The Bad Girls' Club (22 page)

‘
What?’

A guy dressed in one of those koala suits, collecting for charity, looked like he intended to walk over to me. I might be a bit paranoid but I had no way of knowing who he was and I didn
’t want random koala-suited people knowing my business. I put my head down so he couldn’t make eye contact and wandered down the park.

‘
Right there in Poppy’s office. Oh man, we so nearly got busted.’ I giggled again. It had been close.

‘
You had sex with him? In Poppy’s office?’ She had an edge in her voice that made the glowy-happy feelings start to fade.

‘
Of course not. Not full-on sex. Just fooling around.’

I ground my cigarette out and lit another.

‘But Imogen, he’s married.’

‘
Yeah, yeah. And he’s hot. He is so hot. I couldn’t believe that he’d be interested in
me
. I mean he’s movie star hot. He told me I was gorgeous. He said I was – well, he said lots of nice things about me.’

Damn. Koala-man spotted me again. He shook his tin and I shook my head but instead of being discouraged, he started doing a wacky koala dance. I turned so he wasn
’t in sight. Can’t a girl have a private phone conversation without being harassed by marsupials?

Jules paused.
‘I’m sure he did but –’

‘
But what?’

‘
But someone’s going to get hurt. Just a minute…’ I could hear her typing. ‘I thought you had more sense.’

‘
Screw Poppy. She deserves it. I have no loyalty to Poppy.’

Koala-man kept doing his koala dance, spinning around in a circle now.

‘It won’t be Poppy that gets hurt. Don’t you see? If she found out, she wouldn’t be hurt. She isn’t the type. She’d just do something really mean. And you work for her. You’d lose your job and who knows what else she’d do.’

‘
Maybe. But she isn’t going to find out, is she?’

‘
I guess not.’

Damn Juliette. I
’d lost all the glowy-happy now and it’d been replaced with a big knot of ‘what the hell am I doing?’ mixed with a bit of ‘I shouldn’t have had gnocchi for lunch’.

‘
Look, it’s just a bit of fun. And I’ll definitely be more careful next time.’

‘
Next time? You aren’t planning on doing this again are you?’

‘
I hope so. If I told him –’

‘
Imogen. You idiot.’

I threw my cigarette butt on the ground and went to stomp it out. Koala-man wagged his finger at me. Well, a whole paw since he didn
’t have functioning fingers. And shook his head. I picked up the butt and walked toward the bin.

‘
You really think he’s too good for me, don’t you?’

‘
Look, Imogen, he’s not too good for you. He’s sleazy. You act all tough on the outside but inside you are kind of needy and –’

‘
Needy? Needy?’

‘
Shh. I just meant –’

‘
Look, Juliette. I don’t know why I bothered telling you this. I thought you were my friend but I don’t know now. Maybe you are just hanging out with me because I’m
needy
. Well, maybe I’m too needy to be around you. Maybe I
need
to be around my real friends who can be happy for me.’

I walked back to the office, giving Koala-man a wide berth. I
’d had enough disapproval for one day.

He
’d taken off his koala head.

‘
Smile,’ he called out. ‘It might not happen.’

Yeah, kicking him in the shins might not happen either.

I did
n’
t have time for this. I could
n’
t sit around listening to Mum tell me stories about cattle and fences and Mrs Gillave
y’
s prize winning scone recipe, I had to get to that barbecu
e–
things were going to happen, work thing
s–
and I was
n’
t even dressed. I grabbed the phone and clutched my bathrobe around me. I could talk and find an outfit. When Mum got into one of her rants, it was impossible to stop her.

‘
She’s won that prize for the past fifteen years, you know. Well, except for that year she was in hospital having her gallstones out. I think that was ‘92 or maybe it was ‘93. Anyway, I think it’s high time someone else…’

I pulled a t-shirt out of the drawer – too tight. They were all too tight. Singlet tops? Too revealing. Shirts? Blah. No way could I wear something I wear to work.

Mum paused.

‘
Yes, Mum.’

The blue Indian shirt? Perfect. I sat the phone on the bed and tugged it over my head. Casual yet elegant. Just the look I wanted. I looked in the mirror. Damn. There was a stain on the back. A big stain. I picked the phone up again.

‘Yeah, Mum.’

‘
… So, then I said –’

I took the shirt into the bathroom and tried to sponge the stain off. It didn
’t like water. I’d just smeared it.

‘
Mum, I’ve got a stain on my shirt. Looks like some kind of grease. How do I get it out?’

‘
I don’t know, dear. Don’t you have some of that spray on stain remover stuff?’

I cradled the phone on my neck and walked to the laundry. There was some spray under the trough. Laying the shirt on top of the washing machine, I shook the bottle and squirted the stain.

‘Are you listening? Did you find the stain remover?’

‘
Yeah, Mum. I did it. What do I do after I spray it?’

‘
Did it bringing the stain out? Haven’t you ever used it before?’

‘
No, Mum. Normally I’d send this kind of stuff to the dry cleaners but I don’t have time today. I’ve got a barbecue to go to. Speaking of which, I should run.’

I wandered back out to the lounge, ready to hang the phone up.

‘Okay, dear. Oh, before I go. You haven’t seen anything of Poppy lately have you?’

‘
Not since that horrific photo night she had. Why?’ I sighed. ‘What’s she up to now?’ I checked the clock. Only a half hour to get ready. And I still had to get this shirt dry and pick up Mandy – she had the address for the barbecue because stupid me had been too proud to ask for it.

‘
Oh, well you know she’s bought the house? Now your Aunty Jean thinks it could be a huge mistake…’

‘
Yeah.’ Good. I sure as hell didn’t want to hear any more about Poppy’s new house. It was a refurbished Californian bungalow. The exact kind of house I’d been planning to buy when I got married. I hoped it had termites and rising damp.

‘
Well, seems there’s trouble in paradise, what with that Daniel doing the dirty on her. But never mind about that. I’d better let you go.’

‘
What?’ I sat down. ‘What’s Daniel doing?’

‘
Your cousin rang Jean the other day. Said he’s been staying out late at footy training. He hasn’t been getting home until all hours… But you’re busy; I’ll tell you about it next time.’

‘
No. I have time. Tell me.’

‘
The other night, Poppy thought she’d call around to check on him. Well, she didn’t exactly say she was checking on him, just that she was driving past the footy ground. But his car wasn’t there. She drove around, and couldn’t see any sign of anyone training at all, not even any lights on in the sheds. So, she went home and waited for him. Sure enough, he turned up an hour later, saying he’d been doing extra training.’

‘
What did she do?’

‘
Oh, she didn’t do anything. Just pretended to believe him. But she thinks she knows who it is?’

‘
Really, who?’

‘
Some friend of Poppy’s, called Kayleen or Carlene? Something like that. Do you know her?’

‘
Caitlin?’

‘
Yeah. That’s the one. I tell you, I wouldn’t like to be in that girl’s shoes when Poppy gets some proof.’

‘
That’s for sure.’ Yikes, I needed to tell this to someone. I could just imagine Juliette and Imogen’s faces when they heard. But I was running late.

‘
That’s why she’s rushing through the sale of the house. She wants to get Daniel settled down.’

‘
Maybe.’ Fat chance of that happening.

‘
I’ve got to go Mum, really.’

‘
Okay, honey. It was nice talking to you.’

‘
You too, Mum.’ I hung up the phone and went back to get my shirt from the laundry. I was about to throw it in the dryer when I saw it. The shirt, the beautiful blue shirt, was now a blue and white motley mess. How could that happen? I checked the spray bottle. Bleach. I didn’t even know I owned bleach. The shirt was ruined. I looked at the pile of discarded clothing on the bedroom floor and sighed.

***

When we pulled up outside the house, it struck me that this might not be the best idea. I took a deep breath and looked at Mandy.

‘
Well, this is the house,’ she said but I just wanted to run.

A car pulled up beside us. Pam. She jumped out, grabbing a bag from the passenger seat.

‘Hi, girls. Glad you could make it. I told Sebastian I’d bring over some of my famous brownies for the party. I bet you can’t wait to try them.’

‘
Great,’ I said.

Pam looked me up and down.
‘Oh Beth, you are going to swelter in that outfit,’ she said.

‘
The outfit’s fine. It’s a perfectly good outfit.’

I
’d spent half my life shopping and this was the best I could come up with – a black long-sleeved top with a matching cardigan. It was casual but covered my flesh.

At least I wasn
’t wearing shorts like Pam. Ugly, baggy shorts down to my knees, like an American tourist. And Mandy just looked trashy, in her denim cut-offs but then that was her thing. And Mandy could get away with wearing it, she had great legs. Pam just had veiny stumps.

Pam tossed her head and walked in the front gate. Mandy and I followed her in.

What a fabulous house. I couldn’t see into the front rooms but the back of the house opened into a huge sunroom/kitchen. Several over-stuffed sofas looked out onto the back decking while the rest of the room had an oriental feel – big Persian rugs, Japanese-style coffee table and a huge red lacquer cabinet along one wall. I looked around for evidence of a Mrs New Boss but nothing – no happy family photos, no flowers, no womanly touches.

A crowd of people gathered on the back decking. Pam and Mandy walked out to join them.

‘Come along, Beth’ called Pam. ‘Stop snooping around.’

Snooping? If anyone would be snooping, it would be her. I squeezed out onto on the deck and someone handed me a beer.

Sebastian stood at the barbecue, turning meat with a pair of tongs. His tight black t-shirt strained across his muscular chest. He really did have a nice chest. He must work out. A lot. Suddenly I remembered running my hands up that chest, peeling off his shirt. I looked away. That chest was just a little too tempting.

When I looked back, he was looking right at me. Looking at me, looking at his chest. I took a swig of beer, missing my mouth and dribbling it down my top. Shit. What a great start to the afternoon. I wiped my mouth and moved behind Mandy.

‘Pam, brownies? How nice of you. And Mandy, how are you?’ He turned back to the barbecue. Maybe he was going to ignore me. Good. I could handle that. ‘Beth,’ he picked up a something with the tongs, ‘care for a sausage?’

I cringed. Why did he say that? Everyone was sure to notice. He may as well have said,
‘hey, Beth, let’s shag again.’

‘
No thanks,’ I said without looking at him. I should have stayed at home. I had to get out of here. I looked around for an escape and saw the happily-marrieds lolling on the lawn, comparing mortgage rates and laundry detergents. Usually I invented urgent appointments and pressing engagements to avoid them, but suddenly they looked appealingly safe.

I waved and moved to join them. I wouldn
’t look at Sebastian, I wouldn’t look. I looked and he winked. I missed my footing on the decking step and almost flung myself into the garden.

‘
Whoa, Beth,’ called Mandy. ‘You pissed already?’ She laughed and turned to Sebastian. ‘Our Beth’s a tiger when she’s had a few. You should see her.’

I
’m glad I vomited on her shoes.

The happily-marrieds were curled up under a big tree, the only shady part of the garden. They shuffled across a little to make space for me but not enough. I was still in the sun.

‘Are you okay there, Beth?’ asked Laura from Accounts.

‘
I’m fine,’ I said. But I rubbed the side of my cold beer against my face.

‘
I’ve got a hat here if you want to borrow it.’ She held up a white crocheted monstrosity. I looked up at the decking and shook my head.

‘
No, really I’m fine. I love the sun. I can work on my tan.’

‘
I’m glad you’re here,’ she said. ‘I finally get a chance to show you the photos of Josh. ‘

Laura handed me some photos of her baby. Lots of photos. What do you say about babies anyway? That they are cute? That fills up the first twenty photos.

This yard was like an oven, the high stone walls trapping the heat. My brain felt like as though it was poaching like an egg. I took off my cardigan.

‘
And this one is him asleep. See the cover on the bed? That’s the one you guys gave me when Josh was born.’

‘
Hey Laura, come up on the deck, out of the sun.’ Sebastian leaned over the decking. ‘You too, Beth.’

Laura gathered up her things but I shook my head.
‘No, I’m fine.’

‘
You sure? You’ll get burnt to a crisp out there.’

My beer can was empty, the shade had disappeared altogether and I was sun-drying like a tomato, except for the rivers of sweat running down the backs of my thighs. I had to move.

I walked back up onto the decking and lingered at the back of the crowd. My stomach rumbled but I sure as hell wasn’t going near that barbecue. And I wasn’t about to have another beer on an empty stomach. I was here to redeem my career not ruin it further. I wandered inside. Maybe I could find some Diet Coke or something.

The cold air hit me like walking into a refrigerator. I went into the kitchen but couldn
’t see any Coke. All the tubs of booze and soft drink were outside. But outside was hot and sticky and full of Sebastian.

I shivered and my skin began to feel clammy. I could sure do with my cardigan now but it was out on the lawn. Damn, I needed something to drink. Water, water would do. Anything, as long as it was wet. I looked outside. Sebastian seemed occupied with the barbecue and with Mandy. What did she think she was doing anyway? Flipping her hair around and giggling like that. At least with her in full flirt mode I was safe to poke around the kitchen. Now, where would he keep his glasses? I opened the cupboard next to the sink. No glasses but some very nice cookware. I do like a man who knows how to cook. What was I thinking? I didn
’t like
this
man, no matter how well he cooked. I opened the next cupboard. Glasses. Thank goodness.

I filled one with water and gulped it down. Then another. I began to feel normal. Maybe I should look for some soft drink. No harm in checking out the fridge. No Coke, but some apple juice. That would do. The vegetables were organic and it looked like he was planning a dinner party – King Island triple cream brie, Colston Basset Stilton, kalamata olives, smoked salmon. Much better stuff than he was feeding this crowd. That was a huge tub of olives. He wouldn
’t notice if I just…

‘
Enjoying yourself?’

I jumped. Sure enough, it was Sebastian sneaking up behind me.

‘Sorry, I was just – well, it was rather hot outside. I was looking for a drink.’

He looked me up and down.
‘Help yourself. I think there’s some apple juice. You must be sweltering.’

‘
I guess.’ I got out the juice container and turned my back to him, hoping he’d go away.

‘
So, do the contents of my fridge pass muster?’

‘
Oh yeah, I mean, I don’t know. I was just looking for…’ I nodded at the juice.