Breakfast Breakdown
ONE WEEK EARLIER…
“Where are we going?” Mia said, as the black, shiny limousine – complete with chilled champagne and strawberries – whisked them silently towards the centre of London.
Ana smiled secretively. She’d won an astronomical amount of money playing poker on the plane and obviously had plans on how it was going to be spent. “Have some more champagne,” she said, popping another bottle open.
Mia and Willow shook their heads. They were tired and light headed from the plane trip. Ana was still on her winning high and shrugged, filling up her own glass, and kept the bottle next to her.
***
“I know you were going to shout us breakfast,” Willow said, turning slowly in a circle and taking in the enormous suite that Ana had booked for them at the Langham in Regent Place “but this is…ridiculous! We don’t need to spend this much on a hotel room, surely?”
A flicker of annoyance crossed Ana’s face. “I won the money and this is how I want to spend it.”
The concierge, who had personally showed them straight to their room, cleared his throat.
“If I could just have your credit card,” he said. “I will complete the check-in process for you.”
Ana leant across and whispered to Willow. “Can we use yours? Mine is maxed out and all my money is in cash.”
Willow hesitated, a frown flickering across her face. “How much is it going to cost?”
“I’ll pay in cash when we check out,” Ana said, ignoring her question. “But they need a card to keep on file.”
Willow reluctantly handed her card to the concierge.
“Oh, could you book a table for us in the restaurant for breakfast,” Ana said. “We’ll be down in about thirty minutes.”
“Very good Madam,” he said, slipping silently out of the room.
***
The restaurant was half full when the girls traipsed down, freshly showered and hungry. Ana immediately ordered a bottle of chilled champagne and coffee.
“I feel like eating something fresh. With berries,” she told the waiter, as he opened a bottle of bubbles and filled up three glasses.
“Excellent,” he said. “Shall I leave the chef to recommend a few dishes for you?”
“Fine,” Ana said. “Just bring out whatever is good. We’re starving!”
A younger couple took a table across from them. They looked around at the luxurious surroundings, awestruck. Bright gold bands flashed on their ring fingers. They grinned at each other, and held hands shyly over the table.
Willow leaned in to Mia and Ana. “I bet they got married yesterday,” she said, nodding towards them.
“They’re so cute,” said Mia giggling. “They look so out of their depth.”
Ana took a swig of her champagne and grinned.
“Excuse me,” she called across to them.
The couple looked up, horrified expressions of people who had done something wrong but didn’t know what.
“Did you just get married?” Ana asked them.
“Y…y…yes,” the boy stuttered. “How did you know?”
Ana shrugged. “Wild guess.” She took another sip of her champagne. “Are you having a champagne breakfast to celebrate?”
“Oh no,” the boy said turning bright red. “I don’t think we could aff…”
He received a kick from his new wife under the table.
“Err, I think we’ll just have tea.” he finished uncertainly.
“Nonsense!” Ana called the waiter over. “A bottle of your most expensive champagne for this couple,” she said. “On us.”
***
A breakfast parfait – served in a delicate crystal glass – of thick, greek yoghurt layered with fresh berries, coconut flakes, honey toasted oats and caramelised nuts was served first.
“And another bottle of champagne,” Ana said as she took a mouthful of the parfait.
“Ana do we really need to drink more?” Mia said, groaning. “I’m tired and already tipsy.”
“Humour me,” Ana said. “We can go straight to bed afterwards. And just think how well we’ll sleep.”
Mia nodded reluctantly and drained her glass as the fresh bottle was bought out.
***
Several bottles later, and all three of the girls were giggling and talking nonsensically. Jetlag and champagne – a wonderful combination.
“Thank god we’re not in Melbourne anymore,” Mia slurred, leaning back in her chair, contentedly drunk.
“Why were you so keen to get out?” Ana asked. “I mean, I’m getting divorced and Willow… well, that was just shit. But what’s your deal?”
Mia regarded her friends. Maybe now was the time to tell them the truth about why she absolutely had to leave Melbourne.
“I thought that I was…falling for Johnny,” Mia announced. “But I was wrong. I just needed to get away and clear my head.” Well, it’s almost the truth, Mia thought.
Ana and Willow looked at her, shocked, for about thirty seconds, before Ana burst out laughing.
“That’s hilarious! You nearly had me there!”
“It’s what happened,” Mia said, puzzled. This wasn’t the reaction she was expecting.
“Yeah right,” Ana said, in between giggles. “You and Johnny? As if!”
Willow regarded Mia closely. “Ana, I don’t think she’s joking.”
Ana wiped her eyes. “You mean… you actually thought… you and Johnny? Our Johnny?”
Mia nodded.
“You haven’t slept with him or anything, have you?”
Mia hesitated. “No,” she lied.
“Well that’s a relief.” Ana filled up her glass. “You’re so not his type. I mean, it would never work.” She looked at Willow. “Right?”
“It’s an unusual couple,” Willow said, carefully, “but, you know, stranger things have happened.”
Ana snorted. “Oh come on! You and I both know that he would eat her alive!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mia said, angrily.
“Well, you’re you and Johnny is… well, he’s Johnny. He’s not into girls like you.”
“Girls like me?”
“You know. Good girls. Girls who don’t like to take risks.”
“How would you know?”
Ana rolled her eyes. “Most of Melbourne knows. He’s not exactly a monk.”
“Wait…” Mia’s mouth fell open. “You mean… you’ve slept with Johnny?”
Ana shrugged again. “Sure.”
“What?” Now it was Willow’s turn to be shocked. “When?”
“Years ago,” Ana said. “When we all worked together.”
Silence. “When I was going out with him?” Willow said, icily.
“We were drunk,” Ana said. “It was no big deal. Besides, you always told me that you weren’t officially an item and that you didn’t even really like him in that way.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s OK to just sleep with him!”
“It was ages ago,” Ana said, exasperated. “But my point is that Mia wouldn’t last five minutes in a relationship with Johnny.”
“Well it doesn’t matter anyway,” Mia snapped. “Because he’s marrying someone else.”
Again, Ana and Willow stared at her, speechless.
“I’m calling him,” Ana said suddenly, pulling out her phone.
“No!” You can’t!” Mia tried to get the phone from her, but Ana pushed her hand away.
Johnny answered almost immediately.
“Johnny, are you getting married?”
“What? Who told you that?”
“So you’re not getting married?”
“Ana, who told you I was getting married?” Johnny sounded exasperated.
“Mia did.”
“Mia’s with you? Can I talk to her? I need to… explain something.”
Ana held the phone towards Mia. Mia shook her head. She had tears in her eyes. “Hang up the phone! Please! I can’t speak to him.”
“Why on earth not?” Ana said. Then realisation dawned. “Oh my god, you did sleep with him! And now you’re in love with him!”
“Please hang up the phone.” Mia’s voice was desperate.
Ana ignored her and blasted Johnny down the phone. “Of all the people you could have slept with… Do you love her? Do you even like her?”
Johnny sighed. “Ana, just put Mia on.”
“Well?” Ana demanded. “Do you?”
“What’s it to you?” Johnny snapped.
“I knew it,” Ana said, drunken triumph ringing in her voice. “You’re incapable of loving someone as nice and normal as Mia.”
“Just let me talk to Mia,” Johnny said, exasperated. “I can expl…”
Mia finally managed to wrestle the phone from Ana and hang up the call.
“I guess it’s better to know now, that he’s not in love with you, right?” Ana said. “Better to know than keep wondering?”
Mia looked shocked and stood up. She fled from the table, tears streaming down her face.
Willow groaned. “Ana, why did you have to say that?”
“It’s the truth,” Ana said, angrily taking another sip of her champagne. “And if she can’t handle it then that’s not my problem.” She turned and pointed a finger at Willow. “And why didn’t you back me up? You know that Johnny wouldn’t be into her. Isn’t that what friends are supposed to do? Tell each other the truth?”
“How’s this for truth then,” Willow said. “You’re being a total bitch and I think you should go and apologise to Mia. Now.”
Ana regarded Willow coolly. She pushed her chair back from the table and stood up, her napkin falling to the floor. She turned and stalked out of the restaurant without a backwards glance.
The waiter – having watched the others leave – walked up the Willow. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Just the bill,” Willow said wearily.
The waiter handed her a shiny leather folder.
Willow’s mouth feel open. “Three and a half thousand pounds!”
She pulled her credit card out. She’d have to get Ana to pay her back later. The waiter disappeared again and Willow stared out of the window, lost in thought. They all needed a good sleep. Things wouldn’t seem so bad then.
A movement outside caught her eye. She saw Ana walk out the front door of the hotel, dragging her suitcase erratically, and hail a cab.
“What the hell…?” Willow stood up, but the cab sped away, with Ana in it.
I guess I’m stuck with the room bill too, Willow thought furiously.
***