“I don’t like hearing him talk about her like that.” I said trying my best to calm down.
“Christ, you have got it bad.” He said staring at me.
“Shut up. Let’s do some work,” I said walking away from him, I didn’t need him telling me how bad I had it, I knew I was in deep.
It had been ages since Jas had left the house; my mother had been on the phone asking why I hadn’t been round lately, when I told her about Jas she was relentless in nagging me to bring her round so she could meet her.
Jas looked like she wanted to run for the hills when I mentioned her meeting my mother but then she shocked me by agreeing. I doubted I would ever get used to her changing her mind so quickly.
“Mum this Jasmine Collins, Jas this is my mum Fiona Jenson.” I said introducing them.
“It is nice to finally meet you Jasmine,” My mum said, Jas stepped back beside me, I knew she was nervous, this was a first for us both, “Cor is that your car?” Mum asked. Could this get any more embarrassing?
“Yes.” Jas confirmed, as if anyone else parks an Aston Martin in our drive,
“You must be rich?”
“MUM!” I shouted, obviously this could get more embarrassing,
“She is alright,” Jas said to me, “I have done well for myself,” She said to my mother.
“Let’s go into the kitchen, when you said you were coming I cooked your favourite, I hope you like steak Jas?” She said walking into the kitchen.
I held Jas back when she went to follow,
“So far so good?” I asked.
“So far so good.” she agreed.
My mother had this crazy manic smile on her face when I pulled out the chair for Jas, if she kept this up I would take Jas and leave.
“It must be serious if you’re pulling out chairs.” Alex mocked me from the doorway.
“Hey little bro, how are you?” I asked getting back up to give him a manly hug.
“I am good CJ, this must be Jasmine?” He asked looking at her.
“Jas this is my little brother Alex.” I said sitting back down.
“Hi.” She said shaking his hand.
“You don’t remember me do you?” My brother asked. She looked to me for help but I kept quiet, apart from his current girlfriend he never was a hit with the ladies. Saying that, she didn’t remember me at first.
“We were in the same year at school, we had a few classes together.” He said trying to jog her memory.
“Sorry I don’t remember.” She said frowning.
“So easily forgotten little bro.” I teased him laughing.
“CJ stop teasing your brother.” My mother said serving our dinner.
“CJ tells me that you have known each other for years but lost touch, how id you meet again?” My mother asked her.
“We bumped into each other, literally, in the pub.” Jas replied. Something Jas said had my mother trying to remember something.
“That is where I have seen you before, your Lizzie Collins girl aren’t you?” She said. “I thought I recognised you, you came into the pub I work in about a month ago.” I felt Jas stiffen beside me, it seems my mother had met Jas after all.
“Um, yes that was me,” She said quietly. I moved my hand under the table and squeezed her thigh to help relax her again,
“She had a lot to say about you after you left. Is it true you own the Jasmine make-up range?” Mum asked.
“Yes.”
“Well I hope you treat my CJ better then you do your mother,” She said while I wished the ground would open up and swallow me immediately. I was about to tell my mother to be quiet but Jas spoke first.
“With all due respect Mrs Jenson you don’t anything about my relationship with my mother, if you remember correctly I wasn’t horrible to her. You only heard what she had to drunkenly ramble on about after I left, and I will bet it was along the lines of how I have left her with nothing, I am a letdown and I am no daughter of hers?” She said confidently that she was right.
“Pretty much, I am sorry, I should know better than to listen to a word she says.” I waited with baited breath to see if my mother’s apology would be accepted, it seemed it was.
Alex changed the conversation.
“How is work going?” He asked.
I hadn’t told him about the latest events,
“Interesting.” I said smirking giving him the look to say I would fill him in later. My mother was asking loads of questions about Jas, wanting to know her better. Then came the embarrassing storied from my childhood, I had had enough when my mother told her about the time I had dressed up in her dress and shoes, there was no explaining that situation so I threatened my mother with no grandchildren and she thankfully shut up.
The night was fun, we were so carried away talking, and none of us noticed the time until I caught Jas yawning.
“I should get you home.” I said.
“It is so late, where has the time gone?” Mum asked not believing the time herself,
We all got up from the table, while Jas helped my mum clear the table which I have never seen her do in her own home I took Alex outside to show him the car.
“Her memory must be shit, I can remember her. We used to have the same school friends and we sat at the same lunch table for five years.” my brother said agitated at Jas’s forgetfulness.
“Her life is completely different to ours, she has good reasons to block out her past, don’t take it personally little bro.”
“She let you drive this?” He said walking around admiring the Aston Martin.
“Crazy isn’t she.” I joked.
“She must be if she likes you.” He retorted.
I went back inside to see if Jas was ready to leave, I heard them talking still, I am ashamed to admit I eavesdropped on their conversation,
“Christopher means a lot to me Mrs Jenson.” Jas said, that was nice to hear.
“That is good to hear, I haven’t heard him be called Christopher for a long time. Please, call me Fiona.” My mum said. So she had my mother’s seal of approval. I walked into the kitchen before one of them could say something bad and ruin their opinions of each other.
“Are you ready to go? And I like it when you call me Christopher but you already know that.” I said wrapping my arms around her. My mother’s happiness at seeing me happy was too much to see, had I really come across that unhappy all these years?
“Make sure you bring her back,” Mum said happily.
“I promise,” I said walking over to give her a kiss, “I will let you know about tomorrow.” I said to Alex before we left.
“That went well, I like your mum.” Jas said in the middle of another yawn,
“She likes you too not as much as I do though,” I said kissing her hand.
“What are you going to let your brother know about?” She asked.
“He wanted to know if I was still going to his football presentation due.”
“Are you going to go?”
“If you come with me, it is no big deal.” I said not wanting her to feel like she had to come with me.
“Of course I will come,” She said smiling, “You have changed my life so much Christopher Jenson.”
“As you have mine Miss Collins.”
And she truly had, I couldn’t imagine my life without her now.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Part One…Jasmine
Christopher slept through his alarm the next morning. Well, I turned it off a couple of minutes before it was due to go off. He had been working so hard lately, mainly because of a reason I couldn’t tell him. I hadn’t slept well last night thinking of every possible outcome of us carrying on our relationship or whatever it is going on between us. I told myself one more weekend with him and then I will break things off, I relaxed at the thought of four more days together, and that I would deal with him when I had too. I got up quietly not to wake him and turned the laptop on, Jenna had been coping at the office, her daily reports showed as much. A few days away would be
welcome, and I bet Christopher would love to visit my villa in the South of France. I got excited at the prospect that I could show him a taste of my life. I left the bedroom quietly to track down Henry; I would need him to make sure everything was set in place. Next step was to track down Joe. I found him in his make shift office.
“Good morning Miss Collins.” He smiled broadly at me.
“Good morning Joe, I would like you to show me the progress on the extension.” I said.
“Right this way,” He said leading the way, “We have made good time on schedule, I am pleased to tell you we will be finished before your new deadline.” He said placing his hand on my shoulder, I stepped back out of his reach.
The outside of the extension matched perfectly with the rest of the house, just the way I picture it would be like. Once inside I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was exactly how I imagined it, the walls were up and ready to be painted, the pool had been half tiled.
“It is looking good Joe,” I said, “So if you are ahead schedule like you say, you won’t mind being a man down for a few days?” I asked.
“Favouritism ey?” He said smirking knowing we were together.
“Actually I meant you could all have a few days off, and if you happen to run into problems finishing the job I will allow a couple of days grace on the deadline. I am sure you would like to spend some time with your family?”
He looked flabbergasted.
“Yes I would, my wife keeps on at me about fixing my little boys bike.” He said. Imagine that, he pisses his wife off too, I would never have thought.
I started to walk back to the main house when he stopped me holding onto my arm.
“He is a good man Miss Collins, I hope you see that?” He asked. I did see that, I saw nothing but good in him.
“He is a grown man Joe, he can make his own decisions.” I said. There was no way I was talking to this man about my life.
“Is everything okay here?” Christopher asked walking towards us frowning when he saw his boss’s hand on me.
“Everything is fine.” Joe said releasing my arm.
“Joe was just telling me how well it is going here and how he is giving you all the weekend off.” I said smiling hoping Joe would keep his mouth shut and not contradict me.
“Really?” He said scrutinizing us both.
“Really, so I have had Henry make arrangements for us to stay in my villa in the South of France for the weekend, leaving after your football thingy.” I said taking hold of his hand.
“Okay, I will see you next week then Joe.” He said getting us away from his boss in case he changed his mind.
“What have you done?” He asked when we were back in the kitchen obviously nothing gets past him.
“I am sure I don’t know what you are implying Mr Jenson.” I said trying to hide my smile.
“Sure you don’t. So were off to the South of France?”
“Later tonight we are.” I smiled.
We spent the day shopping for something for me to wear, I wanted to look like I belonged and dressed in a designer dress I probably wouldn’t achieve that.
“So Henry knows where I live ay?” He said as Henry drove up his road, he needed to pack a case for the trip and his passport.
He wouldn’t let me buy him a new holiday wardrobe, although I did manage to buy him a pair of Rayburn sunglasses, I wouldn’t want him to damage his pretty blue eyes. He jumped out of the car to go and get his things.
“Are you feeling okay Miss Collins?” Henry asked turning around in his seat to get a better look at me in the back.
I must have been breathing too loudly, the pain was unbearable. I had been feeling a dull ache for the last hour but I didn’t want Christopher to worry so I kept quiet. I slumped across the backseat of the car; Henry got out and opened the back door. I couldn’t speak to tell him to give me a minute and that I would be fine.
“Tell me what is wrong Miss Collins,” He said pulling me back up into a sitting position.
The world looked like it was spinning out of focus, I couldn’t see properly. The nausea arrived with a sudden bolt to my stomach, it kind of took the limelight away from the pain in my head, and I leant out of the side of the car and vomited on the pavement.
“Where is your medication Miss Collins?” He asked frantically.
“Bag.” I stuttered, “Water.” I added, there was no way I was taking pills without water.
Christopher came running across the road, he could have taken a bit longer to pack, I would have been fine in a couple of minutes and he would have been none of the wiser.
“Jas what is the matter?” He asked side stepping the vomit patch, looking at Henry for answers too.
“Nothing is wrong, it must have been something I ate at lunch.”
“Jas, I am not stupid, you were fine when I left,” He said. Henry took his bag and put it in the boot of the car. I leant forward and rested my head on the back of the front seat.
“I told you there were things I wouldn’t tell you, this is one of those times. If you can’t handle that you might as well go back in.” I said.
I didn’t want him to leave but I had to say something otherwise he would have kept asking me questions.
“I told you I would take my chances so I will stay.” He said rubbing my back soothingly as Henry drove us home.
“You look…wow.” He said when I walked out of the walk-in wardrobe. I choose to wear a long white dress with a black and gold pattern all over it with my hair pinned to the side in loose curls. He was dressed simply in smart jeans and a shirt, it was a casual look but he looked gorgeous. Henry drove us to a golf course where the football thingy was being held with our luggage in the back ready for when we left for France.
I was glad I didn’t turn up dressed in full designer gear, as everyone was dressed near enough the same as I, although quite a few heads turned when we arrived in the Bentley. Alex was standing by the door waiting for us with I presumed was his girlfriend.
“You made it,” He said shaking his brothers hand and kissing my cheek, “This is Natalie my girlfriend, Nat this Jas, CJ’s girlfriend.” We air kissed and returned to our men’s sides. It was nice being associated as his girlfriend even if it weren’t technically true.
“How many cars do you have?” Alex asked eyeing up the Bentley.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you little bro.” Christopher joked.
The football presentation was being held in the bar area of the golf club, the tables had been moved to the sides of the area creating a small dance floor in the middle. There was a table at the front with loads of trophy’s stacked on it. We got our drinks and found a table, which happened to be next to some of the people who were at the club the other week.
“Hey man, where have you been,” One of them asked Christopher.
“Jase tells us you have been busy.” Another joked.
“Yeah, we can see why,” Someone shouted, “Hey Jasmine, how are you?”
It was Leigh, Christopher froze beside me, he was obviously remembering what I had told him the other night, oh please don’t let there be trouble tonight.
“She is fine.” He answered for me and turned his back on him.
“Hey, don’t let him get to you.” I said making him look at me as we sat at our table,
“Sure.” He said sipping his pint.
Leigh didn’t bother coming over to see what the problem was but he kept his eyes on me. Alex’s girlfriend turned out to be really nice, she worked as a teacher’s assistant in a primary school and had been with Alex for three years. She told me how their mother had been ecstatic to meet me and she thought I was good enough for her son where as her and Natalie didn’t get along that well. The presentation went well, we clapped and cheered when it was Alex’s turn to receive his trophy. When they finished the music came on and the lights dimmed, everyone was getting up to dance apart from us, I was content to sit in Christopher’s arms.
“We will have to leave
soon.” I said in Christopher’s ear.
“Okay, I will go and find Alex and Nat, are you going to be okay here?” He asked looking over at Leigh still sitting at the table next to ours.
“I will be fine. I am just going to go to the bathroom.” I said kissing him before I went to go find where the bathrooms were in this place.
The bathroom was empty when I walked in. The silence was beautiful. I don’t think my head could take much more booming base. I finished my business and when I opened the stall door Leigh was leaning against the sinks.
“What do you want?” I spat making my way to wash my hands. I wasn’t going to let him know how much I was freaking out on the inside.
“What have you said to CJ?” He asked.
“Nothing.”
“Why is he off with me then?”
“Maybe he has had enough of your charming personality.” I said sarcastically.
“I saw the way you kept looking at me tonight.”
“Your delusional Leigh.” I said truly believing my words if that is what he thought.
“I don’t think so,” He said stepping behind me. He turned me around so his face was in mine, his rank beer breath hitting my face at full force pushing me against the wall.
“Do you remember what happened last time you tried this?” I said trying to get my knee between his legs ready in case he kept this up.
“I am not going to give you the chance, I know you want me like you did all those years ago, you just don’t want to hurt CJ’s feelings.” He said planting wet drunken kisses on my neck.
“That is really not the reason.”
Once again he was stronger than me even when he is drunk, why didn’t I wait to pee at the airport? He pulled my dress down of my shoulder, snapping the strap. All my attempts of getting away from him were no good.
“OH MY GOD! Alex, CJ get in here now.” Natalie screamed standing watching what was unfolding when she walked in.
As Leigh pushed himself away from me the bathroom door opened and Christopher and Alex rushed in. He knew exactly what had been happening, he didn’t think for one moment before he had Leigh against the wall by his shirt.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He shouted at Leigh.