Funny, How Time Slips Away

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A shadow suddenly fell over my table and as I looked up a voice said.

"Hi John, how do you fancy buying an old friend and her daughter a drink? You always used to say, ladies shouldn't be in a bar unescorted."

I looked up to see Rebecca standing there, with the young lady I had seen earlier standing along side her. They looked like two sisters; the young woman was obviously her daughter. I felt a twinge in my chest and it was all I could do to call out to the barman.

"George! Can I have two Vodka and Orange's over here please? And you'd better bring me a large Rum, I've just had a little bit of shock."

Vodka and Orange had always been Becky's favourite drink. It was an old joke for me to order without asking her what she wanted. The game always had been that she would object that I hadn't asked her what she wanted and then when I did. Becky would ask for an Orange with Vodka Please. Today she didn't object, but I detected a hint of twinkle in her eyes that told me she remembered. Her daughter had a strange reaction as well; it was as if she had expected what drinks I was going to order.

The two girls sat down opposite me.

"John I'd like you to meet Otterley; she told me that some strange guy had been staring at her. From her description I knew it had to be you. How are you keeping?"

Otterley, Becky had called her daughter Otterley. All the times she told me that no child of hers was going to be lumbered with the name Otterley and that's what she finished up calling her daughter.

The barman brought us our drinks as I started telling Becky and her daughter the story of my life since I'd last seen Rebecca, much as I have told you.

Then it was Becky's turn. She told me that when she'd heard I'd gone to Aus. she'd been heartbroken; her friends told her to forget me and get on with her life. She had a few boyfriends, and then she'd fallen pregnant by this student guy from Birmingham. They got married and she moved back to Birmingham with him when he graduated.

When Becky's friends had told her I was back from Australia and asking after her; she said she was even more upset than she had been when she thought I had emigrated. She realised she'd burnt her bridges. Then a few years later someone had told her I was married and had a couple of children.

Her marriage had turned out to be a disaster. The only two good things came out of it, were Otterley and her Job. She had got in on the ground floor with some firm that was just starting up; as the company had grown she had gone up with it. Now she ran the accounts department with twenty people working under her and had an impressive salary. Her husband hadn't fared so well in the job stakes and as Becky's salary went up he had gotten jealous of her. Even with his years in Uni. he couldn't match Becky's earnings and he apparently couldn't stomach, to not be the main wage earner.

There was a downside to the job for Becky though, when her marriage broke up she had to stay in Brom, as she would never match her salary anywhere else. That meant she couldn't move back to be near her family.

Becky and I talked for hours about our time together and I noted that Otterley wasn't just sitting listening. She was part of the conversation; she would ask about how I remembered certain incidents; it appeared to me that Rebecca had told her the intermittent details of our time together.

Eventually we got round to that last argument. Neither one of us could recall what it had been about, and Becky almost broke into tears when she related how she had taken off my engagement ring and thrown it at me.

I slowly reached up to my neck and pulled out the chain that I always wear around it. Rebecca's eyes got wide as she spotted the ring hanging on the chain. Then she burst out crying, jumped up and ran out of the Pub. Otterley sat quietly and watched her go, then turned back at me.

"Grandfather is very ill and we're staying at gran's house whilst he's in hospital. You know were to find us if you want. John, you know mother has always loved you and has missed you something awful. She has often told me how much she regrets making the biggest mistake of her life, that day when she threw your ring at you. I have missed you too and I have never met you before today, but mother has told me so much about you over the years; in a way I've felt I've always known you. I somehow knew who you were when I saw you looking at me."

Then she thanked me for the drinks and left to join her mother. I followed Otterley to the door and watched her get into the driving seat of a Discovery in the car park. Becky was in the passenger seat her head bent forward. I could see she was crying.

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So the next morning I found myself standing outside that door again. This time I was struggling to carry three bouquets. The Disco wasn't in the drive so I was hoping someone was in. Rebecca's mother opened the door and I held out her bouquet to her. She pushed it aside and threw her arms around me, and started crying.

"Oh John!" She said, "You will never know how pleased I am to see you. Otterley has told me all about yesterday. She will be so happy; she said she hoped you'd be here today."

"Otterley, I was kind of hoping, it would be Becky that wanted me to come!"

"Oh, she does alright, but for a few years now, when your name is mentioned she starts crying and you can't get any sense out of her at all. It's really come back to her what a silly thing she did when she threw your ring at you; she's been crying most of the night. Otterley took her to see father this morning to take her mind off you. But I'll bet the silly old bugger asks her if she's tracked you down yet. He's been keeping tabs on you over the years and told her you were divorced, you know."

"Well Becky's not the only one that's had a sleepless night!"

"That's good! Oh that wasn't very nice of me was it? But we always knew you two were made for one another. It's good you've found each other again before its too late."

"Come on Mary, please don't go jumping the gun. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since Rebecca and I were engaged. People change you know."

"Some do, but the only change in you, is the fact you've brought three bunches of flowers this time. I know you still love Rebecca. Otterley told me that she could see it in your face when you were looking at her mother yesterday. She's a very perceptive young lady and she said you were on the edge of tears all afternoon; she is hoping today you might take that ring off its chain and put it back where it belongs."

We were disturbed by the arrival of the Disco in the drive. I had parked along the road so they wouldn't know I was there.

I placed the other two bouquets on the coffee table, telling Mary which one was for Becky and asked her not to let on I was still in the house; then I went and hid in the dinning room.

Rebecca and Otterley came in and Becky gave Mary the good news that her husband was feeling much better. Then she went quiet for a few moments, as she noticed the flowers that Mary still had in her hand, before asking Mary where they had come from?

"Oh, there are some for both of you over there, as well." Mary replied. "I had a gentleman caller this morning. He came to ask how your father was."

Through the crack at the edge of the door I saw Rebecca go over to the flowers. But she reached down to the wrong bouquet.

"No! The other one is yours; apparently there is a difference."

Becky picked up the flowers and had a good look at them. Having located the card, she pulled the little envelope out and began to open it. Then she stopped and began to cry as she had felt that the envelope contained something else besides the card.

The game was up and I came out of my hiding place. Becky looked at me.

"Well go on girl, you took the bloody thing off. It's your choice, if you want to put it back on again. Or do you want me to do it?"

She passed me the envelope.

"AH, but before I do that, there's a couple of things you've got to take into account first."

I pushed the button on my cell phone to send the message. Shortly we heard a car door slam in the distance. Mary went over and opened the front door again and two little blond tornado's burst into the house and ran over to me; throwing their arms around my waist.

"I'm afraid we come as a package nowadays."

Becky smiled down at them.

"You must be Anna and that means you have to be Carol." She said. "I think your father is asking me to become you're step-mother; would you like that?"

"I'm Otty and she's Tilly." Anna corrected her. That's what daddy calls us and we hope you will do the same. Daddy loves you, he has told us all about you before. He said you should have been our mummy in the first place."

Becky held out her finger and surprisingly, the ring slipped right on. I had been worried that it would have to be resized after all these years.

"Well Otty and Tilly it looks like you've got yourselves a new big sister. This is my daughter Otterley. You know, I think these names are going to cause some confusion."

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Right, here I am, waiting at the registry office. Rebecca is late, but that's always a bride's prerogative hasn't it. We've had to wait a few months until her father has got well enough to do the honours. Alan and Angela have just come in with their hoard. Christ, seven of them and they're all girls; Alan has my sympathies. But he has told me Rebecca is outside and is going to make me wait, just a few minutes more.

Becky's quit her job in Brom and we've moved into a nice detached house, not far from her parent's place.

Otty and Tilly (that wasn't my idea honestly, but they insist) have taken to Becky and Otterley like ducks to water, and from the moment that ring went back on Rebecca's finger, Otterley has taken to calling me dad. When the three girls get together, there's hell to pay, you would never believe that they aren't really sisters.

Otterley has just started at the LSE. God, I'll bet she's going to be a right pain in the arse, that crowd always are.

I don't know what the future has in store for me, but at least now I'm with the woman I love. I really do feel like I'm twenty-one again, but of course I'm not and I've got three lovely daughters to prove it. I wonder if Beck's fancies trying for a boy before its too late.

Funny, how time slips away.

Life goes on.

Thank you for taking the time to read this tale. Your votes and comments are always appreciated.

The Wanderer