by S J Crabb
My mother looks confused. “Goodness, she looks exactly like that pupil you had to exclude a while ago Tom.”
My father screws up his eyes and peers into the gloom just as Violet sees them. I watch in fascination as she spins her back to us and my father shakes his head. “I don’t think so. Last I heard she’d moved to Norfolk. In fact, come to think of it, I’m sure she did because we had the details sent through.”
My mother shrugs. “Well, I could have sworn it was her.”
Amanda interrupts. “What did you say her name was?”
“Soraya Bellfield. She was a handful and tried to cause all sorts of problems for one of Tom’s colleagues. He almost lost his job over her accusations.”
Despite now being the most interested I’ve ever been in hearing one of my mother’s stories, it will have to wait because Cilla claps her hands and calls the room to attention. “Let us begin.”
For the next half an hour we follow her lead but my mind is buzzing with this new information. Jack is also looking thoughtful and whispers, “I think we should find out more about this Soraya person. If it is Violet, we may be able to prove she’s up to no good and get her out of all our lives.”
I whisper, “I had the same thought. Leave it with me, I’ll find out what I can.”
One thing I do notice is that Violet keeps as far away from my parents as she can all evening, which tells me everything I need to know. This could be just the breakthrough we need.
After class, we find ourselves agreeing to share a pizza with our respective parents. The thought of Amanda and James making conversation with my parents fills me with dread and I feel quite sick as a result.
We head to the nearby pizzeria and sit awkwardly at a large round table.
As soon as we order James looks at my father and says politely, “I understand you were Jack’s headmaster. I think I remember you but I never went to the school that much, that was always Amanda’s department.”
My heart sinks as I see the look in my father’s eye. This was always his pet hate when the fathers didn’t show an interest in their child’s education.
Amanda nods vigorously, “Yes, I must apologise for my husband, Mr Gray. He was always so busy with work and his… um… hobbies he never had much time for his family.”
The air grows thick with tension and I see Jack turn pale under the subdued lighting. Luckily, my mother is a master at getting out of an awkward situation and says brightly, “I know, it’s quite normal these days. Work takes up so much of our time, there’s never really any time for the things we would much rather be doing. I must say though, I’m guessing you were so proud of your son because from what I’ve heard, he was a brilliant footballer.”
James nods and then smiles at Jack proudly. “I am proud of my son and not just because he was good at sports. I’m proud of the kind, loving, son, he turned out to be despite minimal input on my part.”
He looks across to Amanda and smiles. Reaching out, he takes her hand and says sincerely, “I owe everything to my wife. She has worked so hard bringing up our children and all credit must go to her.”
To my surprise, I see tears well in Amanda’s eyes and she looks at James as if she’s seeing a man, she long forgot existed. It feels a little awkward watching them because this feels so private but I can’t tear my eyes from the scene in front of me.
James looks at Jack and says, “I know it’s not been the easiest of childhoods. I have worked most of it and any family time has been fraught, to say the least. Looking back on it all makes me wonder why I placed so much importance on work when I had everything I wanted already.”
The silence in the air is palpable as nobody wants to be the one to follow that little speech. Then Amanda says softly, “Thank you, James.”
I notice his hand is still clasping hers and as I catch Jack’s eyes, I see the emotion in them as he smiles happily. The moment is interrupted as the waitress delivers our food and normal service resumes but it leaves me with the hope that maybe things may change for Jack’s parents. I certainly hope so.
Dinner is nowhere near as bad as I expected and as we all make our separate ways home; I think back on an eventful evening. Jack is also quiet and when he drops me off, he says thoughtfully, “You know, tonight was quite the eye opener.”
I nod in agreement. “Yes, first there was Soraya, or whatever her name is. I’m pretty sure she’s got a few skeletons that need releasing from the closet.”
Jack grins. “Regional champions for parents. You kept that quiet.”
“You never asked.” I grin and Jack shakes his head. “We don’t stand a chance of winning with such stiff competition.”
I shake my head. “I doubt they’ll even take part. My parents have a lot of obligations. It comes with the territory of what they do. They manage the odd evening out but to commit to something on a regular basis is a luxury neither of them can afford.”
“They still find time for each other, though. Maybe that’s where my parents went wrong.”
He looks so sad; I reach for his hand and squeeze it gently. “Maybe they realised an important lesson tonight. Who knows, it may help save what they had once.”
Pulling me close, he whispers, “Promise me we will always have time for each other, Nelly. Don’t go hurtling off down a different path to me and leave me behind. Who knows where our particular journey will end but it’s one I want to take with you and I’ve never felt like that before?”
As Jack kisses me under the light of a harvest moon, I make a silent vow to us. Whatever this is, I will make sure I work at making it magnificent. If it turns out not to be, then I’ll know in my heart that I gave it my best shot. I just hope when the glow wears off, Jack will feel the same.
31
The next few weeks follow the same pattern. Work, practice and dance classes twice a week. Jack and I have been taking secret lessons from my parents which was strange at first but has since ceased to be. I can see why they were champions because, despite appearances, they can certainly move with the best of them. I’m also enjoying spending lots of time pressed against Jack, perfecting our sexy moves. If anything, it has brought us closer together and I can only hope it has worked the same magic on Amanda and James.
Tonight, however, is the final class before the finalists are announced and everything is riding on it. If I have my way, we will be one of those couples and not Ken and Violet.
Ken has kept his distance from me and I have tried to do the same with Violet. We have been unsuccessful in tracing Soraya Bellfield because she isn’t on any of the usual social media platforms and nobody appears to have heard of her. It’s all very annoying and so I can only hope Plan A works because Plan B is proving a dead end.
Jack and I head to the Armitage Centre for the last time, if we don’t make it through.
We are among the first couples to arrive and take up our usual position in the corner.
In total there must be about ten couples who have headed here religiously every week.
Jack nudges me as his parents arrive and I am pleased to see they appear in a good mood. James has hold of Amanda’s hand and she is laughing at something he says. Jack whispers, “They’ve been a lot more relaxed with each other these past few weeks. Maybe Aunt Alice was right, and all they needed was the excuse to reconnect.”
They head our way and I smile as Amanda says in a low voice, “So, here we are, judgement day. If James and I don’t go through, we can tell Aunt Alice, we gave it our best shot, but it wasn’t good enough.”
I smile reassuringly. “You’ll be fine. You’re both really good, much better than most of the other couples here.”
James grins. “Well, we have been taking extra lessons.”
I stare at them in surprise. “I never knew that.”
Amanda laughs softly as Jack says, “When?”
She shakes her head. “That’s our secret and we’ll only tell you if we are successful.”
We notice Violet and Ken arrivin
g and Amanda pulls a face. “Can that woman sink any lower?”
I stifle my giggle because Violet looks as if she has kitted them both out for an episode of Strictly Come Dancing. She is wearing a sparkling spandex gold dress with multicoloured ruffles that swing around her waist. She has a sequinned flower in her hair and her lips are painted bright red with what appears to be shiny lip gloss over them.
Ken is wearing a white tuxedo with a matching red sequinned cummerbund and I feel sorry for him. He looks uncomfortable with his hair slicked back with sparkly gel. It just makes him look like one of those older men who are desperate to stay looking young. They look totally ridiculous and Jack laughs as he whispers, “We don’t stand a chance. I mean, look at them. They look the part, so obviously they are the best dancers here.”
Giggling, I point to Cilla who is looking at them as if they are the answer to her prayers. She is gushing over the outfits as she chats animatedly with Violet. I don’t miss the triumphant look Violet throws me as Cilla claps her hands and says excitedly, “Attention everybody, we will shortly begin but I must just congratulate Violet and Ken on stepping up and making such a huge effort with their costumes. It’s this degree of professionalism that goes a long way with the judges. Immediately they stand out and will get extra points for effort, so well done and as a reward you can start us off.”
Violet looks around smugly, as Ken takes her in his arms. The music starts and I watch as they begin gyrating to the music. The concentration on their faces is quite comical and I can see Violet counting under her breath as Ken struggles to keep up. Jack whispers, “Poor old guy. No prizes for guessing who’s really wearing the trousers in that relationship.”
James laughs, “Look at his face. I’m sure he would rather be sitting at home watching a crime thriller or football. It’s obvious this is a huge ordeal for him.”
They all laugh but I can’t join in. Poor Ken. He is looking as if this is the last thing he wants to be doing and being the focus of so much attention is obviously making him feel uncomfortable. My heart goes out to him and I wonder if he looks back on those days with Patty more fondly than he left them.
It’s soon time for the rest of us to join in and I’m aware that tonight we must pull out all the stops. Jack is serious for once and we give everything we’ve got to delivering a flawless performance. Some of the couples here aren’t interested in progressing to the competition which helps but I would say that at least five couples are doing everything they can to get through.
So, it’s with a lot of nerves between us that we stare expectantly at Cilla as she reads out the names of the couples going through to the regional finals.
In true Cilla fashion, she stands in the centre of the room under a lone spotlight.
“Ladies and gentlemen, now the moment you have all been waiting for. My announcement detailing who will progress through to represent us in the regional finals. This hasn’t been an easy decision because there are some worthy contenders here but in no particular order, here is my decision.”
She pauses for maximum effect and then squeals, “Violet and Ken.”
My heart sinks as Violet pulls a reluctant Ken through the crowd and thrusts their joined hands into the air with a triumphant look at me. You would think she had won the whole competition as she beams around the room and acts as if she’s shocked and overawed by the whole occasion. James laughs, “Stupid tart.”
Amanda looks at him in horror and then her eyes crinkle and she laughs out loud. “For once I agree with you, James.”
Jack shakes his head as Cilla says loudly. “Now, who will be joining them?”
Once again, she pauses for dramatic effect and says, “Sandra and Terry.”
My heart sinks as I realise that at least one of us is going to be disappointed and Jack squeezes my hand. “Don’t worry, Nelly. If it doesn’t work out, at least we tried.”
Suddenly, things get serious and I feel my heart thumping madly. What if we don’t get through?
Once Sandra and Terry have had their moment of triumph, Cilla says with excitement. “And now for the final place. This was a difficult decision but there can only be one more couple going through. It all came down to the last dance but I can now confirm that the third couple going through are…. Amanda and James.”
Pushing my disappointment aside, I hug Amanda and then James, saying happily, “Congratulations, you deserve it.”
They look at us in shock and Jack laughs. “Now you’ve got to work even harder to beat Violet because we’re counting on you both.”
James shakes his head and then laughing, lifts Amanda off the floor and spins her around as she laughs in shock.
Despite the fact that Violet is enjoying her moment of victory as she smirks in my direction, I am so happy for Jack’s parents. Jack pulls me against him and whispers, “I’m sorry, babe, I let you down.”
Pulling back, I stare at him in astonishment. “Of course, you didn’t. It was probably me, anyway. I’ve always had two left feet and certainly never took after either of my parents. No, you haven’t let me down, Jack. To be honest, I’m glad it was your parents and not us, anyway.”
As we look at Amanda and James lining up next to the other winners, I notice the sparkle in their eyes and the flush on Amanda’s cheeks. I have never seen her looking so happy and for a moment she looks relaxed and content. James appears to have shed whatever burden he always appears to carry around with him and they look happier than I have ever seen them. I say sincerely, “The right people won, Jack. I’m happy for them. We must make sure they win the competition because now it’s more personal than ever.”
32
It must be two weeks later that I have a visitor and look up in surprise as a familiar face heads through the door of the shop. “Aunt Alice!”
She smiles sweetly. “Hello, dear. I hope you don’t mind but I wanted to come and see this delicious emporium for myself.”
Feeling a little flustered, I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans and say self-consciously, “Well, here it is, my dream come true.”
Aunt Alice looks around her with obvious approval. “I must say, Nelly, this shop is everything I thought it would be. You have done a good job here.”
I feel a surge of pride as we look around and I smile happily. “I love this place. It’s all I ever wanted and if I could change one thing, it’s that I have a few more customers.”
Aunt Alice looks concerned. “I feel a little responsible for that darling.”
“Why, it’s not your fault the town is quiet.”
She sighs. “No, but I haven’t made it easy for you either. When I instructed Jack to open his business, I never really thought about how it would affect the competition.”
Shrugging, I offer her a taster chocolate; a smooth dark chocolate that blows your mind. “It’s fine. To be honest, Jack’s business brings more people in than it keeps away. As he said, he doesn’t sell a lot of chocolate and the fact they stare at my window from across the street while they’re having a coffee helps me. Most of the time they head across after they’ve finished and buy something.”
She smiles with relief. “That’s good to hear. You know, when I set my challenges, I never really expected them to be carried out with such sincerity. My family aren’t known for that particular emotion and I thought they would just pay lip service to it. They’ve surprised me in a good way.”
I nod in agreement. “I’m glad. They have really tried their best; I can vouch for that.”
Aunt Alice smiles. “I know they have. Anyway, do you think you may be able to take a break and keep an old lady company and join me for a spot of tea and cake?”
Smiling, I wave around at the empty shop. “I think the rush can wait for half an hour. I’ll just pop a sign on the door and tell any customers where I’ll be if they need anything.”
She smiles as I hang my usual sign and we head across the road together.
As we take our seats at one of the little tables that sit proudly
on the pavement outside More Than Chocolate, Aunt Alice sighs. “You know, this was always my dream. How lovely to be able to work doing something you love. Not many of us get that luxury.”
I nod in agreement as Emma heads our way and says abruptly, “Morning, Nelly, what can I get you?”
Aunt Alice raises her eyes and then says pointedly, “Excuse me, is Jack available?”
Emma shakes her head. “No, he’s busy.”
“Then please can you interrupt him and tell him that his Aunt would like a word.”
Emma looks at her and sighs. “Ok, if you insist but I was told he didn’t want to be disturbed.”
She looks at me with a gleam in her eye and says sweetly, “He never does when he’s locked in the stock room with an attractive supplier.”
As she flounces off, Aunt Alice shakes her head. “My goodness, that’s a woman scorned if ever I saw one.”
I roll my eyes. “You could say that. In her defence though, they went out once and I don’t think she can accept it’s over.”
“Hmm. Thank goodness Jack woke up and saw what was really important.”
“What, that it’s best to settle for someone who has less looks, much more personality and a few brain cells that haven’t been damaged under the tanning bench?”
Aunt Alice grins wickedly. “I agree with everything you just said except for one thing.”
“Which one?”
“Less looks. If you think looking like some kind of plastic doll from a toyshop is good looking, you are seriously mistaken. That girl had so much makeup holding her face together, I’m surprised she could move her lips to speak. No, girls like that dress to attract other girls, not men. They think it makes them look beautiful, but it just makes them appear all the uglier. Men want a real woman not a synthetic excuse for one. If anything, she is a caricature and I feel sorry for her.”
We laugh and then look up as Jack comes racing outside smiling broadly. He kisses us in turn and says, “This is an unexpected treat. Have you ordered?”
