Not a Second Time

Chapter Six, Part Two

I went inside first, turning all the lights on. I didn’t hear her following me so I went back and saw her still standing at the doorstep. “Well, come on in.” I pulled her gently.

She let me drag her in and look around with her eyes, still stiff as ever.

I expected this would be her reaction. She hadn’t said a word since we left the car, she kept looking away from me either and I was getting more worried and not because she wasn’t showing interest or attention to what I tried to say or do but because she kept being quiet and tensed. I wanted to see her in good spirits if only she knew that.

“Hannah, please sit down.” I said, pointing toward the couch behind her.

“Oh. Y-Yes, of course.” She sat down and giggled nervously, showing me a timid smile.

“You alright, love?” I asked and sat beside her.

Her face almost turned deep red when she gaped and she tilted away a little. “I-I’m fine.”

I looked at her and realized what I said made her feel that way. As far as I could recall, I used to call her with all those sweet names of endearment, did she forget that? Well it wouldn’t mean a lot to her now when she heard one from me. “Sorry. I know I shouldn’t have called you that but you can still get used to it, right?” I chuckled at my own words and stood up. I went to my room and took a clean shirt from my drawers and got back to her. I laid the shirt on her side. “You can change now. There are some hangers in the loo.” I said, pointing to the door beside my room. “Use ‘em for your wet clothes. Go on and I’ll make us tea.”

She held the shirt and smiled. “Thank you, George.” Then she left for the loo to change.

When I heard the door slam shut, I ran to my room to change too. I quickly slipped into my pyjamas and house slippers. I found a pack of cigarettes on top of my drawer and took a couple of them. Then I went to the kitchen to put the kettle on, lighting my ciggie using the flames of the stove. I put one teabag in each cup and waited for the water to boil. While waiting I smoked and sat at the table and looked to see if Hannah had come out. She took her time and it made me wonder if my old shirt suited her, if she felt comfortable wearing it. But what was important was that she was out of her damp and dripping dress although I couldn’t deny how incredibly sexy she looked in her previous attire. The wetness did a good thing--it showed her curves so well and maybe that was the cause why I couldn’t act casual too when she was around. The kettle whistled and it got to stop me from thinking such nonsense. I stood up and poured the hot water in our cups and I took some milk and honey from the fridge and put them on the table.

I heard her approached. “George?”

I got out of the chair and stared at her. It was a bit big for her—I could see half of her right shoulder from the shirt’s collar, its sleeves nearly reached her elbows but its hem only covered her thighs partially so her pale legs were much exposed. Maybe she saw how I looked at her. I looked away in a swift and sucked on my cigarette. I turned to her again. “The tea is ready. You like tea, don’t you?”

She said yes softly and walked closer. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” I smiled. “Anything.”

“May I use the telephone? I need to make a call.”

“Certainly.”  I led her to my room and turned its light on. “Here it is, love.”

“T-Thanks.” She still felt less comfy when she heard me calling her ‘love’. Maybe I should stop calling her like that for her sake.

“You’re tea is waiting outside, okay?” I left for the door.