#con verse

There were two things which Pam was never going to be able to forgive her parents for. The first was that her father and mother had given her a little sister. The second was that sister had in turn given her a niece.

If there was a black sheep in their family, then it was Pamela herself. Jessica, her younger sister by contrast, was decidedly the good girl.  Jess was the A plus student. She was the sorority girl.

And she was the one who had brought home the boy from next door from college, Hoyt. They had got good jobs and then they had saved for a while to have a big white wedding. It was only after the wedding the two of them had moved in together and hey presto, nine months later Pam had been called to the hospital to see her new born niece.

Baby Adele had been cute or so Pam had been told. She had been sweet and quiet and a good baby.

But Pam did not think there was such a good thing as a good baby. All babies cried. All babies smelled. All babies repulsed her in one way or another. She was simply never going to understand the attraction. Yes, they were small but small things grew and then they were not cute… or so doted on, thank god.

And yet she had to show she was in some way part of the family. She had to force some interest in her niece.

And so not for the first time, she found herself at her niece’s primary school for a concert. Another waste of a night. Another painful experience.

It was for nights such as these that vodka had been invented.

The one good part of it was that she got to show all the dreary mothers what they were missing – and the father’s too.

Pamela showed up to the school in the highest pair of pink stilettos which she own as well as the most revealing dress. As she strutted in, she set her sun glasses up upon her head. The night was humid in spite of the fact the sun had gone down... another reason she would have sold her soul to the devil himself to get out of coming.

As soon as she met her sister eyes, she saw Jess roll her own.  But at least she did so in a playful manner.

“There really is no way you are ever going to be just a normal aunt, is there?”

“I am not going to change for any one.”

“Thank god,” said her sister as the two of them kissed in greeting.

That was another thing she was sure if she could forgive. No matter what she said to her sister or how outlandish she was, she never got tired of her. She was never cruel in return. She was just sweet – as sweet and kind as her daughter.

Pam wished she would bite back, she would show some sign that she was as human as the rest of them. But no. She just looked up at her as if she was the coolest thing, still… after all these years.

And that was hard to take.

Two people who did not have any problem showing that they disapproved of her carefully chosen outfit were her mother and her father. They still kissed her, but it was under duress or seemed to be. She had a feeling they would be happier if it was not so obvious she was theirs.

“What an interesting outfit, Pamela, my dear,” her father muttered before turning his attention back to the beloved grandchild who never let him down. Adele had come out to say hello to them before her big moment.

Her mother looked her up and down to check if she had seen right. “You do know that when your father said it was ‘interesting’ he was being polite.”

“Oh yes, mother. I got that.”

“Not tonight,” Jess said with a smile. For too long she had had to play the role of peace maker between her sister and their parents.

“Hi Auntie Pam,” said Adele as she smiled up at her.

Pam wondered when her niece was going to grow her two front teeth back. It would, after all, help her appear less like a meerkat.

“Break a leg, Cheeto,” or better yet, break both so I get a reprieve from the next out of these evenings. “I am going to go and see if they had anything worth drinking at the refreshments table.”

God how Pam only wished it was a bar.

After so many years, she would have thought that her parents would have by now begun to understand that no matter what they said and did, they were not going to hurt their eldest daughter. Pam did not like to reflect on when their opinion had become of such little consequence to her for the truth was she wasn’t really sure.

Her childhood had been by no means traumatic, nor had they been neglectful. She had known if she had had a problem then they would do their level best to solve it for her and all she had to do was ask for a hug to receive (not that that had been a common occurrence once she had hit puberty.)

No, there was just one simple sad fact about her and her parents which Pam had come to terms with quite a while ago.

When it came down to it, she just did not like them.

There was no rhyme or reason to it.

And that scared her… sometimes. She felt detected. Detached from everything but the next con, or so it seemed to her.

She remembered last night, planning and scheming. That at least made her feel alive.

Unlike her family who made her feel very little at all. Certainly no great affection.

“What have you got that alcoholic?” she asked as she got to the front of the line.

She did not have to turn to feel that there were about four different mothers staring at her as if she was the anti-Christ.

“White wine,” she was told by a nervous looking young dad who had offered to help out no doubt.

“It’ll have to do.”

Taking the drink which had been poured for her she turned and head over to the side of the room where some ‘art’ was hanging.

‘That’s our Timmy’s’ she heard a woman proudly tell her husband from beside her.

‘It’s wonderful!’

And all Pam could think was it was to scribbles and a coloured in circle.

Beauty really did have to be in the mind of the beholder… or the fucking stupid.

“Having fun?”

Pam did not know that voice. She had never heard it before, though it would come to be her favourite sound in years to come.

Yet embarrassingly, she turned towards it as one did the sun.

Before her stood a man… only a giant among men. He was tall and blond and striking. There was something handsome beyond words about his face and exciting beyond words at the size of his hands.

But for now… none of that mattered. She had a question to respond too.

“No. I hate children, I hate elementary schools. And I hate white wine,” she said looking at her drink.

“Thank god. A fellow sufferer.”  

“So why are you here then?” asked Pam.

“An old friend asked me to come. Said it would be good for me. She lied.”

“How could this be good for anyone?”

“Indeed. What’s your story?”

“My sister got married, open her legs and sprogged. I am meant to be here cheering on my little niece. More likely I’ll cheer her on when she does her first line of something illegal. At least she’ll be interesting then.”

“If I did not know better, I would say you are trying to shock me.”

“Is it working?”

He raised an eye brow. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Pam gave a half nod of her head as she turned to the rest of the hall. Everyone was taking their seats.

“Oh god, its beginning.”

“It doesn’t have too. We could slip out,” he suggested.

“And where would you take me?”

“There is only one way to find out, isn’t there?” he dared.

Pam raised an eye brow but the decision was an easy one to make.

Draining her glass, she put it down in a corner. She had been about to turn from the room when she saw her nieces face popping out from behind the curtain of the stage. Their eyes met, and Pam gave a little wave to Adele which she returned, before a teacher pulled her back behind.

“Sorry Cheeto. Something came up.” And with that, she turned from the room and followed this wonderfully mysterious man out the room.

She had a feeling tonight might not be such a waste after all.

X x x

“Well, I have to say this is a beautiful place,” said Pam as she stood on the balcony of the handsome strangers flat. The two of them had ridden in his very fast sports car to the new, modern apartment block when they had left the school.

In her hand was a glass of red, much nicer than the wine she had been given when she had been at the school. And she was looking out on a stunning view.

“Thank you. Its… home,” he said as he joined her.

“Sounds nice,” She said in a faraway voice. She had not intended it to sound that way and so she turned to him with a big smile on her face. “How long have you been here?”

“Not long. I was in New York for a while and after my father died I went back to Sweden for a while but then I came south. I thought some good southern living would do me a bit of good but… but I’m bored a lot of the time. Why is it when people are romanticising small towns no one tells the damn truth?”

She laughed as she turned back to the door which would lead her to the spacious, well light living area.

“Because the truth is so often so inconvenient,” she said as she sighed, walking back in. “I am sorry… about your father.”

“Were you the one who gave him cancer then?”

“No.”

“But I thought that as you were apologising to me…”

“It’s just what you say, isn’t it?” she said with a shrug.

Sensing the moment had passed between the two of them, she looked above the fire place. “That is a lovely painting.”

“Thank you. It’s an original.”

She looked closely at the corner of the canvas, a smile coming on to her face.

“Now I am afraid you have confused me.”

“And how have I done that, my dear?” he asked, sitting down on his arm chair as he did so.

“As lovely as this I do not think this is the type of place that a man who would live in, were he able to afford an original Monet.”

“Are you questioning my integrity?” he asked, his voice not rising, unlike his right eye brow.

“Yes. Which is exactly what you wanted to me to do.  Or didn’t…” She said as she put down her wine. “Thank you for getting me away from the school. I am most appreciative. But I fear it is getting passed my bed time.”

“I have a bed,” he offered as he got up.

She smirked. “I am sure you do.”

“What are you going?”

“Well, now I have seen your – little abode… I have been forced to draw two conclusions.”

“And what are they, pray tell.”

“That you looked at the height of my heels and decided I was as dumb as shit in which case I do not want to be near you any way. Or you thought all of that and decided you wanted to sell me that shit on top,” she nodded to the painting.

“That shit?”

“I know an original when I see one…. And I know that is not worth the canvas it is painted on.”

He looked at her for a moment as if she had insulted him grossly before his face split in to a smile so wide it could rival the sun.

“Right answer.”

She almost did not see him cross the room but when he did he crossed it was straight to her side. And then the hands she had noticed earlier that evening were on her hips and they were even bigger than she had originally thought.

“For what it is worth… you are exactly what I thought you were as soon as I saw you.”

“And what is that, pray tell?” she purred as she looked to the ceiling, enjoying the sensation of his lips upon her neck for the first time.

She promised herself there would be many, many more.

“Intelligent,” he said breathlessly. “Extraordinary… exquisite.”

“Well… you are in luck, as they turn out to be just three of my favourite words.”

X x x

Pam awoke the next morning feeling rejuvenated. Having had the best sex of her life, she was sure she should feel quite drained.

But somehow she didn’t.

Rolling over, she saw her new friend sitting up in bed. Next to him, she saw there were two steaming hot cups of coffee.

“I could get used to this,” she said with a smirk.

His eyes, which had been trained upon the thin curtains which allowed the sun to shine through, turned to her with amusement.

“Good.”

She sat up, drawing the sheets up with her, though she had a feeling there was no point in playing coy and modesty now. Taking the hint, he passed her a coffee.

“So… last night was... Unexpected.”

“But pleasantly so, I hope,” he murmured as he casually draped an arm round her.

“Very…” she purred. “So… may I ask what you really want from me?”

“You do not turn off for a moment do you? It’s all business with you,” he stated.

“I do not think that is a fair statement after the pleasures of last night.”

“Touché.” He nodded, taking the point. “What I want… is a partner. The con, can after all, only be on so far when you are acting alone.”

“And how do you know I would be interested in that line of business.”

“Oh, I do my research Miss Swynford De Beaufofrt.”

Just as she had not all together appreciated the way that she had turned to his voice when she had heard it for the first time, now she was not sure if she liked the shiver that ran down her back when she heard her name leave his lips.

She had no control over it. And she did not like not having control.

“Apparently, you do,” she said with a nod. He was… an impressive man. In more ways than one.

“So… would you be amicable to forming a partnership?”

“Well, that depends, doesn’t it?” she said quietly.

“On?”

She was not sorry to detect a hint of desperation in his voice.

“Your name.”

X x x

His name was Eric Northman, but few knew that due to the various alias’ he used. He was a con man by trade and by nature. He sold ‘valuable’ paintings for small fortune’s and could convince anyone but Miss Swynford De Beaufort an object of no value at all was actually priceless.

His interest in Pam, however, turned out to be genuine. She was, just like him, an original.