And What a Time It Was

I didn't ask any questions. I just let her try and relax. I helped her to the bedroom, slightly worried, but she seemed to trust me. I waited outside the bathroom, telling her not to lock the door in case she collapsed and she called me after she had brushed her teeth and she took my arm for support as I led her back to bed. She asked me to turn away as she put the pyjama bottoms back and I did, as well as close my eyes and I only opened them when she said it was ok, already under the duvet by then. I sat in the chair again and watched her, her dark eyes open, looking at nothing. Her head lifted and she flipped the duvet up and there was the tiniest of smiles. I moved next to her as she shifted over. "Just for a minute." she whispered and she turned to face away, but moved her body so it just touched me and within minutes her breathing softened as she drifted away.

The bed moved and I saw her silhouette. I had left her bed when I was certain she was sound asleep and went to my own, kept awake for hours by the thoughts of what she had told me. I lifted my head and looked at her, she was standing still, but her breathing was fast. "I heard a car." she whispered and I flipped up the duvet and moved over as she slipped quietly into my bed.

"You're safe." I whispered to her back, wondering if I should touch her, but she was ahead of me, her hand reaching behind her for mine and she guided it to her and held me to her belly.

"I know." she said softly and I felt the tears well in me again.

"These sausages are pretty good." Kate said as she ate half of one of mine and then picked one up from her plate, bit it in half and put the remaining part on my plate. She smiled at me and I just shook my head and laughed, wondering if this really was the same person. "Also, you do a good breakfast."" she said as she gulped down some coffee. "You will get a five star review from me." she added and then sat back and pushed her plate away.

"Your turn to do the washing up." I said as I finished my coffee.

"Hmmm, maybe only four stars then."

Sarah messaged me to say she was heading back and wanted to meet tonight. Suzy had messaged to say she might be able to take care of Kate from tomorrow. My brain messaged me to say it was close to being fried.

I managed to get Kate to go for a walk as there was a gap between rain storms and it was feeling quite tense in the flat, but we got to the end of the street and it started to pour. I told Kate to wait in the cafe as I ran back to get an umbrella for her and then I went to meet her. I looked around and didn't see her, but carried on inside the cafe, looking around. She was at a table, hidden by a man sitting opposite and they were deep in conversation. I breathed in deeply and walked over. She looked up, eyes blank and then returned to look at the man, but something clicked and her head slowly turned back to me and her eyes went wide.

"Oh." she mumbled. I stood and stared at her. "Oh." she said again and then looked at the man and he turned to look at me. He didn't look happy.

"Kate." I said, the one word enough to make her jump and she knocked her cup and some of the coffee sploshed out into the saucer. The man was still looking at me and I was now a bit worried.

"Sorry, my friend is here." she said and he turned to look at her. "Sorry." she said and smiled, or tried to.

"Fuck your friend, come with me." he said and she shook her head.

"No." she said, firmly and he seemed to flinch at that and then he stood and turned to sneer at me and walked out. I slumped into the vacant seat and stared at her. I was fuming, but I kept my mouth shut and just stared as her eyes looked around and then down to her hands as they cradled the cup.

"Sorry." she whispered and a tear rolled down her cheek. I reached and squeezed her hand and then went to get a coffee as well as another for Kate as most was now spilled as her hands shook around the cup.

I came back with a piece of cake for her too and she looked up at me and more tears rolled. "Why?" she whispered.

"I should ask you that." I replied and she tried to smile, but just cried some more.

"This is good." she said as she tucked into the cake. "Want to try?" I looked around.

"I'll get a fork." and she laughed and speared a piece and held to to my lips and I looked into her eyes for a fraction too long

"It's ok, I'm clean." she said, with some hurt in her eyes and I pulled it from the fork with my lips and she smiled.

"That's not why..." and she just nodded and offered me another piece and she pressed it between my open lips and giggled.

It had stopped raining when we finished and we crossed the road and walked by the beach as another dark block of clouds loomed, the horsetails whipping into the sea far from shore. We stood and watched the rain in the distance, water on water, black against grey. A small voice rose in the wind defiant, but far from sure.

"I get attention." she said, eyes still on the horizon. "For a brief moment someone is interested in me. I know what they want, well, sort of. I know they want me, that's certain. For a moment I am wanted, until they realise who I really am and then..." There was a long sigh, enough for two waves. at least, to break over. "I had already said no to him." She whispered. "That guy, I said no and it felt nice. I was scared, but, once again, my big bruv came to my rescue." I lifted one hand and touched her back and she looked sideways enough for me to see it wasn't rain on her face.

"It's almost a drug, that longing to have someone approach and offer me something, even if I don't want what they offer. It's the thrill of being chased, being... desired, maybe, but being what my father said I am." This time both my hands moved and I pulled her to me and held on.

"You don't feel wanted with me, with Suzy?" I whispered as she trembled against me, the shakes felt through the winter clothes.

"It's different. I know you. It's the thrill of something new, something that won't last, someone I will never see again, just someone to occupy my time for a short while, a simple prop really."

"But you are not who your father said. You really are not." I didn't know how to make her understand, I feared she never would and we'd lose her.

"Why did he say it then?" I had no answer to her question. None that she would accept anyway, but it needed answering.

"People say fucking stupid things." and I thought I heard a chuckle from her. "You should hear the nonsense I say, usually on a date." and that time there was one. Her head lifted slowly and it was shaking, a small smile on her face as water lashed us, driven hard from the sea and I wanted to look around to see the rainbow as the smile widened.

"You always make me laugh." she said and there was a sparkle in her eyes now. "I mean, always. From the first time I met you. You were the funniest boy I had ever met. I thought it was an age thing, you know, in three years all the boys in my year would be making me laugh, but no, they were always dumb. You had a funny line ready for everything, even serious situations. I thought you were so fucking cool and hated Suzy for having such a great brother."

I just looked at her, slightly stunned by her words. The smile got wider as she moved back and her eyes wandered back to the sea, but my arms stayed around her. "Suzy is funny too, but it's almost like a second hand thing, she got it from you. If she makes me laugh, I know you will make me almost pee my pants." She chuckled. "Both of you are a comedy team." she sniffed loudly and I laughed. "See, that's all I can do to make you laugh." she giggled.

"You are funny." I said and she looked at me and shook her head.

"A mere amateur." she said.

"No, yours is a different humour, more physical."

"You mean I have a funny body." My mind went slightly blank thinking about her body.

"No." I managed to say, kickstarting my brain, "The way you move and act, your timing is brilliant, your reactions. It's hard to explain, but you make me laugh without words." Kate looked at me and then turned away again, the sea drawing her eyes.

"That's good. I mean, the things I say recently haven't exactly been funny." She said and then she walked out of my arms and stared at the waves and I stood next to her and felt her weight shift so she was just against me.

Kate was laughing when we got home, at nothing in particular, just chuckling and I felt the light lift the dark day. Then Sarah called and Kate went silent as I answered.

"I'm back." she said, but sounding less that pleased. "How's things?" I knew what thing she meant.

"It's good. Suze is sorting things and Kate might be going back to her tomorrow and then they will both head to Uni." I looked at Kate as I spoke and there was a tiny smile. "What are your plans?"

"I need a rest." she laughed. "Seriously, the family drained me. I was going to suggest going for dinner tonight but,... I am not sure I can be bothered to move now." She was sounding lighter now, her voice trilling as she laughed and I agreed with her plan, mainly as I was dreading actually seeing her again for some reason, seeing that anger in her pale blue eyes. We finished up and Kate's smile got a little bigger when I hung up.

"And?" she said, her body moving from side to side slightly.

"Looks like you'll have to put up with me tonight." I replied and she did a little hop and then turned to skip to the kitchen.

"What is there in the fridge?" she called, her voice almost singing.

It turned out there wasn't much in the fridge, despite me buying supplies a couple of days before, so we ended up in the Indian place we both liked, two of the four customers there on a rain-lashed evening. The stroll home on the beach was well timed as the clouds had cleared for a short time, the light shapes of them scudding overhead as the darker ones gathered, unseen in the night, ready to pounce. We slept apart, talking about not much for hours until we were wilting and needing to sleep. Kate gave me a soft kiss on the cheek and said goodnight and I lay awake for a while, waiting for the soft knock that never came.

She cooked breakfast and I ran to turn off the smoke alarm as she threw the kitchen windows open to let the smoke out before we sat and laughed, staring at the burnt veggie sausages and hard scrambled eggs, the fried bread already consigned to the bin after having been thrown in the sink and doused. "Stick to pastries." was my tip to her. The train track was empty when I turned for home.

Sarah was pleased to see me and we decided it wasn't a great day to be outside, so went to bed. I heard the message arrive after she had cum and I was about to. I wanted to reach for the phone, but waited until she went to the toilet to see that Suzy had collected Kate from the station and was on the way home. It was good to be back with Sarah, the Christmas holidays had taken their toll, but the novelty wore off as I was made to feel guilty when I spoke with Suzy, especially as it was about Kate. The sex was demanding too, in many ways, Sarah dictating most things about it, many a time my head was pulled up from between her legs so I could finish her some other way, usually with a rather frenzied fuck. I shouldn't complain, but it was feeling a bit stale already and I yearned for a long, languid spell in bed, kissing and caressing, the tenderness having no place with her most of the time.

Chapter 5

The weather was changing, flowers were popping up and blossom spread over the trees, white and pink petals dotted the street, nature's confetti. Other things changed too, Suzy messaged me to say she had met a man. Kate messaged to say "Sis is getting some action." Kate's missives slowed and became their usual sporadic state, but Suzy's were more effusive now as love arrived with the Swifts and my sister's heart soared.

We made plans for Summer, but things changed as I walked to the coffee shop, a moving van on the next street and a friend standing outside, overseeing events.

Marco was a genial man, we would pass each other and nod, then conversations started. He saw me on my bike one day, hot and breathless having tried to do a long ride and talk turned to cycling as a sport and we bonded. I didn't know much about him, other than he lived close by and would frequent the cafe too. Now he was leaning on a railing, watching two men shuffle a sofa out the gate and into the van.

Marco nodded, then his eyes went back to the removal process.

"You going?" I was slightly worried I would lose my cycling conversation buddy.

"Not me, my tenants." he said and waved at the men carrying some pot plants. "Know anyone who wants to rent?" I looked at the building, it was a small house and I was trying to figure out if it was two small premises, or one.

"Got any details I can show people?" It was a stupid thing to say, I had no friends.

"Two bed house, maybe three if one of the people is very small. It could be an office space, I guess. Small garden out the back, even smaller one in front. Part furnished. It's a bit run down, so if anyone is good with small repairs, it would be even better."

I nodded and the cogs whirred. He named the price, it was not much more than my flat. "Can I take a look?" His eyes flared and sparkled.

We sat in the cafe and the deal was done, he lowered the price as he knew me and I would do some of the small repairs as part of the deal. He would tidy up in the time my notice was over and then I would have more room. More room for nobody else,

Sarah had left a few weeks before, a mutual parting as the veneer of the relationship crumbled. She was always the more dominant one, despite her being a year younger. More experienced too and I had felt cowered by her and the frustration crept in. I missed the sex, I missed her fun ways, but I didn't miss the unease I always felt with her, unable to pin it down, just a feeling of not quite fitting with her. I had looked up and waved one day and she stared, my call of "SWIFT!" producing a blank look. I figured that was a sign and we drifted apart, in different currents on the ocean.

The new place was lovely and I stood in the garden as screams rattled down and two days later a box was fitted under the eaves for the summer visitors. I also got a bigger bed for the other summer visitors.

Suzy and Kate arrived a few days after Uni finished for the year and I took the day off to help them settle in. Kate was quiet, still smiling and friendly, but she had gone in on herself. Suzy was bouncy, loved up and wanting everyone to know it.

They scampered around the new place, both of them bouncing on the bed and Kate's laughter returned. They squabbled with me, asking why I didn't get two beds so they wouldn't have to share with their "annoying sister". It was good to have them back. We went for coffee by the beach and Kate and I walked side by side, both stopping and looking up at the same time, our hands reaching for the sky along with her call of "SWIFT!". Suzy barged between us, took a few steps, then turned, arms crossed over her chest to glare at us as we giggled.

"I will knock your fucking heads together." and we both giggled even more and her angry face cracked into a broad smile.

The plan was simple, Suzy would stay for a couple of days and then her boyfriend was heading down to stay at another town a few miles away and she would join him there.

"Hopefully far enough away so we won't hear your screams." Kate joked, but the look in her eye was none too friendly. Suzy stuck her tongue out and then looked smug.

After the coffee we walked to the sea, the girls had prepared earlier, bikinis on under their t-shirts and shorts and they spread the towels out and Suzy pulled her shirt off and slid out of her shorts and headed to the water's edge. Kate was hesitating and gave me a nervous look. "Want me to turn away." I whispered and there was a small flicker of a smile and she pulled her shirt over her head. I was surprised, she had a one-piece on this time and I saw Suzy staring, also taken aback by this. She went to join my sister and I watched my favourite two women as they waded out, my eyes following the black costume of Kate, watching the way her bottom moved as she walked in the water and it slowly rose to cover it before she dived in.

"Why are you fully dressed?" Kate was teasing me again, tugging at my shirt. "Also, these trousers have zip off lower parts, why are they still on?" I knew it made no sense to be on the beach like this, but I felt strange revealing my body. "Come on, get yer kit off." came a further taunt and her fingers fumbled around my knee to try and unzip the trouser leg.

"Leave him." Suzy mumbled as she reclined on the towel and Kate looked up at me and stuck her tongue out.

"Seriously, there is nothing wrong with you." she said quietly, but not enough and Suzy glanced over and Kate let the matter drop.

We went out for pizza that night, vowing to cook in the future, but wanting the luxury tonight. The sky was still bright as we strolled along the beach after, Kate running to the sea, shoes in her hands and hair in the wind.

"She is behaving." Suzy mumbled, even though our friend was well away now, lost in the gentle waves that trickled to land. "But... something's wrong." I didn't know how much they had shared, but I had a feeling Suzy knew nothing about Kate's dad. I also suspected Kate's quiet mood was due to Suzy's relationship, her feeling left out and behind. I had seen it when I was with Sarah, the other person interrupting her attention, possibly. I figured I would quiz Kate once Suzy had left.

We had three days together. The middle one rained, so they headed to the shops as I worked, Kate returning with a sausage roll from a cafe. "It's the vegan one." she said as she presented it to me on a plate, standing straight and looking proud. I made a coffee and ate my present as the two of them looked at their purchases.

The last full day was sunny and the weekend. We all headed to the beach for a bit and Kate teased me some more, but I had unzipped the lower part of the trousers and she stroked my shins and laughed as we sat on the beach. "Look how tanned they are"" she giggled. "Also, great muscles." and she squeezed a calf. "Cyclist legs, yum." and Suzy reminded her to stop tormenting her 'older brother'. They went swimming, Kate again in a one-piece and looking nervous as she took off her shirt and shorts, but looking more at ease in the sea. I watched them and frowned as a couple of men edged nearer, but Kate headed away, just enough to give a hint, but they threw a ball towards them and it splashed down near her. She picked it up and even from the beach, I could see the anger. She turned and yelled at them and flung the ball back, but out to sea and they both stared at Kate, but backed down. She was full of surprises this trip.

It was hard not to stare at Kate as she lay on her front, her pert bottom rising, the black costume showing her figure whilst covering it. I glanced to Suzy and she was glaring at me, even with my shades, it was obvious where my eyes were. She shook her head and I shrugged. I knew I would get another warning later. Then Kate turned over and I had to use all my energy to stare at the horizon and not the two little points on her chest, but my eyes flicked around a lot.

We headed to a little cafe for lunch and grabbed an outside table and Suzy asked Kate to wait as we went in to get a menu. I knew why it took two of us for that and soon I was told the old story, "She'll fuck you over, remember that. She is still that Kate." and I nodded, but said that I was only looking and Suzy glared at me. It might get tricky once she left. We walked back out and Kate was talking to someone, shaking her head and looking a bit annoyed. It was impossible to leave her, she just attracted men. Yes, she was lovely, but she was quite demure and shy, so I didn't understand it. Maybe there was a hidden signal for all the creepy guys to hit on her. I swore under my breath and Suzy dragged me back to the table and the man was already heading away when we got there.