Six Days, Sixteen Hours
dough
The phone rang.
'Goddamn phone.'
It rang again.
'Well I'm not going.'
It persisted.
'Do people even know what time it is?'
Briiiing.
'Urgh.'
Frank stretched an arm out from under the bed covers and picked up the phone from the small table.
"Yess."
"Goodmorning to you too. You Frank?"
"Yes. Who's this?"
"It's Val."
"Who?"
"Screaming match in your kitchen."
"Oh,right,Val...for god's sake, do you own a watch?"
"If you went to bed earlier,you wouldn't be so grumpy in the mornings. Now listen.."
Frank groaned to himself.
"..I need to speak to Erin. She there?"
Frank looked sleepily around to the otherside of the bed. It was empty.
"No, she must be under the shower. But I think the other ones still here, the one.."
"Julie? she still there?"
"Yes,that one..but I'm not getting out of bed to get her up."
"Lazy bugger..allright,good, at least I won't have to phone her too, when they wake up,tell them there's no need for pizza dough,I've found some in my coupboard,ok?"
"Err..yeah?" Frank frowned and then remembered the pizza night.
"Got it? no pizza dough,it's been taken care of. I'll see you tonight. Cheerio,mate."
*bip bip bip*.
Frank blinked and put the phone down, then rolled over and fell back to sleep.
***
Maybe an hour,maybe two later, Frank stirred awake again. Erin grinned down at him.
"Hello lovely," she whispered, then got up and went out of the room.
Frank rubbed his eyes and shook himself awake. Still pijama-d, he stumbled into the kitchen.
Erin stood in the kitchen fiddling with coffee pots and mugs, and on the sofa sat Michael and Julie,deep in conversation.
Frank yawned and went over to Erin. He put a hand on her waist and kissed her cheek. She smiled back.
"Coffee?"
"Nah,I'm good.."
Erin nodded towards the two on the sofa. "Seem to be getting on well,don't they?"
"Yes,but I need sofa space,so I'll have to break that up." he walked over to the sofa and still yawning sat between the two.
Julie frowned at him for a moment. "Oh,hello Frank." she looked him up and down.
"Morning." he smiled.
Micheal glared at him. There was a short silence.
"Shouldn't you be getting dressed?" she asked, brushing her dark curls out of her face.
Frank puffed. "allright,allright..I''ll leave the happy couple."
And he went off to have his shower.
When he came back in Michael and Erin sat on the sofa together,staring at a wailing popstar on the television screen. Erin saw him and beckoned him to sit down beside her, he obeyed and focused on what they were watching.
"Prat." concluded Erin switching the telly off.
She smiled at Frank. "Julie's gone off to buy stuff for Val..she'll be back later. What are we up to this afternoon?"
Frank suddenly remembered Vals call..but shrugged it off, after all she'd already left,and some extra dough could do no harm..
"I've got to leave in half an hour, I'm picking up the rest of my stuff from the hotel, and crashing here for the rest of the week.."
"Hey,I'll give you a hand.." chipped in Michael.
"I can be of moral support," smiled Erin.
"Thanks,I could do with a hand," then he turned to Erin, "No it's ok, it'll be boring.."
"Exactly.."
He laced his fingers with hers, "You stay here, we'll be back in time for the big night."
She wrinkled her nose. Frank laughed and pecked her lips.
"I'm sure you'll be fine in Gee's lair."
***
"Wokay," puffed Michael. He put his hands on his hips after having loaded the last box into the car.
Frank slammed the boot shut and leant against the back of the car. He looked up at the big building. He could see the small balconies that faced onto the rest of the city from high up there,on one of them he'd spent quite a night..
Micheal rummaged in his pocket. He placed a cigarette between his lips and offered the pack to frank. Frank shook his head.
"Suit yourself," mumbled michael, clicking the lighter.
Frank turned his head the other way,the smoke making him crave the nicotine.
Michael smirked at him,noticing the movement. "You still sticking to your resolution?"
"Yeh," Frank answered,scratching the back of his neck. "worth a try,anyway."
"And the person." grinned Michael.
"And that." he grinned back.
There was a short pause,as Michael inhaled.
"Does she know we'll be leaving?"
"I might of mentioned it,but.."
"But?"
"But not that it's tomorrow."
"Brake it to her soon.."
"I.." Frank sighed not knowing how to put it. "..I've never had a week like this."
"You're falling for her,aren't you?"
Again,he hesitated. "I've haven't even known her for a week! that's not even possible.."
"Oh,I think you'll find it is." Michael smiled.
He threw the cigarette into the road and slapped a hand onto franks shoulder. "Come on,mate."
Frank laughed. "England's getting to you."
Michael grinned back, and the slipped into the car. They turned the music up,loud enough to feel it beat.
Gee's was fairly close. Frank pulled up on the side of the street,and noticed someone sitting on the doorstep. Her dark blond hair hanging over her eyes,exhaling white smoke from her pale lips. She seemed to be shaking.
"Someone hasn't held up their end of the deal," sniggered Michael,getting out of the car.
Frank got out too, and then Erin looked up at them. She lowered her trembly hand with the cigarette between her fingers from her stained face. Black marks ran down her cheeks,her eyes red and glassy.
"Erin," breathed Frank. He bent down and took her in his arms. She sobbed and gripped his back with a still shaking hand. "What's happened? what's the matter?"
"She..she.." she managed. Frank pulled back and took her face in his hands,wiping the smeared eyeliner from her cheeks. Erin sniffed. "Julie.."
"What?" asked frank again.
Michael kneeled next to frank,his expression even more concerned. "What's happened? is she ok?"
She shook her head. "She..she..a car..she was walking..and..and a car..it..it hit her-" Erin sobbed again, Michael put a hand to his mouth. She didn't seem able to actually say what now seemed obvious.
"She..hospital..Val called..but..too late.." she whispered between sobs. Michael shot up.
"We have to go," he said,suddenly very pale.
Frank couldn't say a word,he remained...speechless.
"IT'S TOO LATE!" Erin suddenly shouted. But Michael turned and got to the car. "it's too fucking late.." she cried.
But michael had already left,undoubtebly to the closest hospital. In vain.
Frank held her again,he pulled her close and she clung to him. Not knowing what to say,he chose to say nothing at all. They stayed there, spread out on the doorstep. After a while Erins breathing seemed to slow down slightly,and her grip loosened. Still holding her,frank gently pulled her up. She put a hand over her eyes,shielding them from everything that was out there. He put his arm around her waist, and,still wthout a word, guided her into the silent hallway,closing the door with a soft click behind them. He opened the door to Gees apartment, and took her in. The silence felt unreal,broken only by Erins heavy breathing. Frank stepped towards her and gently prised the hands from her face. He held her shaking fingers in his and brought them up to his lips,wordlessly trying to make it that much better. She lifted her eyes from the floor. Those eyes who couldn't make up their mind on being that pale blue or green..they were glazed by tears..They looked at each other for what felt like eternity. Then she reached herself up and pressed her lips to his.
She gently pulled away,and whispered so low that if that ghostly silence hadn't of been there,he wouldn't of heard.
"Please make it stop,make the pain stop.."
She kissed him again,urgently this time. "I need.." she whispered against his lips, but Frank knew what she needed. "I need to drown it all out.." she whispered again. He pulled her close against his chest.
"I can't.." he started, but Erin was pressing her lips against his again,and he knew that in this moment he would do anything to stop that pain. For her. The girl he'd met barely a week ago.
They stumbled towards the door, lips locked fiercely, suddenly finding the sheets,and losing some clothes. Feelings seered through them, and as Frank ran his fingertips across her bare skin she lost herself for a moment, and as he moved into her the moment was blissful oblivion. But reality soon flooded back,and her tears fell across his bare shoulders,as they rocked backwards and forwards,trying to drown out the pain.
'Goddamn phone.'
It rang again.
'Well I'm not going.'
It persisted.
'Do people even know what time it is?'
Briiiing.
'Urgh.'
Frank stretched an arm out from under the bed covers and picked up the phone from the small table.
"Yess."
"Goodmorning to you too. You Frank?"
"Yes. Who's this?"
"It's Val."
"Who?"
"Screaming match in your kitchen."
"Oh,right,Val...for god's sake, do you own a watch?"
"If you went to bed earlier,you wouldn't be so grumpy in the mornings. Now listen.."
Frank groaned to himself.
"..I need to speak to Erin. She there?"
Frank looked sleepily around to the otherside of the bed. It was empty.
"No, she must be under the shower. But I think the other ones still here, the one.."
"Julie? she still there?"
"Yes,that one..but I'm not getting out of bed to get her up."
"Lazy bugger..allright,good, at least I won't have to phone her too, when they wake up,tell them there's no need for pizza dough,I've found some in my coupboard,ok?"
"Err..yeah?" Frank frowned and then remembered the pizza night.
"Got it? no pizza dough,it's been taken care of. I'll see you tonight. Cheerio,mate."
*bip bip bip*.
Frank blinked and put the phone down, then rolled over and fell back to sleep.
***
Maybe an hour,maybe two later, Frank stirred awake again. Erin grinned down at him.
"Hello lovely," she whispered, then got up and went out of the room.
Frank rubbed his eyes and shook himself awake. Still pijama-d, he stumbled into the kitchen.
Erin stood in the kitchen fiddling with coffee pots and mugs, and on the sofa sat Michael and Julie,deep in conversation.
Frank yawned and went over to Erin. He put a hand on her waist and kissed her cheek. She smiled back.
"Coffee?"
"Nah,I'm good.."
Erin nodded towards the two on the sofa. "Seem to be getting on well,don't they?"
"Yes,but I need sofa space,so I'll have to break that up." he walked over to the sofa and still yawning sat between the two.
Julie frowned at him for a moment. "Oh,hello Frank." she looked him up and down.
"Morning." he smiled.
Micheal glared at him. There was a short silence.
"Shouldn't you be getting dressed?" she asked, brushing her dark curls out of her face.
Frank puffed. "allright,allright..I''ll leave the happy couple."
And he went off to have his shower.
When he came back in Michael and Erin sat on the sofa together,staring at a wailing popstar on the television screen. Erin saw him and beckoned him to sit down beside her, he obeyed and focused on what they were watching.
"Prat." concluded Erin switching the telly off.
She smiled at Frank. "Julie's gone off to buy stuff for Val..she'll be back later. What are we up to this afternoon?"
Frank suddenly remembered Vals call..but shrugged it off, after all she'd already left,and some extra dough could do no harm..
"I've got to leave in half an hour, I'm picking up the rest of my stuff from the hotel, and crashing here for the rest of the week.."
"Hey,I'll give you a hand.." chipped in Michael.
"I can be of moral support," smiled Erin.
"Thanks,I could do with a hand," then he turned to Erin, "No it's ok, it'll be boring.."
"Exactly.."
He laced his fingers with hers, "You stay here, we'll be back in time for the big night."
She wrinkled her nose. Frank laughed and pecked her lips.
"I'm sure you'll be fine in Gee's lair."
***
"Wokay," puffed Michael. He put his hands on his hips after having loaded the last box into the car.
Frank slammed the boot shut and leant against the back of the car. He looked up at the big building. He could see the small balconies that faced onto the rest of the city from high up there,on one of them he'd spent quite a night..
Micheal rummaged in his pocket. He placed a cigarette between his lips and offered the pack to frank. Frank shook his head.
"Suit yourself," mumbled michael, clicking the lighter.
Frank turned his head the other way,the smoke making him crave the nicotine.
Michael smirked at him,noticing the movement. "You still sticking to your resolution?"
"Yeh," Frank answered,scratching the back of his neck. "worth a try,anyway."
"And the person." grinned Michael.
"And that." he grinned back.
There was a short pause,as Michael inhaled.
"Does she know we'll be leaving?"
"I might of mentioned it,but.."
"But?"
"But not that it's tomorrow."
"Brake it to her soon.."
"I.." Frank sighed not knowing how to put it. "..I've never had a week like this."
"You're falling for her,aren't you?"
Again,he hesitated. "I've haven't even known her for a week! that's not even possible.."
"Oh,I think you'll find it is." Michael smiled.
He threw the cigarette into the road and slapped a hand onto franks shoulder. "Come on,mate."
Frank laughed. "England's getting to you."
Michael grinned back, and the slipped into the car. They turned the music up,loud enough to feel it beat.
Gee's was fairly close. Frank pulled up on the side of the street,and noticed someone sitting on the doorstep. Her dark blond hair hanging over her eyes,exhaling white smoke from her pale lips. She seemed to be shaking.
"Someone hasn't held up their end of the deal," sniggered Michael,getting out of the car.
Frank got out too, and then Erin looked up at them. She lowered her trembly hand with the cigarette between her fingers from her stained face. Black marks ran down her cheeks,her eyes red and glassy.
"Erin," breathed Frank. He bent down and took her in his arms. She sobbed and gripped his back with a still shaking hand. "What's happened? what's the matter?"
"She..she.." she managed. Frank pulled back and took her face in his hands,wiping the smeared eyeliner from her cheeks. Erin sniffed. "Julie.."
"What?" asked frank again.
Michael kneeled next to frank,his expression even more concerned. "What's happened? is she ok?"
She shook her head. "She..she..a car..she was walking..and..and a car..it..it hit her-" Erin sobbed again, Michael put a hand to his mouth. She didn't seem able to actually say what now seemed obvious.
"She..hospital..Val called..but..too late.." she whispered between sobs. Michael shot up.
"We have to go," he said,suddenly very pale.
Frank couldn't say a word,he remained...speechless.
"IT'S TOO LATE!" Erin suddenly shouted. But Michael turned and got to the car. "it's too fucking late.." she cried.
But michael had already left,undoubtebly to the closest hospital. In vain.
Frank held her again,he pulled her close and she clung to him. Not knowing what to say,he chose to say nothing at all. They stayed there, spread out on the doorstep. After a while Erins breathing seemed to slow down slightly,and her grip loosened. Still holding her,frank gently pulled her up. She put a hand over her eyes,shielding them from everything that was out there. He put his arm around her waist, and,still wthout a word, guided her into the silent hallway,closing the door with a soft click behind them. He opened the door to Gees apartment, and took her in. The silence felt unreal,broken only by Erins heavy breathing. Frank stepped towards her and gently prised the hands from her face. He held her shaking fingers in his and brought them up to his lips,wordlessly trying to make it that much better. She lifted her eyes from the floor. Those eyes who couldn't make up their mind on being that pale blue or green..they were glazed by tears..They looked at each other for what felt like eternity. Then she reached herself up and pressed her lips to his.
She gently pulled away,and whispered so low that if that ghostly silence hadn't of been there,he wouldn't of heard.
"Please make it stop,make the pain stop.."
She kissed him again,urgently this time. "I need.." she whispered against his lips, but Frank knew what she needed. "I need to drown it all out.." she whispered again. He pulled her close against his chest.
"I can't.." he started, but Erin was pressing her lips against his again,and he knew that in this moment he would do anything to stop that pain. For her. The girl he'd met barely a week ago.
They stumbled towards the door, lips locked fiercely, suddenly finding the sheets,and losing some clothes. Feelings seered through them, and as Frank ran his fingertips across her bare skin she lost herself for a moment, and as he moved into her the moment was blissful oblivion. But reality soon flooded back,and her tears fell across his bare shoulders,as they rocked backwards and forwards,trying to drown out the pain.