Chapter 19 #2
“Yeah, well, it had to happen one day, mate. I hear you’re gonna be moving Ash in soon anyway.” He winked.
I took off my cap and raked my hand through my hair.
“Chance’d be a fine fucking thing right now.
I can’t even get her to come back for a coffee,” I admitted.
“Where’s George?” I wasn’t sure of how much I should confess to in front of my sister.
I know I can tell Jimmie anything, but I’m not sure about Georgia.
She and Ashley were pretty close, and I didn’t want her running back with all my secrets, yet.
“She just jumped in the shower. We were still in bed when you buzzed,” Maca explained.
“Yeah, I didn’t really need to know that, dude, like ever.” I shuddered to express my point.
“Get used to it, Marls. The Georgia and Sean show is back on in full blown colour.” He was smiling his big, cheesy smile again.
“I’m pleased for you, mate, really pleased, but I don’t need to hear about the sleeping arrangements.”
“You want a drink? Tea, coffee, beer?” he asked as he moved over to the kitchen area. The place wasn’t huge, but because the kitchen, dining, and living area were all one big space, it felt bigger than it was. I followed Maca and sat myself down on a stool at the work top.
“I’ll have a beer if there’s one going.”
He leaned against the kitchen work top, sipping on his beer before asking, “So, Ashley. What’s the go there?”
I took a long swig of my own beer before letting out a long sigh. “I like her, Mac. She’s a great girl. We’ve had lunch every day this week, and dinner every night.”
“So what, you’ve been going back to hers?”
“No, mate. I’ve been going back to mine … Alone.”
His shoulders moved as he gave a little laugh. He studied my face for a few seconds before he worked out that I was serious.
“Seriously? You’ve been … you’ve not?” He just stood there with his bottle raised to his mouth, but neither took a swig, nor said any more, just stared.
“Just lunch and dinner, dude, nothing else,” I admitted.
He finally took a mouthful of his beer and leaned his elbows down on the work top.
“I actually don’t know what to say. I mean…” He shrugs and looks around, then runs his fingers through his hair.
“Well shit, I’m really pleased for ya, mate.
Really pleased,” he told me and I knew that he meant every word.
One of the reasons I loved that bloke so much was because he was straight up.
He didn’t lie or bullshit about anything.
He was lost and heartbroken when he was away from my sister, and he didn’t care who knew it.
He wore his heart on his sleeve and told the world.
Now that they were back together, I was sure he would be shouting it from the rooftops about how in love they were.
I gave my shoulders a little roll. “Well, we’re not a couple or anything yet. It’s still early days, but I like her a lot.”
He simply nodded his head.
“Big brother Marley.” I heard from behind and turned to see Georgia approaching.
She was wearing a Nirvana T-shirt and a pair of black skin tight trouser things.
Her hair was up in one of those messy birds nest things like Ashley’s was over the weekend, but G’s didn’t look sexy coz that would just be weird, right?
She wrapped her arms around my neck from behind me and kissed my cheek.
“Little sister Georgia, you smell lovely,” I told her. She laughed and walked around and into the kitchen to kiss Maca on the cheek, then leant her elbows on the work top next to him. They grinned and stared at each other, giggling like a couple of kids.
“What are you two so smiley about?” I asked.
“Nothing,” Georgia said, but still smiled big, looking guilty as sin.
“See, I’m on the outside here. You used to let me in on your jokes. How times have changed. I’m gonna end up with abandonment issues.” I shook my head and feigned sadness.
“Dude, seriously. You would not want to know. Trust me on this one,” Maca said, but I was curious then and wanted to know what they were finding so amusing.
“Please ya selves.” I told them with a shrug, obviously sulking.
“If you really wanna know, I told her to go shower because she smelt like fresh fuck. You saying she smelt good was funny because you wouldn’t have said that if she still smelt—”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it, Mac, thanks. Sorry I fucking asked,” I interrupted him.
“I did warn you, dude.”
“Whatever.” I sounded even sulkier.
“So, what are you doing here, Marls? How’s things with Ash? Hope you’re looking after her.”
I studied my sister for a few seconds before I answered. Her eyes were clear, bright, and blue, and I couldn’t help but notice how good they looked together. Her and Maca I meant, not her eyes. No wonder the magazines were all after the first photos of the two of them as a couple.
“You’ll have to ask her about that, George, but I’m doing my best. Its Ash I came ‘round to see you about, actually. I’m after a favour.”
“What’s that?” George asked.
“Apparently, she’s sick. She wasn’t feeling well last night and she’s called in sick at work today. I was just wondering if you had her address so I could send her some flowers.”
George bit down on her bottom lip before asking, “Has she never given you her address? Have you never dropped her home there?”
“Na, she usually gets a taxi home. I always pay, but she always insists she doesn’t wanna put me to any trouble.”
“I’d actually be breaking the law if I gave her address out to you, Marls. Confidentiality and all that.”
“But I don’t want you doing it as her boss. I want you to be doing it as her mate. What about her phone number? Surely you can give me that?”
“All right, I’ll get you her address, but I’ll have to call down to the shop and get it. I actually have no idea where she lives.”
“What? How long have you been mates?” I asked. How could she not know where she lived?
“Since school,” she said. “I knew where she lived then, but I never went around there. Then she was in a flat over on the council estate with her brother. I lost track after that. I know she’s in her own place now, but I’ve no idea where.
We usually go out straight from work so she gets ready here.
I’m a bad friend, ain’t I?” George asked.
“I just can’t believe you don’t know where she lives,” I replied.
Georgia made the call and ten minutes later, I’d said my goodbyes.
I was in my car, trying to work out where the fuck I was going.
In the end, I pulled over at a florist, bought some flowers, nipped next door to the supermarket and bought Lucozade, cold and flu medicine, sore throat drops, sweets, chocolate, and crisps.
I left my car parked up in the car park and after signing a couple of autographs, I got the nice lady from the florist to call me a cab.
The house the cabbie dropped me at was a big ol’ place that looked like it should be pulled down. I felt a little confused as I walked up the driveway, then I realised that the place had obviously been turned into flats at some stage, and Ash must’ve been renting one.
I pressed the buzzer for her number, but got no response. I pressed again, and just as I did, two boys of about fourteen come barrelling out the door. I caught it just before it closed and made my way up the stairs.
Brentwood was, still to this day, a really nice area, but that place? That was bloody horrible, and not somewhere anyone would choose to live. There was no lift, and as I walked up the stairs, the smell of rubbish, weed, cigarette smoke, and piss, got right up my nose.
I eventually found Ashley’s door tucked into the corner of the second floor. The front doors on either side of hers were both boarded up, as were eighty-five percent of the rest of them in the building.
I knocked hard on the door, but got no answer.
I went to knock again when I heard someone sneeze.
I’d been worried at first that she was sleeping off her sickness, and that I would wake her, but then I was worried that she deliberately wasn’t answering.
I banged again, harder and called out, “Delivery for Ashley Morrison. I need a signature.”
I heard shuffling and more sneezing, then the door opened as wide as the security chain would allow.
Ash blinked at me through watery eyes a couple of times before sneezing, then started to cough.
“Ash, open the door, babe. I’ve brought you some shit to make you feel better,” I called out as she shut the door in my face. “Ash?”
“What the fuck are you doing here, Marley? How did you get this address?” she called through the door, her voice sounding croaky.
“Ash, babe. Don’t be mad. Just open the door and let me in. I’ve got medicine and flowers.”
“Fuck off, Marley. You shouldn’t have come here. I’m gonna kill Lorna when I see her.” She started to cough again.
“It wasn’t Lorna, now open the fucking door. You sound like shit and I’ve got stuff to make you feel better.”
“No, just go away. Go away and forget about me.”
What the fuck?
“Not gonna happen, Ash. You either open this door, or I start knocking it down,” I said while looking at the door and thinking that there was no way I’d even be able to rattle that thing, it was so solid.
“Yeah, good luck with that. I’ve got a security chain and three bolts on the inside. You could be a while.” She was probably right.
“Fair enough. I’ll just make some calls and get someone ‘round here to take it off.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Babe, you should know me well enough by now to know that I most certainly would.” Her reply was another coughing fit, followed by three sneezes.
“Come on, baby. Open the door, else I’m gonna have to go make some calls,” I pleaded.
“Fuck off and make your calls. I ain’t letting you in here.”
“Please yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” I contemplate leaving the flowers and the things I’ve brought with me outside the door, but when I spotted a mouse running along the edge of the skirting, I decided against putting anything down on the floor.