Love In Cheshire 1966. Chapter 27.

Chapter 27

♂

I pulled up outside Kathy's house on my motorcycle right on time, looking forward to my date.  The front door to the house opened and I was surprised to see Lynn coming out.  She showed a huge smile as she began walking towards me.  Kathy followed her out and leant against the doorpost with her arms crossed; she was also smiling, but I hardly noticed.  I was looking at Lynn moving towards me and I wondered what was happening.  My heart was pounding at my ribcage as she grabbed my shoulders and mounted the bike.  I felt her thighs lock into me, her arms around my waist, her body pressing into my back.  I could smell the freshness of her hair, her scent, and the freshly washed soapy aroma from her clothes.  My spine tingled.  I was in heaven and I sat there motionless not wanting to move a muscle.

         "Come on, let's go to the baths then," she said.

         I wasn't going to argue. I looked over at Kathy and smiled.

         She waved.  "Have a good time," she shouted.

         Lynn gripped me tightly as we rode off towards the town.  She was laughing as the wind was blowing her hair with the strands wildly whipping her face. I gave a burst of power just before I weaved the bike around a car in front.  I felt her lean with me when the bike swayed as if it were natural to her.

         "We're here," I shouted back as I slowed down at the baths.  I stopped the bike and Lynn dismounted.

         "That was bloody fantastic," she said with a noticeably excited grin on her face and her hair all over the place. 

         "I can't disagree with that."  I pulled out a comb to tidy my hair. 

         "My hair," she said and quickly started to search her bag for her hairbrush.

         I parked the bike and took hold of Lynn's hand as we walked towards the entrance.  "This is like a dream," I said.  "I can't believe Kathy's done this for me.  So what's happened?  Have you had a row with your boyfriend?"

         "I haven't had a boyfriend for ages," Lynn said.  "I've had a few dates now and then but nothing serious."

         "So, I could have asked you for a date when I saw you at Minstrels?"

         "You could have done but then you would have stood me up, wouldn't you?"

         We looked at each other and both laughed at her comment.

         I was soon changed into my swimming trunks and was at the poolside before Lynn.  I went to the high diving board and dived straight into the pool with hardly a ripple.  I looked, but Lynn was still not out of the changing room and I climbed the tower again and waited at the top.  Lynn emerged from the changing room and looked around for me.  I shouted to her and she looked up at me, as did most of the other people in the pool.  I dived but this time I misjudged and there was a loud plunging sound as my body bombed the water.  I climbed out of the pool and saw her laughing as she walked towards me.  My stinging back and legs didn't matter to me as I looked at her in her bikini, looking at the lovely shape of her small feet, her legs, her thighs, her hips.  I stopped briefly at her bare navel and slim waist before looking at her breasts, only partly covered by her brief bikini top.

         "Don't look at me like that, Brian," she said as she got close to me.  "People are watching us."

         I looked over at two young girls sitting a few yards away, giggling.  "Sod em," I said and then I picked her up and started to trot towards the deepest part of the pool. 

         "Don't you dare, Brian," she shouted.  "Don't you dare."  She landed in the water with a great splash and then surfaced and threw her arms about wildly.  I laughed at her joke.  She went under the water and stayed down for a while before resurfacing.  "Help," she called out as she thrashed her arms about before sinking again.  I was almost sure that she was joking but I became worried and dived in, but missed her.  I searched about and became increasingly concerned.  I could see people in the water but I couldn't see Lynn.  I looked around the baths again and saw her sitting on the springboard grinning at me.  We messed about playfully for an hour and then went to get changed before meeting in the refreshment room.

         I had two bottles of Coke waiting on the table when Lynn arrived, with two straws sticking out from her bottle.

         "I used to come here with a boyfriend of mine and he always expected me to drink straight from the bottle as he did." 

         "Did the two of you come here a lot?"

         "Only occasionally.  I didn't enjoy it much though.  He used to swim back and forth along the length of the pool, climbing out of the water at each end to pose before diving back in until he had completed the required number of lengths.  I would sit at the side of the pool bored, splashing my feet or walking about in the shallow end.  He didn't like me to get my hair wet.  I did offer to wear a swimming hat but he said that I would look ridiculous.  I was only there to walk around the pool with him showing off my body in the skimpy bikini that he had bought for me.

         "Sounds a bit of a prat.  History, I hope."

         "Oh, yes."

         "Well, is it your pub or mine?"  I asked.

         "I'm not going to Kings like this and I don't fancy The Ring O'Bells. How about The Crossways Tavern up by the estate?"

         I agreed though I had never been in the place.  We left the baths and were soon at the tavern.  Lynn had kept her hairbrush handy this time and tidied her damp hair as soon as she dismounted from the pillion.  The tavern was a large place and we sat in the middle of the huge saloon bar.  I looked across at a man who was sitting on his own.  He seemed to be staring into his glass of beer.  The man suddenly pushed his glass across the table, put his coat on, and then got up and walked towards the door.

         "That man's just left a full pint," I said.

         Lynn looked across at him.  "That's Kathy's dad.  Don't worry he'll be back for it in a minute."  She looked across the room.  "Oh, oh! Here comes June, coming to have a nosy I suppose."

         "Who's June, a friend of yours?"

         "Not really, just a girl from work; you'll be the talk of the bakery next week."

         The girl stopped and began talking to Lynn about work but she was glancing over at me occasionally as she spoke.  She suddenly changed the subject and looked at me, though she was speaking to Lynn as if I weren't there.  "You said his name's Brian.  Do you think you can get me one of them?" she asked.  I felt uncomfortable when the girls began laughing and I was relieved when her friend walked off after giving me a huge smile.

         "Don't you blush a lot?"  Lynn said.

         I gave a laugh.  "I hoped you wouldn't notice."

         "You're joking.  Your face is as red as a beetroot."

         "I don't know why it happens.  I feel okay.  Sometimes I can feel my face as if it's burning but other times I don't even know until someone mentions it.  I've tried lots of ideas to try to stop it but the more I think about it the worse it gets.  I bet you think I'm silly but it's a problem and I hate it."

         "You're not silly and you shouldn't worry about it.  It's a compliment to you.  It lets people know what a nice person you are.  I think it's lovely."

         I smiled at her.  "I think you're lovely."  My smile turned to a grin.  "Right I've told you my problem, so what's your pet hate?"

         "I'm not telling you that," Lynn said.  "You'll laugh at me."

         "No, I won't.  Come on it's only fair."

         Lynn gave a giggle.  "All right then.  When I... Brian, I can't."  She giggled again.  "I've never spoken to a lad like this before."

         "You'll have to tell me otherwise I'll never blush for you again." 

         Lynn grinned widely and shook her head but continued.  "When I was little, my dad tried to turn me into a tomboy.  He used to buy me trousers and boys jumpers and he even tried to teach me to box but he gave up after a while."

         "Thank God for that," I said.

         "You see, sometimes I get over affectionate and emotional.  I cry easily, sometimes over the daftest things.  I suppose you think I'm silly now?"

         "No, Lynn.  I think you're bloody perfect."  I looked at my watch.  "I wish I wasn't on night work tonight.  Can I see you tomorrow?"

         "We'll have to make it Sunday.  My brother's fighting in Manchester tomorrow and my dad will expect me to go."

         "Okay, Sunday then.  What do you want to do, pictures or something?"

         "I don't mind.  We can we go for a ride on your bike if you want?  We can stop for a drink at one of those little country pubs." 

         I would love to sit and chat with her all night but the time for my night shift to start was getting near and I knew it was time to take her home.  As we were leaving I noticed that Kathy's dad had not returned and his full pint was still on the table.

         I saw Lynn's father looking out of the window when he heard the motorbike pulling up outside his house.  He walked out to see us just as Lynn was dismounting.  I remembered Kenny's words warning me about her dad that time when I asked him about Lynn.  However, I never expected him to have such a severe look of menace about him and I knew that he was not a man to be trifled with.

         Lynn smiled at her father hoping to see an approving look from him.

         "Nice bike, lad," he said.  "But I've just bought my daughter a car and I don't really want to see her on the back of that."

         "Dad!" Lynn said, obviously a little annoyed.

         "It's a bit irresponsible.  You're not even wearing helmets and it only takes…"

         "She's quite safe," I interrupted.  "I passed my test over a year ago and I've never had an accident."  I wished that I had kept my mouth shut when I saw her father staring at me, obviously annoyed that I had interrupted him.

         "If!"  Her father emphasised the word.  "If, you see my daughter again, then I'd prefer it if you went out in the Mini.  Do you understand?"

         "Yes, Mister McLean," I said trying to sound polite but sounding sarcastic.  Her father walked away but didn't seem too impressed with me seeing his daughter."

         "Take no notice," Lynn said.  "He'll be all right once he gets to know you."

         "Well, it looks as if we might have to put off the bike ride.  We could go swimming again.  I don't mind."

         "I would, Brian, but I don't like the bikini."

         "Why not?  You look fabulous in it."

         "There's something about it; it's so tiny.  Mike bought it and I don't feel relaxed in it." 

         "Mike?"

         "My ex-boyfriend."

         Oh, Mike the swimming pool poser."

         Lynn ignored my comment but gave a very brief grin.  "I'd much rather wear a swimsuit but if you like I'll buy another bikini instead."

         I checked my watch.  "I'll have to go, Lynn, otherwise I'll be late for work."  I held her hand and leaned over.  She closed her eyes and I kissed her but it was a brief kiss because I noticed that her father was watching from the window.  "I'll see you Sunday," I said.

         "Meet me down at The Tavern at seven and then I'll leave the car there and we'll go out on your bike, and get some helmets," she said jokingly.

         I rode off slowly, keeping the rev's down because I was fully aware that I would be heard pulling away. 

         I was nearly at the railway depot when I noticed Tommy's widow, Vivien, walking along the pavement on her way home.  I pulled up alongside her while giving her a friendly smile.  She greeted me with a fondness that I wasn't expecting, almost knocking me off my motorbike as she caressed me.  I had not seen her since the funeral, but even so, I felt she was going over the top with her greeting and I managed to pull away from her.

         "It's nice to see you, Viv.  I heard that you moved back in with your parents."

         "I did for a while but I kept the house on.  I knew I'd come back to the house.  So many happy memories there.  They are always arguing at home and I'd forgot what it was like to shout and argue.  As you know, me and Tommy never had a bad word between us."  She stood silent for a moment looking glum.  "Still, I have to get on with my life but no one will ever replace my Tommy."  She took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes.  I felt awkward, not knowing what to say and not wishing to distress her any further.  "Oh, by the way," she said.  "I've sorted out a few bits, special things, things that I know Tommy would like you to have.  If you want to pop home with me I'll get them for you." 

         "I can't at the moment.  I'm already late for work but it's my rest day on Monday and I can call round in the afternoon before I meet Lynn."

         "Oh, so you're courting strong now are you?"

         "Yes, very much so.  Look, I'll have to go.  I'll see you on Monday."

         "All right then.  I'll be in waiting for you."

         We said our goodbyes but there was no physical contact and Vivien walked off as if she were slightly annoyed.  I looked at her walking away and wondered if I had said anything to upset her.  I set off for work raising my arm as I rode past Vivien, and wondering what the bits were that she had put aside for me.

Love In Cheshire 1966. Chapter 28.  (18+) Friction when Brian comes face to face with Lynne's ex-boyfriend. #2057075 by Bruce.