Chapter 2

Apart from Tina's directions it was an almost silent journey back to her home, almost anticlimactic after the unrestrained talk of the previous hour. Christopher's prognosis was correct. It was a rundown area and he spotted two or three gangs of youths loitering or patrolling in an aggressive sort of way.

When they stopped outside her door Tina asked almost shyly, "Will you really pick me up on Monday morning?"

Christopher smiled at her. "Yes, Tina. Really really. What time do you have to be in by?"

"I try for half past eight."

"OK. I'll pick you up at eight. We'd better swap numbers in case there's a crisis."

They did that.

"Thanks, Christopher, for everything and I enjoyed our visit to the pizza parlour."

"Not at all. Rescuing damsels in distress will become my vocation if they're all like you."

He was unable to see her blush in the light of the street lamps. She touched his arm gently and was gone. He watched her safely in and then drove away.

"She's a funny mixture," he thought. "Obviously that lout upset her but she recovered quickly, reaction possibly. She went on being fun and amusing though. I really enjoyed her company but as soon as we were in the car she went into her shell. I wonder why. It wasn't as though I was in any way forward."

He chuckled at 'forward'. "I'm sounding like Dad," he thought. "Anyway, she certainly can be fun and she's very, very pretty. I must see if she'll come out with me rather than just commute."

As usual he walked to the rugby ground the next day. The beer intake after the match totally precluded driving. He thoroughly enjoyed the game. It was hard fought but that was always more fun than a walkover or a thrashing. He played well too and received a number of pats on the back as well as being told he had played a blinder.

He slept late on Sunday morning and still woke with a bit of a hangover but that soon went and he buckled to and did his weekend chores. In the evening he rang home as usual and was surprised when his sister answered the phone.

"Hi, Ellie! Why aren't you on your way back to London?"

"I got a throat thing on Friday. Yesterday was pretty uncomfortable but I'm much better today. Even so, Mum got all bossy and so I'm going to ring in sick tomorrow."

"Well done Mum!"

"Yes. I didn't feel up to it yesterday so I can do my weekend ride tomorrow. Anything new in your life?"

"Not really." He chuckled. "Oh, I had to rescue a damsel in distress at the pub on Friday evening."

"Ooh my hero! Was she pretty?"

"Very."

"Ah! Ulterior motives."

"No actually. I'd only seen the back of her head. She is pretty though. Very. Dark red hair and tiny. She's fun too."

"Are you going to see more of her?"

"Yes. I offered to give her a lift in and back from work every day."

"Did you just? Why, apart from lust?"

"Foul girl! She lives in a very rough area of the East End and admitted that she was worried about being out after dark."

"Why does she live there then?"

"I don't know. Money, I imagine, but I gathered she's earning a reasonable salary."

"Does she come from the East End?"

"No. I'm no expert on accents but she's a Northerner. Went to Leeds University."

"Do you think she's a loner?"

"I wouldn't have thought so. She was bright and amusing until I drove her home and then she did become surprisingly quiet."

"Alone with a strange man?"

"I hope I wasn't that strange having spent an hour and a half or so with her and got on well as far as I could see."

"I don't know, Chris. I'd have to meet her to get an inkling. How well do the other girls in her party know her?"

"I don't know."

"Relax then. Get to know them as well. One of them is bound to confide in you at some stage if you look like becoming an item and they care for her."

"Thanks, Ellie. I just wondered if I had put up a black somehow."

"Not if I know you. You're not bad as far as blokes go."

Christopher made a rude noise and Ellie giggled.

"I'd better let you to talk to Mum."

Monday morning went as planned. Tina gave Christopher a warm smile as she got into the car.

"No injuries that I can see," she grinned.

"Nope. One or two minor aches and pains but it was a good game."

"And an extra ache on Sunday morning?"

"Cheeky girl!"

"I'm not naive."

"Clearly not innocent either."

She looked at him wide-eyed.

Despite supposedly keeping his eyes on the road he noticed and chuckled.

"I'm clearly going to have to watch my step with you."

"Yup!"

He did not notice the look in her eyes when she said that.

"What time do you finish work?" he asked.

"Half past fiveish."

"So there can be crises."

"Not often."

"Same here so how about we arrange to meet at twenty to six at the car park entrance unless there's a crisis in which case the critical one will ring the other?"

"Sounds good."

"You don't want a drink before we go home?"

"No thanks." She did not offer qualification.

"OK. Fine. Nor do I normally."

The rest of the week went well and they chatted away happily but inconsequentially during their morning and evening journeys. On Friday they agreed to make their individual ways to the Ancient Mariner. Christopher did not say so but decided to himself that the boys would not join the girls unless invited.

That happened. Barry and Geoffrey never even suggested it and the three of them nattered away in their usual manner. They were half way through their second pint when Merle came past and said hello to them. She pulled Christopher a little way away.

"I can't say much at the moment," she said, "or Tina will smell a rat. This is my mobile number. Give me ring sometime soon." She slipped a piece of paper into his jacket pocket and was gone presumably to the Ladies.

Later as he was getting towards the end of his final drink Christopher drifted over to the girls' table, greeted them all and then asked Tina if she was feeling like a pizza in ten to fifteen minutes.

"You bet," she smiled.

As she had the previous week Tina chatted happily over their pizzas. He was unable to restrain himself from asking the question that had been bothering him all week.

"Tina, please don't take this the wrong way but you must be earning enough to be able to move to a slightly more up market area then Bromley."