Jane Prudesworthy. Ch 5.

Chapter 5

Jane heard Rose laughing as she made her way to the kitchen area and began to joke with her man while making them a hot drink.

         She felt relieved when she heard Rose’s voice and quietly laughed at her own foolishness. However, although she was tired she found it difficult to get to sleep because she could still hear them talking. She lay there listening to them, feeling shocked, embarrassed, and excited that she just clearly heard a young couple making love.

         Six o'clock the next morning and Kevin woke Jane by pushing on her shoulder. She was startled and embarrassed at the sight of a man in her bedroom.

         Kevin laughed at the look on her face as she pulled the blanket over her exposed shoulder. "Blow me, sweetness, you take some waking," he said. "We've been shouting you for ages. You look lovely when you're sleeping though, lying there like a fresh young flower, a really pretty sight."

         Jane smiled at his compliment as he left the room. Despite the initial shock, she would be happy for him to wake her with words like that every morning. She lay thinking how nice it was to have a handsome young man wake her up in her new surroundings, here in London, with the man and one of her best friends as flatmates. She didn't miss her parents at all and certainly didn't miss her sour-faced mother moaning at her every morning. She thought of Gwen; even after such a short time, she missed her sister and thought how her sister must be missing her. She got up from the mattress and put on her dressing gown disappointed to hear Kevin already leaving the flat. Rose was in the kitchen making a coffee when Jane walked in to join her.

         "Hello, love, did you have a good sleep?" Rose asked. "We didn't keep you awake did we?" Rose looked at Jane and grinned.

         "No," Jane said. "I went straight to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow."

         "Good, only Fridays are a bit special, it's payday if you know what I mean." Jane laughed as Rose put a hand behind her neck and thrust her hips a couple of times.

         The men were setting up the stalls as Jane made her way towards the cafe and it surprised her how they all remembered her and greeted her as she passed. As she walked into the cafe a group of young building workers who were just about to leave, suddenly changed their mind and ordered more tea. She noticed everybody looking at her and although it made her nervous, it also made her feel good and a little bit vain. Carol smiled, perhaps thinking a pretty young girl like Jane was sure to boost her trade.

         The group of building workers made themselves late by chatting with her, each of them trying to arrange a date but none achieving any success. It was a friendly place and most of the patrons seemed to be regulars. Carol revelled in introducing Jane to them all as her new helper. The cook was a pleasant enough fellow but Jane was not happy by the way he looked at her, as if he were undressing her in his mind.

         Jane enjoyed the work in the café, but during the day her thoughts often wandered to the previous night. The sounds of wild lovemaking; they were actually doing it, actually having sexual intercourse, and she could hear every sound as if she were in the room with them. She hoped Kevin wouldn't mention it; if he knew she had been listening she would die. Maybe it only happened once a week, on Fridays; so she wouldn't have to listen to their passionate lovemaking for a whole week and she could sleep easily. Roll on Friday. The rude thought just seemed to flash across her mind and she gave out a short laugh.

         Carol looked over at her. "That's what I like to see in the café, a happy girl; you can't buy that."

         Towards the end of the day, Jane was becoming tired and was looking forward to going back to the flat for a rest. Her legs were aching due to the amount of time she had been on her feet even though she had plenty of breaks.



         Jane got back to the flat wearied from her first day.

         "Do you want to get into the bath before the rush starts?" Rose said.

         Although Jane agreed, she would have preferred to have a lie down on her mattress for a while. She took her bag to the bathroom, but the door was locked and she stood waiting outside. The man from the ground floor flat walked out to the sound of the powerful cast iron cistern flushing the toilet. He was wearing a dirty vest and creased trousers; a half-smoked hand-rolled cigarette hung from his mouth. He smiled at her as he passed and she politely smiled back. She went inside and felt nauseated by the man's use of the toilet mixed with the strong smell of tobacco smoke. There was a can of air freshener on the windowsill and she sprayed it liberally all around the room, but then felt guilty about using so much. She was looking forward to a relaxing soak in the bath but had only been in the water a few seconds when she noticed the door handle moving.

         "Hurry up in there girl," the man shouted. "I've got the runs; I need to use the toilet again."

         Jane froze in panic, looking at the slide bolt, hoping it would hold, and glancing at the handle when the man turned it. She was just about to get out of the bath and dry herself when she heard Rose shout from the landing.

         "Oy, don't take bloody liberties, you can use the one out in the yard."

         Jane felt grateful to her friend as she heard the man grumbling as he walked off to the back door.

         She was relaxing after washing herself and lying back in the warm water, her eyes closed as she drifted in and out of a light sleep. She sat up quickly when she heard the front door slam and a few seconds later she heard Kevin call out to Rose as he made his way up the stairs. She was soon dressed and she hurried up the stairs to the flat.

         "Hello, sweetness," Kevin said as Jane walked into the room.

         She smiled, loving the way he often called her sweetness. She suddenly felt embarrassed, because she thought she didn't look her best with a towel wrapped around her head.

         "Do you want to come out with us tonight? We're going up to The Guildford; it's a right good night in there on a Saturday."

         "A good night out, I'd love it," she said, pleased to be invited to join them. Her life seemed so different now as if everyone treated her as an equal and an adult woman.

         Jane helped Rose with the dinner and the three of them sat at the table to eat the thick Walls sausages, peas, mashed potato and HP sauce. She felt relaxed, no sour-faced looks, no friction, and she could pour as much HP sauce on her dinner as she liked. She volunteered to wash the dishes and clear up so Rose could take a bath. The work was soon done and she sat chatting with Kevin about her day in the cafe. Rose returned from the bathroom in her dressing gown and walked across to her bedroom to get dressed. Jane thought she had better start getting ready herself and was about to go into her room when Rose called out to her. Jane walked into the main bedroom and Rose closed the door behind her. “What are you wearing tonight, Jane?"

         Jane looked at the bed imagining what happens there. Her thoughts embarrassed her and she looked away and sat in a chair. "I thought I'd wear my trouser suit."

         "No, it's Saturday night, you can borrow one of my dresses if you want." Rose went to her wardrobe and took out a red velvet dress. "Wear this, it's really sexy."

         "Sexy! I think it's a bit low, Rose. I'll be showing all I've got."

         "And why not? You look about the same bra size as me; you can borrow my red bra. Them things you've got would look silly with that dress. I used to wear bras like that when I was at school. Have you got any stockings?"

         "Stockings, my mum doesn't let... I don't wear stockings."

         "You do now girl." She laid the dress onto the bed along with the bra and a suspender belt. She reached up and took a box from the top of the wardrobe; it was full of packs of black fishnet stockings. "Fell off a lorry," she said. She threw a pack onto the bed and then went back to her dressing table and pulled out a pair of red silk knickers. "You might as well wear my matching knickers as well."

         "I can't wear them," Jane said.

         "Why not, they're clean?"

         "I know, but there's nothing of them."

         "You'll have to stop dressing down, you're not a schoolgirl, you're a young woman. Come on get yourself changed into that lot." Rose took off her dressing gown and walked back to her dressing table naked.

         Jane sat feeling shocked, more than embarrassed, more than surprised. She didn't know how to react. Should she leave the room, should she pretend not to notice, should she say something, should she turn her back and start getting ready herself. She did nothing and just stood looking at the woman's nakedness and then looked away before glancing back again.

         Rose took a pair of briefs from the drawer. She turned and stepped into the briefs and pulled them up in full view of Jane. She laughed when she noticed the embarrassed and uncomfortable look on her face. "What's up, love, haven't you seen a grown woman's tits before?"

         Jane looked down at the bed trying to avoid Rose's eyes. "Well, not really, no."

         Rose laughed again. "Come on, Jane, get changed. Kevin will be wanting to get ready soon." She looked at Jane as she started to gather up the clothes. "What are you doing?"

         "I was just going to pop into my room to get changed."

         "Don't be silly. You can get changed in here, and then I'll do your hair and make-up for you."

         Jane was unsure what to say. She didn't like the idea, but she didn't want to offend Rose.

         "Come on hurry up, you don't want to be in the nude if Kevin walks in do you?"

         Jane gave a false smile and started to undress, but she was struggling to get changed without appearing fully naked in front of Rose and she kept looking over at the door, just in case Kevin walked in.

         "I've never known a girl as bashful as you. I'll look the other way if it helps, just get a move on." Jane dressed hurriedly while Rose turned away. "I bet you're still a virgin, aren't you?"

         "Virgin, I'm not a virgin," Jane lied. "I've made love lots of times."

         "What kind of sex manual talk is that, made love indeed? You wait till you've been here a few weeks, I'll educate you." Rose did Jane’s hair and make-up in a manner alien to her. Jane didn't want to appear ungrateful and said she was pleased with the way she looked, although she felt she looked a bit like a tart.

         "Blow me, sweetness, you look a dream," Kevin remarked as they walked back into the living room. "Rose, do you fancy stopping at home tonight?"

         "Kevin, do you fancy a kick in the balls?" she replied, her remark causing laughter from the three of them.

         There was a knock on the door and Ray, the man from the upstairs flat, walked in and he looked at Jane as if she were the first prize he won in a raffle.

         Jane smiled at him realising the four of them were going out together, but she was a bit peeved no one asked her if she minded making up a foursome. Nevertheless, she liked the look of Ray. He was a lot older than the boys she dated at home. He wore a crisp dark blue suit, a white shirt, and a thin blue knitted tie with a gold tiepin. His short hair was greased with a precisely prepared D.A. style. She thought he was a good-looking young man, but nowhere near as handsome as Kevin.

         It was not far to The Guildford Arms public house and they were soon walking into the saloon bar. "Cor it's packed tonight," Rose said, hurrying over to the last vacant table. The two men walked to the bar to get the drinks leaving Jane standing alone and not sure which way to go. She walked to the table to join Rose. "Have you told them what you want?" Rose said.

         Jane walked back across to the bar feeling a little embarrassed, but also thrilled, by the way that every man in the place looked at her as she passed by. She stood behind Kevin and was amazed he seemed to know most of the people in the bar. She liked the friendly atmosphere in the place but felt silly standing isolated and she tapped Kevin on his shoulder. Kevin looked around and smiled at her, sending her heart in a slight flutter.

         "What do you want to drink then," he said.

         "What's Rose having."

         "She drinks port and lemon," Kevin said.

         "But you can have something stronger if you like," Ray said.

         "No, port and lemonade is fine." She would have preferred her usual Babycham, but she thought it more adult to drink what Rose was drinking. Kevin and Ray were talking with a group of men at the bar and she felt out of place as she stood quietly behind them again. She was relieved when Kevin turned around with our drinks.

         "Can you take these over," he said. "We'll be over in a minute."

         Jane walked back to the table aware of the attention again.

         "You look a bit flushed," Rose said.

         "I'm a bit nervous. Everyone seems to be gawping at me."

         "That's because you look like sex-on-legs."

         That was just what she didn't want to hear. "I knew it. I knew I shouldn't have worn this dress. They all think I'm a tart, don't they?"

         Rose laughed. "Don't be silly, you don't look like a tart, you look gorgeous. I was only having a joke. We are all regulars in here and people are looking at you because you are a stranger, that's all."

         Jane was not convinced, but she gave a smile anyway. There was a pianist, a guitarist and a drummer on the small stage and Kevin and Ray walked over to the table when the group began playing. The evening went well and there was cheering as Rose and Kevin won some chocolates in the twist competition. She felt proud to be in their company, but she decided not to show off her own dancing skills, not just yet anyway. She was also enjoying the attention Ray was showing her; he was behaving like the perfect gentleman and making her feel like an attractive woman instead of a young girl.

         Jane was feeling slightly tipsy when they returned to the flat and although she sat with her friends for a while, the alcohol made her tired and she decided to go to bed. Ray followed her into the room, but she shoved him back out causing a lot of laughter from Rose and Kevin. She curled up on her mattress, like a squirrel safe and warm in its drey, unaware of the predator lurking in the tree. The predator who knew she was there, knew she was vulnerable and would surely harm her if given the opportunity.

Jane Prudesworthy. Ch 6.  (18+) Jane's new life is destroyed. #1976515 by Bruce.