Common logic told her that the odds of him being there at that time of the day were quite small when she considered how many people there were in the town, and besides, Friday was delivery day for the larger stores and the time when they attracted the larger customer flow as well as being payday. Soon she was back in the bank, had made the tea, and was wondering why she was getting confused and flustered just thinking about a complete stranger. It was another week later that she decided to buy another box of Chocolate Soldiers if there were any at the store. On this occasion, she decided to keep to the confectionery department of the store, but all that remained on the shelves was a small box of Terry’s Old Gold.
After checking her ration coupon, she gave in to her better judgment and decided that the Old Gold was better than nothing. Suddenly, as she moved to pick up the chocolates, she heard a familiar voice from behind her. She became very tensed and nervous. ‘I didn’t think that you could last out very long without chocolates,’ she heard the male voice say. She took a deep breath, turned, gave him a little smile, and made her way towards the fruit and vegetable department as he followed her. ‘You shouldn’t go making assumptions and get upset just because some things don’t happen the way you want them to,’ he said. Ignoring him, she picked up two rather bruised and battered apples and then went towards the pay counter as slim, dark, and handsome followed. ‘What would have happened if I had called you?’ he asked. ‘I don’t know,’ she replied, icily. ‘And you don’t care, right?’ he said, in a mocking tone. Vera paused and then turned to him slowly. She was wondering if she should speak her mind again. ‘No, as a matter of fact, I did care. I cared for about two weeks, and then the strain of caring and being disappointed got a little too much. I taught myself to care less. But you know I am rather mad at myself that I did. I just wanted to know that you cared enough to make some effort.’ ‘Would you have been so honest over the phone?’ he asked. ‘Yes, I consider myself a very honest person,’ she replied. Kirk looked straight at her before saying, ‘Well, let me tell you what I did after we first met. I rehearsed a dozen different opening lines, thought up several answering phrases, and I even practiced my voice. I tried to figure out if I should try to sound casual or serious. By the following day, I didn’t even recognize myself anymore, so I decided that this phone business was a rotten idea after all. I therefore developed another plan.’ It was Vera’s turn to grin. ‘I see, and that plan would have been to hope that we would once again meet by the chocolate counter, was that your great plan?’ she said in a mocking fashion. ‘It wasn’t by chance, in fact, it was inevitable seeing as I come here almost every Friday evening.’ Vera lifted her eyebrows as he continued to tell her, ‘Are you aware that this store gets a delivery every Friday? Most of the stuff is sold very quickly as they really don’t get enough for all of their customer’s needs, but Cadbury Chocolate Soldiers are a luxury when there is a war on, a luxury that most people can’t afford to waste their precious coupons on.’ ‘And, of course, you know that I come here as well most Fridays after work?’ she replied.
Before either of them could say anything more, a young shop message boy came close to Kirk and said, ‘Hi, Kirk, did that girl ever turn up?’ ‘Hi, Billy,’ Kirk replied, and he then very quietly said, ‘She is here now.’ discretely nodding in Vera’s direction. Vera couldn’t help overhearing a bit of their conversation. ‘How often have you been here in the last two weeks?’ she asked Kirk. ‘Oh once or ... a few times,’ Kirk replied. ‘OK then every day since we met’ he admitted. ‘You and your fancy plans,’ she muttered. ‘Do I pass then?’ Kirk asked as he handed her a slip of paper. It had the Northern Bank telephone number on it. She smiled and held out her hand. ‘Call me Vera’ she said.
When Kirk got home one day, he thought of his mother being dead. She had died in the Workhouse. He had survived, but now his father was also dead. His father had died in a tragic accident. He had just sat there not knowing what to do or say, knowing he would never see or speak to his father again. He cried for his father and then for his mother. Never again would they see the light of day. Never will Kirk forget that day as it was so strained and painful. He didn’t have either of his parents any more. In one day, his life was broken up, shattered to pieces. He went to a new College and then to a new workplace but every morning, he was scared of what the other students and collagues would think of him if they knew his secret.
CHAPTER 4
Vera and Kirk’s First Date
Vera was trying to sort out which of her outfits to wear on her first date with Kirk Hansen for the following evening. She had been on exactly three dates in the past year and none of them were with people that she had met at a grocery store. He said that he was taking her to a dance at the local Pavilion Dance Hall in Main Street, but she didn’t quite know what to wear, so she rang a friend from the bank who was more the dance-hall-type than she was. ‘He suggested that we meet at the dance hall,’ Vera told her friend Julie. ‘Wear something flamboyant then,’ suggested her friend. ‘Oh sure, let me go and find a shocking pink top and a silver skirt,’ was Vera’s reply. ‘I have those,’ said Julie. ‘I know you have,’ Vera answered. ‘And I am sure you look great in them being so slim, willowy, and blonde. You suit those kinds of outfits. Petite little redheads do not possess flamboyant clothes, unless you count my royal blue twin set as opposed to my purple siren suit but I will sort something out, no doubt.’ ‘Well, I had better get going,’ said Julie, ‘I am late for my date. Just relax and enjoy yourself. Oh. .. What did you say his name is?’ Julie asked. ‘I didn’t,’ Vera replied. ‘Are you going to tell me?’ There was a short pause before Vera said, ‘If it goes well, maybe I will.’ ‘Why all this paranoia and superstition, I thought that you didn’t like superstitious people?’ ‘I am not at all superstitious and I am certainly not worried. If I tell you who he is and it doesn’t work out, it would appear as though I am counting my chickens before they are hatched,’ Vera said. ‘You have finally gone over the edge, Vera Roberts. Do you think that I might know this bloke and you are scared about falling for someone that I might know?’ ‘I have a suspicion that you might possibly know him, or know of him. I really don’t want to be influenced in any way towards him. I would like to enter into this with my eyes and mind open.’ ‘Are you worried whether I would approve or not?’ ‘No, I can judge for myself,’ Vera replied. ‘Well, now I must go, or I will be very late,’ said Julie. But Vera had something on her mind. ‘Julie,’ she said, ‘why is it that men never ask me out twice?’ Julie hesitated and then asked gently, ‘What is it that I sometimes call you?’ There was a short pause. ‘You know, I don’t like that,’ said Vera. ‘Vera, it is not always bad to have a touch of the ice maiden attitude. It lets you be detached from situations and think more clearly about things. It also helps with relationships that are not worth your time. But for those that you like and want to have a relationship with, perhaps a little warmer towards them might be the answer’. Vera hesitated for a few moments before saying, ‘That was a very nice way of telling me that I scare them off and that I am afraid of commitment.’ ‘Yes, but don’t you go staying up half the night analyzing yourself. We are all afraid of commitment to some extent. Get a good night sleep and remember where dress is concerned, black can be dressed up or down. Oh, and I shall expect a full report, Bye.’ The following day, Vera spent her lunch hour in the only second-hand clothes shop in the town. This was the easiest and cheapest way to get clothes during the war. Not only was it cheaper, but they did not require ration coupons to buy. She did of course have some misgivings about buying things that other people didn’t want nor had no longer any need of, but this was wartime. The Pavilion Ballroom was a small sparsely furnished place. It had dark hardwood floors with plastic chairs round three-quarters of the perimeter of the main dance area. In one corner, a spiral staircase wound its way up to the second floor, which was more of a balcony with about half a dozen small tables for two. This balcony offered an excellent view of the dance floor underneath. Vera had arrived at the hall twenty minutes early, and she couldn’t help noticing that there was little evidence that Christmas was just around the corner.