Jed twisted to the side to allow Spud out of the cab and then, as they waited in the queue for the pump, Ken turned to his son and sighed. ‘Listen, lad, I think me and thee need to have a little chat while Spud’s away, don’t you?’
Jed was distracted and distant, watching his cousin slope off towards the forecourt shop. ‘Do we? What about?’
‘About that lass you’ve left behind and the slapped-arse look on your face, that’s what.’ Ken sounded surprised that Jed actually had to have it explained.
‘There’s nothing to talk about, I’m pissed off, so is she, but that’s life and there’s not a lot can be done about it.’ Jed turned away from his dad and watched the bloke at the front of the queue fill his truck with diesel.
‘Well, I never had you down as a quitter or a mard-arse… so why don’t you tell me how you really feel and what’s on your mind and then I’ll tell you what I think. How’s that for a deal?’
Jed huffed. He really wasn’t in the mood for a heart-to-heart, not right there and then. He’d planned on having one when they got home, throwing some ideas about with his mum and dad but until then he preferred to wallow like a lovesick teenager and yes, be a mard-arse. When he looked away from Spud who was at the back of a huge queue, then back at the patient eyes of his dad Jed surrendered, knowing he’d never let it drop so decided to get it over with. ‘Okay, cards on table. We want to make a go of it, simple as that but I’m torn. You need me and so does Frankie. Oh, and by the way she said I had to make it crystal clear that she wasn’t pressuring me to stay. She doesn’t want you to think bad of her.’
‘Ah, so you’ve talked about it then, you moving here?’
‘No, I didn’t mean that, not permanently. We thought I could spread my time between here and Manchester if you have a big job on. People do make long-distance relationships work so there’s no reason why we can’t.’ Jed raised his hand in submission. ‘Honestly, Dad, I don’t know what to do. My head’s all over the place.’
‘And your heart is where?’ Ken turned to face his son full-on.
Jed hesitated, he knew the answer and suspected his dad did too. ‘It’s with Frankie. I want to be with Frankie.’
Ken didn’t respond immediately, instead he looked ahead, deep in thought. ‘Aye, I thought as much and from what I’ve seen of Frankie and how you two are together, I reckon you’ve got a good chance of making a go of it. There’s just one stumbling block, though, as far as I can see.’
This got Jed’s attention, his heart plummeted at the thought of there being a negative where he and Frankie were concerned. ‘And what’s that?’
Ken replied instantly. ‘Me.’
‘What do you mean, you? You’re not a problem, Dad. It’s the 700 miles between me and Frankie that’s the issue. See, this is exactly what I didn’t want, you and Mum feeling as though the firm is a problem because it’s not.’
‘I know that, lad, so maybe we do need a heart-to-heart, to clear the air a bit because if I’m honest I’ve been doing a lot of thinking while we’ve been here, especially because I’ve had some peace and quiet without your mum in my bleedin’ ear all the time.’ Ken’s dry sense of humour helped to lighten the mood.
‘Why, what have you been thinking about?’
‘Everything, life, the business, you, your moaning-minnie mum, and when I saw the potential in Frankie’s place, I knew that with your help it could be something special and it made me feel bad.’
Jed was surprised and confused. ‘Bad, why?’
‘Because your mum, for all her nagging, has stood by me all these years and missed out on a lot so we could get the firm established. I’d work all the hours if she’d let me. I don’t know when to stop and when you were growing up, apart from putting her foot down about having a fortnight camping in the summer, she never moaned about not having fancy foreign holidays or me working Sundays and late nights. She put up with living in a builder’s yard, and she never got her conservatory even though I did promise her.’
Jed was confused. ‘I don’t get it, though. What’s that got to do with Frankie?’
Ken sighed. ‘Because Frankie has dreams; you do too; and so does your mum; and I want to make all of them come true. I need to set you free to live your life and I think it’s time I focused on me and your mum, before I end up with an even longer list of regrets.’
‘Dad, don’t think like that. I had the best childhood and we were happy, the three of us, running the firm and living on site. I know it’s not on a fancy new estate with all mod cons but it’s our home.’
‘I know, lad, we were, we are. Then when I look back, all I remember is you by my side, weekends, school holidays, my little mate. You were my partner and I relied on you to help me out. Your mum was in the office or the house and I had everything I wanted… but maybe I was selfish.’
‘Dad–’
Ken held his hand up. ‘No, son, let me finish. I think I was selfish, in a good way if there is such a thing because in my head everything I did was for the family, so we’d be secure and you’d have a future. Then coming here, seeing how brave Frankie’s been, striking out on her own, has made me realise that my dream might not be yours, not anymore.’
Jed was dumbstruck, and the arrival of Spud curtailed the conversation as did the truck in front moving forward.
‘Right, let turtle-boy in, then I’ll fill up and we’ll pull over there.’ He pointed to a small picnic area. ‘We can take a break on those benches, have our drinks and some of those sarnies Frankie made and perhaps we can sort our lives out properly. What do you say?’
Jed nodded and opened the door, shuffling along the bench seat so Spud could get in.
Five minutes later they were having an impromptu lunch, the conversation between father and son unheard by Spud who bopped his head to music as he ate. Ken swilled down some water, looking thoughtful before he spoke.
‘The way I see it is this, something’s got to give. And I reckon you meeting Frankie is just that. We’ve been coasting along for the past couple of years, me telling myself I’m too busy to retire when really I’m taking jobs on to keep you fully waged and delay the inevitable. Me and your mum are comfortable now, we won’t want for owt, so there’s no need to work all the hours I do.’
