Out of The Blue

by Charlotte Mills

  “The tenth and eleventh in two weeks’ time. Traveling down on the Friday night, coming back on the Sunday.”

  “I’ll check it out in my diary tomorrow and get back to you.”

  “I know it’s probably not your thing, but … I’ve told them about you and I’d really like them to meet you.”

  I felt a tinge of guilt at her words. “Really? What have you told them?” I asked, knowing I hadn’t actually told my own parents about Jamie.

  “Nothing to worry about. Just what you do and how we met, stuff like that. I thought it might be a good situation to meet them. You won’t be under the spotlight too much.”

  “Are you protecting me?” I asked, a little surprised. I hadn’t been part of a tight family unit for some time, unlike Jamie. The thought of trying to fit in between a number of the Buxton clan did fill me with a bit of dread, but, as I thought it through, I figured if they were half as lovely as Jamie then I’d be fine – wouldn’t I?

  “Maybe a little. Aunt Lou’s the trailblazer of the family.”

  The psychologist, I remembered from our spat in Manchester. “Really? Which side of the family is she on?” I enquired, wondering which of her parents I’d need to keep an eye on.

  “My dad’s. She’s the older of the two of them.”

  “Trailblazer as in … gay?” I guessed.

  “Yep! She’s probably my favourite family member, after my parents and sister of course. Not because she’s gay; we’ve just always got on. I said I’d go and stay the weekend in her new place again soon.”

  “Ashill-on-Sea?” I asked, remembering the watercolour downstairs.

  Jamie nodded her answer as she tucked more unruly hair behind my ear.

  “Now, if you say yes I have to warn you, Aunt Lou will probably want to show you her new teeth. She just got back from Budapest and apparently she keeps popping them out to show everyone.”

  “Well, all this sounds too good to miss,” I admitted.

  “Good, I was hoping you’d say that. Also, there will be no hanky panky under my parents’ roof.”

  I squeezed my face into a pout. “Umm, I see.”

  “I’ll let my sister explain that one when you meet her.”

  “I’ve got to go now, haven’t I?”

  Jamie smiled at my words. “We’ve got between now and then to make up for our enforced abstinence.”

  “Now that sounds more like it.”

  Chapter 15

  “Are you nervous?” Jamie asked all of a sudden. We had been on the road for over two hours after finishing work early to journey down to Little Hurst near Ely, which was about halfway between Peterborough and Cambridge. Her hand rubbed the top of my thigh.

  “A little.” I lied. I was terrified. “I’m venturing into unknown territory,” I said.

  “Really? Why?”

  “I’ve never met a girlfriend’s parents before.”

  “Seriously?”

  I shook my head. “I’ve been breaking a lot of new ground lately.”

  “That you have a girlfriend.”

  I sniggered at her emphasis on girlfriend; she sounded like she’d just stepped out of the Bronx.

  “Anyway, you don’t have to be nervous. They’re really very sweet and you’re an awesome person who happens to be a very successful business woman to top it off.”

  I was flattered at her words, but it didn’t necessarily mean they would think I was good enough for their daughter.

  “But what if they don’t like me?”

  “They will love you just like I do. I’m the one who should be nervous. They’ll probably like you more than me … and I haven’t taken anyone home in a long time.”

  I covered her hand with mine, hoping to allay her feelings of worry. We were both in the same boat without a paddle. I half-wished I’d been too busy to accompany her but deep down I knew it was the right thing to do. Personal growth ain’t easy.

  Once off the main roads, Jamie directed me through narrow streets and tree-lined lanes until we arrived at a large, 1930s-looking, detached house with a wide, circular driveway. At the end of the driveway the central section of the house had mock Tudor timber work on the gabled section, flanked on either side by a red-brick wing. The windows were leaded and small by modern standards; herringbone brickwork framed a stained-glass front door.

  “Jesus, Jamie! Are your parents super rich?”

  “No. They were just lucky. Bought the right place at the right time. Trust me, it didn’t always look this good.”

  As we pulled up in front of the house, there was a mature woman unloading shopping from the back of a silver Volvo Estate. The woman looked a little familiar, maybe an older version of Jamie with shoulder-length, pewter-coloured hair. Jamie sprinted out of the car, barely giving me a chance to stop.

  “Hi Mum. Let me help you with that,” I heard her say as the passenger door shut.

  “Sweetheart, I didn’t realise it was you.”

  The mature woman quickly put down the shopping to pull Jamie into her arms for a long hug as she continued to speak. “I didn’t recognise the car.”

  Taking a deep breath, I got out to join them, feeling as out of place as a grape in an olive dish.

  “Robin drove,” Jamie said, looking round to me with a shy smile on her face. Withdrawing from her mother’s embrace, she took a step back, and taking my hand in hers she edged me forward. “Mum, this is Robin. Robin, this is my mum.”

  Her words hung in the air for a second, until I came to my senses. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

  “You too. Please call me Jenny. I’ve heard so much about you.”

  “So, where is everyone?” Jamie asked, smoothing out the awkward moment.

  “Well, your sister isn’t arriving till tomorrow. She’s got a work thing tonight. Lou’s on her way and your father is attempting to put up some decorations.”

  “I see,” Jamie said with a laugh as she picked up one of the shopping bags.

  “I’ll just get our bags,” I said, figuring they were just about to go inside.

  I followed Jamie and her mother into the house, dropping our bags at the bottom of the stairs. I was just about to head towards the voices at the back of the house when a muffled voice called out.

  “Honey, can you pass me the hammer?”

  Peeking my head into the room the voice came from, I heard the creak of a step ladder. Standing halfway up was a mature man I took for Jamie’s dad. He was balancing on one foot as he held onto a birthday banner. Spotting the claw hammer on a table, I handed it up to his waving hand. He took it without looking down. I watched him pull a nail from his mouth, which explained his muffled words. After several hits with the hammer the banner was secured. Leaning back, he finally spoke.

  “What do you think?”

  “It looks perfect,” I said.

  His head whipped around towards me a little too fast and the ladder started to wobble. I grabbed it with both hands, steadying him. “Wo!” I said, as if trying to calm a horse, in sharp contrast to his panicked eyes.

  “Thanks,” he said as he rushed down the ladders back to terra firma. “You must be Robin.”

  “Yes, it’s good to meet you,” I said, releasing the ladder.

  “You, too,” he said. “Please call me Richard.”

  “Jam-jam!” he bellowed as he caught sight of something over my shoulder.

  “Dad!” Jamie shouted in frustration from behind me.

  I caught sight of a wicked smile on Richard’s face as he moved to pull her into a hug. I waited till it was over before posing the question. “Jam-jam?”

  Jamie looked at me suspiciously. She knew the repercussions of this knowledge.

  “My sister had trouble saying my name when she was little. She used to call me Jam-jam and unfortunately, it stuck for many years, never to be repeated,” She said pointedly in my direction, even though she knew it had already fallen on deaf ears.

  “I see you’ve met my dad.”

  Richard pipe
d up before I could. “Yes. Robin’s already saved my life. I think that means I owe you something in Native American Indian laws – a drink maybe as dinner’s nearly ready.”

  “Yeah, that would be great.”

  The birthday girl, Lou, arrived shortly after. She was almost the same height as Jamie and her white hair was neatly bobbed, curling just under her ears. Her eccentric and eclectic outfit consisted of a straight-cut shift dress in a grey and black check pattern, silver belt accentuating her tight waist and woolly tights that could have easily looked a mess had it not pulled together in a stylish sixties design.

  The three of us were sat in the conservatory drinking wine while Jamie’s parents slaved away in the kitchen. Sat across from the both of them, I could see a slight family resemblance in the shape of the eyebrows maybe. Lou was every bit the gregarious character Jamie had described, and the wine and fatigue assisted in my relaxation at being in the presence of the psychologist. I didn’t want a repeat of the argument that I had encountered with Jamie in Manchester.

  “So, how did you two meet?” Lou asked, her eyes falling on me.

  Jamie and I both looked at each other, grinning. Lou made a noise I couldn’t distinguish, drawing my attention to her. She had a curious smile on her face. I imagined she already knew, but I went with it. Jamie answered before I could.

  “At work. Robin owns the company that’s designing and landscaping one of the heritage sites in York.”

  “Oh, really?” Lou said with interest. I felt her scrutiny as she stared at me from across the room. I remembered James’s words of encouragement – ‘Imagine them all naked!’ Again, not great timing as Jamie was sat directly opposite me, legs crossed at her ankles. I wanted to evaporate on the spot.

  We spent the next couple of hours eating and chatting around the dinner table, although, to be fair, I did more listening than chatting. The three-hour drive had taken its toll on me after a pretty busy week, not to mention several energetic sessions with Jamie. At around 10.00 p.m., I bowed out gracefully. Jamie showed me our room and the Jack and Jill bathroom that connected to it. We chatted a little while she settled me in before she returned downstairs, no doubt to get their take on her new addition.

  ***

  I woke up naturally for the first time in ages, no alarm or hotel room neighbour crashing about. It was bliss and so quiet compared to Manchester or York. I turned onto my back, stretching, and an arm and leg immediately draped over me.

  “Wow, you’ve still got clothes on.” Jamie’s voice was barely audible.

  “I know; it’s unheard of. I didn’t even hear you come to bed.”

  “You were totally out of it.” Her voice had developed a gravelly edge, no doubt after a late night. Her hand slipped under my t-shirt, softly caressing my ribcage before moving up to my left breast. I could feel my nipple hardening under her touch as I let out an unconscious groan. Her knee slipped between my upper thighs, rubbing against me. If we’d been anywhere else I would have stripped off immediately, but I knew we couldn’t really take this anywhere no matter how much I wanted to.

  A knock at the bedroom door soon brought Jamie to her senses.

  “Yeah?” she said, panicking in case someone actually came in and caught us.

  “Cooked breakfast in twenty.” Richard’s voice drifted underneath the door.

  “Okay.”

  After a leisurely breakfast, Jamie and I set about putting up the last of the decorations and organising the furniture while Jenny and Lou went to a local spa for a few hours. Richard kept himself busy tidying the large patio for the smokers, making sure there were enough seats and places to stub out their cigarettes without using any of Jenny’s favourite plant pots.

  My phone rang in my back pocket. Pulling it out, I saw James’s name on the caller ID. “I’d better get this,” I said as I walked out into the hallway in case it was going to be derogatory as usual. Taking a seat on the stairs, I accepted the call. “Hey,” I said.

  “How goes it at the Buxton household?”

  “Good, I think.”

  “You haven’t disgraced yourself in some way yet, then?”

  “I am housetrained you know and besides I’ve already saved her dad’s life so it’s all pretty much in the bag.”

  “Just don’t go all geeky and get roped into redesigning their back garden.”

  “Listen, I’m the cool one that works in the field. You’re the geeky one that works in the office.”

  “Geeky is the new black.”

  “Isn’t that racist in some way?” I asked.

  “Look, just because you own a TV doesn’t mean that you’re tuned into modern culture. You need to actually turn it on once in a while.”

  “Oh yeah, so I can watch Jeremy Kyle and the dregs of society every day?”

  “There is more than one channel you know. You’d know that if you looked.”

  “Maybe one day.” When hell freezes over, I thought. “Anyway, what can I do for you now you’ve educated me on the error of my ways?”

  “I need you to send me that email again, the one with the statistics on for the Whitby project. I may have deleted it by accident.”

  “Oh my God! You’re not even a good geek. Deleted it by accident?”

  “Shut it, you, or I’ll be forced to share a few Robin secrets with Jamie.”

  “Okay, okay! No need for the big guns. I’ll sort it.”

  “Thanks, Rob, and have a good weekend. I’ll see you next week.”

  I hung up before walking back into the living room, where Jamie was distributing the last of the chairs. “I need to email James some stuff,” I said, hoping it wouldn’t be an issue.

  “I’ll get you the Wi-Fi code,” she offered.

  Jamie appeared in the doorway of her bedroom as I unpacked my laptop, placing it on the desk in front of the window as arms wrapped around my waist.

  “Sorry about this,” I said.

  “It’s okay,” she replied, as she trailed kisses up my neck. “It means I get to do this.”

  She was decidedly poor at keeping her distance this weekend.

  I looked out into the back garden; seeing all the trees at the back I had to ask the question, “So, have you climbed all those trees out there?”

  She didn’t even look up. “Yup!”

  She was driving me crazy. “You’re making this prohibition thing very hard to keep to, you know.”

  “I am?” she said innocently.

  I turned around to face her. “Yes, you are.” I cupped her face, kissing her firmly, releasing some of my frustration. I began slowly edging her towards the bed behind her. My actions were cut short by the slamming of a door downstairs, followed by a female voice shouting, “Hello,” to announce their arrival. Jamie pulled back, a little red-faced.

  “That’s my little sister.”

  Depositing a final kiss, she dashed out of the room.

  Email sent, I went back downstairs to meet the final Buxton member. I found them in the kitchen drinking tea.

  “I made you a cup,” Jamie said, pushing a mug in my direction.

  “Oh, thanks,” I said, taking a seat at the table next to Jamie.

  “Jo, this is Robin. Robin, this is my sister, Jo.”

  “Hi,” I said. “It’s good to meet you.”

  An awkward silence filled the room. I sensed movement under the table. If I didn’t know any better I’d say Jo received a quick wake-up kick to the shin.

  “You too,” Jo piped up.

  Looking at Jo, I could see the family resemblance to their father Richard, whereas Jamie took after her mother.

  “So how are you finding the Buxton household?” Jo asked.

  “Good,” was all I could muster.

  “Feeling suitably vetted and grilled yet?”

  I felt my face redden. “Definitely.” I recalled sitting around the dinner table last night.

  I barely got the words out before Jamie reacted. “Hey! Just cos Paul’s too scared to venture into the Buxto
n den … Robin’s obviously braver.” She finished with a wink in my direction.

  “Paul?” I asked both of them.

  “My boyfriend,” Jo replied with a deep breath. “The fireman. He goes running into burning buildings but can’t face the wrath of our parents after their last visit.”

  “What happened?” I asked. This was the story I was waiting for.

  “Let’s just say it started with an early arrival, finding us in flagrante, with Paul wearing a pared-down version of his uniform, and ended up with us all getting a mild case of food poisoning.”

  “Ah, the benefits of living several hours away,” Jamie said smugly. I could see the sibling rivalry bubbling just under the surface.

  “Never give your parents a spare key as they can” – Jo held up two fingers on both hands, quoting her next words – “pop round to drop stuff off before going shopping.”

  “Ooh, bad timing,” I said in sympathy.

  “He was so nervous and thrown off his game he didn’t cook the chicken thoroughly enough. We were all as sick as pigs a couple of hours later.”

  “Shit!” I said, then realised my poor choice of words. “Sorry,” I offered over Jamie’s laughter.

  “Don’t worry. If they like you even half as much as Jamie obviously does you should survive the weekend. I’d better go and unpack.”

  Jo got up from the table, taking her tea with her. I couldn’t resist reaching out to touch Jamie’s arm.

  “I understand your need for abstinence.”

  “I thought you might.”

  Our time alone was cut short by the arrival of Lou and Jenny. I’m not sure what they did to Lou but she was even sparkier now. So much for a relaxing spa morning.

  The party-goers began arriving mid-afternoon, soon after the stereo Jamie had set up earlier began pumping out The Elgins’ Heaven Must Have Sent You, followed by numerous other Motown greats. Realising it was going to be a marathon rather than a sprint, I figured it would be wise to pace myself. No need to make a fool of myself on my first meeting with the Buxtons. It seemed weird to be even thinking that far ahead.

  By 7.00 p.m., the party was in full swing. I had been introduced to so many people they all began to blur in front of me. I finally decided to switch to wine after drinking only a couple of beers so far. Jamie had been attentive, entertaining me with stories of the people that surrounded us, making sure I didn’t get cornered by anyone. Lou, as I was told to expect, ruled the dance floor as the Motown music continued. Some sixty-year-old! I only hoped I was that active at her age.