While I Was Shopping: Part 10

Chelsea lifted her head and groaned. She felt the early morning light creep under her eyelids and turned over, yanking the bed covers over her head as she did so.

Why had Michael insisted that she get up so early anyway? She prodded him lying sleeping next to her but he didn’t even stir and she smiled. They’d been sharing this bed for the last six months. There had been no spontaneous visits from Python’s wanting to talk about sketches, because there had been no sketches to write. The next Python series wasn’t due to start filming for another six weeks, and they weren’t planning on meeting up for at least another four.

Chelsea sighed happily. Another four weeks of Michael to herself. She couldn’t believe her luck. She’d had him to herself now for months, with sporadic meetings and get togethers with the other Pythons.

But it somehow wasn’t the same. John had started to write again, but was writing on his own, and he was taken with one of the girls Chelsea knew called Connie, who had been working on Python as an extra. According to Terry they’d even started seeing each other, which Chelsea found bemusing considering he’d only recently split up with his first wife.

It seemed all of the Python’s marriages were fraught with problems, all save Terry’s of course. Alison had told her the other day, whilst passing mothercare, that she was expecting their first child. Only she and Michael knew, and no one was going to know until the first stages were past. Chelsea had been so excited for them and could see pride in Terry’s face every time they had met up.

She threw back the covers and scrambled for her diary. Michaels’ bedroom stared back at her, covered in her clothes and belongings that had somehow made their way into his flat. It barely seemed like she lived on her own at all anymore, and every time she went back to hers, she found she’d left something else behind.

He’d always call her and ask her to dinner, or show up unannounced with chocolates and a movie, or take her on trips in his car across the countryside and throw a surprise picnic. Every time it was something new and affectionate, and she’d never felt happier in her life.

But scrambling around the living room now she hunted for her diary and cursed that she had no cupboard space of her own to put her things. She didn’t like it being so messy yet it had gotten progressively worse the last two months as she spent more and more time here.

Suddenly her eyes spotted it and she grabbed it, throwing herself onto the sofa with a thud and frantically flicking through the pages.

And there it was in front of her.

“Michael!” she called and headed back upstairs. When she peeped around the door he was on his side, his arm stretched out where she’d been lying. One eyelid fluttered open and a small smile tickled his dimples.

“What are you doing up at this god-forsaken hour?” he croaked and motioned for her to come towards him.

She looked all cute and “early morning” like and he smiled as she sighed herself onto the bed with an almost splat like noise.

Her hair was tousled and she was wearing a pair of his tracksuit bottoms with a sports top, his blue dressing gown hanging loosely off her and strangely accentuating her hip line. He took her hand as she sat on the bed next to him and rested his head on a hand.

“I do love you.” He said and she grimaced.

“We have a date tonight.” She said.

He cocked an eyebrow. “We do?”

“Don’t you remember? Dinner with Terry and Alison.”

Michael nodded. “I knew I kept you here for a reason.”

She batted him with a hand. “It’s not funny. I don’t know how we can keep this secret for much longer. Alison asked me the other day why I’d been carrying a bag into your flat as she drove past the other day. What could I say? I had to tell her that I was doing your laundry for you!”

Michael laughed and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Now she’ll definitely know something’s up.” He chuckled and when Chelsea looked quizzical he smiled and touched her cheek.

“I’ve never let anyone do my washing for me in my life.”

She threw a pillow over her head and Michael leant over her, tickling her so she’d remove it.

He kissed her passionately and she snuggled into his embrace.

“Anyway,” he said as they settled back, relaxed. “You do realise the only reason they’ve invited us both to dinner is to get us to tell them we’re seeing each other.”

Chelsea looked up. “Do you think they’ve guessed?”

Michael laughed again. “Oh child you’re so naïve.”

She poked him in the side.

“Why do you think they’ve included us on the baby? They want us to get together. You told me just the other week that Alison asked you who you’re favourite Python was. And that time Terry asked for our photograph, and then said “aw what a beautiful couple”, oh and there’s the time that they took us out for the day and wandered off in the wood without us, and how can I forget..”

“Ok, Ok!” she said and laughed. “So I’m a little too innocent for our friends!”

He kissed her neck. “I don’t think that’s a word I’d use to describe you.”

She kissed him back. “Well I reckon we should have a little fun of our own.”

Michael looked into her eyes. “Yes dear, but what about the meal?”

Again she poked him. “What I mean is we should play a little game ourselves.”

He cocked his eyebrow and smiled slyly. “Oh a little game. I’m up for it if you are.”

Chelsea grinned. “Good. We’ll sort out details later.”

“Oh I love it when you talk dirty.” He grinned.

She kissed him and soon got carried away, and forgot all problems about dinner and game plans, and soon got lost in a game of her own.

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“Hello!” said Terry as he swung the door open wide and a waft of warm air washed over her as she stood on the step. He quickly brought her inside and took her coat before kissing her cheek and showing her into the kitchen where Alison was pottering around, preparing the final touches of the meal.

“I’ll leave you with Ali for now if you don’t mind. I have a sketch to finish before it escapes me again.” And with that Terry disappeared leaving Chelsea alone with Alison.

“How are you?” she asked, motioning towards Alison’s stomach.

Alison grinned. “Great so far,” she said, “I went to get to the Doctors again the other day and he told me I’m lucky not to be feeling ill.”

Chelsea smiled. “Is Terry helping out?”

Alison rolled her eyes. “Don’t be silly!” she laughed, “he’s stuck in his own world of weirdness.”

Chelsea tutted and Alison handed her a glass of wine. “Don’t get me wrong he’s gorgeous and funny and fantastic in bed....”

Chelsea made sick noises and Alison carried on with a smile, “but he’s just not made for domestic work.”

They laughed together as the doorbell rang again and Terry leapt downstairs and almost wrenched the door off the hinges.

“Yes, yes, yes come in!” he said as Michael was pulled into the house.

Terry bounded off back upstairs leaving Michael in the hallway with a bemused grin on his face, taking off his coat and hanging it on the familiar peg.

“Hi Ali.” He said as he entered the kitchen and gave her a peck on the cheek.

He turned to Chelsea and feigned shock. “Oh hi Chelsea. I didn’t know you were coming.” He came towards her with a sexy grin and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

“Terry invited me. I didn’t realise all of the Pythons were coming.” She said.

Alison shook her head as she took a sip of her wine. “No it’s only us four tonight.” She said and smiled. “Terry thought it would be nice to have two of the god parents here.”

Michael laughed outright. “You’ve picked god parents already?”

Alison nodded. “Terry really wanted to and you were both the obvious choice. He wanted a dinner with you so you could get to know each other a little better.”

Chelsea almost choked on her wine and put down her glass as Michael patted her back.

“Sorry,” she said with watery eyes. “Went down the wrong way.”

Alison nodded with a hint of suspicion and carried on carving what looked like beef. “Why don’t you two go on into the lounge? I have a little more to do here and Terry’s going bananas over a new skit he’s writing so he could be a while. I’ll be in to join you as soon as possible.”

Michael led the way to the lounge and as soon as he shut the door he tugged Chelsea to him and planted a kiss firmly on her lips.

“Hmmm, that’s better.” He said as she stepped back from him, nearly spilling his wine.

“Michael, are you mad? Do you want them to know we’re seeing each other?” she whispered.

He smiled. “Of course not.”

“Then stop kissing me!” she said.

He leant forward. “Pardon I couldn’t quite here that.”

She stepped closer and was swept into another embrace.

He broke away, stepped backward and began talking very loudly. “Yes I believe Terry bought that when he went to the auction houses the other day. He’s very into historical artefacts.” He said as the lounge door opened and Terry popped his head around.

“Oh hello Terry, joining us after all?” Michael asked as his friend surveyed the room and flicked his eyes from one to the other.

“Yes in just a minute. I’m going to go and see how Alison’s doing.”

The door shut and Chelsea looked at Michael with an open mouth. “How did you know he was there?” she whispered.

Michael grinned. “I’ve spent the last four years in this house and I can tell where Terry is all the time just by the creaking boards!”

Chelsea flopped into one of the seats and sighed. “If this is going to be it all night I don’t think I can handle it!” she said.

Mike waved his hand. “This is fine.” He said softly.

“Fine!” Chelsea almost shouted. “I’m completely wound up! I’m afraid if I hold this glass much tighter it’ll shatter in my hand! I’m sweating like a pig!”

Michael grimaced. “Not exactly a nice image that.”

“What isn’t?” Terry said as he pushed the door open.

Chelsea’s eyes darted from Terry to Michael back up to Terry again.

“She said seeing you in your underwear. I said it wasn’t a nice image.”

Terry sat down gruffly. “Well neither are you Michael, and that’s with your clothes on.”

Chelsea felt her insides settle down as the two friends talked and slowly let her grip loosen on the glass.

She really didn’t know how much more of this she could take.

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The evening swept by in a rush of awkwardness and, at times, complete silence. Terry had cracked several poor quality jokes and a couple of really tragic ones to break the ice, but Michael and Chelsea were playing them like fools and making the scene before them look even more hostile than they could’ve hoped for.

Michael refused to look her way and Chelsea had stared at her plate pretty much all night. Alison, trying to make casual conversation, had broached the subject of music and film, and anything Chelsea had replied to Michael had tried his utmost to contradict.

In a display of despair Terry had gulped down his wine and laughed heartily at the pitiful affair. As he had shut the door on his guests he had shaken his head, wondering how he could’ve judged it so badly.
“I honestly believed that they’d get on like a house on fire. They seem so well suited.” He had said as Alison had washed the dishes.

She flicked her dark hair over her shoulder and smiled gently. “That’s what you get for trying to match make isn’t it.”

He grimaced and took up a dishcloth and began drying dishes. “But really! I thought they would be perfect for one another, but they barely even looked at each other! Michael was distinctly disgusted at her proposal that she liked Bach, and when she said about hating French food he looked as though he was about to explode!”

Alison laughed. “Not everything you do will work out darling! You can’t expect two people to get along just because you demand it!”

Terry grunted and she flicked a little soapsuds at him. “Anyway, it was obvious what you were trying to do all along.” She said.

He cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

She laughed some more. “They completely knew that you were setting them up together, and to be honest it would have been obvious to me from the instant I walked into the room.”

Terry rolled his eyes. “You would say that though wouldn’t you?”

“You’re too obvious Terry! I knew you fancied me the moment I saw you. You get grinning at me and scaring my mother!”

He blushed gently and she touched his cheek with a soapy hand. “Aw you’re so cute when you’re embarrassed.”

A cheeky grin covered his face and he pulled her towards him.

“I’m not embarrassed.”

She kissed his lips gently. “And stubborn too.”

They kissed some more, and, forgetting the washing up, headed for bed.

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They skipped around the corner as fast as they could before Michael grabbed her waist and pulled her to him in a passionate kiss.

“I can’t keep myself away from you anymore!” he said with despair as she laughed into his neck. “I almost leapt over the table at you when you were playing with your hair.”

Chelsea flicked her hair and he squeezed her tightly, laughing.

“This is getting silly Mike. We can’t keep it a secret much longer. I practically live at your house now and if Terry thought he’d get us together at the meal then he can’t be the only one who’s suspicious.”

Michael nodded as they walked down the street. “This has got to be resolved soon.” He said decidedly. “I want to wait to see what happens with Python first. We’re doing a fourth series for sure, but I can’t see it going on much longer now without John.”

Chelsea nodded. She had long realised that Python would come between her and Michael.

“But meantime,” he said softly, “let me kiss you in the moonlight.” He took her gently in his arms as they stood in front of his car and he caressed her cheek with a finger.

“I love you Michael.” She said and he smiled into her face happily.

“And I you,” he said. “I promise you this will all be sorted out soon.” He said and she looked apprehensive. “Hey, don’t look like that. I want you to know that I don’t plan on going anywhere for the foreseeable future, or beyond that. So don’t worry.”

She grinned and touched his neck gently as he leant in to kiss her mouth, and as they clambered into the car and drove away, Chelsea felt as though something huge was about to happen.