Sorry it has been a little while since I have updated this I have been a bit busy preparing for my trip to Germany, anyway enough from me, enjoy! x
Sandra pulled onto Gerry's drive at around quarter to nine. She promised him he would be at his for nine ensuring that they would have enough time to transform Gerry's bachelor pad into the perfect marital home. There was no denying that Sandra Pullman was nervous. She wasn't nervous about the competition as such it was more the fact she had to convincingly pretend to be Gerry Standing's wife. That was something she never dreamed of happening outside of the undercover operations they occasionally went on for work. This competition, the chance of Gerry winning that two thousand pounds he claimed he desperately needs could rest entirely on her shoulders and that was intimidating. She sighed and ruffled her hair with her hands. She hadn't yet done her hair or her makeup she thought it would be better if she did it at Gerry's as at least then it would look more convincing if her makeup and her hair straighteners were casually dotted around the bathroom. She applied a bit of lip gloss using the rear view mirror, for the time being as she could do her proper make up once they had sorted everything else out.
She reached over the passenger seat and grabbed the beach bag that was sat on the seat. The only reason she chose to bring the yellow beach bag with the white polka dots was because it was big enough to fit various bits a pieces to prove a woman lived there.
Slamming the car door shut, she then struggled to walk in the extra skinny jeans. She only bought them on Wednesday when she went frantically shopping for an outfit as they were in the sale and besides if her picture was going in a magazine she might as well look as thin as possible especially if that age old myth about the camera adding ten pounds was true.
Sandra had teamed the dark blue jeans with the gold stitching up with a purple fitted jersey which clung tightly to her frame showing off that hour glass figure of hers which was to die for as well that perfectly flat stomach she had after hours of gruelling exorcise at the gym which in the past week she had increased just for this even but she kind of blew all that hard work last night when she indulged in an Indian takeaway and a bottle of wine while watching Breakfast at Tiffany's which probably explained why it took more effort to squeeze into them this morning than when she was trying them on in Next.
Gerry answered the door almost immediately after she had knocked on the door.
"Blimey Guv, how long you planning on staying. A week?" he said fixing his eyes on Sandra's beach bag.
"Very funny Gerry, I thought I better bring some things to make it look like a woman lives here" she smiled letting herself in. "Oh and Gerry, you best not call me Guv today" she patted him on the back as she dumped her bag in the hallway.
"Well what shall I call you seen as you don't like darling or sweetheart or any endearing terms" he said sighing as he never could win with her.
"Oh well I am sure I will be able to put up with them for just today, darling" she beamed "now don't you think you should get you beloved wife a coffee".
"Yes, darling coming up, something tells me you're going to be hard work as a wife"
"No more hard work than I am as being a boss to you" she smirked back watching Gerry head up to the kitchen.
"Well you can't get any harder"
"Too right, anyway Gerald what do I need to do to turn this place into a marital haven?"
"Well I have already started putting some photos out but I haven't finished"
"I can finish that if you want I've brought those photos from UCOS outings you wanted by the way" she called to him. She was actually amazed at how many photos of just her and Gerry were displayed around the sitting room. She didn't even think that many of her and her boys had been taken during the eight years she had been heading up the unit.
"Here's your coffee" Gerry said from behind her handing her the pink mug that said Sandra in white italics "in your special mug as well" he beamed.
"Cheers Gerry" she said taking it from him "hang on what special mug"
"I had them made, it was Brian's idea his and hers he thought it would be a nice wedding present"
"Ah, hasn't most of these bright ideas come from Brian" she asked warily.
"He has contributed to a fair few yes but all the ones to do with the actually cooking and the decor were mine"
"Oh okay, will you go and get my bag please there is some space on the fireplace for some of the photo's I have brought" she said walking over the where the photo's in the living room stood. Once where picture's of Gerry with his ex wives, daughters and his grandson at Sunday dinner or Christmas lived were now ones of Sandra and Gerry out in London or at friend's houses (well just Brian and Jack's)
"Yeah course I have space the stair was for a few more too"
Once the photos were in place (they were going to use the excuse of their wedding photos been at the mother in laws as she was showing friends them if they were questioned about where they were) they set to work placing Sandra's things around the house. She had brought with her three pairs of shoes, a pair of black dolly shoes, brown boots and a set of running trainers which now sat at the bottom of the hallway along with a winter coat that belonged to Sandra that was hung neatly up on the coat stand. Sandra put a few of her DVDS next to the telly as no woman really cared for gangster and horror films.
By quarter past ten they had everything ready including all the ingredients set out for Gerry to make his simple but tasty take on the traditional apple and cinnamon upside down cake served with homemade vanilla and raisin ice cream which was churning away nicely in his ice cream maker Emily got him for Christmas that he hadn't been able to use yet.
All that was left to do now was for Sandra to finish doing her hair and makeup.
"Am I alright to use your bathroom to finish getting ready?"
"Course you know where it is"
She nodded and went to the bathroom.
The first thing she noticed when she got into the sparkling white room was that the toilet seat was up. Sandra tutted loudly and said "Well that would never happen if a woman lived here" so she did something about it before unpacking her makeup and her hair straighteners, hairbrush and hair spray.
Twenty minutes later her hair was perfectly straight, her makeup was flawless and Gerry's once neat and immaculate bathroom now had makeup, a hairbrush straightening tongues and hairspray cluttering it up but it did look like she lived here now. As she looked in the mirror she had the sudden and strange urge to brush her teeth. Shit she thought if there was only one toothbrush here that would be a dead giveaway. She looked down again at the shelf to see that Gerry already had two toothbrushes in the cup he stored them in. Trust Gerry to have a spare toothbrush just in case a female 'friend' should stay over.
Returning to the living room where Gerry was sat watching the BBC News Channel he was astonished as to how amazing Sandra looked he knew she could look amazing when she wanted as when he took her the West End she looked great then but now she looked wonderful. Even at the office though when she wasn't trying she still looked beautiful which was one of the many things he loved about Sandra Pullman.
"Blimey Sandra you do know that it's just for 'Cakes and Bakes' magazine and not bloody 'Vogue'" he said jokingly.
"Yes I am well aware of what all this if for god knows it's all you have been banging on about for weeks, but seriously it is not too much is it?" she asked beginning to doubt her appearance.
"No Sandra you look perfect, every inch the perfect wife but there is one thing missing"
Her heart began to race she had made so much effort she knew she would have forgot at least something "oh what is it" she panicked.
"You need a wedding ring if you are Mrs Standing" he said passing her a ruby coloured box.
She opened it expecting to find a ring belonging to one of his exes who had kindly loaned it back to him as she had often heard him moaning that none of the three returned them. To her surprise a shiny new gold band was what was facing her. There was a little note folded up on top of the ring.
"To Sandra the best pretend wife a man could wish for" she read aloud "Oh Gerry thank you this must have cost a bit"
"Well you deserve it Guv, I mean Sandra it was a big thing me asking you to do this and I really appreciate it, I made sure it was a ring that could be worn on any finger and did not look too much like a wedding ring and besides with it being the fourth ring I have bought the jeweller gave me a discount" he joked and Sandra laughed as funnily enough she was about to ask if the fourth 'wedding' ring entitled him to a discount.
"Well thank you very much Gerry it was very beautiful" she said taking the ring out of the box.
"Here let me" he said moving closer to her and placing the ring on her ring finger.
"Thank you" she said kissing him on the cheek.
As they shared this intimate moment the doorbell rang.
"There are here" Sandra exclaimed.
"And they are early too, typical trying to catch us out" he said heading towards the sound of the persistent doorbell.
"Gerry what shall I do with the ring box" Sandra said allowing nerves to creep into her voice.
"Er, put it in the draw under the coffee table and Sandra calm, deep breaths"
"Cheers" she said as he turned away "oh and Gerry" she called causing him to face her again "Good luck Mr Standing" she said flashing him a cheeky flirtatious smile.
"Good luck to you Mrs Standing" he gave the same smile back and winked "Alright I'm coming" he called to the never ending doorbell.
Sandra took in a deep breath, pulled her jersey down and bit her lip. "This is it" she told herself "no turning back now".
Hope this was alright, love Gee x