The Own Goal ✔️

Part 109

We are all sat around the table in Sians kitchen, Liam is sleeping peacefully on Sian, Esme and Alfie are playing happily with some toys on the floor and Mia is sitting with Chris watching the game Jack played in last night in Houston on the man city app.

"You should have said Layla, I mean to be carrying all that on your own while you were sorting the wedding" Jasmin is speaking now, Layla is trying to tell us all what happened between her and Carly.

"So have you ever done anything with another girl before?" Sian asks.

Layla shakes her head "no, no but it wasn't like that, not really"

"I get it, I think" I say "I get that you can just fall for the person inside" Jasmin almost chokes on her drink, I shoot her glare.

"Right because Jack is pig ugly yeah?" She splutters.

"No, that's exactly it!" I defend "yeah he's fucking gorgeous, but you remember what a cocky little twat he was in Mykonos, but the personality underneath was there you know, he could have looked like anything, he could have been even cockier, but the personality was just there, drawing me in...."

"Yeah, that's it" Layla admits, "like never in a million years would I think I fancy her, but she was around, the Chelsea club girls were still pretty off with me, the England wags clearly will never trust me again, you lot were all so busy with your own lives" she cradles her glass in her hands "and that's not a dig, it's not" she looks at us all "then Ben's injury and what was going on with the club, having Alfie and missing my old life, Carly was just always there you know? I didn't even notice it happen until it did, and by then it just felt so natural.......so normal"

"So you actually had a sexual relationship?" Sian asks

Layla nods "yeah, well we probably did it about four or five times"

"And Ben? Does he know?" I ask.

"I told him on our wedding night"

"Fucking awesome timing Layla!" Jasmin shrills, I try to piece it together in my head, how they all went off after the meal, the glares Carly had been throwing, how by breakfast time she was gone and Ben hadn't wanted to talk, not even to Jack.

"She was leaving anyway, she was going away traveling after the wedding, but a few days before the wedding she said she could stay, we could bring up Alfie together, obviously I told her I loved Ben,  that she was being ridiculous" she takes a deep breath "so she threatened to tell Ben, so I had to, I knew he had to hear it from me"

"Fucking hell, what did he say?" I ask.

"What do you think, he was heartbroken and mortified!" Layla has tears running down her cheeks, "he was hurt, really hurt, we've had our ups and downs, but we've never actually cheated on each other" I notice she doesn't make eye contact with me as she says that.

"So what happened, Carly left during the night?" Jasmin asks.

"After I told Ben, he called her to our room, he wanted to hear it from her too, I'm not sure he totally believed it you know, so we had it out, then asked her to leave. Ben's had NDAs drawn up that Carly has signed"

A memory unlocks, a conversation I had with Jack "did Ben get you to sign a tight pre nup Layla?" The other girls look at me.

"What?" Layla asks.

"Sorry, just that Jack said Ben had told him he hadn't signed the house into your name or anything" she waves dismissively and sighs heavily.

"Girls, I've been such an idiot, like my whole adult life, I'm such a fucking idiot"

We all exchange glances "Layla?" I start.

Layla laughs "all our holidays, all the designer clothes, my newbuild London flat, do you all actually think I earnt that much? I used to stand around in bikinis promoting sports events to middle aged men..."

The penny drops "oh Layla"

"By the time I moved in with Ben, I was £200k in debt, it didn't take long for Ben to find out, as soon as I changed my address, then I started getting letters saying debt collectors would come and take belongings from the house and obviously none of it was even mine!"

"So presumably he helped you out?" Jasmin asks.

Layla nods "he cleared everything, but, he cleared it all and gave me a card on his account and next thing I know I've done it again and he's asking how I've spent ten grand in a week" she's properly sobbing now.

"Oh Layla, Sian says softly, you should have spoke to us"

"Like I said though, you all had your own stuff going on, and I'd not exactly earnt a place in your good books had I with the way I caused all that trouble with Craig and the break ins during the euros....." She takes a deep breath "it was like an addiction, I couldn't stop spending, wanting to keep up with the other girls, even when really I had no right to spend Ben's money like that, so yeah, nothing is in my name, I have no assets so I can't apply for finance or credit, Ben gives me an allowance basically and I know he'd never leave me with nothing, but I've proved time and time again I can't be trusted"

"You can probably get help" Jasmin offers.

"No we are" she looks at me "we are, we've taken a leaf out of yours and Jack's book and we are seeing someone, but it's a long road."

"I know that" I tell her. "I'm proud of you for facing it and dealing with it" I add meaning every word.

***

Jack is clearly shocked at what I'm telling him as I fill him in on all the revelations Layla shared.

"Fuckin' hell"

"I know" I pick up his man of the match trophy from his game, he played really well during pre season and he looks healthier than he has in months.

"I'll chat t'Ben at some point"

"Yeah, I think you should"
He arrived home early hours, it's peaceful sitting in the kitchen together drinking tea. His suitcase is laying open in the middle of the floor where he has dug out his trophy and presents for the girls, he's bought them little cowgirl boots and hats and a replica astronaut helmet from the space centre.

I'm wearing the cowboy boots he got me, I weirdly love them, despite not being entirely sure they'll ever get a proper wear.
"These aren't really for me to wear out are they?" I ask him looking down at my feet.

"Nah, not really, they are a bit sexy though hey?"

"They are a bit" I agree "bet they all loved you lot buying sexy boots for your partner's, bet they made a fortune"

He sniggers, "ya know Bernado bought some for his mom!"

"What?" I laugh, Jack's back on his knees rummaging through the case.

"Got it!" He exclaims pulling out a cowboy hat "they measured me head for this an' everythin' y'know" he looks at me wide eyed as he places it on his head and shuffles back to me where I'm sat on the sofa. He prises my legs apart, kneeling between my knees.

"Oh hello cowboy" I whisper.

He pulls open my dressing gown, exposing that I'm just wearing knickers and a t-shirt.
"Hmmmm helloooooooo" he growls, pushing his face into the gusset.

I gasp as his breath hits me through the fabric, his face hidden under his hat...

Suddenly there's a thud and the door swings open "daddy ya home!" Mia runs to him as Jack quickly turns around and I pull my dressing gown back over my legs.
"Hey princess ya alright!?"

She stops when she notices my boots and his hat
"oooooh I wanna play cowboys!"