Authors: Dee Williams
Wishes and Tears (13 page)
âI feel like death.'
âYou look like it. Do you want anything?'
âNo, thanks.'
She stood in the doorway, not knowing what to do. âI'll leave your present downstairs.'
âOK.' He turned over again.
Down in the kitchen Mrs Scott was preparing the dinner.
âGo in the other room, Janet, and Mr Scott will pour you a sherry.'
Janet wandered into the front room.
âHello, Janet love.' Mr Scott lightly kissed her cheek. âHe doesn't look too good, does he?' He raised his eyes to the ceiling. âI'm a bit worried about him. It's not like him to be ill. Sherry?'
âIt's a shame.' Janet took the glass that was offered. âThanks.'
âI'll just pop one out to the little woman.'
Janet sat and thought about Mark upstairs. She didn't like him being ill. She wanted to nurse him, hold him close and kiss him better. She looked at her watch, then wandered out to the kitchen. âI'm sorry but I must go - church service. I'll come back this afternoon, if that's all right with you?'
âBe pleased to see you,' said Mr Scott. âDon't worry too much about him, he's a strong lad,' he added as they moved towards the front door.
But as Janet walked home she did worry.
The next day Mark was worse and Mrs Scott called for the doctor.
âIt's bronchitis,' said Mrs Scott, who looked really anxious when Janet visited in the afternoon.
âIs he going into hospital?'
Mrs Scott shook her head. âDr Lake said he would probably be better off here, but we must be careful as it could lead to pneumonia.'
âThat's awful.'
âI blame all that smog in London.'
âIt can't be very nice. Can I go and see him?'
âOf course.' Mrs Scott gently took Janet's arm and said in a low voice. âI don't know what I'd do if I ever lost him.'
âHe'll be fine in no time, you wait and see, so don't worry.'
âYes, I'm being silly, but after losing one ...' She suddenly stopped. âYou don't want to hear about all that; it's history.'
Janet peered round Mark's bedroom door. Her heart jolted when she saw him lying there. His eyes were closed and his face pale. He began to cough and as he clutched his ribs he opened his eyes.
âHello, Jan. I didn't know you were there.' He coughed again.
She moved towards him and held his hand; it was cold and clammy. âDon't talk.'
He lay back and closed his eyes again.
Janet felt close to tears. She didn't like to see him ill. She knew then how much he meant to her.
Â
Throughout the first half of January Janet would hurry home from work just to sit with Mark every evening.
As the month dragged on Mark felt much better and some days he even managed to get down the stairs. On Saturday and Sunday between church she would spend the day with the Scotts. It was a happy house with music and laughter.
âCan you send a postal order to my landlord?' Mark asked Janet. âI'm frightened I'll lose my flat.'
âDon't worry about it. I phoned Danny and told him you were ill and he's seen to it, and said get back soon as the work's piling up.'
A smile lifted Mark's pale face. âThanks. What would I do without you?'
âIs there anything else you want me to do?'
He grinned and tapped the bed. âYou could join me.'
She moved away. âI thought you were ill?'
âI am. Guess I'll have to wait till I'm better.'
She quickly kissed his cheek. âEven then you'll have to wait.'
He pulled a face. âTill we're married, I suppose?'
She smiled and nodded. âThen I'll look after you.'
âIt should be me looking after you.'
âWho's looking after who?' asked Mrs Scott when she entered the room with a steaming bowl of soup.
âMe, looking after Janet when we get married.'
âJanet, I don't like the idea of Mark going back to work for that man Danny. I'm sure it isn't a healthy place to work in.'
âMum,' he sighed. âI'm grown up and I can make up my own mind where I work.'
âI know, but lying about on a cold floor. It doesn't do you any good.'
He grinned. âI'll ask Danny to put in underfloor heating.'
âAnd what about that flat? I bet it's damp.'
âYer. I grow mushrooms in there.'
Mrs Scott tutted. âYou're beginning to get cheeky. Sure sign you're getting better.' When she left the room Janet and Mark burst out laughing.
The following week Mark showed Janet a letter he'd had from Danny. The workload had become desperate and Danny had had to get in some help. When was Mark coming back, he wanted to know.
âWhat are you going to do?'
âDunno. The doc said I'm not fit enough to go back just yet.'
âCan't he wait a few more weeks? The weather will be a bit better then.'
âNot according to that. He's got so much work.'
âSo he'll have to tell this new fellow he's only temporary till you are on your feet.'
âI'll suggest it. But what about the flat? I don't want to lose it as they are so hard to get.'
âIf the worst comes to the worst you can go back to your old job here and we might be able to get somewhere to live in the village.'
He screwed up his nose. âYou don't want that, do you?'
She shook her head. She was looking forward to getting away, and now their plans were in jeopardy. Perhaps she could go to see Danny, persuade him to hold Mark's job open, even give him the flat rent money herself. Danny had always been so approachable.
âI still think Canada would be great,' Mark interrupted her thoughts.
âDon't start on that again.'
âI don't know why you're so against it.'
âIt would upset my parents.'
âWhat about mine? My mum would hate it after losing Joan. But we can't let them run our lives.'
âLet's get the wedding over first, shall we?'
âIf you say so.'
By the end of that week, Janet had mustered both the money and the resolve. On Friday she told Mark she had to go shopping the next day.
âSo where're you going?'
âIt's to see about material for my dress so don't ask too many questions.'
âWho's going with you?'
âMe, myself.'
âI'll miss you.'
âI may be late home so I might not be round till Sunday.'
âI suppose I'll have to put up with that.'
âYou will if you want to see me all dressed up at our wedding.'
Â
âWhat a lovely surprise,' said Danny, jumping up when Janet pushed open his office door. He looked outside. âWhere's Mark?'
âHe didn't come; he's not well enough.'
âSo, what do I owe this pleasure to?' His face dropped. âHe's not any worse, is he?'
âNo. Mark's worried about his flat.'
Danny sat down and put his fingertips together. âI told him I've seen to it.'
âYou said in your letter that you've got someone else in to work for you so now he's worried he'll lose his job and the flat.'
âThis bloke's only temporary, and as for the flat, I told you that's been seen to. If you like I'll take you round to see the landlord and he'll tell you the rent's been paid.'
âI've brought twelve pounds for the month's rent money.' Janet pulled an envelope out of her handbag containing some of her savings.
âPut it away. It's been taken care of.'
âYes, but how long for?'
âTill the end of January.'
âBut that was last week.' Janet began to panic. âWhat if he lets it beforeâ'
âCalm down. He won't do that.'
âBut you don't know that. I'd better go and see him. Do you have his address?'
âLook, I'll tell Rob - that's the bloke I've got in - that I' m off out for a while. Then we can go round and you pay off another month yourself.'
She smiled. âThanks. Why are you doing this?'
âI think a lot of Mark and I don't want to lose him. Come on, we'll go now.'
âYou sure you don't mind?'
âWhen you smile at me like that I'd do anything. That Mark's a lucky bugger. You've got a lovely smile.' He took a set of keys from off the peg board behind him.
Janet turned. She didn't want him to see her blush.
âRight, let's do it in style. We'll take the Vauxhall.'
Outside he opened the passenger door of a gleaming two-tone grey car. The chrome was shining and the tyres had been painted white. It was lovely.
âHop in.'
Janet felt like a queen. The engine purred into life and they slowly moved out.
âNice little car this, don't you think?'
âIt's lovely, but not very little.'
âDo you drive?'
âNo.'
âYou should get Mark to teach you.'
âI will when he's better.'
âSo when is it you two are getting hitched?'
âJune, the second. You should know that; you're going to be his best man.'
âJust teasing. Is he taking you anywhere nice for your honeymoon?'
âWe haven't talked about that yet.'
âNow if it was me I'd take you somewhere really posh.'
She laughed nervously. âOh yes, and where would that be? Blackpool?'
âThere are worse places than Blackpool, young lady. And with me lying beside you in the honeymoon bed you'd feel like you was in heaven.'
Janet was beginning to feel uncomfortable. As he swung the car round a corner, she slid along the bench seat and was now very close to him.
He laughed. âGood cars these for getting the girl up close.'
She quickly moved away.
As he'd promised, Danny took her to see the landlord and Janet paid February's rent.
âRight, now where to?'
âThanks all the same but I'd better go home.'
âDon't be daft. Let's go and have a bit of lunch. I know a nice little place not too far from here.'
âI don't know ...'
âLook, Jan, I wasn't trying to get fresh or anything, it's just my way. âSides,' he laughed, âI wouldn't want Mark to come at me with a monkey wrench.'
As Janet was hungry she agreed. âBut I must go after that.'
âNo problem. I'll run you to the station.'
âThanks.'
Danny was the perfect host in the restaurant, recommending dishes to her. Janet felt very grown up and special.
âWould you like a port and lemon or something?' he asked when they'd finished.
âNo, just a cup of tea, thank you.'
âI like Mark and I feel he's wasting his talent just being a grease monkey.'
âWhat do you mean?'
âHe should start selling 'em. The game's getting very good, especially now I'm going a bit upmarket.'
âYou want him to sell your cars?'
âYer, we could split the profit. He could make a bit more than he does now, and not get dirty.'
âHave you asked him?'
âA couple of times.'
âI thought he would have to put money in your business.'
âThat was at the beginning. No, now I' m up and running he could work on commission.'
âHe never told me that. So why doesn't he want to?'
âHe reckons you have to be a bit of a shark,' he grinned. âI must admit you do have to bend the truth sometimes.'
âMark wouldn't do that.'
âI know. But you could perhaps try to persuade him.'
âI wouldn't want Mark to do anything he didn't want to.'
âBut think of the money. I like you, Jan. You're not like the other girls I find meself stuck with.'
She laughed. âWell, that's up to you.'
âI know. But most of 'em are gold-diggers. They think that just âcos I've got nice clothes and me own showrooms I' m worth a few bob.'
âAnd aren't you?'
He leant forward. âWell, yes, I am and so could Mark be if he played his cards right. But there you go, so don't tell anyone. You and Mark will have to come and look at my pad one of these days.'
âThat would be nice.'
He beckoned the waiter over for the bill, then turned to Janet. âWe could go now if you like?'
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