Riley's New Life

She stepped from the car and Kate's daughter came running out of the house, arms opened wide to hug the arriving visitor.

"Hi, Alice-Joy. It's lovely of you to greet me like this."

"Yes, I'm excited that you are here, because you are my favourite teacher. It's also in relief because mum has been so bitchy today and she said it was because she was nervous that you might not come and meet Donovan."

"Who's Donovan?" Riley asked, faking it, hoping to hear an interesting comment or two.

"He's my stepbrother, a real arsehole."

"Alice-Joy!"

The 14-year-old asked. "What?"

"Never mind. Why should your mother be that worried?"

"Because she's worked hard to turn Donovan into a nicer person. That's all I should say."

"And I think so, too," Riley said, taking Alice-Joy's raised hand. "Your mother and a gentleman have just come out on to the front veranda."

"The gentleman is my stepfather. He's a bit older than mum. She told me once she married an older and established man to secure a more comfortable future faster."

"You give away too much information," Riley giggled.

"Yes," giggled the youngster. "Donovan calls me a real motor-mouth and mum tends to agree."

Riley had to slap a hand over her mouth to avoid screaming in laughter.

"Darling," Kate said, kissing the visitor powerfully on the lips, almost making Riley take a step back in surprise.

"Kevin, this is Riley Ranfurly, the new teacher at School from England that I'm so enchanted with."

"Good evening, Riley and welcome. My wife is so excited at meeting you because you possess what she calls well-honed English culture and have the qualities she hopes our Little Miss will have acquired by the time she becomes a young adult. Come in an we'll start with drinks. Donovan phoned to say he's 10 minutes' drive away."

Donovan arrived and was introduced to Riley, watched anxiously by both Kate and Alice-Joy.

"Are you the owner of that shiny Beemer (BMW)?"

"Yes, why? Did you scrape it with your vehicle?"

"No, I thought it probably was yours. It's pretty pricey wheels for a school-teacher to possess."

"Possibly or perhaps I'm a fully financially independent woman."

"Oh yeah, how much are you worth?"

"Kevin, get Donovan a beer please. Donovan, are you looking forward to your new job in Auckland?"

"Yeah, mainly because it gets me well away from that bitch in Christchurch who dumped me."

Alice-Joy asked, "Why did the bitch dump you, Donovan? Perhaps the fault was all yours."

"Shut up you motor mouth young bitch or I'll send you to bed. Mum, why is this Riley here? She looks and sounds too refined to be interested in spending time in bed with me whenever I return here visiting."

Riley in instant rebuttal said, "I'm so relieved to hear that Donovan because I've taken an instant dislike to you and your bullying attitude,".

There was silence, until Kevin, who'd just returned with two glasses of beer, said, "Donovan, come to the veranda table where we can catch up, leaving the females to natter."

When the men had left the room, Kate, looking and sounding distressed, said half-choking, "I'm terribly sorry that you witnessed that outburst, Riley. I don't know what else to say."

"It's okay mum, I've already told Riley that my stepbrother can be an arsehole."

"Alice-Joy, I've told you not to use that A-word and how dare you call Miss Ranfurly by her first name."

"It's cool, mum. All of her music students have been invited to call her Riley in private."

Riley jumped in and said that was true.

"But why?"

"Because I wish my students to know that I'm on their level socially and in their learning environment and to win their respect as a person, rather than have them believe that I'm above them socially just because I'm older and am their instructor. They days of master and servant are long gone, but School tradition doesn't knowledge that."

"Oh, my goodness Riley, you really are a dynamic miss. It's a wonder that you didn't thump my son for calling you a bitch."

"I was tempted, Kate. But I figured that would do him more harm than good by humiliating him in front of his family. I really bristled when he abused Alice-Joy."

"He just gets stroppy when things don't go his way," said his much younger step-sister. "But that's still inexcusable, I believe."

"Yes," said her mother and Riley almost in unison.

"What say we now put on our little recital to cool the air," Riley suggested.

Kate said she was thinking of cancelling it.

"Wrong call, mum."

Kate said, "Yes, why not. It's roast beef dinner and I'll turn down the oven temperature."

At the sound of the violin being tuned and Riley exercising her tonal range, the men returned to the lounge and Donovan refreshed the drinks without being asked.

The trio, with Alice-Joy on the violin, Kate on piano and Riley singing, completed two numbers and then finished with 'Danny Boy'.

Rousing clapping from the two men pleased the trio.

"Kate, your piano playing was splendid," Riley said. "All I need to say is you should relax a little. I'll get you in to play before some of my students two or three times with me accompanying you on violin."

"Thank you, Riley."

Riley said, "We'll finish with a request from you, Donavan."

"Thanks, "Fields of Athenry' please, he said without hesitation.

His stepmother said, "That's a surprising request coming from you, Ryan."

His voice sounding choked, Kevin said, "Ryan's birth mother used to send him asleep as an infant and he'd request it for years after that and had it played as the final song by the trio of professional singers when he was 17 at Stephany's burial."

"Omigod," Kate cried.

Alice-Joy, dry sobbing, said in frustration, she didn't know the tune.

"Kate?"

"I know it, it's so sad about a young Irish father being taken from his family to a prison ship about to sail to the British Colony of Australia to imprisonment for the crime of stealing corn for his starving family."

Kevin said, sounding reluctant, "I prefer not to hear it."

Riley said softly, "Kevin, stay and listen with your son. I'm revealed to find that he has a softer side and I'm thinking his current problem is learning how to behave in the company of females."

"Omigod," Kate cried. "Kevin, I'm inclined to accept that opinion."

Alice-Joy offered her violin and said, "Tune it to your preference."

Riley began playing and then when replaying the first verse, Kate sang to her family,

'By a lonely prison wall

I heard a young girl calling

"Michael they have taken you away..."

The song finished in heavy silence until Kevin said, "Ladies, that was unbelievably beautiful. I am so proud of you both."

"Riley," said Donovan, "You are so right, I've become a real brute in the way I treat women generally, and you too, Alice-Joy, Mum, dad, sis, I promise to start reforming myself and perhaps I need to go to a consultant."

His family made approving noises and Riley said firmly, "Just don't make an empty promise Donovan."

"I hear you," he said, sullenly and Riley muttered to herself, well he's a lost cause and she also have slight reservations about his stepmother.

* * *

On Saturday evening, a week after the debacle of meeting Donovan, Riley accepted the invitation of two other senior teachers to go with them to Napier to a dance sponsored by the fitness and running club that the other two young women were members.

Riley offered to take her car but Lois said no, they should go in her old sedan because no one would think of stealing that when parked on a public street.

Lois parked near the hall where the dance was being held and Rebecca warning her it was a no parking area but Loise said those signs applied only on weekdays.

"Let's park in a non-restricted area, even if we have a walk a considerable distance," said Riley.

But Lois said that was unnecessary, where they were parked would be fine. They had a great evening with plenty of dancing as the males out-numbered the females.

When they returned to the spot where Lois had parked, they found the car had gone and a card was taped to the nearest no-parking at all times sign.

Lois read it and said, "Fuck, my car has been towed away and the pound would close at 10.30 and would re-open at 9.30 am at weekends. It's now fucking 11.40."

"Let's call a cab and I'll drive you to the pound and pay one-third of the release fee in the morning," Riley said.

Rebecca said, "Yeah, I'll pay one-third too and Riley, we could chip in four bucks each towards car-running costs including fuel."

"There's no need to pay the pound fee for me because I parked stupidly."

"You're getting our contributions. Donate then to charity if your embarrassment won't allow you to pocket our money," Riley laughed.

"Girls, you're good buddies," Lois said, making Riley think she'd made two new friends.

Rebecca said, "I spoke to Blake Watson, my cousin at the dance. Let's return and I'll ask if he can drop us off at School. He manages his parent's dairy farm about three miles beyond School."

Tall and blond, Blake arrived with Rebecca and Riley said, "You missed out finding a date at the dance, eh?"

"Correct, the competition was hot but anyway I didn't see any... Omigod, look at you."

Riley, although blushing, eyed him steadily without comment.

Rebecca said, "Blake, you are attempting to chat up the talented and charismatic Riley Ranfurly. Beside her is Lois Carmichael that you have met with me once previously."

"Hi girls, I mean young ladies."

Riley said, "Girls is fine with us, Blake. We are not too far removed from girlhood to feel that being called girls is not complimentary."

"And it's certainly better than being called old maids although at 35 I'm the oldest and feel I am pushing boundaries."

"I'm thirty-six and neither and I an old maid," Blake laughed. "May I date you?"

Conversation ceased temporarily with Lois and Rebecca either too shocked or too jealous to comment quickly. Riley was the first to recover and thought he obviously wasn't shy.

"Blake, that's an inappropriate request to make in front of my two girlfriends."

"Yes, she'll date you Blake," called his cousin, next to recover.

Lois followed with a cracker comment. "You're a respectable hunk. Therefore, she's practically obliged to say yes."

The bemused Riley sighed and said, "Well just one date and then comes an assessment for us both. You may be interested in know that I was once married, to a farmer's son up north. He was killed when pulling out a tree stump with a tractor and the chain attached to the stump broke and smashed into his head. Like you, I also was born and raised on a farm, but in England."

"Sounds good to me," he said. "May I call for you three on Friday evening and arrange for two of my unmarried mates to partner you Rebecca and Lois, drinks first at the Colonial Pub and dinner at the French Café?"

The three women indicated that would be fine, and Rebecca said to pick them up at 6.45 at the gates to the school.

As they were walking to the vehicle, Blake said to Riley quietly, "May I invite you to a family dinner on Saturday? My parents and two sisters are visiting this weekend."

"Yes, that would be lovely, thanks Blake. Give me the address and time."

When Blake drove off at the school gates, Riley muttered to herself, "Third time lucky."

"What was that Riley?" Rebecca asked.

"I muttered I'm in need of a hot date."

"Ooh, lucky Blake," snorted Lois, and all three of them laughed.

Next evening, Riley had just returned from having dinning at the staff table in dining hall that was large enough to accommodate all students and staff at School when her phone buzzed.

"Hi, it's Blake."

"How did you get my number?"

"Cousins can serve a useful role; I called Rebecca and she said normally she would not give out a teaching colleague's private phone number but she knew and I quote, that you'd be hanging out to hear from me."

Riley ignored that last comment and said, "Well hi, and thanks for calling. How did milking go this evening?"

"Well, according to the text I received, the yield was good and there were no problems. We use contract milkers."

"Really, then you have a large herd?"

"Herd throughput through the shed, you coming from abroad may know it as a dairy, averages 580 milking cows at the height of the season."

Riley said, "Well, in that case, little wonder you don't milk, and hire a team of perhaps four people milking."

He laughed as said she Riley appeared to possess good understanding and he was already aware had a lively humour.

"My mother in particular will enjoy talking with you."

"Oh, I'm to meet your mother, am I?"

The seemingly self-assured Blake stumbled.

"Th-there's no hidden m-motive. I had in-invited you to a family dinner on Saturday. If you don't wish to b-be there, tell me."

"It's cool, Mr Farmer Man. I have a teasing tongue at times. Are we to have sex?"

"W-what?"

"It's what many dating couples do."

"I-I thought you m-might be teasing."

Riley said, teasing or not, sex would be available if he so desired, that she'd taken a liking to him as he looked sharp and there was a gentleman air about him.

The conversation had dwindled 10 minutes later and Riley said it was late, she needed sleep as she got up about 6 am to go running or cycling, or to the gym if the weather was foul.

"Good night you lovely schoolteacher who apparently is relaxed about having sex on a first date or two if her date appears well-behaved. You are very forward for a female, Riley."

"Don't you believe it. These days younger females have become more assertive and I think you are brave in not backing away like a scalded cat when I raised the question of us having sex. Females like having sex too, Blake, and many of us wish that males were aware of it. Bye.

Riley lay on her bed and pulled out her vibrator. Using it, she wondered if Blake would be masturbating and thinking about her. She giggled, thinking he'd run like a scalded cat if he knew what she was speculating what he was doing and learning she was massaging herself, at that very moment. She attempted to imagine his reaction when she used her vibrator on his balls for the first time, and without warning. Oh yeah, she must be sex-starved.

Friday night was most successful, and Blake had managed to secure two of his unmarried mates from the Squash Club, both professional guys with girlfriends but they were lured by Blake's description that all three babes were teachers, lively, intelligent and sexy.

Blake had picked up the women from the school gates and the guys delivered their partner for the night back at the school gates at various times late at night.

Riley prepared Blake for the following night after dinner at the farm when he returned her home from the café dinner. She worked him up into a passionate embrace in his car and guided his hand down and under her skirt.

Soon his fingers had her panting, and she erupted over his hand.

He began unbuckling his belt but she said firmly, "Save the final act for tomorrow night when we park again, buddy."

"I don't think I'll be able to wait," he whined. "Feel my dick."

She did and said it remained about the same size as when she'd felt it earlier.

"It's more that large enough to have me creaming over you tomorrow night, darling."

He said in astonishment, "You called me darling."

"Yeah, but merely used in the affectionate sense. If you can't wait until tomorrow night to bang me, try masturbating every hour."

"How do you know I masturbate?" he said sternly.

"You've just admitted it with that last comment," she replied.

"Omigod Riley, you're not only sexy and articulate and clever, but it's become obvious you can be so fucking sly."

"Thanks, sweety. We all are blessed with brains and ought to use them to max. Being sly takes real brain-power and requires a good sense of timing when to use it without giving offence. Pull my bra back over my boobs and deliver me back to School as I need to perform best to match your mother's expectations tomorrow night."

"Your father will think I'm just another of your fuck-bags, your sisters will be wondering how good a fuck I was but your mother will be speculating that I appear absolutely right to deliver via you, two adorable grandchildren."

"My mother doesn't..."

"Trust me, Blake. That's the prime thought of mothers at her time in life with unmarried sons. That particular thought recycles through their minds relentlessly until fulfilled or it's become most unlikely."

"Hmm, you probably are right. She's mentioned her desire to be blessed with grandchildren to me two or three times in recent months."

"Blake, just keep relaxed about that. We don't know yet whether we are great at having sex and, equally important, whether we are truly compatible or even, at the more basic level, who the bearer of your children will be."

"Christ, Riley, how did we get into conversation this deep?"

She claimed he'd raised it.

"Me?" he said disbelievingly.

Riley let that report slide and really got his attention.

"We passed the school gates almost two minutes ago."

"Fuck," he said, braking heavily and turning the vehicle around sharply with the squeal of protesting rubber.

She teased, "I thought we agreed to leave fucking until tomorrow night?"

"Agreed? Riley, you have the power to almost convince people that white is black.

"So, you want me to bring black condoms tomorrow evening?"

The driver sighed heavily and Riley heard him mutter, "Christ, she's getting me confused to the stage that I won't know whether I'm Arthur or Martha."

Chapter 6

Riley knocked back a double gin next evening before going to the gates to be picked up by Blake, thinking she rather liked her new boyfriend. She hoped that he'd turn out more suitable for her than her two earlier prospects she'd encountered since coming to School.

She snuggled down into the SUV after giving Blake a chaste kiss on the cheek.

He smiled hugely but she thought he was about to say something like was that all he was getting, but clammed up.

"Nervous?" he asked, as they drove off.

"Yep, but I had the boost of a double gin before leaving my apartment."

"We can stop at the Village Bar for a couple of snorts."

"No, I'm fine."

"I'm surprised that you can get nervous and didn't whack me for asking if you were."

"Darling, you appear to be holding the wrong impression of me. I'm no bully but I admit to teasing playfully and I don't think of myself as superior to other people. I regard you as an equal, so put your mind at rest."

"I can't figure you out, Riley. And my sisters expect you to be up yourself because you're not only a top teacher, but also a musician and you've been a top sportswoman in your younger day and trained extensively in martial arts."

"Omigod, who's been blathering about me to you?"

"Blathering is a pretty strong word. Rebecca and her parents were at the farm for lunch today. Her mother is dad's sister. Mum and my sisters plied Rebecca with questions about you, covering your life in England, your tragic short-term marriage and your return to England and you coming back to New Zealand because you found the life-style here really suited you."

"Rebecca said you were highly regarded by everyone at the school because of your obvious talents, directness and strong personality and that you were headmistress' pet which was unbelievable because Miss Allen was such a difficult person. That about all, oh apart for you making a huge contribution to cementing relationships between the school and the local spread-out community. She said local people who'd never met you seemed to know who you were."

"Omigod, what a gigantic outburst by your blather-mouth cousin, Blake."