Chapter Six
‘Kimberley? Kim? Wake up babe.’
I feel like I’m badly hungover. I can barely open my eyes, and the room spins. Cheryl is kneeling next to me, stroking my cheek with her thumb. ‘Hey. You alright?’
‘Hmmm…’
‘D’you want anything to eat, or drink? It’s nearly three in the afternoon and you haven’t touched anything.’
‘No.’
‘I’m not gonna lie Kim, you’re scaring us. Will you let me call a doctor?’
I am more alert now. Not perfect, but better. ‘No, don’t… I’ll be fine… I just need to sleep it off…’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes. Please, don’t.’
‘Alright pet, don’t worry. Look I’ve got a lot of things to sort out, I might be busy for a few hours… but if you need us, shout us ok? Anything you need.’
I just nod and close my eyes again. Cheryl runs her fingers through my hair before leaving and if feels great. I don’t know what’s different about today than the last few days but I just can’t function. And it’s going to happen all over again tonight.
Cheryl stayed with me all night. The night before she had left after she thought I was asleep, but this time she didn’t move until nearly seven in the morning, and I heard the shower on and she came back in when she was dressed to try and get me up. She’s been in and out all day since then, trying to get me to eat, but I can’t even stomach a glass of water, nothing.
I reach down to the floor for my back and pull it up to me, slipping it under the quilt. I haven’t been able to go in it today because I never knew when Cheryl was going to come in, but I use the opportunity now she’s said she’ll be busy for a while.
I fall back to sleep and don’t wake up again until after six. Finally feeling able to get up, I go quietly into the front room. Cheryl has just hung up the phone and has the laptop on the coffee table, and a few bits of paper spilling out of a folder next to her. She looks stressed. I am about to announce my presence when her phone rings again. ‘For f*cks sake!’ she mutters. ‘What?! Oh, hiya babe how are you? Actually now’s not a great time, can I ring you back?’ she laughs and leans back, looking more relaxed already. ‘Yeah I know what time it is over there, calm down, I’ll remember! Yeah. Oh right, well I’ll have to see… Ok babe talk to you later.’
Cheryl hangs up and stretches. ‘Cheryl?’
She jumps up straight away. ‘Hey, you’re up! I said shout us if you needed anything, what’s the matter?’
‘Nothing, I just wanted to get up.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes! Don’t panic. I feel much better… for now.’
Cheryl smiles sadly and pulls me to sit next to her, pushing one of the folders onto the floor. ‘You’ll start feeling better soon.’ She says feebly.
‘Yeah.’ I shrug. For once I don’t want to talk about me. ‘So what’re you up to?’
‘Oh, nothing, I’m sorted now…. Just one more thing, there’s a charity event I’m attending next month and me PA sent me some sketches to look at for what to wear. Here look at these.’
Cheryl hands me sketch after sketch, saying about most of them, ‘I don’t like this’ or ‘I’m not keen on that one.’ She gives me the last one and says ‘I’m in two minds about this, I think it’s missing something… what d’you reckon?’
‘I haven’t got a clue Cheryl.’ I laugh.
‘Just your opinion.’
‘Well if this was…’ I look around. ‘D’you have blank paper, and a pencil?’
‘Yeah, here…’
Cheryl quickly grabs me what I need and stares at me with interest. I redraw the dress then start changing bits. ‘If they got rid of that frilly bit on the shoulders, you wouldn’t look like a Victorian maid…’ Cheryl has just raised a bottle of water to her mouth and chokes with laughter. I just smile and carry on. ‘And made that shorter at the front to show off your legs… and put some decoration around the waist there…’
