Things dried up a bit with Lauren over the winter as our relationship settled into a more normal and less spontaneous rhythm.

The first attempt I took to restart it was on a bike ride at the easter weekend. Lauren had started a bit of a health kick after Christmas so as the weather was improving I suggested we headed out for a ride along the canal tow path. Fully kitted up with Lauren in a new pair of lycra shorts we headed out. All went fine until about 2 miles from home on the way back when the heavens opened. I don't just mean it rained it hammered down and we were both soaked in seconds. Reaching one of the bridges we stopped to shelter and work out what to do. As she stood there straddling he bike I took in the view of my girlfriend after this unplanned soaking. Her lycra shorts had gone a very shiny black and the light grey zip up top she wore had gone darker. I could feel the rain had soaked through my zip up top and was running down my back into my boxers.
After 10 minutes the rain didn't show any sign of stopping but had settled into a steady drizzle so we decided just to go for it.
That 10 minutes had been enough for some quite large muddy puddles to form and it wasn't long before both of us had a coating of mud on our legs and sprayed up our backs off the wheels.

Reaching the house we quickly put the bikes back in the shed and ran for the back door off the house. As we dripped on the floor I had hoped that we might just get in the shower as we were to rinse the mud off and warm up but Lauren was not convinced.
" you can sod right off with that, I'm wet and cold and this is not sexy!!"
I didn't want to argue with her so just enjoyed seeing her peeling wet clothes off before we headed for a warm shower.

I think in some ways Lauren seeing the colder less pleasant getting wet put even more of a hold on her spontaneous fun side with regards to getting wet. I definitely started to get the feeling that she sawvit as something weird about me. In the remaining year we were together we only got wet in our clothes once more.

After a day of gardening I was watering plants with the hose while Lauren finished off planting some pots up. I playfully splashed the hose in her direction.

"you can stop that I'm not getting wet out here the neighbours might see."

" so what if they do. We are a young couple having a bit of fun."

" no you are a pain who just wants to get me soaked"

" no quite happy to get wet too. I'll even let you go first, I'm boiling "

With that I aimed the hose up in the air so it started raining down on both of us. to me it felt refreshing, Lauren didn't agree.

"oh for fucks sake grow up!!!"

That point basically told me all I needed to know. The fun spontaneous Lauren wasn't there anymore, so I didn't try after that. We pottered on with less and less fun and more and more grief before I eventually gave up trying to help and support her and for the sake of my own damaged sanity I walked away.

Sorry this isn't more cheerful but it kind of paves the way for the next few stories