Previously on 'Getting Fitched'
'Katie? Honey? Oh Effy sweetheart. Nice to see you around. Katie hasn't mentioned you at all over the summer.'
'Faster.'
'I can't go any faster, it will hurt my arms.'
'No pain, no gain love.'
'You know, I don't know if I love or hate this demanding side of you. I think I love it, it's pretty hot on you.'
'Alright you can drop them now. Okay, do a quick cool down; I'll meet you over at the desk.'
'You know, we should go out for a coffee sometime. You have my number. We could get to know each other a little.'
'Right. So. I'm moving out and going to live with Emily. And Naomi."
'Did you know about this Katie?'
'Er... yeah, actually I'm quitting my job, going to Uni and moving in with Effy in like... well as soon as I'm packed.'
'So... I did this thing earlier where I was going to snog my best friend and freak her out. Made a bit of a twat of myself after running off and now I don't really know how to talk to her. Any suggestions?'
'Well you could ask her what she thought about you trying to kiss her in the first place, might be a good start. I think she might ask why you are stood all the way over there when there is a comfy bed right in front of you.'
'Well you see, she's really hot, she's a really nice person even if she can be a bitch at times." And I've fancied her for quite a while but was scared to say anything even though her sister and her sister's girlfriend kept on bugging me to tell her. See the thing is, we are all pretty sure she's straight, but her sister seems to think that she might be a little confused about me and I need to know if she is.'
'Well you could try and kiss her again without running off this time. If she backs away then you could just say you felt like you were getting mixed signals, if not then you know she likes you back.'
'Thanks Katie, that's alright advice. I'll go and find her now.'
'Did you know about your mother's drinking problem as well?'
'I never told you Em.'
'I'm not stupid Katie.'
'And was anyone going to tell me?'
'It's my Mum. She... she had too much to drink and she's hit her head on the table.'
'Please be okay Mum. Please'
Jenna
The booze helps.
It helps her forget. It helps her forget what Rob pretends he isn't doing. It helps her forget that her daughter is a... one of them. It helps her forget that Katie and James left because of her. It helps her forget that it's her fault her family is fucked up.
The booze doesn't help.
It gives her a headache every time she stops feeling fuzzy. It makes all her worries come rushing at her at different angles all at once, once the high wears off.
She drinks to forget it all again.
It's a vicious cycle.
She hears the beeping around, rattling in her head but refuses to acknowledge it. Refuses to listen to the sounds of her husband saying her name softly as her eyes begin to blink because she is just too peaceful. She feels like she isn't on Earth, that there is no shit going on around her and she doesn't want to ever wake up because reality will smack her in the arse so hard she'll shatter.
But she can't help it. Her eyes pry open without her consent and the blurry room begins to show itself in the harsh light. "Jen?" She hears Rob say her name, feels his too cool hands down her face and she groans. "Honey, c'mon, finish waking up for me."
Her head is killing her, like a train has run over it and she wants to close her eyes again but doesn't. "Rob?"
"Jen?" He near shouts and it feels like a hammer hit her head. "Oh thank God."
"Where am I Rob?"
"The hospital love. You had a bit of an accident." He nods to her head.
She lifts up her arm to her head, feeling the bandage around it. "How... What?" She frowns, confused.
"Yeah, you see that's what fucking happens when you drink too much, fall and hit your fucking head on the table." Katie snarls from the doorway.
"Katie." Jenna hears Effy whisper behind her daughter in a warning tone.
"Whatever." Jenna tries to move to sit up, feeling another sharp pain shoot through her stomach. "I wouldn't try to move either; they had to pump your stomach." Katie says again, her arms crossing firmly over her chest.
"Katie!" She hears Effy's voice again, a little more stern than before. 'Katie's never let anyone speak to her like that.'
Katie sighs loudly and shuts her eyes. "I'm going to go and get a coffee or something. Come on Ef." She nods at her Mum before walking off. Doesn't realise Effy hasn't followed her.
Jenna watches as the brunette's head pops around the doorframe. "Give her time Jenna, she's just scared, they nearly lost you and she was the one that found you." Jenna starts to get tears in her eyes. "But next time you decide to stupidly get drunk, try not to do it around objects with corners yeah? Or at least at work where Katie could find you."
'She called me Jenna.' The woman frowns, ready to object.
"Because I won't be happy if you make her go through this again." With a parting nod, she follows her girlfriend.
Jenna looks helplessly at her husband. "What was that about?" He shrugs. "Where are Emily and James?" He shrugs again. "Well you're a lot of help aren't you Rob?" She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest, trying not to wince as a pain shoots through her head again.
"Hiya Mum!" James shouts as her enters the room. "Nice to see you're finally awake." He keeps his tone loud. "How's the head? Stomach?"
"James do you have to shout?" Jenna asks pathetically.
"It's your own sodding fault Mum. What happened to the AA meetings you were supposed to be going to?"
"Where's Emily?" She asks changing the subject, wondering why her children are being so horrible to her.
"She didn't want to come when she found out the reason." He replies in a somewhat arrogant voice. "I didn't really, but I have managed to get out of school for the day so that's a plus side."
She shakes her head sadly through the pain that isn't just physical.
"You do realise you've fucked everything up don't you Mum?" Emily says softly as she walks into her parent's bedroom. The doctors had released her earlier that day with a hand full of leaflets and pain killers. "Katie won't talk to you; James is just being a twat around the house. Dad is probably off fucking someone. How could you do this to your family?" She sits down gently on the bed, stroking through her Mother's hair, trying not to wake her.
She sighs loudly.
"Naomi and I have had a big argument over it as well. She isn't speaking to me right now because I'm around here, but she doesn't understand, she has never had these kinds of problems with her Mum. I mean, they may not have always been close but still, it was hard to explain to her that you need someone to support you through this and it's pretty ironic that it's me really with all the shit you have put me through the past couple of years." She laughs to herself, a short, frustrated laugh. "I don't even know why I'm saying all of this now, you aren't even awake to hear it but I suppose in a way that is easier because you'd say something to piss me off and before I know it I'll be shouting. I guess some things never change though eh?"
She kisses Jenna on the forehead before heading back to the door.
She breathes in deep and closes her eyes. "Some things never change, but I wish this time, just this once, they would. The way you are against me means nothing to me right now and I hope when you wake up you realise that. Just wake up Mum. Not from your pill induced sleep, but just from whatever fantasy you are trying to drink yourself into. Wake up to reality and come back to us." With a quick nod, she leaves the house.
Jenna was awake through the whole thing and she clenches her eyes shut to stop a tear escaping.
It's over an hour later she decides to move. It's been over an hour that she has been staring at the picture of her family, back how they use to be. Back when Rob and her were in their prime, when James was just a few months old and only just starting to become a brat and back when Emily and Katie were close... back when Katie decided she was going to have ten children and name them all after her favourite shows and back when Emily was going to marry Prince Charming and wear a pink fluffy wedding dress.
Before shit hit the fan. She pulls a bottle of wine from under the bed, desperately unscrewing the cap and raises the top to her mouth.
She stops about an inch away. 'What the fuck am I doing? You need to sort yourself out Jenna.'
She screws to cap back on, lifts herself out of bed, doesn't look in the mirror on the way to the door. Can't.
She changes, just pulls on loose jeans and a top and runs her fingers through her hair a couple of times and heads downstairs, ready to make herself a coffee. She rests her hands on the counter as she waits for the kettle to boil, tries to ignore the deadly silence of her house.
She pours milk into her drink before switching on the T.V and leaning back into the cushions of her sofa, blows the steam off the top of the mug before taking a relaxing sip.
She looks around her living room, restless. Her fingers begin to tap on the side of her mug without her noticing and her foot starts to shake against the coffee table. She looks up and down from her coffee a couple of times before looking back again to where another bottle of wine is hidden.
Slamming her coffee on the table; creating a crack along the bottom, milky brown liquid coating the table, she makes her way over to the cabinet, the hinges almost flying off as she yanks the doors open. She grabs the bottle and heads back over to the sofa, ducks to look down and reaches her arm under it to grab another bottle from the back. She goes to the kitchen, places them on the side and gets the small step ladder, picking up another two bottles from above the cupboards and sits them next to the others. Making her way upstairs, she takes the three remaining bottles and brings them back downstairs with her.
They're all perfectly lined up, like a hidden form of OCD has appeared within her and she takes a seat in front of them, staring at each one intensely, glaring at them you could say. She unscrews the tops, lining them up also, the smells of the different wines mixing together in some disgusting cocktail and she forces herself not to gag.
She picks the first bottle up, turns around and tips it towards the drain, pulls back at the last second, just as the liquid starts to escape and places it on the draining board, resting her hands heavily on the sink and takes a deep, shuddering breath. 'I can't do it.'
She brings the bottle to her mouth instead.
"Oh for fuck sake!"
"Katie calm down."
"No Em. This is getting beyond fucking ridiculous. She's going to end up fucking killing herself."
Jenna looks up from her spot on the floor, resting her back against one of the kitchen cupboards and smiles up at her two daughters. "Katie. Emily. You're here." She frowns. "Why are you here?" She waves her hand in front of her face. "Oh never mind that." She holds the bottle out in front of her too. "Want a drink? I know how you kids these days like a bit of a drink."
"No Mum. We don't want a fucking drink." Katie exclaims loudly, making her twin flinch before she yanks the bottle out of Jenna's hand, placing it on the counter behind her.
"Hey give that back!" Jenna moans, trying to pick herself up off the floor, stumbling a few attempts before managing to grasp the counter to stop swaying.
"Look at you." Katie comments. "You are a fucking disgrace Mum. To yourself and your family and it's gone far enough. You need help, and I will be taking you if you like it or not."
Jenna lets out a sound which could only be described as a frustrated scream, putting it lightly and her teeth snarl like a dog. "You know you've turn into a right fucking bitch since that Stonem girl came back into your life." She takes a step towards the smaller, purple-haired girl. "You use to be a nice girl who did what she was told before she came back."
"You leave her out of this." Katie threatened in a low voice.
"Why Katiekins? You can forgive her for hitting you over the head with a rock but you can't let me have a couple of little drinks?"
"Alright that's enough!" Emily stepped between the two. "Katie she won't even remember this when she finally sobers up so-"
"And you! You fucking dyke. How can you judge anyone for what they do when you have a guaranteed pass to hell?"
"Mum shut up. You aren't even fucking religious." Emily rolls her eyes.
"I'm a Catholic Emily! As should you be." Jenna shouts at her.
"You're a Catholic when you want to be mother." She rolls her eyes again. "It's not the same thing." She turns away.
"Look at me when I'm speaking to you!" She shouts again, grabbing the red head's arm and tugging it roughly, her nails digging into Emily's bicep.
"Alright!" Katie exclaims, ripping Jenna's arm away from her sister. "Don't touch her like that." She taps Jenna back a bit, but in her drunken state, she falls onto her arse.
Emily supresses a sarcastic giggle.
Jenna's face turns red, bright red like Emily's hair and the two just think she's a little embarrassed until she stands up and makes her way over to Katie. She slaps her, so hard Katie feels as though she's got whip-lash and all the two can do is stand there shocked.
Katie doesn't let the tear in her eye escape. Just brings her own hand up to the already there mark as her mouth hangs open, no words escaping.
Emily is rooted to the spot, looking between Jenna and her sister, not sure what to do.
Jenna smirks.
The smirk turns into a smile and she grabs the bottle off the counter and looks at her two daughters. "I don't want either of you to step into this house again before you learn some manners. Alright? Goodbye." She wobbles upstairs and slams her bedroom door shut.
Katie's face turns to thunder. She makes her way to the bottom of the stairs. "Alright then Jenna. I'll see you tomorrow for your AA meeting yeah?" She shouts up, loud enough so the neighbours can hear it. She then turns to Emily. "What are we going to do Em?"
"You called her Jenna." Emily frowns.
"Yeah well until she starts acting like a fucking mother I won't treat her like one." Katie sighs. "So what are we going to do?"
Emily sighs. "Well, I'm going to go and spend another random day with my girlfriend when she doesn't have an exam. You are going to phone Sarah and make sure all the wedding plans are good to go. Then you are going to go and spend some time with your own girlfriend and then you are both coming to mine for dinner. Plan?"
"Plan." Katie smiles, nodding. "And tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow we start trying to sort out Jenna, finally." Emily winks at her.
They quietly walk home, although quiet doesn't usually consist of Katie gossiping down the phone and Emily drops her off first. "I love you Emsy." Katie says softly, pecking her sister on the cheek.
"Love you too Katiekins."
'Jesus what the fuck?' She blinks her eyes open, the light from the window making them sensitive. She finally blinks enough times to fully open them and starts to sit up, a dull headache forming. She manages to sit up on her elbows, glances around the room, and realising she is on the floor, she frowns.
She then sees the almost empty wine bottle in her hand and groans. 'Not again.' She looks at the time, it's early and she hasn't been to work in a couple of weeks.
She gets ready, her stomach feeling weak and head hurting. She changes, brushes her teeth until most of the alcohol taste and hopefully smell has gone, and cleans herself up a little, applies a bit more make-up under her eyes than usual before grabbing a quick coffee and heading out.
She decides to walk, figuring she is still over the limit to drive. 'First smart move in ages Jenna. Nice one.'
There is a pile of letters waiting for her; obviously Katie hadn't been there either. She groans at them, picks them up and heads into her office.
There is still a stain where her blood was.
It makes her feel sick.
She sighs to herself and sits down, rubs her forehead and breathes seep before opening the first letter.
Cancellation.
She rolls her eyes and opens the second. Bill. The third, cancellation. It goes on like this with a couple of random junk mails until she gets to her last letter. Another cancellation. "Fuck!" She shouts loudly into her office, the word echoing around the room.
She stares at the pile of now open letters for a good half an hour, her eyes completely glazed over as thoughts of nothing and everything fill her mind.
She has no clients. No clients means no money. Her reputation is shot. 'What am I going to do?' She tries not to let a small tear escape.
She hears the door open. Her eyes widen in glee that maybe one of her customers have come back or she might be getting a new one. She stands up to go and greet them, doesn't have to when her office door burst open. "You fucking bitch!" She's pushed back down onto her seat. "How could you fucking hit her? She's you bloody daughter for Christ sake!"
Jenna's eyes turn from anger at being pushed to confusion. "Effy. What the hell are you on about? And how dare you stroll in here acting like-"
"Acting like what? Acting like a raving bitch? Acting like you?" Jenna couldn't even begin to describe the look in Effy's eyes, but she is pretty sure she is a little bit scared of it.
"Effy. Please just tell me what you are on about before you say something else you are going to regret." She fakes her cool composure.
"You mean you honestly don't know?" Her voice is low, dangerous. "You. Hit. Katie."
Jenna looks shocked. "What? No I did not."
"Oh so you were as drunk as Katie said you were." Effy snarls. "Sort yourself out Jenna, because if Katie has to go through this with you again, I won't just be shouting if you catch my drift." She raises both her eyebrows in warning.
"Where is she?" Jenna asks timidly, diverting her gaze.
"She's at her job."
"She has a new job?" She frowns, cringing when Effy smirks, leaning forward in her face.
"Yes she has a new job. A new, great job. I would tell you more about it but to be honest, you don't deserve to know what's going on in her life." Her voice turns to a near whisper. "So why don't you do us all a favour and fuck off?"
With that, she went.
Life goes on.
She tries to get her reputation at work back, to little success. She goes home, tries to limit herself to one glass of wine, to a little more success. She goes to bed to try and sleep so she feels good the next morning, to no success.
But still, life goes on.
She tried going around to Emily's yesterday, heard her daughter arguing what she presumes is the phone. Her name was dropped quite a few times.
She hung her head and left.
But now, as she sits watching a repeat of 'Supermarket Sweep' with a steamy cup of coffee in her hand and a glass of wine on the table, it all hits her what she has to do. What she needs to help sort her out.
Who she needs.
So she gets up, grabs her coat and bag and heads out. She shaking as she walks and she isn't quite sure if it's nerves or alcohol leaving her system. Either way, the feeling in the pit of her stomach makes her want to be sick and the walk to where she is going seems like it's lasted a lifetime and only lasted five minutes all at the same time; it confuses her.
Yet, as she knocks on with an unsteady hand and a deep breath, she hasn't felt better in years. And as the door opens, when she closes her eyes in nerves, she has never been more relieved hearing a hopefully friendly voice.
She opens her eyes slowly, meeting a semi-friendly face. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here." She smirks.
Jenna looks her deep in the eyes. "I need help." She admits softly.
"You'd better come in."
"So."
"How did you know who I was? I mean, we've never met." Jenna asks, holding her cup of tea tightly.
"Katie and Emily both have a couple of pictures around their houses." Anthea smiles softly.
"Right."
"Jenna? Why are you here?"
"Well I know… I mean Katie has mentioned that you… What I'm saying is-" She started nervously, before getting cut off.
"I was an alcoholic, drug addicted failure of a Mother? Katie told you right." She laughed.
"Yeah, that. I need to know how you, like, got over it I guess."
Anthea sighs. "Look, Jenna. It took me a long, long time to come to my senses and realise Effy was my main concern and that if she was happy, I was happy, regardless of everything we have been through. And trust me; we've been through a lot." She smiles to herself. "I had to get myself on my own feet, so I could get Effy back on hers, and once we started over again, everything else just kind of fell into place. Like I said, it's taken a lot of hard work. AA meetings, rehab. But I can handle my drink depending on what my mood is. I know when to stop; I just didn't want to back then."
"But I want to stop." She sniffs. "I do, but I don't know if that will be enough for them to forgive me."
"I completely abandoned my daughter. My daughter smacked your daughter over the head with a rock and nearly killed her. If Effy can forgive me, and Katie can forgive Effy, I'm sure they will come to forgive you."
"I hit Katie." She holds back a tear.
"I know you did." Jenna looks up at the blonde in shock. "Effy was a little… upset about it all after she shouted at you."
"Well it was a little unexpected I'll admit." She chuckles.
"She takes after her mother." Anthea winks. "Look, why don't you come to an AA meeting with me tomorrow? That way you won't be on your own and you have someone around that has been there before?"
"That would be nice. Thank you."
"No problem. Emily and Katie are good girls. James is a good lad. They'll all come around. As for Rob… well man troubles aren't my area I'm afraid."
They smile at each other, Jenna losing hers in record time when the door opens and two giggling girls come in, not noticing she is in the room until all laughter stops. "What the hell is she doing here?" One of them snare.
"Now, Effy honey-"
"Don't 'Effy honey' me Mum! Are you insane? Letting her in after what she did?" She glares.
"Ef." Katie squeaks softly. "Don't." She places her palm on the bottom of Effy's spine lovingly. "Please?" She whispers in the brunette's ear.
Jenna frowns at the closeness. 'They're just friends Jenna. You're imagining things.'
She watches Effy turn her head sideways, all of her attention on Katie. "But-"
"Leave it okay? Just this once, I can't be doing with the yelling."
"Fine." Effy whispers softly, smiling a little at her girlfriend.
Jenna frowns more. "Katie, I'm sorry for what I did. I don't even remember doing it. I'm so, so sorry, I wish I could take it back. I wish I could take it all back, but I can't. I can only try and make it right. If you'll let me that is." She pleads.
Katie stares at her intently, not saying a word and tightens her grip onto Effy, opening her mouth to say something, but closing it again. "She's coming to an AA meeting with me tomorrow Katie." Anthea says, trying to help.
Katie nods ever so slightly, clinging onto Effy even more, who tries her best to comfort her girlfriend without it being too obvious to Jenna, even though she's probably made her suspicious already. "I'll believe it when I see it." She replies almost silently. "And we'll go from there. But Mum, I'm not the only one you need to apologise to." She says a little stronger, raising her eyebrows to emphasize her point.
"I know. They are my next stop." Katie nods again.
"Well the reason we came round is because Emily is cooking tonight and I know what you are like for getting takeaways when Keith is away on business." Effy smirks.
"Oh that would be lovely girls. I love Emily's cooking, you two need to grab a few tips." Anthea jokes, making Jenna begin to smile.
"Excuse me, my cooking is perfectly fine, it's Katie that needs to learn how to not poison people."
"Oi!" She exclaims, smacking Effy's arse without thinking. She stops laughing when she notices the look Jenna is giving her. 'What. The. Fuck?' "Mum you are more than welcome to come. Although I can't say how Emily and James are going to react, but if you are going there in a minute anyway?" Katie babbles, her face bright red.
Jenna nods, speechless. She just isn't sure if it's because of what she was just offered, or what she just saw.
"Em?" Katie shouts loudly.
"Upstairs." She hears back.
"James?" She shouts again.
"Staying at Hayley's." She hears again. 'Hayley?'
"Thank God for that." Katie whispers under her breath. "Right, Ef babes, make everyone a cuppa yeah? I'm going to go talk to Emily before she comes downstairs." She leans in to kiss Effy, before remembering, luckily quickly, that her Mum is there.
Effy's eyes go wide. "Yeah, sure." She coughs uncomfortably, giving her own parent, who is on the verge of tears laughing, an evil look. "Follow me." She sighs.
She leads them into the kitchen, fills up the kettle, turns and leans back against the counter, crossing her arms and staring pointedly at Jenna as if asking what she wants. Jenna mumbles. "Coffee please love." Effy nods at her.
The kitchen is completely silent, with the exception of the kettle boiling. Jenna is sat at the table, Anthea is leaning against the wall and Effy is in the same spot. Glaring.
They hear the arguing upstairs. They choose to ignore it.
Jenna chooses to ignore the tear forming in her eye at some of the words Emily is using about her.
The kettle clicks and the sound of water being poured in the cups can be heard, a spoon being stirred making the silence of the kitchen echo, one cup being placed softly near Anthea, three cups staying in front of the brunette and the last cup nearly slammed on the table in front of Jenna.
Feet rushing down the stairs interrupts the nothingness the three of them were sharing. Emily barges in; sniffling slightly, Katie behind her. The red-haired girl smiles, an obvious front. "Right, who's hungry?"
To say the dinner was going well was… an overstatement.
"This is lovely Emsy." Jenna smiles.
"Yeah, and more than a few dozen calories too." Emily laughs.
Anthea and Katie were comfortable, talking away about her new job. "So how did this come about Katie?" Jenna asks, seemingly afraid.
"Well while you were… whatever. A woman asked me to design a dress for her wedding. Long story short she saw my designs I'd drawn and liked them. Anyway, some rich guy at her wedding works for the designers at Bristol's 'Top Shop' and asked me to bring a few of my personal designs around for him to see." She sighs happily. "I mean I know it's only 'Top Shop' but it's a start."
"Only 'Top Shop' Katie? Do you know how many people shop there?" Effy chuckles. Katie glares playfully at her.
"Well that sounds wonderful Katie. I'm glad it's working out for you."
"Yeah… thanks Mum."
"So Emily? No… Naomi?" Emily looks up sharply at the older brunette and averts her gaze almost immediately.
"N-no. She erm… she has too much work to do this weekend. She's staying at Uni." It was a blatant lie, but then again Jenna wasn't about to call her up on it.
Effy stands up. "Excuse me, I need the bathroom." She smiles politely around the table, walking towards the door. She squeezes Emily's shoulder on her way, winking at her and Emily grins, watching her leave the room.
It clicks in Jenna's head. The looks between Katie and Effy, the overprotectiveness for Katie. Effy was doing it all to please Emily. "Are you seeing Effy?" She squeaks.
She doesn't expect the responses she gets from the other three.
"What?" Katie chokes on her food.
"No!"
"That's hilarious." Anthea finishes of, nearly doubled over in laughter.
Emily is still in a state of shock, Katie giving evil eyes, Anthea laughing and Jenna looks completely confused when Effy makes it back into the room. "Did I miss something?"
"I'm sorry, it's just with her hand on your shoulder and the wink and the grin and… I'm sorry." Jenna stutters.
"Did you ever think Effy did that as a sign of comfort because she doesn't want to talk about her bitch of a girl-"
"Katie." Emily warns her.
"Sorry Emsy."
"Well what's going on then?" Jenna huffs.
"Mum, we've let you come around for dinner, we've had a civilised conversation so far and to be honest it really is none of your concern right now." Katie snaps.
Jenna coughs nervously, dabs at her mouth with a napkin before placing it on her almost foodless plate. "Right well. Thank you for dinner Emily." She stands up. "Anthea I'll meet you about noon tomorrow?"
"Of course, and you'd better be there." Anthea warns in a half serious tone.
Jenna nods and leaves.
"Well… that was fun." Anthea exclaims, taking another huge bite of her dinner.
She receives three glares.
It's nearly three in the morning when Jenna finally puts her head down. It's just gone five in the morning when she next opens her eyes, bangs a pillow over her head and tries to get some more sleep.
It's half nine the next time she opens her eyes and she just knows she isn't going to get anymore sleep.
She gets up and grabs a shower, grabs some breakfast that she has to force down, brushes her teeth and puts her make-up on.
She sighs at herself in the mirror.
She only has an hour until she has to go and meet Anthea. She takes some clothes out of her wardrobe. Nothing to fancy, it is an AA meeting after all.
She hears the door open and slam back shut. "Jenna?" She hears a deep, male voice shout.
"In here."
Rob comes in, takes in her appearance and frowns. "Not staying in today?"
"No. I'm meeting Anthea, you know Effy's Mum? She's taking me to my first AA meeting."
Rob looks at her in shock. "Oh, that's good." He looks nervous. "Anyway, I'm going to go and stop at a… friend's for a while-"
"A 'friend's' eh? It's that what we are calling her now?"
"Her?" He asks confused. "Well I just wanted to get some clothes and things." He smiles sadly. "It's good that you're getting help Jenna. Really good. Phone me and let me know how it goes?" He asks hopefully.
She nods, first the first time letting a tear roll down her cheek as she watches him go upstairs.
She leaves for Anthea's early.
Anthea isn't home when she gets there, but someone else is. "Can I help you?"
"Yes please. I'm Jenna, I'm supposed to be meeting Anthea today for-"
"An AA meeting? Yes she phoned me last night and explained it all. She isn't home at the minute, I was kind of hoping myself that she was. I'm Keith." She smiles politely. "Please, come in." She greets him with the same smile before entering the house. "I'm meant to be on business, but I managed to finish early." He explains as he walks into the kitchen. "Drink?" Jenna shakes her head no. "Anyway, I was hoping to surprise her. I should've known I should tell her I was coming back early, she is always a busy bee." He laughs to himself. "She shouldn't be too much longer; especially as she knows you're coming."
As if he was psychic, Anthea strolls through the door, f-ing and blinding. She stomps about in the living room for a minute or so before heading into the kitchen herself. She gasps when she sees someone there, but she runs fast to hug her boyfriend. "Oh my God you're home early!" She exclaims in joy before stepping back and smacking him on the chest. "You fucking idiot! I thought there was a robber in here or something!" He just laughs at her 'angry face' as he likes to call it. "I'm so glad you're home. James has been-"
"James? What about James?" Jenna pipes up, making Anthea gasp and jump once again.
"Sorry Jenna I didn't see you there." She smiles at the brunette. "Oh, not your James. James Cook. He's bothering Effy. He's being released soon for 'good behaviour' and his lawyer found a loop hole for his self-defence case-"
"Well that's good news I guess."
"Yes it is. But now he is bothering Effy trying to get back with her." Anthea rolls her eyes.
"Well what's the problem with that? I mean yeah he might've gone to jail but he did what he did for his friend."
Keith scoffs. "I don't think Katie would be too impressed."
Anthea smacks him and he goes wide-eyed.
Jenna frowns. "How come?" She thinks it through. "Aw does Katie like him?" 'She'd better not go anywhere near that low-life scum.'
"Sure." He coughs. "I guess she likes him." He wasn't lying after all. She does like him, just not like that.
"Anyway," Anthea butts in, "we'd better be going. Take a nice stroll there yes?" Jenna nods. She turns to kiss Keith on the cheek. "Later baby, love you."
"Love you too." He smiles lovingly at her and winks.
Jenna misses that kind of affection.
Her hands are sweaty standing outside a small building that seems ten times its size to Jenna. She doesn't like it.
She feels a cooler, dry hand reach for her own. "You'll be okay. The first time is always the worse."
"Yeah."
"C'mon." And as she lives and breathes, she is being dragged in to the huge building and into a room that has around twenty seats in a circle, a stand with tea, coffee and biscuits and a few people chatting amongst themselves. "You okay?"
"Yeah." She answers again.
"Right." Anthe nods, escorting Jenna to one of the chairs, sitting her down and going over to the drinks table, where the brunette can hear her name being greeted with smiles and almost like… 'respect'.
She takes a deep, calming breath.
It isn't long until everyone is seated and the usual; 'hi, my name is' begins. The 'group leader' as she has named him gets to her and her breath quickens. "And I see we have a new person with us today. Don't be scared honey, we are all here for the same reason and all I want you to do is state a little about yourself." He smiles sweetly at her and she isn't sure if she feels safer or not, but a quick nod and small smile from Anthea makes her less jittery.
She brushes the sweat off her hands on her skirt and stands up with a shaky breath. "Hi, I'm Jenna-"
"Hi Jenna." The group pronounce in sync. 'How patronising.'
She smiles behind her eye roll. "I guess I've always drank as any average person. You know? A glass of wine after work or during a meal." She sees the nods around the room in understanding. "And then I guess one glass didn't ease the stress so it became two glasses, than the bottle, then two and so on and so forth." More nods, surprisingly making her feel better.
"And what drew the line Jenna? Why are you here today?" He pushes.
"How about I answer that next time?" She says, more like asks, politely. She isn't ready for that yet.
"Whatever you feel comfortable with." He smiles again and she sits down.
She was expecting a clap from the rest like they do on T.V. but one never came.
She's glad about that.
No, she sits down, lets out a breath and feels comfort from the hand on her shoulder and the 'well done' from Anthea.
"You know Jenna, I'm really happy you are going through with this."
She thinks for a second. "Me too. Thank you, I don't think I'd have ever gone through with it if it wasn't for you."
"Well I'm not going to lie; it gets a lot harder in the next few weeks. When you get your 'steps to recovery' and when you have a hard day and can't relax with a drink, that's when you need to be strong." Anthea warns.
"You're putting me off already." She jokes.
"Just know I'm here yeah?" They get to Anthea's door. "See you Jenna. If not before; the same time next week?"
"Count on it." She watched Anthea go through her door with a small wave, feeling better than she had in a while.
She lets the breeze wash over her, takes in the sunshine and begins to walk home.
"Jenna! Er… Mrs Fitch!" She hears being called from down the street. She turns around, recognising the voice but not being able to put a face to it.
She plasters on a fake grin. "Sam. Long-time no see."
"I know right? What are you doing around this area?"
"Oh I was… visiting an old friend." She lies. He cocks his head to the side in confusion, almost looking like a puppy and she gives in. "Fine, I went to my first AA meeting today?"
His eyebrows nearly reach his hairline. "An AA meeting? That's awesome Jenna. Erm, Mrs Fitch. I'm sure Rob would be psyched to hear that. Let's go tell him." He grabs her arm like a child that has seen a sweet shop.
"What? No Sam." She stops him. "Haven't you heard about me and Rob?" She asks incredulously.
"That you're on a break? Of course I have." He laughs at her. "All he keeps going on about is how much he misses you and wishes you would sort your life out so he can have you back."
She frowns at him. "What? Where's he been staying?"
"With me silly." He replies in a 'duh' kind of tone. "Where else?"
"Well, what about his girlfriend?" She snarls.
"Girlfriend? Jenna are you sure you aren't on drugs?"
""Wha- but- how-" She stammers. "I need to talk to him."
"Well duh. That's what I've been saying." He shakes his head, laughing again. "Let's go."
She leaves Sam's house happier than she thought she could possibly be. The fact that she even thought someone like Rob would have it in him to have an affair.
Although she did feel like finding out whom this girl was that tried to kiss him New Years and badly hurting her.
He explained to her he didn't want anyone knowing where he was because of Katie which seemed reasonable and that he would explain everything to the children when they were back on proper terms, having decided to carry on taking a break from each other until Jenna was more than certain that she didn't need alcohol to run her life.
Her words, not his.
He seemed a little defeated, but understood.
And now she feels like she is on cloud nine, walking in the sunshine, well, the sunset by this time. She decides to pop in to Effy's on her way back, feeling positive and wanting to let Katie know how things went at her meeting, although Anthea had probably already filled her own daughter in.
Whatever happens, nothing can break her mood right now.
She walks down Effy's street, a small skip in her step she feels, and she sees Effy's door open. 'I bet they are going to Emily's for dinner again. I'm surprised she has any food left.' She giggles to herself.
They aren't going to Emily's. It looks like Katie is popping out. She waits a second, hoping to catch her daughter on the street, it might feel easier without Effy around. She watches them, a grin on her face seeing them talking. Katie smiles and turns to leave, but Effy pulls her arm back, she watches the brunette's lips move as she says something before smirking.
Her grin drops as she watches Katie roll her eyes and move in to kiss Effy.
'Friends kiss goodbye all the time.' Her stomach drops when their kiss gets deeper and Effy's hands find their way into Katie's hair. 'Friends don't kiss like that.' "Oh my God." She exclaims, just loud enough for the girls to pull back in shock. Katie's head whips around and her eyes go wide.
"Mum?"