Gertie Golden Girl Pt. 12 Succession

Chapter 12: SUCCESSION

Gertie finds the next matriarch

It was on a beautiful early spring Sunday morning Gertie approached the young woman that Jake had only admitted on the drive over to the starting point of their walk that he had invited one of his work colleagues and her two teenage children to join one of the monthly rambles that Gertie had designed for young families to participate in.

"She's from work, Gran, she's coming up with her two children, age early teens I think." Jake had said as he drove them to the meeting point. "She came into the print room enquiring about ideas to get her children to take more interest in their surroundings, become fitter and improve their appetites for more nutritious food. I suggested walking and camping, and thought that your 'Young Families Ramble' would be a gentle start for them. I don't think the children are very fit."

"And her husband can't make it?" Gertie delved further into the reasons behind inviting a woman from work to a country walk with mostly much younger families than teenagers.

"Not sure, he wasn't mentioned at all and I've since found from discreet enquiries they are separated and decree nisi issued a few months ago. Don't read anything into this Gran, she's just a --"

"Friend, Jake?" Gertie interjected.

"Well, a colleague, I have known her for a while, she's been working for the bank for perhaps ten years."

"Oh, would I know her?"

"I don't think so, but you may have heard of her as she was recently promoted to section head on the Bond Department."

"Remind me who that might be?"

"Gillian Moorhouse, although you might know her as--"

"Gillian Jarvis," Gertie interjected again. As Jake nodded his head while at the wheel, Gertie smiled. "Yes, I have heard of her, Jake. Highly regarded, she is, I understand."

"I wouldn't know, Gran, you know I don't take too much interest in what happens at the bank, especially at the moment ... I'm more concerned with what's going on at Winstone's."

"I know dear," Gertie tapped on his thigh affectionately. "Still, it's a lovely day for a walk, remarkably warm for this early time of year. Let's just enjoy the day and we can worry about work matters on Monday morning."

"Yes, Gran," Jake smiled, "this is much more important for our wellbeing."

***

Gertie recognised the woman Jake had invited. Gillian Jarvis had been discussed in the bank's boardroom for further possible promotions. She was an attractive woman in her mid-thirties, quite well put together, Gertie thought, and appropriately kitted out for the ramble and looked fit enough to cope with a more demanding hike. Then, when Gertie saw that she was alone, with both her two children occupied, one with his electronics gadget and the other with pushing along a double stroller containing twin babies, Gertie approached her.

"Hello," she started, "I'm Gertie, Jake's grandmother, you must be Gill. Are you and your children enjoying the walk so far?"

"Very much so," replied Gill, smiling pleasantly at the older lady, "You certainly have a mixed crowd taking part and all thoroughly enjoying themselves."

"We have a wide spectrum in the ramble group, some of them come out with us every month and others progress onto more challenging treks after a short while and they are replaced by new members. Hopefully, you and your children will come along next month?"

"I think we probably will," laughed Gill, realising that she was really enjoying the fresh air, the gentle pace of the walk and somewhat relieved that her children appeared to be having a good time with very little effort on her part. "It's just beautiful being able to get out in the fresh country air, and the exercise is something I really need, the gym just doesn't cut it compared to this."

The vista was lovely, a splash of yellow blossom, and white and yellow flowers in the fresh green hedgerow, topped off by an azure sky dotted with fluffy cotton wool clouds.

"I would like to be free to do this every weekend, to be honest," Gill said.

"Tell me if I am being nosy but," Gertie said quietly, linking her arm into Gill's and leaning in so as not to be overheard, "while my grandson Jake talks to me all the time, he never actually tells me much about himself and nothing at all about his private life, I see you do not have any rings on your left hand, so, to be blunt, are you going out with Jake?"

"Ah, no, not really, this is the first time I've seen him outside work," Gill said, then changing the subject, "I notice that everyone seems to know your grandson as 'Jake' but at work he is called 'John' ... and I wondered why."

"His full name is John Jacob Nicholls,' Gertie answered, "but in the family he has always been called by his middle name. As this group was started by my late husband and I many years ago, and Jake has been on many walks with me, especially since he now drives me to and from, I've always introduced him as Jake."

"Well, to answer your question, John, er, Jake is just a friend from work," Gill answered carefully, smiling a little, "we are old friends, I suppose. I've known him ever since I started at the bank a dozen years ago. He suggested today's walk as a good way of getting my children outdoors and active for a change. As for my rings or lack of them? Well, according to my divorce lawyer I should be officially single again in about six weeks' time, if everything runs to schedule. I've not even thought about dating anyone at all, let alone Jake yet, or even whether I want to, to be honest, I'm feeling a case of 'once bitten, twice shy', as they say."

Gertie nodded at her response.

"Sorry to hear about your marriage dear." Gertie spoke as they ambled along the path together, "I had three husbands myself, but I outlived them all. My grandson Jake is the only man in my life right now, but I think he is the best of them all, better even than his father and grandfather and they were really great men," Gertie whispered. "So your children, Jennifer and...?"

"Clay, short for Clayton."

"Yes, Clayton," continued Gertie, "They live with you or your soon-to-be-ex-husband?"

"Most of the time they're with me, they spend every other weekend with their father," Gill said.

Gertie cackled at realising Gill would be free of her children next weekend, saying, "In that case you'd be able to go camping with Jake next weekend, he's tackling a handful of Derbyshire hills over the two day weekend, nothing too strenuous, I assure you. I am sure he'd enjoy your company. I do like your sturdy walking shoes, by the way, good ankle support. You have obviously hiked before."

"I used to hike a lot as a teenager and before I married Wayne," Gill smiled in reply. "I'd forgotten just how much enjoyment I once got out of it. As for Derbyshire, well, my grandmother used to live in Matlock so we often walked in the Dales when I was a child, without tackling anything major. The views were fantastic, the rock formations and the streams, I just loved those long summer holidays."

"Well, you will have to tell that to Jake," Gertie returned brightly, "I'm sure he would welcome your enthusiasm as well as your company."

"Oh, I couldn't do that, I am really completely out of condition," Gill admitted bluntly, "an hour or two each week in the gym wouldn't help much walking up and down the Dales all day carrying camping equipment. Besides it's been twenty years since I last camped out. I wouldn't want to hold him up. I don't even have any camping equipment any more."

"Don't you worry about camping gear, dear, I have quite a number of single tents at home, even if he doesn't have one to spare. As for holding Jake back, well, the hills will be there for him to conquer any other day, while the company of a pretty woman would beat hiking the hills on his own, hands down," Gertie chuckled. "Anyway, you give it some thought, my dear, I must check out the gate ahead to make sure we all go the right way on the other side!"

Gertie kicked down a gear and sped off up the incline, leaving Gill behind in her wake. As she walked quickly, Gertie smiled to herself. She liked the women instinctively and knew that she had no idea at all of who Jake really was. 'It is a shame that they are not going out, but she does seem open to the possibility. I'll persuade him to take Gill with him next week, maybe he could take the two-man tent that Jonathan and I used to share. Huh! That tent has some tales to tell if only it could talk!' Gertie couldn't help but laugh to herself, cheered up by a chance that Jake could create some happy memories of his own in that particular tent.

Gertie had a real spring in her step. She had heard a lot about Gill at the bank in recent monthly board meetings, how well she had managed the investigation into the bank's best working practices, cutting waste, balancing carbon use with green mitigation, improving communications and recommending better equipped workstations which had greatly improved efficiency and proved more cost effective. She found that Gill was pleasant to talk to, she had personality and had determination to use her spare time to improve her children's lives.

'Yes,' Gertie thought to herself, 'I think she'll do very nicely."

It was a little while later that Gill and her daughter had slipped behind the bulk of the ramblers, held up by the double buggy which the mother of the twins let the young girl steer while she took a long smoking break.

Gertie sent Jake back to lift the buggy over the "kissing gates" because it was too big to fit through. It was whilst Jake was hampered with the task that Gill impulsively kissed him on the lips for the first time, which Gertie could see from up the pathway.

Later, Gertie looked back along the footpath to check on her flock and saw Jake and Gill kiss again and continue holding each other talking at the kissing gates, and she smiled happily before cheerfully chivvying on a couple of dawdling youngsters.

***

A week or so later Gertie was delighted to hear from Jake about his weekend trek with Gill, although Jake did admit that they had to deal with an accident, where an older man slipping and broke his leg, and he and Gill were first on the scene. They had no phone signal so he had to leave Gill with the injured man until Jake was able to get a signal and direct to rescue to the right place. He admitted that his grandmother was right, he should have taken the two-person tent that Gertie had offered.

"I've always liked Gill, Gran," Jake admitted a little embarrassed, "and, if ... well, I think that although her work persona seems as efficient and dynamic as ever, her personal life has been swiped sideways by the break-up of her marriage. She seems damaged by losing the affections of her husband and the devastating affect it has had on her children. I do feel an affinity with her, I've been damaged to and put on a front to cover my damage and think she is doing the same."

"I think you're the bravest person I know, Jake," Gertie said as she hugged him, "so, have you been bold enough to ask her out again?"

"Yes, Gran, we are hoping to go pony trekking on Dartmoor and, because it is a new venture that are starting up in the summer, I've persuaded them to take us as their first paying guests and we will be camping, because the accommodation isn't ready yet."

"So are you going to take my 'love tent' with you to Dartmoor?"

"Yes, Gran, I'll take it but I do expect to be sharing it with Clay, while the girls use the only available habitable room at the riding school. Anyway, at this stage it is all about building trust between us and having fun without any pressure on either of us."

Regarding the Winstone's Bank problem, Jake said he was hoping it was coming to a head as the probable fraudster had been isolated and evidence of fraud was being collated and would be resolved soon.

Gertie really hadn't had much to do with Winstone's, other than her trust fund did have something like a low single figure percentage of shares in the bank but she took little notice of the bank until Jake, who took an active interest in everything going on in the companies that his trust fund was invested in mentioned both fraud and a sting operation to flush out the culprit..

"Isn't Gill's ex-husband one of the managers at Winstone's?" Gertie asked.

"He is, so don't let Gill know we are investigating the bank, just in case she lets it slip to Wayne or even the kids."

"All right, Jake, Mum's the word."

***

In the middle of the week two weeks later, Gertie arranged to meet with Gill for lunch, telling her that the reason for the meeting was to discuss Gill's feelings for Jake and to fill in some of Jake's background. Gill sounded apprehensive over the phone but was really given no choice but to agree to the meeting. Gertie hoped that Gill was intrigued about Jake's background and would want to know more.

Gertie had assumed from the way she called Jake by his christened name of John rather than the familial use of his second name, that she was not that well acquainted with him and wanted to encourage any flame that might exist between her beloved grandson and Gill but was also concerned to minimise any risk of hurting him should the young lady reject his advances by being repulsed by his injuries and the noticeable attempts to repair his skin.

The other issue was, of course, Jake's wealth. Marriage would give his bride access to a fabulous fortune and although Jake always kept a low profile, it wouldn't take much research to find out how wealthy he really was. Gertie wanted to reassure herself that Gill's attraction to Jake was physical rather than financial.

They met at an old-established and extremely expensive restaurant, one of Gertie's favourites, where she was well-known and looked after well. The restaurant was illuminated with low lighting, the furniture dark mahogany and fitted with private booths for quiet private discussions. Gertie had insisted on sending one of Jake's cabs to collect her from the bank, knowing that, following the rumours she had no doubts were already running through both sides of Jake's family, that the driver would treat Gill almost like royalty.

The lunchtime meal that Gertie took charge of and chose for them both was light, delivered quickly and quietly and tasted as delicious as Gertie expected and was much better than Gill had anticipated. They were left to talk after the dishes were cleared away and Gertie had poured them both a cup of tea in elegant fine bone china cups.

"Jake was impressed with how you handled that injured hiker the other weekend, Gill," Gertie said. "He proudly told me that you were very calm and reassuring under pressure."

"Oh, my part in the rescue was virtually nothing," Gill replied, a little embarrassed at Jake's embellishment of her tiny role in the drama. "I did nothing much, just held Tim's hand while Jake went to get help. We had no choice really, Jake knew the terrain and the exact location to pass onto the emergency services, and I didn't."

Gertie patted her hand affectionately, "Well, I was impressed with Jake's account of your reactions, too. Tell me Gill, what do you think of my grandson and what are your plans, if any, for any future together?"

"Oh!" Gill looked surprised at Gertie's direct approach to the subject. "Well, I sort of expected you'd ask me something along those lines but asking me so directly, you've still caught me at a little bit of a disadvantage. I'm not sure what to say as it is so early in our friendship."

'She'll have to get used to being direct,' Gertie thought to herself, 'but as she says, this is early days and I remember that it took me a while at first to get into the Winter way of working.'

"Well, getting directly to the point saves us having any misunderstandings between us, dear. Now, I know you are highly thought of as an excellent manager and a brilliant negotiator at Standhope Winter. So I'd have thought you wouldn't have got caught out by us cutting to the quick." She patted Gill's hand again and smiled reassuringly. "Relax, my dear, I am not going to bite, I just want to understand where both of you are going. I dearly want to see my grandson settled in life and I'm not getting any younger, you know."

"I understand where you are coming from, but I have never had a boyfriend's family ask me what my intentions were before!" Gill laughed, "this situation is really too strange to be funny. I think my Dad did pin my ex-husband down pretty smartly when he first started taking me out," Gill smiled at the memory of her late father, "Wayne, my ex-, was, well is, nine years older than me and I met him when I did my internship at Winstone's Bank. I was still at college then, while he was a rising star in the organisation. I guess that I was flattered to catch his attention and my Dad was therefore after assurances that I was not going to be... taken advantage of, I suppose."

Gertie smiled back at the young woman, "I realise it's a little unconventional for a grandmother to get involved, but Jake is very special to me and, well, he never tells me anything about his private life. That's why I tend to worry about him. And I worry about you too, my dear. I mean, how are you coping with a husband who cheated on you, with your family split between two homes, while taking on more responsibility at work?"

"I do keep my work and home life separate --"

"I know, Gill," Gertie soothed, "I asked around and you are considered a very attractive and successful business woman, who will eventually reach the top of your profession, I'm sure. In business you have to entertain clients and, in turn, you are entertained, while Jake is, well, you know Jake, he mostly keeps himself to himself."

"Ahh. All right," Gill replied. "First of all, I am not all out for revenge on all men, you know the trope, to pay 'them' back for the wrongs my husband did to me, if that's what you think. I do get hit on a lot socially and even in business and I ignore them all. That has happened pretty well all my adult life and I have no trouble dealing with that appropriately. Jake is the only man I have dated since my husband left me and I do enjoy his company and the activities we both find pleasures to do together and encouraging my children to take part. My priority is still my children first, my happiness and future come very much second to them."

Gertie smallest and allowed her to pause and let her have her space, while the younger woman marshalled her thoughts.

"I am not interested in going out with any of my single, high-flying business associates, who are perhaps looking for an uncomplicated good time. I am simply not built like that. I was a faithful wife who was replaced by a younger woman. I am not the only mother this has happened to but it wasn't the end of my world, I still have my children and have been fortunate in enjoying the work that I do. I am angry about what happened, of course, but I am not bitter about my situation."

Gertie nodded, but silently encouraged Gill to continue.

"Jake is a younger man that I have known and liked for, well almost forever. As soon as I started working at the bank, I was used as a gofer and had to interact with his department several times a day and he was always friendly and helpful. I didn't see much of him after I moved up through the hierarchy but now I count him as a friend. He's bright, I mean really clever, much smarter I think than anyone I've ever met. And he is so warm and kind and gentle, he's great with my two children and always has been; when they were younger I brought them to work when I had to. That was before the company had a crèche." Gill smiled mentioning her children, "He has them enthused about life around them, he engages and enlivens them, like their natural father never did and does even less now we are apart. Actually, Jenny and Clay both said as much about Jake in positive comparison with their father on Sunday night."

Gertie smiled. "They are great kids, Jenny and Clay, all credit to you."

"Thanks," Gill continued. "I wish Jake was their father, sometimes, instead of Wayne. I think Jake is the best man I have ever known and... I think I am beginning to fall in love with him."

"I think he has already been in love with you too," Gertie said, revealing her thoughts on the matter. "He probably has been for many years."

"Maybe.... I don't know what you've heard or from where. I never thought of him romantically, until now, when we have spent a little time together away from work for the first time. I think the respect and natural affection I have always felt for him as such a positive and helpful man, has grown I. Recent weeks. As for him, how he feels about me, I am totally at a loss. Sometimes I think he does love me, but at other times it seems that Jake is not... not really keen on a physical relationship with me. I am trying to open myself up to him and I really want him to open up to me too. But every time I try to er,... try to escalate our er, relationship --"

"Sex, dear, it's all right to say sex," Gertie chuckled. "We're talking girl talk here, and you should know that I was married three times, and each time sex was very much in evidence."

Gill sighed, "Yes, sex. I know... well, it's pretty obvious that he reacts positively, to my er, stimulation, but Jake keeps reining me in. I mean that he's the one that's stopping me getting carried away, and it was always the other way around when I first started courting Wayne. I mean, Jake kisses like a dream and, er, he makes me go weak at the knees. He's a wonderful selfless lover. He's just beautiful but --" she sighed again.

"But?"

"I'm not sure if he really wants a girlfriend."

"But aren't you getting together this weekend, then?" Gertie chuckled, "and this is another completely child-free weekend isn't it?"

"Yes! As soon as Wayne collects Jenny and Clay, Jake is going to pick me up and take me back to his little flat --"

"Little flat?" Gertie raised her eyebrows, "is that the flat in New Timber Lane?"

"Yes," Gill was puzzled, "why, does he have another love nest somewhere else?"

"No no, he's lived there a long time, since he was old enough to stop living with me and make his own way into the world. It is so handy for the city; it's just that I haven't been there for such a long while and wonder how he's looking after himself. It's on the ground floor above the basement garage, if I remember?"

"Yes, at the back of the building. It's a small flat, but then rents around there are horrendous. I mean, we dined at a little table in the living room that he had set out beautifully, with proper table linen and crystal glasses. We were tight for time, as I had to leave to pick the kids up from their computer club for Clay and dance lessons for J/en, so I left him to do the washing up and putting away, as he insisted. He didn't show me around the flat or anything, so I assumed other than the kitchen diner it was just a couple of bedrooms and a bathroom. It was all very neat and tidy, but Spartan, minimalist, no pictures and photos on the walls. It was like a typical bachelor pad, one that needed a woman's touch."

Gertie thought to herself, 'That is strange, the tiny flat at the back of the building was supposed to be the building supervisors flat, that Jake used over a dozen years ago when he had the penthouse suite refitted and modernise after leaving my home. Perhaps he is also hiding his wealth from Gill until he is more certain of Gill's feeling for him?'

"Yes, of course, I agree it probably does need a woman's touch, and not mine, but I'll have to keep a closer eye on him. He does stay with me at my house sometimes, where he has a permanent bedroom, usually the night before our monthly walk. Are you coming to the next family ramble by the way? It's the weekend after next."

"I'll definitely be coming, well if Jake comes as usual, and the kids have already said that they want to come as well, only it's Wayne's weekend with them, so he may not want to give them up."

"Invite Wayne along, too. Does he have a girlfriend?"

"Yes, he does, the mother of his child." Gill's shoulders slumped; she took a final sip of her tea, before Gertie topped it up from the teapot.

"We never mention her name in the house, but it isn't all her fault I suppose, it takes two to tango. But she's half his age, so he should have known better and been more careful about precautions. I shudder thinking about it. I only knew just after Christmas that he'd had a girlfriend all along and she'd had a baby, I couldn't get tested for... diseases quickly enough."

"All clear?" Gertie asked.

"Oh yes! Absolutely! All clear, for sure. If not, well, I wouldn't be showing my face in public."

'Of course,' Gill thought to herself, 'Gertie would naturally be thinking of Jake's safety.' Gill continued, "Jenny would probably look after the baby if Wayne and his partner did come on the ramble."

"Do you still feel upset about the end of your marriage?"

"Yes, I suppose I still am."

She picked up her refreshed cup of tea to take a sip, then put it down and played with the spoon in the saucer.

"It's just that I didn't even realise we had a problem with our marriage. Nothing was ever said between us about it not working out to Wayne's satisfaction. Even when he said he wanted the divorce, he tried to explain it away as being because we grew apart and the divorce would be better for both of us. Wayne never admitted to any affair until I finally confronted him about a week after his girlfriend had the baby. Then, there's the effect on the children, the poor lambs don't know which way to turn since we separated."

"The children always take it hardest, the poor dears, their whole world collapses."

"Yes, it does. They are so quiet most of the time at home, I feel they don't want to talk about what a great time they had at their Dad's, in case it depresses me and I suspect they don't want to tell Wayne what a great time they've just had pony trekking on Dartmoor with Jake." She put her cup down again. "And I just felt so stupid. It was all going wrong for my marriage under the surface and I didn't have a single clue. I still feel stupid!"

"You weren't stupid then and you certainly aren't stupid now. I have never said anything about this to Jake, Gill, but my second husband, not only had an affair and a baby before I knew anything about it, he had a whole separate family."

"No!"

"Yes! And, like you, I never suspected a thing. He kept his other life completely separate from us, so there were no clues. Mind you, I wasn't looking for any. We both had busy lives, he was a QC and I had my charity work at the hospital."

"How did you find out about his other family?"

"Oh, I didn't go looking for them, they turned up out of the blue at his funeral. A family turned up, a woman wearing black and two rather subdued pre-teenage children. They came to the church service, slipping unnoticed into the back, and then followed us out to see the actual interment. There were lots of older tonnage children there, all relatives that I knew, but this little group stuck out like sore thumbs, because the family had been asked to keep all the younger children away. They were keeping themselves to themselves, and looking so sad. One of my nephews invited them back to the house for refreshments afterwards, but they declined, so I went over to apply a little more pressure. I assumed this young woman knew my late husband from work, or her husband or father was a friend of his, but no, in his anger and sorrow, one of the sons burst out that my late husband was his father!"

"That must've been a shock! Whatever did you do?"

"The only thing I could do. Our family lawyers were there, of course. We quietly arranged a meeting at their offices the following week. You see, the Will had been read several days before the funeral and that selfish bastard had made absolutely no provision for them."

"What a rat!" Gill reacted, then apologised, "Sorry, he was your husband. You must've felt awful."

"No, not at all, in fact, it cheered me up no end, dear," Gertie laughed, "we were married for eighteen years but had grown apart, almost from the start we had separate bedrooms and I had actually felt guilty when he died suddenly, and I discovered that I didn't love him as much as I thought I did. His affair took a huge weight off my mind and the wake afterwards turned into a party."

"So how did the meeting with the er, mistress go?"

"Oh, very well, dear. She was quite a young girl when she worked as a typist for my husband Joe, in the late 1960s. He was a successful, handsome and charming man and she fell for him despite the age gap. He set her up in a rented flat, but left no provision for them after he died."

"Was she genuine?" Gill asked.

"Oh, yes, she had the rent book in his name and signature, and the boys' birth certificates. He had actually registered both the births himself while the mother was still in hospital recovering. There were other bills, receipts, and lots of holiday photos. Oh she was genuine all right, and he was enjoying her charms right up until the day before he died suddenly, of a massive heart attack."

"What a bastard!" Gill was shocked, "what happened to the little family?"

"Joe was a wealthy man. Between the lawyers, and us we made arrangements for the boys, for their schooling to continue and Shirley was settled comfortably for the rest of her life. She lives in Spain now."

"You sound like you keep in touch."

"We are not close, but we do keep in touch. The boys turned out very handsome men, took after their father in that respect, and have done well for themselves. One played international rugby and now runs a PR company, the same one the Bank uses. The eldest boy retired a couple of years ago and is living quite comfortably in Greece. They still call on me from time to time, to check I haven't pegged out on them yet. Charming boys."

"You are amazing, Gertie. I couldn't do that. I want nothing to do with Cheryl and their baby. I am still angry about what Wayne did."

"Anger doesn't solve anything dear, just relax and concentrate on your children... and Jake, if you want to."

"Yes, I do," Gill smiled, "I was worried that this invitation to lunch was to warn me off."

"Oh no, dear, nothing's further from my mind. I just wanted to set my mind straight about what you had in mind, plus other concerns. I think I'd like us to meet up for lunch regularly, say once a month, to have a chat."

"I would like that," Gill agreed.

"That's settled, then. I will contact your secretary at the bank and give her a choice of dates for a month's time." She winked, "So, Friday night is the next date night is it?"

"Yes, oh gosh, I can't wait for Friday. I bought a new dress and underwear yesterday that I can't wait to show off, just for him. And, to make a special night of it, Jake tells me he is going to be wearing his tux, as if we were going out on the town."

"Where are you going to dine?"

"We're not really going anywhere, actually. He's cooking for us both at his flat once again and then, er... we're staying in, hopefully all weekend."

Gill could feel herself going red.

"Ah. So, have you two, shall we say, got down and dirty yet?"

"No! We haven't yet.... I can't believe I'm sitting here talking to Jake's grandmother about this!"

"Well, just think of me as one of your eccentric aunts, dear, one that has been around the block a bit and you know you can conspire with. My dear, I may want the very best for my grandson, but above all I want him to be happy. I feel he is happy with you and therefore I am delighted for you to be a friend, or a niece to me for now, maybe even a granddaughter later on. Whatever you say to me about you and Jake, I will not be shocked and I would never break a confidence between us."

"I know, I do trust you... Aunt Gertie," Gill laughed. "Well, Jake and I have slept together a couple of times, no, three times altogether, but only kissing and cuddling so far. Well, maybe a little more than that, but we have not yet fully consummated our relationship. Once, he was naked, but that was when he got soaked in a hailstorm after he had given me his coat. Mine was covered in blood from that hiker's broken leg. But we have done pretty everything else, but."

"I see," Gertie smiled, gently, "and all this romancing up to now was fumbling in the dark?"

"Yes, pretty much." Gill remembered back, "the first couple of times were in Derbyshire climbing hills in awful weather. We were exhausted, so we literally just kissed and cuddled before falling asleep both ti, es. In Dartmoor, we slept apart the first night; I shared a room with Jenny while Jake shared a bigger tent with Clay. But the poor lambs were so shattered after riding all that first full day that they dropped off in the bedroom early on in the night. Jake and I tucked them in and sneaked away to the tent, but were conscious that one of them could wake up and come looking for us. And Jake is a complete gentleman."

"I know he is, and was brought up to be so. Has he told you what happened to his parents?"

"Yes he did, how terrible! Both died in a car accident, car rolled off the road and burst into flames, didn't it? Horrible. Oh, Gertie, I wasn't thinking, his parents, of course, it was your son was it or your daughter?"

"My daughter Mary, and her husband Colin. Jake looks a lot like them, his build is clearly Colin's strong and wiry, while his eyes and mouth look just like Mary's. They would have been so proud of him."

"And he was only about five or six?" Gill tried to remember what he had said.

"He was only four and a half," Gertie said, her mouth set grim, "and although he has no recollection of seeing them die, he was in the car with them when it rolled on its roof and caught fire."

"Oh, no! He never said that. I thought... I don't know what I thought, I think he deflected me. He said he had been to the same Derbyshire hills that we walked, a few days or maybe a week before they died and he had such happy memories of the walk. I didn't realise... flames! I remember, he said the car burst into flames! Was he badly hurt or burned?"

"He was upside down in the car, strapped into his booster seat, and was either asleep or had been knocked unconscious. The car burst into flames. Although the flames were mainly at the front of the car, it was very hot and his sleep-suit was a washable synthetic material which melted onto his bare skin."

Gill put her hands to her mouth, with her memories in the tent coming back, her eyes wide open.

"Goosebumps!" she exclaimed. "His back was covered in them and I thought it was because it was chilly and wet."

"He's always been very self conscious about his skin, Gill. As a child he had dozens of operations, skin grafts, then one day he cried 'stop!' as he felt he had gone through and suffered enough. And he had had to have numerous skin grafts over many years, leaving his upper torso particularly discoloured and scarred."

"But he seems all right, particularly 'down there', Aunt Gertie. I mean, he has the most perfect bum I've ever felt."

Gertie snorted at Gill's comment, then laughed out loud. "He was wearing cotton underpants under the sleep suit, which provided some protection, but his upper torso and thighs were particularly badly affected. They had been to a family get-together in the countryside, all afternoon and early evening. Jake fell into a pond whilst playing and was changed into whatever sleepwear could be rustled up to make him comfortable before they drove him home. He was a bit upset at falling in the pond and was inconsolable I remember."

"Family party, was Jake's father responsible? --"

"No, no, nothing like that. There was no drink involved, it was a children's party. The inquest found a box van had jumped a red light and clipped Colin's car, flipped it over and off the carriageway. The hospital kept Jake sedated for many hours while they cut away all the melted fibres and started the repair work. He was a mess, the poor little soul, but we had the best plastic surgeon we could possibly find for him, Sir Michael Rahn, who we now count as a dear family friend."

"It's amazing that he has turned out such a beautiful and amazing person after suffering so much."

"He is both beautiful and amazing," Gertie agreed. "Can I ask you, Gill, not to say anything to Jake about our conversation, unless you have to? I just wanted to prepare you for the shock of seeing him naked, if your relationship was going to continue along its logical path."

"I'm glad you did, but I hope that in any case that I wouldn't be so shocked waking up with him on Saturday morning that I would want to end our friendship."

"Thank you my dear, I knew that you would understand."

"Gertie," Gill felt compelled to ask, "has Jake been out with many girls that you know of?"

"Because of his condition, I don't think Jake has ever had a girlfriend. And he has never indicated to me any interest in having one, until now. I think you may be his first, dear, his first in everything that happens between a man and a woman. Unless he has used a professional... But I don't think he would, dear, do you?"

"No, I think you're right. Oh my god! He could be a virgin! How old is he?"

"Thirty three last January."

"That's only three years younger than me. He looks ten years younger."

"My last husband Jonathan was a decade younger than me, but he had heart trouble towards the end. I find I miss him terribly and rely too heavily on Jake, both for company and affection."

"I promise I won't take him away from you completely, Gertie, but I do think I could easily fall in love with Jake. Now I can't help thinking about him as a little boy, losing his parents like that and having to suffer all that pain. I just want to kiss it all away."

"I know, dear, me too."

Gertie and Gill left the restaurant, embraced each other, eyes full of tears for the boy now man they both love dearly, and who suffered so much. The waiting cab, with its polite and cheerful driver, took Gill back to work.

to be continued