biscuit = (US) cookie
Chapter Six
I don't know if anyone else has had this experience, but after the Easter weekend when we had announced our engagement to the families and I had told Zena on the Tuesday, things felt different somehow at work.
Before Penny met me I had dates, but always had to work hard to impress, and I think I said before, they did not last. Then it was just Penny, and I had relaxed. I felt settled; I was contented. I was no longer on the lookout for a woman.
It got round the office that I was now engaged. After all, I had told Zena; it wasn't a secret.
Now, suddenly, women were interested in me! In various ways I was propositioned! Admittedly it was mainly flirting, and in fun, but one of the secretaries was quite aggressive and her language was earthy. I definitely felt hunted and it was a sensation I had never before experienced. It quite went to my head, though I took it all as a joke on their part. As I said, I was content with my fiancΓ©e, and really I was sure the staff
weren't
out to get me!
Monday 6 April 1970
The biggest surprise happened on the Monday after I had taken Penny back to Liverpool. I sensed someone was standing behind me as I worked at my desk.
"Graham?"
I turned. I usually left the door of my office open, and my visitor had moved noiselessly in. It was Colette. Colette was a lady clerk, not in my department, which was something of a relief, or my penis would never rest.
For every male in the place lusted after Colette. She was staggeringly beautiful, not just pretty, but beautiful. Everything about her was perfectly proportioned; indeed she was film star material. She was slender, and everything was perfectly balanced, her legs achingly superb in shape, and so long, her face perfectly symmetrical, honey blond hair, striking blue eyes, neat nose, wide mouth and long sinuous neck. I think the word 'perfect' summed her up - how else? - perfectly.
We had nodded to each other, smiled, said 'Hi', but we had never spoken at length. Mind you there was no reason we should have, for she was in property and land law, and they tended to keep themselves to themselves. In any case she terrified me.
"Colette?" I asked needlessly, my knees knocking. I hoped she could not hear them. She smiled, perhaps she could?
"Zena tells me you play bridge," she said with that 'come to bed' voice, and then waited. Then I remembered I'd talked about it with Zena on one of our commuting journeys.
Zena would invite me into her flat for tea (the meal) after work from time to time and we would chat about our lives as colleagues will. Strangely I don't remember ever mentioning Zena to Penny apart from as a colleague ay work, or our innocent chats, it simply did not occur to me: the lifts to work had been going on long before Penny. It was a mistake on my part.
"Well yes," I replied to the vision of perfect loveliness. "I have played. I play with the family, but you should know I'm not much good at it. I'm learning, at least I hope so."
"You know Des Corcoran?"
I nodded. Colette came round and perched on the end of my desk, displaying a good deal of thigh, and what a thigh!
"He's got a practice of his own now with a friend, at the other end of the country, and so we are missing a bridge partner. There's Harriet - you know Harriet? - Zena and me, and we need a fourth. Fancy joining us? We play on Thursdays."
Now Harriet was another
really
good looking girl, not in Colette's class but very good looking, if slim bordering on thin. This would be heaven: three ravishing girls and me.
"I'm not all that good, Colette, I'm sure I'll be a liability." Why was I putting her off?
"Good God, Graham, we're not that serious: it's just fun. We play bridge, chat and have a few drinks, that's all. We could play three handed, but it's much better with four, and it's good to have a male point of view. We take it in turns to host it. Dinner first and then bridge, every Thursday. How about it?"
I have to say I was guilty: I reacted as a male. I wanted just to be in her presence, to spend time with her any way I could. Look, I was twenty seven years old! For a fleeting moment all thoughts of Penny disappeared. In common with every male, single, married or engaged, I was in lust with Colette and her fabulous face and body. The next moment I felt really guilty for forgetting Penny, and stayed guilty.
"Thank you, I'd love to." See? Guilty!
Colette's face said it all:
Yes I know you'd love to and I know
what
you'd love to!
At that moment Kieran Walsh passed my open door, stopped, scowled and passed on. I knew
he
thought I was guilty, especially with Colette's thigh intimidating me at close quarters on my desk.
Her voice said, "It'll be at my place a week on Thursday - Des makes his farewell appearance this week. We usually go straight from work and have dinner together. Would that suit you?"
I remembered Zena never came home with me on Thursday evenings, so that was why.
Thursday 16 April 1970
Colette's flat was very pleasant, light and airy, comfortable. She could certainly cook; dinner was very tasty.