Cheradine- Lost and found

Chapter 34

Cheryl phones her from the television studios at lunch time, during a break from the mid-week performance rehearsals.

“Hi, how are you?” the Geordie says, sounding a bit hesitant.

“Alright,” Nadine replies, giving nothing away although the softness of Cheryl’s disembodied voice in her ear makes her feel warm and tingly.

There’s a short pause before Cheryl asks, “Did you get the flowers then?”

“Aye, they’re nice.”

“Nice?” Cheryl echoes, a touch of incredulity in her tone.

“Beautiful,” Nadine corrects. She doesn’t want to aggravate Cheryl too much in case it results in the opposite of what she wants to achieve, and, besides, it’s rude to dismiss what was clearly an expensive bouquet as merely ‘nice.’ “Thank you.”

There’s a hushed voice in the background at the other end and Nadine waits patiently on the line. “Babe, I’ve got to go,” Cheryl says apologetically. “Are you free tonight?”

If she’s to follow Charmaine’s advice, Nadine should really be thinking up some excuse but her mind draws a blank. “I haven’t made any plans.”

While she’s aware that this sort of defeats the purpose of ‘playing hard to get’ she can’t quite bring herself to care.

***

Nadine’s intention was to prepare a nice, romantic dinner for them but it seems Cheryl has other ideas.

They barely make it past the hallway before Cheryl presses her up against a wall and kisses her senseless.

It’s only when she feels Cheryl’s hands moving purposefully towards her belt buckle that Nadine stops her, gently taking the other woman’s wrists.

“Can’t we just have a conversation first?” Nadine says, trying to appear unaffected by the blatant desire in Cheryl’s expression. “We don’t always have to jump to the sex bit straight away.”

The Geordie gives her a surprised look. “Are you complainin’?”

“No,” Nadine admits. She could quite happily go along with whatever Cheryl wants but she feels she ought to put up some resistance, however weak. “I dunno. I mean, we’ve got all night - why the hurry?”

That seems to get through to Cheryl because she steps back, putting a safe bit of distance between them. “Sorry, you’re right,” the brunette says with a guilty smile. “I don’t always think with me head around you. I never used to be a sex maniac, you know. You just have that effect on us.”

“Is that meant to be a compliment?”

Cheryl winks. “There’s none greater.”

***

Over a simple meal of grilled chicken and roasted vegetables, they discuss the latest developments on the X Factor.

“My girls are absolutely petrified about the live show on Saturday. If I thought there was loads of tears and hand-holdin’ last year, it’s nothing compared to this. Seein’ them so nervous is makin’ me freak out too.”

“Aye, well, remember when we were in their shoes?” Nadine comments, after swallowing a final forkful of chicken. “I think there’s even more pressure on them because the whole thing’s such a spectacle and so calculated. It wasn’t that bad for us, not really.”

“Mm, I suppose. It didn’t seem that way at the time though. Every performance was like life or death.”

“And every negative comment was like the end of the world.”

“Babe, that was never an issue for you,” Cheryl says with a wry smile.

“I know but if the judges criticised any of us, we all felt it.”

They both know she’s indirectly referring to Kimberley, to the fact that Louis Walsh made it clear he didn’t think the Bradford girl was up to par. Even now it still makes Nadine agitated to think about it because her friendship with Kim had been the one thing that had got her through the elimination process and the punishing schedule of the early days of the band. She couldn’t imagine Girls Aloud without Kim, since she was the heart and soul of the group.

Sensing Nadine’s disquiet, Cheryl reaches across the table to cover her hand with her own. “So, I spoke to me solicitors this afternoon.”

The sudden change of topic causes Nadine to look up, searching the Geordie’s face for signs of distress or anger but her expression is perfectly smooth. “And?”

“Ashley’s not going to dispute the divorce. He’s signed the papers.”

“That’s brilliant!” Nadine says, more relieved than she cares to admit. She’d been worried Ashley would be an arsehole and try to make things difficult but apparently he’s more dignified than she gives him credit for. (He’s still a dickhead but at least he has the good sense not to attempt to drag Cheryl’s name through the mud publically with a bitter, protracted legal battle.)

The Geordie smiles. “He’s also agreed to a 50/50 division of assets. We’re puttin’ the house on the market, he gets to keep his cars, I keep mine, and it’s just a case of divvyin’ up what’s in the joint account.”

“So how long does the process take then?”

“We’ll get the decree absolute in about six weeks.”

“Six weeks. Really? That’s quick.” Usually you hear about divorce proceedings dragging on for months or years, even when it’s an amicable one.

Cheryl shrugs. “Neither of us are interested in delayin’ it. I suppose we should be glad there aren’t any kids involved.”

Nadine studies her quietly for a moment, watching the play of emotions on Cheryl’s face. There’s relief and happiness, obviously, but there’s something else underneath the surface. “Are you okay?” Nadine asks, turning over the hand still resting on her own and holding it.

“It’s daft, really,” Cheryl responds with a weak smile, her eyes filling up. “On some level I thought he’d put up more of a fight. It just goes to show how little he cared about us.”

Nadine wants to say, “the fact that he went around shaggin’ other women should've been the first clue!” but she holds her tongue because it's not something the Geordie needs to hear, not from her, not now.

Instead she gets up and rounds the table, wrapping her arms around Cheryl’s shoulders, silently communicating her support. They stay like that for a few minutes, Cheryl’s hand lifting to cling on to Nadine’s forearm as she holds her.

It’s Cheryl that eventually ends the silence, looking up at Nadine with watery eyes. “Have we done enough talkin’ yet? ‘Cause I could really do with the sex bit now.”