Easy As Falling Off A Bike
by Angharad
part: 365

I could hardly wait for Simon and Stella to arrive. Stella was doing about ten miles a day on her rented bike. Ironically, she was doing more miles than I was. Simon, as far as I knew, was doing none at all. He was apparently jogging and was thinking of doing some 'spinning'-no not the distaff thing with bits of wool, but cycling on an exercise bike with a computer controlled program. Except for bad weather, it seemed a bit pointless, what's wrong with a turbo trainer, except they are so boring.

Finally they did come and Stella and I hugged while Simon and Tom took in the bags or got her bike off the car. Then Simon and I hugged, he lifted me off the ground and we kissed. My body ached for him, but we had dinner to get through, first.

I'd had a leg of lamb slow roasting in the Aga since breakfast, and had added various veg after coming home. It was delicious, the meat fell off the bone - which Kiki had to gnaw. So everyone was happy. The kitchen was also full of the smells of fresh bread, which I'd turned out to rest just before Si and Stella arrived.

We drank two bottles of claret between us and the conversation flowed like old times. It was the perfect evening, followed by the perfect night.

Simon was very pleased to see me, and at bed time carried me off quite literally, dumping me on the bed and almost tearing my clothes off.

"Hey, hang on a minute," I said protesting at his impulsiveness.

"What for? He said. "Thinking about your luscious body is all that has kept me sane for the past week.

"Yeah, but I like a slow build up, you know that."

"Maybe later, for now I am just so desperate," with that he pulled off my knickers and began stimulating my erogenous zones.

Some twenty minutes later, he was happy, I was sort of, and we both lay gasping on the bed. "I'd like to go for a bike ride tomorrow, if you don't mind?"

"Mind? Why should I mind?"

" 'Cos you'll have to come with me."

"Why? Take Stella instead."

"No good, I promised Tom I wouldn't cycle without you, until they catch the cyclist attacker."

"The what?"

"We've got some nutter who keeps attacking cyclists, usually women. One of my students was the victim a couple of days ago."

"Can't you go with Stella? I haven't been out on a bike for weeks, in fact since I last went out with you."

"What happened to the personal trainer?"

"Oh him! Got rid of him, it was costing a fortune."

He began to kiss my breast and very soon, I had forgotten about cycling for a few moments. We cuddled and kissed until about an hour later, he indicated to me that he was indeed pleased to see me. After this I was so sore, I could have sworn I smelt burning. Simon, kissed me, rolled on his side and zonked. Thankfully, feeling tired myself I wasn't long following suit and I cuddled into him and slept.

I awoke feeling refreshed except in one rather tender spot. I'd slept better than I had for days and felt really good. It was eight o clock and when I nudged Simon, he groaned and tried to go back to sleep.

I limped out of bed to go to the loo, boy I was so tender. I wondered how I was going to be able to ride. I made some tea and took Simon's to him in bed, while I went off for a hot bath. It was so soothing that I fell asleep until Simon yanked the plug out and poured a cup of cold water over me. The brute. I would exact revenge later when he relaxed and forgot.

He showered and we went down to breakfast together, where Tom was reading my Guardian and Stella came down a few minutes later. Tom put the paper down in disgust, "Bloody rag, don't know why I buy it?"

Simon sniggered, even more so when I said loudly, "You don't, Tom, I pay for it."

"That explains it, I've got bloody socialists in my house."

"Yeah, there's four of us and a dog," said Stella, whereupon Simon and I burst into song.."Went to mow a meadow."

"Three men and their dog, went to mow a meadow..." we continued until everyone was roaring with laughter so much, none of us could sing. It was like old times, before all the trauma and heart-ache. Today was going to be a good day, I could sense it with my whole being. I felt like an old soldier who was saying to himself, 'today is a good day, good enough to die.' Except, I knew I wasn't, like all young people, I was immortal - besides, who would look after this lot if anything happened to me? Nah, the gods of ecology would look after me, I was going to save their planet, after all.

"So how about a bike ride today?" I said to the smiling faces.

"I thought they gave rain?" said Tom being a literal wet blanket.

"I'm far too tired, she wore me out last night," Simon said winking at me.

"I'm game," said Stella, "if you don't go too far or fast, oh and no mountains- don't do mountains."

"Mountains or molehills?" I queried.

"They're all the same to me," she said, "don't do molehills." This had me almost reduced to tears I was laughing so hard. This was the Stella I first knew, the one who had nearly killed me knocking me off my bike. It was also the sister I loved.

"You are not going cycling unless Simon goes with you." Tom sounded very firm.

"But Daddykins," I said batting my lashes, "I won't be alone, I'll have Stella with me."

"No, Simon goes or you don't." Tom was holding his ground and I was trying to undermine it.

"But, Tom, I promised I wouldn't go alone. I didn't promise to go wait until Simon came."

"That was how I understood it, and I'm not giving up the garage keys until I know Simon is going with you."

"That is ridiculous," I said storming off to my bedroom. I was so angry. I'd waited all week and now I was being prevented from doing what I most wanted to do. If I didn't ride soon, I'd die or I might just as well.

I was sulking in my room when Simon arrived shaking some keys at me. "You got him to change his mind," I said rushing to hug him.

"No, I changed mine. This had better be a good ride or I'll murder you."

"I'll make it up to you," I said purring and rubbing my body against him.

"If you carry on like that, I won't have the energy to ride very far," he said breathing heavily.

"And why is that?" I said rubbing his chest.

He kissed me passionately, and I nearly forgot my bike ride until Stella banged on the door and asked about sorting the lease for her bike. I told her to go and phone the shop, but Simon had lost interest so we got dressed in out various kits, mine the yellow of the Saunier Duval team.

We clipped on our shoes and I checked all the bikes, they were fine save for the odd slightly soft tyre, which I inflated to the required amount. Then a few minutes of stretching and warming up.

Finally we set off. It was a glorious spring morning and we rode gently into and out of Portsmouth, easing ourselves over the inclines, none of which could be called hills, yet.

"What did you do about the bike?" I asked Stella.

"I bought it, this rental business was too much of a fiddle."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah, just like that, so bloody what, Watts?"

"Rich, bitch!" I exclaimed.

"Yep, and proud of it." She laughed and wobbled a little.

I led them up towards the downs and as they were both struggling, called out, "I'll wait for you at the top." With that I set off on my own.

It was such a lovely morning, the birds were singing and I was climbing well, almost too well - something was bound to go wrong. I pulled away on Portsdown Hill Road, talking to myself as if it was David Duffield doing a commentary.

"There goes Watts, attacking on the hill and breaking away from the peloton who don't seem to be responding. There'll points for this ascent giving Watts the famous spotted jersey, although she's after the maillot jeune itself.

I was so rapt in my own little world that I didn't see him, the blur of someone in a black hoodie. Then the flash of something glinting in the sunlight, and I felt like a kick somewhere on the front of my body. It didn't hurt so much as shock me.

Everything began to happen in slow motion, I tasted blood in my mouth and began to topple from my bike. I think I heard someone scream or shout, but it didn't matter. I was falling, falling off my bike then it all went black.