Black Sheep

“So you want to put the bathroom stuff in with the kitchen stuff?” Harry asked wrapping a toothbrush holder in bubble wrap.
“Yes darling, I don’t have enough boxes, or time.” I handed the keys over at 5 o’clock that night, so I needed to be moved into Kensington by then.
“Fair enough,” he sighed. We were listening to my ipod on shuffle while we packed up my flat. I say mine, it would be for long. It was one of the first things I had ever done on my own. When I first got my presenting jobs, I saved and saved until I had enough money to buy a nice flat in a nice part of London. And it was all I could ever want; just me in my nice flat without much of a care. But now I had all that and more: I had Harry.
“What’re you looking at love?” Harry smiled as he finished taping a box down.
“You. Buster.”
“Buster?”
“Yeah, I’m trying out a new nickname. Buster.”
“It sounds like a dog.” His face got closer to mine as we leant on the cardboard box in between us.
“It suits you.” Our lips were almost touching.
“woof.” He whispered and our lips met. We softly kissed, his hand on my cheek.
“Come on then Buster.” I said breaking the kiss. “We have the rest of the flat to pack up yet.” I stood up and wiped the dust from my hands onto my shorts. Harry was still kneeling by the box, watching me move. He watched me move into the kitchen to pick up a box.
“Do you know how incredible you look from behind?” I turned round and looked at him with raised eyebrows. He had stood up and was leaning on the door frame. “Not as incredible as from the front.” He winked.
“Have you always been a charmer?” I smirked at him.
“Yep.” He nodded smugly to himself. I was looking forward to moving in with Harry. It would make a change from nights sat on my own with a ready meal, watching old episodes of Friends. “I love you.” He smiled as I started packing books into a box.
“I love you too. Buster.” I smirked a bit when he sighed at his new nickname.
“Are you going to insist on calling me that?”
“Yes.” I smiled
“Well it’s only fair for me to give you a nickname.”
“but you call me a lot of things.”
“But you need something special.”
“Are we really doing this?”
“You started it. What about monkey?”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my cheeky little monkey.” He said wrapping his arms around my waist and nuzzling his unshaven chin on my shoulder.
“But I’m not cheeky at all.” I turned round in his arms
“Are you sure about that?” He gently kissed my forehead as I rested my hands on his shoulders.
“Positive. We have three hours left in here and we have my bedroom and the terrace to pack up.” I wearily said.
“Why don’t we have a break, you’ve been working all day.” He pulled me closer and rested his lips on my head. “And your hair smells nice.” I smiled as I rested my face against his chest.
“I’m happy.”
“What ? Is it the berry scented shampoo?”
“No. I’m happy about all of this. This new start.”
“I’m happy too. In fact I’m bloody elated.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I get to wake up to you every morning and I get to go to bed with you every night.”
“You usually do that anyway.”
“Just be quiet, I’m trying to be nice and romantic.”
“You don’t need to try. Buster.”

*****
“Yes mum, I’ll put him on.” I was talking to my mum about the new address in the car on the way to Kensington “mum wants to speak to you.” I said as I passed him the phone.
“Hi Julie…. Yes….. yes… of course we will… next weekend?... of course….. that’s fine…. I’ll make sure she does… OK send everyone my love… great talking to you.” And he handed me the phone back.
“He is a lovely man.” My mother sighed down the phone
“He is.” I smiled as he reached for my hand.
“He said you both will come to Elsie’s wedding next weekend.”
“We will. I completely forgot about it until then. Can you let her know for us please.”
“Of course darling, I’ll see you next week. Love you.”
“Love you too mum.” I said then hung up the phone. “So we’re going to a wedding next week then.”
“Yes, it’ll be great to meet your family.”
“You do understand my aunties will fawn over you all day.”
“Yes, but that’s the price I'm willing to pay.”
“To pay for what?”
“To meet your family.”
“My crazy, tactless, unpredictable family?”
“Yes your crazy, tactless, unpredictable family.”
“You’re in for a rough ride buster.”
“I think you are when we get through our bedroom doors.” He whispered in my ear, making the heat rise to my cheeks.
“Who says so?”
“Me” With that the car had pulled up on the gravel driveway. “Welcome to our humble abode.” He said, giving me a peck on the cheek before getting out of the car.