Sacha insists on staying up until Cheryl comes home, but now she’s dozing in an armchair in front of the TV. Diana is awake too, and crying furiously, her face all screwed up and flailing her tiny fists in the air. I bounce her on my lap, wishing she’d shut up whilst half-watching the detective drama on TV. I’m a bit worried that it might be too scary for Sacha, I don’t want her to have bad dreams like Cheryl, but I don’t think that she’s actually watching it anymore anyway. Her eyelids are drooping and her head is beginning to rest on the arm of the chair.
“Shh, stop crying baby” I whisper to Diana, who of cause doesn’t understand and continues to wail.
“When’s Cheryl coming home?” mumbles Sacha
“I don’t know babe, why don’t you go to bed, and when Cheryl comes home I’ll make sure that she goes up and gives you a goodnight kiss?” I suggest hopefully.
“No, I want to see her” Sacha pouts stubbornly.
“Okay fine. She shouldn’t be too much longer...” I glance at the time on my phone. It’s nearly quarter to ten. She’s late. I pick up my phone again to text her, but then drop it. I don’t want to look as though I miss her, even though I do. All day I’ve been glancing at the clock every few minutes, glad that time was creeping closer to half past nine. And now half past nine has been and gone, and she’s late. I bounce Diana up and down, worrying about her. What if there’s been a car accident? Or she’s lost? Suddenly I remember Ashley’s voice on the phone, and it sends cold shivers down my spine. I imagine her in a dark, damp alleyway in the rain, droplets sliding down her soft skin and turning her hair into long black curls. I can almost hear her stilettos on the concrete. I imagine the shadows moving, twisting and then solidifying into the shape of a man. His hands would reach for her, strong and vicelike, making her skin flower into purple bruises. She would try to cry out, but another hand would already be over her mouth, making lipstick stains on his pale palms...
A car draws up outside, I can see the headlights through the curtains and hear the scrunch of the gravel under heavy tyres. I hear staggering, uneven footsteps approaching the front door. I hear a key in the lock. Fumbling hands twist it then drop it jangling to the floor. Sacha is asleep in the armchair, her lips slightly apart. Diana has stopped crying as if to listen to the person outside. I hold my breath.
The person outside whispers “sh!t” through their teeth.
“BANG! BANG! BANG!”
Gunshots.
I almost jump from my seat, and my hands clutch at my phone, thumbs hovering above the number 9, ready to call for the police. Then I realise the noise was from the TV, and I breathe out slowly.
“Kiiiiiim!” Cheryl calls from the hallway as she pulls off her stilettos.
“Shh, Sacha’s asleep” I whisper, and Diana gurgles when she sees Cheryl.
“Bayyyybeeeee” Cheryl coos at her, giggling and holding out her arms to hold Diana, and she trips slightly as she walks. I pass her Diana, then she comes and snuggles next to me on the sofa. I can smell the alcohol on her breath, and her eyes are unfocussed.
“Have you had a good night?” I ask her, hugging her
“Naaahh, it was boring” she laughs “I’m p!ssed aren’t I?”
“Just a little bit” I laugh at her
“M’an embarra-embarrasment” she slurs “I had three-no, wait, four cocktails. Four! And I’m wrecked!”
“You’re cute when you’re drunk” I laugh as she holds up four fingers to add emphasis to how many drinks she’d had.
“You’re cute all the time” she says, giggling at me, then looking at Diana “and yoooou baby girl, you’re more than cute, you’re the cutest, more cuter-er, cutest-er thing ever. Ever!” She holds Diana up and kisses her on the nose, making a loud “MWAH” sound.
“Chez, you gotta be quiet, don’t wake Sacha!”
“She’s cute too! I’ve got the three cutest girls eveeerrrrr” she hugs me tightly.
“Whatever, do you want a coffee or anything?” I say, getting up to go to the kitchen
“Nooo! Kim don’t leave me!” She grabs my hand and tries to pull me back down. I laugh at her and shake her off. “Kiiim!” she gasps as I leave the room.
“What?” I ask, poking my head back around the door
“You know how you luurrrrvvvvee me?” she says, blinking at me sweetly, making big sad eyes
“Yeaaah” I say slowly, trying not to smile
“And you know how you’re my bestest friend evvvverrrr?”
“Yeaaahh...”
“Will you be an angel-cuddle-candybear and get me a drink?”
“An angel-cuddle-candy what?” I laugh
“An angel-cuddle-candybear. Like a normal candybear but with more...uh...angels and cuddles...” she screws up her face, thinking, and then blushes violently.
“Okaaay, what do you want to drink?”
“VODKA!” she shouts
“You’re going to be so hungover tomorrow...”
“Yay! Hangover from HELL!” she moves Diana’s tiny hands so it looks like the baby is cheering.
I bring her blue vodka and a few shot glasses, and stack them on the glass coffee table.
“Blue vodka...” she slurs as she opens the bottle and lavishly pours four shot glasses“it tastes of rasssppppbewwwieeeeesssss”
“Are you going to drink all that?” I look at her, slightly impressed.
“Noo, I’mma fcuking lightweight. You’re gonna drink these two, yeah?”
“Uh, no, one of us has to be the responsible adult here...”
“Two shots. Come oooonnn Kiiiim. Two teensy little tiiiiiny shots...”
I look at her evil grin and sparkling eyes. I smile, then pick up one of the shots. She giggles happily and picks up one of her own. “We should have a toast” she says matter-of-factly.
“Like what?”
“Urrm...Fcuk it, I dunno...”
“Fcuk it” I say, holding up my glass to her. She giggles, screwing up her nose and showing off her dimples.
“Fcuk it” she replies, before frowning and downing her shot. Then she wipes her mouth on the back of her hand.
“Another?” she laughs, seductively curving her eyebrows at me
“Okay, fine, whatever. Just let me put Sacha and Diana to bed first...”
She collects the vodka and shot glasses and gets up, heading towards the stairs in a not-very straight line. “I’ll meet you in your bedroom...” she says as she turns away. I watch her walk, the way the muscles in her legs move and the way her hips swing. I bite my lips, hiding a smile.
