at the Basement

The Basement seemed very popular – it was packed when the friends arrived. Gary was tested when he met his former girlfriend Sharon but the tension dropped when she introduced her new man David. On their way in Bernie met some old friends who had booked a private room to farewell Jane who Bernie knew from school. Jane asked her to join them later. “Sure maybe when the band has a break” replied Bernie

Once inside the friends got drinks found a seat in a corner booth? Bernie chatted incessantly to Colleen trying to make her feel at home for she sensed Colleen was on edge. After a while Bernie and Gary got up to dance and Colleen talked with Alison and Lil. To her surprise Colleen who had dreaded this moment found Lil content and forgiving “He was a fool everyone told me that and I was blind- perhaps you were too Colleen” she said.

Alison squeezed Lil’s hand “You got me and that’s thanks to Bernie, she a sweet girl Gary couldn’t want a better one”

After Gary and Bernie returned the friends chatted for a while til Bernie suggested that Gary dance with Colleen, which they did.

“Colleen you’re quiet tonight,” said Gary as the dance began

“Just thinking” she replied

“I hope one of your thoughts was how good this afternoon was” whispered Gary as he held Colleen tightly “it was more then just sex” He kissed her softly.

Colleen didn’t know what to do, liking Gary as she did, having his body so close and having drunk a bit she had lost most of her new found inhibitions but not all and she was swayed by knowing Jim Hawkins was there and by how nice Bernie was to her. She muttered something non committal.

Gary kept up the pressure, his hands touching her breasts and her belly then squeezing her tightly against him.

She was relieved when the dance ended. It was the last in that group and she excused herself and took her drink over to talk to Jim Hawkins.

“What a delightful surprise to see you here Ms Flanagan, let me introduce you to some of the other members. First Ben Gunn our bass player – he’ll do anything so long as you give him hard cheese preferably parmesan then our senior member John Long we call him Silver because his hair greying he's our trumpeter”

Long muttered something about impertinent Kiwi school teachers.

“Then heres John Trelawney he talks too much but we forgive him because he’s such a good trombonist- Squire meet Ms Flanagan whose younger sister I teach”

“Delighted,” replied Trelawney.

Then here is Dr Livesay we all have outside jobs his is a gynaecologist – he is always after new business and he’s the best in town- he’s also the best trombonist around”
And so he went on with the rest of the band.

Colleen was surprised. “You have a big group,” she said.

“Yes and we all like the music from the big band era wait till we get going again” He chatted on.

Colleen compared his polite quiet conversation to Gary’s groping but then she reached across him mainly to see what sheet music the band had. She was shocked when Hawkins flinched and moved sharply away. Again she thought “Well he’s probably gay- if he wasn’t he would have made a pass at me by now and look at him go back he probably thought I was making for him”.