The Own Goal ✔️

Part 78

I'm woken up by Karen gently nudging me and handing me a cup of tea.

I groan as I sit up.

"Jack left a note on the bathroom mirror saying you and Ben were here, although he didn't say who was where, or why. Been years since I've woken up to one of his scrawled notes"

I know from when I stayed here this is something Kevan and Kiera do when they've been out. No note on the bathroom mirror means they didn't come home.

"Karen he hates me"

"Well I guessed it wasn't all good when I saw it was Ben in bed with him, they're both still asleep by the way, so young lady it falls to you to tell me what's going on"

I cry, and she hugs me, and she passes me my tea, and strokes my hair, and listens as I cry and tell her everything we knew.
And even after I'm finished, and I've told her that it is me in the wrong for not trusting Jack, she still holds me close and kisses my head. And it just makes me cry more, because I think this is what it must feel like to be loved by a mum.

"So" Karen says finally" the picture is definitely one hundred million percent NOT Jack?"

"Oh my god! No! I can't believe someone would send that, I can't believe anyone would think that could possibly be J - "

" - no, stop talking right there"

"You want to see the photo though don't you!?" I tease

"I'm intrigued, I can't believe people do actually send these pictures!"

"Oh my god Karen they do, they definitely do...... Jack just let's the city media team deal with his DMs now because the amount of nudes he got was obscene! Both sexes!"

"People sent their dick pictures to Jack!"

I nod.

"I feel sheltered, quick show me this photo before I change my mind!"

I show her and just as we are both howling with laughter, but it's definitely the kind of laugh you do because if you don't laugh you will definitely cry, Jack and Ben walk in.

"Wot the fucks so funny!" Scowls Jack.

"Lily sent Layla the photo last night....." I say "it's evidence I guess?"

"I don't think the police do willy line ups Chelsea" says Ben, trying so hard not to laugh.

"Is it Daymans dick?" Jack asks flatly.

"Well I wouldn't know would I? You're the one that showers with him!" I reply hotly. "But I reckon it is though, because surely if you were going to send a generic picture off the internet you would choose a good one wouldn't you?"

"Yeah" pipes up Ben, especially if you're pretending to be you" he points at Jack "thanks to the fucking kids shorts you wore at villa everyone knows little Jack ain't so little"

He'd normally laugh at that, smirk at it....enjoy it. But right now he just looks at his mum and slowly shakes his head before he spins on his heel and leaves the room. Karen follows him immediately.
Ben and I look at each other and we know we've fucked up. He is so far from ok it's unreal.

***

The rest of the day will probably go down in history as the worst of my life.

The detective wanted to see us, but in Manchester, so we all headed back. Jack coldly told me to go back with Ben, I wasn't going with him.

Back home Jack was civil to me while we spoke to the detective. The others all played games with Mia to keep her entertained.
The detective explained he would next talk to Lily. Then tomorrow a team would arrive at the Etihad to arrest Tom Dayman, he couldn't tell us how severe the charges would be, it would depend on the depth of his involvement with the organised crime group.
He asked if Jack was happy for him to call Pep himself or if Jack wanted to talk to him first. Unsurprisingly Jack said he was happy for the detective to talk to him.