by Fox Brison
“I don’t think they want to get out of that boat, I know my two don’t.” Sara said. “Not that I’m objecting, the summer holidays are long and it is the only break I get from them.” There was a gleeful note to her voice.
“It’s her way,” I said. “She treats them like normal humans, not little children.”
“I’m surprised you noticed,” Sara waggled her eyebrows, “I would have thought her other attributes were more to your liking.” There’s not much about Natalie Jeffries I hadn’t noticed, especially her other attributes. And yes, they were definitely to my liking.
***
“So how are my two hooligans?” Angie asked with a chuckle. “Have they managed to run Natalie off yet?”
“Not at all. She’s with them now on her boat.”
“Thanks for this, Skye. Robbie, well, Rob’s more relaxed than he’s been in years. He really regretted the chasm that grew between you, but he didn’t know how to cross it. And every time I would bring the kids to see you, your Dad would say something. It was just easier on him not to put up a fight.”
I could sense the sorrow in her words, and I managed to hold back my sharp retort. Fences were being torn down and bridges built. I wouldn’t say anything to destroy it. I took a sip of my lukewarm green tea. Yuck. “I called for a reason, Angie. Last night Jamie had a nightmare.”
“He’s been having them quite frequently. Did he have an accident too?”
“Thankfully no.”
“I don’t suppose he told you…?”
“He thinks you and Robbie are getting a divorce like…” I struggled to remember the name. “I think it was Kyle?”
“Karl. Damn.”
“I told him you weren’t. I hope I didn’t overstep?”
“No, not at all. Thank you. Robbie is out shopping and when he comes home we’ll talk about it. I’d better go, we’re expecting the nurse. Thanks, Skye.”
Although I’d assured my nephew the night before that his parents would have a long and happy marriage, I was apprehensive his fears were well founded, so I hung up feeling more than a little relieved.
***
James and Malcom were running along the beach with the new kite I’d bought them. The wind wasn’t very strong, hence the running, but they were managing to get a little lift each time. I think they were having more fun trying to get it in the air than when it was actually flying high above us. I knew this because whoever was flying it would let it slowly drift to the ground, and then they’d be off and running again. I was so focussed on them and the boats bobbing happily in the distance, that I was utterly surprised when Jamie shouted “Mam!” and rushed to the small dune behind me. There was Angie carrying a bag and waving madly.
“Where’s Dad?” Malcom asked when she joined me on the picnic blanket.
“He’s up at the cottage,” Angela smiled knowingly. “Natalie let us in.”
I ignored her.
“Natalie slept over,” Malky said, innocently. His mother’s grin was far from innocent.
“Realllly?”
“Shut it!” I growled and she exploded with laughter. Malcom joined in, even though he didn’t have a clue why. “Not that it isn’t nice to see you but?”
“The nurse is with Jamesie. I think he even likes her. So we thought we’d come pick the boys up and bring them home.” The tell-tale signs of exhaustion were much less obvious, but still loitering with intent and the news was greeted with groans of disappointment. Robbie and Natalie were making their way towards us, and I blinked.
She was gorgeous and wanted me.
I still couldn’t believe it. It might be fleeting, ships passing in the night, after all, I still wasn’t convinced we had forever, but by god I really wanted her too.
“I lost you there for a minute,” Angie murmured.
“And now I’m back.”
“You boys need to come and help prepare lunch.” Angie gave my hand a squeeze. “Natalie can show us where everything is.” This was obviously a well-planned ruse to leave Robbie and me alone.
“Rob?” I watched Angie and Natalie walking up the sands, James and Malcom in the middle of them holding hands in one long chain. “Rob?”
“Take a walk with me?” he asked. We headed along the water’s edge, the waves lapping the shore and Robbie sighed.
“What’s up?” I thought we’d sorted things out. But maybe I was naïve in thinking everything could be resolved after one brief heart to heart.
“People are talking, about ye and Nat.” I could see how uncomfortable this was making him. He dug his toe into the sand, then bent to pick up a flat stone which he skimmed over the sea.
“Me and Nat have nothing to do with anybody but me and Nat,” I grew defensive. I wasn’t going to justify or excuse my feelings for Natalie Jeffries, no matter how much I wanted to be back in his life.
“You’re right. I wanted you to know Angie and I, we have your back.”
“Good.” We walked in silence. I understood my brother was finding it difficult to talk about my relationship with Natalie, hell it probably would have been easier on him if it had been some stranger.
“They’re saying…”
“I don’t want to know, Rob.” And I didn’t. Most of it would be hateful, the rest just pure lies.
“Natalie’s a good woman. She’ll be good for you.” He was trying to be my big brother, so I let him. “I’d be lying if I said it was easy,” he said honestly, “but she makes you happy. I can’t tell you why I’ve struggled so much with you being gay. At first it was because of how people treated you, the names, the sly comments. I knew if you were normal.” I looked at him. One look and he flushed, embarrassed by his poor choice of woods. I know he was trying, but for fuck’s sake… “I mean straight. Sorry, Skye, Dad’s influence. The thing is, if you were straight people would see what a fantastic, smart, beautiful person you are and you wouldn’t simply be known as ‘Skye Donaghie, the lesbian.’ I hated the piss taking I’d get from my friends when we’d be out for a beer…” he looked at me and gave a sort of wry smile that was more like a grimace, “You know stuff like, it’s contagious, it’s in the genes, did I never worry about you and Angie spending time together. The more I stuck by you, the worse it got…”
“I understand, Rob. The resentment I felt getting shit for something I couldn’t control was exactly how you were feeling.”
He smiled in relief and gave me a tight hug. “You can’t change who you are, Skye, but I could have changed my friends. I could have taken the auld man apart. I could have welcomed you into my family instead of stopping my kids spending every moment they could with you. I hate I didn’t have the balls to do any of that. You’re still my little sister, always have been, always will be.” He nudged my shoulder. “I could and should have told you before how proud I am of you. But I have your back now. It might not make up for all the times in the past when I should have had it, but I have it now.”
“And I have you back and right now, that’s all that matters.”
Chapter 26
Skye
I ran down the steps of my apartment in Durham. It was so hot I conceded defeat and wore a pair of khaki shorts and plain white t-shirt. In my rucksack, however, was a pair of sweats and a hoodie; the cathedral could be cold even on the warmest of days. I strolled along the riverbank, smiling and nodding to the foreign students who were currently residing in the city for summer schools. I was really happy. The day before had been amazing; Nat and I had spent the afternoon with Sara, Andy, Robbie, Angela and kids for a game of beach cricket and an impromptu barbie.
It was probably the best day I’ve ever had, despite it being the last day of James and Malcom’s stay with me.
And the day got even better. Even though I no longer needed her help with the boys, Natalie said she still wanted to come to Durham with me.
Result.
***
I love Durham almost as much as I love Holy Island. The city has spread over the years but my fav
ourite place is the peninsula where the cathedral, castle and several university colleges are found, including my alma mater St Cuthbert’s Society.
Obviously.
The peninsula itself is a world heritage site. The story goes that when Cuthbert’s body was first taken from Lindisfarne it travelled throughout the north-east, carried by disciples of the cult to protect it from raiders. It rested in many places, but never settled. Legend has it that the monks were following a couple of milk-maids searching for a cow on the Durham peninsula, (I kid you not, a brown cow) when the coffin became immovable. Thus, the shrine was established there and then and there are many local references to the myth.
I, personally, loved the Dun Cow, a small pub close to the city centre.
Being a closet romantic, I loved the mystery and magic of the story and preferred it to the prosaic, ‘yeah and the fact the peninsula was easily defended and would be protected by the Earl of Northumberland’ chunter argued by military historians. The castle, located right next to the cathedral, was built much later. County Durham is known as the land of the prince bishops in reference to the fact they stand at the right hand of the monarch and are fourth in importance within the hierarchy of the Church of England. The title, as well as being religious, also held military power and the castle was built to house the Bishops of Durham. However, now it was a college at the university, known, unsurprisingly, as Castle College.
The cathedral was built in the early years of William the Conqueror’s reign and only the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII had any effect on Cuthbert’s final resting place. But despite the tomb being ransacked and destroyed by his thugs, Cuthbert’s body was found to be uncorrupted and for future protection was reburied under a plain old paving slab, worn down over the years by the pilgrims who visited the cathedral.
Which is where I now stood.
Natalie was off to rehab and then heading to Maiden Castle, the university sports grounds, to avail of their gym, so I hunkered down in the cathedral to finish my research. It was quiet, despite the crowds, a reverential hush blanketing the warm yellow bricks. My phone vibrated and I stole a quick glance, just in case it was Natalie. It wasn’t. Michael was inviting us to dinner with him and his wife, Tara. I tapped out a swift reply, hoping it wouldn’t bother Natalie too much, and got back to work.
My phone vibrated again.
This time it was Michael’s wife Tara confirming dinner arrangements. Yes of course they’d come to us. I tapped out another swift reply.
My phone vibrated again and this time I swore quietly.
Stacy wanted to meet up, firstly to give me back my flat keys and secondly to discuss monetary restitution for her car. Hmm. That woman didn’t know what monetary meant never mind restitution. I tapped out yet another swift reply. I was going to have carpel tunnel syndrome by the end of the afternoon. My phone hadn’t seen this much action since Tara went into labour and Michael, after going into a blind panic, had kindly shared every sweet and not so sweet moment.
Another vibration.
By now I was disturbing the other pilgrims to my sanctuary, so I headed into the sunshine for a coffee break and to make a few phone calls, the first to Natalie.
“I’m just heading out for lunch.” I could hear very little traffic in the background, so assumed she was at Maiden Castle already, maybe running, sweat dribbling down between her collar bones, itching to be licked...
“Golden arches?” I teased, dragging my mind back to the phone call. “They have organic beef now.”
“Nah, there’s a little café near here. I’ll just grab a sarnie unless you want to meet up?”
“I’d love to, but I’m only taking a ten minute break to call you. I had a text from a friend inviting us to dinner. I hope you don’t mind, but I told them to come to us instead. I thought we’d order in.” There was silence on the other end. Shit. She did mind. “Natalie? I can cancel, it’s no biggie.”
“No, don’t cancel. I just wanted to soak it in for a minute. It seems like I’ve been waiting my whole life to hear those words.”
I was confused. “What words? Order in? Heck, my cooking’s not that bad, is it?” I heard her laughing.
“No, us you fool.”
I felt warm all over; it wasn’t only my sex drive taking notice, my heart was joining in with a soppy great ‘aww.’ “I’ll see you later then?” I asked softly.
“Can’t wait, boo,” she replied. In that bloody voice. I heard her chuckle again and I realised she knew what it did to me. I hung up and placed my order for an Americano, extra-large, and a chocolate chip cookie.
Just as humongous.
“Make that two,” the lilting Scottish tones behind me belonged to my third favourite adult of all time, Michael Campbell.
“How did you know where I’d be?” I asked.
“Sixth sense, in fact, you’re fifteen minutes late for your usual coffee craving.” My phone vibrated again. “That’ll be Tara wanting the scoop.”
“The scoop?” I feigned innocence.
“Aye, lassie. The scoop on Little Miss Islander.”
I grinned at the idea of Natalie being a Little Miss, but if she was it would be Little Miss Sexy, no, wait, Little Miss Sexy Dimples. “Can’t she wait for tonight?” The phone buzzed again. “Apparently not.” I looked at the messages, three of them, but none of them were from Tara. They were all from Stacy. I frowned and showed them to Michael.
“Those are awfully long words for someone who can barely grunt in more than two syllables,” he mocked. Michael and Tara had never really gotten along with Stacy and vice versa. I missed the whole double dating thing when I’d been with her and I sighed, but brightened when I thought of Natalie. She’d get on famously with the two of them.
“Now, be fair Michael,” I chastised, “she may not have gone to university, but she was an intelligent woman.”
“Aye, she just hid it very well,” he grinned mischievously.
“You are an intellectual snob, you do realise this, don’t you? But I do have to wonder which dictionary she swallowed,” I looked down at the text then at my friend who was noticeably avoiding my eyes. And shuffling his feet. God could he be any more obvious? “Or rather whose dictionary she swallowed. Emma?” He shrugged. “Diana.” I said it bluntly. Of course it was Diana. She was a fellow lecturer in the history department and she’d had her eye on Stacy for months. I sat down and put my head between my knees. I thought I was going to be sick.
“How long?” In spite of our relationship being long over and that I had, in effect, already moved onto pastures new, the thought of my girlfriend cheating on me, especially with a colleague and one whom I’d called friend, made me feel sick to my stomach.
“Relax, only since she returned from the island, they never went behind your back. They went on holiday… I’m not sure…”
“Tuscany.” Again a one word statement of fact rather than a question. He nodded. “Good for them,” he looked askance at me. “No, really. I can’t judge, Michael. I barely waited for the door to close behind Stacy before I began flirting with Natalie.”
“But I bet nothing has happened between the two of you.”
“No, but it’s not for the want of trying.” I wasn’t going to let Stacy be the bad guy in all of this. If she was dating Diana Marlowe, then I’d see her at faculty events and around the campus, and I didn’t want there to be any animosity.
After tapping a quick reply to Stacy’s demands of ten thousand quid for her car, I offered her seven; I knew how much it was worth and seven was more than generous. Guilt was a hell of a motivator and at least at that price I didn’t have to trouble my insurance. The phone vibrated. Stacy happily accepted the offer and I was over the moon to have Diana Marlowe stop texting me.
I am not a stupid person - I knew fine well who was patronising me in the texts.
“So, do I get the gen on Natalie before ma wife?” Michael’s brogue deepened, as it frequently did when he was teasing me.
“Not much gen to tell,” yet. “She’s an old friend who’s been helping me help my brother and his wife.”
Michael’s eyebrows knitted together. “Is everything alright? With your family?”
“My father is dying.” It was a habit, speaking in short sentences with little inflection, formed when I was younger and one which had never left. It was an emotional crutch, but one I was more than willing to use. He patted my knee knowing sympathy wasn’t what I needed right at that moment. We sipped our coffee in silence until, “She plays soccer, has a body to die for and makes me laugh. She has beautiful eyes and a kind soul. And when we kiss I feel as if I could rule the world.”
Michael guffawed. “So from helping you help your family to I want to have her babies in sixty seconds?”
“She doesn’t have the right equipment,”
“But?”
“But if she did I would quite happily be barefoot and pregnant!”
Chapter 27
Skye
Natalie was nervous; I knew this because she’d not only spent three hours in central Durham seeking the perfect outfit for tonight, she had actually purchased three shirts and two pairs of trousers and, my personal favourite, a pair of black jeans. Skinny black jeans. Jeans so tight they melded to her body and showed off every perfect muscle in her legs.
She truly was the sexiest woman on the planet.
She was on her fifth wardrobe change, seeking Sara’s approval via WhatsApp with each outfit. For some reason I wasn’t consulted, mainly because the first three she’d shown me I’d heartily approved of and she doubted my honesty.
My drooling probably had a lot to do with it as well.
“So?” she asked from the doorway. I was busy opening a bottle of merlot, allowing it breathe. Tara was a wine connoisseur and insisted on me doing this. This particular bottle cost her an arm and a leg, but as a financial analyst her purse could easily take the hit. It was left over from our last girl’s night in. After two bottles of her favourite cabernet and a cheese board to die for, the merlot would have been wasted, rather how we were by the time her cab came to pick her up.