Chapter 1: Wicked!

A sea mist rose slowly off the placid surface of the calm sea, and the darkening sun hung, paused in its slow western descent. The moment hung too, an idyllic hiatus in the flurry of life. The coastline was deserted except for one sole, slim, figure. The olive-skinned girl watched the sunset in silence; she gazed at the western horizon. Her sullen eyes flickered, watching the sea birds dive for food, far beyond the craggy shoreline rocks.

Lalo sighed, her heart sank, and she wondered if she would ever understand her longing for the west. What was it that called to her? Was it the southern tip of Ireland, the Scilly Isles? Whatever it was the pull was strong, strong and dark.

An involuntary shiver ran down her supple spine. Tears stung at her young eyes - she must keep this to herself, mum for one would never understand. Lalo remembered the countless arguments her restlessness had caused over the years. Why wouldn't her mum let her travel? Just what was her problem?

A deep sigh racked Lalo's young frame, and frowning she turned her back on the lapping sea. She began her long trudge up the cliff. Her face brightened; she had remembered that her dad would be back tonight. Things were always happier when he was there, and the small family was complete.

Maldea worked industriously cleaning every inch of her beloved kitchen. As she scrubbed she hummed a simple lullaby from her childhood. She was happy; soon Jeff would be home and the weekend could begin in earnest. Maldea heard the door slam, followed by the TV resonating from the living room.

"Hi honey, is that you?" Maldea called out.

"Nope mum, it's me," Lalo shouted back.

"Hi, have a good day at school?"

"Oh you know, nothing special!" Lalo paused, "What's for tea?"

"Pasta with a fresh Bolognese sauce," Maldea shouted over the increasing din of MTV.

"K, I'm gonna shower in a minute - if I have time?" Lalo asked.

"No problemo, plenty of time - 45 minutes or so."

The conversation petered out, and Maldea started to prepare the vegetables. Just as her knife reached the ripe skin of the first tomato, her heart froze. Icy hands gripped her spine, as her ears heard a long forgotten song. She swung away from the work surface, and almost ran into the living room. In front of her daughter the female band cavorted on the screen, in a display of wanton flesh. Maldea tore the remote out of Lalo's hand and switched off the TV, disgust written all over her pretty face.

"Hey I was watching that!" Lalo protested.

"You are too young to be interested in that!" Maldea almost spat her words.

"True, the Bitches are more your era than mine, but I do know about that stuff - and it doesn't interest me!"

"What stuff, come on what stuff!" Maldea demanded.

"You know, lesbianism - they talk about it in PSE at school, I think Cath Hebbert may be one..."

"It's not about that - it's about them," Maldea's voice calmed a little.

"Bullshit! You are just a homophobe," Lalo shouted, she immediately gulped.

Maldea exploded.

"How dare you speak to me that way, you are not with your friends now, young lady!" Maldea paused for effect. "I'm grounding you this weekend."

"That's great, I wouldn't want to go anywhere around here anyway - the only place I want to go is New York!"

"Never, I have told you - NEVER!" Maldea sucked in her breath.

"Why? It's where you and dad come from, where I was born - why not?" Lalo asked, tears of frustration rolling down her face.

"You wouldn't understand - you can never know. I have to protect you," Maldea raged.

"Well a bit of New York is coming here, Les Bitches are doing a European tour," Lalo paused, "And I'm going to see them at Bristol."

"You are not! Who gave you that idea?" Maldea paused to wipe the sweat from her brow. "Over my dead body!"

"Fine!" screamed Lalo, as she raced to the stairs, "Just fine!"

Maldea stood alone, fuming.

"Shit!"

Jeff positioned the car carefully on the rutted driveway; slowly but accurately he guided it down a hundred yards of steep incline. Finally he relaxed as the Beamer slid into the garage.

'Home at last, god why do we live somewhere this remote?' Jeff wondered, 'Is there still a need?'

He flipped down the garage door with a resounding clunk, then all was still - just the slow lapping of the sea at the base of the cliff. Jeff stood listening for a long recuperative second.

'There are compensations, I can still hear the Atlantic when I need it most' he thought, as a smile played on his weary face.

"Hi Maldea, Lalo - I'm home!" Jeff called, stepping through the threshold.

Maldea rushed up and pecked his sallow cheek, greeting him.

"God am I glad to see you,"

"Hey, what's up?" Jeff queried.

"Later, just get a drink and relax, dinner is in five minutes" Maldea grinned.

Jeff shrugged and walked off to the drinks cabinet. He pulled out his favourite bourbon and poured a liberal shot; something told him he was going to need it!

Dinner passed in the uneasy politeness that told Jeff where the problem lay. It was all too obvious that Maldea and Lalo had fallen out; was he to play referee yet again? When the meal ended, Lalo made what seemed like a tactical withdrawal.

"Night dad, mum - see you in the morning."

"Niters La La, sleep well," Jeff cooed at his daughter.

Lalo smiled, and touched Jeff once on the shoulder, then she was gone.

"You are not going to believe this," Maldea started, "Do you know what she wants to do now?"

Half way to the drinks cabinet Jeff paused.

"Do you want one too?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, please honey, vodka and tonic - make it a large one!"

Jeff settled into the sofa, wrapped a supportive arm around Maldea and waited. Over the next half hour he listened to the sorry tale without comment.

Finally he spoke.

"Think about it, Maldea, that has to be wrong. They have never left the US. How can they make a transatlantic flight? They could only send day walkers..."

Jeff felt Maldea stiffen in his arms.

"Unless," she stuttered, "Unless, they can day walk!"

"Christ! Surely not?" Fear echoed in Jeff's deep tones.

Jeff retrieved the remote, and switched on the TV - he fumbled through the unfamiliar pages of text.

"Let me," Maldea laughed, "You never have got the hang of tele-text"

The news page appeared seconds later, and together they scanned the headlines. There it was, item 5 page 307: 'All female rock band announce UK dates.' Maldea's fingers flew over the keypad and the page popped up.

'US rock phenomenon Les Bitches are to visit Europe for the first time in their 15 year history. The UK tour starts next month, venues include... '

Maldea switched off the TV; tears welled up in her eyes.

"They can day walk, Jeff, they are coming for us!"

Jeff tightened his hold on his quaking wife.

"They will never find us here, come on - in a month it'll all be over!"