The Hangover

by Emma Nichols

  ‘Ahhh!’ Lauren groaned then began to laugh, jumping back too late to avoid the light spray landing on her white cotton shirt. Emilie stopped suddenly and held Lauren in a confused gaze. Lauren smiled broadly, ‘It’s okay sweetheart,’ she said, scooping the porridge from the side of Emilie’s mouth, before presenting another spoonful. Emilie chuckled and opened her mouth widely at the incoming food.

  ‘Shall I take over while you get changed?’ Anna offered.

  ‘You sure?’

  ‘Here.’ Anna took the bowl and spoon and nudged Lauren out of her seat. ‘Come on sweet-cheeks,’ she said with a big smile.

  Lauren kissed the top of Anna’s head, then Emilie’s. ‘Right, I’ll get changed then shoot into town,’ Lauren said, but Anna was lost in Emilie.

  ‘Aaaaammmmm,’ Anna said, as the spoon aeroplane headed back towards a giggling Emilie. ‘Okay,’ she said, when her brain suddenly registered the conversation. Lauren was already at the top of the stairs by then.

  3.

  Rosa bounded out of the kitchen towards the front door as she heard the key turn in the lock. ‘Hey. How was your day?’ she beamed. Her smile faltered when she caught sight of Eva, who almost bounced off the doorframe into the open foyer.

  ‘Hey baby,’ Eva slurred with a misdirected smile. She reached for Rosa, to pull her close, and tried to place a wet kiss on her lips. Rosa jerked back from the alcoholic fumes and held Eva’s swaying body by the shoulders, trying to fix her shifting eyes with her own steady gaze. Eva smiled weakly, unable to focus fully as the object of her vision seemed to move unexpectedly.

  ‘What’s happened?’ Rosa asked, her stomach roiling at the response her question might provoke in her clearly intoxicated girlfriend.

  ‘Great day,’ Eva said, her head swaying with the intensity of the sarcasm in her delivery of the words. Rosa stared quizzically, waiting for the next instalment. Eva bent down, nearly toppled over, pulled her laces undone, and flicked off her brogues. When she stood again she looked pale and started to retch. She pushed past Rosa and dived into the toilet, just making the pan in time, as the contents of lunch resurfaced like a tidal wave.

  Rosa sighed and looked to the ceiling, holding back the pain she felt tugging at her heart. Unsure whether to follow Eva and give her the comfort she herself needed, or leave her to her own devices. After brief consideration, she opted for the latter and returned to the kitchen. She continued chopping the vegetables she had started, the tears escaping down her cheeks having nothing to do with the onion in her hand. Raising her head, she stared out the window into the courtyard, hoping for an answer to her prayers. None came. The retching eventually ceased.

  She heard the toilet door closing and waited expectantly for Eva to appear in the kitchen. She didn’t. She could hear the shower running in the en-suite bathroom, further down the hallway. She tossed the idea round her head. Should she go and help? Should she intervene? Without answers, she turned her attention back to the ingredients lined up on the kitchen surface. The evening she had planned was ruined, but even if Eva wasn’t up to it, she needed to eat. She heated the oil and started to throw the chicken and vegetables into the wok. The aroma of Thai curry wafting down the hall might entice Eva to the table. Then again, she might be better just sleeping it off.

  *

  ‘Hey baby.’ The tone was soft, remorseful even. Eva stepped into the kitchen, noting the two place settings and Rosa’s empty plate in front of her. Eva’s hair straddled her face and stuck up in strange places. She hadn’t dried it from the shower and having fallen asleep for a couple of hours it had settled into its own peculiar style.

  Rosa couldn’t stop the edges of her lips curling up at the sight of the bedraggled woman. Even though she felt hurt and disappointed that the evening she had planned in her mind hadn’t materialised, she couldn’t help but melt at the sight of Eva, with her longer hair giving her a more defenceless appearance than the harder-looking spikey-style she had when they first met. There was something quite endearing about the vulnerability, Rosa thought as she locked on to Eva’s bloodshot eyes.

  Eva flicked her hands through her hair and tucked it behind her ear. The fidgety behaviour reminded Rosa of a child needing to apologise but not knowing where to start.

  ‘Hey,’ Rosa responded with the tenderness she felt.

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Eva’s eyes lowered, and she squirmed, unable to face the pain she knew she had inflicted on her girlfriend.

  ‘Want to talk?’ Rosa asked softly.

  Eva brought her eyes upwards. ‘Can we chat tomorrow. I need to sleep.’ She looked tired, drained, and her words were still slightly slurred.

  ‘Sure. I’ve got an early start tomorrow,’ Rosa said, rising from the table and removing her plate to the dishwasher. ‘You want to eat anything?’ she asked, looking over her shoulder.

  ‘No, I don’t think my stomach will take it,’ Eva said, her hand nursing her belly, trying to raise a coy smile. Rosa held her eyes, seeking answers. Eva sighed deeply, took in a deep breath, and looked her in the eye. ‘Mum just threw a few curveballs at me today. I wasn’t expecting it, that’s all, and I need to adjust. Sorry… I drank too much at lunchtime.’ She shrugged, looking every bit the helpless child she was in that moment. ‘Can we chat tomorrow… I promise?’

  ‘I’d like that.’ Rosa’s tone was sterner than she had intended. She would hold Eva to her promise though. ‘I’m going to bed now.’ If the hollow emptiness in Rosa’s eyes bit at Eva, she didn’t show it. Rosa turned her back. Her shoulders were beginning to shake as she headed for the stairs.

  ‘Baby,’ Eva pleaded, following closely, reaching out for her arm. Turning Rosa to face her.

  Rosa shrugged her off and controlled her breathing. ‘Tomorrow,’ she said, trying to muster the confidence she lacked, and the word that came out was shaky. Eva’s shoulders slumped, and her arms weighed heavily by her side. Rosa turned back around, and Eva watched her take the stairs. Eva staggered back into the kitchen to fill a glass of water. What was she doing? The question bounced around her fog-filled mind as she picked at the food that had been left on the stove for her. At least half an hour had passed before she too climbed the stairs. She hadn’t intended to sleep in the spare room, but that’s where she found herself, and, having reconciled that she didn’t want to disturb Rosa, that’s were she planned to stay.

  *

  She turned into the warmth, her arm naturally finding its way around the soft smooth waist and hip that presented itself. Her eyes flickered, but didn’t open. The faded scent of bergamot and thyme, teasing her senses, both soothed and aroused her. The combination was exquisite, and she wanted to hold onto it for as long as possible. She knew she wasn’t dreaming, but she also had no recollection of moving from the spare room into Rosa’s bed. Maybe it was after she had been to the toilet, she wondered. Whenever it was, all that mattered was the familiarity of this warm space, next to this woman. This felt safe. This felt right.

  The soft groan of pleasure caused Eva’s hand to explore further as she moved in closer and started to kiss the back of Rosa’s neck. Her scent was intoxicating and the sensual sounds a trigger to her clit, which had started to pulse. Rosa leaned her head back to expose her neck, and turned just enough. Eva kissed her way down to the erect nipple that was awaiting her touch.

  Rosa fingered Eva’s hair roughly, pulling her closer, begging for more as the tingling sensations continued to drive her lower region into spasms of delight. She bucked under the building heat, the groan emanating from her mouth stifled by Eva’s sensual lips. ‘Fuck me,’ Rosa growled, urgently.

  Eva moved swiftly, cupping Rosa between the legs, her palm pressing down, whilst two fingers sought out the warm wet opening and slid effortlessly inside.

  ‘Deeper.’

  Rosa’s insatiable appetite fuelled Eva’s desire. She lowered herself down the bed, inserted a third finger and penetrated deeper, harder, feeling Rosa’s delicious softness expanding with every thrust. Rosa
groaned with the increasing intensity, as her body assumed Eva’s rhythmical movement. Eva moved lower, taking Rosa’s clit in her mouth as she continued to fuck her. Her fingers worked slowly and deeply, then faster and shallower - her tongue joining in the dance, taking Rosa to the edge. Eva, sensing the moment just before Rosa came, slowed her pace and teased just enough for Rosa to hold the waves of the orgasm even longer. Savouring the excitement coursing through every nerve in her body, she screamed out. Eva smiled, her confidence boosted by her ability to create such a pleasing response in another woman, and especially in this woman.

  ‘Come here,’ Rosa gasped, with a wild intensity that left no room for negotiation. Eva had intended to kiss her way up Rosa’s body, but Rosa clearly had other ideas and pulled her up eagerly. Taking her girlfriend’s mouth firmly with her own, she flipped Eva onto her back. Eva enjoyed the feeling of submission. She wanted to feel the weight of Rosa on top of her; wanted to feel her inside her. This… this made everything better. The fleeting thought was lost in a flash, as Rosa plunged into her, taking her mind into oblivion as the energy built and surged.

  It wasn’t long after she was spent that Eva drifted into a lazy sleep. And not long after that, Rosa slid from the bed, showered, dressed, and made her way out of the bedroom.

  Rosa watched from the doorway, momentarily, enjoying the peaceful rise and fall of Eva’s lean body, and the wild hair that concealed her closed eyes. The events of the previous evening seemed so long ago, but even their intimacy hadn’t lifted the shadow across her heart. She eased the door shut, trod softly down the stairs, and stepped out into the dark, cold, early morning air.

  *

  Eva woke suddenly and grabbed for her phone. It was 9am. Disorientated, she focused her eyes on the text, her heart pounding in her chest.

  We do need to talk. I’ll be back about 4 x

  She breathed a sigh of relief, when she realised it was Friday, not Monday, and wondered why she had reacted so badly to the idea of it being 9am on Monday morning. Carine. The woman irked her, and she didn’t know why.

  She rubbed at her eyes and stretched across the bed. Yes, she needed to explain to Rosa why she had arrived home so drunk. She hoped Rosa would understand; hoped Rosa would forgive her. She allowed the dark memories of the previous evening to slip easily through her mind, preferring instead to linger on the events of the early hours of the morning, and the warm feeling that their intense love making brought with the recollection. She was pulled out of her daydream by the arrival of another text.

  Do you fancy going out tonight with Dee and Angie? X

  She tapped her response and eased her way out of bed, heading for the shower. She didn’t warm to the anaesthetist at all; hadn’t liked the look of her since the first time she saw Dee and Rosa at Le So What, but she owed it to Rosa to go, and it had been a while since they had both been out on the town together. Now though, she would get on with some work and try to minimise the opportunity for Carine to find fault with her when she showed up on Monday.

  4.

  ‘Hello mother. Is everything okay?’ Lauren asked as she took the call on her mobile, still wet from having just stepped out of the shower. Even though they were getting on well, Lauren still addressed Valerie with the more formal term. Mum just didn’t seem to fit Valerie Vincenti. Valerie rarely called though, and Lauren’s concern was reinforced by the distressed voice at the end of the line. Lauren wrapped the towel around her body, ignoring the water trickling down the side of her face, and wedged the phone between her ear and shoulder. She listened.

  ‘The police have been making enquiries.’ Valerie blurted in an uncharacteristically shaky voice. ‘I’m at the police station now with Henri. I need your help.’

  ‘What?’ Lauren’s voice rose with concern.

  ‘Papa’s death.’

  Lauren’s heart raced at the words, her sharp intake of breath, silencing Valerie momentarily. She began to pace the bedroom. ‘What are you talking about?’ Lauren asked. Valerie started sobbing, unable to speak. ‘Mother, please, what’s happened?’ Valerie’s sobs eventually trailed into a sniffle. Lauren waited patiently, trying to control the thumping in her own chest.

  ‘Someone has suggested that we assisted Petru,’ she managed, before the next wave of sobbing took her over.

  ‘Helped him to commit suicide?’

  ‘Yes.’ The simple word was spoken more quietly than the implication of such an allegation warranted.

  ‘Shit.’ Lauren paused as she processed the information, suddenly finding answers to unasked questions. ‘Did you?’ she asked in a tone that was more accusatory than she had intended. Her mother’s silence gave her cause for concern. ‘Where are you now?’ she asked.

  ‘Ajaccio. Can you help us?’ Valerie pleaded.

  ‘I’m not a criminal lawyer mother.’

  ‘Please?’ Valerie’s anxiety came across in a whimper.

  ‘I’ll get the next flight I can,’ Lauren said, question after question firing through her brain. ‘Is Antoine involved in this as well?’ she asked. The silence came again. ‘Mother.’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  Fuck. ‘Okay. Leave it with me. I’ll get there as soon as I can.’ The call ended before she removed the phone from her ear. She turned around to face a concerned looking Anna standing in the doorway.

  ‘Everything okay?’ Anna asked, registering that the answer was clearly no. She stepped across to Lauren, whose features had shifted from the cheery look of an hour ago into a tight ball of concern. ‘Sweetheart, what is it?’ she asked, beginning to feel the anxiety swell in her gut.

  ‘I need to go to Corsica as soon as possible, ideally today. Mother and Henri have been taken in for questioning by the police regarding my father’s death.’

  Anna’s eyebrows rose involuntarily as she played with Lauren’s words, questioning what she had just heard. ‘Jesus. I don’t know what to say,’ she reflected, searching for evidence in her own mind and finding none. ‘I can’t even begin to process that,’ she admitted, shaking her head. ‘Are they saying they killed your dad?’ she asked, having dismissed the idea as ridiculous in her own mind.

  ‘I don’t know the details. I think they’re talking about assisted suicide, which would mean a charge of manslaughter, or…’ Anna took a sharp intake of breath. ‘Murder,’ Lauren finished.

  Anna was running her fingers through her hair, trying to make sense of the shocking news. ‘How? I don’t understand. He’s been buried more than a year.’

  ‘I know. That’s what I don’t understand.’

  ‘Shall we come with you?’ Anna offered.

  ‘No, honestly. Hopefully they’ll be released after questioning. I just need to be there, and make sure they get the best representation.’ Lauren started to dress.

  Anna’s face began to crease with the light smile that was forming at the sight of Lauren in her dark blue jeans, light grey shirt and dark grey jacket. Distracted by the warm pulsing sensation that had started to tingle her nerve endings, ‘You look hot,’ she said, pulling Lauren towards her, and placing a lingering kiss on her lips. Lauren reacted to the touch, a soft moan escaping her, before she gently pulled back. ‘I’ll check flights,’ Anna said, turning away from a lightly flushed Lauren, and heading for the stairs.

  ‘Thanks,’ Lauren mumbled. ‘I’ll pack.’

  *

  ‘You still okay for tonight?’ Dee asked, putting on her coat as she exited the hospital building. ‘You’ve been… quiet, all day. It’s not like you and I’m worried,’ she said, holding Rosa’s arm as if she wanted to shake her back into her old self.

  Rosa pulled her friend into a hug. ‘I’m fine, honestly. Just got a lot on my mind at the moment, but yes, we’ll see you at Girleze about 9.’ Her smile was tired, but it was a genuine smile nonetheless.

  Dee clasped Rosa’s face in both hands with tenderness. Staring into her eyes, ‘Good,’ she said. ‘Let’s go let off some steam.’ She pulled Rosa in and kissed her on the c
heek. Rosa nudged her in the side as they stepped out from the sheltered area into the heavy rain. Quickening their pace, they dived into the Metro, threw a hug, and then headed in opposite directions.

  As Rosa approached the gated entrance to her town house, her heart pounded heavily in her chest. It wasn’t a feeling she enjoyed, and especially in association with her home. She was starting to wonder if she were paranoid, worrying what state she would find Eva in and whether her girlfriend would be sober enough to have a sensible conversation. But then she questioned whether she was being too harsh. Their relationship had taken off quickly. Their lovemaking was always intensely intimate, yet outside of that Eva more often than not seemed distant, cold even. Something wasn’t right, but she didn’t know what that something was. As she turned the key in the lock and eased the door open, she could hear Adele blasting out Someone Like You over the buzzing of the vacuum cleaner. She smiled at the idea of Eva cleaning, and softened a little at the homely gesture. The tension eased in her shoulders, and she released a deep breath as she entered the house.

  Eva didn’t hear the soft pad of Rosa’s deck shoes as she approached, and jumped out of her skin as she turned into her path, nearly taking her out with the wildly swinging vacuum hose. She stopped in her tracks, holding her chest with her hand and switched off the noise. ‘Hi.’ She smiled, with something between remorse and affection in her eyes.

  ‘Hi,’ Rosa responded, every part of her warming to Eva in her black Lycra shorts and white string vest. The sports gear accentuated her lithe, firm, figure. She eyed her slowly from top to toe, involuntarily biting down on her lower lip, before chastising herself at her body’s betrayal of her mind’s concerns.

  ‘Sorry, I’ve been to the gym. Thought I’d clean while I’m still grubby. I need a shower though,’ Eva said, noting her sweaty body, sniffing at an armpit, and pulling her nose up at the odour. ‘I’ll finish up, shower, and then we can have that chat,’ she said.