Christine celebrates her fortieth birthday fuelled by champagne and cocaine, determined to fall in love with the imminent arrival of a random male prostitute to her top-floor penthouse. Christine settles in for the night, ordering a home-delivered five-star meal with wine. Bored, she unsuccessfully telephones her imaginary friends. Throughout her drug binge, Christine discloses moments of physical abuse by her father, emotional abuse by her mother, and the witnessed accounts of her brother’s sexual encounters, on their family-owned cattle farm at Milking Yard Creek in the middle of the desert. Ivan, Christine’s prostitute arrives to make a quick buck and service his client only to discover Christine has another agenda, to keep him for life. Ivan’s delicate dance on eggshells results in Christine’s violent attacks. With some intelligent manoeuvres, Ivan successfully fills his pockets with cash. Ivan’s talent as a sketch artist and his dirty little secret, Benjamin are revealed. Benjamin is invited to the penthouse to keep Christine amused. She demands Ivan sketch her portrait. Benjamin learns of Christine’s hallucinations, stories of a make-believe cattle farm, an adored helicopter pilot, incest, and skeletal remains. At the height of her drug-induced psychosis, Christine takes on another personality, blaming this for her unhappiness. Christine battles for ownership of Benjamin and Ivan. Hospital emergency lights, Code Black announcements, and the arrival of Hospital Security shocks Christine back to reality. She finds herself in the reception area of Doctor Vickery’s psychiatrist rooms. Amy, Doctor Vickery’s receptionist lays unconscious on the floor behind her reception desk, only a pair of high-heel shoes disclose Amy’s presence. Christine is coaxed back to the hospital psychiatric residence, where she is receiving treatment and much-needed care.
