Beautiful:
"How are you, beautiful?" I ask, kissing her as Johnny leaves us in peace. Why he was here I didn't know, but I suppose Carla needed some company since I had been working all night and if Johnny was her choice then, that was up to her.
"Mm, much better now you're here." She smiles, stroking the side of my face softly.
"Look, I'm supposed to be going back to work." I sigh. "I left Robert in charge."
"Ah well that's ok." She tells me, scanning her eyes over the dishes that coated the work top. "I guess I've got all this to wash up anyway."
"No, don't you be doing that." I warn her, I felt terrible; it was her first day back from hospital and I had been snowed under at work. I should be there for her, not leaving her on her own to carry some plates to whining customers or jotting down some numbers on a notepad. I glance at her again before pulling my jacket off.
"What are you doing?" She frowns.
"The washing up." I laugh, passing her my phone. "Give Robert a ring yeah?"
"Why?" She asks, shiftily as I pile the dishes up and start running hot, soapy water.
"Because I was supposed to be going back to work." He reminds me.
"Well you still can go back to work." She insists. "It'll still all be here when you get back."
"I don't want to leave you on your own." I admit, knowing she would hate this excuse.
"I'm not an invalid, Nick." She snaps.
"No, but you've just been in a fatal accident." I turn to look at her. "So whether you like it or not, I'm staying."
"You're stubborn." She mutters.
"That's why we're a match made in heaven." I laugh. "Now call Robert."
"...I don't feel up to phone calls to be honest Nick." She murmurs.
"I'm not asking you to walk the Great Wall of China!" I exclaim. "It's a simple 'hello, Nick won't be coming back, sorry, bye'."
"I don't think he would be best pleased if I phrased it like that." She mumbles.
"Quit procrastinating!" I tell her, before sighing and heading over to where she was sat, weighing the mobile up in her hands. "Sofa, now."
"Sorry." She whispers as I kiss her on the forehead.
"I'll make this call, finish the washing up and then we can snuggle up with a film." I run my fingers through her hair and she looks at me appreciatively. "Go get comfy, go on."
"Is this a bit better than the hospital?" I ask, massaging Carla's scalp gently. We were curled up on the sofa, her head on my chest and knees pulled up to her tummy. She looked so comfortable. I had missed this; missed protecting her and looking after her. It killed me to see her so lost and broken in that hospital bed.
"Just a little bit." She whispers, her eyes closed as she dozes contently in my arms. "Don't miss that... Woman banging on about that... Little fluffy thing she owns. She called it a dog."
"I was discussing that with Michelle this morning." I recall. "You taken your meds?"
"Yeah, Michelle made sure I was all drugged up." She croaks. "With water, not wine."
"Ah, she's been listening well." I nod, linking my fingers with hers. "You don't know how much I've missed this. It's been so lonely, the nights I've spent sat here with no one to hold on to."
"You been taking advantage of my flat have you?" She smiles up at me and I kiss her again.
"Our flat." I correct her, tapping her nose lightly. "I was so scared..."
"Why?" She frowns.
"When you... You know, seeing you lying on the side of the road, knowing I hadn't done enough for you." I sigh and she shakes her head. "And then in the hospital. They had to operate, internal bleeding, throwing all these phrases at me. Sitting by your side, just holding your hand, seeing you lying there motionless. It brought everything back, you know? But I had to be strong, for you."
"You can be weak now." She tells me, placing a hand on the side of my face and looking into my eyes. "I'm so sorry I put you through that, Nick."
"It's not your fault." I reply. "I just... It made me realise... I honestly don't know what I would do without you now. I love you so much. I've never felt so... Lost, so lonely. I need you, to keep me going. I needed you to open your eyes and show me that you were going to stay with me, no matter what. I couldn't go back down that road, not again, not ever."
"You won't." She promises, kissing me gently. "Hey? You and me, together we're strong. Together we fix each other, mend all that damage that the past has caused. We're gonna get married, it's gonna be all kittens and candy floss, remember? I promise you, everything will be ok. Everything is going to be alright now, forever and it's going to be beautiful."
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