Looking out of the window of her classroom, Victoria Redcliffe daydreamed before settling down to the large pile of marking she had to do for the end of year assessment. She loved being a teacher, but did hate marking papers and completing report cards. Being her first year out of Uni, she felt she had something to prove and worked hard for her students to make each lesson interesting and make her classroom as exciting as it could be.
It was pouring with rain and a cold wind was blowing, giving her goose bumps. Unfortunately, Victoria had one of the older classrooms in the school which was in dire need of refurbishment. The roof leaked in places, the window panes rattled and a cold breeze whistled under the door. She marked a few papers, but her fingers were going numb. Victoria picked up her marking and popped it into a red bag she kept under her desk just for that purpose and grabbed her handbag. She would get more done sitting at home; at least she wouldn't be cold.
It was getting dark as Victoria locked the classroom and walked under the covered area to get to the staff car park. Unfortunately, her car was at the end so she was going to get drenched from the rain. Pulling her coat together, she tucked her handbag and marking bag under her coat and started to run as fast as she could in her grey slim skirt and black heels. It wasn't easy, actually, it was bloody hard and her shoes and stockings were getting muddier by the second. After racing to her car, she realised she hadn't got her keys out. Standing in the rain, trying to fumble through her handbag, she dropped all of her assessment pieces.
"Oh damn it," she mumbled, reaching down to pick them up before they were ruined completely.
Scrambling them back in her bag, she was startled as a male dressed in black reached down to help her. Victoria was grateful for the assistance although she had no idea who he was. He was at least 50 with dark hair, greying at the temples, towering over Victoria's 5'8" frame. Shivering from the cold, she thanked him again, asking his name as she unlocked her car door.
"You may call me Paul," he answered gently.
Feeling slightly intimidated by him she closed her door and started her car as Paul went back to his in the car park. Victoria turned the key again, but nothing. Banging her fists on the steering wheel, she tried again and that is when she noticed her lights must have been on all day.
Victoria slumped on the wheel and started to cry. She really had enough of the day and just wanted it to end. Victoria jumped as she heard a tapping on the driver's side window. It was that man again, Paul, standing in the pouring rain with a large umbrella. She wound her window down and wiped her tears.
"Can I offer you a ride Victoria?" Paul asked her in a deep voice that made Victoria shiver. Who was this man? Why was he in the car park and how did he know her name? Paul opened her car door and offered his hand, no words spoken. Victoria was hesitant but took his hand, grabbed her purse and locked the car, then proceeded to his car, her hand still in his. Paul opened her door for her and stood and waited until she was in properly and then closed the door.
Paul got in the driver's side and began to drive to the short distance to his house. Victoria sat shivering, not really noticing where they were going until the car arrived in his driveway. Looking around, trying to see outside in the dimming light where she was. Victoria was about to say something to Paul but he put his finger to her lips, indicating she should be quiet.
"Come on Lil One, lets get you dry," Paul spoke softly to her.
Confused why he called her that, and who he was she followed him inside his house, taking off her wet shoes at the door and closing the door behind her. What was it about this man? This was very un-Victoria thing to do; something so spontaneous like this with someone she had never met, but there was something mystical about this man that drew Victoria in.
Victoria followed him through to the lounge and Paul pointed out where the bathroom was if she wanted to have a nice long hot shower while he started a fire. Paul also mentioned there was a soft warm robe on the back of the bathroom door.
"Go on Lil One, I know you want to," Paul smiled softly at her.
The sound of that hot shower was so inviting, Victoria walked to the bathroom door and closed the door. She looked around at the beautiful appointed taps and accessories and ran her cold fingers over the soft, fluffy towels, which were on towel warmers. Turning on the taps she stepped out of her wet clothes and let the warm water spray over her shivering body. Grabbing the scented soap she washed her body, rubbing her aching legs with her hands – one of the side effects of wearing heels all day. Not wanting to take too long, Victoria turned off the taps and stepped out of the shower and put the soft warm towel around her. Paul was right, she did feel better but she didn't put on a robe like he suggested – she started putting her wet clothes on again. She planned to thank him and grab a cab home.
