Different Genes Page 3

  “You’ll get Louise drunk, Stewart,” laughed Mandy, “I don’t think she’s used to our extravagant ways.”

  “It’s fine, Mandy. I’m having a good time. I admit my mum is pretty strict, but I’m a grown up now and I am allowed to enjoy myself.”

  “I would be happy to show you how to be even more grown up,” interrupted Charlie.

  “You keep your hands off her,” instructed Stewart jovially. Louise had entered a world which was so different to her own, and she found the contrast very alluring. Louise also began to understand why Michelle behaved with so much less inhibition than she did.

  Charlie flirted with Louise and showed her considerable attention and charm. He was enormously attracted to her, but realised that he would need to plan his conquest with care. Louise was also Michelle’s friend, and he didn’t want to upset his younger sister. He took the girls to a disco in Eastbourne, where they met up with some of Charlie’s friends. He drove them to the seafront. They paddled in the sea beside the pier and ate extravagant sundaes in an Italian ice cream parlour. On the final evening Charlie took Louise and Michelle for a meal at a local pub. “Several of my mates will be there, and I want to impress them. Come on Louise, take my arm.”

  Louise happily agreed, and Charlie showed her off to his friends, pretending she was his girlfriend. At dinner, he more than once put his hand on her knee, and each time she removed it, but not with any great rush, Charlie noted.

  When Louise and Michelle left for Brighton, Mandy threw her arms around Louise. “You are such a lovely girl, Louise. You are welcome any time.”

  Stewart ran them to the station. Charlie and his mother watched them leave. “You could do a lot worse, Charlie,” said Mandy. “She’s a nice girl, got class. She would be a great asset with your bosses, and I suspect she would keep you in order.”

  Charlie grinned at his mother, “I might pop down to Brighton in a couple of weeks’ time.” Charlie had scraped through university, leaving with a third-class degree in Business Studies. However, he interviewed well and had nevertheless easily secured a place on a graduate training programme with a popular car manufacturer. Always destined for a career in sales, he was quickly promoted. By the time he met Louise, he had already been promoted to a junior executive post with a company car. Louise was fascinated by Charlie. She instinctively knew that he liked her, but was unsure how much. She was attracted to his slightly dangerous personality. She wanted to tame him. She suspected he might be a philanderer, the sort of man her mother would call ‘a collector of women’.

  Although the 1960s had a reputation for sexual liberation, this alleged freedom had not translated into reality for the majority of people. It was not until the early 1970s when sexual behaviour really began to change. Once the contraceptive pill finally became available to unmarried women, fear of pregnancy outside of marriage began to diminish. Many quite conventional couples then chose to live together before marriage. Louise was a part of this new generation, and she did not feel the need to save her virginity for marriage. However, she had no intention of being too free with her sexual favours. Until she encountered Charlie, she had not met a man with whom she wished to be very intimate. Charlie’s hand on her knee had finally aroused undiscovered feelings deep within her. When two weeks later, Michelle told Louise that Charlie intended to stay with them for the weekend, Louise experienced a somersault within.

  “I’ll shove a sleeping bag on the sofa,” said Michelle, “We’ll make him slum it.”

  Charlie arrived after work at 7 pm on the Friday. He sat with the three flatmates and ate their home-made spaghetti bolognaise. He praised their cooking and waited patiently to accompany them to the student bar. On arrival at the bar, Gillian headed towards her group of female friends, leaving Michelle and Louise to entertain Charlie. Charlie put some money in the jukebox and waited for his choice of record to be played. Eventually the familiar voices of ‘The Carpenters’ filled the room and slowed down the pace of dancing. Charlie invited Louise to dance. He pulled her close, gripped her hips, and made good use of the slow rhythm to feel the length of her body pressed against his own. Louise noticed that Michelle was dancing with another male student and no longer felt guilty about deserting her friend. At the end of the dance, Charlie suggested that he and Louise should take a walk outside. He lit up a cigarette and put his other arm around her.

  “Are you cold?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  He finished his cigarette, and led her into a study room doorway. He blocked her exit with his body and held the back of her head. His other hand pushed gently into her spine and moved slowly down her back. His kiss was long and penetrating. Louise disliked the taste of cigarette, but was soon overtaken by inward passion. Her previous experiences were few enough for her to be taken completely by surprise at the strength of her desire.

  “You are so beautiful.” He kissed her again.

  She began to shiver, and they returned to the bar. Back at the flat Louise’s head began to swim. “I’m sorry, the drink has gone to my head. I need to lie down.”

  Charlie had never intended to sleep with Louise on the first night, so was able to play the perfect gentleman and tuck her up in bed with a bucket.

  The following day, after a late start, Charlie drove the three students into Brighton. They wandered along the seafront and took a stroll up West Pier. Gillian and Michelle walked on ahead, while Charlie sauntered at a slower pace with Louise. “Are you feeling better now?”

  “Yes, I’m perfectly okay now. It was self-inflicted anyway. I don’t deserve any sympathy.”

  Charlie laughed. “We’ve all done it, Louise. It’s part of growing up.”

  She felt slightly patronised. He took her hand as they walked. “What do you think you’ll do when you’ve finished at Uni?”

  “I’d like to paint full time, but there’s very little money in it. I’ll probably end up teaching.”

  “There’s not a lot of money in teaching either, but it’s a good job for a woman.” Charlie turned the conversation round to his own career, giving a long description of his promotion, prospects and salary. Louise couldn’t help but be impressed.

  “I was thinking that I might whisk you away from the others tonight. We could go out for a meal, just you and me.”

  “That sounds great.”

  “I’ll go and book a table now.”

  Charlie disappeared and joined the group half an hour later. “All sorted.”

  At 8 pm that night Charlie and Louise found themselves sitting at a table for two in a seafront hotel in Brighton sharing dinner and drinking wine. Charlie confessed to Louise that he would have to return to Eastbourne the following day. “I’m based in Tunbridge Wells, but I have a training course in The Midlands next week. I’m going to miss you.”

  “Work has to come first.”

  “I should be able to visit again in about three weeks. Would you like that?”

  “Yes, I would.”

  Charlie sighed. “I’m hanging on to every last moment with you, Louise. Once we get back to the flat we’ll be overtaken by Michelle… and the sexy Gillian!” Louise felt unkind, but she laughed.

  He pretended to be deep in thought, “We could stay here, you know. I’m sure they would have space. We could drink champagne and be Mr and Mrs Smith.” Charlie failed to add that he had already booked a double room that morning.

  Louise thought quickly. Would she ever get another such luxurious offer for the loss of her virginity? She looked Charlie straight in the eye. “I’m a virgin.”

  “I guessed. You wait here, Mrs Smith, I’ll be back in a minute.”

  Charlie returned very rapidly with a room key and a cheap bottle of sparkling wine. He led Louise by the hand to the lift. They quickly found the fourth-floor bedroom, where, filled with desire, she allowed him to unpeel the clothes from he
r body. Charlie was an experienced lover, and he ensured that Louise’s initiation into fully-developed sexual activity was both exciting and free from anxiety. He wanted to leave her wanting more, to keep her for himself, and intended, over time, to educate her slowly into his more self-centred desires.

  Neither Gillian or Michelle said a word when Charlie and Louise returned to the flat the following morning. Louise walked straight past them and into her room. Charlie sat in the living room on the sofa and lit up a cigarette. “Any chance of a coffee?”

  “I’ll get it,” said Michelle.

  Gillian knocked on Louise’s door. “Can I come in?”

  “Yes.” Louise had changed back into her jeans.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “How was it?”

  “None of your business,” Louise grinned.

  Charlie drank his coffee and joined Gillian in Louise’s bedroom.

  “Shall I go?” asked Gillian.

  “No, you stay.”

  Charlie kissed Louise. “I have to leave. Ring me on Friday evening. I’ll see you in three weeks’ time.”

  The relationship between Charlie and Louise developed slowly. Charlie would visit every three weeks, stay overnight and take Louise out for meals and treats. For the rest of the time she remained faithful to him, and concentrated on her painting and her studies. She spent a lot of time with Gillian and her friends. Charlie rarely witnessed Louise’s occasional nightmares, and he accepted her need for a nightlight. He was naturally self-centred, but, in his own unimaginative way, he cared for Louise. In early summer Charlie took Louise on holiday to Cornwall. She took an extra case full of paints and sketch pads, but was allowed little time by Charlie to pursue her hobby. Although disappointed that he did not understand or respect her love of painting, Louise considered herself lucky to have Charlie’s affection. She had spent several weekends at his parents’ house in Willingdon, and found the contrast with her own family refreshing. She arranged to take Charlie to meet Joan and Peter after their trip to Cornwall. She took the time to brief Charlie on the family ‘standards’, before he was introduced. Louise was worried that they might think Charlie a bit beneath her, but Charlie was a born performer and he charmed her parents. When he drove her back to Brighton afterwards he set aside his charm and spent the entire journey criticising Joan and Peter. “How can they live in that dingy house with all those old things?”

  “They’re called antiques.”

  “Well I hope you won’t want all that old stuff in our house.” It was a passing comment, but Louise noticed its meaning.

  “You don’t look a bit like them. Are you sure they are related to you?”

  “’Fraid so, Charlie, I’m stuck with them.”

  “Their house must be worth a packet.”

  “I believe it is, and my mother inherited a share of the farming estate, which was sold after grandpa died.”

  “So you’ll be worth loads when they’ve gone.”

  “You’re wicked, Charlie. I never think about it. I love my parents very much.”

  “And I will learn to love them as well.”

  Shortly before Louise graduated, Charlie secretly drove to Hertfordshire and asked Peter’s permission to marry Louise. “Have you actually asked her?” inquired Peter.

  “No, I’m asking you first.”

  “I only want my daughter to be happy. If Louise agrees, then you have my blessing.”

  Charlie presented Louise with an overly large engagement ring on her twenty-first birthday. He never doubted that she would accept, and was taken by surprise when Louise asked for some time to think about it. Her hesitation startled him, and his face fell.

  “I can’t live without you, Louise. You are the most beautiful woman in the world, and I want everyone to see that you belong to me.”

  “I’m not a possession, Charlie.”

  “It’s just my way of talking. I will give you everything you need. Please say ‘yes’,” he begged.

  “We can’t get married until I’ve qualified as a teacher.” Charlie approved of Louise’s plan to teach. It was a career which would fit in well with raising a family.

  “Is that a yes then? A wedding in the Summer of 1977, the largest, most fancy wedding in the South of England.”

  “It will be understated and classy, Charlie. My parents will want to organise the wedding,” Louise smiled, “Our wedding.”

  “Say it then, tell me.”

  “I will marry you, Charlie Windsor.”

  They began to make plans.

  Charlie wanted an extravagant engagement party in Eastbourne, but Louise refused. She would need to spend time revising for her education exams, and wanted the space to concentrate.

  “You’re good at exams, Louise, you don’t need to revise.”

  “I’m good at exams, because I do revise.”

  Charlie gave in. It was important for his future wife to have academic success. He agreed to Joan’s proposal of a family afternoon tea at The Royal Victoria Hotel in Brighton. This would be an opportunity for both sets of parents to meet. Charlie stressed to his mother the importance of dressing conservatively, and she purchased a pink cashmere twinset especially for the occasion. She accessorised the outfit with a large pair of hanging ruby earrings, and the unconventional contrast was, by sheer chance, remarkably compelling. Joan’s dress sense appeared, in contrast, old fashioned and dowdy. Her pear-shaped body had sagged with middle age. She couldn’t help but be impressed by Mandy’s appearance. Nevertheless, the conversation between the two mothers was polite rather than flowing. The two fathers were simply anxious to survive the afternoon. They instinctively knew that there was potential for conflict between their respective wives, and they were determined to protect themselves and, more especially, the newly-engaged couple.

  “What did you think?” Joan asked Peter on the journey home.

  “Not really my types,” he admitted, “New rich, but the world is changing. Class doesn’t carry much weight these days. Money speaks. I guess they’ll do.”

  Peter decided not to add that he had found Mandy enormously attractive.

  Four

  Marriage, Divorce and

  Relocation

  Michelle, Gillian and Louise had always assumed that they would vacate the student flat after graduation. Michelle had met a recently-divorced, Italian business man who owned a chain of prestigious restaurants in London. He offered Michelle a job in his personnel department, and invited her to live with him in his penthouse in Richmond. Luigi was in his forties. Mandy and Stewart were concerned at the age gap, but, as always, they allowed their daughter to learn from her mistakes without comment. Luigi and one of his staff arrived at the flat at the end of June and helped Michelle empty her university life into a white catering van. The three girls hugged, before Michelle disappeared towards the road to London and her new existence. Gillian, however, had decided to stay in Brighton and secured a placement as a trainee social worker based in one of the East Sussex Social Services Departments. Louise also had chosen to remain at Sussex University to take the one year postgraduate qualification as a teacher. So Gillian and Louise renewed the lease on the flat for one more year. With exams to pass in educational studies and two long teaching practices at local comprehensive schools, Louise was grateful for the continuity in her domestic arrangements. She coped easily with the academic side of her studies, but found the practical aspects of teaching more demanding. Her young students challenged her authority, and Louise began to doubt whether she had the ability to grasp the essentials of classroom discipline. She started to wonder if she would ever properly control a class of teenagers. Early in her final teaching practice, her mentor, who was also the Deputy Head, called her to a meeting.

  “Louise, I’ve been watching you. You have an amaz
ing presence around the school, and your colleagues respect you. When you enter the staffroom, heads turn, and people listen to you. You have a natural charisma and slightly elusive manner which is perfect for teaching. But when you enter a classroom, you doubt your ability. You lose confidence and your charisma disappears. I think you have one very small problem, which is causing you major difficulties.” He paused before speaking, “You must believe in yourself, and be yourself. Parade your inner confidence in front of the kids. They won’t undermine you unless they see you are afraid. You have the potential to be a great teacher… one of the very best.”

  Louise reflected on her mentor’s advice. His words floated around in her mind. “You have the potential to be a great teacher… one of the best.” She rang Charlie and told him about her conversation with the Deputy Head.

  “He probably fancies you,” Charlie responded. Louise was disappointed by his flippancy, but it strengthened her resolve to be a good teacher.

  Later that evening she told Gillian about her mentor and about Charlie’s response.

  “Don’t let Charlie belittle you, Louise. You are far cleverer than he is. He has personality, but very little brain. Remember that. You must prove to him that you are more than just blonde hair and long legs.”

  The following morning, Louise took a deep breath and walked in to a classroom to teach her most challenging set of pupils. She was determined to prove to Charlie that she could be a good teacher. The students immediately recognised her renewed confidence and responded with respect. Louise built on that one successful moment to further increase her confidence. She had turned a corner in her professional development. The Deputy Head walked past her classroom, glanced in, and smiled. He had been right about Louise.

  Charlie married Louise in the Summer of 1977, after she qualified with distinction as a teacher. Louise had predicted that her parents would insist on organising and paying for the wedding, and so it was. The Church of England ceremony was followed by a reception in an expensive, but traditional, hotel in Hatfield. As part of their preparation, Charlie and Louise had been required to meet with the local vicar and discuss their future.