Sleepwalk by Ros Seddon Page A

tonight.’
    ‘Well. We can’t have that.’ He gestured to a chair by the kitchen table. ‘Sit down Flick. Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?’
    ‘Have I died and gone to heaven?’
    ‘No. They don’t eat meals like this in heaven. In fact I doubt they eat at all in Heaven. After all, they’re dead aren’t they? Why would they need to eat anything?’
    ‘She’s very beautiful.’
    ‘Who?’
    ‘Your wife…… Ellie. She’s very beautiful. She’s got a face – and a body to die for.’
    ‘Beauty is only skin deep’
    ‘Oh come on David. You have to admit it. She’s like…… a model……. a movie star or something. Why would you look twice at someone like me?’
    ‘Felicity Breen you are beautiful; and your beauty is not just on the outside. You’re beautiful inside too.’
    ‘Shut up blue eyes. White man speak with forked tongue.’
    ‘What did you call me?’
    ‘Oh. It’s kind of my private name for you; except it’s not private anymore because now you’ve just wheedled it out of me. Blue eyes……... you know; you have blue eyes; eyes like the deep blue sea…...’
    He put the wooden spoon into the wok and came toward her, then kissed her full on her mouth slowly; gently; and while her head still thumped with the pain of whatever had happened last night, her body reacted to his kiss and as she stood to meet him she felt the desire rise within her. She leaned into him and kissed him back and as he moved in and pulled her to him she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time…….. completely helpless; and wanton; and she didn’t care.
    Then he stopped her. Not completely; just enough to bring her back to reality.
    Oh m y God I’m like putty in his hands ……..
    ‘I’m burning your dinner …… Flick, if that lump’s not gone completely by tomorrow morning I think we should get you checked out at the Doctors. I’d like to stay here tonight if that’s ok with you. I’ll sleep on the sofa of course and in the morning I’m going to change the locks. I’ve taken a couple of days off work and Mum is ok to have Ollie tonight. I phoned her earlier. Look, Flick if you’d rather I didn’t stay…… If there’s anyone else that could stay with you, or perhaps I could drive you to your parents?’
    ‘No. It’s really good of you to offer but I don’t want to put you out David. D’you think someone broke in and did this?’ She felt for the lump at the side of her head. It was still there. ‘Who would do something like that?’
    ‘I don’t know babe. It’s feasible that you fell and hit your head on the bedside cupboard or….. Well, there are a number of possibilities but what worries me is that when I came over here this morning you were out for the count ; your kitchen door was wide open…... and it hadn’t been forced. Whoever opened it had a key. The locks need to be changed. I should have gone into town and got replacements today but I didn’t want to leave you.’
    Felicity sat back in the kitchen chair and sighed. David Wilson where have you been all my life ………God she wanted him; badly. She watched him at the stove, wooden spoon in his right hand, deep in concentration stirring stir fry. After seeing Ellie yesterday in all her innocence and natural beauty; having had Ellie as his wife how could he ever be content with Felicity? What man would not want to be with Ellie?
     
    David was up with the lark. There was no sound from upstairs as yet and he found bacon and eggs in the fridge and set to work in the kitchen. He intended taking her breakfast in bed but by the time he had finished cooking it she had appeared in the doorway, her long chestnut hair bedraggled and swept back over her head and her eyes, blinking; still half asleep. She saw his bemused look as he placed knives and forks on the kitchen table.
    ‘Wow, you scrub up well.’
    ‘Oh my God David what are you doing?’
    ‘Sorry I um……. should have asked. I was going to bring it to you in