Under New Management (28 page)

At one o’clock that afternoon Jack eventually replies to Mollie’s text.

Bet your dreams

were cleaner than mine!!!

;-0 He He xxxx

Mollie, Lou, Julie and Lindy are having lunch in Cheltenham before hitting the shops. The men have left them to it promising to meet up at six.

Mollie couldn’t help but tell the others about their game with Jack and as she reads out his text, they all giggle like schoolgirls.

Mollie feels no guilt in sharing, although they have been sworn to secrecy. Jim and Dan are to be kept firmly out of the loop.

Poor Jack’s feeling nervous. He’s deliberately tried to change the tone of the texts. Mollie has cottoned on to this and decides it’s time to move up to another level.

After finishing her lunch she leaves the table to make a phone call. Finding a private area outside the restaurant she dials Jack’s number and makes a concerted effort to keep a straight face.

Jack answers on the second ring.

“Mollie, how’s it going?”

“I’m good Jack and you?”

“Yea, all good. Playing a round of golf as it happens. Some nice blokes at this club. What are you up to?”

“I’m in Cheltenham. We’re off shopping in a bit,” she adds seductively, “I want to look my best for you tomorrow night.”

“Great! Yeah, that’s great. Um, you OK, Molls? You seem, I don’t know, er... different.” Jack’s tone is confused.

“Different? Do I, Jack? Sorry, I don’t mean to be. I guess I’m feeling a little weird, you know, about everything. After all, it’s not every day your old flame declares his undying love with a Porsche now, is it?” and she lets out a girly giggle.

Jack frowns, he’s a little unnerved. He doesn’t remember declaring undying love. “Oh, umm yea. Well, you said you wanted one, didn’t you? See? I remembered. I’m confused now though. If you liked it so much, why didn’t you keep it?”

“No Jack, I couldn’t have kept it, you know that. I’ll tell you what though, you can buy me another on our wedding day. I promise to keep that one.” Mollie covers the mouth piece as she lets out an involuntary snort of laughter.

Jack is silent, he really is bemused. Who the hell mentioned marriage? Why does she keep referring to the ‘M’ word? He scratches his windswept hair.

Laughing nervously into the phone he pleads, “Stop with all the marriage stuff, Molls, you’re freaking me out.”

Mollie snorts again. When she controls herself she brings the phone back to her ear.

Putting on a hurt voice, she asks, “Oh, right, sorry Jack. Have I got the wrong end of the stick? It’s just you said you wanted me back. You sent all those amazing flowers and what with the car and all, well I guess you’ve sort of swept me off my feet. All those feelings I had for you years ago have come flooding back. I thought you were serious about me. Everyone keeps telling me to go for it, that I should trust you, give you another chance. So I am.”

Jack is feeling really bad. Could he blame her? After all, he has been showering her with gifts and telling her he wanted her back. What did he think was going to happen?
Fuck, what a sleaze he’s being.

“God Molls, I’m sorry, don’t be upset. Of course I want you back. You just freaked me out a bit with the mention of marriage, that’s all. I haven’t thought that far ahead yet, but of course, you know if things go well maybe we could think about that in a few years?”

“A few years? Really? Jack I think you have me wrong. Don’t you know I want kids and everything? I thought you loved me. I’m already thirty and I don’t want to be an older mum. If you mean it, then it has to be for keeps. I can’t deal with you hurting me again, not after David...” Mollie tails off as she gives him time to digest the false hurt in her voice. She gives it a few more seconds and then says, “Jack, I think you need to think about what you really want. I have to go now. I’ll speak to you later.” Mollie drops the phone into her bag and still standing on her own in the street, she starts chuckling loudly. Random shoppers throw her bemused glances whilst giving her a wide berth.

Jack closes his phone and stares at it. What the hell is going on? He’s created a monster! Is she for real? Mollie never used to be needy, ever. He’d always got away with blue murder with her. He sort of expected her to still be as easy going. Perhaps it’s because of that husband of hers. She’s probably terrified that anyone she sees is going to leave her. Jack feels very guilty and needs to pacify her. He’ll send her a text, make her feel better. She’ll be fine, she just needs to trust him. Perhaps one day he might marry her, but Jack is thinking many, many years from now. And kids? Well, that just isn’t an option. Jack texts Mollie.

Sorry Molls, hope you’re

OK. I didn’t mean to upset

you. Don’t get worked up

about all that stuff. Let’s just

have a good time.

I do luv ya to bits.

Xxxxx

Jack sends the text and immediately feels that he has redeemed himself. Putting his phone away he gets himself lined up for the next shot.

As she rejoins the others, Mollie receives Jack’s text. Reading it, she grins widely and thinks, ‘Gotcha!’ She fills them in on the conversation and they all snigger with delight.

“Oh Mollie, you are mean,” Lindy smirks.

“I know, but he’ll get over it. I wouldn’t be doing it if I thought for one minute that Jack meant any of it. He doesn’t, want to be with me I’m just a distraction to him, something to pass the time. Anyway, by tomorrow night he’ll be dumping me, in the nicest possible way of course, but dump me he will. Come on, let’s go shopping! There’s plenty of time for Jack-baiting later.”

Once they are settled into a lovely little boutique full of designer dresses, Mollie decides to contact Kieran again. After their conversation earlier she doesn’t want him to think that she is serious about Jack. Suddenly it’s very important to her that he realises that what she has in store for Jack is a joke. Before she changes her mind she finds his number, quickly types out a text and sends it.

At seven o’clock on Friday evening, Kieran, Marylyn and Jack are eating dinner in the dining room when the front doorbell rings.

Kieran jumps up to answer the door. As he opens it, he is confronted by a huge teddy bear with a couple of helium balloons tied round its wrists. The heart shaped red balloons are emblazoned with ‘Luv u Jacky Boy’. Kieran’s eyes widen.
This is new.

Clearly this is Mollie’s doing and he starts to grin. Oh this is going to be great!

Mollie’s text had told him to be at the Hall for seven with his camcorder at the ready and it also told him not to ask any questions. It has been driving him mad with curiosity all afternoon. As he watches the teddy bear being lowered to the step he thinks this will be so worth it.

A perspiring, overweight man with minimal hair puts down the bear onto the step and asks, “You Jack Murphy?”

Kieran snorts, “Uh, no. I’ll, um, just get him for you.”

He turns and runs down the corridor to the dining room. Barging back into the room he says, “Jack, there’s a delivery for you.”

Jack frowns at him, “What is it?”

Kieran smirks, “Oh no, you really need to get this one yourself!”

Looking confused, Jack gets up and walks out of the room. He glances suspiciously at a smirking Kieran and heads down the corridor towards the front door.

“Mum, quick! You have got to see this,” Kieran laughs as he beckons urgently to Marylyn to follow him. Kieran has his phone ready and set to camcorder mode. They stand a little behind but to the side of a bemused Jack as he has the teddy bear shoved in his face.

Jack fights with the balloons and through the gap between the bear’s head and arm, stares at the sweaty man who is wearing a name badge with Bernard on it.

“Right,” says Bernard, “I’ve got a song for you as well. I’m sorry I have to sing it, so bear with me, mate...” He stops and puts his pudgy hand to his chin as he considers something, then quickly says, “Bear with me.” He gives a hearty chuckle. “Geddit? Ahhh, funny that. Anyway, where was I?”

Jack looks alarmed as Bernard clears his throat. Kieran and Marylyn are trying very hard not to laugh as he starts to do some sort of a jig on the, luckily, huge top step.

He dramatically extends his arm, throws back his head and begins to sing ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight.’ Elton John he is not and as he breaks enthusiastically into the chorus, Jack winces and Marylyn and Kieran are doubled up, howling with laughter. Kieran is laughing so much he is having a job to keep the filming going.

Bernard makes it through the song and puts his all into the last line. As the song comes to an end and he warbles the last words, he then makes a dramatic bow.

Jack is dumbstruck. He gives a stuttered, “Thank you,” to the poor man and after rummaging in his jeans pocket finds a ten pound note, which he offers to him. Bernard gratefully accepts the cash and scuttles off down the steps. Jack shoves the door shut with his backside and turns, glaring, at Marylyn and Kieran who are still laughing. Without saying a word, he marches down the hall and straight up the stairs carrying his teddy.

When Jack reaches his room he throws the bear onto the bed and stares at it with distaste. He hates soft toys - thinks they’re creepy. He’s sure Mollie must know that. What on earth has got into her? She’s acting very strangely. Jack scratches his head, at a loss to what to do next for the best. He’s beginning to wonder if Mollie’s husband running off with another bloke has turned her slightly bonkers. Perhaps he should have left her alone. Maybe she needs more time to get over it all.

Kieran and Marylyn resume their dinner, chuckling every so often at Jack’s reaction. Kieran sends Mollie the footage with one word attached, ‘Brilliant!’ Marylyn has voiced her thoughts that Mollie is playing Jack at his own game and points out to Kieran that she’s clearly not interested in getting back with him. Marylyn gives Kieran a knowing look and Kieran grins back at his mother, “Looks that way, doesn’t it?”

Mollie and Lindy are in hysterics when they watch the footage from Kieran.
This is just priceless.

Later that evening Mollie sends Jack a follow-up text.

Well lover, did you like

your pressy?? Can’t

wait for tomorrow night.

Xxxxxxx

Jack looks at his phone and sighs.
Yep, she’s definitely lost the plot.

Chapter 29

At six-forty on Saturday evening, Jim lets out a “Whoohoo!” from the kitchen where he is keeping watch for the transport as promised by Jack.

The rest of them are sitting in the lounge in their finery, also waiting. They all glance at each other with amused grins.

“I think it’s turned up,” Dan says as he gets up from the sofa and heads to the hallway. The rest of them get to their feet, gathering their coats and bags and follow Dan. He opens the front door and lets out a low whistle. “Hey girls you are going to love this,” he tells them as he heads outside.

Jim flies out of the kitchen and shoves past them to the door, camera in hand.

“Lindy come and see! I’ve got to get a picture of this.”

Mollie frowns. What the hell has Jack sent?

They file outside and take in the enormous black stretched limo parked at the end of the drive. Lindy, Julie and Lou let out squeals of excitement. Mollie shakes her head,
bloody show off.

She has to smile though as she watches the rest of them swarm round the limo. Jim is inside shouting excitedly, “There’s champagne and everything!”

Mollie calls to them checking they have everything and as she locks the door, she then decides to enter into the fun of it all and rushes down to peer at the limo too.

They set off on a slow drive through the town, receiving many curious stares. Jim has his head out of the window as he shouts hello to anyone he knows and to some he doesn’t. Dan hands each of them a flute of champagne and they all chink glasses. Mollie sips her drink and looks around her at the car. The seating runs down each side, across the back and behind the driver. There is a TV, music system and flashing coloured lighting everywhere. Glancing at Lou and her family she is proud of how wonderful they all look. The shopping trip was well worth the effort and the money. Jim and Dan have matching dinner jackets, sporting bow ties and shiny new black shoes. Their pristine white dress shirts look bright against their coloured waistcoats. Jim’s is purple and Dan’s pink to match their wives’ dresses. They had phoned during the afternoon to check on colours. Luckily Julie and Lindy had chosen theirs within half an hour of entering the boutique. Lindy is looking beautiful and classy in a deep purple three-quarter length cocktail dress. It is cut off of one shoulder, nipped in at the waist and has a slim fitting skirt. It has a Grecian style to it. A large heavy gold necklace completes the look. She has had her tan topped up and her blonde hair is dressed over the bare shoulder tumbling to her bust.

Julie is angelic in a pretty, pale pink strapless dress. It flows to her calves with an A-line skirt, which falls longer at the back into a mermaid tail. The bodice has a petal effect, showing a hint of cleavage.

Lou is simply stunning in a strapless, tight fitting long, black gown. It has a split at the side running from her ankle to mid-thigh.

Tia had pulled out all the stops. She has been harassing Lou for years trying to persuade her to go for a new look. Lou has always resisted. Today, however, she was so excited that she basically gave Tia a free rein to do as she pleased. Tia had shrieked with delight and promptly went to town on her.