Never Again

Part Thirteen

Next morning, Erin woke first, Jack was fast asleep, snoring softly, but he looked comfortable at last. She found some more of the medication and placed it next to the glass on his bedside table; he needed to take them when he woke. Then she wandered downstairs.

Michelle and Dave were already up, sharing coffee, decaf for her of course, at the kitchen table. As soon as she entered the room, all four eyes focussed on her. Laughing she grabbed a mug and poured herself a measure of the strong black coffee that she and Dave loved.

                “No comment!” She offered, lowering into a seat opposite them. Dave chuckled, but Michelle could barely restrain herself.

                “I presumed I’d find one of you on the sofa...”

Erin slowly sipped her coffee, keeping the straightest face, then she finally suggested, “We shared the bed, two adults can without it resorting to sex you know!”

                “But it wasn’t for the want of trying!” A deep voice added from the doorway, and they all looked up to see a rather delicious version of Jack stood there. His hair was more than ruffled from sleep, his eyes creased from the pillow, and he wore the same t-shirt he wore to bed, but a pair of training shorts covered the boxers he’d worn with it.

Michelle squealed with excitement, whereas Dave laughed and fist bumped Jack.

                “Coffee?” Dave jumped to his feet and poured a mug for his guest. Jack nodded appreciatively.

                “So can I shout you all to breakfast? I’m feeling a million dollars after that great night’s sleep. But I could eat a horse. What do you reckon?”

                “It’s been ages since we’ve taken the Sunday papers to Mario’s cafe!” Dave immediately agreed. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”

The women were reluctant to get dressed and leave the house yet, so they went with plan B, a delivery from the afore mentioned Mario’s, which Dave insisted on paying for, in a battle of testosterone.

                “Thanks for letting him win,” Erin whispered once he’d left the room.

Jack nodded, “male pride, I get that, wanted to thank him for putting me up yesterday, but there’s plenty of time to thank him for that...and plenty of ways!”

                “See!” She placed a hand on his arm, “you can be nice sometimes!”

A few hours later, somehow, Erin ended up driving a hire car back to Manchester. She was angry at first, that he wasn’t prepared to take some of the load, especially when he barked out a tirade of instructions to negotiate the London streets that SHE was more familiar with than him, but he fell asleep on the outskirts of London and moaned in pain, so much so that she had to pull over to find his medication. He was more comfortable until they got back to Manchester.

                “So where am I taking you? I need to take this car to the drop off point by nine pm.”

Jack shook his head, “they’ll pick it up, I’ll call them. Will you drop me at mine?”

For all her arguments previously, she really didn’t want to go to his, it would complicate things and after their kisses...and more, the night before, the last thing she wanted was to wander back into that spider’s web.

                “Can we go to mine and then maybe you could drive to yours? It’s been a long day.”

He nodded, “if you’re sure.” When she nodded he smiled, “I owe you SO big for everything...again!”