All Tomorrow's Parties by Nicole Fitton Read Free Book Online Page A

forwards. Let your light shine for all to see.
    Mr Sessions was the first in her autograph book and now his autograph sat alongside the likes of The Jam, Japan, Simple Minds and Toyah. She wondered what on earth an elderly primary school teacher would make of it all. He had been accurate though with his comments. She knew that one day she needed to gain the confidence to stand up for herself and not just let things ride. She needed not to shrink back but actively push herself to the fore, something that didn’t come easy.
    For now Laine had ditched the autograph book for reasons of “coolness”. It would be harder to ditch the sitting back for stepping forwards.
     
    The Ship in Covent Garden was a regular music industry hangout - a traditional spit and sawdust kind of pub. With Record Mirror and Sounds based in Long Acre and Melody Maker, NME and Trash based in High Holborn, the Ship was the local watering hole of all good music hacks. As with most journalists, plentiful alcohol was compulsory and all present took to this statutory obligation with gusto.
    Laine and Adam arrived at 6.20pm. Tony was already there with what looked like a long haired whippet on his arm. Oh my giddy aunt, thought Laine, I can be so cruel. She made a mental note not to compare others to animals. Her mind wandered back to her thoughts of being a unicorn.
    Adam had driven top speed to Selfridges as requested by Laine. The result - a light pink rara skirt and a ripped top.  A cross between Bananarama and Dexys Midnight Runners. Laine had changed into her new outfit in the loos of Selfridges. She couldn’t help noticing the way Adam had looked at her - she had blushed on his behalf. An impish smile widened across her face -that’ll do nicely, she thought.
    Now in the Ship her entrance seemed to have the same effect on most of the men in the pub. Despite the dim lighting Laine managed to alert all of the alpha males to her presence. Maybe it’s the white stilettos…maybe a tad too much, she thought.
    As they approached Tony’s table the look of relief on his face was evident. He beamed a winning smile, stood up, hugged both of them. “Ah Adam, Laine, good to see you, sit down, sit down, this is Karenna”. Laine noticed his jaw appeared clenched.
    “Hi”, they both said. What a funny looking creature thought Laine, who was usually anything but judgemental. Karenna gazed upwards as though she was expecting to see some sort of overlord cracking the whip, and gave a hesitant smile. She too was wearing a rara skirt but that is where the similarity ended. Whilst Laine was slim and curvy, Karenna was stick-like, with no real definition; she was wearing espadrilles which had obviously seen better days.
    Tony took hold of Laine’s arm. “Come on young lady, you can help me with the drinks, what would everyone like?” Karenna wanted a rum and coke, Adam a pint of best, Laine a glass of house white and Tony a bottle of Pils. As they headed for the bar Tony slipped his arm around Laine’s waist.
    “Easy Tiger, its only make believe, remember?” joked Laine, a charge of electricity coursing through her veins at the slightest touch from this man.
    Tony looked her squarely in the eyes. “Laine, as always you look beautiful. Sometimes I really do wish our “pretend” relationship was real. Danny is very lucky to have you”. He held up her hand and delicately kissed it. Not for the first time today, Laine blushed.
    “I am so sorry to have dragged you into this mess”, he said, returning his arm loosely around her waist. “I’ve already mentioned your name a gazillion times in the hope that the penny will drop with Karenna, but all that seems to happen is she moves closer and tells me how she has been hoping for a date with me for ages. I’m at a loss as to what to do next”. Tony’s expression said it all - usually happy go lucky, but now the depth of his desperation obvious. Frown-lines formed across his forehead - they did not look quite