RETURN OF THE GOLDEN GOOSE

by Some Sort of Dog
 
 
 
 
 

Chapter 6:- Disillusion


 
 
  "Mags? How they hanging, girl? We just got back."
Maggie swapped the phone to her other ear, and sat up straight, leaving Geoff sprawling helplessly on the settee. "Char! It seems like ages. How did it go?"
"Same as ever. You know these family things. Or maybe you don't. Anyway, they all had to meet the twins some time, so we've crossed that little hurdle. I'm not saying young Charlotte is forgiven all her sins, but at least Lucinda and Felicity have made themselves some friends. My aunts were doting on them from dawn till dusk. It's been a long day, though. My poor back's on fire!"
"Poor old thing. I wish I could come over and rub it better for you."
"Don't tempt me! At least, I've got Jacqui here."
"Jackie?" Maggie wondered if that was Maxwell's first name.
"My nanny! Of course, you haven't met her. Daddy had Mrs Grummitt hire her as a surprise before I went off, and she arrived virtually as Maxwell was loading the bags into the Merc. He cursed when he suddenly realised there were going to be three of us plus the twins, so we'd have to take the Bentley. Poor lamb! Jacqui's French, but she's an absolute treasure. I don't know where I'd be without her. She's just making the girls comfy now. They've been good as gold all day, so I suppose they'll be wanting drinkies as soon as I've heaved my aching limbs between the satin sheets. Anyway, what news?"
"News? The word meant only one thing to Maggie. Oh, lots happening. I'll tell you everything when I see you. When will that be, tomorrow?"
Charlotte seemed to pause a long time before speaking. "Tomorrow?" she said, and there was the sound of the mouthpiece being covered. "I don't think I can quite make it tomorrow. Daddy wants a family conference in the morning before he goes off to the office at the crack of twelve, and I've really got to see Mrs Danby in the afternoon. Really, really desperately see her before there's a disaster! Your Charlotte is still very much a growing girl, I'm afraid. How about the day after? Or Wednesday?"
"Oh!" Maggie felt a stab of pain. "Okay. Shall I ring you, then? Or what?"
"No, I'll call you. Don't worry if I don't call. Things are pretty hectic round here at the mo."
Geoff looked at Maggie as she put down the phone. She sat upright, not returning to their former position of intimacy.
"Mags. Are you okay?"
"What? Oh, yeah, fine. Do you want a drink before you go?"
"Go?" Geoff gulped his disappointment. "Oh, no thanks, I've still got a drop left." He plunged his face into his glass, draining it, then put it down on the coffee table.
Maggie stroked his hand. "I'm sorry, love. I feel very tired all of a sudden. I didn't mean it to sound as if I was throwing you out ..."
"It's all right, Mags. I probably need an early night. I'll catch the tube. It's only ten minutes walk." Maggie laid her head on his shoulder for a moment, but neither of them sought any more intimacy than that. "Sorry, love. Call me tomorrow. I'll feel better."
It was a dismissal. Geoff stood up and held out his hand. Maggie took it with a tired smile and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. They hugged briefly, with warmth but no passion. Then Geoff stepped out into the cool night.
 
 
  Charlotte was feeling shattered. Her back was aching desperately, far more than usual. Her breasts felt hugely swollen, and it wasn't just the milk. Tomorrow's visit to Mrs Danby could not come soon enough. Charlotte sat on the edge of the bed and picked up her discarded bra. Look at it, she thought. Not six weeks old, and stretched almost out of all recognition. The sides of the body band were wrinkled and tired, the shoulder straps, which had originally been two inches wide, were now stretched to less than half their orignal width. She felt the sore marks on top of her shoulders. There were deep indentations. They hurt: really hurt.
Charlotte shuddered as cool fingers rested on her own, insistently moving her hands away from her burning shoulders, gently massaging away the rude marks of the bra straps. She rested her head on one of Jacqui's hands, then turned and kissed the long fingers, opening her mouth to half bite the knuckle with just her lips.
"Madame! Ooooh!" Jacqui moved closer, her hair hanging down Charlotte's back, causing tingling electric shocks to run up and down her spine and eventually down, endlessly down to the tips of her breasts.
"Jacqui, yesss!" She allowed the young French girl to tilt her head back, feeling the soft lips brushing her shoulder like an alighting butterfly, closing her eyes until she felt the touch of those full lips on her own. She was hungry for the girl's mouth, grunting helplessly as the little tongue penetrated and sought hers, like a live thing.
"You must lie down, Madame." Jacqui spoke into Charlotte's mouth. "Let me help you lift your breasts on to the bed."
"In a moment, Jacqui. We have plenty of time."
And Charlotte felt the girl's lips smile against hers. They had plenty of time.
 
 
  "What's up with you this morning? You've got a face like a wet week."
Geoff hunched over the camera magazine and prodded at the roll of film. He tore away the sealing strip and dragged the backing paper across the rollers. It ripped in his hands. With a curse, he snatched the roll out of the chamber and hurled it across the studio. It unwound as it flew, and fell in a twitching coil on the background paper.
Debbie touched his arm, feeling concerned. "Geoff? What is it?" he was silent, plucking another roll of film out of the box and ripping off the foil wrapping. His hands were all thumbs.
"Come on, tell Debs!" She looked up into his face. "It's Mags, isn't it?" Tears appeared instantly in Geoff's eyes. Got it in one, she thought, without any satisfaction. "Here. Leave that for a minute. Poor Dunc will come in and find he's got no film left at this rate. Come into the finishing room. Come on."
She dragged him away from the bench and towed him, without protest, out of the studio. She pushed him on to the stool and hoisted her bottom on to the workbench. She leaned forward, her face close to his.
"Now, what's the matter? Didn't she let you have it last night."
He shook his head dumbly.
"Is that no, I'm wrong, or no, she didn't?"
He shook his head again.
"She didn't then?" Debbie reached out and laid her hand on Geoff's shoulder. "Poor Geoff. Don't worry, you know what women are like. Next week, she'll be all over you again."
Geoff wished he thought so. Debbie's fingers squeezed his shoulder, strong and confident. He took her hand in both of his and laid his head against it, ashamed to feel tears trickle down on to her fingers.
Debbie was nonplussed. She didn't like to see Geoff unhappy. It felt strange to have him holding on to her hand like this. She felt a surge of warmth and pity for the boy. "Come here," she said softly, and pulled him toward her. He stood up and came into her arms quite naturally. It felt so strange and unfamiliar, holding Geoff so close. He stood as near as he could, pressed against her knees. She knew he was close enough. No closer, Debs, she told herself sharply, no closer. But as she allowed her knees to part and pulled Geoff's inert body close against her, she felt that thrilling surge again, and abandoned her inhibitions to hug him tight to her. His body was lean and hard against her. She could feel her breasts, warm and compressed against his body. And was she imagining it? No, she wasn't! Yet, it did not feel at all threatening or unpleasant. She whispered in his ear.
"It's all right, love! Don't worry about a few tears. Let it out, Geoff. Let it out!"
Geoff did. It was all he needed. He buried his face in Debbie's shoulder, his body shuddering with huge sobs, then finally he cried as he hadn't cried since he had been a kid at school, his voice cracking and wailing in despair.
Debbie was amazed. What had she done? All she could do was to hold him tight against her, murmuring soflty and comfortingly, rocking him in her arms like a baby. Just like a baby.
Duncan took in the scene without a word. He had come in silently, found the studio empty, the Hasselblad magazine open on the bench, a roll of film uncoiled on the floor. He had followed the muffled noises to their source, and found the astonishing scene in the finishing room.
Debbie saw him at last. Their eyes met over Geoff's heaving, racked body. She shook her head and glanced away to the open studio door. Duncan tenderly touched her hand and tiptoed out of the room. Debbie squeezed Geoff extra hard and he slowly stopped his crying and pulled away from her.
"That's better, isn't it? Don't try and say anything." She reached for a paper towel and dabbed at Geoff's eyes. One, two. "All better," she crooned.
Geoff was horrified. He had been hugging Debbie, of all people. What if Duncan had come in and found them? Instant dismissal, for sure. And now, Debbie was leaning closer, kissing him softly on each cheek, the corners of his eyes, which felt like hot coals.
"Debs, no!"
She laughed softly, and slid her bottom off the bench. Her head only came up to his shoulder. She gave him one last hug, and Geoff felt his face begin to burn as her softness pressed against his hardness down there. He pulled back until he realised he was standing with his bottom thrust out, trying not to touch her. And Debbie's bottom was not thrust out at all, her body was remaining firmly in contact with his.
"Duncan will be here in a minute," Geoff bleated softly. She laughed again but released him, then embarrassingly, stood back and held him at arms' length, looking down between them.
"Look what you've done to my T-shirt," she pointed to the big wet patch on the front of her shoulder, just inches above the swell of her left breast. She pulled the soaked material away from herself. To Geoff's intense relief, she said nothing of his predicament further down. "All better now, love?"
He could only nod silently.
"Duncan's been here five minutes. I told him to leave us alone for a while, but he's not the most patient man in the world. Come on, let's go and earn some money!"
 
 
  end Chapter 6