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Because of a Rotten Fish

By: Moondrift



Chapter 1. The Emptiness Inside

Sally the receptionist/nurse stuck her head round the door and said, "That was the last, Prue." Prudence cleaned down the examination table then washed her hands. A dog with "The Itch," a cat with an aching tooth, a snake that wouldn't eat and a budgerigar in its cage but already dead; that had been the evening's work.

She went out to the reception area where Sally was doing the last of the clearing up. 

"You go and get something to eat, Prue," Sally said, "I'll finish up here."

Prue smiled her thanks and envied Sally that she would go home to the vineyard block and to husband Stan and a couple of kids. She went into the kitchen and not feeling like eating she made herself a cup of tea and sat brooding.

It had been a hard day, not because of the work load, but because it was the anniversary. It had been on this day four years ago that Jerry her husband had been killed in a glider accident. Another vet who was a glider enthusiast had taken Jerry up with him; "It's as safe as houses…safer than an international airliner," Jerry had assured her. Some houses were obviously safer than others because a clump of trees, a sudden change in wind direction and pilot misjudgement had ended Jerry's life.

Just two years of marriage to her beloved Jerry and it was all over. That hadn't been the only thing that was over. She had been carrying their child and the shock of Jerry's death had caused her to abort it. 

With that double loss Prue's life seemed to come crashing down. The plans they had for their family, the veterinary practice they were going to open together, the deep love they had shared, all gone.

When she came out of hospital Prue had returned to working in Joe's practice. He and his wife had been very compassionate, but Prue's heart wasn't in the work. Had it not been for her neighbours Elise and her husband Frank, Prue thought she might have gone mad. 

Those two listened to her repeating the same story again and again as she relived the moment when they had come to tell her of Jerry's death until even she could not speak the words one more time.

After a year of grieving Prue knew she had to make a change in her life - make a new start, but what, where? All around her were reminders of Jerry and the life they had planned. She knew she must get way to some new place, and it was almost pure chance that she decided it was to be Queens Bend on the banks of The Great River.

As a first step in her new life Prue had taken a holiday and had stopped off at the Queens Bend pub for lunch. There she had met Sally and family celebrating her husband's birthday together with friends. Somehow she got drawn into the festivities, but as she was to discover, Queens Bend people were like that. They drew you to them and made you a part of their lives. 

It was in discussion with Sally that Prue mentioned she was a vet that led Sally to say. "I trained as a veterinary nurse and I wish we had a vet in Queens Bend. The nearest one is forty kilometres away and he's getting near retirement."

Instead of driving on as she had intended Prue booked into the pub for a couple of nights and in that time looked the little town over.

Queens Bend, as its name implies, is situated on a wide sweeping bend of the river – perhaps one of the most beautiful spots in the whole hundreds of kilometres of the river. The population of the town itself is less than a thousand people, but beyond the town were the vineyard blocks, a couple of wineries, and a bit farther out cereal growing and some mixed farming.

"This is the place," Prue had decided, and had hunted around for a suitable property to establish her practice. She looked at several places and finally settled on a house that was more expensive than she had planned for, but it was close to the river with only a bitumen road and an expanse of tree strewn reserve land between it and the river bank. From the front windows of the house the broad sandbar on the other side of the river could be seen, and often in the evenings kangaroos and wallabies would come down there to drink at the waters edge.

The house served both as residence and the place of her practice and after nearly three years Prue had established herself as "The Vet." Prior to her arrival, and because of the inconvenience of getting to the only other vet, the locals had tended to treat their animals with home remedies that often did more harm than good; now they looked with pride on "Our Vet Prue."

Finishing her tea Prue sighed and rose. She still didn't feel like eating so she wandered out of the house, across the road and stretch of park to stand on the river bank. It was late summer and in the deepening twilight the moon was rising.

She sat on a wooden bench looking out over the river. It was running slowly now, the melted snow from the mountains far upstream having long ceased its influence. She heard the plops of fish leaping to feed on hapless insects, and the screeching of corellas settling down for the night in the cliffs beyond the town.

Farther along the bank from where she sat a couple of houseboats had pulled in and there was laughter and music coming from them. Looking back at the town she saw the lights in the house windows and thought of the families behind those windows, and no doubt there were people in the pub having an evening drink or eating a meal.

The town had embraced her, but for all the friendship she received, there was a dull ache, an emptiness inside her that even in the midst of good company and conviviality would suddenly make itself felt. For even when surrounded with people, it seemed that everyone had someone; a husband, a wife, children; it was almost as if in the town of Queens Bend she was the only one who had no one to go home with, to tuck into bed with, to make love with.

Certainly she had received offers, but in that respect Queens Bend differed little from the rest of humankind. There were predatory males – husbands looking for "a bit on the side." The main difference was, that unlike living in one of the large metropolitan centres, everyone in Queens Bend would know almost before the deed who was climbing into whose bed. In any case Prue did not want that sort of relationship; but what sort of relationship did she want? She did not know the answer to that question, for having loved fully once and lost, she hesitated to risk love again.

It had grown dark and the moon was well up, its light reflecting on the river streaking the water with silver. There was a burst of laughter from one of the houseboats. A vision of her and Jerry making love and then falling asleep in each others arms came to her. A tear ran down her cheek. 

She rose and made her way back to the house trying not to think of what had been and what might have been. In the house she went to the kitchen and despite the fact that she still didn't feel particularly hungry she made a sandwich and pouring herself a glass of red wine sat down to consume and meditate. This always seemed to be worst part of the day. It was okay during the working part of the day, people coming and going, animals to be seen and put right; it was the nights that were so often lonely.

She decided on an early night and a read in bed. The house had two stories; the only house in Queens Bend that boasted such lavishness. She made her way upstairs and after a shower clambered naked into her lonely bed. 

She was reading for about the third time "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte, with its wild landscape and brooding if often veiled sexual hunger. It was possibly not the best read on this particular day. Heathcliff's cry of desolation, "Cathy…Cathy…" dragged an echo from Prue, "Jerry….Jerry." 

She let the book fall and reached into the drawer beside the bed, and taking out her vibrator she plugged it into the wall socket and placing the vibrator head against her clitoris she switched it on. She had it on its lowest setting and she lay relishing its gentle buzzing and soothing massage, so like Jerry's tender touch. 

Her hand began to stroke her breast and little thrills of excitation began in her vagina. She knew this presaged her coming orgasm and she pushed the button on the vibrator to speed up its action. She started to shake as the vibrator drew her orgasm closer and she began to squeeze her nipple.

Another press on the button and the vibrator was operating at full speed. Her fingers pinched more firmly on her long pink nipple and the gasps that she had been emitting became whimpering cries, and as the full force of her orgasm struck she screamed out, "Jerry…oh Jerry…my love."

The climax passed, and with tears coursing down her cheeks she slowed the action of the vibrator and gradually the tremors diminished. She thrust the vibrator away and turning on her side she laid in a foetal position, a finger inserted into her vaginal tunnel and a hand still resting on her breast she slept, the bed light still on.

Chapter 2. A Dog, Canoeist and a Rotten Fish 

She woke before dawn and lay watching the growing light slowly silver the tops of the gum trees she could see through the window. The leaves seemed to shimmer in the sunlight and she felt a hard lump pressing against a buttock. She had moved during the night and the vibrator was under her. 

She rose and taking the vibrator with her she showered to remove any possible residual odour of her lubricant discharge of the previous evening and cleaned the head of the vibrator.

While dressing she reviewed the day ahead. There were computer records to be checked and if necessary to be updated. Sally would be in at nine to make sure the reception area and surgery were ready for use. 

There was a Dalmatian that had swallowed a fish hook while scavenging along the river bank to be operated on. People would sometimes catch a fish they did not want and if when getting it onto the bank the line broke they would leave the hook in the fish. Scrounging dogs scenting the forbidden fruit, or rather fish, would hastily assault the prize and swallow the hook.

She breakfasted and then went for her customary brisk walk along the river bank. One of the houseboats looked closed up, the curtains drawn. "They must have made a night of it and are sleeping in late," Prue thought. 

As she drew near to the other boat a man and two children were casting off the mooring ropes, the engine throbbing as it warmed up. There was a woman at the wheel who looked up at Prue, smiled and waved. The man and the children climbed aboard, the engine revved and the boat backed out into the river, turned upstream, and churned away on its journey to somewhere.

Returning to the house Sally was already there and doing something to the accounts on the computer.

It was strange, but Prue always felt as if she knew when Sally had been making love with her husband Stan the night before. She had a dreamy, relaxed look, and was more than usually pleasant to be with. She had that dreamy look now.

"Ready to started the operation?" asked Sally, "I've got it all set up."

"Good, let's get to work then."

The operation completed and their patient recovering, the morning as usual was given over to people with appointments, unless some dire emergency arose. The first in line that morning was a flatulent peke followed by a tortoise that, according to its owner was, "Off his tucker." A goldfish, that the mother of the four year old who accompanied her announced, "Hasn't been too well the last couple of days," was floating belly up in a bowl of water. It had to be pronounced dead and this drew wails of anguish from the four year old. The promise of another goldfish stemmed the lusty howls. 

A dog with a grass seed stuck in its eye, a cat to have its teeth cleaned, and another cat, an emergency, that had escaped death under a car but had sustained a broken leg, brought the morning to a close. Sally tore off home because, "I like to have lunch with Stan," and Prue settled for a bowl of soup.

The Dalmatian was returning to the land of the living and was giving out little snorting whimpers. Prue was in the process of checking her work on the dog when Sally came in and said, "There's a guy just come in with his dog; he says he thinks its swallowed some poison, probably a fox bait."

"All right, send them in to the examination room," Prue said, and headed there herself.

A young man came in with a Border Collie. The animal would normally have looked very attractive but now it simply drooped, its tail between it legs and its eyes expressive of discomfort if not outright pain. It seemed barely able to stand.

"She keeps vomiting," said the young man.

Between them they lifted the dog onto the examination table and Prue began to question where the dog had been lately.

"We're travelling down the river in a canoe," the young man told her.

This was not unusual since occasionally bolder spirits began as far up river as possible and over several weeks paddled their way down to the river mouth. The young man was in complete contrast to his dog, tanned and obviously very fit, and despite her professional stance Prue felt a twinge of desire, the response of the female to an attractive male.

Prue proceeded with her questioning and finally deduced that like the hook swallowing Dalmatian this dog had also found a fish left lying on the bank, but this time no hook was involved, but decay was. The dog was suffering from food poisoning brought on by consuming a rotten fish.

An injection, some tablets, and an instruction to bring the dog back in a couple of days, drew a protest from the young man that they needed to keep moving. Prue countered by telling the young man that the dog really should be rested comfortably for a few days and ought to be seen again to ensure all was well.

Reluctantly the young man agreed that they would camp for "a few nights" near the town and Prue informed him where the town camping ground was. Prue typed details of the visit into the computer, ascertaining that the young man's name was David Baxter and the dog was Pat. He gave an address that caused Prue's eyebrows to be raised; it was one of the most affluent suburbs of the state capital.

Her surprise was partly because the worn jeans and T-shirt that David wore did not seem to accord with an affluent background, but of course, one would hardly wear a tailored suit to paddle a canoe for weeks down river.

Chapter 3. Man with Atmosphere

Prue had been mainly concerned with the dog that now seemed to be asleep on the examination table, but she now took a closer look at David. He was of middle height and build, perhaps five feet nine or ten with auburn hair, and now having been relieved of some of his anxiety about Pat, had a cheerful aspect.

Prue tried to make up her mind whether or not he was good looking and finally decided that perhaps he was, but her decision was based not so much on his physical features as an aura of seemingly unselfconscious sensuality he seemed to radiate. She found this slightly disturbing especially since David had not by word or glance implied a sexual interest in her, and that was not always the case with some of the men she met, since she was definitely very sexually attractive.

Normally Prue could ignore the hot glances and risqué comments, but now, even in the absence of such glances and comments, she felt a stirring in the region of her inguen. She became flustered by her response to David's presence and made great play of putting more details into the computer, making a number of errors as she did so. 

She accompanied him to reception and he seemed to have a similar effect on Sally, who flushed as she dealt with the bill. 

Prue could have understood her own reaction since she had been, as it were, a veterinary nun since Jerry's death, but the happily married and apparently well serviced Sally?

David thanked them politely, smiled, picked up Pat who had gone to sleep on the floor, and carrying her in his arms, made his way out. Prue, Sally and an elderly lady waiting with her dog stared after him seemingly spellbound. 

Sally was the first to recover and said, "Phew, he's got something. I don't know what it is, but definitely something."

Prue who had recovered her professional stance said nothing, but the elderly lady laughed and said, "You don't meet many of them, but when you do you get trembles up your spine."

Prue excused herself, saying to the elderly lady, "Just go into the examination room and I'll be with you in a minute." Then she fled upstairs to change her panties as the crotch of those she was wearing were uncomfortably wet.

While examining the dog's rather ancient teeth Prue was regaled by the elderly lady with advice regarding men like David. 

"They're the ones you've got to watch out for, love. The noisy macho ones who come on strong are easy to handle, but quiet ones like that young fellow can be dangerous for a girl." She giggled a trifle girlishly and went on, "I've known a couple in my lifetime like him, thank God, and both of them had the same thing in common."

"What?" asked Prue, trying to sound casual.

"Ah, well," said the elderly lady who was giggling again, "I don't like to say, but get too close to that fellow and you'll find out. The funny thing is it gets to you even when you don't know what it is. It's like it gives them a sort of atmosphere, but don't ask me how or why."

Dignity combined with concentration on scraping the dog's teeth free of tarter deterred Prue from pursuing this mysterious subject further, but David kept popping into her mind throughout the rest of the afternoon.

Chapter 4. Getting to Know You

After the evening clinic and a quick meal Prue decided on a twilight stroll along the river bank. Somehow her feet seemed to turn in the direction of the town camping area, "Just to see if he found the place all right and that he's got everything he needs," she told herself.

Still being summer and for many the holiday season, there were a number of caravans and tents on the site. Prue thought that unless she made an obvious search it would be difficult to find David, but in fact she came upon him quickly. 

He had a small tent right near the river's edge and his canoe was pulled up beside it. He was sitting on the grass and, to her professional satisfaction, an obviously much recovered Pat sat beside him.

"Good evening," Prue said.

"Hello, didn't expect to see you again so soon," he smiled.

"How's Pat? She looks a lot better."

"Yes, thanks to you. She had something to eat and didn't bring is straight up again."

Prue brushed her hand over the dog's head and was rewarded by a tail wag and a lick on the hand.

Since Pat seemed recovered it was on the tip of Prue's tongue to say, "Unless she shows the symptoms again, you needn't bring her back," but instead she said, "I'd still like to see her, just to check her."

"Sure; I think the break will be good for both of us. I'm afraid I got a bit obsessive about getting down the river as fast as I could, heaven knows why...I mean, we are on holiday. Sorry I can't offer you a seat." She saw the flash of white teeth in the half light as he smiled at her."

It was happening again; the strange aura, or "atmosphere" as the elderly lady had called it, seemed to emanate from him and draw her in, causing throbbing sensations to course through her body, but focusing mainly in the region of her pudendum. Again it was nothing he had said or done, it was just…what had the elderly lady said? "The funny thing is it gets to you even when you don't know what it is."

She intended to say "goodnight" and pass on, but instead she sat down near him on the grass. Pat moved to lie near her, gazing up at her. "Have you got everything you need?" she asked.

"Oh yes, we're fine," David replied. 


Because of a Rotten Fish



There was a long pause as they both sat in the fading light gazing out over the river.

The moon was rising and the little silver streaks appeared on the water.

David broke the silence; "This really is a beautiful spot; it's about the best I've come across so far; wouldn't mind settling down here if it were possible."

"And it's not possible?"

"No, not really, this is a sort of last hurrah before I start life in the real world." He laughed.

"Where's the ‘real world'?"

"Back in the city, Baxter, Baxter, Baxter and Epstein." 

"Sounds like a firm of solicitors." 

"You're right, and in a few weeks it'll be Baxter, Baxter, Baxter, Baxter and Epstein. Of course Baxter, Baxter and Epstein have long gone to that great legal office in the sky, but there's still Baxter."

"Ah, let me guess, your father?"

"Yes; family practice."

"What about Epstein?"

"Granddad's brother in more ways than one." The flash of white teeth in the growing dark again.

"So you're to join the practice?"

"Yes, I've worked hard enough for it. No favours in our family, you work for what you get." He laughed and went on, "Wish this place was big enough to support a law practice."

"You like Queens Bend?"

"Well, I suppose that was a silly thing to say because I've only just got here, but I've always had a yen to work in the country. I'll take a look around tomorrow see how I like the place, but it's no use thinking about setting up here, I couldn't even if there was enough business."

"Oh, why? You'd have no competition."

"Ah well, you see, grandad left me a considerable sum of money in his will, but I can only receive it when I join the family practice; trust a lawyer to make life difficult; we're very family centred."

Reluctantly Prue rose to leave. Apart from the disturbing effect this quiet and gentle young man had on her, she found his slightly wry humour engaging.

"I'd better go now," she said. 

"Mind if we walk with you?" he asked.

A little frisson of pleasure thrilled through her. "No, of course not."

As they walked back to her house he asked her how she came to be living in Queens Bend and did she like it. Prue managed to tell him the why and how without mentioning she was a widow or implying what her marital status was. They said goodnight on the river bank and halfway across the narrow strip of park she turned to watch David and Pat stroll back to their tent in the moonlight. She felt more intensely lonely than ever.

Chapter 5. An Invitation to Dine

The Dalmatian was due to return to its owner next day, so she looked in on it to check that Sally had fed it. It wagged its tail violently so Prue sat with it for a while talking to it. 

"It's all right sweetheart, he's coming for you tomorrow." Then switching subjects - fortunately the dog did not comprehend this - "He's really a lovely young men."

In bed that night she used her vibrator again and became a trifle disturbed when it was not a vision of Jerry that overwhelm her as she orgasmed, but David. For the first time after masturbating she felt guilty, but not because of the masturbating, but because she felt she had been unfaithful to Jerry. She knew she was being irrational but the feeling did not go away.

The next day she confronted this unexpected, unsought and puzzling attraction for David. She told herself she was being ridiculous; "You know the man for less than one day and you're behaving like a sixteen year old school girl who's having a crush." Nevertheless her morning walk took her in the direction of the camping area.

Pat saw her coming first and came bounding over wagging her tail. David was cooking something over a spirit stove and looking up grinned and said, "Good morning, you seem to have made a hit with Pat."

"It happens that way with animals sometimes; they seem to know that you've helped them."

"You mean like that story about the guy who took a thorn out of a lion's foot, and when he ended up in the Roman arena to be devoured by a lion, it was the very lion he'd helped, and it would hurt him." 

"Something like that," Prue laughed, "but I wouldn't rely on that where lions are concerned."

"No; got a busy day ahead?"

"Fairly busy."

"Look, I know it's a bit of a cheek, but I don't know anyone else here and I've been on my own a fair bit, so would you have dinner with me at the pub this evening?"

The tremor of excitement shivered through her again, but more intensely this time.

"Yes…yes…that would be nice, but it can't be until after eight o'clock, I've got the evening clinic. Will that be all right?"

"Certainly, is the pub very busy at that time…should I book a table?"

"If you just tell the owner it's for Prue, he'll know what you mean and he'll give us my usual table."

"Ah, you have influence around here?"

"Well, I managed to extend the life of his spaniel for about three years soon after I got here, so he's been very grateful. That's how it is around here, people don't forget."

"There is one thing, I won't be treading on anyone's toes, will I?"

"Treading on toes?"

"Yes, you know a jealous husband or some boyfriend built like an all-in wrestler?"

Prue laughed, "No nothing like that."

"Surprising."

"What is?"

"That there isn't anyone to get jealous."

"Why?"

Quiet gentle David suddenly looked embarrassed, as if he'd said more than he intended to, but he managed to go on, "Well…you are rather… nice…attractive."

Some women might have become skittish at this point, but Prue was not that type. She laughed and said, "Then I'm glad I shall be with you tonight."

David looked puzzled by her response and asked, "Why will you be glad that you'll be with me tonight?"

"Well, if you think I'm nice and attractive, you'll be glad to be with me."

They seemed to have reached a verbal impasse so David said, "Of course I'll be glad to be with you."

"Must go; it's time to start work. Enjoy your look around the town."

As she walked way David called after her, "Shall I come to your house for you or meet you in the pub?"

"Come to the house about eight fifteen," she called back.

Arriving back at the house she was greeted by the owner of the Dalmatian plus his wife and small child. The dog, now fish-hook-less, gave a yelp of joy, and for a few minutes there was much patting and licking.

That morning Prue had to go out to a farm to see a cow in calf, then on to attend to a horse that the owner thought had an infected hoof. That took up most of the morning and when she returned to the clinic she was greeted by a cherry faced Sally who announced breathlessly, "That fellow, David somebody or other…"

"Baxter," prompted Prue.

"Yes…Baxter… called in. He said to tell you the table is okay for this evening. You've got a date with him?"

Prue tried to remain serene and replied, "Yes, I suppose you could call it that."

"My God, Prue, be careful, there's something about him…you don't think he's a male witch who puts a spell on you, do you…I mean…he's so…"

"No, Sally, I don't think he's a witch, but as you say, there's something about him that attracts."

"He's got…got…." Sally struggled to find the right word and finally came out with exactly the same word that the elderly lady had used, "An atmosphere."

"It's you who should be careful, Sally," Prue laughed, "You're supposed to be a respectable married woman."

"Yes, but I'm not dating him am I? And even that elderly lady the other day felt it." 

"Then perhaps we're all frustrated celibates."

"I am not," protested Sally, "Stan always…"

Fortunately for Sally a client entered reception with a white mouse in a cage and the conversation ceased. 

Chapter 6. Dinner and Disappointment.

When the evening clinic was over Prue rushed upstairs and showered and chose her clothes carefully. She knew that David would not be exactly formally dressed since he was hardly likely to carry an evening suit in his canoe, so she settled for a casual shirt and slacks. In any case the pub did not demand formal dress; as the notice outside said, "Neat casual dress required."

Before she had completed her preparations David was ringing her doorbell. She invited him in and sat him down in the lounge, ran upstairs to put on some makeup, then changed her mind and ran downstairs again. 

She was incredibly excited. She had of course been out with people but it had been with family parties or married couples. This would be the first time since Jerry's death she had actually been out with just a man for the evening. 

When David said quietly, "You look lovely," she somehow knew it wasn't just a guy trying to set her up for the evening; his tone of voice was sincere, and she actually felt lovely, even without makeup."

As she had conjectured, David was dressed in jeans and T-shirt, but she could see he had gone to some trouble to make them look clean and pressed. "He's been to the laundrette," she thought.

"Let's go then," she said in a voice not quite steady.

The world of food exotica had not reached Queens Bend and it was a case of what you see is what you get. That thought came to Prue concerning the absence of makeup; "He's seeing the real me," she thought, and then wondered why it mattered to her, but some little devil inside her knew why.

If the fare was plain, the wine was excellent, coming from one of the two local wineries. Ted the pub owner knew Prue's taste in wine and nudged David in that direction. Since it was an expensive wine Prue wondered if she should offer to buy the wine if David paid for the food, but then she remembered the affluent suburb and the money granddad had left, and decided not to make the offer.

Around them at other tables were scattered members of the Queens Bend community and some tourists from the camping area and from what she could gather some people from a houseboat moored at the town.

There were winks, nudges and whispering among the locals and Prue could see that the females were coming under the influence of what the elderly lady had called David's "atmosphere." The males were as usual more interested in Prue and didn't seem to notice their companions' fascination with David.

David seemed to be oblivious to the curiosity he and Prue had stirred up, and Prue, trying to distract herself from these attentions and seeking for some conversational opening gambit asked, "How's Pat?"

"Ah, she's fine; one of the campers is keeping an eye on her for me."

"Will you bring her to see me tomorrow?" 

"Do you think it's necessary?"

The question disappointed Prue, for although she felt that an inspection of Pat was unnecessary, she had hoped that David would seize the opportunity to come and see her.

"I would like to see her just to make sure," she said.

"Okay," David said and popped a piece of steak into his mouth.

"It's Saturday tomorrow and we are only open in the morning, will that be all right?"

David grinned and said. "I don't have too many other engagements to fulfil."

There was no doubt that Prue was thoroughly captivated. This odd young man with his "atmosphere" might almost have been a witch since she seemed to have fallen under his spell. It was his very casualness that drew her on to ask, "What are you doing in the afternoon?"

"Nothing, why?"

"You're not going on down river then?"

"No, I thought I'd hang around for a few days."

"I wondered if you'd like to go swimming. I've got a small motor boat and we can go to one the sandbars. We could have a picnic." 

"Wonderful, Pat will enjoy that."

Again Prue was somewhat put out, she wanted to hear that David and not Pat would "enjoy that."

"About two o'clock," Prue said rather sulkily. "He started off telling me I look lovely," she thought, "so why isn't he following through. Perhaps he'll try and kiss me goodnight; I wonder if I'll let him? I could say, "We've only known each other for a couple of days, it's a bit soon for that."

Then she thought she wouldn't say that, and she'd let him kiss her and if he wanted more…she looked across the table at him; "Well, he's enjoying the food and the wine, but why isn't he paying me more attention? The first time I went out to dinner with Jerry it was so romantic, but now…? I wonder what he wants? Is it just a companion for the evening, someone to help fill in time with while he hangs around Queens Bend?" 

David looked up at her and smiled. "Tell me more about yourself, you know, where were you were born, where did you grown up?"

"Ah, that's more like it," thought Prue, "He's showing some interest in me." She gave him a potted version of her life and ended be telling him about Jerry."

He looked very solemn but didn't, as many people had done, go into a weepy voiced sentimentalising. Almost his sole comment was, "That has been terrible for you; how do you feel about it now?"

"I suppose I'm through the worst of it, but I still get flash backs to Jerry, perhaps I always will."

"You must have loved him very deeply." It was not a question but a statement. Prue, not wanting or needing to elaborate, simply replied, "Yes."

David nodded and went on, "I'm sure he loved you very much."

Prue made no answer to that, but said, "Tell me about your self. All I know is that you belong to a family of lawyers."

More people had come into the pub dining room and from the bar beyond music and loud voices began to make intimate conversation difficult. They had finished the food and most of the wine so Prue asked, "Would you like to go now?"

She had no intention of asking him back to her place, but had in mind that they might walk beside the river, continuing their conversation, but when David said, "Yes, it's about time I got back to the tent and Pat," she felt another wave of irritation that she managed to suppress.

He walked with her back to the house. As they stood there much to her amazement and mortification he said, "I'll see you tomorrow morning when I bring Pat," then extending his hand shook hands with her and said, "Thank you for dining with me."

She nearly said, "Don't bother about calling," but managed to say, "Thank you for inviting me." 

Never in her time with men or boys before Jerry had she experienced anything like this. She had known everything from a male quivering with desire and afraid to express it or do anything, to blatant bedtime offers, but nothing like this almost casual treatment. Yet like his "atmosphere" there was nothing you could get a handle on. He was polite and gentle but there seemed to be nothing solid. It was like trying to fight her way out of a pillowcase filled with feathers.

His beautiful teeth flashed in the moonlight as he smiled at her, and then he was gone.

Prue could have cried with vexation, her female ego in tatters. "He shook hands with me; he bloody well shook hands with me," she muttered under her breath. "He started by telling me how lovely I look and then treats me as if I was his grandmother all evening, and then ends up shaking my bloody hand." 

She stomped into the house, went upstairs to her bedroom, stripped off, and not feeling in the least like using the vibrator, lay awake half the night wondering what was wrong with David or her.

With the dawn came with no improvement in her mood. Her morning walk was in the opposite direction from David's tent. "I won't give him the satisfaction of thinking I can't stay way from him," she thought.

She decided it was fortunate that Sally did not work on Saturday mornings, her place being taken by Cindy, a middle aged lady who just filled in.

"At least I won't have to put up with Sally's interrogation about the evening," but she was wrong. Almost as soon she got back to the house Sally was on the telephone.

"How did it go? Was it good? Did he try anything? I bet he did. What did you do?"

Sally was not only an employee, but also a very dear friend; but friend or not Prue snapped, "For God's sake, Sally, mind our own business," and slammed the telephone down.

About mid-morning David arrived with Pat. Prue had prepared herself to be cool with him, but as soon as she saw him it all fell apart. She felt somewhat ridiculous when she saw his smiling face. After all, what had happened? They had gone out, eaten a meal, and parted. Any coolness on her part would reveal that she had looked forward to more and she would then feel utterly humiliated. She also realised that she was not clear about what she had expected or wanted.

As she knew and as David had implied, she had no need to see Pat again since it was obvious the dog had recovered. For form's sake she asked a few questions and then declared Pat to be okay. David in the way some dog owners have, thanked Prue for what she had done and then told Pat to thank her. The dog probably did not understand, but Prue got some violent wags and a lick on the hand.

"See you this afternoon then," David said.

Prue saw her opportunity to avenge her hurt pride and said, "Oh you needn't bother if you don't really want to."

That seemed to pull David up; her shot seemed to have gone home because he looked hurt and said, "But Pat and I were looking forward to it."

As much as Prue was an animal lover there seared across her brain, "That bloody dog, he wants the outing for her and he doesn't want to be with me." It did not occur to her that both David and Pat, having canoed so far down the river, had had plenty of opportunities to swim and lay on sandbars and the only novelty about her proposed outing was her presence.

David looked at her keenly for a moment and went on, "Have I done something to offend you, Prue? If I have I'm sorry. I thought we were getting on so well; what is it?"

"Nothing, nothing," Prue replied hastily. "I just thought you might want to be on your way now that Pat is okay."

"But I told you I'm staying around for a few days. I've got to like this place. It's still on, isn't it, the picnic?"

"Yes…yes…of course; as long as you want to go."

"Wonderful." His smile flashed again.

At reception a flustered Cindy attend to the bill. "My God, he's got to her as well," Prue thought. With another of his smiles David said, "See you at two o'clock, then," and departed.

"You're going out with him, are you?" queried Cindy.

"Yes, we're going to one of the sandbars for some swimming and a picnic."

"Oooh, be careful, Prue, it was on a sandbar that my Arnold and I…er…where we got to know each other and that young guy's got a…a…"

"An atmosphere?" said Prue.

Yes…yes, that's it, an atmosphere. You be careful, anything can happen on a sandbar."

"I'll be careful," replied Prue a trifle grimly. For all his atmosphere and smiles she was still feeling exasperated with David.

Chapter 7. A Sandbar for Two Plus One

The morning's work over Prue prepared food for the picnic, and then got her self ready. Anticipating the swimming she decided to put on her swim suit under a loose dress. The swim suit could hardly be described as sexy. It was a modest one piece and had been a concession to Jerry who didn't like her to display too much flesh in public. "I'm selfish," he had said, "I want to be the only one to see you exposed."

Prue had been touched by this and had purchased the one piece for their honeymoon. In truth it could be said that the one piece was probably more alluring than many of its more revealing cousins. 

Nothing but a sack-like garment could have concealed Prue's elegant female curves, and her breasts, which Jerry had once rather inelegantly described as being like large grapefruits with nice pieces of pink icing on top, were difficult of conceal at any time. For all the clumsiness of his description Jerry had enjoyed these delightful symbols of female splendour with great frequency. 

Just before two o'clock David, with Pat, was at her door, a couple of bottles of wine in his hands. Together they hitched the boat on its trailer to her car, and then drove down to the boat ramp and slid the boat into the water. 




Because of a Rotten Fish



It was not a large or powerful boat, and was used only for slow trips along the river and at such times as Prue tried her hand at fishing. The ten horse power engine puttered into life and Prue turned the boat upstream. 

Pat had taken her station in the bows and surveyed the passing scene in a casual if haughty manner; she was, after all, an experienced traveller on the river. David sat facing Prue and for once was gazing at her intently. Prue, who was already drawn into his atmosphere, tried to concentrate on steering the small craft. 

A passing houseboat tooted them and they waved a reply, then the houseboat wake sent them heaving and rocking for a few moments as if intending to swamp them. Before they had stopped rocking a ski boat roared by towing two heroic figures, and there was another bout of heaving up and down. Prue got some mild satisfaction for this disturbance of the peace when one of skiers, in a flurry of spray, fell over.

After about twenty minutes they came to a bend in the river and a sandbar. Prue turned the boat and ran it into the shallows. She raised the outboard and David jumped into the water and pulled the boat right up onto the sand. That was the signal for Pat to leap from the boat and go hurtling across the bar in pursuit of some imaginary quarry, while Prue and David off-loaded the food and drink.

It was very quiet and still with no habitation in sight and no boats moving along the river. There was a screen of gum trees and low bushes backing the sandbar, and on the other side of the river where the water flowed faster, were old gnarled gums clinging to the very edge of the bank and threatening to collapse into the water. It was as if they were thousands of miles away from the rest of the world and the only people on this ancient and primitive continent.

The sat for a while, taking in the scene like newly emerged Adam and Eve wondering at the garden they had been placed in. Even the normally ubiquitous flies seemed to have deserted the place.

"No wonder Arnold and Cindy got to know each other on a sandbar," thought Prue, "It has all the primordial ambience that goes with man and woman in the act of love and passion." 

She looked across at David and found that he had ceased taking in the scene around them and was looking at her intently. His magic was working and she felt a wave of heat engulf her and knew her face was flushed.

"It's…it's very beautiful here, isn't it?" she said, trying to steady a voice that threatened to quaver.

"Yes, yes it is, it's just the right setting for you, " David said very quietly.

Prue's flush deepened and to cover her confusion she leapt up and said, "Let's have a swim." 

She slipped out of her dress and without waiting ran into the water. Its coolness eased the heat of embarrassment she had been experiencing, and she heard David enter the water behind her. Pat, who had continued to rush up and down the sandbar, spotted them in the water and joined them. 

They swam around for a while, and then David swam to the other side of the river. Prue went back onto the sandbar and sat drying herself in the sun and watching him make the return journey. Pat seemed to have exhausted herself and had gone to sleep.

It came as something of a shock as David waded out of the water and she saw him clearly for the first time since he had stripped down to his bathers. He had a beautiful physique, and the time paddling down the river had tanned him and firmed his muscles, but what she could not avoid seeing, and what riveted her gaze, was his bathers. 

If her's were modest, his were of the minimalist style popular with young males. But it was what was outlined by the wet, clinging cloth that concentrated her attention. Even if the bathers had been equal in modesty to her own they could not have concealed David's huge phallus. It was clear that this mighty organ was halfway to a full erection and Prue realised that the only person who at that moment could have inspired that was herself.

She tried to look away – to pretend she hadn't seen, but her gaze was dragged back to him, unable to resist looking at the display of his manhood. She felt a lurch in her lower abdomen and knew she was lubricating and her nipples had grown firm. 

"Dear God," she thought in the torment of the arousal he had inspired in her, "I should never have come here with him," but in her deep self she rejoiced that she had. 

She sat, waiting for what might happen next. David came and sat near her, but not right against her. "That was good," he said, and his words only added to Prue confusion and distress. Perhaps it wasn't she who had caused David's arousal. "He might be thinking of some girl back in the city, or perhaps it's the weeks of sexual abstinence paddling that canoe," she thought.

That was the trouble, she hadn't been able to read David right from the start and with most people she didn't want to or try to consciously read them, but with David it had been different. 

His effect on herself, Sally, Cindy, the elderly lady in the clinic and the women in the pub had intrigued and even troubled her. That aura, the atmosphere, from the start it had aroused her female instincts; in his presence she had been intensely aware of herself as a woman. 

It was not that David fitted into the popular image of the sexually macho male. He had been gentle and polite even to the point of irritation, yet she had been very aware of his maleness, as if behind that quiet exterior there lurked a powerful sexuality. Yet even now he made no move.

He was lying on his side looking at her and it a was a look she could not be mistaken about. He wanted her, and glancing down once more at his sex organ this was confirmed. It had hardened into a full erection and was almost spilling out of his bathers.

It was one of those moments between a man and a woman when both know what they want, but fear to make the move in case of rejection and it's consequent humiliation. Less sensitive men than David might have taken the plunge; might have kissed her, fondled her breasts and tried to play with her sex organ. If they were rejected they might shrug and comment, "There's plenty more where you came from," and even walk away. But Prue knew that was not like David.

An age seemed to pass as they lay looking at each other; then Prue couldn't stand it any longer. In a very low voice she asked, "Why won't you touch me David?"

"I don't want to spoil what we have. It's only been a couple of days."

"It won't spoil anything," Prue whispered.

He came over her and kissed her very tenderly and she responded, parting her lips for him to admit his tongue. It was no wild tongue thrusting, but a gentle exploration of her mouth, and his hand reached inside the top of her bathers to fondle her breasts.

Waves of love and passion coursed through her, and she reached down to take his penis into her hand. Feeling its size she wondered if her tight vaginal tunnel would be able to receive it – if it would hurt – but in that moment she didn't care. The years of her abstinence were over and she would be whole again. 

She was ready for him, her tunnel soft and wet; she wanted his foreplay, his kissing, touching and to feel him sucking her nipples, "But that can wait," she decided, "We need each other too badly to wait now."

"Take my bather's off," she whispered.

He carefully peeled them off to reveal her nakedness, and then slipped out of his own bathers.

"Don't wait this time, David, Prue gasped. "Come into me now, I need you."

She parted her legs and he came to lie between them, yet even in that moment he seemed to doubt.

"Do you really want this?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"Yes…yes…very much."

She felt the crown of his penis press against her swollen vulva; for a moment she held her breath, waiting for the pain, but there was none. With a groan he slipped into her easily. His shaft was tight against the walls of her vagina and she waited until his full length was in her, and then she flexed her vaginal muscle around him.

This drew another groan from him and he began to move in her, drawing back to thrust in deep. She moaned, "David….oh David…" and he echoed her cry, "Prue, I love you."

His movements became more rapid and urgent. She cried out to him, "David, I'm going to come…come with me…"

He gave a powerful thrust into her and she felt the power of his first ejection burst into her. In that moment she released the orgasm she had been fighting down, and with a cry like a wounded animal she let it overwhelm and possess her. 

The noise of their copulating as it reached its climax woke Pat, who lay watching them curiously. 

They clung to each other, struggling to force the last millimetre of David's penis into her, and then they began to calm. Prue made slight movements for a while, keeping David in her as she experienced the aftershocks of her orgasm. Then it was over and Prue knew this would be the moment of truth.

All too conscious of the short time they had known each other; she had not given herself to him lightly. For her sexual union was an act of love as well as lust. The moment of high arousal past, she still felt an intense love for David. In the throes of their passion he had declared his love, but she knew how in that moment men could so easily speak the words that afterwards they regret and want to deny.

He had not withdrawn from her and she waited for him to speak…tried to sense whether he was now regretting what they had done – whether he had feelings of revulsion for her who had offered herself after so short an acquaintance. 

He was looking down at her and she tried to read in his eyes what he was thinking. He brought his lips close to her ear and whispered, "I love you very much, Prue."

A wave of relief passed though her; like her it had not been for him a passing moment of lust, but an act of love.

He withdrew from her and lay beside her, his hand touching her breast.

"You have lovely breasts," he murmured.

It was that moment that Pat chose to start nudging him. He laughed and said, "Pat, you would choose now to be hungry."

Prue laughed with him and said, "I've got something for her," and sitting up she took out a bowl wrapped in foiled, and taking off the foil offered it to Pat who immediately tucked into the dog food.

"We'd better eat too," Prue said, and started to open plastic containers while David opened a bottle of wine. 

As he poured the wine into plastic cups he said, "It was beautiful with you." Prue responded, "And with you, David."

Nothing further was said for a while as they munched in silence, and then they heard a distant throb. 

"Bloody houseboat coming," cursed Prue, and there was a flurry of dressing and then the houseboat came round the bend, its diesel motor pounding and its passengers waving to Prue and David. It throbbed away into the distance and they tried to resume their former tranquillity, but the sun was going down.

If Prue and David had thought they were in Paradise they were soon reminded that there is always a snake to spoil things; well, not exactly a snake. Certainly there would be snakes around the place, but it was not they who disturbed the tranquillity. 

As the sun descended Prue and David found new friends – very ardent friends – who insisted that they had close contact with our Adam and Eve. The mosquitos arrived in their swarms to feast upon bare flesh.

There was hurried packing, loading and pushing out of the boat. The engine started they headed back down river to Queens Bend. Thus it was demonstrated that even the most ardent love can be set aside in the face of nature's assault.

Chapter 8. Lovers' Talk

They were in the process of winding the boat onto the trailer when the elderly prophetic lady came by with her dog. She paused for a moment looking at them, then made a noise that sounded like, "Hee, hee, hee," and walked on.

"What was that about?" asked David. 

"Oh, it was just someone who feels that her words have been justified," quipped Prue.

"Ah," said uncomprehending David.

They drove to the house and for the second time that day Prue took the initiative and asked, "Would you like to stay here tonight with me?"

"You mean in your bed?"

"Of course."

"I'd like that very much, but I think we need to talk." 

"Yes, I suppose we should."

They unloaded and went into the house. Pat was given more food and put into the area where patients recovering from operations were normally kept. She seemed to be a trifle put out by this, possibly sensing that the hitherto one to one relationship she had shared with David had now been complicated by Prue.

Prue and David settled down in the lounge and finished the last of the picnic food and consumed the remaining wine.

It was David who took the initiative this time. 

"Prue, I don't think that it was casual sex we had, you're that sort of woman."

"No I'm not," shot back Prue, slightly offended that the matter had even been mentioned at all. "If you must know there's been no one since Jerry."

"I was wondering, do we have a future…I mean...together?" 

"Do you want one, David?"

"You might not believe it, but I don't do those sort of things casually either. But what I do want to ask is - and I know that this might be painful - about you and Jerry…" 

"He's been dead for four years, David."

"Yes, I know, but I wondered if you still…still…" 

"David, I loved him very dearly, but I can't go on grieving for him for ever. I think I shall always treasure the memory of our love, but I've got on with many other aspects of my life, and this afternoon was another aspect…another new beginning."

"This may sound silly Prue, but from the first moment I saw you…I won't say I loved you, but there was something special…something different."

"Yes, I know what you mean," replied Prue, thinking of David's atmosphere. "The trouble is lots of other women feel something special when you're around."

He didn't respond to Prue's words, but went on, "The thing is, can we…I mean…is there more to it than this afternoon?"

"I've invited you into my bed, haven't I?"

"Yes, but…I don't know how to put it…as I said it might sound ridiculous, but I really do love you."

With some hauteur Prue asked, "Why is it ridiculous?"

"After a couple of days?" 

She let the matter pass and said, "And you want know if I love you?"

"I didn't ask that."

"No, you didn't, but if it means anything to you, yes, I do love you."

David looked relieved. "The point is, what are we going to do about it?"

"As I said before, what do you want to do about it?"

"I think I might stay here. I could get work and…"

"And what about Baxter, Baxter and whoever and granddad's money?"

"Oh, sod the money."

"No David, I won't ‘sod the money'. You say that now, but how will you feel in a year's time, or in ten year's time? You'll think, ‘That bloody woman cost me a fortune'."

"But I can't just walk away now, Prue…I just can't…I love you."

"There's often a price that comes with love, as I well know."

"I will not walk away, Prue."

"All right, let's look at it another way."

"What other way?"

"Good God, David, you're the lawyer, you're supposed to be able to see all the angles."

"What angles?"

"When you join the family practice you get the money, right?"

"Yes, but I don't care about the money I want…"

"Will you shut and listen, David?"

"We're not even married and you're nagging me."

"Who said anything about marriage?"

"No one, but I thought…"

"You're a romantic, David, now listen. Does it say how long you're supposed to be with the practice in order to keep the money?"

"No, only that I have to join the practice."

"Right, so you go back, join the practice…"

"And then come straight back here."

"No you won't. You join the practice and give something back to your father for all the money he must have spent educating you."

"But…"

"A year…"

"A year!" exploded David. 

A year, that's all, and then we decide whether we to continue or not. It's then we can talk about marriage if you want to."

"Why not leave here and come back with me?"

"Hey, I've got my profession too. I've worked hard to build up this practice and I'm not going to just walk away from it."

"Then you don't really love me."

"David, you're talking like a kid. Just like you might regret losing your money and start blaming me in years to come…"

"There will be years to come then?"

"Let me finish, David. Like you, if I leave this practice I might start blaming you in the future."

"You want us apart for a year?"

"Would that be such a bad thing? We hardly know each other and a year would give us time to consider."

"I don't want to consider."

"You may not want to, but that's my offer."

"You make it sound like a commercial deal."

"Well, it is in a way; and just look at all the marriages that break up these days. We can write to each other, email, telephone and you can visit whenever you've got the time."

"And at the end of the year we get married."

"I told you, we can talk about that when the year is over."

"You're a lot tougher than I thought you were."

"I've learned to be. Look, when I married Jerry it was for life; that's how I am. If we get married it's for life as far as I'm concerned. If you don't want that then screw me…"

"Don't talk like that Prue, you're too beautiful to talk like that."

"…If you don't want that then screw me for the rest of your stay here and then we'll say goodbye. But if you do decide you want more than that, there's one thing you've got to promise me."

"What?"

"You won't go glider flying. Now are you coming to bed with me or are we going to sit up talking all night?"

"Let's go to bed."

"Right, shower first."

Chapter 9. Bedtime

They showered together but did to copulate. Prue did toy with David's penis however and asked, "Where did you get this great thing from?"

"It came with the rest of me I suppose," laughed David, as his fingers explored her vagina.

"I was a bit frightened when I first saw it, I thought you might kill me with it."

"But you still went ahead."

"Yes, well, we often have to take a chance on whether something is going to be pain or pleasure."

In bed David began kissing her and went on to suck her nipples. They were more at leisure this time so Prue said, "As we've got to get to know each other, now is as good a time as any to start."

"I thought we were, David replied, removing a nipple from his mouth"

"Yes, but I think we can get more intimate than this."

"With that she moved her sex organ up to David's mouth and said, "You'd better find out if you like my taste and smell," then thrust her labia against his mouth. "Lick me darling," she commanded.

She felt his tongue enter her tunnel and then move in and out. After a few minutes his tongue was transferred to her clitoris and the quivering began. As her orgasm blossomed she began to whimper, and then as her climax came she screamed out, "You devil, you've got me in hell," and she burst into a paroxysm of weeping.

Had David been in control of the situation he might have stopped since he was troubled by her weeping, but Prue continued to press down on him, forcing him to continue his licking and tongue thrusting. 

When she had calmed a little she withdrew from him and he asked anxiously, "Did I hurt you?"

"No…no…you did it so beautifully, darling. Now it's your turn, lie back."

She moved down to his penis and took it in her hand. She pulled back his foreskin so the crown of his penis stood up clearly. She thought it looked like a large ripe plum. She knelt looking at it for a long time as if fascinated, then bent to sniff it rather like a wine taster savouring a bouquet, and then licked the little droplets of clear sticky pre-cum. 




Because of a Rotten Fish



She began to masturbate him slowly and he started to make little gasping sighs of pleasure. She speeded up her movements and he suddenly cried out, "I'm going to come…don't make me co…aaaah."

She had taken the crown of his penis into her mouth just as the first gobbet of his warm viscous semen shot out of his urethra. The head of his penis being so large it seemed to fill her mouth and she battled to try and swallow the outpouring of his emissions. 

He pumped out what seemed to Prue to be an endless stream of sperm and it began to ooze out of her mouth and down her chin, there to hang for a moment before it dropped onto David's groin. After what seemed an age he gave a shuddering sigh and relaxed. She sucked the last drops out of him and fell back on the bed beside him.

Echoing her words he said quietly, "That was beautiful."

Prue wanted to reply but found that her mouth was gummed up by the semen she had been unable to swallow. She got off the bed hastily and fled for the bathroom and there washed out her mouth. Returning to the bedroom she brought a wash cloth and commenced cleaning David's penis and groin.

She laughed as she asked, "Do you always have such enormous ejaculations?"

He returned her laugh and said, "It depends on how often I have sexual intercourse."

Chapter 10. A Confession

A thought popped into Prue's head and it grew until she spoke it.

"You know about Jerry and me and how there hasn't been anyone since Jerry, but what about you, is there any one?"

An awkward silence ensued, and Prue went on, "There is, isn't there?"

"Yes," he mumbled.

Prue felt jealousy stab her like a dagger. He had made love with her, had declared his love, and all the time there was someone else.

"You've made love with me, David…you said you love me…have you done and said the same things to her?"

"Well, yes and no."

"David, if we're going to hide things from each other at this stage in our relationship, what's it going to be like in the future?"

"I don't want to hide anything from you Prue, honestly I don't, but I'm not sure how you'll take it if I tell you. You see, it's not exactly…well…it's not quite the usual sort of relationship."

"What's so unusual about it?" asked Prue, somewhat apprehensively since she wasn't sure what she might hear.

"I suppose I'd better tell you," he said.

"You don't have to, but I do need to know if that relationship is going to continue, because if it is our relationship won't."

"It can't continue indefinitely," David said.

"Oh, why not?"

"It just can't, we both know that."

"Do you love her?"

"Yes, but not in the way I love you."

"In what way then?"

"All right, I'd better tell you; it's my aunt."

"Your aunt!" Exploded Prue. "Incest!"

"Yes."

"How the hell did that happen?"

"Well you see, my mother died when I was ten and my aunt took over. She was unmarried so she came to run the house."

"All right, she came to run the house, so…?"

"I…er…she…one day a couple of years ago she caught sight of me when I was naked, and she…she came and kissed me, and one thing led to another, so…"

"So you got into bed with her."

"Yes, that's more less it."

Prue could well understand why the aunt would want to get into bed with David. After all, given his magical aura and the sight of his sex organ she had succumbed easily enough. "A lot of women would," she told herself. Nevertheless she wondered that David had entered into a relationship with a woman who must be far older than him and his aunt of all women.

Feeling perplexed and angry she asked, "And how old is this aunt?"

"About twelve years older than me."

"Is she attractive?"

"Yes, in a buxom sort of way."

"She's not married or anything?"

"No, she doesn't want to get married, but she has had a few lovers."

"And she had to have you as well."

"Yes, I suppose you could say that, and after the first time she said she'd never experienced anything like it before and that she wanted to go on with me."

"And you wanted to go on as well?"

"Well, yes…it's so damned awkward to explain…she'd been like a mother to me but she wasn't my mother and…well, she is good in bed and as I said we both knew it couldn't last. I was working hard and she was there in the house, and it meant…it meant I didn't have to be plagued with sexual frustration and that made things a lot easier."

Prue had kept herself in check up to that point, but now she burst out, "And I've made things a lot easier, have I? Relieved you of the sexual frustrations you've been experiencing while canoeing, is that it?"

"No…no…it's not like that."

"What is it like then?"

"I've told you I want to marry you."

Prue want to yell, "Why don't you marry your bloody aunt," but realised the ridiculousness of that thought. Instead she said, "I'd wondered about you're wanting to marry me after knowing me for only a couple of days and having a bit of sex with me, it's all been a bit too easy hasn't it?" 

"But that's what I want. My aunt knows that. I told her I wanted to get married and have children and she understands, even if she doesn't want that for herself. She says she wants to enjoy me while she can and no regrets when it's over."

"Oh really, so what are you going to do about her? Are you going to tell her about me?"

"Does that mean we're still going to go on?"

"To use your own words, yes and no."

"I don't understand."

"Then I'll explain. You've sampled the goods, sexually speaking; I've nagged you; I've lost my temper with you, so you know something about me, and I propose to change the arrangement we discussed earlier."

"How change it?"

"You still go back and join the practice; you can write, email and telephone, but for that whole year you will not see me."

"But Prue…"

"No, don't argue. I admit that like your aunt I want your penis in my vagina, but I'm prepared to forgo that pleasure for a year. I've managed without sex for the past four years and I can manage without for another year. You can go back and copulate with your aunt as often as you like, but you can also consider whether you still want me. If you decide yes, then the aunt goes…and any other woman goes however much they want you in them and can't manage without you."

"But Prue, I've already made up my mind about you, I'll stop having sex with my aunt."

"So you drop the poor woman just like that? Is that how you treat women who have been generous with you? When will you be dropping me?"

"God, Prue, I don't know what you want." 

"What I want is for you to have time to consider, and I also want that time myself. You don't have to be deprived of sex, but at the end of the year we will both have made up our minds…I hope."

"Prue I can't…"

"That's the deal, David, take it or leave it."

There was a long silence, and then David said resignedly, "Okay, I'll take it."

"You will not see me for twelve months, that's clear isn't it?"

"Yes…yes, of course it is, but it'll be damned hard."

"Good, you told me that in your family you don't get things for nothing, you have to work for them. Well this is one way for both of us to work for what we really want."

"By not seeing each other; that doesn't make sense."

"You might find that harder work than you think, David. Now, I have a feeling I should kick you out of my bed and not let you near me, but since you've given me a taste for you" - she stopped and smiled for a moment, "quite literally as it happens - we'd better make the most of what time we will have together. So, if I haven't wilted that formidable phallus of yours completely, you'd better carry on making passionate love with me until you leave."

She hadn't ‘wilted that formidable phallus," and it went into action over the following four days. After that David set off in his canoe and watching him paddle away there were tears in Prue's eyes.

Chapter 11. The Long Wait

To the last David had insisted he loved her, but she knew that once he got back to the city she might well fade from his memory and become only a pleasant but passing interlude in his life. She wondered if that might prove true for her as well. 

Three weeks later David finished his trip and almost immediately began to bombard Prue with letters, emails and telephone calls, all swearing undying love. She expected these to slacken off during the course of the year, but they didn't.

He said nothing about copulating with his aunt, but Prue suspected that being a young potent male, and having temptation right there in the house, he would succumb. To her surprise she found she didn't mind this too much. Having the sort of influence he had with women, if it wasn't his aunt it would be someone else unknown to her. For all his apparent reticence David was after all a very potent young male once he was sure of his ground, as she had discovered.

Her own desire for David did not seem to wane, and in considering the old saying, "Absence make the heart grow fonder, " she added, "And the vagina wetter."

Her sexual hunger was somewhat ameliorated by events that took place in her life, but she constantly looked forward to the end of the year with a mixture of apprehension and longing. 

Once the elderly lady came back with her ancient dog; she looked quizzically at Prue and said, "I saw you going out with that young fellow, did you find out what I meant when I was in here before?"

"What was that?"

"I told you they all have one thing in common, the quiet ones with atmosphere. You see, they don't have to boast about it like those who haven't got it.

"Boast about what?"

"The size of their thingy, love, they all have a big one."

Prue was not convinced that there really was a correlation between being a quiet male and having a big "thingy", so she gave a non-committal reply, "You may be right."

"Hee, hee, hee," the senior citizen replied, "I'm sure I'm right, I've had two of them." 

Chapter 12. The Return

As with a child waiting for Christmas or a birthday to arrive, it seemed to Prue that the year would never end. As its end did approach she detected in David's communications an equal impatience for the day to arrive. 

He must have been counting the days very accurately because twelve months to the day a Mercedes drew up outside the clinic and a flushed and excited David hurtled into the reception area. Sally gave him a censorious look as he asked, "Where's Prue?"

Giving a snort of disapproval she replied haughtily, "She's in the kitchen getting…" But David was gone before she could finish. He rushed into the kitchen and swept Prue up in his arms. 

"Oh God, I've missed you so much, Prue. Now do we get married?"

Prue managed to struggle out of his embrace and said, "Come into the lounge and sit down, David."

Davis was stunned by what he perceived to be Prue's cool reception, but he followed her obediently and sat. 

Prue sat opposite him, looking at him intently. "So you still think you want to marry me?"

"Yes…yes, of course I do, haven't I said so every time I've written and spoken to you?" 

"Yes, you have. What about your aunt?"

"That's over; she understood…she's always understood. I told her we were going to get married. She cried a bit, but sort of gave us her blessing."

"You've rather jumped the gun a bit, haven't you?"

"How do you mean."

"I said at the end of the year we would discuss marriage, ‘discuss' David."

"Well, isn't that what we're doing?"

"No; you've taken it for granted we will get married, but are you really sure? You may have thought I was a push over on that sandbar and in bed, but you have to realise I'd been without sex for four years, and when I saw…well never mind. What I want to say is, I don't come cheap."

"I know that, look how long you've made me wait."

"I'm flattered that your ardour hasn't been dampened, David, but I want you to know the truth…have the facts. Come with me."

He followed her upstairs. He thought that for all her apparent coolness she was taking him to her bedroom to make love. Instead she opened the door to another room and signalling him to go in she said, "You'd better say hello to our daughter."

David stood still, stunned. Despite the fact that he could see the child in its cot he asked, "What did you say?"

"You're not going deaf, are you David? I said, ‘say hello to our daughter'."

"You've had a baby!" he yelped.

"That's the usual way one produces daughters or sons."

"And I'm the…"

"Don't you dare even think it, David Baxter."

"I didn't mean it like that, but you keep me away for a year, you have our baby and don't even tell me; why…why?"

"And have you come here full of righteousness, ‘Must do the right thing by the poor little woman and marry her'. And what then, ten year from now you might look at me and think, ‘She trapped me into marriage by getting pregnant'." 

"Oh no mister Baxter, I wasn't having any of that. I don't need your support, I can look after myself. If you were going to marry me it would be because you wanted me and not because you wanted to play the gentleman. You said in the lounge you wanted to marry me; that's fine because you said it before you saw Emily. I won't hold you to that, but for goodness sake look at what we've made."

Somewhat awestruck David stood beside the cot looking down at the child. He said nothing for nearly two minutes, then giving a deep sigh he said, "She's just like you, beautiful."

That said, for a while neither David nor Prue seemed to know what to say next. Then finally Prue said, "That's how it is, David, Emily and I come as a package deal, now let's go back to the lounge and leave her to sleep, you can hold her later if you want to."

"Of course I want to, she's mine, isn't she?"

"No."

"What! You said I'm the…"

"She's ours," said Prue, emphasising "ours."

"Ah, sorry." 

"All right, but don't you ever imply that you may not be her father."

In the lounge Prue asked, "Do you want the package deal or not?"

"You always make it sound like a commercial transaction."

"Well you say it another way."

"I'd like to marry you and Emily – and by the way, I didn't think you were a push over on the sandbar or in bed."

"Well, since it was me who made the first approach I thought you might…"

"As a matter of fact I was very grateful, I didn't have the courage to approach you?"

"Oh, why?"

"After knowing you for only two days? I knew there was something special about you…"

"And sandbars?"

"Yes, okay, and sandbars; but you looked so beautiful…"

"With my hair all wet and stringy?"

"Stop interrupting, I'm trying to say something important."

"Sorry."

"As I was saying, I thought that if I made an approach it might spoil everything and…"

"That's what you said at the time."

"There you go again; I know what I said at the time, but you assured me it wouldn't spoil things, but I didn't want to chance it until you asked me to touch you."

"You see, I'm a slut…a loose woman."

"Don't be so bloody silly, Prue, I…"

"Don't swear, it's not good for Emily."

"But she not here."

"No, but you've got to get out of the habit in case you swear when she is here."

"Okay; all I was going to say was that you had the courage to bring right out what we both wanted."

"David, I'm not really old fashioned, but isn't there something you've forgotten?" 

"Have I? What?"

"If you can't remember it can't be very important to you, can it."

"But if I can't remember it how will I know if it's important or not?"

"I'll give you a clue; think about me and Emily for a moment."

David sat staring at her for a while then said, "It's no good, I can't think what you mean."

"The you'd better go back to town."

"But you said…"

"No I haven't, but you're getting warm."

Then the light came, "Oh my God; Prudence, will you marry me?"

"If I say ‘yes', will I be living up to my name?"

"What do you mean?"

"Will I be prudent?"

David laughed and said, "I've got a lot of money."

"Sod the money."

"You told me not to swear."

"Sorry, I forgot. I'll put it another way; I don't want or need your money."

"All right, forget the money, but what's the answer?"

"For a sensitive guy you're not being very delicate."

"Please tell me your answer Prudence."

"Stop calling me Prudence, nobody else does."

"I just thought the situation called for a formal mode of address." 

"The answer is ‘yes', so you can stop being formal."

David rose from his chair and going to Prue he lifted her on to her feet and began to hug her.

"Hey, careful, I'm feeding Emily and my breasts are a bit overfull and tender at the moment."

"Does that mean I won't be able…?"

"No you won't."

"For how long?"

"Months."

"That bloody kid – sorry – is a spoil sport. By the way, do I have to ask her as well?"

"What."

"About getting married to you?"

"She doesn't know you very well so she'll probably say ‘no'."

"Then I won't ask her."

"Good idea. Do I have to ask anyone about our getting married?"

"Like who?"

"Pat or your aunt?"

"Aunt is fixed and Pat will probably be very happy."

"My breasts may not be available, but the rest of me is in good working order."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I've got half and hour before I have to get back to work."

They retired to bed and began the process of making up for their year's separation. The activity continued after work and when Prue finished feeding Emily, but before bed, David held Emily for the first time.

"Dad will be delighted," he commented, "he always wanted a daughter and didn't get one, but now he'll have a granddaughter."

"Does your father know about me?"

"Of course he does, I told him we were going to get married and that I'm coming here to live."

"I bet he didn't like that."

"You're right, he didn't at first, but when he got used to the idea he decided to turn the situation to his advantage."

"How."

"He said, 'Since you're determined to go to Queens Bend and marry this woman whoever she is, you might as well open a branch of Baxter, Baxter, Baxter, Baxter and Epstein there."

"Marvellous! Suppose Emily decides to take up law, it would be Baxter, Baxter, Baxter, Baxter, Baxter and Epstein. And if our other children were to…"

"What other children?"

"We're not going to stop at one, are we?"

"No I suppose not."

"How long before the practice opens?"

"Oh, it'll take a while, but I'll keep popping back in the meantime; by the way, did you see my Mercedes?"

"Yes, I saw the ostentatious thing."

"I'll buy you one as a wedding present."

"No, but I could do with a new van for carrying animals in. Now stop talking David and do something nice to me…be careful of my breasts."

"I shall treat them with the utmost respect – by the way, had it ever occurred to you that we have a rotten fish to thank for our being together?"

"What rotten fish?"

"The one that Pat ate."

"Yes, of course; just circle my clitoris with your finger for while, you do it so nicely."