Cheradine one shots

What is the use in what I say?

She jerks awake. Her phone is playing whichever soulless dance tune Nicola downloaded the last time she got her hands on it. She takes a few seconds to come to and realise that it’s still pitch black. Hurriedly she reaches out towards the glowing green light and gropes around until she finds the phone. Jesse shifts in his sleep, turning over and murmuring something unintelligible. Her eyes are too blurry with sleep to read the display.

“Hello?”

“Nadine, it’s me.”

“Kimberley?”

“Look, I’m really sorry to be calling this late…but it’s Cheryl.”

She sits up abruptly, suddenly awake, heart thundering in the quiet room.

“What is it? What’s happened?”

“No, it’s nothing like that…we’re out at a club and…well, she’s had a bit to drink...”

She flops back down onto the pillows, further disturbing Jesse, causing him to pull the covers away from her.

“And she wants me to come and get her.”

It’s not a question.

“You know how she gets when she’s had a drink.”

She turns over in bed, facing away from Jesse.

“Well, tell her to phone her husband to come and get her.”

The word is uttered with more than a little venom and she feels sorry for Kimberley, shot for being the messenger.

“Yep, tried that. She’s not keen on it.”

“Pity she didn’t think about that before she married him.”

“What do you want me to tell her?”

She’s trying to think of appropriate words for Kimberley to convey when she hears drunken singing in the background.

“…I don’t need no good advice, I’m already wasted…”

“Yeah, you so are.”

“Shut up! So are you, b!tch!”

The two voices dissolve into giggles. She sighs. If Nicola’s there that means Cheryl’s been doing shots. Probably tequila.

“Is that Nadine on the phone?”

She holds her breath as Kimberley replies to the shouted question.

“Yeah.”

“Is she comin’ down?”

“It’s the middle of the night, Cheryl. She’s in bed.”

“Lemme talk to her.”

Kimberley’s voice comes back, louder.

“She wants to talk to you.”

She closes her eyes.

“Hiya babe!”

“What is it, Cheryl?”

“Awwww, don’t be like that man.”

“You woke me up in the middle of the night, what do you expect?”

“Usually when I wake you up in the middle of the night you’re a lot nicer than this to us.”

She grits her teeth but is unable to stop her body from reacting to the words.

“Why are you out getting p!ssed? Shouldn’t you be at home with your husband?”

“Just like you, you mean? Tucked up in bed with your boyfriend?”