Alex

Jake and Jenny were up on the tiny wooden stage that Ray had built in the hopes of hosting live music events. It was now being used for karaoke purposes, long after Ray had closed up for the night and any customers had gone. Amelia had been put to bed upstairs, which was awfully nice of Ray to offer to look after her tonight so Angelica could let loose. He said she seemed like she needed it. That was exactly the kind of man Ray was: welcoming.

Jake and Jenny were performing the most ridiculous duet I had witnessed in quite some time and it had Angelica and I doubled over in laughter, holding our sides. Jenny was absolutely tone deaf in her drunken state and Jake could hardly stand but was attempting to dance, regardless. His dancing more looked like somebody had sprayed a spider with bug spray and it was in the process of dying, but was still twitching while half alive.

We had all taken a lot of shots until eventually Ray had to intervene and take our phones from us.

He had gone on a spiel about how all of young people were addicted to our phones and that if we needed to make it into a drinking game to not look at a phone then we were truly helpless. That had made Angelica applaud him.

The two idiots on stage finally came to an end and began to bow, Jenny trying to curtsy, despite wearing trousers. She realised this and it just made her laugh even harder.

Stumbling off of the stage in hysterics, the pair collapsed into the booth giggling and landed practically on top of each other. Jake had to hold onto Jenny so that she didn't fall to the floor and hit her head in the process. Angelica met my eyes and waggled her eyebrows, obviously seeing the attraction between them that I had been witness to.

Ray and his wife, Teresa, took to the stage next and began to sing a duet. My heart melted as I realised it was their wedding song, one that they used to sing together on every anniversary. Well, they probably still do, but it had been a while since we had been present for that. Ray held his wife's hand as he sung to her, holding eye contact and meaning every word he said as he serenaded her.

The four of us sobered up enough to watch in awe, emotional at the raw display of love and affection.

Ray and Teresa were everything I had ever looked for in life.

That caring, gentle kind of relationship where it was clear to everyone around you that you both adored each other so much. Even after all of the years together, when they were grey and old, it was like they were still teenagers in love. Their love made them youthful and it made them happy.

By the time they had finished their duet, they had left the four of us in a blubbering state of tears. Jenny didn't even know them, or the significance of that song, but it was so clear that their love for each other ran deep so it had moved even her.

It truly was a touching sight to behold.

"We're going to head to bed, okay, lovelies?" Teresa shuffled over, kissing each of us goodnight on the forehead.

"We'll see you in the morning." Ray nodded to each of us, dropping a stack of blankets on the service counter for us to help ourselves to.

It wouldn't be the first time we had slept in the restaurant. Or the second.

Fetching each of us a cup of coffee, Jake returned to the booth where we had all returned to sit around. He picked up another slice of pizza, tearing into it . He had finished his XXL pizza earlier that evening and was now making light work of the leftovers from Amelia's; he couldn't say shit to me about my diet tomorrow.

"Remember when we first met Ray?" Jake reminisced, looking around the restaurant.

It was a bittersweet memory. The three of us had not had the best childhood and on a particularly bad night, we had stumbled into this place trying to buy a slice of pizza between the three of us. Jake had even offered to wash the dishes for a slice.

"I could smell it from the street. It's what lured us in." Angelica hummed, remembering.

"I'm glad you made me come tonight, Alex." Jake said, "I think I needed that shake."

Jenny laughed at that before the three of us fell into silence. 

I was glad that he had come, too. It felt just like the old days being back here, plus Jenny. It served as a good reminder that I wasn't as lonely as I may think at times and that work didn't have to consume my life. I had family, too. 

I had made a mental note earlier to spend more time with Amelia and to show her all of my favourite food places before she was too old to be seen with her lame uncle and wanted nothing to do with me. I should make the most of her being young since she was my only niece.

The silence between us was comfortable, but it was Angelica who broke it.

"My husband and I are getting divorced."

Jake and I turned to face her with looks of concern. This was the first I was hearing about this, despite seeing her only a few weeks back at the park. She stared down at her mug of coffee, swirling it around her cup instead of facing us. I felt bad that she hadn't been able to tell me this before. No wonder she was reaching out for the first time in a while.

"I caught him cheating when I got back from a business trip a day early to surprise him. Amelia saw it all happen." Angelica's voice broke, "I feel like such an idiot."

"That fucking asshole." Jake cursed, rage coating his expression.

"I'm really sorry, Angelica. You're not an idiot; he is." I tried to comfort her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I am." Angelica sniffled, "I knew it was happening. I'd seen the way he was with his phone. I'm not as silly as he thinks I am. I could see that every time I came into a room, he was hiding his phone. I could see that he no longer texted me a good morning or good night when we were apart. I'm stupid because I thought that after he strayed he would realise that it was me he really loved. Boy, was I wrong. He chose her. Over me. Over our daughter."

Jake and I could barely believe what we were hearing and Jenny was a picture of sympathy, taking hold of Angelica's hand to comfort her and give her reassuring hand squeezes. Jake and I met eyes and we knew we had to do something. He had broken our little sister's heart.

"Come on." Jake stood up abruptly, "Call a driver, Jenny. We're going there. Now."

"Jake, don't be such a hot head. Why on earth would we go to his?" Angelica, wiped the tears from her eyes.

"He's in Spain at the moment, right? I saw the photos in some tabloid magazine." Jake confirmed.

"With her." Angelica nodded.

"Let's go cut up his shirts or something, then."

"He will just buy more." Angelica shook her head, not impressed with Jake's suggestion.

"It'll be more cathartic than anything. Come on, let's go egg his lame little bachelor pad." 

"Limo is on its way." Jenny let us know, holding up her phone. 

The tears were long go from Angelica's face and it was instead replaced with a devious look. She grabbed a bottle of vodka from behind the bar and slipped a couple of hundreds onto the counter, nodding to say that she was ready. We knew that Amelia was safe with Ray and Teresa, tucked up in bed, so we marched out of the restaurant and locked up behind us with the spare key they kept in the plant pot behind the till.

Jake and I jogged down the road to the only shop that was still open, leaving the others to wait for the car. Jake was looking for eggs, but I was going straight for the spray paint. They only had pink glitter spray paint, intended for decorating god-knows what, but it would do. At the self-checkout, Jake was doubled over while laughing at what I had decided to purchase.

Jake had wiped out their entire supply of eggs.

The limo pulled up and we jumped inside, sprawling across the seats. I had shoved the spray paint can into my jacket for now, not wanting Angelica to worry too much about what I planned to do.

I had never liked Angelica's husband. Everybody says that when they find out somebody is a cheater, but it was true. He had always acted 'better than' and above everyone else. He truly thought he was God's great gift to earth and his confidence had entranced Angelica, but to me he just seemed like an ass.

At least Angelica got Amelia from him.

Pulling up to the gates outside of his new place, Angelica punched in the gate code so that we could drive right up to his front door.

"Idiot uses the same code for everything." Angelica grumbled, although pleased it had worked.

The driver simply pulled out his paper, zipping his lips as if to say he wasn't going to be telling anyone what we were up to. Jake chucked a tray of eggs at each of us and let at it himself. His throw was pretty good, but Angelica's was better. Each egg splattered, sending yolk and eggs shell across his brand new house.

"I earn more than him, there's no way he could afford this place with the dried out money from his washed up career! Try being your own bread winner now, you egregious dick." Angelica ranted, pelting egg after egg.

We ran out of eggs fairly quickly. 

I produced the spray paint can from my jacket, passing it to Angelica. It was her place to decide what should be done with it; not mine. Her eyes lit up at the spray paint can and she stormed towards his car on the drive, climbing onto the bonnet on both knees.

As she straddled the bonnet of the car, she popped the cap of the spray paint and began to spray the words 'cheating cunt' onto his windscreen. The pink glitter was a great decision.

"He can replace a windscreen; make sure you go for the body of the car, too." Jenny piped up, making Jake look at her with a surprised look.

I stifled a laugh at that.

Angelica drew a cock on the bonnet of the car after jumping off of it, finishing it off with a heart by the tip for good measure. She stepped back, admiring her work with a smile. 

It was, of course, not long before the paparazzi showed up. Cameras clicked and flashed at the gate as van after van showed up, likely tipped off by a neighbour about what was happening. Chucking my jacket over Angelica's face to hide her, I escorted her to the car and climbed in myself. 

"Oh, god. What have we done?" Angelica cried, "I'm a mum! I should be more sensible."

"It's what he deserves. It is sensible." I scoffed, "You're acting like a role model. Would you want Amelia to do nothing or fuck up his car in your situation?"

Angelica understood what I was saying and nodded, but still slumped into her seat. Jake looked like he was going to start hyperventilating at the realisation that it would be his job to clear up this mess tomorrow. That gave me a smug sense of satisfaction.

"We're being followed." Jenny mumbled, glancing out of the tinted window.

"It wouldn't be smart to lead them back to Ray's." Jake took control, "Drive us to Alex's, we'll be able to drive straight through his gate and onto his property so that they won't be able to get any more photos."

The driver changed course to my place.