Damaged Goods by Diane McNab - HTML preview

CHAPTER ELEVEN

JANE MEETING SUMMER

Jane arrived at Summer's house holding an extravagant dozen roses and a bottle of wine. Going inside the gate she was taken aback by the garden. There were beautiful wild flowers growing everywhere, obviously having picked a spot to place themselves. Jane was used to manicured gardens but this garden spoke for itself. It was a beautiful chaotic jungle in the middle of a suburb.

Jane quickly went back to her car, throwing the roses in to the back, realising the person that she had about to give them to would have found them a little over the top.

She rang the door bell trying not to tremble.

The woman who answered the door was a good three inches shorter than Jane and yet she put out both her arms giving Jane a welcoming hug saying “I am Madge and you are Jane. Summer will be out in a second as soon as she gets out of the loo, something she always does when nerves get the better of her.”

Hesitantly Jane said “I brought Summer a bottle of wine, I hope that's appropriate?”

“Summer drinks everything under the sun, trust me” laughed Madge adding “mind you I don't mind a tipple myself.”

“Oh, shit, sorry, I should have brought something as well for you I just................” said Jane trailing off and really starting to tremble.

Madge took a firm look at her and said “Well I can see that you have the jitters young lady. I understand what you are doing can't be easy an easy thing to do” and with that grabbed Jane by the hand and almost pulled her through the door.

With that she deposited Jane in to a beautiful room and hollered “Hurry up Summer, your guest has arrived.”

A beautiful looking woman emerged in to the room announcing “Hye Jane, I am so glad you are here, my name is Summer.”

Obviously Jane had had no expectations of what Summer would look like but was astonished to notice she looked no more than fifteen years older than herself.

“Hye” said Jane shyly “I guess this is a little awkward.”

“Doesn't have to be at all” said Madge. “I was going to make a pot of tea but by the look on the two of your faces I reckon I will do the honours and open a bottle of wine. Always takes the edge of things if you know what I mean?”

She kept blabbering on saying “The pair of you look as white as sheets, though I never understood that phrase. I mean what if your sheets were blue, or even red for that matter, makes no sense.”

In the stumbling silence Madge poured both the women a generous glass of wine each and said “I will be off then.”

“Please don't leave on my account” said Jane.

“No I always leave on my own account and anyway who is to say I am not standing right outside the door listening to every word you say?” said Madge leaving the room laughing.

Her whole persona had pulled down walls between the two women facing each other which obviously had been her plan.

“She is quite a character” said Jane.

“She is that” said Summer “and much more than that, she is my best friend.”

Summer explained the dynamics of her and Madge's relationship.

“She started as my Housekeeper and was a saviour in helping me with a new baby. She moved in years ago and has never left and I hope she never does.”

“Never leaving” said a loud voice from the next room. Both Summer and Jane burst in to fits of laughter.

“My Mother had a relationship like that with my Nanny Lily. It was like they were two soldiers in combat together.”

The fact that Jane had used the word combat as an analogy to explain a friendship made Summer question who the the battle had been against, but was well aware of the answer deep down.

Not knowing what to say Summer grasped at anything and decided to tell the truth. “I am glad your Mother had that warmth and closeness, it must have helped her through the dark times?”

“Yes, I imagine it did, I honest to God hope so” answered Jane sadly.

“You must hate me” said Summer.

“No, I don't hate you. That is a very strong word to use. However, if I do get to know you in the future and you turn out to be complete bitch I reserve the right to change my opinion” Jane answered.

“Well said, I like you already” said Summer smiling.

“You and my Father were together for years but never married. Did you ever consider tying the knot, particularly after my Mother passed?”

Summer hesitated not wanting to inflict any more pain that this young woman had gone through but went ahead.

“Your Father had told me back in the day that he and your Mother had an arrangement and I believe spoken arrangements between people should never be broken. That is where I stood all these years ago and where I stand today. Personally I never felt the need to marry your Father or anyone else for that matter.”

An hour or so later Madge bustled back in. “Well” she declared “if you are staying for dinner I had better get a move on.”

“No, no, I should go” said Jane.

“Don't be daft you have had more than a good share of a bottle or two to drive and there is a perfectly comfortable bed waiting for you upstairs.. Besides, I said I was cooking not Summer, cause if she was God forbid I would come with you.”

“I think we have been told” said Jane grinning.

“Definitely yes.”

After dinner Summer and Jane snuggled in to the sofa's opposite each other.

“Can I ask you a question Summer?”

“Sure and whatever you want to ask I will answer honestly.”

“Did you love my Father?” and before Summer had a chance to answer she went on saying “and if you did, how is that possible, considering the bully of a man that he was?”

“Mmmmmmmmmmm, did I love your Father, yes I did. Did he ever bully me?” Summer chuckled and answered “Well the answer to that is a downright no as I would never allow it. When it came to conflict between us he knew what lines not to cross. He was well aware that when he pissed me off I would tell him where the fuck to go. He eventually would come back after licking his wounds. That is in all honesty how I can explain our relationship and that's how it went on for years.”

“You would tell my Father to fuck off really?” exclaimed Jane secretly happy to hear it.

Summer took a huge sigh and said “I often told him that on a regular basis. The last time I said that to him I told him never to come back.”

“Why was that time so different?” asked Jane “Did you or he just decide that the both of you had had enough?”

“No, he arrived one night and in a imperious manner let me know that a colleague of his, Professor whatever his name was, was more than happy to help Zac get over his behavioural problems. So that was the end of the relationship for me.”

“Oh did Zac have problems?” asked Jane.

“No” said Summer “Zac had just let it be known that he was gay and Gray couldn't deal with that.”

“Damaged goods” Jane said softly.

Summer looked at Jane with fire in her eyes “Zac is hardly damaged goods, he is a good decent man who happens to be gay.”

“I am not homophobic” Jane said quickly “it's just that I know my Father finding out his Son was gay he would have probably taken it as a personal kick in his guts, particularly after dealing with my shortcomings years earlier. The perfect Doctor Collins suddenly had not one but two children he deemed to be imperfect.”

“Talk to me, let me understand” said Summer.

With that the whole story fell out of Jane's mouth about her own circumstances. Her Father letting her know she was not completely whole as a human being, as a part of her anatomy was missing.

“That bastard, that bastard, how could he talk to you in such a manner. My God I never knew the man at all” declared Summer jumping off the sofa. She sat next to Jane putting her arms around the young woman as if to shield her from any further menace that could come her way.

In the morning Jane walked down the stairs wearing a pair of pyjamas with the logo 'breathe' that Summer had kindly lent her. For some odd reason she did not feel at all uncomfortable, which was strange considering she had only met the two women the day before.

She walked in to the kitchen and Madge handed a large glass of something fizzing and told her to get it down. “Will help the head, cause I reckon you and Summer had a skinful last night” she said laughing.”

Recognising it was berocca Jane said “You are a God send Madge.”

“Never been told that before but I like hearing it” said Madge.

Over coffee Jane looked at Summer and said “So where do we go from here?”

“I guess when Zac has managed to calm down he will probably want to call you. I have no idea what time frame that might be as he was really upset after me enlightening him about everything” Summer answered sadly.

“Perhaps he might never want to meet me” said Jane.

Madge putting in her five cents worth said “Zac just needs time to get his head around the situation. This has just landed on his doorstep and he is probably just coming to terms with the idea. After all it took you a lot longer. I honestly believe that things happen at the right time and for the right reasons. Just wait a while until Zac manages to unravel the cocoon that he has wrapped himself up in. Knowing Zac, for the inquisitive young man that he is, I don't believe it will take too long.”

The three woman said goodbye on the doorstep with Jane apologising for overstaying her welcome.

“Don't be silly Jane my door will always be open to you, never doubt that. I only wish we had met years ago. You could have been the Daughter I never had and always wanted” Summer said.

Jane waited for the phone call from Summer letting her know Zac had agreed to meet.

Eventually Summer rang saying she had spoken to Zac and he had asked where he could contact Jane.

“I gave him your personal contact number, I hope that was ok?” Summer said.

“Of course, of course, did he say when he might call?”

“Sorry Jane I can't be any clearer than that. He actually still sounded a bit despondent. I guess he is still processing everything and I am not sure he has even forgiven me yet, which is something I don't blame him for. However, I do hope he reaches out to you as I think it would help the two of you so much. Let me know if and when he calls.”

A few more days passed and all Jane could think was “He doesn't want to meet me, he doesn't want to meet me” like a mantra going through her mind.

Michael walked in to her office one morning saying he had a call from someone called Zac, did she want to take it or should he just tell whoever it was to bugger off?”

“Put it through, put it through right now Michael” Jane said a little too harshly.

“Of course Madam” said Michael taking umbrage and leaving the room.

“Hey there my names Zac and apparently I am your Brother. I know it has taken time for me to call you but considering I only found out about your existence a short time ago it took me a while to get my head around it. I have decided I am now ready to talk and if you are in agreeance I wondered if we could get together some time?”

“Thanks, thanks, so much for calling me Zac, I was never sure you would want to.”

“Yeah well for a while I wasn't sure either but here we are now speaking to each other.”

“To be honest Jane, this may sound a little selfish, but I would be more comfortable meeting you on my own turf. I would prefer our first meet up not to be in public and ask whether you would be available to come over to lunch at my place? It that doesn't suit you I guess we could both consider somewhere else.”

“No your place is fine. I am more than happy with that, just give me your address, date and time and I will be there” replied Jane hearing the excitement in her voice.

They exchanged details and said goodbye.

“Michael, Michael, are you there?”

“Here I am Madam, your servant as demanded” said Michael walking through the door to Jane's office obviously in a huff.

“I am truly sorry about before Michael. I have news I want to share with you that might clear up my reaction earlier but pinky promise it's just between you and me.”

Michael was immediately mollified and sat down opposite Jane asking what she had got herself up in to a lather so much about.

“I am going to meet my Brother. After years and years of never even knowing he existed. Oh God can you handle things and free up some space for me the day after tomorrow. I would be so grateful?”

Michael smiled and said “Consider it done but tell me more, this is so intriguing.”

Jane explained the circumstances as shortly as she could, realising if she elaborated on the details any more they would be there forever.

Jane waited for something insightful to come out of Michael's mouth and when he finally spoke he asked if her Brother was single. Jane just laughed and said that Michael was incorrigible.

Michael said with some insight “I was never one too scared to open a closed door just to see what opportunities might be lying in wait on the other side. You should try it yourself Jane.”

“I think I just have” she replied.