Free Chasing Rainbows by Amber Moon

goodness this did not happen every day but when it did he would panic. He was afraid that she would come across and speak.
    One thing Doug was learning about Olivia was that she liked to live dangerously. Her spontaneity meant that she threw caution to the wind and he could never be sure what she might do next.
    When Olivia left work in the afternoon, Doug would sneak ten minutes with her in the car park.
    They were very civilised and managed to control the urges that ran rampant through their veins, as they told each other what they were doing, discussed the family and when they would meet.
    They would sheepishly grin at each other as he watched her drive away.
    Olivia had a good friend, Susan, who began to lend them her cottage on Wednesdays.
    That's what friends are for; not to judge; to be of help; to be there, without saying a word when things went wrong.
    Nothing was going wrong for Olivia and Doug.
    It was wonderful to be able to sit on a sofa together, to make love in a bed with clean sheets instead of the back seat of the cramped love machine.
    As they talked together they learnt more about each other. Loved each other more and more.
    They would snuggle up on Susan's sofa and listen to records.
    They would play their favourites to each other and sometimes sing together.
    Olivia was quite surprised when Doug became very sentimental over two songs. He turned to look at her as the needle dropped on 'When Love Breaks Down' by Prefab Sprout.
    Doug sat down beside her and held her in his arms. As the opening words ran round the room, 'My love and I we work well together, but often we're apart'.
    Doug pulled Olivia close and rested his face in her freshly washed hair rinsed in lavender.
    He knew this would be one of the moments never to be forgotten.
    They would drink coffee and feed each other chocolates on those Wednesday nights that were their little piece of heaven.
    Olivia always brought food with her, she loved to feed him.
    Their music nights were full of bliss and after clearing away the cups and tidying the kitchen, Doug pleaded with Olivia. “Just one more song, please?”
    Olivia could not resist those brown eyes, she never said no to Doug, as he went on to say, “It's important and we can be a bit late tonight, can't we?”
    He went across to the player and found the record he wanted. Doug looked across at Olivia as Sad Cafe began, 'Everyday Hurts'.
    Their gaze held as the messages of love, sadness and pain passed between them. The words of the song touching their hearts, “ Every single day that I'm without you hurts just a little bit more than I've ever been hurt before”.
    Without speaking they both acknowledged that one day this would all end.
    For the time being it was their escape from things that were difficult in their lives, as they were both meeting a deep need that neither could understand.
    That night they left Susan's on a sombre note.
    Olivia replaced the door key under a stone, that Susan would retrieve on her return. When it was Susan's birthday Olivia and Doug bought her a book to thank her for supporting them. It was 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' by Richard Bach and Olivia thought that everyone should have a copy on their book shelf.
    Susan became a good friend and Olivia and Doug spent many nights in the love cottage on the edge of the moors.
    Thinking about Olivia's recklessness Doug remembered that one Sunday afternoon on the way to a rehearsal in Leeds they stopped and called in at a garden party.
    Olivia failed to tell Doug that her mother and ex mother in law would be attending. Susan's friend was holding the event for the charity that Olivia was head of.  Susan was the treasurer and they made a good team.
    It was a glorious sunny day and Doug looked immaculate as ever in beige slacks, pale blue shirt and navy blazer.
    Olivia looked like a little girl in her pink and yellow sun dress.
    As they came through the gate of the garden she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the tea