‘I’ve already started selling stuff online.’ She held out a bracelet, jangling with charms; a tiny silver teapot, spoon, pair of scissors, saucepan, sieve. There were too many objects to see in one go.
‘What she means is she sells costume jewellery on eBay and is thinking of getting a stall at Portobello Market, aren’t you Jodie?’ corrected Mark, slurring his words.
Although Mark and Jodie both spoke their minds, only Mark deliberately set out to provoke a response, whereas Jodie just opened her mouth. ‘I have got a proper website…and the guy at the market office wants to interview me.’ She turned on him. ‘Why do you have to be so nasty?’
‘Just telling the truth, that’s all.’
‘Since when were you so keen on the truth?’ she growled. They exchanged a look that suggested they had a long and troubled history on that subject.
Jodie made no bones at University about falling for men who were possessive and controlling. She regarded it as the highest demonstration of true love; almost as though the feminist movement had never existed. I’d rather hoped she’d moved on from that and was surprised her relationship with Mark had lasted – although I was starting to get the sense it hadn’t been a smooth ride.
‘Look,’ she exclaimed. ‘I’ve got some business cards.’ She delved into her high-shine Ted Baker handbag and handed them round. ‘I wanted to see what they’d look like...’
‘So – this is the boutique you’re…going to open – but it isn’t up and running yet?’ I said tentatively.
‘Not yet, but it’s my ultimate goal.’ Once again, I noticed a tremor in her fingers that seemed totally at odds with her glossy and immaculate long nails. ‘What do you think of the name?’
‘It’s perfect,’ I said, smiling at the words Jodie’s Gems surrounded by a diamante heart.
‘I said Ditzy Dazzlers would be better,’ Mark contributed idly, looking at his watch. He’d done that more times than was polite since they’d arrived.
‘Mark – it’s not a joke.’ She sounded wounded.
Six years ago, Jodie had come across as unrealistic and immature. She meant well, but sadly didn’t seem to have a clue. Since then, however, she seemed to have found her true passion. Only Mark wasn’t exactly encouraging it.
Karen started clearing the dishes. I got up to help. Mark sat back, holding his mobile, and stared without focusing into space, while Jodie started giving him a shoulder massage. He hadn’t been at the cottage long before I noticed him tapping on any available surface – the table, Jodie’s back, the draining board – either with his fingers, a pencil or using cutlery as drumsticks. He was now making a living playing in a band, he told us, doing gigs around the country; Isle of Wight, Reading, Edinburgh that summer, as well as regular appearances in London pubs and clubs. He was obviously missing it.
Mark and Jodie were smokers and he’d already had three roll-ups during the meal. If the metallic odour was anything to go by, the roll-ups were stuffed with cannabis. At least Karen insisted they smoked outside the back door – which was something.
All in all, however, I was surprised at how different I felt being with them. I wasn’t the ‘downtrodden Alice with the stammer’ they used to know. I could hold my own with them now. If anything, I felt sorry for Jodie – Mark seemed far too ready to put her down in public – and for Mark too – it was clear he was itching to be doing something else. I was glad to be standing in my own shoes for a change – and not craving to be in someone else’s.
Chapter 8
Only early days, but everything is ticking along nicely. Alice seems happy to cook and clean without too much fuss and if she carries on like this, everything should be hunky dory. Hadn’t told her about Mark and Jodie coming, because too high a probability it would have put her off.
So weird all being together again after so long. Mark is even more hyper than he used to be and Jodie still dotes on him. It’s Alice who has moved on and I can’t help thinking back to the early days when she first came on the scene at Uni.
I remember Jodie handled it pretty badly; Jodie could see I had a soft spot for Alice. She was very disparaging and put it about that Alice had gate-crashed our gang. ‘She’s hanging around like a little puppy,’ she told people.
During supper tonight, Alice reminded us of the time I got tickets for U2. I’d bought them because I knew Jodie was into them, but stupidly left the tickets out in my room. Alice spotted them and she was over the moon, thinking there was one for her. Oops! I felt ‘obliged’ to let her have one, although Jodie tried to talk me out of it. Jodie gave in eventually, but she said she’d only go along with it on one condition – Alice had to earn it.