Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool Read Online Free

photographs, two pairs of jeans, a short white fur coat, a grey knitted sweater with a
collar, a few white shirts, some vests, a tie and a pair of silk pyjamas. Underneath all these were her precious black suede shoes.
    Gloria had problems buying shoes because she had problems with her feet. They were big. It really was difficult for her to find a decent-looking pair that would fit, so she would trudge around
the shops for hours, most times in vain. The black suede stilettos came from a shop in Bond Street, I sat with her the day she bought them, trying to encourage her, while she went through almost
every shoe in the shop. She was miserable and close to tears. The shoes she was wearing, her only pair, were caving in at the heel and about to fall off her feet. The shop was near to closing and
the assistant was getting bored, but Gloria was determined. Finally the manager came up with the black suede stilettos. Gloria squeezed her way into them.
    ‘I think it would rather help, madam,’ the woman said sarcastically, ‘if you would not wear socks while trying the shoes.’
    ‘I don’t happen to agree,’ Gloria said in a perfect English accent. Then standing up and reverting to her American film star’s voice she announced to the world, ‘I
always wear socks!’
    It was a peculiar and unnecessary habit. She did wear socks, she always wore them, because she was embarrassed about the size of her feet.
    ‘I remember when you bought these.’ I held the shoes up to her. ‘It was over three years ago. Not long after we’d met, I’m amazed you still have them.’
    ‘So am I,’ she sighed. ‘Those shoes are so important to me, I keep on having them fixed.’
    I moved up close to her and took her hand.
    ‘I have gas in my stomach, Peter, that’s all. That doctor gave me a shot. Now look what’s happened. It’s made me feel that I’m dying. Huh.’ She faked a short
laugh. ‘Now isn’t that stupid?’
    Suddenly she started to breathe heavily and gulp and swallow.
    ‘Burp me, Peter. Please, burp me.’
    I lifted her away from the pillow and gently rubbed her back.
    ‘Don’t tell Paulette.’ She squeezed my hand. ‘Don’t tell my kids.’
    ‘Let me take you to a hospital,’ I said.
    ‘No, don’t do that, Peter,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t want a fuss.’
    I could see the determination in her expression and knew she would not be moved.
    ‘Are you listening to me, Peter? I don’t want any fuss.’
    ‘Eugh! You gave me a fright!’
    I bumped into Jessie at the bottom of the stairs.
    ‘I was just going to say goodnight to Gloria,’ she said. ‘I want to see if she needs anything. Me and Joe have got to go home soon, we’ve got to get back to the
kids.’
    ‘She needs another nightdress,’ I said. ‘I don’t think she likes the one she’s wearing. And she’s asked me to get her some apricot kernels and grape juice
from a health food shop.’
    ‘Well look, Joe and I have got to go into town tomorrow because we still haven’t got that suitcase for your mother, so we’ll take you. Let’s say we’ll call for you
here at about half past ten in the morning. I’ll arrange it all with Joe.’ She went upstairs to the middle room and I waited till she closed the door behind her.
    When I entered the kitchen, Joe was sitting at the table over a bowl of hot soup. My mother was clearing up.
    ‘There’s some of that for you.’ She turned away from the sink and pointed to the soup. ‘I gave some to Gloria just before you got home but she could only manage a
sip.’ She dried her hands and sat down next to Joe. ‘Now look. The thing is we’ve got to get Gloria to a hospital because we don’t know how bad she is. She’s got to be
attended to properly. You can’t have somebody sick without a doctor.’
    ‘She’s told me that she doesn’t want to go to a hospital. She hates hospitals,’ I said. ‘I don’t know what we can do.’
    ‘We’ll just have to persuade her to go.’ My mother