SECRETS

SECRETS

Story contd:-

I asked Matron if I could be off duty in the evening so I could go home with Jamie.  Fortunately she agreed.  It was always a given at my own hospital – that you would have the evening off before your day’s leave.  Later on we started shifts and could finish at lunch time, have the next day off and return at lunch time the following day – two nights at home which were much appreciated.

  I phoned the Millers and told them I couldn’t see them this week and they said the next time Jamie came I should take him round.  Apparently young David was still endlessly playing his new record –‘Sparkey’s Magic Piano.’  I certainly couldn’t get the tune out of my head.  The piano sings ‘I’ll play anything you want me to play…from now on.’ with a jangley, twangy voice that sounded like Cher with croup.

Jamie picked me up and we went home on the bus.  Only Gran was in so we made supper and she went to bed.  Then Evan came in and we had a coffee and he went to bed.  Finally Mum and Dad came in we chatted and they went to bed.  Jamie and I were allowed to stay up to do the washing up and sometimes we did.

Our time together was precious and brief.  We kept on the go so as not to fret about the inevitable separations.  Down we waltzed to the Aunts and had coffee with Maddie and Paul.  Maddie’s friend from Art School was staying – the vamp as I called her.  She was the one who leant over all the men at Maddie’s pre- wedding party (hen nights were unheard of)  with a tray of goodies asking ‘Can I tempt you?’

Back home Gran had left lunch for us and then we took the bus over the moors towards Burnley.  Between Toll Bar and Townley Park there was a farm up on the hill which served delicious teas.  It was long way from the road but there was a white painted sign on the roof announcing ‘     TEAS’.  There was time for a walk first and the tea lived up to its reputation.

Walking back we came upon the Townley Arms and spent an hour or two playing cricket and drinking cider.  There was no sign of a bus so we started the long walk home.  When we came to the wide corner where there is s sort of balcony overlooking the wildest, dourest part of the moors – no Lakeland beauty here – Jamie put his hands on my shoulders and asked me to marry him and I said ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’

It was a surprise – he was starting his final year, had quite a few debts, his parents were not rich and had three sons to educate so he had no visible means of support until he started earning.  I still had eighteen months to do but was earning - if only a pittance.  Jamie said we should keep it a secret for the time being.  I wanted to shout it from the house tops but agreed to be discreet.

We started the long trek home – sometimes running with me falling over and Jamie picking me up – and finally made it.  Everybody was there – including Beryl who wondered if all the hairy ties the men were wearing denoted some sort of club.  (They were the ones I had brought as gifts from the Lakes.  Mum stared at me – she could tell I was very excited but I gave nothing away by mouth.  When everyone had gone and we were metaphorically doing the washing up – Jamie kissed me and I fainted.

When I came to Jamie was worried and wanted to get Mum but there was a simple explanation.  My face was quite a bit smaller than Jamie’s and he had managed to totally block my airways.  So I wasn’t behaving like a Victorian miss and it wasn’t the kiss of death.  We said goodbye in Manchester the next day.  It had been a wonderful couple of days.  The future looked bright but it was a mirage.