by Lacey London
‘Yes, I’m sure you can spare me for the afternoon.’ I stare at Oliver, wondering what has gotten into him. Whatever it is, I am not letting him get to me. Turning to Janie and Randy, I smile at them innocently. ‘You guys don’t mind, right?’
‘Not at all! You go enjoy yourself.’ Randy shakes his head and reaches for more bread.
Thankfully, Oliver gives me a small smile and wraps his arm around my shoulders as the waiter removes our plates. Satisfied that I won’t be missed, I reach for my glass.
‘Dad’s right, I’m just being selfish. You go have fun.’ Planting a quick kiss on the tip of my nose, he gives my shoulder a little squeeze and all is right with the world again.
Chapter 26
Snuggled into Oliver’s toasty warm back, I stretch out my legs as the sun shines through the open window. I am debating rolling over for another forty winks when the hotel phone rings loudly, jolting me into action. Being trapped beneath layer upon layer of bedding makes it difficult to escape, meaning I don’t get to the handset until the eighth ring.
‘Hello?’ Trying not stumble on the stupidly long wire, I drop back down on the bed next to a loudly snoring Oliver.
‘Mrs Morgan?’ The squeaky voice comes down the line.
‘It’s actually Miss Andrews, but yes that’s me.’ I reply, rubbing my tired eyes as I try to wake up.
‘This is a message from Mrs Washington in Suite 304.’ Mrs Washington? Who the hell is Mrs. Washington?
‘The message is, meet me in Reception at 11.00am. Do not be late.’ Oh, God! Erica! I totally forgot! What time is it now? My eyes flit to the alarm clock flashing 10.40am. ‘Do you need me to repeat the message?’
‘No. That’s fine, I got the message. Thank you very much.’ Slamming down the phone, I look around for my watch.
Finally locating it on top of the dressing table, I strap it to my wrist hurriedly, wincing as it pinches the hairs on my arm. It takes me five minutes to select a sun dress and another two to run a toothbrush over my teeth, before I tackle my crazy, bouffant hair. With only moments left to go until I really have to leave, I don’t have that many options. Not that it really matter. I mean we are only going shopping after all.
Settling on a tight ballerina bun, I scribble out a quick note for Oliver. With a final glance in the not so forgiving bathroom mirror, I make for the door. Good God, I hope there’s time for coffee.
Leaning against the marble Reception desk, I smile sympathetically at the queue of depressed guests waiting to check out. There’s nothing more depressing than handing over your all inclusive wristband and stepping back out into reality. It almost feels wrong when you are expected to start paying for things again.
Strolling over to the bar, I prop myself up on a stool and eye up the croissants greedily. I must have been waiting here for fifteen minutes. Where the hell is Erica? I am about to give up and head back to bed when I hear the clacking of stiletto heels on the tiled floor behind me. Turning around in my seat, my jaw almost hits the floor when I realise it is Erica. Why is she dressed like that? I thought she said we were going shopping? The entire room spins around to look at the beautiful, if not a little slutty woman.
‘Clara! Good mornin! How are you?’ Passing me a giant cup of coffee, she smiles brightly. ‘I didn’t know how you take it, so I got it black.’ My fingers curl around the cup and I am surprised to find it ice cold. I’m still trying to get my head around the whole cold coffee thing.
‘You look very... nice. I thought you said we were going shopping?’ My eyes widen as they take in the tiny, black shorts, patent heels and perfectly curled locks. She looks like a Megan Fox body double. Well that, or a high end porn star.
‘Honey, we aren’t just going shopping. This is going to be a whole new experience for you. I’m taking you Erica Shopping.’ Taking a sip of the iced, rocket fuel, I raise my eyebrows worriedly. ‘I’m talking, cocktails, pedicures, more cocktails, a little shopping and then perhaps a final cocktail before we get started.’
Before we get started? From how drunk she was last night in the restaurant, I can’t believe she can even look at another cocktail. I look down at my jelly flip flops and yellow Billabong dress dubiously. ‘Erm, I’m not sure I am dressed right for cocktails. Give me a minute and I’ll go change.’
‘Honey, you look fine. Now come on, let’s go.’ Linking her long, skinny arm through mine, she marches me outside into the sunshine.
We walk along the hot pavement in silence, stopping only to dispose of the now luke warm coffees. My feet are starting sweat, making me regret my decision to wear cheap, plastic flip flops. Trying to keep up with Erica is proving hard work. How is she walking that fast in those heels? Just as I am going to question her superhuman abilities, she drags me into a store. Thankful for the air conditioning, I exhale a sigh of relief.
‘This would look insane with your colouring!’ Erica holds up a tangerine, slinky dress to my chest and nods approvingly.
‘Really? I tend to stay away from orange.’ Flipping over the price tag, I place the expensive dress back on the rail.
‘Trust me, you need this dress.’ Snatching it back, she drops it into a basket. ‘My treat. What about the black?’
Two minutes of shopping and I am already feeling uneasy with Erica’s way of doing things. I can’t afford that dress and I most certainly can’t let Erica buy it for me.
‘I say we get both.’ Holding up a spiked pair of Louboutins, she beckons over the assistant. ‘Clara, check out these bad boys!’
‘Erica, wait a minute.’ Pulling her to one side, I take the shoes and run my fingers over the soft leather. They are pretty amazing. ‘I can’t afford all this stuff. I don’t mind shopping for you though. In fact, I am a great personal shopper, just ask Lianna.’
‘Who? Sweetie, I have more money than I could ever wish to spend. We’re getting them.’
‘No!’ I shout, a little louder than I anticipated. ‘I can’t let you do that, although it is an extremely generous offer.’
‘Clara, listen to me. I have put up with a lot of shit over the past ten years, if I wanna spend LP’s cash, I’ll will.’ Erica studies my face for a moment, before dropping them into her basket. ‘What are you a 7? Give me those thongs!’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Your shoes! Hand them over!’
Before I have chance to retaliate, the eager sales assistant appears at her side and snatches a flip flop straight from my foot.
‘Glass of champagne while you browse, Miss?’
Champagne? What kind of shop gives out complimentary champagne? Not one that I have ever shopped in before that’s for sure. Nodding in awe, I watch as she rushes over to the counter and pulls out a bottle of bubbles from a tiny fridge, along with two frosty glasses. Erica was right. This really is a new experience for me. An experience I could easily become very accustomed to. Picking up a pair of navy, suede courts, I hold them in the air.
‘Do these come in black?’
Chapter 27
Twirling around in the dressing room mirror, I try to ignore the impatient squeals of Erica coming from the other side of the velvet curtain. I can’t quite believe this is me. After our costly shopping spree in the first shop, I thought we were more than done. However, four hours, three margaritas, two pedicures and a makeover later, we are still flashing the plastic. The tired, frizzy haired girl who left the hotel room this morning is definitely not the preened and polished woman staring back at me in the dressing room mirror.
‘OK, I’m gonna count to three and then I’m coming in there. Pants or no pants.’
Smoothing out the skirt on the incredible, lace cocktail dress, I rip back the curtain and flounce out. Erica is sprawled out in a throne like chair, nodding approvingly.
‘Definitely!’ Throwing back her fizz, she slams the glass down. ‘We’ll take it!’
‘Really? Are you sure?’ I have gotten quite used to hearing that today, but this is a particularly expensive dress. Trying and
failing to convert the price to sterling, I know it is at least three months wages.
‘For the love of God, Clara! We’re getting the damn dress.’
Letting out an ecstatic shriek, I dive back into the room and tug off the beautiful gown, before begrudgingly slipping back into my boring, old jersey dress. I don’t know whether it is the vast amount of alcohol swishing around inside me or the rush of adrenaline I get each time Erica swipes that magical black card, but I have never felt more alive.
Diving out onto the shop floor, I clutch the dress tightly as I rush over to the till where Erica is waiting rather impatiently.
‘Erica, you are really amazing! Thank you so much!’ Kissing her cheek, I clap my hands together happily.
The cashier scans in the pile of clothes and folds them carefully, wrapping each one in delicate, rose tinted tissue paper. This is not like shopping at the GAP. I watch the numbers racking up on the tiny screen and feel a frisson of excitement as Erica slides the plastic across the desk. I need one of those cards in my life. I have to have one.
‘Erica Washington? The cashier’s over inflated lips stretch into a Diaz worthy smile.
‘Yeah.’ Erica replies, not bothering to look up.
‘Lordy hallelujah! I knew it was you! Do you not remember me? It’s me, Eva!’
Eva looks eagerly at Erica, but she just blinks back blankly.
‘I used to work in the Dallas branch? Come on! You were on our posters for months!’
A dawning realisation creeps onto Erica’s face. ‘Of course! Eva! Hi! How are you?’
‘I’m good! Carlos and I have been down here five years or so now.’ She hands the card machine to Erica who pumps in her pin without even glancing at the amount. ‘We have a beautiful little girl, her name’s Leticia...’
‘That’s incredible! Good for you guys! Well, we gotta run.’ Whipping the card out of her hand along with the lengthy receipt, Erica shoves me towards the door. ‘Give my love to Lettuce.’
‘It’s actually Leticia...’ Eva shouts, as the door slams shut behind us.
‘How random that you would bump into someone like that here! How do you know her?’ Digging my sunglasses from the depths of my handbag, I struggle not to drop the mountain of shopping bags that we have accrued throughout the day
‘Oh, I used to model their swimwear from time to time.’ Erica raises her arm to flag down a taxi.
‘Whose swimwear?’ I stare at her, totally confused.
‘Dior.’ She takes a step back as a silver car pulls up, narrowly missing our freshly painted toes.
‘Dior. You used to model Dior’s swimwear?’ I don’t believe this! Well actually I do believe it. I mean look at her. Handing our masses of bags over to the driver, I dive onto the back seat. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘There isn’t really anything to tell, it was a long time ago.’ She hops in next to me and gives the driver directions back to the hotel. ‘We would do promotions from the Dallas branch to showcase the new lines.’
‘So, were you like a celebrity or something?’ This is really exciting! I knew there was something special about her. Prestige and glamour just ooze from her every pore. It makes perfect sense.
‘For the modelling? No. For being LP’s wife? Yes.’ Fiddling with her huge engagement ring, she applies another slick of lipstick to her already pink lips. ‘For a while it was everywhere we went. The grocery store, the gym, the beach house. The press were everywhere, wanting to know everything.’
‘Everything about what?’
‘Around five years ago, LP had an affair with a well known client of his.’ Erica screws her hands into tight fists and looks out of the window. ‘Because of the court case I can’t name names, but it was kinda high profile. I had to get away for a while, went down to Dallas and got signed up to a modelling agency. I’m sure it was more because of who I was rather than what I looked liked, but it took my mind off things for the few months it took for him to come running back.’ A single tear races down her cheek which she immediately wipes away.
Not knowing what to say, I decide not to say anything. Instead, I reach across the sticky, leather seats and give her hand a little squeeze.
‘Anyway, that’s enough of all that crap. Driver, pull over. I need a drink.’ And just like that, Erica was back.
Chapter 28
Bursting through the hotel room door, I am still on a post shopping high and perhaps a little more intoxicated than I was an hour ago. That last glass of fabulous fizz is now bubbling around my very full bladder and I really need to pee. Dropping the many bags down at the edge of the plush bed, I make a dash for the toilet.
After flushing and wiping, I skip back into the bedroom to find a puzzled looking Oliver standing over the mountain of bags.
‘Well someone had a productive day.’ Scooping me up into a huge bear hug, he nuzzles his warm face into my neck and I breathe in the lovely sun lotion scent.
‘I did! Very productive! What did you guys get up to?’ I tuck my hair behind my ears and sprawl out on the bed, glad to be finally off my feet.
‘We had a not so productive pool day, but we did manage to book dinner reservations and top up our tans before my parents abandoned me for the bright lights of Cancun. You haven’t already eaten, have you?’
‘I actually haven’t.’ I reply, choosing to ignore the Cancun comment. ‘We did drink a lot of drinks and buy a lot of stuff though. Wanna see?’ Reaching down to the floor, I grab the bags and tip them upside down onto the bed. The lavish fabrics spill out onto the duvet in a beautiful display of vogue.
‘Wow! You really abused that plastic! Does it still work?’ Laughing, he picks up the amazing Dior dress and raises his eyebrows at the hefty price tag.
‘Not my plastic, Erica’s plastic.’ Grabbing the dress from him, I jump up and run over to the floor length mirror.
‘Wait a minute. Erica bought you all this stuff?’
‘Yes! Obviously I refused at first, but she was really persistent! We had our nails done, cocktails, everything! She’s incredible! I have never met someone so generous!’ I gush.
‘You hardly know the woman, why would she spend all this money on you?’ Crossing his legs, he begins putting the clothes back into the bags.
‘To be honest, I don’t really know. She did tell me that LP had an extra marital affair though. I think she is still a little sore about it. I get the feeling that she spends his cash as a way of balancing out the score in a weird sort of way.’
‘Affair?’ Oliver’s brow furrows as he cracks his knuckles.
‘Yes, can you believe it? Around five years ago, LP had an affair with some celebrity woman and it was widely covered by the press. Erica was distraught and went down to Dallas for a few months to escape the chaos. Apparently it didn’t take LP long to realise the error of his ways and he flew down there to beg for forgiveness. It seems they lead a pretty crazy life.’
‘So, did she tell you any more about the time she spent in Dallas?’ Oliver asks.
‘Not really, just that she did some modelling to make ends meet. Why?’ I grab a couple of bottles of water from the fridge and toss one to him.
‘No reason. Do you not think it’s in bad taste to help a woman spend her husband’s cash in some kind of tacky revenge plan?’ His voice is low and he looks a little annoyed.
‘Listen, if someone wants to buy me a Dior dress, I’m not going to complain too hard. Now, what time are we going for dinner, I need feeding.’
Shaking his head, he reaches for his phone before heading out to the balcony. ‘I’ll check with my parents, Dad made the reservation.’
As he wanders outside, I slip the beautiful new garments onto hangers and pop them in the wardrobe. Maybe it was in bad taste to let her buy these for me, but if that’s how she wants to spend her money, who am I to stand in the way? Confident in my decision to accept the expensive gifts, I flop back down on the bed.
After all the excitement of today, I could really do with
a night in front of the television with the entire room service menu to feast on. The idea of getting showered and restaurant ready is a little too much to take right now. My eyes are starting to become heavy and before I know what is happening, my arms reach down and pull the sheets up to my tired shoulders. This feels like heaven right now. I don’t even think I would move if Ryan Gosling asked.
‘Clara? Clara, are you awake?’ Oliver’s voice stops me from slipping into a sleepy oblivion.
‘No.’ I reply, not moving a muscle.
‘Unfortunately, my parents have missed the bus back from Cancun. They won’t be back in time for dinner.’
‘Oh, no. What a shame.’ Secretly relieved, I lift my head off the pillow and peel open one eye. ‘What do you want to do then?’
‘To be completely honest, I’d rather fire up that jacuzzi and order room service. I’m beat.’ Crawling under the covers, he snuggles into the pillow. ‘Would that be all right?’
‘That would be perfect. Just make sure to order the brownies, lots and lots of brownies.’
9.12pm
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Membership Renewal
Hi,
I would like to renew my gym membership with immediate effect.
Thank you in advance,
Clara Andrews
Chapter 29
‘Another brownie?’ Oliver holds out the near empty plate and I push it away sharply.
‘I’m seriously finding it hard to breathe right now. I have eaten way too much.’ Hiccuping, I push myself up onto my elbows and reach for the wine. Tonight has been just lovely.
After a delicious, two hour long nap, we took great pleasure in ordering a truck load of food from the room service menu and even greater pleasure in devouring every last bit. I must have consumed a week’s worth of calories in one greedy sitting and as a result I am suitably stuffed.