Saturday, 28 November 2020

Uncanny Christmas Tales – (001) The Girl in The Red Dress

Steve Berry had always had a dislike for Christmas, despite all the jollity and faux fun, because unlike many of his Christmas mad friends he had no happy Christmas memories to anesthetise him against the season.

His parents were alcoholics and each year their Christmas came in a bottle and thanks to his father, Steve’s came with a slap.

So, his childhood Christmases were memories he would rather have forgotten, but as he grew up he found that adulthood brought no relief and it always seemed to him that when shit happened at that time of the year, Christmas just magnified the misery.

For example, if someone dies at Christmas the very season makes it more keenly felt.

He could testify to that from personal experience, as his mother died on Christmas Eve when he was only 19.

He has no idea where his father was and quite frankly, he didn’t care, he never showed up for the funeral and he could have been dead as well for all he knew.

So as a result, he has never trusted Christmas, because he knows that horror lurks beneath the coloured lights, tinsel, and paper chains.

 

He used to dream of getting away at Christmas and going somewhere that doesn’t celebrate the jolly season in any way shape or form.

But where exactly is that place?

If anyone had any idea, then answers on a postcard to Steve Berry would have been appreciated.

So, each year like the rest of us he is subjected to all the usual false jollity, Christmas Parties, Secret Santa’s and Christmas Lunches, Paper hats, crackers and all that festive shit, and everywhere he went from October onwards was bedecked with tinsel, garlands, bells, baubles and led lights.

Each and every shop plays endless spools of regurgitated Christmas tunes and God forbid you ever broach the subject of the morons who decorate the outside of their houses with a myriad of twinkling lights.

 

Steve never had a girlfriend at Christmas, he always dumped them well in advance or got himself dumped, when they started to get too jolly.

So, when he was 21, he developed the perfect anti Christmas strategy, he would always save a chunk of annual leave and finished work at least one week before the big day and returned after the New Year debacle.

He would stock up with enough food for three weeks, even though it meant doing battle with the festive numpties in the supermarket and armed with a stack of DVD box sets he became a Christmas recluse until the year turned.

He exercised that strategy for 9 years and his philosophy is

“so far so good”.

In recent years he found it had become easier with the advent of catch up TV, he just needed to avoid the adverts that reminded him that it’s Christmas or that he can’t afford a holiday.

 

So, he was in the Pig and Whistle, not exactly a real shit hole of a pub, but close, however it was the only one in town guaranteed not to play Christmas stuff, because the landlord Phil hated Christmas almost as much as Steve did.

It was his last night out before his Christmas exile and it was his intention to get totally shitfaced as he had almost three weeks to recover.

He was not a social animal; he liked his own company and if he ever engaged in conversation with fellow patrons it was because he had initiated it, Steve was not averse to being rude if someone else spoke first.

So, he was sat in the furthest most corner of the bar reading his book and enjoying his third pint, when it happened.

“Hello” she said

Steve ignored her, normally if he didn’t respond they’d get the message and go away

“Hello” she said louder “Are you ok?”

“I was” he sighed

“Oh, dear Mr Grinch” she said “what you need is some Christmas spirit”

“I’m fine” he insisted

“I don’t think you are, sitting on your own in the furthest most corner” she said

Steve looked at her for the first time, she was roughly his age, maybe a little younger, and she was wearing a red dress and red and white striped stockings and had tinsel in her mousy hair.

“Who are you? The Christmas fairy?” he asked gruffly, he really wanted to tell her to fuck off and take her Christmas cheer with her, but he thought she was quite cute.

“No, I’m Holly, Phil’s niece” she said

“Holly? How very festive” He said sarcastically

“Yes, I’m going to instil a little Christmas spirit in the place” Holly said

“But Phil hates Christmas” Steve informed her

“I know” she said “which is why he’s going to Las Vegas until the New Year”

“When?” He asked

“Half an hour ago” she replied

“So, are you going to come and join the rest of us?”

“No thanks I don’t do Christmas” he said and returned to his book

“Oh well perhaps some Christmas music will get you in the mood” she said resolutely

“Oh God” he said

 

The Christmas party mix was really grating on him, but he was too far along with his Christmas strategy to go off hunting for another Christmas free pub, so he had to put up with it.

As the evening wore on, she persisted in trying to draw him out of his corner, but to no avail.

He left the corner only to go to the bar and get another drink and then returned to his solitude.

Apart from the music upsetting his plans there was the added annoyance of customers, more arriving every hour, word had got out that Phil “The Grinch who stole Christmas” had gone for the duration, and that there was a new Santa in town. 

This only became a problem however when, while he was at the bar, somebody took over his corner, so he had to return to the bar again.

“Back again already Steve?” Holly asked

“Someone is in my seat” he said

“Well pull up a stool” she suggested

“Do I have a choice?” he said grumpily

“You’re just a little ray of sunshine” she said and laughed

“I can see I’m going to have to use all my magic on you”

He settled himself down on the stool and said

“I’ve never seen it so busy in here”

“I know” Holly said “I’m going to need more staff at this rate”

“Good luck with that” he said

 

Steve woke up the next morning with his face stuck to the mock leather of a bench seat and when he painfully sat himself up, he saw he was in the lounge bar of the Pig and Whistle. 

Well he had intended getting shit faced the night before, so mission accomplished there, he had also expected to wake up with a hangover, so another box ticked, but it was never part of the plan to wake up at the pub. 

“Good morning sunshine” Holly called as she crashed through the door wearing a dressing gown and slippers.

“Ow” he said “have some respect for the dead”

She put a mug of black coffee on the table in front of him and peered at his bloodshot eyes

“Blimey! Can you actually see through those?” she asked

“I hope you don’t drink like that when you’re working”

“Well I don’t need to worry about work until January” he said and sipped at his coffee

“Don’t you remember anything about last night?” Holly asked with a wry smile on her lips

He closed his eyes and replied

“I remember I don’t like Christmas”

“Anything else?” Holly persisted

“It was very busy, very noisy” Steve said but could remember nothing else

“Do you remember me saying I needed more staff?” she asked

“Yes, I do remember that” he replied

“Good” she said “because your it”

“What?” he said loudly and then winced

“You volunteered to work right through till New Year’s Eve”

“I can’t have” Steve said

“Well you did” She insisted and showed him a piece of paper detailing the fore mentioned offer signed by Steve.

“That doesn’t count” he said “I was pissed”

“It’s legally binding” Holly stated “It’s notarized by a solicitor”

Steve stared at the signature

“Sam Culver?” he said “he’s not a solicitor he’s a forklift driver”

“Be that as it may, but he has still witnessed your signature on this contract” she said coolly

“Contract?” he said in disbelieve

“Contract” she confirmed

“Oh, please you’re not really going to hold me to this?” Steve said waving the “contract” in her direction

“You start tonight” she informed him

“Oh God I’ve sold my soul to the Christmas fairy” he said with his head in his hands

“I prefer Christmas angel” she said “But I’m not the one with tinsel in my hair”

“Oh shit” he exclaimed

“Get yourself a hair of the dog, I’m going to get dressed” Holly said smiling

“Oh, and there’s no drinking on the job, by the way”


Over the week and a half that followed his entrapment, between his first shift and Christmas Eve, Holly had done her best to elicit the details of why it was that Steve hated Christmas so much.

Holly had noticed right at the beginning that he was not the miserable git that she first thought.

In fact, that first night when he was forced to sit at the bar, he had been very funny, once he managed to forget it was Christmas.

But every time he heard someone utter the words happy Christmas it was like he’d been stabbed.   

So, she relentlessly picked away at the scab every day, but she couldn’t get him to open up, but she wasn’t prepared to give up under any circumstances.

 

Steve would never have admitted it and despite his initial protests he was rather enjoying working behind a bar again.

He hadn’t done it since he left university and started working as an accountant.

The repetitive festive music still grated on him, though less so, even the Christmas t-shirts and jumpers that Holly made him wear had become less onerous.

Holly herself led by example and wore an almost inexhaustible supply of festive outfits and he had to admit she still looked cute in which ever one she was wearing.

She was a nosey cow though and kept poking and prodding at him trying to find out what made him tick, but it amused him that his not playing ball was driving her crackers.

 

On Christmas Eve Steve Berry drove to the pub, arriving at 9.30am, and thought

“It’s going to be a long day”

It was bitterly cold and the sky was grey and overcast, he sniffed the air and knocked on the front door which Holly opened within a couple of minutes and she was already dressed in her Christmas outfit, namely Mrs. Clause.

“Morning Steve” she said “Happy Christmas Eve”

“Why are you always so cheerful?” he asked in response

“Because “it’s a wonderful life”” she said

“Oh God are you going to throw festive film titles at me all day?”

“I hadn’t thought of that” she said “but it sounds like fun”

He took his coat off and revealed his jumper of the day adorned with a reindeer’s head.

“There’s snow in the air” he said hanging up his coat

“Lovely” she replied with a chuckle “White Christmas”

“Stop it” Steve said

Holly had walked to the bar picked something up and returned with it behind her back.

“What’s that?” he asked suspiciously

“Antlers” she said triumphantly and put them on his head

“Please no” he said “that’s too much”

“Stop whining Grinch or I’ll put the Christmas tape on” she threatened

 

They knew it was going to be busy in the pub that day so in addition to Holly and Steve there were barmaids Clare and Petra and in the kitchen were Stefano and Ausra.

It wasn’t manically busy but there was a steady flow all day, shoppers popping in for a warm, that kind of thing, and as it was such a bitter cold day the kitchen did a roaring trade in warming chili, casseroles and stews so much so that they kept the kitchen going right through the afternoon, it was not however a day for cold desserts.

However, by five o’clock they had sold out and the till drawers were stuffed.

Holly kept taking them away to the office, but they kept filling up.

 

While Holly counted the takings in the office, Steve and Petra manned the bar and Clare helped Steph and Ausra clear away.

Job done they joined Steve at the bar and were enjoying a well-earned drink when Holly came out.

“Well done you lot” she said “I hope that drink is on the house”

“It is” Steve said

“We have had a phenomenal day” she said handing out pay packets “so there’s a little something extra in there”

“Thanks boss” Stephanos said

“Cheers Holl” Petra

“Thanks Holly” Clare and Ausra said simultaneously

What she didn’t tell them was that the little extra was 100 pounds per head, they wouldn’t find that out until later.

“Where’s mine?” Steve asked

“Grinch tax” Holly said to the great amusement of the others and patted his cheek

“Charming” he replied but was laughing when he said it, he knew that the others were finished until after Christmas, but he still had the evening shift.

Although he wasn’t bothered about the money particularly, he knew he would get it, he had actually enjoyed Christmas Eve for the first time ever.

 

They all finished their drinks and it was the moment that Steve hated most, the final farewell when Christmas wishes were exchanged.

“Merry Christmas” Clare said and kissed Steve

“And you” he replied

“Happy Christmas Stevie” Ausra said kissing him

“Yes, you too” said Steve

“Happy, Happy Christmas” Petra said planting a very exuberant kiss on his mouth

“Ditto” he replied

“A very happy Christmas my friend” Stephanos said extravagantly and feigned to kiss him but shook his hand instead and roared with laughter.

“Have a good one” Steve said also laughing.

 

When they had gone Steve noticed it had started snowing lightly.

“So why can’t you say Happy Christmas?” Holly asked

“I told you it was going to snow” he said

“Don’t change the subject” Holly persisted

“I can say it, I just didn’t need to as everyone else said it”

He answered “I didn’t want to wear the phrase out”

“Baubles” Holly retorted

 

Holly disappeared upstairs for half an hour between the afternoon and evening sessions, and when she came down, she had changed outfits and she wore a different red Dress with white trim and a more daring neckline, but instead of her customary red and white stripy tights she was wearing black ones with holly motifs, how appropriate Steve thought as he was wiping down the tables in readiness for the next wave of punters.

As he looked at her Steve thought she was really very cute, but because of his Christmas phobia he would probably have to liberate her from the Christmas stuff first if she was ever to progress further than cute.

“I wish I’d asked Steph to keep some Chili back” Holly said “I’m starving”

“Don’t worry” he said “when Debbie arrives, I’ll go over the road and get a takeaway”

“Ok” she concurred “but what takeaway”

“Your choice, my treat” he replied

“What? a Christmas treat?” Holly asked

“No, just a treat” he replied and smiled

Debbie arrived right on time.

“The snows settling” she said as she went behind the bar

“Hi Debbie” Holly said

“So, what’s your poison?” Steve asked

“Pizza” She replied very definitely “Pepperoni”

“Have you eaten Debbie?” he shouted

“Yes, but I can eat a slice or two” she replied

 

As he walked across the road to Dominoes, he noticed the snow was falling faster and would lay quite deep if it persisted.

Despite Debbie saying she would only eat a piece or two he decided to get a pizza each, he’d seen Debbie eat before and for a skinny bird she could really pack it away.

When he got back to the pub the clientele had almost doubled so he thought it was the beginning of the evening rush and wasn’t sure if they’d have time to enjoy the pizzas, but he needn’t have worried as it proved to be a false dawn and the rush never materialized.

He was right about one thing though; Debbie demolished a whole pizza.

By seven o’clock the numbers hadn’t really changed even if the faces had and by eight with the snow falling thick and fast in near blizzard conditions it was fairly obvious punters weren’t going to be venturing out in any significant numbers.

Knowing that Debbie had a ten-mile journey home Holly said

“I think you’d better get off hon or you won’t get home at all”

“Are you sure Holl?” Debbie asked

“Absolutely” She said and handed Debbie her coat and her pay packet.

“Thanks Holly” she said “Happy Christmas”

“Happy Christmas and drive safely” she said “Text me when your home”

 “Ok, happy Christmas Steve” she said

“And you Deb” he replied

Holly had walked to the door with Debbie and stared out the window for a long time as she watched her get underway, when she returned to the bar, she said

“You’d better get off as well Steve”

“No, I’ll stay a bit longer” he replied

“This might be your last chance” she said “it’s coming down like billy-o”

“That’s ok” he said “I can always kip in the lounge bar again”

 

It was a strange night although there weren’t many customers, they still managed to sell quite a lot of beer.

They had a succession of punters coming in for jugs of ale, so much so that they ran out of jugs.

But all in all, it was very quiet, so by 9 o’clock Holly said

“Right let’s have a drink”

“I thought you didn’t like the staff drinking on duty” he said

“What the hell its Christmas” she replied and noticed that he visibly tensed at the word Christmas, she pulled him a pint and poured a glass of wine for herself, and they sat on stools on the punters side of the bar to drink them.

“Do you mind if I crash here tonight Holly? He asked

“I’d rather you crashed here than out there” She replied

“And it looks like my plans for tomorrow will need to be revised, so we can spend the day together, if you like”

“Ok thanks” he said

They were well into their second drink when Holly asked

“So, what exactly is the deal with you and Christmas?”

“Do we have to go there” he asked

“Yes, we do” she said “I’ve been watching you this week and every time someone wishes you a happy Christmas you react as if you’ve been stabbed”

“Well I wouldn’t go that far” Steve responded

“I would” she said but he just shrugged

“Come on Steve” she insisted “You are such an infuriating man, cough it up”

“Can’t you just leave it alone?” he said

“You can’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed this week” she said “or that you would have preferred to be locked away in your flat pretending that Christmas was just a bad dream”

Steve drained his glass and went through the hatch and pulled himself another one.

“I don’t want to go into all the details, suffice is to say that for me there was no happy little boy waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve” he said painfully

“My childhood was unbearable, and Christmas was even more so”

Holly didn’t speak but sat with head sympathetically inclined

“Not everyone is raised by Mary Poppins” he said factiously

“That’s not very fare” Holly said hurtfully

“I suppose you think my Christmases were happy?”

Steve merely snorted

“I had lousy Christmases as a child, my parents didn’t believe in it, so we didn’t celebrate it,” she said forcefully, though Steve looked unconvinced

“My parents are hippies” She stated “Christmases for me were spent in a VW Camper van on Salisbury plain, don’t get me wrong, I love my parents and for me at the time it seemed perfectly normal and I was perfectly happy”

Holly paused

“And I would get a present, though it was never wrapped in Christmas paper, and there were no Christmas trees, no baubles or tinsel, no garlands or colored lights, in short in my childhood Christmas just didn’t exist”

“So now you’re overcompensating” Steve said and took another drink.

“Not at all I decided that feeling sorry for myself was not an option, and I refused to be dictated to by the past” she said “I decided I would make new memories and stop looking back”

“I was 17 when I first experience a proper Christmas, and I thought it was wonderful, and magical and I’ve made sure I’ve enjoyed everyone since”

“There is no similarity between our childhoods” he said

“Your childhood was happy it just didn’t include Christmas, mine was desperately unhappy”

“And you blame Christmas for it” Holly said “I know for you, life was different, but I want to squeeze the most joy I can from every moment”

Steve just looked at her as she took a brief pause

“Just as you should” She said and put her hand on his knee at the precise moment the doors burst open and a new group of punters came through the door.

 

Steve stood behind the bar drying glasses as he watched Holly as she chatted to the clientele, each table in turn.

He liked it as she walked from table to table, she had a gait that was easy on the eye and the way the flared skirt moved across her legs was quite sensual.

However, one by one the meagre band of customers disappeared into the snowy night after the usual exchange of Christmas Greetings.

It was midnight and as the last customer left for the night, Holly wished them a happy Christmas and locked the front doors and as she slipped the last bolt across and drew the curtain, Steve appeared behind her just as the church bells chimed.

Holly turned and faced him

“Merry Christmas Holly” he said and kissed her

 

Snippets of Downshire Life – Girlfriends Forever

The traditional seaside resort of Sharpington-by-Sea, with its Victorian Pier, seafront hotels, crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens, promenade, theatre and illuminations, has all the usual things to have a great time by the seaside, as well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park and 30 something Sarah Whitmarsh lived alone in the Jubilee Court Apartments overlooking the promenade.

Although she had no man in her life she had some very good friends, and they did a lot together, but her three closest friends, sisters Rachel and Kay Wilkinson and Penny Van Der Zelden, had all recently found themselves partners, and to her immortal shame she was jealous, but she didn’t tell them that or even let it show, because her girlfriends were very important to her, and she would never do anything to jeopardize that.

One of their regular meeting places was Bizzoni's Ice Cream Parlour located by the entrance of the Pier or in the Pier Pancake Palace, which was opposite, and it was in the former on the 1st of August when someone caught her eye.

“It can’t be” she suddenly exclaimed “it’s just not possible”

“Why can’t it?” Penny asked

“Why isn’t it possible?” Kay added

“Never mind all that” Rachel retorted “what the hell are you all talking about?”

“I’ve no idea” Penny replied

“Um” Kay said

“Very helpful” Rachel said and turned her attention to Sarah “Well?”

“I just saw Danny Butterfield” she replied vaguely

“But he went to Australia” Penny pointed out

“That’s what I thought” Sarah said

“It can’t have been him” Kay said

“Lookie-likie” Penny exclaimed

“Do what?” Kay asked “Have you got brain freeze or something”

“He must be a lookie-likie, you know a dopple thingy” she explained

“You mean a doppelgänger” Sarah said

“Yes” Penny said and smiled

“Well there’s only one way to find out” Rachel said and stood up

“What are you doing?” Sarah asked

“We’re going to find out if it’s Danny or not” she replied

“Oh, I don’t know about that” Sarah protested

“We’ve got to, he was the love of your life after all” Rachel insisted

“That was a very long time ago” Sarah said

“I know but just the possibility that it was him has made you glow” Rachel said “and that’s just on the outside, I wouldn’t like to speculate what’s going on the inside”

“Stop it” Sarah said and blushed and the other three laughed dirtily

“Oh, ok then” she conceded “You’re not going to shut up until we do”

“Good decision” she said, and they headed towards the door, all except Penny who was still sitting at the table eating her ice cream

“Come on hoover-head” Kay called

“I haven’t finished my Sundae” she retorted and shovelled down the last three spoonful’s before getting up.

 

“Ok, which way did he go?” Rachel asked

“That away” Sarah replied and pointed along the promenade

“What’s he wearing?” Kay enquired

“A blue t-shirt and navy shorts” Sarah said

“Seriously? This is Sharpington at the height of summer everyone is wearing shorts and t-shirts” Rachel said “we need more than that to go on”

“Well he’s 6ft 5” with bright red hair if that helps” she retorted

“Yes, that’s definitely better” Rachel said “right Kay shin up the lamp post and see if you can spot him” 

 

“Well?” Sarah asked after a couple of minutes had passed

“No, nothing yet… hold on though I think that might be our man, yes, yes that’s him” she announced triumphantly and began her descent.

“Are you going to share?” Sarah asked impatiently

“Yes, he’s down by the Crazy Golf” she replied smugly and then Sarah rushed passed her and they were off.

 

Daniel Butterfield was indeed the love of Sarah’s life, the one that got away, the one she let get away, but equally she was his lost love.

They began dating at college and were together all through University but after graduation he was offered a job in Melbourne, it was a great opportunity that he felt he couldn’t pass up, and he was thrilled at the prospect, and he thought she would be too, but he was wrong.

Sarah didn’t want to leave Sharpington, all the people she loved most in the world were there, and she knew no one in Australia.

So, she said she didn’t want to go, she thought that if he loved her as much as she loved him he would stay, while he thought that if she loved him as much as he loved her she would go with him.

But they both miscalculated neither would give ground, and angry words were exchanged which served to entrench them further, up to the point that they stopped talking, and he left Downshire a month later, and she hadn’t seen him since, until he walked past Bizzoni’s.

 

The girls made their way quickly through the crowds of tourists but by the time they got to the Crazy Golf he was nowhere to be seen

“Right Kay shin up the lamp post again and see if you can spot him”

“Oh ok” she sighed and started climbing and thirty seconds later she was back on terra firma and said

“Jubilee Park” 

 

Danny liked Jubilee Park, it held great memories for him and he had thought of it often when he was away, it was one of his favourite places in the whole world and although he had been there for years it hadn’t changed a bit from when he used to go fishing up at the boating lake.

But apart from the fishing, and the boating on the lake, there was a miniature railway, picnic areas and acres of grass and well-maintained gardens, and as a young man it was the place he felt most at peace and where he was often lost in dreams.

He had loved it at Jubilee Park for as long as he could remember, and the Lake was particularly special because it was where his dad taught him how to fish on the well-stocked little lake and as he got closer he could see young boys could still fish it.

Before he left for Australia some tree hugging idiot had decided to introduce Australian Black Swans to the lake and they didn’t mix with the fishermen, so the council tried to ban fishing but, in the end, they relocated the swans after one of them attacked a toddler, so the fishing survived.

 

The girls soon tracked him down and followed at a safe distance.

Sarah wasn’t entirely convinced that it was in fact Daniel Butterfield that they were following and secretly feared that they would feel extremely foolish when they realised they were stalking some random lanky ginger.

But her fears were allayed when he paused by the fountain and scanned his surroundings and she and the others got a proper look at his face.

“That’s him” Kay said

“Without a doubt” Rachel confirmed

“Oh yes” Penny agreed

“It is him” Sarah said quietly

“Well come on then let’s go and say hello” Rachel said

“That’s ok I’ve got it from here” Sarah said “You lot wait here”

 

On that warm sunny August day by Jubilee Lake Daniel made a bee line for his favourite spot on a little peninsula beneath the shade of a familiar old oak tree and he was just gazing across the lake and was enjoying the gentle breeze off the water when a soft voice from behind him said

“Hello”

He turned around to see that the voice belonged to an attractive looking woman, pretty face, blue eyes, short brown hair, 5ft 5 or 6, early thirties, nice figure, wearing a t-shirt, knee length shorts, and flip flops, whom he recognized, though that recognition left him speechless.

“I’m sorry” she said and began to walk away “You clearly don’t remember me”

“That wouldn’t be very flattering” he said “Especially after we shared our first kiss beneath this very tree”

“Ah so you do remember me” she said

“How could I forget Sarah Whitmarsh” Danny said

 

Rachel, Kay and Penny were watching events from a safe distance, but their view was obscured after the arrival of an ice cream van.

“Damn it” Rachels exclaimed

“Get up the tree Kay and have a look”

“Why do I have to do all the climbing?” she protested

“Because you look like a monkey” her sister said unsympathetically, and Penny giggled “So climb”

Once she had clambered to a sufficient height her sister called up

“Can you see anything?”

“Yes, I can see them now” she replied

“And?” Rachel snapped

“Oh my” Kay exclaimed

“Oh my?” Rachel retorted “What does that mean?”

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting that” Kay added

“What? What weren’t you expecting?” Rachel shouted

“Kissing” Kay replied

“What kind of kiss?” her sister asked

“What do you mean what kind of kiss?”

“Well was it an air kiss, a peck on the cheek, both cheeks or on the lips” Rachel explained

“Oh, I see what you mean” Kay acknowledged

“Definitely lips”

“And?” Rachel snapped

“Well I think it would be best described as a pash” she replied

“Wicked” Penny said

“And it’s still going on” Kay called

 

The Clerembeax Palace Hotel and Spa – Liberation Day, Channel Islands

The beautiful Downshire village of Clerembeax St Giles was situated to the west of Abbeyvale located between Grace Hill and Bushy Down and on the outskirts was the Clerembeax Palace Hotel and Spa and one of the rooms was occupied by Paul Jansen, who was part of a wedding party and was a both a business associate of the bride’s father and a friend of the family.

The wedding reception was to be held later that day in the Ballroom, which was where he should have been, checking everything was in order but instead he used his key card to open the door to the bridal suite and as he stepped in Sophia Levitton turned and smiled at him.

“I was hoping you would come”

“I couldn’t keep away” he said

Sophia was sitting at the dressing table wearing only her white lingerie and stockings and behind her, laid out on the bed was an ivory wedding dress. 

Paul walked up behind her and looked at her beautiful reflection in the mirror and placed his hands lightly on her naked shoulders and held her gaze as he gently slipped the bra straps down her arms, and she closed her eyes as his hands journeyed down inside her lingerie.

 

Sophia collapsed onto the bed next to her wedding dress with Paul panting beside her.  

“That was so good” she sighed

“The last time as a single woman” he said and playfully slapped her buttock before starting to redress himself.

“And so much better than my first as a married woman will be” she said and rolled over onto her back.  

“You could elope with me” he said

“You know I want to” she replied

Nothing would have pleased her more than to run away and marry her lover Paul, but her father Michael would never have tolerated it, it would have never been forgiven.

He banged on endlessly about the importance of tradition and marrying within her faith and how it was imperative she went through with an arranged marriage.

She had been raised as a dutiful Jewish daughter and agreed, however reluctantly, but her heart belonged to Paul.

But she hated her father as he had proven himself to be unworthy of her loyalty, as she had discovered that the wedding was actually a business transaction and had little or nothing to do with duty, honour and faith and was more to do with being married off to the highest bidder.

“Then come with me now” he urged “We could be in Guernsey by morning”

“My father will never forgive me” she said as she sat up

“I know”

“Or you” she added

“I know, and I don’t care”

“And he will never do business with you again” she pointed out

“I only tolerate him because I love you” he said and offered her his hand, which she took

“Do you mean it?” she asked as he pulled her to her feet

“Do you doubt it?” he retorted

“Not for a moment” she replied, and they kissed

“So, are we doing this?” he asked

“Yes, but I need to change” she replied and began to undo her suspenders

“No don’t take them off, you’re going to need those?”

“Oh” she replied “So you only want me for my underwear”

“I want you under any circumstances” he corrected her “I want you in the lingerie, because it was what you were wearing the last time we made love when you were another man’s bride, and I want you to be wearing it the first time I make love to you as my bride to be”

“I want that too” she said which put a bloom on the cheeks of the blushing bride.

 

After pulling her jeans on over her white stockings and a t-shirt over her top, she threw a few essentials, and those items that were precious to her into a bag and they left the bridal suite and waited in his suite while he did the same, the rest could be collected at a later date.

They then snuck down the back stairs and out the fire escape twenty yards from where his car was parked, there were a few guests wandering the grounds, enjoying the fine weather, he didn’t recognise any of them, but he took no chances and opened the back door and Sophie slipped onto the back seat where she hid under his coat.

He got in the car and quickly checked she couldn’t be seen before he drove off.

Once they were past the milling guests and through the village she was able to sit up.

He pulled into a layby and she got in the passenger seat and buckled up and they set off again.

He phoned the Hotel manager, Hannah Morgan, on route to Grace Hill airfield, where he kept a twin-engine Cessna, and explained his rushed departure, and settled his bill and instructed her regarding his luggage.

“They’ve noticed you’ve gone” he said when he disconnected

“And your Dad is seriously pissed off”

“Good” she said

 

“Last chance to turn back” he said as they sat in the plane taxiing on to the runway

“I don’t need another chance, I’ve made my decision” she said and looked at him “And I know it’s the right one and I never want to go back”