"Paging Doctor Martin, Doctor Martin. Will Doctor Martin please come to emergency?"

Sitting in the hospital waiting room was Christine, a young policewoman, holding the hand of a distraught wife. Her husband was inside the emergency room; he�d been in there for two hours. Waiting outside some big plastic flaps, they could see doctors, nurses and wardsmen rushing in and out. The operating theatre, behind the flaps was a hive of activity. Sally, the wife, just sat, her red watery eyes staring, her body jerking spasmodically with grief.

"Do you want a coffee?"

"Yes please." Sally answered from somewhere beneath a blanket of worry.

"Fine, I�ll be back in a minute. Oh, wait a sec. Have you that phone number for your sister?"

"Yeah," reaching into her handbag Sally retrieved a piece of paper and scribbled a number and name on it. "Here it is."

Christine left and walked down the corridor, went up some carpeted stairs, and stopped at a phone box. She dialed the number Sally had given her.

"Hello, Julie speaking."

Hello Julie, this is Senior Constable Christine Wallace from the Kings Cross Police Station. We have your sister in here at St Vincent�s Hospital. Her husband is in a critical condition from an assault sustained earlier this morning. I was ringing because your sister mentioned you, and she needs some comfort."

"Sure," came a very strained and worried voice." Is he alright?"

"He�s in a highly critical condition. He�s been in surgery for just on two hours now. This is the first chance I�ve had to leave Sally." Christine said. "Okay, I�ll be in as fast as I can. I only live in Rose Bay. I shouldn�t be long."

"We�ll see you when you get here. Thanks." Christine said then continued up the corridor until she found a cafeteria. It was self-serve. She made up two coffees and grabbed a couple of Lamingtons, then paid the cheerful young counter assistant and returned to Sally.

"Here you go, your sister is on her way."

"Thank you. You don�t have to do this."

"I know. But really it�s nothing. I�m happy to help."

"Thank you for being here with me. Really. It�s good to have another woman�s company." Sally confessed, her eyes showing her appreciation.

"That�s okay. Hospitals are never really exciting places to be. Especially being alone. We�ll need to ask you some questions for a statement later. But if you are up to it, could you answer one for me now?"

"Go ahead, I�m alright."

"Did your husband know the man who assaulted him?"

"Yes, he owed someone some money, a sub contractor. It was our fault in a way. We didn�t have the cash to pay him. A couple of important progress payments were late. They were vital to our cashflow. We�d told our subbies the situation. They�d all agreed to wait a couple of weeks. This guy was late onto the job. We must have overlooked him. Builders had taken him a couple of times. He exploded when we said we didn�t have the money. It was coming this week. But to him that sounded like something he'd heard before."

Christine nodded. "It�s a shame. A real dirty industry sometimes."

"It�s just the economy. Money�s tight. The bigger the contracts, the bigger the companies. Big companies like to stall. It�s just a sign of the times. It�s embarrassing not being able to pay the subbies. It�s only ever happened once before. That�s why we are popular builders. We always pay on time. You slip up once and this happens. When my husband told him he was waiting to be paid himself, he just exploded and said he was coming around to get it one way or another! He arrived at our door and shouted for us to let him in. My husband said he could talk through the screen. The man became very angry and threatened to tear the door down! That�s when my husband had me call the police."

"Thanks Sally, that�s more than enough. I�ll get you to come up to the station when you�re ready, and make a proper statement."

Ten minutes later, her sister arrived. She grabbed Sally and the two of them started to cry. Christine gave Sally a hug, excused herself quietly and left them alone with their grief.

*******

The time was eight thirty and Mike was bidding farewell to Loran at the Manly Ferry. "I�ll see you this afternoon at the beach, say about two o�clock when it�s low tide."

"I�ll be looking forward to it." Loran said, smiling from ear to ear. "And I�ll expect to have dinner tonight. You can wine and dine me."

"Oh yeah, Where do you want to go?"

"How about where we started off last night!"

"What, at the Bourbon and Beefsteak?"

"Yeah, that�s it." She said smiling.

"Maybe you�ll have more energy eh? Last night was pretty ordinary coming from the Mike I�ve heard about."

"You can be sure of that!" Mike said, already aroused.

A couple of workers threw the ropes off the wharf, close to where Loran was standing. There�d be no more sleeping with prostitutes tonight to wear him out. He turned to Loran "I had a lot on my mind last night. That�s changed now. This morning�s meeting is the last."

"I hope so!" she warned with a smile.

"See you this afternoon." Mike shouted above the engine, as he waved. The Manly Ferry started to pull out; it�s engines drowning out Loran�s reply as she stood there waving him off. After a minute, she was lost from view and he turned and walked up to the bow of the boat. The fresh morning breeze whipped through his hair. A couple of white seagulls flew just above the ferry, caught in the thermal the boat was creating as it punched through a swell, causing the boat to sway from side to side. The Harbour was magnificent, it�s water a deep blue, sparkling in the sunlight. The ferry was at full speed now and, as it pushed through the high swells adjacent to the Harbour�s heads, water lifted, caught in the wind, and intermittently sent a fine spray over the bow.

Some of the waves it punched into were almost three meters high. The ferry ploughed horizontally into them. The motion, both up and down and from side to side, undoubtedly made a few people sick. Yet Mike loved it, his hair now damp from a shower of fine spray similar to that of a good garden sprinkler. He and Loran hadn�t had a chance to properly check the swell out this morning, between making love, having breakfast and being at the ferry by eight thirty. Still, as the ferry punched through the heads Mike knew the swell must be enormous. He wondered if the ferries would continue running, and if he�d need to catch a bus home instead.

 

*******

 

After Joanne had recovered some colour in her face and her mood had lightened, the girls stood up, thanked Joey and left arm in arm. As they entered the street, a light breeze blew on their exposed bodies bringing them quickly out in goose bumps. Although it was the middle of summer, the high rise buildings cast shadows on the street and the morning still had freshness about it.

The street was alive now as more people were appearing out of the woodwork. All intent, it seemed on catching a train they were late for. Shops were opening. Grocery stores, newsagents, green grocers. Before their eyes Kings Cross was becoming a normal suburb. Gone were the prostitutes, drug dealers, the sprookers for the strip clubs, the buskers, the window shoppers, and the single men leering.

They walked arm in arm. As they stepped onto a pedestrian crossing they felt the first rays of Sunshine lick their skin. Together they felt the sun�s warmth and together they shared their own. Their relationship had become deeper today. Joanne was still in a delicate condition. Her wounds fresh. Her will to go on flickering like a candle in a breeze. Though they were two souls caught in bodies, their spirits shared a oneness. Like twins, they shared resources, their love, strength, and experiences.

As a worker, Joanne was adept at putting work in a compartment. She kept her personal life separate. Even when the personal life was with another worker. It was the clothes she wore, the places she went, the things they did. There was a difference in every aspect. Just like a part in a play. She played a role. And when the performance was over, off came the clothes and she could relax. But last night�s visitor had crossed that line. He came out of her personal life and forcefully entered her working role. And tragically brought her personal feelings into her work. Putting that that experience in the work draw and sliding it shut wouldn�t be as easy.

Sharon�s manner was the key to the draw. She�d left the night back at Joey�s and her carefree chitchat was beginning to draw Joanne out. Sharon cared. The sunshine, the new day, and a day off beckoned and Sharon was pursuing it. They made a couple of jokes, laughed and played the fool. At the waffle shop, Sharon stopped and led Joanne in.

"Pick a flavour."

"Mmm Strawberry," Joanne said.

"That was fast!"

"Yeah. I had one a few months ago. It was better then sex."

"That�s not hard Jo," Sharon laughed.

"Yeah. These are divine. Mmm I can taste it already."

Within a few minutes they left, licking and moaning and laughing like two little schoolgirls. It wasn�t a normal breakfast for people, but Sharon and Joanne led a lifestyle that wasn�t what normal people would approve of anyway.

About five minutes later, a young lad of about thirteen or fourteen came up to them, knowing they were working girls, and asked for some money. With hair in knots, and a grubby face to match the clothes he wore, he looked quite unhappy and out of luck as the girls looked at him. It was obvious life had been tough on the young boy. They both felt drawn to him. He had innocence about him and a glint in his deep blue eyes. The purity of his pleading eyes led the girls in unison to reach for their respective purses. When they had the money out, Sharon noticed a tear forming in the boy�s eye.

"Are you alright?" Sharon asked.

"Na, I�m not really," the boy quivered. "It�s just that you look like my mother."

This took Sharon by total surprise. She paused for a few seconds, not sure of what to say next. She�d already found the money for the guy. It was obvious this was no deception to gain money. His eyes confirmed that. A couple of tears began to run down his cheeks.

"I�m sorry. I shouldn�t of said that," he apologized to fill the silence.

"No. Don�t be. I�m flattered. Where do your parents live?"

"In Heaven I suppose," he said trying to force a smile.

" Their dead?"

"Yeah. Mum and dad and my sister died when I was six. Sorry. I didn�t mean�"

"It�s okay," Sharon replied. "So what do you are you going to use the money for? Be honest now."

"Some food mainly, and there�." He blushed and went quiet again holding back the tears.

"Yes, go on. What else?"

"It�s embarrassing."

"We�re working girls. I don�t think you can embarrass us too easily. Come on." She gave him a stern look, underpinned with a smile."

"I got raped by a big fat pervert last night. I need some new underpants and stuff."

"That�s no good." Sharon looked at Joanne. Joanne�s own eyes became moist again. "Sure I understand. That can�t have been nice. By the way. What�s your name?"

"Tony"

"Hello Tony." Sharon said "I�m Sharon and this is Joanne."

"Hello" Tony said as he shook both of the hands offered to him.

"We haven�t seen you on the streets before. Are you new around here?" Joanne asked.

"Yeah, I�ve been here about a week."

"What, and one of those perverts has got you already?" Joanne asked angrily.

"Yeah, a couple of the other street kids set me up. They told me it was a sort of interview, so I could work for him."

" And was it?" Sharon asked.

"No, they�d told the old guy, that they�d set him up with a young boy. So, when he did pick me up..." Tony couldn�t continue. He stopped as Joanne had earlier that morning.

"Well look," Sharon started, seeing the poor boy emotionally struggling. He was so innocent. He didn�t have the rough looks of the other street kids or the crude mouth. He was honest, polite and well spoken. He simply wanted a little money to buy some more clothes and something to eat. Yet, she had another thought in mind. "I can�t promise you this will work out. I�ve never done this before. But if you come with us we�ll grab some shorts for you and some food, then you can come home with me."

"Tony looked up. Tears lined his face. He looked briefly up into the heavens above and back again, and said, "Yes thanks, I�ll come." Tony grabbed Sharon and gave her a big hug.

Joanne�s eyes had misted. She�d witnessed a very touching scene.

As Sharon took Tony�s hand, her mind focused on something else. She remembered Mike saying that she should be a counselor, and she had fobbed it off. Now, in the space of twelve hours, three people had shared their innermost hurts with her. Each time they opened up with the faith she had answers. Mike�s comment had made her happy. She�d made light of it last night. Now today, she was extending a hand to someone else and making a commitment. Maybe there was truth in what he�d said. Maybe one day, she could help others.

As they walked, Tony, with child like faith, quietly whispered to himself. �Thank you God. Please help Sharon, like you�ve helped me.�

The three of them set off to some shops. On the way, Tony finished the remains of Sharon�s ice cream. Within forty minutes, he had some clothes and they were back at Sharon�s.

"So, I�ll wash your clothes, clean up and do the shopping. Then I can suit myself."

"Yes that�s good for a start." Sharon stalled as a thought came to her mind. "We�ll have to take you down to the police station to get you formally off the lost runaway sheets and we�ll also have to find out what school you�ll be going to."

This knocked the wind out of Tony�s sails. "I thought I�d give school a little break for a while."

"Ha ha. You thought wrong." Sharon said. "Now go and have a shower."

Tony left the room and went into the shower. He�s taken a change of clothes with him. When the doors closed Joanne looked at Sharon.

"Now you�re sounding like his mother," Joanne laughed.

 

*******

It was two minutes to nine. A light breeze swept some leaves along the quiet Sunday morning City Street. Sunday at nine was a little early for most people to be in town and a little late for the Saturday night crowd to be still around. A sick feeling swam in Mike�s gut as he opened the familiar Cafe�s door once again. He�d tell the old man today that he�d decided not to work for him again. He wanted no part of his demands any more. He�d spent the night tossing and turning, so tired yet feeling guilty. All he could see were Sharon�s deep brown eyes, so full of compassion and understanding. The girl had seen enough pain and he wasn�t going to be party to it any more.

As he looked up, a familiar waitress greeted him and pointed to where Peter sat. He looked over and saw the old man sipping a coffee and eating some raisin toast while he read the Sunday paper. The man looked pale, his hair and his skin showing his age. What a sick depraved pervert he was! Today the old man looked excited and as he approached he greeted him with enthusiasm.

"Here�s your stuff." Mike said, as he put the tapes and the business card on the table.

"So how was it?" the old man�s eyes flashed as he asked.

"It�s on the tapes, a blow by blow account."

"So how is she?" he pushed, intent on not letting it go.

Mike fumed. He decided, as he watched the old man�s eyes light up, and his breath quicken to an audible rasp, that he wasn�t going to share his thoughts of Sharon with this man.

"It�s on the tape!" he emphasized in his tone.

"What�s wrong?" the old man raised his voice condescendingly. "You like the little slut do you?"

"Cool it man." Mike said, trying to control his anger.

"Poor baby!"

Mike could hardly contain his rage. "Where�s the money!"

"In the envelope!"

As Mike stood up, grabbed the envelope and turned to leave, he saw Peter anxiously put the tapes away and announce "I�ll be in touch!"

Mike turned, his face reddened with anger, "If I ever see or hear from you again, I�ll kill you!" He left. The waitress pretending not to hear busied herself.

The old man rose and rushed back to the hotel he was staying in.

 

*******

 

Rodney and Geoff neared the Cross after having discussed their plans. They walked casually into McDonald�s with the gun hidden behind Geoff�s back. A security camera picked it up and a guard rang immediately through to the police. Geoff approached the counter, put the gun to a manager�s nose, and quietly followed the manager into the back room. As he did so a lady screamed. He turned and said "If anyone moves an inch, my friend here will tell me, and I�ll kill them. Believe me, I don�t mind if you do move, because I�m in the mood to kill!"

Rodney grimaced. He was shaking. Why had he come along in the first place? He wondered if they would get away with it. Minutes passed.

The police burst in, weapons in hand. The customers pointed at Rodney whose hands were up already, not wanting to add any further charges. As one grabbed and cuffed him, another two continued out the back. Shortly after, they had Geoff in cuffs also, bucking and swearing. A smack in the mouth by a policeman only made the stream of swearing worse.

They bundled the two of them into a paddy wagon, drove to the jailhouse and threw them into a cell. They�d leave them for a couple of hours until they�d cooled down a little and then question them...

 

*******

 

Sharon heard the shower stop, just as both the girls had taken a hit and Joanne Commented. "You�ll have to change a little around here if he�s going to stay. I mean. It�s not good for him to see us shooting up and all."

"I know, one step at a time."

The door to the bathroom opened shortly after. They turned and looked.

"Don�t you look smart! "Jo said admiringly as Tony had come out of the shower with his hair combed, face shining and wearing clean clothes. He smelt fresh with deodorant and cologne, something Sharon always kept on hand for clients.

"Do you want to go down the beach for a few hours with us, or just stay here?"

"I may go and look for my girlfriend, She�ll be worried about me. She was afraid something might happen to me. By now, she�ll be out of her mind."

"How long have you been in the Cross, Tony?" Sharon asked.

"A week almost."

"And you already have a girlfriend, hey?" Sharon asked, smiling and pulling his head up to look at her.

"Yes." Tony said embarrassed. He bowed his head again.

"You�re a pretty fast worker Tony boy, wouldn�t you say?"

Tony was fairly emotional at the time, understandably so. Even though Sharon was being light and jovial in her questions, Tony retreated into his protective shell. Tracy was his first girlfriend, and he cared deeply for her. It was no big feat. She was there for him and he there for her. That�s all that mattered. Yet he knew he owed Sharon an explanation, so he thought for a moment, as to what he would say.

Sharon looked down at the young man before her. He was hurt, she could see that. The trauma of last night, she knew would take a while to get over. He looked sullen again, the laughter in his eyes had disappeared and he looked to be very deep in thought. "Don�t worry Tony. I�m glad you have a girlfriend. Tell her she�s welcome to visit you here anytime. We�d love to meet her."

Tony looked up at the girl before him and smiled, relieved.

 

*******

 

The old man, angry with Mike, opened his hotel room and packed his bags. Leaving the hotel, he began the long drive to Mt Druitt, a suburb in the western suburbs of Sydney. As he drove with one hand, he anxiously put Mike�s tape into his car stereo system. The recording burst to life. He couldn�t believe it was so good. He nervously rewound it and then started from the beginning. As he did, he was aroused, so much so, that he decided it was best to stop the tape whilst trying to drive. He pulled over to the side of the road and turned the tape back on. Mike put in a command performance. What a good job. Great material. He started the car and drove off again.

He remembered last night. Dreams come true. The look in Joanne�s eyes made it all worth it. The screams. The violence. The new awakening. He�d loved it. His Joanne. His sweet little Joanne. She was still the same girl he�d molested all those years ago. He pondered on those sweet memories of yesteryear.

His mind recalled those days. When she was eleven. She was a tease, just like her mother. She deserved it, he reasoned. Swept away in his passion and lust, the thought never entered his mind that Jo wasn�t enjoying his attentions. He had explained to Jo, as he molested her that very first time, how he�d met her mother...

"I first met your mother in a seedy bar. Dressed in lingerie I could tell she wanted it, just like you do."

He ripped his daughter�s top off, sending her buttons dropping like loose change on the floor. They bounced and ran all over the wooden beams. His hands went to her small underdeveloped breasts. His mouth and tongue devoured them. He continued by ripping off her jeans exposing her underwear.

"Her arse was nice and trim like this. But she wasn�t this young. A right slut she was, flaunting her body to all the guys. Always wanting it, always in bed with some bloke. Her reputation proceeded her."

He pulled savagely at her underpants and hit her as she struggled against his advances.

"No, she wasn�t as fresh as you Joanne. Never as good as this!"

Now in his car, he recalled the mixed emotions he had experienced after that first time with his stepdaughter. He�d watched her shower as she tried to wash away an event that would stain her memory from that day forward. She�d looked at him whilst in the shower, shaking, washing and sobbing and he�d cried himself. As she looked at him, he remembered apologizing. He pleaded with her to forgive him. He said, that if her mother cared enough she would fulfill him sexually. And so it began. He had constantly raped her and as she matured she just let it happen. Her breasts grew and she had blossomed into a beautiful young woman.

Last night had bought back all the memories. It was all her mother�s fault that it had it started and her fault that Joanne eventually left. Yet as he drove home today he smiled, she hadn�t disappeared from his hands altogether. No one was that lucky...

Peter never understood. His only concern was for himself. Joanne�s pain physically subsided, but her memories where scarred more and more each time. A hardness formed in her heart in an un-penetrable part. It stopped her from letting any further hurt touch her. Sure her mother knew it was happening. That fact hurt Joanne even more. Instead of taking her from his molesting hands, she had pretended not to know about it. Her mother, who was supposed to look after her, nurture her and protect her through her younger years, just looked away.