 
Alicia's Triumph

By

Ian Macdonald

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Copyright 2015 Smashwords Edition

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Smashwords Edition License Notes

Thank you for downloading this e-Book. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

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Cover Designer:

Rita Toews

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Photo Credit

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64820216@N04/10184833304">jok31603_hyuoko</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)</a>

All characters in this book are fictional. Should there be any similarity to persons living or deceased they are purely coincidental and unintentional.

### Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One \- Farmyard Help

Chapter Two \- Charles Graham

Chapter Three \- Rachel's Shelter

Chapter Four - Shelter Assistance

Chapter Five \- Animal Antics

Chapter Six – Victims Refuge

Chapter Seven – Debbie Miller

Chapter Eight – The Holiday

Chapter Nine – The Game

Chapter Ten – The Town Picnic

Chapter Eleven – Hong Kong

Chapter Twelve – Mr. Owl

Chapter Thirteen – Dave Curtis

Chapter Fourteen – Teaching Program

Chapter Fifteen – Lynda's Ring

Chapter Sixteen – The Apartment

Chapter Seventeen – Lynda Gets Engaged

Chapter Eighteen – Debbie's Dress

Chapter Nineteen – Etiquette &Behaviour

Chapter Twenty – Christmas Preparations

Chapter Twenty One – Christmas Parties

Chapter Twenty Two – Debbie's New Job

Chapter Twenty Three – Brenda & Alvin

Chapter Twenty Four – Lynda's Wedding

Chapter Twenty Five – Finding Heather

Chapter Twenty Six- Mr. Owl's Triumph
Alicia's Triumph
Introduction

Alicia and John had been High School sweethearts' way back when. She had become attracted to him in her Physics class initially, and for a variety of reasons. John was the smartest boy in the class, he was good looking, if not exactly a rock icon, and he was also a school track star. None of these things had gone to his head and in fact the opposite was the case. He would help anybody in the class who needed it and he never made them feel inferior because of it. There was no side to John; he was just an all-around nice guy. To Alicia however, his personal magnetism and charisma was irresistible. There was just something about him, an undefinable quality that drew her towards him like a moth to a flame. He was strong, handsome, well-built and square jawed and yet he never considered himself as God's gift to women like some of the other jocks did. John was far more than a jock though – he was smart too. Alicia was smart herself and this was yet another endearing factor, one that they jointly shared.

Their romance had started slowly, but it picked up steam later on and then intensified even more on their Prom Night. This was now maintained right through their University days, although they both went to different schools. John's family were farmers, and money was rather tight. Alicia's parents, on the other hand, were professionals and fairly well off financially. John had decided to take up flying at this point with a view to becoming a crop dusting pilot in order to help out his dad on the farm. He signed up for flying lessons and his instructor told him he was a natural pilot. He encouraged him to consider a career in aviation instead of farming as he could see John really was enjoying it. John was rather hesitant at that point and continued his farming and husbandry studies. Later on John would in fact pursue an aviation career and that is where he is today.

Alicia was still into her geek studies at the time and well on the way to becoming a computer games wizard. Once their university days were over they threw themselves into work and their romance sort of cooled off. The basic feelings were still there of course, but they no longer had the same intensity as both were now consumed by work. When John took a flying position up North they saw even less of each other and they slowly drifted apart. They saw each other periodically, but work was consuming them more than romance at that point.

A few years later, both John and Alicia meet up with a young woman and her visually challenged son. They met on separate occasions and under very different circumstances; but those encounters would eventually change their lives forever. They had no idea at the time of their initial meeting just what the future would hold in store for them and the sheer joy that young boy would bring into their lives. Alicia's encounter with Tommy led her to have a dream one night, a dream that at the time made absolutely no sense to her whatsoever. It had abstract concepts, Gamma Rays, Infra-Red Beams, Kaleidoscopes, and all of them were intertwined. She wanted to help Tommy with his visual and attention problems, hence the dream, but this made no sense to her, at least not at that time. As time passed all these things started to come into play and slowly led Alicia down a path that would result in her developing a miracle.

The game that Alicia developed was now giving amusement and enjoyment to millions, but it could be adapted to help thousands of other children with special needs. You cannot teach a child unless you have their attention - Alicia's new game riveted their attention right from the start. Her basic idea was quite simple. Children of all ages loved animals, so, given that, why not base a game on animals – animals that would rivet their attention immediately. The animals were then given voices, but not their own voices and the things they would say and do were quite off the wall and funny. They were all in the forest and attending school just like normal kids, but they were being taught by other animals who were teachers. However, as this game was playing out on the screen a subliminal feature was also running simultaneously and educating the children at the same time. In essence they were being taught without them being aware of it. The game held their attention where a teacher could not. Mr. Owl was the teacher, complete with cap and gown and frayed tassel, but he had a unique teaching style. It was simply amazing how much those kids learned using this game. Tommy had been the test case and he jumped several grade levels in only one year.

As a result of all of this, the demand for Alicia's game went off the charts and her company IEC benefited significantly, as of course did Alicia.

She and John had got married during the development phase of this game as their romance had been rekindled. It had always been smoldering under the surface and like any volcanic mass if it is prodded look out. Well, John had invited her out for a coffee one evening and that was that. Their relationship was now one of magma like intensity and they were once more back on track. John was now an airline pilot and flying all over the world as a first officer on an A 380 jetliner with Trans Global. The game was a huge success, but it could still be improved. One can never sit back on ones laurels in the electronics industry and so Alicia now set out to improve the game and invent an even better mousetrap so to speak.
Chapter One

***

John Billinge was an airline pilot, a first officer with Trans Global in fact, who flew their A380 series aircraft all over the world. These were huge planes and carried in excess of five hundred people on an average flight. These long haul flights allowed John to rack up his flying hours rather quickly and as a result he had a fair amount of down time each month. Aviation regulations dictated just how many flying hours a pilot could log in a set period of time. This was to ensure they were all fresh and rested once they took to the air.

Today was one of those free from flying days. He was on his way to his father's farm to help out his dad and his brother, Danny, with the chores. It was springtime now and there was always something to be done on the farm in terms of maintenance, fence repairs and general farmyard chores. As he was driving along the peaceful country roads of Simondsville his mind drifted back to his school days. They were the good old days when he and his best friend, Eric Everstead, used to play on the farm. They had a lot of fun back then he recalled. He remembered the romps in the hay loft, the forts that they built and then destroyed and the war games that they had played. Then of course there was the frog racing sessions down by the river – yeah, they were a real hoot. However, all of this was twenty odd years ago now, even though the vivid memories made it seem like it was yesterday. Today he was going there to work and not play, but he had no idea as to what his dad and brother might require him to do for them.

When he drove into the farmyard both his father and brother were there. They were not just waiting for him to show up, they were already working on one of the tractors and attaching one of its pieces of equipment for tilling the ground. As he drove up they stopped what they were doing and went over to greet him.

"Hi John, I'm glad you could make it" said his dad.

"Yeah, well I have a few days of downtime and Alicia is snowed under at work, so here I am."

"Well I took the liberty of writing out a short list of jobs that need doing, just to give you some idea."

"Yes, I can imagine, probably keep an army busy for a month or so no doubt."

"Nah! a week maybe, but not more – but you'll have it all done by Monday morning I'm sure."

"Yeah, right!" John replied laughing'

They were not back breaking jobs, but they would be time consuming. It was Friday today and so he would be working on his own, but tomorrow, Tommy would come over to help him. He would be a huge help and make it possible to complete all of these chores before Monday when he would have to go back to school.

Tommy Cogan was the young boy who had been the inspiration behind Alicia's Dream and the subsequent game that she developed that would help children with attention difficulties. It was a multi-faceted game using colours and talking animals that, while being fun to watch, educated them at the same time. Tommy had been her first test subject. John first met Tommy when he was flying back to Toronto from London. Tommy had wanted to see the cockpit of the A 380 and, to cut a long story short, he was shown it. A short while later John bumped into Tommy again. This time it was on his dad's farm when his grandmother brought him to their farm stall. He had then taken Tommy to see the cows being milked and he let him milk one. A lifelong relationship was forged that day.

At this point in time John and Alicia's romance was on hold. Oh, it was still smoldering under the surface as it had never really died out. Both had tried to move on from time to time, but they just couldn't get each other out of their minds. The gravitational pull was ever present. They always compared their dates to each other and they fell short every time. There was nothing wrong with their dates as they would both tell you – but that special something just wasn't there. They couldn't tell you what that elusive ingredient was – but it simply wasn't there. One day however, John saw Alicia drive into the mall and he followed her and pulled up beside her. He invited her for a coffee and that turned into dinner. During that dinner John laid it all out on the table as to how he felt about Alicia and that he just couldn't get past it. He told her he had been walking in a park in Singapore amidst the fragrant scented flowers with just the moonlight and the stars and his thoughts had turned to her and their Prom Night. They had walked to their hotel room across a park that night too and that is what triggered it he said.

"I just wished you could have been with me that night, Alicia, to experience the beauty of that park, the smell of those flowers and the twinkling stars above, it was just so magical. It made me realize just how much I missed having you in my life anymore. It just sort of swept over me unexpectedly and I had this profound sense of loss. I don't know whether it was the stars, the moonlight or the flowers, but I missed you. I will never forget that night and just how you looked. You were so beautiful then, and you are even more so now – is it any wonder I can't get you out of my mind?"

Alicia just sat there soaking it all up.

"Oh John, I feel the same way as you. A girl never forgets her first lover and I can't get you out of my mind either. I have tried to move on and had a few encounters here and there – but none of them were you so I guess we are both in the same boat."

John could see by the look in her eyes that she meant every word she was saying. She pointed out that she had never got over him and he was constantly on her mind. The passion of their relationship flared up right then and there. The temperature in the restaurant went up five degrees that night on the strength of it. The intensity of their relationship now erupted with volcanic fervor and John and Alicia were back on track at last. It was something that their friends had been hoping for over the years. They had been given a second chance to get it right and not let work get in the way as it had before. They got married a short time later and went to the orient on their honeymoon. Needless to say it was a magical experience – that's what honeymoons are supposed to be aren't they?

***

Tommy Cogan had several challenges to face; he was colour blind, had other visual difficulties and had attention problems too. However, despite all of this he was a cute kid, a very loving child and one you just fell in love with almost on sight. When Alicia first met him she did exactly that. It was love at first sight for Alicia and she was determined to try to help him. She was a computer games designer by profession and a very good one too by all accounts and had several patents in her name. It was her friend Nancy Everstead who first discovered that Tommy was colour blind as she was a nurse at the time and studying to become a physician's assistant. She had stumbled on this in one of Tommy's therapy sessions with other children. One of the volunteer assistants had brought in a box of toys that her kids no longer needed. One of those toys was a kaleidoscope. The kids just loved it and were in fact fighting over it in their eagerness. They just loved all the different colors and the shapes and kept shaking it to see more. Tommy simply picked it up, shook it and put it down totally disinterested. This puzzled Nancy and then she realized that he could just be colour blind - she was right. Tommy was then given an experimental drug, one of the side effects of which had proven to affect eyesight. It worked and Tommy could now see in Technicolor like everyone else.

One night Alicia had a dream about curing Tommy's issues. It was a weird dream and it made absolutely no sense to her. There were Infra-red beams, Gamma Rays, a multitude of diodes and a Kaleidoscope all intertwined within it. Alicia could not figure it out at all. The kaleidoscope was in there as she had heard it talked about and that was how Nancy had figured out Tommy's colour issues because of it. The rest made no sense. However, it led Alicia down a path that would eventually lead her to develop a unique game that would amuse millions. It was a game that when modified would also educate its viewers subliminally. It was done in a forest setting, both during the day and at night. It contained all kinds of animals, both daytime and nocturnal, and they were all in a classroom being taught by teachers who were also animals. Mr. Owl for example had the traditional mortar board and gown complete with a tattered tassel, plus his wire rimmed glasses. He looked every inch the wise old owl who was full of knowledge and wisdom. The other teachers gave you a similar impression and yet they all had a unique sort of style to them.

The antics these animals got up to and the things they said commanded the children's attention. The animals all had voices, but not the voices one would expect from them. Their behaviour and the things they would say were off the wall – but at the same time funny and riveting and that was the point. At the same time, a subliminal track was also running and this too used animals in the forest – but his one was actually teaching traditional subjects, like History, Geography, or Math. The children were in fact being educated and learning from this track, but they were totally unaware of it. Alicia knew that you simply cannot educate a child if you don't have their attention, so she got their attention first. The idea behind it was elementary, most kids loved animals. So, given that fact, she had to come up with something that would attract the children to her animals. Giving the animal's non-traditional sounds and voices and making them say crazy and funny things ought to rivet their attention she thought, and she was right. Once the children put on the mask and switched on the game it was difficult for them to put it down as they were so enthralled. Laughter was a key component to all of this and anyone walking by the study group's rooms would hear lots of it. There was no doubt whatsoever that the children were enjoying these sessions – and they were actually learning at the same time. It had been a challenge for Alicia to develop this game as it had so many facets to it. The animal's voices and their sayings had to change frequently, so too did the scenery and the colour content and background.

The result of her endeavours had since proven to be very rewarding. The local school board had been the first to embrace her new game, but it was now an international success. Various universities had embraced the concept and Alicia had been a guest speaker at many gatherings and was herself a celebrity now along with her creation, Mr. Owl. However, time never stands still and I.E.C. (Interactive Electronic Creations) Alicia's company could not sit back and stagnate. This game, and its ancillary educational discs, had been a huge international success – but that was now old news. What was I.E.C. going to do next – that was what everyone wanted to know? That was a problem that Alicia would now have to address, and fairly soon too if the public were to be satisfied.

***

Alicia was now throwing herself into work with a vengeance, but at the same time she was very much aware of her responsibilities as a mother. John and Alicia's baby daughter Allison had been born last year and she was very much the apple of their eye. She was a beautiful child with raven coloured hair just like her mother. John of course spoiled her rotten and Alicia had to keep an eye in him or else he would totally ruin the child. John had a lot of love to give and between Alicia and Allison they soaked it all up like a sponge and reveled in it. Tommy's mother Jean was the marketing director of I.E.C. as well as being Alicia's friend. She too was kept busy in her P.R. role which was another one of her duties. As V.P. of Public Relations, keeping the client base satisfied and solving all the problems that occurred periodically could be a daunting task. One Jean was very capable of dealing with and very effectively too apparently. Alicia considered herself more than just fortunate to have Jean on staff. When her previous firm had relocated to Calgary, Jean was more or less obliged to seek alternate employment. Nancy Everstead, Alicia's best friend, had introduced her to Jean one day in the Billinge market stall. Alicia liked her immediately and when she knew she was looking for a job she told Nancy to tell Jean to apply at I.E.C. Kevin and Alan, Alicia's two partners, hired her on the spot and they hadn't looked back since.

Jean Davidson (Formerly Cogan) had been through a rough time as a single mom with a troubled child a few years back. Those days were behind her now. Tommy had progressed in leaps and bounds and was now almost back on track. In addition she had met and married a neuro-surgeon just out of his military service and who totally loved Tommy. Everyone who knew Jean was delighted for her, she deserved the happiness she was enjoying right now. She was now financially secure, her son was in great shape and her husband idolized her – it just doesn't get any better than that. Jean knew it too and deeply appreciated that fact. She had lived a hellish life for a while after her husband had been killed – a little taste of heaven now was something she cherished deeply and certainly didn't take for granted. Her Husband, Glen, was a neuro-surgeon who had served in the military in Afghanistan. He too had seen his share of trauma and hardship and they idolized each other - and of course, Tommy. They really were a very happy family today.
Chapter Two

***

While Alicia and Jean had been all swept up in magical romance over the past few years their friend Lynda Maxwell had been going through hell. Jean had first met Lynda through her son, Tommy, when he befriended her son, Simon, at a Summer Camp. Simon wore a leg brace as he had a bone deficiency and that meant he couldn't participate in all of the games. Tommy had his own issues to deal with, but the two of them hit it off right from the start. Neither one of them saw the other as being defective in any way – despite the fact that they were never chosen to participate. When schoolyard picks were involved Simon and Tommy were usually excluded. They were quite used to it, but it still hurt them. However, they bonded with each other and soon found ways to have fun together. Simon's parents were going through a divorce at the time, a very bitter divorce. His father was a real piece of work apparently. Custody was never an issue, he didn't want a defective child slowing him down or hampering his chances with a more vibrant girlfriend. He and Lynda had many heated discussions on the subject of Simon needing his dad – but her husband simply didn't want to know. The house unfortunately wasn't soundproof and despite Lynda trying to keep these conversations just between the two of them, her husband couldn't care less about Simon hearing his opinions and reasons. He would rant and rave about being tied down, having a wife who no longer excited him and having a crippled kid. No way was he going to live the rest of his life like that and the sooner he set out on his own the better.

Being a single mom in today's day and age can be tough \- however having a man like that as a husband was far worse. He was certainly no role model for Simon and letting the child know outright that he wasn't wanted was just plain cruel. The problem was that he was the major breadwinner and things would be tight after the divorce. Lynda was at her wits end and in no position to get a real shark of a lawyer to protect her interests. However, when Jean found out about her plight she casually mentioned it to Alicia over lunch one day. It was done innocently and was basically just table conversation as they were eating and chatting about this and that. When Alicia heard all the gory details she was simply horrified and immediately stepped in to help Lynda – anonymously, as it turned out - she did not want to be seen as meddling in her friends affairs. She hired her friend Mary Marsh, one of the sharpest legal minds in the city to act on her behalf. Mary really was a pit bull with lipstick in the courtroom and Lynda's husband was lucky to walk out of the courtroom with the shirt still on his back.

There are no winners in divorce cases regardless of who comes away with most of the spoils - well! Excluding the lawyers that is –that goes without saying. If children are involved it can be devastating for them – regardless of who is to blame. The finer points of blame are academic to a child as they try to determine adult problems with a child's mind. What does being lousy in bed mean to a child – to them one just goes to sleep in there right? Its things like that they simply cannot understand. How can you fall out of love with someone? Especially when that person has always been there and is the only parent they have known. They live in a house with Mommy and Daddy and that is it – it is all they have ever known. Throwing a grenade into that certainly has a detrimental effect – often for life. Their whole world has just been shattered. In ideal situations – if they actually exist, the parents do try to reassure their kids that they will be fine and that both Mommy and Daddy still love them. They may not be living together anymore – but they still love them. In Lynda Maxwell's case that simply wasn't true, she adored Simon, but her husband didn't and the boy knew it. He even asked his mother on one occasion if Daddy left because he couldn't play baseball with him. You can just imagine what that did to Lynda.

However, every cloud has a silver lining so they say and Lynda was now about to join the ranks of the blissful. Well that might be a stretch – but you get the drift. She had been introduced to a man at a friend's party and they hit it off together. He was a quiet and gentle man and yet he possessed considerable inner strength. Tony Braxton, of Braxton Electronics had brought him in from Calgary to give him a new perspective on life. His wife and son had been killed by a drunk driver as they were driving home from hockey practice. His name was Charles Graham and he was the CFO over at Braxton now. He had settled in nicely, but although he had been on his own for a while the pain of his loss could be plainly seen on occasion. Lynda could see immediately just where he was coming from as she was basically in the same boat. It was not love at first sight by any means, but the attraction was there and over time it grew stronger. She had invited him over for dinner and he and Simon hit it off immediately. Having lost his own son he readily accepted Simon and they went down to the basement and played games together as Lynda prepared the meal. After Charles had gone home Lynda casually asked Simon for his opinion of him. She was more than delighted by his response and she felt a warm glow come over her. She had felt the same way. He was so very different from her ex-husband, he had patience, he was caring and he just had this warmth about him. It was something Lynda had not experienced in a long time and it had a gravitational pull to it as far as she was concerned. This relationship was showing some potential, it could go somewhere – providing she didn't blow it that is.

***

Charles Graham had been totally devastated that night when he answered the door bell to two police officers who informed him that there had been an accident. It was a serious accident and both his wife and son had been injured and they were there to take him to the hospital. All the officers could tell him was that they were both alive when the ambulance took them away. When he got to the hospital he was then advised that despite all of their best efforts they were unable to save his wife and son, their injuries were just too severe. They never regained consciousness and so although it was meaningless now, they never suffered any pain the E.R. doctor told him.

Tony Braxton had flown out personally to Calgary with his wife Cathy to help his friend get through this ordeal. Charles was a basket case and of use to neither man nor beast at the time. He just couldn't function at all, this loss had knocked him sideways and his doctor now had him on tranquilizers to get him through each day. It was one day at a time for Charles and he needed the pharmaceutical fortification in order to accomplish that. His whole world had just collapsed and right at this moment he was a broken man. Tony helped him with all the arrangements and notifications and also delivered the eulogy at the funeral service. It was a very difficult time for them all.

Having taken some time off work in order to get his head on straight, Charles had returned to his office in a run-down state. He was doing his job alright, but he was on automatic pilot most of the time. When Braxton's aging CFO retired some eighteen months later Tony promoted Charles and brought him to Markton. At the time Charles was more or less back on track and he was now introduced to Tony and Cathy's circle of friends. It was at one of these soirees that he and Lynda Maxwell were introduced to each other. Neither was looking for romance at that time and both could very well be classified as being the walking wounded. However, a chord had been struck between them. They both felt that the other had some sort of gravitational pull. They couldn't describe it, but the intrigue was there and of sufficient intensity that it needed to be explored further – given the opportunity that is. Jean Davidson had noticed this magnetic attraction and was now hell bent on making sure that Charles and Lynda would be put together, by fair means or foul, and invited to all local functions and house parties. Isn't that what good friends are all about she told herself? Well it seemed to have worked, Charles and Lynda were now dating, Jean's subversive activities had paid off – she could do no more, now it was up to them.

***

Alicia was now working on several projects at once. Mr. Owl's academy was flying off the shelves as was the base game that started it all. However, Alicia was now working on updated versions and applying modifications to them. Additional subjects were constantly being added once they had been vetted by academic experts. The content had to be accurate and up to date and once it was all verified, Alicia had to find a means to incorporate it and do so in such a way that it would be understandable when being taught by an animal in the forest classroom; albeit on a subliminal basis. There was a considerable amount of engineering skill required in order to do this and it was also time consuming and mentally draining for Alicia. She felt it was time to call in Kevin and Alan her two partners for additional input. She then called both of them and invited them to join her for coffee in her office the following day.

"Hi Guys, thanks for dropping by, I need your input on a few things."

"Hey you can call us in at any time, Alicia, if you think we can help, although to be honest you are the creative genius, kiddo, not us."

"Alan is right Alicia, but if you want to bounce a few ideas off us we are all for that."

"Well that's part of it, but I do need your brain power too."

"I have hit a road block in my mind and I need some outside thinking. It relates to teaching a History subject that relates to the Mongol Hordes and Genghis Khan. I have the subject matter all down pat and it has been examined and authenticated, but my problem lies in the background colours. Originally I had planned to do it in pink as that is a tranquility inducing colour. This would tend to calm down the ADHD kids and allow them to absorb Mr. Owl's lesson.

"Yeah that sounds like a good plan to me" said Kevin.

"I agree with that totally" chimed in Alan.

"Yes but the problem with that is that it just might affect the other kids and dull their brains somewhat. I have only tried it out on a few kids, but it was not what I wanted in terms of results. Oh it certainly quieted down the more aggressive types – but the others were less than attentive because of it."

"Do you guys have any ideas?"

Alan and Kevin just looked at each other.

"Have you considered a blend of colours or a split frame of sorts said Alan?"

"Just what do you mean exactly?

"Well I was just thinking that if you incorporated the pink with, say, a pastel blue somehow in the same frame it might be able to pacify but not exactly tranquilize the kids. That way both aspects would be covered. A pale blue or light green in the right shade may be calming but not too much so that they all fall asleep. You could maintain their attention while discussing a militant topic and yet keep their passivity at the same time – well sort of at least."

"That just might work, Alan, but how do I split the frame and in what concentrations."

"That my dear is why you are the genius and we are the mere peons, added Kevin?"

"Well I guess I could try a few different methods and see what happens. Thanks guys, I knew I could count of you to come up with something."

"Hey Alicia, we didn't do anything, we just threw out a possibility. You are the one who caught the ball and began to run with it. Let's hope it pans out. Keep us posted okay, said Alan as he and Kevin stood up to leave her office?"

"Hey hold up you guys, you don't get off that easily. I have a few other issues too."

Kevin and Alan just looked at each other wondering what was coming next. Both men were electronic wizards in their own right but Alicia's game had taxed their brains and engineering knowledge to their limits and beyond. This was revolutionary stuff they were into here and why they were the market leaders and pioneers in this field. Alicia was the creative genius behind it all – but Alan and Kevin were the technical whiz kids who allowed it all to work the way Alicia wanted it to. In essence they were a team – and a damn good one at that and each had the utmost respect and admiration for the others.

"Kevin, you know how the night school operates in that green hue \- like the military night vision glasses, right?"

"Yes, why is there a problem with it?"

"No not really, it's all working very well. However, if you can, is it possible to just tweak the colour tinge to make it just a touch brighter?"

"I can try, but I don't have much leeway, Alicia. If I intensify the light amplitude I could lose definition."

"Yes I realize that, Kev, but just a miniscule tweak maybe – Please."

"God your good, Alicia, you wrap us all around your little finger don't you. I'll see what I can do – but only because it's you."

"Alan" said Alicia.

"Oh here we go" said Alan. "What do you need from me?"

"Well you know that white board attached to the old oak tree, can you lower the intensity of it to allow the other colours to become more vivid and show up better. In other words can you give me a little better definition?"

"Well I can try, Alicia, but as Kevin said – our parameters are pretty tight. We adjust one thing and we screw up another. I'll see what I can do – but don't be surprised if I call you and say I can't give you what you want."

"I don't expect miracles guys, I know you'll do what you can, and if you can't then that will be good enough for me. Good luck and thanks for trying, I really do appreciate your efforts."

Both men this time did leave her office, hell bent on trying to give her what she wanted. They knew it would not be easy and so too did Alicia. She was striving for perfection and she was well aware of it. However, she also knew that if it could be done they were the guys who could do it. If they couldn't do as she asked, then she could live with it. The game itself was excellent – not perfect perhaps, but still the best in its field. These minor tweaks would make it perfect, but the margins Alan and Kevin were working with were tiny to say the least. Still, she knew they would do their best for her – that's just who they were.

Once they left her office Alicia started to think of tonight's dinner at home. John should be home in time for dinner tonight, unless his flight was delayed. He had been away for a few days, eight in actual fact. The thought of spending an evening together, or more importantly having him sleep beside her was totally occupying her mind now. She had all kinds of images running through her mind – none of which would have been suitable to include in her games. Eight days of solitude can really sharpen ones appetite and foster all kinds of ideas as to how to best demonstrate how much your loved one has been missed. As Alicia's partners had pointed out earlier she was the creative genius – her mind was now in overdrive as she prepared herself mentally for tonight's anticipated romantic delights. The smile never left her face for the remainder of the day. A casual observer could very well reach the conclusion that she had figured out a way of expressing her feelings in a most appropriate manner that evening. She most certainly had - and John would be more than pleased to be back at home with Alicia and Allison for the next few weeks.
Chapter Three

***

John had been working hard all weekend and he had made a fairly large dent in the "jobs to do list" his Dad and Danny had given to him. Obviously he was in good physical shape. Even Alicia's homecoming welcome had not sapped his strength all that much apparently. While Alicia was probably more beautiful and sexier than Delilah she had no interest in cutting his hair. Something John was more than grateful for based on his homecoming welcome. He may have a Samson like physique, but the similarity ended right there as far as John was concerned.

Today Tommy would be coming over to render his assistance, and he would be a huge help to John. He idolized John now due to the things John and Alicia had done for him in the past, things like letting him milk the cow and drive the tractor. Little things that made a huge difference to Tommy back then. To young Tommy, John was the best pilot in the world, the best farmer and the best person to go on an outing with. As a result of this adulation, coming over to do hard physical labour on the farm was something to look forward to. While most of us would face this prospect with something less than unbridled enthusiasm, not so, Tommy, this was yet another adventure to him.

When his Grandma, Emily Brant, dropped him off early that morning he ran straight into the milking barn.

"Hi John" he called out, It's Tommy."

"Oh Hi Tommy, come right on in, I've been waiting for you."

"I'm not late am I" replied Tommy all concerned.

"No not at all, Tommy. I just had to wait for you because we are going over to the far side of farm and I thought you might like to drive the tractor over there."

"Oh Yeah! That would be great."

"I thought you might like that," said John grinning from ear to ear. I'll drive the pickup with all the supplies and you bring the tractor then okay?"

With that the pair of them set off for the far side of the farm. An old tree had been damaged in a recent storm and a few weeks later it fell down on the fence. There was no serious damage done, but the tree had to be pulled off the fence, sawn up into logs and the fence repaired. It would take both of them all day to do it all and leave them pretty tired at the end of the day.

The physical exercise would be good for them both, as would the comradeship. They both worked very well together and Tommy just thrived on learning new things that he could do – and more to the point, what John would let him do. He was no longer that weird kid who couldn't see very well or pay attention, those days were long gone. He was back on track academically now, even if not quite fully accepted by his classmates who knew him from the old days.

"Tommy, go into the tool box on the back of the pickup and bring me the red handled pliers would you please."

"Sure thing, John, what are you going to do with them?"

"Well, you see this barbed wire here? I'm going to replace it, but first I have to cut it off the fence pole and remove all the staples that hold it I place."

"It looks pretty rusty now doesn't it, John?"

"It sure does, Tommy, that's why we need to replace it. It will only take a few minutes to do. In fact you can do it yourself if you would like to. All you have to do is pull the wire away from the fence with the pliers and the staples too. Now be very careful that they don't spring back at you, Tommy and wear these protective gloves as well."

"These are pretty thick gloves, John, what are they made of?"

"To be quite honest, Tommy I'm not quite sure, some sort of canvas I think. They will protect your hands though. Always keep one hand on the end of the wire so that you can control it, okay?"

"Yes I will, John, I can do all that, it shouldn't be too hard. Do you want me to do the whole fence?"

"Well not the whole field, Tommy, just up to the gate at the top of the hill. I think that is all we need to repair. The rest looks pretty good to me. If you do see any bad spots Tommy just let me know, okay."

"Yes, I'll keep my eyes open for any rusty spots."

With that Tommy set about the task of pulling off the rusty wire and John set about repairing the water trough for the animals. They moved on after lunch and between them they accomplished quite a lot that day. It was tiring work, but it was also good exercise for them both and certainly gave then both a very healthy appetite. Alicia and Jean had been discussing this very thing at work during their afternoon break. They knew very well that John and Tommy would be hungry after all that work and fresh air. Pretty tired too they figured. They were right. John fell asleep watching the TV around 9:00pm and Alicia woke him up and sent him to bed. When she joined him an hour or so later he was dead to the world. He wasn't rattling the rafters with his snores - which he could do on occasion, he was just fast asleep. As Alicia looked down on him a warm glow came over her. He looked so peaceful lying there and he was all hers. John was a good man, caring and loving as well as handsome and not every woman had one of those. Only the other day she had heard a story that made her hair curl. It reminded her of Lynda's plight not so long ago. As she thought about it now looking down on John, lying there fast asleep, she realized just how much she took for granted. All her friends were married or in good stable relationships with pretty great guys. They were a mixed bunch ranging from multi-millionaires to struggling farmers. All of them were kind and loving men who would do anything for you and think nothing of it. She had grown up amongst these people and not really given a thought to the rest of the world and its problems. She knew they existed of course – but it was a sort of abstract concept as it hadn't really touched her life. That story she had heard recently had struck a chord and made her realize that she was indeed fortunate and that some were far from it.

***

On the far side of town an old house had been converted into a women's shelter, courtesy of Braxton Electronics. It was a rather large period house that had once belonged to a wealthy merchant in the town. Tony had been approached by a former nun when she called round seeking a donation in order to establish this facility which was very much needed in the town. Upon hearing Rachel's plans for the place, Tony said he would fund the entire operation from his charity foundation. When he told Cathy, his wife, about it she immediately wished to become involved and she called round to meet Rachel to see if she could participate in some way. It was a gift straight from heaven as far as Rachel was concerned. Cathy's offer was accepted on the spot.

Rachel Malcolm had been a nun in Somalia not too long ago supplying food relief to the locals. The local war lords were at each other's throats constantly, and actually getting the much needed food to the right people was a real challenge. One day Rachel was scheduled to go on a food run, but another nun took her place as she wished to see a pregnant woman who was nearing her time. Both she and Rachel were nurses and provided medical assistance to the locals. That convoy was attacked and the nun was raped and blinded and Rachel never forgave herself. She met her future husband out there during this time. He was a Special Forces officer who was out there to deal with the local pirates who were causing havoc on the high seas at the time. This incident had such an emotional effect on Rachel that she was sent home. When her soon to be boyfriend, Capt. John Malcolm, retuned back to Canada he went to visit her in order to give her what comfort he could. Apparently he was quite proficient in dispensing the required elements that Sister Rachel craved. The romantic aspect blossomed from there, tentatively at first, but it intensified rather quickly. The love and the passion they now shared was just too much for Rachel and she left her religious order and married John. Now she was running the women's shelter and still giving back to the community, but this time in a very different but equally important way. The story that Alicia had heard the other day would draw her into the fold soon. Alicia too would feel the urge to get involved and do something just like Cathy Braxton had. Whereas Alicia had had a pretty good life right from birth, Cathy Braxton certainly hadn't. She was fine now; being married to a billionaire does have one or two advantages. Alicia was herself a millionaire now and both woman were fully aware of how fortunate they were. They wanted to give something back and to help those who needed assistance to get their lives back on track. Apparently there were more than just a few of them in the town.

***

Alan and Kevin had been working like beavers trying to provide Alicia with the improvements that she wanted. They had succeeded in doing it too and Alicia was totally delighted and thanked them both profusely for their efforts and hard work. Mr. Owl's academy was now perfect as far as Alicia was concerned. All the kinks had been ironed out, it performed flawlessly and it was doing what it was intended to do. The children were enrapt with it and they were learning from it too. The initial concept had been expanded to accommodate the higher grades up to grade twelve. Even teenagers could be enthralled by Mr. Owl's methods of teaching in his forest classroom. He was never dull, always innovative and they never knew what to expect next. As a result they paid attention in case they missed something. However, what Alicia had heard about that poor woman the other day had struck a chord with her. Why had that poor woman been treated that way – what was wrong with society today. When she stopped and thought about it she realized that things were no longer the same anymore. Society was changing and people were less caring than they used to be. The friendliness of neighbours in the cities had declined. It seemed like everyone lived in their own castle and the drawbridge was always up. Why was that? As she thought about it and idea formed in her head. She could add yet another feature to the game, social awareness, behavioral concepts, manners and etiquette.

The more she thought about it the more it made sense to her. There were plenty of people out there who were not exactly familiar with which fork to pick up first or how to set a table. She could incorporate little tricks or phrases into the game. Things like BMW bread, meal and water. When setting the table the bread plate goes on the left, then the meal, and the glass of water is placed on the right. It's an easy way to remember it. Then there were the social skills, how to treat and get along with people, all kinds of people, whether different or not. Each and every one of us is entitled to respect. She knew this was hardly going to make a dent in society's problems, but it would be a start and it may help a few people. Showing how the animals in the classroom could get along would be a good starting point. Needless to say a considerable amount of research was now going to be required in order to incorporate this into the classroom lessons. This would keep Alicia busy for quite some time.

Tommy had gone back to school now and John would be working on his own for a few days. His next flight would take him to South Africa and instead of him coming back on the return flight he would be flying to New Delhi in India and then flying home from there. It was a departure from his usual trips to Australia, but the airline liked to mix things up to give their pilots exposure to different foreign airports and landing procedures. It made sense and all the pilots embraced that policy wholeheartedly as it prevented them from getting stale. The large modern jets were all fully automated and theoretically could take off – fly to wherever, and then land all on their own without a pilot being involved at all. They could; but how many passengers would get on such a flight would be another story? Most people prefer a pilot up front who knows what he is doing – even if the autopilot does most of the flying. Many of John's colleagues fly recreational planes for fun on their days off. It gives them real hands on flying when they themselves actually have to fly the planes manually. They love that. John himself does a little crop dusting from time to time to keep his hand in too. The flight simulator is one thing; actually out there doing it is far more exhilarating. Some of the pilots like to fly float planes and that gives them an altogether different experience.

Not all of John's pilot friends spent their off duty hours flying other planes for recreational fun. Alvin, for example when not flying his Boeing 747, was a musician on the side. He and a group of high school friends had started up a band. John in fact had provided them with their first booking and they were now very well known. Their fame had now spread to Toronto. In Markton they were regarded as the best band in town and now this had moved a little farther south to Toronto. They had a Glen Miller sound and also his repertoire - in addition to the more modern music. When they had played at John and Alicia's wedding it was their first real gig. They brought the house down that night. The golf club was most impressed and they were immediately added to their preferred list and several hotels soon jumped on board once they were made aware of that fact. Alvin himself was a one of the trumpet players, but they could perform without him when he was flying. They had a glorious sound to them and it was no wonder they were so popular now. Their prices were very reasonable too and in terms of value for money they were unbeatable. The guys all had regular day jobs doing different things and this was merely a hobby. However, they enjoyed playing their music and to them this was a pleasure and not a job. That clearly came across as you watched them play. They had been hired to perform at some pretty large functions too now. One of which was the Airlines annual Christmas Party. They had received raves reviews for that and this had led to others as a result. However, like John, Alvin was globetrotting between these gigs. Like John he had bills to pay, but unlike John he was not married to a millionaire computer wizard. Alvin was still single. He had come close to getting engaged a few times, but things just hadn't panned out for one reason or another. He was a good guy and would make a good catch for some young woman, but for now he was swimming around free in that huge ocean called life.

***

John was now about to start his return flight. He would be flying home to Toronto via Dubai and London and he would have a stopover in London for a day or so. This was commonplace for John and he knew London quite well now as a result. There was always plenty to do there so boredom was never an issue. However, it was not the cheapest city in the world and one had to be careful with one's credit cards. Those bills could run up very quickly if you were not mindful of what things actually cost there. John operated on the basis that he would pay in pounds for things he could get in Toronto for dollars. In most cases he would not be far wrong and given the exchange rate he felt his wallet was best left in his pocket. In New Delhi and Singapore things were a little different and bargains could be found – if you knew where to look and John now did. He had brought back some great bargains over the years. On their honeymoon he had taken Alicia to Singapore and shown her around. He had also introduced her to the guy who had made her wedding ring and other jewellery items. She found it incredible that he could do such work from so humble a place. It certainly lacked all the refinements one might expect in a quality jewellery store – but the work he turned out was exquisite. In addition to her jewellery he had also made a necklace for Nancy. Eric had given John a diagram of what he wanted and John had then given it to Karu, the jeweler, on his next trip to Singapore. The finished product brought tears to Nancy's eyes when Eric gave it to her. Beautiful didn't come remotely close to describing it and everyone who saw it expressed the same sentiment. It was a one of a kind item and despite being asked John would not take orders for replicas.

On this trip John was not bringing back any gifts, just himself. He had heard that there were certain celebrities on the flight from Dubai to London, but he paid little attention to such things. He had a job to do; who his passengers were was something he never thought about. As a wise man once pointed out – at the end of the game the King and the Pawn go into the same box. It was a saying that John had remembered as he liked to play chess. As a commentary on life this was perfectly true and it would apply equally to all the passengers on his plane regardless of who they were. From time to time the cabin crew would have to deal with unruly passengers who were drunk, or drugged out, but it was a not a daily event. John was seldom called upon to subdue such a passenger, but it had been known. John had a Black belt in Karate and his physical presence alone would calm down most people – but he was seldom required to come back and assist the cabin stewards. On his flight home this time it would be totally uneventful. The only thing on his mind would be the welcome that awaited him. His mind was now consumed with thoughts of just how creative Alicia would be this time. Travelling across the Atlantic at 500 knots simply wasn't fast enough and in John's mind resembled a snail's pace when such exotic delights were awaiting him. Fortunately the good lord had bestowed patience upon John as one of his character traits – it certainly helped him keep his blood pressure in check at times like this.
Chapter Four

***

The women's shelter had been given a facelift now and between Cathy Braxton and Alicia it now had most of the supplies that it needed also. The only men allowed over the threshold were police officers when bringing in some of the women. Some women came in of their own accord, but most were brought in by the police or social agencies. Men were persona non-grata in that establishment. The tales the women told covered a wide range from the cruel and inhumane to the masochistic self-deprecating and deranged specimens who seemed to get off on being beaten and abused. Rachel was quite used to dealing with all of these situations and she took everything in stride with no judgments being made. Cathy and Alicia were a little less forgiving and would gladly have throttled some of the men involved. Drugs and alcohol were features in most cases, but by no means all. Some men were downright mean, if not evil demons who took pleasure in inflicting pain and mental suffering on their wives or girlfriends. The shelter provided a welcome sanctuary for these women, but only for a limited time period. Six weeks was the maximum residential period, after that they had to leave to make room for someone else.

During the six week time frame the staff would try to secure alternative accommodation, possible employment, counselling, day care and all the other requirements of normal daily life. A concept the women were aware existed, but one they had had long since forgotten about. The Ward and June Cleaver lifestyle was right up there alongside Cinderella, Snow White and all the other fairy tales as far as they were concerned. Hopefully the shelter experience, short as it was, would be able to steer them down the right road to a more peaceful time. Cathy and Alicia would certainly do everything they could to bring this about.

Whereas Cathy and Alicia wanted to cure everyone's troubles, Rachel was more of a realist. She knew that some could not be cured. They just didn't have the resources to do that and certainly not the time it would require erasing a lifetime of abuse and being told just how worthless you were. The system was flawed and to some degree so was society itself – nobody cared about these women. If they chose this lifestyle then that's their problem. This was the attitude, and one can sympathize with that viewpoint up to a point. They had chosen this lifestyle – but did they really have a choice? Could they have done something else in actual reality? On paper it is easy to say go out and get a job, be independent and go and get a life. Actually doing it is an altogether different matter. Employers tend to look for little things like: Experience, Education, Dress Code, Sociability, Diligence and yes even Self-Confidence. While the rest of us take all this in stride – these women have had it beaten out of them. Rachel, Cathy and Alicia were now trying their level best to restore some of that to these women. To do so in a six week time frame would be a herculean task to say the least – but they were hell bent on trying.

***

Alicia was now back in her lab working on the new innovations to her game. The complexities involved were significant and even more so than she had originally imagined. Getting the animals to peacefully coexist in the forest classroom was one thing – getting them to appreciate each other's subtle differences, tastes and preferences and make them acceptable to the group as a whole was something else again. Alicia then decided that she needed some additional help with this aspect.

"Jean, can you come in here for a few minutes, I need your help said Alicia over the phone?"

Jean then stopped what she was doing, picked up her coffee and went across the hall to Alicia's lab.

"What can I help you with, she asked?"

"I am trying to incorporate social acceptance into the game. You know, get all the animals to accept each other's differences and still be friends. You and Tommy have lived through that and know exactly what it was like. So! – tell me what you would have liked to have happened back then and how it could have been achieved?"

"Wow! Alicia, would you like me to cure cancer before lunch too, or will you give me the rest of the day to do that, she quipped?"

She mused on her response for a while and it was obvious that she was giving the matter considerable thought.

"I hadn't really thought about how to change the reactions of other people Alicia, not at the time anyway. I was very much hurt by them and thought they were totally insensitive jerks, but how I could have changed their attitudes, that I hadn't thought about? Looking back on it now, I don't think those people meant to be mean, Alicia, they were just thoughtless. Some were cruel, but you'll find ignorance everywhere. It was the strangers who had the attitudes as a rule; friends simply accepted us for whom and what we were. So in answer to your question – perhaps you could make all the animals friends first. That way they would be more accommodating to each other's differences."

Alicia pondered on this for a few moments. It was something she had never thought about before and yet it made perfect sense to her now that she had it drawn to her attention.

"Jean, you could very well be right. I am so glad I called you in for your opinion. This has been most enlightening and very insightful. You have real life experience in dealing with this – you and Tommy lived it. I didn't have a clue as to where to start, but now, thanks to you I most certainly do. Exactly how I'm going to accomplish that, I don't know, but I can work on it. Now that you have solved my problem, you can go and get that cure for cancer before the end of the day, right?"

"Yeah I'll get right on that."

"Thanks again Jean, that was a huge help and I really do appreciate it."

Both women then continued doing what they had been doing, Alicia getting back to her game and Jean solving her P.R. headaches.

***

John had a few days off after arriving back home from India. He and Eric were planning a golfing day with Henry, John's dad, and his brother Danny, but it all fell through the day before. John then gave Alvin a call to see if he could come out, and if so, could he bring a friend. Well it turned out that Alvin and his captain were planning to go golfing that day and so with a few tweaks here and there it all worked out just fine. The weather cooperated and they all had a great time. Golfing was a very healthy sport with lots of fresh air activity – providing one walked around the course and didn't drive around in a golf cart. This foursome walked and pulled their clubs on a trolley rather than carry the bags on their shoulders. Five hours of toting those heavy bags around could be wearing to say the least. The would laugh and joke all the way around the course plus they would solve all the world's problems at the same time. Politician's deficiencies would also be discussed and in considerable depth too. Apparently there wasn't one worth a damn in the whole country. As George Orwell put it in his book 1984 "In times of universal deceit, telling the truth can be a revolutionary act." This foursome therefore concluded that the politicians they knew would never be convicted of treason or any other revolutionary activity. It was a unanimous opinion too by all accounts. Similar sentiments were shared in the clubhouse by other club members while consuming their thirst quenching cold ones at the bar after their game. Many local politicians were members of the club and they of course were the exceptions that proved the rule so to speak. One of the politicians had the Prime Minister's ear and another was cozy with the Mayor. Fortunately they were not in attendance to overhear the opinions being expressed by this group with an ambivalence that even they would be impressed with. It was just as well too; soon a request would be made for funding for some women's programs at the Women's Shelter and muddying the waters now could have negative repercussions. So what it really boiled down to was: don't knock politicians if you might need a favour from them. John had no idea at the time that Alicia would soon be asking him to have a word on behalf of the Women's Shelter with a few of those inept politicians. Yes, it was indeed a good thing that they were absent that day – however being absent doesn't mean they were unaware of public sentiment. When it comes to worthy causes they are always front and center taking all the Kudos they can get from this exposure in the media. The question this time would be: was the "Women's Shelter" a worthy cause? This was something that they would have to wait and see. If the public embraced the concept wholeheartedly, then the politicians would fall over themselves endorsing it – if not, well don't expect them to go out on a limb.

***

The relationship between Lynda Maxwell and Charles Graham had now progressed to the next level. They had both been cautious at first but there was something there between them and it just took time to blossom and develop in its own time. Charles was still grieving the loss of his wife and son in that traffic accident and Lynda was shell shocked by her divorce and the bitterness involved. However, things were far more stable now and both Charles and Lynda were more relaxed. They were not quite back to their normal selves, but they were getting there. Charles was a breath of fresh air to Lynda. He was kind and gentle, he had accepted Simon and his issues with his legs and he was totally reliable, Lynda had not been used to that. Her ex-husband was a more macho type, into sports and physical activity and the same applied in the bedroom too. He was all about self-gratification and if Lynda didn't keep up that was her problem. Charles on the other hand was quite the opposite and very conscious of and sensitive to Lynda's needs. He was consumed by making sure that Lynda wasn't left hanging at the end totally unsatisfied. In his eyes he would have failed if that was the case – so far he had not received an F in that department. While they were still in the early stages of their relationship and so far their activities were quite conventional, they both sensed that the other could be far more playful and imaginative down the road, possibly aspiring to A+ level. There was no need to push it, let things take their course was the premise they had both adopted. Sexual compatibility was not an issue and Charles just had this warmth about him that wrapped itself around Lynda and made her feel safe and secure. Lynda's drawbridge was lowering slowly and Charles was growing on her and the same applied to Charles too. While Lynda was different from his late wife, there was a mystical quality to her and her loving and caring nature was captivating. He was falling in love with Lynda and he now began to realize it. Her son Simon had issues, but he was a cute kid and he liked to play games just as his own son had. He had a great attitude despite his disability and he had a refreshing outlook on life as a whole. "So overall Charles you are a very lucky man to have them in your life" he told himself. Many of his new found friends would wholeheartedly agree with him on that.

Charles Graham's work at Braxton Electronics kept him pretty busy. It was a very large organization with international connections and overseas branches and world time changes often dictated how late or how early he had to be there. As their relationship was now developing into something a little more substantial there had been some tentative discussions on moving in together. As Charles pointed out it made sound financial sense – he was an accountant after all. Lynda knew it made sense, but was still a little gun shy. However, slowly but surely she was warming up to the idea. It is always a little disconcerting when facing a new relationship to realize that you could be measured up against a ghost as in this case. A divorce is one thing, an involuntary departure is another. When a relationship is snatched away suddenly without warning, the memories of what used to be could take on an angelic quality and often totally distort the reality. A divorce on the other hand certainly keeps you grounded and very few illusions are left regarding just how blissful that relationship used to be.

Charles had been on his own for a while now and overall he was pretty well grounded. Meeting up with Lynda had come at just the right time for him. He was no longer hung up on the past and he had come to terms with the fact that he now had to move on. His ex-wife, Peggy, and he had enjoyed a good life together, but it was a normal marriage with the usual ups and downs of everyday life. Peggy and Lynda were two very different women but they both had their own unique qualities. Charles could see the value in both, but he had not ascribed undue qualities to Peggy that would make her seem more angelic than she was. She had her faults like everyone else and so too would Lynda once he got to know her. However, the qualities that he saw in Lynda and the warmth and compassion he saw in her drew him in like a magnet. She was a truly lovely woman, cautious right now, and for good reason, but definitely worth pursuing. He could see a future with this woman and her son and he did not want to let it slip through his fingers by putting any undue pressure on her in one form or another. He had hinted at a few things to let her know where his mind was at – and Lynda had picked up on them and was quite happy about it too. It was now simply a question of time. The forge had been lit – now it just needed the bellows to kick in and really turn up the heat. Up until now Lynda had dressed rather conservatively and was by no means sending out signals of availability. Now, as she grew more comfortable with Charles, her wardrobe would soften considerably and she would let Charles see just who she really was underneath all that armour. King Arthur and Sir Lancelot would most certainly have come to blows over this fair lady when the flowing skirts and softer tops emerged. It definitely highlighted her outstanding personality so to speak, but in a very tasteful manner and her self-confidence soared as a result.

Lynda was an office manager at the hospital now. She had changed jobs recently when a vacancy arose at the hospital. It was closer to her home and Simon was a regular visitor there also. He had to go there for his regular therapy sessions with the physiotherapist. The increase in pay was minimal, but she was very happy there and liked all the people who worked there. She just seemed to fit in right away and she was readily accepted by the other staff members. It was much busier than the Insurance Company that she had worked for previously, but she enjoyed it that way. She had considerable experience and her people skills were top of the line and she was highly regarded because of it. Between her job and her love life Lynda Maxwell was a happy woman today – and it had been some time since she had felt that way. Everyone who knew her was delighted for her and hoped everything would work out for her and Charles. Based on what they had seen so far everything was right on track in that area.
Chapter Five

***

"Hi Alicia, how's the game going?" asked Jean as she poked her head into Alicia's office on her way by.

"Well it is beginning to take shape, but I have a long way to go still. I have managed to pair up some of the animals, and some I'm still working on. This is pretty off the wall stuff, Jean, and kind of "right out there" if you know what I mean. Some of it is not so bad as people are well aware that cats and dogs can be friends if they are raised together and Rhinos and Hippo's are not too big a stretch – but who do you pair with a Giraffe?"

Jean just stood there in thought for a few seconds.

"You know a Camel might work, the one humped kind she added."

"Hmm, I hadn't thought about that possibility, Jean, let me think about that one. They both have long necks and they are both tall – so that just might work. Yes it just might be the answer, thanks for that Jean, I'm glad you popped in."

"You're welcome, Alicia, I'll see you at lunchtime, Bye!

With that Jean glided away down the hall to her own office, her skirt swishing from side to side as she went. She stopped by the coffee machine as she passed by as it was conveniently housed on the way. She was in a really good mood now after being of some help to Alicia.

Alicia now studied the match up of a Giraffe and a Camel. The more she thought about it the more she realized that they could indeed be friends together. This just might work she said to herself, yes it just might at that. They could very easily be friends. The pairs that she had matched up already would all now have to accept and respect each other; and so too would all the others in the classroom. It was not too big a stretch, and she should be able to make it work and be believable to the students that watched it.

The forest itself was quite a large one and also very dense in places, and, right at the edge of it, was a large zoo. The premise being that at night the zoo animals would sneak out into the forest to meet up with their friends in Mr. Owl's classroom. They would all act like the kids in school did and they even had a playtime break too. Every aspect of school life was incorporated into the game. Alicia had made it fun to watch in terms of the antics the animals got up to. What she was trying to do now was add an additional feature that would provide an air of tolerance and acceptance of others. Everyday good manners basically and how one should treat other people. A sort of "treat others as you would like to be treated" element. It was a daunting prospect when using predatory animals like Lions and Tigers and Wild Boars. You could have a lot of fun with the Wolves and Foxes, and the Pandas and Koalas as they were quite cuddly, but a Wild Boar or a Crocodile? Careful thought had to go into this. The classroom had all of these animals featured and Mr. Owl commanded their respect, and all the animals certainly behaved themselves, but that was in the classroom. Once in the playground outside this need not necessarily be the same thing. It was this aspect that Alicia was now trying to add in order to lay the groundwork for the acceptance and tolerance of others and their perceived differences. This was a difficult task at the best of times and with people who had no challenges to overcome first. Alicia believed in the time honored mantra of trying to - "Aspire to Inspire before you Expire" about her. It was this that was driving her vision. Humour was the key ingredient here as laughter defuses most confrontational issues, so she now had to make all the animals laugh and joke with each other in a playful way. She decided to do some additional sociological research in the library to at least point her in the right direction in order to do this and make it effective. It was all coming together slowly, but there was still quite a bit to do before it would be ready for the trial phase.

***

Alicia was dedicated to her work, but she also had time for her daughter, her husband and now the Women's Shelter. As the saying goes - if you want something done ask a busy person, and idle one doesn't have the time. To Alicia the Women's Shelter was a break from work that bordered on being therapeutic for her. It focused her mind on completely different things. Knowing that these problems do exist out there in the world is one thing – seeing them face to face and being in a position to help was an altogether different matter. Her life was one of privilege, happiness and fulfillment. The Women's Shelter's inhabitants certainly didn't fall into that category. It made her realize just how fortunate she was and that she had taken so much for granted in the past. It served to make her more grounded and determined to help out whenever she could in whatever capacity.

Rachel Malcolm had done an excellent job of promoting the Women's Shelter and getting local businesses to contribute towards it. She had recruited Alicia and Cathy Braxton to go around and use their influence to not only gather donations, but to get them to hire some of the women where possible. What so many of these women needed was a fresh start in life. If their spiral of despair could be broken, their self-confidence given an uplift, then they could make a very different life for themselves. All it would take was the right opportunity and Alicia and Cathy were a gift from God in Rachel's eyes. They had the connections in the town to provide all manner of opportunities and she could see now that they would pull all the strings necessary in order to help these women.

What Rachel didn't know was just how poor Cathy used to be as a child. Cathy had lived a life in a trailer park where money was tight and her single mom had to struggle to put food on the table. One or two of her class mates used to slip her their used clothes when they received new ones. It was done under the table and those girls never told anyone else that they had given their old clothes to Cathy. They were secondhand true enough – but they were in excellent condition and back then Cathy's mom just couldn't afford that quality. It was something Cathy never forgot and she was still friends with those girls to this day. Her husband on the other hand had led a privileged life, but a rather lonely one and he had become depressed because of it. Tony was in fact contemplating suicide the day he met Cathy. Meeting her right at that time then gave him a reason to stick around. It turned his life around and he now got the encouragement that he so desperately needed. He was a brilliant student and a genuine computer geek and he went on to found several companies and subsequently become a billionaire. However, like his wife, he understood the meaning of hopelessness and despair. He needed very little convincing to help out the Women's Shelter when Cathy approached him with her projects from time to time. When vacancies occurred at Braxton, they would post notices at the Women's Shelter advertising that fact. I.E.C. Alicia's company did the same thing, but due to the complexities in her firm's products the opportunities were fewer in number. Braxton had a wide range of office and factory positions and not only in Markton.

The Women's Shelter provided far more than just sanctuary to these women. It gave them hope too. Some of them arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs. Alicia had a hard time digesting that, but Cathy and Rachel readily appreciated it as a fact of life.

"Rachel, can I have a quick word?"

"Sure Alicia, what is it?"

"I heard the police officer saying the other day that the woman he brought in only had the clothes on her back."

"Yeah, that is often to case sadly enough."

"How do they hope to move forward and go for interviews etc. if they don't have decent clothes?"

"Well people do drop off their old clothes from time to time and we have a limited supply in the basement. They are pretty good quality too, even if they aren't brand new."

"Can I go down and have a look at them?"

"Of course Alicia, I'll come down with you."

"Yes I see what you mean, the quality is pretty good, but you are right, the selection is rather limited. Rachel, what I would like to do is to set up an account at "Barbara's Cave" across the road. It caters to all kind of fashions, styles and budgets. If these women are to have any hope of moving on they will need to look the part. Would you be willing to oversee that if I gave you the card to let them get what they may need? When I say what they need I mean from the skin out. These woman need to have their self-esteem boosted and to feel good about themselves. Having a shower and being able to wear decent underwear in addition to what the world will see on their backs will be a distinct positive for them. Hopefully it will give them a little boost anyway."

"Oh Alicia that would be wonderful of you, but they are all different and this could get to be very expensive."

"Let me worry about that, Rachel, I'll figure out a way to do it. If I can't wangle it personally I'll get I.E.C. to do it and classify it as a charity donation. I want to do this Rachel."

"Well what sort of budget would you be looking at Alicia, just to give me and idea?"

"The whole point of this, Rachel, is to bring these women back up to their potential and to give them the tools in order to do it. An interview for a factory job will require one set of clothes, a woman apply for an executive position will require a very different outfit."

"Well I'm quite sure I can manage to do that, Alicia."

"Oh, don't misunderstand me, Rachel. The factory girl and the executive both need the same encouragement – regardless of their station in life. I don't want to appear elitist here. I just want to give both types of women the clothing they will need to pull themselves out of their current situations and have a future. There is no set budget as each woman's personal needs will be different; just get them what they need."

"God certainly smiled down on us the day he brought you and Cathy into our midst, Alicia. You can certainly give these women opportunities that they would otherwise not have; God will bless you for that."

"Well I don't know about that, Rachel, but I have been fortunate in life, as has Cathy, and we now want to give back to those who have been less fortunate. I get as much, if not more joy in being able to do this than they will in receiving it. I feel privileged to be able to do this, Rachel, and I am quite sure Cathy will feel the same way I do."

"As you know Alicia, I used to be a Nun as well as being a nurse. As a Nun I was aware of the concept of angels and that the good lord would always provide. In secular society that belief is challenged daily – and then you are sent to us. Perhaps God was prodding me and giving me a reminder that I am still doing his work and you two are the angels he sent to give me a hand."

"Yes, Rachel, I did know that you were once a Nun – however, I can't quite see Cathy and I as being angels from heaven. We are just two rather more fortunate women who have been given much in this life and are in a position to help others by giving something back in return. Lots of people would love to help out, but they lack the time, the funds or the opportunity perhaps, Rachel. Most people as basically good inside, they are just too consumed with life to stop and think of the plight of others."

"Perhaps, Alicia, but you have a full time job, a husband who is often away and a child at home. Surely those other people can't be more involved with life than you are can they?"

"Oh I don't know, we are all different Rachel and we all cope with life in different ways. Take love for example. It is a simple word, and yet it has so many meanings and various categories. You can love a thing, a concept, or a person for example. Then you break it down between the people: Loving a parent is one thing, loving your child another, and your spouse falls into yet another category. So it is with people, Rachel. Look at the women we are trying to help, one wrong choice and Cathy or I could be like them. Nobody walking down the aisle on their wedding day envisions ending up in a place like this, and yet here they are."

"Yes I understand that only too well. Before I met my husband I was headed to becoming s fully fledged Nun. I fell in love with him and that was that. I didn't see it coming, he did, but with me being a Nun he let it go. His feelings were always there, but he respected my calling and he did nothing to change my mind. It was quite tough on him he told me later. Then when I needed him he was right there and now we are very happily married. So you are right, Alicia, the choices we make do dictate our lives. Perhaps God saw I was not cut out to be a Nun and steered me into founding this shelter. He gave me a wonderfully supportive husband too who allows me to spend so much time running it. I hadn't really given it much thought, Alicia, which is exactly what you were saying about all the other people out there."

Rachel suddenly laughed out loud and then started giggling like a schoolgirl.

"You know Alicia, God may have sent you to straighten me out too. You have made me look at a few things differently today, I'm glad you dropped by and in more ways than one too."

***

The following morning Alicia was back in her office working on her socialization program. Jean's idea of making all the animals friends first had resonated with her. Then she had a brainwave. It took her back to her own childhood days and the song: "The Teddy Bears Picnic".

"That's it she told herself, I'll have a picnic for all the animals and not just the bears. We can have fallen logs as tables and lay all the goodies out on them. I can have place settings, napkins, party hats and streamers. Yes! This is what I'll do and all things being equal it will create the necessary party atmosphere. Then if I can throw in a few party games as well, and perhaps some sports activities and races everyone can have a lot of fun. If all the animals are happy, they should then be able to get along well together. I'll get Mr. Owl to clink his glass at the head table and then let him instruct them all on table manners and etiquette. If we start with the games it will also burn off some excess energy too and that will definitely be a good thing. Then when Mr. Owl gets up they will pay attention to him."

The more Alicia thought about this idea the more she liked it. It had all the right elements to it, they just had to be sequentially organized. Once again humour would be required. In order to recognize good and appropriate behaviour, one also must learn what is unacceptable. Alicia now had to incorporate loveable imps into the mix. Naughty little chipmunks or squirrels perhaps that would dart around everywhere and not obey the rules – but seem cute at the same time. Maybe an acrobatic Koala bear who would suddenly become super- invigorated and start doing cartwheels while singing the national anthem or something equally bizarre. They were really cute and cuddly, so who could hate them for being playful even if they were being naughty? The antics of the animals would have to be such that they would focus the child's attention. Mr. Owl scolding the naughty animals would certainly do that too as each of them would be thankful it wasn't them on the receiving end of his tongue lashing. They would all be laughing on the inside, but they daren't let Mr. Owl see that, just as normal kids would do in their own classrooms. Yes she thought this ought to do the trick. It was now a question of which animals to use and how to add the humour. She would have to spend some time figuring that one out – but she now had a starting point – the picnic.

She discussed her idea with Jean during their morning coffee break. Jean thought it was a great idea. I mean, "Who doesn't like a picnic in the woods", she said? She remembered her childhood and the Sunday School picnics they had held in the woods back then and how much fun they were. Yes, this idea would certainly rivet the children's attention. She remembered vividly the sack races and the egg and spoon races and also the three legged races they had held back then. The tug of war was a lot of fun too – provided you were not the ones dragged into the mud. The more she thought about it the more she liked the idea.

"Alicia you can have a lot of fun with this idea. Just look at all the activities the animals can get involved in."

"What are you thinking, Jean? I can see that your face is lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Well I was thinking about my childhood and playing games at the Sunday School picnics. The sack races, the egg and spoon races and of course the three legged races. Just think of the combinations you could come up with for that one. It could be hilarious and the children would love it."

"Yes I'm sure they would, Jean. I was thinking along the same lines. There are so many things we could incorporate into that picnic that would draw all the animals together and make them friends. It sounds far easier than it is unfortunately. I have a lot of detail work to do and engineering it all takes time. However, that said, I think we are on to something here. The children should certainly be drawn to this if it is done correctly. The peaceful serenity of the forest can be disrupted for this event and made to resemble a vibrant disco for this shindig."

"Well that is one option, Alicia. However, if you get all the animals strung out and wired you'll never get their attention."

"Yeah, there is that, she said. You have a good point there, Jean. Tiring them out is what we need to do, having them all wired is the last thing we need. This now gives me something else to ponder. How to accomplish all of this in a manner that allows them to be friendly to one another, have a lot of fun and yet not allow them to become too excited."

"I can see you have a minor problem to sort out, Alicia. On that note, I'll go back to my office and find that cure for cancer – I got side-tracked the other day."

"You do that, Jean, now that you have given me more problems to think about."

"Hey, what are friends for, Alicia?"
Chapter Six

***

Markton Hospital was the area's trauma center and it was a rather large facility. Jean's husband was a neuro surgeon there, Lynda Maxwell was an office manager there and Nancy Everstead and her husband Eric both worked there. Nancy was a physician's assistant and her husband was an electronics technician who fixed all the diagnostic machinery when it went on the fritz. Like all hospitals it was a rather busy place, but it had a very good reputation within the community insofar as patient outcome and care went and that in itself spoke volumes. The Emergency Room certainly saw its share of trauma cases from simple domestic accidents, traffic accidents and assault victims. Certain parts of the city were less savory than others and disputes were settled in a less civilized manner often using guns and knives. The drug gangs in particular were the most violent. The police had tried to solve the drug problem but it was no use. All they could do now was contain it to a certain area. Going in to investigate crime was almost a total waste of time – nobody would cooperate with the police, that was a death sentence and everyone knew it. Social workers were tolerated, but even they were viewed with suspicion and were tested periodically to see whose side they were on. The unofficial police attitude was that if only gang members were involved then it was almost totally ignored or placed at the bottom of the pile.

This attitude did not prevail in the E.R. when gang members were brought in. They would receive the same care as everyone else and treated according to their injuries. They did not question the police beforehand to enquire as to whether they were victims or perpetrators. Hookers received the same care as housewives and quite often they had very similar injuries. The pimps would beat their women for a variety of reasons or simply just to keep them in line – often no reason was necessary. Housewives on the other hand could be savagely beaten because the evening meal was five minutes late or the tea was cold. Their men didn't need much of a reason either. A bad day at work, their favourite sports team losing, or a simple remark that was misinterpreted. Drink was yet another factor and this amplified the problem as a rule. There could be a thousand reasons why these men would beat their women, or they could do so for no reason at all. Most women never experience this kind of abuse when their men get angry or become annoyed with them for whatever reason. They all do from time to time – they are human after all and it most certainly is a two way street. Wives can get mad at their husbands too – and some of their reactions can be quite hostile. However, most people keep their anger responses within the bounds of normal civilized behaviour. When somebody ends up in the E.R. because of it then one can safely assume things have gone too far.

The social workers at Markton Hospital were by no means idle as a result of such activity. Some of the situations they had to deal with were heartbreaking and they were all on a first name basis with Rachel now as a result of the numbers involved and the referrals they had made. The Women's Shelter had a very good reputation, but it was reserved for the more serious cases as accommodation was limited. Because Rachel was a fully qualified R.N. Tony Braxton had pulled a few strings and got a pharmaceutical company to stock her medicine cabinet with one or two items the average first aid kit would not have. Nancy Everstead would drop in as and when needed to sign off on certain prescriptions. Hospitals have to keep detailed records in terms of who is treated with what, and immigration status can be an issue. Rachel's record keeping was rather sloppy in that area. If they needed something they got it. In the more serious cases Nancy would be consulted. She had an excellent reputation and her relationship with many of the hospital's doctors was first rate. She could call for a consult over the phone – and nine times out of ten they would sign off on her decision and she would then write her own prescription. If an iffy situation arose they would drop by the shelter off the books for a personal consultation. It was a system that worked well for all concerned and the police were fully on board with it, often turning a blind eye to certain things. The Women's Shelter was providing a very valuable community service and nobody wanted to rock that boat. The public good was more important than minor legal infractions and those in the know were fully in favour of it remaining so – including the courts.

***

The lives lived in the middle class areas of the city were often very different to those in the gang areas. Alicia's and Cathy's circle of friends would be horrified to learn about some of the things that go on in there and the results of those actions. The thought of their husbands ever raising their hands to them in anger would simply never occur to them. Sexual abuse was yet another thing that would never cross their minds, it simply was not done. However, they may have been surprised to learn that it was not uncommon in any social circle, regardless of how upscale the neighbourhood may be. One such instance was now about to emerge. It had started out as a simple gambling debt – but it had escalated and it now bordered on the unbelievable. In one particular neighbourhood owing money to the wrong people was a dangerous game to play. When the man couldn't pay up on time his wife was raped and his daughter held for ransom. If he didn't come up with the required payment then, she would be forcefully injected with drugs, made into an addict, and turned loose as a hooker for one of their pimps. Street justice was pretty harsh in that neck of the woods. In this particular case, the man did call the police, but he paid the ultimate price a short time later for doing so. Those responsible were now behind bars and a rival gang had then moved in and had now taken over their so called turf. This gang had no further interest in the two victimized women. That in itself was a blessing, but they could never go back home again. The wife and daughter now ended up in the Women's Shelter and their lives would now be about to change. In essence they had been granted a new lease on life and one that several other women would make sure would happen for them. A call from the Social Services at the hospital to the Women's Shelter would now change their lives forever; they just wouldn't know that yet.

"Rachel, I have a couple of women in desperate need of your services, can you help us?"

"l can try , Cheryl, what is the situation here?"

"The father was murdered, the mother was raped and the daughter was kidnapped. They are seriously traumatized, Rachel, and in dire need of help. The police rescued them, but they have nothing and nowhere to go. They certainly cannot go back to their former home now."

"Oh my goodness, yes, Cheryl, of course I will take them. We'll fit them in somehow."

The mother was in pretty rough shape as she had been savagely beaten in order to send a message to others. The daughter was absolutely terrified out of her mind. They now have nothing but each other in this world. A concept few of us ever even think about let alone come across in our daily lives. They were homeless, penniless and the mother was in considerable physical pain due to her injuries. It was heartbreaking to see the two of them – nobody deserved this kind of treatment. They clung to each other like glue and glanced around nervously in anticipation of the next trauma that would land on them. Rachel had done her level best to alleviate some of the woman's physical pain, but the future had her terrified. She had nowhere to go, no job skills and a fourteen year old daughter to look after. Bleak didn't come close to describing her future as the mother saw it. Her main fear was having her child whisked away by Social Services for her own good and placed in foster care. A fear the child shared herself. Cathy and Alicia took a very personal interest in these two once they learned the full story. Their future would not be as bleak as they feared. Here was an opportunity to really give back something to society and both women readily embraced the chance to do so. As they examined their own lives and compared them to this poor woman's, their hearts went out to her. "There but for the Grace of God" was very much in the forefront of their minds. One misstep in life and this could happen to anyone. The challenge now was to restore this woman's dignity, sense of self-worth, and provide her with the tools to make a new life for herself and her daughter – it was challenge both women were more than willing to undertake.

***

John was now back on his regular route to Sydney, Australia via Dubai and Singapore. He now knew the geography of those cities quite well, where the best restaurants were, the best bargains and the local beauty spots and tourist sites. He was frequently asked by passengers to recommend such places as they assumed that he would be in the know. Well now he was, but at first he had no idea where anything was. John fell in love with Singapore and with one restaurant in particular. He had come across it when some of his fellow pilots had mentioned it. They had extolled a certain dish they served there - a mixed grill. The way they had described it left John no other choice but to experience this fantastic spread for himself. When he did, he too was hooked on the place. The meal was huge, totally filling the serving platter and it was mouthwateringly good. He didn't finish it, one would need to go into training to do that. It had everything on that platter, steak, lamb, pork, liver, bacon, sausage, mushrooms and egg. Essentially it was a heart attack on a plate if the truth be known – but it tasted sooo good. On his honeymoon he had taken Alicia there to see this feast – she wisely chose another local dish that night.

On this particular trip a former flight attendant and he husband were on a trip to Australia to visit friends. Julie Wilson, as she was now called, had been the flight manager who had introduced Tommy and his mother Jean to John when Tommy wished to see inside the cockpit of the plane. Julie was no longer with the airline, but John had pulled a few strings and managed to get her an upgrade to business class for this flight. Julie's husband, Joe, was a doctor at the Markton Hospital and he had helped Nancy Everstead out on more than one occasion. John and Joe were themselves friends who often played golf together. When Joe mentioned that he and Julie were going to Sydney to visit friends, John quietly arranged for their seats to be upgraded. This was something they wouldn't know about until they boarded the plane. At the time he arranged this, John had no idea about his flight schedule and whether he would in fact be flying the plane that day. As it turned out he would be on their outward bound flight, but he wouldn't be flying them home. Julie had no idea about her seating until the flight attendant ushered her to the business section as she boarded the plane. She knew the flight attendant as she had flown with her many times when she worked there and she just assumed that this was yet another upgrade that frequent fliers get as a courtesy. However, when she saw the plane was full she began to question that. When she called the flight attendant over to ask her she was told it was arranged by head office. Julie was puzzled for a minute by that. How did Head Office know she was flying, they never scrutinize passenger lists to that degree? It was when they were preparing for take-off and the pilot's and first officer's names were mentioned the penny finally dropped. John must have been behind this she said to herself.

"Joe, did you tell John that we were going to Sydney?"

"I may have mentioned it, why?"

"Well I think he is responsible for our upgrade in seating."

"How do you arrive at that, I thought airlines always give upgrades when they can to frequent flyers?"

"Yes they do and we are getting complimentary seats for this flight due to my working for them – but they wouldn't do this, not on a full flight."

"Well it looks like they did, Julie, we are in these seats."

"No I think, John is behind this, he has pulled a few strings here I just know it."

"Well you'll just have to ask then when he visits the washroom."

"Count on it Joe, you can certainly count on that."

Joe just laughed; he knew very well that the minute John poked his head out of the Flight Deck Julie would be all over him. Hopefully she would give him time to visit the washroom first before she pounced.

John had given Joe the name of his jeweler and his address. He had also written a letter of introduction for Joe to give to Karu the jeweler. Joe had not disclosed what he wanted made, but John had told him that Karu was the man. He could give him the instructions and the design and leave it with him and he could pick it up on the way home. No deposit was necessary if he was a friend of John Billinge, Karu had told him. His word would be good enough. It would not exactly be a surprise to Julie as she was present at the time. However, she was not a party to all the discussions. At one point Karu had shown her his earring selection and it was then that he and Joe had a more meaningful chat.

John had explained to Joe that Karu did magnificent work and that the prices were out of this world in terms of value for money. He also pointed out that some of the merchandise could be classified as being recovered treasure from a sunken pirate ship. Joe had been curious about that.

"What do you mean by sunken treasure exactly, John? Is this hot merchandise?"

"Well you won't need asbestos gloves to handle it, Joe. However, I wouldn't spend too much time and energy looking into its provenance if you get my drift. Cargoes are lost at sea all the time and certain accounting mistakes are made periodically too. The locals are very good divers and often recover all manner of things from the depths after vicious storms, even in the harbour sometimes too. Such items must then be classified as damaged or waterlogged."

"What! Including diamonds, Rubies and Emeralds queried Joe?"

"What can I say, Joe. I'm not a gemologist, but Karu is. If he tells me the merchandise is flawed, who am I to contradict him, Joe."

"Well now, it would be ungracious of me to challenge the man's professionalism then under those circumstances would it not?"

"That was my position too, Joe, said John. Who are we to question local customs; when in Rome, right?"

"Amen to that sir replied Joe."

Both men were now laughing at their acceptance of the realities that were in play here. What they may have suspected and what they actually knew for a fact were very different things. Given the prices being charged they were things they could easily live with.

When Joe called in on Karu on his way back home he was delighted with the items Karu had made for him. The workmanship was exquisite as usual and Joe was a very happy man and he told Karu so. He then set up an arrangement with him in order to be able to do business by mail in the future. Karu was very happy with the arrangement and Joe was delighted. In fact he sent Karu a fair amount of business from his friends over the next few years. Karu accepted the orders knowing that Joe himself would stand behind them if any problems arose – none ever did.

Julie was delighted with her necklace when she received it as it was a total surprise. She knew about the ring that Joe was buying and the earrings that she liked, but not the necklace. She had seen the necklace that Nancy Everstead had worn at the hospital Christmas Party and she had been blown away by it. It was gorgeous and a definite conversation piece. Now she had one of her own. It was of a very different design to Nancy's but it was equally stunning. Nancy herself had told her how beautiful it was and how it suited her – and Julie knew she meant every word of it. Nancy was not big on platitudes or political correctness. What she said she meant and if she had nothing good to say then she would say nothing – that's just who she was and also why she was so popular in the hospital. You would be hard pressed to find anyone with anything negative to say against Nancy. Julie liked Nancy, but she really didn't know her all that well. Her husband on the other hand had sung her praises on many occasions and he also liked Eric her husband. Julie had been introduced to Eric, but other than that she didn't know him. He seemed like a nice guy and it was quite obvious that he and Nancy idolized each other. I can see why he would buy her such a gorgeous necklace now she thought to herself. Those two are still very much in love and had been ever since their high school days as had John and Alicia. While it might be a rarity these days, this foursome was living proof that it still existed.
Chapter Seven

***

Debbie Miller and her fourteen year old daughter Chelsea were now safely housed in the Women's Shelter having had their lives violently ripped apart. Jack Miller had borrowed money to pay off a gambling debt and then he had suddenly and unexpectedly been made redundant. Things then went from bad to worse very quickly and he was now in over his head. The loan shark had given him a warning and told him he had to pay or else – but he didn't exactly spell out what the "or else" would entail. The Millers had only recently moved into the area after misfortune had overtaken them when the fishing industry had collapsed out East. Well they soon found out what that penalty would be here in this part of town. His wife and daughter were kidnapped one day as they were walking home from the shopping center. A panel van pulled up just in front of them, the door slid open and a man who appeared to be just casually passing by shoved them both into the van. It was all very smoothly done. They made no attempt to hide their faces – they knew they would never be reported for fear of reprisals. The men then explained in great detail what was going to happen to them if Jack didn't pay up in 24 hours. The two terrified women were then left alone in the room with only a bucket for company. The following day the men came back and told them their time was up and that Jack had not paid and a message had to be sent as a warning to others. What followed next was nothing short of horrendous. Debbie was viciously beaten by two men who each took turns at inflicting pain and suffering. At the end of it all she was dragged into the adjacent room, draped semi-conscious over the table and raped by both men. She was then advised that if Jack failed to come up with the cash by tomorrow, Chelsea would be next.

Upon learning that his wife and daughter had been taken by the loan shark's men; Jack did the unthinkable; at least it was in that part of town, he went to the police and reported it. Once they heard his story they had a pretty clear idea as to who was involved. The police had a very good handle on who did what in that area even if they couldn't prove any of it. They acted very quickly in this instance and soon had the felons in custody and the women taken to hospital. The police had warned Jack to be extremely watchful as these people were dangerous and could very well retaliate. The legal system being what it is, the men were subsequently released on bail. Jack Miller then met with a fatal accident two days later. It bore all the hallmarks of an accident, but few people believed that it was. Everyone knew who had killed him – and why - proving it was something else again. Jack's funeral was well attended by his workmates and by a large contingent of undercover police officers too. He was a good man who had fallen on hard times and made some poor choices – it happens and he just got caught up in a downward spiral he couldn't seem to get out of. Well he was certainly out of it now, but Debbie and Chelsea certainly were not, at least that is what they believed at the time. Now it was time for the Women's Shelter to come to the rescue of these seemingly destitute and despondent women. They had fallen a long way since their days in Nova Scotia. Wealth had always eluded them, but they were happy out there and they were a true family and shared everything. Rich they certainly were not, but they had sufficient to satisfy their needs and they had each other. As a result they had a pretty normal life in their community and every one of them was in the same boat so to speak. It was when the canning plant closed that things started to go downhill. Some of the men went to the Alberta oilfields in order to seek employment; others like Jack stayed, and tried to find work locally doing this and that whenever an opportunity arose. They were tough days and so Jack finally headed for Toronto where there was more opportunity. There was, but it is an expensive city to live in and so he was obliged to move to a somewhat less desirable district. He made a mistake, got into some trouble and Debbie and Chelsea also paid the price. Once again, the fickle finger of fate on that ever turning wheel of life can have disastrous results – often through no fault of your own as in this case. However, that ever turning wheel has some good things too that the same finger can point to – one always has to keep that in mind. Who knows what tomorrow may bring – you just have to keep on going and not lose hope.

***

When the other guests at the shelter saw Debbie for the first time they cringed. Many of them had been victims of domestic violence, but these injuries were right off the scale. One eye was completely closed, the other wasn't much better and both were black and blue. The stiches were holding up quite well and hopefully the scarring would be minimal once it had all healed. It was the unseen injuries that troubled Rachel the most. Debbie's body had been through the wringer and exactly how serious those internal injuries could be remained to be seen. Debbie's pain was obvious to all, each movement crucified her and then there was her shame. Debbie was a proud woman, had led a good and decent life and was simply a normal neighbourhood housewife. She had a good husband who treated her well, even though money was tight, and they were a loving family. How had she come to this? Here she was now a physical wreck, an impoverished widow and a rape victim and her fourteen year old daughter had witnessed it all. She had seen the degradation and shame her mother had been subjected to and heard all the foul names that she had been called. The psychological damage alone was devastating, and for both mother and daughter.

Nancy Everstead came by every day to oversee Debbie's care and to check her broken ribs. Debbie had been a strong minded woman as one often finds in fishing villages that are subject to the harsh realities of the high seas. However, what they saw before them today bore no resemblance to that. The humiliation caused by her daughter having to see all of that was crippling to say the least. It was equally so for Chelsea having to see her mother to go through that and be unable to help her. They would be having nightmares about this for quite some time – even with the psychological therapy they would now both be receiving.

When Alicia first saw Debbie she was crushed. How could anyone do that to a woman, there was nothing she could have done to deserve that. Cathy too felt exactly the same and Debbie and her daughter now became a mission for them both. This poor woman was going to be restored to her normal self and they were personally going to see to it that she did. Rachel and Nancy would take care of their medical needs. Everything else Cathy and Alicia would make their personal responsibility. This was going to be a long term project, six weeks was totally inadequate in this case and alternate arrangements would have to be made to accommodate this woman and her daughter. She was in no condition to fend for herself right now and it would be some time before that would be the case. Until then Alicia Billinge and Cathy Braxton would take care of their immediate needs.

The other women in the shelter had rallied around these two and they were doing everything that they could to make life easier for them – well as best they could in those circumstances anyway. One day Alicia took Chelsea out shopping and let her pick out several outfits so that she would have a change of clothes. She also got Chelsea to pick put a few things for her Mom as she only had the clothes on her back too. She had explained to Chelsea what she was doing and why.

"Chelsea, I want to take you shopping later this morning to pick up a few things. It will just be to tide you over until your Mom is a little better and able to go out on her own to pick out some things. Would you like that?"

"I don't have any money; ma'am, and I won't be able to pay you back."

"Don't worry about that Chelsea, I don't expect you too; consider this a gift for now. Down the road when you are both back on your feet if you want to repay me you can do a good turn for someone else who might need it okay? Do we have a deal?"

"Yes ma'am I think my Mom would go for that, she is a very proud lady."

"I can see that, honey, but right now she needs a wee bit of help as you well know. It isn't charity, Chelsea; it's a helping hand for someone who needs it temporarily. You can pick out a few items to tide you over for now and then you and your Mom can go out together later on and get some more clothes. Right now let's just get you both a few basics that you can wear right now, how does that sound?"

"Thank you ma'am, we don't' have any other clothes right now, that is very nice of you to do that for us., I know Mom would be very grateful."

Alicia was almost in tears at this point. This young girl was accepting her offer of help for her and her Mom, but it was sticking in her throat and she was concerned about her mother's dignity. Desperate as they were, they had their pride, and so far that's about all they had. They were not used to milking the system like some; this was emotionally painful for them to be in this position. Alicia and Cathy were very much aware of this and acted accordingly. Debbie was fragile right now and in desperate need of just about everything. She was deeply appreciative of everything that was being done for her – but equally concerned about her inability to repay all of this kindness. This experience had all but destroyed Debbie – but some of her original self still remained. It was buried deep in the rubble of what was left of her life, but it was there all the same. It was that which Alicia and Cathy were going to work on and salvage from the rubble. Debbie would be refurbished and ultimately be restored to her former self and these two women were going to make it happen, come hell or high water. That fickle finger of fate had landed on a good slot for the Millers this time around.

***

Alicia was buried in her office for most of the days at work as she wrestled with the concept of socializing the animals in the forest and getting them all ready for the picnic. It sounded easy enough on paper, but actually doing it proved to be far more challenging than she had imagined at the beginning. She was getting there, but not as quickly as she had hoped. The more research that Alicia did, the more stones that she upturned, the more issues that would spring up. Bullying was but one aspect, ostracism was yet another and the effects they could have may be different if still equally painful to the victim. Being a social pariah for whatever reason could be even more painful than a beating – suffering both was even more devastating. The animals had to be taught to get along, to settle differences by talking and communicating with each other rather than by using violence brought on by frustration. She had been to the library and read all manner of books on the related subjects. John had teased her that she could now sit down and write a term paper on the subject now – and get an A+ too. However, it was all coming together, perhaps not as quickly as Alicia would have liked, but steady progress was being made. It would not be long before the prototype would be ready for testing. John had been shown certain aspects as they were being given the finishing touches, but had not been linked together as yet. They were just little clips here and there and stored on a disc until ready to be used. Alicia let John watch some of them to get his reaction and comments. When she saw John rolling around on the sofa with tears in his eyes and laughing out loud further comments were unnecessary. His responses spoke volumes to her. He had no idea what he was about to see and he had been totally blown away by it. The fact that he had tears from laughing told Alicia that the humour and the antics were indeed up to par and that they would rivet people's attention – it certainly had done so for John. This of course was the whole idea. The subliminal element had not been applied at this point – but the attention getting factor had to work first and she now knew that it did.

"Where do you come up with this stuff, Alicia that was hilarious? I haven't laughed like that in a long time."

"Oh it just sort of comes to me as I am going along and I jot the ideas down as they come."

"Well honey that was fantastic, that Koala bear was just something else and the things he was saying just blew me away. As for the four legged race with the animals and the piggy back rides, they were simply insane." (The animals had one front and one hind leg tied together for the equivalent of a three legged race for kids. They would wobble about, tie themselves up in knots and fall all over the place.) "The Camel and Giraffe in particular really did it for me and the things that they were saying to each other by way of encouragement had me in tears. If all of this is designed to get their attention then you have definitely succeeded, kiddo. Nobody can watch this and not be drawn to it. The lions and tigers may be on the sedate side, but those chipmunks and squirrels were out of this world, even Mr. Owl had to laugh at them – and he was telling them to behave, or trying to at least. This stuff is amazing Alicia, it really is, honey, trust me."

"So you think it might work then – and don't dispense any platitudes, John, tell me the truth?"

"Of course it will work, Alicia, it certainly held my attention didn't it? Like I said, Honey, nobody can watch that and not be intrigued by it. I mean come on now, you have a load of cute animals, doing the craziest things and saying things in non-traditional voices that would crack up most comedians. Where did you get this stuff?"

"Oh I just pick things up here and there and then make a few adjustments to allow them to fit the game."

"Well you certainly got me hooked on it and I have only seen snatches here and there. Alicia this is truly brilliant, it really is and you are helping so many people with it."

"Yes, perhaps, but I'm not helping the Debbie Millers of the world am I?"

"Hey now hang on a minute here, kiddo. You can only do so much in one lifetime. What you are doing is helping thousands of children – possibly hundreds of thousands. Kids who would have a very limited future were it not for you – I am so proud of you."

"Oh I know I can't fix the whole world, John, I do know that, but I would like to help the Debbie's of this world too."

"I know you do, Darling, but things like this take lots of time. Debbie you can help - and you will do that, of that I have no doubt. Unfortunately there are hundreds of thousands of Debbie's out there in equally dire straits. This new feature you are trying to incorporate in the game will be a very positive start. It will point out to people what is acceptable and what isn't. You may even add a feature that shows the results of such behaviour, both good and bad. It will have to be tempered to suit the audience you are targeting – but you could do it."

"Yes I could and I want to do just that, she replied."

"Then again, there is yet another thing you could do, well maybe anyway."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well I was thinking of a sort of self-help feature."

"What do you mean exactly?"

"Oh I don't know, I was kind of thinking out loud I guess. The thing is, from what you tell me so many women never report this abuse, right. What if you made a disc that could teach them to be self-sufficient and allow them to stand on their own two feet. You Know, something that they could watch by themselves in private, but at the same time help them to cope better with their situations and possibly give them some hope for the future somehow. I am not sure how feasible it would be to do this Alicia, it was just a thought."

"John you are wonderful, you have just given me a new idea and I love you for it. I can certainly come up with a self-help feature; in fact I'll recruit Debbie to help me design it. There is no substitute for experience and that poor woman certainly has plenty of that, John. She should be eminently qualified to give me loads of advice as to how to go about doing that. So too will some of the other women in the shelter – they should be a gold mine of information for me.

"Do you think she'll be up to doing this just yet, Honey, she's pretty fragile right now I would imagine?"

"Oh of course she is, I wasn't going to get her involved with this just yet. I am not going to start that project until I've finished this one on manners, etiquette and behaviour. I know it still falls under the heading of behaviour – but one thing at a time Eh!"

"Good girl, I don't want a burnt out wife or one that is totally exhausted due to her working too hard. Well not from professional activities anyway – I could think of a few other areas in which it might be acceptable."

"Oh really! Mr. Billinge, and just what might fall under that category – don't answer that. I know exactly what is on your mind – men are such animals and totally predictable. One track minds 24/7 with the occasional time out to shove their snouts in the trough to eat."

John just roared laughing.

"Yet you women marry us anyway – I wonder why? Could it be that you just might get the occasional kick out of it too?"

"Well it has been known to happen \- or so I've been told."

Alicia immediately dodged out of the way as John lunged for her playfully after that remark.

"Well now Mrs. Billinge if you are suggesting that you have forgotten the last time you were exposed to such delights perhaps a refresher course might be in order. In fact right now might be a good time, Mr. Owl isn't the only one who knows a thing or two."

With that John shot across the room and this time Alicia could not escape his grasp. A short while later Alicia acknowledged that he was quite right as she snuggled up to him on the sofa.

"I guess you could teach Mr. Owl a few things, John. That was wonderful, rather infrequent perhaps but definitely something worth waiting for."

John just began to tickle her after that crack and Alicia burst out giggling. He may be away for short periods of time when he was flying – but Alicia was by no means deprived because of it. She had no complaints in that department and consumed herself with work anyway when John was away and she very well knew it too. However, she was not above dispensing playful digs here and there – knowing full well what the outcome would lead to – as in this case. Alicia Billinge was a very contented woman where matters of the heart were concerned, not to mention some other parts of her anatomy too.
Chapter Eight

***

Charles Graham and Lynda Maxwell's relationship was moving along nicely now and both of them now clearly saw a future together. They were completely comfortable with each other now and the awkwardness of dating was long gone. They could freely be themselves now and not what they thought the other person would like them to be. They had progressed to this stage seamlessly and they were now discussing holiday plans together. They had discussed several destinations and browsed through numerous brochures and finally they chose Orlando, Florida. There were so many things to see and to do there and the ocean and the gulf were only a couple of hours drive away if they wished to go there. Daytona was one way and Clearwater the other. Simon had never been to Disneyworld or SeaWorld so he was really looking forward to this trip. There was zero chance of boredom setting in on this holiday – there were far too many things to do. The danger lay in not having the time to do them all. He was also old enough to be left alone in the evening so that Lynda and Charles could amuse themselves with more adult pursuits. Simon had his cell phone plus his laptop and mini-pads and he also had his own copy of Mr. Owl's Academy, Alicia's game. He just loved that, so leaving him alone at night was no problem whatsoever.

They would fly down to Orlando and rent a car at the airport and then drive to their hotel. Charles, gratuitously let Lynda make all the travel arrangements and book the hotel. (Obviously a man of experience was our Charles. Having been married before he had now been properly house-trained. Letting a woman make the arrangements not only let him off the hook from doing it himself – it saved him a lot of potential earache if he inadvertently got something wrong.) A wise man indeed was Mr. Charles Graham, wisdom that Lynda duly appreciated too. However, even though he would not be responsible if things did go awry, he could still very well hear all about it. While perhaps it was not a prominent feature of the holiday, earache was by no means off the menu altogether. Then again at this stage of their relationship such matters are more delicately dealt with, so that pain would be minimized in Charles's case – for now at least.

The holiday itself turned out to be everything they could have wished for. The weather was beautiful, warm enough but not too hot and despite the hordes of people they managed to see all of the things that they wanted to see. Simon was particularly enthralled with the EPCOT center and all the sights that it contained. The rides were terrific also, but he had a scientific mind and he found the EPCOT center to be totally exotic and full of wondrous things. They also visited all the other theme parks in the area and managed side trips to both Daytona Beach and Clearwater Beach. They were very different beaches. One allowed traffic to drive up and down and it was pretty densely populated and had the Atlantic wavelets rolling up on the shore. Clearwater Beach had no traffic and the sandy beach north of the pier was very soft and inviting. They floated out on the water on rubber rings surrounded occasionally by shoals of stingrays and the odd dolphin would drop by too. Both Lynda and Simon were totally blown away by this as they had never experienced anything like it before. Orlando, and to some degree Daytona, were a little more hectic, but Clearwater was more leisurely. Lynda had caught Charles admiring her in her bikini on several occasions. She had pretended not to notice his glances, but she was secretly delighted by them. She was fairly critical of her body and its perceived imperfections – but Charles certainly was not. He had complimented her on her figure and just how fantastic she looked – but they were merely words and any smart man would voice them – it was sort of expected. Those looks and furtive glances however were a totally different story. To Lynda they spoke volumes and had a far greater impact on her self-esteem than the usual platitudes. Charles was indeed enamored by her charms and by her appearance – he just couldn't take his eyes off her. The lust and desire in those glances were plain to see – his eyes were lit up like neon signs. It was not at all surprising – Lynda was a striking woman and every man on the beach would attest to that.

Needless to say, Lynda expressed her gratitude in a very different way later that night and left Charles in no doubt about how she was feeling about him. His comments on this display of gratitude were most certainly taken to heart as she knew he meant every word he said. After all actions speak louder than words – and Charles's actions showed Lynda just how he felt about her. Between his glowing words, his gentle touches and his masterful prowess in bed, Lynda Maxwell was a very contented woman. It was a feeling she had not experienced too frequently in her previous relationship and she was just totally basking in this warmth. Yes, Charles really was a real dreamboat – her ex-husband was more of a nightmare – in all departments too apparently.

After the holiday both Lynda and Charles returned to work duly recharged and both now had a bounce in their step. The holiday had certainly invigorated them and in addition had convinced them both that they did indeed have a future together. While they had not actually got around to discussing wedding arrangements, they were both keenly aware that that subject would be arising in the very near future. Charles had found himself looking in Jeweler's window as he walked around the Mall, just to get an idea he had told himself. Lynda had not dared to tempt fate by looking into dress shops and certainly not jewelers – but that might soon change.

She had now thrown herself into work at the hospital's administration department. As the department manager she was privy to all the confidential matters that would crop up from time to time. She would see all the paperwork requests and reports that were generated and she would naturally show the desired amount of discretion and confidentiality. Finding suitable accommodation for the elderly can be challenging – even more so when they object to it. Having to place a loved one into such a facility – or even worse have them committed to a mental facility can be rather traumatic. The guilt factor alone can be debilitating for the person having to make that call. Some of the situations were heartbreaking and even the hardened social workers were reduced to tears.

Lynda knew about the Women's Shelter from the social workers and she had a good idea of what it was all about. She also knew that several of her acquaintances volunteered there. She did not know that she was about to become one of those volunteers. It just never crossed her mind that she could be of any help to those poor women or offer them anything of substance – but that was before Alicia grabbed hold of her.

***

Rachel had brought up the subject of re-training and up- dating existing skills for the women in the center. If they were going to help them stand on their own two feet then this was a good place to start. If they were able to polish up their computer skills, general office administration techniques, and communication skills that should, hopefully, boost their self-confidence.

"Alicia, do you know anyone who we could approach to teach a refresher course in office admin."

"Well actually I know quite a few I suppose – but very few would want to get into teaching it. There is one lady I know who may be persuaded, so I can approach her to see if she would be willing to help us. You know her too Cathy."

"Oh who is that?"

"It's Lynda Maxwell."

"Oh yes, she'd be ideal for that – she practically runs the hospital's admin wing; or so I've been told. Come to think of it she's dating our CFO, Charles Graham, too."

"Yes I was aware of that too, Cathy. She's had a tough time in the past, but whatever Charles is doing to her it seems to be working out just fine for her."

All three women chuckled at that remark.

"Well ladies, I don't think her personal life is any of our business – colourful as it may or may not be, quipped Rachel."

"True enough, responded Alicia, I'll approach her and see if she would be willing to come in and help us out. Providing Charles doesn't wear her out first."

"Now Alicia, behave yourself said Cathy in a scolding tone – but laughing as she said it."

"Yes, play nice Alicia," said Rachel as she too burst out laughing. I used to be a Nun remember, my ears are quite delicate.

"Why Mrs. Malcolm I do declare," replied Alicia in a mocking tone that cracked up all three of them.

At that point the subject changed to financial matters and the need for funding in certain areas. Cathy had a friend whose husband was a local building contractor and she was in a position to ask his wife, Penny, if he might be able to help them out with providing a home or two for women in need of a longer term stay. Braxton and IEC would chip in some funds too of course, but his help was required in find suitable accommodation. It was something Cathy had no hesitation in doing as she knew Penny and her husband very well and Bret Stark was a good man with a heart of gold, as was his partner Alan Garth. If they could help out they most certainly would.

The following day Cathy telephoned Penny Stark to see if her husband would be able to help them out. Cathy and Penny were old school friends. In fact Penny was one of the girls that had given her used clothes to Cathy under the table way back when. Penny herself was now a millionaire as she had moved on from being a journalist to become an internationally famous author. She and her husband had dated in high school but drifted apart just like Alicia and John had. They finally hooked up again after Bret lost his wife and kids in an accident. He had pulled himself out of the wreckage and grown his business with the help of his foreman, Alan, and he was the "go to" builder in town now with a stellar reputation. Alan Garth was now his partner and both men were highly regarded in the area.

***

"Penny its Cathy, do you have a few minutes?"

"Sure Cathy, what's up."

"I have a favour to ask, well to ask Bret and Alan really."

"Okay shoot, what is it?"

"You know I work at the Women's Shelter, right?"

"Yes I had heard something about you volunteering there. How's it going? It must bring back a few painful memories for you I'll bet."

"Well here and there I have my moments, Penny. One or two situations touch a raw nerve with me. Anyway, Rachel Malcolm is doing a terrific job of running the place and Alicia Billinge and I help out where we can. The thing is -???"

"Ah now we are getting down to it" said Penny laughing.

"You know me so well replied Cathy laughing herself. The Shelter can only house these poor women for six weeks and we need to have somewhere for them to go after that until they can get back on their feet. I was wondering if Brett had any temporary housing available. I know he often purchases houses to knock down later and rebuild on the site – and sometimes that can take a while. If he has such a property we would like to rent it from him to house some of these women – that's the favour."

"Well if he does have such a place Cathy I'm sure he'll do his best to help out if he can. He helped out a friend of mine not too long ago when she too was in need."

"Oh yes, I remember now, Brenda told me when I ran into her one day. She was really blown away by what you and Brett did for her – she told me in confidence though – but you know all about it seeing as you did it so I'm not breaking that confidence."

"Yes, well what are friends for Cathy? You are doing exactly that for these women. Brenda was in a similar boat and we were in a position to help out – just as you are. I will mention it to Bret and get him to call you Cathy."

"Thanks Penny, I really do appreciate it."

"Not at all and if there is ever anything I can do for the Shelter or its inhabitants please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be more than willing to help out if I can, Cathy."

"Be careful Penny, I may take you up on that."

"I'm serious Cathy, I really am, please do take my offer seriously, I mean it."

"Thanks Penny, we'll talk later, bye for now."

Cathy then put the phone down, went into the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee. As she sat there drinking it her mind drifted back to the days when she had been in reduced circumstances – as polite society described those living in poverty. She had come a long way since she and Tony had made a life together. Her class mates referred to them as the Geek and the Peasant back then. They most certainly didn't call them that today now that Braxton Industries was an international concern with the electronics division here in Markton. Yes indeed she had been most fortunate – a rocky start perhaps, but she was fine now. Those poor women in the shelter were certainly not. Some were even worse off than she was when she lived in the trailer park with her mom. As she was sitting there sipping her coffee and thinking about these women the tears started to flow. Here she had so much and they had nothing - and all it took was one false move or a turn down the wrong road. When she finished her coffee she was more determined than ever to make a difference in those women's lives and make sure that from here on they would be on the right road.

"Rachel, I have had a word with Penny Stark about acquiring some additional property on a rental basis and she has told me she would get her husband to call me. Knowing him as I do if he and his partner Alan can help they will. They have done this before for a friend of Penny's. I had forgotten about that, but Penny reminded me of it this morning. She doesn't know what kind of inventory he has right now, but I'll find out later when he calls."

"That will be wonderful, Cathy. If we can get a building I'm sure we can scrounge some furniture to put in it."

"Don't worry about that, Rachel. I'm going to phone Alicia on that subject right now. I'm sure we will be able to sort that out – bye for now."

"Alicia, I've just had a word with Penny and she said she'll get Bret to call me back regarding any spare housing he may have on hand. I have just told Rachel and she is delighted but a little worried about to possible lack of furniture."

"Don't worry about that Cathy; we can sort that out one way or another. I'm sure I.E.C will gladly make a charitable donation of whatever furniture we need."

"I was hoping you would say that, I'm sure Tony would step up too –but I'm keeping him back until we need something really big – more than a few sticks of furniture anyway she said laughing."

"Cathy Braxton you really are scheming minx on the quiet aren't you? You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Oh I am Alicia, I am, you have no idea."

Both women were howling with laughter on the phone at that exchange.

"Let me know what Bret says, Cathy and then get back to me. We can then get some sort of program set up as to who can be housed where and of course when: if we can make some classroom space in there so much the better."

"Have you spoken to Lynda yet?"

"No I haven't, but I'll get right on that now Cathy. Bye for now, I'll give you a call once I've spoken to Lynda – and persuaded her to do it of course."

"Mrs. Billinge, surely you are not going to coerce a volunteer into doing something against her will – how could you do such a thing - and you call me a scheming minx?"

"Well you just have to do what needs to be done right? Some people need to be pointed in the right direction and then they will do the right thing – and Lynda will be pleased that she did."

"Wow, and here's me thinking you were a nice, carefree, and relaxed lady, and here you are a regular tyrant in a pretty dress."

"Aw Come on now Cathy, I'm not Attila the Hun, I'm simply a little over enthusiastic, perhaps. Anyway, people still love me she said tongue in cheek."

"That they do Alicia, that they do – but God knows why she said laughing."

On that jovial note, Cathy hung up the phone and Alicia then called Lynda to brighten up her day.
Chapter Nine

***

Having persuaded Lynda to get on board – in a way that made it seem like it was her own idea – Alicia settled back into work mode. She had a note pad on her desk just full of ideas, quotes from various famous people, and a whole slew of self-help tips. On top of all of this were little jots of table manners, and general behaviour notes plus of course etiquette and finesse. The more she examined all of this the more she realized that society's observance of these simple rules left something to be desired. Over time so much had been let slide and now it was simply ignored or completely unknown to some people. While she was not hell bent on restoring the social values of Virginian Society during the American Civil War – certain basic standards needed to be maintained; simple respect being none the least of them. Parents cannot teach what they themselves do not know and so educating them first was vital. This would of course be tough to do if they were not involved in watching these games - and having their children correct their behaviour would be suicidal.

The classroom animals would be the first target. Mr. Owl and Miss Lamb would be the ones to teach the animals their basic manners. Mr. Owl would teach the boys and Miss Lamb the girls. One can imagine the challenge in teaching social grace to a female Warthog or a Hippopotamus. It had to be done, and with a certain amount of panache too. Humour would not be involved in this subject as that would tend to derail the message she was trying to send. The Picnic would be full of fun and all the animals would have a great time, and as a result, get along well with each other. This should then establish the friendship aspect and to some degree a certain amount of respect and acceptance of each other's differences too. Once they were all on the same page, then the socialization phase could slide in under the radar so to speak. The goal was harmonious co-existence and total acceptance of each other. During the day the zoo animals were all caged, but at night they could sneak out and frolic with their friends in the forest. These were friends that they would normally never have in the real world.

Alicia knew that this was going to be the most challenging aspect of the game. Up until now, humour had been the factor that riveted their attention. Acceptable social behaviour was a serious subject and needed to be treated as such. The more she thought about it the more she realized that she would have to introduce humour into it, if only to highlight inappropriate behaviour. John had been rolling around watching the naughty Chipmunks and Squirrels – they held his attention. Therefore if she could make them misbehave and be scolded for it – then that should hold their attention and the subliminal feature could teach them proper and acceptable behaviour. That at least was the theory, whether it would hold up in practice had yet to be determined.

Right after lunch she called in Jean and her two partners, Alan and Kevin.

"Okay guys thanks for coming. I want to show you a few clips that I am working on. I am not going to tell you a single thing about them; I just want you to watch."

"Why won't you give us a clue as to what we are going to see, asked Kevin?"

"Well this way I'll get an honest response and that is what I want. I don't want you to have any preconceived ideas or romantic notions; I just want cold hard facts and initial opinions, okay?"

"Fair enough" replied Alan.

"Right then, just watch the screen and I'm now going to play them all for you. They may not be in chronological order – but you'll get the idea."

With that Alicia began her presentation and the images began to appear on the screen in video format. Within minutes all three of them had tears in their eyes and Alan and Kevin were simply holding their sides from laughing. No comments they could have made could have told Alicia more than these action had. If she was looking for confirmation that these images would hold someone's attention, well she certainly had it now. John had reacted that way and now these three had and with no prior knowledge or prompting. She was on the right track she thought.

"Alicia, those videos were amazingly funny, they really were, said Kevin"

"I can see now how difficult a challenge you have ahead, said Alan, getting all of them synchronized will not be easy."

"No it certainly won't chipped in Kevin, but the end result will be fantastic Alicia, it really will, this is simply amazing, what a great job you have done with this."

"I just loved every single video said Jean, I just couldn't stop laughing, it was so hilarious."

"Well I got the reaction I was hoping for – so now you can see why I didn't tell you beforehand what you were going to see. The people viewing the game won't know either and therefore they too should be riveted and paying attention and that is the object after all. Well thanks guys I appreciate you taking the time to come in and see those."

"No problem Alicia, it made me feel like a kid again going to the movies to watch the cartoons said Alan."

"Oh yeah, that was no hardship at all, it was a real comedy break, we could always use one of those, said Kevin."

"Next time let me know, Alicia and I'll bring the popcorn said, Jean."

"Damn good idea said Alan and Kevin together."

With that they all left Alicia's office and went back to work, still smiling to themselves too.

***

They had no sooner left her office than the telephone rang.

"Hi, Alicia, it's Rachel. I was just wondering if you had managed to have a word with your friend Lynda yet?"

"Well as a matter of fact I spoke to her this morning, Rachel and she is on board. The finer details have yet to be discussed, but she is gung ho in principle. The first thing to do is to stock the place with the various needs and stationery items and the computer terminals etc. I'm sure Tony will donate a few of them, him being in the business; especially if Cathy casually mentions it."

"Oh do you think he will, Alicia, they are so expensive?"

"Trust me Rachel, he'll be glad to do it, and much more besides if Cathy asks him to. He's that kind of man and he will give us any help we need. We just have to wait to see if Bret Stark has any houses lying around that he can let us borrow. Once we sort the accommodation out we shall be all set. It's all coming together rather nicely, Rachel. I think we shall really be able to make a significant difference in their lives once we get all of this up and running. The sad part of all of this is the fact that we have to limit the numbers. The need is far greater than we can service as my husband pointed out – we help the ones we can and simply pray for the rest."

"Your husband is quite right, Alicia. However, bear in mind that without all the work that you, Cathy and the others do, nobody would be helped. This way, many needy women are helped to a certainly degree and they know where to turn when they need us. We are a priceless resource to them and a source of significant comfort. Some of these women have nobody else Alicia and they know that we are here and that we care about them. For some that is all they have and trust me Alicia, to them we are a treasure beyond measure."

"I hadn't really thought of it that way before, Rachel."

"Most people don't, why would they? Unless you have been touched by this in some way, then you don't even think about it. Oh you know it is out there and that it does exist, so too is cancer, but until it directly crosses your path it is just another abstract concept."

"When you put it that way Rachel I guess you are right. As the saying goes, "Out of Sight Out of Mind" I suppose"

"Yes I'm afraid so – but then we have folks like you and Cathy. You make up for the indifference of others. The problem is huge; nobody can deal with it all. We do what we can for whom we can, the rest we have to leave in God's hands."

"Another way to look at it is to imagine the ripples on a millpond. You drop a pebble into the water and the ripples radiate out from that point. The more women we help the more that know we are here and so even more will seek shelter here as the ripples reach them and they in turn will tell others. Once we get all the programs up and running we shall be helping a lot of women to get back on their feet. God will give us the answers, Alicia; he gave me you and Cathy so I know he will look after the shelter."

Rachel's religious beliefs were still as strong as ever, even though she stopped short of becoming a nun. Her faith had not been shaken and she too had a good man in her life to provide her comfort and support. Alicia certainly admired that, even if her own faith left something to be desired. Rachel's devotion was worthy of the highest respect and both Cathy and Alicia felt it was richly deserved.

***

On July 1st each year, the Town of Richvale, which was situated right next door to Markton, celebrated Canada Day with a picnic in the town's largest park which also had a lake. Lots of local businesses contributed to the various festivities which included the food stands, the barbecue pits, the outdoor sports and games and of course the spectacular fireworks display at the end. It was all free and the townspeople generally had a great time. It was certainly well attended, but not everyone in the town showed up, some preferred to go into the city. Markton had similar activities and on a far larger scale as it was a fairly large city and not a small town like Richvale. Many of the residents of Richvale worked in Markton and chose to attend the local celebrations rather that go into the city. Richvale was more farming oriented and they had a more agricultural theme to what they put on. Tractor rides, petting zoos, hay rides, etc. The afternoon saw all the fun activities taking place. The games and races were open to all and were divided into groups of adults and the kids were grouped by size rather than age. Prizes were awarded to the various winners and the local Rotary Club and the Lions organized it and supervised it all. The food stands were an on-going item as were the charcoal barbecue pits. People could bring their own food and cook it for themselves and in effect have their own family picnics. Quite a few of them actually did this, especially the apartment dwellers who were unable to do this at home. In the evening a dance was held right there in the park. Wooden boards had been placed on the grass in the shape of a dance floor just in front of the bandstand. This unfortunately was weather permitting, but on this occasion the weather was due to be ideal. Alvin's band was the featured band this time and they were performing for free. The sense of community was quite evident in Richvale, whereas in Markton itself their attitude to each other was one of indifference as a rule. Large cities are generally more impersonal than small towns.

The women and their children in the Women's Shelter were really looking forward to this outing. The shelter itself being located just on the boundary of Markton and Richvale, but basically sited in Richvale, allowed the residents to go to the town picnic. This would give them an opportunity to get out and have some fun for a change instead of being cooped up in the Shelter. They would be quite safe in the park, it had a strong police presence and the local people would pounce on anyone who was seen to be harassing a woman. Debbie Miller was especially looking forward to it as she had not been outside for some time due to her injuries. She was getting better now and her physical appearance was almost back to normal. Her ribs were a little tender still, but there appeared to be no significant internal damage and she was no longer in pain. Nancy had checked her over and concluded that she was healing nicely and that everything was on the mend – from a physical standpoint anyway. The psychological damage would take far longer to heal. Her daughter Chelsea had been to school and made a few new friends and she too was looking forward to attending the town picnic. All of her classmates would be there and they had all been excited at the thought of going and having lots of fun. Chelsea had been readily accepted by her classmates and she was now quite close to a couple of them. Rachel could see how much they were looking forward to this outing and she had encouraged them by talking it up whenever she could. Hopefully they would be able to put the past behind them and start to build a new life for themselves. It wouldn't happen overnight, but she could see the effort that Debbie was making in order to give Chelsea a good start in life. She would not be alone in that endeavor, Alicia and Cathy would provide any assistance they could also.

***

It was now only days away from the July 1st celebrations and the women in the center were becoming excited at the prospect of going to the town picnic and having some fun there. It had been a while since any of them had a smile on their face and this picnic offered them the opportunity to go out in public and have some fun. They would all go together as there was safety in numbers, but it offered them a chance to see their kids happy on the rides and having fun. This of course would give them a boost seeing their kids happy for a change. They all felt a certain amount of guilt for just being in this situation and having to see their kids pay the price too. This picnic should be fun for them, there was plenty to do and the weather was supposed to be good, so they were all looking forward to it.

The Rotary and Lions club members were getting all their ducks in a row and setting up the rides and the funfair. The food stalls had to be manned and well stocked and they and one or two other service clubs would be manning them. This was a money raising event for them, money that would be returned to the community in one form or another later on. On the menu would be: hamburgers, hotdogs, sausages, bacon, fries and various ethnic foods such as Chinese, Thai and Indian to name but a few. One most certainly would not go hungry at this shindig and there was plenty for all. Dr. Phillips, the Billings family physician and the church organist, was manning one hamburger stall along with other colleagues from the Rotary club, including Eric and Nancy Everstead. The fireworks were funded by Braxton's and IEC had paid for the funfair to be there on a flat fee basis. All the kiddies' rides were free, funfair, tractor and the hay rides. This was going to be one fun day for everyone. You had to buy your own food, but other than that everything was free. In actual reality, those who could not afford to pay for the food didn't need to spend a cent. The Rotary Club and the Lions Club had given out tickets, or food vouchers on a pre-paid basis for those that wished to purchase them. Many people had - so when you handed one in for food nobody could tell who had pre-paid and who was being subsidized. It was a system that worked well.

The hayrides were given in a real hay wagon with tall sides and filled with soft hay and straw. They were pulled by two Clydesdale horses and they were popular favourites with the kids and had been for many years. The kids would all clamber aboard and sit or frolic in the hay and generally have a rare old time. The tractor ride was in a farmyard trailer and it went right around the park with the kids in the back. Totally illegal or course, no helmets or seatbelts or even insurance, but a lot of fun just like it used to be in the old days before political correctness reared its ugly head. The parents themselves had been on these rides when they were kids and they had no problem with it whatsoever. After all, it was their call –if they didn't like it, then their kids didn't have to go on it – but good luck telling the child that. An adult was watching them the whole time from the back of the tractor and they couldn't fall out unless they were to climb over the sides. The tractor would have been stopped long before that could happen.

***

The big day had finally arrived and everything in the park was ready for the opening ceremony which would be performed by the Mayor. Alicia and Cathy would be there, but purely to enjoy themselves, they had no official duties. John however did, courtesy of Alicia. She had given him firm instructions to approach Grant, the Mayor of Richvale to sound him out on funding several programs at the Women's Shelter. She had also suggested ways in which it might be accomplished without making it look like an ambush – which in reality it was. Grant was a member of the golf club and John knew him quite well. In fact he had taken him up in a rental plane and flown him all over the town as a favour when he wanted to do that to see what the town looked like from the air. Grant was grateful, for the ride, but John had dismissed it and told him he was welcome and that he himself had enjoyed it. He had not mentioned it again and he certainly wouldn't mention it in regards to this matter. He would broach the subject casually, pointing out that Alicia and Cathy were volunteers there. The, Mayor, being a politician, would not be oblivious to the fact that Cathy Braxton of Braxton Industries and Alicia Billing of IEC were people with connections, powerful and influential connections. People, that those in public office would do well not to offend if they wished to be re-elected. If Mrs. Braxton and Mrs. Billinge were disappointed over some perceived slight, then that could be disastrous in the up- coming elections next year. The solicitation that John would make would certainly not seem like a solicitation at all. It would be a casual observation, merely pointing out the good work the Shelter was doing, how involved Cathy and Alicia were and how much better it would be if only???? Knowing Grant as he did, John was quite sure he would seize upon the idea of instituting one or two of the programs Alicia had suggested – as a gesture of civic involvement on behalf of the town council – at his suggestion naturally. Later that afternoon John got the opportunity to have a quiet chat with Grant, seemingly by chance. As predicted, Grant expressed an interest in the Women's Shelter and thanked John for drawing his attention to the matter, albeit as a casual remark in passing. Apparently the Women's Shelter was a worthwhile cause, it was a valued resource in the town and it was performing a vital service to those in need. Alicia received a call a few days later telling her that the town council wished to provide the necessary funding for the required programs and could she drop by to discuss the matter. Ah the power of suggestion, not to mention the subtle presentation of the subject matter. The ends in this case justified the means – the Women's Shelter got the desired programs and everyone was happy. Grant figured he'd performed a public service, and perhaps secured a few votes doing so, Alicia was pleased she had arranged it and the Women's Shelter was delighted to be able to have these new programs in place. John for his part was just happy that he had been able to do it for Alicia. As they say – Happy wife \- Happy life. Oh Yeah! Mrs. Henry Billinge didn't raise any idiots he told himself smiling; he'd scored big time Brownie points on this one. He was left pondering just what form his merit badge would take in this case. The grin on his face became a full on beam as he contemplated the potential rewards that may be bestowed upon him a result of this endeavor.
Chapter Ten

***

The picnic had been a huge success once again and everyone had totally enjoyed themselves and had all kinds of fun. The races had been hilarious, well the sack, the egg and spoon and the wheelbarrow races had. They were open to all and a wide variety of contestants volunteered to participate. They were falling over all over the place and the spectators were just howling with laughter watching their antics. Alicia was taking it all in and making mental notes for inclusion in her game. You just can't dream up this stuff – you had to see it to believe it and there was plenty of material for her here this afternoon. As the evening approached the food stands were doing land office business and most had lengthy line-ups, this included the beer tent. It carried a narrow range of wines, but a wide range of beers and there was plenty of traffic in there too.

Alvin and the boys had been playing for most of the afternoon in the bandstand and the seats had been placed there for their concert performance. Despite all the modern pop culture every chair was occupied for the whole afternoon to listen to all the Glen Miller and Big Band era melodies. The applause they received was deafening. Their music could be heard all over the park due to the various speakers that were strategically placed. In the evening those chairs would be removed and replaced with the temporary dance floor. Having seen first-hand how popular this band had been, Grant and his entertainment chairman were concerned that the dance floor would not be large enough to accommodate everyone. As a result he phoned for a few extra pieces to be trucked in and it was just as well that he did. There were a lot of people who had itchy feet that night and wanted to get up and dance the night away. It was a beautiful night too with just the temperature. Picnic tables were strew all over the park so people could gather there in groups or they could sit closer to the dance floor on the concert chairs that had now been placed all around it.

Alicia had enjoyed her afternoon in the park, but as evening approached she left and went to the shelter. This now allowed Rachel and her husband to go and have some fun too. The shelter had to have someone present in case an emergency occurred, it was a 24/7 operation. Her husband, John stayed behind to have fun and also to help out here and there if necessary.

Debbie Miller, Chelsea and several of the other women from the shelter had attended this function and had arrived mid-afternoon. They had toured around the park, even played a few games and entered a few races too. There was no doubt that they had really had a fun filled day and that was something they could all use. Chelsea had gone off with her classmates, but she kept dropping by to sort of check in from time to time and Debbie could clearly see how much fun she was having. Debbie had been seated on the chairs in front of the bandstand for some time that afternoon as she just loved the sound of that band. There was just something about it that made her feel rather cozy and warm and totally relaxed. When they started to rearrange the seating for the dancing later Debbie was undecided as to whether to stay or go back to the shelter. Chelsea pled with her Mom to stay as she was having so much fun. Not wishing to dampen her daughters enjoyment, Debbie decided to remain, at least for part of the evening anyway.

"Hi Debbie, are you having fun, enquired Rachel as she and her husband passed by?"

"Oh yes, I certainly am and so is Chelsea too."

"Well I'm very pleased for you. Oh this is my husband, John, Debbie."

"Pleased to meet you Sir she replied"

"The pleasure is mine Debbie, and it's just John, you are not secretly in the military are you, he quipped?"

"No John I am not."

"Oh Good, that's a relief."

"As you may gather, Debbie, my husband is in the military, hence his jokes. Anyway, you have a great time."

"Oh I will, I just love the band."

"Yes they are fantastic aren't they?"

"Alicia and John gave them their first gig when they got married. One of the trumpet players is a pilot friend of Alicia's husband. They really are a terrific group of guys, they were high school friends and they got together one day and now look at them."

"Yes they are a good looking bunch aren't they?"

"Oh do you have your eye on anyone in particular, Debbie?"

"No I certainly do not, I've had it with men."

"For now perhaps, Debbie, only for now, said Rachel"

"There are some good men out there, they are not as difficult to find as Unicorns and they can appear at the most unexpected times. It pays to be wary, Debbie, but don't close your heart forever. They can be fun at times can't you John, she said giving him a playful dig?"

"If Debbie wasn't a lady I just might respond to that remark."

"There, you see what I mean, said Rachel laughing. Seriously, the right man can make all the difference in your life Debbie. Just ask Alicia or Cathy and most certainly me. I was about to become a Nun when I met John. He changed my life when God sent him to me at just the right time."

"No Honey, I think you were the angel he sent to me when I needed you, said John very seriously."

As Debbie studied John's face she could see that he meant every word he was saying. His love for his wife radiated out of that face like a beacon in the way he looked at her. He totally idolized her; even a blind man could see that.

"Anyway, regardless of who was sent to whom, when the time is right Debbie, you'll find someone, trust me. For now just go and have some fun – and enjoy the rest of your evening here in the park – that's what we are going to do said Rachel."

***

Just after they had walked away from Debbie, Rachel and John bumped into John Billinge. They had a brief chat and discussed a few things in general and then Rachel suggested that he might like to get one or two of the women up to dance later on in the evening.

"John, seeing as Alicia has gone back to the Shelter, you may like to get one or two of the women up to dance. I'm sure it would mean a lot to them."

"I don't have a clue as to who they are, Rachel?"

"Oh I'll fix that for you, John, and right now."

"Would you excuse us for a minute, Honey, she said to her husband?"

With that Rachel whisked John back to Debbie Miller's picnic bench where several of the women were now seated.

"Ladies, I would like to introduce you to John Billinge, he's Alicia's husband. As Alicia has been pulled away to man the shelter this evening, John is on his own. So if any of you ladies feel the urge to get up and dance, then he will gladly oblige. Oh and by the way, he is also good friends with the band members too, he want to school with a few of them – just so you know. They are a good looking bunch so I've been told."

The others didn't know what was behind that remark, but Debbie's blushes may have given it away had they noticed them.

'So if you would like to be introduced to any band members – just to tell them how much you have enjoyed their music, then John here can arrange it – right John?"

"My pleasure, Rachel, anything to help you guys – and I mean that sincerely."

"He does too ladies, so now you know. So if you want to knock the cobwebs off those feet of yours later, go and drag him onto the dance floor, okay, John?"

"Oh I don't think Alicia would mind my having some fun, Rachel, so yes I'd be delighted."

"Bye for now ladies" said Rachel as she whisked John away just as quickly as she had taken him there.

As the evening wore on, one or two of the women had been asked up to dance, but some of them had declined. They were not yet ready to embrace that idea, not just yet anyway. During the bands intermission John went up to Alvin to tell him was a fantastic job the guys were doing. They were just chatting way when another band member joined them, he was the drummer. They were all merrily chatting away when Debbie suddenly glided up to them and John performed the introductions.

"I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the concert this afternoon and the type of music you play. I have always been a big fan of the Big Band music and you guys are fantastic."

"Well thank you very much Debbie, we really appreciate that, said Alvin. It's always nice to hear that the audience likes our music. Is there a particular piece that you would like us to play tonight – just for you chimed in the drummer –whose name was Dave?"

Debbie was slightly taken aback by the drummer's remark as it was he who she had been enthralled by that afternoon.

"Well I like all of them, especially those with the drum solos in the middle, you seldom hear that today."

"Well then, Debbie we'll see what we can come up with for you. I'm sure Dave will be happy to oblige. Some folks seem to like him on the drums, God knows why? said Alvin as he arched his back to avoid the prod that Dave was going to give him."

"Oh thank you, said Debbie, that would be lovely. It was nice meeting you all she said shyly and glided away as silently as she had arrived."

"She was a nice lady, commented Alvin."

"Yeah very nice, said Dave – and she appreciates drummers too, that makes it even better."

They all laughed at that crack from Dave, but he had been stirred by Debbie. There was just something about the woman. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was there, it was a magnetism he found appealing and something he could not ignore.

"Do you know her well, John, Dave asked?"

"Alicia knows her better than I do said John."

"Is she married do you know?"

John was getting nervous now as he did not wish to disclose too much information and certainly not break and confidences.

"I think she separated right now and getting a divorce, but I'm not sure of all the details. I think Alicia mentioned that she was rather fragile right now – but like I said I don't know too much about her personal circumstances."

A short while later John had walked over to Debbie's picnic table to see how things were going and found that Rachel and her husband had joined the other ladies. The two John's, Billinge and Malcolm, then took turns in asking the women up to dance, well those that wished to do so anyway. They were all just sitting there just chatting away merrily when the band leader announced that the next number was one that had been requested by a fan. No names were mentioned and it was left at that. The band then began to play. The dance floor was crowded – and then the drum solo started. Once Dave got in to it all the dancing ceased immediately and everyone just stood there awestricken and simply listened. It was a performance that both Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich would have been proud of. Dave's hands were a blur of activity and the drumsticks were going from one side the other and hitting all the cymbals enroute. The sound was absolutely incredible and the talent was there for all to see. He received a well-deserved ovation from the crowd and particularly from Mrs. Miller, which did not go unnoticed by Mrs. Malcolm either. Her previous observations were not too far off after all she thought – give it time, Debbie may be not as off men as she thinks though Rachel.

***

At around 9:30pm the fireworks were set to start and so the band stopped playing. There was now a slight breeze in the air, but it was comfortably warm. All eyes were now directed down towards the lake and the floating platform that had been erected on it. Everyone had been looking forward to this as traditionally the Town put on a magnificent display to round out these celebrations. The band would resume playing until midnight, but the fireworks were held earlier for the sake of the children, many of whom were kept up way past their bedtime just to this this glorious display. Just a little after 9:30pm the show started and everyone just stood there or sat at the picnic tables in total wonder as the night sky simply lit up with magical displays of color. It was truly an awesome sight to see as the oohs and ahhs confirmed from all areas of the park. The band members had taken up positions in various places and sat down at picnic tables if spaces were available. Dave Curtis had managed to secure a seat at the next picnic table to Debbie Miller and he made sure that she saw him there too. He had winked at her and when he got up to leave later he had squeezed her shoulder as he went by. Debbie immediately grabbed his hand and thanked him for playing that drum solo for her. The fireworks in the park may have just finished – but elsewhere they were just about to start. At least that is what Debbie and Dave were secretly hoping for. The fireworks finale, spectacular as it was, would pale in comparison to what these two were imagining down the road – but as yet it was exactly that – down the road.

The attraction was there for both Debbie and Dave, but the timing was not quite right. Debbie was gun shy and definitely needed delicate handling and as yet Dave knew almost nothing about her circumstances. That was something Debbie was in no hurry to divulge and especially not to Dave Curtis. What man in his right mind would be interested in a destitute woman with a teenaged daughter who was residing in a Women's Shelter? Well Dave Curtis was that kind of man. Dave was a graduate of the school of hard knocks and that, as we all know, is a tough school to survive in. However, its graduates are generally well rounded human beings and are less judgmental and frequently more caring and appreciative of others temporary setbacks in life. "There but for the Grace of God" is a concept they are all too familiar with. Dave Curtis was no exception. He only knew what John had told him – for now, but he was sufficiently smitten by her to garner a lot more information. That magnetism he had felt would compel him to dig deeper in order to see if future possibilities could arise if he played his cards right. Debbie had similar feelings, but was afraid to get her hopes up being in the circumstances she was in. Time however would prove to be her friend and this particular Prince Charming would prove to be a fact and not a fairy tale after all.
Chapter Eleven

***

The festivities were over now and everyone was now back to regular living and for Alicia that meant being back in her office. Her actual workshop was adjacent to her office and most of the time one could be forgiven for thinking she had thrown a grenade in there and simply closed the door. Disaster zones were more orderly when she went off on one of her creative binges. The phones would not be answered, lunches would often be forgotten and only multiple cups of coffee would be entertained. The staff knew enough to leave her alone at such times – after all their livelihoods depended upon her creativity and they all knew and appreciated that fact. Having attended that picnic in the park, Alicia was now full of wonderful new ideas to adapt and then incorporate into her game. Mr. Owl's Academy was simply flying off the shelves now that it had global recognition. The original game was for amusement and it contained various levels of difficulty, but it also contained humor and even while playing the game people would often burst out laughing. This aspect prevented them from becoming obsessed by it as they progressed from one level to another. It was fun to play and the intensity could and did build up – but then just at the pinnacle one of the animals would do or say something that would sends to player into raptures that would reduce that intensity. The modified game, the one with the subliminal features, was designed to help children with attention span issues, ADD and ADHD etc. This feature enabled them to focus on their lessons without them realizing it. This version was a huge success with educators at all levels up to and including University Colleges.

What Alicia was developing now was Mr. Owl's Academy 2.0. The academic aspect would still be there, at a slightly higher grade level, but it would contain behavioral, ethical and moral content. The basic idea was to heighten self-awareness, build self-confidence and to develop their sense of community and neighborliness. It would not be an easy task, but it would be a worthwhile one. As Jean had pointed out, you have to make friends with people and not make enemies of them if you wish to live in harmony with your neighbours. It was all very good in theory – not so easy in reality at times.

The picnic had provided Alicia with a lot of raw material, especially the races. They had been hilarious and had the crowd howling with laughter. It was a crowd that was made up of numerous nationalities, colours and ethnicities, but one where they all shared in the laughter together. Humor and music alone had this capability as it was something common to all cultures. The zoo animals and the forest animals would be no different. They too would embrace the concept of fun and laughter and tolerance of others and their differences – she just had to put it all together the correct way. There was a certain amount of delicacy attached to this, Humour is one thing, but derision is another – and they are closely linked and very opposite. Laughing at someone in fun, at their antics or some situational setback, is one thing. Mocking them or scorning them for it is another. Alicia had to walk that tightrope and ensure the humour would be shared by all and not make someone feel uncomfortable because of it. As she looked at the video recordings she had made of those races she knew she had a winner here. She may even find a way to incorporate these human antics into Mr. Owl's lectures showing the animal's how humans can behave at times too. That was on the back burner for now – but the thought was there.

The pairing of the animals was not too difficult and she had already assigned the Grisly Bear and the female Polar Bear to be the ones with the romantic connection. This took in the colour difference, the ethnic difference and the environmental difference all at the same time. One lived on an iceberg, the other in a forest and they were of different races too. If they could be seen to overcome their differences, then that, hopefully, would send a message to others. The game would portray these two as young lovers going through all the trials and tribulations that kids go through. The other animals would totally endorse this relationship and encourage them at every turn. However, they would encounter obstacles on the way as we all do in real life. It was how they would deal with them that would teach the viewers the message Alicia wanted to convey. Included in this element would be bullying, disparagement, gossip spreading and of course reputation shattering remarks. The effects of each would be demonstrated and so too would the reactions of friends to each situation. The underlying theme being "Treat others the way you would wish to be treated."

While humor generally defuses aggression, it doesn't always work in real life. In the game Alicia would endeavor to be realistic, but positive at the same time. Life isn't always fair, but the game was trying only to lessen and minimize aggressive behaviour, not eradicate it altogether. That would be too big a stretch. Fairy Tale endings, while highly desirable, are not always possible in real life. Alicia would try to make it as close to real as she could – but still have a positive result. The brutal truth of the real world would come to them soon enough once they grew up and became adults. Meanwhile, however, they will have been taught how to treat and respect other people, even the jerks of the world – and perhaps set an example to them as to how they should behave. A tall order perhaps, but definitely worth the effort in trying to accomplish that. It was this that Alicia was now trying to do – starting with the picnic and the games and antics of the animals as they all had lots of fun and grew close to each other. Once they were all true friends, then the education phase could begin. On paper it should work – the question was would it? So far the clips of the prototype had proven to hold people's attention and make them laugh – but it had yet to be compiled together and then put through its paces. Social acceptance was a good start, and then came manners and etiquette together with acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Alicia' knew only too well what a daunting task this would be – but she felt that she could do it and make it work too. Nobody who knew her doubted that for a minute.

***

Tony Braxton had recently purchased a new company in Hong Kong. They manufactured electronic circuit boards and they were still very early in their development. Tony soon saw the potential in this new company and immediately stepped in to snap it up before one of his competitors did. It was done very quickly and although he had done his due diligence up to a point – he needed a more in depth analysis of the company's books and its structure, Charles Graham was the ideal man for that job. As the CFO he would be responsible for the financial viability of the company, so he may as well go over there now to see what was what he thought. The more he thought about it the more he realized that it should be done fairly soon. Tony then walked down the hall and into Charles's office to break the good news to him.

"Charlie, I'd like you to pay a visit to Hong Kong and check over out latest acquisition, Kow Loon Enterprises. I know we have done a quick perusal of their books and inventory, but I'd like you to scrutinize them in depth, Charlie. It's better to be safe than sorry and it won't do any harm for them to see that we may drop in from time to time. You know what they say, "Don't expect what you don't inspect." It's a policy that has not let me down so far."

"I hear you Tony, when do you want me to go."

"Well that I will leave up to you, Charlie, but I'd rather it be sooner than later, within the next two months anyway."

"I don't know how long it will take though, Tony. That will depend upon what I find if anything?"

"I realize that, Charlie, Oh! and by the way, if you wish to take your girlfriend along please do so. It might be a nice holiday for her as well as being good company for you."

"That's very good of you, Tony, I really appreciate that."

"Well it will also allow you to get to know each other a little better, and the Orient has lots of activities and sights to see."

"Well as I have never been before I guess it will be good for me too."

"I'm quite sure it will, Charlie, just let me know when you have it all set up."

With that last remark Tony left Charles's office and went back to his own. Charles now sat there contemplating just how he was going to persuade Lynda to come along with him on this jaunt to the Orient. She had never left North America before and this would be quite the trip for her and then there was the question of Simon –who would look after him? He spent the rest of the afternoon conjuring up "What If?" situations and the possible solution to each of them. He knew her initial response would be No! – So he had to have responses to her objections. Those responses would all require a positive answer. He would only ask a question that she would have to reply "Yes" to and after saying "Yes" so many times, saying "No" at the end would be almost unthinkable. Well that was the basic premise anyway, whether it would work or not he would have to wait and see.

That evening Charles played his cards close to his chest at first. He enquired as to her holiday entitlement for the year and how much of it she had left. This was followed up with casual inquiries about possible holiday destinations for the future and whether or not she might like to visit the Orient one day. Armed with all of this pertinent information he set out his plan with military precision and then sprang it upon her.

"Lynda, Tony has asked me to go to Hong Kong for a few days, may be a week or two at the most."

"Oh Lucky you, that will be nice for you, I wish I could go gallivanting all over the world in my job."

"Well now; it just so happens that Tony has said that you can come with me at company expense. All I have to do is arrange it. You have the unused vacation time; you said you would like to go, and finding someone to keep an eye on Simon won't be a problem so we are good to go once I set it up. So do you fancy a quick trip to Hong Kong complete with all the oriental delights that would entail?"

Lynda was totally floored, she had not been expecting that and the way that Charles had presented it she really couldn't say no. Her head was spinning and all kinds of thoughts were flying around in her head. She had never been in a situation like this before, the executive world was new to her and it made her nervous. All kinds of questions now popped into her head, would she fit in, would she embarrass Charles, did she have the right clothes etc.? She was just about to panic when Charles just put his arm around her and calmed her right down. It was as if he read her mind – and he simply laid to rest to all her fears in a quiet understanding manner and told her how much he loved her and that he was so proud of her. His battle plan had worked, she just couldn't say no to him after all of that. Strangely enough she found herself really starting to get excited at the prospect of seeing the Orient - and having Charles along as well was the icing on the cake. The thought of just the two of them being alone for two weeks had an appeal all of its own. This was a first for them and Lynda's mind was racing now and conjuring up ways to liven up those oriental evenings and the attire with which to do so. Oh Yes, this trip now had a new dimension to it, and one that Lynda was now embracing with unbridled enthusiasm. The delights of the Orient would take on a whole new meaning for Charles after this trip. It wouldn't be too shabby for Lynda either - as she was about to find out.

***

The following day Lynda went into her boss's office and told her of her plans to visit Hong Kong and her boss reacted the way she herself had initially. She too wished she could go there on a business trip –possibly to check on Chinese Hospital Administration Policy, she joked.

"I won't be holding my breath though she said. I envy you, Lynda I really do, but I'm happy for you too. You definitely deserve a break, so go and have a ball out there and we'll see you when you get back home. Just let me know your plans once they have been finalized."

Charles for his part had told his secretary to book his flight with Trans Global for the following, Sunday and if possible arrange for a stopover in Paris or London. When Maureen, his secretary, got back to him she told him she could do that – but not on Sunday. If he had to fly on Sunday it would be via Vancouver and Tokyo. If he waited until Monday she could do it via London and a direct flight from there to Hong Kong. Charles decided to take the Vancouver option in view of Lynda's time constraints. He could stay as long as necessary, but Lynda could not and so that side trip to London Paris and Rome would have to wait for another day, not that Lynda had a clue about those future plans. She was excited enough about this excursion, telling her about the possibility of others right now was ill advised – and wisely Charles kept his mouth shut – for now.

Lynda's first marriage had been a struggle since day one, almost. She just couldn't seem to please her husband no matter what she did. He was a very self-centered individual and a control freak too; just to round out the package. When Lynda found out that she was pregnant he was not enthused at all. He stopped short of telling her to get rid of it, but not by much. When Simon entered the world, things went from bad to worse in their marriage. Lynda was at her wits end trying to please him and she could do nothing right. She suspected that he was seeing other women – but at the same time she didn't want to face that prospect. Being a single Mom on limited means was not a lot of fun and certainly nothing to look forward to. The thought of that terrified her and so she soldiered on in the vain hope that things might get better down the road. That never happened, in fact things got worse and Alicia helped Lynda get a divorce and a favourable settlement too. However, like all soldiers who have been exposed to a battlefield she had not emerged unscathed and her experience with men left something to be desired. While Charles had been a breath of fresh air to Lynda, her previous experience made her cautious. She wanted so desperately to forget the past and move forward – but her fear was holding her back. Knowing you were being way too cautious was one thing, taking that fateful next step was another. All of Lynda's friends had encouraged her to do so – she just had to overcome that last twinge of fear first. Perhaps this trip to Hong Kong might finally allow her to take the next step.

When the taxi pulled up at her front door to take her to the airport Lynda's heart was racing like a schoolgirl's going on her first field trip. Charles was already in it as he had been picked up first seeing as he lived a little farther away. Once at the airport they glided seamlessly through all the check in procedures and into the business class lounge. Lynda had flown before and she was not afraid of flying, but this was an experience of a lifetime for her. She was flying business class on an a Boeing 747 to Hong Kong – not too long ago she was afraid she might be out on the streets without a roof over her head. Her life had now turned a corner, was it any wonder she was on cloud nine and filled with anticipation. As they were sitting in the departure lounge their names were called out on the loudspeaker system to come to the boarding desk.

The ground hostess was holding the seating chart for the first class section in her hand, but she had not paid too much attention to it.

"Mr. and Mrs. Graham, the airline has bumped you up to the first class section of the aircraft."

"That is very nice of you replied, Charles."

"On No sir, we didn't do this here; that instruction came from head office a few minutes ago."

"Really, said Charles, why would they do that I wonder?"

"Well sir, you must be a valued customer and frequent flyer with us –or else you know some powerful people at Trans Global"

"Well I know a couple of pilots, but they don't even know I'm flying today."

"Well then it is a mystery, your pilot today will be Capt. Paul Horrocks and your first officer will be Alvin Carter. "

"Ah said Lynda, I know Alvin, he is a friend of John's; you met him at the picnic last week, Charles."

"Would that John be John Billinge by any chance, asked the hostess?"

"Yes it would why?"

"John is very highly regarded here at Trans Global and he certainly could pull such strings if he wanted to. He has done a lot for the airline in terms of PR and he is such a nice guy too and so is his wife."

"Do you know them, asked Lynda?"

"No, not personally, but I have seen them at the Christmas party and some charity events, she is a lovely woman too."

"That she most certainly is, said Lynda."

She had no idea that it was Alicia that had told John about them flying to Hong Kong and he had fixed them up with the first class seats- under the table as it were. He never owned up to it – but people suspected he had a hand in it.

Neither of them corrected the hostess's assumption that they were man and wife. They both let that one slide, but for Lynda it did resonate. It had a particular tone to it – Mrs. Charles Graham – yes I could get used to that she thought. She then scolded herself for jumping the gun, she had not been proposed to yet.

It was a long flight, with a stop in Vancouver, but it was so luxurious and the service was excellent. Lynda just lapped it all up. Coming in to land in Hong Kong was a little scary. You just seemed to be flying between the skyscrapers as you made your final approach. Alvin was flying the plane at the time and he made a perfectly smooth touch down. You felt the wheels touch the tarmac and the shock absorbers kick in, but that was about it, there was no bounce or shockwave through the cabin. In essence it was the perfect landing and then the thrust reversers were applied along with the brakes and the aircraft rapidly lost speed and then taxied to the gate.

The holiday had started and Lynda was now in raptures as she drove from Kai Tak airport to her hotel. She just couldn't get over how crowded it was – and the harbour with all those sampans jam packed together, it was like she was in a fairy tale. Walking on eggshells and living in fear was now a thing of the past. So this is how the other half live she thought to herself? Never in her wildest dreams did she ever see herself living like this and with a man like Charles for a husband. He was not a bully, he actually cared about her and Simon, and he just happened to be an executive. Lynda, what is your problem, she kept asking herself? "Just what the hell are you afraid of here? If Charles wants to get married – don't you dare say no – you got that?" she was telling herself. Slowly but surely that realization was beginning to dawn on Lynda. She actually had fallen in love with Charles – she was not marrying him for his position or what he could give her – she really did have deep feelings for him.

Charles was busy with work during the day and so Lynda could go off and explore Hong Kong on her own. There was no shortage of things to do or to see. The nightlife was exquisite too and what followed that - once they were back in their hotel room, was even more exotic. Lynda had picked up one or two items of lingerie on her jaunts around town and these pieces were quite incendiary - to say the least. They certainly left Charles breathless – along with other activities they became embroiled in that had a similar effect on his respiratory system. Lynda herself was not immune either – and that lingerie would certainly not be returned to the store, not after those delights. She knew that Charles had hidden depths to him, but the magic he performed between those sheets out there was beyond her wildest dreams. She thought that that lingerie might have possibilities when she bought it, and that is why she did buy it. It was in the hope that it might encourage Charles into becoming amorous. Well it most certainly met her expectations; and then some, what a bargain she thought.

"I need to stock up on these if this is what they inspire".

Her ex-husband never made her feel like this and in fact had no technique at all – just brutal lust. Charles on the other hand – well now \- he was in a league all of his own after this magical performance.

"Yes" said Lynda to herself: I can certainly get used to this."
Chapter Twelve

***

It was one of those miserable days outside, raining but dreary with it. One didn't mind being at work on such a day as there was little else worthwhile to do – well besides shopping of course, women never get tired of that. Today however, Alicia was sat at her computer inputting data from the various snippets of information she had jotted down on her little pieces of paper. Her pockets were full of tissues with notes on them, business cards from suppliers and tradesmen of all types. When an idea popped into her head, she jotted it down on the first available piece of writing material. If she failed to get it down right away the odds were that she would forget it and she didn't want that to happen. These notes were invaluable as she only wrote down things that would be significant, either in humour, in lifestyle terms or simple wisdom. Mr. Owl and Miss Lamb needed to have a range of sayings in order to have an impact on their students. They would be sayings that would carry weight and be remembered, sayings that would convey a message for all who heard it. Teachers need that in a classroom - it bolsters respect.

At this point in time, Mr. Owl and Miss Lamb already had the animals respect – therefore they didn't need to prove themselves. However, they did need a repertoire of remarks to set people straight, mildly rebuke, or show them the error of their ways. As a result she was busily inputting all of these bits and pieces into her data base for future use. Of particular interest to Alicia right now was anything that could bolster self-esteem, be uplifting and encourage people to not look down on themselves or feel inferior because of some perceived deficiency. Thoughts of the women in the shelter were foremost in her mind, in particular Debbie. She however, was by no means the only one. Some of the tales one heard would break your heart. Poverty has been around forever and probably always will be. We all wish it weren't – but it is and we can't fix it all. Alicia was doing what she could, along with Rachel and Cathy, but they all knew it was a drop in the ocean. However, when it came to their small pond, they would try their best to help out. This new game was hopefully going to change future attitudes and from there send out wider ripples. Was she crazy to believe this would happen? – not really, "mighty oaks from little acorns grow" so the saying goes. Optimism is contagious, if sufficient numbers get on board it could really take off. One thing is for sure, if you do nothing, then nothing will happen.

As all of this was going through her mind and she was inputting this material one piece of paper caught her attention. She stopped what she was doing and studied it. The words on the paper resonated with her and she remembered now why she wrote them down.

"It is far better to be thought of as a fool – than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

The more she thought about this the more she could see Mr. Owl looking over the top of his wire rimmed glasses, and in his inimitable tone, voicing this rebuke to some wayward student. Oh Yes, this quote was certainly going to be in there, said Alicia to herself. The animals were all coming together nicely now and the friendship angle was working out as planned. They were all friends now and the teaching aspect would soon be ready to add to the mix. It was now a question of coordination and a natural progression from the picnic to the classroom. They would all be wired up from the picnic and the jokes and the pranks would certainly be in evidence – getting them to calm down and relax might take some doing – but she could work on that. Once they were all seated at their desks the next day - a quick review of the fun they had yesterday may reinforce the friendship bonds - and from there they could move forward.

Alicia had called in Kevin and Alan to do some additional animation graphics and the results were spectacular. They had not yet finished them all, but what they had done was nothing short of brilliant. So far only she and Jean had seen these clips, beside Alan and Kevin that is. They were never stored together in the same place for security reasons, industrial espionage was always a consideration and these images and discs were priceless. As of right now only four people knew they existed. When Alicia and Jean sat down to view these new discs they were totally blown away by them. Alicia had told Alan and Kevin what she wanted things to look like and they had certainly delivered on that score. The antics the animals performed were a combination of ideas, but what came out of their mouths was all Alicia's work. Jean was holding her sides with tears running down her face watching this. Alicia wasn't much better and she had written it all. However, seeing it graphically displayed the way Kevin and Alan had done it was awesome and it wasn't finished yet. This in essence was a first draft and submitted for Alicia's approval. Needless to say Alicia was thrilled by it and told them both so. It was absolutely fantastic.

***

When you put the goggles on to watch this game the figures all appeared in 3D effectively. They all simply came to life and you felt that you were right there amongst them. Alan and Kevin had made them all so real and the scenery so realistic that it made the viewer feel like they were right there in the classroom with the animals. It was so vivid it captured your imagination and focused your mind immediately. When Mr. Owl got up to speak – he was talking to you, or so you felt. Behind him was a huge white board attached to an old Oak tree. It was on this board that all the lessons were taught. What focused your attention however was not actually seen. The subliminal feature ran beneath the surface and although you were absorbing it all, you were totally unaware of it. This was what was teaching the students. The screen was simply focusing their attention on the crazy antics of the animals and the features of the game. It was hilarious to watch, it was so realistic and you were right in the middle of it all. This was what the game was all about. So far it had concentrated on the classroom in the forest, now it was about to go beyond that and have a picnic in the forest, and a fun filled one at that. The educational feature in this case would be social rather than academic, but it would be ever present and run subliminally as well as normally. There would be minor differences in the display content to that of the subliminal track, but the message would be the same. Harmony would be the underlying theme, how to get along with your neighbours and acceptance of their differences. It was all going to be set with background music – popular classical pieces that were widely recognized and well liked. It would be muted, but it would be there, quietly running in the background. The humour would be there too in the form of remarks made regarding the antics of the animals. The idea was for the animals to all have fun together – just like normal kids in school do. It would highlight the differences, but also show how each accepted the other. The way that Alan and Kevin had set all of this up was truly amazing, it was a masterpiece. There was still a great deal to do yet, but the template had now been set. While only a few knew what was involved – those that had seen it had been duly impressed.

The main headache for Alicia was how to have a serious feature side by side with humour. People with self-esteem issues are not too eager to laugh at themselves – that's what they think everyone else does. They have to be built up first before they have the self-confidence to do that. Self-worth had to be established first and then you can build from there. This was going to take some serious thought and research in order to accomplish that – but Alicia did have a few ideas on how she might approach it.

Tony Braxton had given the Shelter some funds to provide some temporary services until the city's funds came through, and these included both legal and psychological help. Alicia planned to avail herself of some of these services as an observer and incorporate what she learned in her game. The women who attended these sessions would be observed also to see what if any effect they were having on them and what more could be done to help them. They would be shown how to file for restraining orders, child support funds and custody issues. They would also be provided with retraining for the workforce where necessary and also given priority in subsidized housing when needed. It was far from perfect, but it was a start, and one all the women were very thankful for. Seeing all of this with their own eyes was a revelation to both Cathy and Alicia. Their world did not have any of this attached to it. In their world the sun was always shining and when the odd shower did pass by it was accompanied by a glorious rainbow. The residents who needed the Women's Shelter had no idea what that life felt like – they had never experienced anything close to that. How they came to be there was different in every case, some of it was their own fault, but generally it was not of their doing. Debbie Miller for example had in no way contributed to her downfall and subsequent poverty and then the savage beating. There are similar stories out there, all too many of them in fact as Rachel knew only too well. All they could do in the Shelter was try to help as many as they could – but it was barely scratching the surface in terms of the actual need out there. By observing the therapy, the legal and the psychological sessions, Alicia hoped to program her game to be of help in this field. It was certainly a long shot as not everyone had the game to even watch it at home. However, a donation to the public library would enable those who could not get the game at home to have access to it there. In essence she would be trying to give these women a crash course in lifemanship once this phase was entered into and the ability to stand on their own two feet. What a challenge this would be, but what a triumph too if she could pull it off. She had the best electronics wizards in the business working with her and with her imaginative skills they could do this. It would certainly not solve the problem of female abuse, ill manners and lack of etiquette - but it would help and maybe, just maybe it might really catch on and take off. If it did, then it would be of real benefit to a large number of people.

***

Rachel was sitting in her office at the Women's Shelter when the doorbell rang. The security camera showed that it was a woman standing there outside the front door. The woman appeared to be well dressed and well groomed and so Rachel assumed she was unlikely to be a potential refugee from life in the community. She then got up and walked out of her office to see what the lady wanted. It was Lynda and she introduced herself and told Rachel that Alicia had asked her to drop by.

"Hi, my name is Lynda Maxwell and Alicia Billinge asked me to drop by and introduce myself to you with regards to my teaching a class in office routines and computer usage."

"Oh yes, please come in, I'm Rachel Malcolm and I'm so glad to meet you, Lynda. It really is good of you to come and help out some of our ladies. You have no idea just what a difference you will make to their lives."

"Well I don't know about that, Rachel, but I can probably teach them one or two things that may be useful to them."

"Trust me Lynda; you have no idea how huge this is for them. As time goes by you will see this for yourself."

The pair of them sat and chatted for a while discussing times dates and places for this instruction to take place. Brett Stark and Alan Garth had now loaned them a house that the shelter could use for a variety of things. It was an old period home with lots of rooms, but it was certainly in need of a facelift. The plumbing and electrical was relatively new and it all worked just fine – but the paint was peeling and it needed new windows and doors. That being said, it was inhabitable. It was in the basement that Rachel thought it would be possible to set up a classroom with computer monitors and other office items and this is what they were now discussing. Later that afternoon Rachel took Lynda to visit the house to see the set up there.

"So what do you think Lynda, could you teach in there \- and what would you need first if you could?"

"Well if we had a few computers that would be good and a printer perhaps."

"So if we had all the equipment you would need it would work for you then."

"Oh yes, it would be fine down there if I had the equipment to teach with."

"Consider that done, Lynda, I'm quite sure Cathy and Alicia will see to it that you have what you need – they have been very good to us."

Debbie Miller and Chelsea had recently moved into the house along with three other families. It was not ideal by any means and it certainly was crowded and lacked any kind of privacy. They all realized how fortunate they were to be there even if it did leave a lot to be desired. The alternative was terrifying and they all knew it. As a result they all got along quite well together. If this had been social experiment conducted by a university's sociology department it would have proven to be a huge success – but it wasn't - this was the real world with real social casualties. These women would now be given the chance to re-build their lives and make their own choices regarding their future. Opportunities would be placed in their path – they would have to decide on their own what to do with them. This way they would learn how to cope on their own and to trust in their own judgment. In order for all of that to take place they need to be given one important ingredient first – Hope. In most cases these women had lost that commodity and dreaded the future because of it. The Women's Shelter, its staff of volunteers and the part time professional counselors would endeavor to change that. Once they had given this back to the women, then they could begin to move forward with their lives. Cathy and Alicia would do their best to ensure that these women were given a second chance. In some cases they would be employed either at Braxton or IEC once they had been trained – but they had to earn it – it most certainly would not be handed to them. This way they themselves would know they were hired on merit and on the effort that had put into getting their lives back. This was not a pity award – it had been hard earned and they were hired because they deserved to be. Their self-confidence would not appear overnight – but it would shine through in the end – and for many of these women it did. Their lives were put back on the tracks and they were off to their next destination in life. The Shelter was still in its infancy right now, but all of this lay ahead and Rachel, Cathy and Alicia could clearly see all of this happening down the road.

***

Debbie Miller had come a long way since the day she had arrived at the shelter. There was no evidence of her physical injuries anymore; in fact she looked pretty good right now as she was a good looking woman to begin with. The psychological factor was something else again. The beating was one thing and she had more or less come to terms with that; it was the rape and it associated humiliation in having it witnessed by Chelsea that was the problem. Debbie felt so ashamed by this and needed every minute of her counsellor's time in coming to terms with it. Then there was the issue of Dave Curtis finding out and how he would react to it. On the surface Debbie seemed quite normal and she was coming along nicely – but her counsellor knew the real truth. Debbie was far from being the woman she appeared to be on the surface. Coming from a fishing community out east, Debbie had not been exposed to office life. She was a high school graduate, but she had gotten married before she had a chance to go to university. In her village it appeared to be a waste of money spending all that time in university to be a fisherman's wife. When looked at in that light one could understand that point of view – but not necessarily agree with it.

Lynda Maxwell would now become her mentor and teach Debbie about office life and its related computer programs. In fact there would several people in the class, all of them beginners. Lynda herself found out now that she was learning just much as her students, but about different things. It was an eye opener for her and one that made her determined to help these women in any way she could. The first thing she did, after introducing herself that is, was to put them all at ease.

"Ladies I am going to assume that each and every one of you knows nothing about office life, computers, programs and basic filing systems. Please bear with me if you do know them – but I think it best to start at square one and then we can all grow together."

She could almost hear the sighs of relief and see their shoulders sag back in relief. In doing this she had signaled to the women that she did not consider them to be second class citizens – just women in a night school class. They were all treated the same and shown the same respect regardless of how quickly they picked up the lesson. As time passed by some had progressed faster than others. Lynda then persuaded the more advanced students to help the others. This too was a confidence builder. It was also pointed out that in real life some people were late developers and often surpassed those that blossomed early. It was done in an unrelated way, as an aside perhaps in general conversation. It would just be slipped in casually as an observation – but the message was put across. Those that were a little slower to catch on would not be allowed to feel inferior because of it. Statements like that would see to it that they didn't.

The feedback that Rachel was receiving convinced her that they had made the perfect choice in getting Lynda to be their teacher. The women were happy, they were in fact learning and their dignity was slowly being restored. It was also enlightening to Lynda as she listened to their individual stories during breaks. These women came from all walks of life and the reasons for them being here were varied. Whereas before, Lynda had given little thought to these women, and what thoughts she did have were a little less than charitable - today she saw things in a very different light. That "Fickle Finger of Fate" the people talked about in regard to that wheel of life, could derail anyone's life if they were not paying attention. The more stories that she heard the more she realized how wrong she had been in condemning these women and thinking that they had deserved their lot in life. What they had done was make poor choices in some cases, in others they had no choices to make. As she reflected upon her first marriage she now realized that she too had made a poor choice. It had not been as devastating as some of these women's, but it had been a poor choice. Now that she looked back at it, what if he had been a violent bully, what could she have done about it, especially with Simon to look after? It certainly made her think. Her attitude towards these women had been forever changed as a result and she was now determined to help in any way she could. Lynda was now back on track and Charles was a good man. She would soon be joining the ranks of those who lived on cloud nine – but without the help of friends like Alicia and Cathy she too could have been a client of the center. Alicia had presented this proposition to her in a way she could hardly say no to it – today you couldn't drag her away. She was fully aware now of just how vital her participation was and she more than enthusiastic about it.
Chapter Thirteen

***

Dave Curtis was an Insurance Broker and now worked alongside his dad. It was his dad who had started the business when he was a young man and still wet behind the ears as they say. He had built the business up and over the years had bought one or two other agencies when their owners retired or simply left the business for one reason or another. Dave had joined his dad a few years ago having led a colourful life on the high seas as a merchant seaman. He had gone to college after university to learn nautical navigation as he had always been fascinated by the sea. He couldn't explain why that was, but it was just there. He had sailed on all kinds of ships and they had varied in size from small costal tramps to the large ocean going freighters and container ships.

He had even spent six months on a large cruise ship that operated in the Caribbean sailing out of Fort Lauderdale. When he passed his Master Mariners exams he got himself a job with one of the world's largest freight lines. He was hired on as second officer and he travelled all over the globe with them. He was based out of Halifax, but that was merely a technicality. It just meant that he would usually join and leave a ship there, but that was on paper. He could be required to join a ship anywhere if he was required. He had enjoyed all of these foreign jaunts and it certainly allowed him to see the world, well the dingy dockside areas anyway. As a ships officer he had to stray a little farther than the dockside bars where brawls were often prevalent. The company frowned on its officers being embroiled in such skirmishes. The officers would go a little deeper into the town for their relaxation. Some of them would wear their uniforms, others simply wore plain clothes. Men in uniform attract female attention quite readily, especially if they have bars on their shoulders and Dave had two and a half bars on his. He didn't always go into town wearing his uniform, but when he did he seldom lacked companionship for the evening. He considered these excursions to be little more than preventive maintenance – a means of keeping the rust at bay. While he didn't have a girl in every port, he seldom lacked companionship when he needed it. The human body is a machine after all and all machinery needs to be kept in good running order and well lubricated to avoid rust setting in and also to prevent damage due to friction. Due to the length of time between ports of call, Dave made sure that no rust would form and no frictional damage would occur to any moving parts through lack of lubrication. This routine preventative maintenance however proved to be quite educational too. Different cultures have many different procedures to follow while carrying out these maintenance schedules and Dave was a devout student and learned them rather quickly. The maintenance procedures he had learned in the orient had shown him how to turn the family sedan into a formula one race car. Practice makes perfect so they say – but while at sea Dave was in no position to do that. Once back home however – well now, that would be a very different matter. All that oriental education would not go to waste and the future Mrs. Curtis would certainly not be a disappointed woman as and when she appeared on the scene.

Dave was getting rather tired of this itinerant existence on the high seas when out of the blue his dad had a stroke. It was only a mild one and he fully recovered, but it was a wakeup call to Dave. He decided to leave the maritime life and join his dad in the Insurance Business. He then went back to college and studied for his Insurance exams. Once they were out of the way he could join his dad and deal with the public as a fully licensed broker. There were several branch offices in the town and he spent his initial training period in all of them. It took a while to learn the ropes, as there is a lot to learn in a general practice like his dad's.

In his high school days he had been in the school band with a number of his friends, including Alvin Carter. He, Alvin and a few other guys used to have jam sessions in his garage at home. It drove the neighbours bananas when they let loose and especially when he was doing his drumming. They were all learning back then and it sounded like it too. Even with the garage door down it was as noisy as hell and an assault on the ears. The neighbours didn't make any formal complaints, but their general comments made it clear they were less than impressed.

Today the same neighbours felt completely differently about their musical talent. When any upcoming function in the town needed a band – they were the first people thought of. If they were free they were booked on the spot – if they were not - sometimes the function date was changed in order to get them. The Glen Miller sound was in high demand and the boys were now experts and not the noisy, untalented kids in that neighborhood garage anymore.

When the band was forming Dave was approached by Alvin to join them and he did so immediately. They were still trying to come up with a name for the band when he remembered some of the neighbor's comments from the old days. How about "The Foulharmonic Orchestra" he had suggested. The guys just looked at each other and then roared laughing – "perfect, Dave, I just love it, said Clive the bass player."

"Oh Yeah, that works for me said Alvin, anyone disagree with that, he asked?"

"There we have it guys "The Foulharmonic Orchestra" it is – well for now anyway, added Steve the trombonist."

The name stuck and they were now widely known in the area by that name. It was almost unthinkable now to mention changing that name to something a little more dignified.

***

After briefly meeting Debbie at the picnic something had been stirred in Dave Curtis. He had to learn more about this woman and he had then taken steps to learn more about her. He found out that she was now living in a group home just on the eastern edge of town with her fourteen year old daughter. She was a widow and she had been through hell, but more than that he could not find out. He had approached several people who would know all about her, but none of them would say a word. This intrigued him even more. He had seen the way she had looked at him after the fireworks ended, so he knew she liked him, well a little bit anyway. The question was, how could he get to know her a little better?

He decided to take the bull by the horns and he approached Cathy Braxton and asked her what the score was with her and that he would like to get to know her better. Cathy then explained to him that Debbie had undergone an unfortunate experience and was rather fragile right now.

"I see said Dave, so you are telling me that she was raped, is that what you are saying?"

"Cathy was taken aback by his directness, but stammered yes, she was."

"Damn, what a shame, no wonder she'll be skittish."

"I wanted to ask her out, but if she's not ready I don't want to blow my chances"

"So it doesn't bother you then, asked Cathy?"

"No of course it doesn't, why would it – she's the one suffering the pain and humiliation?"

"Well some guys don't take kindly to damaged goods."

"Damaged goods! He exclaimed explosively, she isn't damaged as a person. She has had an unpleasant experience, but that's all it was. She hasn't changed as a person or as a mother."

"Some men are less enlightened than you Dave she added. They can't get past the vision of someone raping their woman."

"Well that's up to them, it's hardly the victim's fault, now is it. The lady I saw at the picnic seemed quite normal to me; how did it happen to her do you know?"

"Actually I don't and Mrs. Malcolm certainly won't tell anyone anything about any of the women in the shelter. She would never think of breeching a confidence. If the ladies wish to divulge any information that is their privilege – we do not ask."

"I can see that, said Dave. I'll just have bide my time or find some other way of getting to know Mrs. Miller a little better."

"Probably a wise decision for now said Cathy."

***

Alicia, Kevin and Alan had now tentatively put together an initial disc on the picnic. One or two refinements would be required, they always were, but it was a base to work from. The viewer would in fact be seated right in the center of the action and to them everything would be going on all around them. The 3D effect was spectacular and you really did feel as if you were right there amongst them as you watched. The races themselves were side-splittingly funny and one simply had to see them to believe the antics they got up to. The wheelbarrow races were hilarious, Hippos trying to get Rhinos up on their front legs and the Giraffe having the Kangaroo with his legs around her neck trying to run on his front legs. He had a hard time keeping his face out of the dirt and it was funny just watching him. There were other equally bizarre scenarios. Nobody could stay upright for long in the sack races and of course there were handicaps applied too. The Kangaroo having a distinct advantage in this event was barred from participation. Similar action was taken against other animals in other events to maintain fairness. Pass the coconut was a game that Alicia had invented and it was a real hoot to watch them playing it. It incorporated an element of musical chairs and it was played in teams. The chairs were strategically placed logs and players had to sit on one if they could, but they could not be carrying the coconut at the time they sat down – but their team had to retain possession of it at the same time. What the monkeys did along with the squirrels in this event brought tears to your eyes. Forget about the lumbering Hippos, the Rhinos and the Elephants, they were all as nimble as fairies in this game and they moved with tremendous agility and speed. They were not averse to sitting down on top of another competitor either – pleading that they could see them as they sat down. Mr. Owl and Miss Lamb were hard pressed maintaining order – not to mention their own composure due to some of the antics on display. The big cats could climb up trees quite easily, but so too could the bears, much to everyone's surprise. Icebergs don't have trees, but those polar bears shot up them like a Rhesus Monkey. They couldn't swing from the branches like the monkeys could – but they sure got up there really fast chasing that coconut. All of the animals had been given additional abilities and watching them employ these talents was just too funny for words. The things they would say to each other, the jibes they would make and the resultant chases were hilarious. Each and every animal was a participant in something and at the end of it all they would all be tired out or should be. Mr. Owl and Miss Lamb had also been joining in here and there too.

Alicia decided to seek outside opinions on this and so she called her husband and invited him to come to a preview and to bring a friend or two. She also extended a similar invitation the Rachel and told her to bring along some of the women.

"Rachel, if you can come over tomorrow afternoon, bring a few of the women with you if you can, I want to get some feedback on my new and improved game?"

"Oh what is it about?"

"Well I'd rather not tell you that right now, I want you to render an honest opinion, the way a new viewer would. If they don't know what to expect their reaction will be a truthful one as they have no preconceived ideas."

"Fair enough, Alicia, I'll ask some of the ladies to see if they would like to attend. It will be a break from the routine around her that's for sure."

"That would be wonderful, Rachel. Oh! I have invited my husband and told him to bring along a friend or two also – just so you know."

"Thank you for telling me, I'll let the girls know that men may be present."

"Yes, well they do exist in the world Rachel, that's a fact we cannot change, even for them."

"I agree and I'll tell them that these guys will be house trained – that might ease their anxieties a little."

"Well I don't know how house trained they will be, I know John is a work in progress she quipped."

"My John is too, Alicia – but we still love them right, she said through her laughter?"

"Oh Yes, that we do, well most of the time anyway."

Both women laughed out loud at that comment and then hung up their phones.

***

The following afternoon John showed up early and took Alicia out for a quick lunch, he also invited Jean to join them. It was a welcome change for Alicia and she enjoyed the gesture and John's thoughtfulness. He told her he had invited a couple of guys and maybe three.

"I invited Alvin and Dave Curtis, but Alvin said that he was playing golf with Paul Horrocks that morning and could he bring him along too – so I invited him also."

"Oh that's fine John, the more the merrier, said Alicia."

I invited Rachel to bring some of her girls along, but I have no idea if any will show up. Rachel will, but I don't know about the rest."

Rachel did indeed show up and she brought Debbie Miller, Christine Williams and Donna Burke, two of the women who shared Debbie's home in the half-way house.

When the men arrived everyone was introduced to each other and it did not go unnoticed that Debbie lit up when Dave shook her hand and smiled at her. The beam that Debbie gave back lit up the room and was instantly noticed by Rachel and Alicia – Alvin, Paul and John remained oblivious to it all as usual. Men seldom pick up on such subtleties. All of them were now taken to the viewing room were they met Alan and Kevin. Each of them were now given the goggles to wear and told what was about to happen.

"Ok guys, said Alicia, here's what is going to happen here this afternoon. Instead of watching this on your home computers we have adapted this to show it on the screen in front of you. It will be in 3D. At the end of the performance you will be handed a sheet of paper on which will be a questionnaire. Please give totally honest answers only. The questionnaire will be anonymous so don't hold back. I need your honest opinion as members of the public, so here we go. Please now put on your goggles, sit back and relax and just watch the screen."

The show began by showing all the animals in their classroom being given instructions on how to behave once they went to the picnic. Mr. Owl was up front as usual and reading the riot act on what was expected in terms of behaviour out there. Once they left the classroom and started to frolic in the forest the room erupted. It was difficult to tell who was having the most fun – the animals at the picnic or the people watching them. The women were forever reaching for Kleenex and the four men were rolling about just howling with laughter. At one point Paul nearly feel off his chair he was laughing so hard.

Alan and Kevin were noting this behaviour and recording which scenes provoked what in terms of emotional responses. Alicia too was watching them all too. What exactly was causing these responses? Was it the antics or was it the expressions they were using? Would a different expression add or detract from the scene on display? They were all valid questions and the three whiz kids were totally engrossed in them. The audience on the other hand was in pieces, holding their sides with tears simply running down their faces. The make-up jobs had gone all to hell now. Mascara streaks were clearly visible as all the women were in stitches. There was no doubt whatsoever that this game would hold people's attention. These good people were totally riveted and oblivious to all around them, yes; this game would be another winner once it was finished.

At this moment in time they had only come as far as the actual picnic. It is what was to follow that would be what mattered most. Now that all the animals were friends and had really had a good time together, it was time to go back in the classroom and learn all about being good neighbours etc. This would be the most challenging part – but also the greatest achievement if it actually worked. Only time would answer that question.

When the presentation ended, the questionnaires were handed out, but most people had to dry their eyes first in order to be able to see the questions. There was no doubt whatsoever in anyone's mind that this game would be fantastic and they all said exactly that in no uncertain terms. When the trio (Alicia, Alan & Kevin) read the questionnaires they were overjoyed. The comments had not one complaint amongst them. It was one huge eulogy and a total endorsement of everything they had done. The antics of the animals and the phrases they were using had held everyone in raptures for the entire afternoon. Everyone was very impressed indeed and they held nothing back in saying so either.

"Guys, I haven't laughed so much in years, said Paul"

"Amen to that said Alvin; that was something else."

"It most certainly was chipped in Dave; that was just mind boggling. Where do you get all this stuff? It truly is amazing, you guys – you deserve to be millionaires for what you have produced here."

"Dave is right Alicia, said Rachel; that was simply magical. I didn't know what to expect today, but it most certainly wasn't that. I haven't laughed and cried so much in a very long time as Paul said. That was nothing short of brilliant. From what you have told me about the finished product – it will revolutionize self-help for those in need of an uplift. Don't you agree ladies?"

"Without a doubt said Christine and Donna in unison."

"Oh Yes said Debbie, that it will. I can't remember the last time I laughed like that. I just fell in love with that cuddly Koala bear. I just wanted to reach out and pick him up and take him home with me. I felt as if I could do it too he was so close. As Rachel said, the whole thing was magical – I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland and I had fallen down this rabbit hole and found myself here. It certainly took my mind off everything else going on in my life and that's a fact."

"I am so glad you said all of that Debbie, it heartens me to no end hearing you say that. That is exactly what we are trying to do – and according to you at least, we are on the right road."

"Oh you certainly are chipped in Donna; I feel exactly the same way."

"So do I replied Christine, I felt like I was in a fairytale too watching all of that and being right in the middle of it all. I also loved that cuddly Koala bear, Debbie; he was a real cutie wasn't he?"

After this they all trooped off down the street to a local café where Dave Curtis made a point of sitting next to Debbie Miller. Once again Rachel and Alicia noticed this and gave each other a knowing glance. Yes, they were both on the same page here. Dave and Debbie chatted merrily away, but nothing of substance was discussed. Questions were kept to a minimum but the warmth between them started to intensify. Debbie knew that he knew she was living at the Shelter and that it didn't seem to bother him. How much more he knew she had no idea about and she didn't want to rock the boat by telling him – not yet anyway. Dave for his part wasn't pushing it either. He learned that Debbie was taking an office management course at the Shelter but little else. Still he considered that a good start. She seemed comfortable with him and she talked to him easily and without undue shyness. He just had to bide his time and let her be the one to open up as time went by. Cathy Braxton had hinted as much and Dave considered that to be prudent advice - at least for now.
Chapter Fourteen

***

Lynda Maxwell was in her office at the hospital working away just before lunchtime when Charles dropped by unexpectedly. He had planned to take Lynda for lunch as a surprise and it most certainly was that to Lynda. She had no idea whatsoever that he was going to do that.

"Hi honey, are you free for lunch, he asked?"

"Well I am now she replied quickly, this is a pleasant surprise. Aren't I a lucky girl – to what do I attribute this?"

"Oh just being you Lynda, that is more than sufficient reason for me."

"Wow Charles, you certainly do know how to sweep a woman off her feet – keep it up, Sir, who knows where it might lead?"

"Settle down Princess, it's just lunch okay, the Oriental delights can come later – assuming you will be a good girl of course."

"Oh you can count on that, Charles, especially after that comment, I can be very, very good – but then again when I'm bad I'm even better she said coyly."

Charles just roared laughing at that and took a seat and waited for her to finish what she was doing. As he was sitting there Dr. Davidson walked by on his way to his office. He saw Charles sitting there and came over immediately.

"Hi Charlie, I just saw you as I was passing by and I wanted to ask you if you would be free next Tuesday to make up a foursome for a round of golf at the club?"

"I'll have to check my schedule, Glen, but I will do my best to be there if I can. If you have a minute, Glen; I can phone my secretary right now to see if I have anything on?"

"Sure go right ahead, Charlie, I have the time."

"Hi Maureen, will you check to see if I have anything down for next Tuesday please."

"No Sir, you have nothing booked, replied Maureen."

"Good, mark me out until late afternoon and if Tony needs me tell him I'll be at the golf club with Dr. Davidson and his friends."

"Yes sir, I have marked it all down, will you be back this afternoon."

"Yes I'll be back after lunch, thanks Maureen, bye"

"That's settled then Glen, what's the tee off time?"

"We are booked in for 8:00am if that works for you?"

"Perfect, sir, I'll be there, oh! and give my regards to Jean."

"I will Charlie, see you on Tuesday."

"Bye Lynda, sorry for ignoring you – but I could see that you were busy."

"Bye Doctor she replied instinctively."

Formalities had to be observed in the hospital if you were a member of the staff - even at management level.

When Lynda finished what she was doing she paid a quick visit to the washroom and then they left for lunch. There was no real reason behind it – apart from the fact that he just wanted to surprise her. It was thoughtful gestures like this that Lynda found to be so endearing. Of course, this was in their courtship phase – what the husband phase would entail had yet to be seen. Still it would be nice while it lasted she told herself.

***

The half-way house now had three families living there under the same roof. Ideal it wasn't, but they had found a way to live in relative harmony and they were certainly all there for each other when necessary. Life for these women had not been easy and occasionally they would crack under the pressure and need to be uplifted by the others. That help was rendered immediately and with no hesitation – it could very well be them the next day and they all knew it. The circumstances that had brought them here may differ, but the desperation they all felt and the fear of the future, and what it held, was shared by them all. They had all been seen by social workers and psychologists too in some cases, but time was in short supply. Six weeks was totally inadequate for treating these poor women and giving them some sort of hope for the future. The Women's Shelter gave them temporary refuge and kept them safe from those that would harm them – but then what? Healing their wounds and injuries, retraining them, finding them jobs and housing and setting them up for life was almost impossible. Well it most certainly was in a six week timeframe. In addition, the demand far exceeded their resources – it is a huge problem and Rachel knew only too well that she was only seeing a minute fraction of what was really out there.

The town had now provided the funds to pay for numerous programs and services for the women in the Shelter. Many of the professionals were working pro-bono and even those who weren't often exceed their hours and never billed for them. Then we had volunteers like Lynda who gave of their time willingly and didn't want to receive payment for their services. They were helping quite a few of these social casualties – but nowhere near making a dent in the overall problem.

Debbie Miller, Christine Williams and Donna Burke were all enrolled in Lynda's course along with several other women. The basement classroom could house twelve students and for now just the one teacher, Lynda. They hoped to increase that over time so as to lower the student teacher ratio. Right now it was 12 to1 and they would have preferred 3to1 if possible. It was a formidable task and one that needed to be handled rather delicately. The students were all in a fairly fragile state and needed to be built up first in terms of self-esteem. Pointing out mathematical errors or spelling mistakes could be detrimental to their development at this stage. Those things would come later. Some of these women had been brainwashed into believing that they could never do anything right – that had to be changed and very quickly too. They would be set challenges and the degree of difficulty would slowly increase depending upon their progress, but they would all succeed at them. One step at a time they would learn to accept themselves for who they were. Not all of us were cut out to be Quantum Physicists or Brain Surgeons like Glen Davidson and we all must come to accept our own limitations. These women needed to learn that. They needed to know that society would still accept them for who they were – together with all of their imperfections – because the rest of us have them too and we are accepted for who we are. Getting that lesson across was job one as Lynda saw it.

When Lynda started to show the women these things in the classroom it made her realize just how much she had taken for granted in life. In fact she felt that she was the one being taught about life. As she glanced around the classroom and saw those women she felt a sense of humility come over her. The struggles these women had faced in life \- she didn't know they even existed. She considered it a privilege to be here giving something back to these women. They had not had the advantages that she had and they were desperately trying to change their lives and make them worthwhile. This provided Lynda with the inspiration to ensure that this happened for these women – she would help them regain their dignity and pride. The current class of students were actual high school graduates and therefore had a head start. Others would need to be brought up to that level first, but there were teachers on board now who could do that. Some of the local teachers were doing this on their own time, just like Lynda was. There were good people around if you looked for them. People who were only too willing to help out, they just didn't realize it themselves until they were asked. There was a sense of purpose in this and one could really make a difference in someone's life – a very meaningful difference.

Over time the women would slowly open up and tell you more about themselves as they got to know you better. Once they realized that no judgments were being passed they relaxed a little and exposed themselves a little bit at a time. Rachel knew almost everything up front of course, but Alicia, Cathy and now Lynda had not pried and so they had no idea. Now as time had passed they began to learn a little more as the women felt more comfortable about themselves and the fact that no judgments would be made. Telling someone that up front was one thing – having it proven over time was another and now the women felt secure enough to expose themselves more. Rachel had seen it all before when she was a novice in Somalia, but to Cathy and Alicia and now Lynda these tales were horrendous. However, these women were about to turn a corner. Their lives would be put back on the tracks. Whatever had derailed them before would be a thing of the past. The Woman's Shelter would be their salvation, they just didn't realize it yet, well not fully anyway.

***

Alicia and Cathy had attended several of Lynda's classes in the basement and they were there as teachers helpers in a way. They would go around and give assistance to the women that needed it. The women soon realized that they were there to help them and they were not in any way judging them and most definitely were not looking down on them or regarding them as inferior in any way. They would drag up a chair, sit down beside them and treat them as equals. The women all knew that they were millionaires – but they soon realized that money and social status meant nothing to them – they were there to help. The relationships then began to grow and the women slowly began to unwind and let their drawbridge down and let Alicia and Cathy inside the fortress that they had built to protect themselves. To say it was a revelation would be an understatement and what Cathy and Alicia learned would mind boggle them. Cathy had been poor as a young girl in the trailer park, but even she was taken aback by these tales. She had witnessed domestic abuse in that park and had her vocabulary broadened to say the least, but what she was learning now was simply off the scale. The shame these women felt having been subjected to the humiliating treatment and practices that they had to endure were sickening. The stories came out little by little and were told in confidence to either Alicia or Cathy. As they were listening to these stories they were aghast. They would listen and sympathize, but never in a million years could they empathize with these poor women. What they had endured was beyond belief. Simply by being themselves and treating these woman as equals, and in fact friends, was therapeutic in itself. If women like Mrs. Billinge and Mrs. Braxton, who were society ladies, could accept them – then perhaps their future neighbors and colleagues at work might too. It was reason to hope that would be the case. Lynda was giving them the office skills that they would need and she certainly didn't look down on them either, even if they were green.

Alicia, while listening to the stories that the women were telling her, was also making mental notes. The situations that these women had been in would be incorporated into the game. It would be done in such a way that would make such things abhorrent to the viewer. It would be suggested perhaps and all of the other animals would react with disgust immediately and make the one who even hinted at it a social outcast immediately. The actual scenarios would not be emulated or even mentioned in some cases – they were too horrific. What she was trying to do was make domestic violence frowned upon and something to be avoided at all costs. She would show the causes, the outcome, the subsequent guilt and above all the shame and disgust that society would show to the person responsible.

Prevention was far better than a cure, and that was the reason behind all of this. By teaching the animals' right and wrong, responsible behaviour, manners and etiquette - she hoped that the viewers would get this message also. The subliminal track, once formulated, should implant in their minds the fact that violence against women was unacceptable in society. It was a noble endeavor indeed - but could she accomplish it? Each disc would be targeted to a certain age group and portrayed accordingly. The children's disc would be more bully oriented and framed in terms that they could understand at their age. The idea being that if they could reach the children early enough the problem would not exist once they grew up. It was an optimistic view perhaps, but even if only a few may benefit from it that would be a worthwhile objective.

The picnic element was now complete and all the animals were happy and contented. The viewers would be too at this point and hopefully be ready to accept Mr. Owl's words of wisdom that would follow. People who are happy and relaxed will be more readily reachable and hopefully more philosophically accepting of the teachings of Mr. Owl and Miss Lamb. There would also be a certain amount of humor and tomfoolery involved in the etiquette and manners section to keep the viewer in a favourable frame of mind and not get bored. Kevin and Alan were currently working on that aspect. Humour was the key and when combined with the right background music and the correct colours and hues the message should not only go across – it would hopefully stick too.

***

Debbie Miller was slowly getting back to normal. She was doing well in Lynda's class at night and was getting out more in daylight. She had no money, but she could walk around the park and feed the ducks. Her idle thoughts all contained images of Dave Curtis and the "What If" situations that would go along with them. She did not want to get her hopes up at this point. As she saw it, what did she have to offer any man right now; let alone someone like Dave Curtis? She knew he liked her, well she thought that he might – but then, was he just feeling sorry for her? She kept on playing these various scenarios over in her head, but never coming up with any definitive answers.

One lunchtime she was casually walking down the street in town just window gazing when she almost ran into Dave. He was just going to get a bite to eat and he invited Debbie to join him. She politely declined the offer at first, but Dave persisted and so she relented and graciously accepted his invitation. When they were seated at their table she was given the menu to look at. Oh my God, she thought, the prices are outrageous.

"Dave, this is so expensive in here and I don't have any money."

"I know you don't Debbie and besides, I invited you to join me – I didn't expect you to pay when I invited you. Just relax kiddo, order what you like and enjoy it."

"Well that is very generous of you Dave, it really is. How did you know I didn't have any money?"

"Ah yes, well to be honest I was curious about you at the town picnic and I asked around. Nobody wanted to say too much so I tackled Cathy Braxton. She didn't tell me anything but hinted that you had been going through a tough time and to let you heal first. I was going to do that – but then when I saw you just now I jumped at the chance and here we are."

"I see, said Debbie. So you know I am living with Chelsea in a half-way house."

"Yes I know that Debbie."

"Did Cathy tell you what happened?"

"No she didn't, in fact she said she didn't know herself. She told me that Mrs. Malcolm would know – but she would never tell anyone anything about one of her ladies. I respected that Debbie."

"It doesn't bother you then"

"Debbie, you are who you are. Whatever unfortunate experience you have been subjected to does not define who you are."

"I was raped and beaten when my husband couldn't pay his debts. I just want to put that out there so you know."

"I am so sorry Debbie, I really am, no woman should have to go through that."

"A lot of men would be put off by that – it leaves an effect on the woman involved."

"I'm quite sure it does. It may take a lifetime to get over it, if one ever does. You have to remember Debbie that this was an involuntary act. You had no say in it - it was forced upon you. It may shake your confidence and self-esteem for a while - but your character was not and never will be affected. That defines who you are Debbie."

"So you don't think any less of me or consider me damaged because of it then? It has affected me and I know I am not quite right yet. I am broke, effectively homeless, I have a fourteen year old daughter and she saw it all happen to me. I'm a wreck right now Dave and I do like you – but I have to be honest and up front with you."

Dave then reached across the table and gently took hold of both of Debbie's hands.

"That, Kiddo, is what I was just talking about – "Character". You telling me all of that proves to me conclusively that yours is still intact. The courage it took to tell me that proves to me the kind of lady that you are really. You are suffering right now and you have to work through it and regain your self-respect – but for what it's worth, Debbie – you most certainly have mine. I do want to get to know the real Debbie Miller when she is ready – but I can wait – well for now anyway."

"Thank you Dave, you have no idea how much that means to me, you really don't?"

He didn't either. That was huge for Debbie to learn that Dave accepted her for who she was and did not think any less of her. His explanation had moved her and uplifted her at the same time. He had realized that she was still struggling with it all – he did not offer any platitudes or advice, he knew that there were none that would do any good. Only time could heal all of this and that he was prepared to give to her. Just knowing that lifted quite a weight of Debbie's shoulders. She would now be ready to face the outside world sooner on the strength of Dave's remarks.

A few more weeks under Lynda's tuition and she would be ready to put together her resume and start applying for an office job somewhere in Markton. Her self-confidence had just received a shot of adrenaline courtesy of Dave Curtis – and so had her heart too. The future no longer looked as bleak as it had a few weeks ago.
Chapter Fifteen

***

Alicia, Alan and Kevin were now fully engrossed in the various disciplines required for the game. The animation graphics were the easy part – relatively speaking that is, there was nothing easy about them. The two men had the animals in groups, the good, the naughty and the benchwarmers who were simply there but never did anything brilliant or stepped over the line. The characters given to the animals is what made the game so funny. The lumbering Elephants, Hippos and Rhinos one would expect to have deep voices – they didn't. In fact they could move with the poise and grace of a ballerina and had voices to match. The monkeys were all over the map in terms of behaviour and so too were their voices. Right down from the Gorillas to the Rhesus monkeys they did not behave according to ones expectations. The dignity would be present in animals one would never associate with such a thing and the opposite applied too. The sedate and indifferent animals were now anything but – in fact they were often the troublemakers. The devious fox, the weasel and the coyote had a magistrate like quality about them and at times looked upon the other animals with distained arrogance. They spoke like them too using words that the others would often require a dictionary to decipher. However, the way they delivered such comments, the look on their faces and the reaction of their victims would bring you to tears from laughing.

It was now going to be the challenge to incorporate all of these items into a teaching tool that would address all the social issues on the agenda. Alicia decided to start with the bullying issue. Simple schoolyard issues like pinching kids lunches or waiting until they used a slot machine to get a chocolate bar and then taking it from them. She had to portray this as a prank, supposedly done in fun with no violence involved. There would be no threats of reprisals if the victims dared to report it etc. However, it had to be shown that this type of behaviour was wrong and hurtful and could not be tolerated. It was by no means fun to the victims. Alicia had to come up with a way of depicting all of this in a semi-humorous way – but forcefully getting the point across. She came up with two ideas that might get this point across and she decided to try them both out. The first idea was court related. The animals would have their own court with three magistrates pontificating up on the bench. The gallery would be filled with spectator animals and the accused would be brought in to face the court. When the charges were read out, hisses and boos would come from the gallery. When asked about their guilt or innocence the accused would bow their heads and admit to the wrongdoing. They would then be asked why they had acted that way. There would then be more derisive cat calls from the gallery and the accused would then offer an apology. The sentence handed down from the bench would vary depending upon the offence – but generally meant being ostracized from the group for a set time period. In other words they would be social outcasts. The other animals would not play with them or even talk to them. They would sit apart from the rest in the classroom and be made painfully aware of what people thought of them for doing such a thing.

The other method she thought about was subjecting them to the same treatment. If they had a larger animal bully them – how would they feel about that? She was somewhat ambivalent about this tactic. She wanted to get the point across that we all want to be treated with respect, having the strong overpower the weak and then have someone stronger overpower them just didn't sit right. It would show the felon what it was like to be the victim themselves and how it felt – but was this the best way to show that? Alicia didn't want to sanitize the disc to the point that it would be useless; a certain amount of reality was required to reflect the world as it is and not some fantasyland. The disc would primarily be for kids and she had to keep that in mind. It also had to be real and the kids would soon dismiss it if they thought otherwise. They live in the real world too and appreciate far more than their parents would like to think that they do. This game had to preserve the balance between the truth and the acceptable. This was after all a kid's game and it had to reflect that reality and portray things in a way that kids would understand and accept and not be frightened by. It would keep the three tech wizards busy for some time as they tried various ideas out and then rejected them for one reason or another. This was a delicate subject and needed to be treated as such. The manners and etiquette section would be a dream compared to this. They could all have a lot of fun with that. Alan and Kevin had come up with this huge fallen tree trunk and this would be the banquet table. Two smaller tree trunks sat on either side and they would act as chairs. This much they had right now – what they were working on was the animal's dress code. Who would be wearing what, who would be the butler, the footmen and the maids? They could really have fun with this and they were determined to do so. It would still get the message across, but this time it would be done with humor. The question was which section would come first – the behavioral or the etiquette? On paper at least, if you ran the etiquette disc first there should be no behavioral issues to deal with. They decided to go with the behaviour section first, but they still had a long way to go with that one.

***

Lynda was a very busy woman now juggling her day job with her Shelter classes and also being a mother. Her romance with Charles was growing stronger every day and she could sense that one day soon he was going to propose. She had not been ready for that earlier, but she was now. They were compatible on so many levels and he had accepted Simon as if he were his own son. The voice inside her head no longer needed to point out that Charles was the man for her and that when he proposed she should accept. Charles was feeling the same way and had been for some time. He had been looking around for engagement rings, but had yet to find one that he thought Lynda might like. Alicia had been approached and her opinion sought as to what Lynda might like. She had then casually brought up the topic with Lynda asking her how things were going with Charles. Lynda left her in no doubt whatsoever how she felt about Charles and said she expected to be proposed to in the near future.

"Well that's fantastic Lynda; I hope you two will be very happy, I know I'm happy for your both already."

"Well let's not jump the gun here Alicia I don't want to jinx anything. I did see him looking in a jewelers shop window though – so I guess a girl can dream can't she?"

"She most certainly can, Lynda. What kind of ring would you like, a solitaire or a clustered ring?"

"I don't really care Alicia; I haven't really given that any thought. I'm just happy to have found such a man; he really is good to me."

"Yes he is a nice man. I know that John likes him and so does Glen. You have a keeper this time Lynda."

Armed with this information she told John and casually mentioned in her normal subtle way that he might help his friend out and have Karu in Singapore make one for him.

"John, I was talking to Lynda earlier and she thinks that Charles may be thinking of proposing soon. She saw him looking in a jeweler's window recently so that got her thinking. They really are getting along like a house on fire now. If he's having trouble picking out a suitable ring, perhaps you could ask Karu to make one for him. He does great work and I'm sure he could come up with something – especially for you."

"Wow, Honey, you have really outdone yourself on this one. Twisting me around you little finger once again eh! I suppose I now have to broach the subject to Charles and offer to help him out, right?"

"Mrs. Billinge didn't raise any fools did she; her boys really do catch on quickly - once you show them the stick that is?"

"Watch it lady, comments like that can cause trouble."

"Promises, promises Alicia said gleefully and skipped smartly away as John made a grab for her."

Alicia had a lot of housework to do that day, starting with emptying the dryer, then taking more clothes out of the washing machine and loading them into the dryer. Had John managed to grab hold of her none of that would be done. Once he was in a playful mood all bets would be off regarding housework and Alicia knew it only too well. She was torn however, let's face it, housework is not a lot of fun. Romping around with her husband when he was feeling frisky certainly did have an appeal to it. However, the housework would not do itself and so she had to delay the games until later. It was only a delay, not a postponement. Once the chores were done she would tease John once more – but his time she would let him catch her. What would happen then made the household chores just fly by as she considered the possibilities.

***

John was having lunch with his dad, Henry, and his brother Danny at the golf club when he saw Charlie Graham come in with Glen Davidson and two other men. He just nodded to them as they crossed the room to their table. On the way out he made a point of talking to Charlie before he went back to his office.

"Hi Charlie, how are things?"

"Couldn't be better, John, they've been going pretty good lately."

'Well I'm pleased for you, Charlie; you deserve to be happy after what you have been through. I take it that things with you and Lynda are going well then based on that."

"Oh indeed they are, John, in fact I have been looking for a ring as Alicia may have told you, but I haven't found anything suitable yet."  
"Alicia did mention something about that. In fact I just might be able to help you in that regard. I know this guy in Singapore who makes custom made rings to order and they are fantastic. If you would like to take a chance – then he's the guy, he made Alicia's ring and one for Jean Davidson too."

"Well I asked Alicia to make some enquiries and she told me that Lynda really didn't have a preference."

"Okay then Charlie, I'll drop by your office in the morning and show you some pictures of Karu's work and some design ideas for you. I will be there on Saturday and so I can give him the details and then pick the ring up the following Friday if that works for you."

"I could propose on the Saturday then I guess."

"No I am afraid I won't be back at home then. I'll be in Dubai on a layover and I won't be back here until Monday, sorry, Charlie."

"Hey, no problem, what's a couple of days here and there. I just hope she says "Yes."

"From what I've heard I don't think you have much to worry about there, Charlie. She's a lovely lady too, you couldn't have made a better choice my friend – Alicia admires her greatly. You are a lucky man – snap her up quickly."

"Well that's my intention, John, just get back here with that ring and I'll be good to go."

"That I will, Charlie, I'll see you in the morning at your office then, bye for now."

The following morning John dropped by Braxton Industries and showed Charles some of Karu's work and some designs he had. Charles studied them carefully and then made his selection. He would agonize all week wondering what the finished product would look like and whether or not Lynda would like it.

***

John kissed Alicia goodbye and set off for the airport. It would be a routine run to Sydney via London, Dubai and Singapore. At least that is what it was supposed to be. While they were over the Indian Ocean at thirty-nine thousand feet, John thought he heard a distress signal. It was very faint and indistinct, but he felt it was there. He told the captain and asked if he had heard it, but he hadn't.

"How sure are you John?"

"Well it was very faint, but I'm pretty sure it was someone in trouble."

"In that case just do a quick circle around and see if we can pick it up again. If we do we can radio the GPS coordinates to the search and rescue boys and all nearby shipping."

John then circled the huge aircraft and made one more pass over the spot. There, very faintly and barely understandable, was the signal again. This time the captain heard it too.

"Good call John; you may have saved some lives today. Let's call it in."

With that the captain, picked up the mic. and radioed the coordinates to local shipping and the search and rescue team for the area. It turned out to be an ocean going yacht with four people on board, a father, mother and their two kids. They had been adrift for days and were well off the shipping lanes. Had they not been found in time they would all have perished. It was lucky for them that John had heard their distress call. The rest of the flight was uneventful and the passengers were totally unaware of the drama that had taken place. Once they landed in Singapore John then went to see Karu and told him what he required. When he called back again on his return flight it was there waiting for him. One quick look told him all he needed to know. Once again Karu had delivered. It was a beautiful ring and one that Lynda would fall in love with as soon as she saw it. Of that John had no doubt and he told Karu so too and thanked him once again for his outstanding craftsmanship. He could only imagine how thankful and appreciative Lynda would be when Charles gave her this engagement ring. Actually he couldn't begin to imagine it as things turned out - and most certainly not Charlie. The conservative lady he thought Lynda was proved to be a rather inaccurate assessment that night.

***

The turnover in the Woman's Shelter was continuous. There was no shortage of victims and the stories all bore certain similarities. Some were granted sanctuary for six weeks, others for a few days. The problem was that all of these women faced an uncertain future and finding an overall solution to this was a pipe dream. What was needed more than anything was social housing – but the cost was prohibitive and there were other issues involved such as waiting lists etc. Jumping the queue was not the answer; one class of people could not be seen to be more deserving than another when it came to social housing needs. The social agencies had a tough time in trying to place everyone in need in some sort of appropriate accommodation and quite frequently they were unable to. Rachel found herself in a similar position too. If the Women's Shelter was bursting at the seams and the Half-Way house was also full she too had to turn women away. It broke her heart to do so, but she simply had no choice – she couldn't house the whole world. She helped those that she could, the rest she had to refer elsewhere knowing full well that the odds of finding accommodation were less than slim at best.

The women that the Shelter did take in were given far more opportunities as a rule. Many of them had been enrolled in night school courses funded by Braxton and IEC by way of scholarships. The courses would vary from GED to career specific courses. It would help the women to have a future once they graduated. Something they would never have had the opportunity to do otherwise. Others of course were not allowed to go out at night by their husbands – for one reason or another and if they could attend the Half-Way house during the day –fine, if not, for whatever reason, then they were simply out of luck. The town council had done as much as they could for these underprivileged citizens and provided them with a variety of services and in some cases care packages. They just couldn't house them all.

Rachel did her best to house those in the greatest danger or most dire circumstances. It was a heartbreaking decision most of the time. Nobody showing up at the Shelter was there for fun. They were desperate, had nowhere else to turn, and had nobody to look out for them. They were not all battered women, but they were at the end of their rope for one reason or another. They all needed help and in most cases that was forthcoming - the operative word being "Most". It was early days for the Shelter and they were providing far more services than most. In fact it was regarded as the Rolls Royce of women's shelters due to the services it provided and the help it could give to the most deserving of victims. Career counseling advice meant determining what choice of job would be the most suitable – not what credentials one might need. Training for that new career could also be provided in some cases. Getting you GED was also on the menu and local school teachers were giving their time to provide the instruction. While the shelter could not take everyone – those it could take were given meaningful assistance and helped to get back on their feet. Some would subsequently be hired by Braxton and IEC in a variety of capacities and they would prove to be valuable employees and quite proficient at their jobs.
Chapter Sixteen

***

Alicia was sitting in her office gazing aimlessly out of the window. Right at that moment her brain was temporarily in neutral as she gazed way out over the lake, her cup of coffee steaming on her desk. The deep blue waters of the lake stretched as far as she could see. There were white caps way off in the distance, whipped up by the wind no doubt, but closer to the shore the water was simply lapping gently onto the sandy beaches. When she spun her chair around she could now see out of the other window on the side that overlooked the park, and beyond that the trees on the hills in Richvale. It was Fall now and the leaves were turning and giving off their beautiful displays of colour. It was truly magnificent what nature could do and there, stretched out before her, was this magic carpet of splendor as each tree displayed its Sunday best for the whole world to appreciate. It never failed to amaze Alicia just how beautiful all of this was and it was there for all to see and it was totally free too. As she sat there taking all of this in – she remembered her mother telling her as a child – "The best things in life are free Alicia." At the time she never fully appreciated the significance of that remark – she most certainly did now. It then made her look around her office casually making a mental note of everything. The furniture was all mahogany as were the picture frames, but they were gold trimmed, the table lamps were golden too. The photo frames on her desk were also golden and contained pictures of her Mom and Dad and John in his pilot's uniform. She loved that particular picture –he looked so dashing in it she thought. She had one other picture of them both together, but that was the extent of her photography display. As she was taking all of this in she began to realize just how blessed she had been in life. She did not normally become so philosophical and examine the world and her place within it – but today was such a day. The good Lord had been good to her – but others that she knew were far less fortunate. Her office appeared to be opulent and lavish – the women in the Half-Way house barely had chairs to sit on. Why was the world to kind to some and so cruel to others? She then reached out to pick up her cup of coffee, leaving that poignant question hanging in the air unanswered.

It was back to the grindstone again now that she had finished her coffee. She had game issues to formulate, the first of which would be name calling. Not all abuse is physical, some is psychological or emotional. They too can be devastating to the victim, often more so. Now it is all well and good to point out that – "Nobody can make you feel bad without your permission" – but platitudes like that are less than helpful. People feel what they feel, and ignoring the comments of others, hurtful or otherwise, is often beyond our capabilities. If nine people praise you for something you have achieved and just one criticizes you for it – guess which one you dwell on? We all do it despite knowing that we shouldn't. Nobody can please everyone, but few of us enjoy criticism and we remember it more vividly than the praise we receive. Name calling therefore is a big thing and one that can be very hurtful and debilitating. Being put down, belittled and disparaged can be far worse than a physical slap. Prolonged exposure to such abuse can destroy a person completely if left unchecked. This subject for sure would be included in the game and given the priority that it justified.

Children in the school yard while not subjected to it personally perhaps will most certainly have seen it and the devastating results it can cause leaving a child in tears. A thing such as being overweight may initiate comment, or wearing glasses, braces, orthotic devices, untidy or old clothing and the list goes on and on. All off these things can provoke insults and derision and leave a child in despair. Then there are other social issues that the child may be exposed to – parental drunkenness – imprisonment, poverty and foster care issues. It can be an endless list and every item on it can inflict the agonizing pain of a whiplash. Alicia had to show the victim's pain – and make the guilty party feel remorse – if not for the victim, then for the ostracism they would now be subjected to themselves because of it.

***

As Alicia was wrestling with all of this her telephone rang, it was Cathy Braxton.

"Hi, Alicia can you get away this afternoon?"

"I suppose so Cathy, why?"

"I have just had a most interesting phone call from Penny Stark and she would like to discuss a few things with Rachel, you and I – this afternoon if possible."

"Do you know what it is about?"

"No, not really, but it has something to do with some housing that Bret and Alan have; but more than that I don't know."

"Well for something like this I'll make the time, by the way, what time am I expected to be there?"

"Can I get back to you on that, I have to set things up with Rachel first?"

"That's fine Cathy, just let me know the time and I'll be there."

Ten minutes later Cathy phoned back and told Alicia that everything was set for 2:30 pm. Alicia then adjusted her schedule in order to accommodate that.

When she arrived at the shelter the others were already there, Penny having only just arrived herself.

"Let's arm ourselves with some refreshments first suggested Rachel and she produced some mouthwatering cakes and an urn of coffee to wash it down."

Penny then outlined why she had come and what she had in mind.

"Thanks for coming here this afternoon, girls, I just want to run something by you. Brett and Alan bought a quadraplex a few years ago and next week, being the end of the month, two families are moving out. That means that two of the four units will be vacant at the end of the month. Brett and Alan are willing to forego the rental income on those units if you would like to use it for some of your women."

"Well, that is very, very, good of them to think of us. I'm surprised they remembered us with all that they have going on."

"They didn't actually recognize this opportunity themselves, Rachel, come on now, they are men after all. You have to prod them from time to time – but they usually respond positively if they perceive the possibility of potential earache. I merely suggested that you guys just might have suitable tenants – tenants who would look after the place and keep it in good shape and clean too. I went out on a bit of a limb though. I went so far as to say that if he provided the paint etc. your ladies would paint the place prior to moving in or even during that process if necessary."

"Oh Penny, that would be absolutely fantastic. Of course they will paint the place, they'll be only too happy to do it. I'd do it myself if they didn't, but they will be ever so grateful for the opportunity. I don't know how I can thank you enough for this overly generous gesture, Penny."

"You already have Rachel. The look on your face said far more than any words could have and I needed to do this, trust me. I have been rather fortunate in life and as a result I want to give something back. I can't explain it, properly, it's not out of guilt or anything like that, but I just need to help others. Does that sound crazy to you? Brett feels the same way. He lost his first wife and his two children in a fire. Believe me – he certainly knows all about pain and suffering. He went off the rails for a while and Alan, who was his foreman then, ran the business for him. Life can be tough at times and Brett gets it. Like all men his mind works on a different plane to ours – but he is a good kind man and he too likes to help others. He helped another friend of mine a few years ago, he put her up in a house, took very little in rent and what he did take he knocked of the selling price when she bought it last year. She is now back on her feet and doing well – and Brett did all that for her."

"Well this gesture is very deeply appreciated, Penny. Your heart is certainly in the right place said Rachel. God has blessed you in life, Penny, but he knew that in doing so you would bestow his bounty upon others in order to help them. You are yet another angel that he has sent here to help us."

"That's very kind of you to say that Rachel, but those that know me well might have a hard time seeing me in a halo and wings. I'm quite sure Brett would."

The women all laughed at that, few husbands would see their wives with halo's and wings, well not all the time anyway. There may be moments when they might – but they would be fleeting in most cases. To be fair - the women wouldn't have their husbands upon any altars either, so it was a two way street. Love and admiration they would have for each other – total worship and adoration 24/7 would be a stretch for most marriages. Halos and wings would only be found in the Unicorn closet – and very few homes had one of those.

***

When the girls from the shelter arrived at the house they found everything they needed in there. Brett had dropped in the night before and provided overalls, paint brushes and sanders together with mops and buckets. Also included in the mix were air fresheners, disinfectant, dish cloths and bowls for the water – most janitors carts were less well equipped. The four women, Chloe, Betty, Jill and Pam would be the ones who were going to share these two apartments. Enthusiastic didn't come anywhere close to describing how they felt for having this opportunity. They had to leave the shelter soon as their time had run out – but they had nowhere else to go. Social services couldn't house them as they slipped between the cracks in terms of need and who was ahead of them on the waiting list. They couldn't go back to where they came from, but with no money to support themselves they were trapped between a rock and a hard place. The one redeeming feature was that they were enrolled in a training program at the college and they were nearing graduation. Once they did, their chances of employment looked pretty good. Braxton Industries had been paying for their education by way of a scholarship – if their marks were high enough they would hire them. The students however had not been informed of that fact. Braxton wanted to see first just what these women were all about. Were they determined to succeed and do what it took to get a life for themselves, or were they just freeloaders? The effort one puts in determines the final outcome in terms of results. The progress this foursome had made suggested that they were desperate to forge a new life for themselves and had totally applied themselves to the course and diligently done their assignments and completed them on time. One such assignment was to create a resume. Cathy Braxton had sat down with each of them in the Shelter and helped them with this task. She had then taken those resumes to Braxton's HR department and told them not to fill positions that these women could fill once they graduated. Needless to say, when the Chairman and CEO's wife made such a request that was now gospel. Four positions would be kept open, or even manufactured if necessary – those ladies would now be employed in one capacity or another once they graduated.

As of right now they were all busy painting and cleaning their future accommodation. They were laughing and joking with each other and having a rare old time of it and playing pranks on each other. None of them could remember the last time that they had been this happy. They could see a future – something that they had not even imagined a few months ago. They were all working like beavers and returning to the shelter at night totally exhausted – but happy. Chloe was particularly delighted. Her little boy had been placed in foster care until she could get back on her feet, and now she could see the light at the end of that tunnel – and this time it was not a freight train heading right for her. She could clearly envision her and little Raymond in their own apartment in a few months' time. Once she graduated, got herself a job and saved up enough to buy some furniture and rent an apartment, they would be together again. Until recently that had simply been a dream and an elusive one at that. She had lost count of the times she had gone to bed and cried into her pillow. Now all of that was about to end – well if she graduated and found employment that is. Mrs. Braxton seemed to think she would have a good chance out there in the big bad world – and being the lady that she was, she ought to know. It was this thought that kept Chloe buoyant and she was determined to succeed and get little Raymond back with her.

***

Debbie Miller was also doing well in her course too, but hers would take a little longer to complete. She was taking a business and marketing course and it was of a longer duration then the one that the other women were taking. Like them she had thrown herself wholeheartedly into her studies and the other aspects of her life were sort of on the back burner for now – still simmering away of course, but doing so quietly in the background. Dave Curtis being one such issue of course. Academically Debbie was advancing in leaps and bounds, socially not so much. She and Dave still touched base fairly often, but Dave knew she needed the time to heal and he gave it to her. Chelsea was doing very well in school and she had assimilated quite easily and was totally accepted by her peers as an equal and her past simply wasn't an issue. Her classmates knew where she lived and that she had very little money – but they liked her for who she was and that was huge for Chelsea. They included her in everything and certainly never treated her like an outsider at any time. Debbie knew that Chelsea was relatively happy, but she herself just couldn't get past the guilt and the shame. In Nova Scotia they had been one happy and contented family. They were certainly not wealthy or privileged, but they were together and they were happy. Then it all started to unravel when the cannery closed down and the local economy collapsed. Jack had lost his job and things then went from bad to worse. The moved to Markton and Jack, being broke and trying to provide for his family borrowed money. When he lost his job again and couldn't repay that loan – well that's when the real nightmare started. Debbie relived this scenario on a daily basis. It was not quite as vivid as it once was – but it had not gone away. She had told Dave that she had been raped and that Chelsea had been made to watch – but certain details had been omitted. Dave had taken it well and seemed not to have thought any less of her – but she did. She no longer woke up screaming in the middle of the night – but she had forgotten none of it. The names she had been called by those two vile and brutal men and what they had done to her and made her do to them she would never forget. How could any man look upon her favorably after that she thought? Dave had given her an uplift – but then he didn't know it all. What would he do once she did fill in the blanks? Would he high tail it into the hills never to be seen again? He didn't seem like that kind of a man – but right now her judgment was unreliable and so Debbie's drawbridge was in the upright position most of the time. She wanted to believe in Dave, far more than she was prepared to admit, but her fear was real and ever present.

Dave meanwhile was biding his time. He could see that Debbie was still suffering, but there were distinct signs of improvement and that boosted his spirits. She was a lovely lady and Dave Curtis could do far worse than build a life with Debbie Miller. He had no doubts whatsoever about that now, but he had to give her time to heal first. So with that in mind he carried on as normal in his daily life. It was then that one of his father's old friends in the business decided to hang up his shingle. His kids did not wish to take over the business and so it was up for sale. Dave's dad was offered first refusal and he gladly took it. This in effect added another fifty percent to their existing holdings and added more staff too. The office manager had been there for years and she too was ready for retirement early next year. It had been a close knit family in a way, rather similar to the Curtis Family business. Dave would now spend some time with her to let her show him the ropes, so to speak. Darleen was more than happy to do that as she had known the Curtis family for years –both as competitors and also as friends. Dave could not have had a better teacher. It would mean a lot more work, but it would also be more rewarding in terms of profit too. Their bottom line would go up significantly, even after all the expenses. It would certainly keep Dave busy for a while as he became more involved with that side of the business.

***

The end of the month came around and saw the quad units totally repainted and furnished, it even had pictures on the walls. The women had done a terrific job and Rachel had invited Penny and Brett to the sort of unveiling ceremony that the women had set up in order to say "Thank You". Penny had dropped by one day and even given the women a hand – but Brett had no idea what the place looked like now. The women had set up some cupcakes and some fruit juices and Jill had been deputized to say a few words to Brett by way of appreciation. When he walked in with Penny he was totally amazed at the transformation in the place. It looked as good as new if not better. He walked around the room chatting to the women and eating his cupcakes at the same time. When Jill got up to thank Brett the room fell silent – when she finished Brett was silent. He simply couldn't speak and he was teary eyed. Jill's words had touched his heart and they were totally genuine and heartfelt words too. The look on their faces and the gratitude that they felt was so humbling to Brett. This simple gesture had meant the world to these women – yet to him it was merely the loss of a little rental income. That realization struck home big time and left him speechless on the strength of it. Penny then covered for him and thanked Jill, but everyone in that room knew how Brett felt and they all loved him for it. Here was an example of what a good man looked like. He was a simple contractor, but he had a heart of gold. Such men did exist and he was living proof of it. Now if only they could go and find one out there just like him? To these four women Penny Stark did indeed have a Unicorn closet in her home – they had just met him.
Chapter Seventeen

***

Alan and Kevin were now working on the etiquette component at present and trying to come up with who was going to be what at the upcoming banquet. The butler had to be a person of considerable pomp and dignity and the footmen who would be serving had to look the part too. The guests would all be decked out in their Sunday best and be on their best behaviour. Their offspring however were less inclined to observe the rules and would therefore be up to all kinds of mischievous activity. The banquet itself would be set up as a classroom lesson, with Miss Lamb and Miss Bird explaining the protocols to be observed and correcting errant behaviour as they saw it occur. They had all been told in the classroom beforehand what was expected of them and it had all been carefully explained as to what good manners were and how they would be used in such settings. While the ambience was not quite that of Downton Abbey (of TV fame), it would be fitting for the occasion as would the animal's behaviour. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans of men etc. This banquet would have one or two issues one would never see at Downton. Alan and Kevin would make sure of that. This was going to be a feast to remember – and that was the point. The faux pas that would be made, the viewer would remember, and hopefully never make them themselves in the future. The eyebrow raising, the frowns and the display of disgust and the expressions on the transgressors faces would have the viewer in stitches, or it should do it they got it right. There were plenty to go around too and if they did it right the whole thing would be hilarious – but very educational also. The comments of rebuke and the disdainful looks from Miss Bird and Miss Lamb would indeed be memorable. That however was Alicia's department. The two men would provide all the graphics and the animal antics, but Alicia would do the voiceovers and all of the comments.

The animals would all look the part, the females in dresses and the males in tuxes. You can no doubt already imagine how some of them would look – and that's before they would make an error or do or say something that might be inappropriate and thus incur the wrath of either another guest or one their teachers. This was going to be quite the function, and then some, of that there would be no doubt. Each and every animal would be acting totally different to the way they did in real life. Alan and Kevin had tried all kinds out in the role of Butler. The Gorilla, the Orangutan and the Chimpanzee just didn't quite cut it, the Grisly Bear, the Polar Bear were not quite right either. The Emperor Penguin had been given serious consideration – but they decided against him in the end. Then they examined the possibility of the Panda becoming the butler. He even had the right coloring as he was black and white to begin with too. Yes they thought we'll make the Panda the Butler. What a choice that turned out to be – he was fabulous in that role once they had finished it.

***

When John arrived back in Toronto his first mission was to give the ring to Charles. He knew already that Charles would be pleased with it – he certainly was. He just wished he could have been a fly on the wall when he gave it to Lynda. The chances of that however were rather remote to say the least. Lynda was a shy girl at heart and certainly not one for flamboyance and show. Charles asking her to marry him in public would certainly not be appreciated and Charles was very much aware of that fact. This would have to be done in private at the appropriate time – springing an ambush on Lynda would be a killer of any kind of mood. This had to be done right – if not exactly by the book. Charles knew that Simon was spending the weekend fishing with some friends, one last fling before the season closed, and so he now had a time. What he needed next was the place. He decided that he would invite Lynda over for a home cooked meal, one that he himself would make. Charles was capable in the kitchen – but Julia Childs he was not. He would make a basic roast lamb dinner complete with an appropriate dessert and a good bottle of wine. Of course he couldn't tell her beforehand – that would tip her off as to his intentions that night. So on the strength of that Charles played it cool. Lynda would be teaching her class on that Friday night at the Half-Way house so Charles invited her to come to his place for dinner to save her having to do it for herself. It was the end of the week, she had just finished teaching –so it followed she would be tired and not want to go home and cook. This was the way he presented it to her and Lynda readily accepted his offer. He had done it in such an offhand manner Lynda never suspected a thing.

She went to her class that evening and seeing the eagerness on the faces of those women inspired her to forget her tiredness and put on a good show. They had learned a great deal now and were quite capable of holding down a good office job. They had the basics now and any new employee would need time to settle into a new position. Bearing that in mind these ladies were ready to face the outside world and quite ready to go for interviews. A little morale boosting would go down well and give them the confidence they would need – so that night some role playing was called for. How to make a good impression in the interview – that was tonight's theme. It would be on the agenda for next week too, Lynda pointed out. It went off very well that night – but it could be polished up a little and so they would work on that next week.

When Lynda arrived at Charles's house she was quite tired. He gave her kiss when she walked through the front door and he took off her coat and hung it in the closet. He told her to sit down and relax and gave her a glass of wine.

"Charles, is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not a thing, Honey; just sit there and relax and watch the flames flickering in the fireplace. I find that to be rather calming after a hard day and everything else is under control. Dinner will be served in about ten minutes."

"It smells wonderful, Charles, what is it?"

"That madam you will have to wait and see when it arrives. It is a Charlie Graham masterpiece, a mouthwatering delicacy of unimaginable taste – and one to melt the fair ladies heart."

"Oh wow, said Lynda, I can hardly wait after that build up. If it tastes half as good as it smells it will be fantastic."

She still did not suspect a thing. This was just Charlie being Charlie and doing something nice for her as she was tired. As she sat there watching the flames dancing in the hearth and sending the odd shower of sparks us the chimney, she could hear Charles going back and forth from the kitchen to the dining room with the dishes. It really did smell delicious and right now, tired as she was, she felt as if she could eat a horse.

"Dinner is served Madam, said Charles in a pompous British accent."

Lynda then got up and went into the living room. What a feast lay in front of her. Charles had gone all out here – this was no regular meal. The silverware was being used; the candles were lit on the table and their shimmering reflections were dancing on the crystal glasses.

"Don't get used to this, Lynda, I just wanted to show you that I am not a savage and I have in fact been house trained."

"Well yes I can see that, Charles, you certainly do know how to charm a girl – even if it just to make a point, she quipped."

"Well it would be unfair of me to lead you to believe that I was always this thoughtful, attentive and appreciative of your fatigue after a hard day's graft. Mind you it does come pretty close – I probably would offer you the glass of wine."

They both laughed at that.

"Well we wouldn't want you getting a hernia now would we - all that effort can't be good for you, especially if it leaves you too tired for anything else"

Charles roared laughing at that response from Lynda.

"My point exactly a man has to preserve his energy for more pressing duties."

"I see, so you consider that to be a duty do you – I'll bear that in mind?"

"Oops said Charles, let me pull my foot out of my mouth before we eat."

Lynda was the one howling now.

The meal itself really did live up to expectations. The lamb was simply beautiful and melted in their mouths. The glaze he had applied had melted around the roast potatoes and given the juices a unique flavor that made the gravy totally delicious. Lynda just loved it, what a perfect way to end the day she thought.

In a crystal vase on the table were two small packages wrapped in gift paper with strings to each place setting. When Lynda had asked what they were earlier he had told her they were simple gifts. It was a Graham family tradition he told her.

"Whenever my Mom had a party she would always place a small gift in a box for each guest. It wasn't much, just something small and then at the end you all pulled your strings to see what loot you had. It could be a chocolate bar or a small toy or puzzle, it was just for fun really."

"What a lovely idea, said Lynda."

She then dismissed it from her mind and helped Charles clear away the dishes. He then busied himself getting the dessert ready and putting on the coffee. Once the main course dishes had been rinsed and placed in the dishwasher Charles brought out the dessert. They sat at the table talking in between mouthfuls of the fruit trifle – well mostly in between; something Miss. Bird and Miss Lamb would most certainly frown upon.

When Lynda put down her fork she thanked Charles once again for a wonderful meal and just how much she had enjoyed being treated like a queen.

"Well your Majesty! said Charles mockingly, pull your string and see what little trinket resides therein?"

Without hesitation Lynda pulled on the pink string, but the box got caught on the rim of the vase. That meant that she had to reach over to free it, which she duly did. The box itself didn't give the contents away as Charles had placed the ring box within another box of a different shape. Charles meanwhile was pulling on his string and Lynda could see him out of the corner of her eye. She had absolutely no idea what was about to happen, until she unwrapped her little box. When she saw what was in that second box the look on her face was priceless. Charles was kicking himself later for not having filmed it. Her whole face lit up like a Christmas tree, her eyes widened in absolute awe and then she threw herself at Charles in tears and wrapped her arms around his neck sobbing. Further words were totally unnecessary, but he asked her formally anyway.

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife, Lynda and consider yourself engaged as of right this minute."

He registered the muffled "Yes, Darling, Oh yes please" that followed and he was then drowned in her kisses making further commentary impossible.

The dessert dishes had to wait until morning to be cleared and the coffee was simply thrown out having gone cold – something that could not be said of them that night. Miss Lamb and Miss Bird would certainly not have approved of their behaviour at all that night. Then again, the title Miss applied to them – it most certainly didn't to Lynda – not that night. Why the fire department weren't summoned to dowse the flames remains a mystery to this day for both of them. She did eventually say that she liked the ring, not that she needed to. As Miss Lamb would frequently point out – "actions speak louder than words". Who could argue with that wisdom? Certainly not Charles Graham, not after that night – Lynda really did seem to have liked her ring.

***

The following Monday Lynda simply bounced in to her office. Today she was wearing a blouse and loose fitting floral skirt. It had autumn colours and the whole outfit really looked good on her. Initially nobody noticed her engagement ring until she went to the vending machine for a chocolate bar. As she was reaching for the fallen bar Nancy Everstead walked by and saw the ring on her outstretched hand.

"Lynda Maxwell, is that what I think it is?"  
"Yes, Charles proposed last Friday night."

"Oh Lynda it's gorgeous, what a beautiful ring."  
"What is said a voice behind them?"

They had been so engrossed in discussing the ring that they simply didn't see or hear Dr. Davidson come up to the machine also.

"Glen, just look at this, said Nancy – Lynda just got engaged."

"Congratulations Lynda, so finally Charlie got around to making an honest woman of you, good for him. When's the wedding?"

"Glen! behave yourself said Nancy – just ignore him Lynda, honestly men! What can you do with them?????"

"What can you do without us, quipped Glen?"

Then before either of them could respond he said –

"Don't you dare answer that – either of you. In all seriousness Lynda, I really am pleased for you, I know Jean will be when I tell her, or have you told her already?"

"No Glen I haven't yet, I haven't told anyone, Nancy just caught me by surprise."

"I see, may I have a closer look at that rock, it looks exquisite."

As he lifted up Lynda's hand to get a closer look he admired the ring and then looked over at Nancy.

"It really is beautiful isn't it; you don't often see craftsmanship like that anymore."

As he said it he realized immediately where that ring had come from and Nancy too picked up on his comment. They both gave each other a knowing glance and said one word.

"Karu"

"What is Karu said the puzzled Lynda?"

"It's not a what, it's a who, Lynda. John Billinge knows this jeweler in Singapore who does the most beautiful work. He made a necklace for Nancy here that the queen would be proud to wear and he also made Jean's ring too. Judging by the quality involved here I would say that John Billinge organized this."

"Well if the truth be known I think Alicia just might have had a hand in it, said Nancy"

"Men don't think along those lines."

"Oh so you don't think men can be romantic then Nancy?"

Nancy just looked at him coyly.

"Well you can be persuaded at times, she said impishly, but at other times it is motivated by pure lust."

"Ah so you don't like Eric lusting for you and wanting a ravishing romp – is that what you are telling us?"

"Glen Davidson behave, you know damn well that's not what I was saying."

"Well I didn't think so either, but it did sort of sound that way, didn't it Lynda?"

"Hey don't drag me into this. I was just showing you my engagement ring. I didn't expect it to turn into a discussion in who chased who around the bedroom and what motivated such activity."

All three of them laughed and Glen promised to stop teasing Nancy – but pointed out that it was fun seeing her reaction. Nancy lost no time in advising him that two could play at that game and she just might pay him back. Glen then reached into his pocket and pulled out his handkerchief and waved it at her causing even more laughter from the two women.

***

Alan and Kevin were having all kinds of fun dressing up the animals for this banquet. One look at some of them brought tears to your eyes and they hadn't done or said anything yet. They had originally thought that all the men would wear tuxes, but they were having second thoughts about that. Individuality could be lost if they did that. All the female animals would be dressed differently as they would in real life, so why not the males? Some of them may wear tuxes, others just suits, or god forbid sports jacket and trousers. It was a class thing. As they looked at this they realized that they needed to make this applicable to all. Good manners were something everyone should have, not just the more fortunate in life. Not everyone out there in the general public owned a tux. Yes they could always go and rent one if necessary – but most men owned at least one suit – most but perhaps not all. So bearing that in mind Alan and Kevin set about dressing the animals according to their characters. Bespoke tailoring it was not. Some of the clothes simply hung off them and the mannerisms the animals developed to cope with that problem had even Alan and Kevin laughing and they had designed it all. In one scene they had designed they had a Zebra as a waiter. When someone made an off color remark that upset him he swished his tale and cleared half the dishes off the table. It was totally hilarious to see that, but upon reflection they wisely figured that Alicia may consider that not to be in keeping with the message of etiquette and appropriate behaviour. When they showed it to her later she too laughed at it. They were told to keep it as they may find a place for it down the road – but it would not be suitable for this disc.

The Elephants, the Rhinos and the Hippos looked fantastic. They looked as if Ralph Lauren had designed their clothes. They were light on their feet, walked with uncustomary grace and acted every bit the classy ladies they were supposed to be. Others were dressed in rather less classy attire that suggested that they were perhaps not quite so well versed in the social niceties. There was nothing slutty on display, no necklines you could paint your toenails through or anything directly pointing to the fact that they came from the other side of the tracks. It was simply there to point out that everyone needed manners. As the banquet progressed it would be shown that good and bad manners would be shared equally between those who considered themselves to be better than others and the less fortunate who did behave correctly. Having a kind heart and being considerate of others is not class specific and this would clearly show that to be the case. The Panda was now the Butler and he acted accordingly. The pomposity he displayed, the looks he gave and his vocabulary in itself was hilarious. His demeanor throughout the banquet was one of total superiority, he was above all of this and these peasants had no business being here. This was clearly how he felt and it came across admirably. He was a class act however, he never put people to shame or belittled them, but the viewer certainly got the message. As the banquet wore on you could see his attitude change. The so called peasants were now acting with a little more decorum as they learned more manners. The game directed your attention to Mr. Panda to reinforce the point that behaviour could be changed together with attitudes similar to Mr. Panda's. He had changed his opinion when they learned their manners – society as a whole would do the same thing if people acted appropriately for the circumstances they were in at the time. This at least was the message that was trying to be put across. They still had some way to go and to find the right balance. The antics were coming along just fine – the language would be the next part. It all had to be funny and keep the children's attention. It had to be real and appropriate to today's world and the subject matter had to be relevant. Things that the kids could identify with, understand, and yet not be afraid of. The visual side could portray the offensive behaviour, but the narrative would have to be very carefully worded to soften the impact. That would be Alicia's headache, but one she had proven herself to be very capable of.
Chapter Eighteen

***

It was November now and in a few weeks time the festive season would begin. Office parties, large corporate functions and simple get togethers would quickly book up all the best facilities in the town and of course all the best bands and DJ's. The Women's Shelter would not have such a function for obvious reasons, but it would have a Christmas Dinner and the children would have presents to open. The Lions and the Rotary Club would see to that. This was something that they had always done and it was deeply appreciated. This wasn't all that they did at this time of the year, but it was what they did for the Women's Shelter. As for whom those women would be at that time was an unknown. It was a revolving door operation in the shelter itself. The Half-Way House and the Quadraplex had permanent residents – well semi-permanent anyway, but not so the main shelter. To Rachel this was heartbreaking, she felt like an inn keeper in Bethlehem turning away those in desperate need of help. It was a first come first served situation, but those turned away were still deserving of her help – help she was simply not able to give. The town's party goers would be whooping it up, blowing their buzzers and ringing their bells and toasting each other – while across the road may sit a homeless person or a battered wife. It didn't really matter which, the party goers would be oblivious to both – it was just how it was. The church on the corner had a basement and it allowed many of the homeless to come in out of the cold and to sleep in there if they desired. What surprised Alicia and Cathy, and now Lynda also, was the magnitude of the problem. This was a relatively affluent community, middle management types and up, so how could poverty exist here? In the big cities perhaps, but here, Nah! That can't be right. Well these three ladies now knew that it was right and right under everyone's noses. They were helping some, but others fell between the cracks of a system desperately overloaded and underfunded. Politicians paid lip service to the problem – but actions were not forthcoming. This holiday season would be like all the others – no room at the inn for many.

The Half-Way house and the Quadraplex would have celebrations and they most certainly had things to celebrate too. The hopelessness and despair that they had once suffered themselves was a thing of the past. The Women's Shelter had given them a second chance –they had won the lottery. They were housed and fed, counseled and re-trained and made ready for the workforce. This was huge for them as so much depended upon it. In Chloe's case for instance, getting her son back with her depended upon her being successful and becoming independent. This was now about to come true for her. It was cases like hers that made up for the others and that pleased Rachel to no end. The girls were indeed modern Phoenixes rising up from the ashes of their former lives and going forward with purpose and resolution – graduates of the Women's Shelter. The program was working and Rachel and her volunteers had much to be satisfied about. This was their first year of operation and they had helped a fair number of women. They certainly hadn't cured all of their ills by any means, but they had been of significant assistance in a variety of ways. Just simply listening could be therapeutic in itself and they all had time for that. Those in the training program were the ones they were most proud of. They were now almost at the end of their courses and they had done very well. They had all worked very hard and they were now ready to face the outside world. It had not come easy to some of them, but they were successful. Cathy, and particularly, Alicia, had followed their progress with keen interest. Alicia was jotting all kinds of notes to herself as she sat at the back of the classroom. She was simply enthralled by what was taking place right before her eyes. Women who a short while ago had nothing to live for – or so it might seem – were now vibrant and enthusiastic and looking forward to the future. It was still unknown, but now they were in a position to face it on their own and not be afraid of it. As Alicia was taking note of all of this it made her realize even more the need for such programs in the community and not just for abused women. Men too could use re-training in order to escape from the rut that they too might be in – but cannot climb out of for lack of funds. It was something she would look in to in the New Year and perhaps get Cathy involved too. Once she and the team had finished the Behavioral and Etiquette disc she could start work on the motivational and self-help aspect. These women were role models and this was all truth – there was no fiction in this – that had happened and as such it would form the basis of her disc – "but one disc at a time Alicia", she had to remind herself.

***

Debbie Miller stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. She stood there naked in front of the mirror and looked at the image she saw before her. The bruises had all gone now, her figure wasn't all that bad, but it could be far better – it certainly wasn't what it used to be. Then again, she was 35 years old now, and still fairly presentable on the outside. Her breasts hadn't sagged much and she still had a waistline and Dave Curtis had shown an interest in her. As she stared at herself with her hair all straggly she was not disgusted by what she saw in the mirror. She was still attractive, her figure was quite reasonable and despite the bits of flab here and there she felt pretty good about herself. Her overall health was now pretty good, no injuries and no pains anywhere, except perhaps in her heart. Jack had been a good husband to her and he had loved her to death – and ultimately it was to his death too. He had taken a wrong turn true enough – but it was done for her and Chelsea. It was just circumstances, tragic as they were, but life is like that – one mistake and it all falls apart. As she looked in that mirror now she could see a future. Before when she had looked she could not. All she had focused on then were her bruises, black eyes and bandages. Today, Debbie Miller was a good looking woman, very good for her age in fact, not that she would agree with that – but Dave Curtis certainly would. It was her birthday the day after tomorrow, but she had told nobody. Chelsea however had let it slip to one of her friends pointing out how sad she was that she couldn't buy her Mom a gift. The friend told her own Mom and it then got back to Cathy and then to Alicia.

"Alicia, did you know it was Debbie Miller's birthday in two days asked Cathy?"

"What? No I had no idea."

"Well it is and I think we should do something or at least buy her a gift."

"I agree, but what? Debbie thinks we have given her too much already, she is hell bent on paying us back you know."

"Yes, Alicia I do know, she is a very proud woman and I certainly admire that quality in her – but we have to do something."

"Does Dave Curtis know do you think?"

"I doubt that very much, Alicia, I only found out by accident. Why do you ask – what have you got up your sleeve now?"

"Well I was just wondering if he might like to take her out on her birthday, I'm sure Debbie would like that."

"Now there's a good idea Alicia – but then Debbie has nothing appropriate to wear the last time I saw her closet."

"Leave that one with me Cathy. I can go over there this afternoon and drag her around one or two stores. She'll need interview clothes soon anyway – so what are a few more odds and ends here and there."

"I just love the way you think Alicia, you really are creative aren't you."

"Yes, well, I kind of like Debbie, she deserves a break and she is a lovely woman under all of that debris."

"That she is, Alicia, Rachel was saying the same thing only yesterday. She has come a long way and she hates to receive handouts and can't wait to get back on her feet in order to pay us back."

"Well, this shopping spree won't be classified as a handout, a Birthday present to a friend perhaps, but not charity. I'll take care of that and I just might kick in a cocktail dress too. Your job will be to get Dave to ask Debbie out on a date for her birthday."

"I'll get right on that, boss, she replied laughing."

***

Debbie was in the kitchen washing up after lunch when Alicia dropped by. They chatted briefly and then Alicia asked her if she could spare the time to come into town with her. Debbie of course had very little else to do and so she went along with the idea.

"You know Deb; you'll be finishing your course soon and going on interviews for your new job. I know your wardrobe is a little sparse right now, but as your birthday is coming up I'd like to get you a few things to get your new career off on the right foot. It's my birthday present to you, Debbie."

"I can't accept that Alicia, you have been more than generous already and it will be hard enough to repay all that you have done so far without adding more to the list?"

"Debbie you are not listening – this is a birthday present to a friend – not a handout. I have watched you grow these past few months and I totally admire your strength of character and I am very pleased to have you as a friend. I have a wide variety of friends, Debbie, yes some are very wealthy, like Cathy and Penny, but by no means all of them are. Money doesn't make people nice, Debbie, Character does."

"That's what Dave Curtis said to me also a few weeks ago."

"Well there you have it, it must be true then right?"

"How are things going with you and Dave, I could see that you have a connection there?"

"We are just friends right now, I'm not ready yet for anything more and Dave just doesn't know the full story yet."

"Oh I don't think that will matter once he learns all of it. He is a man of character is Dave. I have dealt with his father for years, he's a good man. He's been around too has Dave, he knows what this world is all about and he has seen a good portion of it too as a merchant seaman."

"Yes he did tell me he was a former sailor."

"Well he was a ships officer actually, Debbie, not a deckhand, just so you know."

"He didn't mention that part, he just said he was in the merchant navy."

"Yeah! That sounds like a Curtis, they never blow their own horn, Debbie."

"Dave is a good man and he's very busy right now learning the ropes of the new business they have just taken over. He is a hard worker and he'll do very well when he finally takes over his dad's agency. You could do a lot worse than Dave Curtis, Debbie. Give him a chance; I saw the way he looked at you. Let that drawbridge down a little, I'm sure you won't regret it."

"I wish I was so certain, I do like Dave."

"Then the next time he asks you out on a date – then go for it. He won't run away Debbie, and if he did, then he isn't the man for you. You deserve a real man, one who can accept you for you – warts and all. None of us are perfect and you need a man who can see that – Dave is such a man. However, you will only find that out by going out with him, and Debbie – I think you are ready. Put your fears away and take that first step – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain – trust me, Deb."

With that Alicia took Debbie around some middle of the road stores and equipped her for any upcoming interviews. The clothing that she bought would fit into any business environment and Alicia bought her several different outfits that one could easily mix and match to make them look like far more and not appear to be repetitive. Then she took Debbie into a store that she used supposedly to by herself a cocktail dress. She and Debbie were basically the same size, so she got Debbie to model a few for her. She then asked Debbie to pick one for her that she herself might like. She did just that and then modelled it for Alicia.

"So what do you think?"

"I love it Alicia, it feels just right."

"Do you think John might like it?"

"Oh I'm sure he would, you'd look lovely in it."

"Well you most certainly do Deb. Do think Dave might like to see you in something like that."

"Chance would be a fine thing, Alicia, I can't afford this type of clothing."

"Not right now perhaps, Debbie, but down the road – who knows? Your future is looking brighter by the day. It might get even brighter if Dave Curtis ever gets around to learning how to use a phone. If he does, like I said, you are ready so don't hold back. Oh and by the way, that dress you have on is now yours. That is my present to you."

"No, No, No, I can't let you do that Alicia."

"Oh yes you can and what is more you will. Trust me when I tell you this Deb. and I know it may sound trite and insincere, but it's the truth. I get far more out of doing this than you do in getting it. The look on your face just then was priceless and knowing that I caused it was a very precious gift to me. It makes me feel so happy to know that I can give you pleasure even if it is only a dress."

"Only a dress, Alicia! It's far more than just a dress, it's gorgeous."

"Yes, well that aside, I just wanted to do something nice for you and in doing so I got something nice in return. The feeling of knowing how appreciative you were, of how happy it made you, is a gift beyond measure to me Debbie. I could buy dresses like that every day and never feel the way I do now and that is thanks to you. So no arguments – that dress is yours. I just hope you get the opportunity to wear it soon – possibly to impress Dave."

"Thank you Alicia, thank you so much and I really do mean that."

"I know you do Deb and you are so very welcome, it really is my pleasure."

"I just hope that Dave will like it on me."

"Well unless he's been struck blind recently I can't see that being a problem, Debbie. You look fabulous in it and it most definitely suits you."

At this point they cashed out and left for home, both of them very satisfied with the day's events, but for very different reasons.

***

The following morning Alicia, Alan and Kevin got together to watch the initial version of the picnic in its entirety. It ran from the classroom and Mr. Owl's lectures on good behaviour to back in the classroom again, ready to begin lectures on good neighborliness. The animals had really had a good time at the picnic and they were certainly all friends with each other now. As the three of them watched, they all made little notes to themselves when they saw some imperfection or something that could be improved upon. The overall impression was favorable; it certainly grabbed your attention and held it. It was funny and entertaining and once the subliminal track was added it would be educational too. All of the animals were getting along well together and the viewer could clearly see that – the subliminal track would point out the benefits of accepting others and their differences in real life. The odd tweak would be necessary here and there, but in essence the prototype disc was almost ready for consumer testing, by inside staff first of course. Quite a few people had a hand in the making of these games and they too played a valuable role in their creation. They may only do little bits here and there on the graphics, or the animation, but their efforts were invaluable and they needed to see just what they were a part of. A presentation would be held in the cafeteria for all staff members so that they could see what stage they were at. It was something they were very appreciative of as it kept them in the loop. They had all signed confidentiality agreements – not that they would be needed with these people, but they were signed for security reasons. Nobody there would sell or disclose any of IEC's technology or game content. They were very proud of their accomplishments and also of the way that they were treated by their bosses, namely Alicia, Alan and Kevin. Company loyalty is seldom seen today – but it existed here at IEC. They had been told that the disc was almost finished and they were all looking forward to seeing it. The final phase would be the bullying and etiquette content. This they had not started on yet – although they had the main themes outlined and how they would approach them. They had already achieved quite a lot on the etiquette side – but the behavioral side was still in its infancy. Alicia had tried several ideas and put many scenarios together and then rejected all of them for one reason or another. Acceptable behaviour was easy to illustrate and get people to aspire to – but where there is White one also needs Black or with Right you also need Wrong. You can't have one without the other to contrast it with. It also has to be appropriate to the realities out there in the real world and yet it mustn't be frightening to children. They had to be able to see it –relate to it from their own experiences – and accept it in their stride as a fact of life. Fear and anxiety had no place here – yet it also had to be real and not overly sanitized. Alicia had agonized on this portion of the disc, but she felt she was getting closer now. She was currently working on the premise that the offence would be minimized, but the misery it caused would be amplified to show the victim's pain. Alicia now felt that she was getting close now and she had done a fair amount of personal research on the topic. She had spoken to a friend who was a school principal in Richvale and asked her about the offences she encountered most. This would keep her current as to what was going on out there. Armed with this information she could formulate the disc content and address each issue accordingly.

She was very pleased indeed the way the picnic content had turned out – from a technical standpoint that is. The background, the musical coordination and the coloring was perfect. The animal activity was superb and the graphics were just out of this world. The guys had done a fantastic job yet again. The few people who had seen it were impressed and they had only seen snippets. The consensus was that this would be another success once it was released. The humor alone would guarantee mass sales volume. One must also never forget that this was a teaching game where children learned as they watched it –funny and entertaining it may be – but it was a teaching tool at the same time. The original version was an internationally acclaimed success and it was indeed helping its intended audience. Version 2.0 would hopefully achieve similar results. The topics would be different perhaps, but their importance was just the same as the basic subjects. The initial narrative would certainly make that point up front on the disc wrapping and stress its importance. Alicia felt that most parents would relish that idea and sales would not be negatively impacted because of it. In fact it could just be the opposite, but only time could answer that.
Chapter Nineteen

***

Debbie was just about to walk out of the front door when the telephone rang, it was Dave Curtis.

"Debbie, I hear that it is your birthday tomorrow, or so a little bird told me."

"Oh so you have been talking to Alicia Billinge have you?"

"Alicia? No I have spoken to Alicia, why would you think that?"

"I went out with her yesterday and she is one of the few who knows it's my birthday tomorrow."

"Well this little birdie knows too and it certainly wasn't Alicia Billinge. Anyway I am calling to ask you out on a date to celebrate it – and unless you have huge plans for tomorrow night I don't want to hear any objections."

Debbie was taken aback by this masterful approach as Dave had not been this assertive with her before. Her mind was racing, but she liked the idea of Dave taking charge. There was a degree of comfort in knowing that – it just gave her a sense of warmth. She was very quickly becoming a self-sufficient woman and emerging from her cocoon of misery and fearfulness, but it still felt nice to be taken care of by a man like Dave.

"Well, when you put it like that a girl can hardly refuse can she? Not that I wanted to Dave, it would indeed be a lovely treat to be taken out on my birthday. Thank you for being so thoughtful. Dave, I would very much enjoy going out to dinner with you."

"Good, that's settled then, Debbie, I'll call round for you at 7:00pm if that works for you?"

"That would be just fine Dave, I'll be ready."

Truer words were never spoken, Debbie would indeed be ready, and mentally she was there right now. Alicia's present was going to be tested far sooner than she had realized. Her heart was all a flutter now as the reality set in. She was going on a real date with Dave, she had the dress, but that was it. She had no jewelry, her hair was a sight and she even lacked a pair of heels to go with the dress. As she added up all of these deficiencies she began to panic.

"Debbie what's got you so worked up asked Jill when she came down, who was that on the phone?"

"That was Dave Curtis asking me out to dinner tomorrow for my birthday."

"Your birthday is tomorrow, why didn't you tell us, we could have done something?"

"I didn't want a fuss Jill and besides none of us has any money to spare on parties etc."

"Well maybe not, but we could have done something special, even if it was just playing games or something. Then again, if you are going out with Dave that would trump anything we could come up with, Debbie. I am happy for you, really happy. Why are you so wound up, Dave is a great guy?"

"I know, but I don't have the shoes, any jewellery and just look at my hair."

"That won't be a problem Debs; we can scrounge up all of these I'm sure. Betty is a hairdresser, well she used to be, so I'm sure she can make your hair look fantastic. Pam has a pair of earrings, they are diamond studs I think, and she'll certainly lend them to you for the night. That just leaves the pumps, what size are you?"

"I'm a size six, why, what do you have in mind?"

"I think I just might be able to round up a pair from the Women's Shelter basement. I have to go over there today anyway so I'll see what I can come up with."

The next morning everyone came downstairs and wished Debbie a happy birthday. Debbie however was a total wreck and her nerves were all over the place. She really liked Dave and she didn't want to blow this. He would be taking her to a nice restaurant and she needed to look the part and not have him feel ashamed of her. She knew the dress would be fine and Pam's earrings would complement that, but could Betty make her hair look decent. Jill couldn't come up with the right size of shoe, so she would have to wear her ordinary ones. They were hardly appropriate for the occasion, but it was that or bare feet – so they would just have to do.

As the afternoon wore on Debbie's anxiety grew even more intense. The three women did their best to calm her down, but it was an uphill task. However, when Debbie saw what Betty had accomplished with her hair she began to relax. When she looked in the mirror she was totally delighted with the results. She then went upstairs to get ready and when she came back down she looked absolutely beautiful in her dress and borrowed earrings. Debbie had selected this dress because it was black and Alicia had beautiful black hair and thought it would go well with it. Now it would be her own "Little Black Dress" that could be worn just about anywhere. It was tastefully elegant and timeless and she looked absolutely stunning in it.

Just as the girls were admiring her there came a knock at the front door. They all looked at each other; it was too early for Dave – Wasn't it? Jill then went to answer it and see who it was. It was Rachel Malcolm.

"Oh My! Debbie, you really do look lovely. Happy Birthday to you by the way: I just wanted to drop these off for you; I sure hope they fit you, Debbie?"

Rachel had brought round a pair of her own black pumps for Debbie to wear as she wore the same size shoes. They fit her perfectly when she slipped them on.

"They feel great Rachel, thank you so much for doing this."

"My pleasure, Debbie, just remember they are made of glass and you have to be back by midnight or else."

They all burst out laughing at that and they were still in the middle of it when Prince Charming himself rolled up.

"Good evening ladies, I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"Not at all Dave we were just chatting, we hope you have an enjoyable evening the pair of you, said Rachel, you are ready aren't you Deb?"

"Oh yes, I guess I am."

"Well in that case let's go ma'am, your carriage awaits, have a good evening yourselves ladies, bye."

With that Dave ushered Debbie out of the door and into his car and they drove off to the golf club for dinner and not a restaurant. Dave was himself a member there unknown to Debbie.

"They make a good looking couple don't they commented, Jill?"

"Yes they do indeed, added Rachel. I'm very happy for her, that poor woman has been through hell, it's good to see her happy."

"Yes, I think she likes Dave a lot more than she lets on said Betty."

"Oh I'm quite sure she does, said Rachel, but she is still a little cautious just now. Give it time, Dave is a nice guy. He'll get her to let that drawbridge down as they get to know each other better."

"I sure hope so, said Jill, Debbie so deserves to be happy after what she has suffered; I just hope Dave can handle it."

"From what I have been told by others he is the ideal man for her and that he will not be deterred by her past experiences, that's the kind of guy he is - and certainly one that she deserves."

***

Alicia was sat in her workshop surrounded by TV screens all of which held different themes regarding the behavioral disc. The one right in front of her now had Mr. Owl at his desk in front of the class explaining what today's lesson was all about. He had started by reminding them about the fun they had all had at the picnic yesterday and he got them to stand up individually to express their views and what they had enjoyed most. It was fairly brief, but each animal had their say and told the class how much they had enjoyed it all. Mr. Owl, Miss Bird and Miss Lamb then pointed out what they had enjoyed most and which antics they found to be funny and which were perhaps a little inappropriate. They had the whole class in stitches by the time they had finished and each and every animal present was in a good mood and on the same page. They were now ready to be taught about good behaviour.

Mr. Owl had the class all calmed down again now after the hilarity of reviewing the picnic. He now put on his authoritative voice and a serious look and told the class what to expect for the rest of the day.

"Today, Boys and Girls, Miss Lamb and Miss Bird are going to teach you one of the basics of life: Treating other people how you yourself would like to be treated." Now it sounds simple enough, and in truth it really is, but not everyone abides by this precept. Yesterday you were all playing together and having fun and here we all are today still getting along fine. Now as Miss Bird pointed out, one or two people were a little mischievous yesterday and a few others went a little too far in teasing some of you. Ask yourselves now if you would like to be on the receiving end of those remarks. This is what Miss Lamb and Miss Bird will be discussing today. A Little later on we shall be setting up a Behaviour Court. It will have three magistrates sitting on the bench and if you transgress in school you will be brought before them and tried just as if you were in the outside world. The whole theme is based on being nice people and being considerate of others and treating them with the same dignity and respect that you would like them to show to you. Does anyone have any questions?"

"Yes Miss Warthog, what is it?"

"Do we have to be nice all the time or is it just in school?"

"That is a very good question. Can anyone in the class answer that?"

"Yes Miss Tiger."

"It should be all the time, in or out of school; we should be respected all of the time not part of it"

"Very good Miss Tiger, did that answer your question, Miss Warthog?"

"Yes Sir it did."

"Anyone else have anything to add or ask about? Good, then I'll hand things over to Miss Lamb. Before I do however, I cannot stress enough just how important this will be in your lives, so pay attention to what Miss Lamb and Miss Bird will teach you today. It will make you nicer people, better neighbours, and enable you to have many friends – and we all want that. Very good, Miss Lamb they are all yours."

The first issue to be dealt with was the name calling and she started off by pointing out the difference between the person themselves and the actions they performed. All of us are capable of doing silly things and inappropriate things too from time to time. However dumb our mistake was that certainly doesn't make us dumb. We are still the same as we were before and we shall be the same after it. Our action was what was dumb – not us as individuals. She went on to point out several cases where Mr. Owl had cause to get on someone's case for misbehaving – but stressing the difference between them and what they did. She then eased into the name calling and how hurtful it could be. At this point she organized a little role playing using minor insults and amplifying the victim's distress. She deliberately chose only the most popular animals for this exercise. When they saw the most popular animals being scorned and the agony it cause them, the rest of the class could clearly see that pain – and they didn't like it. Their friends, and in some cases their heroes, were being mocked and this they did not like at all. Hopefully this would then resonate with them and perhaps influence their future behaviour towards others. This was just a start, far more involved scenarios would be played out and everyone would have the opportunity to be both the bully and the victim. Each scenario would be played out according to the animals involved and once the lesson was over, those guilty of such future behaviour would be brought before the court. Mr. Fox, Mr. Weasel and Mr. Coyote would be the presiding magistrates and they would certainly act as such. The way the game was formatted nobody would be committing any offenses serious enough to warrant expulsion – the animals all knew that could happen, just as children in school do, but nothing of that gravity would be shown on the disc. The bullying was limited to petty things like pinching a chocolate bar or a sandwich, but you would end up in front of the magistrates for that and punished accordingly. Physical violence would not be a factor and certainly not shown.

Alicia had deliberated over that point for some time. This game had to be real, and school yard fights do take place – so should one be included in order to keep it real? Two animals could squabble and one emerges with a bloody nose and then they both make up after it. This is a common enough occurrence in most schools. She went back and forth on that issue and then finally decided against it. Miss Lamb did mention it in her lesson – but it was not shown. The Etiquette portion would cover gallantry as well as manners; less than gentlemanly behaviour would be penalized. If a hand were raised in anger against a female animal justice would be swiftly dispensed before a blow was struck. The message getting across was all that mattered – and hopefully it would. The test phase would iron out the kinks and if tweaking was required to get that message across it would be done. If others suggested that a bloody nose here and there was essential – Alicia would listen to them and perhaps revisit the issue.

***

It was now getting quite close to Christmas and preparations needed to be made for celebrating it at the Women's Shelter, the Half-Way House and the Quadraplex. There would be nothing lavish there, but it would be made as homely as possible. The Christmas dinner would be as good as one could find anywhere, there were certainly enough cooks in their kitchens and each would have a specific task. The decorations and table favors Cathy and Alicia would take care of, the food itself the Rotary Club and the Lions would provide along with the toys for the children. The residents of these establishments would not be denied a Christmas because of their circumstances. These women came from all walks of life and yet they all pitched in together and acted like they were all sisters in the same family. In essence they were as they were all in the same boat despite their academic and social differences. Being in the Shelter was a leveling experience as was being a volunteer there. Alicia and Cathy had no illusions and they clearly saw things as they were, as opposed to how they should be.

Lynda was now giving the final touches to her student's interview techniques. They had all come a long way in a very short time and on the job training would round out the rest of their office skills. This would apply to any new hire in any company and so in essence they were ready to face the world with their new found skills. Lynda had prepared them to the best of her ability and despite their fears of being rejected they were now ready. Rachel would take them all shopping for appropriate clothing and when they showed up for the interview they would fit right in with all the other applicants. Braxton and IEC would certainly take some of the women, but for others they would not be the right fit. That however, would not be an impediment in their quest for other situations and this was very quickly shown to be the truth. Debbie Miller would not be ready until after Christmas due to the courses she was taking – but the others would be. Lynda grilled each and every one of them the day before their interviews and in all but one case they were offered the position. The one that didn't get the job was up against nepotism it turned out. She never stood a chance, her interview was purely for cosmetic purposes and the family member got the position. Such things happen out there in the real world – but she was successful in her next interview.

Rachel was overjoyed by these results, in fact it was hard to tell who was more so – the women themselves or Rachel. The shelter had indeed given them a new start in life – it also proved to others that they could too – if they worked hard enough. Lives were being salvaged here and that was most gratifying to all involved in helping to accomplish that. Coming just before Christmas was an even more satisfying result and one they really felt good about. Starting a new job in the New Year had far more significance to these women. This was the beginning of their new lives and being grateful to the Women's Shelter was an understatement. They could never put into words how they felt towards the Shelter and those responsible for giving them this second chance. They now had a future, one that held promise and the feeling that gave them all was totally beyond measure. A few months ago they felt hopeless and trapped and faced a long life of misery. Today all of that was behind them and they were now in charge of their destiny – something they had not had before. The shelter had given them the self-confidence to go out on their own and make their own place in the world. Do what they wanted to do and not listen to those who would point out why they couldn't do it. Those days were over, Alicia, Cathy and Lynda had all played a part in showing these women that they had the right to do this and were in fact quite capable of doing it too. They were now friends with millionaires who accepted them without reservation and the boost that gave them was huge. They had new found skills and were respected on the strength of it. They had even been selected in their interviews and totally accepted as new members of staff. Their history was unknown, they were hired because of what they were not who they were. The shelter was now officially a success story. What they had achieved was amazing and extremely beneficial to the fortunate few who had benefitted from the programs they ran. They would have liked to do more – but Rachel was pleased with what they had achieved, not too long ago nothing was being done for these poor women. This she was really pleased about, it wasn't hubris she felt, it was genuine joy for the women themselves and how far they had come down the road of turning their lives around.

***

Debbie Miller was nearing the end of her course and early in the New Year she would be ready to go out on interviews and face the world head on. She had come a long way and she was now confident enough to go out there and succeed. It was just then that another opportunity presented itself and it was a very generous one too.

Cathy Braxton was walking downtown one day on a shopping spree when she bumped into Brenda Banks. Brenda was the woman that Brett Stark had helped out a few years ago. He had given her a model home at a discounted price and let her rent it –the rent was subsequently classified as a deposit. When she could afford to take on a mortgage, Brenda then bought the home. Brett and Alan had also found her a job at that time too and it was something that Brenda never forgot. She was back on her feet now – but living alone still and there was no man in the picture at all. After the experience she had, men were by no means on her radar. However, as she and Cathy were talking the subject of Debbie Miller came up – she having experienced total poverty too – plus far more and then some. When Brenda learned of this she had an idea and bounced it off Cathy. It couldn't be timed better coming just before Christmas and an introduction was set up.

Debbie Miller had no sooner come back home to the Half-Way house when a knock came to her door. When she opened the door there stood Cathy and Brenda.

"Hi Debbie, I'd like to introduce you to another friend of mine, Brenda Banks and this Brenda, is Debbie Miller."

"Hi Debbie I'm very pleased to meet you said Brenda."

"Likewise said Debbie"

"Debbie, a few years ago, Brenda was in a very similar situation to yours, not quite as dramatic, perhaps, but she too was in bad shape. As a result, a friend of hers, Penny, stepped in and helped her out. Penny has a habit of helping people as you know, Deb. Well to cut a long story short, Brenda would like to repay that good fortune by trying to help you out. She lives in a large house all on her own and she was wondering if you might like to move in with her to keep her company until you can get back on your feet."

"You don't have to say anything one way or the other right now, Debbie, said Brenda. You hardly know me, but if you would like to drop by and take a look at the house and have a chat then you might be in a better position to decide."

"That is very kind of you Brenda, very kind indeed, and I would love to drop by and see your home."

"Good, well that is settled then, said Cathy."

"That is all we came by for Debs. Brenda just wanted to make you the offer. Having been where you are she understands only too well what you are feeling right now – well regarding the lack of funds anyway. The rest you can discuss at a later date."

"There are no strings, Debbie, but we could perhaps help each other out. I get lonely all on my own and having someone to talk to would be a blessing for me."

"You do know I have a 15 year old daughter, don't you, Brenda."

"Yes Cathy did tell me that."

"Well I just wanted you to know that up front, they can be a challenge at times."

"I am well aware of that too, Debbie, but I'm quite sure that won't be a problem. The house is large enough for all of us to have our space; Chelsea will have her own room."

"I just don't know what to say, Brenda, this is so good of you."

"Just give me a call tomorrow and then come on round to see the place and we can talk about it then."

"I most certainly will do that, Brenda, count on it."

The next day Debbie called Brenda and dropped by to see the place. She had discussed it with Chelsea earlier and they both went round to Brenda's together to see what would become their new home. It was a decision they would never regret and coming right before Christmas was yet another bonus.
Chapter Twenty

***

Debbie and Chelsea moved into Brenda's house in the middle of December and they settled in there very quickly. Chelsea was particularly pleased as she could now bring her friends home and even have sleepovers now. Debbie and Brenda had sat down and had a real heart to heart chat and each now knew the ordeal that the other had undergone. They had considerable respect for each other on the strength of it too. Brenda fully understood Debbie's nervousness where Dave Curtis was concerned and she knew he was a really nice guy and definitely a good catch for Debbie. Brenda got it – all those things were true, but that wasn't the point. Having been through what those two women had been through gave them a very different perspective on the world and caution was foremost in their minds as a result. Logic had nothing to do with it and those who have not experienced such traumas find it difficult to comprehend, but Brenda got it. As a result she and Debbie became firm roomies very quickly.

All over Markton and Richvale preparations were being made for Christmas parties. Braxton, I.E.C. and the Markton Trauma Center were three of the organizations who would be having major events in town. There would of course be many more. The Foul Harmonic Orchestra was booked solid for the whole month of January and for most of December too for that matter. All three events, Braxton, I.E.C. and the M.T.C. had booked them well in advance as they knew how quickly they would be snapped up. Markton's major hotels were similarly booked up and so too were the various conference centers. Most of the firms in town would be holding some sort of Christmas celebration and everyone was looking forward to attending their own event.

The Women's Shelter, the Half-Way House and the Quadraplex would hold something in the Women's Shelter where Santa Clause himself would put in an appearance. Some of the children who were in foster care and separated from their mothers would also be present. Not all of the children unfortunately, but most of them and those that were would enjoy themselves. A visit with their Mom was the greatest gift they could receive and the adults knew it.

Rachel had been very busy organizing and coordination with the Rotary the Lions and the Social Services in order to ensure that this all came to be as planned. Everyone involved was on the same page and red tape didn't exist. It was all done for the benefit of the women and the kids and protocol would not be allowed to derail this event and their enjoyment of it. The women themselves had put in a lot of time getting the scene set for this event, some would not even be there then, but they still dove right in to help out. The actual event itself would be taking place on Christmas Day and Cathy and Lynda would all be there alongside Rachel to help things run smoothly.

Debbie, Chelsea and Brenda had decorated their house from top to bottom and they had a Christmas tree fully decorated and illuminated. They had not put any light display on the outside, but it resembled Las Vegas on the inside. They had a gas fireplace in the family room and one that had logs and flames dancing around in it, or so it appeared. It was all very cozy and warm. As an additional bonus Dave Curtis had been invited to share in their festivities. Chelsea was bringing a boy from school and that left Brenda on her own. Upon learning that, Debbie asked David if he knew of a single friend he could bring along. As it happened he did – but whether he would be in town over the holidays was another matter. He told Debbie that he would do his best to bring his friend and he would confirm that closer to the day. Debbie accepted that, but she didn't question it further. She knew he was a friend from the band – but more than that she didn't know. If he was a friend of Dave's he had to be a nice guy and Brenda deserved nothing less. It was not a blind date; well not really, it was just to balance the numbers in truth. However, if something did evolve from that, then they would just wait to see what happened along the way. Brenda was off men right now having been taken to the cleaners by her ex-husband. However, despite all of that trauma she was now starting to put her life back together and she was ready to start dating again – even if she didn't realize it. Brenda was a smart woman as well as being very attractive. She was the manager of a local lumber company. While most of her duties were office related she spent a fair amount of her time on the shop floor and in the sawmill too. Her employers were very pleased with her performance and they were extremely grateful to Brett Stark for introducing her to them. She was a very capable woman and self-assured once more now that her life was back on track. Penny Stark was responsible for this transformation, but she would downplay that if asked. She was just happy for her friend and soon she would be even happier when the future unfolded for her. Dave's invited friend would most certainly add a whole new dimension to Brenda's life on Christmas Day – she simply didn't know that yet - nor could she ever have imagined it.

***

Alicia was now agonizing over the cyber bullying aspect of her game. In real life this was now becoming a major problem and it was causing considerable distress to a great many kids. The question was how could she address this issue in an appropriate manner? The physical bullying displays were all too clear – cyber bullying was anything but and yet the results could be as bad or even worse. She was toying with different scenarios and using photos taken at the picnic and modifying them. This modification would mean that the new picture would portray a very different situation from the original and certainly embarrass the individual concerned. It showed both the original and the modified version and explained how such things could be widely circulated and cause pain to the individual involved who had basically done nothing wrong at all. As they had all been present for the original incident they could quickly see how this version was a total distortion of the truth. Hopefully they would get the message that this type of torment was totally unacceptable. Miss Bird would most definitely put considerable emphasis on that point and make sure all of the animal students were on the same page and found it to be wrong also. This was the final part of the bullying phase and with a little fine tuning here and there it should be almost ready for showing. The next phase was the Etiquette and Manners phase and how to behave in public. There would be a fair amount of humour in this phase caused by several of the animals making gaffes either at the table or making unseemly remarks at inappropriate times. Putting their foot in their mouth would be a common occurrence and the rest of the class would howl laughing as each gaffe occurred. The shock registered by Miss Bird and Miss Lamb would send the viewer into raptures. Their facial expressions alone would bring tears to your eyes. Jocular it may well be, but all the animals knew all too well what the real message was here and they all learned from it. In fact by the time Miss Bird and Miss Lamb had finished with them they would all be quite refined and quite capable of conducting themselves in the finest of company. They had learned how to set a table properly, how and when to compliment the hostess and which cutlery to use for which course of the meal. They were impeccably dressed and composed, no slouching, and the ladies deportment was superb. If the viewer absorbed only half of this information they would not embarrass themselves in most of the situations they would normally encounter. Those in the diplomatic corps or who were personal friends of royalty may need to have absorbed all of it rather than just the half – and then they would be acceptable anywhere. Even the dowager Lady Grantham of Downton Abbey fame would have little cause to fault their manners. She may however find other issues on which to look down upon in her own inimitable style.

It would take Alicia well into the New Year to iron out all of the kinks and put it all together for the initial preview. The three partners and Jean would be the first to view this disc and then the rest of the staff would see it - assuming no corrections were to be made first. Once they had seen it the trial phase could begin and select members of the public would be invited to express an opinion on the content and on the overall game. It was that which would determine the success or failure of the game on the general market once it was finally released. As of right now it was looking pretty good – but there was still plenty to do in order to make it as perfect as it could be.

***

Lynda and Charles had been making wedding plans of late and trying to get all of the details in order. They had booked the church together with Dr. Phillips to be the organist and the flowers were also organized. The bridesmaids and groomsmen had yet to be determined, but they saw no problems in getting that dealt with later on. There were of course the usual details of whom to invite and where to seat them – your typical minefield in effect. Place settings were all important to some people and their proximity to the head table. In this particular instance none of this was seen as a potential problem and therefore no noses should be put out of joint. If anyone did in fact develop a deviated septum over their seating arrangements – there would be no shortage of doctors at hand to rectify the situation – but such activity was not envisioned. The Foul Harmonic Orchestra had been retained and the function was to be held at the Golf Club and all parties were fully familiar with the procedures involved and the timing of everything. As far as Charles was concerned the hard part was done, Lynda however would certainly not share that opinion. Women see far more than men and they go over every detail with a magnifying glass. Table ornaments and center pieces, place cards, spelling errors on said cards, food allergies, menu choices, colour coordination, and the list goes on and on. Charles wouldn't even know half of the items on that list let alone be concerned about them. All he had to do was send his tux to the cleaners, polish his shoes and he was good to go – well having also visited the barbers shop perhaps. Everything else was none of his business – at least as he saw it anyway. He had done the hard part. The location, the reception, the band, the carriages, the photographer – I mean what else is there right??? Lynda on the other hand could have pointed out a one or two ancillary items that might need looking into – but she probably wouldn't as she would prefer to see to them personally. Men are far too sloppy at times and these things needed to be delicately handled, unlike the bull in the china shop attitude of most men towards these things. However, first things first – Christmas celebrations had to be organized and there were several functions to attend. They would be going to the Braxton Industries Ball and to the Markton Trauma Center Christmas Gala as well as one or two house parties. All of which would require different outfits. Well perhaps not all, but certainly most. Several of their friends would be attending the same functions and that necessitated different outfits for the women. Men could show up in overalls and not be noticed, but their wives would be examined from head to toe and wearing the same outfit twice was simply unthinkable.

This year, both Alvin and John would be at home for Christmas and not flying half way around the world over the holidays. The previous three years they had been away, this year they would both be at home with their families and they were both looking forward to it. Alicia especially was over the moon to think her husband would there with her over Christmas, she and their daughter Allison would simply love having Daddy there with them to open the presents on Christmas Morning. John was looking forward to that too as this would be his first Christmas at home with Allison. He could hardly wait to see her face when she opened Santa's gifts from under the tree. It was difficult to determine who was the more excited, Allison or John. The Billinge family would be over along with the Adams's on Christmas Day and so Alicia and John would be busy in the kitchen getting everything ready for that beforehand. Alicia had given strict instructions to Maureen and Louise, (John's and her own mother), to just bring themselves and not come over with Desserts, Hors Doeurves or finger foods – she would have all that covered.

On Christmas Eve, Alicia and John had been invited to Jean and Glen's for dinner and on Boxing Day they had been invited to the Malcolm's for dinner. Overall it was a pretty hectic schedule of events, but they were all looking forward to it. Alicia was especially pleased as this year she could attend with her husband for a change. It wasn't much fun to go solo on these occasions, but if John was off flying somewhere she had little choice.

Cathy Braxton and Lynda Maxwell would be at the Women's Shelter on Christmas Day and both would going to Rachel's on Boxing Day for dinner. Tony Braxton, Alvin Carter and Charlie Graham would be helping to serve Christmas Dinner at the drop in center at lunchtime on Christmas Day. Tony had done this for years and John Billinge and his dad often came by too. When Charlie came to Markton he jumped right in and he and Tony now went together every year. It was a busy place and it served a basic need. While Markton appeared to be a reasonably affluent area, there were still plenty who fell between the cracks. Tony, Charlie and the other volunteers found the whole thing to be very rewarding and humbling at the same time. Brett Stark and Alan Garth would often show up too. They had known hard times and knew only too well that "There but for the grace of God" they too could have ended up here. It was a very humbling experience and they all considered it a privilege to serve these people. The gratitude they showed to the volunteers was in itself therapeutic and worth far more than money could buy. They had nothing, but they would willingly share anything they were given with others who were less fortunate. It was heartbreaking to see, but uplifting at the same time. None of this was lost on the volunteers either. It made them realize just how shallow they could be at times by worrying over the trivialities of life. These people were there for each other and they had nothing to give but themselves – but they gave that freely. The volunteers did too, that's why they were there, but not everyone shares that viewpoint. Perhaps Alicia's new game might change a few opinions regarding that down the road, who knows?

***

Christmas was now only six days away and Braxton Industries and I.E.C. had their Christmas parties on two of those days. The Markton Trauma Center was holding its party on the 28th of December and Trans Global Airlines were holding their function in January. It would be a busy time for the group as they would be attending more than one function in most cases. In addition, a few words would have to be said by the various executives and chief of staff – so they had those to work on. These off the cuff remarks had to be carefully prepared for. They had to be brief and yet all encompassing, everyone who needed to be recognized had to be included and kudos given all round for their overall performance. It may appear to be spontaneous if done properly – but it is generally anything but. Tony Braxton had been working on his casual remarks for weeks and so too had Alicia Billinge. The Emcee's would clink their glasses to get everyone's attention and then call upon the executive to say a few words to the gathering. It would not be a Rah, Rah, session by any means but it would be uplifting and congratulatory thus setting the tone for the evening of reverie that would follow. With that out of the way everyone could then look forward to an evening of dancing and partying in general.

Lynda had almost finished her teaching sessions now and most of the women had secured employment as a result. There were now only three ladies left and Debbie Miller was one of them. Their basic skills were up to par now, but they needed to be able to perform in an interview in order to secure the position. Then there was the small matter of even getting an interview. They had been given some interview training and a few role playing sessions, but now it was time to get serious and add all the polish to it.

"Alright ladies, now that you are ready to go out there to compete in the rat race we have to prepare you for the Interview, said Lynda. The Resume will be the all important element in that regard. As most recruiters and H.R. managers will tell you, they spend about six seconds going over your C.V. or Resume. Six seconds in which to decide whether to see you or not, quite often that's all it takes. That means that what is on that piece of paper must grab their attention immediately. These professionals see lots of Resumes and their time is valuable. They want only the most suitable applicants for interview. They don't go for fancy fonts or abstract designs – unless they are seeking a graphic designer, they simply want relevant experience and appropriate credentials. Setting this out up front in a clear and concise manner will generally secure you an interview. Autobiographies and a multitude of irrelevant positions seldom make the cut. The sole purpose of the Resume is to get you the interview. Once you are being interviewed then you can prove to the interviewer why you are the person for the job. Today I want you to pretend that you are hiring someone. I have prepared a few Resumes for you to look at and then make your decision. You will each have the same Resumes to review and I want you to make your selection and then justify to me why you picked that particular candidate."

"Are these real or have you made them up?"

"They are real Mary – but I have changed a few things in order to make them unrecognizable for privacy reasons."

"Did any of them get the job?'

"Yes, Debbie, one person did get hired."

"Study them carefully and remember you are the one hiring for the position."

Lynda then handed out all the Resumes and let the women deliberate over them for a while. They all selected the same candidate and she was in fact the one that landed the job. Lynda was totally delighted by this result. That meant that these three ladies had been paying attention to her instruction over the past few months and were now ready to set forth on their future careers. They were even capable of hiring staff if called upon to do so and that was huge as far as Lynda was concerned – they most certainly had come a long way in a very short time.

***

Having agonized over the Behavioral section of the disc Alicia was now having some fun with the Etiquette portion. The Panda bear was now the butler and he had the attitude to match. The other animals were falling over themselves trying to maintain their composure and dignity. There would be a dress rehearsal prior to the main banquet and the antics displayed here would bring the viewer to tears. Alan and Kevin had done a fabulous job with the animation and the background and the initial clumsiness would have everyone laughing. However, on the actual evening of the banquet that would certainly not be the case. Each animal would be on their best behaviour, dressed to perfection and display their manners and decorum admirably. Miss Bird and Miss Lamb had indeed done an excellent job in refining these animals as the viewer could now clearly see for themselves. The narrative on the subliminal track would be pointing out all of the little nuances and the importance of observing the various protocols along the way. Elbows on the table and wiping you nose with your sleeve was not permitted – people had been castigated for that in the rehearsal phase. The public scolding for that and the facial expressions that were shown would certainly capture ones attention and make one smile too. The humour was there, but so too was the message. It wasn't being rammed down your throat – but it was there and the viewers would certainly pick up on it. That after all was the whole purpose behind it.

As John would be home for Christmas and the New Year, Alicia was also going to take that time off also. Kevin and Alan had no problem with that at all and were in fact quite happy for her. She had missed out for the last three years so they knew she deserved this family time now. Alicia had lined up Louise and Maureen to perform their grandmotherly duties and babysit Allison so that she and John could attend all of the parties on their list. She could really kick up her heels this year now- and that she was most certainly intent on doing too.
Chapter Twenty One

***

It was now the Friday before Christmas and the day of the Braxton Christmas Party. It was being held in the Convention Center in Toronto as that was the only facility large enough to accommodate everyone. It wasn't just the Electronics Division from Markton that would be attending; some of their plants from around the city would also be there. In essence there would be well over one thousand people there that night. There was no head table at this function although the tables were in fact numbered. This was done purely to let people know where they were seated. All the executives were spread out throughout the room and Tony and Cathy were seated somewhere in the middle of it all and Charlie and Lynda were on the other side of the room. There would be no cliques at this function, all management staff would be scattered throughout the room too. One or two people thought that this was to simply keep people in line and curtail any possible drunkenness – but that was not the case at all. It was done to show the staff that their bosses were human too and they too could have a good time and mix freely amongst them as equals for this party. They could get to know each other through table conversation and hopefully build up mutual respect for each other at the same time. The H.R. department had tried to ensure that one's immediate boss was not seated at their table when making the seating charts, but other executives or managers just might be. This had worked out well in the past and everyone had enjoyed themselves and not felt intimidated in any way. Tony and Cathy were seated with one of the secretaries and her husband and two men and their wives from the shipping department. By the end of the evening they were all getting on like a house on fire. Cathy had been asked up to dance by all the men and Tony had danced with all of their wives. The same had applied to Charlie and Lynda. The party itself was a huge success and a good morale booster, but that was not its primary purpose. As Tony had pointed out in his off the cuff remarks this was the company's way of saying "Thank You" for all of their efforts throughout the year and for making Braxton Industries so successful. He went on to say that they were responsible for this and it was largely due to the family atmosphere they had created here at Braxton. He then thanked them once again and told them to have a great night and a wonderful Christmas. Needless to say his comments were appreciated. Everyone in that hall knew he meant every single word of it and they were soon on their feet to let him know how they felt about it.

Earlier that afternoon over at I.E.C. Alicia, Alan and Kevin had given a presentation to their employees in the cafeteria. They just wanted to give them an update just before Christmas on how things were going and what stage the new game was at. That morning the three of them had sat down and previewed it all and made one or two changes. They could see other issues that needed to be addressed, but overall it was almost ready. It was felt that the staff needed to know all of this prior to Christmas and to make them feel good about what they had all achieved. They would all be going home early that day and tomorrow was their Christmas Party at the Markton Hilton. They were all pretty excited right now knowing they were going to see a preview of the game and then attend the party tomorrow night and then Christmas would be here. No wonder they were all on cloud nine that day.

At 2:00 p.m. everyone was gathered in the cafeteria anxiously awaiting the preview of the new game. One could easily feel the tension in the room and the static electricity like effect it had. Alan then rose to his feet and said a few words, then Kevin and finally Alicia. They had explained that it was not quite complete as there were one or two issues that they had noticed this morning that needed to be cleaned up. It was also pointed out that if they saw something amiss to immediately point it out. That said, Alicia told Alan to start the presentation. Silence then fell upon the room- but it was short lived. The images had barely flashed across the screen and the whole room was in an uproar. The behaviour of the animals was such that maintaining a straight face was impossible. The name calling was so creative you just had to laugh at it and yet you still sympathized with the victim when they showed their distress. Bullying was a serious subject, but the way that those chocolate bars were stolen and the antics of the animals stealing them and their facial expressions had everyone in stitches. The antics of the victims would also provoke laughter. When the punishment phase was shown it was a little more serious. The animal's expressions showed their shame, while the remaining animals left them in no doubt what they thought of what they had done and the pain they had caused. The viewer would be in stitches seeing all of this play out in front of them as it really was hilarious. When the Etiquette and Manners phase kicked in the room all but exploded. The appearance of the animals and their behaviour in the rehearsal banquet and their facial expressions had almost everyone with tears running down their faces. The pomposity of the Panda and his superiority was simply hilarious. He looked down upon everyone and felt that none of them should even be there – they were such peasants and most certainly beneath his dignity. He did however change his attitude towards the end. The employees were simply howling now at what they were seeing. Kevin, Alan and Alicia were taking all of this in and casually looking across at each other. There was no doubt about it, this was a hit. There were still aspects to add, but what they had so far was working fine. However, this was all IEC's employees and they had a vested interest of course. The big test would come when the public would be shown it in the trial phase with the subliminal elements added. For now however, everything was on track and the staff had certainly given their endorsement to the disc. One look at their faces during this presentation told you all you needed to know about how they felt about it all. The comments afterwards were all suitably eulogistic too. Everyone was talking about their facial expressions, the things that they were saying and even more importantly the ways in which they were saying it. The three partners were very pleased indeed with what they had heard and they could really enjoy their Christmas festivities now knowing all of that.

***

While all of this had been going on John had been over at his dad's farm helping out with the chores. He had called Tommy to see if he had wanted to go with him and of course he did. They had spent the day in the hay loft sorting out the animal feed and tidying up in general. It was hard physical labour and quite tiring so they would both get a good night's sleep that night. Tommy's mother Jean would be home early that day, but she had plenty of things around the house to keep her busy. Tomorrow was the Christmas Party and she had to get her hair done in the morning. She had taken both of her dresses to the cleaners earlier so she was all set in that respect. She had to attend IEC's party tomorrow evening and then the Hospital's function on the 28th. Meanwhile she had a lot of Christmas baking to get organized not to mention Christmas dinner and all that it entailed. Glen would not be on call this year so he too would have a stress free holiday. He was not on call on New Year's Eve either so he was really happy about that too. That said, if there was a large scale emergency he could be called in – assuming he was sober that is. As Glen seldom drank too much he was usually in pretty good shape – however, pretty good certainly isn't good enough if you are a surgeon so he'd still be off the hook. Tomorrow night he could dust off his dancing shoes and glide around the dance floor with Jean at IEC's party and next week he'd do the same at the hospital's party. He could wear the same outfit to both being a man, he could even wear the same shirt too if it had been washed by then. Jean was certainly envious of that – men just had it so easy. Jean would have a number of people over on Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day it would just be themselves. Glen and Tommy would no doubt be playing games all day, but Jean was quite happy about that. It certainly kept them out of her hair while she was preparing the Christmas Dinner and that she was most grateful for.

IEC's Christmas Party was another huge success and one that everyone enjoyed fully. Despite having a complementary bar nobody drank to excess or abused it at all. Alicia was being complimented all night on the way she looked. This was hardly surprising as she did indeed look ravishing in her shot silk dress. The staff was used to seeing her in slacks most of the time or business suits – but this was a whole new woman, very soft and most definitely feminine. She really was a beautiful woman – but this was seriously down played in her everyday life. It was not done deliberately it was more for practical purposes. She would wear business suits to meet visiting executives and customers from the large retail chains – but otherwise she was casually dressed. Tonight she looked like a red carpet celebrity and in fact could put most of them to shame too. She and John made a very picturesque couple indeed that night and the room was buzzing with comments to that effect also. When they got up to dance all eyes were on them as she glided across the dance floor. They had both taken ballroom dancing lessons in their younger days and it showed. The fluidity with which they floated over the floor was noted by all and even more adulation was rained down up them. The way John swept her up in his arms and glided her around that floor was done in such a way that even Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers would have been envious of. Alicia was really enjoying herself that night. She was doing what she wanted to do, kick up her heels and have a ball and let her hair down for a change. Well her hair was down that night and falling on her shoulders in a lustrous black cascade that glistened in the light from the overhead crystal globe. She really was a vision that night and one look at her husband's eyes told you exactly what he thought about it all. He was totally captivated by her and she could see that quite clearly – it was just the effect she hoped it would have on him. She had been consumed by work of late – but not that night. The combination of atmosphere, the cocktails and the admiration of her husband had Alicia totally relaxed and that led to her becoming quite amorous later in the evening. Yes indeed, Alicia really did kick up her heels that night – much to John's delight. He was the recipient of all that joy and elation and he certainly had an early Christmas present on the strength of it. Well they both did in actual fact. Neither one of them would suffer from Insomnia that night, they both slept like babies. They would now have time to recover before their next outing on Christmas Eve at Jean and Glen's.

The function on Christmas Eve was more of a buffet style event. The women all brought a dish of something or a dessert and there would be no shortage of food to eat. Jean had made lasagna - enough to feed the hospital according to Glen. Then again he did concede that with over thirty people attending it was probably a good thing. It was all laid out in Jean's kitchen and it really was a feast for the eyes when one walked in and saw the spread in front of you. There was no formalities here you simply armed yourself with a plate and cutlery, selected your food items and then sat down anywhere to devour it. Elastic waistlines would have been very popular that night - had they been available. Nobody went home hungry that was for sure, but their exercise machines would be given a workout the following day in order to work it off in time to eat Christmas Dinner. Once that was done some had a Boxing Day function to go to also. As Joe Wilson, a physician friend of Glen's, pointed out – you just have to pace yourself over the holidays. It was a sentiment heartily endorsed by John Billinge and Nancy Everstead. She had told her husband Eric earlier that evening that she was almost ready to burst. The food was so enticing that any resolve to just take a little of everything soon went out of the window. Everyone had a most enjoyable evening and no doubt had a very sound sleep too after all of that food and drink. One or two of them would reflect on that the next day as they were serving Christmas Dinner to the homeless. This would make them realize just how fortunate they were and just how much they took for granted in their daily lives. It was that fact that would ensure they came back each year to volunteer and to make charitable donations throughout the year also. Christmas was a time for giving and those that actually gave generally received far more in return – just not in a tangible format.

***

Christmas Morning was a hectic time for all of the women. They were all involved in Christmas Dinner preparations in one form or another. The women in the Half Way House and the Quadraplex had gone over to the Women's Shelter to lend a helping hand over there. Basically there would be two functions held there that day – one for the children complete with Santa Claus and one in the evening for the women themselves. Cathy Braxton had slid in a few bottles of wine to help their dry throats along with something a little stronger to enhance their Christmas spirit so to speak. The Shelter itself had been fully decorated and it really was looking like a party would be taking place there now. The Rotary and the Lions had dropped off their goodies and all that was left was for Santa to drop in and give out what gifts remained. Everyone was excited and for a short period of time their minds were on Christmas and not on their personal difficulties. Those with children were looking forward to this even more as they could see their kid's faces when they received their gifts from Santa. This is something to savor for most mothers – but to these women this was huge. Chloe was going to see her little boy Raymond and she was so excited about that. Next year, if all went well, she would have him back living with her in their own place. It may not be a palace, money would be tight at first, but it would be home to them. She would then have a job, a place to live and a future to look forward to, and this was a monumental uplift for Chloe.

The lunch had gone very well and now it was Santa's turn to show up and give out the gifts. The women also got surprise gifts and this they were not expecting. They were not expensive gifts, just useful little things that the women actually needed. Alicia had asked Rachel to jot down a few things that each woman might need and she had gone out with Cathy and bought them all. Santa had just left when young Raymond remembered that he had brought his little gift for his mom and he had forgotten to give it to her. He shot out into the hall closet and brought back this little box wrapped in newspaper.

"What's this Raymond asked Chloe?"

"It's your present Mommy he told her, I made it myself."

"Where did you get the box and the wrapping paper?"

"Mrs. Wallace had thrown them out in the trash – but I could use them, she told me I could, honestly, Mommy."

"Oh I'm quite sure that she did, Raymond."

"Hmm what is inside I wonder – I can't hear it rattling?"

"Just open it Mommy, just open it said the excited Raymond."

With that Chloe carefully took off the wrapping and gently opened the lid of the box. Inside it was a single scrap of paper with a red X on it.

"I didn't have any money Mommy, so I made you that kiss on the paper and then I blew a whole lot of angel kisses into the box until it was full. Now when you get sad you can open the box and take out a kiss to make you feel better."

Poor Chloe was too distraught to speak. She just dropped to her knees and hugged him and then sobbed uncontrollably. Several of the other women had tears in their eyes too at this gesture of little Raymond's. He had touched a lot of hearts in that room and really shown what Christmas was all about. He had nothing tangible to give to his Mom – but that gift was priceless and Chloe just loved it. That little box with the scrap of paper inside with a red X in it she would keep forever now. That she would never part with under any circumstances and it would remain a prized possession until the day that she died.

When Raymond's foster mother came back to collect him she had no idea that he had done that. Raymond had asked her if he could have the box and she had said yes – but she had no idea what he intended to do with it. "That was his idea I guess" she told them – and that made it even more special. The child expected to get nothing this Christmas – but he wanted to give his Mom something – now that says it all. Christmas just doesn't get any better than that.

Cathy Braxton and Lynda had left the room just before this had taken place and headed into the kitchen to help clean up. When they heard about that they teared up too and as Lynda pointed out – "It's just as well I wasn't there, I too would have broken down if I'd been there and heard that. "

"It was a truly beautiful moment said Rachel, it touched a lot of hearts – including mine. I am so please for Chloe and she has so much to look forward too now. She starts at Braxton in the New Year thanks to you guys."

"No no, no, Rachel, she got this position on her own merits."

"Oh I realize that, but without your influence Cathy that opportunity may not have been there – and without your schooling, Lynda, she may never have qualified even if it was."

"Yes well we were only too pleased to do it, Rachel, weren't we Lynda?"

"Yes we were and to be honest I think I got more out of it than they did."

"Me too, said Cathy, it's been a real eye opener and a definite blessing to be a part of this Rachel. The work that you do here is vital and so rewarding despite it being heartbreaking at times. What young Raymond just did in there makes up for all of that heartbreak – that was so heartwarming and therapeutic – there's just no substitute for the unconditional love of a child."

"I think this was yet another way for God to tell me to keep on doing his work."

"Oh I am quite sure of that, Rachel, and I for one will be here to help you too."

"So will I if you need me, said Lynda?"

"Yes and I can say the same for Alicia too even if she isn't here, Rachel."

"You are making a difference and providing hope to the hopeless. It may sound a little trite to say it like that – but it's true. Chloe and some others will be starting work at Braxton's next week and others have already found jobs. The Shelter did this for them – and you are the shelter."

"Well thank you for your assistance - I need you and I really do appreciate all that you guys have done – and so too do the ladies involved."

"Rachel, like I said we got far more out of it than they did and it's has been a real privilege for us to be a part of it, said Cathy."

"Amen to that, said Lynda."

***

Over at Brenda's house it was a beehive of activity as Brenda, Debbie and Chelsea went around making sure they had all of their ducks beak to tail in time for their Christmas Dinner. Chelsea wanted to impress the boy from her school and Debbie wanted to impress Dave. Brenda also wanted to make a good impression on whomever it was that Dave would be bringing along. She had no romantic notions running around in her head, but at the same time she wanted to make a favourable impression on the man regardless of who he was. He may not be there as an actual date – but it wouldn't hurt to keep her hand in so to speak and dispel any rust that may have formed. Great pains would be taken by all three of them to look their best that evening. Debbie had agonized over what to wear for the occasion. She could wear her dress again, but she didn't want Dave to think that was all she had – even if it was in fact. Instead she chose a kilt and a white frilly blouse. She tried it on and then took a long hard look in the mirror. Debbie turned around, checked it out from every angle and finally decided that she could have chosen something worse to wear. In short it was acceptable, even if it had been chosen as a daily work outfit originally. Both her daughter and Brenda thought she looked terrific in it – but would Dave? His was the only opinion that mattered that night. Chelsea too looked stunning and way older than her fifteen years. She definitely had the body of a woman already despite still being little more than a child. The term jail bait definitely would apply here and yet Chelsea was not in any way flaunting herself. She was a very pretty girl, but there was also this air of shyness about her – a demure sense of innocence perhaps. The dress she had on was quite conservative, but she certainly filled it out in all the right places. There was no doubt that she was one of the nice girls – she just happened to have the figure and the looks of one that might appear to be a little less than chaste. Hopefully this boy that she had invited would have similar moral values; at least that was what Debbie was hoping for. She remembered only too well her own teenage years and the horny boys that were ever present in the school corridors and the comments that were passed around. They certainly let it be known that they fancied a romp in the hay with her –or anywhere else for that matter – but she too had been a nice girl. All she could do now was hope that she had imparted those values to her daughter. Chelsea was indeed her mother's daughter – she did share her mother's values and the kid she was bringing tonight respected them too. He was certainly no seminary student – but Miss Lamb and Miss Bird would find little to fault him for in the gentlemanly department. Little fault did not mean no fault though – he was still a horny teenager and Chelsea was not headed for the convent either. However, both knew where to draw the line and they did.

It was now late in the afternoon. The table had been set, the appetizers were in the oven warming up and the Turkey was now done. The veggies could be put on later but for now everything was Tickety-boo. They gave each other the once over and declared that they were just fine if not perfect. Then the doorbell rang and up went the heart rates on the spot. It was Chelsea's boyfriend. He had no sooner taken off his coat and hung it in the closet when the doorbell rang again. This time it was Dave and his friend. Debbie got quite a surprise when she saw who his friend from the band was - it was Alvin Carter. Debbie quickly introduced Brenda to Dave and Alvin and then ushered them into to the living room for drinks. The usual pleasantries were exchanged, but it was not what was said that caught the ladies eyes – it was the facial expressions of the men. They were trying not to be too obvious – but they were certainly looking the women over from top to bottom and by all accounts were more than impressed by what they saw. Dave started it off.

"Wow Debbie, you look fantastic in that kilt, you really do. The colours suit you and it's so in keeping with the season of Christmas. What do you think Alvin?"

"I couldn't agree more, in fact I was just about to compliment Brenda on how she looked, but I didn't want to be too forward."

"Oh please don't hold back Alvin, I'm sure Brenda can handle it said Debbie laughing"

"Well I was just going to say how beautiful she looked and how everything blended perfectly – but I didn't mean to embarrass you, Brenda and I hope I haven't?"

"Well thank you Alvin, that was very nice of you to say that and no I was not in any way embarrassed by that. In fact you can embarrass me like that as often as you like she said laughing."

"I wouldn't complain either said Debbie winking at Dave – it is nice to be complimented when in full tribal regalia and with all of our war paint on – don't you agree Brenda?"

Both men were in stitches laughing.

"I know it is traditional to sing for ones supper as the saying goes – but our comments tonight are by no means pro-forma, said Dave. Alvin and I meant every word of it and if the food tastes only half as good as you ladies look it will indeed be a feast to remember."

"Oh Wow, said Brenda, these guys can come again, they really know how to lay it on thick don't they?"

"They most certainly do, Brenda, then again it's delicious food for the ego don't you think?"

"It most certainly is – and we can't get too much of that today can we?"

"Hey, there's a huge difference between BS and ego food, remember, you are giving us your food - no, correction, make that delectable cuisine – we just brought a little sample of our own ego supplement as a small tribute. Now if you are embarrassed by that – then feel free to return the compliment – we won' get swelled heads I promise. It's nice to be reminded how hansom and debonair we are. It just carries so much more weight when a beautiful woman says it instead of us telling ourselves in the bathroom mirror."

Brenda and Debbie were really laughing at that comment and all the initial tension had gone now. Everyone was relaxed and on the same page now. It was obvious that everyone was comfortable with everyone else and that would now set the tone for the remainder of the evening. As the evening wore on the attraction between Debbie and Dave began to intensify. It had always been there on Dave's side, but Debbie had tended to hold back. Tonight that drawbridge seemed to be lowering. Brenda had not even considered men prior to this evening and tonight's visitor was simply there to balance the numbers. Well that was the original intent anyway. Alvin Carter was not what Brenda had expected at all. He was Dave's friend from the band, but he was also a pilot and a friend of John and Alicia Billinge. In addition to that he was a rather good looking guy – but one devoid of conceit. He was funny, could laugh at himself and he was self-assured. Well he just had to be, he was a pilot, and you can't be indecisive in that line of work. There was just something about him she thought. She didn't want to admit it even to herself, but Alvin Carter had made a very significant impression on Brenda Banks. She may not have been looking for it – but romance was about to enter into her life once more. She couldn't see it yet – but Debbie and Chelsea had certainly noticed it. This was turning out to be a very memorable Christmas for quite a few people.
Chapter Twenty Two

***

The Golf Club was having their usual New Year's Party and most of the group would be in attendance as most of them were members. They had just changed their Chef a few months ago and the food being served now was simply superb. He had only just returned to Canada after working in some of the finest restaurants in Europe. As he lived in Richvale formerly this is where he called home and that is why he returned here. The golf club snatched him up quickly before one of the major hotels grabbed him. The menu for that particular night was a fixed one with three choices of main course, Fish, Chicken or Beef. That way it was far easier for the kitchen staff to prepare and maintain the high standard of food for all attendees. Brenda Banks had never set foot inside the Golf Club's main building, but she would be that night. Alvin Carter had phoned her up and asked her to be his date for the evening. Dave and Debbie would be going and so would anybody who was anybody in the Richvale area. This of course included the Starks, the Garths, the Billinge's, the Braxton's, the Davidson's and the Malcolm's to name but a few. The mayor and several local politicians would also be in attendance along with the Chief of Police and the Fire Chief. They were all members after all so they were entitled to be there along with any guests they may wish to bring. It would also help them to run up their mandatory bar bills to the required level – and they were all in favour of doing that. They would meet in the ante-room first for cocktails and chatter, and then go into the main room for dinner and ultimately dancing until midnight and beyond. The Foul Harmonic Orchestra would be providing the music and Dave and Alvin would be required to be on the stage for most of the evening. Alvin could skip out here and there as he was a trumpet player and for some numbers he would not be missed. Dave, being the drummer, could not as he most certainly would be missed. However, during the intermission when the recordings were being played he could get away then and spin Debbie around the floor a few times. Brenda and Debbie were sitting at the Malcolm's table and they certainly were not wallflowers that night. They were seldom off the dance floor all night long. It was a most enjoyable evening all around, but then functions at the golf club usually were. When they were not dancing they were being regaled by Rachel's husband, John. They didn't know him very well before that night – but they did now. He had them laughing until their sides ached at times. He was relating some tales from his military days and they were hilarious. While he was no longer in uniform he still had some sort of tie to the government – but it was never talked about. If Rachel knew she never would disclose it so nobody ever asked.

Brenda had really gone all out for this date with Alvin. She was acting all cool calm and collected – but Debbie knew better. She had seen how much time and effort Brenda had put into her personal grooming for this and the opinion and reassurance she had sought from Debbie. Her ringing endorsement had obviously weighed the scale in favour of it and so on that note Brenda decided to go along with it. Apparently she made the correct decision – Alvin certainly gave his nod of approval regarding how she looked – and then some. Brenda was more than satisfied with his reaction and his comments – they were totally justified though, Brenda really did look stunning that night.

Debbie was wearing the dress that Alicia had bought on this occasion and she once again looked very glamorous in it. As Dave was playing up on the stage he had noticed quite a few of the men taking sideways glances at Debbie as they were dancing with their wives. He could only imagine what they were thinking – but he did have a very vivid imagination did our Dave. Debbie herself was oblivious to all of that – she only had eyes for one man now and he was playing the drums on the stage. It was nearing midnight now and the countdown had started and was being called out by the Golf Club President. When the New Year began everyone hugged and kissed each other as the band struck up with Auld Lang Syne. Debbie and Brenda had to settle for hugging each other at that point, but not for very long. When the band took a short break Alvin and Dave immediately came over. Brenda didn't know what to expect really. She liked Alvin and she would like to get to know him much more – but she was not going to throw herself at him. Alvin didn't care as he strode purposefully over to her, pulled her up on her feet, wrapped his arms firmly around her and kissed her. It was an embrace that was returned with equal intensity and it seemed to last forever before they came up for air and wished each other a Happy New Year. That kiss really had swept Brenda of her feet. She had felt a warm glow flow over her and it got hotter every second and by the time they broke it off it had a volcanic feel to it. Oh my she thought to herself, I can't believe I just did that – but I'm sure glad I did. As she looked into Alvin's eyes she could see that he was of the same opinion and yet still very happy about it. The ice had certainly been broken by that embrace and they both knew it. Neither Brenda nor Alvin had been seeking romance – but romance had found them all the same - and there was no denying that now.

The following day at the house Debbie and Brenda had a really intense discussion on the previous evening's events and their own feelings regarding it. It really had been a beautiful event. The Golf Club certainly knew how to put on a spread and the ambiance was ideal. The way the club had been decorated just added to the fairy tale like atmosphere. All the ladies were decked out in their finest and all the men wore tuxes and cummerbunds creating a Royal Palace like setting. Both women had really enjoyed themselves and had in fact danced their feet off. Then when you added in the two handsome princes – well the pleasure meter simply went off the scale. Debbie's drawbridge was almost on the ground now and she freely admitted to Brenda now that she had fallen in love with Dave and he seemed to feel the same way. The operative word in that phrase was "Seemed". She was 99% sure but there was just that 1% of uncertainly. In the back of her mind she still considered herself damaged goods. Dave had told her in no uncertain terms that her past experience was in the past – this was her future now and he too had fallen in love. He hadn't set out to, it just happened and that was that. However, until that ring appeared on her finger Debbie may have some reservations. Even after they married it may take a while to rid her brain of those thoughts of that experience. Dave was well aware of that and he would provide all the reassurance she may need whenever she may need it – he really did love her that much. Once she came to finally accept that, her nightmarish thoughts would end.

Brenda too was like a schoolgirl that morning. There was just something about Alvin that she found to be intoxicating. He was masterful, but then so was her ex-husband and look how he turned out she thought. Then on the other hand, there was a certain directness to Alvin. He was considerate of others and certainly compassionate to them – something her ex never was. In addition he radiated this sense of warmth and understanding and he was not at all judgmental. He was good looking, had a good job and above all else he seemed to like her. Now what else would a woman want in a man she asked herself? Yes, she needed to get to know him a little better – but he was certainly showing some promise right at this minute. This she had freely admitted to Debbie and Debbie had endorsed it on the spot.

"Brenda, Alvin is a great guy; give him a chance, take your time maybe, but definitely let him in. He's one of the good guys, he really is and so is Dave. Yes, I know I'm skittish and you are too – but in my heart I know they are both good men. We just can't live the rest of our lives in fear and loneliness, Brenda, we have to get back to having a life – and they are the men to take a chance on. They know our history and they still want us, warts and all – doesn't that tell you something? Chelsea likes Dave too, she can't put her finger on why, she just thinks he's a nice guy and to me that's huge. Her dad was also a nice guy – flawed perhaps – but a nice guy with a good heart and Dave is the same. Take a chance with Alvin Brenda and see where it leads you. It could be the best thing you ever did."

It was all the encouragement that Brenda needed – she and Alvin began dating now. Like John he was away a fair amount of the time – but when he was at home for a while – well life was pretty good then. Like Alicia, Brenda had her work to occupy her when her man was off flying around the globe.

***

It was the New Year now and Debbie had just finished her course and was ready to go forth into the world and seek her fortune. She saw an advertisement in the local newspaper that seemed to be just what she was looking for and so she sent in her resume. It was to a box number rather than to an actual address, but that made no difference to Debbie. A few days later she received a reply asking her to attend for an interview the following week. She was just over the moon knowing that someone at least thought her to be worthy of an interview at least. When she told Dave he too was excited for her. He wished her well and every success even though he had no idea as to who the company actually was. At this point Debbie only had an address and not the actual name of the company. When she arrived for her interview the name of the company rang no bells with her. It was in a downtown office building and it was an Insurance firm. The name Cresswell Insurance meant nothing to her as she walked in the door for her interview. She was given an application form to fill in and was told that Mrs. Monday would be out shortly. A few minutes later this older lady came out and introduced herself as Darlene Monday.

"Please come on in Debbie and have a seat. I have been looking over your resume and I see that you have been out of the workforce for some time and have just finished a retraining course."

"Yes ma'am that is correct answered Debbie."

"Good for you, said Darlene. That's the kind of attitude we seek here. Someone who is prepared to go forward in life and get back in the saddle once their kids have grown up. In addition, she said grinning from ear to ear – you won't have any bad habits from any other firms. That way we can teach you our own." Debbie felt pretty relaxed with her and was even more surprised when Darlene offered her the job.

"Debbie, I have gone through all of your paperwork and having chatted with you for the past forty minutes or so and I feel quite confident in offering you the position if you still want it?"

"Oh I certainly do, ma'am and thank you."

"It's Darlene, now Debbie and you can start next week if that suits you. I shall be retiring in June and you will then be up to speed and running the place I would imagine. So I'll let you go for now and I'll see you on Monday morning at 8:30am. The office actually opens its doors at 9:00am but we like to be all squared away and ready for when it does."

Debbie simply floated out of the office tower on her way back home and couldn't wait to tell Brenda, Rachel and Lynda her good news. She was also looking forward to telling Dave that she now had a job and things were starting to fall into place for her. She had no sooner taken off her coat and hung it in the closet than she was on the phone to Brenda, Rachel and Lynda. She was like an excited schoolgirl having just passed an exam with A+ marks. In actual fact this was pretty much on par with such an achievement in Debbie's case. She had really worked hard for Lynda and picked up a lot of information and technical ability, but her main forte was in plain common sense. She could think quickly on her feet, had a rational mind and she was a pretty good problem solver. When you added all of that together Debbie made a pretty good candidate for most office positions, including that of office manager too if it came right down to it. On the job training would soon add to her skills and that would apply in any new position and for any new hire like Debbie. Darlene Monday had been around for quite some time and she recognized talent when she saw it. Yes Debbie Miller was somewhat green in terms of practical office experience – but certainly not in life experience and her interpersonal skills were excellent. She would fit in quickly and command the respect of her brokers too once they saw her in action. Darlene had said as much to her boss in head office soon after Debbie had left.

Dave Curtis was sat at his desk when his phone rang.

"I have Mrs. Monday on line one for you Dave, said his secretary."

"Thanks Cheryl, Dave replied"

"Good morning, Darlene, and just how are you today?"

"Well I am pretty good actually Dave; I have just found my replacement for you. She has just left my office."

"Good for you, will she fit in well and more to the point will I like her?"

"I would say and unqualified "Yes" to both, Dave. She is a little light on previous office experience – but she makes up for it in all the other areas. She will soon pick up our procedures and methods and any applicant we hired would have to do that too. I had her here for over forty minutes and I was very impressed with her. There is just that certain something about her, Dave, I can't put my finger on it – but I liked it whatever it is and so will you I think. Her work ethic will ensure she picks things up quickly and I think she will be very efficient in everything that she does. Anyway, I told her she could start on Monday morning, Dave. You can drop by anytime to give her the once over for yourself – but I don't think you will be disappointed."

"I trust your judgment, Darlene; you have been doing this far longer than I have. What is her name by the way, you forgot to mention that minor detail"

"Oh did I, sorry about that, Dave, her name is Debbie Miller."

Dave must have let out a gasp followed by a relatively lengthy pause because Darlene picked up on it.

"Is something wrong, Dave, do you know this lady?"

"Erm yeah I do as a matter of fact."

"Well then you'll know how good she is then and how lucky we are to get her. Or do you know something about her that I don't?"

"That I do, Darlene, that I most certainly do – I'm dating her."

"Well that's even better then, Dave. If this relationship grows into something more she'll be a great asset to your business down the road."

"Yes, but it could cause some friction having the boss's girlfriend sitting in the office spying on everyone."

"Yes, well there is that, but honestly I don't see that as being an issue in this case, Dave. Debbie is a very nice person in herself; she would not be comfortable in the role of office spy. I am quite sure she would dispel such fears very quickly, it's just who she is. No, the more I think about that the less I worry about it. She'll be fine and I'm sure everyone else will be too. Besides, I'll be here for the next few months too Dave and you and I have been close too don't forget. Nah! This won't be an issue and for what it's worth I think you are a lucky guy – I wish you both all the best too."

"Thank you for that Darlene I appreciate your insight. I just hope Debbie sees it that way once she learns who her new boss is."

"Good luck with that one, Dave, I'm quite sure she has no idea right now."

"Oh I'm quite sure she doesn't, that subject has never come up before."

"Well like I said, good luck with that – choose you words carefully and on that happy note I'll say Bye."

Darlene then hung up the phone leaving Dave to ponder on how best to address this. Debbie would no doubt be excited about her new position – finding out who her boss was now may dampen that enthusiasm and that he didn't want. Hopefully he would have the afternoon to figure out the appropriate response. This could be a minefield and he certainly didn't wish to stumble across it wearing skis – finesse was required here and a stiff drink might help too.

***

Alicia, Kevin and Alan had now cleaned up the problems on the disc and added the subliminal track. They had also brought in a professional psychologist and sought her input on the content and heeded her advice too on several issues. The subject matter in this disc was far more complicated than on the first disc which dealt primarily with academic subjects. This disc was more behavioral although it did contain academic subjects too. The local school board chairman and a representative from the Education Minister's Office had also had input into this disc. The original intention behind this was good – but did it contain, or could it possible promote unintended consequences? Alicia, Kevin and Alan didn't think so, but they needed professional advice to make sure and also legal advice too to protect themselves. As they say, "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" and so legal advice was imperative. As of right now everything looked good, and all the interested parties had signed off on it. The messages were clear, the language was not incendiary, the moral and religious aspect was respectful to all and there was nothing in there that would frighten the children who saw it. That would not preclude them from adding various disclaimers up front on the packaging – even though it would appear to be completely unnecessary to most people. The behavioral disc had covered basic bullying, both schoolyard and cyber bullying via the internet, name calling and disrespect and all other aspects of human interaction. It was something that a civilized society needed in order to be considered truly civilized and basic manners was a good place to start. The way this disc portrayed all of that was by way of humour. Laughter is the best medicine so they say, and so Alicia employed it to give her the results she sought. Mr. Owl's Academy version 2.0 was now just about ready for its trial phase.

The disc formatting, the colour coordination, the background music and the design work was now finished. The hues in the forest were all correct and all of the animals were coming across as planned. The voices and the expressions, their sense of dress and their behaviour was all right on target and timed to perfection. The picnic and the banquet were hilarious to watch and it had so far held everyone who had seen it in raptures due to the antics of the animals. Hopefully it would be able to not only educate the students who saw it academically, but also teach them manners and how to behave too. They would not be consciously aware of that due to the subliminal feature – but that was the hope. IEC were recognized leaders in this field now and they wished to remain so.

So now it was crunch time – the new game was now ready to be sent out for public trials. They had done all that they could possibly do to make it perfect from a technical viewpoint – but would the general public embrace it? In a few weeks' time they would have their answer. Right now at IEC all they could do was wait and see – but there was a distinct air of cautious optimism throughout the company. They were all happy with what they had produced and felt that this new version of Mr. Owl's Academy would be a resounding success also. It was straying into uncharted territory with this version – but they all sincerely believed that the general public would love it – now they just had to wait and see.
Chapter Twenty Three

***

Dave Curtis had agonized all afternoon over how he would break the news to Debbie that he would in fact be her boss now. He knew she would be on cloud nine having landed this job and floating high on the strength of it. The last thing he wanted to do was to prick her balloon and bring her down to earth with a bang. As it happened he had agonized unnecessarily, but the stiff drink was a welcome treat anyway. It turned out that Lynda had recognized the name when Debbie told her about being hired and she had told Debbie.

"That's fantastic news Debbie, I'm so pleased and so very proud of you and all that you have achieved. I just knew that you were ready to go out and shake the world by its tail – and this proves it. You only needed one interview to convince them that you were the person for the job. I told you that you were ready – but coming from me that would carry no weight – now you have proved it for yourself. What was the name of that firm again?"

"It's Cresswell Insurance and I think they do primarily Marine Insurance, pleasure craft etc."

"Hmm, said Lynda, where have I heard that name before – ah Yes! They have just been bought out by Curtis Insurance Brokers. I knew I'd heard that name before. They did a piece on it in the local paper a while back. I guess Dave will be your boss as well as your boyfriend now –not that you will see too much of him. He works in their head office now that he is running the firm. He won't be under your feet Debbie and that is a good thing. This Mrs. Monday can train you and then you'll run the place just like she did. Dave may drop in from time to time, but mostly it will be e-mail and telephone conversations I would imagine. I have every confidence in you Debs, I know you'll do a great job in there."

"Dave is going to be my new boss? Oh God! Now what do I do?"

"What do you mean –What do I do? – You do your job that's what you do. You'll see Dave out of working hours and you just won't talk shop when you do. He won't want to be talking business either. That would be pretty lame if two love birds could only talk about work don't you think?"

"I guess, but how will he feel when he finds out who the new girl is?"

"Trust me Debbie, he already knows, he's the boss. Mrs. Monday will have told him by now, you can count on that."

"Yes, I suppose she will have done by now – but he hasn't called me."

"No I wouldn't expect him to. He will be wrapping his head around this just the way that you are. You are dating each other and neither one wants to rock that boat – he'll be figuring out just how to play this too. When are you seeing him next?"

"Well he's coming round tonight actually."

"Good, then let him make all the moves. He will no doubt ask you how things went today just to test the waters so to speak. Then you can play it by ear from then on. If I know Dave he'll be delighted for you, he's that kind of guy."

When Dave called round at Brenda's that night Debbie answered the door and got the shock of her life. She had no sooner opened the door when Dave picked her up bodily and hugged her to death and congratulated her on getting the job. He had decided that this was the best way to handle this delicate situation.

"Congratulations Honey, he said, I hear that Cresswell hired you this morning. That's just fantastic. I hear that you made a terrific impression on the interviewer too."

"Well I guess you know all about it now – how do you feel about me working there, you are my new boss now, right."

"I am delighted to have you working there, Debbie. As for being your new boss – well technically I guess I am. However, you will be your own boss once Mrs. Monday has trained you. I am in Head Office and you will be working in Cresswell. Our paths will cross occasionally, but certainly not on a daily basis, right now though I am just so happy for you. I know how hard you have worked at being re-trained and what this position means to you. More than that – you did all of this on your own. There was no string pulling or influence peddling this was all Debbie Miller. She strove to better herself, applied for a position and knocked it out of the park in the interview. All of that on her own – what guy wouldn't be proud of such a woman? I most certainly am and what is more, she is working for my company now too."

At this point he lowered her back down to the floor, kissing her as he did so. Debbie really was on cloud nine now and all of her doubts had vanished. A warm glow had wrapped itself around her like a cloak as she felt Dave's arms around her and she just felt so safe and secure now. This was a feeling she had not experienced in a long time – and she just loved it. Dave, for his part, felt that session had gone much better than expected and he too could relax now. The respect and admiration that Dave had for Debbie had been made clear to her and this boosted her ego immeasurably - and also her love for Dave too. The sincerity with which he had spoken those words let her drawbridge slam to the ground with a thud – it would remain there now as far as Debbie was concerned. Later that evening she convinced Dave of that fact too in her own inimitable style and left him in no doubt whatsoever as to where her heart lay. They were both on the same page, and that night that page was in grave danger of spontaneous combustion.

***

Lynda Maxwell was a busy woman these days, but it was mainly due to her wedding arrangements and not the hospital's business. The hospital had expanded recently and it was now a teaching hospital. As one can well imagine the paperwork now intensified – despite it supposedly being a paperless society now that everything had been computerized. It most certainly speeded things up – but filing cabinets were by no means obsolete. Charlie had been out of town several times on business, mainly to Europe, as Braxton had offices in London, Berlin and Paris. Tony had sent him over there to see how ready they were to handle the distribution of Mr. Owl's Academy 2.0. Braxton's Markton division would be the secondary manufacturer of this new disc and also its European distributor. Tony and Alicia had worked out an arrangement when the first disc had come out and that deal was still in place. The lawyers for both sides thought it was insane to not have a written contract – probably fifty pages long, written in legalese that no ordinary human could make sense of. This deal was old school, a hand shake and word of mouth, a promise between friends. If anything happened to either Tony or Alicia that deal would still be honored by Alan and Kevin and by Charlie Graham. It's just how it was and everyone concerned was totally satisfied with it.

The wedding arrangements however were another matter, but Lynda was on top of things and everything was falling into place. She had wanted to ask three of the women in her class from the shelter to be her bridesmaids – but she was afraid to ask them. She knew that they could not afford to buy their own dresses and she was pretty strapped for cash herself now with all the other expenses. On the other hand they did all have jobs now, so she decided to ask Rachel and get her opinion.

"High Rachel, I need your opinion on something, she said on the phone?"

"Shoot, came back the reply."

"I wanted to ask Chloe, Christine and Donna to be my bridesmaids, but I know they can't afford the dresses and I don't want to embarrass them. I'd like to buy them for them, but I'm kind of tight myself right now."

"Oh really, now I wonder why that could be, said Rachel laughing? A bride short of cash for her wedding – that must be a first, right?"

"Yeah I know, but I would really like to have them."

"Let me call you back on that, Lynda, I might have a solution to that problem."

When Rachel put the telephone down she pondered for a second and then picked it up again.

"Hi Penny, its Rachel, I want to bounce something off you. I have just been speaking to Lynda Maxwell and she has a small problem. She wants to ask three of the women from the shelter to be her bridesmaids, but as they are kind of hard up for cash she is afraid to ask them and embarrass them. I then remembered that you had a friend who is a dressmaker and has her own shop and she also does rentals too I believe."

"Yes, Jenny Wilson, she made my wedding dress and all of my bridesmaids too."

"Do you think that she might be able to provide these women with something appropriate and yet affordable."

"I can go one better that, Rachel. Give me Lynda's number and let me call her back."

"What do you have in mind, Penny, at least give me a clue?"

"Remember when I said if I could help at any time just give me a call – I meant it."

"Yes I know you did."

"Well, this is me helping, not only the bridesmaids but perhaps Lynda too. What she is doing for those women is priceless and she does it out of the goodness of her heart. I think I am now in a position to do something for her – an early wedding present if you like. So what's her number?"

Rachel then gave Penny Lynda's number and although Penny hadn't spelled it out, Rachel had a good idea what Penny was going to do. Her intuition was correct as she found out later that day. Penny had spoken to Lynda and told her to ask her three ladies and to tell them that the dresses would be provided. When Lynda telephoned Penny back to confirm that, it was then that she found out that Jenny Wilson was the one who would be making those dresses and also her own. Lynda was totally floored by that gesture. Jenny Wilson had a solid reputation and was much sought after as a dress maker, but her creations were not cheap. Penny was a millionaire true enough, but she certainly didn't need to do this and she hardly knew her really. That didn't bother Penny at all. Lynda didn't know the women she was helping either, she just did it. As Penny saw it she was giving back to someone who was selfless in herself and more than prepared to help out others in need. She just couldn't have been happier to do this for Lynda and she was delighted that Rachel had called her and given her the opportunity to help her friend.

Lynda simply couldn't thank Penny enough for doing this for her and told her that she was totally overwhelmed by her generosity. Yes she knew that she was helping those women in the shelter – but this was way past that. Well that is what she thought anyway. Penny disagreed with her and pointed out that what she was doing was changing lives and providing hope to those that had lost it. All she was doing was providing a few dresses for a wedding – hardly life changing is it she had said? Lynda accepted it for what it was. She did not point out that Penny had indeed changed lives herself in the past – Brenda Banks being one such example amongst many apparently.

***

Brenda and Alvin were getting along just fine. In terms of progression however Glaciers move a lot faster. Brenda's castle not only had a drawbridge it had an iron portcullis too (a grill like gate, made of wood and metal). While she had lowered her drawbridge somewhat, that portcullis was still firmly in place. Debbie had tried to convince Brenda to relax, but so far she had not got that far. Debbie's husband had not betrayed her, he had made a few mistakes in life, but he had certainly loved his wife and not betrayed her. Brenda's on the other hand had robbed her blind and left her destitute and this had had a very dramatic effect on Brenda's outlook towards men in general. Alvin was a great guy, he treated her well and he was an artist in bed – but it was still too early for Brenda. She needed to be sure and so she climbed over each hurdle at her own pace. They had really enjoyed all those Christmas parties and they had now had sex too. This she really enjoyed. It had been a while and she had certain anxieties regarding her performance due to all that rust and possible cobwebs. Her fears were totally unfounded. Alvin's travels in the Far East had not been wasted and they had turned him into what could only be described as a Sexual Technician. He knew each and every one of Brenda's erogenous triggers and exactly how to stimulate them. Brenda simply couldn't believe her responses to his technique. She had been totally swamped by this tsunami of ecstasy and her response would have put a bunny rabbit in the shade. This was definitely one area of total compatibility – not enough to raise that portcullis, well not yet anyway – but it was a good start. Alvin for his part was equally impressed with Brenda. He knew that she was hesitant as she had given him a full account of what her husband had done to her and how he had syphoned off all of her mother's money. He had listened to this with incredulity, how could anyone do that he had asked himself? He knew this sort of thing happened in this world, he wasn't that green, but he had never known anyone who had experienced it before he met Brenda. She had broken down in tears as she was telling him this and Alvin had comforted her as best he could. He certainly understood why she would be cautious now having lived through that trauma. She needed time and he was quite prepared to give it to her. Alvin was much farther along in terms of his feelings toward her. There was just something special about Brenda. Yes she was cautious, but underneath all of that reserve was a beautiful and loving woman. He could see quite clearly that once that portcullis was raised she would be a totally different person to what she showed the world today. He was totally smitten by Brenda and several people could see that for themselves quite readily. One or two of them had mentioned that fact to Brenda too. It had pleased her hearing that – but her caution still remained intact – at least for now. However, she began to realize just how much she felt towards Alvin when he went away on those long flights. She missed him far more than she wanted to admit and that now started to tell her something – she had fallen in love with Alvin. It was only a matter of time now before that drawbridge would be down on the ground permanently and that portcullis would be wound up and locked giving Alvin total access to her heart. The more that Brenda thought about it she began to realize that it would not be too far off now. Debbie was right, Alvin is a good man and maybe I should take a chance on him. I can't let him just dangle in the wind, he may think I'm not worth it and go off and find someone else. With that in mind, when Alvin came back from his next trip overseas she left him in no doubt as to what she thought about him. He assured her that he was on the same page too – and, as they say, actions speak louder than words. Based on that assertion - earplugs would have been necessary that night.

***

Alicia had just now put Allison to bed and she and John had a cozy evening planned watching a DVD movie. It was bitterly cold outside, but then it was February so it was to be expected. A nice romantic evening by the fire was called for and tonight they were going to enjoy just that. John had thrown a log on the fire and it really was toasty in there now. There was just something about the crackle of the fire and the odd shower of sparks that would float up the chimney that gave the room ambiance. Snuggling in her husband's arms and watching a chick flick was heavenly on a night like this in Alicia's book. She was quite relaxed right now as there was nothing more she could do on her new game except wait for the results of the trials. Having her husband at home and being able to cuddle on those cold February nights was not something to miss. John had turned on the TV and was just inserting the DVD when the screen showed this comedian on the stage describing the difference between the male and female brain. It seemed to have the audience in stitches and so they paused to watch it. Well it was hilarious and had them both in tune with the audience. He pointed out that although both brains came in the same shell, they were wired differently. Each brain was compartmentalized into boxes. The female brain had all those boxes connected and wired up together on the same circuit. The male brain had all the boxes separated and none must touch the other. The female brain was going 24/7 and if you listened carefully you could hear the buzzing. However, the male brain had something the female brain did not – an empty box. Whereas the women's brain could never shut off, the men would invariable retreat into their empty box and remain there for prolonged periods – doing, seeing and hearing nothing. It was something that drove their wives crazy because they didn't have such a box. The way he put this across to the audience had both Alicia and John prodding each other and saying –"who does that remind you of – or do you know anyone like that?" It was quite hilarious the way he had described all the differences and they watched the show to its end.

John then decided that before he started the movie he would make a nice heartwarming drink to settle in with.

"How would you like a nice Blueberry Tea to go with the movie – would that appeal to you?"

"Are you kidding me, that would be wonderful, John?"

"Well I'll get right on that, honey, anything for my sweetie, he added playfully."

He then put the kettle on and headed for the liquor cabinet for the Grand Marnier and the Amaretto. If Alicia had been making these drinks she would have a slice of orange in each brandy glass to add colour to the mix. She would slice the orange, run it around the rim of the glass and then dip it in sugar. John wouldn't bother; he would pour in the liquor and then simply add the tea - how much tea would depend on one's personal taste. However, tonight, having seen that comedian he thought he had better go all out and do it right for once, and he did.

"Oh aren't you a good boy, commented Alicia when John came in with the drinks – you even added the orange slice and sugar coated the glass, I really am impressed now. This is turning into a real classy date - roaring fire, a good movie and a strong drink too. You wouldn't have anything else in mind for later would you Mr. Billinge?"

"Well we shall have to see what the second drink will do, we don't want to waste that tea and I did make enough for two drinks."

"Yes I'll bet you did, she said coyly."

John then sat down and Alicia snuggled into his arms and drew her feet up underneath her and settled in to watch the movie. It just didn't get any more blissful than this on a cold winter's night. Half way through the movie, John paused it for them to have a bathroom break. Alicia took that opportunity to slip into something a little lighter and get ready for bed. Between the heat from the fire, the intensity of the movie and those Blueberry teas the room was starting to get pretty warm. John was getting into the mood too. Having his wife snuggled up in his arms certainly wasn't cooling him down at all. He just loved the smell of her hair and the softness of her skin to his touch. Alicia for her part just loved him stroking her. She knew he was doing it abstractly and not trying to get her excited – but it was working all the same. When the movie ended Alicia simply turned into him and kissed him. John never had the chance to turn off the TV. Passion consumed them both and the rug in front of the fire was all too inviting. When they clambered back onto the sofa John switched channels to watch the late night news. Alicia just crawled up on him and let him cuddle her. When he glanced down a few minutes later she was fast asleep in his arms and totally content with the world. John looked down at her and smiled, he was a very lucky man to have her as his wife and he knew it. He then turned off the TV, picked Alicia up gently and carried her up to bed. Neither of them needed any rocking that night.
Chapter Twenty Four

***

It was now the beginning of March and the first trial results were starting to come in. Those out in the general consumer market area just loved it. The comments that were coming back were similar to the ones of the IEC employees. "We couldn't stop laughing, I had tears in my eyes from start to finish and it was totally hilarious"- were common responses. They really had enjoyed it all and nobody saw any problems with it and they would certainly not object to their children seeing it. They were all given a questionnaire to fill in and write down their responses to various questions and they were given the opportunity to write their own comments at the end. There were no outright criticisms – but one or two people felt that Alicia had overly sanitized the behavioral portion. Some people were of the opinion that the bullying section should have shown more violence and threats of reprisals in order to keep it real. Alicia herself had agonized over that and had gone back and forth on whether to do just that or not. In the end she chose to soften it. While the general public may feel that more reality was necessary – would the schools that were participating in the trials share that opinion? Some parents may want reality to prevail, but others may be against it. Knowing violence existed in the world was one thing – directly exposing your child to it was another. Yes it did happen in the schoolyards across the country – but at what age do you expose you child to it voluntarily. They were having a similar debate over sex education in the classroom now and at what age should certain issues be discussed. That too was a minefield and parents had very strong views on the matter both for and against. If the school results came back the same, then the game would be adjusted and the sanitization aspect reduced. If on the other hand the schools felt that this approach was more acceptable – then it would be distributed as is.

The school reports now started to come in. Overall they were positive, but they wanted to sanitize the disc even more in some cases and effectively nullify it. In other words, their school simply didn't have such problems. This of course was insane and the staff had simply buried their heads in the sand, they were totally out of touch with what was going on right under their noses. They were all on the same page when it came to the results though – the respect element seemed to have been a huge success. The kids were now far more respectful than before and would talk to resolve their problems rather than lash out. Of course some schools never had those issues either – they only had perfect kids with A+ ratings across the board. The very thought of any of their students being less than perfect was totally repugnant to them. The manners section, though very good in itself, was totally unnecessary for their students. They were fully versed in that subject having been taught everything they would ever need to know by their parents. Alicia and her team were more than curious to learn where this establishment was located – it wasn't on this planet that's for sure. The local area schools reported that the overall behaviour had dramatically improved. Discipline issues had declined and the sullen attitude towards teachers and students alike was also noticed to be far less pronounced. Reports of bullying had declined also – but they did exist still. Alicia's game may help to reduce such events - but it certainly couldn't eliminate them altogether.

IEC held an open forum for those involved in the trials in order for them to voice their opinions in public and to hear what other people thought of the new version of Mr. Owl's Academy. The screen behind the podium was set up to display the game so that at any given time a specific section could be shown on that screen and opened for discussion. When questions were raised on different issues those sections would be shown. It was an interactive session and it was very useful. It was also appreciated by those taking part. They could voice their opinions while listening to the opinions of others. Discussions would then take place and notes taken. Alicia had explained why she had formulated the disc the way she had, but she was prepared to amend it if the majority felt an item needed to be changed. Everything discussed was put to a vote – nothing was changed. Having said that; those taking part, even the dissenters, were now totally on board with the game. Some of dissenters had even come around to the majority opinion now. Everyone had had their say, listened to other opinions and the democratic process had decided the final outcome. The game was good to go.

Alicia had been delighted by the trial results. Her new game had in effect received universal approval and was now ready for worldwide distribution. She was now about to be given another uplift also. As she was sitting at her desk daydreaming her telephone rang, it was a sociology professor from a major East Coast university.

"Mrs. Billinge, my name is Barton Clements and I have just seen the new version of your Mr. Owl's Academy game. To say that I was intrigued by it would be an understatement. I am a professor of Sociology here on the East Coast and I wanted to know if you could help me. The University runs clinics that deal with both sociological and psychotherapy issues. We cover things like domestic abuse, suicidal inclination, self-esteem issues, anger management and related problems. Having seen your latest game it occurred to me that with a little tweaking this could be an extremely useful therapeutic tool. While your game is designed for children, I am quite sure it could also be used to get this point across to adults with a few adjustments. As you point out, humour breaks down barriers. What I have just seen leads me to believe that many of our clients/students/patients – call them what you will, could really benefit from such a program. My question Mrs. Billinge is – could you design me such a program based on what you have already? I must be honest; I can't afford to pay you much as I only have a small grant."

"Well professor, I really appreciate your call and your interest in my disc. I think I may be able to help you out, but you may need to give me a little time. As you can no doubt appreciate the launch of this program will be upon us soon and I shall be rather busy with that. Here's what I'd like to propose. I'll make a few tweaks here and there and send you a copy. It will only be a rough draft of my ideas – but you can add your comments and get back to me. Then when I have the time we can get together and sort of co-produce the disc that you want. As for payment, I would like to donate this as a gift to the university. You are trying to help people and you are not doing so for personal gain – so I would like to do this for you, just give me some time."

"Mrs. Billinge, I can't thank you enough. You have just made my day. I am quite sure that we can come up with a very useful tool and one that can help many people."

"My name is Alicia, professor and I promise I'll send you something in the near future."

"Well, Alicia, my name in Barton and I'll be looking forward to collaborating with you down the road. Thank you for taking my call, I really do appreciate that – not everyone would have."

"Here at IEC, Barton, we do actually take calls, we hate being locked in voice – mail jails and we refuse to subject out customers to it. When you get our receptionist she will always put you through or explain why she can't at that time. That is the protocol here at IEC."

"Well I'm quite sure your customers appreciate it, I know I do. I'll look forward to talking to you later Alicia, have a wonderful day."

With that parting comment he hung up. Alicia could barely contain her enthusiasm, now this was a project she could really sink her teeth into. Based on her experience at the Women's Shelter and the tales she had heard, she should be able to produce something useful for the professor on a trial basis. The fine tuning could come at a later date when they sat down together to compile the final version. Who knows where it could go from there, perhaps other therapists might use it in their practices and thereby help many more people. Alicia was a very happy lady now knowing that.

***

Lynda and Charlie's wedding was drawing ever closer now. They were both very busy people at work and their evenings were now dominated by wedding details. The dresses were no longer an issue, Jenny Wilson had that well in hand, the trial fittings had gone very well and only minor alterations were required. The dresses themselves were beautiful and the women had been awestricken when they saw them. After the wedding itself all the bridesmaids dresses could be modified very easily into cocktail dresses and Jenny had offered to do this for them free of charge. Penny had organized all of this so the three ladies from the shelter had no worries in that area. Lynda's Wedding Dress was cream in colour and trimmed with a filigree lace design and sequins. It fitted her like a glove, gently accentuated her figure with understated elegance and had class written all over it. When Charles saw this he would be left breathless stood there at the altar steps. Lynda really would look breathtakingly beautiful in that dress on the day. She was absolutely over the moon with that dress and couldn't thank Jenny enough for making it. Penny Stark had expressed similar comments when Jenny had let her have a sneak preview – well she was paying for it after all. Penny and Jenny were very close friends so there would be no breaches or disclosures prior to the big day. When Lynda walked down that aisle she really would look like a dream in that dress – it was classic Jenny Wilson and it showed. Lynda would be a walking endorsement of Jenny's Creations and her business would be enhanced because of it. Chloe, Christine and Donna would also look gorgeous on that day and this would give them a much needed uplift too. They didn't have too many clothes and certainly nothing like this. Then when all of this was done they would have a lovely cocktail dress too. While they didn't expect to be bombarded with requests to escort Markton's Elite to the golf club on a weekly basis – if ever they were asked out on a quality date they could now accept without feeing ashamed. They may not have expected those dresses to turn their romantic lives around – but in actual fact that is what happened over time. When these women got back on their feet and back into circulation their self-confidence grew and men did notice them. Once those men took them out on dates and saw them in their dresses they most certainly did sit up and take notice. All three women had turned their lives around now and they deserved to be happy and have a future to look forward to. The shelter had given them a start –now it was up to them.

Most of the wedding details had been dealt with now. The Guest List, the Table Seating and the Placement Cards were all finished. The florist had the centerpieces and floral arrangements organized too, so that was now off the table. She had given Dr. Phillips a selection of her favourite melodies for the recital prior to her walking down the aisle and during the signing ceremony. In essence she was all set – but that didn't stop her worrying. On paper there was nothing to worry about – but Murphy's Law dictated that things can go wrong at any time and for no good reason. Naturally Lynda was worried by that – in fact she was afraid Murphy himself might put in a personal appearance seeing it was her wedding. It was a fear of most brides these days.

Debbie Miller's and Brenda Banks's romantic lives were both moving along nicely. There was no sense of urgency in either case and Dave and Alvin were just taking their time as they both knew what their women had been through. Everyone was on the same page and it was just simply a matter of time and they all knew it. Darlene had told Dave that Debbie was just about ready now to run the place – but she would still stay on until June as planned. Dave had no problem with that at all – but he was most gratified to learn that Debbie was now up to speed and ready to take over when necessary. He had dropped in unexpectedly on a few occasions and found her working away like a beaver. The office was ticking over nicely and Debbie was on top of everything apparently. Dave noticed things, but he never said a word to Debbie or gave any kind of hint that he was checking up on her to see how she was doing. He had been impressed, but he never said that either. It was as if he had dropped in, collected what he needed and left. That was the impression he wanted to leave. They would then think he was more than satisfied with what they were doing and didn't need to check up on them. It worked too, that is exactly what they thought. In essence that was quite true – he was satisfied and also very proud of Debbie and how quickly she had progressed. He could see that they would make a fine team down the road. Those Wedding Bells may be gathering dust right now but he could definitely see that in the near future things would be different.

The same applied to Alvin Carter. He was giving Brenda all the time she needed and he could now see things were improving rapidly. Brenda for her part had come to realize just how much she needed Alvin in her life. He had awakened a desire in her that she had long thought to be dead. She had been simply going through the motions of daily life before Alvin came into her life – not so any more. Her performance at work had improved, she was vibrant and enthusiastic and her staff had seen her change right before their eyes. This new romance was certainly having the desired effect on Brenda as far as her staff could tell. As you might imagine several of her employees had their own theories as to what was causing this infusion of new verve and drive. Most of those theories would make reference to rust removal measures or dusting off the cobwebs. Some had even suggested that if Alvin's oriental and magical expertise was this transformational he could demonstrate it on them too - any time he wished. More than one had nodded their approval to that statement. That however was not totally accurate. Yes her sex life had shown significant improvement and left her totally satisfied – but it was the thought of now having a future that was the driving force behind this. As she lay there being cuddled or just sitting beside him nestled into him, the sense of security that gave her was priceless. Her husband had robbed her of that feeling by what he had done to her – Alvin was now restoring that faith. The glow that this gave to Brenda was what was driving this change in her attitude to life. Trust is what sustains a relationship – without it nothing else matters. Alvin was now rebuilding that in Brenda and she loved it. Between Debbie and Alvin giving her the encouragement to jump back into living - Brenda was now getting on board.

***

Tony Braxton, Glen Davidson, John Billinge and Eric Everstead had got together and organized a stag night for Charlie Graham. As stag nights go, this one would be considered tame. There were no strippers or lap dancers or anyone else of similar caliber. They figured they were a little too old for that now that they had passed the thirty mark. (Can you imagine that –over the hill at thirty?) Anyway they had gone out for dinner, visited several bars and played darts and snooker in each. There were certainly not feeling any pain when they arrived home –they were totally anaesthetized when they staggered home having been dropped off by the taxi. All but Charlie got an earful when they walked through their front doors. He, being single, dodged that bullet. Eric got off the lightest as Nancy was in bed when he arrived home – he got earache over breakfast instead. Tony, Glen and John seldom drank and so it hit them more than most. Cathy, Jean and Alicia were taking no prisoners that night as they had lectured them all prior to leaving on that binge. When the women saw that those warnings had fallen on deaf ears they erupted. However, their husbands were barely conscious at that point – but still smart enough to suggest that they were feeling amorous. You can imagine the response that got as their wives stormed off to bed alone. No slobbering drunks would be welcome – or words to that effect would be ringing in their ears for some time. Hangover cures were in huge demand the following morning – sympathy, however, was in short supply; or as Jean Davidson put it – they were fresh out. They were all laughing about it the following day and the men were now back to their normal selves.

The Hen Party for Lynda had a little more life to it and was certainly more in keeping with the occasion. It was held in Cathy Braxton's house and Tony had been kicked out for the night, well actually he was out of town on business. Everything was going along nicely and then the "Entertainment Artistes" arrived. They were two male strippers, one dressed as a cop and the other as a chauffeur. The behaviour of the women that night was similar to the parties that they had held in university – complete with cries of "Get 'Em off" and other more raucous suggestions. The antics these guys got up to raised the room temperature significantly and the look but don't touch policy was stretched to its limit that night. They would not wish their husbands to see this side of them – not after them blasting their behaviour.

Nothing untoward happened of course – but the suggestions were made all the same and actively encouraged by them all. What had taken place that night was kept tightly under wraps. The NSA should have such tight security. Their husbands could only guess at what had gone on – but it would in fact be a pretty accurate guess all the same – they weren't all that dumb.

***

It was now the big day for Lynda. She had been to the hairdresser, had a mani-pedi and was now getting dressed ready to leave for the church. Her brother, Tom, had flown in to give her away and he was now downstairs awaiting her entrance along with the bridesmaids. Tom was a geologist and he worked all over the globe for his Texas oil company. Dallas was his home, but he was seldom there. As he looked around the room at these bridesmaids he was very impressed by what he saw and he said so too. That gave the three women a boost in itself. When Lynda herself descended the stairs Tom was floored. He had never seen his sister look like this –she was totally gorgeous.

"Wow Sis! You look fantastic; Charlie will be blown away when he sees you."

"Oh my said Chloe, you look truly beautiful Lynda, Tom's right, Charlie will be awestruck when he sees you."

"If he doesn't faint on the spot, added Christine. You look fabulous Lynda. I know it is customary to say that to a bride – but in this case it is true, believe me. Nobody has ever walked down the aisle looking better than you do right now. One or two may have come close – but none were better."

"Wow! Christine, you certainly do know how to boost a girl's confidence."

"Oh she's telling the truth Sis, I too am awestricken, and I'm your brother. Anyway, your carriage awaits, Cinderella, so let's get this show on the road."

With that they all trooped outside into the waiting limos.

The church was filled with guests now and Dr. Phillips was performing his keyboard magic on the majestic church organ. It was an old refurbished organ that was originally from England. The sounds that came out of those pipes were simply glorious. They had a richness all of their own and when he pulled out all of the stops the magnificence was awesome. The organ itself was now in first class condition despite being well over one hundred years old. When played by a master like Dr. Phillips, its majesty rang out clearly for all to enjoy and right now it had everyone in that church enthralled. Likewise, outside the church the church bells could be heard for quite some distance. These too had been rescued from a village in England. They had been pealing out for some time now announcing to the world that Lynda was getting married today. There was just something about the sound of church bells; it sort of gave you a sense of happiness. The uniqueness of their sounds took you back to medieval England and one could easily envision them in their local village setting. This is what Lynda would now hear as she drew up outside the church.

The bridesmaids walked down the aisle first and then in came Lynda. Dr. Phillips then let the organ rip. The whole church resounded in those glorious tones as Lynda floated down the aisle on Tom's arm. The look on Charlie's face was one for the record books –and it was captured by many cameras too. When he saw Lynda walking towards him he felt weak at the knees. She was gliding down the aisle like a vision; he had to be dreaming he thought. This was not the woman he had been dating – she was absolutely gorgeous. Charlie Graham could not be that lucky - could he? His heart rate had increased significantly as this beauty walked towards him and so had Lynda's. When she saw the look on Charlie's face she knew it had all been worth it. The warmth of that expression cast a glow all over her. It was written all over his face just how much he loved her and just how smitten he was at that moment. This would be a priceless memory and one she would never ever forget – and there would be countless photos to back it up too.

The rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch and then it was off to the park for the official photographs. As it was only early Spring right now, the full foliage was not yet in evidence. It was pretty good as a background, but in Summertime it was truly beautiful. It had an old curved rustic wooden bridge; similar to those seen on willow pattern plates, and this was a popular photo spot. It was a bright sunny day and the photographer was very pleased with the lighting and he got some lovely photos of the group. Lynda was totally delighted later when she saw the photo album in its final form. He had done a very nice job of it and the pictures were indeed beautiful and sharp.

The reception was held at the Golf Club and this too went well. Murphy had not shown up anywhere after all. The speeches however had them rolling all over the place. Several of Charlie's colleagues got on their feet and delivered a roast that Dean Martin would have been proud of. They were hilarious and had many people wiping their eyes. Tony Braxton was one of them and poor Charlie had tears rolling down his cheeks from laughing. The dancing followed the diner and the Foul Harmonic Orchestra then delivered yet another stellar performance. Most of that night's music was modern and it had everyone up on their feet. When they struck up with the Glen Miller numbers everyone just listened, they were totally transfixed. One or two took a twirl around the floor, but most people just listened in awe. Glen Miller himself would not have been ashamed by their performance that night. When they played Moonlight Serenade the dance floor was jam packed. It really was a sight to see. John, Tony, Eric, Glen, Charlie and John Malcolm were all up on the floor with their wives for that one. You could feel the romance in the air or even touch it for that matter. As they floated around the floor gazing into each other's eyes it was magical and they were all very much aware of it. It was a night to remember and they most certainly would –each and every one of them. While Brenda and Debbie were in fact there that night – their men were working in the band and so they had to sit on the sidelines for most of the night. They still enjoyed themselves however and no doubt thought about when it would be their turn. That day was not too far off for either of them and they knew it – well suspected it anyway. When that came it would be well deserved and lots of people would endorse that opinion and wish them every future happiness.
Chapter Twenty Five

***

The official release of Mr. Owl's Academy 2.0 was a huge success. It had received rave reviews both in the technical and trade journals and in the national press. It seemed that everyone loved it. Alicia's creativity had been hailed as pure genius in the way she had brought it all together. The humour standpoint alone was fantastic – but when coupled with the educational element the whole thing became exceptional. This was the consensus opinion right across the board and it certainly augured well for IEC's future revenue prospects. The discs were flying off the shelves worldwide. It was, to all intents and purposes, just a simple game – even though it had a few added elements. The basic game was fun to play and all of the animals were cute, boisterous and funny. The graphics and the musical background made it most enjoyable to watch. However, everyone watching it would actually learn something from it, and that was without the subliminal feature. In essence it was a humorous teaching tool inside a game. When the subliminal feature was added then it became magical. Thousands of kids who had attention problems could now have their attention focused whereas before they could not. These kids would now see things that the general game viewers would not – despite the fact that the same game would appear on the screen. The use of colours and the soundtrack would add to the scenes that they were seeing, and the antics of the animals would in fact be quite different. It was technically complex – but it kept the children's attention focused on the animals and what they were saying and doing. Mr. Owl, meanwhile, was actually teaching them at the same time, yet they couldn't actually see him. Their brains registered it all, but all they could see were the other animals fooling around and saying outrageous things. IEC had received numerous letters expressing the gratitude of hundreds of parents regarding the effect the disc was having on their kids and their behavior and new found manners. It was really helping those ADD and ADHD afflicted children in a very positive way. It was also earning IEC millions of dollars in revenue too and the three partners were extremely pleased by that. This revenue would help them develop new games and possibly add additional features to the existing games.

Alicia had pondered doing a self-help disc for women even before Prof. Clements had approached her. She had been shaken by Debbie Miller's story when she had heard about it and when she actually saw Debbie that did it. She had to do something to help such women. She had put it on the back burner at the time as she was still wrapped up in Mr. Owl's Academy. Now she was ready to move ahead and with collaboration with Prof. Clements they should be able to come up with something beneficial to many of the social casualties out there. She now put a few ideas together, put them on a disc and mailed them to Prof. Clements as she had promised. Once he had browsed through it he would no doubt call her back and they could then begin putting it together. Hopefully they would be able to produce something meaningful and more importantly – useful.

Two days later Barton Clements did indeed call her back.

"Alicia, I have played and replayed that disc of yours several times; I find it difficult to express in words just how I feel about it. Magnificent just seems to be so inadequate a word to use and yet it is the best I can come up with. I am sending you some recordings that my colleagues and I have on file to give you some idea of what we are dealing with here. I have signed releases from those on the discs, but I need hardly point out that your discretion would be appreciated."

"Absolutely Barton, you have my word on that. Nobody but my team will be a party to them and they will never divulge what they hear on them. I trust them completely and they have never let me down yet. They have all the secrets of IEC and they would never dream of betraying us, it's who they are."

"Good then Alicia, we are on the same page – although to be honest I never doubted that for a minute. A word of warning though, Alicia; those discs are graphic and are actual recordings taken in session. The clients hold nothing back and they tell it like it is and give vivid descriptions of events, their reactions to them and their feelings afterwards. The reason for me sending these is to make you aware of the problems that are out there. We think that we know, and when I say we, I mean the general public. The truth is we just don't have a clue. Once you have heard these discs you'll know exactly what I mean. The shame and degradation that they have been subjected to simply beggars belief. The things they have been forced to do or to endure we would find incredulous. Due to these experiences, their opinion of themselves has been torpedoed, and, as a result, sent them to the depths of despair. Their self-esteem has gone and you and I between us are going to give it back to them. The disc that you have sent me will provide an ideal background for this. We can get together to fine tune the details later. Incidentally, could you come out here to Liverpool to sit in on some sessions? I'll have to run that by the University first of course and also the clients – but it may be helpful for you to know first-hand what we are faced with here, Alicia."

"Oh I am quite sure I could do that Barton, my husband is a pilot and as a result he is away for days at a time. I am able to get away from IEC for lectures etc. so for this I can definitely make the time. If it is necessary for you to come to IEC we shall gladly pay for your flight, your hotel and all ancillary expenses."

"Well that would be very generous of you Alicia and I do appreciate the gesture, however, let's see what develops first, before we tire your husband out flying you and I all around the world."

"Oh John wouldn't mind even if he did, for a cause like this he'd be on board with it."

"Well have a look at those discs first; Alicia and then we can discuss things in more detail once you have a better idea of what we are facing here."

"Yes I'll get right on that today, Barton. Once I have gone over them I'll call you back and we can go from there. I'll say Bye for now and you have a good day."

"You too, Alicia, Bye."

With that Alicia went and got herself a cup of coffee and awaited the arrival of the courier with the discs from Barton. They arrived early in the afternoon and true to her word Alicia began listening to them. Barton had been quite right, they were indeed graphic. Alicia was glad that he had warned her beforehand as to what she would be hearing. She could quite clearly see why these people would be depressed and have no self-esteem left. While it was predominantly women on the discs there were several men too. The tales they were relating were heartbreaking and as the professor had said – they did beggar belief. How one human being could treat another like that was simply inconceivable to Alicia, and yet here it was on the disc. It was all there, incest, imprisonment, slavery, dominance, verbal abuse, brutal beatings and other even more vile events. As she listened to the accounts being played out in the therapy sessions she realized that the professor was right. She had no idea what was going on out there in the world. It may not be going on in her world – but it sure was in theirs and they had been destroyed by it. She took a pause half –way through and just gazed absently out of the window overlooking the park. It was a bright sunny day, the buds were coming out on the trees and the daffodils and tulips were in full bloom. She began to realize that this was how her life was compared to what she had just heard on the disc. Their lives certainly didn't have any flowers in it. This now made her more determined than ever to come up with something that could help these people, both men and women. It had to be able to restore their self-esteem and faith in themselves; it also had to show them that others respected them for who they were.

When Alicia had listened to all of the scenarios on that disc she knew what a tough road lay ahead. Some of the people were illiterate having been kept in dungeon like conditions since childhood. Others had been sexually abused for years, or beaten unmercifully for no reason and all of it done by the people who should have loved them and cared for them. Was it any wonder that they were afraid of strangers? If their loved ones would do this to them, what in god's name would a stranger do to them? It was a total nightmare, but she had to figure out a way to get past all of that and restore their faith in humanity – and that would be a stretch considering what they had endured.

Mr. Owl would once again come to the rescue, but this time he would not be in the forest. This time he would never leave the classroom, but the classroom would still be filled by animals. There would be a subliminal element to this too. The basic disc would show the relationships between the animals and how harmoniously they got along together and it would show them learning in the classroom. The subliminal disc would explain what each animal thought of the others and why they admired them. Each viewer would generally identify with one animal in particular and the disc would know instinctively which animal that was and program itself accordingly. The animals would then bolster the image of the animal concerned and let the viewer know just how much they admired him. It would change each time the viewer changed and even when the same viewer went back it would still change. The subliminal element would be reinforcing the positive feedback every time and thus, hopefully, reprogramming the viewer's opinion of themselves. As Alicia saw it, if this could all be achieved on disc and then reinforced in a therapy session with the counselors and therapists it just might work. It was all theory right now, but in working with Barton and perhaps a few of his colleagues they just might be able to produce something of therapeutic value to these people. They all had to be on the same page, the client, the counsellor, and in some cases the social worker. The bottom line – this could work; and if it did it would help many, many people to lead normal everyday lives – and right now, that was simply a dream.

***

Debbie had just received some sad news about a former friend in Nova Scotia – she had finally succumbed to breast cancer after a long and valiant struggle. Dave had then immediately stepped up and provided Debbie and Chelsea with the tickets to go to the funeral and to catch up with old friends for a few days. Darlene could pick up the slack at Cresswell so it worked out well in terms of timing. Debbie had not been back since the day that she left and there were lots of people that she wanted to say Hi to. Chelsea too had several girlfriends that she wanted to touch base with also. She had lost touch with them when she had come to Toronto and now she was going to get their e-mail addresses so that she could keep in touch with them again. The funeral itself would be sad – but getting re-acquainted with all their old friends would brighten up their trip significantly.

The funeral was very well attended and Debbie became reacquainted with many of her old friends. At the reception for the mourners after the service, she had the opportunity to catch up with many of them. Chelsea meanwhile was doing some catching up of her own with her former schoolmates. As Debbie looked around the room one person was missing – her former best friend, Heather Mitchell.

"Janet, Debbie said to one of her friends, Heather isn't here today, is she ill, do you know?"

"Oh I guess you haven't heard then, replied Janet. Bob lost his job and went off the rails and committed suicide – he left a lot of debts behind and Heather left town a broken woman. I did hear that she was hooking in Halifax – but I can't say that as a fact."

"Oh my God, poor Heather, what a shame, is anyone in touch with her still?"

"Not to my knowledge, Debbie, she just up and left, I guess she was too ashamed to stick around."

"Yes I can imagine."

Debbie circulated around the room and enquired as to whether anyone had in fact seen or heard about Heather, but none had. Having been in similar circumstances herself Debbie fully understood how Heather would feel and she became determined to find her.

This trip back home had been cathartic for both Debbie and Chelsea. It was good to see all of their old friends – but it reminded them of the struggles that daily life had for them back then. Those same struggles were still being faced by their friends in their daily lives and that was just how it was out there. Thanks to all the new friends she had made in Markton, her new life offered promise. She had found a man who loved her and she had a good job too – something those folks back home had little chance of finding. Using her new found skills on the internet Debbie now began her search for Heather.

***

Alicia had listened to the professor's disc several times. It was truly heartbreaking to hear, you just couldn't make this stuff up, this was factual and real people were suffering because of it. She had several ideas running around in her head as to how to get Mr. Owl to respond in his classroom – but she needed first-hand experience to really get a feel for the subject. With that in mind she picked up the telephone and called the professor.

"Barton, its Alicia, I have a few ideas in my head but would it be possible for me to sit in on one of your sessions or a therapy session. I need to get a first-hand feel for this in order to correctly program Mr. Owl. I want it to be real, or as close to reality as it can get, so that the patient/client can truly identify with it. If they cannot do that it will be a total waste. They have to be able to identify with the state the animal is in, why he is in it and above all else, how he can climb out of it. Here is what I'm thinking. I want Mr. Owl to do all the things I have just said .He can portray the problem and hopefully relay to the viewer that help is available and in what form that will take. The therapist can then hopefully enlarge on that and encourage the patient/client to open up to these new ideas and adopt them. Each session will add a new dimension to the mix. Mr. Owl will gradually expand his philosophies and these will mirror the problems the patient/ client faces. The therapist can then guide and encourage the patient/client to follow that path and to ultimately provide their own solution. As I see it, if they can reach that conclusion on their own it will give them more self-confidence than if it were given to them or provided for them. This is my thinking anyway, Barton."

"Alicia I couldn't agree more, you really do have a handle on the situation and appreciate what it is we are trying to give to these people. I would love you to come out here and sit in on a few sessions. What you said makes perfect sense to me. I will arrange to get the appropriate releases signed and then we'll be good to go."

"John will be out flying to Australia next week so that would work for me if you could set it up."

"That works for me too. Let me call you back once I have all my ducks in a row. It shouldn't take me long to set all of this up. I'll call you tomorrow, Alicia, and thanks for your call, you have me all fired up now, Bye."

The following day the professor called back and they set everything up for the next Tuesday morning. Alicia would fly out on the Monday to Halifax and then drive south to Liverpool and the East Coast University campus. It was a trip that Alicia was really excited about, she was going to see first-hand just what headaches were out there and what, if anything, she could do to help. Day one was spent being introduced to people, starting with her meeting Barton for the first time. He then introduced her to the various therapists and psychologists and Alicia then attended one of his sociology lectures. This particular lecture did make Alicia sit up and take notice – which is probably why he suggested that she attend it. It outlined the expectations of society in general and then went on to outline why so often those expectations fell apart and the results that ensued when they did so. The class then had to write a paper on the subject and why so many people may have unrealistic expectations of life and what could be done to change that. As Alicia was sitting at the back of the auditorium she could see all of the students in front of her. To Alicia, that paper appeared to be challenging in itself – but the students took it all in stride. There were no looks of concern to be seen – which suggested that they were all just fine with it. After this session it was lunchtime and from there she went to the therapy sessions.

The therapy sessions were just the same as the discs that she had been sent. Alicia just sat in the room taking notes, but saying nothing. The therapist would ask a question and encourage the client to expand on it and spew forth any and all matters relating to it. In some sessions it was like pulling teeth, in others the flood gates opened. No opinions were voiced by the therapist; but they often requested them from the client. They sought the Who, Why, Where, When and What? in every situation and carefully noted the responses. There was no judgment in that room, just a desire to seek the truth and a possibly solution to the issues at hand. In some cases the victim felt that they had brought all of it upon themselves by something they had done or failed to do. It was a nightmare to listen to some of these stories. One woman was castigated unmercifully for putting on weight, for example. Her husband wanted her to be like she was when they were married over twenty years ago. She was terrified of him leaving her, had tried every diet known to man, joined fitness clubs you name it – but she just couldn't look like the gorgeous teenager she used to be - and she was too back then, as her photographs clearly showed. Now here was a classic case of "Unrealistic Expectations" if ever there was one. The woman wasn't the one who needed the therapy here – but her husband surely did. He could easily be housed down the hall in the "Attitude Adjustment" class - along with all the other chauvinist pigs, Alicia thought to herself.

Only first names were used in the therapy sessions for privacy reasons, but Alicia got a great deal from them and Mr. Owl would be programmed accordingly in order to accommodate all of the nuances involved. How each client reacted to the therapist, their facial expressions and body language Alicia had made note of. This showed the world how that person was feeling and also determined the level of self-confidence they possessed – or lacked. These were themes that the new Prof. Owl would now need to address in his updated classroom. Having attended these individual sessions, Alicia now had a more comprehensive understanding of the client's feelings, their overall demeanor and, to some degree, what positive reassurance they may need. She could now go back home to Markton and work on that.

***

Debbie had tried to contact every person she knew out East desperately trying to find out anything about her friend Heather and where she might be. She had explained all about what had happened to her to Rachel and to Brenda and both had offered to help in her search. So far, all avenues had drawn a blank. Having been in a similar situation not too long ago, Debbie knew only too well how fragile Heather would be right now and also how desperately lonely she would feel. She had cried herself to sleep these past few nights thinking about Heather and the desperation she must be feeling. She was yet another casualty on the wheel of life, but this wheel was more like a hamster's activity wheel. Once you were inside and it was moving, it was damn near impossible to get off it and it was downhill from there. That is it would be – unless someone reached out to help. Debbie was now determined to be that person and she had now recruited Rachel and Brenda to help in her quest.

Alicia was now hard at work in her lab programming Prof. Owl's lessons. This was a totally different concept to the forest classroom of Mr. Owl. The subject matter was of a more mature nature and it would relate to mature situations. Therefore the presentation must be appropriate to that group of people. This time she did not have to agonize over the context so much – this time it was total reality and with matching language. Prof. Owl would not use profanity, but his class had a colourful vocabulary when expressing themselves - this way the viewers could readily identify with them. Had Alicia sanitized this element instead of letting it play as is, she would have lost its impact as the viewers would not consider it to be real and dismiss it as authoritarian propaganda. As it was right now, it reflected life out there on the streets and the domestic violence at home the way it was. It had not been touched up or camouflaged; this was a raw open wound and one that they could readily identify with. The disc progressed just like a real life situation would and the violence would escalate accordingly. This was real life and there were no Ward and June Cleavers here (Of Happy Day's TV Fame). However, Prof. Owl had appropriate suggestions – not definite answers - just positive ideas and suggestions that might help. When discussed with their therapists in session it could have beneficial results. Only the victim themselves could arrive at the solution – but they could be guided down the path towards that goal.

Alicia was listening to the tapes of her trip; she would periodically pause them, and then put up on the screen similar scenarios with Prof. Owl. This way she could get a feel for how it would appear to the viewers. She had asked Rachel over that afternoon to render her opinion on her progress so far. When Rachel arrived she had brought Debbie Miller with her as she had just come out of her dentist's office. Alicia had been using headphones to listen to her tapes and watching the screen with no sound. When Rachel and Debbie arrived she took off her headphones and left them on her desk.

"OK Ladies, here's where we are right now. I taped some sessions out East as you know and I have tried to emulate them as best I could and place them on the disc. They are pretty graphic, but you see this every day Rachel so it won't be a surprise to you. You don't have to watch this Debbie; I know that you have had more than your share of this."

"Oh I'll be fine, Alicia, who knows, I might be able to give you the victim's viewpoint."

"That's a very good point, Debbie; however you can walk out at any time – just so you know"

"Thank you for that, Alicia, but I should be fine."

We have been trying to find a friend of Debbie's out East. When she was out there recently she tried to find her but she had gone. Apparently she needs help and if we can find her we'll bring her here and try to get her re-established. That's the hope anyway."

"I wish you every success and if I can help you at all, please do not hesitate to call me. Right now though, let's get rolling. Are you ready?"

"Yep, but where's the popcorn?"

"Behave Rachel, be a good girl – like you used to be."

"Oh Nice – they sure don't wrap things up around here do they Debbie, she said laughing?"

Alicia then reached over to start the disc, but in doing so she unplugged the headphones. The screen itself was still blank, but now the sound was an actual session recording that Alicia had been listening to.

As Alicia reached over a little further to turn it off she noticed Debbie's face.

"What is it Debbie, what's wrong."

"That voice, that's my friend, Heather, Heather Mitchell. She is the one we have been searching for."

Now it was Alicia's turn to be shocked. This information was to be kept in the strictest confidence and now it was out –albeit accidentally.

"Are you sure, Debbie?"

"Oh Yes, I'd know her voice anywhere, we were best friends until I came here. Her husband committed suicide and left her devastated and broke –there was some talk of her being a hooker in Halifax in order to survive."

Alicia then flicked through her notes and found that one of the names on that list was Heather.

"Debbie, let me make a phone call to my Professor friend out East and see if he can help?"

Alicia than called Barton and explained exactly what had happened and was there any way he could help put those two women in touch with each other. He in turn pointed out that she may not wish to be contacted but he most certainly would try his best to persuade her. There was going to be a session tonight and if Heather did show up for it he'd approach her. Alicia then gave him Debbie's number and also Rachel's. She also explained that bringing this woman to Toronto and then Markton was no problem and all tickets would be provided. She also asked if he would mind being the middle man in arranging all of this. She knew the answer to that before she asked – and she was right. He offered his help on the spot and said he would be delighted.

When Heather showed up for her therapy session she was taken aside and led to Prof Clements office. She was somewhat nervous by this, but he soon calmed her down.

"Heather; as you know, Alicia Billinge is designing a program for us to help us to help people in therapy. Well the other day a friend of hers dropped by her office and she heard your voice and recognized it. That friend had been searching for you ever since she came out here for a funeral a few weeks ago. Her name is Debbie Miller and she broke down in tears when she heard your voice. Her other friends had told her of your difficulties – but she doesn't care about that. She wants you back in her life as she too has been though the mill recently. She was helped by friends in Markton, Alicia being one of them and she desperately wants to get you there as she misses you terribly. I have her phone number Heather, and there's the phone. I have to go to a session now – but please call your friend –it will mean so much to her.

***

When Debbie received Heather's phone call they both broke down in tears. There was just so much to tell each other. Only the broad strokes were divulged right then, the rest would follow later. The main thing was that they were now re-connected and their friendship was as solid as ever and no judgments were being made. Alicia made good on her promise and brought Heather to Markton and Rachel accommodated her in the Quadraplex temporarily. She was enrolled in Lynda's class at the center and slowly but surely her life would be put back on track. Therapeutically, getting back with Debbie was the best medicine for Heather. She now had a friend, several in fact, and none of them were interested in her past – just her future. A hug from Debbie carried more weight than a thousand therapy sessions. It was total acceptance, no strings attached and totally genuine friendship. To both these women that was priceless – they had seen the fires of Hell up close and personal, and felt its intense heat, and they had survived. They were re-building their lives one day at a time and having each other back in their lives was a huge boost to them. When Dave met Heather he liked her immediately and Heather could sense it too. The warmth he radiated towards her made her very comfortable with him and this to her was huge too. As she had been hooking in Halifax to survive; would Debbie's future husband accept her or would he dismiss her as scum? Well now she knew, he hugged like a sister – or a soon to be sister anyway and he totally accepted her. Debbie knew he would, that was just Dave, but Heather had to learn that for herself. Like Debbie, Heather now had a future to look forward to and once more that fickle finger of fate had stopped on a good slot. The hellish life that she had been living, the drug abuse she had endured in order to dull the pain of what she was doing were things of the past. Those therapy sessions out East had helped her comes to terms with herself – but this new found life was way more than she had expected. Unknown to Heather at the time was the fact that she would eventually join up with Rachel in running the Women's Shelter. Braxton's would fund it all and pay the salaries – but Heather and Rachel would run the place. Between then there was very little they had not seen before or possibly experienced personally. That was simply priceless in such a facility as they really could relate to their clientele and understand what they were going through and empathize with it. Heather Mitchell would soon stumble across her own burning bush on her personal road to Damascus so to speak – she could now give back to others the hope that Debbie and her friends had so freely given to her in her time of need.
Chapter Twenty Six

***

Over the next few months Alicia and Prof. Clements were constantly in touch regarding their pet project and Alicia had been out to the university campus several times. Each time she went she learned something new, subtle nuances that she could incorporate into her disc to enable it to have a greater impact on the viewer. Alicia had visited Barton out East, but he had never visited Alicia in Markton, so she decided to fly him in and show him around. Now it was his turn to learn a few things, especially regarding the Women's Shelter. He would be shown around the facility itself, the Half-Way House, the Quadraplex and the classrooms down in the basement. It would go some way in explaining why Alicia had become involved in the first place. His phone call had inspired her to take this to the next level, true enough – but this is where it had all started. Alicia thought he ought to know all this and why she became enthused by it all. Who knows, he just might be able to encourage some folks out East to establish such a facility once he saw how it all worked?

Heather Mitchell was coming along just fine now. With Debbie, Dave and Brenda providing her with encouragement she now began to flourish. Lynda was teaching her bookkeeping and general office procedures and apparently she was taking to it very well. Heather was not an educated woman, but she was learning what Lynda was teaching her. It was simply a shame that she had never had the opportunity before – or not taken it if it had been available. However, she was doing so now. She had a heart of gold and was willing to help anyone who needed it if she could. Trust however, especially where men were concerned, was another matter. She trusted Dave right from the start – but only because Debbie did basically. She had felt the warmth of that initial hug and the strength behind that embrace, and she let Dave cross her drawbridge on the strength of it. The rest of the world was kept at bay, at least for now. The thaw was setting in, but it still had some way to go. She had been through Hell and even all of that heat could not make a dent in the ice block that surrounded her and kept her safe in her own mind. Rachel and Debbie would get that ice to melt eventually – but they knew it would take time and they had plenty of that. Heather herself knew she needed to relax and let her drawbridge down more often – but it was easier said than done. Rachel had said to her one day – "Do you remember the old saying that your mother probably told you about being patient, Heather?"

"No I don't think so – what did it say?"

"It said – Patience is a virtue, obtain it if you can – it is seldom found in women and never in a man." Do you remember it now, Heather?'

"No I can't say that I'd ever hear that one before, Rachel – but it is true all the same."

"Yes it is, Heather, so don't beat yourself up for being cautious. When the time is right you'll relax and start to trust people again. You'll get there, just like Debbie did, give it time Heather. The past is behind you now. It was an unpleasant experience – but it will serve to make you the person that you will now become. We are all the product of our environment and our experiences in life. In some cases we are rescued by those who care for us. We learn from this and go forward with our lives. I was going to become a Nun at one point, but God saw that this was not for me and he sent me here. My husband rescued me from my despair just as Debbie has for you. It will be life changing Heather – but for the better this time. Who knows what God has in store for you? – I certainly didn't and here I am. One day you too might be in a position to help others – you certainly have the experience, the empathy and the compassion that it would take. Only time will tell, Heather – and of course patience, she added laughing"

Rachel had no idea just how prophetic those comments would prove to be in the not too distant future.

***

When Barton came to IEC to see Alicia's facility first-hand he was introduced to Kevin and Alan and the design staff. He was also shown the final version of the disc – prior to the trial phase. The actual trial phase in this case would be undertaken by his staff out East, his therapists and psychologists would be the ones giving their opinions. It was for their benefit after all and this disc had to work for them as a tool in helping their clients. Their clients would all have to sign waivers and releases as they would in fact be human guinea pigs for these trials. However, for now, only Barton and the IEC staff would be privy to this preview. Once he had been shown around the facility they all tripped into the cafeteria for the preview. A large screen had been set up in there and the blinds were now all closed. Alicia now activated the disc on the screen. Professor Owl strode into the auditorium purposefully, but in a sports jacket and trousers. He looked every inch the university prof. full of erudition and wisdom. Behind him was a screen and on the podium were a pointer and a laser beam pointer. He began by explaining the format, which were basically The Cause, The Action and The Result.

"Today we are going to conduct an interactive session, with no right or wrong answers. You will be asked for your opinions and you will give them freely – no marks will be given and no judgments made and it will not in any way impact your GPA. I want you to be scrupulously honest in your responses so that each one of us can fully appreciate the situation as you see it. We are all different people, look around at you fellow students – they are all different right? So in order for all of us to understand you and your perception on things – we need you to tell us honestly how you see them. Any questions anybody?"

With that the program started. The animals were all dressed casually, some smart some sloppy. Some had recorders, others laptops and some were barely paying attention as if they were there under duress. In essence it was a regular class. There were snippets of humour here and there but overall it was pretty serious. It did however address the topics in detail and the therapist could use their own hand control to ask a more detailed question at any time. Prof. Owl would ask a base question and solicit the viewer's response – but the therapist could then expand on that using their hand control to zero in on a specific item.

The session had gone very well and everyone had been impressed by it. The thing that impressed them most was the ability of the therapist to direct the way each session would go by their selecting which questions to ask and when to ask them. The viewers would be responding to the disc – they would not necessarily be aware of the therapist's involvement. In some instances they could very well be in a room on their own just watching the disc and responding to it. This could be in a situation where the viewer was uncomfortable giving detailed information to anyone else due to embarrassment etc. The subliminal feature was not turned on for the preview, but it was contained on the disc. Prof. Clements would now take a copy of that disc back to the university for the trial phase to be conducted and their observations noted, and where needed, corrections made. As a therapeutic tool this was now showing considerable promise.

***

Debbie and Heather were now back to the way they were before adversity had stricken them both. They were laughing again and doing things together like they had in the old days. Heather had been accepted by the others much to her surprise, but then the others had all been through the mill too and been accepted by everyone else also. This is what the Shelter provided – the opportunity for a new start. They were there to help in any way that they could and they did. Heather had arrived friendless and afraid and knowing only Debbie – but that was all changed now. She was still nervous around men, but otherwise she was almost back to normal and the way that she used to be.

Debbie meanwhile was really getting closer to Dave now. She was running Cresswell on her own now that Darlene had retired and doing it very well according to everyone Dave had spoken to. Debbie's self-confidence had returned and both clients and staff alike thought that she was ideal for the position. Romantically things had been moving along nicely too, that glacier was in full retreat now and in danger of flooding and swamping everything in its path. Dave now knew how to push Debbie's buttons, exactly where those buttons were located and above all when to stimulate them. Debbie knew it too. Dave could make her purr like a kitten when he had a mind to, and once he became frisky it was game over. Debbie could not resist him then and her passion just erupted like a volcano as she just let that tsunami of ecstasy sweep over her. Dave was a skilled lover having travelled the globe as a merchant seaman and he had picked up a few tips here and there. Debbie was now the beneficiary of all that erotic schooling and she loved every second of it. The softness of his touches, his masterful grip, the passion of his lips followed by his magical technique drove Debbie wild. It caused her to give out squeals of delight as she fell under his spell and let her passion take over. He should have a stamp on his forehead, Debbie thought to herself "Satisfaction Guaranteed" - but it was just a passing thought as she lay there afterwards quite happy and content in his powerful arms.

That however, was only a small part of life, and important element for sure, but by no means the be all and end all of everything. The respect that Dave had shown for her and her abilities, and his ability to treat her as an equal, carried tremendous weight with Debbie. It had bolstered her self-respect considerably after what she had been through. Dave had shown her that she was just as good as everyone else and totally worthy of their respect and admiration for who she was – just like the rest of humanity. It was his acceptance that had empowered her to change and be who she now was. This, she now decided, she would instill in Heather and guide her back to normal. Between Rachel, Brenda, Lynda and herself, Heather would be revitalized and returned to normal. She was a naturally attractive woman, not a film star perhaps, but still very attractive. Her real beauty however lay on the inside as many of her new found friends were now learning for themselves.

***

Professor Clements was now back in Nova Scotia and conducting the trial phase of this new disc with his students and staff. The disc would simply be one tool amongst many – it was not a cure all for all known sociological maladies out there. It was there to help identify, zero in on, and then hopefully allow the victim to accept the help being offered by the therapist. Pictures are far more therapeutic than words in many cases. Sometimes a patient cannot express themselves adequately –this disc allows them to simply by pointing or by clicking a button. This then allows the therapist to focus on that issue. Alicia took it upon herself to let Rachel have a copy of this disc and to conduct her own mini trial in the Women's Shelter.

"Rachel, I have here a copy of the latest disc, the one I gave to Prof. Clements for testing. "I'd like you to do your own unofficial test here in the Shelter and let me know what you think."

"Oh Sure, I'd love to show this to the women here. There is so much in there that will be of benefit to them."

"Well that is our hope, Rachel, but will it work?"

"The only way to find that out is to try it – so let's do that. I have everyone coming over tonight, the Half –Way House and the Quadraplex so I'll run it then. Why not come over yourself if John is still out of town?"

"Yes I could do that Rachel, what time would you like me here?"

"Oh 7:30pm should be fine. That will give me time to cover all the domestic issues first and then we can roll the film."

"Well it's hardly a movie Rachel. It might as well be for them, trust me."

Alicia went over that night and found out that everyone just thought it was fantastic. One lady came up to Alicia later and said:

"I wish I'd seen that disc earlier, it could have saved me a lot of grief."

Another lady just loved Prof. Owl and his expressions.

"I particularly liked what he said at the end."

"Oh what was that one about?"

"The one that said "Yesterday made us who we are now – Today gives us the opportunity to change and become the person we want to be Tomorrow."

"You liked that one did you?"

"Yes, Rachel said something along those lines too recently and it makes a lot of sense. It sort of gave me the will to make some changes and I know now that I can get the help here in order to do that."

It warmed Alicia's heart hearing this – that was what all this was about, and hearing it straight from the horse's mouth so to speak was so gratifying. She passed on that comment to Rachel later. Platitudes are one thing – but this was a genuine offhand remark that endorsed the whole thing quite unintentionally, and she meant every word of it. To Rachel and Alicia that was a ringing endorsement of their efforts to be of help to these women – now they knew they were.

***

Brenda and Alvin were rock solid now also. She was totally comfortable with him, and her drawbridge was firmly on the ground and the Portcullis was locked shut in the upright position. Alvin had given her the time she needed and it had paid off for them both. Alvin was a very good man, and that had been told to Brenda by many of her women friends, Cathy, Penny and Alicia being but a few of them. Life was not always fair and many people, both men and women had been through some very difficult times due to one thing or another. While Brenda herself had been a victim of adverse circumstance – when she looked around she saw that most of her friends had too. They had reached out to her in her time of need, now she was doing the same thing to others and they in turn were doing the same thing too. It was the circle of life and this now allowed her to let Alvin in with no restrictions or unrealistic expectations. They both had good jobs, were planning a future together and life now looked pretty good to Brenda Banks. A few years ago she had come back home with her tail between her legs, a destroyed woman. People felt sorry for her and pitied her and that made things worse. However, one friend stepped up and helped her – someone she had been rather mean to in school too. That person was Penny and because of her help Brenda was a new woman today. Helping out Debbie and Heather was her way of giving back and Alvin was right behind her in that. In fact he was very proud of her for it. He and Dave Curtis had been talking recently about paying a visit to Karu, well Alvin would at least. No firms plans were in the works yet – but this was the direction both men were headed. John Billinge was being kept apprised of developments for obvious reasons – but he did not divulge their secrets. He was a firm believer in keeping a secret, a secret, and he could too.

***

The initial trial reports from the university were now in and they were very favorable. Almost all of the therapists thought they were excellent. One however pointed out that some of his male patients failed to relate to the animals as they thought it to be fictional. Needless to say this was the one report that Alicia concentrated on. She telephoned the therapist directly and asked him if she changed the animals to people on the subliminal disc would he retest it using that format? He apparently agreed and this time even he was surprised when his patients seemed to embrace the disc in that format. Professor Clements had sat in on those trials and everyone was seemingly onboard and actually paying attention to the program.

The brain is a complex organism and as yet we still have much to learn about it. There are numerous conditions that can cause the brain to misfire and lash out violently. Professional psychologists have a lengthy list of these conditions and their related symptoms. Some require pharmaceutical treatment – others respond to different therapeutic techniques. It was the latter group that may benefit from Alicia's disc. The disc itself could be controlled by the therapist to depict both sides of the equation – the abuser and the victim. The abuser needed to be shown the error of his ways and how to control his behaviour. The victim needed to be shown how to overcome their self-doubt and have their insecurities removed and replaced with self-confidence. The therapist was the one in control of that aspect – Alicia's disc was a tool that could help the therapist to accomplish that goal in a way they considered to be appropriate for that particular patient.

With all the trial results in and thoroughly examined in minute detail, it was decided that the disc could be generally released. The university had in fact given it rave reviews. All of their therapists, including the one that had his initial doubts, were totally ecstatic about it. As one commented to the Dean – It may not be a Cure All – but it is a Cure for Some. Both the Dean, and Prof. Clements who was stood nearby, were taken aback by that ringing endorsement. It was a true statement, just not one that academia was accustomed to hearing – they were generally too cautious to make such claims. The general consensus was that this project had been a total success and that many people would benefit from it.

***

A few weeks later Alicia received a phone call from the Provost's office at the East Coast University. They wanted to acknowledge Alicia's contribution to their Sociology and Psychology Departments in producing this latest therapeutic aid. It was receiving wide acclaim both here and abroad and it was helping many, many people. As a result they felt it would be appropriate to formally present Alicia with an Honorary Degree in appreciation of her contribution and assistance in helping both current and future patients to overcome their difficulties.

Alicia was totally delighted by this gesture and a little overawed too if the truth be known –but she accepted the invitation to attend. As John was home then he could accompany her to the ceremony. Everyone at IEC congratulated her and so too did Rachel and Tony and Cathy Braxton.

They flew out on the Monday and the actual ceremony was to be held on the Tuesday at 11:00 am. Alicia and John were met at the main building and escorted to the auditorium. They were not expecting the welcome that they received. It was standing room only in there – and everyone was on their feet clapping their arrival. They were then shown to their seats on the front row. The Provost then took to the lectern.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, a few months ago I was approached by Prof. Clements with an idea that he had. It was an idea to use animals in a game to help his patients. He had seen something called "Mr. Owl's Academy" and in his mind he thought the designers of that just might be able to produce something he and his staff could use. As I was listening to his ideas I was in two minds as the whether to pick up the phone and call the Psychiatry Dept. and have him certified. Animals teaching people indeed –has he gone mad, I thought? At that time I had not heard of "Mr. Owl's Academy", but he encouraged me to see it and I did. To say that I was impressed would be an understatement and I did some research on my own as to this game's efficacy. Prof. Clements then told me that he had contacted IEC and in particular Mrs. Alicia Billinge, the design engineer behind Mr. Owl's Academy and they would collaborate on this project. I was somewhat skeptical, but I went along with it. They thought Columbus was mad too – so I guess I'm in good company, Barton. What you and Mrs. Billinge have created is nothing short of awesome and a tool that will benefit millions. It is an extraordinary new weapon in our fight against violent behaviour, its causes and its treatment. Mrs. Billinge could you please join me up here on the stage"

Alicia then rose and walked up the steps and onto the stage.

"Barton, I think Mrs. Billinge is inappropriately attired don't you?"

"I do indeed sir – but I do have an appropriate garment at hand"

With that the professor strode off the stage and emerged seconds later carrying a cap and gown. It was when Alicia saw the gown that she gasped – she knew exactly what it was. Barton now helped her put on the gown and he then placed the mortar board on her head.

"On behalf of the Board of Regents and the directors and Faculty of this university –we hereby confer upon Alicia Louise Billinge the degree of Doctor of Humanity and all of the rights and privileges pertaining thereto."

He then presented her with her diploma and gave her a huge hug and whispered softly in her ear "You really have earned this Alicia, well done and my sincere congratulations."

Alicia had been floored by this gesture. She had been expecting an honorary degree at the bachelor level but certainly not a full doctorate. She gave a brief response and thanked them all for this distinct honor and privilege. She was too choked up to say much more.

It was then the turn of Prof. Clements to take to the lectern.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the lady you see here before you is not the lady that I know. She is every bit the brilliant engineer and dedicated computer geek, but she is also something else. She strives daily to not only produce helpful tools – but also to actually help women in the local Women's Shelter. She does in fact help broken women to triumph over their adversities and forge new lives for themselves and become self-sufficient. Through her creation Mr. Owl she had helped thousands of children overcome their ADD and ADHD problems or greatly improved upon them at least. Her latest creation is Prof. Owl – I guess he has earned his promotion. Many of you in here today will have seen him – and while I would like to say that Alicia copied my teaching style when she created him, that sadly is not the case. I am working on that though. When it comes right down to it – Mrs. Billinge, oops! Dr. Billinge as she is now, really is a true humanitarian and she so richly deserves the recognition bestowed upon her today – but she is not the only one.

Cynthia, could you come up here please.

"Thank you Professor. As a student here at the university I have been subjected to Prof. Owl's teachings, his philosophies and above all his wisdom. I have learned a great deal from him as have my classmates. When we heard that Mrs. Billinge was to receive a prestigious award we felt it would be appropriate to award Prof. Owl one too – she did create him after all. Dr. Billinge could come up and join me please on Prof. Owl's behalf?"

Alicia once more left her seat and went up onto the stage.

"On behalf of the students in the Sociology and Psychology dept. we would like to present you with this token of our appreciation. Can you bring it out please Tina?"

Another student now came on stage carrying a box a little larger than a shoe box. It was wrapped up and tied with a bow and Tina presented it to Alicia. When Alicia unwrapped it and lifted the lid the tears started to flow. Cynthia now helped her to take it out of the box and to show it the audience. It was a wood carving in oak of Professor Owl complete with cap and gown and wire glasses. The base was square and it had three engraved brass plates screwed into it. The front one was the largest one and it just had two words on it – "My Triumph". The side inscriptions were from the students and from the university itself. As Alicia was fighting to compose herself a group of people had arisen from the fourth row back and were now gathering on the stage. As she wiped her tears away she now saw just who they were. Alan, Kevin, Tony, Cathy, Jean, Rachel, Debbie, Chloe, Heather and last but by no means least Tommy her first success. John just hugged his wife at that point and let her cry it out until she was ready to respond.

Professor Clements then strode back onto the stage as Alicia was doing her best to compose herself.

"Now this is the Alicia Billinge I know – the woman of caring and compassion and one filled with emotion. This is the kind of human being the world could use more of and Prof. Owl's statue does indeed represent her triumph. It has been one of the greatest privileges in my career to have worked alongside you in this and I feel honored to have done so. Likewise to you too Alan and Kevin, and I hope we can do so again in the future – keep up the great work that you guys are giving to the world.

Alicia, now composed, thanked everyone for their comments and for the statue of Prof. Owl.

"You have no idea just how precious this gift will be to me. I will treasure it forever and I shall never forget today and the honors that you have bestowed upon both me and Prof. Owl. Never in my wildest dreams did I envision this when Prof. Clements and I started out on this venture. It was I who was honored to work with you Barton. I learned so much from you and contrary to what you said before – much of Prof. Owl's wisdom did indeed come from you. I'm not that smart – just so you know, she added laughing."

***

That evening in their hotel, Kevin had organized a private party for the group that had travelled from Markton and he had added the Provost and Barton Clements too. Alicia had been assured that it was just going to be a simple dinner – but deep down she knew better. If these two bozos had organized it, then a simple straightforward dinner was the last thing it would be. She was right. After the main course and before the dessert, Kevin gets up and produces the statue of Prof. Owl and sets him on the table. He holds him up, looks at him and scowls. He then launches into a diatribe regarding Alicia's obsessive desire to create this paragon of erudition and wisdom.

"We were all dragged kicking and screaming down this path with her. She would pull us into her office at all hours just make tweaks to this nightmare of a project."

Alan then got up and delivered a similar disparaging rant. It was Tony Braxton's turn next – but this time it was not a roast.

"Alicia, those two clowns love you more than you will ever know – trust me on that. They do so for very good reason and not solely because you are loveable. Like the rest of us here, and probably far more so, they know who you really are underneath all that scientific veneer. The awards, the public recognition are mere trinkets – what is truly important is the love, the compassion and the totally selfless way that you help others in need. We have here at this table people who can attest to that and it is for them to tell you how priceless a gift you have given them."

Tony then sat down and Debbie then stood up.

"I lack the eloquence of Mr. Braxton and your partners, Alicia, but my words are sincere and heartfelt. When I came to this town I was a total wreck. I had no money, a fourteen year old daughter and the clothes on my back and that was it. The future was something I dreaded, I was living in a nightmare – and then I met Rachel at the Women's Shelter. Then I was introduced to you and Cathy. You didn't know me – but you took my daughter shopping so that she could buy me some clothes. You made sure that I had all that I needed to heal as you brought me back, slowly but surely, to normal. You encouraged me to learn in Lynda's class and between the three of you I was restored to normal. I was housed, clothed and fed until I was able to fend for myself. When my friend Heather was in the same boat you reached out and helped her too. Who else would do that today? Rachel once told me that God had sent her two angels to help her – she was referring to you and Cathy at the time. She was right Alicia. You have no idea the impact you have had on my life, Chelsea's or the countless number of women who have passed through the Women's' Shelter. To you it is unconscious effort; you just do what needs to be done as you see it. To those receiving it however, it is far, far more. You are the hope that they had lost. You show them that they do have a future – one they could never have dreamed of. You convinced them that they were not worthless, they were loveable and that their lives were far from over. How do I know this? - Because you did it for me. You gave me back my dignity and self-respect. I was in the depths of despair, but you made me rise up like a Phoenix and overcome my fears. When I came to Markton I never thought I'd be the woman I am today stood here. Yet here I am and it's all down to you."

Debbie then bent down and picked up the statue of Prof. Owl. She then held it up for all to see.

"The plaque reads simply "My Triumph". Truer words were never spoken, Alicia, and on behalf of all of us that you have helped, and will help in the future, I want to say Thank You."

Alicia simply put her head on her husband's shoulder and sobbed quietly. Hearing those words from Debbie had indeed made an impact. She really was helping people, real people. At a distance it just didn't seem to be as real – but Debbie had brought it up close and personal. Today was one day Alicia would never forget. Even Prof Owl had tears in his eyes now. Debbie's tears had dripped onto the statue as she was holding it. It was a fitting end to the evening having both heroes in tears – but they were tears of unbridled joy.

The End

Thank you for downloading and reading this book. It is deeply appreciated and also gratifying when people take the time to read an author's work and it is a privilege we are all aware of. I hope that you found this book to be enjoyable. If so, you may wish to read similar romance books of mine.

Alicia's Dream

Second Chances

The Unforgettable Journey

Once again, thank you for your time and your support and enjoy your future reading experiences.

Ian

The author may be contacted at: mac21books@gmail.com

