'Is this summer?' Adrian laughed. Looking at the rain outside.
'Do you need a brolly, Mr. Chambers?' the girl on reception asked.
'No thanks, Sandra. I've got this'¦ it's a bit colourful'¦ but it'll keep me dry'¦ in parts.'
He unfastened the studs on the golf umbrella and made for the door.
'Good night, Mr. Chambers.' Sandra called after him.
The walk to the station took about ten minutes. It was absolutely pouring down. Still the umbrella was doing its job.. Gail had insisted on him taking it with him, that morning.
'Believe me,' she had said 'you'll be glad of it tonight.'
He seldom agued with Gail, especially first thing in the morning.
Just round the corner the new girl from human resources, he couldn't remember her name, was sheltering in a shop doorway ,
'Are you alright?' he asked and instantly regretted the stupidity of the question; how could she be all right, standing in a doorway looking like a drowned rat and no sign of a let - up in the weather?. Still, she smiled and he felt better.
'You can join me under this green and white contraption, if you could put up with the embarrassment.' He said
'Thanks, I'm going to the station.' She said as she ducked under the brolly. She put her arm in his and pulled in close. They splashed along in the rain.
The train was jam packed with wet and steaming passengers. Adrian shook the brolly and folded it. She found a bit of space on a seat and he squashed in beside her.
'This is cozy.' She giggled. He looked into her eyes.
'Going far?' he asked.
'Two stops.' She replied
'That's a coincidence.'
It was still raining hard when they got off the train.
'Which way, now '¦ oh dear! Sorry but I can't remember your name.' he said as they set off under his brolly.
'April.' She laughed
'What, as in showers?' they both giggled like teenagers .Adrian had not felt like this in years.
'This is my road.' She said as they came to the corner.
The block of flats, where she lived, was called The Everglades, it stood at the back of the playing field. There had been fierce opposition to the development at the planning stage. Adrian, himself, had spent hours collecting signatures, only last year, but the sports club needed the money, the land was surplus to requirements, so the plans were eventually approved.
'We are almost neighbours,' he said 'my house is just over there across the field.'
'Fancy that and I don't even know your name.'
'Adrian. Adrian Chambers. I'm in charge of sales.'
'Thank you, Adrian. It's my job to know these things,' she laughed 'but, never mind, your secret is safe with me.'
For a brief moment, his mind registered suspicion, but then it was gone
'Well Adrian Chambers, in charge of sales. Here we are,' She said, at the entrance to the flats.. 'thanks for keeping me warm and dry.'
'Oh! ' he said 'it was my pleasure.' He stood looking at her as if unable to accept that this was the end of their encounter and she could read his mind.
'Would you like to come in, for a coffee or something ?' she asked


When he emerged from The Everglades Adrian Chambers was a very worried man.
'My God!' he exclaimed 'what can I say to Gail?'
On their wedding day they had vowed to tell each other the truth, no matter how difficult that might be and so far, after ten years he, and he believed Gail too, had kept that vow. Now it was gone nine and he should have been home at six. He looked at his watch again.
'My God, nine fifteen. What on earth can I say?' Almost in tears he scrambled through the hedge and onto the playing field. It was futile really, crossing the muddy field would only save a few minutes, nothing could turn the clock back to six fifteen.
Gail was sitting at the kitchen table, pretending to read a newspaper as he came through the back door.
'Ah! the wanderer has returned.' She said without looking up.
'Sorry I'm late.' He said
'Dinner is ruined.' She said, obviously trying hard to control her anger 'where have you been till this time?'
Adrian gulped.
'Well, I had to help out in an emergency and'¦'
Gail was looking into his eyes, now, and he couldn't go on.
'No No that's not true.' He stammered. 'Gail darling I've got to tell the truth. We made that vow, remember.'
She nodded.
'I met a girl in our office. She hadn't got an umbrella and it was pouring down.'
He hesitated
'Go on Adrian.' Gail said
'Well, I sheltered her under my golf brolly.'
'Yes.' Gail said
'You are not going to believe this Gail, but she lives over there in that block of flats, and her name is April.'
'You don't say, but what's that got to do with you coming home after nine o'clock?'
'When we got there, she asked me up to her place for a cup of coffee.'
'Oh yes, and did you go, Adrian?'
'I'm so sorry, darling but I did and one thing lead to another and we ended up in bed.'
He began to sob 'I'm so sorry, love, but it didn't mean anything, really it didn't.'
'It lasted a long time though, didn't it, to not mean anything?'
'I know, we made love five times, but it...'
'Shut up.' Gail shouted 'Adrian I'm more disappointed than angry with you. What has happened to our vow of truth, no matter what?'
'I'm sorry Gail, I exaggerated a bit, it was three times, actually.'
'Will you be quiet?' she snapped 'What do you think I am, Adrian? A girl called April and you making love to her for three hours, pull the other one Adrian, three minutes is good for you'
'But it's true. I've kept our vow' He said
'It's not and you haven't. I've seen the mud on your shoes, you've been playing golf'

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