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It’s immaculate. Everything is back to where it usually is, pristine and proper. I shake my head as I think about what his mother must have paid to have a cleaning crew in here to fix the damage because that’s the only answer to the mess I left.
“Anna?” Penelope steps through into the hall. Her hair is in a messy bun, and she’s wearing a long silk robe over her nightdress. It’s a little distressing, as I’ve only seen her look like she just stepped out of the salon — that or comatose on the bed.
“Hi, Mrs Archer.” I smile. “Is Jeremy here?”
“Archer? Somewhere. Can I get you anything?” She takes a sip of a tall glass filled with clear liquid and ice.
“I’m okay, thank you. I’ll just go and look for Jeremy then.” I edge away, heading for his room first, but with no luck.
I find him outside in the same loungers he was in when I left the party.
“Little Miss Anna!” Derek shouts as he sees me first.
Jeremy turns and smiles. “There you are.”
He sounds drunk or high, and it doesn’t seem to worry him or his mum.
“Hey. Have you been here all this time?”
“Have we, boys?”
They all start to laugh, and a few raise cans of beer in a toast. The air smells musky, and the ends of the joints I helped to smoke are still on the patio. My head drops back, and I stare up at the sky.
“Right, I’ll leave.”
“No, no, no… stay!” Jeremy protests. He stands and stumbles up to standing as he reaches me. “Stay. Please.”
I look at him and back to the bunch of friends.
“All right, boys, the party is well and truly over. Time to go.”
“Archer, man, seriously!”
“Pussy whipped for sure.”
“How are we meant to get home?”
They all start complaining loudly. Why does he put up with them?
“Order a fucking Uber, Doug, or walk. I don’t care.”
Derek stands first. “Seems like the host has had enough. Come on, boys.” He gives me a dirty look as he walks by. Jeremy would be better off without his so-called friends. They’re just scrounging off him.
We wait and watch as they drag themselves out. “There. Better?” Jeremy turns to me and rests his arms on my shoulders.
“Sort of. You need a shower. And to sober up. And I think you should check on your mum.”
“Check, check, and check. Are you staying then? Shall we get some breakfast?”
“Lunch? Breakfast was a few hours ago.”
“Right. Sure. Lunch.” He smiles and laughs it off.
“Do you know what day it is?”
“Sure. Saturday.”
I shake my head at him and go into the kitchen, heading for the coffee machine. “Go upstairs, shower, brush your teeth. The party was on Friday night. It’s Sunday now. You missed Saturday.”
