Ruby Tuesday

chapter twenty three

    “Five, four, three, two, one! Happy New Year!” We all jumped around as the London night sky literally exploded into a brilliant firework display. It was ninety sixty nine. Jack picked me up out of nowhere, twirling me around before planting a hundred kisses all over my face.

    “You look just as beautiful this year as you did the last!” He complimented with an ear to ear grin.

    Rolling my eyes I playfully slapped his arm then pulled him toward the dance floor so we could have some kind of excuse to put our hands all over each other.

    The very next day I woke up with a horrendous headache and blearily watched as Jack hobbled around the dimly lit bedroom. I let out a grumbled complaint before pulling the covers over my head and trying to go back to sleep. Then something clicked and I threw the covers away from me. “What’re you doing?” I demanded, pushing myself up into a sitting position, running a hand through my long dark hair.

    “I’ve got to go,” he replied, snatching up a bag and putting it on the end of the bed, throwing whatever pieces of clothes he could find into it.

    Snorting I battled with the hangover, “Where?”

    “Tour.” He mumbled purposefully turning his back to me.

    “Tour!” I exploded, why hadn’t the bastard said anything? “You’re kidding me? Jack, why didn’t you tell me?”

    “Hey,” he held his hands up in surrender, “Take it easy baby. It’s just three weeks and then I’ll be all yours-”

    “What makes you so sure that I’ll hang around waiting for you?” I crossed my arms tersely across my chest. I couldn’t believe he was springing this on me.

    This time Jack got angry, he slammed clothes into his bag with vehemence. “You knew exactly what you were getting into when we first got together. If you can’t hack it then you know where the door is.”

    I threw the covers off of me, too angry to care about anything anymore. Snatching up a pair of sandals I rammed them on my feet and on my way to the door my coat as well.

    “What’re you doing?” He shouted from the bedroom.

    “You’re right, I can’t hack it Jack. So fuck you and you’re fucking tours you fucking fuck!” I turned on my heel to scream at him, he was hanging in the bedroom doorway utterly astonished. I don’t think he was particularly used to someone calling the shots in the relationship.

    I opened the door and stomped down the stairs, flinging the front door open. “No,” I heard him barrel down the stairs after me. “No, you’re not walking away from me. Shut the door, shut it!” He reached forward but I closed it before he could, Jack spun me so we were facing one another, “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

    “Jack,” I placed my hands on either side of his face, “I love you.”

    “I love you too babe,” he met my lips with his passionately.

     “I’m sorry,” I mumbled under his mouth. “I’m so sorry. I really love you.” He laughed, wrapping his arms around me, holding me tightly to him as if he never wanted to let go.

    “You’re my constant, Rubes, always,” he gave me a little squeeze before cackling mischievously and picked me up, slinging my over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift. I giggled as he raced up the stairs and chucked me on the bed. He buried his face into my neck as his hands tugged at my nightie. “I need you baby that’s no lie. Without your love I’d surely die.”