This is the final chapter of the story, loose ends tied up and a small twist or two at the end.
Some Australianisms
Wagging school = playing truant
Bent as a nine bob note = a demonstrative gay man
Mobile = cellphone
Arvo = afternoon
Sledging = Verbal abuse or intimidation of a player particularly in cricket where it is generally accepted as a legitimate practice.
This final chapter includes a short description of part of a cricket match. You don't need to understand the game at all, except that unlike baseball, it is totally legitimate for the bowler(pitcher) to try and hit the batsman (batter) with the ball
*
"Yes, I understand, you want me to stay overnight with you, rather than at Joe's place..." there was a gap for a few seconds in the phone conversation, then Susan added, "No no, that's fine, Joe emailed me to say you would be ringing. Ok, look forward to seeing you again, bye."
"That," Susan explained, "was Joe's mother Ellie; apparently both Joe and I have been invited to stay with her for this shindig in Sydney."
"Looks as though the Callaghan family are organising you pretty effectively," teased Maria.
"Not sure I would say that, but this ball does seem to me to be organised almost like a military operation. Ellie told me she uses both of her daughters as lieutenants, and they all base themselves at her place for a couple of days. Not only that, but they get someone to come to them to do their hair and make up before the event."
"When do you fly down?"
"Friday morning, I've been asked to be there for a late lunch."
"So Tuesday is your final fitting of your dress at Mr Iemma's, and Wednesday we fly down to Tamworth for your photographs."
"I'm not sure what you're up to with this photo session," responded Susan guardedly.
"Trust me, I found out from Diane that this photographer had retired to Tamworth, not long before my red dress was made, that was how he came to photograph me. He spent forty years in Sydney doing glamour and show business and art photos, and it's great fun. He's the most flamboyant gay guy you could imagine, and will make you feel like a million dollars in no time."
"Hey, that reminds me Maria; you said you would bring your pictures to show me."
"I'll bring them on Wednesday, we can look at them during the flight... and I'll come early Wednesday, then we can pick over what clothes you need to take."
"But I thought it was just to be for my new dress."
"Don't be silly, we have all day, may as well max out by being prepared for all possibilities."
Maria and Susan were again talking about the photographer when they waited to board their flight a few days later for the return from Tamworth to Hawksworth.
"I still can't believe it," Susan confided with a giggle, "when I looked at your photos on the flight down this morning, I thought, 'there's no way you'll catch me doing anything as daring as that,' but I did, and I didn't feel the slightest bit uncomfortable with it. I wonder why," she added, suddenly serious for a moment.
Maria laughed, "Johnny's a pro with years of experience, very persuasive, and you know straight away that he's going to make you look really good."
"I guess so."
"And," Maria added teasingly, "there is the fact that for the past couple of months you have been treating yourself to an affair, which seems to have given you almost refreshed confidence...a bit of extra bounce.
"D'you think so?" said Susan dubiously, "what has surprised me a little, is that being with Harry, I feel that I've taken charge of my own life a bit more... doing what I want... for me. Now that sounds selfish, doesn't it?"
"No, it does not," declared Maria decisively, "It just means that sex is good for you, and that you like it."
"Well that's true enough," laughed Susan, "I have discovered that I not only like sex a lot, but I like a lot of it... now, they're calling for passengers, we had better get on board."
A few hours later Susan was having an entirely different conversation; "Come on Harry, you have been giving the orders for the last hour and more, it's my turn now."
"But I was only talking about your dancing, anyway, I've said hardly anything to you for the last few sessions, you're really good now, much better than my sisters, and they weren't bad."
"Flattery's not going to get you anywhere, and I have appointed myself the queen of the world, at least, of your world, so lie back and enjoy it."
Harry did just that, and half an hour later they lay quietly recovering from their first bout. Harry asked, "You are flying down to Sydney Friday morning, when do you think you will be back?"
"Not until Tuesday afternoon or evening: after the big social event, I have business meetings with various people on Monday, and probably through till Tuesday. That's why your Aunt Diane is flying down to meet me on Sunday afternoon, she is also involved like me, as a trustee of the pension fund, and she is very helpful generally, as my number one advisor."
"So I have to rely on memories until next Tuesday," laughed Harry.
"Me too," retorted Susan, "so you had better give me something special to remember you by."
On Friday, Susan's plane landed at Mascot almost an hour late, Sydney had laid on a perfect summer's day, without the humidity which could often spoil February. She soon found a cab and was clear of the airport. The traffic on Southern Cross drive was not in its usual dire state of congestion, and they made steady progress. Susan sat back, and for the first time began to wonder, whether this weekend had any particular meaning or importance. "I got drawn into it almost by accident," she pondered, "if Diane hadn't found Harry as a dance teacher, I would have made my excuses, and that would have been it...but would it? Joe was so determined. No, he wouldn't have been that easily brushed off.
"And Ellie, when I accepted, I had no idea what a big wheel she was in the social scene... and apart from the fact that in her eyes, Joe can do no wrong, she seems to have an agenda of her own. Ah well, I guess I'll have to just take it as it comes."
Susan realised with a small start that they were already turning into John and Ellie's street. She paid off the cabbie and the door bell rang for barely a second before it was answered. It was Maggie's daughter, Carrie, "We've been on the look out for you," she explained, "though, we knew your flight was held up..." she had no time to say more, as her grandmother appeared.
"Susan, we're so pleased to see you, Carrie dear, will you please show Susan to her room, and when you're ready we'll be having a bit of lunch out on the verandah, just us women, I've told John and Joe they're not to be here until this evening, and Carrie is wagging school today to help Jane, Maggie and me. We'll see you in say half an hour or so... give you a chance to freshen up."
Carrie took Susan upstairs, and to a room at the back of the house overlooking the garden. It was a plain room, functional with very little that wasn't strictly necessary, save for some fresh flowers at the bedside which moved very slightly in the light breeze blowing from the harbour. "Is this your dress?" Carrie asked shyly as Susan put a soft bag on the bed.
