Isla's Summer

Slowly, more people arrived, including mum and Sally. Mark and Kevin arrived with two dogs in tow that immediately made a beeline for Helen, talking to another group of relatives. Both called 'hi' to Gary and I, whilst also signing to me, as they made their way to their respective girlfriends.

Gradually Gary and I made our way around guests, getting to know his relatives better. Every time we passed either Cat or Helen, they would gibe each other about whose fault the lack of communication was.

Looking around, I realised that both mum and Sally had returned to their motherly roles and were busy ensuring people had plates, condiments, drinks and were tidying up as they went.

"Gary, this is a party for your mum... And yet you, Cat and Helen are partying whilst our mum's work, come on..." I walked him to his mother taking the bin bag of rubbish off her and passed it to Gary.

"Sally, this is your party. You shouldn't be working. Grab a drink and talk to your friends."

Gary translated.

Sally thanked me but looked sceptically at Gary and her two daughters that were still lounging with their boyfriends.

"Don't worry, we'll look after the party, enjoy yourself."

Again, Gary translated, and I pulled him away over to Sally and Helen.

After scolding the two sisters, I put them to work. Helen at the bar, making sure everyone had a drink. Even keeping a kettle running and teapot for any nominated drivers or teetotal amongst them.

Cat went over to the barbecue and whilst leaving dad and Barney to the cooking, she arranged plates, cutlery, baps, bread and butter. Soon Cat had a line queuing up for food with dad and Barney serving.

Gary and I ran around clearing empty glasses, used napkins and clearing areas to eat. We made sure everyone had whatever he or she needed to eat or drink. Gary got the hang of signing across distances, being able to ask or answer questions voiceless.

Soon, things were running like clockwork. Mum pulled me to a table on the one side of the garden where we sat with cups of tea, to nibble at some salad and burgers mum had gotten. It was idyllic, with the flowers, balloons providing colour and the fields surrounding us reflecting gold in the dying sunlight.

The multicoloured garden lighting was now more prominent as the sun dropped. Not for the first time sat there with mum, sipping tea, I searched Gary out, just to watch and admire him. My mind again drifted to how we could find some 'us' time for us to be alone, to break the sexual duck we were experiencing.

Gary was sitting with his grandparents at a table, beer in hand, chatting. Whilst they were on the other side of the garden, I could lip-read his grandmother easily...

"... She's so pretty Gary. You're going to have to marry her..."

"Gran..."

"No. Gary, I'm not joking... A girl as pretty as that will not hang around long if you play that butch, hard, male arrogance. Someone is going to swoop in and snatch her up."

"Gran... It's not that easy, she's been to university... She's brilliant, why would she want a country bumpkin like me?"

"Right, young man, you listen good... Your mother has told me about how bright she is, how she's helped with the applications and how she's tracking tractors on her phone to help her. She's even ridden George and got you smitten... She augments you, you know what that word means, don't you? You're not daft. If you're not careful, you'll end up with some big bosomed farming girl like your sisters, to bully and badger you for eternity."

Both Gary and I shivered at the thought. I was keen for the conversation to continue, but mum nudged me.

"Isla, I can see what you're doing, it's rude to listen in on a private conversation."

Mum had always told me off for lip-reading other conversations, but it has saved me many times and kept me up to date on many subject, social or otherwise. A guest was now in my line of sight and just as I was about to give up, they moved.

"Gary, there are no two ways about it, you need to marry that girl."

"I know Gran... I've known all along... It's just that she doesn't know it... Yet"

As Gary spoke, he looked across the garden, directly at me before I could look away, then two guests drifted across to obscure the view.

Mum saw me blush and look away. She frowned but didn't voice her annoyance. She couldn't have read Gary's lips as I had. My mind raced with his words to his grandmother 'I've known all along.'

I had to find a distraction for my mind, so I cleared our empty plates and went to help Cat. We cleared the remnants of the food away, then started inviting people up for trifles, cheesecake and sweets.

I was wondering how busy Sally, Cat and Helen must have been preparing all these when I realised they were all too perfect for homemade produce. Also, noticing supermarket boxes and wrappers in the bin bags underneath the table.

At an appropriate time, Barney appeared carrying an enormous chocolate cake with a ring of candles around it, prompting everyone to sing 'Happy Birthday'' to Sally. Gary hunted me out and, placing an arm around me, he pulled me in as he sang. Barney placed the cake ceremoniously onto a table and invited Sally to blow out the candles.

After everyone finished clapping, Gary turned to me, "Sorry I've been neglecting you."

"No, you haven't, you've been busy as well. I've tried to help; after all, it is your mother's birthday."

"Yes... Sorry, we were all selfish... Thanks for the kick up the arse... Certainly those two lazy so and so's needed it..."

"Now, now... They've been busy too and because you've not yet asked... My ball gown is going to knock your socks off..."

Pecking me on the lips, he signed, "Helen said, she loves it, wants to change hers now, but it's too late..."

I smiled, poor Helen. I felt sorry for her, after seeing me in a size ten knock out dress. It's not as if she isn't fit or busy and I have never seen her eating much at all. Then Gary looked serious.

"I saw you watching me talking with Gran... Were you reading my lips?"

I gave my answer away by blushing... "That's for me to know... And you to find out."

I teased, trying a tactic Sarah used to use with her boyfriends. The look on Gary's face told me it didn't wash, and he thought he knew enough.

Then, saying no words, he signed, "Isla... As you now know... I love you... I think I always have..."

His head shot to his right, to see a Helen screaming, "Yeah," with her arms up in the air, in triumph and she then signed across to Cat, who was also looking at her outburst.

"Gary's admitted it... He loves Isla."

Gary shot Helen a fierce two-fingered salute, as she bounced her way through curious relatives, totally unawares at the reason for the outbursts of screaming, as Cat had joined Helen with jubilant squealing. On the other side of the garden, Cat was jumping in triumph, arms in the air, as she also ran across the garden towards us.

Cat reached us first, being closer. Gary tried to wriggle free, but she had us wrapped together, laughing with joy. Helen hit us in the largest rugby tackle ever, flooring us all. They squashed me to the ground with Gary and Cat, as Helen squeezed us into a bear hug. The two women laughing and kissed Gary and I on the cheeks... Gary cursed wildly, trying to free himself from his sisters.

As the turmoil diminished with Helen releasing us, we returned to our feet, surrounded by relatives, none the wiser for the outburst. Whilst used to the three siblings roughhousing, they were unsure as to my involvement.

Mum looked at me with the same questioning look.

"It's okay mum... Gary said he loved me..." I signed, keeping the Barnes relatives none the wiser.

Cat and Helen squealed again, and both signed, "Gary loves Isla... Gary loves Isla... Gary loves Isla."

Both laughing but when asked, the answer of it being a private joke deflected any further intrusion.

Mum continued to help and tidy up, smiling to herself. I looked across at dad he was full of a few mixed emotions and returned to cleaning the barbecue area. Gary was thoroughly flustered and pulled me to the bar so he could recharge his glass. He offered me a drink, and we drifted back through the relatives to a quieter spot.

"I'm sorry. Those two are the bane of my life. They're such a pain in the arse."

"No, Gary... They love you too... They just show it differently."

"Too?... As in also?... As in you love me also?"

I blushed and pulled him in close... "Yes... I think I do..."

"You only 'think' you do?"

He looked quite hurt.

"I'm sorry... I've never been... 'In Love' so I don't have a slide rule to gauge it by... I'm being honest here Gary... I miss you when you're not there and I can't take my eyes off you, when you are..."

He smiled... satisfied by my answer, "so my sisters show their love differently? How do you?"

He was now goading me... Maybe he feels it's time to speed up as much as I do. I pulled him in even closer and gave him my sexiest kiss, pulling his head down to meet mine. Keeping my hand running through his hair to keep him locked to me and searching around his mouth with my tongue... My free hand gripped his one tight buttock and pulled him into me.

When we finished our kiss and I relaxed my hold on his buttock, I could feel the bulge in his leg indicate that I'd hit the spot. Gary gasped for air, smiling back.

"Phew... I like that," He admitted.

We kissed and cuddled, but rather than attract another audience, we broke and continued with our family duties. As the light faded, guests left, including me, in their goodbyes. Eventually it was only the Barnes clan, with mum, dad, Kevin, Mark and me left.

We all sat around a fire pit in the patio. Barney had used the coals from the barbecue to start it with some wood placed on top. Giving us a nice flickering glow in the last light from the setting sun, with the various lights helping to guide us to & from the bar.

It wasn't chilly, snuggled up onto Gary's lap on a garden lounger, sipping the last drop out of a glass of cider. It was nice to see both sets of parents being more romantic. Mum was sitting sat on dad's lap in a rare romantic moment.

It was nice watching the group, reading the conversation, and enjoying being close to Gary once more. His hands were visible, but the one wandered... I kept a watch on it... Dropping below my thigh; it started tickling...

After a few strokes, I realised he was spelling letters out on my thigh. I looked directly at him with a 'What?' look of my eyebrows, without needing to sign anything. He smiled and his finger traced, 'Hi,'.

I nodded, thinking it through. He now knows his sisters can read his signing and is playing his cards closer to his chest.

I traced 'Hi,' with my finger on the back of his hand.

He smiled and my thigh felt, 'this would be nicer on our own.'

Being close to him, I knew he could hear me, so I hummed an affirmative, 'Mmm.'

'Romantic' He spelled out.

'Mmm'

Gary smiled, pulling me in, and we kissed. I think he is getting the idea, and is as frustrated sexually as I am, as I feel a lump growing beneath me. I glance at him and raise my eyebrows, to tease him into blushing... His eyes focussed, and the lump reduced...

I wriggled by size ten bum until I felt his lump grow and his eyebrows raise to question me...

"You do have a naughty side..." Gary silently mouthed at me as he squeezed my thigh.

I grinned and wriggled a little more. It was unfair of me, but after all those times of leaning across the centre console of that damn Disco, it wouldn't hurt to tease him. I felt his finger on my thigh attracting my attention. Once my eyes looked at him, he knew I was ready to receive.

'Be good or I'll tell Helen I love you.' He spelled out.

'Ok...'

Gary then glanced over at Cat. I glanced over and whilst she and Mark were similarly entwined, she smiled and signed, "You two are up to something, we're watching."

I glanced at Helen, who also was watching us. She made a 'Vee' with her first and second fingers, raised them to her eyes, and then pointed them at us, insinuating the same, smiling gleefully.

All this happened surreptitiously, with no one else noticing, as various conversations continued to crisscross the fire pit. I don't think even Mark or Kevin realised. I have to admit; I felt like a surrogate sister to those two.

Dad attracted my attention, pointing to mum, who was head back, jaw open, snoring her head off. He then pointed at Sally, slumped over Barney, also fast asleep. Dad pointed at an empty bottle of flavoured gin as the cause...

He then pointed to home, mouthing, "I'll take your mum home, if you want to come?"

I really didn't want to, but now it was late and we all needed to be up early to catch up. I looked around to check everything was cleared away. I looked at Gary and he had seen the interaction with dad and mouthed, "You go love... We'll talk tomorrow."

After a cuddle and last goodnight kiss, then a round of goodbyes, dad and I helped mum to the car and made our way back home. It looked like both Kevin and Mark were also leaving, so I didn't feel such a heel at leaving Gary alone, whilst Cat and Helen cuddled up with their partners in their beds.

Once again, led in bed, trying to drift off to sleep. My mind ran through all the excitement of the day. The eventual sticking point keeping me awake was Gary's conversation with his grandmother. My ego was obviously running high, knowing that the man of my dreams did in fact love me... But was he?...

I ran through the flings and heroes of my adult life. Whilst the flings at university were with intellectual equals, they were actually dull company and quite arrogant. None set my buttons alight nor made me regret kicking them into touch.

Gary, however, had made that huge first step, learning to sign, just to cross that initial bridge. He'd also always been honest about his past and treated me the way I would wish to be. He was a gentleman, handsome, hunky, muscular and adorable... He made me laugh, always made me feel special and understood what makes me happy.

Above all, he had never pressed home the drive of any man... to mate. Gary seemed more than happy to take things slowly at my speed, even if I was now as frustrated, wanting to test-drive this hunk, but marriage is such a big deal. Was I ready for such a commitment?

I did not welcome my alarm the next morning. The day looked darker than recent mornings. Looking out my window, grey clouds hung across the sky, with no rain yet. Looking at my phone screen with the app, I could see all the transponders moving across the screen in their silent dance as in previous mornings.

By coffee break, the weather had closed in and we had already had a few showers, although it looked as if more was to come. I met with Gary and he joined mum and I in the conservatory, rather than sit on a wet bench, as we wanted the cushions to remain dry, sat in their cubbies.

As the weather deteriorated, it halted harvest, enabling Gary to do some vehicle and equipment maintenance. He also prepared Fergie for the coming weekends steam fair. I helped Sally choose piglets for show, whilst also giving George some grooming and got a mobile blacksmith to check his shoes.

Most evenings we were all busy, but we managed an evening with Gary and his sisters, as well as Mark and Kevin. Once again, it was a lovely evening amongst people that I now considered close friends.

Kevin, Mark and Gary were now going to camp at the steam fair in tents, so they could look after the sheep, piglets and Fergie over the long weekend. They had arranged to transport everything to the showground on Thursday, with the low loader and trailer in the one barn.

Cat, Helen, and I worked on arrangements to help with Fergie and her tractor rides. I'd checked previous risk assessments and resubmitted an amendment after walking through it with Gary.

During my visits to the storage barn, I noticed a large space where Bessy had been. Whenever I asked Gary, he just shrugged and said they'd moved her, so they can work on her over winter. We packed Fergie's carriages with all the boys' camping equipment, as well as hay and food for the piglets, and Kevin's sheep.

In between showers, Gary gave me driving lessons on Fergie. Whilst I have a car licence, the old tractor was difficult, without power steering and an odd steering column gear stick.

Gary had added extra large mirrors and a simple traffic light system of red and green lights on stalks. One stalk on the tractor and one on the rear of the last carriage. He had also added a large old-fashioned klaxon horn on the back, as he knew I could not shout a warning.

We could communicate using the traffic lights system and if I needed him to stop, I could push hard down on the klaxon. This will enable me, Cat and Helen to swap between being Fergie's conductor, or driver, if needed. Whilst also being able to take turns looking after the two piglets in the show tent.

This was all so new to me, but very exciting. It certainly notched Gary and my relationship, definitely bringing us closer, as we both had to trust each other to ensure no passengers were at risk.

On the worse day of rain, during one heavy downpour of rain, Cat and I walked the one test area they had prepared earlier in the year. Looking at the water flow, walking the new ditch boundary, to see if it reached the earlier estimate.

It was hilarious, wet and difficult. Cat signing to me, as we walked either side of the ditch and the ever-widening bog as we reached the new lock, which was now holding back a deep pond.

We trudged back to the farmhouse and after a little upload, export and save, we had a map we could overlay onto our original walkabout map. Cat was pleased, as it was actually an improvement on the original estimate and she proposed to revise our previous estimate and application.

Thursday came too soon. I walked down to the farm soon after breakfast and found Gary, Mark and Kevin at the barn preparing to load the low loader up. It was interesting to see the lack of any dynamic as the three argued their way to loading Fergie, reversing up and hitching the trailer up.

Thankfully, it was drying up and forecast was good for the next few days. Slowly, we had the rest of the equipment loaded, and we pulled out of the farm. Wellend wasn't too far, but we were driving a rickety load that seemed to be held together with bailing twine.

Gary didn't help by looking nervous when we reached Ross-on-Wye and the local bobby waved us past. We crossed over the River Wye on the same bypass we cursed for spoiling our view on our first date. I wanted to ask Gary if he recognised his bush, but he was focussed on the road. Mark and Kevin following in a Land Rover with a trailer full of sheep and piglets.

Once we turned off the motorway and down smaller back roads, we didn't feel as conspicuous, weaving our way around the Malvern Hills to Wellend. We followed directions to reach the exhibitors' entrance. It didn't bode well to have straw already laid down on the field's entrance, with large tractors ready to pull any stuck lorries.

The low loader managed its way across the fields until we reached an allotted parking and camping area, set aside for us. We soon had Fergie and the carriages off, although it took longer for Mark and Kevin to erect their tents. Gary had his tent up in a flash.

Gary and I went in search of the organisers to confirm our arrival and reconnoitre the tractor ride route. Mark and Kevin went to drop the animals off in the show tents. It was quite clear that after the recent rain, the fields could soon become a quagmire should any more rain fall.

At the organiser's tent, we checked in and they confirmed the agreed ride route, passing the main show ring, fairground rides and hospitality areas. They had laid some stone chipping roads around the site to help our route. We walked miles around the enormous site that encompassed eight or ten fields.