A Slow Descent Pt. 03

Right from the start he was very hands on. Nappy changing was no problem for him and he got me to express some milk so he could share the night feeding duties. It was a far cry from my first experience of being a mother. Jim would lie in bed snoring while I was up and down changing and feeding.

Ezekiel went back to music after three months but he employed a nanny to be with me five days a week from eight in the morning to six at night. That allowed me to do a bit of work for Lillian. I was sort of her personal assistant and she was my mentor. My new career was put on hold when I fell victim to my man's potent sperm again. I was suckered by the old wives tale that you can't get pregnant while you're breast feeding.

I knew straight away it was a girl because I got really bad morning sickness just as I had with my first daughter. Ezekiel was over the moon when he heard the news vowing to keep me bare foot and pregnant until he had a basketball team. I had to overrule him on that call. Due to some birthing difficulties I had a caesarian and the helpful obstetrician put an end to my baby making days.

As we approached the northern end of Main Street we could see the crowds gathered. Today was the opening of stage one of the Coloons Bay Country Club. When I'd gone to work for Lillian this was our first project together. When we started trying to sell more apartments off the plans of the second development we found that some possible buyers were put off by the lack of leisure facilities available in the town.

So the Country Club idea was born. The town's surf club had a prime position on the north end of the beach but was in desperate need of renovation. I also knew through my local connections they didn't have the money to do it. Lillian and I approached the board of the club with a proposal, they sign over the land, and we build them a brand new club.

They readily agreed and after further negotiation with council the concept got the green light. Today a local politician was cutting the ribbon on the main club. Three bars, two restaurants, a function centre and gymnasium. On the beach side lower level the surf club had a large area for storage of their boats and other gear. Stage two was still under construction. It was to contain two small cinemas, a bowling alley and another multipurpose area for functions, dance classes, bingo and whatever else they could think of.

We parked and got the children in strollers before heading into the crowd. A waving arm caught my attention and it was my older daughter. She pushed her way through to us and gave Ezekiel and me a hug before squatting down to talk to Samuel. We had reconciled a couple of months after we got back from France. She now lived with us during school terms and attended a performing arts school in the city. She was spending a school holiday break with her father at the moment.

My son spoke to me but chose to live with his father and Cindy. He liked the beach life too much. My relationship with Jim and Cindy wasn't good, we spoke through lawyers mostly. When the houses got knocked down for the second development they started agitating for a re-negotiation of our financial split. They felt I'd cheated them and wanted some of the money from the sale of the houses. My lawyer explained there was no money as I was a partner in the development.

Their lawyer filed a motion to stop any further building until the matter was resolved. I filed a counter motion to get me back half of the real estate business. Lillian stepped in with her company's law firm, her heavy hitters put the squeeze on and Jim and Cindy backed down. I withdrew my claim but we still weren't friends.

I could see Lillian up on the walkway that led to the club entrance. She was organizing the special guests and press for the opening. She stopped and scanned the crowd until her eyes found me. She beckoned me to the stage but I waved her offer away. I was quite happy to stay anonymous at the back. She beckoned again, more firmly this time and I felt Ezekiel press against the back of me.

"Go on, get up there. This was your baby." He urged me.

"No," I said quietly back to him. "I don't want to draw any more attention to myself."

I don't think Lillian is going to take no for an answer." He pointed at her as she stood with hands on hips looking sternly in our direction. "Come on, we will all go. Let's give them something to really talk about."

Ezekiel unstrapped the children from their strollers. He hoisted Samuel up onto his hip after he passed Aretha to my daughter. Then taking my hand he started leading me through the crowd to the front. My first steps were timid until Ezekiel turned and shot me a look. He didn't need to speak, I got the message. I lifted my head defiantly moved closer to him and slipped my arm around his back. My daughter came up alongside me with Aretha and we strode three abreast through the crowd. Fuck the small minded bigots, fuck them all.