'til fate do they part. Part 3 of 6 parts
Life went on as usual for a couple of weeks. Jayne kept in touch with Liz and we learned that John was getting stronger though still needed to be made comfortable before nightfall. I called in a couple of times and John and I talked about work and other non-consequential stuff. We never mentioned what went on between Liz and him. Then, one evening, Jayne 'phoned asking to speak to Liz. From the conversation, I could make out that Jayne was asking if we could see to John one evening as Jayne clearly wasn't going to be about. The conversation ended and Liz returned to the room. Jayne had asked if we were able to call in the evening after next as Jayne had a chance to attend a concert with Tony. I said that was fine.
'I can go on my own,' said Liz, 'we don't both need to be there.'
I looked at her and inclined my head in a silent question.
'I'd prefer to go on my own.' She said, and then paused.
I went to ask her things, but before I could speak, she beat me to it (again)
'I'm going on my own.'
Liz left the house in the late afternoon, reckoning that she'd be a couple of hours. We hadn't spoken about her going since Jayne's 'phone call. She'd dressed the part and was clearly intending to repeat the experience with John. On the way out, she turned, the keys of the car in her hand.
She hesitated and said, 'I'm soaked already.'
With that, she turned and left.
It was a strange and seemingly long evening. I poured a glass of well chilled white Burgundy, took out a couple of thin, dry biscuits to complement it and sat outside in the garden with the newspaper. I read, and reread, the same page a couple of times before giving it up as a bad job as I couldn't concentrate. As the evening light faded, I moved into the summerhouse, taking the bottle of wine and sat there watching the sun go down, my mind all over the place as I thought of Liz, possibly masturbating John, just a few miles away. By the time I heard the car draw up, I'd had more than half of the wine and was feeling somewhat laid-back. I felt good and ready for anything; I was also turned-on in anticipation of what may follow.
Liz entered the garden and, alerted by the open door of the summerhouse, headed towards it. I got up to greet her, somewhat unsteady on my feet.
''Drink?' I asked, indicating the wine.
'I'll have a gin and tonic instead please,' she said, 'and easy on the tonic.'
This surprised me as she was meticulous in the standard of her gin and tonic, but I didn't ask. She passed me and sat down. As she did, my mind registered something, but it was lost in the haze of my head as I made for the house to make her drink. I made it as she had asked, light on the tonic. I dropped in some ice and a slice of lime and took it out to her.
As I handed her the drink, I saw what it was that had caught my peripheral vision.
'What happened to your hair?' I asked. It looked different; areas of it looked as if it had been combed when still wet.
She didn't answer immediately; instead she took a healthy swig of her drink.