January
On the eastern
extreme of the Pepperstock Hills National Park, at the end of the Finchbottom
Expressway, is the deepwater
seaport of Pipershaven, on the edge of Pepperstock Bay.
It was first
established as a garrison town by the Romans during the reign of Vespasian in
70 A.D. as Piperis Stirpe Praesidio.
In the 21st
century none of its Roman origins are any longer in evidence as the town had
expanded far beyond the ancient confines and the busy docks would have been the
envy of the Roman world.
However apart
from being a remarkably busy commercial port with a substantial dockside, it
was also home to the cross-channel ferry port, the RNLI Lifeboat Station, a
substantial fishing fleet and small ferry service covering the two miles to the
bay islands, Beaumont, and St Giles, running a daily schedule, weather
permitting.
The fortunes of
Pipershaven depended on the flow of goods and people through the port for its
prosperity and thanks to trade and tourism Pipershaven thrived and the Essert
family thrived along with it through all their business interests.
Bob Essert also
benefited and everything in his life seemed to be perfect, a privileged
upbringing, public school and an Oxbridge education, a place in the family
business, a luxurious house and a glamorous wife, but he blew it.
Apparently
having everything in life served to him on a silver platter wasn’t enough for
him as he decided he needed to have numerous meaningless relationships or more
precisely, one-night stands, until he was finally caught.
So now he was
separated from his wife, estranged from his family, and reduced to stacking
shelves at the St Pierre Stephenson’s Supermarket on Beaumont Island and living
in a bed sitter above the Cherry Blossom, and he’d never been happier, he had
no responsibility, no pressures, and no expectations.
He had been cut
off from his wealthy life style by his father in order to teach him a lesson
and he was expected to last a few days before he crawled back to the family and
begged for forgiveness, but he had been living his simple life for six months
and the thought of returning to his old life had never once crossed his mind.
That of course
was before “she” started coming into the shop a few weeks before Christmas, she
was small and fine featured with short brunette hair and a radiant smile, which
he tried desperately to ignore.
Since his
spectacular fall from grace, he had chosen not to have any more dalliances,
despite several offers which he had rebuffed, and he had not actively pursued
anyone or wanted to for that matter.
She made it
difficult for him as she came into the shop every day, sometimes twice, and
they always exchanged polite conversation and a smile, but Bob tried to keep
their interaction to a minimum.
He did find out
from other members of staff that her name was Kayley Nickinson who lived “in”
at the Beaumont Manor Hotel, where she worked long hours as maid, receptionist,
waitress, chief cook and bottle washer, and Bob tried hard to be disinterested.
As Bob was
persona non grata with his family, he chose to work maximum hours at the shop
throughout Christmas to allow those who did belong to functional families to
feel the benefit.
So, he
successfully managed to maintain a healthy, yet polite distance between himself
and Kayley all through December.
After closing
the shop on New Year’s Eve, he thought he should reward himself with a beer
before turning in.
There were a
number of pubs in St Pierre and he had tried them all since he had been on the
island, but he didn’t have a favourite, so as it was the end of a long day and
another one in prospect the next day, so he decided to plump for the Sword and
Shield as it was the nearest and got there with ten minutes to spare before the
chimes and stood at the bar and ordered a pint, and he was halfway down his
pint when she appeared and as soon as their eyes met they smiled.
“Hello” Kayley said,
“This is a nice surprise.”
“Yes, it is” he
agreed and was resigned to the fact that further resistance was futile.
“Can I get you
a drink?”
“I’m still
working I’m afraid” she replied, “I get off at half 12, you can buy me one then.”
She sat down on
the stool next to him and he ordered her a drink.
“Large white
wine please” he said to the waiting bartender.
“I’m glad you
picked this pub” she said “I suspect you would you have gone elsewhere if you’d
known I worked here.”
“What makes you
think that?” he asked.
“Because in the
shop you’ve always been…. distant” she replied, “or perhaps reluctant, would be
more accurate.”
“Well, my life
has tended to be a bit complicated” Bob said
“And you think
I might make it more so?” Kayley asked.
“Possibly”
“Well, I can be
very uncomplicated” she said and leant in and kissed him.
In the early
hours of New Year’s Day Bob and Kayley were at his bedsit and laying entwined
in the afterglow when she asked
“So what
complications are you concerned about?”
“The main one
is that I’m separated from my wife” he said.
“Separated?”
she queried.
“While in the
process of getting a divorce” he clarified.
“I’m sorry, any
particular reason?” she asked, and he laughed.
“My infidelity”
“I see,
singular or multiple?”
“The latter” he
confessed.
“So, are you a
lost cause or is there some hope for a self-confessed adulterer?” she asked.
“I don’t know
how to answer that” he said.
“Well prior to
us meeting tonight did you make a New Year’s resolution?”
“I did” he replied.
“What was it?”
she asked with interest.
“I think I
should keep it to myself” he said.
“Go on tell me”
she insisted and after a moment of silence he replied.
“Not to get
involved with women” He replied.
As she climbed
onto him, she asked.
“How did that
work out for you?” Kayley asked as she nibbled his ear.
“And what if
you were to make one now, what would it be?” she asked.
“Never to have
another one-night stand” Bob replied.
“This isn’t a
very auspicious start then” she pointed out.
“Really? I
thought this was just our first date” he said, and she kissed him.
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