MADE IN ESSEX

by Laura Ziepe

  Finally, Neil managed to switch off the tape. But it was too late; the damage was done. There were stunned faces everywhere. One lady even had her mouth hanging wide open.

  Adele swallowed hard, her face burning. Her voice was light and she gave a little laugh, trying to pretend this was all a big joke. ‘Donna, I …’

  ‘Get. Out,’ Donna demanded through clenched teeth. ‘I don’t want to speak to you. In fact, I don’t even want to look at you ever again. Goodbye, Adele.’

  Adele gave another little laugh. ‘It’s a joke, I swear! Don’t be like that.’ She turned to Neil who was standing there, looking extremely awkward. ‘Neil, tell Donna it was a joke.’

  Neil flushed, bit his lip and looked at the floor.

  Aaron stood up. ‘It wasn’t a joke, Adele,’ he said tetchily, ‘you did try to kiss me.’ He glared at Adele.

  Everyone in the room gasped in horror, making Adele hang her head in embarrassment.

  Aaron looked down at Donna. ‘Darling, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.’

  Donna nodded as though she understood and held his hand.

  Adele threw her hands up. ‘I really think that you’re all overreacting. Donna, please,’ she begged, looking at her. She wanted Donna to say it was okay like normal. Why wouldn’t she even look at her? Or at least give her a chance to explain?

  ‘Leave,’ Donna said stonily, not even looking up.

  ‘Oh, whatever!’ Adele said, rolling her eyes, trying to appear unfazed, when deep down she wanted to cry. As she walked back to her seat to fetch her bag, her face was so hot it felt like her head was about to explode. Adele was shaking with shock and mortification as she walked through the room, past all the tables filled with disgusted faces staring right at her. As she made her way to the exit, the last horrified faces she saw were Jade, Kelly and Lisa’s.

  Adele called a taxi and the minute she hung up the phone, burst into tears. Well, she’d really gone and ruined her friendship this time, hadn’t she? As she sobbed and searched for a tissue in her bag, she realised she’d actually just lost the only true friend she’d ever had.

  CHAPTER 21

  The wedding had been amazing and Jade had really enjoyed herself. She was still astonished about the performance with Adele right in the middle of the best man’s speech though, and she, Kelly and Lisa had spoken about nothing else all day.

  ‘I just can’t believe she had the nerve, babes,’ Kelly had said earlier that day. ‘I mean to try it on with your mate’s boyfriend is just unbelievable.’

  ‘She gets worse and worse,’ Lisa said, raising her eyebrows.

  ‘That was so embarrassing when the recording wouldn’t stop. I was cringing for her! Poor Donna,’ Jade said.

  ‘I think Donna is a hundred per cent over it,’ Kelly giggled and nodded in her direction.

  Jade and Lisa joined in the laughter as they spotted Donna on the dance floor, laughing her head off as she danced to ‘YMCA’ with Aaron.

  ‘That’s a good thing then,’ Jade said, with an amused smile, ‘I wanted to cry for her earlier.’

  ‘God, me too,’ Kelly said, flicking her hair behind her shoulder. ‘Food was gorge too, weren’t it? The only thing I didn’t like was that cartier stuff.’

  Lisa almost spat out her champagne. ‘Do you mean caviar, Kelly?’

  ‘Yeah, that stuff. What is it again? Fish poo did you say, Jade?’ Kelly questioned.

  Jade burst into laughter. ‘Fish eggs, you dope!’

  The three of them stood there laughing and Ben came over and asked if they wanted another drink.

  ‘He’s hot, Lisa,’ Kelly said as Ben walked to the bar to get them three more glasses of champagne.

  ‘I know,’ she replied, blushing.

  ‘He must really like you to invite you to a wedding as well,’ Jade grinned. ‘Glad you finally met someone you like. We’ll have to all go for dinner as a trio with our boyfriends soon.’

  ‘Oh my God, shut up!’ Kelly gasped, opening her eyes wide. ‘That’s like, the best idea ever, hun! I love that we’re all in love,’ she enthused with a friendly smile.

  ‘Whoah, don’t know about love for me just yet, I’ve only just met Ben!’ Lisa laughed.

  Kelly’s mobile started ringing and she walked off to a quieter spot to answer it.

  ‘I bet it’s Billy,’ Jade said to Lisa, just as Ben approached them with new drinks.

  ‘Thanks Ben,’ Jade and Lisa chorused.

  A few moments later, Kelly came running over to them, waving her phone in her hand. ‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!’ she said breathlessly. ‘You’ll never guess who that was!’

  Jade was puzzled and judging by Lisa’s and Ben’s bemused expressions, they were in the same boat. ‘Who?’ she asked, anxiously.

  ‘We’ve won an award! Remember we entered that magazine competition for best new start-up businesses a few weeks ago? That was a lady calling to give us the good news that we’d won! Vajazzle My Bikini has won and they want to write an article about us and our collection! A two-page spread!’ Kelly replied, in a high-pitched, excited voice as she jumped up and down.

  ‘OMG, you’re joking?’ Jade said in disbelief, hugging Kelly.

  ‘Girls, that’s amazing news!’ Lisa chimed, joining in the hug. ‘I’m so proud of you both!’

  ‘Well done girls, that’s great,’ Ben agreed, clinking glasses.

  ‘Listen girls,’ Lisa hesitated and Jade and Kelly stared at her. ‘I wasn’t going to tell you this until tomorrow when we go for lunch as I wanted it to be a surprise, but I’ve changed my mind and I want to tell you now.’

  Kelly’s eyes opened wide. ‘What is it?’

  Lisa beamed showing her beautiful white teeth. ‘I’ve been in touch at work with a lady that works for Morning Britain and they want you girls on the show to talk about your business! They’re going to show some of your bikinis on their models and they want you on there for an interview too!’

  Kelly’s eyes almost popped out of her head. ‘Oh. My. God!’

  Jade’s voice was an excited squeak. ‘Are you being serious?’

  Lisa nodded. ‘I’ve been talking to her for the last week and she thinks she wants you on either next week or the week after. Just imagine how many orders you’re going to get after being on telly!’

  Kelly was flabbergasted. ‘What on earth am I going to wear?’

  Jade laughed. ‘Kelly, trust you to worry about that! Lisa, thank you so much! I can’t believe this.’ She wrapped her arms around Lisa and squeezed her.

  ‘That’s okay. You know I’ll do anything to help you two out.’

  Kelly stared at Lisa thoughtfully. ‘Maybe you could model the bikinis on the show?’

  Lisa made a face. ‘Me in a bikini, on national telly? No way!’ She giggled. ‘I’ll be working anyway. I tell you who you could suggest though. What about Chloe? She’s modelling quite a bit now I’ve heard.’

  Kelly. ‘Deffo, babe. That’s a great shout.’

  Jade agreed; Chloe always looked stunning in their bikinis, with her enviable long legs, toned abs and perfect bust. Though Jade knew she’d have to run it past Sam first.

  Kelly turned to Jade with a serious expression. ‘I just want to say how happy I am that we’re working together on this business which is doing so well. I’m really pleased that I’m doing something other than just beauty. I feel like people are taking me more seriously now, you know?’

  Jade hugged her. ‘Kelly, you should be pleased with yourself. You’re fantastic at so many things that you don’t give yourself credit for. I’m so happy that we work together too and I wouldn’t swap it for the world. I’ll always take you seriously, you can count on that. I’m so proud of you.’

  Kelly grinned. ‘I do still come out with silly things though, don’t I?’

  Jade gave a throaty laugh. ‘Yes, all the time!’

  ‘We Are Family’ by Sister Sledge started playing and Kelly tapped Lisa, who had
begun talking to Ben. ‘Come on hun, it’s our song! Sorry Ben, I need to borrow her,’ she said, grabbing Lisa’s arm and pulling her to the dance floor. ‘Come on, Jade!’

  Ben smiled and started talking to a friend and Jade followed them to the dance floor.

  Kelly put her arms round each of them as she sang the lyrics, completely out of tune. ‘I love you girls!’

  ‘We love you too, Kel,’ Jade replied happily.

  Kelly sang the words of the song, her eyes closed as she danced. She looked at them both suddenly and Jade wondered if she was about to say something really important. ‘Seriously though, babes. What am I going to wear on TV?’

  EPILOGUE

  ‘What do you mean, she won’t take no for an answer? Just tell her it’s tough luck! No refunds,’ Adele told Libby and Megan firmly, losing her patience. Adele had decided to make more use of them, and now the girls, who had previously only helped with the sewing, also answered calls and emails from customers too. The problem was, they were constantly asking her questions so Adele might as well do it herself, she realised angrily.

  Adele closed her bedroom door to get some peace and quiet and lay on her bed. It had been about three weeks since Donna’s wedding and she hadn’t heard a word from her. Adele had texted her once, but she’d got no reply so she decided to leave it at that, not wanting to make a fool of herself and beg for forgiveness. If Adele was honest, she was gutted about her friendship with Donna ending; she always struggled to find girls to go out with now and had even resorted to inviting out Libby and Megan, who were only eighteen. They always jumped at the chance, knowing that Adele usually reserved tables and bought bottles of champagne and vodka. The week after Donna’s wedding, Adele had been feeling down, so to cheer her up, her dad had taken her shopping to the West End and splashed out. Adele had been dying to go out in her new designer wardrobe and truly believed that whoever said money didn’t buy you happiness, simply didn’t know where to shop. As she gazed at the gorgeous new silver Herve Leger dress hanging up, she couldn’t wait to wear it to the Essex Polo that day with Libby and Megan.

  ‘Adele!’ Libby called through the door.

  ‘What?’ Adele snapped, annoyed that she was being bothered again. Couldn’t she be left alone for five minutes?

  Libby opened the bedroom door cautiously, her hand over the phone so the person at the other end of the line couldn’t hear. ‘This woman wants to talk to the manager. She’s really irate.’

  Adele huffed and held her hand out, snatching the phone and making Libby flinch. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the earful she was certain she was about to receive.

  *

  ‘It’s such a shame about the weather, isn’t it?’ Jade said glumly to Kelly as she looked out the window at the pouring rain.

  ‘I know, babe. I’m so worried about my hair. I’ve just had it blow dried and it’s going to get messed up now! I mean, hair and rain just don’t mix,’ Kelly said irritably as she sprayed her hair with hair spray. She’d just given them an update about Billy and his business issues, and Jade had felt so sorry for Billy when Kelly explained the whole story. Billy hadn’t gone to the police, despite Gary betraying him in such a terrible way. Instead, Gary had just paid all the money back, as well as given up his share in the business. Apparently Gary was now in Dubai for the foreseeable future and Billy was running the business alone after promising he’d never have anything to do with Gary again. Jade couldn’t imagine ever being treated by her friends like that and was glad that Gary hadn’t managed to get away with it.

  ‘I love your dress, Kelly,’ Jade told her, admiring the sparkly, strapless number.

  ‘Thanks, hun. I saw it down Queens Road in a shop window in white and I just said if it comes in sequins or pink, I have to buy it. Turned out it actually had a pink sparkly version. Totes me,’ Kelly said, looking at herself in the full-length mirror.

  ‘It’s definitely you,’ Lisa grinned. ‘Don’t worry, just take an umbrella and your hair will be fine.’

  ‘I hope so,’ Kelly said nervously. ‘We’re going to the Essex Polo after all, and I want to look nice. I had to make the hardest decision ever today about whether to wear my hair curly or straight, the last thing I want is for it to go like a frizz ball.’

  Jade gave a light-hearted giggle. The girls were looking forward to going to the Essex Polo, like they did every year. The only problem was the rain, and where there was rain, there was mud. Girls dressed up to the nines at the Essex Polo and it was usually a nightmare when the weather was this bad. The huge marquees were in the middle of a field and about a fifteen-minute walk to get to.

  ‘I’ve got my wellies to wear until we get in the marquee,’ Lisa said, getting them out of her bag. ‘Then my Louboutins will be making an appearance when we’re inside. There is no way I’m getting them muddy.’

  ‘That’s such a good idea!’ Kelly said, excitedly. ‘I’m going to wear my Hunter wellies. Pink ones to match my dress, obviously. Jade, if you didn’t bring any, you can borrow my black ones.’

  ‘Thanks, I could definitely do with some. These,’ Jade said, holding up her new black Gina heels, ‘are not going anywhere near the mud.’

  ‘Don’t blame you, babe,’ Kelly said, shaking her head. She looked through her wardrobe for her wellingtons and huffed, throwing shoes around. ‘Sometimes, I just wish I had the girl from Clueless’ digital wardrobe. I can never find anything!’

  ‘You have so many clothes, Kelly. You just need to throw some out and make room,’ Jade told her, amazed how many items of clothing Kelly had crammed into her wardrobe.

  ‘Don’t be so ridiculous! There is no way I’m throwing any of this away,’ Kelly looked horrified at the thought. ‘Just say I need this top or these trousers one day?’ she questioned, pulling out two of the first garments she came across.

  Jade wagged her finger at Kelly playfully. ‘Kelly, is that a tag I see on that top? So, it’s brand new, never been worn, yet you made me go out with you to buy a new outfit for our Morning Britain slot!’

  Kelly looked away stubbornly, pouting. ‘I didn’t want to wear any of this. I needed something new,’ she said firmly.

  Jade and Lisa smiled at each other, both knowing how much of a shopaholic Kelly was and how she’d never change.

  After the girls had appeared on Morning Britain their website had been busier than ever and they were now considering hiring extra staff. The girls had also decided to expand and were now creating customised shorts, vests and kaftans as well as swimwear. It was so much fun and they’d even had some celebrities purchasing from them! Jade and Kelly had also surprised Lisa by telling her they were going to take her away for a long weekend to Ibiza, as a way of saying thank you for getting them on the show; they couldn’t wait.

  Thirty minutes later they were in a taxi on their way to the Essex Polo.

  Walking across the field was even more of a nightmare than the girls had imagined. There was thick, sloppy mud everywhere and no way to avoid it.

  ‘Urgh!’ Kelly screamed looking horrified. ‘A bit of mud went on my leg!’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Lisa laughed gaily. ‘At least we’re wearing wellies,’ she reminded her.

  Jade focused on walking, trying to keep as dry as possible, thanking her lucky stars it wasn’t raining as they made their way to the marquee. Finally, it was in sight. As Jade looked up with a smile, she came face to face with Adele and her heart sank. Not you again.

  ‘Girls,’ Adele addressed them smugly, her head held high. She was wearing so much fake tan she didn’t look that much different to the colour of the mud and her veneers in comparison looked even more ridiculously white. One hand was on her hip as if trying to block their path, while the other was holding a cigarette.

  ‘Oh what do you want, Adele?’ Kelly asked, flicking her eyes upwards with annoyance.

  ‘Can’t a girl say hi?’ Adele asked, adopting an offended tone. ‘I saw you on Morning Britain the other day,’ she announced. �
�It’s definitely true that the TV adds ten pounds,’ she sniggered, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

  ‘Just leave it will you?’ Jade sighed. She really wasn’t in the mood for this and would have been quite happy to just ignore Adele today.

  Adele opened her mouth to reply, but a young-looking girl tapped her shoulder. ‘Adele,’ the girl said wanly, her voice barely a whisper. ‘There’s another customer that keeps calling. I don’t know what to say to her,’ she explained, passing her a mobile.

  ‘Reem Bikinis,’ Adele answered the phone tersely.

  Jade, Kelly and Lisa went to walk past, but couldn’t help listen and laugh at how rude Adele was being to one of her customers.

  ‘There is nothing wrong with the quality of our bikinis, thank you very much.’ Adele paused, closing her eyes furiously as the customer clearly ranted down the phone. ‘How dare you speak to me like that!’ Adele spat. ‘I don’t need to put up with this from you!’ Adele hung up the phone, shaking with anger. ‘Libby! Megan!’ Her loud voice shrilled, making Jade shudder. The two girls were at her side in an instant. ‘Switch this phone off and don’t answer it again!’

  ‘Business going well?’ Kelly asked with an amused grin as they walked past.

  ‘I quit!’ Adele exploded, her eyes bulging so much they looked like they were going to pop out of her head. ‘The business is finished! It’s over!’ she practically screeched. As Adele went to march away, Jade couldn’t believe her eyes as Adele slipped straight over in the mud, falling on her back; it was like something from a comedy show. Jade, Lisa and Kelly bit their lips, trying not to laugh as they heard Adele screaming about the mud ruining her eight-hundred-pound dress.

  ‘Let’s go get a drink,’ Jade said, raising her eyebrows. All this drama, and the night hadn’t even started. Jade couldn’t deny that she felt her spirits lift; Adele had finally admitted defeat and quit her website.

  As she said cheers to Kelly and Lisa, Jade felt relief wash over her; the war was finally over.