Revival (Johanna's story with Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 6

6.
It's a bit awkward as Luke perches himself on a stool at the breakfast bar and watches me fishing through the fridge and gathering things. He tells me I have a nice place and asks how long I have lived here, as he scans around the kitchen and living room, then starts to fidget in the seat again. He clicks and then spins a pen on the bench, while repeatedly glancing across to the ranch slider to take in Jess's increasingly demanding yaps. We have left her and her vile stench, (which we decided was most likely from rotting fish guts) outside, but she has now tired of sniffing about the garden and would rather be inside in the warm in her basket.

"I could give her a wash, if you want ...I don't think that smell is going to wear off any time soon and she definitely wants in" he offers.

"No you don't have to do that" I respond, while cutting up an onion and some tomatoes. "I can do it later on - she might get a bit cold going to bed in the garage wet, but hopefully that might deter her in the future." I don't really fancy my chances on that.

He spins the pen again as Jess lets out an even more shrill yap and I yell at her to shut up.

"I really don't mind. I'm pretty crap at cooking and not much help to you there, but I can at least wash a dog... while you're busy." His eyes are very sincere and I have already gotten the feeling that he's not particularly good at sitting doing nothing.

"Well... if you want you could just chuck her in the shower. The hose detaches, so that might be easiest."

"No worries." He's up quickly and then carrying her at arm's length across the living room, his nose wrinkled up as she squirms.

"Through here and then on the left" I direct him, after putting down the knife, and while smiling a bit at his face. He really does have the most expressionful face.

I go to check on his progress once I have everything well under way. He's been in there a while, and I have heard his muffled voice at times talking to Jess, as well as plenty of banging and crashing. I grab an old towel from the linen cupboard on the way. When I open the door Luke is trying to scoop her up from the bottom of the shower, while she is intent on shaking herself off violently. I can't help but laugh as I quickly throw the towel over her, even though I do feel a bit guilty about the drama she has obviously caused. His shirt is completely soaked.

"Sorry, I think I forgot to mention that she's not particularly fond of being washed" I grin at him, after noticing that his face is more amused than annoyed.

"Yeah, you did" he responds, trying to hide his smile and look accusing. Next minute he has a hold of the bottom of both his shirt and T-shirt and slips them off over his head, before grabbing the dog in the towel and slipping past me to take her outside again to dry.

It stopped me in my tracks instantly, and even now I can't stop my eyes constantly flicking to look at him through the ranch slider, as I assemble the lasagne in a dish. He is bent over with his back to me, rubbing Jess with the towel, while she does her best to make a game of it. The muscles in his back ripple under his taunt skin, above the black jeans. He just looks so healthy and strong (and young) in the fading light.

I pull my eyes from him to put the dish in the oven for a final warm, and am glad I did it before he turns and steps inside again. He holds the towel at his stomach with some modesty and I tell him I have another shirt he can wear, and take the towel to put it in the wash.

He is buttoning the shirt up a bit unsurely as I bring our plates of food through to the lounge, so we can eat on the couch. Again I stop in my tracks, and he notices it this time. It's not that he looks that much like Matt - the eyes are the same, but Matt was a bit shorter and forty-seven when he died. It's just weird to see someone else in his shirt. I try to regather myself quickly.