Chapter 52 - Maddy POV
I woke up in Joe's tight grip. I sometimes thought that he thought I'd run away when he's asleep sometimes..again.
I smiled and slowly lifted Joe's arm from around me. He grunted and snored slightly in his sleep before rolling over into a different position. I gave him a kiss on the cheek before getting out of the warm bed. I didn't like mess and our room was a bit messy. It was only 9am so I decided to tidy up a bit.
I picked up Joe's dirty boxers and clothes that had spread themselves out over the floor in the last few days. I put them into the washing basket with my dirty clothes that were piled on top of my suitcase.
I opened my suitcase, deciding it was time to unpack. Joe had said that I can have half his wardrobe and 3 draws because he doesn't use them.
I hung my clothes up in the wardrobe and filled the draws with my underwear. I picked up the washing basket and headed towards Zoe's room. I knocked loudly, there was no answer. I pushed the door open, Alfie was snoring his head off in Zoe's bed but Zoe was nowhere to be seen.
I knocked on the bathroom door because I knew Zoe liked to have a wash in the morning before everyone was up. She didn't answer.
'Zoe, it's Maddy. Are you in there? I need some help?' I heard sniffing and water splashing.
'Yeah come in Maddy.' I pushed the door open, Zoe was sitting in the bath with her knees up to her chest. She looked really pale and like she'd been crying.
'Sorry to..interrupt you, I've picked mine and Joe's washing up, is it ok if I put it on?'
'Yeah that's fine, washing powder is in the cupboard under the sink, put the washing machine on the 3rd setting and separate colours from whites.' I guessed that Zoe normally did all their washing.
'Thanks Zoe.. Are you alright?' She had last nights makeup all down her face and her bath looked freezing. It wasn't the usual bubble bath she had.
'I'm fine thank you.'
'Is there anything I can do?'
'In the nicest possible way, just leave me alone please. Thank you so much for doing the washing, saves me a job!'
'That's ok Zoe. Hope you're alright, I'm always here if you need a chat!'
'Thanks Maddy, why don't you make you and Joe some breakfast once you've put the washing on, you could bring it up to him and give him a nice surprise.'
'Yeah, I might do! I'll leave you to bath Zoe.'
'Bye darling.' I went to walk out the door. 'Maddy, wait!' I went back in.
'Yeah?'
'Is Alfie still asleep in my bed?'
'Yeah, he is.' She sadly smiled and looked down.
'Ok, thank you.' I nodded and walked out.
I went back downstairs and put the washing on, double checking I'd done everything Zoe had said to.
I got a frying pan out and covered it in oil. I put 4 slices of bacon on and got some bread out. I buttered the bread and flipped the bacon.
When breakfast was ready, I grabbed two glasses of orange juice and shopped up some fresh fruit into a bowl. I put it all on the tray and made my way up to Joe.
Alfie was standing outside the bathroom knocking on the door and calling Zoe. I hoped everything was alright between them. I gave Alfie an awkward smile as I walked past, we gave me one back.
I put the breakfast tray on Joe's desk and sat down next to him on the bed. I shook him gently.
'Joe, Joeeee. Wakey wakey.' Joe groaned and turned over.
'I've made you some breakfast babe, wake up and eat it.' I stopped shaking Joe, he sat up and let his eyes adjust to the light.
'Morning baby.'
'Morning Joe.' I smiled at how tired he looked.
'You ok?'
'Yeah, I made you some breakfast baby.'
'Ooo really? You're the best!' I got out of bed and fetched the try.
'What one's mine?'
'The one with the brown sauce in, that one.'
'You know me too well!'
'Yep!'
'How long have you been awake?'
'Maybe a hour?'
'What've you been doing?' He spoke between mouthfuls of bacon sandwich.
'Well I tidied up a bit, put our clothes in the wash, unpacked my suitcase into the wardrobe space and draws you said I could have, cooked breakfast, talked to Zoe.'
'How is she?'
'Not good, at all. She was in the bath when I talked to her, she had last nights makeup all over her face, she was so pale, she looked like she hadn't slept, like she'd cried for hours and she was sitting in a bath with no bubbles or anything and the water looked bloody freezing.' Joe sighed.
'It's so hard knowing I've upset her.'
'It wasn't your fault Joe, your parents should of made sure you both knew years ago. You can't blame yourself, you did the right thing.'
'Thanks Maddy.'
'I think she might have had an argument with Alfie.'
'Why?'
'Well when I was talking to her she said is Alfie still asleep in my bed and I said yeah and she pulled a face and seemed quite sad then when I came up with breakfast, Alfie was standing at the door calling her name and he seemed really sad.'
'I'm sure she'll be alright, she's very strong.'
'Yes, she is.'
'Hopefully she'll cheer up when she sees Tanya and Jim later and if that doesn't work then she'll see Louise at the party tomorrow, if that doesn't cheer up her then nothing will.'
'Let's just hope she'll be ok.'
'Yes defiantly.' I wanted to ask Joe about what he said last night.
'Do you remember what you said last night?'
'Well, I probably said a lot last night babe.'
'About love?'
'What about it?'
'You said that sometimes you think and realise things.'
'Which I do?'
'You said love is all you need.'
'Your point is?'
'Because it's true.'
'You need other things as well though, what about food and money?'
'Love is all I need and as long as we'll both live, I should change that to you is all I need.'