Close Observation Ch. 17

***

When he got home, there was no sign of Annabelle. When he went past her bedroom door, he could hear that Vicky was in there. He assumed Caroline would be in with her. It didn't take him long to brush his teeth. He went back to his room. Ron was going to try to read himself to sleep; it had worked the previous night.

There was a knock on his door just after he'd got into bed.

'Yeah?' he said.

Vicky came in.

'Mr Ron?' said Vicky.

'Hi, you ok?' said Ron.

I'm fine. I was wondering if you were ok?' said Vicky.

'I'm alright,' said Ron.

Vicky stood there for a second, just inside the door. She looked like she was pondering something. She was wearing Ron's red army boxing team t-shirt. Every time he saw her, Ron could barely believe how good her body looked. He could see her breasts bulging under the t-shirt.

She suddenly came to the bed. She pulled the covers up and got into bed next to Ron. She snuggled against him. She kissed his face and put her arms around him. Her body felt amazing. He could feel her breasts against his side and against his chest.

'I heard what Marie said to you,' said Vicky.

'Oh, ok... Don't worry, I'm alright, really, I'm fine,' said Ron.

'Really?' asked Vicky.

'I'm fine. It wasn't a big deal,' said Ron.

'We had words in the morning,' said Vicky.

'Really?' asked Ron.

'I was waiting for her to get up so I could have a word in her ear, but she just stayed in bed, so eventually I went in there and woke her up and shouted at her,' said Vicky.

'Are you serious?' asked Ron.

'Deadly. That was vicious, what she said!' Vicky replied.

'What did she say?' asked Ron.

'She was crying, and she said she was sorry, and of course I'm saying it's not me you should be fucking apologising to... Has she apologised?' asked Vicky.

'I haven't heard from her. I don't expect to,' said Ron.

'Well she knows she's not welcome here until this is sorted,' said Vicky.

'Vick, thanks for doing that, really. I'm fine though. I want to forget about it,' said Ron.

'Are you really ok? Because I'm imagining being in your shoes and being on the end of that, and I know you've had a thing for her...' said Vicky.

'It stung me, but I've had worse in my time,' said Ron.

Thinking about it, Ron couldn't think of any specific occasions where he'd "had worse."

'Well she surprised me the other night, my opinion of that girl has gone one-eighty degrees, I don't care what she looks like, or what she's like in bed,' said Vicky.

'I think she's going through some stuff, and she got pissed and she wanted to let off on someone,' said Ron.

'Well she certainly did that,' said Vicky.

'How are you anyway, I haven't seen you much, how's things with Caroline, when's the wedding?' asked Ron. Vicky laughed.

'Things with Caroline have been absolutely, indescribably wonderful...' said Vicky.

'I can hear a 'but' coming,' said Ron.

'But she's booked in for two hours in a duo with Layla on Saturday night,' said Vicky.

'Why would you worry about that? You two are inseparable' said Ron.

'Why would I not worry? I know what she did to me, and what she did to Emma and Marie. Marie's probably hiding at Layla's hotel as we speak. I know how Layla made me feel, how she made me come, and she's going to do that to Caz,' said Vicky.

'Alright, I get it. I can see why that would bother you, but maybe that's a test, you know? And Layla's had her before, and it seems like she prefers you,' said Ron.

Vicky was quiet for a few seconds.

'That makes sense, but I can't help remembering being fucked by her. And Caz is young, you know?' said Vicky.

'I'd be the same, I'd be uncomfortable, fucking hell, when I've seen her with Marie it's had me thinking, but you can't do much about it, can you?' said Ron.

'No,' said Vicky.

'It'll be fine, it'll work out alright,' said Ron.

'God, I hope so... I'm afraid I've become quite attached to her Ron,' said Vicky.

'I got that feeling. It seems like it's mutual,' said Ron.

'I'm sure I came in here to talk about your problems,' said Vicky.

'I'm fine... I do appreciate you coming in though. I think Caroline's a very lucky young lady,' said Ron.

'Thank you,' said Vicky.

She kissed him again. She snuggled next to him for a bit as he read his book, then said goodnight and went back next door.

***

They went to the National Gallery in the morning. Ron showed Ted and Elaine a particular Turner painting that he loved. Ted and Elaine saw another Turner and recognised it from a scene from a recent James Bond film when James Bond had met Q at the gallery. They went back to the Kings Road afterwards. Ted and Elaine said they liked the atmosphere of the place. They went to the Royal Hospital and saw a little garden in the grounds where Mozart had apparently once played. Ron wondered if any of the pensioners they saw at the hospital had been in his regiment.

In the afternoon they went to the Army museum, just up the street. They enjoyed it in there; Ron was impressed with the place as well.

In the evening, Ted and Elaine had yet another Indian meal. They said they thought they were becoming addicted to curry. Ron left them at nine o'clock. He would be picking them up at six in the morning to take them to Gatwick for their flight home.

When Ron got in there was a letter for him. It had been hand delivered, there was no address on it, just his name. It was a letter from Marie. Ron went to his room to read it. He read it a few times.