It was almost 9am when Nikki returned home. The smell of booze and cigarettes met her as she closed the front door behind her. The house was freezing, Harry hadn't bothered to turn on the heating and was very much 'out cold' when she found him. It hadn't been difficult. The house practically shook with his snoring. He lay face down in the couch, naked from the waist up. An empty bottle of wine on the floor beside him along with an over flowing china cup which he had been using as a make shift ashtray.
Nikki picked up the bottle. A 2006 bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape which had been a gift from one of her old college buddies.
She looked down at Harry murderously. As she stared down at him her anger began to fizzle into concern.
"What the hell is going on Harry?" she whispered. He didn't move. He may as well have been on a slab. She swallowed. Worried now that maybe he had gotten bad news...his heart...maybe...she stopped that train of thought before it took hold of her.
Exhaustion crept up on her now she was home and she turned and made her way towards her bedroom. She changed quickly and pulled back the covers. Her phone began to ring about eleven seconds after her head touched the pillow. Nikki groaned and sat up.
"Hi Leo"
"Hi Nikki, sorry for disturbing you, you weren't sleeping were you?"
"No I've just gotten into bed" she said, her voice slipping into a whine. She suddenly knew exactly why Leo was calling.
"Oh I'm sorry Nikki, it's just Harry hasn't shown up. He's over two hours late. Do you have any idea where he is? He's not answering his phone".
Nikki swung her legs out of the bed, her hand flying to her face.
"I know he wasn't feeling very well last night. He was complaining of an upset stomach" she lied "I'll just see if he's in his room".
Nikki stood and paced around her bedroom for a few moments.
"He's fast asleep Leo. Shall I wake him?"
"No no leave him be. He doesn't usually go out sick, he must be very poorly. I'll see you shortly though won't I?"
"Yes Leo, you'll see me in about two and half hours" Nikki groaned and flopped onto her back on the bed. She hated lying to Leo but she wasn't going to tell their boss that Harry was passed out drunk on the couch before she had a chance to interogate him and find out what the hell was going on with him. Nikki set the alarm on her phone and pulled the duvet over her head.
When Nikki awoke she could barely move, she was conscious of a heavy weight baring down on her. Then she smelled cigarettes and bad breath. Her eyelids fluttered open. Harry was leaning over her, shaking her shoulders.
"Nikki? Nikki?" he called.
Nikki placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away. She scooted into a sitting position and stared at him.
"Nikki what happened last night?" he asked her anxiously, his eyes red rimmed, his breath reeking.
Nikki's eyes fell on the clock on her bedside table.
"Oh fuck Harry, I had another hour to sleep. Thanks a bunch" she was close to tears now.
"What's going on with you? Why did you drink a bottle of wine? My bloody good wine by the way, and why were you smoking? You don't smoke. You've never smoked!".
"We didn't...nothing happened did it?"
"What?! You mean?...No! Jesus Harry, no way! You were totally off the rails".
Harry flopped back on the bed and covered his face with his hands.
"Sorry" he mumbled
"Harry what on earth is going on?" Nikki whispered and put a hand on his shin.
"Don't" he said more harshly than intended and sat up "Can you not touch me?".
"Harry..." she trailed off, hurt and shock clouded her face.
"If you touch me, I'll have to touch you back and I won't be able to stop" he whispered.
Her eyes narrowed. He was still drunk she reasoned.
Nikki stood and made her way towards the door.
"I'm going to get you a glass of water and some paracetamol ok?. Leo called looking for you. I told him you were sick".
Harry was on his back again, his hands covering his face.
"Sorry" he mumbled again "I think I'm still a bit trollied".
Nikki sighed "I think you are" and left the room.
When she returned he was in her bed with the duvet over his head. She placed the glass on the bedside table and sat beside him.
Her hand found the top of his head and she stroked his hair.
"What's all this about Harry? Please talk to me?"
"I think I'm going to be sick..."
"Harry for God s-"
"Yeah I know I bloody am-"
Harry flew from the bed and just made it to the toilet in Nikki's ensuite. She grimaced as he retched into the toilet bowl, clinging onto it for dear life.
She stood in the door way as he coughed and spluttered violently. After several long, agonising minutes he stopped and she handed him the glass of water.
"Seriously Harry are you ill?"
"I'm bloody well throwing up aren't I?" he croaked bitterly.
"You know what I mean, you haven't had any bad news or anything? I mean you're ok apart from the vile hangover and mental breakdown right?".
He scoffed and sat back against the cold tiles of the wall, his bare skin pimpling with cold.
Nikki clinically appraised the fit, handsome, young man before her, as if she could somehow diagnose him with her eyes. He looked perfectly healthy. His body toned and held by him like a tightly coiled spring that was about to snap away any second. She noted the veins bulging in this forearms as he clenched and unclenched his hands.
Harry motioned to say something to her but suddenly threw himself towards the toilet again.
"That's over a hundred quids worth of wine you're staining my toilet with".
"Oh God. It's not the wine. I think its all the fags" he whispered and let his chin rest on his chest.
"Is it your Mum Harry? She's alright isn't she?"
Harry nodded quickly and stood up slowly.
"Sorry. I'm sorry Nikki. God I'm a mess. I'm going to have a shower, brush my teeth and get myself together. I'll talk to you later ok?".
Harry made to move past her but she remained firmly in the doorway.
"l need an explanation Harry. This isn't you. You've scared the hell out of me. I'm out of my mind with worry for you".
He towered over her and grasped her hands tightly in his.
"I know Nikki. I know. I've been a proper git. Can I meet you for lunch?".
At that moment in time the mere thought of food made him turn towards the toilet and she surpressed a giggle in spite of herself.
"Don't laugh at my pain" he whined.
She looked at him sympathetically and noticed for the first time the faintest shadow of a bruise on his left cheekbone. He caught her staring at the mark and reflexively touched it.
"Is it sore?" she asked meekly.
"I think my ego is suffering more. Remind me never to mess with you Alexander. You're a little terrier"
"You deserved it"
"Yes I did"
"Go clean yourself up"
"I will do that...sorry Nikki"
"If you don't sort yourself out you will be"
"A threat of further violence?"
"A promise of it. I thought you liked it anyway?"
"Let's not go down that road when I'm reeking of vomit and fags, although you're probably used to that given your lousy taste in men"
"Then maybe we're meant to be together Harry"
"This road is closed until further notice"
"Due to the car wreck that is Harry Cunningham?"
"You're causing an obstruction. Please get out of my way" he said dryly and placed a hand on her chest, gently pushing her backwards.
"That's assault you know" she chided as he walked away.
"It's only assault if you've been put in fear. Judging by that giggle you're hardly in fear now are you?"
"I'm in fear for my carpets!, please stay in tiled areas of the house!".
Harry walked backwards into her bedroom to give her the finger.
Nikki responded by throwing a pink bath towel over his head. When he pulled it off and hung it over his shoulder she stepped towards him, her expression serious.
"We are going to talk about this Harry. Seriously. I am really really worried. Tell me that everything is going to be ok?".
"Everythings going to be ok Nikki" he lied.
