No Longer Safe by A J Waines

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