by S M Mala
‘You know Daisy, I knew your father,’ he said quietly, seeing her eyes light up. ‘He would have been so proud of you. He was a good man.’
‘Did you really know daddy?’ she asked eagerly and he felt a surge of love for the little girl. ‘Were you friends?’
‘I wanted to be his friend but he was older and cooler,’ Finlay said, remembering the man before glancing at a picture of Rupert with Sylvie. ‘And you know your mother loves you very much.’
‘I know and I love her,’ Daisy said with full authority. ‘Mummy said she might lose her job and we won’t be able to go away this summer. I hope not because I want to go to the South of France.’
‘How comes?’ he asked, feeling a little surprised but trying hard not to show it.
‘Girls at school, the ones that don’t talk to me anymore, well they go there. I heard them saying it was really nice.’
Remembering what Sylvie had said months back about her daughter and being dumped by her so called friends, he stroked her long dark hair and smiled.
‘I used to live there for a while and it’s beautiful but there are many other places equally as lovely.’
‘I think it’s nicer as it’s got sunshine and the sea.’ Her face turned a little sad. ‘And we used to like going away in summer but the first time after daddy died, I cried and mummy cried too. Then it got better but…’ The hesitation spoke volumes. ‘I wish my daddy was here. I know he can’t be but sometimes I wish he was just so we could be happy again. But as you knew him, you could tell me about him and that will make me happy. And I think you can make mummy happy too.’
He stared at her very pretty face as she grinned at him for a moment realising the enormous thing he had taken on.
But he wasn’t scared.
He was willing to make them both happy.
‘Hopefully, you’ll go away for summer and I’m going to try my best to keep you both smiling,’ he said gently. ‘Your mum is worried about where she works and-.’
‘But don’t you own it?’
‘I own part of it and-.’ He didn’t know if Daisy was aware of her mother’s part in the business. ‘My mother is the real owner of the company. I work for her but I’m not sure for how long. Look, let’s make a deal. If you go on holiday, say to the South of France or anywhere, can I come along? Would you mind?’
‘Really?’ she asked eagerly. ‘I’d love that. We’d have to ask mummy but I’m sure we can find some money to go.’
‘Go where?’ Sylvie asked, walking into the living room. ‘It’s a school night so you should be going to bed.’
‘Oh mummy!’ the little girl groaned as Finlay smiled at her annoyed face. ‘Can’t I stay up a little longer? I was talking to Finlay.’
‘You can talk to him another time,’ she said briskly. ‘Now say goodnight and go upstairs.’
‘Are you staying the night?’ Daisy asked and he noticed Sylvie quickly flash him a glance. ‘Then we can talk more tomorrow.’
‘I’m not sure,’ he honestly replied, wondering if Sylvie wanted him to stay under the same roof considering he’d landed her in shit. ‘I’ll see you-.’
‘Why aren’t you sure?’ Sylvie asked, looking at him. ‘You’re very welcome to stay.’
‘You are her boyfriend,’ Daisy added as her mother let out an impromptu yelp of laughter before walking out of the room. ‘Daisy, you have five seconds or you’ll be going to bed at seven all weekend.’
The child stood, kissed Finlay quickly on the cheek and then sprinted out of the room as her mother followed her up the stairs. He heard footsteps banging around, the pair of them talking as he flicked through the channels.
‘Night baby,’ Sylvie said, shutting the door and walking back down before heading to the sofa and sitting next to him. ‘Don’t you want to stay the night? You are my boyfriend.’
‘Why did you laugh when she said it?’ he asked, pretending to be peeved. ‘I am your boyfriend.’
‘Boy,’ she smirked and cuddled up against him as he put his arm around her shoulders. ‘You know being with me consists of not going out but mainly coming home, making dinner, eating, putting Daisy to bed and watching crap telly until it’s bedtime. Can you cope with this level of boredom?’
‘I’ll try,’ he smiled, loving the idea.
‘And I have baby gates in the garage for when James comes to visit with you. I don’t want him falling down the stairs.’
He was moved by the kind thought and smiled.
‘That’s good to know.’
‘And I can always help out babysitting when you’ve got him, if you need to go out and stuff. I am reasonably good with babies but I’ve not changed a boy’s nappy before so that would be interesting. You’ll have to show me what to do.’
‘I’m looking forward to boring evenings in with you,’ he sighed. ‘It’s what I want.’
For a moment they sat there and he felt her breathing against his chest.
‘Are you mad with me?’ he quietly asked, looking down to see she was staring at the radiator. ‘I just felt mad with them, I let slip. Actually, if I’m blatantly honest, I wanted my mother to know then Freya turned up.’
There was a finger on his lips as she sat up and stared into his eyes.
‘Don’t say her name in my home,’ Sylvie whispered. ‘I’m not mad at you Fin but… I don’t want you falling out with your mother over this. I certainly don’t want you to lose your job or your son.’
‘This isn’t the same as it was with Rupert,’ he said gently, knowing he had to reassure her. ‘My mother isn’t that much of a bitch.’ Sylvie looked at him from the corner of her eye. ‘I can see from her point of view it’s strange that I’m in love with the widow of one of her best friend’s son. And you own part of the company she thought she owned all of.’
‘And you’re married with a small baby?’
‘That too. Then she said about not losing James and-.’
It was just a little lump in his throat but he realised Sylvie had noticed it too and kissed him quickly on the lips.
‘I love you,’ she whispered. ‘Stay the night with me, in my bed but you have to be good. Can you do that? Can you stay with me without having sex?’
‘Are you sure it’s okay? What about Daisy? Won’t she be upset on seeing me lying next to you?’
‘If you flash your bits she might be shocked, so make sure you don’t.’
Sylvie was in a pink cotton slip night dress which had large white polka dots while Finlay wore his boxer shorts.
He couldn’t sleep.
His mind raced on what happened that morning. Turning, he noticed Sylvie lying on her side, her back to him and he wanted to touch her but realised from her breathing she was sleeping soundly. As he moved closer, she gently slapped his hand away and turned around so he could see her sleeping.
Finlay smiled at the face. Taking his finger, he gently stroked her cheek but was met with another little slap. He closed his eyes for a moment and sunk his head into the pillow before jumping when he felt a pair of lips on his.
‘Don’t you like my bed?’ he heard her ask quietly as he opened his eyes and she was millimetres from his face. ‘I think it’s very comfy.’
‘It’s amazing,’ he sighed for a moment then smiled. ‘Every time I try and touch you, I’m getting slapped.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes really.’
Finlay couldn’t help it, he just found himself grinning. Then she moved closer and started to kiss his neck.
‘Oh,’ he whispered when he felt her hand go straight down to his dick. ‘I thought you said no sex.’
‘I asked if you could do without sex for a night,’ she mumbled into his skin. ‘I never said I could.’
Her lips were tracing and kissing his chest as he closed his eyes, enjoying the impromptu touching up he which was being pleasurably inflicted with. Pushing his hand through her hair, he turned her on her back and lifted up her nightdress, pressing his hand between her legs, and st
icking a finger in to see if she was wet. The muscles grasped his digit as he looked at her dark eyes staring back at him.
‘Fuck me,’ she whispered as he smiled again before kissing her face, leading his hips between hers.
‘I’d love to,’ he laughed.
‘But be quiet.’
‘Mmmhh.’
A couple of shoves and he was inside, moving slowly as she stroked and gently scratched his back before they kissed. He pulled down the front of her nightdress and bit her nipple, watching her head go back with pleasure, before sucking the hard tip and squeezing her arse. They were both holding off making noises though her breathing was rapid and she was groaning into his skin as her hips buckled and he felt her squeeze his dick very tightly. He came, holding on from making a loud noise and pumping everything he could until Finlay slumped on top of her, feeling a wave of happiness and love.
Sixty one
It was two days before she had him all to herself. Sylvie had booked a hotel in Richmond, so she wouldn’t be too far from her daughter, and had planned a wonderful Friday and Saturday rendezvous as part of Finlay’s surprise. His birthday was the following day, Thursday, and she knew he’d be celebrating with friends and family.
‘What you think?’ Samina asked as Sylvie was lost for a moment in her thoughts. ‘You find buyer for us sex addicts?’
‘I’m working on it,’ she replied, looking at the order sheets coming through. ‘If we make enough money maybe we could buy them out, you never know.’
‘Never in a monkey Sunday!’ frowned Samina.
‘You mean ‘month of Sundays’?’ Rosalind tentatively asked, as they were met with Samina flicking her scarf before walking off with the stolen Sainsbury’s shopping trolley.
‘Mental, innit?’ Pria replied, before wiping her forehead. ‘It’s bloody hot! We never get a hot summer!
‘I can’t order any more air conditioning units,’ scowled Sylvie, shaking her ponytail. ‘They’ve run out.’
Then she looked up and saw Finlay at the top of the mezzanine smiling down. For a moment she lost concentration before realising Pria was looking up.
‘He seems happy, considering he’s going to shaft us, innit?’ the young woman said as Sylvie let out a sigh.
‘Ya cannay say that. He’s been very bonny over the past few weeks,’ said Marianne as she lifted up a large box as if it was the same weight as a small box of feathers. ‘And he’s trying to find someone to buy their share.’
‘Not try hard enough!’ said Samina, balancing on the trolley and skidding so quickly Dan had to quickly intervene and stop her from crashing into them. ‘Aye Finlay, you want to own all this?’
‘Only if it came with you,’ he sweetly replied, before grabbing his phone and walking back into the office.
‘He up to no good. Bet he selling off stock now,’ Samina said, before glaring at Sylvie. ‘And you not do any good by standing here. Go away and find buyer! Council tax go up and I need money! And where my share of profit? We know video hot on internet. I global star!’
‘So am I,’ grinned Rosalind putting stickers on the boxes. ‘But we don’t speak about it as Alice is still upset about what we did. She gave me a bloody ear bashing the other weekend.’
Sylvie hadn’t heard her name mentioned since Finlay told Alice about them. Toby had told her that both mother and son were hardly speaking to each other.
She felt bad on hearing that, knowing how close Finlay was to his mother.
‘Sylvie, can you come up here please?’ shouted Finlay as she put her things down and walked slowly up to see him.
As hard as she tried, she couldn’t stop smiling and knew Gillian, Elizbieta, as well as Stephen, could see her face.
‘Mr Chambers, what do you want?’ she asked politely before following him into the office and shutting the door.
He stood behind his desk and frowned for a moment.
‘I love you,’ he said very seriously. ‘With all my heart and I thought I should let you know.’
‘That’s nice,’ she replied, sitting down at her desk. ‘And that’s it?’
‘Plus I have to go to a few meetings today so I shall be leaving you until I see you again tomorrow, my birthday, to which I expect you to meet me in the hotel room first thing and make mad passionate love to me.’ He laughed for a moment before clearing his throat. ‘I am the boss.’
‘Your mother’s the boss. Do I have to sleep with her too?’ she gently asked and noticed the scowl. ‘Please speak to her.’
‘I’ve got nothing to say.’
She watched as he let out a discreet sigh before noticing Stephen come bounding towards them.
‘And stop being nice to him,’ mumbled Sylvie. ‘He now thinks you’re his friend.’
‘He wants a job, that’s all.’
‘So do I,’ laughed Sylvie. ‘Fat chance of me getting one at your mother’s firm now.’
‘I’ll hire you for sex,’ he replied, before the door was shoved open and Stephen walked in. ‘Hello there, how can I help you?’
Sylvie noticed Finlay grinned brightly at Stephen which unnerved her for a moment.
‘I think I’ve located it,’ he replied cheerfully then she noticed Finlay shake his head from side to side. ‘Oh doesn’t Sylvie know?’
‘Know what?’ she asked and could see Finlay looked shiftily away.
‘I didn’t want Sylvie to know as it’s nothing to do with ‘Good Vibration’,’ her lover quickly replied and picked up his case. ‘Come and speak to me while I go to my car.’
‘Finlay?’ she said seeing Stephen’s smug face as they both walked out. ‘Secrets aye?’
Fifteen minutes later she saw Stephen run towards the door and fling it open.
‘I’m sorry Sylvie, but if you ask about what I just spoke to Finlay about, I’m not to tell you anything,’ he said apologetically. ‘I’m doing something for him.’
‘Obviously,’ she said, as he closed the door and walked closer to her desk.
It was the first time they’d been alone in ages and she glanced to her side, seeing Gillian pull a face through the glass.
‘Can we talk for a moment?’ he gently asked and before she could come up with a reasonable excuse, Stephen pulled up a chair and sat next to her.
‘How can I help you?’
‘It’s been a while since we spoke, on a one to one,’ he began and she didn’t want to turn and make eye contact. ‘A lot has happened in nearly a year and I wanted to clear the air. I never made this company lose forty thousand pounds and neither did I pocket it, as others have constantly pointed out.’ Sylvie looked up at him for a moment and noticed the genuine look of honesty. ‘I know Piers was generous to me, as he was to you, when we both needed to focus on other things.’ There was a moment of anguish as he frowned. ‘I lost my mother and you lost your husband. We came here hoping to make things better and it has, hasn’t it?’
‘I suppose,’ she said, sitting up and looking at him squarely in the eye. ‘You tried to land me in shit.’
‘I didn’t know you’d given Piers the money to sort out the mess,’ Stephen replied, frowning for a second. ‘You know I did try to get that money back. The guy was an old university friend but I got stitched up as well. Since that moment no-one in this place seems to trust me and that hurts.’
‘So you didn’t get new double glazing?’ she smirked, knowing that’s what Samina had accused him of.
‘I don’t need it,’ he laughed before leaning closer. ‘And I’m happy for the first time in ages, I feel I have a purpose.’
Sylvie sat back in her chair and realised he did look genuinely happy.
‘And Della? How’s she?’
‘We split,’ he replied, still smiling and shrugged. ‘She moved on to something bigger and better, like the boss of that sports place she’s working at. I’ll get over it.’
It was that moment she wondered if she should tell him what was going on with Finlay and herself. Glancing out of the window she lo
oked at the clear blue sky and smiled.
‘You see I knew you liked him, all those months ago,’ he said as Sylvie turned her head immediately to look at Stephen. ‘The way you looked at him, the way he looked at you. It was obvious you were poles apart but there was something there, something I hadn’t seen before. Then I realised what it was. Hope and love. You’d fallen hopelessly in love with him and when he left to go back to France, it was evident because you were totally broken hearted, which broke my heart too.’
As she tried to open her mouth she couldn’t say a word.
She was struck dumb.
‘What you do? Try to seclude her when no one looking?’ said Samina, throwing the door open and stomping in. ‘She not easily seclude.’
‘No he wasn’t trying to seduce me,’ Sylvie said quietly as she made eye contact with Stephen and smiled. ‘He was being honest and open.’
‘First time for big sheep to do that!’
‘Samina, you have to stop accusing him of taking the money all that time ago. He didn’t and, let’s be honest, you and Piers cocked up but we recovered. We need to start afresh as we have six weeks left before it all hits the fan.’
The old woman stood there and glared at them for a moment.
‘When it hit the fanny,’ she said, full of authority. ‘I know what to stick there to stop it!’
‘Isn’t it just a lovely day?’ said Piers as Finlay sat in the beer garden at lunchtime. ‘And who’d have thought that little chubby child I met all those years back would turn into such a handsome man. Thirty nine tomorrow, Finlay! Goodness how time flies.’
He smiled at his stepfather knowing his request to meet for lunch had something to do with his mother.
‘And you’re still not speaking to each other then?’ the older man asked, sipping his pint.
‘Are you allowed to drink?’
‘Yes,’ he replied flatly. ‘And in moderation. Two pints is completely moderate compared to what I was drinking before. Are you sure you won’t join me?’
‘My orange juice is fine,’ he replied, before leaning forward to get closer to Piers. ‘Is it your idea to meet me or have you been asked?’
