Rowland's Park, Part 7
by Sally Gray

Party Time

Every so often, the residents of Rowland's Park had a get-together.

It was usually Doug who did the arranging, and no one was ever left out.

This particular morning he had spied Jessica getting in to her battered old car to travel to her place of work. Doug had just stepped out of the shower and wore his black towel loosely around his waist.

He let out a low sigh...she sure was attractive and yet she was not at all affected by her obvious good looks.

The early morning sunshine flickered across her red hair and for a moment Doug imagined running his hands through it.

'Right' he thought to himself

'It's definitely time for a party!'

He got himself dressed quickly and decided that when he returned home from work, he would put his idea to the others.

As usual, Doug was as good as his word. He was barely through the front door that evening when he saw Doris Penney.

"Hi...how's my favorite lady?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

Doris blushed and Doug decided that she must have been quite a stunner when she was younger.

He told Doris his idea for a party and she agreed whole-heartedly.

"I'll do the food," she said, already organizing menus in her head.

Between them they agreed that they would tell the others...June 15th seemed a good day, certainly Doug was free that evening and Doris knew that she and Henry were doing nothing either.

"I'll go and see that nice young Jessica" said Doris 

"No!" replied Doug, perhaps a little too quickly

"Er...I mean, that's OK Doris...no trouble, I'll do it"

Doris suppressed a chuckle. She thought he was getting quite interested in the young girl...good job too; he needed a nice partner.

By eight o'clock that night the residents of Rowland's Park had all been told of the impending party and surprisingly, they were all free.

Kay had been a little hesitant, as she had nobody suitable to sit for Tansy. Her friend Molly was herself on a date that night. Julie from flat five and Kay had become good friends though and Julie said her colleague Rachel was desperate for a little extra money and she knew she'd be glad to do it.

It was funny that the two women had become such terrific friends...after all; Julie had lived with Kay's ex-husband. Surprisingly that bond had soldered their friendship firmly.

The general consensus was that Doug's flat would hold the party. It was the largest after all and he owned a stupendous music system.

The morning of the great Rowland's Park party dawned bright and warm.

Doug had enlisted the help of a colleague to string colored lanterns around the main room.

Mike the colleague had agreed if he could count on an invite...Doug thought...why not?

Doris was running around like a headless chicken. She had baked quiches and was preparing enough for an entire army.

Henry was being a great help to her. The mere fact that he was with her made Doris's panicking diminish.

Jessica had spent almost an entire wage packet on a new outfit. Although she had seen Doug watching her on occasions, she suspected that he must have hoards of women after him. Nevertheless, a glamorous new look would boost her in the ratings for his affections...if only for one evening.

By six pm, a footpath had been engraved into the carpet leading to Doug's flat.

One by one, all the residents had bought something for the party.

Julie had brought along a magnum of Moet...it reminded her of her life with David and must be drunk...quickly to rid her of his memory!

The sitter had arrived at Kay's flat and little Tansy had really endeared herself to her new friend.

Happily, Kay left them together whilst she applied her makeup.

It had been a long time since she'd been to a party and she'd invited Tom. Since their chance meeting in the local store where she worked, they had been slowly building a relationship; most of all, they were good friends.

By eight o'clock, everyone had arrived at the party. A moody jazz number was playing loudly and Doris was scuttling around with a plate of vol-eu-vents.

"Doris!" called Doug

"If people want food they'll come and get some...relax and go and have a boogie with Henry"

Obediently Doris went to find Henry and was promptly handed a glass of Moet.

Jan and Nick from flat one had only arrived back from a holiday that afternoon. However they weren't going to miss a party and were already laughing and joking with their neighbors.

Jan looked so happy now, thought Doris watching her. The poor girl had been so terribly frightened when she had found out about her pregnancy. Now though, she looked radiant with just a mere hint of a designer bump.

Doug looked over to where Jessica was being chatted up by Mike. In a moment he was at her side and Mike, seeing Doug's face retreated to the bar.

"Put something a bit lively on!" somebody shouted. Immediately, a fast and furious disc was put on and the lights in the large room were dimmed.

"You look beautiful," shouted Doug to Jessica above the music.

Jessica blushed furiously and thanked him.

"I bet you say it to all the girls" she teased.

"I do," he agreed

"But on this occasion I genuinely mean it."

Mike was getting on very nicely thank you with Julie who seemed to be laughing at all of his jokes...not everybody did that! Tom was dancing closely with Kay. Their dance seemed to prove that they had maybe gone past the friendship stage and were heading for a deeper relationship.

Doug and Jessica had moved in to the kitchen, which was doubling as a bar for tonight's venue.

He suddenly found that he couldn't contain himself any longer.

Reaching out to her, he stroked her soft face, outlining her gentle features as he gazed at her.

"I think you're gorgeous Jess" he remarked with a strange quiver to his voice.

"Thank you kind sir" she replied, giving a mock curtsey.

As if drawn together by some magnetic force, they started to kiss...gently at first, then with increased passion

It felt right and for a while, the thumping beat of the music seemed to grow silent.

Pulling away from each other a little reluctantly they both had the same thoughts. Take is slowly...they'd both been hurt before and Jessica for one didn't want to feel that bare pain again.

"Can we try...see how it goes?" asked Doug softly

Jessica nodded enthusiastically,

"We'll try...yes, let's give it our best shot" she agreed.

Suddenly a rapturous applause came from the main room.

Nick came running in to the kitchen, closely followed by his wife.

"It's Doris," said Jan excitedly

"Henry has just got down on one knee and proposed to her"

Doug and Jessica flew into the room just in time to see a pink-faced Doris grab hold of Henry's large hand.

"Yes Henry my dear" she said, looking lovingly at her knight in shining armor.

"I would be proud to call myself your wife."

The residents cheered and shouted out their congratulations as Doris and Henry stood looking at each other.

"It's so lovely," said Julie wiping her eyes

"You'll be next Jessica," she continued, winking teasingly at the pretty redhead.

Jessica heard nothing of anyone's conversation. She was really too interested in what Doug was whispering in her ear.

"Henry" said Doris to her new fiancé, "I think this romance thing might well be catching!"

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