A Fractured Echo

Chapter 11

Saturday dawned far earlier than expected thanks to a familiar set of knuckles hammering against the bedroom door. Glancing at the clock on my phone it was way too early to be playing whatever games Jodie had planned for me. Shoving my head unceremoniously under the plump white pillow I'd been sleeping against only moments earlier, I willed her to give up.

After a few minutes of incessant noise, the silence was restored, and I allowed myself the luxury of drifting for a little while longer in the warmth of the duvet, until it became impossible to ignore the faint but delicious scent of bacon that was invading my nostrils, tempting me from my cocoon.

Trudging down the stairs to the kitchen, still somewhat bleary eyed, I found Jodie resplendent at the head of the distressed pine table that dominated the far end of the room by the French windows looking out onto the small garden. It appeared that the weather gods were smiling as it was a beautifully bright crisp January morning, very few clouds in the sky to cast a shadow over my date with Tristan.

"You took your time." She grinned, raising a glass of orange juice in my direction. Poking my tongue out at her playfully, I turning to where Constance was pulling serving dishes out of the oven, I was perplexed by the trouble she was going to for breakfast. Grabbing a tea towel, I picked up the remaining plate and followed her to where Jodie was sitting.

"Sit down and dig in Holly. I've just got some toast to grab and then I'll be with you." Constance urged.

Taking a seat adjacent to my friend, we started to help ourselves.

"What's all this for?" I asked, still puzzled. Constance knew I didn't normally do breakfast, preferring to grab a piece of fruit or a yoghurt mid-morning. Eating early was an issue for me, which was a little at odds with my general attitude to food, but it was more about my level of consciousness than anything else. I wasn't about to be rude to my landlady after she'd gone to so much trouble.

Spearing a sausage like it was about to escape from the shallow rectangular platter in front of me, Jodie beamed. "Connie and I decided that you needed to get something solid into you before you start getting ready. You're not good with new situations and by the time lunch rolls around you'll have worked yourself into a ball of nerves. Consider it part of your date prep."

Spooning some grilled mushrooms onto my plate, I eyeballed her. "Date prep? You were only meant to be helping me pick an outfit. I didn't sign up for anything more Jodie."

Constance, who was now back at the table, chipped in. "Don't be silly. Today is an important step forward for you, let us help you."

They were both in on it. The realisation that I was one good meal away from being plucked and preened to within an inch of my life hit me at a hundred miles an hour. Not that I didn't want to look good for meeting Tristan, I just didn't like being forced to participate in things I deemed unnecessary or being bossed about during the process. Unfortunately, based on the sheer joy radiating from Constance at the prospect of helping me get ready for what she and Holly had deemed to be a momentous occasion, I didn't have the heart to kick against it. Had it just been my best friend, I could have been as blunt as I liked and told her to 'bugger off' but the lady sitting opposite me was a completely different story, I just couldn't do that to her.

"Fine." I huffed.

Jodie pumped her fist in the air in triumph.

"But you will allow me to bathe alone...and my lady parts are off limits." I groused, hoping that the scowl I threw at Jodie would prove I meant business. "Nothing involving them will be on the menu today, so you can leave them well alone."