Shopping and other Small Disasters part 4
The next day Alan and Ashley stood by their cars chatting before heading to Leeds to pick up the girls .
“So do you think I should tell Trisha ?” Alan asked
“I have no idea” Ashley replied shaking his head “All I can advise is that you let me talk to Bernice about it first and see what she thinks”
Alan sighed “I suppose that’s not a bad idea , I just hate the though of her getting hurt”
“I know and you wouldn’t be her granddad if you didn’t. But women are very strange and sometimes telling them something we think is in their best interests isn’t exactly the best plan of attack.”
“So you’ll ask Bernice and see what she thinks ?”
“Yes over lunch I promise” Ashley said looking at his watch “We’d better get going we don’t want to be late”
*******************
As the train pulled in Bernice looked out the window. “Can you see them ?” Dianne asked
“Not yet , but they‘ll be here” she answered
“I don’t doubt it , Ashley’s probably been sitting on the platform all morning”
“Ha Ha ! Mother!” Bernice said as the train jerked to a halt throwing her back against the seat , making Trisha and Dianne laugh. They gathered their bags and headed off the train. Once on the platform it didn’t take long for Ashley and Alan to spot them from the other side of the turn-styles.
“Bernice !” Ashley called
She turned to see where his voice was coming from as she spotted him she smiled. “They’re over here” she said to the others
A few minutes later they were all reunited and Alan was laden down with shopping bags and hold alls. “Did you have a good time ?” He asked
“We certainly did” Dianne said smiling at him
“Yeah” Trisha said “it was great , wasn’t it Bernice ?”
When she didn’t answer Alan , Trisha and Dianne looked around to see Bernice and Ashley kissing oblivious to their surroundings.
“Would you two break it up please !” Dianne shouted “Honestly you’d think it’s been a fortnight since you seen each other instead of 24 hours !”
Bernice waved a hand indicating that they go on without them as Dianne shooed Alan and Trisha toward the car park.
“Come on” she said “before they get moved on , at least we can pretend we didn’t know them”
When they were gone Bernice smiled at Ashley “I missed you” she whispered “Your side of the bed was all cold last night”
“I missed you too. Come on lets go find somewhere nice and quiet for lunch”
Once they were in the car Bernice began to tell him about all the excitement of the evening before.
“So I wasn’t far off when I suggested the Chippendales then ?” Ashley said laughing
“No you weren’t. It just shows how well you are getting to know my mother”
“Well at least you came back”
“Of course I came back” Bernice laughed “So what happened at home last night after I spoke to you ? Anything exciting ?”
“Oh yes ! , but I’ll tell you all about it when we’re settled I know the perfect place.”
They drove a little further and Bernice spotted a small pub that seemed to be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Ashley pulled into the car park and turned off the engine.
“This place looks lovely !” she said “how did you now about it ?”
“Oh I know about lots of places you’re yet to see” Ashley answered smiling as he got out of the car and locking the door took Bernice’s hand and lead her inside. the pub was as quaint on the inside as it was deserted on the outside. There was an open fire and low ceilings giving the impression of an old cottage parlour , with a stone floor adding to the authenticity. They found a table and after the had ordered from the limited but adequate menu Bernice looked anxiously at him across the table.
“OK come on Ash !” she said “Tell me what’s going on , you have me on tender hooks !”
Ashley frowned “Ok” he said “Now first of all don’t go off the deep end. I’m going to tell you this because I want your advice , or rather Alan does”
“Ok now I’m worried. you and Alan looking for my advice , this can’t be good”
“It isn’t”
“OK. Well after we closed last night Alan and I were standing outside the Woolpack talking , when we saw Adam. He was with another woman.”
Bernice’s face showed she had taken in exactly what Ashley was saying and for a split second he wondered if , much as he loved her , she was the right person to ask. She’d been on the receiving end of infidelity and in theory at least she should have been perfect. Yet he couldn’t help but think that sometimes it was better not to remind her of things , or rather people , who were gone.
“Are you sure” she asked finally
“Yes , it was him and they were getting very friendly so something tells me she wasn’t a business contact.”
“Oh my God ! Poor Trisha. I mean she’ll be so upset !”
“Well that’s what Alan wants to know. Should he tell her ?”
“No” she said “But don’t get me wrong I’m not saying just leave it , we’ll have to do something but if my mother were here she’d say there’s two things you should never tell a woman. that’s she’s putting on weight or that her husband is having an affair”
Ashley laughed “Another pearl of wisdom Dianne style!” he said “How can we do anything if we don’t tell her ?”
“I don’t know yet” Bernice answered “But when we get home we can discuss it with Alan and let mum in on it and we’ll come up with something”
They ate and continued discussing plans , including their latest changes to the decor of the vicarage and the surge in business at the Woolpack the night before.
“Maybe I should go away more often” Bernice said as they made their was back to the car.
“Oh no !” Ashley replied taking hold of her hand “You better not ! I get no work done when I’m missing you !”
*****************
When they got back to the village and Ashley had pulled the car up outside the vicarage Bernice sighed
“Right” she said “I’m going to go fill Mum in on what’s happening. You go tell Alan we need an emergency meeting tonight after closing”
Ashley smiled. this was Bernice in her element , organising and crusading. Even if it was to prevent a friend getting hurt rather than something that would change the world , when she had a cause she never let go.
“Ok” he said “Consider it done !”
********************
“You’re kidding !” Dianne said half an hour later as she and Bernice sat at the table in the Woolpacks back room “Well who’d have thought it of Adam ? Mind i suppose he’s a man. What did you say to Ashley ?”
“I told him we shouldn’t tell her”
“No. You know what I always .......”
“I know what you always say and that’s what I told him , but we have to do something. I mean we can’t just let her fall for him , she already talks like he’s doing her a favour just being around her.”
“Yeah. So when are we going to talk it over with them ?”
“I sent Ash into the bar to tell Alan we need to talk after closing”
“Right then we need a plan. Poor Trisha she’ll be really cut up”
“I know but she’ll thank us in the end”
“I suppose you‘re right” Dianne said with a sigh
“I am” Bernice said looking at her hands “. I know I’m right I wish someone had done it for me”
