Protégé

She had made some casual remark and laughed. "As I was just saying to Angel..."

I saw Angelina do a facepalm and Mum went quiet. "What?" She went white as realisation dawned.

Angelina laughed and took her hand across the table. "It's ok, Lisa - I think they'd already twigged us anyway!"

I was sitting next to her and felt a tear trickle down my cheek. I turned and hugged her. "Oh Mum, I am so fucking proud of you and so happy for you both!"

When the general euphoria died down, as she had done a few weeks earlier, Angelina handed Meryn her credit card. She didn't need to be told what to do and five minutes later she returned with a bottle of champagne in an ice-bucket. She poured and held up her glass. "To Angelina and Lisa!"

By now we were getting some strange looks from the regulars. Mrs. Fletcher had her face set in disgust and was shaking her head disapprovingly as ever. She was muttering something unpleasant to the usual suspects that had now turned to watch our strange little tableau play out.

We drank and Angelina led a toast to Meryn and me. I was suddenly aware that Mum had not said a word. Shaking like a leaf, she turned to us. "Excuse me a moment."

She got up and walked over to Mrs. Fletcher's table. Her voice was taut. "Mary Fletcher, I've known you for nigh on thirty years and never seen anything but that bloody sneer on your face. Why can't you just be happy for someone for once?" She pointed back to me. "That's my daughter, not her evil twin - and the lovely lassie opposite is her girlfriend. The other lady is my girlfriend. Get used to it Mary, because we are not... fucking well... going... away!"

Mum had rapped the table in front of her, emphasising the final words. The Fletcher woman's face was a picture and there were some approving murmurs from a few of the throng. As she gathered up her things, her face like a witch sucking a lemon, her husband Tom walked over. Well into his seventies, he gave us all a nice warm glow with his words. "Congratulations, all of you lovely ladies. I think it's bloody marvellous!"

Mum took his wizened old hand. "Thanks, Tom - glad to see someone understands." She then looked at us one by one. "Bloody hell, I've just come out at nearly forty-one!"

Angelina held up a hand. "Beat ya - sixteen."

Meryn pondered a moment. "I think I knew at fourteen, but I was seventeen when I told my folks."

I sighed. "Twenty-one. The important thing is, you got there, Mum!"

Much later, when Mum and Meryn had gone to the ladies. I looked at Angelina. "Well, you've had quite an effect on the Andrews girls in a short while!"

She smiled. "And the Andrews girls have had quite an effect on me. It was love at first sight, Hannah - when I saw her with Lillie that day. Something just clicked in me. Then you... well, that sort of complicated things for me just a little bit!"

"I can well imagine. Does she know?"

She bit her lip and nodded. "Thought it may be a deal-breaker, but she was ok with it. I never told her about your 'other' drawings though."

"Thanks, I'd prefer to keep that in the dark. Is being with her why you 'dropped out'?"

She smiled. "No, just a happy coincidence. I had been thinking about it for a while - I spread myself too thinly for too long and I was getting weary of it all. It just stopped being enjoyable. Like Meryn, I needed a constant and if she was long overdue, then I was in danger of getting past my sell-by date! I'd long ago told her once she was attached, we were done. Your Mom came along at precisely the right time for me after you two got together and she makes me so happy, Hannah."

She let out a long, wavering sigh. "I hope you don't hate me for what I've done - having my way with you and then taking up with your Mom. I swear I had no idea it was going to happen when we were together. I fancied her, yes - more than that. But I never in my wildest dreams did I think it would end up the way it did."

I held out a hand to her across the table. "Angel - I couldn't be happier for you both and I'm glad we got our moments together too. She's been so wrapped up in keeping us kids happy for years, she's forgotten how to be happy for herself and you've changed that. You've changed her and I love you for that."

Her eyes misted over and she squeezed my fingers. "Thanks Hannah - that means everything to me. I think all four of us have changed a lot over the last few months."

As she was uttering her final sentence, Mum and Meryn returned. Mum picked up her glass and she looked so happy I could have wept with joy. "We certainly have changed and most definitely for the better."

We toasted once more and drained our glasses.

Mum got up and picked up the empty bottle. "Another one, ladies?"

Grinning like the cat that got the cream, I got up to help her. "Why not Mum - there's a lot to celebrate!"

Epilogue

I had been so nervous all day, I could barely think straight. Six o'clock seemed like it would never come and I was so scared that no-one would turn up. At five-to, I was hiding in The Cave when Meryn came to fetch me. "Come on girl, time to face the music!"

I screwed my eyes tightly shut. "Is there anyone out there, Merry?"

She shook her head, sending her complex tangle of fluffy peaks into overdrive. "Nah, who's going to turn out to see an exhibition of shit drawings by a two-bit nobody?"

I scowled playfully at her as she dragged me into the gallery and I was shocked to see it was packed with visitors. There was a large sign in the window with a cardboard cut-out of me on it in all my Goth finery, staring moodily out into the darkening Town Square. I was aware of a few flashes going off and saw the photographer from the local paper standing next to Angelina.

Mum was there with Marcus and Lillie. I could hear her strident little voice telling someone, "That drawing is of me and that one is my brother Marcus!"

Angelina pushed her way through the crowd and as the Town Hall clock chimed six, she cleared her throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming tonight. This is a special night for us - our first feature exhibition, and the debut of one of our most talented young local artists, Miss Hannah Andrews."

There was applause and I was suddenly whisked into the limelight in front of another life-sized cardboard Me. Meryn had told me she was going to sleep with one of them to see if it was better than I was. I was determined to give her a torrid time later as a result. Flashes went off and the local paper immortalised my moment of fame.

I said a few words, thanking Angelina for her generosity and support, Mum and Meryn for being the loves of my life, and my baby sis and bro' for being such great kids and great models. Champagne corks popped and I was suddenly in demand, being asked for a few words for the newspaper and asked to explain some of my work to the assembled throng. I was aware of Meryn taking orders and it seemed strange to be the centre of attention. I made my way across to Mum. Marcus knew and he was a little confused but had taken it well. As I reached them, Angelina put her arm around Mum.

Lillie looked up at them. "Are you Mummy's new friend?"

Angelina ruffled her hair. "Yes, we're very good friends, Lillie!"

"I thought you were a bad witch but you make Mummy laugh, so I guess you are a good witch like Professor McGonagle."

As everyone laughed, I said, "Hey, Lil's - you said it right for once!"

She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. "I'm nearly ten - I do learn, you know!"

As I said earlier, out of the mouths of babes and children. We all learn. We never stop.

I looked around the room and felt a huge, overwhelming feeling of pride. Behind the desk was my girlfriend, fielding orders for my drawings; in the centre of the floor was my Mum with her new woman, looking happier than ever. And there in a corner was Lady Fiona Everett, chatting to a tall woman in her early thirties with long, white dreadlocks. I knew Fiona wouldn't like the works I had on show, but she wasn't there to see those. We would be getting together later to discuss drawings that most of the people in that room would never see.

And I was so pleased to see Tallulah there. She had become another firm friend over the last few months. I recalled the first time she had come into the gallery, late on a Thursday evening. "Oh hello Hannah, I just happened to be passing!"

I had told her with a wry smile that we just happened to be closing.

She had held her hand out to me and said, "Precisely!" An hour later, Meryn had caught us at it in the Naughty Room and it was a very long evening indeed. She had not exactly been a stranger to us since then and I was hoping she may join us later for the 'after-party'.

I mingled for half an hour or so then walked out into the chill of the night air and stood staring at the window with my portrait staring back at me. I saw the heavy makeup, the sheer leather leggings that had now replaced the faux-leather ones - those were now reserved purely for sexual purposes. There was the trademark silver crop-top that Meryn loved so much and the long red boots that had been donated by my Mum. I could have been looking into a mirror - I was dressed and made up identically.

I felt an arm go around my shoulders. "That's you, kid!"

I looked again at the cardboard girl in the window and felt a tear trickle down my cheek as I once more read the words that surrounded her. 'Angelfire Gallery is proud to present 'Sketchbook' - an exhibition by Hannah E. Andrews.'

I looked at Meryn. "Do you really prefer the cardboard one to me?"

She let her hair fall across her eyes, knowing the effect it would have on me. "Does the cardboard one do this?" She kissed me for a long time, sending little shockwaves through my body. She took my face in her hands. "So proud of you, Miss Andrews. Love you so much."

I felt a lump in my throat. "Love you too, Miss Trego." I pointed through the glass. "Can we not just run off together and leave them to it?"

Smiling, she took my hand and led me back towards the warmth of the Gallery. "Not a chance, my lovely. When you're as famous as Angelina, I want to look back on this night and say, 'I was there.'"

I felt a shiver run through me as I walked back inside. A lot had happened in a very short space of time and sometimes it felt like I had dreamt it all.

Then I heard Lillie's piping little voice above the general hum of the gathering. She was pointing to my cardboard image in the middle of the room. "That's my sister, and she's quite good at drawing!"

As I moved closer, I saw an elegant, middle-aged blonde lady lean down towards Lillie. "What's your name, young lady?"

"Lillie!"

She nodded. "Well, young Lillie, I'm sorry to say your sister is not 'quite good' at drawing at all."

Lillie glared at her, hands on her hips, her best pout on show. "She is, too!"

Lady Fiona Everett glanced and me and winked before turning back to my little sister. She ruffled her hair and whispered something I couldn't hear. Whatever it was, Lillie's face lit up like a Christmas Tree.

As Fiona walked towards Meryn and I with a big smile on her face, I could hear Lillie shouting to Mum that a nice old lady had called me a genius.

Fiona shook her head. "Cheeky little scamp - at least she said I was a nice old lady." She handed me a cheque. "Oh and before you get too far ahead of yourself, I only said 'borderline genius'."

I glanced at the cheque and did a double take. It was for five thousand pounds. I saw Meryn's jaw drop.

Fiona opened the Gallery door as if nothing had happened. "Well, lovely evening, girls. Just send me any five from the last soiree, Hannah - I trust you enough now. Oh and see you next Saturday, usual time."

As she made to close the door behind her, I made a snap decision and grabbed the handle. "Sorry, Fiona - love to, but we aren't around next weekend."

Meryn looked at me as though I was mad. "Course we are, got nothing planned."

I put an arm around her and pointed to Fiona. "Thanks to this lovely lady, we have now." I drew her in for a group hug. "Thank you for your kind offer, Lady Everett, but I'm afraid that next weekend, Meryn will be introducing me to her old friends in New York."

She kissed us both. "Marvellous idea! Have fun, girls. I want pictures!"

As she bustled away across the Square, Meryn drew me outside once more, tears in her eyes. She was about to say something when I put a finger to her lips. "Not a word, Merry. Not a bloody word. Just get me through the rest of this evening, then if you feel for any reason you need to show me your gratitude, you can grab Tal, strap me to the sex bench and-"

I never got to finish the sentence as a shrill little voice shouted from the doorway. "Hoi, Borderline Genius - you're needed for photos!"

As I held out a hand to Lillie, I heard a whisper from behind me. "I'll be very grateful, babe!"

I turned and blew her a kiss. "So will I, Merry. So will I!"