"What? No way!" Liberty blurted out in shock when she saw how much this month's household bills were. "What are we spending this much on? OK, there's taxes...but...meat? How can our meat bill be so high? And other food...there's only 3 of us; how come it looks like we're feeding a small army? What's this? 'For services rendered'? What does that mean?"
Liberty, however, saw the urgency and the impending due dates on these bills and hurriedly wrote out the cheques to pay them. Once deposited in the mail box, she went back inside to have breakfast. She just wanted some simple eggs and toast but when she opened the fridge she saw the entire cabinet was stuffed to the hilt with food and drinks.
"Hmmm, delicious breakfast, Libs...you should have some" said Travis pointing at his plate: He was tucking into a large dish of some grilled meat and a few token vegetables.
"Travis...is that roast lamb you're eating...for breakfast?" asked an incredulous Liberty.
"No, not roast; grilled with Mediterranean spices with some couscous. It's delicious but if that's too heavy going for you I've got some tofu dogs on the BBQ which I was saving for my second breakfast but you could share some as well" Travis replied.
"No...wait, you have a second breakfast?" asked Liberty, still shocked.
"I love to grill!" said Travis. "It's an old Scott family tradition: We must never go short so we cook 2 meals at a time"
"So that's why our meat bill is so high!" said Liberty.
"Good morning guys!" said Summer, walking past the kitchen. "I thought I'd get breakfast going...Travis, can I put your tofu dogs to one side so I can start grilling some steaks?"
"Not you too!" said Liberty. "Summer, Travis...our bills have been really high of late and this is part of the problem: Instead of cooking one meal at a time, we're cooking 3 or 4. We simply can't eat this much and a lot is going to waste"
"But...I love to grill!" said a hurt Travis. "Anyway, I've got to get ready for work...do try the lamb"
"Not so fast, bucko!" said Liberty, jabbing a finger at him. "Now, there's another item on the bills: For services rendered. What's that about?"
Summer piped up. "Oh, that's for our cleaner"
"Yeah, we hired a cleaner after our house got trashed, remember? She does a pretty good job" said Travis.
"The bill seems a little high for one cleaner. I'll have a word with Mavis when she's next here" said Liberty.
"Who's Mavis? Our cleaner's called Jeff" said Travis.
"No, it's Aime" said Summer.
Liberty looked puzzled and then the penny dropped. "Oh no, I hired Mavis!"
"But I put in the call and hired Jeff!" said Travis.
"I didn't know either of you two had called the cleaning company so I called them and they sent Aime"
Liberty slapped her forehead. "No wonder Mavis says she hasn't much to do! Guys, this is a disaster and we're paying through the nose. Right, One of us....ONE...calls the cleaning company and we settle on just the one maid. Travis, stop buying in so much food!"
"But...but...Summer's just as guilty as that!" he said in a tone that reminded her of a naughty schoolboy.
"We're going to cut down on the bills starting now. And you don't leave the stereo AND the TV on at the same time!" said a stern Liberty.
"Marcus Aurelius Agrippa Pontus...died of exhaustion and cruelty from his master" mumbled Travis.
"What's that all about?" said Liberty.
"That's the name of your last slave and what he died of" said Travis, heading out the door to work.
Liberty had some work to catch up on so retired to her room, leaving Summer to sort out the cleaner situation. As she had more contact with Aime, who was due to come clean the house that morning, it was decided that she should be the only cleaner for them.
"Phew, well that's sorted out" said Summer, bringing her a cup of coffee after Aime had finished cleaning the house. "I just wasn't aware that we were spending so much money"
"I think that's down to the fact that we live together but don't co-ordinate the domestic arrangements." said Liberty. "I know I've been a bit of a drag this morning about the bills...let's go down to the park for a bit? A fresh change of scenery will do me good, I don't know about you"
"I'm all for that, let's go!" said an enthusiastic Summer.
Magnolia Blossom Park wasn't busy, but it was a warm spring day and the quiet was only broken by the sound of the bird life. Liberty spotted an empty chess table and motioned to Summer that it was free.
"Every time I come here every chess table is occupied...why not grasp this rare opportunity to have a game" said Liberty.
"Sure...good idea. Only one thing: I don't know how to play chess" replied Summer.
"Right...." said Liberty, with a grimace. "Well, there's never a bad time to learn, I suppose"
"OK, I think I've got this" said Summer. "I'll start"
"Are you sure you don't want to play black instead?" replied Liberty. "I mean, it might be easier if you...oh. You took my knight"
"Is that good?" said Summer.
"Well....yeah, for you. I didn't expect such an aggressive move early on. OK, not a problem...I'll just move my bishop there....except if I do that makes it vulnerable to your queen. Are you sure you've never played before?"
Summer just innocently shrugged her shoulders.
"Ah, the classic Queen's Indian vs the Botvinnik Defence" said a passer by; a smart lady in her late 30s who carried with her an air of superiority about her.
"Well...I call it more all hands to the pumps" said Liberty, pondering her now weak position on the board.
"I'm a newcomer to this game. My friend here tells me I'm doing well" said Summer.
"Indeed you are" said the lady. "I'm a keen student of the game and I'd say you're a natural at this if this is your first ever try."
Liberty spent a long time considering her next move, but then checked her watch. "Oh no, I've got to get to work"
"Just when I was starting to really enjoy this game. Say, chess is actually cool!" said Summer.
"Well, Black's position is difficult but not impossible" said the lady.
"Would you care to take over from my friend when she has to leave?" asked Summer.
"If you wouldn't mind" said the lady. "My name's Yumiko"
"Oh, Summer. And this is my friend, Liberty"
Yumiko took Liberty's place at the chess board. "Hmmm, indeed a tricky spot for black but maybe if I move the rook here..."
Within 5 moves Summer's seemingly winning position was overturned and Yumiko triumphed.
"Very satisfying" said Yumiko. "But well played" she added to encourage Summer. "Very nice meeting you but I need to get back to work; I have a young intern who needs supervising...a lot!"
Summer headed home and grabbed a late lunch but then the doorbell rang and she went to check who was at the door.
"Hey, Suz....oh my! I forgot you were meant to be coming over!" said Summer.
"Is this a bad time?" replied Suzy.
"Not at all, come on in...let's talk wedding plans!"
Suzy's visit was to go over some of the wedding planning with her maid of honour. The date had been fixed now, for early June, and a venue booked: The Newcrest Chapel. Now it was time for Suzy and Summer to discuss wedding and bridesmaids dresses, a signature colour and....importantly...the Bachelorette party.
"I'm thinking either pale pink or powder blue for the signature colour..." Suzy began in expansive mode, as if she were creating a vast imaginary tableaux. "...dresses for us; well, we must take a trip to the bridal shop in Magnolia Promenade and see what they've got and...help me here, Summer: Do we do a nice meal for the Bachelorette Party at a swanky restaurant or do we go a bit wild and hit either the Orange Peel Club or Discotheque Pan Europa?"
"Why not both?" replied Summer.
"This is going to be a 3 cup of coffee discussion...at least!" said Summer, making a fresh pot. So much to decide! Have you done a guest list?"
"Not yet...well, family are a given and of course all you guys in Foundry Cove." said Suzy.
"Seating plans: We need to sit Julia on the same table as a nice, single guy" said Summer.
"Definitely" said Suzy.
Summer was making general notes on a pad of paper she found in Travis' room when who should appear but the man himself, holding a pick me up beverage.
"Now I hope you're not going through my drawers, ladies" he said, mischievously.
"We're making notes for Suzy's wedding" replied Summer.
"Should I be here? I mean, secrecy about the dress and all that?" he said.
"You're not the groom, Travis" Summer corrected him. "But be warned, it's going to get very technical and girly in a moment"
"I'll be a fly on the wall" he said.
Suzy stood up to look in Travis' bedroom mirror. "What do you reckon" she asked "long or short, tight fitting or loose and flowing?"
"Short and tight" said Travis.
"Travis! This is Suzy you're talking about!" replied Summer.
"Hey, if you're maid of honour then you get to wear something similar as well! I'm merely expressing an opinion about what I...and Neil...would prefer"
"Make yourself useful by fixing up some dinner....and NO excessive enormous platters of grilled meat either" said Summer.
"Awww" said Travis, leaving the room. The girls continued doing some more wedding planning whilst Travis cooked. Then, when Liberty came home, they all sat down together...with Suzy as a guest...to eat and talk. Finally Liberty crashed out in her room, Suzy went home and Travis and Summer found themselves alone together at last.
"You're incorrigible, you know that?" said Summer, looking Travis up and down.
"If I fully understood what that meant I'd probably agree" said Travis with a cheeky, schoolboy smirk.
"Well, as long as the idea of a wedding doesn't freak you out..., you'll do" she said, smirking in response.
"Thank you, now when was the last time we kissed....hmm....Tuesday?"
