by Wendy Hudson
The roar of Alex’s laughter obviously piqued Frank’s interest, within seconds, he was inside the bothy and on top of Lori again, licking and fussing around her face. This only encouraged Alex as she rolled around on the bottom bunk, tears flowing freely, and holding her stomach as she struggled to breathe. Lori played along, shrieking and frantically moving her head from side to side trying to avoid Frank’s wet kisses and dog food breath.
“Help me! Don’t just lie there, get him off! I can’t breathe! Please, Alex, help!”
Regaining some control, Alex stood and hooked a finger in the dog’s collar pulling him toward the door. She bumped his backside playfully with her foot and sent him on his way, closing the door behind him. Lori still lay in a heap on the floor, wiping her face with her sleeve and trying to catch her breath.
Alex stood over her and reached both hands down in an offer to pull her up. Lori eyed her, feigning disgust, but took them and instead, pulled Alex to the floor along with her. She quickly overpowered the smaller woman, getting her own back with tickles to Alex’s sides and stomach. Alex squealed with surprise trying to stop Lori’s hands, breathe, and shout “Mercy!” all at the same time. Eventually Lori stopped, pinning Alex’s hands above her head, bringing their faces close.
“Give in?” she asked with a smirk.
Alex’s chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. She stared off into space as if to consider her predicament. “Hmm, for now,” she said, finally looking at Lori. “Although I can’t say it was all bad.”
She couldn’t help but stare into Lori’s eyes, so close she could see small yellow flecks, like autumn leaves floating on a pond. A moment of stillness passed before Lori broke the eye contact and seemed to realise their position. She was straddling Alex, hands still pinned up behind her head with her face only inches away.
“Oh crap, the water!” she said, jumping up.
Alex lay a few seconds longer trying to catch her breath again, but not from the laughing. What had been a bit of innocent flirting suddenly didn’t feel so innocent. Her heart had jumped into her mouth when she’d turned back and met those deep pools of amber, their lips so close she could feel Lori’s breath on hers and smell a hint of syrupy sweetness she couldn’t quite place.
Yes, Lori was gorgeous and funny, but she was also straight. And straight in Alex’s world of dating was spelt d-r-a-m-a. Anyway, she’d clearly freaked Lori out and scolded herself for taking it too far. She’d made her uncomfortable and spoilt the easiness between them. Getting to her feet she brushed herself off while Lori fussed with adding water to the porridge and coffee cups, keeping her back to Alex.
Alex sat on the bottom bunk again, deciding some inane chit chat and a bit of humour would go a long way to break the awkward silence that had fallen over them.
“So you got me drunk last night before I had a chance to grill you on the usual subjects. You know family, friends, and career?”
Lori turned and smiled, and Alex felt the awkwardness pass. She took the offered coffee as Lori made to sit on the stool again to wait for the porridge to thicken.
“Uh, do you really want to risk that again?” Alex chuckled, once again patting the space beside her on the lower bunk.
Lori seemed to hesitate for a second but sat down. Alex couldn’t help but notice she put a bit more distance between them than the night before.
“Okay sure. What do you want to know?”
“Hmm.” Alex stroked her chin striking a thoughtful pose that gave her instead a mischievous look.
“Within reason,” Lori said with an arched eyebrow.
Alex held up a hand and laughed. “Okay, then. Let’s start easy with the basics. Tell me about your family?”
“Ah, the family question. Where to start?” she said, thoughtfully tapping her chin. “Well, I’m a twin. My brother Scott is a photo journalist and doesn’t like to stay in one place very long. He’s got a base in London though so we do get to catch up every now and then, even if it’s just to grab dinner or a drink before he jets off again.”
“Wow. That must have been cool growing up with a twin?”
“Not so much when we were younger. He tormented me like crazy and always got me in trouble. He’s eight minutes older and never lets me forget it. But as we got older, we grew closer. Well, as close as we can be when we’re rarely in the same country. He’s completely self-centred and arrogant, takes after my Dad for sure. But he’s not a bad listener for a bloke which I tell him is his only saving grace.”
Alex nodded her agreement. “Definitely a rare breed. What about your parents?”
“My dad is also a journalist and travels all the time. He writes for a couple of broadsheets, but he’s currently researching for his latest book. I think that’s where Scott and I got the travel bug. Cancer took our mum when we were only five and Dad didn’t cope well with it. Our Aunt Emily pretty much took over until we were old enough to go to boarding school. Initially, we were in Switzerland, then Edinburgh for our final years.”
Alex rested a hand lightly on her arm. “I’m so sorry, Lori. That must have been awful for you both, losing your mum so young.”
Lori took a deep breath and audibly swallowed, but Alex had heard the crack in her voice at mention of her mum. She stayed quiet allowing her the time to continue at her own pace.
“Ah, you know, it was me and Scott against the world. We looked out for each other and came out the other side in not too bad a shape.” She smiled and glanced down at Alex’s thumb gently rubbing back and forth on her arm.
“Sorry, got a bit maudlin there. I guess no one’s asked me that question for a long time. I have a very small circle of people in my life that I talk to. I don’t get out much.”
Alex squeezed her arm, then got up to top up their coffee cups and add banana to the now thickened porridge. “No, I’m sorry for being so nosy,” she said and handed one of the tins to Lori and sat back down, a little closer than before. “And I’m the queen of staying in so don’t say that as if it’s a bad thing. We can’t all be social butterflies.”
“You’re right.” Looking at Alex, she smiled gratefully. “I’m not sure why, Miss Ryan, but I have an urge to tell you all my secrets. In fact, the only thing stopping me is that I’m not sure you’d still like me if I did.”
Alex cocked her head. “What? You mean under that sweet and innocent face there lurks a dark, maybe even naughty side?”
Lori played along, knowing Alex was trying to bring her out of her funk. “I’ll never tell, so don’t even try. You’ll just have to keep wondering.”
“Hmm, you don’t play fair. Hinting at something like that and then not even giving me a story.”
“It keeps me mysterious,” she replied with an attempt at a brooding look.
“Okay I’m clearly not going to get anywhere with this so I give up for now. But just wait until I have a chance to get you drunk.”
“I do believe that’s twice in one day you’ve given up.” Lori smirked, referring to Alex’s cries of mercy just a short while ago.
Alex laughed and nudged her shoulder. “Come on, smart arse, and eat up so we can go fish.”
Chapter 5
Once breakfast was finished, it didn’t take long to pack up their belongings and change for the easy walk. With the fishing rod in hand, they followed a dirt track that would eventually bring them alongside a deeper, wider part of the same river Lori had crossed the day before. They’d been walking in silence, Lori not making conversation as her mind reeled over what had just happened in the bothy.
She’d become uncharacteristically self-conscious when she realised she’d have to get undressed in front of Alex. Lori’d turned her back and tried to hide at the end of the bunk while she exchanged her thermal sleeping clothes for regular underwear and light, waterproof layers.
Alex seemed to sense her discomfort and had turned away to get undressed. This wasn’t what was bothering Lori. What bothered her was the fact that she’d peeked.
&n
bsp; She’d bent down to put on her socks looking up just as Alex had pulled a light green T-shirt over her head. She caught a glimpse of creamy, smooth skin and the profile of one perfectly formed, braless breast, the nipple erect from the cold. It wasn’t seeing this that had her reeling, she’d been in her fair share of women’s changing rooms, it was the way it had made her feel and the overwhelming urge she’d had to reach out and touch her. To trace fingertips down her side, over her stomach—
“Lori? Hey!” Alex nudged her, bringing her back down to earth.
Her face flushed, as she stopped and pulled her backpack off. “Sorry, I keep doing that on you,” she said, dropping it to the floor. Lori squatted down, still not looking at Alex. “My rucksack isn’t sitting comfortably. Just give me a second to shift some things about.”
She took a few deep breaths and made a show of removing and repacking some of her gear before hoisting the bag back up and adjusting the straps. She managed to calm herself enough to be able to look Alex in the eye again.
“Is everything okay?” Alex asked, a worried look on her face.
“Yes, of course. I’m sorry.” Lori smiled. “Why don’t you continue the grilling you started back at the bothy?”
“Okay, if you insist. I’ll try not to upset you this time,” she said with a reassuring half-smile.
“I’m sure you won’t, go for your life.”
“Right then, I have an obvious one which, hopefully, you’ll find easy enough. What do you do to pay the bills?”
“Phew. That’s an easy one.” Lori grinned, dramatically wiping at pretend sweat on her forehead. “I’m an interpreter. I work for parliament in Westminster, but I do some freelance as well.
“Cool. What kind of freelance stuff?”
“Well, I took the tests a few years ago to get on the books at the European Parliament which takes me between Strasbourg, Brussels, and Luxembourg. I fill in at conferences and summits and sometimes accompany politicians or embassy officials to meetings, that kind of thing. I’d like one day to do some work with the UN in Geneva or, ideally, New York. People tell me how much money I could make with big businesses, particularly in Asia, but it doesn’t interest me. I don’t just want to translate. I want to be where the decisions are made that affect so much and so many of us. I want to be intrigued and feel something when I’m speaking the words, as if I’m having the conversation and I care, rather than relaying meaningless words. Do you understand what I mean?”
Alex nodded. “I think so. You don’t want to be a machine or used as a search engine?”
“Exactly. And you shouldn’t get me started on so called Internet translation tools. Touchy subject.”
Alex held up a hand. “Noted. So why the UN? Are there no other organisations or charities?”
“I have done some work with charities. Mostly over summer holidays in medical centres abroad and I’ve taught English as a second language. But most of those don’t offer long-term futures and you never feel quite settled. I’ve always had an interest in politics and working with the UN offers the best of both. But it’s a pipe dream; jobs are so scarce and sought after, plus unfortunately, it seems to be about who you know when they do come about.”
“Wow, well whatever you do, it sounds impressive. I imagine it’s a job that could take you anywhere. And you should have a little faith in that pipe dream. They might be scarce but I’d defy anyone to turn you down.” She smiled reassuringly and Lori appreciated the compliment.
“So how many languages do you speak?”
“Sechs.”
Alex clearly recognising the language counted up on her fingers in German before holding up one open hand and a thumb. “Six!”
“Oui,” she replied in French with a chuckle. “I speak all the official UN languages: French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish, and, of course, English, but I don’t count that. I also speak German, which definitely comes in handy, and I get by in Italian. So, I guess that’s six and a half.”
“Now I know why you’ve no problem with my Scottish accent. You’re a language genius.”
Lori laughed, used to this reaction. “Yeah, I guess if you count a Scottish accent that makes it seven.”
Alex looked at her in awe for a moment. “Well, Miss Hunter, you have thoroughly impressed me, and I don’t impress easily.”
“Ah, it’s not so impressive. There are others out there who speak ten times as many as me. Some people’s brains are wired for languages and I’m fortunate it was recognised at a young age and my family had the means to help me explore it.” She shrugged. “Anyway, that’s plenty about me. What do you do when you’re not climbing mountains?” she asked, feeling her face go warm again from the attention.
The river had started to deepen and they both began scouting for a spot to set up. Frank was a dot in the distance, nose to the ground, taking advantage of his last hours of freedom before Alex put him back on his best behaviour. She had no worries about him out here. They were miles from any farmland and he was such a sweetheart, more likely to be chased by a cow or a sheep rather than the other way around. She used to worry about deer when he was younger, but it seemed Frank was in awe as much as she was when they passed through the Glen, stopping to watch them graze.
“Hmm, well as much as I hate to admit it, I’m a bit of a geek. Put me in front of a computer and you can lose me for days. But I’m also a fan of the outdoors, as you may have already guessed, so I have my hand in a couple of different things to try to strike a balance and keep things interesting.”
“I’m intrigued, please do tell.”
Alex pointed to a small clearing, down trodden where it had obviously been used as a fishing spot many times before. “Over there will be perfect.” Once they reached it, Alex extended the pole, and baited the hook with one of a half dozen live worms she had in a small tub. Lori pulled out Frank’s rolled up mattress, which had a waterproof base, and lay it on a low, flat rock for them both to sit on. After casting off, Alex joined her on the mat and propped the pole between her legs before continuing.
“Well, I did Computer Engineering at university without any real clue of what I wanted to get into when I finished. My best friend, Jess, is a social worker in Glasgow. Honestly she’s the most unlikely social worker you’ll ever meet. Anyway, she put me in touch with a police friend in the unit that investigates Internet crimes. It really grabbed my interest, the fact that I could make a difference in the world just with my computer. So now I consult with the police and National Crime Agency on a variety of operations, as well as freelancing for firms all over the world who develop cyber nanny programmes. There’s a lot of work with social media sites, as you can imagine, and with that I’ve mostly been involved with child safety, but I’ve done a bit of work around human trafficking, stalking, cyber bullying, and fraud. Basically, anything illegal online.”
“Now it’s my turn to be impressed. That’s sounds so rewarding. Do you get to see the results?”
“Aye, I have clearance to a certain level with the police and my contacts need to keep me in the loop on operations to help my work. When they’ve broken a ring or made a big bust, I’m always aware. And, of course, Jess gets involved when there are kids at risk who might be local to us so she tells me what she can. I play only a small part in something that is massive, but it helps a little at least.”
“It must be hard, though, given the type of thing you’re helping to investigate?”
“To be honest, I’m all about the technical side, following the electronic trail which can widen an investigation across countries with multiple authorities involved. These bastards know how to hide online, but, yeah, some of the stuff I come across and hear about is horrific. I couldn’t deal with it day to day the way Jess does. In fact, I’m lucky that I get to work mainly from home, because I live out in the sticks and my other love is my home.”
“Ah, this is the balance you talk about?”
“Yeah, I live on a small farm about thirty miles from Glasgo
w. I like to get my hands dirty so I keep a few animals and grow a variety of produce. It’s just enough to keep myself and a couple of nearby village pubs stocked with seasonal vegetables for most of the year.”
“That must take some work and I bet that fool over there is no help.” Lori nodded in Frank’s direction as he sniffed and yelped enthusiastically around a rabbit burrow.
“It’s really not so bad. There’s a couple who live a few miles away with a teenage son. He helps with the digging and deliveries for a few quid through the summer. Plus, two of my close friends aren’t far and they keep any eye on the place if I want to head in to the city for a night. I also keep some chickens, and a goat that’s daft as a brush and isn’t averse to chasing Frank.”
Lori laughed. “I wish you could see the image I have of Frank being licked all over by a goat.”
“Oh, I’ve seen that for real. It’s as funny as you’re imagining, I’m sure.”
“So you’re a busy girl then?”
“You could say that, but I still manage the odd night out in the city. I’ve plenty of spare room so my friends escape out to the country with me some weekends to catch up over food and drinks. It’s particularly fun on the one day of summer we get here in Scotland when we can get the barbeque out.”
Lori laughed with her, recognising the perennial Scottish joke about the weather. “Have you been a farm girl for long or was it a wistful dream you made happen?”
“I’ve been on the farm all my life. It’s been in the family for years. My mother loved horses and kept half a dozen in the stables. She ran a small riding school in the summer for local kids from the surrounding villages. She offered it cheap and they could ride, feed, and muck out until their hearts’ content.”
Lori smiled at the wistful look on her face as she remembered happy times.
“My dad preferred to be out in the field with the cows and sheep. We kept a healthy stock of noisy pigs, which were my favourite, especially as wee babies. I remember how distraught I was when a boy at school informed me the ham in my packed lunch was from pigs. I was so mad at him, and then at my parents.”