16. In Which Alice and Pete Get Down and Dirty, Jane Tells Ray he is About to be a Dad and Pete Looks Tall and Wonderful...

Episode 16

In Which Alice and Pete Get Down and Dirty, Jane Tells Ray he is About to be a Dad and Pete Looks Tall and Wonderful!
They were awoken by rain pattering on the windows. Alice stretched luxuriously in the big bed, yawning sleepily. Pete was raised on one elbow looking at he as she struggled to wake up.
"What are you looking at?" she asked. "Have I got a spot or something?"
"No," he smiled, "It was just so lovely to wake up with you by my side again. And you looked so sweet asleep, sort of innocent – believe it or not!"
"Innocent!" she exclaimed. "How could I possibly look innocent after last night?"
"I don’t know," he replied, brushing her hair back with his hand, and kissing her forehead softly. "But you did. And how are you going to explain away all those bites all over your neck seeing as you are supposed to have spent the night with Jane!"
Alice gasped.
"Christ, I’d forgotten about those. Whatever can I say?" She sat up and looked at herself in the dressing table mirror. "Heavens Pete, what were you doing – trying to eat me! Those down there don’t matter because they won’t be seen." Pete grinned as she said it. "But what about these all over my neck?"
"Get a long wig," Pete suggested, "Cut your head off or tell them you’re in love with Jane!"
"Thanks for being so helpful," she replied. "Actually you haven’t escaped quite unscathed either."
" I know," he laughed, "proper little vampire aren’t you?". She made her hands into claws and rolled her eyes at him, growling. He went to kiss her. The kiss started life playfully but then suddenly, to their surprise, changed into desire. They had not meant it to mean anything more than a kiss but it grew uncontrollable and left them rather bewildered.
"Christ!" said Alice. "How did that happen? Pete, kiss me again like that."
They clung to each other, their naked skin hot to the touch. A fierce unrelenting passion suddenly seized Pete, it held him in its grip, leaving him powerless to stop it. He groaned and moved his hand heavily down over her stomach.
"Pete, Pete" she murmured, "Oh God I love you. Don’t be gentle with me; fuck me, be rough with me. I don’t care, just give me everything, everything…."
The world closed around them red hot and pulsating.

***

A few hours later they were on the scooter heading towards Stroud. Alice was leaning against the back-rest feeling happier than she had done for a long time. Now she had Pete back again, loving her, nothing else mattered. It would not be too difficult to see him without her mother knowing, especially if she did not find out that he had returned home again. After all, she could not physically restrain her! She leaned forward and shouted to Pete.
"Let’s go up to Jane’s house" she said. "We’d better miss Stroud in case anyone sees us."
"Okay," he shouted back. "I’ll go up over Rodborough."
Within quarter of an hour they were pulling up outside Jane’s house. Alice had not yet told Pete that her friend was pregnant. Perhaps he would know what to do, he knew more about these things than she did.
"Ray’s here," remarked Alice as she saw the red and cream scooter already parked there. They went up the path and knocked on the door loudly. A bedroom window opened above them and Jane hung out.
"What!" exclaimed Pete in a shocked voice. "At this time in the afternoon."
"While the parents are away…." came a boy’s voice from the inside.
"Shut up!" said Jane withdrawing from the window, then she leant out and said, "Come in, the door’s open and we’ll be down in a minute." Her head vanished from view.
They opened the door and went into the living room where they were vociferously greeted by Jane’s two collie dogs.
"Steady on," said Alice firmly. "Down, get down." They sat on the settee and waited for the couple to come down. Within minutes, announced by a clatter on the stairs, Jane burst into the room followed closely by Ray.
Alice and Pete were in a rather ungainly position on the settee and they sat up hurriedly.
"You might knock," said Alice.
"It’s my house!" replied Jane. "I’ll do what I like. In fact I will remake that entrance." She and Ray went out of the room and returned a few seconds later to find Alice and Pete sitting on the settee, each reading newspapers with great interest.
"That’s better!" remarked Ray, sitting in an armchair and pulling Jane down onto his knee.
"Brilliant – you’re together again. When did you come back Pete?" asked Jane.
Pete briefly told them his story and then he and Ray began to discuss scooters so the two girls made a hurried retreat into the kitchen to make some tea. As soon as the door was shut safely behind them, Jane turned to Alice.
"I just can’t tell him" she said helplessly. "I’ve tried but I can’t. Does it show yet?"
She turned sideways and Alice scrutinised her carefully.
"No, not really," she replied after a minute or two. "If you didn’t know you wouldn’t notice. But it will start to show soon. You have to tell him. I’m sure he’ll stand by you."
"I just don’t know," she replied slowly. "That’s what I’m scared of. What if he doesn’t? And how do I tell my parents? What if they throw me out?"
"Well, then we’ll all help you as much as we can," said Alice firmly. "As soon as you’ve told Ray we can ask Pete what to do, he might be able to help."
"Not an abortion" replied Jane. "I’m not having one."
"I didn’t mean that," Alice said. "No, you mustn’t have an abortion, whatever happens. Pills or something perhaps."
"Yes" said her friend a little hesitantly. "I’d take them."
"But you must tell Ray now," urged Alice, "or else it’ll be too late to do anything."
Jane was silent for a minute and then she said slowly,
"All right then. I’ll tell him later. As soon as you’ve gone."
"Good girl," said Alice, squeezing her friend’s arm reassuringly. "I’m sure it will be all right. Now then, let’s make that tea."

***

They stood at the door waving to the scooter vanishing quickly into the distance and then they went inside together. Jane looked at Ray, his short black hair curling very gently at the tips no matter how hard he tried to stop it. She took a deep breath.
"Ray, I’ve got to talk to you." So the first move was made.
"Yeah love, what’s the matter?" he looked at her enquiringly. "You’ve not got fed up with me have you?"
"No, of course not. It’s not that. It’s – it’s," Oh God how could she tell him?

"I’m, I’m – going to have a baby." There it was done. She had said it. She stared at him defiantly. He looked at her, the colour draining from his face. For a second he wanted to hit her, hurt her, force her to take those awful words back. Then compassion flooded through him. Poor kid, the poor, poor kid. No wonder she’d been acting strange recently. How scared she must have been all the time, scared of what would happen to her, scared of what her parents would do, and most of all scared that he would walk away and leave her.
"I’m not leaving," he said firmly. "I love you. It’s my fault. I suppose it was at that party?"
She was trembling with relief now.
"Yes, yes it was" she said and began to cry. She stood there shaking with sobs.
He looked at her tenderly, she was so young and he had done this to her. He moved quickly towards her and put his hands on her shoulders, steadying her. She raised a tearstained face and he gently wiped the tears away.

"Ray, I’ve been so scared. I thought you’d leave me. I was so frightened you would." She clung to him tightly and buried her face in his shoulder. Although the tears still came she felt much better now that she had told him and the tears were mainly of relief.
"We’ll have to think about our future now." Ray said, gazing unseeingly out of the window. "Do you want to get married?"

"I, I don’t know," she murmured. "I love you – but college and everything. I thought perhaps those pills you can get might work – or something. And it’s not the right basis for getting married. You’d grow to hate me for tying you down so early."
"I’m glad you said that," he replied, looking down at her golden brown hair.

"I’ll try and get some pills but don’t be too hopeful will you? We’ll just go on going out with each other and then maybe in a few years, if we still feel the same, we can get married, properly because we love each other, not because we have to."
"I’m glad you understand," she said quietly, looking at him. "Alice said you wouldn’t leave me. I’m glad she was right because I love you."

"In spite of everything?" he asked seriously.

"In spite of everything," she repeated, holding him closely.

Pete and Alice parted company at the bus stop. It would be safer than him taking her home and risking being seen. They clung to each other without saying much, they needed no words to express their feelings for each other.
"I’ll see you in Stroud tomorrow at seven," Pete told her as the bus came into sight.
"I’ll be there," replied Alice. "Oh I hate leaving you like this, not knowing for sure that I’ll see you again. What if they guess and I’m not allowed out?"

"Don’t worry until you’ve got reason to," he said as the bus drew up beside them emptying out a stream of fat women clutching shopping baskets. "We’ve got each other back, that’s the main thing." He grinned at her cheekily. "And keep your neck well hidden if you want to get away with it!".
He kissed her quickly and then she was gone from him. The bell rang and the bus drew ponderously away. He gazed after it for a while and then turned in the direction of home.
Alice watched him standing there, tall and wonderful beside his Vespa. How she loved him. She wondered how much he loved her, if it was as deep as the feelings she had for him. Then the bus rounded a bend and he was gone. She began to worry about what would happen when she got home, and also wondered if Jane had told Ray yet. Life was getting very complicated she thought ruefully.

***

to be continued .........

15. In Which Pete Becomes Poetic in Cornwall, Alice Goes Shopping and Finds Happiness, a Small, Nearly Bald Man and a Bouncy Bed!!

Episode 15

In Which Pete Becomes Poetic in Cornwall, Alice Goes Shopping and Finds Happiness, a Small, Nearly Bald Man and a Bouncy Bed!

Almost two months later a young man was wandering along the beaches of Cornwall, a girl by his side. She chattered happily to him but he was silent except for an occasional ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.
"……and then, do you know what he said?" She stopped and sighed as she looked at him.
"Pete you’re not listening at all are you? What do you think of all the time, why do you always look so sad. You are a strange one, where did you come from? I don’t understand you, no-one does."
He turned to face her.
"There is someone who understands," he answered quietly. "Someone I’ve tried to forget."
She looked at him sadly.
"A girl?"
"Yes," he replied simply. There was no need for explanations, they both knew that this was the end.
"I’m sorry," he said taking her hands in his. "I know you love me – maybe once upon a time I could have loved you. I have to go back home – to find out, to try to understand. Maybe I’ll come back but you mustn’t wait for me. No-one must for I’ll always belong to her." He cupped her face in his hands. The tears spilled out from under her long, dark lashes.
"I’ll remember you. Go Pete, go and wipe the sadness from your face and the sorrow from your eyes – before I beg you to stay. I knew you would leave."
He kissed her tenderly for the last time and then she pushed him from her, smiling through the tears.
"Be happy, please be happy my darling," she said and then turned and ran from him. He stood watching her go until she was just a dark fleeing spot in the distance and then he, too, turned in the opposite direction and walked away. He was going home.
Pete had changed in the last two months. He was now silent and sad looking. When he did speak his words were quiet and almost poetic. His eyes contained a great, deep sorrow, which always seemed the most noticeable feature about him. He had learned a lot as well. He had walked beneath the stars accompanied by a terrible loneliness that ached across the sky. He had met other wanderers and they had talked about love and religion and a thousand other subjects. Pete had not said much, but he had listened and when he did speak it was usually of some value to the conversation.
Now he walked with a lighter step towards his faithful Vespa and within minutes was homeward bound.
From a high, rocky hill covered with green, springy grass a girl watched him go, her long black hair blowing in the wind, the tears splashing to the ground easing the ache in her empty heart. Slowly she turned and climbed down towards the pink and white houses clustered around the white crested sea.

***

"I want to go and buy some new clothes," Alice told her father, "and Gloucester is the best place for shopping – but she probably won’t let me go in case I see anyone who was anything to do with Pete. He’s – he’s gone now so surely I can go?"
"I don’t see why not," he answered. "Can’t you forgive your mother?" he added on a sudden impulse. "She only thought she was doing the best for you."
"Best!" Alice gave a laconic snort. "I still love Pete, and she took us apart. Besides, there is something else. I can’t tell you but it was a terrible thing to do. No I can’t forgive her – ever!"
Her father sighed. He could not blame his daughter though, you could not blame anyone for loving someone.
Alice left the house. For the past week she had felt that she must go to Gloucester. Luckily she had some money saved up as an excuse for going to buy clothes. She caught the bus and felt a thrill of unexplained excitement as the big green vehicle drew near to the city. Only she and Jane knew how much she had been missing Pete the nine weeks or so he had been gone. The days were endless, hopelessly running one into the other in a never-ending stream. And the nights passed in an agony of longing and pain, which could not be suppressed or quenched. What was he doing? Who was he with? She had tried so hard to find where he had gone but with no luck. No-body knew, not many were concerned or cared. It was a huge success for her mother. Alice had never told her that she knew about the letter, so she was still ignorant of what it was that Pete had done. She did not care though, all she wanted was Pete back, loving her.
The bus passed his house and she could not hold back a small, low cry that escaped from her lips as she remembered all the good times they had spent there. It was the first time she had been to Gloucester since being brought back from Torquay and when she got off the bus she could not help looking expectantly around her to find him, as they had often met in the bus station before he had the Vespa. But no Pete came rushing to meet her. Women with baskets bustled around her, boys stood in groups, smoking as they always had done, watching the girls in giggling, shrieking groups pass by.
Each step recalled a different memory for the girl. The Bon Marché from where they had often been unceremoniously thrown out; the cinema where they had snogged frantically in the back row; the theatre where they had seen The Spencer Davis Group, The Stones, The Small Faces and many other favourites; the Ace where they often spent their evenings dancing with the other mods to the exciting, atmospheric music. Then, suddenly, she was in the Park. How she got there she could not remember, but she was there, the place she had most wanted to avoid as it contained the sweetest, most heart piercing memories. The tears ran from her eyes as she walked alone through the blossoming trees and sweet scented flowers. The pain was the worst she had known, the utter hopelessness of her position flooded over her. She would never find him, he had gone forever.
"Pete" she called silently from her breaking heart. "How can I bear it?" She closed her eyes to try and shut out the pain and loneliness and was enclosed in a dark whirling pool of stars and heartache. When the worst of the pain passed she opened her eyes again and decided to leave the park. It brought her too much sorrow.
People stared at her curiously, her eyes wet, the sadness in her face. She walked past them all unseeingly; the old age pensioners enjoying the sun, which they might never see again; the proud mothers pushing their babies in the big, black shiny prams; couples hand in hand with love; children playing ball and – oh God! A tall blond boy in mod clothes, walking towards her, head bent, hands in his pockets. Her heart and feet stopped, for a moment she died of pure joy and then she was running, flying towards him, stumbling and calling, reaching him – oh dear blessed God, holding him, kissing him, his hair, his face, his arms holding her so tight.
"Pete, oh my darling Pete." The tears stopped her trembling voice, stopped the questions, the answers – but not stopping her love.
"Alice, I knew it couldn’t be true. I couldn’t believe it. I had to come back to see."
They wandered through the park together explaining, forgiving, loving and finding happiness again. It seemed to Alice that all the long lonely weeks without him were but a dream, now ended and over. He told her what had happened on the fateful night, when he had taken the innocent looking French Blues. She forgave him without even thinking about it. She told him why she had not received his letter and the deceitful, wicked thing her mother had done. He told her of how he had felt, how he had wandered around the seaside towns, that he had met a girl who had loved him. But he knew he could not stay with her and had to go home to find his Alice.
"I can’t go home tonight Pete," she said. "I’ve wanted you for such a long time I’m not just going to turn around and go home now that I have found you. I’ll ring up and tell them that I’ve met Jane and that I’m staying with her. They probably won’t believe me but I just don’t care. I’ve just got to have you again, hold you through the night."
"I’m glad" replied Pete quietly. "It’s been so long. We can go to George’s house because he is alone for a few days. He owes me one anyway, under the circumstances. Is that okay?"
"Anything’s all right as long as you’re there" she said softly. "Oh, how I’ve missed you."
They spent the remainder of the day walking hand in hand through the old friendly city, lost in love and happiness. Alice bought a skirt to keep up the pretence of shopping. They came to a jeweller’s shop and Pete stopped her. Together they looked at the array of shining rings.
"In a month’s time I’ll be able to buy you one," he said happily. "What sort do you want?" She looked with sparkling eyes at the winking rainbows darting from the rings.
"Oh, they are all lovely," she breathed. "I don’t know - diamonds, I love diamonds. Oh look, that one, it’s lovely, beautiful."
The ring, a small band of tiny glittering stones gleamed at them.
"Yes, I agree," said Pete. "That one would look lovely on your long fingers." He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently.
"Oh!" Alice said, "It’s twenty five guineas. That’s an awful lot – I mean…"
Pete laughed.
"Don’t worry about the money. I’ve been doing bits and pieces while I was away. I’ll get the rest somehow. No, I don’t mean it to sound like that! I was going up to thirty quid anyway so we’re well within the limit. Let’s go in and you can try it on."
They entered the shop, which seemed like a pirate’s hoard. Jewels glittered from all directions. A small, nearly bald man came scurrying out to serve them. Alice tried the ring on. It was a perfect fit, she had known it would be. It had been made just for her, fashioned by gnomes in the deepest caverns of the earth. It lay sparkling on her slender finger. She hated having to take it off and watched as the man put it carefully away in a box and marked it ‘Wheeler’.
"Mrs Jennie Wheeler," she whispered secretly to herself. It sounded good, very good.
They wandered slowly down the streets, enclosed in darkness, which was kept at bay by the brightly lit shop windows. Pete bought some chips from a small crowded fish and chip shop, served to him by a fat, jolly woman who laughed and called them both ‘ducks’. The chips, eaten from warm greasy newspapers, tasted as good as chicken as they were both happy, hungry and very much in love which was a very healthy mixture to be.
At about 10.30 they went to George’s house. He was in the lounge desperately trying to persuade a girl to stay the night with him.
"Oh, hi Pete. Alice. Hey haven’t seen you for ages have I?"
"No. It’s good to be back," she said with feeling.
"Can we stay the night here?" Pete asked. "We’ll be good as gold – and I reckon you owe me a favour."
George looked slightly abashed, having heard from Miff the mayhem caused by selling Pete the drugs that night.
"Yeah, that’s okay mate. Just don’t go in my room, I’m hoping to use that later." He gave his girl a meaningful glance.
"Thanks George, goodnight everyone, sweet dreams," called Alice already halfway up the stairs.
"Eager isn’t she?" they heard George remark. "Now why can’t you be more like that?"
Whether she was they never knew!

***

The bedroom was small but cheerfully decorated in red and pale pink flowered wallpaper. Alice jumped on the bed.
"Lovely and bouncy!" she commented, laughing. Then her laughter died. She got off the bed and went over to Pete.
"You are happy aren’t you Pete?" she asked a little tremulously. "You’ve changed you know, I’m not sure how, but you have. You look sadder I think. Oh, you do still love me don’t you?" Her voice shook a little. He looked at her tenderly.
"Of course I love you idiot!" he answered her. "I look sad because I’ve been sad for a long time without you, but now I feel so happy I just don’t know how to show it. You mustn’t ever doubt that I love you, never. Understand?"
"I’m sorry you were unhappy," said Alice. "I was too, I thought I’d never see you again and I couldn’t understand why. I hate my mother – hate her for what she did. She still doesn’t know that I found out about the letter."
"Forget her for tonight Alice," he said, kissing her. "Forget about everyone. There is just us tonight, just you and me."
She clung to him, her nails biting into his back, her breath coming short and fast.
"If you knew how much – oh Pete, how much I’ve wanted you, so very much."
"I know," he said as they fell onto the bed, "I’ve felt it too."

***

In Which Pete Becomes Poetic in Cornwall, Alice Goes Shopping and Finds Happiness, a Small, Nearly Bald Man and a Bouncy Bed.

Episode 15

In Which Pete Becomes Poetic in Cornwall, Alice Goes Shopping and Finds Happiness, a Small, Nearly Bald Man and a Bouncy Bed!

Almost two months later a young man was wandering along the beaches of Cornwall, a girl by his side. She chattered happily to him but he was silent except for an occasional ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.
"……and then, do you know what he said?" She stopped and sighed as she looked at him.
"Pete you’re not listening at all are you? What do you think of all the time, why do you always look so sad. You are a strange one, where did you come from? I don’t understand you, no-one does."
He turned to face her.
"There is someone who understands," he answered quietly. "Someone I’ve tried to forget."
She looked at him sadly.
"A girl?"
"Yes," he replied simply. There was no need for explanations, they both knew that this was the end.
"I’m sorry," he said taking her hands in his. "I know you love me – maybe once upon a time I could have loved you. I have to go back home – to find out, to try to understand. Maybe I’ll come back but you mustn’t wait for me. No-one must for I’ll always belong to her." He cupped her face in his hands. The tears spilled out from under her long, dark lashes.
"I’ll remember you. Go Pete, go and wipe the sadness from your face and the sorrow from your eyes – before I beg you to stay. I knew you would leave."
He kissed her tenderly for the last time and then she pushed him from her, smiling through the tears.
"Be happy, please be happy my darling," she said and then turned and ran from him. He stood watching her go until she was just a dark fleeing spot in the distance and then he, too, turned in the opposite direction and walked away. He was going home.
Pete had changed in the last two months. He was now silent and sad looking. When he did speak his words were quiet and almost poetic. His eyes contained a great, deep sorrow, which always seemed the most noticeable feature about him. He had learned a lot as well. He had walked beneath the stars accompanied by a terrible loneliness that ached across the sky. He had met other wanderers and they had talked about love and religion and a thousand other subjects. Pete had not said much, but he had listened and when he did speak it was usually of some value to the conversation.
Now he walked with a lighter step towards his faithful Vespa and within minutes was homeward bound.
From a high, rocky hill covered with green, springy grass a girl watched him go, her long black hair blowing in the wind, the tears splashing to the ground easing the ache in her empty heart. Slowly she turned and climbed down towards the pink and white houses clustered around the white crested sea.

***

"I want to go and buy some new clothes," Alice told her father, "and Gloucester is the best place for shopping – but she probably won’t let me go in case I see anyone who was anything to do with Pete. He’s – he’s gone now so surely I can go?"
"I don’t see why not," he answered. "Can’t you forgive your mother?" he added on a sudden impulse. "She only thought she was doing the best for you."
"Best!" Alice gave a laconic snort. "I still love Pete, and she took us apart. Besides, there is something else. I can’t tell you but it was a terrible thing to do. No I can’t forgive her – ever!"
Her father sighed. He could not blame his daughter though, you could not blame anyone for loving someone.
Alice left the house. For the past week she had felt that she must go to Gloucester. Luckily she had some money saved up as an excuse for going to buy clothes. She caught the bus and felt a thrill of unexplained excitement as the big green vehicle drew near to the city. Only she and Jane knew how much she had been missing Pete the nine weeks or so he had been gone. The days were endless, hopelessly running one into the other in a never-ending stream. And the nights passed in an agony of longing and pain, which could not be suppressed or quenched. What was he doing? Who was he with? She had tried so hard to find where he had gone but with no luck. No-body knew, not many were concerned or cared. It was a huge success for her mother. Alice had never told her that she knew about the letter, so she was still ignorant of what it was that Pete had done. She did not care though, all she wanted was Pete back, loving her.
The bus passed his house and she could not hold back a small, low cry that escaped from her lips as she remembered all the good times they had spent there. It was the first time she had been to Gloucester since being brought back from Torquay and when she got off the bus she could not help looking expectantly around her to find him, as they had often met in the bus station before he had the Vespa. But no Pete came rushing to meet her. Women with baskets bustled around her, boys stood in groups, smoking as they always had done, watching the girls in giggling, shrieking groups pass by.
Each step recalled a different memory for the girl. The Bon Marché from where they had often been unceremoniously thrown out; the cinema where they had snogged frantically in the back row; the theatre where they had seen The Spencer Davis Group, The Stones, The Small Faces and many other favourites; the Ace where they often spent their evenings dancing with the other mods to the exciting, atmospheric music. Then, suddenly, she was in the Park. How she got there she could not remember, but she was there, the place she had most wanted to avoid as it contained the sweetest, most heart piercing memories. The tears ran from her eyes as she walked alone through the blossoming trees and sweet scented flowers. The pain was the worst she had known, the utter hopelessness of her position flooded over her. She would never find him, he had gone forever.
"Pete" she called silently from her breaking heart. "How can I bear it?" She closed her eyes to try and shut out the pain and loneliness and was enclosed in a dark whirling pool of stars and heartache. When the worst of the pain passed she opened her eyes again and decided to leave the park. It brought her too much sorrow.
People stared at her curiously, her eyes wet, the sadness in her face. She walked past them all unseeingly; the old age pensioners enjoying the sun, which they might never see again; the proud mothers pushing their babies in the big, black shiny prams; couples hand in hand with love; children playing ball and – oh God! A tall blond boy in mod clothes, walking towards her, head bent, hands in his pockets. Her heart and feet stopped, for a moment she died of pure joy and then she was running, flying towards him, stumbling and calling, reaching him – oh dear blessed God, holding him, kissing him, his hair, his face, his arms holding her so tight.
"Pete, oh my darling Pete." The tears stopped her trembling voice, stopped the questions, the answers – but not stopping her love.
"Alice, I knew it couldn’t be true. I couldn’t believe it. I had to come back to see."
They wandered through the park together explaining, forgiving, loving and finding happiness again. It seemed to Alice that all the long lonely weeks without him were but a dream, now ended and over. He told her what had happened on the fateful night, when he had taken the innocent looking French Blues. She forgave him without even thinking about it. She told him why she had not received his letter and the deceitful, wicked thing her mother had done. He told her of how he had felt, how he had wandered around the seaside towns, that he had met a girl who had loved him. But he knew he could not stay with her and had to go home to find his Alice.
"I can’t go home tonight Pete," she said. "I’ve wanted you for such a long time I’m not just going to turn around and go home now that I have found you. I’ll ring up and tell them that I’ve met Jane and that I’m staying with her. They probably won’t believe me but I just don’t care. I’ve just got to have you again, hold you through the night."
"I’m glad" replied Pete quietly. "It’s been so long. We can go to George’s house because he is alone for a few days. He owes me one anyway, under the circumstances. Is that okay?"
"Anything’s all right as long as you’re there" she said softly. "Oh, how I’ve missed you."
They spent the remainder of the day walking hand in hand through the old friendly city, lost in love and happiness. Alice bought a skirt to keep up the pretence of shopping. They came to a jeweller’s shop and Pete stopped her. Together they looked at the array of shining rings.
"In a month’s time I’ll be able to buy you one," he said happily. "What sort do you want?" She looked with sparkling eyes at the winking rainbows darting from the rings.
"Oh, they are all lovely," she breathed. "I don’t know - diamonds, I love diamonds. Oh look, that one, it’s lovely, beautiful."
The ring, a small band of tiny glittering stones gleamed at them.
"Yes, I agree," said Pete. "That one would look lovely on your long fingers." He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently.
"Oh!" Alice said, "It’s twenty five guineas. That’s an awful lot – I mean…"
Pete laughed.
"Don’t worry about the money. I’ve been doing bits and pieces while I was away. I’ll get the rest somehow. No, I don’t mean it to sound like that! I was going up to thirty quid anyway so we’re well within the limit. Let’s go in and you can try it on."
They entered the shop, which seemed like a pirate’s hoard. Jewels glittered from all directions. A small, nearly bald man came scurrying out to serve them. Alice tried the ring on. It was a perfect fit, she had known it would be. It had been made just for her, fashioned by gnomes in the deepest caverns of the earth. It lay sparkling on her slender finger. She hated having to take it off and watched as the man put it carefully away in a box and marked it ‘Wheeler’.
"Mrs Jennie Wheeler," she whispered secretly to herself. It sounded good, very good.
They wandered slowly down the streets, enclosed in darkness, which was kept at bay by the brightly lit shop windows. Pete bought some chips from a small crowded fish and chip shop, served to him by a fat, jolly woman who laughed and called them both ‘ducks’. The chips, eaten from warm greasy newspapers, tasted as good as chicken as they were both happy, hungry and very much in love which was a very healthy mixture to be.
At about 10.30 they went to George’s house. He was in the lounge desperately trying to persuade a girl to stay the night with him.
"Oh, hi Pete. Alice. Hey haven’t seen you for ages have I?"
"No. It’s good to be back," she said with feeling.
"Can we stay the night here?" Pete asked. "We’ll be good as gold – and I reckon you owe me a favour."
George looked slightly abashed, having heard from Miff the mayhem caused by selling Pete the drugs that night.
"Yeah, that’s okay mate. Just don’t go in my room, I’m hoping to use that later." He gave his girl a meaningful glance.
"Thanks George, goodnight everyone, sweet dreams," called Alice already halfway up the stairs.
"Eager isn’t she?" they heard George remark. "Now why can’t you be more like that?"
Whether she was they never knew!

***

The bedroom was small but cheerfully decorated in red and pale pink flowered wallpaper. Alice jumped on the bed.
"Lovely and bouncy!" she commented, laughing. Then her laughter died. She got off the bed and went over to Pete.
"You are happy aren’t you Pete?" she asked a little tremulously. "You’ve changed you know, I’m not sure how, but you have. You look sadder I think. Oh, you do still love me don’t you?" Her voice shook a little. He looked at her tenderly.
"Of course I love you idiot!" he answered her. "I look sad because I’ve been sad for a long time without you, but now I feel so happy I just don’t know how to show it. You mustn’t ever doubt that I love you, never. Understand?"
"I’m sorry you were unhappy," said Alice. "I was too, I thought I’d never see you again and I couldn’t understand why. I hate my mother – hate her for what she did. She still doesn’t know that I found out about the letter."
"Forget her for tonight Alice," he said, kissing her. "Forget about everyone. There is just us tonight, just you and me."
She clung to him, her nails biting into his back, her breath coming short and fast.
"If you knew how much – oh Pete, how much I’ve wanted you, so very much."
"I know," he said as they fell onto the bed, "I’ve felt it too."

***

14. In Which Letters Go Astray, Huge Apologies to any Gay Readers and Someone Should Have Used a Condom!

Episode 14.

In Which Letters Go Astray, Sincere Apologies to Any Gay Readers and Someone Should Have Used a Condom!

Alice never received his letter. The following day she had to go to see the Headmistress with her mother and, in spite of all that had happened, she was allowed to return to school for the remaining three weeks of term. The Headmistress had held a meeting with all the staff and all, except one or two, had voted that the girl cold come back. Miss Shoreham, the headmistress, was amazed at the grief and sorrow in the girl’s face and decided she would talk to the mother and see if she couldn’t change her mind. It was useless though, the woman did not seem to realise how much she was hurting Alice.

Alice was glad in many ways that she could go back to school. Anything was better than staying alone in the house with her mother all day. She immediately went to find her friend Jane, as she knew she could tell her everything without the danger of it being spread all around the school.
Jane was waiting for her in the form room and almost cried when Alice came in as she looked so sad. Alice ignored everyone else and walked straight up to her friend.
"Hello Jane," she said simply.
"Tell me Alice," replied the girl. "You know you can tell me everything."
They walked out of the room together and went to a far corner of the field surrounded by flowerbeds and bushes. There Alice opened her heart and told her friend everything from the moment she had had walked out of school on that hot day just a few weeks ago. She tried to explain her feelings for she never hid anything from her Jane.

"I’m not even pregnant," she said, almost bitterly. "I came on today. I almost hoped I would be then we would have to get married. Jane, I hope you don’t think I’m horrible and cheap now I’ve had sex with Pete? It was so good, I can’t bear it without him. Last night I needed him, wanted him, so much. Do you think it was wrong to do what I’ve done?"
"No – of course not," replied Jane. "Oh Alice. I … I.."
Alice saw for the first time the worried look in her friend’s eyes.
"Oh Jane – I’m so sorry. I never noticed you were unhappy too. What’s wrong?"

"I think I’m pregnant," said Jane in a rush. "I should have told you before but I was scared you might think I was awful because you and Pete had never done it. It was about 6 weeks ago. Ray and I – well. My mum and dad went away for a night and he came over, we had some cider – you know. First I said no, and he went on at me and then I said I’d go a little way so we did and it wasn’t much good and he was miserable and I was upset. We argued and he missed the bus home, so seeing as Mum and Dad were away I said he could sleep in my bed and I’d sleep in theirs. Then in the night I woke up and felt terrible – well – all sexy, you know? I kept thinking about it and that I really wanted to go the whole way. I just couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning and feeling all frustrated – like you did last night I should think. Then suddenly I got up and went to my room and he was lying in my bed with nothing on and I was nearly sick with wanting him so. I thought he was asleep but then suddenly he said ‘I knew you’d come’ and he sat up and pulled me down on the bed with him – and that was it. And it was much better that time. Then not long after we went to a party and we both got drunk and I said I wanted him properly, not to bother with precautions – so we didn’t and now I haven’t come on. I just don’t know what to do. Please help me…." She finished talking in a rush, her eyes wide and frightened, pleading for help.

"When should you have come on?" Alice asked worriedly.
"About eleven days ago," she replied. "I haven’t told Ray yet, I just can’t." She began crying quietly. Alice put her arm around her trying to comfort her friend.

"It mightn’t be that," she said unconvincingly. "You can’t be sure yet. You must tell Ray. Perhaps he could get you some of those pills or something, I don’t know. Oh Jane, if only it was me, then I could marry Pete and I’d be so happy. I’ll die without him, I know I will."
"Poor Alice," said her friend. "Poor us. What shall we do? I’m so glad you came back though, I was getting desperate without anyone to talk to, to tell. Oh, what will Ray say? He mustn’t leave me, he mustn’t."
Alice looked across the field to the school. Girls were sitting in huddles all over the place, talking, sharing confidences but she doubted as if any of them were in such trouble as she and Jane. Paulette was walking across the field carrying a book. She caught sight of Alice and waved madly. She began lolloping towards them.

"She hasn’t got any troubles," said Jane quietly.

"Except that she’s a lesbian," replied Alice as the girl reached them.

"Alice," she shouted exuberantly, jumping up and down on her woolly, brown socked legs. "You’ve come back! Where did you go? Are you very sad? Is Pete in prison? Oh it must have been terrible for you. Do tell me." She sat down beside them and began to hug the girl. Alice gently but firmly pushed her slightly away.
"All right. Stop mauling me. I’ll tell you."
Paulette listened in raptures to a shortened version of the story. At the end she looked at the girls in rather a worried fashion
"Did you – did you go to bed?" She blushed. "You know, go to bed and be like you were married?"
"Yes," replied Alice calmly, her heart beating fast at the memory of his love.
"I couldn’t," Paulette shuddered, "Not with a boy. Ugh how horrible!"
"Oh God," thought Alice, "she really is a lesbian – and she probably doesn’t even know that they exist, or what they are. How can we tell her?"
"It’s not horrible, it’s wonderful, the most wonderful thing that could ever happen." That was Jane speaking.
"Oh – you too," said Paulette. "Boys frighten me, scare me. I don’t mind talking to them but – anything else would make me feel sick."
"Some people feel like that," Alice told her. "You can’t help it, it’s not your fault – don’t ever think it’s your fault – ". She broke off, wondering what had made her say so much.
"Go away now, we want to be alone and talk. Just go and be yourself, but leave us – we are so unhappy."
Paulette got to her feet.
"I’m sorry you’re unhappy," she said seriously. "I don’t understand you – anyone really. I’m glad I’m not like you. Stockings, make-up, boys – and still you’re unhappy."
"But we’ve been happy," Jane said seriously. "Happier than you’ll ever be. Don’t ask us to explain but you’ll find out one day – soon I think."
Paulette looked at them puzzled and then walked away. She couldn’t understand them, or anyone for that matter. All they ever thought about was boys and clothes. She decided to go over to the Junior school. The Juniors were much nicer to her, they still played games and held her hands. They were fun to be with and didn’t go on about boys all the time.
They watched her go silently.
"We might be miserable and unhappy," said Alice at last "but at least we’re normal."

***

Pete gave the letter to a boy who worked in Stroud,
giving him instructions to give it to a High School girl, and telling him that it was very important. The boy carried out these instructions and passed the letter to a girl called Stella who then completely forgot about it until the end of the day. She went quickly over to the 5^th Year’s form room where she found to her dismay that Alice had gone.

"I’ll take it" said a small dark girl called Nina. "I live near her."
With a sigh of relief Stella handed the letter over. Nina always caught the bus home whereas Alice often walked to save money. On the bus, Nina saw to her pleasure, was Alice’s mother. Now she would not have to walk all the way over to Alice’s house with the letter. She pulled it from her pocket.
"Hello Mrs Greenway. I’ve got a letter for Alice. Bet you’re glad she’s home at last?"
"Oh, hello Nina. A letter – why thank you. Yes, it’s good to have her back, away from that boy." She looked at the envelope and saw it was in Pete’s handwriting. She was furious and her hand trembled. When the girl had moved away and sat down she eagerly tore open the letter and began to read it.
‘My most darling Alice,’ she read. ‘I am missing you so much it is unbearable and because of it I have done something terrible that will hurt you very much and I pray you will forgive me. Last night I wanted you so much I couldn’t think about sleep so I went out to the Ace where I met Miff and everyone. They bought me some drinks and then George got out a load of French Blues, he was selling them for a shilling each. I thought maybe they would help, stop me thinking all the time. So I had a few. Next thing I know I wake up in bed with this ugly dyed blond slut. I just can’t tell you how terrible I felt when I realised what had happened. I just can’t remember anything after taking the Blues. I felt so guilty that I started taking it out on the girl, lashed out at her and cursing her. I felt so dirty and disgusting.
Please, please forgive me my Alice. I could kill myself for hurting you so. I am longing for you now, and will go on doing so until I have you back, loving me once again. If you forgive me write straight back and tell me so. Send the letter to Miff. I’m sorry, very, very sorry believe me. I hope so much you’ll forgive me. Don’t let it hurt you, I would never, ever have gone near her in my right mind. I don’t know how or why I ended up there and feel terrible about it as you can imagine.
I love you Alice, believe me, whatever happens we’ll make it. I know we will.
With all my love. Pete.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx’

Mrs Greenway read the letter through twice and then crumpled it up viciously.
"I love you Alice" she whispered sarcastically. "She’ll never know. It’s better for her not to get it. He’s no good, this letter proves it. Drugs, drink, prostitutes – Alice needs someone better than that." She was about to tear the letter apart but thought better of it and thrust it into the bottom of her large, brown leather handbag. She felt very satisfied with herself but to her annoyance there was a slight feeling of unease which spoilt everything. She tried to dismiss it lightly but it would not go. The letter had somewhat disturbed her for the very fact that Pete had written to Alice about what had happened showed how much faith they had in each other. She felt slightly uneasy and not so sure of herself.

***

Three slow, agonising days passed. Alice hardly ate or slept and seemed to do nothing but cry. Every night she sobbed her heart out, prayed frantically and burned with desire for Pete. She went for long walks through the woods and fields where she could obtain a trace of comfort from the friendly trees and waving grasses. She could not get in touch with Pete, not being able to write to his home and not knowing anyone else’s address. She met no-one who could pass on a message to him. The hours dragged past, long and lonely.

*******

Pete waited impatiently for her letter, which never came. Each morning he rushed down to Miff’s house before work and every morning Miff regretfully shook his head.
"Sorry Pete. No letter today."
Now he had to somehow accept the truth. She had not forgiven him. She did not want him anymore because of what he had done. There had been four opportunities in which to write and she had not taken any of them. He could not take in what had happened. Memories of her soft whispered words of love in the night came flooding back to him; her fiery kisses and freely given love, surely she had not just suddenly stopped loving him. He could not accept it but it must be true. He looked at Miff hopelessly; still no letter.
"I’m – I’m going," he said. "Bye Miff, I’ve got to get away."

He turned and walked blindly down the street, angrily shaking the tears from his eyes. Instead of going to work he returned home, let himself in and packed a few clothes into a bag. He then wrote a note to his parents.
"Please don’t call the police in. I haven’t run away again. I just have to go someplace to forget somehow. I don’t think Alice has forgiven me for something I did. I can’t tell you what. It was terrible. But I have to go away. When I’ve forgotten, I’ll come back.
Pete."
He left the note on the on the table and wrote a short letter to Alice to what he thought was Jane’s address.
Out on the street he viciously started up the scooter and drove recklessly away.

***

"Alice, Alice," Jane called excitedly as soon as she saw her friend. She had been waiting at the school gates for her with the letter. "A letter from Pete for you." She waved the little white envelope in the air. Alice gasped and came running to her, snatching the envelope and immediately tearing it open.

"My dearest, darling Alice,
I couldn’t really expect you to forgive me I suppose – but I had hoped so much you would. I thought our love was strong enough to survive anything. I wish – oh God, how I wish, I had never taken those fucking pills, then I would still have your love. It has been agony waiting for a letter with your forgiveness in it – but now I realise it will never come so I am going away. When you read this I will be somewhere else, don’t know where, trying to forget you. Maybe it’s better this way but it hurts me so. I love you and think I always will.
Pete."

Alice’s face drained of blood.
"What – what?" she murmured, swaying a little. "I don’t understand."
Jane took the letter from her and read it.
"What does he mean?" she asked, puzzled.
"Gone – gone? But I – no, no, no!" cried Alice suddenly, the realisation that he had gone sweeping over her. She fell limply against Jane, who helped her to the cloakroom where she sat talking almost incoherently to herself. Eventually they went to the form room
"What’s wrong Alice?" asked Caroline.
"Leave her alone," advised Jane. "She’s had a letter from Pete, a weird letter. We don’t understand it."
"Letter?" said Nina. "Oh, that reminds me, did you get the letter he sent you the other day?"
"Other letter?" cried Alice, grabbing hold of the girl. "What other letter?"
"From Pete. I gave it to your mum on the bus," the girl said, struggling from Alice’s grasp.
"You gave it to my mum? Oh no, no! She wouldn’t give it to me. She hates him. Oh God, what happened that I had to forgive. Pete, Pete I forgive you. Where are you, where have you gone. Jane help me, I can’t bear it, please please help me." Helplessly the girls of the fifth form stood watching the sobbing girl.

to be continued...................