The Girls’ Weekend, page 8
“Bad bitches forever!” Keren called out, raising her fist in a show of triumph.
Chloe shook her head in mock dismay. But regardless of Jess’s paranoia, it was probably a good sign that the group was reverting to its usual dynamics. Teasing and bickering were clearly the default methods of communication between Alison and her friends, and the banter indicated a return to some semblance of normality. Jess would calm down now they were back in the cabin. Here it was much easier to rationalize the gory scene they’d encountered for what it most probably was – a small animal falling foul of a larger predator. As Chloe had said, it was just nature at work.
Yet as she pulled off her sweater, she couldn’t shake that image of Jerry, shovel in hand digging in the dirt.
Most likely he was just digging for truffles, she told herself. She’d done the same with her father when she was younger. She also knew Oregon white truffles were common to the area, and often found near oak trees, of which there were plenty.
Yes, that had to be it.
Either that or he had a vegetable patch in the clearing where she’d seen him. Both were completely normal and valid explanations for what he was doing.
“Who’s up for some hot chocolate?”
Chloe looked up to see Alison standing with a pan in one hand and a big grin on her face.
“Sure, that would be awesome,” Chloe replied.
The others agreed and Chloe watched as Alison skipped over to the kitchen to prepare the drinks.
“I’m so sweaty,” Jess shrilled, eliciting a snicker from Keren. She glared at her. “Oh, please! Do get a life, will you? Jesus. I’m going to get changed.” She got up and headed for the bedrooms, Keren’s mocking giggles following her.
“Don’t be long, Jess,” Alison called after her from the stove. “The hot chocolate’s almost done.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“And be careful of any boogeymen lurking under your bed,” Keren called after her.
“Go to hell.”
Keren met Chloe’s gaze and grinned. “She’s fine. She knows I’m only joking. We all love each other really.”
Chloe nodded and smiled. She hoped Keren was right, but she didn’t get the impression these girls even liked each other for most of the time. She was thinking about how to respond when an idea sparked in her mind, distracting her.
“You know what?” she said, slapping her thighs and getting up. “I am going to cook those birds. How about it? You want roast pheasant for lunch?”
“Totally!” Keren said, as Chloe went to the hearth and picked up the dead birds. “If it’s not too much of a pain in the ass for you?”
“It’s cool. I’ve handled game plenty of times over the years.”
Alison regarded Chloe as she joined her in the kitchen. “You really are a star at all this outdoorsy stuff, Chloe. I never knew.”
Chloe couldn’t help but feel the remark was more of a jab than a compliment.
“How would you know?” she replied, keeping her tone light, choosing to give her friend the benefit of the doubt. “It was a long time ago when I used to do this sort of thing. But I guess you never forget.”
An image flashed in her mind. That day, down by the lake. The blazing sun overhead, the shouting, the screams, the confusion. Then his hand grabbing for hers . . .
No! Don’t!
She shook her head to try and disperse the image. It didn’t help to think about such things. It never did.
“I’d best get on with preparations,” she said, slapping the birds down on the counter. “Hope you don’t mind me working alongside you.”
“No worries, Chef!” Alison replied, saluting her. “I’m pretty much done now anyway.”
“Great.”
The hot chocolate smelled amazing, and Chloe’s stomach hadn’t stopped rumbling since they got back to the cabin. She began plucking the feathers from the first bird as Alison opened one of the cabinets and took out four mugs. Placing them on a tray, she leaned into Chloe, whispering conspiringly.
“Once we’ve warmed our bones with the hot chocolate, I’ll get the cocktails flowing again.”
Chloe carried on plucking. “Don’t you think it’s a bit early to be drinking?”
“Um. Never!” Alison replied, picking up the pan of hot chocolate from off the stove and dividing it between the waiting mugs. “It’s my bachelorette party. Besides, I think we could all do with a strong drink after the events of this morning.”
“Yeah, but it was nothing to worry about, Alison. Right?”
“Oh, absolutely.” She placed one of the mugs next to Chloe and took the tray over to the hearth where Keren and Jess – now dressed in fresh dry clothes – were sitting. “Here we go, ladies. Drink it while it’s hot.”
Chloe grabbed her mug and took a large drink. It burnt the sides of her mouth, but she was so hungry and parched she didn’t care. It was also super sweet and very tasty. She blew across the top and took another sip, turning to watch Alison as she settled on the couch beside Keren. They were laughing at something she couldn’t hear but observing the scene from this distance there was something about the exchange that felt strained. They were both smiling and seemed pleasant enough but there was a brittleness behind both their eyes that betrayed them.
Chloe leaned back against the counter. It was probably nothing. It was just what happened when you were both competing to be queen bee. It was Alison’s weekend, but Keren clearly didn’t want to relinquish the top spot. Chloe, being the outsider of the group and a little older, was glad she didn’t have to concern herself with such petty rivalries and powerplays. Chloe knew both Keren and Alison were a lot more attractive than she was, but she’d made peace with her looks a long time ago and would never have let someone’s appearance be a factor in whether she was friends with them. And that wasn’t to say she was bad looking. If she did her hair and make-up – not like today – she’d describe herself as a solid seven. But apart from when she went for acting jobs, she didn’t care too much about her appearance. She was happy with who she was. Externally, at least. All the internal stuff was another matter and a complete shit-show most of the time.
A loud cackle from Alison snapped her from her thoughts and she glanced over to see her heading for the makeshift bar area. Drinking again.
Should she be worried?
If this wasn’t Alison’s bachelorette party, her alcohol consumption would have been cause for concern, but it was probably her way of dealing with the pressure of all the wedding arrangements. Chloe remembered reading how getting married was one of the top ten most stressful life events. So, it made sense Alison would want to kick back this weekend. And Chloe didn’t want to be a buzz kill.
She even accepted the large Cosmopolitan Alison offered her once she’d finished plucking the birds. It was strong with vodka but – screw it – it was also needed. Plus, she needed a little liquid courage because as the birds had been plucked now came the icky bit. Placing the first bird on its back she removed the crop – the fleshy food sack next to the wishbone – which she yanked out before chopping off the head and neck with a sharp knife. These all went into the trash along with the plucked feathers, wings and feet. Next, she stuffed her hand up the poor thing’s bottom, trying not to think too deeply about it as she pulled out the liver and guts and then washed the bird inside and out ready for roasting, and moved onto its mate.
As she worked small bursts of laughter carried over from the hearth, the other girls now suitably lubricated and having fun. She caught snippets of the conversation, Keren and Alison teasing Jess about some boy she used to like. She remembered what Jess had told her last night about Ethan dumping her and felt bad. But she seemed okay and was giving it back to the other two with just as much gusto.
As the subdued chatter continued, Chloe found her gaze drifting over to the window half-expecting to see Jerry’s dark form emerging from the trees outside. It was an unsettling reminder and she wondered if she should tell the others what she’d seen.
But then, what exactly had she seen?
Jerry going about his business? Looking for food? Tending his land like he’d told them he would be doing? He was hardly standing in the forest with a smoking gun, and without concrete evidence of anything sinister, she chose not to alarm her friends. The ambiance in the cabin was now lively, and she didn’t want to cast a shadow over their merriment.
After setting the birds in the oven to roast she was sweating and ready for a shower. Excusing herself she grabbed a towel from her bag and headed into the bathroom. Under the warm embrace of the shower, Chloe tried to relax. She let out a deep sigh, concentrating on the feel of the warm water as it cascaded over her body, washing away the layers of sweat and grime.
But it wasn’t enough of a distraction. Alone with her thoughts, she soon found herself focusing on the same infernal questions she’d been wrestling with for the past few months.
Chiefly, what the hell was she doing with her life?
She was going to turn thirty in a few years. That wasn’t old, but it was too old to have nothing to show for your three decades. She might have been able to navigate her way through a dense and unforgiving forest but when it came to her career path or her life plan, she found herself lost and roaming. Her self-worth, once so robust, had eroded over the years, leaving her unsure of herself and what to do for the best. She closed her eyes, putting her head under the water, hoping it might somehow clean out her troubled mind.
It felt good under the warm jets. She didn’t have to think about this now.
Beneath the comforting hum of the water, Chloe barely registered the escalating voices filtering through the wooden walls. It wasn’t until she heard yelling, loud and high-pitched, that her eyes snapped open, and she twisted off the shower unit.
What the hell?
Leaning around the side of the cubicle she listened. Yes, that was yelling all right. It sounded like Jess. She sounded hysterical.
Wrapping the towel around herself, Chloe stepped out of the shower, picking up more frantic chatter and raised voices as she moved to the door. She hurried down the hallway towards the main space to find Jess, visibly trembling, in front of the hearth with Alison and Keren flanking her, trying to calm her down.
“What’s going on?” Chloe asked.
Jess glared at her with red, teary eyes, her face gripped with tension. “The worst thing has happened,” she hissed. “We’re stuck here, Chloe. We’re trapped.”
Chapter 13
Chloe looked at Keren and Alison for answers. Alison was too busy trying to comfort Jess to respond but Keren stepped closer and lowered her voice.
“It’s not as bad as she’s making out,” she said. “You know Jess . . .”
“I know we’re stuck here!” Jess snapped, spinning around to face them. “I know someone has sabotaged my car!”
“What?” Chloe asked.
Keren rolled her eyes. “We don’t know that.”
“Okay, can we all calm down and explain to me what happened?” Chloe said, gripping the towel tightly around herself.
Jess gulped back a deep breath, a futile attempt to calm her erratic breathing. “I . . . I was still feeling a bit shaky after this afternoon,” she started. “I was going to drive into the next town to pick up some supplies – chips and soda and a salad to go with the birds – I figured being around civilization again would stop me worrying so much, remind me we’re not too far away from other people. But . . . But when I went out to the car just now, it won’t start. So, it is as bad as I thought. We’re trapped here. In the middle of nowhere with no phones and no way of getting away.”
Chloe paused. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but she couldn’t help but think this was Jess overreacting a little, perhaps even a subconscious plea for attention. The group dynamic between Jess, Alison and Keren was complicated. It couldn’t be easy for her to play second fiddle all the time.
Yet, if her car really wouldn’t start . . .
“Did you check everything?” she asked, addressing the whole group. “And the car definitely won’t start?”
Keren cleared her throat. “Yeah, we did. It’s screwed. I don’t know if it’s a dead battery or something else, but it won’t start at all.”
“If it’s just a dead battery, then that’s easily fixed,” Chloe told Jess. “My friend, Rob, is picking me up on Sunday afternoon around five. He’s pretty good with cars. I’m sure he’ll be able to get it started no problem. You can still drive out of here.”
“But not until Sunday?” Jess said. “What if we need to get out of here before then?”
“We’ve got enough supplies, Jess,” Alison said, rubbing her friend’s shoulder affectionately. “I don’t think we need to worry.”
“I think it might be too late for that,” Jess whined as if she was about to start crying again. “You need to let me go!”
“She wants to walk into the next town and find someone to come out and fix it today,” Keren muttered in Chloe’s ear. “We’re trying to talk her out of it.”
Chloe nodded. “Hmm, yeah. I don’t think it’s a great idea to set off walking anywhere, Jess. It’ll take you over two hours to walk to the nearest town and it’s getting late. You might not find anywhere open.”
“And like we all keep saying – it is Alison’s party, guys,” Keren added. “Can we all try and calm down and go back to having fun? I know what we saw earlier was super gross, but it was just nature. Come on, Jess. Let’s have a drink and settle down. After a few Cosmos things will seem a lot less scary.”
“Please, Jess,” Alison said, lowering her head to look Jess in the eye who was now staring at her feet. “I don’t want you wandering off somewhere on your own. I want you here. With me. I want us to be together.”
Jess sniffed. “Fine. But if something bad happens we won’t be able to go for help.”
“I really don’t think there’s going to be any more upset,” Chloe told her. “We’re staying in a cute old cabin surrounded by trees and birds, we just need to refocus on that, stop letting our imaginations – or the memories of too many cheesy horror movies – affect how we see things. It’s all good.”
And after saying this, she almost believed it herself. Alison gave her a wink of thanks as she guided Jess over to the drinks table.
“Come on, let’s get drunk. I don’t know why everyone is such a Debbie Downer all of a sudden.”
“Hey!” Keren snapped. “That’s not how it is. We did see some gross shit today. We are all a little shaken up. That’s understandable, isn’t it?”
“Excuse me?” Alison hit back. “I know what we saw, Keren, but this was supposed to be a fun weekend. It was supposed to be about us getting away from civilization and enjoying ourselves, away from our problems. Yet you’re all acting like I’ve dragged you here and that this is just some terrible ordeal you need to get through. Jesus!”
She turned her back on them, wiping at her eyes as she did. Keren made to say something else, but Chloe held her hand up, giving her a hard stare at the same time.
“Alison, that’s not true. At all,” she said, softening her tone. “Is it, girls?”
She eyeballed Keren and Jess who both begrudgingly agreed.
“No. I’m really happy to be here,” Keren mumbled. “I’m sorry if I made you think differently, Alison. I am having a good time.”
“Yeah, me too!” Jess said. “I guess I just let my nerves get the better of me. I’ve not been doing so well lately, but I’ll try to rise above it. I do want to be here.”
Chloe reached out and placed her hand on Alison’s shoulder. “What say we all take a break, it’s been a weird day, but that doesn’t mean we can’t turn this around. In fact, we most definitely will! Right?”
Alison had tensed at first but now Chloe felt her relax. She sighed and turned around. “Yeah, cool. I’m sorry too. I’ve got a lot of shit going on in my head, which doesn’t help.” She put her hands on her hips and grinned. “Geez, you guys, I don’t want to fight with you. You’re my besties. My ride or dies.”
“Exactly!” Chloe said, checking the clock. “Listen, the food won’t be ready for another ninety minutes and none of us slept well last night. Why don’t we get some rest for an hour, then reconvene for some proper fun? Plus, I need to put some clothes on.” She stepped back indicating she was still only wearing a towel.
“Yeah, good plan,” Alison said.
“We will be fine,” Chloe told Jess, still sensing her unease. “I promise. We just need to chill out and stop it with all the drama.”
Jess nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. I am sorry Ali.”
“It’s fine, hon. It’s all forgotten.”
“All of it!” Keren agreed.
Chloe gestured toward the bedrooms. “Cool. So, what say we meet back here at three, ready for a good time. Sound good?”
“Sounds awesome,” Alison said.
“Sure does,” Keren added, nudging Alison playfully. “Party night, baby!”
Yet as Chloe headed for her room and slipped on a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt, she couldn’t help but feel something had shifted between the four of them just now. It wasn’t something she could put her finger on exactly. It felt as if they were all play-acting at being friendly. Jess, despite her apparent change of mood just now, had slumped onto her bed without a word and both Alison and Keren’s enthusiasm felt a tad forced. But, regardless, they were all here until Sunday and Chloe was keen to rise above all the petty, inter-relationship drama and have a good time. She’d invested a lot in this weekend, both emotionally and financially, and was determined to make the most of it. Even if it killed her.
Chapter 14
Chloe lay on the bed, her head buried into the pillow and willing herself to relax. She rolled onto her back, letting out a deep sigh as she tried to surrender to the solace of sleep. She felt as if she’d done a damn good job back there, convincing the others – along with herself – that all would be well. But maybe not.
Chloe might have been the sensible voice of reason among the others, but that status was only relative, and her mind now spiraled with intrusive thoughts and unresolved memories. The day’s disconcerting events – not just the scene in the woods, but the tension within the group – played on her mind, also.
