Easy As Trawling For A Pike.
by Angharad
part:392

“What are we having for dinner?” asked Stella.

“You’ve only just eaten,” I said smirking.

“I know but something smells wonderful.”

“It’s my new deodorant,” I couldn’t resist the opportunity to tease her.

“I can smell food, Cathy Watts.”

“Can you now?”

She rose from the table and followed her nose to the cooker. She opened the oven door, “Hmm, what is that?”

“They had some venison at the local butcher, it’s stewing away slowly in there. I must find where Mum put the slow cooker.”

“Venison, cor, how decadent?”

“Me, decadent? Sounds like a toothpaste.”

“You’ll wonder where the money went, if you brush your teeth with decadent,” trilled Stella.

“You are one crazy, mixed up woman,” I said.

“Hark, who’s talking, she who is more bonkers than conkers.” As she said this we both paused then fell about laughing.

“Bonkers than conkers?” I repeated, my cheeks covered with rivulets of tears from laughing. “How on earth did you come up with a line like that?”

“I don’t know,” she said, now giggling helplessly.

“You should have been a milliner, not a nurse.”

“A milliner? Why?”

She bit; “ ‘Cos you’re as mad as a hatter,” I said triumphantly.

“Well we have the dormouse, what does that make you?”

“At this moment, the Cheshire cat.” I smiled a beaming grin at her.

“Yes, very good, Cat-hey! What time is the White Rabbit due?”

“I told him eight, I think.”

“Ooh,” Stella stretched and yawned, “I could do with freshening up. Is there anything you need me to do?”

“No really, it’s four, we could do quick ride if you’ve brought your bike.”

“If I’ve brought my bike? Of course I’ve brought my bike, you’ll have to put the wheel back on it though.”

“Yeah, no problem. Did you take it off?”

“Don’t be silly, I ride them I don’t know how they work.”

“It’s very simple, Stella, you turn the pedals and the wheels go round.”

She raised her eyebrows and sighed. “I know that stupid, but how you put them together and so on shall remain a mystery.”

“What happens if you have a puncture?”

“I do what I do when the car breaks down, stand by the side looking helpless and appealing.”

“Sounds like a spaniel in a straight-jacket.”

“What?”

“Never mind, let’s go and get it sorted and we can get in an hour’s ride.” I followed her out to her car and then back into the house while she tried to remember where she put her keys. They were under her bag, which was under the table–we walked past it three times.

Once opened, we unloaded the car and within two minutes I popped the wheel back on her bike. I then put it in the garage until we were ready to go. We changed into our cycling clothes and I led Stella out for a short and gentle ride. She said she’d enjoyed it when we put the bikes away.

I left her to go and run a bath and have a soak whilst I washed the vegetables and put them on to cook. Then I went up to wash and change. I couldn’t decide what to wear beyond a bra and pants. In the end, I opted for a pair of jeans and vee necked jumper–showing a little cleavage, which I decorated with a squirt of smellies.

I did my hair and put on just a touch of eye-makeup and pale lipstick finishing with some drop earrings and a bracelet. Stella met me at the top of the stairs, she looked a knock-out, which suited me fine. I was quite happy to sit and watch tonight, although I was aware she had been seeing the young doctor back in Portsmouth. I was curious if that was going anywhere, but it certainly wasn’t the time to ask.

“You knew Des from school, didn’t you?”

“Yes, he was a looker then, but had a very naughty reputation with women of all ages.”

“All ages?”

“Absolutely, among his conquests were two girls from my house, plus the house mistress, who was fifty something and the matron, who was coming up for retirement.”

“How old was he?”

“Coming up sixteen.”

“Goodness, well he hasn’t tried anything on with me, not recently anyway.” I blushed as I said it, because he had once before, but that was sometime ago and having two of us here would prevent that happening.

“I know he fancies you, Cathy.”

“Don’t be silly, he knows I’m engaged to Simon. Besides he also knows my history, I’m surprised that doesn’t put him off.”

“It doesn’t seem to with Simon, does it?”

“Simon is special.”

“Special needs, you mean,” she rolled her eyes as she spoke.

“Hey, you leave my Simon alone, I love him anyway.”

“Just as well, you’re about the only one.”

“We suit each other, he knows about me and it doesn’t make any difference and his little foibles, don’t worry me.”

“Cathy, for goodness sake stop worrying about your past. You’re an absolute fox, and what is now is what matters. Most men would give their right arm to have a date with you.”

“What would I do with all those right arms?”

“Feed your dormeece?”

“Nah, she likes nuts.”

“Well if you fed her those, their previous owners may not have much interest in you, after all, no matter how attractive you were.”

Previous owner? Spike? It didn’t compute. Then I reran the whole sentence and realised she wasn’t talking about Spike, she was talking about nuts, and not the variety I meant. I blushed and she sniggered. “I wondered how long it would take for you to get it.”

“Obviously too long.”

I went into the kitchen and checked everything, it was all doing quite well. I took an apple pie I had in the freezer and slipped it into the oven. I would make custard later and I also had a cheese board ready with some assorted biscuits.

“Cor, you do enjoy putting on the Ritz, don’t you?”

“What d’you mean?”

“Well, puddings and cheese and biccies.”

“So, I like to entertain in my own decadent manner.”

“Oh yes, very good.”

“Come on, help me lay the table.”

It was just coming up to quarter to eight, when I heard a diesel engine drive up outside and saw Des emerging from his Landrover. A moment later, the doorbell rang.