Mike and Sarah Pt. 03

I took a moment to consider my answer, "Sarah, it is not and will never be my place to tell you how to groom your bits. I like what you have, it may be a bush but it's trimmed and neat. Whatever makes you comfortable, confident and happy is what you should have."

"Thank you. Mike that means more than you know," she replied before slipping back into deep thought.

After giving her a few moments to collect her thoughts I decided to broach the subject of our plans for the day. "Hey, I was thinking that since you're going back to your mum's this evening we could have a day just to ourselves, no pub at least not the local, and none of the others just me and you. What do you think?"

"I think it sounds perfect. What do you have in mind?" She replied with enthusiasm in her voice.

"I think I want to show you my Oxford. I know it's your hometown too and there isn't a lot I can show you that you haven't seen. Since technically you've spent more time living here than I have but I want you to see it through my eyes. The house where Dad and Edward were raised, the house my Grandparents retired to that I always considered my home in England until my Grandma died. Where I used to sneak off for a cigarette with a stolen can of beer. Where my Grandparents taught at the University, a few of the pubs in town where I used to go with Dad and Edward, maybe some lunch at one of them. That sort of thing."

Rolling herself on top of me she gave me a deep kiss before leaning back, "I think I'll love to see whatever you want to show me. Go hop in the shower I'll sort out coffee."

"Or you could shower with me and we could kill 2 birds with one stone."

"No way mister I'm too sore and tender for any of that, and if you start rubbing me up in the shower it's all I'll want. Now off you go."

With that, we embarked on a pleasant day, wandering around our hometown while showing her the sights and telling her the story of three generations of the Smiths living in Oxford.

Sitting in the Lamb and Flag, we were laughing about how it marketed itself as a Tolkien pub to the tourists, but everyone from Oxford knew that Tolkien and the Inklings originally drank across the road at the Eagle and Child.

At the bus stop getting ready to head home Sarah pulled me in for a tight hug, "Mike, can we just go straight to my Mum's? This has been one of the best weeks of my life getting to be with you every day, and sharing your living space. I think if we go back to your flat I won't want to leave, but I have to."

"Who says I want you to leave? But you're right, this wasn't meant to be a long-term solution. We might have to figure one of those out soon."

"No it's too soon," She complained. "We've only been together for 8 weeks, and yet I feel so lonely when I'm not with you, I didn't know it could happen this fast."

"No one knows how this works, we just have to follow our path and not be defined by expectations or what we're meant to be doing."

"And what if we burn out Mike?"

"Do you think we're going to burn out? We keep doing what we have been doing which is choose each other every day and see where it takes us."

"I know you're right I'm just scared."

"Whatever you're scared of we'll work it out."

My return to Sarah's place was the complete opposite of my last visit. Immediately after welcoming her daughter back, Liz pulled me into a tight hug.

"Thank you for looking after my little girl, I'm glad she's found the person that makes her feel safe," she told me in a whisper.

Ushering us through to the kitchen to make tea, Liz spoke up this time, "Mike, I'm sorry about what we spoke about when you last came into my home."

I tried to cut her off, but she wouldn't let me, "No! Let me finish, as long as you make my daughter happy your skin colour has no bearing on how I should treat you. More than that you were my guest and I made you feel uncomfortable. I might have convinced myself that I was protecting both of you from what my Parents and Sarah's Dad might do but the reality is I wasn't. You won't understand this yet but someday you might, but as a mother, it was difficult to see Sarah doesn't need me anymore because she had you. For weeks all I heard was about you and then seeing my daughter so happy and I knew I wasn't the reason made me feel useless. My daughter came home from Manchester a mess and nothing I could do helped, and then 1 night she came home floating and talking about this guy she met at her new drinks night. At first, I was happy she had a new crush and something to distract her from what had happened in Manchester, but then she started spending more time with you, and suddenly I was losing weekends to you, and then Sundays and finally Wednesday nights."

She took a deep breath before continuing, "Just a little more. Of course, I saw the first picture of you that Sarah posted, and I didn't think about your race or skin colour, I just thought, 'There's the man that's stealing my daughter'. It was actually after I invited you to lunch that I thought about what my Parents and ex might think. I then saw the potential pain Sarah would go through if they rejected her because of you and I didn't give my daughter the benefit of the doubt, so I tried to drive a wedge between you. I didn't expect your reaction to walk away rather than put her through that or her reaction to choose you over me. I now know that your relationship is for you to choose and my only job is to support Sarah. I get that now."

I was completely taken aback by this welcome, "Liz, no matter your motivations ultimately you just wanted to protect your daughter, I can't fault you for that. I can't say I'm happy about the way you went about it or your immediate assumption that I would put her in that position, but I accept your apology." Looking over at Sarah I could see tears in her eyes, but I nodded her over to look at her Mum.

Liz seeing my cue, took the lead again, "Sarah my baby girl, I already told you I'm sorry, but there's more. I know you and Mike have a schedule to make sure you don't leave me alone too much, but if Mike is okay with it I want you to forget it. Yes, it would be nice to see you here every day but every parent knows eventually they need to let go, and I think you've found the person that will allow me to do that. I would like it if until you officially move in together you at least spend a couple of nights a week here, but if you're missing Mike or just want to see him, I don't want you to deny yourself for me."

Sarah in tears now kept looking between Liz and me, eventually, she chose her Mum and enveloped her in a deep hug. Realising I was intruding on her moment I took the chance to rinse out our teacups and put the kettle back on. Breaking their hug Sarah came over to me and pulled me into another deep hug before kissing me passionately. Breaking our kiss Sarah quietly asked me if it was okay if I left so she and her mum could have some private time assuring me she would call me later. Giving her a quick kiss, I quietly excused myself and left them to it.

Having spent the last week with Sarah I was quickly at a loss of what to do without her and rather unsurprisingly I find myself in our local pub. More surprisingly it was mostly empty, and the only person I knew was Old Bob. Wanting some advice from the old man I bought him a pint with mine and went over to join him.

He gave me a quick look before opening in her no-nonsense manner, "Smith, spit it out, you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and I can't read your mind."

"I dunno mate. Sarah and I are moving so fast that it seems unreal, but at the same time, it feels like every decision I make has to include her. It just feels wrong when she's not a part of my plan."

Bob gave me a sympathetic look, "Michael you already know the answers. There is no right or wrong speed to move, you take how you feel and act accordingly. There is no set timeline some people get married after 6 weeks and last a lifetime, and some people get married after 5 years and get divorced 2 years later. There is no template to follow. Work out how you feel about the girl and act accordingly."

I knew he was serious because he called me by my full first name, so I took his words to heart. While I ran his words through my head, he spoke again, "How long had I known you, Smith?"

Thinking about it for a while I answered "I dunno Bob 2 maybe 2 and a half years?"

"Maybe personally we've known each other that long. But I've known you since you were 16 or 17. I remember the young lad that would come in once or twice a year with his Dad, and then later would come in on his own. We never met then but I've been drinking here long enough to recognise repeat faces. In the 11 odd years I can think of seeing you in here I've never seen you happy. I've seen you smile, I've even seen you have a good time whether it's at the cricket, or just a good old-fashioned piss up, but deep down you've never been happy. You're happy now mate, so if you trust nothing else trust your happiness. Now next round is on me."

On his return from the bar Bob gives me another look, "Smith do you know why I chose you as cricket captain? You're selfless, I've seen you give up your place in the bar queue to an old lady on a walker because it's the right thing to do. But you also command respect, when you speak and make your ideas known they listen to you. I expect that's what made you a decent rugby player in Botswana. That girl loves you because she sees that, she knows you'll give her the world if she asks for the right reasons and hold your ground if she doesn't. You'll be fine."

"Cheers old man, I owe you a pint for that," I answered appreciatively.

"Hah, you owe me 2, you still haven't bought me a pint back for convincing Mark to drop out of the cricket side last week," he replied with a laugh.

"You want them tonight or can I put them on credit?" I laughed back.

"Tonight Smith, we're here and I'm thirsty now."

Reassured I enjoyed the late afternoon drinking with a good friend. We made an odd couple; the retired teacher and the young man, but he was and is a good man and exactly what I needed at that moment.

I was just getting myself ready for bed that night when I finally heard from Sarah. She sent a text message,

Sarah: Thank you for everything, Baby. I love you and I miss you. I'm going to have a bath, then Pillow Mike and I have an appointment in bed. Speak to you tomorrow.

Despite our emotional weekend Sarah and I managed to slip fairly easily back into our previous routine. There was one major change on some of the nights she was meant to be at her Mum's I would get home from work to find that she had let herself into the flat and would be playing on her laptop or sketching something.

The first time it happened I was confused, "Babe what are you doing here?"

"You said we could meet up on the days we didn't normally spend the night together. Just because we aren't living together doesn't mean I don't want to see you every day. Go do your workout and we'll have dinner. I can't stay I just want to see you."

Despite her words, we'd inevitably end up in bed and she'd end up leaving much later than planned, sometimes she would even stay the night. We never discussed it but we knew after the week she had spent with me and the conversation with her mum our relationship had escalated, we were now on the path to building a long-term commitment.

Our friends noticed the change in us. We were both happier and more at ease. Sarah no longer seemed to have the need to be close to me at all times and no longer made a point of sitting next to me at our weekly drinks night.

Beth was the first to notice when we joined them for drinks that week, "Trouble in Paradise already? Sarah this is the first time you've let Mike sit more than 3 feet away from you since you got together."

Mandy and Penny instantly perked up looking at us for an answer. Looking at each other Sarah nodded at me to answer, "No trouble, we're probably even happier. We're just on the same page and don't need to constantly reassure each other about it," I replied. Sarah gave me a beaming smile and Mandy caught my eyes to give me an examining look. Satisfied with what she found she gave me another smile before whispering something in Sarah's ear. Almost instantly the girls got up and moved to a different table.

"Sorry boys, it appears we have some gossiping to do. Have fun," Penny announced to the table with a giggle the girls moved several tables away from us.

"Do you know what that is about?" Harry asked having not been paying attention.

Tom laughed "Oh the girls are just planning Sarah and Mike's future wedding. Adam watch out Mandy will never forgive you if they hit the altar first."

"Mate if I'm lucky Mandy might suggest a double wedding then I can make Mike split the costs with me," Adam responded with a laugh of his own.

"You think Mandy is going to share the spotlight on her big day?" I retorted the laughter of all the boys.

Disturbed by our laughter Mandy came back to the table to check on us, "What are you delinquents laughing about? You better not be making jokes about us," she said forcefully.

"Mandy, if you can honestly tell me that you and the girls aren't gossiping about me right now, I will honestly tell you that we aren't laughing about you," I replied with a smirk causing more laughter from the boys. Blushing deeply Mandy retreated without a word.

Sarah and I were able to continue with our new dynamic for a few more days. It was only on the train to London that her insecurities resurfaced.

"Mike, I know you said I shouldn't be but I'm still nervous about meeting your Dad, Amy and your god-siblings," she said quietly once we were settled and the train was moving.

"Dad is easy. You know me, I love you and you've met Edward and Karen, who also approve of you. That's enough for him. Plus as Karen told you we're all pretty similar so you really don't have anything to worry about," I replied trying to be reassuring.

"Okay, I guess accept that. What about Amy and the others? What's the story there and why is she so protective of you?

"Amy and her ex-husband George are my god-parents. When my parents moved back to England after Botswana they moved to London. They met Amy and George through some of Dad's University friends and they ended up becoming neighbours. George and Dad became fast friends and Mum and Amy became best friends as stay-at-home wives. When Mum got pregnant with me, she insisted on going back to Botswana for a short trip to see her family before I was born. Amy went along to give her extra support as Dad couldn't afford to take that much time off of work. They developed a strong bond and remained friends for life. Amy got pregnant around the same time and their oldest was born 6 months and 6 days after me. Somewhere along the line, they came up with this agreement that if they were going to be my 'other parents' then any children would be treated as a full sibling in either household. I just call them my god-siblings to remove any confusion but they really are my brothers and sisters. And that's the just it has always been. So there's Tim, Henry, Scarlett, Mark and Becca. Tim is the oldest and nominally my best friend because we've been attached since the crib but he's a wild card and growing up I seemed to spend more time getting him out of trouble than I did getting him into it. It's still a little like that. Henry is the wise strong one of the group. Scarlett is the first girl and the one who I probably have the closest sibling relationship with, a lot of that is based on our time in Newcastle together. Miles is loud and brave, he always wanted to be with us and keep up with his big brothers and Becca is our baby sister, determined to be independent and strong-willed showing that she doesn't need us, but she's the sweetest and most loving of all of them."

Sarah sighs "That's wonderful but you didn't say why Amy is so protective of you."

"Well because I spent most of my life in Botswana, Amy and George would take me for a week whenever we visited. When it started to get bad with my parents, Amy noticed I had changed during a visit and took me aside and made me tell her everything. When my parents came to pick me up, she had a massive falling out with both Mum and Dad about it and told them in no uncertain terms that she expected better. Of course, they didn't change really from that point Amy started side-stepping them and dealing exclusively with my Grandma whenever I was in the country, I know she didn't tell my Gran what was going on and made it seem like she was fine-tuning whatever arrangements she had with Dad. It got worse after Mum died, Amy came out to Botswana for the funeral and was there for me every day for 2 weeks. She upset a lot of my mother's family by acting like my Mum because in their culture that was the job of my aunts. It got worse when there were a few cultural things I was required to do and she absolutely refused on my behalf because I was only 14. And we've been like that ever since." I took a breath before continuing "I did ask her why when I was around 20. Her answer was simple, she promised me she would protect me the day I was born, but because I spent so much of my life so far away she felt helpless, so she tended to go overboard when she got the chance."

"What sort of cultural things did they want you to do that Amy refused?" Sarah asked kindly.

"In Botswana, at least in my family's part of Botswana, funerals start really early in the morning, like 6 am. They're also held at the family home and not at a church or graveyard. Because of this, the body of the deceased is typically dropped at the family home the night before just before the evening prayers begin. The tradition is that the children and female family members spend the night in the same room as the coffin to protect the deceased's soul before they're buried. Amy thought it was cruel to put a child through that. The day after the funeral the children and parents - if they're still alive - have their heads shaved to represent the loss and regrowth. Amy hated that because it was bad enough my mum had died and now they wanted to send me to school with a bald head. In the end, I insisted on having my head shaved, because I wanted to be respectful of my culture but I was pleased she didn't let me spend the night with a coffin."

"Why didn't your Dad stand up for you?" Sarah asked with a stern tone to her voice.

"At that point, he'd been in Botswana long enough that he just accepted it for what it was. He no longer saw these customs in the way an outsider would. In his very slight defence, he did pay for all of my mother's funeral arrangements even though they'd been divorced. In fact, I know that he has made a significant contribution to all of the family funerals since then even though my parents would've been divorced for 16 years by this point."

"So Amy really is a mama bear. What if I'm not good enough for her?"

"You will be because I say you are. She's always trusted my judgement and that's why she doesn't involve herself too much in my life. As long as I call once a month and visit every 3 months she's happy. But if you want a cheat code, get Scarlett on your team and the rest will follow."

"Okay, I trust you. Why is it only the female family members who spend the night with the coffin and not the boys?" She asked now curious.

"That's easy because the funeral starts so early in the morning and the family is expected to feed all the guests, we stay up all night building fires so there is hot water for tea and coffee, and we start the cooking for the elder women to take over once they wake up. The younger men, between 16 and 25 are normally taken to the graveyard to dig for their departed relative under the supervision of an uncle with a torch. It's considered improper to have it done by the funeral home as the body should be laid to rest by family."