by Kiki Archer
“Why the fuck are your tits out?” Zara looked towards the door. “Oh no you don’t!” She wiped the corner of her mouth with her thumb and forefinger. “Do yourself back up. This is finished.”
Melody felt herself redden. “I just got carried away.”
Zara stood up and dusted her knees. “Yeah? And so did I.” She shook her head. “Fuck. What am I doing?”
Melody pulled her shirt back together and did up the top button, but the gape at the chest was still obvious. “I lost my button.”
Zara grabbed her tumbler of whiskey and necked its contents. “Well get on your hands and knees and find it then!”
Melody spotted it teetering on the edge of the coffee table. “Got it.”
“Good, now get your crappy brown file and get the hell out of here.”
Melody lifted the file to her chest and started to walk towards the door, only to have it opened by Andi before she could reach for the handle.
“All finished?” said Andi with a smile.
Melody looked back at Zara. “Zara’s satisfied, but I’m not.”
Andi laughed. “Oh no. I dread to think what she’s planning this year. Did she tell you about last year when she got me a stripper-gram?”
Melody raised an eyebrow. “No! Female I hope?”
Andi walked towards the drinks cabinet. “Yes, and very inappropriate for the type of do that it was!” She paused. “That’s right, you and the other girls from G-Sterling were away on a hen do.”
Melody glanced at Zara with scolding eyes. “Were we? I can’t remember.” She turned back to Andi and smiled. “Well, I’ll definitely be there on Saturday. Just make sure you’re prepared for some surprises.”
“Oh crikey!” Andi reached for the bottle of cherry brandy and clocked Zara’s empty tumbler, unable to spot any signs that Melody had had a drink. “Can’t I get you a drink, Melody?” She started to pour the purple liquid into her glass.
“No, no, I must-” Melody’s excuse was interrupted by a ringtone from her blazer pocket.
Santa Baby started to blast out.
Andi cursed herself as a slosh of brandy spilled over the glass.
Melody pulled the phone from her pocket and looked at the display. “Sorry, I need to take this.” She nodded in apology and stepped into the hall, closing the lounge door and starting to speak. “Hello? … Who, sorry? … Oh right, yes I remember you … Yes, I saw you too … You want to meet? … Well isn’t that interesting, I’m with her right now ... Fine, if you insist … I’ll see you there.”
Melody hung up the phone and dropped it back into her blazer pocket. She lifted the brown file to her chest to cover the gape, and popped her head back into the lounge, speaking with a renewed level of confidence. “Sorry, I need to dash ... I’m sure we can finish this another time, Zara.” She smiled. “I’ll see myself out.”
Andi wiggled her eyes at her wife.
Zara got the message and pulled herself up from the sofa, following Melody into the hall. “I’ll see you out.”
“And no more plotting,” shouted Andi after them both.
“BOO!” shouted Melody in return. “You’ve everything to be scared of.” She giggled and shouted once more. “Sorry, Andi, the BOO couldn’t be helped!”
Andi tutted and took a swing of cherry brandy, realising that the BOO jokes would just keep on coming. She took another sip, calmed by the sweet hit of alcohol. What the hell were they planning? she thought, breaking her self-imposed rule of never second guessing, and always trusting implicitly. She heard the front door bang closed and the soft padding of feet.
“Don’t ask!” gasped Zara, re-entering the room.
“I never do,” smiled Andi, dropping onto the sofa and lifting her glass. “To Saturday,” she cheered, with deliberate dismay.
“To Saturday,” nodded Zara, with equal disdain.
Chapter Sixteen
Melody trotted gleefully down the path from number six Wellington Place. The whole evening had gone better than expected. Not only was she still able to manipulate Zara and her insatiable appetite for sex; now, following the phone call, it appeared there would be a whole other dimension to the game. She checked her watch and pulled her phone from her blazer pocket. She swiped to the last caller and clicked on the green redial button. Melody spoke with adrenaline. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
The walk was quick and easy, and she strode with pace, past the St John’s Wood library, right onto St Anne’s Terrace and left onto Allitsen Road. It was getting late, but she felt the way that many Londoners did when walking alone at night; safe. The streets were always well lit, and the cosmopolitan nature of the city meant that people were out and about at all hours, commuting, jogging, cycling, or walking their dogs. She passed one such woman walking a little Shih Tzu, noticing the way its long hair was tied in a neat bow with a pretty pink ribbon. She would usually have stopped and fawned over the creature, but tonight she had a more pressing engagement; plus the lady looked slightly strange.
Melody rounded the bend and looked up at the old red bricked building on the corner of St John’s Wood high street. Café Rouge, open till eleven, and a perfect location for a meeting like this. She noticed the logo as she pushed through the red door - Restaurant - Bar - Café - and knew which area to try first. Just as expected, the lady with the long red hair, who used to temp in the IT department at G-Sterling, was perched on a stool, away from the chatter of diners, nervously nursing a drink. Melody raised her eyebrows in greeting and waltzed confidently to the high topped table near the bar.
Jayney slid off the stool and stretched out her hand in greeting. “Hello, thanks for coming.”
Melody spoke firmly. “Pleasure.” Jayney might have called the meeting, but she was the one who had the agenda.
“Can I get you a drink?”
Melody looked at the hand that was still outstretched and chose to leave it where it was, instead, she dropped her brown file onto the high topped table and lifted herself onto a stool. “No. I won’t be staying long.” She raised an eyebrow and reached out her hand, tapping a red painted nail on the side of Jayney’s discarded glass. “So, how long have you been spying on me?”
“What?” said Jayney dropping her hand and pulling herself back up onto the chair.
“You know that feeling you get when you’re being followed? I’ve had it for a while. I guess I can safely say it was you?”
Jayney got comfortable and reclaimed her glass, taking a final sip of the vodka cocktail. She composed her response. “I haven’t been spying on you.”
“Yes you have. I saw you in the stairwell, in the car park.”
Jayney met her eyes. “I know you did. That’s why I called. But I’ve not been spying on you.”
Melody folded her arms and sighed. “So why the fuck were you skulking around some dark car park? And by the way, I want the name of the person who gave you my number.” Melody paused. “Or did you get it off the system at work? No, I’ve not seen you at G-Sterling for ages.” She frowned and curled her lip. “Urgh, have you been stalking me for all this time?”
Jayney leaned forwards and tried to connect. “I’m going to be totally honest and upfront with you, and I’d like it if you could just listen to me.”
Melody sniffed and tilted her head to the side. “Fine. I’m listening.”
“I’ve not been stalking you, but I’ve come here to warn you.”
Melody looked around the pleasant restaurant and bar and tittered. “Oh shut up, Jayney. I’m all for dramatics, but please, just tell me what you want. I assume you’re going to try and bribe us. You’re going to lay out your demand to me, which I have to pass on to Zara, because you obviously know from temping at our company that she’s loaded. So come on. How much do you want?”
Jayney frowned. “I don’t want your money. I want to warn you.”
“What about? That you’re about to expose us?” Melody laughed. “Well I’m one step ahead of you, honey.”
�
�Please, just listen.”
Melody re-folded her arms. “Fine, but make it quick.” She tapped the brown file. “I have another entry to make.”
Jayney took a deep breath and began. “You know I used to temp at G-Sterling, right?”
“Yes. I may not have paid you much attention, but...” Melody pretended to glance under the table, “...I did happen to notice your figure, once or twice.”
Jayney carried on. She didn’t want to play games. “I was in the IT department for about ten months, on and off.”
“So?”
“So, I had an affair with Zara.”
“What?” Melody scrunched up her nose in bitterness.
“I had an affair with Zara.”
“As if! Zara doesn’t venture down to IT! Plus, she’d never give a temp the time of day!”
“I bumped into her in her corridor on my first day. I’d taken the lift to the wrong floor and we started talking.”
Melody shook her head. “And then started an affair? Yeah right!”
Jayney straightened in her seat. “Look, you can believe what you want. I’m just telling you what happened.”
Melody shrugged. “Go on then. Let’s hear it.”
“We started seeing each other. Secret meetings.” Jayney twisted the empty glass between her fingers. “Lots of sex.”
“She wouldn’t do that with a temp!”
Jayney snapped back. “Well she did. She liked me.”
“She said that, did she?”
“Of course she liked me! She shagged me enough times!”
Melody recited Zara’s words. “Did she ever take you on a date? Phone you for a chat? Did you ever sleep over somewhere? Did you ever go to her house?”
“No, but-”
Melody knew she had the upper hand. “Well I’ve just come from her house.” She smirked triumphantly. “She got down on her knees and sucked me dry.”
Jayney closed her eyes and shuddered.
Melody continued. “And her wife ... Do you know who her wife is?”
“Of course I do,” said Jayney.
“Her wife was in the other room.” She nodded in self-congratulations. “Andi Armstrong was in the house the whole time her wife was kissing me and licking me-”
“Stop it!” Jayney shook her head in disgust. “Let’s not turn this into a competition. Fine, you’re still seeing her, I’m not.”
“I’ve been seeing her for ten months.” Melody didn’t want to give too much away, but the temptation to out-do was too great.
Jayney coughed. “So there’s an overlap. She was seeing both of us at the same time. I guessed as much.”
“You’re still seeing her?!” Melody was aghast.
“No. That’s what I came to warn you about.” Jayney’s cheeks started to redden, but she carried on all the same. “I did have a girlfriend, but I ended it when I realised I was falling for Zara. I told Zara I loved her. I told her I wanted more.” She paused and lifted the empty glass further away from her distracted fingers. She looked up at Melody. “I think it’s a power thing. Zara’s so direct. I’d never seen that in a woman before. I was taken by it. She told me that if I left G-Sterling she would ‘see what she could do.’ I’m not stupid. I knew about her wife. I wasn’t demanding anything; I just wanted us to spend a bit more time together. You know, doing regular stuff.” She paused. “So I left G-Sterling. It wasn’t a big deal. My agency sorted me out with another firm. We kept up the relationship, but it was just the same. We would meet up, have sex, and then she’d disappear.” Jayney sighed to herself. “I don’t know, maybe I did start to get a bit demanding?”
“When was this?”
“A couple of months ago.”
Melody pursed her lips, trying to stay in control. “Go on.”
“She cut all ties. I mean all ties. She blocked my number, hung up each time I called from another line.” Jayney looked up. “I don’t like admitting this, but I popped back into G-Sterling and demanded a meeting. Obviously I was ignored, but she called me later that evening and told me that she’d blacklist me from all of the major London firms if I ever tried to contact her again.” Jayney shrugged. “I don’t know if she could actually do that, but I got the message. I’m not a psycho, I know when things are over.” She exhaled heavily. “But then I guess when I saw you two together in the car park I realised I’d been played. I realised there was definitely never any going back.”
“What were you doing in the car park?”
Jayney shrugged. “I was walking to meet a friend for coffee and I saw her Range Rover pull into the multi-storey. We used to meet there too and I figured she must be meeting someone else.” She raised her eyebrows and looked directly at Melody. “Morbid curiosity. I wanted to know who she was with.”
“So now you know. Can I go?” Melody started to slide off her stool.
“She’s playing you.”
Melody walked around the high-topped table and whispered into Jayney’s ear. “Now that’s where you’re wrong, honey. I’m the one who’s doing the playing.”
Jayney grabbed Melody’s arm. “I hope you’re right, for your sake. She’ll hurt you in the end.”
“We’ll see about that,” smirked Melody, reaching for her brown file and turning to leave. She suddenly paused and looked mischievously over her shoulder. “Saturday night, what are you doing?”
Jayney shrugged. “Why?”
Melody sidled back over to the table and whispered, once again, into her ear. “I’ve got a plus one to Andi Armstrong’s birthday party. I think you’ll be the perfect accompaniment to the night.”
Chapter Seventeen
Andi Armstrong walked into her office, bright and breezy on Friday morning. It had been a busy, yet exciting week and she was looking forward to the day’s relatively easy workload.
The long draping curtains suddenly twitched.
“Surprise!” shouted Pippa, Janet and Elizabeth, almost in unison. Pippa’s spring out from their hiding place was the best, Janet made a fair effort, but Elizabeth seemed to become tangled in the curtain pulls and only managed a slight tumble out of position. The static from the charged velvet had also intensified her shocked, frizzy appearance.
“Ha! What are you lot doing?!” laughed Andi.
Pippa was the first one to walk over. She wrapped her arms around Andi and gave her a squeeze. “Happy birthday, for tomorrow.”
Andi was still clutching her workbag in one hand and morning paper in the other. “Strange, but thank you.”
Janet came over next and repeated the celebration. “Your parties, lovely as they are, can be rather formal, and you’re always gracing each and every one of your guests with your presence, which leaves little time for us work ladies, so we thought we’d celebrate today!” Janet stepped aside to make way for Elizabeth.
“Happy early birthday, day,” nodded Elizabeth, reaching out to touch Andi with a slight stroke on the arm.
Andi smiled and walked to the coffee area, dropping her bag to the floor and her paper to the table. She turned back around to them all. “Thank you. That was very sweet.”
“Ooo, we’re just beginning,” grinned Janet. “This week has been a sensation. You’ve surpassed yourself in every single television and radio appearance. You’re the nation’s LGBT hero. You’ve managed to summarise the country’s confusion and disappointment in the established church with one single word-”
Pippa cut in. “Hence why we chose to shout surprise instead of boo! It’s become an old joke already.”
Janet continued. “So today is a day off. We’ve planned a trip out for us girlies. Obviously the rest of the crew have to stay here and work, but this is our little treat to you.”
Andi couldn’t help but smile. The idea that the four of them would go out socialising on a work day seemed rather strange. Pippa and Janet yes, but Elizabeth as well? She wondered what they had planned that would suit all four of them. Andi thought about it for a moment; a lunch out, no doubt, or possibly a d
ay at a spa?
“We’re going to Waterworldz!” shouted Pippa.
Andi laughed.
“Seriously, we are,” said Janet with a smile. “It was Pippa’s idea, and we all thought it would be perfect!”
Elizabeth coughed lightly.
Andi turned to Pippa. “We’re going where?”
“Waterworldz!” she shouted again.
Andi frowned. “The place with the water slides and wave machines?”
Pippa nodded energetically. “And it’s got an aqua disco! I thought we could all do with letting off a bit of steam.”
Janet took Andi’s hand and guided her to the soft chairs. “Sit down. It will be fun! Pippa’s convinced me!”
“I can’t believe you guys haven’t been before!” Pippa grinned. “It will be the perfect place to let our hair down and have some fun! All of the kids are at school so it should be fairly empty.”
Andi laughed. “Hang on, I have to ring Stella and tell her I’m off to Waterworldz with Janet and Elizabeth, she will find it hilarious!”
Elizabeth pulled her brown handbag tighter into her side.
Andi readdressed her comment. “I don’t mean that in a bad way. I just think it’s funny. I’ve never been anywhere like that before.”
Janet sat down next to her. “No need to ring Stella, she’s coming!”
“I’m not,” said Stella, noisily entering the office and catching the tail end of the conversation.
Andi jumped up and rushed to the door, careful not to hug too hard and squash the baby in the papoose. “You’re here, how brilliant!”
Stella shook her head. “No, Jack’s been sick all night. I haven’t slept since March. Sandy’s away on a business trip. The house looks like it’s been hit by a hurricane. I’ve just stopped breastfeeding and my boobs are like watermelons, about to burst, before they deflate and come to their new resting position around my waist. My periods have come back, and I’ve got piles.”
Andi, Pippa and Janet couldn’t help laughing. “Oh, poor you,” said Andi, putting her arm around her friend’s shoulder and guiding her to the coffee area. “Sit down and I’ll get you a drink.”