Fire and the Redhead

Fire And The Redhead. (Part One)

This is part One of a novella loosely based on my experiences in the early 1970's and continues on from my 'Carol and Gwenda' stories which were based in Australia. Like all my characters they were real people, but I've changed names and some places accordingly.

Once again I would appreciate feedback comments and please rate the story if you feel so inclined. I have found comments especially helpful with regards to my direction as an author.

The city where I was living was a small one with a population of 28 thousand and approximately the same again in the surrounding rural areas.

I had just turned 19 and was employed at a local timber mill having just moved to the city but staying out of town next to one of the lakes. My parents who lived about two hundred miles away, owned a holiday home there and I had shifted in after returning from a year away travelling overseas with an older brother.

I loved the lake, but also the location to the coast which was only 20 minutes away as I was an avid surfer.

My job at a timber mill was boring to begin with, handling packets of timber in the 'Export yard', but within a month I got a bit of a promotion and ended up as a 'packet marker.' My foreman seemed to see a bit of potential in me as I had suggested to him an easier way of tracking the packets of timber passing through the yard.

How did I end up working at a timber yard in a small city? Bit of a long story, but I had lost my eldest brother when travelling overseas. We had been travelling in a van, surfing, and working around Australia when a girl and her brother he had hooked up with, invited him to travel to the USA. Cam flew over to spend a month in California with his friends and their family while I remained in Newcastle working at the big steel mill there. He never made it, as Pan Am flight 816 crashed into the Pacific Ocean shortly after take-off from a refuel in Tahiti, and I had not only lost my brother but my best mate. He was a few years older than me, but we were close.

After the memorial services back in New Zealand my parents had suggested I take time out by heading to the lake. I certainly needed it as my head space was a bit 'fucked up.' I didn't particularly want to socialise or be around people but knew in the back of my mind I couldn't do that forever.

Mr and Mrs Gordon, family friends, lived next door, and Mrs Gordon was always dropping over meals for me, and I guess checking I was Ok. She was a lovely lady and was always trying to get me over to BBQ's and parties at the lake side community, but I just wanted to be left alone to try and sort my own shit out. The last thing I wanted was someone asking me awkward questions, the loss of Cam was still raw. My parents to their credit understood this and after their first weekend visit, where I explained my feelings to them, they had basically left me alone with just one call each week to mum to assure her I was alright.

Mum and Dad had obviously been traumatised with the loss of Cam and were dealing with it in their own way. Dad concentrating on his manufacturing business and Mum with her charity work instead of spending their normal summer weekends at the lake.

I spent a few weeks mucking around on the lake trout fishing, kayaking, surfing at the coast and eventually after spending the best part of a weather-bound weekend mostly in bed, decided I had better get my shit together and do something useful. Plus, I needed money.

The cottage always needed some maintenance and I had completed a few jobs in and around it that Dad had suggested. So, I got a local paper and basically applied for the first vacancy I saw which was at the sawmill.

The sawmill was okay, but I didn't have much in common with my fellow workmates who were hunting drinking, "went to a bloody good piss up on the weekend," types.

Arriving home one Friday night I found Mrs Gordon dropping off a tea towel covered meal. She was accompanied by a girl. An attractive girl at that.

"Hi Tim, thought you might like this. Pork chops and apple sauce. Tim, this is our niece Cynthia, she's on holiday from university and is staying a few days.

"Thanks Audrey.' (Mrs Gordon insisted I call her and Roger by their first names.) "Hi Cynthia."

Cynthia was a redheaded girl I guess about my own age. She was quite attractive and when she smiled at me, I could see that even without any make-up on she was a natural beauty. Her bright green eyes drew my attention immediately plus she had just a few freckles beneath them. Cynthia was about 5 foot 7 or 8 but I couldn't really see what sort of figure she had as she wore track pants and a loose pullover top.

I'll just pop this inside for you and put it in the oven if you like." Audrey didn't wait for a reply and headed into the cottage followed by Cynthia and me.

"Aw wow...this is a nice view." Cynthia was standing at the picture window looking over the lawn running down to the lake.

"Isn't it interesting how each property has a different aspect even though they are close to one another." Audrey had joined Cynthia in front of the window. "Tim would it be alright if Cynthia hung out here for a couple of hours, Roger and I need to go to the supermarket to do some shopping and I thought she might like some company her own age while we are away instead of coming with us old boring farts?"

"Umm...yeah no problem." I didn't really feel like company, but it was hard to say no to Audrey after all she had done for me.

"Oh, that would be great. Roger wants to take me for a dinner afterwards, so I guess we'll be back about 10 if that's alright."

"Yeah...no problem."

Audrey headed off. "Sorry about that Tim. Aunty Audrey thought you might like some company I'll just head back once they've gone."

I guess my lack of enthusiasm for company was showing through.

"Nah...stay as long as you want...I've just finished work so I'm going to have a shower. No TV here sorry Cynthia but plenty books and magazines. Tea and coffee in the kitchen, help yourself. You might want a beer, there's some in the fridge and wine there if you would prefer, I might have a wine."

"Ok, thanks Tim...umm...everyone calls me Cindy...just Roger and Audrey insist on Cynthia," she smiled at me.

"Cool...Cindy I like that...nice name." It wasn't that hard to be nice to a girl with a killer smile.

I grabbed a pair of boardshorts out of the bedroom and headed to the shower in the bathroom off the kitchen.

As I came back out Cindy had two glasses on the bench and was pouring wine into them.

"Oh," she exclaimed with a bit of a fright, her eyes quickly scanning over my body. She stuttered a bit. "Th...thought you might like some wine with your dinner."

"Shit...sorry Cindy should have thought to throw a shirt on. Guess I'm used to having the place to myself."

"Aw no...believe me...I don't mind in the least...just got a bit of a fright to see a buff body like that. Shit Tim do you work out or something." That killer smile again.

I laughed. "No...Just surf and thrash the hell out of the water kayaking heaps...thanks for the compliment though Cindy. I'll just grab a shirt."

"Wouldn't worry me if you couldn't find one." Cindy's turn to laugh.

We sat out on the deck, drunk our wine as I ate Audrey's dinner, Cindy having already eaten. I had put on a Neil Young tape and turned the speakers to face the open French doors. We sat in silence for a while contemplating the lake as the water glassed off with the dying afternoon breeze.

"Who is this?" Cindy asked.

"Neil Young...have you not heard him before?"

"Oh yeah...I've heard the name before...guess I just haven't listened to the music."

"My brothers and myself." I gulped as it dawned on me what I'd said. "Umm...he's been a favourite of mine for a while." We sat in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry Tim...Aunty Audrey told me about your brother. I know it hurts like hell; she said you were really close."

"Yeah...well I'd rather not talk about it thanks."

"Of course...I understand how you feel."

"I doubt it."

"Actually, Tim I do. I lost my fiancée at the beginning of the year."

"Aw shit Cindy...I'm so sorry...bloody hell...I'm so down feeling sorry for myself that I forget I'm not the only one in this world...what happened...no don't answer that...I don't want to talk about it and now I'm asking you to?"

"That's Ok...he died in a car accident."

"Were you with him?"

"No...bit of a long story but basically, we had a silly fight over nothing. He got pissed off with me, hopped in his car and ended up finishing the fight with a power pole."

I sat quietly for a while trying to digest what she had just said. "Were you together for long?"

"Since we were 16. Anyway, want to go in, I'm starting to get cold."

"Aw yeah...for sure."

I washed and Cindy dried the couple of dishes before we took our wine back into the lounge.

"I see your guitar in the corner, want to play me something. Uncle Roger says you're really good."

"What else have Uncle Roger and Aunty Audrey been telling you?"

Cindy had her legs up on the sofa with her arms around her knees and looked at me with a shy schoolgirl grin. "Aunty Audrey said you have the most beautiful come to bed eyes she has ever seen...she was right...she didn't mention your buff body though."

"Bloody hell Cindy...you're not shy are you." I laughed.

"Nope...tell it as I see it, always have. You going to play me something?"

"Not until there is a bit of pay back. You've got a killer smile and I love your green eyes. Don't know about the body though, it's tucked away in baggy clothes."

Cindy grinned at me. "Guess I deserved that...as for my body...a girls allowed to be a bit mysterious, I guess maybe you'll just have to wait and see, that's if you want to."

Shaking my head I grinned at her, she was grinning back. "What do you want to hear?"

"Something happy, something nice, something romantic...I don't mind."

I was trying to shake off my morose mood and Cindy was the best medicine I had had in weeks. I hadn't touched the guitar since Cam died but thought 'bugger it' switched off the stereo and grabbed the guitar. It was way out of tune, and it took me a couple of minutes to get it right. I began playing the Beatles 'Here comes the Sun.' I loved it as an instrumental and played it till the end before starting again but singing this time. It felt good to be playing again. As I started singing, I glanced at Cindy, she had her mouth open and was staring at me with those beautiful emerald-green eyes, a look of disbelief on her face.

"Holy Cow...Uncle Roger was right. That was beautiful Tim, play it again please."

"Nah...it might get boring...here's a happy sad song. Join in if you want. I'll teach you the chorus." Neil Young had released an album with a quirky number about his old hound dog called 'Old King' who had up and died one day. It was a fun song with a long chorus. I played the chorus a few times so Cindy could learn it, then we sang it through again and again. Cindy insisting I keep going as she belted out the lyrics in a surprisingly husky voice, but at least it was in tune.

My middle brother Davey had a song we always played last when the three of us had played gigs or at parties. He called it the 'Drop their panties' song and he insisted that it should be played while staring at the intended recipient so that they owned it. I started in on Roy Orbison's 'Pretty Woman' and kept a dead pan face as I stared into Cindy's eyes. She managed to hold mine for about ten seconds before she had to look away glancing back every so often but then turning away again. I saw her cheeks flush slightly.

"Holy Cow Tim...have you any idea what you just did to me. I said a romantic song but that was out and out seduction...and don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. That was the sexiest thing that's ever happened to me."

"I'm sorry...I know...I was teasing you." I laughed at her.

"If that was a tease God only knows what you would call foreplay." She grinned at me.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard."

"Anyway, it's nearly 10 and you need to get going or else I'll be in trouble with Aunty Audrey. Can't afford to get offside with my main source of decent food. I've got to get up early so I need to hit the sack."

"Are you working tomorrow, it's Saturday?"

"No heading over for a surf, need to get the best of it which will be the morning tide."

"Can I go with you?"

"I don't think you'd enjoy it Cindy. If it's good I might surf for a few hours. You'd get bored."

"No I wouldn't...I'll just take a book or maybe sunbathe if it's warm. Please Tim."

"Ok, but I warned you. I'll be heading of about 5.30."

"Goody." Cindy bounced up off the sofa and headed over to my chair. She held my head between her hands and planted a kiss on my face. "Thanks for an awesome evening. I might have to play with myself thinking about that song." She laughed and skipped out of the door across the deck and ran across the lawn towards the Gordon's house. I slept well that night, dreaming of red hair and green eyes.

"Morning." As I wandered out towards my car carrying my surfboard and bag, there was Cindy leaning against the tailgate of my station wagon. If I'd wondered what her body looked like the night before, I was getting more than a hint now. Cindy wore a green sun dress as well as her welcoming smile. It matched her eyes', was short and pleated from the waste. Her legs were longer than I would have guessed, and I don't think she was wearing a bra. She didn't need to, her tits were amazing, not big, but looked like maybe a 34-inch bust.

"You like?" She gave me a twirl, the pleat of her dress lifting giving me a glimpse of white panties.

"More than like...you look stunning." Last night's mutual complimentary banter was to the fore again. I lifted the tailgate and put my board in and was just closing it.

"What about mine?"

"Your what?"

"My board."

Cindy picked up a surfboard from the far side of the car where I hadn't seen it lying on the ground.

"You surf?"

"No I just like carrying it around to look cool...of course I surf."

"You could have mentioned it last night."

"You never asked me."

"Umm...I seem to remember you were going to read a book or work on your tan...something like that."

Cindy poked her tongue out at me, which made me laugh. "Come on, let's go...waves don't wait."

"You drive well."

"Precious cargo on board Cindy."

"Aw...thankyou Tim."

"I was meaning the surfboards in the back." Cindy gave me a light punch on the arm.

"So...Cindy...how long have you been surfing that's a bloody nice board?"

"Since I was 16, I started when I got together with my boyfriend Ollie. Have you heard of Phil Perry?"

"Yeah...saw him surfing at Raglan a couple of times. Awesome surfer."

"Well, that's my brother, I was engaged to his mate Ollie. We used to knock around together when we were younger...the three of us. Phil went off the rails a bit when Ollie died, he's in Aussie now somewhere around Perth. I think he's ok, spoke to him a couple of weeks ago, says he's back in the water. Anyway, where we going?"

"Back to the lake if there's no waves...there are a couple of spots to check out that might be ok."

"Can I put my feet up on the dash...some people don't like it?"

"Yeah of course...it's not like it's a Mercedes. This is my brother Dave's wagon, he loaned it to me when I came back from Aussie." Cindy slipped off her sandals and put her feet up on the dash while pushing back the seat, then re-arranged her dress. It took all my effort not to check it out, as her dress must have only just been covering her panties.

"Cool wagon...what's the mattress in the back for?" She grinned and poked me in the arm.

"I'm sure Dave put it in there to keep the surfboards from getting dinged," I grinned back at her.

"More likely some poor girl's bum," she laughed, and I had to join her as I thought about my brothers sexual conquests.

We hit the coast and it didn't look too promising as we checked out a couple of spots from the highway.

"Last resort." I drove through a small village and up a hill. At the top there was a metal road leading down the other side. I stopped at a gate and dropped a couple of dollars into a metal box then wound my way down to a carpark overlooking a small beach with large rocks on either end. There was one other car with a couple of surfers out in the water on the right-hand end. We sat for a couple of minutes and watched. A set of waves made its way in, and 2-to-3-foot glassy peelers started running down the left- and right-hand ends of the beach.

"Wow this is beautiful...check out those lefts." Cindy dropped her feet off the dash reached back and grabbed a bikini out of her bag, skimmed her panties off and pulled on the bikini bottoms, as she lifted her bum to pull them on, I got a flash of red pubic hair. Then she pulled down the top of her dress exposing her tits for a few seconds as she fitted her bikini top. The quick glimpse I got almost made my head spin. They were beautiful. Pale almost white with pink nipples, they jutted straight out with no sag, not big but not too small.

"You're not shy are you, Cindy."

"No time to be shy...hurry up, or are you just going to sit there...do you want one of my books?"

"Cheeky bitch." I laughed.

Cindy threw on a pink rash top, grabbed her board out of the back of the wagon and headed to the water. As I was pulling on my boardshorts Cindy ran down the steps and across the beach. 'What a body' I thought to myself, ogling her long legs and tight bikini clad bum.

Cindy was into her first wave as I was still paddling out. Grinning as she made her way along the wall towards me, I had to admire her style. Smooth effortless turns, nothing flashy, just nice competent surfing. We stayed out for about three hours before the tide and wind made us call it quits, and I had more fun than I had had in months. Cindy tried every trick in the book to hassle me, pinching my waves by dropping in, trying to distract me with cheeky comments as waves approached, or grabbing at my leash and pulling me back as I started to paddle. On our last wave I dropped in behind her and chased her down the line. She was squealing at me as I got closer before taking a flying leap and tackling her off her board. As she surfaced, I duck dived, pulling her back under before swimming back to my board and paddling into the beach laughing.

The car park had filled up a bit, so Cindy changed like I did under a towel while I yakked to a couple of the locals, brothers I had surfed with before. I got the feeling they had come over to have a yarn just to check out Cindy.

The trip back was a quiet one. "Thanks Cindy I needed that."

"Why are you thanking me...I should be thanking you for taking me. That's my first surf since Ollie died. Couldn't face the memories, but that was perfect...perfect place and perfect company."

"Wouldn't have guessed it, you surf well. No, I mean I haven't laughed and enjoyed myself like that...probably since Cam died."

"Cool...we're quits then," she smirked at me. Cindy had her feet up on the dash again with her dress pulled up. She had to be teasing me.

We arrived back at the lake, and I asked Cindy if she wanted me to drop her off at the Gordons.

"No thanks...unless you want to get rid of me."

"Want a shower Cindy?"

"Yeah, but you go first, I'll make us coffees."

As I was washing my hair thinking I must get it cut sometime, the shower curtain slid back, a smiling Cindy stepped in.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"Umm no...your full of surprises aren't you."

She put her arms on my chest before looking down at my cock.

"Not bad...I figured you wouldn't disappoint me. Tim...I need sex...I want you to fuck me please."