This is a new story which I've shared elsewhere. I hope you'll enjoy it but if watersports isn't your thing you may prefer to pass it by.
*****
"Well we're here at last!" Sarah exclaimed as she pulled into the carpark. A tatty old sign bore witness to what the place had once been β Drydale Magna Secondary Modern School. A sea of weeds populated what had once been the tennis courts. Rotting and barely visible the old nets were still there, surrounded by nettles and thistles. It would be kind to say that the buildings had a 'tired' look about them β some of the window sills needed replacing and the whole place was badly in need of some TLC. Anne pulled a face and turned to her friend.
"No wonder County Hall let you have it for a song. Just look at the state of it. You've got your work cut out here if you're to make anything decent out of it."
Sarah turned to her friend and smiled.
"You mean we've got our work cut out! Yes the old place will certainly need a bit doing to it but at least it's structurally sound β the surveyor's report says as much. We won't get it the way we want in time for this year's summer course but we can at least make it decent."
Anne gave a little frown.
"Sarah, what's this we all of a sudden? I hope you're not expecting me to weed that tennis court because you can forget it if you are."
Sarah gave her old friend a playful slap on the bum.
"But of course, my dear. Who else? No, seriously you'll be relieved to hear that I'm getting a landscape gardener to come in and tackle that as well as what I presume must have been the old school garden. I need your help though with cleaning, a little joinery as well as choosing the dΓ©cor for the dining hall, lecture room and practical work rooms. You will need to make some decisions about the old assembly hall which doubles up as a gymnasium and, as fitness instructor, will be your personal fiefdom. You will have an office too and you'll have to let me know what you require in there."
Anne cast her friend a quizzical look.
"Sarah, how much time do you expect me to put in here? I mean do you envisage me giving up my job at the college or not?"
Sarah smiled.
"It all depends, Anne. I hope you'll be as generous with your time in helping me to get the place up and running as you can. If it helps you to make a decision, whatever the college pays, I'll pay more. I know your Mondays are precious and you must spend those with Archie. My plan is that once the fitness centre and holding courses get running I'll arrange for students to arrive on Monday afternoons and do their induction then so I won't require your services until Tuesdays. I imagine the college terms will be ending shortly and you'll be free over the summer β at least part of the time β unless you and Archie are planning on going away for eight weeks which I doubt."
"No. We have a break planned in Padstow for the last week in August but that's all. It's a long drive and I'll have to make sure I'm well hydrated before we set off β as well as on route if it's as hot as this. Archie will be stopping at every service station between Yorkshire and Cornwall but I shan't be availing myself of the facilities if I can possibly help it. I'd sooner piss myself than use some of the filthy toilets in those places. After all, what were panties and jeans designed for?"
Sarah laughed.
"That's my girl! Why don't you drive instead and make Archie squirm for once?"
Anne gave her friend a knowing smile.
"What a marvellous idea! No, Archie bursting for a wee isn't fun and Archie in wet pants is even less so."
"You mean Archie wets himself sometimes?"
"Yes it has happened occasionally when he's been genuinely caught short. Not as much as I'd like though because he's one of those people who takes every opportunity to use a toilet β especially when he's a away from home. Some big fish in the diocese has persuaded him that he ought to raise funds for a loo in the tower vestry at Browndale Church. As his wife I can't actively oppose the plan but I won't be supporting it either. They've managed without for 700 years and I think they can still manage. Put it this way, if they do get round to having one, my ass won't be christening it!"
Sarah roared with laughter, involuntarily releasing a couple of spurts into her knickers as she did so.
"That's my Annie! The day you let Archie β or anyone else - boss you around it'll be a first. You're such a card. I nearly pissed myself just then. Come on, I'll show you the dormitories. I'm afraid the beds are all old ex NHS stock but they'll be comfortable enough for our students β at least for the length of time they'll be staying. They're all fitted with mattress protectors β as I'm sure you'll agree we should make a presumption of wet until proven dry where our students are concerned."
"Sarah, just remind me, what will the age of the students be?"
"They'll all be at least eighteen years old or older. In fact the first batch will have an average age that's around double that. Safeguarding will still apply though because whilst in practice they'll all be smart divas who are used to running rings round people we could, theoretically, get one or two whom the world classes as vulnerable adults. I've just got an enhanced DBS disclosure and I'm assuming yours will be transferable from the college."