The Grand

Despite being totally miserable, David was totally determined to give Bill a stag night to remember. He had Heather give him a list of what not to do with Bill and strict instructions that if he was shaved or maimed in any way, the same treatment would be metered out to David monthly for the foreseeable future.

 The group decided to watch an Ireland v South Africa friendly rugby match at the Sports Cafe and then go to the Grand in Clapham. Focusing on the Stag Do and getting back to work in A&E, meant that David was able to stop thinking about Fiona every spare minute of the day.

Bill and Heather had decided to find a flat in four weeks, the deadline coinciding with their wedding plans and Heather starting her new job in London. Jilly had a friend who was looking for a quick sale on a flat in Fulham. David accompanied Bill on viewings, measurings and surveys so much that the neighbours had decided that Bill and David were a cute gay couple.

The Grove Road housemates had done a poor job trying to find Fiona. They did a better job cheering  David out of his blues with boys nights out, rugby practice and running. When he did have space think about her, he was impressed by how she had been very clever in her plans. He discovered that after he called her from Boston and told her that he was coming back, she immediately looked for another job, and handed her notice in at Chelsea. She must have found somewhere else to live. Not to raise suspicion, she moved out slowly. On the night, she left the wedding, she came back to the flat, took her last things and left for good.

None of Fiona's girlfriends or Jilly would split about her plans. However, Richard overheard Lyn on the phone to Fiona. He deduced that she was leaving London soon, but she was keeping in touch with her friends until he was leaving and he overheard plans for a night out.

David felt totally hopeless at the situation. The biggest problem was that the whole house reminded him of Fiona. He missed her as a friend as well as his girlfriend. He knew the other housemates felt the same but none of them would admit it to David. It was like a ghost in the house and they would all feel its presence from time to time. He was sure that she had been back to Jilly's flat, he wondered if she had been in the flat the day he had gone down and spilled his heart out to Jilly.

David did once see her at work, it was inevitable that he would. A week after the wedding,  he saw her across the foyer getting a sandwich. She had her hair in a loose bun wearing her blue labour ward scrubs. She looked pale and tired. It took all his self-discipline not to run across the room. Tell her about how heartbroken and how sorry he was. 

He had practised what he would say if he bumped into her. He would say that Grace was a holiday fling. It was a great big mess and that he did not want to hurt her. He would admit, that he should have listened to her and they should have just had their time together in Wales and pick things up when he got back to the UK. He didn't because he did not want her to be with anyone else, it was his jealousy that stopped him.

David was brought back to reality by overhearing Bill, who was still in his dressing gown, on the phone to Heather.

"Look, I am going to get pissed, have a dance with my mates, come home, eat a kebab and phone you. In that order, no deviation, hesitation or repetition...," he saw David come downstairs and mouthed an apology for not being dressed, "Here  you tell him yourself cos I need to go and get changed as the taxi is......"

"On its way!" David laughed, Bill gave him the phone and nodded for him to speak to Heather. "Hey Heather, how are you?"

"Oh I feel like shit on a stick but Fiona said....., oh sorry David it just slipped out!" Heather sighed.

David knew from Bill that Heather was finding it rough. "It's ok, I am sorry you feel so bad, I suppose early pregnancy can be like that huh?"

"I don't know how I am going to make it through the wedding, thank god we are just nipping round to the registry office on the Kings Road, Bill's mum is having a fit!" Heather sounded exhausted.

"I know. We are all giving him tea and sympathy every time he talks to his mammy." David laughed, "So how is she anyway?" David screwed his face up, waiting for Heather to berate him.

"By she you mean Fiona?" Heather knew David was fishing. She decided to be honest and forthright with him.

David braced himself for the answer."Yes, how is she, you know, is she ok?" 

"She is totally and utterly miserable. I have never ever heard her like this David, if I didn't feel so shit, I would be down there like a flash." 

"Oh Heather, that is not good to hear," David ran his hand through his hair, "you won't tell me where she is so that I can go and see her will you?"

"Good try!" Heather laughed, "No chance. She wouldn't be there anyway. I hear that she is having a night out with the girls tonight. So she should at least have something to get her out of her blues."

"She still leaving then?" David needed to know. He knew she was off somewhere. He didn't know when or indeed where. 

"Couple of days after the wedding, can't tell you where. Sorry, Boston, she said under no circumstances to crack."

"I understand, look, if you speak to her, tell her, I am here as a friend." David said quietly, he meant it.

"You sure about that?" Heather knew he was lying. He would march to wherever she was and get naked as quickly as possible.

"Yes, yes I am, I may have treated her badly but friends forgive don't they?" He asked.

"That they do. Look, no offence but I need to pee for the tenth time this hour. Can you make sure that he is in a decent state please? Don't for heaven's sake let him ring me any later than midnight ok?"

David placed the phone down and looked round to see the full housemates plus Reece and Justin ready to go out on the town. He was going to give Bill a good time and make sure that Bill stayed out of trouble. He also made a mental note to stay out of trouble himself not matter how much he drank or how many women came on to him.

One meal, one rugby match, ten pints, two shots and a cab ride later the group found themselves at the bar in The Grand. Blondie Heart of Glass was blaring out and the guys were all in good spirits. It had been a great lads night out thus far. Lots of drinking games and tales of bad matches.

"Let's do shots!" Emlyn shouted, with a huge cheer behind him. He nudged David who had the kitty to the bar.

"Fourteen tequilas and seven bottles of Sol please." David shouted out to the barman, as they were delivered David handed them out to the rest of the group.

"I am having a great time!' Bill bellowed into David's ear, David nodded, "You know, I am looking around at all of the scrubbers here and I am glad I have a great woman" David nodded again, "I mean no offence, but you can't spend your whole life with meaningless sex can you?" David shook his head. "I mean, what the hell are you going to do now? You can't go back to this can you?"

David shook his head again, looking at all of the scantily clad women surrounding the group. He watched Justin, Reece and Emlyn chatting to a group of girls and he felt a deep sense of loss and loneliness. He missed her. He missed her as a friend, as a lover as a housemate. The loss of her felt like an unbearable ache. If it wasn't Bill's Stag Night, he would be off home to listen to Fiona's mixtape.

"No. I am sure the first girl I take back will have to listen to me going on about my heartbreak. Right now, Bill, I don't even fancy anyone." David admitted.

"Dear God! You not fancying anyone? I have never heard of such a thing. We better get you back to yourself." Bill looked at David with a worried glance. 

At the first strains of Tom Jones, 'It's not unusual' the group made their way to the dancefloor and unleashed their moves on the masses of South London.  

This was followed by the group dance they did to the theme tune of Hawaii 5 0 which involved a great deal of fake paddling up and down the dance floor in teams of knocking people sideways. David despite himself laughed as he joined in.

Nikki and Lyn spotted the group across the room and joined them. David's heart leapt. He guessed that Fiona was with them. He scanned the dance floor and spotted Fiona and Jilly dancing on a podium. 

Fiona looked different, she had her hair cut short into a pixie cut she was wearing jeans and a tight fitting black v neck top. She jumped off the podium and made towards the toilet laughing, clearly unaware that any of them were there.

David felt a tap on his shoulder and he spun round to find Jilly, Lyn and Nikki standing with their arms folded. He jumped back and Nikki grabbed him and whispered in his ear.

"We got her here, now you go and sort this." David made to answer, however, they all turned and disappeared to the bar.

Fiona was very drunk indeed, she felt the best she had in a very long time, more like herself. She had been chatted up a storm that night. Why was it, she asked herself, that when you don't want male attention you get it in spades. She fixed her hair in the mirror and when she heard the bassline of  'A Town Called Malice".

Fiona skipped out of the toilet to find David leaning against the wall with two bottles of lager in his hands offering her one. Her legs turned to jelly and despite herself, she smiled and took the bottle. She stood next to him and leant next to the wall to stop herself from falling over. A couple of minutes passed with them silently standing next to each other.

"Hey, you." David finally said. He was lost for words. She took a drink from him and she didn't sprint off. That he took as a good sign.

"Hey you back." she replied, looking at her bottle. He looked better than she remembered. She wanted to remember him as a two headed troll. It was the only way she could kick him out of her heart for good.

"Like your hair!" he smiled. He did. She looked cuter if that was possible.

"Really? Oh, I went in and said that I was sick of looking one way and to do what they wanted with it, so I got this!" She ran her hands through her hair nervously.

"Makes you look sexy." It did, she looked younger and fresher.

Fiona laughed, "David, a woman looking at you is deemed sexy." She heard him say she was sexy. She felt her resolve start to slip.

He nudged her, "You can never ever take a compliment can you?"

She nudged him back, "I get them so rarely, I don't know how to respond." Yes, there it was. He touched her and she got the feels again.

"Ouch!" he feigned a wound in his chest, and pretended to take out a knife, "Here I think this is yours?"

"Ah, that was me finding my mark I warn you!" She had to. He had to get away from her, his magic was weaving into her body again. 

"I am suitably warned and I am staying put if it is all the same to you." David was heartened by the fact Fiona hadn't moved. Surely that was a sign.

"Ever felt you have been set up?" she nodded to the girls and the Grove Road housemates who were all at the bar trying not to watch them.

"Yup," he laughed, "I do. I swear, I did not know you were here!" David spun round to look at Fiona.

"I know you didn't or you wouldn't have worn that hideous shirt."

"Ha!" David guffawed, "Is that strike two?"

"Nope, that is target practice!" Fiona laughed, "so....." 

"So...., is this where you finish your drink and leave?" David put it out there. She was still staying put.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "David, I am pissed as a fart. You know I am only human. You are here looking like that." she pointed to him, "I know what is under there and I am fighting every urge I have not to drag you back to my hovel and never let you out of my bed."

David turned to face her, blocking everyone's view, he lifted her chin.

"I wish you would." David stroked her cheek and ran his hand through her hair, he dropped a small light kiss on her lips and he felt her sink down, he let out a sigh of pleasure at her touch.

She placed a hand on his chest."Please, I beg of you, I have a tiny, tiny bit of will power, which is held there by the last shred of self-respect I have."  she looked up at him pleadingly, "But, I want you, like I have never wanted anyone in my life..."

He looked down at her, "I need you." he growled in a low voice, searching her face for a clue as to her next move. She took his hand and led him to the door.

"Ok, here it is David, one more night ok?" she looked at him seriously. He nodded back at her. "I am not going back to yours - so suggestions?"

Dan stood on his tip toes at the bar giving the housemates a commentary on David and Fiona.

"Oh, he's stood with his back to us." He relayed to the group. "I think they are leaving together! Yes, yes they are!"

"Thank fuck for that!" Nikki shouted, "Now,  young Welshman come with me and we can dance then back to yours for a right good evening of horizontal magic!"

"That is a done deal!"Dan laughed.  He would expend no more energy tonight on the dance floor.

"Where do you suppose they are going?" Bill mused mostly to himself.

"None of your business darling. Now take an old lady for a spin and I will then take you for the best kebab in west London, then deposit you in your flat with Heather on speed dial." Jilly laughed dragging Bill on to the dance floor.

David and Fiona sat quietly holding hands, as their taxi sped its way from South to West London. They decided for privacy's sake to go to Fiona's flat in Shepherd's Bush rather than try and sneak back to Grove Road. David looked out of the window and gave her hand a squeeze. Fiona squeezed lightly back and smiled at him.

"You know David, I have a great deal of difficulty staying mad with you." she sighed and turned to face him.

"I hate it when you won't talk to me. I want to discuss and debate every subject know matter how tiny with you. I want to know your opinion." It was true. He felt like he had lost his rudder.

"Even when I offer it and you don't listen?" she laughed.

David turned to face Fiona, "Mostly then." he said softly.

 Fiona let out a long groan. Why was this man so frustrating? Why couldn't she just get on with getting him out of her head?

 "What?" He asked. This was a new emotion. 

"Oh, good grief! Why can't you let me hate you?" Fiona pleaded.

"What would be the point in that?" 

"Because then I would be able to get over you," she sighed, "there is no chance when I still have you in the adorable pile."

"That was my cunning plan Blackadder!" David laughed. He knew she couldn't stay mad at him.

"Ah Baldrick, is it so cunning that you could pin it on the tail of a fox?" she mimicked Blackadder back at him.

"Yes captain, it is." David laughed and squeezed her hand. 

Fiona looked out of the window and gave a few directions to the cab driver. The cab stopped in a row of large Victorian terraced houses. Fiona fished for her keys as David paid for the cab. She led him to the large front door and motioned for him to be quiet. 

Once in the door, she took him by the hand, up the stairs to a landing where the flat door was. David sucked in his breath when he saw how dilapidated the flat was. The carpets were grey, the paintwork was peeling, bare lightbulbs hung in the hallway.

"Wow, The Ritz has gone downhill since my last stay!" he joked. It was awful. Ten times worse than Grove Road when she moved in.

Fiona poked him in the ribs. "I am flat sitting for an ex-colleague, the sale goes through in a month or so, her tenants left the place pretty grubby but the new owners bought it in this state." she explained. She led him through to the kitchen which was equally shambolic and sparse with only an old formica table and two deckchairs in it.

"Of course she moved all of her furniture out, I found this in the shed at the bottom of the garden and dragged it in here." she motioned for David to sit as she opened the fridge door and pulled out two beers.

David sat silently trying to take in the squalid environment, the peeling floor vinyl, the bare lightbulbs, the kitchen that has not been upgraded since the seventies. Fiona rummaged around in a drawer and found the bottle opener. She passed a bottle to David and sat in the chair opposite to him. She looked away from him, took a few nervous sips from her bottle and placed the partially drunk bottle in front of her, she took a deep breath in and spoke.

"So...., cat got your tongue?" Fiona smiled at him. She was beginning to sober up and her ardour was beginning cool.

"No, I just sort of.., ran out of words." he looked around at the kitchen and sighed, "Fiona, this is horrible, I can't bear to think of you here." David took a slug of beer and held his hand out for hers across the table.

 Fiona reached over and took it. She could see that he was getting ready for his chat with her.

"What I did, I didn't mean to do. It is bad enough that I broke us up. I had no idea that you would leave the house, leave the boys, leave your job and move." he cleared his throat, "I mean this is a whole life change Fiona and I did this."

"No David, I did this," she corrected him, "this is my choice."

"It's a hell of a radical one Fiona." he sighed gesturing to the squalid kitchen.

"It was better than the alternative," she said flatly. 

"Which was?" he asked.

"Me living next door to you?" she laughed, "seeing you with every girl in West London, hearing you with them, bumping into you at home, at work? Good grief, David, I am not made of stone.." she looked up at him with her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"It wasn't going to be like that. I thought that we would make up and.." David offered. He could not stand her tears, knowing he was the cause made his heart shrink. 

Fiona took her hand out of his and raised her hand to stop him.

"David." she said firmly, "you broke my heart". There it was. No beating around the bush. The truth. She was heart broken. She could not control the tears sliding down her cheeks.

David looked pained and shocked at the same time. There was no joking, no humour, just the pain in her voice. He was speechless.

"I have a pain here," she pointed to her chest, "when I think of you, when your name is mentioned, when I see you.." she took another sip of beer to steady herself, " It is like I am having open heart surgery without the anaesthetic." she buried her face in her hands.

David softly stood up and moved over to her. He crouched next to her and placed his hands on her thighs gently. Fiona slowly began to gain her composure. She took a deep breath and removed her hands and faced David.

"I am so sorry." he said quietly, "You don't deserve this." She didn't. She had done nothing wrong. She moved from a home she created and a job she loved because he couldn't resist Grace. He felt ashamed.

"You are right David I don't," she nodded, "this is a mistake, I think you need to leave."

"Is that what you want?" David looked at her. He wanted to stay. 

"Yes and no David, my head says, tell him to fuck off and never come back and my heart says take him to your bed and break him in half."

"Who is winning?" he smiled. 

"No one David, that's the point, heads I lose, tails I lose," she sighed. There was no happy ending. No part of her would be the same.

"If I stay, I will never, ever do that to you again." he said as sincerely as he could.

Fiona burst out laughing.

David looked at her unable to hide his confusion, "What? What is so funny?"

"You," Fiona managed between fits of laughter, "you..., you really don't get it do you? You will have every intention of being faithful and not hurting me and then boom!" she slammed the table for effect, which made him jump, "There  will be another woman so amazing, so gorgeous, so fantastic and you," she pointed at him, " will be off in a flash!" she ran her hand through his hair and looked deeply into his eyes, "I can't live like that David, I have too much self-respect for a start."

"So let me get this right, you are rejecting me for something I may or may not do in the future?" He sighed and placed his head on her lap, he then looked up, "Fiona's heart this is David, I am appealing to you wanting to break me in half. Now, what do I need to do to shut that mind up?" He reached up and kissed her gently. "Is that working?". Fiona nodded.

"Good! How about this?". He kissed her with more purpose, pulling her closer, she separated her knees to pull him closer. As their kisses intensified she wrapped her legs around his waist. He rose to his feet taking her with him effortlessly. "Bedroom?" He whispered. She pointed down the hallway past the door.

David walked into the room and lowered Fiona to her feet. He lifted her chin to him and kissed her gently and then held her to him in a bear hug. Fiona felt all of her anger and fear leave her in his arms. David kissed the top of her head and buried his face in her hair. They stayed stood hugging for a short while. David loosened his arms around her and Fiona looked up at him.

"What are we doing?" Fiona asked. She really wasn't sure.

"I am trying to get you to remember me. Remember Boston your friend who loves you and David your boyfriend who loves you. I am trying my best to love you back to where we were."

"David...," she sighed, "I will never ever forget you. I need to find a way to get over this. I don't want to get into a ridiculous situation where I try to get you back and it turns into a farce worthy of Burton and Taylor."

They both sat on the mattress looking away from one another trying to find words for the situation. They sat in silence for a minute when Fiona cleared her throat and looked at David.

"Are you going to fuck me or what?" she turned to face him.

David's head span round to look at her. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Fiona moved closer to him, taking off her top and shimmying out of her jeans. David's eyes fell to her black underwear and back to her face. He removed his top and moved forward to kiss her. Fiona pulled him on top of her unbuckling his belt and removing his jeans and underwear in one move. She palmed his rock hard penis and ran her thumb over his tip. 

David sucked his breath in. He took the condom out of his jeans pocket and carefully rolled it on. Fiona straddled him and moved her pants to the side and slid him inside her. She placed her hands on his chest and stared into his eyes as she rode him. David placed his thumb on her clitoris moving with her pelvis, the other hand on her hip. She could feel the warmth and tension build inside her and she knew from David's breathing that he was building to his own climax.

He bucked his hips and rolled her on to her back. Under him, she looked on fire. Her blue eyes boring into him. He needed her. "Slower babe," he groaned, "I don't want to rush this." He didn't. It was too good. 

He placed his forehead against hers and then slowly moved inside her. He placed her leg over his shoulder and quickened his pace. Fiona could feel herself close. The sparks started to appear behind her eyes and she cried his name out loudly as her orgasm hit. David came moments behind her. He withdrew from her.

"Shit, Fiona." David noticed the problem immediately.

"What?" She raised herself on her elbows.

"The condom has split! Look! Oh, babe, I am sorry. I didn't....." He could not believe their bad luck. It had never happened before.

"It's ok David." she sighed, "I will go and get the morning after pill tomorrow." That was something to really not look forward to.

David lay next to her stroking her arm. "Is that not awful? I mean it makes you puke, doesn't it?

"I will be like something from the Exorcist tomorrow no doubt." she smiled, "So, I will have a corking hangover and then twelve hours of puking with the morning after pill. It isn't the Sunday I had in mind. What are you planning for lovely Bill today?"

"Game of rugby and a pint in the Stargazey." He smiled, "though if you want, I can come to the walk-in clinic with you."

"Hell no!" She laughed. "You and me in there? No way. David, we will be killing each other. I will be in one hell of a mood tomorrow." Fiona rolled over to face David she placed her hand on the side of his face, "It is sweet to offer, however, I will go it alone. You can meet up with the lads and make sure Bill's stag do is a success."

"Can I see you later then?" David asked.

"When I am puking? I don't think even for us that will be the most romantic evening?"

"Well, what about Monday then?" David kissed her throat. He loved the spot where he could feel her pulse with his lips. That was one of his favourite parts of her body. 

"David, do you think that this means we are seeing each other again?" Fiona was at a loss. She thought she had made it clear that this was a one-night thing.

David looked at Fiona with a puzzled expression. "Well yes, doesn't it?"

Fiona sat up and looked at David. She cleared her throat, took a deep breath and calmed herself before speaking. "David," she began. "We are here now, which is a miracle. I am moving away in exactly three weeks from now. I am moving to a new place, new job, new everything and this...," she motioned between them, "is as far as we go for now."

"So this is it? Really? Fiona that is bullshit and you know it!" David sat up. He looked around the room for his clothes and began to put his clothes on.

"Really?" she said firmly, "Your dick isn't even cold from being in me and you are getting dressed?"

"If that is how it is, then, I will do what I normally do when I get lucky at a club..." David was hurt and angry. She was leaving. No matter what he did or said it was over.

"You are a charmer David Williams, you really are. I can't imagine there are many you haven't shagged over the years. What will you do now? Is it like the Forth Road Bridge and you get to do them all again?"

"Maybe, Maybe not, Jesus Fiona! I want to be with you, just you, no one else. I haven't looked at anyone since you and I.. " he shook his head whilst trying to find his shoes. A shoe flew past his ear from Fiona's side of the bed. "Wow, what the hell was that for..?"

"David! You. Fucked. Someone. Else. If that is not looking at someone else I don't know what is!" she spat the words at him.

"I meant from coming back from Boston!" he shouted at her. She made him see red.

Fiona put her pyjamas on and got to her feet. She placed her hand on her heart.

"I am so grateful that you managed a whole two weeks of fidelity. Now make sure you manage to write that in your journal as I doubt anyone will ever believe you."

"Sarcastic bitch!" David sighed, "I am going to get a cab and go home."

"Wow, its 1 am, if you hang around Hart's the Grocer you might pick up someone, make it a double header night. Though this time make sure the condom stays on, God knows what you might catch."

David made his way out of the room and Fiona charged after him, showing him to the door.

He turned around to face her. He was so turned on by the fight. She was even sexier when she was angry. 

"At least I will find someone quickly, not like you who will be an old shrivelled up spinster like Miss Haversham."

Fiona laughed heartily, "Well Mister, that is where you are so fucking wrong it is criminal. For your information, I have a hot date with a french anaesthetist on Monday."

David's jaw dropped, then he quickly gained his composure. "That asshole you met at the party?" David chuckled, "You can pick them Ninj, you really can. He has had more women than I have had toast!"

"Well get home and get the toaster on cos I am going to ride him like Red Rum." she spat the words as David slammed the front door behind him and he heard Fiona lock the door.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stormed off down the road looking for a telephone box or a cab to get him home. 

So thoughts? 

Should she stay or go??

Comment and vote!