A Short Story by Penny Nair Price. April 2020.

Paulette knew she had an “impediment”.  She was the daughter of a single mother and she knew a lot about her father but had never met him as he was happily married to another woman, had three sons, and would not leave his wife for Paulette’s mother. Her mother was his long term mistress and felt cheated and abused but would not stop going to their loving trysts because she loved him.  Ann – Paulette’s mum had asked Harry (Paulette’s father) over and over again to play fair and leave his wife for her but it was never going to happen.

They all lived in the same town but Paulette had little notion of what her father looked like though she knew his job – a top banker with high flying Swiss Bank – Hope United, and a huge disposable income, three sons ( she didn’t know their names or what they looked like) and a beautiful wife – Rose who was of French heritage. Ann kept details and photos entirely away as much as she could from her only daughter.

As Paulette grew up, having to regularly comfort Ann,  for her unhappy life and all the advantage Harry had taken of her, she was invited to study away from Brimworth where she was brought up and where she knew her father, three half brothers and his wife lived.  Paulette went to college in London and came home now only for the long holidays as she had lots of course work to do and friends to mix with though she always kept herself single.    Haunting her every day of her adult study, was her nasty father Harry and how she didn’t even know what he looked like.  She knew her mum was scared to find a true love of her own in case Harry stopped seeing her and in case her new love played nasty tricks on her which would break her heart.  Paulette’s friends kept telling her to find a nice guy to go on dates with and Paulette made a myriad of excuses though there was more than one guy in her law class who turned her head.  She found herself thinking what it would be like to date John for example who was tall, slim and eloquent with beautiful handwriting or Irving who was a funny, blue-eyed sandy-haired bloke who was good at making people laugh or at the least, smile.

Paulette’s chance to “grow up” and start dating came when she returned to Brimworth and through her mum’s cleaner’s daughter, got invited to a party at the weekend.

Paulette and her mum went on their usual Saturday shopping outing and then Ann helped her choose an elegant though slightly revealing knee-length party dress to wear that evening.  That night Paulette walked to the party in her new revealing dress and a pair of previously owned dancing shoes complete with a present for her cleaner’s daughter.  She was fairly sure she would hardly know anyone there as she had gone to a private Catholic school on the outskirts of Brimworth and hardly kept in touch with a soul except on Facebook.  As it was Summer she didn’t wear a coat – simply a scarf wrapped around her neck and shoulders.

The party was in full swing when Paulette arrived. She immediately noticed there were many handsome young guys there complemented with lots of gorgeously dressed girls with great hairdos. Paulette was glad she had showered and washed and blow-dried her hair and she felt she fitted in a treat. She had long breast length, thick auburn hair which had a natural wave and she had tonged it look elegant and comely. She grabbed a drink from the table which was full of bottles and nursing her glass of wine which she caressed with her other hand she was suddenly approached by a tall young man who asked her to dance. He had a pale sandy wavy hair and huge brown eyes and a suntan. She had actually seen him as soon as she arrived and found him attractive. His open-necked shirt was lilac with a paisley design and he wore baggy cream chinos and a pair of executive style dark blue trainers. He seemed to have a great deal of confidence and smiled broadly at her as he held her by her elbow and beamed into her startled eyes

Paulette felt a tingly sensation go down her spine and she involuntarily fluttered her eyelashes as she moved with the young man to have a dance.

 

The twosome had a couple of dances and then sat down together near the dance area and had some drinks. Music was pounding loudly around the room and they could only exchange meaningful glances  Eventually during a break in the blast of music the young man asked Paulette her name.  She whispered it into his ear and he said “Oh Paulette” and she asked him his name – “Raymond” he replied into her ear.  He grasped her hand and she was stunned.

“Have you got a boyfriend?” Raymond asked Paulette.

“If you want the honest truth entirely, I have never dated anyone so I most definitely don’t have one, no – and you?  Are you seeing anyone?”

Raymond’s deep brown eyes darkened and he fixed Paulette with a serious stare.

“I’ve not dated anyone for a long time.  But when I saw you I felt so close to you I just had to ask you to come for a dance. My last relationship ended very abruptly when I found out my girlfriend was two-timing me.  Paulette – you are a really pretty lady with the most divine eyes I’ve ever seen.  I can feel my heart beating double-time whenever I look at you as though we are made for each other.

He  then offered…”What do you think of me?  You were keen to have a dance.  You were making eyes at me before I came up to you.”

“Oh – well you are very handsome.  I didn’t mean to make eyes at you but I noticed you standing alone as soon as I arrived..”

“So what’s your reason for not dating anyone then Paulette?”

“Listen Raymond we have only just met.  Let me have a few secrets – please!”.  Paulette could feel her eyes well up with tears as she thought of her horrid father Harry and his lies and deceitfulness to her mum Ann. She almost felt that she wanted to walk right out of the gate and go home without looking back. But something kept her there and what was flashing through her mind was that she suddenly felt vulnerable and was fighting to trust her attraction to Raymond.

Raymond grabbed the top of her left arm a little heavy-handedly and then sunk his fingers into her in a gentle massage that was almost but not quite a heavy grip.  Paulette turned towards him but he held back from pushing his body against hers though deep down she really desired him to do that and grab some freedom from her chasteness and virginity. Her whole body was pounding uncontrollably for his embrace and closeness.

Suddenly he pulled away and said.  “I think its time for another drink.  You sit on the garden bench and I’ll get a couple of red wines for us.”

“Okay…b b but….don’t be too long Ray love”…Paulette stammered at her audacity to use a shortened name and a term of endearance and dizzily sat down on the bench. She realised that after the next red wine she would be going home.  The wine had made her feel amorous and quixotic.

The moon was high in the sky in a crescent and clouds were passing in front and behind it as nightfall came.  Paulette moved a bit to the music tapping her toes on the grass and shaking her shoulders.  Soon Raymond returned with the red wine, carrying two cups and with a bottle under his arm which was half full with the cap on.

Raymond handed one of the cups to Paulette and put the half-filled bottle down on the grass and sat next o her with his own cup.

“I’ve got something to tell you that I wouldn’t have thought of telling you without the use of Dutch courage – red wine to be precise.  Well – you asked about my last girlfriend.  What happened was we were dating steadily and I was staying over at her house where she had a single mother looking after her and God – can you believe what I found out?”

Paulette felt a wave of shock run through her body as she studied Raymond more closely – the arched nose like her own, the brown eyes that could darken so suddenly – their matching long calves and thick hair…..

She guessed but could not say it – was her father Harry someone who was involved with more than one single mum stroke mistress – not just hers?

She cleared her voice…..”OK. Yes, let me take a guess.”

“Your dad is Harry –right?”

“Oh My God!” stuttered Raymond, swaying from side to side.

“Yes, my dad  is called Harry or Henry to use his proper name …why?”

“Raymond do you want me to tell you what you found out or do YOU want ME to tell you?”

Raymond suddenly looked like he was a lot more drunk than he had been seconds earlier and the pupils of his eyes went very dark as he seemed to examine Paulette in a deep and rather disturbing way…

“I’ve always wanted a brother….” Paulette’s words trailed off into a whisper.

“Oh My God” came the reply and Raymond sat down next to Paulette with a thump.

There ensued a heavy silence between Raymond and Paulette yet the music was pounding along with a bit of distance from the house.

Suddenly Ray said…”Is Harry YOUR father too?”. He bent forward, diminished like a broken shadow of his former self, and Paulette replied,

“YES Raymond, Harry is my father TOO!”

Raymond came back up from his position of looking “downtrodden”….”I need to work on this allegation I’ve got no sisters, just two brothers.  I need to work on moving to a new neighbourhood a long way from here too.  I’m not going to allow this to happen again.  Paulette – I think we’ve discovered in time – could YOU TOO be my half-sister?  Is your mum called Ann?”

“Yes, Raymond she is called Ann.”

“Then we have the same father.  I am still a man.  I still love ladies.  BUT…I will never date my half-sisters again.  Tomorrow I start my plan to leave this town and never come back.  My dad nearly had me caught in two tender traps.  I love you as a sister Paulette.  Please remember always my Brotherly Love.  Good night.  Goodbye.  Adieu.”

Paulette gasped and started to cry.  She felt cold tears running down her face as Raymond turned to show her his back, grabbed the half-empty bottle of wine, went out of the gate, and walked away into the distance, away from the party and all its excitement,

Both Paulette and Raymond were probably thinking the same thing that night:-  “Oh Lord please bring me someone to love who I can love with no nasty surprises or unhappiness.”  Let’s hope they both eventually got what they prayed for. And Paulette had finally found brotherly love.