Post by lagunagander on Jun 17, 2007 13:20:39 GMT 1
Ronnie, Helen and George too
Part 2 of ‘When George met Ronnie’
George shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Her leg had gone numb under her. She studied a handful of notes. ‘Why can’t I concentrate? ‘she thought. ‘I don’t usually have this trouble.’ She sat another few minutes and found herself gazing into space. She stood up and wandered over to the window. People were crossing the quadrangle wrapped up warmly as it was a cold day. A couple walked past deep in conversation. They had their arms round each other and seemed oblivious to the outside world. George watched them deep in conversation and smiled. She put her new CD on for about fiftieth time that day and stared dreamily out of the window, listening to her favourite track. She joined in quietly with the chorus. ‘I wanna hold you ‘til I die, ‘til we both break down and cry…..’
She saw Helen appear and waved to her as she walked across the grass. She put the kettle on and found two clean mugs. The buzzer sounded in her room and she pressed the button to allow Helen to enter the building. A few minutes later Helen appeared at the door and came in.
“Brrr…It’s freezing out there,” she shivered.
The curtain moved with the draught. “It’s not much warmer in here,” said George. “I’ve been trying to revise, but it just won’t go in.” She made them both a drink and wrapping herself in a home made patchwork blanket sat back in her chair.
“I’m not surprised you can’t concentrate if you’re playing music as well,” said Helen. She sat on George’s bed with her coffee. “I can’t stay long, I’m going into town, so tell me if there’s anything you need. What have you been up to then? I haven’t seen you for a few weeks- well, since I brought your file back.”
“Nothing much,” replied George gloomily. “I’m fed up.”
“Not you as well!” exclaimed Helen. “Ronnie’s been a right pain for the last couple of weeks. He doesn’t seem to want to go anywhere or do anything and he won’t talk.”
George heart started beating fast at the mention of Ronnie. She looked up. “Maybe he has a lot of work on at the moment.”
“It’s no fun, I can tell you.” Helen replied. “I’ve spent most of my time cleaning my flat and organizing my finances to pass the time.” She finished her coffee and put her cup down. “I know”, she exclaimed suddenly, leaning forward. “Why don’t we go out somewhere tonight- the three of us? We could go to that new Italian in the precinct.”
George looked startled. “No, no, I was going to stay in tonight,” she protested. “I’ve got loads to do.”
“Like what?” asked Helen. “Go on, it’ll be a good laugh.”
George struggled with her feelings. She was desperate to see Ronnie again, as he was all she’d thought of since that night. She gazed at Helen and bit her lip. “I really don’t know,” she began, but Helen had already grabbed her coat and scarf from the bed and was preparing to leave.
“No arguments,” she said firmly. “We’ll meet you at the wine bar at 7.30. It’ll cheer us all up. I’ll book the meal for 8.30. I must go. ‘Bye, I’ll see myself out.” George heard her clatter down the stairs and slam the front door. She stood and watched her cross the quadrangle and waved when Helen turned and looked up at her room. George put the music on again and sat in her chair, pulling her knees up to her chin. She felt an overwhelming urge to be with Ronnie again and now she was to see him, even though they wouldn’t be alone. She felt guilty, but couldn’t help herself.
Ronnie and Helen were already in the wine bar when George arrived. When she entered, several people turned to look at her. She looked stunning. Her cheeks glowed with the cold, contrasting with her pale skin. Her long, dark hair was twisted into a roll, pinned up with a large jewelled clip. She had a huge scarf round her neck and a long, fitted coat. She unbuttoned it as she walked into the bar to show a long, ruby coloured velvet dress. It was fairly crowded and she made her way towards the bar where she knew they’d be. Her heart was thumping as she saw Ronnie and Helen.
“Hello, there,” she said confidently, although she was shaking inside.
“Hello you,” said Ronnie, bending down and kissing her lightly on the cheek.
“You look nice,” said Helen, looking George up and down.
“Thanks,” she replied. “Charity shop, jumble sale and knitted it myself,” she said, pointing to various pieces of apparel.
Helen and Ronnie laughed and George felt better. She began chattering incessantly to cover her nervousness and avoided looking at Ronnie. He handed her a glass of wine. She would have liked to gaze at him forever but was frightened that her expression would reveal her feelings. She wanted to touch her cheek where he’d kissed her and already craved a silence in her head so that she could gather her thoughts about him. ‘I feel like a silly schoolgirl with a crush,’ she thought, feeling embarrassed.
*************
They were seated at a table in the restaurant and George, now more relaxed was pleased to be opposite Ronnie. For the first time that evening she looked at him face on and he smiled at her. She smiled back and picked up the menu.
“Mmm..” she said. “Are we having a starter?”
“Of course,” said Helen. “We can start our diets on Monday again.”
“Oh no,” groaned George, pulling a face. “Deep fried mozzarella. I have to have that when it’s on the menu. I can’t say no to that.”
“So where’ve you been recently?” Ronnie asked George. “I haven’t seen you around.”
“Oh I was ordered home last weekend,” replied George. “My mother –and you don’t cross my mother - insisted I was there for my Great Aunt’s 80th birthday. I spent Sunday morning helping to make vol-au-vents and egg and cress sandwiches and Sunday afternoon feeding them to various elderly members of my family that I haven’t seen for years.”
Her eyes bright, she pulled various faces as she described her weekend. “Then,” she continued placing her hands on the edge of the table and rocking forwards, “they regaled me with hideous stories of illnesses they’ve suffered in the past and asked for advice on their current illnesses; urinary tract infections, piles, an assortment of dodgy rashes…. We went through the whole gamut of medical disorders. I just kept telling them we weren’t up to that bit yet.” She waved her arms around whilst she was talking and almost knocked Helen’s wine from her hand. “Oooh sorry Helen.” She pressed her lips together and opened her eyes wide, catching Ronnie’s eye.
He was absolutely mesmerized by her. He loved her enthusiasm, love of life and lively personality. She saw him looking at her and quickly looked away. Her dark red dress matched the colour of her lips perfectly. Strands of loose hair framed her face and he thought about the time he’d kissed her. Then the food arrived and for a while there was a companionable silence.
“Oh that’s what I was going to ask you,” said George turning to Helen. “Next Monday night there’s a sculpture exhibition on at the Civic Hall in town and I’ve got two complimentary tickets. It starts at 7.30pm. Will you come with me?”
Helen pulled a face. “If I must,” she muttered. She placed her knife and fork down and remarked thoughtfully, “Actually you know, I do really admire those people who have a huge talent for something like art and are so good they can make a living out of it.”
“So if you were more creative and had an amazing talent for something, what would you like it to be?” asked George.
Helen considered. “I don’t know. I think I’m too practical to ever be very creative.”
“Well I’d definitely be a sculptor,” said George dreamily. “And I’d use natural materials, like wood....”
Ronnie joined in. “I’d like to be a singer/songwriter in a rock band …or a professional footballer!”
Helen smiled. “It takes a certain kind of person to become a solicitor,” she said. “And you’re it. It’s not just providing clients with expert legal advice and assistance -you’ll be combining it with your people-skills to help them cope with stressful situations. Not only are you brilliant intellectually my love, but you have the knack of putting people at ease. I think you’ll make a brilliant solicitor.” Ronnie grinned then raised his eyes.
“That was delicious,” said Helen, finishing her meal. She looked all around. “Where are the loos?” She pushed out her chair and excused herself.
There was a total silence. Ronnie rested his chin on one hand and looked at George. She held his gaze which lasted several minutes. Neither of them could look away. It was as if there was an invisible force locking their eyes together. Suddenly, they both seemed to realize that this was time alone and they spoke simultaneously;
“The thing is….”
“I just wanted to say…..”
Helen re-appeared and pulled out her chair. “They’ve done the place out really well. No expense spared, which makes a change.”
George looked at Ronnie despairingly. Now the minute was gone. She suddenly felt so frustrated that she would never know what he had been going to say. She couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him again for a while, always hoping she’d bump into him somewhere. She hated living with her feelings of desperation at not seeing him, intensified when she knew Helen was. Then it made her feel guilty about having the thoughts. They paid the bill.
“We’ll see you home George. Are you staying over tonight Ronnie?”
“No, I’ve got an early start tomorrow,” he replied. He glanced at George and she couldn’t help hoping he was saying it for her benefit. They walked her back to her Halls of Residence and waited until they saw her light go on. She looked out of her window and waved to them. Then she watched miserably as Helen linked his arm and they walked on. She closed the curtains and selected her favourite track on her new CD.
************************************
Part 2 of ‘When George met Ronnie’
George shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Her leg had gone numb under her. She studied a handful of notes. ‘Why can’t I concentrate? ‘she thought. ‘I don’t usually have this trouble.’ She sat another few minutes and found herself gazing into space. She stood up and wandered over to the window. People were crossing the quadrangle wrapped up warmly as it was a cold day. A couple walked past deep in conversation. They had their arms round each other and seemed oblivious to the outside world. George watched them deep in conversation and smiled. She put her new CD on for about fiftieth time that day and stared dreamily out of the window, listening to her favourite track. She joined in quietly with the chorus. ‘I wanna hold you ‘til I die, ‘til we both break down and cry…..’
She saw Helen appear and waved to her as she walked across the grass. She put the kettle on and found two clean mugs. The buzzer sounded in her room and she pressed the button to allow Helen to enter the building. A few minutes later Helen appeared at the door and came in.
“Brrr…It’s freezing out there,” she shivered.
The curtain moved with the draught. “It’s not much warmer in here,” said George. “I’ve been trying to revise, but it just won’t go in.” She made them both a drink and wrapping herself in a home made patchwork blanket sat back in her chair.
“I’m not surprised you can’t concentrate if you’re playing music as well,” said Helen. She sat on George’s bed with her coffee. “I can’t stay long, I’m going into town, so tell me if there’s anything you need. What have you been up to then? I haven’t seen you for a few weeks- well, since I brought your file back.”
“Nothing much,” replied George gloomily. “I’m fed up.”
“Not you as well!” exclaimed Helen. “Ronnie’s been a right pain for the last couple of weeks. He doesn’t seem to want to go anywhere or do anything and he won’t talk.”
George heart started beating fast at the mention of Ronnie. She looked up. “Maybe he has a lot of work on at the moment.”
“It’s no fun, I can tell you.” Helen replied. “I’ve spent most of my time cleaning my flat and organizing my finances to pass the time.” She finished her coffee and put her cup down. “I know”, she exclaimed suddenly, leaning forward. “Why don’t we go out somewhere tonight- the three of us? We could go to that new Italian in the precinct.”
George looked startled. “No, no, I was going to stay in tonight,” she protested. “I’ve got loads to do.”
“Like what?” asked Helen. “Go on, it’ll be a good laugh.”
George struggled with her feelings. She was desperate to see Ronnie again, as he was all she’d thought of since that night. She gazed at Helen and bit her lip. “I really don’t know,” she began, but Helen had already grabbed her coat and scarf from the bed and was preparing to leave.
“No arguments,” she said firmly. “We’ll meet you at the wine bar at 7.30. It’ll cheer us all up. I’ll book the meal for 8.30. I must go. ‘Bye, I’ll see myself out.” George heard her clatter down the stairs and slam the front door. She stood and watched her cross the quadrangle and waved when Helen turned and looked up at her room. George put the music on again and sat in her chair, pulling her knees up to her chin. She felt an overwhelming urge to be with Ronnie again and now she was to see him, even though they wouldn’t be alone. She felt guilty, but couldn’t help herself.
Ronnie and Helen were already in the wine bar when George arrived. When she entered, several people turned to look at her. She looked stunning. Her cheeks glowed with the cold, contrasting with her pale skin. Her long, dark hair was twisted into a roll, pinned up with a large jewelled clip. She had a huge scarf round her neck and a long, fitted coat. She unbuttoned it as she walked into the bar to show a long, ruby coloured velvet dress. It was fairly crowded and she made her way towards the bar where she knew they’d be. Her heart was thumping as she saw Ronnie and Helen.
“Hello, there,” she said confidently, although she was shaking inside.
“Hello you,” said Ronnie, bending down and kissing her lightly on the cheek.
“You look nice,” said Helen, looking George up and down.
“Thanks,” she replied. “Charity shop, jumble sale and knitted it myself,” she said, pointing to various pieces of apparel.
Helen and Ronnie laughed and George felt better. She began chattering incessantly to cover her nervousness and avoided looking at Ronnie. He handed her a glass of wine. She would have liked to gaze at him forever but was frightened that her expression would reveal her feelings. She wanted to touch her cheek where he’d kissed her and already craved a silence in her head so that she could gather her thoughts about him. ‘I feel like a silly schoolgirl with a crush,’ she thought, feeling embarrassed.
*************
They were seated at a table in the restaurant and George, now more relaxed was pleased to be opposite Ronnie. For the first time that evening she looked at him face on and he smiled at her. She smiled back and picked up the menu.
“Mmm..” she said. “Are we having a starter?”
“Of course,” said Helen. “We can start our diets on Monday again.”
“Oh no,” groaned George, pulling a face. “Deep fried mozzarella. I have to have that when it’s on the menu. I can’t say no to that.”
“So where’ve you been recently?” Ronnie asked George. “I haven’t seen you around.”
“Oh I was ordered home last weekend,” replied George. “My mother –and you don’t cross my mother - insisted I was there for my Great Aunt’s 80th birthday. I spent Sunday morning helping to make vol-au-vents and egg and cress sandwiches and Sunday afternoon feeding them to various elderly members of my family that I haven’t seen for years.”
Her eyes bright, she pulled various faces as she described her weekend. “Then,” she continued placing her hands on the edge of the table and rocking forwards, “they regaled me with hideous stories of illnesses they’ve suffered in the past and asked for advice on their current illnesses; urinary tract infections, piles, an assortment of dodgy rashes…. We went through the whole gamut of medical disorders. I just kept telling them we weren’t up to that bit yet.” She waved her arms around whilst she was talking and almost knocked Helen’s wine from her hand. “Oooh sorry Helen.” She pressed her lips together and opened her eyes wide, catching Ronnie’s eye.
He was absolutely mesmerized by her. He loved her enthusiasm, love of life and lively personality. She saw him looking at her and quickly looked away. Her dark red dress matched the colour of her lips perfectly. Strands of loose hair framed her face and he thought about the time he’d kissed her. Then the food arrived and for a while there was a companionable silence.
“Oh that’s what I was going to ask you,” said George turning to Helen. “Next Monday night there’s a sculpture exhibition on at the Civic Hall in town and I’ve got two complimentary tickets. It starts at 7.30pm. Will you come with me?”
Helen pulled a face. “If I must,” she muttered. She placed her knife and fork down and remarked thoughtfully, “Actually you know, I do really admire those people who have a huge talent for something like art and are so good they can make a living out of it.”
“So if you were more creative and had an amazing talent for something, what would you like it to be?” asked George.
Helen considered. “I don’t know. I think I’m too practical to ever be very creative.”
“Well I’d definitely be a sculptor,” said George dreamily. “And I’d use natural materials, like wood....”
Ronnie joined in. “I’d like to be a singer/songwriter in a rock band …or a professional footballer!”
Helen smiled. “It takes a certain kind of person to become a solicitor,” she said. “And you’re it. It’s not just providing clients with expert legal advice and assistance -you’ll be combining it with your people-skills to help them cope with stressful situations. Not only are you brilliant intellectually my love, but you have the knack of putting people at ease. I think you’ll make a brilliant solicitor.” Ronnie grinned then raised his eyes.
“That was delicious,” said Helen, finishing her meal. She looked all around. “Where are the loos?” She pushed out her chair and excused herself.
There was a total silence. Ronnie rested his chin on one hand and looked at George. She held his gaze which lasted several minutes. Neither of them could look away. It was as if there was an invisible force locking their eyes together. Suddenly, they both seemed to realize that this was time alone and they spoke simultaneously;
“The thing is….”
“I just wanted to say…..”
Helen re-appeared and pulled out her chair. “They’ve done the place out really well. No expense spared, which makes a change.”
George looked at Ronnie despairingly. Now the minute was gone. She suddenly felt so frustrated that she would never know what he had been going to say. She couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him again for a while, always hoping she’d bump into him somewhere. She hated living with her feelings of desperation at not seeing him, intensified when she knew Helen was. Then it made her feel guilty about having the thoughts. They paid the bill.
“We’ll see you home George. Are you staying over tonight Ronnie?”
“No, I’ve got an early start tomorrow,” he replied. He glanced at George and she couldn’t help hoping he was saying it for her benefit. They walked her back to her Halls of Residence and waited until they saw her light go on. She looked out of her window and waved to them. Then she watched miserably as Helen linked his arm and they walked on. She closed the curtains and selected her favourite track on her new CD.
************************************