9 #2
Dani settled on a seat and removed her boots, then slipped on the new boot.
The assistant came over with the box that housed its pair and for the first time Dani noticed the motif.
The black box had a large Q with Mc inside.
Dani’s heart sunk. She couldn’t afford Alexander McQueen!
The assistant handed her the second boot to try and Dani reluctantly put it on.
She stood up and looked down at her feet.
“They’re a fabulous design. You can wear them with everything.” The assistant stood back to admire them.
“Yes, they are. How much are they?” Dani cringed.
“They were eight hundred and forty-five but they’ve been reduced to four hundred and twenty. They’re the last pair.”
“Still out of my price range, but they are so lovely,” Dani sighed, then thought to herself, screw it – if she sold her car next week, she’d be flush.
“I’ll take them. Like you said, I can wear them with everything.
They even make my leggings look good!” chuckled Dani and the assistant grinned in agreement.
JEROME SAT IN HIS office, staring out of the window.
Alessandro and Kara had gone into his mother’s flat above the restaurant and were no doubt being spoilt rotten.
At least one good thing had come out of his and Liz’s argument this morning: Gia got to spend full and undivided attention on her grandchildren.
He looked at the time. It was just past three and the restaurant would be slowing down.
He really needed a cigarette. Shrugging on his jacket, he made his way down the stairs and out to the back, then lit up his cigarette.
He heard footsteps coming down the corridor and the door flung open.
“Oh there you are!” Peter grinned. “Is Gia in the flat?”
Jerome nodded.
“Nice surprise you coming down on a Sunday.”
Jerome huffed as he blew out smoke. Peter was fishing – Jerome usually stayed at home on Sundays so that they could spend time together as a family.
Today though, it had started with Liz leaving early to see her agent about the possibility of her new modelling job.
Jerome had questioned the need for her to go out on a Sunday, which had consequently escalated into a full-blown argument.
Jerome couldn’t be sure whether it was a genuine appointment or whether she was using it as an excuse to see Jonathan.
It was beginning to eat away at him, all the constant doubt.
So rather than staying at home to fester, he came down to La Casa.
At least he’d be distracted and in the back of his mind he knew it would annoy Liz too.
He knew he was being petty, but she didn’t seem to be showing any indication she was trying, or that she even wanted to try and make things work, full stop.
Jerome knew it was going to need a lot of hard work and patience to get through this rather large hiccup in their marriage, but he was getting the feeling it was all one sided.
The truth was, he wasn’t sure if he wanted it badly enough.
He’d wrestled with himself from the moment he’d found out about the affair and he still couldn’t grasp how he felt.
He was torn between his loyalty to keeping his family together and his true feelings.
Their relationship had never been perfect.
They’d had problems from the start, but Jerome had fallen for Liz and was determined to make their relationship work.
They’d met on a photo shoot for an advertisement Liz was featured in.
Jerome had also been asked to be in it. His friend had suggested he earn a bit of money being an extra in commercials.
His good looks earned him an extra part in a coffee shop scene, in which Liz was one of the main characters for a local bank’s advertising campaign.
While they waited around in makeup and for the scene to be set up, they began to chat to each other.
Liz had pretty much spotted Jerome within the group of extras right from the beginning and was trying any way possible to lure him away from the numerous women who were vying for his attention.
She approached him on the pretence that he should consider taking up modelling professionally. Liz managed to get his number so that she could give him some details on a photographer for some headshots.
From that phone call, they had met up and began dating.
Liz was totally smitten with Jerome and he equally with her.
She lacked confidence then, and gave off a vulnerability that he found endearing.
From the start though, Liz found it troublesome that women were constantly throwing themselves at Jerome when he was working.
His long hours were hard for her but she didn’t want to lose him and after only a few months together, she fell pregnant.
The Ferrettis were sceptical of how long the relationship would last, but begrudgingly accepted Liz.
Within the first few months of their hasty marriage, it was obvious that the chances of them lasting were slim.
Even moving out of the second flat above the restaurant to a rather grand large residence on the outskirts of Leeds did not help.
The arrival of Kara, three years later, revealed the already gaping cracks in their marriage.
Jerome turned to Peter as he stubbed out his cigarette.
“Mama was complaining she never sees the kids alone, so I thought I’d surprise her.
” He couldn’t face an inquisition from Peter.
His nerves were already raw from the morning’s slanging match with Liz.
And to be honest, he just didn’t want to face it all just yet.
“Well, she’s certainly loving it,” Peter continued, hoping Jerome would open up. Jerome gave him a weary smile and headed back inside.
By five thirty, Jerome was heading back home.
Nina would be back within a couple of hours so he’d be able to leave for Sky around nine o’clock.
As he swung his car into the driveway, he noted that Liz’s car was there, and his body went through a number of reactions ranging from relief to anxiety.
At least she was home, he thought. What mood she’d be in and how he was going to respond to her was making him feel anxious.
He brought his car to a stop, and the kids got out of the car and headed in through the kitchen.
Liz was pouring herself a glass of wine and she beamed at her children as they came in.
“Hey, did you have a nice day?” she directed the question to the children as they hugged her.
They quickly told her about going to La Casa and that it was Carmen’s birthday.
Liz tensed slightly but carried on listening, her cool blue eyes focused on their faces the whole time.
They continued to tell her about their time with Gia and Liz maintained her smiley fa?ade.
They ran up to their rooms, leaving a taut Jerome leaning against the kitchen counter.
“How did your meeting go?” He tried hard to keep his tone calm.
“Very well, actually. They want me in the fashion show. There’s going to be loads of coverage too.” Her cool eyes lit up as she found it hard to hide how excited she was.
“That’s great news.” Jerome straightened and paced slowly up to her. “And it’s just after New Year?”
“Yes, they’re trying to secure the right venue.
One of the hotels is going to host it, I think.
And it’s not going to be in Manchester now; it’ll be here in Leeds.
I’m really excited. It’ll mean I need to keep in shape over Christmas, though.
” Jerome knew this was a dig at the over the top festive celebrations the Ferrettis always had.
Jerome nodded and smiled at her, genuinely pleased that for once she seemed happy.
Their morning spat was seemingly forgotten.
“I need to go and ring Mum and a few of my friends too.” She collected up her wine glass, grabbed her handbag and headed upstairs, leaving Jerome staring after her.
He looked at the clock. It was almost six thirty.
He decided to bath the kids and get them ready for bed before he left.
He knew there wasn’t a chance Liz would do it once she got on the phone.
He shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on the chair, then climbed the stairs.
He could hear Liz’s excited voice as he passed her room and headed to where his children were.
Liz had placed her glass on the bedside table and pulled out her phone. She redialled the number she’d rung on her way back from her meeting. This time, the phone was switched on and it rang three times before Jonathan answered.
“Babe.”
“Hey, great news, I got the job.”
“I knew you would. They’d be mad not to take you.”
“Finally, I get to do a runway.”
“All that training we did in the gym – and out – paid off, then,” he sniggered and Liz giggled. “When am I going to see you?”
“I can pass by yours tomorrow.”
“Make it in the morning.”
“Sure, as soon as I drop the kids off.”
“Can’t wait. We’ll have all day.”
Liz squirmed on her bed. “Mmm, sounds perfect. Bye.”
DANI PLACED HER NEW boots in her locker and changed back into her uniform. Rosa and Nicole had made it back.
“What did you buy?” asked Rosa.
“Some ridiculously expensive boots I really can’t afford. But the upside is, apparently they go with everything!” Dani chuckled and Rosa laughed.
Nicole grinned at Dani as she brushed through her blonde hair and pulled it through a hair tie.
Dani heard her phone beep through an email as she bundled her bag into the locker.
Curious to see who would be emailing her on a Sunday afternoon, she fished out her smartphone and opened her email option.
She instantly wished she hadn’t. The email was titled “Sorry”.
Her face drained of colour as she slumped into one of the chairs. Nicole eyed her reflection in the mirror. “Dani? Are you okay?”