by Lois Kay
“I totally fu…I really messed up, didn't I?”
“If 'fucked up' is what you wanted to say, I can only agree.” Megan smiled. “While I was traveling across Europe my mom wrote me about you, Jody. Somehow I didn't picture you like this.”
“That’s because this is not like me, at all” was the honest answer. Her voice was bitter and full of self-contempt. “Lately it seems I don't know what I'm doing anymore.”
“What are you running away from?”
Jody stared at her fingers, fiddling with her dress, tying two torn pieces of fabric into knots, searching her brain for an answer. A quick look across the table showed a gentle face, with a pair of soulful brown eyes. They held no judgement, only kindness.
And finally, she gave in, telling Megan everything about her strict and religious upbringing. The joy and love she found when meeting Sam. The heartbreak and suffering when she lost the friend who had loved and accepted her the way she was. The way her father had treated her. Her anger about his prejudiced and judgmental attitude. Her loss of her family and the safety she had always felt as part of her life. How alone she was and how the emotional pain of having lost Sam and her family was almost too much to bear, which had driven her to party and drink to numb the pain.
Megan let Jody talk until the sun was rising and when she was finally finished, her throat was sore and her head was aching, but for the first time in months Jody felt relaxed. She felt drained but relieved and very grateful for finding a friend who was willing to acknowledge her pain and would help her carry her burden.
* * *
“It sounds like she took good care of you.” Sam said. “She must be a good friend.”
Jody nodded. “She is.”
Halfway through the story, Sam had traded her seat on the chair for one on the couch, next to Jody.
“I’m sure you never expected me to behave like that.” The sadness in Jody’s voice was clear. “I was really lost there for a while, Sam. I had nobody.”
The words cut through Sam and she grabbed Jody’s hands between her own. “Don't do this, Jody. You don't have to apologize for what you did. You were hurt, lost and all alone. Who knows what I would have done in a situation like that. You came out of it in one piece, and that's all that matters. You're here now, completely sane and sober.”
That last remark put a smile on Jody's face and for a moment she rested her head against Sam’s shoulder. “I didn't really know how to tell you all of this, but I should have known you wouldn't judge me. You never did.”
“I'm not the one to talk. You should have seen me, eight years ago, when my parents brought me back home. I was insufferable. With all those injuries, I couldn't go to university for quite a while, so I had to stay home. I lashed out at everyone around me, especially my family. I was as lost and hurt as you were and for a long time I couldn't cope with my frustrations. Instead of talking about it, I tried to make everyone as miserable as I was.”
“You?” Jody’s eyes were round with surprise.
Sam smiled. “Yes, me. I finally came to my senses one day, when Tom, who had only been trying to help me, finally gave up and broke down crying.” There was a catch in Sam’s voice. “I'd seen him angry with me, yelling at me, even threatening to beat me up, but actually seeing him break down and cry, well, that was getting my attention alright.”
“It’s hard to picture you like that. You always seemed so in control.”
“I was hurt, too, Jody. I couldn't understand what had happened. I couldn't figure out why you dumped me, because that’s how it felt to me, back then. I'd expected our friendship to be stronger. Our bond unbreakable. I felt betrayed and utterly lost.” Sam's voice was soft and forlorn, but lacked any trace of reproach. “There were many days, especially in the beginning, where I pushed myself beyond the limits the doctors and physiotherapists had set for me. If I was physically hurting, I wouldn’t feel the pain inside.”
“Oh, Sam.” Jody’s tears dripped on Sam’s hand. “This all hurts so much. I feel like my heart’s breaking all over again.”
“But there’s a difference now, Jody.” Sam’s hand lifted Jody’s chin. “I’m here now. We’re here. Maybe we can put the broken pieces back into place. Together.”
A wistful expression appeared on Jody’s face and she smiled through her tears. “Do you believe so?” When Sam nodded Jody pressed Sam’s hand against her cheek. “Maybe we’ve been given a second chance.”
Their eyes met and again time seemed to stop. They were so close their breath mingled and in the depth of Sam’s clear blue eyes, Jody could see something she thought had been lost forever.
“I’d like that, the idea of a second chance,” Sam said. Slowly their faces were drawn together. Jody held her breath. Her heart was pounding in her chest. It was so loud, she wondered if Sam could hear it. A warm flow rushed through her body when she leaned into Sam. She craved the contact. Their skin wasn’t touching, but it felt like her nerve endings had already made contact. Her lips slightly parted in anticipation.
“Jody,” Sam whispered. “I—”
The doorbell rang. The sound made them freeze in mid-motion and Jody cursed under her breath. She was utterly frustrated and ready to throttle the person who had the nerve to shatter an almost perfect moment. She jumped up and yanked the door open to find herself staring into a pair of sparkling, dark-green eyes.
“Hey, Pea,” Lucy greeted. “Did you get it all out in the open?”
Chapter 6
Even though it was Saturday, the beach was quiet. Scattered around, a few small groups of people were relaxing and having a good time. A lifeguard kept a watchful eye on the ones in the water, ready to jump up and dive into the ocean to give assistance to those who needed it.
Somewhere near some large rocks that were once washed ashore, long before James Cook set foot on the east coast, a solitaire figure was sitting in the sand, staring at the endless motion of crashing waves. His fingers were clenched around an object that was small enough to be hidden inside the palm of his large hand. From time to time he looked at it, a pleading look on his face. Finally, it started vibrating and eagerly he brought it to his ear.
“Hello.”
“G'day, Billy Boy. I read the newspaper today and I'm proud of you, mate. Did you come up with that plan all by yourself?”
William Jenkins nodded and noticed how dry his mouth was. He tried to moisten his lips that tasted salty after sitting in the same spot for such a long time. He audibly swallowed. Despite the words of the person who was talking to him, the tone of his voice made the hair on his arms stand up.
“What…What do you mean, Joe?” he stammered. “I erased my tracks like you told me to do.”
“Are you sure, genius?”
“The computer melted, both did, they're completely useless. Besides, before I started the fire, I deleted some files, just in case it wouldn't work. There's nothing to be found anymore, Joe.”
The response was a throaty chuckle and his stomach clenched. He felt bile rise at the back of his throat and convulsively swallowed it down.
“Tell me, Einstein, are you sure the girl doesn't have any copies?”
“I… I…I never…I don't think she has, Joe,” he said. “She never works from home. I don't think she took anything with her.”
“You think? You THINK? What about making sure, you idiot? If she's clever enough to see you've been messing with the books, she'll be smart enough to make some copies to secure the evidence. DON'T YOU THINK? There’s a reason the corporate office send someone down.”
“I'll…I'll…see if I can check out her apartment and—”
“No, you're not doing anything. I'll have to clean up after you this time. You might be recognized and that would cost me a lot of money. You stay put and wait 'till you hear from me again. You got it?”
“Yes, Joe, I will.” His voice was a mere whisper. “Joe, you 're not going to…? I mean, you will not…hurt her, will you?”
“That dep
ends on the mood I' m in, you little piece of shit. Stay put.”
A buzzing sound told him the connection had been broken and nervously biting his fingernails he stared at the ocean. He wondered if walking into those gentle looking waves and letting himself be swallowed up by them would hurt. He slowly shook his head. No, there was still a chance to solve all of this. He did have some time left.
* * *
“Geez, you took your time,” Lucy said, welcoming Sam, who had been to The Reef to get some clean clothes and other belongings.
“I had to convince an inspector from the fire department I simply couldn't go to dinner dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.”
“So, they’re still investigating?” Lucy closed the door and followed Sam into the living room.
“They’re going through everything with a fine toothcomb.”
“Did he find out anything yet? Come on, Sam, you can tell me.”
Sam dropped her bag on the floor and shook her head. “The only thing he shared with me is that the fire wasn’t an accident, but I already knew that. I'd like to know who did it and why. You should see the place, Luce, it's a mess. The walls of my room are covered in soot. The sheets of the bed turned from crispy white to gray. All my clothes stink. They’re putting them in the laundry for me, though.” She pointed to the bag at her feet. “These are from the bottom of my suitcase, which, luckily, was zipped up.”
“Sounds pretty bad.”
Sam nodded and stared out of the window. It was unsettling how the place had looked. She had never seen the after effects of a fire before and was unpleasantly surprised by it. Thinking what could have happened if she had been fast asleep at the time made a chill run down her spine. She could easily have died from smoke inhalation. Sam shivered. She suddenly felt cold and when she turned around she was startled when two pair of eyes were looking at her intently.
“Are you okay, Sam?” Jody asked. “You look a little pale.”
“That's my Dutch trademark,” Sam joked. She winked at Lucy, who chuckled in response. “Too much sun doesn't agree with me.”
“I dare to disagree,” Lucy said. “I can still remember what a tanned Sam looks like and believe me, you looked—” She cast a quick look at Jody, biting back a grin. “You looked absolutely hot!”
Jody glanced at Lucy and raised an eyebrow. “Down, Fido.” She walked over to Sam and touched her back with the flat of her hand, making slow, circular movements. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Underneath her hand, she felt the muscles relax.
Sam smiled at her warmly, which igniting sparks in her eyes and a blazing fire in Jody's chest, which nearly made her gasp. For a few moments, they stayed like that, until Jody pulled away her hand and exhaled slowly. “I'll have to take a shower and get dressed.”
Sam brought her mouth closer to Jody’s ear. “Don't use up all the warm water. I hate cold showers.”
Jody knew exactly what she was referring to and she could feel warmth spread across her cheeks. Still, she couldn’t avert her eyes from those enchanting blue ones. “You're bad,” she mouthed, before turning around and walking away. A strong hand on her shoulder made her stop.
“Before you hop into the shower, can I have a quick look at those files?” Sam asked. “It might be worth the trouble to send them to Tom.” She raised an eyebrow. “You do have Wi-Fi, don’t you?”
“I’m not even going to respond to that,” Jody said. She walked over to her bookcase and pulled out a well-read copy of ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’. She inserted her hand into the space it had left between two books and when she pulled back she was holding a flash drive.
“Woah, sis. I feel like I’ve landed in a spy movie,” Lucy said.
Jody sent her a long-suffering look and handed the flash drive to Sam. “Here. Everything I copied is on this stick.” She pointed to a laptop on a small desk in the corner. “Feel free to use my computer.”
“Thank you, but not necessary,” Sam said, lifting her backpack. “I brought my own.”
“If you need the password for the Wi-Fi, Luce can tell you,” Jody said, walking to the bathroom. Before she disappeared, she cast a look over her shoulder. She smiled when she noticed Sam was standing in the middle of the room, still looking at her. She realized that, for the first time in years there was a stirring deep inside of her she thought she’d never feel again; it was hope.
* * *
“Megan, would you please sit down? You're making me seasick.” Sarah Cook watched her partner pace back and forth the spacious kitchen. Her hands were stuffed inside the pockets of her cotton shorts, but every now and then a hand appeared to push her hair away from her forehead. “Besides, you’ll wear out the floor,” Sarah added. With a wry smile, she watched Megan drop into a chair.
Megan rolled her eyes. “Aren't you the funny one?” Once more she pushed her dark hair out of her eyes. “I need a haircut,” she said.
Sarah nodded. “Yes, you do. Honey, what are you so nervous about? Is it Sam? From what Lucy told us the other day, she does seem nice enough. Are you in protection mode?”
A pair of dark eyes lifted. “What do you mean?”
“You've always been very protective when it comes to Jody. Is it bothering you she and Sam are…well, what are they anyway…back in each other’s lives?”
“Maybe,” Megan answered in all honesty. “I care about her, Sarah. I don't want to see her get hurt again. I seriously don't think she could cope with that again. It almost broke her the first time.”
Sarah studied the woman she had vowed to share the rest of her life with and felt a familiar warmth settle in her chest. Megan always tried to protect the vulnerable and never turned her back when she knew someone needed help. She was a caring soul, but people sometimes were mistaken by her gentleness. She was also very strong-willed and could be as stubborn as a mule. She fought for what she believed in with a passion that was impressive, sometimes surprising friend and foe.
“What?” Megan asked, interrupting Sarah’s thoughts. “You look like you’re a million miles away.”
“I love you,” Sarah simply answered.
Megan saw the truth of those words in Sarah’s grey eyes that were never able to hide her emotions. She felt the tension leave her body and stood up to wrap her arms around the slightly shorter Sarah. “I know,” she whispered. She buried her face into Sarah's neck and breathed in the scent that was uniquely hers. “You’re my anchor, you know that, don’t you? You keep me sane. And I love you, too.” Her lips traveled down the soft skin of Sarah’s neck, slowly trailing to her throat and back up to her jawline. Finally, they came to rest against her lips and Sarah willingly melted into the touch.
“Megan,” Sarah breathed when Megan’s lips moved to a sensitive spot behind her ear. “You’re playing with fire. Megan…if…you…keep…this up, we'll have to…send away…our…guests.” Despite her words, Sarah’s body had a mind of its own. She pressed herself closer against Megan and moaned when her body responded to the familiar feel of curves.
“How much time do we have?” Megan whispered.
“None,” Sarah answered between two kisses. Her knees almost buckled when Megan’s tongue drew a moist track from her collarbone to her cleavage. A pair of insistent hands were slowly pulling up her dress. Sarah needed all her willpower to push Megan away. Her heart was beating rapidly and she could feel her skin was flushed. “We have to stop this, honey.” Sarah was slightly out of breath and willed her body to listen to her mind. “And I mean right now. If Lucy catches us like this, we'll never hear the end of it. And you know it.”
Megan blew out a breath. “I have to, reluctantly admit you're right,” she said. “What a bummer. Hold that thought, though,” she added with a laugh. “There’s always later.”
Sarah swallowed hard and quickly took a step back when Megan reached out a hand. Megan chuckled. “I’ll be good, I promise. It's just that one of those tiny little buttons is undone and I can look right into a place I can't wait to get my hands on.�
�
Sarah immediately looked down, noticing she was showing more cleavage than intended and she quickly fastened the button. “You're incorrigible.”
“No, just not satisfied.” Megan winked. “Yet.”
* * *
Lucy steered her car off the main road and entered a dirt track, covered in dust and pot holes. She had to concentrate on the road ahead and had no eyes for the beauty that surrounded them. The huge trees that were lined up alongside the trail provided much needed shade. Their crowns were slightly swaying in the always present ocean breeze. The car climbed up a hill that would lead them to their destination, passing only a few houses on their way. A barking dog followed the car for about half a kilometer, but eventually gave up.
“It’s too hot for that, Fifi,” Lucy scolded him. “Pay attention Sam, the house is around the next corner. You'll love their place. It's beautiful.”
Lucy had not exaggerated. When they rounded the corner, Sam caught sight of a huge clearing, surrounded by trees and shrubs, providing the house with complete privacy. It was nearly on top of the hill and was built with grey river rocks, which made it blend in with its surroundings. A wooden veranda was wrapped around the house and Sam immediately liked the look of it.
“Look behind you, Sam,” Jody said.
Sam turned around in her seat and let out a small gasp. The view was breathtaking. In the distance, she could see the ocean, a massive body of blue, clearly standing out between all the shades of green the forest provided. They had climbed high enough so no treetops were obstructing the view. The valley below was hidden and all that was visible was the expanse of the Pacific, partly framed by subtropical rainforest.
“It's magnificent,” she said in awe. “What a beautiful place to live.”
“And here are the lucky owners,” Lucy said pointing at Megan and Sarah who were stepping out on the veranda. She waved at them and parked the car in the shadow of a tall tree. “You’ll like them,” she said to Sam before she exited the vehicle. “Hey, girls,” she greeted, before disappearing into a double-hug.