.

.

Being pushed away a bit and tenderly watched Barbara blushed. Her relaxed satisfaction turned into a few nervous laughs which died immediately when she saw Tommy ineffectively hiding that he squirmed.

"Does it hurt?!" she asked concerned and Tommy only nodded with eyes closed firmly now. After their erotic work-out the pain had returned with double force. She should have cared more that he was injured, she reproached herself. She vaguely remembered that she dug her fingers into his shoulders during the most heated moments.

Ignoring her nudity Barbara quickly got up from Tommy's lap and helped him to find a better position on the bed. He groaned again, in pain this time, and laid back into his pillows. Then he grunted a nasty curse.

"Oh, I should've known..." he hissed through clenched teeth and visibly tried to relax his muscles. "That was a bad idea..."

"Aha?" Her usual self-doubts tried to surface.

"No, not that!" Tommy answered almost angry. He elicited another pain-filled groan while he wriggled into another position. Although Barbara thought she knew what he had meant and that he probably was not aiming his anger against her she briefly hesitated before she gave him the glass of water to swallow down another painkiller that had laid on his night table. Tommy finally opened his eyes again and looked at her with a half painful and half loving smile.

"Come lie down next to me, Barbara. You know exactly what I've meant. Oh, good grief, that's a bloody pain." He groaned again but still he placed his right arm around Barbara's shoulders. She had put the duvet over their bodies and now was tentatively snuggling into his intact side. Feeling his skin on hers and being able to press herself against him was strangely marvellous and sweetly unfamiliar at the same time. "Ah, but this feels good." he sighed.

"It does." she whispered and hid her face into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." Tommy murmured. "I thought it was better by now."

"I'm sorry, Tommy. I should have stopped-"

"Sh!" He nudged her shoulders. "It was my own fault."

"Still I should have cared more."

Tommy turned his face to her and searched her lips to give her a reassuring kiss. "We both have been oblivious to all but us, I think. And you've cared more than I had expected... so soon. But, believe me, I never would want that it had not happened."

They let their heads bump and stayed silent for a while. "I absolutely don't regret it. Do you?" There was so much uncertainty in his voice. Barbara never had expected any.

"Not at all." she breathed onto his lips and bravely gave him a deep kiss before they relaxed into the mattress. While she listened to his still a bit forced breathing they slowly drifted into sleep.

It was still dark in the whole house because she only had turned on the lights in the kitchen. She was standing in front of the open fridge and searched for a quick bite and a huge gulp of lemonade when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Hey, I thought you'd sleep lon... ger... Ma'am..." Barbara blushed. She only had put on her knickers and one of his blue business shirts that had hung over a chair before she had gone to the kitchen. Tommy still had been asleep which was no wonder after he had taken one more of those heavier painkillers. Carefully she had peeled herself from his embrace and had left him lying in his bed. She had been hungry. Smiling and humming she had roamed the fridge, slowly turning around and finally recognising that it was not Tommy but his mother. Her voice had turned lower and slower and in the end she felt obliged to address her formal.

First Daze only looked at her, shocked in a way but not too much, and then she turned, lightly smiling, slightly blushing, and filled the kettle with some water just so she was doing something. She cleared her throat and wanted to apologize but the barefoot woman was quicker. "Oh, god, that's so clichéd." Barbara croaked bumping backwards against the kitchen worktop. She wanted to die on the spot. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh, no, don't be, Barbara." Daze turned to Barbara. With amazement she recognised that Barbara's fingers were combing through her hair almost exactly the way her son used to do it. Years of working together so closely like they had always left their marks on the other's behaviour. "I think you definitely have more rights to be here and to run around in leisure clothes, so there's nothing you have to excuse. Different to me. I really should start using the doorbell instead of my keys to his house. Or at least make myself noticed when I enter the house. I am sorry."

Thankfully the open door alarm of the fridge disturbed the following awkward silence. With a nervous laugh Barbara picked a can of San Pellegrino lemonade and closed the door.

Daze harrumphed again and smiled apologetically.

"He's-"

"I'll be-"

They had started to speak at the same time which made them both laugh embarrassed. "You first." Daze said.

"I just wanted to say that he's fast asleep. He's taken one of the heavy pills, he's had a severe pain." Her face turned even redder than before because she knew why. Daze also could very well imagine how that could have happened.

"So he'll be sleeping until tomorrow morning I suppose. Will you stay here?"

"Umm, well, I..."

"I was... I mean, I'll be gone tomorrow, and tonight I could... perhaps I'll check in at...?" After a short pause Lady Asherton inhaled. "Ah, bollocks, Barbara. There's no point in beating about the bush. We're grown up girls, aren't we?"

"Well, yes, I suppose." Barbara swallowed down the sour lemonade and showed a lopsided grin.

"I should leave you both alone." Dorothy said straight ahead. "In fact I already should've be gone after we've had that coffee. It's obvious that you won't use the guest room but please don't hesitate to be honest and kick me out of here. I can as well sleep in the hotel."

"No need for that, Daze. I think I should get home anyway and... maybe get me my overnight bag. On the other hand you said he'd be sleeping through until tomorrow so we probably... I'll probably better stay at home, have some proper dinner and a good sleep and then return tomorrow morning."

"Mh, good. But only if that's your true wish, Barbara. The offer still stands." The kettle clicked and Daze made a cup of tea. They cleared without words that Barbara did not want one. Silently they sat down at the kitchen table. Barbara had the feeling that a disconcerting mother and girlfriend conversation was coming along but fortunately nothing like that happened. After rummaging in her bag Daze shoved some keys across the table.

Barbara's face went pale. She knew where Tommy had stored his emergency keys in his office, he had told her, but this here was completely different. This was so much more. Usually you get the keys to your lover's home by him and not by his mother. This alone was a great but strange gesture. But getting the keys usually only happens after you have spent a bit more time being together. A bit more time like in a few months. Now was a bit early.

"I know it is a bit strange that I do it and you may think it's a bit too early for offering you his keys but a) I know my son would approve of that and b) given the strange circumstances... he would need someone to look after him when I have to go home tomorrow - well, and in general I sometimes think. But I expect to be gone before you'd arrive here in the morning." Daze sighed. "I have another and horribly early appointment in Exeter so I plan to be on the road at seven in the morning and I guess Tommy will be still asleep. Feel free to just come in without knocking."

"Daze, I..." Barbara swallowed. "Actually I don't know what to say. I mean... I'll give them back when he's-"

Light laughter interrupted her. "Oh, my dear Barbara, I know you won't have to. Even when he's recovered." Her expression turned more serious. "Believe me."

.

...