The Reef (45 page)

‘She is the grandmother. And your parents have rights too. I just don't want to hear her badmouthing you when you could easily pop in, see how she is.'

‘Okay. I'll do it. But I don't really want you there. I'll go upstairs, take your bag and then leave. I hope you know what you're doing, Jenny.' His
previous coolness and awkwardness on the flight from the island melted for a moment.

‘I don't have a lot of choice, do I?' said Jennifer. ‘But you're right. It's my decision.'

She never knew what transpired between Blair and Christina and for all any of them knew it could well be the last time they'd see each other. Blair came downstairs wearing a grim expression.

‘How was it? How is she?' asked Jennifer.

‘Well, she's not as sick as you think. That's one tough old bird. Gave me a few home truths, and I doubt there'll be any more get togethers. Don't let her take over your life, Jennifer. I was never good enough for you anyway and I've apparently confirmed all the dreadful things husbands do to their wives. You'd better choose carefully and warn the next poor bugger that comes into your life that he'll always be taking second place to you and your mum.' He got into the car and pulled the door shut.

‘That's a long way off, and I can handle Mum,' said Jennifer. ‘Well, this is it then.' She stood sadly by the car with the realisation that when Blair drove away the marriage was over. She was on her own, he was going to a new life too. ‘I hope things work out for you, Blair, I really do.' She reached in and touched his shoulder, tears in her eyes.

‘You did this, Jennifer. And I'm moving on. I hope you do the same. But no matter what, we have that baby. So . . . I'll try to be a decent dad . . . under the circumstances.' He briefly touched her hand resting on his shoulder. ‘Good luck, Jenny.'

She watched the car disappear, and, sighing, picked up her small bag and trudged to her mother's bedside.

Christina looked pale and wan, though her eyes were sharp and alert. They darted to Jennifer's belly.

‘It looks like you're the one who should be in hospital, not me. You poor girl. What that man has put you through. Let me make you a cup of tea.' Christina feebly threw back the bedcover.

‘No, no, Mum. I've come over to look after you.'

‘You didn't come over specially. Just for me. Oh dear.'

‘What does the doctor say? And the tests, what were they for?'

‘Oh, nothing really. Course it could be anything. Heart, kidney, liver, diabetes, who knows,' she sighed, falling back on the pillow.

Jennifer was going to ask about her symptoms but changed her mind. ‘I'll make us some tea.'

She was almost out of the room when Christina said, ‘Probably a good thing about you and Blair. We'll be all right, the three of us.'

Jennifer stopped, did not look back and continued into the kitchen.

‘Look in your room, Jen-Jen,' called Christina.

There was a bassinet with frilled netting and a crocheted coverlet in bright yellow acrylic wool. Jennifer hated it. She'd planned to get a carry cot that she could move around easily. Still, while she was here this would be useful. She opened the
cupboard and found a baby bath and a pile of baby items.

‘Mum, you shouldn't be spending your money. I'll go round and find things I need.'
And that Ilike.

‘Oh, I've been picking them up at the stalls on a Saturday morning. The CWA ladies do nice handiwork. And there are so many clever things out for babies now. Not like when you were little. I barely had the basics,' she said. ‘When I think of how I had to wash your nappies . . .'

‘Well, that was then. Today's different.' Jennifer was brisk.
I am not being held responsible for your suffering.

The following morning Christina looked and sounded brighter, and insisted on getting up and having breakfast with Jennifer.

‘So what are we doing today, dear?'

‘You're staying in bed and resting. I've made an appointment with my doctor and yours. And I'll stock up on groceries.'

‘I'm sorry to be a nuisance. I suppose I should learn to drive, but things are close and the local taxi man is very nice.'

‘I wouldn't worry about it now, Mum. When do Vi and Don get here?'

‘In a few weeks, I think. Won't that be lovely, all being together for a visit with the new baby. They seemed quite disappointed not to get to that island, for some reason.'

It's a resort where people go on holiday, to relax, to have a good time in one of the most beautiful spots in the world.
‘I'll make a list and see you round lunchtime.'

Jennifer rang Beverly and arranged to meet for a coffee after doing the shopping.

‘Hi Beverly. Glad you're not on duty. Now, you're a nurse, what's going on with my mother?'

‘I checked for you. Doesn't seem to be anything serious. She still sneaks a cigarette or two but I don't think she eats properly. You know how it is with people who live alone. She's very thin. The tan makes her look fitter than she is. She's low in iron and zinc.'

‘I thought that was old people. Mum's only in her early sixties.'

‘She says she's lonely. She's looking forward to having you at home with the baby. And I think she's actually pleased you've broken up with Blair.'

‘I know that. But, Bev, I'm not moving back in with my mother. For a start, a little baby will probably drive her nuts. Crying, up in the night for feeds, all that stuff. She's forgotten that part of it. I'm heading back to the island as soon as I can. I'll have to come over for post-natal checks.'

‘Mmm, maybe something can be arranged. I could be the assigned nurse and visit you on the island. Be nice to stay over a night with Rosie. The doctor prefers the nurse to go to the mother and baby. I'll see what I can do.'

‘Oh, that would be so great. In the meantime, I'll have to get Mum back on her feet.'

‘Jennifer, your mother isn't as lonely as you think. She has a lot of friends at the tennis club and there's a bloke who's a bit keen on her. He drives her places, takes her out, but she won't take him seriously for some reason.'

‘I wish she had a boyfriend,' said Jennifer. ‘It'd make my life easier. She's always put me first and then complains at having no life and makes me feel guilty.'

Beverly laughed. ‘Good ol' Christina, she can be a lot of fun, but she's a feisty devil and likes to be the centre of attention despite being the martyr. You get on with your life. Though it sounds as if you're doing just that. I have to admire you.'

‘Thanks. I've learned a lot from Isobel.'

Jennifer paid for their coffee and they parted, with Beverly promising to talk to Jennifer's doctor and the head of nursing to set up her post-natal visit on the island.

Jennifer loaded the groceries into the car and decided to walk to the Italian greengrocer for fresh fruit and vegetables. Her mother bought too much tinned stuff. The greengrocery was in a strip with a delicatessen, a bakery, a cafe and a coffee shop with sidewalk tables. It was crowded, as it was lunchtime. Jennifer glanced casually at the outdoor tables and pulled up as she spotted one group.

In a corner, under an umbrella, she recognised Tony, even though he had his back to her. He was in an intense conversation with Fanzio and Holding. The last email she had from Tony he was at his house at the beach up north. So why was he
here? Why hadn't he contacted her, and why was he with these men? Of course he didn't know she was on the mainland, but, even so, Jennifer's dislike of these two smooth-talking executives put Tony in a bad light in her mind.

She hurried past with her head averted, hoping they didn't see her.

Christina was making a rapid recovery, even insisting on taking Jennifer down to meet her pals at the tennis club. Jennifer acquiesced, hoping she might meet the man keen on her mother. Christina, while showing off Jennifer, was inflating the importance of her research, and her brave and adventurous spirit – ‘living on an almost deserted island and pregnant too! You should hear her adventures. There's some big secret submarine undersea spy thing happening too, isn't that right, dear?'

‘Not quite, it's an oceanographic survey with one of the world's top marine biologists.'

‘Oh, that woman,' Christina said dismissively. ‘Goodness me, people do that sort of thing all the time.' Christina was always instantly an expert on any subject touched upon. And always wrong.

‘I thought there was some fabulous resort on Branch Island,' said one of the men.

‘There is,' smiled Jennifer. ‘My husband, well, soon-to-be-ex-husband, is working there. I live far more humbly in the research station facilities.' She stopped, aware of the shocked faces around her, including her mother's furious expression.

‘Ex-husband? You and Blair . . . ?' The question from one of the women hung in the air, as everyone listened with great interest. Christina, always boasting about her daughter, hadn't shared this bit of news. Her mother busied herself around the tea urn, her back to the rest of them.

Jennifer gave a nonchalant shrug as best she could. ‘It's sad and difficult, but we thought it best as our careers and lives are going in such different directions. We're friends, and Blair will be involved in the baby's life. These things happen . . . I guess.' Her sentence tapered away as the expressions of her mother's friends didn't alter. After an awkward pause everyone began talking at once and tea was served.

Twenty-four hours later Jennifer drove down to the waterfront and sat in her car and looked at the boats. She was upset and hoped the scene might calm her before she went back to her mother's apartment.

Christina had made a rapid recovery and, despite being prescribed a few supplements, she'd been pronounced fit and well. She was making lists of baby needs, what Jennifer should take to the hospital and food supplies for her confinement. The thought of forty days and nights with a newborn in her mother's unit did not sound attractive and Jennifer thought she'd put off telling Christina she planned to return to the island after the birth until she was ready to leave.

But now things had changed. The visit to the doctor this time had not gone so well and she'd had a nasty surprise.

‘Jennifer, it's nothing to panic about, but given there are three issues that concern me, I want to have you close by so you can be monitored in case there
is
an emergency. I'm afraid I can't have you over there on that island with elevated blood pressure, high blood sugar and a slight amniotic leak. One wouldn't be so bad, but taken overall . . . we don't want to take any chances, do we?'

Jennifer was miserable. The thought of spending these last weeks cooped up in the unit with Christina, instead of on the sunny, fresh and peaceful island, was anathema to her. But she knew she couldn't risk it. She'd talked it over with Beverly, who, being the responsible nurse she was, agreed that she must be close to medical care.

As she sat there feeling teary and alone, her mobile rang, making her jump. She'd become so used to not having it with her. What did Christina want now?

‘Oh Tony! This is a surprise.' Jennifer kept her voice neutral. She was still wondering about his secret meeting with the slick boys.

‘Listen, I'm in Headland, been here a couple of days. I just rang Rosie to get a message to you and she said you're here too. Where are you?'

‘Down by the wharf. I'd love to see you.' Relief washed over her that he hadn't been hiding anything. ‘What are you doing here?'

‘That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I
think I'm closing in on something. I'll come down there. See you in the coffee shop by Vera's reception area.'

She gave him a big hug when she arrived and Tony gave her a long look.

‘What's up?' he asked, sounding concerned. ‘You look upset.'

‘Oh, do I? Well . . .' She spilled the news, letting out some of her fears and frustration.

He took her hand. ‘Jen, it's not so bad, and you can't take a chance. I'm sure everything will be fine, and as soon as possible you can take the baby to the island. Everyone will be there to help out. What's a baby in the middle of all that chaos. Be no problems. You'll zip through your final work. And get fit and healthy in no time. Swimming is great exercise.'

She smiled gratefully. ‘You make it sound so simple. Even the swimming part. I do want to get slim as soon as I can.' She patted her tummy.

‘I think you look gorgeous. Brown and healthy and glowing, as they say. And you know what I've learned now? Life is as simple or as complicated as you want, or make it.'

‘Thanks, Tony. So, what've you dug up?'

‘Ah. Now, at present there's bits of a puzzle. I fronted Fanzio and Holding about their plans for these upmarket sports clubs as there's no way they can make it happen. On Branch anyway. But they have formed a company off-shore and they do have a lot of capital. Oddly, they haven't produced anything too concrete in the way of a prospectus,
plans, whatever. So it's a front, but for what. I'm thinking possibly gambling, a casino or something. There are a few floating casinos around.'

‘Why are you so interested in the slick boys? And why
can't
they set up a private club on Branch? If it's not going to conflict with the Branch Resort?' asked Jennifer.

‘For a start, the last thing the reef needs is more development out on the islands. And I've had some very productive talks with Patch. He's given me information on tape and in writing that's . . . useful.' Tony didn't seem to want to elaborate. ‘You haven't had time to read all the material or listen to the tapes I gave you – for God's sake don't lose them. I have copies but I don't want anyone else to know what we know.'

‘All sounds very mysterious,' said Jennifer. ‘Are Reef Resorts International on the up and up? Does Rosie know about this?'