Easy Freedom - Chapter 1

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=3 height=90 BGCOLOR="#3399FF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="7" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>Liz Berry Books</B></I></FONT><B>   </B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="08bd4c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Liz Berry Books"><U><I><B>Home</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Meet Liz "><U><I><B>Meet Liz</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Books"><U><I><B>Books</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Third Book/Creativity"><U><I><B>Third Book</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Messages"><U><I><B>Messages</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bookstore"><U><I><B>Bookstore</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Liz"><U><I><B>Contact Liz</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><I><B>Links</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="1c861c01egerdp.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Easy Freedom - Chapter 1</B></I></div> <bR> <div> 'Get ready for the wedding presents,' said Chris Carter, coming into the kitchen of the shabby flat in Hamilton Square, which Cathy Harlow shared with four other students at the London College of Art. He dropped the morning papers on to the kitchen table in front of her, leaned over, his arms rigid on the table edge, smiling down into her eyes. 'Happy ever after,' he said and kissed the tip of her nose.</div> <div>    Cathy moved out of range, her colour rising, and looked down.</div> <div>    <I>The Mirror</I> had scooped the field. The whole of the front page was taken up by a picture. A very romantic picture. Dev, with his arms around her, under the tall ghostly trees of the Square outside. She was standing on tiptoe, kissing him.  Winter sunlight, filtering through the branches had split into shards like a misty star above them.</div> <div>     '<I>Happy Ever After,' </I>said the caption. '<I>Paul Devlin, millionaire megastar and lead guitarist of East Connections, whose current album is Number One in the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, is to marry student artist, Cathy Harlow, 17, after all. The on-off stormy romance which hit the headlines...</I>'</div> <div>    She pushed the paper away. She had not realised, when she agreed to marry Dev yesterday, that the news would get out quite so quickly, or with so much publicity.</div> <div>    The kitchen was full of people and they all seemed to be watching her, waiting for her reaction. Her flat mates Julie Ellis, making coffee, and Nick Howard, her ex-boyfriend, frying bacon for them all, at the cooker; Chris Carter.</div> <div>    Dev, across the table, was watching her too, covertly. He stretched out his legs luxuriously and folded his arms behind his long dark-gold hair, but his eyes, under half-closed, lazy lids, were watchful and intense. He had spent the night on the lumpy sofa in the communal lounge. He was used to sleeping in odd places and it hadn't worried him.  This morning he looked disturbingly alive, burning with energy.</div> <div>    He was still wearing the tight satin trousers and shirt he had worn to his gig the previous night, and not much else, Cathy thought. The shirt hung open, unbuttoned, revealing his muscular body, bare to the hips, and the carved pendant he often wore.</div> <div>    He read Cathy's look instantly.  He tilted his chair back, lifting his hips and opening his thighs invitingly.  Cathy turned her head, blushing furiously and Dev exchanged grins with Chris.</div> <div>    'Coffee,' said Julie, putting a cup in front of Cathy. She looked over her shoulder at the paper.  'Wow!  Film Star stuff.'</div> <div>    Cathy laughed. 'Monty Python?  I didn't see a photographer. A telephoto lens I suppose. I feel like a goldfish.'</div> <div>    'Slim and gold with sexy undulations,' said Chris, and they all laughed.</div> <div>    Julie was doing her best not to look at Chris Carter, knowing her knees would feel weak and her stomach like water. The lead singer of Easy Connections had that effect on most girls. It still seemed incredible to Julie that the two famous rock musicians, international stars of the most notorious, exciting, scandalous band in three continents, should actually be <I>here</I>, in the old London flat, relaxed and casually at home. She knew that Nick felt the same. He was a fanatical Easy Connections addict, who could recite their total discography with dates, without a check.</div> <div>    Chris Carter was sitting on the kitchen worktop, dangling his washed-out Levis and dirty trainers against the cupboard doors; his jacket was a fine supple leather and he was wearing an identity bracelet of heavy gold. Apart from his amazing good looks, beauty almost, with the high cheek bones, pale hair and grey, almost luminous eyes, Chris shared with Dev a strange magnetic aura, a blend of recklessness, danger, star quality, and maybe, fame.</div> <div>    Chris unzipped his jacket and smiled at Julie. 'Can you spare any of that bacon?  I'm starving.'</div> <div>    He was exactly aware of the effect he was having on Julie, Cathy thought, disgusted.  Dev and Chris had nothing at all to learn about exploiting their sexuality. They used it quite ruthlessly. But even though you knew that, it didn't make any difference. It was still impossible to ignore either of them.</div> <div>    'I could use a bath,' Dev said.</div> <div>    'Go home then,' Cathy said. 'Plenty of baths there. With gold taps.'</div> <div>    Dev raised an eyebrow, amused. 'You got something against gold taps?'</div> <div>    'No one asked you to stay.'</div> <div>    'I'm not letting you out of my sight until the wedding. This is a shot-gun marriage, remember? The shot-gun is on <I>you</I>. What's wrong with the bath here?' </div> <div>    'Nothing,' said Nick, dishing up the bacon. ' A bit grimy round the edges, maybe, if Bernard used it. Feel free.'</div> <div>    'Thanks,' said Dev. 'Hey, Chris, remember that sauna in Finland with the seventeen-stone female?'</div> <div>    'Yeah. An Experience. But not as good as the pull-up in Nebraska with a tin can on a rope under a tree.' They laughed.</div> <div>    'Cathy, do you want any of this fried bread?' asked Nick.</div> <div>    Cathy swallowed and took a deep breath. 'No thanks.'</div> <div>    Dev looked at her sharply. 'What's the matter?'</div> <div>    'Our little Mama's not feeling too good,' Chris groaned, mock solicitous. His light eyes moved over her body slowly and Cathy flushed again.</div> <div>    Dev swung his chair down and was on his feet in one swift movement. He switched on the electric kettle. 'Tea. Where do you keep it?'</div> <div>    'It's all right,' said Julie. 'I'll make it. I didn't realise Cathy had morning sickness.' She felt upset and uncomfortable about the way Chris had looked at Cathy. 'There's no need...'</div> <div>    But Dev had already found the box of tea bags and was pouring water and milk into a cup. 'Drink the tea, Cathy. Eat a couple of biscuits.'</div> <div>    'I don't want...'</div> <div>    'Drink it.'</div> <div>    Cathy set her teeth, but she sat at the table obediently and drank the tea, as Alun Owen, another of the flat mates, came into the kitchen, trying to close his bulging portfolio.</div> <div>    'Friends, it's later than you think. Ah! The Children of Anwyd! The Lords of the Tylwyth Teg<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#6699FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >*</FONT> themselves. I felt the vibes boys, I felt the vibes!'</div> <div>    Dev was amused. He raised his arm in graceful salute.  'Gandalf lives, Man!'</div> <div>    'Yeah,' said Chris, sourly. 'It's not the first time we've been called fairies.'</div> <div>    There was an awkward silence. Nick put a plate of bacon into his hand.</div> <div> 'Gods and heroes, you said, last time,' he reminded Alun carefully.</div> <div>    'Right,' said Alun, 'Tuatha de Danann. The Shining Ones. Gwyn ap Nudd...'</div> <div>    'Chris, I think we've fallen into a den of fans.'</div> <div>    'Not all of them,' said Chris, watching Cathy, who was sitting, deaf to the conversation, staring into space.</div> <div>    'But you know, Cathy is one of the Children too,' Alun said, gently.</div> <div>    She looked like it, too, this morning, thought Julie, with her dark violet-grey eyes and her silky gold hair curling round her shoulders, not pinned up as usual.</div> <div>    For a moment they all stared at her until Cathy became aware of the sudden silence. She looked up and smiled. 'Sorry, did I miss something?'</div> <div>    Chris said sharply to Alun, 'I'm into Taoism and Tantra, not mythology.'</div> <div>    '<I>Hsien</I>, then. Reincarnation. Karma.'</div> <div>    Chris stared at him, unusually pale.</div> <div>    Dev said, curiously, 'Hsien?'</div> <div>    'Legendary immortals. Magicians and healers upon whom ordinary mortals project their deepest hopes.'</div> <div>    Dev grinned.  'Sounds okay.  Better than fairies anyway.'</div> <div>    'By, that coffee was hot! I've burned my tongue - or bitten it!' Alun pretended to mop his forehead and picked up his portfolio. At the door he gave a clenched fist salute. 'Defend the Four Freedoms, Tongchi!' And went out, cackling with laughter.</div> <div>    'That guy gives me the creeps,' Chris said, irritated.</div> <div>    'Understands too much,' said Dev.</div> <div>    'He did two years in psychology,' offered Julie. 'He doesn't mean anything.'</div> <div>    'He means it.  You know who Gwyn ap Nudd is?  The God of Death. The Wild Huntsman, who rides a demon horse and hunts men's souls.'</div> <div>    Dev laughed aloud. '<I>Women's </I>souls. He must have seen you going over the top at Donington last year, Chris.'</div> <div>    But Chris did not laugh. He had swung his feet up on to the table, trapping Julie between his knees as she passed. He put his arms around her, a question in his eyes.</div> <div>    'I'm late for lectures too, Chris,' Julie said, breathlessly. She knew though, that if he insisted, she would go with him.</div> <div>    He shrugged indifferently and let her go. He picked up another newspaper from the table and began to read aloud with malicious enjoyment a crabby review of someone else's new album.</div> <div>    It was extraordinary how they seemed to take over any place they happened to be, Cathy thought. Even their kitchen did not seem the same any more.</div> <div>    Julie said, impatiently, 'Are you coming, Cathy?'</div> <div>    'Coming where?'</div> <div>    'College, of course. It will be all right now. You'll be able to get in easily. The crowds will have gone.'</div> <div>    Cathy said, her voice wobbling. 'I can't. I'm not allowed. They told me to...'  She got up quickly. 'Excuse me, I don't feel well.' The door banged behind her.</div> <div>    'What's the matter? What did I say?'</div> <div>    Chris looked at her blandly. 'The old Col doesn't like scandals.'</div> <div>    Julie's eyes widened. 'You don't mean <I>they've thrown her out? </I>But they <I>can't</I>!  Everybody knows that she's the best painter they've had for years, all the lecturers, <I>everybody. </I>Why she's even got that contract with Caleb Crow at the Arundell Gallery. Nobody gets a contract with the Arundell unless they are really fantastic. I don't believe it.'</div> <div>    'Who told you?' Nick asked.</div> <div>    'The horse's mouth, Tom Gibbon.'</div> <div>    'But he's only a Visiting Artist,' Julie said. 'Are you <I>sure</I>? It's just incredible.'</div> <div>    'Ask her.'</div> <div>    'But what's she done? She works harder than anybody.'</div> <div>    They watched her with brilliant, mocking eyes.</div> <div>    'She's having a baby,' Dev said. 'Wouldn't get married to the father.'</div> <div>    '<I>Bad</I> Paul Devlin...'</div> <div>    'Of <I>Wicked</I> Easy Connections.'</div> <div>    'Rock!'</div> <div>    'Booze!'</div> <div>    'Dope!'</div> <div>    'Sex!'</div> <div>    'Endangering the morals of the other students,' Dev and Chris said together and burst out laughing.</div> <div>    'It's not funny!' Julie said, angrily. 'You've got a weird sense of humour.'</div> <div>    'Who said we think it's funny?' Chris' voice was sharp. 'You think we like people backing off when we say who we are?  We've had the lies and crap about us for years now. Cathy will have to get used to it.'</div> <div>    Dev said, wearily, 'Leave it Chris. The Legend is here. Can't you see it's grabbed Julie already?'</div> <div> She was angry, like a small bristling cat. 'You're not going to pretend you are misunderstood choir boys? It's not Cathy's fault, all this trouble. It's all <I>your</I> fault, Dev. You got her pregnant. You made the scandal. Got into the punch-up with the police. You called the press and gave the interview to the papers and stirred up all the fans so we couldn't move outside the flat here. And then there was all the trouble at the College with the fans and the students and the police. You're the one to blame and <I>she's</I> getting expelled.'</div> <div>    'Julie,' Nick said, 'You can't talk to Dev like that.'</div> <div>    Dev ignored him, his eyes unreadable. 'That's life, sweetie. Tough. The wicked always win.'</div> <div>    She was nearly crying. 'It's her whole life. All she thinks of. Just painting.  <I>What's she going to do?</I>'</div> <div>    'She'll be married to me,' said Dev and laughed, without humour. 'Happy Ever After, like the paper says.'</div> <div>    Julie did not hear the bitter note in his voice. 'You're <I>pleased</I>, aren't you?</div> <div> That she's out of the College. I suppose it's the reason she's going to marry you after all. She's been saying she wouldn't long enough. I suppose you knew it would be the last straw for her. How did you manage it?'</div> <div>    There was a brief silence, and then Chris said, tightly, 'Listen, Julie, listen good.  Dev was on the phone all day yesterday and most of the evening trying to get a reversal of the College's decision. He got the Director. He's on our side, but it's a Governors' decision. So Dev talked to each and every one of them. They won't change their minds because they need a scapegoat for their mishandling of the situation when the student rioting started. They need someone to take the blame, for the damage to the building, for the fighting with the police. And they're frightened of more student troubles. All Dev got was a load of shit thrown at him.  Cathy's <I>out</I> - permanently.'</div> <div>    Julie drew in a deep breath. She looked at Dev. 'Okay.'</div> <div>    He shrugged and smiled. 'That's life, sweetie.'</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Copyright Liz Berry 2002. All rights reserved</B></I></div> <div> <I>____________________________________________</I></div> <div> <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Easy Freedom Chapter 2"><U><I><B>Easy Freedom Chapter 2</B></I></U></A><I><B> |  </B></I><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Books"><U><I><B>Books </B></I></U></A><I><B> | </B></I><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Liz Berry Books"><U><I><B>Home</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>    </div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=125 BGCOLOR="#3399FF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Easy Freedom"><U><I><B>Easy Freedom</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Chapter 1</B></I></div> <div> <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Easy Freedom Chapter 2"><U><I><B>Chapter 2</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Easy Freedom Chapter 3"><U><I><B>Chapter 3</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="1d259500.jpg" border=0 width="89" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>*</B></I><A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><I><B>see Nada Jolic's links</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>