Tender (A britpop era fiction)

For Tomorrow

Cheers to all of you who voted and commented on this story so far!

Have fun with this chapter, lots of love,

Sally x.

...

As I wake up the city behind the window has already gone dark. From downstairs I hear muted voices and the clattering of dishes. The smell of lasagna hangs in the room. I sink back into the bed sheets and very slowly the events of the day reappear in my mind.

After the interview I stood in the kitchen and chopped some onions as Damon came in and kissed my temple.

"You must be tired. Go and get some rest, I'll make us diner, alright?"

"I'm fine" I mumble.

"You'll need your strength later, Graham and Pepper are coming over, remember?"

"Oh for Gods sake." I completely forgot. "When's Missy coming?"

"In about an hour, she's still with a friend."

"And Dylan?"

"Just texted me, she'll soon be around. Don't worry." Gently he takes the knife out of my hand. "The kids can help me."

"You think thats such a good idea?" I raise an eyebrow and think of the mess the kitchen was the last time the kids tried to help. It ended with several packs of flour our daughter put over her brothers heads and me trying to wash it out of their hair all evening long. 

"I'll keep Alika away from the baking stuff, promised." Damon grins.

"Wake me up when they are here, alright?"

"Of course." I kiss his cheek and hold his hand for a moment before I leave the kitchen and go up the stairs. I'm endlessly tired as I fall into the bed but as soon as I put my head down my mind doesn't want to stop working. Flashes of memories appear before my inner eye like a broken film.

Me and Noel running through the back yard of one of our uncles playing, laughing and in the end somehow punching each other.

Me mam holding baby Liam and singing him a little song, Paul, Noel and me sitting around her and snuggeling in.

Me bastard of a father hitting Paul straight in the face and Paul crying.

Mam yelling at Liam for putting a football straight through the kitchen window, him just grinning.

Playing hide and seek with Liam.

Noel learning a new chord on the guitar, tongue between his teeth as he always did when he concentrated.

Paul hugging me when I cried because of the first boy who broke my heart and nine year old Liam swearing to kill the guy.

On the beach in Ireland with Noel by my side, smoking weed together.

Dancing and shouting in the club with Noel.

Kissing Tony in my bedroom for the first time. Sleeping with Tony for the first time. 

Waking up next to Tony.

Noel coming back from touring with the Inspiral Carpets.

Liam in the hospital bed, the white bandage around his head like a halo.