You Never Said - Part 3 To The Producer (A Ricky Wilson Fan-fiction)

Mine For Curry

Chris followed Laura home in his car, parking at the bottom half of their driveway; a luxury for London,  Laura was fully appreciative of. He helped her carry the shopping into the kitchen,  then began opening cupboard doors,  looking for the pans and things he'd need. Laura guided him where to look. Chris clapped his hands. "Right! Let's get cooking." He stepped towards the hob just as Laura was heading towards the fridge, their bodies bumping in to each other. Laura stepped back awkwardly.

"Oh sorry," she said,  expecting Chris also to move to one side to allow her to pass, but he didn't. He caught her gaze before a sly smile trickled across his face and he eventually moved.

"Ricky should be ringing soon. He'll be surprised you're here." It was as if Laura was warning Chris that she wanted Ricky to know he was there at the house. An admittance that strengthen the fact that Chris was there as a friend. And was Laura doing that for her own or Ricky's benefit she wondered?

"Ricky won't mind.  He'll be glad you've got company won't he?" Chris was trying to light the gas. Laura passed by and did it for him, but was aware of her closeness to Chris once again. She didn't look up. Instead she emptied her final shopping bag - the one with the wine and the vests. She left the room to take the vests and put them on the bottom stair to go up. She stared at them. What had  possessed her to buy them? Returning to the kitchen she poured herself a drink.

"I got you some of that low alcohol beer you like." She placed a bottle in front of him and went to sit down at the breakfast bar.

"Lovely,  thanks." He carried on throwing things in the pan. "So does Ricky cook for you?"

"Yes if he's home. We cook together if we're both around. Or we take turns.  No set rules." She took a drink.

"You're lucky." He took a drink himself, "Gets boring cooking for one."

"Tell me about it. I did it for a good few years before Ricky came along." Laura knew what it was like to live alone. "And even when I was with Aidan,  he seemed to be away more than he was there. So I know what it's like." She watched as he continued.

"You've found someone now though, that's the difference."  He pointed the spoon he'd been using at her and nodded.

"You spend a lot of time with friends.  You cook with and for them don't you?" Laura asked,  knowing he did.

"Not the same though is it? A quick cuddle in between cutting up the veg and stirring the sauce.  I just miss it that's all." There was a sense of emotion in his voice.

"You'll find someone soon," she told him,  watching him raise his eyebrows in disbelief. "You will," Laura insisted.

"I'm starting to think I'm in for a life of bachelorhood. I guess I just can't find the right girl," he paused, "Or if I do, she just doesn't realise I'm the right bloke."  Laura listened to him.

"Oh Chris,  she's out there somewhere.  Look at me and Ricky. He just walked in to my life..."

"Then out again,  then back in again,"  Chris finished her sentence.

"Yeah alright.  Sometimes it takes a while to realise what's in front of you and how good it can be." Chris didn't answer, but head down,  just carried on with his curry.

It was just as they'd sat down to eat that Laura's phone began to ring. "Great timing Ricky!"  she moaned as she answered the call. "Hiya,"

"Hi. Sorry I didn't ring earlier. You ok?" She could her drumming in the background then a door shutting.

"I'm fine.  Being kept company actually." Laura held the phone from her ear as Chris shouted hello from across the table.

"Is that Chris?"  Ricky guessed.

"Yeah, I bumped into him when I was doing the shopping.  He offered to keep me company and cook a curry."

"The last time he cooked a curry,  I stuck it to the bottom of the pan!" Ricky remembered.

"This one looks OK. He's just served it up." Laura smiled across to Chris.

"I'll let you go then if you are eating. Have you told Chris about the house warming?"  Laura could hear someone shouting Ricky; it was more that he needed to go than she did.

"No, I will tell him in a minute.  You have to go. Ring me later. Love you.

"Yep, love you. Bye." And he was gone.  Laura put her phone down,  smiling to herself.

"You do love him don't you?" Laura was shocked.  She couldn't tell if it was a question or a statement.

"Yes I, I do love him."  She played with her glass. "I always have." Laura met Chris' gaze. "Since the first day I saw him, he's ment something to me." She suddenly felt silly admitting this to Chris. He stopped eating and put his knife and fork down.

"I need someone to say that about me." He took a drink as Laura's hand automatically reached out and rubbed his back.

"It will happen. You've been in love before,  you will be again." He twisted himself in his seat to face her.

"I guess I'm just too fussy. That or too scared that someone would be with me for the wrong reason."  Laura could tell he was being very matter of fact about the situation,  no self-pity in his voice.  "That time we went out..."

Laura's eyes widened, "I wouldn't call it out! We just went for a drink."

"Alright,  the time we went for a drink...this is going to sound weird." Chris continued as Laura wondered desperately what he was going to say. "What made, why didn't...?"  He didn't know how to put it.

"Why did it not lead anywhere?"  Laura finished off his sentence for him now,  putting Chris out of his awkward position.

"Yeah,  basically.  We never discussed anything,  it just didn't happen. Sorry,"  Chris went back to the fridge to get another beer,"I shouldn't be asking you that.  It's obvious why." He pushed the cap off with the bottle opener.

"I can say exactly why. But I don't think you'll like it!" Laura wanted to be honest with him.

"Go on," Chris was stood upright as if preparing himself for impact.

"I enjoyed that evening.  We had fun. You made me laugh like no one had in a long time, but you felt like a brother to me. And for me with all I've been through in my life, that's just as important as any other relationship.  And still now, that's how I feel towards you. I  love you, like a brother." Laura stood up and walked to Chris.  He smiled,  keeping his lips firmly together as she wrapped her arms around him. She felt his arms reciprocate, pulling her close to him. Then she felt his lips on her head; he held them there for a moment before ending the kiss and pulling himself away from her. Laura could sense a  love he had for her. Her eyes darted over his face,  trying to read his feelings.

"Ricky better always look after you," he breathed in deeply and pulled her back to him. She felt his hand on the back of her hair, his heart beat seemed to quicken.

"You know he will.  He's fought hard enough for what we have so far."  Laura pulled away once again. Chris' face was close to hers. The words she thought she'd heard him say that night flowed through her mind, 'You'd be enough for me'. She felt his hand cup her face, slide down her cheek, his finger stroking under her chin. Her breathing quickened. She was unable to read the look in his eyes as she felt her muscles numb, unable to move away from him. Opening her lips ever so slightly, she went to speak,  but was unsure what to say. But she was fully aware of what she had to do. Forcing herself to look away, she continued the momentum and returned to her seat. Picking up her glass,  she downed the last of the wine that was left.