innuendo | ben hardy

TWENTY THREE.

two weeks later

'are you sure this is a good idea?' asks tom while driving.

'yes! i called her yesterday and she said it was a good idea as her boyfriend's allergic to dogs.

nailah and tom are currently driving to bournemoth, to melissa's house. they are going to pick up ben's pet beagle, frankie. he is always saying how much he misses her so nailah wants to surprise him when he comes back. while he's been away, she's been moving into his house. she hasn't changed much about his place, just added a few ornaments or a piece of furniture here and there. ben doesn't want her to start the nursery, he wants to decorate it with her.

'i don't know, it just seems to weird to me. but it's got nothing to do with me.' says tom with a shrug, turning right as he follows the gps. they park in front of a small house, get out and walk towards the front door and knock on it.

a few moments later, a small brunette opens the door with a smile on her face.

'nailah hi! come on in and you must be tom.' says melissa moving out the way to let them in.

'you know you didn't have to come all this way to pick up frankie, i could have driven up to london.' says melissa as they walk into the kitchen.

'oh no, it's no bother honestly.' says nailah with a smile.

'well what can i get you? tea? coffee? something else? please sit down!

'i'll just have a tea thanks, milk and one sugar.' says nailah as she sits.

'just a coffee please.' says tom sitting down next to her.

'i know this might seem weird nailah but i can see why ben fell for you, you truly are stunning.' says melissa making her blush.

'well what can i say, he does have a thing for brunettes.' says nailah and they both laugh. tom is just sat there between them, drinking his coffee quietly, while he watches them. this is quite the experience, seeing the ex and the current girlfriend bond over a man.

'so anyway, i have everything packed and ready for frankie in a bag. as i told you, jack is allergic to dogs and i think the idea of having my ex's dog still here makes him kind of uncomfortable. but i know frankie will love living back with ben and with you. and with the baby when it comes of course.'

'honestly thank you for being so nice melissa, i wanted to surprise ben when he comes back. i was kind of scared of meeting you at first if i'm completely honest.'

'don't worry about it! oh you shouldn't be, i understand you're probably thinking "oh the ex girlfriend blah blah" but don't worry ben and i are history. i'll always care for him and wish him the best but that's it. anyway enough rambling, let me show you frankie!' says melissa suddenly standing up and leaving the room.

'she's so nice.' says nailah to tom who simply nods. a few moments later, melissa comes back in followed by a happy looking beagle.

'so frankie, this is nailah and tom. she's going to be your new owner alongside ben!'

frankie just walks over to nailah who strokes her head a few times before she curls up in a ball by nailah's feet.

'didn't realise you were a dog whisperer nailah.' says tom laughing. nailah just looks at her and smiles.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

nailah and tom are on their back to london with frankie in the back of his black ford.

'wait do you hear that?' says tom suddenly.

'hear what?'

'shhh.' he says when they hear a song playing.

'oh wait that's my phone.' says nailah digging into her phone while hammer to fall by queen plays.

'that's my ringtone for rami.' she says with a smile before answering the phone.

'hello gorgeous.' says rami on the other side of the phone.

'hey rami, isn't it early over there?'

'yes it is my darling but i needed someone to talk to.' he says with his freddie voice, something about his freddie voice makes nailah's heart flutter.

'what's up?'

'lucy broke up with me.'

'she what?' says nailah loudly making tom look at her quickly.

'broke up with me. she said the distance was too much for us. i tried telling her we could adapt, i could move to london or she could come to los angeles but not at this precise moment in time you know? but she wasn't willing to wait so she just ended things.'

'oh my god rami, i'm so sorry. you and lucy were so cute together.'

'don't worry about it darling, i'm quite alright. it just wasn't meant to be, that's all. i was planning to come to London in the next few weeks to visit lucy but looks like i'll come and visit you ben and gwilym instead. i'll even try and bring mister mazzello with me. it'll be like a bo rhap reunion.'

'that sounds great rami! ben would love that, so would gwilym. seeing you guys again would mean the world to ben well and me as well, but ben more.'

'i'll call you as soon as i know when i'm coming exactly. but i better get going, it's six am and it's my day off, i need my beauty sleep. talk to you later ma chérie. i love you.'

'please do! i love you too.' she says before ending the call. tom just looks at her while they are at a red light.

'does ben know about this?'

'about what?'

'all the cute pet names and the i love yous?'

'yes of course he does! why?'

'oh no reason.'

'there must be a reason if you're asking.'

'well it's just you know ben can sometimes get a little jealous, i was just wondering because you and rami are so close that maybe he thought something is going on.' says tom with a shrug, 'but i don't mean it in a bad way of course.'

'if only you knew half of what he gets up to tom. if only you knew.'

kind of a shit part sorry lads
also in previous parts i mentioned that frankie is a boy, she's actually a girl soz ben