The rest of February was unforgiving both in weather and in the fact that Fiona had to readjust to life without David. The house at Grove Road, for the first couple of weeks seemed far too large and definitely too empty for Fiona. She would find herself in David's room lying on the bed wearing his coat drinking in his scent.

It was Richard's birthday on the 28th of February so all of the housemates and their assorted partners had arranged an almighty night out to celebrate/commiserate his 30th Birthday.

The gang arranged to meet at The Eagle on Clapham Common, then move to The Crown on Clapham High Street and then, eventually on to the Clapham Grand where Bucks Fizz was playing.

Lyn and Richard had gone back to Cardiff the week before where they spent time with Richard's family, so the Saturday Night was total carnage designed to define the type of debauchery the Grove Road residents had come to claim as a normal Saturday night.

Fiona and Nikki were unfortunately on duty working twelve hour shifts on Saturday and were happy to meet up with the group at The Crown. They arranged to meet at the house after work so that they could both wash and change before heading out for the night.

Fiona was working extra shifts when able to save for a ticket to see David in May. She had spoken to his mother to ask when was good to surprise him.Laura had promised to write to Fiona when she had David's May rota. Laura had suggested that they both take a trip to their holiday home in Nantucket. Fiona had to cross her legs and put her hand over the phone to mask the gasp she gave out at the thought of the promises David had made.

As the phone was located in the hall and it could not reach her room, the phone sex opportunities were limited. Fiona got her kicks by writing to David. He wrote back. She was surprised at the letters. They were beautifully written, slightly erotic and most definitely for her eyes only. She kept them in a small book at the back of her knicker drawer away from prying eyes.

She came home at lunchtime to find another letter from him. Her heart leapt and her knickers tightened. She knew what to expect after six letters, however, each one was slightly more erotic and tempting than the last. She sped back to the ward and read it on her break. Fiona was alone in the ward break room. She snuck into the corner and began reading.

Fiona

When I write your name I think of so many things. Your smile, your eyes, your touch. It is like your taste is on my lips. The taste that is like the most delicious honey. 

I am at our home in Nantucket and I enclose a photograph of a cove that when you get here I will take you to. Can you see a ledge at the back? I will lay a blanket there. In front, we will build a bonfire like we did in Abersoch. 

Like Abersoch, we will cook on the bonfire. Then we will drink wine and watch the sun go down. I will stoke up the fire and we will skinny dip in the ocean. It is so cold! It will make you shiver, however, I will take you to the blanket and I will cover you.

I will shield you from the cold and I will kiss your salty skin. I will kiss you all over. The heat from my mouth making warm patches glow all around you. Then I will taste the honey between your legs. The sweetest I have tasted. I will make love to you under foreign skies and you will cry my name into the darkness.

"Fiona there is another labouring woman. Can you take her? I am swamped." The voice of Fiona's colleague brought her back to the present. Fiona fanned herself with the letter and folded it up into her bag for later. Stuff Brad and Mel. They could retire now. She had David's literary porn when she needed a release.

Later never came. Fiona delivered two babies between her break and going home time.Nikki was waiting for Fiona at Grove Road with a large glass of red wine flicking through Empire Magazine when Fiona stumbled across the threshold.

"Right, shower, clothes, bevvy, taxi, pronto!" she shouted as Fiona bolted up to her floor.

"You get off early?" Fiona asked. Nikki was ready to go out.

"Yup, I am ready, I have booked the cab for half eight, which means two drinks in The Crown, Bucks Fizz are on at ten, then wankered by midnight." Nikki followed Fiona upstairs continuing to chat as Fiona got ready, "so, how are you coping without him?"

"Ah, have you been asked to find out by the concerned residents of Grove Road?" Fiona laughed jumping in the shower.

"No, well yes." Nikki admitted, "Dan is worried that you don't seem very upset that David has gone. He thought you would be pining for him, lighting candles around framed pictures you know."

"I won't lie, Nikki, I am missing him like mad, but I knew this would happen and well," Fiona shouted over the shower, "I can write and call, it's not like he has gone off to war, he will be back."

Nikki handed Fiona a towel with her free hand as she balanced her magazine and wine in the other."I know that. You know men though, they want you to wear black and brick yourself up in your room like Rapunzel." 

"Fat chance, I am 27, not 57, I am only young once, I am enjoying myself, I can do that without trying to cop off with a man." Fiona laughed, throwing on jeans and a tight shirt, shaking her hair out to a messy do and quickly applying makeup.

"So you are not revolving your life around him, how dare you!" Nikki drained her glass and checked the time, "Taxi will be here in five, you ready love?"

"As I will ever be, grab my Harrington jacket and let's get mad with it!" Fiona laughed and they both ran down the stairs to the waiting cab.

They got out of the cab and entered the packed pub. The Crown was an original Victorian pub with enormous ceilings, original features and to their delight a horseshoe bar which meant they would be served quickly.

As they searched the bar they heard the gang before they saw them. Nikki led the way guiding Fiona through the throngs of people to a table groaning with the drinks. They both sought out Richard first and gave him a kiss each.

"Glad you are both here, Nikki, Ninj there are two treble vodkas and lime waiting on you both." Richard bellowed above the noise.

"Great!" Nikki shouted back. She stood on her tip toes which made her over six foot to see if she could find Dan. She scooped up her glass and squeezed through the crowd towards where she had spotted him.

"Cheers!" Fiona raised her glass and drank deeply, taking in her surroundings. She took off her jacket and tied it around her waist, it wasn't the type of pub where you put anything down that you didn't want to lose.

"Alright gorgeous?" a welsh voice said in her ear. She looked around to find a tall sandy haired freckled man with sand coloured eyes.

"Yes, oh thanks, sorry I don't think we have met, I am Ninj, well they call me that, Fiona is my real name," she stammered, "how do you know Richard?" Fiona looked at this specimen of manhood next to her. He was stunningly lovely.

"I am a mate of Reece's and we go way back!" The tall man replied.

He gestured across the bar and Fiona saw Reece finish talking to several women and make his way across towards them.

"Ninj! You are looking super hot! Did that arsehole leave you here when he buggered off to the States?" Reece picked her up and spun her around, "See Justin, that is the best bum in London, I told you!"

"Put me down!" she laughed slapping Reece until he did, "Justin! As in Justin is bustin? I have heard LOADS of stories about you!" Fiona had. This was Reece's wing man. The stories that Reece told when Reece came off second best, involved Justin. Rightly so, thought Fiona, if Reece was a ten then Justin was an eleven. 

"All bad I hope!" he grinned. Nikki's mouth gaped open and took in Justin's frame.

"Is there a production line in Wales knocking out gorgeous men?" She laughed squeezing Dan's bottom as he hugged her.

"Are you flirting with the biggest flirt in Cardiff?" Dan roared, "I warn you ladies, Justin has a perfect scorecard on breaking hearts and leaving the girls wanting more"

"More than you?" Nikki laughed. She knew that Dan was really a one woman man. He had confided in her when they first met, he was lonely, he wanted a family and to settle down. The first night he told Nikki that she nearly bolted from his bed. 

"More than me, Buff, Dick, Ems and Boston combined!" Dan laughed. He looked at Nikki. After a twelve hour shift, she was still gorgeous and vibrant. He was in love with her. He felt differently about her from the start. Now it was a huge uncharted emotion.

"Bloody Hell," Fiona blew out her cheeks, "that must be an average of three women per day every day." Fiona thought of the letter David had written to her. She chided herself to keep her focus.

"Four!" Justin winked at her, "I am staying in the spare room at your place if that is ok?" 

"I believe that the majority vote from my housemates has already secured your accommodation." Fiona smiled. She decided to put the chair in her room against the door to stop her from sleepwalking.

"Always want to make sure it is ok with the lady of the house!" he grinned looking both Nikki and Fiona up and down appreciatively, "Shame you are both taken!"

Justin and Reece set off across the pub looking for hot women as Fiona and Nikki tried in vain to close their mouths.

"When me and Dan finish I am getting in a Helicopter and landing on him!" Nikki said under her breath to Fiona.

"Dear Lord, my ovaries are jumping out of my pelvis!" Fiona mock swooned.

Nikki turned to Dan, "When I have finished with you, he is my next Welshman I warn you!" 

"Oooh, so you want to hump me and dump me, woman?" Dan laughed and smacked her bottom playfully. Inwardly he hoped she was joking.

"Well, maybe a bit more humping before the dumping," she smiled and planted a long lingering kiss on his lips, "like in two or three more hours."

"Is that that correct Miss Taylor?" Dan whispered playfully wrapping his arms around her to draw her near to him.

"It is Mr Evans, I will expect a top notch performance now I have something to measure you against!" Nikki tapped him playfully on the chest.

"Err, you have done him without my noticing?" Dan laughed he looked at Fiona in mock horror.

"In my head, and in her's we both have.", Nikki nodded at Dan, "Oh yes, a lot to live up to."

"A lot!" Fiona agreed, continuing to nod, watching Justin chat up two girls at the bar, she caught his gaze and quickly looked away, "he is magnificent."

"Woah there Ninj, remember you have a fella across the pond!" Dan nudged her. 

"It is that thought and that thought alone that is preventing me from going across there, taking that man by the hand and dragging him back to my place now." She sighed and allowed herself a longer gaze at Justin.

"He is blond you see, she has a thing for blonds!" Nikki laughed. She gave Fiona a mock stare.

"I do, I really do! Let's  get a drink." Fiona fought her way to the bar and stood waiting for the barman's attention when she felt a hand on her bottom.

"Bugger off Reece will you!" she laughed swatting at the hand on her rear.

"It's not Reece." Justin breathed into her ear, turning her legs to jelly. This was one of his best moves and he was bringing it off the bench. 

"I will give you an hour to stop that Justin!" she laughed nervously, trying to cover her growing attraction with a joke. It had only been two weeks since David left however she missed his touch. She didn't want anyone else, not ever.

"How did that idiot get on a plane and leave you here?" he placed his other hand around her waist pressing himself into her. Fiona lightly took his hand and removed his arm from her.

"Quite easily really," she sighed, "anyway, you and I both know that this is not going to happen tonight. Even if I wanted to, I really like David and this would end everything just as it started."

"Shit timing?" Justin smiled at her. 

"Ah, I think that you may like me more because you can't have me." Fiona knew Justin was flirting with her because she wouldn't take him up on his offer.

"The taste of forbidden fruit and all of that?" Justin attempted one last onslaught. He then planted the softest kiss on her neck and let her go. Fiona stood at the bar lost for words and most of her reason.

"What can I get you?" the barman asked snapping Fiona back to reality.

"A large glass of Rioja!" she shouted, sighing to herself and wondering if David was being as tested as she was.

"I would shag him you know." Fiona spun round to see Lyn standing next to her.

"Bloody hell I jumped out of my skin there Lyn! He is a bit special isn't he?" Fiona nodded in the direction of Justin.

"You get all the heartbreakers you don't you?"Lyn nudged Fiona as they both watched Justin speaking to the same girls as before.

"Shit isn't it, why can't I find a nice boring accountant or something?" Fiona sighed.

"What like Richard?" Lyn joked. They both looked at each other and burst into peels of laughter, "Anyway, he is getting a bit serious at the moment, wanting to book a holiday together."

"Are you mad? You should go, you can work out if you can spend a fortnight with him whether or not he is the man for you." Fiona nudged Lyn, "I mean, from what I can gather before you, he would have been trawling this place looking for a woman each week and being successful at it, now, he just wants to be loved up with you."

Lyn looked at Fiona quizzically, "Are you sure of that?"

"Positive." Fiona nodded, "The lads do nothing but rib him about it mercilessly, I join in for shits and giggles but only half-heartedly."

"Balls, I am only 28, don't know if I am ready to be serious Fiona. I mean I really like him, but" Lyn chewed on her lip, "His will be the last dick I ever see, I dunno."

"When you put it like that.....shut up! You are a nurse, you will see plenty of them at work." Fiona joked. 

"You know what I mean, in that I will never shag anyone else? Look at Justin, I can't be ready yet can I? I want to break him into little bits."

"We all do Lyn! I don't think being with someone means you can't look, just that you can't break them in half, look at me...I am with Boston, I am looking," Fiona let out a long sigh, "but definitely not touching."

"Sure about that?" Lyn asked. 

"Absolutely positive!" Fiona knew that deep down she was a one man woman. Even if that man was too far away.

"Cool then lets down our drinks and head to The Grand." Lyn scooped up Fiona's hand and led her out of the way of temptation.

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