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About nine the following day, Terry had woken. stirred.
Now that, he thought was a particularly good and restful sleep. The best one so far, since he had been here? Ooo. His head. Hangover. Slight stiff neck.
Twenty minutes later he had swallowed back the pain killers. Made some breakfast.
Maybe a shot of brandy. 'Hair of the dog' to get rid of the hangover. A while later to his relief, feeling much better with a hangover; gone.
A light cereal breakfast of muesli and milk consumed he turned his attention to phoning Nina. “Skiing today Dad. Give you a call later.“
Ben had phoned some time after he had finished his call to Nina. “How’s things?“ The bowling team. sends it’s regards. He was missed, but they expected him to be back in the New Year, for the next prize tournament.
He, had the best strike record in the team.
Competitors from across the counties had nicknamed him The slammer.‘ Something Nina was proud of. Her bowling skills, much appreciated by her junior team, were also exceptional. “Candice asked after you.“
Tall, leggy, auburn Candice was to put it mildly a ‘man eater’. Nina disliked her intensely. “IF’ she had muttered ‘There was anyone, LESS suitable, for you Dad.”
It was HER.
“I, am no Cinderella.“ She tells Candice, bluntly to her face. “You can forget about getting close to my Dad, cos I’ve no need for a wicked stepmother.“
Candice was renown for her body, not one might add, for her brains. “Why you little tyke, are you being rude?” “Never.“ “Oh, alright, in that case.”
The little blonde girl who worked behind the bar at the clubhouse had, Nina noticed, gotten her fathers attention. She was petite, nimble on her feet, semi athletic and had what Candice seriously lacked. The ability for intelligent conversation.
'Tina’ was working at the club, to pay for her Open University books, her accommodation. She was also, as she confessed to Nina. Not a guy kind of girl?.
It did not stop Nina from liking or becoming friends with her, but she had to admit it was a disappointment, she felt her and Dad would have been good together. Not that she gave up on the idea of them getting together, for a date at least.
Nina had recounted events regarding Tina, though omitting the ‘Not a guy kind of girl’ from the conversation, to Marie. ”I really don’t know what I can do to get him hooked with someone. All of my friends are way too young and their mothers are OK, well some of them, happy as they are.”
“He’s had some dates?” “Oh yes, Stan and Mandy set him up with the girl from Costas. A manager there. Nice woman but he wasn’t too keen on keeping that going. She met a guy from a local store, married a couple of months later.“
“What about Rowena?“ “Ah now, she was really cool. No spark. Not where Dad was concerned. Said she really liked him, but that was it, friends nothing more.“
“Yanis.“ “Oh the one that liked line dancing. Think the YEEE HAAA got to him in the end, it did where I was concerned." She fell about laughing. "Worse still she loved to dress the part, cowboy boots with spurs and breeches.“ Donald appeared at the door. “You’re back early. You can go pick the boys up.“
Donald took a glass, filled it with water, drank it and placed the empty glass in the sink. “Ten minutes.“ He moved off to close the door behind him. “I swear sometimes he wants me, makes me, want to scream. Now what were we talking about, ah yes. What about those dating sites.“
“Tried that. Say’s he can’t be bothered. He moaned every time the bill was due for the membership.“ More laughing.
“Well, he’s going to have to get his act together. With you going off to Uni girl. I know he’s got the bowling club and his mates, but being in that house on his own? Can’t see that working out . He’s got used to having you around too much. I kind of know, how that feels, when Donald goes off on the camping trips, during the summer, taking the boys for a couple of weeks vacation.
I remember when we were kids, on his own, he gets a bit oddball. Why I was real pleased when he met your mum. Little blonde blue eyed Diane I can tell you THE girl most guys wanted to date. Didn’t think HE stood a chance I can tell you. Was I going to be left speechless.
She was a breath of fresh air. From age 14, childhood sweethearts and they, were Inseparable. Same Uni, which was a major surprise . Rented a house, shared with friends and accepted soon or later both of them were gonna end up getting married.
Your mum, was a brilliant bowler. I used to wind him up telling him how she was so much better than he was. You should have seen the look on his face. Mind you, could she knock those skittles over. The pair of them were formidable.
I never heard Di complain once about giving up her career to have you. Some would never get pregnant or if they did, they would quietly get rid of it. Career girls. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I can’t lie, but you already know, they never planned to have you.
It happened. she had complications and died shortly after you were born. Course HE, felt that it was his fault. We both know that’s not true, but it remains I think a problem, where he’s concerned. That sense of guilt, is haunting him. As for those like Ben. He's a nightmare. A real womaniser. Gorgeous girl, if I hadn't been married I'd have had him, fluff my pillows for me girl!
Ah yes, one of the bowling team and Terry's best friend. Unmarried and no intentions as he made clear of getting married.
“The only ball and chain in my house is the one in the lav.“ He started laughing. “It’s no good complaining, about being single. Have a few dates, enjoy yourself and forget about the commitment. Most of them are only out for a good shag. Those that get married, HOW long these days, on average does it last?
A day later, mid day. On the phone. Marie had brought Ben into the conversation, eager to know what he what up to. Terry was grinning. He had told her, for her to moan again.
Why, he thought, do you bother asking in the first place. "I keep telling his brother Frank, what a fool he is, though that bugger’s been married a lot longer than
any of us, ever thought he would be.
Anyway let me pass you back to Nina, I've some pastries I want out of the oven or they are going to burn." "Dad, you got any more snow?" "Yes poppet, it’s getting to look like I'm, going to be snowed in for Christmas."
Collecting more wood after looking for the light bulbs for the shed without success. Terry had wandered back to the house. He had noticed the lounge window. The ice on the sill, collecting the first layer of snow.
Looking across to the avenue of trees, where, their eerie shadowy branches, bare of leaves, had been dusted with what looked like, icing sugar. The snow glinting in the darkening twilight.
A full moon tonight? Not quite. it would be tomorrow. Inside, the fire sorted, he turned his attention to the Christmas tree. In the corner of the room, where he had dragged it from it’s box after he had recovered it from the cellar. The decorations scattered around it’s base.
It would keep him occupied whilst he waited on his meal, to cook. Well that had been, his intention.
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