It was
mid-September when recent divorcee’s Matthew Charlton and Emily Waugh moved
into Flat’s 3 and 4, respectively of East Cliff Lodge, overlooking the
picturesque Teardrop Lake.
The view of
the water from their flats was spectacular with its distinctive teardrop shape
which gave the lake its name surrounded by the ancient woodland of the
Dancingdean Forest.
It was a
modest body of water as lakes go, just over two miles long and almost a mile at
its widest point, it really was a thing of beauty and was both idyllic and
peaceful.
Matt was 32
years old with neatly styled brown wavy hair, brown eyes and a well-groomed
close cropped beard.
Emily was
five years younger than him and was best described as diminutive at 4’ 11”,
with shoulder length brown hair streaked with red and gold.
They had
moved there because after the divorce they both wanted to start new lives, in
an entirely different part of the county.
Also they
had both been heavily influenced by friends who had recommended Teardrop Lake
as the perfect place to begin again.
But fate
definitely took a hand.
They only
discovered their collective error when Matt knocked on Emily’s door to
introduce himself.
Only a few
months before he knocked on her door they had still been married to each other.
They
divorced, not due to a lack of love but, but a lack of conflict.
Apparently
he was too enabling,
He wasn’t
assertive enough,
He was too
accommodating, in short he was too nice.
Though he
didn’t think it was true that he was too easy going, it was just that he didn’t
care whether they went on holiday to the Greek islands or to Cyprus, he knew he
would enjoy either.
It was true
he had no strong opinion on the colour of the lounge carpet, the style of sofa
or whether the walls should be papered or painted.
If he’d had
an opinion he would have put her straight.
Choices
mattered to Emily so he let her make them.
Over the
weeks that followed their re acquaintance there were a number of chance
encounters between them that led to an increase in animosity which culminated
in the decisive meeting on Halloween.
It was at
the big fancy dress party at Forest Lodge to which everyone on the Lake was
invited, as well as some from Shallowfield.
It was the
home of Peter Lutchford, and mine host was dressed as Herman Munster and his
fiancé Claire Andrews, who was a Doctor, was dressed as Lily Munster and
Peter’s actress sister Amanda Flanders was dressed as a witch, her brother
Peter thought was type casting.
It was a
marvelous occasion and everyone had a wonderful time and although they didn’t
know it at the time, due to its popularity it would become an annual event.
Emily was
dressed in a monkey costume, the only costume she had ever tried that fitted
her perfectly, so it was the only thing she ever wore.
But for
variety she would accessorized it for the occasion.
She did so
for Halloween by adding Vampire teeth and a cape and she went as a Vampire
Monkey.
Matt on the
other hand had the pick of the costumers’ and went to the party dressed as
Satan.
It was
almost inevitable that it should happen so late on in the evening they bumped
into each other again.
It was
while he was in the conservatory.
“Oh God not
you again” she said “Are you stalking me?”
“Oh lighten
up Emily” he retorted having had just enough to drink to not take her
seriously.
“Lighten
up? Lighten up?” she exclaimed all shrill “everywhere I go you’re there”
“Perhaps
there’s a reason for that” he said “maybe the universe is trying to tell us
something”
“No its
not” she snapped “it’s not the Gods nor is it fate or providence and any other
bloody superstition, it’s just bad luck”
“I think
its serendipity” he said
“Oh shut up
and take me home” she barked
“No” he
replied and poured himself another drink
“Then call
me a cab” she said
“Call your
own bloody cab” Matt said and laughed
“Charming”
she said “you used to do things for me”
“Yes I did
and you called me a door mat and divorced me so if you need a bloody taxi, call
it yourself” he said
“My father
warned me about you” Emily said coldly
“It’s funny
you should mention your father” He said
“He gave me
some great advice on our wedding day, he said “Emily is my only daughter and I
love her with all my heart, but she can be a selfish little cow, when she was
little a spanked arse did the trick, it might still””
“You
wouldn’t dare raise a hand to me and you’re not man enough to put me across
your knee” she said and laughed in his face and that was the straw that broke
the camel’s back.
He took her
by the wrist and pulled her across his knee.
Peter and
Claire walked into the kitchen laughing and Amanda said
“What’s so
funny?”
“We just
saw Satan spanking the monkey in the conservatory” Peter said
“Eww that’s
disgusting” Amanda said
“No, it’s
not like that” Claire said
“There’s a
girl in a monkey suit and she’s being spanked by Satan”
“It still
sounds dirty to me” Amanda said.
With the
first slap on her plump cheek she wriggled and protested but the protestations
were short lived
“I should
have taken your fathers advice and done this years ago” he said and gave her
another good spank.
When he had
finished spanking her she had long since finished protesting he stood her up
and said
“Now I’ll
take you home”
“Ok” she
said meekly, rubbing her buttock with one hand and holding his hand with the
other.
That night
Matt took her home, but not to hers, he took her to his and from that moment on
they were effectively together again.
Over the
following weeks they jointly decided how to decorate and re-carpet and then
they moved everything of hers into his flat, their flat.
It came as
a bit of a shock to their friends that they were back together but on the whole,
everyone was pleased.
Although
there was some hostility from both sets of parents.
But they
were happy, and they settled down to a pleasant life together on the Lake.
For New
Year’s Eve, Matt and Emily had been invited to another fancy dress party this
time at the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel.
Unfortunately
just after lunch Emily started to feel the effects of a migraine coming on and
decided not to go to the party, but she didn’t want to spoil Matt’s fun so she
insisted he should go on his own.
“No it’s
alright” he protested
“You must
go” Emily said
“I’m really
not fussed about going” he said “I’ll have a quiet night in”
“Nonsense,
you must go”
“But…” he
protested
But she
wouldn’t take no for an answer and she made him promise.
“Ok I
promise I’ll go” he gave in and then she went to bed.
About six
hours later Emily woke up and was surprised to discover the headache had gone.
So, she got
up and had a long relaxing soak in the bath and as she wallowed in the scented
water she made a decision, she would go to the party after all and surprise her
husband.
She got out
of the bath tub and dried herself and dusted her skin with powder.
Emily
slipped on her sexiest silk underwear and then the monkey costume which she
accessorised with a Santa hat and some Led lights.
Then she
jumped in the car and drove to the Lodge.
It was
fairly close to midnight when she pulled into the car park and found a space.
Having
parked she rushed off to find Matt so they could see in the New Year in
together.
It didn't
take her long to spot Matt in his Devils outfit, he was on the dance floor with
a very leggy Cat Woman.
Emily was
just about to go and cut in when the music changed and James Blunt started
warbling out “Beautiful”
And the
Devil moved in close to Cat Woman and then they wrapped their arms around each
other’s necks and began kissing, very passionately, very passionately indeed.
Emily
didn’t stay for the midnight countdown, she just ran out to the car sobbing and
once she got to the car she broke down completely.
When she
had finished crying she wiped her face on the sleeve of her costume and drove
home and when she go inside she went to bed where she cried some more.
Emily
couldn’t sleep and just lay there in the darkness, rerunning the picture of her
satanic husband with his tongue down Cat woman’s throat.
It was
about 1.30am when she heard the front door open and close and it was a few
minutes later that the bedroom door opened quietly.
Emily lay
silently in the darkness until he slipped into bed.
"Did
you have a nice time?" she asked
“I’m sorry
I didn’t mean to wake you” he said and kissed her forehead
“I bet you
didn’t” she thought to herself but out loud she said
“So did you
have a good time?”
"It
was okay" he replied
"Only
okay?” she pressed “Didn’t you enjoy the dancing?"
“You know
I’m not much of a dancer” he said
“Well you
seemed to be doing ok when I last saw you” she said inside her own head
“So you
didn’t get carried along with the excitement?” she said and there was no
response
“I have a
confession to make” he said
“Oh God
here it comes” she screamed in her head
"I
didn't go” Matt said and braced himself
“What?”
Emily retorted feeling the anger building, it was bad enough him kissing
another woman in front of their friends and neighbours but now he was lying to
her on top of his betrayal
“I know I
promised Hun but I really didn’t fancy going without you”
“So where
have you been all this time?” Emily asked
“I met up
with Danny and Penny at their place and we had a few drinks and a catch up.
Danny
Pellegrino was an old friend, who he’d known from Art School, who had
recommended Teardrop Lake.
He said he
had found happiness and love there only that summer and couldn’t speak highly
enough of the place.
“Dan’s
cousin Josh pitched up unannounced and he was the only one who fancied going to
the party, so I leant him my costume” he explained “are you really cross with
me?”
“So you
didn’t go to the Lodge and snog Cat Woman?”
“What? No”
he replied and was prevented from speaking again as Emily was kissing him.
