You got it, Blondie

Chapter 12: Yellow houses

Juliet

I dropped my bags where I was standing and ran into James' arms. His strong, colossal arms. They wrapped around my tall figure. He was right. I felt protected and safe here, with him, and it wasn't like it used to be on this island. There were things worth staying for like Jin and his weird Korean jokes or Miles and his sarcastic comments that always annoyed the hell out of me but occasionally made me smile. And James, the man who I used to despise, and who used to despise me back. We became best friends. His nicknames and his references to people make me laugh on the inside, obviously when there not directed at me.

I couldn't leave my friends here.

Not even if I tried.

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I woke up the next morning once again in the bunk bed I shared with Jin. The boys were all snoring so I had a shower and got dressed in the bathroom before they all woke up. Despite the fact that they all looked so funny in their sleep, I left them to it and slipped outside without being seen. I noticed the Dharma folk were already up and ready to go on with their daily jobs, gardening, security and even mechanics.

I wondered when we were going to get jobs. I mean, not that we loved here permanently yet but James was doing a good job of manipulating his way in. A very good job at that.

I noticed Horace walking towards our small hut with a beaming hippie-like grin on his face. This man, I wondered, was odd as hell.

"How can I help you, Horace?" I politely asked him.

"I was just coming to speak to James if you would mind telling me where he is?" He replied.

"I'm so sorry Horace but James is still sleeping. But I don't mind delivering the message for him if you want, seeing as I am his wife and all?" I said, one of the many perks of being married to James, I got first peek on everything that he knew.

"Oh yes, of course Juliet." He didn't want to piss me off, he should know that."I just wanted to say that we would like to invite you to come and live with us. Permanently. We would find you houses of course and jobs so you could make your way, but there's no point having you hear otherwise. What do ya say?" I was shocked. Only this morning was I thinking about when Horace would ask us this question, but now?

"That sounds lovely," I tried to put,"I would have to talk about it to James first though, he doesn't like me making he decisions."

"Yes, obviously. Make sure you do it soon. We have some new houses ready soon and there yours if you want them." He replied before leaving, whistling happily. Again, so odd.

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It was dinner and I still hadn't told James. I was nervous. I didn't know why, I just was. He was still overjoyed that I was staying put for now, and he kept smiling at me every few minutes. It made my heart flutter and I hated it.

After a few more hours, we were playing shed with an old pack of cards we found, well new for the year we were in but for us, I was still adjusting. I decided to tell James. It wasn't all bad anyway. He would be ecstatic. To be honest, I was worried about the living arrangements. If we were married, it meant we would most likely get a house together. A one bedroom house. Yikes. And the thought of seeing him in a towel with wet hair and a chiselled toned chest made me freak. How would I form words around him? I mean I've done it before, but when I hated him. There's a difference.

"James, can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked.

"Sure, hold on." He was just finishing his go and then we stood up and went outside.

"What is it?" He looked at me.

I spent the next 20 minutes talking through the plan with James. It took this long because the man just couldn't get his head around the fact that a) we got to stay b) we get our own houses and c) because I didn't tell him sooner.

"Sorry, I just, I was nervous that's all." I muttered.

"What?" He laughed,"you were nervous."

"Very funny James. Laugh all you want but you won't be laughing when your sleeping on the couch." I snapped, lightly back.

"Woah, why can't we sleep together?" He flirted.

"James, go away." I slapped his arm.

"This is good news Juliet." I answered.

Maybe it was.