Fly with Me (23 page)

“Don’t make me
hurt the bride.” Laughing, Elissa stepped back. “What do the other
girls think of it?”

“They haven’t
seen it.” Ash gave a half smile. “Only you.”

That warmed
her. “I’d hug you but I don’t want to crush the dress.”

“Wait right
there.” Ash carefully took the gown off, Elissa helping. As soon as
it was packed back in the wardrobe and Ash dressed, she held her
arms out to Elissa. “Come on, give us a hug then.”

Laughing, they
embraced before pulling apart.

“End of next
week,” Elissa mused. “How are you feeling?”

Leading the
way out of the room, Ash replied over her shoulder, “Good. A little
nervous that I’ll stuff up, or trip and fall in the church or
something like that, but okay otherwise.”

“You won’t
fall. I won’t let you embarrass me.”

“Huh. Anyway,
we have a quick rehearsal in a couple of days.”

“Okay.”

“Scott’s in a
sweat about that already.”

“Is Ryder
helping him, being the best man and all?”

“Are you for
real?”

“I’m guessing
not.”

“He keeps
telling Scott that he better not forget his lines, swear or crack a
dirty joke. I keep telling Scott that he should be telling Ryder
that.”

“Maybe you
should be getting Dee to sort Ryder out.”

“Maybe you’re
right. Anyway, having this weekend coming up away from Gully’s
Fall, a little time to ourselves amidst all this, will be good for
him. Are you sure you’re still okay with staying here on your own
for the weekend?”

“I think I can
handle Tilly. I’ll have to while you’re on your honeymoon anyway,
right? This can be my dry run.”

“You have no
idea how glad we are that you came early.”

“I’ll send you
my bill.”

Ash laughed.
“You nut.” She glanced at the clock. “Is that the time? I have to
get cracking to work.”

“I thought
this was the start of your holidays?”

“It kind of
is. I just want to finish a few things at the auto shop to make it
easier for Ben. I’ll be home by lunchtime or just after. Do you
want to come?”

“Nah, its
fine. I’ll crash here with a book.” Elissa filled up the kettle.
“By the way, what’s happening here tonight?”

“Ash picked up
her small shoulder bag from the corner of the kitchen bench. “Oh,
it’s movie night. Whenever we all manage to get the same night off,
which isn’t often, we get a DVD and some takeaway.”

“Okay.”

“It’s
something that Scott, Simon, Ryder, Kirk, Dee and Del have done for
years, and it’s continued with Molly and me as well.” Ash grinned.
“And now you.”

“Cool. Want me
to get anything?”

“Hmmm, maybe a
few extra nibblies if you don’t mind going to the supermarket.
Simon’s a walking stomach.”

“Nibblies.
Gotcha.” Elissa leaned her forearms on the bench.

“Wait.” Ash
paused. “You don’t have a car.”

“How many
boxes do I need to bring back?”

“Maybe I’ll
pick the stuff up on my way back. That’d be a better idea.”

“Pfft. I’ll
enjoy the walk, check out the local shops.”

“I don’t want
you to feel you have to do things.”

“I want to do
things.” Elissa looked gravely at her friend. “I’m not here to be
waited on. I’m here to pull my weight as well as have a break.”

Eyes keen and
assessing, Ash looked at her in silence.

Uh oh
.
Elissa smiled brightly. “Work hard now, hear?”

Ash slid the
car keys from the hook. “When I get back, we need to have a little
chat about how you’re going.”

“I’m going
fine.”

“I mean a true
heart to heart.”

“Sure.”

“Like we
always did,” Ash insisted.

“Ash-”

“Don’t think I
don’t feel things, Elissa. I know you. It’s time we had a little
chat.”

Elissa looked
at her for several long seconds, then nodded. “Okay. Yeah,
okay.”

“Okay.” Ash
walked out the door.

Listening to
her friend walk down the hall, Elissa sighed. They’d always shared
confidences, always known what the other was doing or thinking,
what was happening in each other’s life. It was no different
now.

And besides,
talking to Ash would help her. Speaking to someone who would listen
objectively, help her see where she was going, what she was doing.
Hell, just to bounce ideas off.

Yeah, it was
time she talked to her best friend. Time to have a good heart to
heart.

The phone rang
as she was pouring hot water into the mug and she picked it up.
“Hello?”

“By God,
Elissa, you haven’t left!” Calum swore. “When your mobile didn’t
work, your mother suggested I try here and she was right.
Goddamn it
!”

Hot water
slopped over the side of the mug as she jerked the kettle away.
Putting it down, she said tightly, “Calum, I told you weeks ago
that I wasn’t going to be around.”

“And I told
you
that you had obligations! You’re booked for tonight at
the Bardot Club, Elissa.
Tonight
. What the hell am I
supposed to tell the owner, huh? What?”

“I’m
sorry-”

“Sorry?
Sorry?
Sorry doesn’t cut it, you selfish little bitch! Do
you know how much is invested in this? Do you have any idea what
it’ll cost me?”

Irritation and
anger rose inside her. “I told you. I emailed you several times,
you had plenty of notice. It’s not my fault that you ignored what I
said and went ahead and-”

“This was for
your
benefit, Elissa, can I remind you of that? Your career.
This was your big chance, our big chance. Do you have any idea what
this will do to your reputation?”

“Somehow I
think it’s your reputation you’re more worried about.”

“Don’t take
that bloody attitude with me, Elissa. Don’t you dare. I put myself
out on a limb for you time and again, and this is how you repay
me?”

“I did my
job,” she said tightly. “Emphasises on the past tense in case you
didn’t get it the first time.”

“Not bloody
well enough. Your loyalty leaves a lot to be desired, you hear me?
Now get your-”

“I quit.”

There was
silence for several seconds, then, “What the hell did you just
say?”

“I quit before
I left, remember?” She hung up the phone then waited.

Sure enough it
started peeling again. Pick it up? Ignore it? She was half tempted
to ignore it, but she didn’t want Calum ringing when Ash and Scott
were home.

Taking a deep
breath, she answered, “Hello?”

“Don’t you
bloody hang up on me,” Calum snarled. “Now listen good. We have a
contract. You can’t just walk out. I’ll sue your arse off,
Elissa.”

“I never
re-signed that contract, remember?” Thank God. “It’s still sitting
in your desk drawer for me to sign when I get back.” Not happening
now.

“What?”

“When I first
mentioned needing a break, you put the contract in the drawer.”

“You haven’t
signed it yet?”

“You didn’t
even check it, did you?” Her lips twisted with bitter sarcasm. “You
were so sure I’d do it that you didn’t bother to even check.”

There came a
muffled sound, the rustle of paper, then Calum broke into vile
cursing. “You effing bitch, Elissa!”

Well, look at
that, he’d actually looked for the contract in his desk drawer and
found it.

She waited
silently as Calum breathed heavily into the phone, imagining him
sitting there. No charming man now but a seething one, feeling the
money sliding through his fingers.

“I’m not
signing the contract,” she stated quietly.

“You
can’t-”

“I can. I just
did. No more, Calum, I’ve had enough. It’s time I do my own
thing.”

“Your own
thing?” The rage in his voice practically throbbed over the phone.
“Do
your
own
thing? You owe a lot of people, Elissa,
and you have dues to pay. Big dues. Get those fancy ideas out of
your head and get back here.”

The tick of
the clock in the room was suddenly loud, and she watched the second
hand move around the face as she steadied her slightly shaking
hands, forced deep, even breaths. The anger was a welcome,
steadying influence.

“No, Calum,
you
listen. I paid my dues, I don’t owe anyone. I made money
for you, I made money for my family, I worked my contract. That
contract is over and done with and so am I. Don’t ring me again,
don’t see me. I’m not coming back. Ever.” Calmly, she hung up the
phone.

Mind blank,
she finished making the mug of tea and took it out to the veranda.
Sitting on the swing chair, she gazed out at the back garden, only
then allowing her thoughts to crowd in.

Okay, so he
hadn’t realised the contract hadn’t been signed. As usual, he
hadn’t listened to her earlier, just as her mother and father
refused to listen to her. But it was done now, they all knew and
she wasn’t going to buckle under the pressure. Before when she
thought she owed them, yes, but now she knew that in fact, they
owed her.

But she wasn’t
going down that pathway of bitterness and self-destruction,
lowering her standards to be just like them. She was free of them,
finally free to tread her own pathway, wherever it led her.

It felt good,
liberating almost, relief definitely. But there was no real
happiness, not when it had ended the way it had, with
unpleasantness, threats, nastiness. Not exactly a clean, congenial
break between people, two of whom were family.

Taking a sip
of tea, she closed her eyes and took deep, even breaths. It was
over. Tomorrow she’d ring Moz. He for one had her back.

The phone
behind her started ringing.

Okay, not over
yet. No doubt that was her mother. Answer it? Don’t answer it?
Shit, it was the same dilemma with only one answer - she either
answered it now or her mother would keep ringing and Elissa
certainly didn’t want to talk to her in front of Ash or Scott. She
had no right dragging her bad business into their lives. Ash for
sure wouldn’t be happy, she’d be too worried about Elissa, and this
should be the happiest time for her.

With a sigh,
Elissa walked back in, placing the mug on the bench as she picked
up the receiver and put it to her ear. This time she didn’t say
anything.

It was a
surprise to hear her father’s voice. “Elissa?”

“Dad?”

“Hi, baby. How
are you?”

“Oh, you
know.” She rubbed her finger on the bench, waited.

“Calum’s been
talking to your Mum,” he said. “He’s a little upset, you know.”

“Oh, I
know.”

“Your Mum’s
not too happy, either.”

“What about
you, Dad?”
Yeah, Dad, what about you?

“Now, baby,
you know I don’t interfere in your business.”

Yeah,
right
. Knowing what was coming, she slipped her fingers through
the handle of the mug, welcoming the heat against her skin.

“But you have
to admit, this was sudden.”

“No, Dad, I
told everyone several months ago that this was coming.”

“Going to
Ash’s wedding, yes, but quitting? Deserting us? Baby, that’s not
like you. That-”

“Dad, I want
to do my own thing.”

There was a
small pause before he asked quietly, “Your own thing? But singing
is your thing.”

“I like
singing, you know that, but you also know I want to do other things
with my life. I told you, Dad. I told you so many times.”

“I thought you
were just a little unsettled, that was all.” He sighed. “I’ve let
you down.”

Oh God, she
hated this, the change of tact from surprise to guilt. “Yeah, Dad,
you did let me down. You let me down when you lied to keep me doing
what you and Mum wanted me to do.”

“Did we push
you too hard? Do you just need a little break before you come
back?”

“Are you even
listening to me?”

“So you’re
coming back after this little break?” he asked eagerly. “Great!
I’ll tell your Mum, tell Calum and-”

“Dad, no! No,
that’s not what I meant.” Her grip tightened on the mug handle.
“I’m not coming back to sing and you know why.”

“But you are
coming back.”

Because then
they could all work on her, try to browbeat her, cajole her into
signing another contract.

Lifting the
mug, Elissa took a mouthful of hot tea, welcoming the warmth that
spread in her belly. Still holding the mug, she watched Tilly
waddle in, her little paws planting firmly on the floor as she
stood and looked around, surveying her kingdom with a haughty
regard.

You had to
love a cat with attitude. Tilly knew exactly what she wanted and
she got it. Then again, she also had a hunk of fireman wrapped
around her little fat paw, not to mention one of the sweetest women
Elissa had ever known wrapped around her other fat little paw. That
cat had life sorted.

“Elissa?” her
father probed. “You are coming back?”

“No, Dad, I’m
not.”

“You’re not -
but what are you going to do?”

“Whatever the
hell I want to do.”

There was
silence again, she could almost see his brain ticking.

Sure enough,
he came back with what she’d expected. “You’re breaking our hearts,
baby. After everything your Mum has done for you, everything we’ve
put on hold for you, you’re throwing it all away?”

“Dad,
everything I’ve done is because you and Mum wanted it. You never
once asked me. You both manipulated me.”

“Because we
wanted what was best for you.”

“For us.”

“What?”

“Maybe that
should be what was best for you and Mum.” Her throat tightened but
she swallowed the lump down, kept her voice steady. “Look, Dad,
I’ve made up my mind. You can tell Mum not to bother calling me,
I’m not changing my mind. This is it. No more.”

“How about I
put your Mum on to talk to you?” There was a definite edge of panic
in his voice.