Volume I - Summer

"The Nedlands Mansion is let at last!"

A flurry of squeals followed and no sooner had the declaration been made, than the newspaper was thrown up against the light, and three sets of eyes peered eagerly at its contents. Those eyes belonged to, predictably, my two youngest sisters, still in high school, and, less predictably… my mother.

"He'll have to marry one of the girls," she murmured, nudging my father. The movement almost spilled the contents of his mug, and Dad turned emphatically in consternation, but all this went completely unnoticed by the older lady.

"Oooh, his name is Harrison Bandly," informed Jenny to anyone who would listen, with all the due expectation of limelight appropriate for a lastborn. "Of Bandly Investments!"

"Do you think he's really rich?" asked Shannon, her grin hopeful.

"Lord, you're so dense sometimes Shannon, of course he's really rich," chided Jenny, and Shannon's hazel eyes blinked in failure. "He's probably filthy rich - he's staying in Nedlands, that's practically Peppermint Grove."

"I bet he's handsome," mused my mother, wistfully. Her fuzzy dark hair, inherited by both Jenny and I, was piled up on top of her hair in a messy bun. I sometimes wondered if in twenty years, I would look exactly like her: pretty dark eyes shining, wrapped in smile lines.

"…interest in a man purely because of his money is wholly superficial," spoke Mary, the very middle daughter with a penchant for 1950's fashion. She touched the back of her head, ensuring no strands were misbehaving; the streaming sunlight caught her short chestnut curls and tinted them auburn. "We should seek to pursue a character of homeliness and purity..."

"A character of boredom."

"I am not dense!"

"Of course you aren't, darling."

"See?"

"See?" mocked Jenny, pulling the delicate sheet of newspaper to herself and out of reach of Shannon's flailing arms.

"Girls. Quiet. Now."

The order was barked from behind Dad's segment of newspaper; his bushy grey eyebrows peeking over the paper furrowed.

Numerous pouts ensued.

He was not deterred, as a father of five daughters ought not to be.

"…or for the next one who speaks about this Bandly man, I will find out where this fellow lives, ring his doorbell and leave him a photo of you as a baby, crawling naked in the paddling pool."

"Oh, Michael," cried Mum, "don't tease them like that. They don't know you're joking!"

"Who says I am?" he replied, slowly lowered the paper's edge and looking over his reading glasses to stare down my mother, his soft blue eyes sparkling. "And who says you're not included in that threat?"

Mum clasped her mouth firmly closed after that, though not for very long. Moments passed in relative silence – each sister eating her breakfast, each parent ignoring their child's thoughts – before Mum turned to Anna, the oldest sister of us all.

"Are you sure you won't be able to come away with us next week? Mrs. Taylor told me that the young man who worked in the ice cream factory last year will be there again…"

"I'm really sorry, Mum," she replied, tucking a delicate curl of blonde hair behind her ear, "but the summer classes run straight through January. I just can't miss them."

"Yes, well, I don't know why you can't just take a job at your uncle's office, he's always saying that they need a new receptionist. And, you'd be earning a wage, instead of paying all those fees they charge. Honestly, I don't know where all that money goes…"

The thought of thousands of dollars drew my mother into a temporary verbal reprieve, until her eyes suddenly rested on me, and hardened.

"And I won't even start with you, Elizabeth…"

"That's probably a good plan," I laughed, but it was to no avail.

"…head off in a science book, no time for boys, working all summer… Miss Independent."

"Mum, in some countries, women aren't even allowed to go to-"

"But at least I'll find some comfort in my younger girls, they haven't abandoned me yet…"

"Mum!" I cried, finally halting her wistful lament, "You've got me stuck here for another year, at least. Anna too. We're not going anywhere."

"Good," muttered Dad.

"Good," seconded Shannon.

"Can I get your room when you move out?" Jenny pressed, completely serious. I bit back a grin and shook my head.

"We're going to be late!" shrieked Mary, her fancy gold watch face turned upwards. Just then, the grandfather clock in the hall agreed.

"Everyone in the car," called Mum as the dirty dishes were furiously passed across the table and its contents cleared up in a practiced heartbeat. The dining room was vacated in a rush as we panicked all the way to the front door.

As one-by-one we exited, I pulled up short and strolled back to the dining room, grinning.

"Anytime you are ready..."

My father, closing his paper slowly and removing his glasses, simply looked over to me, smirked and nodded.

The church was buzzing as we spilled out of the beat-up people-mover and piled into the foyer. The building was airy and light, and ushers stood in front of black drapes handing out sermon outlines.

"Peace be with you," stated an older lady, her perfectly coiffed hairdo only outdone by the preciseness of her pantsuit.

"Yeah, cool," I answered, consecutively grabbing the proffered sheet of paper and Anna's wrist and heading for the very far side of the church auditorium.

Dad liked it better when we all sat together as a family, but lately I'd felt like we were one giant magnet - Anna, Dad and I on one end, Mum and the girls on the other. We were completely opposite, always repelling the other side but never able to actually separate.

"I'd never let Mum catch me saying that though," I explained over the music to Anna as we were finding our seats in the back row.

"Oh no, she might be offended, of course."

"Maybe, but I doubt she would even understand it… after all, 'magnets go on the fridge Lizzie'…"

(I didn't even need to paraphrase. In 12th grade I'd tried to have a discussion with her about electromagnetic eddy currents.)

Forcing down a chuckle, my affection stirred at Anna's bewilderment and I clarified.

"…but she would be mortified that I'd used a science analogy in front of people. 'How are you going to get a husband if you always talk nonsense?'"

"She didn't say that."

"She did."

Before Anna could come to the defence of my poor mother, the music lulled and then ceased, effectively ending our conversation. The pastor invited the congregation to sit and a breeze graced my legs as someone rushed to the chair beside me.

"Stacey!" I whispered much too loudly, my best friend in the world forcing an awkward chair-hug upon me. The jet-black hair fell across my cheek and the adorably chubby arms held my neck. I knew all was right in the world.

"Lizzie!"

"I've missed you!" I sang. "Too much."

"Lizzie. It's been twelve hours."

"Man, we're strong."

Chastised by the 'ahem' of a polite congregation member, we shushed and our attention darted to the preacher. Several minutes in, however, my mind fell off the pastor and his riveting power point, complete with alliterated bullet points, and perused the crowd.

Suddenly, a head of hair caught my attention – blonde, uncontrollable locks on wide shoulders and a light blue dress shirt.

Definitely male.

Definitely new.

Poor guy.

Who is he? I scribbled on my sermon notes, because a new beau in the rows of a church is more fascinating than a new alliteration, and I was sure the balding, middle-aged pastor would understand that.

I was sure.

It was a truth universally acknowledged or something.

Stacey raised an eyebrow.

Conjuring all the subtly I owned, I nodded towards Mr. CurlyBlondeHairMysteryMan and tapped my note several times.

The sides of my best friend's mouth lifted and she slid my paper towards herself, writing briefly.

You noticed quickly ;)

She's a tease, this one.

Certain she was watching, I rolled my eyes and slid back my paper.

Doth we know anything about him…eth?

We most certainly do…eth.

Spill. Now.

Stacey's sly smirk turned into a genuine smile as she proceeded to scribble for the next few minutes. Handing it back, I acknowledged her Social Media sampling and read:

Name: Harry

Relationship Status: Single

Home Town: Melbourne, Victoria

Current Location: Perth, Western Australia

Religious Views: Well, he's in church isn't he?

Political Views: Who cares, he's gorgeous!

About him: Moved to WA last week, reason he gave was to expand his whatever-he-does investment business (my words) and is looking for a church to "feel at home in" (his words).

Poor guy has no idea that he's going to be eaten alive here.

The ratio?

It's a killer.

"I'm Harry, so pleased to make your acquaintance."

The service had finished and his large hand reached out. I chortled. Gathering my senses, I thrust my hand into his.

"Lizzie. Lizzie Bennet."

I moved my gaze from our conjoined hands, my vision rose up and up, until it finally came to rest upon a cute, boyish face with a lopsided grin. And his eyes! Matching pale blue irises that practically begged you to like him, or risk shattering his heart into a million ragged pieces.

I didn't want to risk that.

Harry was a level of cute I'd not yet come across before in a human.

Puppy dog cuteness.

Puppy-dog-cuddled-beside-a-duckling-on-top-of-a-cooing-baby cuteness.

Yeah, that cute.

Our favourite stranger smiled at me politely; it was clear that he did not recognize my name from some obscure regency novel.

Thankfully, Stacey hijacked the introduction train.

"And this is Lizzie's sister, Anna."

The change in his demeanour was dramatic; his face flushed and his smile widened and he didn't seem to know what to do with the rest of his body. Looking over, I was mortified to see that Anna was in exactly the same way.

"Anna," I hissed. "Shake the poor boy's hand."

Her gentle eyes avoided his gaze, but she held out her hand. Harry wasted no time in grasping her own in his and shaking it enthusiastically.

(As if he did anything with less than complete excitement.)

"Harry, uh, Harrison. Harrison Bandly."

I almost choked on my breath. With wide eyes, I sought out my sister for confirmation but at this period of time, she wasn't meeting anyone's gaze.

She barely even whispered her name.

"Anna Bennet."

Despite her obvious shyness towards him, which anyone who knew her half-well would read as attraction, I was sure she hadn't realized who he was.

"It's exceptionally wonderful to meet you. Uh, to meet you all, I mean. You all seem like such lovely women."

Brushing fake dust off my shoulder with practiced ease, I drawled, "Thanks."

"I can't say for certain that all the women here are all as endearing as Anna and Lizzie…" bragged Stacey, tossing a free arm around Anna's stiff shoulder. Anna replied with a stricken glance.

".. but I can say for certain that you will meet them all," I finished with a smirk. Especially when they find out who he is.

Bless his soul, Harry showed none of the telltale signs of terror common in many young men faced with the onslaught of desperate, single females.

"There are some wonderful women that-" began Anna in a rush of courage, albeit in a timid voice and scarcely bold enough to draw anyone's attention. Unfortunately, the shy, quiet sister was overpowered by the younger, much louder, much less subtle sisters. They could be heard screeching through the auditorium, on their way towards us.

"Jenny! I wanted to show Anna."

Tension tightened within my stomach as they approached.

"Anna!" Jenny raced up to her oldest sister, narrowly avoiding a collision with Stacey's torso. "Look, look. Simone Gilfred gave this to me today and it's just so- … who are you?" her tone sliding from impatience to adoration as she caught a look at our dishy new friend's face.

"I'm Harrison Ban-"

"He's Harry," I interjected quickly, throwing nonchalance into my air. "From over east."

Anna might not have realized who he was, but my ridiculously-flighty-yet-strangely-astute youngest sister would have figured it out in the blink of an eye.

And why impose that so soon on one so-gosh-darn cute?

Shannon rushed up and only just avoided a collision with Stacey on her other side.

'What is with your sisters today?' her eyes bemoaned privately.

'Hey, I have to live with it,' my eyes replied.

"Jenny, you were supposed to wait for me!" cried Shannon, her petulance peeking through her desire to please the latest male addition to our circle of acquaintance.

But Jenny was distracted and had no time for competition, however ridiculous it seemed.

"Oh, hi Harry," she cooed. "Hey, look at what Simone gave me, isn't it pretty?" Jenny theatrically extended the sparkly necklace towards Anna, while simultaneously locking eyes with Harry. "Just like me, huh?"

A shoulder twitch and a smirk chased her comment and before I could grab that shoulder and spin her away from us, her face fell. "I showed it to Mary but she just wanted to go home already. It's because she has no friends…"

"Jenny!" I scolded, silently wishing that for just once our family could make a good first impression.
"Well, it's true…"

"Oh!" exclaimed Harry, having not even heard Jenny. His vision hadn't left Anna since she'd taken the silver necklace from Jenny and twirled it through her long fingers. "What is the time?" Shaggy blonde hair fro-ed to and forth as he scanned his audience for answers. "I said I would meet my sister out the front when church finished."

I inwardly balked.

He's the owner of a booming investment company and his sister picks him up? Family issues, much?

You can talk, Lizzie.

Quiet, brain.

I twisted my wrist, my watch copying the action.

"Oh my! Oh dear. I'm late."

"Then you must hurry," spoke Anna, the first time she'd opened her mouth since trying to defend the wonderfulness of women in the church everywhere. Again, her face flushed and her mouth closed tightly shut in soundless surprise.

Conjuring up hundreds of ploys to make sure we saw Harry again, I had to eat my thoughts when Jenny, bless her annoying soul, saved the day.

"There's a picnic, next Saturday, by the South Perth Foreshore… I'll be there…you should come."

The lines framing Harry's pale eyes tensed as he rubbed the rolled-up sleeve of his shirt.

"She means to say that it's a Young Adults thing," I added, saving Harry and turning to Jenny, "and no, you won't be there, you're all going to Busselton, remember?"

"Oh… oh well, never mind Harry."

Like an encroaching storm cloud, the need to clarify the situation to our new handsome friend hovered in and sought vehemently to overwhelm. "No, please come Harry, because the grown-ups will all be going, and you can meet more of the people that go to church here, eat some food, have a turn sailing…?"

"Oh," and he laughed in understanding, his hand falling from his sleeve. "Sure, wonderful, excellent. How exciting!"

Jenny only folded her arms with a harrumph.

"Right, so I'll see you all on Saturday then."

"Yep, midday onwards," added Stacey, ever-the-practical. "We'll provide the meat and salad and feel free to bring along any friends you have, or your sister, or whoever, that's cool."

"Oh, wow, great! Okay, I'll see you then. Bye girls!"

And he rushed off, out the entrance, a whirlwind of blonde mess, husky cologne and gorgeousness. Oh, and did I mention gosh darn cuteness?

Cos there was definitely that, too.

A/N: Whhhhaaaat? After so many years of reading your collective brilliance Great FanFiction Writers, I decided to upload my one and only story for your perusal.
I have formatting issues in this medium not present in my Word Document (but don't we all), mainly because I adore Align Right (which is Lizzie's Brain) and toying with a few script fonts for the scribbling of the girls. But, c'est la vie.

I'm hoping this will make sense as a stand-alone novel, but if you're too confused and you reckon it's because I've just completely overlooked something, that's the stuff I want to know.

Nedlands, Peppermint Grove and Busselton are real places in Western Australia.

You're all great.

Michelle xo.