The Shoestring Club by Sarah Webb Read Free Book Online Page B

whatever day of the week. And in Auckland, if you knew the right people – musicians, artists, the fashion pack, hairdressers (who love a good party on a Sunday) – you could pretty much party your way through the week, Monday to Sunday. So I did. When I got back to Ireland I guess the habit just stuck. And before all the Ed and Lainey hoo-ha, I had no problem persuading Lainey or one of her younger sisters to join me – Kia in particular loves a good night out. And if they weren’t free, they knew someone who was. But now I’m reduced to dancing with myself.
    In the middle of the night I wake up, my heart pounding and my body slick with sweat. Another nightmare. The image of a baby floats in front of my eyes. It’s lying face down at the bottom of what looks like an empty lift shaft, its tiny body grey and lifeless, blood seeping out of a gaping wound on its back and spreading slowly outwards, like ink on blotting paper. I rub my eyes with the heel of my hands and take a few deep breaths.
    Think of something else, I tell myself. Anything! So I focus on the beautiful Farenze dress, then I think about Jamie catching me in my underwear in the staffroom, Jamie lying about calling in, leaving me sitting there all night on my own. The back of my neck prickles. How dare he? Was he trying to prove a point? Or get back at me?
    And then I remember Karen’s challenge – ‘But Jules is hardly going to turn up. She couldn’t bear to see Lainey get something she wants so badly’ – and I’m filled with so much anger and remorse I can taste it. Karen was right. I can’t stomach the fact that Ed is marrying Lainey and not me.
    On and on my mind races. If only Jamie’s Dad hadn’t been such an idiot, and Mum hadn’t got sick, then I would never have got so close to Jamie in the first place; then Jamie wouldn’t have punched Ed on the nose, Ed and I would never have broken up that first, crucial time, then I wouldn’t have failed my exams and dropped out of college and gone travelling because I was so heartbroken, we wouldn’t have had our damn stupid on-off relationship, Lainey wouldn’t have had the chance to jump his bones, and
I’d
be the one planning my wedding right now. It’s all Jamie’s fault. I hate him!
    In my heart, I know it’s not logical, that I’m just lashing out because I’m hurt and lonely, but it’s a hell of a lot easier than blaming myself. I stare at the ceiling and will my mind and heart to stop racing. And eventually, hours later, light dappling through my shutters and birds warming up outside, my eyelids become unbearably heavy and I finally fall asleep again.

Chapter 4
     
    The following morning my alarm clock shrills, waking me up with a start and I groan, slap the snooze button, roll over and go straight back to sleep. Next thing I know, I hear my mobile ringing and vibrating around my bedside table. It’s playing the theme song from
The Addams Family
, meaning it’s Pandora. I ignore it and, after a few more rings, there’s blissful silence. Until it starts up again.
    I roll onto my side, press answer and hold it to my ear. ‘This had better be good, Pandora,’ I mutter.
    ‘I just drove past Baroque and the door’s closed. Is everything all right? You sound funny. You’re not in casualty again, are you, Jules?’
    ‘I’m in bed! And what’s with the
again
? I’ve only been in hospital once recently. And it was hardly my fault someone dropped a pint glass on my foot, Miss Snarky Pants.’
    ‘You sound groggy. Are you hungover?’
    I do feel a little groggy and my brain is hammering against my skull, but I’m not admitting it to Pandora.
    ‘No!’
    ‘Are you sick?’
    ‘No!’
    ‘Then why the hell aren’t you in work?’
    ‘What time is it?’
    ‘Ten to eleven. What happened to the alarm clock I gave you?’
    I look at said clock. She’s right, it’s 10.52. I must have hit off instead of snooze.
    Pandora says, ‘Hang on, Rowie’s just pulled her jeep up outside .