“I think you do more than just work in cosmetics Jas.” I said digging for more information.
“And what makes say that?” she asked.
“We are being chauffer driven to a ball in the middle of nowhere in a Bentley. Plus you spent over two grand on me today without breaking a sweat and from what I have seen so far everyone rallies around you like you are royalty.” I pointed out.
“Does it matter?” she asked still evading the question.
I thought if it did matter and I realised it didn’t, I couldn’t care less what she did for a living. She was amazing and it was her I wanted.
“No.”
“Well put your mask on, smile for the cameras and let’s try to have fun because we are here.” she said looking out of the window.
When I followed her gaze and saw the red carpet and photographers I nearly had a heart attack. This was nothing like I am used to.
“It is not what I was expecting Jas.” I admitted.
“It never is.” she said quietly.
This was unreal, after we had our photograph taken Jas was pounced on by the other guests; they all knew her and it made me jealous. Some guy was talking to her while giving the once over; I would bet my last pound he was gay. I gathered from their conversation that she didn’t normally come to these events with a date, which cheered me up.
We were finally sat at our table when people began stopping by to talk to Jas, she had told me they would, she looked at me as if to say I-told-you-so and I smiled.
When she said she donated five million pounds last year I nearly fell out of my seat, it was obvious she had a lot of money but to hear a donation that large was staggering and she was blasé if she was going to match it this year.
By the time dessert had been served I was piecing information together I had heard and I was getting the impression she owned a cosmetics company rather than just working in cosmetics.
“So you own a cosmetics company?” I asked her.
“Yes.” she replied.
This women was infuriating, she wasn’t giving anything away.
I was glad when she wanted to leave extra early, I knew she was as bored as me, I believe she only came to show her face, it was all business where ever she went.
It shouldn’t have surprised me she wouldn’t be one to stand in a queue to get into a club but it did.
I knew she was nervous about going to the club however much she tried to hide it. It made me want to protect her. She had opened up slightly about her fears and I intended to keep my promise and make her feel safe. Also having Henry warn me on the sly to look out for her, I didn’t want to get on the wrong side of him.
We had the owner of the club serve us our drinks personally, - that must have been what Henrys phone call in the car was all about – the amount of times I had been in this club and not even see the owner yet Jas comes here and she has the owner at her beck and call. I watched the way she was with him, it was like he was a pain in her ass, and she dismissed him like an errand boy. I didn’t miss the small smile playing around her mouth as the owner retreated to the other end of the bar.
“You like acting like that don’t you?” I asked her over the music.
“I don’t act.” she replied and for some reason I believed her, “Let's dance.”
She pulled me onto the dance floor and began moving her body, it looked like she was perfect at everything she does, I couldn’t help but remember her without her clothes on, I pulled her closer to me no doubt she could feel how much I liked her dance moves.
“You’re killing me here.” I shouted in her ear over the music.
“I know.” she replied smiling up at me, as I was leaning down to kiss her Jase flung his arms around us both,
“Hey, you made it.” he said, he was drunk already.
I pushed him away leaving Jas Jase free, I rubbed her arm soothingly letting her know I was here.
“Yeah we have been here a while, who else is here?” I asked him, I felt Jas tense in my arms.
“Everyone, come on, we are over here.” he said leading us to a table on the other side the club.
“I don’t know if I can do this.” Jas said stopping nervously.
“Of course you can, if I survived that ball you can do this, you know them Jas.” I said pulling her towards everyone.
Everyone greeted me as soon as they saw me then stared at Jas. I think if I didn’t know this lot I would be nervous too but she did know some of them, she just didn’t remember them.
“Guys, this is Jasmine Collins, remember?” I said to everyone, well everyone who knew her back then.
They all got up and those who didn’t know who she was introduced themselves although Kelly sat stone faced in the corner throwing Jas dirty looks, I didn’t think she would be here tonight. We had hooked up a few times, she had wanted more so I had fazed her out. I quickly moved Jas away from her, there was no way I wanted Kelly ruining this, whatever this is. Hayley was excited to see Jas again, she looked at me for help, I whispered Hayleys name in her ear to help her out, I don’t know if she remembered or not but she sat talking to her as if she did.
“Where the fuck did you find her CJ?” Jason asked.
I know he didn’t know Jas from before. It was plain to see I would have to keep my eye on him as he hadn’t taken his eyes of her since we got here.
“She is an old friend.” I said.
“She is gorgeous.” Zach chimed in too appreciating the view as Jas and Hayley walked over to the dance floor.
“Hands off guys.” I said making them laugh.
I let them get their comments out of the way occasionally telling them when they went too far.
I looked over to where Jas was dancing with Hayley, I couldn’t see Hayley but I did see Jasmines face while Leigh had his hands all over her. I didn't waste any time, I walked over and pushed him away.
“Hey man, hands of my girl.” I said. He held his hands up in surrender knowing I wouldn’t put with his shit and walked away.
“Thank you but I am not your girl,” she said.
“Until Monday morning you are.” I said tipping her chin up so I could kiss her.
The drinks never stopped flowing. Every time our glasses were empty another round would magically appear. Jas began to lighten up after a while probably due to the amount of shots of Sambuca she was downing not that I was complaining. She is a cute drunk. Normally when I am at a club I don’t dance much but with Jas it wasn’t so bad, with the added bonus of having her grind against my groin.
She had me totally taken with her, her promise of disappearing again had me feeling sick. I had only spent half the weekend with her and I never wanted to let her go.
We stumbled out of the club just before three am and somehow we made it back to the hotel, luckily it was a short walk. As soon as we were in her suite, I picked her up and laid her on the bed. She wrapped her legs around my waist taking my jacket off, she must have took the mask out of the pocket because she was putting it back on me.
“This turns you on Miss Collins?” I asked.
“You turn me on.” she replied kissing me again. What the hell, at this point I would do anything she asked me to.
CHAPTER FOUR
Part One…Jasmine
“Good morning Miss Collins.” Jenna said following me into my office the next morning.
Henry hadn’t said anything about the events at the weekend, I knew he wanted to but the don’t-you-dare look I gave him when he came to pick me up yesterday stopped him in his tracks.
“I have your schedule here and your coffee.”
“Thank you, can you get me a glass of water please.” I mumbled sitting at my desk, I had lost my tolerance for coffee.
I had two meetings, one conference call with the New York office and loads of paperwork to get through, just what I need to keep my mind off the man who had disrupted my life so much in forty-eight hours. The rest of the morning dragged on, I couldn’t wait for Henry to pick me up at
six o’clock.
“Jenna.” I called.
She was in my office in quick time.
“We will work through lunch today, I want these orders out by three o’clock. Have lunch ordered in.” I instructed her, she still stood where she was, “What?” I snapped.
“Um, what would you like to eat?” she asked quietly.
I really wasn’t hungry. I had also lost my appetite a couple of days ago. Rose wasn’t happy when I didn’t touch my breakfast this morning.
“Whatever you fancy.” I told her.
Right Jasmine time for work. For the rest of the day I dived into work and before I knew it, it was time for home.
Four days passed slowly, the tremors in my hands got slightly worse but I had stopped thinking about Christopher so much, mainly because I threw myself into work and didn’t give myself time to think about him and because hey, I have got life threatening issues taking most of my attention too.
Today I had an appointment at the hospital to see if the tumour had grown in the last couple of weeks.
“Would you like me to come in with you?” Henry asked after I made no move to get out of the car sitting outside of the hospital. There wouldn’t be any harm in him being with me but I wanted to do this myself. I was still under ‘watch and wait’ so I was hoping this wouldn’t take too long.
“Go and have a coffee or something.” I said.
He looked at his wits end with me.
“You don’t have to go through this on your own.” he said looking around at me.
“I will be fine.” I reassured him.
I hated coming to the hospital, it felt cold and sterile, full of sick patients or like me – dying. It is so depressing.
Deep down I knew what Dr Tate was going to say. I had been feeling worse lately. The headaches lasting longer, vomiting more than usual and sometimes I lost my sense of smell. She wants me to start Radiotherapy. I don’t recall much of what she said, I was once again stunned at the reality that I am going to die. She was clear I should make my decision as soon as possible, what is the point I thought? However, I told her I would be in touch and left the hospital in a daze, steered into the car by Henry. He drove me home, I didn’t recall seeing any builders working on the extension when we arrived, I made a mental note to have Henry see what I was paying them for if they weren’t here. As soon as I was in my bedroom I broke down – again, it was time I admitted to myself I am struggling, this wasn’t fair. I had built up Jasmine Enterprises from nothing. I took out lesser cosmetic companies and have a workforce of over twenty thousand people, now I was being taken away from it all. One of my fears is having nothing but this wasn’t about being left with nothing though, this was a situation I can’t fix and it would be me who is nothing. The word incurable kept popping up in my mind, my sobs came hard and fast, I couldn’t stop them. I didn’t want them to stop. Before I knew what I was doing, my vanity dresser had nothing on it, my perfume bottles and lotions were scattered all over the floor. I didn’t stop there, every piece of clothing came of their hangers in my walk-in wardrobe, and stacks and stacks of shoes came tumbling down. Sliding down to my knees my cries were raw and full of pain. I had no energy for anything other than to lie in the heap of discarded clothes on the floor.
Sometimes when people found out they were going to die, they went out and tried to achieve their dreams, do activities they wouldn’t have got around to doing under normal circumstances but do when faced with the prospect of your life is going to end. I had the money to do anything I wanted to do before I leave this world but the thought of it made me feel empty. However, something that is priceless is that I should go and see my mother. It shouldn’t be too hard for Henry to track her down in one of the three pubs she drinks in everyday. Another mental note made, I will visit my mother, and perhaps she does deserve to know her only daughter isn’t long for this world.
My thoughts returned to my to-do list, apart from my mother being added to it, was complete. I had no wishes to for fill, and my will had been changed, everything was settled. It dawned on me laying on the floor I had nothing left to do apart from wait for the tumour to invade my body to death. I didn’t want to prolong it by doing the radiotherapy, there is no point in dragging out the inevitable. Another mental note made, tell the doctor – no radiotherapy.
I don’t remember falling asleep, although I will never forget the quickness of the sickness setting in. As I made a dash for the bathroom I fell as my legs gave way. I don’t remember screaming but I must have as Henry came running into my room and picked me up. Just because my body gave out on me didn’t mean the vomiting stopped, oh no, I vomited all over myself and as of consequence of Henry helping me, I was sick on him too.
“Bathroom.” I tried to instruct him.
He carried me through and placed me on the chair by the sink. He scanned me up and down to see if I had caused any damage to myself, I hadn’t, not from the fall anyway. The vomiting subsided and after sipping a glass of water my stomach began to settle again. Silently, Henry ran me a bath. My chest restricted me at his thoughtfulness.
“Do you want me to get Rose to help you?” he asked bending down before me.
“No, I am feeling okay now, I tried running to the bathroom but my legs went from underneath me.” I explained.
He didn’t say anything immediately. I could see the worry etched into his face. This is what I didn’t want, I don’t want people looking at me like he is now, oh no, Jasmine needs help – she can’t do this on her own.
“I am worried about you, you are doing too much.” He finally said. I felt a tear betray me and fall down my cheek, I hastily wiped it away and stood up.
“I will be fine, I don’t need anyone’s help. Be ready with the car in one hour.” I said before dismissing him. He reluctantly left.
I laid soaking in the bathtub longer than I usually would have done, luckily I didn’t go mad on my drawers so my jeans were easy to find, I quickly got dressed and met Henry by the car, he didn’t say a word.
As he pulled onto the main road I asked him to take me to my mother, he knew where she would be, I may not have seen her for years but I kept tabs on her to make sure she was doing okay. I used the silence of the car ride to think about what I was going to say to her. No doubt she would be shocked to see me, the last time we saw each other was when I walked out just before my seventeenth birthday and never went back.
Looking back, the arguing could have been avoided, after my parents divorced my mother was a wreck. I got away with everything, I started drinking, smoking, and not going to school, all from an early age. I pretty much done anything I wanted to do. On occasion when she got herself sorted she would try to lay ground rules, like I was going to listen. I pushed the boundaries until I burst through them and I lost any kind of relationship I had with her. All my life I had to look out for my mother and my father when he was around, so when I got a piece of freedom from her, I loved it.
When my parents split up I used it to my advantage and did what I wanted to do but that didn’t stop me from being there to look after my mother when she couldn’t look after herself from drinking too much.
Both of my parents had tried to make contact with me over the years but I kept them afar, assuming they would want a piece of my fortune. My father died six years ago of liver failure, nobody informed me, I found out six months after his death.
“Have you got any cash on you Henry?” I asked him.
I didn’t want to be pulling out my purse with shiny cards in front of my mother, she would think it was Christmas. He handed me fifty pounds, I raised my eyebrows at him.
“How long do you think I am going to be?” I asked him, laughing for the first time in days.
“You never know.” he simply said. He was probably thinking my mother would ask for some money while I was here, she knew I had done well for myself but I don’t think she knows the true extent at just how well I have done, “I will wait here” he said making himself comfortable.
>
“Thank you, and thank you for earlier.” I said.
I took a deep breath and walked into the pub, I was immediately hit with the smell of stale beer, I didn’t have to look far for my mother, she was perched up at the end of the bar chatting to the women working behind the bar. My mother used to be beautiful when she was younger with her long dark hair and slim figure but the years of alcohol abuse and smoking had not been kind to her, she looked older than she is and harsh looking. I slowly walked over and sat beside her.
The women behind the bar who looked like she really didn’t want to be here stared at me like I didn’t belong here, the feeling was mutual, I didn’t.
“Look who it is, I heard you were back in town.” My mother spat, at least she still recognised me.
“Hello mum.” I said confidently, I didn’t want her to see my weaknesses.
“When did you get back?” she asked.
“Eighteen months ago.” I told her honestly.
“You’re looking good but then being rich will do that to you. What do you want?” She asked, non-too pleased I was interrupting her drinking time.
Good question, what did I want? A mother who loved me and has not been drunk for the past twenty odd years?
“I have something I need to tell you.” I said not knowing how to begin.
“Well it must be important for you to finally grace me with your presence, I only gave birth to you but what does that count for these days?” she said taking another sip of her vodka and tonic.
This was going to be harder than I thought with her being drunk already.
I ordered my own drink, pulling a twenty from the wrap of notes Henry had given me, my mother snorted as if I were showing off.
“Well, what do you want?” she asked again.
I was going to tell her but the mood she was in I didn’t think she would have cared.
“I thought I would see how you were doing.” I said cowering from the truth.
“I am just fine darling,” she said sourly, “You don’t see me for twelve years and then you turn up and ask me how I am doing?” she spat.