The ladies gave the appropriate sounds of “aww” in the happy moments and the sad and he managed to get through his glass of beer as he spoke. Mary wordlessly handed him another and he continued the story.
They were all chewing over a strawberry tart that Mary had whipped up when Ben got to the real reason he was in Portugal; the real reason he was by himself in a place where he wasn’t bothered by people knocking on his door constantly to ask if he was alright.
Fate had stepped into the wonderful life he and his wife were making together, and brought it crashing down by tragically taking her away. His choosing to move to the peace and tranquillity of the Algarve and his casual profession as a travel writer was only a reflection of the peace he needed to get through life without her after she passed away.
The ladies were fascinated, both by his story and of course the accent in which he delivered it. He sat quietly under the large umbrella that had protected them all and realized the sun had long since gone down. Hours had passed without any of them really noticing.
Lillian attempted to stand up and make her way to the bathroom but ended up plonking herself back in her seat. She looked confused as she struggled to stand once more.
“Oh my, I didn’t think foreign wine would be quite as strong. I think I might be just a little bit tipsy,” she said with a girlish giggle.
“Perhaps I should help you to bed, Mom. I’ll sit and chat with Ben some more if you don’t mind,” Mary said as she stood up to help Lillian to her feet.
“I don’t mind at all, baby girl. Thank you for a lovely evening, Ben. Until I see you again.” Lillian gave an airy wave of her hand as she mimicked a queenly accent as Mary led her into the house.
Mary gently guided her mother to the bathroom and her bed. Ben sat patiently, playing with his half empty beer bottle. Mary seemed interested in him, but was he as interested in her? They’d lived such different lives and he failed to mention, during his story telling, just how much effort his wife had made to get used to his need for extreme organisation. Ben needed things to be just right and in the right place. No time or patience for chaos and disorder.
Could Mary handle his obsession of straightening picture-frames and wobbly tables, or taking his own table clips to restaurants? Would she even be around long enough to notice?
As Ben sat, pondering his inadequacies, Mary returned and slid into the chair alongside him. She put a hand on his shoulder.
“I can’t thank you enough for your kindness, Ben. We’ve had a wonderful time so far, thanks to you,” Mary said with a grateful smile, her eyes telling him she had for more on her mind than gratitude.
Ben gazed into her eyes as she looked at him smiling. He was totally swallowed up in her beauty and could barely stammer a reply. His normally smooth stockpile of responses to the occasional sultry neighbour had flown straight out of his mind.
“Well, erm, it was nothing really Mary, nothing at all. Was a pleasure for me too really,” he murmured, flustered. He really wanted to kiss her and drag her to his bed but he thought it might be too much for her to handle.
Mary giggled as she poured herself a glass of wine and handed Ben a fresh bottle of beer.
“We had no idea where we were or what to do once we got here. We were just determined to get here is all. You’ve made it special. We’re going to have a wonderful time thanks to you, and we really appreciate it,” Mary said as she raised her glass to him.
Ben raised his bottle back and leaned forward to clink her glass in a toast. As he did, he saw Mary’s beautiful face in front of him. Her smiling lips so close. So very, very close. He leaned closer and Mary did too.
Ben reached out to grasp her chin, smoothing a finger down her cheek before doing so. She looked at him, her longing for his touch more than evident as her lips parted and he saw her eyes go wide. His touch made her shiver and he knew he had a chance with her. Their lips were just an inch apart and their eyes fixed on each other as their glasses clinked when they moved to seal the moment.
With a clunk and a click, they were plunged into total darkness as the power went out.
Ben leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply. Mary gave a slight yelp. From inside the barn, Lillian let out a piercing scream.
Mary and Ben instantly jumped up and headed to the barn door.
“Mom? Mom? What’s wrong?” Mary yelled, stumbling into the barn.
“The power’s gone, I’ll go sort it out, won’t take a minute,” Ben said turning to head to the apartment office. He made his way through the dark carpark to his apartment to retrieve his keys and a light, then back to the office. There he entered the building and reset the breaker. Light was restored. After locking up the office, Ben made his way back to Mary and the barn, which was now fully lit up.
“It was a snake! I know it! Or one of those lizard things!” Lillian was yelling. “Ran straight across my face, the evil little thing! Scared the life out of me. And no lights Mary! I could have died twice when I tried to find the light. Straight across my face it went.”
Mary shivered in her chaste-looking nightgown.
Ben stood listening to the tirade in shock and then smiled, trying his best not to laugh at Lillian’s discomfort. It was too funny!
“No snakes around here, Lillian. Any that might be around would be well out in the gardens and orchards. Maybe it was one of those small geckos. They do like these old houses,” Ben said with patience, hoping to alleviate her worries.
“So where did all the lights go, Ben?” Mary asked, now happy her mother wasn’t being attacked by a hungry python.
“Electric can be a bit delicate around here. These villages haven’t had it for too long and the cables are all a bit of a mess in these old places. Just overloaded with the air conditioning is all. I should have mentioned it before, sorry,” Ben replied, returning to his chair and picking up his bottle of beer to allow Lillian to settle into bed in peace.
Lillian made her way out onto the patio wrapped in her dressing gown instead, a scowl crossing her face before she found her glass of wine still sitting on the table.
“I know it isn’t your fault Ben, but someone should have mentioned the wildlife sharing the bedroom with me, I think. That Jenna lady for one. Mary pour me some of that wine, mine’s gone warm. A big one. I nearly had a heart attack in there,” Lillian gasped as she plonked herself in the seat between Ben and Mary.
Mary poured and handed Lillian a new glass with a happy laugh.
“Relax, Mom, it was just a little gecko. Not like we don’t get those black and green ones at home.”
Ben didn’t know which lizards Mary was talking about but they sounded interesting. Well, as interesting as anything could be when he’d been interrupted on the verge of kissing a very beautiful woman.
“Well springing out at me all unexpected and then the lights dying scared the snot out of me, Mary. I hope the little, ahem, booger has found its way out of my bedroom by now,” Lillian replied, taking a large gulp of the wine and waving the glass at Mary.
Mary topped up the glass and settled back with her own and looked frustrated at Ben. So close, he could read in her eyes. So close and yet so far. He smiled back at her apologetically.
“I have a key for the office. It’s where the electric panel is. It does trip now and then. Unusual, but at least now you know,” Ben said as he rose from the table. “I guess I should leave you ladies for the night and get to bed myself. Maybe if you’d like we can take a trip out tomorrow on the bikes. Perhaps to the beach?”
“That would be fantastic. If we’re not keeping you from anything of course,” Mary replied quicker than she had planned. Ben saw the way she tried to hide her flinch of self-condemnation and smiled to himself. She was definitely interested.
“No problem at all. Assuming Lillian has recovered from her shock of course,” Ben replied with a pat of Lillian’s shoulder.
Lillian glanced between the two of them and smiled to herself.
“That would be deligh
tful, thank you. We shall look forward to it won’t we, Mary?”
“Yes, yes we will, thank you again, Ben. For everything,” Mary said, almost sad as he turned and left.
As Ben made his way home his mind was in utter turmoil. Did that really just happen? Well, almost happen? That kiss? Had he really lowered his guard so low that he almost kissed his new neighbour, his newly dumped and vulnerable neighbour, or was it just the drink taking over?
He lay in his bed tossing and turning. He was happy here. Happy in the Algarve as almost a silent stranger. He was on nodding terms with a few of the locals and some he was even happy to see if he went out for a meal or a drink, but here, one of the things he liked best was his privacy and space. Time to read. Time to sit and contemplate. To eat when he felt hungry and eat whatever he wanted. He didn’t want to think about how to cope with a relationship. He certainly didn’t want to think about how he would handle the changes relationships might bring.
Ben lay in a state of confusion as he pondered again and again if the kiss might have happened. An affair with an American. A woman from the mountains with little understanding of the world outside of West Virginia. They had little in common, but still Ben was both fascinated and deeply attracted to Mary.
Tomorrow was another day. He would think about it tomorrow. Tonight he would sleep. If sleep ever came.
*
Mary lay restless in her bed. She had eventually got her mother back inside and was now alone, gazing through the large window at the star studded sky. Ben was handsome. There was no doubt about it, he was good looking and athletic. No doubt a life of soldiering had built him into what he was now. His voice, she sighed, was like music to her ears. An accent she’d only ever heard in the movies. Her legs turned to jelly every time he spoke.
But they had nothing in common. Could she have a simple affair? Mary wasn’t the type for that, though she wasn’t a virgin. She’d had relationships before Jason. Long relationships, not sordid little affairs. Ben wasn’t the type for relationships though, Mary could tell that much from the fact that he seemed so happy on his own. Would he consider a relationship with her, she wondered, staring into the darkness.
Mary was happy in her mountain home, surrounded by people she knew and loved. People she’d known all her life. The whole town was family to her as she was to them. How could she possibly leave it all if this blossomed into something more than a holiday flirtation?
She would have to leave it if that happened, because of course, there would be no way Ben would be able to live in such a backward rural hick town after all the travelling he’d done and all the places he’d seen. And she was supposed to be married now. Was this just hoping to fill a gap? Hoping for some revenge relationship to prove she really was good enough for someone, anyone?
No, she couldn’t stay here. No, she couldn’t move out here. It was totally out of the question. Wasn’t it? She stroked a fingernail on each hand as she considered, the movement unconscious and a habit.
Surely people did that sort of thing all the time? Totally bucking the trend. Starting a fresh life in a new place with new people? Sure folk could do it, if they were strong-willed enough. Mary thought she was strong-willed. Everyone said that about her at home. But was she really?
She listened to her mother gently snoring in the room next door. That kiss. That one kiss may have made all these decisions for her if only her mother hadn’t screamed and broken the moment.
She remembered feeling his breath on her quivering lip. So close. If he hadn’t moved forward and kissed her, she would have made the move for him. Yes, she would have initiated it, but surely it was what he wanted? He wouldn’t have got them in that position if he hadn’t intended to follow through.
Mary smiled to herself. Not a cunning smile of conquest, but one of what may be love. Love at first sight? Does that really happen outside silly romance novels?
God no, she finally admitted. She’d barely known the man for 24 hours and she was already planning out their future. How fucking sad was she? Running her fingers through her hair with a frustrated sigh, Mary turned over in her bed, alone. A fling, that’s what was on the plate. A man like Ben, alone, with no ties—he wasn’t looking for a relationship, he was looking for sex, even if he was nice.
That wasn’t such a bad idea either, though. Hmm, sex with a man as fine as Ben? A throbbing started between her thighs as she thought about it, as dirty thoughts filled her mind with images. Hot, sweaty, purely tawdry images. Could she?
Fuck yes!
Mary squirmed, her thighs rubbing together and making the throbbing worse. Tomorrow she would think about it more. Tomorrow she would perhaps be a little braver and a little more forward. Unless of course her mother ruined the mood again. Life—hers anyway—generally worked that way rather than mirroring soppy romance novels. But she would try. Ben was worth trying for, she knew.
*
Lillian had fallen asleep exhausted and tired from a long day and perhaps too much wine. But she was happy. She’d seen the exchanges between Mary and Ben, could have caused an explosion if she’d lit a match between them the chemistry was so loaded. This would be a wedding the folk back home would talk about for generations. Her daughter would be marrying a handsome Englishman and not even Connie Baker down the street would be able to talk over that one without turning green with envy. She might be jumping the gun a whole hell of a lot but Lillian knew a thing or two about life, and what she saw blossoming between her daughter and Ben was pretty obvious.
Tomorrow, she would do her best to let love take its course and help it along where she could.
Chapter 7
Ben was up and around bright and early the next morning. He was happy as he strolled around the courtyard in his cargo shorts and sandals, inspecting his plants. Breakfast had been two rounds of toast with a cup of tea. He had his second cup in his hand as he walked around the courtyard dead-heading and talking to his plants. This morning’s conversation with the runner beans was more about last night and Ben’s strange dilemma than how much effort the beans had been putting in since their last chat. Ben realised he was rambling and returned to the task at hand. Last night was last night and may have been a complete and total misunderstanding by all concerned. Today he would focus on taking them to the beach and ensuring a good time for all. Hopefully.
Ben heard the rattling and clanking of the girls hauling their bikes down to the front gate across the car park and went out to meet them. Both were dressed in light cotton tops and wrap-around skirts and looked almost like twins apart from the large floppy straw hat Lillian was sporting.
“Good morning, ladies. All ready for our trip out I see,” Ben said cheerily.
“We certainly are,” Mary replied, smiling. “We guessed there are no changing rooms on the beach so we dressed prepared!”
“Good, sounds like a plan. Great hat, Lillian. Just the job for here,” Ben replied. “Give me a minute to haul the bike out and we’ll get going. It’s not far but we’ll take our time.”
Ben hauled his bicycle out of the courtyard and came alongside them. He wondered if he should have masturbated again this morning as he looked at Mary’s beautiful face, her eyes going over him hungrily. Taking a deep breath he got on his bike, hoping some exercise would do him some good.
Soon they were heading along the lane beside the house and heading for town and the beach. The narrow lane was silent except for the sound of their tyres on the tarmac and a constant twittering of birds. Both Mary and Lillian were more confident in their cycling now and were enjoying the journey. It wasn’t long before they arrived at a junction with the busy main road that runs almost the length of the Algarve from east to west.
“Turn left for Spain or right for the Atlantic and eventually the USA,” Ben remarked. “Be a bit of a pedal across the Atlantic though.”
“You want us to cross over this?” Mary asked as cars roared past them at high speeds. “It’s suicide.”
“Don’t panic, we
just sit and wait for a gap and go. Straight across and we’ll be fine,” Ben replied, pointing to the quiet lane on the other side.
“Good grief, these people drive as crazy as people do in North Carolina,” Lillian added. “Not sure I want to take my chances.”
“Okay we’ve a gap coming up. When I say go, we go. Straight across. Get ready! GO!” Ben yelled, pedalling madly as he crossed over the road.
The three of them pedalled straight across the busy road and onto the quiet lane, the ladies faces twin looks of terror. As soon as they got to the other side, Lillian pulled over to the edge of the lane, breathing heavily.
“You okay, Momma?” Mary asked, pulling alongside her mother.
“I don’t think I could do that twice, Mary,” Lillian gasped.
“Oh sure you can, Lillian. It’ll be a lot quieter coming back. Just a bit of work traffic was all. You did fantastic. Nice and easy, let’s get to town and have a drink. You’ll be ready for one I’m sure.” Ben gave her an understanding smile before pushing off once more.
They cycled on into the little fishing town and as promised, Ben pulled them up at a little café in the central plaza. There they sat and drank coffee and nibbled on the local pastries.
“Apart from crossing Hell’s highway, this really is paradise! I can see why you want to live here,” Mary said as she looked around the little square surrounded by bars, cafes and curiosity shops.
“It takes a bit of getting used to. The slowing down and not expecting anything in a rush. But I guess it’s pretty peaceful up in those mountains, right?” Ben replied, trying not to stare down the top of Mary’s blouse that had drooped open as she read something on her phone, the top curve of a rather generous breast on display. He wanted to run a finger over the smooth flesh. He distracted himself by switching his gaze to her mother.
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