Wind Across the Playground

by Ross Richdale

  What should he do? There was no way he could carry on but he needed help. He grimaced and decided the one person to help was Lisa.

  SHE ARRIVED HOME FORTY minutes later to find Noel sitting at the kitchen table looking grim.

  "What is it, Sweetheart?" she asked.

  Noel stared at her and stood. "You were right," he said, but his planned speech disappeared. His lip quivered and he burst into tears, long shuddering ones that he had no control what so ever. Lisa stepped forward, twisted Noel's chair slightly to give herself room and sat on his knee. One arm went around the sobbing man and she tucked her head in his neck.

  "It's Margaret Stuart, isn't it?" she said in a calm controlled voice.

  "How did you know?" Noel managed to sob before the tears exploded again. This was so humiliating. Men weren't meant to bawl like little kids or if they did, they made sure they were on the back of the farm by themselves.

  "Adding two and two," Lisa said and kissed him on the cheek. "A frustrated farmer's wife, her last minute call to say she couldn't come with us and her car in the drive."

  "Did you see it?"

  Lisa nodded. "The picture was a real bore, so I left the others and came home early." She stopped and bit on a lip. "No, Sweetheart, that's a lie. I suspected something and told the other woman I felt ill and had to come home early. I saw Margaret's car and waited almost an hour before she came out."

  "Oh Lisa," Noel sobbed and immediately erupted into tears again. "I'm so, so sorry."

  "Tell me everything, Noel," Lisa said quietly.

  Noel nodded and began his sordid but somewhat edited little tale.

  "You were right, Lisa," he said. "It's not even 1978 and I've been disloyal already. If you want to leave, I'll understand."

  "No you haven't," Lisa whispered. "There's one to go."

  Noel frowned and blew his nose. The tears had stopped but he still felt lousy. "What do you mean?"

  "Our agreement was that you bed two woman. Margaret's one. There's one to go."

  "You don't mind?" Noel said.

  "Of course I do," Lisa replied and her own tears brimmed. "But it cleanses me, too, Noel. I was not a virgin when I began sleeping with you, you know, " She coughed. "I lost that when I was fourteen.

  She moved her head off his neck and kissed Noel lightly. "You aren't the naive boy I seduced are you?"

  "I see," Noel muttered. "But what about Margaret. She's almost openly brazen now. I know she'll be back."

  Lisa looked angry for the first time. "Set a trap for the bitch," she hissed and fixed her eyes on him. "You have to stand up to her or it will go on. Everyone thinks it's the men are to blame but it isn't. What if anything went wrong and you got her pregnant or her old man found out? Margaret would scream rape and you'll be out or teaching before the next Monday arrived."

  "I didn't think of that," Noel replied and his face turned ashen.

  "So Sweetheart, we'll set that trap. I'll scare such hell out of her, I reckon she'll be down the road and move her daughter to Owaka Area School."

  She took his hand and led him through to the bedroom. "I love you, Noel, remember that, but I don't want sex tonight, " she added quietly. "I'm not in the mood but thank you for telling me everything. That took a lot of guts."

  "I guess," Noel whispered.

  AFTER SEVERAL MORE innuendoes from Margaret over the next few weeks and her refusal to take any notice of Noel's rebuffs, Lisa stepped in with an elaborate plan. She had a Friday in-service course for assistant teachers in Balclutha but told everyone it was an overnight live-in course in Dunedin and she wouldn't be home until Saturday evening. If this didn't draw Margaret, nothing would.

  Noel was highly nervous at three o'clock when he waited at the gate as the parents arrived to pick up the children. This school never had its own school bus but the high school bus dropped off fifteen children in the morning. At night, though, there was an hour's wait before the bus returned to Ashleyvale so the parents ran a roster to pick the children up. Margaret was there and loaded her Falcon station wagon up with children. She reversed around beside the headmaster and wound down her window.

  "Lisa in Dunedin, tonight?" she asked innocently enough but her eyes searched Noel's face for a reaction.

  "She'll be back tomorrow afternoon," he said.

  "I see," she replied and glanced at him again. "Do you watch Bonanza on television?"

  "Why yes," Noel replied. "It's a great program. "

  "It finishes at nine, doesn't it?" Margaret replied with a stressed on the time. "Well, I must be off. I've got another meeting tonight so will have to get these kids home and cook tea."

  She wound up the window of her car and drove off.

  Twenty minutes later Lisa drove in.

  "I reckon she's coming at nine to night," he said. "That's a little later than last time." He frowned. "Do you still want to go through with it?"

  "We have to, Noel," Lisa replied with a pout.

  "Okay, but make sure you're there."

  "I will be," Lisa grunted. "I'll come in the front door and wait in that empty bedroom opposite the one..." She flushed..."Well, you know. All you need to do is to get her in there, make an excuse about going to lock the door or something and I'll do the rest."

  AT EIGHT THIRTY LISA put on a thick coat, as it was a miserable night, clung to her partner for a moment and issued a final warning. "Don't touch her, Noel and keep your eyes off her boobs. They're what turn you on."

  She switched on the backlight and ran down the path to the car shed, reversed the old FJ out and drove out the drive. However, at the gate she turned left away from the main road. She didn't want to pass Margaret coming the other way, as she knew their old vehicle would be instantly recognized. The School Road, as it was appropriately called, was narrow, had a gravel surface and wound through the hills for a couple of miles before it circled back to the main road about five miles south. The only buildings along the road were a couple of wool sheds. Lisa's intention was to drive around the loop and return to the school after Margaret arrived.

  She had completed half her journey and was about as far as she could get from the main road when the trouble came. Without warning, the rear of the car clunked down, tyres screamed, the speedometer spun around before the car stalled.

  "Bugger," Lisa snarled and restarted the engine. It roared, the whole car shook but did not move. Ahead, rain tumbled down in the glare of the headlights. Lisa was not one who was normally scared in the dark but being alone made a shiver go up her back. She switched the lights to park and tried to move the car again but to no avail.

  "Oh well, girl, get out and look," she muttered and found a torch in the glove box.

  The car was stuck in a massive mud hole almost up to the axle on the left side.

  "Bugger, bugger, bugger!" she swore as she tried reversing out. For a second, the rear tyres gripped but slipped again and she could hear mud splattering up everywhere. She pulled long grass from the side of the road and placed it by the tyres but, as soon as she started again, the spinning wheels just pounded the grass into the mud.

  After five minutes Lisa gave up and stared around the dark deserted road. She thought of Noel and glanced at her watch. It was ten to nine. There was no way she could get back in time. She swore again, locked the car and began walking along the eerie road with only her tiny torch for company.

  NOEL WAS HIGHLY NERVOUS and hoped he could go through with the plan. Get Margaret into the spare bedroom seemed easy enough but many things could go wrong. He grimaced and walked through the house to see if Lisa had arrived.

  Nine became half past, then quarter to ten but Noel heard nothing. Lisa should have arrived now but he heard nothing. He relaxed a little and turned on the front room television. He'd wait until ten and then call Lisa out.

  "Hi Noel," said a soft voice and he glanced up to see Margaret standing there. She hadn't even bothered to knock on the back door.

  At least she didn't look sexy. In fact, she was a soaki
ng wet with rain dropping off her rain hat. Before Noel could say a word, though, she unbuttoned her coat and placed it over the chair. Beneath was a tight jersey and mini skirt. Damn, it was only the knowledge of Lisa next door that made him control this emotion.

  Margaret smiled. "Shall we go through to the bedroom or would you like to do it here in front of the fire?"

  She began to undress while Noel fought to maintain his dignity.

  "You said to get another man," she whispered. "And I have. If it wasn't for you, I'd never have got the nerve, Noel so this is the last time for us. "

  Noel smiled "You have a new relationship?"

  Margaret nodded and lifted her petticoat over her head.

  "No," Noel snapped and grabbed her arm. Damn, Lisa said not to touch her or look at her boobs but he wanted to.

  "Why, what's wrong?" the woman replied.

  "You don't need to," Noel said and almost called out for Lisa to come in. "Get dressed and we'll have a drink of tea."

  "But I want you, Noel," Margaret responded. "What harm will that do after our other sessions?"

  "Because if I do it, I won't want to stop," Noel whispered and hoped Lisa couldn't hear his words.

  "There is no new friend," Margaret blurted out. "I made it up and do you know why?"

  "I suppose..." Noel began.

  "I like you Noel and respect you but it isn't love, is it?"

  "No," Noel said.

  "I also like Lisa. She's the best teacher my Cindy has ever had. I don't want to hurt her." She sighed. "My marriage died years ago and I just might walk away and live again. You've helped me more that just providing a sexual outlet but I don't want to be the other woman who ruined your life."

  "I need to go to the toilet" Noel gulped and walked up the corridor. "Lisa," he whispered but there was no reply. He stuck his head in the empty bedroom and switched on the light. His partner was not there!

  Damn! If he'd known that ... He walked back in the kitchen.

  Margaret looked up from where she was sitting and smiled. "So you don't want one last screw?" she said.

  "No," Noel replied.

  "So I guess I'll go," Margaret stood up, redressed and walked to the door.

  "Bye, Margaret," he said.

  "Still friends," the woman replied.

  "Yes, still friends," Noel answered. "I'll walk you out to the car."

  She placed her raincoat on and together they went out in the darkness. Noel watched the car reverse away and was about to go inside when he saw a silhouette of a person walking in. It peered closer and he recognized who it was.

  "Lisa," he called and stepped towards her. The steps became a run and he grabbed her in his arms.

  "What happened?" Lisa asked with a tremor in her voice.

  "Nothing, Sweetheart," Noel replied. "I thought you were next door and talked her out of it. We didn't even get to the bedroom."

  "So why are you stiff," the young woman said and brushed her hand inside his coat.

  "Because I'm saving myself for you," Noel replied and kissed her with the old passion they always had.

  "The car got stuck in a mud hole," Lisa explained between the kisses. "I had to walk back." She shone her torch beam into his face. "So you didn't screw her this evening?"

  "No and she's not ever coming on to me again."

  "Pity." Lisa chortled.

  "What?"

  "Well I was going to toss a bucket of cold water over her, scream and punch her in the guts, throw her out in the rain and toss her clothes after her." She grinned. "I had every detail planned."

  "You wouldn't?"

  "Wouldn't I?"

  "Oh, the things women do for love."

  "And don't you forget it, Noel. You've had your little experiment now so you can settle down."

  "So?" Noel laughed.

  "Catch me," Lisa said and ran towards the house.

  Noel caught her inside by the kitchen door. He held her while she struggled, and removed her raincoat and dress. She now only had her bra on but, with a cheeky grin, she took them off, dangled the material in front of his eyes and ran towards the bathroom. He caught her again and seized her tight nipples to hug and kiss but Lisa was now into a full orgasm and they rolled on the floor, climaxed and made violent love. Damn, this was much better than Margaret's oversized body anyway.

  "Did I?" she panted as they moved through to have a shower together.

  "What?"

  "Out screw that hussy."

  "Well," Noel replied and rubbed his chin as if he was deep in thought.

  "Noel!" Lisa screamed.

  "Probably," he replied and received an enormous slap across his back.

  CHAPTER 8

  It was the middle of the night when Lisa awoke feeling ill. "It's all that cold weather," she muttered and staggered out to vomit in the toilet. Her period had not arrived and she was normally exactly on time. A week slipped by with no period, she was feeling lousy, especially in the mornings and finally agreed to visit the country doctor in Owaka.

  "So was it the flu that's been making you ill over the last few weeks?" Noel said when she came out of the doctor's, climbed in the old Holden and slammed the door. "It's been quite persistent. I hope you got some medicine."

  "They won't do me much bloody good," Lisa snapped.

  "Why?" Noel replied.

  "It's your bloody fault," Lisa continued in an annoyed voice.

  "Why me?" protested Noel. "I didn't even get the virus let alone pass it on to you."

  Lisa turned. "My God, you can be naive at times, Noel, " she said. "I haven't got the flu or any other virus."

  "Then why are you so ill just about every day." Noel replied

  Lisa turned and couldn't stop the smile forming across her lips. "Perhaps you should have screwed Margaret that wet night," she smirked. "Then we might not have done it. I forgot to take my pill and muddled my dates up. I had almost reached the end of the cycle and decided to wait until the new month..."

  "What do you mean?" Noel said slowly.

  "I'm bloody pregnant," Lisa snapped. "That's the only time I got muddled. Now let's go home."

  "Damn," Noel muttered as they drove away.

  However, a mile up the road he reached his arm across the front seat and Lisa slid her head into his neck. "Do you really mind, Sweetheart," she whispered.

  Noel glanced down and managed a quick kiss on her upturned lips before he had to concentrate on his driving again. "It was you who wanted to wait, not me," he replied and saw Lisa's hurt eyes. "My Dear," he said and squeezed her leg. "I'm thrilled."

  "But my job! We're just beginning to save a little money."

  "Take maternity leave," Noel said. "That's why they have it."

  "I'll get fat and ugly."

  "Fat maybe but you'll be the most beautiful pregnant teacher in the country."

  "Oh Noel," Lisa said. She stared out at the road ahead and ran a hand over her tummy. " I love you. Pregnant women are allowed to get emotional, you know. "

  "And I love you, too, Lisa," Noel responded and knew he meant it.

  LISA TAUGHT UNTIL THE end of the first term before she went on maternity leave with a quite generous pay package from the Otago Education Board, six weeks maternity pay in advance and another six weeks after she produced a birth certificate of the baby's arrival. As well, her position was held for a year after the birth and a relieving teacher employed to take her class.

  After the May school holidays, Noel had his first new staff member, Kate Voss, a woman in her twenties who was slightly shorter but chubbier than Lisa. Her dark hair was cut in a modern style short and an easy smile reflected a friendly personality. She had returned to teaching after taking three years to complete an honours degree at university. Noel had not yet managed that. He had a degree three quarters done but the demands of teaching had led him to postpone completing more papers. In his eyes, it was more important to do the practical work and get good gradings.

  Kate's classroom approach reflected h
er personality with the children quite keen and they all seemed to be working well.

  "The kids like her," Noel said to Lisa one Saturday afternoon when they were both over at the school and Lisa took a peep in her old room. "She's continuing the reading and language programs you initiated. From what I could see, the results are quite good."

  "Yes," Lisa had to admit. "Look at their exercise books." She picked one out of the desk she was beside. "It took me ages to get Michael here to do even do his work, now look at it!" She held the book out to show a neatly set out page with a colourful picture drawn at the top. "The little sneak," she snorted. "He wouldn't have done that with me."

  "She seems to have a knack with the boys like Michael," Noel admitted. "She spends hours preparing work for them."

  "A bit of an old maid, is she?" Lisa said.

  Noel smiled at his partner. "Actually, I think she is a very pleasant person," he admitted

  "And not as fat as me in my present condition, either," Lisa muttered.

  She was now quite rotund and wore a maternity dress that hid most of the bulge. After the first few weeks the morning sickness subsided and she had a remarkably good pregnancy with only one problem. The locals, who had remained so quiet when they first arrived, now began to drop hints about their teachers getting married. Lisa, though, still refused to budge on the issue.

  After they walked back to Noel's room and Lisa gave him a hand with the school cleaning the topic returned to their future.

  "Well, I still feel the same about you and now we have our baby to think of as well " Noel argued as he moved a row of desks so the dirty bits between the steel legs could be swept.

  "You're probably right but I still don't want to get married just because a few narrow minded people think it is what should be done."