A Life Plan Without You.

by Christine Wood

  “Mum’s had words with Dad and not to put too fine a point on it they would rather I had sex in the house than outside and unsafe. Yes I did assure her we hadn’t had sex, and yes you did love me and I loved you.” He looked gob smacked.

  “You told your Mum we would be having sex?” He looked angry about that.

  “No… I told her we didn’t have sex last night, which is what Dad thought we’d done already. He was angry as hell, when he got home from work, told Mum he was going to break every bone in your body. It was Mum, who pointed out that we were fully clothed and you still had your jacket on. Perhaps we’d just fallen asleep?” He still looked angry. I held his hand as he fumed.

  “Sam I didn’t tell Mum we would be having sex, I want to, and hell do I want to, but I know you want to wait. Honestly stop being angry with me, please Sam or I may as well just go home and let you enjoy the night out.”

  “You aren’t leaving me Michelle ever. Don’t say that Missy, please don’t leave me? I do want that with you it’s just the commitment issues I have are well… Complicated and now more so? I’m sorry Missy, I keep my word, and I promised your Dad we wouldn’t, not yet. Not to say we won’t because I do want that with you, just not so soon, not under the same roof as your parents either, that would be awkward.” He pulled me up and into his arms.

  “Finish your drinks you two we’re off to pastures new.” Toastmaster Andy announced that we were continuing the smallish pub-crawl around town eventually approaching the door at Heaven and thankfully our Shane was there.

  “Hello Cuz, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you looking so nice. Don’t you scrub up well?” I kissed his cheek and he had me tightly around the waist.

  “This is my fella Sam, that’s his Brother Andy and his girl Zoë, this is my Cousin Shane.” He grabbed my hand and led me down the steps with the others following on behind me.

  “This lots with me Dotty.” He led us to a darkened corner.

  “Let me get you some drinks seeing as it’s your birthday Michelle?” I smiled at him.

  “What are you like, and you’re two months too late.” He returned with a bottle of champagne and four glasses.

  “Enjoy see you later, cool babes to see and dances to dance, see you later. You really do scrub up well for a tom boy little kid, we have more ponies for you to ride, bring Sam to meet Dah!” He looked at Sam, said something to him, waved at me and off he went upstairs.

  “He’s certainly is one on his own. What did he say to you, Sam?”

  “Just that the family would be disappointed, if anything bad were to happen to you, but by family he didn’t just mean you’re Mum and Dad, what did he mean? You ride horses too?”

  “No pressure then Sam, he’s not my actual cousin, his family do business with Dad, who everyday changes old lead pipes for new plastic pipes, he works for the gas board, they have a lot of money tied up with Dad. They deal in scrap and are like family to him, they look out for me and Becks, and yes I ride very well too.” He grinned!

  Great now I have visions of riding her hard, what else does the girl do, she packs her life with stuff and people and God I’m lucky! A girl waves and others smile, shit this is the first time in here since New Year and Christ the girls are already circling, shit someone is going to tell her, fuck or bloody make a pass! Hell not my smartest move bringing her to the old stomping ground, I should have taken her into Manchester, but that’s a thought for next time, if there is a next time after tonight?

  “High Sam, are you busy later?” Blonde girl, nope don’t know her!

  “I am yes, I’m with my girlfriend, she’s the one sat right here with me? I’m sorry but if you’ll excuse me I have to dance with my girl!” I smile and dance with Michelle, she isn’t as pissed off as I thought?

  “It’s crowded in her angel, dance with me please?”

  “I’m sorry…” She put her finger to my lip and kissed me!

  “Past Sam, they are the past, I love you…”

  “Baby I really fucking love you!”

  “Oh so crude, yeah I fucking love you too, now where were we, argh yes you and I were going to show the girls your taken!” She is amazing, and as we dance I hold her close, we look good together as I catch our reflection in the mirrored columns, she looks frigging amazing, sex and stunning, I’m one hell of a lucky bastard that she is so forgiving of my past, there’s a lot of it in here I do recognise some of the girls, wow there are more than a few…Shit even Shane is eyeing her up!

  “So he doesn’t fancy you then?” I smiled, my fella is jealous, Shane and I had known each other forever, he was more like a big brother.

  “Lord no, he’s already promised to someone in America, and should be getting married in Ireland soon. He’s just not ready for that yet. No outside marriages for him he can’t marry or have a serious relationship with an outsider, his Dah won’t have it, not for his eldest Grandson. He’s strict too, they are from an old gypsy family and they are all brilliant. So well-mannered and we are considered extended family Sam.” He gave me a hug and his arms stayed wrapped tightly around me.

  “Right, fancy a drink then, I think I’ve marked my territory, short of pissing up a few of their legs I’m done…” I let Andy open it.

  “One glass is all you’re having, wow really crude, my girls got a potty mouth, come here kiss the once very popular man you alone have hooked please?” I threw him a scowl, Sam looked at me and I didn’t know if he was serious or joking, but I was thinking I was out to enjoy tonight, he was thinking of getting me home in one piece, complete and unharmed.

  “This is my eighteenth birthday champagne because the label says so, anyway I’m not into drinking, so ex stud of Heaven, gimmy my drink and a kiss and remember I can if needs be find plenty of ways to help you forget these mere trifles of your past dear boy! I could even be very naughty for you tonight, when we get back to mine, would Sir like that?” I sipped my champagne and watched as he laughed. Zoë liked champagne just as much as vodka and coke it seems, so much so, in fact she finished the bottle, not much chance of a second glass.

  “Umm your damned funny and bloody unbelievable, I’m losing the plot about a cousin and your keeping calm about the multitude of girls in here I may have screwed, are you for real or a mirage? Most certainly your both naughty and nice, you’re everything little girls should be made of and the big girls not too shabby either. What have you got planned for later then, and who said anything about a sleep over?”

  “I decided the sleep over, as in sleep and the other stuff you said we could do I want to give that a try? Angel it’s alright you know? I did know there would be a fair few ex-sex’s in here that, oh gosh I hate this word that you have tapped?” He blushed, took a sip of the rank champagne and leant in for a kiss, umm warm champagne kisses, as his deep kiss and mouthful of champagne bubbles tingled my mouth I held him tightly, umm sloppy champagne kisses!

  “None that I wanted to make love to, she’s here and is way more tolerant of my past than I deserve, thank you for being here for me!” I kissed him back before he cried!

  The place was packed and I needed the toilet, I excused myself letting Sam know where I was going, and went off in search of the loo’s. I found them easy enough and the queue was out of the door. Good job I wasn’t busting when I set off, but by the time I sat down I was. That’s where I overheard a conversation I didn’t like the sound of much, sat weeing on the bloody toilet…

  “Sam’s in with his brother are you going to see why he dumped you? It’s been ages and he’s not given you a clue as to why?”

  “He’s with someone else, they look all love up and she’s more his type than me, and it’s been ages since we hooked up. It wasn’t a big romance, just New Year in here. We didn’t do anything really, and doubt he remembers me anyway, he was so drunk. It ended in a fumble with Andy, but he was too rough. Pity too, I quite liked the idea of the Wam-Bam-Thank-You-Sam, they are legendary in here. Besides, he was still in love with the girl he had just sp
lit up from.” I sat and listened, who was the girl he’d just split from, the other one?

  “All he did was talk about his bloody dancing girl, all bloody night, if the kisses he gave me were anything to go by, him thinking I was her, she’s dead lucky. I do wonder why she dumped him?” Quick wipe of the bits, and I come face to face with Sam’s ex. I wash my hands dry them reapply the gloss, turn smile and leave where Sam was at the door waiting… My Sam, just that… Mine.

  “I thought you’d got lost Mi cielo, you took forever.” He pulled me into his arms kissing me as if he’d not seen me in forever, the two girls, were right behind me, interrupting the nicest of kisses.

  “Hello Sam, where have you been hiding yourself these days? We haven’t seen you out in a long time, baby?” I jump in feet first again.

  “Apparently, angel they need to know why you broke one of these poor girls heart. Sorry, but don’t know whose heart you broke back then, but Sam is irrefutably nobody else’s but mine now and has been for quite a while too, and he’s not your baby either, do I make myself clear?” I turned, and walked away, Sam was in hot pursuit. “Before you say anything Sam, your past is just that your past, can we please just dance?” He looked relived.

  “I can’t remember them or her Michelle, I told you I was drunk most of last year, and nearly always when I came here. Thinking about it, I have only ever been sober tonight, in here with you Michelle.” He looked over at the girls who had followed us to the edge of the dance floor. He looked puzzled, then back down to meet my eyes. Pulling me in close, his hand wrapped around my stomach, the other over my shoulder. Mine were in his back pockets holding his backside in my hands, spooning on the dance floor. He turned me around to meet his eyes, and kissed me, my arms pulling him into me.

  “Sam I listened to the whole sorry tale angel. You, you did nothing but tell her you were in love with your dancing girl. To me that said you’d made your mind up way back then. I love you so much.” With that a pair of hands grabbed me and had me spinning on the dance floor, pulled from a mad Sam’s arms, the hustle was playing, and Shane had grabbed my waist and dragged me onto the dance floor.

  “Let’s show them what we got Cousin?” I could quite easily kill the big shit.

  “No lifts and Shane absolutely no long spins, I have very little on under here Shane.” Sam was on the side watching I threw him my bag smiling, as he was stood grinning with Andy and Zoë, watching my or rather Shanes every move. What did I have I to lose? I knew the dance as Shane and I had danced it at his cousins wedding.

  “I am going to kill you later.” He started out and I followed, a bit too sexy this, but holding my own and eventually out dancing Shane, begging him for no long spins and please remember no lifts? I knew the lifts were out the ceilings to low in here, but the spins in the dress would leave nothing to the imagination, and well he ignored me as bloody usual and did the bloody spins.

  “I thought you didn’t do my dancing?”

  “I don’t you do mine.” We were and are always good at the odd family functions. We rocked the dance floor, laughing and joking. Me, I warned Shane about warning Sam off, telling him too that Dad had already beat him to it. Shit Sam looked mad.

  “Signal or whatever you do for the rest to join in my fellas none too happy. He clicked his fingers at the DJ and the whole floor filled. A line of hustlers, all moving to the music were now crowding on to the floor.

  “Do me a, favour Shane, see the girl over there pretty, dark curly hair mooning over Sam? Please make her day and dance with her?” He bowed.

  “Your wish Princess is my command.” He kissed the back of my hand and off he went. I grabbed Sam, and danced the rest with him.

  “Sorry I didn’t think the bugger would do that to me here, are you mad?” He grabbed me closer.

  “No, but wow you can dance.” I noted the next record starting.

  “Whatever I do next stick really close Sam please?” He didn’t ask why, just hugged my backside.

  “Dance off cousin, let’s see who can work with fresh meat?” I agreed, as the floor cleared and a space appeared for the dance off.

  “Do you do this every week Shane?” He nodded.

  “Love it and the ladies like the show, Ladies before Gentlemen.” The DJ announced the dance off, to 'Disco Inferno.'

  “Are you going to be okay Sam?” He didn’t look too worried, as the music started and so did we, wow he was good. He grabbed, he pulled and he moved me into all the right positions, the sexy bits were damn sexy and as I moved up his body he smiled and then the spin. Wow, and I swear the other half the club saw my new underwear. Thankfully, it was just that new and clean. Shane’s turn but he just didn’t have the chemistry with mouse girl as I had with Sam. I thought it was all over, but no Shane had to have the last laugh, he excused himself from mouse girl and grabbed my hand, he got his way the whole club were about to see what Michelle had under her dress, he span me around he grabbed my backside, he went the whole nine yards. He was bloody determined not to lose. The music finished and I made for cover, back to the corner, closely followed by Sam.

  “I can see why he doesn’t like to lose. You were great and we were great, it’s just you dance better with him.” I looked at him, grabbed his lovely face and kissed the life out of it. Shane was by our side giving me the bottle of bubbly, we had won.

  “Apparently Michelle I may have to come and let you give me lessons, especially, if what she’s taught you is anything to go by. Look after my favourite nearly cousin, or you’ve me to deal with.” Off he went.

  “Actually Sam you dance better than Shane. Can we sit and just do some making out please, oh where are Zoë and Andy?” He laughed.

  “She threw up all over him, and he’s taken her home.” I sat down, making sure I’m not about to sit in sick, he laughed.

  “She threw up watching you dance.”

  “Why was I that bad?” He sat down right next to me I was pulled on to his lap, our epic make out session started, watched I noted by toilet girl.

  “You were and are great but she likes a drink and Andy may have made a comment about you being too sexy for me?” I grabbed Sam and kissed him, again. His arms tightly wrapped around me, he took my breath away, as he did with every kiss.

  “You’re more than I need, and I don’t want anyone else. You though that’s a different thing, not having to wait for Dad to come around you’re not going to want to wait and that would kill me Sam.” He kissed my tears away, his tongue searching out mine, his hands holding my head against his lips, frantic passionate kisses, he held on to me and kept me close.

  “Well, we’ll have to do the Blackpool thing then. If that’s what you really want?” I smiled.

  “Shit yes, last train to Blackpool tonight please? It's a yes, if I can wait that long, dance with me Sam?” I had the bottle of champagne in my hand and mouse girl was still watching Sam, I hope she enjoyed the show, as much as I did.

  “Here have this, I don’t drink, sorry about our Shane he thinks he’s God gift, and make no mistake Sam is off the market as far as you and any of the other girls in here are concerned pass the word around. I’m dancing girl for the record and yes, I know just how lucky I am too.” Off I went, as Sam looked on puzzled. “You took her out on New Year’s Eve because you were so upset about not having your dancing girl with you! You at some point realised she wasn’t your dancing girl, just a lookalike, and you left her to Andy’s mercy. She did say your kisses were fantastic. Umm I have to admit she’s right.” He looked embarrassed.

  “Michelle I can’t remember her, shit I talked about you to her? I told you I had it bad for you.” He held me tight in his arms as we danced all night, I needed to be close to him, it had to be said my feet were throbbing when it got to one o’clock.

  “What time did you say I’d be home?” He grabbed me closer.

  “We’re here until closing time.” I wrapped my hands around his lovely bum.

  “You’re such a smooth talker, Mum was put
ty in your hands, I love you, think I’ve told you enough now?”

  “You can never tell me that enough Mi cielo.” We had a perfect night, lots of dancing, hugging and kissing and girls told to do one with my new silent swear word, the finger, that way Sam didn’t have to hear me scream at women, girls and mooning bitches, that he was mine; they got the hint pretty soon! After the last dance and the lights came on we headed for mine, my feet ached and I smiled as we passed Shane surrounded by girls, Sam holding me tightly.

  “Thanks Shane. I’ve got Thursday free for your lessons.” He smiled and pointed a finger at Sam. I threw him a look and pointed the finger at the girls around him. I was drunk on Sam, apart from the one drink of champagne I’d stuck to coke. The rest of Stockton though wow I noted was full of drunk teenagers, oversexed couples and most of them were waiting around the Memorial Gardens. I think a couple were waiting for the Coop to open, nope my mistake they were, erg having sex in the bakery doorway. I held on to Sam’s arm, knackered happy and wow hungry.

  “I’m famished Sam.” He held me tight.

  “Burger, do you?” I followed.

  “Not as big as the last one please.” We crossed the road.

  “Sam, I’m making Sunday dinner for you today, and your meeting Dragon Nan.” We got to the all night café and he kissed me.

  “Eat in or what?” His hands were caressing my backside, so nice.

  “Can we get it to go please?” He nodded, and as I waited outside, watching the towns drunks, arguing couples, crying girls. Stockton had two major nightclubs, and the other, The Phoenix, was emptying now, so the town was filling with disco freaks, too drunk to care. I loved watching them. I looked around he was smiling at me, as I was approached by several men. I laughed, thanked them for their kind offer to walk me home and said no, and then pointed at a smiling Sam.