Disclaimer: This story contains explicit sexual content of a Sapphic disposition, as well clever stunt work

Disclaimer: Please refer to Part One/Week One

Warning: This story may contain characters who are not six foot brunettes with blue eyes and who are not five foot four blondes with green eyes. Or maybe it does, can you spot them?

You can rant at the author at mailto:msprism@hotmail.co.uk

Part Three: Fourteen months later.

Friday.

Solley Rayner paused her SUV at the crest of Wandanna Rise. The solitude of the private residential road allowed the vehicle to idle for a few moments while the driver sat and simply gazed down into the secluded bay, watching the white surf break onto the sun-drenched beach. Gulls swooped and soared idly in the lazy heat of the late afternoon, their haunting cries carried away on the wind. The overall feeling of peace and tranquillity raised Solley’s hopes for the respite she so desperately needed.

“So, what are you waiting for, dufus?” and releasing the handbrake she rolled gently forward on down to her sister’s house.

“Hey Janie, look who’s the first to arrive!” Marsha’s happy shout greeted her as she parked by the back deck. “You owe me five bucks. There’s no way Gracie could organise herself to land in before her big sis.” She informed her wife as Janie hurried out from the kitchen to envelope her sister a welcoming hug.

“I take it Grace does not move among us?” Sol asked after their tardy little sister.

“Nope, nothing’s changed there. She promised to arrive yesterday, so I’m hazarding a guess it’ll be after eleven tonight.”

Solley mounted the steps and peered into the bundled blanket Marsha was carefully cradling on her lap. Sitting down beside her sister-in-law she gently pulled away a fold to reveal a mop of punkish jet black hair on a peacefully cherubic face. “How are you doing there my little Lily?” she dropped a tender kiss on her nieces forehead and was rewarded with a sleepy blink from two big blue eyes before the tot drifted back to sleep again.

“Howd’you do it Janie, manage to have a baby the exact double of your girlfriend. It’s downright spooky!”

“I told you before, it’s a secret.”

Solley regarded Marsha with a level gaze, “I’ve a new found respect for you.”

Marsha grinned happily, “I’ll set it up there right beside all the old respect you have for me!”

“And you can stop trying to claim credit.” Janie gave her lover a fond cuff on the ear. “We just got the donor exactly right, and there lies a story. But first of all, when do you expect your little brood to arrive?” asked Janie.

“They’re flying in with Dan tomorrow morning. She has some business over this side so she said she’d drop them off.”

“I bet you’re looking forward to seeing them. It’s been ages since they were last here. I can’t wait to see how much they’ve grown.”

“Yea, they’re changing fast alright, now they’re little brats instead of little monsters.” Solley chuckled, “I’ve missed them terribly.” She finished quietly.

“Come on, “Janie jumped up and broke her melancholic reverie. “Tell me all your news while I prepare supper. I haven’t seen you in ages. How’s the new job?”

“Oh, it pays and that’s about all it does.”

Shortly after Janie and Sol had prepared and served up a simple meal on the deck, the noise of another car approaching caught their attention. A beat-up old jeep came hurtling down the hill at too great a speed throwing up a plume of dust and grit behind it. The style of driving rather than the vehicle announcing the visitor.

“Hey Gracie’s getting a little better at the ole time keeping lark, she’s only thirty six hours late!”

“But always in time for a meal. I guess that’s her gift in this life.”

“Yea, that and pulling teeth! No surprises there.” Marsha said darkly.

The old jeep skidded to a gravely stop beside Solley’s SUV. The door was kicked open and the younger of the Rayner girls bounded out up to the deck to be enthusiastically hugged by her siblings. Visually she was a variation on the family theme, blonde like Janie, but with mischievous brown eyes rather that the flashing green of her sisters. Height-wise she fell somewhere between the two, temper-wise she was way out there with Solley, but she had a healthy share of Janie’s shrewdness too.

“My, it’s like the new season of ‘Charmed’.” Marsha remarked on the small group hug. “Or maybe Macbeth.” She muttered under her breath to Lily.

“Get your bags Gracie, and I’ll fix you a plate of food.” Pausing as she noticed the vast collection of bags and boxes piled up in the back of the jeep. “How long were you actually planning on staying?” Janie quizzed amused.

Grace shuffled slightly, “Well, a little longer than the weekend I promised, Sis. I’ve been kicked out of med school. I’ll need to look around to see if I can finish the year off at a local Uni. Maybe Uxminster.”

Janie and Solley looked visibly shocked. “Kicked out of med school!”

“What the hell did you do…steal drugs, push drugs, use drugs!” they both spoke at once.

Grace looked miffed at the lack of the emotional support she had expected. “No I didn’t steal or push drugs! But I was caught miss-appropriating the gas and air, and an articulator, on Debbie Steenson. She got turfed out too, only she’s not taking to me now.”

“Do I even want to know what an articulator is?” Solley asked her little sister in exasperation.

“Not in this context.”

“I can’t believe you’d throw away your education for some hi-jinx.” Janie scolded hands on hips.

“Is Debbie Steenson hot?” Marsha wanted to know.

“Lava in a pop tart!”

“Alright!” Marsha and Grace high-fived.

The fallout of this bombshell temporarily contained they moved over to the outdoor table and started their evening meal.

“You can start checking out local schools on-line tomorrow, before the rest of the guests start arriving.” Janie said, “It’ll be pretty crowded after that and you’ll have no peace until everyone leaves again on Sunday evening.”

“How many are staying over on Saturday?” Solley asked.

“Well, Marsha has a tent to put up for the kids so they can have an adventure. That leaves room for you, Gracie, maybe some of Marsha’s friends from the studio if they need it…” she hesitated, exchanging glances with Marsha.

“What’s the chance of bagging the guest ensuite?” Grace chanced her luck.

“Zilch, kiddo. That’s for the fairy godmother.” Marsha wagged a fork at the younger woman.

“Oh, who’s the fairy godmother then?” Solley asked with interest.

“Gin Ito.” Janie stated, staring with barely disguised concern at her sister, trying to gauge the reaction of this news.

“Oh.” Solley stared at her plate. “She’ll be a wonderful godmother.” Was all she could think to say.

Later, long after everyone else had retired Solley sat alone on the deck steps with a glass of wine, and gazed up at the same black velvet sky she had cried to over a year ago. She felt she had come a full, ironic, circle.

At first she had found it impossible to even visit the bay, but Janie’s pregnancy and her need for support from her sister soon pushed any aversion away, and she had become a regular visitor again, especially during the lonely times when the kids were with Dan. She had refused to let herself wallow, pushing the sadness back deep inside anytime she felt even a ghost of a memory surface. It was hard at first as the triggers were everywhere, the jetty, the plot where the trailer camp once stood, the bedroom she stayed in on her visits…with its bed where they had…”Stop it!”

She was stronger now, life goes on, she had made her mistakes and she’d paid for them. It was just that her heart didn’t understand the accountancy, it couldn’t swap columns or balance out her emotions fairly; she was always left with a deficit she would never really stop paying. “What if I see her again and I just burst like a dam, and all the fear and sadness and loneliness spill out splitting through my skin and I’m left in tatters for the rest of my life?”

She ran a hand over the warm wood of the deck where she now sat, this was where they had first kissed, “And what a disaster that turned out to be.” She laughed ruefully to herself, feeling the sting of bittersweet tears burning behind her lids. She looked up at the starlit night; these skies would always remind her of those glittering dark eyes. She was cursed, “Where in the world could she run to avoid that memory…indoors, forever!”

To the front of the house she heard a car door slam, she hadn’t even heard it approach she was so caught up in her maudlin thoughts. Footsteps crunched towards the back deck where she sat staring out at the moonlit ocean.

She knew it was Gin Ito before she had turned the corner of the veranda. “When did I learn the weight of her tread, the pace of her step?” She sat gazing fixedly out at the shore, and felt the hesitation.

There was silence for what seemed like an eternity but must have been mere moments, still she sat looking steadily forward, she dared not break her gaze and turn around. Not until she felt she had some sort of control, but what little she had seemed to be ebbing away from her, crashed to bits like the waves on the shore below.

“Solley?” came the quiet voice that for so long had haunted her, whispering on the winds spilling over the dunes.

Still she sat in fragile silence, her heart drumming so hard she thought her skin would burst. She couldn’t trust herself to speak in case her voice erupted in a banshee wail and she shattered like a million pieces of glass, only to be reflected back like a million stars in those dark almond eyes.

“Solley.” Still she sat.

Then Gin Ito turned and quietly walked away.

“Goodnight Gin.” She whispered as the door swung close.

Saturday.

Even with little sleep Solley still managed to meet her sister for morning coffee, only now they had another companion. Little Lily suckled at her mothers breast while Solley made herself a coffee and Janie herbal tea.

“I see Gin arrived late last night.” Janie swapped Lily over to her other breast after a quick burping. “Are you going to be okay Sol? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but first of all we were uncertain if she could even make it in from Australia, and secondly, and more selfishly I didn’t want you staying away because of her. I really want you to be here.” “And lastly, if what Marsha reports is true you two need to meet to resolve this abject misery you’ve managed to cocoon yourselves in.”

“It’s not going to be easy. No point lying to you about that. But the kids arrive in under a hour and I’ll be too busy with them to be down for long.” she answered with more confidence than she felt.

“How are things with Dan these days?”

“Getting better, we’re really working hard…oh…good morning.” Her guarded green eyes locked with Gins. The smaller woman slowly entered the kitchen, from the sweat stained tank top and shorts she wore she had obviously just returned from an early morning run.

“Good morning” she responded cautiously to Solley. Turning her attention to Janie and the little greedy-guts she still nursed, a big smile creased Gins face. She moved across to stroke the dark head nestled deep into Janie’s breast.

“She’s gorgeous, so beautiful Janie. Thank you so much for asking me to be her godmother. I promise to love and care for her with all my heart, who couldn’t.”

“Thank you Gin, that’s why Marsha and I both wanted you to do this, you’re already family to us.” She held the eyes of her sister as she said this. “I approve of this one, she’s a keeper, now get off your stupid butt and grab her for god’s sake!”

Solley rose awkwardly from the table, “I’m going to go and start on that tent Marsha bought for the kids.” and exited before anything else could be said.

Just before noon another much slicker and more expensive vehicle wound its way over Wandanna Rise and down into the bay, pulling up at the front of Janie and Marsha’s home.

“Mommmm! “ Della’s bellow announced her arrival before she’d even exited the Lexus. “Jed called me a bitch!”

“I did not! She called me a Booty Boy first!”

“Liar, liar pants on fire.”

“Oh get these little animals away from me.” thundered Dan as Solley appeared onto the front veranda. “I have a blistering migraine, they haven’t shut up since we took off this morning!” she dramatically clasped a hand to her forehead.

Solley shook her head and smiled, her family, such as it was, were here. Janie and Marsha came out to join them.

“My goodness Della, look at how tall you’ve gotten!” Janie took in the youngster as she approached, her black baggy skater pants, her ‘Cradle of Filth’ hoodie and scuffed vans on her feet. “What a difference a year makes!”

“Whatever.” Del shuffled past them heading straight for the kitchen and the refrigerator helping herself to a soda and grabbing another one for her even scruffier older brother. He was dressed in similar attire but entirely in black with a Marilyn Manson sweatshirt and drumsticks wedged into his back pocket.

Janie and Marsha exchanged a surprised look. “Is this the terrible sevens?” Marsha wondered.

“So far I think it’s only the terrible two. Where’s Will.” As if on cue he appeared.

“Bloody hell, your hairs got long!” Marsha blurted even as Janie elbowed her in the ribs. “But I like it.” she added a quick save.

“Honey, is that nail varnish?” asked Solley as she gave him a big warm hug.

“Yea, I’m trying to grow them.” He answered happily and wandered in after his siblings.

Dan moaned, still clutching her brow, “This Johnny Depp thing has gone on long enough. You’ll have to have a word with him. He wants to grow his hair down to his waist he told me yesterday.”

“He’s beautiful hair let him do what he wants with it.”

“Don’t let the other two hear you say that, they want to dye theirs black.” She turned to Janie, “Look, I’m dying here!“ she pointed to her head, “Would you mind very much if I lay down for an hour to ease this migraine. Perhaps after lunch?” Janie and Sol rolled eyes at each other.

“Sure” Sol answered on behalf of her sister. “You can lie down in my room.”

“Do you still have that eye mask, the one you can put in the freezer?” Dan followed Solley into the cool of the house.

Gin Ito returned from the other side of the bay satisfied with the progress her new home was making. The foundations had been poured and she was excited at the build agenda for the coming weeks, it was a bonus that business was keeping her in this area for the foreseeable future. She looked across the bay and sighed. She felt so at peace in this little cove, it was her karmic cradle she just knew the pieces of her life would come together here.

Slipping into the house she decided to nip upstairs for a quick shower before joining the others. She was too late for lunch but would throw together a sandwich and join them all on the back deck. She was glad Solley was at least speaking to her; she had been destroyed when the woman had ignored her on the night of her arrival. Her upset had kept her awake all that night until dawn beckoned and she had taken a long, long run across the cliff-tops to try and shake off her emotional upheaval. She had known this particular visit would be hard, but she still felt a little betrayed by her feelings, it seemed she had way underestimated the dictates of her heart.

Reaching the top of the stairs she hesitated at the door ajar to Solley’s room, imagining she could faintly smell her cologne. Unable to stop herself she moved quietly to the doorway, drawn by a tantalising glimpse of a negligee draped over the bedroom chair. Her breath froze in her throat, strangled by a rush of raw pain, there sprawled diagonally across the bed her tanned naked frame covered by only the thinnest cotton sheet lay Dan.

With a sharp intake of breath Gin slowly began to back away from the sleeping woman, her withdrawal being hampered by the sudden appearance of Nelson at her heels. Happy to sneak upstairs at every given opportunity now that the arrival of Lily had taken the heat off him, he relished his new found domestic freedom presuming it came with his promotion to top dog on the arrival of the new, pukey smelling pup asleep downstairs.

With a welcoming tush-sniff and wag of his floppy red tail he ambled past her into the room and hopped onto the bed beside the sleeping woman. Gin held her breath waiting for Dan to wake and catch her hovering guiltily like a thief. Nelson then proceeded to drop two well placed big sloppy licks across Dan’s mouth and cheek before curling up to snooze alongside her. A quick smirk flashed across Gin’s face, soon to be squashed when the prone woman snuggled into the furry head and murmured, “Sol.” without waking. Gin blazed with sudden anger and jealously.

“Fuck those instant karmic wheels!” thought Gin as she retreated moodily to her room, forgetting the tighter the spin the closer the lesson to be learnt.

Gin was delighted if not a little stunned as she came out onto the deck later and saw Solley’s kids nonchalantly loitering as only the young can. “Hey guys!” she grinned and moved to give each a big warm hug. “God, they’ve changed so much in just over a year. Del and Jed are real junior league slacker-punks, and Will…well…Will…seems to have a Harajuki Girl thing going on?”

“Gin! We saw ‘Busted and Burnt.’ It’s the best ever, you were awesome. Did you get us some stuff like you promised?”

“In my room, I got you crew Tees and the premiere Tees and a program each. Okay.”

“Guinevere Cole is my new favourite actress.” Del blushed.

Gin grinned. “I got her to sign some photos and a poster for you.”

“I think she’s so beautiful…” Will totally supported his sister’s current crush.

“I got her wig.” Gin answered, seemingly streets ahead on this one.

“Hang on here.” Solley came up behind her through the patio doors. “Are…are you still in touch with the kids?” she asked Gin directly.

Gin reddened furiously, totally freaked out she’d crossed some miscalculated boundary. Before she could claw together an answer the kids had jumped in to enlighten their poor, lunatic mother.

“D’uh!”

“Don’t you roll your eyes at me Jed Rayner!”

“Hell yes!”

“Della! Don’t say Hell. And don’t you roll your eyes at me either!”

“It’s not like she’s a peado or anything Mom.”

“Hey!” Gin was shocked.

“Will! What do you know about paedophiles! Don’t use that word!”

“Look Mom, it’s only through her fan-site.” Jed explained patiently to the red-haired old dinosaur.

“And she e-mails us.” Della elaborated, being kind to the elderly.

“And she calls just to keep in touch.” Will concluded seeking harmony with the hippy generation.

“Calls you?”

“Gin got us all cell phones. We have conference calls.” He replied sweetly. “Like I said, we keep in touch.”

“Can we go to your room and get our stuff.” Jed demanded.

Gin nodded, her stomach knotted with worry and lovelorn fluttering, heart thumping just at being this close to her, palms sweating with itching lust. Anxious because she knew Solley would go ballistic and she would just melt like sex wax under all that heat as usual. God, she was addicted to that heat! The kids disappeared in a mini stampede leaving her standing alone like Custer; with her little big horn.

“You still keep in touch with the kids?” Solley asked again.

“How couldn’t I? I told you I adored them.” She babbled guiltily. “Look I don’t ask them anything personal. I don’t snoop on you if that’s what you’re worried about. But I couldn’t abandon them. I really do need them in my life.” She concluded miserably feeling like she’s done something bad again. She never seemed to get it right around Solley’s children, now she felt like a sleazy creep snooping around a playground.

Solley regarded her a moment through narrowed, glittering green eyes. Then she leaned forward and simply kissed Gin Ito gently on the cheek.

“That’s so sweet. Thank you.”

Gin jolted with shock, the soft brush of lips scorched her flesh causing her small ears to burn so hot she thought they’d fall off in cinders. Solley’s narrowed gaze continued to observe this re-action with a calculated interest.

“You fucking red-haired bastard!” Dan roared, “I’m gonna kill you!”

Solley started. Gin automatically leapt into her Goju Ryu, prepared to defend Solley to the death. Janie and Marsha quickly rushed onto the deck, one from the kitchen, the other the daytime nursery, alarmed at the shouting.

Dan appeared swiping at her mouth with the T-shirt that hung over her boxers, Nelson prancing at her side her panting happily at the praise being heaped on him.

“Fucking furball had his putrid tongue in my mouth!” yelled Dan at no-one in particular. “I’m diseased! We all know what he does with it!”

“Why the hell did you let him do that?” Solley asked completely bemused.

“I thought it was you.”

“What!”

“Well, I was half-asleep, and I heard you at the door, and I sort of saw the red hair… whatever. I thought you were being over-kind because of my head!” She muttered defensively. “At least it explains the breath.” She cast a curious glance at Gin who still looked like she wanted to kill her. “Jeez, what’s Crouching Tiger’s fucking problem!”

“Gee, thanks. Talking of which go and brush you teeth, and use an antiseptic mouthwash.” Solley called after Dan’s retreating back. Turning back to Gin she smiled.

“Okay Hong Kong Phooey, you can relax now.”

Gin flushed red with embarrassment and a little residual anger. “Well, I’d have preferred to thump her.”

“Now that’s just childish. That’s the kind of behaviour I’d expect to see from Je...Del…no Will…actually none of my kids are as childish as you.”

“Hey.” Gins eyes widened.

Marsha leaned into Janie and whispered conspiratorially, “I think those two are flirting!”

Janie rolled her eyes “Well, Praise the Lord and pass the collection.”

Distant shrieks and wails suddenly drifted across the sand dunes. Marsha scanned the skyline but could see nothing. “Must be Black-back land gull mating calls or something.” she mumbled to herself and followed Janie back indoors.

Grace had decided to go for a walk after lunch and scope out her new temporary digs. Not bad, good surf, she could use that. Hot sun, she could top up her tan. Long beach, she could get out her running shoes. All she needed was Debbie Steenson to get over herself, get down to this beach and get over her, preferably butt naked! Grace smirked to herself, she enjoyed being a player and college had supplied some easy pickings. “Not too sure who I’ll get to play with down here though.” She mused wistfully.

Graces karmic circles actually moved in even tighter loops than Gin Ito’s, for no sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she crested a sand dune to find a delectably pert khakied bottom, and a beautifully muscled nude back lying in the sand before her. “God is good, God is kind.” She chanted inwardly with a carnal glint in her caramel eye.

Pausing so as not to alarm the bronzed, partially clothed little piece of beach booty she’d found, Grace noted the photographic bag lying to the side and the camera with its massive telephoto lens pointed across the dunes directly to her sister’s house. “Aha! This must be the infamous Sniper Jones, returned to torture my family with yet more seedy celluloid disclosures at Lily’s naming ceremony.” And knowing her family, degenerate bunch that they were, there’d be plenty more of the same! She had better save the day…and have a little fun at the same time.

Slithering silently down the dune she was immediately upon Sniper, twisting the photographer’s left lower leg in a fluid aikido movement that would have brought tears of pride to Gin Ito and Marsha Bren’s eyes much as it brought tears of pain to Snipers.

“So it’s true. Perps always do return to the scene of their crime! How tediously predictable but happily accommodating.” she snapped, applying pressure.

Sniper squealed, not unlike a mating Black-back land gull, “What the fuck! Get off me you fucking nut!”

“You know what I’m gonna do? I’m gonna snap your fucking tendon like a cheese straw if you don’t watch that potty mouth!” she snarled, leaning on the limb for emphasis.

Sniper squealed louder, “Okay, Okay, tell me what you want.” She practically sobbed.

“First…I want a piece of your ass, but I haven’t yet decided what piece or how I want it. Second I want to march you up to my sister’s house so you can apologise to my family for what you did to them last year, and the media circus that went with it. Did you know my sister Solley has an entire porn site dedicated to her! How do you think that feels?”

“Much, much worse than having your lower leg slowly ripped off! Tell her I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry. Please, please get off me before I pass out. I’ll do anything you ask, please stop.” She howled.

“You’ll tell her sorry yourself! And believe me you will do anything I ask. Now, my first condition…your ass.” Letting go of the leg she flipped the exhausted young woman over onto her back. She took in the startled and fearful clear grey eyes, the sand dusted little round breasts and the quivering muscles on her stomach rising and falling with each frighten gasp.

“Shit! You’re the Rayner I haven’t met, aren’t you?”

“Yea, I’m baby Rayner!” Grace growled dangerously, her eyes slowly travelling over Snipers tits and belly; she decided she liked this tasty little treat.

“I thought Baby Rayner was getting named tomorrow?”

“That’s Baby Rayner-Bren, she’s a blend, but me, I’m pure one hundred percent proof!” with that she lowered her mouth and bit Snipers neck, just where the pulse was jumping.

Sniper squeaked then moaned. “Shit I’m in big, big trouble, aren’t I?”

“Do what you’re told or you’ll be on a big, big chiropractor’s couch. I hope you like sand in your knickers, cos by the time I’m through with you you’ll have shifted half this beach!” her hands roughly pulled down Snipers zipper as her mouth swooped down on the whimpering paparazzi’ lips.

Solley and Gin continued to sit on the deck talking quietly. Both feeling a little shy, but slowly relaxing within the gentle intimacy they seemed to have conjured up between them.

“I didn’t get to see ‘Busted and Burnt’. However I did hear good things about it.”

“It was okay. I base jumped from Sydney Bridge into a cruise ship swimming pool!”

Solley patted her knee “I’m so proud.” She said with mock condescension.

“Did Marsha mention about the stunt school we’re planning on opening?”

Solley turned to her surprised, “No, when’s this happening.”

“Hopefully next year. All that paparazzi hype for ‘Red Revenge 2’ made it into such a massive box office hit. I was already on a percentage, and Janie and Marsha have another location deal here for ‘Revenge 3 Red’s Return’, so between us we have the funds to get it up and running.” She smiled happily. “Also I’m getting too old for all this…plummeting!” she shot a sly sideways glance to see if Solley had picked up on the word first used by this woman to describe her profession. She was rewarded by a narrowing of glittering green eyes that set her heart pounding.

“I think a stunt school is an excellent idea. Especially with the skill-set you and Marsha have between you. I can think of one young man who will be signing up for it on the eve of his sixteenth!”

“It’s kids like Jed we had in mind. Of course by that time Del will be an apprentice body-piercer!” Another sly sideways glance, this time all she got was a stinging arm slap.

“Don’t you dare put that idea into her head.”

“The kids look really happy, different, but happy. How is the whole family situation working out?” She asked the crunch question quietly, bracing herself for an answer she suspected she didn’t want to hear, but having to know it anyway.

“Oh, Dan’s adjusted pretty well, all things considered. I’m glad she decided not to throw it all away and try to re-focus on her parenting. The big plus being that at the same time her company has gone from strength to strength, especially on the east coast.”

“Bonus for her!” Gin said with sudden sharp sarcasm making Solley look askance. “But don’t you miss the kids? I thought this was the last thing you wanted?” she continued, feeling a little confused.

“What was the last thing I wanted?”

“For the kids to move away with Dan.”

“No, Dan lives here, on the west coast. She’s only ever on the east for business.”

Gin looked at her blankly, “I thought they lived most of the time with her.”

“Well they do, she looks after them while I’m at Uni.”

“Huh”

“I went back to school. I was so miserable last year I decided to do something about it, stop being a ‘pushed around loser’. So I enrolled at Kane and started a law degree. Unfortunately it’s out of state so I have so reside during most of term time, but Dan’s there for the kids. I also have part-time work to pay the fees. It’s sort of working out okay, after a few lumps and bumps. And as you can see Dan likes her share of attention whenever I am around. Some times she’s a bigger kid than the kids!”

Gin digested this it confirmed what she already suspected after witnessing Dan and Nelson’s siesta. “So Dan didn’t go for custody… you and her got back together instead?” Her heart did the stunt this time, and plummeted all by itself. She just wanted to hear it from Solley’s own lips. That she had no chance and never would have.

Instead of answering Solley leapt to her feet “What the hell…is that my sister marching Sniper Jones over the dunes like something out of ‘Beau Jeste’?”

The kids had decided to swim for the rest of the afternoon and had departed for the beach with a very happy Nelson.

Sniper Jones felt less than happy. She was sat on a seat on the deck surrounded by Gin Ito, Solley, Janie and Grace Rayner, Marsha Bren and her very spooky evil twin, and she didn’t even have a camera to hand to mark this auspicious occasion. Normally she’d have lain in the sand until she took root to get a snap like this, now all her gear was piled up on the deck behind Psycho Rayner whose acquaintance she had unfortunately just made.

On saying that, even though her clitoris and her cunt felt like they’d been scoured by an emery board and currently screamed for some cool soothing gel, a very warm tingle appeared deep in her belly every-time she glanced up at the younger Rayner. “Shit, I’m getting the hots for her. Bum, that means she’ll be really, really bad for me!”

Every time she shifted uncomfortably a small trickle of sand escaped the leg of her shorts and pooled on the decking much to Janie’s narrowed eyed annoyance and Graces smirks.

“Sniper just wants to apologise to everyone for all the trouble she caused with her sneaky, belly-creeping, spying, and generally being a little bastard last summer.” Grace began. “Don’t you Sniper.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry.”

“Sorry what.”

“Sorry for all the sneaky…belly-crawling... bastarding …stuff. Thank you.” She mumbled, chin on chest. ”Fuck, they were all kung fu experts, what happened if they thumped her to death and got the dog to bury her in the sand?”

“And especially to apologise to Solley for all the porno crap that she’s had to endure!”

Sniper looked up at Solley who’s gaze locked with hers. “It’s okay Sniper. No harm done. Forgive and forget is what I say.” She nodded still holding Snipers eyes steadily. Her sister frowned at this unusual graciousness she had wanted Sol to lose it. She had wanted blood and snot.

Whereas Janie did not necessarily want blood and snot on her decking she too thought Solley had been uncharacteristically generous to the young photographer. Her suspicions were immediately aroused. “Not this again!” she thought alarmed remembering last years fumbling fiasco in the dunes. “Sol, you couldn’t be that stupid, not twice!”

Marsha, big-hearted as ever felt for the young woman so beleaguered by Rayner women. She was well aware that it wasn’t a very nice experience.. “So, what’ya gonna do to make it up.” She challenged, moving the conversation in what she thought was a more positive direction.

Sniper looked confused and guarded, after Grace she felt she’d little left to give, if this was going to get kinky. After all she’s spent a fortnight spying on this lot and knew you couldn’t give them an inch!

“Dunno.” She responded sullenly.

“We need photos of the pumpkin, and also of the ceremony. They’ve to be top notch magazine quality of course. The deal is 70/30, and we decide on initial distribution.”

“50/50” Sniper came back, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, even as it trampled her into the ground.

“65/35. Distribution is still mine as is intellectual copyright.”

Janie rolled her eyes at the ‘intellectual copyright’ but thought in principle Marsha had a good idea, if Sniper could be trusted.

“You stay here tonight so we can keep an eye on you. And Grace is your ‘assistant’ all day tomorrow, one step out of line and we’ll unleash her. You only photograph what you’re told to. Got it!” she added to Marsha’s statement.

“Got it!” Sniper visibly brightened, this sounded like a deal with good future options. No-one else would have this scoop, it was an insider one-off, and lord knows she needed a break since Kelly Rose blew her out! All in all, from what she knew of this family it could have been a lot worse.

Janie rose. ”Now go get washed up and changed. We’re having a barbeque tonight and you’re invited to eat with us. Grace, show Sniper a room… somewhere.” She gave her little sister a long hard look that said ‘I know what you were up too.’ Turning one last time to Sniper she added, “And get that sand out of your pockets or wherever it’s coming from. I don’t need my stairs looking like the damn Sahara.”

“Come on” Grace put her hand on the small of Sniper s back. “I’ll run you a bath, and I’ve a nice aloe vera salve parts of you might be interested in.”

“Are you staying for supper Dan?” Janie asked politely but making it clear she expected an answer of ‘No’.

“Yes. I’m feeling a little upset in my stomach since Nelson gave me the leper’s kiss. I think I’d better have something just to steady it before the long drive back.” Dan stated, placing her hand fragilely on her stomach. Solley rolled her eyes. Janie shook her head slightly and moved back towards the kitchen.

“I’m giving Nelson an extra bone tonight.” Murmured Marsha falling in behind. “And if he manages to kill her I won’t get him neutered.”

Much later when the full moon was high Gin strolled off towards the surf. The distractions of the day had failed to deliver the answer to her question. Could she manage to woo Solley Rayner away from her partner of over eight years? It seemed impossible now they were re-united and determined to start over again. Solley was even studying Law while Dan babysat between running her business, how committed was that? Pretty impressive given that Dan was a hard-hearted, self-centred, womanising rat-bastard. Gin bitterly regretted running away last summer. She should have stayed, stayed and fought Lurch for her! She stood and stared up to the stars, “Please give me a second chance.”

“Hey, want some company?” a soft voice crooned from behind her. Turning round she saw the object of her affection standing before her bathed in soft moon glow. “Good grief, my karmic wheels must be burning rubber!”

“Please join me.” She replied softly. They walked along in companionable silence.

“You didn’t finish telling about you plans for the future this afternoon.” Solley finally opened up with safe conversation topic.

“Oh. Well, Marsha and I have both reached a point when we want to break away from what we do now. As you said we both have a very unique skill-set between us, so we decided we should pool our resources and educate people so they could move forward in our profession.”

They had been walking for some time when she stopped and raised her eyes to the crest above them. “Do you want to see something?” she turned to look at Solley.

Solley just nodded, feeling something special was about to unfold.

Grabbing her hand she led Solley several hundred metres up a track to a cleared area with superb elevation.

“It’s beautiful up here.” Solley breathed looking down along the shore and over to Janie’s house. “What a view. I didn’t even know this track existed and I’ve been coming here forever.”

“This is where I’m going to build my home.” Gin answered quietly. “I’ve bought the land. Look over there, the foundations went in last week. It’s going to be a two storey timber frame, built to blend in with the environment. My sister Miu is an architect and she’s taken full control of the design and build for me.” She couldn’t keep her excitement out of her voice. Solley smiled genuinely happy for this woman.

“That’s wonderful Gin, you deserve a home. Especially here in Wandanna Beach, it’s so right for you.” She smiled warmly.

Gin moved closer until they were only inches apart, eyes locked, breath whispering over each others cheek.

“Share it with me.” Then she raised a hand and cupped Solley’s cheek and leant in slowly to kiss her.

Out of the stillness of that kiss, the gentle pressure of cool lips on her own, the tender sweetness of it, Solley heard herself say simply and softly, “I love you.”

And suddenly it was out there, in the real world, in full view, her love.

She pulled back, startled, eyes looking into Gin Ito’s, burning black as coal.

“Oh…” Gin managed to half say, half moan as she lost herself in eyes, swirling with the greens of jungles and meadows. “Oh…I…I love you. I love you so, so much. I’m drowning in love for you, I’m...I’m dying with love for you.”

“I’m so sorry for last year. I never gave any care, or tenderness, or consideration to you, or even gave a thought for what you were going through. I just took everything I could get and gave so little back. And it wasn’t until you’d gone, and I’d lost you that I realised how important you had become…”

“Stay with me…here…at Wandanna. Leave Dan, I can see you aren’t happy, come here with me. We’ll work things out with the kids. They’ll love living here. It will all be okay…”

“God, Dan and the kids…”

“It’ll be okay. I helped Dan out before financially. I can do it again…just say what you want and I’ll do it.”

“You helped Dan out financially?”

“Yes, I gave her the investment capitol she needed…”

“What!”

“I thought you knew…she said she wanted to try again for the kid’s sake but she needed a guarantor and cash injection to secure her business and your financial security as a family. I knew you didn’t want the family to split up so I helped her out if she dropped the custody lawsuit.”

“What!” Solley grew more and more horrified.

“I loved you and the kids, I still do, but I had to go away and let us all mend our lives. This was the best gift I could think of leaving behind…a safe future for you all.”

“That whore of a bitch!”

“Huh?” but Solley had turned heel and was charging back down the track and across the beach to Janie’s house like a fiery streak of red-hot lightening.

“You know I’m still a little queasy, even after that delicious meal. Maybe I should just stay over another night, to be on the safe side.” Dan rubbed her stomach tenderly.

“Tomorrow’s the Naming Ceremony!” Marsha stated baldly.

“I’ll be on my way long before it starts!” Dan snapped back.

“Oh stop it you two. You can stay tonight if you want Dan.” Janie said wearily. “I’m off to bed. Oh here’s Sol now, she can sort out a room for yooouuu….” Solley streaked past her sister and launched herself at Dan in a full bodied tackle that would have graced any semi-professional football field.

“Aaah! “ Dan yelled in shock as she fell back onto the deck.” No, no don’t…I’ve a sore tummy!” Solley immediately thumped her in it.

“Oooh yeaah!” Marsha sat back delighted.

“Stop it you two! Get up of my deck! Stop it! You’ll break that chair! Marsha, split them up now! What if the kids see you! Marsha stop laughing and help me!” Janie scrabbled with the couple rolling around her deck.

“Sol, Sol, not the face! Aaah, not the hair! Sol! No, no eyes! Stop a minute woman, what’s wrong with you? Aaah! Stop biting!”

“Let them be Janie, she’s beating the crap outta that ugly bastard.”

Janie turned on Marsha in frustration. “Well that ‘ugly bastard’ happens to be your spitting image looky-likey you big idiot! Now, will you help me peel my sister off the other pod person!”

As suddenly as she started Solley stopped, out of steam and out of anger. All she had left was hurt. She stood up, kicked at Dan and said “How could you take all that money off her! You bastard! She thought we back together, that’s why she left!” She lashed out with her foot again.

“Ouch!” Dan quickly scrambled to her feet. “I took that money because we needed it and she had it plus some! I told her it would be in the kids best interest if I could stay here rather than take them away to the east coast, but in order to stay I needed the investment over here to work. I never said we were back together, that’s something she gleaned for herself, your sleeping with me probably coloured her opinion a little don’t you think??” she spat back, but had to move quickly as Solley lunged at her again. Janie’s hand on her sister’s arm preventing Dan another injury.

“Look, I’m sorry. I should have said something…but truth is…I didn’t want to. The business took off just as I said it would. The kids stayed at the same school, in the same neighbourhood. You got to start a Law degree, I had ‘Ego FX’ on the up, and I looked after the kids while you studied. For gods sake she was on the other side of the world!” .” Dan tried to pacify. “I have a soul you know, I have a heart. I’m trying to support you all, and this is the best way I know how.”

“Your soul is in the devils deposit box, and your heart fell out your backside years ago!” Solley spat and flung herself into the house unable to hold back tears of hurt.

“Shit! Sol, Sol, come here.” Dan cursed and contritely limped after her.

Sunday.

The Celebrant arrived an hour before the noon time ceremony, as did the guests; all wearing white as requested on the invitation.

About twenty friends and family from the studios and from Janie’s IT work mulled around the deck drinking coffee and munching on little European finger pastries catching up on the shop talk of whatever business they were in.

Sniper was in her absolute element being able to freely move around and snap people she would normally never get within a million miles off, unless she crawled through their sewer pipe! She even had the authority to go up to some seriously famous dudes and ask outright that they crush up close and pose for her, bliss! Graces interpretation of assistance was to sit back and watch her work with a satisfied smile on her lips. However Sniper also knew if she took one step out of line her ass would hit the sandbar in seconds flat. She kinda liked the fact that she had at last met her match, it made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and kinda buzzy in the pants department too!

Janie was feeding Lily in the day time nursery, her last meal before her big debut.

“Suck it up little one you’re on expressed milk for the rest of the day so Mommy can have some champagne. Yes, naughty Mommy!”

“Janie?” Dan stuck her head round the door. “I’ve no white pants with me, Sol asked to check with you if was okay to borrow a pair of Marsha’s, we’re about the same size. Though she is a little thicker round the waist.” She couldn’t help put slip in.

“Yea, it shouldn’t be a problem. Help yourself; I think she’s outside mingling.”

“I already did.” Dan moved into the room and did a little twirl to show of her pristine white ensemble.

“Very smart. Pity the bruises show through.”

“Yea. I was hoping they’d look like intriguing tattoos.” Dan agreed ruefully. “It’s very hard to drive with cracked ribs. Thanks for letting me stay.”

“I doubt they’re cracked Dan. Hopefully they’re just as bruised as your ego. And the only reason you’re here is because Sol has forgiven you.”

“Of course she has, I’ve hurt her worse than this in the past. It’s just because she’s strung out on this crazy stunt chick.”

Janie laid the infant back down and lifted the express pump to her breast. “I know all there is to know about your past hurts Dan. You’re lucky you’re still part of this family.”

“Every family needs a bastard. How else would you all look so god-damn good in white?” Dan answered quietly. “Even though Sol and aren’t in love anymore doesn’t mean I don’t still love her; after a fashion, my fashion. A part of me always will. I guess we’re just done.” Her eyes meet Janie’s. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere!”

Just then Lily opened her lungs and began to cry lustily. “Could you get her Dan?”

“Me.”

“Yea, I’m kinda caught up here.” she indicated the pump at her breast, “It’s not like it’s new to you, you’ve had two yourself! Go on lift her and take her out to Marsha. I’ll be out as soon as I’ve finished here.”

Dan leant over the crib and gently lifted the little bundle all swathed in pure white linens. Cradling her carefully in her arms she moved out on to the deck to find Mommy number two.

“Oh what a beautiful baby.” A woman with her own toddler on her hip exclaimed. “She’s the image of you. Look at those beautiful blue eyes.”

Another woman came over and another, suddenly Dan was swarmed by mothers and mamabies all exclaiming what a beautiful baby she had produced. Dan felt swollen with pride that people could imagine the beauty and innocence of this child reflected in her. That she had somehow contributed to this little parcel of DNA.

“Hey!” Marsha suddenly swooped and indignantly gathered Lily into her arms.

“Goodness,” remarked one of the women, looking from Marsha back to Dan “They might be twins!” Marsha scowled.

Dan felt an awful unfamiliar emptiness in her arms. She’d never felt this with the twins. In fact she was always so exhausted she was glad to put whichever one she had been holding, feeding, burping down. How strange that she should feel so differently about a baby someone had mistaken for her own biological daughter?

The children had been sent down to the shoreline with a compass and white banners to mark out the four cardinal points. Once complete the Celebrant called for all assembled to move towards the marked out quadrant, link hands and let the ceremony begin.

“We are gathered here at this noontime to welcome another soul into this world…” she began.

It was a short and happy ceremony. Lily Millicent Rayner-Bren was introduced to all four corners of the earth. She was welcomed by the elements, represented by the winds, by the water by the sands and by the sun at it’s height. Her parents promised to love, cherish and protect her. Her godmother pledged the same. The event ended with a haunting refrain from a friend with a fine voice and everyone then retired back to the house for a champagne lunch. Perfection, simple perfection.

Lunch dragged out to become a long lazy afternoon of laughing and talking and cloud watching. Eventually guests began to drift off home as the light faded and the wind grew slightly cooler.

The entire family ended up on the back deck gathered round the large outdoor table, champagne still unwisely flowing.

“What’ya want from your new little cousin kids, little Lily-Millie. It’s tradition that the usher’s get a gift from the new soul, as a thank you for setting the banners to mark her way through life…yaddah, yaddah, yaddah…” Marsha seemed to be a lot more drunk than she realised.

“I want a drum kit.”

“Done.”

“No it damn well isn’t. If you get him drums they’re staying out here! I mean it Mar!” Solley spluttered. She and Dan looked at each other and rolled eyes smug at their clever save. Gin scowled at their intimacy.

“I want a tattoo. Pleeeaasee!”

“In another life, Del.”

“Then can I have a guitar?”

“Only if it stays with the drums.”

Will was still contemplating his gift. “Can I have…”

“A manicure?” Dan butted in.

“My legs waxed?” finished Will, non-perturbed at the parental interruption.

“No!” Dan and Solley chorused in unified denial.

“Why can’t I have wax legs?”

“You’d get smaller in the summer.” Solley snickered.

“What’s the point in asking for gifts we’re never going to get! Only a mean drunk would do that to a little girl!” sniffed Della, and rising from her seat flounced off to the TV lounge followed by her equally aggrieved brothers.

“She’s right. We are very drunk.” Marsha said with a modicum of guilt as she proceeded to top up everyone’s glass.

“They’re falling apart before our eyes!” moaned Dan woefully to the table in general.

“No they’re not. They’re great kids.” Grace emptied her glass. “Remind me of…me.”

“Poor wee mites.” mumbled Sniper between swallows.

“I want another one.” Dan stated suddenly. Gin looked up sharply, eyes hard.

“You’ve already got three!” Solley announced.

“I want one that looks just like me. I want a Lily-Millie!” she swung round in her seat directly to Janie, who not having had a drink in over a year was not fairing too well with reality this evening. “Janie, have a baby with me! I’ve a cousin in Austin, looks just like me, he’s an architect, loves to give out sperm, he’s thirty four and his name’s…”

“Michael.” Marsha and Janie both joined Dan on pronouncing the name.

There was silence. Everyone’s interest piqued.

“How did…” Dan frowned.

“He’s my cousin too.” Marsha smirked. “I asked him to be our donor. And he told me about you…seems we’re related Lurch, second cousins no less!”

“Ah…that’s why I hate you so much. We’re kin!” She turned her hazy attention back to Janie, “At least when you slept with me you were keeping it in the family.”