After Rae woke she lounged in bed for a good hour just relaxing and writing down some ideas for the script. The rest of her family had already disappeared for the day so she decided to take advantage of the peace and have a long soak in the bath. Knowing she wouldn't have to worry about time constraints or somebody bursting in to use the toilet she decided today was the day for the pina colada bath bomb Chloe bought her months back as a Christmas present. She threw it in and watched the water fizz and change to an opalescent orange . She lay her head back enjoying the fizz, the warmth and the delicious tropical scent. All the tension that had been building in her shoulders and neck over the last few days dissipated and left her feeling renewed.
As she lay there fully relaxed she remembered what Finn said a few nights before. He said that his Nan told him he should always have something in for guests. She suddenly thought that she didn't have anything in; and he was doing them a favour. She jumped from the bath wanting to check if they had any biccies in the cupboard.
Rae pulled on her old faithful rainbow robe and dripped down to the kitchen. She looked through all the cupboards and couldn't find anything. She went to her mums naughty cupboard but remembered she'd been expressly forbidden the night before. When she returned home her from shift she felt inexplicably stressed and helped herself to a multipack of wagon wheels. But she made the mistake of camping out in the front room and scoffing them with a mug of tea. She was inevitably caught with almost half of one hanging out of her mouth and her mum went berserk, then gave her lecture about her state of mind and questioned whether she should really be working at the club if she felt anxious. Rae said it was a one off and promised not to go in the cupboard again as a result.
So that led to Rae on all fours on the kitchen floor with her head in a bottom cupboard reaching for raisins and flour. She quickly rubbed together the ingredients to make rock cakes and shoved them in the oven whilst she planned to get dressed.
She was just about to head up stairs to search for something to wear when the door bell rang. She adjusted her robe so it was wrapped around her as much as could be and pulled the belt tighter. She approached the door peering around the corner and jumped when Finn laughed at her. "What yer been doing?" He chuckled and lifted his hand towards her face and rubbed her nose. "You have flour on yer face." He said still chuckling as he bopped her on the nose. He maintained eye contact with her longer than she found comfortable, then he averted his gaze to his watch. "Didn't Chop tell you I'd be here at 1:00pm?" He looked worried.
Rae opened the door wide to let him in; her insides squirming. It felt weird him touching her face like that. She pulled on the belt of robe again making sure it was securely in place. "Yeah he did, come in. I didn't realise the time. I would of thought Ben would be back by now." She rubbed her chin and lower lip with her index finger and thumb perplexed.
"Oh he rang us at the station and said he's been trying to get hold of you all morning. His folks insisted he spend the whole day with them and he couldn't refuse. He said he would make it up to us." He smiled that kind smile that Rae liked. The one that made her feel warm.
She looked over to the phone and noticed the receiver not properly placed on its harness and tapped herself on the forehead with her palm to express her stupidity.
Finn pulled a bunch of tulips and a box of Ferrero Rocher from behind his back and presented the items to Rae. "I just wanted to apologise about that shit with Fi. I feel bad. I didn't mean to use your mate. I dunno what's going on with us at the moment."
Rae smile accepting the items. "Oooh tulips are my favourite." She smiled burying her nose in the colourful bouquet.
"I remember. You said the other day at the pub."
Rae thought it was really sweet he remembered that little detail and then lifted the chocolates in the air. "And with these Monsieur you are really spoiling us." She stated in a bad French accent like in the naff but brilliant advert. She placed them on the side and said she'd save them for the Ambassadors party and they both giggled.
"Look you don't need to apologise to me Finn. I just don't want things to get awkward between you guys. She loved every minute of it and she doesn't know you're ashamed of it. So I'm glad you're not gonna go there again as I still wanna see you at the club."
He sighed with relief and she ushered him to the front room and asked him to sit and wait while she got dressed. He offered to make them a cuppa in the meantime and she nodded and pointed through to the kitchen.
Rae placed the tulips on the side next to the chocolates then ran up the stairs two at time to go find something to wear. She looked into her wardrobe like she was staring into the abyss. She didn't have a clue what to wear. She didn't want to risk Finn ogling down her top but she didn't want to look like a scruff pot either. Finally she opted for the boot cut jeans Ben persuaded her to buy. She could never bring herself to wear them with a thong like Ben insisted; just couldn't understand why people wanted to display their knickers. After some more searching she found a velour v neck top with short sleeves that was the most gorgeous deep red. She tried it on and felt really stupid wearing something like that just around the house. She felt like she was trying too hard and she didn't even know what she was trying. She pulled it back over her head and chucked it on the floor and opted for a Kinks t-shirt that said Dedicated Follower Of Fashion on it. It was mostly white and had the band standing in front of a target board and she felt much more like herself wearing it.
She scurried back down the stairs really pleased with the aroma in the air. She realised the cakes must be ready and ran straight through the lounge and directly to the kitchen to save them from cinders. There was no need to worry though, just as she arrived Finn was stood with the steaming baking tray in his oven gloved hands which he had just retrieved from the oven.
"Oh thanks, I just came to rescue them."
"It was no bother, I could smell they were done. And honestly I were hoping I could have one; my tummy has been rumbling since I first caught a whiff of them." He placed the tray on top of the hobs not wanting to burn the light melamine work top.
"You like rock cakes then?" Rae smiled pleased that she made the effort.
"Yeah love em. Me and me Nan would make em on Sunday's. We'd do cucumber sandwiches, scones, rock cakes, oh and shortbread for me dad." Finn beamed at her clearly nostalgic for times past.
"I love cucumber sandwiches. Shall I makes us some while you pour the tea?"
Finn went to say no, not wanting to put her out, but his tummy rumbled. "Yeah that would be great." He replied tucking some of her behind her ear.
She chuckled at the weird intimacy and turned to gather the bread from the bread bin. She asked him to take the tea and cakes through to the front room and she would follow behind with the sarnie's. The truth was she needed a moment to consider what happened. She always found it so confusing when he was being normal, he seemed almost affectionate. This must be the way he is with his friends which was much more desirable to Rae than all of the ugly, suggestive comments.
Rae cut the sandwiches into little finger sizes pieces to make it look like a genuine high tea. She carried them to the coffee table and handed Finn a tea plate. "Dig in Nelson." She demanded as she grabbed a few sandwich fingers and a cake.
"Ta." He grabbed the same amount as Rae. "Erm so do yer still wanna ask us some questions? Or do yer wanna wait until we rearrange a date with Ben?"
"Well see'n as your here I might as well give you a grilling now!" She joked and he bit his lip obviously trying to stop himself from saying the usual sort of comment he would make. "But I guess you'd rather a spit roast or something?" She enquired rolling her eyes.
He held his hands up. "I weren't gonna say that!" He chuckled.
"Liar. You were thinking it. I know you were." She joshed.
He laughed in submission. "Old hard habits die hard I guess." He bit his lip. "But for the record I wouldn't want to share yer, if I got the opportunity."
Rae laughed. "Ha bloody ha. I know I'm already twice one normal sized girl.
"What? Why do you say stuff like that?" He placed his hand on his chest with a pained expression on his face. "It hurts me in here when you say it.
"Sorry, it's just what most fit lads think. Yer know? I'm fat, I'm double if not triple the size most blokes want to go with." They sat in silence for a few minutes. "I really am sorry I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
He gave her a sad smile. "Just as long as you know I don't think that. Right?"
She agreed and grabbed her tea taking a big bite of her rock cake. She nodded appreciatively at her own cooking reminding Finn to tuck in as well. He took big bites, swigging his tea at the same time until he polished it off and grabbed another one. He bit into it still groaning at the yumminess. His little appreciative noises slowly turned into that cute humming that Rae liked. She angled her body so her ear was closer to him hoping to decipher the tune. He finished his cake and looked at her surprised by the disappointed look on her face.
"What's a matter? He questioned wiping his face.
"I were trying to work out the tune you were humming. But I didn't know it. I always know it!" She huffed.
"Oh, I never really know when I'm doing that, but I've got Jim Croce on me mind. Perhaps I were humming that?" He whistled "Time In a Bottle' too self conscious to knowingly hum it.
"Yes that's it, I don't know that. Can you sing it?" She asked.
His face changed to one of horror as he grimaced and went pale. "Erm no chance. I've got the worse singing voice ever." He admitted. "But I can play the record for yer next time yer come round? It were me nan's favourite; so that's why I like it." He smiled again clearly reflecting on some good memories.
Rae nodded and said she'd like that very much. She didn't want to break the spell and disturb the peaceful, pleasant vibe they had going by asking him questions about his sex life yet so asked what other the music his Nan liked. He mentioned the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Small Faces, Bread and then The Kinks pointing at her t-shirt.
"She had awesome taste then? I definitely need to hear that song." She smiled and he beamed at her in response. "What was her least favourite song?" Rae questioned.
Finn laughed. "She hated all the acid house music that became fashionable in the late eighties/early nineties. I remember watching Top of the Pops and Black Box had been at number one for 4 weeks running. She piped up saying she wished someone would stuff some rolled up socks in her mouth and shut up her wailing. I guffawed and sprayed the soda stream jungle juice that were in me mouth all over her front room rug." He chuckled and his eyes were all creased with the happiness of that memory.
"What's your least favourite Rae?"
Her eyebrows knitted together while she considered it. "I dunno. I hate all boy band shite, Babylon Zoo. And I have to agree with your Nan about Black Box. But I s'pose the winner would be." She paused for a moment wondering whether she should share the information with somebody she was barely friends with. "So it's 'Everything I do (I do it for you)'. I fucking hated that song anyway but my ex used to always wanna play it when we had sex." Rae bit her lip unsure she should have shared that information.
Rae could see Finn hands tense and ball into fists. "What? The creepy fucker! And did he know you hated the song?"
Rae nodded and tried to distract Finn who had got to his feet and was pacing about. "So you need to tell us your least favourite song?"
He stopped pacing and went back to the sofa detecting he was upsetting Rae. "Oh, that's easy. 'Lady In Red'. Cos shit stuff happens when that shit song is playing."
"Aren't you going to elaborate? Rae asked confused.
He smiled sadly again. "That's a story for another day."
Rae reluctantly agreed but noticed it was nearly the end of school and her mum would soon return with Jaz. She suggested that they take the writing stuff up to her room so they wouldn't be disturbed.
Finn entered Rae's room holding all the writing materials and Rae followed behind him and quickly straightened up her bed so he could put the stuff down. She busied around trying to make it look little tidier. He told her not to worry and helped her pick up some clothes from the floor. He passed her the velour top saying it was nice and she said she planned to wear for her next shift.
He nodded appreciatively. "I think I better drop in tomorrow and see what it looks like then." He pursed his lips and waggled his eyebrows flirtatiously. "Yer know, it would go really nice with the claret frilly bra you had under the lacy number the other night."
"Yeah, I know that was my fave, but I lost it at Stu's house in the rush to get outta there. It wouldn't be right to knock and ask for it would it?" She chuckled. "So you gonna drop in tomorrow then? They'll be lots of pretty girls out sharking, as it's Friday?"
He gave her a sideways smile and nodded. "Seeing you in this top is temptation enough me dear. So do yer wanna start grilling us now then or should I just drop me trousers." He held his hand to his flies and laughed at Rae's unimpressed face before he could finish his joke. "I'm sorry I just went into auto pilot being in a girls bedroom." He laughed at his own teasing but Rae detected his nerves. She felt like he was apprehensive about sharing his stories and in all honesty she wasn't sure she really wanted to hear about his torrid sexual conquests.
Rae patted her bed for him to sit next to her and she explained that she needed some stories that he considered a success and some that were so awful they would be amusing. She sat through a number of stories that all involved him pulling girls just by calling them over. This made Rae feel annoyed that his life had become so revolved around one night stands that he had become so damn good at it, all he needed to do was point at a girl and gesture for them to approach by waggling his index finger towards himself. He said he also snogged a girl whilst burning a rollie and just breathed the smoke out in her face and she still went back to his she rode him reverse cowgirl style.
He said his most successful night was the night he pulled both members of the pop group Shampoo. One of the girls sucked his nads and fingered his arse while the other fucked him. He couldn't even remember their names but said it was perfect as they just got up and left while he was still recovering.
Rae was shocked and all she could say was "Uh-oh you were in trouble." But she didn't know that this sort of stuff happened. She was very naive and hearing Finn doing this stuff made him seem like he was from another planet.
All the other successful stories had a general theme. He seemed to like the girl to call his name out when she came. Rae wondered whether that was the part of the sex that Finn really needed. She could tell he enjoyed the sexual gratification but it did seem very important the recipient vocalise their need and pleasure for him.
Rae was about to suggest it when her mum tapped on her door. Rae said to come in and she introduced Finn to her mum and her little sister. Finn shook Jaz's hand and said "How do you do?" Which the little one thought was really funny but sent her all bashful. She squeaked she was ok and ran off shutting the door behind her.
Finn relayed a few more of his success stories and then Rae asked about any fails. He recounted a story where his bed broke when he was pounding this girl and they continued fucking amongst all the debris.
He also had a story from his much younger days when he lived at home. He shagged this girl from college that had begged him to have sex with her so he took her back to his dad's house. She crept out quietly in the middle of night but then woke the whole household complaining his Jack Russell terrier had eaten her shoe. Both Rae and Finn fell about laughing at that one.
They had been talking for so long it was a shock when Linda knocked again to ask Finn if he wanted dinner he said he would have really like to but he already agreed to have dinner with his dad.
Finn thanked Rae for a lovely afternoon and kissed her on the cheek. The feel of his warm breath on her neck sent a shiver right through her. She had to physically shake her head to rid herself of the thoughts that went through her head as she breathed in the mixture of CK One with his natural body odour. Fortunately he didn't see her acting like a weirdo and so she thanked him for all his help and waved him goodbye.
After dinner Rae sat up until the early hours writing dialogue for the pilot. She had written so much she felt sure they would be able to write a whole series rather than a one off.
The following evening Rae decided to have a few drinks during her shift see'n as it was a Friday night. Chloe and Mark offered to give her lift. They looked to have made the leap to being a couple and Rae was pleased to see another one of her friends so happy. Mark seemed perfect for Chloe as she really enjoyed how soppy he was; they liked the same crap music and she was overjoyed when he would serenade her. Although she was happy for them it was a relief to get out of the car and away from all the pet names and baby voices.
She rushed straight to the bar and poured herself a pint of Snakebite and had a large glug. She took over from Fiona who had worked the earlier shift so it was just her, Mark and lad called Matthew that she hadn't met before. They both checked each other out from head to toe and back up again when they shook hands. They giggled at one another as their eyes met a second time, but he quickly turned away to serve customers after he saw something over her shoulder. She turned to see Finn stood at the bar with Chloe and Izzy waiting for her to serve him.
He told her she looked knockout and she blushed as his eyes intently travelled her body.
"Why thank you sir, what can I get you?"
"We'll have what you're havin?" He pointed to her pint. "And get yourself another one."
She noticed his hand when he pointed to the pint. It looked a little bruised and sore. "What's happened to your hand Finn?" She caressed the knuckles and he flinched sending her hand flying.
"Oh, that's nothing, I don't even know how I got that." He looked like he was lying but Rae just shrugged her shoulders. She exchanged a few words with Chloe and Izzy but it was too busy to socialise. The bar got busier and busier and there was barely room for the gang to prop up the bar. But they said it was their right to be there to support their friend.
A few hours in and Rae was told to have a twenty minute break. So she took her pint and persuaded their fiends to sit at a table away from the bar. Rae was just expressing her dismay that Ben and Archie hadn't arrived yet when she felt a pair of big nimble hands cover her eyes.
"Oi, if you carry on moaning about me, you can't have your present!" Ben laughed and landed a big sloppy kiss of her cheek. "I'm so sorry about yesterday, my folks were so pissed off I had to pull out the Archie card." He grimaced looking sympathetically at Archie. "And they're coming during the week to introduce themselves." He looked up at Archie again trying not to giggle.
Archie didn't look bothered at all and just said he was happy to meet them.
Izzy looked annoyed at the boys and asked what they'd done with Chop. They laughed and pointed at him waiting at the bar.
"Oh, he could of said hello first. Typical boy."
Rae placed her arms around her new friend. "Do you want me to sort him out for yer Iz? I could tell him what's what."
Chloe giggled that they could refuse to serve him the rest of the night but Izzy thought that was just too cruel. She decided he would just have to buy her drinks all night instead.
Rae's break went too quickly she had to go back and cover so Mark could have a break. But Ben wanted her to see her present first. She pulled out a black t-shirt with the words 'It Wasn't Me' emblazoned across the chest.
"Ha bloody ha!" She rapped him slightly across the head as he fell about laughing. But she forgave him when she what else was in the HMV bag; it was the brand new Travis album 'The Invisible Band'. She threw her arms around him and slobbered on his cheek with thanks.
She ran back to the bar feeling elated that she had such good friends. She spent the rest of the night in a happy, flirty mood. A few of the customers asked her to dance but she refused as she had her eye on her colleague Matthew that had been flirting and complimenting her.
Just at last orders time Stu appeared at the bar asking to talk to Rae. She noticed quite an angry bruise on his face and she looked to where Finn was sat, but he had suddenly disappeared.
"What's up?" She asked looking behind in hope that his wife wasn't nearby.
"Erm, I'm just returning something you left at mine the other night. I've had it washed and that. And I'm really sorry for what happened."
Rae didn't want to have a domestic at her place of works so loudly whispered. "You what? Did Finn have anything to do with that?" She pointed to the bruise.
"Course not. I bumped into something. I just thought you might want that back." He pointed to the bag then turned and pegged it from the club.
Rae wasn't convinced that Finn didn't have anything to do with it, especially with the matching bruises. But what did it matter? She had her pulling undies back and she could wear them on the next shift with the delectable Matthew. She was always a sucker for scruffy, long haired blokes that looked they were in a band. He looked gorgeous with his long scruffy blonde hair, ripped jeans and Led Zeppelin tee.
Rae dumped the returned bra into the bag Ben had given her and went back to serve Finn and Chop their last pints of the night. She didn't say anything to Finn about Stu because she knew he would just lie about his involvement. She handed them their drinks giving them a shot each of Sambuca as a little gift from her and set about cleaning up the bar.
Matthew asked Rae if she wanted a lift home on his motorbike and she agreed enthusiastically. She heard a loud scrape of a stool and noticed Finn walking towards the table their friends were sat with his fist balled. She looked at Chop and he just shrugged; just as perplexed as her.
Rae and Matthew totalled up their tills and delivered the monies to the office for Mark to deal with. As they came out of the office Matthew ran his hand down the side of Rae's face telling her how beautiful he thought she was. She giggled happy with the attention. She was about to return the compliment but she could see Finn just to the side of them and she could feel his glare boring into her. She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him in the direction of the staff room.
Before they made it there Matthew stopped her in her tracks and spun her round and planted a soft kiss on her lips. She could hear whoops coming from her friends but then she heard the stomp of boots and the slam of the door. Rae and Matt looked up to see the gang gathering their stuff. Archie apologised saying they should go and catch up with Finn and left wishing the couple a very good night.
...
