From a cafe across the road Mitch, wearing jeans and tee-shirt, her eyes red and swollen in a face stripped of make-up, watches.The wedding party arrives, the car long and low and black, decked in ribbons, pulling up at the front steps. The bride steps out. Mitch doesn't know her. Dressed in a pale lilac two-piece suit, the woman stands very upright, directing Al to the door, her air crisp and efficient.More cars pull up behind. Her brothers step out of one. In dark suits and tall hats, they look so smart. Stephen follows the bridal couple inside. David lingers, looking right and left, then also makes his way inside.Another couple steps out, a little girl toddling with them. Her thatch of brilliant orange hair clashes violently with her lilac bridesmaid's dress.*****"You alright, Mitch?" Angelo pauses from his eternal polishing of glasses, examining her. Unusually, her makeup is heavy, almost plastered into place. "You look as though you have a cold coming on or somethin

JAMESIt's Charlotte's birthday, her first spent with me and Michael and of course, he and I have planned to make it a memorable one. For the evening, we agreed our plans for her a few days ago and we have planned a small private party. He's bringing a cake. I've brought in the wine and the food and....And....It goes without saying that Charlotte is going to get a good birthday fucking. It's a distracting thought. In the shower, my mind wanders in that direction until I turn the water temperature down to keep my erection under control for a more appropriate moment.Dressing, I choose my clothes carefully. I know what presses her buttons. I pick out the tie she likes, my best shirt, cuff-links....And now to find my mermaid.She's where she's been all day. Michael and I both insisted that for her birthday, she should take a day off from working and just enjoy herself. Since the weather is filthy, this has translated to stretching out on the settee by the fire and reading.

Ben's chest is heaving, his eyes wild. "You bitch. You've been playing me along, all this time. Who is he?"With an air of 'Let's get it over with,' Kirstie says, "It's not one."My Master rolls his eyes...."What do you mean?" demands Ben. "Not one? There's more than one?""Yes, there's more than one." Her voice is matter-of-fact. "I'm seeing other men than just you.""More than one...." The pitch of Ben's voice is rising. "How many men are you fucking? Is that why you're saying what you are about Mike? You play fast and loose, so you assume everyone else does? I thought you and I had something special. I thought it was you and me; that we were an item?"Her chin juts. "I never said that. I never said anything like that....""You slept with me. We made love together...."Michael and my Master are exchanging surreptitious glances now.... My Master who had paused at getting his trousers zipped and belted, slips on his shoes.Getting ready for trouble?"Ben, we've had

"What do you have for me, Frank? Bech tells me you're very pleased with yourself."He displays teeth like a magician brandishing a hat. "Bech was right. In fact, I have what I think will be very good news for you.""Yes?"Conners rolls out a ground plan, jabbing a forefinger at a small area marked out in red. "You own now almost all the area surrounding Blessingmoors. But, that plot to the west side.... you know the one.... with the old witch that kept complaining about the noise? It seems she's been in a road accident; hit and run. She's in hospital. Her family have put the place up for sale.""She's alive?" I glance at Bech who, almost imperceptibly, widens his eyes but shrugs."Yeah," Conners is off-hand. ".... but they say she won't be coming home again. If she lives, she'll be in a home. You don't have to worry. If you want it, the property's as good as yours." He straightens up. "You want me to go ahead? I took the liberty of putting in a statement of interest to make s

MICHAELIt's early, still not light or even close to it. I had trouble sleeping. And after a restless doze of a couple of hours, I'm awake again, staring into the darkness. Although our impromptu bonfire party was a success and the evening ended amicably enough, my gut is still coiled tight. I need to burst out somewhere.Perhaps I should demolish another chicken shed?Grow up, why don't you....Charlotte is curled up in my arms, her spine pressed against my chest. It helps. But what I really want is to fuck-make-love-with-fuck-my-brains-out-with her.Everything's alright when I can lose myself in you.Will she want to?Unsure of my reception, I don't quite dare rouse her, so I lie there, wishing for her to wake, wanting her to tell me that everything's okay between us.*****CHARLOTTEI'm warm and very cosy. And through the haze of a semi-doze, I realise why. Michael is spooned up behind, his arms wrapped around me and the heat of his body seeping through my bac