Just the Three of Us: Chapter 6

"Prolly telling Julie all of our dirty little secrets," said TJ. "Still remember the time Allie got Caro to torment me."

"Julie's goosed me," said Mike, turning a little pink, trying not to notice.

"What are they saying now, Gray?" asked Eric.

"You shouldn't worry too badly, Idle," laughed John. "I'm sure Julie's seen everything already."

"No, hasn't," mumbled Eric.

"Oh?" said Mike, a little too gleeful, TJ shooting him a quit it look.

"Yeah," said Eric softly, not noticing the exchange. "I'm respectin' her wishes. Told 'er I'd wait."

"Lovely," muttered Mike, then yelped. "OUCH!"

"What?" asked John.

"TJ pinched me!"

"Did not do any such thing," said TJ primly.

"LIAR!" 

TJ just looked at him, expression unchanged. He'd noticed Eric going over to where Julia was standing, that's why he'd felt the pinch was necessary. Amazing the times you have to run interference, he thought.

"Suppose that was just my imagination then?" said Mike.

"More than likely," said TJ.

"Somedays I just don't get you, Jones," grumbled Mike.

John, Graham and Gilliam exchanged puzzled looks, saying nothing.

Carol, Connie and Allie seemed to vanish, Julia noticed, leaving her completely alone. She looked down at the floor, thoughts running through her head, when she noticed a pair of arms slid round her middle.

"Penny for your thoughts, darling," said Eric, his chin on her shoulder.

"Oh, hello," said Julia softly. "Surprised me there."

"You alright?" he asked, turning her round, so that she faced him.

"Fine," said Julia shyly. "Just thinking, that's all."

There was something about him she'd come to realize that made her feel safe, she loved being near him, the way he looked at her, loved just listening to the sound of his voice, he could talk about anything as far as she was concerned, and she'd happily listen. Especially the way he said her name, embarrassingly she loved that as well.

And the way he sang...sigh..the list could go on and on and on.

"What?" said Eric curiously. "Thought about good things then?"

Julia nodded. "Very good things," she said.

"Oh?" he smiled, pulling her close.

"Yeah, just about a certain someone who's absolutely marvelous," she said.

"Do I know this someone?"

"Aye, quite well."

Eric smiled, playfully scrunching his nose at her, causing Julia to laugh.

"I've thought about a certain someone as well," he said warmly. "The most gorgeous someone I've ever laid me eyes on."

Julia turned pink. "Flatterer," she said, trying not to smile.

"I was going to ask you, since you and I haven't really gone out, since we started working on the show and all, aside from out to the pubs with the gang, would you want to later on?"

"What'd you have in mind, dear?"

Eric paused, thinking. "Probably..hmm...I'd had an idea then lost it."

"Oh?"

"Since the original went to the dickens, would going to the cinema be agreeable?"

"Yeah, that would be nice, very nice indeed."

"TJ told me of this place where he takes Allie sometimes for dinner, we could stop in on the way too."

"Sounds lovely, darling, I'll be looking forward to it."

Eric smiled, then said; "Alright then! I shall whisk you out for a night on the town then."

"Alright, I'll be ready for the whisking," smiled Julia.
 
Eric's smile grew bigger. "Till then."

"Till then."

Eric paused, then whispered very softly; "I love you Julia."

"I love you too Eric," she whispered back.

He pulled her tight, gave her a kiss, both on the lips and the forehead, then disappeared back over to the other lads.

TJ had been quietly keeping an eye on Mike, so Eric could have that moment with Julie. It was tough keeping him unaware, so he'd enlisted Gilliam to help distract.

"Right, right, that's a fab cartoon, Gillie, quite fab," said Mike, sounding polite, but not feeling as such.

Gilliam looked over Mike's head to TJ, as he then noticed Eric making his return, winking his right eye as the all clear signal. TJ caught the wink, and attempted to block Mike's view.

"What's all that in aid of?" he said under his breath, "Keeping me from looking at her now?"

TJ said nothing.

"You're bloody keeping me away and letting 'im go in for the swoop!"

TJ knew the " him" was Eric and frowned.

"Actually I was letting my friend go to see another friend whom he loves dearly and who loves him back, whilst keeping another friend," he said, poking Mike in the arm. "From making a bloody fool of himself."