Completely & Stupidly: Forever and Ever

Chapter 4. Vanessa

"Enough" Chas' voice boomed alongside the loud clanging of the pub bell. The guests one by one stopped throwing food and stood in silence, embarrassed that they were on the receiving end of her anger. The night was still young but everyone knew that the party was over. "This is a pub, not a high school dinner hall" She spoke, her eyes reflecting the anger in her words. "So, I suggest you finish your drinks and go home before I bar the lot of you," she added. Charity looked down at her empty glass and then glanced to the door. "Oh no, not you" Chas whimpered, "You're going to stay, and you're going to clean up this mess until I can see my reflection in the floor" she said, leaning in closely, speaking into her ear. Vanessa felt Charity's eyes boring into her but she daren't look up in fear of letting out a nervous laugh in Chas' face. Discarded drinks sat on tabletops as people rushed past and out of the pub before Chas changed her mind and made them stay and tidy up too. When they were finally left alone, Vanessa lifted her gaze to see Charity lazily throwing bits of cake and sausage rolls into a plastic bag. A smirk grew up her face as she watched her fiancé gag whilst touching bits of wet food. Failing to suppress her amusement, Charity turned her head to see Vanessa quietly laughing to herself. "Oh, I'm glad you find this funny" She quipped, the black bag in her hand dancing around at her side as she gestured to the array of waste all around them, but she couldn't keep a straight face and ended up smirking back. "I can't believe you did that" Vanessa giggled, replaying the memory of Nicola's face as the cold custard ran down the back of her neck. "Yeah well I'm not sorry, because she started it" Charity shrugged, using the back of her hand to wipe away a blob of icing that was clinging to her eyebrow. "But I'm sorry it ended in you taking a face full of cake" she added, dropping the bag to walk to her side. "Come here," she whispered as she tilted Vanessa's chin upwards, "Ergh, stop, get off" Vanessa squirmed as Charity licked her thumb and rubbed furiously at the dried bit of cake smothered across her cheek. "We didn't set a very good example for the kids tonight, did we? Getting drunk and starting a fight" Vanessa asked. "Sure, we did" Charity chirped, "We showed them that; if a crazy person throws something at you, whether it be a fist or a bit of cake, you stand up for yourself" she said, feeling proud of her answer. Vanessa shook her head playfully and rose from her stool. "I suppose we better get cleaning before Chas comes back down" She said, ducking her head down into her shoulders. "Yeah, we better had. Don't tell anyone but, she frightens me when she's angry, that one" Charity admitted. "Wow, and here's me thinking you're not afraid of anything, except karaoke" Vanessa teased, walking away, cockily. "I'm not afraid of karaoke," Charity gasped. Vanessa raised an eyebrow, "Sure you're not" she nodded. Charity hesitated for a moment; her hands curled into loose fists as she glanced at the karaoke machine from across the room. Then she sighed and marched towards Vanessa. As Charity's hand wrapped around her wrist, Vanessa looked up from the ground, having been picking up food from beneath one of the tables as Charity dragged her over to the karaoke machine. "If I'm doing this, you're doing it with me" Charity murmured, her voice suddenly rattling with nerves. With Microphone in hand she flicked through the song suggestions, then music flooded the empty room, echoing against the walls as the intro to Sonny and Cher's 'I Got You Babe' began to play. Vanessa stared at Charity in surprise as the countdown to the first lyrics appeared on the screen. "They say we're young and we don't know, we won't find out until we grow" Charity began, then she quickly pushed the microphone towards Vanessa, who grinned before singing her line. "Well I don't know if all that's true, 'cause you got me and baby, I got you" Vanessa beamed, "Babe. I got you babe" They sang together, sharing the microphone between them. Though Charity's voice wavered, her eyes locked onto Vanessa's and she smiled, causing Vanessa's heart to feel like it was fit to burst. As the song moved along and they sang to the empty room, Charity took hold of Vanessa's left hand, "I got flowers in the spring" She began, then she quickly raised her hand to sight and rubbed her thumb over her engagement ring, "I got you, to wear my ring", Vanessa's eyes filled with happy tears but her smile remained wide and toothy. "And when I'm sad, you're a clown. And if I get scared, you're always around" She sang back to her smitten fiancé. By the end of the song, Charity's nerves seemed to disappear as they repeated the verse, "I got you babe", emphasising the word babe, causing them to giggle as they swayed together on the little makeshift stage. "Oh, isn't that nice" Bob called across the room. Charity instantly blushed, and hid her face in Vanessa's hair. They had forgotten that Bob had been checking the stock and tidying away the last of the glasses and plates in the kitchen. "Go on, go home, you disgust me with your love. I'll finish off in here" he joked, waving his hands as he spoke. "You sure?" Vanessa asked, hoping he had meant it. "Yeah, go on" He insisted, pulling a damp tea towel off his shoulder. "Ok, well you don't have to tell me twice" Charity blurted out, grabbing hold of Vanessa's hand once more, only this time she ran her out of the pub and home to bed.