Chapter 15
She checked her appearance in the mirror. Once she was satisfied she looked presentable, she brushed her hair with thin fingers and sashayed out of the toilets.
Her eyes quickly scanned the crowd and found the group she was looking for.
Grabbing a drink from the bar for herself and her best friend, she glided across the dance floor, turning wandering eyes towards her.
'Sarah here. Your drink' Her voice sounded tired and exhausted, but there a bounce to her steps that she couldn't control. The music was pumping through her veins.
'Cheryl is coming in a bit' Nadine giggled drunkenly as she locked her keypad and slipped the phone in her bag.
Kimberley bit her lower lips, thinking about what Nadine told them.
'Oh there she is'
She glanced towards where Nadine pointed and waved. Cheryl gracefully walked in wearing a silk top, tight blazers and skinny jeans. Her eyes sparkled, reflecting the various colours emitted by the little bulbs on the ceiling.
Cheryl greeted and exchanged pleasantries with important people, once in a while her eyes travelling to the blonde on the floor.
She noticed with a smile that she was barely standing on her two feet, she was literally swaying from side to side.
Once she got closer to them, she hugged the girls and Sarah and nodded at Kimberley. Kimberley smiled in response, her lips twisting into a full smile.
They sat at the table as the jazz group began to play. Being the wife, Kimberley had to set next to Cheryl. It was another obligation her contract expected her to fulfil.
'Cheryl. Long time'
A man in his late twenties stopped at the table, leaning in to hug her. Kimberley grimaced at the smell of weed coming off him.
'Babe, I'll be right back' Cheryl yelled over the music. Kimberley nodded her head. She was getting used to being called babe in public. They were very good at putting this show.
Cheryl spent time catching up with her dancer friend. Their lives had been busy and hectic. She realised she had missed him a lot.
'So you're tapping that?'
His gaze travelled to the blonde who was leaning over the table, her hair falling around her face in cascades.
Cheryl glowered at him. She didn't like anyone talking about her like she was just a piece of meat.
'Relax. I know you put a ring on it' He grinned angering her even further, ' I mean look at that face and that body. No wonder she turned you gay'
She wanted to slap him. And then punch him. Or do both at the same time. Just how dare he speak about her like that? She was a human being with feelings. He is talking about her as if she is something she bought at the store.
She eyed the blonde as she considered the places to bury his body once she was done with him.
He wasn't wrong though. Was he? She was hot. How did she not notice this before? They had spent 5 months under the same roof and other than a quick observation of how beautiful her eyes were, she hadn't paid much attention to her.
'She is beautiful' She agreed calmly, once the realisation kicked in.
'Yeah and you're one lucky *Female Dog*'
She shoved him away playfully.
••••••••••••••
'I can't believe I slept. There is only an hour left. Ill never be able to get them done' She wailed in frustration.
'I'm sure you and I can finish these in an hour' Sarah reassured her.
'No. We can't. It takes five minutes just to make one. There is still about a hundred medals to be done' she plopped on the bed, rubbing her forehead gently trying to quell a setting migraine.
'How many have you done?'
'Only 50. I was in the living room making them. I came back to the bedroom to pick up some more ribbons and somehow fallen asleep' She expressed, stressed out beyond limits.
She was the one who volunteered to make the medals for the kids and she had screwed it up.
'Okay. Let's go grab them. Call the driver. We'll make more in the car. And when we reach we can make some more. We'll manage'
She let herself be dragged off the bed unwillingly. She sulked all the way to the living room.
'You won't believe this' Sarah gasped, frozen in her tracks.
'What?'
She pushed her out of her view gently and looked at the floor of the living room.
Medals that were made were nearly arranged and packed in a box. Romeo was sleeping peacefully next to the box. A note fluttered in the tea stand.
Kimberley carefully walked towards it and picked up the note in stunned disbelief.
Her eyes began to pool as she read the letter with trembling hand.
'Kimberley,
You were sleeping. I made the rest.
Have a good day.'
The note wasn't signed. It didn't matter. She knew who had done this.
'Do you think this house is haunted?' Sarah's questions fell on deaf ears.
Kimberley held the note to her heart and closed her eyes.
A simple note. Simple words. Simple act.
And yet her heart was like a land hit by hurricane.
•••••••••••
Cheryl dropped on the studio floor, completely exhausted. She had been up all night making medals.
Beth hadn't been forgiving with the dance rehearsals. She lost count of how many cups of coffee she drank or how many times she had smoked. If it wasn't for the combined effect of caffeine and nicotine she would be purring and sleeping like a cat somewhere in the corner of the dance studio by now.
'Fifteen minutes break. I want you back sharp at 5'
She groaned as she wiped a sheen of sweat that dripped from her eyebrow.
'I'm famished. Wanna get a sandwich?' Nicola asked the girls. Only Nadine responded.
'Cheryl. Aren't you coming?'
She signalled no. She wasn't willing to spend her energy talking. She only had little remaining after all.
Laying her head back on the mirror, she stretched her legs out, wondering if she should go for another cigarettes. She would crash if she allowed herself to take a nap.
Her eyes slowly closed despite her heavy protests.
Her thoughts began to arrange themselves in a jumbled mess, as sleep began to overtake her.
Blue eyes. Blonde hair. Beautiful. Romeo. Clouds. Candy. Pillows. Soft warm pillows. They are there again. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Beautiful.
Everything made sense and didn't make sense at the same time as she fell into the land between sleep and awake.
'Cheryl'
A warm touch on her cheeks. A familiar voice.
Medals. Ribbons. And whose blue eyes was that again?
'Cheryl wake up'
Another soft touch. A gentle stroke of her cheeks. A tear sliding down her face. A tear that wasn't her own. A kiss as light as feather on the cheeks.
'Cheryl'
The voice was barley a whisper. It still had the strength to pull her back from her semi sleep induced state.
Her eyes fluttered open.
Blue eyes. Blonde hair.
'Kimberley?' Her question was whispered.
The girl in question gave her a teary smile. 'Thank you' She laid a gentle kiss on her forehead.
'Sleepy' The brunette yawned, still trapped in the world between reality and dream.
'Come here'
The older girl pulled the younger one into her and rocked her gently.
Cheryl closed her eyes again, enjoying the warmth of the chest she was sleeping on.
And that's how the girls found them. Embraced, in one another's arms, deep in sleep.
'Look. A Kodak moment' Nicola remarked happily.
'Shush. You're going to wake them up' Nadine silenced her and smiled adoringly at the pair of girls. 'Let's go. I'll ask Beth to finish the rehearsals for today'
