In the
small but thriving English county of Downshire people go about the tasks of
their everyday existence in ways that range from the mundane to the
extraordinary as their forebears had done for centuries before, in the varied
and diverse landscape, from the Ancient forests of Dancingdean and Pepperstock,
the craggy ridges and manmade lakes of the Pepperstock Hills National Park, the
rolling hills of the Downshire Downs, to the beautiful Finchbottom Vale and the
short but beautiful coastline to the east.
But it’s in
Purplemere where Paramedic Lizzie Green lived in a flat she shared with her
younger sister Sammi.
She was 29
years old, four years older than her sister with flame red hair, which was
appropriate because she was like a wildfire.
The very
epitome of a party girl, and what a party girl she had become, a real “burning
the candle at both ends” and toxing her socks off kind of party girl and was
the complete opposite of her timid sister Sammi.
But after
12 years of high octane living, she was beginning to tire of it, and she had
developed a bit of a crush on her new partner, Matt
Beveridge, and no one was more surprised than her to discover it, because on
the surface they were like chalk and cheese.
Matt was tall, sandy haired, polite, and
quietly spoken, and she was a feisty red head.
Despite
that however she still had a crush on him, and it began on the first day they
met at the ambulance station.
“Matt” he
said and held out his hand to shake, which she took, his handshake was firm,
his handsome face was warm and open, and his voice was like honey on her ears
and responded
“Lizzie”
The pair
only released each other’s hands when a door slammed, and the moment was
broken.
Despite her
undoubted crush she didn’t do anything about it for three months and when she
did it almost happened by accident as they were returning to the station after
a shout.
“What are
you doing on your day off?” she asked
“Well, the
closed season ends today, so I’m going fishing” he replied
“You’re
going to waste your day off sitting on a riverbank” she said mockingly
“Lake” he
corrected her
“What?”
“I prefer
lakes to rivers”
“Ooooh Mr.
pedantic” she teased, “It’s still a waste”
Before he
had a chance to respond, a call came over the radio, about a man who was found
semi-conscious in the bin store of Stephenson Supermarket in Purplemere.
Having been
diverted to attend the call they received an update while on route, and the
unconscious man was known to them and his name was Peter Cooper, a long time
alcoholic.
“Oh no not
stinky Pete” Lizzie whined, and Mark laughed because it was her turn to take
the lead, which meant she would be up close and personal.
“It’s not
funny, it’s going to ruin my days off, I’m going to have that smell in my
nostrils for two days” she continued which made him laugh even harder.
“Please
swap with me” she begged
“Why would
I want to do that?” Mark asked
“Because
you are the kindest person I know” she groveled
“That’s
true enough” he agreed
“So, you’ll
swap then?”
“No”
“Oh, please
Mark” she begged “I’ll do anything”
“Anything?”
“Yes
anything” she agreed before adding “Within reason”
After a few
moments he said
“I will do
a deal with you”
“What kind
of deal?” she asked suspiciously
“I will
swap with you; on one condition” Mark said
“What
condition?”
“That I can
take you fishing” he explained
“Fishing?”
she retorted
“Yes,
fishing”
“I would
rather go to the pictures” Lizzie responded “How about dinner, or dancing
maybe”
“No, it’s
stinky Pete or Fishing”
“I’d rather
go fishing” she said and sighed
“So, we
have a deal?”
“Yes, we
have a Deal” she said with resignation
By the time
they had dealt with the patient and delivered him to The Royal Downshire
Hospital their shift was at an end, so they returned to the station.
“Thank
goodness that’s over” Mark said “So I’ll pick you up tomorrow at nine”
“Nine?” she
said, “What in the morning?”
“Yes of
course in the morning” he asserted
“Oh, ok
what should I wear?” she asked unenthusiastically
“It doesn’t
matter you’ll look great whatever you wear” Mark replied “But no heels”
There were
only three small bodies of water left in the Vale by the 21st Century, one in
Mornington, one in Childean and third of course was in Purplemere, and it was
Purplemere that they headed for, it was his favourite of the Mere’s and he
always fished from his favourite pitch at Purplemere.
It was a
warm sunny June day by the mere so he set up the folding chairs on the little
peninsula where they could fish beneath the shade of his favourite old oak
tree.
Once they
had set up, Mark showed her the basic principle of casting and let her have a
few practice casts before he said
“Come and
stand in front of me and look towards the water”
Lizzie did
as she was told, and he was stood behind her holding the rod in his right hand
but before he could show her anymore, she turned around and kissed him and
after a full minute she said
“Look what
I caught”
In response
Paul dropped his rod and wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss.
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