Aurora - Wings of the Goddess Pt. 05

"Well that covers my good points." Tanya muttered.

Bragg nodded, "So far so good."

"And me," Vicky continued, wiping her mouth, "I was a sanctimonious, narrow-minded, proselytising ignoramus, who thought sex was filthy and the wholesale condemnation of ordinary people to hell was a thing of great joy. I just could... not... wait for the non-faithful to get their come-uppance, so I could suck up to that sky-dwelling psychopath in... what did you call it, Damon? Something about Disneyland?"

"Celestial Disneyland."

"That's the one. Yep, I was gonna watch you all burn in hell for eternity from my ringside seat in heaven, while I wallowed in my own self-righteousness."

"Can someone get her another beer?" Watson cut in. "This is awesome."

Vicky hiccupped and waved him away. "But now look at us. I mean just look! What an awesome bunch of fringe-dwelling... I don't know... reprobates. Noncomformist adventurers, give-society-the-rude-finger and screw you normals. You, Mister Bragg, are like a hideous old canetoad, who got kissed on the lips by a little blonde princess and turned into... well... into the real you." Vicky gestured expansively. "Tall and handsome and funny and kind-"

"For fuck's sake," Bragg breathed, "somebody help me out. Is she still insulting me?"

Beck put a hand over his mouth. "Hush, Darling, Macca's baring her soul."

"It's called a soliloquy." Watson nodded approvingly.

"And Tan..."

Tanya hooked her greying dark hair behind an ear and sat, straight backed, awaiting judgement.

"You've done more for me than my own god-bothering mother. I now understand this is because what happened out on that reef, when you met these guys, had some life-changing sex and came back transformed. And sitting here I realise..." Vicky swiped a tear from her eye, "that sweet, gentle, generous and funny, sexy-as-fuck fuckin' stunner, the one I'm talking to right now, was in there all along. Not created, just released, by the same experience that just released me."

Tanya slapped the back of a hand against her forehead, pretending to swoon.

"Ooo... do me next." Watson cried, raising his hand.

"Oh don't you worry, I intend to. So there you go. Mister Bragg, in answer to your question, no, I don't hate you."

Bragg plucked his empty beer bottle off the table and peered down its neck. "I wonder what they put in this beer? Tan, get onto legal. Tell them we're buying a brewery."

"No offence Tan," Vicky said, "Mister Bragg, but I just had to get that off my chest. It took a long time to accept you'd actually changed, but if it weren't for you two I'd have wound up a zombie, married to a guy Ben and Ally think is a vampire... it's okay, I know... being groomed by the Pastor as a veritable sacrifice. It was close, let me tell you. Very close."

There was a moment's stunned silence and Vicky sat back looking embarrassed. Tanya cleared her throat. "Well put, Macca my Darling, but there's just one thing. When you called me promiscuous, you made it sound like a bad thing. Do you think it's bad?"

Holding Tanya's gaze, Vicky took a mouthful of beer. Her pussy had gone all squishy and she was sure there was a big great wet spot in the crotch of her shorts, and she suddenly found herself wishing she'd put on some briefs. "Not any more."

Tanya raised her beer. "Well I do declare, Miss MacDonald. It's a miracle."

"Yea and verily. I mean who'da thunk... fornication could be so much fun?"

Bragg cleared his throat. "Which more or less brings us back to the subject."

Watson shook his head. "Which one? I've lost track."

"Who sleeps with whom."

"Ah!" Watson nodded. "Gotcha."

"Really?" Tanya demanded, "You're gonna waste your time sleeping?"

"Depends who I'm with." Bragg retorted and Tanya shot him a glare. "Look, Damo, I don't want to presume, but we booked two apartments, just in case."

"In case of what?" Watson asked mischievously.

Tanya was toying nervously with Beck's hair. "We were hoping Beck might come and spend the night with us." she said and looked at Vicky. "That was until we found out that you and Beck have been..."

"We haven't seen her for a while you see," Bragg jumped in, "and we kind of thought... you know... it might be nice to... err... catch up. It's up to Beck, of course. And you too, Damo, as always."

"I don't see a problem." Watson shrugged, secretly glad for the respite.

"Macca?" Tanya said then gestured at Beck with her eyes, "I mean... would you and Beck like a little cuddle before we kidnap her? You're welcome to use one of the rooms."

"I'll go and get the chairs set up." Bragg said brightly and Tanya reached over to flick his ear.

"That's okay," Vicky said, her eyes locked on Beck's, "we just had a little... err... cuddle... on the boat."

"Just to make up." Beck explained, as Bragg's huge weapon began to harden in her hand. "After making an absolute bitch of myself."

Tanya had a flashback. To Beck's cabin, after sex, when the little blonde was towelling her dry. "That's what I love about you." she said, draping an arm over Beck's shoulders, "You're so thoughtful."

"So what do you say, Damo?" Bragg said. "How would you and Macca like to shack up in the other apartment? We could shout up and down the hallway all night, then knock on each other's doors and run away."

"Maybe we could get some grownups to buy us some beer." Tanya added excitedly. "And smoke some weed."

"You know," Vicky said, "if Damon doesn't mind, I'd really love to spend my last night back on Aurora. For old time's sake. Would that be okay?"

All eyes turned to the old man. "Know what?" he said, "I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather do."

"Maybe we can pick up some French Champagne," Vicky suggested, "and you could whip up one of your curries."

"Naww..." Watson said, looking crestfallen.

"What's up?" Vicky frowned.

"When you said 'whip'... I sort of got my hopes up."

Vicky punched Watson on the bicep as Bragg announced, "That's settled then! Beck can stay with us, Macca, you can stay with Teacher. Tan and me will buy the Champagne."

"When do you need us back?" Watson asked.

"Stream's due in about lunch time." Tanya replied. "If you can drop us off you can say g'day to Ally"

"Perfect!" Watson said, rubbing his hands. "What do you say, Vick? Let's putt-putt over to the island for the night. There ought to be some pretty good fishing."

"Brilliant idea!" Vicky's said with a big, white smile. "And less chance of noise complaints."

"It's a deal!" Watson said. "Rodge? I do believe the next round's on you. Another quick one, Vick? Then we'll grab a cab and go home via the bottle shop?"

Bragg looked at his lap and his face fell. Beck had rubbed him up to full throttle under the table and was pinching and squeezing his knob. To stand up now, he'd have to wrestle the thing under the waistband of his shorts and pin it down before it broke out. Fully aware of his conundrum, Tanya let her husband stew for a moment then rolled her eyes. "I'll go." she said, pushing upright.

"I need to go to the loo" Vicky said and got to her feet. "I'll come with you."

Waiting for her to round the table, Tanya hooked her elbow through Vicky's and they set off, arm in arm. Watching them go, Bragg gave Beck a gentle nudge. "Feel that?"

Beck tilted her head. "What?"

"The Earth just moved."

"It did?"

"Uh huh. That's what's called a seismic shift. The whole world just changed."

"How so?"

"What happened on the boat just then was a catharsis. A purification. A clearing away of the past."

"Jesus," Beck sniffed and took a sip of her beer. "You're starting to sound like him."

"Why thank you." Bragg beamed. "But can you feel it? Everything's changed."

"Not everything I hope." Beck mumbled.

"No," her old man piped up, "Roger's right. If one thing changes everything does. The whole universe is different, even if most of the components are still the same."

Beck nodded, recalling one of the very first lessons the old man had taught her. "All growth is change-"

"And all change is painful."

They looked at each other and in one breath both said, "FIDO."