This made Trish happy as she would get to spend time with Nikki even if it was just at work. Helen was quiet on the drive back and Nikki put it down to tiredness. Helen was inwardly upset at the thought of Nikki spending time with Trish. She had seen the way in which Trish looked at Nikki and it made her feel jealous. Nikki had been oblivious to this as she only had eyes for Helen. They finally got the last of the boxes in and put them down in the nearest spaces available.
"Not much to show for thirty odd years is it?"Nikki remarked.
"Never mind" , she went on to say.
"We have the rest of our lives to accumulate as much junk as we want."
This was a reassuring statement that made Helen feel better.
"I love you Nikki" Helen said reaching up to kiss Nikki’s mouth. Helen had only intended it to be a short kiss but in feeling Nikki’s lips she hung on and kissed her long and hard. Helen’s emotions took over and soon she was making love to Nikki in the middle of the lounge room. Her lovemaking had been urgent and filled with an intensity that had caught Nikki off guard. It was as though Helen was staking her claim and left Nikki wondering the reason for it. Not that it wasn’t enjoyable it was just very forceful.

"Darling what did I do to deserve that? Nikki asked."Not that I have any complaints mind you." she added.
"I love you and just wanted to show you." Helen said picking up Nikki’s clothes. Nikki took the clothes from Helen and dressed still not convinced that was the only reason. Deciding not to pursue the matter any further after the unscheduled love making and proceeded to put her things away.

Once everything was sorted and sitting down to their evening meal Nikki was still pondering Helen’s quiet mood.
"For goodness sake Helen you’ve hardly said a word since we got back from Trisha’s, what is wrong?"
" Nothing " Helen lied.
"Darling you practically attack me then say nothing for hours, something is up." Nikki was beginning to get cross now.
"I’m sorry. It’s just….." Helen paused not too sure how to word it before ploughing on.
"I’m not too sure how I feel about you going back to work with Trisha."
"Helen looked sulky as she confessed to Nikki her doubts about Nikki working back at the club with Trish.
"Oh " said Nikki. "So this is why the silence. "Don’t tell me you’re jealous."
"Should I be? snapped Helen.
With that Nikki moved her chair closer to Helen. "Darling trust me, Trish is in the past, you are my future. I love you Helen with all I have and you are the only woman I want."
Helen felt foolish for having doubted Nikki. "I’m sorry sweetheart I know you love me it’s just that Trisha is still in love with you and it scares me."
"Well that’s her problem" said Nikki. "She was the one who dumped me remember. Helen I have to work with Trish as it is half my club but that is as far as it goes. "Let’s just leave it at that. I’m not about to let anyone or thing come between us, you have to know that."
"I do Nikki, I"m sorry."
With that Helen lifted her head to be kissed.

Later on that evening as they were preparing for bed for the night. Nikki thought of Helen’s insecurity concerning Trisha and compared it with how she felt about Sean and Thomas. Helen had been engaged to Sean and after falling for Nikki had ended it. Then her and Nikki had quarreled and Helen had taken up with Thomas for a short time. Nikki had had to come to terms with this but still experienced nagging thoughts and harboured jealous feelings of her own. Still feeling uneasy with living in this flat and then the sudden realization that she was sharing the same bed Sean had, made her come to a dead stop.
"Nikki , Nikki" Helen called. "Are you coming to bed or what?"
Nikki stood staring at the bed Helen was laying in, possibly waiting to make love in.
"No Helen I"m not, I mean I can’t." Nikki stammered. "Do you realize you and Sean slept in this bed whilst you were together?
"I know I have already been sleeping in here with you…..it’s just something I didn’t think of." Nikki’s voice lowered. "Until now."
Helen went pale. "Sweetheart I am so sorry I didn’t think." Helen looked at the expression on Nikki’s face and saw the pain. "We can sleep in the spare room tonight and tomorrow we will go and buy a new bed." Helen offered.
Nikki felt a little foolish for feeling this way. (After all she too had made love with Helen here but for some reason it had only just hit her that Helen had made love to another there as well.}
Settled into the bed in the spare room, Nikki held Helen as she slept. Making plans of her own she thought they would need to buy more than just a new bed. Nikki wanted a new and fresh beginning with Helen. Not part of one that had been tainted. Succumbing to sleep she felt pleased with her decision.