A soft warm tongue tickled Adele’s cheek waking her from her hard fought slumber. After scrubbing herself thoroughly and forcing back the revulsion of her previous night’s actions it had taken a long time for her to finally relax enough to sleep.
          She reached a hand out of the covers and ruffled the fur on Frank Skywalker’s head. “Morning Frankie.” He purred appreciatively and rubbed his head against her palm.
          Adele pushed back the covers as she sat up, stretched and reached for her hairbrush. One quick groom later and she padded out of her bedroom and headed into the living room.
          Wes was still asleep on the couch; he was snoring lightly and restlessly. If he was dreaming she would’ve guessed that it wasn’t a pleasant one where he was being molested by bevy of supermodels in a bath of Bailey’s Irish Cream and instead was having his fun bits attacked with a cheese grater.
          She continued on to the kitchen where she filled the kettle and set it to boil. Frank hopped up on the sideboard and she scolded him as she grabbed his food tin from the fridge and dished him up a meal of salmon and tuna. When the kettle boiled Adele made two cups of strong tea and returned to the living room. She placed the mugs on the coffee table and bent over Wes.
          “Wes, wake up,” she said softly and gently shook his arm. Wes grunted in response. “Wes,” she repeated a little louder.
          “Mmm what?” Wes mumbled, fighting his heavy eyelids.
          “I made you tea.”
          “Why, I was sleeping.”
          “It didn’t look a happy sleep.”
          Wes opened one eye. “How could you tell?”
          “You looked pained.”
          “I have a major hangover, it‘s expected.”
          “Do you want this or not?” Adele asked as Wes gingerly sat up and took the mug from her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you last night,” she sighed, settling in beside him.
          “Doesn’t matter,” Wes said gruffly. “It’s not like we’re lifelong friends and you’re indebted to me.”
          “But I feel like I am.”
          Wes sipped his tea and groaned a little from the pain thumping in his head. “I really hope you’re not screwing Eastman.”
          “Wes…”
          “I’m not getting at you,” He quickly cut in. “I just think you’re better than that, than him.” He swallowed. “But y’know, if it’s what you want…”
          Adele stayed quiet and sipped her tea. “I’m going out in about an hour.”
          “Oh, right,” Wes said a little taken aback. “I’ll get dressed and out of your hair then.”
          “There’s no rush,” Adele smiled getting to her feet in what was a clear attempt to escape the conversation. “Just remember to lock the door before you go.”

          An hour later Adele was idly glancing in a boutique window as she waited for Kelly and Denise, her two closest friends. They’d met in the University Debating club, which had been throw together hastily to compete against a team from interstate.
          In the end the whole thing had been a farce. Adele had called the rival team captain an inbred dickhead, Kelly had lobbed her pen at the moderator and Denise punched a startled engineering student. The whole event still brought a smile to Adele’s face.
          “Hmm thinking something rude huh?” Kelly teased as she adjusted her purple tinted glasses.
          “What?” Adele gasped. “No, thinking of that debate actually.”
          Kelly cackled. “Ahh memories.”
          “So how’s things?”
          “Oh you know,” Kelly shrugged. “I pretend to care about work, then I go home and pretend to care about Michael.”
          “That’s not true,” Adele chided. “You love Michael.”
          “He’s taken up home decorating, it’s not good.”
          “I thought you wanted the bedroom painted?”
          “Yes but not duck egg blue with French country bordering and distressed window frames.”
          “Oh dear,” Adele giggled as she felt a slap on her back.
          “What are we discussing?” Denise mused, looking a little out of breath. “Sorry I’m late but the bus forgot to come and I had to call a cab.”
          “We’re discussing Michael’s new passion for home decorating,” Adele laughed.
          “Has she told you about his plans for a new, environmentally friendly toilet?” Denise declared with a cackle.
          Adele looked at Kelly who flustered. “Oh let’s go before I throw Denny from the top of David Jones.”

          Wes opened one eye and found Frank Skywalker snuggled between his knees. Admittedly he was still on Adele’s couch but on the upside his head had eased its threats to explode, his stomach had stopped churning and the room had finally ceased spinning. The down side was that his bladder was very full and the bathroom was down the hall. Resigned to the fact he’d have to go, Wes gingerly peeled himself off the couch and headed for the bathroom.
          He was standing, relieving himself and enjoying Adele’s peach coloured toilet roll holder when the phone rang. It only managed to sound twice before the answering machine picked it up.
          …Miss Brodie, it’s Harry. I can’t stop thinking about last night. I know that sounds cheesy but it’s true. You’re a beautiful woman, gorgeous; Christ I hope when we…well…made love…that you weren’t disappointed. I mean the fact you weren’t even there when…just call me ok, please…
          Wes sunk to the floor shocked as nausea began to wash over him. She’d really fucked him. The proof was there. Wes was glad he was so close to toilet as the thought was enough to make him throw up.

          “So how’s the new job going?” Denise asked as the friends scoured a lingerie shop.
          “It’s ok,” Adele shrugged, picking up a pink satin thing and quickly putting it back. “I don’t have a lot to do.”
          “So is it better than journalism?” Kelly queried as she held a black, lacy teddy up to herself and looked in the mirror.
          “I don’t know about better but it’s certainly different,” Adele said, trying her hardest to be evasive.
          “What’s Harry like?” Denise asked, giggling at a bra that had furry cups.
          “He’s quite nice really,” Adele shrugged. “Or at least he is to me.”
          “Oh yeah,” Denise and Kelly teased together.
          “It’s not like that,” Adele blushed and quickly changed the subject. “I’ve bonded with that new comedian too, Wes.”
          “Oh he’s cute,” Kelly gasped and then laughed. “I liked when he tried to rip Eastman’s hair off.”
          “Have you shagged him yet?” Denise chided and cheekily nudged Adele.
          “No!” Adele gasped. “Wes and I don’t have that kind of relationship.”
          “What kind of relationship do you have?” Denise continued to probe as Adele raised an eyebrow.
          “Is that you?” Kelly piped up as the distinct ringing of a mobile phone filled the shop.
          “Shit!” Adele cussed as she fumbled around in her bag for her phone. “Hello?”
          “Miss Brodie,” asked the familiar dulcet tone of Harry Eastman’s voice.
          “Oh.”
          “Are you busy?”
          “Yes, shopping.”
          “I can’t get you out of my head.”
          “That’s nice.”
          “Come to my place when you’re done. I want to see you.”
          “Uh ok, goodbye,” Adele ended the call her cheeks pink from the embarrassment of nearly being caught.
          “Anyone important?” Kelly asked, looking through a rack of satin undergarments.
          “No, just work.”
          “On a Saturday?”
          “The entertainment industry has no set hours,” Adele declared haughtily as she snatched up a red corset and fled into the changing rooms.

          Adele arrived home in the late afternoon by which time Wes was long gone. The faux mink blanket folded neatly on the couch in a rather surprisingly sweet gesture.
          She headed for the kitchen as Frank Skywalker protested loudly about missing lunch, stopping only to press play on the answering machine. As the message from Harry began to play she felt a shiver run down her spine. Oh god, Wes hadn’t heard it had he? No, he couldn’t have surely and even if he had it had nothing to do with him anyway. Adele took a steadying breath before looking down at Frank who was half way to sticking his claws into her leg. “It’s not what you think Frankie, you shouldn’t be so judgemental!”

          Wes unlocked the door to his apartment; he wasn’t sure why but he expected to see Kate perched on the couch flipping through a magazine. Instead he was greeted with the unorderly mess of someone who had left in a hurry. A stab of hurt pinched him internally, was she really that desperate to get away from him? He stepped over the scattered remnants of the CD collection, a few strewn clothes and a roughly stacked pile of books before he finally made it to the bedroom.
          “For sucks sake,” he breathed noting the covers were unmade, not that he’d want to lie in them anyway.
          Wes went back into the living room and sunk into the carpet. He didn’t want to sit anywhere since it didn’t feel like home any more. He focussed on a small stain on the floor before him in an attempt to ward off impending tears. Why would you want to cry for someone who happily tore your heart out and waved it under your nose.
          Falling back onto the worn pile of the carpet Wes let out a long, sad sigh. There was no way he could attempt to rebuild his shattered life in that apartment. He’d have to pack his things, check into a cheap motel and start apartment hunting as quickly as he could locate a newspaper. He stared at the light fixture a good twenty minutes before dragging himself to his feet and starting the heart-wrenching ordeal of putting his life into a duffle bag.

          Adele stood in front of her mirror, observing a blue corset and matching satin panties that she’s bought earlier that day. The corset clung her body causing her breasts to give the impression that if she moved quickly they might spill out. Adele laughed at the memory of Wes peering around her door, she wasn’t nearly as uptight as he imagined but there was a part of her that was too timid to express her full nature in the wanton stare of the public.
          A knock at the door jolted her out of her out of her reverie and she quickly snatched up her robe as she hurried to the door. Adele opened it and let a small gasp escape her lips.
          “Harry, what’re you…”
          “I couldn’t wait,” Harry said almost breathless as she stepped inside her apartment. “I needed to see you,” he added and eagerly encircled her in his arms.
          “Harry…” Adele started but was cut off as his lips pressed roughly against hers, his tongue fighting to get into her mouth. She recoiled slightly.
          “Is something wrong?” he asked with apparent concern as he stroked the hair away from her face with one hand.
          “I just don’t know that this is right.”
          “Of course it’s right,” Harry smiled. “I’m attracted to you,” he said softly as he undid her robe, his hands seeking out what lay beneath. “And you’re attracted to me.”
          Adele closed her eyes as Harry’s hands roamed her body, his lips suckling her neck. She wasn’t sure that she was attracted to him, but he was doing enough to turn her on and seeing as she didn’t have any plans, getting laid seemed a fairly reasonable option. Giving in she gently breathed his name as she began unbuttoning his shirt.

          “Thanks for the couch room mate,” Wes mused as he dropped his two duffle bags beside a rather used brown couch. With the prospect of being alone in a motel making him even more depressed, Wes had turned to his only single friend Zeke.
          Zeke was the eternal bachelor, living in a one bedroom flat that had clearly never been cleaned in its poor existence. The couch was surrounded in empty food containers, beer bottles and porn mags. Granted Wes was no clean freak but he was going to have to clean that particular area before he even attempted sleep.
          “You want a beer?” Zeke asked as he poked his head out of the kitchenette, a chicken wing in one hand.
          “No, thankyou,” Wes swallowed feeling ill at the thought of trying to consume anything in the squalor.
          “Ok,” Zeke shrugged. “If you want anything just yell,” he added before disappearing back to some vital online chat about UFOs or something equally inane.
          Wes looked miserably at the couch and began to reluctantly clean as he pondered his friend’s last statement because there were actually some things he would like. His ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend speared through the head on an upcoming trip to the Gold Coast, a new, non-soiled apartment, his happiness and sense of faith and possibly a glimpse at Adele’s rack. Wes shuddered, not sure if it was the last thought because Eastman’s sleazy hands would have been there or the stench of a clearly unemptied rubbish bin.
          As he headed to the door with the bag of stinking rubbish, Zeke’s mongrel dog Jonah snuffled at Wes’s hand. Wes ruffled the dog’s fur and let him follow him outside in search of somewhere to dispose of the trash. The cool evening air was a relief to say the least. Jonah raced about, peed against a letterbox and yapped at his shadow.
          “When I get a new place,” Wes smiled, crouching down and rubbing the dog’s stomach as it rolled over. “You can come with me because no offence to your owner but he’s not fit to look after himself let alone you.”

          Adele lay amongst her own bed sheets listening to the soft snore emanating from somewhere in Harry Eastman. Once again she felt decidedly disgusted with herself and gently slipped out from the tainted warmth and into the chill of the darkened room. She scurried into the living room and snatched up her robe from the floor, then scampered into the bathroom closing the door as quietly as she could.
          She flicked the light switched and nearly died as Frank Skywalker poked his head out from the laundry hamper. He mewed in a way that would indicate he hadn’t wanted to witness the earlier carnal display.
          “Frankie,” Adele shushed and walked over to stroke his head. He mewed again to show his protest. “I know, I’m a big slut.” He mewed in agreement. “Christ, what am I doing?” she straightened up and pushed back the shower curtain. “I mean I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help myself. There’s just something about him.” She paused and looked back at Frank Skywalker who was staring at her. “Don’t look at me like that…Frank…Frank…” she narrowed her eyes, stalked over and closed the lid on the laundry hamper, holding it down with a bottle of shampoo. “Judgemental cat,” Adele scorned as the sound of clawing on wicker came from the hamper.