"Hi Dad, how's it going?" My daughter Ellie greeted me as I answered her FaceTime call.
"Fine, and you?" We chatted for a while catching up on events in our respective lives. She was married to a great guy, Ben and they had a delightful couple of daughters now aged, six and three. They lived in Devon and I didn't get to see them as often as I'd like, I tried to go down during the school holidays when I could, and loved being with them.
I was a school teacher, and divorced from Ellie's mother, it hadn't been a particularly pleasant divorce, but we did try to keep the acrimony between ourselves rather than share it with the rest of the family. Anyway that was all behind me now. I was still single, rarely dated and although I'd had a few one night stands, few had seemed worth pursuing. Nevertheless I was content, I enjoyed my golf and the occasional holiday in the sun.
"I did have a bit of an ulterior motive in calling you Dad, and I've got a favour to ask. How do you fancy a free holiday in sunny Devon?"
"Where it rains six days out of seven." I finished the saying for her, "What's the problem?"
"Well you know that Claudie hasn't been well lately," Claudie was the family cat, "well the Vet has advised that we don't put her in the cattery when we go away in August, so I was wondering if you'd come down and cat sit for us?" I mentally ran through my diary and what I had to do, and decided that most things could wait or even be done in Devon, so I agreed to help out, already planning in my mind a couple of rounds of golf at the local courses.
"Thanks Dad, you're a godsend." We chatted for a bit longer then hung up. Already I was looking forward to my little break and my mind was going through how I was going to spend my time. Claudie would be no problem, she was getting on a bit and really only wanted to be fed, sleep all day and have warm lap in the evening to curl up on.
Two days before my little trip and I was all organised, I'd booked a couple of rounds of golf, the local Pro's confident they could find someone for me to play with, and I'd even researched a couple of walks up on Dartmoor, centred around a pub or two. When my FaceTime chirped again I was surprised to see my daughter's face looking more than a little unhappy. "What's up Ellie?"
"There's been an almighty cock-up and that idiot husband of mine has only gone and arranged for his Aunt Beth to come down and cat sit while we're away. He's not said a word to me about it, although he claims he did, so now we've got both of you planning to come down."
"Don't worry, I can cancel if you like."
"It's such a shame, I know how much you were looking forward to it, so I've got a suggestion. How about you both still come down. We've got room and Beth is OK, she's even a keen golfer so you'd have something in common."
I thought about it, I'd met Beth a couple of times at various family events, and indeed she was a very nice person, about my age and fairly attractive if a little forthright. "Well if Beth is OK with that...." I left it hanging.
"Yes, we've already spoken to her and she's OK so that's settled. I'm glad it's all worked out and Claudie will get a choice of laps to sit on."
So it was that on the appointed day I drove down, taking about four hours and as I parked on their drive, two very excited kids tore out of the house, "Grandad, Grandad, we're going on holiday and you and Aunt Beth are going to look after Claudie." Ellie came out smiling, exhorting them in vain to calm down and we all walked into the house together holding hands.
Beth turned up about half an hour later and we greeted each other with an air kiss and light hug. She was pretty much as I'd remembered her, tall with a lithe body, bobbed light brown hair and a lovely smile. She was had on a pair of shorts and her legs were nicely toned. She was wearing a V-neck tee shirt that showed a pleasing amount of tanned cleavage.
Over a bite to eat we were given our instructions regarding Claudie, what food to give her, the pills she had to take, and then where she liked to sleep. "Speaking of which," Ellie said, "One of you can have our bed, but I'm afraid the other will have to sleep in Sarah's single, unless of course you want to share?" she added impishly.
I decided to be gallant, "I'm happy with the single," I offered, more than half expecting Beth to say the same as I was the larger of the two of us, but she thanked me graciously and said with a twinkle in her eye, she was sure she'd be very comfortable in the double. That would teach me for being polite I thought.
Ellie, Ben and the two kids finished packing the car and Ellie came and gave me a big hug, "Thanks for this Dad, I'm sure you'll get on fine," then they set off, everyone waving. Beth and I turned back into the house and I carried both bags in, setting hers down in the much larger double bedroom.
"Can I tempt you with a glass of wine in say, half an hour?" I offered.
"Always! Let me freshen up and I'll see you downstairs."
I unpacked and having poured myself a beer, went out onto the patio where Beth joined me. We sat and chatted amiably, she too was a teacher, of primary children whereas I taught teenagers, but we had much in common. She asked what I'd got planned for the week or so we were there, and I told her I planned to play some golf and indeed had a tee time booked for the next day. "Do you mind if I join you?" she asked, "I've brought my sticks with me."
"Of course not," I replied, actually thinking it wold be quite nice, as long as she played a reasonable game, "What do you have planned?"