Finding Alice Read online

  “Every one to their own George, you will see what we can do with it.”

  “Demolish it,” said George. As usual getting the last word in.

  John did some immediate renovations to make the home more livable. These included taking up the carpet and having the floors sanded and polished. He then went about renovating the kitchen and bathroom in the traditional style. He and Audry then moved in with baby Claire and made it their first home. Having settled in they were able to keep renovating, including renewing some of the external woodwork and painting internally and externally. They used tradesmen for the more difficult work. John had lots of contacts with good tradesmen from his time as a property manager, when he had been responsible for repairs and maintenance on rental properties.

  The home was starting to regain some of its original character. Next John got to work on the garden, which had been neglected for many years. His skills from the old days came in handy here, but unlike in the old days when he had felt he was working for peanuts, this time he had a goal. He was increasing the value of his property. This time when he eventually sold it, the profits would come to him.

  John and Audry lived in their federation home for five years and had their second child Sam there. Audry and the children were very happy to live there and even George became less critical when he saw the final fully renovated product, although when they invited him over he still had to get the last word in,

  “It still doesn’t have and en-suite and the dining room is too far away from the kitchen,” he quipped.

  John didn’t bother responding to this. He knew they had done a fine job on the house and had substantially increased its market value. What is more the increase in value would be tax-free when they sold, as there is no capital gains tax on the family home in Australia.

  However John was never satisfied and wanted to move on. In spite of Audry’s protests he sold the house. They got a lot more than he paid for it, even after taking the cost of renovations into the equation.

  This was how John had acquired the money to buy his present home even if he still owed George quite a lot of money. Of course this time the home had all the mod cons that George had criticized, as lacking in the federation home.

  Chapter 5 Alice and the Leaves

  John was in the kitchen of his lovely modern home, where he had just finished cutting the roast.

  “I’m just going to tidy up those leaves and return the rake to Alice.”

  “OK Hon, while you’re there could you ask Alice if she could bring a bowl for the salad tomorrow night? Don’t be long dinner will be ready shortly.”

  ”OK.”

  Audry enjoyed entertaining and had invited Alice and her husband Bill over for dinner along with her old friends Elizabeth and Peter, who were now married. She had stayed friends with Elizabeth over the years and she was now part of the regular Thursday tennis group. Like Audry, Elizabeth had let herself go and put on quite a lot of weight after having three children. Peter was from a wealthy family and had some sort of senior position in a bank. John found him very boring and had never really questioned him much about what he did at the bank.

  On the other hand Alice, Susie’s mother from over the road, was a totally different kettle of fish. She was into fitness and power walking. John would often toot to her when he was driving to work as she power walked down the street wearing her cap and training tights. He could certainly see where young Susie got her looks. Not only was Alice beautiful but also with the tight clothes she wore she wasn’t afraid to show off her athletic body. I wonder what she will be wearing tomorrow night, thought John?

  There was one other person of course, Alice’s husband Bill. He worked as Sales Manager for a sporting goods company. He was a nice fellow but unlike John had not managed to disguise his working class origins. Bill still got his tenses wrong and ended a lot of sentences with the word “mate”. As with many middle managers, Bill’s job required him to work long hours and undertake a lot of interstate trips, to keep an eye on the branches. At least he understood sales and could engage in some interesting conversation, thought John.

  John finished raking the leaves just as the last rays of sunlight were creeping up the fence and into the night. He gathered the leaves into a bundle and began putting them into a green recycling bin. But as he did a few more leaves fell as a gentle zephyr rustled above him. No point in doing any more. This would have to do for now. He wheeled the bin around the side of the house, picked up the rake and wandered across the road. Alice answered the door,

  “Hi,” said John, “Just come to return your rake. Where’s Bill?”

  “Still at work,” replied Alice with a rather resigned look on her face.

  “Yeah, well at his level they all have to put in the hours these days.”

  “Would you mind taking the rake round the back?” asked Alice “I’ll meet you at the shed.”

  John walked around the side of the house. Like him Bill kept his garden in good order. But not quite as good as mine, thought John, and also it’s not as large.

  Alice came out bare footed and met him at the shed. She had her dark hair tied back and like her daughter was wearing shorty shorts, frayed around her thighs, which showed off her well, toned legs. She was wearing a loose blouse and obviously no bra. Even though she had no make-up on, unlike Audry she exuded an exotic sexuality. Yes this is the finished product, thought John. Susie will look like this soon.

  Why can’t Audry look like this? He had tried to get her to go power walking with Alice but she had only tried it once. Alice had been far too fit and left her way behind, so Audry didn’t want to do it again. Audry claimed her tennis and housework was all she needed to do, but from what John could see it wasn’t working at all.

  He watched as Alice propped the rake against the side of the shed. From behind he marveled at the same tight arse as Susie’s, although hers was fully rounded out as a mature woman. For a moment he wondered whom he fancied most. No, it was no contest. Susie might be a sexy little thing but Alice was the full product.

  “Audry wants to know if you could bring your salad bowl over tomorrow night?”

  “OK, What time would you like us there?”

  As she said this Alice swung around still bending over giving him a full view of her ample firm breasts.

  “I’d say about 7:30…. Ah.. no need to bring anything other than the salad bowl.” His voice was quavering.

  She gave him a look as if to say I know what you’re thinking. It was the same look that Susie had given him when she had brushed against him. Like mother like daughter, he thought.

  Not only did Alice know the impact she was having on John, she had done it on purpose. Alice was in fact a complex person. She had an honours degree from university and came from a very interesting background. She was born in a commune where she spent her early years until she was 10. If possible Alice could be almost be described as a “champagne socialist.” To the casual observer she was a mass of contradictions. Her identification with the simple ways of her commune days contrasted sharply with her love of expensive clothes, fine dining and sophisticated conversation. She could switch from being a bohemian to a sophisticated socialite in seconds, as her mood took her. She was also aware of her natural beauty and in the past had been offered a number of photographic modeling jobs but did not take them. She did not like the idea of being used in advertisements to push corn flakes or some other consumer product she did not believe in. She had high ethical standards. She was into health and fitness and considered most packaged processed food products were not healthy.

  Even with her sharp mind she could not understand why she felt an attraction towards John. She did not generally like real estate salesman. She thought John was a hollow man and too cocky for his own good. She just could not explain the attraction. Normally she was attracted to men who were sensitive and shared her love of the outdoors and nature. Why was she attracted to John when he was so different to her normal type of man? It was playin
g with her mind. While John’s wife Audry had been heavily influenced by her parents, especially her father, Alice had grown up with a totally different set of influences. Audry had been brought up with too much parental influence especially from her father. Alice on the other hand had grown up free and wild with little parental influence, especially in her early years at the commune. But no matter how you grow up there are always issues, consequences not of your own making. For instance Alice had always sensed she was a bit different to everyone else. With her beauty and acute mind she attracted men like bees to the honey. But she had never found one to whom she could fully relate. Perhaps she really was different? Perhaps there was no one in the world she could fully relate to or who could fully understand her?

  Well, that was no one that she found attractive. Sure, she could relate to some of the geeks at university. But these were mostly unattractive guys who were pursuing research into some remote corner of human knowledge. Most were so absorbed in their research they were boring. She had concluded she was never going to find any one who was on her intellectual level. Anyone, who could understand her moods and emotions and be totally in tune with her. In a way she had been forced to compromise. Bill was a nice guy and a good father to Susie. Also he was sensitive and shared her love of nature. But in no way was he on her intellectual level. While she was able to help Bill to overcome some major issues he had with his parents, he could not help her. He just didn’t understand her level of thinking. He could not be in tune with her.

  Alice and Bill had moved into the street about two years ago. The attraction between her and John had been there since the first time they met. A few days after they had moved in Audry had insisted John go over with her with a bottle of champagne and welcome their new neighbours. At the time Bill had met them at the front door and insisted they come through and help drink it. As they were following him down the corridor towards the kitchen Alice heard the voices and came out of the bedroom where she had been unpacking. She still had her head down and bumped straight into John. At first all he could see was her dark hair. But then she looked up. Although she was in her old clothes with her hair all over the place there had been an instant attraction.

  Apologies made they proceeded to the kitchen. However as they sipped the champagne and talked amongst the unpacked boxes at the breakfast table, Alice learnt John was an estate agent. She started to unconsciously question the initial attraction. John seemed a bit brash and full of his own self-importance. Too overconfident for her liking. Not humble enough.

  Although nothing had happened the unrequited attraction was still there today as John returned the rake. He was sure that Audry had sensed this also. That's why she told me not to be long, he thought.

  “I am just having a glass of wine. Would you like to join me?” asked Alice.

  “Well I probably shouldn’t,” said John, “ Audry has my dinner almost ready.”

  “Just a quick one?” she queried.

  “OK, but I can’t stay long.”

  John followed Alice in through the back door and perched on a stool at the breakfast bar while she poured him a wine. She took the bottle from the fridge she had been drinking from, loosened the protruding cork and poured his wine, turning the bottle to prevent drips as she finished. Her movements had an air of grace about them. Alice was cool, calm, in control and exuded an air of quite confidence. God she is sexy, thought John.

  “How has your day been?” pried Alice, handing him the glass.

  “Pretty good,” answered John, “I just completed a large sale.”

  “Oh, so I suppose… you are going to have lots of money coming in.”

  There was something about the tone in her voice that was a little condescending. Was Alice having a go at him?

  “I worked very hard to seal that sale Alice. Real estate is a tough business.”

  “I’m sure it is, but you’re a pretty tough boy aren’t you?”

  “Not as tough as you might think,” countered John, as Alice looked him straight in the eye without flinching. He knew now she was baiting him. It seemed whoever spoke next was going to be the loser in this little tête-à-tête. For what was only a second or two, but seemed like ages, they espied each other across the breakfast bar in total silence. God she is sexy, thought John.

  On the other hand Alice was thinking, what do I see in this man? He is very concerned with making money. He is the antipathy of everything I admire in a man. Why do I find him attractive?

  Just then the moment was lost as the sharp sound of the telephone ringing penetrated their silence like a knife. Still looking at John Alice picked up the receiver. It was Audry wondering what was keeping him.

  “I’ll send him home,” said Alice, looking at John with a mischievous smile on her face

  “Looks like that’s it,” said John with a sigh of resignation in his voice. He finished off the rest his wine and Alice saw him to the front door.

  “See you tomorrow night then,” purred Alice, as she placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a very warm and a fraction longer than necessary, kiss on the cheek.

  He automatically put his arm out around her waist and could instantly feel her tight athletic body. He felt the lump again in his groin. He was definitely going to have to do something about this. Perhaps tomorrow night.

  Chapter 6 Saturday Night

  Right on 7:30 the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it,” said John.

  There right in front of him was a picture of perfection. Alice looking drop dead gorgeous, salad bowl in hand with Bill behind her. John was sure she must have seen his jaw drop. She had her long dark hair down, gently caressing her beautiful bare olive shoulders. Casting his eyes down he could see she was wearing a tight black, strapless mini dress that left little to the imagination. I’ll bet she hasn’t got anything on under that, he thought.

  “Come in,” he somehow managed to blurt out.

  Again, Alice gave him that warm kiss on the cheek as he put his arm around her. Yes I’m sure she’s got nothing on underneath. Her body was both firm and soft at the same time and it was all he could do to let go of his arm from around her. His groin started to harden again.

  “You can go home Bill,” he joked as they shook hands. “Just leave Alice here.”

  He was trying to keep things light, as it was obvious to anyone with half a brain how gorgeous Alice looked.

  Alice went to the kitchen to give Audry the salad bowl while John poured Bill a beer in the living room. From the kitchen he heard a sort of squeal. It was Audry not being able to contain herself from reacting to how stunning Alice looked.

  John had just finished pouring Bill a beer, when Alice floated back into the living room, looking like something out of a dream. John could see from a quick glance that Bill was also admiring her, even though he lived with her and saw her every day.

  “ White Wine?” inquired John

  “That's fine,” replied Alice

  Next Audry came in from the kitchen looking quite frumpy and a bit flustered, even though she had on one of her best dresses. She was having a problem with the dinner and it would be a little late. John poured her a wine, which she took and hurried back to the kitchen.

  “How are things at work Bill?” asked John casually.

  “Not so good, I’m going to have to go to Brisbane all next week and may have to let some people go.”

  “I know how it is,” said John. “Things are also quiet on the real estate front. I had to let two people go just last week.”

  In fact John didn’t really know how it was. Real estate is a tough business and people change agencies all the time. There is no such thing as a permanent job. In Bill’s case however, most of his employees had been with the company for many years. They had families and mortgages. It was going to be hard letting some of them go. One thing he was going to do however, was to do all the redundancies on one day, probably Thursday. There is nothing worse than putting staff off one at a time. This is extremely bad fo
r staff morale, as in these situations; staff keep looking over their shoulders, wondering if they are next. Better to do it in one foul sweep, so everyone who is left can get over it and get on with the job.

  Just then the doorbell rang. It was Elizabeth and Peter. The usual greetings were exchanged and they entered the lounge room.

  “Hi Bill,” said Elizabeth giving him a peck on the cheek.

  “Alice you look,” Elizabeth hesitated “Well…..,” she spluttered barely able to control the jealousy in her voice.

  “And how are you, John?” giving him the socially necessary, but cold peck on the cheek.

  Elizabeth, like Audry’s father, still looked on John as an upstart and not good enough for Audry. There was no love lost between her and John. They basically tolerated each other for Audry’s sake, but had never really sat down and had a meaningful conversation. Still, Elizabeth had to admit that John had provided Audry with a nice home. In fact it was better than her’s and Peter’s even if there were a couple of touches that exposed John’s working class upbringing, like ornaments that didn’t quite match and that faded picture of sailing boats over the fireplace.