would sometimes ride it when he would come to visit us”

  “I do not know where this bicycle store is yet, I assume it is in Reading, so I am going to take a trip out to Reading and check with the local studies library and see if they have any information about Tom’s bicycle store”

  “that sounds very promising dear”

  “I also checked the Electoral Rolls and found twenty Thomas D. Caxton’s listed living in England and Wales but I do not know if any of them is your Tom and none of them are living in Reading so I shall send them all a letter and hope one of them is your Tom or may know of him, we will have to wait and see on that”

  “you have done so much already”

  “I do however Dorothy have some sad news, Tom’s wife Valerie she passed away in 1988 in Reading”

  “oh that is sad, poor Tom”

  “but I also do have some good news, Tom and Valerie have a daughter, her name is Philippa, she was born in 1955”

  “oh that is wonderful, where is she?”

  “well I do not know yet where Philippa is Dorothy, after my trip to Reading, which I plan on going there tomorrow, then after that trip if I have no success in finding anything on Tom then I will try to find her instead, I might have better luck”.

  “ok thank you very much dear”

  We ended our conversation and I promised to call her if I had any news to update her with after my trip to Reading.

  Chapter 20

  I had prepared the evening before for my trip to
Reading, I was going to take the train and I had printed out a map of Reading with the streets highlighted from the train station to the local studies library, so no chance of my getting lost, plus I also had my smart phone which had a Maps apps but I think I am of the older generation who as much as I embrace technology, I do love good old paper as well, and especially a map.

  On the train journey I started thinking, if Kevin had not been working, I could of asked him to come with me, as he is from Reading maybe he could of shown me around the town, some other time perhaps, I really should not be fantasizing about him, he needs to be with a girl his own age, or maybe I am the one who needs to find someone my own age, that is more like it.

  I arrived at Reading Train Station and stopped for a toilet break and walked out and spotted a coffee shop, I went over and ordered a chai latte and pulled out my map to get my bearings on which direction to walk.

  I had been walking for nearly ten minutes when I saw the library coming up, and thought to myself, there you go Linds, found it, see had nothing to worry about, yes I had been worrying that I might get lost, but I also had a contingency plan that should I get lost, just ask a local the way to the train station, at least I would get back home, I know I could use my smart phone map app but when your in a panic about being lost you don’t think of things like that, well I don’t anyway.

  As I entered the local studies library I saw a couple of staff behind the desk and as I approached I said, “excuse me I was wondering if you can help me”

  “we will certainly try” said the lady with the name tag of Helen Conway pinned her on cardigan.

  “I am trying to find out if there were any bicycle stores in Reading in the 1950’s, say around 1955ish or later, up to about the 1980‘s?, there is one in particular that I am looking for”

  “oh I see, you could try the telephone directories from that time, we have them here available on disk, do you know the name of the bicycle store?”

  “actually no I don’t know the name, but I do know who owned it, his name was Thomas Caxton”