London Harmony: Flotilla (9 page)

She released me and Tabby moved over to hug me and repeated, “Welcome aboard, Ange.” Then added in their infuriation topic changing habit, “Your company car will be delivered in the next few days.”

I wiped my eyes on my sleeve then Paya said, “Get a move on Ange, Steph needs to be to work in an hour, and your hair looks like two ferrets had a love-in with it.”

Bloody hell! I slapped her shoulder playfully as I blushed. My well thought out, and witty retort was, “Shut up.”

I looked around the pilot's house, my pilot's house and smiled then turned back to my cabin. Fighting off the tears again. The women started throwing playfully sarcastic barbs at each other the moment I shut the door behind me to get ready for the day.

When we reached the Tennison, I was put together much better. There was an odd moment in the car when Paya cranked up the tunes, and we all sang along to Miranda Keys', ‘Harbinger.' Tabby had stopped singing in mid-chorus and cocked her head toward me like she was listening to something we couldn't hear.

Then Paya shared a smug look with her and said, “See?”

Tabby nodded and warned almost playfully, “Don't let J-Dub hear.”

When the song was done. I felt self-conscious until the next song came on, ‘Summer Trails,' from that new group Enigma, and the ladies started singing again.

I was still a little stunned as I sang with one of my idols. She was so, I don't know, not how I imagined? She was just like everyone else, and a barrel of fun. Her fame seemed like an uncomfortable inconvenience to the woman.

We hopped out of the vehicle and ran to the door, Tabs screaming the whole way amusingly, our umbrellas staving off the rain which had lightened to an incessant drizzle. Paya shook her head as she did her hip bump at the pad by the door, buzzing us in. “Always the drama queen, the rain won't melt you.”

Tabby just wiggled her eyebrows and started marching down the hall. Paya shook the rain off her brolly and stood there just watching her friend march away. I stood by my... ummm, boss' side. Tabitha slowed and just stood there with her back to us for a few seconds and said without turning back, “Ummm... where am I going Paypay?”

We chuckled and stepped up to her. Paya just said imperiously, “Follow me little Miss Headstrong.”

We stepped past her, and she looped an arm in mine as we followed the smirking one. Tabs said behind her other hand to me, “She's talking about you.”

Paya snorted and led the way up the stairs. We got to the door and knocked, and I couldn't stop my huge smile when we heard the children squealing through the door, “Auntie Kanga!”

I smiled, even more, when I heard Steph's voice scolding, “If you don't move away from the door I can't open it, now can I children?”

The door opened to reveal a thoroughly amused looking Stephanie and the little ones squealed and latched onto my leg. I leaned down to hug them to me. “Hello to you too, little roos.”

I heard chuckling from my companions as I got my hugs, and Nat looked over and squealed again. “Kitty!”

Her brother looked over and beamed, mimicking his sister, “Kitty!” They launched themselves at the songstress. She caught them in a hug and then ruffled their hair, saying, “Hey there runts.”

Steph looked surprised then absently kissed me on the cheek, “Hey lady.” Then she did the same to the other two, chiming out, “Hello Tabs, I didn't know you were coming.”

The copper haired woman said in a maniacal manner as she wiggled her fingers together like she was bunching up invisible fabric into them, “We've come to abscond with the little ones, for a day out while you trudge away serving up caffeinated concoctions to the dehydrated populace.”

Steph's eye twitched as she spoke out of the corner of her mouth to Paya, like she was trying not to startle a wild animal, “Has she been hanging around with Small Fry again?” They shared a chuckle at what was obviously an inside joke.

Paya gave her a conspiratorial look as she asked, “You ready? I'll provide alacritous transport in my mechanized conveyance to your current place of employment.”

This prompted a crooked grin from her as she whispered, “Bloody hell, there's another one of them.” Paya and Tabs grinned like loons.

Steph looked at the little ones as she reached for her coat and brolly as she looked at me, “As before, the contact numbers are on the...”

She squeaked as Paya hauled her out of the flat, saying, “My executive assistant can handle the munchkins. Let's get you to work so the rest of us can start our day of fun.”

Steph looked back, shooting me a helpless smile as she said to Paya, “I can see myself to work, I'm a big girl, with an Oyster Card and all even.”

They disappeared down the stairs as the ebony haired pixie told her, “You speak as though you have a choice.”

Then Steph caught up with the woman and asked, “Wait, your executive assistant?”

We chuckled and shut the door. The roos looked excited, and Natalie asked Tabitha, “You're really gonna play with us today Kitty?” The woman looked around the flat as if she were appraising it.

I realized that was exactly what she was doing as she silently nodded to herself in approval. She was looking at the flat through the eyes of a woman who wanted to make sure people who benefited from her programs received quality flats. She glanced at the kids as she flopped onto the couch, “I am indeed.”

The little ones ran around aimlessly as they squealed in excitement. I couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled up through me at their excitement. Then Nat stopped in front of Tabs and said in all earnestness as she started hopping past, “We're kangaroos.”

Wil was hopping too.

I sat on the overstuffed chair by the couch and cocked an eyebrow at the superstar. “Kitty?”

She grinned a toothy grin at me and explained, “Steph introduced me to them as Tabby Cat... and well...” Then she narrowed her eyes and said with accusation in her tone, “You're one to talk. Auntie Kanga?”

I blushed and shrugged and said to my hands in my lap, “They're my little roos.” Then I oofed as one of the aforementioned roos hopped into my lap. I ruffled Wil's hair. I glanced around and back to the kitchenette. “Have you had breakfast yet little ones?”

Nat nodded and affirmed, “We hads porridge with maple syrup.” She rubbed her belly.

I grinned at her as Wil started playing with my mobile, the little pickpocket. I looked down at him and unlocked the device and cocked my head as he pulled up some sort of game app on it. How sad was it that a child, who couldn't even read yet, could operate the bloody gadgets better than I could?

Tabby looked around and asked far too innocently, “Didn't you used to have a stuffed toy or two?”

Oh dear lord. I rolled my eyes at her as the wee ones darted off toward their rooms. I asked, “You're pure evil, you know that don't you? We'll have an entire zoo out here in minutes.”

She played innocent as the first handfuls of stuffed animals were dragged out as the children told Tabs each of their names. The copper eyed Lucifer looked ever so innocent. I snorted and sat there listening in rapt attention to them as they stacked the animals on me to get another load.

Before long there was a knock at the door as I thought I was going to be crushed under the weight of thirty-two thousand stuffed animals. Fine, whatever, there was maybe two dozen. I stood up, causing an avalanche of fluffy bodies to flop onto the floor, causing the little ones to giggle.

I stopped at the door and asked innocently, “Who is it?”

I got a “Smart aleck,” for my teasing.

I opened the door and tossed a small stuffed elephant at Paya. It bounced off of her yellow ducky gear and fell to the ground, she looked down at it and blinked. Then just stepped past me and said, “You are an odd one Ange.” Then she corralled the children in a big bear hug as they giggled.

Then she pulled back and looked at them, saying, “You two don't look ready to go out for a day on the town.” She turned to me, “What kind of cut-rate assistant did I get.” She looked at me with an exaggerated grin.

I shook my head and said, “You know I can hurt you, don't you?” Then I added, “You look ridiculous in that yellow slicker.”

She chuckled as Tabs snorted, then she offerd, “Maybe, maybe not, but I'm dry as a bone.”

Fine whatever, I smiled at her and once again shook my head. I crouched, “Come on roos, let's get you duckied up.”

Nat took the invitation and vaulted onto my back for a piggyback ride to her room. Paya took Wil's hand and followed behind. I checked the little bandage on Natalie's arm, then once the squirming munchkins were well outfitted for the drizzly day, we headed out to find Tabby sitting in the chair while the stuffed animals were all arranged neatly in rows on the couch according to size... and color.

I just said in resignation as I grabbed the card key from the counter; I'd not forget that again; “You're both just a couple of odd ducks.”

I knew I shouldn't have said a word as they both said in unison, “Quack.” Which just started a quack-fest with the little ones.

I checked the children over to assure myself they were watertight and said, “Where to first roos? This is to be a day of fun.”

They surprised me when they chimed out together, “The eye!” I chuckled then gulped, it was going to be an expensive day. Then paused when I realized that with my new pay-scale, it wouldn't even be a blip on the radar. I had to force myself to breathe, I had somehow stumbled into the job of a lifetime, and I would be helping others who found themselves in the same dire straits I had landed in. That made me swell with pride.

Tabby chimed out, “One stop first, the Conservatoire to retrieve my bride. She'd have my hide if I went out for fun without her.”

Paya countered, “More likely you'd have to drag her away kicking and screaming. I swear she works more than June or Zil.” Then she added, “Case in point, it is the weekend, and the Conservatoire is closed and is not in need of its headmistress.”

Tabs crinkled her lips to one side of her face as she squinted one eye, saying, “Yeaaaah, she wanted to catch up on things at the school since she's been gone. I don't think she trusts her mother to keep things in order. Control freak you know.” Her tone held nothing but love for the woman she spoke of.

Paya made a surprised squeaking sound and said, “Pot and kettle, Tabs. Pot and kettle..”

The kids and I were just watching the exchange, our heads moving from one woman to the other like we were watching a tennis match. I said, “Come along roos, they'll eventually catch up.”

That got the women laughing and following behind, everyone grabbing their umbrellas as we headed out to the stairs to start what was going to be a fun day of splashing in puddles.

As we reached the vehicle, Tabby darted in front of me and called, “Shotgun.” I narrowed an eye at her, and she just responded with a grin. Wench.

I strapped the roos in, Paya handing me the booster seat for Wil from somewhere in the boot. Then I slipped in beside them. I felt vindicated as they both started swinging their legs playfully and kicking the back of the passenger seat.

Our first stop was to the McClellan Music Conservatoire. I have passed by it many times since I came to London. It is just one of those things I viewed as high society and only dreamed of attending. I imagined all of the classically trained vocalists that were alumni of such a highly regarded venue.

I had to wonder how Tabitha had met the headmistress here. I mean, Tabby's punk and underground music background really doesn't seem to be amiable to crossing paths with the classical. But hey, it's music, and it all comes from the same place deep down inside people. Her unauthorized biography had some glaring holes in it, like the fact she married a woman, or how they met.

The star hopped out into the drizzling rain, not popping her umbrella and just letting her pixie cut hair get wet as she ran up to the unassuming doors on the brown brick building, sliding inside. I said, “She seems in an awfully good mood.”

Paya shrugged and said in a warm, matter of fact tone, “She's in love.”

I caught her absently twisting her engagement ring, getting lost in some inner battle. I wished there was something I could do.

I reached forward, laid a hand on her shoulder and said, maybe without as much confidence as I wanted to project, “Everything will sort itself out fine. Life has this habit of shaking us around violently then when the dust settles, we rise up to meet any challenges, and are better for it.”

She chuckled and said, “You sound like Mandy.”

Mandy?

She supplied, “June's mum.”

Oh, ok... What!? That Mandy? Mandy Fay Harris? I swallowed at her comparing me to someone like that. The woman was a bloody legend. I read an old interview of hers once, she was sort of inspiring. I came away with the knowledge that our scars make us beautiful.

I thought about her for a moment. She had hit her own low near the end of her career. She had been known as the bad girl of rock. She wore the cliches of sex, drugs, and rock and roll like a cloak of honor. She hadn't been sober in years before she had June. Then she sort of reinvented herself and became the queen of emotional rock.

Then I smiled as I remembered that it was that congresswoman from the Americas who had tamed her. I glanced at Paya, realizing she really did know a few people who were gay like me. Well maybe not like me, they were all bloody famous.

On that note, two figures came walking hastily out of the Conservatoire. Tabby was holding the umbrella for a tall woman in a solid purple business suit. She had a matching wide purple hairband holding her dark hair back and low purple heels.

Paya flipped up the center console in the front, just as I was wondering how we were going to fit everyone in. I smiled as I realized that there was another seatbelt under it. The console was the third seat.