Jay and Abi iPod Shuffle: Chapter 1.
Song: Crosseyed – Bad Veins.
"Not supposed to go all cross-eyed silencing what is right for you and me."
Abi had walked past the stairs in the hall at least three times now. Her daughter had barely moved a muscle in the past twenty minutes. She just sat there with the same worried expression, distorting her beautiful features. Abi couldn't take it anymore. She knew that her daughter was going out to meet a 'friend' today, but that was no reason for her to be worried. Abi had the niggling feeling that it was a boy. Obviously, the fourteen year old was too worried to tell her parents about this, and Abi couldn't blame her. When Abi thought back to how her parents – more specifically, her father – had acted when they found out she was dating none other than Jay Mitchell, they had lost it. However, Abi couldn't help but feel hurt that her only child didn't think she could talk to her own mother. And she knew she should have stayed out of her business, but this was just about killing her. Skidding to a stop in front of the steps, she took a deep breath before finally mustering up the courage to face her daughter.
"So," Abi had started, moving to perch on the step next to her daughter. "Who's the friend you're meeting?" Abi saw as her daughter's eyes doubled in size, her bottom lip starting to become clenched between her teeth.
"You wouldn't know them," Karen muttered quickly before looking at her lap to avoid eye contact. Abi let a small smile twitch onto her lips as she leaned towards her daughter and lowered her voice.
"It's a boy, isn't it?"
"N-No. I-I don't know w-what you're-" Abi cut off her stuttering with a knowing smile. Karen sighed in defeat and looked up to the ceiling, as if begging God for this conversation not to happen. "I just… I really like him, mum."
Abi's heart ached as she looked at the beautiful girl in front of her. Abi remembered a time when she had, had this exact conversation with Tanya, her mum, about Jay. They'd sat on the stairs next to the living room and Abi had poured her heart out. She didn't think she was good enough for Jay and the idea of him laughing in her face because of her feeling for him was torture. She wanted him to know how she felt about him, but was scared about what would happen if the outcome took a turn for the worse. Yes, she knew exactly what Karen was going through.
"He must be a lucky guy, then. Boys would kill to even get a second glance from a girl like you," Abi said as her daughter scoffed, scowling at the air in front of her.
"You have to say that. You're my mum," the girl tutted, rolling her eyes.
"Not necessarily," Abi smirked. "I could say you're rotten and 'orrible," she joked, causing Karen to giggle. "But, then I would be lying. And this boy, whoever he is, must be able to see how amazing you are."
"I don't know, mum," Karen replied doubtfully. "I just… I don't know if he likes me back." This caused Abi to let out a loud laugh while nudging her daughter affectionately.
"You are a numpty sometimes," Abi giggled. "What boy wouldn't like you?"
"Well, there are times when I think that he might… And then he'll just do something that will completely throw me off," she says, exasperated. Again, Abi could understand this feeling. There were times in her and Jay's relationship where she thought he just didn't care; that he was too embarrassed by her to even be associated with her. But, then there were the other times. There were the times where he'd introduce her to his friends as his girlfriend or he'd walk around The Square with her like he was dating God's gift. It was in those moments that she thought that, that was just how boys behaved. Especially Jay. He didn't want people to know that he needed love just as much as a hormonal, teenage girl on her period. And, Abi will admit, sometimes she got fed up with Jay wanting all this love and never giving it back. Abi had always found people with double-standards extremely annoying and hypocritical, but she would never call Jay out on it. She wouldn't risk losing him over something that, at the time, she thought was a bit pathetic. But, she didn't want Karen to behave like that. She didn't want Karen to run around after this boy like a little, lost puppy. Although Abi absolutely loved Jay at the time, it was quite belittling to behave how she did. Abi wanted her daughter to believe that a relationship was equal and fair.
"Even though I am one hundred percent sure that this boy likes you… There is a way to be sure," Abi hinted, her mind jumping back to that conversation on the stairs with her own mother. Karen's eyes seemed to glow with hope when Abi said this. The poor girl looked so confused about the situation and Abi probably would have even asked the boy out for her if it would stop her feeling this anxious.
"Really?" Karen said, a surge of optimism running through her. "How?"
"If he closes his eyes when he kisses you, then he likes you."
"Oh, I don't think-" Karen refused profusely before being cut off by Abi.
"Trust me, darling. There will be kissing," Abi concluded, sending her daughter a sly wink. Karen let her features relax as a small, embarrassed smile work its way onto her lips.
"Thanks mum," Karen just had time to say before there was a knock at the door. Karen took a deep breath, looking up to Abi in hopes of her calming her nerves. Abi just squeezed Karen's shoulders and moved herself out of the way.
"I think it's for you," she whispered dramatically, giving Karen an encouraging smile. In return, Karen nodded and walked to the door as Abi moved herself to the kitchen. Thinking back now, Abi thought that her mum had never given her better advice.
It was about six o'clock in the evening when Abi's husband had come home from work. Abi was busy in the kitchen making dinner for the two of them, considering Karen was still on her date with this mystery boy. She hoped that this was the start of many dates for Karen with this boy, even if it meant that she had to try and persuade her protective husband into agreeing with her on the subject.
She heard him kick off his shoes near the front door and walk through the hallway and into the kitchen. Abi smiled as she felt familiar arms wrap around her waist and soft lips kiss a trail up the back of her neck. He rested his head on her shoulder and watched her as she chopped up the chicken for their curry. This was how he greeted Abi every time he came home from work and it still gave her butterflies when he did it. She quickly placed down the knife and swivelled round in his grip to greet him.
"Afternoon, Abs. Looking as lovely as ever," Jay said, placing a light kiss on her nose. Abi laughed softly while putting her arms over his shoulders, locking her hand together behind his neck.
"Afternoon, Mr Mitchell. How was work?" She asked softly.
"Busy," Jay replied with a groan. Even though The Archers no longer existed, Jay had pursued a career as a car mechanic and was one of the best in the business. He loved his job (or, more specifically, the amount of money it gave him every month) but it was definitely tiring. "Where's Karen?"
"If I tell you," Abi started cautiously, "you have to promise you won't get mad…" Abi watched as Jay's jaw locked and his features hardened. He hated it when Abi kept secrets, even if she had only found out today.
"Where is she, Abi?" He said sternly, obviously not in the mood to joke around. Abi bit her lip nervously, a habit she had passed onto her daughter.
"She's on a date," Abi said, eventually. "With a boy."
"Well, I didn't think she was going to be on a date with a table, did I?" Jay said, aggressively. Abi wanted to argue that she could have been on a date with a girl, but decided that it would probably just make it worse to correct him.
"Don't be mad, Jay. Besides, we had a nice girl-chat and it's all sorted."
"Oh, great. You sorted it," Jay scoffed, rolling his eyes. Abi would admit that, out of the two of them, Jay was better at 'laying down the law' in the house. But, Abi was more than capable to give her daughter some advice and she didn't like the fact that Jay didn't think she was able to do so.
"Yeah. And she's obviously completely screwed if my taste in men is anything to go by," Abi retorted, glaring at him before breaking out of his grip and turning back to the dinner. Jay sighed stressfully, regretting what he said.
"Abs, I didn't mean it like that. Just… Tell me what you said to her." Abi placed the knife down again, harder this time as if warning him not to push his luck, and whirled back around to face him.
"I told her about the day of our first kiss."
"What?" Jay asked, completely confused. Why would Abi tell their daughter about their awkward, sorry excuse of a first kiss? Did she want to scar her for life?
"Before you came over that day, I was a nervous wreck. I had a hundred and one questions running through my head about whether you liked me or whether you would think I looked good in the outfit I was wearing or if you would laugh at me if I tried to kiss you…" She paused, taking in Jay's still confused, but slightly shocked expression. She swallowed hard before continuing, looking for an invisible thread on her shirt. "And then my mum obviously caught on. She sat down next to me and we talked for a while about you and 'boy-etiquette' in general. Finally, she told me that, if you really liked me, you'd kiss me with your eyes closed. And, that's what I told Karen."
"You told our daughter to kiss this boy on her first date?"
"Oh, for God's sake, Jay!" Abi exclaimed, turning away from him again. He laughed quietly, turning her back around to face him.
"Only joking, Abs… ish," he said, making her smile slightly. "Were you really that nervous?" Abi stared at the tiled floor and scuffed the balls of her feet on it gently.
"Well, yeah," Abi said quietly, embarrassed. "I mean, you were Jay Mitchell," she said, making him scoff and laugh at the same time. "You weren't supposed to like someone like me. Not chubby, nerdy, Abi Branning. You were supposed to like girls like Lauren and Lucy and Lola… Maybe just someone beginning with an L, actually," he laughed again and this time she even managed to crack a smile. "What I'm trying to say is: no one in their right mind would have paired me and you together. And I thought you were part of the 'no one' group." Once Jay was sure she was done, he used his index finger to lift her chin so she would look at him and rested his forehead firmly on top of hers.
"For a vet, you can be pretty stupid sometime, Abi," he laughed before kissing her. The kiss was short, but slow and strong. Even though Abi knew she was right about the two of them not looking like they would fit, she was really happy they did. Now that Abi thought about it, Abi wouldn't be Abi without Jay. It was like he made up half of her personality. She may not have thought that she was good enough for him (and part of her still didn't) but she was so glad that someone Upstairs obviously wanted them to work. They may have hit a few bumps in the road and they may fight like cat and dog, but Abi couldn't imagine life without Jay in it.
"So, does this mean you're not going to be mad at Karen and that you're not going to kill her potential boyfriend?.." Abi asked after she pulled away.
"Okay… But, I want to meet him!" Jay rushed out, still not completely convinced that his little girl dating at the age of fourteen was a good idea (yeah, yeah. Call him a hypocrite…) "And, you might want to rethink that advice you gave her."
"What are you talking about?" Abi asked.
"Because I could have kissed you cross-eyed and I still would have fallen completely in love with you."