Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.
"What you need is a good shag." Nadine Fellows said as she finished taking a sip of wine from her glass.
She looked across the table at the Castle Hotel in Taunton at her friend Natasha Wagstaffe and smiled.
"I don't think so." Natasha frowned as she replied causing the end of her nose to screw up slightly.
"Well." Nadine wasn't going to leave this particular bone alone. "When was the last time?"
"What?"
"You know. When you went with a man."
"Shush." Natasha hissed glancing furtively around the three parts filled restaurant. "People will hear."
Nobody seemed to be taking the slightest interest in them.
"Well." Nadine insisted. "When was it?"
"Phil." Natasha sighed.
"But you haven't seen him since you left Music College."
"I know." Natasha studied the remains on her plate. "Since what happened in Germany I don't know. I just don't want to."
"I'm sure you do."
Natasha clenched the tops of her thighs together. From the response of her body to her own touch while she had lain in bed that morning she did. But since the year before when she had been in Germany and she had been made to lay naked on the floor of her brother David's bands coach and expose herself to those men while they broadcast pictures of her onto the internet and then later to be threatened with rape in front of a bank of cameras she hadn't felt able to relax with men. Not that she hadn't had plenty of offers. She smiled to herself when she thought back to her visit to the States three months before to watch David's final concert on his current tour.
She'd been invited up on stage and had played the piano on one of the bands songs. David's wife, Marianne still wanted her to record some songs with her after she had had her baby. She might do it after all.
After the concert and the party she that followed it she had gone to New England and stayed with Ashley Wolfenstein for a week. That had been nice with the long horse-rides through the forests or boating on the lakes during the day and Barbeques in the evenings. Then going to the dance in the local village hall on the Friday night. They could have caught the train to New York and gone to any number of clubs and bars but it had been up to her Ashley had said and so she choose the local event.
Josh had been nice. Acted like the perfect gentleman. She'd enjoyed that night more than she could remember.
"What are you thinking about?" Nadine broke into her thoughts.
"Just somebody I met in America."
"What was he like?" Nadine asked.
"He was really nice."
"When are you seeing him again?"
Acted like the perfect gentleman Josh had. Until her last night. She had let him kiss her in his pickup. She hadn't really minded when he had felt one of her breasts through her shirt and bra. She had felt the stirrings beginning inside her. Felt the moisture gathering between her legs. Legs he had tried to force apart with his hand.
"I don't think I will be." Natasha replied.
No. She thought. She'd jumped like a virgin. Cried out loud and slapped his hand away.
They hadn't spoken a word on the drive home but she could sense his anger and frustration. Then when he'd turned towards her when he pulled up outside the front door of the Wolfenstein ranch she'd leapt from the vehicle before he could say a word.
No. She didn't think she'd see Josh again.
"So what are you going to do now?" Nadine asked realising she wasn't going to get anything more from Natasha about her love life.
"I'm helping out at the local school where my mother is head-teacher. Giving music lessons and organising the Christmas concert."
"You're not going to do that for the rest of your life."
"I don't know." Natasha contradicted her. "It has been a lot of fun." She had been dubious at first but eventually gave in to her Mother. And it was a lot of fun. She was seriously considering going to teacher training college and taking a certificate in education. She might sound out her mother's friend Shirley. She was a deputy chief education officer for the region. She would know all about it. She couldn't ask her mother. Not until she had made up her mind.
"What about your career as a musician?"
A waiter stopped at their table and placed a folded bill on a silver dish next to Natasha. Natasha took her Debit card from her purse and placed it on top of it.
"Hardly a career." Natasha pursed her lips. "The glamorous quartet thing had been done before. That didn't last long."
"I meant with David's band."
"I don't think I'm cut out for that life."
Drugs, drink and casual sex. No. That life wasn't for her. She didn't think it was really for David either. The group had done well. They had made a lot of money but there had been tensions between David and the others at the end of their last tour. He was married now and Marianne was expecting their baby. He told her he was thinking of concentrating on writing and producing. The house he was having built outside Bath was going to be fitted with its own recording studio. If anybody were to ask her she would have to say she didn't think the band would tour again.
She looked across the table at Nadine.
"I'm sorry. I'm not feeling that talkative today." She said.
"Yes. What you need is a good shag."
Chapter 2.
They collected their coats from the cloakroom in the foyer of the hotel and walked out into the grey November afternoon. It had been raining and Natasha skipped over a small puddle.
"Well I have to go back to work." Nadine said leaning forward and kissing Natasha on the cheek. "Don't forget tomorrow evening. We are all meeting in the pub at eight."
"I don't know." Natasha hesitated, not wanting to refuse the invitation to a night out outright. "I'll try."
"You be there." Nadine urged. "Now promise."
"Alright." Natasha gave in. "I'll be there."
"And catch a Taxi." Nadine said looking at her wristwatch. "I don't want to hear any silliness about you not being able to drink because you are driving. Now I must rush or I'll be late and Steve might make me stay behind after work. With any luck."
"I don't know how you can." Natasha was still shocked from hearing that her friend was the lover of her father's partner.
"Steve's lovely. I bet you would."
"No. It would be too much like going with my father. I've known him all my life."
"Now there's somebody." Nadine half smiled.
"You leave my father alone." Natasha replied indignantly.
"Oh, he's safe. I doubt if he's ever looked at anyone other than your mother. Still, he is nice. I'm off. See you tomorrow."
"Bye." Natasha raised her hand and watched Nadine's back as she disappeared beneath the archway into the main street where her father's firm of accountants had its offices. "Natasha!"
Natasha turned to face the direction the voice had come from and saw a tall, thin man walking towards her. She stared for a few seconds then recognition dawned.
"Hello Trevor. How are you?" She asked.
Trevor stopped in front towering over her.
"I thought it was you. But I wasn't certain. You're looking well."
He spoke in a rush.
"I'm fine Trevor." Natasha replied. "How long has it been? It must be six years."
"Nearer seven. I qualified as a vet."
"I am pleased for you. That's what you always wanted. Have you moved back here?"
"Yes. I'm the junior in a practice in Wellington. What are you doing? How's that pop-star brother of yours?"
"He's fine. Going to be a father soon."
"I read that in the papers." Trevor looked her up and down. "And what about you?"
"I'm not going to have a baby." Natasha smiled up at him. He blushed. She could always make him do that.
"I didn't mean that." He looked everywhere but at her. "Do you? Are you?"
"No." Nat shook her head slowly. "I'm between boyfriends, if that was what you meant?"
Trevor hesitated over what he was about to say next. Nat waited. Then waited some more.
"I'm sorry Trevor." She broke the silence. "I have to go. I'm working at my mother's school. You must come around one evening. David would love to see you. We're all staying at our parents."
I still live with them. She almost added. Twenty-three and still living at home.
"Do you want to go out for a drink one night?"
He'd finally asked.
"Sure. We'll make up a party with David and Marianne. Nobody bothers David in the village pub. Len kicks out anybody who tries."
"That would be good."
"See you soon. I'm glad you qualified. Bye."
Nat turn away and walked to where her mother's people carrier was parked. She opened the door and climbed in, looking back towards where Trevor still stood. He always had been a little wet. Not musical at all. Then there had always been the smell of the farmyard about him. He was thin. But then he had always been thin ever since she could remember him. A qualified vet and he was sort of handsome.
She smiled at him as she pulled away and waved. He raised a hand slowly in return.
Nadine was right. She could do with good shag.
Chapter 3.
There was the sound of somebody playing the piano in the music room as Nat opened the front door to her parent's house with her key. David's Saab was parked nearest to the front door with a MG sports car parked next to it. She recognised it as belonging to 'H', Artworks manager. She wondered what he wanted.
The rehearsal had gone well in school. Her mother was working on for a while and her father seldom got home before six. She was going to have a long soak in her bath. That was a nice tune. Slow. But all David's compositions started out like that. It all changed when 'H' and the other band members got their hands on them. Marianne was starting to sing.
She had to see them. Just tell them she was home.
She opened the door at the end of the corridor and entered the music room which covered the whole ground floor of one of the new wings to the house her parents had had built before she had been born. Marianne was standing beside the piano where she could see and be seen by David who was playing. 'H' was holding what looked like a glass of whisky.
They all looked towards her as she entered and the music and singing stopped.
"Has Nat played it yet?" 'H' asked.
"Not yet." David said, picking at some notes. "It isn't really finished yet. Hi Nat."
"Hello." Nat replied. "Played what? How are you feeling Mari?"
"I'm fine." Marianne replied rubbing her pronounced bump with one hand. "David's been writing some songs. For when we record together."
"I'm still not sure about that." Nat said.
"Come on." Mari urged. "It will be fun."
"A female duo." 'H' said. "There isn't one out there at the moment."
