Cockatoo Part 4
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Never Too LateChapter 12 free porn video
Jenny's interview was a mere formality and she was given the promise of a pay increment once her university degree was confirmed. I found it slightly embarrassing that my girlfriend would end up more highly qualified than I was.
Sitting in my new office, I skimmed through the BMW brochure and picked out my future car, a silver M5, but was told that I'd have to wait at least three months for delivery. In the interim, the dealership agreed to provide a second-hand lease car with an almost identical specification.
Jenny and I celebrated at Tarantella, the restaurant I swore I'd never return to after I discovered Vanessa and Donald dining there. The owner showed us to a table but was slightly ill at ease knowing that two of his regular customers were now visiting separately with their respective partners.
During the meal, we repeatedly complimented the food and he visibly relaxed. We drove home afterwards, having restricted ourselves to just a small carafe of the house wine. Jenny loved the car; it smelled new even though it was six months old. She laughed at me continuously during the first week after it was delivered; I'd developed the habit of peeping out of the front window at it parked on the drive, admiring its sleek lines.
For two weeks, we settled into our new jobs and everything seemed to go swimmingly. However, on the first Saturday in August, the phone rang. Jenny answered it and then passed it straight over to me, mouthing the word Vanessa. We'd not heard a word from her since the day she picked up her clothes and I feared that she was about to cause trouble.
"What do you want, Vanessa?" I asked curtly.
"I'm sorry to call you, Peter. I need to ask a favour."
"Go on."
"My dad had a heart attack last week."
"I'm sorry," I replied truthfully, "how's he doing?"
"He's dead," she sniffed. "The funeral's on Wednesday."
"Shit. Shit. I ... I don't know what to say."
"I don't want to go alone and Donald's in New York. I was hoping..."
Part of me wanted to refuse but I just couldn't bring myself to do so.
"Okay," I replied.
"You will?" She sounded surprised.
"Yes. I'll take you. What time is the funeral?"
"Eleven in the morning."
"Have you told your mum?"
"I don't have a contact number for her. I doubt she'd come anyway."
"Alright. Do you want me to pick you up or go from here?"
"I'll come over there if that's okay."
"I'll see you first thing Wednesday then."
We said goodbye and I hung up.
Jenny looked at me apprehensively and I simply shrugged.
Vanessa's car pulled onto the drive while I was still getting ready. I wore my dark grey suit but had had to pop to the shops the day before to purchase a black tie. Jenny fussed with it, ensuring it was straight and that I looked suitably sombre and presentable. The doorbell rang and Jenny rushed to answer it. Vanessa chose to wait in the hall.
"He's nearly ready," I overhead Jenny say. "Do you want a cup of tea?"
"No thanks," she replied distantly.
"I'm sorry about your dad."
"Thank you."
I emerged from the lounge and admired my wife. Her black dress hugged her figure, enhanced by a silver necklace that fell down to just above her breasts. Dark stockings and patent shoes with a moderate heel completed her ensemble.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I will be after today," she replied sadly.
"Let's go then. Are you ready, Jenny?"
"Yes," Jenny advised. Vanessa looked up in surprise.
"I hope you don't mind if we drop Jenny off at the office on the way out. It will save her having to get a taxi."
"No. No problem," she mumbled.
I picked up a large wreath, armed the house alarm and moved to the BMW which Vanessa had been careful enough not to block in. I placed the flowers on the backseat.
"New car?" Vanessa asked.
"I've had it for a week or two now. I got a promotion. I'm the new technical director."
"Congratulations," she gasped. "That was what you always wanted, wasn't it?"
"Yes. I just had to follow a tortuous path to get to it."
She nodded as she appreciated the irony of the situation. "I have something of yours. I found it in the glove compartment when the car had to go in for service. I've no idea what it is but I thought it might be important." She reached into her bag and produced the asset tag.
"It's a GPS tracker," I told her. "It sends information about its location to a computer at Sheridan's."
"Oh," she gasped as the reality of the situation dawned on her.
I dropped the unit into the driver's door storage tray and waited until the others climbed in. Jenny slid into the backseat, allowing Vanessa to sit beside me. We drove quietly for a mile or two before Vanessa broke the silence.
"This is a lovely car," she announced.
"I've only got it until the one I ordered arrives, but they're both fundamentally the same."
"Donald's Aston is far too hard a ride for my taste. There's no luggage space to speak of."
We turned into the office car park and Jenny leaped out. She came around to my side window and kissed me passionately goodbye.
"I'm sure someone will give you a lift home," I told her, "but if not, just order a taxi. Have you got your house keys? The alarm code is..."
"I know, I'll be fine, now go. Drive safely. Bye Vanessa."
"She's very young," Vanessa muttered as I drove towards the ring road. "It's depressing."
"Yes," I replied absently.
I tapped a code into a panel on the dashboard and the satnav sprang into operation. "Just to make sure we don't get lost," I said.
For the first time, I felt at a loss for something to say. I considered several opening gambits before blurting out. "How's Donald?"
"He's okay."
"In New York you said?"
"He's meeting up with his publisher. He's working on a new book and trying to negotiate a suitable advance."
"Ah."
"When do you go back to college?"
"I don't. I failed it so badly that I couldn't continue."
"But I thought..."
"I threatened to leave and set up on my own, so Steven Bull offered me the technical director position in order to keep me."
"So it was all for nothing?"
"What was?"
"You leaving, and everything that happened afterwards."
"I suppose so but the end result was the same."
"Except..."
"Except what?"
"Nothing."
We sped up the A34 towards Oxford, the on-board computer warning me about speed restrictions and traffic congestion.
"I never meant to hurt you," she whispered.
I looked across at her desolate expression. "I know."
"After you revealed what you'd seen, I was just so ashamed that I couldn't face you. I tried to talk with you on the phone but after that, I just couldn't bring myself to get in touch."
"It's all in the past. Try not to dwell on it. We've both moved on."
"Yes," she sighed. "Thanks for doing this today. I'm not sure I could have coped otherwise."
"Who's looking after the arrangements?"
"His brother George. There'll be quite a crowd at the church and he's ordered some sandwiches for a select few back at the house afterwards."
"What's going to happen with the house?"
"Apparently, Dad bought out Mum's share after the divorce so all the proceeds of the sale will come to me, not as though I need it. I've no idea what it will bring. I think it needs quite a bit of work doing to it."
"You've not heard from her then?"
"Mum? No. Not a word."
"What are your plans with Donald?" I asked cautiously.
"He's not asked me to marry him, if that's what you're getting at. What about you and ... what's-her-name?"
"Jenny. We're still getting to know one another."
"She works for you?"
"No, she works in HR. She's an admin assistant."
"That's convenient. Did you arrange it?"
"Rank hath its privileges. How's school?"
"Still on summer break. I'm on my own at the house until Donald gets back next week."
Twenty minutes before the hearse was due to arrive, the house came into sight and we parked on the drive.
"Second ceremony in a month," I informed her. "Andrea's youngest got christened recently."
"Did you take her with you?"
"Yes."
"I'll bet the ugly sisters tore her apart."
"She had them buzzing on cocktails and jumping all over the dance floor."
"Really?" Vanessa replied incredulously.
"You should have seen her with Sarah's kids."
"Not the little horror that got chocolate all over my dress?"
"Amy burst into tears when Jenny left. She had such a natural way with them."
"I'm very happy for you," she replied bitterly.
"That's George," I said as I saw his portly figure appear in front of the house, glad for a chance to escape. I gathered up the flowers and greeted George cordially. Vanessa trailed a few steps behind me.
"Glad you could come, Peter," he praised, shaking my free hand.
Vanessa embraced him. "Hi, Uncle George. Thanks for organising everything."
"No problem. Just the three of us are travelling in the car. Some of his work colleagues are coming here and the rest will meet us at the crematorium. I've written a few words to say."
I've always hated funerals. It reminded me of my own mortality and the fact that each day might be my last. A small crowd gathered outside as we waited for the hearse and funeral car. We proceeded in convoy to the crematorium and then followed the pall bearers as they conveyed the coffin inside. Vanessa leaned against me and sobbed whereupon I slipped my arm around her waist to provide comfort. I half-listened to the readings but enjoyed George's eulogy, making Vanessa's dad's dull life sound positively exciting. About a dozen people returned to the house and we all fought over a couple of trays of sandwiches and some pork pies.
"The agent's going to inspect the property next week," George informed us. "He'll arrange for the seller's survey and it should be on the market by the end of the month."
"That's great," Vanessa replied.
"Should bring at least four hundred thousand, I reckon."
"That much?"
"This area's in high demand."
By mid-afternoon, most people had dispersed and we prepared to leave.
George collared me in a quiet corner. "I can't thank you enough. I know you've both split up but it's really decent of you to come today."
"It was no problem, George. The least I could do."
"Do you think you'll get back together?"
"I don't know. I rather doubt it."
"Such a shame."
We headed back to Newbury. "Thank God that's over," Vanessa sighed.
"We've given him a good send off. George spoke well."
"I don't have anybody left now," Vanessa lamented.
"No," I replied sadly, realising my good fortune to have such a large and closely knit family.
The journey back seemed to take half the time it did going.
"Do you want to come in?" I asked as I pulled up outside the house.
"No, I'd better go ... Shit."
Jenny sprinted out of the house. "I've made some food. I thought you might both be hungry."
Vanessa sheepishly accepted the invitation and we found a neat buffet set out on the kitchen worktop.
"Just grab what you like. What you don't eat will only get wasted."
We tucked in and Jenny produced a bottle of Pinot Grigio to wash it all down.
"Thanks, Jenny," Vanessa praised. "You didn't need to go to so much trouble."
"It didn't take long."
"Is that my iPad?"
"Yes," Jenny replied. "I've been going through your recipes. Do you want it back?"
"No. It's okay. I'll buy a new one."
"I can email you the files on it if you want," Jenny offered.
"Yes. That would be useful. Peter has my address." She paused. "I'd better go."
I followed her out to the car.
"I hate to say it but Jenny's really nice. I'm happy for you," Vanessa confessed.
"Keep in touch," I replied diplomatically, knowing full well that she wouldn't.
The car drove away and I returned to Jenny. We hugged, kissed and then went to bed and made love.
A letter arrived from London that had been readdressed by Toby; it was Jenny's exam results. I passed it over to her and she ripped open the envelope. Her face dropped and she despondently handed me the sheet.
She'd been awarded first class honours, the highest possible. Her expression changed to one of sheer delight.
"Fantastic," I said exultantly. "Well done."
"I was hopeful, but this is even better than I expected."
"When's the presentation?"
"Two weeks on Saturday. I need to phone my mum to let her know."
Jenny talked on the mobile for twenty minutes, arranging for her family to be present when she graduated.
The next couple of weeks passed quickly. I was busy at the office trying to set up a new department to offer a specialised support service for our clients. Various packages were available, providing cover out of hours for those willing to pay a premium. The facility was self-financing and resulted in about a dozen new jobs being created. Clients were reassured by its availability and a number of previously lost accounts were recovered on the strength of it.
On Jenny's graduation day, she stood in front of the bedroom mirror, posing in the flowing dress that she'd bought specially for the occasion. Her ceremonial robes would slip on over it for the duration of the presentation service.
"You look absolutely lovely," I sighed as I snuggled up behind her.
We drove into London and parked in an area reserved for attendees and their families. Three figures converged on us who turned out to be Jenny's mother Laura, her sister Rachel and boyfriend, Gary.
Rachel was shorter and much chubbier than her sister. She wore heavy makeup and had a stud through her nose. Contrary to tradition, the boyfriend was clad in denim, had a shaven head, and displayed a skull-and-crossbones tattoo prominently on his left arm. He swaggered about with a disdainful expression and I concluded that I probably wouldn't want to meet up with him at night down a dark alley.
We all sat down in rows of plastic chairs, listening to a short address by the university chancellor. Names were announced alphabetically and when "Jennifer Montgomery" was announced, Jenny climbed to her feet and approached the podium to accept her scroll. We all clapped as she walked back to sit down and then waited whilst the rest of her classmates received their honours.
Wynona
- 31.05.2022
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