You, every time.

Part 9 - Gravy

~~~

Johnny had managed to get the front seat before the girl this time, so she had laid herself along the back seats of Adam's car. They hadn't spoken for the first five minutes. The boys had stared forward out of the front windscreen, as if that would help in purging the images from their mind.
"They still have sex." Adam eventually broke the silence.
"How many times are we going to be saying that tonight?" Maeve asked her friend from the back seat.
"Um, two more times: they still have sex, they still have sex." The boy replied. Johnny took out his phone and began to message someone.
"Who are you messaging?" Maeve asked, leaning over the boys shoulder.
"What? Oh uh, no one," her flat-mate shielded his phone from view, but that didn't stop it peaking the interest of his brother.
"Oh? Pissface, is it a girl?" Adam teased, trying to grab the phone, but Johnny yanked it out of his reach.
"No!" The boy replied grumpily, stuffing his phone rather too quickly back into the pocket of his coat. Maeve frowned, not quite understanding why that idea felt unsettled in her mind. Silence fell over the car again, causing Adam's mind to race back to their parent's antics.
"Why couldn't they have stopped when they had you?" He demanded.
"So selfish," said Johnny, pulling his phone back out to continue texting. Maeve resisted the urge to pry.
"So selfish!" Adam agreed.
"You know you guys should be happy, that your parents still have a full a joyful marriage," Maeve tried to convince the boys from the backseat, leaning forward between them. Johnny went to reply to Maeve but was interrupted by his father joining them on the driveway.
"Here comes lover boy." Johnny nodded his head towards the approaching figure. Adam rolled down the window.
"All done!" Martin clapped his hands together in a satisfied manner, like he just finished a DIY job. Maeve supposed that, in a way, he had. That thought made her grimace. Although they weren't her own parents, and she was putting on a brave face for the boys, Jackie had become like her second mother and father - it was still slightly strange to see them like this.
The Goodman's father grinned and stood up, walking back towards the house with a satisfied strut. The trio in the car shared concerned and disgusted looks once he was out of sight.

~~~

The three of them entered the kitchen. Johnny was on her left and his glumness was a stark contrast to Jackie's happy attitude.
"Oh hi boys!" She went to hug her children until spotted Maeve, "and Maeve!" The woman quickly bi-passed the two boys and pulled Maeve into a hug, "How are you darling?"
Maeve smiled into the embrace, "I'm good thanks Jackie, feeling better,"
"Yes Johnny said you're feeling rotten so I'm making you a wonderful dinner!" Jackie grinned.
"Thanks Jackie, and happy anniversary!" The girl rubbed her shoulders in a jovial manner.
"Thanks love," the woman then turned to her boys expectantly, "aren't you gonna give me a kiss?"
"Yes Johnny! Aren't you going to give your mother a kiss?" Maeve put on a tone of mock-exasperation, nudging her friend ribs. He gave her a look of irritation for her childish actions.

Reluctantly, both of her friends step forward to receive a cheek kiss from their mother. Maeve thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing, especially the look of embarrassment plastered on their faces.
"What's the matter with you two?" Jackie laughed.
"What, nothing!" Denied Johnny a little too quickly. She handed the flowers over to her husbands before turning on the two men.
"Oh! You're embarrassed!" She cried.
"No weren't not!" The older brother spat out.
"We're not embarrassed," Johnny also lied. Maeve placed her chin on Johnny's shoulder, craning her neck to do so and mouthed so only Jackie could see: they are.
The lady smiled and gave the girl a mock warning glare.
"You are! Martin look at them," she continued to giggle at her sons, "they're all embarrassed!"
"Lads," Martin began, Maeve immediately took her chin off of Johnny's shoulder, knowing whatever he was going to say would likely be diabolical, "there is nothing wrong with your mother and I enjoying a deeply physical relationship," the pair made kissing noises that caused even Maeve to feel slightly sick, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she continued to tease Johnny.
"Yes Johnny," she grinned, "an extremely physical relationship!" Maeve punctuated each word by poking Johnny's shoulder. She made sure it wasn't the arm that had his tattoo before doing so. Whilst his parents were preoccupied with kissing, Johnny looked down the girl and sent her a wink. How did this boy know just how to push her buttons? Maeve thought as she looked down to hide her blushing cheeks.
"Okay should we go and sit in the car again?" Adam suggested when his parents continued to kiss.
"Or under the car?" Added his younger brother.
"Awwww!" Cried Jackie, squeezing the cheeks of both her sons and tapping Maeve's shoulder as she walked out the room, "they are so cute! Come on,"

Just when the trio thought they had been left alone, Martin's voice sounded from the doorway.
"Ah," he groaned in a voice like some strange creature, "the pleasures of the flesh!" He then followed his wife into the living room. The brothers shared exasperated stares whilst Maeve looked thoroughly bemused if not a little disgusted by Martin's odd words.
"Is it just me or did he sound an awful lot like Frankenstein's monster?" Maeve commented.
"I don't want to think about what he does with 'his bride'," Johnny replied and she laughed and batted her roommates left arm. Adam just rolled his eyes at the pair and left the kitchen to follow his parents.
"We should go," she said, going to leave.
"Wait!" He grabbed her arm, yanking her back over to stove where a pot gravy was simmering.
"Open wide," Johnny demanded.
"You're not the first man to ask me to do that Johnny Goodman," she rolled her eyes.
"Maeve Travinson!" He gasped in feigned horror, "Leave it until we get home!".
As he spoke, he picked up the wooden spoon a filled it with gravy. Gently, he blew on it and then lifted it to his friend's mouth. Maeve felt suddenly vulnerable under his gaze as she swallowed the delicious flavours.
"Good?" He asked quietly. It was strange how their raucous laughter so quickly turned into these gentle moments. They were standing close to each other, Johnny's height causing him to lean down to wait for her answer.
"That is some good gravy," she replied with a small smile. He moved in closer suddenly, his mouth just next to her ear.
"Glad you like what I put in your mouth," he smirked triumphantly. Maeve's mouth was left agape.
"Johnny!" She gasped, "I'm going to punch that horrible ink of yours so hard-"
They broke apart, Johnny spinning his way towards the door and Maeve following close behind. Butterflies were playing havoc in her stomach and she could still remember that feeling of his breath on her ear.