EASTENDERS.

3️⃣

21st May 2019...

Nina was wearing a wig, holding up her phone, and snapping a photo...

Ben walked into the room, and Nina removed it, taking off the wig.

"Jay about?" Ben asked.

"Uh..." Nina mumbled, shrugging her shoulders.

"Where'd you get that?" Ben asked, staring at the headband in Nina's hands.

"I just found it in the drawer. Pretty sure I shouldn't be snooping about, but jobs not even official yet." Nina muttered.

Ben stepped forward, taking it from Nina.

"You all right?" Asked Nina.

Ben didn't answer Nina, pulling on the headband. Jay walked in, and Ben handed Nina the headband back.

"What you doing here? Not got a business to run?" Jay asked.

"You seen Lola this morning?" Asked Ben.

"No, why would I?" Jay asked.

Ben stared at Nina, and Ben walked out of the room.

"Must have been something I said." Nina muttered.

"That was his exes. She used to work here sometimes." Jay tells Nina.

Nina's mouth opened and closed, staring down at the headband.

"Where is she now?" Nina asked, staring at Jay.

Jay doesn't say anything else.

"Come on, I want to show you the stock. See if you can handle it." Jay tells Nina.

Nina stared at the headband, putting it down on the desk and following Jay out of the room.

Later, Nina walked into the Vic, walking over to the bar, and Ben sat at the bar...

"Two beers and a white wine, please, T." Nina said.

Ben looked over at Nina.

"Tina? Earth to T? T?" Asked Nina.

Tina was staring down at her phone and looking up at Nina.

"Oh, I'm sorry, girl." Tina said, putting her phone down.

Nina turned to Ben.

"Um, about this morning... the headband... I had no idea it was your exes. I'm really sorry."

Ben stared at Nina, nodding his head.

"Hey, bruv, sit down with us." Jay said.

"Yeah, all right. I've got a bit of time to kill." Ben murmured, staring at Nina and walking over to Jay and Callum.

Tina placed her drinks down in front of Nina. Callum and Jay were sitting at a table.

"Can I get you a drink?" Asked Nina.

"Got one. Thanks." Ben mumbled, sitting down beside Callum.

"You got a hook-up? You still on that app, are you?" Asked Jay.

"Well, I hope you're being careful, Ben." Callum said.

"Like you wouldn't believe." Ben murmured, staring at Nina's back. "So, how's the new woman shaping up?"

Nina walked over, placing a drink where she sat, and Nina put a beer in front of Jay and Callum.

"Well, we need to learn the difference between oak and mahogany, but other than that, she's a natural, mate." Jay says, smiling at Nina.

"Thanks for giving her this chance, Jay." Said Callum.

"It's all right." Jay murmured.

"I mean, it might not be the army, but at least you won't get kicked out cuz of your leg injury." Callum said.

"Yeah, and the smell ain't that different either." Nina mumbled, looking down at the table.

"She's even got the gallows humour. She's gonna fit right in." Said Jay.

Callum laughed, taking a swig of his beer.

"Right." Ben murmured, looking at his phone. "Booty calls."

"I hope you get someone who's an ax murderer." Jay said.

"Enjoy yourself." Callum tells Ben.

"Hmm." Ben mumbled, staring at Nina, standing up and leaving the pub.

27th May 2019...

"On behalf of Pam and Les, it is my honour to present the Highway the keys to their new love nest." Jay muttered, holding out some keys.

"Keys! Actual keys! To our own front door!" Callum shouted, grabbing the keys and staring at Nina. "Oh, Jay."

"Thank you, mate, not just for this, but for the job. It means a lot." Nina tells Jay.

"All right, mate." Jay mumbled, hugging Nina. "Listen, I'll see you bright and early for your first shift."

"Okay." Nina says.

"Enjoy." Jay said, turning around, walking away and leaving them alone.

"Woo!" Callum shouted, turning to Nina and handing her the keys.

Nina and Callum entered the apartment, looking around...

Nina walked into a bedroom, and Callum chuckled.

"It's so pink. Pinker than I remembered." Callum says.

"We'll repaint." Nina mumbled.

"Oh, the wallpaper. That is horrible, ain't it?" Callum asked, staring at it.

"Consider it stripped." Said Nina.

"Talking of stripped." Callum murmured, sitting down on the bed.

"You want to strip the bed?" Nina asked, arching an eyebrow.

Callum stared at Nina, shaking his head.

"Oh." Nina whispered, walking over and sitting on the bed beside Callum.

Callum pulled Nina closer, kissing her.

Callum laughed, and Nina pulled back.

"What?" Asked Nina.

"I had that mental image of Pam and Les having a special little cuddle." Callum tells Nina.

Nina laughed.

"It's a passion killer. Do you know what? I've never actually had my own bed like one that's been bought for me, I mean." Callum says.

"Yeah, well, one day we'll have our own bed in our own house, I promise. I did get you something, though. Something just for you. Uh, hopefully Jay left it where I told him." Nina said.

"Why? You didn't have to get me nothing." Callum mumbled.

"Well, Mick and Linda bombed me a few quid as a leaving present." Nina tells Callum.

"Wow." Callum says.

Nina laughed, removing the bow.

"I like the bow." Said Nina.

Nina sat on the bed with Callum, helping unwrap it and finding a sewing machine.

"It's a sewing machine." Callum muttered.

"Don't you like it?" Nina asked.

"No. Yeah, I like it. It's great." Callum tells Nina.

"I suppose I could've gotten you something different, but I wanted to invest it. In you. I know you love making clothes. I've heard you talk about making it into a business. I thought maybe I wouldn't be the only one who needed a new challenge." Nina murmured.

"You know what? You really are the sweetest woman I've ever met. You know that, don't you?" Callum asked, leaning in closer to kiss Nina.

Nina pecked him on the lips.

"Uh, oh, I can't be late for my last shift." Said Nina.

"No. Better make it quick then." Callum murmured, kissing Nina.