Lauren Gisal II In South AmericaChapter 6
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Back on the patio, Julie was almost suitably clothed. The thought was there, but Emma's spare bikini was meant for a girl of thirteen, not seventeen. The small patches of cloth barely covered her nipples, and the bikini bottom cut wickedly into her thighs, molding itself to her athletic build. Lauren slumped down onto the lounger, leaning back as she sipped the ice cold wine. She watched Jamie plying back and forth, turning effortlessly, length after length. Julie watched him with great interest as she sat on the deck chair, an ankle resting on her knee, no doubt, thought Lauren, giving Jamie a wonderful view of the material as it must surely be trapped between the soft folds of her labia.
Lauren closed her eyes, aware that Peter wanted to talk, to join the group. He knew little of what they had been forced to do in Maria's wayward house, but Lauren had briefly mentioned that everyone was involved at the same time, including Emma. She had glossed over the facts about her relationship with Maria and focused on the little show that they had been persuaded to perform for Maria's so- called Uncle. Peter had been fascinated, asking no questions, lapping up every detail as they trudged along on the second day of the walk. His interest shifted from a need for the sexual details to a search for the reason that they were still alive. Lauren gradually realised that Maria may have felt that to have Lauren and Emma alive and willing was of more service to her than involve them in one of her more violent productions. They had not discussed the event since that time, the subject taboo.
She opened her eyes, just in time to see Emma standing by the poolside, wineglass in hand. Jamie was bobbing up and down in the water, encouraging her. She swigged back the half empty glass, set it down and flicked the clasp of her bikini top. It hit the floor at the same time she entered the water, diving gracefully beside her brother. The activity wasn't missed by Peter, who sat up casually, waiting for the little girl to re-emerge. She didn't disappoint, breaking the surface fast enough to allow her young breasts to burst forth into the sunlight in all their glory. Lauren became aware of Julie to her right, restless and clearly torn between staying with the older pair and joining those closer to her age. Youth won. She stood in her tight bikini and walked to the edge of the pool, acknowledging the whistles and laughter from the water.
Lauren and Peter looked at each other, smiling before turning back to watch the girl. Her physique was perfect, both elegant and athletic, the broad shoulders of a swimmer, maybe, combined with the no-nonsense tautness of her limbs. Her buttocks were tight together, trapping the thin strap of her bikini in a way that revealed her pussy lips between her legs to perfection. She turned to Lauren.
"Do you mind?" she asked, holding the front clasp of her bikini top. Her breasts bulged from almost every edge of the material.
"No, we're very casual here, don't you worry." she replied, dismissing her concern with a wave of her hand, spilling her wine. Julie flicked her fingers, revealing to Lauren once again her breasts, the nipples flat, asleep. She dropped the hopelessly inadequate clothing on top of Emma's and sat down on the edge of the pool, dangling her feet in the water. Jamie swam across to her and gripped her legs, pulling relentlessly until she tumbled on top of him into the water, laughing in delight at the cool water and the sensation of their bodies together.
Lauren shifted on the lounger, crossing her legs and squeezing her thighs, glancing to her left at Peter and smiling. "Hot, eh?" she said, her words not slurred but with a pronounced drawl. Peter nodded. His hands were in his lap as he laid back against the raised seat, trying to look the picture of calm while his cock attempted to burst out from underneath the trunks. Her eyes gleamed in the sunlight as she toured his body, from his strong shoulders and arms, down over his ancient trunks and along his hairy legs. Ample room in the trunks for her hand, she thought. She decided two things within seconds of each other. Firstly, she just had to lose her top, because the sun was making her itch. Secondly, she wasn't going to be distasteful and do it herself. That was a job for Peter, and she would let him do it as a way of thanking him. He turned, following her eyes, clearly embarrassed by the length of time she had stared at him.
Lauren and Peter ventured into the water only briefly, enough to be able to say they joined in, to wash away the heat of the afternoon. But she didn't like the splashing and the constant diving of the others worried her, so rather than nervously clinging to the edge, she waded out, stood still and drip dried for a couple of minutes and then resumed her relaxed position on the lounger. Peter pulled himself out of the water less than five minutes later.
"Want some more wine, this white's almost gone?"
"Yeah, I'll show you where it is." said Lauren, springing to her feet. Blood pounded in her head, black blotches from the sudden jump up half obscuring her vision as she wandered towards the kitchen. He caught her arm, steadying her as she stepped onto the cool marble of the utility room floor. "Here!" she said, opening the fridge, "one more bottle of white, then there's tons of red in the spare room." She put the bottle on the kitchen table, and took his hand, pulling him to the spare room. Her knuckles brushed against his rigid cock, her brain noting the hardness and, to her delayed surprise, the utter desire that registered. Their fingers interlocked, cool and damp, exploring, squeezing as their feet flapped along the cold hallway.
She guided him into the room, flicking the door closed with her foot as he tugged along. They spun round, unspoken words exchanged, consent signaled as they edged closer. Her bikini was damp, the material clinging tightly to her body. Lauren pulled him towards her, his cock now raging against her stomach. To her amazement, the length of his erection and his physical height caused the top of his cock to nestle against the firm, graceful curve of her breast. She gripped his buttocks, pulling him close as she looked up dreamily into his eyes. Her lips parted as he leaned down, craning his neck to kiss her forehead. She could feel tiny drips from her bikini running down her leg, warm, caressing.
She exhaled, delighted at his touch, the coolness of his hands, the safety of his strength. Swaying slightly, she kissed him back, slipping her tongue along his lip, encouraging him as his hands gripped her back, squeezing her breasts against his hairy chest. Her bikini top reminded her of the desire building inside her and so when his hands rubbed lightly against the side of her breasts she sighed, kissing him hard in encouragement. But rather than ripping her clothes off, she felt his grip increase, squeezing her sides, lifting her slightly so that she stood on tiptoes. Her hands moved over his back, circling, rising until she held his shoulders, maintaining her embrace with a sigh and a thundering heart.
"Eyes closed?"
She laughed, recalling their flight. "Story time?"
"Mmm. Tell me what you feel."
She thought, hot and panting as she lay her head on his shoulder and gently swayed back and forth to imaginary music. "I feel our bodies, close, touching all the way down. I feel your feet against mine. I feel your legs. I know your heart is beating very quickly. Your mouth is warm and tastes of white wine. I can smell chlorine, lunch."
"What else?"
"I feel the cool air in the room, the warmth of my legs. I know there's suntan stuff under my arms and over my stomach. My muscles still ache. I'm a little drunk, not hungry. And you feel so clean. Your skin feels tight, cold, my fingers sort of squeak over it when I touch you."
During the morning, Lauren spent her time either avoiding Maria or looking at her watch, counting the minutes before four o'clock. Maria had carefully laid out some juvenile clothing for the girls - pale yellow floral print dresses with large white buttons down the front. Lauren held hers against her body and grimaced. Five years ago she could have worn it in mid-summer, but her tastes had moved on. But her dismay was tempered by the fact that Maria had delivered thin, almost see-though...
The following morning was busy for Lauren in comparison to others. She got up just before 8 o'clock, slipped naked from her bed and showered. She moved the growing pile of clothes from the doorway of the bathroom and added them to the two pairs of knickers she had discovered that previous night. Lauren ran her hand over the sofa, brining it to her nose to check whether any evidence remained of their activities. To her disappointment, there was none. A quick rummage through her clothes...
Less than forty-eight hours later, the whole country seemed to disintegrate. The government's regional commander in the north had rounded up a small number of reactionaries, and had intended, so the official line went, to bring them to trial. The suspects had been shackled and loaded into a truck for transportation south, and eventual questioning. News reports suggested that the truck had encountered problems on the journey, losing braking power as it descended into a valley. The driver and...
She looked up to see where they had been. The door towered above them, seemingly an impossible height from the ground. She was amazed how a single gunshot could bring out Olympic qualities in people. Aches penetrated her thoughts, especially in her lower back and Emma moved stiffly ahead into the dense growth. "Wait, don't go too far. Grab the case and let's make sure we're out of sight" she whispered. Turning back to Jamie, she nodded at him, pulling him roughly away from the tracks,...
The following day, Lauren got up early. There was no particular reason why she had to do so, but it seemed that the day was going to be wonderful, and she wanted to let everyone know that she was happy to be alive. The girls shopped in the morning, driving into Boquette to be ready for when the supermarket opened at ten thirty. Elizabeth had called the previous night and told her about the situation in the north. The news stories on the television had made things seem worse than they were,...
Saturday 22nd August, 11am Maurice Gisal drove very carefully round the hairpin bends that led from the valley up towards AnneMarie’s village, even though he had been up there many times in all seasons. On the back seat was a small suitcase containing every conceivable piece of clothing that Lauren might require during some emergency, plus her overnight things in case she had to stay, plus makeup, a present, camera, spare film and her Cookie Monster dressing gown which was again pressed into...
Saturday 8th August On Saturday morning, the whole family trooped round to the Renzer’s house, knocked on the side gate and went through to the back garden singing `yoo-hoo’. Claude Renzer came through the large sunroom and out onto the patio to welcome them warmly. He was a tall man, thin with greying hair, and certainly older than Maurice Gisal. Celestine Renzer, who joined him almost immediately, looked radiant, almost too well, petite to the extent of being dwarfed by her husband. Lauren...
"Very good, you two." said Maria, "that was great, well done. Have a rest and watch the next part of the show." She rose, revealing she wore knickers and the white bra. Lauren, in an attempt to be invisible, glanced back at the two youngsters, now cuddled up again together on the chair. She knew where Maria had gone, certain that she would return with the young girl who was meant to be in her protection. Lauren mentally shrugged. The girl wasn't a virgin and was more sexually active...
The heat persisted throughout that week, making Lauren irritable and short tempered. She lacked sleep and if she had not been able to snooze during the day she would have been a wreck. Felix called on Friday afternoon just after lunch to say that he would have to work late that night, but would be able to take her out on Saturday afternoon. She agreed, looking forward to his company and a break from the boredom of the household routine. After the usual salad for tea, she lolled on the sofa...
Emma grew worse by the hour. She excused herself at about five o'clock, making for the warmth of their bedroom. Lauren looked in on her every couple of hours, noting that she slept continually, hardly moving from one visit to the next. Jamie went to bed at about eleven o'clock, leaving Lauren and Maria down in the lounge, chatting. Lauren was amused at how he had changed that day. Instead of being shy and awkward around both herself and Maria, he was confident, almost cocky, and Lauren felt...
Lauren realised two things when she woke the following morning. Firstly that Emma hadn't had her medicine the night before and that she had made love to her brother while using the ointment inside her. Neither of the thoughts cheered her up, but she determined that after Elizabeth and Gustav departed she would make sure that Emma had another dose of the slimy stuff to get her back on the road to recovery. She swung out of bed and showered in her bathroom. It was before eight o'clock, which...
Lauren woke to find herself being shaken by the woman while Emma and Jamie looked down at her. "Wakey wakey, we're here. Follow me and I'll find out which rooms you three can have." She disappeared round the side of the truck, Jamie closely behind. Lauren swung off the back and landed hard on the ground, her limbs tight and aching. "Ow, shit!" she moaned. Looking up to find a target for her wrath, she discovered she was in the grounds of a wonderfully old house. Huge, grey flag stones...
"Lauren" Silence. "Lauren" echoed again, shaking. She opened her eyes, the morning light streaming through the window, dazzling her, silhouetting Maria. "Hey, wake up, here's coffee!" Lauren rolled onto her side, slowly recalling their love making the previous night. Her senses told her she was still naked, a distinctly unhealthy stickiness between her legs. "Oh, thanks. What time is it?" asked Lauren, avoiding her eyes. "About ten. Jamie's up already. Emma looks a lot better....
Four days later, Jamie returned and the girls went to the station to collect him. The train was a respectable thirty-five minutes late, and he was clearly tired from the short but arduous journey. Lauren introduced herself and was delighted that Emma beamed at Jamie all the way back to the house. He was almost the same height as Lauren, not muscular but certainly no wimp. He also had blonde hair, darker than Emma's, cut conservatively like his father's. Lauren guessed that he had yet to...
"What about your story?" prompted Lauren. "Well, she's you know, put her hand down here..." He motioned down between his legs. "And held your willy?" asked Lauren. "Well, only through my jeans." Emma sat up, one leg flat on the sofa and the other at ninety degrees, affording an unrestricted view of her little knickers. Lauren realised that she sat like that perfectly innocently, unaware that she was arousing him with a display of provocation greater than anything he had seen in...
"Is everyone allright?" asked Jamie, a look concern moving through surprise into lust. "We heard noises." "It was us. We've been playing games. Talking about the weather." said Lauren. "Oh right. Much easier with your clothes off, eh?" They ventured into the room. "Well, what about you two? Reading a novel?" "Yes!" said Julie, laughing. She too seemed to have had too much wine as well, and mixed with the sun and Jamie's wandering hands, was in a giggly mood. She sat on the...
Lauren had no recollection of leaving the lounge, of being cut from the chair and taken to her bedroom with the ropes still tight around her wrists. She vaguely knew that Emma had bathed her while she lay on her stomach on the bed, dousing the raging heat in her buttocks and thighs with so many cold flannels that the bed was decidedly wet. Fortunately, Lauren was unable to see the blood that Emma squeezed out of the flannel with every trip to the bathroom. Lauren cried relentlessly, sobbing...
The replacement of the police force in the north had been a bad move. The Nationalists had interpreted it as an undercover method of replacing the locally elected authority with soldiers who would do the government's dirty work. Students in the university towns of the north went on strike, and found some sympathy with those in the capital. Their demands escalated from the reinstatement of the police to better pay for state employees, a shorter working week and a minimum wage. The television...
Lauren let all the information sink in and floated to her room. She couldn't remember what he looked like, except that he needed a wash. She wondered what she would wear for tomorrow's lunch. Searching through her cupboards made her miserable - she had either T-shirts and her bikini, or jeans and sweaters. Nothing much in between. She thought for a moment and decided that she might drag Emma down to the clothes shop again and buy a couple of things. She glanced across the corridor into...
Lauren woke just after eight o'clock, alone and rested. She stretched lazily over to the light by her bed and flicked the switch. She looked at the mess of clothing on the floor. A few months ago she might have groaned inwardly as she recollected their activities but that morning a smile spread across her lips as she replayed the action and sensed again the sensuous and outrageous loving they had enjoyed. Her skirt and bra lay by the door, unceremoniously tossed away in the heat of the...
Emma squirmed. Lauren let go as she disappeared beneath the surface. Lauren watched her gracefully stroking under water, heading for the shallow end. They stepped out of the pool, Lauren following Emma across to the loungers by the patio door. The little girl's buttocks twitched as she tip-toed on the hot flagstones, and Lauren had a hard job restraining her hands as Emma bent forward to move the seat into the sun, her pussy hairless, perfect, clean and inviting. Lauren lay down, feeling the...
"I hear you're a disobedient girl!" bellowed the General, leaning forward to address her directly. "There's no room for disobedience in my outfit, you know." The chatter in the room died away. Lauren heard her heart pounding against the floor, the squelch of her pussy as Maria let go of her foot. She curled into a ball, exposing the tight cum-speckled slickness of her pussy to him. Trembling slightly, she coughed, catching her breath in between great gasps for air. "I think she needs...
Lauren exhaled, signaling acceptance of the invitation. Maria snuggled deeper against her chest, her cheek rubbing against Lauren's nipple. As if on cue, they both drained their glasses and placed them near the ladder. She caressed the side of Maria's head, feeling the long, straight hair between her fingers, playing with it, twirling it around and noting the smoothness of each strand. She felt fingers traversing her stomach, moving from her thigh, over her hip and up towards her breasts,...
As evening fell, the girls made their way cautiously out of the hotel lobby, turning left towards the center of town once again. Neon lights blazed in the distance as shops closed up for the night and the club life began in earnest. Music spilled from roadside bars and cafes as they threaded their way through the narrow, noisy backstreets. "Hey!" whispered Emma, "Do you think it's, you know, safe down here?" She looked around as though expecting to be mugged at any moment. Lauren...
Four days later, Lauren was fit enough to bathe and feed herself. She could walk around the house unaided, but always made sure she was within striking distance of something to hold onto if she became dizzy. She ventured out onto the remains of the patio, peering down into the rounded hole that had been the pool. The familiar heat remained, but the soothing waters had vanished. She sat in her shorts and T-Shirt on the lounger and surveyed her bruised limbs and the scene of damage. Without...
Turning the bath taps on, Lauren stripped, once again so pleased to be able to wander from her bedroom into the lounge and bathroom quite naked. At home she used to wear so many layers! The bath filled slowly as she stretched out on the sofa, her feet on the floor as her head rested on the arm so she could see the television. She rested her hands between her parted legs, pleased with the ready moisture that she found. Bringing her fingers to her nose, she reveled in the sweet scent of herself...
They sauntered up to the long dimly lit oak bar and climbed onto two stools, looking around all the time while trying to remain sophisticated. The barman glanced at Lauren and took a long look at Emma. "Two cokes, please!" said Lauren. The barman served them within seconds, bringing a little bowl of nuts and crackers with their drinks as he smiled at them both. Lauren asked for the dinner menu and they studied it, trying to determine from the French and Spanish descriptions exactly what...
Lauren kissed her lips lightly, tasting the suntan lotion on her tongue as she explored further, teasing her ears and neck and down quickly to her breasts. Nikki parted her legs and Lauren accepted the invitation to trail her tongue down her body, along her thigh and back round inside up to her vagina. Nikki grabbed her head and pushed her hard against her pussy, her actions rough and demanding as she bent her knees and Lauren knelt by her side. Lauren hadn't really thought about how she...
They scrambled across the room, Lauren locking her eyes on Stefan's red raw cock that jutted out in front of him. She felt good, happy to be naked and ready to have sex with any one of the three others, not caring who was watching. Emma's little buttocks hardly moved as she skipped to the sofa, spilling her wine over her legs. Lauren realised that they had all had a little to much to drink, vowing that maybe tomorrow they would just have coke as they wandered around Caracas. "No, no!"...
The world was quiet as Lauren woke, surveying the darkened room before slipping quietly out of bed. Naked, she sat on the toilet in her bathroom and wondered what she would do that day. Too many of her days took the same form: Breakfast, swim, shower, get dressed. Take Emma, maybe Jamie down to Boquette, buy something they don't really need. Maybe visit the supermarket. Maybe have lunch in the square. Back home for a snooze, swim, tea, watch the news. Lauren found her bikini bottoms, pulled...
Lauren had barely stuffed the plates and cutlery from the evening meal into the dishwasher when the patio door squeaked open. Lauren glanced at the clock in the kitchen, wondering if one of the staff had returned for something. Emma skipped off to answer it, and Lauren was surprised to hear her high-pitched delight and the voice of Felix. As she washed her hand she smiled, hoping that he would perhaps stay for a while. "Hey, what's cookin'?" he asked, sauntering into the kitchen,...
With the exception of regular phone calls, Elizabeth and Gustav left Lauren alone to run the house for days on end. As the days passed the troubles in the north grew and spread, the relationship souring between the government and the populace and every new day heralding further sources of discontent. The electricity supply failed for an hour on the day before the election, causing the children to abandon the house for the cooler patio. Two days before the election - and to Lauren's surprise...
Lauren side-stepped a difficult conversation with Emma with white lies and an unusually creative mind. She had been sitting cross- legged on her bed, wearing only her regulation shirt when Emma walked in, sat on the opposite bed and stared at her. "What'cha doin?" "Mending my knickers. My only pair of goddamn knickers" "What happened?" "I caught them in the door catch. Stupid, eh?" Actually, brilliant. Perhaps next time, though, she should prepare an excuse in advance. "Hmm. I...
Lauren woke with a start. The room eventually registered in her mind and she turned to look at the glowing radio alarm clock. It said 04:12. She tried to work out what that really meant in Swiss time and struggled to arrive at something close to noon. A reasonable hour to wake up. Her mouth was dry and she was pleased as she realised that she wouldn't have to debate whether to stay in bed and die of thirst or get up and die of cold. The room was warm and she pushed back the covers to leave...
"She's beautiful. They both are" said Peter. Lauren kissed his chest, signaling the end of their voyeuristic interlude. They entered her room noisily, the door swinging back against the wall. The wine made it to her bedside table, just as they both fell onto the silk bedspread. She tugged her bikini top off and flipped it dramatically onto the carpet, allowing Peter once again to drink in the pure wonder of her figure. He knelt on the bed, leaning to kiss her, pushing her down against the...
Three days later, Lauren gladly succumbed to Felix's daily phone calls and agreed to cook dinner for him at the house. She was still unsure what he did for a living although he was knowledgeable in commodities and sugar in particular. But he always seemed to have time for her, a flattering feeling that was uplifting and caused her to grin to herself during her little daydreams. His company did much in her mind as well to balance the wrong she felt when she thought of her experiences with...
Emma filled her bath, throwing two sachets of crystals in for good measure, shouting to Lauren that it was ready as she bent over the rim of the bath, whirling the water around with her hand. Lauren slipped into the room silently, taking hold of her hips and pulling her against her thighs. Emma stood and leaned back against her, swaying slightly. Lauren found the cord of the robe and undid the knot, pulling apart the sides and squeezing her small breasts in her hands. She kissed her ear as...
Felix did indeed call the following morning. Lauren had forgotten and must have sounded particularly dense when she answered the phone. They exchanged pleasantries before she invited him for twelve thirty. He reminded her that he knew the place and would be on time. And, yes, he did eat everything. Emma was more excited than Lauren, fussing around the house looking for a tablecloth for the kitchen and serviettes that were hidden deep in the spare room. It was only later, just before lunch,...
Choosing what to wear proved to be the most difficult task for Lauren on Saturday morning. She wanted to wear something that would encourage Felix as they had a stroll through the local hills, but nothing that would shout 'take me now'. She knew that attack from mosquitoes was also a possibility so long sleeves were best. Jeans and her father's shirt won, with a full bra that would emphasise her shape under the loose fitting shirt. She showered and washed her hair before dressing and...
Election Day, and the country appeared to sleep late then vote often. The roads were almost empty, the cleaners deciding that they would take the day off and celebrate their thrill of a lifetime to register their vote. The television was surprisingly subdued, as though some governing body had imposed a blackout on all but the barest of facts. Although Lauren made a point of trying to catch the news at noon and again at five that day, there was nothing to be learned. Nikki's two week stay...
She felt the blunt end of the vibrator running over the material of her bikini following the lips of her pussy. She still thought it was about the size of him but there was no elasticity at all. Her fear returned as he shuffled around between her legs, pulled the bikini bottom down her legs slightly and then pulled the material to one side. He placed the great tool at the entrance to her pussy before pushing slowly. It entered her with some difficulty, its width pushing her lips apart as it...
There was relief and delight not just at finally opening the two huge front doors of the house, but with the fact that everything appeared to have been left undisturbed. In their month away, Jamie found that the lounge windows had been boarded up and the woodwork surround had been replaced and painted, probably in preparation for new glass. "Looks like the landlord has been and done a few repairs." he announced passing through the kitchen. While Julie, Juan and Peter slowly followed them...
Wednesday 5th August Lauren naturally spent the early part of the week bringing Nikki up to date with her exploits at the studio, revealing more and more of the details as Nikki subjected her to relentless questioning. In fact, by the end of Tuesday, Nikki said that the afternoon sounded like a story of fairy-tale romance; Champagne, bright lights and beautiful people. However, Lauren’s narrative was enough to provide Nikki with a graphic picture of the afternoon and a noticeable damp spot...
Two days later, Lauren swung the car into the long term parking space, the effort registering on the muscles in her arms which still ached from carrying the suitcases to the car and her swimming the day before. Their flight was at four thirty that afternoon, and they had arrived with several hours to spare. She made sure she had locked the car and (to her own surprise) wrote down the number of the space for her return. The coach whisked them (at a leisurely San Falino pace) to the...
"Euro-bitch!" hissed a soldier, tweaking her nipples. She writhed on the stool, her neck now painful and the pressure of the blood in her head frightening. Hands explored, invading private territory. Rough hands, greasy with labour, unrefined. "Leave me alone you bastards!" she moaned, eyes still closed. She opened her mouth to shout but froze. The cold, clinical edge of steel on her cheek sent shivers through her teenage body, disrupting her breathing and causing her heart to beat...
Gustav called the next morning, suprising Lauren since it was usually Elizabeth's job to deal with household matters. He stated, in a very business-like manner, that Lauren had been given control of settling all bills, household accounts, credit cards and would be contacted by their bank in the next few days for specimens of her signature. He had also written to her to outline what they thought were the best routes out of the country if trouble struck. Twice he launched into a speech of how...
They caught their one o'clock plane and arrived home as darkness fell just after six thirty on Sunday evening. Elizabeth was home, watching television with Jamie as they dragged their suitcases into the house. The evening news was grim, and as they listened Lauren realised that they were lucky to have any electricity. The gloss on her assignment in San Falino was fading fast; the uncollected sacks of rubbish she had seen in San Serra now making sense along with the darkened villages they had...
Nikki's visit brought home to Lauren not only the strength of their friendship but also the value of Nikki's advice. She had been correct about many things in their teen years - especially the character of Lauren's few boyfriends - so that she regarded her as level headed in times of crisis. As a result, two decisions were simple to make. Firstly, that she should try and convince Emma that their night of love-making was a one-time occurrence that resulted from her fear of storms, and...
Lauren knew that her right arm wouldn't move even though she issued all the right commands. She had more luck with the other. The carpet was there, warm, silent, pushing against her knotted stomach. Her heart beat furiously and further inventory revealed a headache of mammoth proportions. She turned her head slowly, her neck screaming abuse as her nose rubbed into the carpet. Skin. Smoke. She coughed painfully, the sound inside registering but traveling nowhere. Her heart leapt, adrenaline...
Sunday 30th August, 7pm Mike sat with his parents in the lounge as darkness descended. He face had grown pale since there had been mention of the video at Nikki’s house. He and his parents looked thankful for the gathering gloom, concealing their worries, giving each of them a place to hide. His mother broke the silence. “Just because Andre found a video doesn’t mean that Lauren has been involved in one. All we think is that she may have had some pictures taken.” “What’s this about...
"Oh thanks, I owe you one!" said Emma, smiling at Cressida. "Can I call a cab from here?" "Why the secrecy?" asked Cressida. "It's a surprise for our au pair!" The girls looked up the number for the local cab company and demanded service right away. After a delay of only thirty minutes, Emma stepped into a battered green and white vehicle that, according to a small plastic sign on the roof, was a taxi. It spluttered away to her destination. "Nice taxi, yes?" asked the driver as...
Autumnal winds and rain began to intrude upon the blazing heat of the sun, providing a number of spectacular thunderstorms during Lauren's first week in San Falino. Boquette appeared to at least have its fair share as the clear morning sky gave way to huge grey clouds, followed by rain that fell so suddenly that Lauren and Emma had to scurry indoors like frightened cats. She dried herself in her room and got out of the wet jeans that she had worn, hanging them over the bath to dry. For a...
Lauren lazed in the bath for almost an hour, adding hot water whenever she felt it had cooled too much. She loved the thought of adding hot water without the tank running out, or having to turn the boiler on specially to have a bath. Moreover, the thought of having her own bathroom was marvelous. She could keep all her stuff where she could see it, maybe buy some local products and try them out if there were such things. She swished the water over her shoulders and looked down at the droplets...
Sunday 30th August, 4pm Maurice Gisal had spent the majority of the afternoon in the lounge. He had been having a quick snooze if anyone had asked, although Daniele knew that he would sleep for hours if left alone. When the children were young, a snooze on the sofa was a luxury, and in those days they had rarely needed it. But now with the children older, it still seemed a little naughty, but a quick sleep after lunch certainly had a fortifying effect. He usually read a book for a while...
Thursday 13th August Nikki and Lauren discussed the idea of Lauren returning to Marlene’s for another session of photos. Nikki said she thought it sounded like fun, especially since Lauren had clearly enjoyed herself so much. She was also happy to go along with the story of Lauren staying at her house for the night - something that was not uncommon and therefore was unlikely to be discovered. Both girls knew that sometime Lauren would have to do the same for her, and that’s what friends were...
Sunday 30th August, 8am The car really did arrive at seven fifty in the morning. Lauren had hoped that it might fail to turn up so that they could say they tried, but go back to bed and enjoy a normal Sunday. Nikki said if it was late she would be really angry as she could have stayed in bed later. They had time for a cup of coffee and some toast before leaving a short message for her parents and gently closing the back door. Rebecca was sitting in the front passenger seat, clearly so...
Thursday 23rd July Three days later, Lauren made the journey back to Kristal’s house on the bus, arriving at about two o’clock. She rang the doorbell and was interested to see that Kristal looked much smarter than she had last time, wearing tights or stockings, an ivory coloured skirt and white blouse with a small, matching ivory waistcoat buttoned down the middle. Her shoes looked like her mother’s which were made by Bally. Her long dark hair was pinned up, allowing a few strands to...
Lauren waded through her schoolbooks that were lying on her bedroom floor, kicking the algebra textbook through the open window. She gave herself top marks for accuracy and floated into bed, kissing her teddy bears goodnight as the light turned itself off and the passengers pulled away from the train. Jim waved to her from the platform and she smiled. The passengers returned a few moments later, knocking on her bedroom door. She pulled the covers to her chin and grimaced as the banging...