Sorry about lack of updates. I'm totally engrossed in 50 shades of grey and can't tear myself away from the book. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, yous are so kind and I really, really, really appreciate them. All mistakes are mine. Enjoy Anna x
Half an hour later Yvonne had received a manicure while Zoe received a pedicure and Linda just sat on the sofa reading various magazines constantly glaring at her newly filed and polished nails. The tension within the salon was inevitable but nobody wanted to acknowledge it. All 3 women along with the beauticians in the salon made small talk. Zoe pulls her purse out of her bag to pay for her treatment.
"No let me" Yvonne says as she puts a hand on Zoes' purse and pushes it away as she pulls her own purse out of her bag. "Yous are my guests, so it is my pleasure to pay. Plus yous are doing me a huge favour so I need someone to pay yous back" Yvonne smiles at Zoe and then to Linda.
"If I had of known that I would have got the full works" Linda butts in a little annoyed that all she got was her nails done.
"If you insist" Zoe smiles back friendly. "Thanks" Zoe says as she gives Yvonne a small hug to thank her for paying for the treatment.
"Do yous wanna go for a drink or something now?" Yvonne asks eagerly.
"Sorry Yvonne, I've work early tomorrow and I'm tired. Think I'm just gonna head home, but thanks for the offer" Zoe lies.
Yvonne looks over to Linda to see what her response is to her question.
"I better not. Alcohol and early morning shifts in the ED don't work well with me along with your nagging fiancé. Plus Zoes my lift home but we could arrange a different night sometime soon cause this was fun" Linda beams.
"Yeah, some other time" Zoe says as she walks out of the salon.
"Bye" Linda says as she hugs Yvonne goodbye and walks out the salon to Zoes car which is already started and ready to go.
"Flip, you were eager to leave. Not like you to turn down a drink and I'm pretty sure she'd have been paying. Probably with Mr Jordan's money but can you complain. Well I can, if I knew she was paying I would have got all my bits waxed or maybe a massage or something." Linda pauses for a moment. "Zoe. Zoe!" Linda shouts as she looks at Zoe who is storming down the road. "Zoe, please slow down you're scaring me" Linda pleads but Zoe takes no notice and continues driving until she reaches her flat.
"Right when we get inside you're telling me everything. I'll make us some tea" Linda says as they both get out of the car and walk into Zoes flat. Linda heads to the kitchen while Zoe places her keys in the bowl at the side cabinet and picks up a picture of her and Nick. She rubs her thumbs over his face and sighs heavily. Linda stands in the doorway and put her hands round Zoe to usher her to the sofa. Linda hands her a cup of tea and Zoe put it back down on the table.
"Zoe, please tell me what's wrong. I'm getting kind of scared now."
Zoe takes a sip of her tea and winces. "Ok. I think Yvonne blackmailed me. Well no I don't think it was blackmail, maybe more a threat. She told me to stay away from Nick. Well I can still talk and work with him professionally but apparently that's it. She doesn't want me being friends with him" Zoe finishes as she takes another sip of her tea.
"She has some nerve" Linda exclaims in her Liverpudlican accent. "Who does she think she is telling you what you can and can't do. I hope you said no!"
"Not exactly. I asked her did she still want me to be her bridesmaid she as she had seen our kiss. She did but she also said she wanted me and her to be friends. I was only going to be her bridesmaid for Nick, as he's my friend and I wanted him to have a perfect wedding. I don't want to be her friend Linda."
"Well neither do I. How dare she do this! You need to tell Nick."
"No, it's my fault. I should have never interfered in the first place. If I hadn't messed with Nicks head and used Matt to make him jealous then we wouldn't have kissed and she would have never saw us, so she wouldn't have suggested me and Nick not being friends."
"Zoe this is not your fault. She's a controlling freak and she's jealous and scared that she'll lose Nick to you, which she will when you tell Nick what he's about to marry."
"Suppose" Zoe says as Linda hands her the telephone.
"I'll leave you too it. Early start tomorrow as you said and I don't want you thinking too much over this ok" Linda says as she gives Zoe a massive hug and a friendly kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks Linda for being a great friend. I don't know what I would do without you" Zoe smiles for the first time since the incident with Yvonne.
Linda leaves as Zoe gets up and heads towards her bedroom, where she bends down and retrieves a box from under her bed. She puts it on her bed and climbs onto the bed sitting beside the box. Zoe lifts the lid and takes out all the memories and little tit bits she had collected when she was with Nick. Zoes eyes begin to fill with tears as she thinks about how she will have to give up contact with the person she considers her best friend and who she still loves dearly. Zoe eventually cries herself to sleep clutching a picture of her and Nick to her chest.
Zoes alarm clock blasts Chris Moyles Radio 1 Breakfast Show from their small speakers and it wakes her up instantly. Zoe stumbles out of bed knocking some of the boxes contents to the ground. Zoe looks in the bathroom mirror and shakes her head in disgust seeing the state of herself, last night's mascara down her face. Zoe sighs and starts to get ready for her shift. 40 minutes later Zoe heads to work, hoping she'll have an easy day. Zoe parks in a spot near the entrance and gets out not noticing Nick getting off out his jag.
"Morning Dr Hanna" Nick shouts cheerfully.
"Is it" Zoe mutters softly as she rolls her eyes and then decides to be polite so shouts back "Morning Mr Jordan." Nick waits till Zoe has reached his car so that they can walk together into the ED.
"Yvonne told me she had a wonderful night last night. Thanks" Nick says as he smiles at her gratefully.
"Yes, it was eventful. What else did she mention to you?"
"Not much as we were preoccupied with other things" winked Nick.
God how I love that wink, Zoe thought to herself as she melted a little inside.
"Oh I see" Zoe said in shock. "Well I'll see you later Mr Jordan" said Zoe as she stormed past reception to the staffroom when she had only entered through the double doors of the ED leaving Nick a little confused at how quickly she wanted to get away from him.
Linda had been standing at reception and followed Zoe into the staffroom.
"So what happened last night?" Linda asked eagerly.
"Nothing, I couldn't do it. I broke his heart once I can't do it again. If he wanted to be with me he would but as he hasn't left he clearly wants to be with her and I think I can live with it. So let's just leave it ok" Zoe said as she shoved her bag into her locker and went out to reception.
"What have we got today Noel?" Zoe asked.
"Sprained ankle in cubicle 3" Noel replies.
Zoe puts out her hand so that Noel will hand her the patient card and puzzled Noel willingly hands her the card. Zoe gets stuck into work in cubicles and by 12 o'clock had already freed 4 beds. Zoes stomach begins to grumble as she had forgotten to eat this morning so she went to the vending machine for some food. Whilst selecting her chocolate Nick glides through the corridor.
"Ah, Dr Hanna haven't seen you all day. How are things on the shop floor?" Nick asks.
"Same old, same old" Zoe says as she grabs her chocolate bar and heads towards the staffroom for a coffee.
"Hey Zoe wait up. Are you avoiding me?" Nick asks curiously.
"Whatever gave you that idea" Zoe says sarcastically.
"Oh I don't know maybe whenever you see me coming you run in the opposite direction."
"No." Zoe says trying to shake of that comment with a frown. "I just need to get back to treating patients. You know actually doing my job that you pay me for."
Zoe walks off back to cubicles and for the second time today leaving Nick standing in the corridor feeling so bewildered.
Linda had been standing round the corner listening to every word and decided to follow Nick back to his office. She knocked on his door and then entered.
"Please come in why don't you" Nick said not best pleased that she hadn't waited till he told her to come in. "What can I do for you?" he asks.
"You can sort out that bitch of a fiancé."
"Excuse me" Nick said in total shock.
"Do you want to know why Zoe is avoiding you? Because she told her to leave you alone. Not to be friends with you anymore. And Zoe is doing just that to please both of yous. It's breaking her heart and I think you need to stop screwing with them both. Pick one!" Linda bellows as she walks out slamming the door behind her.
Nick sits in his chair running his hands through his hair in disbelief at the revelation that Linda has just revealed.
Dun, dun, dun. What will Nick do now? Hope you enjoyed it and I'll try and update as soon as possible.