Free Rumours and Red Roses by Patricia Fawcett

special. They had waited a while, become friends, laughedtogether, talked together, and that mattered. It made Terry’s wham-bam approach seem so puerile. This time, their first time, it would be the start of a long relationship. Whether or not marriage featured, she could not yet be sure, but just now it did not matter.
    ‘Come here, darling …’ He spun her round and opened his arms to her, his gaze bold and confident, and she went into them, nestling her head against his chest as he began to stroke her hair. ‘Has anyone told you that you have the most beautiful eyes?’
    She smiled, dipped her head, better now at accepting compliments gracefully.
    And then, at last, standing in the lamp-lit room, he was cupping her face in his hands and kissing her properly. His lips brushed hers lightly at first, that first touch sending a blaze through her body. Time stood still. Or rather everything slowed. Then it speeded up frantically and was all happening with a sudden urgency. The bedroom beckoned and, still kissing each other, they stumbled towards it, clothing removed in the wink of an eye, tossed aside.
    Perfect.
    Absolutely perfect.
    And afterwards, relaxed and warm, it was time to say it, for Simon to stroke her face gently, smile down into her blissfully happy eyes and tell her that he loved her.
    And she needed no second bidding to tell him that she loved him too.
     
    To Becky’s delight and relief, Simon’s parents, Esther and Johnny, thought her mum quite enchanting. The first time they met face to face, a meeting she had been secretly dreading, it went very well, with Shelley on her best behaviour, which usually meant something was bound to go horribly wrong.
    Becky had got herself a small car for now that she was with Simon and things were looking up financially she saw no reason to hang on to her hard-earned savings for a rainy day. With a bit of luck, her rainy days were over. With Simon at her side, she soon learned that the only way to get over her natural timidity in the driver’s seat was to drive. And drive and drive. Now, with wheels attached and her confidence high, she wondered how on earth she had managed before.
    ‘I’ve got myself into a state,’ Shelley told Becky on the way over toSimon’s parents home on the other side of town. ‘My heart’s going like nobody’s business. I feel like I’m going to the scaffold. Ivana doesn’t help. She says I have to be careful what I say and how I say it.’
    ‘And since when have you ever taken notice of what she says?’
    ‘I know but as she points out you’re not there yet. We’ve had all this before.’ Shelley glanced at her irritably. ‘As Ivana says, it’s not over until the fat lady sings. I won’t rest easy until you’ve got the ring on your finger. But don’t you worry, I shan’t say a word about Terry. Did you know she’s had twins, that woman of his? That was quick work. Two lads. That could have been you, Becky, although I wouldn’t wish twins on my worst enemy. Just think about all those nappies.’
    Becky ignored that. She knew about Terry’s twins for word travelled fast in these parts but the news had left her remarkably unmoved. She signalled and switched lanes, confident now, preparing to turn into the quiet avenue where his parents lived. She dare not tell her mother just how worried she was herself about tonight. She had worried when Simon first introduced her to them but Esther had made her feel at ease straightaway although Johnny … well, she was reserving judgement on him.
    ‘Just be yourself, Mum, but watch your language,’ she warned as they neared the house. ‘Esther doesn’t swear.’
    ‘Neither do I unless I’m provoked. Is that it? Bloody hell, look at the size of it. Stop on the road here a minute,’ she said as Becky prepared to pull into the drive. ‘I can’t go in just yet. I need to catch my breath. Oh, Becky, I’m so worried I’m going to let you down. Do I look all right?’
    ‘You look