Every time you make a move

24, Pt IV

7pm

Monica fixed the lobster clasp onto the chain around her neck, watching through the mirror as Phoebe came in to pull the bedroom curtains together.

"The Deacons have just arrived" he said.

"They're early! Do you think I look okay?" She turned around, adjusting the shoulders of her figure-hugging Bardot LBD.

"You always look okay," Phoebe kissed her cheek as he drifted past. "I think Freddie said he wanted you to help getting the children ready"

"He always does," she shook her head, rushing to the mirror. "Why didn't he just leave it to me?"

"Because he wants to keep distracted from Lenny" Phoebe casually said.

"What do you mean?" Monica murmured obliviously, reapplying another layer of red lipstick.

"Oh no, I've slipped my mind..." Phoebe thought.

But she was too distracted to suspect anything, for Roshni ran through the slider doors of the master suite, wearing her pink Japanese bed robe, "Johnny took my hair clip and won't give it back!!"

"I did not, she left it and I picked it up!" Her son ran in, dressed in his smart blue shirt.

Freddie followed, flustered as he gave Monica a pleading look for her to intervene.

She bent down to Johnny and silently opened her palm, and reluctantly the boy placed the sakura hair clip in his mother's hand.

Freddie watched with jealousy, "And she didn't even have to open her mouth that time!"

"Now... there you go," Monica clipped a raven black lock away from Roshni's face and behind her ear, the way her daughter always liked it, "Now go downstairs and play with the cats or uncle Lenny or something-and no more fighting!"

They toddled out, Phoebe in tow.

"How come they always do as you say..." Freddie went to the mirror and undid his top button.

"I've told you before, just zip your mouth and glare at them slightly." She went to sit on the mattress and adjust the straps of her sandals.

"I can't bloody do that-I mean look at those little faces. They throw me off!" He pointed to the photograph of them sitting on her bedside.

"You know what your issue is?" She slipped her arms around him from behind.

"What?" He spat, hands instinctively slipping to her arms around his chest.

"You're too soft" she pulled his shirt collar down slightly and kissed the back of his neck.

"Mhmph..." he grunted, closing his eyes as her kisses seemed to consume him.

She reached over to the box of Kleenex to wipe the lipstick stains off of his skin.

But his hand grabbed her wrist, "Leave them on"

She giggled, "Soft, see?" then bent down to put the box lid over her new super 8 camera and sound recorder and tuck it under the bed, "I must start operating and testing my new toys tomorrow... or Monday when the children are in school"

He put his hands on her hips from behind when she was still bent over, "I don't think I'm in the studio on Monday. We can stay at home and make our own sex tape"

"Hey, no!" She grabbed his hand and quickly led him out as he chuckled.

"Have you had a birthday drink yet, dearie?" He asked as they made their way to the stairwell.