Tim and Amy

"Fine by me," Tim said.

Laura turned back to me and leaned over to whisper in my ear. I smiled and said out loud, "That'd be no problem at all. In fact, I'd like it."

Tim gave us a puzzled look.

"Laura asked if I would mind you being there when I was sitting for her," I explained. "Actually, I'd want you to be."

Laura looked thoughtful, and I guessed she was wondering why a young woman would apparently be so comfortable being looked at by an older man. But I could see her decide for the time being that it was my business, and anyway it got Laura what she wanted, a willing model.

"Great," Tim said. "I notice Laura brought her stuff, why don't we start after lunch?"

"Hmm, lunch," I said.

Tim chuckled. "You youngsters, always hungry. How about I order pizza for us?" There was a chorus of approval.

"OK," he said, "Back in a minute."

Laura and I went back into the pool and started a game throwing a ball to each other and bouncing it off the end wall while we waited for the pizza to arrive.

We heard the delivery driver at the door, and Tim carried boxes back through to the extension and put them down on the table. Laura and I quickly climbed out of the pool and took slices of pizza, sitting down to eat them still dripping water.

When we'd finished eating, I said, "Laura, why don't you go and get your art stuff and bring it back here, and we'll see how it goes?"

Laura went out to my room where she'd left her portfolio. While she was gone, I put my arms round Tim and said, "Now I've got used to the idea, I think I'm going to enjoy this!"

"Well, let's not get too excited, I think Laura is still trying to figure out exactly what's going on between the two of us," said Tim thoughtfully.

Laura returned with her sketch book and pencils. With the tools of her craft in her hands, she seemed more assertive, more in charge.

"OK, Amy," she said, "you sit over there –" she indicated one of the loungers – "and Tim, you go over there, behind where I'm going to sit to sketch, so you don't distract me."

Tim winked at me, and we took up the places Laura had indicated.

I looked at Laura and asked, "Should I take off my swimsuit now?"

Laura nodded. Without looking at Tim, I untied my bikini top and dropped it, then did the same with the bottom half.

"What position do you want me in?" I asked.

Laura mused. "Curl up in the lounger, just a little on your side," she said. "Bend one leg slightly."

I followed Laura's instructions, and said, "How's this?"

Laura looked carefully, then came over to me and moved my arm slightly. She touched my knee gently to indicate I should move my legs apart just a little more. "Perfect," she said.

Laura sat cross-legged in the lounger she'd picked, and began to sketch.

After about forty-five minutes, Laura stopped. "OK," she said, "time for a break."

I stretched, and moved into a sitting position. "Can I look?" I asked.

Laura smiled and shook her head. "No way," she said. "This is just a preliminary sketch, to fix your shape and masses firmly in my mind. You may possibly get to look at the painting before it's finished, but I wouldn't count on it."

"That's the first time anyone's talked about my body as 'masses'," I grinned.

"Shall I make coffee for us?" Tim suggested.

"Good idea," replied Laura.

He returned with a tray a few minutes later. "Here you are," he said. "Probably we should finish the artistic part by about four, Laura, but you're welcome to hang out with us and use the pool after that. You can stay for dinner, if you like."

When we'd finished our drinks, Laura helped me get back into my pose, then began to sketch again.

After a few minutes she said, "There. I've got what I need to put an outline on canvas, anyway." She closed her sketchbook.

I put my swimsuit back on, and stretched. "I think I could do with a massage," I said, "I'm stiffening up."

"Hop on the table, then," Tim said.

I lay on my front on the massage table, and Tim began to knead my shoulders gently with his hands and work at the knots in my spine.

"Mmm, that's better," I said.

Laura looked on, a look of mild envy on her face. "Your uncle has unexpected talents," she said.

"You don't know the half of it," I said, then "Ow!"

Tim had surreptitiously pinched me, not very hard, in case I was tempted into any indiscreet comments. He ran his hands over my shoulders in a quick caress to reassure me that he wasn't really cross, then said, "That's you done – hop off."

I got off the table. "Laura, you want some treatment?" I asked.

"You bet," said Laura. "Sketching isn't quite as demanding as maintaining a pose for that long, but it does leave me a bit stiff."

"Come on then," Tim said. She walked over and lay on her front, her cheek on her hands.

Tim started as he had done with me, massaging Laura's shoulders with his hands, then carefully working his thumbs down either side of her spine.

"Mmm," she said, "that feels really good."

He reached the base of her spine, then ran his hands softly over her shoulders and back and said, "There. Hope that helped."

She eased herself slowly to a sitting position, and said, "Wow, that really is relaxing."

Just then Tim's mobile rang. It was Pam calling to say she was on her way back from the airport.

"OK," he said, "I'll be at home when you get there."

"I'll get dressed," he said to us, "but you two are welcome to carry on."

"Let's try the sauna, Laura," I suggested. "It's really hot."

We went into the sauna room holding hands while Tim went upstairs to dress. I did as I'd seen Tim do and threw water on the brazier. A cloud of steam billowed up, and Laura waved her hand in front of her face.

"Maybe that was a bit too much, Amy," she giggled. The cloud subsided, and we reclined side by side on the wooden bench to enjoy the heat.

"So, Amy," began Laura. "You and your uncle seem pretty close."

"Yes," I said thoughtfully. "I don't exactly know how it happened. Tim and Pam came to visit us last Christmas, and it all really started then."

"Tell me about it," said Laura. "You seem really happy, so it must be a good thing."

"Well," I began, "I was really pleased that Tim was coming to stay – he was always good fun when Sally and I were little, and he used to spoil us, so I was pretty sure I could persuade him to pay me some attention – you know Dad moved out, don't you?"

Laura nodded. "So you were sort of missing a father figure."

"Maybe – but Tim is way more fun than Dad. Anyway, the day after they arrived, Pam went out shopping with Mum, and Tim stayed to look after me. Right from the beginning we had this game – I'd pretend to resent having to be 'looked after' by some boring old guy, and Tim would act like he just knew I'd throw the stroppy, bored teenager act the moment Mum left."

I remembered the slap that Mum had given me. "Sometimes we overdid the acting. But as soon as they'd gone, Tim and I got in the hot tub and had a really great chat – he's some kind of manager, so he was really interested in what I was applying for at uni."

"That first day he asked me about boyfriends, and I even found myself telling him about that guy I told you about, the one who had no clue what I needed."

Laura grimaced. "I've had a couple of boyfriends like that," she said. "So what did Tim say?"

"He was so sweet – he apologised, as though it had been him."

Laura looked astonished. "Wow. So what else happened that Christmas?"

"Well, on Boxing Day Tim had arranged it so that Mum and Pam were going on a pamper day at some expensive spa, and he and I would go shopping so I could spend my Christmas money. Tim made out that he'd last about ten minutes, then give up and sit in the coffee shop; nothing could have been further from the truth."

"A man who can cope with shopping," said Laura. "Don't let him get away! So how did the shopping go?"

"Unbelievable. I bought a dress, then Tim took me into that expensive jeweller's on the precinct and bought me a gorgeous necklace to go with it. I'll show you later."

I paused for a moment. "I think that was when I realised that this might be more than a game for him."

"Did it worry you?" asked Laura.

"Not at all," I said. "The one thing above everything else, is that he treats me with respect – opens doors, asks me what I'd prefer to do. He's genuinely thoughtful, I just know he wouldn't do anything to hurt me."

"So then I went and bought some really nice underwear – he stayed outside the shop for that. We went home, and I got dressed up just to show him."

"So what happened next?" asked Laura.

"The next day was going to be their last day with us, but something dramatic happened."

"What?" said Laura, her mind obviously throwing up wild possibilities.

"The hospital called – my Dad was ill, and they wanted Mum to go over there. Mum asked Pam to go with her, leaving Tim to look after me. So they shot off, and Tim and I spent the time together – just doing normal things, shopping, cooking. The next day –"

"Hey, hang on," interrupted Laura. "What about the previous night?"

I grinned. "Tim was a perfect gentleman and left me at my bedroom door. I gave him a goodnight kiss on the cheek, and we went to our separate beds."

I could have sworn that Laura looked a little disappointed, but she smiled. "Go on."

"The next day he brought me breakfast in bed, and we had a lazy morning just reading the papers. There was one interesting bit, though. Sally and her husband came round unexpectedly just to check we were alright. Tim and I did have a bit of a 'dare' about dropping hints, but they didn't guess. Sally even let slip that Mum had suggested I go and stay with Tim and Pam in the summer while Mum was doing a course."

"That must have been good news," said Laura.

"I thought it was the best," I grinned, "but something even more amazing happened. When Mum got home, she said she and Dad had talked, and they were going to give things another try."

"Wow," said Laura. "So your Dad came back, and you were looking forward to the summer."

"Spot on," I said. "When the summer came, Mum and Dad went away – Mum had cancelled the course, and instead she'd booked a cruise for them to celebrate getting back together. They dropped me off at Tim and Pam's for a whole two weeks."

"But Pam must have been there most of the time, and Tim would have to go to work?" queried Laura.

"So Tim was working from home – but he didn't really do much work."

Laura grinned.

"The first day he took me out to lunch at a little Italian place, then bought me another piece of jewellery to go with the one he'd got me at Christmas. I bought more clothes, then Tim got me perfume – the one I always wear now."

"I know you said he spoilt you and Sally when you were little," said Laura, "but it seems like he's really going for it now."

I grinned. "Wait till you hear about some of the surprises he set up for me that week. So we got home, and I dressed up for him again. This time I got a kiss – I had to make sure he didn't have lipstick on him because Pam was on her way home."

"That evening the three of us went out – that rom-com with Hugh Grant – and I held his hand all the way through the film."

"Shame Pam was there," said Laura. "If it had been me with him, I might have been tempted to take more advantage of the dark."

"So the next day he'd arranged to take me flying with an old university friend of his who owns a small plane charter company. Looping the loop and everything!"

"I know what men expect when they loop the loop with a girl," said Laura wryly.

"Well, Tim didn't try to take advantage. He just told me an outrageous story about how he'd saved his pilot friend from getting in trouble with the CIA – something about a secret flight at the airfield while Captain Richards was entertaining a girl."

"I'd take that one with a pinch of salt," snorted Laura. "What happened next?"

"That was when I decided to get my own back a little. I picked my moment, then casually dropped in to the conversation that it would be really great if I came to live with them when I came to uni. And while he was recovering from that, Pam said that she'd rented 'Airplane' for us to watch, so she was on about 'my worthless co-pilot has frozen up'. I thought I was going to suffocate trying not to laugh, because of course we'd never be able to explain to Pam what was so funny."

Laura laughed so hard she nearly fell off the bench. "What was the next surprise?"

"Well, Tim being thoughtful, he left the next day up to me, so I asked if we could go and feed the ducks in the park."

"Safe enough," agreed Laura.

"You'd think so, but Pam managed to surprise both of us. She had some kind of work crisis that meant she'd be away for two nights."

"Wow! So you made the most of that?" said Laura.

"Well, in the afternoon Tim introduced me to the pool, and the sauna – and the massage table."

Laura grinned. "I bet Tim enjoyed finally getting his hands on your body."

"Look who's talking," I grinned. "You know that he's actually good at it, it's not just an excuse."

"So what was next?" asked Laura.

"Pam had already arranged for us to go to the ballet that evening, so I dressed up to the nines – that Audrey Hepburn look, you've seen the pictures – and Tim took me out. His company has its own box at the ballet, and we had our own usher to bring us drinks."

"Then when we got home, I asked Tim if he'd tuck me in when I went to bed."

"I bet he didn't need asking twice," smiled Laura.

"So he came into my room and closed his eyes while I undressed and took off my makeup. I put on a long t-shirt for bed."

"Are you sure he didn't peek?" grinned Laura.

"Absolutely. He said the sweetest thing – he said that even though I'd looked amazingly beautiful in my Hepburn outfit, now I was 'just Amy' he felt like his heart would burst."

Laura looked for a second like she might cry. "So then he tucked you in and left?"

I smiled, remembering. "Yes."

"So then what?"

"The next day he brought me breakfast in bed, and we talked for ages. He told me about what he'd done at uni, and the girlfriends he'd had. After lunch we swam for a while, then he took me out to McDonalds for tea."

Laura hesitated. "So, Amy," she said. "Are you... have you two...?"

"No," I said thoughtfully. "We just have so much fun already – he loves to surprise me, spoil me, and I love to dress up, and down, and just be me for him."

I noticed Laura wipe away a tear. "Wow, Amy, thanks for telling me all this. I think it's really special."

"So do you think you can keep from giving away that I've told you?" I asked.

"I'll do my best," she grinned. "Let's get back in the pool, I'm starting to melt."

We walked hand in hand to the edge of the pool, then jumped in with a huge splash. "Brrr!" I said, "it does feel cold compared to the sauna."

Tim came back through to the extension. "Dinner will be thirty minutes," he called. "You staying to eat with us, Laura?"

"Yes, please," she replied.

She pulled herself out of the water, and I followed her. We patted ourselves dry, then disappeared upstairs to change.

When we came back down, Tim looked at Laura, then looked again. I caught his eye, and Laura and I suppressed our laughter.

"I showed Laura my wardrobe," I explained. "She's a little slimmer than me, but there are a few of my things that look pretty good on her."

Laura and I went through into the living room and sat on the sofa. I clicked the TV on to an episode of the Simpsons.

Pam and Tim brought in trays, and we ate watching Bart's antics and laughing at Homer in a muumuu.

When the credits of the final episode of the evening rolled, Laura said, "Well, guys, I'm really grateful for the lovely day I've spent with Amy, and for the meal. I'd best be getting back to campus now."

"Sure. I'll give you a lift," said Tim. "I guess you want to come, Amy?"

"Of course."

We all got in the car, and Tim drove back to the campus, parking outside Laura's hall of residence.

"You want to come up for a coffee?" asked Laura.

"Maybe next time," Tim said.

"Ok," she replied. She hugged me. "Thanks so much," she said. She turned to Tim, and before he could work out whether a hug would be appropriate, Laura had put her arms around him tightly and kissed him firmly on the mouth, before stepping back. "Thanks, Tim," she said, and was gone.

Tim and I got back into the car and set off towards home.

"So, what did you tell Laura? I guessed you must have given her the line about your day together," asked Tim.

"Oh, I told her everything," I said, turning my head to gauge his reaction.

The car swerved, and Tim grabbed the wheel more firmly to bring us back onto the right position on the road.

"You did what?" he said, but with only utter surprise, not anger, in his voice.

My face had showed brief alarm as the car had jerked, then as Tim slowed down, I gave him my most appealing smile and said, "Well, it seemed the simplest thing. I trust her – we've had some really deep talks, and she has a good heart."

Tim exhaled slowly. "Ok. It does make things simpler if we're going to spend any more time with Laura. And at least there's one other person that you can talk to now about us, if you ever need another woman's point of view – or if you want to let off steam about me. But I think that had better be it for friends in the know – I don't think my nerves could stand another jolt like that."

"I'll make it up to you," I smiled.

He grinned. "Hope it's not too long before we get some more time to ourselves."

"Well, it's nearly Christmas, so you'll be off work, and Mum and Dad have decided to go on holiday again over the break – things are really working out for them being back together. So I'll be here between terms. We're bound to be able to come up with something."

We arrived back home, and I went up to bed. After a few minutes I heard Tim and Pam come up, then their bedroom door closed and the light went out.

When Tim came in from work the next day, I was sitting at my desk in the dining room with my books spread around.

He walked over to me and kissed me on the cheek.

"Mmm," I said, "you smell of work."

"That's a funny way to put it," he said. "What does work smell like?"

"Well, your aftershave, and I guess your suit smells different, and there's just a hint of tobacco smoke."

"Yes, the smoking area is by the car park," he said. "Does it bother you?"

"No," I replied, "it adds to the effect. I like it – it's you. It makes me look forward to when I'm on placement."

"I'm looking forward to it too," he said.

"I saw Laura today," I went on. "We chatted, and she asked me if perhaps she could come and stay over Christmas instead of going home? I don't think she gets on well with her parents, and she could bring her art stuff and work on her show."

Tim was obviously remembering the picture that Laura was hoping would form a key part of her show, and the sitting I'd done for it. "That'd be great," he said. "She could share your room, and we could shift things around a little at this end of the room so she could have some space to paint – the light's good in here."

"I hope Pam won't mind the canvas Laura's working on," I said.

"But it's 'art'," Tim said. "I've taken Pam to a couple of exhibitions with works more shocking than Laura's painting."

I grinned. "I'll tell her yes, then. I'm looking forward to swimming and sauna with her again."

Just then Pam arrived, and Tim gave her a welcome-home hug and kiss.

"Amy was just wondering if Laura could come to stay for a few days at Christmas," he said. "Apparently things are a little uncomfortable at home, and she did so much enjoy her day with Amy."

"Of course," said Pam. "It'll be nice to have someone to talk to about art – you business types are a bit dull."