KEEPERS

He is perhaps the most challenging man that I
have ever met (and I've met some!) it's his sharpness
bordering on down right rudeness. The way he talked
to the barman was a shame. He might have well have
said:'Lick my boots serf!'
Patrick's luminous eyes stared at me through the
smoky bar, he seemed wryly amused by me.
"Well." I said( you have to say something) that's how
a conversation is started.
"I think this is going to be hard work, I think that
we should drink more." He said sagely. Blimey.
"Maybe, but would it make any sense?"
"Possibly not, but when does anything in life make
any sense at at? If you analyze everything it all
boils down to the same thing. Men and women
making mistakes, it's called 'living'." He grinned
at me, he looked like some sort of elderly vampire
(by elderly I mean about 60, which is plenty old
enough-for a vampire anyway).
"Wow!" I said:"I've got to 34 without realizing
that! Who knew it would all boil down to men
and women fucking up. I suppose I am a mistake?"
"Naturally! You don't think that I would want to be
bonded by blood to your mother do you?" He
laughed, showing extremely good teeth. But he
had a point. Mother was a bitch queen of the highest
order.
"Mother yeah, what a little star she is! How did
you meet her, please tell as she was married to
my father at the time." I allowed venom to drip
into my words. He wasn't having it though.
"Your Mother, Vanessa was the type of women
that they warn you about in public school. I was
intrigued by her, besotted, she was so very pretty
like a little chain-smoking pekinese. Vanessa
Worked for Catherine as her 'help' nowdays you
would call it a PA's position. She did everything,
even cleaned the kitchen floor when one of
the hounds was sick." Patrick looked wistful.
"I remember watching her small bottom going
from side to side, then she looked at me and
smiled, that very wicked smile of hers. She had
me, but alas it was not meant to be. Later I
realized that Catherine knew what was going on,
which was breaking her heart. Then I noticed
just how tarnished your Vanessa really was.
I mean she was involved in Gangland, not good
at all for a man in my position. I had to let her
go." He said sadly shaking his head.
"Ok how very callous of you-practically throwing
her out into the snow, pregnant as well." I sipped
my brandy.
"Not quite, but she could have been a bit of a
Christine Keeler figure if I had let her, a pay off
and a few words of caution stopped all of that."
He spoke so coldly.
"And you really didn't know about me?" I found
this hard to believe.
"The first I knew about you was when I saw a
photo of you in The London Press and a statement
from your Mother." His eyes twinkled, oh dear he
must have read that miniscule paragraph regarding
Thrumz and Jeff the lunatic. How embarrassing.
"Ah." I sighed.
"When I saw your face I saw myself. Rebecca I
wanted to, I still want to know you." He reached
across and stroked my face.
"God this is weird-I feel like I'm almost not
'myself', you know?" I frowned.
"Look finders keepers, your mine now, nobody
is going to mess this up." Again that vulpine smile.
"Oh and for the record Ma's name is Valerie not
Vanessa."
"I feel crushed now." He said and we both laughed.
"Wait until I see her I'll give her bloody Vanessa!"
We spent the next 20 minutes drinking quietly and
looking at eachother.
"Barman, we'll have the same again, oh and make
it clean glasses next time!" He barked. Yes a challenge.

Becka M