Eventually Annie looked at them.
"My marriage is over. The divorce will be through in a matter of weeks." Annie said trying to sound brave.
"Oh Annie!" Nic cried and moved over to the other girl giving her a hug.
"I'm ok Nicole. It's just that…" she trailed off tears springing into her eyes. She tugged at the ring and pulled it off placing it on the table next to her empty cup.
"I've been trying to do that for days. I married for the wrong reasons and it's all gone wrong. Now I don't have a job, or a home or my…" she stopped.
"Anyway you don't want to hear about my problems." She told them wiping at her overflowing eyes.
"Nic I think we need a tissue party." Ella suggested.
The girls looked at her.
Have you never had one?" she asked them.
Annie shook her head while Nic said "No!"
"I am ashamed to be in the same house as you!" Ella said with a laugh." Right bring me my purse, my phone, a pen and some paper." She instructed Nic and while the other girl was gone she laid a hand on top of Annie's and gave it a squeeze.
"I lost a baby once too." She said softly to her.
Annie looked up.
"Am I so transparent?" she asked with a sigh.
"No sweetie. It just seems that it was more than your divorce and if, as you said you married for the wrong reasons, and knowing Geoff as I do I imagine that you have the same faith?" she said.
Annie nodded.
"So you married for the baby and you lost it." Ella said softly.
Annie looked as though she was breaking inside, but she looked up wiped her tears and nodded again.
"We can talk anytime." Ella said just before Nic walked back into the room.
Nicole handed over the items.
"Right then. We need some DVD's, you need to make them really sad films and a chick flick or two. We need two boxes of tissues; Chocolate, Popcorn, Wine, Something non-alcoholic." She went through the list. "Now the idea is, we watch the movies with our friends and it gives us an excuse to cry our eyes out." Ella told them.
Nic grinned.
Ella nodded and looked over to Annie.
"Are you up for it?" she asked her.
Annie slowly nodded.
"Great." Ella told them. "Now off you two go and get my shopping and I'll call around to see who is up for it."
Nicole stood up and took hold of Annie's hand and pulled her upright. Ella handed over a sum of money for the supplies out of her purse with the list.
As the two girls left she began to use her phone.
"Hello Rachel." She said.
"Hey El, is everything alright?" Rachel asked quickly.
"Yes thanks Rach, got a question are you busy tonight?"
"Depends." Rachel said.
"Well how do you fancy a night over here with weepy movies lots of chocolate and no men."
Rachel laughed.
"I think that could be arranged. How about if I ask Leah too?" she said.
"Cool and Irene if she's available." Ella told her.
"Will do. And I hope you are taking it easy."
" Between my favouritist doctor and my over zealous husband how could I not be?" she said with a laugh.
"Well I'll leave you to it. What time tonight?"
"About 7?" she suggested.
"Ok do you want me to bring anything?"
"No I think we have it covered. See you later. " Ella said and disconnected the call. She then rang Belle and finally Kirsty who both said they could come. She texted Nicole and told her there would be probably be 8 woman there so make sure she bought lots of chocolate!
Roman walked in minutes later and planted a quick kiss on her cheek before saying that he was heading for the shower.
"Hang on!" she called to him when he was halfway up the stairs.
"Yes?"
"I need some help." She said with a grin.
"El, can it wait I need to get a shower I'm .." he began and she interrupted.
"Very smelly yes I got that already round about when you kissed me. Did a lot for my hormones?" she told him with a smile.
"Oh really?" he asked raising his eyebrows.
"Yes." She said. "Just such a pity that we have people coming over and I need help in the kitchen." she finished, standing up and looking at him under her lashes.
He laughed and followed her to the kitchen.
"Ok where do you want me?" he asked.
She looked at him for a moment. A very long moment. Then blushed when he had to repeat the question.
"Ella!" he said trying to sound shocked.
She walked over to him and put both of her hands on his arms stroking them then slid them upwards and wound them around his neck. She leaned forward and whispered seductively in his ear.
"And Rachel said I might get even more demanding…"
He laughed and disentangled himself.
"There is no way that is possible." He told her.
"In that case I need a couple of salads and whatever you can whip up in the way of cakes or something." She said turning around and walking through to the lounge.
She ignored his muttered comment of only wanting him for his cooking and stacked all the tea things they used earlier on a tray. She was about to lift it when Roman caught hold of her arms from behind, pulling her against his hard body.
"Yes?" he said.
"I was just about to call you to do it for me honest guv!" she said blushing.
He lent down and kissed the back of her neck.
"I believe you." He said in a tone of voice that meant he didn't believe her in the slightest.
She giggled and feeling his arms wrap about her, she lent back against him.
"Yuk!" she said, "you need a shower. "
"Yes I did try to tell you that earlier but you were intent on making me your slave." He said softly.
She had a sudden image of him in a gladiator outfit and wondered if it were too late to text Nic and ask her to get the film too. What girl didn't like Russell Crowe she wondered.
"Have you finished in the kitchen slave?" she asked.
"not yet!" he said. "I got distracted."
She pulled herself out of his arms.
"Well can I suggest that you get back in there now!" she ordered.
"See you just want me because I can cook!" he said picking up the tray and moving back into the kitchen.
"Not at all. I want you for the way you can catch spiders and put them outside too!" she called out him on the way upstairs so she could have a shower before he did!