Never Say Love (13 page)

Napping the afternoon away, the day soon passed into early evening. Lisa had arranged for a cab to take them into London and made plans for them to meet Clare and Kim at a little wine bar before they headed off for a club or two.

“Have a good night,” Michael kissed his wife on the cheek and gave his sister a hug before they set off in the cab that was waiting for them. “Be good and
don’t
get into any trouble. I need my sister back in one piece and her broken heart mended!”

He was rewarded with a glare from Lucy. “My heart
is
not
broken!” she snapped, tears threatening again. Taking a few deep breaths, she gathered her thoughts before climbing into the waiting black cab.

“Good girl, you go and have a good time.” Mikey waved as they pulled away.

After a short ride, Lucy and Lisa pulled up outside a little wine bar that apparently Lisa used to go to regularly with her friends, before the children arrived. The first to arrive, Lisa ordered a bottle of house white before they found a table near the window and waited for their friends to join them.

“So what really went on?” Lisa asked.

Lucy shrugged, “Can we not talk about it, not now. Please.”

Lisa sighed, “Fine, but you know I’ll always listen, when you’re ready.”

Lucy half laughed, “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to share what happened, not fully anyway.”

Looking worried at Lucy’s statement, Lisa’s face hardened, “Nothing bad Lucy? Please tell me it was nothing bad.”

Lucy shook her head, a half smile crossing her lips, “No, nothing like that. I couldn’t have wished for a more caring man.”

Taking a deep sigh, maybe of relief, Lisa relaxed slightly. While waiting, they talked about Michael, his job and the children, and how Lucy’s mother still tried to interfere with Michael’s life, in just the same way as she did with Lucy’s. They also talked about the reason that Lucy felt she couldn’t be at home for long and how Lisa’s parents were golden, happy to look after the children, if needed at a moment’s notice, how Charlie was, most likely, being spoiled to death right now and how both sets of parents doted on both of their grandchildren completely. Their conversation interrupted by the arrival of Clare and Kim, the two bubbly friends that Lucy hadn’t seen for ages.

Clare and Kim were the same age as Lisa; the three had been friends since school, all of them happily married, and all bridesmaids and matrons of honour for each other; Lisa being the first of the three to marry and the only one with children.

“Lucy,” they sang in chorus as they made their way over to the table. The four girls, hugged and air kissed, chatted and drank as they occupied the window seat of the wine bar.

Two bottles of wine down, and they decided to move on. Lucy apparently not used to so much drinking as the other three, swayed out onto the pavement, steadied by Lisa and Kim. “Henry’s, I think.” Clare giggled as they headed off in the direction of the new trendy nightclub.

“Look at the queue!” Lucy shouted. Her voice slurred as Lisa attempted to stop her from swaying too much.

“Ssh, Lucy, keep quiet; if they know you’re drunk, they won’t let us in. Just keep quiet.”

“Okay Lisa. I’ll keep vely, vely quiet,” Lucy slurred, “vely, vely, quiet.” She giggled, holding her forefinger to her lips.

Looking at Clare and Kim, Lisa rolled her eyes, “This one’s on orange juice as soon as we get in, okay!”

They laughed and nodded in acknowledgement as they were quickly heading toward the front of the queue, Kim paying the admission fee and then quickly escorting a wobbly Lucy into an electrically charged atmosphere. The place was rammed, the bar three and four deep in places along the whole length of it.

“Drinks?”
Kim shouted above the music.

“V and T for me.”
Clare shouted and looked at Lisa.

“Same for me, but OJ for our Lucy here.
We’ll be over in the corner. I’ll try and grab a table…” she shouted and then under her breath cursed, “…not bloody likely though.”

Dragging Lucy over to a packed corner, she pushed the wobbly girl against a wall, “You need to sober up a bit Lucy girl.”

Pouting, Lucy slurred, “I am not drunk Lisa.”

Rolling her eyes at the young Lucy, Lisa shook her head. “That’s a matter of opinion,” she whispered under her breath, followed by, “but you’re not far off. No more alcohol for a bit.
Understood!” she said for Lucy’s benefit.

“Yes, ma’am.”
Lucy giggled and wobbled slightly, a huge grin across her face.

As the drinks arrived, the girls started dancing two at a time making sure their glasses were never unattended.

Lucy left Lisa and Kim letting herself go to the strains of
Pjanoo
accompanied by Clare. Her eyes closed, wearing a figure hugging blush pink strappy dress, her blonde hair cascading down her back, she was totally unaware of Benito standing at the bottom of the steps watching her. Longing for her to go back to him, wishing he could take back what she’d overheard and that he’d never said it to start off with!

For the first time in his life, he wanted to scoop the girl up and carry her to his home, not as a one night stand, or quick shag, but as his girlfriend. The same feelings he’d experienced just a few days ago returning, feelings that he’d never ever known before, the desire to have, hold and protect what he regarded as
his
.

Continuing to watch her, a Peroni in his hand, he felt lost; he felt torn between marching over to her, or just standing and watching, imagining what could have been. Maybe this was fate, maybe his life was mapped out that he would never settle down, that’s what he’d always wanted in the past.

Lost in the music, Lucy and Clare danced and danced until they were tapped on the shoulder by Lisa, “Our turn girlies!” she shouted as Clare walked and Lucy swayed back to the table.

“I need a drink,” Lucy muttered, as she picked up Lisa’s vodka, downing what was left in the glass in one go.

“Steady on Lucy,” Clare watched helplessly as Lucy reached for Kim’s drink, swallowing what was left in that glass too.

“Want another?” she asked Clare as she reached for her purse.

Clare felt lost at what to do. In an effort to stop Lucy buying more drinks, she placed her hand on top of Lucy’s as she grabbed her purse. “Please Lucy; I thought you were meant to be on orange juice?”

“Fuck orange juice. I’m here to make me
feel
better.” Lucy slurred as she swayed towards the bar, weaving through the dancers. Wheedling her way to the front of the crowds at the bar, she ordered four double vodka tonics, paid for them and scooped them together before staggering back to the table. She handed one to Clare and started about the other herself, laughing at Lisa and Kim as they threw some strange looking moves on the dance floor. They, too, were laughing at themselves.

From the far side of the club, Benito watched, keeping his distance. God, he really felt something for her. Never before had he felt this way about any woman, ever. Soon joined by his friend, James, he turned and headed to the exclusive area at the top of the steps, choosing not to tell James who he had seen. He would follow his father’s advice and begin his wooing on Monday; let her have the weekend to calm down, and then he would begin his attempt at winning her back.

“Lucy!” Lisa shouted, “What the hell do you think you’re doing? I said orange juice.” Lisa looked on horrified as Lucy staggered around.

“I want to dance,” she slurred her words, looking for support from Clare and Kim, both looking at her and shaking their heads. “You’re just a bunch of party poopers,” Lucy laughed, “poopers, poopers,” she laughed again at the word, emphasising the
poop
. “I’m going to dance.”

Swaying, she walked over to the dance floor, the girls watching as she threw her arms in the air, completely letting
herself go to the strains of
What Hurts The Most
. Lisa watched, keeping an eye out for her younger sister-in-law, soon drawing attention from a group of several young men wandering their hands down her back as she danced.

Lisa watched as Lucy turned towards one of them, her hands on his shoulders, seductively smiling at him, his hands on her waist, moving her body up and down against his. The guy’s hands following as she threw her head back, her moves so suggestive, leaving Lisa stunned that her brother’s younger sister was behaving like this, like a little trollop.

Lisa turned to Clare and Kim with a shocked looked on her face at Lucy’s behaviour.

“What’s wrong with her?” Kim shouted above the music.

Lisa shrugged, “Don’t know, she won’t say.”

“Let her get on with it,” Clare offered, “she’s young, we’ve all been there—been hurt, gone out, got pissed, got over it. We should support her, not condemn her.”

The girls nodded in agreement. Lisa glanced at her watch, it was only midnight. She knew that Clare and Kim would want to stay out as long as possible, making the most of a rare night out on their own, away from their husbands. Hell, she did too!

The music changed to a real floor-filler as
Something Good
pounded through the speakers. Lucy’s moves becoming more erotic, she thrust her hips forward towards the thigh of the guy that had apparently taken a fancy to her.

“Shit, they’re all over each other!” Lisa shouted.

“Leave her be! You worry too much!” Kim laughed, placing her hand on Lisa’s arm. “We’re here. What can happen?”

Lisa looked at her friends, closed her eyes and shook her head and cringed, “She’s going to throw up on the way home.”

The music seemed to get louder, the flashing lights appeared to flash brighter as more and more people packed the dance floor. Soon Lisa was unable to see Lucy for the crowds.

“Who the hell are those two guys? They are gorgeous!” Clare pointed to the two well-built men who had joined in with dancing.

Lisa and Kim both turned, following Clare’s gaze towards James and Benito.

“Why did I marry so young?” Kim rolled her eyes. “They are really
hot
.”

Clare jumped up from her seat, “I’m going to dance!” she shouted as she made her way in the general direction of Benito and James, her aim to get closer to them, to see more of them.

Her glitzy gold coloured dress caught the light as she danced and swayed, watching the two guys, both appearing to be excellent movers. She kept her distance, having no intention of cross treading against her husband, just wanting a closer look and to dream.

Waving towards her friends, she called them onto the dance floor, “Come on!”

Lisa joined her, leaving Kim at the table with the drinks.

“Where’s Lucy?” Lisa shouted, looking around the dance floor, “I can’t see Lucy.”

Clare looked around, “She
was
here,” she yelled back. “Shit, that guy she was with is gone too!”

The two girls stopped dancing and started looking around; Lucy was nowhere to be seen.

“Excuse me,” Lisa pushed past Benito.

He stopped dancing and looked down at Lisa, “What’s wrong?” he raised his deep voice over the music.

“I’ve lost my sister-in-law. She was here a minute ago with a guy.”

“The blonde?
Lucy?” Benito asked.

Lisa stopped, looked up at Benito, frowning, “You know Lucy?”

He nodded, “Yeah, I know Lucy. I saw her dancing earlier. . . I came to look for her.”

Lisa, looking concerned gazed up at the handsome guy. “No, we’ve lost her. She was dancing with some creep.”

“Shit!” He spat, his face turning hard. Looking towards James, he tapped his shoulder, “James, Lucy’s disappeared, help me find her.”

The two guys split up. Benito staying with Lisa, he shouted above the music, “You check the ladies, I’ll follow you over.”

Hurrying, Lisa set off for the ladies. Clare, on her heels, indicating to Kim where they were going.

Pushing the door to the ladies open, Lisa and Clare were faced with a sea of females, all pushing towards the mirrors, lipsticks, hair brushes and hair spray. A row of five or six cubicles all with doors shut, the music playing in here too, although not as loud.

“Girls,” Lisa shouted at the top of her voice. “I’ve lost my sister-in-law, pretty blonde, pale pink strappy dress. Drunk as a lord and on the rebound! Has anyone seen her?”

The room full of girls all looked at her, one pointing towards the end cubicle, not saying a word, just pointing and nodding.

“Great!” Lisa acknowledged the girl and walked to the furthest cubicle. Knocking the door lightly, “Lucy, are you okay?”

There was no reply, nothing, no noise that Lisa could hear. “Lucy, are you okay?”

Again, no reply. Bending down Lisa looked under the door, two pairs of feet – Lucy’s silver heels and a man’s, Lucy’s silver clad feet being pressed against the wall.