Wags To Riches (40 page)

  
After I’ve showered and got dressed, I leave the villa and set off up the road.  It isn’t quite ten o’clock, but it is already getting hot.  The sky is a brilliant blue and there’s not a cloud to be seen.  I’m really glad I’ve put my pink sundress and flip-flops on instead of jeans as Adam would have found me face down in a puddle of my own sweat.  Ugh!

   After a short while I arrive at the little newsagents and there are some international newspapers on a stand outside
. 
Wonder if they’ve got any English ones?  I look through the stand and eventually find a couple of English tabloids.  I lift the first one up out of the rack and gasp at the headline:

‘FINCHLEY FANCIED ME” – ADAM’S SECRET LUST

FOR MODEL JUSTINE!’

“Oh my God!” I say aloud as my heart starts to pound.  The words are printed over the top of a photograph of a bikini-clad woman
with huge breasts and bleached blonde hair, with the words ‘Exclusive story – centre pages’ printed across the bottom of the photograph.    “Oh. My. God” I say again, my mouth suddenly bone dry.  I gulp and with some difficulty because my hands are shaking so much, turn to the middle pages of the newspaper.  Oh this gets worse.  This cannot be.  Across the centre pages there is another photograph of the woman.  She is lying on her side, wearing a cropped vest top and a denim micro miniskirt and is pouting at the camera under the headline –

‘FINCHLEY FOOTBALL STUD MADE LOVE

TO ME IN HIS FOOTBALL BOOTS!’

It makes me want to scream in horror.  Heart pounding, I quickly scan the story.  It says that Adam - apparently - couldn’t resist Justine when they met in a nightclub some time ago and Justine, a glamour model, was initially reluctant to meet, as she knew Adam had a girlfriend!  Obviously this woman’s charity knows no bounds!
I think angrily.  However:

“His constant texts and phone calls proved impossible to resist”.

I read on and underneath the words ‘secret lover’ printed in bold,
Justine is telling all about various secret meetings and my mind begins working frantically, trying to work out when this is.  What secret meetings?  Oh my God is that when – all that time Adam said he was working on his new house – was it then?  Justine goes on to say that every time they met, they would have sex:

“He couldn’t wait to get his kit off and once had sex with me with his football boots on!”

Suddenly my eyes fill with tears.  “He said he loved me!” I whisper.  “And all the time he’s been shagging this other girl.  All the time it was a lie – a great big bloody lie”.  My lips trembling, I go to close the newspaper, but couldn’t help reading what it said in the last paragraph:

“Adam ended the relationship a few months ago.  ‘I just hope that Gail (Adam Finchley’s long term girlfriend) realises what her fiancé is really like

before she marries him’ Justine says”.

   What?  I think furiously.  How dare you!  You sleep with my fiancé, sell your story to the newspapers and then try and make out that you are doing it out of some kind of civic duty!  I feel unsteady on my feet as my legs are shaking so much and I grip the back of the newspaper stand for support. I take a deep breath. A horrible thought then occurs
to me.  Oh God!  I wonder if my mum and dad have seen this?  I bet they have.  How could Adam do this to me? I think tearfully, I thought he loved me.  I knew all this was too good to be true – it was too good.  It was too perfect.  I should have known something like this was going to happen.

   I pay for the newspapers and almost run back to the villa, trying desperately not to cry.  Hardly knowing where I’m going, I walk quickly upstairs to the bedroom.  My head is spinning and I feel like I’ve been punched hard in the stomach.  The pain I’m feeling is threatening to overwhelm me.  I’ve got to get out.  I’ve just got to get away.  I want to go home – oh God.  I run to the wardrobe, quickly changing into a pair of jeans and jumper, grab my case and started throwing all the clothes and shoes back in that I’d only unpacked the night before.  “God – how could he?” I say to myself, wiping my nose with the back of my hand.  “The bastard.  The absolute bloody bastard”.  I rummage in my handbag for my phone and switch it on.  I’ve two voicemail messages and with a sinking heart, press the number 1 on the keypad to listen to them.  The first is from Alex: 

   “Gail – it’s Alex.  I don’t know how to tell you this, but there’s a girl in the papers saying she’s had a relationship with Adam.  Can you ring me as soon as you get this message thanks”.  It’s okay Alex, I already know I think angrily and then listen to the next message. 

   “Gail - its mum.  There’s a girl in the papers saying things that I think you need to know about.  Give me a ring to let me know if you are okay”.  I delete both messages and quickly dial Alex’s number.  I need to talk to Alex first.

   “Hello?”

   “Alex – it’s me” I say.

   “Gail!  Oh thank goodness – I’ve been trying to ring you, but couldn’t get through.  Have you seen the papers?  There was this girl….”

   “My phone has been switched off – would you believe we were trying to have a romantic break and Adam thought we should switch our phones off, so it’s just me and him.  Can you believe that?” I say bitterly.  “There was me thinking he was being romantic and yet actually, he must have known that this was going to come out.  God - I’m such an idiot!”

   “You don’t know that Gail” Alex says.  “What does Adam have to say about it?”

   “I’ve not spoken to him yet – he’s gone for a run and I just went down to the shop and saw the newspapers.  I can’t talk long – I don’t have much time.  I’m coming back today and I want to go before he gets back” I say, resting the phone under my chin while carrying toiletries out of the ensuite bathroom.  “Look Alex – I’m really sorry I’ve not been in touch – I have been meaning to phone and you would be perfectly entitled to tell me to eff off but I’m coming home now – could you come and pick me up from the airport?  Tell them at work that it’s an emergency”.

   “Don’t be silly Gail – why would I tell you to eff off?” Alex replies.  “You’ve been busy - I know what it’s like.  Of course I’ll come and pick you up.  I’m off this week anyway as me and Dave were planning on getting some decorating done.  Don’t you think though that you should stay and hear what Adam has got to say?”

   “No” I say as my eyes start filling up.  “I just need to get away.  I’ll ring you from the airport Alex and let you know what flight I’m on.  See you soon” I croak and hang up.  I then ring for a taxi to take me to the airport and I’ve just finished the call when suddenly the bedroom door opens and Adam walks in.

   “What’s going on?” he asks, his smile fading as he takes in my packed suitcase and tear stained, furious face.

   “I could well ask you the same question!” I shout.  “You two timing bastard!”

   “What are you talking about?” Adam says, shocked.

   “This –Adam - this!” I say and shove the newspapers into his face.  “How could you?”

   Adam looks down at the paper and his face goes pale.  “Oh my God” he says quietly.

   “Remember now do you?” I yell, shaking with fury.  “Bikini jog your memory?  You make me sick!”

   “Gail – it’s not what you think,” he says, looking at me absolutely horrified.

   “Oh isn’t it?” I say sarcastically.  “Well - why don’t you tell me what to think then?”

   “Gail – I’m telling you - it’s not true all right?” Adam shouts back.

   “So why do all the dates add up then?” I say waspishly.

   “What are you talking about?  What dates?” Adam asks, looking confused.

   “The dates in the stupid article!” I say, jabbing my finger at the newspaper.  “Bit funny how they are all the dates that you said you were doing your house up!  I should have known” I say as I yank the zip closed on my suitcase.  “I should have known what you were like.  I thought this was too good to be true – you bloody footballers are all the same”.

   “Oh thanks very much” Adam says coldly and then tries to grab my case.  “Look – just stop a minute will you?” he shouts.

   “No I won’t!  Who the hell do you think you are?” I shout back, glaring at him.  “All those times you said you were working on your house and you weren’t – you were with her!”  Then a horrible thought enters my head.  “Oh my God” I say slowly, “Those knickers in the garden!  I bet they are...”  I trail off, putting my hand over my mouth.  Oh my God, I can’t believe it.  This is just awful
I think, shaking my head.

   “No Gail, No!  They are nothing to do with me and another woman!” Adam says quickly, looking horror struck.  “There is no other woman Gail!  This...” he shakes the newspaper angrily, “This is a lie!”

   “So why do all the dates add up then?” I scream at him.

   Adam looks at the article.  “Gail…” he begins.

   “Oh save it Adam – I don’t want to bloody know!” I yell, grabbing my handbag and my case.  “I knew it – I knew this was too good to be true.  You are a two-timing, lying piece of shit Adam Finchley!  And you know what you can do with this!” and I yank my engagement ring off my finger and fling it through the balcony doors. 

   “Gail!” Adam gasps, staring at me aghast. 

   “I’m going to Alex’s!” I shout, putting my handbag over my shoulder and dragging my case across the room.  Adam doesn’t say anything; he just stands looking at me.

   “Aren’t you even going to try and stop me going?” I say nastily, angry tears sparkling in my eyes.  “Don’t you care?”

   “You’ve obviously made up your mind Gail about this story – and nothing I say is going to make any difference is it?” Adam says coldly. 

   “You don’t care do you?  You don’t give a shit!” I say, staring at him.  “Fine.  I’ll go then” I say opening the bedroom door.  “I thought you loved me!” I add, looking at Adam one last time before slamming the door behind me.  I get downstairs as a big sob threatens to overwhelm me but I take a couple of deep breaths and hurry outside to the taxi, which has thankfully just pulled up. 

   I sit on the back seat and rummage in my handbag for my compact mirror, hastily rubbing streaks of mascara off my cheeks.  As the taxi heads off to the airport, I have to keep blinking away tears as sentences from the article kept flashing across my brain.  Suddenly my phone rings.  I pick it up and see that it’s Gina.

   “Hi Gina – if you’re ringing to tell me about the girl in the papers, I already know” I say.  “I’ve had a massive row with Adam and I’m on my way to the airport right now”.

   “Oh Gail!” Gina says shocked.  “That story is absolute rubbish.  You don’t seriously believe it?”

   “I don’t know” I say miserably as my phone beeps to tell me there’s another call waiting.  I lift the receiver briefly away from her ear to see who it is and I can see it’s Sharon calling.  “Gina I’m going to have to go – Sharon’s on the other line” I say, “I’ll phone you when I get back okay?”

   “Okay – but you must talk to Adam about it.  Promise me?”

   “I promise” I say and click on the other line. 

   “Darling!  I take it you’ve seen the newspapers?” Sharon asks. 

   “Yes I have” I say grimly.  “I’ve left Adam at the villa and I’m on my way to the airport”.

   “Why?” Sharon asks.  “You don’t seriously think it’s true do you?  Gail, Justine is – to put it bluntly - a slapper and a gold digger.  She is well known on the nightclub circuit, always hanging round footballers and TV stars”.  My phone beeps again and I looked at the screen to see who it is.  It’s Adam.  I reject the call and then go back to Sharon.

   “I really think you should go back Gail” Sharon says.

   “No.  No I’m not” I say.  “All this time I thought he loved me.  And all that time he’s been shagging her!”  Tears start sliding down my face.  “Look - I’m going to have to go okay?  I’ll call you later” I say and hang up.  I then briefly call my mum to let her know I’m ok and that I’m going to Alex’s, then switch off my phone.  I don’t want to talk to anyone else right now.  All I want to do is get back to England.

When I arrive at departures, I hurry to the nearest airlines desk and explain that I need a flight as soon as possible.  The girl behind the desk looks at me for a moment.

   “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” she asks finally, peering at my face.

   “No – I don’t think so,” I say.  The last thing I need is for someone to recognise me.  “Please can you help me?” I ask pleadingly.  “I just want to go home”.

   “Let’s have a look for you” the girl says kindly.  An agonising moment passes by as she looks at her screen and I rest my head in my hands, my elbows on the counter.  Please God – please just let me get home.

   “You’re in luck!” the girl says, looking up from her screen and smiling at me.  “We’ve got one seat left on the 12.45 flight.  It’s on the aisle though – is that okay?”

   “Yeah – whatever, that’s great” I say with weary relief.  It could be in the bloody hold for all I care as long as I can get out of here.  I pay for the flight and the girl issues me with a ticket.