Role Reversal

The ding of the doorbell roused Laura from her doze with a start. The end credits of X Factor were rolling with the numbers people had to phone to support their favourite singers.

Dammit, she thought with a frown as she stretched out from her awkward position. Slept through it again!

The doorbell dinged again and she irritatedly looked around herself. “Where is that useless man,” she muttered under her breath before hollering, “Gary! Gary, get the fucking door, will you?”

Over the other side of the house, Gary sighed. Why do I have to answer it? The living room is nearer! Still, he dropped the towel that was in his hand and walked out of the bedroom and downstairs to the door. He poked his head through the living room door briefly, with a “Too much for you to move for it, huh?” and reached for the latch.

Laura grunted in response and resettled herself into her chair, while rewinding the show back to the point that she last remembered seeing while Gary opened the door. “Bob!” he said, inwardly wincing at the almost bedraggled state of his best friend’s face. “And Claire, you’re early, we’ve barely begun to get ready!” He pointed to his bare chest and suit-trousered legs.

“It’s alright mate,” Bob replied, toying with the lapel of his jacket. “You know how Claire hates to be late, so we left a bit earlier.” He ruefully ran a hand over his face as the couple stepped through the threshold. “In fact, a little too early for me, I don’t suppose you have a razor I could borrow.”

“Of course, of course.” Gary said nodding emphatically, “let me take your coat Claire, Laura’s just in the living room, should still be awake, you know how she can be at times, such a dear.” Claire nodded and pushed the door open to the living room open just as Laura stopped rewinding and played it from the new position. “They’re just up here mate,” Gary finished, nodding up the stairs, “I’ll show you.”

“Thanks. Hey,” Bob said, running a hand against the wall, “hallway’s different, redone the walls have we?”

“Yeah,” Gary replied, “did some over the summer. Claire loves her projects, but you know who ends up doing it.”

Bob nodded in agreement.

“Just through here mate,” Gary said when they reached the top of the stairs, and opening the bathroom door. “Top shelf of the cupboard there.”