Oisin
gone but not forgotten
I've given this one a PG caution because of the content. Hope it's okay, see what you think.
PILLOW TALK
Ed’s eyes were idly fixed on the defused light of the setting sun glimmering through a chink in the closed curtains.
He was aware of a movement behind him but did not stir, not even to the sensation of lips brushing the back of his neck. Without looking he could visualise Rachael, cheeks flushed, fair hair streaming over the pillow.
‘Well?’ she whispered in a deep sultry tone.
He knew exactly what was on her mind but I played dumb. He had things on his mind too. ‘Well? What?’ he groaned.
She snuggled closer. ‘How was it?’
He was finding it difficult to remain distant but managed. ‘Mmm…not bad – you’re improving.’
‘Pig!’ she snarled. A thump to his spine sent a dull ache reverberated through his torso. He tried not to react and managed to stifle a snigger while he waited for the moment to pass.
‘Seriously, what are you thinking?’ she asked after the pause.
He remained distant. ‘Just how we arrived here.’
‘Taxi, wasn’t it?’
‘Sarcasm is my department,’ he reminded her. ‘You know exactly what I mean.’ He finally shifted over to face her. ‘Remember how it was when we first got together?’ The question unsettled her. He sensed her uneasy in my stare.
She propped herself up on one elbow, a perplexed look in her eye. ‘Yeah, so what’s with all the nostalgia?’
‘I was just thinking how puritanical you were. Who’d have thought we could ever wind up like this?’
She blushed a little and he watched her forehead crease into a bewildered frown as she swiped a few stay strands of hair away. ‘You always said you respected me for that and you were prepared to wait.’
‘I hadn’t got much of an option, had I?’ he sneered. ‘But the frustration nearly had me climbing the wall. “Not now, Ed… Not here”,’ he mimicked. ‘”Wait till”...’
She threw herself back and glared at the ceiling. ‘So what girl wants to be pinned against a wall; in a shop doorway; behind some bush in a park; or on the front room couch for a quickie before the folks get home? Your timing and choice of venue were bloody impeccable, not to mention extremely romantic.’
He watched her eyes smoulder. There was nothing more challenging or beautiful than Rachael when she’d got her dander up.
‘Okay, what about that night at the Saint Patrick’s Day party at Sean and Brenda’s? We were invited to stay over but you…’
Now her eyes flamed. ‘Do you think it was easy for me? Anyway, Tommy was there.’
‘Ah, come on,’ he baited, ‘I’ve heard that one a dozen times. Your big brother was so intent on getting Karen into the sack, he was hardly going to throw stones.’
She sidled up to him. While she squeezed her warm body against his, she pressed a finger against his lips and whispered. ‘So, now I’ve given you every opportunity to make up for lost time all you want to do is yap?’
‘Sorry.’ He captured her full gaze. ‘But don’t you ever wish things had worked out differently?’
Her brow furrowed again. ‘Differently? Different to what? What could be better? What’s wrong with here and now?’ She wriggled down the bed a little further. Her arm looped across him as she began to massage the small of his back. She knew that was certain to get him going. ‘Do you remember the afternoon at the Sheridan?’ She chuckled mischievously.
‘The afternoon that nearly ran into the next morning?’ Her deep-throated tone and the memory she evoked tingled his every nerve end. ‘Mmm… Sure do?’ he smirked at the recollection.
‘Ouch!’ Without warning, she’d clamped her teeth on his earlobe. ‘Wanna see if we can improve on it?’ she growled seductively, her breath hot on his cheek.
Despite the ferocity of his passion, there were questions he needed answering. It was difficult but he managed to twist away. Deep in thought, he fixed his eyes back on the curtains. ‘Rachael, what if…’
She thumped her head back down on the pillow. ‘Ed!’
He felt the slap of her palm on his shoulder as she vented her fury. “You’ve just been twittering on about that Saint Patrick’s Day bloody years ago. You said we’d wasted opportunities then, so why all the analysis now? Come on, life’s too short, and these days we don’t get many chances like this.’
‘I know,’ he concurred, ‘but,’ he sensed her body relaxing against his and I resisted the tingle of her nearness. ‘I’m puzzled by how you’ve changed. I mean, why should a piece of paper and a ring make all this difference?’
Rachael flared again. ‘I’ve told you; it was just as difficult for me. At least you could show your feelings - I had to conceal mine.’
‘But why? That’s what I’ve never understood. What was the pressure? Was it your parents, family, what?’ As he watched her bottom lip quivered it came to him in a flash. ‘Despite what you’ve said to the contrary, it was all to do with marriage, wasn’t it?’
‘Don’t be daft!’
He moved his head to fix his eyes on hers. ‘Daft? I should know… Thinking back, you told me often enough.’
He’d hit a nerve. Rachael glanced away to break eye contact. Then with one sudden movement, she shot up in the bed, clutched the quilt around her and drew her knees up to her chin. ‘Okay, it was my upbringing,’ she confessed, staring at her feet. She then went on with less certainty, ‘I think… I suppose being a Catholic; it was drummed into me so often it stuck.’ She was embarrassed by what she was about to say. It was obvious by the way the words stuck in her throat. ‘It wasn’t… It wasn’t the prospect of committing carnal sin, it was the fear of the shame of falling pregnant.’
‘But you know I’d never be that irresponsible. And why the big change now?’
Her eyes flared even brighter. ‘Come off it!’ she gave a nervous giggle. ‘You were young – a randy young chancer. Are you telling me all those times you tried to pin me down you had the necessary protection to hand?’
She had him. He couldn’t argue with that. All he could do was swing the onus back on her. ‘And now?’
‘I’m mature, and married.’
He liked to think he knew Rachael far more intimately than anyone but he’d always sensed there was something she was holding back. Perhaps then and there was not the most appropriate time but it was something he’d always meant to get to the bottom of.
Now he’d opened up the topic he was determined not to let it slip.
‘Married?’ He laughed. ‘If that’s all it was, all you had to do was give me a sample of what was to come – what we have now, and I wouldn’t have hesitated. I’d have married you on the spot, right there and then. It all seems so ludicrous now. Why,’ he bleated on, ‘didn’t you at least give me just one little taste? It would’ve avoided a lot of heartache on both sides. So why didn’t we do it then?’
She glared at him amazed. ‘You’d have married me way back then, just for that?’
Her eyes held him transfixed, making it impossible for him to lie. ‘Well, er…yes,’ he confessed.
‘Then I’d have said no.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I don’t see that as being a firm basis for marriage.’
‘S’pose you’re right and that’s just what I’m saying; didn’t what started off as that develop into something of far greater magnitude? So if I’d known it could be like it is…’
‘So it all comes down to that! Is that all you see in me?
‘Well, be truthful, isn’t it how you see me?’
She paused with indecision. It was as if she badly needed to explain something but couldn’t or, maybe, thought she shouldn’t.
She didn’t even attempt an answer, instead, she responded with that hurt little look of hers and asked, ‘Will you stop this third degree?’ Then sliding down, clamped her mouth over his.
When their lips parted she shook her head and asked, ‘We’re here, it’s now, what more do you want?’
He gazed deep into her eyes. ‘Just one last thing…’ he panted breathlessly, ‘
Rachael rammed two fists full of knuckles into his chest and glared at him daggers. He gazed back at her hair tumbling provocatively over her shoulders and watched her eyes narrow, challenging his.
‘Oh God! Now what?’ she snapped.
‘Well, all that time ago, when you told me things could never be like this until you were married, I thought you meant to me.’
THE END
PILLOW TALK
Ed’s eyes were idly fixed on the defused light of the setting sun glimmering through a chink in the closed curtains.
He was aware of a movement behind him but did not stir, not even to the sensation of lips brushing the back of his neck. Without looking he could visualise Rachael, cheeks flushed, fair hair streaming over the pillow.
‘Well?’ she whispered in a deep sultry tone.
He knew exactly what was on her mind but I played dumb. He had things on his mind too. ‘Well? What?’ he groaned.
She snuggled closer. ‘How was it?’
He was finding it difficult to remain distant but managed. ‘Mmm…not bad – you’re improving.’
‘Pig!’ she snarled. A thump to his spine sent a dull ache reverberated through his torso. He tried not to react and managed to stifle a snigger while he waited for the moment to pass.
‘Seriously, what are you thinking?’ she asked after the pause.
He remained distant. ‘Just how we arrived here.’
‘Taxi, wasn’t it?’
‘Sarcasm is my department,’ he reminded her. ‘You know exactly what I mean.’ He finally shifted over to face her. ‘Remember how it was when we first got together?’ The question unsettled her. He sensed her uneasy in my stare.
She propped herself up on one elbow, a perplexed look in her eye. ‘Yeah, so what’s with all the nostalgia?’
‘I was just thinking how puritanical you were. Who’d have thought we could ever wind up like this?’
She blushed a little and he watched her forehead crease into a bewildered frown as she swiped a few stay strands of hair away. ‘You always said you respected me for that and you were prepared to wait.’
‘I hadn’t got much of an option, had I?’ he sneered. ‘But the frustration nearly had me climbing the wall. “Not now, Ed… Not here”,’ he mimicked. ‘”Wait till”...’
She threw herself back and glared at the ceiling. ‘So what girl wants to be pinned against a wall; in a shop doorway; behind some bush in a park; or on the front room couch for a quickie before the folks get home? Your timing and choice of venue were bloody impeccable, not to mention extremely romantic.’
He watched her eyes smoulder. There was nothing more challenging or beautiful than Rachael when she’d got her dander up.
‘Okay, what about that night at the Saint Patrick’s Day party at Sean and Brenda’s? We were invited to stay over but you…’
Now her eyes flamed. ‘Do you think it was easy for me? Anyway, Tommy was there.’
‘Ah, come on,’ he baited, ‘I’ve heard that one a dozen times. Your big brother was so intent on getting Karen into the sack, he was hardly going to throw stones.’
She sidled up to him. While she squeezed her warm body against his, she pressed a finger against his lips and whispered. ‘So, now I’ve given you every opportunity to make up for lost time all you want to do is yap?’
‘Sorry.’ He captured her full gaze. ‘But don’t you ever wish things had worked out differently?’
Her brow furrowed again. ‘Differently? Different to what? What could be better? What’s wrong with here and now?’ She wriggled down the bed a little further. Her arm looped across him as she began to massage the small of his back. She knew that was certain to get him going. ‘Do you remember the afternoon at the Sheridan?’ She chuckled mischievously.
‘The afternoon that nearly ran into the next morning?’ Her deep-throated tone and the memory she evoked tingled his every nerve end. ‘Mmm… Sure do?’ he smirked at the recollection.
‘Ouch!’ Without warning, she’d clamped her teeth on his earlobe. ‘Wanna see if we can improve on it?’ she growled seductively, her breath hot on his cheek.
Despite the ferocity of his passion, there were questions he needed answering. It was difficult but he managed to twist away. Deep in thought, he fixed his eyes back on the curtains. ‘Rachael, what if…’
She thumped her head back down on the pillow. ‘Ed!’
He felt the slap of her palm on his shoulder as she vented her fury. “You’ve just been twittering on about that Saint Patrick’s Day bloody years ago. You said we’d wasted opportunities then, so why all the analysis now? Come on, life’s too short, and these days we don’t get many chances like this.’
‘I know,’ he concurred, ‘but,’ he sensed her body relaxing against his and I resisted the tingle of her nearness. ‘I’m puzzled by how you’ve changed. I mean, why should a piece of paper and a ring make all this difference?’
Rachael flared again. ‘I’ve told you; it was just as difficult for me. At least you could show your feelings - I had to conceal mine.’
‘But why? That’s what I’ve never understood. What was the pressure? Was it your parents, family, what?’ As he watched her bottom lip quivered it came to him in a flash. ‘Despite what you’ve said to the contrary, it was all to do with marriage, wasn’t it?’
‘Don’t be daft!’
He moved his head to fix his eyes on hers. ‘Daft? I should know… Thinking back, you told me often enough.’
He’d hit a nerve. Rachael glanced away to break eye contact. Then with one sudden movement, she shot up in the bed, clutched the quilt around her and drew her knees up to her chin. ‘Okay, it was my upbringing,’ she confessed, staring at her feet. She then went on with less certainty, ‘I think… I suppose being a Catholic; it was drummed into me so often it stuck.’ She was embarrassed by what she was about to say. It was obvious by the way the words stuck in her throat. ‘It wasn’t… It wasn’t the prospect of committing carnal sin, it was the fear of the shame of falling pregnant.’
‘But you know I’d never be that irresponsible. And why the big change now?’
Her eyes flared even brighter. ‘Come off it!’ she gave a nervous giggle. ‘You were young – a randy young chancer. Are you telling me all those times you tried to pin me down you had the necessary protection to hand?’
She had him. He couldn’t argue with that. All he could do was swing the onus back on her. ‘And now?’
‘I’m mature, and married.’
He liked to think he knew Rachael far more intimately than anyone but he’d always sensed there was something she was holding back. Perhaps then and there was not the most appropriate time but it was something he’d always meant to get to the bottom of.
Now he’d opened up the topic he was determined not to let it slip.
‘Married?’ He laughed. ‘If that’s all it was, all you had to do was give me a sample of what was to come – what we have now, and I wouldn’t have hesitated. I’d have married you on the spot, right there and then. It all seems so ludicrous now. Why,’ he bleated on, ‘didn’t you at least give me just one little taste? It would’ve avoided a lot of heartache on both sides. So why didn’t we do it then?’
She glared at him amazed. ‘You’d have married me way back then, just for that?’
Her eyes held him transfixed, making it impossible for him to lie. ‘Well, er…yes,’ he confessed.
‘Then I’d have said no.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I don’t see that as being a firm basis for marriage.’
‘S’pose you’re right and that’s just what I’m saying; didn’t what started off as that develop into something of far greater magnitude? So if I’d known it could be like it is…’
‘So it all comes down to that! Is that all you see in me?
‘Well, be truthful, isn’t it how you see me?’
She paused with indecision. It was as if she badly needed to explain something but couldn’t or, maybe, thought she shouldn’t.
She didn’t even attempt an answer, instead, she responded with that hurt little look of hers and asked, ‘Will you stop this third degree?’ Then sliding down, clamped her mouth over his.
When their lips parted she shook her head and asked, ‘We’re here, it’s now, what more do you want?’
He gazed deep into her eyes. ‘Just one last thing…’ he panted breathlessly, ‘
Rachael rammed two fists full of knuckles into his chest and glared at him daggers. He gazed back at her hair tumbling provocatively over her shoulders and watched her eyes narrow, challenging his.
‘Oh God! Now what?’ she snapped.
‘Well, all that time ago, when you told me things could never be like this until you were married, I thought you meant to me.’
THE END
There is so much truth in that tale Paul for so many people and I have lived long enough and met so many of them to know.
