The Ballroom on Magnolia Street by Sharon Owens Page B

who was so desperate to impress the girls that he didn’t realize he was going to get a right kicking on the way home. From some normal local men wearing jeans and denim jackets. Hopefully. The DJ was playing ‘Bedsitter’ by Soft Cell, and Kevin and Shirley were giving a great performance. Shoulders going in and out. Hands up in the air. Shirley had temporarily forgotten about Declan Greenwood.
    Even Kevin had forgotten that he was only dancing with the sister of the woman he adored. Not Kate herself. The huge glitter-ball, the coloured spotlights, and the hastily consumed alcohol had transported the two of them away to a magical place. The song faded seamlessly into ‘Say Hello Wave Goodbye’, and Kevin and Shirley danced on.
    ‘Ah, Soft Cell,’ said the DJ. ‘You couldn’t beat them with a big stick! I wouldn’t fancy Marc Almond’s chances in a game of hurley, but the same lad can carry a tune, and good luck to him. Live and let live, I say. Take it away, boys!’
    Kate let her mechanic-suitor and her bizarrely dressed sister have their moment in the spotlight until the song was drawing to a close. Then, she hurried into the middle of the throng of dancers swaying to the beat like a school of fish, and grabbed Shirley by the elbow. She said goodnight to a very disappointed Kevin, and steered her sister outside to the taxi rank. It was cold on the street after the warmth of the ballroom. Shirley’s teeth began to chatter.
    ‘What are you doing, Kate? We’re only in the door an hour ago!’
    ‘I need to think. Here’s the cab. Quick, get in!’
    ‘But Declan was in there somewhere.’
    ‘So? Were you going to do anything about it?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Well, then. Anyway, I feel absolutely terrible.’
    Kate began to cry softly then. She sat back on the leather seat, and her glittery shoulders heaved with a loud sob. She was confused and drunk, and she didn’t feel beautiful any more. Louise Lowry was laughing at her new boyfriend. And Kevin McGovern was being so nice to her, and yet she didn’t fancy him at all. She fancied Alex, with his big muscles and his chain of jewellery shops. Didn’t she? It was all very upsetting. She must be going mad. Her parents were both half mad, so she must be carrying two sets of faulty genes that were just waiting to kick in when she turned thirty. She’d have a breakdown! They’d put her in the asylum and study her, and she would become a legend in the city. The mad lady with all the handbags . The fear washed over her like a bucket of cold water. A prickling sensation started up all over her scalp, and she clung to the door handle and gave herself up to a torrent of crying. The tears flowed down her face and washed all her lovely make-up away.
    Shirley was alarmed. It was worrying when Kate was not her usual know-it-all self. Shirley usually disagreed with most of the daft things Kate said, but this display of vulnerability was much worse than Kate’s normally rock-solid arrogance. It must be the drink, giving her hallucinations. Kate would just have to dry out, and then she’d be okay again. She put her arms round her big sister, gave the driver their home address and told him to hurry.
    ‘It’s all right, Kate,’ she said. ‘We’ll be home in a minute, and I’ll tuck you up in bed with a nice cup of hot milk. You’ll be fine, I promise. You’ll be absolutely fine.’
    This warmth and kindness was just the last straw for Kate, who had always played the role of Big Sister with great enthusiasm. She wept until her sobs dissolved into silence. Shirley gave her a tissue, and prayed for a swift journey home.
    The taxi-driver was the same one who had brought them to Hogan’s earlier. He wondered if he could risk a friendly comment. Something to make the girls laugh and ease the tension? Too many drinks was all that was wrong with the crying one. He had seen it all before. Too many strong drinks, and a crush on some unsuitable fella. But, no, there was no point in