Sinclair carried first the basket and then you on the boat, placing you down on a seat and going up to Angelo. It was obvious Sinclair was telling him about the incident and he looked back at you sadly.
You watched as the boat carried on through the countryside, passing houses, trees and people. This was beautiful and you relaxed, the sun beaming down on you and Sinclair sitting opposite in a blue jumper. He was also taking it all in, enjoying everything. You couldn't get over how much you were falling in love with this man. He was sweet, kind and loving to you, he cared that your foot was hurt, giving little glances when he thought you were not looking at him.
The boat after a little time stopped at a little Ireland in the river and Sinclair picked up the basket and kissed your head. "I will be back" he said. "I promise I wouldn't eat everything" you laughed and left on the boat with Angelo. He came up to you and smiled.
"He likes you" Anglo said.
"He does." you said, smiling.
"That look I see when my late mother and father looked at each other" he said. He made a gesture with his hand. "What do you English people call it?" he clicked his fingers. "amore, adorazione " he smiled. "he holds you in veneration" that's what his accent was, he was Italian.
"I don't think its-" "No no no" Angelo said. "I see the way he looks at you. He looked at Natalie that way, but when she broke his heart he withdrew, never asked poor Angelo for boat ride until today. He has the glint in his eye again, the glint of happiness and off passion" Angelo smiled. "It's nice to see him happy again"
Sinclair came into view and Angelo patted the wheel. "I thank you for packing me some lunch" he said to Sinclair.
"We can't leave the driver hungry" he said.
Angelo smiled and winked playfully at you as Sinclair kissed your head. "You think you can walk?" he asked.
You got up and put some weight onto your foot. It hurt less now but you still winced. You decided to hop toward the edge and onto the shore. Sinclair chuckled as you did so, shaking his head at your efforts, you were so beautiful to him.
Sinclair got onto land and followed your hoping until you sat down on the rug he had laid out. Sinclair crossed his legs and poured some wine, handing you one he started putting sandwiches on plates. He took one and held it in his mouth as he took out some crisps, opening the bag and placing it between you. You watched him do it, the sandwich sticking out at a jaunty angle in his mouth. He waved and you wanted back as he started to eat the sandwich.
"I made the yesterday before I picked you up" he said
"They are delicious" you said.
"You like them?" he asked. "Well, it's my famous fish pate."
"I want to hear more of this pate" you said.
"family secret!" he exclaimed. He wagged his finger and you laughed. "I can't be throwing secret recipes around" his voice softened. "What if there are eavesdroppers." he smirked. "Keep mum remember"
"careless talk costs lives" you answered, finishing the quote.
"Indeed it does" he said, taking another bite of the sandwich.
You were both halfway through the picnic when Sinclair's phone went. He picked it up curiously and placed it to his ear.
"Sinclair Bryant. Who is speaking?" His eyes widened and his lip trembled. "How did you get this number? I changed it" he said, starting to bite his fingernails. "No. No." he said. "You're the one who broke me" he said. "And I have moved on, so get away with that crap" he wiped a tear from his eye and he looked as if he was about to scream. "No. You were the one who cheated, now you want me back?" he laughed angrily. "I have someone new. I moved on. I don't need you to feel special anymore." he paused. "Oh, I'm the asshole am I?". Without a word, he threw the phone in the water. It sank like a stone.
"I can guess who that was" you murmured. You put your hand over to rest on his knee as Sinclair closed his eyes and breathed. He rested his hand on yours and sighed before opening his eyes again.
"Yes I think you can" he said. "She fell out with her brother and now she wants me back" he said. "I am not playing the fool. I know what game she is playing. She would drop me for a cousin if I accepted"
"Thank goodness all my cousins live in Australia" you said. He laughed and squeezed your hand gently.
"I think I have found the person I want to trust with my heart" he said. "I don't want her ruining it" he kissed your hand. "I don't want you to leave"
"And I never will" you said.
"Good" Sinclair said, squeezing your hand.
"If I see Natalie I will give her a piece of my mind" you said.
"Please" he said. "now all she can probably hear is the little fishies" he looked over to where the phone had sunk. "Don't worry" he said. "I have a spare phone" He brought out another. "Its a work phone so I need to keep it on me and I wouldn't be throwing it in the river."
You nodded as you watched him, you eating a sandwich slowly.
"Have you got work tomorrow?" he asked.
"I do" you said, "But it's from home so I can laze about"
"May I hang around like a bad penny then?" he asked. "I don't have work till Tuesday"
"I would be happy for you to do so" you said.
Sinclair grinned and carried on eating the picnic. The water rushed past you and the wind blew against the trees. It was a beautiful day and you were with a beautiful man who was day by day becoming more like a golden Labrador. You couldn't help smiling in happiness, you had found a man who loved you for you and cared about everything you did, especially when you were hurt and in pain.
You took another sip of wine and laid back on the blanket, watching the trees dance above you. After a while, you got up to take a crisp to see Sinclair had vanished. You looked around in worry but you saw a blue flick so you decided to follow it, into the trees. You found Sinclair halfway up a tree, sitting on it. He waved and pointed at his phone to signal he was talking to someone.
You leaned against the tree and watched him talk to the person. He seemed relaxed and happy, having a view over the trees. "That sounds wonderful" he said. "Yes, I will see you on Tuesday. Bye-bye for now" he waved at seemingly none and put the phone in his pocket. Slowly Sinclair got down from the tree but however gained a gash of green on his trousers. He huffed, looking at the stain and looked at you.
"I didn't know you where spiderman" you said, looking up at the tree
"It's my secret" he said, tapping his nose. You laughed and took his hand, together you walked back to the picnic spot and sat again, Sinclair behind you and gently holding you by your hips.
"Wonderful day isn't it" he said. You nodded and he smiled, suddenly spotting something. "It's a squirrel" he said.
"Where?" you asked.
Sinclair took your hand in his and pointed. He moved your head and pointed again and you smiled. "I see it now " you said and Sinclair smiled, keeping his hand in yours.
"I don't like grey squirrels" he said. "They are nasty and invasive. There was a place in Scotland I used to go to with my family which had many red ones"
"I have never seen a red one" you said.
"We should change that" he said.
"We should" you answered
Sinclair stroked your hand and Sinclair kissed your head. "Grey squirrels were introduced in 1876 when they created a wild population, without knowing that the Grey squirrels brought disease and would even kill our native red squirrels through stealing food and even just killing them."
"That is such a shame" you said.
"Another example of the Victorians doing things which negatively impacted life." Sinclair smiled. "However there are many up north in Northumberland, Scotland and Ireland. I believe it is around 1 million grey squirrels to 240,000 reds"
"The poor red squirrels" you said.
"Indeed" Sinclair said.
"What else do you know about red squirrels?" you asked
"Well, they have been living in Britain for around 10,000 years." he said. "It is estimated however they will be extinct in around 50"
"That's awful" you said.
"Did you know in Norse mythology the red squirrel was the creature which sent messages up and down the world tree Yggdrasil." he said. "Its name was Ratatoskr"
"That's amazing" you said. "How come you know so much?" you asked.
"I am just very clever" he said. "Not to toot my own horn"
You laughed and leaned into him further. "Then I must be very dumb in your eyes"
"No" he said. "You are my equal in many ways" you looked up at him and he planted a gentle kiss on your lips. "Also you know things which I do not" he rubbed your hip. "Tell me something which I wouldn't know"
"Oh" you said, thinking. "Did you know the first description of a female orgasm was by Hildegard Von Bingen in around 1100."
"Isn't that fascinating" he said. "She was a nun?"
"She was" you said. "She wrote 60 liturgical chants, created a secret language and was canonized in 1176. Her language is called Lingua Ignota. God is Aigonz, jur is man and vanix is woman"
"Intriguing" he said.
"It is, she used it for her mystical purposes" you explained.
"What else did she do?" Sinclair asked, gently playing with your hand
"She had visions at the age of three and through her life, she wrote them down and described them to her tutor" you said. "She also has become a feminist figure for many, an example of a strong woman who showed female power and how women can do anything we put our minds too"
"You see" Sinclair said behind you. "You are clever. I knew none of that." he kissed the side of your neck and hugged you into him, rocking you gently.
Sinclair checked his watch and sighed. "We had better get back" he said. "It is 2pm"
"Time has gone fast" you said.
"It has" Sinclair said, packing things away into the basket and together you walked back to the boat, you managed to put some weight on your foot and you hobbled toward the boat and got on again. Sinclair placed the basket on the table and waved to Angelo as he started the boat.