Sean
I'm waiting here to surprise someone from my past. I've no idea where she works, but it's somewhere near here based on the little snippets her mother has told mine whenever they've run into each other. I'm in trouble you see, pretty deep, and I need her help. I'm hoping that when she sees me, she won't be able to resist my northern charm, like she did all those years ago when she was fifteen.
I was her first serious boyfriend you see. We met at school, in the fourth year and bonded over our love of music, not our academic subjects. The other love of my life, Elsie my clapped out Ford Escort, used to transport us back and forth to Manchester to see all our favourite bands playing there, and we became very close. It was also in Elsie, in one of Bolton's many deserted back streets that Martha Costello became a woman.
Soon after that night however, Mar set her sights on carving out a career in law. She worked hard and against the odds for a lass from an estate in Bolton, managed to get the grades to study it at university. Me on the other hand, had no plan. I dropped out of college and found myself enrolling for the army. Our relationship continued for a while with Mar at university. She had chosen to stay close in Manchester. Elsie and I used to travel the familiar route most weekends. I could see her start to change though, the longer she stayed around those academic types. Soon we had nothing in common and she ended it with me.
I heard through my mother that once she finished at Manchester, she moved to London. Mar was going to fulfill her dream and become a defence barrister, helping those poor sods who had been framed by the police. I can still remember how passionately she had talked about the subject when we were dating. I know she was successful and now she is a QC whatever that means. Looking around at my present surroundings, I'm guessing that means she has done alright for herself.
A small breeze starts up, a reminder that another summer is over and autumn is on it's way. I search in my jacket and jeans for my tobacco packet and paper and make myself a roll up to keep me a little warmer whilst I wait. The passers by staring at me, whether it's because of my clothes or the roll up, I'm not sure. I don't fit in here at all. Everyone walking past me looks exactly the same in their expensive pinstriped suits, briefcase and coffee in hand. I on the other hand have never worn a suit, except to my grandfathers funeral.
Glancing at my watch I see it is 8am. The crowd is thinning out so I'm guessing it must be the start of the work day for all these lawyer types. Where on earth is Mar? I must have missed her. Perhaps she doesn't use this main road to get to her office, instead choosing the many other quieter alleyways that seem numerous around here.
In the distance, I see a blond gentleman round the corner. He is wearing the obligatory suit, and long overcoat, beverage in one hand and briefcase in the other. Unlike the other pedestrians, his case isn't swinging at his side because he is walking so slowly. I think he must be waiting for someone behind him, as he keeps checking over his shoulder every couple of steps. I'm proved right seconds later when the sound of ladies heels running can be heard. The man stops and turns to greet his companion.
I take another drag on my cigarette and that's when I see her. Turns out the bloke was waiting for Mar. She looks the same despite her clothes looking more expensive and her hair straighter than when I knew her. I watch as she finally catches up to the man. I can't hear what they're saying but I think they are sharing a joke as they both have smiles on their faces. Mar slaps the man on the arm in response to something he said and then hands him a set of keys. Instead of continuing on their way, the man then takes a surreptitious glance around before bending down and engaging Mar in a rather thorough kiss. His left hand reaches up to stroke her face and I can see the sun reflect off a wedding band as he does so.
Well, well, well, I think. Mar's got herself involved with a married man. Well I suppose if my charm doesn't work, I can always resort to blackmail to ensure she takes my case on. I watch as the kiss finally finishes and they restart walking towards me, hand in hand.
I know the minute she recognises me as she stops still. Her 'friend' was left puzzled to her inertia, but then saw me. I knew I had to say something to explain my presence.
"Alright Mar?" I asked as I took a casual drag. She smiled. I bet she hasn't been called Mar in a while. Especially not by this poncy idiot she's with. "I bet you don't share cigarettes anymore do you?" I continued as I hold up my half smoked fag.
"I don't smoke roll ups anymore," she confessed. I'm surprised she still smokes if she hangs around with this bloke. Looks like a bit of a health/sports freak in his spare time to me. "Why are you here Sean?" she asked getting straight to the point.
"I was passin'" I reply.
"Oh right, 'you were passin'" she echoes obviously not believing a word I had said.
"I was passin'," I repeat attempting the lie with more conviction this time, "and I thought what happened to Martha Costello, the girl who broke my teenage heart?". I thought I'd bring that up. Show ole Blondie here that he's not the first to have kissed Martha Costello.
"You broke my heart if I remember correctly, when I found out you had been cheating on me," Martha countered. Great now I've been shown up to be a villain.
"I'm not being picky or anything," the bloke interrupted, contributing his first words to this conversation, "but for the last sixteen days, it's been Martha Costello-Reader," he explained with a smug little smile on his face, as he lifts up their joined hands and shows me her left ring finger. I can see a wedding band, just as shiny as his, although hers is also accompanied by a diamond engagement ring. All of a sudden, my plan to charm her into being my defence lawyer becomes null and void and I want to wipe that smile off his pretty face. Why the hell has she married this dolphin?
"Clive," warned Martha gently, but she had a smile on her face She could tell there was a pissing contest going on between me and him.
"Listen, I'm going to head up to chambers," said this Clive bloke to Martha. "I bet Billy's wondering where the hell we are especially as it's our first day back after our honeymoon,". Ok I get it, I thought to myself. You've won because Mar chose you. What a tosser! He continues to rub it in my face by giving Mar another kiss before leaving us alone.
"I won't be long," Mar replied after him. "Make sure Billy doesn't get a hold of his present before I get there please. You know how excited he can get!". Who the hell is Billy I thought? At this point I wouldn't be surprised to find out he was their son if I'm honest. Clive had heard her though as he gave a wave of his hand to acknowledge her comment. I watched her watch her husband as he walked away. Nothing else seemed to exist in her world when he was in it. I remember that about her. She always made me feel special.
"I hope your husband's not the jealous type," I said interrupting her observation, " cause I'd love to go for a coffee with you, Martha Costello," I continued as I remembered the real reason I was making contact with her after so many years.
"First you tell me why you're here," she argued. Looks like I'm going to have to work hard to get what I want, " then I'll think about coffee,".
"Another time then," I countered. I wasn't going to tell her what sort of trouble I was in just like that. I wanted to keep her interested. I pushed off from the pillar I was leaning on and walked off. Just as I was about to walk out of her sight round the corner of a building, I looked back hoping to see her watching me like she had done for Blondie. She wasn't. In fact she had disappeared completely and was probably trying to catch up with hubby dearest. She had remembered what I was like, always playing games with her, only this time she had just made it very clear she wasn't interested in playing them again. Looks like I'm going to have to find another barrister. And quickly.
Martha
My first day back at work after a two week holiday and my morning was going downhill. My brain has somehow turned to mush which I am blaming on jet lag rather than my husband (still can't believe I'm calling Clive that) deciding to eek out our honeymoon as long as possible by joining me in the shower. Needless to say, the shower took a little longer than expected, and we've been running late ever since.
We got married two weeks and two days ago, not that I'm keeping count or anything. It was a perfect day. Neither of us wanted a big do, so instead it was simple and intimate, with all of our close family and friends celebrating with us. Clive had been in charge of the honeymoon and had kept our destination a secret. I was amazed to find myself whisked off to the Maldives for a blissful ten days. We had a beautiful private wooden hut located over some shallow water and enjoyed the sun, sea, sand (and lots of the other 's'!). We were able to completely relax, perfect after the Sarah Stevens case, which had been our last case before we got married, and the last time we would face off against each other in court. As well as recharging my batteries, I've also regained my enthusiasm for the law, something which I've come to realise I was losing, before my break.
Just as well really, considering I'm due in court for an extradition case today. I'm a little nervous as I've never defended on this type of case before. I had managed to do most of the legwork before the wedding, and have been looking over my notes since our return to reality so feel ready. That is until we ran late this morning. Having spent too long in the shower, we decided to drive to Temple and grab a coffee and pastry from our favourite coffee shop. It was as we were paying for our items that I realised I had left an important file in the car. Grabbing the keys off Clive, telling him I'd catch him up on the way to Shoe Lane, I made a rapid detour back to the car. Luckily it didn't take long to find it and I was able to catch up to Clive fairly easily, mainly because he was dawdling.
"Did you find it?" He asks as I approach.
"Uh huh," I reply.
"Bad day for the prosecution then," he jokes and I slap him on the arm.
"Here," I say as I hand him the car keys. "You better take these in case you need them. I won't as you've already mentioned I'm in court all day,".
"Wishing you were back in the Maldives?" He asks, "because I am," he confesses before looking around to make sure we are alone and bending down to kiss me.
I stop the kiss before it gets too out of hand. We are stood in the open after all. Gently taking my left hand we start walking towards Shoe Lane, intertwining our fingers as we do so. We don't get that far before I come to a halt when I'm confronted by a stranger from my past. It's Sean. Clive can tell something is wrong as I can feel him squeeze my hand a little tighter.
"Alright Mar?" Sean asks as he takes a drag on his cigarette. It's been ages since I've been called that, and I'm glad. I never really liked that nickname if I'm honest. It sounds like he's addressing his mother. I much prefer 'Marth' these days and smile when I realise there's only one person who's ever called me that, and he's holding my hand. "I bet you don't share cigarettes anymore do you?" Sean continues.
"I don't smoke roll ups anymore," I inform him, wondering what on earth Sean is doing here. I decide to get straight to the point. "Why are you here Sean?".
"I was passin'" is his excuse. Does he really think I was born yesterday?
"Oh right, 'you were passin'" I repeat with a tone that suggested I didn't believe a word.
"I was passin', and I thought what happened to Martha Costello, the girl who broke my teenage heart?".
Funny, that's not quite how I remember it. I can still recall how upset I was when I caught him in the back of his beloved car with another girl. "You broke my heart if I remember correctly, when I found out you had been cheating on me," I argue whilst also allowing Clive to hear my side of the story.
Speaking of whom, my husband decides to join in the conversation. "I'm not being picky or anything," I hear him say, " but for the last sixteen days, it's been Martha Costello- Reader," he announces as he shows Sean my wedding set. I can tell that Clive's feathers have been ruffled. He doesn't like Sean at all and has decided to get one over on him by informing him of my new name. After some consideration, I've decided to change it. Professionally, I'm adding Reader to my old name, whilst at home I'll simply be Martha Reader. Mrs Reader.
"Clive," I say gently, hoping to convey to him that he has nothing to worry about. Sean is absolutely no competition whatsoever.
"Listen, I'm going to head up to chambers," Clive says. Looks like he got the message. "I bet Billy's wondering where the hell we are especially as it's our first day back after our honeymoon,". He kisses me before he continues on his way.
"I won't be long," I call out after him. "Make sure Billy doesn't get a hold of his present before I get there please. You know how excited he can get!" I remind him when I remember Clive has our presents for everyone. Clive and Billy have quite a complicated relationship, but it has got better since we started dating. I know that Clive is always trying to make sure Billy is kept happy, and I know Billy can sometimes take advantage of this. Despite being an adult, he becomes a two year old when promised a present. I know when he sees Clive arriving alone he will try and wheedle it out of him. He gives a casual wave in reply and I continue to watch him until he disappears from sight.
"I hope your husband's not the jealous type cause I'd love to go for a coffee with you, Martha Costello," Sean announces once Clive has gone.
"First you tell me why you're here, then I'll think about coffee," I counter. I wasn't going anywhere with Sean until I knew what he was doing here. He wouldn't just appear without needing something from me. Being a defence barrister, I'm guessing he needs me for that.
"Another time then," is all he says before walking off. I decide I'm not going to play his mind games however as I've much more important things to do, such as catching Clive up. I take off for Shoe Lane.
I push the heavy front door open and head for our office. Clive is sat at his desk in front of his computer when I enter.
"Please don't let our first argument as husband and wife be about Sean," I start as I walk up to him. "Before you start asking questions, he was my teenage boyfriend, but I ended it when he slept with someone else. I haven't seen him since and I've no idea why he's turned up today and he wouldn't tell me, so I walked away," I continue as he gets up from his chair and comes to sit on his desk. He positions me between his legs.
"Are you finished?" He asks with a small smile on his face so I know he's not angry. I nod in reply. "I was getting ready to apologise to you actually," he confesses.
"What for?"
"I went a little caveman and got a bit possessive. I'm sorry. He just got me riled up,".
"I noticed," I agree, " but it was sort of cute,".
"Cute?" He doesn't like being described as that by the sounds of it. "I was trying to ooze testosterone and you thought it was cute?".
I nod again as I lean in and kiss him. As per usual, we get a bit carried away until we are interrupted by Billy.
"Ah there you are Miss," he starts as he enters the room," actually...is it alright to still call you Miss? Or should I call you Mrs?" He enquires before laughing.
I shoot him an unimpressed look. I think he is joking. No, I hope he is joking. "Miss will be fine, Billy," I say in a warning tone. "Did you want something?" I ask when Billy offers no explanation for his interruption.
He gets that really shifty look on his face, the one when he is up to no good. I therefore don't believe a word that comes next out of his mouth. "You know when you walk into a room and then you forget why you've come in? That's just happened to me," he says with a little chuckle to himself. Liar! I think to myself.
"So you weren't after your present then?" I challenge him.
"Not at all, Miss!" He says acting a little flustered. It really is a good act, one he has learnt with all his ducking and diving that is needed in a good clerk. I just happen to know him too well. "It's probably just as well I came in though. I think we need to set out some more ground rules if this is going to work," he says changing topics which he always does when I'm on to him and wagging a finger between me and Clive. "I know you agreed that domestic arguments wouldn't come to chambers, but I think public displays of affection should also be avoided. It's just as uncomfortable to witness,".
"It was private until you barged in here," I point out, to which he has no answer. "If you want your present Billy," I say returning to my original observation, " I suggest you leave us alone for another five minutes,".
"I'll be in the clerks room," he says as he leaves the room knowing he has lost the argument.
"Now where were we?" I ask as I return my attention back to my husband, and lean into his kiss.
Clive
I'm not looking forward to today. For the first time in two weeks and two days, I'm going to have to keep my hands off my wife for most of the day. If she asks, that is why I decided to join her in the shower this morning. It has made us late, but it was totally worth it and should keep me going until we get back home.
I still can't believe that I'm the lucky bastard who Martha Costello married. I decided to confess to her my true feelings at my Silk party, and luckily for me she felt the same way. I'd been in love with her for a couple of years, and I knew she was the one for me, so it didn't take me long to propose. My luck continued, and she accepted! We wanted a small wedding, so it didn't take long for us to organise. I know my mother wasn't completely happy with the arrangements. I had hoped that the fact I was finally getting married would be enough, but she had wanted a big affair so she could broadcast the fact to all her friends.
Hoping that by fulfilling my duties and getting married would stop her nagging, I was disappointed to find that she's now banging on about grandchildren since our return from honeymoon. Honestly the woman is never satisfied! We definitely practised enough on holiday, but I haven't brought up the topic with Marth. I have no idea what her thoughts are on the subject especially after her miscarriage, but I know I'm going to have to get over my cowardice and ask her, before my mother does which would be too uncomfortable for words. It's my own fault really. If I had told my parents three years ago that they were going to be grandparents, perhaps my mother would be showing a bit more tact now.
These thoughts are causing me to walk slowly and it's not long before I hear my wife's heels behind me. I don't have to turn around to see it's her, I just know, but I do anyway.
"Did you find it?" I ask as I turn around to wait for her, referring to the file, she had left in the car.
"Uh huh," is all I get in reply. There is a smile on her face so she's not too angry. She must have enjoyed this morning as much as I did.
"Bad day for the prosecution then," I tease which earns me a playful slap on the arm. Although I was teasing, there is some truth to my words. Marth has been going over her case since our return from the Maldives and by the sounds of it, the prosecution had better watch out. My wife appears to be on top form for this case and has got the bit between her teeth. Of course she hasn't listened to my praise- I'm too biased according to her.
"Here," she says and hands me the car keys, "you better take these in case you need them. I won't as you've already mentioned, I'm in court all day,". All I have in my diary today is a con.
I detect a hint of jealousy in her tone of voice and try to make her feel a little better.
"Wishing you were back in the Maldives?" I ask her. "because I am," I inform her truthfully. The urge to kiss her is too strong to ignore, so I look around, making sure there are no chiefs of justice's and the like around, before I make my move.
Marth stops the kiss just before we get arrested for indecent exposure, and I take her left hand in mine as we make our way to Shoe Lane, my fingers playing with her wedding ring. We hadn't got that far before Martha stops dead in her tracks. Only seeing a strange male in front of us, I squeeze her hand tight for a moment, offering my support silently.
"Alright Mar?" The stranger asks, and my interest is piqued. He knows Marth. Yet I have absolutely no idea who this man is. "I bet you don't share cigarettes anymore do you?" The stranger continues in his northern accent. At that moment, I wished I smoked, so she could tell this prat that she did, and that he could do us a favour and bugger off.
"I don't smoke roll ups anymore," I hear Martha inform him instead. I don't like her smoking, but I'm not going to ask her to stop for me. I love her, bad habits and all. "Why are you here Sean?" She then asks. Who the hell is Sean? I think to myself, and why has she never mentioned him before?
"I was passin'" is his casual reply. I hope I'm more convincing when I lie to Marth.
"Oh right, 'you were passin'" Martha replies, and it's obvious she doesn't believe him either. Thank God.
"I was passin', and I thought what happened to Martha Costello, the girl who broke my teenage heart?". My heart stopped beating for a second or two. So this twat was an ex boyfriend, although it appeared Marth had seen sense and dumped him. I never thought much about her taste in men to be honest, until she got involved with yours truly.
"You broke my heart if I remember correctly, when I found out you had been cheating on me," was her retort. My jealousy turned to anger, that this idiot had treated her so badly. No wonder she had never mentioned him to me.
I decide to make my presence known, by giving the proverbial finger to Sean. "I'm not being picky or anything," I say, before delivering my knock out blow, " but for the last sixteen days, it's been Martha Costello-Reader," I continue, whilst showing him her wedding ring. That's right pal! Back off. She's mine. It looks like you had your chance, but you blew it, and now she's chosen me! I couldn't believe it when she told me she would take my name at work. But I am so proud that everyone will know that she is my wife.
"Clive,", I hear my wife say. She knows I am a bit jealous, I can tell. I know I came over a bit possessive just then, but I couldn't help it. This man has totally rubbed me up the wrong way, and is destroying, what up until now has been a very nice morning. Just by saying my name in that particular manner however, she has managed to let me know that I have nothing to worry about, regarding her and this northern monkey.
I decide to trust my wife and let her deal with this situation by herself. "Listen, I'm going to head up to chambers," I inform her. "I bet Billy's wondering where the hell we are especially as it's our first day back after our honeymoon,". Before leaving however, I cannot resist rubbing his face in it one last time, and giving Marth a quick kiss.
"I won't be long," I hear her call out after me, letting me know she will be dispatching Sean back to where he came from fairly promptly. "Make sure Billy doesn't get a hold of his present before I get there please. You know how excited he can get!" She adds as an afterthought. She definitely knows Billy very well, and knows what he will try as soon as he sees I am alone. I am always a sucker for trying to please people, and Billy knows what an easy target I am. I let her know that I have heard her and understand, by giving a casual wave of my arm as I head off to Shoe Lane.
I power walk to chambers, trying not to think about what Marth and Sean could possibly be talking about. Reaching the familiar building I push open the heavy door and head straight into the sanctuary of our office. Billy is no where in sight. Heading to my desk, I power up the computer, whilst discarding my coat. I am not sure how Marth will have taken my little possessive episode back there with Sean, but have decided to order a bouquet of flowers to say sorry just in case.
It was just as I had finished paying for the bouquet, that Martha enters the office. "Please don't let our first argument as husband and wife be about Sean," she says as she makes her way over to me. "Before you start asking questions, he was my teenage boyfriend, but I ended it when he slept with someone else. I haven't seen him since and I've no idea why he's turned up today and he wouldn't tell me, so I walked away,", she confesses all to me.
I get off my chair and move to sit on my desk, placing my wife between my legs. "Are you finished?" I ask her. I love this woman. I should really be apologising to her for my behaviour. "I was getting ready to apologise to you actually," I inform her, trying to earn a few brownie points.
"What for?" She asks. Looks like I've just wasted £50 on an unnecessary bouquet of flowers, but perhaps she'll thank me for them in a very nice way, once we get home this evening.
"I went a little caveman and got a bit possessive. I'm sorry. He just got me riled up," I confess.
"I noticed," she replies. Not a complete waste of £50 then. "But it was sort of cute," she adds.
"Cute?" I repeat, making a mental note that she liked it. I couldn't resist the chance to tease her though."I was trying to ooze testosterone and you thought it was cute?".
She seemed to like my teasing, and soon we were engaged in another kiss, this time of her instigation. Just as it was getting interesting, Billy decided to show what awful timing he possessed.
"Ah there you are Miss," he started as he barged into our office uninvited, "actually...is it alright to still call you Miss? Or should I call you Mrs?" He continued. If looks could kill, Billy would be a smoky hole in the floor right now judging by the look Marth just threw at the clerk. Maybe I would take pity on him, and give the flowers to him to give to her, when they arrived.
"Miss will be fine, Billy," she says in a tone I recognise for when I have screwed up big time. Thank god I'm not the one it is directed at today. "Did you want something?" She continues, obviously as unimpressed as I am with the interruption.
Billy is not completely stupid and recognises she is not particularly happy with his appearance. "You know when you walk into a room and then you forget why you've come in? That's just happened to me," he utters, in a slightly more convincing lie than Sean had told her earlier.
"So you weren't after your present then?". Busted! Poor Billy I thought.
"Not at all, Miss!" He wheedles, knowing she was onto him. "It's probably just as well I came in though. I think we need to set out some more ground rules if this is going to work," he continues, shifting the attention away from him and onto us, as he often does, when he has been caught out. "I know you agreed that domestic arguments wouldn't come to chambers, but I think public displays of affection should also be avoided. It's just as uncomfortable to witness,".
I was going to stick up for you mate, I thought. But after that horrible suggestion, you are on your own. If I want to kiss my wife at work, I will kiss my wife at work, and there isn't anyone who can stop me.
"It was private until you barged in here," argued Marth, brilliantly. Looks as if we are on the same page about kissing at work. "If you want your present Billy," she continues as if talking to a toddler, "I suggest you leave us alone for another five minutes,". I suddenly get a glimpse of her as a mother, controlling our unruly children, and know she will make an awesome mum. I really need to speak to her about us having kids. Suddenly I'm on my own mothers side, and want us to start reproducing.
"I'll be in the clerks room," Billy replies as he leaves us alone once more, knowing he has lost the argument.
"Now where were we?" My beautiful wife asks as her attention is refocused back to me, as she leans in for another kiss.