by Wood, C
I got myself from my comfortable bed; stripped and in the shower, the water sobering me up quickly it was freezing cold, I screamed as I altered it, and slumped to the floor in the cubical. What did I do last night? Oh hell, I made a pass at Jack, even though, I had said I wouldn’t, I did damn it. Oh, I have to do the walk of shame, unfortunately, I cannot stay in here all day, and I have a funeral to sort out, oh hell, my head. I dressed in sombre clothes, business like and elegant, did the hair and makeup and head to seek out my shame from last night. My head hurts.
CHAPTER 14
“Good morning Carrie, how’s the head? Here drink this and have these, then eat toast, you were pretty bad last night.”
“I can only apologise, I will remember what I did eventually, I know, well I hope we didn’t do the thing I know, I wanted too!” He laughed; in return, he got a slap.
“When and if we do that you will be sober and I want to enjoy it not hold your hair whilst you puke.” Oh, hell, I remember the sick, and the still trying to grope him as I did, I’m never drinking again, ever!
“I blame you, and your sodding brother, I really am sorry, but in my defence you were the same Jack I remembered, and if I remember rightly, we had trouble stopping way back then, or rather I did, you were Mr Self Restraint.”
“I wanted our first time to be the best time, still might be, if you behave, I won’t refuse next time your sober, and you’re up for a trip down memory lane again, I’m sure your over the age of consent now Miss Carrie Wright?” I heard that right, he still likes me that way, hell I can’t go down the same Thompson path twice, I want to, just to see what I have been missing? But hell, I was making love to his brother three days ago, it would be wrong, it would feel wrong, oh hell pass me the bloody pain killers.
We had breakfast, and as I looked at the paperwork, I filed it in the folder and popped it in my bag. I also needed his brothers and his account numbers, to transfer the blood money into, no way I wanted it, he should have given it them when he won it, helped them out, especially knowing Ben was struggling, another thing I couldn’t get over?
“Are you ready little Miss Lush? We have a lot to do, I need to get him a suit and things from home, can you err help me choose, then I, err we? Need to empty the house. Ben is stopping there for the time being, well until he gets a bigger place, he is gob smacked and really emotional at the moment. Oh, god where does all this end? I can’t get it into my head he’s dead, are you all right Carrie, you cried a lot when I tried to get you to sleep?”
“I thought he was it, he had me fooled and I now feel a bigger fool, Jack why did he do it join in and do that to me, and then lie about everything, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near him if he had. I suppose that’s my answer; but he stopped me looking for you, his notes on you were err slim, and not that detailed, just that you lived in Birmingham, and were in medicine, then he fed me the lines he did, and I fell for the lies, again, did he really think we had a future built on that?”
“He loved you, in his own strange way, I suppose you have your answer, I don’t think he thought it was wrong, he was just glad you were in his life again, he had his CC back and that’s all he saw. It will take you time to get over the betrayal, the things he did before, the part he played in our split, but we have to start a fresh, live for the now, not yesterday not the past, come on, we need to put the little shit to rest, and all heal, I want to help you Carrie.” He kissed my head.
We registered his death, Jack filling in the paperwork; I didn’t want my name on anything connecting me to him. We took it round to the undertaker and were informed it would have to be a closed casket, so we agreed, Jack did however take a look and as he came back to the reception area, he had quite clearly been crying, his eyes red. We drove in silence to their home. I’d brought boxes from my move with me, and set them up for donating to charity, I had no Idea if Ben and he wanted the suits and things, and he had some beautiful clothes.
“Are you sure, these will fit you Jack?” He laughed and said he didn’t need nor want them, so I packed and as I checked pockets, reminders of dinners out, business cards and knick-knacks would tumble out, I put them in a bowl and would sort through the things later. I packed the full boxes into Jacks car and went in to sort out the paperwork. He lived a very simple life, when he returned from re-hab and as I sorted through the family, photos I had a weep. Jack joined me on the rug and we reminisced, the number of Jack and me were in the hundreds as were the ones of Tom and me.
“If only we could go back to this one Jack; that was the night you asked me to wait, until I was sixteen, after our day at Lizards point, remember?” He pulled me in for a cuddle and I cried into his shoulder. He turned to face me and kissed me; I was fifteen again, and god it was nice, I hadn’t started this he had, and I let him lead too, we were making out, on the rug in front of the fire like we used to do when his mum, dad and Tom had gone to bed. He was gentle and god sexy as hell, and yes we made love, it felt right and as he did he cried, I had orgasm after orgasm he had me high as a kite on them, was he sure he hadn’t done this before?
“I think Carrie, this is perfection, and what we needed to do, and I have waited forever for, no more regrets Carrie, new page, new chapter, hell new book?” I cried as I held him, he moved gently yet firmly in me and as he speeded up to his finish, he held his breath and came, he let out a long growl, he cried, screeched, I don’t know what it sounded like a banshee? It, he seemed he liked! If the kiss I got after was anything to go by.
“Carrie, you know you have to marry me now; I swore only to have sex with the one, I intend to marry?” I slumped down on the rug. I couldn’t believe they had both done the same fucking thing, straight after our first time.
“What is it with you Thompsons, the need to have a ring on this bloody finger? Oh, hell I have his ring still on my finger. I have made love to one brother, whilst wearing the dead brother’s ring, what does that made me, I’m no more than a whore, Jack?” I dashed to the bathroom naked and in tears. Jack followed, he stripped the bed and re made it, he brought me a towel in as I sat in the bottom of the shower, crying, he bent down wrapped me up and carried me to the bed, and laid at my side as we both cried. Hours later in the dark, he spoke for the first time in an age.
“I wanted that, I needed that and so did you, we have always been meant for each other, and I for one am not sorry it happened, are you?”
“No, god no, I just felt funny, with having the ring on and you inside me, I can’t explain, I know I have always wanted to do that with you, just not like this, and now you won’t want to do this, that again, will you? I ruined our first time, and for that I’m sorry.”
“Ruined what, it was damn near perfect, apart from I was a little quicker than I would have liked, and I wanted to give you more.” I laughed and kissed him again.
“Well, you’re not a virgin, and that stud, was damn near bloody perfect for a first time. I think no, I can say it was the best, and I do mean the best I have had, but as to marrying you, give me time. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not doing that with anyone else, that much I can promise you is that all right?” He smiled as we spent the night in very much wild abandonment in bed, not the bed I shared with Tom, that would be too weird, as we made love, and we did it was so different from anything else I had ever done.
We were in perfect sync with each other; he knew what I needed, and I knew what he wanted, perfect as he took me to a high like nothing else. I had made love to his brother; that had been fantastic, loving, and caring, but he had been holding back, not speaking much as we made love, not touching me as Jack was doing. I now know why; if he had spoken whilst he was screwing me, I would have remembered the voice; I would have remembered he had been there before and how.
I slept held tightly in Jack’s arms, his breath on my neck causing me to fall into a deep sleep, deep and relaxing. Waking refreshed and mushy as it sounds actually glad we had done the dead and made love. I felt complete; mushy I know, but I did, he c
ame down looking damn hot, I smiled as he lounged towards me, his linen trousers hanging from his waist, and his bare chest, ripped and muscled. I swear, I am dreaming all this, and then he leant in and kissed me, wow, not dreaming, definitely not dreaming.
“Morning Carrie, do we have anything planned today? I need to get some beds for the boys; Abigail can have the room we err, used last night and two sets of bunks for the boys, and how the hell they sleep in a two bedroomed house beggar’s belief.”
“How old are their children?” He looked at me as he poured himself a juice,
“Their youngest if four; and a surprise, he’s Jack, my favourite little munchkin, he’s special, I delivered him. Then there’s Danny nine, Abigail is fifteen, Kyle is eighteen, then the eldest Ben he’s twenty four, great bunch of kids you will love them. They will love you.” I got another kiss, as he sat and ate toast, why was I so awkward around him?
“I have to go to the hotel today and run over things with Gerry, the contractor, I haven’t been there, but Uncle Harry has. Boss-lady needs to make an appearance. I have bills to pay and money to transfer, can you get me the two bank accounts please, yours and Ben’s, the money will be in my account now. Do you fancy coming to look round the Harbour House Hotel, come, and have a look at my baby?”
“I don’t see why not, and then we get the beds, is it still all right for me to stop at the hotel, with you? I sort of presumed we are, like going out again?”
“What are you a teenager? We are seeing each other yes, so we’re like going out, babe!” He laughed loudly and kicked my leg under the table, I haven’t laughed like this in a while.
As we sat and ate breakfast, we talked of my need to get a proper architect in, the plans Tom said he had drawn up, were in fact drawn by a proper architect, and they were excellent, Jack suggested I went with him, for this and the other hotels I had bought too. The plans for the Bournemouth hotels were in the car, I had yet to see Big Red, I was letting Uncle Harry deal with it, too painful and raw, she had been wrote off and Harry was getting me a new car today, a more practical car, a pretty white Audi, as requested.
I transferred the money evenly between the boys too, so they both had two and a half million plus, each, and the change we bought the new beds, more crockery and cutlery Tom only had two of everything, such a bachelor.
Then new bedding, we fully stocked the fridge and the freezers; apparently, it’s like feeding time at the zoo, when they all get together, Ben is away in the navy, but is coming back for the funeral. We, also treated the kids to all singing dancing TV systems, games consoles and audio stuff, plus laptops for their rooms, and just about everything their parents had never had the funds for, Jack getting a kick out of shopping!
“This is hard work, how the hell are you going to do it for like how many bedrooms?” I laughed.
“There are four hundred plus, to be done in all the Blackpool ones; here there are one hundred and eighty. Bournemouth, I haven’t a clue? But about three hundred, I think, pretty simple, they are all exactly the same blue print, from furniture to knives, forks, and spoons, same colours outside and inside, signage’s too throughout, and if you guess what colour, I will marry you tomorrow?” He laughed.
“Really, I will hold you to that? They will be pale mint green and bottle green, and every shade of green in between, you still like green right?” I stammered. “Unfortunately, it may be frowned upon, getting married on the day we bury Tom, but as soon as we can after, damn right, I’m holding you to that!”
“I don’t know what to say, other than thank you for giving me loads of time to think on it stud!” We with the help of the deliverymen, well they did the work; we just unpacked and got in the way. The house was ready for occupation just as they pulled up, in their mini bus. God, how were they all going to fit in here?
“Uncle Jack’s here, look mummy, he is here and with a pretty lady.” I blushed the little boy was indeed quite cute, Jack was right, the others all looked at me as if they didn’t know what to say? I was a little lost too. It had been a long time since I had, had anything to do with children, who weren’t a guest of the hotel.
“This is your new Aunty Carrie, she is marrying Uncle Jack soon, so say hello, she doesn’t bite, and she is nice. Thanks, for doing the things you have done for us, seeing, as we didn’t start off, back on good terms, I was a little shocked to see you Carrie, you were definitely a blast from the past.”
“That was my fault, I was only told Tom’s side of things and well, he wasn’t as truthful as he should have been my fault for believing everything he told me… Anyway, the money was transferred to your account today, so you’re in the money and good luck having it is a bloody pain in the arse, I can assure you.” He gave me a hug fit to burst. He introduced his family to me as the raced past us to inspect their new house, well for a few months. Jenny gave me a hug and said she was pleased to meet me finally, having heard about me through Jack’s constant insistence, that he didn’t need setting up, he had missed his chance with his perfect woman. I sobbed as she held me tightly, as if we had in fact known each other forever.
“I have something for Abigail, from her Uncle Tom; he would have liked her to have it.” I gave Jenny my engagement ring. “It is worth a lot of money, and to be honest with you I can’t wear it again, and as she is the only girl, only fair she gets it, is that all right Ben, Jenny?” Jenny looked at it and smiled.
“Yes; but for now can we keep it until she is perhaps a little older, and more appreciative of things she is given? She thinks a Primark ring is great at the moment, so this is too expensive, just for now, but thank you, it’s nice of you, besides the one Jack has had forever is nicer than this.” She had her ankle kicked.
“Thinking Jack hasn’t given her the ring yet, she only said yes and hour ago. Yes Carrie, we tell each other everything.” I laughed as Jack came back eyeing up the red box.
“My ring; I have given it to Jenny and Ben to keep for Abigail for later, I don’t want it and well it’s too nice and damn expensive, to throw in the sea, like I did the little ring you gave me when I was fifteen, wish I still had it though it was quite pretty. Sorry temper got the better of me.” He held me tight as we said our goodbyes to the rest of them telling them the cars would be here at eleven in the morning for them. We needed an early night too.
“Carrie, I know I sort of proposed earlier, in a mad dog sort of way, but I was serious, I know you were only kidding about the guessing the colour thing and it was a figure of speech thing, but well, will you consider it, besides I told Ben you said yes already.” I held his hand and smiled.
“Can we agree, we’re at some point going to get married, but the when and where will have to wait?”
“So I have a fiancée? Who can finally wear the ring I bought years ago, for my then soon to be sixteen year old wife?” I looked at him and felt tingly, my body let out a sigh as he thumbed my hand as he drove the short distance to the cottage.
“You indeed do have a fiancée, and she’s a damn slight older than sixteen more’s the pity!”
“Well, we can also agree then that we’re a little bit older in age but, the same kids in the mind then?”
“Jack, I’m happy and confused, confused at the whole Tom thing, and us falling into this like the past two, three months haven’t happened and I didn’t fall for him, then two days after he died I’m in your arms, and it’s like he didn’t we didn’t have a thing, see confused and messed up?”
“Time, Carrie; just give it time, it will all come good in the end. I wish he hadn’t done what he did, but he did, and because he died, were here now and nothing we can do or say is going to erase what you and he did, so put a massive line under it and we start a fresh, together and happy, yes?”
“Yes, please, happy, I can go some happy right now, happy is the place we have to be, that and getting sleep, Jack we have a big day tomorrow, and one I’m not looking forward too.”
CHAPTER 15
The day of the funeral,
and I’m wanting to cry off and stay in bed and wallow in my pit of self-pity, but I have someone who won’t let me, after all the moaning I did, he pulled the duvet off and made me get ready. I showered and dressed, not looking forward to it, at all, dressed in black and looking like the black widow, I felt like.
“Carrie, are you ready the cars are here and it’s time?” I made my way down, Jack held tightly too my hand and Uncle Harry and Aunty Lou joined us in the car and running in behind them my fruity cousin Linda.
“Well, come on, let’s get the show on the road, I want today over and done with and behind me, us, the whole mess is being buried with him today, and tomorrow we are starting fresh, right Jack?”
“Right, fresh, and new, just you, me and your hotel empire and everything else you want, including your children back. That’s the plan right? Normality back in your life?”
“Yes please, all of the above.” Linda was giving Jack the once over. I laughed as she fanned her face with her hand; I guess he meets her strict drop-dead criteria’s. I smiled and held his hand tightly as we made the short journey to the grave.
As requested no service, just laid to rest with his parents. A load of drinks at the local pub, for anyone who turned up, but as nobody did, but we the family. It was back to Carrie’s cottage and the spread the catering service had lain on. The bar was fully stocked, and as we parted away after, I looked around the place was awash with kids, and happy smiling faces, even if it was a wake!