Fireworks to Thailand Read online

  Once she had all the tools she needed she taught herself DIY. She was putting up shelves and mending doors and finding out about how to do the other jobs in the house that needed doing.

  At Christmas, her parents, again, sent her a cheque – not large, but she nearly always spent it on the house, or she would make sure there was a bunker full of coal, enough to last them the rest of the winter.

  A year after they moved to Devon they heard that John and Vera were getting married the following summer. Vera would be nearly 23 and a summer wedding was what she wanted.

  “Would you do me the honour of being one of my bridesmaids? Or maid of honour rather? I’m having four with you, including my two sisters and a good friend and you’d be wearing beautiful apricot dresses. What d’you think? Would you be able to manage it? I’d love it if you could. I’m afraid it’s going to be in Yorkshire where my parents live,” Vera told Jan over the phone.

  “Oh, I’d absolutely love to, yes, yes, yes!” Jan was so excited. ‘A wedding to go to at last. And a bridesmaid to boot.’

  “Oh, no I don’t think so,” Geoff brought Jan down to earth with a bump when he heard about it. “How can we take Louise to Yorkshire?”

  “Can’t your mum have her? She’s always saying how much she wants to have her. She’s missed having her after we left. She’s capable enough, don’t you think? Shall we ask her anyway?” Jan was desperate. “She can always say no if she doesn’t think she can cope with her for a few days. Louise is old enough to leave now, isn’t she? It’s not as if she doesn’t know your mother by now, she’d really enjoy it.”

  “I’ll ask her but don’t hold your breath,” Geoff said. Jan was worried in case Geoff didn’t ask her properly. If Jan asked her she would put it in much stronger terms, in a way that Betty couldn’t really refuse. That was exactly what Jan wanted of course, but she thought she’d better let Geoff ask her first.

  “Oh, yes my dear, I’d love to,” Betty told her son. “When the time comes just bring her over and it’ll be a break for you both.” ‘I love you,’ Jan thought of her mother-in-law when Geoff told her the good news. ‘That’s the best thing she’s ever done.’

  Jan rang Vera straight back and told her the good news.

  “That’s fantastic. I’ll send you samples of the material for your dress and you can choose which pattern you like. As long as they are all the same material it would be nice for them to be individual styles.”

  “I can make it myself with my new sewing machine that Mum gave me for my birthday. I’ve made lots of clothes for myself and Louise, it will give me something to do.” Jan already had in mind a style she would like to try.

  She worked really hard on that dress for weeks on end, night and day until it was perfect.

  The day before the wedding, they dropped Louise over at Betty’s house and drove to Bristol from where Ken was going to drive them all to Yorkshire in his big car.

  “Louise won’t settle! She keeps crying.” Betty rang Audrey and was beside herself with worry. “I think there’s something wrong with her, shall I take her to the doctor? What d’you think?” This was only an hour or so after Jan and Geoff had left Louise.

  Jan and Geoff arrived in Bristol and Audrey conveyed the message straight away.

  “We’ll have to go back,” Geoff announced without a second thought.

  “Oh NO!” screamed Jan. “I can’t believe it. She’s probably only playing up, she was quite well when we left her. I’m not missing this wedding, I’ve been looking forward to it and I have an important role to play.”

  “Well, what d’you suggest? Leave Louise there screaming with my mother going frantic? I can’t do it. We’ll just have to go back.”

  “Can we do it in a day? There and back and then take her to the wedding?”

  “I suppose we will have to if you can’t miss it,” Geoff concurred, worried that his wife was losing it.

  “It’s very important to me. You know how much I’ve been looking forward to it,” Jan told Geoff. “You know how hard I’ve been working on my dress to make it special, I just can’t miss it and let them all down.”

  “OK then, let’s go and get her.”

  They travelled all the way back to Devon and when they got there Louise was gurgling quite happily.

  “She settled soon after I rang. I did telephone your mum again but it was too late, you had already left. I’m so sorry.”

  They gathered up all Louise’s belongings and started on the road back to Bristol – just in time as Ken was packing the car ready for the journey to Yorkshire.

  John and Vera’s wedding was everything that Jan had originally wanted for herself – the big white wedding with most of their family and friends in attendance. But she was just as pleased to be a part of it by being a bridesmaid.

  Jan got on well with Vera’s sisters and her friend whom she met for the first time. She thought it was a shame that not more of her own family could come. Her Auntie Sandra and Uncle Cyril, the same ones who came to her own wedding, together with their two children, were going to meet them at the wedding after travelling up early on the day of the wedding. Jan hoped they would make it on time.

  They stayed at a hotel nearby the wedding reception. Ken paid for them all; it was only two nights and it was good for Audrey to see Louise again. They had seen so little of her since Jan’s move to Devon. That was all going to change once they had bought the cottage in Shaleham. John was joining them at the hotel too because he was banned from Vera’s parents’ house from midnight onwards before the big day.

  The next day, a few hours before they were going to get ready for the wedding, they assembled outside the hotel dining room. Louise had woken up early so Jan and Geoff were ready and dressed in their ordinary clothes. They would dress up later on. Jan in the beautiful bridesmaid’s dress she had so carefully made; she hoped it would be approved by the bride. She was going to Vera’s parents’ house to get dressed with all the other women and to have her hair done.

  “A pity not more of our family could come, too far for them I suppose. I sent out lots of invitations but Yorkshire is a long way,” Audrey was saying to no one in particular. “It’s such a shame that Clare has to miss your wedding,” she said to John over breakfast.

  “Oh well, never mind. That’s the way it is. I expect she’s enjoying herself, wherever she is.” John had had a few drinks the night before and wasn’t feeling very well. He had arrived the day before with Dave, his best man, who was also looking a bit hung over. “Have you got any aspirin?” John asked his mother.

  “Oh, John! Have you drunk too much again?” she asked him.

  “I expect Clare’s having a great time where she is, lucky thing,” Jan pondered on what Audrey had been saying about her sister missing the wedding. “Have you heard from her lately?” Jan asked her mother. Audrey fished out some aspirin from her handbag and gave them to John.

  “Not really. I had a letter from her about a month ago and yes, she’s enjoying it. Probably a bit too much if you ask me! I’ve no idea when she thinks she’s coming home again.”

  “Maybe she won’t want to.” Ken interrupted. “Maybe she’s found a bloke who will whisk her away! Who knows?” ‘That might save me the expense of another daughter’s wedding.’

  “Geoff, I don’t believe you’ve met Dave,” John introduced Dave to Geoff. “My best man. I’ve known Dave for as long as I can remember. Well, probably six or seven years, I can’t remember anything further back than that, not after what we had last night! I know what you’re going to say, Mum – and yes we did have our stag night last weekend but, you know, last night WAS my last night of freedom!”

  Dave had fancied Jan ever since he met her when John first brought him home. He never made a secret of it either. She heard John mumble something to Dave, and then Dave looked at her but she looked away. She knew exactly what he was thinking. H
e had made it pretty obvious in the past but if Geoff had caught them looking at each other he might come to the wrong conclusion. Even though nothing had ever happened between them, much to Dave’s chagrin. It was always one way as far as Jan was concerned, she had never been interested in him.

  “I had a letter from Marian this week,” Jan announced out of the blue. “Inviting us to Thailand to go and stay with her. We would only need to find the money for the flight out there; we would stay with them in their house.” She thought it an excellent idea to put this to her parents in front of Geoff and see what they said and then see what he said. Also, this was a diversion, so she wouldn’t have to speak to Dave. Anyway, he was busy getting his breakfast at the buffet counter.

  “Oh, how wonderful! She’s done well for herself, hasn’t she?” Audrey gushed. “That would be a lovely little holiday for you.”

  “Well, we can’t afford it so that’s an end to it,” Geoff huffed, even though it was the first he had heard of it, although he knew that Marian had invited them many times in the past. He tried to nip it in the bud before it got out of hand.

  “I think we could lend you the money for the flight if you’d really like to go,” Ken interjected. “It sounds like it could be a wonderful experience. Would you take Louise as well?”

  “Of course we would! Thank you so much for the offer,” Jan looked longingly at Geoff.

  “I’m sorry but it’s out of the question, taking a small child to Thailand of all places! Ridiculous! I heard only last week there is fighting on the borders. It’s just not safe!”

  “But we wouldn’t be anywhere near the borders!” Jan cried. “Marian lives in Bankok! We’ll talk about it another time.” She didn’t want a row on her brother’s wedding day and was sorry she had brought up the subject.

  “We won’t!” Geoff was certain.

  Audrey looked at Ken and decided not to say anymore. She could see Jan was getting nowhere with Geoff so decided to change the subject.

  “Louise, are you going to finish your toast?” Audrey said while showing Louise her plate. She thought maybe Louise would pick up an atmosphere so tried to put on a happy face and smiled at her.

  “Mmmm, toast,” Louise gurgled. Her words were few and far between but every day she was learning new ones.

  “Mum, can you look after Louise today? She can have a nap in the afternoon, she’ll be OK with you, won’t she?” Jan asked her mother rather than Geoff. She knew that he would feel a little affronted that she asked her mother instead of him, but she did anyway.

  “Of course! I’d love to. Your dad and I will look after her together and Geoff is on hand if we need him. You go and get ready. You’ve done wonders with that dress, it looks marvellous. We will see you in church.”

  Vera’s father picked up Jan to take her to his house where all the women were frantically getting ready. Vera ushered her in. It was only the third time Jan had met Vera. She liked her a lot and thought John was very lucky. Vera wasn’t very tall and against John, it seemed like there was about a foot difference. It didn’t matter to them. They were happy.

  Vera had hired a hairdresser to come to the house and one by one they all had their hair done. Vera had decided that as all the bridesmaids had long hair they would all have the same style – ringlets. When it was Jan’s turn she made the most of being pampered but she insisted on doing her own makeup.

  “Wow, your dress is superb, Jan. Are you sure you made it yourself? You are clever.” Vera said when Jan nodded. “All the others had theirs made professionally, but you’d never know the difference. Yours is fantastic.”

  “Oh, thank you. Compliment indeed! I love your dress too.” Jan was a bit embarrassed. Professionally made. ‘Maybe I should take up dressmaking!’ she thought.

  The car came for the bridesmaids followed a little later by a white Bentley with plush leather seats for Vera and her father. Jan and the other girls giggled around the front porch while the ushers had been showing the guests to their seats. Most people had already arrived before the bridesmaids and they didn’t have to wait too long before the last car arrived with the bride and her father.

  Vera’s beautiful wedding dress had been made especially for her by a local company. Although she had long dark hair like the bridesmaids, she wasn’t going to have it in the same way as they had theirs, in ringlets. She had it done up in a chignon with a tiara atop her head. It really was rather special.

  The church was beautifully decorated with flowers at the end of every pew as well as huge arrangements by the altar. The church was completely full with family, friends and neighbours of Vera’s parents as well as John’s small family. His aunt and uncle and two cousins arrived after their long journey that morning. They were already dressed for the occasion so they turned up at the church just in time as everyone else was arriving.

  John was already in the front pew with his best man, Dave. Geoff, Audrey, Ken and Louise all went together in Ken’s car and were in the pew behind John and Dave. Louise was dressed in her best clothes although Jan hadn’t had time to buy her anything special because she wasn’t supposed to be there. She was very good and sat on Audrey’s lap for all of the service, looking around and interested in everyone’s smart wedding clothes.

  The reception was within walking distance of the church so no cars were needed afterwards. It was a hall that the church used occasionally so it was ideal for wedding receptions. It was decked out with flowers and drapes and all the chairs had their own special gold covers. The caterers did a brilliant job with the food and service.

  “You look a million dollars,” Geoff said to Jan as soon as he could speak to her. He made a point of standing back and admiring her. He felt he had said enough about Jan’s silly idea of going to Thailand so he thought he had better calm the waters by complimenting her and added, “I love you.”

  “Thanks,” she said, but she was still furious with him. She wouldn’t let the idea go as easily as that; she would talk to him later to try and persuade him. Or maybe wait until they got home when she could show him the letter from Marian and try again.

  After all the food and the speeches and the cutting of the cake, there came the music and dancing. As with most weddings a lot of people didn’t know each other – so Vera’s mother had tried to put people who knew each other on tables together.

  “May I have this dance?” Dave was almost too quick to get over to where Jan was and it took her by surprise. She couldn’t very well say ‘no’ which is what she would have liked to have said.

  “I shall have to ask my husband’s permission,” Jan pointedly told Dave. Geoff just waved her away to say ‘go on’. He couldn’t object as he knew the tradition of the best man making a speech about the bridesmaids. Dave only knew Jan so he had had to ask Vera about the other bridesmaids so he could say something nice about them too.

  “I’ve been looking forward to this all day,” Dave told Jan. “Did I ever tell you…?”

  “Don’t start,” Jan warned Dave. “I know exactly what you’re going to say but the answer is no. As you well know. I’m married now.” Jan couldn’t wait for the music to finish. She thought Dave was a bit of a creep and she knew he liked a lot of girls, all at once if he had his way. She knew he would go through all the other bridesmaids systematically.

  Geoff was watching Jan dancing with Dave. He sensed something was there between them, but couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

  “What’s with you and Dave?” Geoff asked Jan as soon as she returned to the table. “Are you having an affair?”

  “What? For God’s sake, of course not!” Jan was exasperated. She couldn’t help the pinkness and warmth in her cheeks, though – maybe it was the wine. She hoped that Geoff would not see it or else he would take it as a guilty look.

  Geoff’s little outburst of jealousy put a dampener on the wedding for Jan. She had to be really careful to avoid Dave. He w
as just as likely to come over to her and put his arms around her, for a joke as much as anything. Especially as he had started drinking all over again and since John had warned him off her in case Geoff saw.

  They drove back to Bristol the next day after breakfast. They had seen off the bride and groom the evening before. The honeymoon destination was a secret, although Jan had a slight suspicion she knew they would be going abroad somewhere nice and warm. She had seen Vera’s suitcase full of bikinis, sun tops and shorts. Lucky her, but also lucky John.

  They made a beautiful couple.

  Chapter 6

  “We can’t go out, we haven’t got a babysitter anymore. It was OK when Mum could sit with Louise, but we are on our own now.” Geoff told Jan one day when she was feeling miserable at home. She just felt sad that they couldn’t even go out for a drink, all Geoff wanted to do was sit at home and watch the television. Jan suggested that to get a babysitter they would need a bit more money and she was prepared to get a job just to pay for it. But Geoff’s answer was ‘no’.

  Jan got a little fed up at times, there was no one she could talk to, no one she knew, being new to the area. The winter was so dead. There was nothing to do, with everywhere closed up for the season, a typical seaside area. She was so down one day while she was in the house with Louise. She just sat on the stairs and cried.

  “Come on, Mummy, don’t cry.” Louise was frightened. She had never seen her mother cry before. Jan preferred to cry alone, but that day she just couldn’t help it.

  Springtime was better and Jan felt a little happier after the long winter of being stuck indoors. People were starting to paint their houses so everything looked so much brighter and fresher.

  Summer came and Jan found it intolerable that all the roads were snarled up with holidaymakers.