A concerned Jane looked down at her favourite picture. She was arm-in-arm with the Hayley she remembered, the beautiful bride's face radiating pure joy. It was six years ago. They were both delirious that best friends had just become sisters-in-law.
The battered album on her lap had dozens of photos of them over the years. The two extroverts had been close ever since their early teens, even insisting on a joint twenty-first birthday party seven years ago. Their real birthdays were only three weeks apart.
In almost every shot, the natural beauty and outgoing nature of her best friend stood out. She dwelt on some shots she'd taken of Hayley a year ago at the beach. In her bikini, she had the nicely shaped bust and hourglass figure that were classic male fantasy material. There were earlier shots of her mingling and dancing at parties looking a knockout in the mini skirts she loved to wear to them. And that classic photo in the park, with two men passing in different directions behind her as she posed in her shorts, both openly checking out the shapely long legs.
Jane had last seen Hayley her five months ago at the airport when they both had seen Garry off overseas to start his current job. Shortly after, she had rung Jane to say the familiar long honey brown hair had been trimmed to shoulder length. That wasn't that change that concerned her though. Rather, it was the increasingly pessimistic tone in the calls that followed and the fact they were becoming less and less frequent.
The latest had come so late last night it had gone to her message bank. There was none of Hayley's light and breezy nature in it, just a rambling message from a voice heavily laden with fatigue and defeat. When the two friends had parted after Garry's plane had taken off, Hayley had sworn to bury herself writing her novel. Since then, it seemed she had almost imprisoned herself in the remote country house she and Garry had bought.
Garry himself had spent little time there. She remembered that Hayley had thought he was so good-looking when they went out in groups in their late teens, but Jane was surprised when they ended up together. It seemed to smack of family disloyalty, but Jane had long thought her big brother was far too selfish and boorish by nature to be a good match for Hayley's personality. The time from courtship to marriage was brief. And it was barely days after their wedding four years ago, she'd noticed him already taking his beautiful young bride for granted.
Garry worked on oil rigs. The last departure was to the third overseas job in five years he had applied for and got, leaving her behind each time. While away, he never thought to visit when time allowed. Jane never doubted in his own crude way he loved his wife. But he drank too heavily at times and his lifestyle was so unimaginative. He thought providing a house and a good income for his wife was enough. But Hayley had hinted twice towards the end of his previous absence that she was getting frustrated with the amount of time apart.
Jane's intuition was that the sweet easy-going young woman she used to know had been virtually marooned out there for far too long. She grabbed the phone and rang yet again.
"Pick up, Hayley, pick up," she impatiently urged. She felt immensely relieved when her prayer was answered.
But despite it being mid-afternoon, the voice at the other end sounded morose and exhausted. Jane decided she must get her down for a four- or five-day break soon, next week if possible. She decided on a soft approach and asked about the book first.
"It's driving me nuts, Jane," was the frank reply.
This seemed a good time already to put the invitation to her friend. She crossed her fingers as Hayley thought out loud, weighing the offer up. The house could be locked up. Time away like that may be just what she needed. And it would be good to catch up. She liked the idea of five days to relax a bit and get herself together.
She thought she was losing her though when Hayley started repeating "next week, next week". Jane was overjoyed and surprised when she heard Hayley actually ask could she get up early tomorrow and drive down straight away, rather than wait until then. The apologetic voice pointed out she wouldn't arrive there until very late in the evening.
Jane thought quickly. She had two week's leave still. Straight away, she assured Hayley she'd wait up for her. Then she added that she had another guest in the larger bed in the guest room for two or three days. Would Hayley mind sharing the room and sleeping in the single bed? They would plan things to do when Hayley got up in the morning. She assured her that Angie may be her idea of excellent company.
"Just seeing you again will be great," Hayley admitted, Jane hearing the first positive note in ages creeping back into her voice. She started to feel confident that in five days the break alone would really lift her best friend's spirits.
An excited Jane stayed up late into the next night. She raised a hullabaloo when the car pulled in just after midnight on the humid summer night. Hugging and dancing about a subdued Hayley Jane stopped as she remembered the long trip she'd just had. Stepping back, she put welcoming hands on her friend's shoulders. Hayley looked a lot more drawn and gaunt than the effects of a long drive would inflict. Grabbing her suitcase, Hayley ushered her inside and straight to the guest bedroom, turning on the light then quickly dimming it. A good night kiss on the cheek and Jane started to back away, smiling warmly as her friend rummaged in her case and took her nightie and toiletries out.
"By the way, that's Angie", she whispered stopping at the door. Hayley glanced across at the barely-open eyes of the blonde-headed woman face outstretched face-down on the double bed peering away from under the lifted white sheet.
A sleepy bare arm lifted itself from the sheet and weakly waved. Then, clutching the sheet to her front, Angie turned to the wall, exposing a wide seam of flawless skin along her bare back. Noting the heat, Jane turned the overhead fan up a notch and raced out as Hayley began unbuttoning her shirt.
A minute later, she came back in with a jug of ice water and two glasses. Her startled friend spun away to finish to undoing her bra. Jane found it ironic. Hayley had that killer body and was a born flirt, yet had always been super modest about being topless or nude, even with her.
Jane watched her rush to slip the short nightie over her head and shimmy it down her bare back. She had certainly lost weight. As Jane left again, she heard Hayley offer to turn the light off herself in a minute.
Jane slipped back ten minutes later when the faint light still hadn't been extinguished. Hayley was out to it under the top sheet. She wasn't in her favourite sleeping position that Jane remembered so well, flat out on her back with her arms flung in a swordsman-like position either side of her head. Instead she was bent up in a foetal position. Looking at her friend's troubled face, Jane knew her job was far from done yet. There were worry lines coming and going on her brow, and her mouth was occasionally twitching.
She checked Angie. She was back on her front again, her long body almost fully stretched out down the middle of the large bed. Face down and naked, she only had one leg still under the top sheet. It didn't concern Jane though that Hayley might wake and see Angie nude. Her modesty was surprisingly one-way. Jane recalled in her teens she loved going to the more private areas of beaches with Jane and all their other girlfriends. She was completely blasé about everyone else removing their tops and sometimes everything to tan and swim. However, she always kept her own bikini on.
