Nobody driving the bus, though!

As a humble Breton girl who had only dreamed of such opulence, Eli felt a heady mix of exhilaration and trepidation at donning the finest gown and jewels for the Grand Christmas Ball. But it meant descending the grand staircase on the arm of Giles – her best male friend, the one who stirred her deepest yearnings.

While such aristocratic events were familiar ground for the long-established couple Sylvia and Jeremy, this was frighteningly new territory for the normally reserved Eli. Being welcomed into the highest social echelons sparked unbridled excitement, yet also deep apprehension.

Admiring her stunning figure-hugging midnight blue ballgown simultaneously kindled exhilaration and dread at the prospect of Giles's smouldering gaze raking over her. Picturing herself on Giles's arm, Eli was torn – part of her eagerly embraced this imminent adventure, while another shrank from the unknown.

The mere thought of Giles' presence sets her heart racing with tremulous hope and fragile vulnerability. For his mature features hold an undeniable allure. From the crinkles framing his eyes to the quiet strength in his broad shoulders, his ruggedly handsome qualities beg to be immortalised through Eli's artistic skills. His eyes possess inscrutable depths, mysterious secrets she longs to unravel. Etched lines speak volumes of hard-won wisdom, while his glacial blue gaze harbours intriguing complexity. Those perceptive eyes seem to miss nothing, yet the scar across his forearm is a silent testament to battles overcome.

Yet, beneath that severe yet confident exterior and reserves of quiet resilience, Eli senses profound vulnerability that evokes indescribable yearnings – to be truly seen and known on that soul-deep level she shares with Sylvie but with him.

In the serene confines of her studio, Eli and Giles share late nights, sipping wine, indulging in food, and losing themselves in music. Here, amidst their laughter and camaraderie, she finds refuge from vulnerability and fear is but a distant memory. Yet during their time together, Eli detects a profound undercurrent—an unspoken connection that transcends mere friendship, in the tremor in his voice when uttering her name and the way his hands linger during their goodbye hugs.

Giles, with his thoughtful eyes and quiet strength, stirs undeniable emotions within Eli—emotions she cannot fully name. When he looks at her, his pale blue eyes convey a mix of intensity and vulnerability. She envisions a love that goes beyond friendship—a love that unravels her soul, laying it bare. It is an intimate dance, leaving her yearning for more. Each brush of their fingertips sends electric currents through her veins. And when he speaks her name, his voice low and intimate, it sends shivers down her spine, echoing the longing within her heart.

Tonight, every movement, each locked gaze, would be heavy with unspoken passion. To cross that borderline between confidants and lovers risked overturning her world. Fear clung to Eli's heart like ivy. What if confessing her love for Giles disrupted her profound friendship with Sylvia, the haven that, along with her time with Elaouen, had transformed her from a fearful naive girl into a self-confident woman? The friendship of these two women was the bedrock upon which her self-actualisation had been painstakingly built. Crossing that threshold risked everything she shared with Sylvia – their friendship, their business, and the comfort of familiar boundaries. Yet, these relationships had transformed her, readying Eli to boldly explore her needs and desires.

Eli fears the unknown – what if their love was a tempest leaving only wreckage? What if it consumed them, allowing no return to the life before?

So, Eli danced on the precipice, her heart alternately beating with longing and caution. She wanted Giles to see her depths, to hear the unspoken words hanging between them. But she also feared the vulnerability of their tentative connection, the irrevocable change passion brings.

In quiet moments, she imagined entwined hands, laughter echoing through sun-dappled gardens, whispered promises, and stolen kisses. But reality's weight tugged at her—their unspoken history balanced against their shared laughter and the way Giles knew her better than any man.

This evening, she determined to steel herself to make that leap into the unknown, understanding that loving such a man was not a threat but an invitation. No longer would she remain suspended between longing and fear, caught in the delicate dance of friendship with possibility. Tonight, she would embrace the unknown with Giles.

Haha! Isn't that a cool looking model, though. Looks OO, maybe even O?

@Bealman

Hey George,

Just in case you can't get out this winter and you end up missing the bus stop, BRM has this in the June edition.   

Mark

I think I prefer the version by Jimmy Cliff Martin @port perran .

Cheers,

Tim

I can see clearly now

A song written and performed by Johnny Nash and covered by a fair few musicians/bands.
Jimmy Cliff performed a memorable cover version but I rather like this one by The Hothouse Flowers :
https://youtu.be/ba4P4GxsGFU?si=1VCE-4JWE60OuZdX

Just checked my ULEZ account which I set up specifically for attending a funeral towards the end of April and it says both my payments and balance as £0.00 even though it says my car is chargeable at £15 per day and I was 'in the zone' for 3 days 

PARENTAL GUIDANCE ADVISED

Growing up, Eli had learned the harsh truth that love and trust were fragile things. Her drunken father's rages and her mother's cowering silence taught her that even the closest bonds could be shattered by cruelty and fear.

But her connection with Sylvia was different – a profound bond forged over years of personal and professional storms, tempered by mutual trust, respect and an uncompromising honesty about their vulnerabilities. It transcended labels, it was a union of souls flowing as naturally as the tides. Physical intimacy was an extension of their all-encompassing adoration and trust, making love emerging from the same wellspring that held their deepest hopes and fears. Eli's love for Sylvia was integral to her very being.

This depth, shaped by Eli's own romantic experiences, including her formative relationship with Elaouen, allowed her to navigate Sylvia's relationship with Jeremy without feeling threatened or abandoned. It had all begun with Elaouen, a fiercely independent older Breton artist who provided a haven for Eli during her tumultuous teenage years, nurturing not only her artistic skills but also her self-confidence as she blossomed into a woman.

Eli and Sylvia took joy in how Jeremy wholeheartedly understood and accepted their loving partnership. This gave Eli hope that Giles, too, could be similarly understanding and unthreatened by the profound bond she shared with Sylvia.

Eli knew the foundations of her shared history with Sylvia remained unshaken. Far from diminishing Sylvia's love for Eli, her love for Jeremy enriched their lives, a vibrant new thread woven into their friendship's tapestry.

Eli rejoiced in Sylvia's joy, understanding love as a healing force that, when embraced fully, casts light into the darkest spaces. She felt no jealousy, only warmth—Sylvia's bond with Jeremy did not threaten their embrace. Love flowed endlessly between them in a nurturing current.

Yet, Eli recognised the singular romance Sylvia and Jeremy cultivated – the gentle caresses, endearments, breathless laughter tailored exquisitely to them. She witnessed that same boundless trust, freedom to be fully seen, and the intoxicating surrender of intertwining souls that defined her own connection with Sylvia.

When Sylvia's luminous gaze met Eli's, she saw her love returned—pure, unconditioned, an effervescent joy in sharing intimacy's gift in whatever form it took. Sylvia and Jeremy's relationship is a similar embodiment of shared values—loyalty, integrity, and abundant love to be welcomed, not scorned.

As Eli observed her dear friends' vibrant love story, tender seeds of hope took root within her. The wounds of her past had long erected impenetrable walls, encircled by deep-running rivers of caution against vulnerability. Yet perhaps now, with Giles' gentle strength, she too could find the courage to slowly dismantle those barriers. To risk giving her heart the freedom to feel fully, dangerously alive.

It would not be easy, but her friends' love served as a poignant reminder that sometimes, the greatest rewards await on the other side of fear – a thrilling new chapter of self-discovery and intimacy beckoned.

For so long, the very notion of permitting such vulnerability had been utterly unfathomable to Eli. Opening herself up, truly allowing a man to see and know her innermost self – it was simply inconceivable... until Giles entered her life. With his gentle strength and quiet resilience, she sensed the first fragile stirrings of hope that she, too, could one day experience the profound intimacy she had witnessed between Sylvia and Jeremy.

Yes George ?

Apparently the great record producers of the 60s (like Phil Spector) mixed their records so that they would sound good on tinny transistors.

Hey, I'd be happy listening to Hendrix and Clapton on a little pocket tranny, which is what I used to do back then anyway.

Hey Joe....