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Judith cast her mind back.“The blonde girl in your gang?”
“Yeah, we hung out a bit, kissed and what-not.”
Judith frowned.“But she dated Trent for ages didn’t she?”
Pippa nodded.“Bi.”
Judith rubbed her forehead and out came the words she’d vowed she wouldn’t say.“I’m so sorry, Pip.”
“For what?”Pippa, loading hand weights into a box, turned and looked at her in surprise.
“That you went through all this alone.I wish you’d felt comfortable telling me.”
“I couldneverhave told you earlier,” Pip said, almost vehemently “No offence babe, but you and Mark were so hetero and soitemised.”The term made Judith feel like a product on the shelf of Woolworths.Couple past their use-by date.“Besides,” Pippa continued, “I couldn’t come to terms with it myself for years.I just knew girls did it for me, and boys didn’t.”She stuck her finger into her open mouth and mock gagged.“Penises!Ball sacks.Urk.”
Judith bit down on her smile.She didn’t share the repugnance.The chance to see a bit more of Carts in that department would be most welcome.“You can hear through the walls you know,” she pointed out.
Pip’s eyes widened for a moment then she shrugged.“Don’t care.”She turned towards reception and with a mock bow said, “Meet Pippa Mellors, lesbian and proud.”She swivelled back to Judith.“Honestly Jude, I’m so happy, I honestly don’t care who knows.”
Tears pricked Judith’s eyes suddenly.“You’re amazing, Pip.”
“Just comfortable in my own skin at last.”Pip gave Judith her lopsided screw-ball grin, the one she always passed off a compliment with.“I approve, by the way.”
“Of what?”
“Of that Carts guy.Apart from his dreadful yoga pants, I definitely approve.”
Judith demurred.“We’re not like you and Shaz, committed or anything.”More’s the pity.
“He digs you big time.”
“You think?”She almost blushed at how very much he’d seemed to dig her last night.
“Yeah!”Pippa rolled her eyes as she bounced an exercise ball into a corner of the room.“Slavish adoration written all over his face.”
“That could just be his yogic enlightened look.”
Pippa guffawed.“It was coming from a place a lot lower than his spiritual centre, let me tell you.Okay—” She flexed her muscles, picked up her bag and flung an arm round Judith’s shoulders.“Let’s do this, sis.”
They met Shaz in the carpark outside the restaurant and the two women clasped hands tightly and gazed resolutely into each other’s eyes.
“Ready for this?”Pippa said, kissing Shaz on the lips.
“Sure am.”Shaz turned and embraced Judith.“And thanks for supporting us.”
Judith hugged her back so tightly words were not needed.
“C’mon.”Pippa had her pre-match face on, her mouth tight at the corners and her eyes scrunched as, hand in hand, the two women marched towards the neon sign marked “Harry Tan’s”.
Watching them, Judith choked up and could only smile out of teary eyes.Whatever happened tonight, she felt honoured to be here supporting Pippa and Shaz in their journey together.
Harry spotted them immediately as they walked in, and hurried forward.Of course Pippa had chosen Harry’s restaurant.It was something of an icon in the gay and multicultural community of Perth.With his partner, Kun, Harry had perfected the best barbecued duck in the Southern Hemisphere.You couldn’t visit Perth without being directed to the glossy red barbecued ducks hanging from the rotisserie in the window.The long lines outside the restaurant testified to its popularity—people happily queued for the privilege of eating here.Unless of course you’d built Harry and Kun’s stunning home on the river.For that reason, John Mellors’ family always had the private room at their disposal.
Mum and Dad and Luke and Kirsty were seated around a table piled with plates of money bags and crunchy spring rolls, and Dad had already tucked in.
Mum was smiling at Kirsty, who could be heard even before you entered the room.Kirsty was the face for Mellors Homes.She’d been a morning radio presenter before she married Luke, and always sounded like she was cheer-squadding a bleary-eyed 5 am audience.Nowadays Kirsty’s smile flashed from billboards around the city, in front of a Mellors home, with the words “Let OUR family build YOUR family’s dream home” floating on puffy white clouds above her head.
“Hi there.”Kirsty jumped up as if they had indeed come to view a display home.
