Ellen's Tale Pt. 05

"If this is going to work though it needs both of us to step up and take a stand, I'll meet you in the middle but I'm not going all the way to find you shuffling your feet and I don't need rescuing, I've survived two marriages and raised three kids and still managed to advance my career."

She stood up as Red dropped the ball at her feet.

"Okay," Anna picked up the ball, "my turn," she tossed the ball, "I'm going to go for a settlement and I've just seen Penny, she won't be handling the case personally but she runs a few practices out here in the east, but I won't be living in the house. I want to stay at Gitti's place, I need company but I don't need the hassle of a live in relationship. It's hard enough without having to compromise on stupid shit like whose turn is it to cook tonight."

"Penny handled my second divorce," she smiled crookedly, "I was stunned at how much she got for me, my ex husband was even more stunned."

"I met her out at Julie's place a couple of hours ago," she went on.

"And?"

Anna didn't give her the whole story, just a summarised version and she expected Kym to try and talk her out of it but instead the older woman merely nodded as her daughter came outside again.

"That sounds like a good idea, assuming she agrees with it."

"Well if she doesn't I can always find someone else to rent the place out but it solves the problem of paying off a mortgage and the other problem we've talked about."

"You might like to tell her about Women Who Talk, it's an organisation set up for women who have body image problems, sexual hangups, or just general phobias. I was a part of it for a few years after my last marriage ended but I haven't been for the last eighteen months. Penny was one of the founding members back in the late nineties. Some of the women I call friends now are or were part of the group."

"I've heard it mentioned somewhere or maybe I read it," she fell into step beside Kym as Red trotted along in front of them with the ball in his mouth.

"I'll take you to a meeting next month," she slipped a hand into the crook of her arm, "and if you like it then at least you can tell your friend Shobi more about it," she slowed her pace, "but on the other matter... are you or are you not going to see other women?"

"No, not unless you're going to do the same thing."

"I kind of like the one I'm with right now, she's bright, she doesn't intrude on my private life, and Red likes her too. He never really took to Michael but the poor man has a pet allergy."

***

The last time Anna had been at the house had been four days ago when she collected the mail and took it home and there was another pile in the letterbox down near the front road. At least five were for Ritchie and she made a mental note to call his parents again and get them to change addresses because there was no way he was going to be coming within five hundred metres of this place. She peered up the driveway and noted the late model Commodore parked outside the house and glanced surreptitiously at Shobi. Her text to Penny had been brief and to the point.

Penny had merely sent an 'okay' back but as she drove from Heathmont to Coldstream she found herself trying to imagine the conversation with Shobi even though she wouldn't be the one doing the actual talking. That much had been agreed upon at Julie's place, simply because Penny's word was likely to carry more weight than her own.

Here goes nothing, she got back behind the wheel as Shobi stared straight ahead.

"Whose car is that?"

"Penny's," she released the parking brake and shifted into first, "she's my divorce lawyer, I met her this morning at Julie's joint," she accelerated.

Shobi glanced over at her as she drove up the driveway to the house.

"Okay, nice place you've got here."

"Yeah it's a bit out of the way but it's quiet."

"So, why aren't you still living here? Are you afraid your ex will come back?"

"There was that possibility but now that Roy's locked up I'm thinking of getting someone in to rent the place. I'm happy enough here," she pulled up alongside Penny's car.

Penny got out to greet her and Anna's eyes shifted to the other woman in the passenger seat, she'd half expected Robyn to be there as well, but this woman was unknown to her. She was dressed in smart casual attire, a pale blue blouse and tan trousers, she looked to be in her forties as well and Anna couldn't help comparing her to Kym because she had that same sense of quiet sophisticated style.

"This is Alana, my property assessor, and this is Anna," she introduced them.

"How are you," she shook her hands a few moments later, catching the scent of perfume, it was the same brand as Kym wore, "this is my friend, Shobi."

Penny and Alana both shook her hand and then Anna led them inside. Alana set to her task almost right away, marking off points on a form and taking pictures with the camera on her phone. That left Anna in the kitchen with Penny and Shobi, momentarily.

"So, what's on the agenda this afternoon," Penny put her handbag on the kitchen bench.

"We're going for a drive in the country," Anna replied, "and I'm going to drop Shobi off at some party out in Warbie," she moved towards the door leading to the living room, "what was it again, some swingers party?"

"A swingers party?" Penny chuckled, "sounds like quite a party, I know a couple of them myself, although I'm not a swinger."

"You do?" Shobi straightened up slowly, "you wouldn't happen to know Andrew and Helen Fisher would you?"

"Know them?" Penny moved around the bench so that she was next to Shobi, "I've known Andrew for years and Helen used to work for me, until I sacked her," she turned away from Shobi and then winked at Anna.

"How well do you know them?" Penny rounded the bench and looked at her, "you don't seem like the type to move in their circles?"

Anna stepped into the living room to find Alana writing something down on a clipboard.

"Did you get a picture of the hole in the wall?"

"I did," she nodded, "any other holes?"

"No but let me show you the rest of the house."

Alana nodded and let Anna lead her out of the living room while Penny kept talking, she glanced over her shoulder briefly and bit her lip. As if sensing her worry Alana simply smiled.

"Don't worry, Penny is in control," she murmured, "if your friend is receptive she'll find an opening and exploit it."

Nevertheless, she was still doubtful as she led Alana through to the other rooms, she seemed to take a long time examining each room and then of course she needed to see the backyard and the shed, followed by the front. By the time they returned to the kitchen though Shobi was sitting with her head in her hands while Penny sipped her coffee and when the younger woman looked up she had a look of complete devastation.

"What's wrong?" Anna asked her.

Shobi put a hand over her mouth as if to stop something coming out and then swept her hand over her hair and looked away.

"I've... um... that party..."

"What about that party?"

"I can't go, it's not what I thought it was and I shouldn't have even asked you. I had no idea she was like that, I just needed the money for rent and stuff."

"Oh," she pretended to be surprised, "what's wrong with this party? I'm a bit confused."

"They're using me to find single women to join their parties, I was just a caterer, or so I thought but we were servicing their rich friends. How could I have been so fucking stupid?"

"Maybe you just needed money?" Anna suggested, "like you said? It's easy to fall into something like that if someone is offering you money," she propped her palms on the table.

"So, how much rent are you paying in Heathmont?"

"Five hundred and fifty a week," she replied.

"How does three hundred and fifty a week sound? For this place?"

Shobi stared at her and then at Penny.

"It's all right, I knew about the party but I wasn't qualified to tell you about the Fishers, Penny on the other hand is and this had to come from someone who knows their track record. She is here to look at the house though because her company will be handling the case, I'm going to go for the house but I'm not moving back in here. I do however, need someone to stay here," she paused and looked past her for a moment.

"I need a lead tenant, someone who can check out any other people who might want to rent a room, which would of course reduce the amount of rent you have to pay. It works well for me because the mortgage is being paid and it works for you as well on account of the fact that we work together so if you need something repaired you come straight to me and not to some agent."

"No," Shobi exhaled slowly."

"No?" Anna raised her eyebrows.

"Not at three hundred and fifty," she bit her lip, "four hundred and fifty... just in case they increase the interest rates or something?"

"All right," she nodded, "four hundred and fifty it is, now go and use the toilet and check out the rest of the house while you're at it," she winked.

Once she was out of earshot however Penny took out her phone and tapped the home button, she selected an option and raised the phone to her ear.

"Hiya, sweetie... yeah, we're fine... I'm going to drop Alana off and then I'll swing back to pick you up... can you make the call?" Penny glanced at the doorway leading to the hallway.

"Yeah, we can do that. I'll pick up a couple of bottles on the way back... okay, see you soon, love you," and with that she was hanging up.

"What was that about?"

"Zoning laws," she replied, "that house is recorded as a residence but if they're employing people as sex workers then they need to register it as a brothel and it's going to be interesting to see how the locals react to having a brothel in the area, not to mention the paperwork they're going to have to fill if they're approved," she leaned against the bench.

"I got my revenge on that bitch years ago but Robyn has been looking for a chance to get her back on the shifty little slut. Her old man was the head copper up there, so between the two of them they know everyone."

She glanced at Alana.

"What's your diagnosis?"

"Between four hundred and fifty and five hundred," she glanced at her clipboard.

"Fine," she nodded, "I'll waive my fee for this one on the proviso that you keep your mouth shut," she looked at Anna, "understood?"

"Absolutely, and thank you," she straightened up.

"No worries," she grabbed her handbag and moved away from the bench, "I'll be in touch," she inclined her head in Alana's direction. "Shall we?"

As she saw them away Shobi came back through from her inspection of the house and Anna waited until they were driving back down the driveway before turning to look at her.

"I'm not doing this for the reason you might think, I'm into women but agreeing to this means there isn't anything like that between us, okay?"

"Sure," she held up her hands, "I get it, but why?"

"We bought this place because we wanted to enjoy our own little piece of paradise but when Ritchie raised his hands to me that dream was shattered. Maybe in time I'll return to this place with some woman and make another attempt at making a home here but until then I can put it to good use. My only caveat is that you sever all ties with Helen and Andrew, is that understood?"

"Absolutely," she nodded.

"All right," she stepped back inside, "let's go for that drive and then I'll drop you back home."

The drive took them further into the Yarra Valley, past the wineries and ending up in Healesville and then along the Don Road to Launching Place to return back via Seville and Wandin.

***

Pulling up outside Gitti's house felt almost anticlimactic in a way after the tumultuous events that day. Tabitha was bouncing a basketball as her mother unloaded her boxes of ceramics and when she walked down the driveway she spotted Gitti taking in the washing. The sounds of Cold Chisel's Khe Sanh were blaring out of Ellen's bungalow and when she stopped to pick up a box the other woman smiled and nodded.

"Better late than never, how was your day?"

"Good," she followed her through the side gate and into the backyard as Tabitha threw the ball up towards the ring mounted in front of the garage, "I've got some news for you."

"You're not thinking of moving out are you? Tabitha has your day mapped out tomorrow."

"No, I've um, got a girlfriend."

"Oh? You and me both," she nudged her with her hip, "so, what's your babe like?"

"She's older than me, she's a vice principal at a primary school and has three kids."

"Kym?" Ellen hooked her finger behind the flywire door handle.

"Yeah, and yours?"

"Jacinda, my best friend from high school."

"Okay," she followed her inside, "so, what are these plans Tabitha has for me?"

"I have no idea," she glanced over her shoulder, "she just said she had plans. Are you staying for dinner here or having it in the house?"

"I'll have it here," she decided.

As she helped her carry the rest of the boxes into the bungalow Anna had time to reflect on the irony of the moment. She had left a home she'd thought was home to come home. Tabitha's plans were still a mystery but for the first time she felt no great urgency. The trial had yet to take place, the divorce papers hadn't been filed yet but all that was in the future and for now all she had to do was sit back and enjoy the view.

EPILOGUE

"In sentencing today, Justice Elizabeth Kennedy said that Richard Norris had shown little remorse for his crimes but praised the promptness and professional conduct of the police in their seizure of a large cache of high powered rifles and handguns, which included two fully automatic machine guns. Addressing the defendant today she said that his carelessness and reckless disregard, combined with naked greed had undoubtedly seen some of those guns make their way into the hands of Melbourne's Underworld. Richard Norris has been sentenced to twenty five years for possession of illegal firearms under state legislation and she further noted that he will not be eligible for early release," the news anchor paused as a new picture appeared on the screen behind her showing Tom McNally's body being driven away in an ambulance.

"The accused sat stony faced throughout the sentencing but his mother collapsed and proceedings had to be halted until medical assistance could be rendered. This brings to a close a case that has exposed deep flaws in the Victoria Police that enabled disgraced detective, Tom McNally to set up what a police spokesperson said was a highly developed and sophisticated run running operation. Justice Kennedy said it was regretful that McNally was not here to face justice along with his co-conspirator," she paused for effect.

"McNally was found hanged in his cell in an alleged suicide six weeks ago after he'd received threats against his life from unnamed underworld figures. A spokesperson from Victoria Police confirmed that investigations are ongoing against several of these figures but she declined to go into specifics to avoid alerting any persons of interests but she stated that it will be a wide ranging inquiry into organised criminal activity," her eyes shifted slightly.

"There was some criticism from civil rights and prison reform groups over the severity of the sentence, given that Norris was merely a minor player but a spokesperson for Victoria Police welcomed this revolutionary new approach," she stopped as the screen behind her dissolved to reveal a uniformed policeman.

"It sends out a clear message that we have zero tolerance to this kind of thing. Whilst his co-accused played a major instigating role, Mister Norris was certainly well aware that his actions would lead to acts of violence, up to and including murder. These firearms were not stored for the purposes of selling on to collectors or even registered shooters, they were kept in storage for criminals for the express purpose of carrying out violent crime."

Gitti looked over at Anna as she sat staring at the television set and a moment later she reached out and touched her hand.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she looked down at her hand, "I just thought I should feel something more, it just feels like... like..." Anna bit her lip.

"Numb?"

"Yeah, that's the word," she stared at a picture on the wall that had been put there a few weeks ago, it showed Gitti, Ellen, Tabitha and herself seated around a table at a popular picnic spot by the Yarra River in Warrandyte. The occasion had been her birthday and it had seemed fitting she celebrate it with her new family although there had been a more adult celebration with Kym, Ellen, Jacinda and a few others at a restaurant in the city.

"It's been three months," Gitti reminded her, "you can't be expected to conjure up an emotional response at the drop of a hat. When the emotions come we'll be here for you," she straightened up and put her palms on the couch.

"Where are you going dressed up like that?" Anna looked at the black, backless dress she was wearing.

"Out for dinner... with Angie, don't wait up though," she rose, "will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine," she looked past her, "Ellen's in there with Jacinda."

Gitti nodded as she stepped away and Anna stared at the television screen as the next report appeared on screen, an update on the ongoing scandal in the sleepy town of Warburton where a couple, Andrew and Helen Fisher had had their application to start a brothel turned down by the local council.

"Citing his support for legalised establishments, the spokesperson stated that had the Fishers applied for a licence before starting their swingers' club the outcome might have been different but due to the fact they had run the club at a profit in an area that had not been cleared for commercial work that they had been left with no option but to reject their application. According to one source close to the couple they have now separated citing irreconcilable differences," she paused.

"We'll be back after the break with news of a more cosmic nature, the transit of Venus tomorrow morning."

"So, that's it then," Gitti grabbed her wrap, "they're lucky they don't face a tax audit."

"Oh that's probably coming, Shobi had to declare her earnings the other week."

"And?" Gitti threw the wrap around her shoulders.

"She's worked out a plan, so it's all doable but I think she's learned her lesson. I can't say the same for Andrew and Helen though."

"It's the same old story, I've seen it a thousand times, they think that they can get away with it because they're smarter, more sophisticated or have a better plan, the excuses are myriad but they always come to one common theme. They think they're unique but sooner or later they fuck up, and it all comes crashing down around them," she tied the wrap in front.

"And thus ends the lesson for the day, I'll see you when I see you."

And with that she was left to her own devices and when the ads ended she turned the sound up to watch a story about the second and last transit of Venus this century. Her eyes flickered to her phone beside her on the couch and a moment later she picked it up and composed a text.

Anna: Feel like some company tonight?

Kym: Sure, come on around, I'm just sitting down with Debbie to look at a documentary on You Tube about Venus. We're getting ready to watch it tomorrow morning.

Anna: I know, Tabitha has been buzzing about it.

Kym: Well, why not bring her around as well? As long as her mum doesn't mind. She can crash over in David's room or with Debbie. I can run them both to school in the morning.

Anna: Okay, let me go check.

Anna stepped into the bungalow a minute later to find Ellen and Jacinda finishing dinner, Tabitha was sitting watching television.