Chapter 10

When we arrived home, I let the dogs in and then got Margaret out of the car and into the house. She was aware enough to get herself undressed, ready for bed, and cleansed. I pulled her bedclothes back so that she could get in. There was snoring before I put the light out. It could have been Boobs, though.

I made sure that the Defender was locked and got ready for my own bed. I laid in the dark, idly scratching a dogs’ head. It seemed to calm both of us after a busy day. I thought about the money. I hadn’t really factored that in with my thoughts about my future life. If the CD sold eighty-five thousand copies, it would give me as much as Tom had left me, and that had seemed like a fortune at the time.

I must have slept well, waking to the alarm on my phone playing ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ and getting louder. I turned it off and went to the bathroom, had a shower, and got dressed before I went to wake my sister. I made sure that she was in the shower before I went to the kitchen and looked after the dogs when they had returned from their ablutions. I was getting things ready for breakfast when Margaret wandered in, still in her gown.

“Coffee, give me coffee!”

I poured he a cup and asked her if she wanted egg, bacon and baked beans. Luckily, I had already started the toast that was all she could manage. As she ate, she looked worried.

“What’s the problem, sis?”

“What do you wear for a driving test? Is it a smart dress to appear sophisticated, or shall I go with jeans and a sweater to be warm and the girl next door?”

“I had a shirt and jeans on when I took mine. But, there again, I was a boy at the time. Go with those black jeans you have with a bit of room in them, and a warm sweater. Put your handbag on the back seat, and don’t slide it between your seat and the door. Make sure you have a tissue tucked into your sleeve. Don’t wear a necklace that may interfere with your movements and lastly, wear sturdy flats.”

“Ooh! Who’s a smarty pants this morning. That Oswald kept topping my wine up. I was starting to think that he was trying to get into my pants and then his wife turned up. The speed that she finished the bottle made me think that he was trying to make me drink as much as I did, to limit her intake. Strange things that married couple do to protect each other. It was a good show, though, and a lot more people that the first time you played there.”

“I noticed that. It will be interesting to see what they crowd is like on Saturday. When you’ve finished, you’d better get dressed, the instructor will be here at ten, and you need to have a clear head by then. I think that he’ll get you to drive around the likely route that they’ll be using today.”

When she was getting ready, I tidied up in the kitchen and went out to open up the Defender, taking in the keyboard trestle first. Propping the back door open, I manhandled the keyboard in and set it up. Margaret was out in time to carry the microphone as I took the seat in. She did a few laps of the property in the fresh air and was ready when the instructor arrived.

I gave her a hug and wished her good luck, and she thanked me for getting her ready. With the house quiet, I sat in the lounge with the book on cake decoration, trying to work out how to make sense of it. After a while, I put it down and just thought. The show attendances were picking up, I was playing four times a month after just one solo spot. The album was out there, and I was happy with my life.

I had no regrets about saying no to Hector, and oddly, no regrets about being turned into a clone of Tanya. There were people who looked out for me, some who looked to me for my opinion, some who even looked at me with just one thing on their mind. Sadly, the last group had not yet included a good-looking girl. The short period of being Tony again was really strange, as I had tried to make sure that I didn’t have to go to the shops, in case I was seen.

I must have dozed off, as it was the sound of a car horn that woke me. I went outside, to be hugged by a happy sister, who had obviously passed her test. We waved the instructor off and the second thing she wanted to do was to drive me somewhere for lunch. The first thing was to dash to the toilet to relieve herself. We got our bags, locked up the house and left the dogs in charge.

I directed us to the Blue Ball Inn, near Cambridge, somewhere I had been on my bike. We had the Shepherd’s Pie and a wine. We finished our lunch and I smiled.

“Seeing that you’re buying, I’ll have the Apple Crumble for dessert.”

“Hey! I’m not made of money, you know.”

“I beg to differ, sister dear. I got an email that told me that the CD sold over fifteen thousand copies already.”

“That’s great, what do I get as your manager?”

“I already asked that your money is to be transferred. There should be a bit over four and a half thousand in your company account.”

“In that case, I’ll have one as well. Another wine to celebrate?”

“You’re driving, remember.”

“Spoilsport!”

The apple crumble was delicious, and she paid up, happily, and we drove into Cambridge to wander around the town. Back at home, she looked at her banking and gave a little squeal. I checked my laptop and saw that I now had the cake business registered. I forwarded that to the accountant and asked him to set up another business account for me and seed it with five hundred from the music account, and to list it as an investment.

The month of October was like a dream. We went to the venues, and I played with the band, now including more from my own repertoire. Margaret remained strong enough to resist extra drinks, started to canvas venues to get me solo spots, and our lives became settled into a routine. She had registered herself as ‘Megs’ Hair’ as a sole trader and started to get appointments for home visits.

I became a member of Costco, with my cake business registration, and we filled the two cabinets with long-life product to save time and money. At the end of the month, there was an email from the accountant to tell me that I had received another payment from the label. The album had sold forty-eight thousand, two hundred and ninety-six copies, which gave me ninety-six thousand, five hundred and ninety-two pounds. I emailed my paperwork with the cash payments, expenses, and asked him to transfer the fourteen thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight pounds and eighty pence to Margaret.

The first day of November brought a phone call from a number I didn’t know.

“Good morning, Tonya Underwood speaking.”

“Good morning, Tonya. This is Sergeant Snow from the Letchworth Police. I’m calling you because a little bird has told me that the country is likely to go into lockdown again. Can you come in and fill out forms to get stickers for your vehicles. They will allow you to travel freely. I expect that you may be called on to make and deliver cakes during the period. Molly, from the Ickleford church, will undoubtedly get in touch with you when it’s announced. Your sister may be called on to do in-house hairdressing among the local elderly.”

“Will do. Why us?”

“We already know that you’ve got bulk storage, and we have a list of known suppliers who buy from Costco. They will remain open to registered distributers through the lockdown. We also know that you are trustworthy and level-headed.”

“Any idea how long it will last.”

“I doubt that it would remain in place through the festive season, as that would be political suicide, but next year will depend on how serious this second wave is. I have your number and will give you our contact details when you come in. I’ll also give you direct numbers for the other services, seeing that you’ll be our eyes in the community. See you soon.”

I called Margaret and we sat in the kitchen while I told her what I had just heard, without the note that we were trustworthy and level-headed. We put our coats on and took both cars to the police station, where we were given forms to fill out, with a queue of others coming in. We had an official badge, each, to denote us as approved for travel, and stickers for the vehicles but told not to put them on until the announcement. We then went to Costco, where I loaded the Defender with a range of things, from eggs to dog food, powdered milk to boxes of tea bags. Margaret loaded up with hairdressing and cosmetic supplies, as well as bulk shampoo and conditioner. Of course, we didn’t miss getting several bales of toilet paper, having been caught last time.

We took it all back to the house and stored things away in the shed and spaces in the house. The office ended up with just enough room to get to the desk. Margaret rang Mum to give her a bit of prior warning but told her it was just a rumor we had heard and may not be true.

On the fourth of November, the lockdown was announced, and all the venues were closed. Molly did get in touch, and we were asked to help out around the area. We put the stickers on the vehicles, and both had a box of masks to wear whenever we were out of our cars. We went to the village hall, where Molly had set up a control site, with volunteers, all widely spaced and wearing masks, sitting at desks and co-ordinating assistance around the area, with us being new to the slick operation that had learned a lot in the first half of the year.

The hospitals and nursing homes were all getting their normal deliveries, and I was given a list of the elderly and infirm in Ickleford to see, every day, after getting bread from Costco and adding any cakes I could make. Margaret had a similar list of people who would only needed to be seen every couple of weeks.

We spent November out and about, every day, delivering and looking after the ones on our lists. I found that I was delivering to customers who were convalescing from a hospital visit as well as the elderly. These were with families and needed other things beyond what I had. After a few days, I was taking shopping lists and cash to pick up things at Costco. If I bought bulk, I would hold on to the extra for others. One other thing with the mainly younger customers was that most had interesting jobs when they went back to work, and I had many interesting talks during the days.

In the evening, I baked, with all those on my, and Margarets’ lists getting birthday cakes on the right day. With our travel freedom, we were also able to deliver to family and friends, which allowed us all to get through the month, when the restrictions were lifted, just as the sergeant had predicted.

Over the month we had called for an ambulance for nearly a dozen of our customers and called for the police on three occasions when we saw roaming gangs. For the two of us, it had been work, and had allowed us to grow into adulthood. We both had a wider range of people we knew, and an appreciation of peoples’ lives outside our own orbit. On top of that, we were getting our fuel from Costo pumps paid for by the government, and Margaret had a sheaf of paperwork with every beauty treatment she had done, which would be reimbursed by the local council.

Even better, people still bought the CD through on-line websites, and it had sold another thirty-nine thousand, six hundred and fifty-seven units. That gave me over seventy-nine thousand pounds in the account, less just under eleven thousand nine hundred that was transferred to Margaret.

I had stayed in touch with Oswald and the band. Thankfully, they were all healthy in December. Tiger and the boys had spent the enforced rest by working out songs that would work well with a female singer, something that hadn’t crossed their minds in the earlier lockdown. One other thing was to call the label and ask if a Tonya and the Trotters album would be accepted, which they welcomed. In the first week of December, I loaded up the keyboard and we met the band, one chilly morning, at the Esquires venue. Every job that the band members had was only going to be a couple of days a week until after the New Year, so they all had spare time.

Esquires wouldn’t open for customers until it had been cleaned, so they allowed us to use it for a couple of days. We worked through the new songs that they had chosen, as well as a half a dozen originals, finalised during the month from snippets that had been thought about over the year. By lunch time on the second day, we almost had a completely new set that we could play. When we were eating our sandwiches, I broached the subject on my mind.

“Guys, my album has been selling well, and I’m prepared to spend some money to record. Is there a good studio nearby, big enough to take the whole band in comfort?”

There was some discussion, and the consensus was that the MAK Studio, in an industrial area east of the city, was our best choice. Oswald rang them and had his phone on loudspeaker so we could all listen. The studio was only just ramping up, and there had been a lot of cancellations. By the time the conversation was ended, we had made a booking for Sunday afternoon, Monday, and Tuesday, of next week, for six hundred pounds, including masters. I gave the boss there my accountants’ email and asked that the account was made out to TonyaTunes. Oswald and Tiger would go and double check the studio.

For the guys, this was a big thing, one that could improve their lives. I did warn them that the returns wouldn’t be huge. Based on what I was getting for mine, each share for us would be less than thirty pence per sale.

Later that week, we went to see our accountant. We gave him a big Christmas cake that I’d made, and also organised the payment distribution should the Trotters album go on the market. Any payments from the label would come to him. He would transfer six sevenths to Oswald to pay the guys, who would be taking his commission from that. That would be on my books as payment for services from the band.

Our usual shows had been dropped, seeing that it was so close to Christmas. Oswald had got us a number of end-of-year shows, starting Saturday night. We had another show Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday the week after, and a Christmas Eve show the Thursday after that, followed by a New Years Eve show the Thursday after. I had one show, which was for the volunteers at the Ickleford Village Hall, on the Tuesday before Christmas, organised by Molly and the local council.

That Saturday night, we tried out a lot of our new songs, which worked well. We had developed into more of a party band than an old-time dance band. Sunday afternoon, we met at the studio, got set up and did some things to get used to the surroundings and playing without an audience. We laid down two tracks before we left, listening to them and smiling.

Monday and Tuesday, we worked hard and ended up with another twenty tracks. While we were still there, I rang my contact at the label. I told him that we had twenty-two tracks, which would be suitable for two CD’s. I asked him how much, per album, would be paid, and he told me that I’d get four pounds a sale, seeing that I was supplying the masters. I wrote down his address, and the manager at MAK told me that the master set would be couriered by Friday afternoon, if I paid an extra fifty pounds. The man at the label said that they would listen to what we supplied, and issue the Trotters’ albums in the New Year, with the addition of on-line sales, something that they had worked on over November.

I paid the extra and got a cash sale receipt. Outside, we had a small get-together to discuss what we’ve achieved, loaded up our equipment, and drove home. The equipment would be needed on Wednesday evening. I was quiet on the way home, until Margaret put her hand on my arm.

“Why the silence, Tonya. I would have thought that what you’ve done would make you happy?”

I sighed.

“I’m happy, sis. What we’ve done has been great. However the label set the tracks, there will be two good albums out there, which will finalise my contract with them. The reason I’m quiet is because I’m berating myself for being such an idiot when we were in London. I asked how much I would get for these albums and was told that it would be four pounds a sale, because we’re supplying the masters. That means that Hector is getting two pounds a sale from my album. So much for the ‘small commission’ that he told me. If I see the bastard in a hundred years’ time, it would still be too early. I don’t begrudge them the duet album, seeing that the remastering of the two sets of recordings will take time, but we did that first one in a single take!”

On the Wednesday evening, at the show, we had a talk about what we would call the albums and decided that one would be ‘Pacing with the Trotters’, and the other would be ‘Speeding along with the Trotters’. Oswald was going to email me a list of the members, along with the pictures that he had taken at the studio, along with a short biography, for me to send to the label.

I had that email, with a range of photos as attachments, on Friday, so forwarded it to the label, with a new bio for me. I told them the two album names, and that all payments would be processed through my accountant and asked about the duet album. Saturday morning, I had a reply, thanking me for my speedy supply of all the needed information. They told me that the masters had been received and they would let me know what they thought, next week. Next week would also be the release of the duets, and a box would be couriered to my address.

Our next shows were the Saturday and Sunday. Both were company parties, and both had the highest levels of drunken stupidity that I’d ever seen. I was glad that I had worn the engagement and wedding ring, with a number of guys that I needed to flash them at. It was a lot of fun, though, even if Oswald and Margaret had to come and sit behind the stage for safety. Oswald must have known, as he’d charged triple our usual for both shows, and I ended up with six hundred, less ninety for Margaret. On Monday, I needed to wipe the keyboard and amp down, having been hit by a stream of beer.

That left just three shows for the year. My freebie solo for the volunteers and the Christmas and New Year Eve pair, which would give me another six hundred. The Village Hall was festooned with streamers when we arrived, and we carried my keyboard in and set it up on the small stage, with the amp and microphone. It was a very pleasant party, with a lot of us thankful for getting through the last lockdown. We were joined by a lot of first responders that we had worked with. It was a ‘bring a plate’ affair, and I’d made a big batch of small cakes. I sung my songs and there was a little bit of dancing. I had practised a few carols, and we had a little sing-along. As we were reloading the Defender, the sergeant came and stood beside me, speaking quietly.

“This is between the two of us, Tonya. There have been high level messages from London, and the feeling around the station is that there’ll be another lockdown, not long into January. On the second, can you and your sister come into the station and pick up new stickers and passes for the 2021 year. Take the old ones off your windows as they won’t be acceptable. I’ve warned Molly to be prepared for a long one this time.”

“Thank you, Sergeant Snow. We’ll do what we did before, unless there are other things we’re asked to do. I’ll bring you in a new album when we come in. I had a box of them delivered this morning. It’s similar songs to the last one, but is duets between me and Tanya, whose body you saw in the garden, which were recorded over twenty-five years ago.”

On Christmas Eve, we went visiting in the Subaru. It had been a good buy, as the days had been frosty but there had been very little snow so far. We dropped in to see Francis, giving her six copies of the duets album to pass out. Then we went to our old home for lunch, giving Mum a copy of the album, plus one to pass on to her brother. After the lunch, I waited until we were having a drink.

“Yesterday, I was told that we should go in and get new stickers for the cars. The word is that there may be another announcement in January. Dad, if you’re in GSK full time, Mum can come and live with us and help out with our delivery work. My contact told me that it may be for longer than the last one, but I stress that it’s only hearsay at the moment.”

Dad thought a bit.

“There seems to be a lot of activity in the accommodation buildings. I think that you’re right. I worked from home in November, but it doesn’t look like that will be an option, this time. We can lock up the house if you go to Lower Green, love. I’ll be happier if you’re with the family. What will you do for sleeping?”

“We can let Mum have my bed and I’ll sleep in the annex. It’s quite comfortable and I’ve slept there before. I can make room in the wardrobe and drawers for her by shifting some of my things into the Cabinet. The only things we’ll need to do is learn to co-ordinate between me and Mum with dressing, and between Margaret and Mum with the bathroom. There’s a small ensuite in the annex. We will be starting early and finishing late in the afternoon. We don’t dress up to do the rounds.”

We left early, as I had a show to get to, in Leighton Buzzard. The Defender was already loaded, and I needed to shower and dress for it, as it was an up-market affair at the Astral Park Community Centre. The guys would be all wearing suits.

I was in the cocktail dress that I had worn in London, and Margaret had her party dress on as well. At the venue, we met up with the guys. They all gave me a present, and I gave them all a copy of the duets album. The show was good, with a lot of local dignitaries and well-dressed couples. We did a long show, with a number of ballroom songs and the rest from our old and new repertoire.

Our New Year Eve Show would be at the Cloisters, the Masonic Centre in Letchworth Garden City, so close to home for us. We went all-out party for that one, with me in one of the raunchier outfits from the collection, something that I had the nerve for now. That one went after midnight, as it should, and we really earned our money. Back home, I gave Margaret her share and we both didn’t take long to get to bed.

We went to the police station on the second, and the hammer dropped on the fourth. It was expected to happen, but not as bad as it did happen. It closed down all non-essential services, gatherings and sports. Effectively, we had, as a country, shut up shop.

Marianne Gregory © 2026