Author's Note: Has it been hot in your part of the world this summer? We have been having record high temperatures which is causing this part time farmer to melt. As I was shoveling out horse stalls in 100 degree F heat (our thermometer stopped working at 99.8) a comment Laura made to Robbie at the end of Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things came to mind and I decided it was a good start for a story.
"Hot work, eh?"
Laura gave Robbie her best Dr. Hobson look and once again cursed his plans and his lack of sharing them with her. She was up to her knees in muck, wearing protective gear on one of the hottest summer mornings ever in the history of Oxford, even hotter than in Oxford, Mississippi. It was the kind of heat that sapped your strength, made you cross, and even the most law abiding of citizens could be tempted to commit murder.
Mustering all the professionalism possible under the circumstances she replied, "not exactly the Sunday I had planned."
Robbie was not sure if she was just a little put out or delaying her outrage. He put on his most jovial expression before speaking. "I don't know. You, me, James and a hole in the ground. It's what weekends were made for."
"It's 10 AM Robbie and I've been working for two hours, don't push it."
Laura at least had some sleep the night before. The air conditioning in the house had quit two days into the 10 day heat wave. Unable to sleep upstairs in the hot bedroom, they tried sleeping downstairs and found it wasn't much better. The basement was a bit cooler but the air was stale and Laura worried about the safety of the oxygen level. Osborn the dog and Monty the cat both refused to go down there and chose to stay out in the back garden instead.
Robbie insisted that Laura curl up in the backseat of the car while he drove the streets of Oxford with the AC on. Even though he slept much better now with Laura than he did in the first years after Val died he could still get by on little or no sleep. Lack of sleep would not kill him, but he suspected Laura might if this heat continued.
Laura took a break and gazed over at Robbie. He could be considerate and infuriating at the same time. But he was her infuriating and considerate man. She shook her head and got back to work. The things you do for love.
Fortunately Lizzie Maddox arrived to do most of the heavy lifting. She had been out on a Saturday girls' night and had only been home long enough to shower and change when she got the call for assistance.
Several hours later, their work done Laura and Robbie had just enough time to shower and dress before guests arrived. Laura was more than a bit put out that Robbie had planned a surprise pool party at their home and invited guests without telling her. Even worse the pool installers refused to finish the job in the heat and left them to complete the pool on their own. The only saving grace was that the water company arrived with a truck and as it was a small pool were able to fill it quickly.
Robbie stood at the bottom of the stairs and gazed fondly at Laura as she descended the stairs. Despite the heat, Robbie was wearing a dress shirt and a tie with his jeans while Laura, still hot and bothered from the morning's work wore her skimpiest summer dress and flip flops. She saw Robbie staring at her.
"it's the best I can offer, too hot for anything more formal, guests or no guests."
"You look great, you always look great."
Guests began to arrive. Robbie had requested no gifts and instead asked for donations to a charity that offered support to dementia patients and their families.
Laura's brother Brad and his wife Carole arrived with a selection of pool toys much too large for the pool. Laura shook her head at her brother. Carole said "I told him you probably only got planning permission for a pool the size of a postage stamp but he insisted on the floating shark and the squirting elephant.
"There won't be room for any people in the pool with those in there." Laura led the way out back. "Seeing as how we had to finish the work ourselves I am very happy it was only a small pool."
Despite the heat and the limited water area, everyone seemed to be having a grand time. Laura could not believe how many people Robbie had invited, some of them she did not recognize. "Who are all these people" she wondered aloud. The heat and humidity caused most of the women to have frizzed hair like wet poodles. In contrast, Laura's hair was limp but at least it stayed put when she tucked it behind her ear.
People crowded on to Laura's small patio and sipped cool drinks while listening to the Indian brass band Robbie had hired. They had heard them perform at a colleague's wedding a few months earlier. Laura never expected they would be playing to a small crowd in her own back garden. She was happy to not be part of this concert, the band members looked very hot in their costumes.
The topic of conversation was the weather of course and James expounded on the situation. Laura was circulating around the small clusters of heat survivors and arrived at one group in time to hear James explaining "humidity was a measure of the air's water vapor content, causing the body's perspiration to evaporate at a much slower rate than normal." People listened politely at first then grew prickly as James explained further that "it was a dimensionless ratio of the amount of atmospheric moisture present relative to the amount that would be present if the air were saturated."
Suddenly several inflamed guests turned on James and retorted, "we know what it is, Inspector."
Meanwhile Robbie was oblivious to the heat and any friction among the guests. He was happy to be celebrating one year of marriage to his lovely Laura, and the successful installation of the small pool and appreciation for all the friends and family who wanted to share this day with them. He was hoping to get a few minutes with his grandson Jack to show him the new fishing reel he got him but Jack was busy playing with two good looking children, a boy and a girl a few years his senior. The three youngsters sat on the edge of the pool with their legs and feet in the water. Robbie wondered why they did not go in when he noticed the two older children had some kind of electronic gizmos on their waists they were demonstrating for Jack.
Robbie felt something tugging at the leg of his jeans and looked down to see his granddaughter Susan gripping a piece of paper in her other hand. He bent down to her level and she pushed the note into his face, giggled and ran off. Pulling the paper off his nose, he squinted his eyes in the bright sunshine to read it.
'Meet me in the summer house.' L Robbie frowned. Was Laura planning to have a row with him out of earshot of their guests?
The small shed at the side of the house where Laura stored her gardening tools and Robbie his wood glue was jokingly called the summer house. When Jack and Susan came to visit they would clear it out the best they could so Jack could create a lounge for himself and the cat and dog, while Susan made a nest in there for herself and her stuffed furry friends. There was a window that could be opened but today it was closed and the heat inside was oppressive.
Robbie scanned the crowded back garden and did not see Laura so he went around the corner to the shed and as he was about to reach for the handle, the door burst open and a hand reached out and grabbed his tie, dragging him inside. Mercifully the door was left open a crack to let in the tiniest bit of air.
Robbie wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.
"Are you okay Laura?"
"Sorry Robbie, I just don't want to be here celebrating our anniversary with all of these other people. It should be just the two of us. That's why I made plans."
"You made plans, why didn't you-"
"Tell you about them? Why didn't you tell me about yours?"
"Fair point."
"Anyway, we haven't much time, a car is waiting for us." She opened the door and peeked out. "Come on!"
Robbie, happy she wasn't planning to have a row and thankful to be out of the stifling shed followed Laura around to the front of the house.
While they made their escape Jack created a diversion in the back garden with magic tricks using the chemistry set Laura had got him last Christmas.
A silver car awaited them, the driver holding a hand drawn 'Mr. and Mrs. LEWIS' sign. The driver's partner opened the door for them and soon they were on their way.
Robbie reached over and took Laura's hand. "Where are we going luv?"
Laura grinned at him. 'Egypt.' She bobbed her head. "Well, actually Ancient Egypt."
Robbie raised his eyebrows. "Should I be getting onto something?"
She playfully slugged his arm. Robbie, I hinted about this all winter. Glyndebourne is performing Guilo Cesare and we are going tomorrow night. We will finally get to put our Italian lessons to use."
"I was listening. It's an opera about power, revenge, and romance." Robbie seemed pleased about Laura's plans. One thing bothered him. "What about the packing?"
"Already done, our bags are in the boot of the car."
"What about my traveling shirt?"
"Er, I may have forgotten it. I'll make it up to you, I promise."
Robbie looked at the familiar silhouette of their driver and then to the left and smiled. This time the driver was not alone. He remembered a long ago conversation that had caused some friction in their relationship.
"You need a partner." Well, Robbie had to admit that wasn't the only thing that caused friction in the relationship. Laura was watching him as he sat and considered his next words.
"It's good to see you son."
Without turning around Ken Lewis said, "I, I mean we, he waved his arm at his partner Ryan, were Lyn's idea of an anniversary surprise, then she found out about your plans and then Laura's and so I just fit myself in, hope you don't mind."
"We missed you last year." Instantly Robbie regretted bringing up the fact that his son did not attend his wedding.
"Sorry dad, I didn't want to take time off from work to come to the wedding." Much quieter he mumbled, "I should have been there to hold your hand." He stopped the car at a red light and Ryan reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "Now that Ryan and I have children in our home, family has become more important to me than work."
"I know son. You promised to make it up to me and you have, you are here now. Did you leave the bairns at home? I would like to meet them."
"You have met them, or at least seen them, at your party." Ken knew instinctively that Robbie had raised his eyebrows so he continued. "And they are not bairns, they are a couple of years older than Jack and they are great mates already."
"Oh, the boy and girl wearing electronic thingies."
Laura leaned into Robbie and spoke quietly, "those are insulin pumps Robbie."
"Oh, er sorry Ken..."
"Don't worry Dad, Ryan is great at managing their condition and I'm learning. We'll talk more about Beau and Bijou when we pick you up on Wednesday, after you and Laura have your anniversary holiday."
Ryan turned around and asked Laura, "Did you book someplace nice to stay?"
"Just a modern little country hotel with excellent air con."
"Any other amenities, a pool, jogging trails?"
"No Ryan, all we need is a cool room."
Robbie pulled a face and expressed mock outrage, "No pool, no jogging trails?"
"We have a pool at home now and you don't jog", Laura countered.
"But they promised the room will be cool?" Robbie grinned at his wife and decided he did not need any other amenities.
They rode along in companionable contented silence for awhile, the four of them each grateful for the family and loved ones in their lives. For all of them their loneliness had finally passed for good.
James had followed Robbie to the summerhouse and then watched as he and Laura got into a car and left. With nothing more to do and not wanting to go back to the party he sat on the curb smoking for a long time after they drove away. Osborn had been out of sight of the guests doing his business when he spotted James and went and sat next to him trying very hard not to drool on the expensive trainers. James usually shooed the dog away but this time he just smiled and told Osborn, "I guess you are my partner for the next few days." Osborn offered him a paw and James took it.
Later that evening in a small modern country hotel not far from East Sussex, things were pleasurably hot and steamy in the well air conditioned room.
A/N: I was very happy to find some new Lewis fanfiction this summer. New stories, new writers, and new chapters for old stories were welcome breaths of fresh air. Thank-you to everyone who contributes whether by reading and or writing. Oh and do not worry too much about me farming in this heat. A couple of you have met Mr. Hobsonfan and would tell the others that he does most all of the work.