Adam's Thorn (10 page)

So very different to the last time
he saw her years ago.  That night he’d…

Shaking his head mentally, he
dragged his gaze back up to meet hers.

“Do I meet with your approval?”
she asked sarcastically.

“Yeah, you do.”  He wasn’t sure
who was more surprised, Barbie or himself.  Regaining control of his wayward
thoughts and mouth, he focussed on the reason for his visit.  “I need to talk
to you.”

Taking a deep breath, she rested
one elbow on the top of the ladder.  “Now what?”

“I have to apologise,” he replied
bluntly.

“For what?” she asked guardedly.

“For warning you to stay away from
Hallie.” He regarded her steadily.  “I found out that what happened was twisted
out of context.”

Her gaze dropped.

“I’m sorry, Barbie.”

She shrugged and studied her
nails.  “Perfectly understandable, I guess.”

“I don’t jump to conclusions,” he
continued.  “I did this time without getting all the facts.  That’s not how I
normally operate.”

“Forget it.”  She pushed away from
the ladder.  “It’s okay.”

“No, it isn’t.”  Adam took a side
step, blocking her way when she would have stepped past him.  “Look at me.”

With a sigh, she obeyed.

“Hallie’s upset.”

“I didn’t upset her.’

“You’re barely speaking to her,
she says.”

“Its better that way, don’t you
think?”

He frowned.  “As long as…” He
wisely didn’t finish the sentence.

“As long as I’m being a good
girl?”  She laughed a little bitterly.  “I think you made sure of that.”

And there it was, the elephant in
the room looming between them.  He clenched his jaw, folding his arms across
his chest.  If she wanted to talk about it, he wasn’t backing away.  He never
retreated.  Ever.

Mentally steeling himself, he was
surprised wen she glanced away, her cheeks pinkening.  “Tell Hallie its okay. 
I just thought it was better to keep my distance.  I think enough gossip is
going around about me right now.”

“I sorted that out,” he replied
shortly.  “Now, are we going to talk about what happened that night?”

“That’s in the past, and no, I’m
not talking about it.”  Stepping back, she placed one hand on the ladder.  “Now
if you’ll excuse me, I have new globes to put in.”

“Barbie-”

She glared at him.  “Look, Adam,
I’m only here for a short time.  I have no intentions of getting involved with
anyone, I have no intentions of raking up the past.  It’s gone, done.  Now, I
just want to get these bloody globes in before nightfall, okay?  I appreciate
your coming all the way out here, being big enough to apologise.  It’s done.” 
Placing one foot on the ladder, she reached for the top.

Goddamn
.  She might have
the right not to talk about the happenings of that night, but he had the right
to ensure her safety, whether she wanted it or not.

Plucking the globe from her hand,
he gently but firmly pushed her aside and went up the ladder.

“What are you doing?” she
demanded.

“Putting the globe in.”  Reaching
up, his height easily giving him the advantage, he screwed it in place and came
back down the ladder.

“Thanks,” she said grudgingly.

“Don’t mention it.”  Turning on
his heel, he spotted the box of globes sitting on the hall table.  “Where else
do you need them replaced?”

“I can do it.”

“Barbie.”

“I’m sure it’s not in your job
description.”

He looked at her.  “And I’m sure
your Great Aunt Penny wouldn’t appreciate me walking away, leaving you to risk
a broken leg or worse because you’re too damned stubborn to accept a bit of
help.”

Her cheeks flamed, her mouth
opened to no doubt verbally roast him, but then she snapped those lush lips
shut and rubbed the back of her neck.  Blowing out a breath that had her first
puffing out her cheeks cutely, though he wouldn’t tell her that, she walked
past him to pick up the box. “Fine.  I was going to replace every globe in the
house.”

Surprised, he looked from the box
to her face.  “You blew them all?”

“No, they all work fine.  It’s
just they’re very dim and I want some brightness around.”

He couldn’t help the small smile. 
“Yeah, Penny always was a bill saver.”

Her answering smile was swift,
vanishing as quickly as it had appeared, which was a damn shame because when
she was amused, her eyes brightened.

Why he should even notice that was
beyond him.  Not wanting to ponder it too closely, he picked up the ladder. 
“Lead on.”

Silently they went through the
house, he going up the ladder and removing the old globe, she carrying the box
and handing the new globes up to him.  When he’d finished and was carrying the
step ladder back to the storeroom, the phone was ringing.

By the time Barbie walked in from outside,
the answering machine clicked on, and he couldn’t help but hear the message as
he placed the step ladder in the store cupboard.

“Hi Barbie,” Larry’s girlfriend’s
voice came on.  “After seeing you do that massage on Larry yesterday, and how
good his sore back feels, I’d like to book in a session with you.”  She
laughed  “I promise not to moan as loudly as he did!  Anyway, ring me back on
this number and we can book a time.”  She said the phone number and hung up.

Adam sighed.  Talk about feeling
like a low-life.  Closing the door, he turned to see Barbie walking into the
kitchen, the big tabby on her heels.  She didn’t say a word.

Shaking his head at his own
stupidity the previous day, Adam followed her, stopping in the doorway.

At the kitchen sink, she was
pouring water form the tap into a glass, barely glancing up as he came to a
stop.

“Barbie,” he said quietly, “another
apology.”

“It’s all right,” she replied just
as quietly.

“Another conclusion I jumped to,
and a damned wrong one.”  He thrust one hand through his hair and sighed.  “I’m
so sorry.  Accusing you of giving out sexual favours when you were just doing
your massage, it was a lousy thing to do.”

Her smile was tight, her gaze not
quite meeting his.  “Under the circumstances, why would you think any
different?”

He studied her.  “Because
circumstances change.”

“Do they?”  Her laugh was brief,
brittle.

“Have they?”  Adam asked,
genuinely curiously.  “What’s happened in your life, Barbie?”

“What difference does it make?” 
She looked at him then, her expression flat.  “I’m only here for a short time,
I don’t intend to make good friends.  Thanks for the help, I appreciate it. 
I’m sure you have work to do.”  There was a knock on the door, a voice hailing
her.  “I know I do.”

“Ali?” Adam recognised the voice.

“My appointment.”  Without giving
him a chance to say anything further, Barbie called out, “Come in, Ali.”

Any chance he had of pursuing the
conversation was gone as Ali bounded in, her gaze flicking from Adam to Barbie,
though she had the manners not to question his presence.

“Thanks for helping change the
light globes.”  Barbie gave him a tight smile.  “I hope you’re okay to see
yourself to the door?  Don’t let the cats out, that’s all.  Ali, follow me.”

Not having much choice, Adam
nodded to her, smiled at Ali, and left the room. 

Sitting in the patrol car, he
stared at the house.  He should be glad she had no intention of staying, he
didn’t need reminders of the past.  But he was curious about her.  She had
changed…or so it appeared.  Just what had happened to make her change so
drastically?

The wild teenager he remembered
bore little resemblance to the woman she’d become, the things she’d done
seeming a world apart form the Barbie who had arrived in his town.

It was a mystery, one he wondered
if he’d solve before she left.

Then he wondered why it even mattered. 
Starting the car, he drove off.

~*~

“Ooohh, that feels so good.”  Ali
sighed in pleasure.

Kneading down her spine, Barbie
smiled.  “You didn’t say that a few minutes ago when I was kneading that knot
out.”

“Yeah, that was murder.  This, however,
this is just wond - ouch!”  Ali grabbed the top of the table.  “Ow ow
ow
!”

“Don’t be a baby,” Barbie chided. 
“I’ll just work these a bit.  I don’t have to get them out all at once.  If
you’re happy to come back for another massage, I can work on them again.”

Ali glanced over her shoulder. 
“How about I just book in for a massage on the nice bits?”

“That’d kind of defeat the
purpose.”  Barbie ran her fingers through the oil, relaxing her client by
kneading gently up the side of her spine.

Almost immediately, Ali sank back onto
the table.  “Oh yeah.  That’s what I’m talking about.”

Chuckling, Barbie did a few sweeps
over her back.  “So, coming back?”

“Is that a threat?”

“Only if you think my working on
the knots until they go right now is.”

“Then I’m coming back.  Geez, I
can’t handle it all in one go.”

“Then we’re finished for this
session.”  Turning to give Ali privacy as she sat up and reached for her blouse,
Barbie walked from the room to wash her hands in the bathroom across the hall. 
By the time she returned, Ali had her blouse on and fastened, and was sitting
on the table rocking her feet back and forth.

“So,” Ali said, “How about coming
over Sunday arvo for a drink?”

“I don’t drink much,” Barbie
replied.

“Well, you know, drink can mean
alcohol, soft drink, cup of tea.”

Barbie dropped the towel into the
linen bag.  “I have quite a bit to do here still and-”

“You don’t have to stay for
hours.”

“That’s really nice of you, but-”

“But what?”

Sighing, Barbie straightened. 
“It’s really sweet of you…”

“Is this anything to do with
Adam?”

Holy cow, the woman was
straightforward.  “No.”

“It’s just me and Lori.  Come on,
I’m sure you could do with some friendly company after your little run-in with
Mrs Hubble.”

Barbie looked at her.  “You heard
about that, huh?”

Ali smiled.  “Small town and the
local gossip monger.  What do you think?”

Obviously Adam hadn’t sorted it
out in time.  “You’ve got a point.”

Sliding off the table, Ali crossed
the room to where her purse lay on a chair.  “You’re new here-”

“But I’m not staying.”

“Doesn’t matter.  It’s just a friendly
chin-wag.  Lori and I are having a cuppa and doing some cooking, catching up on
the local…” She paused.  “Information.”

“Gossip?” Barbie suggested dryly.

“Good lord, no! Information.”  Ali
grinned.  “Anyway, join us for awhile, even just an hour or so.  Doesn’t have
to be long.”

Accepting the money from Ali,
Barbie couldn’t help but be drawn by the friendliness of the other woman. 
“Well…”  To be truthful, she could do with a little company.

“How well did you know your Great Aunt
Penny?”

“Not a whole lot, actually, which
was why it was such a surprise when she willed me this house.”

“Ah, well, see, Lori and I knew Ms
Declan a little, and we can fill you in on her.  A little.”  Ali paused, a
twinkle in her eyes.  “Without the gossip.”

Curious about the Great Aunt she’d
hardly known, Barbie nodded.  “Okay.  Sure.”

“Great.  We’ll say about two
o’clock?”  Bending down, Ali picked up the pen and wrote on the notepad lying
on the table.  “Here’s the address.”

Barbie just had time to thank her
before her next appointment arrived.  Larry’s girlfriend was eager for a massage,
her calf muscles quite knotted form exercising and playing sports, and while
she shrieked and writhed a couple of times while Barbie worked on the knots,
she also groaned with relief.

When she left the rest of the day
was clear of bookings, unless someone rang in which was unlikely.  That left
the afternoon to start going through the rooms and looking properly at the many
things her Great Aunt had collected in her lifetime.

A quick clean of the room, the
towels going in to soak in a bucket, and Barbie went to the kitchen to eat a
little tub of yoghurt.

Fred and Barney wandered in, their
gazes going straight to the ‘fridge.  Laughing, she dished out some raw mince
and left them happily consuming it.

Remembering how old and dusty some
of the things were upstairs, as well as the rooms, Barbie changed into pedal
pushers and t-shirt before going upstairs with a notepad and pen.

The house was simply laid out, the
bottom floor consisting of a hallway that went from the front of the house to
the back, ending with a floor to ceiling window.  On one side of the hall was a
small study, followed by a large kitchen, and off that the laundry.  On the
other side of the hall was the small room she had commandeered for a massage
room, the lounge room, bathroom and a bedroom.  Stairs at the end of the hall
led to a small landing off which were three more bedrooms and what was a
library combined with sewing paraphernalia and other assorted bits and bobs.

Opening all the doors and windows
to air off the rooms and let in the freshness of the outdoors, Barbie could
smell rain in the air.  Clouds were gathering though the sun still shone.

Starting with the furtherest
bedroom, she took note of the furniture.  Old, dark and very dusty.  The bed
was a high four-poster with a yellowed bedspread that was once white.  The
pillows were edged in lace that almost fell apart under her fingers.

Opening the wardrobe, she smiled
at the clothes within, old gowns that possibly dated back to the early
twenties.

Reverently she took them out,
marvelling at the material, the intricate stitching, and the style.  The smell
of mothballs was strong. It would appear that her Great Aunt had been careful
not to allow moths and silverfish to get to the clothes.