Detective Inspector Paul Riddick struggled to get the key in the lock.
It wasn’t because he was drunk, but rather because his date, Cynthia, was clamped to his face, and her hands were under his leather jacket, working at his shirt buttons.
Riddick broke away, gasping for air. ‘Slow down.’
Her drunken eyes were half-closed; lipstick was smeared over her face.
‘Give me a chance to get the door—’
Cynthia went for the buckle on his belt.
He put his hands on hers and forced them away from his trousers. He’d drunk far more than his date; however, lately, his tolerance exceeded that of most people, and so he was able to exercise much better self-control. ‘I’ve neighbours.’
He turned his attention back to the door. The key slid home. The door opened and he sighed with relief. But before Riddick had even cleared the threshold, Cynthia was forcing her mouth onto his again. What the hell; when in Rome, he thought, allowing her to pin him against the hallway wall and kicking the front door closed with his foot.
They slid across the wall in a passionate embrace.
However, when Cynthia made another attempt to undo his belt, he again stopped her.
‘Why?’ Her frustration was clear.
‘I…’
‘Shall I go?’ How quickly frustration could turn to anger!
‘No. I want you to stay. Go upstairs, first door on right. Let me get some drinks.’
‘Drinks after,’ she said, leaning in and nuzzling his neck.
He worked himself away from her. ‘Please. I just need a moment…’
She pulled her head back and looked him in the eyes. ‘Ah… I see.’ She smiled and winked. ‘You don’t carry one in your wallet, do you?’
That’s not what he’d meant. But it would do. He shook his head. ‘No, I’m a fool.’
‘No worries.’ Cynthia kissed him slowly.
He heard her take a deep breath through her nose.
As she backed away from him, she chewed her lip for a moment and then said, ‘Don’t keep me waiting.’
‘I won’t.’
Riddick watched Cynthia ascend the stairs, noticing that her tights had laddered during their clinch.
He headed into his kitchen, quickly checking that his trousers were still fastened. He made straight for the island where an opened bottle of Merlot awaited him. He reached for the glass, stained red from use earlier this evening, and filled it. He drank greedily, sighing when the glass was empty, and the alcohol was topped up in his bloodstream.
‘Was everything all right tonight?’ Riddick asked, pouring himself another glass.
‘The usual argument,’ Rachel answered. ‘Molly wanted Julia Donaldson. Lucy wanted Dr Seuss. A bit of both, and they settled.’
Riddick turned to look at his wife. She was sitting at the table in her nightie, crocheting.
‘Making anything nice?’ he asked.
‘A bunny rabbit for Louise.’
‘That’ll be one happy niece.’
Riddick took a step towards Rachel, taking another mouthful of Merlot. His wife didn’t look at him. She was too engrossed in constructing a carrot for the bunny.
‘I brought someone back with me,’ Riddick said.
Rachel nodded. ‘Who?’
‘Cynthia. She works at Earl’s Estate Agents in town.’
‘Do you like her?’
‘She’s nice, I guess, but I don’t know her all that well.’
‘Where is she now?’
‘Upstairs in the spare room.’
‘You should go to her.’
‘I wanted to see you first.’
‘Go, Paul.’
‘Are you sure? I mean, I could open another bottle of wine?’
Rachel shook her head. ‘Paul, we’ve talked about this. Go upstairs.’
‘I’m sorry.’
Rachel stopped crocheting and turned to look at him. ‘You’ve nothing to be sorry for. Now go, please. I want to get this done for the morning. And take her a glass of wine, too. She’s a guest!’
* * *
Later, after Riddick had made love to Cynthia, he headed into the twins’ room in his dressing gown. He approached Molly first. He smiled at her Disney Princess bedsheets. They were faded through over washing, but she was determined not to give them up, despite incessant offers from Riddick and Rachel to buy her any cover she wanted.
He turned and looked at Lucy. She was just as attached to her Marvel bedsheets. He smiled at the Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr Seuss open on her bed.
Chalk and cheese these two.
Lucy opened her eyes. ‘Daddy?’
‘Sorry honey, you go back to sleep.’
She smiled. ‘Are you okay?’
Riddick paused.
‘Daddy?’
He nodded. ‘Yes, honey, I’m fine.’
He turned for the door before she could see his tears.