Ellen's Tale Pt. 02

Anna has accepted Gitti's offer of a room after her husband, Ritchie is arrested on firearms and drug charges. This brings her into daily contact with Ellen and her daughter, Tabitha who live in the bungalow in the backyard but as the police build the case against Ritchie it seems as if Anna and Ellen have more in common than just a shared living space.

Author's Note: Putting on the hard word means pressuring someone for sexual favours, originally it was someone in a position of authority putting the hard word on a subordinate, but these days it can just imply someone taking the initiative. The term can also be used with a sexual subtext as in an employer making unreasonable demands of employees. As with a lot of Australian slang, context is everything!

The DPP is the Department of Public Prosecutions, which is responsible for prosecuting a case once the police have finished their investigation.

Ellen came to a halt in the driveway as she spotted a familiar car parked where she would have parked her car. The restored Chrysler Charger belonged to Julie and her eyes were drawn to the bumper sticker: Take My Advice, I'm Not Using It. There was a rainbow sticker on the other side, indicating that the driver was either supportive of gay rights or gay herself. Julie had called her at work that morning to tell her she'd drop around sometime that night with the two blouses she'd ordered.

Anna had been living here for just over a week and in that time she'd become somewhat intrigued by her quiet, unhurried manner. Despite her decision to leave her husband there had been none of the emotional whirlwind that Ellen went through when she left her husband. Anna had just stated her case and seemed intent to just get on with her life, it was almost like closing the door on a compartment of her life and throwing away the key. It had raised eyebrows behind her back with Gitti remarking that still waters ran deep but so far she seemed to have drawn a line through her marriage. Indeed, in some ways Anna had shown her a new way of living. Ellen had always associated breakups with shouting, tears and general upheaval.

Ellen backed out into the street and parked the car. It was nearly 5:00 PM and she'd just finished a day at the Tafe college in Croydon, well half a day to be exact and she'd hoped to at least get dinner started before Julie arrived.

"Not to worry," she checked her messages, "a late dinner isn't breaking the rules."

As she made her way down the driveway she chanced a look at one of the windows, the second bedroom was at the front of the house. Gitti had always used the back bedroom even though it was slightly smaller because it had French doors and because of the east-west orientation of the house it was only in the afternoon that it caught the full glare of the sun. Her office was sandwiched between the two bedrooms.

Anna was standing with her back to the window and she could see another woman sitting on the bed and as she got closer she saw it was Ilona. So, Julie had turned up with her girlfriend and Ilona was in Anna's bedroom, she managed a slight grin. They certainly had a relationship based on mutual trust and respect, it occurred to her as she reached the back gate that this was an arrangement she'd do well to look at more closely.

She glanced at the back door and then the front door of her bungalow, momentarily undecided. Was Julie in her place or Gitti's? A moment later she mounted the steps to the back door and stepped into the laundry, she could hear the voices in the living room and when she entered the room Gitti was standing with her arms raised whilst Julie measured from her armpit to her waist. They looked at each other for a moment and Gitti grinned.

"Hiya, hard day at the war?"

"It was okay," she glanced at Tabitha sitting on the couch, "hiya, sweetie," she walked to the couch, "how was school?"

"We've got an excursion to Captain Cook's cottage," she pulled a consent form out of her school bag, "it costs money."

"Captain Cook's cottage," she squinted at the form, "now that brings back memories, I was about your age when we went there," she pulled a wry grin as she saw the amount in bold text, "although it was a lot cheaper then."

"It's a place I've never been," Julie wrote down the measurement and then eyed the catalogues on the couch, "we nearly did when my cousin came over from Scotland but then we went to the bar at the Hilton hotel and got poured out two hours later."

She nodded at the catalogues.

"How's about you go through them while I show Ellen these clothes, just write the pattern number on the pad," she stepped over to the couch and picked up a large plastic bag.

"Can I come too, mum?" Tabitha looked up.

"Sure, sweetie. Have you finished your homework yet?"

"We had no homework today."

"Lucky you," she folded her arms, "come on then."

As they headed back outside she glanced down the hallway, she could hear the voices in the bedroom but Julie didn't seem concerned.

"That's my joint there," she indicated the bungalow, "two bedrooms, a living room slash kitchen and a bathroom and laundry, it's a bit of a Tardis."

It was an off the cuff statement that was confirmed when they stepped inside, the combination of living room and kitchen created the illusion of more space. The bathroom was between the two bedrooms and part of the living room extended to the bathroom door.

"A nice place you have here," Julie stepped over to the window of Ellen's bungalow.

"Yeah, most of the longer blocks in this street have been converted either into units, the house across the road belongs to Gitti's friends and it's only when you step into their backyard that you get a sense of the size of the blocks. They haven't built a unit in their yard," she dumped her handbag on the coffee table.

"Change out of your uniform, sweetie," she nodded at Tabitha.

"Nice view of the house," Julie stepped over to the living room window.

"Ha ha," she smirked, "Tab's bedroom looks out onto the backyard, but I've just got the house to look at," she pulled the blouses out of the bag.

"Wowee," she continued, "great quality."

"Thanks, but you need to try them on first."

"Okay," she draped them over the back of the couch and proceeded to unbutton her blouse.

She tried on the beige, silk mandarin blouse first and by the time she'd finished buttoning it her daughter had changed into after school clothes.

"That looks so sexy, mum."

"You think so?" Ellen stepped over to a large mirror situated near the bathroom door, "wait'll you see the satin one," she turned to look at herself side on, "really nice fit though, I admit I was a bit worried about handmade clothes," she locked her hands behind her head and arched her back, "but there's still room to move."

"Let me see," Julie joined her at the mirror, "yeah, that works," she tugged at the shoulders, "not too tight here?"

"No," she dropped her hands, "you can feel it pulling against your shoulders and this is finished?"

"Yep, try the other one, it should be much the same although there's a bit less stretch in the satin, this is a stretch material."

The black satin, tie blouse felt almost foreign against her skin. She'd seen Anna wearing a white satin blouse earlier in the week and couldn't keep her eyes off it but she'd doubted that satin would look good on her though. Julie assisted with the tie, fastening it into a pussybow, Ellen stood stock still and watched her work whilst Tabitha perched on the couch to observe them.

"There," she stepped back, "how does that feel? Not too tight around the throat?"

"No," she slipped a finger behind the collar, "I can put a finger behind it, I'm just not used to a shirt buttoned to the top, I'm an open collar woman," she walked over to the mirror.

"But this looks okay," she glanced at Tabitha, "what do you think, rascal?"

"You look so cool," Tabitha straightened up, "it's really soft."

"Satin is soft," Ellen smirked, "god, I feel like I'm on the set of Dynasty," she stretched her arms out, "and they cover my tatts."

"Do you have a problem with that at work?" Julie asked her.

"No, but it's a Tafe college, a lot of female students have tattoos there, but I'm one of the few staff who has tattoos and I definitely have more tattoos than any other member of staff. I've actually had some of the arts students take photos of my tatts for their portfolios over the years."

"It's something I've thought about, my mum has tattoos but back in her youth if a girl had tatts it meant she was either gay or involved with criminals."

"And was she?"

"She's had an affair with a woman but she prefers men, but she had a criminal past. She's a lawyer now with her own practice."

"Good to know," she turned around to look at her, "all right, I'll take that other blouse in cream."

"What kind of material?"

"Satin," she flicked at the tie.

"No worries, we'll select one from the catalogues."

She heard the back door opening and Julie moved to the front door and looked through the flywire door as Gitti came down the steps with an empty washing basket, Ellen joined her a moment later and the older woman glanced at her.

"What's Gitti like to live with?"

"It couldn't be better," Ellen knelt on the couch, "Tab calls her auntie Gitti for good reason, she's more like an aunt than a landlady. We eat in at her house two to three times a week at least and I rarely have to worry about a babysitter either."

"Good to know," Julie dug her hands into her trouser pockets, "there are a lot of sharks out there who seem to like the idea of being a landlord more than actually being a landlord. We get them all the time at work, trying to get tax breaks on their second mortgage."

"Anna mentioned something to Gitti about doing her tax return while she's here," she traced a finger along the top of the couch.

"Gitti actually said something about knocking a bit off the rent but she insisted on paying the full amount and just doing her a homie."

"Yeah, that's Anna all right," Julie sat down on a desk chair in the corner of the room, "she's a good hearted soul. I would have put her up myself if it wasn't for Elaine, but Ilona would have given her the second bedroom at her place as well."

"Even though you two are an item?"

"Yeah, I'm not the green eyed monster," she leaned on the armrest, "I've been there before more than once, don't try to hold onto someone too tightly. People need their freedom and she gives me the same freedom so it works out well," she smiled crookedly.

Ellen nodded as she stared at the computer on the corner desk.

"Yeah, I'm pretty much the same myself," she inclined her head, "although she's more level headed than me, I'm the screamer but she's so laid back. She just decided to leave her husband and close the door on her marriage. I did the same but there was a lot of screaming and shouting and tears, and of course the violence."

"It's a different world all right," Julie murmured, "Ritchie is the one who shouts a lot, Anna is just not that kind of person. Her father is a judge in Queensland and her mother works in law so she's more into logical arguments, which is where her marriage failed, logic butting up against chaos will always create tension. They were the two most ill-matched people I've ever met," she glanced down as her phone rang.

"Excuse me, I have to take this," she picked the phone up and moved to the front door.

Ellen dug her hands into her pockets and stared out at the back of the house as she recalled the last week. Anna had split her time between Gitti and herself, almost as if she was compartmentalising her life. If they all had dinner together Anna retired to the living room or kitchen afterwards and up until now hadn't set foot in Ellen's bungalow but seemed quite content to socialise in the house and from time to time out in the backyard.

"Are you going to wear that shirt tomorrow?" Tabitha tugged at her sleeve.

"Um, yeah, maybe."

"It's so smooth," she replied.

"I know," she glanced out the window at Gitti who was taking clothes from the washing line, "it's the first time I've owned a satin shirt."

"Can I have one too?"

"Maybe," her eyes flickered to Julie as she finished her conversation. A moment later she stepped off the small porch and walked towards Gitti. The two women greeted each other and Ellen strained her ears for a moment before sinking back down on the couch.

"All right, I'll speak to Julie and see what we can work out but it won't be this month, I have to pay the rego this month."

Julie came back inside some five minutes later.

"Looks like we're staying for dinner," she perched on the edge of a sofa chair.

"Mondays are usually our day," Ellen glanced over at her.

"Well I can't imagine that's changed, she asked you to bring in some salad."

"You hear that, missy," Ellen put an arm around her daughter, "we've got company tonight."

"I'm going to practice my trumpet," Tabitha stood up.

"Okay, twenty minutes, remember?"

"A trumpet," Julie pulled a wry grin.

"Yeah, I was hoping music classes would involve a guitar but apparently the music teacher is a big jazz fan and he got some deal with a music shop so it's all brass instruments."

A minute or so later they heard the sound of a trumpet and Ellen grimaced.

"I may even buy her a guitar at this rate, anything to hear something else." she stood up.

"Ilona's brother has a guitar he wants to get rid of," Julie spoke up, "I could get her to ask what he wants for it."

"Sure, why not? As long as he doesn't want money this month, the rego is due and now she wants a satin shirt or dress," she walked over to the fridge.

"Who? Tabitha?"

"Yep, she likes this one," she tugged at her sleeve.

"Yeah, I could do that."

"At this rate I'll be donating my wages to you."

"Well, you can pay things off," Julie also rose, "it's not something I advertise but I do it on a case by case basis and you certainly qualify."

"Okay," she glanced over her shoulder as she opened the fridge door.

"I mean, you're doing the world of good for Anna," she walked to the bench.

"I am?" Ellen started taking food out of the fridge, "I wasn't aware I was much help at all."

"Oh, but you are," Julie put her palms on the bench, "she's mentioned you a few times, and always in a positive light. She talks about your strength and maturity."

"Are you sure she's not talking about someone else?" Ellen put the last of the food on the bench, "I'm having an affair with a married woman, I play loud music and dance around the room with my daughter."

"And why is that weakness?" Julie regarded her, "you must have told her something because she seems to be almost in awe of you."

"I haven't told her about Dee," she replied, "although Dee has other girlfriends. Her husband is an airline pilot and she's one of the cabin crew for another airline. I don't know what it is about people in the airline industry but they always seem so, so, sexually active."

"I dated a stewardess a few years ago," Julie smirked, "and she was."

Ellen was about to reply when she heard the back door opening followed by Anna's voice.

"Yeah, I know, I know."

Julie turned around just then, leaving Ellen to start cutting vegetables. Anna and Ilona stepped into the bungalow a minute or so later.

"Oh my god," Anna moved further into the room, "I never thought I'd see the day."

"What me cutting vegetables or wearing satin?"

"The second one," she reached the bench, "my god, that is amazing," she reached out and fingered the tie for a moment, "she made me one a few months ago but it was red."

She leaned over and plucked at the sleeve.

"I'm going to order another blouse," Anna glanced at Ellen, "not sure when I can come around for a measuring up session, or isn't that necessary?"

"I usually recheck measurements anyway," Julie replied, "just in case you've changed."

"I was just suggesting to Anna that she come for lunch next Sunday," Ilona spoke up, "you could measure her up then at the barbie."

"Sure thing," she glanced at Ellen, "you fancy coming along too?"

"Um," Ellen hesitated.

"Say yes," Anna turned to face her, "unless you'd rather," she trailed away.

"Sure, I just have to check Gitti can mind Tabitha for me."

"Bring her as well," Julie replied, "every second Sunday we have a girls barbie or dinner party, you won't be the only guests and some of our friends bring their kids too. We eat lunch, drink a few wines and some people stay for a light dinner and a night in front of the box."

"No worries then," Ellen smiled.

They moved into the main house some time later where Gitti was preparing lamb shanks and roast potatoes with a side plate of salad. It was an entertaining meal and she was able to observe the way Julie and Ilona were together. They were certainly in love and now and then was aware that Anna was also looking at them but it was hard to gauge her expression. Was she just open minded or was she checking them out for other reasons? The question remained even after Julie and Ilona finally went home and when Ellen parked her car in the driveway shortly afterwards she spotted Anna at the front door with her arms folded and a thoughtful look on her face.

"You still out here?" Ellen ventured.

"Yeah," she stepped off the verandah and started walking towards her, "can I ask you something/"

"What?"

"This barbecue on Sunday that we're going to," she looked past her, "I um, never asked you before but are you, with someone? I don't want to come between anyone."

For a few seconds she felt frozen to the spot but then she launched out into the unknown.

"I'm with someone but it's complicated."

"So, uncomplicate it for me."

"Dee is married but she has girlfriends on the side, her husband has his girlfriends too and I'm just one of her girlfriends. It's not as bad as it sounds, there's no commitments for anyone, but lately she's been a bit more reserved, their marriage is heading for a fork in the road and Dee isn't the one to make any kind of commitment and even if she chose one person I'm not sure I'd want to be the one she chose," she trailed away.

"Oh, okay," Anna looked past her, "god, that certainly sounds weird. I'm not so sure I could be with someone like that but to each their own."

"Fair enough, but to answer your question, we're just heading to a barbecue together. It's not like a date if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not," she replied a moment or two later, "I was just you know, wondering."

"So, you don't think anything less of me?" Ellen dug her hands into her pockets.

"No, no, absolutely not," Anna put a hand to her throat, "quite the opposite, I admire your honesty, Ritchie had an affair with someone for nearly three months but kept on denying anything was going on and it was only when I threatened to leave him that he finally admitted it."

"How long ago was that?"

"Not long after we were married," she replied, "I nearly did leave him all the same but he managed to convince me it had caused him pain as well. I know it sounds stupid but I wanted to believe him and I've looked down on women who tolerated infidelity in the past."

"My ex was always fucking around behind my back and I knew what was going on but I didn't dare accuse him because it'd mean another bashing, I just wanted to keep the peace."

"Yeah that's probably what it amounted to for me back then, I wanted to keep the peace but I still had my rules. I told him if he ever did that again I'd divorce him, which is one of the things he threw at me when I wrote to him and told him I wanted a divorce. He seems to think that none of this should affect our marriage because he didn't root anyone behind my back but it's the deception that hurts me and that's what he doesn't get."