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Subject: {ASSM} The Au Naturel Girls 1/4 (MF, nud, exhib, viol, minimal sex)
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Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 04:10:01 -0400
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Chapter I
"What ya havin'?" A voice bellowed across the pub. The source of the
drunken cacophony groaned when the intended recipient failed to hear him
and answer, and he put his hands to his mouth. "Oi, Adam. You deaf
tosser, what ya havin'?" Two heads turned to look at the overweight man at
the bar and he shrugged. "The Old Goat's off."
A tall, black-haired gentleman, dressed in a garish blue and white
football shirt got up from the table and sauntered over, surveying the
pictures on the pumps and muttering to himself.
"Yeah, fuckin' hurry up mate. Game's gonna kick off in an hour," the
rotund man joked and Adam pointed to another beer being offered, before the
two of them carried three drinks and a small assortment of bar snacks to
the table containing a third gentleman.
Adam's two friends, looked very similar overweight, shaved head and
wearing bright football shirts but Adam turned to the gentleman who had
bought his drink. "So, what's this march ya on, Carl?" Adam asked and
drank a gulp of his beer.
"S'over Manchester way. It's tomorrow, you know the effin' Council have
stopped some playgroups usin' the local 'alls 'cause they ain't got enough
Darkies and Mussies using 'em. Some do-gooder from the Council came 'round
and counted 'em. Said it twere'n't equal or owt. But they give all the
'all time to some filthy Mosque thing."
"Sounds fuckin' outrageous," the third member replied and Carl nodded.
"T'is. James. Ya know what we sayin'? This country is going to
fuckin' dogs. All those ethnics comin' in, feckin' awful. Local branch
wants a rally down there. Gonna tell those Council people where to fuck
off 'cause good British, good white British people ain't standing for it,
no more."
Adam bit his lip and nodded. "But ya ain't get arrested, right?"
Carl shrugged. "Dain't care if I do. Some fuckin' lefties'll be there,
trying to 'cause shit, but last time we kicked their fuckin' 'eads before
pigs turned up," Carl boasted drunkenly. "Fuckin' Communist cunts. Should
fuck off back to Russia, dain't want 'em round 'ere." Adam took another
gulp and Carl looked at him. "Ya gonna come? Can pick ya up on way
through."
Adam stretched. "Rioting's not my thing," he said instantly. "I ain't
forgiven ya yet for getting me nicked at Deepdale."
Carl pursed his lips together and sneered. "Twas fuckin' last year.
And twas me who ended up in Court. Got banned for three effin' years,
fuckin' judge, who does he think he is?"
"A judge," James teased.
"Yeah, and I bet he was a effin' Tangerine," he moaned, alleging that
the Judge Malloy supported his team's bitter rivals. "Anyway, I got in the
other week, banning order's means jack shit when ya buy tickets in cash."
"Ya get caught ..." James muttered.
"I ain't gonna get caught," Carl interrupted. "And we ain't going
rioting. Just a peaceful demo."
Adam sniggered and nursed his pint. "I'm movin' into my new gaff
tomorrow. Gotta be out of my current place by Thursday 'cause got to give
the keys back."
"Shit, yeah," Jamie muttered. "Repairs done?"
"Yeah. Been there today, all looks well nice. Two bedroom and massive
lounge. Big telly and PlayStation gonna be sweet. All brand new."
"Some students, weren't it?"
Adam nodded. "Yeah, totally wrecked the place. It's taken three months
to get it all sorted, landlord's paid a bloody fortune but it looks like
the dog's whatnots."
Carl snorted. "Fuckin' students. I 'ate fuckin' students. Lazy,
dirty, workshy bastards," he ranted as the young barmaid collected their
empty glasses from the tables. Adam looked at her apologetically as she
rolled her eyes and took the glasses, gently shaking her head as she went.
Carl took a handful of peanuts and threw a couple in the air, catching
them with his mouth and nodding towards a teenager at the bar. "Ya wanna
join us, love? For game?"
The girl shook her head and tugged her jumper down. "No," she replied
derisively and Carl shrugged. "Waiting for someone."
"Fuckin' lesbian that one. Or a fuckin' student." His two companions
looked at each other as he leant back in his chair "Waiting for her
girlfriend the muff muncher, you'll see." Carl was almost disappointed when
she embraced a tall man and they retired to another part of the pub.
"Where's ya new lodges?"
Adam gave a vague description, moving his hands around wildly to
illustrate the roads and he took a swig of his beer. "Love to see it. Ya
going well," James told him.
"It's work," Adam replied non-specifically. "Got pay rise with that
promotion. It's 'ard work but I can afford bigger than a tiny flat now."
The three men remained in the pub all afternoon, watching the football
on the "big screen" before falling out of the pub and looking up at the
November sky; it was threatening to rain and Adam pulled his coat tighter.
"Let's see ya new place," James asked and Adam checked his pockets for the
keys.
"Yeah OK. It's only a ten minute walk," Adam told them and strode
confidently down the road in the twilight. "Opposite direction to you two
cunts though."
James snorted. "Teri be glad of that. Says you two always swear and
stuff when ya come 'round."
Carl grunted and held his hands out. "Ya gotta sort that bitch out
Jamie. She'll be stopping ya playing football soon."
"Yeah," Adam agreed. "Since the wedding she's been running ya life."
James shook his head. "Nah," he dismissively said. "And ya two
singletons, ya wouldn't know would ya?"
"She's bad news for ya," Carl told him and James puffed up. "She ain't
giving ya shit."
"Just 'cos ya ain't getting any at the mo, don't reckon I ain't getting
any."
Carl raised his eyebrows. "Ya married mate, ya ain't getting owt
either." He jabbed his finger into the chest of his friend and Adam patted
him on the shoulder.
"You did say that last week in pub," Adam said with a grin. "Said you
hadn't had any for months."
"Well it's the baby," James replied. "She is too tired."
"Always a fuckin' excuse with birds. Bang out of order." James snorted
and went to reply when a loud noise descended upon them. There was a siren
as a fire engine, followed by a second shot past them. "Bet it is a
student set fire to a tree or owt. I fuckin' hate students. Nasty, dirty
little fuckers," Carl ranted. "Best thing could 'appen to this town is if
those two Universities burn down." James laughed and Carl looked at him
seriously. "With all the fuckin' students inside."
Carl vaguely checked over his shoulder and sneered, walking out in the
middle of the road to get to a traffic island as there was a loud car horn
and the screeching of car tyres as brakes were hastily applied. The
drunken Carl leapt out of the way as the battered vehicle missed him by
inches and he gripped the bollard. "You OK?" James called out and Carl
nodded, his ashen face shocked.
"You," he bellowed as the car door opened. "What the fuck were you
doing?"
Carl wiped his reddening face, his shoulders slanted back and expression
sparkling with anger. His eyes nearly popped out of his sockets when a
black girl, dressed in garish clothes got out and gripped her car. "Me?"
She shouted. "You stepped out into the road. You trying to get yourself
killed?"
Carl's face burned a deeper red. "Me? Listen Thicklips, this is my
fuckin' country and you come over here and ya think ya can drive like shit.
Well fuck you. You should have ya license taken off you, filthy Wog."
The girl stared at him open mouthed and Carl started walking towards
her. "Get away from me," she shrieked and looked at Adam and James watching
the scene unfold. "Stop him."
"Carl," James called. "Don't start owt?"
"What's he doing? Get away from me?"
Carl opened his arms out and glared at her. "Or what? Come on then,
nigger? You want to kill me, come on then. Should string you up." He
reached a couple of yards from the car and the girl jumped back into her
vehicle, turning the key in the ignition as fast as she could.
"Mate," Adam called but Carl was focused on the car, throwing his hands
against the back window and hitting it hard.
"You ain't even said sorry, fuckin' cunt." The girl's Ford Fiesta
refused to start first time and Carl pushed his hand through his jacket and
smacked the back passenger window to a cracking sound. "Fuckin' go home,
ya nasty nigger cunt," he yelled. The car fired itself into life and the
girl dropped the clutch and the tyres span, just as Carl punched a dent in
the side and then kicked it as it snaked off down the road. "Fuckin' dirty
whore." He turned to see his two companions, watching him in shock. "Did
you see that?" He shouted in annoyance. "The effin' cheek of it."
"Yeah," Adam muttered and spoke to James under his breath. "He must be
having a really shit day."
James shook his head. "Prob'ly," he drunkenly muttered. "He gonna get
'imself locked up soon." Adam quietly agreed and they crossed the road to
join their drunken friend. Adam guided them, in silence, down the road and
around the corner into a small cul-de-sac.
"This road is proper quiet, no students or kids or owt 'round here."
Carl grinned. "Fuckin' 'oped not. That flat ya in now, students
fuckin' everywhere."
"Yeah," Adam muttered and looked up to see a small crowd of people at
the end of the road. "What the ?" Concerned, he ran down it, to see not
one, but two fire engines next to his new house.
"What's going on?" He called out and pushed past a small throng of
people.
A fireman put his arm out as he reached the penultimate house. "No
further please, sir?"
"What's going on?"
"Number 24, sir. It looks like a chip pan left unattended."
Adam stared open-mouthed. "But I am number 22," he muttered and the
fireman shrugged.
"I'm sorry. It did spread, sir. But we stopped it before it did too
much damage."
"Shit," Adam swore, sobering up quickly. "I better ring my landlord."
* * * * *
"Sarah, how are you love?" The slight girl was hugged by her mother and
she tucked her brown hair behind her ears.
"I'm fine," the girl replied and smiled at her mother fussing over her
clothes.
"It's not warm enough to just wear a T-Shirt you know. It's November,
and you are not eating enough, I can tell. Look at the state of you. You
need to get a proper Sunday roast inside of you."
"Mum, I am fine," Sarah barked in an exasperated voice. "And it is
fine, honestly. I only had to drive a mile to get here, even if the ring
road was chocca."
"But if you break down "
"If I break down, I could trek," Sarah teased. "Through the snow and
ice that we don't have, and struggle through the Arctic Winds Lancaster is
not famous for, to a phone box and call the AA. Or I could just use my
mobile. Or walk home. Or even scrounge a lift of a passing malevolent
being "
Anne Dayton scowled at her daughter's witticisms. "Yes OK. But you
should have a coat at least."
"I'm twenty-three not three," Sarah moaned and walked into the large
lounge containing her father and brother. "Happy birthday, Liam," she
cooed at her sixteen year old brother," and passed the teenager a small
gift-wrapped present and card. "Sorry about the wrapping, Tabitha's been
in hospital."
Her father looked up. "How is she?"
"Ahh she's fine now. Just quite a lot of sickness so she was
dehydrated. Doctor said baby is OK and they discharged her yesterday but it
was a bit mean to ask her to do wrapping after all she went through.
Especially after she did my marking. And I can't wrap presents."
Her brother surveyed the poorly wrapped gift and scowled at it. "You've
covered it in sellotape.
"Yeah, I know. How else do you get paper stuck on to things?"
He sighed and tried to peel away at the red paper and then looked back
at her. "No seriously, ya covered it in tape. There's no way into it."
They laughed at his confused face and Sarah sighed, pointing at his
garish red shirt. "Who the fuck got you that disgusting thing?"
"Oi," called a fatherly voice. "Don't use that language." Sarah
muttered an apology and then looked expectantly at her brother, expecting
an answer to her question. "Olivia," the female voice of Anne Dayton said
from behind them and Sarah screwed up her face.
"It better be for a bet, bro. It's proper disgusting." Sarah sat down
on the couch and looked at her mother. "And what've I gotta do to get a
drink 'round here?"
Anne sighed. "Tea or coffee?"
"White wine, please."
"You're driving."
"Oh you noticed," Sarah replied with a smirk. "That big blue thing
outside your house, there was me thinking it would just blend in and you
wouldn't notice."
"Don't be facetious," her mother warned and Sarah grinned.
"Why not; always been told to do what I do best," she said with a gleam
in her eye. "I can have one."
"You can have a small one," her mother told her. "When we get the Fish
'n' Chips."
"I could have two and walk back."
"Not without a coat," her mother snapped. "Now, tea or coffee?"
Sarah sighed and asked for a cup of tea, and then turned back her
brother, still unable to get into the present and was resorting to using
the tip on a discarded ballpoint pen to get some leverage on the tape. She
looked at his shirt, it was bright red with a dragon on the front and
flames at the hem; it was as garish as a Hawaiian shirt but considerably
more tasteless in her opinion. "So why has Olivia got you dressed up as a
muppet?"
"Oh leave him alone," her father told her. "And I have a bone to pick
with you, missy. What was wrong with Alicia?"
Sarah hummed. "Alicia, Alicia," she muttered as she though and pursed
her lips. "Oh the girl who wanted to live with us?"
"Yes her. You know that I now have every single flat, house and room
rented out bar one."
Sarah squirmed. "Yeah, well. She wasn't right."
"Why?"
"Cause she wouldn't have fit in. We didn't feel comfortable."
Her father and landlord sighed. "You can't keep rejecting everyone.
That's the fifth one. And you know in the contract you only have a veto
for the first two months. It's been since Mary left in August. You can't
keep the room open for her until she returns."
"Yeah I know, Dad. But she wasn't right. She just was creepy. And all
churchy."
"Yes, and you would do well to visit the church a bit more often, young
lady. There is nothing wrong with being a god-fearing member of Society.
If you want to live with two other people then live in a three-bedroom
house not a four."
Sarah sighed. "We like our house, it's the right size, the garden isn't
overlooked. It's just that you haven't found someone appropriate."
He raised his hand over his receding hairline and shook his head. "Well
any other house I'd be putting people in it. I run thirty properties and
it's only your bloody house that I have trouble with."
Sarah licked her lips and batted her eyelids. "Yeah, I know Dad. But
it's three girls on their own. We're vulnerable and we want to feel OK in
our own home."
There was a loud swear word uttered as Liam's hand slipped and he poked
the pen into his palm. A trickle of blood ran down his hand and he looked
at Sarah. "Did you really need to use all this bloody tape?"
Sarah ignored him and turned back to her father who shook his head.
"That's why I am being lenient with ya and because it's my property, but I
need to get someone in. You can't look for another Mary. Now I 'aven't
been forcing anyone onto you but if you don't like the people I have found
then you need to be looking for yourself. I need that room filled to get
one-hundred percent occupancy."
Sarah sighed. Her mother passed her a cup of tea and she looked at her
son, passing him a pair of scissors as he swore at the small package. "Did
you say Tabitha was out of hospital?"
Sarah smiled. "Yeah, yesterday. Doctors reckon she'll be fine, and
she's off work for another week. But she is due to go onto maternity
soon."
"And that's another thing. How did that happen?" Her father demanded.
Sarah cocked her head to one side. "Would you like me to draw you a
diagram?" Sarah pulled out her hands, inserting her middle finger into a
hole made by her thumb and forefinger in her other hand and looking at her
father with a silly grin.
There was muted laughter as her father shook his head at the giggling
daughter. "You know what I mean. Your house is immoral. Mary arrested
last year for indecency. Natasha ..."
"Natalie," Sarah interrupted. "You keep calling her Natasha, it's
Natalie."
"Well her, and tell her she owes me for November." Sarah grunted and
fished in her handbag, passing a cheque over to her father.
"She said sorry, work were late paying her."
He grunted and looked at her. "As I was saying, Mary getting cautioned,
Natalie going naked in those art classes. Not to mention Tabitha, single
girl gets knocked up on a one-night stand. You said she was single and not
interested in setting down with a guy."
"She's not," Sarah said tersely. "But that night she wanted it. She is
an adult now, she had her 21st Birthday a few months ago. Her choice.
But, because she is pregnant, she is very vulnerable which is why we don't
want anyone moving in. They have to be sound"
"It's her culture," her father replied sharply. "Programmed to have
kids every fifteen minutes. I'm not havin' a rented house full of kids."
Sarah uncrossed her arms and gestured towards her father. "What are you
on about? She was born in Wolverhampton. There might be bugger all to do
there but having kids is not a cultural thing."
"She's ya know," her father squirmed.
"Black," Sarah finished for him with a fierce scowl.
"And it'll be the state that pays for it. She'll claim no end of
benefits, you'll see," he ranted.
"...and breathe," Sarah said with a frown. "See you have been reading
the Daily Mail again." She turned to her mother. "I thought the Doctor
told him to avoid it along with coffee and alcohol 'cause of his blood
pressure. It'll do him no good." Her father went to reply when Sarah
interrupted him. "Remember, it's the paper that supported Hitler."
"You keep saying that," he moaned. "And it's better that that left-wing
rubbish you read," he told her and Sarah sighed.
"The Independent. Yeah, really left-wing. You should see our staff
room at work, full of Trots all pouring over the Indy," she said with a
scowl. "We sing the Communist Worker's Song before we start work in the
morning, bow down towards Russia. And we got a grant from our Labour
Council to do it and fly the Red Flag."
The middle-aged man shook his head and went to reply when there was a
cry from the corner of the sofa. "Ah-ha," Liam called out and he prised
open the small gift his sister had bought him. "A digital camera," he said
loudly and put his arms out to hug his sister. "Ahh wow!"
"Get away from me," Sarah cried. "You'll get blood on my T-Shirt."
"Sorry."
Sarah sipped at her tea and her mother touched her on the knee. "How
was Parents' Evening, love."
"Ahh fine. One parent thought I was pushing their son too hard by
insisting that he can read and write at the age of nine. And another
thought I was holding them back by not teaching them Quantum Mechanics, but
apart from that, OK."
Her mother smiled. "I told you, you'd be OK."
"It's very different doing it on your own. Scared me a bit, but the
early parents were fine. All the kids said that they liked Miss Dayton
apparently apart from Luke who thinks I am scary."
"You are scary," Liam teased as he poured over the hand-held device and
Sarah finished her tea. "I would hate to be taught by you."
"I don't mind teaching you dress sense," Sarah replied instantly. "God,
there were geeks at Uni who wouldn't be seen dead in that."
Liam sighed. "I like it. Olivia bought it for me."
"Well she is just making sure that no other girl wants you," Sarah
spluttered and looked across at her mother. "Now are we going to get
Birthday Fish 'n' Chips or what?"
"Yeah, sure," her father replied and reached up for his wallet on the
fireplace next to his chair. He stretched and heard a ringing sound. "Oh,
it's my 'phone, one moment," he muttered and located the device. "George
Dayton," he abruptly answered the ringing mobile 'phone. "On fire. OK
I'll be with you shortly."
* * * * *
"Hiya," Sarah called out the moment she closed the front door to their
terraced house. "How's the patient?"
"I'm fine," a pregnant girl muttered from the sofa. "Liam like his
camera?"
"Oh yeah," Sarah replied airily as Sarah sauntered into the lounge.
"One of Dad's houses is on fire, so we had Fish 'n' Chips and er that was
it really. Dad wants us to take anyone but I told him, no."
The pregnant girl looked up in surprise as Sarah closed the door. Their
front room was lit only be a couple of wall lights, the flickering of the
fire and a slight crack in the curtains. The threadbare two-people couch
underneath the window was occupied by Tabitha who sat up as Sarah came into
the room and flicked off the television. "Just crap on," she muttered.
Sarah looked at the pregnant girl. At five foot ten inches tall, she
was a couple of inches taller than her but Tabitha was much bigger, even
after considering the pregnancy bump. Sarah was slight and thin whereas
Tabitha was well built and almost stocky.
Sarah envied her house mate, and although her own breasts were not
small, Tabitha's large bosom had grown immensely during her pregnancy to
now be a 38F. Tabitha patted the chair next to her. "What happens if your
Dad does decide to put someone in here?"
Sarah took a deep breath. "Oh I don't know. It would be good if we
could find someone. Failing that, we will just have to muddle through."
Sarah kicked off her shoes and socks and looked up at the pregnant girl on
the couch as she slid her jeans and panties down to her ankles. "Mean,
they will get a proper shock if he picks anyone, won't they?"
The naked Tabitha smirked. "Yeah. That girl he sent 'round a couple of
days ago. She was awful. Could tell she wouldn't want to live with
naturists."
Sarah smiled as she removed her top and sat down next to Tabitha.
"Before I get comfortable, do you need a drink?" Tabitha pointed at a full
glass of water on the table and Sarah smiled. "Good, listening to the
Doctor. Yeah, Dad asked me about her. But she wouldn't have coped with
us, let alone Nat."
"Well she is as much exhibitionist as she is naturist. She would have
loved to make her feel uncomfortable if she started preaching. You know
that."
"Dad mentioned that. Nat's art modelling and stuff, says our house is
immoral."
Tabitha smiled. "It is immoral."
Sarah giggled and allowed Tabitha to get herself comfortable by leaning
back and putting her legs across hers. She glanced down at her stubble
gracing her pubis and Tabitha looked pleadingly at the young teacher. "You
couldn't tomorrow, you know."
Sarah smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I think I can," she said with a grin.
"Yeah, 'cause it's a service the nurses don't offer," Tabitha
complained. "And I do like it nice and smooth."
"Sure," Sarah said and then looked at the television. "Anyway, where is
this film you promised me?"
Tabitha picked up the two remote controls and turned the television back
on, before flicking the DVD player into life.
"Saturday nights are just awesome," she announced and ran her hands
along the legs and thigh of the black girl as the DVD span up.
"I've put something saucy in. That OK?" Tabitha offered and Sarah
nodded knowing exactly what Tabitha meant.
Chapter II
George Dayton pulled up at the house in Elm Park Road in his executive
salon. He spotted the frustrated figure of Adam, sat on the garden wall
and smoothed his jacket as he got out of the car.
"Hiya," Adam called out to him and George nodded. There were a few
people milling around but his property was in darkness and silent.
"What's happened?"
Adam sighed. "They reckon the guys next door put a chip pan on and
didn't turn it off and then they went out," Adam said calmly to groans from
his landlord. "And their kitchen caught fire, which is in the corner and
it just took hold and it's gutted the back of mine. Well yours."
George shook his head in disgust and reached into his jacket pocket
taking out a torch. "Can we get in?"
"Fire Brigade said not to until the Building Inspector comes but feck
knows when that'll be."
"Well we can get 'round the back can't we?"
Adam nodded. "Yeah but I ain't been to see it."
The landlord flicked on his torch and looked walked over to the gate by
the side of the semi-detached house, pushing it open and walking through
it. The smell of charred wood and smoke hung in the air and George swore
when he saw the back of the property. "Hell, this is a lot of work here."
"Yeah I guessed that," Adam replied as he caught up. The entire of the
house in the bottom right was charred black and three of the windows had
melted. It was clear that the fire had burnt most of the downstairs plus
the smoke damage and George sighed.
"Only just finished doing this up after those bastards wrecked it," he
muttered and Adam pursed his lips. "Did you have anything moved in?"
"No," Adam muttered. "Thank fuck. Was moving in tomorrow." George
hummed and swung the torch from one part of the house to the other and
rubbed his eyes in frustration. "Look, can I stay in the flat for the time
being? I know I signed on to take this on yesterday but I can't move in
here, with it in this state."
The landlord sighed. "No. No you can't, not like this. There's weeks
of work here. You'd be within your rights to cancel the agreement." He
looked at the young man staring at the property
Adam bit his lip and hummed. "So me flat. That been taken?"
George screwed up his face. "Sorry. The couple I showed 'round this
morning took it. I signed the agreement a few hours ago." He rubbed his
brow and looked at the property again scarcely illuminated by the feint
light of the torch.
"Ahh shit," Adam cried out. "Cause I got to get out of there by
Thursday and got nowhere to go. I ain't movin' back in with my parents.
Ya dain't got anywhere free?"
George sighed. "Yeah, umm, OK. Look it's only a room in a house share
on the other side of Lancaster but it's all I got. It's normally seventy
quid a week but I can let you have it at half price if you still want to
move into the house when it's done up," he told him. "Plus bills that you
sort out, I don't get involved in that."
"A room? I got loads of stuff in my flat," Adam told him morosely.
"Sorry," the landlord muttered. "I got 100% occupancy bar this room.
It's a house full of girls ..." George paused and waited for the objection
and shook his head. "Yeah sorry, I know. But it's a house full of girls,
they're OK."
"Yeah, if that's all what's available," Adam muttered. "I'll chuck some
stuff, well most of me stuff, in storage."
"He surveyed the house again and shrugged. "Yeah sorry, I'm just
waiting for some house sales to go through but they are occupied. I think
the next free property is after Christmas. Loads in June obviously when
the students go home."
Adam bit his lip and nodded. "Ahh well, it'll beat going back with my
parents."
"Yeah," George muttered, distracted for a moment. "How are they?"
"Yeah, they're fine. Dad's working too hard and Ivy, well she is
shacked up with a right lazy bastard."
George snorted and scribbled a number on a piece of paper. "This is the
house phone number, if you want to have a butchers or to meet the girls.
They are a nice bunch but just a bit crazy." Adam gave a nervous laugh and
the landlord smiled. "They're OK. Bloody awkward but I'll draw up the
paperwork tomorrow. Come to the office at ten and I'll give you keys."
Adam nodded and shook his hand. "Cheers. Owe you one."
* * * * *
"Ahh, there you are. I have a little surprise for you," the landlord
called as he came back up the driveway from getting his Sunday papers from
the newsagent and saw his daughter getting out of her car outside his
house.
"What?" Sarah asked, stooping to pick up the bottle of wine from the
front seat. "What's up?"
"I have someone who will be staying in the spare bedroom," he told her
with a smile. "One of my tenants."
Sarah shook her head and stared at him wide-eyed. "Oh no. No, no, no,
no, no! Dad you promised. Who?" She barked.
"Adam," came the response with a terse look.
"Adam. A guy called Adam?"
"Well Adam is a boys name," he told her with a smirk. "Now I know ..."
"Why would you do this?" Sarah shouted in the street, her arms gesturing
wildly. Her father unlocked his front door and scowled at her. "Why would
you put a guy in with us? We had this conversation yesterday."
"I do not want to continue this conversation outside," he warned her.
"I will not discuss my business with the street." Sarah threw her hands
down to her sides and strode into the house.
"Who is he and why?" She shouted as she crossed the threshold.
"He was due to move into a house, it burnt down yesterday so I said he
could rent the room off me."
"Well can't he live somewhere else?" Sarah asked, her voice sharp and
snappy.
"No," her father replied instantly. "I have near 100% occupancy. I
told you that. Anyway you know him, he's a nice lad."
"I don't know anyone called Adam," Sarah sneered and crossed her arms
glaring at her father.
"Yes you do know him. Remember that twentieth wedding anniversary we
went to few years ago. You were in College I think. Or School. Stuart
and Louise, the garage owner. You know, my old school friend. He is their
son."
Sarah screwed up her face. "At that posh pub near the hospital?"
"Yeah, that's the one. He's a nice guy."
"He threw up in the flower beds and made a pass at every girl there,
didn't he?" The landlord shrugged.
"I can't remember."
"Black hair, tall, wore a green shirt. He was with a podgy girl and
they got absolutely hammered. "
The landlord sighed and pursed his lips. "Well he might've done, I
don't know."
"So, let's be honest, you know nothing about him. He might not be a
nice guy, he might be a killer or a rapist or anything."
"Don't be silly, Sarah. You are acting like one of your pupils. He's a
nice lad, always pays his rent on time," he told her. "Unlike your
friends." Sarah winced and the landlord shook his head and walked into the
front room.
"Yeah, 'cause rapists never pay their debts do they?" Sarah spat back,
continuing the argument. "If only all those murderers like Ian Huntley and
Moira Hindley. If only they'd have paid their rent on time, they'd have
not have committed any sex crimes." Her father's expression changed at
Sarah's sarcasm. "And I don't want anyone I don't know moving in to the
room above me."
"Well that's the problem," her father told her. "Someone you don't
know. Everyone is someone you don't know. Now I do know Adam and I know
his family. He is a good lad, he won't cause any trouble. And I knew you
wouldn't like it, but I gave you ample opportunity to find someone you
wanted and you didn't. So I have found someone suitable for you."
Sarah rubbed her face and held out her hands at her father. "He is not
suitable. He is a he, for a start. If he was a she we might be talking
but being a he is bad. Very bad."
"Yeah, and if you are as vulnerable as you say you are then having a guy
in the house is better than all you girls. What happens if you get a
break-in?"
"I can look after myself," Sarah hissed. "I looked after myself when I
was at Uni and I can do so again. I certainly don't need some guy to be
around."
"Well it is my last word on the subject," her father told her for the
second time. "He has a six month contract starting from Wednesday."
"Wednesday," Sarah wailed. "And six months. You promised me. You
promised me that we would have a veto."
"And you promised me that you would have it filled by the end of
September," her father replied. "So I have. And it's signed so it is
final."
Sarah crossed her arms. "This is bang out of order. Utterly, bang out
of order."
"No Sarah," he father said. "What is bang out of order is you and your
friends refusing to co-operate with me. Now I have been very patient, but
I run a business. You wanted to live away from home, I don't charge you
girls much rent, even with four of you but I still got costs and the like.
Now, he will be moving in and you will make him welcome."
Sarah puffed. "I will not," she told him and pushed past him into the
kitchen, her face etched with anger and frustration.
"Sarah, you are 23, for Christ's sake. You're making more fuss than the
couple of Queens I got sharing that flat up in Hala."
Sarah snorted and threw open the door where her mother was preparing
dinner. "Dad is such a "
"Cheese!" Cried her brother and Sarah swore as the pocket digital camera
flashed in her eyes. "This is brilliant," he cried and darted into the
lounge.
* * * * *
"Cheers," Adam muttered as he raised the full pint to his lips and sat
back in the sofa watching the football out of the corner of his eye.
"Supermarket has 'em on offer," his father muttered, offering him some
peanuts from a small tray. The small television in the corner of the small
house flickered and Stuart Hodson got up and banged the top of the ageing
CRT set.
"Not time for a new telly then?"
The grey-haired man snorted. "With bloody Ivy and her useless boyfriend
leaching off me, where'm I going find money for a new telly."
"Still unemployed?" Adam asked as the television flickered back to life
and the pitch returned.
"Both of 'em. Messing around all day. She's been told she needs to do
some training down the job centre, proper angry 'bout it as she says she
got a trade but she ain't got a job yet so it's worth doing. He's got away
with it 'cos he's got a bad back. He's takin' liberties."
"Well chuck 'em out then," Adam replied. "I moved out when I was
eighteen."
Stuart Hodson's face flickered and he sniffed. "Yeah, well, ya always
had more goin' for you than Ivy."
Adam nodded and turned his attention back to the football. "And you're
too soft for your own good," Adam teased.
"Too feckin' right," his father replied. "That Brad, he makes a hundred
quid a week off the benefits but I see nowt. And Lou only gets a tenner
off him. And the thieving little shit was at me beer earlier," he grumbled
and Adam shook his head.
"Chuck 'im out. Tell 'im to go live with his folks. Or pay his way."
"Yeah I will. I should do, I mean." He looked at his son and mimicked
his daughters pleading voice. "But Ivy loves him."
"But there are loads of jobs around. There's one that's going opposite
our place," Adam told him.
"Well I tried," Stuart moaned. "But she's obsessed. She ain't gonna
get an 'airdressing placement so she should just do whatever but she did
the course so she's obsessed. It's feckin' stupid." He took a swig of his
beer and stretched, swearing at the referee on the television. "That's a
dive. Referee's effin' blind."
Adam gave a coy smile and watched as the player blasted the free kick
into the resulting stand which resulted in "justice" being muttered. The
door to the front room opened and he saw his sister looking in. "Mum says
do you want another beer?"
Adam grunted and nodded which his father copied and the fair-haired girl
returned holding two cans of chilled lager. "Carl passes his regards,"
Adam told her as she passed him his drink.
Ivy giggled and wrapped her hair around her ear. "Did he?" Adam passed
her his empty can and turned his gaze towards the television. "That's
sweet," she shrilled, and adjusted her tracksuit.
Adam looked at his father who waited for his daughter to bounce out of
the room before speaking. "She better not get involved with him again."
Adam sighed. "Yeah," he muttered in a low voice. "Well she loves Brad.
She only went out with her exes when Brad played away, didn't she?"
"Well, he's a weird lad. Never knew what she saw in him." He waited for
Adam to puff and looked at him. "I know he's ya friend but ..."
"I know he's a bit of a character. I mean, he took Ivy to his gun club
on a date. I can't believe he did that. Or taking her down to the footie.
But he's just Carl." Stuart glanced over and took a handful of the peanuts.
"And Carl has a job. A flat. Prospects."
Stuart snorted. "Prospects of getting his head kicked in," came the
response. "He's just a weird " He trailed off as the ball was played
through the middle of the defence and his attention turned to the screen.
"Round the 'keeper," he cried and then erupted with cheers at the well
taken goal.
Adam had never really known what to make of Brad: he looked like he was
a stereotypical Australian always dressed in T-Shirts, flip-flops and
shorts with long dirty blonde hair. He looked like a "dude" from the
low-budget films from the nineties, but he was laid back and had his arm
around his girlfriend.
They shamelessly kissed at the dinner table and Stuart shook his head.
"Hey, Brad. I meant to tell ya, there is a job at our place. Entry level,
just cleaning machinery and stuff, but it pays 'bove minimum wage."
Brad moved his eyes, but not his head towards Adam. "'Sit involve
movin', like?" He asked in his Merseyside accent. "'Cos me back. It's
agony."
Adam took a deep breath and licked his lips. "Yeah, but not too much."
Brad adjusted himself and moved his hand below the table, still clearly
touching Ivy, and looked into Adam's eyes. "I dain't want somethin' that's
gonna fuck me back up."
Adam took a deep breath and was interrupted by Ivy. "I heard your new
flat burnt down."
All eyes turned to Adam who nodded. "Yeah. But I've got a room in a
house on the other side of Bowerham Road."
"Oh it's posh up there," his mother chimed as she passed plates of
dinner to everyone at the table. "That'll be costin' ya."
"Yeah, it looks nice enough, 's'only for a few weeks. 'Til after
Christmas. And not too much. Storage'll cost me a small fortune."
Ivy smiled and looked into the eyes of her partner, busily slipping his
hand inside her tracksuit trousers. "Brad," she whispered and licked her
lips. "Later."
"You could live here," Louise cooed as she sat down and passed her
husband the gravy. "I always said there'll be a bed for you here."
Adam rubbed his nose. "My old room your en suite now, want me to sleep
in the shower?"
His mother laughed. "The other bedroom's big enough for a single and a
double bed. We got a spare single in the loft. An airbed or something,
isn't that right, love?"
Adam spluttered as she looked inquisitively at her husband. "I don't
think Ivy and Brad would want to share a room with me."
"Ohh it'll be fine," the lady responded. "Save you a bit of money."
Adam waited for his sister and Brad to stare at him, horror etched upon
their faces when he responded. "I've signed for it now, it's cheap, just
while my new house is sorted."
Ivy breathed out dramatically, and Adam couldn't help wonder if he
should have strung out her concern for a bit longer."
Chapter III
"Nat. Tab," Sarah called, the moment she opened the door. "Anyone
home?"
"In here," the booming voice of Tabitha answered from the lounge and
Sarah turned right through a door at the foot of the stairs.
"Ahh, we have a problem," she called out as she kicked off her shoes
across the tiled hallway so they landed against the wall in heap. "You'll
never guess what my stupid, pig-headed shit, Nat, are you OK?"
Sarah paused as she looked down at the couch and saw her curvy house
mate sobbing on the sofa, her head in her hands. Tabitha was consoling her
with her arms around the brunette who wiped her eyes and looked up. "He
dumped me," she said by way of an explanation.
"What, Ryan? Nah. Shit, your serious. What did he do that for? You
were going fine, weren't you?"
Natalie's face screwed up as she burst into tears and jerked her hands
forward. "I don't know. He just said that we weren't going anywhere, and
he didn't love me anymore."
"Fuck. The bastard. Two years, right?"
"I know." Natalie looked at her hands and shook her head. "And then he
said, we can just be friends. Friends with benefits 'cause he liked the
sex."
"I hope you told him no," Sarah told her and Natalie smiled through her
tears.
"I kicked him in the balls," Natalie replied with a grin. "Twice. I
think he took that as a 'no' cause he just screamed abuse at me."
"Men. You just can't trust 'em," Tabitha replied and rubbed her rotund
belly. "You better be a young lady."
Sarah gave an involuntary smile at Tabitha talking to her unborn child
and then snapped out of her thoughts when Natalie spoke to her.
"You were saying," Tabitha asked and Sarah stopped for a moment and
thought. "When you came in?"
"Oh yeah. My Dad. My stupid, stupid Dad has arranged for someone to
live with us."
"What?" Her two companions shouted in earnest. "Who?"
"Adam."
"Adam. But Adam's a boys name."
"Yes, Tab. I know. I said that."
"But we, you know. Live our life of freedom and stuff."
"Yes, I know." Sarah replied in an annoyed tone. "I fuckin' know that.
I don't want him just ogling us, but what can we do?"
"So what can we do?" Tabitha asked and Sarah shrugged.
"I dunno. It's in the contract," the teacher replied to a howl of
annoyance from Tabitha.
"It says we have a veto. We agreed to a veto if one of us leaves."
"Yes, for the first two months. I've been through this with him and he
is not budging. Says he has a legal right and has costs to meet."
"I'd rather have that Alice or even that druggie than a guy."
"Me too," Sarah replied instantly "But he just wouldn't listen. It's
some guy who's moving out of his flat into one that's just gone up in
smoke."
"Shit," Natalie cried. "Is he all right?"
"Yeah. Well Dad didn't say he wasn't," Sarah told the room. "Didn't
ask. I mean, I guess he ain't in the burns unit 'cause he signed for the
room. I was told is his new place is chargrilled and we are the only place
he can stay."
"I don't like it," Tabitha replied. "I am pregnant."
"Yeah, I tried that."
"And vulnerable."
"And that," Sarah interrupted triumphantly. "He's said he is moving in
and that's that."
"So what do we do now? I don't want to wear clothes " Natalie trailed
off and took a deep breath.
Sarah sighed. "I guess it marks the end of our naturism for a few
months," she declared in a concerned voice.
"Yeah, 'cause he will be proper freaked out by it all," the vivacious
Natalie added. "Ryan was always well freaked out when I'd wander 'round
his house starkers."
"He lived with four other guys three of whom were nerdy singletons,"
Sarah told her friend. "He probably didn't want them lusting over you."
"Well that's as maybe. But I don't want those restrictions in my house.
I want to be able to run around with nothing on, if I want to. I certainly
don't want some guy constantly staring at me as if I am some zoo exhibit."
Tabitha sniffed. "We can't choose, can we? If he is moving in, then we
just got to see what happens, right?"
Sarah snorted. "Sometimes, I fuckin' hate my family," she moaned. "Dad
is bang out of order."
* * * * *
"Birds? A house of whining, screaming women?" Carl asked over his pint
of beer.
"Yeah, tell me about it. I've nicked our van at work and dumped all me
shit I don't need in storage. I got it again tomorrow afternoon to move
in," Adam moaned, nursing his pint.
"Ahh they'll be moaning about the telly and music and the toilet. Women
are fuckin' obsessed with the toilet. So what if the seat is up, why can't
the lazy cunts just get their hand and put it down. We don't moan when
they leave it down, do we?"
Adam shrugged. "Yeah, that Molly who I lived with for a few weeks, she
went mental at stupid things. Like using the fridge for beer and having a
wank in the shower."
Carl screwed up his face. "Ya gonna get fuckin' mithered to fuck ain't
ya?"
Adam took a gulp of his beer. "Yeah, but I ain't got much of a choice.
I ain't going back 'ome. Ivy's trying to get knocked up and I ain't
listening to her all night." Carl smiled, he remembered the charms of
Adam's youngest sister very well and Adam glared at him grinning. "Yeah,
stop it, mate."
"Sorry," Carl muttered and stared out of the pub window to look at the
puddles forming. "She's a hot piece."
Adam rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "How was that march ya
were on?"
"Protest," Carl replied. "Good. Some Unite Against rubbish were there
but they got their 'eads kicked in. Proper good, we had some Union leader
at the back of the Supermarket and he was in a proper bad way once we'd
finished with 'im."
Adam sighed and Carl scowled at him. "Ya gonna be on Crimewatch then?"
Carl guffawed. "Fuck no. I ain't messin' him up in front of cameras. I
ain't stupid but we got another protest two weeks time. Bradford."
"Why?" Adam asked finishing the last of his beer.
"Ahh, some Pakis want to build a mosque next to a Church. They can fuck
off if they think their dirty shit should be next to God's Church."
Adam gave a titter. "Didn't have you down as a church-goer."
Carl sneered. "It's all flower arranging and hymns and shit. I ain't
going to that bollocks ever. But it's the principle of it ain't it?
Church of England and our heritage next to some filthy Paki place. It
ain't 'appening. It needs burning down."
Adam sighed and got up. "I gotta go and pack last few bits." Carl
downed the last of this drink and stretched his legs.
"Last night," he teased. "Before you move in. I betya they ain't gonna
have beer in the fridge."
"Yeah, and they ain't got Cable or Sky; I checked with the landlord. So
no sports."
" Well it's birds ain't it. It'll be Jane Austen dramas and cookery
shit," Carl muttered in response. "They'll be on your case all fuckin'
day."
"Ahh well, I'll just have to give 'em the Adam Charm won't I?"
"Nah. Yah need to lay down the law mate. Tell those fuckin' birds to
stop with the shit. It ain't natural anyway, bet they lez up and have gay
friends. Last thing you want is a load of queers coming 'round every day,
sniffing your keks and shit."
Adam shrugged. "I've been told by James to be charming. First night,
thought some drinks and a takeaway maybe."
Carl sneered. "Fancy an Indian before ya pack?"
"Ahh go on then."
* * * * *
"Natalie, close the door," the stout gentleman told her and he watched
his assistant shut his office door, faded and downtrodden before turning
and sitting down on a worn chair.
"All right, Jeff. You wanted to see me?"
"Yes," he said brusquely and rubbed his face. "Just so-es you know, we
are getting rid of four of our vehicles," he told her and rubbed his brow.
"We haven't had the bookings and it seems silly to 'ave 'em in the yard,
costing money."
Natalie nodded. "Four? Christ, we only discussed two."
Jeff wiped his eyes. "Yes I know. But we got a good offer and Taylors,
up in Kendal, they offered us some money for 'em and well, we can't keep
having coaches idle."
Natalie nodded. "They get some trade from the Lakes," she replied,
somewhat philosophically. "And we are a bit far out here."
He puffed in agreement. "Ya not wrong there. And the two Theatre
groups losing funding from the Government 'asn't 'elped. I mean, they were
good for so many trips."
"Fuckin' Tories," Natalie muttered. "So which four are going?"
"Coaches 26 to 29."
"The new ones?" Natalie cried out. "We only got them two years ago. I
thought we were going to ditch the bangers."
Jeff squirmed. "I got a good price for 'em," he told her. "They wanted
the new ones and I got a good deal. Now, Rufus, Steve, Toby and Paul all
need to be told that their coaches are going to Kendal," he announced.
"Can ya handle that today please."
"Me?" Natalie spluttered. "You want me to do it?"
Jeff nodded. "I got an important meeting," he responded immediately.
"I got a meeting in town."
Natalie scowled at him briefly; it wasn't usual for him to be evasive
and certainly the dismissal of four of their employees was an event she
expected the owner and manager to do. "Are you sure ?" She trailed off and
Jeff nodded.
"Natalie, you'll be fine. Now, I got to go and speak to the Bank."
Natalie's face dropped and he pushed both hands down on the table. "It's
fine. Just a yearly review meeting, the banks love 'em," he told her.
"But if I miss it then they start asking questions. And I know Rufus, and
Toby and Paul. Well they all live closer to Kendal than Lancaster, and I
know Taylor's are looking for drivers, so it'll suit them."
"Right OK," Natalie muttered and Jeff slid four piles of paper over to
her.
"You're my Operations Manager," he told her with a grin. "Since Dave
left I need you to do these sorts of things for me."
"Right," Natalie muttered and he tapped the top of the papers.
"You'll need these. Be good to 'em. But I am sure they won't mind."
* * * * *
"Dad," Sarah cooed and sidled up to her father. "Look, I know we've
said some stuff but we've had a chat and we think Alicia mightn't be so bad
after all."
Her father sighed and looked at her as he put his breakfast bowl in the
sink. "He is moving in, it is too late."
"But Dad I was thinking."
"No," came the response.
"But Dad, listen. That girl who was at your party, Wren or something,
she is in one of your houses. Why doesn't she move in with us and let this
Adam guy move in with her friends."
George crossed his arms. "Because they don't know Adam..."
"Neither do we," Sarah replied. "And Tabitha..."
"And I've told you, that is the end of it. Now was there a reason to
you being here 'cause I reckon your new house mate might need some help
moving in."
"Do not call him that," Sarah spat as she scowled at the grinning face
of her father. "He is not my house mate."
"He is," the middle-aged man replied softly. "Now how would you like
it, your house burnt down?" Sarah's scowl deepened and she shrugged. "I
don't think he wants to live with you girls any more than you want him to
live with you but he is homeless and had to put half his stuff into storage
so he could probably do without you getting bitchy with him."
Sarah groaned. "I am never bitchy."
Her father raised his eyebrows. "Yes, you do. Now I know it's not
ideal but, needs must. And you never know, you might actually like him."
"I won't," Sarah said instantly and he looked at her.
"Now, I'm sorry Sarah, I have to go to work. And when you get home Adam
will probably be there."
Sarah grunted and looked up from the kitchen table; it was not often she
had breakfast at her parent's house, even though it was en route to her
primary school where she worked but she had made an exception with the hope
of talking her father out of his decision. "But he better be house
trained," she snapped. "And tolerant."
"Tolerant?" Her father asked. "Why?"
Sarah screwed up her face. "Why do you think, Dad?"
"Well Tabitha better not play the race card just because she doesn't
like the look of him. I had a guy do that last year with me," he stopped
and thought for a moment. "Weird guy, he was gay as well. Said I was
discriminating against him for being a homo and a darkie just 'cause I
wanted my rent paid."
"Homo and a darkie?" Sarah asked incredulously but her father didn't see
the disbelieving look she gave him.
"Yeah, now listen. Her kind are always doing that, that girl better not
play the race card with him. He's a good bloke, nice guy. Just please, be
nice to him. For me, 'cause I could really so without this agro."
Sarah bit her tongue and glared at her father as he left the room. She
glanced over at her brother and he just shrugged with a smile. "He'll find
out your secret sooner rather than later," he warned her.
"Yeah well. Just not yet, OK. It's fine, loads of people are
comfortable with it, but you know how much of a conservative prude he can
be. "
Liam smiled. "Well he didn't mind me going out with that girl from the
Uni last year," he boasted. "The French one."
Sarah leant across and looked at him. "Yes, but he might have a problem
with the drink, the weed and not to mention the orgies." Liam grinned in
reminiscence and she sighed. "Or maybe not. Who knows how his fuckin'
mind works, you might get away with those, but I know your other secrets
too. Remember, Olivia told me when she was pissed and I know he will
proper freak if he finds out about them. About that night. Or should I
say those nights."
Liam's eyes widened and he shook his head. "You promised not to say
anything." Sarah tutted. "Anyway, it was Olivia's idea. She encouraged
me. She likes to ..." Liam blushed and sniffed, "and it's fun I s'pose."
Sarah giggled. "It's OK. I won't. Just so unexpected that's all."
Liam watched as she placed her bowl on the worktop by the sink and hugged
him goodbye before she strode out of the house and into her ten-year old
car. The radio blared on the moment she started the ignition and she swore
at it before turning off and heading for the small primary school where she
worked.
Lenbury Road School was in a sleepy village on the coast and the drive
took her twenty miles in almost unbroken countryside past the river
estuary. She was lucky to have been given the job, as a Newly Qualified
Teacher the first appointment was often tricky to get but she had worked at
neighbouring schools as a supply teacher and then in March got the
full-time Year 4 teaching position on a temporary basis when the incumbent
was involved in a serious car accident.
The previous teacher was nearing retirement and the high-speed collision
had left her with multiple broken bones. While Sarah was not hoping that
the experienced Mrs Parsons would not return, she was aware that if she was
unable to come back then the job she was doing would most likely be
confirmed on a permanent basis.
Sarah, or Miss Dayton, was liked by almost all of her class. She made
lessons fun and interesting, her youthful enthusiasm and idealistic naivety
not dulled by years in the teaching profession, the endless initiatives and
pointless bureaucracy.
She had persuaded her friends to spend some of their Easter break
turning an abandoned piece of land into an allotment and on the return to
school in late-April her class grew a multitude of vegetables that they
planned, watered and then harvested in time for the Harvest Festival. The
class project had involved everyone and bought her considerable praise from
the headteacher.
Sarah liked her job but the day dragged; she knew Adam had taken a day
off work to move into their house and Tabitha was home alone. She wanted
to be there not at work, ensuring that her house mate was OK. Even some of
the children noticed Sarah was a little distracted and one of her more
challenging pupils was able to hide coats belonging to five of the girls
before she spotted him acting strangely in the playground and had to tell
him to return them.
Sarah had a decision herself to make; she knew that if swallowed her
pride a bit and made an effort then she could make Adam feel welcome, even
though he wasn't. It was what her Dad would have wanted but it wasn't want
she wanted; she wanted him out of the house.
She thought as she drove back, perhaps her father was right; how would
she feel if she was in that situation? Perhaps, Adam wouldn't be so bad.
Perhaps, they could still lead their nudism lifestyle with him around
although they had agreed to remain clothed in the flat until they felt
comfortable around him.
While they all, and Natalie especially, had no qualms about being seen
naked by men, their house was their sanctuary and as such they had to feel
secure and safe. Adam being present, especially if he was clothed, would
be violating their sanctum.
* * * * *
"Adam," he said introducing himself to a black girl sat on the couch.
"I'm here to move in." Tabitha nodded and looked over at him. "I did ring
but there wasn't an answer."
"Oh that was you," she muttered. "Nat thought it was her ex. You
should have rung the mobile," she said in an accusatory tone and Adam
scowled slightly. "I'm Tabitha," she said without emotion and got up from
the chair. "Sarah and Natalie aren't due back 'til six."
"Fine, OK" he muttered and scowled; he had not expected the lack of
friendliness from the girl and took a deep breath rubbing his hands. "I
got a bike. I was told there is a shed or something here that isn't used."
Tabitha walked over to him and glanced over at the open door. "Shut the
door, and I will show you 'round," she barked. Adam felt like he was being
chastised for being a naughty schoolboy: leaving the door open when he
shouldn't and just closed it. Tabitha strode down the hall and opened a
varnished wooden door on the right hand side, next to the lounge. "The
dining room."
The small room contained a large dining table, a small pile of towels
and a sideboard which Tabitha showed contained knives and forks. A small
alcohol fridge stood in the corner and Tabitha shook her head when Adam
clapped eyes on it. "I got some beers," he told her. "In the van."
The rotund lady walked through the dining room, and came to another door
which opened back out in the hallway and walked through an arch into the
kitchen. "We clean up the night we cook things," she told him as he looked
around the compact and elongated room. She pointed out where all the
cooking pans were and opened the fridge, telling him that the "blue milk"
was hers. She shooed him back; there was barely room for two people to
pass in the kitchen and pointed to a hook above head level containing a
key. "For the shed," she told him. "It is empty."
Tabitha strode down the tiled hallway, and then up the stairs opposite
the lounge. The first floor contained a bathroom with a "lid down" toilet
and both her room and Sarah's. The dark landing continued around until it
reached another set of stairs which she walked up and pointed to a room
over the front with an open door. "My room?"
"Yes," Tabitha said curtly. "I go to bed around ten so no loud music or
loud TV and games."
"Yeah, fine," Adam muttered and scowled at her: he didn't think Tabitha
could have been less welcoming if she had tried and he looked into the
room. The single bed was alongside the sloping roof and there was a
wardrobe and desk in the corner. If he was going to stay for a period of
time then he might consider changing the walls from purple to something
more neutral but he could live with it for a few weeks.
He turned around to thank Tabitha but she was already going downstairs
and he opened the wardrobe and chest of drawers beneath it. He could fit
all of his stuff in it, but it would be a squeeze. He was just thankful
most of his gear was in storage.
Adam didn't ask, nor was he offered any help, but Tabitha was sat back
in front of the television and she didn't look like she was too strong to
him. It only took Adam ten minutes to cart his suitcase and eight boxes
into his room before he returned back to the van.
Tabitha had not said another word to him.
* * * * *
By the time she had arrived home there were no spaces outside her house
and Sarah had to park on the next street, a not unusual occurrence. She
practically ran past all the parked cars to the royal blue door that
signified her home. She unlocked it, it was quiet, and there were no new
cars on the street, and crept inside the house.
Tabitha was in the lounge watching television and she looked in. "Is he
here?"
Tabitha nodded. "Yeah, didn't say much. He's in his room. And he is
using the shed at the back for his bike. Only just got back from dropping
the van off."
"What's he like?"
"He didn't say much," Tabitha replied and swept her black braided hair
back. "He just carried several boxes in and filled the fridge up with
beer. Sarah groaned and she glanced behind her as she heard movement. "Oh
and he wondered why we kept our dressing gowns by the front door as he went
out."
Sarah hummed. "What did you say?"
"Not much," Tabitha replied as the front door closed and the Scottish
member of their trio poked her head around the lounge door.
"So what's the wee pervert like then?" Natalie asked as she took her
coat off and Sarah shrugged.
"I dunno. Shall we go knock on his door and ask?"
Tabitha shook her head and took a gulp from her glass of water. "No.
Let's hope he just keeps himself to himself. He seemed a bit shy."
The floorboards above them creaked and they watched the door in silence
as Adam appeared, his black hair untidy and his T-Shirt stained.
He looked at the three girls and smiled. "Hi. I'm Adam," he muttered
and nervously held out his hand to Natalie. She didn't take it and he just
sighed. "Look, I know this is proper difficult for y'all and, er, well
it's a bit weird for me too. I ain't lived with a load of birds before and
well it thought would be cool if we chill. Watch a film or something. Or
play on my PlayStation 'cause I saw you ain't got one, it's upstairs in a
box but I got some decent games and stuff. And we could grab a few beers,
a curry in as I know a great take-out and relax, ya know, 'cos I've had a
shit day and I want to just chill."
Tabitha looked at him in silence and groaned. "I'm pregnant," she
muttered, pointing at her stomach. "I'm not drinking."
"You're pregnant?" Adam said in surprise. "Oh I just thought that," his
voice trailed off as Tabitha glared at him. "Dain't matter. Well have a
few beers and a curry and put your feet up."
"Alcohol," Tabitha said firmly. "I can't have any beer. And I need to
watch what I eat," the black girl snapped.
"Yeah but that's a myth ain't it?"
Sarah groaned and put her head in her hands. "No. It isn't."
"Ahh well just lemonade then. But a Vindaloo or a Phaal or for you
girls a Tikka Masala or owt. Hey, you lot should love that," he said
gesturing towards Tabitha.
Sarah's eyes flew open and she glared at Adam, who clearly had no idea
he may have offended them as he looked expectantly at the scowling girls.
"I'll go do us that Mushroom Rissotto," Natalie offered and pushed past
Adam into the kitchen.
"A mushroom what? I'm grabbing an Indian," he told her. "Anyone fancy
a beer?"
Sarah reached for her mobile and swore under her breath; it would be a
very long six months.
Chapter IV
"What?" Adam asked tired and still bleary-eyed.
"I am merely asking," Sarah said in a sanctimonious voice oozing with
fake sincerity, "what the purpose of that bag of peanuts was last night?
After we went upstairs, you were here playing on the willy substitute and
shooting fuck knows what with ya takeaway and ya had peanuts. Why?"
Adam groaned, and scratched his testicles through the blue dressing
gown. "Err to go with the beer."
"You mean the beer that was in the beer can there, there, there, there,
there and there." Sarah pointed to eight discarded lager cans on the table
and looked at him. "The cans that have stunk out the lounge all night of
stale beer. Not to mention the takeaway cartons left there. Do you think
we want to have our lounge smelling of curry and cheap lager?"
"Yeah OK, chill. It's a couple of cans, for god's sake," Adam said
derisively and Sarah clenched her fists. "I'll move 'em. I always clean
up in the morning. It's not a problem."
Sarah sighed loudly. "It is a problem. So I ask again, what is the
point of the effin' peanuts?"
Adam hummed and held out his hands. "I don't get it."
"Because normally, I would think you eat peanuts, but you seem to
scattered them to the four corners of the fucking room," Sarah snapped.
"What is it? Is your mouth not big enough for a peanut this big?" Sarah's
fingers moved millimetres apart and Adam looked at her in shock.
Adam screwed his face up. "Oh. You always miss a couple when you chuck
them up in the air," he said defensively. "But I'll clean it up before I
go to work."
"But I shouldn't find them the following morning. You clean up ya shit
from the night before. We have outside bins for that and that and the
twenty-two peanuts I found this morning."
Adam chortled in disbelief. "Seriously, you counted them? Fuckin'
'ell. Carl warned me about t'is. It's bang out of order, a few cans and
I'll clear 'em up for fucks sake. "
Sarah's scowl deepened and she pointed to a pile of peanuts on the small
fireplace. "They need to go in the bin," she said firmly. "We like to
keep the house tidy." Adam groaned and Sarah crossed her arms. "If you are
going to live with us do try and be house-trained."
"Oh for fucks sake," Adam muttered.
"We dain't want to live with an untidy little shit."
"Oh fuck off," Adam snapped. "Leave me alone." He snatched at the small
pile of rubbish he had left in front of the television and stuffing into
the white carrier bag his takeaway was delivered in.
"Me fuck off? This is our house, and we don't want you here," Sarah
replied back angrily. "But if you have to be here, then show us some
respect."
"Well I didn't want to move in here either," Adam snapped. "And to be
living with you lot. But I had no fucking choice."
Sarah went to reply but she glanced at the clock and swore, pushing past
her new house mate with as much force as she could muster to get herself
some breakfast.
Adam swore after her as he was bundled against the wall, calling her a
"fuckin' witch" and glared after her, holding the carrier bag. He waited
for a minute for her to finish in the kitchen before going to make himself
some porridge and a cup of tea. He was beginning to hate Sarah, and
Tabitha had made it perfectly clear the night before how much she disliked
him; that only left Natalie and she didn't appear overly friendly.
He picked up his phone and texted Carl before leaving for work at the
alarms factory where he was a supervisor. He had had a bad start to the
day and just hoped it could only get better.
It didn't, two of his members of staff phoned in ill and then one of the
machines broke so Adam spent most of the day not worrying about his little
problem; he reasoned, that if the girls didn't like him then he would just
stay out of their way and just live his life on his own.
Of course, the house was very small and Adam was used to having an
entire flat and not just a box room to himself but if they didn't like him
there was little he could do about it.
Adam opened the door to the sound of loud voices from the lounge and
walked into the kitchen to get himself a drink. Although it wasn't a long
walk to his employer he had sweated in his coat and wanted refreshment when
he got home. He rubbed his hands on his dirty sweatshirt and walked back
into the corridor, and then into the dining room.
He knew he would probably not be appreciated in the front room and took
his half-drunk pint of water to sit down at the dining table, yawning. He
just wanted five minutes peace and quiet to read his newspaper.
He was interrupted by the curvy Natalie, who grunted the moment she saw
him. "Don't tell me you buy that shit," she said forcefully as she looked
at the front page.
"What's wrong with it?" Adam asked as he sat down. "So it isn't the
Guardian or the Times or whatever you read, but it's a solid decent paper."
"It's," Natalie stopped and rubbed her eyes. "It's a foul paper," she
told him forcefully in a highly pronounced Scottish accent.
"It's just a newspaper," he sneered. "And, oh for fucks sake, can I do
anything right?" He muttered and walked out of the room, coming face to
face with Tabitha and a friend.
"You," her friend screamed. "He was with the one who attacked me in my
car," she shrieked. "It was him."
"It wasn't," Adam said immediately. "It was Carl. I had nothing to do
with it."
"He hit my car and did loads of damage," the girl shrieked. "He called
me all sorts of names. Horrible names."
"No wonder he didn't want to move in," Natalie said behind him. "Bloody
racist in our house."
"I am not a racist," Adam said quickly and rubbed his hands. "I ..."
"You watched your friend walk out in the road and then attack my car
while you sat back and cheered him on," the girl said firmly. "You
encouraged him do a racist attack."
"Accessory," Tabitha chimed.
"I didn't and " Adam started. "We didn't know he was going to do that.
And you did try to kill him."
"He walked out into the road," she shouted. "He was lucky I didn't kill
'im."
"Bollocks," Adam cried. "You messed up and nearly hit him. He was a
bit angry, probably said some things he shouldn't have. But you were being
a shit driver 'cause ya a ..."
"A what?" Tabitha asked forcefully. "So she's a shit driver. Is it
'cause she is black, she is a shit driver. Or because she is a woman?"
Adam shrugged, "she nearly killed a good friend of mine by her not
paying attention to the road. Carl was out of order, but so were you."
The girl gasped and Adam felt his pockets; he had left his mobile phone
somewhere. He saw it on top of his newspaper on the dining room table and
strode in to get it as it vibrated.
"Arranging to go to the next BNP meeting?" Tabitha asked and Adam swore,
grabbing the phone and pushing past her towards the front door.
With a snarl, Natalie picked up Adam's discarded newspaper and threw it
into the bin. "Fucking twat," she muttered in annoyance as Adam slammed
the front door.
He had been a resident for all of 24 hours and already he was feeling
annoyed and angry. Why did the Sarah girl have to "go ballistic" at him in
the morning; it was hardly as though she was going to be there all day to
smell the remnants of his curry, and he was going to clear up before going
to work even before she said anything.
Sarah hadn't accepted that it was the way he liked to keep his house
clean and tidy. He would always clean up before going to work, and in the
four years he had rented from Sarah's dad he had never had to speak to him
about his rented property being in an inappropriate state; why couldn't
Sarah understand that?
As for Tabitha accusing him of being a racist; well that was well out of
order. He was in charge of two ethnic minorities at work and he never had
any problems with them. Of course, Carl was a bit of a lad and he did have
a small issue with certain sections of society, but that was just Carl.
Tabitha didn't know him.
Natalie's problem with him was his newspaper why should she object to
the Daily Express? Sure, it might not have been her favourite paper, but
it was hardly along the lines of the Daily Sport that was littered with
nudity.
Adam tutted to himself; their problem with him was purely because he was
a man and they just didn't want him around. He idly kicked at a pebble and
watched as it bounced along the pavement and then made a satisfying ping on
a lamp-post.
In true Beckham style, Adam looked up and brought his hand out in front
of him, jumped onto his left foot, while his right swung around in an
elaborate arc and struck the pebble to watch it fly off down the road,
bounce once and hit a parked taxi.
Adam smiled briefly but then on seeing the taxi driver get out of his
car, ran down a path to his left going into a house estate. He heard the
Asian voice shouting at him and Adam sprinted down the alleyway, turned
left and ran up the hill.
He didn't stop running for a couple of minutes and then looked up; it
was at the end of the road where James lived and shrugged, looking back.
He had no desire to see the girls any time soon and crossed the road to
knock on his friend's door.
Teri answered with a raised eyebrow. "He's feeding the baby," she said
the moment she saw him. "And don't go dragging him off to the pub."
Adam raised a smile. "I won't Teri. How are you?"
Teri looked behind her and stroked her long golden hair back,
whispering. "Fine. He's been in a row at work. Told his manager to 'do
one' so he's got a disciplinary on Monday. If he loses that job, we're
fucked."
Adam wiped his nose and lowered his voice. "But she's been on at him,
right? I mean, he's had loads of trouble with her."
"Yeah, I know. But she's the manager. I fuckin' told him to button it.
When I was at the tailors, I 'ated my boss, but just had to do what he
said. Except wear short skirts, no kickers, he was taking the piss there."
Adam smirked at Teri's familiar tale.
"Love," a voice called. "Close the door, you're letting the heat out. I
ain't payin' to heat the fuckin' street."
Teri opened the door and allowed Adam into the hallway and he padded
down the sparsely decorated room and turned into the lounge. "Hiya mate."
James smiled, his baby asleep on his paunch and he nodded towards the
spare mismatched chair in his living room. "Whatcha doing here?" James
asked. "The birds chucked ya out."
"They are doing my fuckin' head in," Adam ranted and Teri appeared in
the doorway behind him. "Moanin' about a few lager cans and some takeaway,
my newspaper. And that bird who nearly ran Carl over, she appeared in the
flat as a friend of one of them and starts givin' me earache."
James grinned. "Well you will live with 'em. Nuttin' but trouble
birds, ain't that right love."
Teri crossed her arms and looked at Adam. "I think you should make an
effort to get on," she told him. "You can't always choose all the people
you have to spend time with colleagues, housemates, managers." She looked
at her husband who scowled at her.
"You know she's been a right unreasonable cow to me."
"She's your manager, you dumb ass," Teri spat back and turned to Adam,
ignoring the protestations of her husband. ""What's 'appened?"
"Oh, I left a takeaway box in the lounge and a couple of cans," he told
her with a straight face. "And one of them kicked off at me this morning,
even though I always clean me house 'fore I go to work. And one of their
friends had a set-to with Carl last week and I'm getting the blame for it."
Teri rubbed her nose and glanced at her husband. "Go easy on them. You
need to live by their rules 'cause ya movin' into their house. So be nice
to them, and make up. You gotta live with 'em for months, you'll be
grateful you made the effort." Adam snorted and Teri sat down on another
chair. "Make a big gesture. Ya gotta live with 'em. Ya want aggro for
six months?"
"Hell no," Adam replied and rubbed his hands through his hair.
* * * * *
Adam looked around the supermarket shelves for inspiration; he had
finished at lunchtime on the Friday as the machine was still not fixed and
his workforce could do little more until a new part arrived from Germany on
Monday.
The owner was annoyed but not overly worried Friday was never the most
productive day of the working week and Adam gleefully left the small
factory to walk down to the Supermarket on the city ring road.
Teri had nagged at him all that evening and she was right, of sorts. He
did need to get on with the girls while he lived there and her suggestion
of cooking them a nice meal was a good one. He thought about looking in
the cupboards to see what they ate but decided that the best thing was to
cook a slap-up roast dinner; everyone liked roasted beef or lamb.
He picked up a suitably sized joint of beef along with a bag of
potatoes, carrots, sweetcorn, frozen Yorkshire puddings and a giant
cheesecake. He added a large bottle of wine and spent just under twenty
pounds for his "getting to know the girls" meal.
He looked at his basket and wondered whether he should worry about a
starter, such as a prawn cocktail but decided against it; he didn't need to
do a posh meal, just make an effort.
The potatoes were cut up into randomly sized chunks and went into the
oven on a baking tray the moment he arrived in the house and then he took
advantage of the absence of his house mates to load up his games console to
shoot some terrorists. He was so preoccupied, Adam forgot to put the beef
in, until he glanced at the clock, swore and ran into the kitchen to throw
the joint into the oven.
Tabitha was the first to arrive and looked at Adam suspiciously as he
stopped her going into the kitchen. "Just a small surprise," he told her
and shut the door.
"But I want a drink?"
"Tea, Coffee, Juice or Water?" Adam said with a cheeriness in his voice
and Tabitha screwed up her face.
"What's got into you?"
"Nuttin'" Adam squeaked. "I am just being nice. Go put your feet up,
what do ya want?"
"Tea," Tabitha replied tersely and Adam returned from the kitchen with a
cup of tea and a biscuit.
He threw the sweetcorn and carrots into boiling water as Sarah came
through the door and Natalie was not far behind her, looking stressed.
"It's a surprise," he called and the two girls rolled their eyes.
"I bet it's burgers," Natalie whispered.
"Better not be," Sarah whispered back and Adam scowled.
"It is not burgers. Do you want to come to the dining room?" Natalie
giggled as she did and retrieved knives and forks from the drawer along
with place mats.
Adam arrived with the wine and four wine glasses being held by their
stems and put them down on the table. Tabitha sighed. "I am pregnant."
"Yes I know," Adam replied as he poured the drink.
"Well I can't drink. I told you that on Wednesday."
"You were serious?" Adam asked in a surprised voice. "Not even at the
weekend."
"No," Sarah replied for her house mate. "Tab doesn't drink. She is
pregnant."
Adam sighed and poured the white wine into three of the glasses before
returning to the kitchen. His beef was very red in the middle but he liked
it half-raw and sliced it so the girls got the meat cooked, or slightly
pink.
The potatoes had been in for a few minutes too long, but Adam didn't
mind and put the boiled carrots, sweetcorn and Yorkshire puddings on the
plate and carried them in to the room.
Tabitha looked at Sarah. "I'm vegetarian," she told Adam as he sat down
and pushed the meat to the side of her plate.
"You're what?" Adam cried out in incredulity.
Tabitha sighed and wiped her face. "I am a vegetarian. I don't eat
meat. Is that a problem?"
"Why?" Adam asked with a screwed up face.
"Because it's healthier," Tabitha told him and Adam snorted.
"I am as well," Sarah muttered and looked apologetically at Adam.
"Sorry, well, you didn't ask. Didn't you think the lack of meat in the
fridge was a giveaway?"
"Adam sniffed. "Well no, why would I think that? What I mean why would
I think that? Why would I imagine you might be vegetarian?"
Tabitha sighed. "Because it's wrong to eat animals," she told him.
"Boll-locks," Adam cried and wiped his hands over his eyes. "If animals
weren't meant to be eaten then why are they made of meat?" He smiled at
Sarah and Tabitha who shook their heads.
"But the vegetables are very nice," Sarah added.
Tabitha pushed her plate away and looked at him. "All the meat juices
have gone everywhere. I can't eat this."
"Well don't then," Adam snapped in a quiet voice and Tabitha got up from
the table.
"Don't be so rude," she said. "If you had asked I would have told you."
Adam took a deep breath and shook his head. "Just my luck to be living
with some veggies who don't tell me. D'ya not think it might've been a
good idea to fuckin' mention it."
Sarah jumped up and went to speak but Natalie raised her hand as the two
girls left the room to mutterings of discontent. "We didn't know you'd be
planning this." She smiled at him and licked her lips as some juices ran
down her chin. "It is well cooked, and it beats cooking in the evening to
have it all done for you. Thank you. It is appreciated."
"Your friends don't think that," he muttered. "Ya know, I was told to
try and make an effort, so I do and they throw it back in my face. Well
fuck 'em."
Natalie put her knife and fork down and looked across to the exasperated
man. "It's hard for all of us, ya know. We certainly wouldn't have chosen
to live with you and you wouldn't have chosen us. But we have to so let's
try and get through the next few months without killing each other, eh?"
Adam put a piece of blood red beef into his mouth and sighed. "They
need to stop being bitches. D'ya reckon they're on the blob," he asked and
Natalie launched an overcooked roast potato towards him.
"No," she cried and pointed her knife towards him. Adam muttered an
apology and Natalie shook her head. "And how is Tabitha going to have
periods, eh?"
--
John D Stories <johndstories@gmail.com>
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