Sharon Maynard returned to England to attend her oldest sister's wedding, taking a break from post-graduate time-out in Hong Kong where she worked seven days a week at a high-class brothel on a 6-hour shift each day, with shifts advancing six hours every three weeks.
She once told herself that her work was such a grind but the work sometimes was enjoyable.
The 23-year old didn't get on particularly well with her aggressive and 9-year older sister. Arriving in Sheffield only hours before the wedding, she'd spent little time with the panicking Gabriel and the first time she saw the bridegroom was at the church.
Gabriel the bitch hadn't even invited her to be a bridesmaid.
At the church, she saw her mom, who earlier had little time to talk to her either, with hair and nails taking greater priority, being practically all over a blond-headed hunk and assumed he was her mom Margo's latest toy-boy. Her widowed Aunt Elsie, sitting next to Sharon said, "That's Adam Clinton, your imminent brother-in-law, talking to your mother. You won't have had time to meet him if you only arrived a little over four hours ago."
"True and he looks quite a pin-up. How did Gabriel manage to snare him?"
"He's the manager at Everett's Boarding Stables & Riding School where your sister is head instructor. They were the only staff who lived on-site and perhaps not unexpectedly they drifted into a relationship."
"Is she pregnant?"
"Your mother thinks she is but she would. I wouldn't think so. They are both too smart to let mistakes like that happen. But if he wouldn't marry her until she was pregnant, I guess your mother could be right."
"Well thanks for making that perfectly clear."
Aunt Elsie smiled and patted Sharon's shoulder and said, "You being the youngest in your family have long stood out as the cleverest and most loveable of the family."
"Why are Ruth and Alice not here for the wedding? Mum refused to tell me."
"Alice is on a yacht going down the west coast of Africa and Ruth and Gabriel fell out seriously after Ruth banged up Gabriel's car and faced a drunk-driving charge that she got off but the insurance company refused to pay out. Gabriel went to Ruth with her hand out for money to cover all costs but was told to get lost."
"Oh dear."
"Those two have always scrapped. Why aren't you're a bridesmaid?"
"I wasn't asked."
"Oh dear. There are times when I think Gabriel can be quite a bitch for no reason at all. I suppose when Alice chose her sailing cruise over being at her sister's wedding, Gabriel said stuff the lot of you."
"Yeah, I can buy that Auntie."
"Careful darling, continue to be nice to me like this and I'll leave you all your money."
"Stuff your money. Just remain well, alive and enjoy attending weddings and funerals. I'll return home in perhaps six months and will resume going out with you once a month and getting pissed. We've had some great times doing that at top shelf social events."
"Yes dear, and I never fail to feel safe when I'm with you and alcohol begins to take my senses. You're a rare youngster dear; most that I know of don't care a weasel's fart about not associating with their older close relatives and you even respect your mother despite the fact she gives you a hard time."
"Yes, well that's because I became decidedly independent when I was young and defied her attempts to make me show allegiance to the immediately family clan but now it seems Alice is becoming independent at last as well. But the one thing I'll never forget about mum was she made dad fork out for my university education which made him delay the rebuild of his precious hunting lodge in Scotland for those four years and possibly a fifth year."
After the wedding ceremony at the church, guests went to the Maynard's splendid home at Long Line, South-West Sheffield where the wedding breakfast was held in a marquee on an expansive lawn.
The bride's father, a commercial property investor, was busy welcoming guests but moments before half-choked on a piece of finger-food that left him hoarse. As he was called to make the welcome, he began coughing again. His wife pulled him down to his seat and said to the MC to call their daughter Sharon to welcome guests.
Sharon was spinning her aunt a yarn about the type of work she was doing in Hong Kong, alleging she was working for the Hong Kong Tourist Association helping to welcome dignitaries to the city.
"God that sounds something like prestige prostitution."
Sharon said hastily, "Oh no, not at all but I must admit a couple of times I've been lucky and was given a real night out and ended up in bed with that guy."
Then the call came and she scuttled away, relieved to have the diversion.
She stepped up to the rostrum and began, "On behalf of my parents, my sister who is one of the most beautiful brides I've ever seen, my new brother-in-law whom I'm yet to meet as I only arrived in from Hong Kong a few hours ago but can see he's very dishy, I welcome everyone here who have come to witness the wedding of my sweet sister Gabriel and her prince charming err Alec..."
"Adam," her mum shouted.
"Oopsie, blame it on jetlag. As I was saying, to witness the marriage of Gabriel and her prince charming Adam Clinton and I have to admit something rare for me; I felt close to tears because it was so emotional and heart-stretching and Rev. Charles took them through their marriage vows of marriage so splendidly. My mother and father as hosts invite you all to eat and drink in warm conviviality and men take your Ladies to admire Gabriel's dress and expensive make-up that must have cost more than I earn in a couple of years. Thank you."
Sharon glanced at her mum who was staring at her, mouth open, as if Sharon represented the Second Coming. And then Gabriel screamed "Sharon!"
Sharon trotted over and Gabriel stood and hugged her speechmaking sister and almost swamped her in wet kisses.
People stood and an ovation was underway.
Sharon took some time to get back to her seat because people, most of whom she didn't know, stood to hug and kissed her while burbling congratulations on her eloquence.
"God you have the makings of a superstar orator providing you learn your lines," said her aunt, who stood and hugged and kissed her youngest niece.
Half an hour later the bride and groom arrive at the table where Elspeth and Sharon were seated and a guy in a deep voice said, "Stand and allow me to kiss you Sharon you sweet darling."
She stood and Adam kissed her until Gabriel said nervously, "That's enough Adam."
"I'm pleased to have you as my brother-in-law and please treat my sister kindly," Sharon said and turned and kissed Gabriel sweetly and the bride burst into tears.
Adam asked nervously, "What wrong Gabby?"
Biting back the urge to say it's guilt, Sharon said kindly, "Take her out in the cool and feel her up Adam; that will relax her. This is a stressful although happy day for my sister."
"We'll be back in a minute," Adam said walking off to the nearest exit, Gabriel dabbing her eyes with the handkerchief he'd handed her.
"You wicked vixen saying all those nice things about your hard-arse sister," Elspeth whispered. "But it's her wedding day and I admire you for doing that."
"Now cut out that kind of talk otherwise you'll be in danger of becoming my favourite aunt."
"Sorry but it's too late to prevent that," Elspeth smirked. "I love you Sharon."
Four days later Sharon was back in Hong Kong only to find she'd lost her
room at the brothel.
"You weren't here and this newcomer asked for a room and yours was the only one unoccupied," the brothel manager said coldly.
Sharon replied hotly, "But you gave me permission to be away for a week and that's exactly the time I've been away... seven days."
"Business is business and you know that," said the manager. "I have pressure on me to sustain cash-flow at highly profitable levels."
Her face hardened and said she, "Do you wish to collect your stored possessions and leave quietly or do you wish to deal for security? A couple of those guys would really like to give you a full sexual workout before tossing you into the street."
Sharon sighed and threw up her hands in capitulation.
She arrived back home in England and her mother greeted her warmly but said sadly, "Darling I regret you can't stay here. I have eight couples arriving this evening to stay for the duration of the Festival of Arts. Also, I'm sorry to inform you Elspeth is visiting her friend in Ireland at the moment but is due back in about five days. Why not call Gabriel as ask if you can stay with them? They only had two days away and will go on a real honeymoon next month. You two seem to have buried your hatchet following your amazing speech at the wedding. Daddy and I were ever so proud of you and you looked so amazing in that gorgeous little white dress with everything just under cover."
"Thanks mum and the outlay on your designer green and blue silk creation was money well spent. You look the best I'd seen you in a decade."
"Oh darling, obviously that high-class hosting you were doing in Hong Kong suited you to the hilt and it has soften you and made you more gracious. It must have been devastating for you to return and find severe staffing cuts meant yours was one of the heads to roll. But never mind, give me your bank account number and I'll deposit ten thousand to tide you over. Let me know if need more if you have difficulty finding new employment. The work you were doing was pretty specialist work I guess."
* * *
Gabriel heard the distinctive sound of the classic Porsche Boxster S zooming up the long driveway to the riding school beyond the boarding stables and came out to greet her sister. When Sharon climbed out of the vehicle she was greeted by an aggressive, "Has mum given you this sports car she rarely uses?"
"No, it's on loan until I settle."
"Oh," Gabriel said sounding relieved. "That's good news and I'm now glad you are here to stay for a few days. Aren't you going to kiss me?"
The kiss was fulsome but the damage had been done, with Sharon deciding her sister the jealous cow was really not a nice person. Perhaps she should fuck the new husband in revenge for years of being put down by her bitch of a sister.
Sharon was horrified at the reaction and thought it was not very nice and had no wish to be like Gabriel.
After coffee, Gabriel said, "I have to catch up with bookkeeping and get those files off to our accountant. Go back on the track a bit and take the right fork to the boarding stables where Adam is making his fortnightly inspection of horses as they are being ridden around by staff. Take my light motorbike outside the backdoor."