Sat.u.r.day, continued …Watching the two of them Anna had realised that Sally was still the ringleader, dragging Georgina into a confrontation. She has seen it all week, Sally bullying and pus.h.i.+ng Georgina and Georgina giving in. Anna Discretely signalled the two closest bodyguards who immediately came over closer to the table ready to act if necessary.
"Sally, just go away, or these two gentlemen will make you. I told you Tuesday to leave me alone, and it appears you still do not have the message."
"You witch," Sally screamed.
"Sally there are children around, including your twin daughters, Georgina"s daughter and my nieces among others. Do not cause a scene, please leave me alone." With that one of the bodyguards had simply pulled the chair away from the table and leant over and quietly whispered in her ear. Sally looked in shock at Anna and Hou Yi and immediately left.
"Georgina …"
"Look Anna, I have been trying to get in contact the last two and half years with you to apologise. My baby sister is studying with James and has been letting him know I needed to apologise for what I did. Sally …"
"You do not have to say anything, she always had to be the top of everything."
"I do. She was the one that convinced me you were always lying about what that b*stard of an ex of mine was up to. It was only when I walked on him in a bed with another woman that I realised how truthful you had been and how much she had lied. I left the marriage there and then. What I found out was that she was behind everything, and that is when I tried to get in contact with you to apologise."
"The two of them had been involved even before my marriage, and it was only when my grandfather died that she decided enough was enough. She staged what I walked in on with his help and then aided him in pursuing a significant financial settlement from me. That took over three years as every offer was not enough for the two of them."
"The only way I ended up resolving the financial settlement was that I agreed to pay the debts he had acc.u.mulated since we split, paid out the mortgage on the house we had brought and he kept plus a cash payment equal to twenty-five percent of the cash I received. I finally figured out things when the two of them married four weeks after our divorce, despite the financial matters not being resolved was granted."
Anna looked at Georgina, who appeared to be broken, she wondered if there was anything they could do to help.
Georgina continued "The worst thing relates to our daughter. The orders he got to see her tie me to the Warrnambool area, and since their marriage they regularly drag me back to court with contact issues. The worst thing is the two of them use my daughter as a tool of blackmail. I have to let both of them, particularly Sally have their way, or they threaten to keep my daughter and that they will ensure that I can never see her."
"The worst thing is Sally is abusive. The one time I stood up, Sally showed up at the school, and collected her, and it took me four weeks to get her back. They accused me of lying to cause problems and prevent them from seeing her, so that the only way their relations.h.i.+p with her could be guaranteed was for her to live with them."
"And even now they still play the games. When the tour was announced I paid for our tickets, but when Sally heard about us coming the threat was that unless I paid for their tickets, they would ensure that the courts awarded them custody of her. I simply relented and paid, because I cannot see my daughter being used like this."
"Georgina, you realise …"
"I know, but I cannot risk my baby girl"s safety. Now Anna who his this with you."
"Georgina, this is my husband Hou Yi, Yi this is a high school cla.s.smate Georgina …"
"I still use Couch, to prevent confusion."
Hou Yi leant over and shook Georgina"s hand, and said "A pleasure Georgina."
Before anything else could be said, Hannah and Pippa came running over having finally spotted Anna and Hou Yi with Alecia tagging along. Alecia pulled over a couple of chairs, on which Hannah and Pippa sat on before Alecia sat down next to Georgina.
Alecia, displaying the manners her father had drummed into her greeted Anna, Hou Yi and Georgina. The look on Georgina"s face was confusing when Pippa said, "Aunty Alecia, could you help me get some more juice."
"What is going on Anna and who is Alecia?"
"Short story, Alecia is the daughter of my husband"s best friend, and his G.o.ddaughter, but she is married to James."
"What!" Georgina spat out. "James is married, and Fiona has not said anything. I am going to have a go at my little sister."
"Georgina, I suspect James has not told many people. He and Alecia are planning to move to County X, once James graduates. Alecia is poised to join her family"s company as a junior executive, while doing her university degree."
"But she is only in year 11, from what I understand."
"Georgina, let me just say she is the smartest of her siblings, and has a bright future. James and Alecia can tell you what is going on but promise me if there is a problem in the future with respect to your daughter you will contact me. I would love to take him and that witch Sally down. Even now she is shooting daggers at us, and she will not beat me. So, what are you doing?"
"Cleaning work, that I am able to work around my daughter"s arrangements."