Bondi Beach

Rick said honestly, "Oh yeah, I hadn't thought beyond moving in somewhere with you. Perhaps my two flatmates could shift out and we live there."

"No I'd prefer staying reasonably close to Bondi but not necessarily in Bondi itself."

"Well at least you are flexible. Now that you are authorized to live in Aussie permanently, will you?"

"I think so. This lifestyle suits me and I really like working with Paula and being part of her team. I have begun negotiations with Paula about taking a share in the business to provide the capital for expansion. As well, your sister is the best friend I've had since leaving high school. Then there is Michelle who lives close to here and of course I have me aunt living here and Ivan. I have a small community of people I never thought I'd have round me when I set off for Australia."

"You must have expected that to happen?"

"I'd hoped it would but that's no guarantee it will happen. Oh I'd like to give Karen a few days notice before I leave to get her used to the idea. She has been so wonderful to me."

"Okay, I can understand and there's no real rush. I'm really glad you want to be with me. Perhaps we should start looking. What about Paddington."

"That would be okay and nearby Woollahra would appeal to me even more."

That same evening Rick went clubbing with three visiting male business executives and he awoke next morning in the bed of a woman he'd befriended at the last club he'd remembered visiting. Her name was Felicity and she was a bank executive. She told him he looked dreadful that he should take a day off sick to recover. Always a sucker for a pretty woman Rick called in sick and stayed in bed all day with her and they had a wonderful time as well as catching up on sleep. He returned to his flat for dinner that evening having arranged to go out the next evening with Felicity. After one more night with sweet Felicity, Rick called Dani at her workplace to advise he'd found someone else.

She just screamed and slammed down her phone, breaking it.

Not having heard from Rick for two days Dani had delayed telling Karen she would be leaving. She was greatly upset, more so because Kylie had called to advise her that Jazz had proposed to her and she'd accepted. The boss Paula, hearing the scream, came and took Dani back to her office to calm her and when Paula said men were just pigs Dani was sure that was the wisest thing Paula had ever said to her.

Dani went home that evening and had another cry in the arms of Karen who, also sobbing, said philosophically, "Well darling all I can say is we can't always win. At least you have the comfort of knowing it was a record length of time for you before being dumped.

"Yes, you are so right. Fuck men."

"Exactly. That's what I try to do Dani."

They laughed through their tears.

Karen said, one never knew when the next opportunity would drop out of the sky. "But don't bother working Bondi Beach darling because those guys are usually predators, and forget the supermarket because those guys looking for eye contact already have at least one failed marriage behind them."

Dani moaned, "But where?"

"Don't worry; it will happen. All you need to do is to keep in circulation."

Kylie who'd had been devastated to learn that Rick had dropped her called her daily to check on how she was getting on. One of those calls she picked the brighter tone in Dani's voice and said gleefully, "Great news, my brother has picked up an STD from his new girlfriend and they're both receiving treatment."

* * *

Paula introduced Dani to a couple of guys round Dani's age but one had a squint and kept forgetting her name and the other guy wanted sex almost every hour.

"Sorry Dani, I can see I need to look upmarket," Paula said, hearing Dani had to let over-sexed Bruce go.

"Don't bother Paula but thanks for trying."

Dani began knocking round with Michelle who was seeing less and less of Michael and suspected he was loosing interest in her. Michelle introduced Dani to two brothers in café one evening and Michelle and Dani began dating them and they had some good times together before the brother lost interest.

"Perhaps you ought to be dating me," Michelle said as the two women ate alone again, horrifying Dani until she caught the sly smile.

"It's tempting but I must remain in male pursuit mode," Dani laughed.

"I-I was joking."

"Of course you were Michelle. A tongue is no substitute for a fat dick."

They laughed knowing they now were really good friends and that had cushioned Kylie's partial withdrawal as a social threesome to spend more time with Jazz. Kylie's mom insisted on calling him by his real name of Josh, just as his own mum did.

The next day Michelle called and said her mum wanted the family home for the long weekend (Monday was Labour Day, a public holiday).

"Mom has invited you and my brother Rod is bringing home a pal. Perhaps we could double date."

"What me and the pal?"

"No you fool, you and my brother. You might be just the babe for him. I doubt he's ever been properly... er..."

"Fucked?"

Michelle giggled and accused Dani of being crude. She said her brother was a lawyer based in Bondi Junction and the pal was a dentist. Both were no much over thirty .

"Ooooh, yummy. Is your brother likeable?"

"He used to be a real pain to me but has modified in recent years. Mum thinks the sun shines out of his backside."

"Oooh, mum's usually have good judgement. I guess I'm not meant to take that sun shining thing literally?"

They laughed.

Both women finished work on Friday at midday at met at the pickup point nominated by Rod Stewart. The black BMW arrived, headlights flashing, and the two guys got out and introductions were made at the cases loaded.

"You sit in the back with Bevan sis and that will give me opportunity to learn about Miss America. You are very beautiful."

"Thanks Rod, remember beauty if you can call it that may only go skin deep."

"Rod that's bullshit. Dani is the loveliest woman my age I've every known."

"Not to worry," Rod said. "I don't have much luck with women of any appearance or vintage."

"Perhaps your hair is too long and you are too direct for most women."

Rod considered that and for a moment Dani thought she must have insulted him.

"How can you say that?" he said. You've only known me for no more than ten minutes."

"But I have been observing and listening to what you've said. In case you had overlooked the fact, women are not men."

He grinned. "What I meant was you said exactly what my mum says to me, that I look too rough and talk too straight for females to feel endeared to me but of course they flock to me in my law practice because I work in family law, specialising in divorce, and some of my female clients believe I have the look to kick ass, their husband's ass."

"Well I apologize for shooting my mouth off. I thought I was being invited to express myself and I thought why give it to you sugar coated or avoid saying anything substantial."

"I like the way you think and yes I was inviting that sort of comment and thanks for the endorsement. Our mum is really going to like you. My father is a doctor working from a surgery attached to their home and mum is his practice nurse. Goulburn is about two hours' drive from here in normal conditions but being a holiday weekend the exodus from the city will be underway and the roads will be busy."

"Wow, that delivery was bursting with information and comment."

"I like you. You also say what you mean."

"Oh come on. You've known me for ten minutes."

"And you are even think like me. Michelle told me your Australian boyfriend dumped you, so what about dating me?"

"Are you married?"

"No and perhaps ought to say I stood up my recent girlfriend once too often and was dumped."

"God we are exactly the wrong mix, two social rejects."

Everyone laughed and onward they went.

The welcome by Elizabeth and Ian Stewart was warm and genuine, making Dani feel she was among people like in rural America.

* * *

Next morning when it was only just dawning, Dani was shaken awake and then became aware the person was having a good feel of her breast.

"What?"

"It's Rod."

"We can't have sex here, I'm sharing this room with Michelle."

He snickered and said, "Come, hurry. Get dressed with a jacket and walking shoes."

They drove off quickly.

"Are you kidnapping me?"

"I wish. No last night you said you'd like to hear kookaburras and get up really close to kangaroos. This is it."

"What, you mean we are off to see kangaroos?"

"Yes I made enquiries last night and was told by a guy they are up on the top paddock of his farm, a group of forty plus young ones."

"Are you telling me you have a few kangaroos loose up in the top paddock?"

Rod laughed and said she was acclimatising quickly.

They turned up a side road for two miles and stopped. On their left was a pasture or paddock as the Aussies call it that ran right up to bush (a thicket of native trees and undergrowth).

As they climbed over the fence Rod put an arm round Dani and said, "You have lovely tits."

"I was aware you were stealing a lusty feel."

"Oh, lusty feel was it. Am I required to apologize?"

"No I welcomed it. No where..."

A chorus of maniacal screams cut off Dani's question.

"Kookaburras." Rod said reassuringly, feeling Dani gripping him tightly. He then pointed up ahead and whispered, "There they are."

"Ohmigod."

Most of them lay on the ground but a few were raised upright, scratching with others stood motionless just watching the intruders.

"Watch for snakes," Rod joked.

"What!" Dani yelled and the bush fell silent.

"Where are the roos?" she complained, not longer seeing any.

"You scared them away. They just ghosted into the bush. It was my fault with clowning around. Sorry."

"It's okay. At least I have seen roos in the wild."

Rod pulled Dani around and kissed her and she kissed him right back.

That night the sleeping quarters were rearranged with Bevan moving in with Michelle and Dani sleeping with Rod.

Dan blew Rod and then blew him away with her fucking. He confessed he'd never had it so good and had never had a woman who appeared to enjoy it so much and not only that, she was so good at it.

Elizabeth Stewart had to go in late next morning and practically pull those two out of bed as they all had been invited to a lunch barbie.

* * *

In Colorado Claire Buchanan was beginning to worry because Dani called or sent a long email every Sunday without fail. Two weeks had gone by without hearing from her daughter.

At 6:30 that evening when Claire and Robert were having a martini before dinner the phone went.

"Hi mom, ready to pack your bags."

"Excuse me darling?"

"We want you and dad and Nigel and anyone else you wish to bring to come to us for Christmas. I'll put you across to Karen in a moment. She has plenty of friends willing to help out and accommodate visiting Yanks. Remember Christmas is summertime in Australia. Then on December 28th you guys dress up and attend the joint weddings of my two best friends, Kylie and Michelle and I'll be the third bride."

"Ohmigod!"

Dani held the phone away from her ear until the screaming died.

"Where, when?"

"On Bondi Beach, Australia, mom but if it's wet in a beer garden."

"Oh god, what have those Australian's done to you? I wanted your wedding here, in Denver, with all the trappings not on a fucking beach."

"Mom you said fucking. That's not like you. Has American society disintegrated that much since I left home?"

"No it hasn't and young lady I'm not very happy about this. Is your imminent husband that attorney or someone else you have picked up on the beach?"

"Yes by they call them lawyers over here and his name is Rodney Stewart as I've reminded you each time we are on the phone. I love him immensely and he can't get enough of me."

"I bet."

"Mother."

"Just a moment while I brief your father. He's looking at me as if I'm going nuts."

"A loose kangaroo in the top paddock."

"Excuse me?"

"It was nothing."

"Yes Christmas following by the wedding is fine by him. He asks should we book Qantas or United?"

"Go for the best group deal mom but book now because Australian's fly home for Christmas. Come Boxing Day if necessary and we'll hold Christmas festivities until them."

"Oh darling, you sound so happy and I'm so happy for you and yes I'll gladly come to your wedding and hope the day will be fine so you three couples have your great day on the beach."

"Thank you mom. Love to dad. Here's Karen."

"Claire!"

"Karen!"

"Isn't my darling niece a little ripper!"

THE END