Hello! In spite of my best intentions to wait until this is finished before I start publishing (I don't know how you do it Greenstuff) I couldn't wait out.
Another thing I struggle with is coming up with names for stories - it's harder than you think! As this is set at Christmas time I thought I would steal the title of a lovely Christmas song for no other reason than I like it.
This is a sequel to Nyota, set about 3 weeks after their return to the UK. There's no big surprises in store, its fluff and fun and no angst in sight. I hope you enjoy it and don't mind me indulging my love of peripheral characters.
Thursday 12 December, 2019
A week before Christmas the clubs and pubs around Aldershot were doing a roaring trade. Office parties were at their peak, groups of people that wouldn't normally spend any time together outside of work passed their evenings making polite conversation over endless bowls of parsnip soup and plates of over-cooked turkey and sprouts. By around 9pm watches were looked at more frequently and babysitters started to get a mention as the more reluctant partygoers could sense that the end of their obligations drew closer and excuses could soon be made. By 10pm the numbers had dwindled and the drinking began in earnest. Ties were loosened, giggling groups of young women tottered back and forth to the loos as music got louder and tables were cleared. Clubs filled up with ease as middle aged executives took the opportunity of a night out to relive their glory days once again.
Graham Woodford stood at the bar, tapping his car keys against it in time to the beat of the music. He had put them on the leather keyring they had given him at the dealers, he reckoned if he flashed the BMW logo it would undoubtedly impress someone. His Christmas dinner wasn't sitting very well with the pints of lager he'd drunk so he decided that when he eventually managed to catch the eye of the young woman serving behind the bar he would move onto spirits. As he waited he surveyed the room, he could see the party from Guildford Plastic Mouldings had started to let their hair down, some the lads from the factory were chatting up a group of girls, and a few hands were beginning to wander. He took in the rest of the room, the dance floor was filling up with bodies as the coloured lights bounced off the sparkly dresses and crisply ironed shirts of the clubgoers.
Two young women emerged from the sweaty mass of bodies, giggling with each other as they made their way to the bar. Graham ran an appreciative eye over them, a tall blonde and a shorter brunette. They looked fit and tanned and he reckoned they must work in a gym or something to keep their figures so trim. He especially liked the look of the blonde, a bit older than her friend she held herself with confidence and her eyes sparkled as she threw her head back and laughed at something her companion had said. Twirling his keys around his forefinger and holding his stomach in he made his way over to them.
"Hello ladies" he shouted over the loud music "can I buy you two lovelies a drink?"
A look passed between them and they both giggled.
"No thanks mate" came the response from the short brunette "I think we can manage for ourselves" she spoke in a strong London accent.
"Come on, it's Christmas, what are you having?" he twirled his keys again and turned to the blonde.
"I don't think so, thank you all the same" she replied, her accent softer.
"Now why would two lovely ladies such as yourself pass up a free drink?" he queried, trying to remember the lines he had used 20 years ago.
"Probably because we are more than capable of buying our own drinks" came a rather curt reply from the blonde as she turned towards the bar, gesturing to the barman in charge of that section.
"Now there's no need to come over all feminist about it, you girls are too pretty for that. Come on, it's only a drink"
"Really. No. Thank. You. Now please, leave us alone" the blonde one took on a rather haughty look and made a half step towards him, causing him to stumble backwards.
"Jesus, it's only a drink you ugly bitch" he shot back regaining his balance and hopefully some of his dignity. The blonde woman, now back at the bar half turned towards him and looked him up and down "I don't think I need to be lectured on my attractiveness by a someone with moobs" she glanced at her friend who was trying not to make her laughter too obvious. She made a small nod towards the door "Come on Molls, let's find somewhere else"
Waiting in line at the coat check Molly was still giggling intermittently. She ran her fingertips under her eyes losing the battle with her mascara. "Are you sure you want to leave Zo? I mean, I reckon you were on a promise with that one" she burst out laughing again at her own joke, the memory of that man's face still fresh in her mind.
"Laugh it up now Dawes, just remember come Monday you're at my mercy" Zoe replied with a grin. "This is the last time I let you pick a club, how the hell did we end up here anyway?"
"You said you wanted cheesy, I asked the lads where was cheesy and they said here"
"Remind me to put them all on a charge next week. My choice now." She handed their tickets to the coat check girl.
"It's going to be like this all round, Christmas parties innit?"
"Are you chickening out Dawes?"
"Course not. So then where next"
"Well seeing as it's my choice I thought The Vaults"
Molly groaned and pulled a face. "What's wrong with The Vaults?" asked Zoe.
"Stuck up Rupert wankers"
"Number 97? It's pretty civvy"
"Yeah, because no one in the army can afford it"
"Well where do you suggest?"
"The George?"
"I've come out to spend an evening away from the company of squaddies, not join them"
"The Swan?"
"We always go there"
"Well yeah, because it's the only place we can agree on"
"Come on, let's go to 97, we'll call it a Christmas outing. Trust me, 2 cocktails and you'll be shitfaced." Zoe put on her coat and wrapped her scarf around her neck.
"OK, but only two, I've got a wedding to save for."
A short walk later they arrived at a small cocktail bar and found themselves a table. Zoe fiddled with the olive in her martini while Molly sniffed suspiciously at the drink in front of her. "What did you say this was?"
"A Cuba Libre, or to you and me, a rum and coke"
"Why the wanky name?"
Zoe shrugged.
"Suppose it goes with the wanky music"
"It's just a bit of jazz, tuneful jazz if you ask me, my dad's into the stuff that sounds like someone dropping a load of cutlery in slow motion"
"So then", continued Zoe "you all set for Christmas?"
"Yep, down to Bath Christmas Eve, mum and dad's on Boxing Day then back home. You're coming to ours for New Years?"
"Definitely, I'll be dying for company by then"
"Why's that?"
"The folks are spending Christmas in Hong Kong so Toby decided to take his lot skiing. He's leaving the dog with me though, too tight to pay kennel fees"
"Cheeky bastard. You going to be ok on your own?"
"Yeah, just think, a Christmas off from all that family crap" she waved her hand dismissively. "I can clear the garage, catch up with paperwork."
"Wild" said Molly, widening her eyes
"I know"
"You should get out, do something for yourself"
"I'll be fine. I'm looking forward to the break"
"Hmm"
"I am Molls, trust me", she quickly changed the subject. "Right, hand me your phone"
"Why?" said Molly, passing it over.
"Because I'm setting the timer. You've obviously been dying to talk about the wedding all evening so I'm giving you ten minutes to get it off your chest. There, begin." She set the phone on the table between them.
"I have not been dying to talk about it"
"Yes you have, 9 minutes and 45 seconds. Has Margaret stuck her oar in yet?"
"We haven't told our families yet, I mean mine know he's gonna ask and that. Is that bad, I told you and I ain't told them?"
"What about Charles' parents"
"Nope. Not them neither. I kind of like it you know, as soon they all find out shit's gonna hit the fan. Margaret will be booking churches and marquees, Dad'll want us to do it at the West Ham ground, mum will just go on and on about how lucky I am or something"
"What about you and Charles, what do you want?"
"Charles says he's happy with whatever I want"
"Typical, it's his day too, he should be involved"
"He reckons he'd marry me in a bin bag in the bus shelter if that's what I want"
"Please tell me that is what you want, that would be brilliant"
Molly laughed. "No, a bit more special than that but not some ruddy great country house job."
"So somewhere between bus shelter and stately home. Looks like your dad might be onto a winner"
"Seriously though, I need to get something fixed in my head before Margaret tells me how it should be. Don't get me wrong, I love her and that, but she doesn't half scare the pants off me sometimes."
"You guys are paying for it, right?"
"Yeah"
"Well then tell her you can't afford whatever daft idea she comes up with"
"She'll offer to pay, I know she will"
"Still doesn't mean it's her choice"
"I know." Molly was quiet for a moment "Zo, I don't want you to feel bad or anything, but I don't think I can ask you to be bridesmaid, it's just Jade and Bella should be...you don't mind do you? I feel dead bad about it."
"Of course not. Besides I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for that sort of thing"
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. I still get to come, right?"
"Course"
"Perfect. All the fun of the day without being a magnet for all the pervy blokes trying to cop off with"
"Anyone touches my sisters and I'll rip their nuts off"
Zoe laughed.
"I know where these blokes have been. They ain't going anywhere near them"
"If they're anything like you Molls, they'll be able to handle themselves. So aside from the lack of venue and the strict no touching my sisters policy, any other plans? Got an idea for a date yet?"
"Well you might be able to help with that actually. We were thinking May or September. Any idea what might be OK from a work point of view?"
"None at all. Not even anything on the rumour mill. Just pick a date and we'll make it work for you, OK? Another drink?" she held up her empty glass.
"I'm ok for now thanks, you sort yourself out. Just nipping to the bogs" Molly picked up her phone and made her way to the toilets as Zoe tried to attract the attention of the barman to refill her drink.
"You do realise that Fingers will probably be there?" Molly announced with a cheeky grin as she sat back down. "that's not going to be a problem is it?"
"Not for me, and you know him better than I do"
"I don't know him like that at all, thanks"
"You know what I mean"
"He'll try it on again, you can be sure of that"
Zoe swirled the olive in her glass for a moment before glancing at her friend "what makes you say that?"
"You are textbook his type, he won't be able to stop himself"
"And there was me hoping I was unique" she said with an over-dramatic sigh.
"Sorry, he's been down the posh bird route before. It's his weakness. Or he's their weakness, or something. I stop listening after a bit." Molly took a gulp of her drink "That's the reason he transferred you know"
"His irresistibility to women?"
"Yeah" Molly giggled "He was shagging his platoon captain's wife."
"Hang on" Zoe sat forward in her seat "wasn't Charles his captain? You mean he shagged Rebecca?"
Molly spluttered into her drink "God no. This was after Charles, the one that came after him. Fingers and Rebecca! I wouldn't put it past him trying, she wouldn't give him the time of day though"
"Thank fuck for that, it was all getting a bit Kevin Bacon degrees of separation there for a minute" Zoe shuddered "So then, how did he end up transferring?"
"Well" Molly leant forward and whispered conspiratorially "He met her on base, they hit it off, wifey was feeling a bit neglected. They start shagging about, he was quite keen from what I heard, they started talking about making a go of it, her leaving her husband and everything. Anyway, she thought better of it and went back to her husband but not before he found out she'd been having it away with one of his platoon. The shit hit the fan, and the Captain took things out on him, Fingers threatened to blow the whistle and got a transfer and a chance to go for promotion in exchange for keeping it all hushed up. That's why he's in the Anglians now. Course, he's back to feeling like it's all catching up with him again, he was bending my ear on exercise about not being put forward for promotion."
"And is it?"
"I don't think so, he's jumping the gun as usual, but he does like to think he can run before he can walk" Molly tipped the last of her ice cubes into her mouth and crunched them. "Are we staying for another or calling it a night?"
"You just want to get home don't you?"
"Do you mind? Charles is away for the next few nights."
"Nah, it's fine. I'll call a cab. We can't be going home to a sure thing, more's the pity"
"I'm sure Mr Hairy c-cup back at the club would give you a second chance you know"
"Jog on Corporal" Molly stood to go to the toilet "Oi and give me that phone. I don't want to be waiting out in the cold while you're warming Charles up from the bogs" Zoe put Molly's phone in her pocket. "I'll see you outside"
Zoe sat at the kitchen table. The house was dark and still, the only noise came from the hum of the fridge in the corner. She sighed and lifted a glass of wine to her lips.
She stared down at the black screen of her phone, picking it up she swiped it to life, opening a couple of apps, closing them again without really thinking what she was doing beyond a bit of electronic fidgeting. Her thumb hovered over the contacts icon before she put the phone down again and refilled her wine glass. The phone screen grew dimmer and eventually clicked off, back to black. She continued to sit in the silence of the empty house, sipping her glass of wine, occasionally glancing down at her phone.
The whump and whirr of the boiler firing one last time for the night followed by the whoosh and clicks of heat working its way around the system before falling into silence roused her from her contemplation as she sank the last mouthful of wine and made her way upstairs. Pausing for a moment on the stairs she swiped her phone screen, opened the contacts tab and, with only the slightest of pauses, she pressed the call button.
Holding it to her ear she made her way slowly up the stairs. After what seemed an age the line connected and began to ring. She matched each ring with a tread on the stairs, nearly at the top of the second flight before it picked up. There was a brief moment of silence when she thought it had gone to voicemail before a bleary voice spoke.
"Who the fuck is this? Do you know what time it is?"
She took a deep breath, poised at the top of the stairs "Rob, it's Zoe"
There was silence. She heard breathing and a rustling of bedclothes.
"Zoe" she said "Erm Captain..." her words trailed off in humiliation.
"I know." came the reply
Zoe leaned against the wall, partly relieved hadn't had to identify herself any further and partly to try and quell the anxiety that was growing inside her. What the fuck did she think she was doing?
"What are you up to?" she asked cringing at the lame question she'd just asked.
"I was sleeping, like normal people do at..." his voice becoming distant as he checked the time "02:00"
"Shit. This was a bad idea"
"Maybe. You haven't told me what the idea is yet"
She swallowed, her mouth dry and tasting of nerves and wine, the moment stretching out as she tried to remember what she was going to say.
"Well?" the voice over the phone took on a teasing tone, she could picture his cocky grin and could imagine he was enjoying her embarrassment.
"I was wondering if you'd recovered"
"From what?"
"Training"
"You're right, this was a bad idea. I had my debrief weeks ago" he yawned "in the daylight"
Zoe grinned, her confidence returning "So would you say you're fully debriefed then?"
He caught her change of tone and gave a short laugh. "Fully."
"Don't you think we should be a little more thorough? In the spirit of combined forces working, obviously."
"Did you have anything specific in mind, Captain?"
"We could start with a detailed performance review. If you like." she sat on the edge of her bed "there are some manoeuvres that I feel need revisiting"
"Will this be a 360 degree review?"
"Absolutely. I think you'll find I'm fully behind CPD"
"Fucking A"
A/N
I haven't been in a nightclub in 15 years, can you tell? Too many nights out around the Graham Woodfords of this world shudder groping my arse and gawping at my tits. I'm strictly in the make your excuses and leave by 10 camp, or better still just don't go out. Still I did look up nightclubs in Guildford for research purposes and once I got past the desire to flay my own skin off I amalgamated a few with my own experience and then scrubbed my imagination clean with wine.
So where next? What does a Dawes/James Christmas look look like? Who is Zoe calling? Will her dodgy sounding plumbing limp on to heat another day or will it turn into confessions of a plumbers mate? All will become clear soon….