Chapter 8
It wasn't, she thought, as she threw herself down on to a couch in the bar, that she had any kind of feelings towards Duncan. She wasn't even sure that she ever had. So no, she wasn't in any way, shape or form jealous - she just resented the fact that Abigail had, once again, had the gall to sleep with, well, one of her friends. She paused and mentally put inverted commas around the word friends and then smiled - that was more like it. She'd almost lost count of the number of times it had happened but it was definitely more than once. There'd been David Chew for a start, and then Mark, that nice prison officer she's met in her local. She'd really thought she was in with a chance there until he'd met her precious daughter, totally forgotten about her existence and allowed himself to be seduced into a relationship with Abbie, only to get his heartbroken two weeks later when she'd tired of him. The girl had the attention span of a small gnat, although that was probably slightly derogatory to the gnats. Last time shed seen him he'd turned up on her doorstep, cried on her for several hours about how much Abbie had hurt him then disappeared on his motorbike never to be seen again.
Sometimes, particularly at times like that, Samantha felt like she'd given birth to the spawn of the devil. She did, that was, until she remembered that was in actual fact Debbie, while she had just spawned a particularly obnoxious nymphomaniac.
Just as she was thinking this Debbie herself stepped into her line of vision, "What's up Samantha? You look like someone just busted you back down to DC."
Samantha thought this was rather rich coming from Debbie given the fact that she also looked as miserable as sin. She regarded her curiously, "I'll live. What's up with you?" It sounded cruel but she hoped it was something hideously bad just for her own amusement.
Debbie took this as her cue to join Samantha and sat down clutching her drink like a security blanket.
"Something weird just happened."
"Good weird or bad weird?" Samantha asked, praying for it to be the latter.
"Mickey burst into my room and had a go at me. He accused me of using Jack to further my career."
Samantha immediately burst out laughing, "What's so weird about that? Most of the Borough have been saying that for years."
Debbie looked so crestfallen at Samantha's remark that for a split second she actually felt sorry for the other woman. Then she remembered that she wasn't dealing with some na�ve child. This was Debbie McAllister, the devious bitch who was virtually guaranteed to walk away with HER job just because she had Jack Meadows in her pocket, or possibly in her knickers. It was hard to tell.
"What are you looking so wounded for" she asked sharply, "You're not telling me you didn't realise? How stupid do you think we are Debbie? We don't buy the 'Jack's Little Angel' routine even if he does."
"I love Jack."
"If you say so." Samantha was fast losing patience with Debbie. She couldn't stand people taking her for an idiot and that was obviously what Debbie thought she was if she thought she was going to buy THAT one for more than a second, "I imagine he's very loveable. All that money, all that power, it must be the biggest turn on in the world for a self serving little tart like you."
She sat back and waited for Debbie to snap back with some biting and sarcastic retort and was surprised when she didn't. In fact, as she sat watching the other woman stare miserably into her drink she started to wonder if maybe she'd gone a little bit too far. She was just toying with the idea of offering something in the way of an apology when Debbie looked up, "I said I loved Jack. Not the money or the power but Jack. He's my best friend, my only friend and I love him."
There was something about Debbie's words or maybe the way that she said them that made Samantha think she might have misjudged her after all. Uncomfortable with both the sensation of guilt and with actually feeling sorry for Debbie McAllister (of all people) she forced a smile.
"Oh, ok. Well," she decided on an abrupt subject change, "you think you've got problems? I just caught my daughter having sex with Duncan." Humiliating herself wasn't her favourite thing in the world, but she figured Debbie would find out about Duncan and Abbie at dinner anyway and if it got that pathetic hurt look off of her face then the humiliation would be worth it.
Luckily it had the desired effect as Debbie started to laugh, "Duncan? Duncan Lennox?"
"No." Samantha snapped, "That well known bald swimmer Duncan Goodhew."
Debbie laughed even harder, not bothering to contain her glee at Samantha's situation, "That's brilliant. That's the funniest thing I've heard all year. Actually, no, that's the funniest thing I've heard in my entire life."
On hearing this Samantha once again reviewed her opinion of Debbie and reverted to her initial one that the woman was an utter bitch. She cut her laughter dead with a stony glare and then, in the most pathetic, lost little girl way she could said;
"I said I loved Jack. Not the money or the power but Jack. He's my best friend, my only friend and I love him." Then she smiled, "No Debbie that?s the funniest thing I've heard in my life, and to think I was daft enough to fall for it. You don't love Jack, you're not even capable of it."
"Are you two at it again?" They turned to see Adam standing behind them, his eyes raised, "Gina told me you were planning to behave like adults this weekend."
"Just a joke between friends." Samantha said, giving Adam a winning smile, glad of the distraction from both Debbie and the fact that her mocking grin had wasted no time at all in transforming back to a miserable as sin pout, "How are you Adam?"
He sat down beside her, "I'm very well. I'm glad I came. It's good to see everyone again. See where you've all ended up."
Samantha chucked a sideways glance at Debbie; "Well if there's any justice in the world Adam I shall be 'ending up' in your old office."
"So I hear." Adam looked from Samantha to Debbie who were looking daggers at each other and then smiled, "Two dogs chasing after the same bone eh?"
"Dogs?!?" Samantha stared at him indignantly then realised he was trying to ease the tension and started to laugh, "Thanks for that. We love you too."
"That's charming that is." Debbie added, a smile tugging at her lips, as hard as she tried to stop it.
With the tension eased, and with Adam ensuring it stayed that way the three broke into conversation focussing on the non-controversial topics of Adam's job with the Government, Gina and her millions and the fact Gary Best still looked about 12 and awaited the arrival of the others.
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