Cheradine- Lost and found

Chapter 6

Nadine spends the next couple of hours languishing in bed, completely mortified by her own behaviour. It’s around lunchtime when she finally plucks up the courage to emerge from her bedroom. She finds Cheryl in the living room reading a glossy magazine.

Nadine clears her throat sheepishly, causing Cheryl to glance up. “Um, sorry about abandonin’ you earlier.”

A slight smile crosses Cheryl’s lips as she tosses the magazine onto the coffee table. “That’s okay. Feelin’ better now?” She pats the space beside her on the couch, an invitation to join her.

Nadine nods, though she still has that empty, hollow feeling in her stomach. “A wee bit.” She crosses the room and sits gingerly beside Cheryl, a respectable distance between them.

Without a word, Cheryl reaches over and brushes a lock of Nadine’s hair away from her face. “Your roots are showin’, babe,” the Geordie remarks, not critically, just an observation. “Would you ever go back to havin’ dark hair?”

Nadine shrugs. “I’m used to bein’ a blonde now.”

Cheryl’s smile is warm. “Either way, you look gorgeous.”

“So,” Nadine says, quickly sidestepping the compliment and changing the subject, “is there anythin’ you wanted to do today?” She tries to put on a bright face but inside she feels like crawling into a dark hole to die. Right there and then she resolves never to touch a drop of alcohol again.

Perhaps the grimace shows through because Cheryl chuckles. “You don’t have to keep us entertained, you know. I’m happy just chillin’ out here.”

“Even so, I feel like a crappy host.”

“You’re not, at all.”

They fall quiet as they look at each other and Nadine finds herself desperate to fill the silence. “How about I make it up to you – we can go for a drive up the coast tomorrow?”

Cheryl’s eyebrows lift. “Yeah? I’d love to.”

**

It was almost certainly a mistake to let Cheryl drive the convertible.

As soon as they get to an empty stretch of the freeway, Cheryl turns to Nadine and gives a cheeky wink. “Shall we see how fast this thing goes?”

Before Nadine can shriek her disapproval, Cheryl puts peddle to the metal and they’re easily doing 85 miles per hour.

It isn’t long after that they hear the shrill siren of a patrol car catching up on them.

“Oh, shite,” Nadine mutters and removes her sunglasses from their perch on the top of her head. “Pull over, Cheryl.”

Biting her lip, Cheryl does as she’s told and they come to a stop in a lay-by, the police car pulling up close behind.

They exchange a worried glance as the officer gets out the car, slowly walking up to the driver’s side door.  “Ladies,” he says, leaning on the door, eyes hidden by aviator sunglasses.

“Hello Officer,” Nadine replies, shooting Cheryl a look as if to say let me do the talking.

“You do realise the speed limit is 65, right?”

“Sorry. My friend’s visiting from England and she didn’t know -“

“License and registration, please,” he says, cutting her off brusquely.

They hand over the documents and the officer inspects them for a long minute. 

“Look, Officer...” Here Cheryl cranes her neck to get a look at his name badge, ignoring the sharp glare that Nadine directs at her. “Green.  I’m really sorry. I’ve never driven in the US before and I suppose with the sunshine and the open road and havin’ the top down, I just got a bit carried away.”

The apologetic smile Cheryl flashes him would make anyone weak in the knees.

Excruciating seconds pass.

Then he grunts, giving the documents back. “On this occasion, I’ll let it slide. Just watch your speed.”

“Thanks Officer,” Nadine says quickly.

“Have a nice day,” he says with a nod.

Once he’s out of earshot, Nadine lets out a relieved sigh. “Right you, out. I’m drivin’.”

“Awww,” Cheryl pouts. “I was enjoin’ that.”

“Well, I’d rather not end up in jail. Honestly, you can take the girl out of Newcastle...”

“Hey, if it wasn’t for me Geordie charm we probably would’ve got a ticket or worse.”

Nadine snorts. “Yeah, keep tellin’ yourself that, hun.”