Baggage & Buttons

by C. J. Fallowfield

  ‘Don’t ever tell me not to worry Mia, because that’ll never happen where you’re concerned. Come on I’m getting you back into bed, you need to rest.’ He helped me put on my clothes then picked me up, ignoring my protests, carried me back into the bedroom and tucked me up in bed as Lexi came back in.

  ‘I told you not to tell him Lexi.’ I glared in her direction.

  ‘Don’t have a go at Lexi, I knew something was wrong as soon as I saw her face. We’re both just trying to look out for you. We all need to talk about this.’

  ‘Not now guys, please, I just want to have a seriously sugary coffee and something to eat to get this bloody hangover out of my system and a hot water bottle for this ache wouldn’t go amiss either.’

  ‘Right then, I’m making the coffee and getting you the bottle. Gabe are you up to a McDonalds run? Mia loves Sausage and Egg McMuffins when she’s hung-over and a chocolate shake. I’m the same, but a vanilla shake is that ok?’

  ‘Sure, but she’s definitely having a rest when we’ve eaten. Can I borrow a key to save buzzing?’

  ‘In the bowl in the hall,’ Lexi replied as she headed off to the kitchen.

  ‘You’re sure you’re ok baby? I can take you to the hospital right now.’ He still looked worried and kept stroking my face.

  ‘I’m fine, honestly you’re all fussing over nothing,’ I muttered, embarrassed at all the attention. He kissed me, sighed and headed out of the door. I propped myself up and drank some more water before Lexi came in with my coffee. She sat up at the foot of the bed to face me and I gave her another look.

  ‘Sorry Mia,’ she shrugged, ‘but he knew something was wrong straight away. Have you told him about your cysts and that it may be endometriosis?’

  ‘No, I’m not telling him anything until I have a scan and it’s all confirmed. You see how he panics, I don’t want him worrying any more than he already is. Now I’ve got to spend the bloody afternoon in bed taking it easy.’

  ‘Well it’s not like we were doing anything anyway, what with you having such a bad hangover.’

  ‘Shit Lex, our plans for the zoo today, I’ve screwed them all up. I’m so sorry.’

  ‘It’s ok. Gabe told me last night he was going to knock it on the head. I assured him you wouldn’t be in a fit state this morning, I’m amazed you’ve not been sick.’

  ‘Me too,’ I frowned. ‘I think he made me eat some Weetabix last night for some reason, along with drinking lots of water, seems to have done the trick though.’

  ‘Well now you’re not going out tonight, maybe the three of us can have a takeaway and watch some films?’

  ‘What do you mean? I’m still going out tonight.’

  ‘You’re not being serious?’

  ‘Lex, that awful pain’s nearly gone, just like I knew it would. Now I only have a mild ache and a hangover to deal with. I want to go out on a proper date with my boyfriend. All we do is stay in and have sex and great though that is, it would be nice to actually go out. I’ve really been looking forward to it and I’d already decided an outfit.’

  ‘Ok,’ she sighed shaking her head. ‘Tell me more.’

  ‘I’ve got that tight black lace bodycon mini dress with the lining inside. Slash neck front but seriously low cut at the back, so low cut I’m going to have to ditch the underwear.’

  ‘I remember the one,’ she nodded smiling. ‘He’ll blow his load seeing you in that. What about shoes and bag?’

  ‘I was thinking my really high peep toe lace platform shoes and my black lace clutch.’

  ‘Nice. Hair and makeup?’

  ‘Pinned up and I’m going all out on the smoky eyes.’

  ‘What about the tatt, has he seen it yet?’

  ‘No, but he will when I get undressed tonight.’ I smiled, hoping he’d be happy when he saw it.

  ‘Have you checked it since?’

  ‘Shit no, I’m supposed to have washed it and put the cream on.’

  ‘Then let’s do it before he gets back.’

  We went in the bathroom and I lowered my clothes on the left and Lexi carefully peeled off the cling film and wet a clean facecloth with warm water and dabbed it over the tattoo.

  ‘Does it hurt?’

  ‘Not anymore, pass me that cream will you Lex.’ I squeezed a decent dollop and gently smeared it on before covering up.

  ‘Right, get back in bed with more water before he comes and kicks both our backsides,’ she instructed.

  We resumed our positions opposite each other in bed and talked about organising some dedicated time to study together, as we were getting behind already. We looked around as we heard the key in the lock.

  ‘It’s me, where are you?’

  ‘Bedroom still,’ I called. He appeared around the corner carrying McDonalds bags and a tray with the two shakes and climbed onto the bed next to me.

  ‘Right McMuffins all round, plus hash browns, fries and apple pies, I figured we may as well go all out if we were going to eat fast food.’

  ‘God I needed this, this is so good Gabe,’ I sighed as we tucked in. I put my head on his shoulder and he put his arm around me as we finished off the fries and pies. ‘What do we owe you?’

  ‘Nothing it’s on me, no arguing,’ he said flashing me a look, so I bit my lip and pulled a face at him.

  ‘Cheers for that Gabe. Right I’m going to close your blinds and you Mia Page, are going to get some sleep,’ Lexi ordered.

  ‘Ok, I know when I’m outgunned and I am pretty tired,’ I smiled.

  ‘What about you Gabe? Fancy getting your arse kicked on xbox again?’ Lexi grinned.

  ‘You know what, tempting though that is Lex, I’ve not slept well the last few days either, I’m going to stay with Mia if you don’t mind.’

  ‘Ok, well I’m going to head down to the shops then, I’ve got a few things to get. Don’t set the alarm, I’ll wake you both up around six if you’re still asleep.’ She hopped off the bed, closed the blinds, bagged up all of the empty wrappers and cups, kissed my forehead again and closed my door.

  ‘Are you really going to stay and sleep with me?’ I asked, touched.

  ‘Yes, I’m not leaving your side. Anyway, I’m actually so tired myself it will probably do me good.’

  ‘What time are we going out?’

  ‘What?’ He looked at me surprised.

  ‘We were going out for dinner tonight, had you forgotten?’

  ‘No I just assumed …’

  ‘Well unassume,’ I interrupted. ‘I’ve chosen an outfit and everything and I want to go out on a proper date with my boyfriend please.’

  ‘Mia is that really a good idea?’ he looked at me all concerned again.

  ‘It’s a great idea and I’m fine now, so I’m not taking no for an answer. Besides you’ll be with me here or there, what’s the difference?’

  ‘God you’re so fucking stubborn,’ he muttered as he ran his hand through his hair.

  ‘Have you chosen an outfit?’

  ‘Yes, but I left it downstairs hanging in the car as I didn’t think I’d be needing it. I was about to cancel the restaurant.’

  ‘Well go and get it and hang it up in the wardrobe. I don’t want to see it, it’s a proper date, so no seeing each other from when we start getting ready, until we’re ready to leave. What time are we going out?’

  ‘Table’s booked for eight, so we need to leave at twenty to. Good job I’m bloody fit the amount of times I’m up and down these stairs today,’ he grumbled.

  I got up and brushed my teeth, washed my hands and took a couple of painkillers, I was still in some pain, not that I’d admit that to Lexi or Gabe, or our date would be off. By the time I got back to the bedroom he was closing the wardrobe door. I stripped off down to my knickers, climbed into bed and finished another glass of water as he walked to the bedroom door.

  ‘Where are you going? I thought you were coming to bed with me?’

  ‘I am, but I told you in my note that I had a surprise for you and it’s i
n the hall.’ He disappeared and called out, ‘Close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you.’

  ‘Ok they’re closed, what’s going on?’ I felt him sit on the bed next to me and something being placed on my lap.

  ‘Ok you can open them.’

  I squealed with joy. Sitting on my lap was an enormous black and white giant panda. I grabbed it and gave it a big hug. ‘Gabe he’s so beautiful and soft. Where did you find him?’

  ‘It took me bloody ages this morning. I couldn’t find one big enough, or cute enough. I figured you were so gutted last night, about us not being able to go and see them, that that I’d bring them to you.’

  ‘I love him Gabe. Thank you so much. I’m going to call him big boy after you.’

  He laughed. ‘I love seeing you smile, you light up the room.’

  ‘Well I don’t know why you’re smiling, there’s not enough room in my bed for two big boys.’

  ‘Then this big boy has to sleep on the floor next to you.’ He grabbed him off me and plonked him unceremoniously down on the floor. ‘He’s all yours and you can do what you want with him, as long as he doesn’t stop me sharing your bed.’ I watched him strip off, marvelling at his physique. Would I never grow tired of looking at that? ‘Ok can I sleep hugging you?’ he asked as he got in next to me.

  ‘I’m always happy for you to hold me Gabe.’ I rolled over his outstretched left arm, which he wrapped back over my shoulder. I draped myself over him and he grabbed my hand and linked fingers. I lifted my head and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.

  ‘Sleep now Mia, I’ve got you.’

  I did, I slept really heavily and we both woke with a start to hear Lexi knocking on our door.

  ‘It’s six o’clock are you ok?’

  ‘Yes thanks for waking us up Lex. See you in a while,’ I called.

  We were still in the same positions we were in when I fell asleep and we kissed again, for a few minutes.

  ‘God I need to stay in bed longer, so I can wake up with you more often, I could get used to that,’ Gabe smiled as he rubbed his nose on mine.

  ‘Do you really have to get up at six every morning? Especially when you’ve been having sex with me until all hours?’

  ‘It’s habit, plus I don’t usually sleep well.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘I usually feel pretty tense and have things on my mind and it stops me relaxing, but with you …’ he sighed.

  ‘With me what?’ I looked into his eyes, wondering if he was going to open up to me.

  ‘I feel like I’ve come home when I’m with you Mia, like everything in the world is right and I have nothing to worry about. You make me forget everything else.’

  ‘O god Gabe, for someone who said he didn’t do romance you sure learn fast. What do you worry about?’

  ‘Nothing when I’m with you. Come on we have a date to get ready for.’ He pecked me on the lips and I sighed as he pulled away and jumped up out of bed. ‘Stay in bed a bit longer baby, I’ll be quicker getting ready and can wait in the lounge so you have your bathroom and bedroom to yourself. Deal?’

  ‘Ok deal,’ I smiled as I looked up at him, wondering why I was so desperate to get him to open up when I couldn’t do the same back. I just felt so bad for him and I hated the thought of him hurting or suffering. I was sure it was all to do with his mum.

  He walked around to my side and picked up the panda off the floor and put him in my arms, kissed me again and headed into the bathroom closing the door behind him. I lay back down and hugged big boy tightly and decided I needed to let it go, he’d talk to me when he was ready. Gabe was out within fifteen minutes with his towel wrapped around his waist.

  ‘Go on then bathroom’s all yours and stop looking at me like that.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘Like I’m a hunk of meat you want to chew on. I’ve got a date with an intelligent, witty, stunning brunette with a smoking hot body, amazing eyes and smile and I need to get ready.’

  ‘See you at 7.40 Mr Austin,’ I smiled.

  ‘See you at 7.40 Miss Page,’ he winked.

  I went straight for the painkillers again to ease the ache in my stomach and back, before heading into the shower. I washed my hair and cleaned myself all over and applying my shine body wash and baby oil. I brushed my teeth again and put some dazzling eye drops in, which made the blues of my eyes really pop. He’d already left the bedroom and I checked the clock, six fifty, so I’d just under an hour. I did my makeup and diffused my long hair on low, until it was glossy and wavy, then loosely pinned it up.

  I wriggled my dress up over my bottom and slid my arms into the long sleeves. It was seriously fitted and hugged all of my curves perfectly. I did a twirl in the mirror, there was barely any back to it, it dropped in a u shape to just skim the top of my butt crack and was so short it was bordering on indecent. It came about an inch or two below where the curve of my cheeks hit my thighs. I was going to have to be careful getting in and out of his car, or crossing my legs.

  I sprayed my favourite perfume and pulled on my heels, did my lip gloss and packed my clutch bag and touched up my black nail polish. I still had Gabe’s bracelet on, so I added a silver watch and some silver chandelier earrings and a huge silver cocktail ring and stood up and checked myself again, happy that I looked quite glamorous and sophisticated, while still looking sexy.

  ‘Can I come in?’ asked Lexi. I opened the door for her and she whistled. ‘God you look amazing. I’m so jealous, your figure’s insane. You better hope he’s not taking you to Nando’s or Frankie and Benny’s, as I think you’re a bit overdressed.’

  ‘Thanks,’ I laughed. ‘Knowing Gabe he’ll have picked somewhere too expensive and I’m going to have to try and bite my tongue.’

  ‘Yeah right, like that’ll ever happen,’ she smirked. ‘Well where ever you’re going you’ll turn a few heads in that dress, just make sure you don’t bend over. No one wants to see bare beaver when they’re eating, but I guess that’s better than a bearded clam.’

  ‘Lexi,’ I smacked her arm playfully as she laughed. ‘I’ll be careful, but I’m only interested in turning his head, I hope he likes it. Where is he?’

  ‘We were playing xbox in the lounge, he’s looking even better than normal. I think you’ll be pleased. He really protested, but I insisted on putting some concealer on his cheek to tone down that purple bruise,’ she grinned. I burst out laughing again.

  ‘Gabe with makeup on?’

  ‘Yeah he wasn’t too impressed. I told him he still owed me a few favours for his behaviour on Wednesday, so he sulked while I did it,’ she laughed. I heard our intercom beep.

  ‘Who’s that? I need to get Gabe, it’s time to go.’

  ‘Well I need to pee, so you’re going to have to get it, have a great time,’ she said as she ran into the bathroom and shut the door.

  ‘Bloody hell,’ I muttered and walked to the hall and picked up the phone. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Hi Mia, it’s Gabe.’

  O god his voice was … wow. ‘Gabe why are you outside?’

  ‘I’ve come to pick you up for our date, are you ready?’

  ‘Yes I am, I’ll be down with you shortly.’ I smiled, I couldn’t believe he’d gone all the way downstairs to do it properly, he really was learning this romance stuff quickly. I was very careful going down the stairs in my heels, last thing I needed was a broken ankle. As I reached the bottom door, I took a deep breath and opened it, feeling nervous all of a sudden.

  He was standing facing it, a few feet back, with his hands behind him and as he saw me his mouth opened, mine did the same as I ran my eyes up and down his body. He was dressed in a tailored dark grey suit, buttoned at his waist, which hugged his muscular body to perfection. He had a dazzling white shirt on, the top two buttons of which were undone, the cuffs slightly protruded from his jacket and showed off a pair of silver cufflinks. His black leather shoes gleamed and he’d done that sexy mussed up thing he did with his hair. I felt like
I’d died and gone to heaven, he was the personification of sex on legs. I noticed a growing bulge in his trousers, he’d gone hard looking at me, which was as good a compliment as he could ever give me.

  ‘Gabe, you look sensational,’ I whispered. He just stood there, frozen, staring at me. I walked up to him, nearly level with him in my heels and clasped his face with both hands and kissed him and stepped back to see his eyes had filled up. He quickly wiped them with one of his hands. ‘Gabe are you ok?’

  ‘I’m sorry, I … I just … you look … I mean… fuck what’s wrong with me?’ he stuttered. ‘I can’t even talk.’

  I’d never heard him struggle to speak to me before, he was usually so confident. I studied him closely and saw his jaw was clenched tightly and realised he was actually nervous as well. I reached out and took his hand, squeezing it tightly.

  ‘What’s wrong Gabe?’

  ‘Mia … god, I’m so sorry, you just look … fucking hell. I’ve never been lost for words before. Is there a word better than sensational? Because I need it right now.’

  ‘I’m not sure what word that would be, but the look on your face, your erection and the fact that you’re stuttering tells me all I need to know,’ I smiled. From behind his back he produced a red and white rose bound together with silver wire. ‘Gabe they’re beautiful.’

  ‘Red and white together symbolises unity,’ he shrugged and I swore he went a bit pink. I kissed him again.

  ‘Thank you, you’re so thoughtful.’

  ‘It’s our first formal date Mia, I wanted it to be special. We’d better move or we’re going to be late.’

  We walked silently to his car, looking at each other every now and then and smiling. We got some hoots of horns from passing cars, which made us smile even more. He’d parked on the street around the corner.

  ‘Gabe, there’s a private walled car park around the back of our building and we have our own space, you should use that as you have such a nice car.’

  ‘Thanks, I will in future.’ He opened my door for me and ran his hand down the bare skin of my back, which I felt in every nerve ending. I made sure to keep my knees together as he helped lower me into the passenger seat. I watched him walk around the front and unbutton his jacket with his one hand before he climbed in and started the engine. As he pulled out I realised how nervous I actually was too. We were going on a proper date, no bantering in the corridors of Uni, no sexual urgency of the nightclub, or homey comforts to relax us, or sex to distract us. It was just two young people going out to get to know each other.