Cyclist

Ride On 44

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 44
Dinner was a lighter meal than Jan usually did, as we would be dancing, and we fully intended to snack later. I was settling into my new role, and when the ‘something nice’ from Eric turned up, it was a pair of leather sandals. Kelly smiled in a truly predatory way. If Sandra had been a hawk, she was a leopard waiting to drop. The smile widened, and all she said was “toenails”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 74 words long.

Ride On 43

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 43
We gathered together our purchases and loaded Steph’s panniers. The fitting had been efficient and very effective, a dress had indeed been there in my size (16, hooray! Average UK woman size!) as well as a couple of pairs of shoes.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 42 words long.

Ride On 42

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 42
Morning light coming into the tent, filtered by the material, and my left arm still asleep where Eric was lying on it, my nighty twisted yet again and our legs somehow tangled up inside the bag.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 37 words long.

Ride On 41

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 41
As I had expected, once Jimmy had been recognised there was a surge of people wanting to sit near him and play along, or just to listen. Steph asked him how he had managed to keep so many seats together.

“Ah whey, ah just telt them they war fer me band, like. Whey, ne lies there!”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 57 words long.

Ride On 40

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 40
We assembled our little army and headed off back to the music, bundled up with water and instruments. Jimmy was booked to play the smaller stage, where Mark was raving about a band with a girl called Kathryn Tickell following on.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 42 words long.

Ride On 39

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 39
Steph did indeed go along to the competition, and Kelly and I went along to watch her and a few of the other virtuosi do their party pieces. Lots of fiddlers, lots of guitarist/singers, and a single piper. I gave Kell a prod.

“Well?”

“Yeah, like he’s not bad, could tighten up his tempo a bit”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 59 words long.

Ride On 38

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 38
Eric was gone in the morning, but his side was still warm, so it hadn’t been that long. As I luxuriated in the warmth of the bag, the zips opened and he handed me a mug of tea.

“Don’t say I never do anything for you!”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 49 words long.

Ride On 37

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 37
Each day brought a new conflict in the form of a new confirmation. The toilets was one that almost surprised me; my subconscious was clearly telling me that if Steph had done it, so could I, but my rational part saw it as it was, a quick route to an early exit from the Job.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 56 words long.

Ride On 36

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 36
That was the start of the next stage.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 9 words long.

Ride On 35

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 35
The way a morning should be, apart from the fact that it was me that had to drag her arse out of bed to put the kettle on. He was still adrift when I returned with the tea, and as I prodded him awake I realised he had a slight hangover.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 52 words long.

Ride On 34

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 34
“The next step? That is largely up to you.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 10 words long.

Ride On 33

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 33
That one smacked me down hard. It was clear that she knew exactly what the question would do, and I had to think hard as to what answer I should give.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 32 words long.

Ride On 32

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 32
I got changed out of the clothes I had worn for all of an hour, and pulled on my lycra. As I was sorting out the bikes from the shed, I had a sudden thought.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 36 words long.

Ride On 31

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 31
Once again I woke up to the feel of someone’s arm across me, but a faint sighing of breath rather than the surfacing walrus that was Ginny in sleep.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 31 words long.

Ride On 30

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 30
It seemed that my vice, the one I pandered to and indulged, was being hugged. I wasn’t quite the centre of attention at the gathering, but close to it, and I felt a little embarrassed at taking the interest away from what had been a superbly organised event.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 50 words long.

Ride On 29

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 29
I have to admit that the rest of the session was more than a little anticlimactic after our lunacy. We got through the dances with minimal hiccups, and finally Di had us play some polkas for a while so those who still had the energy could burn it off.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 50 words long.

Ride On 28

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 28
Kate turned up by car, as I had suspected she would, in order to start ferrying some of Ginny’s stuff to their new house. To my surprise, she brought in a suitcase which was obviously full from the effort she took to bring it up the stairs. She laid it on the bed.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 55 words long.

Ride On 27

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 27
The rest of the lunch was kept deliberately neutral, by unspoken mutual consent. We had each dropped our little pebbles into the water, and the ripples were spreading in interference patterns.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 32 words long.

Ride On 26

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 26
Eric was already up, as I struggled to get myself into some state of mind that would let me join humanity on a roughly equal footing. Ginny was awake, looking at me.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 33 words long.

Ride On 25

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 25
Jim raised his hand. “Sam, not a word about nip and tuck, or slicing and dicing, OK? Annie, what is the plan? Do you have one at all?”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 29 words long.

Equality assessment

Submitted by on

Taxonomy upgrade extras: 

Author: 

To state 'the bleeding obvious', I am not going to discuss my employment in detail here, so please think before you reply to this. I have an issue at work regarding what is called an equality assessment. Under UK law, changes in working practices or conditions require an equality impact assessment. This is ostensibly a way of seeing whether a change adversely affects a particular group, such as the disabled, married folk, or TLGB (MY turn to choose the order of the initials)

Click Like or Love to appropriately show your appreciation for this post:

Ride On 24

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 24
“I thought we had that one sorted, Ginny”

“You know fine well we haven’t. You are rushing into all this now, and I am worried. You were slicing your life away piece by piece, and now you are getting ready to jump off a cliff. What is it Sally says? Pause, think?”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 54 words long.

Ride On 23

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 23
Ginny of course wanted chapter, verse and hymn number. I gave her as much of the day as I could remember, even Dennis’ plaintive little complaint about feeling alone.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 30 words long.

Ride On 22

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 22
He was just behind me, looking embarrassed.

“Mate, I’m sorry, I was bringing you a cuppa, and sort of overheard. I can keep my gob shut if you want, but I also do a good listen”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 38 words long.

Ride On 21

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 21
Steph put down her fiddle and looked at me sitting with my flute lowered.

“What?”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 16 words long.

Ride On 20

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 20
I should have seen that one coming, I really should. I knew, after all, what Sal specialised in, and with hindsight Steph had been just a little too straight, a little too hard edged. She covered it up well, and everything about her shouted ‘woman’.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 46 words long.

Ride On 19

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 19
Once refuelled, we set off for the lumpier part of the ride, and it was the drag by Turner’s Hill that stretched the group out. We gathered once more at the crossroads before some rolling stuff took us to a little cluster of greenhouses.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 46 words long.

Ride On 18

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 18
Off at Victoria and up the platform to the ticket barrier, surrounded by girls in minimalist dresses and shoes that looked like egg slicers.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 25 words long.

Ride On 17

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 17
I had already packed the necessaries for work the next day into my locker, so I was able to make do with just the Barley, the small saddle bag from Carradice that would give me enough space for what I needed for the night ride.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 46 words long.

Ride On 16

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 16
We retired to the easy chairs and sofa, Kate curling up in Ginny’s lap, with some rather nice coffee brought by the McDuffs.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 25 words long.

Ride On 15

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 15
Stewie. He clearly knew. I gave Sally a look, asking with my eyes, and she murmured “He is part of my therapy kit for you”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 26 words long.

Ride On 14

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 14
I awoke lost, something tangling my legs, and started to wriggle a bit before I remembered.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 17 words long.

Ride On 13

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 13
Kate was staring hard at me, trying to see through my skin.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 13 words long.

Ride On 12

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 12
She had me, if I wanted to let her. Too many years of subterfuge left me less than open, though.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 21 words long.

Ride On 11

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 11
“Jessica”

“Yes. He caught me with her when I was about eleven. I was just putting her skirt on when he came into my bedroom.”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 26 words long.

Ride On 10

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 10
It was the first night in a long time that had passed the right way and I was awake with Ginny as she slathered her toast with some repulsive brown sludge.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 32 words long.

Ride On 9

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 9
That was really not a complete surprise. I knew some of the background of her death, of course. I had been aware of our odd resident, as I had sent a couple of lads past her place a few times after the graffiti, and I remembered that she had something to do with the local security scene, but I had never dug into her background.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 66 words long.

Ride On 8

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 8
“Yeah, I know, but I don’t know about the rest. We’re going to finish up here, and after the wine is done we shall have some frozen yoghurt, to which my lover here is very partial.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 39 words long.

Ride On 7

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 7
Kate was serious in the morning, and a little red-eyed from the lack of sleep.

“Does drinking keep the nightmares away, Adam?”

“I don’t know. If I drink enough to get through them, I can’t remember if I have them or not”

“Do you remember going to bed?”

“Sometimes”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 52 words long.

Ride On 6

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 6
I had no real choice, of course, but to agree with her. I was just starting to wobble a bit from the wine, but I was still sort of sober. Kate and Ginny sat with me for a while, silent in the flickering light and the odd sting of the smoke, until a small piece of paper was pressed into my hands and the shorter woman led the taller away by her hand.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 74 words long.

Ride On 5

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 5
Over the next few days I realised that Ginny’s presence was doing a lot to ease my sleep.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 20 words long.

Ride On 4

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 4
Ginny was holding me as I woke, shushing me like a child until I could stop the shakes.

“Talk to me, Adam?”

“No”


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 24 words long.

Ride On 3

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 3
I was still on late turn, of course, so she bullied me into getting the tourer out of the shed and loading it with panniers.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 26 words long.

Ride On 2

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 2
I pulled on the lycra again after lunch, and rode the five miles to the station, where I punched in the code on the keypad and locked the bike up in the yard.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 34 words long.

Ride On 1

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 1
I put the bike in the shed and settled the rucksack onto my shoulders as I tugged the straps tighter to compensate for standing upright.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 26 words long.

The end of the affair

Submitted by on

Taxonomy upgrade extras: 

Author: 

That is it for Sweat and Tears, Dear Readers. My muse is dormant now, as she has been screaming at me for the last few months and has felt the need for a rest. Thank you for staying the course, those of you who could. I knwo there are some who couldn't get past the unpleasantness, but I trust all understand it wasn't written for any salacious reason. I wanted that part of the story to be as brutal as I could manage while keeping at least some restraint and tact.

Click Like or Love to appropriately show your appreciation for this post:

Sweat and Tears 48

Submitted by on

Author: 

Audience Rating: 

Publication: 

Genre: 

Character Age: 

Permission: 

CHAPTER 48
Tom had a stack of neatly-bound files waiting for me when we got back, but Em took my arm.


If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:

And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks. 
This story is 20 words long.

Pages

Subscribe to Cyclist