Breaking the Ice (40 page)

‘
I don’t know what you want me to say Cleo. Everything I say seems to be wrong or not what you want to hear,’ Samantha answered reluctantly sitting next to her sister.

‘
I just want you to be happy, that’s all. And I don’t think you’re happy at the moment on your own.’

‘
I’m fine Cleo, honestly,’ Samantha lied.

Images of Jimmy flashed through her mind. The night they had lay in bed together, wrapped in each others arms - the night she had felt truly content.

‘
Look, I know I keep saying this but Connor’s a really nice guy. He’s nice looking, he has a good job and he’s got his own apartment,’ Cleo told her.

‘
I’m sure he’s very nice but I don’t find him attractive - sorry,’ Samantha said almost feeling guilty that she didn’t find him attractive and thinking it might all be easier if she did.

‘
Well there are a couple of other guys at my work that are OK. I mean Greg’s really good looking, better looking than Jeremy, but don’t tell him I said that. He’s a bit of a ladies man though and I don’t think he would be into an exclusive relationship. And then there’s Brandon. He’s OK, has a few large moles on his face but nothing laser surgery couldn’t fix if you could persuade him - he works out,’ Cleo continued.

‘
Cleo, I’m already in love with someone,’ Samantha stated matter of factly.

‘
Jimmy Lloyd,’ Cleo said the words almost making her mouth smart.

‘
Yes,’ Samantha replied.

‘
Right, OK, fine. You go back to your newspaper, make a creepy scrapbook full of cuttings and ask him to send you a lock of his hair and an old toothbrush. I’ve tried to help you and make suggestions but you’re obviously not ready for a relationship in the real world,’ Cleo spoke angrily as she stood up and headed for the door.

‘
Cleo, I don’t want to fight,’ Samantha said, looking at her sister with water filled eyes.

‘
Neither do I but all these silly fantasies are making it very hard. I mean who’s it going to be next? Brad Pitt? Nicholas Kaden?’ Cleo enquired.

Samantha didn’t know what to say in response. Cleo was never going to believe her.

‘
So, chicken chow mein for you and rice and curry sauce for Gobby,’ Cleo repeated, standing in the door threshold.

‘
Please.’

‘
OK, I’ll let you know when it’s here. By the way, we’ve got a DVD to watch if you’re interested. Some new flick with Hilary Polar in it, Jeremy chose so it’s probably crap,’ Cleo spoke.

‘
I wouldn’t want to be a gooseberry,’ Samantha replied, feeling sad again and not wanting to look at Hilary Polar for a millisecond.

‘
Well, bring the cat down,’ Cleo suggested.

‘
But you said he wasn’t allowed to go…’ Samantha began.

‘
I know what I said but that was before I knew Jeremy was the biggest cat lover on the planet. Maybe I was a bit hasty. He is quite cute if you ignore the whole weird eye thing,’ Cleo said, looking at Gobby who now had his tongue hanging out.

Twenty Seven

‘
Full house tonight,’ Felicity remarked as she and Samantha checked tickets at the hall.

It was the last night. The final night of
Skating on Broadway
and the last time the Woolston Civic Hall would hold a performance. Getting ready and putting on her uniform had been sadder than she could ever have imagined. Her life would really never be the same again.

She had almost left the house wearing the Civic Hall jumper she had dropped tuna on at lunchtime. She had been late home and Cleo had waylaid her asking for tickets for the show. As hard as Samantha had tried Cleo hadn’t believed the show was fully booked. Her sister knew full well she always kept six tickets in reserve just incase a VIP, like the Queen and her family, happened to saunter in to the Civic Hall wanting to watch a show. By the time she had given in, there had been no time to eat or have a shower. She had been just about to leave when Cleo let out a shriek and pointed a finger at Samantha’s offending top. So she was now wearing an un-ironed polo shirt and no name badge. She had creases and for the first time ever, no identity stamped on her chest.

They had held the interviews for the
tourist information centre yesterday. She had applied, got an interview and practiced reciting all the things she could bring to the job. Good
organisational
skills, excellent telephone manner, intimate knowledge of the area, ability to ice skate with an ice cream tray around her neck - no that wouldn’t be needed. All she would have to do was give directions and hand out maps.

Interview day dawned and she dressed in the funeral suit. She had left early and waited outside half an hour before her appointment watching Japanese couple after Japanese couple enter the office. She could see the women at the desk inside, dressed in matching blue uniforms, trying to understand the broken English and decipher that the tourists wanted to see Buckingham Palace. It looked painful.

The time came round and she was just about to push open the door and go in when she caught sight of a Civic Hall poster advertising the ice show. There was Dana, red hair flying behind her, black catsuit clinging to her and there was Jimmy dressed in the red
sequinned
Lycra top, looking out at her like a face from long ago. The poster was fading and so was her hope. She hadn’t been able to go in after that. It didn’t feel right, nothing felt quite right at the moment. So, as of tomorrow, she had no job and no idea what she was going to do with her life.

Samantha didn’t respond
to Felicity. Her mind wasn’t on the job and as it began to wander more and more, thinking about being jobless and boyfriendless, the harder it was to concentrate on checking the tickets that were being handed to her at speed.

‘
Are you OK Samantha?’ Felicity enquired as Samantha handed the wrong part of the ticket back to one of her customers.

‘
Oh, sorry Sir. Here, turn left, row J and seats forty nine and fifty are half way along,’ Samantha spoke hurriedly realising her error and correcting it.

‘
The estate agent isn’t telling anyone who’s bought the hall,’ Felicity commented as she tore another set of tickets.

‘
What? You spoke to them?’ Samantha asked, coming out of her dream world and looking at her colleague.

‘
Yes, I phoned them. I didn’t think it would do any harm. I know you’re worrying about it and I thought if I could find out who’d bought it and what they were planning to do with it, it might not actually be as bad as you’re thinking,’ Felicity responded.

‘
Oh Felicity that’s really sweet of you but I’m in no doubt it’ll be turned into flats. We just have to come to terms with it,’ Samantha replied with a sigh.

‘
But someone might have…’ Felicity started.

‘
Can you manage here?’ Samantha asked her head beginning to ache.

‘
Yes of course,’ Felicity replied.

Samantha hurried through to the main auditorium, visually checking that her staff were all occupied and performing their roles adequately.
Her
hall. It was finally
her
hall and it was being taken from her. The
realisation
of that made tears spring to her eyes. The ice looked nothing short of magnificent tonight. The coloured lights swirling all around it seemed to be brighter than ever and the arena was full of people chatting, laughing and purchasing programmes and souvenirs. The scene was a picture of how she had always wanted the hall to be, but now it had gone and slipped away from her - just like Jimmy.

‘
Yoo hoo! Sam!’ Cleo’s voice called, standing up and waving elaborately.

Cleo wasn’t alone. Jeremy and the pigeon-chested Connor were seated either side of her. Samantha silently cursed her sister for bringing him and then walked over to the group. If she made an appearance now hopefully she wouldn’t have to do it later.

‘
Sam! You remember Connor don’t you?’ Cleo exclaimed, indicating the man next to her and winking at her sister.

‘
Yes, hello, nice to see you again,’ Samantha replied politely not looking at him but watching as her colleague Jane fell over on the ice and a stack of programmes skidded across the rink.

‘
And you. We were talking about going for something to eat after the show if you…’ Connor began, standing up to face Samantha.

‘
I’m sorry, I’ve got to rescue hundreds of pounds worth of merchandise,’ Samantha spoke hurriedly as she began rushing down the steps towards the ice.

‘
Sam! Sam! Connor was…’ Cleo called after her.

By the time she reached Jane some customers waiting to be served had helped her to her feet and had begun to bundle up the damp programmes.

‘
Are you OK?’ Samantha asked her colleague.

‘
Yes, yes I think so, I’m still not getting any better at staying up right I’m afraid. Still, it’s the last night,’ Jane responded with a heavy sigh.

‘
Look, why don’t you go and help Aaron with the souvenirs. I’ll do this, just give me a second to get my skates on,’ Samantha offered kindly as she took the programmes and money belt from Jane.

She had never seen Jane look so happy. She practically ran from the ice and tore the skates from her feet. She would miss her, Felicity and Milo. She hadn’t really thought of them as friends before but perhaps they were. I mean you had to be friends with someone when you heard all about chain-smoking mothers and the latest exotic illegal immigrant being romantically pursued.

Samantha hurriedly laced up her boots and got onto the ice with the remaining programmes. She checked her watch. There was little more than fifteen minutes before the show started.

‘
Programmes!’ she called, holding one of them aloft in the air as she started to skate along the edge of the ice.

She could see Connor was looking at her and it made her feel uneasy. She wished Cleo hadn’t brought him, she never listened to her. She knew she meant well, but things would be a lot easier if she actually believed what she had been trying to tell her for the last fortnight. She didn’t want another man, she wanted Jimmy. And even if she had blown it and he wasn’t coming back, she just wasn’t ready to think about anyone else. Not yet and possibly not ever.

Samantha could see someone motioning to her for a programme, so she turned and moved across the ice towards them. As she gained momentum suddenly all the lights on the ice went out and the rink was plunged into darkness. The crowd wooed and whooped as if the show was about to start and Samantha felt completely disorientated. She had to get off. What was going on? It was too early for the show to start. People wouldn’t be in their seats yet and she needed to sort this out. She moved slowly, trying to find her way to the edge of the rink when she heard the sound of another pair of skates, heading in her direction. She looked into the darkness trying to see what was going on. And then the skater appeared before her, took hold of her arm and turned her around.

Samantha looked up, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It was Jimmy!

S
he blinked and blinked again and put her hands up to her eyes to rub them. She had to be imagining him, just like she had been constantly since he left.

‘
Hey,’ he greeted a smile lighting up his face, his Minstrel eyes creasing at the corners.

‘
Oh my goodness!’ Samantha exclaimed.

Her legs wobbled with emotion as he spoke and she realised he really
was
standing in front of her.

Her breathing became erratic, catching in her throat and tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn’t believe he was back. She just looked and looked at him, trying to take in everything about him. Then, finally, she threw herself into him, holding him tightly, squeezing him hard to make sure the whole moment was real.

Jimmy held her and ran his hand through her hair, kissing the top of her head as she leaned on him and then, he held her away from him.

‘
Come with me,’ Jimmy quickly urged her and he began to skate off towards the centre of the rink.

‘
Wait! I need to say some things to you, lots of things I should have said before. I, I didn’t think you were coming back, after what I said, I - oh goodness - we have to get off of here, there’s a show about to start,’ Samantha reminded him, struggling to get out all the words she wanted to.

‘
I know,’ Jimmy answered with a smile.

‘
But, we need to - oh!’ Samantha exclaimed in horror as a bright white spotlight shined down onto her.

As the
spotlights on the ice went up the capacity audience all gasped and exclaimed at the sight of the two of them in the middle of the ice rink, Jimmy in blue Lycra, Samantha in her Civic Hall uniform.

She
felt sick. Everyone was looking at her and she was still wearing the money belt and holding a batch of programmes. Her face began to redden and her heart went into overdrive.

‘
OH MY GOD! OH - MY - GOOD - GOD!’ Cleo shrieked from her seat four rows back from the ice.

She
clamped her hands over her mouth as she saw her sister standing on the ice holding Jimmy Lloyd’s hand.