Chapter 40

A Well-Rounded Education

Karen

2063

It was with genuine affection that Karen gazed across the kitchen table at the hairs on Kevin's chest. She leaned forward and placed an open palm over them, entangling the tips of her fingers in its grey wiry forest. He was still damp from the shower they'd shared after making love together on the living room sofa. She rose up from the kitchen stool where she'd been sitting and pressed her lips on his while letting her other hand fall limply onto his penis which almost immediately sprung to life.

"We must meet again some time," Karen said. "That was good."

Kevin smiled and ran his fingers over the bald pate that he'd made more presentable by shaving his head. Clearly he used to have more hair when he was younger, but Kevin wasn't the only one whose body betrayed signs of the passing years. Karen's hair was dyed a reddish orange, but was grey at the roots and her pubes sprouted a coarse mix of brown and white hairs.

"I've seen you so often in the staff room," Kevin said. "I'd always fancied you, but I never thought you'd be so good."

"Are you up for more?" asked Karen as she affectionately squeezed his testicles. His penis stirred in response.

"I haven't finished my coffee yet."

"We've got all afternoon for that," said Karen seductively.

And then, just at the least convenient of moments, the intercom to the front door buzzed.

Karen gestured Kevin to hush with a finger. She picked up the intercom phone.

"Who is it?" she sang.

"It's me," said the crackly voice from the ground floor. "I'm here with Primrose. Won't you let us in?"

"Of course, dear," said Karen who pressed the entrance button and then sat back on her stool.

"We're out of luck," she said to Kevin. "It's my daughter. You've got plenty of time to drink your coffee."

"Your daughter?" said Kevin with alarm. "Shouldn't I be... ?"

"Your clothes?" said Karen. "My daughter won't mind. Anyway, here she is..."

The door to Karen's apartment opened and Kitty let herself in while she supported little Primrose who was strapped to her bosom. She was a tall thin woman in her early thirties wearing jeans and a college sweat-shirt.

"Hi, Mum!" she said as she entered the kitchen. She kissed her mother on both cheeks in turn and paid no attention as her mother's splendid bosom brushed against Primrose's face. The baby girl gurgled and extended a hand towards her grandmother's aureate nipples.

Kitty looked over at Kevin who was nervously hiding an erection beneath the kitchen table. "You must be Mum's friend," she said extending a hand. "I'm Kitty. Kate really, but everyone calls me Kitty."

"I'm Kevin. I teach Maths at your mother's school."

"Oh, another teacher," said Kitty with a smile. "So, there are now three teachers in the room. I teach at a Primary School. I don't specialise in anything. Not Maths and not English either. Have you known Mum for long?"

Kevin relaxed, but he was obviously uncomfortable being seen naked in a room by a woman who was so much younger than him. He kept his legs crossed. "We've been colleagues for several years," he answered.

"Do you want a coffee, dear?" asked Karen who was standing by the kettle. From behind, her pendulous buttocks were just as mature and full as her bosom. "Or would you like something a bit stronger?"

"I'm not driving," said Kitty. "I came here by bus. I was in the area and I thought I'd pop by. See how're you doing."

"I'm doing fine, dear. What did you say you wanted? Would you like sherry?"

"That would be lovely, Mum."

"Kevin?"

"Coffee's plenty for me."

"Are you sure? I'll be having a glass of sherry as well."

"All right. OK. Just the one glass."

Karen brought over a tray with a bottle of Bristol Cream and placed it on the kitchen table. She then poured generous measures into three sherry glasses and replaced the cork.

"Should we be making a toast?" asked Kevin.

"I'm not sure," said Karen. "I don't know what for. I'm still celebrating the fall of the English National Unity government. Perhaps we should drink to its continued demise."

"I haven't known any other government the whole time I've been a teacher," said Kitty. "How do we know this interim government's going to be any better?"

"It can't be any worse, believe you me," said her mother. "It's a wonder there are still any schools standing after the savage spending cuts they authorised. And lowering the school leaving age to fourteen ... Can you believe that?"

"It makes sense if all you want to do is cut spending," said Kevin. "The state schools are languishing and the kids whose parents can afford it are all in private schools."

"I'm tempted to work in a private school myself," said Kitty. "The pay's much better. Perhaps when I come off maternity leave that's what I'll do."

"What about Primrose, dear?" wondered Karen. "Do private schools have crèches too?"

"I think so," said Kitty. "Anyway, that toast. Any suggestions, Mum?"

"Best of luck to Prime Minister Keith Monbiot," Karen suggested. "Let's hope he can rescue the country from the shithole it's dug for itself."

"I'll drink to that," said Kitty as she supped on a glass. "He's only human, though. He can't do everything he'd like to do. For instance, I don't think the Scots or the Welsh want there to be a United Kingdom again. It's a wonder the Scots are content to stay with the monarchy. And I can't see the Northern European Union wanting us back after the way we fucked them about when we quit. There are a million things that need repairs and I don't think Monbiot's necessarily going to be able to pull it off."