As The World Turns

Chapter 25

''I assume we are all ready for next month?'' The family around the table grumbled their replies. It was Scarlet's wedding in exactly a month. Despite the fact she had gone home with her fiance during the week, but it didn't stop their father from bringing it up at the weekly Sunday lunch.

''I think everybody's going to be ready, we've talked about the plans for months now Adam,'' Jodie's mother resting her hand on her husband's arm in a way of trying to get him to change the subject. She could tell that her kids didn't want to be bored with wedding planes, especially when Scarlet wasn't around. Maddie absentmindedly playing with the food on her plate was a sign that the subject needed to be changed.

''Fine, no more wedding plan talk, but Jo you still haven't ticked whether you will have a plus one or not?'' Jodie gulped, she knew the question was coming, but she hadn't expected it to come this early in the meal and especially not since she had a mouthful of roasted potatoes.

''Um...'' she coughed clearing her throat as she went to take a drink, allowing herself to think of an answer. when it didn't come it was her mothers turn to ask the questions.

''I remember Joe, he was such as nice man, what happened to him?'' Jodie nearly choked on her drink. It had to be some time of coincidence that she'd not only have seen Joe this weekend but also the fact her mother had brought him up. It was worse because she hadn't spoken about him in years.

''He's engaged so, he's not really an option Mum,'' she paused wondering if she should say the words on the tip of her tongue or not. In the end, she bit the bullet and started talking, ''I do have a boyfriend now though, but I'm not sure if taking him to a wedding is a good idea.''

''Wait, when did that happen,'' Brad, her older brother blurted out as he nearly spat water all over the table, ''er sorry,'' he shyly apologised after he'd earned a glare from his father from the far end of the table.

''Brad is right, when did this happen, Jodie?'' Jodie wanted the floor beneath her to open up and swallow her whole. She'd always hated how in your business her father had been. Ever since she was a little girl she couldn't have a friend round without her dad knowing everything about them. Perhaps what caused Adam to continue to ask about his kid's lives is the fact that they had never refused to let him know. This instance was the same.

''Well he only asked me yesterday, but we'd been on a couple of dates before then. We'd just been ice skating when he asked me. So I don't think asking him to a wedding next week would be such a big idea. Going away together would already be too big a step, but a wedding, that just seems wrong at this point in time'' Jodie shrugged as she took her fork moving the remnants of her dinner around her plate.

''Why don't you just bring it up, he might understand sweetie,'' her mother offered. Jodie nodded, of course, she had to tell Marshall she was going to a wedding, it was in England after all. She wasn't just going to jump on a plane and not tell him why she hadn't been around for nearly a week.

''I mean I was planning on that anyway,'' Jodie voiced her thinking. The comment made her mother happy, but her father still had his nosey cap on.

''Well I'd still like to know their name because I'm sure if it was Denaun you would have already told me?'' Adam rose an accusing eyebrow at his daughter, who shrunk back in her seat slightly. Now he was going to get protective; she was his youngest biological daughter after all.

''His names Marshalls, he's a friend of Denaun's,'' Jodie spoke. She'd hoped to have remained confident, but the nervousness was clearly heard in the way her voice shook.

''Marshall as in Eminem Marshall,'' this time it was Jodie's turn to glare at her older brother, ''sorry,'' he mouthed across the table as he realised that was the part she had been trying to avoid; the fact he was Eminem.

''Then I don't see why you can't just as him to come?''

''Dad I'll bring the wedding up anyway, but he could be busy,'' Jodie was beginning to become a little interrogated now and hated how the conversation appeared to be circling back to her having a plus one at the wedding. Glancing down at her watch she made an excuse to leave.

''Well I better get going, Blinks at the vet and I don't really trust Taylor to pick him up so I'll see you all next week and Dad Friday night. Thank you for the food Mum, lovely as always,'' Jodie then went around the table hugging her cousin who had stayed silent throughout the dinner, to then placing a kiss on Maddie's forehead (the poor girl was a little confused) before then hugging brad. Finally, she gave her Mum and Dad each a kiss on their cheeks before she swiftly left.

+++

The stress of the lunch she'd just been subjected too caused Jodie to make a right turning when she should have made a left. The reason being that she didn't want to go home quite yet. She needed to blow off steam and her skates were in the boot of her car.

Luckily for her, the rink was fairly quiet, there was a couple of young kids with their parents, but apart from that Jodie was free to skate around at her own pace. She rarely came on the ice on a Sunday she usually ended up staying a lot longer around her parent's house, but today she felt too questioned that she couldn't stay any longer.

The sound of children giggling and the light music filtering around the area calmed Jodie down. She was at peace and very much in her element. It made her wonder if the confidence she felt now was similar to the boost Marshall got when he was in the booth. Although she was well aware that his bliss would not be shattered by the sound of someone shouting his name constantly.

''Jodie!'' Looking up she tried to track where the sound was coming from. Then she saw him by one of the entrances of the rink. he was leaning across the rail, his arms folded. She watched as his mouth opened to shout again, but before he could she begun to skate towards him, which was when he'd realised she'd noticed him.

''I thought you'd be here,'' he greeted a smile filtering across his face.

''I'm never here on a Sunday you just got lucky,'' she deadpanned.

''Guess I am lucky,'' Jodie did not share his amusement.

''What do you want Joe?''