'What you all laughing at?' Bob quizzed from within the medics cabin. No-one answered. They just continued to laugh together.
'Aid? What’s happening? Marie, are you OK. Marie? Talk to me. Please.'
Mon cuddled in tight to Aid again.
'I'm glad I'm with you, Aidrian Burgess, and when you get home I'll be glad to become your missus.'
'Really?'
'Really.' They snuggled together and kissed.
'Oh get a room!’, Marie chirped up arms still folded tight..
'What’s happening? Marie? I'm sorry. Please talk to me, I cannae move. I’m sorry about your car'. Bob once again shouted from out of their view.
‘What about my car?’ Marie asks Aid. He nods towards the house, where the rear end of Marie’s car is barely visible beneath debris.
She needed no words. Marie rolled her eyes, sighed heavily, turned and walked back to Bob.
'What made you want to be my wife?' Aid looked into Mons eyes, holding her firmly round the waist.
'Well, I couldn't say for sure my Aidrian, but I think they may just let wives in to prisons for consummation!' She smirked cheekily, as police officers gathered round.
11
Ollie loved sitting listening to the jukebox in the bar. 60’s were her dad’s favourites. 70’s the preference of her mum. She liked them all, but particularly love songs at the moment. She laid her books out on one of the old wooden tables and sat up on her knees to finish off Maths and Chemistry work. So much homework meant less time to email her friends about the new man in her life. At 13 she was in love. Not puppy love. True love. Just he didn’t know it yet.
Ian Ingram worked days at the golf club and, being the club pro, had invested in this picturesque bar on the Stirling – St Andrews road. It had had a great reputation for food and functions, which helped it to survive - as did the loyal patrons of the village who paid their way with daily investments of lager, whisky, scampi fries and fags.
He wiped down the bar, glanced over at his daughter and left her to her homework and day- dreams.
Pam Watters came in from the cold to start her shift. The bar extended through from the area which had once been occupied by the stables. She put her coat and bag through the back so she didn’t appear late and busily got on with her work, cleaning glasses and making sure the stock was prepared for tonight. Quiz night. Of all the nights in the week Thursday night was the busiest. Pam would work, then get picked up by her boyfriend Simon, who would take her back to his – so she could get to an early lecture next day. Ollie Ingram looked up, smirked over at Pam, and got back to doodling on her workbook. Pam walked off. No patrons to serve, but they would start appearing soon.
A vehicle crunched over the loose pebbles on the driveway and passed the pub to the rear. The quiz master would be getting his night gig materials in place.
Ollie knew the area would be filling up shortly and pre-empted this by packing up her things and, throwing her schoolbag over her shoulder.
‘I’m going to my room Dad’ was followed by a muffled response from her father who was busily searching for something in the cellar. Her room was in the main house - an outhouse away to the back and side of the pub. She left by the front door. A familiar car pulled up and she went weak at the knees and breathless.
‘Hi Ollie. You OK?’
‘Yeah. Hi. Yeah, I’m good. Fine.’
‘Where you off to?’
‘Nowhere, just hanging out.’
‘Want to go for a ride?’
‘Sure.’
Ollie got in the car, giggling like the schoolchild she was, and the car took off out of the village.
Ian Ingram called through. ‘We need lime cordial’
Pam walked back into the bar, scooping the car keys off the counter.
‘I’ll go Mr Ingram’
The car was warm, Ollie was quiet. Simon talked to her, and she answered quickly and politely. She didn't want to make a fool of herself. She had heard about Simon from Pam when they were talking about boyfriends in the bar. She had listened to her stories and how nice Simon was to her. How he had kissed her for the first time and how excited she had been. How excited she always was. Simon was the only man she had wanted and now here she was – Ollie - lucky enough to be sitting with him now. Making small talk. Was this foreplay? It had passed the flirting stage, and when he touched her knee and rubbed his hand up her school skirt, she had feelings inside she had never felt before, anxiety and excitement. Terrified but completely besotted, she watched him as he drove away from town and towards Olive Island. She knew of Olive Island. It was not too far from town and was a well known hot-spot for courting couples. Her friends had boasted of good times, but Ollie had been saving herself. Only a kiss or two under the mistletoe at the school disco, which had led to embarrassing morning-after discussions, wolf whistles and sneered laughter from jealous boys and jealous girls. This was not embarrassing though. Simon was 30. A man. And he would be her first. Maybe her only. In the back of her mind she thought about how Pam might feel, but it was only fleeting. If Pam knew how much she loved Simon, she would understand. She would understand.
The car drove up to a gate and parked. Simon turned and stroked Ollie's face. He was smiling at her. Did he love her too? She would find out soon. She moved forward to kiss him. He kissed her back roughly and she felt his tongue in her mouth. His skin was jagged with stubble, but she didn't mind. She would tell her friends about her first kiss. It was going to be memorable.
'Want to go for a walk?' Simon asked
'OK', Ollie responded. They were quickly out of the car, and Simon climbed the gate first, holding Ollie's hand to help her to climb. A car was coming up the lane and Simon squinted. He gripped her hand and waist to bring her down safely over the gate, and Ollie kept hold of Simon's hand as they walked from the trees into the open field. It was January and it was dark - really dark. So crossing the field felt free and Ollie ran, with Simon leading the way across the grass. The mud would be noticed by her mum and she would have to lie. She would not be telling her mum about her first time. She could only see Simon's profile now - very masculine, big cheekbones, slight face - but to her he was the one. He was gorgeous.
Simon looked back to the road.
