Get It Straight, Or Say Good Night

Deal Me In?

"Do you think you could live without the alcohol for a bit? See how you fare?" Lou was sunbaking, stomach down close to the water's edge. The cool water lapping her toes whenever she dropped a foot in. Evie not far, happily making sandcastles with Richy and George mere metres away. "Look at Evie so grown up she is. Be at school before I blink, she will"

After the up-close encounter at the Gorilla exhibit Lou let John hold her hand and dote on her like she was the only girl in the world. Well she was, at the zoo anyway, at least. Paul and Richy settled back into their own 'normal' dispositions after Louise reattached the t-shirt to her breasts. Which John thought was gear.

The zoo and its accompanying parklands had been huge and loads of fun. They all got to pat the kangaroos and cuddle koalas, taking loads of pictures and making cracking jokes about boxing kangaroos and waiting for one of the koalas to pee on someone. Paul was brave and got a large carpet snake hung around his neck! A cassowary snapped at George as he went by with yet another bag of crisps and John managed to pick up a tame wombat, Lou snapping a picture as he beamed from ear to ear. 

Heaps of laughs, heaps of time to relax. 

Now the beach.

Serenity. 

In a small bay in quiet seclusion they mucked about and swam for hours on end.

"Not be at school for bloody years Louise! And then you'll be grand I'd think .... have the flat all to yourself" Paul stood in the shallows watching his friends kiss soft easy kisses with one another.

It was great they could forgive over and over, though Lou wasn't much on forgetting of all Johnny's sins. Paul called out, interrupting Johns fingers descending further than they should on a public, family friendly beach "If you stop drinking, I will Lennon .. What do ya say? I'm getting a bit pudgy anyway, do me good" Paul poked his flat stomach, he had nothing to worry about. But it was very nice of him to try and make John feel less alone.

John sat up from kissing Lou's shoulder blade. She had discarded the shirt, dropped the shorts and looked a picture of equally beautiful bliss and 'send him to damnation' endless skin as she lay face down on the warm sand. Her bum was covered in bikini bottoms but all he saw was an almost indecent, but very malleable behind which he caressed repeatedly. Dragging his gaze away from the small dimple he had been mesmerised by he stared off over the harbour, the water so blue and clear, boats travelling this way and that. It was relaxing, time out.

A smile curved his lips as he felt the day's goodness wash over him. Not a bad life this when there was enough hours in the day for time out and kissing Louise.

John looked at McPudgo then grinned "Ok. But I need to talk to Brian"

"Brian's not going to whinge if you stop drinking John" Louise peered back over her shoulder at John hugging his knees. "In fact, he will probably throw his very own private celebration party to celebrate" Lou giggled then "Ouch!! What'd you smack me for?!"

"You giggled and jiggled Louise. Moving target!" John laughed as she scowled at him then she lay back down flat, eyes shut tight and listened to all the boys talking around her. Evie's squeals making her eyes fly open every once in a while to check her daughter's activities.

She zoned out.

The sand was much too lovely to escape, its soft grains she let slip through her fingers over and over again as she kept her eyes closed, feeling the warm rays shine on her skin, Evie's happy gurgles and squeals all wrapping her in contentment, then John's voice broke back into her thoughts, bringing her senses quickly back to earth "I want Lou with us 100%, every time"