The Plot Sickens

[Magpie Girl]

Great, just great, once again!
Loving it!

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

Just great.. My restaurant is going to shit!! Haha

[mel_kay39]

Hahaha... spiders don't scare me unless they're close enough to bite! And only if they're poisonous, although I must say Huntsman spiders are amongst the ugliest spiders known to man. Along with the Tarantula, of course. Anything with that much body hair should be outlawed! (sorry Garry Lyon). My big phobia is sharks. I can't even look at pictures of them. And no, don't start posting pics of them or I will refuse to come in here anymore (unless that's what you want!)

[Magpie Girl]

LOL!
I'm shocking, especially if they come out of nowhere. Like a flying bug flys into my hair, I'll scream. Something runs out of somewhere unexpected, I'll scream. Frogs, I'll scream if the jump from nowhere & land on me. Toads..... grrr.....
I wrote on my Biology camp form next to Phobias - BUGS!!
The teacher told me to lather in insect repellent.... that wont stop me screaming lol

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

[mel_kay39]

LOL you remind me of one of my mates, she is dead scared of reptiles. My ex had lizards as pets and she wouldn't even venture out into his backyard because that was too close to them! They were in an enclosure, but that didn't matter to her!
Worst thing I had was a huntsman crawling toward me in the loungeroom. Bloody big one, two. I just about jumped over the back of the couch, and went to grab the bug spray! Used half the can on the mongrel, just to make sure he was dead!

[mel_kay39]

so she likes them?!

Yeah lizards are cool. Except they don't do much. Just lie around in the sun, occasionally go hunting for insects or whatever if they're in a big enough enclosure, and hibernate in the winter. And they're expensive to keep. I'd like a snake if I didn't have to feed it mice!

[mel_kay39]

Yeah well if I could spray sharks with something... well, I don't think I'd be getting close enough to the buggers to spray them!

Episode 146

On the Rebound

Heath looked visibly nervous. ‘She’ll be here soon’ Melissa promised. ‘I told her the time and the place. She just had to work this afternoon, that’s all. Don’t worry, she won’t stand you up’.
‘At the moment, I’m not sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing’ Heath admitted. ‘God, Mel, I haven’t done this dating thing for…. Um… quite a while! What am I supposed to do? Do I open the door for her? Pick up the cheque? What?!’
Mel laughed, and put a hand on his arm. ‘It’s not as stressful as you think it is. Just be yourself. And if she doesn’t like you then, well, she’s officially brain dead’.
Mel didn’t miss the look she copped from Marty then! He busied himself making coffees at the kitchen bench. Since Mel had shown him how to use her espresso machine, he’d been practicing and become a whiz at it. Now, every time a coffee was mentioned, he’d offer to make them! ‘Honey’ Mel laughed, when Heath arrived, ‘Sometimes people just want Instant!’
She walked around the kitchen bench and put her arms around Marty, looking up at him. ‘You don’t look very happy, what’s wrong?’ she asked, feigning ignorance.
‘Nothing’ Marty said, in typical male fashion. ‘When’s this bird getting here, anyway? Weren’t we booked at Molloy’s for eight o’clock?’
‘Yes’ she said, looking at her watch. ‘I might sms her and…’
The doorbell rang. Mel grinned at Heath. ‘Why don’t you get that?’
‘Uh…’ Heath stammered, looking panicked!
‘I’ll get it’ Marty said, plonking the coffee cups on the bench beside the machine. ‘There are your coffees’.
‘What just crawled up his ring and died?’ Heath asked, staring after him.
Mel shrugged, although she knew perfectly well what was wrong with Marty. She just didn’t want to give Heath ideas. This whole night was supposed to be about finding someone for Heath – either just for the night or, with any luck, a little longer. And once he saw the work she and Em had done on Tori he’d be super-enthused about tonight! That is, if she took any of their advice!
Marty led Tori into the lounge/dining area. Mel suppressed a sigh of relief. Tori looked great. She’d come over to Mel’s late on Thursday and the three girls had waxed eyebrows, legs and upper-lips; given Tori tips on how to apply fake tan and liquid eyeliner, and of course, let her try on some of their clothes. Em was more Tori’s height so her dresses fit Tori better. The one she was wearing – a simple plum coloured shift with a high neckline – suited her and with her hair up (they’d conditioned all the Fran-Drescherness out of it) and her eyebrows less of an attraction, Tori actually looked quite attractive.
‘Hi’ Heath said, stepping forward and holding a hand out to shake. He caught Mel’s eye, took Tori’s hand and kissed it, making the girl blush.
‘Hi’ she giggled. ‘I’m Tori’.
‘I’m…’
‘Yes, I know who you are’ Tori said, then bit her lip. She tried not to look like the over excited boundary-riding fan that she was. ‘Mel told me all about you’ she added, quickly.
Nice save, Mel thought.
‘So… Um… How do you know Melissa?’ he asked, just making conversation, but Tori looked increasingly uncomfortable. ‘Oh, um… From the shop’ Tori said. ‘I’m one of their more loyal customers’.
Heath looked at Mel, then back at Tori. ‘Oh, it’s just that you looked familiar. Have I met you before?’
‘I don’t think so’ Tori lied. In truth, she was at most training sessions with her friends, Nicky, Lola and Sam.
‘Oh well’ Heath said, with a wink, ‘I think if I had, I would have taken more notice’.
Mel grinned behind her coffee cup. He was flirting with her already. That was a good sign. Also, Marty looked relieved. He put an arm protectively (or possessively?) around his girlfriend. ‘Shall we go, then?’ he asked.

*****

Ash faced Cooper. She couldn’t believe he’d turned up on her doorstep yet again. ‘I heard you broke up with Dale’ he said.
‘Wow, news really travels fast’ Ash replied. ‘I’m sorry, Cooper, but your timing couldn’t be worse. I really need to be alone right now’.
‘You can be alone with me’ Cooper said, completely missing the point. ‘No romantic pressure! We can just be friends. What do you say?’
‘I don’t know, Coop’ Ash sighed. ‘It’s just too complicated. We tried that once before, remember? The whole “just being friends thing”. Didn’t work, did it?’
‘Yeah, but then you were with Cloke. Now, you’re single’.
‘And your point is?’
‘Then we had to be just friends. We had no choice. Now, we can just be friends. Until…’
‘Until infinity’ Ash told him, bluntly. ‘Coop, I’m sorry, but right now the last thing I want is male company. Friendly or otherwise. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is’.
‘Fine’ Cooper sulked. ‘Whatever you say. You’ll change your mind though. You’re not “all that” Ash, whatever you might think’.
‘I don’t think I’m “all that”’ Ash said, incredulous. ‘Where the hell would you get an idea like that? Just because I don’t want male company at the moment does not mean I think I’m too good for everybody! It just means that I don’t want male company right now! As a matter of fact, I don’t really want any company right now!’
‘Okay, okay’ Cooper said, backing off. ‘I clearly got my wires crossed! I’ll leave you alone! But you know where to find me if you change your mind’.
‘I do, and I’ll keep it in mind’ Ash sighed, almost laughing. It was nice to have the option, but after the last couple of years, all Ash wanted was some space to find out who she was without the constant NRL/AFL human handbag on her arm. Regardless of how good that handbag made her feel! She closed the door behind him, feeling proud of her self. Now she might actually get around to reading that book Danni lent her about vampires in the fashion industry!

*****

Leelee put her bag on the counter. The new three-bedroom unit she’d rented was well decked out with robes in all rooms, an ensuite, an attached garage, even a little courtyard out the back for the kids to run their tricycles up and down in, without the fear of them being run over by a car reversing in a driveway. It was perfect. The kitchen was a little small, but it had room for her fridge, kettle and toaster, and that was all that mattered. She did miss her microwave, though. She wished she hadn’t left it with Ryan, but then she had to leave him something. Besides, the bloke was lucky to know how to boil an egg. She imagined he’d be doing a lot of reheating. He’d need it more than she did.
The twins were with her mother, who had been absolutely beside herself with joy when Lee had decided to come back to Melbourne. She didn’t even ask why the turnaround in attitude. If she thinks I’m getting back with Ryan, she’s got a big shock coming, Leelee thought. Wait til she meets Jack!
Jack, she day-dreamed, smiling. Just thinking his name gave her goose-bumps! He’d arranged their flights when he heard her decision to move back to Melbourne. She had been missing her friends, after all. She would miss Nat, of course, but she promised to keep in touch with emails and Facebook. Right now all she could think about was rubbing Ryan’s nose in his mistake. When Nat had suggested that maybe she wasn’t fully over Ryan yet, Leelee shook her head. ‘Nah, he’s the past. He’s a loser. Can’t even make the starting 22 anymore! I don’t know what I saw in the guy, to be honest. One season of decent footy and he gets a head on him like Roger Ramjet. Thinks his shit doesn’t stink. Well, I’ve got news for him’.
‘Okay’ Nat replied, whistling. ‘So you like him?’ Lee had thrown a cushion at her.

Yes, she smiled, looking around at her new digs. That was the past. This is the future. Hopefully, it includes Jack! She already had a photo of him stashed in her purse. Underneath the pics of the twins, of course! Just so when she was alone, she could pull it out and have a perve, and think, wow, you’re actually dating that! A real, honest-to-God V8 racing car driver! She was supposed to see him that very night. They were going out to Molloy’s for dinner, to celebrate her homecoming and because her friend Ally was part manager. She wondered what Ryan was up to. She stifled an impulse to call him and ask him to Molloy’s, on the pretence of giving things another go, then turn up with Jack… No, that was cruel, premeditated, and just bad sportsmanship, she thought. He has to see us at the right place, at the right time. No manipulation required. Otherwise it would just look like she was rubbing his nose in it. Of course, that was what she would be doing, but she didn’t want to plan it. It had to happen naturally, or it wasn’t worth the wait!


*****


Heath, Tori, Marty and Melissa took their places at the table by the window at Molloy’s. Ally herself had seated them. ‘We’ve got a few bookings tonight, but I’ll make sure you guys are looked after’ she promised. ‘Sean’s got a new apprentice in the kitchen, so your meals should be a bit faster than last time!’
‘Oh that’s okay’ Mel said, taking a menu from Ally. ‘We’re in no rush. Are we, guys?’
Heath shook his head, and stared at Tori with those intense blue eyes of his. Mel gulped and tried not to look at him. Tried not to wish it was her those eyes were fixed on!
What was wrong with her? She loved Marty, didn’t she? She looked at him. He was studying a menu, or pretending to. He kept running a hand through his dark hair, as if nervous. She slid a foot up his leg. And got a very surprised look from Heath! Mel blushed and tucked her foot back around the leg of her chair. Oops!
Thankfully, Marty hadn’t noticed a thing. Tori was also shyly studying her own menu. During the drive to the restaurant (they’d carpooled to save petrol) she’d peppered Marty with questions about Ireland. Mel got a little toey, wondering if the girl still had a thing for Marty, and was just doing this date thing to get close to him. But even though he answered her questions politely enough, he didn’t seem to be flirting with her. At least one of us knows how to keep our eyes from straying, Melissa thought, miserably. Why can’t I stop thinking about Heath?
After they’d ordered drinks, Heath started asking Tori about her work. She was a veterinarian’s assistant, and loved her job, because animals, next to AFL, were one of her biggest passions. Mel had found that out amongst other things while she and Em had made Tori over. God that girl could talk, when she really got going! Barely took a breath between changes of topic, too! Mel had tactfully reminded her not to talk quite so much on her date with Heath. Tori was minding herself, for now. But Mel wondered how long it would take before the floodgates opened, and the verbal diarrhoea ensued!
Marty, meanwhile, was sitting quietly, drumming his fingers against the stem of his wineglass. Mel racked her brain for a way to turn that frown of his upside down. Playing footsies was out of the question. She didn’t want to make that embarrassing mistake again! But since Tori’s eyes would occasionally wander over to Marty’s side of the table (he was sitting to her right, across the table from Mel) she had to find a way to a)get his attention and b)remind Tori that she was out with Heath, not Marty!
‘Marty’ Tori said, jolting him out of his catatonia, ‘What do you think of the new rules?’
Somehow she and Heath had gone from talking about endangered cats and dogs to shoptalk. Again. As much as she liked footy, Mel found that she couldn’t talk about it 24/7. It would drive her up the wall. Tori found it easy, apparently.
‘Oh, uh… You mean the hands-in-back rule, or the four umpire thing they’re plannin’ on bringin’ in?’ Marty asked.
‘Both’ Tori said, leaning her sharp chin on the back of her hand and staring at him like he had the answers to the universe written on his forehead. Her brown eyes were drinking him in, adoringly. Heath could have been in another galaxy as far as she was concerned. A galaxy far, far away!
Mel jumped up. ‘I’m off to the Ladies’. Tori, come with me’.
‘What?’ Tori asked, clearly irritated to be pulled away from Marty’s orbit. ‘Why?’
‘Because’ Mel said, ‘I asked you to’.
‘But…’
‘Tori, do you really want me to point out a certain hygiene matter in front of Heath?’
Mel asked, aware she was crossing the line into Desperate and Bitchy territory.
‘Eh, there’s no call for that’ Marty started to tell her, and Mel gave him a withering stare. ‘I just want to talk to you; that’s all’ she said to Tori. ‘Okay?’
As they left the table, Mel could hear Heath say to Marty ‘I didn’t notice anything, did you?’
‘Uh… I think she had lipstick on her teeth’ Marty said, quickly. Mel wanted to hug him. Who said Irish people were stupid?
‘What’s wrong?’ Tori asked, as the two girls stood before the mirror. ‘Have I got something stuck between my teeth?’
Mel sighed. ‘We haven’t started eating yet, Tori’ she reminded her less clued-in friend. ‘No, it’s not about hygiene. I just want to know why you’re staring at Marty like he’s a rock star or something! Hello, you’re on a date with Heath?! And – in case you forgot, Marty’s here with me’.
Tori bit her lip. ‘I’m sorry… I’m really trying. And Heath’s really nice, he really is…’
‘But?’
‘But… I’ve, like, had this massive crush on Marty since he came to Collingwood! Him and Ryan Cooke…’
‘What?’ Mel asked. ‘Why didn’t you tell me? I could have set you up with Cookie, instead’.
‘Is he single?’ Tori asked, hopefully.
Mel groaned. ‘How about we take this one date at a time? Look, if you don’t like Heath, I’ll under… Actually, no, I don’t understand! What’s wrong with him?’
‘Nothing’ Tori insisted. ‘He’s just not my type. He’s a really sweet guy and everything…’
Poor Heath, Mel thought. He at least seemed interested in his date! ‘Well I told you it was Heath you were going out with. Why didn’t you say something earlier?’ Mel demanded. ‘Instead of wasting everyone’s time? Especially Heath’s’.
Tori opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it, and clammed up.
Mel narrowed her eyes. ‘You were after Marty all along, weren’t you?’ She said. ‘Admit it! You went through all this to try to get close to Marty!’ Mel knew she sounded just like Jackie on that 70’s show, all wonky and possessive, but couldn’t help it. Marty was her man. And this scrag thought she could turn that around in the space of one night!
Tori nodded. ‘Well let’s face it, you’re not paying him much attention’ she dared to say!
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Well’ Tori said, taking a step back, ‘You guys don’t seem to have much to say to each other. That’s all’.
‘Just because I’m not chewing his ear off like you’ve been doing to poor Heath doesn’t mean I don’t want to be with him’. Mel said, getting to the heart of the matter.
‘I have not been chewing Heath’s ear off!’ Tori cried. ‘I’ve been really careful not to talk too much! I remembered what you said. But I’m thinking your advice might not be worth as much as I thought’.
‘Well’ Mel said, quietly, refusing to be drawn into a screaming match, ‘I’m the one with the boyfriend, aren’t I? Weigh it up’. She turned and stormed out the door, leaving Tori to refresh her own makeup. Probably a bad move, but at that point, Mel didn’t care if the girl came out looking like Marilyn Manson. It would serve her right!

****

Another couple were dining out at Molloy’s that night. Jack and Leelee had taken a romantic table in a far off corner, near the fish tank. But they didn’t even look at all the pretty fish swimming through the fern fronds. They only had eyes for each other. Jack was talking about cars, of course, but Leelee was all ears. They’d shared a medium sized pizza with the lot, both agreeing that anchovies were disgusting, and were onto dessert. Jack even splashed out on a fairly expensive bottle of wine and had poured her a glass, saying ‘To possibilities’. He wasn’t pushing things, but he wasn’t backing off, either. Leelee couldn’t believe how much they had in common. More than… No. She had to stop comparing him to Ryan. Ryan was the past. Ryan cheated on her. Ryan was… her ex. She had to get used to saying that. He was her ex-husband. God, Leelee thought, I’m a divorcee! At my age!
‘Penny for your thoughts? I know that’s a really old saying but my Mum’s always coming out with it, so it’s a habit’ Jack was saying.
‘What? Oh… No, they’re not worth a penny. Trust me’ Leelee said, blushing.
‘Thinking about Ryan?’ Jack asked.
‘No’ Leelee said, a little too quickly.
‘It’s okay if you are. Really. I would expect it! You’ve just come out of a three-year marriage. I’m well aware that I’m probably Rebound Guy, but I figured if you got to know me better…’ he trailed off. ‘I just hoped I’d take your mind off your problems for a while. And then maybe, once we got to know each other, you might decide you like me a bit more than friends’.
‘Jack’ Leelee said, taking his hand and staring into his eyes. ‘I already like you as more than just a friend’.
‘Is that right?’ he asked, completely without his usual cheeky grin. ‘I don’t want to be a complication in your life, Lee. That’s all. If there’s stuff you have to work out with Ryan…’
‘There’s nothing. He hasn’t even called me since I got back. Can you believe that? He SMS’d me to ask me if he could have the kids over the weekend, and that’s it. It’s over for me, Jack, and as far as I know, it’s over for him, too. I haven’t exactly had him breaking down my door at three in the morning, wailing that he wants me back. Not that he could break down my door. Screaming Nancy-boy that he is’.
‘Now now’ Jack grinned. ‘Play nice’.
Leelee laughed. ‘I can’t help it. Have you seen how he plays football?’
Jack’s face got serious again. ‘The more you talk about him, the more I start to wonder how over him you are’ he said, quietly. ‘I get that you like me. I don’t know why, because I’m the biggest geek going, but…’
He didn’t get to finish his sentence, because Lee’s lips got in the way! It took a second or two; then he started to kiss her back. Leelee liked that he didn’t shove his tongue down her throat. He had pizza breath, but then so did she, so she couldn’t complain! She wouldn’t have complained anyway. It was the best kiss she’d had in well over six months. Since before the Copeland Trophy; actually. When she was still married!
When they finally came up for air, Jack’s mouth broke into an instant grin. ‘Wow’ he said. ‘Did you feel that?’
‘Feel what?’ Leelee asked.
‘The Earth move?’
Leelee cracked up. ‘You are the biggest dag! Come here’. She pulled him toward her, and kissed him again!

*****

Things at Table Nine were getting heated, without anyone actually saying anything. But if looks could kill or at the very least paint pictures, Tori would be the newest dish on the menu, and Marty would be lying in Tori’s bed, covered in chocolate body paint!
Doesn’t that scrag get the hint? Mel wondered. Or does she need to be introduced to it, via my fist?
After they’d ordered their mains, Heath excused himself. ‘I’m gonna go get a drink from the bar’ he said. ‘Does anyone want anything?’
‘Aye’ Marty said. ‘I’ll have a Guinness’
‘I’ll come with you’ Tori decided, and Heath nodded, enthusiastically. ‘I’ll buy you a drink’ he said, as they walked off. Mel scowled but didn’t manage to hide it before Marty saw the look on her face. ‘What’s the matter, Mel?’ he asked. ‘Your matchmaking’s going fine. They’re getting along great. What happened back there?’
‘You mean in the loos?’
‘Yeah’
Mel bit her lip. ‘Don’t you think it’s a little weird how she’s been paying you all this attention?’
Marty raised an eyebrow. ‘She’s been talking to Heath, most of the time’.
‘Yeah, but she’s been looking at you like she wants to see you naked! Trust me, Marty, we girls can pick these things’.
‘She has?’ He asked, going a peculiar shade of pink!
Mel laughed. ‘And I don’t blame her! I’ve seen you naked! I just don’t want her getting any ideas! She’s on a date with Heath!’
‘And she fancies me, instead? God. Poor Heath’ Marty mused. But he did look rather pleased with himself, having two chicks fighting over him!
She put a hand on his knee. ‘So, you can stop worrying that I’m flirting with Heath, okay? I’m a born flirt. It doesn’t mean I want to sleep with every guy I bat my eyelashes at’.
‘Okay’ Marty said, smiling for the first time that night. ‘But you’ve got to do something for me when all this gets finished’.
‘Name it’ Mel grinned.
‘I can’t’ Marty said. ‘It’s R-Rated, and this is a family restaurant. And besides, Heath and Tori are on their way back’.
Mel laughed. ‘I think they can handle it’
‘Okay’ he grinned. ‘You have to go to bed in my old football jumper. And keep it on while…. Uh…. You know’.
Mel blushed. ‘You’re on’.
‘What are you two talking about?’ Heath asked. ‘Or is it none of our beeswax?’
‘Marty wants me to wear his old football jumper to bed’ Mel said, shooting a sideways glance at Tori, who stared down at her feet.
‘Mel!’ Marty gasped. ‘That’s hardly dinner table talk’.
‘Oh Marty, don’t be such a prude’ Melissa said. ‘We’re all adults here’.
‘Yeah’ Tori said, warming to the topic. She sat down, and focused her attention on Marty again. ‘So, are you like, really Catholic? I’ve heard a lot of Irish people are’.
‘I… Not really; no. I mean, we’re Catholic I suppose but we’re not rabid about it. I don’t have to marry a Catholic girl; or anything’. He smiled over at Mel.
‘Well good’ she laughed. ‘Because I’m a Pagan. I think your parents would shit themselves’.
The whole table erupted in laughter. When it died down, Marty added ‘I think that would be okay, actually, Mel. As long as you’re not a Protestant’.

Heath took Mel aside as they were preparing to leave and whispered ‘Thanks for this, Mel… I had a really good time. I just…’
‘Don’t think she’s the one?’ Mel interrupted. ‘It’s only your first date, Heath! Jeez, we’re not trying to find you the next Mrs Shaw! I’ll just be happy if I can get you laid’.
Heath’s cheeks burned. ‘Do I seem that desperate?’
Mel wanted to grab him and kiss him right then and there, but thankfully repressed the urge! ‘No of course not’ she said. ‘You were a perfect gentleman all night. And you wore that shirt I like! Hey, can you lend it to Marty?’
Heath laughed. ‘Not if it’s going to wind up on your bedroom floor! This is pure Egyptian cotton! Anyway, thanks for tonight… But I think I’ll be sending her home without dessert, if you know what I mean’.
‘Absolutely. You don’t have to sleep with her’ Mel said, in a low voice. ‘Think of this as a trial run. Next time I’ll set you up with someone you like’.
‘Okay’ Heath agreed. ‘Because even though she seems like a nice girl… I kept getting the feeling she had her eye on someone else all night. Mel…’
‘I know’ Melissa said. ‘She likes Marty. Well, she can keep dreaming’.
‘Just watch out for that one’ Heath warned. ‘I mean, look at her’.
Mel turned her head. Tori was over at the counter, standing awfully close to Marty. There was no reason for it. Heath had paid her bill, so she should be standing back, but she wasn’t. ‘She clearly can’t take a hint’ Mel said, clenching her jaw.
Heath gave her a reassuring smile. ‘Don’t worry’ he said. ‘Marty’s totally in love with you. He wouldn’t give her a second glance’.
‘I hope you’re right’ Mel said, casting a worried glance at her boyfriend. He wasn’t backing away from Tori. He paid for dinner and kept talking to her. Mel was starting to get the feeling that mentioning Tori liked him might have been a big mistake.
‘Hey, Heath’ Marty said, turning toward them, ‘You know how you said Tori was familiar?’
‘Yeah’
‘Well, it’s because she’s one of the Boundary Bogans that come to training every week! I thought I knew her from somewhere!’
‘Shit’ Heath said, slapping his forehead. ‘Of course! It’s Amy Winehouse!’
‘What?!’ Mel laughed. Meanwhile, Tori looked ready to run out in traffic.
‘Good job, by the way’ Marty said to his girlfriend. ‘But it’s been bothering me all night where I’ve seen her before. Without the fake tan, the eyebrow wax and the manicure! And whatever you did to her hair!’
‘Yeah well’ Mel shrugged. ‘You can take the girl out of the moccasins, but you can’t take the moccasins out of the girl’.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Tori asked; her hands on her hips.
Mel stepped forward. ‘I mean, all night you’ve been hitting on my boyfriend! That’s not something a decent girl does! You’ve all but fondled him under the table, and I’m not even sure you didn’t try that! You were sitting beside him’. The two girls were almost nose-to-nose. Sean appeared out of nowhere. ‘Uh, guys?’ he said, nervously, ‘I’m gonna have to ask you to take that outside! Not throwing you out or anything, but…’
‘It’s okay, Ruz’ Heath said, grabbing Tori by the arm. ‘We’re leaving’.
Outside, Tori forgot all pretence of being a decent girl. ‘How dare you call me a slut!’ she hissed, and lunged at Mel.
‘I didn’t’ Mel insisted. 'You used that word. I was a bit more eloquent about it’.
Heath laughed. Marty chuckled, but held onto Mel, who was threatening to go all Fight Club on Tori’s arse if she made another move on him. Tori looked at Heath, then looked at Mel. ‘You two are ones to talk’ she spat. ‘You’ve been giving each other the eye all night! No kidding. She totally wants you, Heath. Trust me. A girl can tell’.
‘You bitch!’ Mel exploded, and wrenched herself out of Marty’s grasp. Without saying another word, she delivered an expert right hook to Tori’s jaw. The whole car park would have heard the sickening crack. The girl spun almost 180 degrees, and fell to the ground.
The silence was deafening. Mel thought she could hear the blood pumping in her own ears. ‘Shit’ she said, just to break the ice. ‘Shit, shit, shit! What have I done?’ She put a hand over her mouth. Heath moved quickly to his date’s side. ‘She’s breathing’ he announced. ‘But we’d better call an ambulance’.
‘I will’ Marty said, a stony, unreadable look on his face. After he’d called an ambulance on his mobile, he stepped back from Mel. ‘I just can’t deal with you right now’ he told her.
‘You don’t believe what she said, do you?’ Mel asked, panic starting to take over. The night was very quickly going to hell!
Marty didn’t answer straight away. He looked at her in a way Mel hoped he’d never look at her again. Then he turned and went back inside.
Mel felt tears burn at the corners of her eyes. She put her hands up to her face. It was a cold night. But that wasn’t why her cheeks felt numb.
‘Hey’ Heath said. Mel turned and found him beside her. ‘She’s okay’ he said. He waved a hand over at Tori. She was sitting upright, holding her jaw, Heath’s jacket over her shoulders. ‘See? She’s not going to cark it, or anything. How are you?’
Mel blinked back tears. ‘Don’t ask’.
‘Aw, Marty didn’t believe that bullshit, did he?’ Heath said. ‘She was just trying to goad you into hitting her’.
No, Mel thought. She was telling the truth. I do want you. I just don’t know why.

Will Marty forgive Mel?
Will Leelee get her revenge on Ryan?
And the restaurant gets a famous visitor…

[mel_kay39]

oops... double post.

[Magpie Girl]

Awesome epp again Mel, very very good!

[mel_kay39]

Episode 147

Revenge and Regrets

‘Oh shit, guess what?’ Sean laughed, as he read the paper at the breakfast table. Ally looked up from the latest issue of HERS. ‘What?’
‘Gordon Ramsay’s coming to Australia! And he’s holding a competition to find a restaurant he can help. Why don’t we enter it, just for a laugh? I mean, I know Molloy’s isn’t in trouble or anything, but I’d like to meet the bloke anyway. See what he thinks of my steak and kidney pie’.
Ally laughed. ‘Go ahead. But don’t get your hopes up. We have been doing pretty good numbers. And our reputation’s starting to spread. Word of mouth’s been good to us’.
‘Not to mention all my team mates having their romantic anniversaries there!’ Sean replied. ‘God, I was a bit worried we were going to have a catfight in there the other night, though!’
‘Why?’ Ally asked. She’d been busy dealing with customers and hadn’t heard about the fight Sean had almost had to break up in the foyer.
‘Mel and that skank from the Boundary Bogans were about to rip each other’s hair out! Don’t know what happened over dinner, but if I was the girl Heater was with, I wouldn’t set foot at the Lexus Centre for at least two weeks. Marty tells me Mel’s got a nasty temper when she gets onto it’.
‘The Boundary Bogans?’ Ally said, laughing so much she almost snorted her coffee. ‘Who came up with that one?’
‘Oh, one of the rookies. Barham, I think. Anyway, they hang out at training, wearing no bras under their jumpers, and try to get us to sign in places you don’t wanna know about’.
‘So how come Heath went out with one of them?’
Sean shook his head. ‘I have no idea! I think we’re gonna have to step in for the lad if he’s getting that short on dates! Maybe he didn’t recognise her, though. She did look pretty different’.
‘So how come you recognised her?’ Ally teased him.
Sean grinned at her. ‘If you’re trying to bait me, forget it! I recognised her because I remember one of the fans looked like Amy Winehouse. Heater’s date looked like Winehouse after rehab, and a really good makeover. But she still had a honker the size of Mount Rushmore’.
Ally shook her head, laughing. ‘Poor Heath. I might see if one of my single friends wants a date. Sounds like he needs some serious help in that department’.
‘He never has before’ Sean mused. ‘I suppose being off the market for a while will do that to you’.
‘Not that you’ll ever have that problem’ Ally smiled. She slid off her seat and put her arms around her husband’s neck. She loved his broad shoulders, but she hated the scars from surgery. Not that she ever said anything to him. They were just a reminder that he hadn’t been able to play a full season of footy in nearly three years. If he didn’t manage to string together ten games next season, she was worried Collingwood might put him on the scrapheap. He was way too good a player for that. She kissed his shoulder.
‘Oh, don’t start that’ Sean said, ‘It’s ticklish, and I’ve got to go to work! No time for funny business’.
‘I know’ she sighed. When is there ever time for “funny business” anymore, though, she wondered?

*****

Brendan and Bella were lying in bed after a blissful morning. It was Saturday, the birds were chirping, they’d just spent half the night wrapped up in each other, and life was finally good. Bella looked over at him. She wished he didn’t have to get back to the band so soon. He had to leave the very next day, but he promised to keep in touch with her. ‘Get a webcam’ he grinned. ‘So I can see you whenever I want’.
Bella laughed. ‘Not on your life, buddy! I’m not having Spencer and Ryan checking me out over your shoulder!’
‘I don’t mean for dirty stuff’ Brendan said, hurt. ‘I just mean that when we haven’t seen each other for a few days we can hop online and get our fix! I know I miss you when I’ve been on tour for months!’
‘You do?’ Bella asked, amazed. ‘You could have anyone, and you were thinking about me?’
‘Of course’ Brendan said, as if she should just accept it! ‘Why wouldn’t I?’
Bella shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I just find it hard to believe, that’s all’.
Brendan rolled over and kissed the tip of her nose. ‘You suffer from low self esteem, baby! I’ll have to cure you of that’.
‘You’re doing a pretty good job, already’ Bella laughed. Then she winced. Her stomach still occasionally hurt from the D&C. She couldn’t believe she wasn’t still pregnant. Her stomach looked about four months gone, but the nurse told her that would go down in a few weeks.
‘Good’ Brendan said. ‘Because you put yourself down far too much! Dean doesn’t know what he gave up. Who’s that skank he’s with now?’
‘Oh, one of the Veronicas’. Bella said, yawning. She didn’t want to think about Dean on such a perfect day. Or that swamp donkey he cheated on her with.
‘Who?’
‘The Veronicas. They’re a couple of twin skanks who dress like try-hard emos. Either that, or they really don’t have a mirror at home’.
‘Oh. What, are they actors?’
‘Singers, actually. If you could call their bleating singing’ Bella said. She knew she was being slightly bitchy, but she couldn’t help it. Even she had been caught, on occasion, humming one of their songs. They were just so irritatingly catchy, that’s all!
Brendan laughed. ‘Do I detect a hint of jealousy?’
‘No’ Bella said quickly. ‘Why would I be jealous of her when I’ve got you?’
‘A good point, to be sure’ Brendan grinned. He started to sing in that voice that made Bella’s brain burn and her guts go gooey. ‘Is it still me who makes you sweat; am I who you think about in bed…’
‘Shut up, shut up’ Bella laughed, thumping him with a pillow. ‘I’m still having trouble uncurling my toes from the last time! I’ve got no energy left, seriously’.
‘Is that right?’ Brendan said, grabbing her wrist and pushing it up near the bedpost. ‘In that case, I’ll just have to hold you down and have my way with you…’

*****

Lee found getting her old job back very easy. Jennifer had left the Lexus Centre ages ago to have a baby with her latest boyfriend, and Ally was busting a gut trying to do the work of two women as well as work at night at the restaurant. She was so relieved to see Lee back, she did the Snoopy Dance in the Lexus Centre foyer! Leelee cracked up. ‘I take it you’re happy I’m back?’
‘Am I! The last month has been a disaster! Well not totally, actually – I managed all right – but I did have to work extra long hours. The only time I see Sean these days is at the restaurant. And there, he may as well be my boss’ Ally scowled. ‘Have you ever tried working with your significant other? They forget you’re a partner and start treating you like a slave’.
‘I hope things are all right with you two’ Lee said. ‘They are, aren’t they?’
‘Of course. It’s just hard trying to get time for each other with a business to run’ Ally confided. ‘On the upside, we’re rolling in dough at the moment. It’d just be nice to have time to spend it’.
‘Hey, save it’ Leelee advised. ‘Especially if you ever plan on having kids! My obstetrician charged a fortune, but if you want the best, you’ve got to pay for it’.
‘True’ Ally said, thoughtfully. ‘We really want to put off kids for a while, though. Spend some time together first. At least, that was the plan. Then the restaurant came along, and now that’s Sean’s baby’. She rolled her eyes. ‘Dad’s going into early retirement because Sean’s doing all the work for him! All Dad has to do is the books. He even managed to trade in that old rattler of his. You know the BMW? He’s got a Ford Territory now’.
‘Wow’ Lee whistled. ‘That’s getting pretty upmarket! You better watch it, or you’ll be in the next tax bracket and leave all your low-income earning mates behind’.
‘I wouldn’t dream of it’ Ally assured her. ‘You guys keep me sane! I swear, between sucking up to wine-quaffing head-cases from the Herald Sun, and trying to sort out a double-booking on the night of the Hall of Fame awards, when every man and his dog decided to eat at Molloys, mind you – I’m right in line for a dose of anti-psychotics’.
Lee laughed. ‘I was there that night, you know’.
‘I heard’ Ally said, grinning. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t seat you, but I was run off my feet! So how’s the new romance?’
‘Who told you about that?’
‘Courtnie. She walked past you two while you were getting up close and personal. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head ‘cause she thought you were still in Queensland! So, who is he? Give us the dirt’.
‘He’s a V8 driver I met up there’ Leelee said. ‘His name is Jack, and he’s half the reason I’m back down here. You guys and Mum are the other reasons. I got homesick, I suppose’.
‘Well; good for you!’ Ally smiled. ‘It’s about time you had something nice happen to you. Ryan’s a wreck, you know’. Her voice dropped a notch, and she leaned in closer to Lee. ‘He’s been going out to clubs, picking up women and making a nuisance of him self around here, asking about you. I don’t think he even knows what he wants’.
‘Well he can’t have me’ Leelee said, ‘I’m spoken for’.
‘You didn’t waste any time, did you?’
The girls looked over at the counter. Ryan Lonie stood there, looking like Julian McMahon with a hangover, stubble on his chin and a slur in his voice. Lee wondered how he’d managed to eavesdrop on them. But then, he’d always had pretty good hearing. She suppressed a grin, and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘Hello Ryan’.
‘Hello, yourself. I hear you’ve got a new bloke on the go?’
‘Not that it’s any of your business, since you made it pretty clear over the last six months that you weren’t interested in us anymore, but yes, I do’ Leelee said. ‘What about it?’
He shrugged. ‘Bit fast, isn’t it?’
‘Fast? What, like that thing you f**ked at the Copeland last year? Did you even get her first name, Ryan?’
‘Of course I did. It’s Regina. But that’s not the point. I heard you were back, so I thought I’d come and let you know I’m going for shared custody of the kids’.
Leelee shrugged. ‘Okay. What, did you expect me to fight you on it? Maybe if you went for full custody, I would. But you’re not a bad father. Just a crappy husband’. She gave Ally a wave and strode past Ryan, feeling like a million dollars, while he looked like a fifty dollar bill. ‘See you around, Ryan. I’ll see you next time you want to spend some time with the kids’.
Ryan looked like he was about to say something, but thought better of it. Leelee went into her cosy, familiar old office, and started to put her framed pictures back up on the wall, humming Lily Allen’s “Smile” to herself. She thought Ryan actually seeing her with Jack was going to be the ultimate revenge. But she felt pretty damn good, anyway!

*****

Meanwhile, Melissa was lying in bed by herself, missing Marty, hating Tori and hating herself even more. Luckily, the stupid skank had only a bump on the back of her head, and some swelling in her jaw, and she didn’t want to press charges (because she knew she had it coming, Mel guessed, but didn’t say at the time). Marty was still angry with her. He hadn’t called, he hadn’t come over… To be fair, it was only Monday, but he’d had the weekend to cool off. Mel had called Sharon the day before to get her to open the shop; and had thought she wouldn’t be able to go in, she was so upset, but the thought of work actually took her mind off things with Marty, so she pulled herself out of bed and forced herself to endure a shower.
The shop was unusually busy for early Monday morning. ‘What’s going on?’ Mel asked Sharon. ‘You didn’t put those Romanian Orbs on sale, did you? There’s been a rush on those lately. They might look like overpriced paperweights, but they are legitimate magical objects’.
‘No’ Sharon said, quickly. ‘I did everything you said. I just think Wicca’s coming back into fashion you know? Plus money spells are pretty hot, right now, what with interest rates going up’. She gave Mel a careful look. ‘Everything all right?’ She’d been given the Reader’s Digest version of the big double date that turned bad, and seemed scared to ask too many questions. ‘No one called?’ Mel asked, looking hopeful.
‘No, Marty didn’t call’. Sharon put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. ‘Mate… Give him time. He’ll come around. He loves you’.
‘Oh I don’t know’ Mel said, feeling tears not far away. ‘I think the whole Heath thing has really rubbed him the wrong way lately. First with the babysitting; and now this’.
‘Heath Shaw? Are you serious? I mean… I suppose he’s kind of cute, but… You might not want to hear my opinion on this…’
Mel shrugged. ‘Go ahead’.
Sharon looked around to make sure no one was listening, or needing help, then lowered her voice. ‘Look… Marty’s the best thing to happen to you for ages. Don’t screw it up over a silly crush. Really, it’s not worth it’.
‘I know’ Mel sighed. ‘But what happens if I can’t get the guy out of my head?’
Sharon bit her lip. ‘Then… I guess you’re really up Shit Creek?’
‘Gee, thanks, mate’ Mel said, sarcastically. ‘No really?’
‘You know what I think’, Sharon told her. ‘Either you get this little thing you’ve got for Heath out of your system, or you prepare for some serious grovelling. Marty’s a decent guy. He’ll get over it, once he sees what you’re prepared to do to get him back’.
‘And the other? What if I win Marty back and still can’t get Heath out of my head?’
Sharon raised her eyebrow. ‘Is there a possibility of that happening?’
Mel put her hands over her face and rubbed her eyes. ‘Oh, I don’t know! Maybe?’
‘God’ Sharon mused. She pulled her pale blonde hair into a ponytail with the scrunchie around her wrist. ‘You’ve got it bad, then’.
‘Don’t remind me’ Mel said. ‘I wish I could just… magic it all away’.
‘What, like a de-lusting spell?’ Sharon laughed. ‘I think those sorts of things only exist on Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Nope, mate, you’ve got to do this the hard way! Only this time, the hard way might also be the fun way’. She grinned at her boss and entered the store room behind the counter. ‘But make sure you do it before you try to win Marty back’.


*****

Tuesday night was a busy night for Molloy’s. Ally’s theory was that their reasonably priced menu suited those who got paid by Centrelink that morning, so after a movie, they’d tend to come in at around half past seven or eight o’clock for a late dinner.
So they were run off their feet when the president of the Collingwood Football Club waltzed in with none other than Gordon Ramsay as his dinner guest!
‘This place is mint’ Eddie was telling Ramsay. ‘You’ve got to check out their Veal Cordon Bleu. I know the bloke who owns the joint. In fact, I pretty much own the bloke who owns this joint!’
‘So I guess you own the joint, too, then?’ Ramsay laughed, the two of them conspiratorially chuckling at the front of the line at reception. ‘Nah, he’s a good kid’ Eddie said, seriously. Ally thought he was just saying that because he saw her coming and thought she might object to his saying he “owned” her husband. Gee Eddie, she thought. I can take a joke!
‘Hello Mr Maguire, Mr Ramsay. How many people will be dining with you tonight?’
‘Just us’ Eddie said. ‘Carla’s at home with the kids. How are you, Alyssa? You’ve got two jobs now, I hear?’
‘I’m good, thanks, Mr Maguire! Very busy though. So I’ll have to find you a table and finish this conversation later! Sorry about that’.
‘Oh no worries’ Eddie said. ‘Sean in the kitchen?’
Ally resisted the impulse to roll her eyes. ‘Isn’t he always? I’ll get him for you…’
‘No, don’t trouble him on my account! It’s probably better he doesn’t know Gordon’s here, or he’ll get too nervous he’s going to get reviewed, or something’. Eddie laughed.
Ally smiled, grimly. ‘We’ve already had that pleasure! The bloke from the Herald Sun was in last week’.
‘Oh, how did that go?’
‘I’m sorry, Mr Maguire, but I really have to scoot’ Ally said, showing the famous duo to a table far from prying eyes. ‘But I’ll come back if I get a spare minute’.
‘You do that, love’ Gordon said, eyeing Ally appreciatively. ‘You’re a great waitress, you know that? F**kin’ A-Grade’.
‘Uh… Thank you, Mr Ramsay’ Ally said, feeling a blush coming on. The guy wasn’t anywhere near her type, not to mention her age, but she wasn’t expecting him to flirt with her, either! ‘But I’m actually the Maitre’ d. Not a waitress’.
‘Pity about that’ Ramsay said. ‘What if I gave you a monster tip? Would you play waitress for us then?’
Ally hesitated. ‘Uh… I really have to get back to work, Mr Ramsay. I can get our best waitress, Courtnie, to look after you…’
‘Don’t tease the poor girl’ said Eddie, good-naturedly. ‘She’s got a job to do! Courtnie will be fine, thanks, Alyssa’.
‘I hope Courtnie’s got pins like that one’ she heard Ramsay say as she walked back over to the line of people waiting for a table. She shuddered. He was so much funnier on TV, when he was swearing his head off, and not hitting on girls half his age!

*****

‘Hi’
Mel turned around and almost groaned. He was the last person she wanted to run into, and yet secretly, she couldn’t help but feel a little jolt of adrenaline, seeing him here. Totally out of his comfort zone. He had Jensen with him, too.
‘Hi Heath’ she said. ‘And hello, Handsome! Is Daddy taking you shopping, or are you taking Daddy shopping?’ She kissed Jensen’s chubby cheek. She was aware she was avoiding talking to Heath, but just looking at him reminded her of Marty, and how upset he’d been.
‘Can we talk?’ Heath asked. ‘Do you have five minutes?’
‘Okay’ Mel said, warily. ‘Come around the back’.
She led Heath behind the counter to the stock room. ‘It’s quiet in here’ she said. ‘What’s up?’
The stockroom was about three metres long and two metres wide, so there wasn’t a whole lot of room. Heath was lucky to be able to get his son’s stroller in without knocking over boxes. ‘I’m sorry about this’ Mel said. ‘It’s just that Brownie’s in the Potion room and he’s kind of busy. He won’t be able to give us our privacy’.
‘Nah, look, don’t worry about it’ Heath said, watching Mel close the door. ‘Hey that thing won’t lock on us, will it?’
‘No’ Mel laughed. ‘Don’t worry! I think you’ve seen one too many soapies, Heath’.
He laughed, embarrassed. Mel was not used to being in such close quarters with him. They were standing near the door, the only place without boxes on the floor, and Heath’s chest was mere inches from hers. She was sure he could hear her heart pounding.
‘I’m not saying I wouldn’t mind being locked in here with you, it’s just that with the little fellow…’ Heath said, blushing. ‘Anyway… Has Marty talked to you yet?’
‘No’ Mel frowned. ‘He’s totally freezing me out at the moment. Can’t say I blame him, though. With what Tori said, and everything. I do have a habit of flirting with you whenever he’s around’.
‘Yeah’ Heath grinned. ‘What’s that about?’
‘Don’t ask’ Mel said, it being her turn to blush. ‘Don’t get me wrong – if I was single, I’d be interested, but…’
‘Really?’ he asked, sounding surprised. Mel looked up into those blue-grey eyes and realised he was staring straight at her. Not at her chest, like most guys, but at her.
The only other man who did that was Marty.
‘Of course, you dag’ she said, ‘Why not? What’s wrong with you?’
Heath shrugged. ‘Nothing I suppose! I’m no Brad Pitt, though’.
‘Ugh’ Mel said. ‘Who wants Brad Pitt? I never got the fascination with him, quite frankly’.
‘Really?’ Heath asked. ‘I thought most women were into him. Or George Clooney’.
‘Yuck, and yuckier’ Mel replied.
‘Yah’ announced Jensen.
‘See, he agrees with me’ Mel laughed.
Heath grinned. ‘He’s four months old! He has been parroting sounds, though’.
‘Oh, well, you can’t blame me for trying! We’ll have him talking before he’s 18 months old, though! You watch’.
‘And watching the footy I suppose?’
‘Damn straight. And Johnny Depp movies. Well, the ones suitable for children, anyway’.
Heath’s mouth turned up in a half-grin. ‘Oh, so you’re a Depp fan?’
‘Yep’ Mel replied. ‘Why?’
He shrugged. ‘He’s a good actor, that’s all. Bit weird, but good’.
‘Weird is good’ Mel told him. She looked up into his face again, and realised he was more or less exactly the same height as Marty.
‘What’s going on here?’ Heath asked, after a few awkward seconds of silence. It seemed as if they’d moved closer to each other in that time, because if Mel leaned slightly forward she’d have her head on his shoulder.
‘What do you mean?’ she asked, innocently. ‘Nothing’s going on’.
‘Okay’ he said, managing to sound relieved and look disappointed at the same time. ‘I better go. I just wanted to find out if things were all right between you and Marty’.
‘If you see him…’ Melissa started to say, but Heath cut her off.
‘If I see him I’ll tell him I haven’t seen you. That way, you can’t get into trouble for me coming here’.
‘Uh… Okay’ Mel said. ‘Thanks’.
Heath let go of the doorknob and turned toward her. ‘I’m sorry’ he blurted.
‘Sorry for what?’ she asked. ‘You haven’t done anything’.
‘No, but I’m apologising in advance’ he said.
‘What for?’
‘This’.
Before Mel knew it, his lips were on hers, softly at first, then more urgent. His hands touched her face and ran through her hair. She found herself responding, pressing her body against his; running her own hands up his chest to his shoulders. He was a damn good kisser, making her knees go to jelly with his strong lips! Mel knew she had to put a stop to this before it got out of control, so reluctantly, she backed off and pushed him away.
‘I’m sorry’ she said, as if it was her fault he kissed her!
‘No, don’t say sorry’ Heath said. ‘It was my fault! I started it! I should get out of here. I’m sorry… I’ll see you later’. He opened the door, backed the pram out of the store room as fast as he could, and was gone.

Next…

Ally is forced into a corner at work
Em and Nathan get a surprise visitor
And will Marty find out about the kiss?

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

Haha Gordon Ramsay hey?

I'll take that, coz he's rich hahaha!! He can be my sugar daddy hahaha!

Love always, Alyssa xoxo

[mel_kay39]

LMAO I just watched A current affair where they were saying women think he's sexy. Don't see it myself, but he's pretty funny. I used to think my uncle swore alot until I copped that guy!

Episode 148

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

Ally stared at Sean in shock. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me! Are you serious?’
Sean nodded. ‘It’s not as creepy as it sounds! The guy just thought you were really good at your job! He wants you to “hostess” a private dinner party he’s having. It’ll mean a lot more money for the restaurant, Al! Why would you pass it up?’
‘Because he gave me the creeps, that’s why’ Ally said, her hands on her hips. ‘Or doesn’t that matter to you when your precious restaurant is at stake?’
‘Of course it does’ Sean sighed.
‘Well, try showing it, then! The guy makes me uncomfortable, okay? If I’d hung around long enough I reckon he would have pinched my butt – or worse. And I don’t think your esteemed President would have done much to stop him’.
‘You should take it as a compliment’ Sean said. ‘You’re hot, babe!’
‘I did, to start off with’ Ally sighed. ‘But Courtnie told me he was just as much of a lech to her. I really don’t think it’s fair if we expect our waitresses to put up with being hit on by middle-aged men, no matter how famous they are!’
‘Okay, look…. How about I have a talk to him? Say we’ll do the dinner if he promises to keep his hands to himself. What about that?’
‘It wasn’t about his hands. Not yet, anyway’ Ally protested. ‘It’s about the constant innuendo. And Court says he was trying to look down the front of her blouse when she leaned over to pour his wine. She shouldn’t have to put up with that’.
‘No, you’re right’ Sean frowned. ‘I’ll have a talk to Eddie’.
‘How about going to the man himself?’ Ally suggested. She looked over at the door to the kitchen. ‘He’s waiting in the lunch line’.
Sean looked in the direction of the lunch line, and sighed. ‘Oh, all right’ he said. ‘I’ll talk to him. But if I do, you have to promise to host his dinner’.
It was Ally’s turn to sigh. ‘Fine’ she said, crossing her arms. ‘I’m gonna want double-time’.
Sean rolled his eyes. ‘You’re on’.
Ally watched her husband approach Ramsay, with a lump in her throat. Six months ago he would have slammed a bloke like Ramsey against the wall for hitting on his wife. Now he’d rather suck up to him, and dangle her as bait? Sean was definitely not the same man she married!
I’ll show him she thought. If that Sam Newman wannabe so much as touches me, I’ll dump his soup in his lap! Let Sean get down on his hands and knees and clean that up!
Sean came back to her, smiling. ‘He agreed. Hands off. No suggestive comments. The dinner is this Friday night, before he has to head back to the States to film Hell’s Kitchen 2. Is that okay, or should I be looking for a new Maitre D?’
Ally stared at him. ‘Are you saying you’ll fire me if I don’t do it?’
‘No’ Sean said, quickly. ‘I meant, a new Maitre D for the dinner. Not for the whole restaurant’.
‘Just as well’ Ally snapped, and snatched up her pad and pen to go back out to work. It was the end of her smoko, but she didn’t feel like she’d had a break at all.
‘Al’ Sean grabbed her arm and pulled her back. ‘Come here’.
She let him put his arms around her. ‘I’m sorry’ he said. ‘I’ve been a giant-sized prick, lately. I know it. I wouldn’t put you in a situation like that unless I thought I could control it. Okay? Anyway, he assures me it’s not going to be a boy’s club, Friday night. Carla Maguire will be there, and Ramsay’s publicist. So you won’t be the only female in the room’.
‘What, he’s hired the function room?’ Ally asked. ‘That’s a bit much for only eight guests’.
‘Um… well…’ Sean said, looking sheepish. ‘He says the guest list’s kind of blown out a little bit’.
‘A little bit? How much is a little bit?’ Ally asked.
‘Um… Ten?’
‘So there are going to be eighteen people at this thing instead of eight? Is that right?’
‘Uh… Yep’
‘Sean! You’ll need at least one other waitress for a reservation that big! You know it!’
‘I know, I know, and I’ve asked Michelle. She’s a bit older and won’t take any shit from Ramsay. Court absolutely refused’.
‘I don’t blame her’ Ally sighed. ‘I’d refuse if I had any choice, too’.
‘And I love you for not refusing’ Sean said. He kissed her forehead. ‘You will still do it, won’t you?’
Ally groaned. ‘I suppose so’.
‘You’re the best’.

*****

Mel was doing the books at the shop on Wednesday, trying to take her mind off that kiss and the fact that she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Marty. It was starting to get ridiculous. Maybe I should apologise, she thought. It was true what Tori had said. I hurt him. I should be the one to say sorry. Why am I expecting him to come grovelling to me?
‘I’m going out’ she told Sharon as she grabbed her bag and car keys. ‘I’ll be back soon. I think’
‘Hey, it’s your business’ Sharon said. ‘Going to see Marty?’
‘Yep’
‘It’s about time. Put Heath behind you. That’s not going to happen’.
‘Shaz’ Mel grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the office, which doubled as the Potion Room. Nathan was at training, so they were alone, thankfully. ‘He kissed me’.
‘What?!’ Sharon asked, her blue eyes becoming as round as dinner plates. ‘Heater kissed you?’
‘Yeah. He came here Monday morning. It’s just complicated things so much! I want to get back with Marty… I’ve missed him so much this week! It’s just that…’
‘Let me guess, Heath was a really good kisser?’ Sharon grinned. ‘Gee, Mel… I’d hate to have that dilemma!’
‘Don’t make light of his’ Mel pleaded. ‘I literally don’t know what to do!’
‘I thought you were going to see Marty’ Sharon reminded her.
‘I was’ Mel said, miserably.
‘Well, I can solve that problem for you. They’re both at training. So go see one; and the other will know who you’ve chosen. Simple’.
Mel put her hands over her face. ‘Oh, but I don’t know who to choose! Or if there is a choice! Heath left as soon as… well, he got the hell out of there straight after, let me tell you! He probably regrets it’.
‘So there’s your answer’ said Sharon, impatiently. ‘Mel… Go and see Marty! Bryan tells me he’s been miserable the last few days. His kicking is off-line and he’s been hitting the punching bag so hard his bruises have bruises! I dread to think what will happen if Mick puts him on Heath during a tackling drill, or something’.
‘Okay, okay’ Mel said. ‘I’ll go and see him. It’s probably the best option, anyway’.
‘Yeah, but Mel…’ Sharon said, and Mel turned around at the door. ‘Don’t do something just because everyone else thinks it’s the right thing to do. Do it because you want it. It might sound corny, but it’s good advice. Follow your heart’.

*****

Em picked up Nathan from training as his car was in getting serviced. She watched the boys finish training, with Damien sitting like a well-behaved little angel on her lap. He sucked away on a rusk; dribble coating his mouth and chin, but she didn’t care. As long as he wasn’t screaming, filling his pants as soon as she changed them, or wriggling like an eel to the point where she almost dropped him, she was happy. She didn’t even care if Mel had used magic to tame her baby. This was the infant she wanted; not the red-faced, malevolent baby-like creature she was handed after the birth!
Nathan ran over and gave her a quick kiss. ‘I’ll just go have a shower and be right with you’ he said.
‘Okay’ she said. ‘If you see Dale, tell him his son’s here. He hasn’t been to see him in over a week’.
‘Will do’ Nathan promised.
Dale ran over to Em and Damien as she was packing the baby into the car. ‘Hey!’ he called. ‘I can take him this arvo, if you want’.
‘Bit late for that’ Em said. ‘Give me a couple of hours to get him organised and you can come and pick him up’. When Dale gave her a funny look, she replied, ‘Unless you want to try and breastfeed him’.
Dale laughed, slapping himself upside the head. ‘Of course’ Putting on a Sid-the-Sloth voice, he ticked Damien in the stomach and said ‘I ain’t exactly lactating right now’.
Em laughed. ‘He loves that movie! Don’t think he understands it, obviously – he’s only five months old – but he can’t take his eyes off the screen when it’s on’.
‘Why do they call it the Ice Age?’ Dale quoted. ‘Because… Of all…The Ice!’
His son actually laughed. ‘He is so different now’ Em said, shaking her head in wonder. ‘It’s like he’s a totally different baby’.
‘Well, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?’ Dale asked. ‘I mean, the way he was… you were a nervous breakdown away from a psych ward’.
Em nodded. ‘Tell me about it. I thought I was the worst mother in the world! I wonder how Mel’s coping with Jensen?’
‘I heard she babysat for Heath’ Dale said. ‘Marty’s not too impressed’.
‘Why?’ Em asked. ‘What’s it got to do with Marty?’
‘Guys’ Nathan interrupted. ‘I work with Mel, okay? No idle gossip, please!’
‘Nath’ Em persisted, once they were on the highway, ‘What’s going on with Mel and Marty? What’s babysitting got to do with it? Come on, if they’re fighting, I feel responsible! I gave Heath her number, remember?’
‘There’s… A bit of tension, that’s all. I don’t know all that much, to be honest. Heath was at the shop the other day; and left in a hurry. That’s all I know’.
When they pulled up at the driveway to the house they shared in Richmond (Em and Dale sold the farm when they split up), they saw Em’s mum’s car parked across the road. ‘What’s Mum doing here?’ Em wondered aloud. She got out and walked over to her Mum’s car. ‘Hi’ she said leaning in the window. ‘Mum! What’s wrong?’
‘Ted left me’ her mum sobbed. ‘He’s left me for his secretary!’ After about five minutes of sobbing, Em managed to calm her Mum down. ‘I can’t stay at the house’ her Mum said. ‘Can I stay with you guys, just until I sort something out?’
‘Well, I can’t speak for Nathan… How about you stay the night, and I’ll talk to him after I drop Damo at Dale’s place?’
‘He’s staying with Dale?’ Her mum asked. ‘It’s just… I was hoping to spend some time with my grandson’.
‘Well, if Nathan says you can stay for a while, you’ll see him all the time’ Em reminded her. ‘Come in and have a coffee while I feed him. And you can tell me exactly what’s been going on’.


*****

Mel waved hello at Yasmine and Scott, who were sitting very close together on a couch in the player’s lounge. Lucky them, she thought. They don’t have any problems. They’re so into each other, no one else exists! She wished it was like that for her and Marty. She supposed it should be. They hadn’t been together long. When did the “honeymoon stage” end, she wondered? And why did it have to?!
‘Oh’ she said, as she bumped right into someone. ‘I’m sorry’ she looked up into a familiar face. Marty gave a little nod and tried to walk away.
‘Marty’ Mel grabbed him by the arm. ‘Can we talk?’
‘I don’t see that we have anything to talk about’ he said, stubbornly. ‘You like Heath. I heard it loud and clear. So go get him. I’m not standing in the way’.
‘Tori was wrong’ Mel insisted. ‘Okay, there’s a spark, or something, but I love you! Do we have to do this here, in front of everyone?’
‘You weren’t so worried about that when you dragged your catfight outside the restaurant’ Marty said, not giving her an inch. ‘You think this is embarrassing?’
‘I didn’t mean to humiliate you’ Mel said, miserably. ‘She was hitting on you something fierce. I was just fighting for you, that’s all’.
‘Is that what it was? I thought you hit her ‘cause she told a few home truths. Like, that you fancy Heath! Can’t have that in front of the boyfriend, can you?’
‘Marty, it’s not like that. Really’ Mel said. ‘Can we go somewhere and talk?’
‘Fine’ Marty said, and she followed him to the massage room, which was empty. Once he shut the door, it was on for young and well, younger.
‘I got angry’ Marty tried to explain, ‘Because you’d just finished telling me that Tori liked me, and you could tell ‘cause girls can sense that kind of thing, and next thing I know I’m being told you like Heath, and Tori can tell because girls can sense that kind of thing!’ Marty said, his cheeks becoming flushed. He ran a hand through his hair. ‘I just don’t know what to think! I tried to give you a week to sort things out – whether you wanted me or him – but the whole idea of you with another – especially a team mate…’ he tried to go on but was clearly too choked up. ‘I thought we had something special. Clearly I was wrong’.
‘No’ Mel said, finally seeing sense. She took a step forward, and put a hand on his shoulder. ‘You were right. I have missed you so much this week. I thought I was going to go crazy if I woke up one more time, and you weren’t there! I hate that! Look… Heath can just go find another babysitter. I’m not going to risk what I’ve got with you for… I don’t know… cheap thrills. Whatever. There’s an attraction there, okay, I’ll admit it; but you’re more important to me’. She took his hands. ‘Okay?’
Marty gulped and nodded. ‘Okay. Are you serious about not babysitting anymore?’
‘Hey’ Mel said. ‘I’ll be getting plenty of practice once this tacker comes along’ She rubbed her baby bump. ‘Plus Em says I’m a Baby Whisperer. I can look after Damo. I just won’t look after Jensen anymore’. Pity, she thought. He is such a cutie! But bumping into Heath all the time was a bad idea, and she knew it.
‘So’ she said, looking back up at Marty. ‘Is it a deal? Are we back on?’
Marty took her chin in his hand, and kissed her forehead. ‘As far as I’m concerned, we were never off. Just kind of… On a break’.
Oh well, that’s okay then, Mel thought, as he enveloped her in a hug. If we were “on a break” at the time, then I didn’t cheat on him by kissing Heath! I hope!


*****

Ally and Michelle, the two waitresses, got ready in the restaurant’s toilets for work that night. It was going to be a big night. Eighteen guests in the function room, and five tables downstairs were reserved for special occasions. But Ally couldn’t think about that. Her stomach was churning at the thought of serving the lecherous Gordon Ramsay. She wished he could be like his persona on TV. She wouldn’t mind him dropping the F bomb at every second word, if he managed to keep from undressing her with his eyes.
‘Hey’ Michelle said, as she held up her bleached blonde hair with a banana clip, ‘Don’t worry about Ramsay. If he goes the grope I’ll squeeze him where it hurts’.
Ally laughed. ‘You don’t have to come to my rescue, you know. He did promise to behave himself. But I appreciate the gesture’.
Michelle laughed. ‘And you actually think he can keep to that? Men in show business are notorious for their egos. Just watch your back, girl. I reckon it’ll take him the better part of fifteen minutes to forget he’s supposed to be on his best behaviour’.
‘I hope you’re wrong. The way he looked at me the other day made my skin crawl’ Ally said, shuddering. ‘I like him much better on TV’.
‘Yeah, so do I’ Michelle said. ‘But you know that’s not the real deal. If he was running around hitting on all the female chefs and kitchen hands as well as cursing like a merchant seaman, he’d be off air and in the courts for sexual harassment, before you could say “f**k you too, Gordo”
Ally giggled. ‘What do you reckon he’d do if someone actually had the balls to say that to him?’
‘He’d probably say something like “well bestill my bleedin’ f**kin’ heart! Piss off, wanker, or something’ Michelle said, grinning. ‘Come on, let’s go’.
The party started quite tamely, with the women ordering a white wine and the men light beers. Gordon barely said a word to Ally, which surprised her. She was glad to be able to go about her business without having to worry about him leering down her blouse like Court said he’d done to her.
She retreated to the room where the meals were sent upstairs via a dumbwaiter, and breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was going smoothly. Ramsay had ordered the spinach and pumpkin risotto with a steak medium rare (yuck!) and seemed not to have a problem with it so far. Eddie was keeping him amused with stories about the food in South Africa and Ramsay was acting like she wasn’t even there. Ally crossed her fingers that the rest of the night would go so well.
Then the door to the prep room opened, and Ramsay himself slid in. ‘Oh ‘ello, love’ he said, slurring his words. ‘Is there a bottle of Grange around here you could open up for us? Ed says it’s the best wine in Australia’.
‘It is, sir’ Ally said, being careful not to bend to get into the mini-bar. She didn’t want to give him an opportunity to check out her rear end! She handed him a bottle of one of the most expensive wines in Australia, then thought she should warn him, in case he was footing the bill! ‘This stuff’s pretty expensive, Mr Ramsay’ she said.
He grinned at her. ‘Well, it should get me sozzled quicker, then’ he said. ‘Why don’t you come out and have a glass with us? Come on, you’re on a break’.
‘I’m not supposed to…’ Ally started to say, but he interrupted her. ‘You’re the boss’s wife, aren’t you? That means you part-own this show. You can do what you like. Or should I say, what your customers like! And remember, the customer’s always right’.
‘I…’ Ally stammered, but Ramsay already had her by the hand and was leading her out into the dining area. ‘Alyssa’s going to have a drink with us, aren’t you, Ally?’ Gordon said, making it hard for her to say no in front of eighteen guests! ‘Uh… I suppose I could just have one’ Ally said, hoping like hell Sean wouldn’t decide to take a break and come upstairs. He might be her husband, but she didn’t own this place. He did. And she wasn’t supposed to drink on the job!
‘Yay’ Eddie said, clapping. Oh God, Ally thought. Eddie’s drunk! She felt a giggle coming on. They were only halfway through their main meals! He either had a head start before he got there, or he’s a two pot screamer!
Ramsay poured Ally a drink, and pulled a chair over to his table. Eddie smiled and said ‘Hey, Alyssa, mice to see you. Um… Nice to see you’.
‘Edward, you’re drunk’ Carla said, taking his glass of wine away from him. ‘No more! You have to watch your cholesterol, remember?’
‘Yeah, that’s why I’m eating rabbit food’ Eddie said, pointing in disgust at his plate. ‘The Missus wants me to lose some weight. But what do you call this, Alyssa?’ He pushed something vaguely resembling a artichoke with his fork.
‘That would be an artichoke’ Ally told him. ‘It’s in our Chef’s Special’.
‘Well it looks like a bloody Triceratops! I’m not going to eat that’ Eddie stated. ‘Get me a steak, well done, and a plate of chips!’
‘Eddie, mind your manners’ Carla said, horrified.
‘Oh yeah. Please get me a steak and chips’ Eddie said. He pushed his plate away. ‘I wouldn’t feed this to a South African! No offence, I’m sure a vegetarian would love it, but I like meat’.
‘A Triceratops is meat’ Ramsay laughed. ‘So just pretend you’re eating a dinosaur, Ed’.
‘Oh ha-ha, very funny’ Eddie said. ‘I’ll bet it tastes like one, too’.
‘Edward!’ Carla started to say, and then looked at Alyssa. ‘I’m sorry, he doesn’t normally drink this much!’
‘It’s okay’ said Alyssa, glad to be able to go back downstairs. ‘I’ll send it back down and get him his steak and chips’.
‘Fine’ Carla sighed. ‘At least it might soak up some of the alcohol’.
‘And I thought Ramsay was going to be a pain’ Michelle laughed, when Alyssa told her why she was sending Eddie’s plate back to the kitchen. ‘How many’s the President had to drink?’
‘A few’ Ally admitted. ‘He’s been drinking beer until the wine came out. Mixing isn’t the best idea, either. If he doesn’t wind up throwing up, he’ll probably pass out’.
‘You better make sure there are no media people in here then’ Michelle advised. ‘Watch them dive for their camera phones if the Collingwood Football Club president does a Ben Cousins on the dining room floor’.
Ally laughed. ‘Well I ain’t giving him mouth-to-mouth if he does! That’s Carla’s job’.
‘Would you give me mouth-to-mouth?’ A voice with an English accent asked, from the doorway. Ramsay was leering in at her. ‘Sorry to eavesdrop, but Eddie’s needing a f**king taxi at the moment. Do you have a number we could call?’
Ally him a taxi card. ‘Here. And to answer your question, if I had to give CPR to someone, I would. If they needed it. But you don’t need it. Why do you have to be such a lech?’
‘So I guess the steak and chips has been cancelled then’ Michelle interrupted.
Ramsay nodded. ‘Ed’s pissed and Carla’s getting pissed off. Think its way past bed time for those two’. He winked at Ally. ‘But I’m a night owl. I could f**king go until dawn. What about you, love?’
‘I think that’s about enough from you’ Michelle said, standing between Ramsay and Ally. ‘She’s the boss’s wife, okay? Leave her alone’.
‘Who’s asking you? What, are you her f**king bodyguard, or something? Figures, you look like a f**king dyke’.
‘Hey, hey, no need to get nasty’ Ally said, but Michelle didn’t need her help, apparently. She stood nose to nose with Ramsay and said, ‘You’re half-right. I’m bi. Not that that’s any of your business. But if you don’t get back to the table and leave Ally alone, I’ll make it my business to change your religion’. She flashed a cheese knife in front of his eyes and gestured to his crotch. ‘Are we both on the same page?’
‘Uh… Yeah. I get it’ Ramsay said, and practically hobbled back to the table!
‘You didn’t have to…’ Ally said, but Michelle turned, winked at her and patted her on the shoulder. ‘Don’t worry’ she said. ‘I don’t have the hots for you. I just like to push men around, occasionally’. She grinned. ‘Especially blokes like him’
Wow, Ally thought. That’s a relief!
‘Whoa’ they heard from the dining room. There was the sound of breaking glass and someone called out ‘Taxi!’
‘Uh-oh’ Ally and Michelle said, at the same time. They looked at each other.
‘Eddie!’

Next on The Plot Sickens…

Tori hatches a plan
Danni has some good news
And Em’s finding life at home with Mum a living nightmare!

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

Hahaha oh my god!! :O

Good god, Gordon!! Leave me be haha!!

Love always, Alyssa xoxo

[mel_kay39]

Havent' actually written the next one yet. Will have a go over the weekend. Sorry, been busy!