by M, Jessie
His whole face lit up with such a relieved smile that she wanted to hug him. She realised it was a huge weight on his mind. She also realised she was interfering with people she didn't really know at all, but still, she hoped it all worked out, because otherwise Debs might not make her next birthday. It was worth being labelled an interfering bitch or a busy-body, in that respect.
She'd been sitting and thinking for hours. There wasn't much else to do in A & E. Her sharp little mind had come up with something that might be useful to both families.
Debra had lost her mother and her best and only friend, by the looks of it. She needed female company and wasn't in the position to find it on her own. Not that she was offering herself up as a potential friend as such. She'd see how it went with Richer first. Things could fall flat and then poor old Debs could be friendless again, because it might become awkward afterwards.
No, she wasn't thinking so much along those lines, and she needed to discuss it first, but she felt her idea might just work out.
They arrived at her house and Jasper dropped her off with a kiss on the cheek and a cheery farewell, returning home to change first, and then on to his night vigil at the hospital.
“Hi Mum, how did it go?” she asked, bursting in on her as she arrived in the living room. As her eyes caught sight of her, lying on the sofa, in her black cocktail dress, with a glass of wine in her hand, she knew it had gone very well. She had a big smile fixed firmly on her face and a flushed look that Alista didn't want to examine any further.
“Oh, you know... okay,” she answered vaguely, lying through her teeth.
“So you're off to the races?”
“Oh ha ha... but I guess we are. It's Lingfield ladies’ day... And I need a hat.”
“That'll be a laugh.”
“I'm thinking of my eau de nil skirt suit, the one I wore to Gina's wedding, and a black hat and shoes...”
“Sounds perfect...”
Her mum sighed and sipped her wine.
“What a day it's been! All that garden stuff, Debra, and then a date to top it off... How is she by the way?”
“She's sound asleep, I looked in on her before I left. She's a bit pale but I was assured she'll be fine when she wakes. Look mum, I want to talk to you. It's serious stuff... so if you'd rather it was tomorrow, that's okay.”
“No, I'm all ears... go on...” Her mum sat up a little.
“I'll get straight to the point, shall I?”
“You usually do.”
“Well it's like this... Debra needs a friend and something to do. I think she'd like you Mum... Could she help you with the garden stuff? A few days a week could do her the world of good. And I'll hang around as well, and see how it goes. I don't want to push it with her, and become a real friend, because Rick and I aren't a proper couple yet. I don't want to let her down.”
“You think she'd like being around me? But I'm old!”
“No you're not... You're really young minded and good fun. Look, she hasn't got a mum, or a friend. If we can get her up and running, she'll be able to find some more. We can do this. I don't think her future is very rosy otherwise... What do you say?”
“But I'm in the same position as you. I'm not with Jasper either. Supposing it all goes wrong there?”
“But you work for Rick. You can pick her up and take her over there. It’s neutral ground. I'm sure she'd love to spend some time in a brighter, younger place, and you can chat to her while you work. You can take her out to choose the stuff for his garden and whatever. It'll be a few weeks of things for her to do. Maybe take her shopping, get your nails done, go out for a coffee... All mum style. Nothing heavy. I'm not expecting you to adopt her.”
They had a quiet moment while her mum considered things. Then her eyes warmed and she smiled beautifully. Her mum's smile was something else.
“You know, you're a really lovely person Ali. I'm so proud of you. I didn't think I could get any prouder after seeing you graduate with your degree, but I am. I must have done something right in bringing you up,”
Tears sprung to Ali's eyes, and her mother's. She stood up and they had a tight hug.
“And you're a lovely mum. I hope it goes well with Jasper, whatever happens with Rick and me... he's a really handsome oldie...”
“Oh isn't he just... And we got on so well. Like instant good friends. I've not wanted to get involved with any men after the disappointments I've had. After John, I gave men up for good.”
“When was this?” Ali was surprised, she'd never heard of a John.
“You were four, remember the scaffolder I dated for a while, for six months in fact....”
“I don't, no...”
“He was a typical builder, mouthy but attractive. He put the scaffold up when we had the roof done. I thought for a while he might be the one, but he was just like the other two, out for a bit of fun, that was all. Married, he was... to someone in Wales... He worked here in the week and went back there at weekends. He was almost living with us for the last two months... I can't believe you don't remember him Ali. Tall, blond... Used to call you chick?”
A small memory started to stir in the back of Ali's mind.
“Anyway, I didn't click... he made up excuses and lies about it all. And of course I had you two to keep me occupied. I didn't delve into where he went to when he wasn't with me. I found out about his other life from another mum at your school. Apparently we'd both been played the same way. Anyhow, that was it for me, after that... No more boyfriends... I had my kids, my job and the house, that was enough for me.”
“Jesus Mum, got any more of that wine?”
“Help yourself... and Ali, the more I think about it, the more I think your idea is really wonderful. Have you mentioned anything to Jasper?”
“No not yet, I needed to get you on board first. Actually, I was hoping you'd talk to him. Make out it's our idea, not just mine.”
“Well I hope Debra goes for it... She might be resentful and uncooperative. Still, we can lead her to water, whether she drinks or not is up to her, isn't it?”
She loved her mum's little sayings.
She poured herself a glass of wine from the fridge, and they sat down together.
“There's one more favour I'd like to ask. This is for me, really... indirectly.”
“I want to fix up a 30th Birthday party for Rick. A surprise one. Jasper says we can have it there, at Beckingham Palace. It'll be a nice family get together. We can invite Nana, Auntie Nat's lot, and scrub up Radleigh and drag him along. It doesn't need to be a huge affair, just a few dozen of us. The Robertson's have had some real bad luck over the past few years and it'll be a happy event for them for a change. Even if nothing works out between the two men and us it'll be an evening to remember, won't it?”
“And... You want me to arrange it all, I suppose?”
“Pretty please....?” she asked with a cute smile. “I want to do some of it with you, but you can be the chief co-ordinator. You're so good at all that. You find out the budget from J and I'll find out the kind of food and music Rick might like... You arrange the invites. Tell everyone it's all hush-hush though... okay?”
Her mum sucked her lip, thoughtfully and then beamed at her.
“Okay, I guess it won't take long... And actually, I love doing this kind of thing.”
“The theme and colours and whatever are all up to you. I'll just get him there… somehow... hopefully we'll still be talking in two weeks.”
“Two weeks?” her mother squeaked.
“Less than two weeks,” she added sheepishly. “Saturday week.”
“Oh my lord... I'll have a chat with J tomorrow… About everything.” She rose from the sofa, her glass now empty. “I'm off to bed now... Suddenly I'm damned exhausted...”
“Me too,” Alista said with a yawn.
What a fucker of a day.
The next two days flew by in a mad rush...
She was now well and truly fit for the Hilton, her hair had been trimmed b
y a professional for once, and her new, side swept fringe was really cute... It was coloured a glossy, even deeper mahogany. Her finger nails, although short, we're painted a pretty peach, with a long-life acrylic polish, and her toenails painted to match. She'd even had her eyelashes dyed dark brown as well. A quick six minutes in the stand up sun bed had given her pure white shoulders a touch of colour. She didn't tan at all well in the real sun. She just went pink and itchy normally.
After a quick shop around, she'd found a short, brown, satin strapless dress at fifty per cent off, and even more amazingly, some matching platform high heels. She raided M & S and bought a pair of stay up fine black stockings with white ribbon bows at the top and some inexpensive black satin underwear. It wasn't Victoria's Secret, but it still looked good quality. She would borrow her mum's silver clutch purse to finish it off.
Late Wednesday night she stood in front of her wardrobe and fingered the smooth fabric of her dress as it hung on the door. She felt strangely nervous. It was a big night for her. She'd never been anywhere like the Hilton before. And never to a really smart restaurant. But all that aside, she hoped more than anything, that it all ended with a really hot bang afterwards. She was craving that more than anything in her whole life.
She got ready for bed, slid inside the cool sheets, and turned off her light. She was just about to go to sleep when her phone rang.
She answered him with a smile. They'd become quite close on the phone over the last couple of days. It was good to chat and find out things about him without the constant temptation to jump on him.
“Hello sexy,” he drawled.
“Are you home yet?”
“I got home fifteen minutes ago. And what a welcome... Jeez! Tell your mum I'm completely gob-smacked. The flood lights came on outside as I drove up. You know, I didn't even know I had floodlights... I thought I'd arrived at the wrong house for a minute. The whole thing is... well, words escape me for the moment. But it's really me. The big glass ball things and all that silver pot stuff with the cute trees... It's just... actually... I don't know what it is... But I like it a helluva lot. And that stone bench under the window... I really want to hug it...”
“She's good when she has the funds... My mother... It didn't come cheap, though.”
“I thought it was really reasonable when I saw the bill in the kitchen, eight hundred isn't a lot for all that, believe me.”
“The garage doors are working as well.”
“I didn't know they didn't work... What do they do exactly?”
“The door remote is on the hall table. You can open them from your car and drive straight in the garage, and tuck Richer up for the night, all cosy and safe from Porsche joy-riders.”
“I'm sure he'll appreciate it. I'll go and play with the doors in a minute.”
“And what about inside... how does it feel being so organised and sorted?”
“It's great... No, it's blissful in fact... everything's immaculate and smells kind of vanilla'ish. It's like a show house, I don't want to touch it or mess it up. I can't remember being so tidy, ever. All my clothes are hung up and folded away, and the washing's been done. D'you know she's even sorted out my papers in the study and filed everything in the drawers. I can find everything now. It's almost scary.... Oh, by the way, thanks for the 'welcome to your new house' card and the present... the big cactus guy by the door. Putting the golfer’s hat on top and drawing that funny face on it was priceless... It made me laugh out loud when I saw it. I've named it Charles. It's the biggest, spikiest cactus I've ever seen. I could hang my umbrella on the prickles.”
“We chose that together, yesterday morning. It was really dangerous getting it home and indoors, it nearly had my eye out getting it in the car.”
“Well thank you both. It's my new best friend. It has a far better line of conversation than Henners anyway.”
She laughed at his humour. He had a really dry sense of humour, she was discovering. And she encouraged it and egged him on.
“I can't wait to see you,” she said in a soft voice.
“I'll pick you up at twelve. We can have some lunch on the way and spend a few hours doing some of the London sights... if you like?”
“Oh come on now... you're spoiling me rotten.”
“I know... how does it feel?”
“Ewwww, really horrible, don't do it too often, will you?”
He sniggered at her obvious lie... “Such a sweet thing... Watch out or I'll have to slap your ass.”
“Ah, now you're talking. Ass slapping's right up my street. Abuse, pain and degradation... sex toys, the lot... Bring it on...”
“You're kidding right?”
“Night, night Richer... Don't forget the ankle cuffs and whip...” She clicked off with a big giggle...
Chapter 8
Debra had come home Wednesday afternoon. It appeared she had a minor kidney infection, and was on antibiotics, but other than that she was doing fine, physically anyway.
The Debra Plan, which everyone had agreed on, unbeknownst to her, was starting the next day. Rick was picking her up and taking her to his, at half ten, to show her around. She could meet mum and chat about the garden and house and whatever. Mum didn't have a lot to do in the way of cleaning as Mr Messy hadn't been there to mess it up. Just a quick vacuum, a flick of a duster, and a splash of bleach, she said.
Her stomach was roiling like never before. She was almost desperate to see him, but at the same time she was completely terrified. All her naughty confidence and cheekiness had evaporated, and she was a quivering and shy wreck. She sat in front of the TV, not really watching it, with her bag packed and ready to go at eleven thirty. It was all she could do to stop herself from chewing her nails to the quick.
At ten to twelve he arrived and rang the doorbell. She gulped and took a deep breath as she opened it.
Her eyes took him in with a quick sweep, smartly dressed in a deep red shirt, and tan slacks. All six foot two of dark haired gorgeousness, oozing sex everywhere. As he leant against the porch post, he gave her a quick sweep back. All five foot five of whatever it was he saw. A lazy grin appeared on his mouth.
“I swear you get prettier every time I see you,” he said, moving towards her taking off his sunnies.
“I spent a lot of money on it this time,” she quipped.
“You did, where?”
“Hair, nails, eyelashes...” She pointed out the improvements. “Come in for a sec...” She took his hand.
He came indoors and cast his eye around as she swept him into the living room. She turned off the TV.
“It's a nice house Ali. A proper home. Nice and warm. Mine never felt like this, it was always cold and far too big. You're lucky, you know?”
“I know I am. Mum's always been that way... homely, and there for us, no matter what.”
He pulled her close, put his arm around her waist, and tipped her chin up with his finger.
She was swamped by his divine scent. She hoped he was swamped by hers.
“I missed you,” he said, and she was lost in his eyes. Those deep brown, dark lashed beauties captivated her completely. As did the feel of his body against hers. This was the first time they'd stood so closely together as this. Everything was beginning to melt again. He could make her feel high with one look and holding her close.
Damn this, waiting all day for the hot night at the Hilton, I want him now...
“Show me,” she said, raising her face to his and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her confidence was coming back in leaps and bounds.
“Five minutes... and we're going... okay,” he grinned.
“A lot can happen in five min....” His mouth cut her off as he kissed her. At first slowly, and as light as a feather brushing her mouth. Then, more urgently, sweeping his lips across hers in that arousing way... his way... She felt her feet leave the ground with pleasure as he tasted her with his tongue and pressed her against him with small squeezes at her waist. His hand slipped down to her backside
and he gave her a playful slap. She laughed and looked up at him with a lust filled gaze.
Oh boy...oh boy....
He broke away, took her hand in his and picked up her case.
“Let's go, gorgeous...”
They sat in the car for a moment as he programmed the GPS.
“Oh damn... I've forgotten something, for later.” He muttered.
“What is it?”
“Just something.”
“Is it important?”
“Kind of.”
“Let's go get it then, whatever it is...”
He wasn't offering any clue. He drove back to his quickly. Her mum's car had gone. She assumed she'd taken Debra out for lunch at The Old Walled Garden, as planned.
He let them in his perfect little mansion and took her by the hand, up to his bedroom...
“It's in here...” He led her in and closed the door.
“Rick... what are you up to?” she asked, excited, and intrigued.
He turned and opened his wardrobe and thrust a large black Ann Summers bag in her hand.
Ann Summers...? Sex toys? Oh no, no, no....
This was spoiling things. Big time. She shouldn't have said that stuff last night, she was such a smart mouth.
“When did you get this?” she asked quietly, her stomach rolling over and over. Her heart picking up a pace, beating like crazy.
“This morning, early. I must say it was quite an eye opener going inside that shop. I've only ever passed by before. You wouldn't believe what the staff had hanging around their necks... flashing lights and buzzing...”
“Oh yes I would!” She was well aware of all that. Her friend had worked there on Saturday's while she was at Uni and told her all about it. She looked at the bag quietly. “I really don't want to look inside,” she whispered.
