by Lily Morton
However, this is making Noa’s mood steadily deteriorate even more and her scowl would put Medusa to shame. I don’t like her and she has never made the slightest attempt to be pleasant to me and has even been downright horrible most of the time, but I do feel slightly sorry for her. I’ve tried moving away from Charlie but he’s having none of it. I’ve tried including her in the conversation but she just sneers at me, and I’ve tried looking to the guys for help but they seem positively jubilant about the situation. It’s uncomfortably tense and there’s still that strange undercurrent from Charlie and Sid towards Noa. They seem watchful and almost like they’re waiting for something, and when Charlie’s mobile rings it makes me jump, earning me an eyebrow lift from him before he moves away to take the call. When he comes back I see him exchange a loaded glance with Sid who lowers his head and lets out a deep breath that I wasn’t aware he was holding.
“Who was that Charlie?“ asks Noa, running one of her long fingernails down his thigh, but she gasps when he catches her hand and removes it firmly and insultingly to the table.
“Nothing you need to know about that‘s for sure,“ he says tersely and her face hardens. Her mouth is open, I’m sure, to insist on an explanation when the lights go down and the awards start. I turn away quickly because it’s almost embarrassing, and concentrate hard on the ceremony and then I feel a warm hand sliding down my thigh. When I look up Charlie winks at me and gives me a comforting knee squeeze and I relax a little.
The atmosphere is brilliant with some outstanding performances. Beggar’s Choice aren’t performing to my disappointment, but Charlie had explained earlier that they wanted to see how it went with Sid, rather than committing him to a major event. To my joy the guys win both of the awards that they’re up for and I’m clapping like mad when they go up to accept the one for ‘Best Song Writing,’ but it’s then that the situation takes a rapid turn for the worst. After the others have expressed their thanks to their various loved ones, Charlie takes his turn at the microphone.
“I’d really only like to thank one person tonight and that’s my girl.” he smiles charmingly, and I feel Noa sit up straight and turn her good side to the camera nearby as Charlie carries on. “She’s amazing. Every artist needs to experience a few honest emotions if he wants to write music about them, and so I’m thanking her for helping me to write about happiness. So Mabe, thank you babe.”
The room echoes with cheers while I sit frozen next to Noa, trying not to look at her while she makes a sinister hissing noise like a snake.
Oblivious to the storm of shit that is about to engulf him, Charlie meanders back to the table with his award, stopping every few seconds to shake people’s hands or exchange kisses. When he finally reaches us he drops the award in front of me with an almost insulting look at Noa.
“There you go love,” he says. “That’s all yours.” I don’t quite know how to react to that. I know what I want to do and that’s snog his face off, but I really don’t want to make any sudden moves in front of Noa who is now swaying slightly like a cobra about to strike. Also, the speech would have been more touching if it wasn’t such an obvious fuck you gesture towards Noa. To be on the safe side I move slightly to get out of her line of fire.
Slowly she turns to face Charlie who, admirably or foolishly, looks distinctly like he couldn’t give the smallest of fucks. “How dare you,” she hisses.
“How dare I what?”
“How dare you thank that woman in that manner when I am sitting here. How dare you not mention me in your thanks. Have you nothing to thank me for after everything we’ve been to each other? Am I to be embarrassed in this manner?”
Charlie leans forward but now his smile is colder than I’ve ever seen before. “Really? I should thank you Noa. What in our brief eighty four day relationship should I thank you for? Oh, I know. How about you fucking Stefan the photographer on your last shoot. No? Okay then, how about the threesome you had with that model and his friend, or the multiple random hook ups that you have every week? Oh, I know,” and here his voice is like an arctic wind. “How about the fact that you tried to sell a story to a journalist yesterday about Sid’s tragic overdose and stint in rehab, how he has no one in his life and how you’re nobly helping him?”
Noa makes an abortive gesture and Charlie laughs. “Oh don’t worry babe,” he says, the sarcasm ripe in his voice. “You haven’t managed to screw up Sid’s life. I know how worried you’ll have been about that. That phone call I just took was from a journalist who happened to owe me a favour. Sid and I just promised him an honest account of everything which he preferred to do, because frankly yours smacked a bit of libellous bullshit.”
Noa wrings her hands slightly, but it’s the only sign of agitation she shows as apart from this she looks as cool as a cucumber, even faced with the wall of hostility coming from all the men now.
“How do you know all this Charlie?”
He laughs, and he sounds genuinely amused. “I know everything baby.”
Then she shifts tack so seamlessly that it’s eerie. A gentle smile spreads across her face and she leans seductively into him. “I didn’t know that you would be so bothered Charlie. I’m so sorry for upsetting you. The story, well it was just good publicity, and I was sure that you played the game.” Charlie leans back from her in disgust and she grabs his hand. “As for the other men, well that’s not my fault because I just thought that we had an open relationship. They mean nothing compared to you. We can start again I know we can. We have something between us.”
“Oh, I’m not bothered babe,” he says in an utterly laidback sort of fuck you style. “After all if I actually gave any kind of shit about you I wouldn’t have been able to fuck her over there, and her, and her.” At this point the guys and I must look like spectators at Wimbledon as our heads move back and forwards between them, as Charlie points out two well-known actresses and another woman that I’m sure was a porn star. From Seth’s impressed look I think I might be right. “So, no Noa, we can’t start again because we never started anything in the first place.”
Letting loose a stream of what sounds like Spanish obscenities she gets to her feet, and attracting some amused looks, she reaches out and slaps Charlie’s face hard. “Bastard,” she hisses and stalks off, followed by her beleaguered assistant.
For a second there’s silence at the table and then Charlie stands up and gives a very theatrical bow to the smiling spectators who promptly hoot and holler. Sitting down he drains his drink in one go and smiles at us. “Hasn’t her English come on well?“ he says deadpan and we all stare at him. “Well that’s done anyway,” he adds happily. “Shall we fuck off to the pub now? Mick and the others are there at the moment.”
“Fuck yes,” comes the reply and we all get up and scarper, or rather they scarper. I move a bit more slowly in my heels holding onto Charlie’s arm aware of a camera pointed at us as we go.
When we get into the car silence descends for a second, and then I reach across and pat Sid’s leg. It’s a bit of a reach because Charlie edged me into the side of the car next to him as soon as we got in. “Are you okay honey?” I ask gently.
“I’m fine Mabe,” he says and I’m glad to hear how firm he sounds on that. “I never liked her so it’s not like I’ve failed in my bullshit detector.” Charlie stirs and Sid snorts. “Yes mate, I’m afraid that pussy interfered with your radar.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time Sid.”
“Let’s hope it’s the last now.”
“It is, you know that.”
I interrupt this cryptic conversation by saying sniffily. “I’d like to say thank you for that speech Charlie, but I don’t see any point as it wasn’t really aimed at me.”
He turns a face full of incomprehension towards me. “What?”
“You heard me. Surely you could have just done a normal speech without dragging me into your desire to score over Noa.”
Bram shifts uncomfortably across from us but Charlie ignores him. “
I was always going to say that,” he says indignantly, and I snort which makes him lean into me almost threateningly. “Yes, I was. I meant every word in that speech Mabes. In fact I’ve owed you that for years. I should have said it a long time ago so that’s on me. But now I’m feeling that I might keep saying it. Noa had fuck all to do with it.“ He pauses for a second. “Although looking back on it her face was fucking priceless.”
The men laugh and I stare at him for a second as I have absolutely no idea what is going on in this beautiful, complicated man’s brain but I know I have zero chance of working it out so I give up and change the subject.
“Well, I can’t believe she did it. How could she do that to you Sid?”
“Not every girl is like you,” Sid says sadly.
“There are plenty like me. You just don’t find them in a mosh pit or with their tits hanging out outside the stage door.”
“Damn, that’s my dating pool gone then,” mutters Seth from the front of the car and the others snigger.
“Are you really going to do an interview about everything?”
Sid stirs. “Yes I am,” he says thoughtfully. “At first I was horrified. You know me, I’m quite a private person, and I felt a bit embarrassed by it. I mean it’s such a cliché isn’t it - a rocker overdosing. I’ve never heard of that before. But when I got to think about it, she actually did me a bit of a favour.”
“How do you work that out?”
“Well at least this way people can see that I’m healthy again, and I don’t know, maybe it’ll help other people to quit if they see that I can do it.” He tugs his ear the way he does when he’s embarrassed.
“I think that’s good Sid,” says Charlie quietly, and in a way that subtly tells me to drop the subject now.
“So are we going to the Red Lion then?” Bram asks.
“Yep, Mick and Viv are there already.”
The Red Lion is the pub that was on the same street where we grew up. We did all our underage drinking there, the band’s first gig was in their function room and Charlie even swears that he lost his virginity in the car park. Ray the landlord insists that one day he’ll put a plaque up to that effect but it hasn’t happened yet. Anyway, it has a special part in the lads’ hearts and they can often be found in there, mainly due to the good beer and the fact that people know them so well that they tend to leave them alone and not leak stories to the press.
We pile out of the taxi and stand there taking breaths of cool air and then I look down at my dress and their suits and start laughing. “Do you think we might be a bit overdressed?” I snigger.
“Who fucking cares,” says Seth, which I suppose sums it up.
However, as we pile into the pub Ray, who’s behind the bar, starts laughing and then he comes out and does what he obviously thinks is a courtly bow twirling his hands around theatrically. “Aym sorry,” he says in a dreadful impersonation of a posh person. “Ay didn’t realise that we would be welcoming royalty to my umble abode. Please come in yer majesties and pardon my forgetfulness in not rolling out the red carpet.”
“Twat,” says Charlie affectionately and slaps him on the back.
I sway past him. “Thank you my man,” I say. “Be at ease now.”
“Fucking hell Mabel love, is that you?” he says. “I thought it was Rita Hayworth.”
“Who?”
“Never mind, you infant. London Pride boys?” The boys all nod, making their way past him towards Mick who’s standing on his chair wolf whistling.
“Vodka and tonic for Mabes as well please Ray,” says Charlie, and then picks up his pace to catch Mick who flings himself off his chair and into Charlie’s arms like something from ‘An Officer and a Gentleman‘.
“Debbie Harry,” he shouts, wrapping his legs around Charlie and smooching him. Charlie promptly drops him and scrubs his hand across his mouth. “Jesus, Mick,” he moans. “That’s too much you prick.”
“I’m more man than you could ever take, that‘s for sure,” he says, hugging the other boys as they settle at the table with the drinks that Ray is bringing over. Then he spots me. “Mabel my love,” he drawls and then grabs me and drops me into a low swoop. “Show Mick some love honey.“ He then proceeds to cover my neck in kisses while I shriek. He stops and smiles at me. “You look fucking lovely babe. Where’s Manuel?”
“Stop it,” I say warningly, and then relent. “Charlie ditched her tonight,” I whisper.
“Did he indeed?” he says, exchanging a glance with Sid and then he shoves his head, I kid you not, into my breasts, and motorboats me making obscene noises. I shriek and try to push him off but I’m forestalled by Charlie who calmly punches him in the side and when he lets me go with a groan, appropriates me and sits me on his lap. I look around, embarrassed for some reason at this show of affection. I don’t know why, because I’ve sat on his lap in hundreds of bars, but this time just feels different. However, to my relief no one seems to be paying any attention to us except for Mick who’s smiling at Charlie in a knowing way. He always has liked to grab me because he says it’s the only way to get a real reaction from Charlie. “Are there not any spare chairs?” I whisper to Charlie as he hands me my drink.
“Nope,” he says popping the ‘p’ and grinning at me, looking so happy he almost looks like a small boy. “That’s your place now Mabes so get used to it.”
“Well, if your knees get numb it’s your own fault,” I say taking a sip and getting lost in his eyes.
“It’s not my knees that’ll get numb,” he mutters, and for a second he seems to get lost on my mouth as I lick the vodka from my bottom lip. His eyes darken and I gasp softly when I feel him harden underneath me. He shifts slightly and I wait for him to make a joke like he would normally, but instead he just keeps looking at me and then he smiles. “Get used to that as well,” he mutters. “That’s all yours too,” and before I can reply, which to be honest I don’t think I have the brainpower to do, he turns back to Mick who’s having an earnest conversation with Sid about the pipe leak at his house. He’s making arrangements to go round and quote him on repairs and I can’t help but smile at him. He caused the leak and now the cheeky sod’s getting paid to fix it.
“Shame on you,” I mouth at him, and he grins unrepentantly.
“So, Mabes,” he says. “Are you ditching Debbie Harry here and making a play for me with all your sexy new togs.”
I smirk at him. “Mick you look like you’ve just stepped out of a Jackamo advert with those clothes on. How could I ever be good enough for you?“
Charlie laughs out loud. “He really does,” he says wonderingly. “You actually look like you’ve got the whole fucking catalogue on tonight.”
“We can’t all be pretty boys Charlie boy. Some of us real men have weight and gravitas.”
“Does that include that beer belly?” drawls Charlie, poking Mick’s rotund tummy, and then they’re all off, insulting each other.
I turn around slightly and then smile widely as I see Viv coming towards me.
“Babe,” I say, holding out my arms to her. I do actually try to get up but Charlie’s arm tightens.
“No,” he mutters in a slightly panicked voice. “Stay there.“ I look at him querying. “If you get up now the others will get a good, close up look at a really happy crotch,” he says, and I burst out laughing. Then Viv is here and leaning down to hug me tight.
“Sweetie,” she says. “You look absolutely amazing and that dress is made for you. I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages. You going to meet me for coffee, cake and a gossip soon?”
I nod. “Definitely babe, I miss you too, but it’s been so busy.”
“I can see that,” she says, looking pointedly at Charlie who promptly puckers his lips up at her, requesting a kiss. Laughing she smooches him. It should be pointed out that at this point all the men have sat up straight and are waiting for her attention. This is because Viv’s gorgeous and always has been. Slender but with just the right amount of curves, she has a mane
of chocolate coloured shiny hair and almond shaped, pale brown eyes. At some point I think everyone here, apart from Charlie, has made a pass at her but here’s the thing - they’ve all been set back. Viv doesn’t date in the entertainment industry. She had a very tumultuous childhood and her father has effectively ensured that his daughter only dates very staid, successful and steady men who happen to be as boring as hell.
Seth leaps up straightaway and they exchange a close hug before he gives her his seat next to me and goes to fetch another one. I watch them and as normal there’s a spark there when they touch, like electricity in the air. He’s the only man I’ve ever seen her with that she has this reaction to, but he’s not only a rocker and a man whore but he’s also led a feckless life since he was a teenager. This makes up a whole lot of negatives for her and I think this is a real shame. They’ve become very good friends now but I still have my hopes because together they’d make a stunning couple.
The drinks flow and our table gets rowdier and rowdier but the pub has emptied now, and Ray has joined us so there’s no need to regulate our behaviour. Charlie’s in his element because everyone here has known the band since the early days and can be trusted, and I feel a bit sad that he has to exist so much in a world where he has to be guarded. I nestle into him and talk animatedly to Viv about her plans for her new flat and a holiday she’s planning, while Charlie chats to Mick and Bram, but even though he seems absorbed in the conversation I feel his attention fixed on me like a string to a balloon.
Eventually, talk turns as it usually does to the early days and all the hilarious things that happened and soon my stomach is hurting from laughing so much.
“No, no,” says Mick loudly. “The funniest has got to be that party we went to at Brandon Wilson’s house when that record executive offered Mabe that coke he’d lined up on a CD case.”