A New Beginning

Guthrie arrived at the Police Station just as I was replaying the voice message from my phone. He was armed with a thick folder which he placed on the desk. "This is the result of our investigation into the death of Rosie O'Laughlin. There is enough in that to convict Georgia, even without a body."

"We'll look into it. The very least we can charge her with threatening life, and stalking."

Guthrie looked at Rachel. "You must be the fabulous Rachel that I have heard so much about. I'm deeply honoured to know you."

"Down boy, she's spoken for."

"I am, aren't I?" Rachel looked pleased.

"Yes. I do believe that you are." She hugged me.

"You have nothing to worry about, I'm not interested, too sickeningly sweet for me."

"We'd better go, I'll drop you off and pick up the kids. I'll call you tonight. Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"I was, but I like the sound of this, so I'm not any more. What did you have in mind?"

"I think a trip to the Zoo or something like that, with the kids."

"Sounds great, we'll discuss it later." She kissed me, I kissed her, who cares, we kissed each other.

With some creative driving, and some envelope stretching, I managed, just, to reach the school in time to pick up the kids. They clambered into the car and I headed for Mum and Dad's for dinner. It was the usual jumble of conversations going back and forth across the table, a mixture of what the kids did at school to Mum's description of the new shrubs that she had planted in her garden to replace a couple that were past their prime and getting straggly.

After dinner we sat in the lounge room, we adults were listening to the News on ABC TV, the kids probably half listening to it. The sports segment had just finished and the weather was about to begin when a sign came onto the screen announcing some breaking news. "Police have revealed details of a high speed car chase through Sydney's Eastern suburbs that ended when the car, driven by a woman crashed. In a statement released soon after, the Police have announced that the driver will be charged, along with a series of traffic related offences, with the murder, a year ago, of Sydney woman Rosie O'Laughlin. No further details are available at this time. And now to the weather."

"That was Mummy she was talking about." Rhianna said.

"Yes love, that was Mummy. The Police have arrested her over Mummy's death."

"What do you know about this?" Dad asked.

"Guthrie and I have been doing some investigating. We provided the evidence that led to the arrest. I had some help from a woman that I have met a few days ago, and I find myself attracted to her. I want the kids to meet her tomorrow." I told Mum and Dad.

"You are to bring her to dinner tomorrow night." It was an order.

"Okay, I'll see what I can organise. Hey kids, how would you like to go to the Zoo tomorrow?"

"Yay!" Rhianna shouted as she threw herself onto my lap and hugged me.

"That'd be okay." Ryan said.

"There is one thing. You see, Daddy has been working with this very nice lady, and I've told her all about my great kids, and she wants to meet you. So I have asked her to join us."

"She won't be the same as Mummy." Rhianna said.

"No she won't. But I like her, and you will too, once you get to know her." They didn't sound so sure that they would.

I took them home, they were quiet until we got home and they were going to bed.

"I'll try to like her Daddy." Rhianna said as I tucked her in and kissed her good-night.

"Is she really nice?" Ryan asked as I said good-night to him.

"Yes son, she is really, really nice."

"Do you love her?"

"I do believe that I do. I want you to love her as well."

"Is she going to be our new Mummy?"

"Only if you two like her."

It turned out to be the best day that I have had for a long time, and it started as soon as Rachel was introduced to the kids. "Kids, this is the lovely lady I was telling you about, Rachel, this is Rhianna, and Ryan."

"Rhianna and Ryan, and now Rachel. Three names beginning with 'R'. I think your father's name should begin with 'R' as well. What shall we call him, Robert? Nah too stuffy, Roger? Oooh no."

"What about Raymond?" Rhianna asked.

"Yuk, Ryan said. "I think, Randall, he looks like a Randall."

"No he doesn't. Rory, that's a good one."

"How can you think that Rory's a good name?"

It went on and on, and Rachel threw the odd name into the mix, only to be howled down. What was happening was that the three of them were having the time of their lives at my expense, and in the process, the kids were getting to open up to her, and like her. Every now and then during the day, one of them would come up with some outrageous name beginning with 'R', most of them I'd never heard of and probably didn't even exist, but it kept them amused.

It was a long day that passed quickly. Rachel took tons of photos on her iPhone, including a bunch of selfies. We had a disgusting lunch of hamburgers and ice creams, something that the kids hardly ever have, but they persuaded Rachel that she should pressure me to get them.

Mum had dinner waiting for us when we got back. She looked at me, the question unspoken. "It's fine, better than fine, the kids love her."

"That's a relief for you."

The kids struggled through dinner, barely able to stay awake. There were two single beds in one of the spare rooms, and they went to bed earlier than usual. "You two will stay the night, won't you?"

"Yes, but I'll have to sleep on the couch, there's only one bed in the second bedroom."

"Have you ever noticed that my son is sometimes slow on the uptake?" Mum asked Rachel. That settled it, this was going to be my first night with Rachel, my first night in bed with a woman since Rosie.

"What do you do Rachel?" Dad asked her.

"I'm at Uni, doing my PhD in Demographics. I hope to get a job in the Bureau of Stats."

"She's heavily involved in a social media campaign to name and shame preditary Professors, that's how we met. I'm afraid that it was sort of my idea."

"Can we see what you're doing?" Dad asked. He led her to his office and sat her down at his computer. She cranked up the Internet and type in the name of the site.

"This is the Web-page, it has links to Facebook, Twitter, and several other social media sites. It has gone viral, and the Professor with the most complaints against him is this guy." She was scrolling down the seemingly endless list to find his name, when Rhianna came into the room. "Daddy, I can't get to sleep." Rachel had stopped at the page that she was looking for. "What's Grand-dad doing on your computer?"

"He's just someone that I know from University. Would you like me to tuck you in?"

"Yes, would you?" They trotted off and Rachel came back a couple of minutes later.

"What was all that drama about?"

"That Professor, is Rosie's father."

"So what's going to happen?"

"We'll just have to let this run its course, we can't stop it now. While I should have some sympathy for him, what he has done negates any sympathy I feel. Let the cards fall where they may."

I slept with Rachel. I didn't make love to her, that came later, on Sunday night, in my own bed, with the full knowledge of Rhianna and Ryan that she was to be their new Mummy.

This my new beginning.