*****WARNING*****Graphic sexual content below. Reader discretion is advised.
Shaun Duffy took the room key card for their room at the Parthenon and unlocked the door. He and Priya had been given a rare gift of time alone away from their two small children by her cousin Sajani and her boyfriend Patrick. Now he stepped in and held the door open for Priya as she stopped out of his shoes and set the bags to one side by the wall. After she was through he walked around the room and then opened the double doors to the sweet little balcony and peeks out “Wow...this place. Priya, come check this out. This is a great view of the town from here. This island is not what I expected...I mean it’s more than I expected….” When she walks up he’ll reach for her and pulls her into his arms “I’m very glad we came here….”
Priya had pumped for Connor, played with Reagan and finally it was time to go. She had hugged her children as if she were leaving the country forever, and had looked back in the direction of Sajani’s house during the short walk to the Parthenon, but had eventually entered their room, slipped out off her shoes and stared. Walking as if in a dream, she moves to the balcony and stares at the view. It was a bit urban, with a building under construction, or being torn down on the left. A parking lot straight ahead and a pretty park to their right. Shaun pulls her into his arms and she tingles, which makes her laugh a little. “It is pretty.” she admits. “And .. I understand. It’s very beautiful and peaceful. I’m glad we’re here too.” she hugs him tightly. Then looks at the view again. “Oh, you can see the park from hee. I wonder…” and she stops herself. “No … I am not here to spy on my cousin and children.” she proclaims, chiding herself.
Shaun laughs “Noooo...no spying...this is our time remember?” He had hugged her back and it felt amazing. Maybe it was just because they were so rarely alone but every touch felt somehow heightened in how close it made him feel to Priya. He sighs at her wish to spy and then slides a hand up to her chin and tilts it up a bit and leans in to kiss her. Shaun wasn’t hugely tall but taller than her. As soon as he felt her lips he gave an involuntary jump and then began kissing her passionately.
Priya nods. “I remember. I just don’t know where to begin…” Shaun fixes that by taking her in his arms and kissing her. It’s not like they’ve never kissed before, but this one was a beautiful surprise. She shuddered and kissed him back, just as passionately. More passionately than she usually did. Finally she breaks the kiss. “Yes, that’s a good place to start. I love you, Shaun.” the words weren’t new to them, but they had felt lately like the married people norm. Meant but almost tired sounding. But she could feel the meaning behind the words now.
Shaun looks at Priya with love but almost wide eyed. That kiss...this feeling. He exhales “I love you too….oh god Priya. I feel like it’s our first time…” He laughs and kisses her again and then lets out a soft moan into the kiss and wraps his arms tightly around her.
Priya looks at him and blushes a bit. “Oh please don’t let it be that awkward.” she almost begs. She kisses him back and presses against him. :Shaun … I don’t want it to be lke that … really.” she kisses him again. “I don’t want to freak out at every … idea … I meant it … on the ferry ….” she bites her lip. “Teach me things .. and those things I was always … weird about…” she doesn’t mention cunnilingus, which had always felt like a strange idea to her and she’d never let Shaun try, even though he had tried. Oral sex wasn’t part of their relationship, but she felt emboldened.
Shaun grinned at her blush and her requests and kisses her back over and over between her words. “Let’s do all the word things…” half jokes and steers them, still kissing back inside. He brakes apart briefly to close the double doors to the balcony and then scoops Priya back into his arms and walked her backwards to the bed kissing her again. As he feels the bed stop them he breaks apart again and turns down the covers and then his hands start running over her, tugging at her top as he tries to pull it off of her. As it goes up he’ll start kissing from her waistband up, over her bra but all around her breasts and then caressing them before reaching to undo the bra and if he can he’ll kiss her bare breasts in all directions and then cup them and go between them licking and flicking at her nipples.
Priya nods and smiles, moving back inside as he guides her. She stops at the bed and helps him get her top off. She lays on the bed as he starts kissing her and takes the bra off. His kisses were warm and oddly tingly and she can feel her nipples harden under his attention. That wasn’t strange and it was one of the things that made her wet. But she always stopped him if it felt TOO good. Shaun was a wonderful man and very patient. “SHaun…” she whispers, as if the kids are just behind the door. “I love you.” she is not as anxious asshe thought she would be, and places one hand on his head, playing with his hair.
Shaun keeps kissing her breasts and looks up at her “i love you too…” She wasn’t stopping him today so he gets brave and kisses lower, down her belly now and then tugs at her pants and underwear together “Please….Priya please let me. I’ll stop if you don’t like it…..”He bites his lip waiting for her permission. He wants to get between her legs so badly. She’s never gone for it before but maybe here, when it all feels so good….
Priya feels the kisses down her belly and bites his lip as he tugs. It already felt good. If he fingered her clit a little, she’d be wet enough for him to enter her without any pain. But she wanted to explore and she knew he wanted to and she lifts her hips and lets him remove her pants and panties. “Alright ….” she whispers, watching him, curiously. She was clean, of course, but she couldn’t help but think of the peeing and the babies that had come from … that area.
Shaun looks up at her with what many people would call a smoldering look. He wanted her and he wore it intensely. He set the clothes aside and then sort of half planked over the lower half of her kissing at her navel again and then moving slowly down. He kisses across her abdomen side to side as his hand caressed her legs, hips and butt. He moves very slowly letting his face slide right through her hairs while looking up at her again with the look and then he gently pushed her legs apart a bit and used his hand to part her and look at the sight he had rarely gotten to see up close. He had of course watched her push out two babies but the lovemaking was very predictable and she had seemed to want his face above her waist. Now he felt like he was entering a deliciously forbidden zone. He smiled down at her secret parts and then leaned his face down, just letting his warm breath move across her. Then he lightly stroked her labia and just kissed lightly at her clit before giving it a gentle and feather light lick. He let his eyes shift up to her again to make sure she was still into the idea.
Priya only tenses a little as he kisses down her body. He looks so happy … like he’s getting something he’s wanted a long time and she knew he had wanted this. From the beginning. His first kiss makes her gasp. It felt good. The light lick makes her gasp again. Warm and tingly. She looks down at him, bites her lip and nods. “Go .. go on, Shaun…”
Shaun moaned into her at her words. He’d been waiting on this for so long. Now he licked more intentionally and fully, parting her more and pressing the flat of his tongue up and down her, bruising her clit each way over and over in a rhythm. His head moves up and down with his movements and his chin was a little stubbly rubbing now and then at the edges of it all.
Priya moans and is shocked by the sound. It feels so good. She’d never known. “Shaun…” she can feel little scratched from his beard and that is adding to it. She moans again and, without meaning to, she lifts her hips.
Shaun shudders at Priya’s reaction. She likes it! She really likes it. He keeps going, he goes a bit harder and he slides a finger inside her because in other times she seemed to like that before they had sex. He moves with her hips and his breath is faster and hot between her legs.
Priya gasps with the insertion of his finger and moans again as he continues to lick at her clit. She can feel a sort of pressure, which is usually where she stops. “Shaun.” she pants. “I think that’s it. I think I’ve cum.” she hasn’t … but she never has, she was so shy and introverted, so she doesn’t know it.
Shaun looks up at her. She had been moaning a lot. He couldn’t feel what was happening inside her body but he just was really enjoying what he was doing. She hadn’t said stop so in his own pleasure he kept going just a little longer harder and faster and deeper as what he figgered might be a last hurrah in the forbidden zone. She smelled and tasted so good he moaned into her again.
Priya opened her mouth to repeat herself, but she noticed that the feeling was growing. She moans again, her hips moving up again. His tounge on her was hard and moving fast and his finger was doing incredible things. “Oh Shaun … I … Oh SHaun…” she begins to shake and groans long ans loud. Suddenly it feels like a dam had broken ..like she is falling. She cries out loudly and her hips lift. ‘Shaun .. oh Shaun .. what’s happening …” she is a little scared as she falls to the mattress. Her heart is pounding … she is panting … it’s a little scary for her.
Shaun kept it up until she ebbed. It had been awhile but that felt more like an orgasm then when she said she was cuming before. As she falls to the mattress he eases off her and starts sliding himself back up so he can pull her into his arms. “Now I think you’ve cum.” He whispered. “And it was beautiful…..” He kisses her but just lightly, unsure if she’ll want that after he’s been down there.
Priya is panting and sweating very lightly. “I DID?” she blinks at him. “THAT’s what it feels like?” she slaps him playfully on the chast. “You should have TOLD me, Shaun.” she is laughing, but her tone is mockinly annoyed. She snuggles into him a bit, even though she wants him inside of her. “So … um … do you remember … in high school … that time you asked me to .. suc .. you know…” she motions towards his waist and below. “And I .. freaked out .. I mean the girls all talked about it but … how great it was .. and .. well … I .. um … I DID say I wanted to try new things … and … well … I want to try new things …”
Shaun grins and then winced at the slap and laughs “Well it’s not quite like THAt for me...i mean damn if my body could do what yours does i might never leave the house Baby.” He gives her that same smoldering look when she starts hinting at what she wants to try on him “I’m very open to that Priya...if you want that.” He’s still fully dressed in a tshirt and jeans but there’s an obvious bulge of an erection at the front of his pants from how turned on he got from her orgasm and going down on her. He’s still ready for anything.
Priya can see the bulge in his jeans and bites her lip. “Is that from .. I mean .. I didn't do anything to you.” she is fascinated by it in a way. She nods. “I want to try…” she kisses him and tugs at his tshirt, to get it off. If she can she will kiss at his chest a bit like he did to hers.
Shaun helps her and just whips off his shirt. He looks down at his bulge and grins “You did everything when you let me between your legs…..It was so hot it got me hard….seeing you, touching you...tasting you…..getting you off…” His breath is faster just talking about it. “I swear I almost came doing it.” And then she’s kissing his chest and he caresses her hair and grunts.
Priya’s eyes get big listening to him. Just from him doing things to her? She smiles and reaches to undo his pants and get them and his underwear off. If she can she’ll look at his penis for a long time. She’s never really taken time to just look at it. She takes it by the base, looking at it and feeling it, strokin up and down, innocently jacking him as she looks at it.
Shaun lies back more and watches her after assisting with his pants and underwear coming off. As she starts stroking and jacking his mouth opens and he shudders as his breathing times with her hands and every now and then he lets out a little “Oh….Mmmmm……” Exhale.
Priya blinks as she realizes what she is doing to he husband. “Oh .. sorry .. I mean . not sorry .. I mean …” she decides to just shut up and licks her lips. She straightens him looks again. “Ok .. what did they say …” she murmurs to herself and then opens her hand and licks him from the base t the tim. It’s a salty and not unl=plesant taste and now hes even wet from her spit. She licks him a few more times around his cock and strokes him again. It’s much easier to do now.
Shaun writhes “Oh fuck don’t be sorry….this is amazing Priya….oh god…” He just lets her do what she’s doing and watches and smiles as he keeps breathing and grunting now and then.
Priya takes her time, looking and building up her courage. Finally she nods. Shaun has always made sounds of pleasure during sex but this as … more. And she liked it. She fills her mouth with saliva and leans over him, opening her mouth and lowering her head. She begins to suck at him a bit, moving her head up and down, but she soon forgets her teeth and they scrape him.
Shaun had been grunting and stroking her hair as she began but then tensed up and whimpered “Ow….Priya...teeth..” He winced and leaned forward a bit protectively.
Priya pulls her head up and winces. “Sorry.” she tries again, this time, tucking her teeth behind her lips. Her mouth is watering and she is finding she loves the taste of him. She tries to take him in deeper, but gags, soshe doesn’t do that, but places one hand at the base of him, moving slowly, a little afraid the will scratch him or choke. But so far, she is even understanding how sounds of pleasure can be a turn on, because she is feeling it in her own body.
Now Shaun falls back and really starts to moan more, lifting his hips and panting. He’s getting closer but he’s not there yet after the scraping. He begins to trust the process soon though and begs her “Faster please….just a little…..I’m getting close again…”
Priya moves her head up and down faster, sucking a little harder because that seems to be something Shaun likes. She can’t reply to him so she just goes “Mmhmmm” with him still in her mouth.
Shaun feels the vibration and groans louder and then he pulls her hand up from the base of him and moves his on top of her with her mouth and then lets go but is really moaning a lot “Like that….oh…..make noise into me….oh god Priya…” He’s moving his hips up to her more and more.
Priya hums into him as she sucks and begins to move her hand up and down, taking his hand guiding hers as a hint. Oddly his moans are turning her on, which she hadn’t expected. She loves how his hips are moving, too. It’s all new and erotic for her.
As soon as all the things combine Shaun starts to lose it. He’s panting and crying out and soon he cums and lets out a yell as his eyes pop wide. He’s never yelled in bed before, grunts and moans but never loud. This is the most intense he’s ever felt and he pulses and lets it all out into Priya’s mouth as he falls back like he’s just run a marathon. He’s panting and sweaty and exhausted looking.
Priya can see Shaun’s reaction and it tells her how much she’s turne dhim on. As he cums, she tries to swallow, liek the girls in school told her boys liked, but she cant get it all and some of it pours out over him. She swallows what she can and licks her lips. But looking down at the mess, she almost automatically hops up. “Oh, let me clean that up.” she heads into the adjoining bathroom, wets a washcloth with warm water and returns to clean him up, stroking him with the warm cloth.
Shaun is too blissed out to care whether she swallowed or not. It was all about the journey. But when she cleans him up with a warm washcloth he smiles at her “Wow thanks...listen Priya. You never have to swallow. It’s not a measure of love or some stupid shit like that. OK? That was amazing and I’m…..I love you..” He tugs her to him and holds her if he can.
Priya smiles at his satisfaction. When he tells her she doesn’t have to swallow, she blushes. “I sort of like the taste, but I was surprised there was so much. I’ll try again.” she decides, setting the washcloth aside. “I love you too.” she gets back in the bed and snuggles against him, actually putting her leg over him so she can be closer to him. More firsts.
Shaun caresses her side and then runs his hand up to her hair and kisses the top of her head “This is the best time we’ve ever had together this way….I mean I’m speaking for me...i hope for you?” He pulls back and looks at her “I feel like we…..I dunno how it took us this long to get here but I like it...I love it Priya. I want to do this with you….I want you to love going to bed with me.”
Priya smiles. “For me, too.” she admits. She looks at him. “It was me, not you, Shaun. I was … well .. prudish … don’t deny it. I didn’t know how it could feel. Now … now I do …” she blushes. “I want this … always … I love going to bed with you .. but now …” she cuts herself off, her blush deepening.
Shaun rolls towards her, loving the communication as much as their action “But now?” He looks eager for her answer, especially after the blushing.
Priya rolls onto her back when Shaun rolls onto his side to look at her. “But now …” she bites her lips. She takes his hand and puts it on her thigh. “Now I … want you to touch me again.” she asks shyly. “I wonder if I am one of those women who can .. you know .. cum more than once? Is that OK?”
Shaun looks almost pained with the joy her enthusiasm is bringing him “Is that OK? Oh my fucking god yes…” He slides his hand up her thigh and between her legs “Let’s find out….” He moves so he can kiss her neck as he starts lightly rubbing at her clit, just teasing it, taking his hand the long way round back to it a few times and then focussing on it. “Like this?” He murmurs as he kisses back down to her breasts. He finds a nipple and flicks it with his tongue.
Priya sighs happily as he begins to touch her. She opens up to him literally. “That feels good.” she admits. “But I don’t know it all … play, my love. Experiment with me.”
Shaun gives a happy little grunt at the words play and experiment “Well I know some things you like…” He whispers as he pulls back a little half lying on her and half to the side so his arms are free. He keeps rubbing at her clit with one hand and then brings in the second hand and begins gently fingering her, all the while watching her face to see if she’s into it. He’s prepared to change it if she’s not but it feels incredible to him.
Priya listens to his grunt and looks at him, a bit coyly. “Oh?” and then he is using both hands on her. “Oh!” she exclaims. She spreads her free leg, looks between them and then into Shauns face. “Yes … oh SHaun. Yes … that.” she moans again, a little louder.
Shaun shudders at Priya’s reaction and bit his lip as he kept going with it. He watches her and as he makes her moan more and more it’s obvious that he’s hard again as he goes faster and deeper and moans with her “Oh god Priya…..” He slides a second finger inside her and his whole body rocks with what he’s doing with his hands.
Priya is in ecstasy. Her free foot is braced on the mattress and her hips are rising and falling. Her hand is in Shauns hair. “Softer .. not so hard.” she moans. “Slower … oh god Shaun. It feels so good. Please don’t stop.” she begs him.
Shaun slows down and moves more gently, following her instructions “I love when you tell me what you want…” He doesn’t stop. He just watches her and looks at her with love and desire as his hands work on her slow and soft but at an even tempo.
Priya moans long and loud when Shaun slows down and moves more gently. “Oh, Shaun … I never knew…” the feeling is even more intense now that hes being more gentle. “I thought … I was cuming but … it was nothing … like this … oh god, Shaun … this …. I love you … oh … Shaun … fuck!” she suddenly cums and hard, bucking under him, gripping his shoulder hard, and burning her face in his neck, nearly screaming in pleasure. She is not a woman who swears, but this was cuss worthy.
Shaun keeps it up and smiles at her “I love you too….” Then she cums and swears and he almost cheers for it. As she buries herself in his shoulder and almost screams he moans and shifts himself so he’s bumping his cock against her “Fuck I want you...oh Priya please…...oh my god….” He could be inside her in seconds and hopes to god she’s still be cuming or at least feeling good enough to enjoy it. He can also tell he won’t need long. “Your orgasms are the most beautiful awesome thing in the world…”
Priya nods. “Yes. Please. Now .. Shaun …” she needs him, wants him .. and has never felt him in her when she's like this because shes never been like this.
Shaun doesn’t need to be told twice and he pulls his hands away and eases into her and begins to move and immediately moan. She’s never elt so good, they’ve never felt so good. He feels like he’s in a weird surreal trance as they make love like never before. He moves with her and his face begins to contort as his moans get louder and closer together. He speeds up out of a need and is thrusting deep and hard until he shudders and holds in one deep entry and pulses inside her crying out and looking in her eyes as he cums inside her. He had thought his last orgasm was his most powerful but this was some sort of metaphysical shift in his being. He collapses on her after and kisses her relentlessly until he pulls back almost in shock “I love you...oh my god Priya...what the hell is happening to us?”
Priya cries out when Shaun enters her. For the first time she wraps her legs around him, lifting her hips, encouraging him to go deeper. Her moans meld with his and it’s nothing they’ve ever been before. They were in love, and the sex had always been satisfactory, at least for her. Now, however was a whole new plane of existence. She clings to him with her arms and legs and screams as he makes her cum again, which seems to make him cum. She feels it like never before and even as he collapses, her muscles contract from her orgasm, milking him of everything he has to give her. She looks up at him, panting happily. “I don’t know, but I love it .. I love you, Shaun.” she is at the point of tears of happiness, stroking his back as he lays on her. Feeling him inside of her. It’s beautiful. And then her stomach growls and it makes her giggle.
Shaun is catching his breath as Priya’s stomach growl and he snorts “I heard that….I like your other noises better but we might need to refuel if we want those again eh?” Then his stomach growls too and he looks sheepishly at her “Dammit it’s catching...mmm….let's have a little cuddle and then think about where we might want to go to dinner? Didn’t you say you wanted a dinner where you only fed yourself? I won’t even ask you to cut my meat for me…” He jokes as he gently pulls out of her and rolls to the side to wrap his arms around her.
Priya laughs when Shaun’s stomach also growls. She cuddles with him. “Yes … I am selfish today … I want to feed myself. Use a knife and a fork. Not wipe anyones ahin.” she gasps in realization. “No children’s television.” she strokes his arms. “But I don’t want to be far from this bed, either.” she admits. “That greek place down in the lobby looks so … grown up.” she giggles.
Shaun smirks “I will try hard not to dribble and drool then.” He laughs about the children’s television and nods about the Greek food. “Greek food, grown up eating and then we’ll come back up here and watch porn.” He’s totally being cheeky about the porn and wiggles his eyebrows. His phone chimes and he frowns “Sajani would text not email right? That sounds like my email one..” He fishes for his jeans and pulls out the phone and make a face “Oh it’s work….wonder if that temp guy messed up all my templates…” He opens it and scrolls and his face becomes very serious. Shaun sits right up and rereads the email and starts shaking his head “Oh fuck me…...they can’t do this….” He shoves his hand through his hair and closes his eyes.
Priya giggles about the porn. “It might give me some new ideas. Research.” she teases. Then the phone chimes. “No, thats email.” she assures him, but then he is reading and clearly upset. She sits up. “What is it, Shaun?” this sounds more serious than some temp screwing up his templates.
Shaun swallows hard and turns to Priya with a look of total devastation “Lions Gate….they;re laying off half the staff. I’m in the half. Priya...I don’t have a job to go back to...We’re fucked.” He tilts his head back and tries to get his breathing under control but he’s clearly starting to panic “This is the worst timing. Who’s going to hire me in a fucking pandemic?!”
Priya has been enjoying this wonderful sexual freedom, but she isn’t so far gone she an’t snap back into calming wife mode. She puts her arms around him from behind and pressed her breasts into his back. “Alright.” she blows out a breath. “We have savings. I am still doing freelance work, writing articles.” she tries to calm him, massaging his shoulders. “So we’re alright for a little bit.” of course ‘little bit’ was a relative thing. Her stomach interrupts her again. “We can’t think on an empty stomach, so lets go and eat.” she gets out of the bed and goes to the suitcase, taking out a pretty dress that matches Shaun’s beautiful eyes. She hadn’t worn it since he gifted it to her because it was, frankly, impractical. She couldn’t nurse in it and the skirt tended to tangle around her legs while toddler chasing. She holds it up in front of herself. “And maybe I’ll even go without panties.” it’s a distraction, but that’s what Shaun needs right now.
Shaun feels Priya’s body against his and her arms around him and is able to find his breath a bit. He nods slowly “I know you’re right...it’s just….terrifying.” He exhales as she massages his shoulders and he turns and kisses one of her hands before she slips out of bed “We may as well eat. Could be our last supper right?” Then she holds up a dress that he bought her ages ago that she’s never worn and he looks at her with absolute love “Priya….you’re wearing it…” He smiles a bit “I was afraid you didn’t like it.” He blows out a breath and chuckles when she suggests she might go commando “Damn woman….can’t promise my hands will stay on top of the table.” He’s joking again. She could always pull him out of it, out of anything. “I love you. We’ll figure this out...I know. I liked this job and it makes me sad.” He gets out of bed too and goes into his bag. She was making an effort to look nice so he’s wear a button up shirt and some nicer cotton pants instead of jeans. But first he stepped into the bathroom and did a quick wash up and brushed his teeth. He suspected Priya might step in with him and would work to give her all the space she needed so they could both be ready to go eat at the same time. Then he’d get dressed.
Priya notices that he is still a little anxious, but she can’t blame him. She puts the dress down and looks at him. “Shaun Luke Duffy.” she chides him, like she would Reagan. She approaches him and kisses him lightly. “I love this dress. This is just the first time I could wear it. It is not child friendly.” the chide was a ruse and she winks at him when he says he can’t promise to keep his hands on the table. “Then don’t.” she tells him with a smirk that isn’t meant to be sexy, but it. She then joins him in the bathroom, which is far from new for them. She washes up quickly, brushes her hair and looks at her face. She’d given up make-up with motherhood and only wiped at her cheeks with a shrug. She leaves the bathroom, still naked and bends over, knowing she was giving him an eyeful, picks up the dress and slips into it, then fishes in the suitcase for her ‘high heels’ which are only one inch, but not child friendly. It made up for no makeup. Then she turns around to look at him, looking almost shy. She’d been in jeans, sweats and tshirts since before Connor was born. Now she was a little unsure if she looked alright for her husband.
Shaun swallowed hard and watched her as he buttoned up his shirt. When she bent over he almost took the shirt right off again and considered walking to her and dropping his pants too. The dress goes on but no undies top or bottom and she adds a pair of heels and gives him a shy look that makes him want to lay her down on the bathroom counter “Priya...you’re killing me here…” He breathes out “You’re so fucking beautiful and sexy.” He grunts and adjusts feeling the twitch of an erection happening again. “You sure you don’t want to….order in?” He’s only half joking. He always wanted her but tonight it was through the roof.
Priya smiles at him. “No dying. If you do, you don’t get to make me cum again.” she is being almost crude, quite unlike herself. When he half jokes about eating in, she nearly reaches for the room service menu, but doesn’t. She felt like a .. like a … vixen or something. She reaches for his hand. “Lets go eat, then you can eat.” she promises him and giggles, leading him out of the room, heading downstairs and going into the restaurant called Zabats. The tables are spaced for social distancing and a masked girl seats them in a corner. In the middle are another couple she doesn’t recognise, but she isnt from here, so of course she doesn’t.
Graphic Content Ends
Shaun exhales into laugh at her sexy jokes. Priya was new at them but so good at them already. He forced himself to settle down as they walked. The job lay off news helped that immensely. They were seated at a table near another couple but not too near. Shaun doesn’t know anyone in this town other than Sajani, Patrick, Gurshan and Mandeep and these two were none of those but a striking couple nonetheless.
Megan Brate was in a little black dress, sleeveless for summer and made of a breezy crepe fabric. She had on low heeled strappy sandals and had actually taken 10 minutes to put on just a bit of makeup. She was holding a mineral water in a fancy glass with a slice of lime and looking at her husband with relief and adoration “This is a nice treat. You’ve barely had a day off again Adum. Since Izzy’s birthday…..” She sighs “I’m not guilting you...I just miss you.”
Adum Brate is in blue cotton slacks and a white polo shirt. He’d originally dressed in black slacks and a button down shirt, but his father, coming from Izzy’s room with her small overnight bag had looked at him, rolled his eyes and announced that he looked more mayoral than he did when he was working. He then pointed to the armoire and told him to try again. This had been the result. Megan had outdressed him, as usual, but she was sexier on her worst day than he was on his best, he believed. They were getting the night off. Izzy got to stay at Grandpas and they would have their house as to themselves as it got with the added on apartment. Megan was talking about his work and he reached over to take her hand. “I know, and I’m sory. I;m doing everything myself .. almost everything. I know I should delegate but … who is looking to work in a public position doring a pandemic, Megan?” he kisses her hand. “Tonight I am all yours. No work for me, I promise. And Izzy is with Dad being spoiled rotten. Tonight I am all yours.”
Priya sits and looks at the printed paper menu, but she can’t help but smile behind it at the couple next to them. Another married couple taking a night off of work to dedicate to each other. The wife missed her husband and the husband was working too hard. She could relate. But she sort of focused in when he talked about working during a pandemic. How ironic, indeed.
Shaun was casually looking at his menu but couldn’t help but overhear the couple beside them talking. At first he just thought it was romantic. The working too much and missing each other. And there was a kid in the mix somewhere, even sweeter. And then he heard the words who wants to work in a public position during a pandemic. Shaun grit his teeth and then sighed. He would and up until 15 minutes ago he had been. “Last supper” he muttered and then smiled ruefully “Last supper on my last cheque until I’m officially an out of work journalist…” That part wasn't muttering as he was saying it to Priya across the table. “Maybe I should have a drink.”
Megan squeezed Adum’s hand and smiled “I know I know. It’s not fair. Honestly if i knew how to do the stuff you needed I’d take time off and help you….but I’m a little out of my depth And I can’t give you Seamus….he’s too good for the shop...even though I’m sure he’s way more social media adept than I am. You are mine tonight and I am yours…..I won’t make you talk about work. What are you eating? And have a glass of wine so I can sniff it…” She giggles.
Adum actually laughs. “Seamus in charge of the social media…” he laughs again. “Well, if you wanted to kill me … that’s how to do it. I love that kid, but … god no, please.” he holds up a hand. “Yes .. wine … and …” he looks at the menu, which he knows cold, but it gives him something to focus on, and even it fails as the printed paper menu reminds him of the pandemic. A waitress appears at the table, looking to him more like a surgeon in a dress with her white linen face mask. “Lamb shank and … whichever wine goes with that. Thanks.” he looks at Megan and winks.
Priya hears Shaun muttering. She looks at the waitress serving the man with brownish red hair and his wife. “When our turn comes, order TWO glasses of wine .. one for each of us. And I’ll have the Athenian chicken … WITHOUT french fries, damnit.” she chuckles.
Shaun smiles at Priya “Wine like grown ups….and since you’re not nursing Connor tonight? Hey if you order it with the fries you know I’ll eat them for you….”He chuckles and the waitress of course goes to the couple seated before them. Shaun scans the menu one last time. He had overheard about the kid and the social media and made a point of looking at the guy who was so overworked. He happened to catch his eye and casually gave him a friendly nod and a half smile.
Megan giggles a bit “OK I’ll keep him. He’s cheeky but it works for my business. You really do need a PR person though who’s not so cheeky.” She stops as the waitress arrives and of course because of his role in town she asks Adum first at every lunch or dinner he’s at but he does order wine with his lamb shank and winks. She winks back “Thank you for accommodating my vicarious drinking. Uh yeah I’ll have the Souvlakia platter please. Thank you.”
When the waitress finishes taking the Brate’s table’s order she moves to the tourist couple and looks expectantly at Priya. But Shaun orders since Priya requested he do it.
“Two glasses of the ….I dunno house white?” He shrugs “You know what, just bring us a bottle and two glases...it may be my last.” He jokes. “And then the Athenian chicken….with fries and the Beef Moussaka please. I’m the beef.” He laughs a bit. “Thank you.”
Adum catches the nod from the man at the table beside him, as well as a comment about eating french fries and his wife not nursing. ANother set of parents. He wondered if Christophorous was having a special night just for couples and decided that might not be the worst idea for the place. That made him realize that his thinking was close to tourism work which was work. He looks at Megan. "Yes ... I need less cheeky. Less cheeky then Seamus Reinhardt shouldn't be impossible .. right?" he grins at her order. “Your welcome. Promise not to take advantage of me on the walk home. Then again with no social media coordinator, if you’re gonna seduce me in the woods behind the firehouse, tonights the night.”
Priya chuckles. “Fine .. order french fries for me.” she usually orders for Reagan and she didn’t want to. She slaps him on his arm when he says it may be his last. “Oh hush or I’ll order a sippy cup to serve it in.” she threatens. She hears the man talking about needing a social media guy and tries hard not to look at him too hard .. or at all.
Shaun heard everything the overworked man said word for word on this round and had giggles at Priya bit a little distractedly before offering her a disclaimer “I’m about to do something….unusual...please don’t freak out…” And he turns to the table next to them “Hi there.” He addresses the man but smiles at both parties in the couple “I couldn’t help but overhear you need a social media coordinator. I happen to be an out of work journalist as of about 25 minutes ago and I’ve done tons of PR work. My name is Shaun Duffy. I know you’re on a date, as are we and I promise not to hone in on any seductions in the woods because I totally think you should make that happen, but can I give you my linked in info so you can look at my resume if you really are hiring right now?” He exhales after and waits hopefully.
Megan had been laughing at Adum and put a hand on her chest “Oh I plan to seduce you in both those places my love and then get Seamus to live tweet it for us….” Then the man at the next table starts talking to them and she smiles politely and then looks at his wife or partner and smiles at her too. “PR experience and supportive of our seductions. Shaun Duffy, I like you already. I’m Megan.” She says to them both.
Adum arches his brow as the man at the next table starts speaking. And speaking words that Adum wanted to hear. He looks at Megan, as if for permission to talk to this man about work and she says she likes Shaun Duffy. He takes that as permission. “All of 25 minutes, eh?” he glances skyward. “Alexandra, I love you.” he proclaims. “You quirky little mound of dirt.” he looks at the man again. “I will absolutely look at your Linked in … in the morning … after I wake up from the live tweet … is that a thing? I think that needs to not be a thing. But I will look … but right now … please don’t accept any job offers before then.” he starts like he forgot something. “Oh, I’m Adum. Adum Brate and I’ll be your boss.” he pauses and shrugs. “I’m the mayor.”
Priya tries not to freak out, but she knows the situation is desperate. Shaun talks to the man and his wife is very friendly and receptive. Then the man seems to pray to Alexandra itself, tells Shaun he’ll look but not to accept any other positions and then … introduces himself … as mayor of the town. She blinks and looks at Shaun, thunderstruck.
Shaun has to work to keep level headed as that went way better than he ever could have hoped. “Mr. Mayor….Adum Brate. It’s very nice to meet you and you Megan. And no one’s pounding on my door….” He exchanges a look with Priya and then fishes for his wallet and pulls out a card and then takes a pen from his shirt pocket and crosses something out “Don’t email me at Lion’s Gate Press…..they laid me off but they did say I’d get a glowing reference so you could email or call them. But I’ll give you my personal one and the Linkedin where my resume is on file.” The I’ll be your boss comment struck him and rooted him. “I should be upfront about something…..first of all this is my wife Priya. And second of all we’re visitors right now. We live in Langley. But if the job is here….” He looks at Priya “Well we would talk about it…..I could start remotely but we are in town for another week. Anyway, enough shop talk and interrupting you.” He was pleased that Adum had been so thankful he spoke up and then handed him the card after writing stuff down on it.
Megan had giggled at her fumbling husband and his little thankful spiritual moment with the island. Shaun goes on and sounds great. She nods about them living in Langley “Well you should really move here because frankly, we’re delightful.” She gives a big smile to the wife “Hi Priya, so nice to meet you.”
Adum listens to Shaun and chuckles. “Just Adum. People only tack on the mayor part when they’re passed at me. He takes the card and looks at it before pocketing it. He looks at haun evenly at the offer to work remotely. “I don’t care if you work from Red Square, as long as you do the job, because my wife hee.” he motions to Megan. “Is very patient but I know I am trying that patience because I work too much. But she’s right. This really is a great place to live.” ne nods at Priya. “Nice to meet you.”
Priya is looking still a little stunned and gives a laugh. “Nice to meet both of you.” she gives another little laugh. “Now how am I supposed to eat with crossed fingers?” she wonders aloud.
Megan smirks “I am very patient.” She concurs cheekily and then answers Priya’s crossed finger question “Just do the hinge thing like chopsticks…” She crosses her own fingers and lifts the top one up a few times.” She looks between them “You two have kids? There are some great kids here….to sweeten the deal...if you don’t have kids..” She doesn’t want to make it obvious she was listening in “We can show you a great nightclub.”
Shaun looked instantly at ease with Adum “Adum...thanks.” He looks really happy about the remote option. It would give them time to decide what to do. He smiles at Megan and her humour is great “We have two kids. Reagan is just over 2 and a half and Connor is 4 months. We’re here because Priya’s cousin and her boyfriend are kindly babysitting for us so we can have some grown up time. Do you know Sajani and Patrick?”
Adum laughs at Megans cheek and her interaction with Priya. "No she doesn't mean we sell kids out of the nightclub." he looks at Shaun. "Oh, our daughter just turned three." and then he laughs. “Yup. I know them. Small town so it’s more who DON’T I know. ANd congrats on the grown up time. That's what we’re doing tonight too, because my wife is the best and always warns me before she is at that point she’ll set my home office on fire and is ready to flip that coin deciding between divirce and widowhood.”
Priya nods at Megan. “Oh good idea! She laughs and listens some more. “Oh they’re near the same age, too.” and she grins. “That’s almost like Little Punjabi, except there is’t more like who I am not related to.'' She looks sympathetically at Megan. “I feel like that sometimes.” she says before she thinks, realizing she had never told Shaun how his late hours sometimes affected her. But they were busy and they were parents … wasn’t that just how life was?
Shaun had given a restrained but jovial wince at Adum’s comment about Megan warning him when she was fed up with his working to the point of frustration. And then Priya mirrors the sentiment and he blows out a breath and reaches for her hand “More grown up time then...I’m sorry love.” This day had already been this intense and rather eye opening gift to them.
Megan gives Adum a little cheeky look “Maybe more like kidnapping over the other two. He has to take breaks or live a life on the run as my love slave. It would be a good life…..but with another baby on the way perhaps a bit impractical. Give me a few years though…” She teases.
Shaun looks between the two of them “Oh congratulations.”
Adum grins at Megan, then looks at Shaun and Priya. “Apparently going downstairs for more coffee isn’t a break. Who knew? Oh … right .. wives know.” he shrugs. “I shall look forward to the kidnapping when the kids are older. If nothing else, my father can take and spoil them rotten while the people of my beloved town pass the hat for my ransom.” he glances at Megan. “There will be ransom, right?” he looks at Shaun. “Thanks … this one was a bit of a surprise … well .. more of a bonus belated birthday present.” he laughs.
Priya smiles. “Oh, congratulations.” she looks at Megan. “It can be a little harder with two, but sometimes the older one will … help … which is … not always helpful.” she giggles. “I’m sure there will be ransom. To fund the kids college funds.” he assures them and she grins at the surprise baby. It was a cute little story.
Megan giggles about all the mock encouragement “Oh I don’t know about a ransom...maybe just a demand for your privacy.” She slides a hand to her belly “4 months...not showing yet but little flutters. I love the little flutters. I am very curious to see what kind of big sister Izzy will be. And yes I hear you about the helpful not helpful. We’re already there with stuff around the house.”
Shaun was highly amused by Adum and Megan and the whole ransom kidnapping banter. “I’ll keep the ransom optics in mind if I end up your PR person. I’m very good at crafting the right angle.” He jokes. “I think Reagan’s a pretty good big sister so far. Except that one day she got curious about what might fit up Connor’s nose. Live and learn right?”
Adum nods about the privacy. “Fair enough.” he grins. “So far she’s a very good helper with house cleaning.” he grins att he idea that Shaun is already on the job he hasn’t even been offered yet and chuckles about Connor’s nose. “Not much with baby noses. But you can fit two fingers up Daddy’s when he’s catching a nap on the couch. And if you find a cooperative one, a cat tail tip.” he nods at all of the things he’s learned.
Priya laughs at all of the stories and then sighs a bit. “You can’t really help but talk about the children when you're not with them, can you.” she shrugs. “I should be happy I don’t have to chase anyone around the dining hall.” wine arrives with the promise of food shortly.
Shaun cracks up at the fingers and the cat tail “That would be sneezy.” Shaun takes his glass of wine after it’s poured and toasts at Priya “To a toddler chase free zone and meal? I do hope they’re being chill for Sajani and Patrick though. Reagan’s such a fussy eater.” He sighs “I’m doing it again.
Megan laughs and then as Adum gets wine she beckons it to her “Justa sniff…..I’ma sniffer now…….oh it’s fruity…..that’s nice…..now sip for me and let me watch you enjoy it. And then later I might ask you for a different show.” She’s teasing but also not shy about just saying it all. But she realizes their new friends might not be so comfortable “Sorry, I’m incapable of not just blurting out all my thoughts.” She snorts.
Adum waves his glass under Means nose and then sips, nearly choking at Megans choice of words. “No filter on this woman.” he tells their new friends. “But she is the only one who can say ‘fuck the mayor’ and mean it literally. The downside is with her business, I get some incredibly hard to live down nicknames.” he sighs and sips his wine again, finally setting it on the table.
Priya looks between them and laughs. “It’s hard, but I am getting ideas. DInner and a show later, Shaun?” she offers. She was so bold without her children around.
Shaun was laughing at Megan and then Adum and then almost choked on his wine as Priya chimes in. Sputtering he chuckles “Anything your heart desires Priya. Wow.” He smirks “Megan, what’s your business? Now I’m curious.”
Megan looks coyly at Adum “All true. And I do love to fuck the mayor.” she winks at him and then nods at Priya “You go girl.” She smiles sweetly at Shaun’s reaction and then question “My friend and I run a place called the Love Shack, which is is exactly what you might guess. Sex shop. Condoms, lubes, lotions, toys, a broad selection of books ranging from empowerment to really just techniques and just some good old erotica and porn...but not the cheap shit.”
Adum looks between Priya and Shaun, then at Megan. “Love, I think you’re contagious and I don’t mean Covid for a change.” he dramatically sighs when Megan explains her business. “She started it when I was Chief of Police. I’d get calls from cops .. who were close enough friends, of course, asking for Chief Condom … but then I became Mayor.” he puffs out his chest, proudly and then deflates. “And was dubbed Mayor Masturbation Sleeve almost immediately.” he sorts. “I’ll never become Prime Minister …. Ever.” although he clearly doesn’t want to.
Priya giggles at Megan and Adum. “I just .. I’m not … I’m …. Well … when the kids are away?” she ventures and her eyes grow wide not only at what Megan does for a living but also its effect on her husbands title. “Oh my god …. Oh …” she sips at her wine, truly speechless.
Shaun goes from surprise, but not judgement, at Megan’s business to cracking up at all the ways it titled Adum. “Wow…” then he thinks “But the PR byline on the MMS...because an acronym helps people stop fixating, would be serving Alexandra with a smile.” He snorts and then comments “That’s OK our current PM will go down in history for the whole speaking moistly speech. Best to just lean into it right?”
Megan gives Adum a little point and then looks just a tiny bit smug. “Show the town how to live by example right? Sex is a part of human health.” She winks at Priya and is then presented with her food by the waitress “Ooooh...thank you. This smells divine.”
The waitress has to come back between the tables because Covid protocols forbid putting two separate tables oders on the same tray but soon everyone has a plate in front of them and has been offered fresh grated pepper by a server that follows her on the second round.
Adum groans at Shauns quick mind, but can't help but grin, especially as his food is placed before him. “If I have to use a masturbation sleeve, I KNOW I’m in trouble with my wife and I will resign because ... priorities.” he proclaims and then, once they are all fed and the waitress has gone away he points at Shaun, picking up his wine glass. “You’re hired.” he announces. “I’ll look at your page and tell personnel and all that shit but … you’re too fun not to hire.” he toasts them and drinks.
Priya giggles and then laughs at the whole thing. Then she gasps when Shaun is hied on the spot. She looks down at her food and blows out a shocked breath. He was fired and hired in a night. How often did that happen to people?
Shaun had given a sort of shocked laugh as Adum began about the sleeve comment and then he felt the breath leave his body as he just stared at Adum when he told him he was hired. He put a hand on his heart and breathed again “Thank you. Seriously thank you. I wasn’t sure what we were going to do. And I think you’d be a hoot to work for too Adum. I won’t let you down.” He exhales again and reaches around the plates and grabs Priya’s hand just looking at her with relief and love. With his other hand he toasts Adum back and then sips.
Megan giggles at Adum and then puts her fork down and does a little clap as Shaun is hired. “Yay! I think you’ll be great Shaun. And you two should really consider moving here. I’m biased I know but you have some family here...the daycare is awesome. And we have an amazing school for when the kids are older. It’s an alternative school but it really works with kids where they’re at. And I gotta say houses are reasonable….taxes are low thanks to my lovely husband. We’re the MOST affordable place to live in all of BC. But don’t go spreading that. Small is beautiful!” She toasts and sips with her water glass and then digs into her food.
Adum smiles. “No problem. I need all the help I can get, in case you BOTH want to work for Alexandra.” he looks at Megan with a loving smile. “I’d hire you as the tourism bureau, but I think I’d live to regret it..” he teases and begins to concentrate on his food.
Priya listens to both Megan and Adum. “Well … I freelance so … I can always add Alexandra to the list.” she offers. The more she hears about Alexandra, the more she likes it, but she doesn’t tell Shaun yet. It’s been an emotional night.
Shaun nods at Adum and then gives Priya a hopeful look. It sounded like job potential for her too. “We’re both writers...which is fantastic and simultaneously unbearable..” He laughs. His interest peaks about the daycare and school “Oh….that’s cool. Langley’s getting so big I think Reagan would have to be bussed to school when it’s time for kindergarten and to be honest that gives me a bit of anxiety. I mean we’re talking 5 year olds…...and with Covid right now I’d be afraid to send her to daycare….I mean bad enough that I’m bringing home my exposure. What’s that been like here?” He looks between the Brates.
Megan winks at Adum but also eats with gusto. As she listens to Priya and Shaun she dabs her mouth with a napkin and takes a breather “So you can work from home Priya? Brilliant.” Megan looks like she understands “I can’t imagine putting Izzy on a bus in two years….ugh...no...we’re right by everything...nothing’s far apart here. And to be honest, I’m sure you’ve noticed we don’t even do cars. I mean for necessary things. There’s police and ambulance and grocery delivery services. You can order food, although that’s usually done by scooter or bike. Lots of walking and biking which is healthy. But as for Covid, we’ve been really lucky. We had I guess a mini outbreak and then shut down our ferry port and contained it…we lost a few but not many, thankfully..there was a stupid party that caused another flare...but again contained. I’m not sure with the numbers being so high right now in BC…..we’ll have to see..” She looks at Adum.
Adum sits back as Megan sells Alexandra, but even he stops eating when the subject of Covid comes up. “We’re doing alright…” he begins. “No new cases since that party, but I am actually thinking about maybe buttoning up again for at least the beginning of the school year.” he holds up his hand to stem any worries. “Again … no cases here now, but with the kids .. my own daughter will be in the schoolhouse daycare, so I have that vested interest to keep the kids safe. And as for your job …” he looks at Shaun. “You can work remotely if you’d like. Covid won’t last forever … it just feels like it will.” he sighs, looking a little tired. “ANd being a town employee, you have resources at your disposal … including transport if you feel you must be here in person. It might be as a passenger on the grocery or mail boat, but we can make it happen. But we’ll take your temperature when you arrive and if you have a fever …” he shrugs. “You work remotely. But once it's over yes … I’d move here. But I was born here, so I am a little biased.” he looks at Megan. “Never thought I’d miss the fog.” he murmurs and drinks a bit more of his wine.
Priya listens especially closely to the news of Covid 19. She is actually impressed that this young mayor is considering isolating the island to keep the residents safe, especially the children. Then he murmurs something about a fog and she looks between them. “The one that cut you all off? Sajani told us about that …” she considers. “And then to come back to Covid. Can’t say as I blame you for missing it.” and she has a flash of longing to be here with Sajani. Not to be cut off from her beloved cousin again.
Shaun nods vehemently at Megan. He was liking the sounds of Alexnadra more and more. And then he thoughtfully takes in everything Adum is saying, particularly about transport “Good to know. You’ve got it really set up here.” He looks like he knows about the fog too and he does and then agrees with Priya “Yeah too bad the timing couldn’t be just a bit more aligned so you could have missed the plague..mind you then we wouldn’t be here….on our trip or with this job.” He shrugs “It goes how it goes right?”
Megan has to laugh “Sometimes I miss the fog. It was a bubble in time…..bittersweet for so many but it really made us come together as a community. You guys believed Sajani? That’s awesome. It’s pretty hard to believe I know.”
Adun nods at Shaun. “Yea … never thought I would think like that. We had a flu pandemic after the drugs got too old, but only a couple of older people died. Then we come out to this mess.” he snorts. “It’s in the vein of truth is stranger than fiction.” he shrugs. “But we all survived it and goddamnit we’ll survive this too if I have to cut us off until the vaccinations are available worldwide.”
Priya actually smiles. “Maybe I am crazy but a bubble in time sounds beautiful, Megan.” she shrugs. “Sajani would never lie. I tried so hard to be mad at her when she vanished off the face of the earth. I thought she maybe didn’t approve of Shaun, but … now I know why she vanished .. and THAT makes sense. Why would she just stop speaking to me? I didn’t do anything to her. Shaun didn’t. I thought for a while she had died and no one told me.” she blinks away a tear. “Now she’s back .. like a sister to me. My favorite cousin.” She remembers some of Adum’s earlier words. “And probably spoiling my babies beyond redemption.”
Shaun thinks about what Adum’s saying about cutting off until vaccination and nods. Then he sees the emotion as Priya talks about being separated from Sajani. They really were like sisters. And he comes to a realization “We should move here. Something about this place…...and now there’s a possible cut off and well Priya, imagine if you could live near Sajani? I mean we know she’s gonna marry that guy...sorry but they radiate it. Our kids could grow up together. I feel like this fits us better than little Punjab….I love the rest of your family...but this place is more us. My mom and my brother would deal. Hell maybe it would be a bit better being further away from Angus. If he’s not trying to borrow money or crash on our couch I will be way more patient.”
Megan just grins “Sounds like the island has won you over…..and yeah I’d be fine with cutting off the tourists. I know we rely on tourism but we have other things going for us. I mean we love our restaurants as locals. We shop local, we support each other. Believe me in my business, the things I learn about the locals would blow your minds…” She laughs.
Adum watches as Shaun suddenly decides they might move after all. Megan begins to talk about what she knows about the locals and he clears his throat. “I think your dinner is getting cold, Mrs Masturbation Sleeve.”
Priya blinks and stares at Shaun as he suggests they move. They aren’t the kind of people whi make sudden decisions without lits of talk. They’d carefully planned their wedding and their children. She opens her mouth and replies to him. “Yes. Lets!.” she agrees and smiles, a little shocked with herself.
Megan runs her foot up Adum’s shin under the table “Is that a request? You keep bringing it up my love. Serve the town with a smile baby.” She beams as both Priya and Shaun are into the idea of moving here.
Shaun had been laughing at Adum and Megan and then he blinks at Priya and laughs “Really? We’re just gonna….well fuck it ok…..let’s make a plan. I love you.” He looks over at the other table “Consider us future residents boss man...MMS…” He grins at Megan “Thank you, both.”
Adum bites his lip, feeling Megans foot. “I can take care of that on my own, Mrs Brate .. although I haven’t since before we got married. Hell, before you moved in.” he looks at Shaun and Priya. “Oh good … now … that’s … four new residents. You have a son and daughter so you might want one of the three bedrooms …” he grins, happily.
Priya shrugs. “Why shouldn’t we? You’re reasons are sound and the kids ar young, so its not like we’re snatching them away from life long friends… so yea .. fuck it. I love you too.” she grins and works to finish her dinner, far happier than even when she sat down to order it.
Shaun laughs at Adum “Are you a real estate agent too?” He looks at Priya “We should go for a walk and look at some of the houses. We can put ours on the market easily enough. And yes they’re the perfect age to move.”
Megan grins at Adum “As it should be.” Then she nods at Shaun and Priya “Lots of trees, community gardens. Amazing playground by the community centre and we’re rebuilding the community centre. I guess we’re all unofficial real estate agents. And tourism embasadors.”
Adum chuckles. “We have houses and apartments. We had a 20 story skyscraper that has been scaled down to only 7. It officially reopens on the 1st if anyone wants to live there.” he shrugs. “Our fire chief tells us 7 stories is all he can guarantee his firefighters can get to in a fire or other crisis. Deconstruction began almost immediately after the fog first cut us off. We needed the materials for other houses. So I pretty much know who lives where and which spaces are available. So if you want a private yard, I can suggest places, or if you want to share a yard with apartment neighbors or even if you don’t want a yard at all. It’s all possible.” he smiles. “We’re just a large family in many ways. SOme of us are nicer than others … n other words .. we’re our own little society … we just have the capability to survive if the rest of the world forgets us.”
Priya looks at Shaun and reaches to take his hand. As Adum speaks, she feels more and more comfortable about this sudden decision to move here. This second honeymoon was turning into a whole new beginning. And she liked it.
No comments:
Post a Comment