by S M Mala
Esme heard Leon ask and decided to keep her head down. She managed to avoid him for the rest of the week and weekend.
All she wondered was if Ethan’s mum had a young lodger and that’s who Leon visited.
Now it was Wednesday, and the house was full of workers.
Sooner or later, she would have to speak.
‘She usually pretends she’s wearing headphones,’ mumbled Shona in her posh perfect voice. ‘Esme, Leon’s talking to you.’
‘What?’ Pardon?’ she said, trying to look as if she hadn’t heard him.
Soon as she saw Leon, Esme felt her face get hotter and knew she was blushing from the embarrassment of getting it so wrong.
One-half of her was mortified, the other was pleased that she wasn’t going completely bonkers and fancied a young, single father who was heterosexual.
At least everything wasn’t looking so bad.
Other than when she told Alfie what had happened.
He said he would never let her forget it. Then he said he was disappointed Leon wasn’t gay before quizzing her about the man. She knew her son would pick up she fancied Leon.
‘Esme?’ Leon smiled, and she suddenly felt both embarrassed and nervous. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Fine,’ she said, taking a sip of her water, then noticed Shona was grinning. ‘How are you?’
‘Mali’s been asking where you’ve been this week.’ Leon walked closer, bending down to look at her in the eye. She felt a little faint seeing him close up. ‘I noticed you’ve been out and about.’
‘She’s always running around here and there,’ said Shona, examining the door she was currently fitting.
‘I was wondering, if you’re not too busy, would you like to come out for burgers with me and Mali this afternoon? She asked if you’d want to come along. We have to be there early if you don’t mind?’
Esme noticed Shona was nodding her head frantically at her, then pulled one of her scary faces.
‘That would be nice,’ replied Esme as Tracy poked her head around the door and gave her the thumbs up. ‘I’d like to pay because of what happened last week.’
‘What happened?’ asked Tracy, walking in, her ponytail falling over her face. ‘You’ve been acting a little odd, which is some feat.’
Leon grinned at Esme and then turned to look at the ladies then back at her.
‘She made an incorrect assumption and is now avoiding me due to the shame,’ he laughed as Esme pouted at his summary. ‘I can’t begin to tell you what she thought.’
‘Then don’t,’ Esme bluntly said, seeing Tracy and Shona stand together, eyeing him up and glaring at her.
‘And she didn’t even apologise,’ announced Leon, standing up and walking towards the women.’
‘I’ve not seen you,’ she replied, realising he had saved this all up to humiliate her in front of her work colleagues. ‘And I’ll pay for burgers as way of an apology.’
‘But I think I deserve one, don’t you?’
Leon then turned to look at her. She was more confused than ever about how she felt about the man.
‘You do deserve an apology,’ she said, taking a deep breath. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘For what?’ Tracy mischievously asked. ‘What did you do?’
‘Come on Esme, tell us.’ Shona’s large teeth were exposed as she smiled. ‘It can’t be that bad.’
‘Oh, it is!’ said Leon. Esme noticed he looked at her up and down before breaking out into a grin. ‘I could have thought the same thing about you, but I didn’t.’
‘What do you mean?’ she asked, knowing what he was getting at.
‘The way you’re dressed, right now.’
Esme figured he was going to wind her up.
And when the other two found out, she would never hear the last of it.
‘Shouldn’t you be electrifying yourself or digging a hole?’
‘I think you’ve had a bit of a shock,’ he laughed, shaking his head. ‘And the only hole you dug is for yourself, don’t you think?’
The women looked both puzzled and intrigued at the conversation, but Esme couldn’t figure out Leon’s expression.
‘What time do you want me to be ready?’ she replied.
‘Can you come and pick us up at 4.30 and we’ll take it from there. You don’t mind Esme leaving a little early today, ladies, do you?’ he asked, turning to look at Shona and Tracy.
‘She’s the boss,’ whispered Tracy, raising her eyebrows.
Esme was now wondering what her payback would be for the incorrect assumption about his sexuality.
She knew it was going to be bad.
‘Where are you off to?’ Ralph asked, pulling up in the car as she left her home. ‘And why haven’t you returned my calls?’
‘I’ve been busy,’ she said, seeing him eye her up and down. ‘Sorry.’
‘I’ll let you off as it’s you. Your fellow neighbour is going to sort out my garden. When it’s done, I’d like to throw a party. Will you help?’
‘Why?’ Esme figured he would want her to do the catering for free.
‘Because it would be nice.’ The look he gave her was so sweet, she knew he was trying it on. ‘And I love your party food.’
‘It’s going to cost because I need to earn money,’ she replied, knowing he would get the message it was a business proposition, not a favour.
‘Esme!’ shouted out Mali, running out of her front garden and straight into her legs. ‘You coming for burgers?’
‘I certainly am,’ she said, instantly picking up the girl in her arms and giving a massive hug.
‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was your daughter,’ sniffed Ralph, eyeing the child with deep suspicion. Esme noticed Mali returned the look, in a sweeter way. ‘But you’re far too old.’
The comment was a deep stab as she looked at Ralph, wondering why he was such a shit. His eyes darted behind her, and he smiled.
Leon was standing there.
‘I like her to be my mummy. And she not old,’ said Mali, holding Esme tightly, scowling.
‘Hello Ralph,’ said Leon and Esme’s heart started to thump very hard when she turned her head to look at him.
Trying hard not to gulp, the man was looking hot.
She was putting her lusting for Leon down to the fact she was heading into the land of senility.
Steph was a perfect example of that, given her attraction to far younger women. Her ex-mother in law was even being skittish about revealing the age of her new Jewish squeeze.
‘All ready to start next week?’ asked Ralph, smiling at Leon then flicking Esme a confused glance. ‘And you’re all going out, I take it?’
‘A burger!’ said Mali, looking excited. ‘And shoestring chips and milkshakes.’
‘Sounds wonderful,’ replied Ralph, forcing a grin, as if the idea of eating the food was totally unappealing.
‘We better go as Mali has to be in bed in a few hours,’ said Leon, taking Mali out of Esme’s arms so the child could walk. ‘See you later.’
‘Bye,’ Esme replied.
‘Call me,’ he said, before speeding off down the road.
She noticed Leon gave her an unimpressed glance before looking down at Mali. The smile he gave his child made her heart flutter.
Mali grabbed both their hands and started skipping to keep up.
Neither Leon nor Esme spoke while they walked down the road.
They didn’t need to as Mali was chattering non-stop.
‘And Mr Alfie Reeves, he is your son. I not told anyone I know him. Why is he taller than you?’
‘Because his dad is tall,’ smiled Esme, looking at Mali’s inquisitive expression. ‘And he’s also handsome like his dad.’
‘Why are you not married to his dad?’
‘Ah, I was but we split up. Alfie’s dad lives in New York with his wife and kids. He met someone else.’ Looking away, she knew Oscar was still a chancer, hence she ended up in bed with him when he came to London. ‘It’s all good.’
‘There are two girls about thirteen and eleven, I think.’
‘Do they come and visit?’
‘Alfie hasn’t ever met them.’
‘Why not?’ asked Leon, as she looked up.
‘Alfie didn’t want to speak to his dad,’ she whispered, seeing Mali was now distracted noticing a cat cross the road. ‘There were a few issues that needed to be sorted.’
‘A-tishoo, a-tishoo, we all fall down!’ laughed Mali, now jumping up and down.
The adults automatically let her swing from their hands, making her laugh out loudly. Esme noticed the joy on Leon’s face when he watched her.
It made her sad for a moment, knowing that Alfie never had that with his father. Even when Oscar was around, he was always too busy. She felt the small hand in her own, remembering when Alfie was little.
She let out a disgruntled sigh.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Mali, looking up at her.
‘I remembered when Alfie was your age and how he’s grown up so fast.’
‘Yes,’ nodded Mali. ‘Really fast as he is taller than you.’
Leon laughed at the comment and Esme knew she had to apologise for what she said the previous week. He had taken it in good spirit, so she thought, but she did need to grovel.
As they sat at the table, eating the food and Esme watching Leon with Mali, she realised one thing.
She liked the young man sitting in front of her but didn’t know what to do about it.
That was her problem.
There were many reasons for not pursuing him; the list was endless.
But there was one reason to go for it.
He was the first man in ages who she had been attracted to.
And that was a rarity in itself.
‘But I not like her,’ she heard Mali say while pushing her half eaten burger away.
‘Who are you talking about?’ Esme asked, seeing Leon wipe tomato ketchup off his child’s grumpy face.
‘Daddy said Melanie is coming for dinner on Friday. I not like her and she not touch my hair!’ Mali put her hands on her head, protecting the fringe. ‘It hurts.’
‘You should be nice to your daddy’s friend,’ she replied, stroking Mali’s shoulder. Then she looked at Leon staring at her before glancing away. ‘She won’t cut your hair, so you can have a chat.’
‘Mali, you need to be kind to people,’ Leon said quietly. ‘And Nana wants me to be friends with her.’
A tingling of envy hit Esme’s chest when she wondered how friendly he was going to get. Then she remembered the woman was twenty-five years old and could probably get friendly and into more interesting sexual positions than Esme could.
‘I not like her,’ Mali insisted. ‘And you not make me.’
‘I don’t like her,’ corrected Esme, noticing Leon frown.
‘And I not like her. See, daddy? Esme not like Melanie,’ Mali replied, folding her arms defiantly.
‘No, Mali. You shouldn’t say ‘I not like her’,’ Leon interjected. ‘You should say ‘I don’t like her.’
‘But I don’t like her!’ she replied, her face getting redder. ‘I not want you to marry her, daddy.’
‘Who was talking about marriage?’ Leon laughed out loudly. ‘We’re meeting up for drinks and dinner that’s all. We can bring her here, next time.’
‘With Esme?’
‘I think your daddy means you three without me.’
‘Then who will take you to burgers?’
‘The milkman?’ smirked Leon, and she knew who he was talking about. ‘The milk of human kindness. So?’ He sat back in his chair. ‘You’re avoiding his calls then?’
‘I’ve been busy.’ Esme put a chip in her mouth and chewed. ‘And I’ve not had the time.’
‘But you’re here with us, so something tells me you’re avoiding him,’ teased Leon, leaning closer. ‘You should let him down, you know.’
‘Who?’ asked Mali. ‘You mean the posh man who puts people in prison if they are naughty?’
‘He’s not a judge,’ replied Esme, seeing Leon grin at Mali. ‘He can’t do that.’
‘Daddy said he can. Daddy said the posh man is a snob and likes poor people.’
‘He’s such a snob, he’s going to give your daddy work and pay him a lot of money,’ smiled Esme, realising Leon didn’t like Ralph. ‘Which poor people?’
‘You!’ laughed Mali, drinking her milkshake. ‘Daddy told Nana he felt sorry for poor Esme because Ralph likes you. Nana said she thought the posh man was handsome.’
She immediately looked at Leon, who glanced away, avoiding eye contact.
‘I see,’ she replied, sipping her glass of wine then noticed Leon grin. ‘Your Nana is right; he is handsome.’ Leon frowned. ‘But not as handsome as your daddy.’ He looked at her before examining his bottle of beer. ‘And Melanie thinks so too.’
‘She has a big nose,’ whispered Mali, very loudly. ‘Like a witch.’
‘Mali!’ Leon said, eating his child’s leftover food. ‘You need to give her a chance.’
The face Mali pulled was priceless. The sides of her mouth were turned downwards, and she looked insulted.
‘What chance?’ asked the young child, frowning. Esme thought she looked like her dad. ‘No chance!’
Laughing at the child’s response, both Esme and Leon sighed when they finished, seeing Mali had no idea what she had said.
‘Have you got a boyfriend, Esme?’ Mali asked, taking the pair by surprise.
‘No I haven’t.’
‘Would you like one?’
‘I’m not very good with boyfriends, to be honest. I always wanted Alfie to be okay, and now I’ve got the time, there’s no-one around for me.’ She noticed Mali’s sad expression. ‘But it’s okay, I don’t mind.’
‘I can be your boyfriend,’ Mali said, making Leon raise his eyebrows. ‘If you’d like.’
‘Firstly, you’re a little girl and far too young and pretty. Secondly, I’d prefer to be your friend.’
‘My Nana said that Mr Alfie Reeves has a boyfriend so why can’t I be your boyfriend?’
‘Your Nana talks too much,’ said Leon, clearing his throat. ‘Sorry Esme. My mum does like to chat.’ Then he laughed. ‘Is that what you say to Ralph? About being a friend? He looks desperate.’
‘So you think a man has to be desperate to be with me?’ she laughed out loudly. ‘You’re all charm!’
‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘Nana says daddy’s always putting his mouth in his foot,’ Mali piped up as if trying to help them out. ‘Always has, since he was a child. Poor daddy.’
‘Poor daddy indeed,’ Esme sighed, feeling another little blow similar to the one Ralph delivered earlier on. ‘But you know what, maybe I will give him a chance and see what happens, if he’s that desperate.’
‘I didn’t mean it.’
Leon was laughing as she stood in his living room after Mali went to bed. He could see she was pissed off with the comment. ‘Esme, I was joking.’
‘Maybe he can see I’m at a loose end. I don’t know,’ she shrugged looking at his garden. ‘It’s looking neater out there.’
‘All in time for summer,’ he replied, topping up her glass.
Walking back to the fridge, he turned and examined her.
She was beautiful, and they had a good time over dinner, give or take little quips from Mali. He knew the child was trying to make them hold hands walking back home, which was rather sweet as it made Esme smile.
‘I don’t find him attractive, that’s the problem,’ she blurted out, making Leon step back. ‘I wish I did but I don’t. And when I told him about how Oscar acted when he knew Alfie was gay, he sympathised. That pissed me off.’
‘So your ex doesn’t support Alfie’s choice?’ he asked, walking closer. ‘I thought he was some democrat. Doesn’t that mean you’re more liberal or something?’
‘It means it’s fine for him
to tell everyone homosexuality is being true to yourself but not your own flesh and blood. Ralph said he’d be devastated if his children were gay. Unfortunately, my son was in earshot and told him a thing or two.’
‘You need to still protect your child?’
‘He’s my baby. Of course I do.’ She gulped back her drink. ‘I’ve got to open the coffee van tomorrow, so I have to get off to bed. Thank you for a lovely evening.’ Then he watched her hesitate before stepping closer. ‘Leon, I’m sorry about what I said last week and my assumption. I hope I didn’t upset you.’ Esme finished her drink and took the glass to the kitchen sink, before turning around. ‘Thank you for the wine and I hope you accept my apology.’
Leon put down his glass and walked over to her. Esme put out her hand, and they shook.
‘Have a good evening,’ she smiled and as she stepped past him, Leon bent down and kissed her.
He couldn’t fathom why he did it, but it was quite instant as he felt her lips against his.
Then he pressed a little closer, wanting to delve in and held her face, kissing very gently. Parting his lips, he pushed his tongue a little way into her mouth then was met with her soft muscle.
Leon wrapped his arms around her and kept on kissing. There was such a rise of passion in his body; he didn’t know what to do. She felt warm and inviting, then realised her arms were wrapped around him.
There was no way the kissing was going to stop.
He didn’t want it to.
Their tongues rolled and flicked against each other, his head swimming with the motion. Tightly he held onto her, wanting to feel her body against his; pushing as close as he could.
He opened his eyes the same time as she did then their lips parted. Esme smiled.
And that set him off again, kissing her passionately, and she was reciprocating, moans coming from her mouth. Then she pulled away and let out a large sigh.
‘Oh my,’ was all she whispered, placing gentle kisses on his face. ‘I like what comes after your wine.’
‘That was pretty special.’
‘I have to go.’ Esme stepped back, and their hands were entwined.
‘Can you stay?’
‘We’re neighbours.’
‘At least you don’t have to go far.’
‘Leon, I’m fifteen years older than you,’ she said, looking at him longingly.