“Jack!” I laugh, feeling my cheeks redden.
“What?!” he laughs, raising his palms to the ceiling looking devilishly innocent. “I might get cold if you don’t tuck me in!”
“I’ll call you!” I laugh at him.
“OK, sweetie. Just holler if ya’ll need anything,” he kisses me, and helps Arnie and Lynne to the door. Susie follows them making arrangements to see her parents tomorrow, I can see the anguish in her face seeing her dad in so much pain.
“Thanks girls,” Lynne says, hobbling along helping her husband. Arnie is making some indiscriminate sounds as he maneuvers his way out. I feel so bad for him and pray he has a quick recovery.
As the door closes behind them, I turn and look from Susie to Jasmine.
Chapter 30
“Right!” I clap my hands together thankful for having slept on and off all day on the flight. I have no idea how I am going to get back onto UK time. “What time is it here?” I have a sudden urge to know.
“It’s nearly three o’clock in the morning, Sunday morning,” Susie yawns.
“WHAT? Is it really? Why was everyone here at this hour?” I ask stupefied. I had no idea it was so late, or early. I missed a whole day.
“We were all up most of Friday night, then slept most of yesterday due to sheer exhaustion. Dad’s flight only got in around 7pm. He was delayed by hours, then missed his connection as he was supposed to be into Aberdeen on the red eye this morning, then it was the lunch time flight, then that turned into the evening flight, and by the time he got here – he was adamant he was coming here as he wanted to see ‘his girls’ – and by the time we all caught up, you guys came in, and then, it’s now!” Susie lists out the last day.
“Well, I have so much catching up to do with you both, shall we put the kettle on?” I ask, walking into the kitchen regardless of what their answers may be, I need some coffee.
“Sounds good,” says Jasmine, grabbing a seat at the breakfast bar.
“Yeah, there are chocolate fingers in the cupboard. I bought the double chocolate ones and the white chocolate ones, yum, yum, yum!” Susie goes to get them.
We soon settle around the breakfast bar and I automatically light the yankee candle, discreetly thinking of Jack. Susie starts to tell me what happened with Mike.
“It’s really all so sad. I’ve had some time to digest it all and I’ve spoken to mum and Jasmine too,” Susie smiles gratefully at Jas. “I think it was all just so shocking. Poor Mike is beside himself with shock and worry about having a five, nearly six year old to bring up, but he is determined and he already speaks about her so affectionately. Of course his family are all going to help, and Ulla’s side of the family too. Ulla was his ex-girlfriend. It’s just such a tragedy in so many ways, I mean she was only twenty-four when she was killed, she had Kristina, that’s his daughter’s name by the way, when she was only eighteen. I just cannot even comprehend why she didn’t tell Mike. I mean, for as young as he was too, he was a couple of years older than she was, and he would have supported her. I know he would have,” she looks pensive for a moment. “I guess in some morbid way, I should be thankful she didn’t tell him...I mean, if she had told him the chances are he wouldn’t have stayed here, would he? He would have done the honourable thing and gone back to Copenhagen, and I couldn’t nor I wouldn’t have stopped him...”
“Stop thinking like that, Suz,” I interrupt her thoughts. “Life has a funny way of sorting itself out, what is meant to be, will be.”
“Yeah, she’s right,” Jasmine agrees with me and blows on her hot coffee in an attempt to cool it down.
“So what happens now?” I ask.
“I honestly don’t know. Mike’s work is here, so I am presuming he will bring her here, but I don’t really know. I guess we still have a lot to think about. Mike says Kristina is doing well, she misses her mummy obviously, but she is still too young to fully understand everything. She has been staying with her grandmother since the accident, and Mike has been visiting daily, getting to know her. He’s already in love with her. He showed me a bunch of photos and she looks like him, there is no doubting she is his,” Susie looks thoughtful. “He actually had to do a paternity test to make sure too, he said it was pretty stressful.”
“Geez, I can only but imagine,” I agree.
“What do you think, or how do you feel about having a step daughter?” Jasmine asks.
“Oh...I hadn’t thought about that side of it. I mean, we aren’t engaged, or married, we don’t live together...” Susie looks alarmed and it is more than evident she didn’t think of the situation including herself. I think this has literally taken the wind right out of her sails.
“I know I would love her like my own if things between Mike and I go down that road,” she looks up at us both. “I really hope they do...I hope she likes me. Oh gosh, I just feel so sad for her.” Susie rubs her hands over her make-up free face.
“I know,” Jasmine and I say together, and smile sadly to each other.
“No one will ever replace her mum, but you’d be a great second best, Suz,” I tell her. “And if Mike brings her over here, she would have all of us.”
“I know, and mum and dad did say they would support Mike as much as possible. And I know they will, they love him, and they know how much of a shock all this has been for everyone involved,” she nods to herself. “So anyway, Mike will be over here around lunchtime tomorrow – or today even, he has spoken to his work and has been allowed to take a month off to get things sorted out. He is due to fly back to Copenhagen on Monday morning for the week, so I guess all I can do is be here for him. At least I know what is going on now. I feel so stupid for thinking he might be cheating on me.” She looks at me coyly, “I know he would never do that, but when he was being so distant, I didn’t know what to think, and your imagination runs away with its own ideas.”
“You’ve really been through the mill these past couple of weeks, haven’t you?” I ask her.
She merely nods looking tired now.
I turn to Jasmine, “Now, I know it is mega late, but I need to hear about your engagement!” I smile at her expectantly.
“Are you sure now is a good time?” she smiles back at me excitedly, but looks warily over to Susie.
“Of course it is, Jas,” Susie encourages. “There is only so much we can speculate about Mike’s situation, and poor little Kristina. Until we know more, there is nothing we can do. So spit it out, I want to hear about it too!”
“Come on then!” I coax her to get on with it.
“Right, well...as you know, Jeff and I have been together for over four years. Mum and dad weren’t happy about me moving to Edinburgh with him, and I totally get that now. I was young, nearly eighteen, but young, I realise that looking back. It’s been a hard few years as we didn’t have much money, we were both working part time jobs and going to uni, but he graduated last year, and I’m going to graduate in a few weeks. I doubled up classes last year to get done early as I’ve been offered a job as a graphic designer for a great firm in Edinburgh. It’s exactly what I’ve always wanted to do. Anyway, Jeff’s been working for a law firm for over a year now and has a few months left of his traineeship, but he loves it. We are really happy. Crazy busy, but sickeningly happy! Last weekend, he booked a surprise long weekend away for us to Loch Lomand. It was so romantic. We stayed in this beautiful old country hotel, went on long walks, did the couples spa, ate and drank to our hearts content, then on the Sunday morning when we were out for a walk, he said he wanted to go down by the Loch. I can honestly say I didn’t know it was coming, I had no inclination whatsoever. We came across this really old tree stump which had been laid with a beautiful picnic. I don’t know how it got there, I haven’t had the chance to ask how he organised it! It was so beautiful. The Loch was just enchanting, so very autumnal, and he knows that autumn is my favourite season, orange and purple are my favourite colours. So, the rug that had been laid was patterned with an orange and purple tartan. It
sounds garish, but honestly, it was beautiful. There was a bottle of champagne and two crystal champagne flutes which I later realised had our names engraved on them, chocolate dipped strawberries and pastries. It was so pretty. I was so amazed I didn’t even realise that Jeff was already down on one knee, with an open box in one hand and his other extended to me!”
“Oh my God,” Susie and I exclaim together.
“I know...right?! So romantic! And Jeff isn’t really your stereotypical romantic, so this rendered me speechless. Once I pulled myself together and realised what the heck was going on, I took his hand and he told me how much he loves me, and that he wants us to be together forever, have babies together and maybe one day get out of our flat and get a nice wee house with a white picket fence...and then he said, ‘Jasmine Steen, will you do the honour of marrying me? Will you be my wife? My happy ever after?’ She stops and looks at both of us with tears in her eyes.
“And…?” I prompt her.
“What did you say?” Susie asks breathlessly.
“YES! I bloody jumped on him!” she laughs and we both join in. She holds up her left hand to show us her bling.
“Wow! That is gorgeous!” I say, grabbing her hand. Her ring is a simple yellow gold plain band, with a brilliant cut diamond. It suits her perfectly.
“It’s beautiful, Jas,” Susie gives her a squeeze.
“Wow! The boy did good!” I grab her hand for a closer look.
“Thank you,” she looks so proud. “And that pretty much is why I am here as like I told you, I just couldn’t imagine getting hitched without you, Jen. Will you be my Maid of Honour? I mean, we will be having a long engagement, but I just want to know, I like to be organised and I miss you.”
I look at her and smile feeling the tears brim my eyes, “Of course, little sis, of course I will be. I would love nothing more!” I jump down from my bar stool and go to hug her again.
We quickly stick our cups in the sink and get ready for bed. It is now just after 4am. I give Jasmine my bed and as Jack suggested, I head upstairs to keep him cosy, how can I resist an offer like that? There is no way I could sleep in the same building as him and not be curled up to him now.
It takes a few minutes for him to answer, and when he does he is wearing only a pair of boxers and looks half asleep, “Ah, my damzel has come in need of bedtime hugs,” he smirks.
“She has indeed, but I prefer to call them bosies,” I say, snuggling into his warm chest.
“You can explain that one in the morning,” he grumbles, and closes the door pulling me through to bed.
Chapter 31
I waken feeling strangely groggy, heavy limbed and I have a pounding headache. I also have no idea where I am, though I don’t feel panicked as this feeling is becoming a regular one. I close my eyes again, rub them and reopen them to still find I have no idea where I am. I sit up and look around the bedroom which looks similar to my own one, but with less decor, and memories of the last few days seep into the forefront of my mind. I’m in bed alone, Jack must already be up. Working, no doubt.
“Ugh,” I crash back onto the overly comfortable pillows trying to make sense of everything. I’m so glad Arnie is home, though he looked dreadful last night. I still can’t believe Jasmine is here, it feels surreal. I just hope things can resort to how they were before mum was taken from us. And Mike...I feel so sad for his poor little girl. I can’t get my head around losing my mum at twenty one, let alone five years old. I wonder if she will even remember her when she is older.
I suddenly feel a rush of emotion as I realise how lucky I was to have my mum for so long, to have known her properly, have loved her as a person and not just as my mum, to remember her kindness. I need to speak to Mike, see if I can help at all. Little Kristina is going to need all the love and support in the world, and she’s sure as heck going to get it from us lot.
I drag my butt off the side of the bed and traipse sluggishly through to Jack’s bathroom. He doesn’t have many soft furnishings, nothing on the walls yet, it all looks very baron, but I remind myself he has literally just moved in. I use the toilet, and instead of going through to find Jack, I decide to indulge in a nice hot shower, I need the time alone to catch my breath and think.
Eventually, I go through to find Jack. He is sitting on the couch with his laptop on his lap and tv remote in his hand.
“Hey sweetie, you doing ok?” he asks, sitting up and depositing the laptop and remote onto the coffee table.
“Hi, yeah, I’m ok, but do you have any paracetamol? I have such a sore head,” I rub my forehead.
“I have no idea what you just asked me for, but I have Tylenol for headaches if that’s what you need?” he looks at me concerned.
“If it’s for headaches, it should be good,” I reply, and go to sit down.
Jack grabs me some Tylenol and water, and puts the kettle on. As he goes back towards the kitchen I hear him putting some toast down and I look around his place. It is much bigger than ours. Our place is one of two apartments on the floor, Jack’s apartment covers the whole of the top floor. He doesn’t have a breakfast bar like ours, but a huge dining area with no table and chairs yet. He has a couch and a Lazyboy, a massive flat screen TV and Bose system. There may not be any pictures hung on the walls, but I notice there is one picture framed sitting beside the TV. I lean in to see it and my heart is instantly warmed. It is the picture of us at Ballindalloch Castle. The one we took right after our first kiss as we headed back to the car for lunch.
He walks back through with some tea and buttered toast which smells delicious.
“I can’t believe you framed our picture,” I announce, looking up at him.
“Why?” he asks.
“It’s just such a sweet thing to do, and so quickly, I had forgotten about that photo. It was right after our first kiss,” I reply.
“I know,” he answers. “The best first kiss ever, and they’ve only gotten better since then,” he sits beside me and winks at me. I will never get tired of that cute wink, I’m sure he knows it makes me melt inside every time.
“You have got to be too good to be true, Mr. S.,” I help myself to a slice of toast.
“What makes you say that, Jen?” he looks at me, with a smirk.
I lower the toast from my mouth without taking a bite and use my finger to spread the butter sitting on top of it as a distraction. Without looking up, I try to be honest.
“You just have everything you could possibly need or want, you could - and do - have your pick of any girl you might want. Though I don’t think you even realise that fact. You’re gorgeous, inside and out, you’re rich, you’re NICE, which doesn’t usually follow with all of the above. I just....what did I do to deserve this time with you Jack? I don’t want it to end, but I’m waiting for the inevitable to happen, for this bubble to be burst. I’ve tried so hard not to fall for you, but I just feel my heart is at stake now. All this drama over the last few days has just....I don’t know....it’s made me realise, life is so very short. We live in different countries, it may as well be different worlds, you are my BOSS, and we just....we come from such different places, WE are so different. You could find someone so much better suited to you, someone better than plain old me...”
I finish and don’t want to look up as Jack has remained silent and I don’t think I’ve got it in me to leave without a fight.
“Look at me, Jennifer,” Jack finally speaks.
When I don’t move, he kneels on the floor beside me and cups my face gently in his hands, “Look at me,” he repeats himself.
I finally look at him and feel my tears are not far away.
“I love you, Jennifer Steen,” he says, looking me straight in the eye.
I stop breathing and take a minute to digest his words.
“What?” I finally find my voice again.
“I love you, and I think you love me,” he smiles. “Jen, I’ve known from the minute you walked into my office asking for that glorious rubber that there would
never be anyone else come along quite like you. The more time I spend with you, the more I want to be with you. Believe me when I say I know girls throw themselves at me, they do it all the time, but why do you think that is? ALL they see are the dollar signs, the extravagant niceties that I am able to give, and that I want to give, but not to someone who expects them and wants me simply for them.”
I exhale slowly and feel my heart beating rapidly.
“You didn’t even know who I was, and when you found out, it didn’t make one iota of a difference to you. You’ve treated me exactly the same, you met my family and you endeared them with your normalness. Don’t take that the wrong way, but normal is good!” he sniggers slightly. “You don’t want to know about some of the horrors I’ve dated, believe me. And as for you, you are the least ‘plain’ woman I have ever met. You are gorgeous for one, you turn heads everywhere you go, you should hear what the guys in the office say, Jen. I’ve had to walk away more than once, I can assure you, and that was before I knew you. You caught my attention during your placement with us and like I told you, I had to forcibly keep my distance as I knew once I had you, I wouldn’t want to let you go. You are smart – you already made a huge find for SER, fully qualified professionals in that niche missed it sweetie, you have an eye for detail and that’s you, that’s not something anyone did for you. You are funny, and sweet, and caring, and beautiful, and exceptionally fuckable...”
I hiccup through my tears and laugh, “Hey! Don’t ruin it, I was enjoying that,” I wipe my tears. I’ve become such a wet blanket.
“I’m serious, Jen. I’ve loved you for a while, but I didn’t want to scare you away being that its only been a couple of weeks. And I truly hope you think I am one in a million, because believe me, I want to be that one in a million for you. I know you’re mine, I don’t doubt it,” he leans in and kisses me gently on the mouth.
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