It was a beautiful Summer's day and I couldn't have been happier for Lola and Chrissy. Lola was one of my best friends and Chrissy brought out the best in her. I'd drunk, I'd eaten, I'd cried. Even in my bespoke designer suit, I looked like a chump who'd borrowed it from a mate next to the worldly, stylish, downright beautiful people with whom they surrounded themselves. But I did have my brand new camera - a birthday present to myself, I was capturing stunning memories and speech videos in glorious 4K. Something I apparently mentioned a little too frequently.
The wedding had taken place in one of those old manor houses the English do so well; the function rooms look like royal suites and the bedrooms like prison cells. Having complained about my initial booking, I was upgraded. What they neglected to tell me was that I'd been moved into a room next to, and with a window looking directly inside, the honeymoon suite.
The couple had made several jokes about the situation, many of them hinging on Chrissy's bisexuality. Lola had a running joke that she had "proven" to her that women were better. And to be honest, she made a very good case - effortlessly pretty, with straight black hair and a lithe body which she usually hid in baggy clothes, but today her wedding suit and fitted blouse showed off her cute, peachy butt and the peaks of her incredibly perky breasts. The majority of the jokes though were of course at my expense.
Lola's a good enough friend that her telling people I'd just met that I was some kind of peeping tom pervert seemed in good fun, at first. Then she kept making the same joke, squeezing my arm and then saying
"...so don't be surprised if you see him hanging around in the middle of the night. We'll probably have just kicked him out of our room!"
"Darling," I said, using our cutesy, both-ways nickname for each other. "Is it entirely necessary to imply that I'm a raging pervert to fifty complete strangers?"
Lola laughed. "OK, yeah I guess I have said that a lot. But," she leaned in and whispered in my ear, "I promise I'll make it up to you." I must have looked confused. Taking me by the hand, she pulled me in the direction of the bar.
Several hours later, the party ended when the hotel bar closed at 1 AM, thirteen hours after everyone started drinking. By the time I retired back to my room and got out of my suit, the only things I expected to hear from Lola and Chrissy's suite next door was room service, and possibly vomit. But instead, I could hear music. Soul... some r'n'b... I realised I was hearing the newlyweds' sex playlist, and stepped away from the wall.
Not two minutes later, I heard my phone vibrate. It was a message from Lola.
"Darling - if you've still got battery left on that wonderful camera of yours, could you come to our room? We need a favour. The door is open." Anything for Lola. I pulled on a pair of loose joggers and slipped out.
Sure enough, the door was ajar. I crept through it and closed it quietly behind me, then turned to see the suite. It was impressive - a chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a huge living room area that I could just about make out in the near-dark; the only light was coming from the half-open door to the bedroom - faded halfway. Mood lighting.
"In here."
Lola's head an part of her shoulder appeared from behind the door. Even in the dim light, I could tell she was naked. I started to piece things together as I stepped into their bedroom. Candles flickered on every surface, and in the centre was a huge four-poster bed. Chrissy was already under the covers, Lola had just rejoined her. They sat up, a Cheshire-Cat grin on both of their faces.
"Take a photo of us please!"
"If it's not too dark. Is it too dark?"
"A little yeah." I looked up and gave her a knowing smile. "Depends how much you want to be able to see."
"We want to see everything!" Chrissy sighed from the bed, rolling her head to reveal her hands were cuffed together
I turned up the dimmer until the camera could pick out the detail on the bed's curtains. I centred the couple and took a few shots. Dark but visible. Moody.
"Now try video!" Lola called out. I approached the bed, filming, to show them how the candles and moonlight were being captured on film. As I sat down on the bed to play it back, Lola leaned over and turned the dimmer to full power. Chrissy giggled and hid under the covers, but Lola - possessed by her idea now - jumped out of bed, tugging my arm to get up and join her.
