Ch.6 “Alison.”

“There’s a girl right next to you
and she’s just waitin’ for something to do.”

– Stephen Stills

The rest of the week I tried to concentrate on study and getting back into my normal routine. By Friday however, my mind was abuzz. I’d never had a guy – a man – plan to visit me before. Someone making an effort to see me was new experience. This was going to be no casual hook up after a party. This was different.

I tried to distract myself with friends and fitness that day, but I kept turning all the possible permutations of the coming weekend over in my head: would Jeremy still come; would he want me; would I get cold feet? That last one was ridiculous; I was having him no matter what. But I still worried that he might not feel the same way about me as I did about him.

On Friday afternoon, after uni finished, I went to a pump class at the gym and picked up some dinner on the way home for both of us. Jeremy said he’d be there by eight o’clock, so I kept the meal light and easy to prepare. Camilla was already home when I got back to the flat. She knew that Jeremy was coming and had offered to make herself scarce from about 7:30pm. We were sitting on the couch chatting at 6:30pm when suddenly the intercom buzzed.

xox

I packed my bags, including Alison’s gifts, in the morning and took everything to work so that I could leave for Sydney the moment I was finished at work. I was familiar with Sydney and the drive up but hadn’t spent much time in the eastern suburbs, so I gave myself an early mark just in case the traffic was especially heavy on a Friday night. To my surprise I encountered little on the way in, and I arrived at Alison’s flat at about 6:30pm, at least an hour before I had expected to.

I considered waiting in the car till it was closer to 8pm but that just seemed silly, so I went straight in. Oddly, I didn’t have any trepidation about walking into these unfamiliar surroundings to see a woman I barely knew.

I strode up to the door of Alison’s flat and rang the buzzer. I had this odd feeling of comfort with this unfamiliar situation that I had been there many times before. Upon reflection, there were ample reasons for my odd feeling of confidence. Firstly, this wasn’t my first rodeo. I’d been “invited over” by other girls before so I knew how the evening should play out. All I had to do now was just turn up and dance along to the beat. Secondly, I knew Alison – a little. We’d only known each other in any sense for about three hours but our backgrounds and interests preceded us. Having just spent two weeks sharing an experience together recently already gave us common ground. And finally, I knew why Alison had invited me and she couldn’t have ticked more of my boxes, so I didn’t have any reservations if things panned out as I expected them to. I was completely relaxed.

Alison opened the door, and she was clearly excited that I had turned up early. She greeted me and she showed me into the flat. She was still wearing her gym clothes and, as she turned around to lead the way, I noticed her toned calves that she had earned during her high school rowing days. I was seeing her for the first time in clothes that flattered her physique. I thanked God under my breath for my good fortune.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

xox

On Friday night I was home when Alison returned from the gym carrying her shopping.

“Any plans for the weekend,” I asked. 

“Jeremy is coming to visit,” she smiled as she put her groceries away in the kitchen.

“Oh, of course! I’d totally forgotten. How are you feeling?” 

“A little nervous,” she admitted, “but I’ll have a shower and prepare dinner which should help me to relax. I still have an hour or so before he arrives.” 

We chatted for a while, and I was about to wish her good luck and change the subject when the intercom buzzed, and Alison answered. Jeremy was here early! 

When he came in, he apologised, having overestimated the travel time from Canberra. Jeremy was well…tall, dark, and handsome.

As I made myself scarce, I thought, “Well done Alison, well done.”

xox

Jeremy was early! I wasn’t ready – but I was – I had food, I had a room and I had…me. Camilla made a tactical withdrawal, leaving us alone in the lounge room. We cooked dinner together and although we barely knew each other we chatted away like old friends. My concerns were banished by the ease of Jeremy’s manner. He was happy to be here. He was happy to see me.

I showed him to my room so he could put his bag away. He returned moments later and placed a curious package on the table.

“That’s for you,” he said. “You can open it later.”
Curious and mysterious, I felt myself getting wet already.

We couldn’t take the couch, there were too many people coming and going at this time of night for any kind of privacy. And I couldn’t just take Jeremy straight into my room, as much as I wanted to. We still had a little dancing to do. We had to go somewhere else. I thought that we just got out of the flat that could just go for a walk that I’d think of something.

We left the flat and walked down to Coogee Bay beach which was a good 25 minutes away. Seeing Jeremy again so soon was the perfect tonic for my post camp low, but I was now alive with nervous energy. I think I rambled most of the way, but Jeremy stayed very attentive and polite.

By the time we reached the Bay I knew that I was ready. I took Jeremy by the hand and led him to the playground by the beach which was nice and secluded at that time of night. He stopped me by a low wall, and I turned to face him.  

Jeremy seemed to be ready for me and as I turned, he put his hand on my hips, smiled, and said, “Alison.”  

“Hi,” I said, completely paralysed with nervous anticipation, my heart was pounding in my ears. He kissed me on the mouth, and we embraced. Hormones poured into my bloodstream giving me an instant feeling of total relaxation and warmth. God it was good! 

“Thank you for inviting me,” he said. 

“The pleasure is all mine.” 

“Soon enough.”

Jeremy’s quiet confidence filled me with desire. No false bravado, no Dutch courage, I knew that he meant what he said. I can’t remember what we talked about on the way home because now, the whole way back, he was holding my hand.

xox

Alison and I cooked dinner together and then we walked down to Coogee Bay, chatting about nothing along the way. When we got to the Bay, I could sense the mood quickly change as Alison took my hand and led me to the darkness of a little playground. I knew exactly what was about to happen and what I needed to do. A week after first meeting we were finally alone together without any uniforms to hold us back or prying eyes to stare. We finally broke the ice in the privacy of that secluded spot for a few minutes then we turned around and went straight back to her place.

xox

When we got back to my place my flatmates had cleared out of the lounge room giving us a moment alone to kiss and cuddle. Jeremy then indicated to the narrow, flat gift box that he had left on the table earlier.  

“Would you like to open it now?” he said.

I was intrigued and excited. “What is it?” 

“You’ll see.” 

I opened the package to reveal a black, lacy slither of silk. A blind fold… he’d remembered! I felt my blood stir and I immediately became wet. Who was this man who had just fallen into my arms? Was this really happening?

Jeremy was staring at me now, his eyes signalling his intent, “Would you like to try it on?”  He didn’t need me to answer. I took his hand and led him to my room. And as I closed the door behind us, we were finally alone.