Gina made it to the other side of the bridge and walked along the Thames Path on autopilot. She ended up at her office half an hour later. Her knees were still smarting, along with her pride, and she was hoping to clean herself up.
Gina glanced up. The office window was open. She was sure she’d closed it when she’d left on Friday night. She got her keys from her bag and walked up the stairs, her body heavy with sadness. She still couldn’t quite believe her new dreams had just disappeared. No more rooftops with India. No hot tub sex at India’s new flat. Gina was going to give rooftops a miss from now on.
When she got to her office door, however, it was ajar.
Gina’s stomach lurched. What now? How much more could she take today? Had they been burgled? She reached into her bag and pulled out her bunch of keys to use as a weapon. Her heart began to thump loudly in her chest. She clutched the keys and held them out in front of her, then kicked the door with her right foot. It swung open as she pounced forward.
There was someone in there. She raised her keys and heard a growl come out of her mouth, just as the figure turned.
It was Sara.
Gina’s mind flickered with the thought that maybe she should carry through with the keys. She didn’t. When she looked left, Bernie was in the corner with a box of stuff. Perhaps she was being burgled. But she was well acquainted with the burglar, and Gina had caught them in the act.
Gina dropped her keys on her desk, along with her bag. Then she turned to Bernie. “What’s going on?”
Bernie shrugged. “What does it look like?”
“It looks like you’re robbing the office.”
Bernie laughed. “Take a closer look. We’re getting what’s rightfully ours.”
“You’re selling. Or at least, that’s what you told me.”
Bernie put a hand on her hip. “After you got your heavies to lean on me.”
Gina wasn’t in the mood today. “I was just doing exactly what you would have done in my shoes. You should be proud of me.” She shook her head. “I don’t have time for this today. Give me the keys and get out.” She’d thought that perhaps, in time, she and Bernie could become friends again. Now, she didn’t give a single shit about that. “And put down that fucking print!”
Gina marched over and ripped the print that Bernie had taken from the wall out of her hand. “We bought that together for the office, and it’s staying in the office!” Yes, her voice was elevated. Gina didn’t care.
Bernie stepped back, giving her a startled look. “Who rattled your cage?”
“You,” Gina replied, “her,” she said, pointing at Sara. “The world! Now take Connie, your pens, your pads and get out. I’ve had enough of being polite. Don’t fuck with me today.”
Bernie put her hands up, then walked backwards around Gina, picking up her beloved cheese plant with two hands.
“What about all the other stuff?” Sara asked her.
Bernie shook her head. “Leave it. Let’s go.”
Gina didn’t say another word as they left. She simply closed the door, then walked around her desk and sat in her chair. Her mind was spinning so much, it felt like it was making a noise. What was she going to do now?
She turned on her computer and an email came up about India’s house sale. She wouldn’t normally be so heavily involved. She’d made an exception. She should have known better. She clicked off it, then clicked over to the flat still for rent, where they’d first met up with Eunice. She hoped Eunice and Joan fared better than she and India had. The photo of the rooftop, the flat’s main selling point, filled the screen.
Gina pressed her head back to her chair and spun around and around, just like Bernie used to do all the time. It was kinda therapeutic. She could see the appeal.
She glanced back at her screen. Back to the rooftop. Where she and India had first had a proper chat. Their first deep laughs. Their first sex. Their rooftop.
It was going to be someone else’s rooftop soon as Gina had three viewings next week.
It was probably for the best, seeing as there was no ‘them’ anymore. India had betrayed her. She still couldn’t quite get over it.
Her phone buzzed. She picked it up. A message from India. She put it down. Didn’t even read it.
She pressed Neeta’s number. It went to voicemail. Of course it did. She scrolled through all her old friends who she wasn’t really in touch with anymore. Who would she talk to about this? It was Neeta, Bernie or India. All three ruled out in one go. She was alone. Very alone.
Her phone began to ring and Gina raised her head. It was from an unknown number.
She ground her teeth together. Should she answer it? Would it be India trying to get to her using someone else’s phone? Maybe.
She answered it anyway. She wasn’t sure what that said.
“Hello?” Gina’s voice was weary.
“Gina? It’s Frankie.”
Frankie? Gina used to have her number after they did business together. Maybe Frankie had got a new one. “Let me guess, India asked you to ring me.”
“No, she doesn’t know I’m doing this. If I know India, she’s probably interviewing Eunice and Joan right now, because she’s a professional. Even though her life’s just blown up.”
Gina frowned. “If you haven’t spoken to India, how do you know?”
“It’s all over social media. Andi proposing. India looking shellshocked. I just spoke to Eden, who told me what happened and how you saw it all and assumed the worst.”
“I don’t think there’s a lot to assume. It was all there laid out in front of my eyes.” Gina pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. She was getting another headache. She wasn’t surprised.
“I understand what you’re saying, but think about India and what’s been happening between you over the past few months.”
“She’s been leading a double life?” But even as she said it, there was a hint of doubt in her voice. Gina didn’t want to believe it. But when something was so clear, it was generally wise to believe what you saw.
“She hasn’t been leading a double life. Andi is deluded. She believes what she wants to believe. Today, she believed she could get India back, so she strolled into that hotel with one intention.”
Frankie paused. “The reason I’m calling is because I feel responsible. Someone from my team told her India was going to be there today. She used her fame to tease the information from this person, saying she was interested on a professional level. She wasn’t. She just wanted to get India back. But the fact is, India doesn’t want Andi back. Andi might be famous, but she’s a nightmare. Plus, there’s also the fact India’s pretty smitten with you.”
Those words lodged in Gina’s heart. “She told you that?” She really wanted to believe it. Could what Frankie was saying be true?
“She doesn’t need to. I know her. She likes you, Gina. Don’t let Andi’s antics ruin things. What does your gut tell you?”
Gina paused. “I don’t know. It’s been churning too much ever since all this happened.”
“Instinct, then?”
“That India’s a genuine person.” It was out before she had a chance to think about it. It was what she thought. She didn’t think India was a villain, but there were too many puzzle pieces that didn’t fit.
“That’s the truth. India’s only fault was letting Andi into her life. But hopefully, you can see past that. I hope you can. Because India’s worth it.”
Gina chewed on her bottom lip. “There’s really nothing going on with her and Andi?”
“I think you know the answer to that already,” Frankie said. “If India calls, which she will, talk to her, okay?”