Wednesday, 21st December 2022
Jamie and Roy left the club early, collecting Phoebe from school on the way back to Platypus Green.
She was bouncing in the backseat the whole way, excited and chatty.
Roy made the appropriate noises, but Jamie actively chatted back to her, just as excited but hiding it slightly better.
Roy pulled into the crossover in front of Platypus Green and both Jamie and Phoebe grew silent. Roy hit the button to open the gate, which slid open smoothly in front of the car. They drove down the driveway and parked next to Jamie's own car. He'd upgraded recently to a fully electric model – he had wanted a car his father didn't recognise and was ready for something new. Roy had even organised for Nigel to run a line from the house to a weather protected box which would allow Jamie to charge the car where they parked.
Roy climbed out of the car calmly. Jamie and Phoebe clamoured out of the car and stopped right next to Roy.
"This is so exciting," Phoebe said.
"It is," Nigel offered, rubbing his gloved hands together. "Are you ready to see it?"
Phoebe nodded enthusiastically.
"I think if we don't start," Roy grumbled out. "These two will vibrate out of their skin."
Nigel laughed and started walking towards the house. Phoebe grabbed Jamie's hand and pulled him along behind Nigel. They stopped at the bare ground that had been grass, they'd taken away more than half of it for the construction and Roy would need to have it re-laid after winter when the ground was softer. Roy's landscaper had come back and extended the paving that they'd done and then pulled up. Nigel walked to the side of the house and started down the ramp, laid with the same pavers as the seating area. There was a set of stairs at the far end of the house but they walked down the ramp next to it. As they went, they could see into the cellar conversion. The levers were all closed but the glass panels gave them a view into the cellar and the pool inside. When they reached the end, Nigel reached out and handed Roy the keys. Roy handed them to Jamie who bounced and then shook his head; trying to hand them back to Roy.
"Open the fucking door, Jamie, I know you want to."
Jamie smiled and unlocked the door. They opened both sides, one door gave way to a ramp, the other stairs, and were hit with warm humid salty air like stepping into a tropical room from the English winter outside.
"Amazing," Phoebe said, bouncing down the ramp and coming to a stop before the pool.
Jamie followed her down, Roy taking the ramp instead of the stairs as well.
"You've seen the pool and the tiling. Down that end," Nigel said, "are all of the utilities for upstairs, boiler, and pool necessities for down here."
"You don't go in there, Phoebe," Roy told her.
Phoebe nodded.
"And down this end, you'll see the sauna in the back corner and the gym in front. And of course, the spa for…" Nigel looked at Phoebe and then winked at Jamie who flushed and laughed.
"What?" Phoebe asked.
"Jamie's a big fan of the spa," Roy growled out.
Jamie thought about tomorrow night when he was going to get Roy down here to show him how nice spa sex could be so he'd stop being all smug about it.
"The stairs up to the top level have a lock as well," Nigel said, walking towards the doorway that led to stairs. He handed them to Roy.
They wall walked up the stairs which brought them to the new landing between toilet and butler's pantry.
"And you've seen everything up here," Nigel said, stepped to the side out of Cruyff's way as the cat twinned around Roy's feet and then heading for Jamie.
"It's actually all done?" Phoebe asked.
"It's actually all done," Nigel said. "The team is excited to get a little time off before Christmas."
"It's wonderful work as normal," Roy said.
"Fucking mint," Jamie told him. "We need to celebrate, fancy a beer?"
Nigel shook his head. "The wife will kill me if I'm not home soon, her sister's visiting and they don't really get on but with the baby so close…I need to be the buffer."
"Thank you, Nigel," Roy said, handing him an envelope.
"You've already," Nigel said, shaking his head. "Thanks."
"Merry Christmas. I've got another project in January coming – a place in Merton, I'll be in touch," Roy told him.
"Merry Christmas," Nigel said, saying his goodbyes and leaving them behind.
"Can we go in the pool?" Phoebe asked.
Roy grumbled but nodded. "You have some bathers up in your room, your mum packed them for me."
"Yes," Phoebe said, turning and running up the stairs.
"Cool," Jamie said, darting forward to kiss Roy and then heading for the stairs as well.
"Fuck," Roy mumbled, following them both up the stairs.
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