Shallow Love (2 page)

“Oh no, I just realised it’s next Saturday, Liam’s made plans?’’ Carrie said with a look of horror on her face.

“No it’s okay, you go be with Liam, you’ve been going every year with me,” Jackie suggested calmly, as she didn’t want to get in the way of her sister’s plans.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Carrie looked worried as she checked the calendar on her smartphone.

“No I don’t want to get in the way of your plans, I’ll be fine,’’ Jackie reassured her. “I’ve got a staff of people to mingle with on the night.’’

“Thanks so much,’’ Carrie gave her a peck on the cheek, “you are the best sister in the world.”

“My absolute pleasure, I just wish I could be lucky in love.” That’s something Jackie had failed at, she just wanted a successful relationship, with the right man for her.

“You will one day,” Carrie said with commiseration in her voice, “just wait and love will find you.”

Jackie felt a sense of well-being, she felt Carrie was right, she just had to be patient in love.

They finished drinking their lattes and Carrie’s mobile rang, then Jackie took away the mugs and washed them. Carrie had finished talking on the phone by then and she had a grim look on her face.

Jackie could sense there was something wrong with her sister as she turned to her, “is everything okay, you look upset?”

Carrie looked blank. “Tanya just rang from Grace’s Boutique, the business has closed down, it’s gone into receivership.’’

“Oh no,” she embraced her with a sisterly hug. “What are you going to do, you’ve got no job now?”

“Tell me about it, Carrie’s eyes welled in tears, “I really didn’t need to be on the unemployment line now.’’

Jackie couldn’t believe her sister had lost her job, she felt her hurt. Her sister had enjoyed working in Grace’s Boutique, for five years and losing her job was inconceivable. Though inevitable, the statistics had confirmed the public favoured online shopping over busy crowds and parking in the CBD. Times had changed, the cost of living and an increase in utility bills, were making online shopping a privledge not a burden. Many of the trendy Boutiques in Sydney risked closure, because of high rent and low sales. Internet shopping had reached an all time high and consumers were after the best bargains on line, in the comfort of their own home. Jackie knew this only too well as Editor of
Glamour
, there was a column in last month’s issue and the results of online shopping, were staggeringly high.

“Listen sis, I would try to get you a job at
Glamour
, but from what I know, you don’t like the literary word?’’

“No way,” Carrie said with certainty, “I misspell my own name sometimes, let alone worry about copy writing for a magazine.’’

Jackie laughed out loud at her sister’s intellect, “well I can create a job for you, how does making lattes and cleaning the rest rooms sound?’’

“You kidding, that would bore me,” Carrie rolled her eyes, “thanks for the offer, but I want to look for a job in a department store.”

“Okay,’’ she said in agreement, feeling her sister’s anguish at losing her job, but admiring her determination, to find something suitable.

“I think I’ll ask for a job in the shoe department, what do you think?”

“Well if we can both get a discount, I’ll stock up on some more shoes,” suggested Jackie smiling. She had enough pairs to open up her own business, but no woman could ever have enough pairs of shoes, it was in every woman’s DNA.

“That’s a great idea,” nodded Carrie in agreement, “I will start looking for another job soon.”

“Why don’t you try, Maddie’s department store?” Pronounced Jackie, the one adjacent to Darling harbour, they have recently opened and I’ve heard they are busy and looking for new employees.’’

“Really?” Carrie said in a hurried voice. “I’ll find their number and give them a call.”

“No need to, I’ve got a receipt with their number in my bag,” confirmed Jackie, “I bought a skirt there several days ago.”

“Good idea,” said Carrie, as Jackie reached for her bright yellow handbag, pulling out the Maddie’s receipt and handing it to her sister.

“Okay sis, I’m heading off to meet up with Samantha in the city, she has invited me to her friends hen’s night.”

“Have a fun night and don’t go pinching any of those stripper’s bums,’’ Carrie said with a giggle.

“I wish,” Jackie winked back “I’m too old to flirt with the boys,” she said with a bling in her eyes, as she slid on a pair of red stilettos, “what you up to tonight?”

“Liam’s picking me up later, we are going to order takeout and have a quiet night in at his apartment.”

“That sounds like fun,”Jackie pronounced as she put on her red bolero and added some red lipstick on her lips.”

“Well takeout won’t be as much fun as the make-out,” Carrie said winking at her sister.”

Jackie laughed, her sister always had a way with words, they had always brought out the best in each other.

“Well you have fun girl and if you decide you’ll be staying the night, text me so I know you’re there?”

“I may stay the night, because I’m always over his place anyway.”

“Well you’ve been together for so long,” acknowledged Jackie, “if you feel ready just move in with him?”

Jackie had always mothered her sister Carrie, as they hardly ever saw their parents, who were based overseas. She felt she had to be there for her sister and they both looked out for each other.

Carrie smiled. “But what about you, being all alone in this big house, I’ll miss you?”

She kissed Carrie on the cheek, “I’ll miss you too, but it’s time we both spread our wings and do our own thing.”

“You are right sis, I know I love him and I know for sure he is the one for me, so if he asks me again, I won’t be home tonight.” Carrie said with a huge grin on her face.

“I have to go, text me later on,” Jackie said hurriedly.

“I will much later on,’’ Carrie winked at her cheekily.

When Jackie drove off in her sporty three-door Peugeot, she realised how much she was going to miss her sister. Her sister was her best friend, she had Samantha, whom she had met through work several years back, but no one compared to your own blood, the person whom you loved unconditionally. Their relationship was unique, she was family and at times, Jackie felt an overwhelming obligation to mother Carrie, they shared an unbreakable bond and were undeniably best friends.

However, the nauseating realisation, that she might be going home to an empty house tonight, was worrisome and the thought of living alone made her feel melancholic.

Chapter Two

A
s Jackie arrived in the city she spotted Samantha, waiting outside the night club. Samantha stood out from a crowd, her straw orange hair and tall, skinny frame was noticeable. Jackie waved a warm hello as she circled the clubs car-park, finally securing a vacant space. She had been friends with Samantha for several years, whom she had hired to work at
Glamour
. Samantha brought a wealth of publishing experience, having worked for other high fashion magazines in Sydney. She was a pleasure working with, very down to earth and they had got along very well. She was a perfectionist in her field of writing and had been Jackie’s backup, when she had taken leave from work. Samantha had an uncanny ability to be methodical, when she had to and witty the next. And Jackie, had made the decision to hire her, as her assistant to the Editor in Chief. It was not only for her wealth of literary experience, but for her wicked sense of humour too. They had got along like a house on fire and Jackie wondered if her orange hair had something to do with her outspoken goofiness, which she didn’t mind at all. Everyone had got along with her at work, she had been a valuable member of staff, who had replaced Karen, the fiendish witch, who had distressed everybody, with her irony and contemptible nature. It was paramount that everyone got along with each other, ever since Karen had quit. Jackie was aware that productivity was based solely on happy employees, she encouraged and praised good performance and an incentive, was booming profit for
Glamour
.

Samantha had put
together the most funniest invitations and had handed them out to staff for her friends hen’s night, who was looking for numbers. Jackie couldn’t resist and neither did the rest of the staff, who looked in disbelief at the sexy, half naked men, displayed on the invite.

As Jackie got out of the car, she walked towards a wide eyed Samantha, who greeted her with a smile and her quick wit.

“Hey gorgeous, you look sexy in those red pumps, who you picking up tonight?’

“Someone hot, I hope?” Jackie laughed.

“I’ve booked a table,” Samantha winked, “there are around ten of us, drinks on me tonight.”

“Thanks for your generosity Sam”, she said impressed.

As they walked inside the rowdy nightclub, the music was pumping and the crowds were dancing. A waiter wearing a red bow tie around his neck, displaying a toned physique walked up to Jackie, his pearly whites beaming at her, as he lifted up the tray towards her. She picked up a cocktail from his tray, smiled up at him, as he walked away. The music was crazy loud and you could try talking, but you would not be heard. It was going to be a wild hen’s night, strippers with rock hard bodies, chiselled faces, muscular legs, olive and black skin. Two looked like they were from the Mediterranean, two from South Africa and the other two were Australian and profoundly tanned. The wild women in the club were screaming with hilarity, as the strippers walked off stage, exhibiting their hot bodies in full view.

“Fuck me,’’ yelled out Samantha, “why don’t real men look like this?”

“Because if they did, none of us would get out of bed to go to work, in the morning,” Jackie responded laughing.

Jackie held on to the cocktail in her hand, careful not to spill it, as she wormed her way around the crowd, to find the rest room. She checked her mobile, displaying one missed call, followed by two missed text messages. The rest room was dark and dim, she could barely read the messages, but caught a glimpse of one from Carrie. She pressed on her smartphone and scrolled on to the icon torch, lighting up the screen on her mobile.

‘Liam asked me to stay the night and I’m thinking of moving in with him, I’ll see you tomorrow, hope you are having a good night, cheers Carrie.’

Jackie realised her sister was about to spread her wings and go be with the love of her life. She text back,
‘so happy for you, see you tomorrow.’

As she left
the rest room, she pushed her way through the crowded bar, heading towards Samantha’s circle of friends, to meet and greet them. But there was too much commotion in the club to talk to anyone. The sexy strippers were back on stage, dancing around to the beat of the music, wearing only cowboy hats and G-strings. The women were screaming their lungs out, having panic attacks on the dance floor. The ripped Aussie stripper came out on stage, holding a microphone as he brought out a chair. He picked out a young woman from the crowd, who was wearing a sparkling tiara on her head.

“Hey Princess, the one getting married, why don’t you come on stage and say hello to Ben,” he winked. The women were going wild, as they applauded loudly and all eyes were fixated on Ben.

“So what’s your name gorgeous?” Ben asked out aloud, as the horny crowd of women cheered on.

“Julia,” the woman said nervously, “my name is Julia.”

“What a pretty name,” the stripper said with confidence, as he hovered over the hen.

“Well sit down gorgeous, I need to entertain you tonight,” he pronounced on the microphone, showing off his sexy abs, as he rubbed shoulders with the hen.

The stripper paraded on stage endeavouring to take off his underwear, but teasing the bride to be instead. He took Julia’s hand and rubbed it on his ripped, sweaty abs, making her scream in delight.

Jackie was engrossed with the sexy stripper, who had beads of sweat running down his chest, he was every woman’s fantasy and although Jackie knew the average man never looked like that, tonight she was going to enjoy the thrill of some wild entertainment. Her imagination took over on what it would be like to sleep with a stripper, but she quickly withdrew the idea. It was taboo in her line of work and if the media would ever find out, she could land herself in hot water. One night stands were not her thing anyway, but she was human and it was natural to feel lusty at a strip club, where the men were plausible and the women watching, couldn’t stop drooling.

The piercing voices
were getting louder and so was the music, then a drumroll and Julia almost fell off her chair, in hysterical tears of joy. Ben was one very sought after stripper and Jackie was tempted to chase him, when he dashed off stage to swipe hands with the women in the front row. She had an urge to pinch his bum, when he got really close, but another woman got in her way. It was a crazy, fun-filled night of cocktails, music and rowdy entertainment. Jackie had needed to de-stress from the break-up of her previous relationship and the overtime she had put in at work.

It was around
one in the morning, when Jackie went home, she was tired and the only thing she had the energy to take off were her heels. She fell into bed with her make-up on and the dress she was wearing and dosed off. The time was nearly two in the morning, when she fell asleep and when waking up the next morning, she had no recollection of the night before.