Forever Changed (Completed first draft for NaNoWriMo 2017)

Day fifteen - chapter nine

Jack has been bringing my food a little early. Is it to stop me from coming to the house, I wonder? There is more food in the basket and there's something warm. She left yesterday. I watched her red hair standout against her black coat. Why did she wait by the boot for so long?

Jack disturbed my reverie to get me to help lift some old pallets. He seems grumpy and I'm not sure why. Could it be because I can't focus now she isn't here? I know that she won't be sleeping across the road from me tonight and that makes me unsettled.

Jack calls to tell me to eat with him tonight and I can shower before dinner. Collecting my carrier bag of belongings I step over the kitchen threshold. It's warm, but not hot. He points to the shower room, where I remove my clothes and step in, opening my mouth to collect the hot water and spluttering into the shower. I wait in the steam, letting the water drip from me, then I towel myself dry. Jack gives me a plastic bag to put my towel and dirty clothes in as I sit down at the far left of the table, closest to the door facing the open fire, to eat.

Mrs. McMahon is still unable to get down the stairs and Jack and I sit side by side studying the fire in silence. Neither of us sits in the high backed chair; one throne at each of the table. The wood spits and I watch the flames dance while he goes to deliver her pudding. Coming back he places the food in front of me and we chew slowly.

"Do you like open fires?" He asks gesturing with his spoon. Deep in the red between the burnt wood I imagine a world full of promise. Maggie and I are lying naked on a rug in front of the fire, drinking Champagne and eating figs. It's snowing outside and we've spent the day skiing; our flesh that was once chilled is now smouldering to our touch.

"Coffee?" He enquires and I nod and walk behind him to wash the plates. He pauses to study me and then continues to prepare the coffee. I hear a car rumble but it's too late and she's giggling as she tumbles inside with a man. It's the man from the New Year party. He's removing her scarf and unfastening her coat.

It's so obviously false. He touches her too much and she laughs too loudly and poor Jack is embarrassed.

"Will you be wanting a coffee?"

Maggie's hair tumbles down and he grabs it wrapping around his hand, pulling her towards him he kisses her. Jack scowls and turns away. I continue the slow washing of plates.

"We're fine Jack; we'll be getting a whisky." She replies, imitating his turn of phrase.

Jack ignores her. They pour large tumblers of whisky and he sits in the chair at the end of the table; as Jack turns and sees him there his right hand falters. I wipe my hands and take the cup. This was a purposeful act done to shock and provoke. She's sitting on his lap and they watch as we're unsure where to sit.

"Join us." The man says.

Jack mutters something about them joining us and we sit in our previous seats. Jack is stubbornly refusing to talk. This is not the same comfortable silence we had before. Now he's really obviously not speaking, holding back as opposed to not having anything much to say.

"So what's it like to be a pop star?" He asks.

I have to face him and I study his vague smugness and arrogant leer. My eyes don't move from his and the silence extends. Jack nudges my elbow.

"Ever been on a yacht?" He asks excitedly. I nod and, as I turn, I give her a disapproving look.

Her face has flushed red and she's about to tackle my obvious disparaging look head-on.

"We went on a Saudi yacht once, it was obscene. All the taps were gold, not plated crap but solid and they kept a whole army of people employed to stay on the boat just in case they wanted to show it off. About twice a year, that's all it was used. We stayed for two days and then the Sheiks son found out we were nobodies, he had confused us with another far more famous and commercial band."