Wednesday, 10 February 2021

Choice Tales from the Vale – (004) The Girl in the Red Stockings

 

We were just a group of mates staying at Sharpinghead for the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend.

Well, when I say it was just a group of mates, we were more than that and I should also clarify that by saying it was a group of mates and Waldo.

We were staying at the Whitecliff Hill Caravan Park close to Sharpington.   

There were 8 of us altogether in three caravans, my sister Lorraine shared with Louise and Charlotte, I shared with Dave and Andy while Samantha shared the third caravan with her boyfriend Waldo Pienaar.

We were all in our early 20s apart from Waldo who was pushing 30 and again with the exception of Waldo we had been friends forever.

Caravan holidays weren’t really my cup of tea at all, as I don’t like caravans or tents for that matter but that’s probably because I’m 6ft 4, so of course caravans don’t really cater for people of my height.

The only reason I went at all was because Samantha Perry was going to be there, and the fact she was going was very important to me because I loved her, I always had, and I always would, which was sad really because she didn’t love me, because if she did, she wouldn’t have kept going out with a succession of complete pillock’s like Waldo.

But I figured if I couldn’t have her to myself, I could at least be around her and enjoy her company and it wasn’t the first time I’d tagged along on such outings, so I wouldn’t want to give the impression that I was miserable on such occasions, I still had fun I just didn’t have Sam to myself.

 

We arrived at the caravan park late on Friday night in the pouring rain and we were all exhausted, we only had the energy for a quick drink and turned in early.

 

Saturday started grey and damp and the evidence of the previous days deluge was everywhere to be seen, but the sun burst through mid-morning and we got to spend the rest of the day on the beach.

Which was where I got to see the sight that drew me to the beaches of Sharpington in the first place, the most beautiful girl I have ever known wearing her yellow bikini.

It was a lovely afternoon and we had great fun playing volleyball on the sand, only my sister Lorraine noticed that I spent more time watching Sam than I did the ball.

The evening though was a massive let down for me as Samantha and Waldo didn’t join the group, Waldo wanted them to go out on their own.

The rest of us went to the pub and the evening really dragged.

 

I was up early on Sunday Morning of the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend, although no one seems to call it Whitsun anymore, the fad seems to be to call it the Spring Bank Holiday instead, I don’t know why.

The rain had returned in earnest during the night and the park was very quiet, I walked around for a while squelching between the puddles and then approached caravan 17a.          

The pretext was to speak with Waldo but in truth I wasn’t looking for him at all the only reason I was going over there was to see Sam.

I knew she was an early riser so I was sure she would be up, and the kettle would be hot.

 

I knocked on the door and got no answer which was strange, so I knocked once more and still there was no answer.

I looked around and noticed Waldo’s car was gone, I knocked again, and I was beginning to think there was no one in and then I heard the faintest response of

“Come in”

I opened the door and stepped into caravan 17a and found Samantha propped up in the corner on the bench seat, there was an empty glass on the table and two empty wine bottles on the floor.

“Good morning sunshine” I said

“Is it?” she replied without opening her eyes.

She was sitting with both feet on the seat with her knees drawn up in front of her and she leant forward and rested her elbows on her knees   while her hands pushed her beautiful thick chestnut brown hair off her forehead away from her bleary eyes.

I sat down on the opposite end of the bench, so I was looking straight at her and I was very grateful.

The reason for that was that Samantha was naked apart from a pair of red lace topped stockings, matching suspender belt and a wry smile on her lovely face.

Her lightly tanned skin was sufficiently darkened, due to the previous day’s beach activities, to highlight in stark contrast the distinct outline of her bikini top and the pallid white flesh of her pert breasts surmounted by perfect deep pink nipples arousing nicely in the cool morning air.

But my eyes were soon drawn to the glorious thicket that was the coarse triangle of brunette hair that extended to their fullest extent either side of her lips.

“Where’s Waldo?” I asked

“He’s gone” she said sadly

“What this early?” I asked

“No, last night” she replied coldly “he dumped me”

“What? He shagged you and then dumped you?”

“No, he dumped me and didn’t shag me” she said in disbelief “I got all kitted out for him as well”

“I can see that babe” I said

“What?” she asked and screwed up her face in a puzzled expression as she tried to decipher my words.

Samantha then opened her eyes to their fullest extent and looked at me for clarification and I nodded in her direction in answer to her enquiry and her state of undress suddenly dawned on her

“Oh God” she exclaimed and shut her thighs like a bear trap and scrambled for her blanket 

“You pig” she shouted “Why didn’t you tell me I was naked”

“Are you kidding me?” I said “and pass up the chance to see a gorgeous girl’s treasures”

I realized the moments the words left my lips I had shown my hand,

“Perhaps she’s too hung over to have noticed” I said to myself

Her treasures were now well and truly buried beneath the hastily positioned blanket and the only visible parts of her were her bright red face above, and her red stocking covered toes, peeping out from below.

“Since when did you think I was gorgeous anyway?” she asked from the safety of her hiding place.

“What do you mean?” I said cursing myself for letting my guard down, apparently, she wasn’t as hung over as she appeared

“You said you wouldn’t pass up the chance to see a gorgeous girls treasures” she said “so when did you start thinking I was gorgeous?”

And that was a question I was never in my wildest dreams expected to be asked.

Faced with a direct question I couldn’t back track, so I took a deep breath.

“Well let me see that would be since about the time you were seven” he replied

“Since I was 7?” she exclaimed in disbelief

“What did I do when I was seven that had such a profound effect on you?”

“You showed me your knickers in Belldon Wood”

“I did not” she protested

“Yes, you did” I said adamantly, “they were white with little blue periwinkle flowers on them”

Samantha gasped and said

“I remember those knickers”

“So, do I, vividly”

“Oh God I did show you my knickers, didn’t I?” she said, she would have gone red at the remembrance had she not still been crimson from showing me everything else.

“Yes” I confirmed

“So, it was actually my knickers you thought were gorgeous” she said

I hesitated before answering, I could have agreed with her and simply laughed the whole thing off, because if I told the truth then the genie would be out of the bottle and I wouldn’t be able to unsay it.

“That’s not true” I replied deciding to bite the bullet

“I think you’re gorgeous now and you’re not wearing any”

“Don’t remind me” She said blushing crimson again and hiding her face behind her blanket.

“So, you’ve fancied me ever since I was seven?”

“Pretty much” I confessed

“You really fancied me all that time?”

“It’s worse than that I’m afraid!” I admitted

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked emerging from cover.

“I never knew how” I replied

“I was just a passing fancy then” she said dismissively

“Not at all” I corrected her “I’ve always wanted you, but because you’re so special to me, and you’re such a good mate I didn’t want to risk losing that if you didn’t feel the same about me”

“So, did you ever get close?” she asked softly

“Once or twice”

“And?” she queried

“You were in between completely unsuitable boyfriends who didn’t deserve you at the time” I said

“But I dithered around for too long, so I wasn’t even able to catch you on the rebound”

Once the cat was out of the bag, I thought I might at least get closure, for good or bad, but as it turned out I didn’t get to hear her response.

Samantha’s mouth opened but before she could speak there was a loud bang on the door.

“Who is it?” Sam yelled crossly

“It’s Loz you grumpy bint”

How ironic that my sister of all people would turn out to be the killjoy, she had been encouraging me for years to tell Sam how I felt.

“The door is open” Sam said

Lorraine opened the door and walked in and I was the first one she saw.

“Hey Mark, I’ve been looking for you” she said and then her eyes fell on Samantha

“Oh, dear me, you look really rough” Lorraine said and laughed

“Shut up and have some respect for the dead” Samantha responded

“Well, I suggest the corpse gets its zombie arse into the shower and then get your glad rags on” Loz instructed   

“Why what’s going on?” Sam asked

“We’re all going into Sharpington for lunch” Lorraine replied and then turned to me

“And you, we leave in an hour, come on”

She started out the door and was expecting me to follow.

But I stood in the doorway and turned to look at Sam

“I liked it when you called them my treasures” she said

“You’re the real treasure” I responded, and she smiled and just before I closed the door I said

“Wear your lemon dress, you always look stunning in that dress”

 

When I had closed the door and walked down the steps, I found Lorraine was waiting for me around the corner.

“Did you know Waldo did a runner last night?” she asked

“Yes” I replied

“So?”

“So what?” I asked

“So, now’s the time to get to her before she gets tangled up with some other loser”

“What do you think I was doing when we were interrupted?”

Lorraine stopped and grabbed my arm

“You told her?”

“Yes” I replied and started walking again

“So how did it go?” she shouted

“How do you think it went” I snapped “I’m out here with you”

 

Sam and I travelled to Sharpington in separate cars and as I was in the car Andy was driving we arrived in town ten minutes behind Louise and the girls despite the fact we were right on their bumper when we left Whitecliff Hill Park and the reason for that was because he drives like an 80 year old woman.

We were further delayed due to the fact that he is totally incapable of parallel parking, so by the time we reached the restaurant the girls were already seated at the table and I ended up with Lou and Lottie between me and Sam.

It was a long and frustrating lunch, finding myself so far from the woman I loved, and the service was diabolical.

On that particular day of all days, it didn’t help and although I was delighted to see that she was wearing the lemon dress as I suggested, every time I caught her eye she looked away immediately. 

 

After lunch the weather brightened so we all walked down to the seafront, I walked slowly behind the pack with my hands stuffed in my pockets and cursed my stupidity for making my declaration to her.

My worst fears had been realized, I had shared the secret I had kept to myself for 17 years and as I always knew would be the case if I spoke up, instead of winning her love I had now lost her friendship.    

“Why did I do it?” I said to myself and then I felt an arm slip through mine, when I glanced sideways to see who the arm belonged, I fully expected it to be Lorraine but I was amazed to see it was Sam.

“I have a confession to make” she said

“Oh yes” I replied

“I think I chose totally unsuitable boyfriends who didn’t deserve me because I couldn’t have you” she said, and we came to a stop

“And now?” I asked with bated breath

Samantha had turned to face and said

“I choose you”

And then she kissed me.

 

We walked the length of Sharpington seafront in the warm May sunshine and talked like we had never talked before.

And by the time we returned to the others it was almost evening.

“Come on you two” Lorraine called “We’re going to the pub as soon as we get back, you in?”

“Count us out we’ve got plans” Sam said

“Oh, where are you two going then?” Lottie asked and I turned to look at Sam because I didn’t know what plans we had either and Samantha squeezed my hand and smiled at me.

“A treasure hunt” she replied and we both giggled

Everyone looked completely bemused by her answer and my response to it but suffice is to say we were in Samantha’s caravan until midafternoon on Bank Holiday Monday treasure hunting.

No comments:

Post a Comment