by Shears, KT
Matt fiddled with the shower and the water came on. He lifted me to my feet gently.
‘Come on, let’s get you in there.’
I felt too wretched to argue. He placed me in the shower, and sponged me down, washing my hair for me. I felt so weak; I gripped onto him to stop me from falling. When I was clean, he wrapped me in a towel and stroked my hair and face soothingly.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Awful,’ I said, truthfully. My stomach felt like it was on fire. ‘I think I might be sick again,’ I said, pushing past him and heading for the toilet.
***
It was an awful night. I got up to be sick frequently, Matt hovering behind me, concerned. By the time the sun rose, I didn’t think I had anything left in me, and I lay on the bed, utterly drained. Matt lay beside me, finally having dozed off. I wanted to cuddle him, but I couldn’t bear to move. We lay like this for a few hours until the alarm beside his bed started trilling loudly.
He reached over and smacked it repeatedly until it stopped. Propping himself on his elbows, he looked at me.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Better,’ I said, although I was utterly exhausted. ‘I haven’t been sick for a few hours.’
‘That’s good, ‘ Matt nodded. ‘Look there’s no way you’re fit to work.’
I didn’t even try to protest, I knew he was right. I couldn’t even imagine trying to lift myself off the bed.
‘Look, how about you stay here and get some rest,’ Matt said. ‘I’ve got some stuff to do in the office, but I can bring my laptop home in the afternoon and work here, so I can keep an eye on you.’
‘You don’t have to do that,’ I said, but I felt a glow of happiness despite feeling like I’d been hit by a bus. He was a keeper, as my mum would say. Anyone that would help wash sick out of my hair was clearly worth hanging onto.
Matt took my hand.
‘Of course I do.’
He disappeared from the room and came back about 30 seconds later, carrying a big bottle of water.
‘Make sure you keep drinking,’ he said, sternly, and I nodded at him. He could be quite bossy when he wanted to be.
He bent down and kissed me on the forehead.
‘I’ll be back in a few hours, call me if you need anything.’
Once he was gone, I stretched out on the bed. I was about ready to pass about, but before I fell asleep, I reflected on the last 48 hours. I’d gone from thinking Matt felt nothing for me, to ending up in his bed. Life can be funny. I fell asleep then, and it was the dreamless sleep of the truly exhausted.
***
Matt was true to his word. He was back shortly after lunchtime, and he’d even brought me a bowl of chicken noodle soup.
‘I didn’t know if you’d want anything,’ he said, handing it to me on a tray, ‘But the woman in the café said she swears by it when she’s unwell.’
I was starving, and I slurped it down, eagerly. It was delicious, and I started to feel a bit more alive.
‘Thank you,’ I said, touching his hand as he perched awkwardly on the side of the bed. No one had ever brought me soup when I was ill before. Jen had once sent round a pizza, but I couldn’t get out of bed to answer so it sat there for two days until my neighbour got fed up of the smell and chucked it in the bin.
‘How was work?’
‘Oh, it was fine,’ he waved a hand. ‘Something a bit strange happened though.’
‘Oh? What?’ I asked, blowing on a spoonful of soup.
‘Dave Barry called me,’ he said.
I froze, my hand halfway to my mouth. Dave Barry? I’d hoped we’d heard the last of him – I’d assumed the only correspondence I’d have with him now would be a letter to tell me I’d been fired. And I didn’t even care. Why had he called Matt? It couldn’t be good.
‘What?’ I said, suddenly feeling sick again.
‘I know!’ Matt shrugged. ‘It was an odd conversation. He asked if you were there, and I said you weren’t in today, and he just hung up. Weird, huh?’
‘Very,’ I agreed, but my blood was running cold. If Barry had called Matt, it meant he was up to something. Had he found out about Matt’s secret some other way? I hoped not, I couldn’t imagine how Matt would react to his sister’s story being dredged up again. I put my spoon down.
‘Are you done?’ Matt asked, concerned.
‘Yes, it was lovely, thanks.’ I said. ‘Look I’d better get home.’
Matt looked disappointed.
‘You can stay, you know, you don’t have to leave.’
I smiled ‘You’ve been very hospitable, but I think I need to get home, get into some fresh pyjamas and wallow on the sofa.’
Matt seemed reluctant, but he offered to give me a lift home and I gratefully accepted.
Chapter twenty-three
I called Jen that evening to appraise her of the latest developments. We had a lot to catch up on.
‘You did WHAT?’ she shrieked, as I told her about what happened at the conference.
‘I know, I know,’ I said, but I couldn’t disguise the pleasure in my voice.
‘You dirty cow, you enjoyed it,’ Jen said, laughing.
‘Of course I did,’ I said.
I then recounted what Matt had told me about his sister – and his time behind bars.
‘That’s awful,’ Jen said, and I could picture her sitting there shaking her head. ‘And he was in there for two years?’
‘Yep. Barry would love it.’
‘You haven’t told him?’
‘I’m not going to, Jen. I told him I wanted nothing to do with this story.’
‘You told Dave Barry to fuck off?’ she asked, glee in her voice.
‘Not in so many words,’ I said, and I read her my e-mail.
‘He will be fizzing,’ Jen said. I told her about the phone call he’d made to Matt. ‘That doesn’t sound good,’ she agreed. ‘Do you think this Des character has come up with more information?’
I sighed. ‘I don’t know, I really hope not, Jen. I really like him.’
‘Hey, and if he still likes you after he’s seen you with puke in your hair, he’s a keeper,’ Jen pointed out.
I laughed.
‘That’s what my mum would say! It wasn’t one of my finger moments, though.’
***
I woke up the next morning feeling almost back to normal, and texted Matt to tell him I’d be back at work that day. He replied almost instantly saying he was glad, and that he was looking forward to seeing me. I was looking forward to seeing him, too, and even the look I got from Sarah as I skipped past her office couldn’t bring me down. She evidently hadn’t forgotten what had happened a couple of days before. Oh well.
Matt was already in his office when I arrived, and he beamed when he saw me, which made me light up inside.
‘You look like you’re feeling better.’
‘I am,’ I trilled, glancing around before swooping down and kissing him on the lips.
‘We have to be careful, Alice,’ he chided, but I could see he was pleased.
‘Roger that, boss,’ I said, cheerily, and went back to my desk, humming happily to myself.
We kept catching each other’s eye through the window between our offices and it was very hard to get any actual work done.
I was interrupted from making googly eyes at him by my phone vibrating. It was a text from Jen.
‘I need help. I’ve been set up on some god-awful sounding date with a guy called Phil. Please come and bring your boy toy.’
‘Matt?’ I called through the open door.
‘Mm?’
‘Do you have plans tonight?’
He shook his head, slowly.
‘Nope, can’t say I do.’
I told him about Jen’s predicament and her suggested solution. He pulled a face.
‘Sounds bloody awkward,’ he observed. ‘Won’t we just be in the way?’
‘We have to help her,’ I said fervently. ‘She can’t be st
uck in some restaurant with a random bloke called Phil. What kind of best friend would I be if I let that happen?’
‘I take your point,’ he said, nodding seriously.
‘So you’ll come?’
‘I suppose so.’
I let out a squeal of delight and he laughed indulgently.
‘You are quite, quite mad, Alice,’ he said, shaking his head as he went back into his office.
He picked me up at seven, like we’d arranged. Jen had been over the moon when I told her we would come, and I was looking forward to it myself. I thought Matt and Jen would get on well, and she was keen to meet him after the latest developments. She said she was sick of hearing how wonderful he was and wanted to see it for herself.
I was wearing a little black dress and heels, and Matt whistled appreciatively when I opened the car door.
I leant across to kiss him. He was dressed in a tight-fitting lilac shirt, and smart jeans and looked divine. I felt incredibly lucky.
‘You don’t look too bad yourself,’ I observed, as we pulled away.
I’d not been to this restaurant before, and Matt’s navigation skills were as lacking as mine, so we were a few minutes late. I spotted Jen at a table in the corner.
‘Oh dear,’ I said.
Matt glanced over at where I was looking.
‘Is that your friend?’
I nodded. I could tell even from this distance and with her back to us that things weren’t going well. I looked at the man sitting opposite her, the fabled Phil.
‘Oh he’s not her type at all,’ I said, shaking my head sadly.
Matt looked at me.
‘How can you tell from here?’
‘I just can,’ I said, defiantly. ‘Come on.’
I took his hand and we crossed the floor. Jen turned round at the sound of my heels and shot me a look of relief mingled with exasperation. We’d been chatted up by enough men in our time for me to be able to tell when something was a dud. And Phil was a dud.
‘Alice!’
She stood up and hugged me, and then looked over at Matt.
‘And you must be Matt?’ She extended her hand and Matt took it.
‘It’s nice to meet you,’ he said. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you.’
‘Likewise,’ Jen said, rolling her eyes dramatically and prompting a glare from me. ‘This is Phil.’
Phil hadn’t strained himself to rise from the table, and he gave us a nod.
‘Alright? he said.
I caught Jen’s eye as we sat down and she gave an almost imperceptible shake of the head.
Phil was dull. Deadly dull, and it was even worse with Matt at the table. The contrast was striking. He won Jen over within minutes with a hilarious impression of one of their mutual acquaintances. I laughed along with them; I’d never met this person but you couldn’t fail to join in with their mirth regardless. Well, you could if you were Phil, it seemed.
He sat there, solemnly, not taking part in the conversation at all.
‘So Phil,’ I said, trying to include him. ‘What do you do?’
‘I work in a bank,’ he said, and clammed up again.
‘Oh that must be interesting,’ I said, even though I had no idea what he actually did at the bank and whether it was interesting or not. I suspected not, given Phil’s general demeanour.
‘Not really.’
I was saved by the arrival of the first course. This was going to be hard work. Jen couldn’t even bring herself to look at him, much less include him in the chat. Who the hell had set these two up? Someone who clearly knew nothing about either of them. I couldn’t think of a more badly matched pair, although it was slightly funny and Matt and I kept catching each other’s eye and trying not to laugh.
After our starters, Jen asked Matt how long his parents had lived in Spain for, and they chatted away amiably. She was well travelled and the two of them discussed places they had been. I was content to listen and revel in my best friend and the man I was possibly, just maybe, falling in love with getting on so well.
‘Spain’s a shithole,’ observed Phil, suddenly.
‘Pardon?’ said Matt, looking confused.
‘It’s a shithole,’ Phil repeated. ‘Went on holiday a few years ago. No one could bloody understand me and the food was rotten. Couldn’t get fish and chips anywhere.’
I looked at him in disbelief, and Matt coughed politely.
Jen, unable to contain herself any more, piped up: ‘Did you try saying anything in, you know, Spanish?’
Phil looked appalled.
‘They should speak English,’ he said. ‘It’s disrespectful.’
I saw Jen bristle and cringed. Here we go.
‘Disrespectful?’ she said. ‘More or less disrespectful than going to someone else’s country, refusing to learn a word of the language, and then calling it a shithole cos no one could understand you?’
Phil reddened.
Matt jumped in, and I was so grateful.
‘Some parts are more touristy than others,’ he said, as Jen seethed beside him. ‘Most people speak some English, but if you go somewhere off the beaten track you might struggle a bit.’
I shot him a grateful look. This was rapidly turning in to a disaster. Phil was a disaster.
The main courses arrived and we ate in silence. I watched as Phil picked out some mushrooms and then waved his hand at a waiter.
‘Yes, sir?’ the young man said politely as he came over.
‘What are these?’ Phil said, rudely.
‘They’re mushrooms, sir,’ said the waiter, warily.
‘It didn’t say mushrooms on the menu. I wouldn’t have ordered it if it had mushrooms in. Take it back to the kitchen and bring me a new one. Now.’
The three of us sat there, horrified by his rudeness.
‘I’m sure it does say…’ the waiter began, managing to keep a calm demeanour.
‘Are you calling me a liar?’.
Jen had had enough.
‘Oh for god’s sake,’ she exploded. ‘Just eat your bloody food and stop sitting there like a…’ She cast around, desperately. ‘Like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle!’ she finished, triumphantly.
I choked on my wine, and I heard Matt give a burst of laughter which he hastily disguised as a cough.
Phil stared at her, open-mouthed.
‘You’re one to talk,’ he said. ‘You haven’t said a word all night. I’m only here cos my pal said you were fit and I thought you might be an easy lay.’
I was shocked to see Matt suddenly push back his chair and stand up, towering over Phil.
‘Right, I’ve had it,’ he said. ‘We’ve all tried to be nice and include you, we even ignored your ridiculous, ignorant comments about Spain. But this crosses the line.’
He grabbed Phil by the collar and hauled him up.
‘You will not speak to any friend of my girlfriend like that. You’re done here, pal. Hit the road.’
Phil was clearly gobsmacked. He grabbed his jacket and stared at us, expecting me or Jen to step in. But we didn’t, and with a sneer, he said ‘Fuck you,’ and swaggered from the restaurant.
I was torn between shock at what had occurred, and the excitement that Matt had just referred to me as his girlfriend. I wanted to squeal and run about the restaurant – and simultaneously clobber Phil over the head with a stiletto.
‘I’m sorry…’ Matt began as he sat down, but Jen held up her hand.
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘That was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.’
She caught my eye and gave me a small nod of approval. I smiled. Maybe the night wasn’t such a disaster after all.
Chapter twenty-four
‘I thought about hitting him,’ Matt admitted as we lay in bed that night. ‘God, he was awful, wasn’t he?’
I nodded. He had been truly awful, and I made a mental note to find whoever had arranged such a doomed date and give them a good talking to. If they were still alive after Jen got hold
of them, that is.
‘Atrocious,’ I agreed. ‘This is the kind of thing we have to put up with in the dating world.’ I sighed, dramatically. ‘You’d be surprised how many Phils are out there.’
‘I might make it my personal crusade to defeat them all,’ said Matt, stretching out.
‘For every Phil that is defeated, 10 more take his place,’ I said, solemnly.
Matt laughed.
‘I just hope I didn’t put your friend off me. She probably thinks I’m some sort of thug, now.’
‘Oh not at all,’ I said. ‘She loved it. Jen doesn’t take any shit from people, and she has respect for others who don’t take any shit either.’
We lay in silence for a few minutes, then I spoke quietly.
‘What are we doing here? Me and you?’
Matt craned his neck to look at me.
‘Right now? Lying in bed after some very pleasant sex.’
I punched him in the arm. Pleasant, indeed.
‘No, I mean, where is this going? You called me your girlfriend tonight but…did you mean it?’ I gestured, helplessly, but he understood.
‘Oh,’ He thought for a moment. ‘I didn’t even notice I had,’ he admitted. ‘I still feel a bit guilty about it all, being your boss and all. I’m sure it’s not ethical.’
My thoughts turned briefly to Dave Barry and how he’d scoffed when I’d mentioned that dirty word to him. Part of me wished Matt was a bit less worried about ethics – but then he wouldn’t be Matt.
‘But,’ Matt continued, ‘I have to admit, I’d be proud to call you my girlfriend. And I know I’d regret it if I didn’t see where it might go.’
I snuggled into him.
‘I hope that’s also what you were thinking, and weren’t about to tell me it’s been fun, but you’re actually in love with a circus clown called Bozo,’ he said, stroking my hair.
I laughed.
‘No, Bozo and I are over. I caught him with the bearded lady.’ I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed. ‘No, seriously, I’m on the page as you. I just wanted to make sure.’
I snuggled further into the crook of his arm, feeling warm inside.
***
I began to feel a bit better about things over the next few days. There had been no further word from Barry, only a letter in the post confirming my employment at the Daily Chronicle had been terminated. I didn’t even care, the thought of going back there to work wasn’t appealing in the slightest, and I hoped that I could draw a line under the whole sorry saga and start afresh with Matt.
