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

Dying Day

"Honestly Laura,  please,  I'm being stupid. I've been drinking," Ricky began.

"Really?" Laura smiled to herself. She heard Ricky laugh gently at the other end.

"Whitey's leading me astray," he told her.

"Doubt you need much leading," she teased. They were silent once more. She wanted to be with him so much. "Why does life have to be so difficult Ricky?"

"It won't be soon. We'll get planning the wedding and start with the rest of our lives." Laura heard Ricky thanking someone. "I've got a beer from Whitey."

"Lucky you. We've had wine, but I don't want more. I think Aidan is heading back to the bar to some women he met." Unbeknown to Laura,  those few words brought a smile to the face of the man on the other end of the line."I'm off to bed."

"Ok, well I'll let you go. Speak to you tomorrow?" Ricky's voice lifted at the end of his sentence, questioning Laura's want to speak to him again.

"Of course. I'll ring at some point.  We're going to be busy,  but I'll find a moment. Goodnight and don't drink too much!" she warned.

"Noooo," he replied,  knowing it was too late. "Love you."

"Love you too." And the call was ended. Laura turned back up the beach,  seeing Aidan stumping out his cigarette on a rock and pushing his hand into his pocket as a cool breeze swept across the sand. She arrived by his side, signalling towards the steps.

"Well,  I'm ready for bed." she told him, but seeing a cheeky glint in his eyes she added, "I'm exhausted."

Aidan looked at his watch then back to Laura. She knew what was coming. "I might pop back to the bar." He saw the expression on her face,  eyebrows raised, "What?" he questioned. Laura simply shook her head and took the steps two at a time. Once inside the hotel she paused waiting for Aidan to catch up with her.  She wanted more than anything to be with Ricky at this moment, but she also didn't want Aidan to go and spend any time with that woman in the bar. She thought about going back to the bar herself,  but she was so tired her bed was the only thing she truly wanted at that precise moment. Aidan appeared behind her. Whether he mistook the confusion in her eyes for tiredness, she wasn't sure, but he smiled and told her he'd try not to wake her when he came up later. She watched him head into the bar and then turned and made her way up the stairs. 

Her exhaustion prevented her from hearing Aidan stumble into the room just after one o'clock. She slept deeply, images of old photographs but in a modern photo album circling in her dreams. Instead of the pictures set in the seventies showing her parents, they were of Ricky. He was stood arm in arm with Nancy,  the woman from the bar and in her dreams Laura couldn't stop herself from crying.  She was screwing up the page, but as much as she gripped at the album,  every photo stayed in immaculate condition. Her tears not even landing on the photos. 

When she finally woke,  it was the brightness of the light from the morning sun that stirred her. Slowly opening her eyes, thoughts of the day to come dripped into her memory. They accumulated in the thought of who was to support her through it all. She was suddenly too frightened to turn her head. Was he in a different hotel room, in a different bed? She felt her heart begin to beat as if it would break through her ribs at any moment.  The sound of a heavy sigh behind her gave Laura all she needed to know and slowly turning she saw the unmistakable outline of Aidan underneath a sheet only; his duvet kicked from the bed in a heap with his jeans and shirt. Laura watched as he turned towards her, his eyes still closed and a hand tucked beneath his dark curled hair. He'd made it to bed then. She realised she hadn't heard him so had no idea what time it had been. She found herself wondering if he'd met up with Nancy again, then suddenly remembered the photo from her dream. That woman had obviously played on her mind a little too much. Laura was suddenly angry at herself for caring. But just before she could justify her thoughts, she realised Aidan's eyes were open and staring across at her. An uncomfortable feeling washed across her. They hadn't been eye to eye in bed, admittedly not the same one, for many years now. Laura let her eyes fall for a moment,  but gaining a strength in the fact that she would not let herself be bothered by this situation she quickly raised them again.

"You made it to your own bed then!" Laura had tried hard to make it sound like she wasn't bothered if he had or not, but there was no fooling Aidan. A smile grew across his face as he realised the hidden meaning behind what Laura was saying.

"Yes ma!" he retorted. His eyes left hers as the rolled on to his back laughing gently.

"What time did you make it up?" Laura really didn't know why she'd asked. She was just falling into his trap. His head fell back towards her without answering. "I'm not bothered," she announced as she threw back her own sheet and sat up.

Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror,  Laura's hands immediately set to straightening out her hair. She looked an absolute state.

"You always looked gorgeous in the morning," Aidan said. Laura couldn't tell if he was teasing her or not as she felt anything but gorgeous, yet had remembered him telling her this many times in the years they were together. She stood up and began to make her way around Aidan's bed towards the bathroom. But as she got to the door,  she felt him grab her hand.

"Why are you worried what time I came to bed?" he asked her, his gentle Irish accent causing an unexpected tingle through her neck into her shoulders.

"I'm not,"  she forced herself to answer, staring him straight in the eyes, determined to prove to herself that his behaviour was no concern of hers. "I just don't want you to be tired with all we've got today. That's all." She attempted a smile, but the thought process didn't quite reach her mouth. Aidan wriggled in his bed, not allowing his eyes to leave Laura's. 

"I was in bed just after one, though I'm not sure," he paused, "I left my watch in her room..." Laura pulled her hand from his grasp. "Hey, hey, hey!" Aidan sat up but Laura was already in the bathroom.  He put his foot out, preventing her from closing the bathroom door. "I'm joking. She left around twelve,  I sat talking to the bar man whilst he tidied the place for an hour or so." Laura listened as she stood behind the door. "I don't know why you're letting it worry you though." Feeling Laura push against the door, he moved his foot and allowed the door to slam.

Laura leant against it on the other side. She slowly dragged her hand down her face wishing she was anywhere but there at that precise moment. She was angry with herself and today was not going to allow time for anger. Laura felt foolish. Her behaviour was not that of a newly engaged woman, but of a jealous ex-wife. She had to let it go. Taking a deep breath and remembering that in her haste she'd forgotten to bring a change of clothes, Laura turned and pulled at the door handle. On opening the door she saw Aidan sat up on the edge of his bed, eyebrows raised.

"I forgot my stuff," she said,  embarrassed at having to reappear after such a dramatic exit. But as Laura went to step forward, Aidan suddenly stood up and put his arm out across her path.

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Sorry for the delay. Chapters will be as and when. Hope you enjoy another bit of drama!!