A Twist in the Tale (2011) (3 page)

“God,
you really are the easiest person on this planet to wind up.” I teased. “It’s a
simple weekend away. Anyway, my Rob wouldn’t know the meaning of romance if it whacked
him round the face with a wet fish half a dozen times.

“Okay,
Miss Know-it-all, what do you think is behind this grand gesture then?”

“I
couldn’t tell you. I gave up trying to figure out Rob years ago. All I know is
that he’s acting a little odd lately. But you know Rob he’s odd at the best of
times.”

“Aha!
It is as I predicted, Watson, this weekend your beloved will be asking you to
marry him.”

“All
right, Sherlock, get back to smoking your pipe and give it a rest. Take a leaf
out of my book, don’t waste valuable time trying to work Rob out.”

Lunch
appeared and ended the conversation as Julie liked her food too much and wasn’t
keen on multi-tasking. After all, her stomach’s needs far outweighed mine.

Which
gave me time to mull over what she’d thrown at me.
Did Rob intend asking me
to marry him?
I went over recent conversations we’d had while I tucked into
my Chilli.  Only last week he’d asked what my favourite colour was. Oh my God,
what if he’d been referring to what colour stone I’d prefer.
Now you’re
being ridiculous.

Rob
was the kind of guy who had a heart of gold but needed constant guidance. His
mates call me a nag but I
know
what’s best for Rob. If I didn’t give him
a friendly shove of persuasion then nothing would get done around the house.

He
wasn’t the marrying kind though. He took pleasure reminding me weekly about
that.
No Julie’s mistaken, she has to be.

We’ve
been living together four years and have had many ups and downs during that
time. More downs than ups at the beginning of the relationship but we’d come
through the rough times, in fact, they had probably made us stronger. I’d
learned a few years back to accept our relationship for what it was and not
what it could be.

He’s
a good bloke, I mustn’t grumble. It’s not as if he spends every waking moment
down the pub with his mates. On Fridays he hands over the same amount for
housekeeping he gave me at the start of our relationship, it’s not his fault he
hasn’t realised the cost of food has shot up over the last four years.

Our
sex life is the same as it’s ever been, according to my friends their sex lives
dwindle after a couple of years with the same bloke. But once a month is fine
by me.

The
only negative thing about living with Rob is the amount of football I’m
subjected to, it’s a blessed relief when the summer comes around. Then, I’m in
competition with the MG kit car he’s building in the garage. Another couple of
weeks and it should be completed maybe that’s when he’ll turn his attention to
me.

“Sue…Earth
to, Sue? Are you reading me?”

“Sorry,
Julie, I was miles away.”

“You
don’t say? You were grinning like the Cheshire cat, come on spill?”

“I
was just thinking about Rob and our mystery weekend, that’s all.”

We
settled the bill and went our separate ways. That afternoon Julie’s words played
havoc with my mind, so much so that when knocking-off time came at five
o’clock, I’d convinced myself she was right and that Rob was about to ask me to
marry him.

“You
all right, Sue?” Rob asked more than once in the car on the long journey up to
Scotland.

“I’m
fine, sweetheart.” I assured him numerous times before going back to
daydreaming what it’d be like to finally be Mrs Rob Mason.

As
the castle came into view my imagination went wild. I envisioned Rob charging
towards me on the back of a horse, a jousting knight about to ask for his fair
maidens hand in marriage.  
 
 

“It’s
beautiful,” I whispered.

“I
knew you’d like it. Come on, girl, grab your bag, we should just be in time for
dinner.

“I’d
like to freshen up first, maybe take a shower?” I said hopefully.

“No
time, it’s almost ten now. Come on, get your skates on, Sue,” he said over his
shoulder as he watched me struggle with my bag.

We
registered at reception and rushed up the stone spiral staircase to our room.
We dumped our bags and bolted back down to the dining-room just as one of the
waitresses struck the gong for last orders.

When
he showed us to our table, the ma
î
tre’d looked far from happy that our
attire didn’t sit well with our sumptuous surroundings.

“Isn’t
this amazing?” I asked in awe at the gold and red velour themed room.

“Yeah
great, now hurry up and decide what you’re having,” Rob snapped, his eyes
scanning the menu in front of him.

Feeling
hurt, I picked out the chicken in white wine sauce served on a bed of rice, he
chose the macho steak with all the trimmings.

We
ate in silence. No ring appeared.

We
went back to our room and took to our huge canopied bed still not talking. No
ring appeared.

“Wake
up, Sue, it’s seven o’clock,” Rob whispered in my ear the next morning.

I
pulled the pillow over my head and begged him to let me sleep on.

The
sound of the shower running kept me awake though.
What the hell is he
playing at?
I was sitting up reading a good thriller I’d started on my
kindle when he breezed into the room.

Seeing
he was in a good mood, I pulled back the covers on his side and patted the bed.
“Fancy a cuddle?” I asked giving him a seductive look that matched my voice.

“Haven’t
got time. Come on, girl, get a wriggle on, we’ve got an appointment at
nine-thirty.”

“What?
Who with?”

“It’s
a surprise.”

I
shot out of bed and dived into the shower.
An appointment, I wonder who
that’s with? Oh my God, Gretna Green is about half an hour from here.
Maybe
we’re going to meet an exclusive jeweller. Or perhaps we had a meeting with the
wedding planner at the castle. I’d love to get married here.

My
heart pounded as I dressed in my smartest suit I’d had the foresight to bring
with me.

Rob
looked passable in a clean pair of jeans and his leather jacket. He really
didn’t have a clue about fashion. I guess I could forgive him just this once.

“Where
are we going?” I asked excitedly, he was pulling me across the beautifully
manicured lawn.
I wonder if the castle has its own quaint chapel.

“Here
it is. What do you think? I knew it would be big but this is phenomenal!” Rob
said beaming from ear to ear.

I
couldn’t help being taken aback as all my dreams drifted away on the summer
breeze.

Before
me stood not the quaint little chapel I’d expected, but several large marques
and hundreds of vintage MG sports cars.

“Come
on, Sue, we’ve got to find the Bob Moore paint specialist stand.”

“What?
What the hell for?” I shouted in disbelief.

“That’s
my surprise! I want
you
to pick the colour for the MG. They have several
shades of red and green in their catalogue and I just don’t know which one to
select…”

I
was tempting to slap him round the face, but then that’s Rob for you,
dependable and sometimes unpredictable to a fault.

Turning
back time

The
four-metre banner told me I had come to the right place. ‘Welcome to the Class
of ’84 reunion,’ it screams in thick black letters.

I
push open the door to find the barn bursting at the seams with old school pals,
most of whom I have trouble recognising.

The
moment I see him the hair of the back of my neck stands to attention, like
guards on duty at Buckingham palace.

Had
it really been twenty years since he’d first caused my legs to wobble like a
blancmange?

Oh
my God, he’s as gorgeous as ever, I notice as he turns and glances my way.

Our
eyes meet and I’m transported back to yesteryear.

He
beckons me over with his finger and his smile makes my heart do several
somersaults. A blush creeps up my neck and settles in my cheeks as I weave my
way through the crowd towards him.

“Jill,
how wonderful to see you. Looks like the years have been kind to you. You
couldn’t possibly have had kids and kept a figure like that?” Gushes the
dreadful Sandra blocking my path.

“Oh
hi, Sandra. Sorry to disappoint you but actually I’ve got three.” I didn’t have
the heart to tell her the youngest is only six-months-old.

Her
nostrils flared and I could tell she was seething by my admission. She
self-consciously glances down at the layers of fat she’s accumulated over the
decades.  

Before
I have the chance to fire the same question back at her, she takes flight, her
next victim already lined up. Nice to know some people haven’t altered over the
years.

I
smile and shake my head before proceeding on my journey, a journey that will
eventually lead me to Trevor Stevens, my first truelove.

But
old classmates continually hamper my endeavours. Which makes me ask,
Why, oh
why had I been so damn popular at school.
Each time I’m interrupted I
glance over at Trevor issuing a silent plea for him to be patient.

His
eyes sparkle with mischief. Suddenly I feel insecure.
Will he wait or will
he walk away?

But
my fears prove to be unfounded when he smiles and patiently takes a sip of his
drink.

My
frustration mounts because I’m dying to be with him one more time. But I’m far
too polite to ignore long lost friends wanting to catch up.

Half
an hour later I finally make it to his table. My insides are bubbling,
overflowing with excitement.

He
moistens his lips and utters my name, “Hello, Jill.”

My
heart leaps as he pushes back his chair. Oh my God, is he about to kiss me?

His
restraint is admirable, instead he takes my hand and kisses the back of it. I
struggle to control my disappointment.
Behave yourself Jill, you’re a
married woman for God’s sake!

My
eyes wander the length and breadth of his perfect physique and my heart pounds
rhythmically. He’s changed very little since the first day I laid eyes on him,
an odd grey hair here and there doesn’t really count. Sparkling vivid green
eyes set in a golden-tanned, strong featured face was all a girl ever dreamed
of waking up to every morning.

“Hello,
Trevor, you’re looking as good as ever,” I said, fighting hard to keep my
excitement in check. I’m determined to keep my feelings under control despite
my inner turmoil. I can honestly say that in twenty years he’s never drifted
from my thoughts.  

“Still
as popular as ever I see.” He jokes and motions for me to take a seat.

I
shrug an apology, he responds with another devastating smile.

“Don’t
you ever get tired of all the attention, Jill?” Trevor asks with amused interest.

“They’re
only being friendly because it’s a reunion. If I saw them in the street they
probably wouldn’t give me the time of day. It’s no big deal.”

“You’re
amazing. Still as beautiful as the day we started secondary school together.
How is that possible?” he asked, his eyes roaming every inch of my body.

“Good
genes, I suppose,” I reply modestly before saying, “Anyway, you’re one to talk,
your wife’s a very lucky lady, I hope she realises that?”

He
chuckles. “I make sure I tell her that every morning without fail.”

 I
laugh at his blatant egotism. “Now that, I can believe.”

 
I feel flirtatious in his company, willing to drop the inhibitions that had
been prominent throughout our teens.

I
find myself hanging on his every word as we compare our lives since our school
days. We laugh together at the individual mistakes we’ve made along life’s
interesting and challenging roads.

Envious
eyes watch our reunion with interest. But it doesn’t matter, we only have eyes
for each other.

Trevor
Stevens is a true gentleman, attentive and humourous to a fault.

“Fancy
a dance, Jill?”

I
jump at the chance to feel his strong arms around me.

On
the dance floor the slow music thrusts us into a secret world where only the
two of us exists.

As
the sound of the
Commodores’
Three times a lady
signifies the
last dance of the evening, I swallow the lump of disappointment that has formed
in my throat.

“Can
I walk you home?” Trevor whispers in my ear before he pecks me lightly on the
cheek.

It’s
the first time during the course of the evening he’s really shown how much he
still cares for me. “Why that would be wonderful, Mr Stevens,” I reply in my
best Scarlet O’Hara voice.