CHAPTER 234: Dinner At Eight

Class had ended and Joanna was thankful that it had...now she had a clear weekend ahead of her.  After finding her early psychology work easier than she expected, her second semester was ramping up the workload and complexity.  This week's lectures, seminars and coursework were much harder.

She heard a voice behind her calling out her name.  Turning around she saw that it was her fellow psychology student, Pace Tye, calling to her.

"Joanna...wait up!  It's been a while since I last saw you" he said as he jogged up to her.

"I've had to hit the ground running this semester.  It's nothing personal although it's real good to see you" she said with a suggestive smile and tone in her voice as she looked him up and down with approval. 

"Are you going into Darby's now?" asked Pace.

"Yeah...if you are?" was Joanna's expectant reply.

"I sure am.  After you..." he said, making a gesture to usher her in that direction.  She led the way but he opened the door to Darby's Den for her.

They found a sofa to sit down on where they could continue their conversation.  The Den was a hive of activity from people having their main meals to a couple of people debating just around the corner from where Joanna and Pace were sitting and they had attracted a crowd.  Others were sitting around and talking by the fireplace.

"So, am I right in thinking you've got Professor Fen for psych?" asked Pace.

"Yeah...he's a real taskmaster, you know?  I mean, he's OK in some ways and I'm learning a lot from him but he keeps bugging me about how I express myself." Joanna replied. 

"And how do you express yourself to him?"

"I kind of use a lot of street slang and shit like that..."

"Including profanities"

"You mean I swear a lot?  Yeah, I shoot the shit a lot 'cos that's the way I grew up:  You had to have a big mouth or else you got nuffin'.  Catch my drift?"

Pace smiled "Yeah, I dig it but cats like Fen want a lot of flowery, high falutin' words and terms.  I'm in my second year here and I've had all my rough edges smoothed out..." he said, making a smooth gesture with his hand.  "When I go back home my folks can hardly understand what I'm saying.  To them I now sound like Laurence Olivier!" he added with a chuckle.

Joanna let out a little laugh as well but inside she felt awkward.  Her lack of polished language was yet another sign of her rough upbringing and she was keen to get away from the pain and sadness of those years.

Pace in the meantime had picked up a book and handed it to her.  "Go on" he said "if you want to sound more sophisticated and collegiate read a few fancy poems" and he nodded at the book she was now holding.

"I'll borrow this and read it tonight" she replied.

"No.  Now.  And out loud as well.  No good reading it to yourself alone in your home because you've already shown you're smart and understand the coursework.  Now you have to sell your ideas by saying them out loud to other people."  Pace then turned his attention to the microphone stand that was nearby and Joanna saw what he was looking at.

"You're not serious..." she said, smiling suspiciously at him.

"Oh I certainly am.  Do a live poetry recital right here, right now" he replied.

"I'll look like a ditz" she said.

"This place is loaded with them...go on, have a gas with it.  I dare you"

Joanna was never one to back down from a dare so she took the book, stood up and walked to the microphone, opened up the book at a random page and started to recite one of the poems.

"I wandered lonely as a cloud....oh come off it!  Seriously?" she said.

"Keep going, you're doing OK" said Pace, trying to be encouraging.  Joanna took a deep breath and continued.  

"...That floats on ooer...is that 'ooh-er' or 'oh-errr'?"

"It's short for 'over'"

"Then why not write 'over'?  It'll still scan"

"It's called 'poetic licence'"

"I'll take your word for it...let's read on.  Hey, this isn't bad once you get over the first two lines.  I get it; this dude digs nature."

"And he's really into daffodils.  It's by a Limey called Wordsworth and if you read works by him and by some of his contemporaries you'll enrich your writing skills."

"Can you recommend any American poets?"

"Walt Whitman.  He's pretty much the go-to guy.  You could try the beat poets like Furlinghetti but they write like you talk now."

"I'll read Whitman for tips and Furlinghetti for fun" said Joanna, nodding.

"I like your style" Pace replied.  Looking at Joanna in an admiring way he then said "how about we take a walk by the canal?"

"Yeah, I'd like that...although no making me do some kind of Shakespeare performance whilst we're there" she replied.

"It's beautiful along here.  I've been here one semester and I've only been to lectures, then Darby's, then Pepper's Pub and finally back home.  I didn't know about this area." she said, taking in the tranquillity of this little bit of land around the back of Darby's Den.

"I come here when it gets too noisy back there" said Pace, jerking his thumb towards the main campus.  "They've tried to make the whole campus like those European ones with the network of canals, the granite buildings and the ornate gardens."

Joanna took it all in but said nothing.  She still had to pinch herself to remind her that she was a college girl now and that her everyday life was going to be nothing like she had ever known.  She also worried that she was coming across as an unsophisticated slob to Pace...he was having to explain everything to her, everything that other people from better homes took for granted.

 

"Do you like it here?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's neat...I don't mean to make it sound like not much but I've already said it was beautiful here and I don't want to repeat myself." she replied.

"I meant do you like it at Britechester?"

"Oh that!  Yeah, I dig it.  It's challenging, sure, but it's stretching my mind in ways I didn't expect but that's what I want.  That's why I came here."

Pace nodded.  "That's what I like about you, Joanna.  You've got drive, energy and a will to succeed."

No one had ever said that to her before; not even Action and certainly not any of her family.  All she could respond with was a shy "thanks".

"Say, are you free this evening?" he suddenly said.

"I haven't anything scheduled" she replied.

"Would you like to go out for dinner with me?  I was thinking of somewhere off campus, somewhere nice and groovy."

"I'm up for that" she said, her thoughtful expression changing to a sultry smile.

"Dinner at 8?  I'll pick you up from your place."

"You got a date, Mister" she said.  A dinner date!  Hell yeah!

She went home, showered and looked for something fancy to wear but she only had one "formal" dress, or at least a dress that could be worn to swanky places and she had bought that back in the springtime...before she came into her inheritance and when she was still on the game.  It was the dress she wore to impress clients.

Nevertheless it was her one smart dress and still a damn fine one so she wore that with a pair of white heels and white fishnets to complete the look.  Along with styling her hair differently, some striking make up and a pair of brand new earrings she was all ready to be wined and dined by Pace.

She saw him walk up the driveway to the front door and noticed he polished up very nicely in his drainpipe pants, sky blue blazer and narrow black tie.  The blazer was tailored in such a way that it showed off his lean frame and broad shoulders and she liked it.

Joanna opened the door and stood in the doorway, a hand on her hip in a seductively expectant manner.  Pace stopped in his tracks for a moment to take in her beauty.  "Whoa, you look sensational" he said.

"You're not so bad yourself" she said, smiling.

"I'm parked just there, would you care to be escorted?" he said, offering his arm.  She smiled and took it.  'Escort'....she thought....it had a different meaning in her world.

They drove to Newcrest where there were a number of restaurants, many of which were high quality.  Pace parked up and the two, yet again, walked arm in arm to the place where Pace had booked a table.  Joanna, however, recognised where they were going.

"Oh, the Villa Bovine!" she exclaimed.

"Do you know it?" Pace replied. 

"Um, yes.  I've been here once or twice before" she stammered in reply.  Yes, she had been here before but with clients.

"Great!  I've not been but it comes highly recommended.  Maybe you can suggest what's good on the menu"

I don't really remember the menu, Pace... she thought to herself.

As the two of them were chatting away a family of three very blonde white people barged past Joanna and Pace and entered the Villa Bovine.  

"Say, what's that little princess' problem?" said Joanna in annoyance as the daughter, a very snooty blonde girl who was dripping with a sense of self-superiority, swanned past her and making bodily contact along the way.  There were no apologies or acknowledgement from the girl that she had bumped into Joanna.

"Relax, Joanna.  No need to sweat it.  You don't want to lock horns with a teenager." Pace replied.

Joanna was still glaring at the girl and noticed once she'd got inside her expression changed from haughtiness to sadness.  There was definitely some kind of discord in that family, Joanna thought.

Pace opened the door for Joanna and ushered her into the restaurant.  The maitre d' took a look at the couple and his facial expression wasn't warm or friendly.

Pace went up to him and said "Table for two under the name of Tye"

The maitre d' looked at his booking list and hummed.  "Hmmmmmmmm, no sir.  I don't have anything under that name."

"What?  I called earlier!  Check again!" said Pace.

"Is there a problem?" Joanna said as she approached the podium.  The maitre d' gave her a harsh look and Joanna could tell he recognised her.

"As I was explaining to your....gentleman associate...we have no record of your booking and, as you can see, we are fully booked tonight" The man had said the words 'gentleman associate' with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.  Oh he knew who Joanna was alright...she thought.

"Listen, Mac, is this a race thing?  Don't you serve coloured people in here or what?" said Pace with anger in his voice.

"Certainly not, sir!  I can assure you we comply with the Civil Rights Act here!" The maitre d' looked behind him, towards the outdoor seating area at the back of the restaurant where a black man, Asian lady and their mixed race daughter were seated and being served with civility by the staff.

Joanna looked at the family, then to the maitre d'.  "It's not us...well, it's not you, Pace.  Isn't it, Mister?" she said to the man.

"Madam is correct.  This is a high class and family environment." the maitre d' replied, still in that stern and haughty tone.

"Wait...I don't get it" said a very confused looking Pace.

"I'll explain outside, Pace..." said Joanna.

This time it was Joanna's turn to usher Pace outside.  He was confused and bewildered by what had happened.  It wasn't racial but something to do with his date.

"Pace...it's about time I told you the truth about me" she said. 

"The truth?" Pace was astonished and dreaded what was to come.

"Let's sit down over here and I'll tell you all about it.  Now I happen to have crossed paths with that Maitre d' before and he knows a bit about my past.  You see, I used to come here with clients"

"Clients?"

"Yes.  Gentlemen clients.  It's like this, Pace, how do I put this nicely as possible but honestly at the same time?  I was....I was a professional escort."

"Escort?  As in..."

Joanna leant close to Pace and whispered in his ear "I was a hooker"

"A HOO....erm, I mean *a hooker*" he whispered.  "No!  You?  I can't believe..."

Joanna just nodded.

"But...you...I mean...you're so don't seem the type!  You're intelligent..."

"A lot of hookers ain't dumb, Pace.  I told you; I'm from the streets and I grew up rough.  There weren't a lot of options for a black girl with my looks in a neighbourhood controlled by crime and gangs.  It's like I didn't have a choice."

Pace didn't say anything at first but looked down at the ground.  When he looked up to Joanna he had a pleading, searching look in his eyes.

"You didn't lie...you just left out some details.  So the stuff about the inheritance?"

"That's all true and it was my escape out of that ghetto" she said.  "I used the money to move to a better part of town, get an education and cut all my ties with my past.  I have no parents, no other family and no one I want to remain in contact with."

"It makes sense now...that guy who came up to you at the Waterside Warble...he was..."

"One of my old Johns.  Look, Pace.  If you want to end this evening and whatever we had cooking between us, I understand.  I come with a lot of baggage and I certainly ain't no virgin either."

Pace drew a deep breath and looked Joanna in the eyes.  "I'm no choirboy either.  What kind of free spirit and live and let live kind of guy would I be if I held someone's past against them...especially when they're trying to start a new life?  No.  I thank you, Jo, for being candid with me.  I can handle this....I hope I don't come across as too stuck up?"

Joanna smiled.  "Not at all.  So...what now?" she said.

"I promised you a nice evening out and that's what you'll get." Pace replied.  "The only thing is, where?"

"I know a place that's still open at this time of night and who won't turn us away..." said Joanna.

"Two of your finest bowls of chilli with a side order of tacos, my good man"

"Hey, Joanna...look at you all dressed up fine like that.  Two bowls and some tacos, comin' right up."

As the street vendor got her order he still chatted away to her.

"I thought you didn't hang around here no more?" he said.

"I don't...usually.  I moved to Willow Creek and enrolled at Britechester U."  She replied.

"Good for you, little lady.  I always knew you were too good for this place...I don't mean stuck up, I mean you always had it in you to do better.  And that guy over there?"

"He's my boyfriend.  I don't turn tricks no more.  I should say 'anymore' as I'm a college girl now and should talk like one."

"He looks a smart guy...college as well?"  Said the vendor, handing over the food to Joanna as she paid him.

"He's waaaay smarter than me and, yeah, that's how we met.  On campus.  Anyway you take care:  Great to catch up with you" she said, winking at the old man before taking a seat next to Pace.

"Hey there..." she said to Pace.  "...I know it's none too fancy but you can always get a seat here."

Pace took a taste of chilli and nodded "My compliments to the chef....and to my date for saving this evening"

"Saving?  I thought I ruined it" Joanna replied.

"Nah...it'd take a lot more than being refused a table at a restaurant and finding out your date was...well...I won't elaborate...it would take a lot more than that to ruin my evening with you."

"I can't get rid of you that easily, huh?"

"Only if you want to get rid of me first"

Pace finished his meal and stood up.  "I get where you've come from but I always look forwards, never backwards.  I think we've got a lot of groovy things going for us; I feel a vibe, a connection.  I hope you feel it too but if you think the past and the fact that I now know something of it is too much of a barrier I will split and maybe we'll see each other on campus as just friends."

"Pace...I'm going forwards as well.  I'm sitting here, looking around this old hood and although some of the old friendly faces remain I feel no attachment to it.  I do feel an attachment to you, though.  You've been like a guide, helped me navigate my way around the campus, deal with the rich kids and the old money...heck, what's the word for someone who helps you like that?"

"Mentor?"

"Yeah, that's it.  You've been a mentor and now, hopefully, something more..."

"A lover?"

"You're a bold one Mister Pace Tye.  So let's move things along to where we both know this is heading.  We could go back to your college room where no doubt your dorm mates are chugging beers and singing rude songs or we could go back to my nice, private and quiet house...." she said, smiling at him seductively.

It turned out to be a good choice as Pace was impressed by her home.  "Now this is a groovy pad.  Interesting and nice to look at...it reflects you well." he said.

"Would you like a nightcap, Pace?" she asked.

"I'm good thanks...how about we skip that part and move straight on to..."

No words needed to be exchanged.  The two of them were utterly focussed on each other with no room for small talk.  They held each other in a warm, increasingly passionate embrace, kissing, fondling and gazing at one another until they had lost all track of time.  Then things reached their inevitable culmination.

It was later, as the hour approached midnight, that the first words were spoken since that first kiss.

"Pace...would you stay with me the night?" she said, softly.

He realised the significance of those words.  By staying he would be a lover, not a client.  He saw a pleading look in her eyes that told him that sex with her would be consensual and loving with no trace of a transaction or business to it.  He stroked the side of her face.

"Of course I will.  I'm not going anywhere tonight" he said.  She smiled warmly at him and whispered "Thank you".

He laid back down in the bed and she snuggled next to him, with him putting his arms around her before they both fell asleep.

The next morning they arose...not knowing what time it was but as it was a Saturday it didn't matter.  Pace went to the bathroom and after he had finished he found Joanna standing in front of him.  He was naked but she still had her underwear on.

"Hey there...you have me at a disadvantage" he said, looking down at his exposed privates and looking around for something to give him some modesty.  The only thing to hand was a tea towel.

"I do indeed..." she said, saucily before kissing him passionately.

When they broke apart she said "Thank you for last night.  It means a lot to me that you accept me for who I am."

Pace smiled but said nothing.

"Hmmm, I think I need a new bed.  My shoulders are sore this morning" she said, grimacing and touching her left shoulder.

"We were quite physical last night..." said Pace.

Joanna let out a short laugh "yeah, I guess we were".

"Now as it so happens Pace Tye has healing hands..." he said, immodestly.  "Turn around and let's get that knot out of your shoulder..."

This was looking to be the start of a beautiful relationship.

CHAPTER 163: House Hunting

 

"To finish my set I'd like to perform a song by a favourite band of mine...Jefferson Airplane.  This one's called 'High Flying Bird'...thank you" and with that the singer started to strum and sing the song.  Neil and Suzy looked on, impressed with this young woman's musical ability.

"She's very good...but we need to go, we've got a lot to do today" said Neil.

"Oh a few minutes more watching her won't dent our schedule.  I want to stay until the end of the song" replied Suzy.

Neil said nothing and continued to watch the young lady perform the song...although he did check his wristwatch a few times during the remainder of the performance.

Eventually, the woman finished.  "Thank you, my name's Lisa Richardson and I'll see you cats real soon." and with that she bowed and then went to put her guitar back in its case.

"Now we really should get going" said Neil.  "We've got to get all the way back to Willow Creek"

"I know, darling, but we don't have to see the first place until 10 and it's only 9:15 now...Willow Creek isn't that far away..." she pleaded.

"I'm worried about finding a suitable parking spot when we're there...I don't know that part of town" he replied.

"Oh there's plenty of parking!  If it's where you say it is you have lots of quiet, residential roads with parking lots and lots of side streets.  It's such a beautiful morning in San Myshuno, let's just take a wander for a bit...please?" 

She fixed Neil with her bright blue eyes...he couldn't resist that wide eyed, keen and eager look of hers.  Suzy really was the most beautiful woman he had ever met and she was now his wife!  She was even wearing his favourite outfit on her...a vision in purple, right down to her eye make up.  He couldn't say no to her.

"OK...five more minutes then" he said.

"The flowers are in full bloom I see..." said Suzy, noticing the elaborate planters in the square.

"Maybe we'll find a place with a garden to grow some of our own?" mused Neil.

"Hey, is that Suzy Kent...I mean, Suzy Humphries?" came a voice from across the square.  Both Neil and Suzy looked in the direction it had come from and saw a familiar figure walking towards them.  It was Burr DeBenning; crazy name, crazy guy.  He was an old friend of Suzy's...someone who had been of great help to her when she was investigating the suspicious activities of the Landgraabs.  But since she'd been with Neil, she'd seen less of him.

Neil stiffened at the sight of Burr.  He thought the guy was pleasant and decent enough, but he had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that Burr fancied Suzy and that didn't sit well with him.

Burr's heart skipped a beat when he saw her.  He still rued the missed opportunity of getting together with her.  Neil was a decent guy...that was the problem; he couldn't hate the man who stole the woman he longed for.

"Wow, I haven't seen you since the wedding!" exclaimed an excited Burr.  How's married life treating you, Suz...oh, and Neil?"

"It's wonderful" replied Suzy.  "And how are you doing, Burr?  Still working at the council?  Still keeping an eye on Geoffrey and Nancy?"

"Yes to both.  Man, you look so vibrant, Suz.  Are you still pursuing the mysteries of Sim City?" asked Burr.

"I am...research is coming along slowly, I'm afraid but today I'm taking a day off" she said.

"We're going house hunting, Burr" Neil interjected.

"Oh, moving up in the world?" asked Burr.

"Something like that...but as my husband..." she said, emphasising the word "keeps saying to me we have to get to see our first place very soon.  We must catch up soon properly..."

"All of us" interjected Neil, again.

"Yes, all of us...lovely to see you again, Burr!" said Suzy, all bouncy and positive.

As Suzy and Neil headed to the parking lot to pick up their Volvo sports car, she commented "How lovely to see Burr again, I hope he's doing well"

"Yes" said a less convinced Neil.

COURTYARD LANE, WILLOW CREEK, 11:30am

"Well, that last place was very nice..." said Suzy, diplomatically...she hated it.

"Well out of our price range and I don't think we need 4 bedrooms either" said Neil.  "You liked it?  I thought it was too run down."

"I hope the other houses in this area are nice...I've heard a lot of good things about this neighbourhood but so far the houses haven't matched up"

 

"OK..." Neil continued.  "Last place on our list...Rindle Rose.  A 2 bedroom, single storey house which is about 1/3 larger than our current home"

"Hmmm, I like it from the outside...very sweet.  I like the porch and the garden is very pretty.  Let's look around" Suzy replied.

Suzy's impression of the house grew after they'd looked around inside.  Neil was warming to it as well.

"OK, the place is a bit messy, a lot of the furniture is very old fashioned and not with it" said Suzy.

"From what I understand the current owner is clearing out the inside and furniture so we'd be furnishing virtually from scratch" replied Neil.

"The outdoors I wouldn't want to touch" Suzy continued.

"Well, I was thinking I could put my easel up there, overlooking the river" said Neil.

"I think that would be acceptable.  Oh Neil, I really like this place:  It's a bit like our existing house but that much bigger and we don't get views of that horrible industrial cargo warehouse either....and I'm not taking my life into my hands every time I cross that busy road at the end of our street if we lived here."

"I'll confess...when I was looking at properties this came out as my favourite.  OK, if you like this and you can see us living here then I'll get the paperwork going" said Neil, happy that Suzy liked Rindle Rose as well.

"One thing though; I'm going to miss living next to the gang and seeing them everyday..." said Suzy "I wonder what our neighbours would be like here?"

"Coo-eeee!  Suzy and Neil!  Over here!"

The Humphries both looked over to the house next to them, where the voice was coming from.  It was none other than Eliza Pancakes; a friend of theirs who'd they'd known for some time and invited to the wedding but they'd never been to her house before.

"Hello Eliza, keeping well?" asked Suzy

"Well, as well as I can be...so rushed off my feet these days with the baby" replied Eliza.  "Oh you must come and see the little one!  Have you time?"

Suzy looked to Neil, who nodded and they accepted Eliza's invitation.

"I must say your house looks lovely, Eliza" said Neil.

"Is Bob around?" asked Suzy.

"Thank you, Neil, well we try to make it lovely but it's a bit of a handful right now...Bob's around here somewhere; I sent him to check on the baby."

"Oh yes, congratulations again...is it a boy or a girl?" asked Suzy.

"It's a boy...his name is Armand and, well, yes, he's a typical baby you know!  Needs feeding, cries a lot, and a lot and...a...lot..." replied Eliza, her voice trailing off.

"Are you two thinking of starting a family yet?" continued Eliza/

"NO!" exclaimed Suzy.

"Well, it's too early for that..." added Neil.  "I mean, we'd have to move to a bigger place if we did...I mean, we have to move to a bigger place anyway what with my work and Suzy's."

"We're in no rush to start a family.  Get married life sorted first" said Suzy.

"Well, good luck with that!  I don't think any of us married types ever get it sorted" said Eliza, looking crestfallen at the ceiling.

Suzy and Neil gave a polite, but nervous laugh.

Just then they heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs.  A heavyset black man with a tight afro and a bored expression on his face entered the room.  Although Suzy and Neil had never met him in person, they knew that was the often absent husband, Bob Pancakes.  He barely acknowledged the presence of visitors as he walked in.

"Look who's come to visit us, Bobby?" said Eliza.  "You've heard of my friends Neil and Suzy, haven't you?"

"Erm...I think so.  Don't they live with a Chinese girl who's a rocket scientist?" said Bob.

"No!  That's Travis and Summer.  This is Suzy and Neil...I was at their wedding last month...you couldn't come due to that stomach bug you caught the morning of it."

"Ooooohhhhh yes.  Stomach bug.  Erm, yeah, that was it." said Bob, defensively.  "It's stuffy in here, let me open a window." he said, turning to one of them.  "By the way, we're out of fresh coffee, this is the last cup" he said, gesturing to the mug he was holding.  The atmosphere was pretty tense right now and Eliza was quietly seething as Bob still hadn't said hello to their visitors.

Neil tried to break the ice a little.  "I was saying to Eliza that you've got a nice place here, Bob.  Did you do much of the decor yourselves?"

Bob lightened up a little at this question.  "Oh yeah, sure.  You know I did the floors, the walls, knocked a doorway through there so these rooms could interconnect, expanded upstairs and added a room, a second bathroom, changed the electrical wiring and all that.  Are you a home improvement kind of guy, Nigel?"

"Neil.  Well...erm..." he said, trying to recall his one moment of handyman success.  "I replaced the toilet in our current home.  The whole home improvement thing is something I'm looking into if we buy the place next door."

"Yeah, next door man.  That place could do with a new owner now that Advik has been declared legally dead." said Bob with a rueful shake of his head.

"Advik?" asked Suzy, apprehensively.

"Oh my gosh, when did you hear about that?" exclaimed Eliza.  "I thought they were still looking for him."

"Not any more they're not." said Bob, sitting down and taking another sip of coffee.  "They found his shoes at the top of Granite Falls...and nothing else" he said, mysteriously.  "No trace of him has been found...tracks leading up to the falls, then nothing coming back."

"That sure sounds like a mystery" said Suzy with a tinge of keen interest in her voice.  Neil immediately picked up on that and knew his wife's mind would be occupied at the thought of investigating it.

"This Advik had no family then?" asked Neil.

"No.  So the land agents want a quick sell and are prepared to drop the price" said Bob.  "Mind you, the guy was a bit of a slob...looks good outside but it's a mess inside."

"Wow, this looks like our luck's in with this one, Eliza!  We should put an offer in!" said an enthusiastic Suzy.

Their conversation was then interrupted by cries from upstairs.

"Oh it's Armand, again.  Didn't you feed him when you went upstairs?" asked Eliza, with frustration in her voice.

"You said to go check on him...you never said anything about feeding the little guy" replied Bob, defensively.

"Tsch, I'll have to do it...Suzy, would you like to meet Armand...leave the menfolk to talk about smashing walls and varnishing floors." said Eliza.

"That would be lovely...give you and Bob a chance to get to know each other" said Suzy to Neil.  The women left the room and Neil and Bob were left alone in the living room.  Bob took one last swig of his coffee.

"Shame that was the last of that.  Damn fine coffee" he said, matter of factly.

Meanwhile the girls headed upstairs in the direction of the crying.  In one daintily decorated bedroom there was a traditional basinet all in white and in the middle was a squirming, writing and crying baby.

"Awww, did naughty daddy forget to feed you?" said Eliza, picking up Armand.  She carried him over to a side table where there was a bottle of baby formula waiting.  She picked it up, put the teat in his mouth and started to feed him as she cradled him in her arms.  The crying stopped, to be replaced by a succession of "a-goo...a-goo...a-goo" noises.

"Aww, that's such a cute sound, and what a lovely little boy you have there" said Suzy, smiling at the little infant.

"He is when he's feeding and he does love a feed!" replied Eliza.  "He's also sweet when he's sleeping.  Takes after his father that way."

Armand came off the bottle and let out a tiny burp.  Then Eliza put the formula back on the table and cradled him some more.  "I'm hoping having a baby will bring some joy into our home...I mean, some extra joy..." she said.  "Say, do you want to hold him?  Get some good practice in for the future?" she continued with a wink.

"Oh...well...I've never had much experience with babies.  I wouldn't want to drop him or anything...OK, here goes....my, he's quite light.  Awwww, I think he smiled at me!" said Suzy, holding him gently.

After a few minutes Eliza took Armand back into her arms and snuggled him.  He was quite content so she put him back in the basinet.  They decided to leave him and go back downstairs but Suzy could see a mixture of exhaustion and frustration on her friend's face.

"It must take a lot out of you, having a baby to look after" said Suzy.

"Oh Suz...it's draining!  It doesn't help that my husband is a lazy son-of-a-bitch at times!  I sometimes think he doesn't care at all about us!" she said, desperately trying to keep her voice down.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Eliza.  I'm only a newlywed and I haven't had a serious fight with Neil since our wedding day so I can't offer much in the way of help" 

"Oh you're so blessed, Suzy, and don't take Neil for granted!  I think I married too soon, too much on the rebound...and Bobby...well, he was always there, you know?  Other guys came and went and, gosh, my own family background isn't much to write about...I was a bit of a wild child back in the day!  I'm a lousy wife and I'm worried I'm going to be a lousy mom!"

Suzy reached out and gently touched Eliza on both arms in comfort.  "I think there's hope, Eliza, when you said 'Bobby is always there'.  I don't know him much at all, but he's here, he hasn't left you or Armand.  Maybe he needs a bit of coaxing out of his shell?  I'm sure you know what makes him tick."

"Yeah, hopefully a bomb!" Eliza said, with a chuckle.  "I know, cruel joke but thanks for your friendship, Suz.  Hey, it'll be great being neighbours, won't it?"

Back at Foundry Cove Neil and Suzy had time to ponder their house hunting experience.

"I really like the house, really like it.  I'm already thinking about interior design" said Suzy.

"I like it too" said Neil.  "How do you feel about our prospective neighbours?" he asked.

"Eliza?  I've known her for ages!  And that little baby is so sweet..." 

"Careful now..."

"Bob...I know what you mean; we might have to get used to hearing a lot of rows from next door" mused Suzy.  "Mind you, the noise Action puts out at all hours on his stereo isn't much better"

"They're a bit of a handful, the Pancakes.  I think I can handle both of them at the same time in small doses" said Neil.  "But you're right about the house; we should put in an offer.  I'll make the call to the agents."

Whilst Neil was making the phone calls Suzy took a walk around the Cove, her home for so long she could only just remember the day she moved in.  Meeting Travis, Summer and Liberty...then Jeremy.  This was before Julia and Action had arrived, heck it was before Julia's house had finished being built!  Rubber Soul by The Beatles had only just been released...ahhh, the memories.

Suzy walked down to the river, past Jeremy and Barbara's house and down to the little fishing spot there.  In all the time she'd lived in Foundry Cove, she never tried fishing there.  She'd also not noticed the little crystalline rocks that lay around the area either, nor the old moss covered logs where tiny frogs would hop in and out of.  Just when you thought you knew your own hometown, something comes along to surprise you, she thought.

She also looked across the river and saw the ugly old container facility...she wouldn't miss seeing it when they moved but it was also part of the mystery of the Cove...if the glade wasn't somewhere within that facility, then where could it be from here?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Barbara, who had come along to see her.  "Suzy, gathering inspiration down by the river?" she asked.

"Oh Barbara, ha, not at all...I'm just enjoying the sights of our little neighbourhood in this lovely evening.  Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to block your way..." said Suzy to a passing teenage girl.  The girl, an elegant blonde with a haughty manner about her said nothing as she walked past Suzy and Barbara.  Barbara couldn't quite place it, but that girl seemed familiar...perhaps she had been a customer at the shop?

"There's something on your mind, I can tell" said Barbara.  "Is married life still treating you well?"

"Oh yes...in fact, Neil and I have made an important decision about what we should do next..." said Suzy.

"Oh, Suz...you're not!" exclaimed Barbara.

"No!  We're not going to have children...yet.  We're going to move house.  Not far, though.  We've found a place over at Courtyard Lane we really like.  That's only just up the river there."

"Oh Suz...that's great!  But bad!  But bad in a great way!  Sure...I get you need a bigger place but it'll be sad that we can't keep popping in and out of each other's places for impromptu chats and drinks." 

"I know...but just walk along that path behind me and in 20 minutes you'll find us." said Suz, apologetically.  "I'll still be around here quite a bit though" she said, looking at the mysterious tree.  "I don't want to miss my friends."

Barbara nodded and gave Suzy a big hug and wished her luck before heading back to her own home.  Yes, the tree, Suzy thought.  I'm not done with you yet!

As she sauntered back home, taking in the sights and musing about how this news would impact on her friends, she saw Summer approaching the house.  Yes, Summer, her best friend.  What adventures they had had together.  Trying to track down Malcolm Landgraab, setting up stake outs, those quests to find boyfriends when, in Summer's case, he was living under the same roof as her all along.  All those girly chats, the giggles, the bottles of wine consumed along the way...

"So I just bumped into Barbara" said Summer as Suzy approached the house.  "You're not!"

"We are, we're moving house.  Not for a while I mean our offer's got to be accepted and then we have to sell this place and plan a moving out date....but don't worry, we're only moving to the next neighbourhood along."

"Oh Suzy...I don't know what to say!  Of course, you must have a house moving party and then a house warming one after that!  Don't worry, I'll organise it!"

"Of course you will, Summer!  I have learned never to get in the way of Summer Holiday planning a party!  We'd love it."