Revival (Johanna's story with Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 25

25.
I shut the door and walk back through with my hands up to my face.

"Shit, sorry - I should never have opened the door. I was still half-asleep and I hadn't heard a knock or anything" I apologise.

"Uh - I was out to it. I didn't hear anything until their voices. I didn't know if you would have wanted me to hide or something ...but I didn't really have time to do anything."

"No, hell I didn't expect you to hide. I am a grown-up. I'm not ashamed or you, or you being here. It just wasn't exactly ...ideal" and I giggle a bit.

"I'm damn glad I put my boxers back on before we fell asleep" he grins back.

I look around at the floor suddenly a bit panicked, "Did you pick up the condom?"

"Yeah, I chucked it down my boxers." I look down. "I'd already tied a knot in it - I'm glad of that too" he adds.

I sit on the arm of the couch and sniff. "Do you think it smells ...like sex in here?"

He giggles this time, "I can't tell." He stands, "I think I might put some pants on - I have a new appreciation for them."

"Grab a shower if you want. I'm gonna have one in the ensuite and get dressed too."

"Thanks" he replies.

He's still in the shower when I come out in jeans and a T-shirt. I decide it's probably a fair bet that he's hungry again. I tap on the bathroom door and then open it just a little. "Do you like eggs - do you want scrambled eggs for lunch?" I call in.

"Sure - sounds good" he answers above the water.

He eventually emerges wearing his jeans again and with his shirt fully-buttoned. He eats his way through the eggs and toast ravenously, and then puts his plate in the dishwasher. "Thanks" he turns back around. "Have you got plans for tonight?"

"Nothing in particular" I admit.

"Can I take you out for dinner somewhere?" His voice is almost shy.

"Sure - that'd be cool" I respond, and he reaches out for me, wrapping his arms around the top of my shoulders. I rest my head against his chest and he kisses the top of my head and then stays with his lips against my head. I feel him breathing as I hold around his waist.

I lift my head to him after a bit. "Do you want me to take you home now?"

"Yeah - please. I better check Mum's doing okay, and I need to sort out a few other things."

"Okay." I glance out the window and the rain has eased right off. "Do you want to come Jess? - I'll take you for a walk around the reserve on the way home." She jumps off the couch and runs over immediately. I think 'walk' was actually the only word she needed to hear. I grab her lead, with my purse and keys. "I'm just gonna get a jacket" I tell him, as he takes his own off the table and puts it on.
We drive along with Jess sitting on Luke's lap again and him playing with her ears.

I wind the window down a little to get some fresh breeze on my face. "Is your Mum on meds or anything?" I glance across at him briefly.

"Yeah, she does take something now. I'm not sure exactly what, but it seems to have helped a bit."

"Did she... have problems when you were little too, or is it just more recently?"

He shifts in the seat uncomfortably and answers me shortly "Only in the past few years." He looks away from me out the window and I decide to leave it alone.

I turn into his street and he turns to face me again. "I had a really good time with you."

"Me too." I pull up outside his house in the same spot we were in last night (or actually the early hours of this morning).