THE ASTROMATES... Chapter5...Part 2.

A continuation of my book.

"Do you remember, old chap, some time ago, when you first came to my office?"
"Vaguely. Why?"
"If you do remember, during our conversation, I had to talk on the telephone to a very upset young lady, named Amanda, remember?"
I wrinkled my nose to help me recollect… Then… "Yes, I do remember her. Wasn’t she the one you fixed a date up with, to a Pisces bloke… What was his name?…No, don’t tell me… It was Anthony, wasn’t it? Wasn’t he married or something?"
"Right on all counts, dear boy. And, if you remember rightly, I promised to fix her up with a new date, a certain Scorpio male named Richard Kimble."
Ah, yes, it all came flooding back to me. She was the Mandy creature who had disrupted our conversation by sobbing her heart out.
"But that was ages ago, Alexo. How are you going to explain my absence after such a long time?"
"No worries there, my boy."
Alex touched the side of his nose like old Fagin.
"I will simply phone her to say you have been away, busy researching a new book and have now come back into the fold, with an intense desire to meet your soul-mate."
I sometimes wished I had his cheek!
"So what can you tell me about her?" I asked.
Going to the cabinet, Alexo withdrew the folder. Reading it, talking over his shoulder, he said… "Her name’s Amanda, Mandy for short. She’s twenty-six years old and lives at home with dear old Mum and Dad."
My heart sank somewhat, then rose prematurely as I considered the parents might well be New-Age beings who might approve of premarital relationships. My heart sank again, even deeper when I considered my luck as far as shag-nights were concerned. However, there was always my little flat, my little bachelor-pad, which desperately needed devirginalising. Perhaps moody Mandy might not moon about and come with me into some emotional depths! I brightened at my thoughts. Alexo was fiddling around with the plant pot, bending over the desk but with an eye cast up at me. I knew he had some import of wisdom he wished to impose on me. I only wished he’d get on with it instead of playing silly-buggers!
"What is it, Alexo?" I asked tiredly.
"See this pot?"
See it, I couldn’t bloody miss the thing! I nodded.
"In this pot is planted a bulb."
I nodded again. So far so good. I urged him on with my hand.
"That bulb will grow into a flower."
Here, Alexo spread out rising hands in mime before continuing.
"Now that flower will rise like the morning sun, then die."
I felt like saying… ‘Very poetic but what’s the point?’
I kept my mouth closed and let him have his head.
"The Cancer female has to learn to let go of the past, allow her brood to fly the nest. Like the flower, her brood will grow then leave. But she has to learn that, underneath, the bulb has not died, it will present a new offspring in time!"
Did you get that, readers? Well I certainly didn’t!
"See you." I said, leaving him to his philosophising and, with great hope and expectations,

I waited for his phone-call which would apprise me of my meeting with the Moon-Maiden, Mandy.

"Mandy was very excited about meeting you." said Alexo when I had seated myself.
I grinned, noting the office had lost its glittering cleanliness and had now begun to resume the normal clutter of torn and screwed-up paper. That hadn’t taken long!
"Good." said Alexo. "I’m glad to see you happy about things but there’s just one little snag."
Here it is, I thought, that giant bluebottle which buzzes over me like the sword of Damocles!
"What’s the problem?"
"The problem is, old chum, this lady wants you to call on her for tea. Mandy wants to introduce you to her family."
Oh, no, my innards groaned. Is there no end to my misery?
"Why?"
Alexo shrugged, washing dry hands like Pontius Pilate.
"According to Mandy." he said. "She had quite a hard time getting over the break-up between her and Anthony. Her parents are determined it shouldn’t happen again so they want to meet you first" he finished lamely.
"A dry run!" I exclaimed. "The parents want to vet me! But she’s twenty-six years old, for Gods’ sake. Can you imagine me, sitting there, being inspected by some aged parents like a naughty schoolboy?"
"Charm, old chap. Charm, that’s all it takes." simpered the cunning conman.
I was not happy, not happy at all but I put my fears behind me and decided that, like me or loath me, I was going to bed my little Moon-Maiden as sure as a New Moon appeared in the nights’ sky.
"Where and when?" I asked.
Alex handed me the particulars on a piece of paper and, after studying it and collecting my fee, I set off home for a cup of special and a warm bath.

Mandy lived in a nice little semi-detached house with flowers in the front garden and hanging baskets throwing out a profusion of scents on each side of the door. She had met me, as arranged, at the bus-stop, standing back in a shy way, her arms folded across a plump body. Introductions over, we had strolled to her home where she opened the front gate and ushered me in. In rather a strange way I felt comfortable with her, like one does when wearing an old cardie, with slipper’d feet up in front of a log fire. Earlier, during our stroll, she had warned me her parents (Whom she called ‘Mummy’ and ‘Daddy’.) were not aware she belonged to a dating agency. She had whispered this information, glancing round, as if the fact was a very daring thing to do. It seems we met at work, in the catering trade.

"What exactly do you do?" asked Mummy.
"I’m a chef." I lied brilliantly, trying to stop my cup from rattling as I set it down in the saucer.
"You’re not married, you say." demanded Daddy, watching me carefully as I shook my head.
Actually, I had not made any statement about marriage or otherwise.
"A man of your age should be settled down by now." Daddy continued, still eyeing me with suspicion.
What is it with these aged parents? If a man is heterosexual, able-bodied and over thirty, then there has to be something wrong with him, perhaps some mental deficiency one’s not prepared to discus.
"Never been married then?"
Daddy wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
"I believe in love before marriage." I said, giving Mandy a love-look.
"Umph!" went Daddy in contempt.
Mandys’ eyes appealed to Mummy and Mummy shut Daddy up with a withering look of disapproval. Round one to me!
The small neat front room smelled of freshness, of cut flowers. Everything was neat, neat armchairs, neat sideboard with neat rows of family-member photos in neat silver frames. In a funny way, I felt I was in a time-warp, there was something very ‘Sixties’ about this home. We had escaped from Daddy’s searching questions, Mandy leading me out to the back garden where we wandered round the crazy-paved pathway as she pointed out each clump of bush and flowers. I listened with pointed attention, ‘Ooowing’ and ‘Ahhing’ at each bit of information.
Now, I’m not against nature but I like it in the countryside where it belongs. I’m one who prefers a nice stretch of concrete and, if needs be, a tub with a plant in it (Preferably one which needs very little attention, one of the Cacti family, if you catch my drift.) Still, what’s a little bit of ‘Ooowing’ and ‘Ahhing’ if there are shag-rewards to be gained from it! I could best describe Mandy as a homely girl, homely and comely, with strong family ties and a need to feed herself on fond memories of the past.
"This is where Jerry is buried." she said in a sweet voice, a faraway look in her tearful eyes.
I gazed at the raised mound with a small bronze cross at one end.
"Jerry?"
"He was my poodle. He died five years ago." she explained as a tear dripped down her cheek.
"I suppose we all have to go at some time." I said, trying to sound sympathetic. "Have you never thought about getting another dog?"
"I could never do that, Jerry could never be replaced!" cried Mandy, shaking her head so I felt a spray from her tears.
Funny how memories can spring to mind. I remembered what Alexo had said, about the bulb in the plant pot and how the Cancer lady would have to learn to let go, to begin again. It seemed Mandy had this fear of change. Security was a castle, with a moat full of memories. This, then, was the psychology of the Cancer maiden. We made the rounds of the garden twice and became quite comfortable with each other by the time it got dark.

The ticking of the clock seemed louder each time daddy looked at it before muttering how late it was getting. Mummy shared Mandy’s’ determination to feed me, filling me with cakes and biscuits. Perhaps she shared the Cancer nature to nourish those under her roof, or was it the thought that my slim frame needed filling out a bit more?
"Look at the time." said Daddy in a loud voice before yawning loudly to prove a point.
I needed no more hints and, with profuse apologies for keeping everyone up so late (My God, was it half-past ten already!), I took my leave, allowing Mandy to walk me as far as the garden gate.
"You mustn’t let Daddy upset you. He’s so protective you know."
"Of course, I understand. If I had a daughter like you, I would not let her out of my sight until she was at least eighty-six!" I exclaimed.
Mandy giggled, blushing like a schoolgirl out on a first date. God, I was good! It just flowed out of me like lava from a volcano, I was that hot!
"So you wont mind Daddy?" she said again.
I assured her I understood his motives. Oh, I understood him alright. I understood that there was a grumpy old git who was going to try to stop me dipping a ‘Jollybag’ into the ‘Magic Purse’! Miserable git!
"You’re so lucky to have a Mummy and Daddy who love and care for you." I said and, seeing the caring look in her eyes, was prepared to go to any lengths to win this Moon-Maidens’ heart.
"If only I’d known my real parents." I sighed, turning away to blink back a tear.
Magic bunk-up! Mandy's’ eyes filled with compassion, the mood of emotion swelling her breasts as she cuddled me tightly.
"Oh, I’m so sorry Richard, so terribly sorry." she almost sobbed.