Eric paces the empty hallway of the town hall. A brown paper bag containing a large amount of money is tucked under his arm and his fists are clenched at his sides.
Gerald stands by the doorway. He watches Eric pace, a pitiful look on his face.
"Maybe she arrived early, before we got here." Gerald says, trying to give Eric some hope that Eva will turn up. They've been here for over 30 minutes. The crowd of regulars have already waded their way into the main hall, ravenous for today's hot meal.
"We were the first ones here, there's no way she could already be here!" Eric replies, a little too sharply. His freshly polished shoes squeak on the tiled floor as he moves. He's an impatient man which usually leads to his temper getting the better of him.
"I'm sure she'll be here soon." Gerald says calmly. Eric sighs, Gerald's attempt at being reassuring is not helping. Initially he didn't want Gerald to come along, Eva hasn't seen him since last year and Gerald being here without any warning might scare her off. However, Gerald is the reason Eric might get a chance at being in his child life, so Eric can't really refuse to have him here.
The pair continue their wait in silence. Eric paces more frantically as the minutes pass, occasionally he stops by the entrance doors and peers out the small square windows to see if Eva is rushing up the steps.
Gerald leans against the wall and contemplates what he's going to say to Eva, that's if he gets the chance to speak to her. She might not want to talk to him. Maybe it's best he doesn't say anything at all? Surely she won't resent Gerald, he never did anything bad to her.
After over an hour has passed the fed start to pour out of the hall, their bellies warm and full. Something drops in Eric's stomach as he watches them leave. A bitter taste forms in his mouth. She didn't come. Why didn't she come? Had he scared her last time they saw each other? Was the thought of Eric being in her life too much for her? It feels just like last time, when she first told him she was pregnant, she pushed him away.
Sheila's head appears through the crack of the slightly open door. Her face is sorrowful as she looks between the two men. "We're all cleaned up in here, ready to go home?" She says quietly as though Eric might start raging.
Gerald stand up straight from the wall and takes a step towards Eric. He's stopped pacing now and is just staring at the floor.
"We can try again tomorrow." Gerald says. He moves closer to Eric and places a hand on his arm, he gives it a comforting squeeze and Eric looks up at him.
"Yes, I suppose so." Eric sighs. In his head thoughts of Eva being in trouble are telling him that's why she isn't here, she's lying dead in a gutter somewhere or some drunk has taken her away to warm his bed.
***
A large chandelier hangs highs on the ceiling of a marble ballroom, clear crystals swing gently over the dinner guests below. Slow music flows through the room from a small brass band situated on a knee high stage. Waiters weave in and out of tables, carrying trays of colourful foods for the guests.
Mr Birling sits fat and proud among men with bigger companies than him. He forcefully laughs at their jokes, his face turns bright red from exaggeration, and he shows great interest in the conversation, without fully knowing what they're really talking about.
Mrs Birling sits politely next to him, a slim glass of champagne between her fingertips. Her lips are firmly pressed together, making her mouth look like a pink line as she peers around the room at other guests. She's dressed in burgundy with white pearls draped around her neck. She's not interested in what the men have to say, her eyes are searching the room for eligible bachelors for Sheila. All of the young men in the room are of course from well known families, some have parents with OBEs, others are heir to international companies.
With a frown on her face, Sheila shadows her mother. She'd give anything to not be here right now, especially in the hideous dress her mother picked out. It does nothing for her figure, the colour is murky,the material is heavy and quite frankly it would put any man off her. If that doesn't work, then her break up with Gerald will question whether she's wife material. She's heard the gossip the older women have been sharing about her, they say Sheila is to blame, that she's too hysterical. They can talk all the like, but Sheila doesn't care. Mrs Birling on the other hand has obviously been trying to put the rumours to rest by creating new rumours about her daughter's engagement being called off. It's neither Gerald's or Sheila's fault, she tells them, it was a mutual decision. Little does she know that Sheila was only helping keep Gerald's relationship with Eric a secret and that she was never in love with Gerald in any sort of way.
A grey haired woman wearing a lavender dress appears at Sybil's elbow. She's got a pointy nose and the skin on her cheeks are sagging like a child's wet nappy.
"Sybil." She smiles, revealing yellowish teeth. "It's awfully nice to see you."
Mrs Birling turns to face the woman and smiles back at her. "Petunia, what a lovely surprise." Sybil stands up and embraces Petunia, air kissing her cheeks. "This is my daughter Sheila." Mrs Birling says. Petunia glances at Sheila with raised eyebrows, as if she doesn't care who Sheila is.
"Sheila, this is Petunia, she works with me on the Women's Charity Organisation." Sheila gives the woman a weak smile. "Am I right in saying that you have a son, Petunia?" Mrs Birling asks.
"Yes I do, his name is Charles, such a dashing young man. He's abroad at the moment, researching materials in India." Petunia smiles proudly as she speaks of her son.
"Is he married? Engaged?" Mrs Birling asks, trying to make her questions not seem like she's prying.
"No, he's a free man."
"Oh! So is Sheila, a free woman I mean." Mrs Birling laughs but Petunia only throws her an unsure look.
"If you're suggesting that my Charles and your Sheila should marry, then I'm afraid you're being preposterous. Charles needs a woman with intelligence to match his strong mind, not a girl who is going to shop all day." Petunia pouts, her judging eyes looking Sheila up and down.
"Sheila is intelligent." Mrs Birling stutters, suddenly thrown off.
"I'm sure she is." Petunia mutters something returning to her table for dessert and leaves Sybil feeling insulted. Silence passes over the mother and daughter, Sybil sits back down and swallows the rest of her drink. Sheila sits awkwardly at her side, too scared to say anything. Mr Birling's bellowing laugh snaps Sybil out of her shocked state and she resumes her place at her husbands side.
With her mother's back turned, Sheila gazes around at the other round tables. They're all full of senior men with round bellies and ugly moustaches. Dolled up women sit at their sides smiling and looking very ditzy.
At a table across from her, Sheila catches the eye of a young man. He smiles a charmingly cocky smile and suggestively raises an eyebrow at her. Sheila scoffs and looks away. Rich men are so obnoxious.
"Sheila!"
Sheila turns around at her mother's sharp voice.
"This is Gregory Clarkin, he's a manager at a silk mill." Mrs Birling introduces a tall man sat across from her. He's lanky looking and has a hollow face. He nods at Sheila with a plain expression, his dark eyes staring hard at her. Sheila politely smiles at him before looking back at her mother.
Mrs Birling looks at her daughter with questioning eyes. She leans closer to her and lowers her voice to a hush. "He's been staring at you all evening, I think he's interested. Should I ask if he's available?"
"No." Sheila says firmly and her mother frowns.
"Why not Sheila? He's doing very well financially and his brother works for the government."
"Mother! I'm not her for you to parade me around like I'm something for sale."
Mrs Birling tuts and leans even closer to Sheila. "You're not going to be young forever. Men won't want you when you're past thirty and by then the good ones will be gone. You need to get your priorities straight, you need to secure a future for yourself. I don't want you putting this family to even more shame than it already has, your brother is already on track to do that." Sybil sighs and her expression softens. "I'm only trying to help you Sheila. People know me and know what good work I do for the community, they'll be a lot more interested in you if they know I'm your mother."
Sheila doesn't say anything. She turns away from her mother and picks up her drink. How can she be so full of herself? Sheila was foolish to think her mother could change.
Next to her, Sheila hears Sybil speak to the lanky man across the table. She questions him on his relationship status and when he says he's married she lets out a faint 'oh'. Behind her glass, Sheila chuckles to herself, it seems her mother isn't having as much luck as she's hoped for.
"Sheila." Mrs Birling's whining voice calls Sheila again. She rolls her eyes and faces her mother.
"He has a brother." A glimmer of hope flashes across Sybil's face. "Let's hope he's better looking than-" She's cut off by Sheila standing up. "Sheila, what are you doing?"
Numerous people around them stare as Sheila stands scowling at her mother.
"I'm sick to death of you trying to control me. You're so self absorbed that you don't listen to what I want. Did the Inspector teach you nothing?" Sheila shouts. Mrs Birling's face flushes red and Mr Birling has turned to see what all the commotion is.
"Sheila lower your voice, you're embarrassing yourself." Mrs Birling hisses, avoiding eye contact with the other guests.
"Oh shut up mother, the only person I'm embarrassing is you." Gasps erupt from the surrounding guests.
"I don't need you to help me find a husband, I can do it myself and when I do find one I'll marry him because I love him, not because he's rich or has a factory full of young girl working for less than they're worth." Sheila is crying now and her face is red with rage. Mrs Birling sits stricken with disbelief that her daughter is acting this way.
"And I'll raise my children to be much better people than you! They'll be kind and caring, and they won't judge others on who they are." Sheila lets out a deep sigh and gives her family one last glare before rushing out of the room. She hears her mother call her name as the doors close behind her.