Laura's Tale

"No, but you're slow, we'd be away faster than..."

Fred gasped as Geoff launched himself on her and began to tickle the life out of her, she wriggled and struggled, but couldn't escape him. Her cries went unheeded until Geoff lifted off her and left her in a heap on the floor.

"So young lady let that be a lesson to you. We might be slower but we're very cunning and devious."

Fred sat up and flicked her hair out of her eyes, grinning she hauled herself up. Maudie saw the glint,

"Fred No!"

Too late, Fred was on top of Geoff and gave as good as she got, Using her strength and height she easily bested him and he was reduced to an insane giggling heap on the floor.

Fred sat up and looked at Geoff triumphantly.

"And we have more energy pop."

"Did you call me pop? did you?

"No!" the others screamed as the two dived headlong at each other.

Finally exhausted they sat up and side by side leaned into each other.

"Truce?"

"Truce."

"One of these days, one of you two will grow up!" Maudie said with a grin.

"Wine, we definitely need wine," said Laura, lifting herself off Rosemary's lap.

Helpfully Rosemary fitted her hands to Laura's bottom and pushed gently. Ellen laughed and grabbed Rosemary's arm, sliding her fingers between hers. Rosemary squeezed and they all laughed.

"She can't keep he hands off me, the woman's insatiable, I'm not sorry I left work, I wouldn't have enough energy for work and Rosie."

"Laura, gross!"

"Maudie, just you wait and see how you feel when it takes you all day to do what you used to do all day."

Grinning Laura and Fred went to the kitchen to make the drinks.

"We don't do it all day!"

"More fool you, your mother and I did."

"Geoff, what are you talking about now?"

It's called oral sex, all I can do is talk about it!"

"Liar, what about last night and this morning? Are you doing it in your sleep?"

"Mum? Dad? enough already! Fred's a shy sweet virginal young lady,"

"my arse!"

"Geoff!"

"OK, seriously, I hope you enjoy a full and fulfilling love life, like I know we four do, for as long as possible."

"Yeah, I hope the passion never dies."

"Oh we're so old, we just cuddle and drink a cup of cocoa with a digestive biscuit at bedtime."

"Not if this mornings anything to go by Nan... oh shit!"

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Out with it young lady?"

"Nan, Laura, sorry!"

"It's Okay Maudie, I'll confess."

"Mmmm sounds interesting, what were you doing."

Suddenly Fred shrieked in the kitchen, and Laura laughed. The others waited, to see a red faced Fred carrying a tray and Laura grinning behind her.

"What on earth just happened?"

"Have you told Ellen and Geoff about this morning yet?"

"No!"

"Okay," Laura took a deep breath, "Well Rosie and I were trying out a... sex toy when the girls arrived. In our rush to get organised, I jammed the buckle on the..."

"Strap-on."

"Thank you Fred, the strap on and the girls helped me get it off. It was very embarrassing trust me."

"Wow!!"

"Me too, wow! I never realised how..." Ellen trailed off and blushed."

"Anyway, I threw the thing away, but Fred opened the kitchen bin to throw the tea bags away and..."

"The bloody thing was stood up in the bin pointing straight at me, I was frightened to death, I'd forgotten how realistic it looks."

Everyone was laughing, even Laura. Fred grinned and sat next to Maudie, who kissed her cheek between laughs.

Laura sat on Rosie's knees and they cuddled. Ellen shifted to sit on Geoff's lap, they kissed. Fred looked at Maudie,

"Well if you can't beat 'em, join 'em,"

Their heads came together and the flat was silent for a time as they all enjoyed the contact with their partner.

Later they would go for a wander in the Country Park then lunch at a restaurant, then back to the apartment to relax and enjoy the late afternoon sun as it set outside the balcony windows.

Laura and Rose were together for further twenty six years, before Laura was left on her own again. She moved in with Geoff and Ellen, who had moved to a country cottage near the sea, as preparation for their retirement. Maudie and Fred completed University and within a decade Fred was a successful, well respected surgeon. Maudie had developed a career in journalism and her byline often adorned a breaking story in the national papers.

Laura died the year before last and was buried with her beloved wife. Maudie and Fred gave the eulogy, holding hands, tears falling as they had at Rosemary's.

A distant cousin of Laura's, called Derek Harcher, approached them just the week before the funeral and said that he knew of Laura's marriage to Rosemary, but his parents forbade him to contact her. As a promise to himself he had decided he would contact her, after they had passed on. He and his partner Gordon were devastated to find that they had missed an opportunity to meet Laura, but felt that the family should be represented to offer thanks for her life, a point instantly accepted by the girls.

Fred and Maudie became good friends with Derek and Gordon, to the extent that Maudie had a baby which carried some of Laura's DNA via Derek's sperm donation. They were very keen to help and he and Gordon were Godfathers to Ellen Laura Rosemary Tebbit, born this year to two doting mothers.