(i) Gordon comes to stay
Well what a cool few days I’ve had. A lovely family weekend in Wales and then and more importantly, two dates with Sophie. Our relationship is exciting – we’ve lots to talk about and I find her incredibly sexy. It could have gone all the way, I think, that first night, she seemed totally mine when we were dancing. She said she was up for it but I felt I wasn’t ready and didn’t want to take advantage. I don’t regret that I didn’t.
To be honest I had had an embarrassing sexual problem with my old girlfriend, Laura and was still lacking in confidence. Laura was my first and only lover – Chakka had the old-fashioned view of no sex before marriage – and was already quite experienced when we got together. A bit of a goer, I heard after we’d split. I was a virgin and my inexperience must of been obvious. A one stage I started fumbling for the condom I had in my wallet but she laughed and said not to bother as she was on the pill. Because of this we had unprotected sex which was quite painful. Afterwards, when I went to the loo I noticed quite a bit of blood on my underpants and upon inspection discovered that my foreskin had torn slightly. I was so embarrassed I didn’t say anything to her at the time but it preyed on my mind because I realised that there must have been blood on her as well. So next day I sent her an email telling her what had happened. Laura thought this was touching but also very funny and she showed it to her sister who couldn’t resist telling her boyfriend and several others as well. We made love a few days later after meeting up for lunch. This time was worse – when I went to the loo there was a lot of blood. So I went back to confront Laura about it but she was up and had already stripped the blood-soaked sheet off the bed. Blood was pumping out of, what I learnt later, was a torn artery in my penis. Laura found a small polythene bag to put my penis in and a rubber band to secure it to stop the blood making even more of a mess. Then she phoned the college doctor who came, inspected the injury and kindly took me to Leighton Hospital in his car, me in my dressing gown in broad daylight with the polythene bag still in place. A nurse put a stitch to cure the problem and quite a few others came in to my cubicle to inspect the damage and have a laugh. I suppose I can see the funny side now but at the time it was embarrassing and it’s made me apprehensive about having sex. Laura and I never went out after that but it had made me trepidatious about making love and I didn’t feel I knew Sophie well enough to ask her if she was on the pill or to tell her of my concerns.
The bowling date seemed to be a success and Sophie agreed to meet up the following night as well. I suggested we just went to my local pub where there’s live music. I enjoyed it but I’m not sure whether the music was to Sophie’s taste. And the night was cut short I had a phone call from my friend, Gordon, asking if he could come and stay with me. He sounded in an awful state. and we arranged to meet at my place at 22:00. She seemed upset about the change of plan but I hoped she’d understand. I apologised to her and suggested she could come round to dinner the following night and meet Gordon.
Gordon was waiting for me and he leapt out of his car when he spotted me walking towards him. We shook hands in the street and between us we took his two huge cases into the lounge. He came into the kitchen as I made coffee and told me his woes. His girlfriend, Emily, had kicked him out of their flat. The bitch. Not only that, he was completely skint as he’d spent all his money doing up the flat that they shared. I let him rant on as we moved into the lounge but I tried to get him to talk quietly as I didn’t want to disturb Chakka. He was very angry and thought Emily had deliberately let him pay for the improvements even though she intended finishing with him.
“Gordon,” I asked,”who owns the flat?”
“Well we own it together. We bought it as tenants in common.”
“So she can’t really kick you out if it’s half yours.”
“No but she has and she’s changed the locks.”
“OK then you must contact a solicitor. As I understand it, she will either have to buy you out or sell it. Either way you will get your money back.”
“That’s all very well but how do I live meanwhile? I mean I haven’t enough money to even rent a bed sit. They all want a damage deposit.”
“Have you discussed this with Emily? What happened?”
“I went to work this morning and Emily texted me at lunchtime to tell me she’d finished with me and changed the lock to our flat. I tried and tried calling her but she wouldn’t answer. I went round to the flat and she didn’t answer until I’d given up and was walking back to my car. Then she just opened the door and dumped my two suitcases full of my clothes outside the front door and shouted at me to collect my stuff.”
“Wow! What a cow! What had you done to deserve that?”
“I went off with another girl at a party last Saturday. I was drunk and we went upstairs to find a vacant bedroom and we ended up screwing on the floor. I’m not entirely sure how she found out. I think I’d forgotten to lock the door and someone saw us hard at it.”
“Right. So she had good cause to be angry with you.”
“Yes, I know. I said I was sorry and I promised it wouldn’t happen again but she wanted me to promise to give up alcohol and I refused. She said she couldn’t rely on me, that the trust had gone and she hated me.”
“Well you have had bust ups before and got through them. Just kip here for a couple of days, text her telling her how sorry you are and how much you love her and that you won’t get drunk again.”
I gave him my sleeping bag, yoga mat and one of my pillows and persuaded him to go to sleep on my bedroom floor. In the morning I gave him a spare key and told him he could meet me at work at lunchtime. He didn’t wake up before I left for work and didn’t show at lunchtime. I had texted Chakka earlier warning her about Gordon and I asked her to join him, Sophie and me for dinner that evening. I thought the distraction might mean Gordon would not get too maudlin and I didn’t fancy just the three of us for the evening. I wasn’t sure whether Sophie would be put off by Gordon but I couldn’t let him down.
(ii) Sophie has dinner at Tim’s with Chakka and Gordon
I was a bit put out when Tim cut our second date short. It made me wonder what I was doing, dating an impecunious student. I was feeling insecure anyway after finding out he shared a house with another very attractive woman. Tim said a good friend of his had phoned with a cry for help and he felt obliged to rescue him. “That’s what friends are for.” Anyway straight away he invited me to dinner at his place the next night saying he wanted this friend, Gordon, to meet me so I felt ok after that. I was pleased to be asked and wondered if he wanted any help with anything or if I should bring anything but he declined my offers. He was very secretive about what he would be cooking, saying he wanted to surprise me. I wondered if it would be a vegetarian dish as I wasn’t sure whether he ate meat. I thought he said his parents were veggies.
Chakka opened the door when I rang the bell. I hadn’t really taken much notice last time I’d seen her as I was so shocked when she opened the door, although I had noticed how attractive she was. This time I studied her more dispassionately, now I knew she and Tim weren’t an item. She was very black, her black hair was a mass of tiny plaits and her teeth, as she smiled, were dazzling white offset by bright red lipstick and her dark eyes highlighted by light blue eyeshadow. She was dressed in a long brightly coloured African kaftan dress which made my clothes seem very uninspiring in comparison. She welcomed me by kissing me on both cheeks and hugging me.
“Come in. Lovely to see you again. Tim’s still busy in the kitchen.”
“Thanks. I love your outfit. It really suits you. What a wonderful smell. Oh, I’ve brought this,” I said thrusting a gift bag containing a bottle of ice cold champagne I’d pinched from the fridge at home.
Chakka took it from me and pulled the bottle out deftly. “Ooo lovely. I don’t think we’ve any champagne glasses but I’ll dig something out. Tim, look what Sophie’s brought.” She disappeared into the back, where I presumed the kitchen was, leaving me standing in the lounge with my coat on feeling bereft. Just then the door bell rang. I went to answer it as neither Tim or Chakka appeared. A tall, swarthy man with a black moustache was standing a bit back from the front step with a bottle of wine in each hand.
“Hi,” I said, “you must be Gordon. Come in.”
“And you must be Laura , Tim’s girlfriend.”
“No I’m Sophie. I don’t know Laura.” I was quite put out by this. Tim lived with an attractive girl and then there was Laura. Where did I fit into the picture?
Just then Tim appeared in an apron, looking a bit hot and flustered. He came across and kissed me, shaking Gordon’s hand at the same time.
“Sophie, this is Gordon. Gordon this is Sophie. Make yourselves at home. I’ll be with you in a minute. Oh you can put your coats on my bed, at the top of the stairs on the right.”
Gordon then asked me if I minded taking his coat up with mine. I didn’t think too much of it at the time but afterwards I found his request fitted into a pattern. He loved to get everyone else waiting on him. Most men would have offered to take both coats up.
Chakka appeared with four odd wine glasses filled with bubbly and we all sat down, three of us on the low tired sofa and Tim on one of the dining chairs that he turned round away from the table. Gordon immediately made it obvious he fancied Chakka without actually doing anything out of order. I think I have a sixth sense for this kind of situation.
Tim also must have sensed it.
“Chakka, show Sophie your engagement ring,” he said, making a point to let Gordon aware to back off I suppose. This didn’t have the desired effect and Gordon was even more attentive to Chakka. As he queried her we discovered that she was originally from Malawi but, as her father was a diplomat, had been to Abbots Bromley school in England since she was 13. She then studied social science at South Cheshire College, doing her work experience with Cheshire County Council and they were so impressed they offered her a full time job when she qualified. Gordon then went on to question her about her work, her fiancé, her fiancé’s house, her plans for the future. Tim and I exchanged glances as we were sitting there like a couple of lemons. To change the dynamic Tim suggested we sit at the table as food was ready. He produced a large casserole of chicken thighs and vegetables. There were two thighs each, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots and I think peppers and onions. I was trying to learn about cooking as I felt totally inadequate in that area I asked him what the spice was – cumin he said.
Gordon opened one of his bottles of red wine and we used the same glasses from before. Gordon seemed to be drinking quickly but I could have been wrong as I was being careful not to drink too much. A second bottle of red wine appeared and was consumed almost as quickly as the first, again with Gordon drinking most of it. He became more objectionable as he got drunker. His voice got louder and he continued to dominate the conversation. He was entertaining and quite funny but because it was like he was showing off I just wanted him to shut up and give someone else a turn. Also I could see that Chakka was not enjoying the attention she was getting.
“I hear you a fan of the Royal Family,” he said quite aggressively.
“I suppose so,” said Chakka.
“They’re not all as nice as they seem, you know,” he continued, “How do you think Princess Diana died?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “I bet you think it was an accident, don’t you. It was planned. Diana was an embarrassment to the rest of the family and her affair with a foreigner was the final straw. Somebody drugged the chauffeur and the rest is history.”
“I don’t believe that story,” said Chakka, “and I think it’s quite offensive to repeat it. We don’t murder people in this country when they are a nuisance.”
“Oh yes we do,” said Gordon, “Do you really think Dr David Kelly committed suicide? He was the expert in the Iraq weapons of mass destruction who was not towing the Government line, in case you’ve forgotten.”
No one said anything for a while and then eventually Tim said something – told Gordon he was drunk and that he was out of order. Gordon seemed to take it on board. I was impressed he didn’t take offence but his behaviour didn’t really change for long. I couldn’t believe anyone would say such things and was quite shocked.
Chakka had done a pudding she called ‘lemon surprise’, a chocolate mousse under lemon cream and a strawberry on top. The chocolate was the surprise. As soon as we’d finished that Chakka excused herself, saying she had work that had to be done before the morning. Once she’d gone I decided to go myself. I didn’t fancy staying as a threesome with Gordon behaving like that. So I made an excuse and left even though it was only 10 o’clock. Tim came out to see me off and apologised for Gordon’s behaviour. I was quite angry and upset as this was the second time this week that I’d left early due to Tim’s supposed friend Gordon.
Tim phoned me next evening and said that he’d sat listening to Gordon until the early hours, feeding him yet more booze. At about 01:00 he went off for a pee and when he came back downstairs from the bathroom, Gordon was fast asleep, with his head back, his mouth open, snoring loudly. So he went off to bed and when he came down in the morning Gordon had gone.
I was curious about the friendship as somehow I didn’t see why he would choose Gordon as a friend. Apparently they had met on a children’s adventure holiday when they were both 12 and they’d immediately clicked. Gordon has a sharp mind and keen wit and Tim had liked the fact that he was completely irreverent. After that they’d holidayed together, going camping round Wales each summer and hitching round the continent when they were 16. Gordon was now an accountant and lived in Manchester.
“Drink doesn’t do him any favours. I keep telling him. He’s a lovely guy, it’s just he was spoilt as a boy, his mother thought the sun shone out of his backside, if you’ll excuse the expression, and he can be overbearing at times. He loves to be the centre of attention. He’s very bright and quick witted too and he’s very fond of me and doesn’t take offence when I tell him when he’s gone too far. We’re both keen sailors and we sometimes go sailing together on one of his friend’s yachts. At the moment he’s having a hard time. His girlfriend has just thrown him out, having practically bankrupted him and he’s lonely and depressed so I feel I have to support him when I can.”
“Well he was very amusing even if he did rather overdo it. I could see why Chakka left in a hurry though. He was a bit over attentive. I suppose you can excuse it in the circumstances. You don’t always behave as you should when your relationship has cracked up. Talking of which, when did you finish with Laura? That was Gordon’s opening gambit, calling me Laura.”
“Well, Laura and I finished over a year ago as Gordon well knows. I’ve told him about you, probably gone on too much. I think he called you Laura quite deliberately. He’s like that. Tries to be clever and tries to unsettle people with his comments. Sorry about that.”
“Thanks for phoning. It’s lovely to hear your voice. You couldn’t come out tonight could you? I’ve been a bit unsettled with Gordon cutting our last two dates short. I’ll pick you up if you like. I could be there in 10 minutes. We’ll decide what to do then.”
“Sure. We could have a night in if you like.”
(iii) Love
A lot has happened in the last two weeks. Tim and I have made love and it was beautiful, amazing, wonderful and I‘m sure he enjoyed it as well, hopefully as much as me. He claimed as much anyway. I’d decided I wanted to spend the night with him, Apparently he wanted the same thing. Great minds and all that! I insisted in showering and cleaning my teeth and he did the same. I let him know that I was on the pill but he insisted in using a condom.
“No need to take any risks,” he said. “We’ve both had lovers in the past three months or so.”
I didn’t argue although I did think he was being extra cautious.
Afterwards we cuddled and chatted intimately for ages enveloped in that wonderful after sex glow. I don’t know why but I confessed that I’d been a bit promiscuous in the past and hadn’t always enjoyed sex or felt good afterwards. I claimed it was because I wanted to be recognised for something other than being my father’s daughter or my wealth. He didn’t get jealous or upset that I wasn’t completely innocent. Rob had always been a pain about that. In turn Tim confessed that he’d been very nervous and when he explained why I could see he had good reason to be. He had problems with a bleeding dick last time he made love and I can understand why he was a bit uptight.
Fortunately we didn’t have any upsets like that but of course he was wearing a condom. When we make love without, and I hope that’s soon, we’ll both be a bit on edge I imagine but we’ll tackle the problem as a couple although I’m not totally confident about the relationship, partly because of the obvious differences and partly because I think Tim and Chakka haven’t stopped fancying each other. I know that’s silly as she’s engaged to someone else but I sense the vibes between them.
The other thing I’m worrying about is Dad, Tim meeting Dad, Tim meeting Craig and me meeting his family. It’s Dad’s 50th soon and of course I’d like to be with Tim but I’m just dreading getting the two of them together.