Topsy Turvy

Hi there

This story is proving to be bigger than me so it's taking me a little longer to set the scene. There's no sex yet - and barely even any kissing but hopefully it's leading to the good stuff.

Please do comment, vote and all constructive criticism is greatly received.

I hope you enjoy.

Elle x

*****

As Alanna drove up the winding lane surrounded by the heady scent of lavender on the approach to Tamara's small cottage, she found herself wondering if it had been the best idea to bring Simon. Things had been a little strange since they had gotten back together, namely due to the gorgeous half naked man who had fallen out of her hall cupboard and legged it down the High Street.

However, contrary to Alanna's expectations, Simon hadn't dumped her immediately. Sure he hadn't spoken for two days, and had paced around her apartment like a caged tiger, raising his hand every time she tried to speak to him, but he hadn't finished with her and didn't seem to be as upset as predicted. And then, after 48 hours of silence, he had simply smiled at her and asked if she wanted a bacon sandwich, to which she had nodded – grateful for the communication, and then they had just carried on as normal.

Alanna had taken the opportunity of his forgiveness to explain to him just what had happened at the nightclub, about Tamara and her good deeds - to which he had just nodded again, saying he understood and could they please just get back to normal. She had accepted his forgiveness gratefully and had looked forward to the future.

And yet, she couldn't help but notice that despite how "ok" he was with everything, everything didn't seem to be ok. It wasn't even bearable. He wouldn't let go of her. Anywhere they were together he had to hold her hand, or stroke her arm or kiss her neck or all three at the same time. If they were sitting on the sofa, he had to have her on his lap. If they were brushing their teeth (yes, together) he'd have to hold the cup for her while she washed her mouth out. He was just always there.

For the first couple of days she had been flattered – well she had never had someone who was as completely out of her league as he was, and yet deep inside she felt, and was yet afraid to voice, that his constant presence was proving a little claustrophobic. Aware of these feelings and wanting to discuss them with her friend, she had tried her best to put him off from coming with her. But when he had raised his big brown eyes to her in reproach and had asked what he was supposed to do on a Saturday night without her, she had caved.

So here they were in the car on the way to Tamara's. She could feel him staring at her again, and she furrowed her brow. He must surely have memorised everything on her face by now, so often did she catch him looking at her. But then she chided herself for being so fussy. He was a lovely man, lovely looking with a great job, no tattoos and no criminal record so really she should be grateful.

Upon arriving at the cottage, and being welcomed in by Brad and Tamara, Alanna had found herself ushered into the kitchen by Tamara and looking behind her, she seemed to have lost Simon.

She turned to Tamara in confusion.

"Hey, what's going on? Why are we in here?"

Tamara busied herself opening a bottle of champagne, looking everywhere but at her friend,

"Hmm? Oh did you say something – I didn't hear you. Why don't you take the cake out of its box, I'm sure I have a cake stand somewhere."

Alanna narrowed her eyes at her friend. Given that their friendship had lasted close to twenty five years, Alanna knew when she was being ignored. She poked Tamara sharply in the ribs.

"Oi! You owe me big time for your nonsense from the other week and as far as I'm aware, I was almost certain that this party is being held for you to say sorry! Why are you playing shy for? What's going on?"

Tamara turned to Alanna, blowing her dark brown fringe from her eyes and fixing her bright blue eyes on her friend,

"Ok, don't kill me ok?" she asked hopefully. Alanna folded her arms,

"Ok – I won't – yet." Not a good start. Tamara blew out a breath of courage,

"Ok, well I invited Mike to come tonight-"

Alanna smiled, her dark eyes lighting up

"Yeah, I know, and he turned you down flat, ha ha – hence you are gifted with our presence because I can't help but feel somehow that if Simon were here and so was Mike it would be –"

Realisation dawned on her very quickly as she watched her friend bite her lip and wince. She shouted,

"What? He's here? Don't you shush me! Why would you do that? Oh God, Simon's going to have a coronary."

Tamara winced further as she watched her friend despair.

"Tam, this is awful – we seem to be tip toeing around one another as it is and he is on my back every day and night – and I don't mean in the fun way."

Tamara took a breath to give her customary unwanted advice but was cut off by,

"So they're in there – both in the same room? Oh God."

She sank down onto the kitchen floor with her head in her hands, while the children who had been playing with Dandelion the dog were watching the crazy lady and her tall friend behaving strangely from the garden.

Tamara rallied,

"Hey look, it's fine. Nothing has happened – they can't hurt each other – I have all the sharp knives here, everyone sounds like they seem to be having a good time. It's fine."

Alanna huffed out a deep breath, and looked at her friend out of the corner of her eye,

"You're an idiot."

"Yes" Tamara nodded sagely, "Yes I am."

Alanna rallied, "Well ok, I just have to get over this. I'm sure it's all going to be fine."

She busied herself by taking the Disney cake, Donald Duck this time, out of its box and placing it on the cake stand which Tamara had provided. Nodding decisively to indicate she was over it, Alanna made her way to the lounge to place it with the rest of the feast that seemed to be adorning the table.

Tamara followed her berating her about the fact that she still was not drinking when suddenly they realised that the only sound which could be heard in the room was them squabbling along with Kenny G who was blasting something wicked from his saxophone via the stereo.

Alanna looked around the room. As usual, Greg and Tori were all up on each other on an armchair in the back of the room. Brad was standing by the window where it seemed he was watching the kids playing with Dandelion. Alanna's eyes turned to rested on Bella who it seemed was staring at something interesting. She followed Bella's eye line to find Simon and Mike in a corner whispering aggressively and furiously between them. She sank down next to her friend, her knees giving way underneath her.

Feeling rather than seeing her friends join her on the sofa, so transfixed was she by the display of testosterone in front of her, Bella started to give Alanna and Tamara the low down delightedly,

"So my friends, things are not good. I think these boys are fighting over you La La!"

Tamara wiggled so she would have a better view and a more comfortable seat, elbowing Alanna as she did so,

"So Bells, what happened – tell all."

Bella took a deep breath,

"Well. Simon walked in full of smiles, saying hello to everyone, and Alanna I must tell you he's very fetching in his pink shirt – it looks lovely against his skin. Mmmm, that dark skin. Anyway, he had just kissed me hello and then he took one look at Michael lying on the sofa and then I felt the chill in the room. He stopped smiling, shook Brad's hand and then made his way to get a drink. Michael got up and made his way over to him – I think to say hi or something – say it with me "Death Wish" – and held out his hand in greeting and Simon just looked at his hand and then looked at Michael and told him to fuck off."

Alanna and Tamara gasped together,

"I know! So anyway, Mike looked down at his hand and shook his head and then tried to explain about the night at Alanna's and how innocent it was and how she had just taken pity on him and so on, but then Simon just looked at him and leaned forward and whispered something sotto voce – that means under his breath in case you didn't know girls – and then this quiet fight has been going on ever since. Brad got up just in case a fight broke out and we've all been in a state of suspended animation ever since – well apart from those two," she gestured to Tori and Greg, "They haven't come up for air since they sat in the chair. Hey La La, don't I get a kiss hello?"

Alanna kissed her friend somewhere between her cheek and her ear, not taking her eyes from Simon. Before the whole debacle with Michael had taken place, Alanna would have sworn to a Court that Simon was the gentlest man she had ever met. He was a big man, who stood about six foot one and who she always likened to a bear. He had a deep voice and dark skin and large hands. He tended to wear his hair cut very close to his head and had large dark eyes which seemed to draw Alanna in whenever she looked at him. He was a good looking man and imposing to look at. Yet in the time they had been together, he had never raised his voice to her or even been particularly angry. He did distressed and hurt pretty well though, he had demonstrated this each time he had broken up with her due to her phantom lovers that he was sure she was keeping hidden from him.

However, this man in front of her, this man who had his teeth gritted and his neck extended like a rabid pitbull, looked nothing like the man she had been desperate to make amends with so she could keep him in her life. He was a stranger to her.

Alanna thought through quickly of anything she could do to alleviate the tension and make the situation better but came up empty. She would note later that evening that it was almost as though she had known what was going to happen before it did. And she chastised herself that had she not interfered, the situation may not have played out as it did.

It was the change in Simon's body language that she noticed first, and then the clench of his fist and the way he adjusted his stance. Her gaze flitted from Simon to Mike and back again, and she noticed how Mike's eyes opened a little wider as though perceiving the change also but not yet deciding what to do about it. And then she saw Simon pull his fist back.

"No!"

She realised afterwards that had she not screamed, Mike would not have glanced in her direction and the ensuing debacle probably would not have happened.

Covering her eyes, she heard rather than saw Simon punch Mike in the face and having her hands pulled from her eyes by Tamara and Isabella collectively, she was greeted by the sight of Simon straddled over him on the floor, fist raised going for what looked to be a second punch.

She heard Tamara muttering,

"It's going to be murder getting that blood off the floor."

Alanna shot up off the sofa raising a hand to her mouth and locked eyes with Tamara who bit her lip. Everyone was frozen in horrified fascination,

Simon turned to face Alanna still astride Mike,

"See what you made me do? I don't understand. You said you didn't know him – that you were doing a stranger a favour. If that's the case - what's he doing here?"

Alanna shook her head, no words coming out. She'd never seen Simon like this, his teeth bared in anger, his knuckles bruised and stained with Mike's blood. This was all her fault.

Mike spat out a mouthful of blood and tried from his prone position,

"There's nothing going on – that's what I was trying to tell you, you idiot."

Simon spat at him, pulling him by his shirt and banging his head on the floor,

"Shut up, I wasn't talking to you."

He turned back to Alanna

"Lanna, did you bring me here to make a fool of me? It's bad enough that one minute he's running out of your house half naked and I believe what you told me no matter how far fetched it was. But this, in your friend's house? You bring me here to look a fool in front of your family? But see, he's not so strong after all – your big man. What good is he to you? He can't even defend himself. Jackass."

Simon spat these words at Alanna and then pushed himself up off from Mike to stalk his way over to her. Despite being a good nine inches shorter than Alanna, Tamara stepped in front of her friend in her defence.

Seeing the fear on Alanna's face, and the anger on Tamara's, Simon's face dropped,

"Baby, I wouldn't hurt you. I would never hurt you. I'm upset is all."

He reached out a hand to Alanna which, after some deliberation she took, much to Tamara's astonishment. He pulled her to him, casting a glance at Mike over his shoulder,

"You see, she's mine. Stay away from what's mine."

Tamara frowned at Alanna as she watched Simon secure his arm around her waist.

"What are you doing Lana?" asked Tamara puzzled.

She watched as Simon led Alanna to the door where the only sounds that could be now be heard were of Ava and Sebastian laughing at the dog's antics outside. Alanna turned to Tamara unable to look her in the eye,

"I'm going to go. I think it's for the best. I'll call you in the morning."

Tamara frowned again and made to stop her friend but Brad prevented her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her flush against him. She struggled valiantly, shouting at her husband,

"Don't hold me, what's she doing? Alanna, where are you going? You cannot be going with that psycho – look at him – what are you-"

Alanna shook her head at her friend and followed as Simon pulled her away from the door. The door closed softly behind them and everyone in the room heard the front door slam. They looked at one another in silence.

"Well, excuse me for asking – but where the fuck does she think she's going?"

Isabella's slurred voice cut the tension which was simmering and seemed to knock everyone out of their stupor. Her words seemed to knock Tamara into action,

"Fuck knows Bella! Brad, get the first aid kit upstairs, Bella get up and let Mike lie down – in fact, can you go play with the kids or something? Keep them away so they don't see Mike's face but don't slur at them for the love of God. Greg, I don't think Tori is injured in any way and therefore she probably doesn't need kissing quite there - can't you make yourself useful or something and go and check on the food – I'm sure some of it's burnt now – no, hang on - on second thoughts – Tori, would you mind? I don't think I trust Greg in my kitchen, he'll burn everything and everything he doesn't burn, he'll eat."

Having dispersed everyone to a task, she sank down on the sofa which Mike had struggled onto,

"Mike, how are you feeling? Do you need anything?"

Mike batted away her concerned words with his hand, touching his mouth tenderly to see what damage had been done. She moved closer to him, her eyes conveying their worry,

"I'm so sorry – I didn't think he'd react that way. I knew he'd probably be annoyed, but Jeez, I didn't expect that at all. I'm so sorry."

Mike turned to her and laughed with no humour whatsoever

"My God – so you do know how to apologise then do you? This is all your fault. I've tried to be dignified but it has done me no good whatsoever! I blame you squarely for this. What's wrong with you? You can't help meddling and interfering. I told you I didn't want to come to your party, was happy at home with my kids. Jesus what is it with me and parties. Last party I went to, I find out my wife's cheating on me and has been doing so for approximately half of our marriage. This time, I get beaten up because apparently I'm trying to steal some guy's girl – which I'm really not but believe me, I would if things were different and he would be completely aware of it, but I'm not.

I hurt all the time because of bloody women. I slept in the bloody woman's house. That's all. If you had just left me that night – someone would have woken me, I would have stumbled to bed and woken up in my house, with my hangover and wouldn't even know Alanna's name. Now apparently, I'm a poor excuse for a man because I don't know when to leave a taken woman alone. That's a direct quote by the way. For fuck's sake! Does no one understand? My wife has left me. The only woman I have loved in my life has walked out on me and our kids. And I don't know why. And rather than leaving me to grieve in peace – I'm being subjected to your shit at work, at home and apparently now in my spare time too. So I ask you nicely, could you not just shove your 'I'm sorry' up your arse and get out of my face?"

He ignored her hand which was outstretched towards him and struggled up from the low and very comfortable sofa to his full height. He didn't know what to do with himself. He was, he realised, stuck. He couldn't even make a dignified exit because he didn't have his car with him. He flopped back down on the sofa in resignation. He just wanted to go home and cry. He hadn't done that since the night that Roni had left and right now he just wanted to go home, lie on the floor, play some Maxwell on the stereo and cry. He knew that it wasn't the manliest of reactions but he figured he was allowed given the events of the past couple of months.

Surprised that Tamara hadn't responded, he looked down and found an empty space where she had been sitting. He shook his head so annoyed at himself – he knew she hadn't deserved that, but Jesus a man could only take so much. He threw himself back onto the sofa.

He had always thought of himself as easygoing. During their marriage, people thought he was henpecked and that he merely tolerated Roni's decisions because she was stronger than him. But what he had decided early on was that he was happy as long as all those around him were happy – those he loved. And that had been why he had let Roni get away with murder. Anything she had wanted, he had given to her, and the same had applied to the children. As long as they were polite and well behaved with a good sense of right and wrong, he had given them their heart's desires.

However, Roni's betrayal had done something to him – had changed him. He hadn't processed it yet – he knew that. He was too scared to do so. But he knew that the way in which he had always looked at love, the innocent and naïve way, was gone. He just didn't know what was now in its place.

So deep was he in his thoughts, that he didn't feel another presence until he felt an arm snake around his shoulders which he shrugged off violently. It was only after this that he realised that Greg had taken residence on the sofa next to him.

When Roni had left him, Greg had become a type of surrogate brother. Where they had been workmates only before, Mike would never forget that Greg had taken him and the kids in when he found the house too big to handle without his wife. Greg had also prevented him from drinking himself into a stupor too often but most of all, he had helped a great deal in keeping Mike's dreams of happiness alive. Mike had watched how Greg had fallen in love with Tori, Roni's sister, and how he had remained patient to get her back when she had left him. And now, they were living happily in sin madly in love putting past hurts behind them. They gave Mike courage and most of all hope, because he really didn't know how to or even if he wanted to raise his two little ones by himself. Shaking himself out of his exceptionally depressing thoughts of a lifetime of loneliness, he turned to his friend,

"Are you sitting this close for a reason or do you want to buy me a drink?"

Greg winked at Mike and made to kiss him which made them both laugh.

"Good, glad to see you're alive and haven't lost the ability to smile."

"Smile? Are you kidding – did you just see what happened there? I've just had my lights punched out with a lucky blow by a guy who reckons I'm sleeping with his girlfriend when I've only met her once in my life. My wife doesn't want to see me or her children it seems, and now, your meddling PA just seems to want to be my friend, which frankly I could readily do without because every time I see her, something awful happens to me."