Every time you make a move

Move on up

Hyde park, Saturday

Freddie was standing at the edge of the playground, arms crossed and pouting as he watched Monica climbing up a rusty structure.

"Come on!" She signalled him over.

He looked around and scoffed, annoyed that Monica had dragged him to a place for children.

He didn't want to go to any galleries, he didn't want to go to any museums, he didn't want to go to a beach. He didn't know what he wanted.

"If you think my hand is going on that... that bloody pole you are mistaken!" He spat. "And what about the baby?!"

"Why?" She stopped, holding onto the pole. "The baby is the size of an almond. It'll be fine!"

He turned away and sighed, deciding to tell the truth, "darling, think about all the bottoms and crotches and whatnot that it has touched."

"Freddie," she shook her head and chuckled. "For a start, those bottoms are fully clothed in dungarees and skirts or whatever. And you're going to have to touch an actual bare one anyway because I'm not doing the nappy-changing on my own every time! Got it?"

He pouted, arms crossed.

"Oh gosh." She rolled her eyes and walked to the swings. "You'll be like a baby having a baby if you don't grow up."

He scrambled back down the climbing frame and followed, "But you're the baby! You're only 19!"

She sighed and slumped on the seat, "age-wise, but not mentally."

"Soon you will be too big for these swings, and I don't mean mentally." He giggled, but Monica shook her head and smacked his arm, causing him to let out a yelp.

"You're not the one who will have to do the hard bit" she said.

"I know, but I will try to help." he got up and went over to her, rubbing his upper arm.

"You better man-up then." she giggled as she swung gently so that her feet grazed the ground.

"Get up." He said firmly.

She stopped swinging and turned to him, hoping she hadn't annoyed him.

"...why?" She asked; she didn't want a repeat of 'the other night'.

"Just trust me..." he said a bit more gently, and she got up.

He caught hold of the seat to stop it swinging and sat down.

"What are you doing?" She giggled, and he patted his lap.

"Now you can sit." He said, and she gently made herself comfortable, her hands clasping back around the ropes.

He slung his arms around her waist like a seatbelt and rested his chin on her shoulder, "this is much nicer, isn't it?"

"So, you'll sit on a swing but you won't go down a fireman pole?"

He scoffed as she just giggled, and he shook his head.

"You clearly weren't here in the late '60s." He said.

"What, this playpark?"

"Kensington." He sighed. "It was a crazy time. Women were using it as a stripper pole during midnight rides."

She giggled, "I love it here. It'll always be crazy."

"I sometimes wish you came into my life earlier." He kissed her shoulder.

"But you needed time to explore and learn first." She said.

"Oh?"

"You know, find out more about yourself."