Fenny rolled onto her back and stared up at the pale blue ceiling. She’d grown attached to that ceiling. It used to be calming, tranquil and dreamy until about 8 years ago. Yeah, around the first time she’d been kidnapped and had a gun shoved to her head. Fenny let out a long, low sigh. Who was she kidding; that damn roof had never been tranquil at all, and it only served now to remind her of all the horrible, traumatic things she’d experienced since glancing up at it last. Frustrated with how quickly she was getting annoyed, Fenny rolled out of bed and reached for a long cardigan she’d draped over a chair nearby.

“I’m going to repaint my room,” she declared as she stalked out into the kitchen.

“And good morning to you to,” Gina mused as she staunchly focused on the daily paper.

“How’s the global financial crisis today?” Fenny asked as she slid two slices of bread into the toaster.

“We’re still fucked,” Gina replied and turned the page. “Oh, and big surprise, Channel Ten is going to screen About a Boy for the 400^th time this year alone.”

“Hey look, the Melbourne Comedy Gala is on this week,” Fenny enthused, reading over Gina’s shoulder.

Gina shut the paper and glared at Fenny. “I don’t care.”

“Gina, I wasn’t…”

“Yes you were.”

“I would never…”

“Yes you would.”

“Oh come on.”

“Don’t make me slap you.”

“Look, Danny Bhoy is on and he’s, like, really cute.”

“That’s true.”

“We’ll record it and you can fast forward through the other bits,” Fenny said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Gina narrowed her eyes and then sighed. “Whatever.”

Fenny fought a smile as she bit into her toast. “For someone who doesn’t care, you seem a bit touchy about it.” Gina pushed back her chair with lightning speed and shot to her feet. Fenny squeaked and dashed out of the kitchen. “Don’t kill me, I have to go to work!”

---

“Dad, where’s my lunch?” Lilly yelled from the kitchen, her head in the fridge.

“Behind the milk,” Brad replied, wandering sleepily into the kitchen. He stopped at the door and looked at his daughter as she groped about in the fridge. She was so like him. He could see it now she was a little older. She had his cheeky smile and quick wit.

“Found it!” Lilly declared proudly and shoved the sandwich, apple and juice box into her lunchbox. “If it’s peanut butter again I’m going to start stealing Mia’s lunch.”

“Mia’s your best friend,” Brad frowned. “That would be a horrible thing to do.”

“Yeah but she’s super fat,” Lilly said blankly. “Girl could do with cutting back on all that ham and cheese.”

“LILLY!” Brad gasped and tried hard to look very annoyed and not giggle. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”

“I’ve seen her in her bathing suit,” Lilly frowned. “She wobbles bad.”

Brad couldn’t fight it any longer and laughed out loud. “I think your mom is going to have words with you about this.”

“Great, more Mom and Assface telling me what to do.”

“Lilly, it’s Step Dad, not assface.”

“You call him assface.”

“I’m allowed.”

“Why?”

“It’s an adult thing,” Brad countered and was glad when there was a knock at the door. He hurried out of the kitchen, shushed Mochrie’s barking and unlocked the door.

“Am I too early?” Colin asked as he gave Brad a warm smile.

“Nah,” Brad perked and moved aside to let Colin in. “I just have to drop Lilly at school.”

“Yay,” Lilly grumbled as she appeared on cue with her schoolbag.

“I’ll be 20 minutes,” Brad said as he grabbed his keys and headed to the door. “Help yourself to coffee.”

---

Gina arrived, stepped into her cubicle and dumped her bag beside her desk as she sat at her computer and switched it on. She worked a lot now. A lot more than she used to. There was nothing else to do, really, and working was a happy distraction from life. She also didn’t have Danny to back her up when she wanted to skive off. A sigh escaped her lips as she thought of Danny. He’d been as close to her as a lover for so long, and his absence in her life was as hard to bear as the loss of Paul. Paul – why on earth had she just thought of him? Her eyes focussed on the monitor in front of her and she realised why: there was a post-it.

Interview with Paul McDermott, Gloria Jeans, 2pm

“Oh no,” Gina gasped. “This is not happening.” She shot to her feet, snatched the post-it up and marched out of her cubicle and down the corridor to Amanda’s office.

“…we need that review of the new Pink album today,” Amanda said as she glowered at a lowly cadet.

“When today?”

“Now would be just super.”

“Oh.” The cadet looked bashful and scurried out of the office past Gina.

“Good morning, Coleman,” Amanda smiled. “What can I…”

“You die,” Gina snapped and slapped the post it on the desk in front of her friend.

“I was wondering how you’d react to that.”

“Are you trying to torture me?”

“Of course not,” Amanda soothed and motioned for Gina to sit. “I need an interview, he needs the publicity.”

“So get one of your other minions to do it.”

“They’re all busy,” Amanda frowned. “I’m horribly understaffed right now.”

“And?”

“The cadets are a bit…scared.”

“And?”

“I want a decent interview.”

“And?”

“I’m asking you to do this as an employer.”

Gina blinked. “Are you forcing me to do this?”

Amanda bit her lip. “Yes, as your boss I’m demanding you do this interview.”

“Oh, we are so not friends anymore,” Gina hissed, getting to her feet. “The friendship ends here.”

“Gina,” Amanda sighed as Gina stormed towards the door. Gina stopped and turned to look at her. “I expect all the details when you get back.”

Gina narrowed her eyes and stalked back toward the desk.

---

Fenny placed several portfolios and a small pile of sketchbooks on her desk and began to look through them. Her first class wouldn’t start for another 15 minutes and she needed some decent life drawing examples to show them. She grabbed one of the sketchbooks and began flipping.

“Oh god,” she half gasped, half giggled as a sketch of Danny butt naked and posed provocatively on his bed came before her eyes. She remembered that day: he’d dragged her on to the mattress, kissed every inch of bare flesh and made love to her until they both passed out. Fenny felt a sigh escape her lips and then smiled. It was a great sketch and a perfect life drawing example. She put the book aside and reached for another one. This time she was greeted by Paul posing like a porn star. She laughed out loud, remembering he was on the floor in an airport lounge. Then there was Greg looking distant and smoking. And then, tucked away at the back, was Brad. He was on his stomach sleeping and she’d done his back and neck in great detail. Memories of nuzzling his neck, grasping his shoulders and kissing his back invaded her thoughts and she closed the book.

“Damn you, Sherwood,” she breathed. It all seemed so long ago now. Fenny had spent six months travelling and then settled in France where, in a desperate need to get some order in her life, she undertook a teaching degree. She briefly went back to the US and while Brad was away packed the things she needed. That was when Gina called, told her she and Paul were getting divorced and it was over for good. Fenny knew Gina would need all the support she could get, and with Danny having left, she didn’t hesitate to go back to Australia.

Fenny shook herself out of her reverie. So now here she was, a qualified teacher in an arts college. “This is getting me nowhere,” she mumbled as a couple of the students filed in.

“Oh my god, who is that guy?” asked Kira who looked far more emo than was really necessary as she looked at the Danny drawing.

“Someone I knew once,” Fenny smiled.

“He’s hot,” Kira mused. “I bet he’s a great fuck.”

“You have no idea,” Fenny chided. “And I was married at the time…”

“No way,” Kira gasped. “You never had an affair.”

“I was whored in Amsterdam once too.”

“Yeah right, Miss,” Stefan laughed as he joined them. “You wish.”

“Be nice,” Fenny mused, raising an eyebrow. “I know professional killers.”

---

“So we’ve got at least 10 gigs lined up for when you get back,” Colin enthused as he counted out the dates they had booked for their show.

“Excellent,” Brad beamed. “I can’t wait to get working again.”

“Have I mentioned that I can’t believe that of all places to take a holiday, Australia seems like a completely idiotic idea.”

“Only 49 times,” Brad nodded. “I need a holiday, Col. It’s the first time in years I’ve had the drive and the opportunity to take a break.”

“I know buddy,” Colin sighed. “But Australia? Really? After all that’s happened there.”

“It’s not all bad.”

“You got shot.”

“I married the woman I love there.”

“She cheated on you there like twice.”

“I got to see Ritza’s boobs.”

“You got kidnapped and beaten.”

“I got to see Gina’s boobs too.”

“The times you almost got killed.”

“I got drunk a lot.”

“There’s nothing I can say to convince you otherwise, is there?”

“Are you not listening?” Brad countered. “Boobs and booze.”

“You’re still in denial about Fen.”

“And beaches.”

“Brad.”

“All the best things start with B.”

“I’m going to go now and wish you a safe journey,” Colin chided as he got to his feet. “Do try and avoid kidnapping and any kind of bodily injury.”

“Barbecues,” Brad smiled. “That’s another one.”

Colin shook his head as he let himself out. Brad sighed as he wandered into the living room and slid onto the couch. “Yeah, I married the woman I love there,” he said to the empty room. “I wonder what happened to her?”

---

Paul fiddled with the empty sugar packet and looked up as the café door opened. It was a couple of young women in their tiny shorts and thongs. It was 21 and cloudy, why on earth were they in shorts and thongs? He shook his head and tapped his foot nervously. It was just an interview, and as usual it would be some young intern type who would ask the same sterile regular questions. Yes, Good News Week is back, thanks for noticing, and never say never about the Allstars right? He groaned inwardly. The door opened again and this time it was an older man in a suit. God, he hoped it was her coming to interview him. Just this once, just so he could see her and talk. Paul looked back at the now-shredded sugar packet and the door opened again. He looked up quicker than he meant and felt his stomach knot. Oh god, it was her.

Gina glanced around the café and saw Paul sitting in a booth. He looked startled and she had to take a deep breath before walking towards him.

“Genie,” Paul announced with more than a little bashfulness as he stood.

“Gina,” she said quietly. “Please call me Gina.”

“Gina,” he said, smiling as she sat.

“Paul,” she breathed, trying to ignore how cute he looked when he smiled. His hazel eyes were sparkling and he seemed so warm and happy. Crap, she was staring. “We should start the interview.”

“Do we have to?”

“Amanda threatened to sack me if I didn’t.”

“Oh, that’s a bit harsh.”

“I threw a muffin at her head,” Gina announced blankly. “She has blueberries smeared in her hair now.”

Paul snorted with laughter and Gina blushed a little, trying very hard to ignore the fact that he was also very cute we he laughed.

“I’m glad to see you’re still as angry and passionate as ever.”

“Some habits are hard to break.”

“Oh, don’t stop the anger and passion, it’s what makes sex with you fucking fantastic.” Gina blanched and Paul went wide-eyed. “Sorry, that was quite unnecessary. I don’t really know why I said that.”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

“That’s probably it.”

“There’s no probably about it.”

“Genie.”

“It’s Gina.”

“Whatever, I’ve seen you naked so names aren’t important.”

“Paul!”

Paul cackled. “Lighten up, will ya.”

“No, I’m incredibly uncomfortable and just want this to be over.”

“It’s me, Genie, how can you be uncomfortable? We’ve had each other more times than I’ve had hot dinners, and quite frankly I don’t know what that says about my eating habits.”

Gina allowed herself a small laugh before she shook her head. “Jeez, you could charm the knickers off a nun.”

“I have,” Paul snickered. “I have photos.”

“I don’t want to do this Paul,” Gina declared suddenly enough to surprise him. “There’s no us any more.”

“I know,” Paul mumbled, crestfallen.

“So just stop trying to charm me, ok,” she begged as she got to her feet. “I won’t put myself through any kind of relationship with you again. It’s just too hard.”

“Genie,” he said, then stopped when she looked back at him. He faked a cough. “Gina, I meant Gina…got something stuck in my throat there…bit of phlegm.” Gina rolled her eyes turned away again. He stepped out from the booth to grab her arm. “Please, sit back down and we’ll do a straight interview.”

---

Fenny squeezed herself through the apartment door her arms laden with her sketchbooks, student sketchbooks with work that needed assessing and a bag of Thai take away she’d picked up on the way home because it was her turn to make dinner and she was in no mood to destroy some perfectly good poultry and greens.

She dropped her books and shoulder bag in the hall and made her way into the living room where Gina was sitting on the couch drinking a cup of tea and looking distant.

“I brought Thai,” Fenny declared and elicited no reaction from Gina. “I have Lahb Gai, you love Lahb Gai.” she added and waved the aluminium packet under Gina’s nose.

“Huh?”

“Welcome back to planet Earth, kiddo.”

“Sorry, I’m trying to digest the most uncomfortable afternoon I’ve had in quite some time.”

“How uncomfortable?”

“I got forced to interview Paul.”

“Oh, that’s not good,” Fenny winced as she started on her pineapple fried rice. “What happened?”

“He was all charming and funny and I was forced to tell him outright that under no circumstances would we ever be getting back together,” Gina frowned as she chewed a piece of chicken. “I nearly walked out but he promised to behave and I got the interview done, thankfully.”

Fenny ate another mouthful of rice and coyly glanced at Gina. “So no licks of flame or butterflies or a wisp of what if?”

“Not a bit,” Gina said, still looking into the distance. “Quite over the little idiot.”

“Did he call you Genie?”

Gina glowered at Fenny who shrugged. “How was your day?”

“It was ok, aside from having to use my own sketches to give them ideas,” Fenny frowned. “I mean, I didn’t really need to spend all day looking at Brad and Danny naked and in increasingly provocative poses.”

“What did the class think?”

“They’re all lusting after Danny.”

“Understandable, really.”

“And they don’t believe I’ve had affairs.”

“No offense, Fen, but you don’t look the type.”

“Well y’know, I’m not afraid to be the poster child of unconventional adulterers.”

“Fen, you’re as unconventional as they get,” Gina giggled.

“Remind me again,” Fenny mused, raising an eyebrow. “How was Pauly?”

“Hey, be nice,” Gina pouted. “I know how to seriously damage people these days.”

“Well I’m still very good at pretending things aren’t happening.”

“Things like how on earth your husband in the States might be feeling since you haven’t spoken to him in, well, how many years is it now?”

Fenny stared blankly at Gina. “No idea what you’re talking about, it never happened and I’m not digging a bigger hole everyday that I avoid dealing with it.”

“Boy, do you have that down to a fine art.”

“You should try it.”

“Ok,” Gina nodded. “I didn’t take one look at Paul and want to have my way with him on the table between the sugar packets and empty cups,” she paused. “Nor am I thinking about how I died just a little every time he called me Genie.”

“Yeah, you’re gonna need some more practice,” Fenny said gently as she fought giggles.

“I know,” Gina pouted and slid down the couch. ”I’m hopeless.”