Hello all. Second installment of the latest adventure for your reading pleasure. Really hope you like my version of CJs parents. They have been knocking around in my head for a little while and its a relief to get them out, as you will come to realise shortly. Thank you once again for taking the time out of your busy lives to enter my strange world, its good to know I'm not alone in here! Comments are always welcomed, but if you are just reading and enjoying that's great too.
It was a crisp January afternoon in Bath and the Royal Crescent stood majestically at the top of its green rise under a deep blue, cloudless sky. All was still, the silence only punctuated by occasional bird song. There was a timeless calm to the scene, as if it had existed unchanged within its genteel Georgian bubble for time out of mind. Then in the distance could be heard the whine of a car engine labouring in the wrong gear followed by a screeching of breaks and the sound of a car horn. The next minute a small hatchback turned into the Crescent, taking the corner at speed and causing its two off side wheels to momentarily leave the tarmac. It then accelerated along the elegant sweep of the roadway before suddenly swerving into the pavement and bumping onto the kerb, coming to rest at an angle to the footpath.
The passenger side door then flew open and a figure sprang out of the opening , landing on its hands and knees before crawling a little distance and eventually coming to rest beside a lamp post. There the figure remained, hyperventilating until the driver exited the vehicle and jogged around to the slumped form.
"You all right?" Said Molly in a concerned voice
"Yes...fine...safe now..." Said James between deep breaths
"What's the matter, is something wrong?" Pressed Molly
"Terrible car sickness...feeling much better" replied James, his breathing slowly returning to normal
"You did look a bit pale when I went down that road back there, you know the one with the arrow painted on the tarmac pointing back the way we'd come. All those people were waving at us like they knew you but you ignored them" said Molly
"Yes I felt particularly poorly at that point" admitted James.
Molly offered James her hand and helped him up. He stood swaying slightly for a second before slowly walking to the back of the car and opening the boot. After lifting out two holdalls he rejoined Molly and they approached the nearest front door together where he put down one of the bags and knocked twice.
After a short pause the door swung open to reveal a figure wearing the front end of a pantomime horse. James and Molly stared at the the unexpected site while the horses head looked back impassively.
"Mum?" Said James uncertainly "Its that you?"
A series of muffled noises came from the figure before it raised a hoof and beckoned them in.
James looked at Molly and shrugged then led the way through the door and into the hallway beyond. Inside James put down the bags and shut the door before turning to the figure who was now pointing to a zip at the back of the costume.
"I think she might be stuck" said Molly
The horses head nodded and James walked behind his mother and worked the zip free before helping her to lift the costume over her head, revealing a slightly flushed, grey haired lady in her mid sixties.
"Oh, thank goodness, I've been stuck in that thing for hours" she said, then turning to James she smiled and added "Who are you?"
James frowned "Its Charles, your son"
Mrs James' eyes glazed over as she stared into the middle distance "A son...yes I remember...he used to come and visit...but then he stopped..."
"Oh for goodness sake mother" said James
"I'm surprised you could find your way here" she continued
"Alright, you've made your point" replied her son
"Hello, Molly how are you dear?" Said Mrs James changing the subject
"I'm fine thanks Mrs J" she replied with a grin
"What on earth were you doing wearing this?" Asked James holding up the horse's head.
"Oh its for your father's latest am dram project. I've offered to help out." Explained Mrs James "Think he wants to give you a taster after dinner"
"Oh" said James uneasily "sounds interesting...what's the play?"
Mrs James shrugged "Something about horses...its got horse in the title anyway"
"It must be War Horse" said James "Its a great play...where is dad anyway?"
His mother rolled her eyes "He's in the garden spying on the new neighbours. He's convinced they're up to something illegal. Why don't you pop out to say hello and ask him if he wants a cuppa while you're at it? Molly do you want to give me a hand in the kitchen, I've been trying to prepare the dinner but it was hopeless with those hooves on and I'm so behind"
"No problem Mrs J" said Molly and followed the older lady into the kitchen.
James sighed and made his way into the back garden. Stepping out onto the patio he scanned the ample and well tended plot but couldn't immediately spot his father.
"Dad, where are you?" He called
There was a sudden rustling from a large mature bush at the bottom of the garden and Mr James' face emerged from the foliage.
"There you are!" Said James "What are you doing?"
His father flapped his hand urgently at James and put his finger to his lips then beckoned him with a wave. James frowned but walked over.
"What's going on?" James asked when he reached the bush
"Come and have a look at this" said his father mysteriously and disappeared into the shrub once more
James followed, fighting his way through the foliage until he emerged on the other side of the bush. There he found his father standing on an old garden bench looking over the rear fence.
"What are you looking at?"
"Shhh" said Mr James and whispered "Come up and see"
James rolled his eyes and climbed up onto the bench beside him. Peering over the fence, the Crescents rear service road came into view.
"Wait for it" said Mr James "There, see that?"
His son watched as a door in the rear fence of the neighbouring property opened and a middle aged man appeared dragging a wheelie bin behind him. He manoeuvred it around and left it by the rear fence before disappearing through the door again.
"There" said Mr James "What do you make of that?"
"Looks like the man just put his bin out Dad" said James "People do it all the time"
"Ah, yes but bin day isn't til Monday." Said his father triumphantly "He's done it a full two days early."
"Maybe he won't be in on Monday and wants to make sure his rubbish is taken away" offered James
"But he does it every week without fail and he doesn't go away every weekend"
"How long have you been spying on him Dad?"
"I'm not spying, just looking out for the neighbourhood. What do you think he's up to?"
"Why don't you ask him?" Suggested James
His father looks at James pityingly "Because he'd see I was onto him. Don't you work with some people who can, you know, check him out?"
James stared at his father "Yer sure Dad, I can ask the SBS to look into it, you know, the Special Bin Service"
Mr James looked hopefully at his son "Really?"
"No Dad not really. What's the problem with putting the bins out early anyway?"
Mr James looked from side to side then leaned over and whispered "Super foxes"
"Super foxes?" Repeated James
His father nodded solemnly
"But can't you talk to the Council?"
"Oh, they won't do anything and these things are cunning, you need to know where to look"
"But surely these mega foxes..."
"Super foxes"
"Ok, super foxes can't be that bad?" pursued James
"Follow me" ordered his Father and marched towards the house.
James groaned but reluctantly followed.
Inside Mrs James and Molly were examining the zip on the pantomime horses head "I think I can see where its catching" said Molly
Mrs James looked at where Molly was pointing and started to snip away at some loose fabric with a pair of scissors.
When Mr James marched through from the garden she looked up "Ah, there you are dear. Did Charles ask about tea?"
"Not now dear, I'm showing Charles the ha-ha" replied Mr James and continued through to the front room. James appeared shortly after and smiled at them in a long suffering way before also continuing into the adjacent room.
Mrs James finished with the scissors and looked at her handy work.
"Right," she said to Molly "let's see if that's worked, can you help me on with it dear"
In the front room Mr James strode over to the front window and pulled aside the lace curtain.
"See that" he said to his son pointing to the expanse of green space fronting the crescent and the hidden wall half way down the slope known as a ha-ha. "These vermin burrow into the slope and undermine the structure, making the whole thing unstable."
Right on queue a large red fox trotted into view and regarded them nonchalantly.
Mr James reacted immediately, moving towards the hallway at some speed and calling to his wife "Dorothy, the bugger's back, come on!" He then grabbed a walking stick which was leaning up against the wall and flung the front door open with the words "View halloo!" before charging out into the open.
James looked on in bewilderment at his fathers behaviour, a feeling which quickly turned to consternation at the sight of his mother running after the retreating figure of her husband, wearing the top half of the pantomime horse once more and wielding a broom. Molly joined James at the front room window grinning from ear to ear. "Have I ever told you I love your parents?"
"You can have them if you like" he said then grimaced as his mother and father chased the terrified fox onto the green and down the slope.
"Oh god he's gone over!" Exclaimed James as his Dad lost his footing and landed on his backside, his momentum causing him to slide across the wet grass and over the edge of the ha-ha. Dorothy, seeing the fate if her husband, tried to stop herself but only succeeded in following him.
"Jesus!" Cried James in some concern and made for the front door. Outside he ran across the road and onto the edge of the green, but before he had a chance to go any further his fathers head came in to view on the other side of the drop. He moved from left to right parallel to the ha-ha with the walking stick raised above his head, followed a short distance behind by the pantomime horse head worn by his wife. At one point Mr James struck down with the stick but then brought it up above his head again and reversed direction, the fox obviously evading the blow, Mrs James doing the same with the broom shortly afterwards. Both travelled backwards and forwards in this way several times.
James watched them in mortification for a time. Molly joined him and took in the scene with delight before observing "Reminds me of a Punch and Judy show I saw on holiday once" She then put a consoling hand on James' arm and said "Don't worry, just another 24 hours and it will all be over for another few months"
James nodded and walked slowly back indoors...
That evening they all sat down for a family dinner. Dorothy was fond of experimenting with recipes although James was convinced that the bottle of wine she opened at the start of the cooking process was more the reason for the strange concoctions she created. He remembered one particularly infamous occasion a few years previously when they were presented with a steaming dish of coq au Tizer, so it was with some trepidation that James took his place at the dining table.
Mrs James came in carrying a large oval dish and set it on the table with a flourish. A golden brown pie was revealed, the casing decorated with pastry leaves. James smiled with relief and passed his plate expectantly. His mother took up a knife and plunged it into the centre of the dish releasing a cloud of steam.
"What kind of pie is it?" Asked Molly
"Chicken and marshmallow" she said
"Mushroom" corrected James
"Sorry dear?" replied his mother
"Its chicken and mushroom Mum" said James assertively
"Oh" said Mrs James "Did it say mushrooms? I could have sworn it said marshmallow in the book..."
" Never mind" offered Molly "I'm sure its lovely"
"Would have been fox if I'd got my hands on the blighter" commented Mr James
"Now there's an idea." Commented Dorothy
"You can't eat fox meat" said James
"Well they do it minced in the shops" replied his Father
"Really, where?" Queried James
"Most places" came the reply
James stared at his father in confusion before realisation dawned "No Dad, thats Fox's mints, the boiled sweets"
"Oh, well if you say so lad"
"Anyway" said Mrs James "Dig in cos I've made a curried trifle for pudding"
"Lovely" replied her son with a forced smile...
After the plates has been cleared away and the dishwasher loaded, Mr James rubbed his hands together "Right, who wants a sneek peek of my next theatrical triumph?" He asked. James and Molly nodded politely and Mr James left the room to change. Dorothy also got up to fetch the pantomime horse costume and James called after her "So you're the war horse of the title then Mum?"
"Sorry dear?"
"The play, War Horse, you've got lumbered with the equine role"
"That's it!" Exclaimed Dorothy
"What's it?" Asked James confused
"The name of the play dear, Equus, I knew it was something to do with horses"
James stared at his mother, then at the door through which his father had left to change, then at Molly.
"Oh no...I've got a bad feeling about this" he said
"What's the matter?" Asked Molly
Just then Mrs James entered the room wearing the horse's head while his father followed behind in a dressing gown. James looked on in horror as Dorothy went on all fours while Mr James let his robe fall away to reveal his naked body. He than sat astride his wife and started to declaim "God sees! No more, no more Equus!"
James and Molly stared in open mouthed amazement as the scene was played out in front of them. At the end Molly burst into enthusiastic applause whilst James leant forward in his chair and covered his face with his hands.
"Well, what do you think Charles?" asked his father, retreaving his robe from the floor.
James opened and closed his mouth several times before puffing out his cheeks and simply shrugging.
"Speechless, hey?...Yes it got the same response from your mothers sewing circle"
James slept badly that night, his dreams filled with giant foxes pursuing him through woodland as he tried to ride a pantomime horse, naked. When he woke up the pale light of morning was filtering through the bedroom window. Molly breathed softly in his arms, her back to him. He snuggled into her long dark hair and took in its fragrance. He loved the smell of it, the faint perfume of shampoo and hair spray. It made him feel safe and loved. It smelled like home.
"Are you wiping your nose on my hair again?" Said Molly
James smiled "Well I couldn't be bothered to get a tissue" he joked
"Dirty boy" she responded and rolled over to face him, then kissed him long and deep on the mouth.
Once they had surfaced she drew away slightly and looked at him "You were restless last night, what's up?"
James shrugged "I don't know. I just feel really tense. Yesterday was not exactly relaxing was it?"
Molly grinned "What you need is some destressing treatment. Lucky you've got a medic on hand" and with that Molly disappeared below the duvet.
James laughed "Where are you going lance corporal, I haven't dismissed you?"
" Just doing a bit of cockwombling sir" came Molly's muffled response from under the bed clothes.
James took in a sharp breath as his wife reached her destination and set to work, slowly at first but then with added intensity.
James' heart started to pound with excitement and he arched his back in deep pleasure.
"Oh god Molly" he gasped "oh god I'm coming, I'm coming!"
Just then the bedroom door swung open and Mrs James walked in carrying a coffee pot and cups on a tray
"Jesus mother what are you doing!" Cried James
"Sorry dear" replied Dorothy "I thought you said come in after I tapped on the door"
"No I said..." But James faltered whilst Molly lay still under the covers, frozen in mid stroke.
Mrs James set the tray down on a side table and looked around "Where's Molly?" She asked
"Oh she's errrr...brushing her teeth" replied James and they both looked at the door of the en-suite bathroom. His mother then smiled and poured a cup of coffee for him.
Meanwhile Molly had started to giggle under the covers with unfortunate consequences for James.
He took in a deep breath and whispered "Teeth, Molly, teeth"
"Pardon dear?" Asked his mother
"Oh, umm have you got Molly's tea ?"
"Of course dear, I'll leave it here on the tray for her"
Mrs James carried a steaming cup over to her son and placed it on the bedside table. Then to his horror she sat on the bed just inches from where Molly lay hidden.
"I'm sorry about yesterday dear, I hope we didn't embarrass you too much"
"Not at all Mum, its just that...well I think it might help if you and Dad broadened your interests, maybe met new people, did different things. Have you thought of doing some travelling, getting away from the house and Bath for a bit?"
His mother considered this for a while "It might be nice to get away on a long holiday... visit some places we have always wanted to see. Let me have a chat with your father"
With that she patted her Son on the leg and got up stiffly. "I'll leave you to it dear" As she pulled open the door she turned around and smiled "Oh, and Molly, you can get out from under the covers now"
James looked at the closing door with astonishment whilst Molly appeared from under the covers blushing deeply "How did she know?"
"I have know idea, although you weren't doing a great job of hiding you minx"
"Hey, don't lay this on me" laughed Molly "It was your climax call that got us into trouble!"
James made a grab for his wife and she screamed as they wrestled on the bed. "Well it was you that was getting freaked out by my old one" said James as he pinned his wife under him.
"Do you blame me? You crying 'double away!' at the top of your voice, I thought I was in a PT session most of the time"
"Well" said James "Wasn't too far from the truth" and with that he made any further discussion impossible by kissing Molly passionately and throwing the covers over both of them once more...
James and Molly left Bath later that day and headed back to the base by car. On arriving, the guard at the gate had a message that James should report to the company's operations room as soon as he returned. He left Molly to return to the married quarters and headed in the direction of the admin block. There, he was met by Lieutenant Samuels, his second in command, who informed him that Colonel Morley had requested James contact him on his return. James picked up the secure line and punched in the number. After a few rings Colonel Morley answered and, following a brief greeting, got straight to the point:
"James, we have been reviewing the intel on the piracy issue we discussed and talking to our contacts in the region. In all of these discussions one name keeps coming up, the SS Demeter. It's a liner which is due to leave from Southampton in a couple of weeks on a cruise to Dubai, via the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal"
"Do we think its the next target?" Asked James
"We have to assume so" replied Morley "These attacks are fast and unexpected, so we think the best thing will be for you and your men to be embedded in the ship rather than shadowing it on a naval vessel. Also an obvious navy presence may scare off any attack and we really want to draw them out"
"Makes sense, but will the ship owners agree?" queries James
"We have already talked to them and they are willing to cooperate. They are just as keen to deal with the problem as we are, its obviously bad for business. They do, however, have one condition"
"Oh" said James "and what's that?"
"They don't want to spook the passengers so you and your guys will have to operate undercover, disguised as passengers and crew"
James didn't like the sound of that but could see the logic. "OK, when do we start to prep?"
"Tomorrow" replied Morley "I am arranging for your detailed orders to be sent through tonight"
After signing off James returned to his and Molly's flat where his wife was just heading for the shower. "Everything alright?" She asked
"We need to start preping for a new mission tomorrow" he replied "l'll tell you about it after your shower"
"OK" said Molly "Oh, by the way your mother rang and asked that you ring her back"
James frowned and reached for his phone
"Hi Mum, what's up?" He asked when Mrs James answered
"I just wanted to let you know, we've taken your advice dear"
"Well its about time" replied James "which bit?"
"The one about going travelling. We have got an absolute bargain of a cruise, leaving in a couple of weeks time and going to Dubai, by way of the Med. Your father and I are so excited!"
James was gripped by a cold dread but managed to croak out the words "Which ship?"
"Umm, its called the Demeter...Charles are you there? Charles...?"