Chapter 41

Ernie phoned early the next morning to say he’d be round about 9:30 to measure the space in the back garden. Luckily, he was far more organised than me, and had the measurements for the cabin, and the recommended base dimensions.

He turned up on time with his brother, Mick and a long tape measure.

As usual no work was started until tea had been drunk, I took the opportunity to introduce Lia.

“Where do you find all these beautiful girls Alex?” Ernie asked, absolutely no hint of creepiness in his question.

“It’s not like I go out looking for them...”

“Well, you kind of did go looking for me,” Lia broke in, smiling at Ernie as she refilled his mug.

“I was only there as guardian to Katie, who was the one looking for you.”

“Relax, I’m only taking the piss. You’re just an innocent bystander in all this. We control your life now.”

“I don’t think she’s joking,” Ernie laughed.

“Nope, she’s speaking the truth, and to be honest, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“I can see Jenny is so much happier now. I have to say though, she was a better neighbour than the new guy in her old flat.”

“Oh damn, bad neighbours can ruin your life.”

“Ahh no matter, he’s not terrible, just not so clean, and he plays awful music at night. Luckily I’ve got headphones for my TV so I can block him out.”

“And maybe you’ll agree to move into my place, we’ve got plenty of room for you to have your own space.”

“Mick’s nearly as rich as you...”

“I’m not as rich as I was,” I replied, “but as long as I can still cover the bills, I’m happy.”

“And that’s all anyone needs at the end of the day, enough to cover the bills and a bit left over for fun. Mick’s got a big house, how many bedrooms?”

“6 bedrooms, plus the granny flat over the garage.”

“6 bedrooms, that’s a lot for London, where are you?” I asked.

“We’re in Dulwich, it’s my wife’s parents house, they owned it since it was built. They left Carmen the house and a decent amount of money, it means we’re semi-retired and just pick and choose jobs that interest us. And working round at my son’s favourite author’s house seems like the sort of job I should choose.”

“Ahh, really, bring him round, I’ll sign some books for him.”

“I might just do that, thanks.”

We finished our drinks and I let everyone out into the garden.

“This is a big garden,” Mick said as we walked down to the back fence, “you could fit a couple of houses back here and still have a decent sized garden for yourself.”

“This is partly why we chose this house, a nice big garden for kids to play in.”

“How long have you lived here?”

“A little over five years,” I replied.

“Your girls are all teenagers though,” Mick replied, confused.

“Ahh, not these kids. It’s a long story...”

“I’ll tell you later, Mick,” Ernie told him.

“Ahh yes, I’m forgetting, your girls were on the telly, they’re all rescued from the streets.”

“That’s right, Alex adopted us all,” Lia told him, failing to mention she’s not adopted.

“Anyway, let’s look at the land we’ve got,” Ernie said, “here, hold my measure while I find the piece of paper,” he tossed the big tape measure to Mick as he dug through his pockets.

“Ahh, here we go, so we need the base to be at least 5.7 x 3.8 metres, I reckon 6 x 4 to be on the safe side, you can pop planters around the edges or something. Then I was thinking about putting some decking in front, or decorative paving, you could have some seating outside then.”

Lia grasped my hand, “oh wow, that sounds lovely. I’m getting so excited about this.”

Ernie dropped his toolbag and pulled out a bundle of sticks with small flags attached, he stepped close to the fence and stuck one in the ground. Between them, Ernie and Mick measured out and marked the ground for the base.

“We’ll need to bring in a mini-digger to level the ground, does your mate Trevor still have one?” he asked Mick.

“Aye, he’s still got it, I’ll give him a call, see if it’s free, if not we can hire one for half a day. What’ll you do with the earth, Ernie?”

“See that dip over the other side of the garden?”

“I was thinking we could fill it in and make a nice flower bed.”

Lia was beaming at the thought of flowerbeds and planters, “that would be amazing, I’d love to help. I used to help the guerrilla gardeners around Camden.”

“Who are the guerrilla gardeners,” Ernie asked.

“They’re a group of locals who planted flowers and trees around the area, to brighten the place up. When they first started they got into all sorts of trouble, because they were planting on council land. The residents campaigned and now the council give them a bit of funding. It’s fun work, a few of the other street kids helped them out with me.”

“That’s sorted then, we’ll do a flowerbed down the side. Let’s have a look at the electrics now, that’s your area Mick.”

Mick gave Lia one end of the long tape measure, “hold this love, and stand at the fence so I can measure how much cable and ducting I need.”

Once he’d measured the garden, I unlocked the utility room so he could check the fuse box.

Mick and Ernie had a quick chat, then they made a few phone calls.

“Ok, so we can get the mini digger on Monday,” Mick said, “is it ok if I get the builders merchants to deliver all the materials tomorrow?”

“That’ll be fine, there’s a track at the back of the house, they can drive their lorry down there, I’ll lift out a couple of fence panels so they can drop everything in the corner of the garden.”

“Oh great, I’ll find it on the map and let them know. Are you right Ernie?”

“Aye, just working out what we need.”

As Ernie and Mick were leaving a courier arrived with Belle’s cameras, it was a much bigger box than we expected, the driver popped it on a trolley and wheeled it into the hallway.

With the morning’s work done I was pondering what to do with the rest of the day when Helen called round.

“Hey, I was having a walk and wondered if you wanted to grab a sandwich in the park?”

“That would be great,” Lia replied, “unless you had other plans,” she asked me.

“Nope, I’m always happy to have a bit of a wander in the park,” I answered as I went over to grab our coats from the hall cupboard.

“What’s in the big box?” Helen asked as I pushed it away from the cupboard door.

“Belle’s cameras,” I replied as I handed Lia her coat.

“Why does Belle need a box of cameras?”

“They’re part of the book project, she’s going to give cameras out to kids on the street, so they can document their life, Belle will take the memory card, then they can keep the camera to sell, or swap.”

“Ahh yes, I think they mentioned this.”

“She’s also bought a good camera,” Lia added, “to take some high quality shots, but she doesn’t know how to use a camera. I was wondering if maybe you could help her.”

“Ohh, I’m sorry, I’ve not really got any experience working behind a camera. I know how to pose, and where to put lights and things to get the best results for a portrait. But taking photos, not really my area. I can ask around though, I’m sure I can find someone who knows street photography to help her out.”

We headed out for lunch, it wasn’t yet noon, so the café was fairly quiet, we got a table inside with a view of the lake.

“Thank you for sending JoJo my way. I’ve really enjoyed helping the girls out, and I suspect most of the major traumas are behind us, so now I want a little project, someone to pass on my learned experience in the modelling industry, and I think my first mentee will be the gorgeous JoJo.”

“So you had a good meeting?” I asked as Kelly placed a tray of drinks on the table.

“Oh yes, we had a good chat about the jobs she’s done. She’s worked a lot of catwalk shows at St Martin’s College, which explains why her agent wants her to be skinny, the fashion industry seems to be obsessed with thin girls, and I hate it.”

“Did you see her tattoo?” Lia asked.

“No, I didn’t,” Helen replied, “where is it?”

“On her arse, it’s misspelt, I think she got it when she was drunk. I want to know what it says.”

“Ahh, she kept her pants on.”

“Just her pants?” Lia teased.

“Err, yes, and her bra.”

“She’s got a lovely figure,” Lia observed, “I could tell, naturally slim.”

“Yes, she has. I think she’s a slightly taller version of Belle, her boobs are small, but perky.”

“Oh my god!” Lia cried, “that’s exactly right. Why didn’t I spot that?”

“I think because she’s not got Belle’s personality, just her figure, and kind of her looks.”

“Can you help her find work?”

“Already done,” Helen replied, a little smugly.

“Really! That’s quick.”

“I checked she knows how to walk, how to pose, that she can follow direction. That’s why she was stripped down to her underwear, just so you know I’m not a complete letch. She really knows what she’s doing, she has a very expressive face, she can put a lot of emotion into her poses, which is good, because a lot of models look very pretty, but there’s not a lot going on behind their eyes, if you know what I mean.”

“So you’ve got her a gig?”

“Yep, I’m letting her take my place in a shoot this weekend. The creative director will be a bit pissed off that she’s got small boobs, but she’s a lot prettier than me, and that’s what sells whatever he’s trying to sell, I think it’s deodorant, or it might be tampons, I can’t remember.”

“How does one go about modelling for tampons,” I asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Well, she’s not showing her pussy, that’s for sure.” Helen replied, “I think most of the advertising industry’s drug budget goes on perfume ads and working out ways to sell stuff they’re not allowed to actually show, like ways to stop you messing your undies when you’re on your period.”

“So what will she be doing, assuming it’s a tampon advert?”

“Mostly lots of poses where she stretches, showing a tantalising glimpse of her bottom.”

“Why?” I asked, still puzzled.

“The idea is to show she’s comfortable living an active life whilst she’s got a headache and crippling stomach cramps. I don’t know how their minds work, but that’s probably what she’ll be doing. I’ll be there with her, in my capacity as her new agent.”

“Oh wow,” Lia cried, “thank you so much for helping her. Oh my god I love this family so much, you’re amazing.”

“We’re amazing,” Helen corrected, “you’re a part of the family, and you’re just as amazing as everyone else.”

“I guess, I certainly feel part of the family, but I’m not sure about the amazing part.”

“You’ll get there, until you do, just be aware that we know you’re amazing.”

Lia left the table to use the toilet, Helen leant forwards, “she’s so comfortable with you now,” she whispered, as if Lia could hear her across the room.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, at first she stayed a little bit away from you, leaving plenty of personal space. She didn’t do that with Jenny or the girls. But with you, it’s clear she was a little wary, even if it was subconscious. Now though, her body language is totally different, she’s sitting so close to you, and she touches your hand when she talks.”

“I guess yesterday helped, we had a talk about how much Katie loves her, and how she shouldn’t worry about Poppy taking her back, because Poppy’s heart is full of Belle. Then yesterday afternoon she decided to let Jeremy deal with her father and brothers. Back home she had a big cry and fell asleep on my shoulder.”

“You’re becoming quite the counsellor Alex, Jenny told me how you’d spoken to Belle as well, calming her down.”

“Ahh, yes, they both had insecurities about Poppy.”

“Well, whatever you’re doing, it’s working well brother, because Lia is super comfortable now, and is definitely part of your family.”

“We can’t adopt her, she’s an adult, although I’m not sure if it’s necessary, she’s an adult, so she can choose who she lives with.”

“That’s correct, and she’s clearly happy in your house.”

“Who is?” Lia said as she sat back at the table.

Now Helen had mentioned it, I was conscious how close Lia’s knee was to mine, and how she touched my hand with her little finger as she spoke.

“You are,” Helen answered, “I was just commenting how comfortably you’d settled into the family.”

“Oh gosh yes. I love everything about the family, especially Alex’s lovely house, and Katie, I love sharing her bed, just sleeping with someone close is lovely. And I’m so looking forward to my new office.”

“A new office?” Helen asked.

“Oh, you don’t know, Alex has bought me a little building, it’s going at the bottom of the garden. I’m going to run the charity from there. That’s where we met JoJo, she sold us the office.”

“Of course, she did mention where she worked. So, you’ll have a long commute to work.”

“Hahaha, yeah, it’ll be great, Ernie’s going to help build it, then we’re making a garden with the earth he’ll be moving. It’s going to look amazing in the garden when we’ve finished.”

“That’s fantastic, it’s such a shame that you’ve never really made an effort with the back garden, Alex.”

“I know, but the garden was always going to be Tammy’s area, and, well we won’t got there.”

“Was Tammy your...” Lia started.

“She was his fiancée, it didn’t end well.”

“Ahh, we definitely won’t go there. Instead, you’ve now got me to do the garden. It’s going to be so much fun. I think I’ll teach the others about flowers and plants, and we can add some wonderful colour. Oh man, to have such brightness after all the dark times we’ve had...” she added wistfully, her eyes closed, thinking.

After lunch I walked with Lia to a nearby garden centre, where Lia switched into guerrilla gardener mode.

“I don’t know the names of many plants,” she confessed, “I mostly put things where they told me. But I can describe the plants I want, and I can tell which plant goes well with other plants, I just don’t know what to call them.”

“Why don’t you go speak to one of the staff, tell them what you want, they’ll be able to help you with names.”

“I’m not buying anything today though, just research.”

“Then tell them that, describe what you’re planning, the planters around the cabin, the flower bed, you could perhaps plant a couple of bushes as well. Make notes on your phone as you go round, take photos to show your sisters.”

“This could take ages, you’ll get bored, don’t you have anything you need to be doing?”

“Yeah, I’ve got some paperwork that needs doing. Will you be ok if I leave you here?”

“I’ll be fine, it’ll be fun, I’ll talk to some staff, do some research.”

“Have you got any money, if you need to buy something?”

“I don’t think I’ll buy anything today, maybe I’ll get a drink and some cake in the café later. I’ve got that money you gave me yesterday still.”

“Ok, but if there’s anything you want to buy, give me a call, I’ll come back.”

“It’s not really the time for planting now, anyway, so I won’t need to buy anything ... Oh my god, look how cute that gnome is, I’m definitely having him sitting outside the cabin.”

I slipped Lia some money, “here you go, buy the gnome and take him for some cake later.” I told her as I left her to the plant research.

There was a thick envelope in the letterbox when I arrived home, the contract for Poppy and Belle’s book. I made a coffee and read it through, there was nothing controversial in there, in fact it was no different to my contracts other than the promise to pass all the publishing profits to the charity for the first 12 months.

Even so, I’ll still get my solicitor and accountant to both read it before I let Poppy and Belle sign it.

The next couple of hours were filled with paying bills and reading emails from Lois with the next lot of edits.

Jenny phoned as I was making a mid-afternoon snack.

“Hey, is Lia about?”

“Ahh, no, she’s at the garden centre, do you need to speak to her.”

“How likely is she to check the news on her phone?”

“I’d say slim, she’s busy choosing flowers for the garden, she’s got many plans.”

“This can wait, I’ll tell her when she gets home.”

“Tell her what?”

“Her father has died.”

“When, how?”

“I’ll tell you all this evening, I’m still waiting for details, all I know at the moment is he was found early this morning by a street sweeper, rushed to hospital and he died whilst waiting for treatment.”

“Natural causes?”

“I’ve no idea. I’ve spoken to the desk sergeant at the nearest station and they’re waiting for a cause of death. Meanwhile they’re asking questions around a few of the pubs he visited.”

“Do you want me to say anything when she gets home?”

Jenny was quiet for a moment, thinking, “I think not, let me find out if this is connected to Jeremy or not.”

“Do you want me to speak to Jeremy? Ask him if he was involved?”

“Also no, I’ll call him once I know the cause of death. It seems a massive coincidence, but sometimes coincidences do happen.”

“Ok, I’ll leave it all to you. I picked up some sausages on the way home, do you fancy bangers and mash tonight?”

“Definitely, that sounds amazing. Ahh, here comes the Super, got to go. Love you Alex.”

“I love you to Jenny.”

My mind was too busy thinking about Lia’s family and Jeremy to do any more work, so I stayed in the kitchen, put the radio on 6 Music and started to prepare the food for dinner.

Lia arrived home as I was dropping the chopped potatoes into a pan of cold water ready for boiling later.

She held out a bunch of roses as I dried my hands.

“For me?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes, for being so kind. It’s always the girl that gets gifts of flowers and chocolates, so I thought I’d tip the balance a bit.”

“I don’t know what to say, err, thank you,” I replied.

“You don’t need to say anything, the look on your face is enough. Do you have a vase?”

“Err, yes, there’s plenty in that cupboard.”

“I was thinking on the way back,” she started, as she trimmed the roses for the vase, “that I’m ready...”

“Ready for what?”

“For, you know ... oh shit, I should have rehearsed this. Err, I’d like to try sex, with you, but I want to be open, I don’t want to do it behind Jenny’s back, or Katie’s for that matter. Which is why I’m now lost about how to carry on this conversation.”

She was quiet for a moment while she arranged the roses in the vase, “oh, and that’s not why I bought you the roses. I bought you them because I like you a lot, and I want to thank you for being a really nice human.”

She came over and placed the vase on the kitchen table, she looked at me for the longest time, “do I have to do all the work? Can you help me a little?”

I waited for a few moments then reached for Lia’s hands, I smiled warmly, “I have a little rule Lia, at no point do I want you to feel like you’ve been pressured into sex, so I never make the first move.”

“I get that,” she replied, almost exasperatedly, “I’m making the first move here, but I’d like a little help. I’ve never had sex with a man, well not what I’d call sex. I’m still a virgin, you know, in my pussy. They only used my bottom, I think I told you that. I’ve spoken to Poppy and Belle, they both told me how gentle you can be, so I know I’ll be ok. I want to be open though, I want to have sex, but I want to have it after Jenny and Katie have said it’s OK. So how do I ask them?”

“Ok, how about we do it this way, one day we could suggest a little bit of a mix-up for the night, I’m almost 100% sure that Poppy will suggest that you sleep with us whilst Katie goes to bed with her and Belle.”

“Really? Poppy will suggest that?”

“If not Poppy, Belle will, because they both know what you want, so they’ll step in to help.”

Lia’s frown slowly morphed into a smile, “they really are perfect aren’t they. Do you think Katie will be ok with it?”

“I’m sure she will be, after all, she did sleep with me once whilst she was officially dating Poppy.”

“Just once? I thought you were some kind of stud,” Lia laughed, “what did you do to put her off?”

“I think she just wanted to see what Poppy was making a fuss about, I’m not sure she actually enjoyed the sex as much as she hoped she would.”

“She is 100% gay isn’t she...”

“Oh yes. Belle thought she was as well at first...”

“Oh my god, she loves you so much,” Lia gushed, “I can tell. If ever I saw a daddy’s girl, it’s Belle. She’s one of those lesbians who every so often wants a good hard fucking. We can use a strap-on, but it’s just not the same as doing it with a guy. I’ve seen lesbians who hook up with gay men, they both know they’ll work off the horniness without any emotional ties.”