DISCLAIMER: Bad Girls is the property of Shed productions, this story depicts a loving/sexual relationship between women...okay, disclaimer done.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Larkhall Online
By Sarah

CHAPTER TWELVE

Nikki stepped out of the shower and vigorously dried her hair, glancing at the bed side alarm clock. She had 12 minutes before she was due to meet everyone for dinner, in the hotel bar, plenty of time she thought, sitting at the mirror to style her hair.

She was just doing up the buttons on her black shirt when her mobile rang.

“Hello?”

“Hello darling” said a voice that Nikki hadn’t heard in a long time.

“Trisha” she intoned not wanting to linger any longer than was necessary on the phone to her ex. “What can I do for you?” she asked without preamble.

“You can open the door for a start.” Trish said before the line went dead.

Nikki looked from the receiver to the door of her hotel room and back to the phone. ‘Oh no this could not be happening’ she thought before treading over and opening the door slowly, gradually revealing the sight of Trish stood there one hand gracefully leaning against the wall by the door jam the other holding a bottle of champagne.

“Hello sweetheart” Trish greeted joyfully, before barging into the room, handing the bottle over as she passed. She made her way over to the bed and sat down at the end, gracefully reclining on one arm. “Well don’t just stand there Nikki, close the door and open the Champagne.”

Without thinking Nikki did as she was bade. “What are you doing here Trish?” she asked while pouring the champagne into a glass and giving one to Trish.

Trish took a sip of her drink. “I’ve made my decision, we should celebrate”

“Decision?” Nikki asked, then took a sip of her own drink.

“I’m choosing you” Trish added.

Nikki spluttered on her champagne. “Wh .... what are you talking about Trish, I’m in no mood for your games.” she said when she could and put down her champagne.

“You said I had to choose between my job or you, well I’ve decided to choose you.” Trish said magnanimously taking another sip of champagne and smiling at a bewildered Nikki.

“Trish that was 19 months ago, and you chose your job” Nikki reminded still a little hurt that a job was worth more to Trish than ten years of togetherness. “Now if you’d kindly get off my bed and out of my room I have dinner to get to” she added.

Trish glided to a stand, inches from where Nikki herself stood. “Don’t be like that darling. We can work this out I know. Now it’s been a bit of a shock, I can see that, so why don’t you go to dinner and I’ll see you later.” She said while making her way to the door and opening it to leave.

“There’s nothing to discuss Trish, we’re over” she said.

“We’ll see” Trish intoned before blowing Nikki a kiss and making her way out of the room.

Nikki didn’t know what to think, so just sat down heavily on the dressing table stool. “Oh crap!!” rocketed around her thoughts.

“I don’t know what’s keeping Nikki, she said she would meet us here at 8.00pm” Helen said to Karen and Dominic after she had introduced them to Yvonne.

“It’ll be her hair” Karen joked “It takes her absolutely ages to style it” she laughed as everyone joined in. The talk continued for a few minutes, everyone relaying how their journey’s had been.

“Should we call her do you think, people are starting to go through to dinner” Dom asked.

Karen looked around at her colleagues making their way through to the dining room when she caught the flash of a blond head that she thought she recognised. “Oh no” she muttered before leaving the group to follow. Dom, Helen and Yvonne just watched as she made her way up to someone no one recognised, but they were talking to each other like they knew one another so the group went through to dinner.

“Hello Trish” Karen said when she reached her quarry.

“Karen, how are you?” Trish said smiling.

“What are you doing here Trish?” Karen wasn’t going to waste her energies on this women.

“I came to see Nikki of course” she answered a little put off that Karen was behaving this way towards her, they had never been best friends but still.

“Well take it from me she doesn’t want to see you” Karen answered with a small smile.

“That’s funny because I just came from her and I’m coming back again tomorrow” Trish smirked, and seeing the smile dim from Karen’s features, Trish turned on her heal and walked away.

Karen waited till Trish was out of view and then headed for the lifts and Nikki’s room.

Nikki was still sitting on the dressing stool in a daze when there was another knock on the door. “Go away Trish.” she shouted not bothering to move.

“It’s me Nikki” Karen said through the door.

Getting up Nikki made her way to the door, opened it a crack to see if it really was Karen then let her in.

“I saw Trish down in the lobby.” Karen said as soon as the door was closed behind her.

“Why now?” Nikki asked rhetorically. “It’s as if she knows that I am finally getting over her and moving on. Why did she have to show up now?” Nikki’s voice caught on the last few words. Karen didn’t say anything, just opened her arms for her friend to get the comfort she needed, secretly echoing her friends sentiments.

They stayed that way for a few minutes then Nikki disentangled herself, gave Karen a small smile and picked up the champagne bottle.

“No point in wasting this, if there’s one thing Trish knows it‘s a good bottle of champagne” she said then took a large swig from the bottle.

“Give us a bit then?” Karen held her hand out for the bottle. “mmm your right that’s good stuff.” Karen said after wiping her chin where the champagne and dripped as she took a swig. “What did she want?” Karen asked passing the bottle back so that Nikki could have a drink.

“She wanted us to get back together, said she had made her choice” Nikki drank from the bottle, a frown marring her face.

“Choice?” Karen asked remembering back to when Trish and Nikki had split up, Nikki having asked Trish to decide between her job and her. “It’s taken her long enough hasn’t it” She added incredulously. “Did you ask her what had taken her so long?”

“I didn’t really ask too much off her just told her to get out.” Nikki said taking another slug from the bottle before passing it back to Karen.

“Well good” Taking a full slug she could feel the alcohol hitting her empty stomach. Champagne always made her feel tipsy but was worst when she hadn’t eaten much all day.

Nikki swallowed the last off the champagne and stood up. Karen followed her up but swayed a little on her feet, steadying herself she watched Nikki bend to the mirror, fluff her hair a bit, and look at her in the reflection.

“I am not going to let that women get to me again” she said defiantly, standing up tall and turning to her friend she held her arms out and posed. “Well will I do?”

Holding out a hand Karen smiled, “Come on gorgeous if we’re lucky we’ll make it for the main course” she said before walking out the suite with Nikki.

Karen and Nikki sat down at the table just as the waiters were serving the main course. Nikki smiled at her dining companions and murmured “sorry we’re late” before tucking into her Veal.

Everyone carried on eating, but Helen who was sat next to her. After a moment she leaned in close “Everything alright Nikki?” she asked.

Thoughts of Trish went out of Nikki’s mind as she gazed into Helen’s concerned face. “Everything’s fine” she answered picking up her wine glass and taking a sip.

After dinner everyone got up and made their way to the bar area. They snagged the last table and waited for a waiter to come and take their order. Karen and Nikki decided to have a glass of champagne, the others opting for spirits.

Yvonne was telling a story of when her and her husband had been on holiday the previous year but Nikki wasn’t listening, instead she was looking at Helen who was sat opposite her listening attentively to her friend, although it was obvious she already knew the outcome of the story. Nikki watched as Helen took a strand of her hair and tucked it back behind her ear where it had fallen from . Her fingers tingled from where they wanted to copy the action. Then her eyes fell to Helen’s smiling eyes before moving down to her lips. “God she’s gorgeous” she thought before she realised what she was doing she stood up and took a small step towards her. Everyone looked at her expectantly, wandering what she was going to do. “Good question” she asked herself “What are you going to do?”

“Nikki are you alright?” she heard Karen say.

“Yes ... um .... does anyone want another drink?” she asked covering up her embarrassment by gulping down the champagne in one and turning to the bar. Everyone declined, so Nikki continued on. She returned a few minutes later with a double Vodka and Coke and sat back down. She didn’t mention that she had had a double Vodka at the bar before coming back.

An hour later she was quietly sat in her chair nursing her fourth Vodka and coke, not even bothering to pretend that she was listening to anyone any more. In her mind she was comparing Helen to Trish. It had started as comparing their beauty but now had reached which of them would win a mud wrestling competition. She laughed out loud as she suddenly saw an image of Trish standing in a pool of mud, her meticulous tresses of blond hair covered in mud.

Realising that everyone was once again staring at her Nikki muttered an apology and tried to stand. “I think I’ll turn in it’s been a long day” Unfortunately she never made it fully upright before falling back into her chair. “Oooopsa daisy I seem to have drunk too much” she laughed before trying again.

Helen stood with her and grabbed her around the waist to stop her falling back again. “I think I had better get this one upstairs, goodnight everyone” she bade before walking with Nikki to the lifts and up to the fifth floor.

Helen propped Nikki up against the wall before sliding the key in the lock and pushing the door wide. She had noticed that Nikki had been quiet all evening, ever since she and Karen had joined them for dinner, she had also noticed that Nikki had at some point been crying that night and it had sent a sharp ache to the very core of her being, acknowledging maybe for the first time how important Nikki had become in her life. The for the last twenty minutes she had gradually became beware that Nikki was very drunk. She had also noticed that she had been staring at her all night, at one stage she thought she had grown a foot long nose like she had once joked to Nikki that she had.

Guiding Nikki to the bed she sat her down on the edge then knelt at Nikki’s feet to take off her shoes.

“You know something Helen” Nikki slurred.

“What sweetheart” Helen asked smiling up at Nikki from her vantage point.

“You're gorgeous” Nikki whispered reverently before falling backwards on to the bed.

“And you're drunk” Helen sighed, swinging Nikki’s legs up and pulling the cover up to her waist.

Helen stood there looking at her friend slumbering form. Kissing the tips of two fingers she pressed them gently to her forehead before turning around and leaving the room.