In Heaven and Earth

Why o why has the postman taken today to be late? He's normally here by eight and it's already ten past. I was standing in the entrance of the female nurses' residence, my home for the last twenty months.

After three years of general nurse training I passed my final exam to become a State Registered Nurse. The strict routine of the nurses' residence was oppressive, a twice a month's 'late pass' not having to be back in the home until ten o'clock! Getting round the rules was fun sometimes.

I worked for a short spell as a staff nurse on a medical ward. I was still living in the nurses' residence and although I was now qualified and over twenty one the rules continued to apply.

I had become friendly with a few Mental Health nursing students who were at the hospital as part of their training. They told me that it was much less strict than general training and proved it with their attitude. This upset the ward sister who was not used to insubordination from students. I spent six weeks while they were there trying to stop laughing at their antics and sister's response.

I loved their attitude and quite fancied one of the boys so I started my psychiatric nurse training. I suppose there are better reasons for a career change but he was good looking.

It was quite a culture shock going from the strict routine of the general setting to the more relaxed atmosphere of a mental hospital. The nurses' accommodation is also more relaxed and I have for the last few months had a boyfriend spending some nights in the room with me.

Quarter past and still no sign of the postman. I'm waiting for the envelope which will change my life - the result of my final exam. When it comes I will know whether I have passed before I open it. If it's fat you've failed, the papers for a re-sit are enclosed.

This is the second time of being in no-man's-land the time between taking your finals you are still a student nurse until you pass. Once you have passed you kind of continue what you are doing but no longer a student but not a staff nurse until your registration comes through.

Twenty past and still no sign. Ron, my boyfriend was still in bed, he has become a liability, I seem to be supporting him. There he is, the postman, coming out of the male residence. Hurry up, please.

He sauntered across the green between the two buildings, sorting through some envelopes. He knows what I am waiting for, he is smiling, some thin ones and a couple of fat ones. I smiled as he handed me a thin one! Yes, yes, yes, I hope they haven't changed things. I ripped it open. Passed, yes passed.

Una Cameron SRN RMN has a wonderful ring to it. Now was my time to decide what I was going to do with my life. First get rid of Ron. Second, decide whether I wanted to apply for a permanent position here. I have lived in Edinburgh all my life, now could be the time to have a break, to live a little.

Things came to a head a few days later, following an argument with Ron he lashed out at me. He became apologetic straight away but that was it, I threw him out with the help of a couple of the girls in the home and the threat of getting some men over.

I think that is what helped me make a decision to move. I bought the Nursing Times and the Nursing Mirror, both are 60 percent job adverts. I applied for four jobs and the first reply I received was for a little hospital in Northumberland. Not the place to go for promotion prospects but ideal for a break after years of studying, perhaps for a year or so.

Northumberland wasn't far from Scotland, actually next door. A good place to start.

I went for the interview, not sure whether I wanted the job, a rest would be great but I should really be concentrating on my career. I drove down from Edinburgh on a beautiful morning. My tape of the Bat out of Hell album playing. As I left the A1 and started hitting the country roads, the scenery changed for the better.

You know when everything goes right, okay a lot rarer than days when everything goes wrong. This was a beautiful day in a beautiful place and when I arrived at the hospital the view was amazing and I was greeted by a pleasant young staff nurse.

She showed me around the place, quite small. The main thing was that she seemed so happy here. When I arrived at the office for the interview I was in such a good mood and feeling so confident that I got the job as a staff nurse to start in two weeks.

Back in Edinburgh I informed the management that I was not taking up a position there. I packed my stuff and following a boozy night at the social club, with a hangover I set off for Northumberland.

The hospital was in the main a joy to work at, I was on the male ward, the only female actually, several untrained nursing assistants and a charge nurse who worked opposite shifts to me.

He is a good bit older than me, in his forties I would think, also double trained like me. We crossed each day we were on together and chatted with a cup of tea while we handed over, rarely much to handover, little changed.

I had only been working there for six weeks when it was decided that the ward was to be redecorated while we only had fourteen patients. We were to be moved to a couple of units that were currently not used.

The hospital was originally built for TB patients, built of wood so that it could be burnt down.

All the rooms had at one time been open fronted to let in the fresh air. I'm told that in winter the first job in the morning was to empty ice out of the water glasses and refill them.

Things have changed thankfully thanks to antibiotics. We were moved to a small unit D ward with eight beds where the office and facilities were and an even smaller unit E ward with six beds and little else.

The hospital was built in layers down the slope and the eight bed unit was the lowest with the six bedder just above it. We brought the patients from the six bedder down to the day room each morning.

There were two trained night nurses Graham and Brenda, who worked regular shifts opposite each other. Graham was on annual leave and I'd been asked to work his two lots of four nights.

The easiest work I have had in my short nursing career, the first four nights went smoothly and finished with Jackie using the kitchen to cook the best fry-up I have ever had. The Cumberland sausage was mouth watering.

During my second stint I was sitting in the night office reading and trying to stay awake when a strange sound came from an old glass fronted cupboard. It looked like it hadn't been opened for years.

I had not even noticed it before, I looked closely at it. There were six cream painted metal boxes with glass fronts. Each front was frosted apart from a clear circle in the centre. Behind each circle could be seen a pendulum type thing. Apart from one labelled E ward, the pendulum was swinging and making the racket.

"Someone's died," Moira was walking past and had heard it. She has worked here since the TB days.

"What?" I said.

"Someone on E ward has died, that's when the old alarms go off," he reiterated.

"I thought they were disconnected, they've taken them all off up here."

"Oh they are, they were disconnected years ago, they didn't bother taking them out of D and E wards as they aren't used, but they are all disconnected.

"Then why is that doing that?" I asked, pointing at the rattling box.

"Because somebody's died." She was talking to me as if I was stupid and couldn't understand what she was saying. I understood perfectly what she was saying, I just couldn't believe it.

"You better phone, Len's down there."

"Better than that, I need a bit of fresh air. I'll take a walk down and see for myself." It was a warm night and I didn't even put a coat on. The moon was full so I didn't need to switch my torch on.

When I reached D ward I found Len with his feet up reading. "We need to go and check on E ward," I told him.

"I was up there a half of an hour ago doing the back round, everything's fine."

"Let's check anyway," I insisted. We are going to find nothing wrong. I turned and started up to E, Len followed. I'm not worried about dead bodies as someone once told me 'it's the live ones you need to look out for.'

We opened E wing door and immediately could hear the rattle. Fuck! Looking back I suppose it could be the death rattle. At the second room, the little disconnected box beside the door, similar to those in the night office, the pendulum thing was swinging from side to side.

I looked for a logical explanation, there is always a logical explanation, there was no logical explanation. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and a shiver went down my spine.

Len's story

I work at a hospital mainly for the elderly who have suffered a stroke or similar. Up until I started working here I was a junior analytical chemist commonly known as a lab assistant.

It was my dream all through school my aim was to be a scientist and here I was analysing electroplating solutions mainly but other specialised jobs. I attended college once a week and was in my third and final year for ONC, Ordinary National Certificate. This was to be followed by HNC.

I was on a two week camping holiday in the Northumberland and Durham area. I did this annually, often on my own, sometimes with a friend. I enjoy the countryside, hills and fells. I have covered the Lake District and North Wales and decided to see the north east.

This year I was alone and had spent a week starting in Durham and moving up to Northumberland. Two days of almost constant rain was pissing me off. As much as I love this life it's no fun in the heavy rain. I booked into a hotel for the night and by sod's law it stopped raining.

I took a trip to the laundrette to wash and dry my clothes. I have the bare minimum as I have to carry everything including a one man tent and a sleeping bag. Cooking equipment, a small gas stove and one pan. I bought food whenever I hit a town or village.

As it had stopped raining I randomly walked east until I hit a small village. I stopped in the pub. Where I had chicken and chips in a basket served by the landlady. Somehow we got talking about her job when she is not helping out in the pub. She is an enrolled nurse at the hospital.

"They are looking for Nursing Assistants, there is accommodation with the job," she told me. What a decision. Leave my secure job just a few weeks away from my exam and probably good prospects for the future.

Or a pretty much dead end job, certainly one with no prospects in a hospital with old people. I can't do that can I? Damn right I can, to live in this beautiful place I would do any work.

I phoned and arranged an interview. Just think if I lived here just on days off I could do so much. Perhaps go to the Lake District and climb all the Wainwrights or Scotland and climb the Munroes. The things that can be done in two days when you are on the doorstep.

I have to get the job first of course and I had not brought any clothes suitable for an interview. I booked another night at the hotel and selected my most appropriate clothes. I even borrowed an iron and pressed a rough shirt.

They must have been short of applicants and I got the job.

To my surprise I actually enjoyed working there. I enjoyed the freedom to walk in the wilds of Northumberland. When we did split shifts eight til one and four til eight I would spend much of that three hours walking the local fells.

To walk in the pub and your beer being pulled before you get to the bar, the money wasn't good but I was loving my life. Even having to work nights sometimes.

It was while I was on night duty that Una came into the ward with some nonsensical tale about alarms going off and someone dead. Ghost stories are probably prevalent around hospitals, that's where lots of people die after all.

Up on E ward an alarm was rattling away outside Tommy's room.

We went in, little Tommy looked so peaceful but he had died, still warm but very dead. Una checked his pulse at the wrist and neck, there was nothing. "We must leave him for an hour before we lay him out," she said, as she went to open a window.

"Why?" I asked. I'd never seen a dead person before and I had grown quite fond of little Tommy.

"To allow the soul to leave the body," she said. I looked enquiringly at her. "It's what I was taught by the nursing staff on the wards and it doesn't do any harm.

I was churning up inside, perhaps it was Tommy's soul leaving his body that set the alarm off. "Is that why you opened the window?"

"Yes, daft I know. I will have to contact the matron and let her know about the death," she said, pulling the sheet over his head.

We went to the office and Una phoned the matron, I made a brew. "I've never seen a dead body before," I told Una.

"I've always been the help to the person in charge. This is my first one while I am the senior person. This is only my third." We sat in silence for a while, deep in our own thoughts.

"What do you think set off those old alarms?" I asked. Why? I don't know, I don't suppose she has any more idea than I have.

"Who knows? I don't. I do know that the one outside the door and the one in the night office were going."

"An alarm went off in your office? I didn't know there was one," I said.

"Yes that's why I came down here, Moira told me it meant someone had died. I didn't believe her, it's so ridiculous so I came to see for myself."

"It is ridiculous, isn't it?"

"Yes, ridiculous, although it did happen and I can't think of a logical explanation."

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio than are dreamt of in your philosophy." I said, quoting Shakespeare, very appropriate in the circumstances.

She looked at me as if seeing me for the first time, she had pale blue eyes and wavy blond hair. Was I looking at her for the first time? Something had happened between us.

Don't get me wrong I saw her as an attractive young lady, the day she started working here. Slim, blond with decent tits. What wasn't to like? This was different, this was not lust, I lust after most attractive females, this was more.

Our eyes remained locked. "Do you like laying people out?" I asked. How fucking stupid can you get? Of course she doesn't, what a stupid thing to say. She raised an eyebrow questioningly. She started to giggle, it was infectious, I giggled.

Una

What a shock, Tommy was dead, the warning was true, it's fucking stupid, it can't happen. I straightened him out, his stiffness in life all gone, closed his eyes and covered his face. I opened the window.

Leaving them for an hour is normal practice, opening the window I got from my favourite ward sister when I was training. Len and I had a brew and discussed the alarms. There was no sensible explanation.

I will say that in my years of nursing I have never had another ghostly experience. I have worked at hospitals where staff have reported seeing ghosts but have never seen or heard anything.

Back to the past. Len quoted Shakespeare, from Hamlet which fitted perfectly. I looked at him and the world froze! I took him in all at once, his beautiful smile, his curly brown hair and his big brown eyes I could fall into.

He broke the silence asking if I liked laying people out, what a stupid thing to say but I couldn't think of anything. I giggled followed by him giggling. There was an embarrassed silence when the phone rang. Moira asked who had died.

How can they take it so much for granted? It's impossible. "Tommy," I said.

"Right," she said and put the phone down.

The doctor arrived as it was an unexpected death the doctor had to confirm it before we performed the last offices. He stayed a few minutes and was gone, death confirmed.

I went to the main building and picked up the Last Offices box and Len and I did the job. I'll spare you the details. We lifted him onto a trolley and wrapped in sheets we pushed him up the slope to 'Rose cottage' which was a garage type of building with a berth on each side.

As the whole place is on a slope there is a story of someone leaving the trolley to unlock the door and the trolley rolled down the path. I don't know if this is true but I made sure it didn't happen to us.

The rest of the shift was uneventful. I handed it over to the day staff and went to my room.

Len

What a night! My first death, poor old Tommy. The alarm thing was going around my brain. I decided to have a glass of whisky, strange to normal people drinking whisky at nine in the morning, not so much to night nurses.

I had just poured myself a glass when there was a knock at the door. Strange; I went to the door and opened it. Una was standing there, still in uniform. "I don't want to be on my own just now," she was near tears.

"Come in," I said, standing aside. She walked in. "I am having a Scotch. Would you like one?" I said and had this fleeting thought that went through my mind: 'I would love to give you one.' sick in the circumstances.

"Yes please, do you have anything to put in it?" It's a single malt you only add ice or water. Although I could make an exception for Una. "I think I have some lemonade but soda water would be better, it's very good Scotch."

I poured her a large one and added some soda water. "Cheers," I said.

"What a strange night, I think it will take me some time to get over it," she said.

"Me too," I agreed.

"Can I stay here with you?" she asked.

"Of course you can, I'm glad of the company," I replied. We made ourselves comfortable next to each other sitting with our backs to the headboard. We sipped our whisky and mulled over the events of the night.

"I'm going to ask if they will check that there is no connection up to the main building," she said.

"Even if there was, it would not explain everything." I offered. I got up and poured more whisky for both of us. She fell asleep with her head on my shoulder, I managed to take the empty glass off her and eased her down the bed. I lay next to her, facing away to avoid any temptation.

I had not changed so was wearing a shirt and trousers. I unfastened the top button on my trousers as they were quite tight. Like Una I had kicked my shoes off. We were both so tired we slept.

I had the wildest of dreams: ghosts and alarms. Death with his scythe, dead people, Tommy. And Una, I could smell her, it was so real she was holding my dick!

Una

What a night, the impossible alarm and nice little Tommy's death. There was no way I was going to sleep. I need company and Len is the only one who will understand.

I knocked at his door and he let me in. I know that something happened between us. He offered me some whisky and we slept together in his bed. I felt safe and secure.

I fell asleep and had weird dreams, weirdest was that I was holding his dick! He was on his back and I had my hand in his trousers. I was bending forward to put it in my mouth.

"What, whaaaat," said Len, waking me. I had his dick in my hand and my mouth was only inches away from it.

Oh shit. "I'm sorry," I said, pulling away from his dick.

"Don't apologise I was enjoying that while I slept, it was the shock of waking and finding it was real that made me exclaim. Do carry on please," he begged.

Why not? I thought. My light blue uniform dress had a zip down the front which went nearly all the way down. I pulled it down all the way and pulled my bra up over my boobs.

I held his dick again and he was soon playing with my boobs. I tried to get my boobs up to his mouth while I worked on his dick.

"I want you to hold me tight and fuck me," I told him, I needed him so much. He took his mouth off my nipple and got off the bed. He quickly took all his clothes off and standing in front of me displayed a very nice erection.

He pulled me up and kissed me while he pushed my dress down, unfastened my bra and with my help removed my knickers. I put my arms round his neck, pressed my boobs into his chest and my stomach into his dick as we kissed.

He picked me up and lay me back on the bed, instead of getting on top of me and fucking me he spread my legs and started licking my pussy. No, please, let me have a bath or shower before you do that.

His tongue was in me before I could protest, I felt so dirty. I grabbed his dick. "Fuck me please," I was begging now. He obeyed, on top of me, his dick in me and kissing me, his face covered in my juices.

"Yes," I screamed as I had my first orgasm, I had the feeling there would be more. He carried on fucking me, kissing me and squeezing my nipples. I had another orgasm, arched my back, almost throwing him off. I grabbed his bum to pull him further in and wrapped my legs around him to make sure he didn't escape.

With the final violent thrust he climaxed, I don't know how much of his semen entered me, it seemed like a lot. And by the state of the sheet afterwards it was a lot.

We lay in each other's arms, panting and sweating. I could have stayed like that forever, no I couldn't, "I need a pee," I said. I put my dress on, there were three other people in the residence so I needed to cover up. Being seen coming out of Len's room would set the jungle drums going.

I sat on the toilet thinking twenty four hours ago I would not have expected any of what had happened and not in the situation I was in. I don't mean sitting on the toilet I mean having the wonderful feeling of being delectably fucked.

I looked at my watch and it had just gone five. We both need to be working at eight o'clock.

Len

Wow! My dream came true, literally. She asked me to fuck her! I will but first I wanted to taste her. Although there was a mild protest I got my tongue into her womanly smelling pussy.

She is gorgeous, her pussy, her nipples, her lips. She came twice, I came once but made up for the amount I pumped into her. She went to the loo and there was an awkward moment when she came back into my room.

Standing we looked at each other, she had her uniform dress on, I was naked, my dick half hard. She blushed, I smiled, grabbed her, pulled her in and kissed her, she kissed me back and threw her arms around my neck.

"We have to be working again in a few hours. The canteen is open for the next hour, I need a shower and some food," she said. If you take that dress off we could have another round." I was pulling her zip down. All the awkwardness went and we were back on the bed again.

This time it was slow and loving, both naked, I sucked her tits, I looked into her light blue eyes and I fucked her. We giggled and laughed and kissed and fucked. I tried not to but I came too soon, she didn't seem to mind.

We had to rush to have showers and I went to the dining room before her. We ate, I finished before her and went for a lie down in my room. I went onto E ward and had a chat with Joe and Harry, the day staff who were going off duty.

Some of the patients were in bed and I watched TV with those who were up before I started putting them to bed. I settled down with a brew and some TV and thought about my good fortune.

I only saw Una for a while during the night on her one visit. "We are both off for a few days after tonight," she said. "I am having a shower in the morning, it would be nice if you did too before you come to my room."

"I will," I said. Bloody right I will, I did wonder where we were going after the excitement of yesterday.

Una

I did any medications that needed doing, helped put a few of the women to bed, checked on C ward where the most able patients were. I sat on my own in the office for a couple of hours contemplating where I was at. And where I was at with Len.

I think our joint I'd like to say adversity although that is not the word. It was something we went through together which joined us, ending up joining us literally. We were beautifully joined.

Do I want to be 'joined' again? Damn right I do. I will wait until morning. I went on my visit to E ward as normal. I told him to have a shower before coming to my room.

"To pre-empt any gossip we will go down to the village tonight, have a meal in the pub and by morning the whole hospital staff, the village and probably half of Northumberland will know we are together. If they don't already know. I am making an assumption that is what you want?"

"Of course, that is what I want," he replied. After a brief kiss I went back to my office. It was a long, boring night. I resisted the urge to go and see Len, I had difficulty reading my book.

The day staff eventually turned up and I handed what little there was to handover and set off for my room. I stripped, wrapped myself in a housecoat and went to one of the showers. I closed the door but did not lock it, I didn't get a welcome or even an unwelcome visitor.

I cleaned my teeth, put on a little makeup and returned to my room. Naked I waited for Len hoping he would bring the whisky, I could get used to drinking it. He came in without knocking and kissed me. I could smell the whisky on his breath.

"You've had a drink, didn't you bring the bottle?" I asked innocently.

"Sorry," he said and disappeared to return with the bottle. He poured two glasses, took his dressing gown off and we sat and sipped, comfortable and smiling, not in any rush, we knew what was going to happen when we were ready.

"Another?" he asked.

Why not? "Yes please," I said and he poured us each another. Have you ever felt comfortable in silence with someone? No need to speak. I smiled to myself, I had a plan.

I finished my drink and handed the glass to Len. In one movement using my vast ballet knowledge, three months of classes when I was eight, I pirouetted round in one fluid progression finishing on my knees between his legs with his dick in my mouth.

Len

How did that happen? I'm sitting here with an empty glass in each hand and this beautiful blue eyed blond at my feet sucking my dick. Those startling eyes looking up at me. That warm smooth mouth, that tongue, those eyes.

She held my dick, lifted it and her tongue moved down to my balls, my tingling balls. Her tongue came slowly, oh so slowly up my dick, those eyes on mine. Just as she was approaching the head I climaxed! It came as a shock to me and certainly to Una.

I sprayed over her face, still her eyes were on mine. I was so embarrassed. I pulled her up, swung her round, not elegant but effective and kissed her. I held her in place and kissed down her body until I was kneeling between her legs looking up at those eyes.

My heart was pounding as I tentatively sucked on her clitoris, sheathing it with my lips and teasing it with my tongue. Taking the lead from her I kept eye contact all the time. I lifted her legs and penetrated her gorgeous pussy with my tongue.

I pushed her legs higher and licked her arse. She tensed and then relaxed, she smiled, looking down at me, her face and hair painted with my sperm. I continued, centering on her pussy I pushed my tongue in as far as I could.

I moved back onto her clitoris and inserted two fingers into her pussy. How can I make up for me ejaculating so quickly? Leaving my fingers in situ I pounced on her tits.

I could feel my dick rising again, Using both hands I held her tits, I licked some of my sperm off her face. Looming over her, balanced on my elbows I looked down at her. Her blue eyes gave a startled look as my dick entered her pussy. To my surprise she climaxed within seconds.

We held on to each other, face to face giving each other brief butterfly kisses. One of those occasions that should never end. Neither one of us wanted it to. Obviously it did, we all drink plenty of tea on night duty.

"You had better go to your room now, we need the rest which won't happen if you are here," she laughed. I went for a pee and to my room.

Una

The look of surprise on his face was a gem. I had it planned, I was going to get him so worked up and then have wonderful sex. Len had not read the script. As I ran my tongue up his dick a projectile of sperm hit my face, into my hair, my mouth, I had to close my eyes until the shower was over.

I opened my eyes, Len looked as surprised as me. Also ashamed and flustered. He swung me round and somehow ended up with him kneeling between my legs. He was doing wonderful things with my bud then lifted my legs and started licking my bum!

Yow, I err I. I don't know, I think I like it. He was soon back on my clit, my boobs and kissing me. He did not stop looking at me. He was above me leaning down. He licked some of the sperm off my face and somehow his dick found its way into me.

I got the fuck I had promised myself, looking into his big brown eyes I was swallowed up, in no time I had a fantastic orgasm.

I sent him to his room. I was shattered. I needed to sleep and that wouldn't happen if we were together.

I woke feeling refreshed and optimistic. Len seemed like a really nice guy. I'm no virgin, even before yesterday. My life has been quite ordinary, fumbling in the back of the pictures. They had double seats on the back row of one cinema.

Fending boys off in the early years to full sex when I was nurse training to my last one which turned out to be an abusive relationship. This felt different, we both wanted to give, to please the other but were willing to accept being pleased. If that makes sense.

I fell out with my parents years ago so all my worldly goods are in this room. It is quite a big room for nurses quarters. It was for the senior staff when it was a busy TB hospital.

I ate my sandwiches. The ones put out for the night staff as they are obliged to feed us. Because we had a fry up I had saved them. I put a housecoat on and armed with an expensive, smelly bubble bath, a book and a mug of tea I went to the bathroom and locked the door.

I lay back in the warmth, reading and drinking my tea. When the water got a bit chilly I topped it up with hot. I was so relaxed. I washed, shaved my legs, underarms and trimmed my pubes.

I washed and dried my hair, sprayed on some perfume and decided what to wear. I didn't want to look as though we were going to some swanky restaurant after all we were going to the local pub but a dress. My black mini dress.

We could get the hospital minibus down to the village but would have to walk back. Over half a mile in heels! I could drive down and not drink, no this is a special night, our first date. I know the first date usually comes before the first sex but what the hell.

My sexy black dress did not look over the top. I had a black mesh all in one, my ex had bought me. With black stockings I looked very sexy, I hope Len thinks so. I did my makeup and was just finishing off my hair when Len knocked on the door.

He looked very smart in slacks a white shirt, striped tie and sports jacket. We went to the minibus which was going to the village to pick up the night staff. The gossip spiral started as we got out of the bus and the night staff got in.

We went into the pub, the landlady was pulling a pint as soon as we got in the door. "Vodka and orange," the landlady enquired as she gave Len his pint.

"Yes please," I said.

There were a few locals in and a few visitors. We looked at the menu, there was no need really, chicken or fish in a basket followed by ice cream. We ordered, including a bottle of white wine. He selected a table a bit secluded from the rest.

We sat down opposite each other, touching hands and looking into each other's eyes. Jean the landlady came with a bottle of wine in an ice bucket. And a candle! A romantic candle. I think that sealed the deal we have been accepting as a couple. The whole village will know by morning.

Len leaned across and kissed me, we were both laughing. The visitors wondered what was happening.

Trust Jean, no half measures, A candle, I've never seen a candle on a table before. Not the thing with chips in a basket. Jean turned up with the food followed by her daughter. She put the baskets down, turned and took a plate of bread and butter. "Bread and butter as sir likes it," she said.

Len burst out laughing. "When I ordered the first meal here I asked Jean not to cut the bread in that fancy diagonal as it was no good for making chip butties. She served the bread not cut at all and it has been a standing joke ever since."

He treated this as a proper romantic meal and didn't make a chip butty.

We left the pub hand in hand. "While they are talking about us they're leaving someone else alone," I said. We slowly walked back to the hospital, my shoes were killing me. Halfway, I can't stand it any more.

"I have to take my shoes off, my feet are killing me. Heels are not made for this terrain," I complained.

"You do look good in them," he said.

"I'm not really a heels girl," I replied.

"You should be, in that dress and those shoes, your legs look so long and as for your arse, well let me say delicious."

Wow, it sent shivers through me. As nice as my bum looks, I'm not putting the shoes back on. "Thank you, but I'm not wearing them in agony just so you can look at my bum," I said.

"What a pity, let's walk on the grass," he said, also taking his shoes off. Holding hands, and shoes, we walked back to the hospital.

"Go to your room and fetch the whisky and give me five minutes to get ready, I may have a pleasant surprise for you," I ordered.

"Yes, staff nurse," he said.

I used the bathroom and back in my room I put the dreaded shoes back on and took the dress off. Standing by the bed I anxiously waited for Len to show up.

Len

Holding the Scotch tight and feeling so nervous, for fuck sake we had been at it like rabbits, there is no need for nerves. Get in there and jump on her. I knocked on the door.

"Come in," she shouted.

She was standing there, looking at me, looking fucking gorgeous. She was wearing a black thing made of mesh, most of it see through, it might be a basque. It covered her tits, perhaps I should rephrase that, it went over her tits but was pretty much see through and covered nothing. Down past her stomach ending in suspenders holding up black stockings. Matching black knickers. Most surprising of all she had put her shoes back on.

Looking at me she slowly turned round until her back was to me, she was looking over her shoulder and smiling. God, those legs, that arse, that smile. Eyes locked together I walked to her, I put the bottle down and kissed her, hand holding the back of her head.

She eased round, I kept my hand on her head and my other hand on her arse. I felt dizzy, she had done this for me, my head was spinning. My dick was rock hard, pressing into her.

Holding her arse with two hands now I leaned back and looked directly into her pale blue eyes. "Thank you," I whispered. "Thank you for being so gorgeous. Thank you for having me. Thank you for wearing this and being so sexy." I was squeezing her arse and gently swaying so my dick was rubbing against her.

She took my tie off and unbuttoned my shirt, kissing my chest she unfastened my belt and then trousers. "I want you to make love to me slowly, and gently at least to start with," she gasped, holding my erect dick.

"I want to make love to you as well," I didn't want to take her sexy clothes off. I compromised by going down on my knees and removing her knickers. Helping myself to a taste of her pussy topped by newly trimmed pubic hair.

She obviously wished me to continue with my mouth on her pussy for now as she held my head in place. I rubbed her arse. She has gone to so much trouble, dressing in that lingerie and wearing those shoes. I really want to please her. I spent some time on her clitoris but the time was coming where I need to fuck her.

Keeping my hands on her arse I lifted her and smoothly laid her on the bed. I pulled the top down on one side to access her nipple.

"Rip it off," she ordered. What! Slow, gentle sex does not include ripping sexy underwear off. "Rip it off, now." She was becoming agitated. I held both sides of the bra-bit of the basque and pulled my arms apart, slicing it right down the middle.

"Yes," she exclaimed and I latched on to a nipple. "Yes, yes." She held my head and pulled me up and kissed me, her hand going down and guiding me into her pussy.

I fucked her slow and gentle, the ripped lingerie making things even more erotic. I was looking down at her red face, her blue eyes wet but staring intensely into mine. We kissed gently every now and then.

"Faster, harder," she appealed. I ignored her, I wanted to keep her wanting. "Please, please." I slowly built up speed.

"You are so wonderful I want this to last forever, I want my dick in your lovely, tight pussy," I whispered, kissing her ear and neck.

"Please, just fuck me." I think she's ready. I pulled right out and slammed back in, continuing fucking her as hard as I could. I was close to climax and by the way she was moaning and her legs coming up she wasn't far either.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!" she exclaimed. Which allowed me to relax and give it to her.

Una

The lingerie had certainly had the desired effect. But it was given to me by my ex as a birthday present, it was my birthday although the present was really for him. I felt dirty, a fraud; Len deserved better. I demanded he rip it off me and when he did it released me! I felt desired for me not just a cunt that needs fucking.

Right now I have a cunt that needs fucking good and hard. I got Len to do the deed. We both climaxed. "Please get me a drink of your whisky," I said, kicking my shoes off. I finished it in one gulp.

"That's an expensive single malt that should be savoured not just thrown back," he was pretending to be annoyed.

"Pour me another and I'll savour it, I needed that one," I confessed. He obligingly poured another. "My ex gave me this underwear and it suddenly made me feel dirty and you deserve better."

He was lying next to me on the bed. "I'll buy some new lingerie for you to enjoy," I said.

"I'll enjoy you whatever you are wearing or not wearing," He smiled. I wriggled out of the remains of the basque and threw it towards the door.

"I think that I have got rid of one ghost from my past, what about the one from the other night?" I asked, I had tried to ignore it and I must admit Len has certainly taken my mind off it. "You are the only other witness, it did happen didn't it?"

"It happened and I can't explain it," was all he could really offer.

"It must have happened before, Moira knew that someone had died when she saw the alarm going," I said. "She's been here for years, I wonder if it happened when the alarm was connected. When was it disconnected?"

"We could find out from John, he would have disconnected it. How long ago was this ward last used before now?" he asked. Lots of questions we could find the answers to but I doubt whether the problem would be solved.

We lay together face to face both lost in our own thoughts about it. "It did happen didn't it?" I asked.

"It happened alright," he replied and after a while: "You still have your stockings on, Can I take them off?"

May I take your stockings off, I thought. Going back to how my dad always corrected me. I didn't correct him. "Yes please," I answered. He threw the sheet back and I immediately saw he had another erection. I had unfastened the suspenders when I threw the basque away but the stockings had pretty much remained up.

Kneeling between my legs he ran his hands up my leg. As he slowly pulled the stocking down he kissed the inside of my thigh as each inch was uncovered. He went right up my leg, down actually as he had lifted it. He licked my feet and sucked my toes.

I had walked half the way home without shoes on! He repeated the action with the other foot. He licked all the way up my leg and into my pussy which was ready and willing. He sucked on my clit.

"Fuck me please," I asked. What he was doing to my clit was driving me wild but I needed him in me. Deep in me, scratching that itch, taming the fire. He was in me, the fire wasn't tamed it was reignited. "Yeeeeeees," I yelled, as soon as he entered me.

It wasn't an orgasm, it was something else, something I have never experienced before. My nipples were so hard they were stabbing Len in the chest, I was so sensitive all over. He kissed my neck and even this sent shivers down my spine and to my pussy.

My orgasm was out of this world. I hope Len's back soon recovers, he's lucky that being a nurse my nails aren't too long. He seemed to be getting on board with me and rammed into me with a vengeance. Both of us hit the heights.

We lay together facing each other and smiling. "Sorry," I said. "Let me do something about your back." I retrieved my first aid kit and made him lie on his stomach. Hell, I have made a mess of his back, his bum looks good like this though. In other circumstances I would have smacked it.

I treated his back and we both prepared for bed. We slept together in my bed.

Len

She can be a real wildcat in bed! I don't like pain but in the moment her ecstasy it was such a turn on. It was fucking wonderful.

In the morning I was woken up with a cup of tea, served by a beautiful naked girl. "What shall we do today?" Una asked. I could think of several things, none of them involved leaving this room.

"Well, we could stay here." She looked at me with a look that said think again. Perhaps we needed a rest. "We will go into town and buy you some decent walking boots and we will do some rambling to get them and you broken in and when you are ready we will walk the length of Hadrian's wall."

"What!" she exclaimed.

"It will be fun, we could camp, snuggled together in a double sleeping bag," I tried to convince her.

"What about washing and toilets and food?" she asked.

"There are camp sites with all the amenities, showers and toilets and believe it or not I am a great cook on a camping stove."

"I must admit that I have got to see," she laughed. That was the beginning of our long term relationship, not that sex wasn't involved.

We bought Una some boots and other essential equipment and rambled some of the local wild places, even wild camping a couple of times.

We arranged a fortnight's leave to walk the wall starting at the appropriately named Wallsend. We stayed the first night in a posh hotel, chilled wine, a lovely meal, and a kingsize bed. We set off in excellent humour, we camped and walked occasionally stopping off at a pub.

Our relationship became even stronger. We relied on each other as you do when in this situation. We have relied on each other over the events around Tommy's death. Una often says: "It did happen didn't it, the alarm, you saw it?" I would reassure her, I know it happened but I don't know how.

We took photos of each other standing next to the sycamore tree, also known as the hanging tree, at sycamore gap. There was something about the area, something intangible, dare I say ghostly about the place. It seems silly now but we decided to camp under the tree! Because of our experience that night in the hospital.

After a delicious meal of sausage and beans, cooked with my fair hands we undressed, not easy in a little tent and climbed naked into the sleeping bag. We held each other and talked about that night. Nothing happened.

One minute we were laying in the sleeping bag and time stopped; something happened.

Something happened! Something changed. We changed. We no longer needed each other, no longer dependent on each other. We just wanted each other. It was as if a weight had been lifted. The sex was great that night.

We packed up early and were on our way before anyone caught us. I'm pleased to say that the only trace we had been there was a flat patch of grass.

Una

I have enjoyed the walking and camping and after last night's epiphany I feel great. Relieved, settled and we made love in a relaxed way. Len was insistent that we leave, he says we should not have camped there and could be in trouble.

Our next stop was at the beautifully named Haltwistle where we booked into a hotel. We were sitting in the bar with a drink. "I feel great, what happened?" I didn't mean to make it another problem, it was a solution. "It doesn't matter, I feel better."

"Yes me too, let us just say things have sorted themselves out," Len said. The imperative to walk the wall no longer existed, we had reached our goal.

"Let's stay here for a few days," I suggested.

"Good idea," he agreed.

Our relationship had changed but was still as strong. Things may have remained the same but fate in the form of the hospital being closed.

It was months after our wall walk we sat down and discussed our future. "They have offered me the chance to do nurse training in Newcastle. I have to take a test but should not have any problems passing it. I want to do mental health," Len said.

I think he wants me to take a job in the hospital in Newcastle. I want to progress, having taken this time off it is time to think about my career. "There is little prospect for promotion in a big old mental hospital. I have applied for a staff nurse post in a teaching hospital in Manchester, a good springboard," I told him.

"Manchester isn't far away, we can see each other regularly. Phone and write."

We did for about a year. I think perhaps being apart was therapeutic for both of us. I was headhunted to go to a private hospital in a unit based on group therapy. I became very involved with the work and less involved with Len.

A year went by and I loved my work. I wanted to become a leader, to run things myself. I applied for a job in Portsmouth in charge of a day hospital. You don't get much further away from Newcastle and we were even further apart not just miles.

I had a few flings with men I met but nothing serious. I was there several years when I saw an advert for a new therapeutic unit in Norfolk. To be the senior in charge.

It was a brand new building in the grounds of a medium sized hospital. I did not have that much to do with the rest of the place, the unit was isolated and I was autonomous.

I was sitting in my office one morning when I heard: "Good morning, I'm here to introduce myself. I am the new Nursing Officer."

It was Len, my heart flipped, I realised how much I had missed him, how much I loved him. I stood, threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. Luckily there were no others present, not the way to behave in front of your staff.

He grabbed my arse and lifted me, I wrapped my legs round him. "I'm pleased to see you too," he said, laughing. That laugh I recalled from years ago. He put me down.

"Would you take this morning's group while I explain to Mr Clarkson what we do here?" laughed Marsha.

"Yes thank you, that would be very nice," I said. "Now bugger off." They left the office laughing. Marsha gave me a wink.

"That was embarrassing," I said feeling a little coy. "It's so good to see you, I didn't realise how much I've missed you, I've been so involved."

"It's good to see you too, I've missed you." He held me, he kissed me. I led him round the desk and we sat opposite each other, close together, his knees between mine. I was wearing jeans.

"How did you get here? Tell me everything. I'm sorry we lost touch, I've missed you." I splurted out.

"I completed training and immediately moved to Leeds and got a staff nurse post. It was your idea to go to a teaching hospital as the way forward. Having nothing to tie me down I moved around searching for promotion, I am quite an expert interviewee."

"How did you get here?"

"I was a senior charge nurse so the next step up was to be a nursing officer. I applied here and got the job. I had only been here a few hours when I saw your name on the off duty sheets, so here I am."

"Didn't you know I was here?"

"No, but I'm glad you are."

"So you are my boss?"

"Yes and as your boss you will join me this evening for a meal and afterwards we will see if we, well we will see," he said.

"Yes sir," I replied. Oh god, my heart is going to burst, keep cool. We spent the next ten minutes in comfortable silence. Going round my head were the things we did in the past. "Do we have to wait?"

"It's my first day, I can hardly take time off. This evening then, where is a good restaurant?"

"The Bridge Hotel, I will book a table," I offered.

"Right then, I'll be off." he left. Fate? Or something more sublime, celestial. I said a silent prayer. "Thank you Tommy," I said quietly.

I went home, I had bought a house, a small two bed which is decorated to my taste. I showered and dressed, a little black dress. I took a taxi picking Len up on the way. We had a wonderful meal and a taxi back to my house.

Len

What a day, new job and Una all in one day. I was astounded to see Una's name.

We had the meal and returned to Una's little house. She went to a cupboard and pulled out a familiar bottle of single malt, she poured two glasses. She handed one to me.

She took a sip of the Scotch. "Give me five minutes and come up," she said as she ascended the stairs. She was walking in heels as though she was born in them.

This situation seemed so familiar, I took a big swig of the Scotch

She was standing there, looking at me, looking fucking gorgeous. She was wearing a cream mesh body, most of it see through. It covered her tits, it went over her tits but was pretty much see through and covered nothing. Down past her stomach ending in suspenders holding up white stockings. Matching cream knickers.

Looking at me she slowly turned round until her back was to me, she was looking over her shoulder and smiling. God, those legs, that arse, that smile. Just as I remembered. Our eyes locked together I walked to her.

My mind flashed back to her in the black, of the nursing home and then back to now. The way she looked over her shoulder. I put my arms round her and hands on her tits. I kissed her neck, her lips and squeezed her tits.

She turned, put her arms round my neck and kissed me pushing herself into my erection. We moved towards the bed and I fell on top of her.

"Don't rip it," she laughed, thinking back. "It was just last week and I was thinking of you when I bought it, believe it or not."

Last week! Thinking of me? Kismet?

I looked directly into her pale blue eyes. "Thank you," I whispered. Thank you for having me. Thank you for wearing this and being so sexy."

She undressed me "I want you to make love to me slowly, and gently at least to start with," she gasped. I'm sure she has said that before. No matter, I can't turn down an invitation like that.

I pushed the shoulder straps down and kissed her tits and sucked her nipples. She lifted her arse and pushed her knickers down. I started sucking her clit, it looked, felt and tasted as good as ever. I levered her knickers off altogether, she pulled me up, grabbed my dick and slid it into her pussy.

We made slow sensuous love with lots of kissing. "Harder," she whispered. I went in harder and faster. Pretty soon she was wriggling as she does when she is approaching orgasm. I continued we kissed, she bit my lip, I bit her ear. We orgasmed together.

We lay face to face in Una's kingsize bed as close as when we were in a single bed in her room. "I love you," Una said.

Fuck me, I wasn't expecting that, I thought that she did back then although she didn't ever say it. "I love you, too. Marry me?" I asked.

"That is no way to ask, just because you are my boss, that was almost a demand. Get on one knee and do it properly."

I jumped up, at least it wasn't a no. I didn't even know I was going to propose. I knelt on the bed, took her hand, "Una, love of my life, my only love, the one I want. Will you marry me?"

There can't be many men who have proposed with their dick pointing at the proposee. "Of course I will you daft bugger," she said and grabbed my dick. "In the absence of a ring we should celebrate with a whisky."

I can take a hint, went downstairs and fetched the Scotch and glasses.

Una

I didn't know that I was going to say that, I have thought about it, felt it for years but when we were together in the past it was too soon, we were too young. Then we weren't together and life took hold.

So this is the first opportunity and I just blurted it out, I'm glad. I'm glad I didn't think I might have chickened out. I don't regret it.

As big a surprise to me that was when he asked me to marry him it was a major shock. The temptation was just to say yes, I'd love to marry him but I'll make him suffer. I made him get on his knees and propose properly.

Of course I said yes and grabbed his dick that was pointing at me, it might not prove love but it does prove lust and I'll have some more of that. He reluctantly went for the drink when I asked him. We sat with backs to the headboard drinking.

"You realise we will be the centre of gossip again. We could have a good laugh if we didn't tell anybody we knew each other before they would think we got engaged within a day of meeting." I had my whisky in my right hand and his dick in my left. He had his drink in his left hand. You can guess where his right hand was.

We were happy.

We married six months later and honeymooned in a B & B in a little village in Northumberland. The hospital had gone, the pub no longer served chicken in the basket, it was posh food now. We didn't have bread and butter but if we had I bet they would have cut it diagonal.

*

I am fairly new to Literotica and often have trouble choosing a category. Although the story is based around an unexplained event that is only part of the story so I have decided to put it in 'romance'.

My father told me the story of the rattle of the alarms; he was Len. He describes what happened as I have described it. The Charge Nurse involved was a man and my father was happily married to my mother at the time and still is fifty odd years later.

The rest is fiction.

He is the most down to earth man who does not believe in ghosts but says the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when he talks about it which is not very often. He just says the Hamlet quote.

Una loosely follows the career route my father took.

I would love to have your stars and hear any comments.