Ellen's Tale Pt. 03

"So, you're saying I should get pregnant," she smirked.

Ellen chuckled at that and then Anna sat up and looked at the door.

"Tabitha's coming down the hallway."

"Probably looking for me," she turned around, "in here, sweetie."

Tabitha entered the room a few seconds later and paused for a moment or two before moving to the bed and clambering onto it.

"Don't do that, sweetie, it's not your bed."

"It's fine, Tabitha," Anna patted the bedspread, "your mum is just being polite."

"Okay, you win," Ellen laid down on her side and watched Tabitha crawling over to Anna, "she loves my bed because it's a double bed."

"Room for all your toys then," Anna smiled.

"And then some," Ellen eyed her daughter, "she likes crawling into bed with me whenever there's a hailstorm."

Anna's phone rang at that moment and there was a pause while she answered the call.

"Hey, Kym, how are you?"

Ellen closed her eyes as the conversation continued.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I'm lying on my bed with Ellen... no, no, it's not like that, her daughter is here as well," she chuckled.

"Whatever, so, this dinner date... when and where?"

Ellen opened her eyes a moment later and propped on her elbows as she considered leaving the room.

"Sure thing, Thursday sounds great... no problem, I'll be there... okay, thank you, bye."

She ended the call and put the phone down.

"Thursday night, six o'clock," she eyed Ellen, "back to our earlier conversation, what should I wear or isn't that an issue?"

"Well, is it an actual date or just dinner?"

"We're discussing the house," she replied, "specifically whether or not I should keep it or sell up once the settlement goes through."

"Well if that's the case then just go semi casual, you're coming back from work so just improvise and don't put undue pressure on yourself, you've got enough on your plate now without thinking about that kind of thing."

"Okay," Anna stared at the door again.

Nevertheless, it was a definite signal for Ellen and arguably it was what spurred her to take a stand where it came to Dee.

"I'm withdrawing from Dee," she told Gitti two days later as she collected her mail from the house after work, "I'm not breaking up with her, she's still a friend but I've moved on."

"Good, I always thought it was a strange arrangement," she mused, "it's not like Terry isn't sleeping with other people but he's just not open about it."

"But you're faithful to him though," she glanced down at her letters.

"Yeah, but it's slightly different in my case," she frowned.

"I have no desire to look for other partners and to be honest he's not even a boyfriend, we're friends with benefits and that works for me. If he moved down here then I'd be in the same situation as you and to be honest I may even decide not to carry on with the arrangement. I like the way I am here, I don't have to compromise, I have my privacy more or less and if we break up then it's no skin off my nose."

She leaned on the bench.

"Are you planning on making yourself available to Anna?"

"Um," she stared at the hallway door, "that's a good way of putting it but I'd be hesitant."

"Why? Is it because of her living situation?"

"That has something to do with it," she admitted, "but I'm nervous about taking it further even if she moves back to Coldstream."

"And that's your problem right there," she replied, "you function on dysfunction," and in answer to Ellen's upraised eyebrows she went on.

"Your marriage was dysfunctional, you survived that but your next full time relationship was with a bipolar woman who couldn't remember to take her medication, now you're with a woman who has an actual harem as well as a marriage. There's nothing wrong with normality."

"I've always been addicted to chaos," she looked past her for a moment, "it goes back to when I was growing up. Mum was always going off tap. One minute we were one big happy family and the next she was wanting to chuck it all in and move out. She settled down once they diagnosed her and got her onto medication but it must have affected me."

Gitti's eyes shifted as they heard the bathroom door opening and then Anna walked into her room and shut the door.

"I gotta get back to Tab," she gathered up her letters, "see you later."

Tabitha was waiting for her when she stepped into the bungalow a few minutes later. She'd made herself comfortable in front of the television to watch Home and Away and she patted the cushion next to her. Ellen sat down and stared at the screen. She'd never had much time for these shows that purported to show 'normal' Aussie life because it was so unlike real life. There was a thin veneer of real life but she'd never met anyone who lived like that and yet as she sat watching the show she found herself going back to her teenage years when, like her daughter, she'd sat watching Home and Away, and Neighbours.

Her mother had gone from raging against the inanity to total immersion, depending on her mood at the time and yet some of her most vivid memories were of sitting watching Home and Away with her mother.

Have I turned into my own mother? Ellen looked down at her daughter.

A moment later she took her phone out of her bag and touched the screen. She had a few texts and one was from Dee.

Dee: Got a night shift coming up on Wednesday, fancy coming over for a bite to eat? Promise to have you back home for after school activities.

She grimaced at the text. A bite to eat was code for sex. There was little time to eat whenever she went to Dee's place. She stared at the television for a minute or two.

I need to deal with this now.

"I have to make a phone call," she pulled her vaporiser out of her handbag and then stepped out into the backyard for some privacy.

"Hiya," Dee greeted her, "I just sent the text... you must be as horny as hell."

"I'm not that horny," she bit her lip, "it's just I might not make it on Wednesday."

"Oh, okay, no worries, let me see... I've got a shuttle run between Melbourne and Brisbane for the next two days, an afternoon shift on Saturday but I've only got a half shift on Sunday, we're doing the Tassie run, so you can have Saturday night, Sunday night or..."

She stopped as Ellen interrupted.

"Actually, it's not the day itself, it's much deeper than that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I'm thinking of just backing out for now."

"Oh," she paused and Ellen heard the clink of ice in a glass, "why's that? Have you met some woman? Or is it something else?"

"It's something else, I mean there's a woman I fancy but that might not happen, but lately I've been thinking of dipping my toes in the dating pool again but I can't exactly do that if I'm still seeing you," she looked up at the house.

"It's nothing personal, I like you as a friend. You haven't done anything wrong, I just want to try and see if I can you know, be exclusive to one person."

There was an even longer pause before Dee replied again.

"Okay, I get it and I wish you all the best. I can't go down that route with you or anyone else but I hope it works out for you... it's been fun though."

"Likewise," she turned to face the bungalow, "I have no regrets."

Ellen swallowed hard as she pocketed the phone.

So, what's done is done.

***

Anna looked at her reflection in Kym's bathroom mirror one more time. She'd arrived here ten minutes ago with a constipated look on her face. It was a consequence of stress, the need to just sit on the toilet and focus on the most basic of human functions, even if she didn't really need to go it still felt as if she was cocooned. The trial date had been set and after a bit of to and fro she'd finally decided not to attend the trial. The former policeman had just had his committal hearing and the magistrate had set bail high enough to discourage him, it would mean he'd be forced to put one of his two houses on the market.

Nonetheless, he'd taken the plunge and put up his second home as surety and surrendered his passport, but having to wear an electronic tag and submit to regular visits at his local station wasn't part of his plans. He'd also been 'notified' that any attempt to connect with underworld figures was a breach of his bail conditions.

"He's not a happy Jan," Gitti commented drily as Anna fastened the belt buckle, "he used to be the one standing over the accused laying down the law. It's not so hot when you're on the other side of the law."

"Do I have need to worry?" Anna slid the belt through the belt loop on her skirt.

"No," she leaned on the door jamb, "I shouldn't be telling you this, so please be... discreet and don't tell tales but the word on the street is that your ex husband is singing like a canary about his old business partner, Roy. The only reason the DPP agreed to the bail conditions was the chance to put Roy under serious surveillance and more importantly, away from Ritchie. If Roy gets word that he's talking then he might try to silence him."

"Define silence him," she looked at her.

"Kill him, dead men tell no tales and in prison no one likes a dobber, but right now things are at a delicate stage. If Ritchie becomes a material witness against his ex business partner then they'll be forced to make alternative arrangements to ensure he lives long enough to testify."

Anna swallowed as she adjusted the collar of her blouse. In spite of the bitterness, she didn't want to see him die.

"And the police can protect him?"

"Pretty much, they've got a source development unit that deals with false identities and finding new homes for witnesses, providing he plays by the rules."

"Ritchie always raged against the rules," she commented drily, "every time some new by law comes into play he lectures the telly."

"I had an ex boyfriend who used to do that as well," Gitti grinned.

"But what if someone out there tries do get rid of Roy?"

"Knock him?" Gitti rolled her eyes, "I don't doubt there are a few hitmen out there ready to do it but the consequences for killing a cop, even a corrupt cop are high and so is the price. He's only in danger if he decides to cooperate with the police. Roy's nickname was the Teflon cowboy and he's hoping that this slides off him as well."

"I'm so glad you're here," Anna turned around and flicked her hair over the blouse.

"I would've gone to pieces under the pressure, this is so far out of my experience it's like I'm in a television show. I've seen people being led out of court on the idiot box but I never thought I'd see someone I knew being led out in handcuffs."

"You're doing well, all things considered," Kym dug her hands into her pockets, "I'm here for you and Ellen is right behind you as well, she's been through similar things."

"But her situation was slightly more dangerous," she pursed her lips, "I can't imagine her shacked up with a bikie, it's only when I see her tattoos that I can kind of visualise it."

"So, what's happening at Kym's?" Gitti paused, "is it a get to know you date or something else?"

"It's a bit of both but more of the second one," she turned around and picked up two folders, "I need a second opinion on the place in Coldstream. There's no doubt I'm divorcing Ritchie but we'll have to sell the house, so I can either take out a loan and buy him out or just sell up and use the money as a deposit for another place."

"Okay," Gitti moved further into the room, "I wasn't sure because of that skirt."

"You think it's too much?" Anna looked down in mild alarm at the leather mini skirt, the bulk of the skirt was made of black leather but a swatch of grey suede in the shape of an upside down triangle extended from the waistband to the middle of the skirt. Two zippers followed the diagonal line and press studs at her hips helped keep the skirt fastened. The overall look was definitely sexual and she felt the colour rising in her cheeks.

"It's very bold, I've always said I'd never wear a mini skirt but I might wear that one."

"Then ask Julie," she sat down on the bed suddenly, "she made this and the blouse," she indicated the double-breasted white blouse that almost seemed at odds with the racy skirt, "but the necklace was something I made myself."

"You're kidding?" Gitti knelt on the bed and reached out to touch the necklace. It was made of a few dozen beads strung together in concentric rows to form a semi circle in front, covering the front of the blouse.

"Nope, I've got a couple of boxes of stock back at Coldstream. It was a hobby that I tried to turn into a business but I'm afraid I got distracted by other things, like my marriage. I've sold a few items but I haven't sold anything for nearly twelve months."

"You should sell online."

"Ha, the story of my life. If only I had time," she fell back onto her elbows, "I really envy those women who can just do things spontaneously, I over think everything and then end up making excuses not to make a move and the sad part it is always sounds logical."

"You wouldn't be the first but in the spirit of spontaneity let me make you an offer. You can stay here as long as you want. There's no time limit, so you could feasibly rent the house out and take some time to adjust. You can always move back in when you want or just sell up and use the money as a deposit."

"And you don't mind if I stay here longer?"

"Of course not," she swivelled to face her, "one of the reasons I got out of the force was the things I just told you about, the deals we make with crims and we always say the end justifies the means but too often it's a case of big egos trying to score points with the Chief Superintendent. The deal they made with Ritchie is just one of many but Roy knows the system and he'll be thinking about how to leverage himself into a better position."

"Can he do that?"

"On paper, yes, but he's made a lot of enemies on both sides of the law. Angie is pushing as hard as she can and I've known her for years, she's like a pitbull on heat, she won't let go until he's on his knees begging for mercy."

"She seems so, so, calm and collected."

"It's a façade. I remember when she was a probationary constable and six heavies tried to stand over her, they were threatening her with violence and rape, but she just stood her ground and smilingly told them that two car loads of tactical response officers were three minutes away, so they'd better get a wriggle on if they were going to carry out their threats," she smoothed out the quilt.

"They turned and bolted."

"It's Roy I'm worried about."

"Don't worry about Roy, he was a heavy back in his youth but now he's just yesterday's hero and he knows it. That's the problem with gaining a reputation with violence, eventually some younger buck challenges you for the title."

Don't worry about it.

Anna stared at her reflection in the mirror as she came out of her reverie. She adjusted the collar of the blouse, it was one that Julie had made for her some six months ago, when she was still married, she pulled at the two pleats down each side. The double rows of buttons were set some three inches apart and a design had been stitched into the middle with black thread. The original design on the pattern Julie had shown her had a flower motif but Anna had wanted something Native American and when Julie copied a Navaho design she'd seen on the Internet she fell in love with it.

Even so, Anna had doubted that it would work out until she saw the finished article but when she had offered to pay more for it Julie simply shrugged.

"Don't even think about it, maybe next time I'll charge more."

How do I even attract such friends?

Anna frowned as she tucked the blouse further into her skirt and after a final check, stepped out of the bathroom and headed back to the living room. Kym was on the couch with a glass of wine and Anna felt a slight weakness as their eyes met.

Kym was wearing a cream satin blouse with a detachable tie and tight grey pinstriped trousers. The tie itself was a work of art with numerous dark brown spots at the bottom that thinned out towards the top of the tie and when she sat down next to her she noticed the spots were actually made of balls of thread.

"Feeling better?" Kym set the glass down.

"Yeah, sorry, it's the nerves. I've had so much happen lately that sometimes I think my bladder just makes up its own mind."

"Understandable," she took a sip of wine, "I was a bundle of nerves after my first marriage ended, I was sitting in a house with a king size mortgage and he was pleading PTSD," she patted the place beside her.

"But how's about you sit down here while I finish getting dinner ready, it helps to have this sitting in front of you. Don't ask me why, but it helps to settle your mind if you just let it sink in, there's a way forward and all we have to do is find it."

"No worries," she sat down next to her.

"Where'd you get that skirt?"

"Um, Julie," she swivelled to face her.

"Very nice," she studied it, "I've never been a mini skirt woman but that's something I would wear, I might have to make an appointment," her eyes travelled further up to the blouse.

"I like this," Kym tugged at the sleeve of Anna's blouse, "I used to own one years ago that I picked up in an op shop but it was beige and I've put on more weight in the last twenty years."

"Julie made it as well," Anna looked down at herself, "but yours is just as beautiful."

"It seems we favour the same designer," Kym murmured, "she made this too."

"I love the speckled effect on the tie," she reached out to finger it.

Kym looked down in mild amusement as Anna felt the stitching.

"They're beads?"

"Yeah," Kym replied, "she'd never worked with beads before, so this feature was a freebie just in case it didn't work out," she shifted slightly as Anna released the tie.

"But I like the stitching," she reached out, "may I?"

"Of course," Anna looked down as Kym felt the stitching, two fingers slid in between the buttons as she rubbed it. She felt a slight anxiety mingled with something else, desire? Anna looked up briefly or was she just reacting normally. It wasn't the first time a woman had done this, Anna frequently wore one of Julie's creations to the point she was now one of Julie's unofficial models.

"Hmm, mm," Kym's hand moved further up the blouse, sliding over the black buttons, "black on white is always good but this," she stopped at the necklace.

"Is absolutely amazing. What is it, volcanic glass?"

"Yeah," she looked up briefly, "it was my hobby slash small business idea but it never panned out and now I have two boxes of stock and half finished pieces at home in Coldstream. I made three of these, four if you count the one I'm wearing now."

"How much?"

"For this?" Anna closed her eyes and swallowed her nervousness, "fifty dollars."

"Fifty dollars?" Kym rubbed the beads.

"Alright, thirty dollars," she opened her eyes.

"Do you want to know the first lesson about selling your services?" Kym let go of the necklace.

"What?"

"Never undersell yourself. Look me in the eye and give me the price you want for it and don't let me talk you down."

Anna felt as if she was standing outside herself and then she gathered what little strength she had and spoke again.

"A hundred dollars."

"Sold," she propped her elbow on the back of the couch.

"Do you want this one?"

"I can wait for one of the other necklaces but I'll give you the money tonight," she looked past her as she thought about it, "actually I'll give you eighty tonight and the rest when I get the necklace."

"For sure, no worries, thank you."

"Thank you," Kym straightened up and locking her hands behind her head, arched her back and rocked back and forth, "my god, what I wouldn't give for a fucking massage."