Fast Forward 6 Months
Laundry Date Night
"What would you like to eat, Dear?" asked Stephen as he loaded his and Betty's laundry bags into the boot of his raggedy Ford.
"Oh, I don't know. What did we eat last week? I don't much care for that Tandoori take-away we had that one time."
"No, you're right. That didn't quite sit well with me at all!"
He stepped around the vehicle, opened the door, and held it open for her. Betty slid into her seat. He lingered, staring at her legs for a moment, smiling, before closing the door and walking around to his side of the car.
He started the engine and a great plume of blue smoke coughed out. They were on their way. Date night. The car stopped in the car park of the Dirty Duds Launderette. Stephen got out, walked around to Betty's door, and held it open for her. He walked round back of the car, opened the boot, and removed their bags.
Betty secured a large washing machine and began loading their clothes into it.
She sprayed stain remover on his work smock, the collars of his works shirts and trousers and stuffed them into the machine.
"Hey, it looks as though they've opened an Italian restaurant and take-away across the street. You want maybe we should try it out?" he asked.
"Go and get a menu, we'll have a butcher's while our clothes wash."
"Good idea."
He came back with a tin, two forks and two coffees.
"I thought you were going for a menu? What did you get for us to eat?" she questioned.
"I bought stuffed baked shells. They let me try a bit and they tasted good, so I made a boardroom decision!" he chuckled.
"What are they?"
"Pasta shells with cheese in them and tomato sauce. There's enough for both of us."
He set the tin on the clothes-folding table and opened it.
Betty joined him, "Mmmm. That smells good!" The aroma of garlic and oregano filled the area.
He cut a shell in half with the edge of the fork, speared it and held it for Betty to taste, "Try this; it's wonderful."
She took the morsel, "Mmmm, that is wonderful."
Outside thunder rolled. Rain began to pelt down.
"You going to be alright, Dear?" Stephen asked.
"I think so," she nodded and took another bite of the pasta.
A brilliant flash pulsed and all at once, the launderette was plunged into darkness. The only light was the passing cars' headlamps. Lightning spider-webbed across the sky. Stephen held Betty's hand and led her to the plastic chairs lining the wall. She carried their dinner and they sat down. He slid his arm around her and leaned over to kiss her neck.
They held hands and watched the dazzling display of lightning flashes and thunderbolts.
"It reminds me of fireworks," he whispered.
"Stephen?"
"Hmmm?"
"I have a confession to make," she said meekly.
She had his full attention.
"Oh? What's that, Dear?" his voice was serious as his gaze pierced the darkness.
"You were my first."
"First? First what?" he inquired, his curiosity was piqued.
"First," she emphasized, eyebrows raised for effect.
"F-First!" he sputtered, snickering, "How? You were married before!"
"We never consummated it. I was 'unavailable' on our wedding night and during our honeymoon. When we got home, I went back to work as a nippy at Lyons' and Cecil immediately took up with the neighbor's wife. I was young and naïve; I was 19, what did I know? Seven years later he ran off with her."
"I thought he was taken by the 'fraud police'?"
"I tell people that because the truth is humiliating."
"You never did it, not even once in seven years?" he asked incredulously; he could hardly believe his ears.
"No," she shook her head, "He never initiated and well, I was…inexperienced." She was a little embarrassed admitting this.
"But what about that first night I slept over? You gave yourself to me so easily."
She smiled guiltily, "I didn't think I'd ever get another chance; I was never in a position to have it off."
"What about all those times you and Mrs. Axelby went to the pub?"
"One doesn't give that to some random duffer one meets in a pub! Really, Stephen!"
He chuckled a little, "I had to find the only 46-year-old virgin, not in a convent! Will wonders never cease!"
"If I knew you were going to take the mickey on me, I wouldn't have told you!" she sulked.
"I'm sorry, Darling; it just seems incredible, that's all. It does explain a few things, though!" he mused and kissed her cheek.
They finished eating in the dark, and after a bit, the lights came back on. They drank their coffees as the machines started with a whirr.
"I was wondering," he started.
"Don't wander too far, you could get lost!" she interrupted. He smiled.
"Any road. Since we both work, I was pondering the idea that maybe we should go detached. We could more than afford it," he stated matter-of-factly.
"True. But I do like our location. We live walking distance to the bus stop, walking distance to the pub. We're not far from the launderette and market. We do have rather nice neighbors," she pointed out.
"Well, if we were detached, we wouldn't have our neighbor Mr. Akbar pounding on our bedroom wall.." he raised his eyebrows.
"We do get rather loud at times!" she exclaimed.
"That's why you get married, so you can make noise! If I wanted to be silent, I would have continued dillitanting in a broom cupboard!"
"If we stay where we are, we can afford nice holidays. I would rather have a holiday in Majorca or Greece or the Carribeano than a detached house."
"So, I take it the answer is 'no'?" he felt a little dejected.
"I would like an allotment. Maybe we could apply for one. We could have a nice English garden! And a garden shed..." she winked at him; he perked up at the idea.
Stephen arrived at the warehouse of Woodward & Lothrop carrying a cardboard box as he walked in through the door.
"What have you got in the box there, Stephen?" queried Colin, "Did your cat have another litter of kittens?"
"No. I've brought breakfast for you lot! I stopped at Frank's Caf' for some bacon butties and coffees," he announced.
"What's the occasion? You hit the lottery or something?" asked Jack, teasing.
"If I knew you lot were going to take the mickey, I wouldn't have even bothered!" Stephen shot back, pouting.
Mel strode up after hearing the commotion. Paul and Richard soon joined him.
"What have we here?" Mel inquired, peeking into the box.
"Stephen's in a good mood, Mel! He bought us all breakfast!" Colin said, winking.
"Leave him be! He's in a good mood; we don't get to see that very often. Thank you, Stephen, for bringing breakkie! It's better than having to go up to the canteen." Jack chimed.
They all dug into the box and helped themselves to a sandwich and a coffee.
"OK, Stephen, what's got you in this chipper mood?" asked Paul, "Usually you eat breakfast at home. You get a little nookie last night? Or maybe he got some before work!" They all chuckled.
Stephen wrinkled his nose and frowned, "A man can't just bring in some breakfast for his coworkers, his shout, without getting a bunch of bullocks!"
"Don't get tectchy on us, Stephen! We're just funnin'." Richard tried to smooth things out.
They all sat down around the warehouse and dug in. They ate in relative silence when Richard smiled devilishly.
"So…what's brought about this sudden benevolence? That must have been some romp to make you spring for breakfast!" Richard joked. They erupted into another wave of laughter.
He was not about to tell them that Betty's confession last night at the launderette put him in a good mood. Their teasing wasn't going to dampen his spirits.
"Thank you, Stephen," Mel called over. Stephen nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"Yeah, man, thanks for breakfast," Colin barked.
Paul, the infernal smart-alec couldn't resist, "Tell Betty 'thank you'!"
They shook their heads laughing. Stephen chuckled to himself and slapped his palm to his forehead.