Page 36 of Wedding Bells By the Creek

They talked as they prepared the meal. At first it was mostly about their kids. But the conversation soon drifted to themselves. Books and music. Helen had never had a pet, while Ed told her fond tales of the old dog Candy that he had lost. They talked about the good times. And sometimes they hinted at the bad. But it was too soon for that.

Slowly the kitchen filled with the smell of food cooking and those chops and potatoes, when Ed ate them, tasted better than any meal he’d ever eaten before.

At some point during the meal, Bill stopped glaring at the new arrival and wandered over to his own bowl of food. After a quick snack, he came back to rub against Helen’s legs, purring loudly. Then he settled himself on a spare chair, where he followed Bentley’s example and fell asleep.

‘See,’ Helen told him. ‘It’s not as hard as you thought.’

Just as Ed and Helen were finishing their meal, Bentley suddenly woke up and whined.

‘I’d better take him…’ But before Ed could finish speaking, the puppy spread his legs and a puddle started to form on the kitchen floor. Ed leaped to his feet, grabbed Bentley and raced him outside, leaving a trail of drips on the lino.

‘How could you do this to me?’ he asked the puppy as he put him down on a patch of dry earth. Bentley ignored the question, and finished his business, before starting to sniff around at the dried grass.

Ed scooped him up and headed back inside, to find Helen in the process of cleaning up the puddle.

‘No. Please. Don’t.’

‘Ed, it’s fine,’ Helen said as she straightened. ‘I’ve cleaned up a lot worse in my day.’ She tossed the damp kitchen towel in the rubbish and washed her hands.

Ed put Bentley down and the puppy immediately went back to bed.

Helen made to start clearing their dishes.

‘No. Don’t,’ Ed said. ‘I feel just awful that you cleaned up after Bentley. At least let me do the washing up.’

‘Well …’

Before they could say any more the low throb of a motorcycle engine came from outside. Tia, on her Harley Davidson.

‘I’d better get back to the pub,’ Helen said. ‘I agreed to meet Tia there this evening and go through wedding stuff. There’s only a couple of days now.’

‘Really? I didn’t know.’

‘Not many people do. Max and Tia want to keep the ceremony quiet, or else the whole town will show up. They say once word spreads, everyone will meet at the pub for a party. That’s how they want it. Well, thanks for a lovely evening. And dinner. And good luck with Bentley.’

‘Let me walk you home.’

‘Probably better if you don’t.’

She didn’t say it, but Ed understood. Steph was at the pub.

‘Well, let me at least escort you to the gate.’

They walked to the gate in silence. Before Ed could open it, Helen hesitated.

‘I’m not very good at … this. But …’

She turned and looked up at him, and Ed saw the invitation in her eyes.

He leaned towards her and kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm. She stepped closer and his arms went around her as the kiss deepened. After far too short a time, she placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him away.

‘Goodnight,’ she whispered and opened the gate herself.

As Ed watched her walk away, his eyes lingered on the sway of her skirt against her shapely legs. He could still taste her on his lips. Still smell the fresh scent of her. He felt more alive than he had in a very long time.

Walking back across the road, Helen felt as if she was walking on air. She could hardly believe what she had done. She didn’t flirt. She didn’t date. And she certainly didn’t invite men to kiss her. But Ed … Ed was different. She almost shivered as she remembered the look in his eyes as he kissed her. And afterwards. No man had ever looked at her like that. Ever. And it felt good.

She almost skipped up the stairs onto the pub veranda, and almost collided with Stephanie.

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