Hoff and Hols, a Romance Ch. 10

Emma told the Dean, who asked to see me.

I felt a sense of trepidation as I waited in her secretary's office. I felt like the naughty girl waiting to see the Headmistress.

But Professor Fowler was understanding and kind.

After offering me a coffee and an armchair to sit in, she told me that the Coll would be fine with Emma and I as a couple, but I would, of course, understand that any of my work for her would have to be double marked?

"Good," I said, "maybe she will finally give me the marks I get elsewhere. She is such a harsh marker!"

The Dean laughed.

"That's a new one, Pixie. Look, you know the downsides. You're young. This is Oxford, and there are many possibilities, but having pointed that out, you are old enough to make your own mind up. But take care. You know there are those in your church who would use your affair with Emma to do her harm?"

"I know, and I will take care."

"Good, now, sign here to say all this has been explained to you, and do have another biscuit."

As soon as I left, I texted AK and asked for a time to chat.

I had hesitated to say anything until I had seen the Dean. She texted back at once saying she had done a later shift and was free.

"What's up, Squirt, not like you to phone at 10 in the morning?"

"You are not going to believe this, but you know Mother Emma?"

"Yes, your vicar friend, the mumsy one?"

"The same, why do you say she is mumsy? She's not a bit like my Mama!"

"Only tarantulas are like your mum, Pix. Emma is a bit mumsy you have to admit. So what gives?"

"She and I are an item. I just came from seeing the Dean."

"You and Emma!"

It was not often that AK was lost for words.

"Is that even allowed by the Church, Pix?"

"Not officially, no, but we are in love, AK."

"Aww Pix, I am so pleased for you - big cyber hug. When did all this happen?"

"Last night, Emma told the Dean at nine and I was in there by nine thirty.

"Well, well, you dark horse you, seducer of older women. But seriously Pix, I am delighted. I worry about you a lot. I feared I must have upset you with the Skype sex as you never wanted more."

"No, my love. It was just it brought home to me that I probably needed to do something to take charge of my own life!"

"Oooh, Miss Squirt is it now?"

"No it bloody well isn't, you perv!"

"Sorry Pix, it's just my sense of humour. I am delighted. I will add her as your number two to the wedding list - I had one against your name, just in case!"

"Okay. How are you and Cris?"

So, for the next hour she told me about it all.

She had nearly finished the first part of her course and was doing well. Cris was making a lot of money in the city, and preparations for the wedding were fine, apart from her Mum who kept saying she would have a nervous breakdown if everything was not done just as she wanted.

"Not, of course, that my Mum is a control-freak!"

"No, no, of course not, AK. You must get that from your Dad!"

"Cheeky girl!"

It felt good to have told her. I was in no doubt she would be pleased, but it was good to know that was the case.

The short remainder of that term was a flurry of work as I made sure i got everything in on time. The work was going well, and, as it turned out, Emma's second marker did raise my grades!

Emma and I went over to North Parade to see Lady Ffitch the weekend before her move.

"Pixie, Emma tells me that congratulations are in order?"

For some reason, probably my own prejudice, I had imagined that Lady F would not approve, so was delighted.

"Thank you, Lady F, I am glad you are comfortable with us."

Emma smiled as she hugged me.

"So, Lady F, you will have the two of us for company at times!"

And so it transpired.

With her London house sold, Lady F moved in the following week, and I was installed over the weekend. It felt sad to lose my college room, but there was something symbolically important about having a place of my own, non-collegial, for the first time. With that, and with Emma, it felt like I was growing up.

That feeling was compounded by the wedding of the year.

Emma drove me up to York, where AK had booked us into the hotel where the reception was taking place. AK had decided not to do the traditional "hen night" saying, quite sensibly that they caused more trouble than they were worth, but she did invite myself and Chloe (who had come with us) to dinner with herself and some friends.

We met up at a restaurant near the Shambles. I was struck by her beauty. Always radiant, it seemed as though the pleasure of the wedding had heightened it. Emma and I were the only couple there, and it felt lovely to have AK introduce her as my "girlfriend." I noticed one woman start a little, but the others were easy with it. We had a lovely evening, and at its end AK pulled me aside.

"Squirt, you and Emma make a lovely couple. Ignore me about 'mumsy'."

"Sod that, AK, maybe I like 'mumsy'!"

"Little perv!" She said, hugging me.

Emma and I snuggled up as we walked back to the car.

"That was lovely, darling, and I felt very welcomed."

"You are, my love," I said.

The following morning we breakfasted early, meeting Chloe as we got to the restaurant. She sat with us.

"So, you two," Emma asked, "got your duties as bridesmaids sorted?"

"Well, I hope so," Chloe replied, "I'd like to have had a rehearsal, but how hard can it be?"

"Oh don't tempt fate!" I said.

We had arranged to meet AK and her mum to get dressed, as the wedding was at noon. I kissed Emma and departed with Chloe.

AK's mum, Shirley, was what one might call high maintenance. AK used to joke that she must be quite something "in the sack" for her dad to put up with her ways, to which I would always say "too much information!" Today I saw what AK meant.

"Now you two, let's get you ready!"

With that she whisked us into the side room where the dresses were.

AK had, very thoughtfully given my special requirements, gone for an A-Line scoop neck, floor-length chiffon dress with a ruffle. The dusty blue colour suited my complexion, and the style complemented my physique rather than emphasising its deficiencies.

"But first, hair, nails and make-up!"

Golly, she was the fashion Stasi. I watched AK with amusement as she joined us in the chairs.

I was never more grateful for my pixie-cut, as I watched Chloe's stylist turn her hair into a phantasm of swirls and curls. AK's took forever, as Shirley kept changing her mind. Mine simply washed and styled - not really much she could do with the raw material.

I hated being made up, but had to admit that AK was right when she looked over at me and said:

"Looks good, Squirt! Emma will fall for you all over again!"

And so we were ready.

AK's A-line off-the-shoulder sweep train dress, with a ruffle split front suited her wonderfully, emphasising her long, shapely legs, whilst not over-emphasising her bust.

As we drove to the Church, I saw something not often seen, AK nervous.

"Oh, Squirt." she said, in a whisper, "what if he does not turn up?"

"He's an idiot, and Emma will have to excuse me while you marry me - okay?"

"Seriously?"

"Yes, but don't be silly, he loves you madly!"

And he did.

As she walked down the aisle on her father's arm, she looked the very image of the story book bride. Chloe and I winked at each other.

When they made their vows, I looked over my shoulder to Emma and smiled.

After they had signed the Register, we went back to the Hotel for the wedding banquet - which was everything any bride could have wanted. But of course AK wanted to put her spin on it. After the Best Man had made his speech, she stood up and said:

"Well, if there can be a best man, there is certainly a best woman, and so I am asking my darling Pixie to say a few words!"

I wanted the floor to open and swallow me. I looked across to Emma who mouthed:

"You can do it!"

So I did.

"Well, let me say to start with that I am actually standing up! If you can't see me, I hope you can hear me! I have only two things to say. The first is that I met AK when we were both eleven and have known her through thick and thin, and I can say that her inside is as beautiful as her outside. The second is that Cris is a lucky man, but will make her the best of husbands - so can I, at the risk of vanishing completely ask you all to get up, and to toast AK and Cris?"

And they did.

AK giggled as we sat down.

"You horror! You might have warned me?"

"What, and had you fretting? No way. I knew you would be brill - and you were."

The whole affair was wonderful, and notable also as the occasion when Chloe met her future husband.

We waved AK and Cris off to Cyprus, and got back to the fun, though Emma and I decided to go back to our room to change for the evening.

"You look delicious in that dress, Pixie. I suspect you look even more delicious out of it."

I smiled as she slipped the straps off my shoulders and let the dress slide down, leaving me in my chemise and knickers.

"I feel you are over-dressed darling," I said.

"Easily dealt with," Emma replied, slipping out of her dress.

"You look even better than usual in that lacy get up my love. Those wonderful breasts were made for that bra - but I think my hands might like to take its place."

As she unhooked, I held her breasts - and kissed both of them.

"Bed?"

I nodded, and as she backed towards the bed, I sucked on each nipple, giggling, and looking up at her. She sat, legs apart. I slipped my chemise off.

"Lift!" I said. As she lifted, I helped her off with her knickers, noting, with delight, that they were sticky for me.

Looking up at her, I smiled.

"I adore your body!"

"What?" She giggled, rubbing her tummy, "even wobbly bits?"

Kneeling up and kissing her breasts and tummy, I said:

"Especially the wobbly bits!"

I kissed down her tummy until I reached her bush, less luxuriant than when we had first made love, but still enough to give me that thrill when we scissored. Smiling, I locked eyes with her:

"And this bit too!"

I said, before licking her engorged clitoris. Oh I so loved that. She was bigger there than myself, AK or Chloe, the only examples I had, but she was so sensitive. But I showed patience. Having given her a foretaste of what was to come (and of course, she was to cum), I left her pussy to slowly lick and kiss the inside of her thighs as she lay back. Slowly, back, and forth, each time closer to her lips, until I tugged on one, and then the other, allowing my teeth just to nip as I tugged. Her hands ruffled my hair.

"You are such a tease Pix, lick me, I want your tongue on me!"

Who could refuse such an invitation? Not me, for one. Applying my broad tongue to her pink and glistening wetness, I pushed slightly as I moved up her slit, before, as I reached the apex, making a tube of my tongue so the tip could tease her clit by flicking it. The more I flicked, the more she gripped my hair. But though I knew what she wanted, I held back. As I had told her, good things came to girls who waited.

I licked, then sucked, and as I sucked and pushed her clit upwards, I slowly wriggled three fingers inside her labia, parting her drooping lips with care, lest they got sore, as they sometimes did if I was too fast. Emma gripped me tight.

"Pixie!"

She moaned my name as I began to press in and out, making her squelch. I sucked on her clit as I fingered her; faster, harder, longer,

Then, and only then did I give her what she needed - my teeth grazing her clit.

"You minx!!!!!!"

She groaned as I teased her clit and fingered deep inside her, finding that rougher patch which she loved me to massage. As my teeth grazed her clit, I felt her clench and she arched her back, her hands pushing me into her as she came. I so loved that, luxuriating in the moment of her climax, as it was my gift to her. Nor was she a selfish lover, for once she had recovered, she made sure I came too.

Somehow then, we missed the evening party; but no one seemed to mind.

We missed Chloe at breakfast, but saw Shirley and Bill (Cris's mum and dad).

"Chloe may come back under her own steam, sort of," Shirley told us.

"What my wife means is that Chloe managed to bag herself a nice young man last night, and as she has no tutorials next week, will be absenting herself until the start of next term!"

Emma and I smiled.

"Give her our love!"

I texted her our congratulations.

So we drove back, just the two of us. Sated, happy. Chloe was happy, AK was, Cris was, and somehow it was infectious.

Easter week was a busy one for Emma, as it is for every priest, and I helped her. The Good Friday vigil was somehow all the harder hitting given the event of the weekend. Easter Sunday was, correspondingly, a huge joy.

We brought Lady F to chapel with us, and we dined with her, Footy and her husband and my friend Lisa and her boyfriend. It felt wonderful - as though we were somehow an extended family; I realised I had never had that.

By the time term started, I was well set up at Lady F's. She was a delight. I was very happy to make sure everything was where she needed it. She had a cleaner who came in to make sure the place was tidy, and she was, she said, happy to get a cook. But I decided that Emma and I between us could do that, making some meals she could just microwave if we were not there. But such was the pleasure of her company that most evenings we were with her, either together, or with Chloe or Lisa or other Christian friends. Footy took to being a regular visitor. Lady F's became the place to be!

My own academic progress was good, and the end of the year exams saw me comfortably top of my group in Coll, and, according to Footy, who, being an examiner, knew these things, one of the top two in the university.

AK and I stayed in touch. She shared the photos of their honeymoon in Cyprus. Happiness made her even more beautiful. It felt good.

In all, Summer Term was a joy. The long evenings meant we could dine out in North Parade, and Lady F flourished on the company. I took her to choir, and even joined myself. We went to concerts. Life was very good.

Lady F was, she said, quite happy to lose us for the summer, but I told her I wanted to stay. Emma lived in Oxford, and now I did. Anyway, I wanted to use the Bodleian and get on with next year's work. Emma was writing a book, so she showed no desire to go anywhere. We spent an idyllic summer reading, writing, chatting with Lady F and our friends.

Footy cornered me on one of those evenings.

"So, you, you need to decide soon!"

"What?"

"Don't give me what, young lady. Don or vicar?"

I must have looked startled.

"Oh come on, have you and Emma been so moon-struck with each other that she has not raised it with you?"

"Must have been," I giggled nervously. Footy was a formidable force.

"Well it's like this. When you get your First you can go to theological college to be a vicar in knickers like Emma, or you can do a D. Phil and be a proper academic like me. There's a scholarship at my college with your name written all over it - full fees plus some teaching; do well and it may convert into a fellowship. You can't do both!"

"Why not?"

"Because one is at Theological College, the other is here.'

"Can't I do my D.Phil. while studying for the priesthood?"

"No one ever has."

I looked at her smiling.

"So, I'd be the first?"

"The first mad enough to risk failing both."

"But what if I succeeded?"

"You are quite impossible! Such a modest little thing in every aspect of your life apart from your work."

"Is that a 'no', Footy?"

"It's a 'bloody well discuss it with Emma,' Pixie!"

That was telling me. But as Emma put it, there was time for all that.

The idyllic summer climaxed for us with AK's graduation, having passed her training course. It was with pride that Emma and I stood with Cris watching as she "passed out", and we celebrated into the night.

As Cris was due to fly with the CEO in his private jet to a meeting in Hamburg, we had suggested that she came and stayed with us in Oxford for the week. Term had not yet started, and Oxford was at its most beautiful. Cris would not be back until Friday, so they could have the weekend together.

As I was working from home, Emma went to Coll and left us with Lady F. I could see that AK was dying to tell me something, so I asked her what it was.

"Is it that obvious?"

"To me."

"Okay, well you are the first person outside Cris and me to know. I am pregnant!"

"Yay!" I leapt up and hugged her.

"How far gone?"

"Just over three months. Told Cris just before he left."

I had only seen her that happy once before.

Lunch was a happy affair. We told Lady F, who was excited for her.

Emma was equally delighted when she came back to join us for lunch.

We were relaxing in the courtyard when there was a ring on the door. I went to see who it was. There were two policewomen there.

"Is Ms Holst here?"

They looked serious.

"Yes, yes, she is, do you want to come through and see her?"

"If we may. It might be good if you were with us."

That sounded ominous. My heart sank.

We walked through.

AK laughed:

"Golly, I thought I was having a week off the uniforms! What can I do for you ladies?"

They looked grim. The taller of the two spoke first:

"I am sorry to inform you Ms Holst that the plane in which your husband was travelling has been reported as missing over the Channel."

The world stopped: AK looked utterly stunned. Emma and I sat open mouthed, not able to take it in. AK expressed what we were thinking.

"But, but he's okay, yes?"

"I am afraid, Ms Holst that there is no sign of him or of the others. Coastguard helicopters are searching for them, but I have to say that we are presuming no one survived."

Instinctively I went to AK, who, equally instinctively, hugged me. Emma hugged us both.

"We will, of course, keep you informed of developments. Here is our number if you need to talk. Do you need helpline numbers?"

"We can deal with that, constable," Emma, in full vicar's outfit, said softly. "We will take care of her. God bless you for telling us, it can't be easy."

"Thank you, Vicar, it isn't, and I'm glad she is with friends."

Emma showed them out.

"Pix, Pix, it can't be true, my Cris, my husband, the baby's dad. Fucking airplanes!"

With that, she dissolved into tears.

And just like that, the world changed.

Although they eventually found the wreckage three weeks later, no trace of Cris or his three companions was ever found. The Brokers, it turned out, had an insurance scheme which paid out handsomely, and with the life insurance on the house, AK at least did not have to worry about money; she had enough on her plate.

Bill and Shirley came down to see her. My opinion of Shirley went up massively. She was so good with AK - a real mum and a comfort. Before leaving she stopped me:

"Pixie, you are her best friend, and by God, she needs you now. Thank you for being here for her. Is it okay if she stays with you for a bit? We can look after things in York?"

So it was agreed; she stayed with us. Chloe came round often, and they shared, lovingly, their memories of Cris; that was, and remained a great help.

The York police could not have been nicer. They gave AK compassionate leave until her maternity leave kicked in, and added another six months to it, with pay. They sent her messages of support, and some of her colleagues came down to see her.

Lady F was also a tower of support, telling her she could "stay as long as you like."

And so it was that as my second year at Oxford got underway, AK and I were unexpectedly reunited.

We held a memorial service for him in the Coll Chapel. Representatives of his firm came, as did members of the police service. Emma took the service. Bill and Shirley came with Cris' parents, and we gave him a fitting service. I sat holding AK's hand throughout. Chloe held her other hand.