The Mountain Girl Ch. 01

This story is a spin off from the Taking Chances series I did some time back. In chapter four I made reference to a woman called Heidi who'd caught Jodie's eye, but Heidi was too taken by Kelly to notice. Kelly does mention that Heidi is most likely straight but curious and so I decided to explore Heidi a little more. This gives me a chance to visit my old friends, Kelly and Jodie, who will play a part in this series. The story is set in the mountain suburb of Belgrave in Melbourne, a place I spent a lot of time in over the years. I hope you enjoy the new series.

Shaima.

*

Heidi had always tried to maintain a positive attitude to life, despite the setbacks she faced. The motivational poster in her kitchen basically stated that the sun still shone from behind the clouds. It had been a present from a guy she'd once dated. If she'd been willing to go along to his church she might well have become Mrs. Heidi Adams, but the thought of becoming a Christian just to get a guy down on one knee was too much for her. They'd parted on friendly terms and she still thought of him as a hell of a nice guy.

She thought of Peter the week her housemate moved out of their rented home in Belgrave, it was one of those thoughts that pops into your head and despite your best efforts to ignore it or push it to the back of your mind it keeps coming to the fore. There was no way she could afford the rent now that Raelene was gone, the house was located a mere five minutes walk from the main street of Belgrave and the train station. It was in a prime location, something the landlord had no doubt factored into his calculations when he set the rent so high.

There were plenty of queries over the next month but the price was a little on the steep side and she began to seriously contemplate moving back to her parents' home in Chirnside Park. It wouldn't be the first time and yet she didn't make that call yet, it would mean travelling even further to work and yet on balance she admitted she'd be better off with a reduced rent. She privately conceded it was pride that stopped her. This was a place she'd fought to get and for the last few years she'd managed to stay here and in that time she'd been through three housemates. The high rent wasn't the only factor though, her first housemate was working in the city at the time and the travel was killing her. When you added in the isolation factor it made life harder, Belgrave was the last stop on the Belgrave line, so owning a car kind of went without saying.

Nevertheless, the thought of calling Peter did stay with her for that month and she didn't act on it until a potential applicant suddenly called to tell her that she'd found a cheaper room. She didn't know why that angered her but it did and she stared at that bloody poster as she ended the call and leaned on the island bench in the kitchen.

"Okay, God," she directed her voice at the poster, "I give in, I'll call him."

Despite her desperate straits she tried to make it sound like one of those, 'how ya going, calls and now I've got you by the short and curlies, Raelene has moved out and did he know of anyone who might like to rent a room?' There was a momentary pause and she actually thought the call had dropped out and then he let out one of his 'well that's an answer to prayer.'

"Sorry?" Heidi moved closer to the window.

"Um, yeah I know someone, hang on, let me call you back in five."

He hung up and she waited for a few minutes. Who could he have in mind? Someone from his church? It brought a slight frown to her face. Raelene was a white witch, now she was calling on a Christian. I've gone from one to the other, her eyes shifted as the phone rang again and she swiped the screen and put the phone to her ear.

"Peter."

"Sorry, just had to call my cousin. She's interested, but there's a slight problem," he paused, "although it might not worry you so much."

"What's the slight problem?" Heidi pictured some theological student or pastor.

"She's gay, she just broke up with her partner and right now she's staying at a friend's place but it's a temporary thing, she's looking for six months at least, maybe more."

"Oh," Heidi smiled and put her back to the window.

"I'm not homophobic," she went on, "when you said slight problem I thought she'd just lost her job or had multiple personality problems."

"No, nothing like that. Zoe is thirty six, she's a database manager at Swinburne TAFE in Croydon and very stable. I know I'm biased but it's true. You couldn't meet a nicer woman."

"Okay, so bring her around. It's been a while since we caught up."

It took another call to Zoe before he came back with a time.

"Friday night? About sevenish?"

"Perfect, I'll order a pizza."

"Don't worry about that I'll pick it up on the way through."

She managed a smile when she put the phone down. Sometimes giving in to urges paid off and other times it went nowhere. So the woman was gay? She pictured Kelly as she touched the tattoo. Kelly had wound up with Jodie, another woman at her gym and yet despite the fact that Heidi had harboured a crush on her they all remained friends. Kelly and Jodie were just one of three gay couples the other two were in Olinda. This past year had seen her circle of friends widen a little more to include these couples, and yet she always felt as if she was just skirting around the edges of the gay community. So far no one had suggested she dip her toes.

This should be interesting, she mused that night as she slipped under the duvet.

That week was busier than normal. Heidi worked as a manager at a beauty counter down at Knox City and that Friday saw her dealing with a regional manager she'd come to hate with a passion. The woman was a classic example of someone promoted way above her abilities and there were times she suspected the woman knew it. Heidi managed to satisfy her and keep the girls from staging a revolt and then she was heading home.

She did think of Zoe as she drove past Kelly's tattoo studio in Upwey and wondered if she should drop in and see if Kelly knew someone called Zoe but the traffic behind her was too heavy and she still had to get changed and make sure the house was as tidy as possible. She'd done her housework the previous night but this was something she couldn't afford to screw up and so she checked and double checked that everything was in place. She changed out of her uniform and into blue jeans, white top and mottled brown jumper, Ugg boots completed the Mountain Girl look.

She contemplated herself in the mirrored, floor to ceiling wardrobe door. Her long blonde hair hung halfway down her back, framing a squarish face with a firm jawline and blue eyes. She didn't have her mother's petite figure but she didn't carry as much weight compared to twelve months ago, a regular gym routine had taken care of that. Her attire was a deliberate attempt to dress down and reflected a relaxed country look but should she dress up? She peered at the door, picturing the clothes hanging behind it, there were plenty of outfits to choose from if she wanted to put on a good impression.

This is who I am, she finally decided, be yourself because no one else can. She didn't know where that saying came from but it seemed to fit, she ran a brush through her hair one last time, sprayed some perfume on and then it was time to throw some wood into the pot-bellied heater and start a fire. The pot-bellied heater was one of the more attractive features she thought, although getting wood for it could put a dent in your budget.

Peter pulled up just after a quarter past seven in his white, 1978 Holden ute, a few seconds later a red Holden Commodore pulled up behind him and Heidi stared at the car. He'd said she was stable, she certainly drove a much newer car than either Peter or herself, it looked brand new.

"I asked for five loaves and two fishes but all they had was two pizzas and garlic bread," Peter greeted her with a smile.

"They'll have to do," she stepped aside just as Zoe came to a halt on the verandah. She had a two litre bottle of Coke in her hand and a handbag. She came to a dead halt and Heidi felt her stomach drop away as she stared at her.

He'd said she was thirty six. What he'd failed to tell her was that she was absolutely gorgeous, although she would have thought it weird if he had mentioned that at all she managed a wry smile. Zoe was a few inches taller than her and dressed in a dark brown, satin blouse with a mandarin collar and structured ruffles covering the buttons. It was tucked into black trousers accessorised with a white belt and silver buckle. Her hair fell to just past her shoulders in cascading waves, framing an aquiline face with delicately formed cheekbones and bow shaped lips that parted in a smile to expose perfect teeth.

"Hey," she inclined her head, "I'm Zoe, you must be Heidi."

"Yeah, that's me," she reached for the Coke bottle, "lovely to meet you, um I'll take that."

"Thanks," she handed it over and moved past her and Heidi caught the whiff of Chanel.

Heidi closed the front door and followed her as Peter led them into the kitchen, which meant going through the living room. A grey, leather L-shaped couch was at right angles to a smaller two-seater couch with a large coffee table with a glass top on top of sawn off logs for legs taking up the space between them. The couches faced a wall-mounted television screen above an old chest of drawers, the bookshelf against an adjacent wall was actually two smaller bookshelves stacked on top of each other and held together with bits of wood screwed to them. Heidi had always thought it one of her better ideas but when an elegant looking woman like Zoe looked at her innovation she felt a slight twinge of doubt. Zoe glanced briefly at the red coals behind the heater and then they were in the kitchen.

"How's about you show her around and I'll organise dinner," he put the pizzas and garlic bread on the bench.

"Shall we?" Heidi inclined her head.

The house actually had three bedrooms but the third bedroom was so small she'd long ago given up thoughts of putting in a bed. It had one large desk and a small table that doubled as a desk, there was also a chest of drawers and a bookshelf in the room, which only added to the cluttered look and she felt the need to compensate.

"It's really just an office," she nodded at her computer, "I can move the chest of drawers out and you can use the table."

"I should be fine but thanks, I've got a laptop and if I do work from here it's usually just to log in and fix some issue with the database. What's your connection like?"

"Broadband is with Optus, I um, might have to ask you to put in half for that," she held her breath but Zoe merely shrugged.

"That's fine," she eyed the computer, "you're an Apple girl."

"Guilty as charged," she smiled.

"We've got a few at the campus," she smirked, "along with Windows, all running on top of the Debian system that runs the back end."

"Debian," she looked puzzled.

"Linux," Zoe replied, "I use Linux Ubuntu on my laptop."

"Okay," she smiled, "um the bedroom you'll have is here," she moved past her and across the hall to the second bedroom, "I bought the double bed off her when she moved out."

She put her back to the wall so that Zoe could have a good look around. The second bedroom was slightly smaller than the master bedroom. The bed took up much of the room although the room did have a built in wardrobe too. Zoe slid the mirrored door back to peer inside.

"I haven't seen these doors for years," she murmured, "no bodies in there," she turned around to survey the room, "the fact it's got a bed is good though," she moved to the wooden bedhead and picked up a charm dangling from it.

"Oh that belonged to Raelene," she moved towards her, "Raelene is a white witch, she left that there to bless the room or something like that."

"A white witch," Zoe released it and smiled crookedly, "well this is holy hill, you get all types up here," she raised an eyebrow at Heidi.

"I'm not, I'm an atheist," she replied, "I believe everyone has the right to believe whatever they want as long as it doesn't involve oppression or violence but I did find her beliefs a little on the weird side to be honest."

"I dated a mage once," Zoe remarked as she pulled the curtain aside to peer out into the darkness, "lovely woman but her brain was wired in reverse," she let the curtain fall back.

"So, why did Raelene move out?"

"She um felt as if the energy wasn't right here, she moved in with a girlfriend out in Gruyere. I don't think it's that kind of girlfriend but they both believe in witchcraft."

"Well it takes all kinds," Zoe sat down on the bed and stared at her reflection in the mirror, "I'm a bit like you, I can go along with anyone's beliefs until they try to shove them down my throat," she put her palms out onto the bed.

"The rent is high but it's to be expected, considering the location."

"I know and it's something I'm always struggling with, I've had three other housemates through this place and it was always a struggle for them as well."

"Hmm," Zoe bounced up and down, "at least the springs don't squeak."

"They do on the other side," she replied, "I could always tell she was fucking because she slept on that side."

"So moving forward, if I bring a woman home one night you won't be offended?"

"Not at all," she dug her hands further into her pockets, "I'm cool with that."

"Well I'm not likely to, unless my stars are telling me lies, again," she flopped back on the bed and stretched her arms out wide.

"I love this bed though."

"Do you want to try it out?" Heidi ventured and then winced, "sorry, that came out wrong, I meant you can," she stopped as Zoe propped on her elbows and giggled.

"I know what you meant and it's okay, the bed feels fine," she glanced at wardrobe door.

"I'm not sure how how long I'll be here, six months at least but maybe twelve. It all depends on what the market is looking like. My mum died a few months ago and left the house to me and my brother, but the agent suggested we rent the place out for twelve months. Once that's sold I'll have a lump sum to throw at another house."

"Or buy him out, perhaps?"

"Bugger that for a bunch of bananas," she sat up, "it's in Little River."

"This might work out well," she mused, "I'm close to work and not far from my accountant."

"I know an accountant in Selby," she flicked at her hair, "Jodie."

"Jodie McNaughton?" Zoe stared at her.

"Yeah, she's your accountant?"

"She's my accountant and my friend," she pushed her feet out along the floor, "but how do you know her?"

"We go to the same gym and," she paused, "I also know her partner, Kelly?"

"Yeah I've only met Kelly once, she seems nice enough. Jodie and I go back a few years, we had mutual friends and we'd catch up now and then at pubs and the odd barbie," she smiled crookedly and went on. "I had a major crush on her a few years ago before I got together with my ex, Maggie but we'll keep that between us."

"I kind of had a girl crush on Kelly for a few weeks, but then she got with Jodie and I was actually relieved," she stopped talking as Zoe looked at her.

"What?"

"Nothing," she shook her head, "it's actually a relief to hear a straight woman admit she had a girl crush on someone, so many women do but won't admit it for fear of being labelled."

"I'll admit to being curious but as to where it goes is still in the too hard basket."

"Fair enough," she rose slowly, "okay, I'll take the room," she glanced at the door, "that pizza smells delicious, shall we?"

The details were worked out over dinner. She could move in tomorrow if she liked despite the fact that Heidi would be at work all day covering for a girl who needed the day off.

"I'll give you the key tonight, how much stuff do you have to move?"

"Just clothes and a few personal possessions," she glanced at Peter lounging on the small couch, "like mum's old dressing table and those bedside drawers you've been using."

"It'll take two trips in the ute," he shrugged, "all right, maybe three."

"Two," she decided, "I'll fold down the back seats in my car, the furniture should take one trip, we have to drop by Bob's joint and get stuff out of the garage."

She stared at the heater and a sly grin nudged her lips.

"I've always wanted to live in a place with one of those heaters. We had a joint out in the sticks once, Steel's Creek, but the bloody fireplace had a blocked chimney and that bitch of a landlady refused to unblock it unless we paid for it. So, we sat for a whole winter under a doona," she smiled crookedly, "we had a lot of sex that winter."

"I can imagine," Heidi smiled, "although I didn't know what cold was until I went back to Germany and Sweden to visit my grandparents, it was the middle of winter and I was wrapped up like the Michelin man wondering how people could live like this. Even when the sun did come out it was cold, I was the idiot looking up at it wondering why is the sun cold?"

"Yeah, I've been back to Britain and done a bit of travelling around Europe," she smiled, "so, your parents are German?"

"Dad's German and mum's Swedish."

"Interesting mix," she propped on her palm, "can you speak either language?"

"Ja and ja," she nodded, "I was taught German first and then Swedish."

"Three languages," Zoe raised her eyebrows, "I'm impressed," she uncrossed her legs, "maybe I'll learn a few new tricks yet," she looked at Peter.

"Well, I've got to hit the road and catch Linda before she goes to bed. What are you doing?"

"I won't be far behind you," he stretched and yawned, "we'll do all this again tomorrow."

"So this will work out then?" Peter asked her a few minutes later as they stood on the verandah.

"Yeah, thanks. I owe you big time."

"You owe me a hug," he put his arm around her and she folded into him and held him close, "look after my cousin, she's been through a hell of a lot."

"I will," she released him, "and don't be a bloody stranger, there's always room at my camp fire for you, okay?"

And then they were both gone, leaving Heidi staring out into the darkness, a possum screeched somewhere out there and she heard the sounds of The Angels, Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again coming from the house across the road. There were a few Harley Davidsons parked on the front lawn and she frowned as she realised she hadn't mentioned that bikers lived across the road but she would have most likely noticed the bikes. A few moments later she took two steps back and closed the door, shutting out the world. The crisis was over, touch wood. Let's see how long this one lasts, she mused.

As luck would have it, Jodie dropped into the store to pick up some perfume and she was surprised when Heidi dropped Zoe's name in the course of the conversation.

"Yeah, I know Zoe, but how come she's moving into your joint?"

"She broke up with her partner, apparently."

"Yeah I know," she looked past her, "I'd have offered her the spare room but it would have caused tension between Kelly and I. She had a thing for me a few years ago," she paused, "so when are you bringing her around for dinner?"

"Um, I haven't asked yet."

"Well don't be shy, she's more than welcome," she picked up the plastic bag on the counter.

"Anyway, gotta fly, call me when you're coming around."

There was a delicious aroma coming from the kitchen that night as she closed the front door behind her and she could hear the television news in the living room. For an instant she froze, taking in the atmosphere, she'd been on her own for just over a month and now she had company. Peter's car was parked in the street and Zoe's was in the driveway. Heidi stepped into the living room and nodded at Peter slumped in the couch, a beer in his hand, he was only half watching the news, the phone in his hand beeped and he nodded at Heidi.