The Dulcets were a collection of
villages and hamlets comprising of Dulcet Meadow, Dulcet St Mary, Dulcet Green
and Dulcet-on-Brooke,
to name but a few, and of course Dulcet-on-Willow
which was a large sprawling village beside the gentle shallow River Willow,
which ran unhurriedly from the Pepperstock Hills to the more vibrant River
Brooke.
It was in Willow where Gary
Smith lived, and he was one of that group of men, who relationship wise, punched
above his weight, in the form of Karen Filey, who was five feet eight, short
bobbed brown hair, seductive hazel eyes and a stunning figure suitably
proportioned and all underpinned, by the most amazing legs, who was five years
his junior to boot.
Over their relatively
short time together, lust soon turned to love and that led inevitably to an
engagement.
But there was a fly in the
ointment and that was that he was unfaithful, very unfaithful, he just couldn’t
get enough, and he did any woman he could get his hands of any age, and
anywhere, even though he had a real hottie on tap, who was as good as she
looked, and who had a voracious sexual appetite for him, but still he strayed.
But things came to a head
one day when they were cuddled up on the sofa, and Karen suddenly said
“Do you remember when we
started dating and I said that I didn’t mind if you were unfaithful to me as
long as you loved only me?”
“Yes” he said cautiously
“but…”
“And I know you’re not
faithful so don’t bother trying to deny it” she said sternly, and he was about to
speak, but she stopped him
“I don’t know who, though
I have my suspicions”, she said flatly
“And I don’t think I want
to know but I know you’re sleeping with other women” she paused
“And as I said last time I
don’t mind”
She paused again
“For now, but there will
come a time in the not too distant future when I will”
“I love you and I’m
certain sure of that, and I know that you say you love me but I’m not so sure
of that”
“But I do love you” he
said taking her hand
“But you don’t love me as
completely as I love you” she retorted taking her hand away “you are enough for
me, but clearly I’m not enough for you”
Gary tried to speak again
but again she stopped him, so he got up and paced the room
“So, you have until December
to sow your wild oats or to curb your appetites or whatever it is you do”
“But by my 21st
birthday I need to feel your commitment” she said and again he tried to speak
“And no that’s not a
euphemism” she said without humour “you need to want me and me alone, and that’s
all I have to say”
Gary was now cleared to
speak but he didn’t know what to say, he wanted to say don’t be silly you’re
the only one for me, but he knew that he was a dog.
Gary knew that he was
getting plenty, and he was liking that, but if he wanted to keep the girl he
loved, it was obvious he would have to change.
“Is that why you don’t use
the door key?” he asked as Karen was on her knees removing a DVD from the
machine and he perched on the arm of the sofa just watching her, almost in a
daze.
“Yes” she replied without
turning around
“Because…” she began but
couldn’t finish
“You don’t want to catch
me with another woman” Gary said finishing her sentence while she carried on
what she was doing slowly and deliberately.
Gary was a little shocked,
firstly because it never occurred to him for a moment that he couldn’t have his
cake and eat it, and secondly although he knew he loved Karen more than he had
ever loved anyone he didn’t realise quite how much that was until that moment
when he realised he could lose her.
The prospect of losing her
stunned him and he knew he had to make changes in his life.
Karen finished putting the
DVD in its box and switched off the TV
“Don’t look so glum” she
said as she stood up, having finished what she was doing
“I’m not giving up on you
yet, we’ve dealt with the serious stuff, now we get to do the fun bit”
She took hold of his hand
and led him into the bedroom.
Over the following six
months he tried to reform but it soon became obvious to him that he was
incapable of keeping it in his pants and the inevitability of Karen losing
patience with him and dumping him was so overwhelming that he began to think
that the best course of action as for him to break up with her, thus saving
both of them pain in the long run.
Which was what he did,
quoting his abject failure to fulfil her ultimatum.
Seven years later and Gary
was married to a woman he didn’t love because of a child they made together in
a sweaty loveless coupling in a bus shelter in Appleby.
It was inevitable that his
inability to control his urges would land him in trouble one day.
Karen was also married, in
her case to a man, fifteen years her senior, whom she also didn’t love.
She had found it hard
after she split up with Gary to commit totally to another man because he broke
her heart and ended up marrying Eric for security.
However, they did both
have a love interest in their lives, namely each other, and they met up
wherever and whenever they could and were never happier than when they were
together.
