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Go Cody

By: EgmontGrigor2011



INTRODUCTION

Ron Barr runs a trucking company in rural New South Wales, Australia, where his drivers like to race other trucks, drink till they drop and chase fast women when not too tired and they are still half sober. 

They spend their money so quickly that Ron unilaterally decided to place half of their weekly pay into the bank account of their mothers, or if they live with a woman, into that female's bank account. The drivers consider they had no option but to sign consent forms because they knew what would happen to their job if they didn't cooperate. 

As a result of that social engineering, Ron always has replacement drivers on a waiting list, many of the initial applications appearing to have been made in women's handwriting. 

Ron had started out as a 17-year old in the trucking company owned in those days by his father. He didn't drink liquor but chased fast women and that's how he met Kathy whom he later married against his parents' wishes. They had picked out the Rev. Blake's daughter for him, thinking she'd tone Ron down.

Truckie Ron later entered management and eventually ownership of the firm knowing every trick in the book as well as some not yet known to run-of-the-road drivers and would sooner fire a driver gone bad than argue with him. If the guy wanted to fight to vent his anger on Ron he could try but probably would regret that decision.

A tough guy is Ron.

The years went by and Ron and Kathy (who turned out good) sent their kids to Sydney to university. Ben with a build and dark bushy eyebrows much like his father, completed an accounting degree and had been appointed general manager of his dad's business while blonde and deeply blue-eyed university graduate Cody had won a scholarship to the United States to complete her studies with a one-year accelerated MBA in Health Administration. 

CHAPTER 1

Before heading to the Midwest to her university, sweet-smiling Cody stayed in LA for a week to have a good look around. On the day she headed out to shop in Rodeo Drive her motel room was broken into and her two travel bags and all her unpacked possessions were stolen.

She had to report the theft to the police to get a travel insurance payout. Motel management denied any responsibility although admitting their security surveillance system had been out of action for more than a month. Cody looked dangerously menacing when told about that so management added its own compensation to pay Cody off from going to the media.

Cody called home to report her loss and her dad answered the phone.

He listened. Cody could almost feel his rising anger.

"You come home right this minute, do you hear? I'm not having you alone in that den of antiquity called America."

"You mean den of iniquity dad."

He roared, "I know what I mean and so do you."

With years of practice, Kathy wrestled the phone from her husband and said patiently, "What's all this about dear?"

They discussed the issue and her mom said. "You're going through with this advance in your education and that's that."

She asked, "What was Rodeo Drive like?" and her frustrated husband went out to kick two or three palings off the fence surrounding the homestead.

"What do you suggest mom?"

"Move into a quality hotel and buy replacement stuff and keep all receipts for insurance purposes. Catch your plane on schedule and go to your university and stop thinking what had happened to you. What happened to you could happen to anyone in any city, perhaps even here in Australia. Um even here in Australia."

"Yes mom. How are the fowls laying?"

At the university Cody found she was sharing a room with a fairly shy and watchful young woman off a ranch who was studying for a health support qualification.

"I had been dubious about being paired with you," Sarah Carter smiled. "I was half-expecting a fat black young woman with a nude kid on her hip."

"Oh you have seen pictures of Australian Aboriginals? I guess I could have expected you would like a an Indian squaw."

Sarah laughed. "I'm ignorant aren't I? You look like one of us and sound much like a West Coaster."

"Yeah well wait till I say g'day or fish."

"What was that last word?"

They laughed.

Sarah pulled a jug of fruit juice from the fridge and poured two glasses.

"This is freshly squeezed. I regulate the intake of nasty stuff because I come off a ranch and am used to eating wholesome food."

"Oh god, you watch what you eat too. How wonderful."

Sarah looked pleased. "Our ranch is almost 8500 acres but it includes a mountain."

"Wow," Cody said politely.

"I think you have bigger ranches than that in Australia, even larger than ranches in Texas?"

"Well yes, but there are lots of people with only 100 acres or even less."

"Want to come for a swim? We have a wonderful sports complex here."

"I know. I've played the video many times and that was one of the reasons I competed for a scholarship here. I'm really big into health and sport and your MBA in health admin here is pretty top-notch and I didn't want to go to a big city university. This looks and feels my kind of place."

At the pool Sarah introduced Cody to three other girls and a couple of guys appeared from nowhere and asked to be introduced to the stranger.

"A scholarship from Australia eh?" said Burt. "Don't they have a university there?"

"They have several. I did my BA at Sydney University and it has more than 30,000 undergrads and 16,000 grad students." 

The students around her appeared impressed.

"Then why come here?" Lauren asked.

"My home town has 9,200 people and that's big enough for me. I found Sydney was too big for my and I chose to apply for a scholarship to this university because it's a valuable scholarship and the university is located in a smaller state and it offers the educational opportunity I also required."

By the time she'd finished saying that no one was listening.

The guys watched the girls swim two lengths and then Al said, "Burt and I can see you have the style of a coached swimmer Cody. Come on, race us."

"I don't wish to show off."

"It's the American way," one of the girls said and Sarah said, "Go give it to them Cody."

Cody creamed them and Burt said as they dried off, "Cody would you mind if I tell Coach White about you?"

"She wrote me, having seen my performance times in my CV when the scholarship was awarded. I'm here on a swim scholarship."

"Omigod and you told me you are an elite long distance cyclist," Sarah said.

"Look guys could we please get off me. I'm only an Aussie."

"Only an Aussie," Al laughed. "And cute."

Cody dated Al for just over a month before she dumped him, finding he'd been with Annie the previous night. Annie took up to three guys at a time.

Although the breakup with Al had been pretty private, it had been overheard and Cody found herself with guys practically lining up.

She went home with Sarah whenever invited, turning down other invitations because she and Sarah had become very close.

Cody had transformed Sarah, taking her in to get her hair cut to a more modern style and had give her advice about make-up and how to apply it and guided Sarah when she purchased some new skirts, getting the hem length up a good six inches. Within a short time Sarah was enjoying a significant increase in popularity and knew she had Cody to thank for that.

The two young women felt a developing affinity and in moving around the confines of their small apartment often lightly clad and falling into the habit of drying each other's hair, neither of them pulled back when they had their first sexy kiss and that same night Cody invited Sarah to come to bed with her. Sarah turned out the last light and arrived in the bed nude and they went slowly and enjoyed the touching and finally the petting gave way to desire and they repositioned into a sixty-nine.

* * *

Looking over the kitchen bench Lisa Carter saw the dust plume and said, "They're coming."

"Christ two more women in the house," her 26-year old Max snorted.

His dad John reading that morning's newspaper pushed up his glasses and growled, "Watch your mouth when talking to your mom or any female for that matter son."

The 14-year old twins Meg and Jess had already raced to the front porch.

"Dad why did she have to bring home someone, especially a loud-mouth Australian? You know we like being just family."

"I think it's about time you ventured out into the real world son and learned manners and how to communicate with other folk. Sarah said this girl is pretty."

"Yeah well if she only looks like Sarah that ain't pretty. Far from it."

John rattled his paper and sighed. 

Lisa came in looking rather excited, wiping her hands on her apron and she said, "Out on to the porch you two lumps to welcome home Sarah. It's weeks since we last saw her."

The family peered when two blondes got out of the small Ford. Their Sarah had left home with almost auburn hair and both these young women were very pretty.

The twins had it sorted first. They yelled when the driver waved.

"It's Sarah, now blonde," yelled Meg and Jess yelled, "Mom can we go blonde? Please."

Lisa was too stunned to reply, not that it mattered because the twins would already know the reply would not have been yes.

"Jesus dad Sarah's all grown up in just a few months."

"Yeah and look at the babe with her."

"Wow dad, that's really top shelf. Sarah said she was new to the university but already was the female swim champ over middle distances. She has the face of a beauty queen and the body of an athlete."

"Yeah and probably the manner of a shrew. I know women son."

"Oh yeah, and where did you get such refined experience dad? You've rarely been more than ten miles from this ranch."

"Make that fifty and I might agree with you. I watch videos."

Lisa was hugging her daughter hugely and the twins were jumping up and down and casting shy glances at Cody.

Finally Meg said bravely, "Are you able to speak English?"

"Ah woogle dum seehill foxy mibilow," Cody teased and the twins darted behind their mom.

"Mom this is my very best friend ever," Cody Barr from Australia. "You spoke to her briefly a couple of times on my phone."

"Yes and a very warm welcome to Starlight Ranch Cody. It's so lovely having you here."

"Wait till you get to know me before you make expansive judgments about me," Cody grinned and the twins gawked. "May I kiss you? I'm missing my mom greatly."

"Oh darling," Lisa said, holding open her arms and Cody rushed to her and began crying.

"It's okay girls," Sarah said. "Cody began talking a lot about her folk on the trip here. She's at little homesick, that's all."

Copy wiped her eyes and sniffed, "Do you have poultry Mrs Carter?"

"Yes dear," Lisa said, knowing what this was about. "Your mother has hens and knows them by name, doesn't she?"

Cody nodded.

"Well come and see them and give them some wheat and I'll tell you their names."

They walked off around the house, the twins following.

"Jeez Sarah," Max said, hugging his sister and thumping her on the back. "You're brought home a real cry baby."

He was ignored and Sarah hugged her dad and was kissed.

"That Cody has fixed you up real good."

"How did you know it was Cody dad?"

"This is your fourth year at that university and no one else bothered that much about you in that time. I don't like you coloring your God-given hair but it's your decision at your age. And I think you now look real pretty."

"Thanks dad. And you Max?"

"Oh you look okay I guess."

"Thanks Max. Get our bags to my room Max."

"Aw can't Miss Weepy sleep with me."

"Get fucked Max and do what you're told and don't overly-bother Cody without her consent and you'll get a shotgun blast up your butt."

Both men grinned and looked impressed with the now assertive Sarah.

"Has Miss Weepy toughened you up?"

"Yes Max and if you value you teeth I would be careful about bad-naming Cody to her face. She has been trained in modern martial arts."

"You're kidding me."

"The bags and our other stuff Max. Chop, chop."

Max walked off, glancing at his sister uncertainly.

Her dad placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed affectionately. "I think you suckered him real real good."

"She's incredibly good at anything physical dad and probably can fight. She told me she grew up with practically all boys. But she's no Superwoman dad. She has a soft core and now mom is attending to that. Pity she's far too intelligent for Max eh?"

"Yeah right."

Dinner was a merry affair with Cody regaling them with stories about her tough-ass dad and how he met and married a Go-Go dancer, her mom, and his parents went almost a year before talking to him again although they lived nearby and they all worked in the same business. Then during the 7-year floods (the drought near the Outback is broken about every seven years by heavy monsoon rains from the north) his mom's sister Aunt Judy who was heavily pregnant, was scheduled to go to hospital at Dubbo for a caesarean birth to avoid complications because that hospital had the specialist support required.

All routes into their city were cut off and there were no helicopter services Outback in those days. Cody's father swam and waded for four miles to a roadwork's camp that had been abandoned ahead of rising floodwaters. He drove a grader back that four-miles to his astonished parents and uncle. It was the only vehicle built high enough that could have made it through floodwater that deep. Aunt Jess was loaded on a stretcher and tied to the grader with her husband and brother watching over her as their son/nephew, now a hero, drove them back through the floodwaters where Judy was loaded on to a truck and taken to Dubbo. Her boy was born safely and Judy insisted he be named Ron after Ron his heroic uncle.

"Tell us more stories," Meg begged.

"Well when I was fourteen, your age, I was considered pretty good at swimming and cleaned up everyone in my age group, boys too, within 200 miles and at Dubbo I won the 400-yards swim and that meant I had to go to Sydney for the state finals but rather than swim in my age group I insisted on swimming in the open group. God I could have dog-paddled and won my age event but I learnt my lesson about big-headedness in the finals. The race was won by a 16-year old who left me for dead in fourth place and a couple of years later those two top girls were swimming for Australia at the Olympics and both won medals."

"The big buildings and the sprawl of Sydney had me bug-eyed but nothing like that winner who swam the pants off us. She was so incredibly awesome. So after I returned home mom listened to my plea and drove me almost two hundred miles to Dubbo each Saturday for six months of the year until I was old enough to get my driver's license and get myself there in dad's spare pickup."

Hugely impressed Meg said, "Your mom drove your 400 miles each Saturday?"

"Yes. She loved it. She'd never done so much shopping in her entire life."

"Oh here's a story I love about mom. We had gone for a bit of a hike and were about a three-day walk away from our city when she was bitten by a snake and became sick very quickly. I had cut open her leg in a cross and tried to suck out the venom but obviously was too late or my technique was faulty."

"She was losing consciousness and of course I was worried sick. When she'd become delirious I knew it was only a matter of time. We had CB radios with us fortunately and I called the flying doctor service. I'd killed the snake with my bush knife so was able to give them a good description of it. But now they had to find me. It was summer and so dry that if I started a fire it could take off and then with a wind change perhaps come back at us. The guy was looking at his map and me at ours and he identified a landmark I could see, a rock the size of a house on the side of a small hill. It was an hour's hike away. I really didn't wish to leave mom but had no choice. I knew I had to save her life and take the risk I'd be back with the serum in time to save her."

"The aerial drop was successful and I raced back to mom, sweating like a pig and almost delirious myself saying over and over again, "Oh please God don't let me be too late, Oh please God."

"I raced into our camp and found mom sitting up, looking a bit groggy."

"She said where have you been Cody? How many times have I told you not to go walking off on your own way out here?"

"I threw myself at her bawling my eyes out and she asked what was wrong, had I hurt myself. She then said thanks for bandaging her leg, she didn't recall jagging her leg on a stump. I told her what had happened and she was most surprised and said she seemed okay now. I called the Flying Doctor service and mom conversed with a doctor and it was decided she didn't need to be injected with the serum. Mom said to me, "I wouldn't have let you inject with a big needle like that. You'd be too rough."

Everyone just loved the ending to that story.

Later Max asked Cody did she ride and she said yes.

"Come up Mt John with me tomorrow. It's really only a super big hill with a riding track up it."

"Well thanks but it depends on what Sarah wants to do."

"No you go with Max. I don't like riding much and you can see our entire spread from up there. I want to work on mom's hair and her makeup"

"Okay Max, it sounds good. Could we set out at dawn?"

"Dawn?"

"The weather is settled and dawn is the best time of day."

"Jesus, well I suppose."

Max came into the twin-bed room when it was still dark.

"Hoping to grab a breast while I was still asleep eh?"

"Er no."

Cody got up from the chair, full dressed and ready to go but as they left the bedroom she said, "Could you grab one of your mom's or Sarah's jackets for me. It's cold and although it's spring I saw there's still snow up on the tops."

"Have you ever seen snow?"

"Not until I was flying from LA to South Dakota. It was really something."

"What about boots? They'd be better than those sneakers."

Max fitted her out and then jammed a woolen cap on her head.

"Thanks sweetie, now I feel I could take on anything."

"What about sex?"

"Perhaps when it gets warmer; you've been a good boy."

The light reflecting off Max's teeth was enough to get them outside where two saddled horses were tied to the gate.

"Oooh, really good boy Max. Obviously you know how to get your ass into gear when necessary."

"We leave as early as 4:00 when we pack out to the far pastures."

"Don't you guys run a truck?"

"No we use tractors and trailers for hay."

"You could cart horses out at perhaps 30 miles and hour in a float bolted on the tray of the truck compared with riding perhaps at 5 to 6 miles an hour for a day's ride. Do the math Max."

"Jesus."

"Never get tied to all the old ways Max. Some are good for your health and good for living but others rightly belong to the horse and cart days."

"Jesus."

Cody smiled and guessed she knew Max's favorite word of surprise/exclamation.

They reached the top of the gently rising high hill that Cody thought probably only the locals called a mountain. It was a fine day so the air wasn't too cold on the summit. She gamboled in the snow, much to Max's amusement.

He then pointed out the boundaries of their ranch and having named distant landmarks he set off eagerly to the lower slopes for lunch and anything else on offer.

"No blanket?"

"No sit on your haunches to eat or sit on a saddlebag."

"Don't we need a blanket for comfortable sex?"

He looked at her keenly. "Do you really mean you'll have sex with me?"

"Yes you have been considerate to me and girls like sex too Max."

He appeared to accept that as new information.

"We can do it up against that tree."


Go Cody



"Okay but after lunch."

Cody honestly did think anyone could scoff down his food so quickly.

It was still fairly cool and so she only unbuttoned her jacket and unclipped her bra but left it in place. No way would she completely divest for Max, no matter how keen he was.

She dropped her jeans and panties and stepped out of them.

"Okay let's see what you've got."

He appeared embarrassed and asked did she really want to see it.

"Yeah I need to check that it's healthy."

"Oh yeah."

It looked okay and Max rolled a 'rubber' on asking did she always carry condoms.

"Yes because not all guys do."

"Oh."

Max showed no interest in kissing her or talking to her sweetly and Cody thought oh-oh.

But she had worried needlessly. He flipped her breasts out and was into them like a hungry hound, licking and slurping and the noise and his enthusiasm got her going.

Max pushed her against the tree truck, bent at the knees and fed his dick into her without first fingering her pussy.

Max lacked refinement but what he did was what Cody liked. He thrust forward with a slight corkscrew and that sent her nerve ends into frenzy. She came three times before he let forth a roar that could be heard ten miles away, or something much less. He pulled out, ripped off the condom and then drenched her loins. She could feel the stuff sliding down her thighs and drop off at her bent knees.

Jesus.

"How was that?" he asked and looked apprehensive as if the answer would determine the level of his manhood.

"Fairly rough and ready and in the end very satisfying; you got me off three times."

Max stuck out his chest and grinned, "Good one. Do you take it up the butt?"

"No," lied Cody, thinking enough was enough and she was getting cold. Anyway she did not permit such access indiscriminately.

The next two mornings Cody went out with Lisa and they fed the hens mash and Lisa again identified all the hens and Dick and Bob the roosters to the visitor. The next morning Lisa listened in disbelief as Cody identified all twenty-three hens, some of the thirteen all-white hens possessing only the slightest identifying marks.

That afternoon Cody was on her bed reading when she heard Sarah and her mom talking with raised voices.

"I don't care Sarah. I just don't like her and Max sneaking off to have sex. My god what will I say to the twins if they ask about it. It's not right I'm telling you."

"Well mom if you are so worried you talk to them. I'm saying nothing. It's perfectly natural to do what they're doing and I know Cody is very happy about it."

"So you will be disobedient to your mother?"

"Yes in this particularly instance, very disobedient."

Cody heard a door slam. She sighed.

Towards midnight she crept into Max's room and asked him to take her to town to meet the train coming through at 1:50.

"Aw."

"Shut up Max and do it. You and I carrying on has upset your mom. I heard her talking earlier today to Sarah about it and they were practically having a real scrap. Your mom wanted Sarah to talk to me about my behavior and Sarah refused to do that."

"Aw you two have only a few more nights left here."

"Right I'm walking and hope to catch a later train."

"I'm coming," he sighed and grinned when Cody giggled and said, "I bet."

They stopped on the way into town and had a farewell quickie with Max having to fire into the condom because Cody didn't want to be messed up riding the train.

Lisa was preparing hot cakes for breakfast when Sarah came bursting into the kitchen white-faced and she sobbed, "She's gone because of you."

"Who Cody?"

"Yes. We must have been shouting when talking about her behavior yesterday."

"Oh god, I'm sorry," Lisa said, breaking into sobs.

The two women hugged and Lisa then took the note from Sarah. Cody thanked them for their hospitality and said she'd had a wonderful time but was sad she had disgraced herself in the eyes of the family. She wished them a great summer, great haymaking and a bountiful harvest from the fruit trees in autumn er the fall.

"Oh god," Lisa sobbed. "I consider she's by far the best girlfriend you've ever had."

Sarah called into Max's bedroom and rushed back to her mom yelling, "Max is gone. They've eloped."

"On no, your father will kill me. He needs Max at this time of year."

"What's Max done now?" John said, doing up his shirt buttons. He looked at Lisa but she called, "Tell him Sarah."

John listened to the elopement story and smiled.

"I think it's highly improbable. I gave Max his instructions just after 5:00 and watched him ride off in the Toyota with the boys to go to the heifers. He may still be in cell phone range. Try him."

Sarah called and got the full story.

"Cody shook Max awake around midnight and got him to take her into town to catch the 1:20 train coming through. She's gone back to university. She can get to our room but will have to eat out. Max said Cody overheard us discussing her yesterday and didn't want to upset you anymore mom."

"Cody upset you?" John asked. "But how could she do that? Oh no, you found out she and Max were having it off and that got up your nose."

"I'm sorry, I'm such a dreadful wife and wicked mother."

"No you're not. I bet you were thinking the twins might find out and start asking awkward questions. I bet they know a lot more about sex than you imagine darling. Well what's done is done. Where's my breakfast? What's the bet that girl will take our daughter back to Australia with her when they graduate?"

Lisa looked rocked to the core.

"Keep calm mom. There's no way I'd leave my homeland."

Lisa tried several times to call Cody but there was no answer.

Two days later Sarah and her mom were driving to town when Lisa received a call from rail freight.

"We must call at the rail station before we go home. We have a box and a crate to pick up."

"What's in them?"

"The girl who called had no idea. She was just told to call the Carter Family at Starlight Ranch that a crate and a box for them were ready to pick up."

After lunch and calling at the supermarket, the women went to the rail freight depot and when Lisa saw some feathers sticking out of the crate she rushed to the counter and yelled, "Those hens are mine. They are a thank you from Cody."

"We have formalities to complete before you can claim what rightfully belongs to you ma'am," the elderly clerk said stiffly.

Out in the pickup they opened the letter tapped to the top of the carton from Cody. 

Dear Carter family. Thank you for the lovely time I had with you.

John: Toast to me when you sample this Bourbon.

Lisa: These five Welsumner chickens will grow to lay predominately dark brown eggs and their soft chestnut and almost dabs of gold coloring with add an interesting color contrast to your existing flock and they are ideal free rangers. I do hope you'll maintain the modernized look Sarah is gracing you with. It so suits you.

Sarah: I shall see you again very soon and this silver bangle is to remind you of the glorious Spring Break I had with you and your family. Your mom did her best to break the grip homesickness had on me and she succeeded. She also taught me, I believe, how to respect other people's feeling or, alternatively, the need to be much more discreet.

Dear Max: Thanks for befriending me and for our romantic interludes. Try to be more tender to women and you'll end up with a lovely local girl to best suit your ranching life and it will bring two families together. This German sheath knife was the best knife in the store according the old storeowner but he may have been lying. Actually it screams of quality to me and feels so beautifully balanced.

I'll never forget you guys. CODY

* * *

When Cody arrived back at university she went into town for dinner that night, feeling quite happy to have some time alone. It had been a bit of a problem for her with Max acting like he was randy 24/7 and at every opportunity was slyly touching her when the others were about, putting Cody on edge. If he caught her alone in the passage or behind the house putting the hens and rooster into the hen house before dusk, he wanted to more than caress her. It actually had almost become an ordeal dealing with him or holding him off.

One of her lecturers, Arnold Adams, was eating alone and waved her over to join him. She didn't hesitate because she quite liked the guy who was in his mid-thirties. He chased after the fast females seniors and so assumed he'd not be interested in her, quite forgetting the residential halls were almost completely deserted and would remain so for a few more days.

"Hi, it's so unexpected to see a familiar face," she smiled and thought Arnold was looking at her rather wolfishly. She was interested.

"Yeah welcome. Would you like a glass of wine?"

"Oh thank you. A glass of light red would be lovely."

"I get a bottle. I'm glad to see you. It's been a bit boring with the place virtually shut down. I've been writing a paper to submit for possible publication as we are required to do and even that has been boring."

"Oh you poor guy. You'll want your mommy."

Cody groaned, damn why had she said that? How stupid.

Surprisingly, Arnold licked his lips. "Would you like to play mommy with me?"

Cody felt the flush rush but remained staunch.

"Perhaps I could be persuaded."

"Well think about it while we eat," he said, beckoning to a waitress. "I've ordered pork ribs and that will take a while. If you ordered..."

"Medium rare steak please ma'am with steamed vegetables but just one small potato. My companion's order for port ribs has been taken. Could you kindly ask for both meals to be readied simultaneously?"

"Yes miss, no problem."

Arnold eyed her. "You are more confident that I had thought."

"Perhaps university life and all the wild sex is maturing me," Cody said, wondering where that comment about wild sex had come from.

After the meal they walked back to Arnold's room where she stayed for the next three days and nights.

Arnold was short and wiry and proved he had stamina and they seemed to fuck for hours. He was good and every active, moving all over her or bouncing her up when under her. But his dick was a little short and often slipped out. Cody learnt to get it back in and was often the first to get her hand to it and was complimented for her expertise. Well thought Cody, her mother often said one learns something new every day although she was confident this new skill her mom would not have had in mind.

On the evening three days later Sarah arrived back and they had a warm reunion and Sarah was so apologetic about her mom's uncompromising behavior.

"It's fine. She is mistress of her own home. I just went for long walks, lazed about reading and watched TV."

"Oh you poor darling. When you left I went over to my friend Lynn's place and her brother a college senior was home and he and I ended up having heaps of sex. I feel so guilty that you missed out."

"Oh there's such a things as swings and roundabouts, even with sex. I'll end up getting my share I assure you. God I'm talking as if I'm becoming a promiscuous woman."

"Well I'm not tired, we can have sex tonight if you wish."

"Oh thanks Sarah darling. I'll look forward to find if Lynn's brother has reamed you out wider."

"God you rude bitch," Sarah laughed.

* * *

Before the end of the final semester, Cody had persuaded Sarah to apply for a position at the hospital in Bracken Creek, her small hometown where she'd been assured of employment when she graduated with her masters in health administration. Hospital admin practically displayed unprofessional delight in receiving Sarah's enquiry saying the hospital was short and was always short of occupational therapists and obtaining an American graduate would be considered icing on the cake.

"Um how many bed hospital is it?"

Cody screwed up her face and said, "It serves a large outlying district as well as the town. The maternity unit has a dozen beds, the geriatric section has about fifty-five, the children's ward 10-beds and general etc would add about another thirty beds to the total."

"It's a tiny hospital."

"Well yeah. It's only a short hop by air ambulance to Dubbo you know."

"No I didn't know," Sarah said crossly but changed her position immediately Cody said and perhaps another downside Bracken Creek had a shortage of females in the 20 to 45-year age bracket.

Eyes looking enlarged, Sarah simpered, "That means an over-supply of men?"

Cody said innocently, "Well yeah, including sons of wealthy graziers, or ranchers to you."

"No kidding."

"But look I shouldn't attempt to take you away from your family. Your mom might kill me."

"Well the promise of only a little sojourn of two to three years might pacify her especially if I said I could try to be home for Christmas or Thanksgiving."

"Well don't allow me to unduly influence you. All I have done is try to ensure we will remain in reasonably close contact post graduation."

"And what does that mean?"

"I want you in Australia for when I'm short of dates."

They giggled and poured more wine and continued with their night studies.

Kissing when heading hand-in-hand to bed Sarah said, "You have been an incredible friend to me over the past year. I was kind of going nowhere until you came into my life and gave me backbone and confidence. I know you'll stand by me in Australia. I'm proceeding with the application."

"God you mom will skin me alive."

"Ten minutes ago your were saying she'd kill you."

"It's the same difference. Look if you do proceed with this promise her we'll stay a week with her at the ranch before we leave for Sydney. That could take some of the steam out of her."

"Yeah good idea. Oh by the way Sarah, when I spoke to Max the other day when all your family wanted a turn to talk to me, he gave me this nonsense about me never demonstrating my prowess at martial arts. What kind of shit had you been feeding him?"

"Oh when you went home with me last spring I mentioned you were a champion at modern martial arts and um to make sure he didn't try to grab pussy without your consent."

Cody laughed. "Me a Kung Something expert? God what a laugh."

* * *

The girls were united with the Lisa and John for their respective graduation ceremonies and the big news from home was Max had pulled this wonderful and slightly older woman from her wrecked car and they were close to becoming engaged. Her folk owned one of the four feed and grain depots in town and John had switched his custom to that company.

Cody was excited to be hugged so lovingly by Lisa, knowing she'd be in the arms of her own mother in two weeks.

"You little brat kidnapping my daughter," Lisa cooed, wiping lipstick off Cody. "I'm well into acceptance now, this is a wonderful opportunity for Sarah and she's promised to be home for Thanksgiving and to return home permanently within three years."

"Don't bet on a permanent return," Cody whispered, hugging Lisa tightly. "Some of our Australian boys are very handsome."

"Cody I was relying on you to lie to me," Lisa groaned.

"Mom has plenty of beds and you'll always be welcomed to stay for as long as you like."

"I know but how many fucking hours does it take to get there?"

"Mom," Sarah said, breaking away from her dad. "Did I just hear the F-word – from you?"

"You mother is under tension Sarah. Please be considerate."

"Oh yes, poor mommy. Here let your baby on the eve of her big adventure hug and kiss you again."

Nine days later the farewells were said at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport where Lisa, John, Max and his fiancée Michelle waved off Sarah and Cody. The travelers had a two-hour stopover at Minneapolis before flying to LA where they would have three days to shop and tour Hollywood and after flying the Pacific for 15 hours would then spend four days in Sydney acclimatizing and losing their travel fatigue.



CHAPTER 2

Ben with his much younger eyes squinted into cloudless sky at Dubbo Airport and said, "There she is dad, coming in about three o'clock."

"Where I only see blue sky?"

"Put your glasses on you old fool and you would see things," Kathy scolded.

"Well smart ass what can you see?"

"I don't need to see it because the announcement said it was arriving on schedule so I know it's there."

"Will we recognize her and what about this Yank?"

"Ron Barr would you stop being so nervous. It doesn't become you. And please do not call this sweet girl a Yank. She is an America."

"She'll be a loud-mouth, all Americans are loud-mouths."

"You watch too many videos."

"And that only goes to prove what I just said."

"Leave him mom. He gets impossible to handle when he gets like this. He's not at peace with his inner sensitivities."

Ron scowled and Kathy cackled like one of her Welsumner hens.

Suddenly they girls were coming at them, creating quite a stir because two great looking blondes with athletic-looking bodies together in Dubbo was not an everyday sight.

"Jesus the Yank um the American is almost as swell as our daughter."

"Oh doesn't she look lovely."

"Which one mom?" Ben asked, sounding as if he regretted living with Peggy Scott. 

"Mom," screamed Cody in an American accent and Kathy raced to hug and kiss her.

"God my sister sounds like a Yank," Ben said sourly.

"Watch your mouth son otherwise your mum will have your ass. What's this mom business?"

"It's Yankee talk dad. Knock her out of it will yah?"

"Well give her a couple of days to settle down and she'll be back talking like us and the Yank will be trying to talk Strine."

"Yeah probably you are right. Gee both have great tits."

"Only talk about the Yank like that son. Cody is your sister."

Cody said breathlessly, face red in excitement, "Mom, dad, Ben. This is my very best friend ever Sarah Carissa Carter."

"Oh you are so beautiful Sarah," Kathy said, kissing her. "Welcome to Dubbo. This really isn't the Outback but you are almost there."

Ben scuffed a boot and said howdy and Ron doffed his Acubra [Stetson] and said gravely, "Welcome and how's your dad?"

"Her dad John is great dad. Kiss Sarah please dad."

Ben smiled at Cody and said hi sis and was told, "Kiss me you mutt. I've not seen you for nigh on a year."

"Yeah right. I'm living with Peggy Scott."

"Oooh a confession. My friend Peggy eh? I bet she'd a great lay."

"Cody please behave."

"Oh sorry forgot you were there mum."

At that use of the word 'mum' the two men looked at each other and grinned.



Two and a half hours later as they drove across Bracken Creek, Sarah said, "Why is there such a wide water course for this tiny creek?"

Ron said gravely, "It's the same mistake the first European settlers into this area made. Every seven years, more or less, when the Big Wet finally comes, a river runs down here from bank to bank."

"Go on," Sarah said impressed.

Cody said, "During the Big Wet I told you about when dad went for a grader to resolve the plight of my pregnant aunt, the river was flowing over the railing of this bridge."

"Omigod," Sarah said.

The land was fairly flat but the Barr's house and truck sheds were on a huge knoll a couple of hundred yards beyond the river, up above historic flood levels.

"This is am American vehicle isn't it?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah the latest model Jeep Grand Cherokee," Ron said. "Too many folk around here drive Holdens (General Motors), Falcons (Fords) and Toyotas. I've had a Jeep since way back."

"Way back where?"

"In time," he chuckled.

Ben who was driving said, "Standby, we'll go up the short way to demonstrate to Sarah why dad is a Jeep man."

The three women were sitting in the second row of seating and Cody whispered to Sarah, "Don't be scared. Ben wins four-wheel driving events and he knows dad would blow his ass off if he puts a dent in this new vehicle. It will be slow and bumpy getting up this slope but we'll get there... or Ben will kill us trying."




Go Cody



"Shut up Cody," her mom said nervously.

"No vehicle could possibly get up there," Sarah said. "We'll skid down backwards."

Ron heard that and laughed. "Wherever my son decides to go, the vehicle he's driving will follow. He knows the limitation of vehicles better than they do themselves."

Sarah decided to close her eyes rather than attempt to debate that fanciful comment.

Somewhere during the ascent she clutched Cody's hand and Cody had to lever her hand free as they reached the driveway coming up the easier gradient.

Ron said, "There told you so Sarah. A piece of cake."

"Thanks for getting us up there dad," the driver said sarcastically.

Sarah was a little wobbly getting out of the vehicle and at that moment probably thought she preferred being home. Suddenly going to Australia for adventure had turned into a scary adventure.

* * *

Sarah had known her new home would be surrounded by a new culture and she'd already seen sights and heard talk in the laconic many folk spoke and their choice of words reminded her it was a land of slightly different people and very different habitat. She'd already seen quite a number of Roos (kangaroos) but there was something rather comforting to have known she'd ridden in an American-made Jeep.

They entered the house over a verandah and directly into an enormous kitchen and Sarah's mouth dropped open and as she stopped Kathy who was following almost banged into her.

"What is it dear?"

"The-the fridge and freezer...th-they are exactly the same that mom h-has in her kitchen?"

"Oh is Westinghouse also made in America?" Kathy said. "Most people I know around here have that brand."

"Westinghouse is an American multinational?"

"Oh is it? I do know our big new TV is Japanese and our water pumps are German but we do have many things made in Australia. Oh I have plenty of Australian magazines and collected a couple of American magazines for you while I was browsing the bookshop in Dubbo. You might be interested to know Australia is pretty much pro-American."

The men had gone off to the truck depot office and the women were sitting having coffee when a car came up the steep driveway tooting.

"This is my surprise for you girls," Kathy said. "These ladies are arriving for lunch."

As they went outside Cody spotted who the arrivals were and laughed, "Well done mum," and raced over to greet the visitors.

Cody made the introductions. "Sarah this is Mary-Lou Allen from Mississippi who married one of our local vets, this is Gretchen Hagen originally from Kansas, a charge nurse at the hospital who was usually my boss when I worked there during school and university holidays, and this is Donna Holt who's married to the father of one of my ex-boyfriends but I remain close friends with Ted."

Sarah kissed the women and asked Donna where she hailed from.

Everyone watched Donna as she dropped into an exaggerated American accent and said, "Oh I'm off a ranch near James River. I understand you hail from up Aberdeen way?"

"Omigod," Sarah shrieked and flung herself into the arms of the laughing 38-year old from South Dakota.

After the visitors left Sarah disappeared into her room and Kathy asked, "Why was Sarah so eager to get to her room?"

"She didn't say mom but my guess she's on the phone to her mom. It will be midnight in Dakota but Lisa won't mind because she will be hearing how her daughter away in a foreign land has found she is also in a Little America."

"Oh her mom will really love that. You really liked her mother didn't you? She was so lovely to you."

"And you'll love her too mom. They are not without money. They will come here to visit Sarah because I can't see Sarah going home for Christmas or Thanksgiving. Sarah is a slow-starter but once she gets going she'd a lot like me. She will thrive in this relatively isolated community."

* * * 

Milly Anderson, the charge occupational therapist at the hospital, had been without trained assistance for more than a year and burst into tears when she was introduced to her graduate assistant.

She apologize for 'blubbering' but said it had been such an emotional occasion for her because it had been such a struggle trying to deliver the quality of service her patients needed. 

"We have a large number of elderly people in extended care, most of whom are bed-ridden or go no farther than a beside chair unless taken to the veranda on a wheelchair. Many are wooed out of lethargy by engaging in occupational therapy. Being the center of a farming community we also have a large number of people with hand injuries that need to our skills to help get fingers into improved use again."

Milly had two daughters and as a result of inviting Sarah to dinner, Sarah and Beth the daughter who lived at home quickly become friends and other introductions fanned out from there.

* * * 

The promised position at the hospital had not been kept for Cody.

Kevin Charles, the CEO said, "I'm sorry Cody the position was promised to you and four months ago when I you wrote I replied confirming the position was open to you. But four months is a long time in hospital admin and we'd had an unfavorable external performance audit and the chairman of the board forced me to fill the position with an experienced professional.

Cody bit back on her disappointment, deciding it would be futile to argue. She waited to see what position would be offered.

"I'm sorry Cody but at present we have nothing suitable to offer you."

She boiled and said, "Well in that case expect to hear from my lawyer. I have kept a copy of your confirming letter."

Mr Charles looked quite startled.

"Um please don't do anything rash. I'll talk to our board chairman."

"Then do it now. I've completed my qualification as we agreed and I've now fronted up to take the job that was promised to me. Call the chairman now."

Mr Charles hesitated and Cody glared at him.

"Very well. Please wait outside."

A few minutes later Mr Charles called Cody back in.

"I have been speaking to our chairman. Murray White..."

"The mayor?"

"Yes. He possibly has a job for you and if you interview well he could call an emergency meeting of the appointments committee for late this afternoon to consider appointing you. If you are not interested I have been authorized to pay you $10,000 compensation and not a cent more."

"I see. Well good jobs are difficult to find in this city. What do you suggest?"

"Defer considering compensation until you have lunch today with the mayor and his senior recruitment team."

"Yes that was my thought too. Please arrange it."

Mr Charles picked up his phone and said, "Miss Barr says in the first instance lunch is fine."

Mr Charles put down the phone and said, "Noon in the Council Chambers for a working lunch."

"Thank you."

"I'm very sorry about this upset Cody."

"Are you?" she said, and walked off.

"I had no option."

"You could have called me," she said and opened the door and walked out leaving it open.

"God you look more beautiful than ever," said Mayor White, kissing her in front of everyone.

"I've known Cody since she was a kid and her dad is Ron Barr and Ron and I play in the same cards school. Sit down at the end of the table Cody where everyone can eye you. Here comes the food and then it's down to business. Cody we were about to begin searching for a director of administrative services. The incumbent died two days ago I regret to say."

Cody ears pricked up. The base studies of her degree had been totally on business administration. Being a new graduate, she was expecting a starting salary offer of about A$45,000 with good increases over the next two years as she picked up work experience.

Late that afternoon Cody was appointed to the position on a salary of A$52,000. Before signing the contract she was handed a document to sign drawn up on behalf of the mayor as chairman of the hospital board. In signing it she agreed that she had resolved her dispute with board administration to her full and final satisfaction and would take no further action over her non-appointment to a position in hospital administration.

Cody's parents were astonished she'd made the switch and although initially disappointed Sarah cheered up immediately when Cody said now they were both employed should they look for an apartment or a house to rent.

The following weekend they found a well-maintained cottage on a high bank above the river and secured it. Kathy was hugely disappointed they were leaving her home so soon and made them promise they'd come for a meal at least once most weekends and stay occasionally.

* * *

Council general manager Percy Reid briefed Cody on her first day at work.

"We are a small outfit in a small community," Percy began, and to Cody's relief said, "But you being the mayor's pick will be smart enough to know all that crap and that as local government we have responsibility..."

"And I know all that crap too Mr Reid. Thelma Green, your daughter Allison and I did a comprehensive project on this council when we were in our senior year at high school."

"Oh yes and your project was runner-up in the New South Wales Country educational competition for school study projects."

"Yes you remembered that but had forgotten me, hadn't you? Go on, the truth."

"Um I remember Ron Barr had this cute daughter. Ah that would have been you and yes you were a sensational swimming champion and went to Sydney and performed credibly. Yes this elderly brain is clicking over. Look your dad is a pal of mine. I really do need a solid person in charge of admin so after six months what say I recommend that you acquire that as an extra responsibility of becoming my deputy, providing you prove up to it, and that ought to bump up your salary by an extra $20,000."

"That sounds wonderful Mr Reid."

"Call me Percy from now on Cody. Um keep that promotion thing confidential. There's resentment within management that you are female and are so young with no experience but of course those dimwits are not aware you have had expensive summer work experience in admin while at university and in America."

"Perhaps it might help if you had my CV put up on my new web page today."

"We haven't really advanced into web pages yet. The high school guy in charge of IT is our IT consultant and works for us outside of school hours. But we do have an email intranet. I'll have Gladys email everyone the copy of your CV. I'm keen to do that and the mayor seemed impressed with your CV. Only the engineer and myself are masters grads so you are joining a small elite."

Cody thought oh god, hadn't she landed in a real backwater. Probably nothing had changed in almost five years since her team had done the study of the council.

In his bumbling way Percy went on to explain what her duties in finance and general administration would be. It was clear she would be director of corporate services, while as general manager he worked alongside the mayor and councilors, the committees, liaised with the community and acted as chief troubleshooter and was responsible for staffing.

He rambled on and at 10:30 the other two directors of services came in. God little wonder there was resentment. The engineer, who was director of infrastructure, looked to be well into his seventies, Percy was mid-sixties and the director of planning and environment looked not far short of sixty.

"Greetings Roy and Albert," Percy said jovially. "You'll remember Cody here as the leader of that team of three senior high school students who included my daughter Allison who did that award-winning study of the structure and operation of this council some years back?"

The two guys who hadn't taken their eyes off the pretty blonde soon to turn twenty-four and both chorused "Oh yeah".

"Do you intend disguising your femininity?" asked the engineer.

"Oh come on Roy," Cody giggled. "This is the 21st Century and quite some way into it."

"I am your senior. You call me Mr Jones."

Percy jumped in. "Oh come on Roy, I'm not expecting you to kiss Cody in welcome but at least be polite and accept she is a director on equal footing with you although not of course with your great number of years of seniority."

"Welcome Cody. You may call me Albert. My wife Sylvia remembers teaching you at primary school."

"Oh indeed and Mrs Hungerford had a wonderful soft manner. I bet she is great with your grandchildren?"

"Indeed and we have six of the little brats and they all adore her. I tell her you asked after her."

"Thank you Albert. You are so lucky to have married such a wonderful woman."

"I have two great-grandchildren."

"Oh gracious me Roy. That must make you very proud. Do they know you are responsible for all the roads, drains, waster-water systems and our small airport in this Shire, oh a refuse disposal and flood control?"

He looked surprised and said, "I hadn't though of telling them that. My kids were never interested."

"Well young children today like to know such things. Thanks to TV and computer games they have such inquiring minds."

"Look Cody I must get you around for lunch one Sunday to meet the family," Roy said. "My oldest granddaughter says you taught her not to be afraid of the water at the pool and says you are the greatest swimmer this town has ever seen."

"Why thank you Roy. That was very kind of you to say those things. I suppose you guys think I'm a dumb blonde and know not a thing about local government finance, loan-raising, refinancing, amortization, taxation, cost-benefit studies, public health regulations, climate change adoption actions, staff management, public relations and public speaking oh and asset management and auditing?"

The three guys appeared slightly shell-shocked.

"Percy had told us you spent a year after gaining you BA working in the finance department of a major hospital in Sydney before going to America to complete an masters with emphasis on hospital administration."

"Yes Albert, that is correct. I do believe we are reaching understanding here. Which of you guys will pour the coffee? I'd hate to think you were leaving it to the female."

Albert laughed as Percy and Roy competed to grab the coffee pot.

Cody laughed and said she expected she would find it fun working there.

"Fun?" the guys practically chorused.

"Oh yes, nothing needs to be too serious, even when you're dealing with complaints and councilors on the warpath."

The guys shook their heads and sipped their coffee, staring at the new person with strange ideas who'd arrived in their midst unexpectedly and appeared to speak with authority.

"I have been instructed to shave 10% off expenditure for the budgets for the next financial year."

"No problem Percy. That will be my area," Cody said. "We show the Mayor and council a trial budget in private where the budget cuts will be highlighted in each councilor's area and the cuts to the mayor's office allocation and the withdrawal of credit cards, no expenditure on new vehicles and machinery and the elimination of catering for committee and council meetings."

"Christ they'll scream Blue Murder," Roy said.

"Exactly, and that's the tactic," Cody said. "It was done successfully at the hospital where I worked in Sydney and board members quickly agreed austerity measures would be achieve by leaving the budget very much the same as the current year."

"Gosh that's brilliant," Percy said. "But we'll never get away with it. The skinflints here will spot the ploy a mile off."

"Oh I don't know. We just give them the 10% reduction in final trial figures and allow them to find out for themselves where the cuts have been made and then you can bet there will be screams of Blue Murder and an urgently considered policy rethink. It will be the mayor and council who says a 10% reduction is intolerable, not us."

When the meeting broke up Roy said, "It's great that you have joined the team Cody."

Albert practically bowed saying, "You are a very impressive young lady. I look forward to trying to accept any new ways you attempt to impose on our administration."

"Thanks guys; now have a great day won't you?"

Roy said dourly, "Yeah we are off to have fun."

When they had gone Percy said, "Those two were probably your two greatest opponents and yet you handled them like a hot knife cutting butter."

"Thanks Percy," Cody said. "But I'm not Wonder Woman."

"I accept that too," he smiled. "Come on, let's inspect your department and meet your team of thirteen. Your people do everything from internal auditing to opening the mail."

As Cody would learn later when reading the individual files that actually were up on computer and required password access, eleven of those thirteen people had gone through the city's state high school she'd attended. The other two had received Catholic education. So there should be some empathy among her staff at seeing her as ex-local girl doing well. At the same time everyone would be watchful.

She sighed, knowing it would take time. 

An hour later her CV was posted and she thought that might help.

Her personal assistant Jill Carson was forty-four and had been with the council since leaving school. Jill had since obtained a diploma in business and then an advanced diploma in business. At least that was something.

"And so Jill what do you do?"

"Whatever you don't want to do."

Well it appeared Jill was stoic and an excellent communicator. Cody liked that.

She decided to get a question off her mind and called the mayor's PA to arrange an appointment.

"Oh you don't require an appointment. Just try to catch him."

Huh?

"He's just arriving now so come and grab him now, no one is waiting."

Mayor White was hanging up his jacket when Cody knocked and walked in and said "Good morning Mayor White."

"You're a big girl now holding down an important job Cody so call me Murray except when I'm in my robes. Good morning to you. You are pretty and have the best boobs in council."

Pleased and taken aback at the same time Cody decided to say nothing.

"You want something?"

"Yes Murray. I am pleased with this appointment although I had my heart set on working in hospital administration, having training for it. The question I have is why was I offered the position I have accepted here?"

"Well I'm not very bright Cody but one thing I can do is make things work. The legal advice I received when I heard you were heading back here for the hospital job that no longer existed for you, was a successful court action could cost the board $100,000 for breach of contract. You were clearly told we would employ you once you gained your masters and you even had that confirmed a few months ago in writing. I figured we had a directorship suddenly become available here and I ought to try to shunt you into that slot. If you failed in the position we could fire you with impunity. Sorting out your employment problem would remove you as a financial threat to the hospital and greatly please my best pal who is your dad. See how I think and manipulate Cody? It's a piece of juggling not done by the book and yet nothing I have done is illegal. The outcome is a big problem has been solved."

"That was very impressive Murray and far too tortuous for me to have worked it out unassisted. I just wanted the answer."

"Great and come home for drinks on Friday night at 6:00 and bring your American friend. Are you two gay?"

"No."

"Good because that would have worried my wife Gwen."

Cody left feeling happy with the answer and knowing she'd not lied to the mayor. What she and Sarah did was just for convenience and was social interaction. They were bi but not gay. They were both sure of that.

Back in her office Cody asked Jill when would the computer guy be in. Jill consulted her calendar and said at 4:00 that day.




Go Cody



* * *

Jill brought in the computer guy who said, "Ah my new principal at council, and the look he gave her breasts reddened Cody's complexion. Jill who'd watched his face snorted, introduced them and left.

Brent dropped on to a visitor's chair, slinging a leg over the arm and said, "I guess you will want to know what I do here as your itinerant IT guy but first may we have coffee?"

"Please ask Jill to get you coffee. I've just had one."

The rather arrogant guy hesitated and then went to the door and called, "Jill one black coffee please."

"Get it yourself."

He turned and looked at Cody who smiled and shrugged. He went off to the coffee bench and she chuckled and called, "Good one Jill."

"Thanks boss," Jill said, appearing at the doorway. "That guy needs to be taught how to relate properly with women. Of course up at the high school female teaching staff outnumber the males about four to one so that guys become kind of arrogant as they are hot property among the woman who seek sex."

Cody found what Jill had to say interesting but her focus had been on Jill saying 'Thanks boss'. It had been said respectfully. Jesus that advance would be a real breakthrough because Jill appeared to be Queen Bee with others in admin.

"And what do you know about computers?" asked Mr Arrogant, reappearing with coffee.

"They used to be all beige and then became practically all black and now the cases have turned colorful, some with color patterning."

He sighed.

"Oh I did a business admin BA in Sydney and took computer studies as an optional minor and my MA thesis in America was on writing a prescription for a computer program to track drug supplies and right down to individual dosages throughout the hospital system."

His jaw dropped.

"Oooh it appears we have an understanding," she cooed, smiling and he eyed her bashfully and murmured he liked her style.

"Your predecessor knew fuck..."

"Tut-tut."

"Um knew next to nothing about computers except to boot up that relict you have dumped over there in the corner. I guess that's your own laptop?"

"Correct. I noticed in the councilors workroom there are four top-of-line Apple notebooks for use of the seven councilors. Jesus my..."

"Tut-tut."

"Um goodness gracious me, my people have to grope along with these relics."

He smiled and said, "You're quite cute."

"And you are beginning to sound more gentlemanly. May we get on with it? I guess for you this is charge-out time?"

"Yes of course."

"Please at your leisure investigate setting up a modern network connected to auto backup with additional nightly backup to a secure remote location for this department. I suggest Dell laptops for everyone but you recommend what you wish."

"I understand because of the damaging flooding in this region seven months ago, the mayor has ordered budget cuts of 10%."

"So?"

"Ah I like your style. I will include a cost-benefit study relating to such change."

"Good man."

"Thank you. A drink after work this evening?"

"Are you married?"

"No."

"Are you strongly attached to any particular woman other than your mom?"

"No," he grinned.

"God you must have it made. Very well providing we can also talk about what you do here for the council?"

"Yes of course. I'm keen to have you up and running."

"I bet."

He grinned and stood and said, "Well if that's all for now I best begin my chores for council."

"Thank you. Please give Jill a lovely smile on the way out and say what lovely earrings. Then she might get your coffee next time."

He smiled and bowed slightly.

Jill came in looking a bit flustered. "God that horny kid was chatting me up, saying he liked my earrings."

"Kid? He looks almost thirty Jill and don't forget there is a theory that horny young men are good for an older woman's well-being."

"Get out of here."

"No it's true Jill. It was expounded by a French philosopher Jules someone in the 1700s. Sorry I've forgotten the title. However the library could do a global search for you."

"Um I'll think about that."

"Your name would be known only to the librarian."

"Oh well I will enquire. Younger men you say?" said a flustered Mrs Carson.

Cody just smiled, thinking she'd said enough already.

Drinks at the pub went well and Brent introduced Cody to several women around his age. He didn't seem to know males that intimately. All the women looked astonished when Cody was introduced as the new head of administration for the council.

As they were leaving Brent asked, "Would you like to come home for a meal?"

"What and sex?"

"Um that was on my mind."

"Not tonight thanks but I have no objection to the notion. I'd prefer to know you better before I go that far with you."

"Then you are open to dating?"

"Of course. Good night Brent. Are you going to kiss me like a friend would?"

Sarah was waiting excitedly for Cody to arrive home. Cody thought it related to their new home that was being redecorated in time for them to move in on Saturday afternoon.

"I've met this fabulous guy," Sarah blurted.

"Oh great but I hope he's not a junior doctor because they work huge hours."

"No he's a patient with a partly crushed right hand. He works on the family grain farm and his mom is American and he knows you..."

"Blair Mackay, I went through university in Sydney with him. His dad is Don and his mum is Kimberly."

"Yes but how did you know?"

"Well there are not oodles of nice guys around her and the only one around here I know of with an American mum is Blair Mackay."

"God I don't know how with that brain of yours you derive any pleasure because you are so difficult to surprise."

"I think it's fabulous you are in contact with him and you could very well be the woman he's been looking for."

"You mean marriage? I was looking for a good guy for sex."

"Yes marriage."

"Christ mom would kill me."

"Isn't that the attitude mothers are suppose to have when thinking of living close to their grandchildren?"

"Children? We haven't even had sex yet."

"I should think not with that poor young man under the care of our esteem hospital. So you haven't even kissed him yet?"

Sarah flushed.

"Oooh you unprofessional slut."

Sarah said stoutly, "He stole the kiss."

"And you placed his good hand on a breast and said go to it cobber?"

"I did not. But I think I kissed him back."

Cody asked when would he be going home and Sarah said mournfully next day.

"Well lucky for you their place is only forty miles from here."

She looked at her watch. "Go grab some fruit from the kitchen and go to him. Visiting hour has just started."

"God my name will be mud."

"So what if you land a lover or better still a husband out of it? The family farms a huge property and his parents must be very wealthy."

"No I can't."

"Mom," Cody yelled.

"All right I'm going."

"What is it dear?" Kathy asked and was told.

"Look go but I'll come with you. I'm on the hospital board and so there will be no criticism of you visiting a patient if seen in my company Sarah. It is important if you want romance to reinforced your interest in him."

"Mom if you are on the hospital board you will know..."

"About the despicable way you were treated? Yes in full detail. Murray White isn't a dictatorial chairman. He called around us all seeking support of his suggestion to resolve the dilemma with you. Mention of a possible court settlement of $100,000 scared the pants right off me. We are currently overspent on our budget by almost 14% as a result of treating all those people injured during the floods and greater use of chopper call-outs. Then when Murray asked to speak to your father about it I guess Murray crapped himself when your father said he'd employ the best Queen's Counsel in New South Wales and sue the hospital board for a further $1 million in damages from your loss of professional prestige and injury to your future professional development."

Cody gasped, "Dad said that?"

"Yes darling and this must remain confidential. He told me Murray is bloody useless at playing poker."

"I-I'm sorry I didn't really explain to you guys why I switched jobs."

"We guessed you didn't want your dad running after the hospital CEO Kevin Charles to bash out his brains."

"Well yes."

"You are very intelligent and care for your family Cody. We are so proud of you remaining so cheerful. You must have taken quite a hit over this?"

"Well yes but I see doors opening."

CHAPTER 3

IT consultant/Mr Fit-it BrentCollins sat with Cody facing the council's finance committee that had power to act in this matter of administration capital expenditure on items under $50,000.

The chairman Elizabeth Walters said, "You haven't wasted time attempting to spend ratepayers' money Cody."

"No ma'am."

"You many call me Elizabeth. And you can confirm to this committee this expenditure is justified, or as your excellent report states, will bring cost-benefits to the council and our ratepayers."

"That is correct."

"Any questions?"

Councilor Smee asked, "You have gone for PCs. Why not Apples?"

"Why waste ratepayers' money paying a premium price? Further as the report shows our software has a replacement value of $58,000 that would be incompatible with Apple computers unless we raised the ante and purchased the more expensive A-computers that will run dual operating systems."

"Are you suggesting I haven't read your combined report?"

"Only you could think that sir, don't you think?"

"What kind of answer is that?"

Elizabeth said, "Charlie just tell us, have you read the report?"

"Yes I skimmed through it. It alarmed me we are being asked to spend $38,765 on new toys for staff."

"Thank you Charlie."

Councilor Simpson asked, "You young fellow, do you agree fully with this report or were you coerced into signing it by this young lady who technically is your employer?"

"No Mr Simpson. It was a joint study carried out professionally and actually written up by Miss Barr's personal assistant from our respective notes. Miss Barr and I resolved amicably areas of apparent conflict in the draft and then signed off the final report. I stand by professionally every word written in this report."

Councilor Childs asked: "Why choose this skimpy laptops over the tried and proven desktop computers?"

Brent replied, "Because clunky desktop computers are dinosaurs Mrs Childs but a large section of the population cannot yet accept their demise. The next big thing will be tablets and beyond that who really knows?"

After brief silence Elizabeth said, "No more questions? Well thank you for this comprehensive and well reasoned study Cody and Brent. I put the motion, All those in favor of adoption of this report in full and authorization be given to proceed with its implementation immediately say aye."

"Aye."

"The motion has been carried unanimously."

"Thank you Brent. You many leave. Cody has other matters for our consideration."

Brent whispered, "Mom invites you home to dinner tonight?"

Cody whispered, "Where will you be?"

"Pouring a beer for dad and wine for you, mom and me."

"I accept."

"Six forty-five for drinks. Here's the address."

Cody arrived home to find coffee poured on the kitchen table. That meant her mom wanted to talk, or more likely gossip. She knew how to get the ball rolling.

"How did you think the um reunion at the hospital between those two went last night?"

"Oh darling, that boy's got it real bad."

They giggled.

Although there was no one else in the house, Kathy said in almost a whisper, "The whole Mackay family is coming for dinner at the Albion Hotel tomorrow night. Blair wants his family to meet Sarah."

"Omigod," Cody said, adding extra dramatic emphasis for her mom's benefit. "What do you think this means?"

"At the very least a big romance is brewing," Kathy said almost breathlessly. "But you know I wouldn't be surprised to hear wedding bells ringing."

"No. Omigod."

"Yes and I can't wait to meet Lisa Carter, Sarah's mom. You know Cody you should have had something underway by now. Going too long without sex is not good for a woman's health. Perhaps I should call a meeting of my girlfriends and..."

"Um I have something underway mum."

"Since when?"

"It became poised for take-off today."

"Oh so that's why you said you wouldn't be in for dinner."

"Yes he lives with his parents but has a sleepout at the bottom of the garden."

"What does his father do?"

"He owns Red Hart Motors."

"Omigod Terry Collins. We buy all our trucks off Terry and that's by far the biggest vehicle dealership in this region outside of Dubbo. That family is wealthy. So the computer guy who's Terry and Diane's son is keen to get a leg over you?"

"Mom that kind of talk is old-fashion. Brent and I have established a liking for each other so please don't read more into it than that. I'll keep you posted should anything develop. He is computer consultant for the council but his day job is being director of IT at Bracken Creek High School which has several computers in every classroom as well as five specialized computer labs."

"I'm surprised you are showing interest in a technician. I would have thought perhaps a banker or lawyer would have been more to your taste?"

"Mom Brent is a top professional with a PhD in Computer Science."

"Omigod Cody hold on to the fellow."

"Mom have you forgotten what romance is?"

"I've never known romance. If you must know the first time I met your dad he pushed me out into the car park and took what he wanted and to this day just grabs me and bends me over whenever he wants sex."

"God mom, don't talk to me like that. I'm your daughter."

"Oh sorry. How stupid of me. Here was I thinking you were all grown up and could be involved in women's talk."

"Talk to me about other women and other men like that mom but not about my father like that. Good god. I'll be viewing him as a monster."

"Oh now there's a thought," Kathy smiled. 

* * *

The Collins house was new and probably the most impressive and most expensive home in the city.

Mrs Collins answered the door and smiling warmly, casting a quick eye over Cody's dress and hair and back down to her shoes said, "Hi you must be Cody?"

"Yes Mrs Collins and this orchid is for you."

"Omigod, an orchid. I've never seen them on sale here."

"I ordered it late yesterday and it came through on the overnight courier from Dubbo."

"My word darling, I'm impressed," said Mrs Collins, and looked it. "Please call me Diane."

"Why is that your name?" Cody joked and her hostess giggled.

So far so good.

"The men will be a little while. They went to buy sparkling bottled mineral water."

Cody had not known it took two men to buy bottles of water but assumed that was to allow Diane to have time alone with the new girlfriend or perhaps the only one the son had kept long enough to be called a girlfriend in the dating sense?

"You look awfully young to be in charge of the council administration department. How many staff do you have?"

"Thirteen."

"Omigod. Well I did read that interview about you and the announcement of your appointment in The Fortnightly Post today and must say I hadn't expected you to be so beautiful and your academic record and list of personal achievements were very impressive.

"You were a beauty at my age, weren't you?"

Looking pleased Diane touched her hair and said, "Well I suppose I did have some admirers."

"I bet. Tell me Diane, when you were in say your mid twenties did your mother ever talk to you about her having sex with your father, um like the first time."

"Yes she did but I would have been well into my thirties before she became that daring."

"I just wondered because today for the first time mom spoke to me about having sex for the first time with dad. I was quite shocked. I guess I preferred to think of them as not having sex."

"Well that is understandable. When kids are growing up we parents do our utmost to keep the bedhead from banging on the wall or being caught doing it. Brent's sister who lives in Newcastle, is thirty-three and is married and expecting their first child. I remember telling her, when she was in her early twenties, her father and I first had sex on the seat of his parked motorcycle, when he was twenty and I was eighteen. I'd expected her to say "God you had sex that young?" But no she screamed that her father had refused to allow her to buy a 125cc motorcycle saying they were too dangerous and he'd made out he'd never had a motorcycle."

They laughed and Cody could tell by the way Diane glanced at her that she was already quite impressed.

The men arrived in and announced they were already a couple of beers up on the women.

"Terry this is Ron Barr's daughter Cody," Diane said.

"I remember Cody," Terry said, lifting Cody high and putting her down and kissing her. "I was timekeeper the day at the school sports in her final year when she set way higher new records for the senior girls 400 and 800 yards freestyle events."

"Yes of course Mr Collins I do remember you. And for four years I sold you fund-raising Girl Guide Biscuits at your vehicle depot and you always bought 200 packs, being our troop's largest purchaser by far. You were considered to be our patron."

"That's because he was under orders dear. I was in the Girl Guides," Diane smiled.

"Your mother is waiting for you to greet me Brent."

"Oh hi Cody."

"I meant to greet me with a kiss."

"But we haven't..."

"Brent just kiss me or is it you are unsure of what to do?"

He turned red when hearing his mum mutter, "Brent not knowing what to do with a woman? I don't think so."

He said hi again and kissed Cody sweetly.

"Is that scurrilous vehicle parked on the grass roadside verge your vehicle Cody."

"Yes Mr Collins. I didn't want to risk it leaking oil on you white concrete driveway."

"Bring it in tomorrow and I'll give you a somewhat battered but mechanically like new and on good rubber Peugeot 308 was traded on a great deal. You can have it for $12,000 which will be thousands under market price when it's tidied up. Your dad's guys could work on it... oh you better keep your trade in until the Three-oh-Eight is handed back to you all beaten out and repainted."

"Naturally it was owned previously by a woman?"

"You're a bright woman Cody. The guys were talking about your appointment at our table at the Business and Professional Association fortnightly lunch meeting. The consensus was you have great breasts and ought to provide the shake-up that stodgy council needs. Mayor Murray White was at our table and said why did we think he personally picked you for the role."

Cody said, "Do men in a group like that often mention breasts when talking about a woman?"

"All the time if she had a great pair or none. We also talk about ass and legs but it's not usual to talk about face or hair."

Cody said unemotionally, "And I guess the guys avoid discussing her possible level of knowledge and intelligence?"

Terry scratched his head and said he could recall intelligence ever being discussed.

"Good for you Cody," Diane said. "There is never any sign of intelligence when males group."

Brent said, "I resent Cody's breasts being discussed by old farts."

"Steady on son," his father bristled.

"It's okay Brent," Cody interjected. "I wouldn't have them at this age if they weren't placed there to be noticed and even admired."

Terry roared with laughter and Diane giggled and said well that was the perfect example of how intelligence could be used thoughtfully and perhaps educationally and at the same time used to defuse a heating situation.

The men nodded.

Brent then told his parents how brilliantly Cody had handled hostile elements within the finance committee to get a big item of expenditure through at a time when the administration was charged with putting the brake on expenditure.




Go Cody



"Why were you at that meeting in school time?" asked his mother and his father said, "Because it involved big expenditure on replacing old crap computers."

"Yes dad, a highly intelligent answer," said his son. "I'll get drinks."

"I'll help," Cody said, going out for a couple of kisses.

She returned shortly afterwards with a wine and a beer and said with a slightly stunned look on her face, "God Diane what a fantastic kitchen. That ought to be published in Australian Vogue."

Diane beamed and her husband taking his beer from Cody said, "You must call me Terry dear.

Brent and Cody were in the kitchen clearing away when Diane came in and kissed them both saying goodnight. 

"Terry is already upstairs in his office and I will watch TV in our lounge up there and so you want see us again tonight dear. It was been wonderful meeting you and I do hope Brent will be a good friend to you. It must be difficult fitting back into your home town."

"Thank you Diane. I've enjoyed a perfect evening. You are a splendid hostess."

When they were alone Brent asked, "Um are you on for sex or do you just wish to slope off?"

"Oooh, sex please Brent. Let's hurry to clean up." 

During that household chore they hugged and kissed and Brent felt her up so by the time they flopped on to a sofa in the day room Cody was primed, ready to make sure Brent knew that said she was more than ready.

Cody hoped Brent would be good at sex because there was no possibility of a romance starting unless he was. 

She needn't have worried. He managed her expertly and had a boob out probably faster than she could have accomplished and his fingers and lips worried the boob splendidly and soon she was beginning to pant, anxious to start. He placed a very thick and reasonably long dick into her sweaty hand and she was away, knowing what to do and thinking he was probably hoping she would be good at sex.

"Condom?"

She pulled his dick clear of his mouth to say very clearly yes please and popped it back in and squeezed his balls and he groaned and then called ready. She pulled away to allow him to roll on the 'rubber' and lifted her leg to facilitate his entry while remaining on her right side.

Cody adored the invasion. She reminded herself it made her feel womanly, not that she needed reminding. 

She groaned to announce she thought he was big and groaned again to confirm she knew he was all the way in. He grabbed her upright leg and brought it hard against his chest as he began pumping. She caught the rhythm and they were sweetly away.

Later Mr Nice Guy returned with two towels and said, "That was unbelievably great. Jesus you are tight."

It was a lie but she loved it.

"You were so big," she cooed. "I must have been playing around with boys."

And he loved that, she catching the beam as he toweled across his sweaty face.

Then they placed themselves on the same wavelength. He said, "We must do this more often" and she replied, "Very much more often but not tonight. I'm slightly nervous balling when other people are around. My friend and I move into our rented house Saturday so that will be much better – she'll go to a movie or if her boyfriend is there to play, well too bad. It's not the same as having parents around." 

Brent looked pleased.

* * *

After dinner Lisa Carter went to the computer to see if there was an email from her daughter in Australia.

Her scream brought her family running.

Max was there first and then the twins with John trailing with a limp after having fallen over one of his dogs that morning. The dog was okay.

"Are you okay mom?"

"Moaning Lisa grabbed her husband. Sarah says she's in love with his guy she met only recently and he's fallen completely for her. She says she's likely to marry to stay in Australia. He lives on a big family farm and will not want to move from there."

"How big?" John asked.

"I don't know. God John I can't read for my tears."

Meg read, "The grazing/cropping farm is almost 353,000 acres with eight-seven ponding dams for stock watering holes. There are 28,000 cattle and the family harvests about 400 tons of wheat and cut surplus hay for sale. The soil is very red and there are few trees and the land is mostly as flat as our kitchen table, so it's not postcard picture scenery. There are four houses and one will be remodeled prior to us getting married. Ooops if we get married. The property has eight haysheds and four cattle yards. God the place is big. The family has a Cessna aircraft and Blair's mom (they say mum in Aussie) Kimberley flew me over the property and then around to show me the locations of the local facilities and then we swooped over Dubbo (three hours by car from the farm) and then back to the farm. God I'm so excited."

"Well that's the end of Sarah, we'll never see her here again," Max said and then laughingly had to hold off his mom who was screaming and trying to pummel him with her small fists.

John sorted that out and Jess said, "Sarah told me if she marries any guy in Australia she'll come home to have her babies so they also are Americans."

Lisa fell to her knees in front of Jess and grabbing her around the hips looked up with a tear-stained faced said, "Darling please tell them that's the truth, that Sarah really did tell you that,"

"Yes she and I were labeling the jars of jam you made when she and Cody stayed a few days before leaving for Australia."

"Oh sweetheart, you have saved me from torment. That means Sarah is not going to abandon her country, her home and her family."

"I really don't think so mom. She also said she intends to have the wedding here if she gets engaged down there."

"Omigod," Lisa groaned and forgetting his sore leg, John was only just quick enough to catch her as she fainted.

Blair and Sarah settled for a wedding in the winter, which was a downtime for farming folk.

* * *

The draft budget prepared by the three directors, with Cody as convener, went down like a lead balloon when presented to general manager Percy Reid and Mayor White. When the two men began reading their copies Cody left the room unnoticed.

"What the fuck," yelled Murray White and looking around the room to verbally harpoon Cody found she'd gone. In fact she'd left the building, having told her PA she was heading for a bunker.

"A bunker," Murray gritted when Percy replayed the message. "While she's down there hiding the mayor and council will be erecting gallows above the bunker. For fuck sake Percy, get Elizabeth Walters over here pronto. She's a public accountant and as chairman of the finance committee we must reply on her advice."

An hour later Elizabeth closed her copy of the draft budget, removed her glasses and Percy said impatiently, "Well?"

"I know Cody is rather young for her position Percy and now I'm intrigued to find out what she doesn't know. You guys have been done over by an expert. Are you prepared to tell me when you and the council begin consideration of this draft budget, that we'll have the guts and audacity to disallow the cuts affecting your office and councilors in general and load those deletions on to the various departments while those heads of departments sit there listening to our utterly selfish proclamations?"

"Jesus. So what do you suggest? We reply on your expertise?"

"Do what she intends you to do. Say to her the recommended cuts would hamstring council activity to an unsatisfactory level and that you require a fiscally neutral budget for the coming year, meaning expenditure frozen at this year's levels."

"Are you telling us that girl know enough to manipulate us in that manner?" Percy asked.

"Well you have gone through the draft Percy. What's your opinion?"

"Ah yes. Well my first reaction was we have been shafted. But now I see an open hole has been dug under us. The only way to save face and privileges for the mayor and council is to follow your suggestion. Christ Elizabeth that girl is scarcely out of nappies."

"It's what a good brain and a good education does for you guys and I suppose being female helps."

Murray sighed, "Open the bar Percy. We all need a stiff shot of something."

"Oh I noticed in the 10% slash and burn by our girl scarcely out of nappies that this bar would need to be abandoned," Elizabeth chuckled.

Three weeks later the budget for the coming financial year was adopted, effectively freezing spending at existing levels. There was some discontent expressed in letters to the media and on local radio but Mayor White replied to such dissent in his usual skilled and forthright manner and pointed out large number of ratepayers had written to the council or emailed it congratulating the council for its austerity measures.

The following day as the regular staffing committee meeting comprising the mayor, general manager, chairman of the finance committee and the director of administration, Cody was asked to withdraw for discussion of a final item of business.

She left the meeting having no idea what the matter was. A serious complaint against her perhaps although she thought that was unlikely.

Percy said, "I understand we are in agreement that Cody is doing brilliantly in her position."

Murray and Elizabeth nodded.

"In fact she continues to astonish me how far she is punching above her weight. We have a very healthy surplus in a salaries account. We acted a little like skinflints over fixing Cody's starting salary that was in accord with my recommendation because she was an unknown quantity. Now we know she's quality with an unknown depth. Since the death of her predecessor I'm without a deputy. You are aware I need that hip replacement and would like to book in to have it done in the next couple of months or so. I proposed that Cody be appointed my deputy with an appropriate increase in salary of $20,000, effective forthwith."

"Yeah I can wear that," said the mayor and Elizabeth said absolutely, that they had secured a real gem in Cody.

"Call her in Percy and allow Elizabeth to deliver the good news and then open the bar."

Percy and Cody left after one drink.

Murray and Elizabeth, sitting across from each other, raised their glasses and said cheers.

He said, "You really think we've struck a winner with Cody?"

"Yes, they come along now and again, exception multi-talented managers and she's one of them. If she were in our firm she'd already be marked as a candidate for a partnership offer."

Murray topped up their drinks. "But will we benefit more than just her ability to pull strings in compiling reports?"

"You need to ask Percy about that. But I know she'd already worked through her entire staff interviewing them separately to find out their level of satisfaction with their work and what their professional aspirations are. She has them in teams for advanced tutoring so each person when absent has someone to back them up effectively and Cody now has each person on a step by step training program to uplift their skills in the work they are doing and expanding their skills."

Elizabeth then had a sudden thought and said, "You bastard. You have her parked here because early next year you intend having her appointed CEO-designate at the hospital because Kevin Charles retires at the end of next year."

Murray had the grace to blush.

He diverted back to the previous point of their discussion. "Do we get benefit and will some of these up-skilled people leave us for improved prospects?"

"Yes in both instances and that's actually how it's meant to be so that the benefit is returned when we recruit we get better-trained applicants."

"But does it really work like that in offices?"

"Yes and no," Elizabeth smiled, a cupped a breast, watched by Murray. He stared and after a few seconds Elizabeth deliberately parted her legs.

Murray grinned and went over and locked the door.

* * * 

Cody have been handed back her restored Three-oh-Eight three weeks earlier and as it had only traveled 17,778 miles when she purchased it, with a completely repainted exterior, the Peugeot was like almost new. She drove home very happily to her shared house where Sarah was cooking that evening.

Sarah danced Cody around the floor screaming in excitement at the news of Cody's new job and they fell to the floor of the kitchen/day room kissing and rather got carried away. They were resting after their sexual pursuits when they smelt something burning.

"Oh damn, I was braising the meat," Sarah wailed. "Dinner is ruined."

The meal was dumped and all the windows were opened and after showering the women ate outside on the terrace, looking down at the river.

"This is just like being back at university, sex and then baked beans on toast for supper," Cody said, and they giggled.

"Well now you have your promotion you'll be good for a bank loan," Sarah said.

"I don't need a loan. My car is paid off."

"For a house dopey and then you two can get married."

"Married? I'm waiting for your wedding."

"Why?"

"Dunno. I guess you made the move first."

Sarah said, "Promise to keep what I'm about to say secret?"

"Yeah of course."

"You mom has told me if you and Brent decide to set up house then she'd love it if I moved in to take your old room. She'd welcome female company. She just suggested this out of the blue the other day when we had lunch at the hospital. She was probing to see if I knew anything new about your romance with Brent."

"There's nothing new."

"And that's what I told her. I suggest it's up to you to manage the romance rather than allow it to drift. That boy has easy access to you, probably the best pussy in the city, so why would he be in a rush to change anything?"

"God you are embarrassing and pushy."

"Actually you probably are better at pushing yourself academically and in your job than pushing to get advantages whenever you have been with a guy."

"That's nonsense."

"Is it? I suggest you think about it. If you want babies get married. Otherwise stay where you are and grow into an old maid. You won't want babies out of wedlock. I know you."

"Oh god, why are you pressuring me like this?"

"I want your old room. You mom and I get along famously. It's almost like being back home."

"You bitch. This is all about you wanting my old room."

They laughed and Sarah topped their glasses with cheap and delicious red wine. 

Sarah left for the Mackay's farm on Friday afternoon and Brent arrived at 6:30 for dinner and to stay the weekend with Cody.

After sex and they sat nude on the sofa drinking beer, Cody just let it out simply.

"I'd like to get married."

She heard the suck in of breath and he said, "Eh?"

Cody know that response was a dodge to get more thinking time. So she just sat quietly.

"Okay."

"What!" she screamed and turning around rapidly and that response gave Brent a big fright.

He laughed. "It doesn't take much to make you happy."

"Well buster, I've been saving this as a surprise. I have been promoted with the additional duties of deputy general manager with a heft salary increase to boot."

"Jesus that's great. They must think you are pretty terrific."

"I guess so. I have checked with my bank and if we can come up with the deposit on a house at the required ratio, the bank says I'd qualify for a big loan no problem."

"A house eh? I suppose you have one picked out?"

"No I haven't begun looking because it seemed stupid to do that until you expressed some interest."

"Yeah let's look around this weekend. Mom says I'd be a fool not to marry you and I already knew that."

"So do you want to marry me?"

"Yes and I ask, "Cody will you marry me. I love you and you are the pick of the bunch."

They hugged and kissed and Cody looked at him with very bright eyes and said, "Yes I'll marry you, you darling man."

* * *

A larger aircraft had been placed on the flight from Sydney to Dubbo due to the big increase in bookings with all the Americans in the Carter party arriving from South Dakota.

With the Barr family waiting at the airport, the scene was a re-run of eight months earlier when Cody and Sarah had arrived from America.

Ben with his much younger eyes squinted into cloud-patched sky and said, "There she is dad, coming in about three o'clock."

"Where I only see blue sky?"

"Put your glasses on you old fool and you would see things," Kathy his wife scolded.

"Well what can you see?"

She replied, "I don't need to see it because the announcement said it was arriving on schedule so I know it's there."

Cody and her fiancé Brent Collins, only two days away from their wedding, listened to that exchange with smiles. They head a shout and looked across the waiting area to see Sarah waving with her fiancé in tow.

"Sorry I was late shifting stock," Blair said. He looked at Sarah who was to be the chief bridesmaid. "I promise I won't be late arriving in America this winter for your best friend's wedding."

THE END



Go: Collector's Edition



"What do you want for Christmas, Claire?" Todd asked.

"I don't know," Claire said, wishing Ronna and Mannie were there.

"Do you wanna get laid?"  She became somber.

"No."  A little scared even.

"'No,' you don't wanna get laid? or 'No,' you do, but you don't wanna get laid with me."

"Look, they'll be here," she convincing him and herself.  She nodded.

"They'll be here," he repeated.  He looked away and thought for a moment.  He looked at her again.

"Are you a virgin?"

"What?" she said in disbelief.

"C'mon, Claire," he called.  "Answer the question.  Answer the question, Claire."

"Oh, Breakfast Club. I get it.  Very funny."


***  


Ronna turned the corner as Mannie drummed the dashboard like an idiot.  A loud noise was heard and she swerved the car.

"Fuck!" Ronna yelled.  She got out the car and examined it.  Just as she suspected.

"What's up?" Mannie asked.

"Flat tire."

"So get the spare out of the back."

"This is the fuckin' spare."

"Suppose we can't buy another at a gas station..."

"Why not?  Let me just pull some money out of my ASS!"  Mannie watched her stand there with some interest, but as his brain overrode the effects of ecstasy, he realized she was being sarcastic.

"You know, I know this girl near here who has a car."

"Can you call her?"

"Yeah," he said, getting out of the car.  "And she's nice.  She said she'd do anything for her friends- for sexual favors."  Ronna sighed.


***  


Todd Gaines looked at his watch.

"Okay," he started, "this is about the time where I realize that I'm getting seriously fucked over."

"They'll be-"

"-And so I start asking you to take off articles of clothing."

"I swear, they'll be-"

"'They'll be here,' yeah, you said shit two hours ago.  Where do these guys live?  San Diego?  Take off your jacket."  She nodded.  She then jumped and ran for the door.  "Looking for these, Claire?"  He held up his keys as she tried to open the bolted door.  "Claire, it's a simple request: take off your jacket."  He got up and held her tightly.  "Claire.  Don't fuck with me.  Ronna's already fucking me over.  I don't think I can take it if you both do."  They sat back down.  Claire cast her eyes downward as she took off her jacket.


***  


"I'm sorry," Mannie told Ronna.  "I didn't know."  She silently stared at the road, an angry expression on her face.  She tried to block him out and focus only on driving.  "Ron, forgive me...  How was I supposed to know she was a lesbian?"  She didn't answer.  "You probably liked it, anyway," he mumbled.  She began to hit him repeatedly with her right hand while steering with her left.  "Ah!  Aaa!  Stop!  Isn't this our off-ramp?"  Ronna looked at the road again and swerved, but hit the driver side door against the divider.

"Goddammit!"


***  


Claire sat in her panties and bra.  Todd checked his watch again.

"Well, Claire.  Off with the bra."

"No," she said and backed away into the corner.

"I'm serious, Claire."

"So am I.  I'm not doing that."  Todd stood up.

"You know, I'm supposed to be at a rave now," he said, moseying towards her.  "My friend's there, probably wondering where I am, thinking I'm flaky, when you guys are the ones keeping me."

"Sorry-"

"-He's there all alone, Claire.  I told him it would be kick-ass.  But I don't go to these raves for pleasure, Claire.  I don't need to hang out with these prepubescent stoners for fun.  I sell there, Claire.  I can make a lot of money selling my stuff- and you know what you and Ronna are doing?  You're making me lose potential clients.  I need something for my time, Claire.  I need the bra.  Or the panties.  Your choice."

"No."  Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Claire, I don't want to hurt you.  But I will.  And Ronna."  Claire looked around.

"Help-" she began to yell right before he smacked her face.  She fell to the ground.  He kneeled down and gripped her neck, pushing on her pressure points.  She cried and choked simultaneously.

"Claire, this is not the time for games."

"Okay," she coughed.  He got off of her and sat back down on the couch.  She sat on the chair and checked for blood on her face.  Then she slowly undid the back of her bra.

"You can have a little E or some beer if it will help."  She took a bottle from the table and eagerly drank about half a bottle of beer.  Then she took off the bra.


***  


Ronna and Mannie walked the streets and found a man standing in front of a table with some cards on it.  Ronna smiled.

"Hey, I'll play you some poker," she offered.  "For money."

"That's not the usual game I play," the man said.

"I promise I'll lose the first few games.  But then you're not winning a game after that."

"Alright," he laughed.  "What are we betting?"

"Well, I don't have any money... but I can strip."  He looked her up and down.  She had already promised to lose a few games.  He looked around.

"So strip poker's the name of the game?" he asked.

"I need money, so... I win, I get money; you win, you get clothes."

"Okay, but first you get clothes back and then money if you win."

"Yeah, and first you get money back and then clothes if you win."

"Sounds fair."

"Let's go."

"Deal me in," Mannie said.  Ronna smacked him.

"He's high," she explained.  The card shark nodded.


***  


Claire handed Todd her panties.  He laughed to himself.

"You know, you have some great friends."

"Something went wrong," she murmured.

"Or they ditched you."

"They wouldn't do that."  Todd got up to put on some coffee.  He had a feeling it was going to be an all-nighter.  Looking at Claire, he realized it was going to be worth it.


***  


Ronna stood naked in front of the cardman.  She looked frustrated and confused.  Mannie just stared at her.

"Well, I guess I win," the man said.

"No, wait," she said, suddenly smiling.  She pulled at the piercing in her crotch.  "Lip ring."

"Oh, for cryin' out-  ah, okay," he relented.  She pushed Mannie's face away.


***  


"Claire," Todd called.  "Be a dear and get me that pot of coffee."  She stood up and he admired her body as she walked into the kitchen naked.  He made sure she did nothing suspicious.  He sniffed her panties.

"You know, Claire.  These smell really nice.  I have smelled a variety of girls, and not many smell this nice down there."  He took the coffee from her.  "Thanks.  So what is that?  Chanel?"  She shook her head.  "Not even a skidmark.  You must wipe well, Claire."  He sniffed them again.  "Elizabeth Taylor?"  She shook her head again.  "Of course, I don't know if you smell that way, but at least your panties do."  She again covered her privates with her hands and arms.  "Oh don't worry.  They aren't that late.  Yet."


***  


Ronna stood fully clothed in front of the cardman, holding a stack of bills.

"Son of a bitch," the man exclaimed, handing over some more money.  "I guess you win."  Ronna smiled.  She pocketed the money as the man packed up his table and left.  Mannie came back to where Ronna was standing.

"I called the tow truck," he told her.

"Great," she said.

"And this time I'm driving.  You're bad luck."

"Fine by me."


***  


"Hey, Claire," Todd said.  Claire opened her eyes, showing an unusual amount of alertness for someone who had just woken up.  "Road trip."

"Do I get my clothes back?" she asked, standing up.

"See that's the thing."  He looked for his keys.  "I was wondering how to score some cash with you, since you're here and everything, and I thought I could pimp you..."  She stepped back in shock and almost tripped over the chair.  "But then I thought, that would be really mean..."  She breathed a sigh of relief.  "-and I'd have to hold you down and everything.  So I'm just gonna go downtown and sell your clothes to this lady I know at the flea market." 

"You're going to what?"

"Yeah, you got some great shit here.  Lotta name brands.  I could probably get 200 for all this."

"My jacket is worth 200 dollars."

"It's used.  And how many people are gonna buy clothes at this time of night?"  Claire was silent.  "Let's go."

"Why do I have to go?"

"You know why, Claire.  Let's go."  He grabbed her wrist and they walked to the car.

"Can I wear the clothes until we get there?"

"No.  Don't worry.  You look great naked."  They got in the car.


***  


Ronna talked to the strangely dressed man.

"And that's how we got here," she said.

"Wow," the man said.  "That's some story.  Well, I'm going to get back to the dance floor."

"Of course."  She sat in the gay club in San Diego, wondering why her luck was so bad.  Mannie finally came back to the table.

"I got the stuff," he huffed.  "A harmonica, a large salmon, and a baseball bat.  What are these for again?"

"It's hard to explain."  She took the bat and he pocketed the harmonica.  "Okay, let's go."  A man blocked their exit.

"Wait," the large man ordered.  The club became silent.  "No one leaves here without singing the blues."  Mannie took the harmonica out of his pocket.

"So this is why we have the harmonica," Mannie concluded.

"No," Ronna said slowly.  "This is why we have the BAT!"  She busted the man upside the head with the bat and they ran to their motorcycle and took off.  Ronna revved the engine as Mannie held onto her, grabbing around her waist. He was confused.

"Whose motorcycle is this?" he asked over the noise of the engine.

"It's a chopper, Mannie," she responded.

"Whose chopper is this?"

"It's Zed's."

"Who's Zed?"

"Zed's dead, Mannie.  Zed's dead."


***  


The short, elderly Latina came to the window of Todd's car.

"Let me see what you got," she said in that Mexican accent of hers.  He handed her the clothes over Claire's lap.  Claire just stared at her feet, trying to keep her embarrassment to a minimum.  It was a good thing no one else was around.  The woman looked at the clothes for a moment.

"Seventy-five bucks."

"Fuck you, that jacket alone is 200 bucks."

"Watch your mouth," she said in her mother-like way, "150."

"200.  Look at the name again."  She looked for the label and read it.  "Look at the condition.  If I had the receipt, I woulda took it back."

"Okay, 200.  Because you deal in quality."  She counted her money and suddenly said, "Todd, you never visit anymore."  She smiled, handing him the money.

"Yeah, I've been... busy.  Thanks, Mrs. Enriquez!"  He turned the engine on.

"Wait, -your girlfriend doesn't want something, perhaps?"  Claire looked at the woman out of the corner of her eye.

"Nah, she's comfortable.  Ain't that right, baby?"  She shot him pained, scornful look.  "Well, bye."  Todd drove back to his place.


***  


"Wow," Mannie said, still in awe.  "I've never knew you could do that with a fish and a harmonica."

"They had it coming," Ronna mumbled.  She brought the motorcycle to a stop.  "So, we need going to trade this in for a car as soon as we get into town, but first, I gotta piss.  Stay here."  She walked a short distance down the sidewalk and squatted.  Mannie looked around.  It was still deep in the night and the lights were especially dim in this dark neighborhood.  Ronna picked a good place to pee; she wouldn't be spotted even if someone was still awake at this odd hour.  He looked at her silhouette as he heard the wetting of concrete.  She looked back at him and he quickly looked up, pretending to look at the stars.  He looked at her once more as she resumed observing her evacuation.  She looked at him again.  "What are you looking at?"

"Oh, uh...I..."

"I'm sorry," she said, pulling her clothes up again, "but I couldn't hold it."

"No, it's not that- you just look so good.."  Ronna stood there dumbfounded; she didn't think he actually had feelings for her.  He got of the motorbike and walked to her.  "I was really noticing when you were stripping during that poker game, but even when you were peeing you just look... sexy."  She blushed.  "I just... well, I couldn't help watching.  I always thought you were kinda cute," he admitted, "That's why I hung out with Claire."  This was a lie.  He hung out with Claire because he wanted to fuck Claire, but he soon found out that was not going to ever happen.  But Ronna didn't know that.  Ronna smiled.

"You're not just high, are you?"

"No, I think the E wore off a while ago."  He stared into her eyes.  They frenched.  They looked around and, seeing no one in the dark neighborhood, they proceeded to have sex against some guy's gate.


***  


Claire looked at Todd through sleepy eyes.  It was quite late and the beer only helped make her eyelids heavier.  However, she didn't want to go to sleep because she knew she shouldn't take her eyes off of Todd.  She knew he was not to be trusted.  Todd looked back at her, amused with her head nodding motion.  He smiled as she finally stopped blinking.  He was pretty eager for what was destined to happen.


***  


Mannie let his pants fall to his knees as he rolled a condom on his cock.  Ronna eyed his member, sprouting out of his boxers.  Mannie was so frightfully inadequate in so many other areas, she was pleased to see he had a nice sized dick.  She lifted her black skirt up, after looking around for people again, and Mannie pushed her panties to the side as he shoved his fleshy glowstick into her moist cunt.  He pounded her against the gate, softly at first, then with greater force and noise as the sex became more intense.  Ronna held onto Mannie, experiencing the pleasurable sensations that pharmaceuticals had yet to duplicate.  As she neared orgasm, her knees became too weak to support her, and, as Mannie's legs were tired from his repetitive hip movements, they found a more comfortable spot on the ground.

"Oh Mannie," she moaned.  But before she could come, Mannie held her close and quivered.  He saw the look on her face change from ecstasy to shock.

"Sorry," he smiled guiltily.  "We could try again."  She smiled back at him, admiring his perseverance.

"I think we better get Claire first."  He nodded and removed the condom.

"But first, let's get the car."


***  


Todd looked at his watch.  Time was up.

He looked at Claire, all beautiful and naked.  He tied her hands together and tied her feet to her chair.  Claire had been unconscious for a while from all the beer.  He put on the finishing touch: tape around her mouth.  He unzipped himself and slid into her.

"Mmm- just like warm apple pie," he remarked.  Knowing that sex is best with a conscious partner, he slapped her face and waited for her to wake.

Claire slowly lifted her head as Todd could feel her vaginal muscles doing a little stretching.  She blinked a few times to see him smiling inches from her face.  She tried to say something and then realized what was happening.

"Sorry, Claire, but time ran out," he told her.  Her eyes opened wide.  "Your friends left me no choice.  But don't worry, I'll let you go after this."  With that, he began to ride her, his cock stealing her delights as she began to shake with fear and shock.  She tried to scream, her throat emitting a muffled shriek.  Todd enjoyed her spasming pussy, but was annoyed with her noise.  "C'mon, Claire, it's early in the morning."  Realizing her screams were futile, she hung her head and began to cry.  "That's better."  He kissed her cheek and she moved her head away, so he started to suck on her nipples.  Claire bucked in her chair, but the tape and Todd's weight held her down.  "Ahh, Claire, you're so cute when you're struggling to get free," he said, licking her.

He eventually came, got off of her, and went into his bedroom.  He returned, smoking a cigarette.

"Okay, you can go now," he told her.  "But I'd advise you not to go to the police.  After all you are an accessory in Ronna's attempted drug dealings, not to mention you're under the influence of alcohol.  This would be best kept between just you and me."  He looked at her a while, then cut the tape fastening her to the chair.  She stood up immediately, thoughts of killing him running through her mind.  She knew, however, any violent attempts at him would result in more pain for her.  She walked to the door staring at him on the couch as he watched her also.  She opened the door and turned back.

"Um... could I have a towel or something?" she mumbled.

"The sun's gonna be up in about an hour, Claire.  I'd get going if I were you."  Her eyes welled up with tears once more and she stayed in the doorway wondering what to do.  She took a step towards him and pulled herself back, seeing his menacing stare.  She ran out and slammed the door.

As she ran out the complex, she saw Ronna and Mannie pull up to the curb in a car different from the one they'd left in.  Seeing Claire walking nude down the steps, Ronna got out of the car.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Ronna asked.

"I should ask you the same question," Claire said, suddenly incensed.  Ronna sighed.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"Where are your clothes?"

"Just let me in the car."  Ronna got in the car and unlocked the doors.  Claire got in the back seat.

"Mannie, give Claire your shirt," Ronna told him as she started up the car.

"But I like this shirt!"

"Mannie..."

"Alright, alright..."  He handed Claire his shirt.  "So," he started, "what are we doing for New Year's?"

Claire smacked him.