Chapter 12: Jennifer's Need And Opportunity

Jennifer, the Vicar’s live in ‘friend’ at the vicarage had decided that she needed to do something with her life. Oddly enough this was as a result of listening to Martha, the Vicar, rehearsing a sermon on helping others and not just hiding away from other people’s needs. It made her realise that all she ever did was let Martha slake her lesbian lust, and while that also gave her some sexual satisfaction it really wasn’t a very fulfilling life.

What have I ever done that matters? she wondered, What if I disappeared now, who would ever miss me? Martha would just find another body to warm her bed and nobody else would even notice. I have no real friends, or even many acquaintances. All ever do is make Martha cum and let her make me cum.

It was fortuitous that one of the few people she knew, Stuart Price, the churchwarden, came to the vicarage while Martha was out visiting an elderly parishioner. She decided to ask his advice. “Mr. Price, may I ask you something?” she started.

The churchwarden smiled at the young woman he regarded as a slightly retarded version of his granddaughter and replied, “Ask away.”

“If I wanted to start a business, what would I need to do?” was the surprising response.

“What sort of business?” he asked.

“I thought perhaps catering for meals in people’s homes, perhaps children’s parties or grown-ups get togethers.”

“I don’t like to sound rude, but could you do that? Do you know how?”

“Oh, yes. I was taught in ... before I met Martha. I do most of the cooking here, even when the Bishop came to dinner.”

“I see. Well you are asking the wrong person. Do you know Mr. Ransome in All Saints congregation? He could probably tell you. He set up his own business and then fifteen years later sold it for many millions of pounds.”

“Oh. Martha says he is a despicable man, and not to be trusted. I don’t know about asking him.”

“He is most certainly not a despicable man. Martha hates him because she tried to humiliate him in public and he made her look very foolish. It is he who paid for the new church roof, the new heating, and the on going repair of the organ.”

Jennifer thought for a moment and then asked, “But is it true he wouldn’t let my father bid to mend the roof? That wasn’t fair.”

“Oh dear. There is a list of companies who are approved by the Church Commissioners to do major works and they are the only ones allowed to bid for really big jobs. If your father isn’t on that list then he couldn’t bid for a job that big, and it cost over £200,000. Does your father’s company do jobs like that?”

“No. He just mends roofs and replaces guttering and things like that, but everyone says he is very good at it. He is self-employed.”

Stuart tried to break it to her gently, “But this was a huge job with about a dozen men on it for some weeks. The Church Commissioners wouldn’t let a contract like that to a man like your father, however high the quality of the work he does. And in any case Mr. Ransome had no say in choosing the companies involved in any of it. I tell you what, you come to the coffee morning next Saturday and I’ll introduce you to him. How does that sound?”

She looked very doubtful, but eventually nodded her acquiescence.