Behind the Screen (a Tom Hiddleston Story)

40. The Stag and Hen Part 1

"Chris asked Tom if I was drunk. Chance would be a fine thing, this one has drunk half of our supplies and we haven't even checked in yet." The car erupted in laughter sending Dominique's light snores into a rather shrill scream.
"Bloody hell guys, thanks for the warning." She rubbed her eyes, sending black eyeliner smudges all over her cheeks. This only added to the giggles as even Alice saw the disaster unfurl from the view in her mirrors. Jess had stopped tonging the car and was now frantically trying to get her phone to camera mode in order to capture the sight that sat next to her. "One second, stay threeer,"

"Dominique, do us a favour and move the last bottles out of reach." She lunged for it, trying to retrieve them from her tight, drunken grasp. "Why Kate do be such an granma."

"Because," Dominique grunted, now fighting for the last bottle. "she is right, that stuff was supposed to be for when we got there. We only have one crate left now." She managed to prize it out of her hands eventually, leaving her to sulk and get back to applying moisture to the window.

Two hours later they had finally made it. As Alice turned into the driveway of the lodge, a snort was emitted from the back seat. About half an hour after all alcohol was removed from her reach, Jess had passed out on Dominique's lap. "She best not puke on my seats." Alice said light-heartedly; her concern about her ride clearly still present.

"She best not puke at all, you know how Kate can't stand sic-," before Dominique could finish her sentence Jess fell out of their grasp and onto the gravelled ground below. Scrambling towards the bushes she bent over and hurled right onto the flower patch below.

Kate stood still, eyes closed with a sarcastic smile on her face. "Brilliant." Alice on the other hand sped towards her, "Not my mothers Geraniums! Of all the places woman...." Dominique laughed and let go of her bag to pull Jess's hair out of the firing line.

"Right come on you. So long as you're finished I will take her inside and put her to bed. We can sort everything else once this one is out for the count." Jess murmured but didn't puke again so Dominique saw this as her opportunity. Her and Alice dragged her into the porch and out of sight.

This left Kate standing outside trying to get over the growing smell of sick that was working its way up her face to her nostrils. Shuddering with disgust she made her way to the boot of the car. The button was always a bit temperamental so with a few attempts she prised it open ajar, enough to retrieve their cases. Dragging the largest of all four up the drive was a struggle for a lady lacking in height. She placed it in the hall, hearing Dominique offering a glass of water to the drunken mess of the group.

On her final trip to the car, Kate hauled her blue spotted overnight bag from under the spare tyre. Slams, grunts and groans were followed by the rustling of stones beneath her feet. Just as she got half way to the door something caught her attention. She spun on her heel to face the car; she could have sworn she had seen something move from behind the car to the bushes below. Wondering what was taking her so long, Alice had emerged wearing an oversized pair of yellow washing gloves on. "Hey good lookin', what's occurring?"

"I could ask you the same," she nodded down at her hands and smiled.

"Oh these old things? Yeah turns out she wasn't quite empty of the puke thing as first thought."

"Of course she wasn't."

"What's with the stationary nature Kate? Why are you standing here staring at my mums bushes? So to speak..." She huffed laughter through her nose, her gaze not leaving Kate's face.

"Nothing, I just... I thought I saw something."
"Probably the local kitty. Nigel. Was he a black?"

"Yeah maybe," The two of them stared at the bush for a little while longer, Alice now looking a little more concerned for her friends well being.
"Right, as much as I'd like to stay and study greenery, I must go and deal with the child of the house."
"Yeah, We have to make sure we memorialise this moment." They hauled her bag onto the floor and went to lock the front door. "Photographer?"