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Playing House
Then
The house is cloaked in darkness when we return, our booty of bottles of wine clinking in plastic bags.
I’m giggling as he opens the door. I have no idea what I am giggling at, but I think extreme nerves are causing it.
During our meal of fish and chips, I’ve made myself feel physically sick at the prospect of spending the night alone with Freddy. I’m pretty sure I’m going to chuck up on him as he flicks the light switch and the dusty house illuminates.
“You okay?” he asks, a frown creasing between his brows.
“Yep.” I daren’t say anymore due to the rising vomit.
A small tick lifts the corner of his mouth, but he doesn’t say anything. Gently, he frees a lock of hair from under the confines of my woolly hat and runs his fingers down the length of it. “Fire?” His eyes dance with his question.
I almost glance down to see if I have in fact caught fire. I wouldn’t be at all surprised.
“Can I go and get changed?” I feel all uncomfortable and trussed up like a Christmas turkey. It’s not helping the sick feeling and the butterflies that are making it hard to breathe.
Freddy lifts one perfect eyebrow. “Into something more comfortable?” He’s teasing me, trying to get me to flush. There really is no need. I think even my big toes are blushing.
‘Yep.” I dash for the stairs and then spend ten minutes trying to calm the fuck down, making sure I don’t smell, and my hairy legs haven’t resurfaced before I return back to the front room dressed in my tracksuit.
Freddy bursts out laughing when he spots me mooching in. “Comfy?”
“Definitely.” I grab the wine he’s left open to breathe and sit myself in front of the fire he’s got going while I’ve been sniffing my armpits upstairs and layering myself in body spray.
Half a glass down, the heady red wine and the heat of the fire are making me feel much more relaxed. I’ve gone as far as to put my toes against his without upchucking over myself. Actually, the butterflies have settled in the pit of my stomach, but I’m sure they are just luring me into a false sense of security; anything more than toes touching and they will be back with a vengeance.
“So why were you standing in the street when I picked you up? You didn’t tell me.” He takes a deep sip of wine with his question.
“Because my mum told me to remember to bring contraception.” Okay, I may have had more than half a glass of wine.
Freddy starts to choke on his mouthful. When he’s recovered he takes another sip. “She’s quite blunt, your mum, isn’t she?”
“She said she didn’t want me to come home with a mistake. I assumed she meant knocked up.”
“Nice.” His fingers brush against mine, and a butterfly flaps its wings.
“I thought so. Hell, I can’t wait to get away from that woman. She drives me crazy.”
“Where are you planning on going?” He takes another sip out of his glass, but his eyes are on mine, steady and deep.
“Furthest uni I can find,” I say.
“I used to want to go away and study.” He peers into his glass like the answers to the universe may be found at the bottom.
“Well, why the hell didn’t you?”
Freddy turns his attention away from the glass and onto the dancing flames of the fire. “How could I? Dad was in a state, the business was hanging on by a thread, and I was the only person who actually knew how to do anything with a car.”
“So, you basically keep the place going?”
I’m starting to see more and more sides to Freddy, and so far there isn’t one I don’t like. I just thought he liked to get dirty under the cars. I had no idea he was singlehandedly keeping his dad’s business afloat.
“Henry wouldn’t agree.” He smiles at me, and I grin back, my toes now comfortably on his knees. My body is slowly shifting across the rug towards him.
“Why don’t you just go? Tell them you’re going to study, and you will be back to help out as and when you can?”
