Sunday was a blur. Noella peeked out from underneath the doona sometime after noon, Harji's "Terminator" seemingly having done it's damage, aided by numerous glasses of champagne that Josh expertly poured for her, ensuring her glass was constantly full. Great sex also played it's part in sapping her body of all it's energy. She shook her head.
Fuck! That was nothing like I've done before! My God it was hot!.....and a little bit scary! Tick orgy off the bucket list!
She shook her head as she made her way gingerly downstairs wrapped in a white bath robe, her head a little blurry, but it was not a throbbing hangover that she detested so. Reaching the kitchen her first and most critical task was to turn on her beloved espresso machine. Soon it was doing its magic, whirring away as it dispensed its amazing dark liquid with its velvety crema. Noella started with her own version of a Macciato. A triple shot of espresso topped with a small cap of frothy milky.
At first it kicked like a mule but after the third sip she could feel the life giving caffeine sparking energy into her sluggish body. As she began to feel a little better she made herself a mushroom omelette. It wasn't long before she was hungrily eating the fluffy and delicious meal, accompanied by a little less aggressive mug of coffee.
As she munched away she took the time to check the messages she found one that Sarah had sent her earlier in the morning.
"Hi Mum. Lachie took me 2 C Lady Gaga last nite! Awesome!!!!!!!!!! Luv Sarah!"
Noella replied.
"Fantastic!"
There was another message. This time from Marcus.
"Can I come and c u? Dad is giving me the shits!!!!"
She quickly tapped an answer.
"Am home. U can come anytime."
Christ! What has Damien done now?
It wasn't going to be long before she found out as her phone beeped, indicating a message from Marcus..
"C u in an hour."
She keyed.
"Ok"
Better get my arse into gear.
She quickly packed her dishes into the dishwasher and headed upstairs to have a shower and get dressed. When Marcus rang the door she was casually dressed in slim cut jeans, her favourite band T-shirt she got at a U2 concert and red sparkly flats.
When she opened the door Marcus was standing in camo shorts. He always wore camo shorts! No matter the weather, it was always and a T-shirt, today's with embossed with LMFAO and well worn Converse trainers on his feet. His hair was all messed but not through using "product". It was the product of stress and lack of sleep.
"Hi gorgeous!" she exclaimed as she wrapped him in one of those excruciating mother hugs which all sons dread.
"Hi Mum." he offered as he gave her a half embarrassed peck on the cheek.
"Come in and I'll make you tea. What's you favourite?" she asked, knowing that unlike her, Marcus's beverage of choice was tea.
"Sure. You got peppermint?"
'Peppermint tea I have."
Soon they were sitting at the kitchen counter, Marcus with his peppermint tea and Noella yet another cup of coffee. She'd lost count of how many cups she'd drunk. She also put out a plate of cup cakes which Marcus began devouring feverishly.
"Are you OK?" she asked in a concerned tone.
"No." he replied with obvious hurt in his voice. "Dad's giving me the fucking shits!.....Sorry for the language Mum."
"That's OK darling. Why is he giving you the shits?"
"Well......" he hesitated. "you're not supposed to know this, but he some how managed to get you removed as a trustee of our trust and he made me trustee instead."
"What the...!!!!!!!" she exclaimed, steam almost coming from her ears. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't think it was that important. But..,,"
"Marcus. It's important!"
"Yes I know now, But now...now....he's asking me every second day to sign papers so he can take money out of the trust. And not little amounts! He wants hundreds of thousands of dollars!"
"Whoa!"
"I keep telling him it's not his money."
"That's right!"
"But he keeps saying he's going to make even more."
"You've done a great job darling.... but you should've told me sooner."
"Yeah. But you ring him and he gets really pissed and he get's all shitty and then life's just not worth living!"
"Sorry...."
"I didn't think it would make any difference and would keep the peace. But now.....now he's getting really aggressive about transferring this money and tells me I'm ruining his plans. I kept telling him the money wasn't his. That it was for Sarah, Emily and me. Yesterday he told me I was too young and stupid to know anything and that I had to sign the papers. But I pissed off whilst he went to get them and I haven't been home since. I stayed at Johnno's house last night."
"That was a smart thing to do."
"Except he's texting me every half an hour."
"So what would you like me to do?"
"I don't know......if you ring him he'll go ape shit."
"Can you stay at Johnno's tonight.....or do you want to stay here?"
"I think it would be better if I stay at Johnno's... if he found me staying here it would be World War 3!"
"OK .Stay at Johnno's tonight and I'll talk to Steve about him ringing Dad or writing him a letter. Would you be happy with that, that Steve will be your lawyer.
"That might still be like you taking over. Do you think Steve could get another lawyer he knows to do it."
"I'm sure we could do that."
"Thanks Mum." he said with his mouth full as he devoured the last cup cake.
"I'm proud of you Marcus. Your Dad can be very driven and won't stop until he gets what he wants. So you need to continue to be strong. Can you do that?"
"Sure. I just think he's being totally out of line."
"You're right. There must but something going on for him to be so keen to get hold of the trust money."
"I've heard him a couple of times talking about money but I couldn't work out exactly what was being said."
"OK hang in there and we'll sort it out,"
Just as she said that Marcus's phone hummed, indicating that he had just received a message. Marcus checked the screen.
"Dad!"
"Where r u! U need to come home now!"
"See!"
"Ok. Well just tell him that you're at a party and can't drive because you've been drinking and that you'll be home tomorrow. OK?"
"OK!"
Marcus busily thumbed a message on his phone back to Damien.
''I'll let you know when I've spoken to Steve."
"Thanks Mum. You're Ace! I'll head back to Johnno's now."
Marcus's phone sounded the arrival of another message. He checked the screen.
"Dad." he announced.
"be home by 10."
Marcus read the message out to Noella.
"What do I do?"
"Nothing for now. You ring me in the morning. OK?"
"OK."
As they stood in the foyer, Marcus at 6' 3" towered over her 5'8" frame. She reached up to plant a kiss on the cheek.
"Stay cool babe and we'll be fine."
"You're the best Mum!"
"I know!" she said with a high pitched laugh and she released her darling son back into the uncertainty of the big wide world.
As she heard Marcus's car disappear up the street she headed for the liquor cabinet in the kitchen, looking to make friends again with that magic bottle of "Johnny Blue". Reaching to the back of the cabinet she found the beautiful bottle. Lifting it from the counter she put it up to the light.
"Shit! Nearly empty!"
She bent down to the storage cupboard under the cabinet.
"Yes! I knew I stole two from Damien!"
Finding her favourite Waterford tumbler she slopped a good measure into the cut crystal glass, then clinked in a handful of ice cubes.
As the first sip of scotch stung her mouth she felt anger surge through body.
"Fuck!" she screamed. "Fuck!.....Fuck you Damien! Fuck you! ........Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
Suddenly the doorbell rang. Noella was surprised by the unexpected sound. Putting the scotch down she went to the front door and opened it. Standing there was Julia. Pink singlet top and elasticised mini skirt that was stretched over her tight arse and even for a quick visit to a neighbour her her feet were adorned by hot pink stilettos. Her strawberry red hair was a little wild and fluffed indicating that she had come over in hurry.
"Are you OK honey?"
"Hi Julia. I'm fine. I guess I must have made a bit of noise? "
"You sure did!" Confirmed Julia as they stood in the foyer.
"Sorry. Come in."
"That would be lovely."
"It's just my shit head ex-husband again. Come into the kitchen and I'll get you a drink."
Julia opted for champagne over scotch and so Noella popped a bottle of Non-vintage Moet, splashing the foaming bubbles into a Waterford flute before topping up her tumbler. They settled on the redleather couch in the family room.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" Julia asked in a concerned voice.
"There's not that much to tell. Damien somehow had me removed as a trustee of the kids family trust which has a lazy $2 million in it."
"Wow! That sucks!"
"It does! And he's made our son Marcus trustee instead and has been putting a whole lot of pressure on him to sign papers so that he can withdraw large amounts of money."
"What a bastard!"
"Yep! A bastard he is! To Marcus's credit, he's stood up to him and told him no. The problem is Damien's winding up the pressure, as he is want to do and its finally got too much for Marcus. He's come and asked for help this afternoon."
"No wonder you were swearing!"
"Yes I'm fucking pissed off!."
"What are you going to do?"