LEZZIE-ASON CHAPTER FOUR

I took Gerry out for a Valentine's meal.
It really wasn't anything that special, we only went to the Indian restaurant in town.
Of course, Larry and Lisa wanted to come with us, not fully understanding the whole concept of Valentine's. They were most disgruntled when I dropped them off at May's, although Larry perked up when he saw Lauren coming down the stairs. Lauren told him she'd 'cooked' a romantic meal for the two of them, and they both went running up the stairs with Lisa on their heels.
Right now, we are waiting for the first course to arrive, and I was thinking about the kiss May and I had shared. When it happened, I felt so warm inside, something like I'd never ever felt with Gerry before. I felt so safe, so happy, like Bad could ever happen to me.
"Sarah?" Gerry cut into my thoughts.
"Yes, darling," I replied, suddenly annoyed. I don't know why, but I suddenly felt annoyed that I was here with Gerry and not May.
"Sarah, what's going on? What's happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, when my wife takes me out for a romantic meal, it means that she's done something wrong, and she feels guilty about it."
I snapped into reality mode. 'Oh, my God,' I thought.' He knows.'
"What... How did you find out?"
""Find what out?" He frowned. "Look, I was only making a little joke. You know, it's usually the wife who says, when her husband buys her flowers or chocolates, it means he's feeling guilty. At least, that's what you said the last time I brought you a Dairy Milk Tray."
"Yeah, I was still half asleep when you gave it to me, and then I remembered that it was my birthday," I said. "Look, don't take any notice of me, it was my little joke as well. You know, you asking me what I'm feeling guilty about, so I say, how did you find out, you know?"
Inside, I breathed a sigh of relief. 'Thank God,' I thought.
The Indian waitor came over with a plate of poppadums, apologising that there was a problem in the kitchen, and our meals would take a while, "and I hope you enjoy these popps in meantime," he finished off.
After he'd gone, I got stuck into the poppadums, dipping them into all the different sauces. I suddenly wished that May was here instead of Gerry. Ever since that kiss, I've been wanting to spend more time with her, and, even though I knew it wasn't Gerry's fault, I just wanted to snap at him all the time, for little reason.
"Sarah, can I ask you a question?"
I put the last bite of my poppadum in my mouth, swallowed it, and answered: "Sure thing, go ahead."
"The other night, did you go over to May's when I was at work?"
"Yes," I said, a prickle of fear going down my back. "How..."
"Larry and Lisa told me. Apparently, you took them for a ride, and you all went to the woods with May."
"Ye-es. And?"
"Well, this is going to sound weird, but Lisa told me she saw you and May snogging."
I had just put a poppadum covered in a very spicey spice in my mouth. I choked, and had to quickly take a sip of water to soothe my poor tongue.
"I...What? Lisa's really young, she couldn't know..."
A wide grin cracked across Gerry's face. He started laughing. "Oh, my God." He spluttered. "That was funny! Your face! It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen!"
Yet again, I felt thoroughly pissed off with Gerry. Making me think that he knew about my liaison with May, how dare he?
Gerry was still spluttering into his drink when I raced off to the toilets to, 'freshen myself up', as I told him. Once I was inside, I looked in the mirror, feeling depressed. "Look at you," I mumbled to myself. "You're a talented woman, with a gorgeous husband and two beautiful kids. And here you are wanting to be with another woman."
I ran into the nearest cubicle, and started bawling.
"Sarah, are you OK?" Gerry asked, when I came back. "Look, about that snogging May joke, it was just meant to be a laugh, I didn't mean to upset you."
"Oh, no, it isn't the snogging May joke," I lied. "It's just that, it's Valentine's, and it's making me feel emotional."
"Ah, yes, just like a typical woman," Gerry said, understandingly.

I dropped Gerry off home, then I went over to May's to pick Larry and Lisa up. It was Lauren who answered when I rang the doorbell. "Come in, Auntie Sarah," she said. "Mum's watching a Romance DVD, bleaurgh!"
She showed me in and raced back upstairs, holloring: "LARRY! LISA! YOUR MUM'S HERE!"
"Hello, May," I said.
She was sitting back in her armchair, watching looked to be "Bridget Jones's Diary."
"Hi, Sarah," she smiled. "Just watching the movie of my life. Come and sit down."
"No," I said. "I promised Gerry I wouldn't be too long picking the kids up."
"Oh, right," May looked crestfallen.
"Tell you what, Gerry's got the day off work tomorrow, some sort of inspection crap. How's about I leave the kids with him, I come over here first thing in the morning, and then we go out, just the two of us."
May suddenly looked happy.
"Yeah, I'd love that," she said. "Oh, look, the film's finished. Oh, well, time for my date." She got up.
"You got a date?" I asked.
"Sure have, with Johnny," she produced "Pirates Of The Carribbean" from her collection of DVDs.
"Listen, May, about the other day, after that fiasco with Tom..."
"Don't tell me, you felt the same way I did," she interrupted. "Warm, safe, happy..."
"Yes. Yes, I did. Listen, I think we should talk some more about it tomorrow, OK?"
"OK."
"See you tomorrow, May."
"Goodnight."
I went out into the hall, where Larry and Lisa were waiting already.
"Whaty was Auntie May talking about, being warm, safe and 'appy?" asked Lisa, as we were heading out the door.
"Nothing,"
"But, That Devil Man couldn't have made her feel warm, safe and 'appy."
"You wouldn't understand, you're too young."
"But..." Piped up Larry.
"Leave it, you two, now come on, your father's probably worried about us."

Find out what happens on Sarah and May's day out together in Chapter Five...