Chapter 5
“Right, 501, double start, and a double finish, nearest arrow to the bull starts, did you get that, gorgeous?” Sam asked, winking at Willow, hoping he’d totally baffled her!
“Oh yes I think so just let me check, we start with a score of 501 and we have to get down to nothing, but we must hit the little outer part of the number to start, that’s a double, and the same to finish, and the person who’s dart is nearest to the dead centre of the board, the ‘bullseye’ starts, is that right?” Willow said grinning
“Oh hey, you’ve played before – I thought this was going to be easy!” Sam said, and then he offered her one of his darts and said,
“Ladies first”
“No, no! Age before beauty, I insist!” Willow said giggling
“You cheeky madam! Come here!” Sam grabbed her and landed a big smacker of a kiss on Willow’s lips, and Tracy behind the bar dropped a tray of glasses behind the bar in disappointment
Willow winked at Buffy when Sam’s dart landed about two inches away from the centre, then Spike’s landed about an inch away. Poor old Buffy’s dart hit the wire number and bounced out onto the floor so it didn’t count, and Willow stood at the end of the rubber mat behind the ‘oche’ line and threw her dart dead centre into the bullseye. She grinned as she went to the board to retrieve the darts and she gloated
“My dart I think! Right – Buffy and I against you and Spike, 501 – gentlemen the bet is on!” She took the three darts and threw them accurately, scoring 100! She chalked 401 on the scoreboard, crossing out 501
“Oh Sam, this looks like it could be expensive!” Spike said laughing.
When Sam was taking his turn, Spike whispered playfully to Willow,
“And no witchy stuff you!”
Willow just grinned and whispered back,
“As if!”
A few of the regulars were watching the game, and while Sam and Spike still had scores of over two hundred to get down, (and Buffy over three hundred) Willow’s accurate throwing meant she only needed to get 132, it was her turn, she got the treble twenty first, then she got the double twenty, all she needed was to get the double 16 to finish!
The regular lads were cheering her on, and when she threw and the dart landed squarely in the double 16, she jumped up and down waving her arms in the air, all the regulars were cheering
“We’ll have you on our team miss, come and play for us this Thursday night, we’ve got a grudge match against Darrington!” One of the old guys said
“Your round I think!” Willow said with a grin, and then added
“Only thing to do in the Halls of Residence, was to play darts, the TV was rubbish!”
“NOW she tells me!” Sam grinned and went up to the bar.
*****************
Back home, ten to midnight………
“Oh goddess, PLEASE tell me that was non-fattening double chocolate caramel fudge cake!” Willow said, sucking her finger and thumb and licking her lips
Buffy giggled and said,
“Yup, that’s the stuff Will, isn’t that right Peggy, that was zero-calorie, double chocolate caramel fudge cake with extra whipped cream! I’m going to patent the special recipe formula for it and make a fortune – just think, I’d be rich!”
“Well, we’d better be going, SOME of us have to work for a living!”
Sam stood up grinning.
“Hey, I work too! I’ve got to start research for my new book I’ve been commissioned to write!” Spike said
Sam rolled his eyes laughing and said,
“Hard days slog over a hot computer”
“Well my dears, I’ll say goodnight and wait in the car for you dear” Peggy said
“Thanks for babysitting Peggy” Spike gave her a kiss on the cheek and Peggy grinned and squeezed Spike’s hand.
“Have you got everything, your glasses, knitting – here, don’t forget your candle and bath stuff” Buffy also gave Peggy a kiss on the cheek saying thanks and goodnight.
Willow lazily held her arms up and Sam pulled her up off the sofa
Buffy and Spike diplomatically started to take the supper things into the kitchen so Sam and Willow could say ‘goodnight’.
“It was a great night…great day all round actually, I really enjoyed myself, did you?”
“I sure did – not a good day for Tracy though!” Spike said, covering the last of the cake in cling-wrap and putting it in the fridge.
Spike glanced into the lounge to see if they could go and fetch the rest of the crockery, but Will and Sam were still engaged in a pretty large kiss!!
“What are you doing tomorrow?” Spike asked
“Well, if you will mind the children in the morning, I thought Will and I could go do some shopping in Barnstaple, then I thought we could take the children to the cinema, ‘Madagascar’ is on at the Gaumont, Izzie’s dying to see it, there’s a showing that starts at 5.30pm, then I thought it was an ideal opportunity for Willow to have proper English fish and chips, out of the paper – we can sit overlooking the estuary while we eat them”
“Great idea, I’ll leave the leg of pork fillet I was going cook for another time then”
Sam leant around the kitchen door and said,
“Goodnight then Buffy, Spike – I’ll see you later maybe”
“Yeah okay, night Sam, drive carefully”
“I will…night Princess!” Sam winked at Willow and she smiled
After waving off their friends Spike locked up.
“Want some help clearing up?”
“No Will, you can both go on up, I’ll do it in the morning when you are out shopping”
“So, we’re shopping in the morning then?” Willow asked making for the stairs
“Uh huh, there’s this lovely little boutique just off the High street, she does some great stuff, reasonable too”
“Great, okay, night then Spike”
“Night Red”
“You coming up?” Buffy asked
“Won’t be a sec, I just want to put this telephone number and email address Sam gave me in my diary so I don’t loose it, this guy could be useful to my research for my next book”
“Okay babe, I’ll leave the lamp on for you”
******************
“BILLY, DO YOU WANT BREAKFAST, BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAST TIME I’M CALLING YOU!”
“Coming mom!”
“Aunty Willow…”
“Yes darling?”
“What does that word say?”
“Which word poppet?”
“That one?”
“Um…Flowertots, see there’s Fifi…and there are the flowertots. Do you like the book?”
“Oh yes, I think it’s pretty!”
Willow laughed and cupped the little blonde moppet’s cheek.
Billy came down, still in his pyjamas, Buffy shook her head and sighed, although she couldn’t help but smile
“Don’t tell me, you were reading!”
Billy gave his mom a sheepish grin, and said
“But it’s ever so interesting! I’m reading about wicked Sir Jasper Blackmore, he was trying to do his poor younger step-brother William out of his inheritance!”
“I see, well it nearly did you out of your breakfast, what do you want love?”
“Just some toast please”
“No cereal?”
“No thankyou, it’s the chocolaty one, and I don’t like it!”
Buffy smiled and said to Willow, nodding towards Billy
“Ever met a child that doesn’t like chocolate – coz you have now!”
“Where’s dad?”
“Well, he’s on the computer – starting research for his new book”
“What are we doing today?”
“Well, you’re staying with dad until your aunty and I come back from shopping, then it’s a surprise” Billy smiled at his mom as she mouthed
“Going to see ‘Madagascar’” Putting her finger to her lips and pointing to Izzie so Billy wouldn’t say anything
“Is it swimming day mommy?”
“No baby, that’s tomorrow”
“Swimming huh – that sounds like a jolly good idea, can I come do you think?” Willow asked Izzie, who gave a big nod and smiled, she said
“Tell the lady, and she gives you band to put round your ankle and then you can come in and swim with me…I can do a whole length! Well nearly!”
Willow giggled
“Can you – golly, you’re very clever – do you like swimming Billy?”
“Yes, but I couldn’t go the last two times, I had an ear infection, will I be able to go tomorrow mom?”
“I should think so, you’ve finished all the eardrops and it doesn’t hurt now does it – here’s your toast”
“No, it doesn’t hurt anymore”
“Morning!”
“Morning Spike!”
“Dad, mom says I can go swimming with you tomorrow”
“Really – great! Oh”
Everyone looked at Spike
“I forgot about swimming, I’ve just arranged via an email to see this chap Sam told me about last night, he’s got all this Edwardian stuff that will help me put my new book together with photos and that”
“Well never mind, you go see him, and Willow and I’ll take them, make a change for me AND I could do with the exercise!”
“Dad, we ARE still going to Blackmore Hall on Wednesday, aren’t we?”
“Of course son, I haven’t forgotten about that, don’t worry!”
“Oh dear Izzie…I think you’re going to have to come shopping with your aunty Willow and me”
“What’s up?”
“Look”
Buffy showed Spike Izzie’s split sneakers.
“Actually, now I come to think of it, she could do with a new swimming costume too, she’s getting taller” Spike said
“Do you want to come too Billy, or do you want to stay here with your dad and read?”
Silly question! Billy didn’t really like traipsing around the shops when his mom was looking for clothes at the best of times, even if there was something in it for him! Give him a good book and he’d be quiet for hours reading.
Half an hour later Billy and Spike waved the ladies off and went back indoors
“Okay son, I’m going to wash-up, then I’ll be on the computer, what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to get dressed and then I’m going to read my book about Blackmore Hall, Sir Jasper is trying to do his younger step-brother out of his inheritance, it’s ever so good!” Spike chuckled and ruffled his son’s hair
“You and your books! Well you know where I am if you want me – did mom tell you about the surprise this afternoon?”
“Yes, but she didn’t want me to say anything in front of Izzie, coz else she’ll keep going on about it”
“Oh well! Right, you go off and read, and I’ll tidy up the kitchen”
********************
“Hmm, these smell so good, we missed lunch”
They all sat on one of the benches overlooking the estuary; Buffy helped Izzie open her box with mini fish and chips, everybody else had theirs wrapped in paper.
“HHHMMMMMMMM! Oh goddess that’s just SO good!” Willow savoured her first mouthful
“It’s a good job I don’t live down here permanently, I’d get so fat – what with the cream teas, and the beer and the Cornish Pasties, fish and chips and the big cooked breakfasts!”
“Well, that’s what I said when I first moved down here, but well everything in moderation, and I find what I lack doing in proper exercise, I make up running round after Izzie and the chickens and doing the garden”
“That nice baby – did you like the film?” Izzie nodded and said
“Oh yes!”
“Good girl!”
“Oh, that’s me…hey, Hi Sam, what can I do for you?……………………well right this moment, were sitting overlooking the estuary in Barnstaple eating fish and chips – we took Izzie and Billy to the cinema…………………hold on – Will, Sam wants a word” Spike passed her his cell phone
“Oh, um…” Quickly wiping her fingers she took the phone
“Hi Sam………hmm, yeah, they’re absolutely delicious…………when tonight, um, hold on………Guys, what time will we get home?”
Spike looked at his watch and said,
“Bout nine”
“About nine Spike says…really? Okay, great, I’ll see you then, bye!” She ended the call and gave the phone back to Spike.
“He’s going to pick me up and take me to see his piglets, then were going for a drink!”
“Piglets huh…that’s a new one!” Buffy teased, and Willow went red.
Billy grinned and sing-songed,
“Aunty Willow’s got a boyfriend!”
Causing Buffy to snort a laugh while she was drinking her soda and it went everywhere, making them all giggle.
They got home and Sam (eager beaver he was!) was waiting in the car for her.
Willow dashed in, had a quick wash and got changed, then she put on some mascara and lipgloss, and went downstairs
“Will I do?”
“You look beautiful – come on then, let me take you to see Lady Bettina of Cheltenham – she’s a Gloucester Old Spot pig, Betty for short, and she’s just farrowed 12 little piggies! – I thought the nippers might like to see them sometime this week too Buffy”
“Great – perhaps Thursday when I bring my order in” Buffy said
“Well come on then beautiful, let’s be off” Sam took Willow by the hand and they left.
“Mommy…are uncle Sam and aunty Willow getting married – can I be a bridesmaid and look like a fairy princess like in my storybook?” Izzie asked, suddenly all bright eyed again – gone was the sleepiness while she was in the car.
Spike grinned at Buffy and Buffy was at a loss at what to say!
“They’ve only just met darling – they’re just friends”
“But they were holding hands!” Izzie insisted
“I’ll ask her tomorrow” Izzie said, then added,
“Daddy, come and read me a story…I want Princess Twinkle-toes gets married”
“Thought you might, come on then, beddy-byes for you poppet - upstairs, hands and face wash and clean your teeth”
“Can I read for a while mom, I’m not tired”
“Yes baby, you go and get ready for bed, and I’ll come up and turn the light off in half an hour, night-night” Buffy kissed her son goodnight and went into the kitchen to make some tea.
Spike came downstairs smiling five minutes later, just as Buffy took the tea tray into the lounge.
“She was asleep after a couple of lines, I left Billy’s light on, he said you said he could have half an hour”
“Yes I did…hey, do you think we should warn Willow?” Buffy said, and started giggling
“Oh god I don’t know! – She went very red when Billy teased her – can you imagine her face!”
“Well, she will have this man phoning her up, asking her if she wants to look at twelve pink wrinkly things!” They both sat there giggling like a couple of kids!
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