Fireworks to Thailand Read online

  “Marian has invited us to her wedding,” she said excitedly. She had waited until later on in the evening when he had had his supper and was in a more relaxed, convivial mood. She was afraid of his response but she still went on to tell him the contents of the letter and invitation.

  “Oh,” was all Geoff would say as he went back to reading his newspaper.

  “Well, what d’you think. Can we get away do you think?”

  “What! To Thailand? Just for a wedding. You must be joking!”

  “It’s not just any old wedding! Marian was my best friend at school so I think I should support her,” Jan tried.

  “You’re not at school now!” Geoff was not amused. There was no way he was going to go to Thailand for a wedding. And Jan wasn’t going either. “No way!” he reiterated.

  No more was said on the matter. Jan didn’t dare pursue it in case Geoff went into a sulk.

  At the same time as the house hunting in Devon, Jan’s parents had already put their house on the market. They finally decided to build a house on the land that they owned in Clifton, another smart part of Bristol. It was ideal. Very near shops and the Downs, a lovely green area, and also the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge. They would move into a rented flat while they waited for it to be built, once the big house was sold.

  With spare monies, they were talking about buying a little cottage or bungalow in Devon. Maybe in the pretty village of Shaleham that they had got to know and love when they spent a lot of time there in summers gone by. They had made a few friends there and the pub was very inviting, within walking distance as the village was quite small. This meant they could have a drink without having to take the car – so they could have more than one or two drinks if the mood took them!

  “It’s a bit close to Betty, but at least Jan can have a bolt-hole if she needed to get away at any time without having to go all the way back to Bristol,” Ken was thinking outside the box.

  “That would be wonderful and at least we would see more of Louise. I’d like that,” Audrey said. “If they buy this house in Torquay it isn’t too far and I expect Geoff will want to see his mother at weekends. And then Jan and Louise can come over to us for a bit of respite. I’m sure they’re not getting on as well as they should. It’s been a tremendous strain for Jan, not only looking after Louise but I think Geoff is quite difficult and she’s having to cope without any friends nearby. And then she has her mother-in-law to contend with!”

  “OK, let’s do it,” Ken ignored the last remarks, not wanting to be drawn into any confrontation or family strife. The cottage they had their eye on was very cheap, and it would be a way of getting out of Bristol and having some Devon air.

  Many years before, Audrey’s parents had had a big house in Torquay that all the family could use and everyone had agreed how good the Devon air was – lovely and fresh. As soon as they arrived in Devon they relaxed and slept really well.

  When Audrey’s parents died, the house had to be sold off to pay the inheritance tax. She had always missed that house having spent a lot of her young days there in the summer holidays with all her siblings and cousins. Then when her siblings gradually got married and had children of their own they would also use the house. Jan remembered long hot summers there in the school holidays with John and Clare and their Mum. Ken would come occasionally when he wasn’t working.

  In winter it was always closed up with dust sheets. They had paid a neighbour to go in there occasionally to open the windows and give it an airing. The house was probably used about half of the year, a real luxury. It was a place they all enjoyed and were sad when it had to be sold.

  “Mum and Dad are buying a cottage in Shaleham,” Jan told Geoff and his mother when he came home from work one day.

  “That’ll be nice for you,” Betty said to Jan, but wondering what implications that would impose on her. She need not have worried, they weren’t going to ask her to open the windows to air the place as they were going to spend a lot more time there themselves. At least Audrey was going to stay there, on her own if need be.

  The house in Torquay that Geoff and Jan had their eye on was ideal for a family of three – or maybe four, if Jan had her way. She didn’t want Louise to be an only child like a lot of Geoff’s family were. Jan was from a big family – big compared to Geoff’s anyway. And she couldn’t contemplate having an only child herself. Jan thought that Louise would like to have a brother or a sister at some stage, and at least this time it would be planned.

  “I’m really excited about this house,” Jan was telling her mother on the phone one day. She tried to sound enthusiastic before she broached the subject of her inheritance, the money that Audrey was looking after for her ‘to use sensibly.’ The money would go towards exactly half of the price of the house. “Main thing is we can afford it if I use the money that Grandpa left me. He did say it was to be used for something sensible. I reckon this is very ‘grown up’ and sensible, don’t you?”

  “Oh Jan, are you sure you want to spend the whole lot in one go?” Audrey asked.

  “Of course! We can’t really afford it otherwise. Geoff is sorting out a mortgage for the other half so I reckon if I use all of my money towards this house and then Geoff pays the mortgage, that can be his half!”

  “OK, if you’re sure you want to blow the lot in one go,” Audrey agreed but wasn’t too sure if this was a wise move. After all, as executor to her father’s will she had to be sure she was doing the right thing. “What about buying furniture and other things?”

  “Oh yes, I’m certain this is the right thing to do. Grandpa would’ve been very proud to know that it’s being wisely invested,” Jan tried to keep her mother sweet. “We can buy furniture as and when we need it, and I know of a good second-hand shop. The house needs some TLC and a bit of decorating, which I can do. After all, how hard can it be? You wouldn’t believe it but all the rooms are wallpapered green! I hate green, so I shall be changing the colour scheme.” She was trying to change the subject; she didn’t like talking about finance with her mother. As long as she knew her mother would give her the money at the right time, then she was happy.

  “That’s OK, I’ll arrange it for you. And the cottage we have been looking at in Shaleham is going up for auction, so we’ll get someone to attend and bid for us,” Audrey told Jan.

  “Why don’t you go to the auction and bid for it yourselves?” Jan asked.

  “Oh no, I don’t think your dad would know what to do. It’s better that we get someone to bid for us and we’ll tell them how far to go up to. We will either get it for a song or we’ll have to pay a bit more, I don’t care, I’ve told your dad I want it and of course, he’s keen too so I know it will be ours very soon.”

  Geoff and Jan moved out of his mother’s place and into the new house. They wanted to start proper family life there before they started thinking of expanding the family. Geoff’s job was going well at the garage and he was due to have a pay-rise very soon. More important of all he was enjoying the cut and thrust of being in work. When he had been at work all day and Jan had been at home with Louise, all he wanted was to rest at home, have a cigarette and watch the television. All Jan wanted was to go out and do something a bit different from being in the house all day. She was desperate to meet people and make new friends. She was feeling really rather lonely – ‘But friends will come along all in good time,’ she thought to herself positively.

  She had to console herself with writing to and receiving letters from her old school friends. She loved to hear all of what they were doing. She would spend hours writing letters when Louise had an afternoon nap. She did so look forward to seeing a letter on the mat which had arrived from either Marian in Thailand, or Elspeth in Australia, or even from Paula in Bristol. In Paula’s last letter she had told Jan she was expecting a baby. Jan wrote back immediately with congratulations and followed it up a few days later with a phone call to her. />
  “Hi, how’s it going?” Jan began. “I wrote to you a few days ago but I just need to talk to someone. I can’t speak to Marian or Elspeth or my sister because they’re all abroad. You’re closer than they are even though you’re a hundred miles away! I’m going to burst if I don’t speak to someone I can trust.”

  “What d’you mean, what’s the matter? I got your letter this morning and you sounded very sad. Actually, I was going to ring you to see how you are but you’ve beaten me to it. So how are you?” Paula enquired, curious.

  “Oh, I’m just a bit fed up, I suppose. You’ve been married for about the same amount of time as me.”

  “Yes, I have. What’s the problem?”

  “Well, it’s a little bit delicate… ” Jan began. She steeled herself to go on as she heard Paula’s breathing, awaiting what was to come. “I was wondering how often Stuart expected… you know, sex?”

  “Well, we prefer to call it making love!”

  “Yes, that’s what I meant, sorry. Does he expect it morning, noon and night? Geoff does! Honestly, it’s all he thinks about! Is that normal?”

  “I guess healthy young men think about it more than women do, yes. But actually, getting it is another matter.”

  “Oh, he expects to get it that often too! I’m getting just a little sick of it. I think he must think I’m frigid. But I’m not! I just prefer quality to quantity.”

  “So do I! Maybe you should tell him.”

  “Yes, maybe,” Jan said thoughtfully but not believing she would ever go through with it for fear of Geoff sulking if he didn’t get his own way. “We’ll be trying for another baby soon so I suppose I can’t complain too much.”

  “Oh, another baby, how fantastic. I expect you’ll want a boy this time?”

  “I really don’t mind. Another girl would be good too. Geoff’s family is really small, I think he’d rather we only had one child. But I think I’ve persuaded him that Louise would like a brother or sister. I hope I’ve won him around to my way of thinking.”

  “I don’t see why not. A large family sounds great. I hope we have more than one,” Paula agreed with Jan. “Is there anything else bothering you?”

  “Only that I feel so alone down here. I should never have agreed to move to Devon. Louise is a little darling and I love her to bits, but I need more in my life. Geoff is pretty useless, although at least he’s got a job. Unemployment here is rife so he’s lucky to be working at all. The house we bought needs so much doing to it, decorating mostly, nothing too major. It doesn’t look like Geoff is going to do anything about it. I’m feeling a bit frustrated with it all.”

  “Have you tried asking him to do the work that needs doing in the house?” Paula asked.

  “That’s a good point. I suppose hinting is too subtle for him. I’ll ask him straight out. Thanks for your help, especially with you-know-what! And by the way, congrats again. Only a few months to go. I expect you’re getting ready, buying nappies and baby clothes? How exciting! Let me know if there’s anything I can do. Bye for now.”

  “Bye, keep your chin up. Try and stay positive; things will work out, I know they will.”

  That evening Jan took the bull by the horns and asked Geoff if he was prepared to do some decorating.

  “I’ve never done anything like that before,” was Geoff’s answer.

  “Neither have I!”

  “I don’t think I have time to do it anyway.”

  “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll have a go myself I suppose, on my own if you won’t even help me. Will you come to the shop and choose some wallpaper? I can’t bear all these green walls. I’ll start with one of the bedrooms so if I make a mistake it won’t show too much.”

  “Well, you can choose something, can’t you? I’ll go along with whatever you choose.”

  Jan set off to the library to see if she could find a book about painting and wallpapering a room and read all the instructions. Then she went to the shops and asked for help in what she would need. She chose some wallpaper she liked then also bought paste, a brush to smooth down the wallpaper, undercoat and gloss paints, paint brushes and brush cleaner. When she got home she wondered where she would be able to paste the wallpaper. It would have to be the floor. Then she wondered how she would be able to reach up to the ceiling. She had to go out again to buy a stepladder. It was all getting rather expensive but at least most things would be used again and again.

  She chose neutral colours to start with. Magnolia they called it in the shop. Ideal for all occasions, but not exactly what she liked as she loved to have more colourful things in her life. It would have to do, for now, at least magnolia would go with everything.

  First up was taking off all the old wallpaper. Then she realised she would need a scraper. She never thought of that, why didn’t they tell her in the shop? Back to the decorating shop, she went to buy a scraper. They tried to sell her a steamer but this was far too expensive, she would have to do it the old fashioned way with a sponge. This job took ages, soaking the wallpaper to soften it first and then scraping off all the horrible old green paper.

  It took her several days just to scrape the old paper. Then three more days to paint the door, windowsills and skirting boards with undercoat and gloss. She would only do these jobs when Louise was either having her afternoon nap or if she was happy in her playpen. She didn’t want sticky fingers messing up her newly painted surfaces.

  Next was to try to hang the new wallpaper. First to measure and then to cut. The only scissors she possessed, apart from her dressmaking scissors which she wasn’t prepared to spoil by cutting paper, were her nail scissors. Off she went again, back to the shop for long scissors to cut the wallpaper to size. She wondered if it was worth buying a wallpaper pasting table but decided against it because of the cost. The floor would just have to do. She found the wallpapering was very different to painting.

  Two and a half weeks later and she stood back to admire her handiwork.

  “Not bad for a first effort, if I say so myself,” she said to herself out loud.

  She couldn’t wait for Geoff to come home and praise her for her wonderful work.

  “Oh yes, not bad for a first attempt, you’ll get better with practise!” Was all he could manage as he went out of the front door to wash the car. She couldn’t help but feel a bit deflated. She had to tell someone about her new achievement, someone who would give her a lift. She rang her mum to tell her.

  “Oh well done. I don’t think I could have done it. We always have a man in to do the decorating.”

  “Yes, I remember. Well, we can’t afford a decorator so I had to do it. I couldn’t bear the look of that green paper anymore. I’ve only got another two bedrooms and two rooms downstairs to go!”

  “Surely Geoff will help you, won’t he? It’s a man’s job to do the decorating!”

  “No! I’ve already asked him but his answer is always the same. He doesn’t know how to do it. Well, I’ve had to learn. It’s the same with the garden. He’s never done any gardening before so I’ve had to do everything there too!”

  “Oh dear, the trials and tribulations of owning a house I’m afraid. I’m glad you rang, you must have been reading my mind because I was going to ring you on another subject.” It was almost as if Audrey was afraid of what she was going to say if she had a bad reaction from Jan. She had to tell her anyway so this was a good time as it had been on her mind for a while.

  “Your cousin Gordon is getting married.”

  “Oh, that’s nice. Are we invited to the wedding?” Jan asked.

  “Well, your father and I are going. And John and Vera too.”

  “What about me?” Jan felt left out.

  “I think they were keeping it small, just immediate family. And I know they didn’t want any children there either.”

  “I’m just as immediate as John and a sight more immediate than Vera!�
� Jan felt a tear coming into her eyes. “Just because I’m down here doesn’t mean I can’t travel. Is it a case of out of sight, out of mind?”

  “Well, I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do about it. Do you want me to ask them?” Audrey tried to placate Jan as a last minute attempt to make her feel better.

  “No, don’t bother. If they’ve forgotten about me then I don’t want to know. Gordon was my favourite cousin and I would have thought… oh, never mind. I’ve got to go now, bye.”

  With that she slammed the phone down and then immediately felt bad, it wasn’t her mother’s fault after all.

  ‘I ring Mum to let off steam and then she drops that bombshell. It’s just not fair. I lose out all round. All my friends and family in Bristol are either getting married or having babies and I’m not involved anymore. It’s like they’ve forgotten all about me. I’m not going to get any invites down here ’cos I don’t know anyone well enough. Everyone is so old. They seem to move down here to retire, away from their friends and family, to do what? Look at the sea? Walk on the beach? Go to those god-awful cheap touristy shops. And then they die. How depressing. I’m too young to retire. I need a life first. This bloody place. I hate it!’

  Jan sat down on the stairs and cried. All alone.

  Chapter 5

  As the weeks and months passed, Jan gradually decorated the remaining rooms – still managing on her own. She actually started to enjoy it too. She left the most difficult – the hall, stairs and landing until last, and wondered whether she would be able to manage it. It was very high and she would need a longer ladder.

  Since the initial heavy outlay of the decorating materials had put quite a dent in her savings, she decided that other things needed for the house would have to be saved for. Every week she would buy one tool, with the most essential first. On her birthday, her parents would send her a cheque and so she would buy something more expensive like an electric drill or that long ladder for the hall. This, she thought, would come in handy for when the outside needed painting. All in good time. She rarely spent anything on herself.