The title of the story is Out of The Blue which I chose from a list of synonyms for Unexpected. It is the prequel to Unexpected the Prequel. It can be read alone or with the three other stories in the Unexpected family.

This is in response to a request from Teacup and my other friends on Tumblr. I am unsure of how many chapters it will become.

"Mum, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to come home," Tim said over the telephone.

"Oh Tim, we were looking forward to your visit," Shelagh said disappointed.

"A bloke's having a do tonight. Tomorrow, I'm planning to catch up on some sleep."

"I worry you don't get enough sleep, but Teddy is going to be disappointed, Angela too."

"I know mum. Tell them I'll take them to the cinema my next free weekend. I've got to go get ready. I heard there are going to be girls there."

"Timothy, now I know the real reason for you not coming home. Have a nice time."

"Thanks, Mum."

This better be worth the fuss, Tim thought to himself in the mirror.

Looking at his clean shaven face, he saw the younger face of his father staring back, except he had his mother's blue eyes. He attempted to put a piece of unruly hair back in place as he cursed his father.

##

Their neighbors were going to be angry. The radio was turned up and the two girls were singing.

I remember when rock was young

Me and Suzie had so much fun

Holding hands and skimming stones

Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own

It was impossible not to sing to Elton John. Looking at Kate bounce around the room in her bra and pants, Julie Miller laughed. Kate was always dancing.

But the biggest kick I ever got

Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock…

While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock

We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock

The girls had been best friends since forever and had left home, in Sussex together to conquer London. Julie often thought that London was conquering them. She had a job she hated and hadn't got two pennies to rub together. Julie had grown up without as the eldest of six children, so she knew how to pinch pennies.

Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking

When your feet just can't keep still

I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will

Kate was giddy, because they had been invited to a party by Arthur, who she fancied. Julie had met the bloke once and thought he was nice enough, but wasn't really in the mood to be thrust into a room full of sharks. She spent her work days surrounded by randy, ogling boys. She would have prefered a date in their dingy little flat with Victoria Holt's protagonist.

Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights

When Suzie wore her dresses tight

And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight

La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la

In an attempt to look casual both girls wore bell bottom trousers and jumpers. They really couldn't afford new clothes, but it was nineteen-seventy-three and they didn't want to wear dresses meant for the office on Saturday night. With their long hair parted in the middle and hanging loose, Kate did Julie's makeup. Julie would have preferred to wear a headband to push back her wavy blonde locks, but Kate insisted that that was "so ninety-sixties".

"Tell me again why we're on a the train to Oxford on a Saturday night. There are better things to do in London." Julie didn't mean to whine, but she knew she was.

Kate just smiled and softly sang, "La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la."

"You like this Arthur bloke don't you?"

"Jules, he is dreamy. He's going to be a doctor. I could be a Mrs. Doctor."

"What's so great about a doctor anyways?"

"Blimey Jules do you want to marry some slacker who works in the factory all day only to spend half the night in the pub? Doctors don't spend their time getting pissed. Arthur wants you to meet his friend Jim. He's rather posh. He even has a car."

"Fine, but he best not be a git like the ones I work with."

"He's handsome. Promise you'll give him a chance."

Julie smiled and replied, "La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la."

Stepping off the train, Kate waved to Arthur who was casually leaning against a brick wall.

Julie turned her face, as the couple greeted each other.

"Come on Jules! Let's go," Kate called. She strolled off holding Aurther's hands.

Night had fallen and Julie buttoned her coat to keep warm. Spring was still a month away. She walked behind the others until they reached a large home.

"Whose house is this?" Julie asked.

"A classmate's. His father is a surgeon at the hospital," Arthur explained.

"Are his parent's at home," Julie ask wary of being an uninvited guest.

"They open their home to us all the time. Mr. Walker will talk medicine with us unless he's in theatre."

Greeting them was a middle aged woman. Mrs. Walker was dressed like it was nineteen-sixty-three. She could be Jackie Kennedy's look alike and was even wearing pearls.

The room was filled with men. Within five minutes of her arrival, she had at least ten of them smile, introduce himself or stare at her.

The room was also filled with smoke. Julie would have thought that future doctors would know better than to fill their lungs with smoke.

She overheard a tall thin man joking with others, but he caught her attention when he turned serious.

He said, "Come on Bernie, don't you read The Lancet those things will kill you… pulmonary disease, heart…"

"Oh shut up, you're supposed to be fun," the smoker replied.

Scanning the room, the women were outnumbered three to one. Under her breath she said, "If a girl can't get a date here, she would have to be…"

The jokester who hated smoking said laughing, "Don't say it!"

"Say what?" she smirked.

"She'd have to be ugly." He smiled.

He had a nice smile, but before she could respond, Kate was calling for her and pulled her across the room.

"Come meet Jim!"

Arthur was standing with a tall man.

No one mentioned he was a ginger.

He extended his hand to her. "Jim Albert."

"Julie, Julie Miller. Nice to meet you."

Her mother raised her with manners.

"Would you like a drink?"

"Not whiskey. Some wine if they have it."

He returned with a glass of wine. Because the room was loud, he had to whisper in her ear. She could smell the whiskey and stale smoke on his breath and it reminded her of her father.

"So you're a friend of Kate's. She's a great girl." She nodded and he continued, "Arthur's a lucky bloke."

She just nodded and wondered if her father was in the pub tonight smelling of whiskey and smoke too. The older she got the less she blamed him, because her siblings were bonkers.

Suddenly she realised that Jim had asked her a question, "Sorry, I couldn't hear you."

"What do you do for work," he hollered in her ear.

Hoping the ringing would go away, she replied, "I'm a secretary."

"Lovely."

She watched as he took out a fag and lit it.

"No, I actually hate it, but it pays the rent."

He nodded and asked, "Where are you from?"

"Sussex, you?"

"Oxfordshire."

Since it didn't hurt to get to know him a bit, she asked, "What kind of doctor are going to be?"

"Internal Medicine. I'd like a surgery on Harley Street."

He seemed to puff up like a peacock. Kate and Arthur approached and the girls listened as two mates talked.

The room was filled with piano music. Quite good music and she was impressed that they'd hire entertainment. Then the tune changed and she heard, the words…

"There once was a fellow McSweeny…"

Julie smiled, because her brother liked limericks. She realised that the jokester had taken to the piano.

"A new farmer's helper named Kull…"

Jim was talking about something medical and Julie was bored.

"There once was a man from East Kent…"

She smirked, that was one of her brother's favorite. She wasn't phased by crude talk with four younger brothers. She also changed enough nappies to not be put off by the male anatomy. Not to mention her house was so small, she could hear everything when her father came home from the pub on Saturday nights.

"There once was a fellow O'Doole…"

Startling her, Jim hollered, "Hey Turner enough with your rubbish. There are ladies present." Then he turned to her and said, "If he weren't so smart, he'd never make it. Still he has all the nurses on the paediatric ward clamoring."

"Why?" she asked suddenly curious.

"Because he's like a child always telling jokes. He's going to cause some lad to bust open his appendectomy incision one day. Then he'll be in trouble," Jim said.

Julie was certain that Jim Albert didn't like to laugh. She was quite fond of laughter herself.

"Is he going to specialise in paediatrics?" she asked.

"He is going to be a GP. His father has a surgery in the East End of London. He is going to live and work in the slums," Jim said smugly.

Julie was shocked by Jim's disdain for the less fortunate. Julie was one of the less fortunate. Her family of eight had struggled her entire life.

The piano player caught her attention when he announced, "This one is for a girl who is certainly not ugly…"

He was smiling right at her and she felt the heat spread up her neck and cheeks. He played the familiar music of the popular song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. She felt uncomfortable because it seemed that he was playing it for her.

She looked around, but no one seemed aware. Arthur and Jim continued to talk. Did Kate not mind that they were bloody boring? Perhaps she was happy to feel his hand at her waist.

It has been a long time since, I've had a hand on my waist, Julie thought wistfully.

The piano player was playing a song that her mother liked. Her mother would tell her that the polite thing was to thank him for the song he played for her. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward the piano.