Closer than Blood: Friendship Helps You Survive. Julie Shaw

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СКАЧАТЬ sure of one thing; that this wasn’t quite how she expected her and Keith’s first date to be panning out. She hoped it wasn’t indicative of how the rest of it was going to go. Nothing to drink, and having to stand around with a pair of gawping idiots. Where was the romance in that?

      ‘Leave her alone, Titch, or I’ll bleeding bop you one,’ Keith said, equally brightly. ‘Anyway, where’s your birds, then? Mislaid them somewhere, have you?’

      Shirley stood by Keith, keeping her arm tucked in the crook of his, and wondered what sort of girls would want to go out with either of them. ‘As it happens,’ Titch answered, puffing himself up importantly, ‘Jayne Mansfield was tied up tonight and I told Doris Day I was having a night in. Thought I’d come and check out some local talent for a change.’

      ‘Course you did,’ Keith said, squeezing Shirley’s arm. ‘And fortunately for the rest of us, the local talent know an ugly little bleeder when they see one.’

      This little quip seemed to invoke some sort of laddish primeval instinct, because she was then forced to step aside as the three of them started shadow boxing with each other, and right in the middle of the bar queue as well. She scanned the room, hoping that Anita might be in too, but she wasn’t – not yet, anyway. And this wasn’t at all the sort of night out she’d had in mind with her new boyfriend.

      Perhaps reading her thoughts, Keith stopped messing about with his friends and finally got her a milkshake but, to her surprise, ordered nothing for himself. Did that mean he was sloping off to the Red Lion now? If so, what was she supposed to do?

      ‘Aren’t you having a drink?’ Shirley asked him. She sincerely hoped he wasn’t about to up and leave her there.

      He shook his head. ‘Nah,’ he said. ‘I’ll get one in a bit. Later on, once I’ve got a bit of money.’

      Shirley felt dismayed all over again. Didn’t he have enough money now? Had he really come out with only enough money to pay for them both to get in and buy one measly drink? She wasn’t sure what to do – she did have a few bob of her own tucked into her bag, but she hadn’t expected to have to spend it. And he might be offended if she suggested it, anyway. ‘I’ve got enough for us both to have one,’ she decided to suggest anyway, wondering where he imagined he might be getting this ‘bit of money’ from, exactly.

      Keith shook his head a second time. ‘Don’t need it,’ he said, smiling. ‘Thanks, but no thanks. Just wait a bit – till the band gets going – and then I’ll have plenty. Just wait and see.’

      The band duly started and the floor began filling up. ‘Come on,’ Keith said. ‘It’s the Four Pennies. I like this one, don’t you?’

      Shirley didn’t have a clue what he was on about, but now the music was playing and they were up and dancing along to it, she didn’t care. They danced to that song, then the next, then jived to Buddy Holly, and, at last, she felt entirely in her element. Anita had been right – Keith really was good enough to show them how it was done, and before long she was aware that a space had cleared around them, not so much to watch, exactly, just to give them sufficient room. And she was loving it, feeling a million dollars in the lemon blouse and polka-dot skirt she’d made herself, loving the way the colours blurred into one as she danced, and the swish of the frilly underskirt that peeked from under the hem. Loving how, when Keith sent her into a spin, it mushroomed out so prettily all around her. But what she most loved was how Keith was such a brilliant, brilliant dancer and how she was getting such envious looks from all the other girls. Keith Hudson, she realised, must be a bit of a catch.

      All good things had to come to an end, however, and when she spied Bobby Moran waving at them both about half an hour later, she knew their turn on the dance-floor was done. At least for the moment. ‘Quick!’ Keith whispered to her as Bobby acknowledged that he’d seen him. ‘What’s your favourite song?’

      Shirley was confused. ‘Um, er … I don’t know. Why? What do you mean?’

      ‘Your favourite singer? Your favourite song? Both, if you like. What is it?’

      ‘Um …’ Shirley began, wondering what the hell was going on. ‘Er, how about “Why” by Anthony Newley?’ she suggested. ‘But Keith, why d’you want to know, anyway?’

      Keith grinned at her. ‘Right then,’ he said, not answering her question. ‘You go stand over there and you’ll see.’

      ‘Over where? And what about you? Where are you going, then?’

      ‘Go on. Go over by Titch,’ he said nudging her in the general direction. ‘Don’t worry. I won’t be long.’ Then, to her dismay, Shirley found herself left alone in the middle of the dance-floor as her new date turned around and marched off.

      What the hell’s going on? She thought crossly as she stomped back towards the bar. Titch, indeed. What kind of a name was that, anyway? Yes, he was tiny – really tiny – but he had a not-at-all titchy nose. Which looked like it was broken. And though she was willing to concede that he had a friendly enough smile, she was in no mood to be friendly in return. ‘What’s Keith’s bloody game?’ she demanded when she reached him.

      Titch laughed. And that was another thing. Why did they all seem to find everything so funny? Why did there seem to be this permanent joke that she wasn’t allowed in on? ‘Hark at you!’ he said, apparently not remotely concerned to have her scowling at him. ‘You sound like one of them posh birds off the films. Keep yer knickers on, love. He’ll be back soon enough.’

      He nudged her as well. Then he pointed towards the stage, where the band were setting up and testing their sound, and where – to Shirley’s horror – Keith was standing now as well, holding a microphone. What was he doing up there? She couldn’t imagine anything more excruciating. Standing up there, with everyone staring. But, from the look of him, he didn’t seem to be self-conscious at all. They were obviously about to start performing as well, because the music from the juke-box was starting to fade out.

      ‘Is he going to sing?’ she asked his friend, but the question was answered before he could. Keith was indeed going to sing. In fact, he was already singing. Singing ‘Why’ by Anthony Newley.

      Crooning the words, he smiled down at the growing cluster of girls at the front. The room had fallen silent, and those who had been dancing were now shuffling towards the stage, forming a semi-circle at the front.

      Good grief, Shirley’s thought, her mouth hanging open as she listened. He sang even better than most of her favourite singers, Cliff included. How had she not known this about him? How come he hadn’t said? She was so shocked, she even found herself smiling at Titch. ‘Shall we go up there to watch?’ she asked, feeling a sudden urgent need to get to the front herself, so that he could sing to her.

      ‘Sure,’ he said, leading the way proprietorially as they threaded through the crowd. And it was a crowd, too. Keith Hudson was obviously very popular. He was definitely popular with Shirley right now. In fact she was almost bursting with pride at this new boyfriend of hers. Just getting up on stage and singing like that! Imagine! She couldn’t have done anything like that in a million years. And nor, more to the point, could John Arnold. And as they reached the front, Keith immediately began to sing directly at her.

      He could have carried on in that vein all night, Shirley decided, but the song came to an end and his turn on the stage was obviously done, to a deafening round of applause. Keith was obviously popular; Shirley noticed that his other friend, Bobby Moran, had taken off his silly hat and was now walking СКАЧАТЬ