How to make a mix tape (Completed)

25 Secrets and Lives

The Hen Night

Jilly decided to throw Heather a Hen Night in her basement flat. Heather had driven down from Scotland that day and was getting married two days later. Bill had been set the task of finding them somewhere to live, whilst Heather had managed a transfer from Glasgow to London from the bank she worked in. It was exhausting and terrifying for Heather. In the last month, she had gone from being single in Glasgow, to pregnant, then engaged and moving to London.

Heather drove her packed car down to London, with frequent toilet stops, and was worn out by the time she arrived. Jilly let Heather stay in her spare room until the wedding, as they all agreed Fiona's temporary hovel was no place for a pregnant woman. Jilly stocked her place with nibbles and bubbles. She got some non-alcoholic beer in for Heather. Heather decided a swinging sixties theme, with all of them dressing as their favourite person from the decade and to have as a quiet one as she could manage in her state.

Jilly, of course, came as herself. Heather came as Sandy Shaw and Fiona as Dusty Springfield. Nikki and Lynn came as Cilla Black and Marianne Faithful respectively. Somehow Suzie's invite seemed to be lost in the post. Jilly saw to that. The permafrost that existed between the Grove Road housemates and Suzie showed no sign of thawing.

There was a loud knock at the door and Jilly ran off to answer it when someone opened the letterbox and shouted.

"Oi, I know you are in there. There is a lot of fizz and two knocked up women in there." A woman's voice bellowed through the letter box. A look passed between Nikki, Fiona and Lyn. Either Jilly was pregnant or one of them was apparently.

"Ooh, it's psychic Sadie!" shouted Jilly down the hall, "She is soo accurate, told me all about my lovely Steve and everything! I thought it would pass the time gamely tonight. I have a little question I want to ask her." Jilly floated past them all in a psychedelic knee length dress she had dug out from her wardrobe.

"Who was Steve?" Fiona asked, bringing in a tray of cheese sandwiches from the kitchen. She was intregued to meet Sadie. Fiona was a died in the wool sceptic about such things.

"Oh, daaaarling, love of my life who died ten years ago. Broke my heart and all of that." Jilly smiled at Fiona as she walked to the door adjusting her white knee high boots.

"Sadie knew?" Fiona enquired. Did she hell she thought to herself.

"Oh yes from years before. Told me and everything I just wouldn't believe her." Jilly sighed, "Hey ho. Just don't you dismiss her as a crackpot young lady!"

"I will behave," Fiona looked at Jilly sympathetically, "so, that is why you were giving me advice about special? You never mentioned losing someone special before." Jilly hadn't. In the year she had known Jilly she knew about her being a rock groupie in the sixties, she knew about her roster of men she kept. She had never heard about Steve. Not a word.

"Hm," Jilly pursed her lips, "I try not to speak about Steve really, frightful what happened and he was such a darling. Now is not the time sweetie." She patted Fiona's hand and skipped to the door to let Sadie in.

Sadie was a walking characteur. She was wearing a turban and channelling a look of a 70's Liz Taylor. She had a flouncy top on and set of earrings that looked like a chandelier.

"Jilly darling, we are going to have the most magnificent night you know. " Sadie kissed Jilly on both cheeks.

"Did the spirits tell you?" Jilly enquired leading Sadie into the kitchen.

"Well, these two did!" She laughed bringing out a bottle of Absolut vodka and Gordon's gin.

"Marvellous!" Jilly clapped her hands, "shall we have a Moulin Rouge?" Fizz, vodka and cassis were added to glasses and shared.