The aeroplane was full and Richard was one of the last to board.
He scanned the aisle quickly and discretely taking in all the young women. There was a hen party sitting near the front, all wearing bunny outfits, whispering and giggling to each other. As he entered they fell silent, looking up at him with admiring glances. Then as he passed they broke into excited chatter and he caught the words, famous, actor and hot.
Richard wanted to punch the air and shout out loud. He always got a kick out of being mistaken for an actor, usually it was Jude Law.
He was more and more convinced that all females were ridiculous and he felt the sweet thrill of revenge whenever he got admiring glances. As a spotty teenager with his National Health glasses and his braces on his teeth, they'd all made fun of him and called him 'Spotted Dick', well he was getting his own back now.
All it took was an expensive Italian silk suit , a pair of designer sunglasses and they sat up straighter and tossed their hair.
He swung his new briefcase up into the overhead locker and slid into his seat.
He always chose the aisle seat. Not for him idly looking out of the window at the green fields of his home and the English channel waiting to catch a glimpse of the French coast. He wanted to give the impression that he was a man with important business.
Something tickled his face and he looked up to see something pink and fluffy fly over from the seat in front. One of the hen party peered at him from the row in front, she was very flushed and she stared at him with enormous blue eyes.
'Excuse me asking, but are you that man who's in the film about the you know that film',
There were giggles from her friends and she faltered.
He looked at her from over his dark glasses and ran his hand through his blonde hair.
'I don't mind you asking but you'd better put your seat in the upright position. '
There was a snort of laughter from the girl on her right.
He relished in the power that his looks gave him and leant back in his seat. The centre seat was vacant and for the first time he became aware that a young woman was sitting in the window seat and had turned to look at him. She smiled at him, warm and inviting and he took in her long glossy hair, perfectly made up face and generous cleavage. Richard shook his arm to display his expensive watch and saw the interest in her eyes increase.
The moment the seat belt signs were off his table came down and he bent over his Ipad. The young woman next to him leant back in her seat and let her skirt ride up exposing a lot of smooth, tanned thigh. She slid a small white card onto the empty seat. He knew what that meant, but the girls in front were making him feel uncomfortable and he decided to wait. He hunched over his I pad and looked at his emails. There was one from his friend Paul, moaning on and on about the sleepless nights with the new baby, how Joanna had no time for him and he was beginning to feel like a monk. Richard smiled to himself. he couldn't understand why any man would want to get married. He had everything he needed. He took his clothes to the drycleaners, ate out in restaurants or bought take-aways, had a cleaner in twice a week and for any more basic needs he went to the ' Pussy Galore' or merely encouraged young women like the one sitting next to him. Sometimes he felt that maybe they were just nice to him because he was paying and tried to ignore the bored, vacant look in their eyes.
The captain's voice informed them that they were travelling at 29,000 feet and would soon be travelling across Germany then on to Austria and finally Prague.
Richard turned back to his emails. There was one from his colleague Les at the bank where they both worked in the Finance section. Les wanted to , remindi him that there was an abundant supply of beautiful charming women in Prague who would be eager to keep him company. Les said that he'd been on a Stag weekend there and often you would find them on the plane picking out the men that looked most appealing or waiting for you in a limousine in their underwear raring to go.
Richard felt some bile rise. He must have eaten something last night, that Chinese chicken had tasted a bit strange.
Les was married to a nurse Harriet who did a lot of night duties to earn extra money and Les had discovered the 'Pussy Galore' as a way of passing the nights when Harriet was working. Last week they'd gone together and shared a private dance. for some reason it hadn't been so much fun and Richard had even thought the girl looked like a spider crawling all over them.
The hen do girls broke into raucous laughter. He could hear catches of their conversation.
'Oh I love him so much, oh just the thought of him makes me feel warm all over,'
There was more laughter and one of them started to sing ' You're the one that I want.'
All it took was an expensive Italian silk suit , a pair of designer sunglasses and they sat up straighter and tossed their hair.
He swung his new briefcase up into the overhead locker and slid into his seat.
He always chose the aisle seat. Not for him idly looking out of the window at the green fields of his home and the English channel waiting to catch a glimpse of the French coast. He wanted to give the impression that he was a man with important business.
Something tickled his face and he looked up to see something pink and fluffy fly over from the seat in front. One of the hen party peered at him from the row in front, she was very flushed and she stared at him with enormous blue eyes.
'Excuse me asking, but are you that man who's in the film about the you know that film',
There were giggles from her friends and she faltered.
He looked at her from over his dark glasses and ran his hand through his blonde hair.
'I don't mind you asking but you'd better put your seat in the upright position. '
There was a snort of laughter from the girl on her right.
He relished in the power that his looks gave him and leant back in his seat. The centre seat was vacant and for the first time he became aware that a young woman was sitting in the window seat and had turned to look at him. She smiled at him, warm and inviting and he took in her long glossy hair, perfectly made up face and generous cleavage. Richard shook his arm to display his expensive watch and saw the interest in her eyes increase.
The moment the seat belt signs were off his table came down and he bent over his Ipad. The young woman next to him leant back in her seat and let her skirt ride up exposing a lot of smooth, tanned thigh. She slid a small white card onto the empty seat. He knew what that meant, but the girls in front were making him feel uncomfortable and he decided to wait. He hunched over his I pad and looked at his emails. There was one from his friend Paul, moaning on and on about the sleepless nights with the new baby, how Joanna had no time for him and he was beginning to feel like a monk. Richard smiled to himself. he couldn't understand why any man would want to get married. He had everything he needed. He took his clothes to the drycleaners, ate out in restaurants or bought take-aways, had a cleaner in twice a week and for any more basic needs he went to the ' Pussy Galore' or merely encouraged young women like the one sitting next to him. Sometimes he felt that maybe they were just nice to him because he was paying and tried to ignore the bored, vacant look in their eyes.
The captain's voice informed them that they were travelling at 29,000 feet and would soon be travelling across Germany then on to Austria and finally Prague.
Richard turned back to his emails. There was one from his colleague Les at the bank where they both worked in the Finance section. Les wanted to , remindi him that there was an abundant supply of beautiful charming women in Prague who would be eager to keep him company. Les said that he'd been on a Stag weekend there and often you would find them on the plane picking out the men that looked most appealing or waiting for you in a limousine in their underwear raring to go.
Richard felt some bile rise. He must have eaten something last night, that Chinese chicken had tasted a bit strange.
Les was married to a nurse Harriet who did a lot of night duties to earn extra money and Les had discovered the 'Pussy Galore' as a way of passing the nights when Harriet was working. Last week they'd gone together and shared a private dance. for some reason it hadn't been so much fun and Richard had even thought the girl looked like a spider crawling all over them.
The hen do girls broke into raucous laughter. He could hear catches of their conversation.
'Oh I love him so much, oh just the thought of him makes me feel warm all over,'
There was more laughter and one of them started to sing ' You're the one that I want.'
The other girls joined in ' Honey! Ooh ooh ooh.'
" Oh Emma you are so lucky. I wish I could find someone that I loved and that loved me.'
'I know, I feel lucky. Just think I'll be waking up next to him every morning and kissing him goodnight every night. I do hope I can make him happy.'
One of the girls spoke up, 'He loves you Emma, he's my brother and I know him. He really loves you. He says you're the only girl who makes him laugh and he only ever wants you. My mum says you bring out the best him in and we're all really happy.'
There was silence and then a sob,
'Oh Becky I love you, we're going to be sisters yay!!'
Richard thought of his sister Katie. She was the only reason he didn't hate women altogether. He didn't think of her as a female, she might as well be his brother. She had protected him when their mother had run off with the dentist for a new life in Spain and left them with their drunken abusive father. Katie used to come into his bedroom and tell him stories that would make him laugh and forget about the noises coming up the stairs. Katie made him laugh and brought out the best in him.
There was only one other person that had brought out the best in him and made him laugh and that was Sophie Johnson. They had been at school together both in the advanced maths group and neither good at sports, they were considered nerds . Sophie was the only one who never called him Spotted Dick.
After A levels her family had moved away to Solihull and he'd been too shy to ask for her address.
Katie was an Architect and had gone to Prague for a six month work experience exchange. She loved it there and had made lots of friends and he was going to spend the weekend with her. She'd organized a tour of all the beautiful buildings. Maybe he could pick up the girl's visiting card and meet her after he'd seen Katie.
The hen do girls appeared above their seats looking at the drinks trolley which was coming up behind. Richard glanced up at the stewardess and gasped as he saw the name tag Sophie. It couldn't be her, after all these years, just when he was thinking about her. It was too much of a coincidence. There were loads of Sophies. He looked up at her face. It was her. It must be a sign. Sophie grinned at him.
'Ooh look at you all dressed up like a dog's dinner. It is you isn't it Richard Taylor? What are you, a body guard or something? Or are you going to a stag party or just trying your luck?'
'I know, I feel lucky. Just think I'll be waking up next to him every morning and kissing him goodnight every night. I do hope I can make him happy.'
One of the girls spoke up, 'He loves you Emma, he's my brother and I know him. He really loves you. He says you're the only girl who makes him laugh and he only ever wants you. My mum says you bring out the best him in and we're all really happy.'
There was silence and then a sob,
'Oh Becky I love you, we're going to be sisters yay!!'
Richard thought of his sister Katie. She was the only reason he didn't hate women altogether. He didn't think of her as a female, she might as well be his brother. She had protected him when their mother had run off with the dentist for a new life in Spain and left them with their drunken abusive father. Katie used to come into his bedroom and tell him stories that would make him laugh and forget about the noises coming up the stairs. Katie made him laugh and brought out the best in him.
There was only one other person that had brought out the best in him and made him laugh and that was Sophie Johnson. They had been at school together both in the advanced maths group and neither good at sports, they were considered nerds . Sophie was the only one who never called him Spotted Dick.
After A levels her family had moved away to Solihull and he'd been too shy to ask for her address.
Katie was an Architect and had gone to Prague for a six month work experience exchange. She loved it there and had made lots of friends and he was going to spend the weekend with her. She'd organized a tour of all the beautiful buildings. Maybe he could pick up the girl's visiting card and meet her after he'd seen Katie.
The hen do girls appeared above their seats looking at the drinks trolley which was coming up behind. Richard glanced up at the stewardess and gasped as he saw the name tag Sophie. It couldn't be her, after all these years, just when he was thinking about her. It was too much of a coincidence. There were loads of Sophies. He looked up at her face. It was her. It must be a sign. Sophie grinned at him.
'Ooh look at you all dressed up like a dog's dinner. It is you isn't it Richard Taylor? What are you, a body guard or something? Or are you going to a stag party or just trying your luck?'
Richard felt himself redden. He 'd forgotten how much he'd liked Sophie's blunt Northern humour , there was real affection in her voice and pleasure at seeing him. The hen party stood up and stared at him, then sat down giggling. The girl by the window covered her card with her hand.
'Sophie, fancy seeing you here, it's a small world.'
'Well I don't know about that, I've been wishing I'd meet you again ever since we left school. I've tried once or twice on Facebook but couldn't recognize you. I can see why now. But even
With that monkey suit underneath your fancy specs you've still got the same lovely eyes.'
She gave him a look that made his whole body tense up and a feeling of warm electricity flowed through him. Sophie touched his arm and caused a tremour of delightful anticipation, something that the girls at Pussy Galore had never done.
Richard took a breath to calm himself down. 'I'm going to see my sister, she's working in Prague.'
The hen girls stood up again and looked at the trolley discussing whether to have coffee or wine, chocolate or peanuts.
' Tell you what Richard, I've got an overnight stay in Prague. If you like I could show you and Katie the best beer garden in town.'
Richard felt like he'd come to a crossroads, he was being given a chance, something special was happening . There was magic in the air. If he took the girl's card he was sure of company for the night. If he accepted Sophie's offer he might be getting company for a life time. He just might be able to have what the hen party were talking about, someone who made him laugh and brought out the best in him.
Sophie was busy handing out the drinks and snacks to the girls. Richard loosened his tie and undid the top button of his shirt. He leaned back in his seat and watched how deftly Sophie served the drinks. There was a calm kindness in her every movement. She met his eyes. He smiled at her and was filled with an intense feeling of joy and deep in his heart a glimmer of hope.
She gave him a look that made his whole body tense up and a feeling of warm electricity flowed through him. Sophie touched his arm and caused a tremour of delightful anticipation, something that the girls at Pussy Galore had never done.
Richard took a breath to calm himself down. 'I'm going to see my sister, she's working in Prague.'
The hen girls stood up again and looked at the trolley discussing whether to have coffee or wine, chocolate or peanuts.
' Tell you what Richard, I've got an overnight stay in Prague. If you like I could show you and Katie the best beer garden in town.'
Richard felt like he'd come to a crossroads, he was being given a chance, something special was happening . There was magic in the air. If he took the girl's card he was sure of company for the night. If he accepted Sophie's offer he might be getting company for a life time. He just might be able to have what the hen party were talking about, someone who made him laugh and brought out the best in him.
Sophie was busy handing out the drinks and snacks to the girls. Richard loosened his tie and undid the top button of his shirt. He leaned back in his seat and watched how deftly Sophie served the drinks. There was a calm kindness in her every movement. She met his eyes. He smiled at her and was filled with an intense feeling of joy and deep in his heart a glimmer of hope.
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