CHAPTER 32
The boys set off home on Boxing Day, timing their departure to match my own exit on the way to work. Graham had worked with Kim the day before to prepare the vegetables in the boot of his car along with the beef joint I had spotted hidden away in the back of the fridge, so our Christmas Dinner had been as good a meal as we could make it, and in as traditional a wat as possible, my lunch box carried sandwiches made from cold offcuts of the roast, prepared by Nell as the rest of us slumped over-full in front of the usual Bond film.

The three of us hugged fiercely before the lads drove away, and I fired up the bike for my ride to Bert’s yard.

It was exactly the sort of day I had expected, a little frantic in a controlled way, the boss himself in old jeans and a silly Christmas jumper knuckling down with his office staff to sort out loading lists and delivery routes. He had given as many drivers as he could a day off, but parked several wagons at the loading docks. I would do one round, return to the appropriate warehouse, hand over the keys and collect the tacho discs, and then climb into another lorry that was already loaded and ready for me. I was shattered by the end of the day, but Bert’s system worked well, and I actually left early, catching a flurry of rain that reminded me to think about overtrousers before actually starting a ride.

The twenty-seventh of December was almost as busy, but the next day was a lot calmer, and by the time New Year’s Eve came along, we were coasting. Most of the deliveries just then were of booze, and the breweries sorted their own drivers for that. The girls were getting ready when I got home, and I had enough time for a soak under the shower before starting my own ritual.

Jeans, this time, with my leather and cut-off. I ran my fingers over some of the rally badges, little tokens that carried so many memories… Sod it, Debbie Petrie Wells. Straights to outrage, dancing to be done, and not to bloody T Rex this time.

“Girls? Grab the sleeping bags and the camping mats, please, toothbrushes and whatever else you’ll need, and we are off!”

Out to the van, bedrolls and daysacks into the back, and off out of the city. The prospect on the clubhouse gate grinned up at me in recognition, showing me where to park, and before I was properly out of the van, I was hit by a hug from Gandalf.

“It is so good to see you again, Debbie! Introductions?”

“Right. This one’s Kim. She’s met Rosie already”

“Ah. I can still see the bruising, love, by the way. Hi, Kim”

I waved her forward.

“This is Wildcat’s Dad, Kim. One of my parents’ best friends. Gandalf, this one’s Eleanor, Nell. The girls are staying with me for a while”

“Aye. Rosie’s given me the S.P. already. Welcome, girls. You got your dancing feet on?”

Nell was back in shy mode again, but Kim was nodding happily.

“Yeah, and Debbie said we had to bring some ordinary shoes. Got sleeping bags and stuff as well”

“Right! Ah, here’s my other boy. Girls, this is Oily. He doesn’t bite”

Another all-enveloping hug from the man I considered a brother.

“I heard the words ‘sleeping bags, girl. Leave them in the van; I’ll send a prospect over later. Got beds for you, in the bunkhouse, if you get that far tomorrow”

Nell looked puzzled.

“Tomorrow?”

The big man laughed happily at her expression.

“Little lady, there will still be people partying well after the sun comes up again! I’m Oily, this one’s brother-in-law. What do we call you? I know Kim already”

“I’m… I’m Nell. I don’t…”

She shook her head, looking around the yard.

“This is all new to me, and I’m nervous”

“you don’t need to be scared of anyone here, girl”

She looked at me for a second, then directly at Oily.

“It’s not that. I think Debbie… I know Debbie wouldn’t take us anywhere unsafe. I’m just scared I’ll do something silly, upset someone”

Oily reached out for her hand, smiling so, so sweetly.

“There will be people doing really stupid things tonight, love, and we will video them for a laugh on other nights, but that’s how we live. See what’s on my back?”

He turned from the waist so that she could see his colours, then straightened to face her again.

“You’ll see some lads with just the bottom part, aye? They’re called prospects. Some of them are on duty tonight, you’ll know them when you see them, so you get any shit, you speak to one of them”

Nell smiled, more easily now.

“Like a ‘code purple’?”

Oily gave me a puzzled look, so I simply said “Another friend’s trick”, and he nodded.

“Chuck me the van keys, then, and I’ll put them with the rest. Oh, Nell, was it? Nell, we do that to stop people getting good ideas when they shouldn’t, about going for a ride and that. Rosie and her lad are in the bar, Deb”

He ambled off, pausing every so often to greet someone, and I led the girls into the main building, where Rosie yelled a greeting from the far end, Carl beside her looking up at her shout, and the warmest of smiles splitting his ruined face. Yet again, fierce hugs from both, and he gently turned my head to look at the remains of the black eye.

He croaked out a soft comment about Norley having been given the one and only chance he would ever receive, then turned to the girls, Rosie still wrapped protectively around Kim.

“My lover here has told me what happened, girls. I left her and my brother to deal with it, because Wildcat here tells me I am over-protective of my family, and that’s bollocks. No such thing as ‘over-protective’. I just protect. People who piss me off stop doing so very quickly. Debbie?”

“Yeah?”

“Sparky found out who was stupid and gobby. Sorted”

Oh… “He here?”

Carl shook his head, sadly.

“No, love. He says he wouldn’t be able to stay dry in here”

He held my gaze for a second, then grinned at the youngsters.

“You been told the rules for tonight?”

Nell bit, saying something about Oily’s advice, and Carl shook his head.

“Nope. Just two rules: apologise if you piss anyone off, and have a good time. That’s all”

Rosie pointed the girls at the bar, and pulled me to her for our own greeting.

“You are doing fucking well with those two, Sis. Any more problems coming up?”

I shook my head.

“Not that I know of. Looks like I’ll be getting a new girl in January. Nell’s out of her depth a little, though. She’s more classical music than rocker”

“Ah, she’ll be OK. I’ve put Elf on backwatching tonight, so nothing to worry about. Got a band on till eleven, and food’s free for the club. Prospects have been told you’re club, so no worries there”

She paused, her face falling just a little. I didn’t need her to tell me why, for I shared the same memories. After an obvious effort, her grin resurfaced.

“Like the old days, girl. Right? We rocking tonight, or what?”

Only one answer was possible.

“Fucking right we are!”

The next morning’s sunlight was too fierce for me, even though it was raining. I sat up on the bed, still in T-shirt and knickers, and reached for my jeans before padding to the toilet. So much for my plan to stay sober for the girls. Once the pressure was gone, I pulled the jeans on and looked at the beds nearby. Nell was curled up under an open bag, still fully dressed but fast asleep, and Kim was gone.

No panic, Wells. Remember where you are. I could smell bacon, so followed my nose back into the bar, where several people were sat around the room with plates of fried breakfast, Kim scurrying around as a waitress.

“Morning, Debbie! You were SO out of it last night!”

I took in the way she was dressed, along with the red rims to her eyes.

“You been to bed yet, girl?”

“Er, no. Not really. Had a doze in a chair, but it was getting light when I woke up, and Rockrose was starting to sort out brekky, so I thought I’d help out. That was an ace night!”

“What happened to Nell?”

“Oh, she was right into everything! Danced till she couldn’t stand up, then fell asleep on that settee over there. Pig and Rosie put her to bed”

She lowered her voice, almost to a whisper.

“Debbie, I mean, his face, yeah? All scary, isn’t it? But he is just so, so tender. Same with Rosie. It was like she was their own kid”

More memories, of a sweet man, sweeter kisses, but not now, woman. Not now.

“He’s a good man, Kim. They don’t come much better. Now, I think I need tea. Mouth’s full of crap. Sorry for getting pissed and leaving you on your own. I didn’t mean to”

She grabbed me with surprising strength, hugging me as fiercely as any of the others had.

“Don’t be so stupid. After what you’ve done for me and Nell? Like Pig said last night, isn’t it? Simple rules. Now, got a request, for when you’ve sobered up”

“Yeah?”

She held up a box of instant hot chocolate sachets.

“I’ve put some water in the urn. Could you take us down to that beach we went to? Southerndown? Nell got the boys to drive her everywhere, so I thought this would be my turn. That okay?”

I simply nodded, and after drinking the tea Kim provided me with, I headed back to the bunks to give Nell a shake. All three of us got outside a solid breakfast, followed a little later by a beef pie and mash, as friends old and new sat around tired or hungover, or both, before we piled everything back into the van. Another round of hugs, with a hint of moisture in the eyes of several of my family, and we were off down to the coast.

Nell was quiet all morning, and throughout the ride, while Kim chattered away about how great the night had been, how she had danced till her feet hurt, how sexy Oily was, “If he was, like, a LOT younger and not all hooked up!”. Hardly a word from the other girl; just an occasional shy smile at some comment or other. There were a few cars in the parking area, some families down on the shingle, the rain having lifted, a snowclad Exmoor shining across the Channel at us. It didn’t take long for the urn to heat, and we were soon sitting on the wall with a mug each of warm and aromatic liquid.

After a few moments of blowing and sipping, Nell raised her head.

“Debbie? Kim?”

I shuffled closer to her, ready to lay an arm over her shoulders if she needed one.

“Yes, love?”

“Did I embarrass you last night? Falling asleep like that?”

I put my arm around her, as she did indeed seem to need it.

“Not at all. Showed everyone you were enjoying yourself. Safe place, love, None safer. Bike rallies, aye? They have all sorts of silliness, like dizzy sticks and that, and people do silly shit, but every year they come back for more, and nobody gives a damn. All you did was have as good a time as you could till you ran out of steam, and that told everyone you’d enjoyed yourself. That’s all. Tell you what: I’ll take you to the rally Gandalf runs. You fancy that?”

She looked down again, giving a sharp little nod, before lifting her cup, and then her eyes.

“Please don’t laugh at me, but…”

She held her mug higher.

“To a new year and a new life!”