The Perils of Paula Pt. 04

CHERYL

In this next story Paula meets up with an old school friend and accompanies her to a reunion where she bumps into Cheryl. Like Paula, her marriage is also on the rocks but she's not willing to end it just yet, she's not into women but seems intrigued by Paula's impromptu confession that she's been having affairs with women.

Author's note: A working girl in Australia is a slang term for a sex worker. Don't ask me why we used that term but it's become part of the Australian cultural landscape.

Teenage crushes are the stuff of legend and I could go on forever with examples from popular fiction and movies, most of which are too insipid and cheesy to take seriously. Most of them end with the happy ever after scenario, which always strikes me as being a little odd. As a teenager you're experiencing rapid growth spurts and I'm not just talking about the physical, the emotional and mental aspects are also growing. I remember guys I thought were absolute dream boats but when you meet them later in life, sometimes only a few years later you thank your lucky stars that you never went out with them.

However there was one girl I did have a crush on although at the time I didn't associate it with anything sexual because everyone loved Cheryl. She was the child of a mixed marriage, her father was English but his parents were born in Jamaica. Her mother was white and her parents had come down from the north to live in Hammersmith. Cheryl was only fourteen when her family emigrated to Australia. Her mother had a job offer as a teacher at a high school and Cheryl's father was an electrical engineer for some big company.

Like many children from mixed race marriages, Cheryl had inherited the best of both worlds. She had her father's dark complexion although it was lighter than his. She had her mother's dark brown hair and eyes, and her longish face. She'd inherited her father's height and inquisitive nature and from her mother she'd copied her dress sense. Cheryl could turn up to school in the same uniform as us but it looked better on her. As a result she became the subject of many crushes, guys flirted with her and the girls either wanted to be like her or with her. I fell into the first category but now and then I'd find myself drifting into the latter one. Cheryl seemed to ride the shifting tides at school with ease, she'd lived most of her life in another country and as a result her outlook on life was much more open-minded.

Fast forward a decade or so and Cheryl had drifted into the far recesses of my mind. I thought about her whenever I heard Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out For a Hero because it was one of the songs she danced to at school discos. However apart from those rare occasions I never thought about her until I bumped into Tina, an old friend from high school. I'd dropped into a Coles New World near mum and dad's place and she recognised me at the checkout when she turned around to pick up her bags. There was a moment of hesitation before I remembered her name and then Cheryl's face rose in my mind's eye. We got talking and it was like the years just fell away. Tina had divorced and was now living with a guy she met at a high school reunion.

"But Gary wasn't actually at our school, he was one of the bouncers at the club," she explained, "he's a Maori but most of his family live here."

One thing led to another and she eventually invited me to another high school reunion and at first I was hesitant. I'd been to one of them just after I got married and have vague memories of being helped into a taxi and throwing up over the seat.

"Been there, done that," she smiled, "but I've been to a few over the last five years, last year we were at the Knox Club but this year the school has stepped in to give us the gym for a night. Fifteen dollars gets you a ticket for the meal and it's half price drinks if you turn up in fancy dress. Some of us are going to go in school uniform but I can't see me fitting into my old uniform."

It was the mention of school uniform that did it, I still had Adele firmly locked into my mind and so I agreed to go along. Babysitting duties would be delegated to my parents, which meant I could stay at their place for the night.

The night of the reunion I felt a slight anxiety, this was the first time I'd seen my old friends for years and like most of us I too was feeling the ravages of time. I did dress the part though, a white blouse, black leather trousers and a black tie.

"You'll be turning heads on both side of the aisle," Tina flicked at her hair, "oh, by the way, Cheryl is turning up as well."

"Cheryl? As in Pommy Cheryl?"

"The one and lonely," she grinned, "we've been trying to get her to turn up for years but she's always refused or been too busy."

"This should be interesting," I adjusted my tie, "is this fancy dress or not?"

"Yeah, that's fancy enough," she stared at my pants, "you can be that eighties rock chick."

"Ha ha," I rolled my eyes.

However Tina was right. I did turn heads when we walked into the gym. For a few moments I was right back in my teens when a trip to the gym usually meant being humiliated by Ms Hunt who used to make us wear our sports uniform inside out if we didn't make the grade. And then I found myself looking straight at Cheryl.

Age isn't generous to women but somehow it seemed to have passed Cheryl by and focused on her husband Sam instead. I'd seen him once before at that first reunion and back then I thought he could have passed for a young Elvis Presley. He had the dark smouldering looks and black hair but years down the track he looked like Danny De Vito. She on the other hand looked as if she'd just stepped off the set of a makeover special. Her hair was thicker and longer and she was wearing a red dress with wide straps and a flared skirt. She was talking to a couple of women and then one of them turned to talk to someone else and Cheryl and I were looking straight at each other.

They say there's a thing about love at first sight and I can attest to that because I felt like I was frozen to the spot and then someone nudged her and the spell was broken but as Tina and I made our way to a table I looked over my shoulder to find her looking at me as well.

"So, what's her story?" I asked Tina a few minutes later.

"She works in finance at Westpac in the city," she told me, "Cheryl earns more money in a quarter than I see in a year."

"And what about Sam? Is it love or money?"

"Now there's a mystery," she smiled crookedly, "Sam did have money until he blew it all on the stock market, now he's got one of those Red Rooster franchises. She could have her pick of men but she's still with him."

"Well you can't judge a book by its cover."

Just at that moment I saw her pull Sam to one side and by the look on her face he must have said something to upset her or somebody else because he couldn't look her in the eye. We were too far away to hear the conversation but a minute or so later she whirled about and stalked to the bar, he just stood there looking like a stunned mullet. When she collected her drink Cheryl leaned against the bar as she surveyed the crowd and then she homed in on me. I raised my glass in salute and was rewarded with a half salute and then she pushed away from the bar and sauntered towards us.

"G'day," she came to a halt at our table, "Tina, right? And you're," she looked past me for a few moments before I spoke up.

"Paula, it's been years since I've been to one of these."

"I thought I recognised you," she gave me the once over, "nice outfit, are you our rock chick?"

"Something like that," I ran an eye over her dress, "and you're the woman in red."

"Yeah, it's original I know," she sat down, "this seat taken?"

"Not yet," I replied, "will your husband be joining us?"

"If he knows what's good for him," her smile remained fixed, "but then again he never was the sharpest tool in the shed."

"Tina tells me you work in finance," I said, "my best friend, Rachel works in finance too."

"Not Rachel Murphy?"

"You know her?"

"God, it's a small world isn't it?" Cheryl smiled, "we used to work together at the Commonwealth but then I got a job at Westpac, how is she these days?"

"She's good enough," I replied, "she's working local now, it cuts down on the commute time and she's close enough to the kids."

She asked more about Rachel and from there we ventured into her situation. She was living in a house out in Balwyn and working in the city, she had a flat in North Melbourne that she'd bought as an investment opportunity a few years ago. However, it had been empty for the last six months.

"I took it off the rental market for a few months because I'm getting ready to sell it and I can't offer a tenant a secure tenancy agreement," she half turned as Sam approached with his beer and a wine for her, "so, you've decided to join the party after all."

"Sam Salvini," he nodded at us.

It soon became apparent why Cheryl had confronted him. Sam had a very annoying trait, his boastfulness. In Australian lingo we'd call him a gunna, which is shorthand for 'going to' as in 'I'm gunna travel around Australia one of these days.' A gunna is almost always setting the bar too high for themselves and Sam had certainly done that. He was gunna hit it big in real estate pretty soon, he was eyeing up property at Lakes Entrance. His wife's comment was classic.

"Is that with your money or a mate's money?"

He coughed and decided at that point to go to the toilet and because I'd become a little anxious at his furtive looks I elected to duck outside for a fag. I'm not a big smoker but Tina had a pack and so we both headed for the exit.

We'd only been out there for a minute or so when Cheryl stepped outside and joined us.

"I'm really sorry about Sam, he's always like this when he's had a few," she held up her palm when Tina offered her a cigarette, "he's always going to make a killing on the stock market or the housing market but when push turns to shove he's the one making excuses for not investing."

"So, what is the attraction?" Tina asked her, "if you don't mind me asking."

"That's a long story," she replied, "the short answer is we both live our own lives, I'm married to my job and we have a daughter together but it's convenient for us to keep up appearances. I very nearly cancelled tonight but he talked me into going because our daughter is having a sleep over at our place."

"I know what you're going through," I sighed, "my husband and I are pretty much living separate lives, he has his little affairs and I have mine but we should just pull the pin and end it."

Cheryl turned to look at me at that point and a slight smile nudged her lips.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with a bit of extra marital fun."

"Tell me about it," I smirked, "he travels a lot so at least he's out of the house."

"Small mercies?" Cheryl looked at me.

"Something like that," I flicked at my hair, "but he's not the only one having affairs," I hesitated for a brief moment, "two can play that game."

Tina did a double take at that and then grinned.

"So, what's his name?"

"Her name was Adele but she's with someone else now."

Now it was Cheryl's turn to give me the once over and then she smiled crookedly.

"I like it, talk about keeping your options open. Not that I've swung that way but I've been tempted a few times."

I nearly mentioned Rachel then and there but fortunately I wasn't that drunk, Cheryl had a sly smile on her face. Tina suddenly decided to head for the loo and that left us alone together.

"So, how did it happen for you?" Cheryl finally asked.

"A friend of mine swings both ways, I guess it was just the way she talked about it that got me curious and when I discovered Robert was having an affair I met Rainnie. She and I were never an item but I knew it wasn't a permanent arrangement, after that there was Tayla and then Adele but it's one of those things I don't talk about too much."

"I know what you mean," she folded her arms, "I've had a few guys at the flat because Sam hasn't got the keys and he's not about to get them either. It's part of the reason I haven't been too keen to sell up, it's an option in case I end the marriage but I'm holding out because Beckie is still in primary school."

It was something I understood only too well, the struggle between staying in the rut and climbing out of it and that's what drew the two of us together. Both of us were stuck in loveless marriages with cheating partners and we'd also dipped our feet in the pool with others but initially it looked as if she and I would just remain friends. We exchanged contact details and what was significant was the fact that she gave me the address for her North Melbourne flat.

"Call first in case I'm not alone."

Tina was a little quiet on the way home but as she pulled up outside my parents' house she finally let it out.

"I swear to God, I never thought you'd turn that way."

"Neither did I, but you'll still talk to me won't you?"

"Of course," she nudged my leg lightly, "just to let you know though, I'm quite happy with men and one man in particular."

"Good, I'm glad but I'm bisexual and being with women is easier because I can hide my affairs from Robert. He won't question me if I go out to see a girlfriend but if I was to see a guy he'd want to know all the details."

"Well there is that," she replied, "in the old days they were sewing circles but I don't think they did much sewing."

I laughed at that.

"Still, it was nice catching up with Cheryl after all these years, she still looks hot but time hasn't been kind to that husband of hers."

"That's being too kind," she fiddled with one of her rings, "he kept staring at my tits all night."

"Well if it's any consolation he was staring at mine as well."

"So, you're going to see Cheryl again?" Tina looked over at me.

"Yeah, she's on my side of town during the week."

"Do you think you and her might?"

"Oh I don't know about that," I flicked at my hair, "I mean she comes across as bendable but I think Cheryl is probably more into men."

Little did I know as I drove away a few minutes later that I was to be proved wrong about Cheryl much sooner than I thought.

***

North Melbourne is one of the more exclusive inner city suburbs but that was a long time coming as gentrification radiated out from the CBD, due to resident resistance. It had always been a working class suburb and the home of the North Melbourne Football Club, aka the Roos. I'd been there a few times but only for work, I had a couple of clients there. When Cheryl called me a week after the reunion I just thought that now I'd have one more client in North Melbourne.

Cheryl's flat just off Curzon Street would have been a fairly standard flat and years ago it would have gone for a song but gentrification had seen the price for such flats skyrocket. The exterior didn't look like much but the interior had been completely remodelled and I commented on the fact it seemed much bigger on the inside.

"It did have a wall between the kitchenette and living room," she flicked a button on the coffee machine, "years ago these were just little boxes stacked on top of each other but there's a lot you can do with a place like this. If I was single this would be a perfect flat but Beckie's an outdoor girl and she'd miss the backyard in Balwyn, plus we've got a Samoyed and she needs a yard."

"Well there is that too," I perched on a stool by the breakfast bar, "as much as I'd like to end my marriage I would have problems finding a decent house with just my income."

"Oh it's doable all right," Cheryl folded her arms and perched against the bench, "you just have to know how to manage your money, I get a lot of clients in the same position. My reasons for staying in the marriage have nothing to do with financial concerns," she flicked at her hair.

"It's pride, I went into this bloody marriage with every intention of honouring my vows. Beckie loves her father and I have to hand it to him there, he's good with her but there's that part of me that looks at Sam and thinks I need more. When I was in university it was different, he was younger and cooler, but we've grown apart over the years."

Over the next hour I learned a lot about money and how to manipulate it, Cheryl certainly knew how to play the game and for her it was second nature. I soaked up the advice she handed out and it's certainly been advantageous to me now that I'm divorced. However we didn't talk about sex that day, partly because I was so intrigued at the machinations of financial gymnastics and partly due to the fact that I just wasn't in the mood.

"We should do this again soon," Cheryl pulled a fifty out of her purse, "not the hair thing but we should definitely do lunch one day."

And that's when it all started for me. I remember that lunch in an upmarket café in Bourke Street, we had to have an early lunch because she had to see an important client at 11:45. She was wearing a beige, silk blouse and brown, pinstripe three-piece suit, it looked like something bought out of a high end boutique store.

I was wearing a burgundy dress with a low cut bodice and I was conscious that she'd looked at my breasts although she didn't make it that obvious. What was significant however was the fact I'd worn that dress, it was cinched at the waist and the bodice buttoned up the front. I only wore that dress when I wanted to be noticed and she certainly noticed the dress because she complimented me on it. She was flirting with me but leaving the rest up to me and the fact we both took it further that day was evidence that we were both on the same page.

The kiss was unexpected though. I was in the toilet, having left my bag with her at the table and I was washing my hands when Cheryl walked in with our bags. Our eyes met as she put my handbag beside the sink.

"I couldn't wait any longer."

I turned at that moment and she put a hand on my waist and tilted her head, our lips met in a kiss, she pushed harder against me and opened her mouth. I responded in kind and moved at the same time so that she was pushed against the vanity. My hands moved down to her breasts and I held them firmly as I worked her mouth firmly and passionately.

We parted a few seconds later and she exhaled and looked past me. Just then we heard the doorknob clicking and I stepped sideways as a woman entered the bathroom. Cheryl took a step forward into a cubicle directly opposite and closed the door behind her. I stayed where I was and decided to adjust my makeup. I was halfway through putting on more lipstick when my phone beeped.

Cheryl: What are your plans for later?

Paula: I have be home for 3:30, why?

Cheryl: Fancy meeting at the North Melbourne place? I can be out at 2:00.

Paula: Yeah, I can do 2:00.

Cheryl: Sweet, I'll meet you there.

Her next text was a series of numbers, her alarm number and a minute or two later she stepped out of the cubicle to wash her hands. The other woman came out at the same time and I kept brushing my hair. When the woman had left the bathroom Cheryl took her keys out and worked the house key off the ring.

"See you later," she brushed her lips across mine, "don't worry about the bill, it's my shout," and then she was sauntering out of the bathroom. It took a minute to compose myself and make my exit, I saw her at the counter paying for lunch and she acknowledged me with a smile and then I was heading for the door.

With a couple of hours or so to kill I did a bit of shopping at Melbourne Central before driving out to her flat in North Melbourne. I remember sitting outside the block with butterflies in my stomach because this felt so much like one of those working girl encounters and I definitely wasn't one of those girls. When I finally got inside I sent her a text and was getting comfortable with a glass of wine on an L-shaped couch when she sent one back.