“You know I get more proud of you every time I see you” she said, I blushed slightly “No really! You’ve taken everything in stride, right from the moment you decided to be Nikki, and as much as I loved Craig I don’t remember or see him any more. I just see... my beautiful daughter.” she said extinguishing the cigarette and planting a motherly kiss on my cheek,
“I couldn’t have done it without your help and support though. I guess I must have just about the best mother in the world.” I said hugging her.
We slept long into the next day and woke up in time just to catch a light lunch, in truth my mother and Robert looked pretty done in as well so I guessed they had had a pretty passionate night as well. It was a weary group therefore that packed up and left for the airport for our early evening transfer to Bali.
A short flight later we landed and grabbed a cab to the hotel which would now be the sight for our honeymoon. As a group we located our rooms and then met up in the pool bar area for a drink, two drinks later we were all beat and decided to call it a night. The next three days were made up of sightseeing and some leisurely sunbathing oh and mixed in with lashing’s of sex as newly weds do. So by midweek we all returned to the airport for our flight back home.
Back in the UK Eddie had one final surprise for me as we arrived home low and behold a brand new Honda car in a racy red had been delivered for me, planting a kiss on my cheek and presented me with the keys, he announced “Your final wedding present darling and to assist you with your house hunting” as I hugged him and returned the kiss with a real smacker of my own.
By the end of the week Eddie had returned to University for his final term and I took up the role of finding us a place to stay and monitor the sale of his Mum and Dad’s old house. A few weeks later we had a final offer of just over £125,000 which we accepted and closed the deal with a middle aged couple who were moving to the area for work reasons. With that complete and the money banked I began my search in earnest for a place for us.
So with Eddie back at University I began house hunting driving around various towns and villages in the region looking for the perfect venue for us. It was tiring and frustrating properties that were ideal but too small or the right size, but with no room for expansion and the creation of some sort of lab or work room for Eddie. Then one day I stumbled on it. I had been to see a property just outside Glasgow and was returning rather dispirited. The description had been over exaggerated the size of the house was smaller than I had been advised and the space that they had described as available for development turned out to be nothing other than a poky little garden which if built on would left us with no space at all left. Making it clear that it was not what I was looking for I headed back to my car and began to drive home. On the way home I decided to stop at a snack bar and pick up a coffee and a bite to eat. With my coffee and a bacon sandwich I sat in my car watching the day go buy listening to the radio frustrated that another trip had ended in failure, it was nearly 3 month’s now since Eddie had gone back to University and in another 4 or 5 weeks he would be finishing up for the Xmas break and I still had not found us anything !
Then I saw it just up ahead a building down the a small incline a sign clearly displayed, “Retail Opportunity” finishing my snack I started the car and moved out onto the road reaching the slip road I turned down it and into the car park in front of the building. Parking I got out the heels of my black leather boots clicking on the cobble stoned car park as I walked towards the building. Suddenly I remembered this had been the old station, a new modern station had been built ten minutes down the road, I looked at the building and sized up the prospects it was a old stone building built in 1912 judging by the mark above the door, a newer extension had been added which had acted as the waiting room and ticket office latterly it complemented the building well as I walked round the path at the side the back had the old stone platform and a couple of small outbuilding’s which must have been used for storage the railway line was still intact as it was still used but it was only a local rail service with limited trains so I figured it would not be two noisy the steps over to the other side of the line were still intact and another small covered structure sat over that side where people would have waited for trains. I walked back to the car and retrieved my camera snapping away I took a lot of photographs from all angles the roll of film used up I returned to the car and drove of, this maybe had possibilities I though as a smile broke my lips.
The next day I handed in my film and called Eddie, “It could work” I said having explained to him what I had seen “There’s and old factory which has been cleared at the other side of the tracks it’s being redeveloped with new houses and just up the road there doing the same where Honeyman Electric’s used to be. I drove up and down there’s not another chemist for five miles either way and there’s plenty of space, maybe we could even let out part of the building to someone else bring them on board as well” I blabbered excitedly “It needs a good bit of work but I think it would be great” I went on
“Calm down Nikki, I’ll take a look at your photo’s when they arrive in the meantime phone up the seller and get some costs then we’ll talk again.”
“Ok then, how are your studies going” I asked.
“Good but I can’t wait to see you at Xmas”
“Neither can I, I miss you” I said.
“I miss you too darling” he replied
“Love you” I said “Love you more” he replied then he was gone.
The next day I collected the snaps of the house I had taken and mailed them off to Eddie. I called the seller of the property to check out the price,
“Well it’s a complete package the whole building the car park as well right up to the edge of the platform at the back and the other side of the tracks as well the only part you don’t own is the bridge over the tracks, that’s a right of way so it can’t be closed off” the developer told me.
“Oh that’s ok cause it’s a retail outlet we had in mind and a conversion so we could live there” I replied.
“Well the whole lot’s on offer at offers over £95,000” he said.
“Eh that sounds ok, I need to get back to you once I’ve spoken to my husband” I replied, it still seemed a bit strange saying husband but I was getting comfortable with it.
“Ok well offers close in two weeks we only have one so far,”
“Ok I’ll get back to you” I said terminating the call.
By the weekend a large envelope arrived for me from Eddie inside were plans and detailed drawing’s of the property converted it looked stunning with a large rough stone wall with climbing plants out the back, blocking off the platform from the track the platform converted to a small garden. The main shop replacing the ticket office and another small unit tacked on to allow for another retailer to use. The main house had been converted with some interior pictures of how it might look all in all it was fantastic and I was bursting with excitement as I phoned Eddie that night.
“Where did you get all these plans” I asked.
“Oh I passed on your photo’s to a guy doing architecture and he did the drawing’s for me, you like it” he asked.
“Like it I love it our own little love nest” I blurted out.
“Well how much is it going to cost us” he asked.
“Well offers over £95,000 secures the lot except the bridge” I told him.
“That’s not too bad still leaves some money from the house sale to start the conversion, any offers in” he asked.
“Yeah one” I said “closing date for offers is in another ten days” I said.
“Well put an offer in for £98,000” he said.
“Ok I’ll call him tomorrow” I said.
“Only three weeks to Christmas break, I can’t wait to see you” Eddie said.
“Yeah me too” I replied.
“Call me when you’ve spoken to the property developer”
“I will” I replied
“Ok see you soon darling”
“Yeah see you soon” I said as I hung up, oh how I missed him but as he said only three more weeks and then after Christmas only a few more months and then we would be together forever.
The following Friday around 11:00 am the telephone rang, I picked up the handset,
“Hi can I speak with Mrs Wilson” the caller asked.
“Speaking” I replied.
“Oh Mrs Wilson I’m pleased to tell you that your offer on the property at Hallbank Street has been accepted”
“Fantastic, when will the sale go through?”
“Well all the details should be completed by Christmas so you should be able to start any conversion in the New Year”
So two days before Xmas with Eddie back from University we completed the deal. We had already approached builders and accepted a quote for conversion of the property into a living quarters and two shop units, the outbuilding on the other side of the tracks was to be converted into Eddie’s lab as he put it, later we would discover that that would be our best investment of the lot !
A family Christmas with Mum and Robert and Eddie ended with plans for an extravagant New Year, Robert had booked us into a five star hotel so we set off on the 30th December for our loch side hotel.
Our first night we spent having a lovely meal and a quiet drink in the hotel bar, New Year Eve was to consist of an extravagant ball. Me and Mum spent the next day pampering ourselves a massage and light waxing followed by a spa bath and then we both had our hair done mine highlighted with some light red streaks through the blonde and my mum getting some blonde streaks added to her dark brown hair. We finished off with some acrylic French manicure nails.
We retired to the bedrooms to get ready for the evening ahead; Eddie and Robert were busy playing snooker in the sports bar as we began our preparations for the night. Stripping off I stepped into some white silk underwear pulling on a dressing gown I sat down at the dressing table and began my make up super light foundation with a really light dusting of powder my skin and complexion had changed so much in this last couple of years that I did not need extravagant cover on my face any more. I moved on to some eye shadow and used some midnight blue for a dark effect with some lighter blue and a splash of pink to add some colour. Finishing off my eyes with some black eyeliner and mascara I opened the tube of lipstick and applied the deep red colour to my lips before brushing on some lip gloss to create a permanent shine. As I finished the door opened and in stepped Eddie,
“Looking good babes” he said heading towards me and leaning down he placed a small kiss on my cheek.
“Heh you I’ve just done my face” I said playfully slapping him on the rear.
“I hope your not going to be like that later tonight” he said with a smirk.
“Good things come to those that wait” I said.
“Yeah I know I got you didn’t I” he said pulling out by bra strap slightly and letting it ping back on to my back.
“I’m going for a bath” Eddie said heading towards the en-suite toilet.
“Ok don’t be long we’ve to be seated by eight thirty and its gone seven now” I responded as the door to the bathroom closed.
Less than an hour later we were both dressed and ready to go, I had bought a red spaghetti strap dress the dress had silk bodice top quite tight but not too revealing moving down to a fuller cotton body with a flared skirt effect, this was topped of with red 41/2 inch heeled strappy sandals with thin laces that wound up my calves and tied at the top.
I had a gold solid necklace which was in a V shape at the front of my neck the centre encrusted with around 6 diamonds a present from Eddie at Christmas. Long red evening gloves covered my hands to the elbow and Eddie’s mum’s gold charm bracelet that she had left me adorned the outside of the glove, a sparkly red evening bag completed my look. I sat on the dressing table stool and lit a cigarette as Eddie fiddled with his bow tie watching my husband I exhaled the menthol smoke and looked forward to the night ahead. A couple of minutes later we were ready to go taking a final drag from my cigarette I crushed it out in the ashtray and taking picking up my small bag I took Eddie’s arm and we headed off to dinner.
Joining Mum and Robert we sat through an excellent meal with some lovely wine to wash down our food. Once the meal was over me and Mum lit a cigarette as the two men went get us some drinks.
“You enjoying married life” she asked.
“I’m loving it though I can’t wait till were together all the time” I told her.
“Only a few months now” she said taking a drag from her cigarette,
“You know I get more proud of you every time I see you” she said, I blushed slightly “No really! You’ve taken everything in stride, right from the moment you decided to be Nikki, and as much as I loved Craig I don’t remember or see him any more. I just see... my beautiful daughter.” she said extinguishing the cigarette and planting a motherly kiss on my cheek,
“I couldn’t have done it without your help and support though. I guess I must have just about the best mother in the world.” I said hugging her.
“Well enough of the self congratulations, here come the guy’s lets dance” she said taking my hand and pulling me up we went to meet our partners.
The hour’s ticked by and soon it was midnight after the customary New Year celebrations we sat down both couple arms around each other, my mother broke the temporary silence.
“Nikki , Eddie we’ve got something to share with you two, me and Robert have finally set a date to get married it’s going to be on the 31st March, and Nikki I want you to be chief bridesmaid naturally, and there’s more Nikki your going to have a little brother or sister”
I sat stunned while the news sank in, Mum was pregnant and I was going to be a bridesmaid at my mother’s wedding as congratulations went on around me a slight tear’s leaked from my eye’s and then all I could do was hug her tightly while we both cried.
To Be Continued...
Comments
Nikki Has Taste
I love it! Living in an old railway station. How original and consistent with the imagination in this series. And a half-sister on the way, too. Go Nikki,
Joanne
Love Nikki's Taste
I love railroads and trains. But I guess that a lot of boys and girls do too. We used to have a train station here in Birmingham Alabama, but the stupid goverment did not make it a landmark and it got tore down.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine