Disclaimers:

Love/Sex: This story features the possibility of  consensual relationship between adult women.  If this bothers you, is illegal in the State, Province or Country you live or if you are  under the age of 18, find something else to read. There are loads of general stories out there.

Language: Use of some harsh and strong language depicting certain subject matter is utilized to employ and set the tone and behavior of specific circumstances in the story, as well as some general characterizations.

Violence:  Not  in this story.

Hurt/Comfort:  There is definitely some hurt/emotional discomfort in this one, and some brief scenes of angst and heartache to be dealt with by the characters.

Dedication: This story is for Mel.

Acknowledgement:  Alice and Packer,  thank you for all your help and support.

This story takes up after the conclusion of 'Improbable Protector'...

“Fleur have you a few minutes to spare?” Grayson Adams smiled warmly at his stepdaughter. She turned out to be one fine woman in every way, even if that son-of-a-bitch father had brought her up.

“Yes, of course Grayson, what can I do for you?” Fleur liked her mother’s choice in a husband. When she was ten she hadn’t understood and through her teenage years she hated him for taking her mother away from her. Now, she empathised or at least partially. She might never understand properly since they refused to discuss the situation fully…something held her mother back. Grayson was a decent man who loved his wife and family, including her in the family, immediately when she arrived. Making her wonder at how he must have loved her mother to become embroiled in a situation, which pitted him against the hatred of others.

“I know it’s short notice but I need someone I can trust to go out to Hartford.”

“Why not send a courier?”

“I could but I wanted it to be personal. I can’t go because Karen will think I’m going to disappear and never return for the anniversary bash, you know I hate parties.”

“Even so, why not a courier?”

“It’s a special guest for Alex and Stella. They will never think she’s going to come, if you can persuade her, I know she’ll come!”

“Grayson why me?”

“Fleur, let me explain. This person is part of their family but has been estranged for so long I’m afraid she wouldn’t bother. I need someone…no the party needs someone of your calibre to get her onboard. Will you do it Fleur?”

Her calibre and what would that be exactly she wondered as she saw the pleading in the man’s eyes…she knew the only way to answer his request.

“Okay I’ll do it, what’s the address and who is it?”

“Ah, now you will be surprised it’s….”

The flight had been terrible!

Jojo was suffering from every attack of sinus problems you could think of, coupled with the fact that she had to evade a rather delightful pack of fans that had seen her board the plane. What she needed now was a protector!

As the word entered her brain it triggered off the memory of her friend. Hadn’t Fleur once said that she would be her protector and she’d laughed at the outlandish suggestion, or it had been at the time? Well, I sure could do with the help now, so where are you Fleur when I need you?

It is stupid to keep thinking that Fleur will come back…she isn’t going to ever! That’s the bottom line Lackerly get used to it!  Her grip on reality was leaving her to fantasise and it wasn’t going to help her now or in the future…I have to move on…just like when I ditched Lee, so it has to be with Fleur. There’s only going to be this one shot at fame and fortune and I need to prove all the old doubters wrong! All those that said I would end up wasting my life…nothing more than a drifter without a goal. Well, I have a goal now! It is just proving a little harder to remember what it is when I wake in the morning.

“Jojo, Jojo!” Glancing around she saw several fans rushing towards her and she wasn’t up to the adoration. How did they recognise me or know I’d be here? I’m not that well known, am I? Then she looked around at the newsstand and saw at least two magazines with her picture on the front. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to Jack when he extolled my new status in the music world.

Fifteen minutes and two security guards later, she was rushed into a VIP lounge and out of the airport without further interference.  This wouldn’t have happened if she had taken Jack’s advice and agreed to engage another manager who could take care of these situations for her. However, she had been her usual independent self and said she could do it all on her own and anyway she still had a manager. Bringing to a close the discussion, Jack knew any mention of Fleur was taboo and he, for the moment, didn’t cross the line.

Although she felt like shit, she had to be here. She made a promise she refused to break. No one knew why she had refused to stay home and rest, as the flight to Europe wasn’t for three days, refusing to say anymore than it was a family matter.

Whistling for a cab, which streaked forward comically like a cartoon depiction. Under other circumstances she would have laughed at the situation but now she felt so ill all she wanted was a bed to drop into. Hopefully that wasn’t too far away and she knew a welcome was heading her way as she hoarsely told the cab driver the destination.

Fleur muttered a few choice words as she negotiated another bend on her way to convince the person to attend Alex and Stella’s anniversary party. How could she refuse? After all, they were wonderful people and if she could help in anyway she would. Although, it was only hours before the event, wasn’t that pushing for a miracle?

As she glanced at the note of the address on her passenger seat, she tried to make out the various street signs. Finally coming to Apple Blossom Drive, now to find number ten, shouldn’t be difficult. Two minutes later, she pulled up the short drive to the neat house that had a large plaque indicating the number ten, so this was it!

Knocking on the door she sucked in a nervous breath and hoped at least the woman wasn’t the ferocious type to a stranger. If she was estranged from her family that could be the reason because no way could you say that Alex or Stella were anything other than friendly.

The door opened and a tall woman stood there, grey hair flowed to her shoulders and the most piercing blue eyes caught hers. “Yes?”

The one word was barked out and Fleur drew back a fraction from the doorway as she once more surveyed the imposing woman, something about her was familiar, drawing her to the older woman but why?

“My name is Fleur Danvers, I’m from New York...”

Before she could finish the older woman smartly replied, “New York? I hate New York. Far too claustrophobic, why do I need to know anything about New York?”

“No! No, I’m from New York and it isn’t about New York…at least it is but it’s about someone you know.” Fleur was faltering, the woman was so forthright with a hint of steel about her manner reminding her of…

“I don’t know you or anyone in New York, you have the wrong address!” The door was about to be shut in her face as Fleur tried again.

“I’m sorry, are you Mrs. Stephens?”

“Yes.” There was arrogance about the woman that Fleur was familiar with. Why was that? Having never met this woman before, it must be her connection to Stella.

“Then I haven’t the wrong address. I need to speak to you about your daughter!”

Blue eyes surveyed the small younger woman and Fleur thought she saw a twinkle in the depths. “Go on.”

“Well, actually, I’m here to invite you to your daughter’s diamond wedding anniversary.”

“Really? You are too late, she invited me two months ago and I said no.”

Fleur’s compassionate nature kicked in her face-mirrored disappointment, “why?”

“Why? Why should I tell you, a stranger?”

“You don’t of course, but Stella is so wonderful. How could you not want to go to her anniversary party?”

“I didn’t approve the match forty years ago and I don’t now! Is that reason enough?”

Green eyes flashed at the blue ones and suddenly it clicked where she had seen them before…Joanna!

“You remind me of a friend, she was stubborn too!”

“Then my dear, you should be used to it, so why not go back to New York and enjoy your party.”

“Doesn’t forty years together count for something? That it was a good match and they love each other?”

A sharp laugh that bordered on cynical, another reminder to her of the singer, returned at her words, “it could also mean they didn’t have any other choice and made the best of a bad choice!”

“They didn’t, they love each other very much!”

“As you want to see it now, I have things to do.”

Fleur didn’t know what to say next, this woman was beyond reason. “I’m sorry I bothered you, goodbye.”

“Goodbye.” The door shut before Fleur could say anymore.

Why? Why had her stepfather assumed she could make the old hag see sense? It wasn’t one of her talents obviously, never would be. She was too much a coward for the confrontational things in life.

Walking away towards her car she turned back wondering if she should try again and saw the shadows of two figures in an upper window.  Probably talking about the foolish stranger who didn’t know anything about them or the situation with the family. Climbing into the vehicle, she wondered if she would ever have the courage to stand her ground instead of taking everything on the chin. Would she ever fight back for something she wanted?

A stray thought gathered momentum…there’s still time to fight for Joanna!

“Gran why not go and bury the hatchet?”

“You ask me that? I thought you would have understood that I don’t like your father, never have and never will! He was a foreigner and not good enough for my only daughter, she could have done better!”

A snort of laughter was heard in the room as the two women faced each other, their similarities only disguised with the ageing process.

“Yep, my upstanding Gran the racist! Do they know this at the church gatherings you attend?”

Skin weathered with age stretched across high cheekbones as the older woman scowled at the inference. “You are not to mention this to anyone do you hear me and why would you care, when was the last time you saw your parents?”

A good question and one the younger woman tried desperately to find the answer for, “eight years ago but I stay in touch.”

“In touch? You call the odd postcard from a town not even mentioned on any map contact? And you ask me about family loyalties, take a break and look at your own. For your information my girl, its almost ten years since you last saw your family, not that I can blame you with a father like yours.”

The laughter turned to a sneer as the younger woman walked across to her grandparent, the only one she had and had had that she could recall. Gran didn’t like her Dad; no, better yet, she hated him. However, that didn’t mean she did, far from it and her father had been a wonderful role model.

“Guess its time I made up for that and visit them. Better yet, it can be a surprise at the party, I’ll take your invite.” Picking up the envelope that the person who had come to the door earlier had left behind. It had to take some courage for anyone to take on her grandmother over her parents and not go away unscathed. She had to make a point of meeting up with the woman and apologising for her grandmother’s rudeness later. Now to get ready and call a cab, if the party was in three hours she was going to be pushing it to be there on time. Guess better late than never might be the rule of the day.

“Who says you can have my invite?” The old woman answered contrarily.

“Are you going to need it?” Standing her ground, the younger woman smiled as they traded blue sharp glances. Years ago she would have dropped her gaze but now she could and did stand up for herself.

A nasty coughing bout raked her body as she sat down heavily in the chair nearest to her, bravado her only asset at the moment because she didn’t feel that well.

“You shouldn’t be going, you’re not fit enough.” The old woman walked over to her granddaughter and placed a cool, leathery hand on her forehead she was burning up.

“I’ll be fine, a hot bath and a shot of brandy to warm up the body will revive me anyway. I can come back early.”

“We will see.”

At the few words, she looked up and captured the worry that transmitted from the world-weary eyes and winked at her. “Don’t worry Gran, I’m made of stern stuff, remember who I take after.”

“Humph, just as well you do. Now go take that bath and I’ll call you a cab for just over an hour from now.”

Grinning, she slowly stood up and hugged the frail woman, pity she still had such a ferocious tongue on her because she really was quite a caring woman. “Thanks Gran.”

As the younger woman mounted the stairs to her room, she heard her grandmother call her once more. “Don’t use up all my best bath essence Joanna!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Smiling, Joanna walked into her room to find something suitable to wear.

The party was in full swing and the guests of honour were amazed at the turnout. To them it looked like the whole of New York had decided to pay homage to their celebration.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything to help change Stella’s mother’s mind, she was one stubborn woman.”

Grayson Adams grinned as he hugged Fleur to him, she was one tenderhearted lady; he wished he had done more to help get her back in their lives earlier. However, she was here now and that was all that mattered.

“No problem Fleur, to tell you the truth, it was a long shot but worth a try and who knows maybe the old crone might change her mind, there’s time yet. Even if she doesn’t, I think they are enjoying all the fuss, don’t you?”

They both looked at the laughing couple that were talking to their son and his wife. Their four year old grandchild happily dancing nearby not quite in time with the music but she was entertaining.

“Yeah, they are and there’s no legislating for family, is there.”

“Would you do me the honour of having this dance with me?” Her stepfather held out his hand and Fleur took it with a smile as they joined the mass of people swaying to the music.

Karen Adams was standing at the door watching her husband and daughter dancing happily as their son munched on all the delectable food. Typical teenager, the boy was astounding her at his growth rate; he now towered over them all. At six foot and growing like a weed, it certainly wasn’t from Grayson’s side of the family or hers.

Just then the door to the hotel entrance opened…must be a latecomer.

A tall figure appeared much the same size as Bradley except this was a woman with midnight black hair cut to shoulder length that shone in the glare of the artificial lights of the foyer. Shaking away the rain that had settled briefly on her leather coat. It had been raining heavily for the past hour and was expected to last all night and through to the morning.

Walking towards the woman who was looking around the room with a curious expression and something else as her eyes wandered to the fresh cut flowers that Fleur insisted were a part of the hotel these days. An expensive addition but one that strangely enough she felt the guests appreciated in the often-unwelcoming harshness of the city.

“Can I help you?” Karen wondered if the woman needed a room. She would be out of luck this evening…every one was taken.

Turning to the voice, blue ice sparkled into green and held the glance far longer than necessary. Huskily the woman replied.

“Yes I hope so. Is this the venue for the Xianthos wedding anniversary celebration?”

Karen had seen this woman before, she was sure of it, where? Karen didn’t think she was from around these parts. Maybe she was a cousin of the family? Having the familiar Grecian complexion.

“Yes, you’re a little late, it's well underway but you haven’t missed the cutting of the cake yet, just in time. May I see your invitation?”

Jojo felt as if she had come home here in this hotel. It had the hallmark of Fleur stamped all over it. The use of the flowers, and the general friendly cosy ambience of the place, but she couldn’t be that lucky could she, to see Fleur here of all places? No probably wishful thinking and the medication her Gran insisted she take before she left.

Reaching inside her jacket, she drew out the invitation and handed it over.

Silently watching the woman, Jojo felt drawn to her, those green eyes were just like Fleur’s, remarkable how almost a year had passed and she could see them so vividly, even in a strangers eyes.

Eyebrows rose as they looked at the name on the card, it was made out to Mrs. Stephens, Stella’s Mother and this certainly wasn’t an octogenarian.

“I’m sorry but this invitation is made out…” Before Karen could finish the woman smiled and lifted her hand to prevent the question.

“My grandmother’s, my parents don’t know I’m in town. I guess I wanted to surprise them. What better day huh?”

Karen was astounded and she looked it as she tried to gather her scattered thoughts, this was the long lost daughter! Although she wasn’t lost, she just never came home. Can it be true? Could Joanna Xianthos finally have a conscience and turn up? Wow! Wait until they see her, it will make their day!

“I’m sorry for staring but it’s rather a shock, I’ve heard so much about you!”

Jojo smiled graciously as she inclined her head, the woman appeared genuine enough and her eyes were friendly, nothing false there, or was it the reaction to seeing the woman’s eyes so like Fleur’s. “Yeah, I guess it will be a shock for them too.” A wracking cough stopped Jojo for several seconds and Karen Adams saw the dark circles now beneath the vivid blue eyes. She was obviously ill, what on earth possessed her to get wet?

“Oh my dear, are you alright? I’ll go fetch my daughter, she will find something dry for you to wear if you are soaked.”

“No! No problem, I came by cab, it caught the jacket that’s all. Can’t seem to shake a cold I’ve had recently, nothing to worry about. If you don’t mind, I’d just rather see my parents, thanks for the offer.”

“Of course, of course, how stupid of me to delay you.” Karen walked to the side door, to the conference room that was now more like a concert room with the music and laughter emanating from it.

Jojo sucked in a breath that hurt her chest, damn virus wouldn’t shift no matter what she took or how much rest she had. She was here now and an hour with her parents today, of all days, was better than no hour at all.

Walking into the room behind the older woman, she wouldn’t be noticed she guessed at first, as the lights were dim with people dancing on the floor. Then she scanned the place for her family and saw them at the longest table in the room, her heart fluttered at the sight of her parents and her kid brother, had it really been ten years?

“They’re over there Joanna, why not join them?” The voice sounded so much like Fleur as she glanced sharply at the woman at her side that was smiling warmly, waving towards the table and her parents.

“Thanks Mrs…?”

“Karen, Karen Adams, I own the hotel and your parents are good friends of mine.”

“Thanks Karen.”

Striding towards the long table, she was given odd glances, accompanied by whispers, which floated around the room, of those who were seated at tables watching the dancing and chatting.

“It can’t be! Can it?” Echoed around the room as the music finished and people began to slip back to their tables with friends and families.

Fleur grinned at her stepfather as the song came to an end, “ Grayson I have to go check something in the office, I’ll be back in half an hour for the cutting of the cake, I promise.”

“I’ll tell your mother, she won’t be happy, she said you had to enjoy yourself tonight and she would take care of the hotel.”

“I know she did and trust me she can, this is personal business Grayson. I have to make a call to a friend, someone I haven’t seen in a while and it’s long overdue.”

Smiling, the man winked, he had a feeling that there was a skeleton in Fleur’s cupboard and she didn’t want to let the secret out. Perhaps tonight had made her come to a decision after seeing how happy people can be together for a long, long time.

“Half and hour or I send your mother after you. Go, she’s heading in our direction.”

Winking back at him, Fleur left the room by one of the service entrances rather than face her mother near the hotel foyer door, which would have been quicker to the office.

“You’ll never believe this Gray…!”

Fleur heard no more as she left the room to make that call to Joanna. Alice had given her the number Joanna left with her and seeing how people were so happy together and the love they shared, she had to at least try and make contact again with her friend. She needed it, her heart hadn’t stopped bleeding since she left the apartment they shared and possibly it never would, somehow she had to fight for this, it was too important to give up.

“Papa?” the low husky voice asked as blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she looked at the tall figure of her father. He still looked so handsome and now with his hair liberally peppered with grey, he was very distinguished also.

The peppered grey head looked up at the voice, as did Stella who had to put a hand to her mouth to stop herself sobbing. This might not be real, so many times they hoped Joanna would come home and she never had.

“Joanna? My god it is you, isn’t it?” The aged eyes that now shimmered with tears as the head shook from side to side in astonishment.

“Yes Papa, your black sheep has turned up at last.” This time Jojo rushed forward and was engulfed in a hug as fierce as any she had experienced in her lifetime. Listening to words in her father’s native language unable to decipher them as he cried them into her hair, stroking it in disbelief.

“Stella, Stella our daughter has returned to us. Look, here she is and she’s real darling, she is!” the man choked out as his wife joined the hug and they all dissolved into tears and laughter with plenty of kisses being exchanged.

Pulling away slightly, Jojo smothered her laughter and self-consciousness as she realised every eye in the room had turned to them and were waiting. “Hey papa I want to live to see another day not be suffocated.”

Alexander Xianthos laughed at the remark and drew her to arms length as he looked at her closely. He shook his head and then placed a kiss on her cheek, “thank you Joanna for making this evening even more special than it already is. Come, your brother will want to see you too! And the family, you have a niece you have never seen, come Joanna come.”

“Okay, okay Papa I’ll come, I’m here for a while, I promise.” Smiling, she wondered why she had left it so long to come home. Here at least, they loved her for nothing more than being their daughter, why had she taken so long to realise that?

Fleur couldn’t stop the tears that drenched her cheeks as she let the receiver fall from her dead fingers.

Why, why was this happening to her? The number Joanna had given to Alice was being answered by a messenger service and they informed her that Ms. Lackerly had left the country for a tour and wouldn’t be back for three months, would she care to leave a message to be forwarded to the singer?

No! No she needed to speak to Joanna not leave some stupid message that might never get to her friend or if it did it might not be for weeks. This wasn’t fair, it really wasn’t!

Her head fell towards the desk as she cried for the heartbreak she knew might never end. What did you do in these circumstances? She had thought she could live and start afresh without Joanna in her life but now a year later, the pain of the separation was as acute as the day she had left. No, now it was worse because she had to listen to her friend sing on the radio and in the shops she frequented, even in the privacy of her own rooms. Now to make it worse, posters of her friend and TV ads were promoting her to the general public. Soon her friend would be the property of everyone and she would only ever see her through the anonymity of being a fan of the singer’s.

It was all her fault! She should never have left. She should have confronted Joanna with her fears and discussed the problems she perceived, face-to-face and not run like a scared rabbit. She was no better off now than she would have been had she stayed in Danvers town and married George Andrews.

The door to the office opened and she looked up, the ravages of her tears plain for anyone to see and it would have to be her mother, Grayson had warned her!

“Fleur, darling, what’s the matter?” Karen flew around the desk and pulled her eldest child into her arms to comfort her. She hadn’t been able to do that in years and now more than anything she needed for Fleur to know that she was there for her, had always been there, if only her ex-husband hadn’t made it impossible.

“Nothing, it’s nothing mom I promise its…” the tears poured down as she sank her head into her mother’s shoulders.

“You can tell me Fleur, it can’t be that bad and if it is, I’ll help you solve it, I promise you that.”

“Mom if only you could, if only you could, its impossible now, I can’t contact her!”

Karen heard the anguish and pain in the words. Someone had upset her daughter and it appeared to be a woman. Who could do that to her gentle child, she was so sweet and innocent? “Is it someone you knew before you came here Fleur? Perhaps she’s just out of town?”

Fleur looked into the green eyes that mirrored her own. Saw the compassion in the depths, how could she tell her mother how she felt about Joanna, would she understand? “Yes, I knew her before, she was my friend. No she was more than that, she was my protector mom she looked after me when I left Danvers town. Oh mom, you wouldn’t understand, even I find it hard to understand, she’s out of the country and I really needed to speak with her one last time.”

The pathos was hard for Karen to bear, it struck at her heart and she wanted to strangle the woman who had hurt her child in this way. “Did she leave you alone Fleur, is that why you had to find us? Did she abandon you alone in Nashville?”

“No! No mom, that’s just it, I abandoned her! Joanna did everything for me; she looked after me, kept the roof over my head, fed me and even paid me to help around the house. You wouldn’t understand mom she was perfect, I loved her…”

Karen moved away slightly and looked carefully at the distress in her daughter. Now she understood the problem, her daughter had a woman for a lover and she thought they might not understand. Placing her arms back around the frail shoulders, Karen hugged her child and soothed her gently.

“Everything will be fine Fleur trust me. Now we have a cake to watch being cut by special friends of ours, are you up for that?”

Green washed out eyes looked into the concerned ones of her mother as she shook her head. “I’m sorry mom, I have a headache. Will you apologise to Alex and Stella for me and I’ll see them tomorrow. I really can’t face people celebrating right now, I’m too miserable, do you understand?”

“Yes darling of course I do, they will be disappointed though and especially after the special surprise they had a little earlier.”

Karen was about to inform Fleur of the arrival of the black sheep of the family when she saw the fatigue and sadness in the small face turned to her. “I’ll apologise and tell you all the gossip tomorrow. Now you go have a nice scented bath and have an early night. Tomorrow everything will be clearer, you see if it’s not.”

Pushing Fleur towards the private door to her rooms she gave her daughter a cheery smile, not that she felt that cheery about the situation. However, she would take advice from the only person she knew gave it without judgement as he always had ever since she’d met him, Grayson. Yes, Grayson would know what to do for Fleur and as a family they would work it out together. Her daughter was no longer alone…she had them to help now!

The door to the office opened and a dark head popped inside as Karen put on her business smile to the black sheep herself.

“Hi, how can I help you?”

“My parents insist I sing for them tonight. I wondered if you had a decent microphone?”

“Why yes, of course we do. You will have to give me a few minutes to find it. My daughter runs all the equipment she would go straight to it, however me, I have to look around.”

“Your daughter isn’t here? She wouldn’t be the lady who came over to my Gran’s home earlier today, would she? I wanted to apologise to her for my Gran’s abruptness. ”

“Actually yes she did, a foolish thought of my husbands but well meant. Unfortunately, that’s not possible, she has a migraine and has had to go to bed early, you know how these things happen.”

“Yeah I do. A nice hot bath and an early night would be kinda welcome about now for me as well.” Smiling as she coughed again, Karen realised the woman meant every word.

“Maybe after the song you can go do that and come back and see your parents tomorrow?”

“I wish I could, I’m afraid I’m going abroad tomorrow. This is my one and only chance for three months, although I’ll be back in the fall to see them again and visit longer.”

“Well, in that case, I’d better find the microphone for you hadn’t I.”

Karen walked out of the room and switched off the light as she went out to find the equipment.

Tomorrow they would tackle Fleur’s problem and she was sure they would find a solution. There was always a solution to every problem, you had to find the key that was all and in Fleur’s case that key was an unknown woman called Joanna.

The flight to Amsterdam was tedious but allowed her to reflect on her family situation from the previous evening. All those years she had slipped in and out of small towns peddling her singing talent making a meagre living, thinking her parents wouldn’t understand. When at the heart of it they had and she hadn’t understood the value of a family connection. Last night had been the breakdown of her own battle with being a loner, something she had always thought had to be if ever she was going to be a success in the music world. That wasn’t the case at all, her family would have happily supported her wandering ways and had by default. Now all Jojo wanted was for Fleur to come back home and she would be happy.

Happy!

What a strangely innocuous word that packed an enormous punch for anyone who was happy in this life, a feeling you never wanted to end. She desperately wanted her happiness with Fleur to begin again and to continue indefinitely. Who would have thought the petite woman with the green eyes and shy smile would come to mean life to her. So why was she on a flight taking her thousands of miles away from that goal?

Glancing out of the window she looked at the blue skies and the dashing white clouds and realised that what she wasn’t doing was facing up to her ultimate dream to have someone who made her happy share her life. Here she was running away as she’d done time and time before. When would she finally come to terms with the fact that it wasn’t going to solve her problems, never had before and certainly wouldn’t in this instance.

No, Fleur might have a wonderful new life and be so happy herself that Jojo turning up on her doorstep would wreck everything for her friend, which she had no intention of doing. Good reason why she was flying away, maybe when she came back in three months Fleur might have contacted her and they could meet up for coffee and talk about old times…yeah and pigs might fly!

A wracking cough caught up with her and one of the cabin staff in first class immediately came over enquiring if she needed anything.  Accepting water, she drained it adding a couple of pills to help her sleep for a few hours before they arrived at the airport.

Swallowing the pills and settling her headrest back with a blanket curled around her like a cocoon, she closed her eyes as a couple of conversations floated around her from the previous evening.

“She’s never going to let dad be a part of her family mom! Look, forty years later she hates the sight of him so much she wouldn’t come tonight.”

Jojo wryly spoke as her mother turned distressed eyes to her eldest child; looking at her she was the image of the woman they were discussing but obviously forty years younger.   Jacqueline Stephens had never approved Stella falling for Alexander Xianthos; he was an upstart foreigner who was taking her only surviving child away. He wasn’t even American! He couldn’t speak the language properly and was penniless, why would her daughter fall for such a man?

A staunch American patriot, Jacqueline Stephens had lived through her husband George’s demise in World War Two and her only son killed in action in Korea. No one, especially a foreigner was going to take her daughter away, hadn’t the foreigners taken enough from her already in this lifetime!

Not even Joanna’s birth had softened her attitude and when their son George was born, named after her father, nothing changed. Jacqueline had refused to be any kind of maternal grandmother, except for always remembering birthdays and Christmas. There had been a glimmer of hope when Jacqueline had taken an interest in Joanna in high school but that had only been because she was rebelling and it was her mother’s way of saying I told you so. Things changed when George became a police officer and Jacqueline thawed enough to allow Stella a morning a week with her mother and gradually in the last five years things had been a little better, for some reason her mother always had the most up to date information from Joanna.

Stella felt betrayed that Joanna was staying with her mother but thankful also, because otherwise she might never have come here this evening. The fates, as Alex would say, were clearly on their side this evening, although it would have been the icing on the cake if her mother had for once buried the hatchet and come too. However, one miracle was enough for anyone in one evening and they had that this evening.

“I know but I can hope can’t I?”

“Yeah, you can hope mom but please don’t hold your breath, forty years plus since you met dad she hasn’t thawed and you know what they say about the older generation…”

“Oh please Joanna what do they say?” Stella hugged her wandering daughter to her and laughed, this felt so good. At times she had wondered if she would ever see Joanna again and now here, for this special evening, she was in her arms.

Chuckling, Jojo winked at her mother and turned her blue gaze around the room. “Seems that the whole neighbourhood is here, did you leave anyone out?”

“Really Joanna, how could we leave anyone out! You know how close knit we are and there would be sullen faces and petty feuds for months afterwards.”

Smiling Jojo agreed and muttered, “more like years.”

“I wish they wouldn’t stare at me like that, I feel like something being inspected under a microscope!”

Laughing at the comment, Alexander Xianthos placed a loving arm around his daughter as he replied.

“They have never seen anyone they know so well become so famous. Before long they will ask for your autograph.”

“Dad, don’t be ridiculous!” Smiling at the young woman who was starring so intently at her and who looked away in embarrassment.

“Fan’s everywhere Joanna. The newest country music sensation taking the world by storm, here in this small hotel and they don’t have to pay for the appearance.”

“Dad you talk rubbish, you were always such a romantic.” He had been too, of her parents her dad was the one who would sing love songs to their mother on Valentines Day and shower her with flowers and gifts if he could afford it on her birthdays. Most of all, he showed he loved her everyday and that was something that Jojo had forgotten until now.

“That’s what the papers say!”

Raising a sceptical eyebrow to her father she smiled and was about to respond when her brother joined the fray. “He’s right sis, it’s exactly what they say and dad should know, he buys anything with your name in it.”

A lump stuck in her throat as her brother nodded his head affirming his statement. Her dad bought everything that had her name on it and here she was thinking that they had never approved of her lifestyle or her obsession in continually pursuing her music career. Just goes to show how wrong you can be in lots of things.

“How about in the future dad I call you and tell you all my news, from the horses mouth so to speak?”

Grinning with happiness he hugged her to his broad frame and nodded, “you could also come see us more often, your mother would like that and…?”

“And?” Joanna waited for the response a gleam of mischief in her eyes.

“I would too! Now are you going to sing for your parents this evening?”

“Sing? Oh, now if I’d known I was going to have to sing for my supper…”

“Yes?” All her family's eyes were on her waiting for the reply. Had they asked too much? She was famous now perhaps she wouldn’t want to sing for them in public.

“Alex, Joanna isn’t well, she shouldn’t be taxing her voice.”

“Mom, if I was on my deathbed and you wanted a song you got it.”

“Please don’t say things like that darling. Although we would love a song.”

“Then a song you shall have, I need a microphone.”

“Karen is with her daughter, they will find one for you, George go ask for your sister.”

Standing up she grinned at her kid brother and slapped him gently down. “I’ll go, after all George doesn’t know what I need. I’ll be right back to sing for you.”

She had too and wowed yet another appreciative audience.

Feeling guilty at having left the party early, she had tried to call Alex and Stella several times but they weren’t home. Not surprising really, she had heard that they had received a special surprise when their daughter had arrived unexpectedly and made a special evening that little bit more special.

Her headache had been genuine, especially when she cried for an hour before she eventually succumbed to a restless sleep and endless dreams not one of which she could recall. The party had been a marvellous success, not just for their friends but also the small hotel, which had been booked solid for the weekend and today as people left, they had remarked on how well they had been treated and would recommend the hotel to friends. If only a fraction of the platitudes came to anything remotely like a booking they would be doing very well, very well indeed.

Her mother had stayed on hotel duty until midnight and then joined the party as the night porter they employed took over until Fleur came to work at seven. She felt better in herself having at least admitted she had a problem to her mother. Even though she wasn’t entirely sure how her mother had taken it, her mind had been so upset with not having caught up with Joanna.

Now it was almost five and her mother was due to take over for the early evening shift. It wouldn’t be the right time to discuss the problem she had and now she hoped that her mother wouldn’t, not at the moment anyway.

“You know, my mother always said if I frowned like that the lines would never go away.”

Laughing at the remark, Fleur turned and grinned at her mother. “You look like you could do with a coffee.”

Karen sheepishly nodded her head, she was still feeling the effects of having drunk far more than she would normally but it had been a special occasion and you had to take them when you could in this game. Hotel work was not exactly easy on a regular social life; retirement was something she was seriously thinking about now that Fleur had come into their lives.

“Thanks I will, black and strong, need to keep me awake, can’t have the guests arriving thinking I’m asleep on the job.”

Fleur placed a cup of steaming black, strong coffee in front of her mother, “I could take your shift for you and you could take the morning one from me one day this week?”

“Fleur, you are way too good to me but it was self inflicted and therefore it shouldn’t stop me working. I think if I’m a little slow it isn’t going to be too much of a risk now is it.”

Knowing how her mother was such a speed person in everything she did, no one would know if she was taking it slow, they would probably just see it as a regular pace. “Okay but call me if you change your mind, I’m going to have dinner and then watch an old movie.”

“I will and last night Fleur…”

“Oh, sorry about that mother. I was over reacting, everything is cool, I promise.”

Karen was surprised by the comment…she had been about to tell Fleur about Alex and Stella’s famous daughter. Obviously, this wasn’t the time. However, they would catch up tomorrow over lunch. Monday morning was their mother-daughter get together.

“Okay darling no problem, go have dinner and I’ll call you if I need you, otherwise have yourself a wonderful relaxing evening.” Bending to kiss her daughter she saw the smile that wavered and the split second of sadness that shone out of usually bright green eyes.

“Good night mom see you tomorrow.”

Fleur walked into the office and towards the door to her suite of rooms and wondered if this was all that life had to offer her now. Was this it! Every evening she was going to leave work and arrive home alone to have a solitary meal and watch TV to relax?

Shouldn’t she get on with her life and make a new one as Joanna obviously had. There was no sign the singer was going to make any attempt to contact her. Perhaps it was time to move on as she’d implied in the letter she’d written to her friend. Find out what life had to offer her other than pining away for a person who would probably never have accepted her love anyway.

How did life get to be such a mess?

“Alice great to see you!” Hugging her friend as she walked into the hotel foyer.

“Great to see you too Fleur, you look wonderful.” Alice held the smaller woman away from her to take in the sophisticated business look that Fleur exhumed. She had also cut her hair into a fashioned style, which complimented her oval face.

“Thanks, you look stunning yourself.” Laughing, the two women hugged again.

“Thanks my friend and guess what, I have a surprise for you.” Alice pointed towards the entrance of the hotel and for a few moments Fleur was sure she wasn’t breathing, as she hoped against hope that someone had answered her prayers. The doors opened and her prayers were dashed against the rocks as they had been so many times before.

“Calum? Calum how wonderful, what brings you here? Did you travel together or meet up outside? ”

The young man grinned and swung Fleur up in his arms and gave her a resounding kiss on her cheek. “Great to see you Fleur, you look marvellous.”

“Hey, hey put her down you big hunk.” Laughing, Alice came over to them and placed a hand on the leather-clad arm of the man who turned his gaze to her and winked at her, his eyes filled with love.

Oh, so that’s how the land lies.

“Don’t tell me, I’m being dense here, you two didn’t meet up, you came together because you are together?

“Well, yeah that about sums it up. I wanted to tell you personally not in email or over the phone but this great lug wanted to come too. Is that okay with you Fleur? I know its short notice and all but…”

“No buts. Wow, this is fantastic news and it couldn’t have happened to two better people. Do I get an invite to the wedding?”

“The wedding?” Calum squeaked out and was given a loving glance from Alice.

“Where do I put him Fleur, so you and I can go out and catch up?”

Concentrating for a moment she went over to the reception and spoke to her mother.

“Guys, I want you to meet my mother. Mother this is Alice and Calum, the friends I’ve spoken about.”

“Hi Alice...Calum, I’m Karen. Hope you have a great time here in New York. Calum do you enjoy baseball?”

“Sure, who doesn’t?”

“Well, it’s your lucky day, while the girls go off and have their girl talk. How would you like to go with my husband and son to see a game? I need to work so I can’t go and we have a spare ticket.”

Fleur flashed a grateful look in her mother’s direction. That was the first she had heard of it. Her mother was more of a fan then the men and they had season tickets.

“Are you sure they won’t mind?”

“No, they would welcome another male and if you are a friend of Fleur’s, even more so.”

“Thanks.”

Two hours later, Alice watched her friend order their coffee and some pastries from the small homely café in the neighbourhood about a block from the hotel.

“Great ambience here Fleur. I can see why you enjoy living here. Your folks, by the way, are real nice people.”

“Yes, it’s very welcoming. A little daunting at first because everyone knows each other. Takes you back to a small town feel in the middle of a heaving metropolis. Weird but wonderful I think is the expression. My family is kind of neat.”

“I didn’t think anywhere like this still existed.”

“It exists Alice, even if it’s just in our mind.” The words wistful and Alice knew Fleur enough to know that she was thinking about something else too.

“You look great truthfully Fleur, meeting your folks again and the work at the hotel agree with you obviously.”

“Yeah it does but I miss you and …other stuff.”

“I’m sorry I never told you about Calum Fleur, it happened by chance and I wanted to tell you face to face.”

“Oh god, don’t be sorry that’s really wonderful news. I’m so happy for you, he’s such a lovely man, under all that show of brashness he’s like the rest of us just trying to find a place in life.”

“Have you found yours?”

Green eyes looked at the bakery establishment across the road, Alex talking to his customers with such ease she could almost hear his banter from here. Stella at his side smiling along with something he said.

“I think maybe I have.”

“If you need to think about it Fleur, I’d say there is doubt...is it Jojo?”

Sharp eyes glanced at her friend wondering what she meant.

“Of course not, Joanna and I went our separate ways and that’s how it will stay, especially now.”

Alice gazed into the café latte she had as she pondered that remark. “What do you mean especially now?”

“Well, she’s famous and wouldn’t have time for someone as insignificant as me. Lets face it, she’s gone onto better things, she doesn’t need me now.”

“Did she ever say that?”

“Well, no of course she wouldn’t say that. Joanna never said anything like that, it wasn’t her way.”

“No it wasn’t and you would know that. Stalemate I guess, both as stubborn as mules.” The last said under her breath.

“I’m not stubborn! I called her last month, she had left for Europe.”

“I take it she never returned your call?”

“She couldn’t, I didn’t leave a message with her forwarding people.”

“Maybe it's time you moved on. That’s why you left her in the first place to do that, right?”

“Right!”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

Laughing softly, Fleur grinned at her friend, “both.”

“Okay, I’ll go with that. Now tell me why you didn't mention you had a handsome brother?”

“Really Alice, what would Calum say?”

“Oh, he would smile and say…typical woman, never satisfied with the man she has.”

“Would he be right?” Fleur drank her cappuccino and smiled, yes it would be something Calum would say jovially, watching with a discreet serious expression the reaction.

“No, he wouldn’t, not with me anyway, would you believe I think I loved him from the first time I ever saw him on that monster of a bike of his.”

Fleur’s jaw dropped marginally, “you loved him before he dated me Alice, why didn’t you tell me?”

Smiling shyly, “you were my lucky charm Fleur. If he hadn’t met you, he would never have noticed me. I tend to blend into the background you know.”

“How can I be lucky for you, I was dating him? Not seriously you know but …”

“Hey my friend, don’t worry, he told me it was more a brother sister relationship. Although he confessed that he would have taken more if you had allowed it. We’ve found an understanding about that episode in his life and decided it was fate that led us to each other.”

“Am I fate?”

“Yep! Got that in one Fleur, perhaps for more than Calum and I.”

Fleur scrutinised her friend’s features and saw the glimmer of amusement in her eyes. Knowing full well whom she meant.

“Maybe we will never know that for sure.” Her eyes automatically scanned the pavement outside the café as she saw Alex and Stella rushing out of the bakery as if they had the hounds of hell at their feet.

“Is there a problem Fleur?” Alice watched the expressive features of her friend change from contemplated to concern.

“I don’t know. Some friends have rushed out of their store and gone off like the very devil down the street. It's probably nothing to worry about, I’ll ask my mother, she’ll know when I get home.”

“If you want to go check it out no problem to me?”

Turning concerned eyes to her friend she smiled her thanks. “No, it will wait, what won’t wait are all the details of your romance with Calum, you have to tell me everything…”

“I told her but would she listen? Oh no, stubborn, that’s what she is as stubborn as a…mule.” Jack paced his plush carpeted office as he waited for another call from Antwerp where Jojo had been due to go on stage.

Belinda Orkney watched and listened as her boss furiously gathered speed with each length of the room. She had worked for the head of Trigon records for five years and at no time had she seen him this agitated. Then again, it wasn’t that often a star with the potential that Jojo Lackerly had shown came through the door.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine Jack, she’s a young woman.”

Turning towards the woman who had run his private office diligently for several years and who rarely commented on anything to do with the business dealings or the artists associated with the company, now had found a tongue.

“How do you know she will? I should have insisted she stay behind until she was fit, not leave and end up in the hospital, with god knows what wrong with her!”

Walking over to the man she considered a very thoughtful employer and one of the nicest men she had ever come across in this industry.  She laid a hand on his arm in compassion, because that was what he was himself, a very compassionate man who cared about the people he worked with on all levels.

“Could you have stopped her?”

His eyes gave a rueful expression as he shook his head. “No! Jojo is a loner. She wouldn’t have anyone tell her what to do…well maybe one person but it certainly isn’t me.”

Jack was feeling every one of his fifty-five years as he impatiently waited for a call from the European tour manager in Antwerp who was at the hospital where they had taken Jojo.

“Have you contacted that person, it might be wise if they knew before the media broadcasts it.”

“I’ve informed her parents, they are on the next flight out of New York and should be with Jojo as soon as the transportation allows.”

Belinda heard the resignation in his voice. Were they the important link in the singer’s life, the only one she would listen to? Didn’t sound like it to her.

“Do you want me to inform anyone else?”

Jack stared at the ground for a few moments and then turned to gaze unseeingly out of the window onto the busy street below. “I’d love to but I don’t know how.”

“Is it Ms. Danvers?” Jack’s shoulders stiffened as his personal assistant hit the nail on the head immediately.

“Why do you say that?”

Belinda smiled wryly at his words, call it feminine intuition, call it a hunch, or a shot in the dark, whichever it was it worked. “Sometimes you can see the chemistry between two people and believe me, sparks flew when they were together. I felt sorry for them both when I heard Ms. Danvers had left town, it can be scary aiming for the big time in the music industry without at least a friend you can trust by your side. Jojo lost both a friend and manager, not to mention a fiancé all in the space of a week. Not surprising she’s in this state now, the work load she had undertaken was going to tell on her eventually.”

“She was working to forget the break-up of her personal life! That’s what I thought anyway and how could I complain, she’s revived the company's fortunes single-handedly but at what price?”

“Want me to try and locate Ms. Danvers and contact her as soon as I do?”

“You can try but I doubt she wants to be found. Let me know if you do, I would like to inform her personally. By the way, why did you think it was Ms. Danvers who she missed the most and not Lee Weston?”

Chuckling, Belinda replied as she opened the door to his office, “Easy really, Jojo has had contact here in the office with Lee, Fleur hasn’t been seen since the TV show that set Jojo on her way a year ago and you said you didn’t know how to contact her!”

Jack had to accede that point rushing over to the desk as his phone rang.

“Wicklow.”

“Yes, yes I understand and she’s in which hospital?”

“Got that, her parents are on the way…” “They’ll get there. I’ll charter them a flight if necessary.”

“Thanks Andre, keep me informed.”

Sinking into his chair, he leaned back and wiped a weary hand across his eyes. Double pneumonia, exhaustion and an unknown viral infection! God help me Jojo girl, what have you been doing to yourself?

Andre said the doctors indicated the next forty-eight hours would be critical and that her family should be with her if possible. Well, he’d done his best…they were on the way. Let’s hope Belinda finds Fleur Danvers, he had a soft spot for the small green eyed woman and his gut told him that she was the key to Jojo’s well being in the future…if there was a future for the singer!

Fleur saw Calum waiting in the foyer of the hotel, strange that she expected him to still be at the game with her family. “Let me check with my mother for a few minutes. You check on Calum, looks like he didn’t go to the match. I’ll catch up with you two shortly.”

Alice nodded and headed towards the young man who had a pensive look on his face as Fleur ducked behind the reception desk and went into the office.

“Mom, I was in the café across from Alex’s bakery and he left with Stella hastily before closing. Is there a problem that you know of?”

Karen Adams stared at her daughter her eyes saddened. Nodding her head as she answered. “ You know they have a daughter, she came over for the anniversary party?”

“Yes, you told me, I didn’t see her because I left early, but yes.”

“Appears she’s critically ill and they’ve had to leave to be with her. I don’t know any details other than that George said he would let me know when he knew the facts.”

“Oh no, they will be gutted! I’m sorry to hear that, I’ll pray for them. By the way, I saw Calum did he change his mind about going with Grayson and Bradley?”

“He said something came up and that he needed to see you and Alice, he looked kind of shocked. I hope he hasn’t had bad news too.”

“I’d better go check.” As she headed for the door, the phone peeled out and Karen answered.

“Fleur, do you know someone called Belinda Orkney?” Karen looked at her daughter with interest, the woman sounded official.

“Orkney? No I don’t think so…Orkney…now it does ring a bell.” Fleur concentrated on the name, where had she heard it before?

“She said it’s important, that if you could spare a few minutes her boss would like a word with you.”

“Her boss? Who’s that?”

Karen asked the question and placed her hand over the mouthpiece. “A guy named Jack Wicklow.”

Fleur paled as she heard the name, why would Jack want to speak with her? “Shall I tell her you are out?”

Unable to decide for a moment what to do, she opened the door to the office and saw her friends talking and as they heard the door open she saw shock and upset mirrored in their eyes. As if in slow motion she turned back to her mother and listlessly reached for the phone listening intently for a few seconds and whispered heart-brokenly…

“No, not Joanna!”
 

“I didn’t know that Fleur’s Joanna was in fact my good friend’s daughter and the famous singer too! What a small world we live in? Who would have thought my little girl was a friend of Jojo Lackerly.” Karen voiced to the young couple that were sharing supper with her.

Having taken the call from Jack Wicklow and almost passing out from the news that Joanna was critically ill in hospital in Europe. Fleur had picked up her purse and the keys to her mother’s car and said she needed to be alone for a while. Rushing out of the hotel with a few words to her friends that she would be back soon and she was sorry for leaving them but she knew they would understand.

“Well, Jojo wasn’t always famous Mrs. Adams. She and Fleur shared an apartment in Nashville and that was before anyone knew of the name Jojo Lackerly. They were very good friends though and they looked out for each other.”

Karen gazed down at her half-eaten chilli, it was good but her appetite wasn’t quite on form this evening. “When you say good friends…how good?”

“Oh they were good friends Mrs. Adams believe me, I would know, I courted Fleur for a short time…” Alice put a hand on Calum’s sleeve to halt his ramblings knowing full well what Fleur’s mother was asking. Men could be so dense at times!

“They shared lots of things I think Mrs. Adams. I think they had a history that they never talked about. At least not to Calum or I, Jojo and Fleur were…are very private people. If you are asking if there was a special friendship, then I think there could be but other pressures got in the way.”

Calum glanced first at Alice quizzically then Fleur’s mother and back to Alice, is there a double meaning in Karen Adams question?

“I know I’m the token man here but ‘special friendship’? Anyone mind letting me in on this particular phrase?”

Alice gave the man a smile he was so lovable when he was confused, just like a small boy. “What Mrs. Adams was actually asking Calum was did Fleur and Jojo love each other.”

“Well sure they did!” Calum remarked astonished that anyone needed to ask.

Karen spluttered over her coffee as she swallowed the mouthful quickly, “really? Did they have a fight? Is that why they split up?”

“Calum you don’t understand.”

“Okay what don’t I understand?” Exasperated at the comment why did women make simple conversations complicated.

“Were Joanna and Fleur lovers?” there it was out in the open and now that she had said it, she realised how much of an invasion into her daughters privacy this was and it wasn’t her business. Fleur was old enough to have her own life and make her own mistakes and triumphs. It was a little late for her to go all motherly on her daughter, perhaps if she had stuck around…

Alice clutched Calum’s hand as his face went pale, obviously the thought had never crossed his mind and now that it had, he was in shock or so it seemed. “Wouldn’t I have known?”

Feeling sorry for her lover, Alice kissed him on the cheek tenderly and laid her forehead against his. “Not necessarily Cal, they were very private when it came to their life behind closed doors. I think we should leave that particular question behind closed doors and if it ever gets answered our friends will answer it themselves. Shall we all agree on that?”

All three nodded their heads as each had their own thoughts about that very question, not to mention where Fleur had rushed off.

Fleur had driven the busy streets of New York and eventually ended up in Central Park, the car abandoned at least three blocks away so she could walk and settle her shattered emotions.

Joanna, her Joanna was in Europe critically ill and she couldn’t do anything to help her. No matter how mixed up their lives had become, they were friends and would always be. It was a connection they shared from the first day they met and would last until they each drew their last breath.

Now, as the tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked, she sank into a bench and gazed out over the lush green grass, unable to see the happy children playing or the bird that came close expecting to be fed.

Her friend would be smiling at her sentiment if she saw her. Joanna had never been one to dwell on fantasy or romantic notions and she was quite hardheaded in that respect. Probably the life she had led in the past, especially with the guys she used to travel with made her that way. Although with her, she felt that Joanna started to dream again. Then Fleur had done a most unforgivable thing and threw it all in her face by leaving so abruptly.

What should she do now? Go home and wait for news as if it didn’t matter or take the next flight out to Antwerp and try to see her friend. Although there was no guarantee that she would be let within a mile of the singer, after all, she wasn’t family was she?

Jack had said he would keep her informed and if there was anything he could do to let him know. How could she ask to have him arrange for her to see her friend, if not in Europe, then when she came back to the States. The question begging to be answered was would Joanna survive to come back to the States? She’d heard a report on the radio as she drove that the singer was critical and that the next twenty-four hours would be crucial.

Her heart bled for her friend’s pain and at the same time her own, even if hers was of her own making. At the end of the day she blamed herself and that was the bottom line, Joanna was sick and it was her fault. If she hadn’t been so selfish of her own feelings and left, none of this would have happened!

Yeah right, what about her fiancé, doesn’t he come into the equation? Her mind drove that point hard home and she winced as she recalled that it was Weston coming into the singer’s life that had turned hers upside down.

Bottom line was she loved! No, she was in love with Joanna. She had known it in Danvers town and battled with it a year ago leaving the singer with her new life and love and now she experienced the emotion even more profoundly. If all she could do was to say hi one last time, then that’s what she had to do and would be thankful the rest of her days for that second chance.

A year, month, week, day, hour, minute or a second spent with Joanna would be a cherished moment for the rest of her lifetime.

She would go back and talk with Alice and Calum not to mention her mother who would want all the gory details once the tension eased. Her mother meant well but she was rather protective and at her age it really wasn’t necessary…unless the protector was Joanna.

Standing, she looked up at the sky, it was a clear day without a cloud to be seen. Perhaps that was a good omen, as she started back to the car and her vigil waiting for news of her friend. At least she wasn’t alone, people cared and that meant everything.

Joanna I love you, please come back to me and this time I promise not to leave you unless you tell me to go.

The virtual silence of the sterile room would have been a nightmare for the singer had she been in a position to wake and take it in. For noise was something Jojo had grown up with, be it the hustle and bustle of her neighbourhood where she played as a child or music she had dedicated her life too.

Only the muted fans whirling inside the monitoring and oxygen machines gave any evidence that life stirred inside the white walled room.  The body encased in a summer blue-sky blanket, which topped a pristine white cotton sheet that had to be changed every two hours because of the singer’s condition, lay motionless, drugged ensuring she didn’t move any of the drips or other equipment attached to her body.

Nurses monitored the unconscious woman from a station, yards away, along with two other patients who were in the intensive care unit in a critical condition.

The pale features, drawn and haggard, could never be described as the vibrant singer who days before had been singing to thousands of people at a concert in Hamburg. No one had known of her fatigue, or the number of painkillers she had taken to numb the pain, as the ever-increasing illness gripped her dangerously drained body.

Some would say that having your dream come true should bring happiness and the vigour to go onto better and bigger things. However, she had been caught in a spiral of her own self-doubt and something more! Which she refused to share with anyone, Jojo was a loner in a big way.

“How is Ms. Lackerly?” Andre Kransky asked the nurse who smiled politely at the man, who appeared to have forgotten to shave and change his clothes. He looked decidedly unkempt.

“Holding her own sir.”

“Thanks, can I go sit with her?” His blue eyes were gentle as he gazed at the bed that could be seen through the glass window.

“Yes, of course sir.” He had been the person who brought her in and the only person so far since her arrival fourteen hours earlier to visit her. Of course, they knew she was American and she was quite famous, as the local tabloids had remarked on her illness.

“Thanks, I’ll be good.”

“I’m sure you will sir.” This time the nurse smiled as she saw the quiet laughter in his blue eyes. He was quite handsome once you got through the week’s stubble.

Andre, a few minutes later, settled down in the armchair beside the motionless singer’s bed and placed his head in his hands briefly pushing distracted fingers through his hair. This had been his first European tour that he had managed on behalf of a named American artist, and now look what had happened.

This was definitely not going to do his reputation any favours if people thought he couldn’t take care of the star performer. Though anyone who knew this particular singer would know how difficult it was to care for her, she never let up or let anyone in. She’d looked so good in Hamburg, a shining star, when really she had been a comet exploding before it fragmented into thousands of tiny pieces.

Wicklow had been shocked but not accusing and her parents were due to arrive in the next two hours, he would collect them from the airport and bring them here.

Gazing at the singer he wondered why she hadn’t given in and allowed someone to know she was ill. They could have done something far earlier and she wouldn’t be in the state she was now. Typical American breeding, always think they know best! Well, he didn’t really mean that, he knew many Americans and he loved their work ethic and especially how they spent money, very generous he’d found.

The popular music world was at this woman’s feet. Having the looks, voice and general manner to make it into super stardom and stay there if she wanted. The country fans were very loyal and she had the added talent of writing her own songs to make her great. Though, if she had a death wish, that wasn’t going to be a long career. Funny how so many talented people go off the rails and never get back, these days it was usually drugs but exhausting yourself to the point of death worked equally as well. He’d seen it from time to time in the last fifteen years. When he’d met her, he didn’t think Jojo was in that frame of mind; she certainly hadn’t come across that way. Strange how people could be so deceptive and you never really knew them until it was too late.

It reminded him of a song she had sung three days before silencing the crowd for a few moments before they burst out in thunderous applause. A good possibility for a record release he’d thought at the time. Now, now he wondered how much of the song was what Jojo had been feeling.
 

A lifetime hidden with borrowed dreams waiting for a special chance
To create for real the happiness and love I know exists deep inside me

You take a chance at times
Never knowing if it could be your last

Or if it will bear fruit along the way
How we learn in this life with the chances we take or those we mistake
We may simply forget and break them apart before they arrive

A lifetime hidden with borrowed dreams waiting for a special chance

To create for real the happiness and love I know exists deep inside me

I never realised you were my chance
Now I know and things have changed
Knowing that you’re out there my life will never be the same

Yet a lifetime of fears and disillusionment keep us apart

A lifetime hidden with borrowed dreams waiting for a special chance
To create for real the happiness and love I know exists deep inside me

For as we ducked and dived creating a shallow life

We both thought we were happy never taking the time to say how we feel
Letting it slip away the chance to be with you allowing us to be free
Now we walk alone never to experience the warmth you gave
Losing you has chanced my way to allow only despair to remain
 

A lifetime hidden with borrowed dreams waiting for a special chance
To create for real the happiness and love I know exists deep inside me

If one day a second chance comes my way
I’ll take it in my hands and to my heart for all to see

That you are my chance to be free inside
Where happiness blooms and dreams come true
You will see it too my love once we take the chance forever more

A lifetime hidden with borrowed dreams waiting for a special chance

To create for real the happiness and love I know exists deep inside me

As he watched the uneven breathing he shook his head, maybe he was being too harsh on the singer, perhaps she had been taken ill suddenly, the doctors had indicated an unknown virus. When they finally found out what it was they could treat that as well.

Standing up he placed a comforting hand on the pale skin of Jojo’s arm and left the room. He’d better go shower and change to meet up with Jojo’s parents. He doubted that they would welcome some scruffy individual being in charge of their daughters' affairs in Europe. Probably blame him for all that had happened to her…not that he didn’t already.

Fleur paced the lobby of the hotel waiting for her friends to come down for dinner, not that she was hungry but she had to eat or she would be of no use to Joanna when she came home. It would be foolish for them both to be ill and anyway her mom would never let her starve herself. A vision of Karen standing over her with a glower on her face made Fleur smile slightly.

“Hi Fleur.”

“Calum hi. Where’s Alice?”

“Oh you women are always late. Thought I’d talk you into having a drink before dinner, until Alice catches up with us.” He showed her his boyish flashing smile as he took her arm and led her to the small bar area of the hotel and a much needed drink he suspected.

“Well I…” Attempting to protest unsuccessfully as he ordered himself a beer and a vodka and lime.

“You remembered?”

Calum blinked at her with a steady smile on his face, “why sure I did Fleur. I’ll never forget anything about you.”

A faint tinge of red streaked her cheeks at his genuine comment.

“I…I was going to say how pleased I am that you and Alice are a couple, she’s a real nice person.”

 “Yes she is and a handful too. She has a lively intelligence that leaves me behind at times. Guess I’m going to be a lawyers' husband one day.”

Grinning warmly Fleur thanked him for the drink as Max the bartender brought their drinks to them.

“What about your plans for a career, what are you doing now?”

“I decided that my dad needed a hand. He had a mild heart attack a couple of months back and I decided to give it a chance.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, and…?”

Laughing softly Calum grinned back at her, “I love it. I think I’ll be staying and anyway, Alice will want to go to college full time if she wants to be a high flying lawyer.”

“What do your parents think of Alice?”

How could his parents not like the woman, she had a wonderful personality and worked hard to achieve what she wanted. It was good to hear the young man thinking in terms of Alice being in his life permanently. How love changes all your preconceived ideas about what you want in life.

“They think she’s marvellous. My mother is already planning the wedding, haven’t told Alice that yet, but I will.”

“You love her very much don’t you Calum?”

“Yes I do. I confess I was falling for you Fleur and thought Alice might be my rebound affair. However, the more we went out, the more I didn’t want to let her leave and in the end I realised that she’s the woman for me and am I glad she agrees.”

The way he spoke was like listening to a poet narrate a love poem. He spoke so lyrically about her.

“What about yourself, are you dating anyone?”

Glancing quickly down at her drink and then placing it to her lips to take a sip, she ruefully shook her head. “No, too busy here at the hotel and somehow I’m just not interested at the moment.”

A silence stretched between them for a couple of minutes and then Calum decided to take the bull by the horns, I know they said they would leave the question alone but he had to know.

“Is it because of Jojo?”

Green eyes full of sadness met his compassionate ones, should she answer truthfully? He was her friend after all and now it was becoming harder and harder to disguise her feelings for the singer.

“Yes.”

“We thought so.”

“We?”

“Don’t look so surprised Fleur. I think Alice has always known and she hasn’t broken any confidences, your mother and I speculated.”

Fleur didn’t know if she should be mad, upset or relieved a fraction of all went through her at that moment. “You speculated?”

Calum held up a hand hoping he hadn’t stepped over the line. Alice had warned him that Fleur would be in a fragile state of mind at the moment.

“Actually, your mother started it and we just discussed it….”

“My mother started it?” Now Fleur was mad, this was her personal business not for all and sundry to discuss behind her back!

“Well, yeah but it wasn’t for long we just….” He didn’t finish as Fleur left the bar and stalked off towards the office and her mother, she had things to discuss now!

“Alex, look at our baby.” Stella whispered, her throat thickening as the tears trailed down her cheeks.

“They are looking after her well darling, she will come back to us, she will, I know it.” The tall man spoke quietly, his own eyes brimming with unshed tears as he saw the wax like figure lying in the bed covered with various tubes and leads not to mention the oxygen that a nurse was arranging as they entered the room.

“Will she?” Stella beseeched the nurse who was about to leave the patients room.

“I will bring the doctor, he will answer your questions.”

Closing her eyes as the tears flooded out; she had not wanted to break down so quickly, Joanna would not approve. Her stoic child would have frowned and shook her head at the show of emotion in public. This wasn’t public though was it! This was a hospital room where her child lay fighting for her life with only her husband at her side.

Alex stood behind his wife who was sitting in the armchair clutching their daughter’s hand hoping it would bring her back to them. How had she let herself become so ill? Surely others would have seen her condition and not allowed this to happen.

The doctor duly arrived and informed them that Joanna wasn’t responding as well as they had hoped. The added complication of a virus that they had now only just identified hadn’t helped but now they had a chance as they could give her medication that would help her to fight it. He insisted that the next twenty-four hours would be crucial for if she didn’t fight soon her body would find it difficult to pull back from the brink.

“She’s always been a fighter doctor.” Alex remarked absently. He couldn’t understand this…it wasn’t like his Joanna.

“I’m afraid that at the moment your daughter appears to have given up the will to live. Now you are here, I’m sure that will all change. Perhaps if you talked to her it might help.”

“Yes, yes we will.” This time Alex didn’t stop the tears, which had been stinging the back of his eyes, from falling.

As the doctor left them alone and shut the door behind him, Stella hugged her husband she knew his pain. Joanna for all her faults had always been his favourite and to lose her again now would cripple him beyond any consolation she could offer him.

Sitting back down in the armchair with her husbands' hand clasped firmly in her hand,  “Joanna do you remember when your dad fell into the pond trying to find your favourite fish, what were you, six at the time? My, it was funny wasn’t it…”

Grayson watched the flight take off as he turned to make his way home. He had been greeted two hours before with both the women in the household crying and that wasn’t a good sign. Having managed to find out the general situation from Fleur’s friends, he had asked if Bradley could join them for dinner while he tried to clear up the problem with the women.

It had been one humdinger of a problem too! Fleur was accusing her mother of prying into her private life without any regard for her feelings and Karen had been upset at the turn of events however attempting to give Fleur advice not that she had been listening.

Finally both women stopped crying and Grayson eventually managed to get them to talk. The final outcome being, he called an old friend at the airport and within an hour had seats on the next flight to Amsterdam for Fleur and Karen. They would then take a domestic flight to Antwerp and be met at the airport by someone who Jack Wicklow knew to escort them to the hospital.

What a day!

Now to go back to the hotel and have a much-needed nightcap with Fleur’s friends and see that Bradley went to bed or he wouldn’t get up for school tomorrow. The hotel fortunately had a wonderful staff that would cover for Karen and Fleur. He himself would take a week off and make sure everything went like clockwork. Fortunately, working for himself he could do that without any hassle.

Turning once more to watch the plane fly out of sight he smiled ruefully. Who would have known that Fleur was such a dark horse and that the world was such a small place that the parents of her friend were their friends too, who would have given you odds on that one.

Watching Stella sleeping awkwardly beside her daughter having spent the last seven hours retelling every childhood story she could remember, disconsolately Joanna hadn’t responded in anyway at all. Alex had a great faith in lots of things and the fates were one of them, surely they hadn’t decided that the child he loved laying like a pale shadow of herself in a hospital bed, was now to leave this earth for good? He couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t believe it either, now when life beckoned her she must fight, she must!

Walking out of the room, he approached one of the nurses at the monitoring station.

“Hello, could you tell me where I might get coffee?”

“There’s a machine at the end of the corridor but I’ll order anything you require sir.”

Smiling briefly, Alex realised that would be the case. This was a private hospital and therefore nothing was too much for the staff to do for the patients or their visitors, after all, they would be paying for the service.

“Perhaps later, for now I will find the machine I need to stretch my legs.”

As he turned to leave, “Has there been any change in my daughters condition?”

The nurse checked the monitors again, although she knew the answer to the question. “I’m sorry sir, nothing so far.”

“Thanks.” He left to go check the machine out.

Waiting was so very hard to do especially if it was someone you loved.

Karen watched as Fleur talked with the flight desk confirming their onward journey to Antwerp. It had been a very quiet six-hour flight to Amsterdam, the occasional small talk but otherwise silence. Not that she blamed Fleur, she didn’t. If the roles had been reversed, she doubted she would have allowed her to accompany her but her daughter was a very special individual and had that insight into pain and hurt along with happiness and love that was very rare. Life may have been cruel to her to have her fall in love with someone who was highly unlikely to return that love, through it all, her child would be there for the woman, regardless of the pain she felt inside.

Unrequited love! What a statement. Numerous stories, movies, poems had been written and screened on just that topic. Romantic overtones and contrived happy endings often the goal but with this particular story, could that be the outcome? Karen had her doubts; once she had known it was Joanna Jojo Lackerly, her active research mind had come into action.

The woman was deemed to be a pinup figure for young and old alike and she had read an article that indicated the woman had had numerous affairs…all with men. Her last being a broken engagement with a businessman from New York and the picture taken of them together made Karen wonder why. He had been a very handsome guy and they looked happy together when the photo was shot.

How could her daughter expect a woman who was by all accounts actively heterosexual change! Then again, Fleur didn’t want her friend to change. Karen had finally realised why her daughter had left the singer.  How could she live in the same apartment with a woman she loved who would never love her in the same way back? It was like having heartbreak thrown in your face twenty-four seven.

“Hey baby, are we set?”

“Yes Mom, the next fight is in thirty minutes. It will take about an hour.”

Placing a comforting arm around her child’s shoulders, she smiled warmly. “We’ll be there soon Fleur and you can talk to Joanna and tell her how you feel.”

Fleur looked at her mother in surprise. “I can’t do that Mom, Joanna doesn’t care about me that way.”

“We’ll see, won’t we? Faith darling, faith, that’s what it takes and believe me, I know what I’m talking about.”

For a moment Fleur didn’t understand but she heard the undertones in the voice. “You never did tell me the truth about your affair with Grayson when you were with dad.”

Karen sucked in a breath and exhaled gradually. “Nope, I never did, maybe now is the time to tell you the truth.”

“I think I deserve the truth mom, dad’s dead now, it can’t hurt him.”

Karen glanced at her daughter in compassion, no it can’t hurt him darling but it can still hurt you.

“A few of our friends came by the next morning and sent us on a trip to Vegas and even gave us spending money. You were gone by then of course but you met some of the friends, Karen, Grayson and Bradley. You would have liked their daughter she’s so nice! Not like you of course but almost a daughter to us too. When you come home you must meet her. Alex thinks she’s…Fleur?”

Alex was hugging the small blonde who had tears running down her cheeks as she listened to Stella speaking to her daughter. “Why? Why are you here?”

Karen shrugged and smiled at her friends, “a long story.”

As Alex released Fleur, she made her way slowly over to Joanna’s bed and knelt at the side taking a lifeless hand in her warm one. Picking it up and placing it to her lips reverently kissing the palm she lifted her hand to stroke away the dark bang that always strayed across Joanna’s face.

“Joanna, what will I do with you?”

Stella watched fascinated, as did the others in the room as the blonde tenderly stroked the face of the pale dark haired woman, it was almost hypnotic.

“Don’t leave me Joanna please. I’m sorry I left you but I'm here now and I’m here to stay I promise.”

Stella stood up and turned to her friend with a quizzical expression. Karen motioned for them to go outside the room and she would explain.

Fleur, unaware that the other’s had left, stared mesmerised at the waxy complexion of her friend and the woman she loved. “I love you Joanna. Isn’t it time you talked to me, it’s been over a year?”

“A year when I wished I could see you, speak to you, help you and be with you! Do you know that every single minute since I left you, I wanted to come back and be part of your life? I miss you so much Joanna, can we start again?”

Silence

“You are all I’ll ever want in life. I’m a shell without you Joanna. Will you let me come home?”

Silence

“I’ll be your housekeeper, manager, whatever you want I’ll be. Please come back to me!”

Unable to stop herself Fleur cried the sobs wrenching at her soul.

Laying her head on the bedclothes, she drenched the blanket with her tears. This was ridiculous…she should be more in control.

Minutes or was it hours, passed when she felt a hand on her hair stroking it and a croaky voice murmured. “Fleur?”

It was Stella or her mother trying to soothe her but they couldn’t, no one could…well one person could and she wasn’t able.

“Fleur you know I hate it when you cry.”

It was her voice! No, she was dreaming again as she did every night. Please god, don’t torture me so, I haven’t done anything wrong but love her.

Glancing up at the face in the bed, she was shocked to see the ice blue eyes of her friend staring at her. Is this real?

“Joanna?”

“That’s me.”

“Joanna you’re awake! Joanna, oh hell, I love you!” Fleur was on a high as she placed several kisses on Joanna’s cheeks. Then released her as the reality that her friend was very ill broke through the euphoric mist.

“Why, its good to see you too! And yeah, I’m awake, feel strange though, where am I?”

“In a hospital, you’ve been, real sick. We were worried.”

“We?”

“Yeah, your mom and dad are here, let me go get them for you.”

As she moved away a hand grasped hers and Fleur was surprised at the strength. “Not yet.”

“They will be disappointed. Do you want the doctor or something?”

“Something…you. I want to talk to you. I’ve missed you in my life Fleur, so very much.”

Fleur felt the tears fall again but this time for a different reason, “I’ve missed you so much too Joanna, will you come home with me?”

Once, what seemed like another lifetime ago, Joanna had asked her to go with her…now, Fleur asked the same? Of course it wouldn’t be the same, how could it, Joanna was now on the brink of stardom.

“Home?”

“Yes, home with me?”

“Where you are is my home Fleur, didn’t I ever tell you that?”

“No, you never did.” Fleur watched as Joanna’s eyes shut again, was she okay?

Rushing out of the door she challenged the nurse who had been watching the monitors.

“Ms. Lackerly is sleeping peacefully we called the doctor when she woke, he’ll be here shortly.”

Fleur sighed heavily and was then enclosed in a hug that took her breath away as Alex’s arms surrounded her.

“Thank you, thank you Fleur for bringing her back to us.”

Emotionally drained, all Fleur could do was lay her head on his broad shoulder and cry like a baby, her mind in a whirl.

She had actually said she loved Joanna and to her too and the singer hadn’t flinched at all. Maybe there was hope for them yet.

“She’s my grandmother not an ogre!”

“Yeah but she can be ogre like, if she doesn’t approve of what she sees or hears.”

“Remind you of anyone?”

Fleur glanced at the woman at her side, except for the fact she tired easily in the evening, no one would know she had been seriously ill. Having been discharged to a doctor in New York and living with her parents over the convalescent time, she was looking good.

“Yeah, both stubborn as mules.”

“How can you say that?” Jojo asked in mock seriousness.

“Easy, I lived with you remember.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

Fleur negotiated the next bend before responding to the wistful note in the last comment.

“When does Jack want you back?”

Jojo looked at the houses that lined the suburban area as she digested the question.

“He has a TV show lined up next week and a couple of concerts in Nashville before I go back to Europe and finish the tour.”

Screeching to a halt, Fleur turned to her in astonishment. “All this is already planned?”

“Well yeah, I made commitments. Got to make good on them.”

“You’ve been sick! How could they expect you to go back to such a heavy schedule?”

Jojo ignored the question, “Gran’s place is next block.”

“I know where you’re grandmother lives!”

“Good.” Jojo smirked as she saw the pink tinged cheeks indicating the anger mounting in her friend.

“You never answered me.”

“I guess…I’m not good at being my own manager.”

“What do you mean? Lee told me that you would get the best!”

Jojo felt the hackles rise on the back of her neck. So Lee had been instrumental in Fleur leaving, she had wondered about that!

“I already had the best!”

Joanna’s grandmother’s drive was insight as Fleur manoeuvred to a stop without crashing into the house.

“What? What do you mean by that, I was your manager?”

“Yeah and your point would be?”

“You said you had the best, I was a raw recruit.”

“Sure you were but you also had my best interests at heart, I call that the best.”

“I did, I would, always.”

Jojo turned to her friend and winked, “love you too Fleur. So come on, Gran will be waiting.”

Fleur was flabbergasted as she watched her friend leave the vehicle, had she really said those special words. ‘Love you’ or was it a flippant retort?

“She was wicked!”

“Yep and now you know where I get it from.” Laughing as they drove towards home having spent what turned out to be rather an enjoyable dinner with her grandmother.

“I do, I do, wow, I never would have expected it.”

“You doubt my American roots?”

“No, no of course not! She’s lovely though isn’t she, pity she doesn’t get on with your dad.”

“Yeah, but I don’t stress myself, it’s life after all, not everything can have the sugary happy ending can it?”

“Guess not.”

As Fleur drove, the rain pattered on the windscreen as she concentrated on the road silence descending until Joanna began to hum a tune.

“Sing for me, please Joanna.”

Jojo smiled self consciously not realising she was humming aloud, as always being with Fleur made her relaxed and content with her lot in life. They had smoothed over the cracks in their relationship over the weeks of her recuperation and she figured that Fleur might consider going back to Nashville with her when she went back.

The scene was set for Fleur to leave without causing a problem. Karen had taken on another permanent member of staff to cover for Fleur over the long periods of her convalescence. All she had to do was convince Fleur it was the right choice, although she had a good idea that her friend wouldn’t object. They hadn’t discussed Fleur’s profession of love at the hospital because it had never seemed the time or place, she was sure they would explore just what type of love Fleur had for her one day.

For now, she was happy to sing, if that’s what her best friend asked for.
 

Days are uncertain we don’t know what to expect
Will we know what to do will we ever know who
There’s a place in our heart that knows the answer
Can we recall it and know for sure what saves our souls
 

In my heart I’ll give you the sun though it may rain
As I walk the day I’ll follow the road you take
The night crosses our path and I’ll be there
Holding your hand and yearning for you to take me inside
 

Thoughts of you flood my mind
As always I’m putty in your hand
Foolish that may seem to you
Yet you smile and allow me to blindly follow
 

I’d give anything to know you love me for what I am
Stars shine above and give me the confidence to say,
How I love you each day.
Come rain or shine please be mine

“That was beautiful Joanna.”

“Yeah, another ditty. I was thinking there’s a club east side of town, shall we go?”

Never having ventured out to a club or even across town, Fleur was dubious. “Are you sure you are well enough?”

“Sure I am. Pop’s not expecting me until midnight at least.”

Glancing down at the clock on the dashboard it was nine thirty.

“Okay, where?”

Fleur had heard about clubs like these but she had never been to one before, it was quite an eye opener.

“How did you know about this club?”

“Fleur, you forget I was brought up in these parts.”

“Come on Joanna, this is a gay club!”

“Yes it is, any objections?”

“No, no of course not, I’m very broad minded.”

Winking at her, Joanna held her hand as they moved towards the bar.

“What do you want to drink?”

“I’ll have a club soda, I’m driving remember?”

“Oh sure you are, we could get a cab later?”

“Joanna, please don’t forget you’ve been ill.”

“How could I, you keep reminding me.” The singer muttered good-naturedly as she asked for a scotch and a club soda.

Fleur frowned, what did that mean exactly? She’d ask when they sat down.

Turning to look for a table, she was amazed at the number of women in one room. It was crowded, some laughing together, other’s standing watching the dancers. Others were in very close contact, nothing between them. Here she was with the woman of her dreams, in a place she never in her imagination expected to be, feeling inadequately prepared to deal with the challenge.

“There’s a table over in that corner.” Fleur motioned towards the tiny alcove away from the dance floor.

Piercing blue eyes surveyed the area, a sardonic expression crossed her face, typical unobtrusive position for Fleur.

“You couldn’t have found us a place any more discreet, I see.”

“What do you mean?” annoyed at the remark.

“Nothing, lets sit and have a drink.”

Settling into the tiny booth they both looked away from their drinks towards anything but each other.

“Fleur…”

“Jo Xianthos? Or should I say Jojo Lackerly? Wow, what a coup in my club.”

A willowy woman with brown wavy hair and a wonderful tan pounced on them.

“You haven’t changed Liz. I see the place is still thriving.”

“Why of course Jo and why shouldn’t it? Did you think it would nosedive once you stopped playing here?” the woman replied her tone arrogant.

“Nope, never considered it, I haven’t your ego Liz.”

“I see you can still pick them, she’s good looking but a little old don’t you think?”

Jojo stood up confronting the woman but before she managed to say anything, Fleur came between them and replied. “Jo simply has taste!” Giving the very young woman at the club owner’s side a quick glance.

Fleur twinned her hand in Joanna’s and felt the gentle appreciative response. This was turning out to be a very unexpected evening.

“Didn’t know you needed anyone to speak for you. Then again, you are some big shot now, aren’t you? Do they know about you and your association here Jo? Think that might cause a few raised eyebrows?”

Squaring up for the catfight that usually occurred with this woman, they might not have seen each other in several years but the antagonism was still there.

“Hardly think so…Liz wasn’t it? Well, Liz, Jo doesn’t need to pretend anymore, she’s earned her freedom in whatever she wants to do. Isn’t that right Jo?”  Fleur turned to see speculative blue eyes capture hers and the smile she gave was both sensual and filled with admiration. Flipping the smaller woman’s stomach as it slowly covered the full length of her body.

“That’s right.” The slow seductive voice captured Fleur as she lost herself completely in the blue smouldering eyes.

“Oh I give up with you Jo!” The other woman stalked off in a huff as green eyes continued to be snared by blue in a hypnotic gaze.

“She wasn’t happy with you.”

“Nope, she wasn’t. Never has been since we were five and I accidentally pushed her off the swing in the park and she scraped her knees, never has forgiven me.”

“Five?” This was a new facet for Fleur, something from Joanna’s childhood. Although she had been regaled with some stories from the singer’s parents over the weeks of her convalescence. This was different and how!

"Yep, Liz and I grew up in the neighbourhood, you might know her folks Jim and Ellen Clancy, they own the grocery store, at least they did last I recall.”

Fleur knew the local store was called Clancy’s but it was a young couple that now worked there. “It’s called that but…Frank and Lisa run it now.”

“Frank? Really, he was so dumb in school.”

“Joanna that’s not nice.”

Winking at her friend, she slugged back the drink and waved for a waitress to replenish it as she grinned at the memory. “Frank is the youngest son of the Clancy’s, Dave probably went onto bigger and better things and as you can see, the only daughter wound up here.”

“Speaking of which, do I take it you used to perform here?”

Laughing at the expression, which could be taken several ways. Fleur realised her mistake as her face coloured up at her slip.

Taking pity on her friend she placed a warm hand over the small one on the table.  A warm feeling flooded Fleur’s whole body at the touch, if only…maybe it wasn’t so far removed a wish, hadn’t Liz said something about…

“The band was close to breaking up and I‘d decided to try it on my own. Liz was opening this place and it was a good venue. The ladies appeared to enjoy the performances and I got paid, not to mention the fringe benefits.”

“Fringe benefits?” Now this really was getting interesting.

“Plenty of ways to get hold of drugs and the company wasn’t bad either.”

“Joanna!”

“Come on Fleur, I was only sassing you. Look at my track record, it speaks for itself doesn’t it?”

Fleur saw the glimmer of amusement in the blue eyes and she smiled, sassing me huh? “Well, it’s time you settled down with someone you loved, that’s all I can say, regardless of gender if they make you happy.”

“You make me happy, should I settle down with you?”

My god, this isn’t happening. I’m in a dream...it has to be a dream! Fleur’s heartbeat thumped rapidly in her chest as she stared wide-eyed at her friend.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Drink your drink, I need to go home, I have to work remember?”

Chuckling at the affronted and flustered expression of her friend, grinning Jojo downed the recently delivered drink and standing unsteadily, Fleur had been right she wasn’t up to this yet. As she did so several women crowded around them, all staring at her in disbelief.

“Jojo Lackerly, it’s’ Jojo Lackerly!” The scream went up from several women and then before she knew it, Jojo was being surrounded by a mass of bodies.

Fleur watched, momentarily helpless, as her friend was lost in the morass that appeared from nowhere.

As the screams increased and the number of women converging on the spot multiplied, Fleur decided enough was enough and used her small frame to good use. Sidling her way through the ten-deep line, she managed to end up close to the besieged singer.

“Need any help?”

Jojo had never needed help more than she did at that moment and was astonished as the next words passed her friends' lips.

“Hey ladies, she’s mine! If you want her autograph see the owner and maybe she might get Jojo to perform one evening if you let her be now.”

A rousing cheer went up as the crowd turned to check out the owner’s whereabouts. And all but a few remained, soon disappearing as Fleur glared at them. Taking hold of Joanna’s hand she lead her towards the exit.

Exiting the building, they both took in a gulp of air at the near disaster of Joanna being set upon by adoring fans, glancing at each other and bursting out laughing.

“I was thinking that maybe when I went back to Nashville, I could rely on you being my manager again?”

Closing her eyes briefly, Fleur had hoped to hear that for months and now when the singer had finally asked, she didn’t know what to say. Assuming her invitation unwanted, Jojo shrugged her shoulders and they drooped as if she had the weight of the world on them.

“I guess that’s selfish of me. You have a new life and you’re catching up with your long lost family, so I can’t expect you to…”

“Joanna, shut up your babbling!”

Fleur giggled as she saw the astonishment in her friend’s face at her comment. Standing still for a moment beside the car without opening it, she fixed her green gaze on the troubled blue one of her friend. “You know, we did make a great team didn’t we?”

Jojo’s face beamed as she saw the laughter and warmth filling her friend’s features. She’d so missed this friendship and connection, a bubble inside her chest wanted to burst whenever she made this woman smile. How could she let it go now that she knew what it meant to her life? “Yeah we did and we can go onto greater things together in the future, what do you say?”

Fleur knew that life with Joanna might not be all sunshine and roses, quite the opposite probably. However, they had a bond that when broken bled them both to the point of death of the soul. Who knew what life held and how fate would meter out the years? All she knew was that in the year that Joanna wasn’t in her life, she merely existed and it had taken a near fatal illness to bring her to her senses. Now she had a family, a home she could come back to whenever she wanted. Although in her heart, she knew the only place she wanted, no needed to be, was beside this woman. A woman she loved with every fibre of her being and if all life offered her was a deep friendship, she would take it and be eternally grateful. After all, how many people could boast such a relationship in their lives and know it would stand the test of time, for theirs would, it was in the stars.

Smiling as she opened the door of the vehicle and as Joanna opened the passenger side to sit inside, she replied, “You need a protector.”

“Me?” Jojo felt a sense of wonder and pride as she recalled Fleur mounting a defence on her behalf. She’d done it and didn’t care what other people thought about what she said. If the paper’s got hold of it, what would she think if it was splashed all over the tabloids for the world to see? Whatever happened, it didn’t matter…she would remember the scene for the rest of her life.

“Yes, you.” Fleur had been relieved that her ruse in the club had gone as well as it had, anything could have happened and her friend was still frail, even if she didn’t believe it.

“I already have one, you!”

Looking up suddenly, green eyes were captured by blue as a silent message passed between them.

“I guess you have, you always did, as you are mine.”

“Improbable protectors.”

“Yep, improbable but a wonderful team!”

Both women felt the rightness of the situation. Smiling, they settled inside the car for the drive home.

They didn’t know what the next stage of the journey was going to be but with their track record, anything could happen.

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