I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Fifteen

Next morning I woke up in the clothes I'd worn to dinner and in a state the English call "muzzy" which is the after-effects of partaking too much alcohol. Brushing my teeth helped a little, though I looked puffy in the mirror, then again, perhaps that was simply what I looked like at four am. I stripped my bed and folded the sheets to leave for Annie then splashed water on my face. I'd barely finished dressing when there was a knock at the door. If it was Babs wishing me a good trip I'd kill her.

I swallowed hard, 'Yeah?'

'Are you quite all right?'

'Yes, Alex, come in.' I sat on my bed and waited for the room to stop breathing. She opened the door and gave me a sympathetic smile, 'Sweetheart, you have to build up to two glasses of wine; you can't just go at it like a heavyweight.'

'Hardy har.'

She looked at the single duffel bag by the door, 'Is this all you're taking back?'

I nodded then stopped when I realised that wasn't the best idea when your brain weighs more than your skull. 'Everything else is at your house.'

'Oh, well that should make customs no problem, then.' She watched me sitting there, swallowing as if the act required all of my concentration, as it did, 'We need to go if you're to make your train.'

I sighed, 'Okey dokey.'

She smiled, 'I'm going to miss that.' After picking up my bag, she crossed to me and took my arm, 'Up you get.' She was wearing her short pinstriped jacket and jeans, I wondered if she knew that was my favourite outfit.

We walked down the still staircase, my arm around her waist, hers around my shoulder. I left my key at the porter's lodge with a thank you note and tip for Mr Phipps and held Alex's hand all the way to the car.

We rode to the station in silence, the weight of each passing minute pressed down on me as if I were at the bottom of an hourglass being covered by sand, and I wished I had taken her up on her offer to drive me to Heathrow. I watched the morning fog whirl around us and the lead ball that had lodged itself in my chest made me forget my nausea.

'Still asleep or just hung over?'

'I'm fine, actually.'

'Liar.'

I looked out of the window, 'I don't want to go back.' It felt as if my bottom lip were poked out as far as it would go. 'I've never wanted to not go somewhere so much in my life.' A lump manifested in my throat and I blinked furiously.

'I have something that might cheer you up a bit. Look on the backseat.'

There was a sack on the seat behind her. I brought it up front; it was full of sweets. 'Thanks.'

'Will that be enough for two months?'

It had to be five pounds at least, 'Maybe if I'm careful.'

She glanced in my direction, 'There's my smile.' She sat with me in the station until the train drew up. We embraced and I sniffled. She patted my back, 'Now, now. Carry on like that and I'm going to think you like me.'

We parted and I wiped my eyes, 'I can't stand you.'

She smiled and hugged me again, 'Have a safe flight and ring once you get there.'

I nodded. 'But it'll be the middle of the night when I land.'

'Just ring, all right?'

'Ok.' I sniffed again.

'Oh come on, you can't leave me with that.'

I laughed, 'Okey dokey.'

'There's my girl.'