Hugo From Pode Hole

CHAPTER 1

The ruggedly handsome guy with long black hair and very pale complexion leaned back on the chair in the half-empty Starbucks and wished he'd chosen a coffee that tasted like coffee. Idly he studied three under thirties women at a table who were dressed like businesswomen. He winked at one and she turned away embarrassed and their heads went together as they discussed the situation.

A sharp-nosed woman with a tongue to match marched over and demanded, "Why are you staring at us and winked at Susan?"

"Because I have nothing better to do?"

"You are English."

"You could be American but you're not blonde."

She frowned and tried again. "We are angry, feeling you are intruding on our space."

Sighing, he put on a reassuring smile and said, "I don't wish to sound rude but you can't expect to occupying private space in a coffee house."

"God you are rude and difficult. Please come over and apologize to Susan."

The guy went ahead of the woman and at the table said, "Hi ladies. I've been invited to join you."

"I did not. I definitely do not..."

Too late. Two of the women moved apart and the guy pulled a chair from an adjoining empty table and sat between the other two females. The woman who'd been behind him went and sat in her chair opposite him and glowered her unfriendliness.

"Ladies I'm Hugo Garrett from Pode Hole in England."

The women looked at Hugo suspiciously and then the other two looked at their spokeswoman.

"I'm Brenda," she said. "You already know Susan well enough to wink at her and this is Elenora."

Elenora giggled and claimed, "There's no such place as Pode Hole."

"In that case there's no such place as New York."

Brenda struck showing teeth. "That's a stupid comment."

"Likewise."

"You are so rude."

"Brenda please understand I'm as convinced that Pode Hole exists as you are that New York exists because you reside in New York just as I resided a little out from Pode Hole until I set off for New York six days ago."

"He's probably telling the truth," Susan said. "The English have many quaint names for ancient settlements. My dad is English and he came from Over Peover, a tiny village in Cheshire and I've seen photographs of it including The Dog Inn."

"Thank you Susan, you are so sweet. For the past year I'd lived in a near-derelict cottage caring for my ailing father who'd had a second stroke and he died a month ago. My mother was American and had me thirty-years ago when she was thirty-seven at her mother's home on Long Island and we returned to England when I was three months old. She died from influenza three years ago. The cottage is on Horseshoe Rd, just a wee way out of Pode Hole which is in East Midlands, a little over 100 miles north-east of London."

"Interesting," Brenda said, looking not at all interested.

"Very interesting," Susan nodded. "That story could be the base for a novel."

Brenda groaned.

Hugo offered to buy them coffee but was told they'd had their two-drink self-imposed limit.

Hugo learned they were attorneys and worked for the same firm and were on their way home. They stood and said goodbye to him and were going out the door when Susan came back and said, "Stay here. I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm taking you home."

Hugo watched her dart out the door and wondered about that. He remained confident that Susan wished him no harm.

She returned and said, "Sorry about that. I'm Susan Ford and am into my second year practicing law. If I'd told you I was inviting you home to dinner to meet dad my friends would have teased me. I-I don't go looking for sex."

"I'm sure you don't Susan. You look all class."

Susan blushed and said come with her. They walked a few blocks and then turned into East 22nd street, crossed a couple of streets and entered a substantial apartment building located in what she said was the Flatiron District.

She called, "Mom, dad I'm home with a dinner guest."

An older Susan look-alike appeared from the TV room with her parents. The sexier daughter looked at the visitor and gasped, "Omigod, you're Hugo something, author of 'My Mother's Late Delivery' a story about her conceiving and birthing you and interwoven around that an even more hilarious account of how some women go to extraordinary lengths as they approach forty to conceive. That novel sold very well in five countries. Your other big seller, 'F-off New Immigrants, We Were Here First' raised a real political storm in England and because of that controversy sold quite well here. Critics call you one of the few satirical writers with messages to deliver who has genuine wit."

Susan looked at her assumed near-penniless new immigrant and gaped.

"You have good recall miss. Obviously you are either a librarian or bookstore worker or are in publishing. Hi Mr and Mrs Ford. I am what your elder daughter says I am. My name is Hugo Garrett."

"Good evening I'm Fred Ford," said Susan's father. "This is my wife Jessica and this is our other daughter Charlotte. Welcome to our home and please make yourself comfortable. We will be taking you to a restaurant Hugo because we eat out most nights and eat out all meals at the weekend."

"How fascinating and thank you for your warm welcome. May I leave my recorder on? I'm in America researching for my new novel that has the tentative title of 'Sissy Logan-Campbell Goes to New York'. Sissy is a sexy of my imagination and lands in Manhattan at the age of twenty-six. She's a computer graphics artist who had been working and living on the Isle of Dogs in the Canary Wharf District."

Falling into a faint English accent, Mr Ford said, "I remember that area well, before all the huge redevelopment Hugo. Please call me Fred and yes it's okay to record what we say to you. We are a respectable family so are unlikely to say anything that can be used to embarrass us."

"Is it necessary to make your heroine sexy?"

"Yes mom," chorused the daughters and Hugo grinned and said yes Mrs Ford."

"You sound so interesting. I want you to stay with us for a few days. Fred go with Hugo now by cab to his hotel to pick up his things."

"All the money I have allocated myself is $800 US dollars and no credit cards, just as Sissy will arrive with Mrs Ford. I have to find a cheap room."

"Please call me Jessica or Jess if you wish. Couldn't you give that poor girl a better name than Sissy?"

"Changing could be a dangerous Jess. I conceived her as Sissy some months ago and talk to her... I mean I think about her several times a day. Can you imagine the consequences of someone attempting to change your identity?"

"You do talk to Susie, I mean you have creative dialogue with her don't you?"

"Yes Charlotte. What a lovely name you have. Been in literature you will be aware of some famous carriers of that name. Are you aware that Lolita is a variant form of your name?"

"Yes. Is that a just a tease?"

"Yes just a tease."

Charlotte smiled. "I like it."

He said, "I take it that the names Charlotte and Susan were your first choice preferences Jess?"

"Indeed and I didn't have to fight to have those names. Fred was just so pleased I was able to end two pregnancies successfully for us. He was aware from what his mother had told him she had three miscarriages before she had him and was advised to have no more children."

"Fascinating. Life can be scary, can't it Fred? Well, shall we go to my cheap rooming house for my meager possessions? I left the room locked so hopefully everything is still there. It is very, very generous of you folk to host me like this and the experience will be written into my novel. But you'll be basically unrecognizable. Fred will probably be Finnegan, Jess will change to Hannah and Susan will become, let me see, oh yes, Simone."

"Omigod," Charlotte giggled. You haven't included me. I am to be Lolita."

"Please Hugo, not Lolita," pleaded her mom.

"Then what about Lola Jess?"

She said that would be lovely and Charlotte agreed.

Fred and Hugo found the lock of the room had been picked and the door left open. The bedding was strewn about and the contents of the two travel bags also dumped on the floor.

"The intruder or intruders will have been looking for money or real valuables. Nothing appears to have been taken. I've yet to purchase a computer notebook and memory sticks to use as backups."

Fred sighed. "God what a bad impression of America this must give you."

"True Fred but I now have a real experience to write into fiction, giving it some authenticity to people in the know. Arriving at your home has already more than offset this little adverse experience. Damn I've just discovered the bastard or bastards got away with my bedside alarm clock."

"I'll buy you a replacement."

"No but thanks for that generosity Fred. You see Sissy will probably still be on her own after five days in New York and will receive no outside help. It has to be that way for dramatic effect. For a new immigrant there is no Fairy Godmother waiting round the corner to care for her. For the first time in her adventure-packed young life Sissy will be completely on her own, homesick and crying and angry someone has stolen her alarm clock she's had since her 21st birthday."

"Oh my goodness. The poor kid."

They left after Hugo gave up his room and received back his deposit.

"Yes but think of those first European immigrants to America Fred if you are to think of tough conditions. Many of them died of disease, mishaps or deprivation due to starvation within the first year of arrival."

"That's true but Hugo, all this gloom; will anyone want to read your book?"

"Think of it this way Fred. Sissy can sing and dance, has a beautiful speaking voice and graduated from her university in England with honors in drama. She plays the piano and guitar. She's here, living close to off-Broadway. She works in restaurants washing dishes and eighteen months after applying for bit part after bit part she meets this guy who seduces her and being a musician he takes her with him to watch him audition as a guitarist-actor for a show. The director looks around and asks Sissy what is she auditioning for and she says to give her something to read and he'll find out. She gets the bit part and then bigger parts. And guess what Fred that awaits Sissy less than a quarter mile away?"

"The lead in a Broadway musical?"

"You're on track Fred but perhaps she begins there as an understudy for one of the female principals."

"This sounds really good Hugo. I can't wait to read your draft and Charlotte will too because she's a script editor for a big publishing company."

"That's interesting but she won't get my book for her company to publish because I'm contracted to an English publisher. She'll understand that Fred."

"Just between you and me, Jessica and I worry about Charlotte. We believe she is into sex drugs and rock 'n' roll."

"How old is she Fred?"

"She's thirty and Susan, who in comparison acts like a nun, is twenty-seven."

"Are you sure about rock 'n' roll? Only nostalgia is keeping that alive, a little like Swing and interest in Bogart and Steinbeck."

"Well modern music then that we all know represents anarchy."

"Every generation to their own Fred. Now don't you think a healthy woman of thirty is entitled to er wallow in sex?"

"Charlotte has lived with guys until they get busted for drug possession or perhaps even worse."

"What can be worse that supplying drugs?"

"Child pornography."

"Jesus Fred, are you sure sweet Charlotte is up to her hocks in stuff like that?"

"No but we read about things like that in the Sunday papers."

"Perhaps you and Jess ought to save Saturday's papers to read on Sundays?"

"Eh what's that?" said Fred, moving away to wave down a cab.

The family restaurant had great atmosphere with families of various nationality origins. Many families seem to know other families. Hugo just loved the noisy interactions that were just so un-British and regarded it as an enriching experience for a researching author. He enjoyed listening to Fred talk about his early days in England and when he was twenty-one sailing to New York to live with an aunt and uncle until he'd become established.

Charlotte sat opposite Hugo and twice held a leg against one of his and looked at him under lowered eyes. Oh hello Lola, mother of Lolita, Hugo kidded himself. When they were leaving she stopped abruptly in the doorway and Hugo who was following collided with her lightly and felt her push back. She giggled.

That left Hugo's mind racing, er as a researcher.

At the entrance to the apartment Charlotte said, "I think I'll go somewhere for a while. Want to come with me Susan and Hugo?"

Susan said she had a brief to study and urged Hugo to go with Charlotte.

"You are unlikely to see and things you'd never experienced walking with me," Susan smiled at Hugo. "Be careful."

"Well what is there to experience walking to church?" Charlotte said and her mother scolded and said, "Be charitable Charlotte."

To Hugo who'd grown up as a sole child, this was riveting family interaction,

"Take really good care with him Charlotte," her father said. "Remember Hugo being a new arrival from very rural England in the former marshlands is like flotsam in the tide of humanity that is Manhattan."

"Hugo will be safe in my hands," Charlotte promised, thrusting his arm under her arm and pressing that arm against a firm breast. She then gave him a slight bang with her hip that may have passed unnoticed by her family.

In alarm Hugo turned away from the family and called good night, aware that his pants were tenting. As soon as they were around the corner Charlotte pulled him into her and kissed him, open-mouthed.

"Do you like the feel of my breasts?" she asked as they pulled apart.

Hugo said playfully what breasts and immediately had his hand slammed against one of the big puppies.

"Charlotte," he said nervously.

The raven-haired beauty attempted to calm him saying, "Don't worry. My family will expect me to offer you full hospitality."

Huh.

They walked on awkwardly, Charlotte with an arm round him. She stopped and said painfully, "Hugo."

"What?"

"Jesus Hugo, you know to put your arm round me for balance. I'm not going to seduce you on the street."

"Um yes, I realize that. You wouldn't want to spend the night with me in the slammer."

"Oh I don't know," Charlotte said. "You ought to revise that thinking."

They had resumed walking and Charlotte had pulled the edge of his jacket back with the hand of her arm that was around him. She began strumming his nipple with her thumb.

Hugo swallowed.

He was already deciding his heroine Sissy would be befriended by this young doctor in a bar called Lola and a couple of hours later they would be in Lola's studio apartment and Sissy would be taken on her first lesbian experience.

He followed Charlotte into a sleazy-looking bar in great need of improved lighting and smacked her ass as they entered. She stopped abruptly, he crashed into her and her face was already turned for a kiss.

"Good boy," she simpered. "You are smoking."

She reached down and felt his bulge. "Oooh, very good boy."

Charlotte chose to sit at the bar in the darkest corner. She ordered two dark rum and cokes and then huddled against Hugo, unzipped him and pulled out his growing erection.

"Jesus Charlotte."

"It's all right," she soothed, grabbing two napkins. "I come here regularly. Some couples fuck in those booths over there."

Hugo peered 'over there' and could see the dim shapes of booths beyond the tables.

She licked over her top lip. "Mom would have the thought of me taking you into a booth on your first night with us."

God. How fascinating.

Her touch was as smooth as silk. She made no attempt to bend over and blow him. Instead she lolled and made conversation, her pumping hand concealed under the extension of the counter.

Probably because her hand was tiring of the repetitive task Charlotte increased the tempo and began thudding her top edge of her grip against the collar of his bullnose.

Hugo stiffened and began breathing through his mouth.

"Come for mommy," Charlotte pleaded, running a very wet tongue over her top lip.

Hugo began to buck and she had the napkins over the head of his cock as it began spurting while she smiled and waggled her tongue at him. Charlotte allowed those two napkins to drop in the gutter along the bottom of the bar, grabbed a couple of more and soon had him dry.

With brilliant timing as Charlotte sat back smiling, the female bartender arrived with two fresh drinks and said laconically, "Enjoying yourselves guys?" and she licked across her top lip when Charlotte answered 'Yeah' and Hugo said 'Yes thank you.'

It all appeared very genteel.

As the woman walked away Charlotte opened her legs and said, "Oh Hugo?"

He looked at the dim shapes of her opened thighs in dismay and looked up at her and was told, "Yes Hugo."

He grabbed some tissues and leaving them on his lap reached across to work a finger under the panties only to find the trimmed pussy was already fully exposed. What no panties? A finger went in with ease and was immediately lubricated naturally.

"Another finger please and be a rough as you like."

Because Charlotte was in control and a he was a guest of the family, Hugo did what he was told.

God she was big. Experience helped him to quickly find the spots that triggered Charlotte to open her mouth and widen her eyes.

Juice was running out of her. Hugo moved to mop it up with his free hand but Charlotte said to leave it, that her skirt would absorb any flow.

Eventually she threw back her head and moved into a controlled orgasm, soaking Hugo's hand. The only sounds she emitted were big sighs. Very impressive when being jerked off in such a public place. She probably was used to coming in crowded movie houses.

All this told Hugo that Charlotte truly was a lovely woman who was big into her sexuality. The downside however was she was unlikely to remain loyal to any one guy and she probably didn't know her guys or where they'd been But that was only his opinion.

"I really adore sex," Charlotte said, mopping up. "I'm bi-sexual. I thought you might like to know that for your book. You know if case you cast me as a character and I could arrange a threesome with your heroine, the third person being either a guy or a female. Would you like me to arrange a threesome for us?"

Hugo's mouth went very dry and hello, his erection was back.

Hugo had just switched off the light when his door opened.

"Hi it's me," Susan whispered.

"Hi come in."

"Did you have an interesting time?"

"Well we went to a sleazy bar. At least that gave me the opportunity to get to know Charlotte."

"Did she seduce you?"

Hugo knew he should be careful. "Um verbally yes."

"So she didn't ask you to have sex?"

"No and that would have surprised me if she had suggested that but it doesn't matter to me if you don't believe me."

"No I believe you. Well I'm pleased it went well for you. Good night."

"Susan come over and kiss me good night."

"Why?"

"You'll only laugh at me if I tell you."

"No I won't."

"You are my first friend in New York."

"Oh that's lovely," she cried and she came over and she felt for him in the dark and they kissed.

She stood back. "You'll be better off giving your attention to Charlotte. She'll probably give you everything you want. I don't engage in sex indiscriminately."

"Well in that case you may fuck me when you know you really like me."

"Hugo," she complained. "You can't speak to me like that."

"I just did," he chuckled and she giggled and left.

Hugo was pleased; his erection had returned.

Jess arrived with coffee early morning, apparently wearing only a robe but perhaps also panties.