4 - Let me fix it

The New Year's party at the Bates' had been running smoothly. And the best part of it was that she had been able to spend a lot of time with Joseph Molesley. They had talked, laughed and even danced together. See had secretly hoped that, sometime during this gathering they could find some sort of courage that help them redefine their relationship. She was positive that it could be a reality by the looks and smiles they had been giving each other all evening.

Maybe after the party (and if the courage hasn't died down) she would ask him to come to her place to celebrate more privately.

That, if he came back from wherever he had gone thirty minutes ago. John and Anna's place wasn't so big and she was sure he hadn't left as his car was still parked outside. Still, she hadn't been able to find him.

Lost in her thoughts, she startled when she felt a hand on her upper arm. It was Anna.

"Phyllis, you alright? You seem a little bit worried"

She shook her hear and smiled "Don't worry. It's nothing. Shall I help you with anything?"

"Oh, that would be great. Thank you"

She followed Anna to the kitchen and while the host gathered more food from the fridge, Phyllis went on the task to find some plates.

"How have you been feeling? Is it the baby already misbehaving?"

Anna laughed and patted her growing belly "John is convinced we're having a future Manchester United star"

"That… or a tap dancer"

Their inhibited laughs kept them from seeing John coming into the kitchen.

"Sorry to interrupt ladies". The man approached them and placed his hand around Anna's shoulder "It's Joe. I think he had some sort of 'incident'"

"Oh my God, is he ok?" Anna asked leaving everything she had on her hands over the kithen counter.

"Yeah, nothing serious… I think. He's in the laundry room"

The two women looked at each other in confusion for a moment before Anna started walking to see if she could help, Phyllis stopped her.

"Don't worry. I'll go. You two should go back to the party with the rest of the guests"

She didn't encounter anyone on her way downstairs. The laundry room door was partly opened and tentatively, she knocked on the casing, not wanting to disturb him. "Joe? It's me, Phyllis. Can I come in?"

After a few seconds, she could hear what she hoped was an affirmative sound. When she entered she saw him in the corner with his back to her.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

The man sighed and slowly turned around. "Sort of… I… I just spilled wine all over my leg"

Her eyes wondered down until they spotted the not-so-small stain on his inner and front thigh.

"Oh"

He cringed at her expression and went on "I came here trying to find something to remove it only to realize that I have no idea what I could use. And with my luck rate, I would probably worsen it"

Phyllis smiled "I think I can help you"

"How?"

"I know a few tricks to remove wine. Come on, take off your trousers before the stain dries"

Shock couldn't even begin to describe Joe's expression "I… I'm not sure… I don't think that would… I could leave it like that"

"Don't be ridiculous, Joe. If you don't clean them, those trousers will be useless after tonight. I know what to do. Let me fix it"

The uneasiness planted on his face didn't face away.

"Joe. I hate to remind you this but… I've already seen you naked"

His eyes opened impossibly wide at her statement but then he remembered; the past Christmas celebrations on the countryside included drinking a little bit too much and then joining the much younger group of men as they undressed and went skinny dipping to the lake.

"Don't worry. I just need the trousers. Your decency will remain intact" she assured him.

Slowly, he took them off and handed them to her while muttering something about the impossibility of that. She swiftly turned around to spare him a bit from further embarrasement. After she left the stain to soak under the tap, she began to look through every cabinet in the room for something she could use.

Meanwhile, he had found a stool to sit on and watched her intently. This wasn't what he had planned for the evening at all. He had managed to have her around most of the time. Now, with this, hopes for a romantic outcome had vanished. As usual.

"Seriously. It's not that bad. It happens to all us" she said without looking at him, as if she had been listening his thoughts.

"Yeah right" he muttered.

She rolled her eyes and turned to him "Three years ago at my niece's birthday party. I slipped on a toy. Birthday cake all over my white dress"

His eyes opened wide in mild surprise "Really?"

"Really. And all that in front of a family friend, who I used to fancy at that time"

He chuckled lightly.

"Besides, it's not like you have ugly legs" she added winking at him.

"Stop" he warned in a mocking tone while smiling at her carefree laugh as she knelt to inspect the lower cabinets.

"Aha. Found it" she exclaimed as she retrieved a small bottle of peroxide.

"Will that do?" he asked.

"I think so. Hand me the trousers, would you?"

He stood next to her as she poured the liquid over the stain. "And now, we put them on the heated towel rail and wait for them to dry"

She grabbed another stool to sit beside him. "See? Problem solved"

He smirked "Yeah. In exchanged for that, I completely made a fool of myself in front of you"

"I don't think you're a fool, Joe."

"It's just…"

She sensed there was some importance in what he wanted to say, so she gave him the time he needed.

"… everything was going fine. We were having a great time together…"

"It was just an accident" she insisted.

"… and I end up ruining everything"

"You didn't"

He look at her in disbelief.

"You didn't Joe" she repeated, more serious this time and followed him as he stood up and walked to the other side of the room "I'm still having a great time with you"

She put a hand on his shoulder trying to ease him. "I wouldn't have stayed after cleaning the stain if I thought otherwise. Joe, I like spending time with you. Here, upstairs, or even on a bloody junkyard"

He smiled and took her hand in his. "I like spending time you too"

She smiled back and somehow managed to tear her eyes from Joe's to inspect the trousers. As she expected, no trace of wine could be seen on them.

"Amazing" he marvelled inspecting the area and whispered sort of unconsciously "You are amazing"

She grabbed the trousers and put them over the counter. They were so close now.

"Phyllis? Joe? Still there? Only ten minutes for New Year's!" Anna's voice echoed from the top of the stairs.

"We should head back" she said sliding her arms around his waist.

"Yeah I think we should" he replied caressing her cheek before moving his hand into her hair. "But I much rather stay here"

"Let's stay then" she whispered inches from his lips and closing the gap, not before adding. "Happy New Year, Joe"