AUTHOR'S FOREWORD

Previously on 'Skins 24 – Valentine's Day': Cook disturbs Effy & Freddie getting romantic but decides not to tell them about his shock discovery. Emily confronts her mother about the Valentine's card and starts packing to leave home when her mother doesn't deny it was her who sent it. Mrs Moon agrees to let Thomas take Panda to the club that evening. JJ agrees to meet up with Mary at the club even though he is going there with Katie. Effy returns home to find her Mum has taken an overdose of pills.


Time: 18.03.36

'Are you sure your Mum doesn't mind me moving in?' asked an anxious Emily, as she continued with her unpacking in Naomi's room, whilst Naomi watched her from her position sitting up on the bed.

'No, she's really cool about it, honestly. Mind you, she did make a little comment about thinking you had already moved in anyway……'

'Oh, you're joking!' interrupted Emily, stopping what she was doing and looking at Naomi aghast. The last thing she wanted to do was put Gina out, especially as she was going to be relying on her help and co-operation for the last part of her secret Valentine's Day plan.

'Relax! She had a huge smile on her face when she said it. Come on, Em. You know Mum thinks you're wonderful. You get on with her better than I do!'

'Yeah, I guess. I've never understood that. She's great, your Mum is. Why don't you two get on better?'

Naomi sighed heavily and flopped backwards on to the bed. 'I've lived with her a lot longer than you – including that whole time when it was fucking open house to every down and out in the city. You should have tried waking up in the morning not knowing what freak's going to be lying next to you in bed.'

Emily couldn't suppress a few giggles at the memory of some of those incidents that Naomi had told her about last year before they had got together. 'God, do you remember the Jesus look-alike who let me in to the house that first time? He was gross!'

'Yeah, well, I suppose I ought to thank him for at least letting you in. If he hadn't, who knows whether all this would have happened or not?'

'Bloody hell, Naomi's going all sentimental and soppy for once! Whatever next?'

'Fuck off, Fitch and get on with your unpacking!' Naomi grinned broadly as she hurled this affectionate abuse at the diminutive redhead.

'I suppose we could ask old Jesus to the wedding………..if we could track him down.'

Naomi sat up sharply in speechless disbelief and stared hard at Emily to see if she was being even remotely serious with this utterly absurd and fanciful suggestion.

'No, what the fuck am I on about? Forget it, it's a ridiculous idea.'

'Thank Christ for that. For a second I was worried you were being serious.'

'Of course I wasn't. I mean, after all, how the hell would we know where to send the invitation?'

Naomi picked up a pillow and hurled it across the room at Emily, catching her a glancing blow on the shoulder as the redhead rolled around on the floor laughing her head off at Naomi's spiky reaction to her gentle teasing about them getting married.

'You're a pain in the arse, Fitch. Do you know that?' and yet the tall blonde couldn't completely hide the suggestion of a smile at the corners of her mouth despite valiantly attempting to cover it up with her bluster.


Time: 18.17.52

While Pandora and Thomas were preoccupied watching television downstairs, Mrs Moon snuck upstairs to her bedroom and was now surveying the contents of her wardrobe thoughtfully. It was years since she had last got herself all glammed up to go out dancing, she realised. Yet here she was trying to put together an outfit suitable not only for this rarest of occasions but also one which would enable her to pass herself off as an ordinary teenager going out to a nightclub. Was this mission impossible she had set herself or could she somehow manage to pull it off?

The hair and make up shouldn't present much of a problem, she reckoned. She was fairly skilled in that department anyway and she had already decided she would wear some sort of head covering which would mask as much of her face as possible to conceal the unpalatable truth that her teenage years were long behind her. No, it was the rest of her clothes that was going to cause her the biggest headache.

Everything she had in the wardrobe -dresses, skirts, tops, shirts, shoes and jumpers - seemed to scream 'forty year old mother of a teenage girl' at the top of their collective voices at her. After some five or ten minutes of increasingly frantic and desperate contemplation of her entire wardrobe, having tried all manner of combinations of colours, materials and styles, Mrs Moon had virtually abandoned her hastily dreamt up plan of secretly attending the club night incognito as one of her worst ideas ever.

Then, just as she was closing her bedroom door and was turning round to go back downstairs, she had another idea, one so daring, so ingenious, so out of left field that she almost hugged herself with excitement that she had even thought of it. She tiptoed halfway down the stairs to check that Pandora and Thomas were still engrossed in watching television and, satisfied that they were, she hurried back up to the landing and quietly opened the door to Pandora's room and crept inside, shutting the door behind her.

Once inside she made a beeline for Panda's wardrobe and sifted through her daughter's extraordinary collection of colours, patterns, styles and materials. Surely all she had to do was pick out a few things at random when Panda and Thomas had left and throw them on. After all, that approach clearly worked fine for Panda. She wasn't aware that her daughter had ever been sent home from school or anywhere else for wearing inappropriate and unacceptable clothes. Surely she would gain entry to the nightclub if she imitated the dress sense and style of her fashion icon daughter?


Time: 18.40.51

Effy was sat fidgeting on a chair, flanked by her father and Freddie, constantly twisting her fingers nervously around a tissue which was holding in her hands and which she used from time to dry her eyes. Freddie had an arm around her shoulders and her father was just staring blankly in front of him, not quite knowing what to say or what to do with himself.

'What the fuck's happening?' exclaimed Effy, beside herself with worry and unable to prevent an overwhelming yet undefined feeling of guilt from invading every square inch of her shattered mind. 'It's been almost half an hour since they took her in! Surely they must have pumped the pills out of her stomach by now!'

'They know what they're doing, love,' replied her father, hoping he sounded more confident than he actually felt. 'She's in the best hands. She'll be okay, trust me.'

Freddie squeezed Effy's shoulder and she leaned into him for emotional as much as physical support. He had come tearing over to the hospital as soon as she had phoned him on her mobile before the doctors took her mother into the operating theatre. Her father she had phoned immediately after she had called for an ambulance and she was mightily relieved when he showed up, looking as stunned and terrified as she herself felt.

'It's all my fault,' said Effy, trying to hold back the tears but failing. 'I wasn't there for her after you left. I should have been there to pick her up but all I did was run away from her.'

'You can't blame yourself, love. You weren't to know how bad she must have been feeling inside. I should have come round more often to check up on her and see how she was coping. If anyone's to blame, it's me.'

Mr Stonem shook his head and reached out for Effy's hand which she gratefully allowed him to hold for a while. It was the closest father and daughter had been to each other in years, united by fear and shock at the possible loss of the one person who still, after everything the family had been through in the last year, meant more to them than anyone else.

'Don't think about stuff like who's to blame right now. You can deal with that later when's she's recovered. Just concentrate on her getting through this right now,' Freddie's words of reason were intended for Effy's benefit but Jim nodded thoughtfully and quietly acknowledged the wisdom of Freddie's little speech. 'Yes, you're right, son.' We can think about the future tomorrow. Let's just get through tonight first, eh?'


Time: 19.04.26

She was running a few minutes behind the intended seven o'clock start but that apart Emily thought she had everything more or less under control. Gina had done her bit for the evening as agreed with Emily and now she and Kieran were going to make themselves scarce, leaving the house completely free for the two girls. Naomi was still kicking her heels impatiently in her bedroom, having been confined to barracks on pain of death by Emily. The redhead had issued Naomi with strict instructions not to come downstairs until she was called and that she should dress for dinner.

'You'll be wanting some money for the pictures, I suppose,' joked Emily to Gina and Kieran with a big smile.

'Well, we are going to the pictures as it happens but I think we're okay for money, sweetheart. Tonight's on Kieran.' Gina grabbed hold of Kieran's hand and said 'Come on, love. Our presence is no longer required.'

'It's a poor state of affairs when you get kicked out of your own home by your children,' Kieran teased Gina with a twinkle in his eye. 'In Ireland the kids usually can't wait till the day they can leave home and live their own life.'

'Thanks ever so much for helping out, Gina,' said Emily warmly and very sincerely. 'And for letting us have the place to ourselves tonight.' Emily went over to Gina and hugged her tightly and was hugged back by a smiling Gina who kissed her on the cheek.

'It's my pleasure, love. Now you two have a fabulous evening together. I presume you're going out to the club later on, aren't you, so we won't wait up for you. We'll catch you in the morning. Bye love.'

Gina and Kieran yelled goodbye to Naomi and disappeared, leaving a grateful Emily to put the finishing touches to the table and check that the starters were ready to be served. When she was satisfied that the meal could begin, she went to the bottom of the stairs and called Naomi down, telling her to come through to the kitchen. She met her outside the kitchen door and after telling her to close her eyes she took Naomi's hand and led her gently into the kitchen, whereupon she informed her she could open them now.

With a bemused thrill of anticipation and intense curiosity, Naomi opened her eyes and was gobsmacked by the sight she saw before her. A romantic candlelit dinner for two had been carefully set at the table, complete with champagne. All the best china crockery, glasses, cutlery, napkins and place mats had been brought out and two beautiful long red candles lit up the table at either end. The flowers that Naomi had got for Emily were prominently displayed and their Valentine's cards to each other were also on show.

'Wow! That's absolutely beautiful. Was this all your idea?' whispered an emotionally blown away Naomi, tears of joy visibly forming around her eyes.

'Most of it,' said Emily, similarly overcome with emotion at the sight of Naomi's clearly captivated face, 'although your Mum's been brilliant and helped out with some of the food as well as help lay the table. The champagne's a present for us both from Kieran, by the way.'

'Ah, bless him!' said Naomi with a sweet smile. 'He's a really good guy.'

'So, Madame, is this table to your liking? It's the best table in the restaurant, one we reserve for our most favoured customers.'

Naomi bit her lip to suppress a chuckle and eagerly joined in the fun. 'That will be most acceptable, thank you.'

'Well, if Madame will take her seat, I shall serve the starter immediately.' Emily showed Naomi to her chair and politely and properly in the best restaurant traditions eased her into her seat. The redhead probably overstepped the normal proprieties of customer service when she planted a long, deep kiss onto Naomi's lips after she had sat down but the customer, on this occasion, didn't appear to have taken much offence.

'Is the kissing included within the set menu or does one have to pay extra for that?'

'I think you'll find kissing your waitress for the evening is compulsory tonight!' said a giggling Emily, close to doubling up in laughter, all the more so as Naomi was heroically keeping a perfectly straight face during their humorous exchanges.


Time: 19.13.26

The doorbell rang and for the third time that day JJ got up to go to the front door, curious to see who it was this time. He couldn't remember a day like it when he had received so many unexpected visitors. First off it had been Cook who had come to drag him kicking and screaming to the water park to pick up some lonely hearts. Then it had been Emily and Naomi who had called whilst he and Katie were in the middle of selecting his outfit for the evening. Now who the hell could it be? Freddie and Effy, perhaps?

His stomach fluttered a little as he thought wistfully of the sight of Effy standing on his doorstep, with or without Freddie in tow. He couldn't help himself – he was still captivated by the slim, leggy brunette who was the epitome of 'cool' in his eyes. Not that he had ever stood more than a snowball's chance in hell of getting it on with her, certainly not once his two best mates had declared themselves amongst the runners and riders in that particular field. No, he'd been forced to admire her from a distance, which he still derived enormous pleasure from doing, nonetheless.

But, sadly, JJ was not to get another opportunity to drool silently over Effy for he was disappointed to find that it was Cook, yet again, who was waiting for him on the doorstep. JJ hid his sadness well and tried to sound pleased to see his friend again.

'Cook. Hi! What's up?'

'Can I come in, JJ? I need to talk to someone. It's important.'

JJ raised an eyebrow in surprise. Cook wasn't usually one to share his problems with other people, least of all JJ, so he reckoned it had to be something pretty serious to prompt Cook to come round and take him into his confidence.

'Sure. Come in.'

Cook entered the house and followed JJ into the dining room where they sat down at two of the chairs around the table. JJ could tell that Cook looked worried and concerned about something and so he waited patiently for Cook to be ready to fill him in on the details. JJ knew not to press him too quickly or too hard to spill the beans. Cook would always do things in his own time, in his own way and hated people trying to force the issue with him. He liked being in control of every situation he was in.

JJ made them both a hot drink in order to give himself something to do while Cook collected his thoughts and worked out what he was going to say. When the drinks were made and both boys were sipping the hot liquid from the piping hot mugs, JJ looked across at Cook and thought he detected a real nervousness and uncertainty in Cook's eyes that he couldn't recall having ever seen before.

'I'm in a real mess, Jay. I don't know what to do. I'm torn, like never before. I know what I should do but I don't think I can bring myself to go through with it.'

Cook was speaking in riddles so JJ had to gently cajole him into giving him a quick summary of the whole story of his predicament. It would be fair to say that JJ's reaction was over the top, perhaps even a bit theatrical, if entirely predictable.

'Fuck! I mean…..Jesus Christ! You're going to be a Dad? But…..but….but how? No, I don't mean how, obviously I know how, I mean………why? Or do I mean when? Shit! You?.....a father? I mean…….fuck!!'

'Hey! Calm down, JJ! You sound like you're having kittens. I'm the father to be, not you.'

'I know. Sorry, But……even so….fuck! You're going to be a Dad! Are you?' JJ shot an inquiring look at Cook who didn't answer him straight away, instead glancing down at the floor as he took in another gulp of his drink.

'I don't know, Jay. I know I ought to just agree to the abortion and help her out with the money. I wasn't looking to settle down and have a family, after all. I'm only seventeen! It's bleeding obvious what I should do. But somehow……I just can't.'

'Why not, Cook? If it's so obvious, I mean?'

'Because…… it's MY child we're taking about. If it was anyone else's we were talking about, I'd be saying 'don't be an arsehole, get rid of it! You don't need that kind of shit in your life right now'. But when it's yours, it's …….different, you know?'

'But…..does she want the baby?' JJ couldn't help thinking of the poor girl concerned that Cook had so thoughtfully got up the duff. He was struck by how Cook was only thinking about himself, and not her.

'No way! Not unless I agree to have it with her and there's no chance of that. She's only a kid, for fuck's sake.'

'She was old enough to shag, though.' JJ muttered that last remark almost under his breath and looked up quickly, afraid that Cook had heard him and would give him hell for being so bold as to point out the responsibility for this mess was ultimately all his. But Cook had gone off into an almost trance-like state of distraction, unaware of what was being said around him. JJ breathed a sigh of relief when Cook looked up and said 'What? Sorry JJ, I was miles away.'

'Nothing. So, what are you going to do?'

'I need to talk to her again. I've been trying to call her on her mobile but she won't pick up. I've left loads of messages but she hasn't come back to me. She probably wants me to stew in my own juices for a while.'

An unfortunate choice of phrase, thought JJ, given the circumstances. 'You're still going to the Valentine's party tonight, aren't you?'

'I suppose so. Maybe getting rat-arsed might concentrate my mind a bit more, you know. It might help me to see what I've got to do.'

JJ smiled at the concept of Cook needing an excuse to get pissed out of his brain. He didn't usually need one, it just happened naturally, whatever it took to push him closer to the edge which was where he liked to live his life. Well, he was well and truly on the edge right now, for sure. He was standing on a fucking precipice, looking down over a huge cliff where only the rocks and the cold, unforgiving sea were lying in wait for him to make his decision. To jump or not to jump? Over to you, Cook!


Time: 19.28.43

'Are you sure you don't want me to stay?' asked Effy, looking at her Mum and Dad. She and Mr Stonem were sitting on either side of Anthea who was lying in a hospital bed, recuperating from the successful stomach-pumping operation which had mercifully saved her life. Anthea looked understandably pale, drawn and exhausted by the experience but her husband and daughter didn't care how she looked right now. They were just mightily relieved she was still alive.

'You heard the doctor, love. She's going to be okay now,' said Jim who had been holding Anthea's hand ever since they had been allowed to see for five minutes and hadn't shown any sign of wanting to let go of it. 'You go home and get some rest. You must be exhausted yourself. I'll stay here with your Mum tonight. You can see her tomorrow morning and hopefully the doctor will say she can come home.'

'Mum? Do you want me to stay?' Effy didn't want to run out on her Mum now even though she had always hated hospitals and was feeling nauseous and depressed just being there. Even though her prompt actions on discovering her Mum unconscious had effectively helped to save her life, she was still feeling horrendously guilty inside about her previous plans to leave home and bugger off somewhere else, possibly her Dad's.

'No, it's alright, love. You go home,.' croaked her mother with some difficulty. 'I'll be fine with your Dad. Go back and get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow.'

Effy got up from the chair and gently hugged her mother, holding on to her like it might be the last time she would ever see her and only broke away to kiss her on the cheek. 'I'll be back tomorrow, okay. Now, behave yourself, do you hear?' she joked, though without giving much evidence of a smile. Effy went round the bed to her Dad to be given a huge hug by him also, as he whispered in her ear 'Well done, love. You were brilliant tonight,' which almost set her off into tears but she just about managed to hold them back, before waving goodbye and leaving the ward to rejoin Freddie who was waiting for her outside in the corridor.

'Is she okay?' he asked anxiously, standing up and coming over to Effy as she emerged from the ward. Effy nodded silently and sank into his arms which he wrapped around the distressed girl and held her as tightly as he could without squeezing the life out of the already emotionally exhausted young girl.

'She's going to be okay, they reckon. Dad's going to stay with her tonight. I can go back tomorrow morning. They might let her come home if she seems up to it.'

'That's great news,' said Freddie, who had been pacing up and down outside while he waited for her, concerned not only for Anthea but also for Effy and what effect this whole near-tragic business would have on her. 'So, what now? Home?'

'Please. I still want to go to the party tonight, though. I need to get completely wasted. .I badly need a few drinks. My head's all over the place at the moment. I need to relax and think straight. This could be my last wild night for a long time, Freddie. Mum's going to need me to stick around, you know. She's been crying for help for ages, only I wasn't listening. So from now on, I intend to be around to hear her.'

Freddie understood what she meant and nodded. With their arms still wrapped around each other, they walked slowly down the corridor, heading for the exit and then home.


Time: 19.51.39

Emily and Naomi slumped back in their chairs, absolutely stuffed full. Emily's surprise Valentine's Day meal had been an unqualified success and had been every bit as romantic and special as she had hoped. The champagne had been the perfect accompaniment to the sumptuous three course meal that Emily had so lovingly and skilfully prepared and Naomi had complimented her so many times that the redhead's heart was almost singing with pride and joy. It had been the perfect day but there was still more to come.

I've got something else for you, Em,' said Naomi with a twinkle in her eyes and the beginnings of a grin. 'Hang on a minute. The blonde disappeared briefly only to reappear a minute later with a couple of presents wrapped up in appropriate Valentine's Day paper.

'I've been waiting for the right moment to give you these,' Naomi said, placing them on the table in front of Emily. 'I think now is the perfect moment.'

Emily looked at her girlfriend with undisguised joy and curiosity and eagerly dived in to the top present which Naomi had indicated she should open first. Inside she found a small, red jewellery box which she quickly opened, her heart beating fast with mounting excitement. She gasped out loud when she saw inside a gold, heart-shaped locket and chain and, encouraged by Naomi to open the locket, she duly did so, to discover that one half of it contained a tiny photo of Naomi and the other an inscription which said simply 'I Love You.'

The tears immediately started to roll down her face as she looked at the beautiful locket and in particular the inscription which meant more to her than anything in the world. She flew round the table in Olympic record breaking speed and flung her arms around Naomi's neck, hanging on to her so tightly that Naomi feared she might be in danger of being smothered by her but thought 'Well, what a way to go!' nonetheless

They exchanged long, deep, passionate kisses, which compensated for the fact that Emily was too over come to get any words out for quite a while. Eventually Emily managed to say the words 'I love you too' and Naomi smiled and hugged and kissed the redhead even more.

'Hey, don't forget your other present, Em' whispered Naomi in Emily's ear eventually whereupon Emily reached out across the table, not wanting to move from where she was sitting on Naomi's lap, and picked up the second mystery present which had a label on it saying 'To be used later on tonight!'

Emily gave Naomi a look of complete bemusement and impatiently ripped off the paper, desperate to find out what it could be. She uncovered a large bottle of something liquid and on reading the label on the front she quickly burst out laughing, huge, uncontrollable belly laughs which threatened to degenerate into insane cackles. Naomi couldn't stop herself from joining in also and the pair of them were in such hysterics that they nearly fell off their chair, so violently were they laughing.

'Massage oils!' said Emily, smiling through her tears. 'What could be more perfect?'


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