Change The Tide

Relocation Plans For Calderone and The Children
A couple of months after the Court ordered that the children lived with him, rather than Arcadia Thiessen, Tabernacle Calderone went to see his solicitor, Zorgarn Kreptic.

Calderone told Kreptic, “I have been offered a job at a catering company in Cairns, North Queensland. I want to accept the job offer and relocate to Cairns with the two (2) children. I have family there and they can offer us support. The children and I have visited several times in the past.”

Kreptic said, “Do you realise that unless Arcadia also relocated to Cairns, it would mean her physical contact with the children would be reduced to only during holiday periods?”

Calderone: “Yes”.

Kreptic: “I will write to the solicitor for Arcadia and endeavour to ascertain her attitude to your North Queensland relocation plans. I note that we have not been provided with any significant details as to the Duckworth character with whom Arcadia was spending a considerable amount of time. She was supposed to provide you with details as to the extent to which he might have contact with your children.”

Calderone: “I am not surprised you have not heard from her”.

Kreptic: “I will let you know when I get a reply about your proposed relocation. For your sake, I hope you will not be required to make an application to the Court to approve the relocation.”

Siobhan Blanco Contacts Arcadia
When Siobhan Blanco read the letter from Zorgarn Kreptic proposing Calderone relocate to Cairns with the two (2) children, she was not surprised. She also thought the failure on the part of Arcadia to provide any significant details regarding Garlick Duckworth and the extent to which he might have contact with the children was unlikely to be helpful for her.

Blanco telephoned Arcadia and was blunt with her. “It is time you realised that you cannot do whatever it is you like, without the possibility of adverse consequences resulting. On its face, the proposal for Calderone to relocate to Cairns with your two (2) children seems worthwhile. If you wish to resist that relocation, you are going to have to do provide cogent reasons for so doing. In that regard the fact that you have effectively provided no significant details regarding Duckworth and the extent to which he might have contact with the children is definitely going to be unhelpful for you.”

“You also might wish to turn your mind seriously to how you both propose to fund the necessary air travel between Cairns and Melbourne which would enable you to have contact with the children.”

“I will contact you again in a few days, Arcadia. Hopefully you will have something useful for me.”

Blanco promptly ended the telephone conversation with Arcadia.

Augustina Fotheringham Reappears For Arcadia
Augustina Fotheringham was a friend of Arcadia from their university days. They had not been in contact with each other for several years. Upon hearing about the divorce of Arcadia, Augustina made a concerted effort to track down Arcadia. The plan was to have a serious conversation with Arcadia about the situation in which Arcadia now found herself.

Roughly two (2) hours after Arcadia ended her conversation with Siobhan Blanco, Augustina telephoned Arcadia at her home. It did not take Arcadia long to realise this was to be another taxing conversation.

After some initial brief pleasantries, Augustina shared with Arcadia her sobering view of the circumstances in which Arcadia now found herself.

“If you have designs on dating, now that you are single, you might wish to seriously consider your situation. Your dating story will be that your husband left you after twenty (20) years of marriage because you were unfaithful to him for at least the last eighteen (18) months. It is unlikely too many men are going to enjoy hearing that story.”

“Trying to hide Garlick Duckworth from scrutiny was also not a clever move on your part. Calderone is understandably concerned about whom might have contact with your children and it is hard to imagine he will give up easily his request that you to provide significant details about Duckworth or anyone else who was likely to have contact with the children.”

“You denying you were involved with anyone other than your husband when the divorce proceedings started also significantly hurt your credibility. The Judge made it clear to you and it is something Calderone will be able to use in respect of you for some time to come.”

“Apart from Calderone, none of the men you have been with are in any way good role models for your children. The few decent men who have appeared in your life, you have actively alienated.”

“You abused your work travel privileges by chasing after that ridiculous man in Sydney, who dumped you like a hot potato once you were no longer dishing out the freebies for him.”

Arcadia then told Augustina, “Now Calderone wants to take a job at a catering company in Cairns and relocate there with the two (2) children. If he does that the only physical contact I will have with the children would be during holiday periods.”

Augustina was a long way from sympathetic. “Who could blame him, after the way you have behaved? I am prepared to help and support you, but only if you are prepared to make a concerted effort to improve your situation.”

“You would do well to acknowledge the criticisms of you levelled by Calderone during your divorce proceedings. They were sufficient to convince the Judge to order that your children live with Calderone rather than you. A more prudent approach for you would be to demonstrate improvements in your life, such that those criticisms are no longer valid and you are now a much more positive parenting prospect.”

“The choice is yours, Arcadia. Let me know if you want my assistance.”

Arcadia was taken aback by this conversation and struggled to say much in response.

“I will call you again in a couple of days and you can tell me then what it is you wish to do.” Augustine then ended the telephone call with Arcadia.

Alone with Her Thoughts
It was a restless night for Arcadia as she reflected on the conversations she had with both Siobhan Blanco and Augustina Fotheringham. She could see that her current situation did not look good to the outside observer. There seemed little alternative to accepting the assistance of Augustina Fotheringham.

Early the next morning Arcadia telephoned Augustina Fotheringham and told her she would accept her offer of assistance.

Arcadia said to Augustina, “I do not know what I am going to tell my solicitor, Siobhan Blanco, in relation to opposing the request by Calderone to relocate to Cairns with the children. I also do not have anything useful to tell her in respect of Garlick Duckworth.”

Augustina replied, “If it were my decision, it would be simple. I would stop having anything to do with Garlick Duckworth and all men like him. They seem to have caused you far more trouble than any pleasure they could have given you. There also seems little constructive opposition you can mount to Calderone relocating to Cairns with the children.”

“One step at a time is the best you can do, Arcadia. I have got something I need to do. We will talk later.”

Augustine then ended the conversation.

Arcadia rang Siobhan Blanco shortly after that telephone conversation and told her, “My friend from my university days, Augustina Fotheringham, has said she is prepared to help and support me. I told her I am prepared to work with her. I cannot tell you anything more constructive at the moment in relation to opposing the request by Calderone to relocate to Cairns with the children.”

Blanco said, “I will draft a letter in reply to his solicitor, Zorgarn Kreptic, and I will tell you when it is prepared. I have a commitment now, so I cannot talk to you anymore at the moment.”

Blanco then ended the conversation.

Calderone Takes The Job In Cairns
Two (2) days later Calderone contacted Kreptic and told him, “I am tired of the lack of any useful information from Arcadia. I have accepted the job at the catering company in Cairns and I will relocate there with the two (2) children in three (3) weeks.

At the end of the first term at their new school, Calderone wrote to Arcadia and said the children had settled in well in Cairns. This was supported by the pleasing report cards the school gave both children. He happily included those report cards with his letter.

It was about that time when a work colleague introduced Calderone to Ms Friday Rauschenberg at a small casual dinner. Calderone and Friday got on well together and agreed to meet again the following week, without anyone else accompanying them.

Calderone was fairly candid with Friday about how and why he found himself in Cairns with the children.

He told Friday, “I do not want a repeat of how I was treated by Arcadia”.

Friday replied, “I do not have any children, but I have endured my share of appalling treatment by people who claimed to care about me”.

The evening was not all heavy discussion, but their respective candour added to the comfort they felt in each other’s company. They both felt the evening went well and they continued seeing each other.

Friday and The Children Meet
Roughly three (3) months later, Calderone told Friday he thought it was appropriate for her to meet his children.

“I am aware of the significance of what I am suggesting, Friday. I have been on the other side of this discussion earlier when I said Arcadia needed to demonstrate that the people meeting our children needed to be appropriate and did not expose them to any unnecessary risk.”

Friday replied, “I am happy to meet your children and we shall see what happens. Hopefully we will all get along well.

Calderone and Kreptic Discuss Informing Arcadia
Calderone telephoned Kreptic and told him about his relationship with Friday. “It is progressing very well and she has met the children on several occasions. I anticipate she will continue to do so. I would like you to write to the solicitor for Arcadia and tell her about my friendship with Friday and her interaction with the children”.

The response from Kreptic surprised Calderone a little. “I think you could write the letter yourself. Not only would it save you some money, but it would demonstrate some relationship responsibility on your part. That is relationship responsibility between you and Arcadia.”

“Thank you, Mr Kreptic. That is an approach I had not considered, but one I will adopt.”

Arcadia Gets a Letter From Calderone
Arcadia had received several letters from Calderone since he relocated to Cairns with the children. They were all about how the children were progressing at school and in their new surroundings. She was not surprised when the latest letter from Calderone arrived. Her mood changed significantly when she read the contents of that latest letter.

Relevantly it read:
“There is a new significant person in my life. A work colleague introduced me to Ms Friday Rauschenberg at a small casual dinner. We got along well and have continued seeing each other since then. Friday works for a florist and has no children of her own. She has met our children on several occasions and everyone has got along well together. Friday and I have no significant plans for our relationship at this stage, but I expect we will continue seeing each other and I expect her to continue seeing and interacting with our children.”

“Given what has gone on between you and I, it seemed appropriate to inform you of my relationship with Friday Rauschenberg and her involvement with the children.”

It took Arcadia about twenty-five (25) minutes to read the letter. She found it hard to read through her tears. By the time she had finished, she was sobbing.