(Part 01)
Clare Harwood and her mother Anna lived in the village of Clarence which was a mile or so from Purplemere.
She was 27 years old, pale skinned, strawberry blonde, five foot nothing tall and whippet thin and her mother was just an older version of her daughter.
Her Father David had died the year before and as she was an only child there was only the two of them.
They both worked at the Royal Downshire Hospital in Purplemere Anna was a clerical officer and Clare was a district nurse.
She looked much younger than her 27 years and her pale skin was always flushed pink like she was freshly scrubbed and the one thing she loved even more than her job was to flirt and she was a first class at it.
Yet she never did anything more than that and she really enjoyed flirting, and that was as far as it ever went until the time that her pig of a boyfriend, who she had suspected was shagging her best friend, confessed it to her one night and from that moment on she became something of a party girl.
And what a party girl she became, a real “burning the candle at both ends” and toxing her socks off kind of party girl.
But that all changed when for Mother’s Day, Clare had bought a three day, all-inclusive spa break for her mum, plus one, at the Tipton Manor Hotel and Spa in the north of the county.
She booked for two because she knew her mum would never go to a place like that on her own.
But her mum insisted she wanted to go with Clare, so they could spend some quality time together doing girls stuff.
Well that wasn’t the kind of thing Clare had in mind, it wasn’t her kind of thing at all.
So it was with some trepidation that she agreed to accompany her mum but while she was there she met and fell in love with Phil Grice.
As a district nurse she had a number of regular home visit, terminally ill or housebound patients which kept her very busy but she had a few days off.
But despite having the time off she was still having a very busy week and by the time she returned to the District Nursing office she would probably relish the change of pace.
She had spent the week at home in the house she shared with her mum doing chores.
It had now been six weeks since she had first kissed Phil, a kiss that had changed her life, but it was also three weeks since she had seen him as he was away in America working on an Art installation.
Since meeting Phil she had curbed her partying but her thoughts kept wandering to Phil and his strong hands.
Which was why when she was told she had to take some leave she had decided to spring clean the house from top to bottom to keep herself occupied.
She had dusted, vacuumed, washed, mopped and polished, and bedding was washed as was every curtain.
So by Friday lunchtime the whole house was gleaming and as she admired her handiwork she was wearing a smug look of satisfaction.
(Part 02)
After Clare had dusted, vacuumed, washed, mopped and polished, and bedding was washed as was every curtain.
So by Friday lunchtime the whole house was gleaming and as she admired her handiwork she was wearing a smug look of satisfaction.
She had just put the kettle on when there was a knock at the door and when she opened the door a man of about her age was standing there.
“Can I help?” she said
“Clare!” the man said
“Yes that’s me” she said
“It’s Gary” he said, slightly put out that he had to give his name. “From Purplemere High School”
“Oh Gary” Clare said “I didn’t recognise you”
“Apparently so” Gary said
Gary was her first boyfriend and her first sexual partner.
“Come in” she said amused at his annoyance
They were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee when she asked
“How did you find me?”
“I got your address from your friend Karen” he said
“Why?” she asked
“Well I knew I was going to be in the area and I thought I would look you up”
He replied unconvincingly
“You never were a very good liar” she said
“Ok I’ve been thinking about you a lot recently” he confessed
“Karen told me you were still single”
“Oh yes” Clare said suspiciously and cleared the cups to the sink.
“I think we should get back together” he said
“What?” she said turning around in surprise
“We were good together” Gary said
“We were just kids” she said “And we haven’t seen each other for ten years, we’re strangers”
“Never strangers” he said
“And you’re married aren’t you” she said
“Separated” he corrected her “permanently separated”
“Well I’m sorry to hear that” she said “But…”
“She betrayed me” he said with affront
“So you want to get back at her by going out with me” she said
“No Clare” he replied “You’ve always been the one”
And he leant in and kissed her and she pushed him away.
“What are you doing?” she said angrily
“You always said I was a good kisser”
“Well it was pleasant enough” she said “At the time”
“Only pleasant?” Gary responded
“I’m afraid so” she replied
“So what about us getting back together?” Gary asked
“No” Clare replied
“You always were a slut” he said harshly
“And you were always dull” she replied and opened the front door and after he went through it she slammed it behind him.
She was still angry five minutes after she had thrown Gary out and was still livid when there was another knock.
“Bloody hell Gary can’t you take a hint?” she said as she opened the door and then her mouth fell open when she saw Phil standing there and after a few moments she launched herself into his arms.
“I thought you weren’t back for another week” she said when he was in the house.
“I finished earlier than I thought” he said “and I was in a hurry to get home to see you”
“Why didn’t you let me know” she said
“I wanted it to be a surprise” Phil said with a smile “and I see that it was”
Clare suddenly realised she was wearing her house work clothes and she screeched when she looked in the mirror
“Oh god I look at absolute fright” she said and rushed out of the room
Clare returned an hour later looking more appropriately dressed to receive the man she loved and Phil was so pleased with what he saw that she had to dress again an hour later before he took her out for dinner.
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