"Good evening", Julia swallowed as Liam's glare became more intense.
          "Don't even try to be nice," Liam hissed. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
          Julia thought for a moment and then remembered her actions of that particular morning. It wasn't that she'd forgotten, she couldn't forget. She'd just forgotten Liam had been involved. "Shit! Liam I'm sorry," she gasped.
          "Like hell you are," Liam snapped staring past her and into the house. "I can't believe you destroyed all of that work, the work I did because you were hungover. I mean did you even stop to think how it'd effect me? Do you even care? By all means quit your job, I couldn't give a fuck, but how dare you screw things up for me. DeLerenzo went apeshit and we lost the client. So thankyou very fucking much."
          Julia's lip quivered and she burst into tears. She was having a bad day and Liam's tirade had just sent her over the edge. He looked slightly uncomfortable and stood awkwardly a moment, before he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. She buried her face into his t-shirt, enjoying the sweet smell of his aftershave as she let it all out.
          "I didn't mean to make you cry," Liam blustered. "I'm sorry."
          Julia lifted her head; her arms still wrapped around his waist. "It’s not you," she sniffed. "Well it kinda is. I'm having a really shit day."
          "Funnily enough so am I," Liam muttered to no one in particular.
          "No, you don't understand. DeLerenzo, I'm sick of him using me to cover up bloody Megan's mistakes and I got so angry I quit my job. I never intended to do that, it was just heat of the moment and now I've got no job and that means I've got no money and I'm going to have to sell my house and give my pets to a pet food company just to pay off my mortgage. I can't ask Kirsty because she's so happy and perky in her love nest with Ross and won't even spend half a second with me so we can talk and I'm feeling abandoned and alone," Julia babbled. "And Penny, she's all caught up her love nest with Chris and I've got no one. It’s even worse now because the one person, the person I thought I might have a chance with hates me because I've fucked up his career and if you haven't guessed that one person is you."
          Liam let go of Julia and looked slightly startled. "Me?"
          "Shit, was hoping I didn't say that bit."

          Penny sat on a banana lounge in only her undies and one of Chris's t-shirts as Bear snuffled around the garden, returning every so often to affirm her affection and then darting off again into the trees.
          "You're so mental," Penny mused as Bear reappeared and dropped his head in her lap. She ruffled the fur on his head and he drooled down the inside of her leg. "Thanks buddy."
          "There you are," Chris announced as he reappeared, a plastic bag in one hand, bottle of wine in the other and a cheesecake box under his arm. "I thought you'd up and left me until I saw your bra was still hanging from the dresser."
          "Oh, that's where it is," Penny mused as he dropped next to her on the banana lounge. She grabbed the wine and glasses that were entwined in his fingers.
          "You like cheesecake right?"
          "Yes, although last time I ate cheesecake it was in a rather drunken, foolish moment and off the stomach of someone who's name I never knew."
          "You party animal you," Chris mused as he handed Penny the silver packet containing her dinner. "Last time I bought a cheesecake I left it unguarded for a few seconds and Bear ate the lot."
          "Well he's not getting this one," Penny said adamantly as Bear looked at her with pleading eyes.
          "Don't suppose you had a sudden brainwave about how we should tackle the destruction of Fergus's car?" Chris asked, taking a mouthful of noodles.
          "We could just confess," Penny shrugged, Chris raised an eyebrow. "No, you’re right, our lives are worth a bit more than that."
          "We could blame it all on Marty?"
          "That's horrible," Penny gasped. "Marty is lovely when he's not giggling at the phallic nature of the rockets."
          "Perhaps we should let it go. Unless Fergus asks, in which case we'll deny it fervently and go into witness protection."
          "I like that idea," Penny nodded with a small smile. "Chris?"
          "Yes Pen."
          "This takeaway tastes like shit."
          "I didn't know you were au fait with the tastes of excrement," Chris teased, Penny raised an eyebrow. "Although, you are right."
          "Shall we just skip to dessert?" Penny proposed.
          "Can I lick it off your stomach?" Chris asked and reached behind him to grab the cheesecake. "Well, if I could find it?"
          "Oh no," Penny groaned.
          "BEAR!" Chris snapped as he looked down to see his faithful companion half way through the large strawberry cheesecake.
          "I'll pour us some wine," Penny sighed.

          "That looks intellectual," Kirsty remarked as she reappeared from the bathroom. Ross was still sprawled on the couch watching television.
          "Hey, home renovation is a fascinating subject," Ross countered.
          "Yes, but probably not as much as the stunning female host in her tiny little work shorts."
          "I'll refute that. I am not that shallow," Ross huffed. "So far I've learned about tiling and how to make your grouting level. I've discovered how to make a tatty old chair into a wonderful centerpiece and you wouldn't believe what I can now do with a sponge and gold paint."
          "You're so full of shit," Kirsty sighed. "I heard you say 'yeah, bend over and fix those flowers, lovely,' you haven't learnt a damned thing."
          "Yes I have, she's wearing a g-string," Ross grinned.
          Kirsty tried to fight a smile but couldn't. "Isn't there anything else on?" she asked as he moved his legs to let her sit down and then put them across her lap. "Gee, want me to fetch you a beer as well?"
          "Well if you're offering," Ross nodded, Kirsty narrowed her eyes and he moved his legs. "I was kidding, I value you more than that."
          "Right, so is there anything else on?" Kirsty asked trying to find the TV guide.
          "Not really," Ross shrugged. "A Julia Roberts movie and she really does nothing for me. A documentary on how the church is struggling with the hidden truths in the Bible. So there's no way in hell I'm watching that. There's a French movie about old people finding love, and that's just disgusting and would force my penis to shrivel up and fall off, or some shitty Johnny Depp movie where I'm sure he takes his shirt off."
          "I see nothing wrong with Johnny Depp taking his shirt off," Kirsty proclaimed.
          "Well I do. So it’s house renovations woman," Ross countered.
          "We could turn it off and talk," Kirsty suggested.
          "Why? What's wrong?"
          "Nothing I just thought, you know," Kirsty muttered. "We do hardly know each other."
          "My name is Ross Anderson, I'm 30, my birthday is May 24th, I'm a Gemini. I have no favorite colour as that changes depending on my mood. I like chicken curries, chocolate and Cornflakes and dislike oven fries, brussel sprouts and Cherry Ripes. I have parents, brothers and sisters. I used to have a dog, called Princess. I went to Catholic Schools and was once a choirboy. I did arts and university and majored in philosophy. I don't like children, racists and drinking on an empty stomach. I love comedy, drinking myself into a stupor and you. I watch a lot of television but only seem to remember the adverts and Spiderman. If I was an animal I'd be a budgie and my least favorite insect is the cockroach. I lost my virginity at sixteen and my ex-wife's name is Sasha."
          "Ex-wife?" Kirsty gasped.
          "Don’t ask," Ross sighed. "So, you know me now can I go back to watching house renovations woman?"
          "Sure," Kirsty said blankly.

          "I don't hate you," Liam said bewildered. "I mean, I'm angry about what you did but I don't hate you."
          "Oh," Julia mumbled.
          "And I never knew you felt the way you did about…" Liam looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, about me."
          "I kinda thought it was blatantly obvious."
          "It probably was, but I've been so desperate to make an impression on DeLerenzo…" Liam was becoming flustered. "I mean, you have no idea how hard it is for me to get a job, let alone a decent one. Sure, DeLerenzo practically ignores me as it is and you know the second anything goes wrong I'll get the blame…"
          "Why?" Julia asked blankly.
          Liam looked at her like she was mad. "Because I'm Aboriginal."
          "And?"
          "Have you been living in a cave since white settlement?"
          "I didn't come here as a pioneer woman."
          "You know that's not what I meant."
          "Who cares, if he treats you like that you take him to the equal opportunity commission."
          "Don’t you care? Doesn’t it bother you?"
          "Not really," Julia mused, "you’re just Liam to me. Liam with the great arse."
          "You wouldn't be ashamed to have me hanging off your arm?"
          "God no, I'd be more concerned about you being ashamed to have the spectacled fat chick."
          "You're not fat, you've got great tits." Julia looked at him a bit shocked. "One of those 'did I just say that aloud' moments."
          "This is insane," Julia giggled.
          "I agree," Liam added as he dug his hands into his pockets. They stayed quiet for a few moments until they both looked up and caught each other's gaze. "Well, I should probably go."
          "You don't have to," Julia said softly.
          "Yeah, I do I have a report to re-type," Liam sighed.
          "Maybe not," Julia said with a coy smile and disappeared into the living room. She reappeared a few seconds later with a disk. "Be grateful I back everything up," she said, handing him the disk.
          "Trust me I am," Liam smiled and leaned forward, he brushed his lips against her cheek. "I'll let you know how it goes."
          "You do that," Julia nodded as she closed the door after Liam left. She turned back toward the living room as TimTam padded over. She picked him up and gave him a kiss. "Yes, yes, yes, yes," Julia giggled as TimTam looked at her slightly horrified.

          "Mmm Chris," Penny groaned as she felt hot breath on her neck, followed by a warm tongue on her face.
          "Guess again," Chris mused as he grabbed a clean shirt from his closet.
          "Bear," Penny grumbled, pushing the large dog away and trying to wipe the drool from her face.
          "You should get up, we have to get to work soon," Chris announced as he pulled his shirt on.
          "Yeah, yeah," Penny sighed, pushing back the covers and dragging herself to her feet. She grabbed her scattered clothes and headed for the bathroom as the phone rang in the kitchen. Chris, who was yet to find his pants, hurried from the room into the kitchen and grabbed the white, cordless phone from the breakfast bar.
          "Hello."
          "Good morning Chris darling."
          "Oh, hi Mum," Chris sighed, rolling his eyes.
          "How are you?"
          "Fine? Is Dad ok?"
          "Of course your father is ok? Why wouldn't he be?"
          "No reason," Chris shrugged as he started searching the kitchen for breakfast. "So, is there a reason for this call or did you just want to talk?"
          "Are you busy after work?"
          "I'm not sure, I haven't talked things over with Pen yet."
          "Pen? Oh, her," Angela muttered. "I thought you might have her out of your system by now."
          "You would," Chris mused as he saw Penny emerge from the bathroom and leant across the breakfast bar to get a better look. "Anyway, if I am free, what did you want me to do?"
          "Mrs. Simpson's having trouble with her washing machine."
          "Right."
          "Young Catherine will be there."
          "And her Vietnamese fiancé?"
          "He's Singaporean," Angela scowled.
          "Right, well if I have the energy and can drag myself away from my beautiful lover, I'll think about it."
          "Christopher it’s not often I ask you too…" Chris rolled his eyes again and placed the phone back on the breakfast bar. He went to the nearest cupboard and grabbed a bowl which he filled with Cornflakes and then grabbed the milk and added that. All the time he could here is mother's lecture and by the time he's grabbed a spoon and picked up the phone again she was finished. "…You can be so ungrateful." "You're exactly right, I'll call you when I get in," Chris agreed and then hung up. Penny reappeared looking amused.
          "Who on earth was calling at this hour?"
          "Mother," Chris sighed before taking a mouthful of Cornflakes. "Wants me to fix Mrs. Simpson's washing machine. This being the Mrs. Simpson with the lovely daughter Catherine."
          "Isn't she marrying a Vietnamese guy?"
          "He's Singaporean," Chris cheekily corrected with a smile. "Making coffee?"
          "After being molested by your dog?"
          "He's apologetic, look at him," Chris cooed as they both looked at Bear who fell to the ground, made big doe eyes and whimpered.
          "Oh please!" Penny sighed and filled and kettle, she caught Chris out of the corner of her eye giving Bear the thumbs up. "You have an unnatural relationship with your dog."
          "It’s not unnatural," Chris huffed. "Do you think he's looking peaky? I don't think I'm spending enough time with him. Maybe his diet's wrong, I'll pop to the butcher after work and buy him some real beef mince." Penny crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "There's nothing wrong with good pet care you know!"

          "So, you excited about your first day of work?" Ross asked as he and Kirsty pounded the pavement on their way to the train station.
          "Of course I am," Kirsty perked. "Apart from having to get up early and having to get up early after being too freaked out to sleep."
          "I didn't know you couldn't sleep. You should have woken me."
          "Nah, you looked so cute," Kirsty smiled. "But did you know that you break wind in your sleep every 25 minutes?"
          "See, now that's just disturbing," Ross frowned as he led the way through the barriers to the platform for the city bound train.
          "And you were dreaming about something rude," Kirsty continued.
          "And how do you know that?" Ross countered.
          "You were grinning in your sleep."
          "I don't remember."
          "Well of course you wouldn't, you were asleep."
          "The dream."
          "Oh right, course," Kirsty nodded, she was shoved out the way by a tall businessman as the train pulled into the station. "Prick," she grumbled. The train was fairly full, with half-asleep workers and a few hyperactive students. Kirsty and Ross found a seat near the back, dumping their bags on the seats opposite.
          "I like you in that skirt," Ross mused sliding a hand onto Kirsty's thigh.
          "Thanks, but it’s not for you," Kirsty breathed, catching his eye and removing his hand.
          "Fine, I just hope Truman appreciates it," Ross huffed as the train stopped at a station and a pile of students raced on. Kirsty and Ross grabbed their bags and two 14 year old girls sat across from them almost instantly. One girl started texting on her phone immediately. While the other began to squeal a conversation to her friend who was standing about some soap star she was deeply in love with.
          "I hate students," Ross breathed as he rested his head on Kirsty's shoulder. "Especially teenage one with mobile phones." The girl with the phone looked at him slightly aghast.
          "Fuck you," she spat.
          Ross lifted his head. "Excuse me? Do you even know the full connotations of that particular phrase? Does your mother know you use such language? You could be ritually thrashed in some countries for saying such a thing to one of your elders. I can tell by the uniform you go to a Catholic school, I'll report you to the nuns and then you'll be screwed. You won't be going to heaven, they'll have you condemned and sent straight to hell young lady."
          "You're insane," the girl gasped.
          "Only when you find me standing outside your bedroom window with a Bowie knife," Ross sneered. The train pulled into its next stop and the girls quickly departed. "Thank Christ for that."
          "You do realise you've probably traumatized that girl now," Kirsty declared. "She'll report you to the nuns as some weird guy who threatened her on the train and then when you become hugely famous she'll sell her story to a trashy woman's magazine."
          "You think I'll be hugely famous?"
          "Men really do have selective hearing don't they?"
          "I'll take you to all the exclusive parties I'm invited to when I hugely famous."
          "Are you even listening to me?"
          "We'll have to get you a little black dress though."
          "Ross."
          "And some really sexy underwear, if you wear it that is."
          "Ross."
          "And stilettos, like those chicks wear in Sex and the City."
          "Are you quite done?" Kirsty asked.
          "Just the thought is giving me a semi on."
          Kirsty dropped her head onto Ross shoulder and let out a heavy sigh.
          "You still tired babe?" Ross asked. "Nevermind, we'll have an early night tonight."
          "Just so you know hon, we're never having sex again," Kirsty breathed.
          "It's always my needs that suffer," Ross huffed. "I'd never be so blatantly self-absorbed toward you."

          Julia felt the grating of a small tongue against her cheek and woke to find TimTam almost wrapped around her throat.
          "Good morning," she yawned and managed to maneuver around the cat to see her alarm clock, it was only 7:30am and she'd been hoping to sleep in. TimTam refused to give up his relentless licking and Julia decided she might as well get up. She padded into the kitchen and fed TimTam and Kirsty's cat Perry who seemed to be slowly slipping into a deep depression because his owner was too busy getting laid to scratch his stomach. Julia left the cats to wolf down their breakfast and headed into the living room where she put on some morning television. She nodded off during a discussion about floor cleaner and woke several hours later to some god awful American sitcom. Julia's entire body creaked as she pulled herself from the couch, TimTam had passed out in the hallway, wrapped in her best jumper and Perry appeared to be trying to drown himself in the kitchen sink (or he could have just been getting a drink). Julia noticed the light flashing on the answering machine and rewound the tape as she hunted out something to heat. The tape clicked on as she started opening a tin of spaghetti.

          "Hi you've reached Jools and Kirsty, we're not home at the moment or more likely asleep. So please leave a message after the beep….beeeeeep…Julia, it’s your mother. We're having a roast for dinner, why don't you come. I'll be serving at six….beeeeeep…Jools it’s Lyn, are you going to Mum's tonight? Can you go and look after the kids for me, I want to go out with Luke….beeeeep….Er this isn't dial a pizza is it? Shit….beeeeeep….Jools, it’s Liam. I showed DeLerenzo the report and he loved it. Then I called the client and he was more than happy to do business with us again. Isn't that brilliant? We're going for a celebratory lunch, you're welcome to come, actually I'd really like it if you were there…beeeeep…Jools, Lyn again, could you looks after the kids tomorrow as well? Thanks….beeeeep….Hey you slack arsed dole bludger! I've got a gig tonight are you coming? Of course you are, you have no choice. Kirsty's about to thump me for using her phone, ouch…all right crazy woman have it back….beeeeeep"

          "Hmm dinner with mum and Lyn's brats," Julia pondered. "Or lunch with Liam and watching Ross make a dick out of himself?" She left the opened tin of spaghetti on the breakfast bar and headed toward the bathroom. "He'd really like it if I was there," she mused, padding past TimTam who darted off into a bedroom.