Chapter 8

Bill woke at seven the following morning and, noting it was fine, did his bathroom routine. He then dressed and went downstairs to make himself a cup of coffee. Theresa clearly had not heard him. She was sitting at the kitchen table in her dressing gown with a cup of coffee between her hands, staring into space. Her hair had not been done and she looked as though she had not slept all night.

As Bill moved towards her she seemed to take no notice. He gently rested his hands on her shoulders and softly kissed the top of her head. She jumped and nearly spilt her coffee.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I didn't notice you come in."

"You were miles away."

She nodded but said nothing.

"Have you had a bad night?"

"Awful. I couldn't get to sleep for ages and then had some horrid dreams which woke me in the end and then I couldn't get to sleep again."

She raised her mug to her lips. "Ugh! It's stone cold."

"What time did you come down?"

"About five."

"Oh, my poor sweet! Let me get you another cup of coffee." He took the mug gently from her and put the kettle on. "Can you remember the dreams?"

She shuddered. "All too vividly."

"Would it help to tell me?"

"I don't know."

He went back over to her and put his arms round her from behind. "Try it," he whispered.

"I dreamed that you and I were making love and Wendy walked in. She was jealous and furious. We told her that she had left us and that she had no right to be so angry. That didn't stop her and she said that she would get Stephen to kill you. Well then it all got rather muddled and I don't really remember what happened except that she kept on coming back and saying that you were hers and if she couldn't have you she'd make sure no one else did. Then I'd half wake up but she was still there and each time I dropped off again it started all over again. In the end I had to get up and come down here to get away from it all. And I sat here and horrid thoughts were whirling round in my head." She started to sob quietly but convulsively.

Bill knelt beside her and held her close. Nothing was said for a long time. Finally, she pushed herself away from him and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry, Bill," she said. "I shouldn't have burdened you with all that. I've treated you so badly."

"No you haven't."

"I have. I have. I should never, ever have invited you into my bed and toyed with your feelings. I should never have told you all this stuff either. It's all been so jolly selfish and I'm very, very sorry. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive. Now just sit there for a moment while I wind the coffee up again because there are some things I need to tell you."

She looked at him questioningly as he stood up. He smiled at her and put a finger to his lips. He went and turned the kettle on again, got two fresh mugs out of the cupboard and spooned coffee into them. He added sugar to his own, poured the water in, added milk and took both mugs back to the table. By taking a sip of his own he forced Theresa to do the same. He smiled at her.

"When we went to bed last night I did some thinking. You were clearly in a bit of a state because after we'd said goodnight you sprinted for your room and I guessed you might be crying or that you were trying to stop saying something to me."

Theresa's eyes widened but she said nothing just giving the slightest nod.

"I think you were trying not to change your mind and ask me to join you." He held up his hand as she looked as though she was about to speak. "I may be entirely wrong but that's what triggered my thinking because I realised I would've liked nothing better. So, I asked myself why? Was it because I was missing Wendy and you would be a handy substitute? I had to admit to myself that I am missing her but chiefly for her gaiety and laughter. It wasn't as though I 'needed a woman'. Well, that made me think a bit more. I've liked you since the moment we met and I got to like you even more over Christmas when we had our walks and talks together. This weekend has added to that. I said yesterday that I had come to love you dearly. The more I thought about it the more I realised that that was an understatement. I've fallen in love with you."

Theresa stared at him for a moment then her whole face lit up and she launched herself round the corner of the table and onto his knee. Her arms went round his neck and she clung to him as though she were drowning. Other than that, all she could do was repeat into his neck, "Oh Bill! My darling Bill!"

He held her almost as tight and nuzzled the top of her head with his cheek. There was no way he could turn his head to kiss her. At last she released him, wriggled to get more firmly on his knee and then plastered her lips to his. There was no tongue but it was a passionate kiss all the same.

Finally, she pulled back to say, "I love you too, Bill, and have done since the second day I met you when we talked about Wendy in the coffee bar but there was nothing I could do about it because I couldn't risk hurting her." She gave him another smouldering kiss. "It was only after she went off with Stephen that I let my hopes rise but I still didn't feel confident about pushing it. Why should you be interested in a forty year-old widow? I knew you liked me but even when I behaved badly you continued to behave impeccably. So all my guilt and all my disgust with myself came to a head last night. Thank you, Bill darling, for giving me back my peace of mind but even more for making me deliriously happy."

She attacked him again but this time their tongues began tentatively to probe.

"I think," said Bill eventually, "that you should consider making yourself presentable."

"Oh Lord! I must look like a witch."

"More like the witch's cat that's found the cream."

She laughed delightedly and got up.

"I still haven't drunk my coffee." She took a sip. "Actually it's bearable." She drained her mug as did Bill. "Are you going to come and talk to me while I get dressed?"

"I thought I might do more than that and wash you in the shower."

Her eyes widened in delight. "Yes, please! Yes, please!" She jumped up and down with excitement.

"She's another Wendy," thought Bill with a wide smile on his face. He scooped her up and carried laughing and squealing upstairs. He rejoiced in her happiness.

He put her down on her bathroom floor.

"Stand still," he said and went and turned the shower on. "Now then."

He very slowly opened her dressing gown and slipped it off her shoulders. He grinned wickedly at her. "Now, the moment of truth!" He bent down and gathering the hem of her nighty and whisked it over her head, tossed it to one side and studied her. His first impression was confirmed. She was a little heavier than Wendy but not by much considering her twenty years' seniority. Her bust was a little fuller, her hips a little wider and her waist had expanded accordingly but her tummy was almost flat. Her legs were perfect. He motioned for her to turn round and he admired her flawless skin, the way her body tapered to her waist and then flared out again to her hips. Her bottom was taut and rounded and there was not a trace of cellulite on her hips.