Volume II - Episode 30 Where: Melbourne, Australia When: 1 month and 1 day after E-Day, 10:55 pm Ken and Jessica watched, roaring with laughter, as Victor tried to force Kim to eat another slice of pavlova. "No!" she screamed, fighting him as the spoonful of delicious meringue edged closer and closer to her lips. "No, Vic! Seriously! If I eat one more bite, I'll burst!" "Come on, Queenie," Victor coaxed. "One more little bite won't kill you." "It might! Look, your pretty, pretty pavlova really is delicious..." "And pretty?" "And pretty! But...hey!" she squealed as Victor's hand darted out to tickle her. The candles on the tabletop flickered as she flinched away from him. "Vic! I can't! No! If I eat any more, I'll spew! You wouldn't want me spewing all over your dining table, would you?" Victor sighed in mock resignation and sat back in his chair. "No, I suppose not. But I'm deeply offended you don't want any more of my pretty, pretty pavlova." "Yeah, Kimmy," Jessica added. "Here I am, wracked with depression, and even I had seconds!" Ken, ever the fatherly figure, took his eyes off the flickering candles and turned to Jessica. "You're not really, though...are you? You're okay?" "I'm okay," Jessica said, smiling. "I was upset. I really thought this guy would show up, but...you know, he didn't, and that's fine. I wrote him a letter saying everything I needed to say. Clearly he doesn't care; but what can I do?" She shrugged. "I was pretty upset when I got home, but who can stay depressed around you lot?" She cleared her throat and raised her glass. "To good food, good wine, and great friends." "And my pretty, pretty pavlova?" Victor suggested. "And your pretty, pretty pavlova." They drank. "Listen, Jess," Victor said, a little more seriously. "Remember, we're always here for you. I mean, Queenie might be dead from starvation any day now, but Ken and I will always be here for you. If ever there's anything you need, or anything that's bothering you, you can talk to us. We're family." "Thanks, guys." "And if talking about it doesn't help. We'll fill you up with cake and booze until you feel better." "Oooh, I like the sound of that!" "And if that doesn't work, we'll just get Kim to go down on you." Jessica spurted laughter. "I like the sound of that even better!" Despite the laughter, Kim could still see the sadness in Jessica's eyes, and decided to press her about it later. But for now, she had to fight off Victor and the spoonful of dessert again. "Oh my God, Vic; you're like a dog with a bone." "Eat it, Queenie! You're too skinny!" "Okay, okay," she said, laughing. "I tell you what: give me a chance to digest this first - I'll do the dishes and have a smoke - and then I'll eat it. Deal?" "No deal, Queenie. You can have a smoke, but I'm doing the dishes." "But you cooked!" Victor raised his hand to silence her. "My house, my rules!" And before he said another word, he climbed to his feet and started collecting the dirty plates, being sure to nudge the remaining pavlova a little closer to Kim on the way past. "Looks like you've been told, Kimmy," Jessica said, sipping her wine. "Looks like it. Well, thank you again, Victor, for the lovely meal...and for letting us stay in your house...and for doing the dishes. And on that note, I'm going outside to give myself lung cancer." She grabbed her cigarettes and lighter off the table, thumbed her nose playfully at Victor, and headed for the front door. "I'll join you," Ken said, following her.