Battered

Chapter 52

After unpacking Cheryl's suitcase and putting all her stuff away, we have an early dinner then curl up on the sofa to catch up on our favourite soaps. Cheryl lies down with her head resting in my lap and by the time Eastenders and Coronation Street have finished she is barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Babe, why don't you go up to bed if you're tired?" I suggest, running my fingers through her hair.

"I'm not tired" Cheryl protests, a loud yawn escaping her lips.

"Well it certainly sounds like you are" I laugh.

Picking up the remote control I turn the TV off and gently pat Cheryl on the leg, motioning for her to get up, "Come on, I could do with an early night myself."

Reluctantly Cheryl sits up and swings her legs off the sofa before wearily getting to her feet. With a smile, she extends a hand and helps me up but somehow I manage to lose my footing and stumble forwards; Cheryl catching me by the waist.

"Oops...Sorry" I apologise, embarrassed by my clumsiness.

I glance down at her hands still resting on my waist and Cheryl gives a shy smile before gently pulling me into her. My arms instinctively wind themselves around her neck as she slowly moves her face towards mine.

"I missed you so much" she whispers, capturing my lips with her own.

Long minutes tick by as we stand in the middle of the room with our arms wrapped tightly around each other, exchanging tender kisses until another yawn tumbles out of Cheryl's mouth.

"Ok, it's definitely time for bed now." I laugh, leaning in for one last kiss before taking Cheryl by the hand and leading her upstairs.

Grabbing a pair of clean pyjamas from the chest of drawers I head off to the bathroom to get changed and brush my teeth. When I return, Cheryl has gotten changed into her own nightwear and is stood in front of the mirror cleaning her face with a make-up wipe.

"Bathroom's free" I say, going over to the bed and fluffing up the pillows before climbing in.

"Alright, thanks." she answers, smiling at me through the mirror.

Once her face is clean Cheryl throws the used make-up wipe into the bin and goes across the hall to the bathroom. She comes back a few minutes later and turns off the light before getting into bed behind me and pulling the duvet over herself.

For a minute she lies on the very edge of the mattress and then I feel her shuffle over to my side of the bed, lightly draping an arm across my stomach.

"Is that ok?" she asks apprehensively, her voice soft in my ear.

"Of course it is."

Reaching for her hand I pull Cheryl in closer, so that her chest is pressed up against my back, and thread my fingers through hers, "You don't need to ask permission to touch me, you know."

"Sorry" she sighs heavily, "It's just...I wasn't sure if I'd be overstepping the mark."

"You aren't" I assure her, snuggling further back into the embrace and closing my eyes, "Let's get some sleep ok?"

"Ok" Cheryl agrees, ducking her head to place a kiss on my shoulder, "I love you"

"Love you too" I answer sleepily, "Goodnight"

*************************************

"Kimberley, can you pass me that red bauble please." Cheryl calls from halfway up the step-ladder.

"This one?" I ask, taking one out of the box and holding up to show her.

Cheryl shakes her head, "No, the little one over there" she says, pointing to the one she wants, "Yeah, that one." she says as I pick it up.

Holding the Christmas decoration in my hand, I take it over to her and watch as she carefully hangs it on one of the tree's many branches.

"Perfect" she smiles once it is in place.

Climbing down from the ladder, Cheryl plugs in the fairy lights the stands back to proudly admire the fully decorated tree.

Her face had lit up with excitement when I carried the box of Christmas decorations into the living room earlier this afternoon and Cheryl had immediately appointed herself as chief tree decorator. I'd offered to help out but, after having her reposition every single bauble I hung on the tree it quickly became clear that the only thing I was allowed to do was pass her the decorations.

Coming up behind her, I wrap my arms around Cheryl's waist and rest my chin on her shoulder, "Looks good babe" I say, nodding towards the tree.

"I can't wait for Christmas" she beams happily, leaning back against me, "I'm so excited!"

"Hmm, that wouldn't have anything to do with the bag of presents you caught me hiding under the bed last week would it?" I ask teasingly.

"No!" Cheryl laughs innocently, "Christmas is my favourite time of year, always has been since I was a kid, and it's the first time I'm going to spend it with you." she twists her head around to kiss me on the lips.

Her sentimental side brings a soppy grin to my face, "Aawww Chez" I say, kissing her back.

Cheryl turns around in my arms, so that we are facing each other and smiles back at me before leaning in again, her lips finding mine once more.

When the kiss comes to an end, she rests her head on my shoulder and reaches up to play with the ends of my hair,

"So babe, about those presents...."

**********************************

Early morning light shines through the curtains and a gentle but persistent nudging from the other occupant of the bed awakens me from my slumber far sooner than I'd like.

"Kimba, wake up."

Rolling over onto my stomach, I hide my face in the pillows and wrap my arms around my head to try and block out the noise. This works for a couple of minutes until Cheryl's patience wears out and the light nudging progresses into a full-on body shake that doesn't stop until my eyes are fully opened.

"Cheryl, what on earth-"

"It's Christmas!" she yells excitedly, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before getting out of the bed and hopping impatiently from one foot to the other, "Come on babe, get up; I want to go downstairs and open our presents."

Knowing that there's no way Cheryl is going to let me go back to sleep, I reluctantly drag myself out of the bed, "What time is it?" I ask, yawning as I tie my dressing gown around me.

"Just gone eight"

"Eight?" I groan tiredly, "Isn't it a bit early for presents?"

"I've been awake since half six. Count yourself lucky I didn't wake you up then." she grins cheekily, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the room like an overexcited puppy who wants to be taken for a walk.

Cheryl bounds into the living room with me in tow and goes straight over to the Christmas tree, switching on the fairy lights then kneeling down on the floor to gaze at the pile of presents underneath it.

Immediately spotting a parcel with her name on it, Cheryl wastes no time picking it up and giving it a thorough examination; shaking and squeezing it to try and figure out what's inside. She's been dying to get her hands on them ever since I put them there late last night and the look of total excitement on her face is just adorable.

When she has had enough of playing the guessing game, Cheryl rips through the wrapping paper in a matter of seconds and pulls out the pair of silk pyjamas that were hidden inside.

"Oh Kimba, these are lovely" she says, holding the top up against herself, "Thank you"

"You're welcome babe"

Quickly refolding the pyjamas, Cheryl rests them on the armchair beside her and moves on to the next present in the pile.

"This one's for you" she smiles shyly, handing me a neatly wrapped parcel topped with a bow, "I hope you like it."