by S M Mala
Ted instantly went crimson, his jaw dropping.
‘I knew he was shagging her,’ she heard Eugene say and flashed him a menacing look.
Phyllis was at her side and barked at the man.
‘I can’t speak to you now, but Stan will explain,’ she said, clenching her teeth. ‘I am going home, and when I am ready we will be friends again, but not for a while. Don’t ring, text, email, write, turn up at my home or work. I have to digest your tyranny and deceit.’
‘Maddy? That bad?’ asked Stan, who was shaking his head. ‘You were teenagers.’
‘We were friends!’
She marched out of the beer garden then heard Ted say out loudly, ‘Oh fuck!’
‘Oh, fuck indeed,’ Maddy mumbled, holding Phyllis’s lead tightly. ‘That’s what you did with her and never told me.’
Marching home at high speed, she unpacked the remaining items, putting them in bags for the charity shop and sat in the garden.
All she did was fume at her friend for not telling her everything.
There was a knock on the door, and she had no intention of answering it, but Phyllis started barking, and Stan stepped in.
‘I still have a key,’ he said, holding it up in the air. Then he lifted a bag. ‘And some refreshments as you probably need a drink.’
‘Why didn’t he tell me?’
‘Stop moaning and lighten up,’ he said, walking into the kitchen as she flashed him a dirty look. ‘He was young and made a mistake. Ted valued your friendship more and knew if you found out it would break your heart. So, he never said.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Because he told me ages ago.’ Once again, she watched him smile. ‘I have a knack for extracting information out of people other than you, who happily tells me everything.’
‘And you didn’t bother to tell me?’ Maddy stood up and stormed towards him. ‘Get out! You’re a traitor.’
‘He was going out with my sister up to a fortnight ago.’ Stan looked down at her. ‘Why are you so upset? Did you think you had a chance with him all those years ago? Maybe Pearl getting in there scuppered your chances.’ He then pushed her hair away from her face. ‘You don’t like Tara, do you?’
‘She acted as if nothing happened and what she did was okay, but I felt it.’ Maddy knew she was on the verge of tears. ‘And I’ve told you time and time again, I never wanted Ted. He’s not my type, and I don’t think of him like that. Do you want to sleep with your friends?’
‘Not all of them.’ He then grinned. ‘I believe you don’t fancy Ted, so I am sorry I’ve kept on about it.’
‘Why didn’t he tell me? I feel stupid now. Tara always has one up on me, and she said Pearl knew.’
‘And think about it. They’re still talking.’
‘I wouldn’t speak to him if I were her!’
‘Maddy, don’t be so harsh.’ Stan then kissed her nose. ‘But you looked so angry when you saw that woman.’ Then he smirked. ‘Sort of the same expression when you look at Giselle.’
‘No, I don’t.’ She stepped back and glanced at Phyllis sunbathing on the grass. ‘I need to give her some water. The poor thing will overheat.’
‘Pretty much as you did in the pub. It looked like a lover’s tiff.’
‘It was a lover’s tiff alright. How could he have slept with that fleabag? She was a right slut at school and couldn’t keep her knickers up.’ Then she thought for a moment before grinning. ‘I bet she didn’t even wear any. And she had the nerve to say that I was stuck up. Better to be stuck up than let any old wanker stick it up you!’
He was laughing as he opened the bottle of Bacardi he had brought along and made them drinks.
‘Here,’ he said, handing it over to her. ‘This will make you smile.’ Stan stepped closer. ‘And how long are you going to make him suffer? Ted looked pretty devastated when he figured out what had happened.’
‘Just before my birthday, so he buys me an exceptionally large present.’ Maddy sipped the drink. ‘I can’t handle spirits. Gets me drunk.’
‘Most things get you drunk including ice-cream.’
‘Where’s your girlfriend? Shouldn’t you be having romantic summer strolls and all that stuff on a Sunday?’
Knocking back half his drink, he walked into the garden and kicked off his shoes before sitting on the bench, facing the sun. Maddy got the dog bowl and filled it with cold water, putting it in the shade for Phyllis.
‘What were you going to ask me when you came knocking on my door that Friday?’ he said as she sat opposite him.
‘I told you. Nothing.’
‘I’m sorry about you seeing us like that.’
‘Nothing to be sorry about. You were doing what comes naturally to your woman. I should have called. Anyway, don’t bring it up again.’
Maddy closed her eyes and felt the warm rays on her face. She was very pissed off with Ted and wasn’t going to let it lie. An explanation was needed and a bloody good one to boot. Then she looked down at the table wondering why no-one said a thing and even Tara knew Ted wouldn’t have mentioned it.
‘My irritant friend, what’s on your mind?’ Stan was smiling, leaning forward.
‘Why can’t people be honest?’
‘Because sometimes you have to hold off on the truth to make sure the ones you love don’t get hurt. Maddy, Pearl, and Ted love you, that’s all you need to know. Whatever hang up you have about Tara is something or nothing. I know it made you ill. Children are cruel like they say.’
‘But it’s never left me.’ Maddy gulped hard. ‘It’s still inside, and I worry it will come back. I wasn’t a teenager when it happened last time.’
‘It’s more than Tara or teasing. You know it’s about you. An inability to cope with stressful situations.’
‘I’m surrounded by stress, day in and day out at work and the hospice. The kids and-.’
‘You’ve not been truly tested there, have you? All the people you care about are okay.’
‘That’s good.’ Then she hesitated. ‘The time will come, and I’ll have no choice but to be an adult about it. I can cope.’
‘Weeks ago,’ he said, getting up and sitting next to her. ‘You said something when you thought I was hungover and in your bed. About not wanting people to die and you’d try to stop it.’
Maddy sat back and stared at his questioning expression.
‘Wouldn’t we all?’ she replied and sipped her drink. ‘I’m not asking for the impossible but-.’
She felt his lips on hers and couldn’t breathe.
Stan was looking into her eyes, and she wasn’t quite sure what was happening.
‘That’s a bit inappropriate as you have a girlfriend,’ she whispered, feeling the palpitations in her heart. ‘And I have morals.’
‘Not when you pay a man for sex.’
‘There was only one, and it was Roland.’ Maddy scowled. ‘I’m not going to pay you for sex. What are you up to?’
‘I just want to kiss. Kissing is good.’
‘Those lips of yours have no doubt been on certain parts of Giselle’s body recently. I’m not sure she’ll take kindly to that.’ Maddy pulled away. ‘I might be pissed off with Ted and a little with Pearl, though mainly at that slutbag, it doesn’t mean I’m easy.’
Stan stood up and sipped his glass dry before walking back into the kitchen to make another drink. She’d hardly touched her glass and noticed he turned to smile.
‘Trickster,’ she mumbled. ‘I bet all those vibrators in that box were yours. I know.’
‘I put one of them in your drawer where you hide yours. It’s all boxed up and unused. I think you need to chuck the other one out. It’s knackered.’
‘Stan!’ she screamed, standing up and making Phyllis bark. ‘You’ve been into my bedroom? You’re not allowed to do that.’
‘I was just passing and noticed it, that’s all.’ He turned, raised his glass in the air and was supporting the biggest grin she had ever seen. ‘I am a true fri
end.’
Maddy rushed in the house and was about to kick him very hard, mainly due to her complete mortification at him knowing she had one.
‘Come here,’ he said, putting down his glass and grabbing her in his arms. ‘You’re too adorable not to snog.’
‘Get off me!’ she said, trying to aim for his shin but the lips placed on her mouth completely stopped her in mid-attack.
It was the attack on her mouth she couldn’t fend off as he grabbed the small of her back, pulling her closer. His tongue searched her mouth, and it had been such a long time since she had been kissed like that. Not even Roland had the same effect, and he was relatively good.
Slowly their lips parted, and she looked at him.
‘I’m not allowed to interfere with you,’ Maddy whispered. ‘Ted told me and so has Pearl. You’re untouchable.’
‘Stasia said the same thing and so did Eugene, plus a few others including Giselle.’
‘Giselle?’
‘Yeah, she got the impression we were together.’ Stan kissed her nose. ‘We can keep this between you and me. No-one needs to know.’
‘You mean you don’t want anyone to find out.’ She laughed, shaking her head. ‘
‘Giselle isn’t my girlfriend. We got back together, and last week we split.’
‘You used her for sex?’ She folded her arms defiantly across her chest. ‘And now you’re no longer lodging with me, you think I’m going put out? Think again.’ Maddy closed her eyes, feeling his lips glide across her skin. ‘Does she know about your split and are you drunk?’
Maddy wondered what Stanley Frank’s gameplay was today.
‘She knows we have split.’
Stan was still nearby. ‘And I am not drunk.’
‘Bet you are.’
Maddy walked to the sofa and sat down after. Phyllis followed and sat next to her as she switched the television on and went to her long list of programmes to watch. She checked her phone noting there were no calls or messages and felt pissed off that Ted hadn’t even tried to grovel though she told him not to.
‘And nothing from that deceitful bugger either,’ she said, throwing her phone onto the sofa.
Over her shoulder, she saw Stan check his phone then take a sip of his drink. Then he knocked it all back, shuddered and smiled.
‘What is he up to?’ she asked Phyllis, who looked just as confused as she did. ‘He gets all lip locking now.’ Maddy breathed into the palm of her hand to check her breath. ‘It doesn’t smell that bad, or maybe it does.’ Her fingers traced her lips. ‘Could be my skin’s dry. Nope, it’s smooth.’
Then there was a tingling in her body when she thought about Stan kissing her.
‘And why didn’t he try it on with me when I was his landlady and-.’ Maddy remembered something and ran up to her bedroom, pulling the drawer open. ‘Why you little-.’
There was a brand-new vibrator, and her other one had gone. Stan had left a note.
‘Maybe we could give it a try one day?’ he wrote.
‘What’s this about?’ she asked, waving the piece of paper in the air.
‘Did you like it?’ he cheekily replied. ‘Is it your size?’
‘My size?’ Maddy looked aghast. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Is it large enough?’ he asked deadpan. ‘Or do you prefer thicker or thinner?’ Stan started to laugh.
‘Are you taking the piss?’
‘I'm just neighbourly.’ Stan put down his drink and walked up to her. ‘I have got a few we could try.’
‘We?’ Maddy took a step down.
‘It’s more fun when two people do it, but I think you’re use to doing it on your own.’
‘Out!’ Maddy pointed to the door. ‘You have accosted me and now seem to be making very lewd remarks which I’m not used to.’
‘Barking Maddy, you went out with Roland, and I heard what he said when you were dumping him. I think those little ears have heard more things than you’d ever let anyone know.’
‘What are you up to Stanley Franks? You better not be using me as some sex fodder for your column! I’d be very angry if you were.’
He then rushed and grabbed her hand, pulling her up the stairs into the bedroom.
‘What are you doing?’ she asked, trying to pull away. ‘Have you gone mad?’
‘I want to kiss you again.’
‘But dragging me against my will into a bedroom is not a good thing! That’s like being molested.’
‘I want to molest you,’ he said, letting out a long sigh. ‘I tried not to want to do it, but I can’t help it.’
‘Really?’ She couldn’t stop grinning. ‘Me?’
‘Yes, you of all people,’ Stan said sadly.
‘Why do you look so upset?’ she defensively asked. ‘What is wrong with me?’
‘Maddy.’ He turned to smile. ‘Right now, nothing.’
‘Stan, don’t go playing around. I’m pretty cut and dry, so whatever game you’re up to, you need to stop.’ Maddy bit her lip. ‘I like you, so it would make it a mean thing to do to me.’
‘I know you like me,’ he smiled, stroking her cheek. ‘And I like you.’
‘Do you?’
‘Yes, I do really like you.’
‘Kiss me then.’
Maddy lunged at Stan and practically flung him down on the bed. Her mouth travelled over his, feeling his tongue and lips against her skin. When she pulled away all he did was grin.
‘I am now going to check out what Stanley Franks is all about.’
She sat on her heels, while straddling his body and unbuttoned his shirt. Her hand went out, and she stroked the hair on his chest and noticed his dark pink nipples and slim physique. The muscles she had seen most mornings when he walked around topless, but touching his skin was something unexpected.
Even that small act turned her on, and Stan placed his hands on either one of her butt cheeks.
‘You need to take your clothes off. Are you going to get rid of all your spotted clothes?’
‘I’ve got a lot of spots left in my wardrobe. I have to hold onto something.’
‘Hold onto me.’ Stan placed her hands on his shoulders as he rolled her over, lying on top. ‘Hold onto anything you want on my body.’
‘You want me to give your willy a tug, don’t you?’
‘Can’t you make it sound sexier?’
She cleared her throat then said again, in a deeper voice, ‘You want me to tug your thing?’
‘I want to see where this leads us.’
She propped herself up on her elbows and examined the grinning man.
‘Do you fancy me?’ Maddy frowned seeing his eye dart around. ‘If you don’t, then this isn’t right.’
‘I told you I liked you.’
‘That’s not the same.’
‘I fancy you, of course, I do. You’re forever parading around in your spotted underwear to get my attention.’
‘No, I am not!’ Maddy tried not to smile knowing she had been. ‘You’re always looking.’
‘I can’t help it.’ Then Stan let out a little laugh. ‘And you’re constantly checking me out in the morning, especially when you don’t think I’m looking. Do you know I’ve been very good? And believe me, I was tempted.’
‘But then you’d be using me for sex, and that would be bad.’
‘Did we mention sex?’ he asked, teasingly. ‘Are you saying this is going to lead somewhere?’
‘We need to talk.’
‘Really? You want to talk while we are in bed and right now? You talk all the time. Doesn’t it stop for play?’
‘Stanley Franks, you might think I’m slightly silly and irritating, but I don’t want to be used. That constantly happens to me down to my good nature, but it doesn’t matter when I don’t like someone. It does matter when I do.’ She let out a little huff. ‘And I do like you, plus you know it. I don’t want to be coerced into something I’ll regret at a later date.’
‘Listen, Madeleine Berkel
ey, I’m not a player. Okay, I did try and mend the relationship with Giselle for all of three days, but you know what? She’s a lovely woman and rather dull. I blame you for that.’ He flung himself back onto the bed. ‘I can’t sit in a room in silence without expecting you to chat, chat, chat. Even when I was alone, I swear I could hear your voice. Even Phyllis thought the same thing.’
‘What was it?’
‘The screeching of the bins being emptied.’
‘Very funny!’ She elbowed him in the side.
‘Okay, the twittering of the birds in the early hours, mainly because I haven’t been able to sleep since moving back home.’ Maddy noticed he seemed embarrassed at his comment. ‘I suppose it’s getting used to my bed again.’
‘You had Giselle in it, so I’m sure it was nice.’ Maddy forced a smile. ‘I’ve not got rock hard abs.’
‘You have a cherubic tummy.’ Stan turned to his side and looked at her. ‘And I’d like to look at it more.’ He started to smile. ‘You pull a face when you say her name.’
‘Whose name?’
‘Giselle’s. And it’s a similar face when you speak about things you don’t like. I’ve asked you before, but you didn’t like her, did you? Even when you were introduced, I’d see you frowning when she wasn’t looking.’
‘That’s not true. I did-.’
Now she was stuck.
Maddy thought hard about how to respond.
‘I liked her as much as you liked Roland. And I used to see you pulling faces when he spoke or just smiled. I know he wasn’t the most interesting person, considering all he did was talk about himself, but he was pleasant to people.’
‘Women.’ Stan pulled that same face, and she smiled. ‘And people he thought could help his climb to fame. He really should have gone to the charity that deals with people who have got partial hearing.’
‘Deaf?’ Maddy started to laugh. ‘I have to admit your guitar playing is far better and you’re pants at it.’
‘What?’ Stan sat up in bed and looked insulted by the comment. ‘I’ve been playing since I was twelve.’
‘Who taught you? A deaf man with no sense of rhythm?’ She started to giggle at the comment as he slid on top of her. ‘I feel sorry for Phyllis putting up with that noise.’
