Fast Forward 6 Months
Christmas Coat
The maintenance personnel had wheeled in several clothing racks for the upcoming Christmas sale.
Before the opening bell rang, Mr. Humphries minced over to the Ladies' counter, "Mrs. Peacock, a lovely selection of men's coats has come in for the sale. Were you not looking for a new coat for Captain Peacock? Perhaps you'd like to take a butcher's at them."
"Oh, yes! Captain Peacock could do with a new coat. Thank You, Mr. Humphries."
She walked across to the rack of coats parked in the Gents' Department.
"Mrs. Peacock, will you return to your counter?" grumbled Mr. Grainger.
"As the bell has not rung yet, Mr. Grainger, I am free to walk about the department. I'll have you know I intend to buy one of these coats, so belt up!"
She flipped through the assortment of long coats and macs assembled on the roll-away rack. She found a camel-colored cashmere coat, knee-length with a hood. It had elk horn buttons and a matching wool lining.
"Oooh, Stephen would look smashing in one of those!" she exclaimed, "Mr. Humphries, are you free to help me size a coat for Captain Peacock?"
"Certainly, Mrs. Peacock, I'm free! Do you know his size?"
"Well, he wears a 15 ½ inch collar. When I hug him, my hands go up to here on my arms!" She made a circle with her arms, grasping her hands on her forearms. Then she stretched her arms out. Mr. Humphries had taken a mental note of where her hands had set.
He took his tape measure from round his neck, placed the metal tip where her right hand rested on one arm, stretched the tape across her chest and brought the end to where her left hand had rested on the other arm.
"Thirty-six long," he announced.
Mr. Grainger, Mr. Lucas, and Betty all clapped, "Well done, Mr. Humphries!" they all said in unison.
He located a size 36 long on the rack and handed it to Betty. She slipped the coat on and although she could not button it fully closed, she knew it would be warm and it was well made.
"You look like Father Christmas in that coat, Mrs. Peacock!" Mr. Lucas teased. She narrowed her eyes at him, glaring.
"Sale, Mr. Humphries!"
Mr. Humphries took out a sheet of scrap paper and his sales book and began to calculate, "One hundred eighty pounds minus 15% staff discount of 27 pounds equals one hundred fifty-three pounds. One hundred fifty-three pounds, minus the sale premium of 5% or seven pounds 65 pence, equals one hundred forty-five pounds, 35 pence. One hundred forty five pounds 35 pence, minus VAT of 10% of one hundred eighty pounds, or 18 pounds, gives you a grand total of one hundred twenty three pounds 35 pence."
"Put it on my staff account, Mr. Humphries, thank you."
"Yes, Mrs. Peacock," he scrawled her purchase description and total on the yellow staff account pad,"Sign here," he instructed and pointed to the line.
He put the coat back on its hanger, buttoned it, slipped a large shopping bag over it, and poked the hook part of the hanger through a hole he made in the bag. He stapled the receipt to the bag and handed the parcel to Betty.
Betty tottered off to the Ladies' cloakroom to secure her custom, just as the starting bell rang.
After lunch, the phone rang on the sales floor. Miss Brahms picked it up. It was Stephen.
"Hello, Captain Peacock! How're you keepin'? You want to speak to Mrs. Peacock? She's just gettin' back from lunch; hold on, I'll get her."
"Thank you, Miss Brahms," he replied.
Miss Brahms handed the receiver to Betty, "It's for you; it's your 'usband!"
"Thank you, Miss Brahms," Betty removed one earring and put the phone to her ear, "Hello? Stephen?"
"Hello, Dear. I'm working a double shift this evening to get ready for inventory. My dinner break is from 6 to 7, would you like to meet me somewhere?"
"I could probably go for a Wimpy Cheeseburger," she suggested.
He replied, "Sounds good. It's a date, then."
"I have to go, Rumbold is looking," she grumbled.
"OK, Love. I'll see you at about half-six. Good-bye."
"Good bye," she purred, making a kissing sound before she hung up.
Stephen arrived home from work at about 2345 having caught the last bus of the evening. The house was dark and silent. Betty was already in bed asleep, though she slept fitfully; she woke when she heard him come through the front door. She could hear him opening and closing the shoe cabinet, depositing his shoes in exchange for his slippers.
He entered the kitchen to set up the percolator for the morning. He opened the top of the coffee pot and discovering Betty had already set it up, closed the lid with a gentle ting, and smiled at her thoughtfulness.
He quietly padded up the stairs to the bathroom, took a towel from the linen cupboard, and threaded it onto the towel warmer hanging on the wall.
Freshly showered and dressed in his silk pajamas, he slid into bed next to Betty. She backed up into him, "Good evening, Sweetheart."
He kissed the back of her neck, "Oooh, you're all nice and warm," he murmured as he snuggled her, "Thank you for setting up the coffee for me." He kissed her again.
He loved how her body fit the contours of his perfectly. He put his hand on her thigh, then slid his hand up to rest on her belly. The room was swathed in pale moonlight. He slowly inhaled and reveled in her scent, soughing,"Mmmm, you smell so good."
"That's my line!" she giggled. She reached up and touched his face, "You're prickly!"
"I didn't see a point in shaving, seeing's how I've got to get up in about 4 hours." They nestled together and he rubbed his rough chin against her cheek, "I missed you. It's good to be home; I am knackered. I started nodding off on the bus and the conductor had to wake me when we got to my stop!"
"I'm glad you're home; it's lonely when you're not here," she slurred sleepily.
"Where's Tiddles? Usually she keeps you company."
"She's shacked up out back with Neville in his cat house."
He tittered lightly.
"Good night, Darling," he kissed her cheek and they drifted off to sleep.