My Dinosaur Era Chapter 39

 

it gets towards midday, the sun is still blazing away

ginny wants to sit inside for a bit, patrycja takes her away to a bar

we can still see them, ginny waves now and then

her leopard print clad self knows no hiding place today

I noticed earlier that you started calling me timmy, I say

haven’t I always called you that, says petula

no, it was always tim, everyone calls me that, other than ginny, and now patrycja, and jane did, so yeah, it is pretty much everyone now, I say

you don’t mind, do you, says petula

no, not at all, I say

we fall into a silence, sat upright, looking out to sea

to the right, a large hill rises up out of the water

trees cover almost every part of it

that must be where the funicular goes, I say

the what, says petula

there’s a funicular railway that goes up a hill somewhere here, ginny was terribly excited about it this morning, she’s probably forgotten by now, I say

oh right, like they have in lisbon, right, I went on one there, she says

yeah, there’s quite a few in england too, I say

I never had ginny down as a train spotter, she says

she’s a funny one, I say

hmm, yeah, she is, she says

her dress is crazy, I say

it’s very on brand, she says

we slip back into silence, we finish our beers in unison

timmy, what’s going to happen to us, she says

how do you mean, I say

I’m not even sure, I guess, I mean, I dunno, christ, she says

do you mean, this is all a bit weird, how should we be together, all that stuff, I say

yeah, I suppose, she says

the truth is, I have no idea and that’s the best way, we are here, we are in the sun, you are safe, there is nothing to solve, I say

hmm, I mean, I get you but it is hopefully obvious that I like you, right, I want to be around you and I am, you’re right, I am right here now but, arrgh, I can’t get my words out, she says

I lean into her, put my hand on her chin, kiss her on the cheek

petula, I am right here, I say

she puts a hand at the back of my head

she kisses me on the mouth, a full kiss

we lean back onto the sand

I have a hand on her stomach

I feel her rise and fall

our lips part, we look at each other

we don’t have to be anything other than this, I say

she doesn’t reply, still looking at me

are you ok, I say

that was a fucking excellent kiss, timmy, she says

it really was, I say

shall we get a drink then, she says

most definitely, I say

 

we walk up the beach to the bar

ginny is holding court

not just to patrycja

everyone is involved

all eyes are on her as she speaks

here, here’s timmy, she says

all eyes turn to me

a man who I guess works there shakes my hand

I can feel petula just behind me

hey, I say

the people from the tables either said say hey or hola back to me

patrycja is drinking through a straw

she looks at me

her eyes are saying

I am glad that you are here because your friend is crazy

I sit down next to ginny

are you having fun, I say

I am, timmy, very much so, says ginny

good, I say

sir, would you like a drink, says the man who clearly does work there

sure, I’ll have a kalimotxo, I say

he looks at petula

oh, yes, I’ll have the same, thanks, says petula

ginny notices petula to my side

oh, darling, there you are, says ginny

she jumps up and hugs her

I lean over to patrycja

I think she just needs a nap, she gets like this when she is really tired, I say

she hasn’t had much to drink really, she’s just manic, yes, says patrycja

yeah, it’s lovely at first then it kinda wears you out, I say

she’s charming in her ridiculous way, says patrycja

I know, you get used to it, I say

I’ll take her back to the van soon, let her sleep for a while, says patrycja

cool, don’t tell her though, just say you are going for a walk, I say

yes, ok, says patrycja

 

I sit at the table with petula

where are they going, she says

patrycja is taking her for a nap, I say

oh, I see, she says

she’s fine, she’s just tired herself out today, she’s been buzzing since five this morning, woke me up like a caffeinated toddler, I say

timmy, she says

I think I need to go back to brighton, she says

what, right now, I say

no, no, I mean, I know patrycja said I could stay with her and that is a lovely idea, I have to face the shit in my life, right, she says

you mean, jonny, I say

well, yes, mainly that, she says

we go back the day after tomorrow, you could try and get on our flight, I say

I feel like I am putting a lot on you, you don’t even know me that well, she says

look, you came here for a reason, I don’t suppose you flit around europe chasing down men as a matter of course, right, so now we are in it together, I say

she takes my hand

thank you, she says

ginny wants to fuck jonny up, I say

jesus, she’d terrify him, she says

seriously though, we can sort this, I don’t know how right now but it will work out, I promise, I say

that’s a big promise, timmy, she says

I know, I say