The Long Way Home

by Phillip Overton

  Chapter 28

  Doug hurried towards Orchid Avenue, it was getting close to four o’clock. He had been run off his feet all day finalising a contract on a house for one of his clients, running back and forth with ridiculous offers way below what the other party was asking for until finally they had shocked even him by accepting one.

  He rounded the corner into Orchid Avenue and immediately saw the black and white striped awning of ‘Belize Café & Restaurant’ and shook his head. He was lucky Richard’s description of the place was right on the money, because the name wasn’t quite close to the ‘Bellasiro’s’ he had scrawled on his office pad this morning. Doug held the plastic shopping bag he carried tightly in his hand as he crossed the street. Richard had said small and inconspicuous and that’s exactly what he was about to get, Doug smiled to himself as he looked down at the new shoes he was wearing. He had bought them yesterday afternoon on the way to the bank, and now inside the tan and blue plastic bag adorned with the word River’s was a shoe box containing $10,000.

  Rain was falling lightly as it had done most of the day. The streets of Surfers Paradise seemed quieter than normal for a Thursday afternoon. The swooshing sound of cars passing by on the wet roads seemed to carry in the still air. All the outside dining tables were naturally empty Doug noticed as he passed through the huge open doorway underneath the black and white striped awning and disappeared inside.

  Inside it was quiet, only a dozen or so diners sat scattered through the café. Doug made his way over to a table by the wall and took a seat. Within seconds a waitress was standing over him with a pencil and notebook in hand.

  “Hi, our dinner menu doesn’t actually start until 5pm so is there anything I can get you from our cakes and light refreshments section?” She asked politely.

  “Not just at the moment thanks.” Doug replied. “I’m actually waiting to meet someone.”

  “That’s alright,” she smiled warmly. “I’ll come back when they arrive then shall I?”

  “Yes that’d be great if you don’t mind.” He answered before he settled back into the silence. He listened to the quiet chatter of the other diners, the passing parade of cars outside and the occasional hiss of the espresso machine. When he checked his watch again it was only five past four.

  Doug started to think of the strange week he’d had. The last couple of days had been so busy at the office that they had come as a welcome distraction to this whole ordeal. For all the doubts he had entertained in his mind there was no turning back now, and then there was Peter. He still didn’t know what to make out of last Thursday, the whole episode held a surreal feeling for him. A part of him wanted to believe he was actually an Angel, and then the rest of his thoughts swamped him.

  Sally had thought he had a drinking problem and was probably off somewhere praying for God to save his soul. Even the bartender and that rude manager had thought he was drunk too, but what he had said about Richard didn’t make any sense.

  ‘Don’t be surprised when Richard doesn’t show up at the coffee lounge next Thursday.’ He could still hear the words replaying in his head. Why on earth would Richard not show up now? The deal was as good as done. Anyway he looked at it, it just didn’t add up. Doug had worked with Richard in some capacity since 1981 and knew him well enough to know that he was reliable. No, Richard would show up, and when he did, he could put this whole ordeal behind him and everything would feel like it was back to normal again.

  “Are you sure I can’t get you anything?” The cheerful waitress asked again, returning his mind from afar.

  “No, just waiting for my friend to arrive before I order.” Doug replied as he glanced down at his watch. It was now half past four. “He just seems to be running a little late.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” The waitress tried to comfort him. “I’ll come back in a few minutes.”

  Doug was floored. Richard and the other investors were going to meet with Councilor Green tonight for dinner. It was unlike Richard to run late, maybe there had been a change of plans? Perhaps he didn’t need to collect the money from him today, maybe Richard had covered for him again and would just get the money off him next time they saw each other. If that was the case however, why hadn’t he phoned? Why leave him to drive all the way up from Coolangatta to Surfers Paradise for nothing? The words replayed in Doug’s mind again, ‘Don’t be surprised when Richard doesn’t show up at the coffee lounge next Thursday.’

  “Oh man.” Doug muttered to himself. The thought had just hit him, what if he had gone to the wrong place? Getting up from his seat he ambled over to the door, and trying not to draw attention to himself peered outside. Looking up and down the street he couldn’t see any other building with a black and white striped awning. Satisfied, he casually returned to the table and slumped back into his seat.

  “Excuse me sir?” The same waitress appeared beside him again.

  “Yeah sorry, look can I just order a cappuccino while I’m waiting.” Doug apologised, realising it was now the third time she had tried to take his order.

  “Oh, that’s okay, I was just going to ask if you’re Doug Small? I’ve got a telephone call over by the register from a Richard….” She paused. “I didn’t get his last name but I guess it’s your friend you’ve been waiting for.”

  “Oh,” he froze for a moment. “Yeah that’s me.”

  “I’m sorry sweetie.” She gently touched his arm. “But I don’t think your friend is coming. I’ll get that cappuccino for you while you take the call.”

  Doug stood to his feet puzzled, and watched as she walked away from the table. ‘Why does she think I am, gay?’ He asked himself, feeling uncomfortable to even look at the waitress as he made his way over to the register and reached for the telephone that lay waiting on its side on top of the black granite counter.

  “Hello?” He asked, glancing awkwardly at the waitress that was still watching him while she made his coffee.

  “Doug, boy am I glad I caught you.” It was Richard’s voice on the other end of the line. “I was hoping you hadn’t left yet it.”

  “Richard, it’s after half past four. I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

  “No it just took me that long to find the name of the café in the phone book, now listen up carefully Doug.” He said above the background street noise that carried down the line. “Something pretty bad has just happened.”

  “Are you okay?” Doug’s raised his voice with concern. Over by the espresso machine the waitress just looked up and smiled to herself. “Are you calling from a payphone? I can hear traffic. You haven’t had a car accident have you?”

  “Doug, listen carefully. If there’s anyone around be careful what you say. Don’t repeat a word of this to anyone, do you hear me?”

  “Yeah okay, what is it?” Doug asked nervously.

  “Green’s been stood down from council over bribery allegations, police raided his office this morning and then mine earlier this afternoon.”

  “What?” Doug demanded, his raised voice attracting the attention of nearby diners.

  “Calm down Doug, you don’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to yourself. Look, I’m in enough trouble already, they’ve seized all my books, they’ve copied all my data base files from the company computers, obtained my phone records, client lists, bank account history, and suspended my company from trading until further notice.”

  “Crikey Richard, this isn’t good.” Doug whispered, conscious now that he had to remain controlled while his mind already raced ahead trying to think of a way out of this mess. “They can’t prove that you are connected in anyway can they?”

  “It’s too late for that mate. Green’s already spilled the beans on the whole deal. The cops have got the names of everyone involved in the development and they even found the briefcase full of money I had in my office safe, just as Green told them he was going to collect from me tonight. The mongrel has taken everyone down with him.”

  “Oh great, wh
at should I do Richard?”

  “Don’t do anything, as far as the police know you aren’t connected, your name wasn’t on any of the documents linked to the proposed development. That’s why I’m calling you from a payphone so they can’t trace this call. You’re lucky that Green forgot to even mention you. The table at the restaurant where he said the meeting would take place was only booked for six. From what I can gather, the coppers got everyone they were looking for, even though the investors will probably weasel their way out of any charges and leave me to take the fall. I’m sorry I got you caught up in all of this mate, but if the cops do start asking you questions only tell them that I had approached you to list the estate exclusively once construction was underway and that we had yet to work out an agreement. Nothing more, do you understand?”

  “Sure Richard, but what about you?”

  “In the meantime no calls, don’t even try to get in contact with me. I’ve covered for you the whole way through, so you’re not even going to be out of pocket if you’re smart. Except for that $10,000 you have on you now. Get rid of it. Buy something for your wife. Give it away for all I care. Just don’t be stupid enough to put it all back in your bank account or hide it in your office. I was only trying to include you as a friend Doug. Once again mate I’m sorry. I’ll get in touch again when this whole thing blows over, bye.” With that the phone hung up on the other end.

  “Yeah, thanks for calling.” Doug said numbly as he replaced the receiver.

  “Here’s your cappuccino, I hope everything is alright.” The waitress tried to comfort him.

  “Oh yeah, everything’s alright.” Doug lied as he tried to shield the look of shock on his face. “My friend couldn’t make it, that’s all.”

  “I thought that might have been the case, I take it the two of you must be very close, would you like me to bring your coffee over to the table?”

  “What? No, I mean yes. No, of course not! Look I’m not gay if that’s what you are suggesting!” Doug stammered as he handed over the money, still clutching the shopping bag with one hand while he reached out to grab the cappuccino with the other. “Never mind, I’m fine I’ll just take the coffee over myself.”

  Doug turned back towards the table and immediately walked straight into a young lady, spilling coffee all down the front of her long coat causing her to shriek above the sound of the coffee cup smashing to the floor.

  “I’m so sorry.” Doug offered as he stared in disbelief at the latest disaster to fall into his lap. “Look it was totally my fault, let me pay for the dry cleaning for you, I’m so sorry, I can’t believe how stupid that was of me.”

  She stood there in a long, expensive looking cream jacket that came down to her knees, held closed at the front by a fashionably large belt with a round silver buckle. Coffee dripped from the large stain above the belt and trickled down her long, stocking clad legs, over the small straps of her incredibly tall stiletto shoes and finally came to rest in the small puddle of coffee that lay at her feet. Doug looked up and saw her still standing there shell-shocked. Her tiny designer hand bag dangled limply from her arm, hands raised in disbelief while the eyes of all the diners in the café burned deeply into that back of his head.

  “Here let me help you clean this up.” The waitress stepped in with a damp cloth to wipe her still wet jacket while another worker from behind the counter appeared with a mop and bucket, and glared solemnly at Doug before beginning to clean the mess on the floor. “There’s a washroom out back behind the kitchen, come with me and I’ll see what we can do to clean this up for now.”

  He stood there stupidly and watched her follow the waitress while the diners in the café slowly turned their gaze away from Doug and returned to their conversations. She was tall and incredibly attractive, there was no other way he could describe her than a blue eyed bombshell with long ash blonde hair that came half way down her back. The way she presented herself had him wondering if she was perhaps a model. Except for the huge coffee stain he had just left down the front of her jacket.

  “Oh man!” Doug looked down at his own feet and noticed for the first time that the coffee had also stained his new shoes. He grabbed some paper napkins and was still clumsily trying to clean his shoes and trousers when the young lady returned looking surprisingly cleaner that he thought.

  “It should dry in a few minutes. Dry cleaning will get the stain out better.” The waitress tried to appear helpful before disappearing behind the front counter.

  “Yes, please allow me to pay for the dry cleaning.” Doug offered as he approached her apologetically. “Once again, I’m so sorry.”

  “Oh it’s alright, it’s just a jacket.” She smiled awkwardly.

  “No, I insist. Please let me do the right thing and be a gentleman here. It was my fault. I didn’t look where I was going.” He continued to grovel. “Can I buy you a cup of coffee then? It looks like we’re both not having the best day, so please, what do you say? Will you at least let me pay for the dry cleaning?”

  “As well as the coffee? Because I kind of think it should be both.” She teased him.

  “Yeah, great.” Doug’s face lit up seeing a smile spread across her pretty face. He led the way to the same table he had occupied before and let out a slight sigh as he sat back down.

  “What will it be? The same as before?” The waitress appeared beside him once again.

  “Yes thanks.” Doug replied.

  “And for the lady?”

  “A skinny latte please.”

  “Sure, one cappuccino and one low fat latte, I’ll bring them over this time shall I?” She looked down and raised her eyebrows at Doug before turning away leaving him no chance to answer her question.

  Doug turned to look at the lady sitting opposite him as she let out a soft giggle at the waitress’s remark.

  “Once again I’m so sorry. I’m not normally that clumsy. My name is Doug by the way.” He introduced himself, extending his hand across the table.

  “Angela.” She replied shaking his hand politely and trying to avoid the awkwardness of the moment. “That wasn’t the best start to the day was it?”

  “Start to the day?” Doug questioned. “That was one of the worst possible ways to end what has turned out to be a shocker of a day if you ask me. Unless of course I manage to veer off the road on the way home and put my car into a ditch.”

  She laughed. The kind of laugh that washed away the tension built up inside her, for a moment leaving her with a brief feeling of relief, relief that ultimately led to tears.

  “Don’t cry,” Doug pleaded softly with her as he passed her a napkin from the centre of the table. “We’ll get this whole mess sorted out. Here, I’ll give you the money now for the dry cleaning.” He said as he reached for his wallet.

  “No don’t worry, it’s not that.” She sniffed as she pulled herself back together in time for the waitress who returned with their coffees.

  “There we go sweetie,” the waitress said as she set the coffee down in front of Angela. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

  “No we’re fine, thank you.” Angela replied softly.

  Doug watched the waitress leave as he added the sugar to his cappuccino. Angela had gone quiet. She sat there opposite him, quietly sipping her latte. ‘Well this is awkward,’ Doug thought as he watched her sitting there, staring down at the table in front of her.

  “Is everything okay?” Doug asked, breaking the silence that was slowly ticking by. “Is there anything else you want to talk about? ‘Cause sometimes it’s easier to talk things over with a stranger, it clears your mind when you haven’t got the pressure of worrying what your friends or family might think of you afterwards.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing anyway. I just don’t feel like going to work now.”

  “Work?” Doug asked. “It’s well after five o’clock, I was just about to head off home. Let me guess, you must work in the hospitality industry. I’m going to say by the way you’re dressed so nicely, you’re probab
ly the manageress of a big resort or an expensive restaurant somewhere nearby here, am I right?”

  “No.”

  “So anyway, even if I’m not right, why don’t you just take the night off?”

  “It’s not that easy.”

  “Sure it is, you just ring up and take a sickie.”

  “I can’t, it’s more complicated than that,” she stopped and looked up at him. He seemed like a nice guy and she had already noticed the wedding ring on his finger, so maybe he was interested in what she had to say rather than trying to ask her out on a date. “I’m a dancer.”

  “Like in a show, yeah I guess it’s not as easy as I think to get someone to fill in for you at the last minute. Or do they have understudies for that sort of stuff?”

  “No, like as in exotic dancer. I’m a stripper.” She said quietly.

  “Oh,” Doug said suddenly embarrassed.

  She sipped from her coffee and looked up at him sitting quietly across the table, for a talkative sort of guy he seemed unable to find anything to say. So it was Angela who broke the silence. “It’s alright. You don’t have to feel embarrassed. Anyway, I’m getting out of it as soon as I can.”

  “What made you get into something like that in the first place? I mean you’re a beautiful girl that could do anything you wanted, why choose that as a career?”

  “I guess the combination of being beautiful and making some bad life choices. Before you know it I thought I wasn’t a good enough person to do anything else with my life, but that all changed last weekend.”

  “Did you find another job?” Doug asked.

  “No, not really.” She sniffed becoming teary eyed once more. “See up until last week, I thought I had no other choice in life but to keep doing what I do. My family doesn’t want anything to do with me and the only friends I have are the other girls who dance at the Pussycat Club. I’ve been so depressed at times lately that I’ve even thought about committing suicide. Then last Sunday night I walked past this big circus tent in Coolangatta near where I live that had this loud music playing inside and this elderly couple near the front entrance invited me in. When I realised it was a big Christian festival I nearly turned and left, but then I got hit with this amazing feeling of peace so I sat down and stayed. An hour later I walked out of there a different person. I felt washed clean because I understood and accepted that Jesus died for me, and by believing him and accepting him into my life he has taken away all my sin.”

  “Oh my God!” Doug exclaimed. “It’s not called The Tent of Promise is it? ‘Cause my wife has been going there for the last two weeks. We live not far from where they’ve set up.”

  “So you’re a Christian too?”

  “Nah, not me.” Doug replied with a laugh before realising that it perhaps wasn’t the best response he could have come up with. “But I’ve been hearing about it at home all week long.”

  “So I guess you think it’s pretty funny hearing a stripper talk to you about Jesus then?”

  “I didn’t think they were allowed to do that sort of stuff.” Doug answered, totally bewildered by the whole conversation.

  “I know, when I gave my life to Jesus I explained what I do for a living to the Pastor. He wasn’t shocked, instead he prayed with me for forgiveness in my life and for change. He asked for the Holy Spirit to work in my life to pave the way for God to perform a miracle in my circumstances.”

  “So that was it? You just went back to work the next day?”

  “No, I rang up the next day and told my boss Emilio that I quit because I have become a Christian.” Tears trickled down her cheeks as she began to sob. “He said that unless Jesus himself came and told him that to his face, he expects me in at six o’clock on Thursday or he would find me and mess my face up so bad that I’d never be able to work anywhere else.”

  “Jesus.” Doug exclaimed, straight away realising his bad choice of words. “Sorry, I mean Jesus, of course. So are you seriously going to continue working for someone like that? Why don’t you go to the police?”

  “It’s complicated,” Angela said trying to pull herself together. “I used to work as a prostitute in a brothel across the border in Tweed Heads, it was a horrible experience. Then I met Emilio and he worked out a deal with the brothel owners for me to leave and work for him up here at the Pussycat Club, strictly dancing only. It sounded great, he lent me money to get set up in a new apartment with a new car and nice clothes, I thought he seemed so nice, but they’re all the same and I’ve been paying him back ever since.”

  “So what can you do about it? Can’t you just pay him back and leave?”

  “It’s about more than just money, it’s about ownership. I owe him money and as far as he is concerned, he owns me and he’s not going to want to let me leave. Pastor Mike told me to have faith that the Lord would work a miracle before the week was over and I believe that he will. That’s why I’m sure Emilio will understand when I talk to him myself tonight and he hears what I have to say about Jesus. Even if I have to work for free until I’ve paid him back, I’ve already started looking for a new job, and I’m going to try and sell my car to pay him back faster.”

  “I don’t know what else to say.” Doug said, she seemed more confident in handling the situation than any brave words he could try to muster together to offer her in support.

  “You don’t have to say anything, you know you were right, talking about this has helped. I’m sorry for crying before.”

  “Don’t be, I feel even sorrier for spilling coffee down your coat.”

  “Look I really have to be going now, it’s after half past five and I have to be at work for six o’clock so even though it’s just a few doors down the street, I’ve got to explain everything to Emilio.”

  “Okay, look here’s some money to cover the dry cleaning.” Doug said as he took his wallet from his trouser pocket and handed her 20 dollars.

  “Are you sure?” She asked politely before taking the money from him.

  “Yes, and I’ll get the bill for the coffee like I promised. Once again, I am very sorry for before, I hope they can get the stain out properly.”

  “I hope so too.” She said as she put the 20 dollar note safely away in her handbag.

  “And good luck with everything you’re sorting out in your life.” Doug lamely offered before wishing he had just kept his mouth shut and not said anything at all.

  “Thanks, but I believe faith and prayer is going to deliver me, not luck. Why don’t you come along with your wife tomorrow night at 6.30, I’m sure she’ll appreciate your company as much as I have yours for the last half an hour?”

  “Ah, no thanks. It’s just not for me.”

  “Well I must really get going then.” Angela said as she got to her feet before offering her hand in another polite yet awkward handshake.

  “It was nice meeting you Angela.” Doug said before watching her seemingly float across the floor and out of the door of the Belize Café leaving him alone in the empty corner of the room.

  He slumped back down in the chair and felt the shoebox through the plastic bag, how much had she owed Emilio? If it had only been a couple of hundred he might have been able to help out. Should he run after her and ask? Then he remembered her words, ‘It’s about more than just money, it’s about ownership.’ The thought of getting messed up in an altercation with a strip club owner on top of everything else that had happened today had his backside glued firmly to his seat. Instead he stared out through the empty doorway and lamely hoped that she knew what she was doing.

  Doug sat there for a moment pondering another strange day in the life of Doug Small. From corrupt councilors facing bribery allegations, his friend’s likely arrest, himself on the edge of being caught up in the same scandal and finally spilling coffee on a stripper that goes to the same church as his wife, it just couldn’t get any better. Sex, God and coffee, three words he hardly expected to ever use in the same sentence.

  He stood up and walked over to the counter to p
ay the bill.

  “Well, everything seemed to turn out all right in the end for you.” The waitress commented as he handed her a 10 dollar note. “Did you get her phone number?”

  “No, it’s not like that.” Doug tried quietly to fend off any attempt at conversation, he’d simply had enough of talking for the day.

  “If it’s not to bold to say, if I had my lover stand me up and a beautiful stranger spent the afternoon having coffee with me, I wouldn’t feel ashamed to ask for a phone number, even if I was gay.”

  “I’m sorry but I’m not gay,” Doug defended himself. “What part of that don’t you understand?”