Lucy Alex

Chapter 4

Sunday Lunch

The cab dropped me off at my apartment where I grabbed a suitcase, a holdall and a suit bag from the top of the wardrobe and packed work clothes, casuals and sports kit. I went through to the bathroom and grabbed some toiletries then into the kitchen and threw perishables in the bin, then took the bin bag outside; I did not know when I would be back. I set the alarm and headed for the car loaded down with my gear.

Next stop was the supermarket, I wondered round looking for inspiration before deciding on scallops with a fresh green salad for starters, chicken chasseur for main course and a light raspberry pavlova for dessert. I also bought four large sprays of flowers.

I headed back to Lorraine's, it was half past three by the clock on the dashboard of my company Ford Focus, and I couldn't get there fast enough, it took all my effort not to break any speed limits as I drove back to her house.

I arrived at the door with the shopping bags in both hands, I was about to put one of the bags down to ring the bell when the door opened and Lorraine said "I've missed you when you have only been gone for just over an hour, what am I going to be like on Monday?" She stepped in and I walked through to the kitchen and put the shopping bags on the work top. I turned round to go and get my bags out of the car but she had other ideas, wrapping her arms round my neck and kissing me deeply, her tongue in my mouth seeking mine. I responded by putting my arms around her and pulling her hard against my body.

"You've changed." I said as she came up for air. She was now wearing a blue dress, mid length and quite a deep neckline at the front, showing off her cleavage and legs, she'd also applied a bit of makeup round her eyes.

"Mmm, I had to, my mind kept wandering back to last night and my nipples were sticking out, if anyone had come to the door I would have been too embarrassed to answer." She leaned over to look in the shopping bags. "What are you cooking me for dinner?"

"That is a surprise, though nothing too fancy. I want to spend the night with you, not your kitchen." We went back out to my car and she gave me a hand with my bags. We took them up to the bedroom and she showed where I could put my things. There was nothing in the wardrobe except for four shirts.

"That's all that Mike left, they were in the dry cleaner's with a couple of my dresses and he's never been back to pick them up."

I turned and asked "We're not rushing things are we?"

She looked at me quizzically, "Are you getting cold feet? Afraid I'm tying you down?"

"No it's nothing like that; I'm just a bit nervous because it seems too good to be true. This is your house and I feel, deep down, that I'm taking advantage of you."

"I do hope that is your intention!" she laughed, but then she turned serious. "I'm not suggesting that you marry me, I'm just not into one night stands or cheap sex with no ties, I just want to let our relationship run its course. If we have week or a month of being together, loving and laughing and being happy then all for the good, if after that it doesn't work out then you'll just go back to your apartment and nobody will have lost anything."

I smiled and said "You're right of course, I just needed to know that is how you were thinking, and" I walked over and pulled her gently to me, kissing her softly "you never know, it might last longer than a month!"

She pressed against me and said "I think you should make love to me before dinner, then I'm going to have a bath while you slave in the kitchen. I think I'm the one who is taking advantage of you!"

We made love in bed, gentle and confident, getting to know each others likes and dislikes, taking time to provide pleasure to each other and accepting the pleasure given.

The next morning we woke early, possibly due to the strangeness of being in bed with someone after sleeping alone, possibly due to the excitement of being with a new partner. Whatever the reason, I awoke as Lorraine stirred. I was lying on my left side and she was in my arms with her back pressed against me in the classic spoons position, not a position to waste on a Sunday morning when you do not have to get up for work.

I gently moved my right hand and started to stroke the skin of her shoulder, her arm and her waist, then let it move to the roundness of her bottom. Lorraine pushed against my awakening erection and held the hand of the arm that was under her head, she said "mmmm, I like waking up like this."

I moved my free hand up her body to her breasts and she put one of her hands on mine guiding it to caress them and her nipples. Lorraine's breathing quickened and she moved her hips backwards and forwards. She whispered "I need to feel you inside me." She lifted her thigh and I manoeuvred my self so that I could slide into her.

We made love like that for ages, feeling very close, until we reached orgasm, Lorraine gasping and pressing hard against me less than a minute before I reached that point of ecstasy where the there is no thought, just sensation. It wasn't frantic lovemaking with hungry mouths and probing tongues, trying to please each other, it was more a declaration of love and understanding, needing to be joined in that most intimate of ways.

We drifted off to sleep again with my softening erection still immersed in our combined juices.

When we awoke again, the sun was lighting the bedroom curtains with its strong rays, and I guessed it was about ten o'clock. Lorraine awoke and turned over to face me, she kissed me, smiled, and said "that was lovely; you can do that whenever you want to. I didn't think I would cum but I just felt so...I can't describe it...'loved' I think is the best word...and, well I did. As much as I would love to stay here with you all day, I can't, we have a lunch date with Chrissy and Dean."

I kissed Lorraine and said "OK, I'll go shave and shower. See you in the shower in five minutes?"

She laughed "Deal, we can scrub each others backs again."

I had got the shower adjusted just right and was stepping into the shower cubicle when she walked into the bathroom wearing nothing but a smile. We spent twenty minutes in the shower, we washed each others bodies and I washed her hair then we turned the water off and we made love against the tiles, Lorraine wrapping her legs around me while I supported her on my hands.

We were ready to go out at quarter to one and we went through to the garage. There were two cars parked there, both less than two years old. One was a black Land Rover Discovery, the other a Mercedes CLK500. Lorraine said "we'll take the Mercedes; do you want to drive?" I took the offered keys without a moment's hesitation and headed for the driver's door.

We drove to the restaurant with the top down, Lorraine's hair flying in the wind until she took a hair band from her bag and put it in a pony tail. We arrived with wide grins on our faces.

We arrived before Chrissy and Dean so we let the head waiter know we were there and went to the bar to get drinks. We had been at the bar about ten minutes before the others arrived.

Lorraine's face lit up when she saw Chrissy, and they hugged before Lorraine made introductions. I kissed Chrissy's cheek and shook Dean's hand. Chrissy was a younger version of Lorraine but with short blonde hair framing a flawless face, she was about five foot seven and a lovely figure. She could very easily have been a model. She was wearing a short pink top and hipster jeans, showing off a pink stone in her belly button. Her top had the word 'ANGEL' printed across it in silver.

Dean was massive, six foot two or three, and he obviously spent a lot of time in the gym. He had a short sleeved shirt, the sleeves of which struggled to contain his biceps, and a pair of beige Chino trousers. Everything he wore was an expensive label item, right down to his Nike Air trainers. When I shook his hand my hand disappeared into his grip. At the last moment I had a flash of intuition and pushed the web between my thumb and forefinger hard into his, thus preventing him from being able to squeeze my hand hard, and my intuition had not failed me because that is exactly what he tried. A small frown appeared on his forehead and his smile slipped slightly when he realized that no matter how hard he squeezed there was no effect. I waited for him to realise that he needed to rearrange his grip, and as soon as he eased his grip to make adjustments I pulled my hand from his, leaving him with an outstretched hand squeezing air for a short moment. I did not like this man.

The head waiter came back and said "Would you like a smoking or non smoking table?"

Dean immediately said "Non smoking."

Lorraine turned to Chrissy and said "Have you given up? Well done!"

Chrissy just gave a tight smile and Dean said "It's been two weeks now, with a bit of help from me. She's doing really well aren't you Chrissy?"

The meal was good, which was better than the company. Lorraine and Chrissy caught up on news, chatting about friends, work and Chrissy and Dean's house, leaving me chatting to Mr. Neanderthal. He talked about himself, his training regime, how much he could bench press, about a fight he had recently had on a building site, his American car, how fast it went. As the meal went on I noticed a pattern developing. Every time that someone else started a conversation, particularly Chrissy, Dean would take over the conversation, turn it into something about him, and once I noticed it, it really started to grate on my nerves. In the interests of peace I did not react. Finally we finished our coffees, settled the bill and left.

Once outside Chrissy kissed me on the cheek and said that it was nice to meet me and that I should look after her Mum and then I ran the gauntlet of Dean's deadly hand shake again. He would be ready for me this time, so I went for the double handed shake, his eyes were on mine as I took his hand in both of mine, sliding my left thumb over the top of his right thumb and pushing it between our palms, giving nothing for him to squeeze with. Anyone watching would not have noticed anything wrong, but I watched his jaw clench in frustration.

As we drove back Lorraine said "They make a lovely couple don't they?"

Diplomatically I said "They look very good together. What does Dean do for a living? He didn't really tell me, only that he had been on a building site, but he isn't a builder, his hands were too soft."

"He is a project manager for a construction company, a very good one too, by all accounts. He works for Perkin's, the same as company as Chrissy, she is in the HR department. That is how they met, they were interviewing prospective employees together."

"Is Chrissy happy with him?"

She turned her head to look at me "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason really, he just seems a bit overbearing, he wouldn't let her finish a sentence."

I could see that caused her to think, perhaps going back over conversations in her mind. "She does seem a bit subdued, but I put that down to her Dad and me splitting up and then meeting you for the first time. She does not 'phone as often either but that could be her just getting on with her own life."

"You're probably right, I shouldn't have raised concerns, sorry."

We got back and I raised the garage door with the remote control and reversed the car in. We went through the house and Lorraine was very quiet. I went to her and we kissed and she hugged me. She said "I don't really know you, I have met none of your friends and family, you could be a mass murderer for all I know, but I feel as I have known you all my life. I guess that I am saying that I trust you and that I feel there is something you are not telling me."

"It is probably nothing...just that Dean is a bully, which is probably what makes him a good project manager. He likes to stamp his authority. When we shook hands he tried to hurt me and I wouldn't let him, I could see the frustration and anger it caused him. If Chrissy is on the end of that then I don't envy her, but it might be some alpha male thing and he's only like that with men."

She made a decision "I'll meet her for lunch in the week, we used to do that a lot. I'll talk to her, see how she really is. Right now let's enjoy what's left of the day." She arched an eyebrow "Do you fancy a bath?"

I could not turn down an offer like that and so we took a cold bottle of Veuve Clicquot and two glasses up stairs to the bathroom and whiled away a Sunday afternoon and evening in the most pleasant way possible, breaking only to grab some toast before falling into a happy, exhausted sleep, holding each other close. As I fell asleep I wondered at how life could get this good...

Lorraine didn't meet up with Chrissy for lunch that week, or the following week, Chrissy was always too busy or meeting someone else for lunch. We did not meet for Sunday lunch either, they were busy in the house with the drive being paved and new curtains. Lorraine really was worried by now and on the Sunday two weeks after we had had lunch together she asked me if I thought we should go round to the house. We discussed it but decided that it might make things worse if there was a problem or that she was poking her nose in if there was not a problem.

Come the following Wednesday the decision was a moot point.

Lorraine and I were fast asleep, we had been to the gym, had a light evening meal and were in bed and in each others arms by half past ten.

I heard the doorbell and checked my bedside clock, it was two am. I woke Lorraine "There is someone at the door, be prepared to call the police. It can only be trouble at this time of night."

I grabbed a dressing gown and went to the door. It was Chrissy and she was a mess, in the light from the porch I could see she had jeans and a coat on that were clearly Dean's, one of her eyes was bruised and nearly closed, the other eye swollen from crying and she had a puffy lip with blood oozing from it. She had no shoes on, she was walking on the denim of the jeans but I could see her toes poking out at the bottom.

She sobbed "I haven't got any money, can you lend me ten pounds to pay the cab?"

I looked down the path and saw the cab parked in the road, the driver was stood alongside the car looking at us. I said "Just go in, I'll deal with it. Your Mum is in the bedroom."

Lorraine had obviously decided to see what was going on and said from behind me "Oh my God! Chrissy what has happened to you?"

Lorraine put an arm round Chrissy and lead her toward the kitchen while I went to get my wallet and a pair of trainers. When I got back to the porch the cab driver was at the door. He asked "Is she going to be OK? She was wondering the streets like that, sobbing her heart out, I was going to take her to the police station but she insisted on coming here."

"She is with her Mum now, thanks for bringing her, how much do I owe you?"

"Oh, no problem mate, as long as she's going to be OK, I didn't even have the meter running."

"Look, take a twenty for your time; you could have been picking up another fare."

"Cheers mate, much appreciated." He handed me his card from a stack he produced from his pocket. "I didn't actually see what happened but if you need a witness to say where I found her and what state she was in, give me a call. I hope they catch the bastard that did it."

I went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. Lorraine was walking Chrissy toward the stairs. I made tea for three and drank mine in the kitchen. After ten minutes or so Lorraine reappeared. She said "I've put her in her old room, she just wants to be alone and go to sleep; she won't let me 'phone the police or a doctor, she says apart from her face she is not injured, but I saw bruises on her back when I helped her into a nighty." She sat on the stool next to me and took the tea I handed her. I could see the anger in her face as she said "He is a bastard, prison is too good for him, he should be strung up! You were right about him...if there is a next time I will trust your instincts and do something straight away. If only I had this time...I will get even with him!"

Lorraine got up with me the next morning to check on Chrissy and to take in some clothes and toiletries for her for when she got up. When I said goodbye as I left for work I could see she was preoccupied, I asked "Do you want me to stay round at my apartment tonight? I don't mind."

She absent mindedly said "Mmmm, whatever you think..." then she realised what I had actually asked and replied "No, come home, I don't want you to be away."

I spoke to Lorraine on the telephone during the day. She could not persuade Chrissy to report the attack to the police and she was, understandably, very withdrawn and probably suffering from depression.

I went to the gymnasium after work, but did a light workout, I wanted to get back for Lorraine.

When I got in Chrissy was in her room and Lorraine was making a pot of tea in the kitchen. There was a faint smell of cigarette smoke in the air. I asked "Has Evie been round?", Evie was the only one of Lorraine's friends who smoked. She had been round a few times during the last two weeks, mainly to see if I was still there and to ask if I was available again yet. She was four years older than Lorraine but looked older, you could see she had been a real beauty in her younger years but life had taken its toll.

Lorraine replied "No, its Chrissy, she's started smoking again. Understandable under the circumstances I suppose."

"How is she?"

The look on Lorraine's face showed how worried she was. "She's not eating properly, I did her a jacket potato for lunch but she hardly touched it, the only time she has been out of her room is to make herself a drink and to go and get cigarettes from the newsagent on the main road. I had to 'phone her office to let them know she wouldn't be in. I can see from her eyes she has been crying a lot but she won't talk to me. We've always been able to talk about anything"