Chapter 2: Saturday Morning

The following morning, Caterina was the first to wake up. She spent a few minutes looking affectionately at Maxxie's peaceful sleeping face. Before getting out of bed, she leant across, located Maxxie's hand, kissed it and lightly held it. Maxxie's blue eyes slowly opened. He stirred slightly and smiled.

"How are you feeling this morning?" a smiling Caterina asked him gently.

"W-what! Where am I?" mumbled Maxxie.

"You're in my flat." said Caterina, "You were so drunk last night that I looked after you and helped you to bed."

"I wasn't dreaming then." said Maxxie, "I did have a pleasant experience with a girl."

"You certainly did." said Caterina, "We didn't go very far, but you did kiss me as if you really meant it."

"Oh yes," said Maxxie, "you're Caterina. I'm beginning to remember. You rescued me from a bender. Thank you."

At this point, Maxxie tried to sit up, but his hangover made this painful, so his head returned to the pillow.

"I suggest you stay there while I get you some coffee and a couple of headache pills." said Caterina, "You'll also need to drink plenty of water."

"Water?" queried Maxxie.

"Yes." said Caterina, "You get a hangover because you're dehydrated. If you drink water, you restore the balance and the discomfort dissolves. I've been through it and I know it works."

"That seems to make sense." said Maxxie, "I'll relax for a bit longer. I'm nice and comfortable in here anyway."

Caterina turned back the duvet on her side of the bed, swung her legs out and sat on the bed, presenting her skinny but graceful back towards Maxxie. She stood up, stretched herself to her full height and made her way, still completely naked, to the bathroom. Maxxie watched her with an unfamiliar delight as she walked gracefully round the bed.

"Oh, wow!" exclaimed Maxxie, "You're slender perfection; so elegant."

"Oi, gay boy!" said Caterina, grinning, "You shouldn't be looking, but thank you, anyway."

She went for her shower, put on some underwear and then went to the kitchen. She returned to the bedroom fifteen minutes later with two cups of coffee, a pint mug of iced water and a couple of painkiller tablets on a tray. She placed the tray on the bedside table and kissed the once again dozing Maxxie on his shoulder. He stirred, turned over and cautiously sat up in bed. She offered him one of the coffees and sat by the bed.

"Ooh! Ouch!" said Maxxie, holding his head and then accepting the coffee, "Oh, thank you, Caterina. You're kind as well as being beautiful."

"Thank you." said Caterina, "You're very free with your complements this morning. I like to think I'm a kind person. Anyway, now you're sitting up, how are you feeling?"

"A bit better now I've got some coffee inside me." said Maxxie.

She suggested he take the pills with a lot of water, which he did. Caterina also broached the subject of breakfast, suggesting that they have a light meal in the flat before going out for something more substantial later.

"That's a good idea." said Maxxie, "I still feel a bit rough."

"You did have a lot to drink last night." said Caterina, "I've worked out that, taking the vodka into account, it'll be early afternoon before you're completely sober. Then I'll ask you again how you feel about me."

"You seem to have everything worked out." said Maxxie, "I don't think my feelings for you are going to change in the next few hours; unless they get stronger."

"You still find me attractive in the cold light of day then?" said Caterina.

"Of course." said Maxxie, "As I said, you're kind, gentle, considerate and very beautiful. What more could I want?"

"Thank you." said Caterina, "That was such a lovely thing to say about me."

Caterina motioned Maxxie to stay where he was while she got breakfast and asked him which cereal he would prefer. She went to the kitchen with the now empty coffee cups on the tray and returned it loaded with cereals, buttered toast and tea. She placed it on the space in the middle of the very wide bed and got back onto her own side of the bed. They enjoyed breakfast in bed together, smiling at each other across the bed.

You look as if you're enjoying that." Said Caterina as Maxxie was eating his muesli, "You also seem quite at ease."

"I am at ease," said Maxxie, "Apart from the headache, I'm comfortable here, but this is so weird but so wonderful. I get really depressed. I deliberately go on a potentially suicidal drinking spree. I get picked up by someone who seems to know quite a lot about me. I wake up in a strange bed with a beautiful woman holding my hand and smiling at me. Then she gives me breakfast in bed. I thought that kind of thing only happened in songs."

"That's because I care about you, Maxxie." said Caterina, "I don't want to push you to get up too quickly, but what would you like to do today?"

"As little as possible, the way I feel now." said Maxxie, "Whatever I do, I'd like you to stay with me."

"Well." said Caterina, "I've got no plans for today or tomorrow, and I don't think you should face your hangover alone. Anyway, I'd really like to get to know you better. I'm already beginning to think of you as a friend."

"I'll see what I feel like when I've finished breakfast." said Maxxie, "Those pills you gave me are starting to work. Thank you."

When Caterina finished her breakfast, she looked out of the window to check the weather.

"Maxxie." said Caterina, "I've got a suggestion. It looks as if it's going to be a fresh, bright, breezy day, so we could walk up on to the heath and 'blow the cobwebs away'. It would certainly help to clear your headache. You'll feel much better when we come down for an early lunch."

"That sounds good." said Maxxie, "I'd better have a shower & freshen up. On the way to the heath, could we call in my place, so I can shave and change into some fresh clothes?"

"OK!" said Caterina, "That'll give me a chance to see where you live."

Maxxie moved the tray from the centre of the bed to the bedside table, got out and made his way to the bathroom, picking his underpants up from the chair as he passed. Caterina selected a thin sleeveless blouse and a black miniskirt and put them on as she waited for Maxxie. She also put a cardigan in her shoulder bag. Once Maxxie was dressed and ready, they made their way to his flat. As they walked there, he felt an urge to hold Caterina's hand. She accepted this gesture with a contented smile. She now knew that she was not the only one of the pair who no longer felt lonely. After about a quarter of an hour, they reached Maxxie's flat. He opened the front door and let Caterina in.

"I'm going to spend a few minutes shaving and changing." said Maxxie, "I'll get you some coffee to drink while you're waiting."

"Thank you, Maxxie." said Caterina, "That's so sweet of you."

Maxxie made a latte for Caterina before disappearing into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he reappeared in a smart red polo shirt and well cut blue jeans. He also picked up his mobile, which he had left on charge.

"You're looking smart." said Caterina, "Thank you so much for the coffee. It was really good. Are you ready to start."

"Yes." said Maxxie, "You lead the way."

Maxxie and Caterina walked hand in hand to a high point on Hampstead Heath where they could sit on one of the many park benches and enjoy both the view and the fresh breeze.

"Are you feeling better?" asked Caterina.

"Yes." said Maxxie, "I'm glad you brought me up here. The wind feels so refreshing."

"That's the whole idea." said Caterina, "When you've got a hangover, coffee's good. Water's essential, but fresh air is best."

"I see what you mean." said Maxxie, "It certainly 'blows the cobwebs away' as you said earlier. My head feels quite clear now. Incidentally, you look really lovely with your hair blowing in the wind."

Caterina smiled broadly. Her eyes shone. She felt that the day was going well.

"Are you flirting with me?" said Caterina, smiling, "You certainly are recovering. Thank you."

Maxxie put an arm across Caterina's shoulders, then embraced her. He tentatively kissed her lips. Sensing that she was happy about this, he deepened the kiss. They embraced fully and kissed again.

"Wow, gay boy." said Caterina, "You did really mean that, and I really enjoyed it."

"So did I." said Maxxie, "I don't think you'll be calling me 'gay boy' for very much longer. I've never felt quite like this about anyone before, not even James. I think I'm beginning to fall in love with you. You're a wonderful person."

"Wow again." said Caterina, "You have changed."

"I think I have," said Maxxie, "and It's worrying me. I'm scared of my own feelings, Caterina."

"Don't be." said Caterina, gently, "I think I'm feeling the same about you. I'll stand by you and help you through it. You deserve to be happy."

"That's good," said Maxxie, "because I was hoping that you might become a friend. Last night, I was captivated by you but I was totally trashed. This morning, my head is clearer but I still feel the same way about you. That's something I don't want to change."

"OK!" said Caterina, "I'm 'footloose and fancy free' at the moment. As I said, I haven't made any real friends up here. It would be nice to be close to someone."

Maxxie and Caterina spent the next hour or so discussing what they had been doing since leaving Bristol. Caterina felt that it was only right to admit to her eating disorder, which she had, thankfully, overcome. They also speculated on their potential future together. To passers-by they appeared to be an established courting couple seemingly very much in love with each other. All the time they were seated, Maxxie's right arm was across Caterina's back and his fingertips gently caressed her right shoulder. She found this soft contact comforting and reassuring. They were also looking into each other's eyes, smiling a lot and exchanging kisses. Maxxie, much to his surprise, was finding this close contact with a girl really enjoyable.

"It's coming up towards mid-day." said Caterina, interrupting a kiss, "What would you like for Lunch?"

"That depends whether you're free this evening," said Maxxie, "because if you are, I'd like to cook dinner for us at my place."

"Wow!" said Caterina, "You can cook as well?"

"Of course." said Maxxie, "If you're living with another guy, you do have to organise your own food. Even though I say it myself, I think I'm getting rather good at it."

"I'll look forward to that." said Caterina.

"OK, then," said Maxxie, "we'll go down to Camden Town and have a light snack, then we'll spend a couple of hours browsing Camden Lock Market. After that, we'll visit a supermarket and get a few ingredients. Is there any food you definitely don't like?"

"Not really." said Caterina, "Following my time in the clinic, I was persuaded to try most things, but I don't think I could enjoy a really hot curry on a day like this."

"That's good." said Maxxie, "We can discuss what I'm going to cook for you when we go shopping. Incidentally, we're going to Camden because there aren't any major supermarkets in Hampstead. I guess you have an Oyster card."

"Yes, I have." said Caterina, "I use it to get to work."

Maxxie and Caterina walked down off the Heath and back into Hampstead, where they caught a Northern Line train to Camden Town station. As they emerged, Maxxie had thoughts about their light lunch.

"I know where we could go for lunch." said Maxxie, "It's a pub by the canal that I've heard about. I believe we can eat outside, but away from the traffic. The outside tables are on the canal side of the building."

"OK," said Caterina, "but don't get drunk!"

"I don't think I will after last night." said Maxxie, "I'll probably have a diet Coke. I don't think I'll be having much alcohol for the next few days, although we will have wine with tonight's dinner."

The couple strolled along to the Ice Wharf pub and selected one of the outside tables under a weeping willow tree. Maxxie scanned the menu.

"What would you like?" asked Maxxie.

"That depends on what you're going to cook for dinner." Said Caterina, "I like the look of the jacket potato with coleslaw."

"Drink?" asked Maxxie.

"I'd like something long cool and refreshing." said Caterina, "I'll let you choose. It'll be interesting to see what you come up with."

"I'll get you something I think you might like." said Maxxie, "I'll be having a jacket potato as well. We'll be having a meat dinner tonight. I'll decide what when we visit the supermarket."

Maxxie disappeared into the bar and returned with the drinks: two pint glasses of wheat beer. Caterina had a sip.

"That's very nice, Maxxie." said Caterina, "What is it?"

"It's a wheat beer from Bavaria." said Maxxie.

"You do seem to know what I like." said Caterina, "When I said long, cool and refreshing, this is exactly what I had in mind."

At this point, their jacket potatoes arrived.

"This is so nice." said Caterina, "When I saw you last night, drowning your sorrows in whisky, I didn't imagine that I'd be sitting with you in the sunshine, enjoying a jacket potato and some cool German beer. Are you glad I found you?"

"Of course." said Maxxie, "I was at a very low point when you appeared. You rescued me from something horrible. I don't know how I can thank you enough."

"You needn't." said Caterina, "I don't need thanks just for being nice to you."

"Perhaps tonight's dinner will make things even." said Maxxie, "I'm thinking in terms of a rack of lamb with onion, thyme and new potatoes if the supermarket has the ingredients."

"That sounds tasty." said Caterina."

After they had finished their light lunch and really relished the beer, Maxxie led Caterina back to Camden Market. They spent the next three hours wandering around the many stalls in London's largest street market. They held hands and expressed their growing affection for each other from time to time with embraces and deep kisses. Among other small things, Maxxie bought some ornaments for Caterina's hair, while Caterina bought a hat for Maxxie.