Cheradine- Lost and found

Chapter 31

Aside from a short, inebriated phone call just before midnight professing a) how drunk Cheryl is, and b) how Cheryl misses her, Nadine doesn’t hear from the brunette until the next morning.

It’s about 10am when the Geordie calls her, just as Cheryl’s leaving her hotel.

“How are you feelin’?” Nadine asks knowingly. She only has a certain amount of sympathy because Cheryl seldom drinks heavily these days (unlike Sarah, who maintains a minimum level of blood-alcohol at all times) and is fully aware of her limits so she really should know better.

Cheryl makes a pained noise. “Rougher than a badger’s arse.”

“Mm. Thanks for that visual. Are you comin’ over here?”

“I’m on me way over now. Just a sec, there’s pap's.” The sound of Cheryl’s heels clacking off the pavement resounds for a moment, only to be drowned out by a chorus of ‘Cheryl!’ from the photographers loitering outside the hotel. It’s only once she’s inside the relative quiet of the car that the Geordie speaks up again. “Hey, ehm, did I phone you last night after I left Kim’s?”

“You might've done...” Nadine says, suppressing a chuckle.

“Did I make a twat of myself then?” There’s a clear note of worry in Cheryl’s voice.

“Not really, no.” Nadine pauses for effect, unable to resist toying with the other woman. “Unless you count tellin’ me you’d like to have a threesome with me and Dannii Minogue.”

“What?” Cheryl chokes. It’s perhaps a full minute before the penny drops. “Oh, don’t you fuckin’ start. That’s just cruel. I’m in a weakened state, you know.”

Nadine just giggles to herself. “Yeah, a self-inflicted one.”

“Okay, well, next time you have a crushin’ hangover, I’ll be sure to take the piss out of you.” They both know the likelihood of that is virtually nil, since Nadine drinks to excess less frequently than even Cheryl does nowadays (probably because being across the Atlantic means she’s safely outside the realm of Sarah’s bad influence).

“Anyway, I was thinkin’ we could go for a drive. Maybe stop somewhere for lunch? But if you’re not feelin’ up to it...”

“No, I’ll be fine once I take a couple of tablets.”

“Okay, well, I’ll see you soon?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in half an hour.”

***

It gives Nadine just enough time to nip down to the local shops and back.

She’s putting a few things away when the doorbell rings. Pausing by the hallway mirror she gives herself a quick once-over and smoothes her hair down before opening the door.

She bites her lip to keep from smiling when she sees Cheryl hiding behind sunglasses so enormous that they almost dwarf her entire face. Beneath the golden tan the Geordie looks pinched and drawn.

As soon as the door’s shut, Nadine pulls her into a hug, pressing a kiss against Cheryl’s ear. “My poor baby,” she coos, genuinely comforting the other woman despite the earlier teasing.

Cheryl clings to her gingerly.

“Are you okay?” Nadine asks as she pulls back, eyebrows drawn together in concern as she notes the sickly pallor of Cheryl’s skin. She takes Cheryl’s hand and tugs her towards the living room. “C’mon, sit yourself down. I’ll get you a glass of water.”

She returns moments later with two Ibuprofen and a tall glass of mineral water which Cheryl gratefully accepts.

“How much did you have to drink?”

Cheryl lifts the glass to her forehead, savouring the coolness of it against her heated brow. “Dunno. There may have been tequila towards the end but it’s all a bit hazy.”

Nadine just gives her a reproachful look.

“I know,” Cheryl mumbles. “God, I feel like I’m sweatin’ alcohol out me pores.”

“Are you sure you’re up to goin’ out? We can stay in if you prefer.”

“No. I don’t wanna spoil your plans.” There’s an adorable frown on Cheryl’s face. “I just need to wait for the painkillers to kick in.”

So Nadine takes a seat beside her on the couch and puts an arm around her, pressing a gentle kiss to Cheryl’s temple.