7 comments/ 25479 views/ 2 favorites Game of Life Ch. 03-04 By: Denham_Forrest Copyright© 2008 by Denham Forrest, The Wanderer Chapter 3: Complications of Life as a Divorced Man Things didn't go as easily as all that, though. Vivian and I did have to see some arbitration or counsellor guy, not that it was much more than a waste of time. There were some uncomfortable confrontations between us, but not in front of the children. The divorce took six months to go through and all that time the children were trying to talk me into going back home again. The poor little sods had no idea why their parents had broken up and weren't to know for several years. I believe both Vivian and I, told them that we'd just drifted apart, not that the children bought that story for a minute. Kids aren't daft nowadays and Katie - at least - put two and two together successfully within the year; or so she was to tell me later. I stayed sharing Grace's flat for over a year, actually until she found a fella who asked her to marry him. He had plenty of cash and she promptly moved in with him, which allowed me to take over the lease of the three bedroomed flat from her. It was plenty big enough for the children to stay over with me when they wanted. As a matter of fact, they had stayed over even whilst Grace was living there, with James bedding down on the sofa in the lounge. I liked the guy that Grace married. He was a big shot at one of my company's clients and to be honest he suited Grace down to the ground. I got the feeling that Grace had known him much longer than she ever let on to me; it could be that he might have visited my office many years previous, before I worked there and whilst he was lower in the pecking order at his own company. My suspicion always has been that he must have run into Grace back then, but they both would have been married at the time. Whether she actually loved him — or he loved her - is another matter, but they had something special going between them. They were two fifty five year olds who had little to worry about but growing old together. Which they did rather extravagantly; you say it, they did it. World cruises, a holiday home in Florida and all that kind of thing. Grace of course retired when she married her new man, and Dizzy Lizzie replaced her as my secretary come PA. That's slightly unfair way to refer to her because although Liz (actually Elizabeth) had the air of chaos about her and everyone seemed to be under the impression that she was a dizzy blond. I believe most of it — if not all - was an act. She has always been extremely intelligent, and she surprised me with her efficiency the first week she stepped into the breach. I should have known that Gracie would never have dropped me in the apple-cart; Grace hired Liz whilst I was away visiting our French operation for a month. Being single again, had the drawback of making me the first guy on the list to be sent — or rather asked to go - all over the place at the drop of a hat. Grace must have decided that I needed someone who could inject a little fun into life in the office when I was there, and Liz was fun to have around the office and really played the dizzy character to the hilt. The nearest parallel that I can draw, is to the kind of thick dizzy blond character Marilyn Monroe used to play in some of her films; there was a remarkable resemblance between them, even down to that voice. She looked sexy, she dressed sexily and nearly every other guy in the office envied me my secretary. Quite a few guys in the office asked Liz out on dates, I do believe assuming that they were going to get lucky. But as it turned out, Liz wasn't that kind of girl. In fact we soon learnt that Liz packed one hell of a left hook, and more than one of my - would be Casanova - colleagues walked around the office sporting dark glasses for a week or two, after they had taken her out. "Liz, you really must stop beating all the guys up. It really hurts their ego's and you could finish up giving them a complex." I jokingly said to her one morning. After yet another Casanova entered the office wearing a large pair of sunglasses. "Bugger Jim, what do they expect? Just because I enjoy the messing about and flirting, that doesn't mean to say that I'm easy. They want a laugh and a joke, I don't mind. But if they think that a meal and couple of drinks will get them into my knickers; then they've got another think coming. I'm very choosy about who I go to bed with." No, I didn't ask! I needed a reliable PA behind me and I had no intention of letting my life around the office get any more complicated than it already was. It was complicated enough outside the office, as it was anyway. When I was in the country, Katie and James would spend most weekends with me. Although I would have been happy to pick them up from Vivian's house; generally I found them waiting in reception at the office when I left work on Friday evenings - or even coming up to my office to find me if I was running late. One thing that I thought was funny was that after Grace had left and Liz came on the scene, James took to arriving very early on Fridays and sitting in Liz's office with her until I was ready to leave. That was providing that he didn't have Frankie in tow, because I'm pretty sure she'd had chewed his balls off (hypothetically); tease that she was, Liz had the poor little bugger's tongue hanging out most of the time. And yeah well, Liz would play dizzy Lizzie and wind the little bugger up just as much as she wound every other male of the species up, except me. As I've said, Liz had a great sense of humour and was also a great tease; but we had a good working relationship, she never, ever, teased me. Well except maybe for one or two times, and the truth be known I didn't know it was really Elizabeth anyway. I'll explain all that later. Anyway, for a long time, I totally misunderstood what the children turning up at my place of work on Fridays, instead of waiting at home for me to collect them, was all about. I assumed that it had something to do with their mother having another boyfriend around and either the children not liking him, being embarrassed to see her with him, or Vivian not wanting me to spot him. But I was completely on the wrong track. It took a very long time for the information to get back to me that Katie had sussed just about everything out. Because I'd blanked both the children on their requests to bury the hatchet and get back with their mother, they'd eventually dropped Vivian as a regular subject of conversation. I have no idea why I got the idea that Vivian was dating other guys into my head, but I had assumed that was the reason the children stopped bugging me about getting back with her. But then one day Katie mentioned something about memory cards and recovered files — I can't remember exactly how she phrased it now, because I wasn't paying close attention to what she was saying — but when I reflected on what she'd said later, I realised that Katie knew almost all there was to know about her mothers indiscretions, the who, and the when; even if she didn't know the why. Exactly how Katie had worked out how I had found out what had been going on between Vivian and William Banks - which by the way, I believe is something that her mother has never discovered, to this day — I didn't know. I had told no one about that memory card and what was on the file I recovered from it, except Grace and my solicitor, neither of whom would have told Katie. The who, and the when, I believe she worked out from snippets of overheard telephone conversations of Vivian's. I had never questioned Katie on what she did or didn't know, because that would open the way for Kate to demand that I was completely open with her, I'd vowed to myself that I would never bring the children into the fight. Anyway, that day, I also discovered the reason they were spending every minute they could at my place was to punish their mother for breaking up their once happy(?) home. I learnt that both my children spent nearly every evening out with either friends or at Frankie's parents house just a couple of doors down the road to their home. For Katie to spend evenings with her brother and his girlfriend by choice, says a lot more to me, than it does to most folks. They were never that close, were forever trying to score points against each other at home and fought like cat and dog before the break up. It all came to a head when I was having one of my regular medicals with the company doctor, who just by chance was also our family NHS physician. After he'd finished my medical and told me that I would safely live until next year's check-up — and the exorbitant payment he'd get for doing it - he asked me if I would mind having a little chat about the family's health. I thought he meant the children, so I said of course I wouldn't mind; but it soon became apparent that he wanted to talk about Vivian. I had little or no interest in Vivian or her health by then, - except for the fact that the children lived with her and I was about to tell him so - but before I could stop him, he'd informed me that he was worried that Vivian might be heading for a serious mental breakdown. Once he'd told me that, I had to let him carry on. The Doc informed me that, in essence the children and almost all of Vivian's family were treating her as a pariah, and it was placing her mind under more pressure than the doc thought it could take. He beseeched me to investigate, and intervene if I possibly could. "Look, Jim, I don't know what happened to break up your marriage to Vivian. But the way you, your children and even her family are treating her, she's going to have a nervous breakdown before very much longer. I'm worried about her, Jim; can't you cut her some slack, or at least get the kids to lighten up on her a little." I told him that I hadn't actually clapped eyes on Vivian since our divorce. I had no idea that her family or the children were giving her any grief, and that I would investigate what was going on. My investigations started the following Friday evening when I tackled Katie. James had gone off with Frankie somewhere. "What's this I hear about you giving your mother grief?" I asked her at an opportune moment, during the TV adds. "Don't know what you mean, dad." "Katie, I was at the surgery this week for my annual check-up and Doctor Bridger told me that you mother is not well, she could be heading for a nervous breakdown! And that the way you and James are behaving at home could partially be the cause of it. So what have you two been getting up to?" For a few moments I saw a look of embarrassment on Katie's face, then she looked me right in the eyes and said. "What does she expect? She cheated on you with Uncle Bill and drove you away! She destroyed our family. James and I don't want to live there with the slut any more, we want to come and live here with you." "Jesus, who in the world told you and James about your mother and Bill Banks?" "No one, it wasn't hard to work it out dad. First you suddenly leave home; there were no rows or arguments or anything at home, you were just gone one day. Then a few months later and somewhat strangely I thought at first, Gran and Granddad Keats aren't talking to Mum any more when they call, they only ever want to talk to James and me. James and I soon realised that it was something mother had done that had caused you to leave home, but it must have been something bad that would make them be nasty to mother; after all she is their daughter. The next thing we discover is that Aunty Stacie and Uncle Bill are getting a divorce, and then when I was on the telephone to Gran one day, I heard Aunty Stacie talking to granddad in the background; she was very angry with mother about something, but Gran wouldn't tell me what. "So I put it all together, Mum had been making all those trips to Aunt Stacie's house when she was pregnant. Although where she found the time or opportunity while she was there I have no idea. But I figure that something had to have gone on between Uncle Bill and mother and you eventually found out about it. Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure now, that you finding out had something to do with the missing memory card turning up again; it was less than a week after it did, that you left home. What did she do, leave pictures of her and Uncle Bill together on it?" "Katie, whatever your mother did, is strictly between her and me. You and James are being very silly, by taking sides." "But she destroyed our happy home dad." "Technically I suppose you could say that she did, but it was me who walked out. So as far as you children are concerned, you should blame both your mother and me equally." "Don't be silly, dad, you didn't cheat on mummy!" "How do you know what I did, can you ever be sure that I haven't had a girlfriend tucked away somewhere for years." "No dad, you wouldn't do that, why are you even suggesting that you might have." "Because I could have had one for all you know. I haven't asked you to get involved in my argument with your mother. Maybe I haven't told you about the whys and wherefores of your mother and my divorce, because I'm as guilty as she is." "Why are you saying that?" "Look Katie, whatever your mother or I, did, or didn't do, you only have one of each of us. One mother and one father, and we both love you and James equally. If you don't return that love now, then before you know it, it could be too late. Accidents happen you know; what are you going to tell your own children when they ask you about their grandmother. That you ignored her until the day you had to stand at her graveside?" "But mother's not going to die." "Of course she is, Kate, the same as I will one day. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day your mother won't be there any more; the same as one day I won't be here any more either. We all have to go at sometime Kate ... and accidents happen all the time. Life is far too short to hold grudges, especially when they have nothing to do with you." I didn't want to tell her that a friend of mine had had a nervous breakdown some years before. He never recovered fully and had become what was known at the time as a manic-depressive; eventually he'd driven his car into a tree and killed himself. "But you hold a grudge against mother." "That's a little different Katie and you know it. Your mother made a sacred oath to me and she broke it. Anyway ... I don't really hold a grudge against her; I just couldn't remain married to her. If I met her in the street tomorrow, I would be completely civil to her." "Dad, are you telling me that if we didn't come to the office on Fridays. You'd talk to mother without arguing when you picked James and me up from the house." "Of course I wouldn't argue with you mother, there's nothing left for us to argue about." "We ... James and me, we thought that you and mother would argue if you came to the house and that would put you into a bad mood for the weekend." "Well I can assure you that would not happen, Katie. Now will you please tell me what kind of a social life does your mother have?" "What do you mean?" "Well, does she go out in the evenings with friends." "No, mother never goes out ... unless it's to work or shopping. Oh, I see where you are going, mother's life must be pretty empty. She doesn't go out in the evenings now that you're not there to take her, and I'm not even there for her to take shopping on the weekends most of the time. When you're away she used to ask me if I wanted to go shopping, she's stopped now because I always told her I was meeting my friends from school." "Well that's all got to change, Kate. I'll talk to your brother when he and Frankie get back, Frankie had got into the habit of sharing Katie's room on Friday and Saturday nights. Your mother needs you two and you might find that you need her in the future as well. I'm not immortal, who knows what could happen to me in the future." When James and Frankie came home later that evening, I discovered that I had an unexpected ally in Frances. I know that the girl played one of her parents — and their new spouses - off against the other, but she appeared adamant that Katie and James had been behaving appallingly towards their mother. I got the feeling that James and her had had words on the subject before. Saturday morning saw all three children and myself stopping at the florist, so James and Katie could buy flowers for their mother, which I paid for. Surprisingly Frankie bought a bunch of flowers for Vivian as well. "I feel rotten because I knew what they were doing was wrong and I should have done something about it." She told me, when I caught her eye as she ordered the flowers. "You spoke to James, what more could you have done Frankie?" "Spoken to Mrs Sanders more, or even come to you about how things were going. My dad almost had a breakdown after mum walked out the first time, I should have seen what effect all this was having on Mrs Sanders." That was an interesting thing for Frankie to say, because I didn't think that I'd actually mentioned that the Doc thought Vivian was heading for a nervous breakdown to the children. That had been my reserve ammunition. Another stop - at a cash machine - and I handed James fifty quid as I got back into the car. "What's this for dad." "Tonight you and Katie ... and Frances if she wants to go, are taking your mother out to dinner at Bailey's; your mother likes it there. I'll ring them, book a table and organise for the evening to be charged to me. Don't forget that your mother likes to dance either. That money's for the taxis; I don't want your mother drinking and driving, you hear me!" "You're the boss dad." "Why don't you come along as well, dad?" Katie asked. "Regretfully that ain't going to happen, Kate." "But you still love mum, don't you?" "Of course I do, Kate. We were together for a long time. But that doesn't mean that I can live with her if that's what you are thinking. Your mother and I will never get back together believe me. And anyway, today is about you and James repairing your relationship with her. If I was there it ... Look, you just convince your mother that you still love her, that's all I ask. Besides I've got somewhere else to go later today and I won't be back until tomorrow." After calling Baileys and arranging everything I dropped the three youngsters off at Vivian's house, then headed north towards my exs house, up in Lincolnshire. It was late afternoon when I arrived and found Vivian's father working in his front garden. He looked pretty shocked to see me there. "Hello Jim, what brings you to this neck of the woods?" He asked with an embarrassed look on his face. I hadn't seen or spoken to the man since before the divorce so I could understand his surprise at seeing me. "Hi, Dad, I need to have a word with you and Mum." Although not my favourite people, I had always called Vivian's parents Mum and Dad since before we had got married. The old codger led me inside the house and for the next two hours we had a real old ding-dong of an argument. By the time I left - on reasonably amicable terms - I think I'd successfully drummed it into their heads that all three of their daughters needed them. So what if Stacie had a justifiable beef with Vivian and Janice. I figured I'd convinced them, that as parents, it was their duty to a least try to stay neutral and treat all three daughters the same. They could be annoyed about what the girls had done, but I thought it was a big mistake to cut Vivian and Janice out of their lives. I gave them the same warning that I had given the kids; if anything happened to Vivian — or Janice come to that — then it would be too late to put things right. I'd also added into the mix that they were unlikely to see much of Jamie and Katie in the future as well, and that punishing the children for the sins of their mother was not very Christian of them. I felt reasonably confident that they'd change their attitude towards Vivian when I left and pretty pleased with myself, as I drove to the hotel I'd booked into later that night. Game of Life Ch. 03-04 Just before lunch on the following Monday Lizzie came rushing into my office without knocking. "Jim, Alice on reception just called me, Vivian's on her way up." She blurted out in panic. It was completely uncharacteristic of Liz to panic, but she had never met or even laid eyes on Vivian before, so she had no idea how her sudden appearance in the office should be handled or was going to go. "No panic, show her in when she gets here will you. Oh and she doesn't drink coffee, could you organise some tea for her." "Okay boss, no need for the tin helmets then?" "I don't think so, Lizzie." I replied smiling. A very relieved Liz left my office heading for the lifts to meet Vivian. Oh, I'd been promoted and changed to a larger office since Lizzie had joined the company, she knew without me asking that Vivian wouldn't know where to find me. A few minutes later Lizzie brought Vivian into my office and sashayed out again. I saw the look that Vivian gave Lizzie's backside as it disappeared through the door. "She's pretty. What happened to Grace?" Vivian asked as the door closed. "She got married again and retired; I'd have thought the children would have told you. Now what can I do for you Vivian?" "Oh, so that's why you're still in her flat. No, the children don't tell me anything about you, Jim; they never have. And I'm here to thank you, for what you did." "I haven't done anything, Vivian." "Jim, stupid I might be, but it's pretty obvious that you've been up to something. First the children come home unexpectedly with all those flowers and apologise to me for being so nasty since..." Vivian stopped speaking and I saw that she'd started crying, but she soon recovered. "And you have to have paid for Saturday evening, I saw Jamie sign the chit." "The kids said they wanted to take you out, so what could I do but offer to help them financially." "Jim, I just told you, stupid I might be, but daft I'm not. The kids would have taken me out for a hamburger, there's no way in the world they would have come up with Bailey's on their own. It's just not their kind of scene." "I might have suggested where they went Vivian, but that's all." "Fine, if that's the way you want to play it. But thank you anyway. And while I'm thanking you, what made you go up to my parents?" "I don't know what you are talking about Vivian." "Oh come on, Jim. First the children after treating my like the piece of crap I am..." "Don't talk about yourself like that, Vivian!" "Well after what I did, I deserved how they treated me. Anyway suddenly you bring them home early and they spend the whole day apologising to me, telling me how much they love me and then insist on taking me out for a surprise meal in the evening." "So what's wrong with the children realising that they've made a mistake and trying to put things right." "Nothing, Jim, I really appreciated it. I love our children, I wish it was as easy to put things right between you and me." "Never going to happen Vivian, you know that." "Yeah I do. But I had to come and thank you for whatever you said to my parents as well. They called me yesterday morning and they asked me to take the children up there next weekend. I know that's where you must have gone the other day after you dropped the children off. So I assume that you've no objections to me taking them up there next weekend." "Fine with me, Vivian. You can take the children anywhere you want, providing they want to go as well; but what makes you think that I had anything to do with your folks calling you?" "Katie tried to call you to let you know how the day had gone. We spent most of the day talking about what I'd done, you know ... I thought it was about time they knew the truth, and for some inexplicable reason Katie thought I might have acted in revenge for something you had done; I put her straight on that one." Vivian smiled at me, whether Katie told her that I'd suggested that I might not have been as innocent as Katie had assumed, I don't know. But it was apparent that Vivian had put her right on the point. "They are our children, Vivian, maybe we can't live together any more but there's going to come a time when they will need both of us and we are going to be little more than an embarrassment to them if we can't get along." "Thank you; but now I want to ask you a favour, can I take you to lunch today?" I didn't answer for a few moments, so she continued. "Just as a thank you, Jim, please say that you'll come." Then after a short break she added, "If you'd like, your ... er, assistant could come along as well. Just so that you don't think that I'm trying to ... Oh you know!" "Thank you, Vivian; lunch would be nice. It's up to you whether you invite Lizzie. Sometimes we do go to lunch together." "I can understand why you would; she's a ... very beautiful young woman." "And a good ten years my junior, Vivian, I don't cradle snatch." "Touché, I walked into that, didn't I?" "It's nice to see that you can still take a joke, Vivian. Come on if lunch is on you, we can live the high life." Vivian surprised me as we passed through Lizzie's office, she invited her to accompany us. Much to my relief Liz made her excuses and although Vivian argued, she politely declined. "Why were you so adamant that Liz join us for lunch?" I asked Vivian once we'd ordered our meal in one of the local pubs. "I knew Grace very well, and I'd like to get to know Liz. Even if we're not together, surely there's no harm in me getting to know your new friends, Jim?" "What are you up to, Vivian?" "Honest answer?" "Honest answer!" "I'm just, sussing out the opposition, or to be completely frank; who's likely to capture your heart now that I can't have it any more." "Liz is my PA and nothing more, Vivian, you know that. She's a very good assistant and I can't afford to do anything that might put our working relationship in danger. I've told you that many times." "You did, but I also know that Liz will know who tilts their hat in your direction. I think Gracie knew more about you than I ever did; I assume that Liz will have a very similar relationship with you. Look Jim, if I could go back and live my life over again, I wouldn't change anything up until Stacie got pregnant that last time and then I would have smacked Bill on the nose, the moment he suggested what he did." "Vivian, why do you have to talk rubbish again? You and Bill flirted whenever you saw each other for years. I don't know how it started and to be honest I really don't want to. But it strikes me that Bill Banks didn't have to work too hard to get into your knickers. Don't try to kid me otherwise, you sent him those suggestive photos." "I told you, Jim. Once it started I just got carried away with the game. I was stupid and I'll regret it every minute for the rest of my life." "Great okay, you regret it for the rest of your life. But do me a favour; I'll forgive you for what you did. But I won't forget it. There is no way in hell that we are ever going to get back together I could never trust you again, so don't even try to worm your way back into my affections." "I don't really have to, Jim; I know what your true feelings are for me and regretfully I also doubt that you would ever take me back; but I have to live in hope that one day your resolve might weaken." "Don't waste the rest of your life waiting, Vivian. No matter how much you say you love me, I could never trust you again. You know that!" Vivian basically let the subject of us, drop after that. But she hinted that she thought the reason I'd sorted the children out and talked her parents into accepting her back into the family, was because I loved her; which in a way I suppose was true. But just because you love someone, that doesn't mean you can let them take the piss out of you as Vivian had done to me. After that day Vivian would turn up at the office about once a month or so and we'd have lunch together. I gathered that her relationship with the children had returned to about as normal as it could be, in the circumstances. A couple of times she invited me out for a meal in the evening with her, but I always refused. I didn't want to give her any false hope. As the months passed Vivian and my relationship did develop a little, she became more like a very old and dear friend, than anything else. When I did eventually take a couple of women out on dates, She - to all intent and purposes, and much to my surprise — encouraged me. At first I wondered how she'd found out that I was dating. For some unknown reason I first suspected Liz of telling her, because on the days Vivian turned up at office to buy me lunch she always chatted to Liz for a little while. Later I was to discover that it was Katie who was feeding Vivian just about every bit of information she could about what I did and with whom, Katie even going as far as pumping Lizzie for as much information as she could as well. "Mum needs James and me dad, you told me that. But I know she also needs you as well. You know except for work her social life consists of her monthly lunches with you and the odd occasions James and I take her somewhere." Katie replied when I tackled her about it. "Katie, what you mother needs is a new boyfriend, what we had together is over. You're a clever girl and some of your friends have divorced parents, can't you set her up with of their fathers' or something?" The expression that came over Katie's face was one of complete horror. However some weeks later I did hear that Vivian had a new friend that she was going out with. It turned out not to be the divorced father of one of Katie's school friends, but her mother. I have no idea how Katie managed to get the two women together but they started hanging around together. Shopping at first, but eventually even going out and socialising, dancing and the like in the evenings. Vivian began to mention that she'd been out dancing at the odd lunch she was still in the habit of joining me for. I'd taken over paying for it by then and we tended to go to more salubrious places. Often I'd drag Liz along, if she wasn't having lunch with one of her many admirers. As time went by I gathered that when I was out of the country on one of my by then regular trips, Vivian and Liz had the odd lunch together without me. During the school holidays Katie would even go with them. I suppose I could have objected but I couldn't see the point, to have told Liz not to get too pally with Vivian sounded a little vindictive to me. -------------------------------------------------- Chapter 4: Moving On Often I was away from home for up to a month or so at a time, sometimes even longer, flying home for the odd weekend during the longer stints abroad to see the children. During those longer trips I did have a couple of tentative relationships, but there was only one that became anything like serious. Semine was a Danish woman I met over dinner at a colleague's house in Sweden. Whether he set the pair of us up, I don't know. But if he did, he should branch out into the dating industry. Semine and I hit it off like a house on fire. Divorced around the same time as me, I was to discover that she had two children about the same age as mine as well; Semine and I soon found that we had a lot to talk about. There were some remarkable coincidences in the circumstances - although tenuous to some peoples eyes - of our divorces as well. Semine had actually caught her husband in bed with her sister. Well surely infidelity within the family can't be that common. Anyway Semine's husband and her sister had run off to the UK together, and she'd heard sod-all about them and never received a penny in maintenance from the bastard since. Although she did get the house; but she had two teenage children to support. I'd made a mental note to see if I could trace the bugger and stitch the sod up somehow when I got back home. I went back to Semine's hotel room after dinner that first evening. She was only supposed to be in Sweden for a couple more days and I think we were both in somewhat of a hurry. I really can't explain why after sitting at the dinner table for no more than a few minutes I knew that some kind of a relationship was going to come out of our meeting. The way she was looking at me, I just knew that Semine was thinking the same as I was. On the way back to Semine's hotel in the taxi — I was supposed to be dropping her off on the way to mine — we started kissing and cuddling like a couple of teenagers; I don't remember any groping or anything like that, it was just kissing, I think. Whatever, by the time we got to Semine's hotel there was no question of me continuing on to mine. We paid the cab off and proceeded straight to Semine's room where we sucked and fucked the rest of the night away. Now some folks might think that Semine was a loose woman to climb into bed with a guy she'd met for the first time that day; I can assure you that she wasn't. I think we were both reticent about what we were doing, but we knew that time was short. Semine was supposed to be going home to Denmark the next day. Semine — the name by the way means goddess of sun, moon and stars — didn't take the ferry home the next morning; after calling her daughter — who appeared ecstatic that she'd finally met a man — she moved into my hotel room with me and stayed for a further five days. Even coming with me to work during the day, we covered her presence by passing her off as my official interpreter. Not that I met a soul in Sweden who didn't have a reasonably good grasp of English. No, not a bleeding word, except maybe for hallå — hello- and tack — thanks or thank you; generally I rambled on in English and everyone appeared to know what I was talking about. Semine had to return to Denmark at the end of that week though, and I flew home to the UK for the weekend as well. Katie seems to have a sixth sense about some things and almost the moment she arrived at the flat on the Saturday morning insisted on me telling her all about Semine. Well I didn't go into fine details, although my daughter shook me to the bone by asking if Semine was good in bed. "Christ dad, I only asked." She said with a cheeky grin on her face after I'd chastised her for asking such a question. "If she can put a smile back on your face, then good luck to her. Do you think that you'll get married; I'd like to meet her before you do." Marriage to Semine was not something that had crossed my mind at the time. It could be that my daughter was just giving me a warning not to let things get out of hand too quickly. However she seemed pleased that I'd teamed up with someone, even if Jamie didn't sound as pleased when he heard about my new girlfriend. Mind you, Jamie for some inexplicable reason seemed to get the idea that I'd be moving to Denmark to live with Semine. I have no idea where he got that notion. For the next two months whilst I was based in Sweden, Semine and I made regular weekend trips on the ferry to be with each other. Katie and Jamie flew over one weekend to spend it with us in Denmark, Jamie wasn't too enamoured because he was without Frankie for the weekend. He seemed to get on well with a friend of Semine's daughter though. On another weekend Semine brought her two over to the UK to spend it with me. Most of that weekend was spent in Oxford Street shopping, and doing the tourist sites. The kids seemed to get on quite well though. At the end of my stint in Sweden, Semine and I went on holiday together for three weeks. We had a great time and fucked like bunny rabbits at almost every opportunity we got for the first two weeks. Half way through the third week though things changed a little; we both knew that decision time was rapidly coming upon us. Before we got home again we had to decide whether we were going to get married or just remain friends and opportunist lovers. What I mean by that is, lovers when we could arrange to be in the same country together. My children were in the UK and Semine's were in Denmark, and on top of that none of them were young enough to change educational systems in mid-stream. And that didn't take into account our jobs; we were both in pretty good jobs that neither could contemplate throwing up lightly. Perhaps we were not in love enough, but the eventual decision was that we would remain friends, with benefits when the opportunity presented itself. Which it did several times a year for many years! I had a couple of short liaisons after that whilst I was away, but for some inexplicable reason I never got anything like close to any other woman in the UK. Yeah I bedded a few but none that I wanted to get closely involved with except maybe for Anna; Anastasia to give her, her full name. Now the way I met Anna was quite funny, even funnier to some folks than it was to me. Even to this day I have to wonder about the short relationship I had with her and was it all that it seemed to be. I'll let you ponder on the question the same way, as I always have. It all started with a company seminar down in Torquay. The Palace Hotel if my memory serves me correct. Anyway the company had virtually taken the place over and Brass from our operations all over Europe were there. Including our PA's and that meant that Lizzie was with me, doing her dizzy thing and winding-up all the unattached — and some of the attached guys - as usual. Anyway the Junket - because that in essence was what it was — had been thought up by the "powers that be" to bring the management of all the different operations together in one place to get to know each other. The company had been buying up smaller operations all over Europe for god knows how long, but they all remained essentially working as they had been before the takeovers; it was only the likes of me - that travelled around a lot - who had any kind of social contact with any of them. This junket was to enable the management of all the different operations to get to know each other. Basically one of the board members got up on the stage every morning and for about an hour rattled on about group identity and interdepartmental cooperation etc. Then the rest of the day was spent playing sports or silly games of one kind or another. Your opponents always selected by computer to make sure everyone met as many people as possible. Me, I knew just about everyone and my job for the week was to wander around making introductions. It was on the Tuesday I think, that I lost Lizzie just after the boring speech. I was pretty sure she was around somewhere with half a dozen randy guys in tow, all hoping they were going to get lucky. I had no real need of her services that day, so I wasn't looking for her when I spotted her in the dining room having a quiet cup of tea on her own. I was surprised that her little entourage of admirers had disappeared though. "Hi kiddo, seen the randy buggers off have you? What you doing in here the sun's over the yardarm let's go and have a couple of bevies in the pub whilst it's quiet." I said plonking myself in the chair beside her. Just for a moment a look of confusion came over Liz's face, then she smiled before replying that a drink in the pub would be nice. Completely unexpectedly she took my arm as we walked out of the hotel to a pub just down the road. A drink in the hotel bar would probably have meant that we'd be pounced on by some of the wolves after getting into Liz's knickers. Strangely that day Liz sounded a little more serious than usual. Several times I asked her if she was feeling all-right, usually I'd have got chapter and verse on who had tried to ply her with alcohol the previous evening and how she'd drunk them all under the table. During that walk Liz remained uncharacteristically quiet. And somewhat confusingly what conversation she did make for some reason was about Jamie and Kate, and when I had last seen Semine; as if she herself hadn't booked the plane ticket for me? Game of Life Ch. 03-04 Things got even more confusing in the pub, we talked about music and the like. Not a subject I'd ever known Liz to talk to me about before that day. After hiding away for a couple of hours of peace and quiet and eating lunch in the pub, I thought we'd better go and show our faces around the hotel for a while, so went back. Liz disappearing quite rapidly and unexpectedly after we had entered the hotel's reception area. I didn't see Liz at dinner that evening, but she walked through the lounge later, where I, and several of my foreign colleagues were sitting, chatting about sweet FA and having a quiet drink. A few moments later Liz completely shook me by strolling over with a big grin on her face and then, without a by your leave, planted a kiss on my forehead. Then, whilst I was still in shock and before I had a chance to ask her what I'd done to deserve such an unexpected favour from of her, she walked away again. Less than five minutes later she was back, and did almost exactly the same thing again. I was completely lost as to what she was playing at. But a couple of my colleagues seemed to think it was a great game and began to kid me that they now knew why no one ever got anywhere with my lovely PA. More than one of them had tilted their hats in Liz's direction over the years, to no avail. But Heinz one of the managers from our Berlin operation showed that he was more observant than the rest of us. "Why does Elizabeth keep changing her clothes this evening?" He asked. "Sorry!" I replied. "Red dress, blue dress and now red dress again. Why does she keep changing her dress?" He asked again. Sure enough Liz soon reappeared, and she was wearing a blue dress. "See, she has changed it again, how does she get changed so quickly and why?" Heinz asked. "I've no idea what she's playing at; but you should know Lizzie by now. Who can guess what she's going to do next!" I laughed back at him. Once again Liz was heading in my direction but this time I was ready for her, when she was in range, I grabbed her hand, pulled her down onto my lap and wrapped my arms around her holding her tight. "Ok Lizzy, what's the big game; why the quick change artist all of a sudden?" "I'm not with you boss." She replied. But Heinz got in first. "Elizabeth!" — actually Heinz always pronounces her name Elizibet — "You wear a red dress, then a blue dress and then red and now blue again." "Sorry Heinz, but you are mistaken. I haven't changed my dress since I came off the tennis courts at one o'clock." She replied smiling. "Liz we were in the pub having lunch at one." I pointed out. "No, I had lunch with Elizibet today, Jimmy!" Heinz contradicted me. By this time I could feel Liz's whole body shaking and she was making strange noses trying to stifle her laughter. "Come on, what's the game Liz?" I demanded, tickling her until she could no longer stifle the laughter. Okay I had — like most everyone else at the so called seminar - probably drunk a little more falling down water then I normally consume that day, so I was in the mood for messing around a little. You have to let your hair down sometimes. "All right, all right, I give in Jimmy. And if you don't stop tickling me, I'm going to pee all over your trousers." Liz eventually managed to say. I stopped tickling her and she grinned at me before waving her arm in the direction of the door she'd entered the lounge by. This caused me and the other guys to look over at the doorway and we were all surprised to see Liz stroll back into the lounge. Only this Liz was wearing a red dress. In shock I stood up and that dumped Liz on the floor. "Charming." She commented as I helped her to her feet again. "Boss I don't really have to introduce my sister Anna to you, do I? After all, the pair of you sneaked off for lunch together." I looked from a grinning Liz to an equally grinning Anna; they had to be identical twins. I could remember Liz mentioning her sister Anastasia who lived in Canada many times in the past; but she'd never mentioned that they were identical twins. "Sorry, Jim." Anna said taking my offered hand and shaking it. "Liz told me you always enjoyed a good joke, and so when you mistook me for her this morning, I couldn't resist seeing how long it took you to realise your mistake." Then she lent forward still hanging onto my hand so I couldn't get away and kissed me full on the lips. That kiss — or maybe it was the shocked expression on my face - prompting hoots of laughter and several questionable comments from around the room in general. "If I'd known Liz's boss was so handsome; I'd have come back to the UK to visit a lot sooner." She grinned at me. By this time the guys were, really laughing at me; it appeared that more than a few of them had seen Anna and Liz together earlier in the day and were in on the game. I had wondered why not one of them had shown any sign of disapproval when the girls had kept kissing me earlier. Fraternisation between staff members wasn't taboo or even particularly frowned upon in our organisation, but it was discouraged between managers and their subordinates for obvious reasons. I'd better explain that as my personal assistant Liz was on equal footing as far as seniority went with at least half the people at the seminar. Liz was empowered to sit in on meetings in my absence and act on my behalf when I was away. Her veto of any action that she felt she wasn't sure how I'd react to, was as good as my objecting to it in person. Generally nearly everyone in the company was aware, that I'd never had cause to reverse anything that Liz had said and done on my behalf. Back to that evening. The joke on me over, most of the guys drifted away and left Liz, Anna and myself chatting amongst ourselves. Later we moved into the ballroom where there was dancing every evening. I might add here, that nearly all the married guys had their wives with them and some — if not all of the female employees — had their spouses with them as well. Add to that there were more than a few girlfriends and boyfriends on the junket as well. The whole affair was a kind of "you're in our big family now" exercise. What the shareholders would make of the extravagance I had no idea. Somehow I found myself dancing with Anna for most of the evening. The moment Liz came off the dance floor, some randy bugger or the other was waiting to ask her for the next dance. Lizzie's reputation as a dizzy blond had spread far and wide. Word had also got around that she was a tease and an ice-maiden on the quiet as well; I do believe a lot of the would-be Casanova's were trying to prove the rumour wrong. And/or possibly hoping to gain some kudos by being the first to thaw her out. I don't believe anyone got lucky and I was pleased that Liz apparently didn't have to demonstrate her boxing skills that week either. To be completely honest, I can't say for sure what happened that evening. I thought I was just being polite by dancing with Liz's sister. On the dance floor we talked a lot about her life in Canada, she was working for a news agency or something and she was going places in the firm as well. She told me that she moved over there to be with the boyfriend she met at university, but the relationship didn't last the course. But by the time they broke up she'd somehow got this dream job of hers, so she'd stayed-on over there. Anna raved on about her job so much I kind-a got the feeling that the job could possibly have come between her and her guy. On reflection, for all Liz's messing around, maybe that's why she held men at arms length and apparently chickened out of any relationships. I was pretty sure that Liz was going places in the company even with her apparent light-hearted persona. I've digressed again haven't I? I wonder if that's what Anna did to me that night, kept my mind so busy on other things, that I didn't realise that she was quietly seducing me. Yeah well, around twelve Anna said it was time she hit the hay, and I honestly didn't have any idea what she was planning when she asked me to escort her up to her room. It was only when we got into the lift and she asked me what my room number was that I had any inkling as to what she had planned. The fact she could only ask me my room number after she remove her tongue from my throat, at which point I wasn't in any kind of mood to turn her down. Oh, and yeah well, she was sharing a room with Liz, so by using my room we wouldn't be disturbed. Christ, I wasn't going to turn the lady down, in a way I was being offered the chance of bedding Liz. Only of course, it wasn't Liz it was Anna; but hey, who could tell the difference? Well I couldn't after all the booze I'd consumed that day. Anyway bedding Anna couldn't endanger my working relationship with Liz, could it? Look, I'd had a few that night and alcoholic logic, ain't quite as clear as stone cold sober logic. Add to that that I'd always secretly had the hot's for Liz, even if I did a good job of hiding the fact; well I thought I did. The net result was, l was led like a lamb to the slaughter and I didn't give a hoot. Considering the amount of booze I'd consumed, I personally don't think I put on a bad show. Put it this way, Viagra would have been overkill. Mind the old back reminded me of my age for most of the following day, and I figured I needed to increase the amount of time I spent in the company gym every week. Whatever Anna seemed very pleased with my performance, and even requested a rematch for the following evening, even suggesting that we start a little earlier. But only after we'd done a little plain talking in the morning. I awoke lying on my back with Anna snuggled up beside me, her arm draped over my chest. I had to wonder if I'd been snoring, I tend to do that when I sleep on my back, but Anna didn't mention it if I did. I must have stirred or something and Anna became aware that I was awake. Her hand moved down to my rampant member. "Still early, you ready for another go before breakfast." She whispered. "Whenever you're ready, I certainly am." I replied. "Good on you stud, lets go for it." She said, then before I could make a move she'd jumped up on her knees straddling me, leaning forward to kiss me at the same time as she impaled herself. "Liz doesn't know what she's missing here." She added as a throw away comment before she started moving very slowly up and down as if savouring the moment. I did think about asking her what she meant by the comment, but decided not to. Well, I was kind-a beginning to get into it and didn't want to spoil the moment. Instead I reached up and played with Anna's breasts, until she lent forward again and pushed one of them into my mouth. The thought crossed my mind that Anna was completely in control of the encounter and had been from the start the evening before. "What's wrong lover," she suddenly asked, I must have reacted somehow when the thought had crossed my mind. "are you okay?" "No I'm just wondering what all this is about Anna; you jumping into bed with like this. Not that I'm complaining. But I ain't no spring chicken, there was lots of good looking blokes down there last night, how come you decided on me?" "Honest answer." "Of course." "Because you were the most handsome man there." "Bullshit!" "Okay, for a couple of reasons. Because I fancied you and I knew I could trust you." "Trust me." "Yeah of course, you're my sister's boss and she knows you well. I knew you wouldn't turn nasty on me. Look, Jim; I'm on holiday over here and I needed a bit of loving for a while. Now shall we get back to it before we run out of time and have to go down for breakfast." We joined Liz for breakfast that morning and I was treated to a conversation filled with innuendo from Anna and humorously sarcastic remarks from my faithful assistant. I didn't mind, because Liz had become a close friend and we had a very good working relationship. Our off duty conversation often centred around me either trying to match Liz up with an extremely unsuitable mate, or taking the Mickey out of the guys who she did allow to take her out; although often our roles were reversed. My having spent the night with her sister opened me up for all kinds of off-hand and extremely suggestive comments from Liz. As well as some conversation with her sister — within my earshot and designed for me to overhear - about some unnamed guy's stamina and prowess in the lovemaking department. But by about lunchtime though they began to lay-off me some and Liz with Anna's help, returned to winding up and frustrating some of the other guys. Now don't go thinking that Anna and I hung around together all day. I had some work to do and both Liz and I had to attend the regular morning pep talk from one of the whizz-kids on the board. After that Liz and Anna went off together, to play sports or just socialise with the staff and their respective spouses from all our other operations. I was doing the same thing really, but spent most of my time introducing people to each other. My travels for the company had led to me knowing just about everyone, if sometimes a little vaguely. But we did run into each other several times during the morning and that's when Liz (and Anna) played the innuendo game. Anyway after lunch I had a formal meeting for a few hours with some of the board and the heads of the local operations. Liz didn't attend but I would have to spend an hour or so later filling her in on what was discussed. Chiefly into which countries we were going to expand next. No point in going into all that here. Although I will mention that Liz and Anna were brought into the conversation a few times; the similarity between the two girls being the main comment made and the odd joke about not knowing which one was which. Oh, add to that Heinz, setting everyone off laughing when he related the trick the girls had played on me the night before. To my relief it appeared that no one knew that Anna and I had spent the night together. After the meeting I didn't see Anna or Liz until they joined me for dinner. Most of which I spent relating the afternoon's meeting to Liz. But I did note that they had obviously spent some time during the afternoon in the hair salon. A little trim here and there had changed their hairstyles just enough to make them absolutely identical. I enquired what they were up to, and they replied that they'd always had the same styles as children. Their hairstyles had taken on a little variation because they'd been living several thousand miles away from each other. "You wait, tomorrow night at the big dance, you won't be able to tell us apart, we nipped out and bought matching dresses today." Liz informed me. "Now that's a worry, I won't know which one of you I'm cuddling up to later." I replied in a whispered voice. It wouldn't have done to have anyone hear me say that. "No problem lover, there is a different between us; I'll show you the secret later." Anna whispered back with a grin on her face. I went to my room somewhat earlier than we'd retired the previous evening. Anna tapping on my door about half an hour later, after I'd had my shower. "Ready for me lover?" she asked after she let me breathe again. I'd only just managed to maintain my balance; Anna had thrown herself at me so enthusiastically when I'd opened the door. "Who wouldn't be, kiddo? You're one sexy looking woman you know." "You're not bad yourself Jim, what the hell your wife thought she was playing at, running around behind your back; god alone knows. I know that Elizabeth wouldn't mind throwing a rope on you either if you weren't working together, that is. Oh, you know she did toy with the idea of moving to Mainard's just so she could get a chance at you. But then, you took up with that Danish girl." "Run that by me again Anna." I said. "Whoops you didn't know, did you? Ah well, I think you should know anyway. Liz was offered a job at Mainards, one of their head-hunters approached her. Well, she was happy as your PA, but she toyed with the idea of taking Mainards up on their offer, just so that you and her could get all nice and pally. She's always had quite a crush on you, you know." "Anna I'm almost old enough to be Liz's father." "Um, and mine!" "Yeah well, and yours as well. And if we are talking like that, with all the handsome younger guys down there, why did you really drag me into bed last night?" I hadn't bought Anna's explanation from the morning. "Oh Jim. Young and handsome doesn't make them good in bed. Like my sister I appreciate a man with a little experience; older guys know how to treat a woman well. And besides, I was attracted to you the moment you sat down beside me yesterday; I immediately knew why Liz loves working with you so much." "You do, why?" "No chance buddy. I might look like a dumb blond, but I'm not stupid; I'm not spilling the beans about everything." As if she hadn't already; whatever I never did get to the bottom of that statement of Anna's, well not for a very long time! But she did go on to explain that she was a career woman and intended to be running her agency by the time she was finished. A regular guy wasn't part of Anna's career plan — not for a few years anyway — and she feared that one-night stands and that kind of thing might get her a reputation as a slut. Her answer to that problem was to avoid guys like the plague when she was back home in Canada. "But if you don't go out with guys over there, isn't it possible that someone might think that you're gay or something?" I asked. Okay, I'm not sure I should have asked, but it was the first thought that entered my mind. "Oh, don't get me wrong, Jim. I date a few guys now and again; but I keep it strictly platonic. I think most of the guys who know me are under the impression that I'm some kind of a nun as far as my sex life goes. But I come over here every so often to get my regular fix of sex; I was just lucky that I ran into you this time." Anna stopped speaking for a while; I could see that she was thinking. "I hate to tell you this, but I think that I can trust you. Jim I come over to the UK twice a year to see my sister ... And usually when I'm over here, I use a very discrete escort agency." "You're funning me." I replied somewhat in shock at Anna's revelation. "No, Jim, I'm perfectly serious. I don't go picking up guys in bars and things ... Christ it's dangerous out there. God alone knows whom the guys have been with ... And shit, what if I picked up a nutter ... you know, a murderer or something! An agency might sound a bit seedy, but at least the guys are well vetted; well the guys at the agency I use are." I have no idea what Anna read in my facial expression, but it was obviously more than I intended. She sat looking at me for a few moments with a strange expression on her face. "I've upset you, haven't I? I apologise, Jim. You're a nice man and I've selfishly taken advantage of you; I really didn't mean to do that. Honestly I'm truly attracted to you, but I can see the disgust on your face now." "Whoa Whoa, hold up there, Anna. Yeah, I'm disgusted all right, but not with you or anything you did. Actually I'm pretty disgusted with myself ... Oh shit look, how am I going to explain this. Look Anna you ... I ... last night. It wasn't you taking advantage of the situation, it was me! I think you are a very beautiful woman and I kind of blurred the edges of acceptable behaviour!" A little smile returned to Anna's face. "Oh my, Jim, an honest man as well. In your mind at least, you pretended that I was Liz last night, didn't you?" "Um yeah, in my subconscious I think I possibly did, Anna. But for Christ sake don't you dare tell her." She leant forward and kissed me. "Hey that's fine with me, lover; I'll be Liz for you anytime you want Jim. God we used to play that game all the time when we were young." I'm not sure what expression I had on my face by then. "We were ... still are," Anna's smile turned into a grin, "identical twins, Jim. We used to run our boyfriends ragged on occasions." Game of Life Ch. 03-04 The hint was there, in her tone of voice, but without being too specific. "You didn't ... did you?" "Now that would be telling, wouldn't it!" She grinned back at me. "But you told me earlier that there was a difference between you. You even told me you'd let me in on the secret. Surely one of your boyfriends would have noticed." "There's only one difference between Elizabeth and I, and only you will ever know it. Liz would never do this!" Anna pushed me back onto the bed and began to attack the belt of my trousers. "Liz and I have a golden rule, never mix business with pleasure, nothing ever good comes of it in the long term, so I'm sure she'd never do this with you." I kind-a lost track of what was said after that. Except for a good few "Oh Yeah's" and that kind of thing from Anna. The following evening was fun for everyone; Liz and Anna wore their identical dresses and for the whole evening never let on to anyone which was which. Later in the evening someone produced a flower that one of them put in her hair and a sort of sweepstake was run at a pound a time to guess which was which; the cash being destined for charity. Personally I had a little trouble telling them apart until I got one of them on the dance floor alone. I don't think she or anyone else had realised that Liz had got into the habit of calling me boss when we talked together privately. And after a little quiet conversation on that dance floor the one with the flower — as I was sure she would — called me boss whilst discussing some innocuous point or the other. At midnight we had the count up and Liz took her bow amid much laughter by everyone who had been fooled. Look Anna had done very well considering she hardy knew a soul and Liz worked with a lot of the people there. Mind you, I should imagine that Liz had battled hard in not calling anyone by name — except me — all evening. That was the last night Anna and I spent in bed together on that trip of hers to the UK. Although we were to get together again on her subsequent visits. I began to look forward to them very quickly. End of Chapter 04