The Way Things Happen
Part 10
Jennifer Christine

The continuing Story of Jenny Holland

Actually Forton Services was where we stopped for a comfort break, by which time I knew quite a lot about Paul that I’d never heard before.

And he knew a little about me, neither of us was put off by what we knew about each other — in fact I sensed he was really pleased with who I appeared to be.

I didn’t lie, but it was hard not to include the past into who I was now. I did include what I could but it’s difficult to tell someone you like making model aeroplanes and stuff when you’re a girl.
So I left out the planes and included the music which was middle of the road and quite banal. Usual stuff. The Kinks, The Who, Rolling Stones, Beatles — Elvis.

“You like Elvis?” He asked astonished, “eeew, and I thought you had taste.”

“Well I quite like his voice, my brother is responsible for the knowledge of his music.” I averred. “At least I don’t like Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdink.” I retaliated.

“Neither do I, so at least we’re safe there.” He laughed, he had a nice laugh, warm, friendly.

“Did you know Freddie Garretty was the swimming bath attendant at Victoria Baths before he joined Freddie and the Dreamers?” Paul asked, laughing.

“You’re kidding?” I was incredulous.

“Honest to God,” he crossed his heart.

“He used to be a scout troop leader too, before he started jumping up and down waving his knickers in the air.” (*one of their songs) Paul added chuckling

I guffawed and laughed and he laughed with me. This was really nice.

As we stopped at Forton Services the driver said “15 mins only”, I followed the Paul into the aisle and as he preceded me down the steps he turned and offered me a steadying hand which I took without much thought. Except that once he had handed me down, he didn’t let go. I gave him a longish look then just smiled and he smiled back. My hand remained in his…
We walked up to the café and he offered me a cup of coffee.

“Oh no thanks, I need to pay a visit though,” so I retrieved my hand which had nearly gone numb with the intense heightened awareness of holding a guy’s hand.

“Wow, holding hands already I see,” was what greeted me when I opened the door to the loo. Carol was just coming out of the stall— she’d been busting for a pee since getting on the motorway and had rushed ahead.

Wendy and Joanne came in behind me.

“What a turn around, one minute she’s going all nun on us next she’s holding hands with mr nice guy.” Wendy giggled and I blushed and retreated to the stall to do my thing.

When I came out two of the other girls on the bus had joined our throng — they were going out with two of the other guys and had been for a while. So I couldn’t really blab with Wendy or the others.

I washed my hands and combed my hair — slipping my Alice band back into place.
“Why do you wear that thing, you hair looks lovely over your face.”

I rolled my eyes at Carol and whispered — “that’s how my hair was last year,” giving her a meaningful stare.

“Oh.. yes, ok,” she looked like she understood and left it at that.

When I got outside Paul was right there waiting like a puppy. I smiled and my hand slipped back into his like it had always been there. I was incredibly comfortable with this. I was also astonished. But then it had been about four and a half months since I went over to the softer side of things and my mind was very much further along than that really. Anyway, I wasn’t complaining.

The reality was that I had somehow reached a place where the old me simply wasn’t visible and any resemblance was purely coincidental.

“You look a bit like you’re daydreaming?”

“Oh sorry, I was just thinking about a school project,” I prevaricated.

“That’s such a miserable thought, what can I do to make you happier?” He squeezed my hand and smiled. I didn’t look at him, I could see him in my peripheral vision.

“Actually, I like school and I enjoy some of the projects we get to do,” I enlarged. “I have to make a light operated transmitter/receiver for the exhibition before Christmas break.” I suddenly thought of what else it was before and my heart fluttered a bit.

“That sounds very ungirly, Why don’t yu go for broke and strip a car engine as well?”
Paul smirked.

“I’ll have you know, that I’m going to be a famous physicist one day” I challenged him with a nose in the air.

“If you say, then so shall it be.” Paul smite his breast with his right fist and bowed nearly stumbling into the café, C’mon let’s get a cuppa and get back to the bus.”

I let him drag me by the hand, joining Carol and Wendy who looked at us and our entwined hands and rolled eyes heavenward in supplication. “Oh lordy lordy, what have we unleashed? Adam and Eve have been allowed back into the garden — quick find an apple.”

Joanne reached from behind me and plonked one on my tray. “Eat and become aware child, you shall have your eyes opened this day.” She droned then spoiled it all by giggling. I kept the apple and added a cup of rather dishwatery tea that looked almost grey to my tray —

“That’ll be one and sixpence dear or seven and a half P in new money… I’ll never get used to it,” the middle aged till lady shook her head and sighed. “Why do they have to keep changing things?”

“I’ll get that,” Paul offered the lady the correct money for both of us and the lady smiled and rung up the total.

“Thanks dear, I think you’re better at arithmetic than this ‘ere till.”

Paul smiled and we popped the trays back into the stack and took our refreshments back to the bus.

As we rolled out of the carpark I thought about that lady and her life. Did she have kids? did she have a life? Did she care? I t was sad that there seemed to be so many people who didn’t get to challenge how they lived or explore anything new. A life where the beginning and end merge and there’s nothing in between.

“Penny for them?”

“Ooh sorry, I was just thinking about that lady, how sad and gray her life seemed to be.” I sipped at the warm liquid, “ A bit like this tea really.” I nearly snorted as the humour of it caught me by surprise.

Paul laughed with me. “My what a philosopher, and funny with it. I like you more and more.”

I looked up at him and smiled, his face came closer and closer and suddenly our lips were touching. The bus went dark; all I could see were Paul’s eyes. Electricity flowed through me from top to bottom surging back and forth like a tidal wave. If I hadn’t got a cup of tea and an apple in my hand, I’d have been tearing at his clothes.

The moment dragged on like an event horizon — time went slower and slower.
‘POP’ I plonked back to Earth as a bump in the road jostled us apart..
“Oh my.” my face flushed and I looked through my eyelashes at him almost embarrassed by what had happened.

Paul looked like a stunned rabbit. Eyes like saucers and all his senses shorted out.
“Crumbs (idiomatic expletive from that era), that was incredible. What just happened?” He whispered to me.

I looked round to see if anyone had noticed…. As if…anyone would miss it.
Nearly everyone who was sat behind us was watching us like we were an instructional movie.

Slowly the guys started clapping, I turned back beetroot red and Paul came round a bit. He darted his head to his friends and they stopped — they could see he wasn’t amused.

“I’m so sorry, it was like I was hypnotised by your lips, I had to touch them and..and.. well yes, and that’s what happens I guess.”

He could see I was a bit swamped as well and he put his arm round me. I felt comfort in his strength and snuggled into his chest. “S’ok, it was nice,” I smiled at him and allowed myself to relax.

“Right here we are at Windermere, we have the whole day, it’s ten am and the bus leaves at 5pm.
If I can have you back here at 4.50 that would be lovely,” the driver said over the speaker system.

Paul detached himself from me and spoke up. “Ok guys, there’s minigolf, pitch and put, sailing and rowing and food. The food’s at the lakeside café at 12.00 be there or be hungry.”

Payment has been organised at those places, if you go there, just say you’re from the Schofield Party. Split up for Heaven’s sake or we’ll swamp the place. Let’s go” he grinned and led the way off the bus.

Actually that was a bit silly as Windermere was geared to cater for hundreds and there were already plenty of tourists there.
In the end we pretty much stayed in two groups, one went for the pitch and put and one went for the Minigolf.

As we alighted from the bus the cool cool breeze whistled round my ears and I felt quite chilly after being snug in Pauls arms. He memory of it suddenly warmed me and I smiled. Looking round for him.

The girls less well covered dug into their grips and pulled out their jackets and scarves. I smiled at them as they quickly insulated themselves from the Arctic chill.
“Don’t you dare say, ‘told you so’” Joanne glared at me, grinning at the same time.

Wendy piped up, “ I don’t suppose we’ll see much of you today?” raisingher eyebrows at me.

I looked at the girls and nodded to them, “Well I guess not if you’re going to be hanging with Paul’s friends,” I returned.

They looked round and there were Tony, John and Thomas waiting in the wings.
We all laughed and headed for the minigolf.

It shouldn’t take long to get round the minigolf , but today it did because we were almost hysterical with teenage hormones and the opposite sex confounding our senses. We laughed and giggled and hugged and cheered our way round the tiny course and at the end we all seemed to have found our ‘dates’ and partners, for the day at least.

“I need a drink of something, I know, lets get an ice cream and see if there’s any sailing going on.” Paul led us out onto the marina side and looked over at the clinker built gaff rigged cutters — stable and sturdy craft.
“They look ok, won’t get too wet in those will we?” Paul assessed the boats and pointed — “hey there’s the ice cream van, come on let’s get a 99 and then book a couple of boats for this arvo.” Grabbing my arm and pulling me into his him, “Gotta keep you warm so you can be ready for racing.” He grinned at me like the excuse was reasonable.

“Then why are you buying me an ice cream? “ I laughed and interlocked my fingers in his and walked over to the van.

“Eight 99s please, - that’s 892 all up” He boasted

“Leave it out Paul, you’ll confuse the poor man.”

We continued on like this as we walked along the lake edge, Paul occasionally bending to pick up a flat rock and skim it across the water — usually failing
When I looked round, the others had split up into pairs and were variously sitting on the turf or walking round the lake edge.

I felt a finger on my chin and looked at Paul who had appeared in front of me. Once more I fell into that spell and we kissed, holding onto each other sharing our warmth and our love…..
I pulled back, then succumbed again to that feeling of being lost in another’s arms. This I could get used to.

Paul’s arms encircled me like a warm ring of protection I felt so wonderful and loved.

“This is amazing, I’ve never felt like this- ever .” I confessed
“Me either. I feel like something special is happening.” Paul whispered to me as we stood by the water’s edge locked in our warm embrace.
“No matter what happens, I’ll never forget this moment.” I smiled up at Paul and kissed him gently on the lips and turned to continue the walk. We walked to the café cuddled together and not just for the warmth, even though that was a neat bonus.

The clan was gathering and the waitress showed us to a corner of the room where a pair of trestle tables had been set up for us.
Being early November it was not busy so we nearly had the place to ourselves. It was warm and cosy and the smell of fresh baked goodies and coffee permeated the air.
We were all glad to shed a layer of clothing and chatted like a chimpanzees tea party.

Paul sat at the head of one table with me at his right like his queen.
He rose from his seat and said, “Thank you all for coming today, it makes me feel very privileged to have such a big group of friends.”

Someone in the crowd said, “hangers on you mean.” Which raised the expected laugh.

“I hope you are all getting on ok with each other,”

“I can see you are,” More laughs.

“Right I can see I’m going to get nowhere with you lot. It’s fish and chips for lunch — or a salad with chicken. There’s Coke and Fanta and lemonade. Get stuck in“

Minor ribald cheers accompanied his sitting down.

Paul reached for my hand under the table, “I wish it had just been us here now. I’m feeling rather indulgent and silly having such a huge party.” He looked me in the eye and I had to look away before I steamed over.

“And what for you miss?” brought me to my senses —
“Oh er Fish and chips I think — it’s too cold for salad,”
“Me too” Paul agreed.

We continued to hold hands until the meal arrived. It didn’t go unnoticed by Carol sitting next to me with Thomas by her side She smiled at me and raised her right hand — attached to Thomas’s.
Wendy noticed and held up John’s hand, whereupon Joanne did the same with Tony’s hand.

Paul laughed out loud and declared his team lost to the wiles of the high school team.
Lunch arrived. Fish and chips never tasted so well.

As we ate, the lake we could see through the window got darker and darker and mistier and mistier. Soon it was obvious that the weather was getting seriously savage and boating was going to be a no chance event.

Flurries swiped at the water and a fierce chop was set up. We watched as rain squalls hurried across the lake and then rain falling steadily as the wind died.

“Well I’m glad we’re warm and dry and sat in here.” Paul volunteered

The place had filled up somewhat as people had taken refuge from the rain but cleared soon as people decided to head for their cars — looked like the rain was here to stay for the day.

The lounge area of the café had a fire and some seating which we decided to take advantage of - Paul asked if he could use the phone — I was intrigued until he told me that he was going to cancel the boating — he didn’t want the guy sitting round all afternoon in this weather waiting for us and us not showing.

I liked this guy more and more — he was showing care and thoughtfulness that I wouldn’t have credited.

When he came back he settled next to me his arm draping naturally over my shoulders as I snuggled into him. This I could get used to.

I thought over what I felt for this guy and realised I really was fond of him and nothing he had done was in any way bad or thoughtless or snobby.

His family were obviously well off and he appreciated not the money but the doors which lay open for him to use. He honoured the gentleman’s code and didn’t misuse it.
He didn’t get off on looking down on people he enjoyed helping them and earned respect from it. He was a lot more mature than his buddies. But he led them into his way and they were a nice bunch of lads too.

I started to feel very lucky that Paul had picked me to be his girlfriend. Girlfriend, gosh — so soon I had become this person attached by a mutual fondness and respect for this lovely guy.

“You’re very quiet,” Paul quietly shook me from my reverie.

“I’m just thinking how lucky I am to be your girlfriend,” I confessed looking into his eyes as my hand touched his cheek.

His smile said it all, ‘Not as lucky as me. I have you’ His voice said. “Will you be my girlfriend properly, as in going steady? I’d hate to have to think of you being with someone else.”

“You don’t have to ask, I’m here..” I felt a sting in my eyes like I was going to cry in happiness — instead I just purred and snuggled back down to enjoy the warmth.

Time passed quickly and slowly that afternoon — Paul and I bonded very quickly and it was obvious to everyone that we were suddenly an item. All of a sudden we were back on the bus heading home.

“I’ve had the best birthday ever and all I did was sit in front of the fire all afternoon.” Paul admitted. “Mind you the company was awesome.” He added flippantly.

“Me too, it was the least of my expectations,” I replied ‘ but it was the best of my hopes’ my mind added. Not only had I not been outed, I had all but fallen in love with one of the nicest guys I had ever met.

“I never realised that the grammar school churned out such nice men.” I smiled. He purred under my adoring gaze. “Don’t get to complacent mister. I need constant attention and a lot of TLC.”

“What’s TLC?” He asked, puzzled.

“You never heard that before? It means Tender Loving Care”
“I think you can count on lots of that — I’m not going to mess with you - you’re too precious.” His arm tightened across my shoulder.

“Well what a wonderful mutual admiration society we’ve formed.” I laughed and he joined me.

“Yes we sound like a right pair don’t we?” He gave me a peck on the lips and settled back as the bus ripped down the motorway.

We had to slow as we passed a nasty accident. A mini and a Morris 1100 had hit each other head on - the mini was only 4 feet long and it sobered us all up — even though we’d not had a drink. The ambulances were everywhere — and they were trying to get a guy out of the driver’s side of the mini he looked like a rag doll and the engine was rolled on top of him pinning him to the passenger in the back seat. (author’s note, I was actually the passenger in the back seat in that accident. The driver and his three passengers survived)

I hid my eyes and started sobbing. Paul held me tight and let me cry.
Later as I came round a bit I looked at him to say thanks, he was as white as a sheet.
“What’s the matter?”
“I know who’s car that is and the passengers, I recognised them they’re from our school. — sixth form.
One of the guys at the back said. “Was that Chris’s car? We saw him and his buddies on the pitch and put this morning.” We all fell silent.

Not the end of a perfect day, but maybe the end to a perfect day.

When the bus pulled up back at the memorial, Paul let me go — “I’ll phone you later — I want to find out if Chris and his mates are ok. Sorry it put a dampener on the afternoon.” He apologised.

“Hey don’t apologise, it just happened and you were wonderful — you let me cry knowing that your school mates were in that accident. That makes you very courageous and … “ I kissed him. “Phone me”