Chapter 1
Diane found herself in need of a lodger. She was starting to struggle with paying the mortgage for the Georgian town house she'd been left with after the death of her husband. Her job at the university paid well but she was still finding it hard to make ends meet. They'd managed it on both their incomes but now it was beginning to show that she needed help. She was also finding the place increasingly empty, the noise and bustle of a family, the laughter, it had been such a happy place. She wanted some company, now, after grieving for so long, she finally wanted people in the house again and she'd decided that she was in the ideal place to fill her house, students! She worked on the university campus so she had access to any amount of young, fun people who, she felt, could once again bring some joy to the once cheerful building. She'd elected to put up small ads on the notice boards around the campus that day as Diane had finally emerged from the cloud that had lingered so long over her and it was time to, how was it the youth put it? Carpe diem!!
She'd made up the room in the loft of the three-story house, so whoever moved in could have as much isolation from the rest of the house as she could afford, but the bathroom on the second floor would be shared and so would the kitchen. In fact, she didn't care if they roamed the whole house, just her room was off limits. She'd also let her friends know and Joanna was on the look-out around the student union, where she worked as a secretary and John, her husband's best friend, was also asking students around the campus he thought Diane may get on well with but as of yet there were no replies.
Dougal had finally decided to give up commuting up to college from home as the work load was becoming ever more difficult with all the travel. It was great living at home as it meant he didn't have to pay for anything but as well as the job he had secured at the local coffee shop, local to the Uni, he was also missing out on student life's, going out and getting rowdy with his friends, not that he really wanted to do that but he did miss out on the odd party he would love to have gone to, especially to meet potential girls, of which he was becoming more and more interested in, especially now he was losing his youthful charms, and spots, and becoming a man. Basically, he wanted sex, any sex would do, even a peck on the cheek, because he'd barely touched a girl, apart from the occasional brush of a hand over a coffee cup at work. He would flush from the embarrassment and try desperately to hide the inevitable bulge in his trousers. God, he hated these impulses.
That day in class he saw Prof. Tiller putting up a note on the message board as he wandered down the hall to his English class with him.
"What's that?" He asked Prof Tiller, fairly stupidly.
"Well, young man, as you are doing fairly well in my English class, I think you will find the reading of said ad will divulge the reason for me posting said piece of paper onto said message board in order for said students to read and digest said information." He smiled at Dougal and walked off into his lecture theatre. Dougal read the note and was thankful he was the first to see the note and quickly removed it from the notice board.
WANTED
Person required to help brighten and fill a large house with conversation learning and fun.
Mrs Jones.
Please ask for details.
"Professor? Professor? Do you have Mrs Jones telephone number, please, I would like to ask her for the room." The Professor looked up from his desk at the boy waving the piece of paper in front of him.
"Have you just taken that note from the board, Mr James? How will the other students be able to contest you for the room if you have taken away their chance of competition?" Professor Tiller confronted Dougal.
"Erm, well, the way I see it, sir is that I have narrowed the field by the removal of said notice and I am desperate for a room nearer college as all the travelling is starting to take its toll on my work at college and at work and my social life."
"Very good, Mr James, I shall give you Mrs Jones' telephone number." With that the professor wrote the number on the back of the slip of paper, raised his head and smiled again. "I hope you do well, young man, she's a fine woman and you will be able to keep her entertained on the long winters nights with your wit and repartee!"
"Thank you, sir, I will try my best to fulfil the requirements of an interesting housemate." He quickly rushed from the room and phoned the number hoping to secure an interview. He rushed back into the class and went to take his seat for the lesson barely able to contain his excitement. He thought he'd blown the chance of finding a place, not having looked over the summer break and now all the best places would have gone leaving only the desperate! Like him, to fill the worst rooms. His excitement was borne from Prof. Tiller, who surely wouldn't be putting up, and endorsing someone awful, would he? Dougal found a message on his phone after his class from Mrs Jones asking if he could make an appearance at her house that evening! He called back straight away arranging a viewing for that very evening.
All afternoon at his job in the coffee shop his excitement grew and couldn't stop watching the interminable movement of the clock that seemed to have stopped working! He was nearing the end of his shift when disaster struck. Gill, his workmate and buddy, hadn't secured the lid on the milkshake mixer and as he walked past the lid finally had enough of attempting to retain the orange liquid inside and threw its lid into the air. Orange, carrot and mango ice cream smoothie spluttered and flew out of the flask and up into the air.
