Page 75 of Bad Influence
‘Oh my God!’ Mandy squealed like a child on Christmas morning. ‘Is this faster than the bunion pics?’
‘Wayfaster,’ Jimi informed us. ‘Like a hundred times more already.’
‘And the comments?’ Mandy asked, buzzing.
‘All great. “Congratulations, I’m so happy for you. Ooh baby. Hot mama. Yes, mama! Blah, blah, blah …” Have a read if you like.’ He handed the phone to her.
We watched as Mandy began scrolling. If I wasn’t mistaken, there were tears in her eyes.
‘Wow,’ she whimpered. ‘There’s so much love out there.’
An hour later, the likes had topped three million, viewsof the Reel were over ten million, and the news had hit all major gossip sites globally. Julie-Ann had apparently texted to say that bothHELLO!andTatler, as well asPeoplemagazine, had been in touch about photoshoots. ‘Sonowthey want to know me,’ Mandy cooed smugly.
We spent the rest of the day with Mandy at a showroom in Beverly Hills, as she approved the final packaging and tested the Baby Mom fragrance which had arrived by the crate-load. It was clear that falling pregnant was lucrative, as well as good for Mandy on a personal level, and the comment she had made to that effect in the cryotherapy chamber made sense. Mandy and Jose must have had all these business ventures lined up and ready to go the second they got the green light.
That evening, Jimi and I finally had a chance to chat. ‘So, what is it about this city that doesn’t work for you?’ I asked, as he poured us each a glass of wine on the terrace outside my room. The sun was about to disappear behind the hills again and the sprawling city twinkled against the inky sky.
‘It’s not that it doesn’t work for me, I’m sure it could again,’ he said. ‘It’s just full of memories, some of which are difficult.’
‘Do you want to talk about it?’
‘Not right now. More wine?’ He had already downed his first glass and began recharging it. I took a large sip and offered mine for a refill too. ‘Tell me more about you. Family?’
‘There’s Mum, Dad, and my older sister, Lucy, she’sexpecting her second baby around the same time as Mandy. I love being an auntie to my niece, Nora.’
‘What kind of aunt are you?’ His eyes twinkled mischievously.
‘Oh, you know, hilarious, fun, feeder of chocolate and crisps, and creator of an epic dressing-up box – the best kind. How do you feel about becoming an uncle?’
‘I can’t wait.’ He smiled gently.
‘It’s the best role. You can do the odd babysitting, spoil them, let them stay up too late, feed them sweets so they’ll love you forever – and then give them back. It’s ideal.’
‘I’m like you, I don’t want to actually keep them.’
‘I didn’t say I don’t want to keep one.’ I instantly felt a little sweaty palmed to be talking this personally with Jimi. ‘I mean, I definitely don’t want one now, but I’d like to be a mum one day. Would you feel differently if it was your own?’
‘Marriage, kids, it’s not a life I would choose,’ he replied.
‘Really?’ I don’t know why this caused my stomach to sink. I reached for the bottle to fill us up again. The wine was slipping down really well this evening.
‘Not after seeing what happened to my parents,’ Jimi said, his eye-line fixed on the horizon. ‘They had a dramatic split.’
I looked at him carefully. ‘What happened?’
‘Do you really want to know?’
‘If you want to tell me.’
‘Mum’s infidelities caught up with her. One night, when I must have been no more than six, it all came to a head. Mum and Dad had a huge row. He grabbed a bottle of winefrom the cellar, and I came into the cinema room to find him watching their wedding video in bits, while she was upstairs stuffing her suitcase. After another explosive exchange with Dad on the patio, she tossed her wedding ring into the swimming pool and left. We never saw her again.’
‘You never saw her again?’
‘Not until many years later,’ he muttered. ‘No one expects the mum to leave in this way, but it happens. She went on to have another family with the other guy, and before you ask, yes, I do have abandonment issues. Yes, I struggle to hold down relationships because of this. Yes, I love women, yet shy away from commitment. Yes, I have a therapist and, no, I’m not quite there yet but I hope to be one day. Does that answer all your questions?’
I listened intently to what Jimi was telling me and then paused as I took it all in. I nodded sympathetically. ‘I’m sorry if I overstepped the mark by asking,’ I said. ‘I didn’t mean to pry; I was just trying to be a friend. It sounds like you went through a lot as a child and I’m glad you got the help you needed.’
‘It takes continual work, every day.’ He sighed. ‘It’s like I’d sabotage my own life if I had a chance.’
