Get Ready For It - A Gary Barlow FF

Chapter 23

After saying goodbye to the boys who are, as always, the last to leave a party like myself, we close the door behind us and can finally chill out after a busy but thoroughly enjoyable night.

Checking my watch, my eyes widen at the time;

03:19

''Fuck me, when did it get so late?'' I say to Sophie, as I follow her lead and begin bringing some of the empty beer and wine bottles out to the kitchen.

''Not sure. Time flies when you're having fun as they say'' she smiles back at me, as she loads up the dishwasher full of empty plates and food-covered cutlery.

''Leave that, we can do that all in the morning'' I say to her, prising the remaining cutlery from her hands and place them in the sink.

''I said enough for tonight, sweetie. How about I get you a drink and you relax in the lounge with me? You've been on your feet all night. You haven't stopped!'' I say to her with a big smile on my face as I can feel how tired she is, let alone see it on her face.

Nodding her head silently, she finally lets the cleaning go and makes her way into the lounge whilst I go about making her a drink.

*****

I head towards the lounge, drink in hand, all of no less than 10 minutes later.

''Here you go, sweethea-'' I'm stopped in my tracks as I see a sleeping Sophie lying across the sofa.

Bless her, she must be shattered. Setting the drinks down quietly on the coffee table, I grab the throw from the back of the sofa and drape it over Sophie, before backing out of the lounge to go back and tidy up the kitchen a little bit more. I mean, I may as well get some tidying done while I am still wide awake and won't be tired for quite a while I reckon.

***45 minutes later***

Collapsing into the armchair in the corner of the lounge with a cup of tea, the sound of the leather cracking underneath me is loud enough to stir the sleeping beauty to my right-hand side.

''Oh shit, I didn't mean to wake you, babe. You OK?'' I say to her quietly as I take a sip of my tea, cross my right leg over my left and gaze over at my gorgeous, albeit slightly groggy, girlfriend.

''How long was I asleep for?'' she asks as she sits up and rubs at her eyes, getting all of the sleep away from her face.

''About 40 minutes or so. Not that long'' I smile back at her, taking my iPhone out of my pocket and placing it on the arm of the chair.

''Did you tidy the room? You said leave it until the morning, I would have happily helped, Gary'' she says as she sits up and rubs away the sleep from her eyes.

''Ah don't worry about it, sweetie. Only took about 10 minutes anyway. 3 black bags full with cans and bottles and a full dishwasher'' I wink at her, as I smile slightly at my own domestication.

''Still...'' she starts as she picks herself up from the sofa, padding her way over to the arm of the chair that I'm sitting in, plopping herself down beside me as I wrap my arm around her bum. 

''...was the least I could do..'' she mumbles to herself.

''Eh there, less of that. You were an absolute star tonight. The lads loved you and I think Howard likes your friend Laura. They couldn't be separated all night'' I say to her as I pull her further into my frame.