Length: Short
Author: Dani
Rating: G
Synopsis: A fancy dress Halloween party ripped his world apart, but a kind stranger wants to help
The lads all sat around the table looking at each other and then looking at the white plastic cup that sat in the middle of the table. Ben was having a Halloween party in two days’ time and due to their hectic work schedule they hadn’t sorted out costumes, so Mark came up with the idea of everyone writing a costume down, no matter how stupid, put them in a cup and taking pot luck. Obviously as usually they wanted outdo each other wearing. They all wrote a suggestion and shook the cup. Mark went first and shrugged his shoulders.
“Not too bad, I got Dracula.”
Ben started laughing.
“That was me and anyone ever seen a bald vampire?”
Danny chipped in.
“Yeah, aren’t they supposed to be good looking too?”
“Very funny, just wait and see who gets what.”
Glen pulled his out and smiled.
“Gangster, not bad, thanks whoever did that one.”
Ben put his hand in and pulled out his paper, he scowled as he looked at the other three. Danny now erupted into fits of laughter and could hardly stop. Ben thumped his arm.
“You bastard.”
He showed Glen and Mark his paper it said ‘John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever.’ So that meant a brilliant white flared suit from the 70’s.
The last paper was in there and Danny took a deep breath as he removed the paper and unfolded it to look inside. He let out a huge sigh of relief as he rested back in his chair.
“A Musketeer, I can do that, April will be impressed with that, all sexy.”
Still annoyed Ben spat back at him.
“A skinny lanky Musketeer, yep don’t think they had any dicks like that then!”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re just jealous.”
Danny was excited about the party; he planned on asking April to marry him. They had been together five years now and he felt it was time to make things more permanent, he loved her with all his heart and he couldn’t bear to be away from her, he just hoped she felt the same. So his musketeer outfit was the perfect one for him to go down on one knee.
April was working late but told Danny she would meet him at Ben ’s. Danny had hired a beautiful ladies gown from the same era as his own costume; it was to be in gold and black to match him perfectly.
** Five Years Ago**
April and Danny met in a shoe store, he went in to find a new pair of sneakers and this pretty green eyed girl with long, dark wavy hair served him. Danny took such a liking to April he ended up with so many pairs of shoes for himself and even bought slippers as gifts for everyone he could even think of trying to work up the courage to ask her out for a drink. In the end April made the first move and asked him if he would like to go for a coffee when she finished work. Once there they laughed about him not feeling confident enough to ask her out and that April decided she should ask him before he ran out of people to buy shoes and slippers for. That was five years ago and neither of them had ever looked back.
*******
Danny checked his appearance in the mirror several times. Yes he was sure he looked just like they did in the movies. Finally he checked the inside pocket of his tunic and found the little black velvet box, he flipped the lid open to check the contents and he looked down at the large emerald, it was surrounded by diamonds and he hoped she liked it. She always said a solitaire diamond was a single thing and never understood people having them as engagement rings so he just hoped he had got it right.
His phone beeped and he opened the text.
‘Just left work, got changed here so I can be with you quicker. Love April xx’
Danny smiled to himself, again more than one she sent two kisses, she always did that and he loved her dearly for it.
The taxi pulled up outside Ben ’s house and Danny got out and walked inside. Straight away Ben came over to him and Danny just laughed, Ben scowled at him.
“Shut it O'Donoghue !”
Danny tried to stifle his laughter.
“You know you look such a dickhead!”
Ben placed his hand on Danny’s shoulder.
“Just remember who knows what you are going to do tonight!”
Ben walked off and left Danny to go and get a drink, Danny knew Ben wouldn’t spoil tonight for him, he hadn’t mentioned it to anyone else but Ben caught him looking at the ring when he bought it. Now all he had to do was wait for April to arrive. He looked around at everyone in their costumes; Glen was strutting around like Marlon Brando in the film ‘The Godfather’ and Mark was pretending to be the best Dracula in the world.
It was great fun and the party was off to a great start, everyone drinking and having fun with each other. The party was in full swing in no time at all. Danny felt as nervous as a child on their first day at school, excited but filled with nerves in case it all went wrong.
A few minutes later he saw her, she looked stunning in the dress, her hair had been pinned up and although he could only see her from the back it made his heart beat wildly in his chest. She had just arrived and was talking to Ben by the door, she was pointing outside at something and they were joking about it.
Danny downed his drink in one, took a deep breath and then walked over to her. Once behind her he took in the aroma of her perfume, it wasn’t her usual brand at all but it was nice. Danny slipped his arms around her waist and pulled himself up close behind her then he nuzzled into her neck and started to kiss her.
“Oh God baby, I’ve missed you so much.”
Ben looked mortified and Danny just smiled at him and Ben pointed outside. Danny blinked, then blinked again and then he stood back unable to believe his eyes that April was standing outside facing him, she was not the woman in his arms. The woman turned around and raised her eyebrows at him. Danny ’s face coloured up.
“I am so sorry, I thought you were…………….”
He pointed outside at April who now stood with tears in her eyes; Danny started to panic and ran towards her.
“Oh sweetheart, I thought it was you………. Look you are wearing the exact same dress.”
April felt sick, her whole world was starting to collapse, and she looked at the woman. “I guess she is but look she is taller than me, has bigger breasts than me and when have you ever seen me with my hair pinned up?”
Danny now looked at her hair which was indeed down. He ran his hand along her cheek. “I’m such an idiot, come on let’s get a drink eh?”
April pulled away from him.
“You do that to another woman and then say let’s get a drink? I don’t think so Danny, do you?”
April walked towards a taxi which had just dropped some more party goers off. Danny chased after her.
“April don’t be so silly.”
She turned and slapped him smartly round the face, she had felt they had grown so close and were so in love with each other but now that vision was falling apart.
“Thanks Danny , I didn’t realise it was silly to be upset when your boyfriend kisses another woman, Good job you found out in time what a silly girl I am isn’t it?”
Her eyes blazed pure fury at him and Danny knew he was in a lot of trouble.
“Come on let’s go back to mine or yours if you prefer, to talk about it.”
April got into a taxi and closed the door she didn’t want to talk to him, she couldn’t. “I don’t think so and at this moment in time I’m not sure I want to talk to you ever again.”
“ April !”
He shouted now angry himself, She shook her head as she gave her address to the taxi driver. The taxi pulled away and Danny kept calling her and followed until the taxi pulled out onto the open road.
He felt sick, his perfect night, with the perfect outfits and everything had gone horribly wrong now he wasn’t sure she would ever want to speak to him again. But it was just some silly mistake, it wasn’t as if he could see the woman’s face or was snogging her.
Danny continued to walk and the noise of the party faded into the background, he walked for a while and somehow ended up in a small park, it was nice and quiet with a couple of old fashioned lamps lighting up the pathway so he walked for a little while and then found a bench under one of the lamps, close to some flowers on which to sit on.
He sat down and pulled out his mobile, he called her number but wasn’t surprised to hear it was switched off. Next he tried her home phone number, it rang a few times and he waited for the answer phone to kick in but it didn’t the phone was picked up then immediately put back down again. Danny threw his phone down on the grass in temper.
“Nice one O'Donoghue , you dumb fuck!”
Danny sat with his head in his hands, everything was ruined and he was scared it would never sort out.
“Here you go son, you need to be careful kids these days nick them.”
Danny looked up on hearing the man’s voice and saw and elderly gentleman with a lovely black Labrador. Danny held his hand out and took the phone back.
“Thanks.”
The dog sat himself at Danny ’s feet and Danny stroked the dog, the man spoke again.
“This is Clyde and he always knows when someone has a problem………. May I sit down?”
Danny nodded as he now looked up at the man.
“Yes of course sir.”
The man held his hand out.
“Jack, Jack Collins.”
“Danny O'Donoghue .”
They shook hands and Jack eased himself back on the bench.
“So, girlfriend, wife or fiancée?”
Danny shook his head.
“Well she was my girlfriend; I was going to ask her to marry me tonight.”
Danny didn’t know why but he found himself pouring the whole story out to Jack, and Danny did not like to talk about his private life with anyone but somehow this old guy seemed the perfect person. Jack sat and listened quietly to him and didn’t speak until he had finished.
“Well that is a pretty mess isn’t it son?”
Danny nodded, Jack obviously agreed with him.
“Well, you are dressed as a musketeer does that not make you feel like fighting for your love?”
Danny looked up and frowned at him, Jack continued.
“ Danny , you had a misunderstanding that’s all, you made a silly mistake April only took it for what she saw. Get out there and go to her, don’t leave until she has agreed to marry you.”
Danny shook his head.
“You don’t know April , she would kill me.”
Jack now touched Danny ’s knee.
“Listen son, My Ruby wouldn’t marry me, I was called up to the war and I wanted to marry her before I left but she wouldn’t, said it was for the wrong reasons and she didn’t want to be a widow after a few years and she just would not listen to me, we married over sixty years ago.”
Danny was wide eyed and interested now.
“Wow Jack that is some kind of marriage, the sort I want, how did you do it?”
Jack grinned as he thought back to it all.
“Well I went to her house and I threw tiny stones at her window all night, I called up to her and I kept on for the next two hours and then I don’t know if she felt sorry for me or her father told her to shut me up but she agreed to be my wife and we married the following week.”
Danny knew what he had to do; here he was sitting feeling sorry for himself when he should be with April fighting for her love. Danny stood up and patted Clyde and shook Jack’s hand.
“Thanks Jack, I appreciate that, Ruby is a lucky woman.”
Jack shook his head.
“No Danny , I was a lucky man.”
Danny went off in search of a taxi to take him round to April ’s house. He rang the doorbell and stepped back looking up at the house to see what lights were on. Then he saw her looking out of her bedroom window. April was pleased he cared enough to try and talk to her but she was still hurting inside
“ April , I need to talk to you.”
April closed the curtains and Danny felt his heart sink but he remembered Jack’s words and he persisted.
“ April Jones , you either let me in or the whole neighbourhood will have to listen to me shouting all night long!”
The bedroom light went out, Danny knew she was stubborn but then so was he.
“Right you have asked for it, ‘neighbours of Miss April Jones, I am sorry but I love this woman and I am not leaving here until she agrees to be my wife!”
Danny was shouting as loud as his lungs would permit, if he annoyed a neighbour then it may help make her let him in.
As Danny looked up the bedroom light came on and the curtains opened, April looked down at him and then opened the window.
“Shush Danny , you will wake the neighbours and I have to live here.”
She hissed at him. Danny smiled broadly at her.
“Then don’t, come live with me, be my wife, I love you more than anything April.” April shook her head, God he was being dramatic now, okay he had done his bit in saying sorry but it wasn’t a way to apologise.
“Okay, you made a mistake I accept that, I was upset and shocked but really asking me to marry you is going a little far, wait until you mean it.”
Danny pulled the box out of his pocket.
“See this April ? And the musketeer outfit, it was all for you for tonight I planned this, I wanted to ask you to marry me I planned it all.”
April was speechless but Danny knew she wasn’t angry anymore, he knew she loved him. So he shouted once more.
“So April Jones will you marry me, become Mrs O'Donoghue ?”
April ’s heart pounded at the sight of the man she loved almost making a fool of himself in the middle of her street. She rushed down the stairs and pulled the front door open and there she saw Danny down on one knee.
“I love you April , will you marry me?”
April nodded as tears filled her eyes once more, Danny got up and placed the ring on her finger, it fit perfectly. April wrapped her arms around his neck as they now kissed and Danny spun her round.
Danny ended up staying the night at April ’s, he told her all about Jack and Clyde and the following morning he took April to the park in the hope of seeing Jack walking Clyde. They sat on the bench and cuddled up to each other and looked for Jack but they didn’t see him. Just as they were about to leave an old woman walked into the park with a black Labrador.
“Look there’s Clyde and I bet that is Ruby.”
Danny got to his feet and walked towards the dog.
“Hey Clyde!”
The dog ignored him but the woman stopped and looked at him.
“This is Cassie.”
Danny blushed slightly.
“I’m sorry I thought it was Clyde, she sure looks like him.”
“People do say they looked alike, Clyde was my husband’s dog, and Cassie is Clyde’s daughter.”
Danny grinned at the old woman now.
“Ruby?”
She nodded and looked at him, she didn’t recognise him, and Danny thought he would introduce himself.
“I’m Danny and last night I was sitting over there on that bench, feeling sorry for myself because I thought I had lost April and along comes Jack and Clyde and Jack told me all about how he got you to marry him by calling up at your window and told me to do the same, I did and well…….”
He held April ’s hand up to show her ring off, Ruby smiled at them both.
“Yes my Jack did that, congratulations to you both but it couldn’t have been my Jack and Clyde you saw.”
Ruby walked over the bench and pointed to a little brass plaque on the seat.
‘In memory of Jack and Clyde who spent many hours in this park.”
Danny looked at the plaque then at Ruby, then at April and back at Ruby who explained. “Jack and Clyde were killed as they crossed the road from the park one night, but that was three years ago.”
Danny couldn’t believe it, but he knew he had spoken to Jack Collins, shook his hand and stroked Clyde his dog, he knew they were real he had touched them both.
“Maybe your mind was playing tricks on you; it was Halloween last night after all.”
Danny said Goodbye to Ruby and Cassie but he knew in his mind whatever had happened he had seen and spoken to Jack who for some reason was there to try and help Danny save his relationship with April and he had.
2 comments:
Totally loved this story.
Well written, enjoyed it :)
Post a Comment