So absorbed is she in her work that Nadine barely registers the knock on the office door. Since taking time out from the band she’s finally had the opportunity to get more involved in the day-to-day running of things and it generally involves wading through a mountain of paperwork – invoices, statements, general correspondence. Well, no one ever said having your own business was glamorous...
It’s only when the knocking comes again, this time louder and more insistent that she looks up.
“Nadine?” comes her dad’s voice from the other side. “Are you busy, love?”
She sighs, pushing aside the pile of ‘to-do’ items. “No, you’re alright.”
He pokes his head around the door, smiling. “You’ve got a visitor.” He pushes the door open wider then steps aside to reveal a familiar face.
“Oh my God!” Nadine practically squeals, leaping from her chair, paperwork immediately forgotten. “Cheryl!”
The woman in question answers with one of her trademark dimpled smiles and Nadine wastes no time in rushing at the petite brunette to envelop her in a tight hug. “Why didn’t you tell me you were comin’ to LA? How long are you here for?” Nadine draws back to take a good look at the Geordie and that’s when she notices the dark circles under Cheryl’s eyes. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, babe,” Cheryl replies, though her smile is a bit strained now. “Just jet-lagged, you know?”
Nadine’s dad clears his throat. “I’ll leave you girls to catch up.”
They remain in the loose circle of each other’s arms, almost oblivious to his exit. “Not that I’m not pleased to see you but... what are you doin’ here?”
Cheryl ducks her head, avoiding eye contact. “Fancied a break and, well, I wanted to see how the place was comin’ along.”
Nadine gives her an incredulous look. “Cheryl, you didn’t fly 5000 miles just to check up on my pub.” She brings her hand to the other woman’s chin, forcing Cheryl to meet her stare. That’s when Nadine notices that Cheryl’s normally sparkling brown eyes are watery with unshed tears. “Oh, Cheryl, what’s happened?”
The concern in Nadine’s voice is the impetus for the Geordie to finally break down. A chocked sob escapes her lips as her face crumples. “It’s Ashley.” She buries her face in the crook of Nadine’s shoulder. “I’ve left ‘im,” she cries, voice muffled by cotton.
“Oh,” Nadine exhales softly, suddenly at a loss for words.
**
Rather than subject Cheryl to the curious stares of her family and employees, Nadine decides the best thing to do is to whisk her home. They barely speak as Nadine drives; she doesn’t know what to say to console the other woman as Cheryl sniffles behind huge sunglasses.
Cheryl’s problems are normally Kimberley’s domain; they’ve always been the best of friends and a bit apart from the rest of them, so Nadine’s understandably nonplussed by Cheryl’s unannounced arrival on her doorstep when Kim would otherwise be Cheryl’s first port of call.
She doesn’t really have time to dwell on that though.
Waiting at a stop light she feels Cheryl’s hand gently cover her own where it rests on the gear stick. It seems tinier somehow, Cheryl’s hand, without that enormous, ostentatious diamond ring on her finger. Turning her palm over, Nadine threads her fingers through Cheryl’s and gives a reassuring squeeze.
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Cheradine- Lost and found
FanfictionNadine is in LA when Cheryl unexpectedly fly's over to visit. Cheryl confesses that she is divorcing Ashley as he has cheated on her again. Nadine decides to take Cheryl out for a meal when a waiter see's them holding hands and assumes they're gay...
