Hunters Journey of Self Discovery

It took all my powers of persuasion, and a hefty bribe to get him to not lock us up.

After that Annie had a new respect for the privilege of having money.

When we passed into India, Annie came up with a new plan, a pilgrimage of sorts. She wanted to follow the Ganges to it's source. I have to say, it did excite me when she suggested it. We went over maps and history and threw caution to the wind. We suffered the worst case of dysentery and Delhi belly. We saw the most horrendous poverty, in the shadows of the most outlandish opulence. It certainly was a country with two faces.

We followed to sacred river at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers. The Bhagirathi is considered to be the source in Hindu culture and mythology, even though the Alaknanda. Therefore, we decided it would be the Bhagirathi, we would follow all the way to the foot of Gangotri Glacier, at Gomukh.

It was an incredible journey, rickety old broken down buses, and trucks. Steep seemingly impassable ravines. Roads not wide enough for one vehicle, let alone two.

We tramped up the glacier. We went rock climbing. It was just an incredible experience, and the whole way Annie snapped away. Her camera recording every unforgettable second.

We trekked through Bangladesh, down the East coast of India, and across Palk Straight into Sri Lanka. We had been looking forward to a relaxed enjoyable stay in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, the Tamil Tigers decided the time was ripe for rebellion. In the hotel we stayed at, there was a suicide car bombing and thirty people were killed.

That put the fear of god in Annie, and she made the decision, maybe it was time to go back to New Zealand, and regather our energy.

Flying into Auckland was a relief, not just because the sixteen hour flight was tiring, but I think we were both ready for a rest. Mum met us at the airport. I'm not sure who was more nervous, Annie or me. My tummy rumbled, I'm not sure there was enough antacid in the country to quell my indigestion.

Mum met us at the gates with a huge wave, and feeling her arms around me, was a wonderfully overwhelming sensation. There's a lot to be said for the comfort of your Mothers arms.

When we separated, she did not hold back, she opened her arms and waved tearfully for Annie to join her in a hug. If Mum hugged me tight, I thought she was going to crush Annie. She held her head to her breast and just held her. As we waited at the baggage carousel, Mum sighed. "My word, you look wonderful. I expected to see a couple of starving skinny little waifs." She focused her attention on Annie. "My dear, you look sensational, so pretty."

Annie melted a little and fell back into Mums arms. Wow, talk about stunned, I was gobsmacked.

We took a couple of days to get over the jet lag, but on the third day Annie said. "Can we go and see the Gallery?"

Mum had already left, so we jumped into the little red Golf and cruised into the city. As we pulled up outside the Gallery, she gasped, in disbelief. "Really, this is it? Oh my god."

I held her hand as we walked in. Mum was standing talking to a couple of prospective customers. They stood before a huge framed print of a photo taken high up in the foothills of Nepal.

Mum noticed us walk in, and said loudly. "Mr Newstead, you are in luck. The wonderful artist who captured all of these amazing scenes, has just walked in behind you."

The couple she was talking too, turned and glanced at Annie. Before she could escape, she was absorbed into telling the couple about the photo, where it was taken and some background info.

Annie, as nervous as she was, actually enjoyed being the centre of attraction. She was now the star, rather than the back up singer.

Seeing that couple walk out ith her photo, brought out a different Annie. Once they were gone, she asked. "Does this place make any money?"

I laughed snidely. "It makes a lot of money, did you not see the price tag on that photo? You just made over three thousand dollars."

"Jesus, fuck me." She sniggered. Mum took us into the office, and showed Annie the books. When she saw the bottom line she just about wet herself.

It took her a while before she could respond, she sat chewing her bottom lip pondering what it all meant. She glanced questioningly at me. "You brought this building, and then paid for all the renovations. That money wouldn't be there, if that was the case."

Mum interrupted her before she could say anything else. "Actually darling, the Gallery has paid back th money for the restoration, it's only the building."

"See, that's what I mean." Annie spluttered. "It wouldn't make any money, if it had to pay for that." Flusted and irrational, she blustered on regardless. "The money, it make would be all gone if you paid for the building."

"The building was a gift from my Father. He set up a fund following his death. I oversee that fund. He asked me to put the money from the fund into supporting artists, regardless of the field, or genre. He loved the arts, writers, painters, sculptors. But he loved you more. If you wanted to give back, then take out a mortgage and pay it back. This Gallery is a success, and it would be more so, if you spent some time here."

"What difference would I make?" She spat out, fighting back against the raging torrent of what she saw as corporate bullshit.

"You could talk to customers, tell them about yourself, your life, your loves. People love to meet the artists."

It was Mum who held her, squeezed her. "Annie, this place is remarkable, it was Hunters vision, but I feel it every time I walk in here, there is a magic that is opened through your eye, your talent for seeing something that nobody else saw."

"There's something else, I need to say as well." Mum added. "Annie, I treated you badly when we first met. I let my prejudices, and my jealousy get in the way. I saw how pretty and I saw the love Hunter felt for you. God it was so obvious, and I felt discarded, forgotten."

"Mum." I tried to say before she cut me off.

"No Hunter, let me say this. "I was scared seeing the depth of love Hunter had for you. I saw all my own dreams vanishing. I wanted Grandchildren, I wanted Hunter to have what I had, a wealthy successful husband. I wanted her to have a wonderful fairytale wedding, and I wanted to be part of her life. I could see all of those things slipping away, drowning in your beauty."

The hug they shared deepened, Annie unable to respond through the tears. I felt the magnetism, the pull of emotion. I walked open armed into their embrace, and we all hugged.

It was a moment of pure love, we all felt it. Mum melted in my arms, Annie, just held on.

It started a roller-coaster. Annie suddenly had a purpose. She surprised me the next day when she asked. "Are you going into the office today?"

"I wasn't planning on it, I wanted to be with you."

She shook her head. "I'm going with your mother, to the Gallery. You should go in and show them you're still alive."

It was the start of something. Annie, went into the Gallery with Mum every day. She started taking a leading role, personally selecting the pictures, and then talking to the printers about effects, sizes, textures. And all of the canvas's now had an addition, they all carried Annie's signature.

Mum, she was a sneaky devil, she slowly drew Annie into the management, and planning. She suggested Annie should select some music that could play over a sound system.

She was sneaky because, with every addition, Annie's attachment to the Gallery deepened, it quickly became hers, and Mum started to drift away. It worried me a little. I was concerned Mum would feel pushed out. I wanted to talk about it, but Annie beat me to it. At dinner, she blurted out in her politically incorrect blustering way. "Why aren't you coming into the Gallery anymore? Have I pissed you off or something?"

Mum rather than being offended laughed loudly. "No darling, I am far from offended. I love where you are taking the Gallery, the changes are fabulous, and the place is now taking on your persona. I am using my time to take on different things. I am going to take over running Charles's foundation. I want to help other artists." She glanced at me. "Sorry darling, but I know you wanted to do it, but I am taking over."

Her firmness left me no room to negotiate. "That's fine Mum, I have no problem with that. It frees up some time for me to help Murray a little. He seems very distracted lately. There is something going on with him, and it worries me." As I looked at her, I saw her wince. She knew something...

"Is he ill Mother? Come on, out with it."

She gritted her teeth, put down her fork, and whispered. "He is not ill."

"Then what is it?"

"He's in love. He met somebody, and they have been in a relationship for a few months. What's more, I think it is serious."

That bit of news stunned me, after his wife died, a little of him died with her, and I felt for him. He was a typical stoic Kiwi bloke. Never sharing his problems.

"Well good on him." I replied. "Who is it, is it somebody I know?"

She nodded. "Yes darling, you know her well. It is me."

Annie dropped her knife and fork, she was probably more shocked than me. "Oh fuck, really?" Annie blurted out. Before giggling naughtily. "Choice, well you go girl, I hope he's rocking your world."

Mum glanced nervously at me. "Are you angry sweetheart?"

"No Mum, shocked, no getting away from that, but, no. Not angry, I'm happy for you. I am sure Dad would be happy as well. He would not want to see you sad and alone."

The next day at the office, I cornered Murray. "All right Mr, time for honesty. What are your intentions towards my mother?"

He choked on his coffee as I leaned menacingly across his desk. "Hunter, I love your Mother, she means a lot to me, and if she will have me, I would like to marry her." He grimaced. "I already have the ring."

I could no longer hide my smile. "Then why the hell haven't you given it to her?"

"Because, she has made it clear that nothing could, or would happen until she spoke to you." His grimace, slowly eased and he smiled back at me. "I take it from this conversation that she has talked to you?"

"Yes, she told me." I reached for his hand, which felt clammy. "Murray, I am happy for you both, and I know Dad would feel the same way. I think if he could choose Mum's partner, he would have chosen you."

"Hunter, your Father and I were good friends, I loved him like my Brother. I considered him part of my family. He was my best man. I did not choose to do this. Barbara and I grew close, I needed her signature for some changes I wanted to make, we ended up talking. We were both lonely, I do love her very much."

I nodded slowly, his emotion enveloping us both. "Then you better put a damn ring on her finger."

Nothing ever stays the same, things change, and my world was no different. Annie, the new Annie was a force to be reckoned with, she loved the Gallery, but hated the fact it was a gift. She arranged a mortgage, and I was repaid for my investment. She never brought my story about Dad's foundation, she knew damned well it was me.

Still seeing her driven and focused made me shiver. It was a side of her I had never seen. Every day she grew a little stronger, a little more forceful. I loved it, the new version, Annie, 2.1, was amazing.

My love for her only deepened, I could not believe the passion in her. Now she had something that was hers, something that depended on her, she was all in. She held nothing back. That flowed into our love life. We made love with a new passion, and now Annie was not afraid of my mother, our affection became more outward. We embraced, and kissed, we pashed while watching TV, even in front of Mum.

I sensed Mum becoming a little uncomfortable, and I mentioned it to Annie. "What, don't be silly. She told me she loves seeing and feeling the love in the house."

I mumbled unconvinced. "I don't know, she seems uncomfortable about something."

Annie, being Annie didn't wait. She dived straight in, she was a bit like a bulldozer sometimes. Subtlety not really a strong point. "Okay, no beating around the bush Barbara. Does Hunter and me kissing offend you?"

Boom, just like that. Mum looked a little taken aback, "Oh shit, here we go." I thought to myself.

Mum sucked in a deep breath, and replied softly. "No, I love seeing you share the love that binds you together. I cannot deny, sometimes it is how shall I put it politely. Probably better kept for a bedroom. No, it is something else that I have been wanting to say."

"Out with it then." Annie snapped.

"Very well, if you must know. I am happy that you both feel such a deep and unlimited love for each other. However, I am uncomfortable knowing that you are not married. I want you to get married. If your love is as strong as you say, then marry. Make my Daughter an Honest woman."

Annie giggled. "You want me to make her an honest woman. Jesus that would make me your Daughter, could you live with that?"

Mum even surprised me. "You are already my Daughter darling, at least that's the way I see it. I just want the world to recognise it."

"Mum." I snapped. "Are you sure you want all your friends to know?"

"Oh good heavens, Hunter, they already do. I have told everybody. I am not living a lie. If they cannot understand, then they probably shouldn't be my friends. As Annie would say." I watched as she puffed out her breasts. "Fuck them."

Annie burst out in laughter. Her response stunned us all. "Yeah, you tell em Mum."

I stared at her confused. She glared back at me. "What?"

"You just said Mum."

"Yeah, it sucks, but it's true. I love you Hunter, I guess that means I have to take her as well, seems like a package deal."

"That means my dear. You will have to marry my Daughter?"

Annie giggled. "Oh, I plan too. If she'll have me."

I let out a huge exhale. "Looks like you might get your wedding after all Mother."

The end.