Warmth is the first sensation she becomes aware of as she slowly wakes. A warm body curled around her own from behind, snug and solid and snoring gently by her ear. She smiles, stroking the arm draped over her waist. It feels like weeks since they've woken up together like this. Since Ross left for Liverpool, and Chas chucked Paddy out, there's always been someone to look after or check up on. And then of course there's been Debbie's looking trial and Sarah's road to recovery. The latest thing's been Noah's delinquent side rearing its head. It feels like everybody needs a piece of her and there's not enough to go round. And the person who wants nothing from her, except just to be with her, has had to make do with whatever scraps of time she's had left.
She turns over, smiling when Vanessa grunts in her sleep at being jostled. It's too dark to properly see her, but she can make out the lines of her profile in the sliver of streetlight that slips through the curtains. It's not like she's never woken up with Vanessa in her bed before. She has, dozens of times. But this time it's Vanessa's bed as well. She's not staying over, she's just staying. Forever, if Charity has any say in the matter.
This is all new for Charity. This is her home, that she owns. Attached to her business, where she earns a good enough living to keep herself and her kids safe and fed. Usually when she hooks up with someone, she's the one moving in. She's the one using someone else's walls to try and claw some sense of security for herself. Not this time. This time she's opening up her home and inviting Vanessa to share it. She's financially and emotionally in a place she's never been before. She's made a life for herself, a good one, as Vanessa likes to point out.
And waking up every morning with Vanessa can only make it better.
Turning onto her back, she reaches over and grabs her phone, checking the time and groaning when she sees her alarm is going to go off soon.
"S'it? S'wrong?"
She winces at the sleepy voice, loud in the darkness. She slides back over the bed, wrapping her arms around Vanessa and pulling her in, rubbing a hand up and down her back. "Nothing, babe." She presses her lips to Vanessa's temple, leaving them to rest there for a moment. "Nothing's wrong. Go back to sleep."
Vanessa hums against her neck, arms tightening around her. "S'okay. M'awake now. Time's it?"
Charity's eyes close. She's so tempted to stay in the comfort and warmth of Vanessa's arms. "Just gone seven. I've got to be up at Butler's by quarter past eight, but you can stay in bed a bit longer. Lucky sod."
A yawn is stifled against her shoulder and then Vanessa's on the move, her hand groping on the bedside cabinet until the room is illuminated and Charity has to squeeze her eyes shut to block out the painful light. Vanessa crawls on top of her, planting her elbows on either side of Charity's head, grinning down at her when Charity opens one eye, still squinting against the light.
"Morning," Vanessa says.
The smile is infectious and Charity finds herself grinning back up at her. She lifts her head and kisses Vanessa's chin. "Morning."
"It's nice, this," Vanessa comments, running her thumb along Charity's eyebrow. "Waking up here and not having to think about going home to get changed or wondering if I've brought everything for Johnny." She shrugs and smiles. "I've got everything I need right here."
Even though she knows there's a deeper meaning behind Vanessa's words, Charity rolls her eyes. "I'd flaming well hope so. All them boxes you brought. You must've packed everything bar the kitchen sink."
Vanessa sticks out her lower lip. "I left some things behind."
"If this is about that bloody chair again , I-" She's cut off by a kiss. Short and chaste, but firm.
Vanessa pulls back and looks into her eyes. "Charity, like I said, I've got everything I need right here."
Charity's hands slide around Vanessa's hips, pulling her closer. "Me too." They're both smiling when their lips meet this time, languid and familiar. Charity bends her leg, her thigh coming up between Vanessa's, who turns her mouth away, moaning against Charity's cheek.
"You don't have time for this," she murmurs, though Charity notes that she's started rocking herself.
"I'll be quick in the shower and skip breakfast," Charity says, nipping at Vanessa's jaw with her teeth. "I've always got time for this. For you."
Vanessa takes no more persuasion than that, dipping her head to capture Charity's lips in a fierce kiss and crying out when Charity's hand replaces her thigh.
Charity ends up running later than she'd like, since Vanessa insisted on returning the favour. Following a shower that barely qualifies for the title, she's surprised to find the bed empty. She'd had great difficulty leaving Vanessa in it by herself, all glowing and glorious. But now it's empty. And made.
After quickly dressing and doing her make-up, she grabs her shoes and hurries downstairs and into the living room. The sight awaiting her stops her in her tracks. Vanessa's in the kitchen, wearing Charity's silky purple dressing gown, making what looks to be a mountain of sandwiches.
It hits her that this is real. Vanessa is really here with her to stay. She smiles.
Her hurry forgotten, Charity drops her shoes and steps into them, before slinking up behind Vanessa, wrapping her arms around her waist and leaning her chin on her shoulder. She plucks at the belt of the robe.
"This is mine." She presses a kiss to Vanessa's jaw. "Weren't you just going on about having all your own stuff here now?"
Vanessa laughs. "Yeah, and good luck finding anything in any of those boxes." She shakes her head. "There's no rhyme nor reason to what's in them at all. God knows what we were thinking when we were packing them."
"Well, I know what I was thinking." Charity gently bites Vanessa's earlobe, her next words spoken in a whisper. "I was thinking 'I need to get this woman's stuff to my house before she comes to her senses'."
Catching Charity's chin, Vanessa turns her face so that their eyes meet, searching. Seemingly happy that Charity's kidding, she shakes her head. "No chance of that."
Charity smiles, shifting her eyes to Vanessa's handiwork. "You feeding the five thousand?"
"It's just a few butties for you to take with you." She turns and finishes up the sandwich she's making, piling it on top of some others and lifting them into a waiting bag. She turns in Charity's arms and shrugs. "I know how much waiting about there is at these things and you won't be wanting to go to that cafe at the court every time you fancy a nibble."
It's on the tip of Charity's tongue to say that Vanessa will make someone a great little wife someday, but she stops herself. Because if she's going to be anyone's wife, it'll be Charity's. And they're not quite at the stage of having that conversation yet. Soon, maybe. But not quite yet. So she narrows her eyes playfully.
"Least you could do, really, since you used up most of my energy this morning."
Vanessa laughs and nods, her hands sweeping up Charity's sides. "Exactly."
Charity sighs. "I really do need to go."
"Yes, you do." Vanessa nods, turning to gather up some bits and pieces and deposit them in the bag before turning to hand it to Charity, taking hold of her arm and getting her moving in the direction of the door.
They pause for Charity to get into her coat. "Oh, and don't let our Noah sleep in till all hours." She flicks her hair out from where it's caught in her collar. "He'll sleep till teatime if you let him." She lifts her eyebrows. "And if he tries to give you any lip-"
"I can handle him," Vanessa says, straightening out Charity's blouse. "Now go. Tell Debbie I'll be thinking of her."
"I will, babe." She leans in for a goodbye kiss, and swipes at the lipstick mark it leaves beneath Vanessa's lower lip. "I love you."
The words come so easily now that she can't even remember why she struggled with them before; why she held them in for so long. Because the way they make Vanessa's eyes shine and her smile brighter is something Charity hopes she'll never grow tired of.
"I love you." Vanessa goes up on her toes and kisses Charity's cheek. "But you really better go."
"I'm going. I'm going." Charity opens the door, her other hand tightening on the bag of food. "And I'll see you when I get home, yeah?"
Vanessa grins. "I'll be here."
Charity can't resist stealing one last quick kiss, winking over her shoulder as she heads to her car. "Later, kid."
Vanessa nods and waves and when Charity's putting the bag of butties on the passenger seat, she hears Vanessa yelling at Noah to get up. She smiles to herself.
Yeah, she can't wait to come home.