Thank you for reading my story, I hope that you enjoy it. Love Mica xx, Yorkshire England.
All email comments good or critical welcomed. Please note that all email comments from an invalid email address will be deleted immediately and will not be read, so please take care when entering your email if you want a reply. Rude or abusive comments may result in blocking. Please note that I am a British female, and I write in British English and vernacular, so for me a fanny is the correct term for female genitalia, a pussy is a pet cat and the ass is a bum or arse.
I had to go down to Birmingham for a conference, three days at a town centre conference place, deep joy. I don't dislike Birmingham especially, I just dislike all towns and cities that aren't Bingley. They are busy, they all have their own smells, a mix of street foods and body odour generally. My brother Steven lived near Birmingham in a place called Sutton Coldfield, so I texted him to see if he wanted to meet up whilst I was there.
He rang me, he is not big on texting.
"Hello Sis."
"Hi Bro. How's it hanging?"
"Nicely thank you, so, you are leaving Gods Own County for a few days?"
"Yes, I have to go to a conference and I am staying at the Britannia near the Station. I am not happy."
"You should have said, you could have stayed with us."
'Us' being him and his wife Shirley.
"You're too far out, the conference is all day and I want to fall out of bed and into the conference."
"It's only half an hour by train."
"Too long."
"Okay, perhaps I can come and meet you in town one evening."
"Yeah, that'll be nice. Any decent restaurants? I will leave that to you to sort out. I am at a hotel that is right in the middle, so anywhere within walking distance."
"I will come in by train, parking in town is a nightmare."
"Okay, we can meet up either at my hotel or the restaurant, it is up to you."
And that had been a week ago. Today I had just booked into the Britannia Hotel and the conference started tomorrow, tonight my brother was meeting me at reception in 30 minutes and we were going to a Brazilian Restaurant, an all you can eat feast of meat apparently. Not sure how that works.
I quickly showered and sprayed here and there, bra and knickers and then a mid-length off the shoulder with a sweetheart neckline, flatties for walking in, a shawl, after all it is February, and my handbag, with my usuals, tampon, condom, twenty pound note, credit card with only one hundred pounds of credit, for emergencies, not a great loss if it gets stolen. It is my usual stash for a night out, much will not be needed as I am going out with my brother.
The tampon is for the over amorous, sorry not tonight, it's my time of the month, the condom in case I score, and the rest are emergency funds. But, none will be needed tonight, but I always pack the same items, it is a force of habit. I added my room key, which is actually a digital card, and left my room to go to reception.
He arrived in reception just as I did, and we hugged.
"God, you look good," he said as he came in for a second hug, not a very brotherly hug either.
"Not so bad yourself bro," I said kissing his cheek and stepping back. "Right," I continued, "how far is this restaurant?"
"Not far it is in the arcade, come on." He led me to the door and then we were both through he linked his arm through mine and we headed off. Birmingham centres was, like most cities, totally pedestrianised, some roads allowed buses and trams, most did not. People were milling around, walking haphazardly, not caring about traffic as there wasn't any.
We walked arm in arm, Steve taking the lead, he knew where to go, I hadn't a clue, I knew Bingley, I knew Shipley, and not a clue about any other city, even Bradford which was on my doorstep; I just hate cities. We took a turning and we were in the Arcade and a few establishment down we were there. Steve unlinked our arms and opened the door for me, following on behind.
He spoke to the greeter, giving his name and we were shown to our seats.
"Sir, Madam," The greeter said, his accent local and broad. I guess mine was, to him, foreign and broad, "a drink to start?"
"Yes," I answered, "a Chardonnay please." Steve also wanted wine, so he asked the greeter to bring us a bottle.
"So," I asked him, "how is Shirley?"
"At home, as she always is, since the pandemic a few years ago, she just won't go out. She has just lost the love for it. She isn't that happy that I have gone out, but it is what it is."
"She's probably happy that I am not staying at yours then."
Steve kept his face straight, I knew I was right.
"You guys are okay aren't you? I mean, there isn't going to be a divorce party on the horizon is there?"
"Oh God who knows, most of the time things are good, sometimes that are not, but every relationship is a bit like that."
The restaurant was a Brazilian all you can eat set up, they put a bowl of fries in the middle of the table and then servers came around with meats impaled on swords. Beef, pork and lamb. They portioned off some meat onto your plate. There was a flag thing next to you that you raised if you wanted more meat and left down if you didn't.
A bowl of vegetables appeared and a couple of jugs of sauce or gravy, who knew, I didn't. It was different, the meat wasn't that special, especially the beef, which was a little tough, but it was different. We took our time, we chatted, we ate, probably far too much, we drank wine, definitely too much, and the evening rolled on and eventually we left our flags down, declined any more fries or vegetable refills and sat back.
"Well, that was different," I said, "I have never had my meat served by sword before."
"I wonder how sharp they are?" Steve mused.
"Let's not find out," I suggested.
We left the restaurant and headed back arm in arm towards my hotel, there was a good comforting feeling having him close as I walked in a strange city. Strange to me, not strange, I presumed, to the locals, Brummies they are known as. It was lively and the bars and restaurants were very busy, people milled around the pedestrianised streets, and police in high viz mingled. It still did not feel comfortable, I would not have felt safe if Steve had not been there.
He saw me back to my hotel, declined my offer of a room coffee saying he ought to get the train back as it was getting late, we hugged, again a little more than a brotherly cuddle, and then he was gone, and I was in my hotel.