The OWLS Club Pt. 12

Emily looked over her shoulder, smiled and waved to us. Mia turned to us and told us it was perfect timing. Gave us both a hard hat each and Hi Vis vests each and said that any time we are here, regardless, we had to sign in and follow the onsite rules. Cindy turned to me and told me "She is referring to you I think."

I took a deep breath and acknowledged that I would.

"When are we going looking for the tunnel? I mean we were all gung ho a couple of weeks ago and we seem to be standing still now." I asked her.

Mia smiled at me took me by the hand and walked me over to her filing cabinet. Opened a draw and put a mountain of letters and paperwork on her desk.

"Apparently we need to get so many bloody government approvals. Everyone from the Dept: of Mines; Marine and Harbors Board; Services SA and would you believe it the bloody Premiers Office. We have sent the applications off and got approvals from the first three and we are just waiting on the Premiers Office to get back to us." She explained.

"All that to dig a hole in our own cellar?" Asked Cynthia.

"I think there is a bit more to it than that Cindy," then turning back to Mia I asked, "but you say the Premiers Office is holding us up?" She nodded.

"Hang on a sec will you." I asked her. I pulled out my phone and rang Anita, it rang for a couple of minutes before being answered by an out of breath Anita, who was puffing and panting.

"I'm not going to ask what you were up to and if you were at it I am really sorry for interrupting you." I told her.

She laughed, "Not at this time of day, besides Erica is either too busy or too tired of late." She explained. "What can I do for you Kathy?"

"Your contact in the Premiers Office, does she or he have any influence?" I enquired.

"Some, why do you ask?" She asked me,

"I need something rushed through, maybe just a bit of que jumping." And I explained the situation to her.

She said she would ask the question. I told her to get back to Mia not me.

After explaining everything to both Mia and Cynthia, who had been busy chatting to Emily on some other social matters. I asked to be taken for a tour, with Cindy, of the building.

Mia was delighted to and Emily tagged along as well. Each of them grabbing some drawings as we left their offices.

[Now it is important to advise you all, that Terence and I keep right away from any decision making after we have told the Architect what we wanted the external of the building to look like and represent. Terry left the interior design to my own wishes, which in turn were handed over to Emily and Mia. My desire to have an old world Edwardian library feel to the main floor my only input. We approved the final drawings with Erica, with some proviso about the décor. After that we keep right out of the way. So what we are seeing on this unofficial visit, was the first we had seen of it since we signed off on those same drawings.]

Cynthia was gobsmacked at the size of the area. Emily quickly took charge as far as explaining what it would look like, colour schemes, etc. Cindy looked at her grand-daughter with renewed admiration. I saw her change of heart these past weeks and I never thought I would ever see Cynthia so proud of her grand-daughter as I saw her that day.

The way she engaged with both Mia and Emily, almost brought a tear to my eye. Mia took her by the arm on a couple of occasions and pointed to the drawings and then to the building. The Italian heritage coming out of her with her very expressive hand and body movements. I could understand now how Emily had fallen in love with her.

My phone rang, it was Michelle. "Mistress, I have just heard back from Paris, are you sitting down?" she asked.

"Do I need to?" I enquired.

"I think so my Mistress." She told me.

"Well hang on a sec, I'm here with Cynthia and the girls, I'll put you on speaker OK?"

"Oui madam."

I tapped Cindy on the arm and got the girls attention at the same time. "I have Michelle on the phone, she has heard back from Paris, about the paintings." They all came rushing over to the phone, all bubbling with excitement.

"Go ahead Michelle." I instructed her.

"Ello everyone. Well it is good news. From the looks of the signatures on the photos we sent them they believe it is painted by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. They would have to see the paintings eerrr d'être sûr à cent pour cent." [to be one hundred percent sure.]

"They have to see them first to be 100% certain." I translated

Michelle continued "They will send someone to look at them eerrrr pour s'assurer qu'ils sont authentiques." [to make sure they are authentic."]

"Basically they have to see them to authenticate them." I explained.

The three women were all jumping around like children in a playground. Emily was crying and trying to hug both Mia and her grand-mother. I stood back and took a snap shoot.

I took the phone off speaker and talked to Michelle. "Sweetheart, that is wonderful news, we are weeping here. We are so excited. Well done my love."

"Mistress I did nothing except showed some people who know, what we have here." She replied.

"Yes, but you were insistent, when they didn't believe us at first. You have some spirit, and your Mistress is well pleased." I told her.

"They said they want to see them before we have them cleaned or touched by anyone and if they are by Lautrec they want to make the announcement after they have cleaned them, also if we would allow them to show them at an official launch. I did not agree to anything but said I would consult with you."

"Excellent work Michelle. I will talk to my brother and the family first. Now what are we having for dinner tonight?"

She laughed and said she had no idea.