things turned out. Maybe the plan would die a natural death. Eugene didn’t have a weapon, he knew that much, although he could always pretend he had one. The old pointed-finger-in-the-pocket routine. They’d done that quite a few times in the past.
‘I’ll be in touch,’ said Eugene. ‘Few weeks from now. There’ll be a few quid in it for you. You can donate your share to this dump, if you like.’ He walked out as slowly as he had come in.
11. A Date with Destiny
Kate had no idea why she was going on a date with Alex Stone. The lust that had consumed her for months seemed to have disappeared without trace, and she simply could not understand it. She’d been to the doctor for a list of tests, and there was nothing wrong with her. Her blood count, thyroid, and sugar levels had been tested. Everything was fine. The advice was to get plenty of sleep, eat well and relax more.
‘Shirley,’ she said, as her sister passed the bedroom door, wearing spider’s-web tights, an ankle-length skirt and a purple mohair sweater. ‘Will you do me a favour? Will you tell Alex, when he comes to the door, that I have a headache, and I’ve gone to bed?’
‘Sure, I will. Poor you! Will I tell him you’ll see him another time?’
‘I haven’t really got a headache, you stupid lump! I have simply changed my mind about the man.’
‘About time you saw sense. Why don’t you just ask him to step into the hall and tell him the truth tonight? It’s only fair.’
‘Oh! How did I get myself into this mess? It was okay talking to him when he was up against the wall in Hogan’s, when I could get away from him. But if he’s walking around the place freely, there’s going to be no escape.’ The doorbell rang just then, with a little wobble. The battery was running low. Kate flinched. ‘Wouldn’t you know it! He’s bang on time, the old slug! They always are, when you don’t want them.’ The two sisters looked at each other. Kate put her hand to her throat.
‘Look, go for the meal,’ advised Shirley, ‘and let him down gently. Just talk about general things, and keep the mood light.’
‘I suppose I’ll have to. What if he gets frisky?’
‘You’ll be fine, Kate. After all, this is a first date. He can hardly think he’s going to get any more than a quick kiss goodnight anyway.’
Kate blushed. Memories of other first dates flickered across her consciousness.
‘Why am I so worried? This is not like me at all, Shirley. I could always handle myself, before. Am I getting old? Losing my touch?’
‘I told you he was wrong for you, but you wouldn’t listen.’
Listen to Shirley! Well, that was the absolute limit! Anger temporarily took over. ‘Oh, shut up! What do you know about men? Let me past. I’m going to sort this mess out. And by the way, that outfit should carry a government health warning.’
‘Suit yourself, Bigmouth ,’ snapped Shirley, and she went into her tiny bedroom and banged the door. Her fabulous tights and sweater were the height of fashion. Kate was just jealous of them, she decided. They were the first new things she had bought in years. There was just no pleasing some people. She lay on the bed, debating whether to read a book, listen to a record, or dream about Declan. She decided to do all three, and let Kate sort out her complicated love life on her own.
Kate went down the stairs with a heavy heart. Alex was waving in at her through the patterned glass at the side of the front door. Kate hated him for doing that. It was intrusive, to say the least. And he looked awful. Seen through the lumpy glass, it was as if he had fourteen eyes. She opened the door, and he stepped right into the hall, forcing Kate to take two steps backwards. She had intended telling him the date was cancelled, there and then, but he was already peering into the sitting room.
‘Will I say hello to your parents, before we go?’
‘No, no. They’re watching television. We’ll just nip out,
‘I’ll be in touch,’ said Eugene. ‘Few weeks from now. There’ll be a few quid in it for you. You can donate your share to this dump, if you like.’ He walked out as slowly as he had come in.
11. A Date with Destiny
Kate had no idea why she was going on a date with Alex Stone. The lust that had consumed her for months seemed to have disappeared without trace, and she simply could not understand it. She’d been to the doctor for a list of tests, and there was nothing wrong with her. Her blood count, thyroid, and sugar levels had been tested. Everything was fine. The advice was to get plenty of sleep, eat well and relax more.
‘Shirley,’ she said, as her sister passed the bedroom door, wearing spider’s-web tights, an ankle-length skirt and a purple mohair sweater. ‘Will you do me a favour? Will you tell Alex, when he comes to the door, that I have a headache, and I’ve gone to bed?’
‘Sure, I will. Poor you! Will I tell him you’ll see him another time?’
‘I haven’t really got a headache, you stupid lump! I have simply changed my mind about the man.’
‘About time you saw sense. Why don’t you just ask him to step into the hall and tell him the truth tonight? It’s only fair.’
‘Oh! How did I get myself into this mess? It was okay talking to him when he was up against the wall in Hogan’s, when I could get away from him. But if he’s walking around the place freely, there’s going to be no escape.’ The doorbell rang just then, with a little wobble. The battery was running low. Kate flinched. ‘Wouldn’t you know it! He’s bang on time, the old slug! They always are, when you don’t want them.’ The two sisters looked at each other. Kate put her hand to her throat.
‘Look, go for the meal,’ advised Shirley, ‘and let him down gently. Just talk about general things, and keep the mood light.’
‘I suppose I’ll have to. What if he gets frisky?’
‘You’ll be fine, Kate. After all, this is a first date. He can hardly think he’s going to get any more than a quick kiss goodnight anyway.’
Kate blushed. Memories of other first dates flickered across her consciousness.
‘Why am I so worried? This is not like me at all, Shirley. I could always handle myself, before. Am I getting old? Losing my touch?’
‘I told you he was wrong for you, but you wouldn’t listen.’
Listen to Shirley! Well, that was the absolute limit! Anger temporarily took over. ‘Oh, shut up! What do you know about men? Let me past. I’m going to sort this mess out. And by the way, that outfit should carry a government health warning.’
‘Suit yourself, Bigmouth ,’ snapped Shirley, and she went into her tiny bedroom and banged the door. Her fabulous tights and sweater were the height of fashion. Kate was just jealous of them, she decided. They were the first new things she had bought in years. There was just no pleasing some people. She lay on the bed, debating whether to read a book, listen to a record, or dream about Declan. She decided to do all three, and let Kate sort out her complicated love life on her own.
Kate went down the stairs with a heavy heart. Alex was waving in at her through the patterned glass at the side of the front door. Kate hated him for doing that. It was intrusive, to say the least. And he looked awful. Seen through the lumpy glass, it was as if he had fourteen eyes. She opened the door, and he stepped right into the hall, forcing Kate to take two steps backwards. She had intended telling him the date was cancelled, there and then, but he was already peering into the sitting room.
‘Will I say hello to your parents, before we go?’
‘No, no. They’re watching television. We’ll just nip out,