The Plot Sickens

[sam.]

welcome back

[mel_kay39]

[mel_kay39]

Damn why did that second Marty photo post twice? I was sure I chose a different one! I'll try again.

[mel_kay39]

LOL yeah thought you'd like that one, Dan! Don't mind it myself, actually. Although Licca isnt' realy my type. I don't like them as buff as that. Although I do admire a good set of shoulders on a bloke!
Ash sent me that video of Marty, too. And I found another one on Youtube as well.
Speaking of which, on with the show...

Episode 140

Gone in 60 Seconds

Strauchanie stood by the boundary line, handing out bottles to the boys as they ran past. He wished he could be out there. Surprised at himself for actually wanting to train, he realised that he must be missing being in the thick of things more than he thought.
‘You look like someone just made off with your puppy’ a voice said. Strauchanie turned. A girl with jet black hair and eyebrows that seriously needed tweezers stood looking at him. Strauchanie looked behind him to make sure it was actually him she was staring at, and not just one of the more buff players, but when she smiled and say ‘Hi Brian’ there could be no doubt. She was talking to him.
‘Uh, yeah, hi’ Strauchanie said, puzzled. Chicks didn’t usually come up to him and deliberately start a conversation. Mostly they were too in awe of his animal magnetism, but some were actually star struck. He was, after all, practically a celebrity around here!
‘What were you thinking about, before?’ The girl asked. ‘If it’s not too personal’.
‘Nah’ Strauchanie said. ‘I was just wishing I could get out there and help the boys win another premiership. But I can’t, you know, with the neck’.
‘What’s wrong with your neck?’ the girl asked, puzzled.
Whoa, Strauchanie thought. Someone who doesn’t know all about my life? There’s a turn up for the books! ‘Old sports injury’ he lied. ‘What’s your name? I haven’t seen you around here before’.
‘Are you kidding?’ She asked. ‘Me and my friends are here at least once a month. I’m Tori’.
‘Hi’ Strauchanie said. ‘Do you want an autograph? Because you know, I sign stuff if it’s official merch’.
‘No thanks’ Tori said, sounding like she was trying to stifle a laugh, ‘I’m right. I had my jumper signed last Meet the Players day. There isn’t a spare bit of room on it’.
‘Oh’ Strauchanie said. He was puzzled. His usual charm wasn’t working today. Not that he wanted to charm this girl, really – she did have eyebrows like caterpillars had crawled across her forehead – but he usually never missed an opportunity to self promote.
‘I just thought you should know, that girl Taylah’s gunning for you. She was talking about you in the Ladie’s earlier. You turned her down and she’s not happy about it’.
Strauchanie frowned. ‘That girl really doesn’t know when to quit! I don’t know what her deal is! I’ve got a girlfriend and that means absolutely squat to her. She actually threatened to spread it around that I came onto her. Like that’s ever gonna happen’.
‘Yeah well, she really seems to hate your guts at the moment. I’d watch out for her if I were you’.
‘Thanks for the tip’ Strauchanie said. ‘Pardon me for asking, but… why do you care?’
‘I just don’t like it when I know someone is getting shafted. That’s all’.
‘Okay’ Strauchanie said. ‘So what about you, what brings you here today?’
Tori sighed. ‘It’s really a combination of Marty Clarke and Ryan Cooke, actually. I’ve never actually spoken to either of them, but I was wondering… If it wouldn’t be too much trouble… whether you could, you know, introduce them to me’.
‘Oh… Well, I’ll see what I can do’ Strauchanie said. ‘I’m here to serve, after all’.
Tori raised an eyebrow. ‘Aren’t you the water boy?’
Strauchanie answered by holding out a bottle of water. ‘And I’m serving you water’.
Tori laughed, blushing a bit at the way Strauchanie seemed to be looking at her.
‘Thanks’ she said, and took the bottle from him. Their hands touched and their eyes met. Something seemed to happen then, something neither of them expected. Tori felt a shiver go up her spine.
As Tori and Strauchanie were busy having their moment, little did they know but someone was recording every furtive glance for posterity. Someone who had reason to hate both of them. Ah, forget the suspense. We all know it’s Taylah!

*****

Nick got home from the game on the weekend in a foul mood. Collingwood lost against Carlton and he’d just been reported for raising an elbow. Still, when he saw Danni slaving over a hot stove, the workings of his favourite meal, lasagne on the bench around her, his mood improved somewhat. ‘You watched the game, didn’t you?’ he laughed, putting his arms around her from behind. She nodded. ‘What happened?’
‘I have no idea’ Nick admitted. ‘But we better play like ourselves next week. We’re up against Geelong. They won’t let us get away with sloppy disposal, undisciplined play and absolutely no pressure’.
‘That’s for sure’ Danni agreed. ‘Still, Carlton does tend to drag other clubs down to their level. And then play above themselves’.
‘I just hope it was a one-off crappy game’ Nick said. ‘I’d hate for the guys to lose their confidence’.
‘They won’t’ Danni assured him. ‘They just need to stop listening to the hype. People talk them up all the time. When you start believing you’re invincible, you’re gonna start getting complacent. Then you tend to get your arse kicked’.
‘Well said’ Nick told her. ‘In fact, I think that deserves a surprise. Actually, I was waiting for the right time to give these to you’. He reached into his training bag and pulled out two plane tickets. Danni looked at them, confused. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked.
‘The split round is coming up. I thought I’d lash out and buy us a dirty weekend on Fraser Island. What do you say?’
‘Oh Nick!’ Danni shouted, and threw her arms around him. ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’
‘So you’re happy?’ Nick joked. ‘I heard there’s a lake on Fraser that is completely fresh water. You can open your eyes underwater, and it’s secluded’. He grinned. ‘What do you think about that?’
Danni blushed. She knew what he was getting at. Totally fresh water, secluded spot…
‘If you think I’m skinny-dipping’, she started to say, ‘You’ve got another thing coming, Nick Maxwell!’
‘Awww’ Nick laughed. ‘That won’t stop me, though’.
Danni grinned. ‘Okay. I’m not about to stop you, either’.
‘Pervert’ Nick replied.

*****

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to anyone but known to us, Leelee was frantically packing three suitcases. She had booked the next flight up to Queensland and was determined to get the hell out of Melbourne before Ryan got home from the game. Or whatever else he was doing. The last few months had been pure hell. But she hadn’t said a word to anyone about it, preferring to keep her pain and humiliation bottled up.
It had all started at the Copeland Trophy of the previous year. Ryan had his usual sycophantic girls chirping around him, trying to get a piece of him for themselves, but instead of looking anxious and wanting Leelee to rescue him, Ryan had lapped it up. He paid particular attention to some blonde bird wearing a dress the size of an elastic band. Leelee had been embarrassed by his flirting with the blonde ho, but it got worse. After the votes for Rounds 15 to 20 had been read out, Ryan had disappeared. Leelee couldn’t find him out in the lounge area. So she went back into the Palladium and sat in stony silence, ignoring the other WAGs at her table. Ryan appeared just as Eddie started reading the votes for the final two rounds and the finals, which are included in club best and fairest voting. He smelled weird and had a bruise on his neck (Ryan, not Eddie). She confronted him about it but he said – to add insult to injury – that she was being stupid and emotional. Later however, Leelee had spotted the blonde (in the dress which could have passed for gaffa tape it was so skimpy), smiling and making kissing gestures at him. When the girl got close enough to pass their table, Leelee had “accidentally” spilled her red wine all over the girl’s dress, which was beige. Of course, Ryan blamed Leelee and called her a klutz in front of the entire table, which consisted of Scott Burns, Josh Fraser, Tarkyn Lockyer, Ben Johnson and their assorted wives and girlfriends. Leelee had never been so humiliated in her life.
Since then, nothing was the same. Ryan kept to himself, locking himself in his study, drinking more than usual and coming home late from training. When Leelee tried to confront him about it, he got angry and pretended to be insulted. He’d go on about how he was trying to work himself back into the team after a year of injury and that she should be supporting him, not accusing him of cheating. Then he left the house and was gone for hours.
So here she was, single-handedly putting the last nail in the coffin of her marriage. The twins were old enough to know what was going on but since Ryan had never had much to do with them, she didn’t think they’d be traumatised by not having him around. As she threw the suitcases into the boot of a waiting taxi and buckled the twins into their booster seats, the only thing she thought she’d miss about the Lexus Centre, other than the friends she’d made, was her job. But she was on her way to a new life now, up with family members who never really approved of Ryan and were glad to see the end of that little union. She’d get another job .But she swore to herself that she would never again trust another football player.
As she got into the taxi, she got a text message from Em. It was about drinks with the girls that night. “Sorry, can’t make it” she replied. “Take care, you guys. I love you all”.
She put away her phone and turned to the driver. ‘To the airport please. I need to get out of this place’.
He nodded, probably rapt at the thought of the fare he’d be getting, and started the car. Leelee watched the familiar surroundings of her hometown pass her by for the last time.
Good riddance, she thought.

*****

‘Does anyone know what’s going on with Leelee?’ Em asked the gathering at her place. Babies were being taken care of by boyfriends and husbands, and the girls were primed for a night on the town. There was one problem. Leelee, who wasn’t the biggest drinker, and usually put her hand up to be the designated driver, was nowhere to be seen.
‘No’ Ash said, frowning. ‘I haven’t heard from her since I picked up the kids from kinder for her the other day. She’s been really quiet. I wonder if things are okay between her and Ryan?’
‘Actually’ Danni butted in, looking sheepish, ‘I heard that they weren’t getting on so well. Nick said Ryan’s been a right pratt at training lately. He doesn’t know what’s gotten into him. I have a feeling those two might be on the road to Splitsville’.
‘Don’t say it like that’ Em told her. ‘It sounds like petty gossip when you say it like that. Lee’s our friend. We should be supporting her, not talking behind her back’.
‘Well, we can’t very well talk to her when she’s not here’ Ash said, picking up her mobile. ‘I’ll text her and see what’s up’.
‘Oh, I forgot to tell you guys’ Em said, slapping her forehead in disgust at herself. ‘I SMS’d her about tonight and she sent the weirdest text back! She just said she can’t make it, but take care and she loves us all! What do you think that means?’
‘Oh god’ Ash said, putting her hand over her mouth. ‘I hope she hasn’t done anything stupid’.
‘What, you mean like, kill herself?’ Bella asked, looking pale under her perpetual spray tan. ‘Leelee wouldn’t do that. She’s far too strong a person to let a guy get to her like that’.
‘Yeah, I can’t see her doing something that cowardly, either’ Em said. ‘It’s just not in her nature. She’d be much more likely to tell Ryan where to go, and leave his arse. That’s probably what she’s done, in all honesty’.
‘But the take care part… That sounds like she’s not coming back’ Ash said. ‘We should go and try to talk her out of leaving’.
‘Or at least go and find out what the hell is going on’ Danni agreed. ‘I think our girls night out will have to wait, guys. Let’s go to Leelee’s and find out what the deal is’.
The four friends jumped in Danni’s car and drove over to Leelee’s house. Ryan’s Monaro was in the driveway but there was no sign of Leelee’s car. ‘This does not look good’ Ash conceded. ‘She’s normally at home with the twins at this time on a Saturday night!’
‘Maybe he’s pissed her off to the point where she just had to go for a drive or something’ Em suggested. ‘Maybe she didn’t feel like company’.
‘Possible’ Danni said. ‘But that SMS… it worries me, quite frankly’.
The girls swarmed up to the front door, desperate for answers about their friend. Ash knocked loudly. ‘Ssh’ Em whispered. ‘Bobby and Rose might be asleep’.
The door opened to a bleary-eyed Ryan. ‘Have you guys seen Lee?’ he asked. ‘She hasn’t been home for hours’.
Ash crossed her arms over her chest. ‘I wonder why’ she said, flatly. ‘From what I’ve heard, I don’t reckon she wanted to be home the way you’ve been treating her’.
‘What the hell does that mean?’ Ryan asked, narrowing his blue eyes at her. ‘What have you heard?’
‘Nothing from Lee’ Ash said. ‘But a few things from other people. Like how you acted at the Copeland last year. I thought it was bullshit because Leelee would have told us about that. We’re her best friends. But maybe you were being such an arsehole, she was embarrassed to admit she put up with your crap’.
Ryan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Yeah, okay, I admit, I was being a bit of a wanker at the time. We were going through a rough patch, okay? When she wasn’t at work she was spending all her time with the kids. Never gave us a chance to be alone. Then at the end of the day she’d go to bed after she’d put the kids down and be asleep when I’d get to bed. So… as you can probably imagine, the sex life went down the drain, too’.
‘She had twins, you moron’ Em said, angrily. ‘You’d be tired if you had to come home from work and do everything for a couple of three year olds, too’.
‘Are you implying I don’t help out?’ Ryan asked, indignantly.
‘I’m not implying anything at all’ Em bit back.
The two of them faced off against each other, Ryan at six foot three was a good head taller than Em, but she had anger and her three best friends on her side.
‘Come on guys’ Ash sighed. ‘This isn’t getting us anywhere. Can we come in?’ She asked Ryan.
‘Not if you’re going to attack me’ Ryan said, snootily.
‘Oh for God’s sakes, Ryan, you’re around ninety kilos and 190cm tall. I think you could look after yourself’ Danni said, rolling her eyes. ‘We just want to know what’s going on. The truth, this time’.
‘Okay’ Ryan sighed, standing aside. ‘Come in. But I have to warn you… Things are different around here now’.
The girls entered the house, gasping with shock as they walked into the living room. The furniture was still there – well, the bare minimum, anyway – but all the little knick-knacks that made it a home were gone. No photos, apart from a couple of the twins for Ryan’s benefit, no magazines on the coffee table (unless you counted RALPH magazine, which was clearly Ryan’s) and no toys left behind by the twins.
Em surveyed the scene and turned to Ryan. ‘Where’s she gone?’
‘Your guess is as good as mine. She’s taken all her clothes, all the kids’ clothes, all their toys and prams and stuff – everything. I’m lucky she left me the toaster’.
‘You’ve got the TV’ Bella pointed out. ‘And the stereo’
‘And the microwave’ Danni announced from the kitchen.
‘Yeah well… I suppose wherever she was going, she couldn’t take those things. She did take the kids’ beds. She must have had them put in storage, or something’.
‘Are you saying she’s taken off interstate or something? Like on a plane?’ Ash asked him.
‘That’s what I’m saying. I found a receipt on the phone table when I got home. I think she meant for me to see it. It was for three Jetsaver flights to the Gold Coast. One way’.
The girls looked at each other, shock and dismay on their faces. ‘She wouldn’t go away without saying goodbye to us… Would she?’ Bella asked.
‘Looks like that’s what she did’ Danni said, picking up the receipt on the phone table. ‘She must have gone straight from work to the travel agent to book. This is a Flight Centre receipt’.
‘At least we have her mobile phone number’ Danni said. ‘We can ring her and talk to her. Peak hour ends at seven’.
Bella got out her mobile and speed-dialled Leelee’s number. ‘Oh’ she said, ‘How stupid of me. She’s probably on the plane, right now. It just keeps ringing’.
‘So?’ asked Em.
‘You have to turn off your mobile on a plane’ Bella reminded her.
‘Oh yeah. Of course’ Em said. ‘Talk about having a blonde day’.
Ryan had sunk onto the couch, his hands over his eyes. ‘I’m such an idiot’ he said.
‘I’d have to second that’ Ash told him. ‘If you’d been half the man you were when she married you, she’d be here now’.
‘Thanks for stating the obvious’ Ryan said, frowning
‘So the question is, what are you going to do about it’ Danni asked him.
Ryan didn’t look like he was going to answer her. Then he dropped his hands onto his knees and said, to the shock of everyone present, ‘Nothing’.

*****

The next day, at training, Strauchanie was spotting Nick Maxwell at the barbell when Taylah strolled up, holding an armful of towels. ‘Guess what, Strauchanie’ she said, looking impressed with herself.
‘What?’ he asked. ‘You’ve given up on stalking me and have found some other poor mongrel to bother?’
‘I’m not stalking you, Brian’ Taylah said, ignoring a chuckling Nick Maxwell, ‘You’re the one who came onto me, remember?’
Nick almost dropped the barbell on hearing that one! Luckily, Strauchanie grabbed it just in time and helped Nick ease it back onto the rack. ‘I did not come onto you, Taylah’ Strauchanie said. ‘What do you think I am, desperate? In case you forgot, I’m with Sharon. She beats you hands down in looks, personality, the works. So what in blue blazes would I want with you?’
‘I’ll ruin you, Strauchan’ Taylah hissed. ‘I’ve got evidence that you’re nothing but a philanderer! Sharon won’t want to know you, when I’m done ruining your life!’ Having said her piece, Taylah turned on her heel and marched off.
‘What is her deal?’ Nick asked, suppressing laughter in case he hurt Strauchanie’s feelings. He wasn’t laughing at Taylah. He was laughing at the whole situation! Two women fighting over Strauchanie?! Nick felt like he was in the middle of a particularly disturbing episode of the Twilight Zone!
‘I don’t know’ Strauchanie said, shaking his blonde head. ‘But that chick is one psycho hose beast’.
He was about to find out just how much of a “psycho hose beast” Taylah really was. As he parked the Harley in the driveway later that day, Sharon was waiting for him at the front door. Her arms were crossed over her chest, which is never a good sign, Strauchanie knew. ‘What’s up, Pookie?’ he asked her, trying to kiss her on the cheek. Sharon ducked. ‘Don’t you pookie me! Taylah was around here today, and guess what she told me – and showed me?’
‘What?’ Strauchanie asked, baffled. ‘You’d believe that ugly cow over me?’
‘Well normally no, because she is a pathological liar. But she had proof this time’.
Sharon led the way into the lounge and popped a tape into the video recorder. ‘Check this out’.
Strauchanie made out the backs of himself and the new girl, Tori, on the screen. ‘So what?’ he shrugged. ‘Now I can’t even talk to other women? Is that how it is?’
‘It’s not that you talked to her. It’s the way you talked to her. Listen’. Sharon turned up the volume. Still, after viewing the so-called evidence, Strauchanie still didn’t know what the fuss was about. ‘So?’ he said. ‘What’s wrong with that?’
‘Can’t you read between the lines, Brian?’ Sharon erupted. ‘You were flirting with her like crazy’.
‘I was not!’ Strauchanie bellowed.
‘You were, and what’s more, Taylah told me you hit on her the other day in the shower room! What am I supposed to think, Brian?’ Sharon wiped a tear from her eye. ‘I thought you were serious about us this time!’
‘I am!’ Strauchanie said. ‘The truth of it is, Taylah hit on me! She’s got it into her head that I’m a good catch, for some reason. Normally I’d agree with her. But now I’m not playing, I’m just a glorified janitor’.
‘No glorified about it’ Sharon said. ‘You are a janitor’.
‘Gee thanks. The point is, she hit on me. Not the other way around. She’s totally psycho. Next thing she’ll be doing spells on me! And you know how that tends to turn out’.
Sharon was wavering. She could hear the hurt in her boyfriend’s voice. He sounded like he was telling the truth. She sighed. ‘Taylah can be…oh, all right, she’s a complete train wreck! I’m sorry, Brian. I should have believed you’. She stepped forward and put her arms around him. ‘It just kills me to see you so friendly with another woman’ she said. ‘Like this Tori person. Who is she, anyway?’
‘She’s just a fan’ Strauchanie insisted. ‘Don’t worry about it. There’s nothing going on. I love you’.
‘Well, that’s good to hear’ Sharon smiled. ‘Do you want pizza for tea?’
Strauchanie grinned. ‘I really love you!’

When TPS continues…

Heath hires a babysitter
Marty and Mel go on their first official “date”
And there’s a problem in the kitchen at Molloy’s…

[mel_kay39]

Who would? If a guy carried on like that I'd say seeya buddy, and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out!

[Magpie Girl]

haha, what a good episode!! well done!

[mel_kay39]

Thanks. Must get busy with Marty, lol. God, saw the Black and White Show where he was coming out of the pool. Did I drool, or what?!

[mel_kay39]

Yes, I've been told it was Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but it's actually been diagnosed as Torticollis which is latin for twisted neck. Basically my neck and shoulder muscles have been spasming quite badly so I've got to limit my computer use for a few days. I'm on some heavy painkillers as well, so I'll try and get the next chapter done sometime next week. Sorry guys.

[mel_kay39]

[mel_kay39]

Yeah it took a little more time to get over than I thought, so I will start working on the next ep as soon as I can, promise! Just wanted to make sure I didn't have a relapse. God that was painful. If that was anything like what a footy player experiences with a shoulder reconstruction, I weep true tears for Sean Rusling, I really do. It was excruciating.

[mel_kay39]

Well, here it is, girls... and be warned, it's a little raunchy! (but not over the top, just suggestive).

Episode 141

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Heath looked down at his little boy, giggling and drooling in his cot and trying to kick the stuffed elephants hanging from the mobile above his head. ‘Are you gonna be a footy star, mate?’ Heath asked him, handing the baby a tiny Sherrin. ‘Join the long illustrious line of Shaws who have won premierships with the Pies? What do you reckon?’
With that, the four month old picked up the ball by the pointy end and threw it, overarm, at a hapless giraffe dangling from the mobile. He hit it spot on. ‘Aw no, mate’ Heath frowned, ‘Not grid iron!’ He laughed. ‘Although I suppose you could end up a cricket player. That wouldn’t be too bad’.
Jensen blew a bubble between his lips and chuckled at his Dad. Heath got a lump in his throat. Although the little guy had looked like his father at birth, over the last few months, as babies do, he’d changed quite a bit. Now he had his mother’s reddish brown hair (when she wasn’t dying it black) and the shape of his face had changed slightly, too. He was looking more like his mother every day. It was comforting; and bittersweet at the same time.
‘So little man, what are we having for dinner? Stewed peas? Mashed potato and carrot? Doesn’t sound too appetising, does it? Oh, I know…’
Just as Heath was about to lift Jenson from the cot; take him into the kitchen and strap him into his highchair, there was a knock on the door. ‘Come on; let’s see who it is’ Heath said, picking up his son and putting him on his shoulder. ‘You never know, it could even be Uncle Rhyce. How would you like that? It’s about time you got to rub his head again for luck’.
Heath opened the door and raised an eyebrow. It was Em and Nathan Brown, with a very unusually docile Damien on his mother’s hip.
‘Oh, hi guys’ Heath said. ‘What brings you here?’
‘Sorry to drop in on you if it’s tea time’ Nathan said. ‘But Em was just wondering how things were going with you and the little guy, and we were on our way past, so…’
‘Aw, no, mate, come in’ Heath said. ‘I was just going to chuck on a vegetarian pizza – and some mashed vegies for the little guy, of course’ he grinned, noticing the “what the?” look on Em’s face. ‘Don’t worry’ he laughed. ‘I’m not about to feed him pizza yet. He doesn’t have any teeth’.
Em relaxed. ‘I wasn’t worried’ she lied. ‘Still though, have you thought about getting some help around here? I mean occasionally, like when you’re training or at a game?’
Heath shrugged. ‘Mum usually takes him, or Jen’s mum. Why?’
‘Oh’ Em said, grinning, ‘It’s just that I’ve discovered our very own baby whisperer! Remember how I was totally stressing out with Damien a couple of weeks ago?’
Heath nodded. ‘Do I ever! I thought you were going to start getting bald patches from pulling your hair out, like Marge Simpson’.
Nathan laughed. ‘Well, she wasn’t quite that bad, but she did have me worried there for a while’.
‘So who is this miraculous baby whisperer?’ Heath asked, amused. ‘I mean, not that I really need one. This guy is a perfect little angel, most of the time. Bit like his mum, really’.
Em grinned. ‘Oh, I don’t know about that! But anyway…’ she said, quickly changing the subject, ‘It’s Melissa. You know, Marty’s new girlfriend?’
Heath raised an eyebrow. ‘The witch?’
‘Hey, watch what you say about us pagans! I’ve joined the coven; you know’ Em said, proudly.
‘Oh really? I didn’t know you were esoterically inclined’ Heath joked.
‘Eso- what? Nah, I just like doing spells’ Em replied. ‘Oh but I’m into all the rituals and essential oils and stuff’.
‘On your way to being a High Priestess then?’ Heath kidded.
‘Don’t mock what you don’t understand! Anyway, Melissa looked after Damo recently, and you wouldn’t believe it, but he’s been a totally different baby ever since. I say jump and he says… well, he doesn’t actually say anything, obviously, but he is behaving himself, which is a dramatic improvement’.
A corner of Heath’s mouth turned up. ‘And you haven’t even considered the possibility that your witch friend might have put some kind of mojo on the kid? I mean, she is on a first name basis with Pan the half-goat dude’.
Em laughed. ‘Wicca isn’t quite that cut and dried, Heath. Pan is a pagan god, but we mostly worship female goddesses’.
‘Aw, that’s a bit of reverse sexism right there’ Heath said. ‘What’s wrong with poor old Zeus? Pegasus? Achilles?’
‘Zeus was an old man, Pegasus was a horse, and isn’t Achilles a football injury?’ Em joked. ‘I’m not kidding, she’s great. If you ever need a babysitter, give her a ring. Jensen will love her. Most babies do. She just gets them, or something’. She pulled a piece of paper out of her handbag. ‘Here’s her number. I’m serious. If you’re ever in a jam, and you need someone quick, Mel’s your girl’.
Heath took the card and read it. ‘Tarot card reading?’ he asked, raising his eyebrow yet again. ‘Doesn’t say anything about baby wrangling here’.
‘That’s because she doesn’t charge, you dag’ Em said. ‘She does it because she loves it. Give her a go. I wouldn’t look at another babysitter these days’.
‘Okay, you’ve convinced me’ Heath sighed. ‘I’ll give her a call for the next game instead of Mum. She probably wants to spend more time with Dad these days, anyway. Might give her a weekend’s break’.
‘Cool’ Em said. ‘You won’t regret it’. She put Damien down on the rug in the lounge and went over to play with Heath’s little boy.
‘God he is so much like Jen, isn’t he?’ She asked, totally without thinking first. When Heath didn’t answer, she turned. ‘Oh, I am such an idiot! I’m sorry’.
‘Nah, you’re right. I noticed that today’ Heath said. ‘I don’t mind. In fact, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Who wants another copy of this mug around the place?’
Em laughed. ‘Stop putting yourself down! You scrub up all right’.
‘When I don’t look like Hughesy’ Heath pouted.
Em cracked up. ‘Hughesy as in Dave Hughes? Who says that?’
‘Only everybody’ Heath said. ‘Why couldn’t I be cute, like Rove McManus, and get myself a hottie like Tasma Walton?’
‘Well, for starters, you are cute. Speaking from a female friend’s perspective, of course!’ Em added, quickly. ‘But I didn’t think you were in the market for a girlfriend just yet’.
‘I’m not’ Heath said, shrugging. ‘Sometimes it gets lonely around here, though’.
Nathan came back into the room from the bog. ‘You might want to give the dunny a miss for a few minutes’ he admitted, sheepishly. ‘Anyone want coffee?’
When Nathan went into the kitchen, Heath put a hand on Em’s arm. ‘Thanks for everything’ he said. ‘You guys have been great these last few months. Don’t know what I would have done without you’.
‘Don’t mention it’ Em said, ‘Any time you need anything, and I mean anything, give us a call, yeah?’
Heath nodded. ‘There is one thing I’m sort of needing at the moment, but I don’t think you guys can do anything about it’. He blushed. ‘Probably time I rang Dids and we headed out to a strip club; or something’.
‘Ah, little too much information, Heath’ Em joked. ‘Unfortunately, I don’t have a friend who could help you with that little problem!’
Heath laughed, going slightly red. ‘It’s okay. We fellas have our ways of dealing with a drought’.
‘As I said, Heater’ Em laughed. ‘Too much information!’

*****

Back at the restaurant, things were falling apart quite quickly. The new chef didn’t know one end of a spatula from the other and one of the waitresses had spilt hot beef soup all over a customer’s suede jacket. Sean was losing his mind and Mr Molloy was on the brink of a stroke. ‘What are we going to do?’ he wailed. ‘This idiot’ (gesturing at the so-called chef) ‘obviously lied on his resume! The only thing he knows how to cook is fish and chips!’
‘I’m gone’ the chef said, spitting the dummy along with a few choice swear words. ‘Clean up your own mess, Molloy’.
‘Oh this is just great’ moaned Sean. ‘The way we’re going, I’ll be the bloody chef’.
‘Why don’t you?’ Alyssa asked, from just inside the doorway. ‘Most of the menu is pretty basic. You’re a good cook, so is Dad. Me and Courtnie can handle things out here’.
Sean looked at his father-in-law. ‘What do you think?’
Mr Molloy shrugged. ‘Can you do a cordon bleu?’
‘Blindfolded’ Sean bragged.
‘Then I guess we’ve got no other choice’ Mr Molloy said. ‘Come on son, show us what you’ve got’.

*****

Marty, still a bit proppy from his surgery, was determined to take Mel out on their first date. ‘Let’s go to Molloy’s’ he said. ‘Dale says they do a good Irish Stew there’.
‘Getting homesick?’ Melissa asked him, helping him on with his jacket.
‘No of course not. Well… for my family, yeah, but I love it here. You Aussies drink almost as much as my folk, and there’s footy, and my friends…’ he grinned at her ‘And of course, there’s us’.
‘There’s an us?’ Mel asked him, her heart skipping a beat. ‘We’ve never really talked about…. I mean…. You really want to take this to the next level?’
‘Mel, I think we’ve gone a few stages past the next level, if my memory serves correct! And I don’t forget nights of passion like that too easily!’
Melissa blushed. ‘No, neither do I’.
They hadn’t been intimate since that night, mostly because of Marty’s injury. But Mel found herself thinking back to their first time (and only time!) more and more, and every time she looked at him she’d remember pulling off his t-shirt and throwing it to the floor. Kissing his neck and shoulders. And the rest! She couldn’t wait for him to get the all clear from the doctor!
‘Anyway’ Marty added, as Mel opened her car door for him, ‘Why would I be taking you out if I still thought of you as just a friend? We used to go halvies, remember? Not tonight, though! Tonight, dinner is on me’.
Mel laughed, her mind painting an image of that rather literally! But she didn’t say anything. She didn’t want him thinking she was some kind of kinky sex freak!
Half way through dinner, Marty ordered wine and poured her a glass, still wincing a bit, but refusing to let her help him. ‘You’ll open your stitches’ Melissa told him. ‘God you men are so stubborn!’
‘Are you calling me a man?’ Marty joked. ‘I’m lucky to be able to grow decent stubble at the minute!’
‘Yeah well don’t’ Melissa laughed. ‘I like my men clean-shaven, most of the time’.
‘That’s right. I forgot you like younger men. Just how much older are you?’ Marty asked, winking. ‘Not that I mind, I’m just asking’.
‘That’s on a need-to-know basis’ Melissa grinned.
‘And I don’t need to know?’
‘Exactly’.
There seemed to be a bit of a kafuffle in the kitchen just before they ordered dessert, but their mud-cake was perfect. Melissa and Marty wound up feeding it to each other, leaning across the small table, with her knee wedged between his. After Mel had sucked the chocolate icing from his finger, deliberately very flirtatiously, of course, Marty cleared his throat. ‘Uh… I think it’s time to go home’ he said, looking a little flushed.
‘My place or yours? Mel asked, playfully.
‘I…’
‘I’ll be gentle! Honest. I just can’t wait anymore’ she admitted. ‘Does that make me sound slutty?’
Marty held up a hand with two fingers pinched closely together. Melissa stared at him, hurt. ‘I’m kidding’ he laughed. ‘No of course it doesn’t! Actually… It’s kind of a turn-on!’ he turned toward the counter, as if to call for the bill, then looked back at her. ‘I’m just not sure if it’s safe, you know, with my surgery…’
Mel bit her lip. ‘I know…’ she said. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be leading you on like that. It’s not fair’.
‘Don’t worry your pretty head about it’ Marty smiled. ‘It won’t be long. The doc says another couple of weeks…’
Oh God, Mel thought. This was going to be torture!
Marty leaned over the table a little as if he were going to kiss her, winced, leaned back and took her by the hand instead. His index finger slid along the side of her thumb, slowly. ‘We can do other things’ he suggested. The corner of his mouth turned up. They stared into each other’s eyes.
Mel gulped, put her hand up and called, ‘Cheque please!’

*****

Meanwhile, Bella was dealing with a dilemma of her own. Mia was at her mother’s for the night and Dean had to play a gig at a popular club in the CBD. Brendan hadn’t stopped texting her since she (stupidly, now that she thought about it) had answered his original SMS. Panic At The Disco were on tour and only had two shows in Melbourne. She had one chance – one night before he’d be off around the world again. Tomorrow night Dean was likely to be home. What was she going to do? She sat staring at her wedding photo. Dean looked so hot in it; she wished he were at home with her instead of out doing his promo tour for his new album. ‘You could come with me’ he’d said to her. ‘No one would know who you were. Then you could sneak backstage like a groupie, and we could get it on in the dressing room’.
‘As tempting as that sounds’ Bella said, ‘It sounds kind of tacky. Also… Been there, done that’.
‘Oh that’s right’ Dean’s face fell. ‘With Brendan, I suppose’.
‘Don’t be like that’
‘Well, how else am I meant to be?’ Dean scowled. ‘I’m supposed to be your husband, yet all you can think about is that… that… circus freak! Just how big is his…’
‘Dean! It’s not about that! I just don’t feel like going out tonight, that’s all’ Bella told him. ‘Honestly’.
His blue eyes looked hurt. She noticed that when he got angry or upset the little that was left of his South African accent started to pop out, here and there.
‘Panic are playing at Rod Laver Arena tonight. I suppose you know that?’
‘I do’ Bella admitted. ‘So what?’
‘So if you love me’ Dean said, bluntly, ‘You’ll stay away from there’.
‘Of course I love you’ Bella sighed. ‘How could you doubt that?’
‘Gee I don’t know’ Dean said. ‘The way you’ve been distracted lately… And every time his voice comes on the radio singing that new song of theirs – which is totally annoying how it sticks in your head, by the way – you go all weird, and girlish, and start blushing’.
‘I do not’ Bella frowned. ‘Aren’t you going to be late for that gig of yours?’
‘Trying to get rid of me, now?’
‘Dean!’
That had been almost half an hour ago. He’d be just starting his first set by now. Bella had an idea. She stood up and pulled on her Come F**k Me Boots, and pulled her hair out of its ponytail, giving it a quick brush. A swipe of strawberry lip gloss and dramatic brown eye shadow with a hint of sparkle, and she was ready to go. He wanted a groupie, did he? Well she’d damn well give him one!
She marched to the door and opened it. And gasped. Standing before her was Brendan, in black trousers with off-white accentuating pinstripes (woah-oh) a white shirt unbuttoned to half way down his chest, and his obligatory top-hat.
‘Aren’t you coming to the show?’ he asked.

*****


Ash and Dale were having a night in for once, feeding their faces with Doritos and sour cream, and watching one of Dale’s favourite movies for a change – Happy Gilmore. Ash thought it was nice to be able to just hang out at home together. No club functions, no birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, funerals… just a normal Saturday night, for once! Besides, the boys had to play on Sunday so it wasn’t recommended that they go out on the sauce the night before. It wasn’t illegal, either, but it wasn’t a good idea.
Then the phone rang. ‘Oh bloody hell’ Dale muttered, and dragged his butt off the couch.
‘Who is it?’ Ash called from the lounge. He didn’t answer. She picked up the DVD remote and paused the movie. He seemed to drop the volume on his voice the second the house was silent. Ash strained to hear what he was saying. Must be club stuff, she thought. Secret tactics, or something. Or maybe someone’s been injured and he has to play midfield instead of up forward. Deciding that was probably it, she settled back into the couch and grabbed another corn chip smothered in salsa and sour cream.
‘What?’ Dale said, from the hallway. ‘You’re f**king kidding me?’
Ash sat straight back up again. What the hell was going on?
‘You can’t do that’ he said. ‘I won’t let you’. There was a moment of silence when whoever was on the other end of the line must have been having their say, because Dale fell quiet then told the person on the phone unequivocally to go “f**k themselves” and slammed the phone down. He stormed back into the room, his face sullen. ‘I’ve got to go’ he announced, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow at the game’.
‘Dale!’ Ash called. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing you need to worry about’ he told her as he strode out the door, his jacket in hand, and slammed the door behind him. Ash blinked back tears. What was it that he couldn’t tell her? Of course she was going to be worried! They were supposed to be getting married! Weren’t married people (or almost married people) meant to trust each other with stuff like this? Whatever it was?

*****

Mel lay back against the pillows, face flushed, trying to get her breath back. Marty slid his hand back up her body slowly. ‘How was that?’ he asked, rather necessarily!
‘Can’t… talk… Have… to breathe’ she said, and he laughed.
‘Told you there were other things we could do! You know, this could be more fun than you think’ he grinned.
‘What?’ Mel asked, when she could finally talk. ‘Not having sex? Fun?’
‘Well didn’t you just have fun then?’ he asked, leaning his chin on his hand while the other lazily stroked her thigh.
‘Yes’ she admitted. ‘But…’
‘But nothing. I bet that by the time I get the all clear, actual sex won’t be that big of a deal’.
‘If you say so’ Mel replied, rolling over to face him.
‘What are you doing?’
Mel grinned. ‘It’s my turn to torture you’.
But as luck would have it, just as she was getting to the good bit, (and getting off on hearing his breathing quicken as a result), the phone rang.
‘Ignore it’ Marty pleaded. ‘Oh God! Let them leave a message’.
Melissa laughed. ‘Hang on a tic. I’m supposed to be torturing you, remember?’ She leaned on her elbow and reached for the phone on her bedside table. ‘Hello’ she said, in the sexiest, huskiest voice she could muster under the circumstances ‘You’ve just called Marty and Mel. We’re busy getting it on, so could you call back at a more convenient time?’
‘Oh crap! Sorry about that’ replied a not-unfamiliar voice. ‘I forget other people have actually got lives, these days! I’ll ring back…’
‘No look… Hang on’ Melissa said, grinning up at Marty who was making throat-slashing motions with his hand. She loved that he desperately wanted her to hang up the phone; and was now determined not to!
‘Who is this?’
‘It’s Heath Shaw’ the voice said. Oh, Melissa realised, I thought I knew that voice!
‘What can I do for you, Heath?’ she asked, playfully, still watching Marty. He had flung his head back in despair and was presently looking at the cracks in the ceiling.
Hm yes, Mel thought. What can I do, that I’m not already doing to your team mate?!
It was terribly tempting to say that out loud, but she resisted the impulse - probably a good thing under the circumstances! Heath was cute. But why would he be ringing her at this hour? Or any hour; for that matter?
‘Well, um… Basically Em really gave you a good recommendation as a babysitter and my Mum can’t look after Jenson tomorrow during the game, so…’
‘Say no more’ Melissa said. ‘I’d love to’. Marty lifted his head and stared at her, mouthing the words “Love to what?” She smiled sweetly at him.
‘What’s the address? Oh, okay… No worries. I’ll see you then. Oh no, no, don’t even think about it! It’ll be my pleasure’.
Marty groaned audibly. Melissa stifled a giggle. ‘Yep. I’ll see you then, Heath! Bye!’
‘So what was that about then?’ Marty asked. Melissa started kissing his thigh. ‘Never you mind’ she teased, winking up at him. ‘It’s just a little side thing I’ve started up’.
‘What side thing?’ Marty asked, almost sitting up straight now. ‘What; like a business? Don’t tell me Heath wants his palm read or something’.
‘I thought you wanted me to get on with things here?’ Mel asked, knowing full well he was reacting partly out of curiosity, but also partly from jealousy. He had after all, paid her to dirty dance with Heath at Eve Nightclub a year or so back. And she had said she thought Heath was a good sort; or something to that effect. She knew she wasn’t exactly being fair, but it was nice to know that he was jealous!
‘First tell me what this thing is you’re doing’ Marty insisted.
‘Why?’ Mel asked, lifting herself up onto her elbows beside his body. She thought she knew where this was going now, and she didn’t like it one bit! Teasing him was one thing, but if he thought….
He seemed to be at a loss for words. ‘I just…’ he stammered. ‘I don’t know. Forget it’.
‘No’ Melissa said, sitting up and pulling the sheet around her body. ‘You thought I was doing something immoral. That’s what you think of me, isn’t it? You think I’m some kind of prostitute, or something? Well, guess what?’ she said, hurt now and showing it, ‘I’m babysitting! Is that all right by you?’
‘Mel…’ Marty tried to say, but she was already up and out of the bed, pulling her clothes on.
‘Don’t go’ he pleaded. ‘I’m sorry… It’s just… the way you answered that phone, and I know you used to like Heath…’
‘I thought he was cute, that’s all’ she bit back. ‘And you should know when I’m teasing you and when I’m being serious! What did you think I was going to do, start up some kind of part-time call-girl operation? You know me better than that! Or at least, I thought you did’.
‘Mel, I’m sorry’ Marty said, getting up out of the bed and going after her. He barely had time to pull on his boxer shorts before she was out in the hallway, heading for the front door. ‘Mel, this is ridiculous! Where are you going? This is your house’.
‘I’m going for a drive, to cool off’ she said, angrily, looking him up and down. ‘Have a cold shower, and let yourself out’.
‘Mel…’

Will the new couple get over this not-so-little hiccup?
What is Dale’s secret?
And will Bella choose Brendan, or her husband?

All that and more, next time on The Plot Sickens….

[mel_kay39]

Yeah well... had to have a bit of intrigue! To be honest, I'm not 100% sure what's going to be Dale's secret either. Maybe a forbidden affair? A paternity suit? Or maybe someone wants to copyright his hairstyle!

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

Ooh lah lah.. Marty is a naughty boy! I like that..

Aww, my Sean is a jack of all trades.. Isn't he just the best! Lol!!

Love always, Alyssa xoxo

[Magpie Girl]

oh oh, how wicked was that!?!? hehe, love it!

[mel_kay39]

Episode 142

Coming Apart at the Seams – Part One

Dale knocked on the door. Hard. So hard, he copped a splinter from the old wood door in his knuckles. “Shit” he muttered, but kept pounding. She had to be in there, didn’t she? He’d been extra clever just to get hold of her address. First he’d gone to the office where she worked, but she’d not been there. After all, even journos have to go home at some point. So he managed to distract the receptionist and snuck a peek at the address book in front of her while she was retrieving a hard copy of a photo they’d printed of a game a few weeks back. He’d lied and said his Mum wanted it.
Now the bitch – not his mum, obviously – was going to get the full wrath of Dale Thomas’s fury. How dare she print what she threatened to print?
Finally, the door opened. Caroline Wilson peered out the door, her hair a little mussed and obviously sans makeup. Dale felt like fainting. He’d never been on the live set of a horror movie before, but he thought he knew what it must be like, now!
‘Oh, Dale, it’s you’ she said, not sounding at all happy he’d chased her down.
‘Damn straight its me! What did you think I was going to do after you rang and dropped that bomb on me?’ he asked. ‘Who the hell do you think you are, Lois fricking Lane?’
‘No, but if you want to make that comparison, go ahead’ Caro said.
‘Well, she’s a hell of a lot better looking than you, even in the original movies’ Dale said, smugly. ‘But that’s irrelevant. You have something I want. Hand it over’.
‘Not so fast’ Caro said, narrowing her eyes. ‘Come in. We’ll talk’.
‘Oh no way’ Dale said, waving his arms. ‘You journos don’t know what the words “off the record” mean! Next thing I know, those photos you say you have will be all over the front page of the Age tomorrow morning!’
‘Don’t flatter yourself’ Caro said. ‘It’s not as if you’ve had an affair with a team-mate’s wife, or something. You might be a cult hero at Collingwood, but in footy terms, you’re no Wayne Carey’.
‘Still’ Dale insisted, ‘This could really ruin my career’.
‘Of course it could’ Caro said. ‘But if you give me an exclusive interview, and explain the whole situation, I’ll make sure you come out of this squeaky clean’.
‘Yeah, right! And if a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his arse when he hopped! How am I supposed to trust you on this?’ Dale asked, crossing his arms over his chest, defensively. Also, it was bloody cold out! Still, he wasn’t about to give her what she wanted. Not without a fight.
‘Well, let me put it this way. What choice do you have?’ Caro asked.
She had a point. Dale sighed. ‘Whatever. You print one word out of context though, and I’ll sue your arse for slander’.
‘Libel, Junior’ Caro said. ‘When it’s written; it’s libel. When it’s verbal, it’s slander’.
‘Like I said’ Dale replied. ‘Whatever!’

*****

Bella stared at Brendan. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me’ she said, finally. ‘I’m married, remember? You’re telling me you can honestly look me in the eye and say there are no other women in the world you couldn’t get to go to bed with you, at a moment’s notice?’
Brendan smiled. Bella felt hot and tingly inside. Why did he had to do this to her, every damn time?! For the only time in her life she wished she were blind. Those large, dark, hypnotic eyes and his full lips that promised so much would not have any effect on her if she couldn’t see them!
‘There might be’ Brendan said, ‘But all I can think about is you’
‘That doesn’t help’ Bella pleaded. ‘I’m married!’
‘Yeah’ Brendan mused. ‘What did you have to go and do that for?’
‘Um, gee, because I love him?’ Bella replied. ‘Why else do you marry someone?’
‘Well’ Brendan said, eyeing her expanding tummy. ‘I can think of other reasons’.
‘We didn’t get married because I was pregnant’ Bella lied. ‘Well, we kind of did, but we would have done it anyway’.
‘It’s Dean, right? This guy you’re married to?’ Brendan asked. ‘Got some disappointing news for you, then’.
‘What?’ Bella asked, narrowing her eyes. Nothing he could say would change her mind about her husband. Nothing. She loved him. She trusted him. She…
‘He likes the boys’ Brendan said. ‘Just as much, if not more, than the girls’.
‘Bullshit’ Bella said. ‘He’s straight’.
‘Uh-uh’ Brendan grinned. ‘You remember we kissed, right? Well, he didn’t mind me slipping him the tongue a bit! He even put his hand…’
‘I don’t want to know’ Bella said, putting her hands over her ears. ‘Why are you doing this?’
‘Because I want you, and I don’t think he deserves you’ Brendan said, taking off his top hat. He held it in his hands, spinning it around absent-mindedly as he spoke. ‘Besides, how often do I get to come to Australia and see you? Once every album launch? How long has it been?’
‘Almost a year’ Bella said, her mind as clear as crystal where Brendan was concerned!
‘Exactly. What can I say, absence makes the heart grow fonder! I really, really wanted to see you’.
Bella gulped. ‘I wanted to see you, too, but…’
‘You’re married’ he answered for her.
Bella nodded, her eyes filling with tears. If there was no Dean, she could see herself very, very happy with Brendan! Touring the world like Ozzy and Sharon, bringing Mia up as a bona fide rock chick….
‘I’ll keep in touch’ Brendan said, putting his hat back on and tipping it forward so that it shaded his eyes. ‘Just in case you change your mind’.
‘I won’t… But I’m flattered’ Bella told him, proud of herself for being able to walk away. ‘I was actually on the way to his gig when you showed up’.
‘Okay’ Brendan said, sighing in resignation. ‘Well, you know where I am if you change your mind. You’re not easy to forget, Bella’.
‘Neither are you’ she told him. ‘If you could see inside my head sometimes…’ she stopped before she could incriminate herself. He grinned like a shark, reducing her to a puddle of lust on the front step! ‘Been dreaming about me, have you?’
‘Yeah, well…’ Bella said, ‘When there’s nothing good on telly’.
Brendan grinned again, blew her a kiss, and walked away. Bella groaned as she watched him get into the passenger side of an old Vintage Hearse. Just the perfect car for you, she thought. It reminded her of the black car Jack and Rose made love in, in Titanic. She could just imagine what it would be like to roll over into the back seat, and lie on the red velvet upholstery while Brendan undressed her in record time…. Stop it! She told herself. I’ve got to get to the gig! Never was it so important than right now that she go and support Dean in his career. She felt like her marriage depended on it.

*****

Melissa wrapped herself in her warmest, most unsexy dressing gown after a tearful, solo shower. She’d driven for about an hour then come back to the house, half-hoping Marty would still be there, ready to apologise and get into some spectacular make-up almost-sex, but he wasn’t. What have I done? She asked herself, over and over. I’m such an idiot to get so wound up about something so stupid! She considered calling him, but since it was almost eleven o’clock, she thought he was probably back at home in bed, probably seething about their argument, and didn’t feel like talking to her anyway. Plus, he had to be at the game the next day, even if he wasn’t playing, due to injury. It was expected of him.
Oh shit, she thought. I’ve got to go and babysit tomorrow! Oh well. It’s not like I’ll be seeing Marty anyway. He’ll probably avoid me like the plague, and I wouldn’t blame him!
The next day, she got an SMS with Heath’s address and headed over there nice and early so he’d be able to get to the ground for the obligatory team meetings and so forth. She must have been a little too early, though, because he opened the door shirtless, a black and white striped towel wrapped around his waist. Mel’s eyes couldn’t help but lazily travel down his hairless but not wimpy chest, lightly dotted with freckles, to a firm but not washboard stomach, then sliding down further still to…. Look up, she told herself, sternly. Look up!!
Heath was grinning widely when she finally met his blue eyes. ‘Hi’ he said. ‘My eyes are up here’.
‘So I’ve heard’ Melissa joked. ‘Don’t mind me. I’m female, all the way through’.
‘I’ll just go get dressed, shall I?’ he asked, waving her inside.
‘Oh, don’t feel you have to hurry on my account’ Mel said, grinning. ‘I don’t mind’.
Heath laughed. His cheeks flushed and he started scratching the back of his neck.
‘Um… Jenson’s having a nap at the moment but I’ll wake him up so he doesn’t give you any trouble. He just might get a bit freaked that I’m gone and he’s never met you before, so…’
‘Okay’ Melissa said. ‘I’m pretty good with babies, though, so you shouldn’t worry too much’.
‘Yeah, that’s what Em said’ Heath replied, looking relieved that the conversation had strayed away from his being half naked! ‘Anyway, I’ll just go get dressed; then I’ll get him up. He’s due for a bottle anyway’.
Mel watched him walk down the hall. Nice butt, she noted! Pity the towel wouldn’t fall off! God, what is wrong with me? A couple of weeks of dating Marty and not being able to shag him silly is clearly doing my head in! I have to go and hire a few Johnny Depp movies in the meantime. That’ll sort me out! She shook her head violently to knock some sense into it; then wandered into the lounge. The first thing that struck her was the amount of photos of his dead wife. The mantle was covered in them. And their wedding photo hung above the fireplace. It was a pretty good way to turn a girl off her amorous feelings. Especially considering the poor bloke had only been widowed a few months.
She remembered that Em’s friend Danni had carried the baby for them, due to Jen having cancer. Mel couldn’t help feeling bad for the guy. He clearly adored his wife. And here I am, she thought, sizing him up like a prize carcass from the South Melbourne Meat Market! Remember Marty, she thought. Things might not be so great right now, but it’ll sort itself out. You can’t just go eyeing off the first guy who parades around in front of you without a shirt!
Heath was back in no time, dressed in a pair of tracksuit pants and one of the club’s official training shirts. In his arms was the cutest little boy Melissa thought she’d ever see. He had startling blue eyes like his father, but the face of one of those cherubs they make garden fountains out of. Chubby cheeks, a lot of wavy brown hair for a four month old, and a cute button nose. ‘He’s gorgeous’ Mel raved. ‘It’s Jensen, isn’t it?’
‘Yep’ Heath said, proudly. ‘Do you want a hold?’
‘Absolutely! Come here, little man’ Melissa said, and took Jensen from his Dad. ‘God, you’re such a little cutie! No offence, but he looks like his Mum’.
‘That’s what everyone’s been saying, lately’ Heath laughed. ‘I’m glad. It’s painful sometimes, but at least I’ve got a permanent reminder of her’.
‘You mean, apart from the shrine?’ Melissa joked, gesturing at the mantle. She stopped when she saw the look on Heath’s face. ‘I’m sorry, that was rude. You have every right to have loads of pictures of her. I’m really sorry. She was a gorgeous person’.
Heath nodded. ‘Yeah, she was. But from what I remember, you two didn’t really get along’.
‘Well, it was touch and go for a while there’ Melissa admitted. ‘I think I was just…. Um… actually, I think I was jealous’.
Heath blinked. ‘Jealous? Why?’
‘You don’t remember dancing at Eve? With a short brunette?’ Mel reminded him.
A grin spread over Heath’s face. ‘Oh yeah. I had forgotten, but now that you mention it…’
Melissa laughed. ‘It was Marty’s arse-about way of trying to get you two back together, from what I remember! Jen sure showed she had teeth and claws, though. She nearly broke my nose!’
Heath nodded, looking a touch nostalgic. ‘Yeah, she was passionate, that’s for sure’.
‘Not hard to see why’ Mel said, suggestively. He looked up at her.
‘Oh, don’t worry' She said, quickly. 'I’m not hitting on you. I’m just stating a fact. I liked you back then. I probably still would, if I wasn’t totally nuts about Marty’. She rolled her eyes. ‘Do you know he was upset when you rang? He thought I was cheating on him, already! I had to explain that I was babysitting, but by then he’d insulted me so I walked out’.
‘God’ Heath said, looking shocked. ‘I hope I haven’t caused you guys any trouble!’
‘Nah, he’ll get over it’ Melissa said. ‘He’s just p’d off because I’ve got a bit of a past and he knows about it. Nothing heavy or anything. Pagan stuff’.
Heath grinned. ‘Yeah. Em’s into all that too. It’s not like… you know…’
Melissa smiled at Jensen who was busy trying to stuff her hair in his mouth. ‘No, I think I know what you mean. We’re not a pack of dykes. We’re all very straight. Taylah’s got a fixation for Australian Idols. Boy was she pissed when Dean married Bella’.
Heath laughed. ‘She should try for that Courtney bloke from a couple of years back. He was as ugly as a hatful of arseholes. Could sing like the devil; though’.
‘Oh I remember him. His brother was on it the year after. Chris, or something. I think they’re in a band together’.
‘Yeah. Anyway, I better go. I’ve made up his bottles, they’re in the fridge. He likes stewed fruit or the Heinz beef and veg for lunch. Oh, and there’s plenty of nappies…’
‘Heath’ Melissa interrupted, winking, ‘I think we’ll be fine’.
‘Of course’ Heath laughed, ‘I’m just being paranoid’.
‘No you’re not. You’re being a responsible parent. Go and win that game, and we’ll sit and watch, and cheer you on. Won’t we, Jensen?’ Mel disentangled her hair from the little boy’s grip, which was like a vice. ‘See, he likes me already’.
Heath smiled at her. ‘I can see why’. He kissed his son on the forehead, and then, awkwardly, gave Mel a pat on the shoulder. ‘Thanks so much for this’.
It took all of Mel’s willpower not to cheekily reply, “oh, don’t I get a kiss, too?” but somehow she managed it! After closing the door, she gave Jensen a cuddle. ‘You and me are gonna be great mates’ she said. ‘Let’s go and get you dinner. Oh… And I don’t suppose you have another TV in this joint? Sitting in that lounge-room is a bit like being in a funeral parlour. No offence’. She looked at his adorable baby-face. ‘No, I don’t suppose you would know, would you? All you know is dinner time, bottle time and the names of all the Teletubbies! Nevermind. I’ll explain the finer points of Australian Rules and we’ll watch Daddy kick arse, hey?’
Jensen grinned and dribbled.
‘I’ll take that as a yes’ Melissa decided.
*****

At the very same time Melissa was showering and crying about her fight with Marty, Bella was making her way to Dean’s gig. She pushed through the throng of salivating fifteen year olds dressed up to look eighteen, thinking, how the hell did they get in here, and looked for Dean. Background music was playing – The Veronicas’ Untouched (god she hated those two slags – Dean had dated once, once), so he must have finished his first set. She finally found him – and when she did, Bella almost birthed that baby right out there on the sticky alcohol-covered floor! Dean was busy in the arms of his ex-girlfriend, Lisa Origliasso from The Veronicas, their hands all over each other, and their tongues very probably down each others’ throats!
‘Dean?’ Bella managed to squeak. Tight pains were circling her abdomen. She wasn’t sure if she was just stressed or about to lose the baby. Seeing her husband in the arms of another woman would sure as hell do it, she thought, her mind rushing like a freight train.
Dean turned, extricating his face from that of the wildebeest he’d been sucking the life force from, and went as pale as Michael Jackson. ‘Bella’ he said. ‘I thought you weren’t coming tonight’.
‘Ssssso you thought you’d grab a substitute and take up where we left off?’ she asked him.
They were attracting a crowd, but she didn’t care. The only person she saw in the room was her traitorous ex-hubby. She knew she’d come close to being unfaithful to him before. Before they were married, that is. Well, Brendan had the capacity to make any married woman rethink things, let’s face it. But Bella knew now how Dean felt about Brendan. Because she wanted to gouge Lisa’s eyes from her skanky head!
‘Bella…’ Dean started to say, but she was clutching her stomach and fighting tears of pain – both real and emotional – and didn’t want to hear what he had to say.
‘Take her’ Bella hissed. ‘Take her and get out of my sight. I never want to see you again’.
With that said, the pains, which were like someone tightening a belt around her bump, eased, and went away completely. She turned and walked out.


*****

Dale opened his eyes. The ceiling didn’t look familiar. Where the hell was he?
Oh shit! He thought, frantically, suddenly remembering. Oh f**k!
The Pies were due to play Richmond that afternoon. Dale lifted his arm and looked at his watch. There was only an hour left before the final 22 would have to be handed in! Mick would be breathing fire from his nostrils by now! He guessed he would have had to have been replaced in the line up. Probably by Chris Egan or Sharrod Wellingham.
Gradually, the events of the night before started coming back to him. The phone call. His anger at finding out she had proof of a little flirting he’d engaged in with the wife of a Melbourne underworld character – complete with the subtle handing over of a wad of cash – which was pretty clear from the photo. How could he have been so stupid? He wasn’t even betting on footy, it was a bet on the greyhounds! He co-owned one, and he supposed it could be a conflict of interest – in fact, it probably was; but being caught betting on the dogs was not as bad as the insinuation that he’d not only gotten cosy with a well-known blonde bombshell who just happened to date one of the guys portrayed on Underbelly, but that he’d given her money! The press could only come to two logical conclusions. Or well, three, actually. One – he was betting against his own team. Two – he was paying for “a good time”. Or three – he was paying to have someone “taken care of”. None of those options looked good for him as far as the career went. In fact, the last option looked damn bad for him, in general! If the photo was published, the police would definitely be looking into it. Not to mention the bigwigs at AFL HQ.
‘F**k’ Dale said, again, and started to sit up. His head spun. What the hell had that bitch given him? His first guess – Rohypnol – was probably the most likely. He remembered arguing with her on her doorstep, then being coerced into entering her apartment. From then on, things took a weird turn.
He looked around. The huge tiger on the wall rug glared at him with beautiful amber eyes. Yeah, he thought. I get the liking tigers bit. The animals, not the football team!
But what I don’t get is why she’d want to try and ruin my career! What have I ever done to her?
After inviting him in, he dimly remembered her saying something about slipping into something a little less comfortable (she was wearing a shitty brown dressing gown and tiger slippers, of course) so they could start the interview. Dale recalled wondering why she needed to get changed to ask him a few questions. She asked if he wanted a drink and he’d stupidly said yes. Nothing too hard, because he had to play tomorrow, and she’d made some lame joke about him having to “get eviscerated” by her piss weak excuse for a football team tomorrow. He’d just laughed it off at the time, and said “Yeah well, that’s your opinion, and you’re entitled to it”. She’d given him a glass of brandy. ‘It’s good stuff’ she promised him. He tried to tell her he wasn’t big on brandy, but she stood there until he’d had a sip or two. Huh, he thought, cursing himself and wishing for the benefit of hindsight. That was how she drugged me. Probably views me as a threat. Thinks we’re gonna tear apart her precious Tigers, and decided to do something about it! The incriminating photo was just bait, pure and simple. She might use it still; she might not. They never even got around to the interview. Caro had gone and got changed…. And had come out in a tiger print negligee, her mousy brown hair caught up in what she obviously thought was a sexy topknot, and proceeded to try to make a man out of him!
He’d backed off, of course, but the effect of the drink she’d spiked was catching up with him. She managed to push him onto her couch, undo the first few buttons of his shirt, slip a hand inside and cop a bit of a feel, and that’s all he remembered. He’d passed clean out. Probably just as much from the horror of being seduced by football’s First Lady, as from whatever she’d put in the brandy. As soon as he remembered what had happened, he sat up like a shot. The drug had worn off, well and truly by then. Dale was ropable!
‘Wilson!’ he shrieked. Then he realised an awful truth. It was just past midday. She’d be at work. Writing her incriminating article about Collingwood’s Dale Thomas involved in shady dealings with underworld types. Ruining his blossoming career. If she hadn’t already. That bitch!
He put a hand over his face and shook his head, swearing a few dozen times, cursing himself. Then he thought it might not be too late to rock up to the ‘G and see if there was a chance he wasn’t in the doghouse with the coach. Not much chance of that, but miracles do happen. And on the way, he could think up a great excuse. “The dog ate my homework” just wasn’t going to cut it, in this case!
As for the photo… and the threat to his career, it was well past press time for that. The paper would be out on the streets by now. She probably wrote the bloody article in her tiger print lingerie while he lay passed out on her couch; then emailed it to the paper to make sure it got there before the printing press started to roll! That would be just like her!
‘Oh, I am so f**ked’ Dale moaned, doing up his shirt buttons. Then he grabbed his sunglasses from the coffee table, and proceeded to get the hell out of there!

Will Dale end up front page news?
Will Bella visit Rod Laver Arena and get her revenge?
And someone from the past pays Ash a surprise visit…