Realms of Eden: Home Fires B2A1-12

Ronnie Kelleher had not come to Sydney's house on Monday. Sydney had been worried and tried to call her but he did not get an answer and simply left a message for him to ring him back. When she did not turn up on Thursday Sydney had gotten extremely worried and had almost cried on Kelsey's shoulder about her absence. Kelsey had sent him off to his rehearsals and told him that she would find out what the matter was.

Kelsey was fuming when she turned up at Ronnie's house to find the woman opening a bottle of beer at 9:00 am in the morning. "If you think Veronica Kelleher that I am going to come out here to watch you drink yourself to death when you could be in my bed drinking from my cup then you are sadly mistaken lady!" she had screeched when she saw Sydney's housekeeper in her pyjamas a glass and opener in her hand.

The woman had broken down and cried when Kelsey had found her, sobbing that she had ruined it all by being too bold, too forward!

"What do you mean?" Kelsey had asked holding the sobbing woman. She wrinkled her nose, it smelled like Ronnie had not showered or changed for days. Certainly the beer bottle on the table was not the first she had had this morning.

"He saw me," she sobbed. "He saw me put my arm around you. He must have thought I was such a slut!" the woman cried. Her heart was broken and Kelsey found herself in tears with the woman.

"Sydney telling you he hoped you had earmuffs? Is that what this is all about?" she held the woman's face tightly in her hands and when she felt Ronnie's head nod she began to laugh.

"Ronnie, when you found me masturbating how did you find me?"

"Well," the woman began, "you weren't really quiet about it."

"No, I am not! I am a very, very noisy fuck! Sydney knows that, you know that, hell everyone in the street knows it! Sydney was only being playful, he is not judging you. Nor would he ever make a judgement like that about anyone.

"He was at my place crying about you this morning, he is worried to death about you. He wanted to send the police out here to make sure you were ok. Hell he even started talking about finding out if there were any boats reported missing out in the bay!

"Ronnie we have finally got him out of the house, he is doing something, singing! Can you believe it! Singing in the school play and posing naked for the art students to paint him! He was going to throw it all away to come and find you and beg your forgiveness for something he thinks he has done wrong!" Kelsey saw the housekeeper smile as she mentioned Sydney singing.

"George could sing too," she said softly as Kelsey sat beside her and watched.

"George promised me you would come back to me, Ronnie," Kelsey said sadly and her tears flowed down her cheeks as she saw the torn expression on Ronnie's face.

"He has been telling me to get my fat lazy arse out of here and back to you and Sydney for the past three days, Kelsey," the woman replied. "I am afraid that my shame is making me ignore him."

"Shame! What shame?" screamed Kelsey. She ripped her skirt from her hips and the buttons on her blouse sprayed across the seated woman and the table.

"Are you ashamed of me? Of making love to me! Look at me Veronica and tell me that my tits don't make your mouth water or that my pussy is not good enough to eat!" Kelsey was furious, this woman did not know what shame was!

"Shame Veronica is when you deny yourself what you know is good for you, when you deny yourself from the people who love you. Not because of what you might think others will think of you!

"Shame is when you let some lowlife take you away from the woman who gave birth to you, who loved you dearly, because you are afraid that she will not know who you are!" Kelsey stopped, she had voiced her greatest shame in her life and deep inside her it hurt. Hurt like a thousand knives cutting into her skin, plunging into her heart.

She fell to the ground sobbing. "Mummy, I miss you!"

Ronnie Kelleher did not know what to do. "Get your fat arse up and help her woman! You love her and Sydney, she needs to go to him but you have to help her! That means woman you have to take her to bed, now move it!" George's voice roared in her head.

Ronnie Kelleher carried Kelsey's sobbing form into her spare room and laid her gently on the bed. Her own room was a pigsty and there was no way she was going to increase her shame by letting this angel see it. Quickly she stripped and dashed to the shower, scrubbing herself clean. Cleaning her teeth and shampooing her hair. As the grime washed off her body, she found her tears mingling with the soapy water but there was no way she was going to go back to the bed in the condition she had been!

When she returned to the bedroom Kelsey was asleep. The naked woman looked to be in pain and Ronnie saw the same lines of hatred and sorrow around Kelsey's beautiful face as she had seen in her mirror as she grieved for a love lost. Gently she kissed her friend over and over, telling her that she loved her and that she would not let her down anymore.

Kelsey awoke as the older woman held her to her breast rocking her softly as she crooned her understanding of love and hurt. Kelsey listened as Ronnie told the woman she believed was still asleep of her fears about George, his sudden death, the unsaid words, the things they didn't do together. Ronnie poured her heart out, all of her little fantasies about her and Sydney, the girls that came and went in the house that she worried about all of the time. The love notes that were left around the house, the flowers that would suddenly appear where none had been before. Her joy when Jenny introduced her to the ducks. "It has been such a wonderful experience for me Kelsey," the woman said softly. "I never want to let it go. I love you, I love Sydney and I think I might be falling for that coach of his, Ian Creighton."

"Then why don't you tell him that and stop keeping it inside this beautiful mind and body of yours," whispered Kelsey softly into Ronnie's breasts.

"Because I don't know how, Kelsey. Goodness knows I never told George how much I loved him until the day he died, by then it was too late," she whispered.

"What did George say when you told him?" asked Kelsey turning her face up to look into Ronnie's eyes.

"He said, 'Thank you, I already knew, but it was nice of you to say it', then he died," Ronnie's tears overflowed and Kelsey rolled over and pulled the woman down to her chest, rocking her softly.

"I love you Ronnie," Kelsey said softly and lifted the woman's face to kiss her lips. It was a kiss that didn't break for a long long time. Their lips moved softly, gently across each other. It was a kiss that Kelsey poured her love into, she had not kissed anyone like that since the first time she had found herself in Sydney's arms and bed.

The kiss held them together as their hands found each other's bodies, caressing, teasing, grasping and finished with a simultaneous "Oh" of soft surprise from each of them as their bodies trembled in soft orgasmic release as they rubbed against each other urgently.

"Not so noisy after all," giggled Ronnie as she held the woman's hair in her hands as she let her mouth press daintily to Kelsey's eyes, across her forehead and back down to her lips.

They lay together for several hours. There was no urgency in their love making, gently they soothed each other, talking as old friends and sometimes as new lovers do when they direct the attention to the spot on their body that makes them shiver. Kelsey was as exhausted as if she had spent a night and day with Sydney when she and Ronnie finally showered together, ate some lunch and tidied the woman's neglected house.

The arrived at the school together to collect Jenny. They left her in the care of Bonnie when she returned from school later. They met Sydney at his back door as he ran into the house ready to go back to find Kelsey to see if she had found his housekeeper. The emotional outburst of her employer shocked Ronnie Kelleher totally out of her socks. Sydney begged her to tell him what he had done wrong. Promising her anything to keep her with him.

"Anything?" she asked coyly.

"Anything I can give you Mrs Kelleher or do!" he replied earnestly.

"Love me," she said softly, "love me as I love you. I care so much about you Sydney. I do not mean your bed, not yet, but I do need you as I need Kelsey and all of the people that seem to be part of your life."

He silenced her with a kiss, sweet, warm and tender. As she told Kelsey later as the man went for his afternoon run. "I almost reneged on the not yet with going to his bed. I think I am still saturated!"

Kelsey giggled and whispered, "You can still go there now if you want. As I said with Sydney us girls have to make the first move."

"I think my dear that your attention to me today is more than enough for now," she smiled as she gave Kelsey another kiss and told her that she would see her in a couple of days.

Kelsey watched her go with a light heart, she understood the couple of days comment.

"Kelsey, we are going to see your mother tomorrow, pack!" Sydney's voice brooked no argument.

She turned towards him and said softly, "I already have."

"How did you know?"

"I saw Ronnie talking to you before you went off for your run and knew that she would have told you what happened," Kelsey smiled as the lesson she had passed onto Ronnie about no secrets with Sydney came back to bite her gently on the arse.

Early Friday afternoon saw Sydney and Kelsey in the hover jet for the overseas run to Papua, more specifically to Longeli Island. It was a huge island that had been part of an underwater range of flat topped volcanoes that had arisen as parts of south east Asia had sunk, including a great deal of the closest Papuan land mass of New Britain Island as well as Papua New Guinea itself.

The entire tectonic plate had shifted like a great ice berg birthing from a glacier. Killing a great deal of the population that had previously existed along with the colourful wildlife as bombs exploded throughout the Asian area. After 300 years the soil had finally become cool enough to allow the seeds dropped by migrating birds and the winds, washed up on the shores or had lain dormant in the soil to begin to flourish. People had not returned to the three main islands until 200 years ago when the great flat plains had stabilised as volcanic and earthquake activity lessened throughout the equatorial region.

The first enterprises to make use of the land had been strangely enough retirement villages as the abundance of thermal springs and large freshwater pools provided an attractive lifestyle setting for aging millionaires. The developers had catered to those that could afford to laze in tropical sunshine and fritter away the money they had accumulated through their long working lives. Golf courses, bowling greens, bingo halls dotted the towns and landscapes.

As those first villagers had aged, the original developers included hospital care. Continually upgrading services until a full range of pharmaceutical, geriatric, psychiatric and surgical facilities had been established. The developments also include banking and financial planning, funeral directors and cryogenic facilities to cash in on those that still believed they could be saved from old age a thousand years later.

Kelsey's mother lived in a high care dementia clinic in the district of Karneu to the north west of the island. It was a beautiful resort-like establishment that opened out on to white sandy beaches to the north and was surrounded by heated spas in the cooling volcanic rocks to the west. Lush grasslands to the south and a gently flowing river on the east. The village covered almost 1,000 hectares and allowed its residents a large range of activities including golf, bowls, tennis as well as theatres, shopping and dining. It was especially designed for the very wealthy.

Laura Simmons was not in great shape. Her body was thin and wasted. Once beautiful brown hair now lank and grey, her eyes sunken into the almost skeletal skull. Her eyes were dully shining brown orbs as she watched the tall handsome man and the beautiful woman approach her bed. "Margaret?" she asked softly. "Margaret is that Harry with you, he is a handsome man isn't he. You take good care of your father now young lady, while I get over this flu."

"Yes Mummy, I will." said Kelsey softly as she grasped her mother's hand and sat on the chair beside the bed. Sydney leaned over the frail woman and gently kissed her lips.

"Harry you will have to take Margaret to Vanuatu with you this trip. I don't think I am up to golf with Dale and Hilda. Margaret plays good golf don't you darling," Laura patted the hand that held hers.

Why can't I tell her that I know who she is! I know Harry is gone, she looks so beautiful! The man is a wonderful looking specimen, I hope he is looking after her. She so misses her father.

Laura it's ok. Kelsey knows you love her. She misses you too.

I don't have long to go now young man can you stay with me for a little while longer. My other visitors don't stay long, even Dale whom I loved as much as Harry only stays for a few moments. I am trapped in here and I cannot tell my mouth to make the right sounds. How is it that I can speak to you like this?

Your daughter has the same gift Laura, but she has not found it yet. I am Sydney and Kelsey is my love. We will stay with you till the end.

Can you tell her Sydney that I love her very deeply. Tell her that I am sorry that I lost her when I lost Harry. It should have been better between us but I lost my soul when Harry left, I did not realise that she could have brought it back for me until it was too late. This damned disease has made it too damned late to do anything about it.

I will tell her Laura though I think you will find the words when the time comes.

It comes very close Sydney, I think I was only waiting for her to come back.

The woman on the bed opened her eyes wide as she turned her head to her daughter. "Kelsey you could hear us! I love you darling, I always will."

"Yes Mummy, I heard you and Sydney. I love you too."

Laura Simmons' hand clenched her daughter's tightly, once, then her grip slackened as her eyes closed for the final time. A soft smile blessed her lips as she passed to the realms of the dead.

Bright colours surrounded Kelsey. Tears that had started to fall as she felt her mother leave her ceased as she gazed about her in wonder at the world she found herself in. "Hello Kelsey," came the bright voice of her mother. The woman looked as beautiful as she remembered and the arms that held her as strong and as loving.

"Where am I Sydney?" she asked.

"Sydney is not here dear. He watches your body in the room where my old husk is lying in the bed. He can bring you back there, I cannot," Laura said. Holding out her hand she clasped her daughter's and hurried her forwards through the colourful landscape.

"Where are we going mother?" Kelsey asked struggling to keep up with the woman.

"To show you that this is not a dream that Sydney is giving you to ease your grief. I need you to make the most of this gift of a few moments with me Kelsey, to show you that I loved you, always did and will, but you must not grieve for me!" The voice was strong, her mother's at her most demanding.

Kelsey nodded then slowed as an image of their house in Nyngan appeared before them. Kelsey watched her mother go up to the house and walk through the front door. "Come on Kelsey, hurry!" she called. Kelsey ran.

"Remember this," the woman said and held an exquisite diamond necklace in her hands.

"Yes, Daddy bought it for you when you found out you were pregnant with me," the woman said softly.

"Yes yes, but what about its history, where is it now?" her mother said sharply.

"I don't know. It went missing when Daddy died and you left to come here," Kelsey said. She was confused and frightened. Hands came from behind her and wrapped her into a warm body.

"Shush my little rabbit, there is nothing to fear here," her father's voice then his lips kissed her ear, right on the bottom of the lobe, the same place he always kissed her when her called her little rabbit.

"Daddy!" she screamed, as she turned him the man's arms.

"Hello Margaret, though I hear you go by Kelsey now," Harry Simmons said as he clasped her tightly to his chest.

"What are you doing here, where ever here is?" his daughter asked.

"This is the realms of the dead, Kelsey," said her mother softly.

"And I have been waiting for Laura to come to me, we are going to be born again soon. Sometime later we will meet again and become one, as we have for such a long time. As you and Enyalius have my dear. For over a million years you and the warrior have battled, loved and died. This time you are going to be with him for a lot longer than any other time. But I cannot tell you more than that!" her father was jubilant as he held both the hand of his wife and his daughter.

"How do I know this is not a dream, that Sydney is not doing this to make me feel better?" she said. She wanted to believe, wanted desperately for it to be her father holding her so nicely.

"Find the diamonds, Kelsey. Remember your old room, the crack in the bottom of the wardrobe?" her father said softly.

"Yes, but they won't be there now! They went through the house with a fine tooth comb like vultures," she exclaimed bitterly.

"We know darling, we know that was why you ran away. We," her father embraced her mother, "hid them before I died. They were only for you to find, no-one else. When you look there you will see them, no-one else. Remember me telling you about the No-ones?"

"Yes."

"They hid them for us," her mother grinned.

"You will need this to see them," her father said and he passed her his old monocle. It was a purely decorative piece that he never needed but kept pinned to his upper jacket for show.

She felt the small ring of glass and its chain in her hand. Her parents looked so happy, she wanted to stay with them. Of all the things that had happened, she had remembered, it was hard for her to think that she was going to lose them again.

"Look for a happy couple, the man with a monocle, on a beach. If you find us, we will fulfil the promise we made to you in our bed so long ago my little rabbit," said her father softly as he kissed her gently. "Oh and tell Dale and Hilda to look for us too!"

Her mother gave her a huge hug, Kelsey could almost feel her bones creak with the force. "I love you Margaret Kelsey Simmons, be good to Enyalius, again."

The pair faded from her view and her eyes opened to the sight of the medical staff pulling the sheet up over her mother's lifeless body. In her hand she held an old fashioned monocle, its chain wrapped around her ring finger.

She turned her head up quickly to find the dark-blue eyes regarding her softly. "Sydney I -," she began.

"Shh little one, time for us to go. Your parents already made arrangements."

He helped Kelsey to her feet. With a last pat of the bed she turned with him and they walked the small distance back to the front of the building and out into the later afternoon sun. For a moment Kelsey was disorientated and held the man's hand firmly as he led her to the pathway that ran to the beach. "Where are we going Sydney?" she asked in a small voice. She felt that the big man was taking her away from her parents. Mummy was in that bed back there and she wanted to see her again. Maybe she could go back to the colourful landscape and see her father again.

Stopping where the path met the white sandy beach he turned to her puzzled face and placed his hands on either side of her temples. A tingle, almost like a mild electric shock passed through her body. Suddenly her heart beat loudly in her ears, the blood pounded in her head almost painfully and the sounds of the waves and the smells of the ocean crashed into her senses. She breathed deeply, her mind cleared, almost as if it banished a fog that had descended around her blocking out everything.