by Dale, Lindy
‘Can you at least look at me when you say it? I don’t believe you mean it.’
Flora looked over her shoulder. His face was dark and stormy, which for some strange reason made her feel oddly turned on. Now she was shaking. ‘Oh, but I do,’ she replied, feeling quite proud of herself for being so proactive about the situation.
Taking a step closer, Luke frowned.
‘Shall we discuss about it over a coffee?’ he whispered, leaning into her bottom and placing his hands on the desk, either side of her hips. His mouth was so close to the nape of her neck he could have kissed it.
Flora gasped as she teetered over the table. She felt the flush of desire flood her cheeks. They were in full view of the entire school. Did the man have no sense of decorum?
‘Go away, Luke,’ she hissed, knowing already she didn’t mean a word.
Luke smiled. He could feel her wavering. He had the answer he wanted. ‘I only want to explain,’ he said, as he gave her bottom a cheeky slap. Then straightening, he walked off into his office, reappearing with his jacket. ‘I’ll meet you at your place in fifteen,’ he grinned. ‘I’ll bring the coffee.’
Flora shook her head. He hadn’t listened to a thing she’d said. Was she that much of a push over? Sighing, she picked up her handbag and headed for the door. She guessed she had no choice.
****
It was fortunate for Luke that he had a large takeaway latte in each hand, Flora decided, as she let him in the front door of her house. It prohibited her from punching him in the stomach. The spilt coffee would make too much of a mess on her carpet. Following her into the kitchen, he handed her coffee over.
‘Well?’ she said, looking at him as sternly as she could. ‘I’m waiting.’ She took a sip of the latte and gritted her teeth together in silence. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him. Why should she?
Luke put his coffee down on the kitchen bench. He stared down into her face and then, with exacting slowness, lifted his hands to remove her glasses. The tips of his fingers grazed her temples as he slid them from her face and set them down next to his coffee. Despite herself, Flora trembled. God, she was so pathetic. A simple touch and she was his.
‘Fuck it,’ he groaned. ‘I came here with every good intention and now….’ his voice trailed away as he crushed her to him, sending her hot drink spilling down the cupboard door.
Luke’s lips bore down on Flora’s. Hot and wet, his kisses smothered her face with raw desire. His chest, pressed against her own, the heat between them building as, inadvertently, she let the cardboard mug drop to the floor and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His hands began to wander, caressing the curves of her body. Inside, she could feel her blood pounding, her body pleading for him to release her from the pain that had overtaken her in the last few days. And then, just as she thought to give in to his urgent demands her sensible self emerged. Bugger.
‘Stop it, Luke,’ she whimpered.
His hands continued their rambling. His lips refused to be still.
‘Luke,’ she said again, trying to pull away. ‘Stop it.’
Disentangling herself from his grasp, she took a step back and picking up a sponge from the sink she bent to the floor to clean up the mess of the coffee. Her breath was ragged, her body tingling with desire but she had to be away from him. Every time he came within a metre she turned to a babbling blob of lust.
Taking stock, Flora looked up at Luke, who had picked up the mangled cup and deposited it in the recycling bin. ‘That wasn’t fair,’ she growled. ‘When you said you wanted to explain, I thought you meant it. I didn’t expect to be molested.’
‘Sorry. I couldn’t help it. You looked so adorable standing there, I had to….’ He didn’t look all that repentant.
‘Will you shut up!’ she cried, irritated not only with him but also with herself for letting him. How dare he try to change her mind with petty compliments? This was not the time. ‘And don’t call me adorable. What about your fiancé?’
Luke smirked. It was not like him at all. ‘Juliana isn’t the type of girl one would describe as adorable.’
Flora threw the sponge at his head. ‘Don’t be smart, Luke. You know what I meant. There must have been some reason for your wanting to marry her. How could you do this to her…. and …. me? What about me?’ Overcome, she began to sob. It was all too much.
‘A lot of factors were in play when Juli and I met. People I knew, feelings that told me I should be in love with her, situations that occurred that sort of cemented the fact that I cared for her. But since I’ve met you, my feelings have changed. Well, they were changing for a while really. If I hadn’t been coming here….’
‘And what’s to say they won’t change again? What’s to say another girl won’t take your fancy and you’ll be off with her?’ Flora could not believe what she was hearing. Wasn’t love everything? How could you just think she might be the one? How could you not know?
‘I can’t leave her. I made a commitment and I have to honour it. But I want you, Flora. I know I do. Gently, he took Flora’s palm and placed it in the centre of his chest. ‘It’s like a fragile, beautiful thing, floating right in here and when I’m not with you it aches to be appeased.’
Flora’s heart swelled and broke all in one beat. It was as if the thing she had always dreamed of having had been given to her and then wickedly wrenched away.
‘Luke, you can’t marry her. Tell her it’s over. Tell her you want to be with me.’ She sounded pathetic and needy and all the traits she hated so much in other girls but she didn’t care. She wanted him and she would do anything to have him.
‘It’s not as simple as that.’
‘Yes, it is…..’ Flora knew she was pleading but what other choice was there? The solution was as clear as day. Luke had to leave Juliana.
Over the next twenty minutes, Luke explained as best he could the situation with Juliana – the meeting that had been orchestrated by their parents, their subsequent approval at his decision to ask her to marry him, how happy and full of life Juliana had been when they’d first met. He told her how, over time, things had changed, Juli had changed to the point that he realised he cared for her, felt a need to protect her but knew he didn’t love her. Her mood swings and neurotic behaviour were a noose around his neck. To make matters worse, every time it looked as if he might try to end the relationship Juliana became depressive, taking to her bed for days, even attempting suicide. Irrationally, he’d believed that the change was something to do with him, that it was his fault that she was mentally unstable. The last straw had come when she’d broken the news that she was pregnant. Feeling trapped by the need to care for her and his child he’d offered for her hand. By the time, the ‘miscarriage’ had happened the wedding preparations had been so far along he’d felt as if he must go through with it.
Flora sat, stunned. ‘But you cant marry her, Luke, you don’t love her. What about your happiness?’
‘Juliana’s family are old school, Flora. They saw me coming and they played me. They have expectations that I’m going to fulfil my promise and if I don’t… well, her father has ways to ruin me professionally.’
Flora wrapped her arms around his neck. She stared up into his deep dark eyes, shrouded with sadness. ‘You’re going to go through with this aren’t you?’
‘I don’t see that I have a choice, not if I want to keep working in Education. Two years back I had a ‘complaint’ lodged against me by a parent who just happened to be a acquaintance of Juli’s father. For harassment of a teenage student. I don’t know how he did it but he managed to have it buried in red tape, somewhere in the Department. If I don’t marry her, he’ll bring the whole thing back. Even though there’s not a shred of truth to the allegation, it’ll mean the end of me.’
‘But that’s blackmail. It’s like something out of medieval England.’
‘Tell me about it.’
So this was it. Flora’s short-lived experience at love was to end in tragedy. Again
. Not that she’d ever been truly in love before.
‘I’ll never see you again after you leave, will I?’
‘I’ll never forget you, Flora. If it wasn’t for everything else I’d stay. I want to know you that.’ The naked lust shone on his face. His aftershave filled her nostrils. His closeness sent a heat pulsing through her as he ran a finger slowly down the side of her cheek and onto her shoulder pulling down the strap of her dress.
‘We still have a few weeks….’ His voice trailed off as he moved his lips to follow his fingers. ‘It’s up to you…….’
She could see what he was offering. An affair. No strings. Luke was offering to change her dreary life, to remove the concrete ball of despondency and replace it balloons of joy. He wanted to her take a chance. Slowly, she nodded. If she couldn’t have him forever, she could be content with now. Even though she knew it was wrong, she had to have him. Even for a small time was enough.
‘Yes.’
Flicking a wisp of hair away from her brow, he slipped his arms under the pits of her arms and drew her onto the bench. His lips were fierce against her breast as he raised her skirt and pulled her knickers aside, sliding his fingers into her already wet body.
In spite of herself, Flora moaned and moved herself against his hand, staring into his face as he pleasured her.
‘You have the most amazing eyes,’ he said softly and kissed each lid. ‘They’re like the ocean.’
Flora dimpled and wrapped her legs around his hips. ‘Better watch out you don’t drown then.’
****
At dawn, the next morning, after stumbling from sleep to kiss Luke goodbye at the front door, she found a note, precisely folded and placed squarely on the doormat next to a small perfume bottle. Picking up the items, she pulled the stopper to smell the scent. It was frangipani. Her favourite.
The handwritten note was the usual but this time her admirer had added a chilling touch. Taped to the side was a lock of her newly dyed hair.
Chapter 20
Mrs Barker thundered toward the classroom. Her shrill tones sounded like the siren at Subiaco Oval on the Eagles game day. ‘Why wasn’t Brookie allowed to borrow at the library yesterday?’ she screeched, causing the less confident Junior Primary children to shrink into the coat racks in her wake. Flora, buoyed by her new secret love affair and a natty new pair of shoes in two-tone patent, looked up from her desk, uncaring of anything the silly woman did anymore. She lowered her glasses and peered over the top. Not everything had changed. Not all the time. Here we go again, she thought, steeling herself for the onslaught.
The classroom was a crowd of parents and children that morning, all actively engaged in useful pursuits such as reading a story together or unpacking bags. The bell hadn’t gone and, on most days, Flora welcomed the early morning hubbub. It was a chance to greet the children and talk to their parents on a less intimidating level than an interview often was. From the hint of displeasure in her eyes - all she could offer, given the amount of botox that she injected - Mrs Barker seemed set to ruin that.
‘Is there a problem, Mrs Barker?’ Flora asked, standing up from behind the safety of her desk. It was increasingly difficult to remain civil to the woman when she wanted to behave like a five year old and ignore her.
Mrs Barker held her position in the doorway at the opposite side of the room, blocking anyone from entering or leaving thereby creating the most impact as she screamed again. ‘Brooke was banned from borrowing from the library yesterday and it’s all your fault.’
Her eyes toward the desk, Flora rolled them in exasperation. Great. Now library was her fault too. Soon she’d be blaming Flora if Brookie forgot to wipe his bottom. Sweet as pie, and proud of herself for her control, Flora met Mrs Barker’s wrinkle-free complexion eye to eye. The woman looked like an escapee from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In fact, she bore more than a frightening resemblance to Johnny Depp’s flawless face as Willie Wonka. All she needed was the purple hat and suit.
Stifling a giggle with a sniff, Flora began, yet again. ‘The library policies are not my domain, Mrs Barker. Perhaps if you have a problem, you should talk to Mrs Becker, our librarian. I’m sure she’ll be able to sort it out.’
The room was deathly silent. Mrs Barker’s face registered anger from the slight flaring of her red-tinged nostrils, the only part of her visage not affected by the dreaded injections. Flora had never faced off with her before. What was going on?
The bell rang but no one moved. Every parent wanted to see how Barker the Barracuda would respond. This was way better than anything that happened on The Bold and The Beautiful.
‘His library book is ruined because you wouldn’t let him put it away after silent reading and now he’s not allowed to borrow.’ She slammed the book down onto the desk with such force Flora and half of the parents in the room jumped. Others shoved their heads into their children’s desks on the pretext of tidying their books.
Flora took a steadying breath. ‘No, his library book is ruined because he left it lying on the floor in the hallway and it got trampled on at the end of the day. That’s not my fault.’
Mrs Barker waggled her bony finger close to Flora’s nose. ‘You didn’t give him enough time to pack away.’
‘Mrs Barker, the children go to library before lunch. They pack their books into their bags before they go out to eat. I think the three hours between going to library and going home is plenty long enough to pack a book away.’
Mrs Barker’s face darkened. ‘Don’t get smart with me, young lady. You’re treading on thin ice already.’
Flora could hold her tongue no longer, ‘then please don’t yell at me, Mrs Barker. This is my classroom, not a football oval, and I’ll not be spoken to in that manner. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have to collect the children from the assembly area.’ And with all the control and serenity of a prima ballerina Flora floated from the room leaving the parents standing with their mouths open, wondering what had happened to quiet Miss Owens on the weekend. She never raised her voice. In fact, she was so quiet, parents who had never had children in her class often didn’t know she existed.
The least they could have done was applaud me, Flora thought, changing direction from the quadrangle to the administration area. I only said what they’ve been longing to for years. Stopping at Luke’s door, she took a deep breath and knocked.
****
Luke was sitting at his notebook when Flora stormed in, slamming the door behind her. This time she was making a stand. She would not cower to that crow anymore. Without waiting for an invitation she marched to his desk, eyes blazing with pent up rage. ‘You have to do something about her, Luke. I won’t go back in there. Not until she’s gone. Not even if you drag me.’
Luke snapped the notebook closed. He folded his arms cross his chest and regarded her thoughtfully. His mouth tilted at the corners and he looked as if he’d like to see what Flora would do if he did drag her there kicking and screaming. Professionally, of course, it was not an option, but in his mind he could picture her wailing and punching at him, her thin frame incapable of causing him the slightest worry.
‘Calm down. Getting angry won’t do any good.’
‘I can’t take any more of her wild accusations, Luke. The woman is a raving loony. You have to do something.’
‘I gather we’re talking about Mrs Barker?’
Flora looked at him in exasperation. Who else would she be talking about?
‘Alright,’ he said. ‘Go and grab a glass of water and a few deep breaths. I’ll go and get her. Then, we’ll sit down and talk this through together. Liz can take your class for a while.’
With more purpose than was necessary, he strode across the room towards the door where Flora stood with her back to it. She felt her shoulders relax, her anger being replaced by the giddy emotion he induced. Luke was going to help her and maybe, at last, Mrs Barker would be history. At the door, he stopped his hand on the knob. ‘I don’t usually do this,’ he said.
He lent across and kissed her. His lips, while firm and inviting came as quite a shock in the middle of the spartan office and she couldn’t help but smile at the sheer audacity of the gesture. ‘Now, calm down,’ he laughed, affectionately. ‘And wipe that smirk off your face; I don’t think she’d appreciate it.’
****
It took most of the morning for Luke to ingratiate himself into Mrs Barker’s closed good books but by the time he’d finished she would have smiled if her frozen face had allowed it. By half past nine she had grudgingly agreed to withdraw the harassment complaint and even commended Flora on the excellent job she’d done with Brooke. His behaviour, it seemed, was far improved at home and he responded well the structure she provided in her classroom. She even went so far as to say it was all Mr Barker’s fault anyway. The man was never at home to provide discipline or parenting, spending most of his time in his office or gallivanting around Hong Kong ‘on business.’
And who could blame him, Flora thought, knowing exactly what business he was up to and that it didn’t have a great deal to do with his computer software company.
Mrs Barker (‘oh, do call me Edwina’) wasn’t going to take any more of it, though. Unless he changed his philandering ways, she was suing him for all he was worth. Luke nodded in sympathy and suggested that while he couldn’t become involved in personal issues, perhaps Mrs Barker might like to chat with Carla, the psychologist.
By ten am she had apologised for her outburst in the classroom, saying she had had a trying week and had vented her anger at Mr Barker on Flora. She even offered to replace the damaged library book. Flora was flabbergasted. She knew of Luke’s magnetism, she had experienced it firsthand, but the transformation of the Barracuda into the Goldfish was beyond her scope of comprehension.
‘My God, Luke, you totally played that woman,’ she gasped, as he closed the door behind Mrs Barker. ‘I think she thought you were going to sleep with her or something.’