Nurse Jess (6 page)

“
It really doesn
’
t matter.
”

“
I shall return it,
”
said Mrs. Talbot, and Jessa knew she just couldn
’
t get home quick enough to
substitute
a confection of ribbon and lace.

The Bouncer left them as well that afternoon, but any ideas that they were to be without a he-man in their midst was instantly dispelled with the emergency arrival of a young fellow called Jones. He was only three and three
-
quarter pounds, but that included a pugilistic look in his eye. When he thrust out a little left arm he earned at once the title of Southpaw.

For several days Jessa carried around Professor Gink
’
s glasses. Although in her mind she had officially established Margaret as his future mate both in dedication—and, if Fate permitted, in marriage—it seemed somehow to be her right to substitute, for the Professor, at the Perfesser
’
s crib. She went along every morning and again every night. She knew she had grown to love the little lost boy.

A week had gone past since her inception at Belinda
’
s. She and Margaret had worn every colour now, some twice.

Another week went past, a third. When the month was up and three new graduates accepted, they felt they were almost old hands. Particularly since, unlike Great Southern, there was no telling how long they had been here, or how senior they were, by any difference of cap.

Letters had come from home keeping Jessa in touch with Crescent Island
’
s latest tourist progress. It wasn
’
t like the spoken word, though, in which case, when Barry rang the common-room one evening, she promised eagerly to meet him on her afternoon off before she started Nights.

They found it would coincide with his week-end stay in Sydney.
The Matthew Flinders 3
was still functioning, but at any time now Ba foresaw his final trip.

“
You said that when you fetched me over,
”
Jessa reminded him.

“
I
’
m saying it again now. I can hear the crack of doom.
”

To Jessa
’
s disappointment Ba as usual insisted on meeting her in the Gardens. How many times at G.S., rebelling with every step, had she met him there? Other girls went to fashionable restaurants for dinners very different from hospital beef, greens and potatoes, to coffee bars for cups of espresso coffee and exciting patisseries, to hotel lounges for coc
k
tails with remarkable names. But Jessa met Ba at the Botanical Gardens Wishing Tree, where fable had it that if you walked round thrice your wish would come true, and where every time Ba said,
“
Shall we test the fable,

Jessamine?
”
and where every time she would refuse, knowing what he would wish and how different it would be from hers. She would always like Barry, but love him? No.

After that they would stroll through the Japanese garden, past the artificial lakes with the sky and clouds imprisoned in them, then round the promontory to Mrs. Macquarie
’
s Chair.

Here, in a tiny bitten-in beach, they would settle under Ba
’
s favourite Moreton Bay fig tree, and he would produce sandwiches in a packet or buns in a bag.

The trouble with Barry was that everything always had to resemble the island. It was very like the island round at Mrs. Macquarie
’
s, the blue harbour, the green foreshore, the little boats, the crested waves.

She had said this to him once and he had retorted,
“
And the trouble with you, Jessa, is that you like people, not places. Crescent Island means only your mother and father to you, not a lagoon, a jetty, a reef, a long white beach.
”

He had forgotten to include Lopi. Coming in to her room now to get ready for her afternoon off with Barry, Jessa looked at the crater and said,
“
Hi, Lopi.
”

It was nice, astonishingly enough, to get into a dark suit instead of a pastel colour. She chose yellow gloves to brighten that deep pine green wool and put on a pair of pigskin flats.

Ba was at the Wishing Tree before her.

“
Shall we
?
”

“
No.
”

He was not offended, he had expected it.

“
Guess what I brought to eat.
”

“
That
’
s easy, sandwiches, buns or pies.
”

“
No, pawpaw. Your mother sent it.
”

“
How is she?
”

“
Getting excited about the tourist invasion. So is all the island.
”

They crossed the bridge over the lake and the black swans and blue tern hurried across to investigate. Jessa watched them, then pointed to the reflected sky.
“
They
’
re gliding on a cloud.
”

They came down to the stone wall and stood a while looking at the harbour.

“
Tell me everything,
”
urged Jessa.

Barry shrugged.
“
Not much yet, really, we
’
re still on the verge of things. Builders are in and the inn is having a facelift. There are going to be five wings eventually and the present erection will be the pivot. I told your father he should call the pub the Star, not the Jessamine any more.
”
Ba
’
s voice was bitter.

“
There
’
s been lots of enquiries already for accommodation,
”
he went on.
“
The tourist bloke has suggested turtle races on the beach, and all that sort of stuff. Vanda has the
job of hostess, seeing
you
won
’
t do your daughterly duty
—”

“
I am doing something much worthier,
”
put in Jessa proudly.

“
Yes, keeping well away,
”
gloomed Ba.

They began walking round to Mrs. Macquarie
’
s Chair.
“
If you feel like that about the change in Crescent, it
’
s a wonder you don
’
t keep away, too,
”
observed Jess.

“
I can
’
t. I can
’
t ever. Even if they make a Honolulu of it, it
’
s home. It
’
s different with you, Jess, you
’
re all for people, not places, as I said before. And that
’
s why I don
’
t
understand
—”
He stopped abruptly.

“
Understand what?
”

“
Babies. You
’
re mad on them,
otherwise
you wouldn
’
t be at Belinda, and if you
’
re mad on them why not some of your own?
”

“
Is this a proposal?
”

“
Sort of.
”

Impulsively she tucked her arm in his. Dear persistent Ba, she was terribly fond of him really.

“
I told you before, two reds sizzle.
”

“
And I told you before, I don
’
t care if they explode.
”
They laughed at that, finding presently to their satisfaction t
ha
t their bench beneath the Moreton Bay fig was unoccupied. Ba got out the pawpaw and began to peel.
“
Your turn to talk,
”
he said.

She told him about her work...the coloured uniforms, the smallness of the patients, the tags they gave them, Margaret—Professor Gink.

“
Funny name,
”
said Barry of the latter.
“
Wouldn
’
t care about it myself.
”

“
No,
”
agreed Jessa, but in her heart she planned with
dedication,
“
But Margaret will.
”

“
When is your leave, Jess?
”
asked Barry.
“
The folk want to see you, and if you don
’
t make it soon you
’
ll have to pay the Bureau your fare, not me.
”

“
I had no intention of paying you; Margaret hadn
’
t either.
”

“
Hi, what
’
s this? I don
’
t run a bulk island transport for free.
”

“
Not bulk, Ba, just the two of us. We get our first break from Belinda in ten days
’
time. I
’
ve mentioned it to Margaret and she
’
d love it if the
Matthew Flinders
is not off the run by then, can we come?
”

“
I suppose so,
”
grumbled Barry,
“
but I don
’
t see why you can
’
t pay your way.
”

“
Ask the Hospital; we
’
re still trainees.
”

“
I
’
ll book it.to your Dad, then. Looks like he
’
s going to finish up a plutocrat, anyway.
”
Again Barry looked bitter.

“
Will
you
lose much when you work for the Tourist Bureau?
”
enquired Jessa.

“
I
’
ll gain, I never made a great deal on the run. But it was mine, the same as Dad
’
s was Dad
’
s, Granddad
’
s likewise. And that
’
s payment on its own.
”

“
You
’
ll sell
Matthew Flinders?
”

Ba groaned and answered,
“
Postpone the bitter day.
”

They lapsed into silence awhile. Barry broke it.

“
Funny to think of Mrs. Macquarie sitting here all those years
ago,
”
he said thoughtfully.

“
Watching for ships from England
...
homesick
...”
nodded Jessa.

“
I
’
d
be homesick,
”
preferred Barry. He looked hopefully at Jessa, saw no agreement, and shrugged.

“
People, not places,
”
he remarked once again of her,
“
and
before all varieties of people,
babies,
and that
—”

Jessa cut in and finished for him,
“
That
’
s what you can
’
t understand. Don
’
t start it all again.
”

She glanced at her watch.
“
Matron Martha won
’
t understand either if I walk in late. Particularly on my first helping of Nights. I
’
d better get moving, young Barry. Thanks for the afternoon. Expe
ct
two passengers on Wednesday week
’
s out flight.
”