The World According to Jessie

Chapter Thirteen

"...Mission Parentals commence. God speed Miss Clarins..."

Ok, so this was a fundamental task to undertake but one I was more than prepared for. I had spent most of the night awake, spending way too much time on Google (with the occasional game of Bubble Witch on Facebook) trawling my way through Blackpool's elite. I couldn't remember all the places that Mum and Dad told me that they frequented when they were my age (before I came along) but I remembered some names and was hoping that I could find them on the WWW. So far, I had only one two but one owned a restaurant and the other owned a bar and according to the email replies that I had had first thing this morning, they were allowed in both. There were not many places left in Blackpool that didn't turn them away at the door these days!

Armed with my new information, I put a fresh face on for the day and reverted back to my usual uniform of jeans and strappy top. But since it was now July, I gave up the ghost of my beloved boots and slipped on some flip-flops instead. A coat of lippie and mascara and I was ready for Mission One. Unfortunately, most missions have their hiccups and I had a massive one.

'Do you, may be want to do something today?' Tristan asked, I as breezed past him on the stairs. I turned around sharply, grabbing the bannister so I didn't fall over in shock.

'You what?' I asked eyes wide, mouth open.

'Do you, Jessie Elizabeth Clarins, want to do something with me Tristan Jonathan David, today, right now in this millennium?' Right there, was Tristan's idea of a sarcastic retort and it didn't wash with me.

'What did you have in mind?' I answered. 'Because I am rather busy today.'

'Doing what exactly?' he asked, with a snort. 'Walking around a dying seaside town trying to find inspiration for your latest column. Yeah, like that's a real job.' My grip on the bannister was by now so tight, that the paint had started chipping off.

'For your information, Mr David, I am on a mission today and I don't want any interruptions. Especially not from you.' My diva style hair flip wasn't as quite as dramatic as it could be, but I still managed to whack Tristan in the eye with my ponytail before descending what was left of the stairs. God Grandma Nicki would be proud! Talking of which...

'Hello darling...' she said, as I went to rip the front door off its hinges. I turned my head, catching my own eye with my ponytail. Ow, that is going to smart!

'Do me a favour and make sure that idiot doesn't follow me today ok.' I said, dabbing away at the water running down my cheek from my injured eye. 'I need to be alone to do what I have to do.'

'So nothing I could help with then?' she asked, handing me a tissue from out of her pocket.

'Not yet, but hopefully soon.' I smiled, kissing her on the cheek. 'Love you!' I shouted, as I walked out of the door.

The Back Streets were Blackpool's little hidden gems. Hundreds of little shops within shops and cafés and bars that no one really knew about unless you lived here, was a regular tourist or simply took a wrong turning. I had spent half of my childhood pocket money and teenage earnings in these very streets and it made me smile to think that I probably still would, given half a chance. I turned into one particular street just off the centre of town, right past my favourite Fish and Chip Shop (making a mental note to take some home with me), and into a small building just on the corner. Inside was like Aladdin's Cave. From the tiny entrance, you could see the thousands of stalls inside selling everything from perfume to Velvet Pictures that you could colour in yourself. I knew that at the end of this maze stood the sweetest little cafe I had ever seen. And that little cafe was the place where Mum and Dad had their first proper date...