‘I did, but when you didn’t answer your phone, I got worried, so I came here.’
She pulled her phone out of her handbag and noticed 17 missed calls. ‘Geez, I’m sorry Jase. I didn’t hear it over the noise. Yikes, is that the time?’ Her phone was showing 1am.
‘Can I have a word with you, in private, where we’re not yelling at each other over the music?’ He grabbed her hand and led her outside onto the patio. Alice tried to smooch up to him, but he held her at arms’ length. ‘Hey, what’s up lover boy?’
‘Allie, you know this isn’t my scene, just as the barbecue earlier wasn’t yours, but I’m sick of seeing you do this to yourself.’
‘Awwww, don’t be a spoil sport. Come on, dance with me, you’ll enjoy it if you just let yourself go.’ She pulled on his arm trying to drag him back to the party, when she slipped and fell onto the concrete. Her drink flew out of her hand and smashed, the red liquid drizzling down the pavement like blood.
Jason bent down to attend to her. ‘Are you okay?’
Alice burst into tears, suddenly feeling stupid. The palms of her hands were grazed and hurt like hell.
‘Come on, let’s get you home.’
Alice continued to blubber as he guided her out onto the street. He hailed a black cab and took her back to her apartment in Vauxhall.
As she got out of the taxi, Jason noticed her limping. He picked her up and carried her into the lift, then pressed the button for the 5th floor.
Jason attended to her injuries and cleaned them up before putting her to bed. He brought her a large glass of water. ‘Here, drink this before you go to sleep.’
She gulped it greedily, then lay down and passed out.
Chapter 3
Daylight awoke her. She rolled over to snuggle into Jason but was greeted with a cold empty bed. Her head thumped. Oh no, another hangover, when will I ever learn? But it had been fun, until Jason turned up and dragged her home. She was thankful to him though, otherwise things might have been worse.
She crawled out of bed and the skin stretched tight across the graze in her knee. ‘Ouch,’ she said, as she remembered falling on the concrete. She limped into the kitchen but after a few minutes, the pain subsided. Her injury wasn’t as bad as she’d first thought.
The emptiness of the apartment consumed her as she wondered where Jason had gone. Was he mad at her? There were many messages on her phone from him the previous evening, and annoyance bristled through her as she browsed through them. Did he not trust her to look after herself?
She opened the latest message from him. ‘Hey Allie, hope you’re okay this morning. I have some errands to run but I’ll call you later.’
Alice’s heart dropped. They’d planned to spend Sunday together, so he must be annoyed with her. She couldn’t blame him though, after she’d deserted him yesterday. She’d been taking Jason for granted recently and now she worried he might break up with her.
A depression descended over her, a familiar feeling she got when she drank too much. She wanted Jason here with her now to comfort her but resisted the urge to call him. He said he’d call later, so she would wait. Instead she picked up the phone and rang her father, who lived in France.
‘Allo,’ came his deep voice as he answered the phone.
‘Hey Damion, it’s me.’
‘Hey Allie, how are you? It’s a bit early on Sunday morning for you isn’t it?’
‘Yeah, the sun woke me up, the bastard.’
‘How did your barbecue go with Jason’s friends?’
‘Shit, which is why I’m ringing. I took off early and went to a party at Katie’s house, now it seems like Jason’s not talking to me. I feel terrible.’
‘Hey, from what you’ve told me, he seems like a reasonable guy, I’m sure he’ll understand. But remember who you are. You’re a free spirit; don’t let him boss you around. But perhaps next time say you don’t want to go, rather than just leaving halfway through.’
Alice laughed, Damion always cheered her up. He’d never met Jason, but she talked about him a lot.
‘Jason keeps saying I drink too much. Do you think I’m an alcoholic?’
‘Do you drink first thing in the morning?’
‘Nope.’
‘Do you drink every day?’
‘Nope.’
‘When you have a drink, do you find it hard to resist another?’
‘That’s for sure.’
‘Haha, join the club. You’re fine, don’t worry about it, I’ll see you next weekend for the restaurant opening.’
‘Yay, I can’t wait.’
She disconnected the call and realised how much she missed her father. He had moved to the south west of France to set up a new restaurant, and she’d not seen much of him over the last few months.
Alice fried up bacon and eggs and made another cup of coffee. After devouring it, her head cleared. Outside, the sun shone bright, not a cloud in the sky. She wished Jason was still here, she would have enjoyed walking down to the river and having a leisurely lunch at one of the riverside restaurants. But Sunday lunch meant a bottle of wine, and she’d committed herself to try and stop drinking so much.
She lived in her fathers apartment in Vauxhall as he spent most of his time in France. He’d offered her a job in his restaurant, but she was still mulling it over. She loved London, and she’d miss her friends if she moved.
Jason rang her later that afternoon. He sounded happy and suggested a pizza and a movie night. Alice agreed, keen to have company. While she waited, she browsed through her notifications on Facebook and watched the YouTube cow everyone was talking about. It was hilarious and summed up her Friday night. She giggled as she listened to the lyrics and the cartoon cow dancing out of control.
It started with a simple beer just then I was okay
Then someone bought a bottle of wine, just then I’m feeling fine
Someone bought a tray of shots, oh deary, deary me
This is the most fun night there could ever be
I started dancing on the bar, my moves were very cool
Everybody watching me, thought I was a fool
Their mobile phones recorded me, to go on YouTube
I danced around a wee bit more and out popped a boob!
I drunk too much, I drunk too much, I drunk too much today
I drunk too much, I drunk too much, I drunk too much today
I drunk too much, I drunk too much, I drunk too much today
We’ll all fall down ‘cos I drunk too much today.
The catchy tune stuck in her head and she hummed the chorus for the rest of the day.
Jason arrived at 5pm with two chick-lit movies he thought she would like, and a bottle of his home-made kombucha. She hated the stuff but didn’t want to appear ungrateful.
‘Is everything okay with us?’ she asked.
‘Yes, but I have a suggestion.’
‘Sounds ominous.’
‘One of my clients at the gym had an eating disorder where he didn’t know when to stop, similar to your drinking, I guess. His brain couldn’t register when he’d eaten enough. He visited a doctor, like a hypnotherapist, and he cured him within just a few sessions.’
‘Do you believe that?’
‘Sure do, once this guy got his hunger under control, he shed the weight and we saw results within a few weeks. I’ll show you.’
Jason pulled out his phone and swiped through the photos as he showed her. The first one showed an overweight man with a protruding belly and poor posture. The second one, taken six months later, showed him standing tall, confident and trim, and looking 20 years younger.
‘I never believe those before and after photos, they’re such a con.’
‘Well I know these are real because I took them myself. I take photos of all my clients.’
‘Really?’ Alice took a closer look. ‘Wow, that is a transformation. How much did it cost?’
‘It’s expensive, but here’s the thing. The doctor has got a Groupon special
on today for an introductory offer for just £49.00. I’m happy to pay for it if you want to try it.’
‘I dunno, hypnotherapy’s a bit airy fairy isn’t it? Not sure I’m keen on that.’
‘He uses other techniques too.’
‘Like what?’
‘Not entirely sure. Best you give them a call.’
‘I’ll think about it.’
Jason ordered a large pizza to share, his one weakness in his otherwise healthy diet. The two of them were so different. Alice, the fun-loving girl who never worried about anything, and Jason, the health and fitness freak. But they say opposites attract.
At least he wasn’t controlling and allowed her to be herself most of the time. Some bad experiences had made her wary of men.
When she was eleven, her adoptive parents had died in a car accident and she was shipped off to live with her uncle’s family in Kentucky. Her foster father had been a dominant male who had controlled her foster mother and Alice swore she’d never let a male treat her like that. As soon as she turned 18, she ran away to New York, got a job in a bar, made great friends, and enjoyed life.
Then when she was 22 years old, she fell in love with Charles Montgomery, a charismatic gentleman 12 years her senior. He’d wined and dined her, and before she knew it, he’d whisked her away from her job and her friends, into a life where she had no control. The first major sign things weren’t right was when she’d invited her friends over to their apartment while he was at work. When he got home he’d flipped out. He had told her that her friends were losers and he didn’t want them in his house.
She’d known his reaction wasn’t right, but she had loved him and thought that’s what you did when you loved someone. You put up with stuff like that. They carried on as normal for a few months, but then he hit her. He’d been apologetic at the time, swearing it was an accident, and she actually believed him. But something wasn’t right. Alice knew she could no longer trust him and needed to escape his clutches.
The timing had been perfect as her biological father, Damion, had found her, and paid for her flights to London. She’d packed up and moved to a new life in England, swearing never to get involved in a controlling relationship again.
Jason put a movie on, and she snuggled into him, melting into the warmth of his body. A smile spread out on her face. He was a good guy; he made her happy.
The next morning when she awoke, Jason had already gone to work, having had a client at 5am. Their lives were so different. Alice worked late into the night at her father’s bar in Soho and Jason worked either early mornings or evenings, with a large break during the day. They often caught up for a mid-afternoon lunch; the only time they could find to spend together.
Alice looked forward to Saturday when they would be jetting off to Damion’s house in France for the week. It was the opening of his new restaurant and she couldn’t wait to see his new creation. Damion was a clever, forward thinking person. He had created two amazing bars in London.
The Community Bar, was a social place where no phones were allowed, and the internet was blocked. It had a communal area, and also private rooms based on a beach theme. One room was set at the beach on a summer’s day and included real sand, water, and gusts of warm breeze. The ceiling was painted and lit up to resemble a bright blue sky. Another room was based on a cave, dark and moody, with glow worms on the ceiling.
Damion’s other bar, The Crypt, is in a dark basement which is reached via a spiralling staircase, lined with spiderwebs and skulls. The moody atmosphere is lit by candlelight, and people lounge around on beanbags drinking cocktails that look like blood. Both of Damion’s bars were a hit because they were different to other bars in the area.
Alice got out of bed and made herself a coffee when a pain in the lower left side of her back caused her to stop. It wasn’t a bad pain, but it was an unusual feeling she’d never felt before. She sat on the sofa, pulled out her phone and consulted Dr Google. A stream of posts about kidneys appeared, causing a wave of anxiety to creep into her belly. Was her drinking causing health problems? Next, she googled, ‘Can alcohol damage your kidneys.’
Her heart palpitated as hundreds of results came up, as well as ones about liver damage from drinking too much. One sign to look for was swelling of the ankles. She glanced down at her ankles and they appeared to be of normal size. Or were they? She’d never taken much notice before. Bending her foot towards her, folds of skin scrunched up making them appear slightly swollen. Oh my God! I’ve got kidney damage!
Another sign to look for was yellowing skin and whites of the eyes. Alice raced into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin didn’t look yellow. She checked her eyes out and they looked a little red but no yellowing. That’s a good sign, right?
Analysing her face, she noticed black rings under her eyes, and her eyelids looked puffy. Also, some flaky skin appeared between her eyebrows. She got some moisturiser and smoothed it on, making it look better. She decided to leave the internet alone for now, it was making her paranoid. She’d wait until she saw her step-sister, Terri, who was an actual doctor.
Alice searched for the deal on Groupon and an advertisement for BanAddiction showed up. Jason was right, it was only £49 and hundreds had sold already. Perhaps it was worth giving it a go. She read the advert.
Drinking too much?
Eating too much?
Want to give up smoking?
You’re at the right place with Dr Smith’s revolutionary treatment. With just a few sessions, it will cure your cravings, or your money back.
Painless, safe, and drug free, call us now for your appointment and free consultation.
She browsed the website. It looked okay, surely better than taking drugs. There were testimonials from people, and they sounded legitimate.
Mary said:
I was reluctant to try something new, but my drinking had driven my family and friends away, and I had lost my job. I was desperate for help. After just a few sessions with Dr Smith, my cravings disappeared completely. I was like a new person. Thank you Dr Smith for saving my life.
Bruce said:
Worked good, managed to stop me overeating, now I am off all the drugs I’d been taking for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and the rest. Thanks Dr Smith, you’re a cool guy.
Joyce Cromwell, Environmental Consultant.
It stopped me smoking for about six months, then the cravings started again. Dr Smith said this can happen and the effects are not always permanent. As soon as I started craving again, he fitted me in, and got the problem under control before I started smoking again. He said this can happen to strong characters who try to resist the techniques. So now, I go back every six months for treatment, and all is good. And Dr Smith is a dish, so it’s worth it just to see his handsome face!
It sounded too good to be true, but Jason had first hand experience of someone who had used the service. And they had been using hypnotherapy to cure addictions for years. The deal was valid for the next two weeks, so she’d do more research while she considered it. She’d ask Jason if his client would talk her, it would be nice to know how it worked.
She clicked on the About the Team tab, and a list of people and their photos loaded on her screen. The doctor looked the same age as her, and he looked vaguely familiar. Where had she seen him before?
Chapter 4
Alice and Jason sat in the business class lounge at Gatwick airport with Alice’s step-sister, Terri and her partner Josh. Damion had paid for them to fly business class, an expense he justified for the opening of his restaurant. None of them disagreed, all enjoying a luxury they couldn’t afford.
An excited buzz emanated from them as they looked forward to their upcoming adventure to France, wondering what Damion had in store for them.
‘What do you reckon the theme of his new restaurant is?’ Josh asked.
‘What makes you think it has one?’ Terri said.
‘Damion always has a theme. Any ideas Allie?’
‘Um... He loves his cars. I reckon it’s a restaurant shaped like a car, where you drink cocktails that look like gas and eat bread that looks like radiators.’
‘I love it,’ Jason said. ‘And you drink cocktails out of carburetors.’
They all laughed.
‘No, that’s too gimmicky for Damion. I think it’s going to be something classy. Fine dining, black tie, super expensive. Maybe a degustation that tells a story,’ Terri said.
‘Hmmm, I like it. But still, I bet there’s a theme.’
‘What do you think then Josh?’ Jason asked.
‘Well, so far he has a crypt theme and a beach theme. Seeing as it’s in France, I reckon it’s going to be about eating things we don’t normally eat and pushing people out of their comfort zone. So, the normal things that the French eat, like snails and horse, but he’ll probably throw some other things in there, like eye of newt, toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog.’
‘It’s not a fricking Macbeth play,’ Alice said, and they all laughed, except for Jason, who had never read it.
‘Actually it could be, now wouldn’t that be amazing?’ Terri said. ‘But it will be interesting to see if any of us comes close.’
‘I’m putting my money on Alice,’ Jason said. ‘I love cars, and it sounds totally cool.’
‘I’ve changed my mind and think Terri is right. Her idea sounds the most feasible, and she’s known him the longest,’ Alice said.
‘So how are you and Terri related?’ Jason asked.
‘Damion’s late-partner, Leonora, was Terri’s mother.’
‘But Damion’s not your father, is he Terri?’
Terri flushed. ‘No, I don’t know who my real father is.’
‘Ah okay. And was Leonora Molly and Ben’s mother as well?’
‘That’s correct.’
‘So, you and Allie aren’t blood related?’
Terri looked away.
‘She just told you that Damion’s not her real father,’ Josh said.
The Ultimate Community Page 2