Times of Our Lives

by Jane Waterton

  As the hubbub died away, Pat cleared her throat, looking with affection at the faces of their many friends.

  “Firstly, Bella and I would like to welcome you all here tonight and thank you so much for coming. I know you are all curious as to the reason for tonight’s party, though knowing this group, most of you don’t need any excuse for a party.” Pat smiled as laughter bubbled through the room.

  “When Bella and I arrived at OWL’s Haven, eight years ago, we knew very few lesbians. We had spent much of our life together hidden away, living quietly and trying not to attract attention to ourselves. Coming here was the most wonderful experience for both of us. From being two of very few, we became two of many. We have made friendships that I hope will last us the rest of our lives and we have enjoyed so many wonderful times. When Bella became sick, there were so many people who offered support, not just for Bella, but also for me.” Looking down at her partner, she smiled. “I know Bella joins me in saying that without everyone here, we would not have been able to get through those horrible dark days…which brings me to the first reason for this celebration dinner.”

  Bella leant her head back slightly to rest it against Pat’s chest, her eyes shimmering with tears as she gazed around the room.

  “Dr Wilcox confirmed for us earlier this week that the final results of Bella’s tests have come through.” Taking a deep breath, Pat placed a gentle kiss on Bella’s head. “The tests came back negative. Bella is in the clear.”

  For a brief moment no-one moved, then suddenly the room erupted.

  “She made it,” Allie gasped, wiping her tears. “I knew she’d make it; she’s such a fighter.”

  Thrilled, she joined everyone else as they stood, clapping and cheering in celebration. Several made their way to the couple, congratulating them with hugs and kisses. Allie grabbed Meg, both of them laughing with sheer relief and joy.

  After a few moments, a beaming Pat called the room to order. “There is one more thing that we would like to share with you all. You would think that Bella having a clean bill of health would be enough to make me the happiest woman alive, but there is one more thing that has made me happier than I could ever imagine.”

  Pat grinned at the puzzled anticipation of her audience. Catching Daphne’s eye, she saw her answering smile of encouragement.

  “Bella has also agreed to be my wife, and we would like to take this opportunity to invite you all to our wedding.”

  Once again, the room erupted in cheers. Both women were again swamped with hugs and kisses.

  Daphne pulled Pat into a huge hug. “You finally did it,” she exclaimed joyfully. “It’s only taken you about forty years.”

  “Well, you know how it is,” Pat laughed. “I wouldn’t want to rush anything.”

  Allie took Bella’s hand. “I can’t tell you how delighted I am for you, for both of you.”

  Bella beamed, squeezing Allie’s hand tight. “I am so incredibly happy. How did I get so lucky?”

  Meg leant in to give Bella a kiss on the cheek. “You deserve every minute of happiness, but are you sure you want us old reprobates at the wedding? You know what some people are like when they have had a few drinks.” She winked at Allie.

  “You are not getting out of it that easily, Meg,” Pat said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “We are having a wedding, and you are coming.”

  “Have you set a date yet?” Sparrow asked.

  “Yes, the twenty-eighth of March.” Pat looked down at Bella, holding her gaze, as Bella continued, “It’s the anniversary of when we first met.”

  “Our first wedding at OWL’s Haven,” crowed Louise. “What a wonderful start to the year.”

  “Well, there isn’t much time. We need to start the wedding planning right away,” cautioned Allie.

  While the women around her discussed wedding details, Pat watched Bella surrounded by their friends. An overwhelming feeling of love and contentment flowed through her, taking her breath away. As if sensing her thoughts, Bella turned towards her and Pat could see the answering love radiating in her eyes. Whatever had gone before, Pat knew that their future was going to be wonderful.

  CHAPTER 34

  Meg and Allie sat at an outdoor table with Leslie and her friend Jenna, watching over the passing parade of visitors as they wandered through the grounds. The OWL’s Haven Ten Year Anniversary Party was off to a tremendous start and visitors were everywhere, stopping to admire the gardens or to greet one another in boisterous groups.

  “What a wonderful turnout,” Jenna gushed.

  Allie looked around. All possible vantage points were festooned with rainbow banners, balloons and streamers, and the sound of music from a string quartet floated across the gardens.

  “It is pretty spectacular, isn’t it?” Allie confirmed. “It seems to have been coming for such a long time and now it’s here, I have to confess, I am quite excited.”

  “Well, when you look around, you can see why it took so long to organise,” Meg said.

  Allie agreed. “They seem to have thought of everything. Entertainment, music, quiet spaces…”

  “…and thankfully, lots of places to sit,” interrupted Meg, leaning back in her chair.

  “So what’s the line-up for the day?” Leslie asked.

  Allie read from the elegant program in her hands. “Well it says here that there will be the formal welcome at twelve thirty, at one p.m. lunch will be served in the main marquee and at two thirty the choirs will start their performances.”

  “Well, at least they are serving drinks and snacks before lunch. If I had to wait until one p.m. before I could eat anything I might fade away,” Leslie grumbled.

  Meg watched Leslie pick at a plate piled high with a selection of delicious morsels, two glasses of champagne lined up alongside her plate.

  “In actual fact, they aren’t snacks, they’re canapés,” she corrected crisply. “And you aren’t supposed to eat them by the plateful. You are only meant to have a couple; they’re an appetiser, you heathen.”

  “My mother always used to call them finger food,” Jenna interjected, nibbling on a tiny quiche.

  Leslie guffawed. “They sure don’t taste anything like the finger food I am used to eating.”

  As Meg huffed and rolled her eyes, Allie shook her head. Meg rose to the bait every time.

  Spying Daphne and Sparrow, Allie called them over. “Where have you two been?” she asked as they arrived at the table.

  “We have just been to see the exhibition of the history of OWL’s Haven,” Sparrow said excitedly, taking a seat next to Allie. “It’s amazing. There are photos from the first time that Louise saw this place. You wouldn’t believe what it was like, just this huge neglected space surrounding the old house.”

  Accepting a glass of champagne from Meg, Daphne took a seat next to Sparrow. “They’ve kept it all,” she added. “There’s the original contract for purchase of the land, the architectural drawings and all the photos documenting almost every part of the building project, as well as newspaper articles and interviews. There’s even a short film clip of the first open day. It’s absolutely fascinating.”

  “There’s a lovely photo of all the residents taken a month after OWL’s opened,” Sparrow interjected. “They all look so incredibly happy.”

  “Well, it was quite something wasn’t it? It took them nearly five years from the start of the project until the doors opened. They had all kinds of setbacks; makes you wonder how they had the money to keep going,” Allie commented, getting caught up in their enthusiasm.

  Meg leant in to the group and confided quietly, “She won it.”

  A short silence followed. “What do you mean? Who won what?” Jenna asked.

  Intrigued, the women huddled closer towards Meg, not wanting to miss a word.

  “Louise,” she replied. “My sources tell me that she won twenty
million dollars in a New Year’s Eve Lottery.”

  “Holy hell, are you serious?” Leslie asked.

  Meg nodded. “Yes, and apparently this project had been her dream since she was a young woman. She and Caro had broken up several years earlier when Caro moved to New York for work. When Louise won the money, she rang her and asked her to come back home to help her create her dream. So, Caro came back, they rekindled their relationship, built OWL’s and here we are today.”

  Jenna sat back in her seat. “Oh, what a beautiful story. I’ve often wondered how long those two have been together.”

  “Well, they met some serious challenges,” Meg continued. “Apparently they fought the local council for nearly a year because one of the councillors was a total homophobe. He was all in favour of the village going ahead until it was explained to him that OWL’s stood for Older Wiser Lesbians.” Meg smirked as she related the story. “He nearly had a fit of apoplexy. The thought of having a complex with over one hundred lesbians in it was apparently more than he could cope with and the council put every blockade in the way. It apparently cost Louise a fortune in legal fees. What was worse, though, was the number of our community who declined to help them get OWL’s started.”

  Sparrow frowned. “Why? Surely they could see how viable it was.”

  Meg shrugged. “Apparently not. I think it was jealousy. You know, there are still members of our community out there waiting for it to fail.” Shaking her head, she took a sip of champagne. “Still, despite all the setbacks, they eventually got the support they needed and together they got it up and running. Even with all that money, it had to have been a huge amount of work.”

  “Well, I’ll tell you what, they were both pretty stunning fifteen years ago. There is a photo of Caro in jeans and work boots on the site that caused me to take a second look,” Daphne said with a twinkle in her eye.

  Sparrow eyed her lover speculatively and raised her eyebrow. “Is that right, dear?”

  The women laughed as Daphne blushed. “Well, I mean…it was just…”

  Chuckling quietly, Sparrow kissed her. “You are so easy to tease,” she murmured.

  “Oooohhh,” exclaimed Meg, sitting up quickly to look across the lawn. “Isn’t that Amy Tang?”

  As a senior government member and out lesbian, Amy’s unwavering support had been paramount in the passing of the recent Same Sex Marriage Bill. Her partner and daughter joined her where she sat talking to a group of OWL’s residents.

  “Oh, and there’s Annabelle Winchester and her husband Jonathon,” Leslie said, pointing out a well-known actress.

  Meg snorted. “Husband, phooey. Beard is a more appropriate title.”

  The women all turned to look questioningly at Meg, who sat calmly drinking her champagne.

  Jenna glanced from Meg to the actress and back again. “What are you saying?” she asked incredulously.

  Meg just raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Well, all I’m saying is that anyone who was as much into women as she was when I knew her in the eighties couldn’t possibly be straight. She was always closeted, so I expect she still is. Besides, it’s common knowledge that Jonathon is as queer as we are.”

  The women watched Annabelle sign autographs for several guests. Turning to smile at the audience that had gathered around her, she caught sight of Meg, who gave her a small wave. Looking puzzled, Annabelle started to wave back. The women watched, fascinated, as a look of shock slowly crossed her face. Making sudden apologies to her fans, she grabbed a confused Jonathon and marched rapidly away from their table towards the main marquee.

  Meg laughed. “Poor Annabelle. Obviously nothing has changed.”

  “But if she is that deep in the closet, why the hell would she come here today?” Sparrow asked.

  Meg shrugged. “Probably because she is incredibly lonely and wants to be around other lesbians. She just can’t admit it.”

  Jenna refilled their glasses from one of the bottles of champagne that Leslie had managed to pilfer from the refreshment marquee. “That’s so sad. I mean it’s not as if anyone would care. There are lots of actresses coming out. If Magda can do it, anyone can.”

  “Well, I guess she was from a different era. Most of her fans are in their seventies now. Maybe they wouldn’t be so open minded.”

  As a sound check interrupted their conversation, the women looked across at the stage. Louise, Caro and several others were talking to a young man with a video camera near the microphones.

  “Hello, I think the formalities might be about to start,” Meg announced.

  Sure enough, the small group, led by Caro, stepped up to the podium. Tapping the microphone, Louise waited until she had everyone’s attention.

  “Minister, Chair of the Board, board members, residents, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to welcome all of you here today for the tenth anniversary of the opening of OWL’s Haven. I am not going to make a long speech, but I would like to acknowledge the enormous support of the board of directors. Without their belief in me and the continued support of all of our friends and benefactors, OWL’s Haven would still only be the dream I had as a young woman.”

  Louise looked carefully at the women seated at the scattered tables around the front of the stage.

  “To our amazing residents, I say thank you. Thank you for making OWL’s Haven the place it is today. Without you, it would just be bricks and mortar and not the vibrant, wonderful community that we all love.” As the loud cheering erupted, Louise smiled, waiting for the hubbub to quiet.

  “We are all incredibly lucky to be supported by the best staff I could ever wish for. The assistance you give to me and the residents, the dedication, love and commitment you bring to your work, is valued far more than you will ever know.”

  Louise paused and turned to Caro. Reaching for her hand, she brought Caro to her side. “Finally, to my incredible partner Caro. Without your belief in OWL’s Haven, this would never have been a possibility. You support me, love me, nurture me and share the dream with me. I count my blessings each day you are by my side.”

  As the crowd cheered loudly, both women appeared overcome with emotion. Looking out over the sea of faces, Louise paused to collect herself.

  “My vision for the future is for OWL’s Haven to be one of many lesbian retirement villages in this country. Before another ten years have passed, I want to see what we have achieved here replicated for our older community members in all states. We need to ensure that the private care industry caters to the whole of our LGBT community, so that there is a welcoming home for all of us and so that no couple ever needs to be separated, especially at a time when they need each other the most.”

  Renewed cheering greeted this statement, with many women standing in ovation. Graciously acknowledging the response, Louise laughed.

  “And now, I’m told that lunch is being served in the main marquee. Again, thank you so much for coming and for your continued support. Enjoy the rest of the day.”

  The crowd clapped and cheered as Louise and Caro stepped down from the stage and were immediately surrounded by friends and well-wishers.

  Jenna sighed. “What a beautiful speech. She’s an amazing woman, isn’t she? Even if she did have all that money, starting OWL’s was still an enormous risk.”

  Leslie finished her glass of champagne. “Well, I for one am delighted she did, because heaven knows where I would be now if this place wasn’t here.”

  “Or any of us, for that matter,” Daphne added, putting her arm around Sparrow.

  “Well here’s a table of miscreants, if ever I saw one,” Louise announced with a smile as she walked up. “Do you mind if I sit with you for a moment?”

  Meg moved her chair over to give Louise more room. “We were just saying what a great speech you gave.”

  Louise smiled. “The public relations company wanted a big song and dance with speeches from
the mayor and all and sundry, but I put my foot down and said no. The chair of the board agreed that I’d be the only one to speak. We wanted to keep it as informal as possible.”

  Jenna hesitated. “Louise, you don’t have to answer if you think this is too personal a question, but I’m curious. What triggered the dream that you referred to in your speech?”

  Louise filled her glass, taking in the expectant faces of the women around the table. “It’s not personal at all, I’m happy to tell you. I was working in a nursing home back in the late eighties. The patients were quite elderly and most had some sort of minor health issue. I had just arrived back at work from my holidays and had been assigned a new patient called Mary, who had recently been admitted by her family after a bad fall. I went in to introduce myself to her and she refused to acknowledge me. Over the weeks, no matter what we did, she wouldn’t talk to anyone and refused to take part in any of the activities. She just sat, staring out of the window.

  “One night I was working late, and as I passed her door, I thought I heard her crying. When I went in, she was visibly upset and clutching a photograph of a woman around about her own age. I sat on her bed and just held her while she cried. She eventually told me that the woman in the photo was her lover of over thirty years. They had been separated when Mary’s family had forcibly admitted her to the nursing home. She had no idea where her lover was. She only knew that her brother’s family had evicted her from the home that the two of them had shared for all that time. She was terribly distressed. The laws were different in those days and unfortunately, with Mary in care, her partner had no protection from her family members. I was so incredibly angry that these two women had been treated so badly that I promised I would do what I could to help.”

  “What a bloody despicable family. Were you able to do anything for her?” Leslie asked.

  Louise smiled. “Well, not as much as I would have liked. However, my manager was also gay, so I took the problem to her. In the end, we found Sarah, Mary’s partner, and managed to get them both admitted to the local retirement home. It wasn’t the perfect solution, but it was the best we could manage. At least they were together, even if it meant keeping their love a secret. It was then that I decided that if I ever had the money, I would open a lesbian retirement village, so other women wouldn’t have to go through that agony. I just wish OWL’s was bigger. I hate having to turn women away.”