Daniel's Story

by Paul Kelly

  "It is not always appreciated so greatly, Alison, " he said with a sadness in his voice that worried her and she tried to cheer him up.

  "Think if you had a few more children you could start your own orchestra," she said in a cheerful note, but Daniel frowned and looked the other way.

  "I would never want any more children," he said solemnly. "Dillon is my life. He is all I would or could ever want. Do you remember what I said when I was in hospital after my accident?"

  "Yes, of course I do, why?"

  "I wanted to die then. I had no wish to live and it was only the thought of Dillon that changed my mind."

  Alison felt unhappy when Daniel spoke to her about death as she could not believe what she was hearing after having heard Daniel play as he did. She was sure there were few violinists who could play as he did.

  "But ... but with your second wife ... Frieda, is that her name?"

  "Yes. I thought she was different. She was a musician too as I have told you and I thought we had a lot in common, but I was shattered and it would have been better if I had never loved her as I did."

  Alison looked away before she spoke again.

  "You say you loved her, so would you not have wanted to have children with her then?"

  Daniel rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand.

  "You have to have love to have children," he said

  "But you have just told me that you loved Frieda."

  "But what I didn't tell you was that Frieda didn't love me. I think now she hated me and still does."

  Alison looked shocked.

  "I find that hard to believe, Daniel. Perhaps I should never tell you, but I think you have so much to offer a woman and especially in marriage."

  At that, Daniel broke down and cried and Alison put her arm around his shoulder, but he pulled away.

  "Don't ... don't ever do anything like that again ... please," he said, "I can't give you anything in return if that is what you want. I have nothing to offer anyone, let alone a woman and a woman like you, Alison. You should never have come to see me. That was a mistake. My mistake ... and I think it would be better if you left now."

  Alison rose slowly from the sofa. She was full of sadness for Daniel, but it seemed that whatever she did or said, he would never change his mind in what he thought of himself. She tried to excuse his behaviour telling herself that all musicians were temperamental and that was part of the vocation as she turned to leave the flat.

  "I will leave you then, if that's what you want," she said slowly, hoping that by some chance he might change his mind and ask her to stay, but Daniel said nothing. He only kept his head low as he fumbled for his handkerchief in his pocket to dry his tears.

  Alison walked home alone and sad. She was sure that whatever Daniel said or thought, he would figure greatly in her life, but there seemed to be no logic in her thoughts.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Two Weeks Later

  It seemed like an age since Alison last saw Daniel, as every day in his absence gave her pain and anguish and she knew there was nothing she could do about it. Even her work at the cafe gave her no release and she could not get him from her mind.

  What did he mean when he said he had nothing to offer anyone when he had so much talent? If he couldn't have children with Frieda, because of what he thought about her and how she didn't love him as he wanted her to do, couldn't he have children with someone else who WOULD AND COULD LOVE HIM ... given the chance. It seemed to Alison then that Daniel had no feelings for her or he couldn't have felt as he did and she wanted to cry. She had a desolation in her very soul and then ... and only then did she begin to realize what Daniel was going through. Love was everything to him. He also felt desolate; she felt sure of that, but what could she do to make him love her?

  Alison moved lifelessly amongst the tables of the cafe. She had no interest whatsoever in what she was doing and Mr. Humphries was becoming aware that something was amiss, as Alison was one of the best waitresses he had ever had.

  "Don't know what's wrong with you, girl. You're walking around in a daze. I know that love can do that to a person, so if you're in love and need some time off, just let me know, will you?" he said as he wiped down one of the tables.

  Alison looked lost when he spoke to her and for the first few moments, she couldn't understand what he was talking about.

  "Love?" she asked, "Love? ... oh! no, I'm not in love. Whatever made you think that, Mr. Humphries?"

  "Well, when I was courting my missus, she used to look like you do now, DEAD, and it was only after I asked her to marry me that she became alive again. So what's wrong with you girl, if your not in love?"

  Alison wanted to laugh. She never ever imagined Mr. Humphries; the plump little middle-aged man with the glossy bald pate, as a romantic person who could make any woman swoon, but apparently she had judged him wrongly and she then began to wonder what Mrs. Humphries looked like.

  "I'm just a little under the weather, Mr. Humphries," she said, "I'll feel better when I've had a good night's sleep," and as she spoke, Rosie popped her head around the door, ready to begin her shift.

  " Maybe you could have a word with this one," said old bossyboots to Rosie, and the latter raised her eyebrows in surprise.

  "Word with who?" she asked and bossyboots corrected her English, "With WHOM," he snapped and pointed to Alison.

  "Oh! We girls have days when things don't go to well for us, Mr. Humphries. You should know that, you being an old married man," said Rosie, but old bossyboots corrected her again.

  "Less of the old, if you don't mind, I'm only ... er thirty-five or thereabouts," he muttered and left the cafe to go to his 'lovely missus'.

  "What IS the matter, Alison?" asked Rosie, as she was concerned, having seen her friend in a sad state the day before."You're not in any trouble, are you?"

  Alison assured her friend that she wasn't in any trouble and that she was just a little tired, having slept rather badly for the past few nights.

  "Like me, I guess," added Rosie, "I don't know what to do about this," she said pointing to her 'bump' "It's beginning to show, isn't it and last night, I happened to bump into my 'creep' friend. You know, the one I told you about."

  Alison looked anxious when Rosie told her of her chance meeting.

  "Did he speak to you?" she asked and Rosie nodded.

  "He noticed my 'bump' too," she said "and I think he was a little alarmed as I feel sure he knows that I wouldn't have got into this state if it hadn't been for him."

  "Oh! Rosie, I hope so, but you know, men like that are loathe to admit to anything of that nature. It's always someone else and never them. You should know that by now."

  "Easily said in foresight," Rosie muttered as she studied her belly in disgust.

  "Did he say anything to you ... about the future, Rosie?"

  "Oh! yes, he did that alright. He told me to get rid of it and that he had too many responsibilities to be bothered with kids."

  Alison looked tenderly at Rosie and put her arms around her. "And are you?" she asked, "surely not."

  Rosie sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

  "I think he was afraid, though," she went on, "because he offered me some money to get the job done, the bastard."

  "What? He offered you money? Why the ..."

  Rosie grinned and told Alison that she told the 'creep' to get stuffed, but he was having none of it. He asked her where she lived and told her that he would continue to see her if only she would get rid of the baby.

  "Yes, continue to see you for sex," said Alison with a look of disgust on her face. "Rosie you can't do this. Take the money he has to offer you, but don't tell him where you live."

  "Too late, "said Rosie, "I've already told him and he's coming round to see me the day after tomor
row at ten in the morning. That will be Thursday, wouldn't it?"

  "The day after tomorrow and this is Tuesday, yes that will be Thursday," said Alison as she laughed at her primitive calculations of the days.

  "Do you think it would help if I was there when he came to see you, Rosie?"

  Rosie's eyes flashed when Alison suggested that and she readily agreed, but asked her to stay in the bedroom until the negotiations were over and Alison accepted the situation ... but with great reluctance. She was anxious to see this 'creep' and give him the length of her tongue and then she reflected on her cafe shift. She would be on duty on Thursday afternoon, so that was O.K. Old Humphries always did the morning shifts.

  ***

  Alison crouched in the bedroom as she had agreed to do with her ear was against the door in case she might miss anything that was going on, but as she squatted rather uncomfortably on the floor, she looked around for somewhere more comfortable where she could sit AND STILL HEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON, but she decided the best place was on the floor by the door. She just didn't want to miss a thing.

  Moments passed and she could hear the doorbell ring, followed by the exchange of mumbled voices. Rosie seemed to be arguing at first and then the male voice complained that she should do as he suggested and take the money, so that their friendship could continue and it was at this point that Alison's eyes widened and she became angry.

  Without further ado, she opened the bedroom door, much to Rosie's surprise and also to the male who stood beside her.

  "I think you had better leave and GO NOW," she said to the man who gasped as he stared at Alison, before he turned on his heels and left the flat. Alison stared at the floor. "How much did he give you, Rosie?" she asked and Rosie stood with her mouth open, unable to answer.

  "But ... but Alison." she stammered, "He had hardly had time to say anything when you came in on us. I thought you had agreed to stay in the bedroom unless I called if I was in any difficulty."

  "How much did he give you?" Alison asked again and Rosie produced a handful of notes from her pocket, which amounted to £500 in twenty pound notes.

  "But Alison ... We hadn't agreed on anything. You never gave us time. Didn't you think ... Well, didn't you think he was handsome as I said he was."

  "I suppose some women could say he was handsome, but I didn't think so," she replied as she turned to look out of the window. "Well I wouldn't really, would I when I had been married to him, even if it was only such a short time ...?"

  Chapter Fifteen

  Rosie ran after Alison as she was about to leave the flat.

  "Oh my God," she screamed, "I had no idea. Please believe me Alison. I thought ... "

  "You thought he was good and true and a hundred percent on the level, didn't you?" Alison replied but her eyes were angry and Rosie didn't know what else to say.

  "I'm sorry, Alison. I'm truly sorry,"

  Alison shrugged her shoulders,

  "Well, Rosie. If you want him, feel free. You're one hundred per cent free to do so, but don't say I didn't warn you. You're not the first, after he married me and probably before, and you certainly won't be the last."

  Rosie started to cry and Alison put her arms around her.

  "Don't cry Rosie. What are you going to do next?" she asked and Rosie dried her tears.

  "I have to attend the clinic this afternoon," she said, "Would it be too much to ask you to come with me? I'm afraid to go on my own now that I know ... know about him ..."

  "I'm on duty this afternoon, Rosie," she said, "Couldn't you go on your own. They won't bite you and you can be sure, HE won't be there."

  "Oh please Alison, say you will come with me. I'll get on to old bossyboots and make some excuse. He won't sack you now anyway, you know that."

  Alison looked to the sky and shrugged her shoulders,

  "O.K, but I'll go right back to the cafe when we've finished. What time is your appointment?"

  "Two-thirty, I think. Wait, I have a card here in my bag." Rosie searched into her already bulging handbag and after some shuffling about she produced the clinic visiting card. "Yes, two -thirty. They won't take long, Alison. The last time I was there I was in an out in fifteen minutes. They just have a look to see if everything's O.K. Oh! Alison,” Rosie called out as she was about to put the phone down, “Alison ... I am so sorry, the appointment for the clinic is next week ... I am so sorry. How could I have made a mistake like that? Stupid me,”

  “You could got to the hospital and explain the situation, if you like Rosie ... the clinic is attached to the hospital anyway, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it is Alison but ...”

  “But what, Rosie? If you’re comfortable to wait until next week then so be it, but if you are troubled about anything, I’m sure the hospital would understand and help out.“ said Alison as she sighed with impatience and thought how ‘normal’ it was for Rosie to do something daft like that.

  “Yes, I think I had best go to the hospital Alison as I have been feeling rather down lately and I don’t think that could be a good thing for the baby, do you?”

  “Well, you do whatever suits you Rosie, but if you at all worried, I would go to the hospital if I were you.”

  ***

  Rosie decided that the hospital was the best bet under the circumstances and she and Alison got ready for the appointment that was to have been a week later, but Alison’s mind was on other things ... or rather on other people. She dismissed the thought of Ken and considered him to be more of a bastard than she had ever thought before. She thought also, how he must have been the man that Rosie met when she was on duty at the cafe ... and all the time, Alison thought it might be Daniel. After all, it was Daniel she described to Rosie when she asked her to have a look out for him should he return to the cafe. Rosie must have thought she meant Ken and being Rosie, she wanted the first chance of any man. . Serves her right, thought Alison and then corrected herself for being nasty and uncharitable ... before her thoughts turned to Daniel.

  "I've ordered a taxi Alison. We'll get to the hospital much quicker that way, Are you ready?"

  ***

  The taxi turned up at two-fifteen and took them to the hospital just in time for two-thirty, but as was expected Rosie didn't get in to see the specialist for another half an hour as she hadn’t been expected on that day.

  "I'll nip down to the canteen and get us a coffee eh, Rosie."

  "O.K. Alison, but don't be too long in case they call me in before the time."

  Alison nodded and went on her way, but the canteen looked as though she could have waited there for hours. The place was empty and she was the only person there.

  "Can I have two coffees please, " she asked, "one white and the other...”

  "Black with just a very little sugar," came a voice at her elbow and she turned to see Daniel standing beside her. She looked around. The canteen was empty apart from herself and Daniel.

  "What are you doing here?" she asked him and he smiled, showing his famous dimple.

  "I could ask you the same," he said, "Let me get the coffees for you. It was two you wanted, wasn't it? Are you with a friend?"

  "Yes ... Yes," she said and then hesitated. She knew that Daniel knew Rosie from his visits to the cafe, but did he know that Rosie was pregnant? "Yes, I am with Rosie. You know Rosie, my friend from the cafe?"

  "Ah! Yes, of course, Rosie and how is she now? Has she sorted out her trouble?"

  Alison wanted to grin, but the matter was too serious for that.

  "She is sorting it out now," she replied and was amazed when Daniel interrupted her by saying,

  "The baby is not with us yet then, eh?" Alison stared at him as he gathered the coffees on a tray. "Will I take some sugar and cream do you think Alison? I don't know how Rosie likes her coffee."

  "I'll do that,"
she said and led the way back to the reception room where Rosie was waiting, but she had already gone in to see the specialist and Alison and Daniel sat on a bench together to wait for her.

  "It is kind of you to come with Rosie," he said, "How far has she gone in her pregnancy?"

  Alison stared at him before she answered.

  "How did you know Rosie was pregnant?" she enquired, but Daniel simply raised his eyebrows and smiled,

  "When you told me she was in some sort of trouble, I guessed that may be the reason for her worry ... I knew she wasn't married. She told me that herself."

  "Did she now?"

  "Yes, it was when I went to the cafe to enquire which shift you would be on.

  I'm not a boy, Alison. I guessed Rosie was pregnant then and I was a little surprised that she seemed to be 'coming on' to me, but probably I was imagining that. You see, I am much older than both of you and I don't shock easily or look too much surprised at anything I see."

  Alison studied Daniel's face as he was speaking.

  "How old are you, if I may ask?" she said and he smiled again.

  "Sixteen years older than you," he replied and Alison got her 'maths' cap on again.

  "You're thirty-nine," she said with raised eyebrows, "I wouldn't have thought you were that age."

  "I must be if you are twenty-three, " he replied with a grin. "And don't forget I have been divorced not once, but twice and I have a little son into the bargain."

  "Ah! Dillon. How is he now? Better I hope."

  "Yes, he is much better now thank you and driving me mad with that rabbit under my feet all day."

  "So you're not working now, then?" Alison enquired.

  "School holidays ... and as I told you, I think ... didn't I, that I am self-employed."

  "Yes, you did ... but does that mean that you cannot be earning now?"

  "Evening pupils," said Daniel,"but thankfully, I am able to use my lounge for the work and Dillon plays in the bedroom. I don't know which one of them makes the most noise, Dillon and his rabbit or my 'screeching' youngsters.