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Kate got up and pulled her dressing gown on. Shit. Maddie. She had no idea if she’d made it home or not. With her feet slipped into a pair of thick socks, Kate crept up the stairs. If Maddie was home, she’d need her sleep, and Kate knew from experience how grumpy she was if she didn’t get enough of it. Kate tiptoed along the landing and gave the bedroom door a gentle nudge. She breathed a sigh of relief to see Maddie comatose on top of the duvet, still in the clothes from the night before. She breathed a second sigh of relief to see she was alone in the bed. At least she’d not brought a random man home with her. Kate closed the door with a quiet click and headed back downstairs.
With the coffee brewed, Kate poured out two cups and took them to her new table and chairs in the yard. It was a cold morning, but the sun was shining for a change, and she decided Bob could probably do with a bit of fresh air. She’d just settled herself down when a sheepish-looking Bob emerged from the outhouse. He was topless, and Kate flushed as he caught her looking. Bob wrapped his arms around himself and shivered.
“I thought some fresh air would do us some good. Here,” she said, holding out a blanket.
“Cheers,” said Bob, sitting himself down and wrapping the blanket around himself.
“How are you feeling?”
“As rough as a badger’s bum.”
“That’s a new one on me,” laughed Kate, sipping her coffee. “If you need a toothbrush, there’s a spare new one in the basket by the sink.”
“I already found it. Sorry, I should have asked, but I’ll replace it today.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’d say you need a quiet day of sleep and a Netflix box set.”
“Look, Kate, I’m really sorry about last night. I’m not usually like that. I hope I didn’t say… or do anything too embarrassing?”
“You don’t remember what happened?”
“I don’t remember leaving the club at all. I had no idea where I was when I woke up this morning.”
“I don’t know how to tell you but…” Kate looked at the horrified expression on Bob’s face and decided he was too fragile for teasing. “Don’t worry, I’m just messing. Apart from calling me an angel, you didn’t say anything at all. In fact, I’m sure I heard a snore as we were walking up the high street. I’ve never seen anyone sleep-walk before.”
“That’s such a relief. It’s the first time I’ve ever blacked out, you know. A bloody terrifying experience I never want to repeat.”
“Oh, I forgot, you were sick. That’s why you don’t have a shirt. I’ve washed it and it’s in the tumble dryer. Shouldn’t be long till it’s done.”
“Thanks, I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”
“No problem. You said it was a stag do?”
“Yeah, a bloke from work. I hate stag do’s and I don’t even like the bloke, but felt I should show my face. The plan was to go for a quick pint, then slip away home. Then they started plying me with shots and the rest, as they say, is history.”
“Ah well, we live and learn.”
“What about you? How come you were there? I didn’t have you down as the clubbing sort, either.”
“I’m not, but unfortunately my friend is. Remember I said Maddie was coming to stay? She decided we should go out, though I lost her after five minutes and spent most of the night sitting on my own.”
“Did she make it home all right?”
“Yeah, I’ve been up to check on her and… oh, speak of the devil.”
A crumpled, wan looking Maddie appeared from the kitchen. Her hair was sticking up, clumped together in places by God knows what. She still had on her makeup from the night before, but her mascara had smudged around her eyes and she looked rather scary.
“Come and sit down,” said Kate. “I’ll grab you a cup and you can get some coffee down you.”
Maddie downed her coffee in three gulps. “I needed that.”
“So, come on, spill the beans. What happened to you last night?”
Maddie groaned. “I’m such an idiot. You know that bloke I was dancing with?”
“Not the spotty teenager?”
Maddie groaned again and put her head in her hands. “He was twenty actually, but yes, him. We hit it off and got a bit frisky. I stupidly went back to his, but by then I’d sobered up enough to know I was making a terrible mistake. He smelt gross too.”
