janey_mistaken-identity-4

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MISTAKEN IDENTITY by Janey

PART 4

You watched James sleep for a while after you woke. He looked so peaceful that you didn’t want to disturb him although you knew that you would soon have to. You were carefully stroking your fingertips over his jaw, stomach and chest and marvelling at the strength of him whilst you watched his eyes and the slight smile on his mouth. This man gave you a sense of completeness and also contentment that prior to last night you had been convinced only existed in films and books. Certainly one man you would never have thought you would be able to describe as deeply affectionate and sensitive was the very one lying beside you now. James Dean Bradfield had to say the least, a rather irksome reputation as something of a firecracker just waiting to be lit! Well, he was a firecracker for sure, just not in the way most people thought! This guy was a firecracker in the bedroom in terms of the responses he elicited. As far as his touch went, well, it was thoughtful, tender, delicate, unselfish, sensual, erotic and positively orgasmic.

His mouth opened a little and he sighed and then turned round slightly so that he was on his side facing you and you became aware of the warmth from his mouth upon your face. You snuggled down the bed a little and curled your head into the arch of his shoulder watching the way his chest was rising and falling as he inhaled and exhaled. It was probably you imagining it you thought, but he appeared to have a glow about him. Did men get post-coital flushes? Hell, even if they did, they wouldn’t last this long would they?
‘Although’ you considered, ‘maybe they do ‘cos I’m damn sure that mine is!’
“Please don’t tell me you’ve been watching me sleep!” came the very sexy yet sleepy voice making you jump with surprise and embarrassment.
“Actually, yes, I have!” and your glossy eyes smiled at him. “You have no idea how positively edible you are when you sleep!”
In mock horror he glanced at his body quickly, ”good, no pieces missing!”
James stroked your face as he smiled with you, and his lips all too fleetingly kissed your own, the smile on them broadening as he noticed the hurt look on your face.
“Always keep ‘em wanting more!” he teased.
“Who said I do? Maybe I’m just flattering you so as not to offend your sensibilities!”
“Darling, if that was all that you were doing,” came the sensuously husky voice, “why would ya watch me sleep huh?”
“Now you’ve got me!” you reluctantly conceded.
“Thought so!” His lips stayed upon yours longer this time.
“Umm,” you sighed into him.
“Morning gorgeous,” he said as his muscular arms embraced you as against his warmth. “How you feeling?”
“I’m feeling just grand thanks James. Oh and, morning!” The sensation of him waking next to you was indescribable. Mostly because he hadn’t woken up regretting it which you’d feared.

You hadn’t made love again that morning, instead you helped James shower (purely because of his leg!) and also gave him another massage, before reluctantly taking him back to his home at 9.30 am so that you could be in Manchester for an interview with Courtney Love, of all people. The kiss goodbye had been a long one, with both of you not wanting to actually part. Because you weren’t due back until really late James agreed that he would see you tomorrow for dinner at his house. Well, a take out, to be exact, although he had assured you that he was a fine cook.
Halfway there, you pulled into some services, as you needed to go to the bathroom, have a drink and stretch your legs. Just as you were about to join the queue for your drink, your mobile rang and showed it was your editor calling, so you figured you’d better answer it. A few minutes later you were absolutely blazing. Courtney Love was too ill to be interviewed, so Mike, the editor, had suggested you go back home and finish writing the article on how music affects youth culture, that was being planned for a future edition.
‘What the hell is it with me and ill interviewees?’ you fumed as you made your way back to the car.

You really didn’t fancy doing any work on the article so instead decided to go round to James’ and surprise him. After all he had complained he had nothing planned and would probably end up going to sleep whilst a dvd played in the background to itself.
It was mid afternoon as you pulled up very close to James’ home, relieved that a space was available, so sparing you the five-minute walk. You were so NOT in the mood. Just as you were about to open the car door and get out, the door to James’ opened, and there was no way that you could prevent yourself from grinning like a Cheshire cat from the surprise you were about to spring on him.   A figure slowly emerged, short and stocky, with short dark hair. Sean. Behind him hobbled James, and they waved to each other before Sean walked off down the road. As you watched Sean leave you became aware of the tall, leggy brunette with short cropped, spiky hair walking towards the house but thought no more of it. A fair few people lived around here or she could be visiting.
You slowly got out of the car and as you locked it noticed that the woman was walking to James and was saying something, although you were too far away to make out what. James was smiling back, and appeared completely at ease. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was wearing no more than a ‘pussy pelmet’, thus hiding nothing. Her stringy top made it plain that she had no bra on either.
‘Talk about flaunting what you’ve got,’ you said to yourself, and began to walk towards James, the emotion rising inside with each step you took.
“Jay…” you began to say, before the shock of what unfolded stopped you in your tracks.
Miss Pussy Pelmet had grabbed hold of him and was now quite literally eating him! She so evidently had her tongue down his throat, and whilst at first you’d noticed the amazed expression on James’ face, he did nothing to stop her. Indeed he was now placing a hand on the small of her back. Just as he had with you!
For what felt like an eternity all you could do was stare at the scene before you, completely and utterly dumbstruck. James’ other hand was now outstretched and you thought for sure that he was going to push her away, instead he touched her breast, which she responded to by pressing one of her own hands firmly on top, ensuring his hand stayed precisely were it was.
“James! You utter, utter bastard!” you shouted as loudly as you could as you tears began to stream down your face, and, on seeing the big victorious smile on Pussy Pelmet’s face, turned and fled back to your car.
You were aware of James yelling your name as you sped away, but didn’t stop. You didn’t even check the mirror to see what was happening with the pair of them. You couldn’t. Besides you could hardly see the road ahead clearly thanks to the copious amount of tears that you were crying.

Somehow you made it home, but you really weren’t sure how. Talk about deja vu! This was one habit, which you really had to break, for the sake of your sanity if nothing else. Functioning on automatic pilot, you dumped your stuff under the stairs and then went and changed into a pair of cotton pyjamas, before going back downstairs to the kitchen. You took one of the several bottles of whisky out of the cupboard, and proceeded to pour yourself what must have actually been a quadruple shot into a glass, before drinking a mouthful straight from the bottle, which made you shudder as the burning heat hit the back of your throat, before it gave way to a pleasant sense of warmth and comfort.
You decided you would watch some of your football dvd’s, as they would give you a good excuse to shout and yell at the top of your lungs! As you picked out three of your favourites the telephone rang and you knew who it was even before he started speaking into the answer machine.
“Amy you must be home by now please pick up ‘cos I’m sick of talking to this damn machine! Amy! Amy Please. Awww, c’mon. Talk with me! OK, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you’ve gone somewhere else first. Call me as soon as you get this message. Either number, it doesn’t matter,” and he rattled off two phone numbers.
You went and checked the machine and noticed it was blinking “5” at you, so began to play them, needing to be sure that it was only James each time before deleting them all. Sure enough all 5 were from James but before you did delete them, you unthinkingly wrote both his mobile and home numbers down. You then switched the volume of both the ringer and the answer phone to mute, so that he wouldn’t disturb you again.
The first dvd started and you settled on the sofa and took a big gulp of whisky from your glass.
‘Just as well I brought the bottle through with me. Looks like I may finish it!’ you thought as you poured some more.
A couple of hours and a half bottle of whisky later a banging could be heard and you knew it was coming from on your front door. From the harshness and persistence you also gathered it must be James. So you did what you felt needed to be done – you turned up the volume to drown him out! However he then started to knock on your lounge windows so forcefully that you thought they might break, so you moved to them, stared at him as he urged you to open the door and to his extreme irritation wagged your finger as though telling off a misbehaved child, drew the curtains and then went back to watch the rest of the dvd’s!
You never made it to the end of the last dvd because your head hurt so much.
‘Too much whisky and no food was definitely not a good move,’ you reflected, as you lay in the spare bed breathing the scent of James from the previous night, whilst watching the ceiling spin around over you.
As you fell asleep you clung tightly to the pillow. The pillow James had been laid upon.

It was after noon when you woke up and your head was throbbing so much that it felt like it was about to explode. The reflection that confronted you in the bathroom had grey skin and red eyes with huge bags beneath them. You brushed your teeth and hair, but had to acknowledge you felt no better.
The answerphone was indicating 7 messages.
‘Damn,’ you thought, ‘I need to ring Mike.’
Mike had left a message wondering if you were working from home that day or not. The rest were all from James.
They varied from concerned to angry, to sad to despairing.
You rang Mike and explained that you would be taking a few days off sick because you weren’t well. You then rang round your friends and family telling them to ring you on your mobile and you’d ring back because you were getting nuisance calls. Each time you had to assure them that you were fine and it was just a temporary thing.
‘At least he doesn’t have my mobile number. Not even Martin would be able to get that for him!’ Inside you stung but you couldn’t work out why. This was what you needed to do to get rid of James altogether because it was obvious the two of you just weren’t meant to be.
The day passed you by in a haze and you retired to bed, still feeling the worse for wear, a little after 7.30pm, after again deleting James’ ranting messages. Again it was the spare bed that you went to. Again you fell asleep cuddling the pillow that James had slept upon.

‘Ummmmmmm,’ you sighed as you stretched, feeling human again. You smiled and without thinking snuggled back into the pillow that you’d been holding tightly for the last two nights.
‘James.’ Your moan shook you to your core. How the hell could you still be thinking of him in that way?
Shaking your head in self disgust you leapt out of the bed and into the shower, determined to wash all traces of James from you for once and for all. With your hair wrapped in a towel and wearing a fluffy bathrobe, you went downstairs. No messages on the machine, you noticed as you walked by on the way to switch on the computer. So why did you feel like something was missing? You now had what you wanted.
Shortly after 3pm, Mike rang asking if you felt up to doing an interview, as the journalist set to do it, was still stuck in Spain because of the airport workers dispute. He apologised profusely as he knew you were meant to be taking a day off sick, but you really were the only option short of cancelling it.   As the interview would take place at a nearby hotel, reluctantly you accepted. Then you found out who you would be interviewing – Nicky Wire!
“Oh No Mike! Not Nicky, I can’t!”
“Amy I’ve just said on the other line that it’s going ahead. Besides, just because James kept cancelling doesn’t mean that Nicky will do that!”
“Mike if only it was so simple!” came the moan from your lips before you hung up.

The hotel was easy to find as you’d been there before for various other interviews. After giving your name at reception you were informed that they had been told to expect your arrival and you were given Nick’s room number as they rang ahead to inform him of your imminent arrival.
“Come in!” he smiled as you got out of the lift, for some reason he had decided to wait just outside his room for you rather than wait for you to knock.
“Thank you,” you said as he ushered you in.
“So do I call you Nick, Nicky, Mr Wire or Mr Jones?” Your nerves betrayed you and your voice quivered as you spoke. You wondered if Rachel had told him about you. Of course, that was dependent upon James actually telling Rachel your name that night.
“Nick or Nicky, please!” he laughed warmly as he indicated for you to sit down. “Something to drink?”
“Water or diet cola will be fine,” you smiled back feeling more relaxed.
He took a bottle of mineral water from the small fridge and handed it to you.
“Thanks,” you said as you immediately opened it and drank some.
“Thirsty?” he laughed.
“Parched!” you laughed in response.
“So how come the interviews here when you only live twenty minutes away?” you asked, aware that you were being nosy. “Or for that matter, the studio you often use?”
“I like to come here,” he stated simply. “Less distractions!”
Feeling that this was actually going to be some fun, and warming to Nick more with each minute that passed, you took out all your interview equipment. After checking that he was all right to start, you commenced the interview.
Almost two hours later, and with your ribs hurting from laughing, you took some photos and wound the interview up.
“Sure you got everything you need?” Nicky asked.
“Positive, thanks.”
“Good,” he smiled before saying, “ You do know he’s really cut up about you don’t you?”
You stared at him for a long time, taking in what he’d said.

“So Rachel told you?”
“Hell no!” he exclaimed. “Rachel never betrays a confidence. Not even to her beloved hubby!”
Despite feeling sore that he knew, you couldn’t help but smile back at him. His face had kindness and worry written all over it.
“No James rang me earlier. All angry and upset he was. Hell he was in a right state with himself.”
“Is that so?” You tried to make it sound like you really didn’t give a damn but knew you had failed miserably.
“Apparently the girl you saw him with, well,” he stumbled. “Well, James thought that she was someone else.”
“Oh, not that old chestnut!” you exclaimed. “Time he came up with a different excuse!”
Nicky had a look of total bewilderment on his face.
“Now you’ve lost me!” he said.
“James,” you sighed heavily, “told me he’d thought I was the masseuse that Martin had organised!”
Nicky burst out laughing, much to your annoyance.
“I don’t see what’s funny.”
“Well, you see,” Nicky continued whilst still laughing, “She rang Martin last night saying that she’d realised who James was, and given he had a reputation for being, how shall I say it…difficult, she felt it better she didn’t visit him alone and so called it off!”
“Did she think she was in some kind of danger from him?” You hurt on James behalf. He would never hurt any woman, and it galled you that someone could think that.
“Certainly sounded that way to Martin,” sighed Nick. “ He merely told James that she’d double booked, ‘cos he didn’t want to hurt him more than he already was.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes. But Martin doesn’t know that, nor does Sean. They just think he’s pissed off because of his leg.”

Nicky watched you as a myriad of emotions ran through you. It was obvious to him that you were hurt, but also that you hurt for James too. He left you to wrestle with your own thoughts until you were ready.
“Did he tell you what happened?” you asked.
“That you saw this girl with her tongue down his throat? Yes. Yes he did.”
“And that he didn’t exactly look unhappy about it? Like he knew who she was.”
“Can I take this back a step?”
You nodded at him. “Sure.”
“You saw James say goodbye to Sean?”
“Yes.”
“Right. Well, Sean had told James that to cheer him up, he’d arranged for a naked cleaner to come to do the dusting, hoovering and ironing for a couple of hours.”
“Now you are joking!” you said incredulously.
“Nope!” Nick laughed. “Our Sean has a wicked sense of humour!”
“Evidently.”
“Any way,” Nick continued, “he’d told James and then said as she was due any time he had better go. So, when this woman shouted for James he assumed it was his surprise you see!”
“He should’ve asked her.”
“Well he sort of did.”
“ ‘Sort of did’?”
“Yeah, stupidly he just asked if Sean had sent her.”
“To which she said yes, then lunged at him?”
Nicky laughed. “You make it sound worse than it was!”
“I say it how I saw it Nicky.” The pain was etched on your face for him to see.
“Amy,” said Nicky softly. “James knows he’s been a fool. Really he does.”
“Well he has been.”
“I don’t deny that. Hell I told him so, myself!”
“You did?”
Nicky nodded, before adding, “ but he really is hurting. I have never known him be like this. Ever.”
“Meaning?”
“He loves you Amy! For the first time in his life he’s really in love and it’s frightening the life out of him.” Nicky just looked at you with great sincerity, hoping he was making you understand.
“Then I spoiled it by not giving him the chance to put his point of view across?” You looked at your feet, feeling your eyes begin to sting.
Nicky moved next to you, aware of the turmoil and hurt you were experiencing and put an arm around you to comfort you.
“You need to talk with each other,” he whispered to you. “I’ve already said more than I should.”
He hugged you into him, and that was it, the floodgates opened and you began to cry. Nicky held you protectively, and let you sob your heart out, occasionally murmuring for you to ‘let it out’. For such a tall, at times ungainly man, Nicky was incredibly sensitive and the affection for his friend shone from him.
“Thank you,” you finally said as you calmed down a little. “Sorry you had to get involved.”
“I didn’t,” Nicky smiled. “But spending some time with you I realised why James loves you and felt I had to say something.”
You merely looked at him, unsure what he meant.
“I know you love him too, it’s written all over your face,” he smiled. “ And I know you’ll be good together. You just need to talk with each other and trust each other.”
“Nicky it’s all too sudden!”
“Sometimes these things are Amy! No one’s saying you have to run off and get married!” He laughed with that infectious laugh again and you couldn’t help but respond. “Just give yourselves a chance is what I’m saying.”
You knew he was right, you did love James. Why else were you sleeping in the spare room? Why else cuddle up to THAT pillow to help you go to sleep?
“So, are you gonna go see him?” he asked.
“What now?”
“No time like the present, don’t you think?”
Before you could answer there was a knock at the door.
“I Know who that is,” grinned Nicky. “ She’ll be pleased you’re still here!”
“Rachel?” You asked and Nicky nodded as he went to open the door.

He greeted his wife with a big kiss and told her who you were. You had heard how pretty Rachel was, but she was actually very beautiful. She was also one of those women who looked incredibly friendly and warm just by the way they smiled. Instead of a handshake she embraced you warmly and grinned at you making you feel at ease immediately.
“Amy! I’m so pleased I haven’t missed you,” and she sat next to you. “ You had my hubby in such a tizz!”
“I did?” you glanced at Nicky who looked very embarrassed.
“Mm. You see he told me that he’d been at James’ hearing all about you and what had happened, and that later Martin had told him you were going to interview him.”
“Oh.”
“Well he pretended to be annoyed that I hadn’t told him about you and James,” she laughed as she pulled funny faces at Nick, and added, “then he got worried that he wouldn’t like you and would tell James he was wasting his time anyway!”
“But, as you’re still here, “ said Nicky.
“I know he likes you!” smiled Rachel warmly.
“See my wife knows me so well!” he laughed and planted a warm kiss on her forehead.
“You do know that he sent that girl off with her ears ringing with obscenities don’t you?” Rachel enquired.
“No I didn’t.”
“You never told her that?” Rachel frowned at Nick.
“Hadn’t got round to that bit,” he answered sheepishly.
“Well he did! Turned out she was a groupie who fancied her chances, soon as James realised what had happened he gave her what for, in no uncertain terms, and you know he has a bit of a temper when he’s rattled!”
“Yeah!” You laughed; remembering the altercation you had both had when you first met.
“So, what’s your next course of action?” asked Rachel and you stared at her blankly and shook your head.
“She’s gonna go round to see him, aren’t you Amy?” said Nicky forcefully.
“I am? I mean, I am!” You stumbled. “ First thing tomorrow, which with James means just around lunch time, I guess.”
“NO!” exclaimed Rachel.
“No?” chorused Nicky and yourself at the same time.
“Now!” she urged. “You do it now. Don’t let another night come down on this without at least trying.”
Her voice and her smile were warm and encouraging and deep down you had to agree. The worst that could happen is he gave you the same treatment as you had him that night, in which case, you would try again the next morning.
“Need any Dutch courage?” she asked.
“I’d love some, but I’m driving!” you smiled shakily.
“Here take this,” and she scrambled in her bag for some paper and a pen, and then wrote something down, before handing it to you.
“Telephone numbers?”
“Ours! Our home and both our mobile numbers.”
“Rachel!” You felt your eyes prick with tears again.
“Come on now! Be strong here!” and she hugged you.
“I think Rachel’s trying to tell you that we want to keep in touch with you whatever, and,” added Nicky, “any problems, ring us!”
You glanced back and forth between the two of them. Their faces were warm, friendly and also concerned.
“Why are you both being so nice and kind when you don’t even know me?”
“Because we both like you!” And Rachel hugged you again.
“You know how it is sometimes Amy,” smiled Nicky, “sometimes you meet someone and immediately warm to them and know you’re gonna get along!”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” said Rachel. “Not now at least.”
“Here, let me give you my numbers. Including my mobile.” You fished out your diary and wrote your numbers on it, then gave it to Rachel.
“Look,” said Nicky. “James may be like a bear with a sore head when you go see him but he’ll be ok, you know?”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from him!” and you caught yourself by surprise as you laughed at the statement you made.
“That’s more like it!” encouraged Rachel.
“So, do I just turn up or should I ring first do you think?” you asked, directing the question at them both.
“Just turn up!” they answered together.
“Hell if this goes tits up I’m gonna blame you two, you know that!” and you laughed out loud.
“Feel free!” laughed Nicky and Rachel laughed with him.
You stood up and both of them got up and hugged you in turn, neither letting go for a long time.
“Right, well before my foolhardiness leaves me, I’m gonna go see him!” you said and you began to walk to the door.
“Amy, you’ll be fine,” smiled Nicky.
“Yeah, you will,” added Rachel. “Just remember one thing…”
“Which is?”
“You both love each other.”
“And you’re meant to be together,” winked Nick.
“You think so?”
“Hell yes!” They said together.
“And,” said Rachel; “ the path of true love never ran smoothly!”
“Ain’t that the truth!”
With a final hug and kiss from them both you waved goodbye, and with a deep conviction went to your car.
‘I’m not gonna give up on us yet Bradfield!’
You winked into the driver’s mirror of your car and then set off to see him. It was 11pm, but chances were James would still be up unless he had succumbed to the effects of his painkillers. All you could do was hope that he hadn’t.

Part 5

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