Read Online Faded Dreams by Eileen Haworth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Eileen Haworth
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Edie’s wireless filtered through the kitchen wall. A band was playing, “Somebody Stole My Gal” - sweet and melodious, not loud and tinny the way Joe banged it out faster than you could sing it.
But this was no time to think of her husband. Frank had already slid the bar across the front door and now did the same with the sneck on the back door before pulling her again into his arms.
‘Not down here Frank,’ she breathed, guiding him towards the stairs.
As if in one mind they found themselves not in the marital bed but on the tiny tattered rug beside it. The linoleum was cold and cracked with pieces missing where the bed frame had mangled it, but when Frank tenderly placed his rolled-up rough khaki shirt underneath her head Florrie cared nothing for the shabby surroundings.
Only when they were sipping scalding tea in front of the kitchen fire did she realise the enormity of what she’d done. Over the years she’d had plenty of Friday night flirtations and finished up being kissed and cuddled up a back alley outside The Wheat Sheaf. Joe had most likely been up to the same thing with the barmaid from The Old Bank so what did it matter? It was just a bit of harmless fun that had never been a threat to her marriage.
But this was different, this wasn’t harmless fun, she had let everybody down, especially Joe and she would have to live with her secret from now on.
Unless...unless...Frank had other plans for her. She withdrew her hand from Frank’s and feverishly twisted her wedding ring as if reaffirming her marriage vows. He lit two cigarettes and handed her one.
‘I wish… I wish…’ she began.
‘Now don’t start having regrets, sweetheart.'
‘I won’t Frank, I promise I won’t.'
'I can’t go away knowing you are sorry or ashamed that we’ve loved each other.'
'But what’s going to happen now, Frank… to the two of us?’
'Who knows what’ll happen to any of us...tomorrow… or next week? We could all be bloody dead, couldn’t we? But I love you, Florrie, nothing can change that?'
'It can't end here, Frank, it mustn't.'
She sank to the floor sobbing quietly and rested her head against his knees. He stroked her hair, searching for the words that would pacify her.
‘Listen to me, cock,’ unwittingly he used the term of endearment familiar to East Lancashire. ‘When I come home… if I come home… the only thing for certain is that my life is with Janie and yours is with Joe.’
‘Don’t talk about Joe. What about us Frank ? You've just told me you love me and if you’re telling me now that it’s all over and done with between us... I can’t…I can’t go on.’ Through her tears she looked up at his sweet face and saw her own anguish mirrored in his eyes.
‘Yes you can, cock, you must … for the sake of the kids if nothing else.’ He swallowed hard, he had to make it right for her, he couldn’t leave her hoping, longing.
‘Joe’s not a bad lad, Florrie. God knows he can be a fiery bugger at times, but his heart’s in the right place and he has a lot of good in him. And he does love you even if he has a funny way of showing it.’
‘What about… Janie?’ She could hardly get the name out.
‘I don’t even know when I’ll see her again. I’ll drop her a line and tell her we’ve moved out. But don’t you fret about Janie, she’ll be all right with or without me,’ a slight bitterness crept into his voice, ‘you can bet Bob’ll not be far off, looking after her, no doubt about that.’
They clung together watching the orange flames against the sooty chimney, some soft and gentle, some striving with each burst of energy to reach into the blackness above.
Eventually he rose to his feet, smartened his uniform and unfolded his cap, wanting to hold her once more yet fearing that if he touched her again he would never leave.
‘I
But this was no time to think of her husband. Frank had already slid the bar across the front door and now did the same with the sneck on the back door before pulling her again into his arms.
‘Not down here Frank,’ she breathed, guiding him towards the stairs.
As if in one mind they found themselves not in the marital bed but on the tiny tattered rug beside it. The linoleum was cold and cracked with pieces missing where the bed frame had mangled it, but when Frank tenderly placed his rolled-up rough khaki shirt underneath her head Florrie cared nothing for the shabby surroundings.
Only when they were sipping scalding tea in front of the kitchen fire did she realise the enormity of what she’d done. Over the years she’d had plenty of Friday night flirtations and finished up being kissed and cuddled up a back alley outside The Wheat Sheaf. Joe had most likely been up to the same thing with the barmaid from The Old Bank so what did it matter? It was just a bit of harmless fun that had never been a threat to her marriage.
But this was different, this wasn’t harmless fun, she had let everybody down, especially Joe and she would have to live with her secret from now on.
Unless...unless...Frank had other plans for her. She withdrew her hand from Frank’s and feverishly twisted her wedding ring as if reaffirming her marriage vows. He lit two cigarettes and handed her one.
‘I wish… I wish…’ she began.
‘Now don’t start having regrets, sweetheart.'
‘I won’t Frank, I promise I won’t.'
'I can’t go away knowing you are sorry or ashamed that we’ve loved each other.'
'But what’s going to happen now, Frank… to the two of us?’
'Who knows what’ll happen to any of us...tomorrow… or next week? We could all be bloody dead, couldn’t we? But I love you, Florrie, nothing can change that?'
'It can't end here, Frank, it mustn't.'
She sank to the floor sobbing quietly and rested her head against his knees. He stroked her hair, searching for the words that would pacify her.
‘Listen to me, cock,’ unwittingly he used the term of endearment familiar to East Lancashire. ‘When I come home… if I come home… the only thing for certain is that my life is with Janie and yours is with Joe.’
‘Don’t talk about Joe. What about us Frank ? You've just told me you love me and if you’re telling me now that it’s all over and done with between us... I can’t…I can’t go on.’ Through her tears she looked up at his sweet face and saw her own anguish mirrored in his eyes.
‘Yes you can, cock, you must … for the sake of the kids if nothing else.’ He swallowed hard, he had to make it right for her, he couldn’t leave her hoping, longing.
‘Joe’s not a bad lad, Florrie. God knows he can be a fiery bugger at times, but his heart’s in the right place and he has a lot of good in him. And he does love you even if he has a funny way of showing it.’
‘What about… Janie?’ She could hardly get the name out.
‘I don’t even know when I’ll see her again. I’ll drop her a line and tell her we’ve moved out. But don’t you fret about Janie, she’ll be all right with or without me,’ a slight bitterness crept into his voice, ‘you can bet Bob’ll not be far off, looking after her, no doubt about that.’
They clung together watching the orange flames against the sooty chimney, some soft and gentle, some striving with each burst of energy to reach into the blackness above.
Eventually he rose to his feet, smartened his uniform and unfolded his cap, wanting to hold her once more yet fearing that if he touched her again he would never leave.
‘I
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