Monica. Ch12.

Eddie is recognised by Monica at Anne's engagement party.

Chapter 12

After trying to kiss me Dave sat in his car and laughed. “I’m only fooling around, Monica. You take things too seriously. You should learn to unwind a bit."

         I forced a smile and walked off even though I was very angry with him. I knew I would have to keep it to myself or it might cause trouble. My parents were still up and watching a film on the television when I walked in. I made us a hot drink and sat with them for a while. I was just thinking about going up to my room when the telephone began ringing.

         "Oh, that'll probably be Alan," my mother said. "He rang earlier."

         I stood up and made my way to the telephone. I had been waiting and hoping for the call.

         "It's nice to pick up the phone and not have to worry if it's that pest calling," my mother said.

         I smiled as I picked up the receiver, but even with the number changed I always felt a little bit apprehensive and would still wait for the caller to speak first.

         "Monica, is that you, I thought you'd be back ages ago?"

         "No, we had a few drinks after dinner. You should have been with me, Alan. I had to tell lies and say that you were working late. I hate telling lies."

         "Well, you should have told the truth that there's no way that I'm going into a squatters house. What if someone sees me coming out, they'll think I'm turning into one of those weird hippies or something."

         "Don't be daft. It's just like a normal couple's house. It is a normal couple's house."

         "Well, you won't catch me in there."

         "When you meet them at the engagement tomorrow night, you'll see how wrong you are."

         "I thought you said it was at The Prince Alfred in Limehouse?"

         "It is."

         "Well, if they all go back to the squatter's house for a drink; we won't be going."

         "That's all right, as long as you go to the pub with me and see me back home."

         "Of course I will. Anyway, I'm off to bed. I wish you were coming with me, Monica."

         "Yes, I bet you do."

         "Go on then, tell me you love me."

         "I do, you know I do."

         "Not good enough, you have to say it. Say, I love you, Alan."

         "No!" I glanced at my parents who were looking at the television, but no doubt listening to every word that I said.

         "You'll have to say it or I might be too upset to go to the engagement party with you tomorrow."

         I gave a laugh before whispering into the receiver. "I love you, Alan."

         "No, I couldn't hear you; you'll have to say it louder."

         "I love you, Alan," I said. I looked over at my parents who were looking across to me and smiling. I turned away highly embarrassed and lowered my voice again as Alan and I exchanged our final goodbyes of the night.

         I went to my bedroom and went straight to my dressing table. I sat looking at myself in the mirror. I was thinking of Alan and was sure he really did love me, but my mind was wandering and I suddenly thought of the pest. I was hoping that because the police had chased him, he might at last leave me alone. I thought of my evening at Anne's house. Maybe I did have a problem, thinking that Jeff was going to grope me while we were dancing, thinking Dave was going to try it on in the van, and thinking that Dave and Sue were cheating on Anne. I also thought about how I felt uncomfortable by Sue's topless dancing and about the hostile way I had reacted towards the new girl at the karate club. Maybe they were just young people having a bit of fun. Maybe Dave was right and I took things too seriously. "Unwind, unwind," I whispered to myself.

         Despite everything I had enjoyed the evening at Anne's even though I didn’t like her new friends too much. I had my next grading coming up in four weeks time. Things could only get better now, I thought.

         I realised I had not closed the bedroom curtains. I walked over and while looking at the flats opposite I pulled the curtains together, but the glimpse of a sinister sight remained in my mind. A man, a figure standing at the window of one of the flats, just like before, looking across at me. I opened one of the curtains slightly and peered through, scanning all the windows, some with lights on, some in darkness, some curtains closed, and some open. I was not sure which window had displayed the man's image, but he was not there now. I wondered if it had just been a trick of my mind and maybe it had no significance, but it brought the middle-aged man back into my thoughts. He had harassed me at the Italian restaurant and although he couldn't get my new telephone number, I knew that at any time he could find some other way to resume his campaign against me. It troubled me that even when he was not actually bothering me, he had an effect on me. I knew that he was still out there somewhere and despite what my mother thought, I was worried that I had not heard the last of my tormentor.

******

         I walked into the Prince Alfred bar at seven o’clock and Anne stood up and hurried over to greet me. “I thought I was a bit early,” I said. “But it looks like I’m late.”

         “Yes, it was supposed to start in the evening but both my parents are from large families and a lot of them turned up for a dinner time drink in here. When the bar closed, they all made their way back to the house with crates of beer and we had a bit of a pre-party before all coming back over here at opening time.”

         “It’s a wonder you are not all drunk.”

         “Some are a bit tipsy, but mostly I kept off the drink until this evening.” She looked at the small package in my hand.

         "It's not much, but it should come in useful," I said as I handed it over.

         "It's not one of those vibrator thingy's, is it?"

         I laughed. "No, of course it's not."

         "Pity. Oh well, never mind. So where's Alan? Don't tell me, he's training."

         I gave a laugh. "He said he'd be along later on."

         “I sometimes think he’s a figment of your imagination who you have made up as a pretend lover.”

         I laughed but I was not happy with her comment. Even so I could relate to her comment. She had never met Alan or even seen him despite the times when he was supposed to meet up with us.

         Anne opened her present. "Oh, napkin rings."

         "They're silver. They're real silver."

         "Just what I've always wanted."

         I was disappointed by Anne's reaction and I suddenly felt foolish at my choice of present. "I'm sorry, I can take them back and get something else."

         "Oh, no you bloody won't. I love them, Monica, I really do."

         "You're just saying that. No, I'll take them back."

         "No, no, no. These are special, something I'll always treasure. Look, see the lad with the ginger hair. He's my cousin. He brought me a washing up bowl and some plastic brushes. I ask ya, a bloody washing up bowl. These silver rings can be like my family heirlooms. When I'm old and the day comes when I pop me clogs, all my kids will be fighting over these."

         I began laughing, but Anne reached over and kissed my cheek. "Thanks, these mean a lot to me and you being here means even more. Just a shame your Alan's not with you. Like I said, I wonder if I'll ever get to meet him." Anne looked over to the doors and a smile seemed to light up her face as a young man walked in with a large parcel and he made his way over to us. He was a good looking lad and I was sure that I had seen him somewhere before.

         "There you are," he said, handing the parcel to Anne.

         "Oh, thanks, Eddie. What is it?"

         I looked at him again and recognised him after Anne said his name. This was Anne's ex, Eddie the two-timer, the garden fornicator, the male whore.

         "Satin bed sheets, what you were always talking about."

         "Oh, that's really sweet, you remembered that you ole romantic you. They must have cost a fortune though."

         "No, they were Sparrows."

         "Sparrows?"

         "Yeah, they were going cheap."

         Anne forced a smile. "Have you met, Monica?" she said.

         "Er, not properly." Eddie had obviously recognised me as well from Joy's party. He looked embarrassed and even though Anne had finished with him over his infidelity, he still seemed a little nervous in case I might tell Anne where I had seen him and what he was doing with the girl. I thought it was possible that he thought if I re-enforced the story of his fling at the party he might have less of a chance of getting back with her. I assumed that is what he wanted to do, because why else would he be here?

         "Well, get yourselves a drink and you can get to know each other. I'll just take these over to Dave. I'll be back in a tick."

         The atmosphere seemed a little strange as Eddie and I stood looking about for a moment. Both of us were a little embarrassed, not knowing what to say. Neither of us wishing to relate to our meeting in the back garden at Joy's party.

         "Do you want a drink? There's a space at the end of the bar."

         "Dry Martini and lemonade please," I said, relieved the noticeable silence had come to an end. We walked to the bar and Eddie ordered the drinks which were hastily placed on the bar before the barman rushed off again.

         "Are you with someone?"

         "Yes, my boyfriend's meeting me here later. What about you?"

         Eddie looked across at Anne.

         "Oh, sorry, I just thought you might have moved on."

         "I don't know if I could ever move on after Anne." Eddie grinned at me. "I think the world of her, you know. It's a disaster how things turned out."

         "You can't think that much of her or you wouldn't have, well you know, with that girl at the party."

         "It was that Pernod. Dave kept bringing it over, bringing it over, and the girl was offering herself on a plate almost."

         "That's pathetic. No one made you do it. And the drink didn't make you do it. You did it because you wanted to."

         "No, you're wrong. I felt pressurised." He glanced over at Dave. "You know it's all starting to fall into place, all starting to make sense. He always denies it, but I think it was Dave that told Anne. He's always fancied her and I'm beginning to think he deliberately went out of his way to get me drunk and set me up with the girl so he could grass me up."

         "Eddie, Dave didn't grass you up, as you put it; I did."

         "What! Well, I never dreamed it was you who told Anne."

         "I told Anne because she's my best friend and I honestly don't feel any guilt at all about telling her. You were right out of order behaving like that."

         Eddie seemed shocked by the revelation after having obviously assumed that it was Dave who told Anne. He looked at me and gave a smile. "I can't argue with that. I was out of order, but I have learnt a lesson and I have lost the girl I love and I did love her, I still do. If I ever get another chance with her I'll never do anything so stupid again and that's for sure."

         I shook my head. "She's getting married in six weeks."

         "I don't need reminding. You might think I don't care a lot because I'm here wishing them the best for the future, but it's all show. I'm in pieces really. Inside I'm devastated by it all."

         I turned to glance over at Dave. I thought perhaps he did set Eddie up. Maybe he had expected me to see the couple having sex against the wall when he escorted me to the outside toilet. I looked back at Eddie but something had stayed in my mind. Had I seen a glimpse of a middle aged man at the entrance as I looked over at Dave. I looked back at the entrance but there was nobody there. Was he here? Had my tormentor followed me to the bar? I stared blankly at nothing in particular as if in a trance. He is really getting to me now. I am imagining seeing him even when he is not here. At least I hope he’s not here.

Monica. Ch13.  (18+) Alan let's Monica down again. #1995145 by Bruce.