Jade is ecstatic when she comes home, although it was also a very tiring morning for her. She lies down on the couch without even taking off her shoes and falls asleep. She has a short, jumbled up dream about herself on a broomstick in a club with her new haircut.
As the week passes, Jade seems to have a little more energy than normal. The weather is also good, which helps, and her colleagues compliment her haircut.
She texts Perrie a few times during the week and always gets a quick answer. Talking to Perrie is becoming an addiction that Jade has no plans on kicking anytime soon, and she invites Perrie for Friday night again, which is immediately answered with a thumbs up emoji.
Jade promises to provide the wine. Some money came in from her translation jobs, and she buys wine, some French cheese, cream cheese and olives, and a good stash of cigarettes. Perrie wasn't sure at what time she could make it, so Jade makes sure the house is tidy after dinner, and then lights some candles and settles on the couch with her laptop. She's deep into editing an interesting French essay when the doorbell rings.
Jade opens the door with a bright smile, in her favorite dress, with her hair done just right and mascara on her lashes. Perrie stands in the hallway in a tracksuit, with wet hair, no makeup, and her face in a frown.
"Oh, baby..." Jade opens the door, and her arms, and Perrie stumbles into them, and starts sobbing into Jade's shoulder.
"I'm sorry," Perrie sniffles when she lets go after a moment. Jade runs her knuckles over Perrie's wet cheek.
"How about a glass of wine?"
"Bless you, yes please."
Jade hurries into the kitchen to get the snacks and the wine and then sets it all out on the coffee table.
"Oh, you have food," Perrie says surprised. "I haven't eaten anything since breakfast."
"Eat all you want, I have more," Jade says, and prepares a piece of warm bread with cream cheese and hands it to Perrie. Perrie chews and sniffs and accepts a glass of wine, drinking almost half of it in one go.
"You won't believe the fucking week I've had," Perrie says grimly. Jade is shocked at the f-bomb, but keeps silent.
"On Saturday, I got home to a house in shambles and my poor mother in law sleeping on the couch, completely exhausted, because hubby dearest had to 'work'. On Sunday he was apparently still annoyed with me for having to work on Saturday, and we had a fight about how I 'felt the need' to own a business when he makes 'more than enough' money to provide for his family." Perrie cries harder, holding one hand over her eyes. Her voice is choked when she speaks.
"And he was home late all week, and then last night I... I just, I wanted to make it up to him, I got this cute nightie and... and... he just said no. He rejected me." She turns to look at Jade and her eyes are swimming with tears. Jade's eyes can't stay dry and she takes Perrie's hand in hers.
"I was trying to... I wanted... I... he pushed me away. He literally pushed me when I wanted to make love to him."
Perrie basically flings herself at Jade, who just catches her glass to set it on the table, and then hugs her tightly. Perrie's body heaves with her sobs, and she grabs the fabric of Jade's dress in a tight grip in her fists, her tears soaking Jade's shoulder.
Jade says nothing, just holds Perrie and rubs her hands over Perrie's back, strokes her hair, rocks her a little.
"I'm sorry, baby," Jade says softly when Perrie's sobs get a little less intense. Jade shifts to lean against the back of the couch, Perrie still wrapped around her, her face now on Jade's chest. Jade strokes her hair while Perrie's body slowly calms down. Perrie slides down and puts her head in Jade's lap, her feet up on the couch.
