It was June of that 2nd year after the events at church view. I was 36 and probably looking the best I had since before having my 2 boys. Thanks to the excercise and dieting, my weight had gone down to comparable with what I was before the kids came along.
Things were more or less the same with us. John still busy with the taxi. Me taking care of things at home. Only real difference was our 2 boys had moved up from primary to big school, they now caught a bus instead of walking.
Myself and john were at this stage, still entrenched in our fantasy world. We were, at this stage, still amusing ourselves by me dressing in skimpy clothes and going out with the explicit purpose of being gawped at by sex hungry guys....crude....but effective.
It served our purposes.
What we needed, craved in fact, was our first real experience.
And this, is exactly what we were about to get....
It so happened that some work needed doing on the house. Nothing serious, just a new paint job upstairs. All the bedrooms, landing area including the woodwork, banister, doors, door frames etc.
I was willing to do it but before I could, one of John's friends at work made a suggestion.....
He had had some painting work done recently and the guy who did it was very good and cheap, plus he lived locally.
The guy's name was neil.
Neil was to became the opportunity we had been looking for.
Neil, would not have been my first choice if I were honest....for a 'bit on the side'.
Short, fat, balding. In his early fifties. My first impressions upon meeting him were not good. The guy was unbelievably shy and quiet. Very timid and nervous, especially around me. He was better with john but not much.
He wouldn't even look me in the eye at first. It appeared he was very nervous around women.
John later confirmed this through his friend at work. Apparently this friend knew neil a little before he did the painting work. Neil was well known as an 'oddball'.
He still lived in the family home he grew up in with his mum. Practically a recluse, nobody saw much of him outside his painting and decorating work.
According to John's friend, neil had never been seen with a woman. And yes, it was well known he was very nervous around women.
Upon seeing him and experiencing his behaviour we were a little reluctant to hire him but the quote he gave us was way cheaper than expected and according to my hubby's friend, neil did a 'bloody good job'.
So, one monday morning on a hot day in june, neil arrived at our home to start work.
It was 9 on the dot when I heard a knock on the door. A moment I had not been looking forward to. I was alone, john was off at work and the boys had gone to school half hour earlier.
I opened the door forcing a cheery smile and bid neil a good morning, inviting him in.
In a comical moment neil, glanced into my eyes briefly, then quickly looked away while nodding. A nervous smile floated across his chubby face amid a barely audible.
"Hi...pippa"
Although daunted at the prospect of having this strange man in my house for most of the day, I instinctively knew he was harmless. Yes he was weird, but not creepy weird, just plain weird.
In fact, as the day went on I found myself beginning to like neil, he had an almost childlike innocent quality about him that I found appealing.
He got set up upstairs and got on with the preparation work. I just went about my business downstairs including going for my regular morning walk which took about an hour and half.
The thought of leaving him alone in the house did concern me a little, but what could I do? I couldn't stay in all day it would drive me nuts.
It was indeed a long day, the boys returned from school at 4, neil packed up and left at 5 and john was home to join us for tea at 5.30.
Neil had got off to a good start, if a little slow. He had done some excellent work. It looked like everything was going to be ok.
Tuesday was the same, all normal. Although, I had developed this uneasy feeling while I was out walking. Like something was happening at the house and I needed to get back
Same again wednesday, that odd feeling. I only got it when I left the house.....left neil alone. It wasn't a creepy, uneasy feeling, but more suspicious uneasy.
During the day neil kept upstairs, he had the upstairs bathroom and I brought him cups of tea and biscuits which he nervously accepted with a barely audible
"Thank you pippa"
Always very polite.