My Dinosaur Era Chapter 38

 

fucking hell, I’m too hot now, says ginny

strips off her dress, throws it to the sand

she still has her shorts and bikini top underneath

so, you had the dress on for what, ten minutes, I say

that’s not the point, timmy, it just wasn’t fair, these two looking all fabulous and me, stood there in my tatty denim shorts, it was an injustice that needed sorting, she says

I’m sorry, babe, I had no idea how this trauma had affected you, I say

timmy, one, fuck off, and two, go and get us some beers, she says

yes, boss, I say

I jump to my feet, petula does too

ginny looks at petula, head to toe

oh, and you can fuck off too, says ginny

what have I done, says petula

look at you, all perfect and glowing, I hate you, says ginny

petula furrows her brow

ginny, stop it I say

I’m already laughing, ginny cracks too

she grabs petula around the neck

I’m sorry, my love, you are beautiful, I’m just being a raucous little bitch because I am all excited, says ginny

jesus, ginny, you scared me, says petula

sorry, babe, says ginny

though that is the second time I’ve been told that I’m beautiful already today, says petula

oh is it, timmy, have you been chucking words around, how very not like you, says ginny

petula looks at me, furtive, grinning

patrycja appears behind petula, runs her hand through her wet hair 

yes, beautiful, we are all agreed, says patrycja

petula stands in our midst, all beautiful and gleaming

I’m so fucking glad I’m here, she says

 

patrycja takes petula to buy beer

ginny sits next to me on a towel

she is stripped to her bikini bottoms

her face lifted up to the sun

timmy, can I ask you a question, she says

sure, I say

you have to be honest though, she says

aren’t I always, I say

ok, well, do you think petula has a nicer arse than me, she says

I guffaw, an actual guffaw, it explodes from my throat

leaves my mouth at high velocity

what, what’s so funny, she says

you, you fucking loon, I say

please just tell me, she says

oh jesus, you were serious, I say

I realise that she is indeed, very serious

ginny, for fucks sake, it doesn’t matter who has a nice arse or the nicest or whatever, I say

I know, I know it doesn’t matter, she says

look at me, no, take the shades off too, I say

she does so, looks at me, eyes wet

ginny, you will always have the greatest arse that I have ever had the pleasure of beholding, I sincerely mean that, I say

thank you, she says

you are also the biggest arsehole I have ever met, I say

she laughs, convulses, her stomach creasing

you cunt, she says

come on, you need to get in that water, it’s amazing, I say

fuck it, let’s go, she says

we stand, she hares off towards the water

she shouts back over her shoulder

 

you had better be looking at my arse

 

wow, it’s so warm and look, you can see actual fish, not like in brighton, it’s all so murky back home, she says

it’s beautiful, I wish I had come here before, I say

we stand and look at the fish, how they flick themselves around the water

timmy, patrycja gave me a bit of a rundown about petula’s situation, she says

oh right, yeah, she told me about it all this morning, I’m still digesting it I guess, I say

please tell me that we are going to fuck jonny up, she says

no babe, we are not going to fuck him up but we will help her, if that’s what she wants, I say

she wouldn’t be here if she didn’t want help, timmy, she says

yes, you are right, we will help her but no one need get fucked up, he’s a coward, she’s stronger now, away from him she’s thriving, I say

god, you’re so so sensible, she says

one of us has to be, I say

 

we sit in our group, beers in hand

the beach is filling up

everyone looks so beautiful here

we all look beautiful here

patrycja, what’s the story with gio the, says ginny

the story, nothing much, says patrycja

but there is a story, says ginny

there’s always a story, yes, ours is not that deep, we fell in love, we got married because we thought that was the right thing, we drove each other crazy, we parted, we still love each other deeply, so, simple, says patrycja

but you don’t fuck him now, right, says ginny

we used to fuck still, at first, but not now, it’s not important, says patrycja

he is very handsome, says petula

oi girl, I saw him first, says ginny

I was just saying, says petula

they clink beer bottles, smiling

he has a girlfriend now, so you are both out of luck, says patrycja

how about you, do you have anyone, says ginny

I don’t have a girlfriend, no, says patrycja

she fixes ginny with that look of hers

ginny smiles nervously, tries to hide behind her beer bottle

are you going to get a tattoo from him, says patrycja

perhaps, I say

well, don’t drink too much first or you’ll bleed everywhere, says patrycja

I dunno, I kinda want to drink too much, I say

maybe it is not the right time for you then, says patrycja

you might be right, I say