Tumble Creek (7 page)

‘So I may as well stay there then?' Sofie suggested.

‘No, we have something better: a big dog, and me.' He grinned.

***

Sofie hurried through the restaurant's back gate, down the short windy red-brick path to the sunroom then upstairs to the living quarters, calling out, ‘Claud?'

‘In here,' Claudia hollered from the kitchen.

Sofie rushed across the hall. ‘Pack your things we're staying …' She stumbled to a stop just inside the door.

‘What things, I have no
things
,' Claudia mumbled accusingly around a mouthful of toast, as if it was Sofie's fault their house was demolished.

Heart in her mouth, Sofie froze in the doorway. Claudia the ‘Goth Girl' was back. It was as if someone had snapped their fingers and poof, there it was: white face, stark black eye make-up, darkest red, almost black, lipstick and black clothes.

‘What're you doing?' Sofie whispered, voice trembling.

‘Mum, I'm eating.' She made an elaborate eye-roll, as if to say, are you blind or something?

‘I can see that, what's with the make-up?' Uncontrollable emotions swirled inside Sofie; a few took hold, squeezing her chest: anger, sorrow, despair. Logic told her that it wasn't her fault a truck demolished their home. Nevertheless, guilt festered just the same.

Claudia's back stiffened, her expression became belligerent, she glared and then snarled, ‘I can do whatever I want.'

Oh-oh! This was not going well.

‘Up to a point, yes. Otherwise I'm your mum, and mums worry. It's our right. It's tattooed on our brains!' Sofie walked in and gripped the back of a kitchen chair for support. She had a fair idea what had brought this on: because of a reckless idiot, her sweet girl had regressed, and was once again hiding behind a mask. It frustrated Sofie that she couldn't come up with a solution to help her through it. She wanted to hold her, tell her everything would be all right. It was just a house. At least she could do the holding part. Too bad if Claudia thought it was weird and backed off. With a few forceful strides, Sofie pulled Claudia into her arms and held her tightly.

‘Mum, what're you doing?' Claudia complained, as her body went rigid. Sofie ignored her protestations and kept hugging. Little by little, Claudia began to relax and, after a few deep breaths, she asked, ‘What's up, Mum? Why all the hugging?'

‘No reason, I love you, that's all.' Sofie manoeuvred Claudia out of the kitchen and down the hall to their room and ensuite. With an arm firmly around her waist, Sofie twisted her to face the mirror and demanded, ‘Look at yourself, sweetheart.' Claudia turned her head to the side. ‘Yesterday you were fresh, young and happy.'

‘You mean normal,' Claudia muttered, angry and resentful.

‘You're more normal than most other teenagers,
and
more mature. But that's
not
what this is about.'

Frowning, Claudia pressed her lips together and turned away from the mirror; grumbling incoherently she shoved her arms across her chest.

‘What happened to our house has nothing to do with the past and your Dad leaving us to fend for ourselves while he went off with Miss Universe, or whatever the hell she was. And anyway, you know as well as I do that she's fake and you're real. We're free of that now. Sure it was a massive shock, but its just a house, as you said, not a very good one. Just sticks, plaster and glass. As soon as it's safe, we can get all our precious things. Anything you want to keep, but can't fit in your room, we'll put in storage. The house will have to be demolished. It's a huge and beautiful block of land, over half an acre, with a lovely established back garden and mature trees. I'm not giving that up, okay? As you said before the reality of what happened really hit you, this is a great opportunity to build something amazing.'

Tears, tracking black mascara, rolled down Claudia's face. She raised her head and nodded.

‘I'm so glad you agree. I don't want to go back to Sydney.'

Horrified, and eyes like a terrified cat, Claudia's chin dropped. ‘I don't want to go back either! I love it here. Michelle is the best friend I've ever had, we laugh all the time, especially at Bret. We're decorating the Christmas in July theme together for the restaurant's window.'

‘Okay—I get it, we're staying. Good, you can help me design a new home? Research it for me?' Sofie gently wiped Claudia's tears, adding mascara smudges to the tracks across her white face. ‘I don't care if you think it's blackmail, Claud, I want my girl back. I want to see your beautiful skin, your face, your amazing eyes that always show me how you're feeling.'

Claudia pulled back and covered her cheeks as if hanging onto her mask. Sofie let her, but only far enough to allow her some breathing space.

‘Honey, if this is a fashion statement, fine. I have no problem with that. But it's not, is it?' Sofie waited for a response.

Staring at her reflection now, Claudia took a deep breath. ‘No … not a fashion statement.' With trembling fingers, she grabbed some tissues and make-up remover, and started cleaning her face.

‘There's my girl. No more hiding behind that paint.'

Claudia grabbed another bunch of tissues and blew her nose. Voice muffled, she said, ‘On your way to the kitchen, there was something you were going to tell me; it's not more crap, is it?'

‘Well, maybe just a little.'

Claudia rolled her eyes and looked at the ceiling, mumbling, ‘Now what?'

Sofie really had to be careful how she worded this. ‘Claud, it's going to be okay, we've got it sorted. But first, I just can't sleep with you. I don't get any rest. I reckon you dream you're an athletic superstar, throwing javelins, jumping hurdles every night. I was going to make arrangements to stay at Britt's, but because she's kinda missing, and—' Sadly, there was no way she could soften her news; she tried but couldn't think of a thing. She'd learned from past experience that honesty was the only way, besides, people talk, gossip gets around especially with high school girls. Sofie reached for Claudia's hands, held them close to her chest, and tried to ignore her daughter's growing alarm.
Okay, here goes.
‘Britt's place was ransacked.' Wide-eyed, angry and frightened, Claudia gasped and tugged her hands to free them, but Sofie held on. ‘No, listen. Brock said whoever did it were professionals looking for something Britt has hidden.' She took a deep breath and carefully added, ‘Someone also ransacked the back of our house and painted a message on the wall not to contact police. Because I was friends with Britt they think there's a connection. In any case, we can't stay at Britt's like I hoped, and I can't get a hotel booking either. So Brock invited us to stay at his house for a little while. Are you okay with that?'

Claudia's pretty face screwed up like she smelled something truly disgusting. ‘What?!' Then her mouth fell open and her face paled as scarier information filtered through. ‘Someone wrote crap on our house?'

‘Yes, sweetheart. But Claud, listen, we'll be safe with Brock. He's well liked in the community, he has a three-bedroom house and he's hardly ever there.' Her heart wanted that to be a lie but for her own peace of mind she hoped it was true. The less she saw of him the better.

Black and white make-up smeared all over her face, Claudia backed away. Hands on hips she readied for a full-blown argument. ‘Mum!' Claudia's voice pitched higher, ‘The message said not to contact police and you want us to live with one! What is wrong with you?'

‘I see your point, sweetheart.' Sofie placed a gently hand on Caludia's shoulder. ‘Isn't there a saying, keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer?'

‘That is so screwed up, Mum.' Frowning, Claudia shook her head. ‘I have a lot of respect for Brock but—'

‘Oh, how come?' Sofie cut in, curious. ‘You've barely said two words to him.'

‘The other day when I was walking through the park, he was sitting on a step at the bottom of the fancy band rotunda, he was talking to a kid who'd just been bullied. Building him up, spending time with him. At school the next day, I asked the kid what the detective wanted. He said that it would be difficult, but if he showed no reaction, the bullies would get bored. And to come to police boxing club Tuesday and Thursday after school.' Claudia smiled, knowingly. ‘Then Brock, at the last disco night, he laughed and joked with a bunch of guys as he took their alcohol off them that they were trying to smuggle in. So, I have a lot of respect for Brock, but you can forget the idea of me living in his house—' she waved her arms about, ‘—for who knows how long.'

‘But if he's a great guy, why?'

‘Do you have any idea what staying with “The Rock”,' she said, sarcastically wobbling her head from side to side, ‘would do to me at school? I'd be laughed at, a social pariah.' She dramatically threw her hands in the air. ‘They'll accuse me of spying or something ridiculous like that.
No way.
I'm staying right here,' she finished, emphasising her stance by pointing to the floor.

The sound of Jennifer singing Pink's song ‘Raise Your Glass' preceded her as she trundled up the stairs, her footsteps taking her along the hall to their room. ‘What's going on?' she asked entering the ensuite.

Sofie filled her in, finishing with Britt's house and Brock's order, which, she added, was the safest idea, except Claudia didn't want to go. And she sure as hell wasn't leaving her behind.

‘Ooh,' Jennifer shivered. ‘Go stay with Brock. We'll look after Claud.'

‘What am I, some sort of baby? I can look after myself,' Claudia announced, looking less like a capable teenager and more like a cute panda in need of rescuing.

‘Of course you can.' Jennifer ignored the state of Claudia's face, swung an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. ‘But everyone likes a little company, especially at night. Calum will be gone a couple of days, he's looking at buying another bull. Fresh blood he said. Poor Killer George, hope he won't be put out.'

‘Right, that's it then. I'm staying here to
look after
Aunty Jen, and Mum's going to sleep with—'

‘
Sleep
with Brock?!' Sofie screeched. ‘Hardly, the man runs hot and cold. And besides, he's not my type!' Which was an
absolute
lie.

Jennifer laughed so hard her bum hit the bed, and then she promptly flopped back on the mattress, hands on her belly. After catching her breath, she hauled herself up, swung her arms around Sofie and Claudia and pulled them both in for a tight hug. Stepping back she eyed her niece and said, ‘There's no need to hide behind the Goth make-up, Claud. Your house got demolished, not your life.'

‘Ooh, ouch!' Sofie exclaimed. ‘That's a bit harsh.'

‘Claud knows I love her and wouldn't say something like that unless she needed to hear it.' She turned to Claudia. ‘Understand? You're beautiful, you're nearly sixteen, and your Aunty Jen would love to see you shine.' Jennifer ran her fingers down Claudia's cheek. ‘We've got a huge weekend coming up with Christmas in July celebrations. I've called on Fiona and Ryan to help as well.'

‘But we have school holidays starting on the twelfth,' Claudia muttered. ‘We'll have heaps of homework as usual.'

‘Don't worry, I've planned it for the weekend before. After that, then you're off my list, you and Michelle are free to have fun. And I promise, I'm recruiting staff, you'll both be off the hook.'

‘Wait a sec, Aunt Jen. We love working here and the pay is excellent. We're saving to buy a car. Mum said she'd get me one, but I want to do it with my own money … mostly.'

‘Aw, sweetheart, that's lovely. Okay, but schoolwork takes priority, so as soon as working here becomes an issue, you have to tell me.'

‘I promise we will.'

‘Okay. And I'm not bullshitting you when I say you're an amazing barista and our customers love both of you. You're genuine, and friendly, and that makes a huge difference.' She cupped Claudia's jaw and squeezed her cheeks. ‘So don't hide your beautiful face. Let everyone see your smile.'

‘Barista, why me, I'm just a kid!' Claudia complained.

‘Funny how teenagers twist things around.' Jennifer slid an arm around Sofie and walked her out of their room, leaving Claudia to clean her face. Loud enough for her niece to hear, she said, ‘One minute they can look after themselves and the next, when they think stuff is a little daunting, they're suddenly “just a kid”.'

Once in the kitchen, Jennifer became quietly serious. ‘Sis, do you really think I was too harsh?'

‘I don't know, Jen. It was a shock to see Claud hiding behind her make-up again. She has to know it's not who she is. And you're right, she can't wear that stuff in the restaurant. What she needs is a big boost of confidence. It has to come from outside the family, otherwise she'll just keep thinking we're her Mum and Aunt and we're supposed to say that sort of stuff.' She kissed Jennifer on the cheek. ‘It'll happen, I know it.'

‘Don't tell me, you can feel it in your bones.' Jennifer giggled, then gave her a look that said she wasn't finished with her yet. ‘You should let Brock feel your bones.' Sofie opened her mouth to protest. Jennifer put her hands up and, shaking her head, said, ‘Uh-uh. I've seen the way he looks at you. And the way you look at him would melt the Arctic. You'd have to be melting him too.'

‘I'll admit, Brock has shown signs, but just when I think things are moving forward, he backs away.' Sofie let go a frustrated sigh. ‘I don't quit on something that easily. I'll find out one way or another.' Having said that, she realised tenacity had a double-edged sword: her own doggedness made it impossible to get rid of past crap that needed to be excised. But at least she was working on it. That had to count for something.