Chapter 10

“Georgina. Your available time is mostly limited to Saturdays, so we should make use of this afternoon before you have to go home.”
“So what about Georgina? She is at work. We can’t just barge in and monopolise her time.”

“Yes, but I take over for her at times when she needs the toilet or is due a tea break, if I am around; otherwise she has to close for a little while; remember these ‘back in 5 minutes’ door labels? She has one of those. Today, she can go in the back with you and she can discover what I have been teaching you about kissing.”

“Hmm ... that’s a thought. You haven’t briefed her yet, though; she needs to be warned of what might happen.”

“Not yet. We’ll go in and as soon as the shop is empty, I’ll tell her what we have talked about, and you and she can then go in the back and make a start; we’ll see how you get on. She may be apprehensive and worried at first. After all, you are a male, her bete noir.”

“You mean, the thought of embracing a teenager, nearly ten years her junior?”

“There is that, perhaps, but I will tell her she is encountering a real man, not the scoundrel who abandoned her all these years ago. I will tell her this is initial practice for getting back to her old self ... not ‘old’ self ... her previous self; that is better.”

“Okay, if you think that will work.”

We tidied ourselves up and did what was needed to leave and lock up the house. As we walked round to the road, we were spotted by the man I had talked to a week or so ago, and I gave him a wave. He waved back, and after taking a look at Sandy, gave me a thumbs-up. I smiled in return and took Sandy’s hand to show that we were a pair. His smile got even larger.

The weather was kind to us as we made our way back to the agency, strolling slowly down to Kempock Street, still hand in hand. As we got to the shop facade, I glanced inside, and it was bereft of clients, so I opened the door for Sandy and she walked in, in front of me. Georgina noticed and her face lit up with a smile.

She asked, “And how are the lovebirds doing?”

Sandy grinned happily, and motioned with her hand for me to go for a short walk while she talked with her sister. I complied and walked along as far as the newsagents, peered at what was displayed in the window for a couple of minutes, then strolled back to the agency.

Georgina was wide-eyed as she peered at me walking in again. At a nudge from Sandy, she got up and walked to the back office, saying nothing. Sandy said to me, “Right, it is up to you. You are on-stage as of now.”, and pointed me to the back room. I straightened my shoulders manfully and strode more confidently than I felt, opened the room door and marched in.

Georgina was standing with her back to me, staring out the back window which looked into a tree a dozen feet away, as if it was something interesting. I came up behind her, and turned her to face me. She looked frightened.

I put a bent forefinger under her chin it lift it up a trifle, and told her, “Sandy wants me to send a message,” and leaned forward to touch my lips to hers. She shuddered and nearly collapsed, so I grabbed her by the torso and held her to me, cheek to cheek.

Once I thought she had regained some control, I murmured, “You okay now?”

She nodded and raised her face towards me. I took the opportunity and kissed her ever so gently. She stayed rigid, but did not react otherwise.

I asked her, “Again? Another kiss?” and she nodded; I kissed her again, with a little more feeling, and this time she visibly relaxed into the kiss. Pulling back, I spoke softly, “That’s better. Not such a trial after all, Georgina?”

“Not now,” were her first words. “What must you think of me?” she quavered.

I answered as if completely surprised at the question.

“I am telling a lovely lady that she is still a lovely lady, a good-looking woman that any real man would be proud and pleased to be seen with, and even kiss and cuddle in private.”

She giggled and said, “I feel ten years younger, being with you. Sandy is a lucky girl to meet you.”

“And I am a lucky man, finding Sandy to be part of my life; a big part, I hope. I don’t want you to feel lost or sidelined now that Sandy has found me, and Sandy feels the same way. She wants you to know that I am available to you as a way of getting you back to the girl you used to be. She wants you to feel loved again.”

“But ... but you love Sandy, don’t you? I could see that for myself. It was love at first sight – an idea that I never believed in, until now.”

“I do love Sandy, but love is not diminished by being shared a little. You deserve some love too.”

She became silent for a few moments, then spoke again.

“I am confused, Mr McIntyre ... sorry, Bob.”

“Confused by what, Georgina?”

“Your offer of love. I don’t get it.”

“You can get it if you want it, is the answer. What kind of love is a matter for you, Georgina. Sandy wants me to open my heart to you, and give you what love you want and need. She feels that you deserve more than you got in the past, and wants to share me with you, to the extent that you want. We start with kissing and cuddling to show you that you are still a desirable woman, one who deserves love, and then ... well, that is up to you, depending on how you and your body feel. The idea is simple, Georgina: to make you be happy again. That is what Sandy wants for you; she wants to give you back the help that you gave her while she was growing up.”
“She wants to have you romancing me?”

“In a way. Sandy shocked me at first, with her idea of helping you, but I came to see her viewpoint. We talked it over, and Sandy and I intend to get married eventually. Where you come into it is all down to you, as you recover back into the vibrant woman who is attractive to men. You really are a looker, Georgina.

You have been sheltering from men in the way of romance, due to one bad experience. Sandy thinks you need some new practice at romance, and has volunteered me to give you that opportunity. I didn’t need much pushing, I must admit, as I was in need of some kissing practice too. Sandy taught me what I have just passed on to you. Fun, isn’t it? What comes of it, we are not sure, but you can be certain that it is your sole decision; not mine, not Sandy’s, yours.”

“So I can take it or leave it? The kissing and cuddling?”

“Exactly, though I will be disappointed if you don’t fancy kissing and cuddling with me. I liked what I felt with you in my arms.” I gave her a soppy grin, and she smiled at my reaction.

“But the age difference?” she queried.

I bridled.

“Georgina, I have already had this discussion with Sandy, as she is older than me. You are older than me as well, but the same arguments apply: it is not physical ages that matter, but how well you get on together. I told her that my mother is two years older than my father, so effectively he was her toy boy, as they say today. I am willing to be the toy boy to Sandy and to you; understand?”

“My toy boy? You don’t mind?”

“Georgina, I will be to you whatever you want and need, as long as you are happy and contented as a result.”

She was thinking rapidly.

“Anything?”

“Yes, anything. I warned Sandy that anything might come of encouraging you to live again. I had noted how attractive a woman you are, and told Sandy so.”

“Lover?”

I paused, to let her know I was thinking seriously about the question.

“It depends on what you mean by lover. There can be a platonic friendship, or a kissing cousins kind of love, then there is the physical love that can sometimes lead to children. Have you considered what kind of love you have in mind?”

“Uhhh. Sort of. I mean, I wanted to marry and have children with a man like you, but Sandy has already taken you off the market, I understand. She is ecstatic that you and she have clicked, and I would never want to harm that in any way, but...”

“But you are doubting you can find a man that you can trust again?”

“Yes.” She leaned back in my arms that were still holding her, and regarded my face with concern. “Can you be trusted in everything, Bob?”

I looked at her eyes seriously. “I have already promised Sandy that she has my heart for always, no matter what. You will never change that commitment.”

“No, I mean, can I trust you with me, I mean?”

“Of course you can trust me, Georgina, but what did you mean, ‘with me’?”

“I’ll need to talk it over with Sandy, but if I could have what I want, I would not be averse to being your second wife, sort of...”

“Ah...” I exclaimed, thinking of what on earth I was going to say to Sandy. “I can guarantee my trust and reliability, Georgina, but I hope to have children...”

“Oh, I see. Very well, if Sandy agrees with the idea in principle, we can see how it goes, but I am prepared to act as your second wife, and try to give you children as well.”

She stopped, possibly in shock at what she had just said, and offered, “This is all rather sudden, Bob. Can I kiss you again, to test my nerve?”

I offered my lips, and as we kissed, I permitted my hand to caress her nearest breast. She stiffened slightly, then recalled what she had just offered, and pressed herself to me. She next moved a hand to my crotch and felt my stiffening penis.

“Yes, you do find me attractive, it appears. I had my doubts...”

I shrugged. “I told Sandy you were attractive. She had not viewed you in that way, as you were almost a Mum to her, and one seldom views one’s mother is an attractive woman. She quickly took my point when I said you and I might take things beyond kissing.”

“So the idea I suggested would not be shocking to her?”

“I didn’t make it as plain as that, but warned her that her placing you and me together might not just make you happier with meeting men, but me in particular.”

“Good. Go out there and if the shop is empty, turn the sign to ‘closed’ and send her in here. You can stay out of the way while I and Sandy talk, please.”

I did as she demanded, and asked Sandy, “Dear, can you go in and chat to Georgina for a while. She wants me to shut the shop temporarily while you talk with her.”

Sandy stared at me with a startled query on her face, but I pointed to the back door and ordered, “Go. Now.”

She raised her eyebrows at my ordering her about, but turned towards the back door and entered, shutting it behind her, so any shouting would not be heard, I decided. She was thinking the worst, I knew. I walked to the front door and turned the lock to close the shop, then reversed the sign on the door to say to the visitor: ‘Closed’. I stayed inside, so that if a customer appeared, I could signal ‘ten minutes’ to indicate when it would re-open at my guess.

I sat at Georgina’s desk and waited for whatever would come through the back door, but I heard nothing, and the front door was not approached either. After what by my guess was another five minutes, the door opened and Sandy came out. She saw me watching, and swung round to allow her big sister to come out.

Georgina appeared at the door, still wiping her eyes; she had been crying, and my heart sank: disaster!

But she came over to me, took my cheeks in both hands, and kissed me emphatically.

She said, as I was stuck for words for now, “Thank You, Bob,” stepped back and motioned for Sandy to come to me.

Sandy came over and kissed me in turn, as passionately as she had ever done. I stared at her, my face full of query, and she whispered, “She said yes, Bob.”

I responded, unsure of what she meant, “Yes what?”

“Yes, you will have both of us in the end, my love.”

I nearly collapsed with the shock, for I had feared that I could be sent packing by both of them. Noticing my fear was subsiding, Sandy patted my cheek, comforting me, “It is not that bad, Bob!”

“No, it is more like relief, Sandy. I was afraid you might fight and I would be sent packing for getting between you.”

“No fight. She was simply relieved and pleased that I would think of her needs that way. She had expected to die an old maid and never be truly happy. Tears are sometimes tears of joy or relief, rather than sadness or grief.”

“Thank God for that.”

Sandy moved me away from Georgina, who was about to open the agency door again, to welcome clients. Once we were well clear, Sandy spoke again.

“Yes, and that also means we have to do hard thinking about our future. I am a virgin, but I don’t think Georgina is, for I suspect she let that man be intimate with her, for she was too trusting back then. Thank God she used protection with him.

That has me wondering about sex; about who gets to be with you first. Georgie is the only one with experience, so I incline to her teaching you the basics before you and I take it on.”

“I didn’t think we were that far on in our relationship, Sandy my love.”

“Listen, having sex is one of the basics of life, and some couples have sex the first time they get together, then think about longer term relationships afterwards, if at all.”

“Oh. That shows you how limited my experience is. Nothing more than kissing a girl once or twice, and once I got a feel of a girl’s breasts before I got cold feet and ended up going home. Pathetic, isn’t it?”

“Lack of knowledge or experience is not a fault, Bob. Often too much experience ends up as a fault, particularly if you are the girl and don’t protect yourself properly. You know about condoms for men? Well, women can get much the same thing for their vaginas: basically a barrier to sperm, of one kind or another. I want you to buy some condoms for when you are learning about sex. Deciding to have children is another choice for later. I am not sure I want to have a baby while I am on my degree course. I am not ruling it out entirely, but pregnancy can be a problem when you are trying to study.”

“Gosh, I am not too sure I am ready to be a father yet, but I hear of girls at school getting pregnant and another pupil may be the father; not good for either of them. So I should think that having a baby while you are university may present the same problems.”

“Except that if Georgina was willing to look after our baby while I continue with my studies; that might work.”

“But Sandy, as Georgina is older, perhaps she wants to have a baby fairly soon. Have you thought of that?”

“Not until now, but you may be right. Time is not on her side, so her body may be wanting her to be a mother. I will have a discussion with her about children and see what we can work out. There’s time enough for that, my dear man.”