Chapter One; Teaching the Teacher
Leah Davis laid out the 8th or was it 9th outfit combination on the bed.
"Perfect," she said turning her head over her shoulder.
Leon Mclausky looked bored to tears. "Honey I love a spot of fashion but you're testing my patience... I'm seriously beginning to think you should have gone with the first one."
"Which you said made me look like a librarian," Leah smirked.
"Given you're a Teacher it was a little too day job admittedly ...but coupled with a pair of fishnets you might've looked at least like a slutty librarian," Leon snorted, laughing at his own joke, standing up from the chair in the corner of the bedroom while he sipped on the glass of white wine in his hand.
"As gay best friends go, you're a real bitch you know," Leah chuckled.
"Just call me Elton babes," Leon stood directly behind her while looking over her shoulder at the black skirt, and slightly opaque white long sleeve blouse with black piping detail around the collar. "You're gonna wear a black bra under that top aren't you my dear," he stated.
"You think?" Leah chewed the inside of her lip.
"Not too slutty but looking available enough... that was the brief wasn't it... black heavy deniers and heels and you'll have him ready to eat from the palm of your hand... if you want him to."
"Here's hoping," Leah offered, but a little less than enthusiastically. She had no confidence in herself anymore.
"Honey ...it's a Tinder date ... he'll be half expecting you to put out in the toilets after the starters," Leon chuckles.
"Stop it you," Leah states walking over to the chest of drawers and taking a black satin bra from the top draw. "I'm excited about this ...God I hope he at least looks like his profile picture."
"They never do," quips Leon.
"I've just got a feeling... like I'm due a break".
"Good for you girl, you've been single for too long that I will tell you... there must be fucking cobwebs between your legs make sure you have a dust." Leon cackles once again at his own joke.
"But when all's said I'm really glad to see you getting back out there ..." Leon looks over at her sternly "... But I insist ... You call me when you can during the night, and you call me again when you get home... you understand?"
"You worry too much..." Leah responds, "Come on let's go finish that bottle of wine."
"I feel I've earned it," Leon mocks.
**********
I watch as she skips across the Car Park towards her Mum.
Grace seems to grow a little more every time I see her. I wish I could spend more time with her; even knowing the truth, or what Mica will have me now believe is the truth, I can't stop loving her. Not seeing her for the first few weeks had been tough. I'm grateful to Mica for the few hours she's let me spend with Grace on a Saturday afternoon. Hot chocolate and cookies in a franchised Starbucks nestled in the corner of a retail park isn't ideal but it's been fun. With a place of my own it'd be easier, especially given that I don't want to burden Chloe with my baggage. To be honest even if her small flat were child friendly and not littered with drug paraphernalia and days old washing up it somehow wouldn't feel right.
I leave Chloe and Spider sat in the Van in which they dropped me off in and in which they have now come back for me in. Crossing the car park towards Mica. Who's sporting tight fitting gym gear, I barely catch her eye though. Mica crouches to embrace Grace "Oh I missed you" she enthusiastically clutches her.
Try going two to three weeks instead of three hours without seeing her I think to myself.
"There's still loads of your stuff at the flat by the way all bagged up ready to collect," Mica bluntly states barely looking up at me.
"Alright." I state barely able to bring myself to look at her either.
"Well, you need to collect it soon as I've given up the flat ... we're moving in with Mum."
Part of me is relived; glad to get Grace out of that cold damp shit hole. There's an equal part of me is annoyed at Micas mother, Bernadette, would have nothing to do with us in terms of support when we were together. She's by no means a wealthy woman but she's certainly not on the poverty line. I wonder if She knows the truth about Micas impropriety, somehow, I doubt it.
"I'll get it when I can" I try to keep my annoyance from my tone.
"Too busy with your new life, are you?" Mica looks over to where Chloe stands watching what's going on. Spider sits up behind the steering wheel of the White Van, his head down, avoiding the situation as he flicks through his phone screen.
"I was happy with my old life," I curse myself for sounding so needy, so soft.
"No, you weren't," Mica glares. "She's pretty by the way... your little blonde friend."
Despite the compliment there's a menace. As if despite everything she's done I should be the guilty one for cheating on her with Chloe. I turn my back on Mica and start to walk away.
"When can I see Grace next?" I stop and turn my head back to her.
"I'll be in touch," her ambiguous response delivered flatly. I can't even bring myself to say goodbye, not even to Grace. I steel myself and puff out my chest as I head towards the Van that Chloe's supposedly borrowed for the evening's entertainment. Her secrecy and her subsequent zealous nature excites and daunts me in equal measure. I've no idea what's involved, what she has planned but I sure as hell can't see why the obnoxious rather smartly turned-out Spider has to be involved.
Climbing into the Van Chloe offers me a weak smile, mouthing to me "You Ok?"
I nod my head.
"Man, I tell you what Jack... your Ex has got a sweet little ass on her," Spider for no known reason announces while pulling the van from the parking space.
"Spider!!" Chloe reprimands him.
"What?" he looks our way, "I'm just stating fact...she's fit anyone can see that."
"You're a fucking twat at times I can see that" I sneer at him.
"Fuck you" Spider sneers back; visibly shocked and angry at my daring to challenge him.
"I'm just stating fact" I say looking out the window as we drove towards the outskirts of the City.
Chloe sniggers besides me giving my right arm a playful squeeze.
We don't drive far. A couple of miles at best before Spider reverses the Van back into a grimy looking alleyway nestled between a row of shops.
"That's the place?" Chloe enquires.
"The Blue Moon to give it its English name," Spider confirms.
I look across the road at the restaurant with the words 'Lune Bleue' scrolled in gold against a navy sign hung above the door and stencilled on to the front windows:
"Thanks for the education..." Chloe patronisingly offers, "...Now go try and be charming and enjoy your Date."
"Birds from the trees," Spider offers before stepping out the Van, flashing Chloe a grin.
Chloe slides herself across the bench seat of the van to sit in the driver's seat. The keys I note left in the ignition. I watch Spider cross the street, dressed in a fitted pale blue shirt, navy chino's and a pair of tan shoes. I had wondered why he'd been so dressed up and had a shave. He's genuinely made an effort to be fair to the lad. Still looks like a cunt but he's the best version of a cunt he can be.
"Are we seriously expected to sit here while that prick goes on a date with some poor unsuspecting girl?" I turn to Chloe who looks over in my direction with a devilish grin.
"Just wait until you see who that unsuspecting date is Jack."
There's a glint if mischief in her eye; something I sense not to question.
I watch back out through the windscreen as Spider stands there under a streetlight outside of the restaurant while we sit in the darkness of the cab of the Van.
Minutes later I watch as she approaches. A long tan overcoat falls open to reveal a white, blouse underneath with a black skirt to the knee, black tights and heels complete her look. I recognise her immediately, my breath catching deep in my lungs.
Her light brown hair is cut a little shorter to her shoulders but as she steps into the light greeting Spider, I can make out her face even better.
"Is that?"
"Miss Leah Davis... your old English Teacher and well ... destroyer of Marriages," Chloe confirms what I already know nodding her head, her devilish grin spreads wider.
I turn back to see Spider hold open the front door of the restaurant for her.
