You brought me home, you silly sod. I might not remember much but I do remember that.
Cress said, You comin’ inside to pull me a pint?
I’m done, and she pointed to the CLOSED sign. Col’s on the taps and I’m sunning, she said.
When he’d gone, Peg pulled her dress above her knees. The sun felt warm on her crotch, made her feel wet and easy, same feeling as when she’d set eyes on American Boy.
He was a good dancer. She’d noticed that first. Better than his mate, though to look at them they could’ve been brothers. Mate peeled away to the bar and Eddie’s eyes latched on to hers. Like stars colliding, he told her. And then they danced celestially till their clothes were wet and their appetites raw and afterwards, in a café on Old Compton Street, they ate a sorry dish of unidentifiable meat and spuds.
Eddie had lovely hair （thick, shiny, dark） and Peg ran her hand through it and said it felt like silk and Eddie blushed because he was still a boy despite his age. Eddie told her he was going to college after the war to take over his father’s business and Peg asked, What business? and he said, Oranges. Peg said she hadn’t tasted an orange in two years and Eddie said he’d have to see about that. Eddie asked if he could see her on Saturday and Peg said, Just try and stop me and Eddie laughed. Eddie had good teeth too. American white. Slight overbite when he kissed her, but nothing that couldn’t be sorted out with practice. Eddie paid the bill and asked if he could come home with her and she said, Not tonight sunshine, and he said, I love your accent and she said, Still not tonight. That was when Eddie mentioned a hotel room on Saturday night and Peg’s knees could’ve given way there and then. I’m gonna treat you like a princess, he said.
Music from the turntable inside. ‘Someday My Prince Will Come’。
Bloody comedian, Col! she shouted, and she stood up and went back into the bar with a black mood descending.
All week, she was up early wiping down tables and checking the optics. She was sober and charming and still put everyone on edge. What’s up with Peg? Fuck knows, said Col, skirting about her as if she was a volcano ready to blow. And yet she didn’t. She just smoked. She did the accounts, placed the orders, took Ginny down to the canal to find the kittens Cress said had been born that week. On Thursday night Peg polished the countertop with another coating of Brasso and Col said it shone like a crystal ball. Col said, I see Saturday night. I see you and wonder boy out on the town.
Peg did a double take at first. What’s that? she said.
You heard, said Col and Peg jumped into his arms and straddled his waist with her good strong legs and he felt that nudge again real hard. All right all right, he said, needing to go down to the cellar to finish himself off.
When Saturday night rolled round, it rolled warm and yellow, and the canal shimmered with a million crazy stars and set the dogs barking.
Clack clack clack Peg’s heels down the stairs. Col smelt her before he saw her, and she smelt French and flowery, all allure. She entered the bar with blue eyes and red lips and blonde hair and skirt tight.
Col said, I hope he’s worth it. And Peg said, He’s an American, Col. He’s worth it.
Col handed Peg a gin and tonic.
You be careful, Peg. Don’t you go falling.
Here’s to falling and being caught, said Peg and she raised her glass.
Here, said Col. Kathleen dropped it in for you.
He pushed an envelope across the bar. Peg opened it and pocketed the money.
He say anything? said Col.
We don’t do letters, Col, you know we don’t. The money says he’s alive and that’s all I want to know. We’ll sort everything else out when he’s back.
He’s a good boy.
I know he is.
Don’t wait up sunshine, she added.
Peg?
She turned. What? she said.
You’re better than the lot of them.
It was a classy restaurant. Violins played and a waiter flapped out her napkin and laid it in her lap. Even called her madam, which was a bloody cut above. Eddie beamed at her, teeth polished and breath like mint. His handsomeness shot straight to her knickers.
He pushed two boxes across the table.
Open them, he said. So you know I’m serious about you.
Peg felt other tables looking at her. She opened the larger box and lifted out an orange. It was the most perfect orange. She closed her eyes and smelt it. Could’ve bitten into it there and then and when she heard someone laugh it almost ruined the moment.
Next, he said, and she was prepared to feign delight at the little box, but when she opened the lid the brooch was beautiful, so she didn’t have to. Eddie took it from her hand and held it up to the light.