Lying in bed, I felt that something was wrong. Grant, my boyfriend was sleeping soundly beside me, but I could not settle. I felt something crawling between my legs, through the quilt cover and began to panic until I realised it was our kitten, Katie. Settling down with Katie curled up in my arms I tried to drift off. Suddenly Katie shot bolt upright, fur standing on end, hissing at the door. I tried to calm her down, knowing that she might wake Grant and he'd just come off night shifts. Katie pawed at me, and hissed at the door once more. Settling her down, I listened closely. Then I heard it. A soft tapping noise. It was too quiet to be coming from outside the room. Picking up the CS gas I kept by the bed, I left Katie in bed with Grant and crept down the stairs. In the soft glow from the porch light I could see someone fiddling with the door. I wasn't too worried, as we always leave the key in lock, so if someone tries to break in, the key holds them off for a bit, and if there's a fire, we can get out without panicking about where the key is. What did worry me though, is that we have a glass panel in our door. It's double glazed but if someone wanted to they could still break in. I heard a creaking noise behind me on the stairs and I whirled round, spray at the ready. It was Katie, looking up at me, and mewling softly. Sighing, I picked her up and locked her in her bedroom- yes, our kitten has her own room. Well she's our baby! I heard her jump onto her bed and settle down. In minutes I could hear her purring, a sure sign that she's sleeping. I inched my way back down the stairs again. The tapping had stopped, but more worryingly I could hear a scratching now. I stepped down the last of the stairs and stood at the side of the door, spray can in one hand, front door key in the other. I released the chain, unlocked the door, yanked it open and sprayed the person standing the other side. It was only when I heard the words 'you fucking mental bitch, what the fuck are you playing at?' that I realised it was my friend, Mick.
Opening the door fully, I started apologising. Leading him in to the kitchen, I sat him down at the table, and got him water and a cloth to rinse his eyes and calm his throat.
'What the fuck were you doing trying to get in here at this time of the night?' I cried. Now that I saw he was ok, just a bit sniffy, I was pissed off.
'I didn't want to knock because I didn't want to wake up Grant. So I tried picking the lock' he replied simply.
'You fucking twat! What the fuck did you try and do that for? And what are you doing here in the first place?'
'Well, I just fancied a chat is all'
'A chat? Mick, babe, it's 3 in the morning. What could you possibly want to chat about?' I looked in his eyes; they were bloodshot as Hell. 'You're off your head again aren't you? I thought you stopped taking smack? If I can do it anyone can. I told you that I'd help you come off it. For fuck sake Mick, you're 46. Time to start acting like it'.
I stared at him, willing him to say something.
When he did, it wasn't what I was expecting.
'Yea well, what the fuck would you know? You're 18. You've got your life ahead of you. I haven't got fuck all.' He stared down at his hands then looked up at me. 'Please Nix, you have to help me.'
'Why can't Emma do it? She got off it as well. She could help you. I mean she's your wife for fucks sake. She'll definitely help you'
'No she won't'
'Why not?'
'We're getting divorced'
'Over what?'
'That bird I was shagging. She found out, kicked me out and reckons she's going to file for divorce'
I looked at him, and sat down next to him, helping him rinse out his eyes 'That's fucked up. You shagging around I mean, not her divorcing you. Why the fuck did you marry her if you still wanted to shag around?'
'Well Mandy's a good fuck. And Emma ain't been putting out lately' He winced as I accidentally poked him in the eye.
'Sorry' I said softly. 'And I'm sorry that your marriage is going tits up. You got anywhere to stay?'
'No. No one will have me because of the drugs'
'You can stay here but you have to try and get yourself clean. Tell you what. Have Katie's room. It's got a lock on it. She can sleep in the kitchen for a while, I'll lock you in there and you can detox. I'll help you'
'What about Grant? Won't he mind?'
'Probably, but it's my house, not his and you're a mate. You always help a mate right?'
He looked at me and smiled. Taking my hand in his, he kissed it softly. 'I really appreciate this. It means a lot to me. I'll find someway to pay you back' He looked at me and winked.
'Mick, I'm with Grant now. I don't shag around any more. And it doesn't work with you and me. We tried remember?' I stood up and kissed the top of his head. 'Wait here. I'll go and sort out Katie, then put new bed sheets on. I'm sure you don't want kitten hair everywhere!'
I went upstairs, shutting the front door as I passed it. Unlocking Katie's room, I picked her up, took her 'cat bed' which she never uses downstairs, and plonked her in the kitchen. She looked at me lazily out of one eye before hissing softly to let me know she wasn't happy at being thrown out of her room. I stroked her for a couple of minutes and soon she was fast asleep. With Mick following me upstairs, I shut off all the lights, grabbing some clean sheets from the cupboard. As I started to strip the bed, I could feel Micks' hands on my ass. I pushed them away, time and again before getting fed up. I turned round and looked him, raising an eyebrow. He grinned at me before backing down.
'Ok, ok, no touching. I get it'
'Yea, and no doing anything else either before you think of it' I warned him
'I wouldn't dream of doing anything!'
I pointed to the chair in the corner. 'Sit. Good boy. Stay!' I laughed softly and he smiled at me.
'I miss you'
That threw me off completely 'You what?'
'I miss you. I miss being with you, chilling out together. Remember that time when we were at mine and you fell asleep on me?'
'That was like 2 years ago darling. Time to move on. Forget the past. I was 16 then and you were what? 44? Things change. I got my own place, a new boyfriend and I got clean. Ok, so you're getting divorced and you're still a raving smackhead but look at the things you got going for you.'