Getting a Life

by Chrissie Loveday

  It occurred to her that if everyone hates it as much as they say, why does everyone make such an effort? They all claimed to love their families, yet dreaded spending time with them over Christmas. Maybe it was the inevitability of everything that dampens the spirits. On the other hand, she'd heard nothing at all from Mike. It had been one of her very worst ideas, ever to invite him to join her family.

  'So,' Trisha was saying. 'Is he coming home with you?'

  'Who?'

  'Who do you think? The gorgeous Mike, of course.'

  'I'm not sure. He has things to sort out and a large family to organise.' Joanne was blushing hard, she knew it. Obviously, Trisha had successfully read her thoughts during the temporary detachment of her body from her brain.

  'What's the family got to with anything?' she asked. 'If he loves you he'll be with you, won't he?'

  'I suppose so.' To her great relief, she let the subject drop and concentrated on another bottle of wine. After a curry and calls of 'have a good one,' Joanne finally arrived home just after ten. She glanced at the machine and the light was flashing to indicate a message. Her knees went weak as she sensed it would be Mike calling. He said it was seven o'clock as he called and was she free for the evening? Typical. The next message was left at nine and a third at ten. She must just have missed that one. Unfortunately, he left no real message, so she was left wondering. She dialled his number. The sound of his voice set her heart pounding.

  'Hi. Sorry to miss you earlier.' She hoped she didn't sound too anxious.

  'Is your invitation for Christmas still on?' he asked.

  'Well,' she hesitated, heart pounding madly. 'Yes, if you want it to be.'

  'I think I've managed to wangle the evening off, after all. Christmas Eve, I mean. If it works out, we can travel to your family that evening and I'm afraid I'd have to leave Boxing Day. How does that sound?'

  She swallowed, hoping to drown the giant lump that appeared in her throat.

  'Sounds great,' she squeaked. 'I just hope you don't regret it. My family can be quite tedious.'

  'You'll be there. Besides, you'll be doing me a favour. I was dreading the prospect of the family fun day they all plan at my place.'

  'I'll call Mum right away. She'll be over the moon, I'm sure. Just hope you can cope with her. You do realise you'll get the third degree from her? And she's no idea what the word subtle means.'

  'I'll practice between now and then,' He said with a laugh. 'One more favour. Will you come shopping with me on Saturday? I'll need your help to choose presents for them. You might help with some of my family's too. I'm working in the evening, but we can spend the day together.'

  They chatted for a while and finally stopped so she could convey the news to my mother.

  'Why are you ringing so late dear? Is everything all right? You're not changing your mind about Christmas I hope?'

  'Mum. Please stop and listen. I'm sorry it's late but I've been out.'

  'I've just made our cocoa. Get on with it or it will be cold. I said to your father, should I ...'

  'Mum. Please.' If she hadn't interrupted, they'd have reached Christmas Eve before she got the message. 'Of course I'm coming. But it will be a bit later than usual.'

  'Oh dear. Your father will be disappointed. You know how he likes his little rituals.'

  'I'd like to bring a friend.' Silence followed. After a moment or two, she could hear a muffled conversation going on. Obviously, the message was being relayed to her father.

  'Are you still there?' Mum asked.

  'Of course.'

  'So who is it? This friend?'

  'His name's Mike. He's, well, he's in one of my groups. And we've been seeing each other.'

  'A student?' she said in the same tone as Lady Bracknell asked about handbags.

  'He's a mature. Almost the same age as me,' she lied.

  'I see. What's he like? And why haven't you mentioned him before?'

  Wearily, she tried to give the requisite information in summary form and failed miserably.

  Saturday was great fun, if somewhat crowded. Along with all the other last minute shoppers, they fought their way round, trying to decide what to get for the various family members.

  'I'll pick you up about four on Christmas Eve, if that's OK,' Mike suggested as they were parting. 'I can't get away any earlier than that.'

  'Fine. Mrs Whatsit from number six will have to manage without me for once.'

  He kissed her, not like before but much more like two old friends parting. She felt disappointed but knew he needed to work. As always, she found it sickening to think of him with someone else, albeit a client, just as she had been. What had he said? Don't get serious about me. She was obsessing about him, she knew it. But he was coming home with her for Christmas. That had to mean something, didn't it? What ever had happened to him to make him so obviously frightened of being involved?

  It was a long, dreary evening. She wrapped the presents and wrote cards for them. She was mooching in front of the television when the advert came on.

  'What have you bought for your man this Christmas?' the sexy woman was saying suggestively.

  'Certainly not what you're suggesting,' she told the screen. She froze. She hadn't bought him anything. What on earth could she buy for him? She realised just how little she knew about him. She didn't know what music he liked. What clothes he liked or his size. Had he got a watch? She thought of calling Trisha to ask for her advice. Then, out of the blue, her friend rang. To Joanne's surprise, Trisha asked if she could come over for coffee. A unique request, in their history. When she arrived, she was ill at ease and Jo knew she had something to say. She sat Trisha down with coffee and eventually, asked straight out what the matter was. She assumed she'd had another row with her bloke. They were always rowing.

  'I don't know how to break this to you. Not without hurting your feelings.' Trisha could be very nice at times but she was distinctly nosy.

  'Go on,' Joanne prompted.

  'It's about Mike. Just how serious are you two?'

  'What do you mean?'

  'Well, I saw him last night. We had dinner at that new place down the main road. I'm sorry love, but he was there. With someone. It was a party of four but he was definitely with one of the women. A rather good looking redhead, actually. He seemed very attentive and well, just as attentive to you at the college dinner thing.'

  Joanne sat nonplussed. She simply didn't know what to say, not without admitting the truth about how they'd met. Her friend took it that she was dreadfully upset to discover she was being two-timed. It wasn't like that, of course.

  'There's more. He was using a false name. They were calling him Rudy. I thought that was distinctly odd. At the end, we were all leaving around the same time. I saw him driving her in a huge great car, Really expensive looking. I'm so sorry Joanne. But I thought you should know before you got into anything ... well ... too deep.' She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This was all she needed. Her own doubts had largely been dispelled. She had accepted the situation with some degree of equanimity, even though she hated it.

  'I'm seeing him tomorrow,' she finally managed to say. 'We'll talk it through then.'

  'If you need a shoulder to cry on, you know where I am,' Trisha offered.

  'I'll be fine,' she said without much emotion. 'Don't worry. And thanks for your concern. Can you keep a secret?' she asked her friend suddenly.

  'Course. Oh my god, you're not pregnant are you?'

  'No course not. Oh it doesn't matter.'

  'Come on. Tell me.' Joanne paused.

  'No, you'll think I'm awful. Forget it.'

  'Is it about Mike? Come on.'

  'He's an escort. I booked him to take me to the dinner.'

  'Oh my god. He didn't look like an escort. Does this explain the redhead?'

  'Yes. You're not to breathe a word of this to anyone else. Promise?'

  'I suppose so. But Joanne, why did you?'

  'Because I didn't want to go on my own
. Now forget it.'

  'But you surely didn't need to do that?'

  'I felt I did. He just turned out to be someone in one of my groups.'

  'But we saw you at the cinema? You surely didn't have to pay him for that?'

  'Of course not. We just sort of clicked. I've seen him again several times.'

  'Isn't that against the rules?'

  'I doubt it. Only his rules, I guess.'

  'Well, just be careful. You don't know that much about him. I'd better go now. Take care love. I don't want you to get hurt.'

  After she'd gone, Joanne sat thinking. She knew she shouldn't have said anything but it was too late now. Trisha would say she was weak, if she continued to see Mike but she had every intention of doing so. After all, she knew exactly why he was out with another client, didn't she?

  Chapter Four

  It was difficult to sleep that night. Joanne kept thinking of him ... Mike ... being out with someone else. Though she knew exactly what his escort job entailed, it wasn't easy knowing he was seeing someone else, making them feel as special as he'd made her feel at the college formal. Suppose someone asked him to sleep with them? Would he do it? This was what it was all about, wasn't it? She didn't like it much but she had to put up with it. She couldn't get the picture of him sleeping with a gorgeous redhead out of her mind.

  The next day was Christmas Eve and she only had a brief time in the morning to go shopping.She went to the shops and wandered round seeking inspiration. She looked at clothes ... definitely not, she thought. She looked at music but there was nothing that struck her. She really didn't know this man well enough to know what to buy for him. In desperation, she finally bought him an arty book with wonderful photographs in it. She hoped to goodness he'd like it and see it as a suitable present. She wondered what he'd got for her and whether he'd had similar problems. She got back at lunchtime and ate a quick sandwich. She felt nervous about the coming events and as she dressed, she wondered about the sleeping arrangements at her parent's house. It might be tricky but somehow, she didn't feel as if it was going to matter too much. Did she want to sleep with him? Of course she did but she wasn't sure how it would be. Would he be shocked that she was a virgin? Would he hold it against her? She heard someone knock at her door and shot down the stairs, so quickly, she almost fell.

  'Oh, it's you,' she said as she opened the door. 'I wasn't expecting you just yet.'

  'I got away a bit earlier than I planned. I thought I'd come round anyway to see if you were ready.'

  'Lovely to see you. Come in. I take it you borrowed a car this weekend? Well, I know it isn't really weekend but you know what I mean.'

  'Indeed I did win the car battle. Mel wasn't too thrilled but hey, it's Christmas. Come here you,' he said, pulling her close to him. He kissed her very thoroughly and when she was feeling weak and past caring, he suggested they had some coffee. She blinked at him, surprised at the suggestion. 'I just thought it would make me stop kissing you,' he announced.

  'I see. I wasn't quite sure myself,' she mumbled and went into the kitchen and put the kettle on. This was all looking much more promising, she told herself. 'I've actually got quite a lot of stuff to take. Plenty of presents and a whole lot of clothes etc. I hope there's going to be enough room for them.'

  'I'm sure there will be. My things aren't too voluminous. I'm looking forward to meeting your family.'

  'I hope you won't be too disappointed. I'm not quite sure how they'll react to you,' she said, as she made the coffee. They sat at the kitchen table to drink it and catch up what had been happening since they'd last met.

  They drank coffee and she told him all about the people he was about to meet.

  'Dad likes to do the parade along the street on Christmas Eve. I told you that. He may be a little merry by the time we get to them. Drinks sherry or wine at each place he stops. I usually go with them but it's been nice not to go for once. I hoped once I got out of going, everything would be plain sailing after that.'

  They finished the coffee and Joanne went upstairs to fetch her bags. He was standing looking out of the window when she came down. He smiled at her and then hesitated.

  'Look, I don't know what you've said about me. I assume you haven't told them how we met?'

  'Of course not. I said you were one of my students. I said you were one of the matures, by the way.'

  'Oh dear. Does that mean I have to be serious or something?'

  'Not at all.' He paused again.

  'I wanted to know ... I mean to ask you if you know what the sleeping arrangements would be? I mean I'd be delighted to sleep with you but as it would be a first time ...'

  'Don't worry about it. I can't believe my mother would ever believe I'd sleep with anyone until we were married.' He looked greatly relieved.

  'I just wanted it to be ... well, special if we do.' She felt the colour rising on her cheeks and she looked away.

  'Shall we load my stuff into your car?' she asked. Anything to change the subject. She didn't want to spoil this next couple of days.

  They set off to drive the short distance to her old home. It felt strange to be going with someone else in a different car.

  'Who were you out with the other night?' she asked.

  'I don't know. When do you mean?'

  'A glamourous red head, she was described to me.'

  'Oh that was some woman who wanted a partner for the evening. I went as I was free. Why do you ask?'

  'Trisha saw you and being as she is my best friend, felt duty bound to come and tell me you were two timing me.'

  'But I wasn't. I would have told you anyway. She really was a crashing bore. All bright and sparkly and wanted to be seen to be accompanied by this dashingly handsome young man.'

  'I see. And how often have you been out with her?'

  'Three or four times now. She likes me to drive her car too.'

  'And calls you Rudy?'

  'And she calls me Rudy. You really can't be jealous you know.'

  'I'm not. Well, not really. Okay, I am pretty jealous.'

  'Well you've no need to be. She's a client. She did once invite me to one of her parties but I refused her.'

  'You mean she wasn't going to pay you?'

  'Something like that.'

  'And do you sleep with her?' she asked as casually as she could.

  He almost stopped the car.

  'Of course I don't. I'm not saying she doesn't want me to. She's asked me to several times. But I keep saying it isn't that sort of agency.'

  'Turn left down here,' she said realising they were almost there. 'It's the third place on the right. No, not this one, the next.'

  'Wow. Pretty posh down here isn't it?'

  'I s'pose so. It's just home. Has been all my life really. You ready for all of this?'

  'I'm ready,' he told her. He leaned over to kiss her and she gripped his hand. She felt silly that she had asked him but it was something that had been troubling her. She swallowed hard, hoping she could believe what he'd said.

  'Let's go in then. We'll come back to unload the car later.'

  They went to the front door and pushed it open.

  'Hi,' she called out. 'Anyone here?'

  'Joanne and Mike. Welcome. Come on in.' Joanne's mother was an older version of her daughter and seemed quite relaxed. 'Did you have a good drive?'

  'Not at all bad, thank you.' Mike spoke as he shook hands with his hostess. 'Mike Thomas.'

  'How do you do?'

  'Who's here?' Joanne asked.

  'Only the two of us. Dad's having a snooze to get over his lunchtime excesses and your brother and family are due any time now. I'll show you up to your rooms if you want to unpack your stuff from the car.' They went out again to collect everything and took it all up the stairs. 'I've put you in separate rooms but if you want to ...'

  'That's fine Mum, thanks. Am I in my old room?'

  'Well, I thought perhaps you'd like to give that to Mike and you can go in the box room. I've had a clear o
ut.'

  'That's fine. Thanks.'

  'Hey, don't let me put you out of your room,' Mike said forcibly. 'I'll be fine in the box room.'

  'I'll leave the pair of you to decide. I'll go and put the kettle on. Come down when you're ready.'

  'We will. Thanks Mum.'

  'So, this is your old room? I like it. Girly but not too bad really. Not the worst I've seen,' he teased.

  'How many others have you seen?'

  'Not all that many. Where's the box room then?'

  'Next door to this one. It's really quite small. Are you really sure you don't mind it?'

  'Quite sure, thanks. Now, can we stop being formal and get on with Christmas?'

  They went down and the rest of the family turned up. She hadn't seen her brother Geoff for ages and they were soon wrapped in conversation. Mike seemed to have linked up with Geoff's wife and they were chatting nineteen to the dozen. The two kids had gone to find her father and wake him up.

  'Auntie Ethel will be here tomorrow morning, I'm afraid. Dad has to go and fetch her from the nursing home. There will some other people dropping in during the morning. You know your father. He invited them round after today's little outing. Hope you won't mind if we have a slightly late Christmas dinner?'

  'Of course not,' Joanne told her. 'Whatever you plan will be fine for us, won't it darling?' Why had she said that? She never called him Darling. She never had called anyone darling, except at the college Christmas do. Okay, darling was an all right word. He smiled at her and she felt her heart sing. He wouldn't care what she called him, she realised.

  'Absolutely, just fit us in with whatever you've planned. We're quite amenable, aren't we?'

  It turned into a very pleasant evening. Mike got on well with her parents and brother's family. They ate dinner and chatted very freely, once the children were safely put to bed. Two very excited children were sharing a room and it took some time to get them settled.

  When they all decided to go to bed, Mike and Joanne sat downstairs for a while longer. They didn't want to be parted but neither did they want to sleep together. They sat on the sofa together, cosy in front of the dying fire.

  'I know we said we wouldn't but ...'