* * *
8.10 pm—Cheers bar, Regent Street
Dave, Peter and Issi all stood at the bar, drinking beer and having a loud debate over the headlining story of a three-year-old girl who had been snatched from a car in a busy shopping centre.
‘If it was my child I would never have left her on her own in the first place,’ said Issi.
Peter took a sip of beer. ‘Well now the police think the parent’s may have killed her as they’ve found blood in the kid’s bedroom.
‘No! You’re joking, when did all this happen?’
‘Today on the news, Issi, keep up mate!’
‘Er guys, sorry to butt in on your exhilarating conversation but maybe we should head off to meet Ash and the others soon. We need to be there by 8.30.’
* * *
8.30 pm—Wagamamas noodle bar, Wigmore Street
Jules, Leon, Ash and Jon stood outside. Ash felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.
‘Hello babe,’ said Dave.
‘Where are you guys?’ she said, looking up and down the busy street.
‘Just walking through Cavendish Square, see you in five mins.’
‘OK, see ya babe.’ She put her phone back in her pocket. ‘Right they’ll be here in five. Let’s go in. Get a table.’
They stood inside the doorway, waiting for someone to come over. Leon and Jon had been in constant conversation ever since they got in the cab at Dean Street. Jules was pleased but slightly concerned at how well they were getting on. Jules was more than aware of Leon’s deep interest in women who didn’t want any commitment, let’s hope he doesn’t rub off on Jon, she thought.
The restaurant was heaving with people. It was noisy. People were talking over one another, sounds of pots and pans hitting the cooker tops blending in with the spitting of the fat from the flames that spread under the large woks, steam and smoke wafting through the air. Moments later, a waitress came over, leading them to a pine table bench that stretched the whole length of the restaurant. The bench behind them and the bench in front were both completely full, so they sat squeezed in alongside some noisy Chinese tourists.
‘I bet the noodle bars aren’t like this in China,’ Ash whispered to Jules, looking at the tourists, but then had to shout to make herself heard.
‘No they’re busier, trust me. This is quiet compared with some places I’ve eaten in over there.’
Suddenly there was some movement along the table. She looked round to see the others making their way along. Dave bent to kiss Ash placing one hand around the side of her face then whispered in her ear. ‘You look lovely.’
Ash blushed.
He sat down beside her; opposite sat Peter and Isabella. Ash leaned forward and in a raised voice introduced everyone to each other. The mood was good: Ash looked to her left and saw Jules chatting away to Jon, his hand on her leg, whispering in her ear as Jules giggled. Opposite sat Leon, Issi and Peter. Ash smiled to herself. The poor girl sat between two men who shared the same pastime, chasing women and by the looks of it, saw each other as healthy competition. Still, from where Ash was sitting Issi didn’t seem to be bothered as she laughed, turning her head from side to side like a tennis umpire trying to keep up with the witty jokes and innuendo. Male ego, she thought to herself.
‘You OK, hun?’
Ash jumped back to reality and turned to smile at Dave.
‘Yes, babe.’
The noise in the restaurant didn’t die down. It seemed that with more people waiting by the door they should drink up now; the food had been eaten and other people could take their seats. Dave asked for the bill.
Spilling out on to the street Ash led them to a bar up the road, a prestige bar on Cavendish Square where she had arranged for them all to be on the guest list. She walked them through into the bar. The lights were low and behind the bar were every type of spirit and liquors you could imagine, all lined up in front of the long mirror. They waited for everyone to get their drinks, standing chatting, huddled at the bar.
Walking to the rear of the room where it opened out into a much larger area, they found two tables close together, big enough for them to fit round. Dave nudged Ash, gesturing at Peter and Leon who were still trying it on with Issi. Ash smiled, shaking her head, thinking how Issi looked so happy with all the attention.
Jules and Jon were now practically sitting on top of each other and seemed like two young teenagers being forced to come along with the family when all they really wanted was to be tucked away in a room somewhere discovering what the other one liked. It was nice to see Jules simply being herself around him, rather than bragging about how successful or how well known in the magazine industry she was. And tonight she was looking radiant. She had a way of giving off an air of supermodel chic with her tall figure and the slightly angular beauty of her face, and sometimes came across as unapproachable to those who didn’t know her, but looking at her now, Ash saw another side to her—the warmth and effervescence of her spirit.
Jules glanced up as she put her drink down. Ash gave her an approving smile, curling the corner of her mouth on one side and Jules winked back.
Later that night, after a few more champagne bottles had been turned upside down in the silver bucket, it was clear that the Leon and Peter’s persistence toward Issi was paying off—but not in the way anyone would ever have guessed. Issi was not swaying towards one or the other. As she had told the girls in the ladies toilet, ‘Why choose? Why not have both?’
After returning to the table Issi began snogging both men—she was most definitely a girl of her word. But how far would she take it? they wondered. By now it was getting very late and everyone was ready to go home.
They all joked outside with the doormen as they waited for cabs. Even though Ash and Jules were quite drunk they still noticed that Leon got into the cab with Peter and Issi. As the cab drove off, Jules turned to Ash.
‘Unless I’m very much mistaken… as I am really drunk… but Leon’s flat is not on the way to Wandsworth, is it?’
‘No,’ Dave butted in, ‘and I’m glad I’m staying at your place tonight, Ash.’
‘So are they, by the looks of it,’ said Jon.
They all laughed in disbelief. Dave opened the cab door.
‘Right, well we all live in the same direction—unless you two fancy a foursome at Ash’s place, that is!’
‘As much as I fancy the pants off your girlfriend,’ Jules replied, ‘I think I’ll take a raincheck, but thanks for the offer all the same, Dave.’
* * *
Issi woke up feeling a semi-hard cock pressing against her back. She could also feel a warm heavy arm, wrapped around her waist as she came to her senses, trying to work out through the dehydrated haze in her head where she was. She suddenly realised she could feel a hand sandwiched between her thigh, and it did not belong to the same body as the arm wrapped around her waist. Gradually the night before started to come back to her. A smile crept across her face as she lay there, remembering the details.
11 am. The two boys sat in the living room at the table drinking coffee and reading yesterday’s paper, while Issi cooked breakfast. The sun was bright, shining in through the windows. It was already hot outside, gearing up to be another scorcher.
Dave opened the front door briskly, walking up the hall. He glanced into the kitchen to see Issi from behind, cooking naked with his black apron on. Dave popped into his room then hurried back down the hall again.
‘Morning lads.’ He walked into the living room and straight over to the window, looking down to the pavement below where Ash waited. ‘So I was right not to invite Ash up.’ There was no reply to this comment. ‘So I take it everything went well last night then?’
Leon grinned. Peter shrugged.
‘Well? If any of you wanna come, me, Ash, Jules and Jon are going to Hyde Park. I just came back to get the van keys.’ Dave started to head out of the door.
‘OK, I’ll ring you later,’ Peter called after his brother.
�
�You do that. See ya Leon!’ he shouted back as he shut the front door, laughing to himself. His face said it all as he skipped down the steps to where Ash stood, shaking his head and smiling. Dave threw his arm around her shoulder, guiding her towards the van.
‘You don’t wanna know,’ he stopped and looked at her. ‘I’m glad I met you, babe.’
Ash smiled and hugged him just as Issi looked out of the window above them. She wished she had a connection like that with someone. She watched as they walked to the van, laughing and joking, two people who seemed to be in love. Deep down she knew they were laughing at her expense—not that she cared: it was her life, why not live it to the full before she met Mr Right?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a painful slap on her naked bum cheek from Peter. He pulled her on to his lap, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
‘Come on… go get dressed, babe. We can all go meet them at the park.’ He looked at Leon for agreement.
‘Can’t, mate, I’ve got to go and meet some art dealer with my dad. He wants to buy me a painting for my flat.’
‘Sounds fun,’ Peter bantered.
‘It’s not—it’s art coupled with my dad who makes it very much unfun’
‘Well, it’s just me and you then, babes, so go on, go put something little on for me.’
Chapter 7
Later that week Rachel planned to return home. She still felt low but ready to get back to her life. She had also planned to return home with Gemma Collingridge, Rachel and Ash’s childhood friend.
After spending the past week with one another, Rachel had suggested that as Gemma was so unhappy living in the same town as her ex husband, maybe she should have a break, try a different way of life in the big city with her two old best friends. After long chats and much pondering Gemma had quit her job as an estate agent in Salisbury, packed up everything she needed, and the rest of her things Rachel’s grandfather said to leave them in the spare room until she needed them.
Robert was happy to see Gemma moving on with her life as he thought she was a lovely girl. Mary would be looking down—so happy to see the three of them all back together like they used to be, playing after school in the garden and getting up to mischief. Gemma had been so upset when Ash moved to London, as was Rachel, but Mary and Robert always knew their granddaughter would follow Ash: the two of them were inseparable.
Just as they predicted, not long after Ash left, Rachel announced that she had been offered a job in the city. Gemma was crushed when she heard the news through a friend, she so wanted to go with her but she had got married young and she wanted to stay and be a good housewife, start a family, settle down. So in the end the girls had lost contact with her, their lives going in different directions. Rachel and Ash had such manic lives they didn’t even see Mary and Robert more than twice a year.
But deep down Rachel felt guilty for not making more of an effort as they had brought her up so well, giving her the best childhood memories anyone could ever wish for—all this even though they must have been hurting so much with the death of their only daughter. Maybe it was fate that the girls were to get back together because of Mary’s passing. Even more so that Mary had been looking after Gemma over the past year. She would be so happy she had brought them back together again.
* * *
The phone rang in Ash’s hallway. She was in the bath and rushed to answer it before it clicked to the answerphone, nearly slipping on the tiled floor in the process.
‘Hello.’ Out of breath, shivering in the hallway, she stood there clutching the phone receiver to her ear, listening to Rachel telling her about Gemma coming to live with her, and how over the last two days she had been speaking to Jules, convincing her that she needed a holiday, then eventually arranged for Gemma and Jules to come to Ibiza with them.
‘Oh, my God, Rach! That is fab!’
Ash forgot she was cold and dripping wet, with soap running off her shoulders on to her cream carpet.
‘It’s brill, isn’t it, Ash! It was granddad’s idea.’
‘Well, good on Gramps. How is he?’ Ash softened her tone.
‘He’s OK. Happy I’m bringing Gemma home to live with us, said it would be like old times for us.’
‘Better than old times—we can stay up as late as we like now.’
They both laughed and chatted and caught up with each other’s lives. Rachel could not believe what had happened the other night with the boys and Issi.
‘So she’s like that then, is she?’ Rachel sounded disapproving.
‘It’s her life—as long as she doesn’t get Peter and Dave mixed up and stick to the right brother, she can do whatever she likes.’ Ash never liked to pass judgment on people, especially if she didn’t know them very well.
‘OK, if you say so—’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘Nothing, Ash. Look, sometimes you really are too nice, the girl sounds like a hussy to me, that’s all, but I’m entitled to my own opinion, aren’t I?’
‘Er… yes, but—’
‘No buts, Ash, or I will have to brand the girl a slapper and refuse to let my best friend be associated with her in case you fall under her spell and become a slapper too. Then how will you see lover boy?’
‘Rachel you are so weird,’ Ash laughed. ‘Let’s all meet up tomorrow. I want to catch up with Gemma—and Jules needs to meet her.’
‘One step ahead of you. We’re meeting at Leon’s flat tomorrow night for pizza.’
Ash put down the phone and excitedly hurried back into the bathroom where she slipped back into a now lukewarm bath.
Chapter 8
Ash arrived with Rachel and Gemma outside Leon’s flat in a minicab. Rachel waved to Sydney, the concierge; Ash followed suit while explaining to Gemma who he was. Gemma listened, gawping open-mouthed at the surroundings. They walked towards a large glass water fountain and along a wide hallway paved with grey marble to the far end where Rachel pressed the intercom next to a large mahogany door.
Leon was standing in his kitchen when he heard the intercom buzz. Placing his whisky down on the island he walked over to the intercom and pressed the view button. Three figures appeared on the screen.
Gemma was astonished as Leon’s face popped up on the intercom screen in front of her.
‘Hiya, buzz us in, babe,’ said Rachel.
There was a buzz and the door clicked open. They walked inside and Gemma nearly fell over as she stepped into the entrance hall, her eyes fixed on the enormous stairway in front of her then looked up at the futuristic chandelier hanging from the ceiling above them.
‘Hello girlies,’ Leon emerged from the side of the stairs then kissing each of them and welcoming Gemma into his flat, offering them all a drink. They followed him through into the kitchen, and chose their wine.
‘This one is a ten-year-old French. Try it, it’s beautiful,’ Leon suggested. ‘Where’s Jules?’
‘She’s making her own way over,’ said Rachel. ‘Jon was dropping her off before he goes to the airport or something.’
‘Airport—why is he going on holiday too? Maybe I should come to Ibiza with you lot. Still I’ve been away four times already this year. So is he?’
Rachel laughed. ‘No, he’s going to Sweden to work.’
‘Oh right, thought he was in IT.’
‘He is, Leon. Swedish people use computers too, you know.’
‘No need for the sarcasm, Rach. I just didn’t know his work took him abroad. Anyway, shame. I liked Jon. Would have been nice to see him again.’
‘You semed to get on well with Peter better,’ Ash couldn’t resist.
‘We shared—how shall I say—a mutual interest. And it was interesting.’
Gemma looked at Ash, confused, and Ash quickly explained what had happened the night they had all gone out. Gemma smiled at Leon as he listened, nodding in agreement as Ash talked her though the night’s events.
Rachel smiled at Leon. ‘So I take it you won’t be calling her again then.’
‘I will if she wants another threesome.’
‘With another girl or did you like sleeping with a bloke as well?’ Rachel bantered, but Leon’s answer was interrupted by a buzz from the intercom. Leon could see a man dressed in a red and black plastic mac, holding five large pizza boxes. Leon dived out the kitchen after explaining that he ordered nearly every type of pizza topping available so they could have a choice.
‘This place is magnificent.’ Gemma said as soon as Leon left the room, spreading her arms in awe. ‘Look at the size of this room. Rach, your whole flat could fit into this kitchen—it’s huge.’
‘Wait till you see upstairs,’ Rachel beamed.
‘What’s through there?’ Gemma pointed to double doors at the far end of the kitchen,
‘That’s the dining room.’ Ash walked down and pushed open the doors to reveal another large room that housed a table big enough for a banquet.
‘Rach, get some plates,’ said Leon as he carried the boxes into the dining room.
‘Hiya.’ Jules followed Leon, stopping to kiss everyone and greeting Gemma who was still in shock.
Empty pizza boxes with half-eaten pizzas lay on the table. Glenda the cleaner would find them and curse Leon in her usual fashion, tidying them into the bin, listening to him as he told her of his conquests. At twenty-seven Leon looked mature and could definitely act mature, for instance, if he needed to close a deal. But when it came to his private life and lifestyle Glenda saw her own son of twenty-one in him. The same boyish behaviour, the same sore head after a night out, his indecisiveness over girls… It was as if he were stuck in transition from boy to man, from adolescence to adult.
Later Leon switched on the surround-sound in the living room which simultaneously played in every room in the flat. Gemma bounced to the sound of the music as she sat on the loo while pulling tissue paper from the holder to wipe herself dry.
Ash and Jules walked out on to the balcony that over looked London Bridge and lit a cigarette.
‘So what do you think of Gemma?’
Gut Feeling Page 8