Paul slipped the bright red t-shirt over his head and looked at the glowing numbers on the clock. It was 8:30pm and Gina still hadn’t reappeared, that couldn’t possibly be normal. Gina hated work at the best of times, she wasn’t about to become some anal workaholic and start working late. He adjusted the belt on his jeans as he padded back into the living room and flopped onto the couch. The last time Gina had worked late was when she was having an affair. In fact, that was the only time she’d ever worked late. Paul shook his head; he was overreacting, being paranoid and generally following his own claims that he was permanently agitated. Things were nothing short of perfect for them now, she wouldn’t go off and fuck the copy boy or something, and she’d changed, right? He looked over at his phone and pondered giving her another call. No, he had to trust her no matter how much that could lead to an ulcer. Paul sunk down onto the couch and grabbed the television remote. He needed a distraction, and a documentary of World War 2 was the best he was going to get.

“You never told me you could cook,” Fenny mused, perching on the breakfast bar as she devoured a bowl full of macaroni cheese.

“You never asked,” Danny smiled as he rested his bowl on the counter and let one hand slide onto Fenny’s thigh.

“I don’t think I’ve had much of an opportunity.”

“Ah, the question is though, do you like my cooking?”

“I love your cooking,” Fenny mused, taking another forkful of pasta.

Danny smiled and poked his pasta with a fork. “Fen, we need to talk.”

“About what?” she asked, avoiding the concern in his voice.

“About you telling me that you loved me.”

“But I do love you,” Fenny declared and smiled. “I do, really.”

“What about Brad? I thought you loved him?”

“I love Brad too,” Fenny shrugged. “That’s where things get complicated.”

“You can’t love two people.”

“Says who?”

“Okay, maybe you can, Fen, but I don’t want to share you,” Danny huffed. “It’s like time share or something. Will we need to draw up a roster?”

“I don’t know,” Fenny shrugged. “I told you it was complicated.”

Danny let out a sigh. “Be honest with me here, okay? Is there a chance for us or not?”

Fenny placed her bowl on the counter and looked and Danny, cocking her head to the side. “You know, I think there might be.”

Danny moved between her legs as they tightened around him, his hands sliding around her waist. “Thank you,” he breathed as they fell into an intense kiss, the pasta long forgotten.

“…And you know, I should have known after he feigned illness to avoid eating my chickpea soup,” Freya sniffed.

Gina had pondered smacking her head against the desk until she fell unconscious, but there seemed to be little time between Freya’s constant ramblings. She had been ready to leave hours ago but Freya had insisted on pouring out her heart for as long as possible. Gina looked at her watch and nearly died when she saw the time.

“Christ Freya, it’s nearly 9pm.”

“Is it? Oh, I guess time flies when friends gets talking, hey?” She sniffed.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Gina sighed as she collected her things. She was headed out the office door when Freya caught up.

“Do you know what time the next bus comes?”

“No idea.”

“Oh well, guess it’s not raining too much.”

Gina was tempted to punch a wall. Instead, she turned and put on the best fake smile she could. “Never mind, I’ll give you a lift home.”

“Would you? Thanks heaps,” Freya perked as she trotted along beside Gina to the car park.

“…No I don’t want olives, did I not tell you that? No that was anchovies. Yes I want cheesy crust. What do you mean freebie? A cheesecake…” Brad’s scintillating conversation with local pizza delivery service was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Yeah the cheesecake is fine, I have to go.” He hung up the phone and bounded over to the door. He was already in a foul mood thanks to Fenny’s disappearance that didn’t take a FBI special investigation to work out where she’d gotten to. So, when he opened the door and was confronted with Andy, his mood went further through the floor.

“What do you want?” Brad scorned.

“I want to talk to Fenny,” Andy replied.

“Well that makes two of us,” Brad declared. “You’ll have to get behind me in the line.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s not here, dickhead. You can check if you don’t believe me,” Brad spat as he made several quite silly arm gestures.

“When will she be back?”

“Once again, I’d like to know, too.”

“So you don’t expect her home soon?”

“Are you even listening to me? I don’t know where she is, okay? Just FUCK OFF.” Brad slammed the door and headed back to the living room as Andy proceeded to knock. Brad turned the stereo up loudly and grabbed a beer; he was in no mood to deal with anyone.

Gina unlocked the door of the apartment and poked her head around. Paul was lying on the couch looking transfixed at the television. She stepped inside and closed the door. He didn’t flinch and he’d put pants on. Crap, he was pissed at her. Gina dropped her bag into a chair and kicked off her shoes.

“What you watching?” she asked.

“Masterpiece: Painting with Light in a Dark World,” Paul replied with a sigh.

Gina unfastened her jacket and slung it over the back of the chair before plotting her next move. She padded over to the couch, slid on top of Paul and straddled him.

“Are you pissed with me?” she cooed and dropped several kisses on his neck.

“No. I’ve been worried sick though,” he huffed, still focussed on the television. “You didn’t call or anything.”

“Sorry, I got stuck consoling Freya.”

“Still?” he gasped, finally looking at her.

“What do you mean, still? I’d be the same if you were a bastard like that to me.”

“I’d never be a bastard to you,” Paul said in a tone that said he was disgusted with the mere thought. He dropped the remote and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him.

“I wasn’t accusing you of anything,” she giggled.

“I should hope not, I’d be hurt if you did.”

“Oh please, you’d tell me to get fucked and then go and get hammered on tequila.”

“I would be hurt. Do you honestly think I’m that heartless?”

Gina studied him a moment. “My god, you’re actually serious.”

“Don’t act so surprised.”

“I think what’s happened is my Paul was kidnapped by aliens and now I’ve got a replacement from the planet Drelk, while my Paul has become a sperm bank for an entire alien race.”

“I don’t think you’re taking me seriously,” he pouted.

“What’s happened to you? Where’s that constant bad mood that I love so much?”

“I’m happy, I told you, I’m not feeling angry at all.”

“Why? What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but it’s got something to do with you and being in love.”

“Oh my god, it’s happened, you’ve reached maturity and it’s all my fault,” she mused, biting her lip.

“You still don’t believe me, do you?”

“I want to, I really do.”

Paul pouted a bit more as she looked at him apologetically.

“You know, I know every inch of your body but very little about you,” Fenny announced as she and Danny fell onto the couch with a bowl of popcorn for dessert.

“What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know,” Fenny shrugged. “Where did you go to school?”

“A private all boys school, I think you’ll find you knew that.”

“You know, I think I did. What are your parents like?”

“Mum is a staunch socialite with enough money to keep me occupied with nannies so she didn’t have to deal with me. Dad, he works for some government minister. I think he’s fucking the secretary,” he announced nonchalantly.

“That’s awful,” she gasped.

“Such is life,” he shrugged. “What about you? What are your parents like?”

“Former hippies with a penchant for keeping anything that might show they’re human from me. Mom is best at that, like when she found out that my cousin was marrying an African-American woman. I only found out when I happened to see a photo at my grandmother’s house. My father, oh god, let’s not even go there. The man dropped too much acid in the 70s when he really, really should have swallowed it.”

“Your family sounds interesting,” Danny mused as he fed Fenny a piece of popcorn.

“Believe me, they are, and I’m so happy to be this distance from them,” Fenny nodded as she fed Danny a piece of popcorn.

“For an artist I’ve never seen you do any art.”

“Haven’t you? Surely I’ve sketched in your presence?”

“Yeah, but you haven’t showed me any.”

“Oh, well, I’ll have to change that. Shame I haven’t drawn anything substantial for a while.”

“You can draw me,” Danny perked.

Fenny thought for a moment as she chewed some more popcorn. “Ok, but on one condition.”

“What?”

“You have to be butt naked.”

Danny laughed. “Oh, so artists do use that line, huh?”

“Hey, I’ve done life drawing,” Fenny teased as she padded into the bedroom to hunt out her sketchbook and pencils. When she returned, Danny was shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

“Right, get your shorts off then,” Fenny giggled and Danny did so obligingly. She then posed him on the couch.

“Can I eat popcorn while I pose?” he asked.

Fenny pondered a moment, grabbed the bowl and dumped the contents over Danny.

“Hey,” he laughed.

“Now you don’t have to stretch to eat, but leave the bit in your belly button. I’m drawing that in,” Fenny grinned as she got herself comfortable in an armchair.

“I’m disappointed you put your pants on, you know,” Gina breathed as she nibbled Paul’s neck and ran a hand under his t-shirt.

“Don’t think you can get round me with sex,” Paul mused. “Have you eaten?”

“I’d do nothing of the sort,” Gina huffed. “And when have I had a chance to eat, too busy with Freya.”

“I’ll make you something,” he announced and slid out from under her, leaving her open mouthed on the couch. “Scrambled eggs do ya?” he called from the kitchen.

“Aliens, I swear,” Gina muttered as she got to her feet and padded into the kitchen.

“Scrambled eggs?” he asked as he hunted out a pan.

“Sure,” she shrugged and wrapped her arms around him from behind as he set about cracking the eggs. “All those phone calls were really sweet today,” she cooed, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I thought they pissed you off?” he countered as he shuffled toward the fridge with Gina still attached.

“Only because if Freya knew it was you, she would have started wailing like a banshee again.”

“Can we not mention her name ever again.”

“Suits me fine,” Gina mused and let her hands creep under his t-shirt again.

“You know, you’re not making it easy for me to cook,” Paul frowned and slid a hand behind him. He cheekily pinched her butt, causing her to squeak and let go of him.

“Ow! Butt pinch hurties,” Gina pouted as she rubbed her arse. “There was no need for that, you know.”

“What, other than my own amusement?”

“I think you should…”

“I’m not kissing it better.”

Gina let out of a frustrated huff and crossed her arms. Paul dropped some bread into the toaster and turned to look at her, his face full of amusement. He started to snigger and crossed his arms and pouted to mimic her until she cracked up.

“Why are you doing this to me? Do you want me to beg?” Gina wailed.

“Doing what?” Paul smirked and turned back to the eggs.

“You know what.”

Paul looked comically around the room and then smiled wryly. “Is cooking bad?”

“Fine, I’ll just have to force it on you,” Gina declared and marched over to Paul.

“Force what on me?” Paul mused as Gina pulled him to her by the front of his t-shirt. “Your eggs are gonna burn,” he added as they both leant into kiss. Just as their lips were about to meet the phone rang.

“You’d better answer that, I’ve got to watch the eggs,” Paul smiled.

Gina let out a scowl and sauntered into the living room to answer the phone.

“Hello.”

“She went to Danny’s and hasn’t come home.”

“Oh, hi Brad.”

“She hasn’t come home?”

“Who?”

“Fen.”

“From where?”

“Danny’s, I just told you.”

“Sorry, I’m distracted,” Gina mused as she watched Paul bending over in the kitchen to pick up the fork he’d dropped.

“Are you not distracted now?”

“Give me a sec…Okay, you have my full attention.”

“Fen hasn’t come back from Danny’s.”

“Yeah, you’ve said that.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Wait longer.”

“You know that’s not what I’m getting at.”

“Of course I know, I just don’t know what you want me to do about it?”

“Well you’ve, you’ve kinda…when you were with Greg…”

“Oh, I’ve been in Fen’s position, I should know, huh? Wild horses wouldn’t have driven me away from Greg at times.”

“At times? I bet if he was here…”

“Well he’s not. For fuck’s sake, Brad, don’t take your bad mood out on me.”

“Fine, I’ll go deal with it myself.”

The phone slammed down and Gina grunted at it before hanging it up.

“I see you and Sherwood are getting on well,” Paul mused as he arranged the toast and eggs on a plate. He looked up and caught Gina staring off and thinking. “Problem, baby?”

“I have a really bad felling Brad is going to do something stupid,” Gina breathed.

“Stupid like?”

They locked eyes and without exchanging a word knew what each other was thinking.

“I’ll get some shoes on,” Paul nodded.

“I’ll get my keys,” Gina mumbled, “and I’ll eat the toast and eggs when we get back,” she added with a smile.

“Let me have a look then,” Danny laughed.

“No, it’s not finished” Fenny giggled.

“Aw, come on, I’ve been here ages,” Danny whined as he ate a piece of popcorn from his shoulder.

“You can have peek,” Fenny teased as she got to her feet and moved closer to the couch. She held up the sketch and then quickly turned it away again.

“Let me have a proper look at it,” Danny declared and grabbed her, pulling her on top of him as they wrestled for the book. The book fell to the floor along with Fenny’s pencil and they ended up in a heated kiss, Fenny’s hands groping his naked flesh, her lips moving from his mouth down his chest as he tried to get the shirt she was wearing off.

“You bitch!”

Fenny froze, frightened to look up from where her lips were pressed against Danny’s stomach.

“Christ,” Danny breathed as he sat himself up and grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch to wrap around his waist. Fenny sat up and gingerly looked over at Brad who was standing in the middle of Danny’s living room. The worst thing was, he didn’t look angry, he looked hurt.

“How did you get in, mate?” Danny asked coolly.

“The door was unlocked,” Brad replied, his eyes still bearing down on Fenny.

“I’m…” Fenny began but was cut off by Brad.

“You’re not sorry, so don’t say it,” he hissed.

“What do you want me to say, then?” Fenny asked, getting to her feet. “I’m not going to lie to you, I love Dan, at least, I think I do…”

Danny’s face fell into much the same hurt expression that Brad’s was.

“Shit, I’m too late,” Gina hissed, causing the attention of the room to focus on her.

“Just come in, why don’t you,” Danny muttered as the room fell back in silence.

“Oh hey, cheer up, it could be worse, right? I can feel the love in the room,” Paul grinned inanely. Everyone shot him daggers. “I’ll go put the kettle on,” he mumbled and disappeared into the kitchen.