Bad Management

“What are you doing here?” Frank asked the shock clear in his voice as everyone popped their heads into view to check it was the person they thought.
“Well I thought Christmas is here and you weren’t so I’d come and be here for you.” She spoke incoherently as she pulled away, “Well you could look happy about it, I mean I did fly half across the world and dealt with a rude taxi driver to get here.” She spoke harshly to him whilst I made my way past them, catching Frank’s eye for the brief moment.
“No I am, I mean, wow you’re here.” He tried his best to make his voice appear happy.
“That’s better.” She smiled as she leaned in for a kiss off him causing me to make Mikey sit up so I didn’t have to sit anywhere near them. “Hi guys.” She waved as she made her way in to the front room where we all were. “Oh Sophia I didn’t realise you was here.” She tried to smile politely as possible.
“Right back at you.” Sophia spoke out not even bothering to try to pretend to be happy.
“Yeah well what can I say, I could not stay away from my Frankie!” She squealed winking at him. “Although, the taxi driver on the way here was making me question whether I could or not. I thought the British were supposed to be one of the politest people in the nation. Made me miss America instantly.” She chimed on with herself, as I glared at Bob daring him to laugh at her confusion. He did very well, hiding his face in the discarded issue of Batman, until she came out with her next moan.
“So babe have you got any water?” She looked up at him expectantly.
“We have tap water?” He looked at her quizzically.
“But won’t it be dirty? I mean we are in the middle of nowhere with loads of water what if calories are in it.” She spoke to him as if he was the stupidest person in the world. This made Bob burst his well-formed laughter bubble just as he was taking a drink of coke spraying it all over the comic book, the laptop and Mikey.
“Dude!” Mikey screamed jumping up, throwing his phone which hit Gerard’s knee causing him to kick his can over Sophia’s foot who let out a loud “ewww.”
“Alright! Everyone calm down it’s a bit of coke bloody hell it’s not acid.” I shouted out getting up and fetching towels and cloths to clean everything and everyone down, all the while Amber sat looking clueless.

“Amber would you prefer bottled water?” I asked her smiling a little once everything was cleaned up.
“Well, erm, yes.” She spoke abruptly to me as I nodded, grabbing my coat and scarf.
“Ok anyone else want anything?” I asked as I made my way to the kitchen to get my car keys.
“You’re seriously not going out for bottled water.” Ray asked out as Christa nudged him.
“Yes I am, we have a guest and she wants something we don’t have, it’s the polite thing to do.” I smiled at him as they all shook their head.
“Let me come with you so I know you’re safe?” Mikey asked out as he stood up slowly.
“No offence Mikes, but, if there is one person I don’t want to be stuck with if I was in a horror movie scenario, it is you.” I laughed as he faked hurt. “I’ll be ten minutes tops.” I smiled as I made my way out of the front door and to be neatly parked car as I heard the front door close shortly after. I turned round to see Frank stood there, arms crossed braving the freezing air. “What are you doing you idiot! Get back in the house before you end up like Jack Nicholson at the end of The Shining” I shouted at him as I unlocked the car and got in, expecting him to follow my orders. I was about to start the engine when the passenger door opened and Frank got in. I rolled my eyes as I pulled out and set off down the road to the nearest shop.
“I didn’t know she was coming.” He spoke once we were far enough away from the house.
“I gathered that.” I bit my lip as I concentrated on the road ahead as the fog got thicker and heavier.
“I didn’t even know we were still together. Before I left for tour she threw her engagement ring at me and told me she’d been fucking her assistant. I mean her assistant for god sakes!” He spoke, before realising what he’d said as I sideward glanced at him. “Don’t look at me like that you’re not an assistant you’re friend and help us out.” He said quickly.
“I was actually thinking if you are together how you fucked a waitress.” I spoke out quietly, instantly regretting it when I realised how bitter and jealous it sounded.
“We didn’t.” He looked out of the window as I looked at him fully. “We got drunk and I fell asleep. She woke me up once you’d all rung like twenty times.” He looked at me slowly as we both went red.
“Well then it seems you have nothing to worry about. We’ll get Amber her water and you guys can spend Christmas together. I hope you bought her a present and you’ve not come with me to pay for the water.” I laughed as we pulled up at the mini market.
“No I haven’t because we wasn’t together!” He shouted out at us as we ran into the well-lit building.
“Well I suggest I leave you here. For your safety and ours.” I laughed as we grabbed a trolley and made our way through the aisles. “Besides you looked pretty together when she came.” I told him as I started throwing more junk food then necessary into the trolley.
“You know what she’s like, always putting on a show.” He spoke out as he glanced at the trolley then at me.

We walked the next few aisles silently as the trolley got fuller and fuller. “Can we talk about before?” He asked quietly moving a little closer to me.
“About when you ignored me and forced your way into my car?” I looked at him blankly, hoping he’d take the hint that I didn’t want to talk about it.
“No about in the bathroom.” He didn’t then.
“Frank nothing happened, there’s nothing to talk about.” I stopped pushing the trolley and turned to look at him.
“Something did happen and you know it! You know full well it did. Don’t pretend it didn’t you was all up for it before Mikey interrupted us. Those kisses meant something it wasn’t just a kiss.” He spoke louder as I hit his chest.
“It was a moment of madness! I was high of grapefruit shower gel fumes don’t flatter yourself! Besides you’re fiancé, not your fiancé, is here and I aint getting into something with her!” I glared at him. “So no your wrong nothing happened.” I spoke coolly before storming off with the trolley as he jogged to follow, stand in front of the trolley.
“But you’re not denying that the kisses meant something. What if there was no fiancé?” He questioned me urging me with his eyes.
“It may not be a car but I swear to god I will ram this trolley into you so hard it’ll feel like it’s a car. Now move.” I snapped at him as he made no attempt to move. I pulled the trolley back but he grabbed it stopping me from hitting him with it.
“Answer my question.” He spoke again with determination in his voice.
“But there is a fiancé so the question is mute. No need to answer because that knock on the door answered it for you!” I screamed out at him throwing a packet of Doritos at him as I heard a chorus of ‘oh shit’ from behind me.

Notes