Zoe looked at the clock, a large black rimmed clock that hung against the grey painted wall. It was half past seven. She strummed her fingers on the cover of the magazine that she held, resting her head back on the headboard and taking in her surroundings.
Following their last exchange between themselves and Henry, Max and Zoe had checked into a hotel, the first they had found with a spare room. It was a quaint four story brownstone building with views out over the park. The room was small and the furniture dated but it was clean, well run and the elderly woman who owned it had taken an instant liking to the pair of them, Max in particular.
She ran the thin glossy paper of the magazine underneath one of her nails to draw out the grit. The door handle opened and she glanced up as Max entered. He was holding a breakfast tray one-handed, whilst pushing open the door and holding a news paper under one arm, his tongue was just visible between his teeth as it was when he concentrated. He looked up once the door had shut behind him, moving over and placing the tray and paper onto the foot of the bed, exhaling with relief at not dropping anything.
"My mother would think it was the end of civilization...people who promise breakfast at seven and arrive at half past..."
Zoe smiled as she spoke, watching as he crawled across the bed to her.
"Oh, really?"
He asked, leaning closer, steadying himself on his one arm.
"Mmm. Barbarians."
She whispered, catching his breath against her skin as he kissed her quickly, stealing her breath, making her laugh before letting himself fall back against the head of the bed.
"I'd eat if before it gets any colder."
He stretched as he spoke, Zoe watched as his body tensed and relaxed against the pillows. She leaned forward and pulled the tray up between them, being careful to steady the tea pot as she did.
He watched her as she poured. The dim glow of late autumn sunshine was beginning to flicker through the bare branches of the tree lined street outside. The sky was a dark cloudless blue and the veins of the overnight frost on the old windows of the brownstone began to melt, slithering in silvery lines down the panes.
She passed him a mug of tea and began buttering the cooling toast.
"I'll take that off for you today."
She looked toward his sling as she took a bite of toast and rested her tea cup in her lap, the warmth of it spreading gently through the duvet to her thighs.
"I was rather enjoying being the invalid..."
He smiled into the rim of his cup, blowing the surface so that it bubbled, catching her gaze.
"You'll need both arms if Henry finds us."
She sighed, not quite meaning what she said, but still there was the possibility that he might do something silly if he did find them.
They had left Henry and Helena in the office the night before, Zoe had forcibly pushed Max from the room whilst Helena held Henry back, a barrage of insults and threats hounding them from the room.
"Can't you chase him off, you're scarier than I am."
He took a sip of his tea, still smiling as she arced an eyebrow, nudging his foot with her own.
"I thought you were a man..."
She smiled.
"Uh, I am all man..."
He cut her off, His smile widening so that they white glint of his teeth just showed through his parted lips.
"Two things women want from their man, money and protection..."
She breathed, taking a sip of her tea.
"Is that right...?"
He asked, hearing her swallow.
"Apparently."
She tapped the cover of the magazine she'd been reading to show the headline she had just quoted.
"Ah well, I have a bicycle helmet and a credit card so we're alright."
He whispered, taking another gulp of tea while she dipped her head, smiling, resting her face against his shoulder, the smell of him, warm, and comforting.
"So, what's the plan?"
He asked, placing his mug on the bedside table and reaching for a slice of toast, being careful not to jog her as he did.
She remained silent while she chewed, he could feel the rotation of her jaw against his shoulder.
"We can't stay here now, not after last night."
She took another bite and chewed slowly before speaking again.
"I'll book flights home for as soon as possible."
She concluded, before yawning against the back of her hand.
"But all of your things are still at his..."
He refused to mention Henry's name.
Zoe blew a frustrated sound through her lips, a half sigh, a half moan.
"We can go there first. When he's working."
She said quietly, not relishing the thought of going back.
"Then what...when we get home. I'm pretty sure neither of us have a job to go back to."
He moved his head as he spoke so that his lips brushed her hair. She closed her eyes and rolled her face to press against his neck. She could feel his pulse beating against her cheek.
"Let's not think about that now..."
She whispered, her breath tickling his neck.
Without another word he merely reached out his arm to the bedside table where his jacket lay, he eased out the packet of cigarettes he had bought the night before, pushing open the cardboard lid and raising them to his lips where he eased one free with his teeth, tossing the packet back onto the bed and taking the cigarette from his mouth, holding it between his fingers, holding it at arms length so that she could see.
"First suck?"
He asked into her hair. He felt her shake her head against him, a murmured 'no', from her lips.
"What's that?!"
He asked with feigned incredulity, nudging her with his shoulder so that she was forced to lift her head.
"Not at the moment."
She averted her eyes from the crisp white cigarette that he held.
"Wait, wait, wait...are you ill?!"
He was joking but his eyes were curious. She ran a hand through her hair and yawned again as she spoke.
"I just thought..."
She made a movement with her hand as if ushering the topic away.
"You go ahead."
She said instead, reaching for another slice of toast.
"No...no!"
He pushed the cigarette back into the box with difficulty.
"Why don't you want one?"
He asked, watching as he cheeks flushed slightly.
"I just thought."
She began again, gesturing haphazardly with the slice of toast.
"That it might give us a better chance at...at..."
She stumbled again, Max watched, waiting, eyebrows raised.
"Maybe I wouldn't miscarry again...if I looked after myself a bit better..."
She said eventually, exhaling as she spoke, her eyes refusing to meet his, instead she inspected the slice of toast that she held, her cheeks still flushed and warm.
She felt his fingers squeeze her upper arm gently.
"You can still have one..."
She said quietly, looking up at him almost without meaning to. She felt embarrassed although she wasn't sure why.
He shook his head, still that beautiful smile played on his lips.
"I'll give up if you will."
He said, squeezing her arm again.
Sorry again for not being able to update again last night. Hopefully one day my children will enjoy sleeping?! :) Hope you are still enjoying it? I've just popped the beginning of another story up on here as well if anyone fancies a read of it, it's called Heavy Rain. (Don't worry i'll still be writing this one as regularly...if not more regularly than I am now.) xxx