Opening the bedroom door far enough to fit head and shoulders through, Sarah peered in, adjusting her eyes to the lighting. The room was dark except for the lamp that shed its beam onto the opened books strewn across the wooden surface of the desk. He looked up, squinting a little.
“Don’t forget, Aunt Jane will be here in an hour, you might want to freshen up a bit. You seem to have been in here for days.” Sarah said with a smile, “I know exams are coming up, but give yourself a break, you have that degree in the bag Tom.”
He took his glasses off and placed them on top of a book, leaning back in his chair he rubbed large hands over his face.
“Yes, you’re right Mum, I could do with a day or two away from all this.” He waved his hand in the direction of the papers. “If I don’t know enough now, I never will.”
“Exactly. Now, get yourself sorted, Jane is dying to see you,” Sarah affirmed.
“I will be down soon,” he promised.
“Ok love” Sarah retreated through the door and down the stairs.
Tom stood up, crossed the room and switched on the overhead light. The room took on a starker look. He made his way to his wardrobe, glimpsing his reflection, he made a mental note to get out for some air. He looked pale even to his own eyes. Sliding the door across the mirrored one, he reached in and selected a blue shirt and a pair of jeans, grabbing socks and white boxer shorts from another shelf.
As he walked the few steps from his room to the bathroom he began to think of Aunt Jane. He had not seen her for two years. Her office had sent her to Belgium to head their division there and although she had been back for visits, and always based herself in their home, he had been away at college.
Jane was his mother’s oldest friend, and his honorary aunt as well as god mother. She had never married, instead, focusing on her career. A striking woman, he had often wondered how she had never been snapped up. He was very fond of Aunt Jane, and admitted to himself how much he was looking forward to seeing her this weekend.
Life was good he figured and if he gets the degree, the sky would be the limit for him. A career like Auntie Jane’s would be just the ticket. I will have to pick her brains he thought, and find out how to get in on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder.
He showered and dressed and after shaving he applied some aftershave, he felt a good impression would do wonders.
He joined Sarah in the kitchen. They were a tight but small unit, always there for each other she was a loving mother and he had matured to the man she always hoped he would be.
“Make yourself useful there, I will get a shower now,” Sarah said pointing at the salad ingredients she had removed from the fridge. “Would you do some of that salad dressing you like?”
She climbed stairs two at a time and made for the tall dresser in her room, grabbed fresh underwear a top and her tight white jeans and made for the shower.
Tom squeezed the residual water out of the leaves he rinsed under the tap and dropped them onto the waiting sheets of paper towel, patting them dry before dropping them into the wide bowl. He chopped Dill, Coriander and Basil leaves. Once added to the bowl he plunged his fingers into the aromatic green foliage to mix the flavours. He wiped his hands on a towel before opening the cupboard, reaching in for an empty jam jar, into which he poured olive oil, cider vinegar, honey and a teaspoon of mustard. Screwing the lid on tight, he shook the jar fast, watching as the salad dressing began to emulsify.
Sarah tweaked the front of her hair with her fingers, switching the dryer back on, taming the stubborn strands. Once happy with her hair she rummaged through her make up bag, finding mascara and eyeliner, applying both carefully, outlining her grey eyes with a neat black meticulous line, stroking the fine round brush over her long lashes, enhancing their length and colour. She located her favourite rich red lipstick, staining her lips with the flattering shade blotting the excess with a tissue.
Stepping back, she viewed herself. The scoop neck fitted grey top and slim jeans accentuated her toned, womanly shape, her auburn hair shone smoothly to just below her shoulders. She smiled at her reflection. “You’ll do,” she said to herself. While she adored Jane, she always felt a bit dowdy next to her. The extra bit of effort was worth it, she thought. The sound of the doorbell broke her thoughts.
“Will you get the door darling, I will be down in a minute,” she called down the stairs to Tom.
Tom pulled open the door and smiled as he saw the familiar smiling face of his aunt, he momentarily felt like he was a young boy again and felt a wave of nostalgia overcome him.
Jane cried out “Tom, my favourite god child, you look so grown up!” she held his face as she kissed his cheek. As a young boy he would have squirmed but now he knew the importance of this contact. She held him at arm’s length. “You smell nice,” she murmured and smiled, her eyes sparkled with genuine emotion.
He grabbed her overnight bag from her and stood aside to let her pass into the warmth and the welcome. Sarah’s voice was heard by both of them when she called “I will be right down.”
“Will you put that up in my room please?” Jane asked, nodding towards her bag. “I am in the usual I imagine. Unless of course it has been nabbed by that new girlfriend of yours” she teased with a wink.
He cleared his throat, “that didn’t quite work out, it sort of fizzled out. We split up last month.”
“I am sorry Tom. The silly girl, she will regret that. Anyway, plenty of fish in the sea, or so they say,” she said and squeezed his arm.
Tom took the bag to Jane’s regular room and placed it on the bed. He was curious to see the contents, what does she bring on an overnight he thought. The bag had two large handles and a zip, really an oversized hand bag. He had a peek inside. Nothing to see, as laid across the top was a large sponge bag. He lifted it aside, glimpsing the neatly folded jersey trousers and top, a small stark white roll of satin next to the pyjamas caught his eye. He put his free hand in and ran his fingers over the smooth surface of the knickers. For a moment, imagined Jane in them.
The sound of his mother’s feet descending the stairs brought him back to the moment. He quickly replaced the toilet bag and fastened the zip of the holdall before leaving the room to go and join them.
“You look amazing!” Jane’s voice, genuinely delighted, was loud with excitement to see her dear friend looking so vibrant.
“Thank you Janey” Sarah beamed, “you do too, but then when don’t you?!”
They kissed quickly on the lips in greeting and hugged each other tightly. Stepping back Jane shrugged out of her coat, discarding it on a nearby armchair. She reached into her large handbag bringing forth a thick bottle and handing it across to Tom as he entered the room.
“Can you do the honours?” she asked with a grin.
“Of course” he replied, taking the bottle into the kitchen to uncork, he scanned the label: Chateauneuf de Pape, his mother’s favourite. Good old Jane, he thought, she always remembers.
He filled three glasses and returned to the room, passing the glasses to the smiling women.
“Wait a second, I will get mine.” He returned in moments with his glass and they clinked glasses awkwardly.
“Let me get this” Tom said as he reached for his phone.
“Not pictures already?” Sarah protested.
“Better early on than when we are all winey smiles.”
He quickly snapped a couple catching the two old pals together again. He thought of how many pictures he had seen through the years of the two companions deciding it was right to mark the moment.
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