“What’re you buying that for?” Joaquin asked, wide-eyed, as she pointed to the packet in Adele’s hand.

“It’s gravy, Jo,” Adele sighed. “Y’know, to put on the roast beef.”

“I don’t know if Ben likes gravy,” Jo frowned. “What if he hates it?”

“He’s a guy, he likes gravy,” Adele countered. “It’s a given. It goes beer, peanuts, red meat and gravy.”

“Yeah but…”

“Jo, you’ve spent the entire week telling me how you’re not the least bit interested in Ben. So what does it matter if he gets some horrible gravy poisoning?”

Joaquin shot her friend daggers. “I may not want to have intimate relations with Ben but I’d rather not have to take him to the ER to get his stomach pumped because I’ve poisoned him with gravy.”

“You? At what point are you cooking?”

Joaquin flustered a moment. “I’m doing dessert.”

“Heating up a berry strudel is not cooking.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Fine,” Adele sighed as they rounded the aisle and into the next. “By the way…intimate relations?”

“There are old people around and I don’t want to be rude.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake…”

“You’re so going to hell and Satan is going to hollow you out and use you as a canoe on his river of blood.”

Adele stopped and stared at Joaquin for a moment and then smiled. “I was going to hell when I boffed that religion teacher.”

“Excuse me?”

“Previous life,” Adele giggled and grabbed a packet of frozen peas. “Besides which, you’re going to hell for all those lewd thoughts about Aidan.”

“I’ve never had a lewd thought about Aidan,” Joaquin gasped and knocked several tins of peaches from a display. “My clumsiness proves nothing.”

“True,” Adele nodded. “But you’re totally blushing.”

Joaquin felt her cheeks burn and pretended to be interested in restoring the peach tin display to its former glory. “Is there a reason you’re being more evil to me than normal?”

Adele raised an eyebrow. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.” This was a lie, of course. She was well aware that her frustration at not being able to be with Aidan in any form was coming out as spite toward her friend. While the situation had more to do with Adele being too spineless to confess her growing attraction to the art teacher than Joaquin’s lingering crush, it was far easier to use her as a scapegoat.

“Have I wronged you?”

“Wronged?”

“Yes.”

Adele felt a large stab of guilt. “Of course not. I’m just a bit burnt out.”

“You should take some time off work,” Joaquin smiled. “You’ve been non-stop since the whole ‘that bastard’ thing.”

Adele nodded. “Yeah, I’m starting to really feel it.”

“I should grab us some more ice cream,” Joaquin suggested and headed back toward the freezer department.

“Hey Jo!” Adele called and watched as her friend turned and smacked into a display of Froot Loops. Joaquin turned a deep shade of crimson as the boxes fell to the floor. “Too easy.”

“Mr Murdoch, what do you think of this?” asked a boy with a pierced eyebrow. He held up a sheet of paper with a crude penis drawn on it.

“Wow, Kurt, you can drawn male genitalia which is quite a feat from someone who clearly doesn’t have any,” Aidan replied coolly.

“Sucked in, Kurt, ya fuckhead,” someone yelled and the rest of the class whooped.

“How would you know, sir, you dirty pervert,” Kurt retorted as his cheeks reddened.

“Alice told me,” Aidan smiled, glancing at Kurt’s giggling girlfriend. “Told me you’re smooth like a Ken Doll.”

The class roared with laughter as the bell rang. They leapt up, stuffed what they were working on into their bags and raucously headed out into the dull winter sun.

“Oh thank fuck,” Aidan sighed and collapsed at his desk. The working two jobs thing was exhausting. Trying to teach a bunch of kids who simply weren’t interested in the finer parts of art was an absolute soul sucker. Getting back to his feet, he began to pick up the abandoned bits of ‘art’ from around the room. He stretched under a desk to retrieve a piece of lined paper that turned out to be scrawled notes between friends.

Aidan felt himself blush and quickly screwed up the note and shoved it in the bin. He returned to his desk, which was nothing short of a mess, and noticed a leaf of sketchpad paper that wasn’t there before. He turned it over and there was a beautifully drawn, charcoal picture of him. There was no name on the picture but he took a deep breath and smiled. This was what his job was all about.

“How do I look?” Ben asked, sauntering into Leo’s room decked out in his best jeans and football jersey.

“Like a bum,” Leo replied with a sneer.

“Oh.”

“You’re going to dinner.”

“Yeah, but just at her house with friends.”

“Ben, don’t you know anything about women?” Leo sighed. “Must I impart some of my wisdom on you?”

“Dude, you’re dating a chick over the Internet.”

Leo narrowed his eyes and turned back to his computer. “Screw you then.”

“No, Leo please,” Ben pleaded, his face etched with desperation. “Help me.”

“Fine,” Leo sighed. “When she opens that door, or y’know, gets Del to open the door because she’s having a panic attack, you’ve gotta show her that you care. Right now you look like you always do, man. Do you want her to think you just pulled yourself off the couch? And don’t forget you’ve got to compete with Mr Perfect.”

“My god, you’re right,” Ben frowned. “I have to change immediately,” he added, dashing from the room. He reappeared 30 seconds later in smart black slacks and a blue striped shirt. “Better?”

“Who the fuck are you? Superman?”

“Are my underpants on the outside?” Ben gasped and quickly looked at his crotch.

Leo closed his eyes and shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder about you…”

Ben gave a small chuckle. “Should I bring her flowers or chocolate or something?”

“Do you want to look cheesy?”

“Guess not.”

They fell silent for a moment and Leo could sense Ben’s nervousness. “Well Cinderella, you’re ready for the ball. Good luck.”

“Thanks, dude,” Ben said, taking in a deep breath before he left the room.

“Don’t turn into a pumpkin at midnight,” Leo mused quietly.

“Will you stop twisting that cloth and whimpering,” Adele sighed as she glanced over at Joaquin, who was probably close to having a breakdown.

“Is it too late to call the whole thing off?”

“Ben and Aidan are due here any minute.”

“Yeah, but is there still time to call if off?”

“Would you like me to walk over there and slap you?”

“I’m not gonna cope,” Joaquin whined. “I’ll drop gravy in Aidan’s lap and poke a fork in Ben’s eye.”

“That’d be an unique way to get Aidan’s pants off.”

Joaquin narrowed her eyes. “Sometimes I really hate you.”

Adele laughed as they were interrupted by a knock at the door. “Better go see who that is, Jo.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes you can. You walk down the hall, open the door and greet whoever is there.”

“I’ll trip over and slam the door in their face.”

“Probably, but go anyway.”

Joaquin let out a small whimper, straightened her skirt and hesitantly made her way to the door. She took a very deep breath and opened it.

“Hey Jo,” Aidan smiled and winked.

“Hi,” she managed to almost whisper in reply.

“Are you gonna let me in?”

Joaquin moved aside, trying very hard not to notice how gorgeous the man looked. He was a far cry from the last time she opened the door to him. The nicely fitting dark slacks and shirt just highlighted his unnaturally good looks. “Del’s in the kitchen.”

“I’ll go say hello, then,” Aidan smiled as Joaquin followed him back into the kitchen.

Adele looked up as he entered and felt her cheeks go pink. Oh god, he was sexy, and if Joaquin hadn’t have been there she would have thrown him down onto the table and had her way with him. “You brought wine.”

“Yeah and something to drink,” Aidan chuckled. The joke went over Joaquin’s head.

“Stick it in the fridge if you like.”

“It’s not cheap stuff like last time either.”

“So long as it gets us sufficiently plastered, who cares.”

“Here’s to that.”

Another knock at the door rang out and Joaquin squeaked. “I’ll go answer that.”

“She’s regressed tonight,” Aidan sighed. “I really thought she was getting better.”

“Yes, this for Ben who she’s not interested in at all, you understand.”

“Of course,” Aidan laughed, sidling over to Adele. He leaned over her shoulder, his mouth close to her ear. “By the way, if those kids get it together I am so having my very bad way with you.”

Adele felt a hot tingle run from the warm breath on her ear all the way down her body. Every nerve in her body willed her to turn around, pull him close and kiss him deeply but she forced herself to focus on the potatoes. “How’s Degs?” she half coughed.

“Costing me a fortune.”

“Yeah, dog food is pricey these days,” Adele nodded. “What with the drought and a dwindling kangaroo population.”

“Uh, yeah,” Aidan mused, noting her unusual discomfort. “Actually, it’s more to do with him soiling various bits of Dale’s expensive furniture.”

“He’s still on about the couch?”

“Imported Tibetan pouffe,” Aidan sighed, and Adele looked over her shoulder at him.

“Yeah but what about the furniture?”

A smiled flashed onto Aidan’s lips and Adele blushed, smiled back, and quickly refocussed on the potatoes.

Joaquin took several steps down the hallway and stopped to glance in the direction of the bathroom. It was very tempting just to flee into its tiled surrounds, lock the door and hide in the bath under a towel until it was all over. Another series of knocks at the door forced a squeak from her lips.

“FOR GOD’S SAKE, BLISS, OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!” Adele yelled from the confines of the kitchen.

“I am,” Joaquin hissed. She took a steadying breath and opened the door.

“Jo,” Ben mused.

“Yes.”

“Why are your eyes closed?”

“Oh,” Joaquin’s eyes popped open and her cheeks reddened. “Was I breathing?”

“Your breasts were moving, yes.”

Joaquin blinked and used all her neck muscles not to look down at her own cleavage. Ben continued to look at her curiously, an amused smiled plastered on his face and a large bunch of flowers in his hand.

“These are for you, by the way,” he declared and thrust the bunch of bright blooms toward her.

“Oh,” Joaquin said and Ben began to wonder if she was broken in some way. “Thank you, they’re pretty,” she added and then cussed herself. Who the hell said ‘pretty’ when given flowers?

“Can I come in then?” Ben asked, noticing Joaquin’s eyes quickly taking in his shirt and slacks and then glancing back at him wide-eyed.

“Sure,” she nodded and moved aside. As he passed, the sweet scent of his aftershave wafted over her and all her senses went into overdrive. Visions of their long lingering kiss ran through her head ­– the way he smelt, felt and tasted – and she wobbled slightly.

“Are you ok, Jo?”

“Fine,” Joaquin managed in almost a whisper. “Water,” she added, motioning to the flowers before dashing down the hall and into the bathroom.

Ben stood bewildered a moment before following the sound of Adele’s and Aidan’s voices in the kitchen.

“…So yeah, because there’s no, y’know, grass, there’s less kangaroos and less dog food,” Adele announced with little conviction.

“You think they’d be prepared for something like this, wouldn’t you,” Aidan agreed. “Perhaps they’ll just have to substitute the roo for rabbit.”

Ben mentally stifled a laugh. The conversation was as plausible as Ashlee Simpson’s nose. If it were a foreign language film the subtitles would have been, “Fuck dinner, let’s shag each other’s brains out on the table,” followed by, “I’m having to think about my mother naked to stop a tent forming in my pants.”

“What are you so amused about?” Adele announced, breaking into Ben’s thoughts.

“Dog food,” Ben smiled and looked over at Aidan. “Keep thinking of your mother.”

“What?”

“Oh, and I think Jo’s broken,” Ben shrugged. “I gave her flowers and she went to put them in water…in the bathroom. And she’s monosyllabic.”

Adele let out a groan. “Ben, watch the potatoes.”

“I can watch potatoes,” Aidan frowned. “No wait, you’re right. They’re all yours, Ben.”

Adele marched down the hall and was pleased to find the bathroom door unlocked. Although, as expected, Joaquin was in the bath doing her best to hide under a pink fluffy towel. The flowers were abandoned in the sink.

“What are you doing, woman!” she sighed, stalking across the room and sitting herself next to Joaquin in the bath.

“I panicked.”

“Jo…”

“I know, I know. I’m an adult and I should be able to deal with these kind of things.”

“Yes, this isn’t your finest moment.”

Joaquin buried her face in the towel. “Have you ever really, really liked someone even though you’re sure they’re wrong for you because they’re just not what you envisioned your ideal lover to be?”

“Yes,” Adele nodded and Joaquin was surprised by the seriousness etched on her friend’s face. “You really like Ben, don’t you?”

Joaquin nodded. “Yeah, and I don’t know why, but whenever I’m around him I just go high school girl silly.”

“You’re always high school girl silly.”

Joaquin smiled and blushed. “Ever had that feeling that the safest place in the world and the only place you want to be is in his arms?”

Adele felt a painful throb of longing grip her and was surprised how shaky her reply came. “Yes.”

“What do I do?”

“Take your chance,” Adele said softly. “Don’t over-think it, don’t question it. If it feels right, just go for it.”

They fell silent for a moment before Joaquin turned to her friend. “We’re not still talking about me here, are we?”

“Your flowers are drying out,” Adele swallowed and she climbed out of the bath.

“Del,” Joaquin said, surprised by her friend’s sudden introversion. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Adele forced herself to look at Joaquin. “Don’t be silly, Bliss. I’m fine.”

She quickly left the bathroom and Joaquin watched as the door closed. Adele was a hopeless liar.

“What did you mean, keep thinking about my mother?” Aidan asked as he sidled over to where Ben was watching the potatoes.

Ben smiled wryly. “You and Del are as subtle as a brick to a baby’s face.”

Aidan look at Ben rather stunned. “Yeah, well what about you?”

“I’m not subtle,” Ben chided. “I’m in like Flynn.”

“Flynn?”

“Errol.”

“Great actor.”

“We must see Don’t Bet On Blondes sometime.”

“I love that movie.”

Both men nodded and fell silent.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Ben sighed.

“I’d take a punt and say us,” Aidan replied. “It’s a bit of a worry that we’ve made the women we want most in the world go and hide in a bathroom under the pretence of putting flowers in water.”

“Maybe this is a mistake,” Ben sighed. “Maybe Jo just isn’t ready for this.”

“Or Del.”

They fell silent again in quiet contemplation.

Adele took a deep breath and approached the kitchen. Ben and Aidan were mysteriously absent.

“I just filled the sink and shoved ‘em in, that’ll do, right?” Joaquin asked and she stopped just short of walking into Adele’s back.

“They’ve gone.”