Chapter 9
Nikki
looked at Helen, a stunned expression on her face then her lips broke into a
broad smile and she grabbed hold of her and hugged her tightly, oblivious to
the inmates and officers looking on.
“What
the hell’s going on?” Tommo demanded as she came up to them. “Fenner’s giving
you the evil eye.”
“Tommo,
the CCRC is going to review my case,” Nikki told her delightedly.
“Nikki,
mate, that’s brilliant.” Tommo grabbed hold of her and gave her a bear-hug then
turned and did the same to Helen. “Sorry, miss, got to make the most of my
chances,” she told Helen with a grin.
“Alright.
Alright. Knock it off!” Fenner ordered as he came up to them. “If you’ve done
rehearsing, let’s have you back to the wing.”
“It’s
my fault, Jim,” Helen told him stonily. “I’d just given Nikki some good news
about her appeal.”
“They
should have thrown away the key when they locked her up,” Fenner said
scornfully. “Dockley was right, she is playing the right part in this panto.”
Helen
saw the angry look on Nikki’s face as she started to square up to Fenner and
went and stood between them. “You’re entitled to your opinion, Jim, but would
you mind keeping it to yourself,” she said calmly then turned to Nikki and
smiled lovingly at her. Nikki’s face softened. “Right then, ladies,” Helen
continued jovially. “Shall we carry on rehearsing? With Mr Fenner’s permission,
of course.”
“Of
course, Miss,” Fenner sneered.
“One
day, I’m going to do for that bastard!” Nikki hissed.
“Calm
down, Nikki,” Helen said gently. “Fenner is deliberately trying to bait you
into doing something stupid then you’ll be down on the block quicker than I can
say, ‘Fenner is a sly bastard!’” she smiled mischievously. “Do you realise I’m
breaking Rule 47?”
“Then
I think you should be confined to a cell for 14 days, Miss Stewart,” Nikki
muttered, her previous good humour returning. “Mine, preferably.”
“Yes,
please,” Helen murmured softly, giving Nikki her sexiest smile.
Rehearsals
continued for the pantomime with Helen and Nikki spending as much time together
as possible. When they weren’t rehearsing any of their scenes they helped out
with the costumes, painted scenery, anything just for a few precious moments
together.
Helen
noted, however, that whenever she and Nikki were together, Dockley or Fenner
always seemed to be hovering. She hadn’t forgotten what Fenner had threatened
and whilst Barbara had managed to convince her he wouldn’t do anything about
it, she wasn’t going to give him the chance. For her part, Nikki was oblivious
to everything except her own desire to spend as much time as possible with
Helen, exhilarated with the knowledge that the Scot really did love her.
She’d
twice been out to dinner with Alex, each time making sure Nikki knew of her
plans in advance so the jealousy she had shown over Dominic wouldn’t rear its
ugly head again. She’d also been honest with Alex and he now knew he stood no
chance with the beautiful Miss Stewart.
Claire
had been to see Nikki and confirmed what Helen had told her about the CCRC. Now
they were just waiting for them to carry out their investigations and come to a
decision. If the outcome was favourable, this would probably be the last
Christmas Nikki spent in Larkhall!
The
day of the pantomime dawned, and the cast and helpers rushed around making sure
there would be no last minute hitches.
Nikki
stomped about in the Beast’s head and dragged it off with an exclamation of
disgust. “This stinks bloody awful inside,” she complained to the two Julies.
“What did you make it with, bog roll?”
“Nah,
it’s that paper thingy,” Julie S informed her. “Must be the flour…”
“…paste,
we used,” Julie J finished her sentence for her. “Can’t you put a bit of …?”
“…air
freshener in it?” Julie S offered.
“And
choke on the bloody fumes!” Nikki exclaimed.
“All
set, ladies?” Helen asked pleasantly as she came up to them. Her eyes sought
Nikki’s and they smiled at each other, Nikki’s foul-smelling Beast’s head
totally forgotten.
The
two Julies looked at each other knowingly and drifted away. “Bloody, prima
donnas!” they said in unison.
It
was the final scene. The one Nikki had been dreading. She had to kiss Helen, or
at least Helen had to kiss her, on stage in front of an audience. “Tommo, can’t
you cut the kiss?” Nikki begged. “Supposing I get carried away and do it for
real?”
“Nikki,
we can’t cut the kiss, that’s when the magic happens. Stop being such a wuss!”
Tommo chastised her. “Beauty has got to kiss the Beast or he won’t turn back
into a prince and she won’t turn into a princess.”
“I
wish I knew how you’d bloody got me to do this, Tommo. You must have fiddled
it.”
Tommo
smiled at her. It was too late for her to back out now anyway, without
disappointing all those people out there. “Wrong pocket,” she replied, as she
walked away.
“You
bloody cow!” Nikki exclaimed after her, as the truth dawned.
“What’s
wrong?” Helen asked as she came up to her.
“I’ll
tell you later, just before I throttle her,” Nikki snapped. She stood
fidgeting, until Helen put her hand gently on her arm. “What’s wrong with you?
Another few minutes and it will all be over.”
“Helen,
I can’t do it! I can’t kiss you on stage with all those people watching us.”
“Nikki,
we’re only acting. You’ll just have to control your hormones,” she told her
with a sly smile.
As
they moved closer for the kiss, she – but no one else – heard Helen whisper. “I
love you, Nikki.” Then, as their lips touched, there was a blinding flash and a
cloud of smoke enveloped the stage.
“Tommo’s
bleedin’ pyrotechnics,” Nikki hissed as she and Helen ran into the wings. They
had mere seconds for Nikki to get out of her costume and for Helen to change
into an evening gown. As everyone set about getting Helen ready, Nikki ripped
off the beast’s head and paws and turned to Helen. “Ready…” Her breath was
taken away at the sight of Helen in her evening gown. “Now, that really is
typecasting. You’re beautiful.”
Helen
looked at Nikki standing there in the black trousers and white tunic trimmed
with gold braid. “So are you,” she replied huskily.
“For
goodness sake! Save that for later and get back on!” Tommo exclaimed.
They
ran back onto the stage, to where the fairy godmother (Karen) was waving her
magic wand, and took up their positions. As the smoke cleared it looked as if
they had been magically transformed.
When
the curtain came down, Helen held Nikki’s hand tightly as the cast took six
curtain calls. As the curtain came down and stayed down, Helen dragged Nikki
from the stage. “Come on,” she muttered thickly. “If I don’t touch you soon,
I’m going to explode.”
They
ran down the corridors, until Helen decided it was safe to stop. “Come here,”
she dragged Nikki into her arms. “And let me really bring out the beast in
you.” She clamped her mouth over Nikki’s and kissed her hungrily, her hands
roaming over Nikki’s body.
“Helen…”
Nikki tried to raise her head.
Helen
shook her head, her eyes dancing mischievously. “Don’t talk, Nikki,” she said
breathlessly. “That’s what you do afterwards. Remember?”
“Do
you remember every single word I’ve ever said to you?” Nikki asked incredulously.
“Almost.
Particularly when you told me you wanted to make love to me all night long.”
“I
intend to keep my promise one day,” Nikki said softly.
Helen
took a deep shuddering breath. “Well, right now I’d settle for two minutes.”
Nikki
looked at her in astonishment. “Are you serious?”
“Yes,”
she whispered. “We’ll go to my office.”
Once
in Helen’s office, Nikki took her hand and pulled her behind the filing cabinet
out of sight of the door and kissed her long and hard. As they kissed she
started to gently inch up the gown Helen was still wearing. “Are you sure you
want this?” she whispered teasingly against Helen’s ear.
Helen
nodded, her face flushed. “Oh, yes!” she gasped. “I’ve never wanted anything
more.”
Nikki
slid her hand inside Helen’s panties and Helen moaned softly and pushed herself
up towards Nikki’s hand. She gasped as Nikki entered her, then slowly started
to move her fingers.
Helen
cupped Nikki’s head, her lips burning kisses across Nikki’s throat and neck and
then back to her waiting mouth.
Nikki
quickened her strokes to match Helen’s breathing. She heard Helen start to gasp
for breath and her body started to tremble. “Dear god, Nikki!” she pressed her
mouth hard against Nikki’s shoulder to stop herself crying out and her thighs
clamped around the caressing hand.
Nikki’s
own breathing was ragged as she ground her hips against Helen. Helen pulled her
head back and plundered Nikki’s mouth with her own as their bodies trembled in
unison.
“Helen,“
she murmured softly as her breathing slowly returned to normal. “As much as I
am enjoying the sensation of it being where it is, can I have my hand back,
please?”
Helen
parted her thighs slightly and Nikki removed her hand. “I’m sorry,” she said
softly.
“Don’t
be,” Nikki whispered. “I was with you all the way.”
“You
mean you…”
Nikki
smiled and nodded. She kissed Helen’s parted lips then drew back. “Now, you’ve
had your way with me, you brazen hussy, don’t you think you’d better pull your
knickers up before someone comes and catches us.”
Helen
flushed and started to arrange her clothing, conscious that Nikki was watching
her every move.
She
pulled Helen back into her arms. “Are you really sure this is what you want?
That I’m what you want? Nothing’s changed.”
“Yes,
it has,” Helen replied adamantly. “I have. Would I have risked everything by
making love to you in my office before?”
“As
I remember,” Nikki leaned against her and pressed her back against the wall. “I
was the one who made love to you.”
Helen’s
hands went to the front of Nikki’s trousers. “Well, we can soon remedy that.”
Nikki
caught hold of her hands. “As much as I want to, we’d better get back,” she
said reluctantly. “I think we’ve taken enough risks for one night and I don’t
intend to lose you again.”
“I’m
not going anywhere, Nikki,” Helen replied stubbornly. “I don’t care what you
say, I’m staying with you forever.”
She
slid her arms around Nikki’s neck and leaned closer until their lips were
almost touching. “Now, my beautiful Beast, are you going to give me a kiss that
will last me until the next time I see you.” As their lips met the door crashed
open. “What the fu…?” Helen gasped.
“Quick!”
Alex Gilbert said breathlessly. “Fenner is right behind me. He saw you two slip
away and he’s hell bent on catching you out. He’s been looking everywhere for
you but I guessed you might have come here so I got Catherine Thomas to waylay
him.”
“Shit!”
Helen exclaimed as they heard footsteps in the corridor.
“Nikki,
get under the desk,” Alex said urgently. “And for God’s sake, don’t make a
sound.”
Nikki
dragged out Helen’s chair and wedged herself under the desk, tucking her long
legs up to her chin then Alex pushed the chair back in as far as it would go.
“Now
what?” Helen demanded anxiously.
Alex
slid his arms around her. “I’m sorry about this, Nikki, but I promise you I’m
only acting.”
Nikki
stuck her head out, just as Alex bent his head and kissed Helen. “You’d bloody
better be!” she hissed. “Or you’ll be the one needing a doc…” She was silenced
as she heard the door open and then Fenner’s voice. “Sorry, Helen, I didn’t
realise you were in here with the doctor. Have you seen Nikki Wade at all?”
“Not
since the end of the panto. Sorry, Jim,” Helen replied innocently.
“Well,
I’ll leave you to it then.” He looked at her distastefully then left the room
and slammed the door.
“OK,
Nikki, he’s gone.” Alex pulled the chair out so she could get up.
Helen
breathed a sigh of relief as Nikki placed a possessive arm around her shoulder.
“Thanks, Alex,” she said gratefully. “We’d have been in deep shit if you hadn’t
warned us.”
“It
was a pleasure. I don’t like Fenner either.”
“Thanks,
Doc,” Nikki told him pleasantly. “It’s nice to know you’re one of the good
guys.”
“Well,
the good guys don’t always get the girl,” he said wryly. “Especially when
they’re up against such strong competition. Now, I think the three of us should
go back together, just in case Fenner is still lurking around. You’ve got ten
seconds to say goodnight, then I’m leaving without you.” He strode out of the
room and stood with his back to them.
The
two women looked at each other then melted into each other’s arms. “I love you,
Nikki,” Helen said softly as they drew apart.
“I
love you too, darlin’,” Nikki replied lovingly, just as Alex said in a loud
voice. “Ten!”