The period of time when the four of them were waiting in the airport lounge after checking in was like some delirium experience. The place was designed for processing commodities in a soulless fashion, leaving them free to relax and shop while waiting for the sudden tannoy interruption. The four women maintained themselves as an island of humanity amidst the formless, dissociated passive multitudes that the ambiance of the airport was designed to keep that way. Different parts of Annabelle and Simone wanted to get the whole thing over, to meet all their friends back home, to stick with Helen and Nikki for as long as humanly possible and to get the hell out of here. Finally, the tannoy announced their request for passengers to move to the particular departure lounge.
"I guess this is it," Annabelle said with forced stoicism that fooled nobody.
"At least you'll be back with your friends. They're bound to have missed you," Nikki said kindly, an obvious forced smile on her lips.
"We'll miss you guys so much," burst from Simone's lips in an outpouring of emotion that was written all over her face.
"And we'll really miss you- till we meet again," Helen said fervently, embracing Simone passionately. All four women said their goodbyes in a like-minded fashion as if the flight programme could be gainsaid. Only when the reminder tannoy message carried itself on the air with a special edge of emphasis did Simone look confused and flustered. She took Annabelle's hand and started walking in an uncertain zig-zag pattern, almost tripping over their feet as they tried to look backwards. In an uprush of tender emotion, Nikki thought that endearing image of their friends said everything about them. They kept waving until they were finally out of sight.
The two women, dressed in their warm coats and feeling strangely bereft of luggage, felt anaesthetised as they plunged into the departure lounge, filled with miscellaneous people. They didn't feel connected to them except that they were travelling on the same journey. They sat it out until the time came to be transported into the bowels of the identical jet that had taken them here. They found their places ,duly strapped on their seat belts and looked at each other.
"We have to make the best of the situation. Let's face it, we can't get out now," Simone said in deliberately controlled tones before her facade crumbled," but I meant what I said about keeping contact with those two very fine women."
"Nikki and Helen know it. I remember seeing them give their talk at Chico's when we were in the audience and we first got talking to them. That connection felt special right from the first," Annabelle said dreamily looking into Simone's eyes.
"Thank God we've got each other like they have," Simone said, squeezing her lover's hands fondly."If we try to tune out the nothingness with which we're surrounded, perhaps we'll get through this journey."
The air of unreality hung all around them as the whine of the jet engines increased in pitch and intensity and temporarily shut down thinking space. Next, the jet started bumping its way down the runway and, when this feeling stopped as the jet became airborne, the last tenuous connection with their adopted country was snapped. True, they'd fly over the English countryside and head out over the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean but it was different this time around. The two women withdrew into themselves amidst the soporific humming sound that would last an eternity. They'd just have to put up with it.
It wasn't until the break at New York that Simone started to come to life while waiting in another anonymous departure lounge for the jet to refuel. She'd glugged back a tasteless plastic mugful of black coffee from the machine for an energy spurt. She reached into her mobile as it crossed her mind that the paparazzi might be waiting for them. She wanted to contact Erin to finalise their arrangements and to see how the land lay.
"Hi Erin,"Simone's voice came down the line to the other woman, sounding a little weary and husky. The dark-haired woman had just drunk an early morning coffee and was wondering whether or not to get out of bed or lie in a little longer. She knew very well that in a few day's time that this wouldn't be an option.."We're phoning from New York while the jet's refuelling. How's things?"
"Hey Simone, great to hear from you. You know of course that we're coming to pick you up,"Erin said in her customarily direct fashion.
"That's really nice of you,"Simone said softly.
"Sure we'll do you guys a favour but there's the paparazzi to think of. You remember all that shit in the Los Angeles Tribune I told you about a few days ago? If the press come after you, offer to talk about the band but no personal shit about you and Annabelle. You must know from your's and Simone's experiences not to let the bastards in. Face it, you'll be jet lagged when you get in so we'll be your minders- at least I'll be."
Diane was lying naked full length in the bed in the early morning gentle glow and smiled gently at her partner's tough and tender sentiments. Down the other end of the line, the straight-talking Erin had done the trick in rapidly dispersing Simone's depressive mental fog. She was also conscious of New York's winter cold and that the softly spoken cadences of English voices she'd got used to being supplanted by harder edged, rapid firing New York accents of those joining the others in the departure lounge to travel out west. This combination of events enabled Simone to click into business gear and rattle through times and arrangements of when they flew into California again. Annabelle looked sharply at her partner and knew that she'd bring her up to speed as to what was going on.
"That was Erin. She and Diane are picking us up from the airport and get us away from the press and paparazzi if they turn up. She thinks we ought to keep saying 'no comment' if they ask about our private lives but try and use the occasion to talk about our music," Simone said shortly.
"So we plug our music. I get it," Annabelle said succinctly as images of their possible future rose up in their minds. Both women started pacing restlessly around the departure lounge until the announcement to be ready to board the aircraft grabbed their attention partly because the guy sounded so harsh, so aggressive. After pausing for reflection, they turned to each other and smiled. They'd realised a long time ago that, just because they'd grown up to steer away from the married couple and two point four children and the white picket fence syndrome, they were resolutely normal and had grown up to gather with like-minded women and to head out on the road as a rock and roll band. Now they knew for certain that Nikki and Helen were smiling down on them as they'd become resolutely international and weren't trapped into the absurdity of loving their country and getting paranoid when other cultures challenged their points of view. They simply went with the flow if it seemed moral and right. For the moment, they felt strong.
This time, as they ascended far up into the sky and floated there in perfect safety, they knew that conflict loomed ahead of them the other side of the continent and down below. A little while later when in flight meals were due to be served, the same thought struck both women.
"A nice cup of tea- that's what I want," sighed Simone.
"Me too," chimed in Annabelle grinning her head off."They'd better serve it."
Fortunately, they struck lucky and both women looked upon this as a good omen for the future as they ate the meal with their elbows kept in and savoured their tea. This was a high point during their flight. Time now crawled along endlessly as they moved across the continent which was set out like an endless patchwork carpet unrolling itself far into the distance. Finally, both the tannoy and the lurch to their stomachs told them that their plane was gradually losing altitude and it wasn't long before more precise details of the ground became visible. Finally, the endless churning circling process of descent brought onto centre stage the niggling interminable mental debates with faceless, bigoted accusers emerged centre stage. It made them nervous but they didn't necessarily feel better prepared for trouble should it arrive. It was the uncertainty that got to them, they thought, as the Californian coastline came into sight on which somewhere, their home, sat next to the ocean. Finally, the jet screeched down onto the runway and, while all the other other passengers were sighing with relief as they'd arrived at their destination, two exceptions wondered whether or not the worst was yet to come. They joined the column of passengers walking down the aisle and trusted to luck. Perhaps going through passport control was safest...
"Hey Simone," Erin yelled as she spotted two women walk uncertainly past customs and peer round the huge airport lounge. She could sense their nervousness and insecurity. "Over here."
Diane darted to where the luggage was spewed out onto the circular chute and she spotted her friend's cases which she recognised easily from touring together. Both women had put their heads together and knew that they'd be more together than their friends. In short order, they were together, Diane pushing the luggage trolly a little ahead of the other three.
"Let's get the hell out of here and into the car and then we'll talk," Erin directed firmly, sounding slightly out of breath at the cracking pace Diane was setting.
"Shit, they're out there," Erin snapped, more in panic for their friends than anything else. She'd spotted the sinister looking creeps armed with flashguns the far side of the double swing perspex doors. Surely, it must happen now? Just at the very last second, her mobile bleeped as a text message homed in. She got it out of her jeans pocket and glanced down. Right on time, she reckoned triumphantly. This was the one arrangement she'd not told Simone about for fear it wouldn't materialise."We can't go back. We can't go round so I guess we'll go forward and at them,"she added with a meaning look in her eye as she stared intensely at their natural enemies and her voice completely transformed. The other three women instantly trusted to her lead, born of many hours in close association.
"OK, let's go," Annabelle said with more determination than she felt, completely throwing herself off the precipice and hoping she and the rest of them would fly. She was afraid that she and Simone would be simply too tired to deal with this load of shit.
Diane pushed ahead at the double doors with the luggage trolley making a natural obstacle to defend themselves with as they eased their way out into the outside air and ran straight into an atmosphere of sheer dementia as a crowd of pressmen closed in on them. At the same time, Miranda's strong commanding presence leapt out from nowhere, making them blink with astonishment. Annabelle and Simone gasped as they witnessed the positive side of this strong minded woman, someone whom they'd not always seen eye to eye with in the past. Still more amazed was the sight of a group of women filing in after her from the side of the entrance to form a cordon around the four women. There was a very willing Vanessa and Alison, fresh from their photographic studio. A very angry Sadie had read the Los Angeles Tribune article and had snuck off from the bank to link up with a fresh faced Jenny. Even Colins and Jane had heard the news and had somehow got themselves cross town to lend their slight frames and strength of will. Finally,Shirley had slipped out of the cab, slipped through the throng and stood foursquare,her forcefulness fully matching her sister.
"Hey, great to see you," Simone said faintly, touched by this woman who was not noted for acts of philanthropy.
"Well, I gotta protect my investment," smirked Shirley with an outward display of cynicism.
"Hey. Whaddyou think you're doing? This is a press event. You're spoiling the photo shoot," yelled a particularly aggressive man who assumed a dominant position amidst the growing hubbub. This crowd of women weren't in the original plan. He was all jangly coloured T-shirt and large, ominous looking camera slung round his neck.
"We're just coming back from holiday. We've had a long flight over and we want some rest," Simone called out loudly from behind the human barricade, using her past skills in projecting her voice without appearing to.
"So what's this about you singing songs about how you and Annabelle Tillman slept together when you were teacher and pupil?"
"We don't write all the songs. We write for all women's experiences. Erin on bass and Diane on drums write songs for the group. We cover Tori Amos songs. Nothing wrong with that surely?"Annabelle snapped, glaring at the man armed with his officious notepad who was clearly salivating at the thought of a good juicy story served up as moral outrage.
"The general public want to know the truth about what happened at the school dance. You have to accept that both of you are in the public eye. You're Senator Tillman's daughter and she's the teacher who got fired from private school for getting too close to a student."
"That's a good one,"Shirley scoffed with withering scorn.
"Don't get me wrong. You're in the public eye but we mean you no harm. The readers want to know how you've settled down together," asked the very charming woman with a glossy lipsticked smile and looking perfect. Too perfect, Simone judged as she replied politely with the last of her waning powers of concentration."Don't take it personally but the press haven't always treated us kindly so we don't want to talk of personal matters. The four of us play in a group called Creation and we sing love songs for women plus anything we come up which will hopefully inspire people. We're artists, first and foremost."
"So who's the rest of the crowd," glared the woman, her plan neatly foiled.
"They're friends of ours. They like our music. Now if you don't mind, we want to get going," Annabelle replied politely without thinking about the consequences. Immediately, the thought flashed round the group of women that getting out wasn't as easy as all that. The massed ranks of the press weren't going to courteously stand aside but their hunger for the story they hadn't got was only whetted their appetite. They were gathered to the side of the airport exit, back against a brick wall and would have to force their way out this hole. Erin remembered the path they'd lightly trod from where they'd parked their car and ruefully realised that it was an awful long way away.
"The press interview is ended," Shirley called out in a louder voice."There isn't anything more that needs saying."
"You're not getting away as easily as you think. You need us for publicity,"
This angered Annabelle. Having lived around Simone so intimately for what seemed like a lifetime, she had learned to become more composed in her reactions and she'd intently watched the way Nikki and Helen interacted but there was an exception to everything. She started boiling over with the wonderful feeling that an explosion of anger was the right thing to do. She'd overheard a quick whispered conversation between Shirley and Miranda who had edged up together.
"Guess we're the toughest bitches around here. It's down to us to start the pushing," Shirley advised out of the corner of her mouth.
"Right sister," Miranda grinned knowing that there were some tough women to give backup.
"OK, let's cut the bullshit. We're going with our friends right now. Period," Annabelle shouted as her anger suddenly boiled over. All at once, the three women lunged forwards as the apex of a wedge which drove hard at the crowd of press, the others catching onto what was going on. To Colins and Jane, this was a frightening nightmare as the ugly faces swore and shouted at them but Colins was inspired by the desire to help out her old teacher and friend so they pushed and shoved as best as they could. A little voice at the back of Simone's mind realised that they had the advantage as they were united in heart and will while all the selfish men and women were scrabbling around for their own pictures and news stories. As she pushed and shoved with the others, she knew that somehow they'd win. Suddenly, a delerious feeling ran through the group of women as they pushed through the scrum and drove through into the car park. Diane pushed the luggage trolley and somehow avoided spilling the contents onto the tarmac.
"Keep going," screamed Simone, her hair flying round her face."Don't stop." Colins was running alongside Simone and couldn't help thinking that she'd never seen her old teacher like this but there was a lot she'd never known about her when they were both at St. Theresa's.
"Which way?" yelled Miranda as she'd been told that Erin and Diane would give them a lift and look after them.
"Over there to the right, fifty yards away. You can't miss our beat-up heap," a slightly out of breath Annabelle replied as Diane pushed the trolley without wearying. Erin knew why that was so as her slightly built partner was a drummer which gave her a lot of endurance and energy.
"Great as our car's next to it,"Vanessa said, speaking between great gulps of air, starting to .
Finally, the crowd of women arrived and Erin and Diane slung the cases into the trunk and somehow, the women crowded into the two vehicles and drove crazily around the car park to find the other vehicles, Jane and Colins opting to cadge a lift with Vanessa and Jenny. Leaving the thwarted press behind them, the victorious women got their way through the ticket barrier and away. As Simone and Annabelle sank into the back seat of their friend's car, they figured out that this was one hell of an arrival and Nikki and Helen would definitely have approved of them.