Fallen Down Under (Down Under #2) (12 page)

"The mystery woman, you know the
who is she
scenario. I'm guessing it wasn't his wife after all. I bloody hope it wasn't because I would have expected this conversation to have happened much sooner than now.”

"Oh, you mean Stella?" Her name leaves a horrible taste in my mouth. I hate the thought of that vindictive bitch being around Max while I'm gone, patiently waiting to try and sink her claws into him once again.

"Judging by that face, I'd say you're a huge fan?"

"Seriously George, she's bloody vile and I've never hated someone so much in all my life. She's just one of those faces that you just want to ram into a brick wall, when you just know it won’t do enough damage that you want it to, you know?"

"What's her deal in all of this then?"

"Seriously, I wish I bloody knew. She's supposed to be Max's PA yet I've never once seen her working while I've been over there. She just turns up whenever she feels like it for no apparent reason. In fact the only time I ever saw her there was when she was making my life hell or taking advantage of a fragile situation and chose that moment to make a pass at Max."

"Nooo..." George shouts before his hand flys up and clamps over his mouth.

"I'm telling you, she's a fucking fruit cake and she sure as hell wouldn't last two minutes with Jen around. Actually, speaking of Jen, how is she? I haven't gotten around to calling her since I’ve been home yet."

"I reckon she'll be pretty made up to see you actually. I think you've come back at just the right time." His face pales as he gives my arm a quick squeeze.

"What did you mean?" I ask, slightly confused. "What's happened? Is she okay?"

George glances at his watch before standing and reaches out for my cup. "I hate to do this princess but I've gotta get back to work."

"George Matthews!" I shout. "You best tell me what's happened right now."

"It's really not my place to say. Just call her okay? You'll understand once you've spoken to her." What the fuck. Surely nothing serious could have happened to her. I only spoke to her last week and she seemed absolutely fine. She's always the first to tell me if something's wrong.

I quickly stop in at Stanton's on my way back from lunch to let Tim know that I'm calling it a day but I'll be available on the mobile. It shouldn't surprise me that Amelia's AWOL again. Something really needs sorting about that. You can't run a business with people who are happy and willing to take the piss constantly. One thing I am certain of is that it needs nipping in the bud and fast. There is no way she would have acted like this while Mal was here and if Mal left Tim in charge then she shouldn't be acting any different.

I can't get what George said out of my head. When I come to think of it, I've not actually heard from her since our last Skype session. Normally I'll get at least a few texts throughout the day about random shit but I've had nothing. I quickly check my email to see if she's responded to the last email I sent her the other day but nada, nothing is there. Deciding to give her a call, I make my way to the tube. It's just as busy as I remember with everyone trying to get from A to B on their daily commute. One thing I haven't missed is the obscene amounts of smelly armpits being shoved in my face. It's bloody horrid. People don’t need to concern themselves with pepper spray, all they need is to be armed with a can of deodorant to fend of these people. They’ll end up shrinking  away like a witch does to water.

I arrive at Jens within half an hour and instantly I know that something is off. For a start her blinds are shut. The last time this happened, she'd completely closed herself off from the world while she overdosed on Ben and Jerry's and re-runs of friends when Alex, the then love of her life decided that she no longer had the right tools for the job, much to George's amusement.

I haven't got a clue what's happened since I spoke to her last but I swear to god if that knob has fucked her over, heads are going to roll.

"Jen... Jen it's me." I shout through the letter box. "Jen, bloody hell I know you're in there. I can hear the tele." If she doesn't open this door in the next two minutes I'm going to boot it down. "Answer the fucking door Davies, right now!"

I hear the lock go and nothing can prepare me for the sight that is before me. "Shit Jen." Her hair is in tatters and her mascara is all down her face from crying. She looks a right bloody mess. As if seeing me sets her off again and I pull her into my arms trying to reassure her that everything will be okay.

"Shhh, it's okay I'm here now." I soothe. I walk forwards with her still in my arms and lead her into the living room. I've never seen her look so broken and it tears me up inside.

"Jess I don't know what to do. How did I let it all get out of control?"

"How about I make us a brew and you can start from the beginning? I'm not going anywhere in a hurry." She doesn't answer me so I make my way to the kitchen. If this is down to Luke I'm going to fucking rip his balls off. I know she falls quickly but to see her like this is unusual. It feels like it takes forever for the kettle to boil so while I wait I pull out my phone and message George.

I'm at Jens. What they he'll has happened? She's a fucking mess and why did no one tell me about this?"

To say I'm pissed off is an understatement. Am I that much of a shit friend that no one has bothered to call me to tell me what's been happening? I thought George would have called me to tell me seeing that he's obviously been in the know for some time.

I place Jen's mug in front of her as I sit on the couch beside her. She looks like a little child again, wrapped up in her blanket with tears streaming down her face.

"Why didn't you call me? I would have been back here in an instant." Stroking her hair, I wish I could make whatever was causing her pain to go away.

"Exactly. That's why I didn't call you. As much as I'd like you to you wouldn't have been able to change anything anyway."

"Maybe not, but I would have been here for you and that's what's important. Is it Luke?" I ask unable to keep the question that has been dancing on my tongue back. The only answers I get are sniffles. "What's he done? Do I need to go all Jen on his arse because I will do. I might not be a pro like you but I'll bloody give it my best shot."

"He's not done anything wrong. Well not really. If I hadn't have been so stupid then none of this would have happened. What am I going to do Jess?"

"I'm not sure unless you tell me love. If he's not upset you then what's gotten you in this state and don't say you're just hormonal because that's utter bullocks."

"Don't hate me, please." My heads mashed and I don't have a clue what's she's saying. She is talking in bloody riddles.

"I could never hate you, sure you get on my tits like I don't know what but I could never, ever hate you." I continue to stroke her hair, anything to make her feel a little bit better. "Where’s Luke now?"

"I don't know. I can't face him, every time he calls or try's to come around I feel physically sick. I can't even bring myself to message him back. Fucking hell, he probably thinks I'm such a bitch."

"But why? I don't get it. If he's not done anything wrong then why would you ignore him?"

"I'm pregnant Jess."

I instantly burst out laughing and I can't help it. "Piss off Jen. Now isn't the time for pissing around." I wait for a smile to creep across her face to let me know she's trying to make light of a bad situation but it doesn't come. Instead she sits and looks at me with those puppy dog eyes and her bottom lip trembling as she tries to stop herself from crying again. "You're being serious aren't you? How do you know? Are you late?"

"I've done ten tests Jess and every single one of them is fucking positive."

"Shit. Have you been to the doctors?"

"I've not left the house since I found out. George got suspicious and called round and kind of put two and two together."

"And does Luke know?"

"Of course doesn't. What do you take me for? Me being so bloody careless has ruined everything for the both of us."

"You don't know that. Wait, does that test tell you how far you are?"

"No but I can only be about four weeks max. I haven't slept with anyone else for months."

"I'm not saying that you dopey cow. I'm just wondering how we're going to get you through this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well first things first. You're not staying here on your own tonight. You go and get a bath, you smell pretty bad." I shrug, "when you get out I'll make you something to eat and then tomorrow you'll be going to the doctors with me. They’ll need to check you over and stuff."

Jess

"I can't believe you brought me here so that I’m surrounded by sick people. What if I catch something in my condition? How selfish are you? You’re supposed to be my friend."

"Oh don't be such a wingebag. If you get ill then you'll just have to deal with it like everyone else does."

"You can be such a heartless cow at times you know." She says as she jabs me playfully in the ribs. It's good to see that she's got a bit of her personality back at least. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"For being here. It means a lot."

"Don't be daft, where else would I be you silly mare?" Honestly at times I wonder how she functions on her own. She’s like a walking hazard.

"Miss Davies." After an hour long wait we're finally called into the doctor’s office and she instantly turns a delightful shade of green. If it wasn’t such a sensitive issue for her I’d whip out my phone and take a picture for the Jess and Jen adventure album.

"What brings you to us today Miss Davies?" The doctor smiles encouragingly at her and I give her arm a light squeeze in encouragement.

"Um... I believe that I may be pregnant."

"Well congratulations. I take it that you have already done a test?"

Jen doesn't say anything; she just nods her head in the doctor’s direction, most likely desperate to get this over with.

"Okay well first things first. Please could you fill this for me and come back in once you have done." Jen's handed a piss pot and she doesn't look happy about it in the slightest.

"But I've already done a test."

"Of course, but policy states you have to do another one for your medical records and it will also allow me to check everything is how it should be." She gets up on a huff and makes her way to the ladies while muttering something that sounds like
“this is so fucking embaressing.”
One of these days she'll do as she's told without moaning about it. When she returns she sheepishly hands the doctor her sample for her to test.

"Thank you.” She says and after a few moments she looks at Jen. “Okay, well Miss Davies it would seem that you're not pregnant."

"That can't be possible, I did ten tests and they all came back positive."

"Could I ask which tests you used?"

"Erm, I don't remember the brand but I picked them up from the quid shop."

"Not all of those brands are accurate. Also it would seem that there have been quite a few recalls on some tests recently to as they have been giving out false readings. It would seem that you were unlucky to pick up some from the bad batch."

"I wouldn't call it unlucky. Shitting hell, I've spent a week in torture. I can't look after myself let alone a baby." She squeals.

"Jen!" I hiss trying to remind her where we are. Fortunately the doctor seems to understand her predicament.

"If you haven't had a period in the next two weeks or so then I'd like you to come back to have so that we can run some more tests. I'd just like to make sure everything is working how it should be. Oh and you have also missed your routine smear. As soon as we have this issue resolved I'd like you to book into have that done too."

"I can't tell you how shitting happy I am right now Jess. I literally feel like I could piss rainbows." I look at my best friend and feel a sudden wave of relief wash over me.

"Me too. You wouldn't be able to cope with a baby Jen. You're far too high maintenance yourself. So are you going to call Luke now?"

"I guess I better do soon. What am I going to say to him? He's going to think I'm such a bitch for ignoring him."

"The fact that he kept trying to contact you shows he's still in to you. Just tell him you were I'll with the flu or something."

"And this is why I love you. You always know what to do."

"I have my moments love. Maybe it's about time you got yourself on the pill so we don't have another repeat of the past twenty four hours. What do you say?"

"My two favourite ladies. What can I get for you?"

"The usual and something greasy for this deprived one." I say signalling to Jen who graces him with a beaming smile.

"It's good to see you back to your usual self."

"Well this one dragged me to the doctors this morning and it's was only a bloody false alarm wasn’t it? How about we celebrate? I can feel nine months’ worth of shots in my foreseeable future."

"I'll bring them over so we can get planning."