Bloom

"What else is there to talk about? Give the tenant the options and if they intend to leave, make arrangements to re-advertise. You know, manage the property like it's your job."

Silently angered, Annabelle took a deep breath and said, "I don't think the increase in rent is reasonable. It's an additional hundred dollars a fortnight..."

"Annabelle," Zara interrupted, smiling in the most condescending manner Annabelle had seen in a long time, and she'd seen more than a few condescending smiles. "We work for the landlords. They pay us to manage their properties and ensure the tenants pay. If the tenant won't or can't pay, we get a new tenant, simple as that."

Annabelle shook her head. "I inspected ten properties this morning and the tenant we are speaking of is a single mum who keeps her unit in better condition than all..."

Zara was shaking her head, no longer smiling. "Doesn't matter. If the landlord has asked us to increase the rent..."

"This is not ethical," Annabelle said, her heart beating noticeably now.

"Excuse me?" Zara was glaring at her with her wide green eyes. "You worked in this industry for fifteen years, right, and should know the business well."

On and off for twenty years, but still ten years more than you and I do know this business way too well, thank you very much.

Annabelle caught Olivia's eyes and the young woman pursed her lips and avoided further eye contact, moving to the water cooler at the other end of the reception space, taking a cup and drinking as if she was trying to get as far from the two older woman as possible. Further back, behind the reception desk, Reese left his office and walked towards them.

Annabelle inwardly groaned, watching Reese, handsome in his well-cut suit, looking like everything she'd come to despise. Except Reese would support his wife, no question about it, which on some level was admirable. But not for the right reasons, or at least, not on this occasion. He passed Olivia's desk and looked to both Annabelle and Zara, asking, "Everything under control here?"

Zara smirked. "I'm doing fine, just sealed the deal on the Rosea Street property."

"Did you get an extra hundred out of them?"

Still smirking, Zara said, "One-fifty."

"One-fifty grand!" Reese said, almost whispering. "I'm going to have to up my game."

"Damn straight," Zara laughed. "You didn't think I'd even get the hundred out of them."

"You're a true wonder." Then Reese looked to Annabelle, as if he'd only now remembered she was standing there. "Probably small fry compared to what you used to deal with in Sydney, right Annabelle?"

"Um, yes, sure."

"So what's the problem between you two then?" Reese asked, smiling at both while Zara frowned at Annabelle. "I heard words being said."

Before Annabelle could answer, Zara said, "Annabelle thinks one of her landlords is charging too much."

Reese pursed his lips for a moment, adjusting his tie, then addressed Annabelle. "Who is it?"

"The landlord?" Annabelle asked.

"Yeah, the landlord. I don't care who the tenant is."

"A man named Ling Zhang."

"Ah, yes," Reese answered, nodding. "We manage several of Ling's properties. You know what to do, find out the tenant's intention and if they don't want to pay and would rather break or not renew their lease, re-advertise."

"The landlord's increase in rent is unreasonable for the area where..."

"Don't care," Reese said, fixing her with his brown eyes. Zara was smirking again as Reese continued. "I know you're not new to this game, so you already know we work for landlords, not tenants..."

Annabelle didn't bother with the rest. She'd heard this all before, back when she'd begun working in real estate as a naïve nineteen year-old. Shit, she'd even spoken words to this effect to young trainees, making her cringe at her past conduct. Her heart racing, she closed her eyes and said, "This is bullshit, Reese."

Olivia, who'd returned to her desk and looked every bit like she was trying to be invisible, looked up with the eyes of someone watching a horrible but fascinating event take place, like a car crash. Reese and Zara both looked to each other, where the timing of their synchronised head-turning might have appeared comical if the situation wasn't so heated. Annabelle wondered if they were going to laugh, but they didn't, both looking back to her, and Reese said, "It's not bullshit, it's business."

~0~

Sitting at her desk, Annabelle sipped her third coffee for the day, looking at the photographs of Millie and Isaac; Millie in her fancy private school uniform, when she still wore her dark hair long, before she'd asked a hair-dresser for a number-1 buzz-cut at the sides and leaving it long enough on top to flop partly to the left, and Isaac with his shorter black locks in his photo, a far cry from his current long hair, not too dissimilar to Millie's in her photograph.

Back when Millie was in High School and Isaac in his last year of Primary School, she thought. Back in Sydney, back when their father was still around, in the process of ruining their family and business, losing everything, the bastard.

Shit, I have a meeting with Lynda Rutledge at four, how the fuck am I going to get out of here?

Fuck it, she thought, I'm going to leave anyway.

She'd complete her work without further breaks. Adding to the notes from the day's rental inspections wouldn't take long and there were two new advertisements to deal with, but all would be straight forward. She figured she'd complete her work for the day and slip out around half-past three.

But first she needed to check what rental listings were currently available, finding properties in the rental bracket Candice required were entirely unsuitable for a single mother. Next she made a call, the phone ringing three times before Louise's happy voice answered, "Hey, beautiful lady, what's up?"

"Hi, Lulu, I have a question and request."

"Anything for you, my lovely."

"Is your Granny-flat available for a short rental, or maybe a longer-term rental if it works out, and would you consider a single mum?"

"It's empty," Louise replied, "It's hard finding students with this damn pandemic going on. If your single mum is desperate, which I know she likely is since you're asking, I'd most definitely consider it."

Annabelle smiled at her friend's answer and spoke into the phone, "I'm not entirely sure if she's desperate. But I'll fill you in later and see if we require it. She most likely won't but then again, she might."

"Maybe you can tell me about it over a bottle of wine?"

"I will..."

"When you get a chance, I know." Louise's tone suggested she was miffed, and Annabelle knew her friend was frustrated with her, but also knew she understood how difficult it was for Annabelle to find time.

Annabelle closed her eyes and spoke gently into the phone. "You know I'd like to get out."

"I know you would," Louise replied. "By the way, we need to discuss our birthdays?"

Almost groaning at the thought of her fortieth, she said, "Thanks for reminding me, Lousy Lulu."

"We need to discuss it because otherwise I'm going to organise something for both of us and not tell you."

"Don't you dare!"

"Oh, I will, and you know it."

"We'll discuss it soon, please," Annabelle said. She wanted to talk more but her work wasn't going to do itself. "Anyhow, I have to go. I'll call in the next few days."

"Promise?"

"Promise. I have things to talk about but I really have to go."

"Thanks for leaving me hanging, but I know you're busy, so ciao, my dear."

Annabelle placed the phone on the desk and sighed. She'd already considered phoning the landlord and asking them to reduce the rent on Candice's unit, but they'd unlikely budge, and she was already in some kind of strife with Zara and Reese for daring to question them.

Typing in Candice's address, she plucked her phone number from the system and called, hearing the young woman's voice answer, "Hello?"

"Candice, it's Annabelle Thorne from Top Notch Realty."

"Oh, hello, Annabelle, how are you?"

"I'm well, thank you. I have a little bad news regarding the rental increase. I'm still working on my boss to see if we can speak with the landlord to reduce your rental increase, but I've been instructed to give you your options because it's highly unlikely the landlord will consider a lower rental increase. I'm truly very sorry, Candice."

She felt comfortable giving Candice the tiniest amount of false hope, telling her she was still working on her boss, because she also told her a positive outcome would be unlikely. She hoped her voice conveyed how genuinely sorry she felt, where there was silence down the line for a moment before Candice answered, "Okay...what am I supposed to do...like, I can't conjure up an extra hundred dollars a fortnight..."

"Your record shows you're a good tenant, Candice, and I sympathise with you. I've looked at our rental listings and..."

"This is unfair," Candice interrupted. "I'm trying to make it work and we've looked after this flat...now I'll have to uproot Lani again, and there's no way her father will support us with any more..."

"I understand," Annabelle sighed. "Like I was saying, I looked at rentals and didn't find any suitable ones in our system..."

"I looked too, not only with Top Notch, and the few I can afford appear to be one-bedroom flats. Lani and I need our own rooms."

"Yes, I know. There is one option if you would consider it."

"What option?"

"There is a lady with a two-bedroom granny-flat and who is known to take in people in desperate need."

Annabelle stopped talking, recalling her time of desperate need, an escape with the kids to Brisbane in the months after the Covid pandemic restrictions first eased, nowhere to go, fortunately her long-lost friend Louise heard about her plight and offered her the converted garage with two tiny bedrooms, the smallest bathroom imaginable, and kitchenette and living space like something from a motel.

Usually Louise rented the two rooms to students, but during the pandemic the international students dwindled in numbers and university switched many lectures to on-line, and consequently new students were choosing to continue living with their parents. Not great for Louise's search for new tenants, but serendipitous timing for Annabelle, Millie and Isaac. Maybe now Candice and Leilani would benefit too.

"Are you still there?" Candice asked.

"Yes, sorry," Annabelle said, shaking her head, "I was thinking. Look, I know this situation is not perfect and I'm very sorry about it. I'll give you Louise's number, she's a wonderful person. Have a chat because I think she can help you out. And if so, you'll be dealing directly with her as your landlord and not with a real estate agency."

"This isn't renting through Top Notch?"

"No, this has nothing to do with this agency." Annabelle sighed for what appeared to be the hundredth time, knowing how unprofessional it was to bad-mouth her employer, but fuck them. "Look, I don't agree with this rental increase and I don't think you've been given a fair deal. I'm a single mother and know it's not easy so I'm giving you this number as an option. If you choose not to call, that's fine, but if you're desperate, I can assure you Louise will be more than willing to help."

Candice was silent for some time before answering, "Thank you, Annabelle. I have a pen, what's the number?"

~0~

Walking through the office, Annabelle spotted Zara approaching from the tea-room, and she put on her best smile, but cringed inwardly, her heart quickening.

"Annabelle," Zara said, "Did you sort out the rental?"

"I'm waiting on a response from the tenant," she lied. "She still has a few weeks to get back to us."

"Good, good, stay on top of it. I know you've worked in real estate a long time and don't need me telling you these things."

"Sure," she said.

"Great, okay, well I guess I'll let you get on with it."

Annabelle weighed up whether to tell Zara about her leaving for the day, but decided to let sleeping dogs lie. Best make a break while Zara was smiling and thinking she was on top of things. After awkwardly side-stepping around one another in the corridor, where Annabelle and Zara appeared to move in the same direction like a little dance each time they tried to pass, Annabelle walked through reception, noting Olivia wasn't at her desk.

Without another thought she walked out to the carpark, her heals clacking loudly on the concrete. If she ran into anyone, she'd tell them she needed to run an errand or something, but the carpark was empty, except for the small fleet of company Volkswagen Polos for the property managers, including hers with the dried ibis poo staining the driver's door and window. And there was Zara's black BMW and Reese's Porsche SUVs, pretentious cars, however Annabelle sometimes missed her Audi she drove in Sydney.

There was laughter and something caught her eye, Reese standing by his Porsche, Olivia there too, both smoking, having a laugh, and Reese reached out and touched Olivia's arm. She appeared to smile back at Reese, and Annabelle knew this was not a friendly boss-employee cigarette, and she wished she'd not observed them.

Her mind was screaming, No, no, no! Annabelle looked away, walking quickly to the Polo, wishing she'd parked it as far from the Porsche and BMW as possible. Reese saw her, calling, "Annabelle, why all the frowns today? You really need to lighten up and smile more."

Are you fucking kidding me?

She stopped and turned, lips pursed, watching Reece for a second, seeing his stupid grin, Olivia backing away from him. She balanced her desire to tell him where to go versus having to look for a new job in the immediate future, and decided telling the truth might be the best course of action, minus a key detail or two. "I've been called to my son's school where there's an emergency, I need to go right now."

Reese scratched his ear and watched her for a moment, while Olivia looked away, appearing to be edging towards the office, then Reese said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I hope it's nothing...bad. Um, I guess you need to go."

"I do," she said, turning back to the car.

"I suppose you'll make the hours up then?"

Fine, if that's how it's going to be...shit head!

"Tomorrow, yes, of course."

Reese took a drag on his cigarette, then replied, "Okay, well, make sure you do."

"Thank you," Annabelle answered, whishing she'd not needed to do so, wishing she'd not felt so guilty. Wishing she could tell him to shove the job up his arse.

Annabelle walked to her car, while Reese called out, "Hey, Liv, you heading back in? Stay with me for a moment."

Not daring to look back, Annabelle's mind screamed, Don't do it!

To both of them, but mainly to Olivia who she considered was like herself at a similar age. She climbed in the car and drove towards the road, where a habitual glance in her rear view mirror as she braked before crossing the footpath caused her to observe what appeared to be a lingering look between Reece and Olivia across the carpark before he climbed into his Porsche and she walked into the office.

~0~

Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck. The traffic was shit, Reese was shit, Olivia was...foolish...naïve perhaps.

Annabelle didn't want to blame Olivia. Like, she was twenty, gorgeous, friendly and bubbly, but actually quite shy and sometimes painfully awkward. Reese, on the other hand, was handsome, charismatic, charming, confident, full of himself, and married to his business partner, Zara.

Olivia, why? Why do it to yourself? You could do so much better than chase a married man! Especially our douche of a boss.

Chase or be led by...

If only she could go back in time and give the same advice to her nineteen year-old self.

Would I have listened? Probably not...

Her phone rang and she ignored it. It beeped several text messages but she didn't want to know. If it was Reese or Zara or Olivia or someone else, it didn't matter right now. She needed to be a mother and speak with her son's principal.

It never lets up...

Dendrobuim State High School was large, with several long double story brick buildings, windows along the entire length, a large sports oval with Rugby posts sticking from the grass at each end, and a smaller oval with two cricket nets in the corner. The entire school was surrounded by a tall fence of steel pickets, each topped by a point, and which Annabelle knew from her time working around real estate was called a garrison fence. Its purpose was to keep people out of the school grounds, to protect the school, the students and staff, but it gave the imposing impression of a jail, imprisoning the school's occupants.

Parking out front, there were no students lingering and few staff about. Annabelle walked through the gate to the main office to sign in, as was the protocol when visiting school grounds. Even parents were required to sign in, where in recent times an increasing number of parents across the nation entered school grounds to abuse staff over real or perceived injustices against their child.

"Mum..."

She turned and there was Isaac, standing in his school uniform, hair long and black, a few pimples on his face, holding an ear-bud in his hand.

"Isaac," she said, somewhat unsure what to go on with. Part of her wanted to ask, What the fuck, Isaac? But not here, not in front of the school admin staff who might relay her choice of words to Lynda. Isaac looked to her, and she couldn't tell if his expression was defiance, confusion, remorse, or apathy. All Annabelle thought to say was, "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "I'm fine, Mum."

Are you really? She pursed her lips and shook her head. "I'll sign in and talk with Principal Rutledge."

Isaac nodded and sat down, re-inserting his earbud, looking down at his phone. Annabelle watched him for a moment, then turned to the two women behind the desk, informing them who she was and why she was there.

One of the women, with dark hair and huge blue eyes behind her spectacles smiled in greeting and said, "Please scan your Covid QR check in if you haven't already, and you can sign in electronically on the tablet at the end of the desk there. I'll inform Lynda you're here."

Annabelle did all the things and soon Lynda Rutledge approached down the hall. She'd met Lynda once, when they'd arrived back in the state, scoping Dendrobium State High School out. Lynda was maybe in her mid-to-late-forties and dressed smartly in a white blouse and grey slacks, smiling despite the circumstances.

"Annabelle," Lynda said, holding out her hand, "Thank you for finding time to come."

Taking Lynda's offered hand, Annabelle decided her son's Principal was making a genuine attempt to put her at ease, and she replied, "Thank you for being patient with me this morning. There was a bit going on..."

"Yes," Lynda said with a smile, then lowered her voice, "However, it wouldn't be the first time a parent has called me names."

Annabelle felt her face burning. "I do apologise for swearing, but I promise you my expletive was directed at a maniac driver who almost caused a major accident in front of me."

Lynda still smiled, but her lips briefly tightened where perhaps she was holding in laughter. "I could hear the horns and engines racing so don't worry, I quickly realised your situation."

"Still, I do apologise," Annabelle said. "Especially given the reason I'm here for."

"Yes, quite. We can discuss this in my office if you'll follow me."

"Certainly."

Annabelle followed Lynda through the door past the reception area, then into Lynda's office where a young woman with thick blond hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a light-blue top with flutter sleeves sat in one of the spare chairs. The woman looked up and stood, smiling, her eyes large and green, and Lynda introduced the two, saying, "Isobel McAvaney, Annabelle Thorne."