Lucy Alex

Chapter 9

Best Laid Plans

When I got home Chrissy's car was outside but she was not around so I assumed she was getting ready to go out. I made a cup of tea then did the same. Half an hour later I walked back downstairs and I listened to the radio as I waited for Chrissy. I was sat on the couch as Chrissy came into the room, she looked fabulous in a purple dress that was short enough to show off her very shapely legs and although high at the neck it had a deep narrow vee that showed off her cleavage and the fact that she was not wearing a bra. I was intrigued as to what was providing support, as she seemed to be defying gravity. She was wearing shoes with at least four inch heals, meaning that her eyes were about the same height as mine and as our eyes met she could see that I found her very attractive and gave a little half smile, holding my gaze a little longer than she should have. She said "Shall we go? We'll be half an hour early, but we can have a drink at the bar and Mum will probably be earlier than half past seven unless the traffic is really bad."

I said "sounds like a plan" and gestured her to leave before me, I watched her walk toward the door and I am certain that she put more emphasis into her hip movement as she walked. If she was then it was definitely having and effect on me, I suddenly felt uncomfortably warm as I followed her out of the front door.

Chrissy and I were sitting at the bar waiting for Lorraine when her mobile telephone rang, she answered it and said "Hi Mum, are you on your way back?" I watched the smile slip from her face and she turned serious as she listened. "No we're at the restaurant, but it's OK we'll go back home...Are you sure?...OK if you are going to be that late we might as well...OK, love you, hope Evie and Elle are OK, give them my love, Love you, bye."

Chrissy turned to me and said, "Evie and Elle were just about to go through to departures and Evie got a call from her brother, her mother has been taken into hospital with a suspected stroke. Mum is going to take them to the hospital and stay with them for a while."

I said "We had better cancel the table and go home then, we can pick some kind of takeaway on the way home."

Chrissy shook her head "I suggested that but Mum said we might as well eat here, she is going to get something later, the hospital is in Croydon and Mum is going to stay with Evie for a while, until they know what the situation is, so it's going to be some time before she gets home."

We talked about Evie and Elle for a while, Elle was Evie's daughter she was a little over a year older than Chrissy and they went to different Schools, but they became close friends in their late teens as the years age gap mattered less as they got older. Evie's husband had died in an industrial accident when Elle was only ten years old. Elle had spent a lot of time with her grandmother after her Dad died so that Evie could carry on working. Chrissy had met Elle's grandmother on a couple of occasions, and she remembered her being very nice.

A waiter informed us that our table was ready and we picked up our drinks and followed him to a four place table in the non-smoking area of the restaurant. Chrissy said to the waiter "Actually there are only two of us now, would you have a table for two in the smoking area?" she turned to me "I'm sorry Alex, do you mind?"

I said no and the waiter went back to check the booking diary. "We have two tables available, do you want to be next to the window or the stairs?"

Chrissy replied "Window please." He led us up the stairs to a window seat overlooking the main street.

I held Chrissy's chair for her then sat facing her. The waiter informed us of the dishes of the day and left us to browse through the menu. I watched Chrissy as she looked through the menu. She put a finger to her mouth and tapped her lips and I smiled. She must have felt me watching her because looked up and smiled in reply.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked.

"You tap your lips when you are thinking, just like your Mum."

She smiled wider and said "Do I? I didn't even know I did it, I'll be really aware of it from now on." She went back to studying the menu.

We made our decisions and while we waited for the waiter Chrissy lit a cigarette.

I said "Your Mum is not too happy about you starting to smoke again."

She pulled a face and said "I know, but we have spoken about it and she understands."

I raised an eyebrow in question "Because of the stress that the break up with Dean put you under?"

"Not really," she replied, "it was more a statement of identity, it was my smoking, or more accurately his reaction to it, that was the beginning of the end of our relationship, it made me realise just what sort of man that he is."

"How so?"

She shrugged and drew on her cigarette before answering "He decided that I should stop, I had no intention of stopping, all my friends smoke, I enjoy smoking, we have a shelter at work, like a bus shelter with doors, where a gang of seven of us go for a smoke, and we have a laugh there. One evening at home he said that it was time for me to stop and he took my cigarettes out of my bag and crushed them and threw them in the bin."

"What did you say?"

"I asked him how dare he decide what I do or don't do, to which he replied that he was helping me."

"What did you do about it?"

"Next day I just bought another pack on my way to work. He must have had someone checking on me, he went through my bag again but I had put them in my brief case, he found them there and did the same again. I went to buy some more the next day, but when I went to pay I realised that he had taken my money and cards out of my purse."

None of this surprised me, knowing his bullying character. I said "What a nice man he is, but none of what you're saying really surprises me."

"Well, that night we had a blazing row and I demanded my cards and money back, he told me that there was no way I was going to get them until I had given up smoking, so I went to leave. He tried to stop me and I struggled to get away from him so he slapped me round the face, that was the first time he hit me. He hit me for one reason or another every night for the next week; because a friend had given me cigarettes at work a couple of days, because I burnt his dinner, because I had been on the phone to Elle instead of having his dinner ready...for that he locked the phones in his desk and punched me so hard in the ribs it was hard to breathe. He always apologised afterwards, said he wouldn't do it again."

She had obviously started to come to terms with the past, she was angry but not more than she could handle, her voice was level and quiet. I said "At least you can talk about it now...and I understand you wanting to smoke, to reaffirm your identity, not be what he wanted to make you become."

She gave a tight smile "Exactly, as I say Mum understands...anyway she's a bit of a hypocrite, she used to smoke, she and Evie were young when they started, Mum was twelve, Evie was thirteen."

"I didn't know your Mum smoked, when did she stop?"

"Four years ago, when I went to Uni. And it was partly her fault that I started...sort of...she sort of encouraged me."

This was the longest conversation I had had with Chrissy, and I could see her relaxing, talking about what happened and her past was obviously having a cathartic effect so I encouraged her to continue.

I asked her "Really? What happened?"

At that moment the waiter arrived with our starters, she had ordered the pate and I had ordered goats cheese.

We started eating and then Chrissy continued her story. "When I was fourteen my Mum and I went shopping with Auntie Evie, as I called her then, and Elle, we went into town for holiday clothes and swimsuits and the like. We weren't going on holiday together but we were all going at the same time."

She paused for a mouthful of French toast and pate. "We met in town at mid morning and decided to go for a coffee before shopping. We went into a café and when we ordered drinks Elle, who was really cool in my eyes, took out cigarettes and offered them round, I was last to be offered and when Elle got to me she was talking to Evie so didn't notice me looking at my Mum and the packet and back. Mum just said quietly 'up to you, have one if you want one', so I took one. She was watching me as Elle gave me a light, but I had tried smoking at parties so I didn't turn green and choke, like I had done the first time I inhaled!"

She ate some more pate then pushed her plate away. "That was it really, we all sat there smoking, and I really liked the feeling of being included, it was the first time that I felt like an adult, making small talk, smoking and drinking coffee. When we stopped outside a shop later Mum passed round cigarettes and I had one then as well. When we went for lunch Mum and I went into the ladies and she passed me an unopened packet of cigarettes from her bag and said that I had better have them so that I could 'stand my round'. The rest is history really."

I said "What did your Dad say when he found out? Wasn't he angry?"

"Dad? No! He didn't say a thing, he didn't particularly bother what I did. He smokes anyway, usually cigars. In fact they bought me this lighter" she held up her cigarette lighter "it was for my fifteenth birthday, it has the date engraved on it. I had a white gold one like it, I bought it in Hong Kong, but Dean has probably sold it by now. This one was still in my room at home. Actually I thought that you would have a go at me about smoking, being so fit and everything."

I smiled "What you do is up to you, actually I find the sight of an attractive woman smoking quite sexy."

"Really? What, like a fetish you mean? I've heard of that before, one of my friends at Uni used to love to smoke during sex, but she couldn't find a boyfriend who was cool with it."

I pulled a face "No, I wouldn't go that far, it can just look sexy."

"I think I know what you mean. Do you think I look sexy when I smoke?"

I smiled and said "I think you look sexy no matter what you do."

She blushed slightly and said "You can't flirt with me, you're my Mum's boyfriend!"

I laughed and said "I don't think flirting is against the rules, do you?"

She looked at me sheepishly and said "Mum actually suggested that I spent the night with you on that terrible night when we last tried to go out for dinner."

I shook my head and said "I know, she told me that was what you needed, some male company and loving attention from someone you could trust, I said that it would cause more harm than good, your Mum's boyfriend trying to seduce you."

She laughed and said "You were right, I ran out on you because you made me laugh, imagine what I would have done if you had tried to make a move on me!"

The main course arrived, Chrissy had ravioli and I had tagliatelle carbonara and we were both quiet for a while as we ate. I ordered another glass of wine for Chrissy and I had sparkling mineral water as I was driving.

We made idle small talk while we ate, about work and ambitions, dreams and directions. Chrissy said that she wanted to settle down and have children in three or four years time, well before she was thirty. She said "I want to meet someone like you, Mum is very lucky this time round. She doesn't stop talking about you, she says you make her feel like a teenager again."

I blushed, wondering how much her Mum had told her, I know they did not have many secrets. Chrissy saw my blush and laughed, guessing my thoughts. She said "She told me about when you kissed her...and the rest... in front of the house on your first date. I think that was really sexy. I think my Mum has a bit of an exhibitionist streak in her, I know I have. I'm not talking about anything kinky, but you know, the risk of getting caught and stuff. I wouldn't have been able to resist if you had done that to me!"

We finished our main course and decided against a sweet. We ordered coffee and Chrissy had a large Cognac. She lit a cigarette and I swear she tried to look even more sensuous as she inhaled and then turned her head to exhale, aware of me watching her every move, with the suggestion of a smile on her lips.

My mobile phone vibrated in my pocket and I surreptitiously removed it to read the text. It was Lorraine, Evies Mum was going to be OK and Lorraine was going to take Evie and Elle home to their house and was going to stay over and take them to the hospital in the morning. She asked me to get Chrissy to telephone her when we left the restaurant. I passed the phone to Chrissy for her to read the message.

We finished our drinks, paid, and headed back to my car, it was getting dark. Chrissy 'phoned Lorraine as we walked. "Hi Mum, is Elle's Nanny Helen OK?...Good...Shame about their holiday, but better than finding out when they were out there...Yes we're going back to the car now...lovely meal thanks, really enjoyed the evening...Mum! You can't say that!...No! Of course not!...We'll talk tomorrow, call me when you get out of the hospital...let me know if you are staying over tomorrow as well and I'll bring some stuff over and catch up with Elle. Give my love to them both please...No! Good night!"

I looked at Chrissy, she was putting her telephone away and getting a cigarette. "What was your Mum saying?" I asked.

"I can't tell you, she is too embarrassing!" She stopped to shield her cigarette while she lit it and I waited for her while she put her cigarettes and lighter back in her bag. She stepped up to me and put her arm through mine as we set off again. She said "That wine cognac has gone to my head now I'm out in the fresh air.

I tried again "Go on, tell me, what was your Mum saying that was so embarrassing?"

She drew on her cigarette then said quietly "Can't you guess?"

I looked at her and said "Yes, I probably can..."

We walked in silence back to the car, a tension between us now. I opened the door for her and she took a last pull on her cigarette, dropped it on the pavement and stood on it before getting into the car. I walked round the car and got in, I could smell her cigarette smoke, cognac and perfume, not an unpleasant smell. I closed the door and turned the ignition key, the interior light went out and we were in relative darkness. We sat like that for probably fifteen seconds, but it seemed like an eternity, finally Chrissy said "Well?"

I knew what she was asking but I needed to hear it "Well what?" I asked.

"Do you want to spend the night with me?" She asked quietly "We have my Mum's blessing if you want to..."

"Yes I do." I said

She let out a sigh of relief "Thank you, I don't know what I would have done if you had said no!"

We turned to face each other and our eyes met in the semidarkness of the closest streetlight some way up the deserted street, then we were kissing, our tongues entwining, our hands on each others faces, caressing and stroking. I moved my hand down to her breasts and tried to squeeze them through the material, there was a hardness, like a rigid bra cup under the material.

Chrissy reached through the deep vee neck of her dress and pulled on something that she dropped into the footwell of the car then she guided my hand inside her dress to her bare flesh. She reached into the other side and did the same. She broke our kiss and said "Self adhesive bra cups, sorry!"

I said "I thought you had invented anti gravity" and gently rolled her nipple between my thumb and forefinger, she sighed and then kissed me harder.

I broke the kiss and moved my lips down to her breasts, moving the material of her dress to one side with my hand, teasing her nipples with my tongue and gently nibbling with my teeth. She was groaning now and squirming on the seat. I moved my hand down to her thighs and ran my hand up toward her panties, she was wearing stockings but the hold up type, there were no straps of a suspender belt. I teased her, running my finger tips around the bare flesh of her upper thighs and lightly across her panties. Her breath was ragged and she was groaning more loudly, she slid down into her seat slightly and opened her thighs, trying to push herself onto my hand. I gently pulled the gusset of her panties to one side, it was soaking, an inserted a finger into her dripping wet hole, then a second finger, I started to move my hand, gently at first but increasing the pace gradually as I sucked and nibbled her nipples. I teased her clitoris with my thumb, just brushing it at first, a fleeting contact with my thumb tip as I pushed my fingers deep inside her, then gradually leaving my thumb there longer and adding more pressure until I was massaging her clitoris, her breaths were coming in gasps and her hips were grinding in the car seat.

Chrissy could not take that kind of attention for long and she put her hands on either side of my face and lifted my head to kiss her and as our lips met, her body shuddered and she broke the kiss in order to breathe and groan as her orgasm overtook her. As she came down from her high she put her hand on mine and kept it inside her as we kissed gently. She removed her lips from mine and said breathlessly "I didn't expect that, but it was just what I needed."

I slowly took my fingers from inside her and she moaned softly. I put them in my mouth and sucked them and she moaned again as she watched "Oh that is so sexy!" She said in a low voice. She took my fingers from my mouth and put them into hers and sucked gently. I removed my fingers, kissed her and started the car.

Chrissy put her hand on my thigh and we drove in silence for a while then she asked "What did my Mum say to you when she suggested that you take me out on a date a couple of weeks ago?"

I glanced at her before deciding to reply with an edited version of the truth, "She said that you needed some trustworthy male company to restore your confidence in love and men."

She laughed and said "She was right, but I didn't believe her. She knew you would be the right man as well." She paused then added quietly "Actually Mum suggested that I should seduce you and spend the night with you that night, but there was no way I could have gone near you then, not so soon after what Dean had done, I was a nervous wreck. Actually, I thought she was mad, the only reason I decided to go out that night was to prove a point and to stop her from trying to pry into my life; I felt she was trying rub my nose in the failure of my first real relationship. Now I realise that she was just trying to help and that she was genuinely concerned for me."

"She was distraught." I said, "She was very concerned about your mental state, she was so, so relieved when you got back that night and finally talked to her."

"I didn't even know that I had got it all bottled up, I had shut down all my emotions." She was talking very quietly now, and I had to strain to hear her over the noise of the car and the road. "Still," she said more loudly as she came out of her reverie "thanks to you and your stupid joke I am just about to go home and keep you awake all night while I catch up with my love life all at once!" She giggled and it was infectious, I had to smile at her and she moved her hand to the expectant bulge in my trousers. "My, you are excited!" she said with a laugh. "Just you wait 'til I get you home!"

Another couple of minutes and we were pulling into the drive, Chrissy still had her hand on my erection as I pushed the button on my key fob that opened the garage door; as Lorraine was away there was room in the garage for my car.

I drove into the garage and pushed the 'close' button on the fob and shut off the car engine. Before the door was closed we were kissing and Chrissy was struggling with the zip of my trousers. I opened the door and got out of the car, Chrissy got out the other side and we met in front of the car and started to kiss and urgently tug on each others clothes.