Chapter 14 The Party Household

Kim kissed the tip of Hayley's nose as the new couple sat in the diner across from their friends and soon-to-be roommates. Kit and her uni lecturer entered the Kit waved but sensibly didn't come over. She and Andrew grabbed lattes and left into the scorching heat. Colleen always eager for gossip lingered near the foursome. "Anything else?" she chirped not caring about their full plates of burgers, fries and salad and tall frosted glasses of milkshakes. "No, thanks Colleen," Scott said and Kim nodded his assent. She had no choice but to leave.

"For Christ-sakes woman! Leave them alone!" Alf barked as he intercepted her coming into the kitchen. Irene nodded in agreement. Colleen looked so annoyed and affected she dropped a tray. It fell to the floor with a crash.

"Here's one!" Dani proclaimed her head buried in the paper under available rentals and possible buying. "Three bedroom, two bathroom beach-front house…pool, large entertaining patio, recently renovated kitchen…available immediately. Must be 18 or over and responsible. Interview required. "It's close to the beach!" Scott whistled.

"The picture is much more impressive than the Palace," Hayley nodded.

"It's so wonderful!" Dani said looking at the colour photograph of the gently rolling front garden with huge weeping trees and lush dark green grass and a modern two-story house with conservative brown bricks and an attractive pointed red roof. "I say we definitely make an appointment to see it," Hayley said.

Scott dialled the number. "We can see it in an hour," he said.

"Terrific!" Kim said taking a long swig of his milkshake.

Dani rested her head on Scott's shoulder. She hadn't yet told Stafford the news. She decided to let him go back to the city without her. She would remain in Summer Bay and tell him afterwards about her decision. She knew it was a cowardly decision but she didn't care. She was happy. She was with her one true love, her best friend and a rapidly becoming close friend.

She didn't really know Kim all that well but she could see how happy Hayley was already. She smiled a slow contented smile. "We need furniture," Hayley said suddenly. "We can't move into a bare house!" she exclaimed.

"Afterwards when we see the house we'll head to the shopping centre again," Kim promised kissing Hayley on the top of her soft blonde head. "I have our bed still Dani," Scott said.

"Yes! We don't need a new bed. That one is brand-new, it's gorgeous," she said.

"Feather-beds!" Hayley scoffed. "We need a orthopaedic bed," she told Kim.

"Whatever you want," he announced smiling warmly and affectionately at her.

"He's a keeper," Dani laughed. "Can we get a blue couch?" she asked her eyes fixed on Scott.

"Whatever you want," Scott replied in the exact monotone Kim had used. They all laughed. Dani pulled out a fifty-dollar note from her purse but not before the others glimpsed a look at a huge wad of hundred-dollar and fifty-dollar bills. "It's on me!" she said. "Rather, it's on Stafford!" she laughed. She paid got her thirty or so dollars change and they headed outside for their two cars. They drove in a single file to the cliff-perched house. "It's absolutely wonderful!" Hayley whispered enchanted. "For 400 a week it had better be," Scott said ruefully.

"It's simply wonderful though Scott. We should all have 100 for rent per week?" Dani said uncertainly. She knew Scott and Hayley definitely would they have to fork out a bit more than that for the palace per week. Kim nodded amused by her uncertainly. "I'm nearly nineteen," he told Dani. Twenty-two year old Hayley didn't look the slightest bit embarrassed.