Cathy sat huddled in the small armchair. It was old, worn and uncomfortable. Like the bedsit she now called home. How had it come to this? The thought echoed in her brain. Dylan. That's how. Dylan and his fucking gambling. Why should she have to suffer for his mistakes? Why is it that the women do all the suffering when their men fuck up?
It was the same for Debbie and Jenny. They had all been part of a group at one time. A time not so long ago when they all went out together to bars, restaurants and coffee houses. It was a fun time. Now it wasn't.
Cathy huddled down and drew the thin blanket around herself. She felt alone. Worthless. Unloved. And she was alone now. She had never known her father and her alcoholic mother was God knows where. Not that she'd been much of a mother to begin with. Cathy had had to bring herself up. Fuck you mother! Good riddance!
Cathy picked up her phone and checked that it was finally charging. It was. But what's the point? She couldn't even afford to put credit on it now. Cathy had cried when she saw her account balance on the small ATM screen. £30. That's all she had and payday was still a week and a half away.
She had a job now. It was only two days in a bargain grocery store. But it was something. Her previous job had ended in redundancy. Then Dylan had left. He owed money to some seriously shady characters so Cathy had to move as well.
Home gone. Job gone. Love life, not there was much of that towards the end, gone.
Debbie and Jenny had tried to help in the beginning, but they had their own, similar problems. Money owed by their respective boyfriends due to drink or drug addiction. Probably both. Cathy had survived on her savings. But that was now all gone. Gone to pay rent on this shithole.
Cathy roused herself to make herself a coffee. At least she could do that. As she waited for the kettle to boil, she looked at herself in the cracked mirror above the sink. She didn't like what she saw. At one time, Cathy, like Debbie and Jenny, could turn heads whenever they walked into a bar or coffee house. Cathy had long, naturally golden blonde hair that curled at the ends. A slim, but not too slim, curvy twenty-six year old body. A 34D bust and an arse that definitely filled a pair of jeans! She liked herself then but could hardly bear to look now.
The only other person to show any interest in her was Yalda, a young Afghan woman who worked the same shift at the store as she did. They would talk sometimes when sorting stock in the back room. Yalda, though, had her own problems but refused to share them with Cathy.
Cathy took her coffee and sat back in the armchair. Alone. So alone. Again, tears welled up in her eyes. She closed them and tried to shut out the world.
Cathy's phone began to ring, startling her back to reality. It was Debbie. Cathy automatically thumbed the answer button but she could hardly speak.
"Cathy? Cathy are you there?" Debbie asked.
"Yes. Sorry." Cathy sobbed.
"It's me that should be sorry." Debbie said, her voice one of concern. "Have tried calling a couple of times but..."
"My fault. Lost my charger." Cathy replied apologetically.
"Won't ask how you are," Debbie said. "I can hear it in your voice."
Cathy paused, trying to put her thoughts in order. "Debbie, it's really bad..." she couldn't speak anymore and she began to sob again.
"Oh darling." Debbie said, "It's ok. I'm here now."
"Thank you. But I don't think you or anybody else can help me now." Cathy finally managed to say.
"Maybe I can. Lunch. Tomorrow I'll take you for lunch. Or a coffee. Just like we used to. My treat. There's something I want to ask..."
"I'm not good company at the moment Debbie. Sorry." Cathy interrupted.
"Nonsense!" Debbie exclaimed. "You always used to cheer me up when things were bad, now it's my turn! Meet me at 12 in that coffee house we used to go to. The one just off the square."
"Debbie, really. I'm not up to it just now." Cathy was really making excuses. She didn't want her friend to see how she was now. But the chance to go out, to see Debbie again, was too tempting.
"Please Cathy. Please. Pretty please with a cherry on top." Cathy smiled. The first smile she had in what seemed like ages.
"Ok. You win." Cathy finally said. "But you might not like what you see."
"I always like seeing you Cathy. Good or bad. We always found a way to cheer ourselves up. So, 12 then, tomorrow? Promise?"
"Yes, I promise" Cathy replied.
The call ended and Cathy smiled again. Debbie could do that for her. Make her smile. Cathy got up and looked at the few clothes she still had. She picked out a couple of things that still looked ok, a nice skirt and a top and put them on the arm of the chair. When was the last time I put these on? Cathy asked herself. Ages ago was the answer. She looked again at her reflection in the mirror, and was pleased to see a smiling vision stare back at her.
Wednesday at noon, Cathy entered the coffee shop. It wasn't that busy and she spotted Debbie straight away. Cathy gasped. The last time she had seen Debbie, she looked like Cathy had felt the night before. But as Debbie stood and approached her, Cathy couldn't fail to see a radiant, assured, confident and beautiful Debbie walk up to her.
"You made it darling." Debbie said beaming. Stepping closer, she pulled Cathy into a warm and comforting hug. "It's so good to see you. Sorry it's been so long."
"Debbie! You look... look fabulous!"
"Why thank you. So do you. But then, you were, are, prettier than I am."
Cathy frowned. "How can you lie and smile at the same time? I look awful."
They sat down at a small table for two tucked into a corner at the rear of the coffee house.
"Got you your favourite. Cappuccino with a dash of vanilla syrup. I remembered."
Cathy looked at the cup in front of her. Picking it up, she brought it slowly to her mouth. She sniffed it's aroma. It smelled divine. It had been so long since she could afford anything like this. Cathy took a small sip. Heaven!
"Good?" Debbie asked.
"Wonderful! Thank you so much!" Cathy replied. Then took another, longer sip.
The two women looked at each other for several moments. Each feeling the discomfort at Cathy's current predicament.
Finally Cathy spoke. "You started to say something last night Debbie. Something you wanted to, well, to say to me I'm guessing. What was it?"
"God! This is awkward. Promise you won't be mad at me?" Debbie's face was, to Cathy, worried.
"How can I promise if I don't know what it is?" Cathy asked. "But before that, Debbie, you really do look fabulous. New clothes. Hair done. Colour in your cheeks. You look so much like your old self. How?"
Debbie took a deep breath. "I kind of... have a new job.'
Cathy looked at her quizzically. " Why then the worried guilty look if you have a new job? It obviously suits you. Wish I could find a job that pays well and makes me as happy as you do!"
"It's not what you'd call a standard job. So please, don't be mad when I tell you what it is."
Cathy reached out and laid her hand on top of Debbie's. "I promise. But, you're making it sound so mysterious. What is it Debbie? You sound like you're about to tell me you're on the game!" Cathy giggled at the absurdity of what she had just said.
Debbie looked Cathy straight in the eyes. When Debbie finally spoke, it was hardly a whisper. "I am."
Cathy wasn't shocked. Surprised a little but not shocked. It made sense really. Back when they all met up and their menfolk were off playing pool or whatever, sex was a common and popular topic for them all. They had all liked sex. It had made them feel good about themselves. That they were indeed sexy. Wanted. Desired. But that was before it all went wrong.
