Friends with Benefits

Chapter 2

Jessica was lying on the sofa in her pyjamas. She was unsure what time it was. She hadn't opened the curtains for a week, and the battery in her phone was dead. The room was growing darker, so she knew it was sometime at night. She hadn't eaten all day. Her mother had been coming round daily, and leaving food parcels outside her door. Jessica had been ignoring her pleas to be allowed in. Her eyes were swollen and red from a week of crying, and she didn't want to upset her mother, who also sounded like she was crying when she shouted through the letterbox the contents of the food parcels.

"Mushroom pasta love. I might have put too much salt in it, but it's edible. Your father didn't like it much though. He threw half of it away. A box of chocolates as well. Thought they might cheer you up. Let me know if you want me to make you anything special. There's a bottle of wine as well. You know, just in case you feel like a drink."

There was a knock on the door. "Just leave it outside mum," she called.

"Jess, it's me, Becky."

Jessica hesitated. Then she said, "Sorry Becky, I'm not accepting visitors yet."

"Oh for God's sake Jess, you're not in hospital. Just open the door, will you? You can't stay like this for the rest of your life. Open the door."

"The apartment's a mess, and I can't have you see me like this..."

"Do you want me to break the door down? Because I will."

Jessica didn't doubt it. Becky was feisty, a quality that made her the star of the hockey team, but also made people feel afraid of her.

Jessica weighed up the options. Let Becky in, or have Becky destroy the door. She chose the former. She sat up slowly and stood up. Her body was stiff from lying in the same position all day and night. She switched the light on and looked around the room. There were plates with her mother's cooking half eaten, slowly turning to mould, and chocolate wrappers covering the floor around the sofa, like a sea of shiny silver.

"But Becky, the place is a mess. And I haven't had a shower for a week."

"I don't care. Open the door."

Jessica sighed and walked into the dark hallway. She opened the door and stood aside to let Becky in.

"Oh Jess, come here." Becky hugged her tightly. "I've been so worried about you. We all have. Your mother has been calling me almost daily. She's worried you might not be eating."

"I'm eating. Well, I'm eating the chocolates she leaves, and a bit of the pasta, but I can't stomach much else."

Becky switched the lights on, and Jessica blinked at their brightness. She hadn't had the lights on for a week. She followed Becky into the living room.

"Right," said Becky, "let me sort this mess out and then we can talk." Becky rolled up her sleeves and started picking up the plates of half-eaten food.

"You don't have to do this Becks. I can do it."

"You sit yourself down. I'll put the kettle on," said Becky, walking into the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later, the sea of chocolate wrappers had disappeared, the plates had been washed and two cups of tea sat cooling on the coffee table. Becky sat next to Jessica and held her in her arms.

"I'm supposed to be in the Maldives now," sobbed Jessica. "Lying on a beach, drinking cocktails. A newly-wed...but look at me Becky, look at me! I've been lying in my own dirt for a week. You know I've not even had a shower? And I've cried so much I don't think my eyes will ever go back to normal. They are so swollen I can barely see."

"You'll be fine. When do you go back to work?"

"I'm supposed to go back next week, but I don't know if I can face it. Everyone knowing what happened. I feel so humiliated. They'll all be laughing at me."