Stella Soars and Deflates

The audience began clapping but Stella called, "Mr Adjudicator?

The Mayor held up his hand for silence. "Yes Stella?"

"I've not been offered my right in a debate to deliver my closing statement."

"Very well, Stella. You have been articulate and entertaining. I'll not deny you that opportunity to close. Please proceed and your opponent will follow with her closing statement."

"Well I hope I won't be lynched for ending this meeting early but yesterday, Mr Chairman, I went with an esteemed attorney in this city, Mr Charles Benson, to the State Library and Archive. We searched for anything relating to the founder of this city, German immigrant Albert Berlitz in 1853, the year he arrived here, and our search extended to include the year before and after 1853. We found nothing relating to naming the settlement. Then during a disappointed rest, I suddenly had a brain wave. I searched the shipping records."

"Here Mr Chairman is the official passenger list of the ship Mr Berlitz arrived on in 1853. You may care to read out the entries under Berlitz, Mr Chairman."

"Berlitz, Albert, wife Helga, son (5) Carl, daughter Greta (2). Yes, yes Miss Rauth. We have a framed copy of the original document of this copy on our Wall of Remembrance in the council chamber."

"Well Mr Mayor, I looked at something else, the births, marriages and deaths records of that same voyage of the Friedrich. Please read out deaths under the name of Berlitz."

"Ohmigod," the mayor exclaimed, sending a big buzz through the hall.

"It says here, Berlitz, Michaela Helga (stillborn)."

"Yes, Mr Mayor, I'm of German descent. Michaela translates into English as Michelle."

The hall turned into uproar.

The Mayor walked over to Stella and hugged her. A photographer from the Clarion took that shot and although other posed ones but that spontaneous one would be the one published on the front page of the Clarion. As soon as the mayor stepped back Michelle took his place and kissed Stella.

Pamela took the main microphone. "Well everyone, I had sensed Miss Stella Rauth would deliver, and deliver she has, beyond anything imaginable. We have always said this is a great community, a great place, to bring up children and perhaps we now know why. I hereby abandoned my attempt to force a name change with greatest pleasure. I now call for acclamation for Miss Stella Bauth, be as loud as you wish."

The noise was deafening.

Stella regained the two documents and handed them to Janis who hugged her, tears streaming.

The photographer got Stella to hold the death record just under her chin and that photograph would be published in the Clarion next morning.

Stella then ran down off the stage and hugged Charlie who seemed to be having trouble with something in his eyes. Pavin congratulated Stella and said she was beyond belief. She then called Pamela to join her as people went by, offering congratulations and thanks.

"Why are they thanking me?" Pamela asked.

"It was your challenge that push me to go to the State archive, and they know it," Stella said.

As the crowd thinned, Pavin came up and kissed Pamela. "Can we bury the hatchet, I'm with Stella now?"

"God, you dirty old man," Pamela laughed, hugging him and winking at Stella.

"I'm off," Janis called to Stella. "Thanks for another lead story."

"My pleasure. Did you get Pamela's question why are people thanking her and my reply?"

"Yes, and very useable that will be. Bye."

* * *

Two weeks after her triumph, Pavin went home with Stella to meet her family. As they had expected, it was not a happy time. When Stella called her mother to advise she had found a lover and told Marianne his age, her mother was shocked, saying 'the seducer' was only six years her junior.

"This cannot be!"

She dropped the phone crying. David picked it up and heard Stella out and said, "It's not a good look but bring him home. Let's fix a date and I'll get Jennifer and Nathan here. You may as well get it over in one shock, err, shot."

Pavin drove his black Cadillac into the driveway and the family filed out to greet them.

"They look somber," Stella said.

"Your mother looks young."

"That's my sister... oh god, a joke at a time like this. Thanks."

David was at the door to greet Pavin as he got out.

"Hi, I'm David."

"Hi, I'm Pavin. I'm pleased to meet you."

He said quietly, "I understand Stella was your pet, at least until she met me?"

David patted Pavin's back. "No, it's fine. Nothing changes the course of history even with the interference of women."

They laughed and Stella looked across and smiled. She then looked at her mother and said ruthlessly, "Hello mom, your baby daughter is home."

Marianne put a hand over her mouth and ran into the house.

Jennifer shouted "Bitch" to Stella and hurried after her mom.

Nathan shuffled his feet and said, "Hi sis."

Stella ran to him and he hugged her and only then did she weep.

Her father came up to her and picked her up in his arms. "I'm your daddy."

With her feet off the ground Stella was left with few options so she kissed him and said, "Thanks daddy."

David carried Stella into the lounge, put her down and became a man.

"That's enough you two, cuddling like a couple of war widows. Separate and sit up and be polite to our guest and my daughter."

They acted as if they'd been shot and obeyed.

"I'll fetch coffee," Nathan said and Stella went after him saying she'd help.

"God this is worse that I'd predicted," Stella said.

"I arrived last night and it's been the most unpleasant time that I've ever spent in this house," Nathan said. "Until now, dad just allowed mom to whine and cry."

"Oh god, I'm sorry," Stella said hugging him. "But you all knew I was different and was bound not to conform."

"He's the same age as mom," Nathan said somberly.

Stella said he was not, Pavin was six years younger.

Nathan laughed and then said, "Christ, just as well you weren't here this morning when Jennifer arrived and she and mom really got going. You would have murdered them."

Stella gave it another thirty minutes over coffee and still the room was thick with tension. She could see Pavin was uncomfortable so grabbed her handbag and said, "Goodbye guys, Pavin and I are off."

She walked out and Pavin followed, sheepishly. Only David and Nathan came out to wave them off.

They drove away.

Stella said, "I'm sorry to have put you through that but I thought it was necessary. Let's take Charlie somewhere nice soon and get married."

"You want to marry me after what we've just witnessed?"

"Oh yes, and none of them will be invited as I don't want to give mom the pleasure of refusing to come and thereby compromising dad."

"Well let's not rush this. We'll talk about it in another couple of weeks, perhaps even longer, huh?"

Stella seemed to have changed.

Pavin with his experience should have known that but made the mistake of not pressing Stella for her response. Due to the emotional upset of her family's reaction overall to Pavin, she now felt he was rejecting her.

Back in Michelle she spoke to her best friend Janis White about her dilemma.

"I'm not telling you what to do," Janis said firmly. "There's too much at stake."

"Then approach it this way, Janis. If you were in this position, what would you do?"

"Omigod, you can be so over-bearing at times. You now have me trapped. I'd clear off that's what I'd do or at the very least I find employment elsewhere in the city."

"Well not to worry. I'd already decided to depart. But to where, I'm unsure. I have taken a huge blow and feel that I'm on a downward slide. Probably, I need a complete change to a less stressful life."

"That sounds serious," Janis said. "You could be suffering from, um, mental exhaustion."

Chapter 4

That evening, having resigned from the law firm, Stella called Pamela to say goodbye, that she'd had a fall-out with Pavin and had resigned from her job and intending to leave the city.

"Have you planned your immediate future?"

"No, this setback has happened rather suddenly."

"Look Stella, take a little time to breathe. I'm about to leave the office, let's meet at the Mercury bar in 15 minutes. That's to give me time to visit someone."

Pamela came into the bar, Stella stood and they hugged and Pamela wiped away a couple of tears from her friend's face.

Still loosely hugging, Pamela said, "Look dear, you have performed brilliantly for one so young. Don't fold now because a setback is only a setback, and you'll conclude that in due course.

They ordered champagne cocktails.

"You have been so lovely to me," Stella said, wiping away a few more rouge tears.

"You are so easy to love, daring, rather too easy for Pavin I must say. His emotions fail to run deeply. Look, I've spoken to my superior and we are prepared to offer you an immediate job and that's to manage and direct our research team of three female juniors who presently are loosely managed by our senior paralegal assistant and at times due to pressure, the results can be very unsatisfaction. I believe you are the person to reorganize the section, set minimum standards and procedures and lead the actual research assignments."

"With your addition to the team, we will make the research team stand-alone department within our legal system, thereby raising its status. Your terms of employment will be worked on tomorrow, should you accept this offer, and your salary will be considerably higher than what you have been earning as a PA."

"I-I don't feel quite sure what to say."

"You could try thanks Pamela, I accept."

She waited 30 seconds while Stella considered that and Stella finally said, "Thanks hugely, I accept. This will be a much higher rated job with much higher prestige and responsibilities that I realistically could managed to find without such awesome assistance that you have provided."

"Excellent my darling, and appreciative kiss would be welcomed. I now title you my unofficial younger sister, the sibling that I've always wanted and long have believed that would never materialize."

"And that declaration is awesome too," Stella said, kissing her generous supporter warmly.

"Darling, this is just a suggestion, stay away from Pavin who is a bit of a pig but retain your friendship with Charles his father. Charles really is a terrific guy."

"That's good sisterly advice, Stella smiled.

Stella managed the research department in the District Attorney's Office for three years, and worked with distinction, helping to win a number of prosecutions that appeared near-impossible to win, such was the quality of research under her direction.

But at the end of three years she considered she'd fallen into a rut in the city with the sweet name of Michelle.

She'd made a small number of friends and the three closest friends were Pamela and Janis White, who'd become deputy chief reporter at the Clarion, and Charlie Pavin who she met for lunch each Saturday. She periodically had driven him several times, taking him to distant places he knew and wished to visit and they would stay in a two-bedroom hotel suite at Charlie's expense.

When she told Janis that she'd handed in her resignation earlier that day, Janis asked what now for her best friend.

"I don't know yet. I feel drained, becoming bored and am at lost to explain why I have failed to retain long-term any of the guys I've dated."

"My friend, you set high standards and a high degree of work ethics for yourself and I'd say the guys you date have become tired of you telling them to improve their behavior and try harder to make something of themselves."

"But Janis, that is merely attempting to give encouragement."

"Oh yeah, Janis laughed. "But you being you would have considered job options before handing in your resignation."

"Um yes, and the one that interests me most is the thought of going to Auckland, New Zealand."

"On arrival, I probably would have a vacation first and end up some sort of good health retreat. I feel deflated that my life appears to be no longer firing as it was up to the point of taking that position at the District Attorney's Office that I assumed would really enhance my life, but in fact it turned out to be just a relentless grind. I've always been attracted to variety in my life."

"Look, why don't you come to New Zealand and stay for a while."

Janis looked startled and said, "Are you serious?"

"Perhaps, you see I was born in New Zealand. Dad was on a wild game hunting vacation with friends and had a fall and broke his hip and was hospitalized. Mom, heavily pregnant, rushed to him and because of the stress, hello baby, out I popped a little early. Fortunately, they're good with prem births there and I was soon thriving. Four months later we all came home and I had gained dual citizenship."

"I'll take a ticket one-way. Why don't you, Janis."

"Err, I'm not slipping off the wall like you appear to be. But look, it that is to happen possibly I could seek a 6-month work exchange for myself. The Clarion is in an international scheme that promotes this in the form of a cultural exchange."

"Then talk to your boss tomorrow."

"Oh, that soon? You're making this appear exciting."

Stella called on Charlie and she told him she'd resigned her job and would leave soon to visit New Zealand and her friend Janis may accompany her.

"Do you think Pavin and Pamela will get together eventually?"

"Nope, Stella. I'd thought after you broke up with him that he'd go into his cave for a time and when he emerged from his gloom, he'd see Pamela in a new light, but there was no ignition,"

"All the same, that was good thinking, Charlie. It's interesting that she hasn't teamed up with anyone since she and Pavin split. I wonder why?"

"Ah, you smart young lady. You're expecting me with my wisdom to answer that, aren't you?"

"Yes, because you respect Pamela and me."

"Aw heck, it's because she can't find anyone as good or better."

"Yeah, that's why I think and you like Pamela so much. I'll have a girl-to-girl chat with her?"

"Please do, I'd be ever so grateful."

"Look, with you heading off to New Zealand, perhaps with Janis White, I have connections. I'll arrange for a long-stay visitor's visas for you two."

"No, it's okay. I was born accidentally in New Zealand so have a Kiwi passport, never used and Janis is attempting to get some kind of exchange scholarship."

Charlie laughed and said he'd really miss Miss Weird.

"How on earth can you be born accidentally anywhere but at home or a nursing facility?"

She explained. Charlie was fascinated and said if he promised not to tell Pavin where she was if she settled in New Zealand, could he visit her?

"Yes Charlie, I virtually regard you as family."

Charlie had trouble with his eyes.

"My son stupidly dumped you. He'll pay for this. Sweetheart gave me your bank number and listen; I want you to stay here until you leave. I'll take you and Janis to the airport."

"Okay, so you are going to give me a going away present."

"Yeah, something like that."

Six weeks later, arriving at the LA International Airport after flying two domestic legs from Michelle, Janis and Stella face a with a two-hour wait until boarding their flight to the South Pacific overnight to Auckland where they would be met by Janis' 'minder' from the Herald newspaper where she would work.

They had consumed a light meal and were having coffee when Stella had a premonition. She said to Janis, "I have to find a computer café to check my bank balance."

"Okay, I'll come with you. There will be one within this holding area."

Stella connected to her online bank account. "Omigod."

"What, are you overdrawn?"

"No Janis. I now have four extra accounts beside my name. In the last few hours $100,000 has been placed into four new sub-accounts attached to my main account."

"What, a bank mistake?"

"No, Pavin's father Charlie has enriched me."

"God, what were you doing for him, fellatio?"

"No, but even one thousand bucks would be overpayment for that. I managed speaking girl-to-girl to Pamela to negotiate a reconnection with Pavin and it's been off to a good start, so far. Come, let's have half a bottle of champagne."

They sat sipping. Stella told Janis she was absolutely sure Charlie was sound of mind and totally aware of what he was doing.

"In the last six weeks I've spent quite a bit of time with Charlie, going out to shows, the movies and to dinner most nights. We are best of friends, and definitely nothing more than that. Charlie had told me several times I'd jazzed up his life."

"Without even fellatio?"

"Yes, without anything but walking arm-in-arm."

"Since his wife died, most of his friends have slowly drifted away and his social life had reduced to something very basic. Then along comes me who requested him to take me to the state capital on that quest that rather brought him out of intellectual sleep, making it seem like he was interacting professionally again."

"That's still an unbelievable huge reward. Gosh even fellatio plus a finger..."

"Janis, please. I regard him as near-family."

"Oh darling, I'm sorry. Me and my big mouth."

"You are my dearest friend Janis, there's no need to oversell yourself."

"Oh really. Y-you think so kindly of me."

"Shut up Janis otherwise there's not more booze for you until we arrive in Australia... oops I mean New Zealand. I hope our pilots are a little more accurate about our destination than I am. There are two other things Charlie had said to me. One was he wanted my bank account number to give me a little going away present. The other was something he said with apparent deep hurt. It went something like, "My son will pay for dumping you."

"That's it, that's it," Janis said excitedly. Can't you see? He's given you a chunk of Pavin's inheritance."

"Oh god, I think you are right. Janis, what have I done to deserve this?"

"Well frankly darling, you have through your generosity of spirit brought a guy in his mid-sixties out of premature retirement and post-depression brought on after the untimely death of his wife. He's just more than a little appreciative of what you've done for him. Write him; I bet you'll find he's returned to work and many of his former clients are returning to the fold."

"Do you really think so?"

"I know so darling and it's not the alcohol that's talking."

Chapter 5

Janis and Stella had left the Northern Hemisphere in late Fall to arrive hours later in late Spring in the Southern Hemisphere and were not dressed for warmer weather or had attempted to readjust their mind-sets.

They went out and waited in a 5-minute pick up zone as Janis's 'minder' Johnny Harris had instructed her. He was a journalist on the newspaper involved in Janis' international exchange. A journalist from the Herald was taking her place at her newspaper in Michelle. Johnny also would be responsible to quickly acclimatize her to New Zealand life and the systems of her hosting newspaper.

"God the sun is so bright and it's almost hot, yet it's only just gone 8:00 in the morning."

"Yes, Stella. And I'm tired and grumpy after a 13-hour non-stop flight and my fucking stupid minder is keeping me fucking waiting."

"Janis darling, watch your language. Don't scare old ladies and the horses."

"What horses, where are they?"

"Out there somewhere darling. Is this your minder flashing the car lights and grinning as if we were lined up to feed him and to accommodate him sexually?"

"Oh yes, god yes, that's him, that's John Watson-White, better known as Johnny. I recognize him by the photo he emailed me."

Johnny climbed out of the Range Rover, grinned and said, "Hi Janis, you even look better in the flesh than your photo you sent me. He stared at Stella and said, "Holy shit."