JUST ONE MORE DUSTY TOME ON THE SHELF

 

Grace Rawlins had worked in the same bookshop for twenty years, but not one of those trendy impersonal places, O’Brien’s was a proper old fashioned shop full of dusty well-loved second hand books. 

She started there straight from school and now it was hers.

It wasn’t her chosen path, she wanted college and university and to write books of her own.

But on the eve of her bright future, life got in the way of her plans when firstly her father was killed aboard the RFA Sir Galahad during the Falklands War when she was 15 and then on the day of her 16^th birthday her mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

 

In the beginning Grace worked part time at the shop in between grieving for her dead father and caring for her mum and also limping her way through two years of college.

She had no siblings to share the burden and no Cousins or Aunts and Uncles to turn to she had to cope with it all on her own.

Then in 1984 when she finished college she watched all her friends go off to Uni and she went full time at O’Brien’s.

 

With each passing year, of days spent in the shop and evenings and weekends caring for her mother drained the very life from her and by the time her mum finally succumbed Grace was as dry as the pages of the books she tended.

After the funeral, in order to fill the void, Grace gave herself totally to the shop, which is why five years later on her death Maureen O’Brien left the shop to Grace.     

Year by year her life consisted of the shop, book auctions and house clearances other than that she had no human interactions outside the bookshop so as a result, at the age of thirty six Grace was a cold grey dowdy frump.

She was not an unattractive woman behind the spectacles and the tweed suit if anyone chose to look that closely, but they didn’t.

When she first took over the running of it the shop was struggling to stay afloat in a sea of apathy in which the world seemingly fell out of love with quality literature.

She did make one concession to the modern publication by giving over one window and a corner of the shop to new titles.

Also, over the years she developed the internet side of the business, which she rather liked as she didn’t have to face human beings.

It wasn’t so much that she wasn’t a people person it was just they were a constant reminder of what life might have been.

 

One rainy Friday afternoon in May a rather tall gaunt looking middle-aged man in an ill-fitting rain coat entered the shop and stood dripping on the doormat for several minutes before he ventured further, although it was 2002 the place felt much older.

Harry Edwards took no more than three steps and then stopped, he looked around at the rows of shelves full of old musty tomes and sighed with resignation at the enormity of the task ahead.

“Oh hell” he muttered

“Can I help?” Grace said flatly with a weak smile

“I do hope so” Harry replied brightly

“I’m looking for a leather bound copy of “The Coral Island” by R M. Ballantyne”    

“We have several copies of that” She said “Did you have any particular date of publication in mind?”

“Anything from the 19^th century” He replied

“I have a nice clean late Victorian copy that might suit” Grace said and went off to retrieve it

“Here we are 1890, red leather binding, very good condition”

“Excellent” he said handling the book “How much?”

“£150” She said without emotion

He thought she was probably overcharging him but it was exactly what he was looking for and it was well within his means.

And it was his Uncle’s birthday the very next day and he didn’t fancy going in search of another bookshop in the foul weather.

Also there was something about her that he liked behind the mannish spectacles and frumpy tweeds, he wasn’t sure what it was but there was more to her than the cover suggested.

“Great I’ll take it” he said

 

Harry Edwards had lived and worked in Brassington all his life and after getting his Law degree he started working at his Uncle Henrys firm of solicitors where he was now a partner.

It was fairly unexciting work involving quite a lot of conveyancing but he liked it.

Incidentally Barrowman, Clarke, Braithwaite and Edwards were the executors of Maureen O’Brien’s will.

Not that that has any relevance to the story but it adds a certain symmetry.

Harry was forty five years old and had himself suffered tragedy in his life, his father died suddenly when he was at University, his mother was struck with early onset Alzheimer’s and was now in a care home and the previous year he had lost m his wife Celia to breast cancer, but unlike Grace he didn’t lock himself away from the world but then he did have a network of family and friends to draw comfort from.

 

On the Monday morning after a big family weekend to celebrate Uncle Henrys seventieth birthday Harry was feeling a little jaded and in truth was almost relieved to get back to work for a rest.

By lunchtime however he was feeling a little more with it so as it was a bright warm spring day and as his office was only a ten minute walk from O’Brien’s the notion popped into his head to pop in and tell the proprietor how delighted his uncle had been with his gift.

He wasn’t quite sure why the notion entered his head nor where it came from but he still thought it a good idea.

 

The shop door opened and sunlight spilled deep into the shop, Grace was at the back cataloguing some new acquisitions while Karen and Iris, students from Brassington Uni, were putting the new stock on the appropriate shelves.

She relied heavily on students to staff the shop as there was only her and Graham in the shop on a permanent basis.

She had inherited Graham from Maureen’s time but now he was slowly cutting down his hours as he headed towards retirement, while she was cataloguing Graham was out the back packing some books for delivery.

  

She looked up from what she was doing and briefly studied the new arrival.

Grace recognized the man instantly as the man who paid over the odds for a copy of “The Coral Island”

The ill-fitting (borrowed) raincoat of Friday had gone and he was now sporting a well-tailored double breasted blue suit.

She had thought about him a lot over the weekend and had felt more than a little guilty at fleecing the dripping wet untidy looking man but now she saw him in his handmade suit that guilt melted away.

“He’s quite a handsome man though” she thought to herself, shaking her head at such an unaccustomed thought. 

 

He walked further into the shop and was surprised at just how big it was, it had seemed much smaller in the gloom of Friday afternoon.

He could see there were three or four other customers milling around and a couple of young girls stacking shelves and then he caught sight of the young frumpy woman at the back of the shop and strode off towards her.

 

“Oh God he’s coming this way” she thought to herself. “He’s going to complain about the book”

She hurriedly replaced the book she was holding and tried to slip away but she had inadvertently trapped her foot and as she tried to extricate herself he was on her.

 

“Hello again” he said

“Oh hello” she said abandoning her escape attempt.

“I just wanted to say my Uncle loved the book” he said

“Well that’s what we do” she responded flippantly and then inexplicably giggled

“In fact he was so impressed with it, he has a request” Harry said fishing in his jacket pocket and removing a piece of note paper which he handed to Grace.

“My Uncle collects book from his past, they are like special memories to him”

On the paper was written The Pathfinder by James Fennimore Cooper. (Third book of the Leatherstocking Tales pentalogy)

“That shouldn’t be too much of a problem” she said “I know we don’t have one in stock but if you come back tomorrow I should have it”

“Excellent” Harry replied “I’ll see you tomorrow then”

“What name should I reserve it under?” Grace asked

“Harry Edwards” he replied “Miss…?”

“Rawlins” she replied “Grace Rawlins”

 

After he left the shop she chastised herself for lying, she knew very well that she had a copy of “The Pathfinder”, and it would definitely have suited.

Why on earth had she lied, what on earth had gotten into her.

 

As Harry walked back to the office he had an unaccountable spring in his step and he was actually glad she didn’t have that book in stock as it meant he didn’t have to make an excuse to go back the next day.

 

On Tuesday he found the morning passed by interminably slowly in fact at one point he thought the clock had stopped.

But eventually the morning passed and the moment the clock struck twelve he was out the door.

“I’m taking an early lunch” he said

“Ok Mr. Edwards” his PA said

He walked briskly along the street towards O’Brien’s and was surprised by the presence of butterflies in his stomach.

“How ridiculous” he muttered to himself

 

Grace had been kept very busy all morning as she was alone in the shop on a Tuesday morning but she was well aware that lunchtime was approaching.

She had her back to the door and when she heard it open she took a deep breath and turned around with a smile.

“What are you looking so pleased about?” Graham asked

“Oh no reason” Grace replied “it’s just such a lovely day”

“You don’t normally smile when the sun shine’s” Graham said “come to think of it you don’t normally smile”

“I smile” Grace said defensively

“Not often” he answered as he went to the back of the shop

“I do smile” she said to herself crossly as she turned and watched him

“I know” Harry said

 

Grace was speechless when she turned around and saw Harry standing there and for a moment felt like she was fifteen again.

Before she stuttered and stammered her way through a sentence.

Harry laughed at her discomfiture before saying

“I’m sorry if I startled you”

“No its fine, really” she said

 

Harry left the shop half an hour later minus the book that he’d gone in for but he didn’t care he was just pleased to have seen her again.

It was the first time since his wife’s death that he had even noticed another woman and as he enjoyed the spring sunshine he was blissfully unaware just how significant that was.   

 

Grace had told him the book wouldn’t be in until the next day and didn’t even feel guilty for lying to him this time as it meant she would see him again.

Then she realized she’d have to give him the book eventually or he’d stop coming anyway.

 

For Harry the rest of the afternoon was spent very unproductively as he tried to reason in his mind why he was so drawn to a dowdy young bookworm.

“Well younger than me” he said out loud

She wasn’t even his type at all and she had cheated him on that copy of “The Coral Island”.

 

The next day Harry couldn’t make it to the shop as he was at the magistrate’s courts in the morning and had two funerals in the afternoon.

Grace however was unaware of the reason for his failure to appear and thought herself a fool and chastised herself for lowering her guard, she didn’t smile at all that day.

 

On Thursday morning Harry left his office about 10 o’clock and ran through the rain in his borrowed ill-fitting raincoat to the shop.

He had not mentioned his movements the last time he was in the shop and had no reason to think his absence would be noticed.

But strangely it meant something to him that he had missed seeing her.

  

At O’Brien’s Karen, Iris and Graham were bemoaning the return of the unsmiling Grace who had awoken that morning with fresh resolve to return her life back to its previous unadventurous course and not allow herself to be disappointed again. 

 

Having reached the shop Harry just stood outside and stared at the rain streaked windows wondering what the hell he was thinking.

Why would this young woman see him as anything more than just another customer?

“You’re being ridiculous” he said to himself and turned around and started back towards work.

But he only took a few faces before he stopped and returned to the shop.

He stood again looking at the shop and taking a deep breath he said 

“Nothing ventured nothing gained” and pushed open the door

 

Grace was feeling wretched and made everyone’s morning miserable.

She had placed the copy of “The Pathfinder” by the till and resolved that should he come in again she would give him the book and that would be an end to it, after all he was just another customer.

 

Grace sighed and headed towards the back of the shop, Karen and Iris kept their heads down as she passed them and when Graham appeared from the store room and saw her coming his way he performed an immediate U-turn.

Then she heard the door open behind her and she sighed again and prepared to deliver a withering look upon the person responsible for the intrusion.    

 

“Harry” she said when she saw him and instantly her sternness melted away “er Mr. Edwards I mean”

“No please Harry is fine” he replied and returned her smile

“I have your book” Grace said producing it like an exhibit in a court case.

“Oh great” he said “I’m only sorry I couldn’t come in for it yesterday Miss Rawlins”

“Please call me Grace,” she said coyly

He then went on to explain in depth all the ins and outs of his previous day and why he hadn’t come to the shop.

All this was done in her inner sanctum over a mug of coffee.

“She’s never had a guest in her office before” Iris whispered as she and Karen listened through the door.

“And she’s laughing” Karen said in disbelief

 

An hour after he arrived he left the shop and walked back towards his office with the book tucked under his arm and more importantly than that a date with Grace for the following evening.

 

So it was on a bright Friday evening just one week after his first rain soaked visit that he walked into O’Brien’s bookshop and found the dusty tome that was Grace Rawlins had been rebound and the dowdy bookish young woman was transformed.

Harry took her hand and led her from the shop.

And she stepped out from the narrow confines of her stale and musty domain and rejoined the world of infinite possibilities with her heart full of hope and not a little trepidation.

It was now her turn to live life rather than reading about other peoples.

 

         

 

LOVE WASHED OVER ME

 

Love washed over me

Liken to the lapping waves

On a lonely beach

UNDERMINED

 

Our love, once sturdy

Strong as granite rock

Standing against the storm

Has been eroded

By elements of distrust

Unspoken discontents,

And bitter jealousies

Corrodes like acid

As doubts and suspicions

Grow like cancers

Until they become terminal

Silent killers of love

 

LOVE CAME ON A WAVE

 

Love came on a wave

But it soon drifted away

On the ebbing tide

ASYMMETRICAL LOVE

 

Why do you hold back?

Why can’t you go all the way?

“I love you” those are the words

That I want to hear you say

 

Don’t be half hearted

I need you one hundred percent

I don’t want you to be unsure

I want you to be content

 

You have to be sure and,

Content as I am in my choice

But you are, not are you?

I can hear it in your voice

 

You don’t feel the same as I

I don’t make your pulse race

Or your heart skip a beat

I’m right; I see it on your face

 

Love isn’t a one-way street

It has to flow both ways

But it isn’t flowing to me

Not even on the best of days

 

Then it’s over and done

I won’t have half measures

It has to be all or nothing

Not just the pleasures

 

I need to be “the one”

I won’t be your second best

I won’t invest my love

With no prospect of interest

 

It’s sad when love ends

And a couple have to part

But I only feel regret that

I never reached your heart

Uncanny Love Tales – (11) Serendipitous

 

I drove into the small staff car park and saw that there was only one empty space left so I headed towards it and parked the car.

After switching off the engine I reached down into the foot well to retrieve my book, which had fallen off the seat and I detected in my peripheral vision someone heading in my direction, and he was a small smartly dressed man, casual smart rather than business smart.

When he reached the car he thrust his head through the open window and said abruptly.

“Can I help?” in a very aggressive and unhelpful tone.

“No, you’re ok” I replied as I returned to the upright position

“Which company do you work for?” he demanded

“What in this complex?” I asked

“Yes” he barked

“I don’t work for any of them” I retorted

“Well you’re on private property” he said

“Yes I understand that” I agreed

“Then you can’t park here” he said still in an aggressive tone, so I took a deep breath and explained calmly

“I don’t work here, but my wife does and I’m picking her up”

“Well there’s no need to be aggressive” he snapped brusquely

“I’m not being aggressive, I’m just being honest, you’re the one who’s being aggressive getting in my face and throwing your weight about” I pointed out

“You’re being aggressive” he repeated

“Look, my wife works here and I’m picking her up, end of story” I said dismissively and opened my book and turned my full attention to it as he walked off muttering something northern.

“Unbelievable” I think he said but I couldn’t make out anything else, he was very northern after all.

Of course when I said I was picking up my wife that wasn’t strictly true, Elaine was my ex-wife but he didn’t need to know that, and I was disinclined to share.

Elaine and I had divorced the year before but it was a completely amicable split as after eight years of marriage we both realised it wasn’t really working.

In fact we carried on living under the same roof for nine months until we sold the house and it wasn’t really very different to when we were married, and it really should have been if we belonged together as a couple, so we knew we had made the right decision.

So despite the divorce we were still very good friends which was why I was still picking her up from work.

 

A few minutes after the pompous northern git went away muttering, Elaine arrived down the steps behind me, though I didn’t relay the tale to her, other than to say I had been quizzed about parking there, and that would probably have been the end of it had it not been for the fact that the ridiculous little man, who it transpired was the de facto landlord, had made a complaint to the Facilities Manager, of the company my wife worked for.

 

It was very embarrassing for Elaine when she was summoned before Suzy Ford, the Facilities Manager, to be told that her husband had verbally abused the landlord, or at least his representative.

“Ex-husband” she interjected

“What?” Ms Ford retorted

“He’s my ex-husband” Elaine explained

“But he still picks you up from work?” Suzy queried

“Yes” she replied

“Is he still carrying a torch?” The FM asked

“No” Elaine replied “he’s just a good man”

“I wish mine was” Suzy confided “the bastard”

“Ah” Elaine responded

“Anyway Mr Connolly has alleged your ex-husband was aggressive and abusive” Suzy continued “Shouting and swearing at him”

“Nonsense” Elaine said

“Excuse me?” replied the FM

“Dave has never raised his voice in anger to anyone in his life and as for swearing that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard”

 

After the meeting Elaine phoned me and she was not a happy bunny.

She told me that Ian Connolly had accused me of shouting at him and swearing at him and I was banned from picking her up in that car park in future.

To say that I was incandescent with anger when I found out would have been an understatement.

“I promise you that not once did I swear at him or even raise my voice.

I may not have paid him the due deference that he was clearly expecting but that was all, in fact if anything he was the aggressor”

“It’s alright I’m not mad at you, but I had to find out your side of the story”

When she relayed my version of events to Ms Ford, the FM said

“I have heard that about him from other sources, but unfortunately we have to obey the landlord’s instructions”

I didn’t mind not being able to pick her up there that was a minor inconvenience however lying was something I could not abide, nor was it something I would forget.

However every cloud has a silver lining because the road I was forced to use to pick Elaine up from was in fact better for her than the car park, as it was nearer the entrance she used to come out of in the evening.

 

One evening, about a week and a half after I started parking in Church Hill Road I was sitting in the car when a little blue Renault Clio began reversing into the space behind me and hit my car, well nudged it really, but the girl driving the Clio immediately jumped out and ran around to my side of the car and was absolutely horrified at what she had done, not that I thought she had really done anything, but at her urging I got out of the car for an inspection.

She had jet black curly hair and was in her mid to late twenties, attractive if not beautiful and she was wearing a tailored business suit.

Also I noticed she had really nice legs and was very curvy, I like curvy, but that wasn’t what I was meant to inspect, so I looked at both bumpers and save for a scuff there was no damage.

“I’m so sorry” she said very flustered

“There’s no harm done” I replied

“Let me give you my details” She said reaching over from the driver’s side and rummaging in the glove box.    

“There really is no need” I said admiring the roundness of her buttocks as her movement tightened the fabric of her skirt.

Once she had found what she was looking for she began scribbling something and then said

“Here you are”

As she handed me a business card with her insurance details written on the back and assuming that she hadn’t written on the back of someone else’s card, her name was Laura Grew.

“There’s no damage” I said “Honestly”

“We have to do things properly” she insisted

“Do you have many accidents?” I asked already knowing the answer

“No” She said “This is my first”

“I thought so” I said “and actually this doesn’t really count so you still have a perfect record”

She seemed to calm down once I had accepted her details and then she completed her manoeuvre, locked the car and walked off down the road managing to apologize once more before she walked off, and what a walk it was, but just as I was getting an eyeful my mobile rang, it was Elaine

“Hi” I said

“Hey Dave” she replied “I’m running late”

“No problem” I responded “how long?”

“About an hour” she replied “But you don’t need to wait, I’ll get a cab”

“No problem, I’ve got no plans” I said “I’ll meet you in the Choristers Arms”

“Brilliant” she said “You’re a star”

 

Once inside the “Choristers” I got myself a drink and sat in a relatively quiet corner and then opened my book and I had only read about four pages when I heard

“Oh hello again”

So I looked up and saw it was my vehicular assailant.

“Hello Laura” I said

“I just wanted to apologize again” she said

“There really is no need” I replied “but you can buy me a drink”

Which really meant please stay and have a drink with me.

“It’s a deal” she said “and I’ll join you if that’s ok, as long as I’m not imposing?”

“Not at all” I said

As she turned and walked to the bar I had another opportunity to admire her generous curvy form with her buttocks rolling and reshaping within her skirt with every step.

“Very nice” I said under my breath and I continued to watch and admire all the while she was at the bar and when she had got the drinks I watched her again as she walked back towards me and I was mesmerised by what I saw.

When she got to the table she leant forward and put a drink in front of me although I only had eyes for the front of her, she caught me looking and smiled and then sat down.

“Are you meeting someone?” she asked

“Yes I’m waiting for my ex-wife” I replied and she looked confused, so I explained at length the arrangement Elaine and I had and Laura looked less confused. 

“What about you?” I asked

“Well I was supposed to be meeting my sister but she’s still at Waterloo” Laura said

“So you are doing me a favour keeping me company until her train gets in”

“I feel so used” I said feigning hurt

“Very funny” she said

“So what were your plans with your sister?” I asked

“Pictures” Laura replied

“Oh yes” I said “Bruce Willis or Keira Knightley?”

“Knightley, I’m afraid” she replied “Helen’s choice”

“Well I fancy the other one myself” I said “Perhaps…”

“I’d love to” she interrupted

“Great” I said “It’s only on until Saturday”

“Saturday it is then” she said just as her phone rang.

She stood up to answer it and stepped outside to get better reception.

“That was my sister” she said when she came back “I have to go”

“Well I’ll see you Saturday then, shall we meet here?” I said

“Yes” she said “7.30”

“Ok” I replied

“Thanks again for being so understanding” Laura said

“Wait a minute is that how you get all your dates?” I asked

“Pretty much” Laura replied “Bye”

Then I feasted my eyes on her again as she walked away.

“Who was that?” Elaine said

“Just someone I bumped into” I replied

“It looks as though you wouldn’t mind bumping into her again” she said

“Funny you should say that, I’m seeing her on Saturday” I said proudly

“Good for you” Elaine said and meant it

“I’m sorry I’m so late, it’s been a pig of a day”

“That’s ok” I assured her “Do you fancy a drink?”

“Oh yes please” she said “as long as I’m not holding you up”

“I wouldn’t have offered if it was a problem” I insisted “as I said I don’t have any plans tonight”

I went and got her a large white wine and myself a coke and returned to the table

“What about you?” I asked

“What?” she said

“Plans for tonight” I explained

“No nothing” she said

“Why don’t we eat then” I suggested “the foods pretty good in here”

“That would be really nice, Dave”

 

So we ordered from the bar and spent a couple of hours on a proper catch up.

When we split up even though it was amicable and we remained friends ourselves, some of our friends felt it there duty to take sides.

So it was about the people we as the enemy had lost touch with that filled most of the conversation, then we moved on to more personal stuff.

Elaine had been reluctant to tell me but she had been seeing someone for a couple of months, his name was Peter and she met him at work.

“That’s brilliant Elaine, I’m really pleased for you” I said “but why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I don’t know really” she said “it seemed a bit insensitive”

“Well for future reference you can tell me anything” I said

“But you haven’t told me” she said in her defence

“There hasn’t been anything to tell” I said “I’ve been on a couple of disastrous blind dates and that’s all”

“Until today” she added

“Yes until today” I concurred and smiled

 

I dropped her off about 9.30

“Thanks Dave” Elaine said “Enjoy your date on Saturday”

“I will” I replied and drove the short distance home.

 

On Saturday I sat at the same table I had occupied a few days earlier which gave me a good view of the door but I still missed her when she came in, I had been watching out for a hot girl in a business suit and black tights.

“Are you looking for me?” a voice said and when I looked up it was Laura.

“Oh hi” I said “I didn’t recognise you”

She was wearing tailored trousers a shimmering top and a short tunic.

“Wow you look great” I said

“Thank you” she said and actually blushed, I thought to myself then that Laura Grew was a keeper.

I suggested eating somewhere afterwards so we decided to catch the earlier performance so we didn’t have time for a drink.

I let Laura go through the door first, not because I’m a gentleman but rather because I wanted to see what her bum looked like in those trousers, and I was not disappointed.

 

The film was average, the meal was better but the company was sublime and as first dates go it was the best for me by far.

It ended with a goodnight kiss by her car and the securing of another date, the following Saturday.

I have always found that Second dates are always trickier, because there is an expectation which is not present on a first date and all week I was worried about it, but when Saturday came all my fears and apprehensions melted away when I saw her and by the end of the night I thought it had even surpassed our first date.

It again ended by her car, this time with a more prolonged kiss.

“Next Saturday?” I said hopefully

“Yes” she said coyly “if you can wait that long” 

“And if I can’t?” I asked

“You can come to a BBQ with me tomorrow” she said

“You can pick me up” she said “I’ll text you my address”

 

I picked Laura up as instructed and on the journey she filled me in on the family politics of which there wasn’t much to report other than the fact her and her sister hated their stepfather Ian.

“He’s a pompous, obnoxious, unpleasant little man who isn’t even nice to mum” She ranted

The BBQ was to celebrate their mum’s birthday which was the only reason she and her sister were going.

Eleanor had only been married to Ian for two years but he had managed to alienate everyone who was important in Eleanor’s life and Laura and Helen were very unhappy about it.

However for their mums sake they always bit their tongues so as not to upset there mum and that Sunday was no exception they wouldn’t do or say anything to spoil mums birthday.

I parked the car outside the house as indicated by Laura.

“Deep breath, big smile” she said and I gave her hand a squeeze.

“Give me a kiss for good luck” she said and I obliged

 

We were just about to go through the side gate when there was a call from behind.

“Wait for us” and I turned around and saw a carbon copy of Laura jogging towards us.

“Hey Helen” Laura said and they kissed and then introductions followed before we proceeded through the gate.

There were a small group of people milling about on the patio, another group on the lawn and a lone man attending to the BBQ.

While I was looking around there was some sudden squealing on the patio from which I deduced the sisters had located their mum.

Neither Helen’s boyfriend Ray nor I had met the family before so we hung back until the hullaballoo subsided.

When it had we were summoned by our respective girlfriends to be presented.

“I’m pleased to meet you” I said shaking Eleanor’s hand

“Likewise” she said “I’ve heard a lot about you”

“The sausages are ready?” the man called from the BBQ

“And that is my husband” Eleanor said and waved a despairing hand in his direction.

I turned around to say hello just as he did the same.

“Oh” I exclaimed “we’ve already met”

It was Ian Connolly the lying sack of shit who had accused me of swearing at him and my new girlfriend Laura Grew was the pompous gits step daughter.

“I suppose you’re going to verbally abuse me again” he said

“I didn’t verbally abuse you the last time” I replied

“What did you do?” Eleanor asked her husband

“Oh trust you to take their side” he said 

“My apologies Eleanor but I think I need to go” I said

“That’s it run away” Ian called after me

“Oh do shut up Ian” Laura said

“As for you, how dare you turn up on your mother’s birthday with a married man you little Trollope” He said venomously

“That’s enough Ian” Eleanor said

“He’s not married you pompous arse” Laura shouted “he’s divorced”

“Oh really is that what he told you?” Ian said with distain

“Then answer me this, what kind of man still drives his ex-wife around?”

“A better man than you obviously” Laura said

“That’s enough you selfish little cow” he said “You’re ruining your mother’s birthday”

“No you’re ruining my birthday” Eleanor said

“What do you mean?” Ian snapped “I’m just trying to do something special for your birthday”

“The most special thing you could do for me would be to get out”

Eleanor said

“What?” he said aghast

“I want you to leave” she reiterated

“If I go then I won’t be coming back” he threatened

“Good” she said almost spitting the word at him

Ian went a very funny shade of purple and a vein in his temple started to throb, I thought his head might explode but it didn’t and he turned on his heels and went in the house.

Helen and Laura ran immediately to hug their mum and they stood in a scrum on the patio and there were a few tears.

They may have stayed there longer but the huddle broke when Ian came back out of the house carrying a small bag and his jacket, then without speaking he left through the side gate followed by a few of the guests, clearly more his friends than hers.

“Now the party can really start” Eleanor said

There was another brief hug fest from the Grew women and then Eleanor said

“Dave, can you take charge of the BBQ?”

“Leave it to me” I said

Laura stopped me before I got there

“Thank you honey” she said and kissed me very provocatively

 

After an excess of alcohol I ended up staying the night, albeit on an uncomfortable sofa.

There was a good deal of talk about Ian Connolly as the alcohol flowed and

I was amazed to find out what a mean spirited man he really was, he wouldn’t even allow his step daughters to park in the office car parks.

It was apparent that Ian Connolly was a bitter unfulfilled little man who made everyone’s life an absolute misery, but that said I would be forever grateful to him because had her stepfather not been such an arse I would never have met her, or fallen in love with her, so it was extremely serendipitous. 

Uncanny Love Tales – (10) The Girl in the Yellow Dress

Peter Nesbitt sat on the sun-drenched terrace looking at the girl in the yellow dress, with her brunette hair cascading onto the sun kissed skin of her shoulders.

The girl wearing the pretty yellow dress was Sarah, who he found deliciously attractive, especially in that dress, but then that may have been because he knew that she was wearing matching yellow underwear beneath it, and the reason Peter knew what underwear was beneath the dress was because he had watched her getting dressed that morning, twice, because after the first time he undressed her again and they made love.

And as he looked at her in the sunshine, he looked forward to slipping them off her again, very soon.

 

Yet only a year previously the brown-haired beauty had been to all intents and purposes a dowdy frump and her name was Sarah, Hallam, as was, but that was before she married Peter. 

They had met in the fog on a Cumbrian hill side in the Lake District when they were both on a walking break.

On the day they first met, Sarah was dressed in stout old-fashioned brogues, long argyle socks, grey tweed skirt and a shapeless sweater of indeterminate colour, one word would have summed it up, drab, and her hair was tied in a bun beneath a tweed cap that matched the skirt and she appeared to be dressed for the 1930s and looked about forty.

It was only as they shared her provisions in the fog that he saw and fell in love with the girl beneath the drab façade.

He discovered that beneath the frumpy exterior his soul mate was hidden and in the year since that day on the hill they had been the happiest either of them had ever been.

 

On that warm summer’s day, they were back in the Lake District once again only further south this time as they had rented a house on Windermere.

Apart from Peter and Sarah, in the party were Peter’s brother Johnnie and his wife Patti, and Patti’s sister Rose and her partner Christian.

He was smiling as he watched his gorgeous wife her and when she looked up she smiled at him and blushed and the reason she blushed was because she knew what he was thinking.

Peter was thinking about how he had undressed her and ravished her that morning, and now so was she.

Sarah also knew that he was going to do it again as soon as the opportunity presented itself, and she couldn’t wait for that moment either and her whole body tingled just thinking about it.

It was a year to the day since they had first met and the thought of making love with him still made her quiver with anticipation.

 

“Let’s go out on the boat” Johnnie suddenly suggested, though Patti wasn’t at all impressed by the idea and threw him a glare, she had just got herself settled on a lounger after clearing away after lunch, however despite her disapproval the general consensus was in favour.

So, having almost everyone agreeing with Johnnie’s suggestion Sarah was excitedly gathering everything together off the terrace as the group slowly made their way to the jetty, she loved going out on the boat, and it was her idea to rent it along with the house.

As she finished Peter stopped her in her tracks and took hold of her hand

“Haven’t you forgotten something?” he said, so she had a quick look around the terrace

“I don’t think so” she replied

“I do” Peter insisted

“What?” Sarah asked a little confused

“Well, you know how breezy it gets out on the water?” he asked cryptically

“Yes” she replied still confused, and then a look of comprehension spread across her face.

“I’ll get a cardie” she said, and Peter laughed

“I wasn’t thinking of that”

“What then?” she giggled

“Well, you’re out on the windy water wearing your pretty yellow dress” he said

“Yes” she replied proudly

“And underneath it?” he added

“Oh” she exclaimed finally comprehending

“Everyone will see my knickers”

She chuckled and gave him the armful of bits she had gathered and rushed off to change.

Peter followed her into the house a few moments later and dropped the pile of items she had given him on the first surface he passed and went upstairs.

When he opened the bedroom door Peter found Sarah sitting on the end of the bed in her yellow underwear pulling a pair of shorts over her ankles.

He sat on the bed next to her and as she leant forward, he unhooked her bra.

“We haven’t got time for that” she said with a giggle

“I would hope we will always have time for that” he said running his hand across her naked back and Sarah sat up and kicked off her shorts.

 

Holding hands, Peter and Sarah ran headlong down the lawn towards the jetty.

Sarah was now wearing pale blue shorts and a matching top which also matched everything else.

“Where have you two been?” Patti shouted crossly as they ran onto the jetty.

“Sarah needed to change, and I was attending to security” Peter said as he helped Sarah on board the Cabin Cruiser and then squeezed her buttock as she passed him, and she turned around and kissed him before heading to the bow to join the other girls who were already sitting on towels sunning themselves.

“All that time for a couple of windows and a door?” Rose asked tongue in cheek

“Peter’s very thorough” Sarah replied and blushed

“I bet he is” Rose added

Peter meanwhile had joined the menfolk in the cockpit

“I admire your diligence” Christian said as he reversed the 26ft cruiser away from the jetty “security is so important”

“I know what you were attending to Pete” Johnnie said “and it wasn’t security, you dirty pair”

And their laughter echoed across the water.