Chim - Traffic

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"That was good! Robert de Niro is the one guy I would kiss." I raise my eyebrows at Cheryl.

"Well, the seventy-year-old teller at Tesco looks like him. Should I be worried?" She punches me in the arm playfully before I continue. "I'd kiss Anne Hathaway, any day. God the things she does to me!"

I raise my eyes to the sky, mockingly clutching my heart, earning another punch. "Yeah, and what do I do to you?"

I pull Cheryl close, cupping her chin. "I think you know, baby. And if you don't, I'm more than happy to show you when we get home."

Nadine pushes between us, linking our arms with hers as Nicola laughs hysterically. "That's enough out of you too. Now, dinner. Any cravings?"

"Nothing heavy, that popcorn filled me up quite well. How about sushi?" They nod in agreement and we walk towards the waiting line of taxis. Ten minutes later we're seated at our table, consulting the menu. Nadine pulls out her phone, her long fingers dancing over the screen, and giggles.

"Sarah's text me, says she's having a crap time at work, and telling us we owe her a proper night out." She stows the device away as Nicola picks up her chopsticks.

"She'll get one, on her birthday." She pulls the sticks apart, laying them on her napkin.

"Do you think it's fair to make her wait that long?" I smile, watching Cheryl struggle to copy Nicola's movements, failing miserably, her face falling as one of her chopsticks snaps in half. The waiter approaches to take our order, also producing another packet of chopsticks, which I separate and hand to Cheryl. A grateful smile is thrown my way as our drinks are served, each of us taking a sip. Not long after, Nicola excuses herself to the toilet, and I turn to the other two.

"Right, speaking of birthdays, what are we doing for Nicola's? Any ideas?" Nadine shrugs, fiddling with her straw.

"How about the opera? I mean, I know it's pricey, but it's only your birthday once a year, right?" I nod at Cheryl's suggestion.

"That's a great idea babe. We need to let Sarah know, of course, but I think she'd be on board." Nadine nods her agreement as well as I see Nicola emerge from the bathroom. As she turns she bumps into a handsome man, smiling apologetically. They seem to smooth things out as they continue to talk, eventually swapping phones to input each other's numbers before Nicola returns as our food is placed in front of us.

"Who was that?" Nicola smiles shyly at Cheryl's question, picking up her first piece of food.

"His name's Mike. He's a computer engineer, works at the university." We chat as we eat, mostly about Nicola and Mike, and how long she should wait to call him.

After another round of drinks and dessert, the four of us emerge from the restaurant, wrapping our jackets around ourselves, the wind having picked up as we ate. We dial the taxi service, sighing with relief when it arrives and we climb into its welcoming warmth. Nicola, perched in the front seat, is the first to depart, waving good bye as she unlocks her front door. Nadine quickly follows, taking longer to enter her residence, with her tricky lock holding her up. Eventually, her own door closes behind her and we depart again, heading home.

Once we arrive there, we pay the taxi driver, locking up once inside. I follow Cheryl into the bedroom, smiling as she kicks off her heels and lays on the floor, pushing her feet against the radiator. "Ahh, that feels amazing."

I begin to undress, Cheryl quickly following suit, and it isn't until we're in bed that I produce the wrapped fortune cookies, holding them out.