Chapter 5
Jack and Mickey said nothing but exchanged a look that spoke volumes. Robbie's eyes narrowed, "Hang on, you don't think she has either do you?"
Mickey moved up in his seat and made room for Robbie to sit down, "I think you ought to sit down and tell us exactly what you know."
"So far so good eh?" Gemma said to Gina as they sat in the Jacuzzi, "No one's dead yet."
Gina raised her eyes, "Don't even joke Gemma, Samantha and Debbie weren't far off it, and I'm deeply concerned by the arrival of Mr Hunter. What's he doing here? I mean would you have come if you were him?"
"It must have taken some balls." Gemma glanced at Phil who was chatting to Samantha, "But maybe he's seen the error of his ways and wants to bury the hatchet with people."
"I'll believe it when I see it." Gina was unconvinced, "It's one surprise I could have done without."
"I hope that's not me you're talking about." Adam said as he climbed into the spa and sat down next to Gina.
Gina smiled, "Not at all. It's lovely to see you Adam. Unexpected though - thought you'd be busy at Downing Street doing whatever it is you do now."
"Well even Drugs Tsars take a day off now and again."
"It's funny innit?" Gemma chipped in, "How we've all ended up? Makes Sun Hill seem like a million years ago."
"Doesn't it just, and I've known Gina even longer than that." Adam's voice suddenly seemed to be loaded with irony, and Gina found herself feeling uncomfortable as she realised she was sat in a Jacuzzi with her male ex-lover and female current lover. It wasn't a life or death situation, but she doubted she'd ever been in a weirder one. With her own advice to Samantha and Debbie in mind though, she pushed her discomfort aside, turning to Adam and forcing a smile, "Do you mind Adam? I try and make Gemma forget my age. I don't need you reminding her how much of a dinosaur I really am."
"Awww," Gemma threw her arms around Gina with all the discretion of something not very discreet, "Don't worry about it babe, you're only as young as the woman you feel. Which makes you 37. And�" she continued as Gina flushed an interesting shade of red, "� don't go acting all coy and innocent - cos Adam isn't stupid. He knows you're not."
Gina was just contemplating killing her other half when to her relief the younger woman disappeared in the direction of Gary and Luke who wanted her help to 'drown' Nick. Left alone with Adam though, her feelings of discomfort only grew.
"Kids eh?" She said nervously, "You'd have thought they'd have grown up by now."
Adam followed her gaze to the playful group who they'd ruled over 14 years previously, a thoughtful expression on his face, "Maybe they have. Maybe being back together has in some way made them turn back the clock and go back to how they remember it."
Gina nodded slowly, realising he was probably right. She even felt herself doing it to some extent. She'd not been their boss for a long time, not been anyone's boss infact, but from the minute she'd arrived she'd felt responsible for each and every one of them, and protective of them, just as she had done when they were her rowdy relief.
"You and Gemma seem very happy." Adam interrupted her thoughts.
"Well it's hard not to be." She confessed, "I've just got back from Seychelles, I have a beautiful woman and a million in the bank. What more could I need?"
"Children."
She knew he was going to say it before he even opened his mouth but that didn't make it any easier to think of an answer. The subject of children would always be a sore point between them, no matter how many wives and lesbian lovers came along. She looked away; hoping that Adam wouldn't press her for any kind of response. She needn't have worried. As astute as he'd always been he realised quickly that his remark had not been taken well, and apologised before changing the subject briskly to how she'd found the Seychelles. She told him, failing to mention she'd seen very little of the Seychelles due to spending the majority of the time in her luxury apartment with Gemma, and then, still grateful for his tact and diplomacy reached out and gave him an affectionate hug.
"You're a fantastic man Adam," she told him, "always have been, always will."
Eventually the prospect of more alcohol, not to mention food, lured the group away from the healthy surroundings of the leisure club as they all headed back to their rooms to change for dinner.
"Table's booked for 8.00." Gina told them all as they congregated by the lifts, "But I expect you all back in the bar no later than 7. There's drink to be consumed and you lot are going to be consuming it."
As they crowded into the lift to be taken to their various rooms Gina hung back. "Gemma," she grabbed her girlfriends arm, "I just want to check they've got our restaurant booking sorted for later. I can see that lot lynching me if we've been double booked."
A quick word with the receptionist confirmed that yes, the table was booked, and no, there weren't any problems. It also revealed that a 'gentleman' had left a message for Gina at reception saying he'd arrived late and he'd see them for dinner if not before.
Gina's eyes darkened, thinking for one horrid moment that 'Good Old Sergeant Gilmore' or even the ghost of Tom Chandler was about to foist himself on their happy-ish little party.
BACK