'What's an "apeth?'
It's still quite early on Saturday morning and I'm sitting in the garden with a coffee. I'd been wondering how Jen had got on with prick and sanctimonious when my phone had pinged with the question. 'What's an "apeth?'
What a great way to start a conversation.
'Apeth - half-penny. It's old Yorkshire slang: "you daft apeth - you daft half-penny." It used to be a bit of a derogatory term - you're not worth much - but these days it's very much a term of endearment.'
She replied with a smiley emoji.
I couldn't stop myself. 'How'd you get on last night?'
'Grrrrr! What are you doing?'
'Sitting in the garden having coffee.'
'You're doing it tough aren't you.' There was a pause, then. 'Can I come up?'
'Of course you can. Coffee or tea?'
':-), tea please. On my way.'
Ten minutes later she appeared. White tee-shirt, above the knee denim skirt and white flat slip-on shoes.
'You're looking very summery.' I said.
She sat down opposite me. 'Well it's a lovely morning and I'm not planning on doing much so I dressed accordingly. Been a hard couple of days so I think I deserve a rest. So do you.'
I grinned. 'Thank you. I shall have one then.'
'Good.' She sipped her tea and we sat in silence for a few minutes, but it was never going to last. She glanced at the house. 'Are you going to show me around then?'
I smiled, curiosity had gotten the better of her. 'Sure thing, although it's not that big and you've already seen half of it.'
We spent a few minutes downstairs and she commented on the range, the low ceilings, small windows, stone floors etc etc. I knew it wasn't her style but that was fine, I loved it and it was mine.
It's when we get upstairs that her eyebrows lift.
'Oh my goodness, a four poster bed!' She's truly surprised. 'It's huge, how did you get that in here.'
'I didn't, it's been here for years, long before I bought the place. Its size is probably why it's still here: it'd be a mammoth task to get it out. Anyway, I like it so it's staying, while I'm here anyway.' I considered throwing her on it but got the feeling that she wasn't in the mood and quite honestly, neither was I.
We ended up back outside and after a turn around the garden: a fraction the size of hers, she said, 'Fancy a walk?'
'Always.'
'Great, just need to change my shoes.'
I waited outside her garden gate whilst she changed, then we set off.
It was twenty minutes of random paths and turns but heading in the general direction of somewhere I wanted to show her, when I again asked the question. 'So......how was last night?'
'Hmmm. Not very good, no other way of describing it other than strained. They obviously noticed our work and he came straight out and asked if I was selling the place. Cheeky bastard! I told him that I was doing the exact opposite, that I was getting the place how I wanted it and that it was my forever home. He sure didn't like that.' She stopped talking and stared at the ground.
I'd spoiled her mood, 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, it's not my business.'
'No, it's fine. I need to talk about this stuff. Trouble is that when we - the girls - talk about it, most of us have husband woes and it all gets very angry and vitriolic, you never end up saying much as it just bounces around with everyone getting talked over. We always laugh at the end, we're the best of friends, but it just leaves things unsaid. It's good to be able to talk with someone who just listens.' She stopped again and took a breath. 'I'd honestly like to get those two out of my life, actually never see them again.' Another pause, then she said, 'He says he wants to hold a memorial service. Can you believe it?! A memorial to what? A golf club well served? A whiskey bottle well emptied? For fucks sake!'
I laughed. I couldn't help it.
Jen stopped walking and looked at me, frowning. Then started laughing.
A couple of minutes and we started to compose ourselves.
'I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh.' I said.
'No, you should. Thank you, for laughing. And I'm the one who's sorry, I was starting to rant.' She wiped tears from her cheeks. 'Ooh I needed that.' She was still looking at me. Then she looked around. 'Sod the walk, I want sex.'
That made me blink. Then think. It wasn't far. I grabbed her hand and set off. 'This way.'
Not far at all.
I'd stumbled upon "it" purely by chance two or three years ago and it had become one of my favourite places. A small clearing, created when an old tree had fallen taking another with it. I can only imagine that a passing woodsman had then tidied it up and had decided that the fallen trunk would make a nice seat. A few strokes of a chainsaw and, on the edge of the new clearing, the seat was formed. Nature had created this lovely grassy glade and humans had carved the perfect place from which to view it.
But the shoots of young trees were already pushing through and, in not too many years, people will stumble upon this random seat in the middle of dense trees and wonder why. So the time to enjoy it is now.
And every time I pass I do just that.
Today I take Jen with me: it was where I'd been heading.
Entering the sun dappled circle I feel pressure on my hand. I turn to her. She's looking around, mesmerised.
'Oh my goodness! This is gorgeous.'
I stepped up against her, put my hands on her waist. 'And so private.'
She blinked, leaning back. 'Surely not.' Giggled. 'Really?'
'Really.' I slide my hands behind her back, down onto her bum and lift her onto my hips.
Slowly, supporting her against me, I lower myself to my knees then ease her onto her back in the centre of the circle of lush green grass.
And press the hard bulge of my cock against her.
'Mmmmm,' she breathes, 'definitely want that.' Wraps her arms around my head, forces her tongue into my mouth and pushes back against me.
I meet her halfway; my tongue dancing with hers, my groin rubbing and grinding between her thighs.
Until I feel her start to lose control and her attempts to follow my movements begin to falter. She moans in frustration then throws her legs up and locks her ankles behind my back. It's too awkward, her movements too frantic, I can't keep up with her.
Pressing her to the ground I use my weight to pin her down.
She gasps for breath then kisses me again: a forceful, lip crushing, teeth clashing kiss.
Her wiry strength begins to show, she's chasing an orgasm, clinging to me but still managing to rock her hips, to keep rubbing against me. I don't try and stop her, don't move, just keep myself pressed against her, let her take what she wants.
She's nearly there.