MADE IN ESSEX

by Laura Ziepe

  Kelly was exasperated, her eyes getting rounder by the second. ‘Oh my God, shut up! Adele is Princess Cupcake’s dog-sitter?’

  Lisa held her hands up. ‘Yes. There. Now I’ve said it. Adele is Cupcake’s dog-sitter.’

  Kelly inhaled sharply and put her hand on her heart. ‘I don’t believe it!’

  Jade was just as shocked and stood with her hands on her hips. ‘You do realise that Adele is a psychopath?’

  Lisa let out a loud tut. ‘Oh, don’t be so ridiculous, you two. I really don’t have much choice, do I? You two can’t dog-sit for me, my mum wouldn’t dream of it, I can’t afford the lady I had previously and besides, Adele does it for free. I know you both hate her and she can be a bit weird, but honestly, I don’t think she’s all that bad deep down. How are you both even sure she stole your notebook?’

  Kelly shook her head. ‘She did Lisa, trust us. You just can’t use Adele, no way. Oh my poor little Princess Cupcake!’ She ran over to the dog and stroked her before Cupcake ran off in the other direction. ‘How could you give that precious little animal to such a two-faced beast?’

  Jade sat down, still unable to believe that Lisa was actually associating with Adele. She felt betrayed. ‘After everything she’s done to us, you’re really speaking and seeing her every day?’

  Lisa shut her eyes briefly and lowered her voice, looking regretful. ‘I don’t want to give Cupcake up. What choice do I have?’

  Just as she said the words they heard barking in the distance.

  Lisa jumped up to her feet frantically. ‘Did you close the front door behind you?’

  Jade and Kelly looked at each other and raised their eyebrows.

  ‘I thought you did,’ Jade said to Kelly, shrugging her shoulders.

  Lisa ran to the entrance of the flat and then whispered and gesticulated as she called the girls over. ‘Quick! Come and look at this.’

  Jade and Kelly walked over to her quickly and put their hands over their mouths as they looked across the hall at Adele’s flat, which had the door open and the dogs running around in it. There was Adele sprawled out on the sofa, fast asleep.

  ‘I thought she was meant to be going to the gym?’ Kelly hissed, not impressed that Lisa was still dog-sitting when Adele was fast asleep.

  Jade pointed to Adele’s gym bag by the sofa. ‘I think the intention was there.’

  Lisa giggled. ‘We need to get the dogs back in here before they wake her up. Adele always leaves her door on the latch because she’s always coming in and out and somehow the dogs have pushed their way in.’

  Jade sighed. ‘Good, I hope they do wake her up. We’ve been waiting to give Buddy back to her so we can go out. Why don’t you just leave Buddy in there, get Princess Cupcake and then we can go?’

  Lisa nodded before she whispered back, ‘I suppose we could do that. Come help me.’

  The girls walked to the entrance of Adele’s flat and stifled giggles as Adele’s loud snores became clear.

  Kelly beamed broadly. ‘No wonder she’s single! She snores as loud as a warthog!’

  Jade clamped her hand tightly over her mouth to stop her laugh escaping. She managed to compose herself. ‘How do you know warthogs snore?’

  Kelly looked up to the ceiling, thoughtfully. ‘They just sound like they do, don’t they?’

  Jade laughed and Lisa elbowed her playfully. ‘No time to talk about that girls, help me get Cupcake back. Remember to be quiet so we don’t wake Adele.’

  ‘Cupcake!’ They hissed at the dog as quietly as possible but she ran out of sight in the opposite direction.

  ‘Cupcake!’ Lisa whispered as loudly as she could.

  They all froze when Adele stirred and then breathed a sigh of relief as her snoring started again.

  All of a sudden Cupcake came bounding round the corner with something in her mouth, running straight towards Jade, Lisa and Kelly.

  Lisa bent down and took the torn piece of paper out of her mouth. She lowered her voice. ‘You naughty dog, Cupcake! I’ve told you not to chew!’

  Cupcake sat with her tail still wagging, looking very pleased with herself, despite being told off.

  ‘What is it?’ Kelly asked.

  Lisa had a quick glance down at the paper as she stood up. ‘Oh, I don’t know. Just a bit of rubbish.’

  Something caught Jade’s eye on the paper that made her freeze. ‘Oh. My. God.’

  Kelly stared at Jade. ‘What? What is it?’

  Jade took the paper from Lisa and showed Kelly. ‘Look! It’s a page from my red notebook! That’s your writing, Kel. Look, there are hearts instead of dots!’

  Kelly’s mouth opened wide and her eyes were bulging as she noticed the familiar writing. She was so angry that she forgot to whisper and shouted loudly. ‘I can’t believe it! Now we have proof Adele stole it!’

  Adele jumped hearing Kelly’s loud voice, and her head jerked up to see where the noise was coming from. ‘What are you lot doing here? How did you get in? What time is it?’ she croaked, disorientated as she sat up, and rubbed her eyes.

  Lisa stepped forward. ‘Sorry, Adele, but your door must have been on the latch again and the dogs just ran in. We heard them barking so we followed them and were trying to get them out. It’s one-thirty.’

  ‘That’s alright, hun. Can’t believe it; I must have fallen asleep. I planned to go to the gym as soon as Gossip Girl finished, but obviously dozed off.’ Adele sat up and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. She lifted her arms up, stretching before she noticed Kelly and Jade standing behind Lisa. ‘Alright girls?’ she asked, with a sarcastic smirk.

  Kelly stepped forward, her chin lifted proudly. ‘Not really Adele, no,’ she started boldly. ‘We’re going to ask you one more time. Did you steal our red notebook?’

  Adele rolled her eyes and yawned loudly. ‘Oh not all that again. Please girls, give it a break, yeah?’ She turned to Lisa. ‘Thanks for looking after Buddy, hun. It’s nice we can do these things for each other isn’t it?’ She narrowed her eyes in Jade and Kelly’s direction with a smarmy grin. ‘That’s what real friends do for each other, after all.’

  Jade stepped forward, not willing to listen to any more; she was fed up with Adele and how manipulative she was. ‘If you didn’t steal our notebook, Adele, then please forgive me for asking, but why did Cupcake come running to us with this in her mouth?’ Jade demanded, waving the torn piece of paper in the air. ‘She found it in here, which is your flat I believe.’

  Adele’s smile was frozen solid. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ she said, looking away from them, trying to keep her cool.

  ‘Liar,’ Kelly accused. ‘The notebook is in here. We know it is! This is a page from it. Those are my love hearts above the I’s!’

  Jade and Kelly walked through the doorway and Adele jumped up and stood in front of them, folding her arms.

  ‘Don’t you dare come in here making accusations!’ Adele’s voice was bold and abrasive as she ushered Jade and Kelly to the door. ‘Get out of here now!’

  ‘We know you stole it!’ Kelly cried as she stumbled backwards, being forced by Adele. Her eyes flashed with anger. ‘Why don’t you just get your own ideas, you saddo?’

  ‘You’re pathetic,’ Jade agreed as they stood by the door where Lisa was standing.

  Lisa sighed. ‘Please, can everyone just stop arguing?’

  Jade gasped and turned to face her. ‘Don’t tell me you’re taking Adele’s side?’

  Lisa shook her head. ‘Of course not. Adele, just admit you took it? You were out of order and they deserve an apology.’

  Adele glowered at Lisa. ‘I would rather die than ever apologise to those two!’

  ‘Fine!’ Jade bellowed. ‘You want a war, Adele, then you’ve sure as hell got one.’

  Adele looked at her with a smug grin. ‘Bring it on.’

  Lisa shook her head and stared Adele straight in the eyes. ‘If you won’t apologise then you’re just as much of a nasty cow as Jade and Kel
ly have said you are.’

  Adele looked mad as she put her hands on her hips and replied viciously, ‘Find someone else to look after Cupcake then if that’s how you feel. Oh, I forgot, you can’t, because you haven’t got anyone else.’ Adele gave a derisive cackle and gaped at Lisa with a spiteful look on her face. ‘You’d better kiss Cupcake goodbye; such a shame.’

  ‘That dog isn’t going anywhere,’ Jade said assertively as she noticed Lisa’s chin shake. ‘Kelly and I will dog-sit Cupcake from now on. Just admit the truth, Adele, and we’ll be on our way.’

  Lisa squeezed Jade’s arm as if to say ‘thank you’, and Jade knew she’d made the right decision. How could she not look after Cupcake after she’d brought them the evidence they needed? Cupcake was on their team and if it meant Lisa could keep her by them dog-sitting, then so be it. Jade would never want to see Lisa upset and she felt guilty that Lisa had needed to accept Adele’s offer in the first place. At least she could make it up to her now.

  Adele gave a little shrug and exhaled sharply. ‘I didn’t take anything. God, it’s getting so boring now I could actually fall asleep again.’

  Kelly held the piece of paper in front of her face. ‘We have the evidence! How can you deny it?’

  Adele flicked her hair over her shoulder and pouted at Kelly. ‘I’m surprised you even recognised your own writing, seeing as you’re such a blonde bimbo.’

  Kelly went pink with rage. ‘Well at least I don’t look like a horse with those stupid, huge, ridiculously white fake teeth! Who are you trying to be? Simon Cowell’s twin? You look like the daughter of Bugs Bunny!’

  Adele gave a short, frosty laugh. ‘You’re just jell.’

  Jade laughed and Adele shot her a chilling glare. ‘I don’t know what you’re laughing at, Jade. I didn’t steal the notebook; I was given it.’

  Jade threw her eyes to the ceiling, wondering what other lie she was going to come out with now. ‘Oh really?’ she said sarcastically. ‘Tell us then, Adele. Who was it that gave you my notebook?’

  Adele’s eyes glinted. ‘Sam did when I stayed at his flat after Sugar Hut that night.’

  Jade felt her head pulsing with blood as she heard the sentence. She felt as though she’d been punched in the face and was lost for words; was Adele lying or telling the truth?

  ‘What an absolute load of rubbish,’ Lisa chimed in. ‘Sam would never let you stay at his flat. He’s obsessed with Jade; everybody knows that. He’s a decent person, unlike you.’

  ‘Don’t listen to her, Jade,’ Kelly said gently as she saw the horrified and confused expression on her friend’s face. ‘Sam would never do that. Adele is just a born liar. Don’t fall for her lies.’

  Adele threw her head back and gave a bark of laughter. ‘Ask him, Jade. Go and ask your precious little Sam. Not only did he tell me all your problems, but he invited me back to his flat where we slept together; that’s when I got the notebook. I stayed there all night and left in the morning. You saw me arriving back that day, Lisa, remember? It was the day you came to the flat.’

  Lisa opened her mouth, about to call her a liar, when the memory of Adele that morning came flooding back to her and she closed it. She remembered her wearing her dressing gown at the door, saying she’d had a big night, and Nicola asking her what his name was. ‘Like we said, Adele. Sam would never do that to Jade,’ Lisa finally replied, not entirely convinced by her own words.

  Jade felt her eyes become hot and she turned so Adele couldn’t see. ‘I really don’t have time for this,’ she muttered, her voice trembling. She could hear Adele laughing as she walked back to Lisa’s and she burst into tears as soon as she walked through the door. She knew Sam had been acting weird lately and she had also been certain he was keeping something from her. But this? Was this true? What would she do if it was? She never, ever, in her wildest dreams thought he would do anything as low as sleeping with his awful ex-girlfriend. Never did she imagine he could hurt her this bad; especially when he knew how distraught she’d been about her ex-boyfriend, Tom, when he’d cheated on her. Jade would never accept any man cheating; she had far too much self-respect for that. Lunch today was cancelled; she had no option but to go meet Sam and confront him. In fact, she couldn’t do it quickly enough.

  CHAPTER 13

  ‘Why don’t we just have lunch in?’ Lisa suggested to Kelly.

  Jade had just left and they were sitting in the lounge in her flat, both completely shocked by what Adele had said to them. Lisa felt so sorry for Jade. What was it with Adele and Sam? Why did Adele have such a problem with him dating Jade? It was as though she was always trying to ruin things between them. They both agreed that they just couldn’t imagine Sam cheating on Jade and they hoped, for Jade’s sake, that Adele was lying. Jade had been through all this before; it just felt so cruel if she was to go through it all again. Their friend was the perfect girlfriend in their eyes; gorgeous, caring, thoughtful and loyal. What more could a man want?

  ‘Okay babe. Let’s just make some sandwiches then, yeah?’ Kelly agreed.

  Lisa made her way into the kitchen. ‘Ham and pickle okay?’

  Kelly followed her, turning her nose up. ‘No babe. Just plain ham for me; never been a fan of that Branston pickle stuff.’ She paused and thought for a moment. ‘That Richard Branston has got his fingers in all the pies, hasn’t he? He’s got aeroplanes, Virgin trains, TV and even bloody pickle!’

  Lisa’s mouth curved into a smile. ‘What? It’s Richard Branson you wally and he doesn’t have pickles! It’s Branston pickle,’ she burst into laughter as she opened the bread bin.

  Kelly frowned. ‘Oh right. I thought it was a bit random for him to have pickle,’ she said with a giggle.

  Lisa laughed as she buttered four slices of bread. ‘Kelly, you’re hilarious.’

  Kelly smiled, but Lisa noticed it didn’t quite reach her eyes. ‘I know. Who would everyone laugh at if I didn’t exist?’

  Lisa gazed at her. ‘We’re laughing with you, not at you. Everyone has blonde moments, but you just have a few more than most people and you have to admit, you are funny.’

  Kelly nodded, but Lisa noticed she didn’t look her usual happy self. Was Kelly offended? She always laughed at herself in these situations, but today something seemed to be on her mind.

  ‘Are you okay, Kelly?’ Lisa asked. ‘You know I was only joking.’

  ‘I know,’ Kelly said as she attempted a smile.

  Lisa could tell that she clearly wasn’t up for discussing it further so left it at that.

  The girls sat eating their sandwiches and after a few hours, Kelly left to spend the rest of the day with Billy as she’d planned.

  Lisa sat down and turned on the television, wondering whether she should go on a date that evening with a guy she’d met at a bar in London the previous week. The problem was, she already knew she didn’t like him in that way and she would just be using him so she had something to do. She hated the thought of being a user, so decided against it; she would just let him down gently. She thought about Jade and hoped she was alright. Lisa had texted her twenty minutes ago asking how things went, but she hadn’t had a response yet; she guessed that Jade just wanted a bit of time alone if she was upset.

  Lisa heard the key in the door and smiled as Nicola walked in the flat. She had stayed the night at Charlie’s and as always looked completely glammed up. Her long platinum blonde hair had been curled and her wedges were so high Lisa guessed they made her almost six feet tall.

  ‘Alright, honey?’ Nicola said with a smile, her large chest bouncing as she walked.

  ‘Hey. Good night?’ Lisa asked, smiling back.

  ‘Unreal night, babe. Charlie is just getting this gorgeous shabby chic mirror I just bought out of the car, he’ll be here soon and you can meet him. It’s beauts.’ Nicola sat down on the sofa next to Lisa.

  ‘How’s things going with you two then?’ Lisa lowered her voice in case Charlie was nearby and overheard.

  ‘Honey, this is seri
ously like, the most reem relationship ever. You know when you just know someone is perfect for you?’ Nicola’s eyes sparkled as she spoke. ‘He’s just so completely amaze; I hope you like him.’

  ‘I’m sure I will,’ Lisa replied as she shifted on the sofa.

  They both looked up as Charlie arrived, holding the mirror. He was wearing light blue jeans and a blue t-shirt and Lisa could instantly see the attraction. He had dark brown hair, naturally tanned skin and intense coal-coloured eyes. He was the complete definition of tall, dark and handsome.

  ‘Hi,’ he nodded at Lisa with a wide smile, revealing perfect teeth. ‘I’m Charlie. I would shake your hand, but …’ he laughed and nodded towards the mirror as he carried it to Nicola’s bedroom.

  ‘He’s gorgeous,’ Lisa mouthed to Nicola.

  ‘I know,’ Nicola said dreamily. ‘I’m practically obsessed with him, honey.’

  ‘That’s so sweet,’ Lisa replied, feeling happy for her friend.

  Charlie walked back in the room and sat down on the armchair opposite them. ‘So you’re the amazing Lisa Nicola speaks so highly of,’ he said as he stared at her intently. There was something about his eyes which made Lisa feel strange inside. She didn’t know what it was, but the feeling unnerved her. She told herself she was imagining it.

  ‘Ahhh that’s nice, Nicola,’ Lisa said, turning to her friend. ‘Yes, that’s me.’

  Nicola stood up. ‘I’m going to quickly re-curl my hair before we go out, Charlie. I don’t want it to drop out, that would be a complete nightmare! Won’t be long. I’ll leave you two to get to know one another.’

  Lisa paused for a moment, wondering what to say. When she looked up at Charlie, he was already looking at her. His large brown eyes were rimmed with the most perfectly curled lashes Lisa had ever seen. ‘So, things are going well with you and Nicola?’ she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.

  ‘Yeah, I suppose. It’s early days yet,’ Charlie said, still gazing at her. ‘What about you? Are you single? Or has some lucky fella snapped you up?’

  Lisa felt herself blush and gave a short, light laugh. ‘No, I’m still single. Came out of a very long-term relationship and I’ve been on my own for about nine months now.’