Morning came, taking everybody by surprise with it's pale sunshine and vague warmth. A wind of change pranced in the breeze. The merry wind, the magical wind, making March hares of everyone, tumbling leaves, conkers... and umbrellas and hats; rushing towards the cold in a frenzy of exuberance.
Christmas was coming.
Zoe felt the sudden slap of warm skin across her chin, Max's hand catching her as he moved, tugging the duvet from her legs. She nudged him firmly with his knee, a smile spreading across his lips, one eye opening.
"Morning beautiful..."
He yawned as he spoke, drawing the back of his forearm across his mouth, closing his eyes again and sighing contentedly.
"Morning..."
She turned herself into him, smelling him, the heady rush of warm skin, his skin.
There was a pause. The two of them enjoying the moment together, listening to one another breath, the soft pat-pat of someone walking past in the corridor beyond the door.
Max shifted slightly, kissing her forehead.
"I haven't forgotten."
He whispered, his jaw moving against the top of her head. She sighed.
"Didn't think you would have."
Her words were muffled against the bare skin of his chest. She could feel the cold air nip the ends of her toes as they wriggled free of the duvet.
He yawned again before speaking.
"I'll nip out after breakfast and get you one."
He kissed the top of her head, his lips brushing the glossy black hair that fell against her cheek.
"You will not!"
She manoeuvred her head so that she could look up at him.
"And leave me downstairs with your family!?"
She asked incredulously.
He smiled, pouting his lips slightly.
"Not scared of them still?!"
He asked, smiling again, biting the tip of his tongue.
"Scared?! Your mum is lovely but I'm still bloody terrified of them!"
She felt his arm slip around her, holding her tight as she spoke. He kissed her lips, ever so gently, once, twice, before pulling away and resting his chin against her forehead. His stubble pricking her skin.
"Please don't be scared."
He whispered, running his fingers up and down gently across the naked skin of her back. She shivered against him and he pulled her closer.
"We'll go down, while everyone's getting sorted with drinks etc I'll nip across the road and get one."
He spoke softly, sounding further away than he was.
She drew in a long, steadying breath. She knew why, she knew he wanted her to get to know his family, for her to be comfortable around them. She wanted to. But when she thought about it too much she could feel that old familiar pull of panic at the back of her throat, at the base of her stomach that made her want to turn and run as she had done from so many relationships in the past.
"Ok."
She exhaled as she spoke. Squeezing her eyes shut for just a second, readying herself mentally.
He squeezed her one last time before rolling back, stretching into the mattress and letting out a long guttural groan before relaxing back, slipping his legs out of the bed and heaving himself up with exaggerated effort.
Zoe watched, lying still as a cat stalking a mouse, watching with the slip of a smile as he moved from the bed, naked, his skin so much paler than her own. She watched the muscles move under his skin as he reached for a dressing gown, tying it tightly about himself before moving into the en-suite.
She rolled onto her back when she could no longer see him, the only sound the running of water in the sink and the soft tap of the toilet seat being lifted.
They moved together down the flight of stares to the small breakfast room. There was a table full of cereals, bowls, a toaster, and metal dishes full of hot food. The room smelled strongly of bacon, a fresh batch being distributed between containers as they entered.
"Get a drink, I'll go over now..."
Max ran a hand over her knuckles, his fingers slipping from her grasp, resting at the base of her spine. She made to protest but he leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
"I'll be back before you know it."
He nudged her gently before slipping away, leaving her standing in the door frame, twisting he ring he had bought her over and over on her finger until she felt the skin begin to catch.
"Zoe?"
A voice caught her attention, a woman who was placing two slices of white toast into a toaster was eyeing her, head titled, a smile on her fuchsia stained lips.
"You're Zoe, right?"
She spoke again, biting her lip, waiting for a response.
"Yes..."
Zoe made to move, pausing, almost bumping into a passer by as she moved slowly closer to the table.
"Help yourself..."
The woman gestured to the array of food. Zoe glanced down at it, wishing instead for a pack of cigarettes.
"Where's he gone?"
The woman asked, letting her eyes slip to the door.
"Max? He's just gone to the shop."
Zoe answered, attempting a smile, reaching tentatively out for a mug and peering at the coffee machine.
"Ah..."
The unknown woman murmured as if this explained more than it did.
"Is this your first time? Meeting the family?"
She asked, popping up her toast and inspecting it, finding it not quite done and pressing it back down again.
Zoe laughed slightly, mainly from nerves.
"Is it that obvious?"
She asked, sorting through the various discs of flavoured coffee before placing a plain, black one into the machine. The on-button didn't seem to be doing anything...
The woman shrugged and popped the toast up again, finding it done to her liking she placed it on a plate and peeled back the wrapper of a small square of butter.
"Let me get that for you..."
A large hand slipped over her shoulder, pressing a selection of buttons and positioning her mug beneath the spout that began to hiss and spit before producing a long black stream of hot coffee.
Zoe glanced back, knowing full well who it was by the sight of the thick freckled hand.
Max's step-dad. He took the coffee from the machine when it was done and handed it to her.
"Milk?"
The woman on the other side of the table held up a milk jug.
Zoe shook her head.
"Black's fine..."
She watched Max's step-dad look from her to the woman, smiling slightly.
"Met the ex then have you?"
He nudged Zoe with alarming strength, her hands gripping the edges of the coffee cup to steady it.
"I'm sorry?"
She asked, watching the coffee settle back down into the mug before looking up. The woman buttering her toast looked slightly flushed, embarrassed as she undid a tiny pot of jam and dipped the end of her butter-greased knife in.
"Max's ex?"
He said, rolling his eyes, still smiling.
Zoe looked over to the woman, noticing now the Celtic jewellery. The necklace she wore, the bangles and earrings...the rings...one the copy of the one she herself wore, the one Max had given her. She felt an odd sickening wave of something resembling anger, or jealousy begin to creep up within her.
"I didn't know..."
She paused, glancing to the woman.
"Sorry, I didn't know..."
"Who you were with?"
Max's step-dad guffawed, nudging her again. This time a spit of coffee lurched over the side of the mug, spattering the top of her foot, burning her skin slowly.
She glanced at him, all to aware that she was beginning to glare.
"Who you were with? "I didn't know who you were with."
He repeated.
"Excuse me?"
She asked, taking a step away from him to avoid any more nudges.
"It's from the Godfather...?"
He cocked his head. The woman biting into her jam toast was smiling as she did so.
"Sorry, it's from The Godfather. It's when the... uh, when the film producer realizes that Tom Hagen is an emissary of Vito Corleone. It's just before the horse's head ends up in the bed with all the bloody sheets, you know, wakes up and it's... AAHH! AAAHH! AAAHH! AAAHH!"
He raised his hands in mock scream. The woman opposite laughing. He looked to Zoe, her face expressionless, mystified.
"Never mind..."
He laughed, sucking in a breath, patting his stomach with his hands and eyeing the table to his right with the hot foot platters.
"Right!...I'll leave you two ladies to get to know one another! I'm sure you've got plenty in common..."
Hello everyone! Sorry, I hadn't forgotten about this, we've all been unwell so haven't been physically able to come and write anything (so so sorry) I hope you're all ok and still enjoying this. Nobody panic, I won't suddenly abandon this, and I will always update as quickly as I can :) Enjoy casualty tonight! xxx