Stacey turned herself under the warm water washing away the soap before shutting off the shower. A warm soft towel was draped around her to be tucked in over her breasts. She leaned over the sink to look into the cracked mirror at her reflection and sighed. There were black shadows under her eyes and no amount of makeup would hide them. Sleep, sweet undisturbed sleep was the only repair that worked.
She turned to her bed and dropped the towel on the floor, climbing between the sheets naked and exhausted. Cupping her hands over her growing bump, she drifted off to sleep.
* * *
"Stacey, open the bloody door. Stacey."
"Hmm," she rolled over and reached for Morgan. Her hand clutched onto the pillow and he shouted again.
"If you don't open the bloody door I will knock it down. Stacey, answer me. Are you alright?"
She opened her eyes and swore. Damn it, I've slept in.
"Go away, I'm fine." Not that it was any of his business.
"Not until I see you. I'm staying here until you open the door."
"Fine, wait then." She pushed the blankets back and stretched before her legs hit the floor. Walking to the bathroom she did her early morning toileting and walked back to her closet, taking her time in choosing her wardrobe for the day. When she was ready, she opened the door to find Morgan still standing there looking none too pleased.
"Morgan, to what do I owe this wakeup call? Not in your line of work is it? Shouldn't you be out ruining small towns and ravaging unsuspecting ladies."
He glowered down at her. "Nigel was worried. Said you are normally up by now but he thought you might be ill. I volunteered to check for him." He looked her up and down and her nipples tingled when his eyes grazed over them.
Bloody traitors.
"As you can see I'm just fine and dandy, thank you. I slept in is all. Not surprising really in my condition but thanks for the concern." She brushed past him, slammed her door shut and headed for the staircase.
He reached out a hand to stop her.
Stacey looked at it pointedly and then glared at his face. "Move it or lose it buddy."
"I'm sorry, no harm intended. I was, and still am concerned for you."
"Of course you are Morgan. That's why you never bothered to keep in touch after saying you would." She looked up and down his tall frame with what she hoped was a scathing look on her face. "Now if you will excuse me, I have work to do. Thanks for the wakeup call."
Stacey ran down the stairs as fast as she safely could and headed straight for the kitchen. Nigel was busy dishing up scrambled eggs and bacon while trying to keep the toaster going as well.
"Sorry Nigel, seriously I am." She grabbed the bread and popped more in flicking down the switch. The coffee machine was gurgling away filling the room with the dark decadent aroma so she turned back to him, leaning her butt against the counter. "I slept in, sorry to worry you."
"I wasn't worried girl. I know how tired the wee one is making you to say nothing of running this bloody place on your own for so damned long. It was him," he nodded his head out the door, "that was worried. Wanting to know where you were."
She froze. "What did you say?"
"You heard me. He wanted to know where you were. Panicked when I said I hadn't seen you." Nigel laughed and put the fry pan back on the stove. "I shouldn't have teased him I suppose but the look on his face was priceless."
"What did you say?"
"Just that you are never late for work, ever. And I added that I couldn't understand it at all."
"Oh, you are such a tease." Stacey laughed finding it easier to be amused than annoyed with Morgan's attitude. "Well, he only has himself to blame. I've always been here, he was the one that left and didn't keep in touch."
"I know pet, I know. He doesn't know what he's missing." He pushed a couple of plates toward Stacey. "Let's get this lot out then shall we?"
Between them they worked their butts off getting the workers their breakfast and then into the kitchen to finish off the lunchboxes before they walked out of the door.
When the last thermos had been grabbed from the counter they both breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh my. Every day. How are we going to cope?"
"It's only for a couple of months so we just have to do the best we can. Put your feet up lovely and I'll make us a cup of tea. We have plenty of time for our own breakfast before Jane gets here."
"It was a blessing the day she walked in that front door I can tell you. And to bring you from Sydney as well. I can't believe how lucky I am."
"Funny how we both needed something at the same time. Jane was bored to tears in her old job and me, well, it was time to move on too. Staying in a relationship for the sake of it wasn't fun so I thought about your offer for all of like, five seconds and then packed my bags. You did me a favor honey, I can assure you."
Nigel poured her a cup of tea and put more bread in the toaster. When he pushed a plate of peanut butter and jam toast her way she hungrily grabbed it. Suddenly she was ravenous and polished off the toast without pausing.
"More petal?" Nigel reached for her plate smiling indulgently at her.
"Please.
