Chapter 2.

Pike couldn't keep anything to himself, especially when he was happy. He was soon telling the rest of the platoon all about her. And they were glad to listen. There wasn't much in the way of news in this small town and so they gathered around him and listened intently.

"She makes me feel all special. She laughs at my jokes even when they're not all that funny," he grinned.

"It takes me back Pikey that does," Jones smiled. "Oh there's nothing like that first flourish of love with a pretty girl, it gets you all in a bother, you don't know which end is up."

"You dunna know which end is up on the best of days," Frazer commented.

"There's no need for that Mr Frazer, I do too know which end is up. I'll have you know..."

"Alright, alright," Walker put a hand up as the two began to argue. There wasn't much time before the start of parade and he wanted to hear the rest of this story.

"So Pikey, who's the lucky girl," he asked with a grin.

"She's not really a girl Joe...she is, well her name is Diane Dunbar,"

Pike was about to go on but Mainwaring had just arrived and walked around to the head of the platoon to start the evenings lecture. Pike hadn't noticed the smile vanish from Walkers face.

~o~

A week passed quickly with the couple seeing each other mostly every day. The following Saturday Pike was up early. He adorned his best white shirt and applied bril cream to his unruly hair. He was nervous and excited all at the same time. He never really had a proper girlfriend before and this sophisticated lady just seemed to like him. Her smiles gave him confidence and made him feel good about himself. He never felt that way before.

His mum had left as much food in the house as she could, given that there was a war on. There was just enough for a modest picnic. He made meat paste and cucumber sandwiches and packed his allowance of sweets and butter biscuits into a small basket along with a bottle of milk and two small cups. Diane met him at the corner beside the large sweet shop. As he approached she fixed him with a wicked grin.

"What you got there then," she asked.

He blushed slightly. He felt foolish now with the basket. Maybe he had seen too many films.

"Wait here," she grinned and she disappeared inside the sweet shop.

Pike couldn't help himself he watched through the window as her shapely frame moved gracefully towards the counter. Her grey pencil skirt fitted very snugly around her curvaceous figure. She raised a hand and pointed to something high up on a shelf. The shop keeper turned and climbed a ladder to get down a bottle of pink lemonade. Frank's eyes suddenly grew wide as he saw her slip two chocolate, hazelnut bars into her bag.

"Hello Frank."

Pike quickly turned to see Mr Godfrey smiling warmly at him.

"Are you off on a picnic, you have excellent weather for it haven't you."

"Yes Mr Godfrey," Pike stammered, still reeling from what he had just seen.

She emerged from the shop and fixed Mr Godfrey with a glamorous smile. Godfrey tipped his hat politely at her.

"I was just saying you have a splendid day for a picnic," he smiled.

"And splendid company," she grinned at the friendly old man. As she did so she ran a hand down Frank's back.

"Well we'd better be going now Mr Godfrey, I'll see you at parade later."

~o~

They sat on a blanket looking out at the rolling blue waves as they crashed into shore leaving foamy peaks in their wake.

Pike was unusually quiet as they ate. He watched a young mother paddling with her three small children, they each wore a little brown float around their waist. The oldest girl splashed the two younger ones without mercy. They staggered about as salty water assaulted their eyes.

"Penny for your thoughts," she grinned over at him.

Her blouse had come slightly undone and Pike tried not to stare at the hint of pure white lace peaking out nestled against the tanned skin of her breast.

Instead he looked down at his hands and concentrated on a callous on one of his fingernails.

"Diane, I saw what you did in that shop." he said at last.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot." she grinned as she pulled the two chocolate bars out and handed him one.

"No," he shook his head.

"Oh come on Frank. Don't you ever take a risk. You're a young man. You need to live a little. We could all be invaded by Hitlars troops at any time and there you'll be as much a virgin as the day you were born."

"I'm not a virgin." Frank said.

Unfortunately he said that a bit loud. Two children looked up from their work with a bucket and spade to stare at him. When he didn't follow up with any new information they went back to their digging.

"I'm not a virgin," he whispered to her.

"I'm sorry, I spoke out of turn. Look, It's nothing to be ashamed about Frank and it's easily rectified."

He didn't know what else to say, he felt ashamed. He had never been in such a situation, never even been close.

She smiled in the silence that followed.

"Come," she took his hand.

They went back to her place. As soon as they closed the door behind them she was kissing his face and undoing her blouse. He wanted to relax. He wanted to be suave like Rudolf Valintino but it just felt so awkward and unreal. Besides the kissing and cuddling part the rest was a lot of awkward fumbling with straps and buttons and he hardly knew where to put himself. He knew of course what to do but how to hold her, how to move, where to put his hands. It was not as natural as you would think.

Diane seemed to enjoy it tough. That gave him some comfort. Her breaths came in quick shallow gasps as he worked and she cried out his name as he felt her go ridged beneath him.

As for Frank he didn't know if he enjoyed it. It was all so new to him. Frank often thought about girls when he was alone in his bedroom at night. He would imagine being with them and the thoughts would send a flow of sensations through his body. But this was different. This was actual and real and all he could think about was did he do it right.

She reached over to the bedside table and took hold of a packet of cigarettes. She took out two and lit them both. She handed one to Frank. He wasn't a smoker but in his mind he was in the movies again. A gangster hiding out with his broad. He took a drag and tried not to cough.

Diane exhaled a cloud of swirling blue smoke. "I can't believe that was your first time, that was incredible," she grinned.

"Really, I mean I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Didn't you enjoy it?" she asked.

Frank looked straight at her then, his face boyish in its sincerity.

"Oh yes, I did, very much," he nodded.

She smiled and moving closer she leaned over him slowly sweeping her lips over his.

"How bout we have another go,"

A slow smile spread over Frank's face as she kissed him again.

~o~

Parade was due to start in an hour. He would need time to go home and change into his uniform and comb his hair and wash his face. And yet here he still sat. He couldn't get up. After their love making Diane had persuaded him into taking her to the the local pub. Parade was due to start in an hour and here he was swigging down his forth brandy.

Through the fog of cigarette smoke Pike could see a stranger staring at him, actually glowering at him.

"Do you know him?" he finally asked as the man continued to stare at them both.

"Pay no attention to him," Diane said.

Frank turned to her then.

"But do you know him, he seems to know you. What's he staring at?"

"No, I don't know him," she said defensively. "Why should I know him. He's probably just some lonely git out to make some friends."

Frank wasn't quite convinced but he let it go. He didn't want to upset her.

"Here get the drinks in would you babe." she asked.

"No I have to go, I am due on parade in ten minutes and I'm not even changed yet."

Frank went to take her hand.

"No i'll stay for a while love. I don't have money but I like to soak up the atmosphere. It can be lonely at home."

Pike reached into his pocket and taking out two shillings he handed them to her.

"Aw babe, you didn't have to do that." She stood up and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," she said with a grin.

~o~

The plan was to rush home and get changed quickly for parade but once he got out into the air his world began to spin. Half an hour later he was staggering towards the church. Coffee hadn't helped He had thrown it up in the sink. He was only glad that his mum and Uncle Arthur were still away. He could only hope to sneak in and hide in the back row as parade had begun a good twenty minutes ago.