by Angela Peach
Oh, and they were carrying very large gardening tools.
They saw us and waved, smiling broadly. We waved back and they headed over.
"Sweet jesus, is that a pitchfork?" Gray whispered and I stifled a laugh.
"Oo-aarr, me hearties, tather ye been?" Jazz said in a loud voice as we got out to welcome them. The laughter I'd stifled escaped.
"I have no idea what you just said, but I'm pretty certain it was part pirate" I said, giving her a warm hug.
"It is so good to see you darling! I've missed you so much!"
"I've missed you too!" I whispered back, inhaling her familiar perfume. All of a sudden, I felt nostalgic and homesick for her, and I hugged her tight.
"Oh Ali-bar, how have you been?"
I couldn't answer. I felt a surge of emotion course through me, disabling my vocal cords. My eyes welled up and I clutched her to me tightly, unable to control myself.
This must be what they mean by 'opening the floodgates.' Damn you Darcy and whatever it is you've done to me!
Jazz, bless her, held my head against her shoulder, pretending like I cried on her all the time.
"You guys catch on up, we're going to the ladies for five" she said, casually manoeuvring me round so they wouldn't see my teary face. Then she guided me through the station and into the toilets.
"What's happened?" she asked, concerned.
"What? What do you mean?" I tore a few sheets of tissue off and blew my nose.
"Ali, you and I both know that you've never cried in public before. So what is it? Did you get more news baby?" She softened her tone as she studied me intently. I shook my head, but I could feel my bottom lip jutting out to betray me.
"I'm just so happy to see yooouuu" I wailed, dissolving again. I caught the shocked look on Jazz's face before she threw her arms around me.
"Bloody hell! This country air's softened you up good and proper. Come here!"
"I don't know what's…what's wrong with m…me!" I managed between sobs, hiccoughing. "I just seem to…to be crying…ALL the time!"
"When did you start?"
"When will it stop?"
Jazz got me some more tissue, then studied our reflections in the mirror. Her hair was more of a mucky blonde than mine, and hung straight between her shoulder blades. She had what Darcy probably meant by winter blue eyes. They were an icy, clear turquoise, and I knew they'd reduced many to a quivering wreck. But right now, they were full of nothing but love and compassion.
"Oh sweetie! I don't know what to say. I wish I could make all this better for you, but I can't. I can't even promise that it'll get any easier."
"It's just so unfair." I splashed some cold water on my face, but stayed with my head hung over the edge of the sink. "Why? Why didn't we think about having kids before?"
"Because in the city, we always leave stuff like that for tomorrow, and tomorrow never comes because there's always something that pops up to distract us." She softened her voice. "Do you remember how I put off going to visit Shelley for months, and then she was in that car accident? I still beat myself up over that now."
I straightened and turned to look at her.
"That's because the last time you saw her you called her 'smelly-Shelley', and informed her that Rob would never marry her if she continued to dodge the soap" I said. Jazz tilted her head at me and smiled regretfully.
"And I've had to live with it on my conscience ever since" she said softly. I couldn't help it. I laughed.
"Only because she refused to ever speak to you again! She only broke her arm in that accident!"
"That's not the point darling, is it? What was the point again?"
I laughed again, snotting at the same time. She recoiled in horror, laughing as I attempted to wipe it away. This was one of the many reasons I loved Jazz so much! Her incredible ability to distract. It was a skill she abused as much as possible in the courtroom (I remember she told me once how a witness had royally messed up after she winked at him slyly. He'd been so thrown, he'd forgotten his own statement! When I later asked her if it hadn't been unprofessional, she'd dismissed it with a wave of her hand and said, "Professional-shemessional. If he'd been telling the truth, he wouldn't have messed up!")
"Thanks, Jazz. It means a lot to me that you're here" I said, trying to regain my control as a couple of ladies came through the door.
"Me too. Now let's go get jacked on some cheap scrumpy cider and go cow tipping!"
The elderly lady next to me turned to Jazz sharply as I burst out laughing again, then I took my best friend's arm and we left the toilets with her singing Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man at the top of her voice.
Her best country voice, of course!
"I just think a samurai sword is not only far more practical, but economical at the same time. You'd never run out of ammo, and you can control what and where you hit" Chris said, pouring another whiskey in his glass.
"I'm with you all the way baby, but I'd go more for a machete than a samurai. They're far easier to wield and carry around, and you can have one in each hand" Jazz lay back into his embrace and he kissed the top of her head. "That way you can kill two at the same time!"
"That's my girl."
"But you have to be so close to them to have any sort of effect with those. At least with a gun you can keep distance between yourself and them" Gray said, looking at me for support. I sighed.
"I'm sorry, darling. I've got to say I'm with them. I'd much rather be packing a razor sharp machete than a shotgun! What if you missed? What if you took too long to reload? What if you run out of ammo?" I patted his arm softly. "A gun just isn't practical."
We were in the middle of a very serious discussion regarding the best way to escape and survive in the event of a zombie apocalypse. When it had started, Jazz had dragged me to the kitchen on the pretence of bringing in more wine, and filled me in.
"It's his latest 'thing'. He started watching all these zombie films and freaking out cos we live in the middle of London. Apparently, we're hot on the list for being first to die! Last week I came home from work, and guess what was hanging on the bedroom wall? A fucking samurai sword, Ali!"
"Seriously?"
"Mm-hm! He's booked himself in for some big motorbike test thing, because that'd be the best way to escape out of the city, and he's even looked up these zombie survival courses!"
"They do zombie survival courses?"
"Oh yes! And on the way here, he tried to casually bring up taking flying lessons."
"What? Why?"
"To fly out of the UK and find somewhere safe to live, why else?"
I stared at Jazz in disbelief as she perused the wines in our fridge.
"Wow. He's er, he's really taking this seriously, huh?"
She turned her head and gave a wry smile.
"D'ya think? Honestly, I wouldn't put it past him to decide he wants to move out here with you guys, the way he was ranting about it being safer in the country, especially by the coast."
I tried to hide the hopeful look that flooded my face, but she saw it anyway and groaned, dragging me back into the lounge.
We'd all eaten a good meal earlier and were now just enjoying an evening drink. Everyone was relaxed and the conversation turned to reminiscing about old times.
"Doc, Ali told us you'd booked your holiday. I thought you said you'd never go back to Thailand after what happened?" Chris said, a sly smile on his face.
"Nope! Never been. You must be thinking about someone else?" Gray said firmly, blushing a deep red. Jazz and I looked at each other, then Gray.
"You never told me you'd been to Thailand, darling!" I said sweetly, and he smiled at me nervously.
"That's because I haven't. Darling."
"Jazz, do your thang!" I said, then sat back to watch gleefully.
"Doc, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. I'm giving you the option cos I like ya! But the hard way is way more fun for me!" she teased, narrowing her eyes playfully at him. They stared each oth
er down for a long minute before, with a sheepish smile, he shook his head. He knew she would win, one way or another.
"I may have gone when I was about nineteen, and there may have been some hideous rumours about what may or may not have happened. But I don't remember any of what may or may not have happened!"
Jazz continued staring at him, an almost dreamy expression on her face.
"He's lying, Ali! He remembers everything that happened"
"No, I was incredibly dr…"
"I know what you're going to say, and I'm going to call your bluff! You have a tell, Doc, and I know when you're lying to me! Are you challenging me?" Jazz beamed, loving every second of it. We all held our breath as he tried to decide whether or not to continue bluffing, and I made a mental note to ask her later what his 'tell' was!
"Okay, so maybe I remember some of what happened!" he finally admitted, before turning to Chris, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "I don't know how you got away with that watch story buddy, but I'm genuinely impressed!"
Our heads snapped round to look at Chris. Jazz stood and walked slowly back to her boyfriend, sitting casually on his lap before focusing her gaze on him. He became visibly nervous. The 'watch story' was infamous! Jazz had bought him an extremely expensive Rolex for his birthday a few years ago, which Chris claimed had been stolen in a random mugging, and she'd always had her suspicions about the truth behind this. She tilted her head at him, almost in the same way a predator eyes up its prey moments before devouring it! I held my breath excitedly!
"Honey! This evening is getting more interesting by the second!" she trilled joyously.
"Um, well, funny story actually! I'd rather tell you later, in private?"
"Oh no, I'm sure Ali would love to know!"
"Yes, I'd love to know!"
"And I'll only tell her later anyway…"
"She'll only tell me later!" I confirmed, thoroughly enjoying myself.
"…but I might exaggerate the facts slightly if I do, so you'd not only be saving me the time and effort, but holding onto your respect at the same time!"
Gray snorted.
"I wouldn't count on that!" he muttered, only to receive a warning glare from Chris who looked absolutely mortified at having to disclose whatever secret he'd kept hidden for so long.
"And besides, if you don't tell me, I know someone who will" Jazz continued, turning her blue eyes to look at Gray. "With the right amount of persuasion!"
Gray, who obviously thought he'd been let off the hook, smiled sadly at Chris.
"Sorry mate. I think she'd break me! You'd better tell her!"
"Alright, alright! I'll tell you. But I'm going to whisper it."
Jazz put her ear next to his mouth, and after a moment's hesitation, he started whispering into it. Her eyebrows lifted and she looked at me, amused. When he'd finished, he sat back and swigged some whiskey.
"And that is the god's honest truth."
At that moment, my mobile started to ring and everyone turned to stare at it, including myself. I think it was possible we all knew it would be Darcy calling, because the only other people who called my mobile were sat here in this very room! I blushed as they looked at me expectantly.
"Well? Aren't you going to answer it?" Jazz asked, smirking. I snatched it up before she could.
"Hello?"
"Alison! Thank god you answered!" came Darcy's enthusiastic, and very loud, voice down the phone.
"Why? Is something wrong?" I tensed at the urgency in her tone.
"Yes! I'm out having an awesome evening, and you aren't here! You need to be here, like half an hour ago!"
"Oh. I'd love to, really I would" I lied. "But I'm afraid our friends from London are here."
"So? Bring them along too!"
"I really don't think they would want to. I mean, they spent all day travelling and…" I stopped as the phone was taken from my hand by Jazz.
"Hello, is this the lovely Darcy I'm talking to?" She paused, listening, then laughed. "Why yes! I most certainly am the City Girl! So what's going down? Is there a barn dance shanty the whole village is attending?" She covered the receiver, looking amused. "She thinks I'm funny!" she mouthed to me, while still listening to whatever Darcy was saying. I strained to hear, but couldn't make out any words to which Jazz punctuated with "mm-hm" or "absolutely" or "sure", but at the end, Darcy must have said something interesting because she turned to me with a look of pure amusement. "Oh I most definitely will! Okay, lovely chatting. Bye, darling!"
I almost didn't dare ask.
"What did she say?"
"Well, she informed me that it would be criminal for us to miss this night out, and that she's going to text you the address of the club she's in so that we can order a taxi. If we aren't there in an hour, she's going to personally come and fetch us herself! Oh! She also said, and I am quoting here, to 'tell Alison to wear that adorable blue dress that's in her wardrobe!' I think I like this girl!"
I hid my face in my hands as Chris and Gray laughed.
"Ali, what are you doing? Come on! Chop chop! We've only got twenty minutes to get ready!"
I looked at Jazz in horror as she pulled me up.
"We're not actually going!"
"You heard the girl! She wants us there! We'll leave the men to catch up while we go out with the girls!"
I dragged my feet all the way to the bedroom, complaining good naturedly, while Jazz got excited about her night out in Hicksville, as she called it. While she rifled through my wardrobe, she made me order a taxi, then text Darcy to let her know we were on our way. By the time I was done, she'd already pulled out a few dresses.
"So, what's with the whole 'Alison' business?"
"What do you mean?" I asked coyly, knowing full well what she meant.
"Oh come on, Ali! You haven't let anyone call you Alison since you were a teenager! Because it was what your sister and mum used to call you?" she added, as if there was a possibility I'd forgotten.
"Darcy calls me Ali as well" I lied, realising that within five minutes of being with her, Jazz would know I was a bare faced liar, if she didn't already.
"Hm." Yes. She already knew. "So, is this the adorable blue dress she was talking about?"
I looked at the extremely short, powder blue dress she was holding out and nodded.
"I think so."
Jazz went back to looking through the clothes, casually asking,
"How does she know what's in your wardrobe, Ali-bar?"
I wasn't fooled. Just because she had her back to me, I was not going to be lulled into a false sense of security! I knew from her over relaxed manner, and eagerness to meet Darcy, that her senses were on high alert, listening for afflictions in my tone, waiting for me to give out more information than I would normally intend! My friend was clever, but I was onto her! As casually as I could, I gave her a brief run-down of the day the car broke down, and by the time I'd finished, she was pulling on some tight black trousers to go with a sexy off the shoulder red top she'd found. She still hadn't looked my way yet, listening carefully to my tale, but when she finally did, she looked like she had all the information she needed.
"Weird. How you never thought to mention any of this to me before. Makes me wonder why? I mean, it's not like you're hiding anything from me, is it Ali?" she asked in a sinister voice while suddenly peering into my eyes.
I should tell her now that I gave Darcy a car. And that I'm incredibly attracted to her and that I've been thinking about kissing her. Shit! She probably already knows! Jazz? Are you in here? Are you reading my mind?
She narrowed her eyes at me as I drew my head back away from her and laughed nervously.
"I think Darcy and I are going to have an interesting chat later!" she promised, finally smiling. I punched her arm playfully.
"You know you freak me out when you do your courtroom gaze on me!" I admonished.
"Like I always say sweetie, if you aint got nothin' to hide…"
"Yeah, whatever. Come on, the
taxi'll be here in ten minutes, help me pick some shoes" I said, firmly changing the subject. She let it drop, for now anyway.
Before we left, I spritzed some perfume on and checked my reflection in the mirror for about the twentieth time, then tottered with Jazz into the lounge in our four inch heels (which took her to an intimidating six foot three inches!) Both Chris and Gray stopped talking.
"Er, wow! I'm not so sure I like the idea of you going out now!" Gray said, his eyes nearly falling out of their sockets.
"Me neither!"
"Well, I guess we could stay…and discuss how a certain expensive watch…"
"Have a lovely night ladies, and stay out as long as you want! Get hideously hammered, enjoy yourselves!" Chris interrupted, attempting to give Jazz a kiss on the cheek. She didn't bend down for him, and it looked quite comical seeing him try and reach her heady height.
Gray said goodbye to me, and as we were draining our glasses of wine, there was a knock at the door signalling the arrival of our taxi. We hustled outside, and I was surprised to find I was actually quite excited!
It took just over half an hour to get to the club, and there was only a small queue when we arrived so we pretty much walked straight in. Jazz asked me what Darcy looked like.
"Um, dark hair, brown eyes, same height as me, attractive" I answered, being a tad vague as I scanned the room for her. I saw her almost instantly though and waved, but she'd already seen us, obviously waiting for us to arrive. "That's her. She's on her way over" I shouted above the music, suddenly feeling horrendously nervous. Jazz followed my gaze.
"Are you talking about the insanely attractive girl with ridiculously long legs in that gorgeous black dress, that's talking to the cute Tom Cruise lookalike?" she asked.
"Um, yes."
I watched as Darcy listened to something the guy had to say, then she shook her head and smiled, pointing at us as she said something back to him. Then she carried on walking over, leaving him watching her wistfully as she weaved through the throng of clubbers. She stopped in front of us, letting her eyes wander appreciatively down my body.
"Alison, you look amazing!" she gushed before giving me a hug and kiss on the cheek.