My Dinosaur Era Chapter 27

 

I think I am going to have a coffee, it’s too early to be hammered, I say

what time even is it, says ginny

five, patrycja finishes now, she said she’s going swimming, I say

why can’t we go swimming too, she says

because we are full of food and booze, I say

I guess, she says

she said she is going to the beach tomorrow and we should come along, I say

there’s a beach here, she says

no, in san sebastian, about an hour away, I say

oh, ok, she says

don’t worry, I’m sure we shall see her later, I say

I’m not worried, why would I be, she says

 

we move outside, low sun hitting the square

I sit with my coffee, ginny sits with a beer

we’re all talked out, I see myself reflected in her shades

people are on the move all around us

locals flitting in and out of the shadows 

going home, going out

tourists like us walk differently

time is not an enemy, they wander

look at menus, stare into phones

my head clears quickly, coffee express

ginny looks slumped in her chair

we’ve missed a sensible nap window

power on through to whatever is on the other side

just going for a piss, I say

ginny nods, barely, sucks her cigarette

I go to the bar, order two espresso martinis

nip to the toilet, pick them up on the way back

sit down at the table

fucking hell, she says

well, you won’t have a coffee and you’re dying there, I say

do you know what, timmy, she says

what, I say

you are my favourite person right now, she says

oh yeah, not patrycja, I say

hmm, no you win, for the time being, don’t get complacent though, she says

we touch glasses, drink

 

after the martinis, walking back to the hotel, ginny still barefoot

me carrying her giant boots

the river feels still, no boats on this stretch

walk across the bridge, stop halfway

look back down towards the museum

it’s hard to say why it is nice here, says ginny

yeah, when I tried to explain it to you I never had the words, I say

it feels kinda calm and exciting, at once, you know, she says

hmm, yeah, that and the pintxos, I say

never forget the pintxos, she says

 

in our room, it’s six in the evening

what do you want to do tonight, I say

ginny is taking her clothes off, another shower beckons

nothing crazy, like just some more food and drink, she says

sure, shall I see if patrycja want to come along, I say

you can do but I really don’t want to be on her case you know, I mean she had a life here before we came along, she says

the water starts in the bathroom, she is still talking

words muffled

I can’t hear you, I say

no reply, the shower hisses on

I take off my tee shirt, it smells

can’t remember when I changed it last

I chuck it into a corner, then go pick it up

squeeze it into a corner of my rucksack

my phone buzzes, my sister again

she’s in brighton now, sorry that she missed me

recommend a pub please

one that does decent food

who are you away with

is it a girlfriend

mum had her scan, nothing tangible showed up

I read the messages a few times over

try to imagine her typing them

always asking about girlfriends, worse than mum

thinks I am going to die alone

she doesn’t know about jane

that we were married, then she died

there was no reason to tell her

 

ginny appears from the bathroom

steaming, shiny, towel tight around her torso

are you having one, she says

hmm, I say

a shower, are you having one, she says

yeah, I stink, I say

in the bathroom, the steam clearing

fumble for the control 

blasts on hot, how can she have it like that

fuck, shoulder burning, caught the sun

annoyed at the water, rub my face, armpits, balls

soap up all the important bits

rinse, flick the control off

an angry shower, just what I needed

 

back in the room, ginny in the bed, sheet up to her chin

timmy, she says

yeah, I say

would it be ok if we like, lay here for a while, she says

it’s too late for a nap, isn’t it, I say

no, not a nap, I mean, I guess, like a cuddle, she says

are you ok, I say

yes, I just would like a hug, in bed, with you, she says

machine gunning the words out

sure, yeah, I say

I mean, naked, like you said you did with jane, not that I’m jane of course, god, no, why did I say it like that, she says

it’s ok, I know what you mean, I say

I drop my towel and slide in next to her

we are warm, still damp in patches

we lie next to each other, just our shoulders touching

put your arm up, she says

I do, she slips into the crook, head on my chest

mmm, she says

I shuffle on my arse a little to get comfortable

hold me properly, please, she says

I wrap my other arm around her, bring her to me

we lie there, just like this, our breathing coming together

she wraps a leg over mine, her knee touches my balls

oh, sorry, she says

it’s ok, I say

I’m so awkward, I don’t think I have just ever lay with someone like this, she says

do you like it, I say

yes, I do like it, she says

good, me too, I say

you don’t feel strange doing this, like, with me, she says

a bit but I dunno, it’s like it is you but also not you, a kinda abstracted ginny, not ginny from home, I say

yeah, I know what you mean, she says

I’m looking forward to going to the beach tomorrow, I say

have you been there before, what’s the place called again, she says

san sebastian, no, I have always thought I would go there but never got around to it, silly given that it is so close, I say

is it a sandy beach, she says

yes, a huge sandy beach, I say

thank fuck, I am sick of pebbles, she says