A Real Man in My Life Ch. 03

Shit, he had finally become his father. I was fuming!

Gemma took care of it;

"Awwwww precious Bwadley, you not centre of attention no more? Poor baby..." she pouted, then she stood up and got in her brothers face, "Why don't you fuck off back to Daddy's house for the variety of different women he has over there ah? You never seem to object to strangers there do you," she said feigning a puzzled look, then smiled, "or is it because Graham hasn't given you any money or let you stare down his shirt at his tits yet?" Bradley took a step back, shocked and with no support. "Dad left Mum don't forget," she snapped for the first time, "Dad was seeing other women Bradley!" Bradley's mouth flapped open a few times.

Gray smiled and leaned his huge frame forward,

"Hi Bradley, I'm Graham; I'm in the band," he smiled a big smile.

"Like I'm supposed to give a fuck!" Bradley snapped.

"Just trying to be nice," said Gray, "it's a bass player thing."

"T'choh," hissed Bradley then coming to a decision, "Dad's JUST been looking for a reason," he said tapping speedily into his phone and looking daggers at Gray, "And you know what? I'm going to give it to him," he had Parker's self-satisfied head wobble, then looked at Gemma as if he had the answer, "I'm gonna tell Dad that you've got the thick bouncer staying here," he said in disgust as if I was dating a dustbin man and then folded his arms and grinned, "that'll do it," he crowed triumphantly, "he'll speak to our brief and..."

"The brief? Dad's solicitor?" Gemma laughed incredulously, "Oh I forgot, he's not a solicitor is he, he's a 'legal advisor' because no solicitor will deal with Dad's company any more will they... that's bwilliant Baby Bwadley," she guffawed, "just bwilliant!" she said knowing that her use of that term made Bradley fume, "Graham is a BARRISTER dumb arse, he tells solicitors what to do!"

"Dad said... Dad said you... you do door work, you're a bloody cabbie, a bailiff, you work in a coffee shop," Bradley said, the wind out of his sails for once in disbelief that his father could be wrong. It was also evident that either Bradley or his father was following some of the Facebook banter, as the 'coffee shop' stuff had never been mentioned outside of there or the rehearsals. I also knew I'd be changing my computer and phone passwords that night as well. I took a deep breath so I didn't shout at my son.

"That's a barista Bradley," I said so he didn't feel everyone was up against him, I am still his mum after all.

"How many coffee shop staff do you know that drive an Aston Martin?" said Tom, looking up from his book and pointing out of the kitchen window and the British Racing Green beast parked at the end of our drive.

"Aston... Aston..."

"Yes," said Gray, "DBS; don't be impressed, it's last year's model."

I followed Bradley's eyes as they picked up the Rolex watch, the Saville Row suit and the shoes that probably cost more than my car.

Everything my youngest son believed in was the accumulation of wealth and the demonstration of your obvious success and worth over the next person; how it was the most important thing and what that meant to your social standing and importance. His Father wore a fake Tag Heuer watch that he bought from a vendor on one of our holidays in the Med, and drove a pretty crappy old BMW Five Series convertible but the soft top wouldn't stay down, and was spotted with rust. He'd taken from someone in lieu of a debt and tried to convince anyone who'd listen it was a classic, and not just an old car. It was a heap of shit really and probably wasn't worth the new set of low profile tyres that Gray had recently had fitted on his DBS.

Bradley's immature brain wasn't formatted to take all of the conflicting images in, so in confused admiration and detestation he stormed out of the kitchen, disgusted that his bad manners had no effect on Graham who had returned to the discussion of Rugby with Tom.

"Rugby is sooo shit!" whined Bradley as he stormed out.

"So says every footballer that can't play it..." said Gray gently.

Bradley huffed and puffed just like his Dad when he couldn't think of a clever answer. He recommenced his storming.

"That went well," said Gray. Gemma and Tom laughed, I tried not to but did chuckle eventually.

Bradley came back half an hour later and had his tea, and sat close enough to hear the discussion we were all having but not so close that he had to join in. By now Tom and Gray were sat with Tom's guitar and Gray played a few bass riffs that he then turned into lead breaks. We talked about our favourite songs, the songs we played and wanted to play again sometime. I played some video from my phone of Gray singing "please please me", his favourite Beatles song, and Gemma clapped.

Bradley was listening in to the fun and the banter, a tiny part of him wanted to join in I could see, and I asked him to come and join us for the large handmade gateau that Gray had brought with him; but there was still that large slice of his father in him that just wouldn't lay down. He ignored me.

He took out his new smartphone and he was looking to see if I was looking. I looked, and with a glance let him know that I didn't care what he did, not now or ever.

At a little after 10PM, I sent both Gemma and Tom to bed, Bradley having gone up more than an hour before.

"I'd better go honey," he said with a grin and put down his tea mug.

I saw Gray to the door, and I now knew that I wanted people to know that I had something going on with the sexy bass playing barrister. He stepped out on to the porch and the light came on. I put my arms around his neck and kissed him using the extra height to my advantage.

"Goodnight Gray," I whispered to him, "come back soon."

"Try keeping me away," he whispered back and kissed me again. Then I kissed him.

We stood there for twenty minutes, snogging in the porch, and it was lovely! I don't know why we just didn't go back into the house and kiss on the sofa, but I had come on the day before, which I was actually rather pleased about, but we couldn't get up to anything else. His hands moved freely across my body, one moment around my waist, next in my hair and stroking my face and finally on both cheeks of my bottom. Wow!

Several of my cul-de-sac neighbours walked their dogs past the house and I noticed that at least one of them smiled on his return journey. Parker wasn't exactly a 'neighbour from hell', but I wouldn't have wanted to live next door to him. He parked his car wherever he wanted, blocked other peoples' drives with his variety of cars and the occasional truck we ended up with outside our house and as far as he was concerned he always had a reason, not an excuse. Some of the neighbours were a bit intimidated by him and he knew it and played on it, and would smile at them and talk in a manner that could be taken either way.

When we first broke up, I told the lady next door just in case she wondered why Parker wasn't around. Her husband was out washing his car on the next Sunday morning and spoke to me very seriously, asking if there was likely to be any trouble from Parker.

"He's been a little heavy handed sometimes Natalie," said the old boy, "Half the time I wasn't sure if I was being threatened or not, he's not going to get all... cross... is he?"

"No Bill," I said, "he's off to start a new life with some new woman that is so much better than me." I paused, "if he so much as looks at you funny, you tell me. Parker is still terrified of my Dad Bill, leave it with me."

And that was how it was. Bill and Barbara had soon told the rest of the street that that nasty man from number 7 had dumped that gorgeous wife of his for some floozy and she says if he plays up just let her know. Parker found out and on his next dropping the kids off on Sunday was quite cross, right up to the point that my Dad walked in from the garden broad shouldered and looking like he'd spent the afternoon working out.

Dad had been laying me a new patio and ripping out the crappy wooden decking Parker had so wanted. It looked cheap and nasty when he first had one of his cowboy mates install it and it actually looked worse as it aged. Over the first winter a nasty green slime grew on it, Tom slipped over and sprained his wrist two days before his primary school SATS test.

I was fuming but all Parker ever wanted to do was have Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid back to coat it in some other stinking chemical that gave everyone headaches yet did nothing to stop the cheap and nasty looking managed fucking pine just getting slimy again and a whole mess of different horrible colours. I stopped the kids walking on it which meant if they wanted to play in the garden they had to go out the front door and through the garage, and not just step out of the family room or the kitchen.

So Dad booked a weekend with my two brothers and they descended with sledgehammers and chain saws and the thing was ripped out by lunchtime on Saturday and we had a celebratory bonfire the next evening illuminating the nice patterned paver bricks and slab designs that my brother James created on his laptop.

Parker never knew that almost my whole family was in the garden enjoying a barbeque, so when he stormed into the kitchen in a high dudgeon, intent on taking me to task about threats from Dad, it was with some surprise that my wonderful, peaceful, only slightly scary former Royal Marine Sergeant Major Dad silently slipped an arm around him and asked what the problem was.

Dad's Marine smile crept across his face as he applied some gentle pressure to the arm around his former son-in-law.

"Things aren't going to get nasty around here Parker are they?"

"No Dave, of course not, N... Natalie and I have sorted things quite amicably I thought..."

"Excellent!" cried my Dad, "Well, we've got a bit of a party going on here, so don't let us keep you."

He walked Parker to the front door. I reckon that Dad might have said something slightly sterner once I was out of earshot.

But our Cul-de-sac became a happier place over night.

The next day I'd had a quiet chat with yummy mummy Sam from two doors away out the new bloke, and that he was a high flying barrister and just the nicest bloke in the world.

Was that an Aston Martin on the drive? It most certainly was, and yes, that was him dropping me off in the Discovery the other Sunday.

"Oh Wow!" cooed yummy mummy Sam in delight; she'd never liked Parker. Word spread along the street, ostensibly from Neighbourhood Watch about who owned the DBS, but more about who Natalie was seeing now she'd got rid of the thug.

Upon reflection though, if they'd met seventeen year old Gray they'd have locked their doors and called the police.

The following Saturday and it was lovely to have the children back with me, and I hoped to get some more time for them to meet Gray and get to know him.

After our late night Skype sex, as I got my breath back I said about meeting him in town for lunch with the kids on Saturday.

"That would be lovely Darling," he said, "how about we meet in Whetherspoons?"

"Splendid!" I said, and over breakfast the following morning I broke it to all three of them.

"I'm going to Dad's," said Bradley pouting and folding his arms like a four year old.

"Thought you might," I said, "what about you two?"

"Band practice," said Tom, not looking up from his book, "sorry Mum -- it was Graham's fault mind you, he suggested I get a band together and we're meeting up in the annex at school." He could obviously see the slight disappointment in my face.

"You can come to Dads place after," said Bradley hopefully.

"Oh yeah," hissed Tom, levelling a look at his younger brother, "there would be you AND Dad trying to convince me that 'The University of Life' is the only place to get educated, no thanks, you go and stare and his new woman's tits like you normally do."

Gemma chuckled.

"I'll come with you Mum, seeing as both of my brothers are letting you down."

And so the next Saturday Gem and I had a girly morning and picked our clothes, and then did our hair and make-up to best effect, and headed into town to the new decorated pub restaurant.

Gray saw me coming and stood and came towards me, hugging me and kissing me. He did the same to Gemma but obviously the kiss was with much less vigour!

"Natalie, Gemma, I'd like to introduce you to the other love of my life, this is Sam my baby boy."

In the seat was a tiny, thin boy with obvious cerebral palsy, but he swung off of his chair and stood to greet me and Gemma. Sam toddled towards Gemma and she dropped down to one knee and shook hands with him, he bowed as best as he could and of all things kissed her hand.

"Awww how lovely, thank you Sam!" she said.

"You're welcome," said Sam with only the slightest speech impediment.

"What's everyone having," said Gray, lifting Sam from his walker and sitting him onto a seat specially brought out for him.

"I want the HUGE burger like last time Daddy," said Sam. When he said the word HUGE he spread his arms to indicate its vastness.

"Of course," said Giant Daddy Gray, "Make you a big strong boy!"

Sam giggled and both Gem and I joined in.

I had gammon, Gray had a huge steak -- this was Gray of course -- and Gem had a 'huge' burger just like her new best mate Sam. The spring sunshine was great and the view of the river running past and attendant wildlife was enchanting. Sam ate slowly but with passion and Gem moved and sat next to him discussing their meal.

Sam spoke with some effort and Gem let him, not butting in and letting him say what he wanted to and replying with the same seriousness that he did. I could see that she was going to be just the best teacher ever.

Gray saw it too and smiled at me. I blew him a kiss.

We finished our meal and had some more drinks sitting in the sunshine. Gray asked Gem if she'd decided on Edge Hill and she said that she had, so he asked for her email address. Gray, love him, sent it on to his friend the Vice Chancellor that evening saying what a fantastic student he would have in Gemma Wallace if they took her on. Praise from Mr Graham Woods LLB (Barrister) was praise indeed.

We walked from the pub garden into town to the small play park in the edge of the town centre and Sam toddled across to the swings with his special walking frame heading for one in particular, and he reversed up to it, moving his frame away with a deftness obviously born of practice and slid onto the seat, pulling the gate across and securing him in place. Gemma stood behind him and pushed, Sam laughing and cheering and Gemma beaming at the fun her new friend was having.

Gray and I moved to the bench seat and sat down.

"Oh Gray he's adorable."

"I think so," said Gray, "but then I'm a bit prejudiced."

"And rightly so!" I said slipping an arm around his waist.

Gem it appeared had now started to tickle Sam's sides as she pushed him on the swing and he was greatly taken with it, laughing fit to burst, and we all laughed with him.

Gray put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close and we kissed; out of the corner of my eye I saw that both Sam and Gemma were watching us. Keeping our lips locked together I looked across to them and I could see that Gray was doing likewise.

Gemma had her face next to Sam's and was whispering in his ear, in perfect unison they both held their noses and groaned loudly, and both shouting 'get a room!'

Gray and I laughed and kissed once more, resting our foreheads together and taking a deep sigh, having got that particular milestone out of the way.

Gemma in the meantime had got her smartphone and was busy taking selfies of her and Sam making various faces, and he asked her to email them to him. She sat on the swing next to him and began the process; in a flash Sam was out of the swing and pulling himself across to her and climbing onto her lap. She pulled him close, put her arms around him and got him to type his email address into her phone himself, both cheering as the pictures went off through the ether and on to Sam's account when he got back to school on Monday. He touched his face to hers and smiled. She turned and pursed her lips kissing his cheek making loud sucking noises, and he giggled trying to push her away but not trying too hard. She took another selfie of them both her kissing his cheek and him laughing, and it became her Facebook profile picture, "Me and my Bro' Sam".

It was perfect, and I got all Mumsie and had to wipe a tear from my eye.

Sam was starting to tire so we called it a day and Gem carried Sam back to the car promising that either we would come to his house or he could come to ours. She kissed him again, and so did I making sure that he was strapped into his special car seat.

I thanked Gray for a lovely afternoon,

"I'll call you later Baby," he said, our shorthand for phone sex.

"I'll look forward to it." I said.

Gem was knelt next to the car door and both her and Sam were holding their noses and groaning again. Gray and shrugged our shoulders, kissed one more time and stopping only to peck Gemma on the cheek and thank her for looking after his boy, got into his car and drove away, both waving.

"I really like him Mum," said Gem.

"Thanks Honey," I said and arm in arm we walked back to my car.

As the band moved closer to the event in mid-August, the time came for me to ask Parker to come if he'd like to come along and reprise his Simon Le Bon and Suggs performances.

So on Wednesday evening when he collected the kids, I asked him.

"Thought you were all ignoring me," he said with his usual pique.

"Nope, they just reached your bit now," I said.

"Oh, OK, when?"

"Saturday about 1130?" I said.

"Ok," he said, "Who will I know?"

"Come on Parker, virtually everyone, it's only Caroline and Rob Peters that are really missing, other than that you should pretty much recognise most people there."

"And I suppose that lover boy will be there, the Barrister boy wonder?" Bradley, sat in the back of Dad's car with the window down hearing his Dad's broadside, laughing and shaking his head.

I thought on how best to answer that; I didn't want to argue with him and give him the satisfaction of upsetting me, nor did I want him to get away with it. So I folded my arms to raise my bosom, rolled my eyes, pursed my lips and just said,

"Ooh yeah..." and grinned.

It was Parker's turn now and I could see him trying for a suitable riposte but failing completely.

"Well I'll see you all tomorrow teatime Darlings," I said and waved and blew kisses. Bradley looked daggers at me, "and I'll see you Saturday at 1130 Parker, don't be late!"

I turned and walked back up MY drive and into MY house, intent on getting my new tablet and engaging in some triumphant revenge phone sex with Gray.

But by the time I'd loaded the dishwasher and the washing machine there was a gentle tap on the door. Wiping my hands on a towel I walked to the front door thinking it was one of the kids that had forgotten something. Instead I was delighted to see the unmistakeable huge frame of my Darling, wonderful boyfriend looking devastating in a suit with carrier that must have held a clean shirt for the next day, and just to make things perfect he had a Chinese takeaway in a carrier bag.

I grinned the sauciest, rudest grin that I possibly could and pulled him into the hallway by his tie and to the stairs and dragged him up them.

"Err... Nats..." he raised the carrier bag full of hot food.

"Sssssssh!" I hissed still walking, "Urgent revenge sex..."

"Okay!" he said and cheerfully followed me into the bedroom. By the time he'd hung his suitbag, put down the takeaway and removed his jacket and tie, I was already naked and on my hands and knees on the bed, wet, waiting and wanting.