19.In Which Alice Needs a Good Square Meal, Mrs Greenway Feels Guilty and a Bit of Eavesdropping Means Phil Get's His Leg Over.....

In Which Alice Needs a Good Square Meal, Mrs Greenway Feels Guilty and a Bit of Eavesdropping Means Phil Gets His Leg Over .........

Episode 19.

Seven months later Mrs Greenway looked anxiously at her daughter, as she pushed her dinner away. Alice had grown so pale and thin these last few months. She had flitted from boy to boy like a butterfly, yet never stayed long – a week or two and then she was gone, searching for someone else. Her work had gone steadily downhill and she often truanted from college. She did not eat enough to keep a sparrow alive. And then last night Mrs Greenway had been wakened by the sound of crying, and had crept along to Alice’s bedroom where she found the door ajar. She pushed it open quietly. Alice was sitting on the windowsill, the window open letting in the crisp frosty night air. Her face was raised to the sky, bathing in the cold moonlight.

"Pete, Pete," she was saying brokenly. "How could you hurt me so, oh how I need you now." Then the tears started again and her words tumbled from her quivering mouth, pleading and begging. Her mother moved as if to comfort her, but then stopped. How could she comfort her daughter when she, herself was responsible. She turned away unhappily and lay awake for a long time thinking.
She remembered all this now at the dinner table and impetuously put her arm around Alice’s thin shoulders. She wanted to tell her how sorry she was, tell her to go to Pete and be happy again. But the words would not come.

"Please eat your dinner love," she said sadly.

"I don’t want it," Alice replied. "I’m just not hungry anymore."

***

She met her present boyfriend that evening. He was called Rob and he was tall and blond with the best mod haircut she had ever seen. And she knew she was going to give him up. Boys meant nothing to her any more, a week, maybe two and then she tired of them. She was aching with a need, a terrible need for Pete. Each time she saw him she died a little more inside. He seemed so happy without her. He had not gone out with Sally for long and had wandered around aimlessly for the first few weeks but now he seemed pretty well settled down. He went out with a girl called Maria, who wore a maroon leather, was tall with medium length dark blond hair and glasses. She was attractive and they looked so happy together that Alice cried to think of it. Occasionally she saw them at parties or dances, Maria holding the hand that used to hold hers, owning the love that he had vowed to give to Alice for ever. She could not bear it.

She and Rob went to the cellar bar where they were greeted loudly by the Stroud mods; Derek, Yogi, John, Bern, Bob, Phil and many others.

"Where shall we go?" asked Phil. "anyone know of any parties?" He looked enquiringly around.

"Yeah, there’s one at Kings Stanley," replied Yogi. "Should be all right."

"Let’s go then," said John in his London accent, as he got to his feet. They went out into the cold night air and both she and Robin were given lifts as Robin did not own a scooter.

The party was a good one and as usual Alice drank heavily to try and drown her sorrow. She and Rob were sitting on a mattress sharing a dish of peanuts between them when Phil and Yogi came over to join them. Alice barely heard the conversation, her head was spinning so much. She kept giggling stupidly. Then she heard a few words spoken by Phil.

"Saw Pete yesterday, we had a laugh. He was telling me about Maria, they were in bed once and she …….." The world roared in her ears.

"Stop it," she screamed, hitting out at him. "Shut up, don’t say it."

She got to her feet and ran, staggering slightly, outside, away from those terrible words. Pete, her own Pete, in bed with someone else, loving someone else. Of course she had known he and Maria must have slept together, but this was the first time she had heard for sure. She had closed her mind to the obvious truth. A boy grabbed hold of her in the darkness but she kicked him viciously and stumbled on, the tears rolling in great heaving sobs down her cheeks.

Suddenly she heard footsteps running behind her and catching her up. She looked around and saw it was Phil.

"Hey I’m really sorry Alice," he said simply. "I didn’t know you still liked him so much. Thought it was all over."

She clung onto him, sobbing, and telling him how she felt. Phil was a bit older than the rest of them and thought himself something special but you couldn’t help liking him. Slowly the pain died a little and before long he was kissing her. He had the same masterful way about him that Pete had. He knew what he wanted and went all out to get it. He was different to the boys she had been out with since Pete, all rushing to oblige her and to be careful not to hurt her. Phil would stand no nonsense and that was the way it should be, the way Pete had been. She was not particularly surprised to find herself in a bedroom with him but what did it matter? How she had got there she could not remember. The bed was warm and inviting and she did not refuse its invitation. Phil with a rough kind of tenderness pulled her towards him, kissing her strongly. She murmured against his mouth and clutched at him. But the name she called out silently within her head was not his. It was Pete’s.

***

She went out with Phil. It was funny but she had not expected that to happen. He was very much a one night stand person, but here she was with him. Four weeks, and she felt quite happy about the arrangement. He knew she did not love him and she never expected love from him, but that seemed to suit both of them. He had the same kind of temperament as Pete, what he said usually went, and she looked up to him for guidance. They looked good together which satisfied his vanity. She knew he went with other girls occasionally but it didn’t seem to matter, not when he was kissing her and she could shut her eyes and imagine it was Pete.

                  
                                                          ***
to be continued

18. In Which a Baby Goes Missing and is Found and We Meet Dave and Sally and Wish We Hadn't......

In Which a Baby Goes Missing and is Found and we Meet Dave and Sally and Wish We Hadn't......

Episode 18

A week went by and Jane slowly but surely began to recover physically but not mentally. Alice worried about her a great deal, for once when she had gone to visit they had been alone.

"Alice," Jane had said. "I wanted my baby so much, so very very much. It was just before the crash that it all became real. I suddenly knew that I loved it and wanted it – and now it’s dead. I just don’t know what to do. I am so sad. No-one realises, they think it’s a good thing to happen."

It was difficult for Alice to know what to say, as she also found it difficult to understand how Jane was feeling.

"When you get married you can have lots of babies," she replied sincerely. That one would have had an unhappy life, it really was for the best." But the words sounded wrong and she knew they gave no comfort.

"No! You don’t understand either. I loved it, I loved it." Jane cried out and a nurse came in and asked Alice to leave as the patient was getting disturbed.

***

Alice saw Pete three times that week and also started at the Art College. Now life was much easier. They could meet every dinner time whenever they wished and occasionally for a short while after college.
The days seemed to fly past. She loved the Art College with its free and easy atmosphere that was so different from the stultifying school days she had been used to.

One day they met as usual in The Clarence coffee bar where all the mods went. As they finished their egg and chips Pete suddenly caught hold of Alice’s hand.

"I’ve got something for you," he said excitedly and she felt the ring slip onto her finger. She took her hand from his and looked at the sparkling engagement ring nestling there.

"Pete," she breathed. "We really are engaged. I love you so. I really love you. It’s beautiful, thank you so much."

"I bought it this morning," he told her happily. "Yes, we really are engaged. Not the most romantic place, but I couldn’t wait." He leant over the Formica topped table and gave her a quick kiss. "Soon it’ll be a golden one." He reached for both her hands and held them tightly between his.

***

Jane was walking around the town. She had come out of hospital a week ago and was still convalescing. She bought some mascara and a hair colour shampoo and then decided to go home, as she was still feeling tired. As she walked down towards the bus station she passed a tiny baby lying in its pram. She stopped to look at it and its big dark eyes stared at her, fringed by long black lashes. It looked so soft and warm that she longed to pick it up and hold it, just for a moment. She looked around, the mother was in the shop somewhere, nobody was watching her.

She leaned over quickly and with a quick scoop of her arms lifted the baby from its pram and ran down the street with it. She crossed the road and vanished into the church park where she left the neatly spaced flower beds and mown lawns, hiding among the bushes and trees which stood at one end against a high stone wall. She could hear people shouting and running but she ignored them and turned her attentions to the baby she was holding so tightly. He was not crying, but lay quite peacefully in her arms. She started talking to him and he began to chuckle and gurgle gleefully.

"Oh, you lovely, lovely baby," said Jane happily. "You’re coming to live with me now because you’re so sweet." She crooned gently to it and then the shouts grew louder and louder in her ears and were all around her. She clutched the baby to her, trying to protect it and then a large policeman loomed over her. She looked hopelessly around for a way of escape and then began to cry.
                                                 ****

A month passed. Jane grew completely well again under treatment by a psychiatrist. Alice and Pete continued seeing each other as often as possible without their parent’s knowledge. Alice was very happy at Art College and enjoyed the work immensely. The girls and boys she worked with were very friendly and everyone got on with everyone else.

She was especially noticed by a boy called Dave. He was a mod, quite tall and good looking. His hair was brown, matching his deep-set, serious eyes, which often gazed at Alice as she worked.

She never wore her engagement ring in college as she did not want it to get spoilt or lost so she wore it on a chain round her neck, underneath her clothes. Dave often wondered if she had any boyfriends or went out with anyone seriously but he had never seen or heard of her being with anyone. He often talked to her and she seemed to like him. He decided to ask her out and to tell her how he felt and waited impatiently for a time when he could catch her alone.

Alice came back from lunch in a bad mood. She and Pete had just had a row over some trivial matter. She couldn’t even remember what had started it now. She sighed unhappily, they had been rowing a lot the last few weeks, over nothing in particular. She supposed it was the tension of having to creep around like criminals and having to keep everything, even their engagement, a secret. They had not been able to sleep together for over three weeks now and they longed for each miserably.

She went up the stairs until she reached the Display Studio where she was working on a window with one other girl. The place was deserted as she had come back early because of the row. Idly she began to drape some silver cloth in the window and then suddenly she became aware of someone watching her. She looked up into the serious eyes of Dave Jefferies.

"Oh Hi Dave," she said, "you gave me a fright appearing like that." He moved forward, still looking at her.

"Sorry," he said, "I didn’t mean to scare you."

"It’s okay," she replied, wondering why he was acting in such a strange, awkward manner. She soon knew.

"Er – I’ve been wanting to talk to you for ages. I was wondering if – well – if you’d go out with me tonight – or another night." He stopped and looked anxiously at her. She started when she heard his words. She had not realised that he had felt that way about her.

"Oh Dave, I’m sorry Dave but I am already going out with someone – steady – in fact I’m engaged." She pulled at the chain around her neck and showed him the ring.
"I should have realised – but I never saw you with anyone - ." He stopped lamely and stared at her.

"No you wouldn’t," she explained. "He lives in Gloucester, he’s a mod of course. We’ve been forbidden to go out with each other so we have to keep it very quiet."

"Wait!" Dave broke in. "Aren’t you the girl who ran away not long ago? I thought I’d seen you somewhere before."

"Yes, that’s me!" admitted Alice. "Quite famous."
They talked for a while longer and then he looked at her seriously.

"You’re sure then – you won’t go out with me. Not even just for a quick coffee?"

"I love Pete," was all she said and he sighed.

"If you ever change your mind, just let me know won’t you?" he asked, before he left her and went back to the picture he was painting. It was of a girl with blond carefree hair and laughing blue eyes. [Author's Note - please feel free to throw up at that bit!!]

***

Pete went to The Ace that evening with Miff. He felt miserable about the stupid argument he and Alice had had, and he wanted to see her and put everything right again. Miff met his girlfriend, and she had a friend with her, small, dark and quite pretty. They all talked for a while until the group came on and then Miff and Jill started dancing. The girl stood there awkwardly, not quite sure what to do and Pete thought he had better dance with her. One dance led to another and before he know what was happening she had attached herself to him. He bought her a drink or two and had quite a few himself.

Through this new, rosy haze he took a long look at her. She really was very pretty. Much prettier than he had first thought; her clothes were very mod and she was fun to talk to. It really was very difficult, she was obviously expecting him to go with her, and so was Miff. But he did not want to two-time Alice, and remembered with horror what had happened last time he had met a girl in a club. He made an excuse and left her for a moment to find Miff.

"Hey Miff," he said, "about this girl – "

"Yeah – about this girl. Why the fuck haven’t you knocked her off yet? What you waiting for, she’s a cracking bit of stuff. Poor girl doesn’t know what’s wrong. Get with her, you prat! I told Jill you’d go with her friend and all you’ve done is dance with her a couple of times and then just stand there looking stupid."

"But I happen to be engaged to Alice," said Pete angrily. "I can’t do that to her."

"Don’t be so tied down and under the thumb," sneered Miff. "It’s only for a night, she’ll never know. She’s really got you hooked hasn’t she? You’re still a young bloke – fuck off and have some fun. She’s up for it, look at her, can’t take her eyes off you."
Pete went miserably back to the girl and stood by her. Miff’s words were ringing in his ears, ‘she’s really got you hooked hasn’t she’. Angrily he put his arm round her shoulders, roughly pulling her towards him.

***

Alice paid the 2/6d at the door of The Ace to get in, and went straight to the Ladies to do her hair and reapply lipstick. She felt happy, Pete would be surprised to see her and they could make it up again. She had told her mother she was going to a party given by one of the art students, and would not be home till late, if at all. She felt a thrill of longing pass over her, hopefully she would be spending the night in Pete’s arms. She listened to the music crashing out above her, and hummed along with it. Then satisfied
with her appearance she made her way up the narrow stairs.

She stood in the entrance, looking into the darkness and flashing lights, a blue smoky haze hanging in the hot pulsating air. She tried to make out faces she knew, and especially Pete but her eyes were not yet used to the gloom. Walking into the room she looked quickly at the band. Then she noticed Dave standing with another student, near the band. She nodded briefly to him and turned away into the dancing mass to try and find Pete. Gladly she caught sight of Miff and Jill sitting on one of benches. She made her way over to them and wondered where Pete was, hoping he hadn’t decided to have a night in. A couple were sitting on the next bench and she had to step over their legs to reach Miff. He looked up from kissing Jill and, instead of looking pleased to see her, gasped with fright.

"Pete – oh I don’t know – over there – somewhere – I think." She stared at him in surprise, turned in the direction he pointed to, and then something made her look behind her, into Pete’s face, Pete’s lips kissing another girl. She went cold all over and stood there, watching, until the agonisingly long kiss finished. For a moment their eyes met, his full of shocked surprise, hers with uncomprehending pain. Back flooded all the hurtful things he had said to her earlier in the day, and also all the lies and promises he had told her about never, ever wanting anyone else, that she was the only one. With an angry painful sob she clutched at the ring on her finger and dragged it off. She went up to him – to them, and stood looking down where they still sat, almost entwined.

"Here you are," she said bitterly. "You can give it to her instead. It’ll save you buying another one."

"Alice," he said desperately, "Alice, its nothing, I love you." But she threw the ring at him, turned and stumbled blindly away.

On her hurried exit she blundered into Dave. Without really thinking what she was doing she looked at him with a smile fixed woodenly on her face.
"Hi Dave," she said in a horrible effort of gayness. "I’ve changed my mind." And laughingly she fell into his welcoming arms.

***

The evening passed in an ugly mask of pretence. Alice laughing much too loud, talking far too fast and noisily, drinking drink after drink. Pete was pretending to Miff that he didn’t care a damn what Alice did and proclaiming in a loud voice that she’d come running to him in the morning. The only two people who were happy were Dave, and the girl who Pete now knew was called Sally.

She had always liked Pete, and had been jealous of Alice although she did not know her personally, only by sight – and now here she was with Pete whilst Alice had gone off with another boy and returned the engagement ring. She looked happily at Pete, he did not seem to care about what had happened, now maybe he would go out with her. She tightened her arm around his waist and sighed with pleasure as she told him that her parents had gone away for the weekend.

A month passed by. Pete still went out with Sally and Alice with Dave. But the ache in their hearts was very acute and lonely. They needed each other but that foolish feeling known as pride kept them from seeing the truth.

To be continued.......

17.In Which There is a Nasty Accident, a Lost Baby and Alice is Nearly Led Astray...

Episode 17.

In Which There is a Nasty Accident, a Lost Baby and Alice is Nearly Led Astray!

Jane and Ray sped along the road on the scooter. For the first time for weeks Jane felt happy. Whatever else happened, Ray would stand by her. It was funny to think that there was a living baby inside her; a baby who would one day grow into a person who loved and lived and had feelings just as she did. Suddenly she felt a fierce surge of love for her baby. She wanted to protect it, keep it and love it. It had every right to live and she wanted to hold it in her arms, a tiny warm living bundle.

"Baby," she whispered silently to herself. "My little baby."
Then suddenly Ray was shouting.
"Jump Jane, jump, jump!"

A terrible noise, a wrenching shock and then tearing pain screaming through her body, forcing itself through her mouth. A roaring black sea engulfed her and carried her away, far away where she was far beyond the reach of Ray, of anyone. Somewhere in the writhing agony of her mind she thought of her baby.
"My baby," she screamed. "I want you, I love you. My little baby."
Then an endless falling blackness and nothing.

***

When Alice arrived home nothing very much was said to her, so her parents must have believed her story about staying the night with Jane which, after all, was something she did quite often. They did not notice the love bites which Alice seemed to have successfully covered with makeup.
Then suddenly at about nine o’ clock the phone rang. It seemed to have an ominous, urgent tone about it. Mr Greenway answered it….

"Alice," he called from the hall. "It’s for you." She got up and took it from him.
"Hello, who’s that?"
"Alice, it’s Ray. We’ve – Christ – we’ve had an accident. I got off with just a few scratches but Jane – Jane’s ill, very ill. They don’t know if she’ll make it." His voice broke off and Alice stood staring at the phone, clutching onto the table for support.
"Oh no!" she gasped. "What happened? Where are you? She’s got to be all right – oh the baby….."
His voice came over the air sounding tinny and strange.

"She had a miscarriage – on the road, before the ambulance – it was horrible. I’ve just got to see you, can you come down? This dog ran across and I swerved and then there was this car – God it was terrible. I jumped, but Jane, she was too late. What if she dies? I will have killed her, me – killed her."
"Look, where are you. I’ll come at once."
"Gloucester General – oh do hurry up."
"Half an hour – I’ll be there." Putting down the phone she ran to her father.
"Please dad, take me to Gloucester Hospital. It’s Jane – they think she’s going to die."
Hardly before the car stopped, Alice had opened the door and run across to the hospital. She pushed open the heavy door and ran into the building. An efficient looking nurse came forward.
"Can I help you? Are you ill?"
"Jane, my friend. She’s dying, I had to come," the girl said wildly. "Her boyfriend Ray, where is he."
"I’m afraid you can’t see her yet," replied the nurse. "He’s waiting outside Ward 4. We’d like him to go home but he refuses – perhaps you could persuade him?"
"He loves her," said Alice. "He’s got to be near her." She hurried off following the signs to the ward.

Ray was standing alone in a big, empty corridor with his back to the door. He turned as soon as he heard Alice enter and she ran to him. They held one another tightly, Alice crying loudly and Ray unashamedly letting the tears roll from his deep brown eyes.
"We can’t see her," she sobbed. "I’ve got to in case ……."
"I’ve got to see her," said Ray, his voice shaking. "She doesn’t know how much, how very much I love her. I’ve got to tell her or she’ll never know. I’ll die without her, oh dear God, I love her so much." He sank into a chair, his head in his hands. After a while Alice ventured to ask where Jane’s parents were. Pete replied that they were at a friend’s house just around the corner as they had been told that they could do nothing just by waiting at the hospital.
"…..but I’ve got to stay," he finished vehemently. "She’s my girl, I’ve got to stay."
They sat silently for what seemed like eternity and then suddenly a nurse came hurrying in.
"I think you’d better come," was all she said.

"She’s dying," Ray said hopelessly. "She’s dying, my little girl’s dying."
They followed the nurse hastily along a green corridor smelling of disinfectant until they reached the door to the Ward. A doctor came over to them.
"She is beginning to come round. She’s calling for Ray, that’s you isn’t it son?"
He nodded briefly.
"And then she keeps saying ‘Alice, I love it, don’t let then take it away.’ We presume she is referring to the baby she lost. Are you Alice?"
"Yes," she gulped, looking at the big green screens around her bed.
"It would be reassuring for her to wake and find friends by her side. We have just contacted the parents who should be here very soon. I warn you it may not be very pleasant."
"I love her," was all that Ray said.
"Right then," said the doctor. "Come round this way."

She lay, head swathed in bandages, her face scratched and bruised, with her eyes closed in the big white bed.
"Oh God," whispered Alice. "Let her be all right." Ray just stood staring for a long time, and then he bent and gently kissed her.
After a few minutes she began to move her head restlessly from side to side.
"Ray – Ray – Ray," she moaned.
"I’m here darling," he said quietly.

"I love it, it’s mine, mine, mine." Her voice rose to a shout, and her eyes flickered open, stared unseeingly ahead, and then shut again. Alice helplessly touched her friend’s arm above the bandaged hand. She called out many times and yet never gazed at them sensibly however much they hoped. Ray sat down on a chair and rested his head wearily in his hands. Alice looked at him sadly. What if Jane died. She would lose her only really good, close friend and Ray would lose the girl he loved. It was unbearable. Suddenly a whisper broke the hushed atmosphere.

"Ray?" He raised his head quickly. Jane was looking at him, her eyes calm and normal once again.
"Jane, my darling, darling Jane. Can you really see me?"
"Yes." It was obviously a strain to speak.
"Don’t talk, just listen. I love you, really love you. You’ve got to know that. You’re going to get better now because I am going to look after you." He looked at her with eyes full of love.
"I love you" she murmured, then turned her eyes towards Alice. "I’ve lost my baby haven’t I?"
"Yes," she said quietly. "It was the best thing really I suppose."
"No, no. I loved my baby. I wanted to – to hold it just once, just once." Tears began to spill from her eyes. The doctor came forward.
"I think it would be best if you left now," he said. "You can see how tired she is and she must rest and not get upset if she is to recover. And her parents are about to arrive just for a quick visit."
Ray stood up, kissed Jane and then he and Alice left the ward.
"She knows I love her," he said almost to himself "so I can go now." They walked in silence over to the waiting room where Alice’s father was established with a cup of tea.
"We can go now," Alice told him. "Pete can’t be on his own. He’s going to stay with us."
"Jane came round, she spoke to us. There’s nothing more we can do," Ray told him, "except hope."

*****

Alice woke suddenly, she could not understand why. The night was very dark and silent. Then she heard the sound of her door creaking open and being shut quietly.
"Who is it?" she whispered.
"Ray. I had to come and talk to you." She felt, rather than saw him walk over to the bed where he sat down.
"I hope no-one comes," she said, "or there will be trouble!"
"I couldn’t sleep for thinking about Jane – and our baby. She kept saying she loved it – but earlier she was wanting to get rid of it. I don’t understand."
"Nor me," replied Alice whispering, for fear of waking her parents. "She never said anything to me about wanting to keep it. But I suppose it is different when suddenly you have no choice."
"You must think I’m terrible, getting her into trouble I mean."
"No. not at all. It could happen to any of us. A bit stupid maybe not to use anything but then it was Jane who asked you not to wasn’t it?"
Ray sounded a little embarrassed. "Yeah – she certainly told you everything then? He enquired, leaning back against the wall.
"Well – not everything but most of it."
"You and Pete," he said. "it was you two really that made me practically force her. I loved her and wanted her to be all mine, like you two were, you understand? But she just kept saying ‘no, it’s wrong, we mustn’t…."
"Just like Pete and me before we ran away," Alice chuckled.
"Yeah, Pete and I used to get so mad at you two, because it wasn’t just for kicks, we loved you. Anyway then one day I thought, it’s no good, she can’t love me or else she’d give me everything so I had a serious discussion. I mean it wasn’t as if we had only just met or anything, we’ve been together for 17 months now. Eventually she agreed but not completely…."
"I know," Alice broke in, "and it wasn’t any good and you both got angry."

"She really did tell you everything" Ray commented ruefully. "Anyway, you’re right, I went to bed, almost burning up I was and then suddenly she came in. I thought she would in the end. It was all right then!"


"Pete and I this morning – oh it was good," she shuddered a little at the memory of it. They were very close now, Alice lying over on one side of the bed, Ray half lying, half sitting beside her. He could see, very dimly, the silhouette of her face – upturned with lips parted slightly. He had been longing for Jane all night long, and here was a girl – not Jane it was true, but a girl who could comfort him. He knew she was also longing for Pete to be beside her.

"It’s lonely without them isn’t it?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she whispered back, "Oh yes." Her thoughts were whirling frantically. "he’s going to kiss me, take me – I mustn’t - I love Pete – he loves Jane – but oh I need someone to hold and it’s so lonely."

Suddenly he was kissing her – she fought to keep him off but her feelings, and his were too strong. His hands were hot and large – one minute she would cling tightly to him, the next she would struggle to get away.

"No Ray – no" she gasped. "Jane. Pete. Oh please stop."
Her words went unheeded but then suddenly Ray drew away from her.

"I’m so sorry Alice. I don’t know what made me do that."
She lay trying to regain her breath.
"It’s okay, I understand."

"You won’t say anything to Jane will you – or to Pete. He’d kill me."

"Of course not, it’s between you and me. We were both just in a state, hell of an emotional day. I’ll forget all about it now and so must you. Thank you for stopping because I love Pete and – well I don’t want to go with anyone else."

"And thanks for not letting me. We would have both hated ourselves afterwards." He stood up. "I’m going back to bed now. Goodnight Alice, and I really am sorry.
The door closed softly behind him, and Alice lay awake for a long time, staring into the dark night.

***