He hoisted Oscar up by his armpits, then helped him walk to the bathroom.
Rachel heard the sound of running water and low voices rumbling from the other side of the door. Delicately, she peeled off her damp sweater, inordinately grateful it was a button-down, and dropped it on the floor – careful to pick a spot that would need a mop in any case. Then she stood as still as possible to try to keep Oscar’s vomit contained, very aware that her neck, shoulders and chest were exposed in just her bra and cotton cami.
A moment later the bathroom door creaked open. Tom helped Oscar to the spare bedroom-slash-office. Through the open door, Rachel saw him lay his brother on an ancient IKEA futon. When he came back to the open-plan kitchen and living area, Tom was carrying Oscar’s dirty clothes.
‘I’ll wash and dry yours too,’ he said. ‘If you want me to, that is. I can lend you something until your stuff’s sorted … And I’m guessing you’ll want a shower.’
‘That would be great, I’m totally disgusting,’ Rachel said. ‘I think there’s snakebite sick in my hair.’
‘Urghh, I don’t know what to say. I’m sounbelievablysorry. I hope Oscar has the world-class hangover he deserves after this.’
‘He won’t,’ Rachel laughed. ‘Kids never do. But it’s okay. It’s not your fault.’
‘Let me find you some stuff to wear while I get your clothes clean,’ Tom said, heading towards his bedroom. He came back with a pair of blue joggers and a familiar grey marl sweatshirt – one she’d always liked, with a faded image of a snow-capped mountain and the wordMONTANAprinted above it in crumbling red and white letters.
‘There are clean towels in the cupboard behind the bathroom door,’ Tom said as he handed the stuff to Rachel. ‘Help yourself to anything else you need. We’ll stick the washing machine on after. And sorry again … Amillionapologies.’
‘Thanks,’ Rachel said. ‘But please stop apologising. Best you check on your brother while I’m getting cleaned up – make sure he’s sleeping on his side and not his back. Just in case.’
‘I will.’ Tom nodded, then raised his eyes to meet hers. ‘You’re being ridiculously cool about this.’
‘It’s fine,’ she said, looking back from the bathroom doorway. ‘What’s a little vomit between friends?’
‘Rach?’ Tom called before she could close the door. ‘One more thing.’
She bobbed her head and waited.
‘It’s just … You could never be disgusting. Even covered in teenager’s puke, you’re lovely. Oscar was right about that. I wanted you to hear it from someone sober.’
Rachel smiled and waved the compliment away, retreating into the bathroom.
With immense relief, she stripped off and started the shower running, trying not to think about how bizarre it was that she was naked in Will and Tom’s flat.
Rachel emerged from the bathroom clean, if oddly attired. Tom’s too-long navy joggers pulled tight across her hips when she moved; they were cut for a tall, slim man, not a woman with no thigh gap. Conversely, her top half – braless – was drowning in his soft, oversized Montana sweatshirt.
She’d used something with a citrussy, mannish fragrance to wash her hair and body, and the scent now clung to her skin. The sweatshirt smelled fresh – clean and soapy – but maybe a little like the citrus stuff too. Breathing in Essence of Tom each time she moved was odd but not unpleasant, Rachel decided.
She made her way into the kitchen area and placed her soiled clothes, which unfortunately included her underwear, into the washing machine.
‘Can I start this now?’ she asked.
Tom looked up from the patch of rug he was ineffectually scrubbing.
‘Yeah. Let me, though, the machine’s ancient and the settings are awkward. I wouldn’t want you to boil-wash your stuff by accident.’
‘Under the circumstances, a hot wash might be best.’ Rachel smiled.
Tom came to stand behind her, then twisted a dial on the front of the machine and slammed the door. It whirred into life immediately.
‘How’s Oscar?’ Rachel asked.
‘Passed out, but looking less peaky by the minute. My suspicion is he’ll wake up ravenous, feel far less foul than he deserves to and have no memory of declaring his undying love for you. Apologies for that, by the way – he was clearly overwhelmed.’
‘Ha! Not a problem, really. It was quite nice in a way … More sincere than Laurence’s roses, in any case.’
‘Hmm, I don’t know how much of an accoladethatis. But I’ll be sure to mention it to Oscar during the Serious Talk we’ll be having later.’
Rachel moved towards the sofa and armchairs at the other end of the room, stepping over a spray bottle of Vanish and several wet patches of floor.
