February
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 them.
Living 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 is in Pepperstock Green where Paramedic Sophie Conceicao resided in a flat in Caxton Court that she shares with
her younger sister Rosario.
She was 29
years old, four years older than her sister, with raven black hair, which was
appropriate because she was wild like a gypsy.
The very
epitome of a party girl, and what a party girl she had become, a real “burning the candle at both ends” type of girl and was a “tox
her socks off” kind of party girl and was the complete opposite of her timid sister
Rosario.
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, Adam
Smith, and no one was more surprised than her to discover it, because on the
surface they were like chalk and cheese.
Adam was tall, sandy haired, polite, and quietly
spoken, and she was feisty.
Despite that,
however she still had a crush on him, and it began on the first day they met at
the ambulance station.
“Adam” 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 she
responded.
“Sophie”
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, as we
are fast approaching the end of the fishing season, and the weather is set
fair, 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’s Supermarket in Pipershaven.
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 Laing, a long-time
alcoholic.
“Oh no not
stinky Pete” Sophie whined, and Adam 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?” Adam 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
Adam” 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” Adam said.
“What
condition?”
“That I can
take you fishing” he explained.
“Fishing?” she retorted.
“Yes, fishing”
“I would rather
go to the pictures” Sophie 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 Pepperstock
and District Hospital their shift was at an end, so they returned to the
station.
“Thank goodness
that’s over” she said.
“So” Adam responded,
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven.”
“Seven?” 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” Adam 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 the third of course was in Purplemere, and his
favourite of the Mere’s was Purplemere, and that was often the one he would
head for on his days off, and he always fished from his favourite pitch there.
But this time
was special, so he decided to take Sophie up to one of the manmade lakes up in
the Pepperstock National Park.
It was at the
beginning of February, the day before Candlemas Day, which officially marked
the end of Christmas, and it was an unseasonably mild sunny day, and they were
sheltered from the wind in the former gravel pit.
He set up the
folding chairs on a little peninsula where they could fish beneath the shade of
a mature oak tree.
Once they had
set up, Adam 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.”
Sophie did as
she was told, and he 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
Adam dropped his rod and wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss.
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