This chapter is dedicated to Cassie, with thanks for all your support. Thank you!
"Morning, baby," Gabby greeted Tess as she rushed down the stairs. Tess knew that she should have been annoyed by being called a baby, but she had gotten used to it recently, and somehow it didn't seem to bother her anymore. Gabby had allowed Spike to move in, and even after he'd been here for a couple of days, hadn't shown any signs of trying to cause him problems. This had been a big surprise for Tess, but she didn't want to jinx it by saying anything. Maybe Gabby had finally realised that she needed to do what was best for their little family, now that she was properly engaged and everything.
A more cynical side of her personality said that Ffrances must have done something. She had told Gabby that it wasn't acceptable to cause a fuss; or even hypnotised her to make her comply. Tess knew that wasn't remotely within the realms of possibility, because Ffrances took the rules of consent very seriously indeed; but it was an interesting thing to dream about.
"Hey," she answered, and gave a little wave. "Everyone up now?"
Nobody had to go to school today. They had a week long break now; there was a rumour going around school that it was because the teachers couldn't go too long without a break from their students. But Tess was pretty sure that it was actually because they needed time to set up everything for the graduating students to do their final exams. They would have finished normal lessons a couple of weeks ago, but next week they would be back for the most terrifying three weeks of their school lives. Tess found it hard to forget that in just a year, she would be sitting down for her exams. It felt like the biggest challenge she had ever been through. Sometimes she wondered if it would have been easier to settle down in some other country; but she felt like after all the time they had spent here, this school system was the one that she knew the best.
"Ffrances already went to work," Gabby said with a shrug. "It's just us today. Oh, but there's something I wanted to offer. I'm not sure if you would be interested or not, because it's not quite legal. But, well..."
Tess hesitated. She'd been planning to grab a flapjack to eat on the way, so that she would be out of the house before Spike was up and out of his room. She didn't want to explain her appointment with Dr Lutwa if she could help it. She was still half hoping that she would be able to cure the bedwetting problem before he ever knew about it. But when Gabby said that, she had all kinds of vague worries in her mind. Like, she had no idea what Gabby might be thinking of, but she was sure that anything that was against the law was sure to be bad news. Even if it didn't hurt anyone, did Gabby run the risk of creating tension between her and Ffrances? Tess needed to know what was going on, and she knew that it was important to know what was going on, so that she could head off any problems before they started.
"What is it?" she asked. "And are you sure it's worth the risk?"
"I don't think there's any risk here," Gabby said, and then paused as if wondering where to start. "Look... have you heard of incremental editing?"
"Like when you go over an essay a dozen times looking for small errors, rather than doing an intensive editing at the end?" Tess guessed. They had been taught something like that in the last country she had visited; different styles of time management. But she didn't know what the names for them would have been in English.
"Similar, but not quite. It's something from the TV industry. Seems obvious, but it wasn't practical in the days of recording on film. Basically, instead of filming everything, then having the producers cut and edit it at the end, they do the editing first. They make a kind of... video timeline. Like a cartoon thing, with panels from the storyboard, and subtitles based on a standard reading speed from the script. And then as they start filming, they swap in scenes one by one. Rough footage of rehearsals, even if it's a table read for the first cut, and then replaced by a dressed rehearsal, and then the best take they have so far. They're all swapped into the live edit as they're available. And the computer generated footage and special effects starts out as cutouts of something drawn on construction paper, overlaid onto the footage, then gets replaced by actual special effects as the team creates them. It gradually gets better."
"Yeah?" Tess asked, wondering where this conversation was going. "We did video editing when I was at school in Adelaide. Always thought it was weird that a lot of the apps expect you to make a collection of all your clips before you even start. A holdover from the olden days, I guess?" She didn't ask what this had to do with Gabby breaking the law; or with their household in general. Gabby might be working with a lot of media types now, but as far as Tess knew SYL wasn't doing anything to do with the creative side of the business. It was all about promotion and administration, handling the red tape.
"The cast are allowed to watch the live cut," Gabby continued. "So they can see how their parts fit into the whole, and suggest if they think they could improve their performance on a given scene. All in all, they take security very seriously to avoid possible leaks. But... I am owed a rather large favour from someone who has offered a copy of the DVD for Striker. It would be incomplete, a rough cut with many parts still missing. But I wondered if you would be interested in watching an early draft of next year's big movie."
"Striker?" Tess asked, confused for a moment. "I haven't heard of that one yet. What's it... Wait, a striker like in soccer, or like the strikers' league in The Biker, the Don, and the Pope?"
"I've got a confidentiality agreement," Gabby said with a smile. "And there is absolutely no way I am allowed to tell anyone, even my own family, the title of the movie that Claughton Innovative are throwing all their creative juice behind. And I can neither confirm nor deny that it might be a prequel to Tags."
After hearing that, Tess found it hard to contain her excitement. She thought it was a bit weird to even think about watching a movie before it was announced, but she was filled with curiosity to find out what the studio was going to do with Shark; and if his mysterious first line was ever going to be explained. Even as she told herself it would be better to wait, and to watch it the way it had been intended, she knew that she wouldn't be able to resist the temptation.
She asked Gabby if it was okay for them to watch it, all together. And to her surprise, Gabby didn't object to having Spike present. Most of the time, she seemed to have been pretending he wasn't there unless he was actually in the room. But even with Ffrances pushing her, it showed a lot of self-control from Gabby that she was starting to treat Tess like an adult.
Tess got herself some toast for breakfast as well, and Gabby contributed a couple of slices of bacon. Tess wanted to rush out, and said she didn't have time for a proper cooked breakfast, even if she didn't want to say where she was actually going. But Gabby only complained briefly, and then agreed that bacon could be served between two slices of toast to give a decent amount of breakfast protein while also being suitable for eating on the go.
"Off already?" Spike's voice came just as Tess was moving towards the door again. She hadn't heard him come downstairs, but now that he was here she knew that it would be impolite to go out without saying anything. And she really wanted to talk to him, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth about where she was going.
"Morning," she responded, and flashed a smile while she tried to think what to say. "I was just... wanted to make an early start, you know? Get into good habits." It sounded really fake to her. She knew that Spike wouldn't press it even if he could tell she was lying, but she didn't want him to think that.
"Oh, sure," he answered. "Mind if I..." A quick gesture towards the breakfast on the stovetop, and Gabby gave a quick nod. Spike quickly grabbed a couple of sausages and some fried onions to press into a bun, but grabbed a paper napkin to keep the grease from his fingers, rather than a plate.
"You kids know you don't have school today, right?" Gabby said with a little laugh. "No need to rush out at all, you can spend all day in a blanket fort in the lounge if you want."
"No worries," Spike answered. "We're meeting some friends at Pine Ridge. Don't want to keep everybody waiting."
"Okay, see you later," Gabby said, as he tied his shoes. Tess unlocked the door, but it seemed like she had to wait for Spike now. She didn't remember making plans to meet anybody, and she was worried she had made promises she wouldn't be able to keep. She hated to think that her usually-good organisation skills could have let her down.
"Sorry about that," Spike said as soon as they were out of the door. "I don't like lying, but I'd rather not explain to Gabby that I've got an ex marine teaching me krav maga. And you looked kind of flustered, like there's something you don't want to tell her too. I figured you'd be happier to be rushed today. Did I get it right?"
Tess couldn't help laughing then. His guesses were off the mark, but his actions could be just what she needed.
"Near enough," she said. "Still doing the training with Adam, then?"
"Yeah. Look, would you mind getting the bus with me? There's something I wanted to talk about, if you're not in a hurry." Tess just nodded, hoping that he wouldn't ask where she was heading. If his own secret was the first thing on his mind, maybe he wouldn't even think about it. Unless he had already figured out that she was hiding something, and just trying to make her feel better about it.
As they got on the bus to Pine Ridge, Tess looked at him, and wondered what was on his mind. He'd been pretty quiet so far, so she was sure that it would be something real.
"Thanks," she said again. "For getting Gabby to stop bugging me. I mean, she means well, but sometimes it can be overpowering. Having somebody who wants to make all the decisions for you, and take all the responsibility."
"That's kind of..." he started, and then paused. "It's complex thinking about stuff like this. I was just wondering if we could try... If we could do that regression thing again. I know it's a hard thing to ask for, but I hope, maybe..."
"You want to look after baby Tess? Yeah, I can do that. But I hope I can have some kind of responsibility this time. The capacity to make choices. Maybe look after a little sister, if Ffrances is up for it. I'm still not sure I can be comfortable being the smallest, but I can try if it's really–"
"No," he said. "I mean, maybe some time if you want to. But that's not what I'm asking. I'm not going to be all embarrassed this time, and ask in euphemisms. That's what I did last time, and I think neither of us got what we wanted. But this time... I already asked if we could try changing roles. And now I've listened to that recording Ffrances made. I listened a few times more, since the first time. And seeing the way Gabby always tries to control you, it made me feel..."
Tess didn't say anything now. She didn't know what she could say that would make sense in the circumstances. She just waited, and after a minute he continued.
"You're mature for your age. You think about other people and do what needs to be done. And I think for you that's a kind of freedom. People tell me I'm mature too, but I'm just doing what I have to. I want to have that situation where I'm dependent on other people for everything, without the option to make my own choices. The way Gabby treats you, my feelings are so conflicted. Because I know it upsets you, and I can tell you're going to tell her to mind her own business even before you actually say it. But at the same time, I'm somehow jealous. Because the way she treats you, the times when she really goes too far, is just what I want. And I don't know if you can do that, or if you'd want to, but if you can try..."
Tess nodded, and tried to find the words to say. It was hard to imagine Spike ever not being in control. But like he said, he was so responsible because his family hadn't given him any choice. He'd been forced to grow up before he was ready, and she'd known that for a long time. But now she was finally realising just why some people might want to be little again.
"I'd love to," she said. "I mean, I've kind of done stuff like that with Ffrances before, being a big sister or a babysitter. And if that's what you want, then I'm happy to help. But I think this is your stop. So talk about this later, okay?"
"Thank you!"