Page 13 of Love Me Till Wednesday

Nick bought tickets in the middle of the second row from the back. ‘Best view and best sound,’ he explained.

‘It’s busier than I expected,’ Lisa whispered to him as they found their seats.

‘This is quiet. The Friday and Saturday night late night showings are always packed out.’

They’d arrived just in time. The trailers finished, and the lights dimmed. The film rating card appeared on the screen, and the curtains drew back further.

Lisa shivered.

‘Cold?’ Nick whispered, slipping his arm around her shoulders.

It felt good. She snuggled in closer. ‘Not any more,’ she whispered in his ear.

He held her tighter. How could she feel so safe and relaxed with someone who’d been a complete stranger a few hours ago? It was like she’d known him forever. She pulled away slightly so she could see his expression. He was looking at her intently. He appeared to be deciding whether to kiss her or not. Lisa made the decision for him.

‘Did you enjoy it?’ Nick asked as they walked out of the cinema nearly two hours later.

She was tempted to ask whether he meant the film or the kiss, which had reached parts of her that no other kiss had reached before, but she guessed he was referring to the film. ‘Yeah - I think so.’

That sounded pathetic, but she didn’t feel able to comment on the plot. Her mind had kept wandering to what it would be like to do a lot more with Nick than just kiss him,interspersed with her inner voice lecturing her on how stupid it was to jump out of one relationship and straight into another with a stranger.

But she’d have plenty of time to think that through properly later. Right now she was getting concerned that her stomach was starting to churn. Was it nerves about what might happen next or could it be indigestion? It didn’t feel like butterflies - more like a herd of elephants stampeding across her guts. It must be indigestion.

‘I better go. I’ve got to be up early tomorrow.’ She looked at her watch. ‘Today, I should say.’

‘Ok.’ He looked disappointed. ‘I’ll walk you back to your hotel.’

‘Mmm,’ she said. She was feeling more queasy. Right now a walk was not that appealing.

Nick looked concerned. ‘You’ve gone grey. I’ll flag down a taxi.’

‘Yes, that would be good.’ She shivered, hoping that the sick feeling would go away.

‘Cold again?’ Nick asked, slipping his arm around her shoulders.

It felt reassuring. She snuggled in closer. She ought to be enjoying this but she was too busy focussing on not throwing up. If she could just take a few more deep breaths, she was sure the feeling would pass.

She pulled away slightly so she could see Nick’s expression. He appeared to be deciding whether to kiss her or not. Her stomach growled.

‘I’m really sorry, but I’m not feeling …’ She couldn’t finish her sentence as a wave of nausea came over her. She started to break out in a cold sweat.

He put his hand out for a taxi that was slowing down for the traffic lights. ‘We’re in luck,’ he said as it pulled over to the kerb.

She felt far too queasy to acknowledge him. There was no way of fighting the cramping sensation in her stomach. She spun away from him and threw up in the gutter, accidentally catching the cab’s rear wheel.

‘Sorry mate,’ the cab driver said. ‘She’s not getting in here.’ He sped off before Nick could even touch the door handle.

Lisa was mortified. So much for a romantic end to the evening. He wasn’t going to fancy kissing her again now. ‘I think it must’ve been that hot dog. Bit too spicy on top of the booze. Oh no!’

She leaned over and threw up again in the gutter.

‘Any more?’ he said, holding her hair back and stroking her back. He still sounded concerned but then anyone would be when they’d narrowly missed having their shoes pebble-dashed with a half-digested hot dog.

She started to feel more with it. ‘I think that’s it now. Better out than in,’ she joked as she stood back up and took a few steps backwards so she could lean on the cinema wall. It felt reassuring to have something solid behind her, though if the ground had opened up and swallowed her, never to be seen again, it would have been preferable.

Nick leaned against the wall next to her. ‘I can flag down another cab, but I think the next driver’s going to be just as reluctant to take you.’

‘How will he know?’ Lisa asked, shutting her eyes while she took another deep breath to steady her nerves.

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