Blooming (26 page)

“Why did you
send her away? If it’s because you ran out of protection – here, I’ll save you
running to the store.” She threw a brown paper package at his feet and a
familiar brand of condoms fell out.

Shit
.
“Jen it’s not what you think.”

“Really, then
tell me what it is Todd, I’m all ears here.”

“Come inside;
let’s not do this out here.”

“I’m not
going in there, do you think I want to smell that woman’s perfume either on you
or in your room. Go to hell Todd.”

Todd flushed
red and ran his fingers through his hair angrily, “I admit it looks bad, but I
can explain. I haven’t slept with her, she’s,” he shrugged helplessly.

“I know
exactly who she is, and exactly what she was wanting.”

“Jen please
come in here, the reason I haven’t been up front is that you probably won’t
like what I have to say, and I didn’t know how to broach it with you.”

Jen relented,
not because she wanted to but because she wanted to act like the bigger person.

Todd made to
touch her as she passed him on the way inside but Jen ducked and smacked his
hand out of the way sharply. She looked at the velveteen couch but remained
standing; Todd was imposing enough without her sitting down giving him an extra
advantage.

“Let’s get it
over with Todd; I have somewhere I need to be.”

For a minute
when she saw worry flash over his face she nearly softened, but she stood her
ground.

“That was
Carly Frost - my ex girlfriend.”

“Bravura
Girl.”

“Yes,” he
nodded slowly. “We split up about a year ago, I was getting ready to ask her to
marry me, but things just didn’t pan out we weren’t at the same place at the
same time. I was ready for marriage and children and she wanted to wait.”

Jen felt the
dark cloud swirling behind her eyes signalling she was in danger of blacking
out; this was going to be worse than she thought she suddenly realised.

“A couple of
months back before I’d even met you she called me out of the blue. She’d met
somebody else and he wanted her to move in with him, but she wasn’t sure if she
loved him. She thought she still had feelings for me.”

Jen retched
involuntarily, she could see the train wreck coming, “where‘s the bathroom?”

Todd pointed
in horror. She ran slamming the door before he could follow her and she vomited
in the toilet, gripping the bowl her fingers as cold as ice, the chills
spreading through all her nerve endings. When she could finally stand she
rinsed her mouth at the sink and pressed a damp wash cloth to her forehead.

Jen dropped back
to the cool floor and gave herself a few minutes to regain control, and then
she pulled herself to the closed door still squatting in a ball.

“Keep going,”
she said through gritted teeth.

“Are you ok?”

“No I’m not
fucking ok, I don’t want to hear a word of it, but I don’t have a choice do I
Todd?”

“After she
called me that first time, I came out here and the short version is we ended up
sleeping together.”

Jen scrabbled
in her purse and pulled out the one item she’d not needed in a long time, she
started breathing into the brown paper bag trying to bring the hyperventilation
under control.

“Jen please
you’re scaring me, please come out, I need to see your face.”

“Just finish,”
she gasped.

“Anyway I was
really screwed up about it; I regretted it as soon as it was over but I didn’t
know what to do so I said she needed to sort out her relationship without me
hanging over them.”

The door
opened with a crash and a surprised Todd practically fell inside the bathroom.

“You son of a
bitch,” Jen roared, “no I take that back because it’s a slur on Bernie. You’re
telling me that the same day you told me not to worry about children yet, one
step at a time and all that bullshit, that same day your ex had called to
arrange another rendezvous and you agreed?”

She jabbed him
hard in the chest with her finger then did it again for extra emphasis. She
wanted to make sure it left a bruise he wouldn’t forget.

Todd put his
hands up to defend himself, and struggled to find the words - knowing he was
done for, “I told her I’d met someone that things were different and I couldn’t
see her again.”

“It’s not
good enough Todd, just not good enough. There should have been no question in
your mind what the right thing to do was – I’m leaving now before I give in to
the urge to claw your eyes out of your skull.”

“Jen please,
it’s not my fault I have past relationships and you don’t, this is why I
couldn’t tell you.” 

The look she
gave him froze him dead and in the coldest voice he’d ever heard she said, “I’m
going Todd, you and your ex can do whatever the hell you like. You want
children so bad I’m sure you can persuade her to have them, and by the way I
don’t like it when people use my naiveté as an excuse not to tell me the truth.
I’ll be back at the apartment in a few days, but just stay the hell away from
me from now on.”

She kept her
head high all the way downstairs and out into the cool evening air, but once
inside the cab she gave in to the hot desperate tears that flowed like they
would never ever stop.

****

“Miss, are
you ok? We’re here number 120 Bay Tree Lane.” The cabbie had been blessedly
silent while she’d sobbed her heart out on the way over. He probably thought
she was some nutcase.

As Jen leant
forward to pay he said, “Hey aren’t you that gal from the internet?”

“Today I
think I just resemble her,” she muttered.

“Well I
thought you were great. Take care honey, I’ll wait right here until you get
inside.” 

Jen was
touched by the small gesture of thoughtfulness and had to steel herself not to
start blubbing again, “You take care too,” she smiled sadly.

Her knock on
the door was answered quickly and Iris Kenton opened the door and her face lit
up like it was Christmas.

“Jennifer!
Sweetheart it’s so good to see you,” she pulled her into a warm lilac scented
hug and then stepped back to study her face. Her eyes went from Jen’s tear
reddened swollen face and travelled down the thinner than usual body and ended
on her partially cashmere covered cast.

“God in
heaven sweetie, what’s been happening to you, you look like you’ve been in the wars.
Johnny and I have been so worried about you - sneaking off like that, and look
at you you’re a mess.”

“Johnny,” she
shouted over her shoulder.

“Mrs Kenton I’m
so sorry for what I did, it was unforgivable, but if the apartment isn’t let
out could I possibly stay a couple of days?”

“Nonsense,
you’ll stay in the house.” She paused a second and then admitted, “Max is
staying in the apartment, but I wouldn’t let you stay out there on your own
anyway the state you’re in.”

Johnny Kenton
came through from the living room, “Jennifer,” he said delightedly, “damn,” he
said giving her the once over, “I know man trouble when I see it. Where is he,
I’ll tear a strip off him for you.” He pulled her to him and she leaned in
gratefully.

“It’s ok Mr
Kenton I dug my own grave. I should have been a bit more honest with you both -
but I left here and went looking for trouble and I found it. I’ve nobody to
blame but myself.”

 At that point
her legs finally buckled under her but luckily strong rough hands caught her up
and supported her upstairs to the cosy guest room reserved for visiting family.

“Just rest
doll, as long as you need, you’re with friends now.”

And with that
blessed sleep claimed her.

****

Monday
morning Todd was forcing himself to tidy his apartment ready for Lily coming
home, he’d been wearing the same jeans since he got back from Chicago and he’d
spent most of the time since then either drunk or hung-over. The room stank of
stale beer and something he’d rather not think about.

Sean and Seb
had tried to tackle him on several occasions over what he was doing to himself,
and why Jen hadn’t come back from wherever she’d gone to. But he ignored them -
showing them the door when they persisted.

The boys were
also wondering about the puppy that Todd for some reason had brought back with him.
It was running riot chewing everything in sight and Todd seemed to be losing
the battle to house train him, especially since he was half cut most of the
time. Thank god Lily was due back they couldn’t help thinking.

Sean remembered
he still had Jen’s cell number and called her because he had a big favour to
ask. He knew something was badly wrong the moment he heard her voice, but she
refused to explain what had happened between her and Todd, simply saying it was
Todd’s business. She promised she would be home in a couple of days and, “for
god’s sake she’d help him with his show,” which mollified him slightly because
he knew what a big concession that was coming from Jen.

Ben delivered
Lily home at lunch time popping inside with her for a moment, and stopped in
shock at the mess that greeted them.

A tiny grey
and white ball of fluff was happily shredding sheets of newspaper that it was
presumably meant to be house training on. Todd was crashed out on the sofa -
oblivious, all the blinds were down, and the place was a hell-hole.

Lily strode
over to her brother, scared he was actually hurt or worse she shook him, “Todd,
what the heck is going on?”

She turned to
Ben, “I think he’s just drunk I’ve never seen him like this, help him into the
shower will you? I have to try and sort some of this mess out.”

Ben’s chest
swelled with masculine ego at the idea that Lily thought him capable of
wrestling Todd into the shower, but he was fully aware Todd outweighed him by
at least 40lbs and groaned, “this should be interesting.” He attempted to pull
him up by the arm and managed to budge him an inch, but ended up being cannoned
backwards landing with his nose in Todd’s crotch, which at least woke him up.

“What the
fuck,” he roared; he was about to swat Ben when he seemed to come to his
senses.

“Oh hell,
Lily you’re home already - I got a bit side tracked, sorry.”

“Todd what’s
going on, I’ve never seen you in such a state, and who is this?” she asked,
picking up the squirming puppy which licked her vigorously in delight.”

“Oh I’ve
messed up Lily, and it’s too fucking embarrassing to talk about.”

“As if you’re
going to get away with that,” she pulled on Ben’s hand and walked him to the
door. “I’m sorry to turn you out but I think once he sobers up he’ll be glad if
you weren’t here to see him like this. Thank you so much for bringing me home Ben.”
Lily leaned up and kissed him, meaningfully, on the lips and Ben responded in
surprised delight.

“I’ll see you
soon?” he asked softly.

“You couldn’t
keep me away if you tried, now off you go.”

Ben stole
another quick kiss and walked away whistling.

“Carly Frost?”
Lily spat out the words in disgust, “you messed up with Jennifer because of
Carly Frost? I never understood you dating her in the first place. What the
hell were you thinking, why would you want to encourage her back in your life?”

“It was just
a one time thing that came out of the blue, and it was before Jen came on the
scene.”

“Todd you are
an ass, that woman is nothing but a social climber, you were lucky to escape
her the first time round. Mom and Dad would kill you if they heard about this
and they don’t know the worst of it. I can’t believe you agreed to meet her.
Jen’s right you had no business going back the second time.”

“I just
didn’t want to end things over the phone and I thought she might show up here
and then Jen really would have freaked.”

Lily wanted
to reach over and slap Todd, “You owe that bitch nothing Todd, do you hear me? And
you’re forgetting that your public profile is sky high again following the
internet story. Carly saw an opportunity and wasn’t going to let go, let me ask
you Todd what do you think her response should have been when you told her you
were involved with someone?”

“I don’t
know,” he lied stubbornly.

“Yes you do,
she should have backed straight off gracefully, but instead knowing her I bet
she was still pushing for what she wanted and to hell with the consequences for
you – you didn’t sleep with her did you?”

“No of course
I didn’t, but I don’t think that will matter to Jen, she’ll think that she
can’t compete anyway. Shit this is messing with my head.”

“I can see
that,” she said indicating the mess. “Is this little guy for Jen?” she said
plopping the puppy on her lap.

“He was
supposed to be for the two of us, our trial run baby. I’d already made the
arrangements with the breeder to buy him when Jen showed up at the hotel. I
didn’t like to go back on my word then, so here he is.”

“He’s
gorgeous, what is he?”

“A Shih Tzu.”

“Well he’s
one cool dog.”

“Yeah, but he
keeps peeing all over the carpet, and by the time I go to bring a wash cloth I
can’t find the pee spot anymore.”

“I thought
that stink was all you.”

“Ha ha very
funny.”

Lily ran her
knuckles over her brother’s pale face, noting the hollows under his eyes, the
three days worth of stubble.

Todd looked
into her solemn green eyes that were such a good match for his own, “How are
you doing Lily?”

 “I think I’m
ok or at least I feel like I’m going to be ok, it’s a bit odd being back but
good too, it’s where I need to be. Jen’s coming back too Todd and that’s a
start, probably more than she would have done a couple of months back. She’s
not running away this time – if all her stuff’s here, that’s got to mean
something right?”

****