Sister Sister Episode 4 7

Sister Sister - E4/7

Julia gets moon struck

They made their way through the crowd at the bar and found the table with Paul's party. "Hello boys," Justine announced, and they all turned towards her. Several mouths fell open, making it easy to separate the straights in the group. Justine wore a clingy wrap over dress in a colour best described as nude. She gave the appearance of being naked until the eye noticed the tanned skin beneath. She smiled at the group, pleased with their reaction and hoping Adam would be as dumbstruck when he picked her up later.

Paul stood up and shook her hand. "You must be Justine, that's quite a dress you're almost wearing. Are you on your own?" He could not keep the disappointment out of his voice.

Justine could see what attracted Julia. His easy smile, the warm laughing eyes. She would not have minded his attentions either.

"Thank you, Paul. The rest of you can put your tongues back in your heads now. Julia should be right behind me." Julia emerged through a crowd at the bar. She looked straight into Paul's face and all her resolve about playing it cool and leaving with Justine went out of the window.

"You look beautiful too Julia," said Paul with such honesty she was speechless. Justine noticed the look on his face in contrast to that of the other men. While they wore lusty expressions, provoked by her plunging, clingy dress; Paul's expression at the sight of Julia was one of adoration, and Justine felt a little jealous she could not inspire the same reaction.

Julia wore a white sleeveless silk blouse with a Chinese collar over a long wrap around patterned skirt. Her hair was up, held in place by two chopsticks to complete the oriental theme. Paul looked at her long slender neck and it was all he could to stop himself from leaning over and kissing it.

Paul played host. "Let me introduce everyone. Simon and Gerry are the happy couple whose forthcoming nuptials we are celebrating. Harry and Jim play for a different team, or at least that's what their ex-wives say. Then there are me and my brother Alan, one of each."

Julia looked embarrassed as she realised this explanation was for her benefit.

"Stop it Paul, you're making her go red," said Alan. "He told me at golf how he wound you up, 'my partner Teri, some of my friends are gay' and all that."

"Your brother is a pig," said Julia, giving Paul a stern look as he grinned at her.

"Well, he's no golfer. Useless at the best of times, he was even more distracted by you. He would not shut up. I would have been better off with a porker for a partner," Alan added. Now it was Paul's turn to go red.

"You've even turned my brother against me, Julia. Justine, help me out here please," Paul pleaded, flashing her his winning smile.

"Oh, I think you can hold your own in a clinch," said Justine with a knowing look.

The conversation flowed, and it seemed like only ten minutes had passed when Adam arrived to take Justine to dinner, much to the disappointment of Harry and Jim.

"What's a handsome, fit, 28-year-old gym instructor got that I haven't got more off?" Harry quipped, attempting to pull in the beginnings of a good beer belly.

"Ever heard the saying more is less," said Jim, looking at Harry's gut and everyone burst out laughed.

As Justine and Adam went to leave, Julia stood up. It was make your mind up time. She did not trust herself if she spent more time in Paul's company, but she did not want to leave him. Justine's eyes asked her what she wanted to do.

Julia's heart was beating wildly. "I'm feeling much better now Justine. I think I'll stay." Julia knew she had sealed her fate, but exhilarated by the prospect. Justine gave her a knowing look. Julia offered a flimsy explanation. "I was feeling a little out of sorts, swallowed too much swimming pool water this morning," she chided Paul with a look.

Justine whispered in her ear. "Whatever happens in Marbella stays in Marbella."

"Thanks sis," said Julia, hoped she would not make Justine an accomplice to a lie.

"No, thank you," said Justine. "I've always wanted to say a line like that."

Julia sat down again, and Paul took her hand under the table. She felt a tingle at his touch. He looked into her blue eyes, noticing the anticipation and fear they held. "Thanks,' he whispered, and she felt fluttery in her stomach. Could she say no to him a second time?

Dinner was excellent, and the friendly conversation continued. Julia sat at the head of the table so everyone could talk to her. She felt special as the only woman in the company of a mixed bag of men. As Jim leaned over to pour more wine, he asked, "Where do you think Adam is taking Justine... to eat?"

"Stop it," said Harry, "Your ship sailed when she saw you were in your third trimester."

"She said they were going up the road to a village called Ronda," Julia replied.

"It's very famous. The home of Spanish bullfighting. Very popular with the Brits, as too are the woods outside of town," Harry added with a smirk.

Julia was alarmed. "What do you mean?"

Harry continued. "The bit of woodland on the hillside has its own name amongst the British ex pat community. They call it Dogger Bank." Everyone laughed at the pun, but Julia remained clueless.

"You're worried about Justine, aren't you?" said Paul, and Julia nodded. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Dogging is where couples drive to an outdoor spot and have sex in their car with the aim or attracting an audience and maybe even participants."

Julia looked at Paul's face in shock. "She likes Adam, and knows how the evening will end, but I don't think she wants a crowd or anything else."

Julia excused herself and made a call on her mobile. It took ages to connect. Julia said she was okay and asked how it was going with Adam. Justine sounded so excited Julia hesitated about telling her what the guys had said, but Justine sensed she was holding back and forced it out of her. "Thanks, sis. I know you are only looking out for me." Julia could hear the disappointment in her voice.

"Justine, he may not be like that at all. Don't spoil your evening for something that might never happen. I wish I had said nothing, but want you to be safe."

"I understand. I have to go sis, he's coming back from the loo. Bye." Julia looked at her phone for a few seconds and hoped everything would be okay for her sister.

Back at the table Paul asked if Justine was okay. He was a caring person, and that added yet one more item to the lengthy list of reasons Julia wanted him. The list of why not contained only one item? She was married to Martin, and she loved him.

"You don't have a dog then?" Jim joked.

"Okay, so now you all know I didn't know what dogging is. Not that long ago I discovered roasting." They all laughed, and Julia thought how it sounded and turned scarlet. "I can't believe I said that," she wailed through fingers covering her embarrassed face. "It wasn't me who got roasted," she added; then thinking again she said, "And It wasn't Justine either. Oh god, what am I saying? This is so embarrassing."

"Better quit while you're behind love," said Paul, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Anyway, how's the knee?" Alan asked, coming to her rescue by changing the subject.

"Much better now, thank you," said a grateful Julia. "He really is a physiotherapist."

"Let me see then," said Paul.

Julia pushed the chair back and opened the front of her wrap-around skirt. She felt like she was stripping for him to inspect her, and another shiver went through her. "Very nice," he said. Julia looked up to see the other guys had stood up to look. "Well, my learned colleagues, what do you think?"

"I agree. Very nice," said Harry.

"You perverts can sit down now and stop making the lady feel uncomfortable," Alan ordered.

"So, you didn't believe he was a physiotherapist?" said Simon.

Before Julia could answer, Gerry jumped, "I can't believe he's not gay. Have you seen his hands and that little shirt thing he wears when he is working? Like a dentist. That has got to be the gayest uniform ever."

"Enough of your fantasies," said Simon with a theatrical sniff. "But with your interior designs skills Paul, there's always a place for you on our team." He added with a camp air kiss for effect. "Paul did a fantastic job on Teri's place, but he won't touch ours," he added petulantly.

"There are only so many hours in the day," Paul pleaded." Besides, she was a special case."

Julia saw her opening to probe for more information about Teri. "Paul didn't tell me how he met his wife."

"Oh, she's not his wife. Not yet, anyway," said Andy quickly.

"Tell her the story of how you met Teri, Paul. I love that story," said Harry, the drink was affecting him. "Tell her, or we'll tell her."

Paul sighed and settled back in his chair. For the first time, he could not look Julia in the eye.

"Three years ago, I was in the office one lunchtime when I heard a noise in reception and excused myself from the client. Brenda, our receptionist, is a sweet old lady, and she was getting an earful from this woman; early thirties, shapely, jet-black hair and the greenest green eyes I had ever seen. She was shouting the odds about being recommended to the practice by a well-known athlete, and complaining she couldn't get a convenient appointment. He was a friend of mine, so I tried to smooth things over."

Harry grinned at Paul and Julia knew something salacious was coming.

"Teri stood there, hands on hips, wearing her legal blouse and intimidating court room stare. She tried to intimidate me with the silence. But I was patient, so she cracked first. I told her we were fully booked and recommended someone else. She said she wanted someone who would make allowances for her robust character. I told her I would not make allowances for anyone who was bloody rude, and her demeanour changed. She was a high-flying trial lawyer, defending some gangster at the Old Bailey, and the stress was getting to her. I could see her body was a mass of knots. I took pity and agreed to see her as my last appointment of the day at 7pm. She left in a more pleasant frame of mind."

"This is the good bit." Harry smiled in anticipation.

Paul frowned at him. "Teri came back late at 7.15 pm with the same shit attitude. I told her she could have called to warn me she would be late, and I was going home. Suddenly, she was sobbing. We went back into the empty office and while she's drying her eyes; I sat her on a chair and went to work on her shoulders. My hands are powerful, but I struggled to make an impact on the tension in that woman's back. After about 30 minutes, she loosened up. She said it felt like I had lifted a weight from her. I saw another person sat in the chair. Like the angry lion with the thorn removed from its paw. We got talking, and she was pleasant company. Teri was out of my world, but sharp and interesting. It got to half-past eight, and I had to leave and she had to return to her office to work on counter arguments for the morning. I wished her good luck for the rest of the case and told her to drop a cheque in the post when she had time. Teri looked disappointed. She hoped I would look after her until the case was over and then she could become a normal client. I agreed, so she came every other day at 7pm. It was ways the same. For the first ten minutes, she was the bitch from hell, so I told her to either come at 10 past seven or leave the bitch at her office. She told me later I was a lion tamer. I said I was not sticking my head in her mouth for any money."

Harry leaned in to hurry Paul on. "Teri called me the day before summing up for the defence. It was not a day that I normally saw her, but she was in a panic. She told me it all came down to this and she could not be weak in front of a court full of people. I realised how fragile she was beneath that confident exterior. I went to her office, and I worked on her in a small meeting room."

"The next day she phoned and said she had news but would tell me at our last session. She came in wearing her serious court face. She would not tell me the result. I told her to change into her loose clothes for the massage and she left the room. I thought it had gone badly for her. She came back in and I heard her say I'm ready for you. I turned around and there she stood in her court gown and wig, high heels, black stockings and nothing else. I thought I'd played it cool hiding my attraction, but she called my bluff big time. She had champagne glasses, and we toasted her success. She said it was my success too, because things were not going well before she saw me. I asked her what was going to happen now, and she told me to get on the table because it was her turn to work me over. And she did."

"I love that story. Why doesn't stuff like that happen to me?" wailed a now drunk Harry.

"Could it be because you drive a forklift truck all day?" said Jim. They all laughed except for Paul.

The matter-of-fact way he told it shocked Julia. She felt jealous of the scheming legal bitch who snared him with cunning and sex. If that's the woman he wanted, why was he interested in her? She reconsidered the way Paul told the story. It was almost a lament. A parable to warn the foolhardy like himself. She looked into his eyes when he could face her. There was no ego, no boastful pride. Just a man trapped in an unhappy situation. She smiled at him, and she saw his eyes moisten in a grateful understanding.

"So, you know this story already?" said Julia, her voice sounding thick.

"Oh yes. Teri who told us when we asked the same question. She was letting us know she had put her mark on him. Hands off you faggots he's mine," said Alan.

"Oh, Alan, give up, she's not that bad."

"That's a discussion for another day, Paul."

On queue to rescue everyone from an embarrassing situation, in walked the group of Swedes. Victors in the afternoon golf match. Gerry called them over. Two men and three women. In the larger group, the conversation broke down into twos and threes. Paul looked at Julia." Let's get out of here. I need some air, and I want to be alone with you." He took her hand and soon they were out of the noisy restaurant and walking down the steps that led to the beach. They walked in silence, enjoying each other's company.

"Alan doesn't like Teri, does he?" said Julia.

"He thinks she is manipulative, and she needs me, but doesn't love me. He says if I don't do something soon, I will become so seduced by our comfortable lifestyle, I'll lose the courage to leave her."

"And what do you think about what Alan thinks?" said Julia.

"I think he's right," said Paul. He pulled Julia to him and kissed her. She put up her hands to stop him. But they had the strength of pipe cleaners. After an age, he pulled away from her. His eyes blazed. "Because when I touch you, when I kiss you, when I think of you, I feel more alive than I have done in ages." He pulled her to his chest once more and she could feel his heart beating. She clung on to him. She didn't know herself anymore. The old Julia was being replaced by someone much more sensual. She grabbed his head and kissed him back. She was lost in him. Who would save her?

"I want to dance with you on the beach," he said.

"But there's nothing here."

"Oh yes there is, but it only comes out at night, like magic."

They walked down the beach for half a mile until the sounds and lights of the hotels faded behind them and the only light was from the stars and a big yellow moon. They had one hand in each other's and their shoes in the spare one. The cool sand soothed their feet. Every time they looked at each other they were grinning like two mad people and the walk had many stops for essential kissing. Julia did not know where Paul was taking her, but she felt safe in his company. They came around a corner to an inlet where the sea took temporary ownership of the beach at high tide. Here were half a dozen fishing boats. A small open fire and the lights from a temporary cafe stand provided the only illumination. This secret world enchanted Julia.

"I found this place not long after we arrived, but I never thought I would find someone to share it with." Paul led her around a well-trodden path towards the cafe.

"For centuries, husband-and-wife teams have crewed these boats. They cast their nets. Come here to talk and go back early in the morning to collect the fish. The fish are wary of the boats, so this method works well."

They were the only tourists in the little bay. In fact, they were the only people apart from the fishermen and women. In a mixture of hand gestures and pointing, Paul ordered two coffees and the Spanish equivalent of Calvados brandy. The warm brandy hit the back of Julia's throat, causing it to burn before setting fire to her stomach. After the alcohol at the dinner and Paul's company, she was light-headed. "You promised me dancing," she said, taking his hand.

He went back to the cafe and stuck his head over the counter. "La musica, por favor. "The man produced a battered CD player and a selection of disks. Paul shuffled them, made his choice and placed the CD player on an upturned bucket. He'd found a

Burt Bacharach's Greatest Hits

album and the strains of '

What the world needs now,'

drifted over them. He put his arms around Julia and they swayed on the soft sand.

"You're taking no prisoners, are you?" Julia clung on to him, wanting to record this magical moment on a videotape memory.

"Are we still in a battle?" Paul asked.

"No, I think I surrendered on the path from the hotel." Julia closed her eyes and drifted with him. By the time the CD got to Dusty Springfield singing `

The Look of Love

,' they were clinging to each other like their lives depended on it.

Julia opened her eyes. "Look Paul, look." He looked up and saw all the fishermen and woman were dancing slowly. One or two of the old men had begrudging, `look what you've gone and done' expressions on their faces, but all the women no matter their ages shared Julia's dreamlike state, remembering when life was so intense.

Eventually, the music stopped and the cafe owner said it was time for them to set off if they wanted to catch any fish that night. The fishermen and women went back to their boats, and the cafe owner collected his glasses and CD player. Julia and Paul watched their boats depart and waved to them. In 15 minutes, it was as if they had never been there.

Paul read her mind. "It happened Julia, we were here and whatever else happens it will always be here in our minds."

Julia was pensive on the way back to the hotel. This was the moment of truth? Was she going to sleep with him, or turn him down and ruin the most romantic, magical night she could remember? He gave voice to her fears. "Julia, I have never felt like this about anybody before and it's convinced me the life I am living is a lie. I know it's not the same for you. You have a life that has worked pretty well for a long time and you don't want to risk that and hurt other people."

She nodded in silence.

"Will you give me something, Julia?"

"What's that, Paul?" she asked.

"Give me one more day. Give me tomorrow. I want to take you somewhere."

"Okay, then tomorrow. Where are we going?"

"To another world. We are going to Morocco. There's a coach that leaves from reception at 7 am. That gives us 5 hours of beauty sleep."

"A whole five hours." Julia leaned her head on his shoulder as they climbed the steps to the hotel and back into the world they had briefly left behind.

Julia found texts from Martin, and Justine as she changed for bed. She read Justine's first, guilty at the thought of having to speak to Martin after all that had happened.

Julia, I won't be home tonight. Place to yourself (wink). Adam booked a lovely guest house. No mention of you-know-where. Looks like he's a good'un. Hope so, Justine x.