Chapter 1
Waiting for a vaccine against influenza in the surgery. The waiting room isn't crowded, four other people there as well. My eye catches the gap. I look and quickly glance away, ostensibly reading my paper. I take another quick glance rapidly returning to my paper. Quiet stirring below. Another glance. Damn, caught by a cold eye knowing that I am staring at the gap. Eyes down to paper in embarrassment. What do I do now? What have I got to lose? If I am thwarted again, what's the worst that can happen? I'm only looking and could be looking at something else if challenged. Damn it. I take another look avoiding eye contact. The gap is tantalising, soft, slightly tanned, and smooth with a note of white beyond.
I look up. Caught again like a rabbit. But the face has softened. A hint of a steady smile at my face. I return to the paper. It could be a mistake. But I look again this time at her eyes. She is still smiling at me. I look again at the gap. Whilst my eyes are on the gap I break into a smile myself. I brave it and look up. She's still smiling at me. She lifts and rests her elbows on the back of the chair. The effect is to make the gap slightly wider.
She is subtle, not attracting the attention of the others in the waiting room as she takes in the room around her before returning her look to me. She notes me crossing my legs.
At that moment one of the nurses comes out and calls her. "Mrs Anderson?" Without looking at me she gets up, gathers her belongings and disappears with the nurse.
Wow, what a delightful moment. Would a woman around 50 wearing a skirt, low heels, a royal blue cotton shirt buttoned to the collar and a button undone at her breasts revealing a plunge bra holding each breast delightfully apart to show concentrated cleavage and the slight lift on each side, do it accidentally? Or, as I wanted to think, intentionally, to attract the likes of me so that I would give her all the attention I could muster to attract hers.
That was my dilemma and, of course, I wanted to come down on the latter.
Now just at that moment I was called by the other nurse on duty for my vaccination. She was experienced and fast and I was out her door in an instant only to literally bump into the Gap at the same time. This time she smiled as we both reached the exit door. We both wanted to do the courtesies together. Finally I held the door open for her and she went through first. As I followed she paused in consideration as I made my way through.
We were already dancing to each other's tune.
"That was quick and painless eh?"
"So you were in for the flu vaccine too?" I replied.
"Yes I didn't bother last year and I did go down for a week. I don't ever want to repeat that again."
Commiserating as we walked to the car park, I stuck my neck out.
"I'm just going for a coffee. Would it be impetuous to ask if you'd like to join me?"
Turning toward me even more purposefully, "I agree it is very impetuous but the answer's yes, I would be delighted."
We crossed the street to the nearest café. We found a small table in the corner and sat opposite each other. I then realised it was self-service and asked what she would like and joined the short queue. I watched as she took off her coat and placed it over her seat back. She hadn't done up that button! Glancing at me she smiled in return for my attention.
With two large latté's I joined her. We passed commentaries mainly on our shared surgery as well as polite interchanges about the doctors and staff.
"Ian, I know something about you already so you don't really need to introduce yourself."
"How come?" I asked, rather astonished.
"The nurse who gave me the vaccination."
"I need to have a word to the practice about patient confidentiality. Did she give you an account of my medical history too?"
"Ian, she offered it after saying that unfortunately you weren't on her list today. And no she did not go into your records."
"Who else did she offer info on then?"
"Oh no one. I didn't ask about anyone else. Oh Ian I am sorry I seem to have exposed myself rather haven't I?"
I could have commented then about her beautiful exposure as opposed to the one she was admitting to but decided not to yet. Instead I just waited and relaxed at the shifts in our interchange.
"Perhaps you would like to say who you are since I seem to be an open book."
"I'm Jane and I live round the corner and I'm married with two sons and I work independently as a proof reader for publishers."
