The Third Gilroy
A Coronation Street Project
Chapter One
A man in his late-twenties disembarked the Intercity train at one of the Manchester stations and made his way to the taxi stand, trailing a suitcase and some bags with him, he looked like he was carrying everything but the kitchen sink.
He spotted a black taxi and opened the door, signalling the driver that he'd load the luggage into the boot of the car himself. The driver nodded and his new passenger sat inside the back of the taxi, fastening his seatbelt.
The driver looked back to the man. "Where to, cock?" The man reached into his leather jacket pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper with sloppy and barely-legible writing. He spoke with a thick, North Yorkshire accent. "Coronation Street, Weatherfield. I have a reunion to attend."
The driver nodded and set off from the station. The streets of Weatherfield looked pretty rough. Old, red-brick buildings, a few cafés, various shops, bed and breakfasts and businesses. On the way, the passenger in the taxi passed a large supermarket with a clever name: Bettabuys.
Two lorries were parked in a loading bay and workers were delivering various kinds of produce into the supermarket on large, flat-bed trolleys that stood a few inches off the ground. The workers all wore large, tan overcoats.
As the journey progressed, a man and a woman could be seen and heard arguing from the side of the road. The passenger closed the window as the exchange of words wasn't something he wanted to hear.
He ran a hand through his long brown hair, feeling a little anxious at the impending reunion. Ten minutes later, they passed a building which was called Jim's Café, on Rosamund Street. The driver
turned right into the final stop, Coronation Street.
When the passenger paid his fare, he disembarked from the taxi and collected his luggage from the boot, standing outside a public house called the Rovers Return Inn. The man picked up his bags and walked inside the pub.
The interior of the bar was of an average size, numerous stools were around the bar with some patrons sat on them. There were a couple of booths and a dartboard in one corner of the building. Two doors were on the opposite side, one of them was for the public toilets and the other was labelled 'Cellar'.
The man walked up to an empty space at the bar between two patrons and waited to be served. A large, balding man wearing thick-rimmed spectacles and an apron walked up to the new customer. "What can I get for you, young'un?"
The new customer smirked a little at given that name. "Half a pint of your best bitter. Hm, Newton & Ridley, eh? And, I'd like to speak to the owner, Mr. Gilroy. I've travelled a long way to see him." While the man reached for a glass and poured the drink, he turned his head back to the door which led to the private living quarters. "Alec, someone wants a word with you!"
A voice that was gradually getting louder could be heard as a short, pudgy, balding man walked into the main bar area and glared at his member of staff who had called him in. "Jack, I'm in the middle of doing the books, I don't have time for your games!"
The barman known as Jack Duckworth pointed to the new customer and Alec Gilroy turned to face him, eyeing him suspiciously. "Can I help you?" The man nodded. "I think it's best if we talk in the back, this is important."
Alec nodded and motioned for the man to follow him into the living quarters. Jack was left carrying the man's bags. Inside the living quarters, the newcomer followed Alec into the living room and sat down at the table at Alec's gesture.
Alec retained his suspicious look as he studied the man's expression. He wasn't happy being disturbed in the middle of his financial work. "Now, what can I do for you? I'm a very busy man." The man looked around the room before speaking.
"Where is Mrs. Gilroy? This concerns both of you." Alec narrowed his eyes at the man and lit a cigarette. "My wife is on her way back from shopping, spending my hard-earned money. What is it you want?"
Back inside the main bar area, the front doors opened and a woman wearing a light-blonde wig walked in, carrying numerous shopping bags with a cheerful grin on her face. She looked at Jack who was still struggling with the heavy luggage.
"Jacko, who do these bags belong to?" Jack grunted and looked up his employer. "Some guy in the back is talking to Alec, something private is going on. I didn't listen in, boss." The woman rolled her eyes before hearing a roar which could be heard from the living quarters. "WHAT!?"
Elizabeth 'Bet' Gilroy ran into the living quarters and opened the door to the lounge, coming face-to-face with a shaking Alec and a worried-looking newcomer. Bet didn't look at the newcomer and immediately ran to her husband.
She held his head to her chest and tried to calm him down. Alec could barely speak. "What is it, Alec? Speak to me!" Alec was still shaking. "T-that man... He... He says he's our... Our son..." Bet turned to look at the stranger who reached into the breast pocket of leather jacket before producing a document and handing it to Bet.
Bet Gilroy read the document and her eyes widened before walking over the man and pulling him into her arms. As the document fell to the floor, the name of the man was clearly visible on it in beautiful, cursive writing.
Jonathan Henry Gilroy.
End Of Chapter One