London Harmony: Water Gypsy (12 page)

“Let's get you back inside.”

I helped her down onto the deck and I chuckled a little. “Not the best shoes to be traipsing around on board or on shore.”

She chuckled and the sound of it vibrated into me, causing a smile to form on my lips as we entered my cabin. Teri quickly moved to the stove pipe and grabbed Terminator off the mattress and sat where he had been, placing him on her lap.

Then as I sat beside her, I prompted, “You haven't really answered Ter. What are you doing here and how did you know where I lived? The temp agency wouldn't have shared.”

She shrugged. “Like I said, I felt like a right tosser yesterday and thought for sure I had cocked it all up. Then you didn't show when mum said you promised. I had to apologize, but you didn't show. I went to the address we had on file to send the paychecks to. Paya was there.”

Then she locked eyes with me shaking her head. “That woman can be right scary. She's so protective of you. She had me explain myself to her first, and she'd 'decide later if I left unscathed or not'. When I was done, she seemed satisfied and almost excited. Then she said it would be the coward's way to talk to you on the phone, so she gave me directions to your place. Then Bobs Your Uncle...” She held out her arms from her side and shrugged.

I shook my head and closed my eyes devising a brand new list to put my best friend on. Then Teresa went on, “I know I'm not the best communicator, and I'm a little stiff at work. But I don't want to give any of our students pause to think I'm not up to the task. We want a professional atmosphere and I have a problem where I can't do things halfway.”

I smiled a little as she continued, “Please understand, when I first heard your voice as you sang along to mum's class, I had never heard anything like it before.” She blushed and added, “It was beautiful and I just knew you could achieve what I had once in another life. The pure joy of feeling, of knowing, of singing that piece that mum had written for me. I guess I went overboard again.”

I nodded with a smile twitching at the corners of my mouth and I reached over and grasped her hand. “You could have tried talking to me about it. Not leaving me in the dark, confused about what you were doing and why. I thought you were toying with my heart.”

Her eyes snapped to mine at the last part.
Bloody hell Tabitha! Know when to stop talking!
But my traitorous mouth kept speaking. I blushed and looked down at our hands. “I've sort of been falling for you the past couple weeks and it hurt like hell when the fun outgoing woman I couldn't get enough of, seemed to be indifferent to me.”

She blushed and looked down and whispered, “Terribly sorry.” Then she glanced back up to my eyes then down at our hands and then leaned over and kissed me gently. Then she took a deep breath and exhaled. “I'm drawn to you too Tabby. I'm just not any bloody good at this relationship stuff. I haven't really dated since secondary school.”

I smiled at her twinkling green eyes and asked, “Is that what we're doing? Dating?”

She shrugged. “I thought it was obvious when I asked you to karaoke.”

I squeezed her hand and said, “I'm obviously not good at this either because I didn't really get that.” She nodded and looked down I tipped my head to catch her eyes and added, “But I'd love to date you if you don't mind being around a water gypsy. I mean, you're bloody gorgeous.” This got the shy smile I was hoping for as she just nodded. I sat tall as my heart soared. “Brill.” This angel actually wanted to date me! I wanted to dance!

We sat in an awkward silence for a few seconds, both of us lost in thought. Then she looked at me and gave a half scrunched look on her face, one eye squinted, “Do you think I could use your loo before I burst?”

It was my turn for the half scrunched look that mimicked hers. “Ummm... sure. It isn't the most glamorous. It's the little door beside the ladder on deck. Ummm... we could go somewhere else like a coffee shop or cafe and use theirs if you want.”

She stood, and remembered to crouch to miss the ceiling as she set Terminator down while she shook her head. She shimmied a little with a slight look of pain on her face as she said, “I wouldn't make it. I'm sure it's fine.”

She hustled out on the deck and I grinned evilly to myself, gathered her purse and my bag, stepped out onto the deck, and shut the door behind me. I held her purse out on one finger, dangling on its strap as I heard the door to the little closet, with the chemical toilet in it, open then close a second later.

She stepped around the corner a couple seconds later to see me leaning against the bulkhead with a shit-eating grin on my face. She fought a smile and said, “Bloody hell. Where did you say this cafe was? I'm not using that manky thing!”

I gave her a toothy grin and ushered her off the boat and onto the shore. She looped her arm through mine and hugged it close as she shimmied in that 'got to pee' manner up to the walk. She said playfully, “All you had to do was just say, 'why no Teri, I don't have a loo' to save me the horror.”

I chuckled and marveled at the woman on my arm. “But then I'd miss out on the fun of your reaction.” She rolled her eyes and I added, “I've got myself trained so I never have to use that bloody thing.”

She nodded. “Brill. I knew you were more than just a pretty face and a golden voice.” It was my turn to blush as I hustled her down the lane to Cavendish's Cafe.

We stepped in and her eyes were swinging around till she saw the washroom signs and bolted for the loo. I smiled at the waitress that walked up with menus. It would be bad form to use the loo then dash so I said, “Two please.”

The woman led me to a little corner table, I looked around, the decor was set up to resemble an old soda shoppe from the Americas. I slid into the small booth with the red upholstered seats and asked for two coffees and waited for my distressed girl.

She came out looking all innocent a few minutes later, she looked around and saw me and hustled over. I suppressed a grin. She slid into the seat and chastised, “No need to look so smug, this wasn't funny Tabby.”

I wondered why I didn't have a problem with her calling me Tabby, I normally hated it. I just nodded and let my smile grow bigger. “Yes, yes it was Ter.”

The waitress returned with the coffee and asked if we were ready to order. I shook my head, “Coffee is fine Missus.”

But my stalwart companion smirked and picked up a menu. “Actually, lunch sounds divine.” She cocked an eyebrow at me like it was a challenge.

I hissed, “You're worse than Paya, and about as subtle as a freight train, woman.”

She scrunched her nose at me and said, “If it helps, you can look at it as our second date.” This shut me up and just made me bite my lower lip as I nodded.

The waitress got one of those doe-eyed looks you see in all those Disney cartoons and said, “Oh a budding romance! How sweet! Desert is on me.”

She looked like she was about to explode with excitement and it just made me smile at the woman. Her name tag read Olive. I smiled and took a better look at her, she was maybe in her mid-twenties with strawberry blonde hair and complexion. I said, “Thank you Olive, that is very sweet of you. We'll just need a moment.” She nodded and rushed away, I swear the woman sighed as she left. She's most likely the type to swoon at the cinema over romance films.

Behind our menus, Ter and I smiled at each other then looked at the fare and almost gasped. Apparently theme restaurants command high prices. I'd just have to be extra frugal for a week or two.

Teresa squinted her eyes, trying to read me and then said, “My treat.”

I shook my head and almost hissed under my breath, “I'm not destitute woman, just because I live on a barge. I told you it was temporary until I saved up enough for a flat.”

She shook her head with the hints of a smile. “It isn't that. I just wanted to...” She shrugged cutely and her pupils enlarged slightly, “...I don't know. Treat my girlfriend? Since we're dating, that makes us girlfriends right?”

Ok, that blew right past any sort of defenses I could possibly have mounted. Heat burned on my cheeks and warmth that originated in my belly, spread throughout my body. I almost drew blood on my lower lip and squeaked out, “Oh. Ok.” I was her girlfriend. We were on a date. I wanted to dance and sing to the heavens. Instead, I just basked in my blush.

She actually giggled and reached out to grab one of my hands and said, “Paya was right, you are easy.”

I defended myself. “I am not, you're just too pretty. And Paya is on my list.”

We ordered. I decided on the club sandwich and chips. She made me feel light and right oinker by ordering a salad. I glared at her until she said, “Oh hell... and some chips.”

We had such a fun time there just chatting and learning more about each other. She did avoid the subject of her singing though. I guess it was too soon and too touchy of a subject. And apparently I was ravenous, she cutely pushed half of her chips onto my plate. We finally exchanged numbers.

We had finished the apple pie that Olive had given to us over an hour before, when I looked at my mobile then at her with a creased brow. “No that I'm not delighted with your presence, but shouldn't you be at the music Conservatoire?”

She just shrugged. “It was more important for me to apologize to you.” I blinked. She chose apologizing to me for what she had expressed was the most important thing to her?

I shook my head. “Let's get you back there. You didn't need to do this.”

She reached over and grabbed one of my hands and caught my eye. “Yes... I really did.” Dammit, she had just captured the rest of my heart. I'd swoon if I were that type of girl, I was more of the triumphant electric guitar squelch type.

We said our goodbyes to Olive, who looked seconds away from hugging herself, and I walked Teresa to her car. We stood there looking at each other shyly then she leaned in and we had a gentle but electric snogging session. She was such a good kisser, my entire body was on fire and just wanted more of her. Then she was gone, off to work saying, “I'll expect you tomorrow, usual time and place?” I nodded dumbly, still tingling from her kisses.

I stopped when I got to the barges. Mrs. Thatcher's door was open. I rushed up to see the captain wrapping her knickknacks carefully and putting them in boxes. I asked, “What's going on?”

He looked over at me and said, “Help me pack her things I'm not good with fragile stuff. You know the rules. Yesterday was the first of the month, rent was due. I can't afford to have the cabin sit empty. She can rotate back in below when she gets released from the hospital if she wants.”

Of all the insensitive, unfeeling... I almost growled at the man. “Get out you big lout! Leave her things. I'll pay her rent. I can't believe your pocketbook is bigger than your heart. You should be ashamed of yourself. Shoo!” He looked almost silly when he stood, a huge man like that almost doubled over to avoid the ceiling. He made his way out, with me slapping his shoulder the whole way. I'm sure the brute of a man didn't even feel it.

When he was out I slammed the door. I heard Terminator bark in my cabin. I deflated and sat on her mattress and exhaled then started putting her things back where they belong to the best of my recollection. I looked around satisfied and took the cardboard boxes out on the deck with me. I threw them haphazardly over to the Tennessee. I didn't care where they landed.

Then I took a deep calming breath and pulled out my cheque book and wrote out a cheque for Mrs. Thatcher's rent. Bloody hell, this would set me back even more in my relocation plans, but I wasn't going to sit by and allow the captain to use his draconian eviction rules to make Mrs. T essentially homeless. She was... family. I nodded to myself and tore the check out of the book then hopped over to the Tennessee.

I looked at the boxes on the deck and sighed at my temper and picked them up and stacked them neatly beside the main cabin. Then I went up the steps and knocked on the wheelhouse door. Captain McCray stuck his head out with a stern look on his face. I handed him the cheque saying, “Here's your blood money.” Then I turned to walk off.

I paused as he said, “I worry about her too.” I nodded without turning around and went home, where my spirits were lifted by a text from Ter. “So sodding bored.”

I smiled and looked at the sheets of music that were taunting me and picked them up, gave Terminator a not so confident nod, and began. Just to be interrupted by my mobile buzzing. I rolled my eyes playfully and grinned. I knew this had to be coming soon, I hit accept and said, “Hiya Paya!”

The following days kept a smile on my face. I had a girlfriend, me, Tabitha Romanov had a girlfriend! I had forgot how to date it had been so long, so I'm quite positive I was making a bloody fool out of myself.

During the sessions in the storage room at the Conservatoire I was rewarded with steamy snogging sessions if I called her Miss McClellan to help her sound professional, or showed any improvement in the impossible lesson. What an incentive system. Let me tell you, I was a model protegee for 'Miss McClellan'.

Paya had shared the news about the paperwork she received from the temp agency. The McClellan Music Conservatoire had purchased our employment option from them, starting the following week. I had a full-time position now! I had to tell the record shop that I was sorry, but I found a full-time gig, they were cool about it.

I had questioned Teri about it, I didn't need favors. She had laughed and said, “Keeping my prodigy nearby didn't figure into the equation little Miss Bighead. You two went above and beyond in your cleaning duties here and deserved the position. Do you know how many services I had kicked to the curb before you two showed up?”

I blushed for assuming until she added, “Plus, I get to do this.” And she kissed me long and gently before she wandered back off to her office, leaving me melting into a sodding puddle in the storage room. After about thirty seconds standing in bliss, I blinked then shouted, “No fair!” Just to get a giggle from down the hall AND from the students in the room next door.
Bloody hell!

We saw each other every night at her place, Paya's, and rarely at mine. If not then we were talking on our mobiles like a couple of schoolgirls until my batteries lost their charge.

Friday was a sad day for our community. The hospital said that with Mrs. Thatcher's condition and other health concerns that they recommended she had supervised care. She told me that day she was supposed to be discharged that she was going to the retirement home her son had been pushing for.

I had cried like I had lost a grandmother. She couldn't have animals so by default I now had a pet because she confided in me that she didn't trust Terminator with her son. “He's putting me away in a home... his own mother. What do you think he'd do with a dog?” I had never had any animals growing up. Later that night I was packing all of her things into those same boxes from the Tennessee, and her son came to pick them up.

The mood was somber in our little floating community, it felt like the end of an era. Mrs. T had been part of the flotilla long before I came and she had always been there, a fixture. It was like I could feel the emptiness in her cabin on the other side of my wall.

That mood didn't last long below decks, where they started arguing over who would move topside. I marched down below decks and reprimanded the three and hissed that it was and always would be decided on by seniority. So Eunice Green would be moving topside, but not until the end of the month. I figured I had already paid the rent there so it was going to remain empty until then, I wasn't going to let the Captain gain any extra cash from a premature vacancy.

Everyone listened to me like they did Mrs. T and complied. It was later the next day when Paya and Ter both explained to my why. I had become the matriarch of the Persephone with Mrs. Thatcher gone... not to mention that I was pretty terrifying when I was angry.
Oh, bloody freakin' hell, I'm a matriarch?

The day of the next Ronnie Marx rave rolled around. He had actually secured an old playhouse, which head been converted into a multipurpose hall for hire, in Bexley this time, and actually paid the fees and permits. We had a grand time teasing the poor bloke about going legit. He defended himself by saying, he just wanted to try it once.

Late Saturday morning after power-up, both Paya and Teresa, who were becoming a set of evil friends themselves; what with sharing embarrassing stories about me with each other; came over to my place to grab me for a brunch.

They spoke as if I weren't in the car as Teri drove us. Paya had said, “She is so bad about eating I worry at times.”

Ter just added, “She's so bullheaded about it or just simply forgets. Did I tell you about the day you sent me to her place to grovel? She hadn't eaten for so long that she...”

I spoke loudly, looking between the two who were obviously oblivious of my presence, “Hello? I'm right here ladies.” Which just got them laughing at me, the manky bints.
Where's my list? I'll... do nothing.
I smiled as Ter grabbed my hand and laced our fingers as she drove.
Excuse me while I just bask in the warmth of her touch.

After the Bobbsey Twins had stuffed me to the gunnels, I was spirited back home to prepare for the night. I swear I was their bloody dress up doll. I went through all six of my outfits in endless combinations. I swear I have to start getting jealous of all the attention Teresa paid Terminator during the process.

They joined me on the roof afterward, to relax in the chilled night air in the lawn chairs, and look out over the city lights as they shimmered across the Thames. Ter said wistfully, “It really is pretty here isn't it? You can almost forget about...” She left my current living arrangements unspoken. I still blushed though I shouldn't feel embarrassed about how I live.

Before long, we heard someone tap the horn at the lane. We looked back to see Harry parked behind Teri's car. After a quick goodbye to Terminator, we were all off to the old King's Row Playhouse. Ter's hand just sort of drifted down to mine and I cocked my head to look down as I grasped it. I smiled wistfully.

She asked softly, “What are you on about?”

I just shrugged and smiled and looked back out the window and reflected. “Oh nothing. I just can't believe how lucky I am that the dragon lady of McClellan's Music Conservatoire wound up being you.”

She smiled and didn't chance a look at me. “Yeah?”

I squeezed her hand and laced our fingers and turned to her with a genuine smile for her. “Yeah. I've become quite fond of you.”

She gave a return squeeze then froze. “Wait. I'm a dragon lady?”

I chuckled in genuine mirth and said, “Own it, you silly bird. Half the bloody cleaning services in London are terrified of you.”

Then she sighed and grinned. “Only half?” We chuckled then she got serious. “I've become quite fond of you too. You know that don't you my little Tabby Cat?” Good lord, I might have purred at that. I'd become quite fond of her using the dreaded nickname.

I blushed and we turned on the radio to sing along with for the rest of the ride. Good lord, I could live with her silky voice wrapped around me. It filled a void in me I never knew existed. Still, a slight pain twinged in my heart as she always kept to the lower registers. Understanding what she had lost. It would be similar to a surgeon losing the use of one hand.

She looked every bit a pop rock groupie tonight. She had asked which of my tracks I had chosen for the night and since they leaned more toward the pop side this evening, bobs your uncle, she's a pop princess. I loved how she had this almost magical ability to transform looks with ease to project different facets of her personality. I enjoyed the endless aspects of the full spectrum of her personality, it always kept me guessing and learning even more about her.

I just wanted to bury my face in her long brown locks. One day I would get the courage to touch those fabulous legs of hers. We still hadn't progressed from our hot snogging sessions to something more serious. I had no complaints, she was a spectacular kisser. I just sort of had to, umm... you know... to cool down from the heat she ignited in me when I was alone at night.

The area was bustling and we had to find a car park two blocks from the King's Row. The four of us made it to the door and we bypassed the growing queue. This was certainly different than the normal scene we ghosted. I stopped dead when I glanced up at the marquee. Lisa T was opening and there was my name, or my pseudonym at least, Tabby Cat, right there in lights. My knees got a little wobbly and my stomach started to revolt.
Dear Lord, please don't let me vomit here.
A cute reassuring smile from Ter helped me gather my wits about me again.

I chuckled at the man at the door collection cover charges. “Oh my lord. Skeeze?”

I hugged the embarrassed looking bloke. He was in dress slacks and a white shirt with an honest to god bowtie. I've heard bowties are cool from some doctor. His hair was combed and gathered into a ponytail in the back, and he only had hardware in a couple of his facial piercings. I grinned. “You look... you look rather handsome like this Skeeze.”

He blushed and growled out, “Ronnie made me dress this way. And I'm supposed to use my real name, Steven, just for tonight. He's off his noggin, trying to impress some big event organizers that are supposed to be evaluating him tonight. It's a bloody pain in the ass.” Then he added, “But what can I say, I love him.”

My slow brain put two plus two together, reviewing all of the interactions the two blokes have had over the couple years I had known them. My smile widened, how dense was I not to realize that the two were a couple? I'm sure there are quite a few heartbroken women out there knowing that Ronnie was off the market. I reappraised Skeeze looking like this, I'm sure he'd leave some broken hearts behind too. I cocked an eyebrow and assured him. “Well I think you look handsome tonight Steven.” Then kissed his cheek and he let us pass, with Paya giving him a hug and as she passed by him she said, “Yum.”

We all laughed when Skeeze, I mean Steven, barred Harry from entering, saying, “Fifteen quid cover.”

Harry said, “But I'm with them.”

Steven said, “They complimented me and Tabs is a headliner tonight.”

Harry responded, “Well I think you look pretty tonight too Steven, and if I didn't think either Ronnie or Paya would kick my arse, I'd be on your arm tonight.”

Steven rolled his eyes. “Like I'd troll the gutter. Paya's already broken you.” But he grinned, motioned his head into the playhouse, and moved his arm to let Harry through. The men did one of those stupid handshake slash fist bump, slash back slap things the boys think they need to do. But still, it got us all laughing, and it felt really good which relieved some of my anxiety about performing.

Our laughs doubled when the bloke in the queue behind us said, “Ummm... I think you look pretty too?” Just to have Steven say, “Sod off you bloody wanker, fifteen quid.”

I looked around, this wasn't like any rave, it was more like a concert with the theater seating. There was a small dance floor at the bottom in front of the stage, most likely where the orchestra was situated when this was a playhouse.

There was a concessions area in the lobby where a lady I think I have seen hanging around with Skeeze and Ronnie were. They had all the snacks you would find at the cinema.
Ahhh and beer!
Harry was already on it. Taking Paya's hand off his arm and putting it on my arm opposite my girlfriend. I just grinned like a loon. Paya chirped out a laugh as she spoke around me to Teri, “Just great, now her head is going to get twice as big with two gorgeous women on her arms.”

Ter chuckled and I looked at Paya. “Oh shush you manky bint and let me bask in this a moment.” Her explosive squeak of laughter made my reprimand ineffectual. Teresa just hugged my arm in amusement.

Ronnie materialized in front of us and he cocked an eyebrow at me then looked at Paya with a slight smirk and teased, “Now this looks interesting.”

I pulled my arm from my bestie to slap the big fit bloke's shoulder. She recaptured my arm as Ronnie put his business face on. “Sorry to blindside you with all of this.” He motioned around indicating the playhouse. “I'm trying to impress some people, showing what I can organize on short notice.”

He fidgeted and I tilted my head and smiled as I realized something. “You're thinking about going legit? That's brill Ronnie!”

He blushed, shrugged, then rubbed his signature two-day growth of facial hair that made him look so ruggedly handsome, looking rather sheepish. “Well, we won't always be in our twenties.”

Teresa nodded in complete understanding and said, “You'll be brill.” Then I got it. I understood the reasoning behind her attitudes at the Conservatoire much better with this realization. She reached a hand toward him and said, “Teri.”

He shook her hand with a look of gratitude and responded, “Ronnie.” Then added, “You think?” She just nodded and beamed at the man, which seemed to relax him as his shoulders slumped a bit.

Then I grinned up at my obsession and said, “Teri's my girlfriend.”

Ronnie looked at Teresa, smirked, and teased, “You poor soul.”

“Hey! You're supposed to be a gentleman.”

He shrugged. “I never got the memo sorry Tabs.” We all chuckled. Harry returned holding four beers precariously in his hands as Ronnie said to me, “Lisa T is opening for you, she has two tracks. I'll need you backstage...” He pointed at a little door to the side and finished, “...before her second song is over.”

Then he put his hand out expectantly. I handed him my mobile with my playlist cued up, as he continued, “Then you are up. Three tracks. You got a fourth for an encore like I texted earlier?” I nodded and he leaned in and I released the girls to hug the man. He smiled and said, “The four seats in the first-row center are reserved for your 'entourage' as requested.” Then like a Will O' the Wisp, he was gone.