Chapter 7-2
743 Words
Mark and I sat exhausted but very happy in the back of Mary’s dad’s car.
“Phew, I didn’t think we’d ever get out of those shops alive!” Mark wiped his brow with his hand, then looked down, obviously forgetting his bandages.
“You men just don’t have any staying power,” Mary announced.
“I bet Jerry knew what he was doing when he took up that place on the field trip. If he could see us now he’d be laughing his socks off,” I put in.
“Yeah,” Mary admitted, “whenever I take him shopping, he hides in a record shop till I’m finished.”
“Wise man,” Mark said.
Mary looked in the rear view mirror and stuck out her tongue at Mark. We all laughed.
Pulling up in front of our house, we piled out of the car, and Mary and I carried in a frighteningly large amount of groceries: yet more decorations to add to the ones we’d bought earlier that day including an outdoor snowman and Father Christmas. I hadn’t been able to decide which to get, so Mary had persuaded me to buy both.
“I’ll go and put the kettle on. That’ll give you two a chance to talk about me behind my back,” I announced when all the groceries had been put away.
“What makes you think you’re such an interesting topic of conversation anyway?” Mary asked.
“I’m deeply wounded.” I mock limped to the kitchen.
This caused the other two to laugh. I got the drinks together on a tray and brought them back into the living room.
“Shhh, he’s coming back in,” Mary said as I entered.
“You see, you were talking about me.”
“No, we just thought we’d wind you up a bit,” Mark told me.
“It didn’t work. After two rounds of shopping in one day, I’m too knackered to be wound up.”
“Yeah, thank god it’s only once a year,” Mark said. Though I noticed he said it with a wistful expression.
“You two. That was nothing! If I’d have had more time, I’d have driven you to Leeds, and then you’d have had something to complain about.”
“Thank god for small mercies,” I said.
Once we’d drunk our coffee, and recovered sufficiently, Operation Tinsel was put into effect. We trimmed the tree, including the angel which Mark had picked out. We had coloured paper streamers across the ceiling, white Christmas lights were pinned all around the front window, and I had managed to connect Father Christmas and the snowman to the electricity, placing them on either side of the front door.
Once everything had been done, I collapsed onto the couch between Mark and Mary. “Bloody hell, I’m totally bushed now.”
“Well done.” Mark put his arm around me and kissed me on the lips. I was a bit surprised he’d do this in front of Mary, but I was overjoyed that he did.
“Thanks.” I kissed him back.
Mary cleared her throat.
“You still here? Um, I mean, would you like to stay for a bite of supper, or do you need to get home?”
She rolled her eyes, then looked over at the mantle clock. It was a little after ten. “I better go. Some of us have work in the morning.”
“Aw, my heart bleeds. Just think of Mark and me cuddled up in bed tomorrow morning, enjoying a lie in, while you’re battling your way to work.”
“Lucky sods!”
“I know I’m very lucky,” Mark said, staring into my eyes.
“Not as lucky as me,” I whispered just before kissing him.
“Euw. You soppy sods,” Mary said.
“You’re just jealous,” I told her.
“I am, I am,” she said, getting up to leave. “I’ll no doubt see you two again before Thursday?”
“Yeah, probably.” I managed to tear myself away from Mark’s green eyes and perfect smile.
Putting her hand on the door knob, Mary said, “Behave yourselves.”
“We’ll try,” Mark laughed.
“I’ll see you to your car,” I told Mary.
Mary unlocked her car door and looked at me.
“What?”
“You know that he loves you, don’t you?”
I swallowed. “I hope so, because I’ve never loved anyone as much as I do him. I just can’t tell him, in case you’re…I’m wrong.”
“Oh, Simon.”
“I’d hate to think he felt he had to pretend to be in love with me just to stay.”
“It’ll all work out, you’ll see.” Mary gave me a hug.
I sighed. “Hope so.”
“Speak to you again soon.” She touched my cheek before getting behind the wheel.
I watched the tail lights disappear down the street, hoping Mary was right about Mark loving me.
Putting on a happy face, I walked back into the house.
“Now then,” I said to Mark. “I prescribe a bite to eat, a bath, and then bed. Any objections?”
“None at all.”
“I bought some muffins this evening. What do you say to toasting one on the fire and spreading it thickly with butter, so it’ll run down your chin as it melts?”
“Sounds like heaven on earth.”
We spent a wonderful evening sitting by the fire, toasting muffins, listening to Christmas music on the radio and enjoying each other’s company.
- Writer
