Chim - Make You Stay

Chapter 16

Cheryl

We spend the next few days just lazing around, curling up on the sofa or laying in bed, staying in our pjs all day. Kim isn't sleeping well and looks exhausted, and I wish I could just make it all better for her, stop her from hurting.

January 5th rolls around, and I wake up first. Kimba's still asleep, but she looks unhappy, her brow furrowed.

I crawl out of bed and go to make us both some breakfast. I'm wondering what today is going to be like and I'm slightly scared, hoping so much that I can be there for her and help her.

Once I've made some tea and toast, I put it all on a tray and take it into the bedroom. Kim's still asleep, so I put the tray on the bedside table and shake her awake.

"Morning Kimba" I whisper as her eyelids flutter open.

She instantly looks at the calendar, sees the date and pulls the duvet over her head, curling into a tight ball beneath it.

"I bought you breakfast baby" I say, sliding back into bed and pulling the duvet off of her.

"I can't" she whispers, her voice breaking, and I instantly pull her against me as she cries.

We sit in bed for a while as I try and calm her down. When she finally stops crying, she lets me feed her the toast and she then sips her tea, lost in thought.

I can't imagine what it must be like for her, I've never lost someone that close to me. My Granddad died when I was 6, but I barely knew him, so I wasn't too fazed by it. I just hope that time will make it easier for her.

Once we've finished our tea, Kim slides back down under the duvet.

"Aren't you getting out of bed?"

"Not today"

I sigh and decide that I can't force her up. I go to take the empty cups back to the kitchen but she quickly grabs hold of me.

"Don't leave me.. please"

I put the cups back down and get into bed again with her.

"I'll stay here all day with you if you need us to"

"Thank you" she whispers, and gives me a long, gentle kiss.

We both drift in and out of sleep all day, me holding Kimba from behind, spooning her. Once I wake up to her crying and turn her to face me.

"Baby.. tell us what you're thinking about"

"Why him? Why me, why us? It's not fair. It can't be real. Please don't let it be real" she says quietly, and begins to cry again.

I rest her head on my shoulder, stroking her hair to soothe her.

"I'm so proud of you Kimba, you have to know that. You've been so strong and he would be so so proud of you"

It begins to get dark, and my stomach begins to growl.

"Do you want to order a chinese?" she says, taking me by surprise.

"Sure"

She gets out of bed and goes into the living room, pulling a blanket over her shoulders, and I follow her.

I order the food whilst she flicks through the channels, looking for something good to watch.

"There's nothing on" she whines "I'm bored"

"What can I do?"

"Entertain me" she whispers, a smirk on her face.

She suddenly pulls our faces together, crashing out lips and closing the space between us.

I feel her hand slide up my pyjama top and I let out a moan, unable to control myself, shocked by her sudden need to touch me.

We're suddenly interrupted by the doorbell ringing, making us both jump. She leaps off of the sofa to get the food and pay as I sit awkwardly, waiting for her to return.

She comes back with the food and starts eating, seeming to completely forget what we were doing just minutes before. I just shrug to myself and eat too, watching the tv.

****

Kimberley

I stare at the tv, not interested in what's on. I feel bad for jumping on Cheryl so suddenly and changing my mind, but it just feels wrong today.

I can't stop thinking about him, it doesn't seem real. And I can't talk to my family about it. Even if I was still with them in England, I know we would never discuss it, we were never like that.

There are so many things going around my head, I just need to let them out.

"When I was younger, he always used to take me into the corner shop together and buy me a fizzy drink. He used to buy me gum, even though my mum hated the stuff, it was our little secret. We always used to pull funny faces, and he would give me 'knuckle sandwiches' where he rubbed his knuckle in my face and tickled me. He took photos and videos of everything on his phone, he loved phones and laptops and gadgets. His favourite colour was red and he loved coca cola, it was all he drank. He hated football. My happiest memories were before my sister Amy was born, just the three of us.."

I think back on all of the memories, tears rushing down my face.

"God I'm so scared. I don't want to forget his face or the sound of his voice and I'm starting to. I never want to forget"

Cheryl pulls me close and rocks me, and I can tell she's crying too. It feels so nice to get it all off of my chest, I just needed someone else to know these little memories too.

We both wipe our tears and I can't help but smile.

"Thank you for being here today, it means so much"

"I wouldn't have been anywhere but right by your side"

"Cheryl?"

"Yeah?"

I look into her eyes, take a deep breath, and tell her what I've been thinking all day.

"I love you"

Her face lights up and tears come to her eyes.

"I love you too"

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It's been nice to add some actual memories into this chapter! Thanks for reading& I always love reading feedback x