"If she doesn't like me?" We were on our way to Meg's house where she lived with the rest of her family. "Gary I don't care, I've never listened to her anyway." I bit my lip nervously. "How long yet?" - "About 10 minutes." She was driving, to my relief, i hated it, didn't trust cars. I think I'd just let her ferry me around in future. Around Australia. I'd made tge decision so spontaneously, I hadn't given it time to sink in that I was actually going to live here. Officially I was on holiday, I hadn't even done any of the paperwork. But I already had an idea of how I'd get permission to stay. "How long?" - "Gary how old are you?"Meghan chuckled "you're worse than my d... my sister." I frowned. "What aren't you telling me Meg?" She ignored me. "Look, here it is." It was a bloody big house. Posistioned on the outside of a village it had a big garden. I estimated it to about 3 or 4 floors. Meg rang the doorbell and I heard the sound of dogs barking. "Yes I'm coming I'm coming!" I heard a woman calling.
The door opened to reveal a short woman with blond-brown hair and blue eyes. "THERE YOU ARE! I WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" she shoute in an Australian accent. "Sorry mum." - "DON'T JUST RUN OFF!" she evidently hadn't noticed me so I shuffled behind Meg a little. "AND- oh, who've you brought with you?"
"Err mum, this is my... boyfriend Gary." I smiled at her. But instea of greeting me or anything, she took my wrist and pulled me into the house I glanced at Meghan but she just shrugged. Her mum dragged me into a room and closed the door. "You! If you're after cheap sex again or a quick fuck then bye bye, you can fuck off right now okay?! Otherwise I'll break your neck." - "Err, yes Mrs, but I, errr, I'm not sure what you mean..."
"Oh you forgot her?! You just-" The door flew open. "Here you are!" Meghan smiled as she saw me. "My room's first on the right, you can unpack your suitcase there. Mum, word, please!" I did as I was told and emptied my suitcase on Meg's bed. Jeses wht was that all about? I hung my clothes up and made my way back diwnstairs.
"No mum I haven't told him. He'd go mad, I need him to trust me first."
"But you can't just do this Meg! The man used you!" I decided to interrupt their conversation by bursting into the room. Both women stared at me in shock as I strolled towards them. "You okay baby?" Meg asked as I wrapped my arm around her. I didn't say anything, just nodded. "mmh. course." I said kissing Meg passionately, partly to provoke her mum who walked away irritatedly.
"You did that to annoy her didn't you?" Meg asked as we broke apart. "Of course baby" I grinned at her. She rolled her eyes and playfully slapped my arm. "And I'll annoy her a bit more tonight" I smirked. She gave me her sarcastic look which made me chuckle.
"Have you two quite finished?" I pulled a face behind her back which made Meghan laugh. "please keep the noise down tonight, some of us will be wanting to sleep." Meg tutted. "Don't tut at me missy!"
"Mum for christ's sake I'm 35! I don't need you looking after me anymore, I can make my choice in partner myself I'm not a child!"
"I just want to protect you."
"MUM FOR FUCK SAKE I LOVE HIM OKAY?! COS HE'S GOOD TO ME AND HE GAVE UP HIS LIFE TO BE ABLE TO SPEND IT WITH ME SO JUST PIPE DOWN I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!"
"HOW CAN YOU KNOW?! AFTER WHAT HE'S DONE TO US!" I stared at her mum in shock. "What?" - "Mum shut up!" Meg hissed. "WHAT?!" Okay, that might have been a bit too loud. It certainly made Meghan jump. "gary..."
"No Meg, tell me what's going on. Tell me now." She shook her head. "I can't" I stared at her. "Then how can I trust you? If there's this huge seret between us, how can I trust you?" She shrugged. "You can't." I just nodded. "Right. Great. I give up my job, my family, my friends, to come and find you and you throw it back in my face like this?"
"Gary, I'll tell you someday." - "When?" - "The right time. We're not ready yet." - "meghan..." She shook her head. I sighed. "Fuck sake." I said and dropped down onto one of the chairs. "Please Gary, believe me. Just trust me until I can tell you yeah?" I should probably leave her. Tell her to get lost with her bloody secrets. But I'd come all this way to find her now. I nodded. "okay." I said quietly. "Thank you Gary." She said and kissed my forehead.
***
We were lying in bed wrapped around eachother, sweating and panting heavily. I decided to keep the noise down after all, probably wasn't good annoying her mum too much. "Gary, will you stay here? I mean, to live?" I shrugged. "If I have to yeah. I hope you do mean in a house of our own though." she nodded against my chest. "If you want." - "Of course I ant. Your mum hates me!"
"She's just trying to protect me Gary" Meghan muttered. "Meg, what-" - "Not now Gary, please." I sighed. "Okay." She shuffled up the bed so our faces were at a level and pouted so her lips touched mine. "Love you." She smiled. "Love you too. Even if you are a cheeky bitch." Meg gaped at me in fake shock. "I am a what mister Barlow?" - "Cheeky bitch." I grinned back like a naughty schoolboy. "Oh my my, I might have to punich you for that" she said as she swung a leg over me so she was straddling my hips. And all I could do was let out a low moan.
***
***10 months later***
I spotted Gary staring out of the window of our apartment again. I could tell something was wrong, he wasn't his usual cheerful self anymore. He was miserable most of the day. Though he acted like he wasn't. He looked upset when he hought I couldn't see. I knew what it was. I put my arms around him from behind and rested my head on his shoulder. "Gary what's wrong?"
"Nothing" he insisted. "Yeah right." He totally ignored me. "Is it England?" Still no reaction. So I spun his chair around and sat on his lap, straddling him so I could look at his face. "It is isn't it? gary, please, go back there, I don't want you to be unhappy."
"I won't leave you" he said quietly. I sighed. Only one thing left then. "Gary, we'll move back to England."
