Hunters Journey of Self Discovery

We walked into my bedroom, and Annie again was stunned by the oppulance. Throwing her gear on the bed she couldn't hold it in any longer. "What the fuck are you doing Hunter? You carry on like you've got no dosh, and yet you live in this? You must've been laughing your arse off watching us work for fucking pennies."

The venom dripped off her words. I moved towards her to give her a cuddle, but she pushed me away. "What were we Hunter, a game?"

"No, I made a decision to leave this behind, because I hated it, all the plastic people, the pompous pretentiousness. I wanted to make my own way in the world. I don't live here any more Annie. This is not my home any longer. When I left, all I took was one thousand dollars. Nothing else."

"Hunter, you don't get it. This is your safety net. If you got in trouble, you could ring Mummy or Daddy and they'd bail you out. For the rest of us, if we failed, we'd be sleeping in a cardboard box under a motorway overpass somewhere."

"No Annie, you're wrong. I never once called my parents for help. I worked for everything."

Shaking her head in disbelief, she mumbled. "I don't get you Hunter. All this, and you wanted to play with the street kids. I don't believe you. This was alays here wasn't it. You couldn't fail."

"Annie, I hated this life. I didn't have any friends. Everybody wanted something from me, money, an in to my fathers company. I hated not knowing if they liked me. That's why I left. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you."

We fell into a tense hug. I felt her body soften as I kissed her. "What the fuck is your Mother gonna say about me being here?" Annie snapped.

"She will be angry at me. In truth, yes, she is not going to like you. She's a snob, and a big one."

"Should I just piss off?" She asked.

"No, absolutely not. She has to learn, you are now part of me. I hope once she gets to know you, she will fall head over heels, just like I did."

We showered and changed, wandered down to the dining room where Aisha had prepared a sumptuous spread.

Annie may have been angry, but it didn't stop her from devouring most of it.

Aisha fussed around, and nearly had a fit when Annie and I helped clean up. "What are you doing Miss?" She shrieked.

"Aisha, we just ant to help."

"No Miss, no, is not right." Her Malayan accent getting stronger.

Annie laughed. "Sorry, but we are gonna help." Annie picked up an armful of plates and asked. "Where's the bloody kitchen?"

I led her away with my own arms full. Aisha following behind us, muttering derisively under her breath.

After helping do the dishes I asked. "Is there a car we can use Aisha?"

She nodded, I will get Hafiz. He can help you."

She got on the phone as Annie asked. "Who's Hafiz?"

"He is the gardener, slash maintenance man. He is Aisha's husband. They live here in a cottage around the back."

"Fuck me." Annie sneered. "A fucking gardener. Next you'll be telling me you had a butler as well."

Hafiz walked in, his beaming smile lit up the room. "Miss Hunter, it is so nice to see you again. We missed you."

I welcomed him into a big hug. "I missed you as well. This is my friend Annie."

He turned to Annie, his face showing no signs of disrespect. "Pleased to meet you Miss." They shook hands as he led us out to the garage.

My Father had a small collection of cars. A Mecedes, his daily driver, an Audi Quattro that won a round of the NZ world rally championship. Several sports cars, including an Astron Martin, his prized possession.

"I think we will take the Merc Hafiz." He smiled. "Good choice."

As we rolled out down the drive, the Merc purring quietly. Annie let out another cry of astonishment. "Did you see all those bloody cars. What about you, don't you have one?"

"No, I sold mine when I walked out."

I could see her mind spinning. Everything she knew about me had been flipped. I saw it in her eyes, the loss of respect, her dislike for the situation.

Mother was at Dad's bedside. When she saw me walk in she jumped up and rushed into my arms. The hug was strong, but her words cut like a knife. "Good heavens, what in heavens name are you wearing? You look like nobody ons you."

I tried to smile, be polite. "Mother, this is Annie." I pushed Annie forward. "She is my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend..." The disapproval as thick as venom. She tried to recover. "Pleased to meet you Annette."

"It's just Annie." I spat out."

Mum's scowl freezing me in my spot. It took a few moments for us all to regather out sensabilities. "What is hapening Mother? What is wrong with Dad?"

"Bowel cancer I'm afraid. The prognosis is bad. Very bad. He has been undergoing some special treatment. It may give him a few more months, but it will not be long I am afraid darling."

"Months..." I spluttered. "Only months?"

"Yes, I know, it was a shock for us as well. We hope that this treatment will give him time to at least get everything in order."

"What about the company?" I asked.

Mother gathered me back in her arms. "Darling, he wants you to take over. It is all he has talked about. You know it was alays his dream."

"Mum, I can't do that. I have a life now."

"A life." She spat out like an attacking Cobra. "Look at you, dressed like an urchin. Good heavens, have you lost all respect for yourself. It is your fathers wish Hunter. He wants you to take over. He expects it."

Dad made a gurgling noise at that moment and Mum and I rushed to the bedside. When his eyes noticed it was me he Sighed. "Hunter, thank god. I missed you my love."

"I missed you to Dad." I leaned down and we hugged, his arms weak and feeble, his tears wetting my neck.

As we parted he chuckled. "So, tell me about your adventures."

I remembered Annie, and went and retrieved her from the doorway. "Dad, this is Annie. She is my girlfriend."

His eyes shot from Mum to me, to Annie, then back. "Girlfriend?"

"Yes Dad, girlfriend, as in my life partner."

"Oh good heavens." Mother spluttered harshly.

Dad nodded and reached out his hand. "Annie, it's a pleasure. I wish the circumstances were better. I would love to hug my Daughters partner. She must love you an awful lot."

Annie teared up a little as she smiled warmly, acknowledging his words. "Thanks, it's nice to meet you. I wish it were better as well."

Dad kept asking about my adventures, and I gave him the story of how Annie and I met, and how we worked our way around Australia. Unlike Mum he was impressed, and even though he was in real pain, he managed to sit up as Annie got her phone out and showed him the photos. His smile grew until she got to the ones of the flood. He sucked in a deep breath. "Golly, you girls were very lucky."

"Oh hell yeah." Annie giggled. "That helicopter was a bloody god send."

Mum, stood of to the side, listening, but not really participating. Dad turned his attention from Annie and the phone. "Hunter, what are your plans, now that you are back?"

With a non committed shrug I replied. "I am not sure Dad. We came home to spend time with you. That was our only plan. We will look for jobs."

"There is only one job I want to talk to you about, and you know what it is."

"Dad, I can't. I have a new life, a partner. I have been away from the firm for a while. I am sure Mike would do a far better job."

"Like hell." Dad growled through his pain. "Hunter, I am impressed. You went away, totally on your own. Now you have the one thing missing from your CV. Life experience. You know the damn job. You know all the clients, and now you bring, life."

"Dad, my heart would not be in it. I loved working with you, but without you. It would be heartbreaking."

"Honey, you are strong, that has never been more apparent to me. Look at what you achieved, and now you have this wonderful young woman at your side. Together you could take the firm to new heights."

Annie gasped at hearing him talk about her in glowing terms. I could see by his expression the pain was taking a toll. "Hunter, take your time, think about it. Talk to Annie." He reached for Annie's hand. "This lady is a keeper. She can help you."

Mum took control as she always did. "Hunter, I think we should give your Father some peace."

I gave him a hug and kiss, and he grabbed Annie at the same time, and she couldn't escape without a kiss. "We will see you at home Mum." I called as we waved goodbye to Dad.

In the elevator, away from prying ears, Annie exhaled loudly. "Wow, you Mother is a force of nature. I don't think she liked me."

"Don't worry, she doesn't like me either."

"Fuck Cuz, you're an egg sometimes."

"I am serious Annie. She can be so snarky towards me."

"Your Pops a lovely dude though?"

"Yes, Dad has always been on my side. I think that is why Mum gets pissed off with me. Dad sides with me. Gee, he took a shine to you."

Annie giggled. "Why wouldn't he, I'm nice."

"Yes Honey, you're a sweetie."

At home, Aisha already had the table set for dinner. Mum obviously called her and got her to go all out.

We walked out to the kitchen, Annie keen to see if Aisha needed a hand. She was soon busy helping. As much as Aisha tried to get her to stop, the harder Annie worked. In the end Aisha just gave up an accepted our help.

It took me back to my youth. Aisha was my role model. She let me help in the kitchen, she taught me to cook. Taught me how to do my own laundry. Much of my independent streak came from her.

If it had bee up to Mum, I would be a socialite, relying entirely on somebody else to do my cooking, cleaning, and parenting. I loved Aisha, she was the one who got me through childhood. There was no doubt in my mind that my Mother loved me, she adored me, until I didn't fit her mold of how she saw me. Then we fell into constant war. What I wore, who I dated, what I studied, who my friends were.

For years I buckled under and just went with the flow to keep her happy. Now with Annie's support, I felt stronger, like I could stand up to her.

As we helped Aisha with the food, Mother walked in. "What in tarnation is going on in here? Leave Aisha to get dinner. Good lord, you are in her way."

Aisha looked devastated.

Annie grimaced, but stayed to help. I guided Mother out to the dining room. "What is Dad's prognosis Mum. How long before he can come home?"

She sighed, her face twitching as she tried to hold back the tears. She was putting up a brave front, but the cracks were appearing. They had nearly forty years of marriage together, and losing her husband, lover, friend, confidante was going to rip a huge hole in her heart.

"He might be home as early as next week. The doctors have said, this is all they can do for him. So after the completion of this treatment, he will be coming home."

The tears exploded in a huge flood. I rushed into her trembling arms. Her sobs becoming shrieks. "What am I going to do Hunter. That man is my life. How will I survive without him?"

"Mum, it will be hard, no question. We have to focus on Dad, try to make his remaining time positive. He would not want to see you grieving like this."

"Oh for heavens sake Hunter. I know you think I'm a hard nosed bitch, but I love that man. He has been my rock, my life." She buried her head in the nape of my neck, her tears drenching my shoulder. She tried to wipe them away surreptitiously. "Mum, I know how much you love Dad. He was such a huge influence on all of us."

"Oh god, I am never going to survive without him. You have to stay."

"Mum, I will be here for you. I'm not going anywhere until you're ready."

As the words spilled from my mouth, I watched as Annie walked in carrying a tray. She heard my words, and her face showed what she thought. She was not happy.

Dinner was a somewhat solemn affair. It consisted of Mum firing an unending series of questions at Annie. Where was she from, what did her parents do, where did she go to university. With each answer, she became more determined to embarrass Annie. When Annie said she didn't go to Uni, I thought Mum was going to choke on her dessert.

Mum eventually got to me. "Are you going back to the firm? You know your Father is going to be devastated if you don't."

"Mum, I don't want to do it. I have a new life."

"And what about your father? What about his dreams? He wanted you by his side, from the moment you were born, it was his one dream. If you walk away, it will kill him for sure."

"Oh yes, that's right Mum, just what I need. A guilt trip."

"I do not mean it as a guilt trip darling. I am just saying. Your Father gave you everything, you were always his baby. He loved you and he promised me when you were born, you would want for nothing. He kept his end of the bargain."

There was no arguing with her. She was right, we both knew it.

That night in bed Annie snuggled up to me. "You have to do it."

"What?"

"Your fathers company. You have to take over." She gave me a funny glare. "You can do it I assume?"

"Cheeky, of course I can, I worked there from the moment I left Uni."

"Then you gotta do it. He is a nice man, he sounds like he wants it."

"Yes, but what about us, our travels. What will you do?"

"If I am allowed to stay, then I'll find some work."

"Can you put up with my Mother though?"

"I'll try, no promises though."

As we kissed, she asked. "So why did you leave? I can see there is a little tension between you and your Mother, but shit girl, you had it all?"

"No I didn't. All my life, I never really had friends, not until you. My friends always wanted something. My boyfriends, I ever knew if they wanted me, or the money. I wanted real friends who liked me for me."

"I guess I understand." She mumbled, as her head disappeared between my legs, and her tongue slid deliciously into my pussy.

Dad was so happy when I told him I would do it.

We visited him every day, and there was a growing bond between him and Annie. They were like long lost best friends. She laughed at his feeble jokes and he loved looking at her photos. One day when we were alone he confided in me. "Honey, Annie, she has a real talent. I am not saying it because she is your friend. She has a natural eye. Photographers aren't made, they are born. You have to encourage her, get her to take it seriously."

"I try Dad, I brought her a camera."

He chuckled. "Yes, she told me. Honey, I can see why you lie her. She has a special quality. You are going to get a fair bit of stick over this relationship. You will need to be prepared. There will be plenty of snide comments."

"I know that. I am prepared."

"Good, well, when I get home. We will go into the office together and make the announcement. It is going to cause some heartache. There are several employees who are expecting me to select them. What they don't understand is, if you weren't coming home, I was going to sell up. In fact, you have to make me a promise. If you ever get sick of it, then sell. I don't want some half baked idiot destroying all my hard work."

"What would Mum say if I did that?"

"She will be fine. I will leave a very clear statement in my will. You will not have to accept any blame. If it's too much, or not what you want from life, then sell up."

That night at home, I said to Annie. "We are going to need a car. I don't want to keep using Dad's."

She seemed a little at odds with that. "We don't have any money?"

"I have money, I just never used it."

"How much?" She asked irritated."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, I want to know."

"About fifty thousand."

"Jeez girl, fucking money bags."

"We should probably do some shopping, some new clothes would be nice."

"New clothes, have you looked in your closet. It's bloody chockas."

I giggled. "Annie, those clothes are from when I lived here. I moved out when I was seventeen. Those clothes date back to then."

She seemed confused. "So where did you live?"

"I on an apartment in the city. I rent it out. All my clothes and personal stuff are in storage. Come on, it will be fun. You and I shopping. You can get whatever you want."

She looked horrified. "I don't want your money Hunter. I have never been interested in money. All I want is you."

I realised I said the wrong thing before the words were out of my mouth, but once out, there was no taking them back.

We drove into town and looked around some car yards. I was never into cars, didn't really care. We found a nice second hand Volkswagen Golf GTI and we brought it. Annie liked it because it had an aux input on the stereo so she could play her tunes. I liked it because it was red.

At least Annie was okay with staying in Auckland. We did the usual things, we zoomed around the City, the Sky Tower, The Museum, One Tree Hill. Everywhere we went there was Annie and her camera, she snapped away like a crazy woman.

Things got uncomfortable when we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. It was a yummy lunch and we shared a bottle of wine, usually wherever we went, we split things fifty fifty, or she paid once and I the next. Lately though, I picked up the tab. I knew she blew almost everything she had on her airfare to NZ.

I didn't mind paying, in fact it gave me a sense of achievement. I could share some of my hard earned wealth with her.

We finished our lunch and Annie fiddled around in her purse. I reached across and said quietly. "No, I got this."

She snapped caustically, "I'm not a charity case. I can pay my own way."

"But I ant to pay, you can get the next one. It's no big deal."

"Oh it's a big deal all right. I said I'll pay."

After fumbling around in her purse for ages, she burst out crying and got up and scurried out of the restaurant. I payed quickly and followed her. I caught her sitting in a park chair on a little green reserve. Hunched over, with her head in her hands, I could hear her sobs as I approached.

I sat quietly beside her, slipped my arm over her shoulder, and hugged her against me. "What is the matter Annie?"

"I don't know, everything. We used to be equals, or you used to need me. I felt like I was your equal. Now I feel like I'm reliant on you. Christ, I couldn't even pay for lunch. Jesus, fuck me, did you see the price of that bottle of wine."

I circled her with both arms, holding her tighter than ever. "Annie, we are equals. It used to be me who felt the ay you feel right now. I didn't know what to do, if we hadn't met, I would never have survived. Now, it is my turn to help you. I don't care about the money."

"Yeah, well I do. I hate having none. I'm skint, busted. I have nothing."

I held her tight, we rocked slowly and gently as she recovered. Her sobs slowly turned to sniffles, then a kiss, and soon we were making out. Her tongue ferociously swirling chaotically around my mouth. Her hands cupping and caressing my breasts through the flimsy chiffon blouse.

"Ooh yuck lesbians." I heard, we broke our kiss to see a woman dragging a couple of boys away from gawking at us. "Get a bloody room." The mother called out, and Annie and I burst out laughing. We scampered off back to the car.

Dad arrived home, as planned, and he looked fragile, but mobile. He was able to walk unassisted, but his skin colour looked terrible, his breathing shallow.

At dinner, he started to make his plans. He explained we were going into the office in the morning, and he would be making the big announcement. I was taking over."

I tried to look happy, and confident. The truth is, I was scared shitless. Having been away for such a long time, I had lost touch, and now needed to fully reacquaint myself with the people and the processes.

The night before our trip to the office Annie asked. "Can I borrow your car tomorrow?"

I felt a jolt of annoyance. "You do not have to ask. The car is ours. Use it that way."

She shook her head as she slipped out of her clothes. "No, the cars yours. Everything here is yours."