Memoirs of a Swinger Ep. 22

This is the twenty-second episode of my unreliable memoirs and finally brings to an end my time at University. To be honest, there isn't much sex in this episode. It's really just for those who have been following the story.

I hope you enjoy it.

M4bloke

******************

The final two terms at university were, by recent standards, uneventful. In the spring term, from Monday to Friday, I knuckled down and got on with my dissertation. I'd been lucky enough to be assigned a project linked to a genuine piece of research being carried out in the university engineering department. It was a big deal for me, as the fact that I'd been chosen showed that I was in with a chance of a good grade in my final exams.

I was a hard worker and I was fairly certain that I was worth an 'upper second' (2:1) if I applied myself, but the chances of getting a 'first' were remote. In a class of thirty odd students you'd expect there to be only one, maybe two, 'firsts' awarded and I knew I wasn't the cleverest guy in the class. The cleverest guy was one of those geniuses who sailed through everything with ease, on the basis of superior intellect. You couldn't compete against that, but there was always a chance.

At weekends I still caught the train down to London, and Lesley and I continued to live our normal weekend life. We kept swinging but less often and only with friends we'd already made.

Lesley put her apartment in Nottingham on the market and it sold pretty quickly. When the time came we spent a weekend packing up her stuff, ready for the removal men to put it into storage until we had a place of our own. While we were there it was good to see her friends, Rachel and Pete who had arranged for Lesley to go and try on her bridesmaid's dress for them.

Virtually every night that I wasn't with her, Lesley now spent with Daniel and Kate. It didn't bother me that she was doing this but I was a bit concerned about what would happen when she finally moved out of the mews apartment. Lesley told me that most nights they just all cuddled up and went to sleep. I guess they had been doing this for almost six months now, but all the same, I'm not sure how much sleep I'd have got if I was in the same bed as Kate and Lesley.

For my part Jane was still visiting me for an hour or so at Uni. on Wednesday afternoons. I also had visits from Ruth, Kate and Carole over the course of the spring term. The rest of the week I spent working, training and eating.

Things got more difficult when the Easter holidays came around however. I found it hard to switch off from my revision and wasn't much fun to be with. Fortunately Lesley had been through this herself and understood. She didn't take any extra holiday at Easter and went straight back to work, leaving me alone in the apartment to revise.

The summer term was the worst and when I was in London I was so focussed on revision that Lesley just left me to it and got on with her own life. It caused Kate to accuse me of ignoring Lesley one Sunday evening as we were having dinner. I was so angry I'd had to walk away from her. After the sacrifices my parents had made to get me to university, here was a woman who through good looks and privilege had never had to work for anything in her life, telling me that I'd got my priorities wrong.

For the final four weeks before my exams I stayed up at Uni. I suspect that back in London they were glad to be rid of me. I did nothing but work, go for a run and eat. I didn't shave and to be honest I'd lost track of how clean my clothes were.

And then, suddenly, it was all over. The night I finished my exams I drank so much that I threw up several times on the way back to my room and then, when I got back, I opened a bottle of whisky and drank almost half of it before throwing up some more. The next day I had the worst hangover I've ever experienced and had to cancel my plans to travel down to London because I felt so rough. When I look back on that now I realise that it was a really selfish thing to do. Lesley had probably been really looking forward to seeing me and she'd been so supportive that she deserved better. I'd been a real arse.

******************

If Lesley had been offended then she didn't immediately show it when I arrived at her apartment on a Thursday afternoon in early June. She was in fact very excited to see me. Leaving aside the questionable joy she was experiencing from being able to spend the rest of her life with me, the reasons for her happiness were twofold. Firstly, next week was her trip to Le Mans with Michael and Claire, which I knew she was excited about, but secondly, and more importantly she had found us a house in Wimbledon.

In fact, with Kate and Daniel's help, Lesley had done more than just find a house. She had made an offer, negotiated a price and had a survey done on it. Lesley hadn't wanted to distract me with the news and she'd done the right thing as I wouldn't have been any help to her, but she'd been convinced that this was the house for us.

I knew that she and Kate had viewed a few houses in Wimbledon and it was a common theme that most required modernising. This house was different in that it had already been modernised. It belonged to an American couple in their early forties who had done virtually all the work needed, before deciding to take a job back in the USA. They wanted a quick sale and as we were first time buyers with no property to sell we were ideal.

The sellers were nice people. Initially they were a bit reluctant to accept an offer from a twenty five year old girl whose husband was still at university but Kate and Daniel visited them with Lesley one evening. They knew who Daniel was and he explained to them that I worked for him and that he would vouch for us.

Lesley and I met the sellers that Thursday evening and when I saw the house I realised that it was pretty much everything we could have asked for. It was close to the Common, it had four decent sized bedrooms, two of which had en-suite bathrooms, a lovely new kitchen and a newly built double garage to one side. To cap it all, it had a basement. It ticked all the boxes and Lesley was so excited when I agreed with her that it was the house for us.

******************

Lesley took the day off on Friday and we went to see a solicitor to set the final wheels in motion. Because we didn't have a house to sell or a mortgage to arrange the process would only take four or five weeks to complete, which meant we could be in by July.

We decided to celebrate by going out for lunch in Wimbledon and found a nice little Bistro on the high street.

"I've got some more news," Lesley told me over lunch. "I've been offered a promotion."

"That's fantastic, what's the job?"

"It's section manager of the testing team that I work in now and those in a couple of other hospitals in London."

Lesley explained that in London there was a lot of staff turnover and so there were always opportunities to progress. In Nottingham it would have been years before a similar position became available and even then she would have had to compete with Rachel and Pete for the post.

"They're desperate for me to take the job. So I asked if they'd let me have an extra two weeks' unpaid leave in August and they said yes, which means that we can take the whole of August off."

"I'd need to ask Daniel about that I guess. I'm not sure when they expect me to start full time."

"I already have," Lesley replied. "He suggested that you started full time in September."

There was a silence as I processed the fact that Lesley had been negotiating my employment with Daniel.

"I've overstepped the mark, haven't I?" Lesley said, the thought only having just occurred to her.

"A bit," I said

I could see Lesley mentally kicking herself. I was a bit annoyed, even though I knew she'd done it for all the right reasons.

"Steven, I've been really worried about you. We all have. I know how important the exams have been, but look at you. You're exhausted and you look like a refugee. I mean, when was the last time you had a haircut? When was the last time you had a shave even?"

The answers were Christmas and Easter respectively and it was now the beginning of June.

"You've neglected your friends, your family and you've neglected me," Lesley said holding back the tears. "I mean, I don't see you for a month, you never call me and then on the day you're supposed to come back, you don't, because you're too drunk."

I felt ashamed. I knew Lesley didn't want to create a scene but her eyes were welling up.

"I'm sorry," I said reaching across the table to hold her hand. "You're the most important thing in the world to me. I just lost my perspective. It won't happen again ever, I promise."

"There are a few people around here that aren't at all happy about the way you've behaved Steven, you might as well know it. I've done my best to defend you but your parents aren't happy with you, Michael and Claire are worried about you going to Le Mans with them and I really would approach Kate with caution right now."

"And Daniel?"

"Daniel feels guilty for putting pressure on you to achieve and he feels guilty for sleeping with me while you've been away. In his mind he's not only partly to blame for the way you've been but he's also been the main beneficiary of the outcome. In truth, Daniel didn't suggest that you started full time in September, he won't let you start any earlier, Steven."

"I see."

"Take some time off. You've been killing yourself, you need a break. You're twenty one for goodness sake, not forty one! I need my husband back, Steven. We haven't even had sex in over a month. I'm supposed to be your wife Steven."

I don't think I've ever felt more wretched in my life. I didn't realise that I'd been so insensitive but it had been pretty clear for everyone else to see.

That night we made love but the sex was awkward, not like we were used to. It was going to take a while to get things back to normal.

******************

On Saturday morning I woke up early and got myself a haircut and a shave at a posh hairdresser's in Chelsea. I went in looking like a tramp and when the young barber asked me how I wanted my hair cut, I hadn't got a clue what to say.

"I don't have any idea. I guess I'm a bit of a blank canvas," I told him. "What do you suggest?"

"Tom Cruise is very popular at the moment," he said.

I had no idea who Tom Cruise was, but apparently he had just been in a film called the 'Outsiders' (it would be another three years before 'Top Gun' came out). The guy tried to describe his hairstyle to me and it didn't seem too weird, so I agreed.

An hour later I left the salon looking like a different person. Losing the beard had certainly helped but the hairstyle had made a huge difference. My hair had been almost shoulder length when I'd gone in and my new short hairstyle felt very odd.

It was ten thirty by the time I got back to the apartment and Lesley was still in bed.

"What do you think?" I asked her when I walked into the bedroom, giving her a twirl.

"I love it," she said. "It suits you."

"I'm glad, I wasn't sure if you'd like it."

"I do. Now come back to bed."

This time the sex was a bit more natural and relaxed and afterwards I fell asleep for a couple of hours. I never fell asleep in the day but I guess it just showed how exhausted I was.

In the afternoon we went to visit my parents and then on to see Michael and Claire. I might as well have worn a hair shirt, but I deserved it.

My mum was glad to see me but gave me a hard time about abandoning Lesley and told me that she'd expected better of me. Family was everything to her. As usual my Dad didn't say a lot. Lesley stood up for me and told them that she knew I was sorry and that things were going to be different now. Telling my mum our news about the new house seemed to placate her a bit too.

If anything, seeing Michael and Claire was more difficult. Whatever they may have thought, they were more reserved when it came to voicing their opinions. To be honest I'd have rather they'd just told me that I was an arsehole to my face, but I guess that's not how you get to be a judge. Instead I squirmed on a hook of my own making. Again Lesley stuck up for me but I told them that if it was going to be a problem then I wouldn't go to Le Mans with them the following week. They told me that was Lesley's decision to make and when Lesley said she wanted me to come then Michael declared that that was an end to the matter. It certainly didn't feel like it.

I felt better for having faced up to my parents and Michael and Claire. That just left Daniel and Kate to go.

******************

On Sunday I asked Lesley what she'd like to do for the day. It was a nice June day and she told me that she wanted to go out on the bike.

"Where to?" I asked.

"I don't know. We could go to the coast."

"How about Southend on Sea," I suggested. "My mum and dad used to take us there when we were kids."

"I've no idea where that is, but ok!"

I hadn't been out on the bike since Christmas but fortunately I'd taken the battery out for the winter. When I'd connected it back up, the bike started on the second go. That's German engineering for you. I left the bike running and went up to the apartment to get changed.

When I got there Lesley was just putting her jacket on. The tight leather trousers that Kate had bought for her a year before fitted her perfectly and for the first time since I'd got back I really wanted to fuck her. Lesley could see the effect she was having on me and we embraced.

"If you go and turn the bike off you can fuck me before we go," she said.

"I think I want you to make me wait until tonight."

"Do you want me to tease you Mr. Carter, because I will?"

"Tease away Mrs. Carter."

"Ok. You go on down I'll be with you in a couple of minutes."

In the 80's Southend on Sea was one of those Victorian seaside resorts that had seen better days. But for those of us who grew up in the East End of London it was the closest place to stand on a beach and dip your toes in the sea. It was also popular with bikers, who would all park up along the seafront, opposite the "Golden Mile" of amusement arcades, chip shops and candy floss stalls.

We found a space for the bike and I locked our helmets to it with a bicycle chain, which left space to put our jackets in the BMW's panniers. When Lesley took her jacket off, I couldn't help but stare at her, as did several other blokes. She'd changed her top before leaving the apartment and was now just wearing a fluorescent pink spandex boob tube. Her sculpted abs were on display for all to see and although her breasts were petite, the material clung to them, leaving little to the imagination.

With her leather trousers looking like they'd been sprayed on Lesley knew how good she looked and when she'd sorted her hair out she walked around the bike and kissed me.

"Is this enough of a tease for you?" she asked as our lips brushed.

"I think it is."

You didn't go to Southend for the culture or the extreme natural beauty of the location. You went for the fairground rides, slot machines, candyfloss and chips. As long as you realised this you were guaranteed a good time. After we'd had our fill of the seafront we got back on the bike and went to cockle sheds at Leigh on Sea. It was a bit quieter here but it had the advantage of a few pubs right on the water's edge. I got us a couple of pints and we found a bench outside. I took my tee shirt off to catch a bit of sun and Lesley lay along the bench with her head in my lap. I couldn't help touching her body and her nipples stood erect through the flimsy material of the boob tube.

"Now who's teasing who," Lesley asked.

"If I didn't think we'd get arrested I'd take you over this bench right now," I told her.

Lesley giggled at this.

"It's so nice to have my husband back, Steven," she said.

We got back to the apartment at about eight in the evening. When I saw that Daniel and Kate were back from their house in the Cotswolds, I knew we weren't going to be having sex any time soon.

"Give me fifteen minutes to smooth things out with Kate," Lesley told me. "Then come over."

I waited a good fifteen minutes then made the short walk from the apartment to the basement of the big house and then up to the ground floor. I heard voices in the kitchen and as I walked in Daniel uncorked a bottle of champagne.

"Surprise," said Lesley hugging me.

Daniel put the bottle down and shook my hand.

"Steven, it's good to see you," he said.

Then it was Kate's turn to hug me.

"I'm only hugging you because they said I had to," Kate said with mock anger in her voice. "But if you ever treat my little sis' badly again you'll have me to answer to."

"I'm sorry Kate," I said. "You've every right to be angry with me. Lesley's lucky to have a friend like you."

Daniel poured out three glasses and proposed a toast.

"To Steven, welcome back!" he said and the girls echoed the toast.

"And to Lesley," Daniel carried on. "It's been a joy to have you around for what's been almost a year now. You'll always have a place here but I think it's your husband who needs you the most now."

Lesley hadn't expected Daniel to say this and struggled for words

"You two have been so good to me," she said. "You'll both always have a special place in my heart."

Lesley hugged Kate then she hugged Daniel. It was a nice gesture on Daniel's part. He knew that things between him and Lesley needed to change and he wanted to signal to everyone that they would. What wouldn't change was the special affection the two of them would always have for each other.

******************

On Wednesday morning we drove to Michael and Claire's house in Richmond. The night before, Lesley had been like a child waiting for Christmas and in the morning she was so full of excitement that she was like a Mexican jumping bean. When we got there the Bentley was sitting in the drive resplendent in its dark green livery with Union Jack painted on the door.

Lesley had been out with Michael in the Bentley before but the journeys had only been short ones. The plan this time was to drive to Portsmouth, which was a distance of about eighty miles and catch the overnight ferry to Caen, then drive the hundred and fifty miles to a Chateau outside Le Mans that the club Michael belonged to had hired.

Michael was keen that Lesley should look the part and so he presented her with a set of goggles, a leather flying cap and a long waxed coat. The June weather didn't justify this level of protection but it was necessary if it rained, as the car had no roof.

I knew that I was going to be driving Michael's Range Rover and that Claire was going to be my co-driver. What I hadn't expected was that we'd be towing a trailer. It was needed in case the fifty odd year old car broke down and in any case the plan apparently was to put the Bentley on the trailer for the journey back.

We set off at lunchtime. Michael and Lesley in front with Claire and I following behind. Progress was moderate rather than fast.

"So how are you, now that your exams are over?" asked Claire.

"People seem to have forgiven me, I think."

"I asked how you were Steven, not how everyone else was."

Claire, like Carole, could be very direct. I guess it was a lawyer thing.

"I still feel very guilty about the way I treated Lesley, but if I'm honest I also feel a bit empty. I've spent my whole life being educated and then all of a sudden it's over. I feel like I should be doing something but I don't know what. Daniel's told me to take the summer off before starting full time at Durolitum."

"What are the rest of your friends doing?"

"They're mostly still at Uni. partying until the results come out. Those that have jobs are starting in the autumn, those that don't I'm not sure about, claiming benefit I guess."