Chapter Twenty Four
“I didn’t think she would be so against moving, but I think she’s coming round to the idea now” Cheryl said, sliding a glass of water over to Sarah who was sat at a table in the outside area of a restraint they had chosen to meet at for dinner.
She sat in to her seat before getting comfortable and sipping at her own glass. “so it’s definitely on then is it, this moving to London?” Sarah asked quizzically. She reached in to her bag and pulled out some oversized sunglasses which she put on quickly as the sun started to come out from behind the clouds.
“well it makes more sense doesn’t it, instead of me going up and down the country everyday, if we just get a flat in London I’ll be able to spend more time with her” Cheryl informed her, as the blonde girl nodded her approval.
“how is everything anyway…you know, between you two?” Sarah asked, although she was trying hard to make it look like a breezy statement, it came out a bit more nosey than she would have liked it to.
“its fine” Cheryl replied, a little bit to quickly, and only half believing it herself. “its more than fine” she added after a minute, realising that her first answer was somewhat underwhelming.
“I’m really happy for the both of you” Sarah said with a smile, which brought a smile to Cheryl’s face as well. There was no doubting in Cheryl’s mind that Sarah was being genuine, she had spent enough years with the girl to know when she was being truthful and when she wasn’t.
“the sex is fantastic as well” Cheryl added cheekily at the end, just as Sarah was about to tuck in to her salad. “Cheryl” Sarah laughed loudly, taken aback by what the girl had just said.
“I thought it would take more than that to make you blush Sarah” Cheryl joked, seeing that she was embarrassing Sarah a little bit, but thankfully the girl was taking it in good humour.
“I prefer not to think of you two having sex” Sarah joked. Cheryl laughed loudly and wondered how long it had been since she had felt this content within herself and life in general.
“well you should because we are both great at it, we could give you tips anyway” Cheryl teased, before holding up her hands in mock defeat as Sarah threw her a look.
“I don’t need any tips thank you very much” Sarah replied, her tone trying to sound indignant although Cheryl knew the girl well enough to know when she was joking.
“at least if we move back down here, it means we will get to spend more time with you all?” Cheryl went on, stirring the conversation back to the problem she was having getting Kimberley to come to London.
“yeah” Sarah mumbled with a mouthful of salad, just thankful that the talk had moved on from Cheryl and Kimberley’s sex life.
“I cant help but think though…” Cheryl started, but stopped immediately, wondering if now was the time to start airing her dirty laundry.
She looked around her to see if anybody might have been listening, but they were largely on their own in the outside seating area.
“go on” Sarah prompted, her smile turning in to a frown.
“she just seems a bit…guarded you know?” Cheryl said, before shrugging her shoulders to signify that she didn’t know why.
“really?” Sarah asked, swallowing hard on the water she had just taken a sip of.
“yeah, I mean, its probably just me being oversensitive but she just seems to be a bit off lately. I’ll speak to her tonight and see what’s up”
Sarah nodded and tried to force a smile across her face.
-
“I seen Sarah today on my dinner break” Cheryl informed Kimberley as she pulled back the covers and climbed in to bed. To her surprise, the filming had gone quicker than expected and she was home just before midnight, which to her, was quite early.
“what did she say?” Kimberley asked quickly, sitting up in the bed. Her tone came out a bit more defensively than she would have liked.
“about what?” Cheryl asked, clueless as to what Kimberley was talking about. She fluffed up the pillows on her side of the bed and sunk down to get comfortable.
Despite the early finish it had still been a long day and her feet were aching from walking around in her heels all day. She breathed a sigh of relief as her head hit the pillow and felt her muscles relax a little.
“nothing” Kimberley muttered before changing the subject. “are you tired baby?” she asked, turning on her side so she could face Cheryl.
“mmm” Cheryl sighed, before opening her eyes reluctantly. “but I could be persuaded to stay awake” she laughed.
Kimberley smiled but reached over the girl and switched the bedside lamp off. “tomorrow” she replied before giving Cheryl a good night kiss.
Cheryl watched as Kimberley snuggled in to the bed and lay on her side, putting one arm around Cheryl’s waist, and her leg over her legs. She was still looking at her long after she had closed her eyes.
She made a promise to herself that she would make some time to talk to her in the morning and with that she went to sleep.
-
“you’re up early” Cheryl smiled as she heard the kitchen door open and Kimberley stumble in, still half asleep.
She grabbed the toast that had just popped up from the toaster and buttered them, handing one to Kimberley and keeping one for herself. “I thought I would see you off” Kimberley told her, taking the toast and nibbling on the end.
“do we need to talk” Cheryl asked, her voice cutting through the silence that had developed. The question seemed to come from nowhere, even though she had been planning on how to broach the subject since she woke up.
“about what?” Kimberley asked, trying to play dumb although really, as soon as Cheryl had said it, she felt the anticipation growing in her stomach.
“I don’t know Kimberley, you just seem a bit distant lately, like you are holding something back from me” Cheryl said with a shrug, deciding early on that honesty was probably the best policy, especially after everything they had been through.
Kimberley breathed a huge sigh of relief as she heard the engine of a car pulling up to the house and was saved by the beep of a horn.
“go to work Cheryl, we can talk about this later” she said, picking up the younger girl’s bag and handing it to her.
“I’m right though aren’t I, there is something we need to talk about” Cheryl asked, taking the bag and walking with Kimberley to the front door.
“nothing that can’t wait until tonight” Kimberley assured her. Cheryl nodded reluctantly and put her hand on the door handle, but was stopped from opening it by Kimberley who placed her hand over the girls.
“don’t I get a goodbye kiss” the older girl asked, smiling widely to try and put Cheryl at ease. The last thing she wanted was for Cheryl to be worrying all day.
They kissed quickly, and for a minute, Kimberley forgot about all of her problems. But as soon as the front door was shut, they all came flooding back, so forcefully that she suddenly felt sick. She leaned against the door and let herself slide down it until she found herself in a crumpled mess on the floor.
And then she cried.
