Chapter 3

It was Easter Bank Holiday weekend and the medical students had another four week break to look forward to. Mikki was on the phone to Will.

" ... Are you going home for Easter, Will?"

" ... I might go home for a few days, but I thought I'd stay here for most of the holiday, catching up on some reading."

" ... Well, I think we've been working hard and we need a little break! Have you ever been camping, Will?"

" ... Yes, but not for years."

" ... So, do you fancy going this weekend? Kelly's away on a field trip, as part of her degree, so I'll just be sitting around otherwise."

" ... Have you got any camping gear?"

" ... I know where I can borrow some. So are you up for it ... we can go tomorrow and come back about Tuesday? We can go in my car."

" ... OK, then! Ring me later with the details."

A couple of hours later, Mikki called him back:

" ... I've got an uncle and aunt who have a farm, in Derbyshire, they said I can go up there anytime. If we leave early, we can be there in about three hours."

" ... Do I need to bring anything?"

" ... No, just enough clothes ... but you might like to bring food for a couple of days ... stuff that's easy to cook on a camping stove! And tea, coffee, milk, etc. I'll see you at about eight o'clock, tomorrow."

It was a little after eight when Mikki arrived. They loaded her car and set off for her uncle's farm.

"Do you drive, Will? Doctor's should, you know!"

"Yes, I know! I don't really need a car at the moment though, so I thought I'd wait until we got to year three or four before I learned."

"I know what you mean! I don't really need one in London, but I passed my test when I was seventeen and it was a gift from my parents."

They chatted away like this for most of the journey. They stopped for fuel and Will offered to go halves, but Mikki said he'd paid for the food, so they were even. When they arrived at the farm, Mikki parked the car and they popped into the house to say hello to her aunt and uncle.

"Hello, Dear!" said her Aunt, "My, it's been a long time since we saw you here last: you were just a girl, then, and now you're all grown up and going to be a doctor! This must be your young man..." Mikki looked at Will and there was a silent understanding between them.

" ... I'm Will," he said, holding out his hand, "Pleased to meet you!"

"Well," said Mikki's aunt, "Your uncle's not here at the moment, but he said you can camp anywhere in the field near the old lake. Perhaps you can pop down and see him later? And if you need eggs or milk, or anything, just come and knock on the door, Dear! We'll see you later!"

"She seems very nice!" said Will, "How old were you when you were last here?"

" ... They both are! I was about twelve, I think. I've got a big water container in the car, we can fill it down here ... it's a bit of a trek to come all the way back ... and thanks for playing along just then!"

Mikki drove up a dirt track. The field in question was fenced off and Will got out of the car and opened a gate. It was a meadow not used for agricultural cultivation, but once or twice every year her uncle cut it back, so that it was still accessible. It was still a little overgrown, but it was okay to flatten a few square yards to make a temporary campsite.

The lake that her aunt mentioned was not huge, but still about the area, if not the shape, of a public swimming pool; although largely surrounded by water plants. It didn't have any fish, but it was fed from a natural spring and so was always quite clear.

Mikki put up the tent, which took only a few minutes and which easily accommodated two adults, while Will dug a pit some distance away, large enough to take their bodily waste for as long as they were there. The excavated earth and a little shovel were left by the hole. When Will got back to the tent, Mikki had put the kettle on for tea.

The weather forecast for the weekend was promising, but they couldn't rule out rain completely, so they agreed to leave most of their stuff in the car; so that if it did rain heavily, they could always abandon the tent and go back to the farm. But for now the sun was shining and it was a lovely Spring day. Will and Mikki were both in shorts and T-shirts. They drank their tea and ate the sandwiches that Mikki had brought with her.

"So do you swim, Will?"

"I do ... but I didn't bring anything to wear!" Mikki looked at him in a way that he had come to recognise.

"Oh! Of course!"

It was only a walk of a few yards to the lake. Mikki knelt down to feel the water temperature.

"Not bad!" she said, "Come on!"

They both took off their footwear and shorts, then their shirts. Mikki unhooked her bra and took off her knickers and Will took off his boxer shorts. Mikki looked him up and down and smiled. Her nipples were already erect: the small rings that pierced them glinted in the sunlight.

They stepped into the water and waded out until they were submerged up to their waists; allowing their bodies to get used to the water temperature. Mikki started to swim towards the other end of the lake and Will followed her, watching her body as it moved easily through the water. She waited at the other end until Will, who was not as strong a swimmer, caught her up. Mikki had swum competitively as a young girl, until her body had developed to the extent that she felt disadvantaged.