The Amberdown Chronicles Pt. 02

"S'pose that's a yes then. Oh Mel, I've not been to one of Josie and Izzy's soirees for so long. Come on girl, tell all!"

Mel grinned. "You'll just have to wait, lover girl, but my Induction was everything Beth told you about. Talk about both ends burning! After we've supped and dined I've got a cut and blow for Evie Franklin at three. But I'm off after that, so I'll be straight up to yours and you are taking me upstairs to the Panic Room. There's about six years of pent up lust screaming to find its way out. Suffice to say, I am back on a modified diet of my old Three C's!"

Gina looked at Mel hard. "Oh, Taylor - you're not getting back into drugs and smoking again? It nearly fucking killed you last time!"

Mel took a sip of wine. "Champagne is still part of the deal, but coke and cigs have been replaced by things that are euphemisms for penises and vaginas. Much healthier and I am so fucking happy, I could lie on my back and spit chips!"

Gina was about to respond when Jen flounced in. "Hello ladies. Just had a very satisfying fitting. Left me quite famished, it has. Let's go eat!"

Mel looked at Gina. "Sounds like she's already eaten to me!"

Jen was beaming. "Oh I have Melanie darling and it was so delightful!"

Mel held her hand out, all four fingers and her thumb showing. "Go girl! Are we celebrating number five?"

"No, darling but it was a glorious revisit with number four. Josie Napier-Jones will be number five... in two days time."

Gina looked at Mel. "Oh shit. Then she'll need to keep herself well conditioned. Come on girls, we need to fatten this one up!" At least Mel could now concur, having had the pleasure of Josie's company a few nights ago. Her titties were still tingling from her introduction to nipple clamps. She just hoped she'd go gentler on Jen than she had with her.

It had been the best fun, though.

Gina was tempted to order Jen a t-bone steak as a joke, but she knew Josie could put aside her feral leanings and be gentle with her. Jennifer Caldwell was in for the time of her life once JN-J got down and nasty with her.

As the meal came to an end, Gina poured the last of the wine and raised her glass. "To Girly Lunches and all who sail in them!"

Mel clinked glasses, but Jen drained hers without toasting the other two. "I'll pass if you don't mind. This being my last Girly Lunch and all."

Gina and Mel looked at her incredulously. Mel spoke as Gina for once seemed incapable of responding. "Jen, what the fuck? Joke, yeah babes?"

Jen regarded them both with a solemn look. "Sorry girls. It was great while it lasted, but you've changed the dynamic. It has always been three friends; now it is Gina and Mel who are so fucking obviously an item and poor old Jennifer, the closet lessie. It can never be the same." She looked from one to the other shocked face. "Don't try and deny it darlings - it's as plain as the noses on your smug little faces. And probably in the wetness of your dirty little fairy cups. But I'm much too refined to think of your sopping wet cunts at the moment. Finger each other under the table if you must. I'll be in the bar, but if you join me, I'm not sure I'll have anything more to say to you two."

As she scraped her chair back it made a horrible noise on the restaurant floor. Heads turned as the tiny woman took a deep breath and left her two friends staring at each other open-mouthed and incredulous.

Gina and Mel didn't know how to react. They were both mortified. They decided to give Jen time to hopefully calm down. After ten minutes of almost complete silence they finished their wine and walked through to the bar, hearts pounding in their chests.

Jen was sitting in their usual spot. She was gazing out of the window as they approached. She completely ignored them.

Gina tried to engage her. "Jen, darling... please...?"

Jen remained staring out of the window and held her palm up towards them.

Gina whispered, "Talk to the hand, eh?"

Jen's demeanour never changed, but she whispered herself. "Fucking right, Harcourt. Spot fucking on. Hand. Talk. Talk to that, not to poor old Jen. Just her hand."

Mel was almost in tears. "Jennie, come on, what-"

"Don't fucking Jennie me. Both of you sit down and shut the fuck up. I don't care what order you do it in. You can shut the fuck up first and then sit down. I don't fucking care. Just do both in either order. Couldn't fucking care less."

Gina stared at Mel. Her lovely blue eyes were misted over and Gina was getting close. This was not how it should end. As they sat down mutely, Jen finally turned her head from the window but still she would not acknowledge them. Her outstretched hand beckoned to Gerard behind the bar. He hurried over with an ice bucket and a bottle of champagne.

Seemingly oblivious to the tension in the group, he fussed around as ever, trying not to give Gina a meaningful glance, for which she was grateful. "Ladies, may I?"

Jen looked at the gorgeous Frenchman. "Thank you Gerard, that would be lovely." Her voice was flat and she implied that lovely was the last thing it was going to be.

There was silence as he popped the cork and poured three glasses with a flourish. He had served them so many bottles, he knew them better than to ask if they wanted to try it. "Enjoy, ladies!" He gave Gina one last look, but she ignored him.

Jen raised her glass. "So, to the end of an era then. The last Girly Lunch. I don't know whether to feel angry, betrayed or let down. Probably all three actually." She casually flicked her glass against the other two, still on the table, and took a deep gulp.

Mel and Gina looked at each other and shrugged, still close to tears. They both picked up their glasses and took a token sip but it tasted sour.

Jen sat back in her chair and hung her head. Her shoulders began to shake and Mel made to hold out a hand but Gina stopped her. It took a lot to make Gina cry, but she felt herself welling up.

It took a moment, but suddenly she realised Jen wasn't crying. She was laughing. She started to make funny little squeaks and her shoulders began to shake even more violently, her hand trying to cover her mouth. She was shaking so much that the champagne began to bubble up and pour down over her hand. Cackling like a woman possessed, she slammed the glass down on the table, shaking the drops off her fingers.

"Oh you two; the looks on your bloody faces. Where's a camera when you need one? So fucking gullible. Oh Lordy, I love you two silly cows so fucking much it hurts. Let's do this properly this time..."

If Gina and Mel were bewildered before, they were utterly clueless now. Wide eyed, they looked at each other as Jen wiped her streaming eyes, scared to think what was coming next.

Jen looked at them both. "Come on then - pick your bloody glasses up!"

They did as she had bid and Jen clinked her glass against each of theirs. "Here's to a thousand more Girly Lunches with the best friends anyone could wish for. And here's to you two getting it on at last. About fucking time, girls. About fucking time!"

Before Gina and Mel could react, she drained her glass.

"Righty-ho then. Unless you want to really see me angry, tell all darlings. Every last detail. I've taken the afternoon off and Gerard has been told to keep replenishing that ice bucket."

She grinned up at her two best friends and poured herself another glass. "At the risk of repeating myself... About. Fucking. Time!"

She held her hand out and waved her outstretched finger between Gina and Mel.

"Ok then, no pressure... who's going first? Eenie meanie miny mo..."