My Dinosaur Era Chapter 51

 

after breakfast, walk along the seafront

sandy beach turned to stones

back over to ginny’s

bags of clean clothes

open the door to the flat

ginny is in the kitchen, music on loud

doesn’t notice us come in

hey, I say

she turns to me, waves, carries on dancing

patrycja emerges from the bathroom

a towel wrapped around her, turns down the music

it’s lovely to see you ginny but why the fuck are you here, I say

oh yeah, I meant to message you, we had too much washing so we came here to do another load, sorry should have said, she says

we went to the launderette, I say

why the fuck would you do that when you have access to washing machines, plural, she says

I dunno, convenience or something, anyway, it’s just as well we did, we’d have never got it all done otherwise, I say

we’re almost done babe, we’ll be out of your way in no time, we’re going for a van adventure, she says

oh yeah, where are you off to, I say

surprise, says patrycja

lovely, I say

are you pissed off that we are here, says ginny

not pissed off but I dunno, is this gonna work, I say

we should go to your place, says petula

but the point was to not go to my place, I say

yeah, I know and I get it but we’ll have to go there sometime, it may as well be now, says petula

she’s right, timmy, it was a sweet idea but maybe we should just go back to normal, says ginny

if you’re sure, I say

I am, says petula

ok, I say

 

we sit on the sofa at my place

look, it doesn’t matter where we are, if we were at ginny’s it would still be because of you, says petula

what do you mean, I say

the dynamic you want to avoid is you not being the power in terms of where we are currently living, right, so even if we were at ginny’s you would still have that control, so we may as well be here, right, she says

yeah, I hadn’t really thought this through, I say

well, nor had I until about half an hour ago, we’ve had other shit going on, she says

she pulls herself onto me, sat astride my lap, her face right in mine

don’t look so sad, it was a cool idea, she says

I’m not sad, I’m just tired, I say

do you want to nap, she says

not right now, I say

shall we snog like teenagers for an hour or so, she says

there is no world in which I will say no to that, I say

she puts her mouth on mine, her tongue touches my teeth

we taste of bacon, she says

I pull her in closer, a hand on each thigh

I already feel more relaxed being here, she says

me too, I say

we stay like this, kissing, changing the angle now and then

finding new ways to explore

she slumps her head into my shoulder

I don’t think I’m going to make the hour, timmy, I’m out of practice and as lovely as this is, it’s fucking exhausting, she says

god, are we too old to snog, I say

it seems that way, she says

we laugh, our chests touching, rattling each other

ok, so what shall we do for the rest of the day, I say

given that we are unemployed, we should look for jobs, she says

for one, no, we are still on holiday, and two, are you always this fucking practical, I say

ok, for one, yeah, I guess we are still on holiday, and two, yes, I am, when I am allowed to be, she says

what do you mean, allowed to be, I say

well, certain people didn’t like me making my own decisions and being practical, she says

so are you going to be really very practical with me now, I say

you sunshine, are going to do as you are told, ok, she says

yes guvnor, whatever you decree, I say

good, you’re getting the idea now, she says

so what are we doing today, I say

firstly, I am going to be very practical indeed and put our clothes away, she says

ok, I say

then, I want to go outside and walk some more, she says

it is sunny, I say

I want to walk to shoreham again, we can pretend that we are still in spain for the day, she says

where are we going to find pintxos in west sussex, I say

we’ll have to make our own out of sausage rolls or something, she says

practical as ever, I say

she kisses me and jumps off

grabs a bag of clothes

disappears into the bedroom

she sticks her head back out

I’ve just realised that I’ve never seen your bedroom before, she says

sorry, it’ll be a mess, I say

no, it’s immaculate, she says

ginny was here, remember, I say

oh yeah, she says

she’s always clearing up after me