Riverboat Point (12 page)

“A pasty please.” She didn't normally eat pastry but the smell coming from the kitchen was irresistible.

“Something to drink?”

“Could I have a pot of tea?”

“Coming right up.”

Bob left and Savannah glanced around. There was a lace curtain at the small window, tablecloths on all the tables and a small vase of flowers in the centre of each. It reminded her of childhood visits to her grandparents.

The chair she'd chosen placed her with her back to the couple. The room wasn't very big and their proximity made her uncomfortable. In the city she enjoyed Asian food and was often in places where she would be jammed up close to other customers, but here it felt an invasion of privacy, hers and theirs.

“Where is she?”

Savannah looked up as a woman bustled through from the house. She was small and round with softer wrinkles than Bob's but the same snowy white hair. A colourful apron with a bib covered her clothes. Her husband was close behind her.

“We've just had a call from Faye.” The older woman's eyes sparkled. “She tells me you're Jaxon's sister.”

Savannah stood up, conscious she was the centre of attention.

“Yes,” she said. “I'm Savannah.”

“It's so lovely to meet you, Savannah. I'm Nell.”

“And you know me already,” Bob chirped beside her.

“Jaxon told us to keep an eye out for you but you're not how he described.”

“He hasn't seen me for a while,” Savannah said. “I've given up on the long dark hair phase.”

Savannah flicked a look at the seated couple who were watching the exchange with interest. The woman had a piercing look, her companion's was brooding.

“You must call in often,” Nell said. “Jaxon did. We loved to see him, didn't we, Bob?”

Bob nodded and smiled.

“We'd better feed the young lady, Nell,” he said. “She looks hungry.”

“Of course,” Nell said. “You make yourself comfortable and we'll be right back with your lunch.”

No sooner had they bustled out than the woman seated at the other table spoke.

“Hope you don't mind but we couldn't help overhearing,” she said. “You're Jaxon's sister?”

“Yes,” Savannah said. Had the whole town been expecting her?

“We're Belinda and Ashton Palmer.” The woman rose and came across to her table. Gold bangles jangled on her arms and several gold chains hung around her tanned neck. “We're your sometimes neighbours.” The skin around her mouth stretched in a tight smile and her brow remained smooth.

Savannah knew that look. Belinda had used botox and yet she'd be only a few years older than Savannah. Ashton nodded at her from his seat. His lips lifted in a half smile before he went back to his food.

“Nice to meet you,” Savannah said.

“We're usually only here for the odd weekend,” Belinda said, “but we're staying for a week or so this time. We must catch up.”

“Yes,” Savannah said remembering the signs on the Palmers' gate.

“Are you busy this afternoon? I could pop over. It'd be nice to have some female company.” She glanced towards Ashton who was intent on his food. “Gets very lonely out there by the river.”

“I'll be home,” Savannah said. She felt relieved she wouldn't have to negotiate the Palmers' gate and dog.

“Great. Do you drink sparkling?”

“Yes,” Savannah said. She didn't add not much and not usually during the day.

“I'll bring a bottle.”

Bob returned with a tray loaded with food and a teapot in a knitted cosy.

“You enjoy your lunch,” Belinda said. “Ash and I will be on our way soon. I'll see you this afternoon. We've left the money on the table, Bob.”

“Thank you, Belinda. See you next time.”

Bob set some cutlery in front of Savannah then a plate with a pasty covered in golden flaky pastry. Savannah pursed her lips as saliva shot into her mouth. He followed it with a pot of homemade tomato sauce, a teacup on a saucer and the teapot.

“We thought you might like this,” he said with a big smile and placed a plate with two cream-filled cupcakes next to the teacup.

Savannah couldn't imagine how she'd fit one of them in let alone two, but they looked delicious and she didn't want to spoil Bob's hospitality.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Bye,” Belinda waved as she and Ashton left.

Savannah turned. Belinda swept her with a penetrating look then briskly turned away.

“Now this is on the house,” Bob said once the door shut behind the couple.

“Oh, no, I couldn't …”

Bob put up his hand. “Nell and I insist. It's our welcome to Riverboat Point gift. Enjoy,” he said.

By the time Savannah arrived back at the supermarket her stomach felt fit to burst. She had managed to eat all the food Bob and Nell had put in front of her. It had been delicious but eating two cream cakes on top of the pasty had been too much.

There were several people lined up at the supermarket checkout and a man behind the counter was serving them. Savannah glanced around but couldn't see Faye. She decided to wait. Once more she scanned the noticeboard. Jaxon's notice was still there. There were a couple of people offering to babysit, another to do housework, a houseboat for sale, an appeal for an old caravan to be used as a spare room and several other requests or offers. Her gaze stopped at the note from someone called Mandy who was trying to get a few locals together to keep fit. ‘Can't do it on my own,' she'd written.

“Hello, Savannah.”

She turned at the sound of Faye's shrill voice.

“You found the tea rooms okay?”

“Yes.” Savannah was pretty sure Faye already knew that since she'd phoned to check up.

“Nice lunch?”

“Yes.”

“I've got your groceries packed up,” Faye said. She waved her hand towards a box and bags on the shelf behind the counter. A bunch of flowers, their stems in a plastic bag, sat on top of the box. “The flowers are from us.”

“There's no need.”

“We don't get many new people here.” The man had finished with the customers and had joined in the conversation. “Jaxon's been a great addition to our community. His family are most welcome.”

“This is my husband, Charlie,” Faye said.

“Nice to meet you, Savannah.” He shook her hand warmly and she stuttered a response. She would never have picked him as Faye's husband. He appeared so much older.

“You too,” she said feeling bad about her earlier churlishness.

“Jaxon's done a lot for the community and his business is going from strength to strength.”

Charlie looked at her as if he expected her to say something.

“You don't know how long he's going to be away, do you?” Faye filled in the space.

“No.” Savannah looked from one to the other.

“He's always been so reliable,” Charlie said. “We hadn't realised this trip away was going to be longer than a week.”

“He said he'd help with the upgrade of the community hall,” Faye said.

“That can wait but –” Charlie started.

“He's been coaching our Jamie at tennis,” Faye cut in.

“Tennis?” They'd played as kids. She didn't know Jaxon still played.

“Jamie doesn't have a lot of friends,” Charlie said.

“He has … special needs,” Faye said softly. “He enjoyed having a hit with Jaxon.”

“I'm very sorry,” Savannah said. “I don't know how long he plans to be away but I'm sure he'll be back soon. He won't want to leave me in charge for long.” She smiled. She'd spoken with a conviction she didn't feel.

“Oh well, say hello from us when you speak to him next.” Charlie turned to pick up her box. “I can help you to the car.”

“I've thought of a few more things I need.”

“Just bring them over,” Faye said. “I'll add them to your tally.”

Savannah sped off to find cheese, dip and crackers. If Belinda was going to bring champagne they would need something to go with it even though she didn't feel the slightest bit hungry now.

What a crazy morning it had been. From her embarrassment at her poor management skills to her panic at being alone at Old Man's Landing to being overwhelmed by friendly people here in town. To add to the mix was her confusion over Jaxon. If he was so well liked and his business was booming why would he up and leave on an extended holiday? Charlie had said to say hello. She'd say more than that when she got the chance.

Savannah paused, her hand hovering over a packet of water crackers. What if something had happened to him? Instantly she dismissed the thought. He'd been way too well organised for someone who'd met with an accident. He'd meant to go away. It was the why that had her puzzled.

Ethan looked at his watch. It was already mid-afternoon and he was in need of the parts he'd ordered yesterday. He wiped his hands down the sides of his jeans. He was filthy from head to toe. Today's jobs had been particularly messy. He'd had trouble with the bolt in the header's oil sump and when it had finally come loose so had the pool of oil. Most of it dropped onto him.

The smell of it reminded him of Afghanistan and the workshop in Tarin Kot during his first deployment. One night towards the end of a sixteen-hour shift, the team had been working to get a light-armoured vehicle ready to go back out on patrol. They'd had a particularly busy time with several long shifts in a row. The fatigue had started to play tricks with his brain and he had borne the brunt of the oil spill. By the time he was able to get to the shower the dark liquid had seeped into every nook and cranny. His bloodied knuckles had stung as he'd tried to scrub away the oil and the smell had stayed with him for days.

Today was the same but to a lesser degree. He had oil soaked in patches on his clothes and a blood-encrusted little finger on his right hand from when his spanner had slipped. At least he could take a break. In Tarin Kot there were no breaks until the job was done and the workshop clean. The pressure wasn't quite the same here, not till harvest at least.

He wasn't ready to move on to the next job and there was little he could do to the header until he picked up the parts. He'd have to take Blake's ute again and leave his bike here.

“Hello?”

Ethan spun at the sound of a female voice.

A woman stood before him. She wore jeans and a windcheater. Her long fair hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her eyes looked clear and bright. She didn't wear make-up.

“I'm Jenny,” she said and thrust out her hand.

Ethan looked down at his own grimy hands then held them up.

“Nice to meet you,” he said. “No offence if I don't shake your hand.”

She smiled. It was an easy, warm smile.

“I'm happy with that,” she said.

“You just arrived?”

“A while ago. I'm glad to see Blake's looking better than the last time I saw him in hospital.”

“Barb's been playing mother.”

“I've brought lasagne with me. Blake and I wondered if you'd like to eat with us.”

Ethan looked down at his filthy clothes. Tiredness seeped through him and the last thing he felt like tonight was playing gooseberry with his brother and his new girlfriend. “Thanks, but I'm a bit of a mess. Think I'll take an early mark and go home.”

She put her head to one side. “I make a pretty good lasagne.”

“Another time I'll take you up on it.”

“Okay, well at least call in for a coffee. Blake wants to see you before you go.”

“I need to borrow his ute anyway. I'll be down in a while.”

Jenny nodded and turned away to walk back to the house.

Ethan cleaned up the shed. He'd had to do nearly a day's work to sort it all out when he started and he liked to keep it that way. Especially while Blake was out of action to mess it up again. He used the degreaser on his hands then made his way past the sheds and down the track to the house. He pulled off his boots and let himself in via the outside laundry door to wash his hands with hot soapy water. They still didn't come clean.

He looked down at his clothes. Blake never cared about dirt but Ethan wasn't sure how things were situated with Jenny in residence. He knocked at the back door.

Jenny opened it immediately.

“Since when do you knock at the door?” Blake called from behind her.

“I'm pretty dirty,” Ethan said to Jenny.

“You can have Blake's grotty chair,” she said. “He doesn't need it at the moment.”

Jenny held the door for him to step through then went to the kettle.

“Coffee?” she asked.

“Tea please.”

“I'll have coffee,” Blake said. “I've slept half the day away.”

Ethan studied his brother. He still had rings around his eyes and the bruise on his cheek was like a rainbow but the rest of his face showed a better colour. He'd had a shave and his hair was still damp.

“Jenny's just given me a bath,” Blake said.

Ethan held up his hands. “Stop right there,” he said.

“He's too broken for anything more than a wash,” Jenny said as she placed cups in front of them. “I'm going outside for a while. I've nearly tamed that side garden.” She kissed Blake on the lips.

He gripped her tightly with his good arm and kissed her back.

She eased herself away, picked up some gloves from the bench and let herself out the door.

“Don't be too long,” Blake called after her. “I'm not totally broken.”

Ethan's heart sank. He recognised the puppy dog look on his brother's face. He hoped this Jenny didn't turn out to be another of his mistakes.

“She's a good woman,” Blake said, still watching the door Jenny had exited through.

“She seems nice.”

Blake turned back to look at him. “I know what you're thinking.”