Never Really Over

Chapter 37

March 2020

John had been wrong when he had written coronavirus off as nothing to be concerned about. Weeks on, he still wasn't worried about what he saw as a bad case of the flu, but it was a fucking inconvenience.

Things with Beth were going well, so well that he was on the verge of going completely against their vow to 'take it slow' and ask her to move in with him. He had carefully planned a do-over in Rome. At the same hotel and restaurant he had taken her to the night it had all gone wrong for them. He was going to pop the question by the Trevi Fountain, where they had watched the couple get engaged all those years ago, but before it could happen, Italy had closed their borders. Beth knew nothing about this surprise trip, and was mystified why John was suddenly glued to the news watching the hysteria over Covid-19 unfold when current affairs were usually the last thing he was interested in. When they had first got back together practically every text, he sent her was detailing something filthy he wanted to do to her, now all she got was updates like 'EU has closed its borders' or 'NBA called off!'. She kept joking romance was dead already, which got him worked up and determined to show her over and over again that they were still firmly in the honeymoon period. Which they absolutely were. After years of their relationship being nothing more than a series of hook ups, 'take it slow' had also meant an agonising sex ban, that had finally been broken on Valentine's Day and they had been making up for lost time ever since. Like this morning for instance, when one minute Beth had been making breakfast, and the next John was on his knees with his face buried in her ass.

Last week's announcement that the Premier League was being suspended was something else for him to complain about. The season would probably end up being extended, cutting short any time off before prep for the Euros started. Potentially there would be no return to Ibiza with Beth, he wanted to show her the villa he had chosen; desperate to know if she approved. Quickly he forged a new routine for himself, gym in the morning, seeing James in the afternoons and evenings with Beth once she had finished work. Then it was announced gyms were closing, including private ones, like in his apartment block. With no reason to stay in Manchester any longer, John made himself at home at Beth's, as he had so many times before, lounging on the sofa with Maxi on his chest as though time had suddenly rolled back six years.

"You can't lie there doing nothing until April."

Beth, who still had to go to the office, as although there was no football, the social media teams were working as hard as ever to keep the fans engaged, had said disapprovingly as she stood over the sofa, ready to leave for work in a tie front dress that he had to resist the urge to unravel right there and then.

"Did some yoga when you were in the shower. Might go for a run later. Move Baby."

He places a hand on her thigh and nudges her aside to stop her blocking his view of the television.

"They are about to say who is on Lorraine later."

He's been watching a lot of daytime TV the last few days, it's really not as bad as everyone says it is. Now he knows why his mum stayed at home for so many years and didn't get a job once he and Jenny were at school. Last night, he cooked something for dinner he had seen on This Morning. He knows this unexpected holiday won't last, the club are offering to send gym equipment to anyone who needs it, but until that happens, he is going to make the most of his time off by doing nothing other than enjoying being with Beth.

"Right, I'm going," Beth leans over the side of the sofa and presses an upside-down kiss on John's lips.

"And stop using my conditioner."

She runs her hand through his curls that softer than ever now he's been treating them to the variety of hair care products on the shelf in Beth's shower. "It's nearly finished." He uses far too much.