Jackie comes to the rescue
Jackie Aston is sat in her flat enjoying a quiet night in with a glass of wine, pizza and a film. She's very happy living alone but does sometimes miss the constant company of her ex-flatmate and best friend Molly Dawes. They met 15 years ago when she first moved to London as a student doctor and have been inseparable ever since. A lesser friendship might have been damaged when Molly decided to move in with Dylan eighteen months ago, but not theirs. Despite coming from very different backgrounds and having different personalities, they have always complemented each other perfectly.
Jackie found growing up in rural Yorkshire, in a loving but fairly quiet family, stiflingly boring and so moved to London to study medicine as soon as she had the chance at the tender age of 18 and hasn't looked back since. Being what could possibly be described as a late bloomer, she has had no problem pulling pretty much any man she has set her sights on over the last few years. But unlike Molly, she's all about the chase and has not had any desire to settle down with any of the men she's dated. She's independent, self-assured and confident; completely happy focussing on her career and making the most of enjoying herself for now. She is naturally sarcastic and sceptical, whereas Molly is sometimes too nice and trusting, which has been known to get her into trouble in the past. They both highly value loyalty and friendship over everything else and just want the best for each other in love and life.
Molly misses the train
Jackie's phone pings with a text message.
[ Hi Jac – Shit day. Got fired, then got (almost) mugged. Long story. D helping me drown sorrows, but really need tea and sympathy. R U working tomorrow? M x ]
[ Bloody hell Molly Dawes, you never look for trouble but trouble just seems to find you. On late shift tomorrow – see you about midday? J x ]
[ It ain't like that Jac. ;-) See you 2moro. M x ]
[ See you tomorrow. I'll have the tea, tissues, chocolate, coca cola, salt & vinegar crisps and paracetamol ready. J x ]
[ My hero. M x ]
Molly catches the train
Jackie's phone pings with a text message.
[ Hi Jac – Having a v shit day. Long story. Drowning sorrows. D is a wanker. If he comes looking for me tell him to FO. M x ]
As she's typing her response, she is interrupted by a persistent ringing of the doorbell. She opens to door to find a very agitated Dylan. She leans on the doorframe, not inviting him in, "She's not here Dylan."
He's trying to look over her shoulder into the hallway, for Molly's coat hanging on the banister or her discarded shoes, for any sign of her. "Jackie, you're her best friend. Where else would she be?"
He doesn't sound like he believes her. She indicates with her arm, "Come search the place if you want. She's not here."
He looks crestfallen at the realisation that Molly really isn't here and she feels a tiny bit sorry for him, "What is it you've done, anyway. Can't be that nice if she's walked out."
He looks incredibly guilty and panicky at the same time. This tells her all she needs to know. The bastard has done something really shitty this time.
"Erm… look, if she comes here, just let me know or get her to ring me or something. That's all I ask."
She feels anger rising on behalf her best friend, and she knows she has no intention of helping him, "She did text in case you came around looking for her. Gave me a message for you."
The wanker looks pitifully hopeful, "Oh…"
"Yes, let me check what it said."
She makes a show of getting her phone out and looking at the screen, taking her time and enjoying his obvious discomfort.
"Oh yes….. it was Fuck Off Dylan."
She slams the door in his astonished face.
She's had enough of Dylan Smith screwing up her best friend's life. She's lost count of the tears Molly has shed over the last few months as he's withdrawn his affections and played on her deepest fears and insecurities. She's not seen her friend's self-confidence this low since those early days of their friendship when Molly was first stepping away from her family and the toxic influence of her father.
She can't stand how Molly has lost so much of her natural feistiness and sparkle, becoming almost down-trodden in her relationship with Dylan.
Poor Molly has been slogging away at that bloody job to pay the bills, meanwhile Dylan has been sponging off her for months whilst he writes the fabled "difficult" second book. There's been no sign of the advance she knows he would have got after the success of his first novel. He has been so self-absorbed recently, supposedly writing, but clearly actually doing something else with his time. She knows that Molly hasn't felt able to tell him just how hard she has been finding the job since the lovely Matt left, or just how appallingly badly the guys in the office have been treating her. The old Molly would never have put up with their macho, sexist behaviour or Dylan's selfishness.
She could have happily wrung Dylan's neck when he begged Molly to stay in London rather than take the job in New York. Whilst she would have been very sad to see her friend go, she knows it would have been an amazing opportunity for Molly and feels her friend gave up another part of herself when she decided to stay.
She resolves to do everything in her power to stop Dylan Smith from getting back into Molly's life this time.
Picking up her phone, she texts Molly.
[ Where are you? I'm coming to get you. x ]
She can tell straight away that Molly is in a pretty bad state. She's sat alone at the end of the bar with an impressive line of empty glasses in front her. She's swaying drunkenly and looks in danger of falling off the bar stool at any moment.
She gently puts her arm around Molly, "Dylan came looking for you. Is it what I think?"
Molly looks at her, but is struggling to focus and her words are distinctly slurred, "It depends. Is what you think that I walked in on him shaggin' some slapper called Marie in me bed, and I walked out?"
She shakes her head and gives a resigned sigh, "Pretty much"
Molly puts her head on the bar in defeat, "Then yes."
She gives Molly a massive hug, "Oh Molly. Right, let's get you home."
She attempts to haul her friend to her feet, but despite being quite a bit taller than Molly, she is seriously struggling as Molly has become a dead weight and seems incapable of standing on her own. Suddenly there is a tall, handsome and incredibly well-spoken man at her side, offering to help.
Molly is slurring again, "Charles. This is Jac. Jac. This is Charles. I don't know the rest of his name."
Charles doesn't seem particularly surprised or phased by the situation, but simply introduces himself, "Charles James, pleased to meet you."
She becomes aware of another man joining them, as Charles continues, "And this is my friend, Elvis Harte."
Whereas Charles is handsome in a posh public school boy way, this other man Elvis is devastatingly good looking in more of a cheeky, boy next door kind of way and is far more her type. She temporarily forgets Molly as she smiles broadly at Elvis, looks him deeply in the eyes and introduces herself, "Jackie, but everyone calls me Jac."
She is brought back to reality by Molly slurring again, "Elvis' favourite TV programme is Baywatch."
Returning to the task in hand, she accepts Charles' offer of help and he swiftly picks up Molly in his arms and starts striding towards the door. Molly is finding this incredibly funny and in true drunken Molly Dawes style has now started singing 'Don't go breaking my heart', one of her beloved Elton John songs very loudly and very tunelessly.
Elvis seems to be finding the whole situation extremely amusing and as they all make it outside loudly asks, "Hands up if you drank too much?"
Molly breaks from her singing, indignantly replying "I'm not as drunk as thinkle peep I am."
She can't help laughing very loudly when Elvis jokes, "Put a wick in her mouth, and she'd burn for a fortnight."
Charles has now taken charge of the whole situation and has already flagged down a taxi and gently put Molly onto the back seat and is standing, like a true gentleman holding the door open for her. Reluctantly she gets into the front, gives the driver her address, thanks Charles for his help, gives Elvis a parting smile and a wink, and closes the door.