An Unconventional Marriage

"His name is Marcus, and he's a divorcee with a girl called Becky the same age as Lucy."

"Hmmm!"

"He might be nice, you might actually like him, but..."

"Leave it Jools, not in the mood."

"Fair enough, but we must find you a mate, too long without... you know... well it's not fair on you is it?"

"I am perfectly happy with my life as it is, I have you two and Lucy, what more do I need?"

"A good..."

"Julian, leave it, sorry Susan, maybe we'll just forget it," Dan said irritably.

"No, you're good, let's do it, you never know hey, sorry, I... ohhhh! just sorry."

Julian walked over and kissed her gently, took her hand and pulled her to her feet. He danced her round the room until she laughed, and every one relaxed again. Charlotte and Lucy appeared and whirling Susan around he grabbed Charlotte and then Lucy and danced with them.

"Julian, you are such a showoff." Lucy laughed and hugged him tightly.

"I know darling, but that's why you love me so much." he kissed her hand and took her to sit on Dan's knee. Returning to Susan he pulled her into his lap, as he sat in a chair.

"You need looking after Susan and I will not rest until we find you the best looking man in the world."

"No pressure on Marcus then?" said Susan grinning.

"Who's Marcus then?" said Lucy eyes wide.

"He is a young man who, we hope, will sweep your mother off her feet and into the arms of love." said Julian dramatically, kissing Susan fervently. Susan pushed him away giggling.

Lucy rolled her eyes and Charlotte giggled.

A Week Later

"Well?"

Susan stood in the bedroom holding up two dresses. Dressed only in her underwear she faced Dan and Julian. they looked quizzically at her. Dan pointed to the blue one, Julian cocked his head thinking and then nodded. Lucy sitting on the bed nodded too.

"Really?"

"Definitely."

"Absolutely."

"Totally Mum, you'll look great."

"I don't know, is there to much, err, decollatage?" she said primly.

"She means bosom," said Julian to Lucy.

"I know that." said Lucy giggling.

"Joools," wailed Susan.

"No, it's perfect, not too much, just flattering." said Dan, "definitely wear that, it's elegent..."

"Like you," interjected Julian,

"understated..."

"Like you."

Beautiful..."

"Exactly like you." finished Julian and Lucy together. They grinned and Lucy went to hug Susan.

As the car drew up outside the Watkin's house, Susan reached forward and touched the two boys on the shoulder. They knew she was nervous and so each placed a hand over hers. They sat there and just waited. Eventually Susan sighed and slipped out of the car. As she reached them, each looped an arm, and she slid her arms inside them. The three, linked tightly proceeded to the front door, which opened as they arrived. A tall blond man trying to get his coat on came out.

"Sorry, I... sorry, look, are you Susan, I'm Marcus, oh pleased to meet you guys... you are?"

"her protectors, brothers, lovers and ex husband, so Marcus, where are you off to?" said Julian arching an eyebrow.

"I was just leaving, it seems we're being set up Susan, and I for one feel a tad foolish and stupid."

"Well that's a shame, because Susan went to a lot of trouble to look more than her usual fantastic self." said Dan and kissed Susan's cheek.

"Dan, Julian, would you just give Marcus and me a couple of minutes, please?"

"Any problems old heart, just call we'll only be inside." said Julian,

"Peeking through the spyhole if I know you Jools, so off, now!" Susan said with a grin.

Dan flicked the car keys to her, "In case you need them, we can get a cab."

Susan nodded, as Marcus stood looking completely perplexed.

"My ex-husband and his partner," said Susan, by way of introduction. Peter and Lesley say you have a daughter, same age as Lucy, that's Dan and my daughter's name."

"Err yes, Becky. Look Susan, I'm sorry you've been hoodwinked into this, had I known I would have instantly said no."

"Why, it's alright I would too, I did, say no, but..."

"You knew and you still came, why would you do that?"

"Because, they asked me too and it sounded fun and well... you look great, so that's a bonus for me. Look why don't we go in, Lesley will have gone to no end of trouble with the meal. At least enjoy the meal, even if you can't enjoy the company."

"Who said I wouldn't enjoy the company."

"Oh Marcus! you flatterer." Susan laughed and soon Marcus was laughing too. As they approached the door, Julian flung it open and ran to Susan wrapping his arms round her and hugging her tightly. Letting her go he pumped Marcus's hand vigourously.

"Marcus, I'm Julian, her ex husbands partner, let me just say, if I wasn't as gay as I am, I'd have bedded her myself." he turned to Susan a look of horror on his face, "Too much, too soon?" Susan nodded and hugged him.

"You two seem remarkably tolerent and happy with each other."

"What's not to be happy about Susan, she cooks she sews, she has a great mind and a fantastic body, well for her age anyway, and she's so much fun to be with." Julian kissed her again.

Dan wandered over and shook Marcus's hand, "Dan, ex husband, his partner, welcome. Don't mind these two, they're like a couple of kids, they should have been brother and sister. Don't be fooled though, each would kill for the other. Scares the sh..."

"Dan!" Susan shouted, shocked by the language he was about to use. Dan grinned and gestured inside to Marcus. Marcus grinned and went in.

Lesley looked relieved and Peter held up a bottle. Later they sat and the meal began. The talk ran round the table and the wine flowed. Despite limits on drinking, they all enjoyed far more than was good for them. The meal was a huge success and they retreated to the lounge for coffee. Later a fleet of taxi's arrived and they broke up and left for home. At home they paid the babysitter and sat in the kitchen.

"I like him," Dan remarked, most unusually offering an opinion first.

"Yes he was rather nice," said Julian, yawning. "Will you see him again?"

"Probably, it would be nice to talk with him one to one." said Susan, sleepily.

"Good for you," said Dan, rising and kissing the top of her head. "Night,"

"Night Dan, thanks," said Susan, touching his hand.

"What for?"

"For being you, sleep well." Dan grinned and left.

"Well it's just the two of us now, so Susie, how was it?"

"I like him, he's, I don't want to say nice, umm..."

"Fancyable?"

"Mmm yes, definitely,"

"Beddable?"

"Too soon, but probably. Why do you bring out the naughty side in me?"

"Because you do it to me too. We were made to be with each other, not as lovers, but as towering geniuses rising above the lowly mortals, bringing love and laughter to their puny lives."

"Is that right?"

"That or something like it. See you in the morning my lovely, sleep well."

"You too hunk, see you later."

They kissed and Julian stood and waved, disappearing to join Dan upstairs.

Two Weeks Later

"Susan, he's here," Julian sang from the lounge.

"For God's sake Jools, don't go twitching the curtains, oh Lord!"

Susan appeared in a simple black dress, short, above her knees, sleeveless and unadorned. At her neck a simple rope of small pearls, she was struggling to fit her shoes on, her handbag, slipping off her shoulder, as she bent almost double.

"I can see your boobs," Julian said grinning, and winking.

"Rude," said Lucy walking in eating a slice of bread and jam.

"Julian!" Susan roared and finally straightened, "Err excuse me young lady, why are you walking around eating bread and jam?"

"Because I can't find any honey?"

"Don't be flippant with me young lady, bed at eight, Jools you're in charge, do exactly as Julian tells you too, ok?"

"Yes mother," sighed Lucy, and winked at Julian, who smirked and looked away.

"Behave both of you? Julian you're supposed to be the adult."

"Yes mother," they said together and dissolved into fits of giggles.

"Ohh! you are impossible, hhhm, well how do I look?"

"Stylish, an older, but not old Audrey Hepburn,"

"Like a film star."

"Thank you, remember bed eight, you'ew in charge." She pointed at Lucy and Julian in order, they nodded with straight faces, but a twinkle in their eyes.

The doorbell rang and Susan turned and left them. They heard the door open, low voices, a short laugh and the door bang shut.

"OK, what are we doing?"

"A film, romance, boy meets girl, lots of songs."

"Singin in the Rain."

"Is it good?"

"Good, Lucy tell me you've seen it a million times, like me?"

"No, I haven't seen it before, is it good?"

"Young lady we are in for a treat, we need drinks, snacks and we'll let the show begin."

They went to the kitchen and began to rummage through the cupboards. Ten minutes later they were sitting on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, feet on the coffee table watching the film. At some point Lucy yawned and reminded Julian of her bedtime. Julian nodded and asked if she was tired, Lucy said no, so they watched the film.

Meanwhile twenty minutes away Susan sat with Marcus in an Italian they both knew and used fairly regularly. They drank, ate, talked and it was plain they were enjoying each others company. They had coffee, they had a further drink, then left. Marcus had come by cab and arranged a return journey. They waited a few minutes for the car. As it arrived Marcus waved and when it stopped opened the door for Susan. They sat in the rear, holding hands and talking. At Susan's they alighted and Susan asked Marcus to come in. Marcus paid the driver and followed her to the front door. the house was dark, except for the porch light and the hallway. Susan closed the door and Marcus pulled her into an embrace.

Susan came down to the kitchen, to make two coffees, as she added milk to hers, Julian came in, wearing his customary boxer shorts and t shirt. Smiling he kissed hercheek, then noticed two cups, he slipped and arm round her and grinned.

"OK, my lovely, how was the meal?"

Before Susan could answer Marcus appeared in just his boxer shorts, "It was just fine, how did your baby sitting go?"

"He was rubbish," said Lucy walking in clad in dressing gown and slippers, her long hair uncombed and disordered, " I ended up putting him to bed, he fell asleep before the film ended."

"What film?" Susan said loudly.

"Singin in the Rain, it was great, I really liked it."

"She's been culterally deprived, it should be required viewing on the National Curriculum," Julian said then looked at Susan guiltily.

"Hmm it's a good job it was Friday night, as for you, Julian, I could strangle you."

"Sorry, mea culpa..."

Susan ruffled his hair as he bowed low.

"Look I don't want to appear as the ungrateful guest, but, any chance of that coffee before it gets any colder."

"I'm so sorry, Marcus I..."

"Hi Marcus, how's Becky?"

"She's fine Lucy, she's having a weekend with her mother and partner."

"Make a note Sooz, Marcus is free til Sunday," Julian stage whispered.

"Julian!"

"OK, play it cool, might not have noticed." Julian stage winked and tapped his nose. Lucy snorted and went to a cupboard, pretending to look for her breakfast bowl.

"Don't worry, I'll pretend I didn't hear," Marcus winked at Susan, who blushed and shook her head as she passed the coffee to him.

"Can I smell coffee?" asked Dan as he wandered in in slippers and dressing gown.

"Mum's making it for her and Marcus, but if you ask nicely I expect she'll make you one." Lucy sat at the table and poured her cereal into the bowl she'd found and pointed at the milk carton on the work surface. Marcus picked it up and placed it on the table in front of her.

"Marc.. Lucy! Dan, tell her!" Susan shouted. Dan grinned as did the others, Susan felt the beginnings of a smile. Marcus roared and the others followed on. Susan slipped her arm through Marcus's, he kissed her lips gently, the oooohhh! echoed round the kitchen and they both reddened as they laughed.

A Decade Later.

"Hi Julian, where are Mum and Dad?"

Julian looked up from his book, fixing his gaze on Lucy he admired her grown up figure. She wore only her bikini bottoms and these were moulded to her body.

"Down in the surf with Marcus, they've been a while. Lucy can I just say you look fabulous?"

"You may,"

"Lucy you look fabulous,"

"Thank you, you look terrific too, well for a man of your mature years."

"Easy tiger, dangerous ground, not too old to smack your bottom."

"Eat me,"

"Ohh sand in my face,"

Julian sprang up and grabbed a very surprised Lucy by the waist, twisting and throwing her slightly he caught her and carried her down the beach. Lucy was giggling uncontrollably and begging him to stop. Undetered Julian strode into the waves and at waist height lowered her slowly into the waves. Lucy screamed as the waves lapped firstly her bottom, and, as Julian bent her lower, back, legs and finally her chest and feet.

"You bugger, it's freezing," she giggled and pulled herself up against him.

Julian reacted by cuddling her and sitting down, just as a bigger wave washed over them completely, her scream drowned out by the surge of water. They stood and awkwardly clung together as the retreating wave tried to suck them down again. Holding tightly they walked back out of the surf. Dan, Marcus with Susan between them were almost crying watching the drenched pair stagger out of the sea. Laughing they clung to each other and joined the others. Arm in arm the five of them walked up the beach.