Unlikely Places (20 page)

Light began to flood my senses as the duvet was stripped off
me exposing my figure curled up at the bottom of the bed, the light was blinding
I couldn’t open my eyes for several minutes. I could only get brief snap shots
of Nat sat at the end of my bed next to me gently rubbing my back. She was
talking to me but I couldn’t understand a word she was saying.

“Al, are you listening to me?”

“W...What’s...going...on..why...are you...here?” Is all I
could barely whisper, it felt like my throat had closed up overnight.

“Sam called me...she’s worried about you...you wouldn’t
answer your phone or the door...I had to use the back door to get in”.

“W...what...where’s Sam?”

“She’s at work....she can’t get away...she said something
about some photo’s...did you have an argument?”

“I...I can’t remember?” Nothing seemed to be in focus in my
head, or when I tried to open my eyes.

“Does it have something to do with these?”

I looked up to see her holding several blurry photos of a
man I vaguely recognised.

“When did you take these?”

I couldn’t remember, I didn’t even know what day was it was,
I felt like death warmed up, I had no saliva, my head felt like it was on a
long spin in a washing machine. I tried to open my eyes again, the moment I did
I felt instantly sick falling off the bed towards the bathroom where I nearly
vomited up every internal organ. After collapsing on the cold tiled floor, I
could hear my sister talking at me again.

“I’m not surprised after what you’ve been drinking?....I’ll
get you some water”. Full of sympathy as ever, it was hard to see her as a
loving mother on these occasions, although to be fair, these occasions had
become far to frequent for me.

Returning with a cold bottle of water, I was so relieved to
wash the taste of vomit from my mouth, I still struggled to focus on Nat as she
leaned against the wall looking at me.

“Wh...what day is it?”

“Friday.....when did you start drinking?”

I blinked several times before I could reply, I had lost a
full day. “Wednesday, I think”.

“Why did you take those photos?” She asked still staring at
me.

It was starting to come back to me now the photos, Sam shouting
at me, how angry I was, I felt tears well up in my eyes. I remembered being in
the garage taking my anger out on an unsuspecting piece of timber with a lump
hammer until my arm ached.  

“I.....I didn’t mean to he was just there I was taking
pictures of something else”. The tears were flowing now.

“You can’t let him ruin your life Al.....dads gone...it’s
over....I hate Barratt for what he did as much as you do but it won’t help...it
didn’t help last time did it?”  

“No”. I barely manage to get out before burying my head in
my arms. I heard what I thought was the tearing up of the photos, the noise
made my head throb.

“Come on....are you going to be sick again?”

I tried to shake my head which I soon regretted, feeling
emptier than I have ever felt in my life. Nat pulled me up leading me towards
the bed.

“Take these pills they’ll make you feel better soon”.

Sitting down I relished the warm soft mattress under me,
drinking the last of the water with the pills, I look over at Nat.

“I’ve really fucked up....I pushed her away....she probably
thinks I’m a total nutter?” 

“No...she doesn’t....she’s worried about you....do you love
her?”

I nodded. “Yes....I do”.

She smiled. “That’s good cos she must really love you she
won’t stop calling and texting me to make sure you’re okay....stay there I’ll
get you some dry toast or something”.

I must have dozed off again, I woke up as Nat came back in
the room with a plate of toast and more water. Hearing a phone ring in the
distance Nat left the room I assumed to answer it, I managed to drink some
water but turned my nose up after taking one bite of toast. My nap was rudely
interrupted by Nat making an entrance.

“Alex Sasha Philips get yourself up and dressed, I’ve just
told Sam you’d meet her from work”.

God she used my full name, not good. “What....why did you
say that for?”

“Because you’re going to....you need to talk to her....she
loves you...she’s really worried about you”.

“But I’m ill....I can’t go”. I whined, in the voice I only
seemed to use on Nat.

“You can, and you will now get moving you don’t have all day
it’s almost four now”.

“Urgh”. I moaned as my head thumped with every attempt at
movement.

Dragging myself up, I stripped and showered trying to wash
away any trace of the last few days, getting out of the shower I flopped onto
the bed for a quick five minutes rest only to have Nat haul me off it telling
me to get my act together. I was sick of being a fuck-up, I had to move on from
this I was letting everyone down – Nat, Sam, Lucy, everyone, even Mike. I had
been strong for Sam while she made some sizable life changes, I hoped she could
forgive me and be strong for us now.

After dressing, and some dry food Nat escorted me to the
back garden where she had rigged up a rusty old BBQ that had been lurking behind
my garage for some time.

I frowned as we stood in front of it. “What’s going on?”

Pulling off the lid I saw the ripped up photos of Barratt
along with what I presumed were the negatives, I looked up to see she was
already staring at me.

“This has to be the end of it....you understand that?.....I
can’t keep doing this”.

“I know....I’m sorry....you’re not going to tell Rich about
this are you?”

“No...he doesn’t need any more ammunition.....I’ll just tell
him you were ill”.

As Nat used the oven lighter to start the fire, I was
relieved if a little paranoid did she think I was ill in the head? Did I think
I was ill in the head? I didn’t think so and hoped she didn’t either? I felt
the heat on my face as the evidence burned fiercely in front of us, Nat
replaced the lid to contain it and save our eyebrows.

Taking my elbow she ushered me towards the front door,
informing me she’d wait behind to douse the BBQ or in case I changed my mind,
when did she get so devious?

I slowly walked into town hoping the fresh air would help
blow the cobwebs of the last few days away, I’d love to say it worked but it
didn’t I still felt like crap. Walking towards Hopkins I felt the dread of
disappointment Sam must have felt at my behaviour the other night, I’d never
lost my temper or pushed her away before and I didn’t want to start doing it
now. I checked the time on my phone it was a quarter to six, I might have a
little wait depending on how busy she was, I contemplated texting her to let
her know I was waiting and wanted to talk. Looking up at the glowing windows I
could see her looking down at me her phone against her ear, I tried to smile
but she was gone. Focusing on the front entrance she appeared hastily doing her
coat up against the cold wind, she made her way towards me as I did the same
meeting her half way.

“Hi”. I said in a low voice.

“Hey....I’m glad you’re here”. Her voice sounded shaky.

“Sam...I’m so sorry can we talk?” I could feel my eyes water
as she focused her green gaze on me.

“Okay...follow me”. She took my hand placing it in her
pocket with hers as we headed towards her flat. We walked in silence, as I felt
the warmth of her hand as she gently rubbed my knuckles with her thumb.

As she unlocked the outer door with her free hand I could
see her eyes were glassy I hoped from the cold wind and not my presence, I
didn’t want to start thinking how much I had hurt her pushing her away.

Making our way up to her flat she took our hands out of her
pocket, I hoped so she didn’t have to let go on the narrow stairwell. Opening
her front door I heard an audible sniff, I quickly maneuvered her inside
shutting the door behind us. I pulled her into a tight hug whispering into her
neck.

“I’m so sorry Sam....I love you”.

After a few moments I heard a garbled. “I was so worried
about you...you wouldn’t talk to me......I had to call Nat”.

I could feel her shaking. “I know, I’m so sorry....I’m so
stupid....I love you....I promise I’ll never do it again”. I could feel my
stomach churn as I made promises I hoped I could keep.

The realisation of Kim flashed in front of me, did she think
I would harm myself? Why had I been such an insensitive moron, she must have
been really panicked to call Nat. Why had I double locked the door to prevent
her from entering, such a selfish act. She pulled away to look at me her face
glowing and wet.

“Nat said she found you curled up at the bottom of your
bed....what happened?”

“I....I think I got unbelievably drunk...I nearly lost my
intestines when I threw up earlier”.

She started to giggle through the tears, I was so relieved
to see her smile again she was so good for me, I never wanted to lose her.

“Well....you do look like shit....come on let’s sit down”.

She took off her coat dropping on a chair before pulling me
towards the sofa. She looked tired and stressed much like I felt as I realised
the pain I had caused her. I took her hand in mine looking at her watery eyes.

“Sam I’m sorry I didn’t think....I was so wrapped up in
myself....I didn’t stop to think how it would affect you and for that I’m
incredibly sorry”. 

Tears fell down her face quicker than I could wipe them
away. “It’s okay...it must have been a shock seeing him like that”.

“It was but it’s no excuse for what I did to you....I
shouldn’t have shut you out...I’m sorry”.

“What did you tell Nat?” She asked as she wiped away tears
with her shirt sleeve.

“Everything....she didn’t say but I think she knew he was
around already but didn’t tell me...she was trying to protect me I think?”
Gauging this from her reaction to the photos, she didn’t seem surprised to see
him.

“Would you have done anything?”

The sixty four million dollar question. “No...I don’t think
so...I have too much to lose now”. I said looking straight at her.

I felt her hand cup my face. “I love you so much Alex....I
don’t want to lose you either.......I was thinking today if someone hurt you
and I had the opportunity to take revenge I’m not sure I could stop myself”.

I puffed out a deep breath. “Don’t even think about things
like that......please”. I wiped my eyes on the back of my sleeve trying not to
think about a situation that would require either of us to take revenge, the
thought of it made me nauseous again.

“What have you done with the photos?”

“Nat BBQ’ed them in the back garden along with the
negatives” I said with relief in my voice as I pulled her towards me for a long
hug.

I felt her breath as she spoke softly into my neck. “I’m
sorry I shouted so much...I just felt so panicked.....I thought you were going
to cover your ears at one point”.

I smiled for the first time in days. “I think it did cross
my mind”.

“You know the best thing about arguments?”

I looked at her, my mind blank. 

“The makeup sex”. She said with a grin

“Really?....And how do you know so much about that?”

“It’s just something I’ve heard....I thought we could try it
out”.

“I see....well I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of one of
your experiments”.

Moving forwards I pulled her into a kiss, as our kiss became
deeper I could feel my head beginning to swim I wasn’t sure it was my hangover
or the kiss and I didn’t care anymore.

Moving my hands to Sam’s breasts I gently circled her
nipples, unbuttoning her shirt to get better access as my lips travelled down
her neck to her chest. I heard her husky voice as I continued to unbutton.
 

“I need to shower.....come with me? I don’t want to be
without you tonight”.

I smiled at her giving her another kiss before standing up,
taking her hand I pulled her to her feet leading her into the bathroom. Turning
on the shower before resuming undressing her, taking my time I kissed her
shoulders and breasts dropping her clothes to the floor I worked my way down
her body kneeling in front of her. Leaving a trail of kisses across her stomach
I unbuttoned her trousers pulling them down with her underwear, lifting up her
feet to release her from her clothes I could smell her arousal it was
tantalising I couldn’t resist a taste before she got in the shower. 

I stripped of as she watched me through the glass door,
joining her my lips quickly found hers pushing her against the wall as I leaned
into her.

The gurgling of my stomach broke the silence in the
bedroom. 

“Was that you?”

“I think so”. I said embarrassed at the noise. 

“Are you hungry?”

“A bit....but I’m not sure what I can handle”. I said as I
continued to stroke Sam’s back as she cuddled up to me.

“When did you last eat?”

“The night we argued I think”.

“Al that was two days ago....come on we’ll see what’s in the
fridge”.

Half-dressed we scowered the cabinets and fridge for
possibilities settling on smoked cheese on toast with banana and yoghurts for
afters. Working together we assembled our supper and headed back to the
bedroom.  

“So how do you think the experiment went?” I asked as I
chomped on the last of my toast.

“Umm...pretty good I think...I’ll let you know when I’ve
gathered more evidence”.

Catching the flicking of her eyebrows, I laughed nearly
dropping my banana.  

“You know you can talk to me about all this stuff with your
dad.....I can help you if you talk to me”.

“I know......I’m sorry....I’ll try...to be honest I thought
I was over it....until I saw him....I might talk to Mike about it”.

“Really?....That might be a good idea....he’d be glad to
help”.

“I know....I’ll think about it”. I really would this
time. 

“I’m really glad you’ve started taking pictures
again....apart from seeing Barratt......I think it’s been really good for
you....the graffiti pictures are amazing....can we frame the one with the stick
dog”. 

I giggled. “The one that says ‘Spud sucks big dicks’ across
the bottom?”

“Yeah....but I really like the dog in it he’s cocking his
leg up that box thingy on the wall”.

Smiling at her, as I stood up to brush the crumbs from my
t-shirt. “Sure we can do that....I’ll make up a frame for it”.

Taking the plates I headed for the kitchen picking up some
water on my way back, returning to the bedroom I found Sam sat leaning against
the headboard texting on her phone. She looked up as I made my way towards her
drinking as I walked.

“Just letting Nat know you’re okay”.

“I’m glad you reached out to her”. I was still sorry she had
to in the first place but I hoped she would forgive me, and my own guilt would
fade. 

“Me too”. She grinned as I put the water and her phone on
the side table.

Removing my t-shirt I climbed on the bed straddling her
thighs putting both my hands to her face and neck I kissed her hoping to dispel
any remaining worry she may have had. Moving my hands I gently circled and
tweaked her nipples. I felt her hand move down my body making its way through
my wetness gently moving along my shaft circling my clit at the end of each
stroke. I pulled away from her lips as my breathing became ragged, feeling her
hot mouth sucking on my nipples. I heard myself groan as I felt her fingers
slide inside me, I moved my hips in time with her rhythm as I captured her lips
with mine.

“I need you to touch me “. I whispered in to her neck as I
kissed her.

She gently removed her fingers as I adjusted my position
settling on one thigh as she placed her hand in my wetness circling my clit, I
groaned as I rocked my hips grinding in to her hand. I could feel the tension
in my body as my orgasm crashed through me making me moan loudly towards the
ceiling. My hips slowed as I rode out the tremors of my orgasm collapsing
against Sam breathing hard against her neck, I felt her arms wrap around me
pulling me closer.