Intro to the Club

NOTE:  This is the first chapter in the book and I really need some help.  Please give me your feed back and what you think.  I do know there are somethings that need changed and would like to hear your thoughts.

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         “Alison?  Are you in there?  Alison?  The voice yelled through the house.

         “Frannie, are you sure she is here?”  Beth asked looking around.

         “Beth, she said that she would go, she never goes back on her word.”  Frannie answered.

         “Alison!  Beth you go into the kitchen and I will go upstairs and look for her.  Alison!”

“There you are?  Frannie said that you were coming with us to the meetings.”  Beth said to Alison.

         “Meeting or a session?” Alison asked.

         “Well she is not a trained doctor, so it is a meeting.”  Beth answered trying to get Alison to relax and go along.

         “Where is Frannie?”

         “She is upstairs looking for you.”  Beth answered and then continued, “Do you think we should let her know you have been found?”

         “I wasn’t lost, want some wine?”  Alison was beginning to relax

         “You hiding and hell yea, do you have white?  Beth knew they had several minutes before Frannie would figure that Alison was not upstairs.

         “Yea, heard that my sister was in the country, and she knows how to get in.  Here you go.”  Alison turned and handed the glass to Beth.

         “It is only half full.”  Beth said holding the glass up looking at it.
         
         “Frannie will be here soon, you won’t have time for a full glass.”  Alison answered taking a gulp for the bottle.

         “Alison?”  a distant voice yelled.

         “See, there she is.  Drink up Beth.”  Both ladies took a drink of the wine.

         “We are in the kitchen, Frannie”  Beth yelled out.
         
         Frannie entered the kitchen, “How long have you two been here?”

         “Not long, Alison was out in the garden, we actually just walked in.”

         “So, when did Alison and Jack start keeping the wine in the garden?”  Frannie knew they were not in the garden and had been in the kitchen the entire time.
         
         “When I found out my sister was in the country.  I am not too sure if she is still on the ‘my parents were alcoholics’ or not. So I am hiding the alcohol.”  Alison answered.

         “Carley is in town?”  Frannie was almost excited.

         “Glad that you are excited, she can stay with you.  I don’t know if she is in London or just in England.  She is here for some fundraiser and is exploiting my name to make money.”  Alison informed her two friends as she handed Frannie a glass of wine.

         Frannie took a small sip and then asked. “You and Carley are still not getting along?”

         “No, and really have we ever?  She is still mad that mum and dad spoiled me more than her.”  Alison knew that was not the reason, but she really need to lighten the mood.  Talking about her sister was not one of those things she liked doing.


         “So what is the cause this time?  Frannie asked.

         “Not sure, it all depends on what she claims her shrink is making her believe.”  she answered.  All three ladies chuckled.

         Alison turned to Frannie and asked, “So what is this group all about?

         “The local vicar’s wife…”  Frannie began.

         “Oh, so it is a church thing.”  Alison interrupted.

         “No.”  Frannie acted like she was offended.

         “You offended her Ali.”  Beth added.

         “You can’t offend Frannie.”  Alison said smiling at Frannie, she knew that she was not offended.  Frannie was one of the only people that knew and understood Alison, Beth was the other. 

         Alison lived two lives and when she was with Frannie and Beth she could live the one that she longed for.

         “…the vicar’s wife, started this group a few months back.  One of the ladies from the church came to her needing a friend.  After talking to her for a few weeks, Rosalie found out there were other women that were needing friends too.  We are all married and our husbands work a lot, we are lonely.  This gives us a place to vent and not be judged.”

         “Not being judged, what a concept.” 

         “Yea, you won’t be judged.  I know you would like that.”  Frannie was tuning into the caring friend that Alison knew and so needed.

         “We both know what you go thru and maybe more friends like us would help you out.”  Beth was the other person that Alison trusted.

         “How has my life become so sorted.  I hate hiding behind the walls around my house and the ones that I built up around myself.  Are you sure that these women can be trusted?”  Alison asked, hoping and knowing that she would be told not only what she wanted to hear, but she would be told the truth.

         Frannie put her arms around Alison’s shoulder and said “Yea, they can be trusted, they are all in the same place we are.  They are lonely and they just want someone to listen.”

         “Alright, lets go to this bitch session.”  Alison agreed.

         “Alison, can you put on your celebrity face and attitude, at least for now?”  Frannie was now becoming more of a mum, than a friend.

         “Alright, I will be good.” 

         “That’s our good little actress.”  Beth said, adding a bit of lightness to the situation. 

         “So should we take the Jag?”  Alison asked grabbing the keys.

         “Jack’s in Sweden, how about the Aston Martin?”  Beth loved Alison’s life, she wished she had at least part of it.

         “He kinda wised up and took the keys with him this time.”  Alison answered Beth.
         
         “Are you sure?”

         “Yea he found the dent in the fender.”  Alison told Beth.

         “Well just because he found the dent doesn’t mean he took the keys.”  Beth said hoping Alison was wrong.

         “Beth!”  Frannie now reeling Beth in.

         “I was just wondering, maybe he hid them.  If that was the case than I would be more than happy to help Al invade Jack’s privacy and look for them.”  Beth now acting more like a teenager.

         “He doesn’t hide things in his underwear drawer anymore and when he left he said ‘I am taking the bloody keys to the Martin with me.’ He then put them in his pocket and walked out the door.”  Alison answered laughing  as she mocked her husband.

         “Oh bum, it was fun looking at his knickers”  Frannie switched gears.  “I wish Jeremy would wear knickers like that.” 

         “Maybe Alison will give you some, or did he lock that drawer too.”  Beth suggested.

         “What other drawer did he lock.”  Frannie asked.          

         “The kids were getting into one of his desk drawers, the one with the banking info, so he put a lock on it.”  Alison answered.

         “We don’t care about the banking info.”  Frannie and Beth both dismissed that subject at the same time.

         “I don’t either, just as long as my credit cards still work, I will be happy.”  Alison said.

         “We had better be going.”  Frannie said.

         “Yes, we might better had.”  Alison said making fun of Frannie.

         “But who is going to drive?”

         “Well, maybe we should have my driver take us, we just finished off 2 bottles of wine.”  Alison said taking the last gulp from the bottle.

         “We can’t go to the church in the limo.” 

         “Oh come on, Frannie.  Our best friends are actors and make a shit load of money, why can’t we enjoy it too.”  Beth whined.

         “Yea, why do I get to have all the fun?”  Alison  did make a lot of money and did enjoy sharing the wealth with others.

         “Beth, Alison, I didn’t tell the ladies who Alison was.  All they know is her first name.”  Frannie admitted.

         “I think they are going to figure it out when I walk in.” 

         “Ok, then lets call a taxi.”  Beth picked up the phone and started to dial.

         “Have them pick us up at Frannie’s house, I don’t want them to know where I live.”  Alison left the room to get her jacket and handbag.

         The ride in the taxi was short.  “Wow, didn’t know I had a church this close to my house.”  Alison said breaking the silence.

         Thanks and keep the change.  Alison you owe me 50 quid.”  Alison looked at Beth confused.  “I had to pay the guy to keep him quiet.  You don’t want people to know that you go to church.”  Beth continued.

         “Oh yea, my husband does not believe in God, seeing me at a church would just piss Jack off.”  Alison began walking to the door. 

         Frannie and Beth followed.  “Do you think I will get my 50 quid?”

         “Beth if you don’t, I will give you a free meal at the pub.”  Frannie hurried to catch up with Alison.
         
         “I always get free meals at the Pub.”  Beth replied as she caught up with the other two.

         “Ok, are you ready?”  Frannie asked.

         “I am walking into a small group of women.  I have walked on stage with Jack and some of the  venues  held over twenty thousand people, I think I can handle this.”  Alison knew that Frannie meant well, but she had to get one more sarcastic comment out before she had to be good.  “..and I am an actress, I will just act, ok?”

         “That’s a good girl.”  Frannie said patting Alison’s shoulder.

         The ladies walked in.

         Heads turned.
 
         Whispers began.
                   
         “It’s Alison Monahan,”

         “Isn’t she married to Jack Simon?”

         “Wow she is really pretty.”

         My God, those diamonds are big.”

         “Ladies, we would like you to met our friend Alison.”  Frannie said proudly.

         “Hi everyone.  Thanks for letting me come tonight.”  Alison was putting on the charm.  Of course she was being the actress that everyone sees and not the bitter, lonely scarred person that Frannie and Beth knew.

         A tall redheaded woman approached Alison putting her hand out to received a hand shake. “My name is Rosalie, I am, I guess, the group leader.”

         Alison took her hand and shook it lightly with a smile.  “Nice to meet you.”

         Frannie chimed in. “This is Gail, and Abby, and Janet.”
         
         “Nice to meet you all.”  Alison was falling nicely into the public Alison.  Being that person was easy.

         “Please Alison, have a seat.” Rosalie offered.  “We will start in a few minutes, we are waiting for one more person.”

         “Yea, Alice is picking up her mother, and then she will be here.”  Janet added.

         “Let me tell you a little about our group and what goes on.  I started it about a 3 months ago.  Gail came to me needing a friend and after talking with her I realized that she was alone.

         I wondered if there were others, so I started asking around.  Janet was the next to join me and Gail.”

         “And one night the three of them came into the pub and that is when I decided to join them.”  Frannie continued.

         “Frannie didn’t want to go alone, you were out of town and here I am.”  Beth added even more.

         “My husband was at the church programming their new computer system, when I found out about the ladies.”  Abby decided to join in.

         “and Alice?”  Alison began to ask.

         “My mum cleans the church at this time, I bring her and I just decided to stay.  Hi I am Alice.” 

         “Nice to meet you Alice, I am Alison.”

         “She’s an actress.”  Gail informed Alice.

         “Really?”  Alice hung up her handbag and joined the ladies.  “Don’t recognize her.”

         “Wow”  Alison was stunned.  She thought that everyone knew her.

         “I don’t watch telly, and when I am not working I am having sex.”  Alice said.          

         Alison looked at Beth and Frannie with a strange look on her face, when Beth whispered, “They are trying to get pregnant.”

         “Oh, sex will do it.”  Alison whispered back to Beth.

         “You don’t have to tell Beth, she has five kids.”  Frannie whispered to Alison, she just had to join that conversation.  Alison covered her mouth to hide the laugh, and Beth just gave Frannie a dirty look.

                “Alison, each week we have a subject, it can be anything, something you want to share, good news, bad news, or just blow off some steam.”  Rosalie asked.

         “Damn cell phone.”  Alice got up annoyed to find her cell phone in her jacket pocket.

         “Don’t you hate it went your cell phone rings constantly?  It is either your manager, your agent, your publicist, writers, directors and you hope that it is never the press.”  Alison joked, hoping that she may have found someone that understood.
                             
         “No”  Alice looked at her kind of funny and continued. “It is my assistant, she knows I don’t like it when she calls after the office is closed.  Oh I missed the call anyway.”  Alice sat back down.

         Alison was felling a little humbled by Alice.  Not many people would not be impressed by her lifestyle.  Alison was liking this person already. 

         “I haven’t heard your phone ring yet.”  Alice said to Alison.

         “I have it on vibrate and it has gone off several times since I have been here.”  Alison answered.

         “Aren’t you going to see who is trying to call you?”  Gail asked.

         Alison took her phone out of her pocket and began to go thru the missed calls and messages. “Well lets see, Jack, Terry, Jack, my daughters, Beth?”  Alison looked and Beth and continued. “my daughter again, Jack again, the girls again, Frank, Steven, Mary Ann, Candice, Pam, Jilly, Brett, My crazy sister, and a missed call from Jack.”

         “Wow, I only get messages from my husband.”  Gail said.

         “Give me your number and I will send you messages and if that is not enough I will start forwarding the messages that I get to you.”  Alison offered.  Gail just smiled timidly and hung her head.

         “What did Jack, want?”  Frannie asked.

         “Oh this is just an alert that his web page was updated.  He is going to be in Manchester next month.  This one says he needs to talk to me and he will call.  The girls  sent me a picture of them in Paris.  They say that they are having  a great time.” A sadness came over Alison and she was quiet for a few minutes.

         “What is it Al?”  Beth asked.

         “Jack is going to meet the girls in Paris tomorrow and they are going to spend the day together.”  Alison told the group.  She held back a tear as she put the phone back in her pocket.

         “Do you what to talk about it?” Rosalie asked.  “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

         “He canceled an appearance to be with the girls.”  Alison added, she tried change her demeanor.  “ Jack is such a good dad.  The girls are so lucky to have him.”                    

         “He is a good dad”  Frannie agreed putting her arm around Alison.

         “I have a cell phone, but no one ever calls me”  Janet added.

         “Give your number to Alison and maybe she will call you.”  Gail added.  The group giggled a little.

         “What are your kids doing in Paris?”  Someone asked.

         “Their French class took a trip for a few days.”  Alison answered.

         “Malory went on that trip as well.  Got  a call from her earlier, the kids are having a blast.”  Frannie told the girls.

         “Can you guys please excuse me for a minute or two, Jack is calling.” Alison got up and left the room.

         “My husband, Nigel, took me to France.  Well really it was for a football game.  His girls were playing in a tournament.”  Janet added.

         “Oh I remember that. The girls did pretty good too.”  Abby said to help change the subject.

         “Yea, the girls came in second.”  Janet said.  Nigel and Janet had their daughter on the team and Janet was very proud of both her husband and oldest daughter, Georgette.  “the girls did great.  They played hard.”

         “Didn’t London  Academy take first?”  Alice asked.

         “Yea, they have a goal keeper and a defensive line that can’t be beat.”  Janet informed the ladies.  “Our girls did score a couple of times.”

         “Barrows must not have been in goal.”  Abby suggested.
         
         Janet smiled and said. “No, she dove to stop a ball, and came down hard on the ground.  Her coach took her out for a little bit.

         “That little Holly Barrows is quite the goal keeper. Nigel wants her for his team.”  Janet added.

         “She won’t move?”  someone asked.

         “No, would you move from one of the best private schools to a mid range free education school in London?”  Janet replied.

         “Holly started playing football when she was four.”  Janet giggled. “I remember seeing her on the field for the first time, not real graceful, and could barely kick the ball.  Now she is one of the most sought after players in Britain.”  Abby informed the group.

         “Her parents must be so proud of her.”

         Frannie jumped in, “They are.”

         “Her dad wants her to go to University of Brighton, that is where he went and her mom wants her to go to Penn State, in the states, that is where her grandfather studied and he even played American football for the university.”  Beth filled in.

         “Who played American football?”  Alison asked as she walked back in the room to join the ladies.

         Janet answered, “Holly Barrows’ grandfather.”

         “I didn’t know you guys knew about Julian Corelli.” Alison said puzzled. 

         “Who is Julian  Corelli?”  Gail asked.

         Alison answered. “Holly’s granddad.”

         “You know Holly Barrows?”  Janet was excited.

         “Did I miss something?” Alison was confused.  “You leave the room and look what happens.”

         “What?” 

         “I get lost.”  Alison answered.

         Beth decided to help.  “I will catch you up.  You get a call, leave the room, Nigel, Janet, football in France, girls come in second, Academy first, great goal keeper.”  Beth took a breath and continued. “Nigel wants her, won’t change schools. Playing since 4, not graceful, can’t kick a ball, parents proud.”  Beth pauses again and finishes, “Dad wants Brighton, Mom wants Penn State, granddad played for Penn State, you walk in, all caught up.”

         “There is nobody that can take a long story and make it short like Beth.”  Frannie said.

          “Oh, well, Julian is my father and Holly is my daughter.”  Alison explained to the ladies. 

         “You had kids with Jack Simon.”  Gail said dreamily.  Gail was a big fan of Jack Simon and was really enjoying learning  the personal things about him that very few people knew.

         Alison smiled and said “I did Gail, in fact we have  two kids.”

         “Wow”  Gail replied.

         “So, what did Jack want?” Frannie asked.

         “He wants me to go home and start packing, the driver will be taking me to the airport in the morning.  Jack sent a ticket to the house, I will be joining them in Paris.”  Alison was now happy.  “Jack suggested we have a small family holiday.”

         “Wow! France!”  Gail interjected. “I only dream of packing my stuff and flying off to somewhere else.  I would love to go somewhere on holiday.”

         “It can be fun, Gail.”  Alison started.  “This trip especially.  I have not seen Jack in a few weeks, so it will be nice to spend some time with him and the girls.”

         “Any plans?”  Abby asked

         “Not sure, most likely go sight seeing.” 

         “I love to go sight seeing!”  Janet added.  “Just drive or walk and take in the sights.  God gave us such  a beautiful country, we should just take it all in and enjoy.”


         “I know,  maybe one the weekend when the girls are home from school, we will take small weekend trips and explore England.”  Alison said making a decision.


         “You should  go to Alton Towers in Staffordshire.  You and the girls will have a blast.”  Abby told Alison.

         “Alton Towers?” 

         “It’s an amusement park, Alison.”  Frannie replied with a sarcastic tune.

         Alison jokingly fired back.  “Yea I know what it is.”

         “You know the kids have a long weekend coming up, we should  drive up on Friday and spend the weekend,”  Beth added to the conversation

         “I just might do that.  Sounds like something the girls and I need.”  Alison said sitting back in her chair.

         “Well then ladies, lets end it there.”  Rosalie said.  “We are so glad that you came tonight, Alison, hope that you come back.”

         “Thanks Rosalie, we’ll see.”

         “You have to come back, I want to hear first hand how your time in Paris was.  I know I will see the pictures, but I would like to hear about it from you.”  Gail began to ask, but then it sounded more like pleading at the end.

         “Alright Gail, I will come back.”  Alison assured Gail.

         It began to rain as the ladies left the building.  “How are we getting home?”  Alison asked.

         “Yea, it is raining.”  Beth added.

         “It is not raining that hard, we can walk.”  Frannie answered.

         “Do you have any idea how expensive these Italian leather shoes were, I’m not walking home in the rain, they will be ruined.”  Alison protested.

         “Oh have sex with Jack, he’ll buy you a new pair.” Beth began to say.

         Frannie linked her arms with Beth and Alison’s and began to walk out in to the rain.




NOTE:  copywrite 2010