The Serial: The Green Years, Day 45

All the old loving feelings she’d had for Kenny had surfaced when he’d come to see her at the hospital, wearing his T.A. uniform, just for her

Ian spoke to his dog. “It’s all right, boy,” he said quietly to Rebel, stroking his head before opening the door. The tall figure of a soldier confronted him. “Your name Brown?” he spat rather than asked. Ian nodded. “It is,” he replied, warily, feeling a sensation of danger forming in his stomach, at the sight of the angry face before him. “Then step outside, “the soldier ordered. “I’ve got a message for you from Maisie.”

At the mention of Maisie’s name, it all at once became clear to Ian. This was the boyfriend she’d gone to meet from the badminton club that night. This must be the soldier.

The growl from Rebel increased as he sensed his master was in danger. “And you can shut that mutt up for a start,” Kenny said, eyeing the animal for any sudden movement.

“I know why you’re here,” Ian said, a calm sense of defeat suddenly settling in his heart, “and it’s not what you think.”

“I’ll be the judge of what I think,” Kenny retorted. “So like I said, step out here like a man, if you can call yourself that.”

Encounter

The gauntlet had been thrown down but Ian Brown knew when to back off and didn’t pick it up. “If you’ll just listen,” he began, his mind taking control, “I’ll explain everything.”

Kenny stood his ground. “Well,” he said impatiently, never breaking eye contact with his rival, “I’m listening, and it had better be good.”

Ian told of his first encounter with Maisie and Chrissie in the Den o’Mains and how he’d tried to get to know her ever since.

“But she didn’t want to know me,” he concluded glumly, “and it was Chrissie’s mother that arranged for me to come to their house on Christmas Day. The Last Chance Saloon, so to speak. Again, no matter what I did to try to win her over, Maisie just didn’t want to know. So when she insisted I drive her back to Fintry in the snow, I couldn’t refuse and that’s when I crashed the car.”

Kenny felt his muscles ease. Ian Brown was no more a threat to him than a feather in the wind. What had Maisie been thinking off, he wondered, giving this man a second thought when she had him?

Kenny straightened his army jacket and made to head off.

“But just in case you’re making this up,” he added, “I’ll check with Mrs Dalton and if she doesn’t back your story up, then, well, I don’t have to tell you what’ll happen to you.”

“She’ll back it up,” Ian said, and although it was with total defeat now staring him in the face that he closed the door, it was also with a measure of relief that Kenny had won.

In trying to understand what had gone wrong, his thoughts went back to the hospital ward, when Maisie’s parents had looked at him with disinterest, knowing they had nothing in common with him, nor he with them.

No wonder Maisie had rejected him. He had made her feel unsure of herself with his patronising attention and for the first time he realised that maybe it wasn’t Fiona who was the snob, after all, perhaps it was him.

Desperate

Maisie’s mum and dad picked her up from the DRI to take her home. It was the day before Hogmanay and, although the snow hadn’t returned, the wind was from the north and icy.

“Here,” her mother said, wrapping Maisie’s Christmas scarf round her neck. “It’s a wee walk to the bus, but your dad and me were a bit short for a taxi, with you being on sick pay this week.”

“It’s OK, mum,” Maisie assured her. “It’s just a broken bone that’ll mend in a few weeks and I’ll still manage my job after the New Year. Look!”

She raised her right arm to prove it.

Maisie was desperate to see Chrissie. She would know how Kenny was and what had happened when he’d got hold of Ian Brown. As soon as she got home and had some hot soup, she’d go round to her house and get some answers.

All the old loving feelings she’d had for Kenny had surfaced when he’d come to see her at the hospital, wearing his T.A. uniform, just for her.

She’d realised that she’d loved him from the moment she’d met him at Keiller’s and it was only her silly ideas of trying to be like Fiona Campbell that had tempted her with Ian Brown.

But now where did she stand? She didn’t want to be with Ian, she knew that for sure, but with Kenny now hating her, she felt as if she was well and truly back to square one. Unloved and unlovable.

Chrissie welcomed her with open arms. “Maisie,” she cried, “come in, come in.”

The girls tiptoed through to Chrissie’s bedroom while her mum and dad were engrossed in the latest TV game show.

Maisie told Chrissie the whole sorry saga, forgetting as usual about her friend’s dilemma. “So, I don’t know what’s happened to him and whether I’ll ever see him again.

“Oh Chrissie,” Maisie wept, “it’s over!” “C’mon,” Chrissie urged her. “Let’s go into the kitchen and get some hot chocolate.” Maisie meekly followed. “I’m seeing Rab later on,” Chrissie said. “He’ll tell Kenny how upset you are and find out what happened.”

“Oh, I’m sorry Chrissie, I forgot you and Rab were an item now and here’s me thinking of myself again.”

Favour

Chrissie handed Maisie the mug of cocoa. “You could do me a favour, actually.

“If you’d like to, that is, but with all that’s going on I’ll understand if you say no.”

“Anything,” said Maisie, glad of the distraction from her own troubles.

“Well,” Chrissie began, “I need to meet Tommy Murphy tomorrow at the dock gates so that I can give him back this.”

She produced the silver bracelet from the drawer. “I know it sounds daft but I did love him once and he doesn’t deserve to be stood up just because I’ve changed my mind about things.”

Maisie nodded. Chrissie was wise beyond her years. She always considered others’ feelings, not like Maisie who had thought of nothing but herself and her own needs for months now.

And look where that had got her.

“So, what do you want me to do?” Maisie asked, unsure of her role in all of this.

“I want you to come with me, please. I’m not brave like you and I don’t think I can do it alone.”

Me, brave, thought Maisie! She’d never felt so scared in her life and so in need of Kenny’s strong arms.

More tomorrow.