Chapter 30
Charity’s POV
From the outside, Charity looks cool, calm and collected. On the inside she is anything but. Vanessa is in her bed. Not just that - Vanessa is nestled gently against her own body, and everything feels right with the world. She never thought she’d get this again so right now her heart is hammering against her chest wildly (just like it always did when she was this close to the love of her life). Not that she was going to let Vanessa know that. Obviously. No, she was the Queen of tease and was primed and ready to make Vanessa squirm, despite last night being an actual dream come true (well, her dreams of the last 18months anyway).
Charity felt the disappointment flow through her as Vanessa started stirring and let out a small groan as she opened her eyes. (That'll be the hangover, thought Charity.) And although she might be able to have some fun at someone else’s expense (which she always enjoyed) she’d much rather keep her tiny blonde rocket woman ensconced in her arms for as long as possible.
"Morning, babe!" Charity chirped with false confidence in an over-the-top sing-song voice after feeling Vanessa's body tense with panic. She loosened her grip a little to allow Vanessa to roll over and face her, but made sure that her hand made its way to the small of Vanessa's back, pulling her in closer, once she'd turned over.
"Morning. I errrrr.....we......we didn't.....you know..?" Vanessa said with a grimace, giving Charity the impression that she couldn’t possibly be any more repulsed by their current situation.
"What?" Charity asked with faux innocence.
"Sleep together?" She muttered.
"Well, you're waking up in my bed so obviously we slept together, babe." Emphasising the 'sleep' part.
"You know what I mean, Charity!"
"Ohhhhhhhh! You mean: did we do the horizontal tango? Did we bump uglies? Did we enjoy a little bedroom rodeo?" She takes a breath to continue but Vanessa interrupts.
"Alright, alright, we get the idea. Just answer the question, Charity!"
"Not sure why you're being so coy about it, Ness - it's nothing we haven't done a thousand times before.." She knows she’s being cheeky but she also knows that Vanessa loses her head when she’s within five metres of her – which is clearly what happened last night in her drunken stupor and was now regrettable in the stark light of day.
"Charity!" She admonishes, shifting away from Charity and out of her grip, much to Charity’s dismay.
"But no, we didn't, okay?"
"Really?"
"Not convinced you'd be able to resist me, eh? I can't blame you. I mean, who wouldn't want to get their hands on this?" Gesturing at her body under the duvet. "No, it was you making all the moves actually, babe." She says coolly. "But I'm not really into taking advantage of drunk people so you had to settle for being little spoon instead I'm afraid."
"Okay.." Vanessa replied uncertainly.
"You're very......persistent when you're drunk, aren't you? Not really sure how I managed to keep hold of my pyjamas to be honest.." She says teasingly.
Vanessa covered her face with her hands and groaned in embarrassment. Charity enjoyed toying with people but there was a little part of her that wishes she hadn’t embarrassed Vanessa quite so much..
"Lucky for you I'm so trustworthy, eh? Otherwise you might have got yourself into all kinds of trouble.." she continues.
Vanessa scoffs. "Shut up Charity!"
"Is that all the thanks I get? I stop you doing something you might not remember but definitely might regret, and then act as your personal hot water bottle all night like you practically commanded me to?! No it's fine....you're welcome, babe." She accuses incredulously.
"Sorry" Vanessa mutters. "Look, I was clearly drunk, so.."
"So you didn't mean what you said, yeah yeah, don't worry. It'll be our little secret." Charity jumps in, pre-empting Vanessa because maybe it'll hurt slightly less if she says it herself rather than Vanessa saying it.
"Thank you"
"Don't mention it." She pauses. "Guess it's time for the walk of shame eh?" Charity says nonchalantly, as if Vanessa leaving is not the last thing she wants.
Vanessa slowly manoeuvres herself off the bed and starts looking around the room, presumably for her belongings.
"They're downstairs." Charity supplies.
"Thanks. I'll just.." she gestures towards the door. "Bye"
"Yeah, see you next time" Charity says with a wink. "Best night of my life, Ness"
Vanessa huffs and rolls her eyes before turning 'round and yanking the door open and stomping down the stairs.
Charity stares forlornly at the empty space where Vanessa had just been standing. Why does she always make stupid jokes and pretend she doesn't care? It really had been the best night she'd had in a long time (since 21st July 2020 to be precise). She was going to have to put her heart back on her sleeve and give Vanessa the truth sometime soon. Clearly today wasn't that day. She sighs and drops her head back onto the pillow. "Idiot." She mutters.
Vanessa’s POV
Vanessa shifted her body around on the mattress, after trying but failing to cling onto the sleep she was enjoying so much. She couldn’t help but let out a small groan as she slowly came back to consciousness against her will. It felt like the sun was shining directly into her eyes and despite having slept well, she could definitely feel the pounding of a rather strong headache. She experimentally opened her eyes against the bright light. Nope. She slammed them shut....but within seconds they sprang open again and her whole body went rigid with panic as she realised that the headache wasn’t the only thing she could feel - there was someone else in the bed with her. Someone who had their arm slung across her midriff. Someone whose smell she'd know anywhere. Someone who really, really shouldn't be there. Or she shouldn't be in their bed. Whatever. Now was not the time for quibbling over details. What the fuck had she done?!
If she didn’t already know whose bed she was in the cocky “Morning, babe!” certainly confirmed it. Oh God, how the hell had this happened?!
Mortified, she slowly rolled herself over so that she could speak to the other occupant of the bed. Charity. Great. The taller blonde didn’t let go of her either…..pulled her closer if anything. Ergh….this was her worst nightmare (and secretly her deepest desire). Being so close to Charity again made everything difficult – thought, speech, breathing..
"Morning. I errrrr.....we......we didn't.....you know..?" She said with a grimace and a blush and a hand vaguely waving between them unable to actually meet Charity's gaze.
"What?" Charity asked with faux innocence. She should have known Charity wouldn’t make this easy for her..
"Sleep together?" She muttered embarrassedly.
"Well, you're waking up in my bed so obviously we slept together, babe." Definitely not making it easy..
"You know what I mean, Charity!" She accused.
"Ohhhhhhhh! You mean: did we do the horizontal tango? Did we bump uglies? Did we enjoy a little bedroom rodeo?" She takes a breath to continue but no way is Vanessa going to endure any more embarrassing euphemisms.
"Alright, alright, we get the idea. Just answer the question, Charity!" She interjects, struggling to hide her frustration.
"Not sure why you're being so coy about it, Ness - it's nothing we haven't done a thousand times before..". Vanessa does NOT need a reminder of their previous incredible sex life right now..
"Charity!" She admonishes, moving herself away from Charity in the hope that her ex wouldn’t notice her deepening blush and quickening pulse….as well as another rather visceral response to their closeness..
"But no, we didn't, okay?"
What? Did she hear that right? "Really?" Hoping Charity wasn’t lying.
"Not convinced you'd be able to resist me, eh? I can't blame you. I mean, who wouldn't want to get their hands on this?" Gesturing at her body under the duvet. "No, it was you making all the moves actually, babe. But I'm not really into taking advantage of drunk people so you had to settle for being little spoon instead I'm afraid." God she’s cocky, and she really knows how to push her buttons and wind her up.
"Okay.." Vanessa replied uncertainly.
"You're very......persistent when you're drunk, aren't you? Not really sure how I managed to keep hold of my pyjamas to be honest.." She says teasingly.
Vanessa covers her face with her hands, groaning in embarrassment. Any chance the ground could just swallow her up? Right now would be great. Please?
"Lucky for you I'm so trustworthy, eh? Otherwise you might have got yourself into all kinds of trouble.."
Vanessa scoffs. "Shut up Charity!" Seriously?! Making out like she’s some kind of angel?!
"Is that all the thanks I get? I stop you doing something you might not remember but definitely might regret, and then act as your personal hot water bottle all night like you practically commanded me to?! No it's fine....you're welcome, babe."
Oh God, she hopes she hadn’t begged. She hopes she’d been, in some way, endearing at least. "Sorry" Vanessa mutters. "Look, I was clearly drunk, so.." she tails off, not sure where she was going with her statement but getting interrupted by Charity anyway..
"So you didn't mean what you said, yeah yeah, don't worry. It'll be our little secret."
And as much as she’s not sure she 100% believes Charity (outing her in the pub after their first encounter comes to mind..) she’s relieved to hear her say it. "Thank you" She replies gratefully.
"Don't mention it." She pauses. "Guess it's time for the walk of shame eh?" Charity says nonchalantly.
Vanessa cringes at the thought but knows when she’s not wanted so slowly manoeuvres herself off the bed and starts looking for her jacket and handbag that she literally has no idea where she’s left. 'At least I'm fully dressed', she thinks to herself.
"They're downstairs." Charity supplies, helpfully.
"Thanks. I'll just.." she gestures towards the door. "Bye"
"Yeah, see you next time" Charity says with a wink. "Best night of my life, Ness"
Why does she always have to make everything a joke?! Vanessa huffs and rolls her eyes before turning 'round and yanking the door open and stomping down the stairs.
Locating her missing belongings in the living room, Vanessa heads towards the front door. She used to love this part when they first got together – sneaking out and trying to get back to Tug Ghyll without anyone seeing her whilst also secretly hoping that someone did see her (and her messy sex hair and ridiculous grin) and know that she’d just had the best night of her life and who was to thank for it. How had she let this happen this time though? They were over. Vanessa had to move on. And Charity clearly just wanted a good time and something to gloat about around the village later. “Idiot” she muttered. That’s it: she’s never getting drunk again!
She takes a deep breath and steps out of the front door and barely manages five steps before she literally almost bumps into Brenda. Perfect. “Morning Vanessa!” she says brightly and then realises which house she’s just stepped out of. “Oh…..you’re up early..” she says knowingly with a gleeful grin.
“Yep” she replies and marches back to Tug Ghyll wondering if it’s possible for her day to get any worse. Probably, knowing Charity.