Getting a Life (9 page)

'Don't be silly. It never means anything ... apart from decent pay.' She looked away.

'I could come into the office and take a look at your computer, if you think it might help.' He thought about it for a few minutes.

'You could come and take a look, I suppose.'

They ate some cheese drank the coffee, talking through possible plans for the next day.

'You know something? I feel shattered. Do you mind going now?' Joanne told him.

'Not at all. I feel shattered too. All been a bit much lately. Too many parties and too many late nights.'

'All right for some,' she laughed. 'I've only had a couple of late night nights.'

Joanne washed up their dishes and mugs and sat down again. What had she offered to do? It wasn't such a good plan, she realised. Still, she had made an offer and she needed to fulfill it. She went to bed and settled down for a good night's sleep. Unfortunately, her mind continued to worry over the factory and everything it might entail. She slept a little but awoke again and worried some more. She gave up at six o'clock and got up. She didn't even know what time they began to work. She hit on nine o'clock as a reasonable time and planned to arrive then. She pottered round the house, cleaning a tidying the already tidy place, all the time worrying about what she was going to find at the factory. She didn't even know what they made there or who else worked at the place.

She drove to the factory and parked outside. There were only two other cars parked, one being Mr Thomas and presumably, the other belonging to Sally. There was also a motorbike, she assumed belonged to Mike. She felt her heart thud at the thought of him being there. She swallowed hard and pushed open the door.

'Hallo?' she called. 'Anyone around?'

'Oh Joanne. Come in. I'm afraid you've had a wasted journey but it's very nice to see you.' Mr Thomas was wearing a brown coat and looked as if he was in the middle of doing something.

'I'm here at Mike's request. He felt there may be something I might suggest to improve the computer system?'

'Very good of you but I think we're all fine.'

'Okay. May I see Mike for a moment then?'

'We're just having a family meeting actually.'

'Very well, I'll disappear then. Sorry to trouble you.' She turned to leave, feeling somewhat snubbed.

'Joanne, hi. Come on through.' It was Mike with quite a different attitude.

'Morning, Mike,' she said politely. 'Your father says there's nothing I can do to help. I was just about to leave.'

'Rubbish. Come on through. I think you need to know the situation from the inside.'

'Mike, don't start again.' His father looked so angry, Joanne was afraid he was about to start shouting. She had never wanted to be on the inside of such an event.

'Don't worry Mike. I can come back at another time. I don't want to be in the way.'

'Let her go Mike. She doesn't want to be involved in our family affairs.'

She went to the door and Mike followed her. He came outside with her and spoke angrily.

'You can see what he's like. He doesn't want to admit that we're going down the pan. Sally and I were just telling him the situation but he doesn't want to listen. Honestly, I feel like looking or another job somewhere.'

'Don't do anything too rash. It wouldn't make sense to crash out of his life like that.'

'Well, honestly. He takes the biscuit. If only he'd listen to my suggestions. It would make all the difference to the business.'

'You go back to your meeting. I'll see you sometime later shall I?'

'I'll call you. And Jo, thanks very much for coming. I'm only sorry that you were treated so badly.'

'I really don't mind. Back to my own work for the rest of the day.'

As she drove back, she thought about the factory. He meant the staffing. If it really was just the three of them, they were all too close. They clearly didn't have any orders for whatever they were making. It was a large room with plenty of space. She would ask Mike more about it when he came round later. Would he arrive that evening? If he did, he would need feeding. She diverted to the supermarket and made a few purchases. "Just in case" types of things. She now had a free day. What might she do with it? She parked the car and went into the High Street to look at the shops. The sales were in full swing so she went into several clothes shops and perused their stocks. She picked up one or two things and went to try them. Not quite her usual style but she liked them and decided to buy them.

'Joanne, what are you doing here? Not your usual place to be buying stuff.' It was Trisha.

'No, I know it isn't but I decided to look into buying something. What do you think?' She opened her bag for her friend to look inside.

'Nice colour. I like it. Have you time for a coffee?'

'Why not? Where shall we go?'

'There's a nice place here. Come on. My treat.'

They went up to the top floor, where the coffee bar was situated. It was quite busy but they found a table and were soon drinking steaming hot cappuccinos.

'So, how was Christmas? Oh and New Year too?'

'Really good thanks. How about yours?'

'I finished with my chap at New Year. Bit of a blow really but we were going nowhere fast. How's the gorgeous Mike?'

'He is just that. Still gorgeous.'

'The real thing gorgeous?'

'I think so.'

'The woman we saw him with. It was an escort duty wasn't it? He seemed pretty keen on her. Well we thought so, anyway.'

'Yes, it was an escort thing. Tell me what happened to you and Dave? I thought it was about to be an engagement or at least moving in together. You've been around together for quite some time haven't you?'

'Almost two years. I don't want to talk about it though. All a bit new and raw at present. It ended on New Year's Eve. A huge big row and bam, that was it. I was thinking of booking your chap to take me out one night.'

'You wouldn't. Would you?'

'I might.'

For the next half hour, they chatted about their men friends and Joanne realised that Trisha and her fellow were really only having a temporary break. They'd had a blistering row and walked out on each other. Trisha kept on talking about him, despite her words that she didn't want to. At last, they decided to leave and Joanne breathed a sigh of relief. Trisha in this sort of mood was difficult to handle.

'I'd better go now. Stuff to do.'

'When are you seeing Mike again?' she asked.

'This evening probably. Haven't fixed anything yet. I have a load of work to get through in the meantime.'

'I was wondering if I could come round for a bit more therapy?' Trisha asked.

'Well, okay. Now, do you mean?'

'Well, yes. If it's not too much trouble.' She looked so sad and woebegone, she didn't have the heart to refuse her.

'Okay. I presume you've got your car parked somewhere?'

'Yes. I'll collect it and follow you home.'

As she drove home, Joanne wondered what she'd done. She felt as if she had problems of her own to think through and here she was, suffering a friend with a broken heart. Still, it was the least she could do. Mike's problems with his father would just have to wait. They spent a couple of hours with Trisha talking about the horrors of men and her listening or perhaps half listening.

'You've either got to see him again and talk it through or forget him. That's how it strikes me anyway.' She felt exasperated with her friend and wanted to get on with thinking her own thoughts.

'I'm sorry. I shall have to do as you say. I'll call him and we'll talk it through. I'm sure we'll be back together again soon. I'll get out of your way now.'

'No, wait Trisha. I don't want you to go when you're so miserable. I'll make a new pot of coffee and some sandwiches.'

'If you're absolutely certain?' Joanne nodded. 'Then thanks a lot. I'd really appreciate it. You're a true friend.'

It was after four o'clock by the time Trisha was ready to leave. She had wept, laughed, and finally giggled.

'Thanks so much. I do feel so much better now. You were just what I needed. Bye then.' She gave her friend a hug and set off for her own home.

Joanne felt exhausted. Nothing like listening to a friend berating everyone she'd ever known. Her next thoughts were going to be Mike and his problems. She had no idea whether he would come round to see her that evening. She had put the food she'd bought away in the fridge and now had a couple of hours to wait to see if he would arrive. She slumped down in front of the television and promptly fell asleep. It was a banging on her door that finally roused her. She went to open it.

'Am I allowed in?' asked Mike.

'Course. Come on. How are you?'

'I'm so fed up I could scream. First of all, let me say how sorry I am for putting you through that this morning.' She gave a shrug. 'You can see what we're up against. My father is probably the most pig headed, unmoveable man in the entire world. He won't even acknowledge the problems exist. He keeps saying that everything will get better in the end. He doesn't realise we're nearly at the end.'

'I'll open some wine. You seem in need of it.'

'And then to turn you away like that. It was so rude. I apologise again.'

'It's okay. Calm down yourself. It just isn't worth it. Here,' she said offering him the glass.

'Thanks. Just what I needed. So, tell me exactly what is the problem?'

'He just doesn't want to listen either to me or Sally. We both realised that things are not going well before Christmas. He didn't want to spoil anything. "Mustn't upset your Mother" was all we kept hearing.'

'And the New Year's Eve party? Could they actually afford it?'

'Not at all. We suggested cancelling but he wouldn't listen.'

'I wouldn't have drunk so much if I'd known.'

'Don't be silly. No, we decided on using the factory rooms to save hiring the village hall. Not that it was free anyway. They'd had someone else book it in the meantime. You know what I think? I'm going to look for another job. Definitely. I'll pick up a paper and look for something.'

'If that's what you think is right. Now, would you like some dinner?'

'What have you got?'

'I got some chili, ready to heat up and there's some salad.'

'Sounds like a deal. Thanks very much. Oh I'm afraid I'm out tomorrow. Another escort duty I'm afraid.' She pulled a face but would say no more. She really hated it when he took someone else out.

It was quite a pleasant evening. The chili worked well and she got her catering confidence back. They chatted endlessly about his work until there was nothing more to say.

'Come here,' he said softly. 'We've talked about everything there is to talk about. I really want you, you know.'

'Oh Mike, I want you too. But, there's something you should know about me.' She felt almost ready to admit to being a virgin but still quailed at the thought.

'There's nothing you could tell me that could alter how I feel right now.' He kissed her till her senses were reeling. She felt strangely outside her own body and wanted him as she'd never wanted anyone before. 'What do you think?' he asked her again.

'Let's go to bed,' she managed to whisper. He quickly rose and pulled her with him. She remembered the sheets weren't fresh and hesitated. Hang it. They wouldn't be fresh for long even if she'd changed them earlier. Why on earth was she thinking of sheets at this point in time?

'Come on then. Show me your bedroom.'

Chapter Eight

The pair of them went upstairs and shyly, she took him into her room. It was at least tidy, she thought.

'This is very nice,' he told her. 'I like the way you've got it. Feminine but not too itsy bitsy.'

'Thank you.' She hesitated again. Was this what she really wanted?

'What is it?' he asked anxiously.

'I'm just not sure.'

'We don't have to if you don't want to.'

'I'm ... oh hang it. Come here.' She pulled him closer to him and they kissed once more. She felt him trying to remove her top and allowed him to. He touched her breasts and kissed them sending her flying into space. 'Oh Mike,' she whispered.

'You like that?' he asked.

'Oh yes.'

He kissed her again. Suddenly, it became urgent and they undressed each other with more concentrated efforts. They both stood naked, gazing at each other's bodies in a strange wonder that slowed both of them down.

'You are so lovely,' Mike told her. 'You are perfect.'

'I love your body too. Tall and so straight and so ready for me.'

Gently they laid on her bed and slowly, sensuously he touched her, the urgency had left them both. She lay back, enjoying every moment of his touching and feeling her. Her breasts were erect and almost hurt with the pressure of wanting. He kissed them again and again and she felt almost a burning sensation deep inside. It was a feeling that she had never really known before and she wanted it to go on and on. She was helpless and just lay back, loving this man and what he was doing to her. When he rolled on top of her to cover her, she felt as if this was the moment she had been waiting for all her life. Everything else was forgotten. She could hardly wait for him to enter her. She needed him to relieve the feeling that was devouring her. Her concerns about telling him she was a virgin disappeared, as they made perfect love. She felt as if she was soaring high above the clouds somewhere in space. A long, slow love making that lasted for what felt like hours. She felt herself building ... reaching the point of no return. Suddenly she reached her climax and it felt amazing, like nothing she had ever felt before. It felt as if all the planets were colliding together and she was somewhere in the middle of it. Mike was at exactly the same point and then he lay still, panting. He smiled at her and stroked her hair.

'That was sensational,' she managed to murmur some long time later.

'You are so right. Tell me something. Was it really your first time?'

'Why do you ask,' she said laughing.

'It seemed as if I was entering you for the first time. I don't exactly know why I felt that way but ...'

'Well, yes it was. I'm sorry.'