Gut Feeling (11 page)

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

A
sh 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?’

‘Umm, bit excitable but nice girl. Ibiza should be fun.’

‘Oh my God, Ash.’ Gemma slipped out on to the wooden balcony. ‘The music plays in the loo, this place is bloody fantastic.’

‘Here drink this—get pissed,’ Jules handed Gemma a glass of wine, smiling and whispered in her ear, ‘Come out with me some time and I’ll show you some nice places.’

‘So the party’s out here, is it?’ Leon burst through the french doors. ‘Right. Sit, sit—let’s play some drinking games.’

Ash protested, offering to be official adjudicator as she had work the next day. Rachel and Gemma both sat without a minute’s thought while Jules seemed to glide over, then take her place, contemplating on whether or not to participate in Leon’s immature pastimes or side with Ash and play an observer role while in her case getting quietly sloshed.

‘OK, fine Ash, be boring. Jules you in?’ Leon topped up her glass.

‘No honey, I’ll just watch.’

‘Oh Jules, please
play
,’ Gemma pleaded.

‘It’s OK. Once she’s drunk she’ll be making the games up for us.’

‘I will do no such thing, Leon, but yes I may join in later after I’ve wet my throat.’

Leon winked at Gemma.

‘Right so what are we playing, game man? And remember, I don’t have work, nor does Gem, so unlike some we can pretty much beat you at your own game, so to speak.’

‘Is that so? Rachy darling. Let’s see about that then… Umm how about a game of “I have never”?’

‘How does that work then?’ said Gemma.

Leon took the lead in explaining before Rachel had a chance. ‘Someone will say “I have never”, and say something they have or have never done, then if you have never done it, you simply take a large mouthful of your drink and that means you have never done what they are asking.’

‘Oh God, Gem will get
so
drunk,’ Ash wailed.

‘No I won’t. I get it, so if I say have you ever—’

Leon raised his hand. ‘Wow wow, save it girlfriend, don’t be giving away vitals as an example. We know how to play and you may just need that “I have never”.’

‘Go easy on Gem,’ Ash chipped in quietly to Leon but both Gemma and Rachel overheard.

‘Gem you know what you’re doing, don’t you?’ Rachel asked plainly.

‘Yep.’

‘You’re an adult, aren’t you?’

‘Yep.’

‘Good, then no problem.’

Ash looked at Gemma, smiling naively at her.’

‘OK, all I’m saying is Gem has been married for the last few years and may not have—’

Leon raised his hand again. ‘What? Done dirty shit? Shagged around like us lot? She’ll be fine—we won’t just ask questions about sex—well, not for the first two questions anyway.’

‘I’ve done dirty shit,
and
I’ve played a game like this before called ‘Liar Liar’, so don’t you worry, sunshine. I think I know how it works. Come on, let’s play’. Ash pipe down and stop worrying. ‘I’m good, honey.’ Gem smiled at her.

Jules topped up Ash’s glass, laughing at her as she observed her instincts to mother people.

‘OK, let me go first,’ Gemma volunteered. ‘I have never…’

They all looked on, waiting while she thought of a question.

‘I have never… Um had sex on the beach. Ha ha I like this game.’ Gemma took a large sip, waiting for everyone else to do the same, but no one drank apart from her.

‘Told you,’ Ash whispered to Jules—this time so that no one could hear.

‘OK, I’ve got another,’ Gemma beamed. ‘I have never… er… become a member of the Mile High Club.’

They all laughed, everyone apart from Jules taking a large gulp from their glasses.

‘If you were playing, Jules, you would have been the only one not drinking in that round,’ Leon flashed his winning smile in her direction.

‘Jules,’ Rachel breathed in sharply.

‘What? I fly a lot. Get back to your game.’

Ash kept a watchful eye on Gemma as she drank after every question asked, but it was no use trying to intervene and after the third bottle of wine was opened, Jules joined the game, beckoning Ash to follow.

It was late and Ash had been tapping away on her mobile, texting Dave for the last thirty minutes, arranging for him to pick her up. He had been working late on a job and wanted to know if he could see her. She didn’t see why not and felt flattered that he would like to meet her. She agreed that he could stay on condition that he took a shower. He immediately replied in agreement, but only if Ash showered with him. Ash waited a modest five minutes before sending her reply.

ok but only if

u rub my back x

Within seconds Dave responded…

I’ll rub more than your back.

Leaving now x

Ash put her phone away and grinned at Jules.

‘Is he coming to get you?’ Jules asked, stopping the game with her question.

‘Yeah in ten.’

‘Who?’ Gemma looked pale-faced.

‘Who do you think? Rach, where did you find this one? She’s as quick as a tortoise in a marathon.’

‘Leon, you leave Gem alone—she’s a bit drunk.’ Rachel tried to focus. ‘And so am I, so pipe down.’

‘Play on play on, let the party pooper leave if she wants. There’s plenty more wine in the kitchen.’ Leon waved a dismissive hand.

* * *

‘Bye, Sid,’ Ash waved at the concierge desk. She couldn’t see him but knew he was there, hunched over, trying to sleep and hoping no one would notice, not realising that the majority of the residents knew he spent most of the night sleeping. They didn’t mind as long as he woke to the sound of the buzzer.

‘Ugh… what? hello? what? . . . who? Oh right, yes, bye, see you…’ Sid waved as Ash flew out of the large glass doors and on to the pavement. Looking left and right, she spotted Dave’s van a few buildings down from where she stood.

‘Hi,’ Ash smiled, sliding into the van and kissing Dave.

‘Good night?’

‘Yeah it was—my old school friend Gemma was there. She came back with Rachel to live with her. Her husband did the dirty on her so she’s coming with us to Ibiza.’ She paused to take a breath. ‘They were all playing a drinking game and poor Gemma was getting so drunk.’

‘You don’t have to leave if you don’t want to. I don’t mind going back in with you,’ he said, seeing how excited she was.

‘Ah thank you but really it’s so late and I’ve got work tomorrow. Anyway, hadn’t we better get back for this shower?’

‘Only need to tell me once, babe.’ Dave put his foot down and drove off into the orange-lit streets of London.