And Baby Makes Two

for the first time since Shinola was born, but I was standing in front of the cinema at exactly seven, cool and sophisticated in a silver slip dress and the double-breasted, three-quarter-length coat I bought in the market with my birthday money. A couple of guys gave me the eye while I was waiting, but I pretended I didn’t notice.

At exactly seven-thirty, when the programme was meant to start, I began to get worried. Maybe Les’d had an accident. These things happened all the time. Mrs Wallace, my teacher in Year Nine, had lost her husband because he’d been crossing a zebra at the same time as a car. He’d gone out for some milk and never came back. That could’ve happened to Les. Or a joy-rider could’ve ploughed into his car. That had happened in one of my favourite soaps.

He turned up at a few minutes past eight.

“You wouldn’t believe the traffic,” he told me. “It wasn’t just slow, it was parked.”

“It’s not your fault,” I assured him. “But we missed the film.”

Les must’ve heard the disappointment in my voice. He gave me a hug.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I really am.” He kissed my forehead. “You look great.”

This was exactly the sort of thing I wanted to hear.

Les grinned as if he’d just had the best idea since Coca-Cola.

“Tell you what. Why don’t we get a takeaway and go back to mine? They’re all away for the weekend. There’s a good film on the telly. We can watch that instead.” He rubbed his head against mine. “Be comfortable.”

I’d sort of thought we’d go to McDonald’s, you know, since it was our anniversary as well, but this was better. This was beyond my wildest dreams. Really. Les’s flatmates never seemed to go anywhere, except at Christmas. The house to ourselves! We could watch telly in bed, just like married people do.

“OK,” I said. “That sounds good to me.”

Riding back to Dollis Hill, I felt like Princess Diana must’ve felt riding in her limo to the palace. You know, before everything went so wrong between her and Prince Charles. I felt that chuffed. I looked out of the car window, watching the gangs of girls hanging out together on a Friday night, and they looked like little kids dressed up for a party.

Not me. I had a baby at home being looked after by her nan, and I was spending the night with my man. Mrs Mela could take her Romeo and Juliet and stuff it. This was almost as perfect as anything could get.

Les had my present all ready. It was wrapped and everything.

“Oh, wow,” I said. “Another charm.”

This one was a gold baby bottle. Personally, I’d still have preferred a heart.

“It seemed to suit you,” said Les.

I thanked him with a kiss.

He kissed me back.

“Come on upstairs,” he said, kissing me and pulling me at the same time.

Later, after we’d had our takeaway and officially given up on the film and discovered that one of Les’s flatmates must have taken the condoms he’d finally bought, he wrapped his arms around me with his head on my shoulder.

“Isn’t this better? Just the two of us?” he whispered.

I snuggled against him. I could see us getting up in the morning and brushing our teeth side by side at the sink.

“I wish it could always be like this,” I whispered back.

A little later he said, “So, are you going to stay the night?”

That was the first time I’d thought about going home. I was so happy, I’d lost track of everything. Including the time. But I resisted the urge to bolt out of bed and start putting on my clothes. He’d never invited me to spend the night at his place before. How could I say “No”?

“I really should get back…” I said.

“What difference does a couple more hours make?” asked Les. “It’s not as if your mum’s got somewhere to go. You can always tell her you went to what’s her name’s.”

“Shanee’s.”

“To Shanee’s.”

I couldn’t really think straight because he started kissing me again.

“Well…” I said. “I suppose I could stay just a little longer…”

She was right there in the hall, waiting for me when I finally got home. She had her arms folded in front of her. She looked like she’d been stuffed in a moment of anguish. Like the bear we saw at the museum in primary school. Only with a pink scarf tied around her head over her curlers.

“I’m sorry,” I said, before she could say anything. “Shanee and I went for a coffee after the film.” I casually squeezed past her. “God, I’m tired.”

“You drank coffee till nearly five in the morning?” asked my mother.

I took off my jacket. “We were having such a good time that we went back to hers. Since it’s the weekend.” I hung my jacket on a hook. “It was really great. I haven’t had a chance to really talk to Shanee in ages.” I gave her a smile. “Thanks.” I turned towards my room.

“Not so fast,” said Gruppenführer Spiggs. “I rang Shanee’s at midnight. Her mother said Shanee’d been home for nearly an hour. Alone.”

I laughed. “You know Mrs Tyler. There are so many people in and out she never knows who’s there.”

Hilary Spiggs snorted like the old hog she was.

“Well, you weren’t.”

I looked her in her beady eyes. “Yes, I was.”

“No, you weren’t. Lucy went and checked. Shanee was sound asleep.”

“All right, all right … I ran into some friends I hadn’t seen in ages, and I went with them. Shanee didn’t want to come.”

She smiled. “Oh, really?”

I kept looking at her, but I got ready to make a quick retreat.

“Really.”

“And might one ask why you’ve got your dress on inside out?”

I went numb for a second. I didn’t have to look down, though, to know that she was right. I could feel the seam of my dress with my hand.

“It’s not inside out. It’s meant to be this way.” I said it like I thought she’d lost her mind.

And then she did.

She knew where I was. I was out with him. Wasn’t one baby enough for me? Did I want more? Couldn’t I see that he was only using me?

That was when I lost it. “You don’t know anything about it!” I screamed. “We happen to be in love.”

“Love?” she screamed back. “You think this is love? If he really loved you he’d do more than take you to bed when he fancies.”

“Shut up!” I wanted to shake her. “Shut up and mind your own business for a change.”

She went dead calm. “Fine,” said my mother. “I’ll mind my own business. Because I’ll tell you one thing, Miss All-grown-up: I’m not going to mind your brats while you tart yourself around town. If you want to play house, you can play house on your own. I’m moving down to Charley’s for a while. You’re sixteen now. Sort yourself out and then you’re on your own. I’ll leave you housekeeping money in the blue teapot and I’ll talk to you in a couple of days.” She looked like she wanted to shake me. “Don’t ring me; I’ll ring you,” and then she banged past me and into her room.

Shinola started crying the second the door slammed shut.