The Club

by Mandasue Heller

  ‘You’re not serious?’

  ‘Nah, just fooling,’ Vibes said, grinning as he added, ‘You do have the receipt, though, right?’ Laughing at the look of horror on her face, he said, ‘Relax, Princess. It was a joke.’

  ‘Thank God for that,’ Jenna said, laughing softly. ‘If I’d had to give you the receipt, you’d have known that it only cost two quid.’

  ‘You’re crazy, you know that?’ Shaking his head, Vibes sipped at his drink. Leaning forward then, he put the glass down on the table and took something out of his pocket. ‘Since we’re giving gifts,’ he said, suddenly nervous, ‘I, er, got you something, too. It’s sort of like a thank-you, ’cos you’ve been real good to me since you took over.’ Handing her a small black velvet box, he said, ‘Hope you like it.’

  ‘You didn’t have to,’ Jenna murmured, gazing down at it with genuine surprise.

  ‘Yeah, well, I wanted to.’ Vibes shrugged, hardly daring to look at her.

  Opening it, she gasped when she saw the delicate gold necklace with its semiquaver charm made up of tiny diamonds.

  ‘For the lady who always strikes the right note,’ Vibes said, his voice low and husky.

  ‘Thank you so much,’ Jenna murmured tearfully. ‘It’s beautiful.’

  ‘Let me fasten it for you,’ he offered, taking the chain from her trembling hands and looping it around her neck.

  Just inches away from each other, their gazes met and, before either of them could stop themselves their lips were locked in a kiss so sweet and tender that Jenna felt as though she were drifting away.

  Coming to her senses suddenly, she pulled back and covered her burning cheeks with her hands.

  ‘Oh, God, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. It was completely out of order.’

  ‘No, it was my fault,’ Vibes said, disgusted with himself for taking advantage when he knew that she had a boyfriend. She must think he was a complete slime-ball. ‘I’m really sorry.’ Then, getting up he said, ‘I guess I should go.’ Shrugging, he added, ‘It’s late, and I’ve got that early start tomorrow.’

  Mad at herself, and convinced that Vibes must be, too, Jenna nodded. ‘Yeah. You’re going to need all the sleep you can get. I know what it’s like flying long-haul when you’re strung out. It’s not good.’

  ‘Tell me about it,’ Vibes said, trying desperately to lighten the atmosphere – he couldn’t bear to leave her like this.

  Taking a deep breath to bring herself under control, Jenna stood up and linked her hands together. ‘Right, well . . . I guess this is it, then.’

  ‘Guess so,’ Vibes murmured. ‘I’ll, er, be in touch – about the gear, yeah?’

  ‘Don’t worry about it,’ Jenna told him, smiling now. ‘It’s not a problem. Anyway, I hope you’ll let us know how you’re getting on from time to time? Everybody’s going to be asking after you.’

  ‘Course.’ Vibes nodded, admiring the way that she’d put them back onto a professional footing. Reaching out on impulse then, he gave her a quick hug and turned abruptly away. ‘See you, Princess.’

  Sitting down when he’d gone, Jenna closed her eyes and traced a finger over her lips, where she could still feel the softness of his; still taste the sweetness. But, she kept on telling herself, she should never have done it. He belonged to another woman, and this time she didn’t even have the excuse that she didn’t know: he had never once tried to hide his wedding ring.

  Jumping when somebody tapped on the door, she sat up, hoping wildly that it was Vibes, even though she knew how very, very wrong that would be.

  It was Kalli.

  Her pretty eyes red and swollen, the girl came in and sat down next to Jenna. She gave her a tentative smile. ‘Are you all right?’

  Exhaling slowly, Jenna nodded. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. You?’

  ‘Oh, you know.’ Kalli shrugged.

  ‘Drink?’

  ‘Best not,’ Kalli murmured. ‘Austin’s already drunk enough for both of us. I just wanted to make sure you were okay before I took him home.’

  Reaching out, Jenna squeezed Kalli’s hand. ‘Thanks, sweetheart. But really, I’m fine.’

  Nodding, Kalli took a tissue out of her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. ‘I know we’ll all miss him – but you’ll miss him the most, won’t you?’ Looking up then, her gaze was filled with such understanding and compassion that it pierced the wall that Jenna had been building ever since she’d heard that Vibes was leaving.

  Jenna lowered her head. ‘I won’t deny that I like him. But it’s wrong, and I’ve just got to get over it.’

  ‘Why, if he feels the same about you?’ Kalli asked softly.

  ‘Oh, don’t!’ Jenna groaned, swiping at the tears she’d been holding at bay for so long. ‘I know you mean well, but I shouldn’t be thinking things like this about a married man. It’s just not right. And if you knew what I’d . . .’ Stopping herself, she shook her head. ‘I should know better, that’s all.’

  Looking at her, Kalli nodded. ‘You’ve got to do what’s right for you.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Jenna said, taking a deep breath. ‘Phew,’ she said then, giving a sheepish little laugh. ‘It’s been quite a night, hasn’t it?’

  ‘And then some,’ Kalli agreed. ‘It was nice, though, wasn’t it? I’ll never forget the look on his face.’

  Touching the necklace, Jenna smiled wistfully. ‘Me neither. Anyway, you’d better go,’ she said then. ‘Austin will be waiting.’

  Tutting softly, Kalli rolled her eyes. ‘I suppose I’d better get him out before he drinks his way through all the leftovers. You sure you’re okay?’

  ‘Absolutely fine. See you tomorrow.’

  Glancing at her watch when Kalli had gone, Jenna groaned when she saw that it was almost four a.m. She was so tired, she felt that she could just lie down right here and go to sleep.

  Leaping to her feet as soon as she’d thought that, she snatched up her jacket and bag and headed for the door. Her dad had spent every last minute of his life at this place – eating, drinking, sleeping and, eventually, dying here. No way was she going down that same road.

  Letting herself out, Jenna drove home and went to bed – then lay staring sleeplessly up at the ceiling as the dawn crept slowly in.

  Another time, another universe, things might have been different. But, here and now, it was never going to happen, so she had to let go of the longing and concentrate on the real things in her life. And, right now, the club was the only real thing she had.

  9

  Melody was still in bed when Tony and Eddie went out the next morning. Pretending to be asleep when Tony popped his head round the door to check on her, she waited until she’d heard them leave, then went to the window and eased the edge of the curtain back to make sure that they really were going and not just tricking her. Seeing them climb into a cab down below a couple of minutes later, she watched until it had driven out of the parking lot. Then, taking the last of the coke Fabian had given her, she got dressed and set about searching for her passport and cards.

  They hadn’t been in his pockets when she’d searched them after he finally fell asleep last night, so Melody figured he must have hidden them somewhere in the suite. Turning the place upside down now, she spent the next few hours searching every drawer, cupboard, corner and shelf. She had even been prepared to risk her expensive acrylic nails by sticking her hand down the back of the couch. But she had been so disgusted when she took the cushions off and saw the caked-in dust and bits of disgusting shrivelled-up foodstuffs edging the gap that she couldn’t bring herself to do it. There was no way Tony would have put his hands down there if she couldn’t. He hated dirt even more than she did.

  Gazing around the room when she’d searched every nook and cranny, she groaned with despair. She had to put it right before Tony got back or he’d know what she’d been doing, but she loathed cleaning almost as much as she loathed him right now. But it had to be done.

  Standing by the door, Melody waited until she hear
d the maid’s trolley rattling along the corridor. Nipping out when she heard the maid going into the room next door, she nicked an armful of cleaning sprays and cloths, and a pair of rubber gloves.

  Putting the TV on, she flipped it onto Sky’s MTV Base channel, and danced her way around the room, singing along to the American R&B songs she’d been missing so badly. Tony liked Sinatra and all that boring old shit, so that was all she ever got to hear these days.

  Quite enjoying herself once she got started, she’d worked up a fair sweat by the time Tony and Eddie came back later that evening.

  ‘Fuck’s got into you?’Tony asked, gazing around the spotless lounge in amazement.

  ‘I was bored off my skull,’ Melody lied, gathering the cleaning equipment together.

  ‘Where did you get that?’ Tony asked, suspicious about how she’d managed to buy anything with no money.

  ‘The maid left the trolley outside the door, so I helped myself,’ Melody told him, putting it all out of sight in the bathroom. Coming back, she peeled her rubber gloves off and pushed her damp hair away from her flushed face with the back of her hand.

  ‘Shoulda gone down to the gym and built up a sweat down there while you had the chance,’ Tony grunted, taking his jacket off and slinging it over the back of the chair. ‘You’ve put on a bit around the middle lately.’

  ‘Thanks a fucking bunch!’ she snapped. ‘I can’t help it if I’m bleeding.’

  ‘Aw, for Christ’s sake, do you have to?’ he groaned, snatching up a bottle of vodka and two glasses and flopping down on the couch. ‘It’s bad enough I have to know about it at all without you shoving it down my throat.’

  ‘Sorry for being a woman, I’m sure,’ Melody sniped. Then folding her arms, she raised an accusing eyebrow when he poured two shots and handed one to Eddie. ‘Don’t I get one?’

  ‘No,’ Tony said, grinning at her look of outrage. ‘You’re taking a shower and getting dressed, ’cos we’re taking you for a spin in the new car.’

  ‘You’ve got a car?’ Melody frowned. ‘Why?’

  ‘’Cos I’m sick of paying fucking cab fares.’

  ‘But you’re not legal to drive it,’ she reminded him. ‘You haven’t got a licence.’

  ‘You’d be surprised what you can get your hands on if you know the right people to ask,’ Tony told her, smiling mysteriously. ‘Anyway, never mind that. Go get cleaned up, and be quick about it, ’cos we’re going out to eat. Then we’re going to the club.’

  ‘It’s a bit old, isn’t it?’ Melody complained when they set off in the ancient bronze BMW a short time later. ‘Couldn’t you have got something a bit sportier?’

  ‘We ain’t in the States now,’ Tony reminded her. ‘Anyway, sporty’s out, executive’s in. And this baby is a classic.’

  ‘Classic what?’ she muttered, folding her arms and glaring out of the window. ‘Banger?’

  ‘Quit griping, or I’ll kick you out and you can make your own way back,’ Tony warned her.

  Snorting softly, Melody thought, Chance would be a fine thing. But there was no point saying anything, because he didn’t mean it. Anyway, it was pretty comfortable, she supposed. And it beat the constant cabs, because at least now he might take her somewhere other than the club without moaning about the expense.

  London, maybe, so she could see something she recognised. Somebody she recognised, even. Somebody who might be able to bung her a bit of cash and help her to get out of this hell-hole.

  But she’d still need her passport – damn him!

  ‘By the way,’ Tony said, twisting around in his seat to look back at her. ‘Me and Eddie might take off for a couple of days.’

  ‘Oh?’ Melody sat up a little straighter. ‘Where?’

  ‘Not sure yet,’ he told her evasively. ‘But don’t worry,’ he added, giving her a pointed look. ‘I’ll be close enough to keep an eye on you – make sure nothing bad happens.’

  Sinking back down, Melody sighed. So, he’d be spying on her. Great!

  ‘What am I supposed to do with myself?’ she asked sulkily. ‘It won’t be much fun stuck in the room all day, and you know I don’t like going into clubs on my own.’

  ‘You ain’t going to the club without me,’ he told her, setting her straight from the off. ‘Not after them guys hassled you like that.’

  ‘Aw, Tone, that’s not fair,’ she complained. ‘They wouldn’t dare go back there – not after what Eddie did to them. Anyway, Gay-Boy will look after me.’

  ‘He didn’t do such a great job of it the other night, did he?’Tony reminded her flatly. ‘You ain’t going – period. Anyway, you’ll have to stay put to make sure no one gets at our stuff. And there’s plenty to occupy you at the hotel till we get back.’

  ‘What, like, facials and flaming massages?’ Melody muttered. ‘Yippee!’

  Still sulking when they reached the club that night, Melody ignored Tony’s friends when they swarmed around him as usual. She hated them all. Especially those who were doing well in the soaps, because every last one of them was shit, and she didn’t see why they should be allowed to get on with their stupid little careers when her much bigger, brighter one was in tatters.

  Grunting a reluctant hello when Leonard Drake brought his wife over to introduce her, Melody folded her arms and glared at the floor when Avril took the chair beside hers. All she wanted was to get to Fabian, but there was a fat chance of that with Tony watching her. And now she was stuck with Granny Grump.

  Greeting Leonard warmly, because he’d decided he could potentially be of use to him, Tony said, ‘Hey, everyone, meet my friend, Lenny. Some of y’all probably know him already. He’s one of your big-shot politicians.’

  Leonard felt like a king when everyone turned to look at him. And no humiliating smirks this time, just interested smiles.

  ‘I know you,’ Brenda Thompson said, peering up at him. ‘Where from . . . where from . . . ?’ She clicked her fingers suddenly. ‘That time in Brighton with Tony and Cherie. We all went on to the hotel afterwards and got blitzed on champagne, and everybody ended up in the swimming pool.’

  Leonard was about to tell her that she’d attached him to the wrong party, but decided against it. Why burst the first little bubble of recognition he’d had in years?

  ‘Wonderful night,’ he lied, taking her hand and kissing it. ‘And you’re looking just as lovely now as you did then.’

  ‘Oh, you old flatterer.’ Brenda laughed huskily.

  ‘And so it begins,’ Avril muttered, rolling her eyes and sighing heavily.

  ‘What?’ Melody said irritably.

  ‘Oh, nothing, dear. Just talking to myself.’

  ‘What’s everyone drinking?’Tony asked, looking around for a waiter.

  ‘Champagne,’ Brenda said, putting her arms in the air and swaying to the beat of the music. ‘More champagne for everybody!’

  ‘I think she’s had more than enough already,’ Avril murmured under her breath.

  Ordering several bottles of champagne, Tony said, ‘So, how’s it going Lenny?’

  ‘Pretty good,’ Leonard said, squeezing past Brenda to sit beside him. ‘I’m glad you’re here, actually,’ he said then, lowering his voice to add, ‘I’ve been thinking about our little discussion last night, and I’ve got a couple of suggestions.’

  ‘That right?’

  Back on their side of the table, Avril said, ‘Leonard tells me you’re coming for dinner?’

  ‘Mmmm,’ Melody murmured, not wanting to get into a conversation.

  ‘I’m looking forward to having you,’ Avril went on. ‘It’ll be such a relief to have some good female company while they man talk.’ Sighing now, she shook her head. ‘You know, I spent years listening to Leonard prattle on about politics and high finance, and when he retired I actually thought I’d heard the last of it. Then he met your chap, and now he’s back on the business buzz like he’s never been off it.’

  ‘I know what you mean,’ Melody muttered. ‘Tony’s always yap
ping on about it.’

  Leaning a little closer, Avril whispered, ‘You wouldn’t mind, but they’re so boring, don’t you think?’

  Casting a resentful glance at Tony, Melody thought, Too right he’s boring.

  But Tony hadn’t always been like that. In fact, he’d been a lot of fun to start with, always dragging her out to the casinos and nightclubs, and showering her with flowers and gifts. And he’d been proud to show her off to his high-rolling friends back then, too, relishing the look of envy in their eyes as he paraded her around with the fantastic new face and body he’d paid for. But there had been none of that over here. And after that fight, she doubted she’d ever see the fun times again, because he’d made it quite clear that he had no intention of going home any time soon. And there was nothing she could do about it, unless she fancied more of what he’d given her the other night. And she knew enough about him to know that he could do far, far worse than give her a cut lip.

  ‘Is everything all right, dear?’ Avril asked her quietly.

  Sighing heavily, Melody shrugged. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. Time of the month, that’s all.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t envy you,’ Avril murmured. ‘Mine have finished now, thank the Lord. Not that Leonard’s noticed. But that’s okay, because I can still use the old PMT as an excuse for biting his head off if he annoys me. If only more of us knew how to use it to its best advantage, we’d have these buggers whipped in no time, eh?’

  Smiling now, Melody actually looked at Avril for the first time. Whether it was the fickleness of Hollywood rubbing off on her, or just her own innate vanity, but women who fell on either side of the sixteen-to-thirty-five threat range were usually invisible to her. But Avril was quite nice-looking for her age – which Melody guessed to be around fifty. Her skin was reasonably smooth, except for a few crow’s-feet around the eyes, and a slight sagging of the jawline; her eyes were a lovely purply-grey shade; and her hair was a nice rich auburn, which looked almost natural, Melody thought.