CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
'GOOD MORNIN'

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THE EARLY MORNING SUN LIT UP THE ROOM CREATING A PALE YELLOW HAZE whilst the light shining through the gap in the curtains streamed across the bottom of the duvet. I slowly awoke to the sound of birdsong and cars rolling by outside, bringing me to my senses as I tried to open my eyes. Managing to prise them open enough to check the time, I soon closed them again when I realised it was only half 7 on a Saturday morning. Burying my head under the covers to escape the harsh light filling the room, I turned over onto my other side, thinking it was any old day, but it was only when I heard the sound of quiet snoring next to me I remembered that this morning I wasn't in bed alone.

I lifted my head to see Roger sleeping soundly beside me, his face turned away from me and his blonde hair strewn across the pillow. I lay there for a moment, watching his chest steadily rise and fall as I tried to recall whatever memories of last night I could. Sitting up in bed, my head pounded like a drum as I held it in my hands, hoping the pain would go away, before looking down and seeing the pulled back duvet had revealed that I was completely naked.

'Oh my god...' I mouthed in embarrassment, covering myself.

Looking at our clothes scattered across the floor, I carefully rolled out of bed as to not wake Roger and threw on my dressing gown, before collecting the items of clothing that belonged to me, although not getting very far as as soon as I stood up straight a wave of sickness hit me like a bus, making me drop my clothes and run to the bathroom to chuck up last night's alcohol.

As I knelt there on the bathroom floor with my head in the toilet bowl, my mind slowly became clearer. Before, the last thing I could remember was Roger and I drinking and sharing that first, rather awkward kiss, but now I could recall what followed as a result of it - vividly. My cheeks went red just thinking about it; the taste of Roger's lips, the feeling of his hands across my skin, the way our bodies rocked together in passionate unison...

Getting up off the floor before I got carried away, a cold shower and a couple of aspirin later, I put on fresh clothes and headed downstairs to make breakfast - as much as I would have loved to go back to bed and sleep this off I knew I would feel worse if I did. So I decided to busy myself with making a fry up for Roger and whatever else for myself. Knowing the drummer as I did, he would eat anything, hungover or not, that's if the cooking smells didn't cause me to throw up half way through making it.

As I got to work with the radio murmuring in the background, I soon heard the shuffling of footsteps descending the stairs and enter the room. The drummer wandered in, dressed in nothing but a t-shirt and a pair of jogging bottoms, but I ignored him, too engrossed in what I was doing to take any notice of his presence.

But my attention was soon to be shifted as I stood at the cooker turning things over in the frying pan and two arms wrapped around my waist from behind.

'Good mornin'.' Roger's raspy voice purred in my ear.

I chuckled, 'Good morning.'

'How you feeling?' he asked.

'Rough,' I answered honestly, 'You?'

'Mm, a bit,' he shrugged as he rested his chin on my shoulder, 'You didn't have to go to the trouble of making breakfast, love. I could of done that.'

'It's alright, I was up anyways and I didn't want to wake you. I reckoned the smell of bacon would do that by itself.'

He chuckled, 'Well, thank you, Heidi. You're a star.' as he pressed several kisses to my cheek and down my neck in an obvious attempt to distract me.

'Rog, stop it, you're going to make me burn myself. Go and make yourself useful.' I giggled as I pried him off me and returned to what I was doing, as the drummer smiled mischievously and went and made us a pot of tea.

Once breakfast was ready, we sat opposite each other at the kitchen table, Roger with his fry up and me with a slice of toast, the only thing I could stomach and wouldn't make a reappearance seconds later. We sat there in silence, unsure of what to say to each other, until I caught the drummer continually glancing at me, not that he was being very subtle about it.

Giving him a suspicious look, I took a sip of my tea, 'Staring at me won't give you the power to see through my clothes.'

'I don't have to, now I know what's underneath them.' he smirked.

I shook my head, trying my best not to blush, 'Very funny.''

We went quiet again for a moment, until Roger spoke up, 'So?'

'So...?'

'Did you enjoy yourself last night?' he elaborated.

I raised an eyebrow at him, 'You know I did, Rog, surely you don't need clarification.'

'No, it's not that it's just, well, we were completely trollied, weren't we? I hardly remember a thing.'

I agreed, 'You're not the only one.'

He continued, 'I was thinking about yesterday, y'know, when you told me about...Rosie. You don't...regret what we did, do you?'

I put my mug down on the table and looked at him dumbfounded, 'Why on earth would you think that?'

'I just thought-'

'Well you thought wrong,' I told him seriously, 'I didn't sleep with you because I was feeling sorry for myself, Rog, I did it because I wanted to. End of.'

'Right...' he nodded meekly, 'Sorry.'

As soon as breakfast and that awkward conversation between us was over, I slipped out the house, too embarrassed with myself to look Roger in the eye after my unnecessary outburst. Not having any set destination in mind, I wandered the streets with only my thoughts to keep my company until I reached the end of the road that Penny lived on. Having known the blonde girl now for a couple of months, she always gave the best advice (so did Brian, but telling him would be far too embarrassing) so having no idea what to do and making up my mind I headed for her house, hoping I would come out of there more enlightened.

I walked up the garden path and knocked on the front door, but it wasn't Penny who answered. The door opened to reveal none other than Freddie, looking as regal as ever.

He beamed when he saw me, 'Hello, Heidi!'

'Good morning, Fred.' I smiled back.

'What a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you, my darling?'

'Um, I came to see Penny. Is she in?'

'Oh, of course! I keep forgetting this isn't my house,' he laughed, 'Come on in, I'll let her know you're here.'

Thanking the singer, I stepped inside whilst he shut the door politely behind me.

'Penny!' Freddie called up the stairs in a ear splittingly loud voice, 'Heidi's here to see you!'

With another headache developing, I entered the living room and waited for Penny to come downstairs. A minute or two later, the blonde girl appeared with her hair wet, obviously having just jumped out of the shower, and with that usual radiant smile adorning her face she beamed;

'Heidi, darling,' as she came over and gave me a hug, 'How wonderful to see you!'

'It's only been a week.' I chuckled.

'I know, but it's a lovely surprise nonetheless.' she replied before ushering me to the settee, 'Sit down, sit down. Now, can I get you anything - tea, coffee?'

I sat down, 'A coffee would be nice, thanks.'

'I'll be back in just a moment.' she said as she practically skipped out the room.

Freddie and I sat and chatted until Penny returned with tea, coffee and biscuits. She sat down on the armchair to my right.

'So, what brings you here this morning?'

I glanced at Freddie and then back at her, 'Um...'

Knowing straight away this wasn't a passing visit, she turned to her attention to the singer, 'Freddie?'

'Mm?' he responded whilst devouring a custard cream.

She gave him a stern look and nodded at the door.

With the message received, Freddie got up off his seat and sauntered out the room, 'I'll make myself scarce...'

Once the singer had left the living room and closed the door firmly behind him, I looked up at Penny and commented, 'Fred mentioned he kept forgetting this wasn't his house. You two must be pretty serious now, then?'

She smiled coyly, 'Yeah, I guess so. I mean, it started as just a bit of a laugh but...I'm really beginning to like him, Heidi.'

I just smiled back; at least one of our lives were somewhat ordinary.

'But I know you didn't come here to discuss my love life,' she sat forward, resting her elbows on her knees, 'Spill, what's going on?'

I sat there in quietly, bouncing my leg nervously, 'Promise me you won't laugh.'

She starting giggling straightaway, 'Why, what have you done?' she gave me a suspicious look and somehow managed to figure out, 'You've slept with someone, haven't you? Oh, darling, we all have the occasional one-night stand, it happens, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Just take me as an example.'

'No, Penny, it's not what I did it's....who I did.'

The blonde girl gazed at me expectantly, waiting for a name.

Sighing, I said in a hushed voice in case Freddie overheard although struggling to actually say it out loud as the whole situation was still completely ludicrous.

'I slept with Roger.'

-

Hello again guys!

A shorter instalment today. It was going to be longer but I decided to end this chapter here because it would have ended up being too long. Thank you for you lovely (and rather amusing) comments in the last chapter 😂 That moment was well overdue and I'm glad that we've reached that turning point in the story. There's only about a quarter of the book left to write which is a bit sad, but I already have ideas in mind for a sequel (maybe, nothing's decided yet). But right now I'm staying focused on the rest of this story and what's left to come. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please vote or leave a comment as all feedback is appreciated.

Thank you again,

Anna x