Idle Lies. Lian Knight
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rigs searching for oil and gas. They’re right up here …’ He drew a rough outline of the country with his finger and pointed to the spot. ‘Do you know where Broome is?’ he asked.
‘It’s high up from Perth, right?’
‘Yes. Well, the rig, where I am, is a few hundred kilometres north of that.’
‘That’s a long way from Sydney. Why are you sitting here, then?’
He glanced at the pier. ‘I get three weeks on and three weeks off, give or take. Rotating shifts. I’m on a break, and I come here sometimes for a visit.’ His steely eyes returned to her. ‘It was certainly worth it this trip.’
She felt her heart jump. ‘Do you have family here?’
He hesitated, playing with the coaster. ‘No. I don’t have any.’
‘What, none at all?’ The words were blunter than she’d planned and although she thought she detected a small flinch it didn’t seem to bother him.
‘They died in a car crash when I was seventeen. Sister too.’ He swirled his drink again.
‘Oh …’ Indio took a breath. She suddenly felt terrible for asking.
‘It’s okay,’ he replied. ‘Stuff happens.’
‘So what did you do?’ she asked, recoiling inwardly. She wouldn’t have survived if this had happened to her. Even now, she called her father if there was so much as a spider in the apartment, not that he could do anything from half a world away.
‘Oh, I packed up, sold the furniture and got a job.’
She waited, but he didn’t elaborate. ‘What did you do for work?’ she asked, changing the subject.
‘Fruit picking first, then I was a jackeroo.’ He paused. ‘That’s someone who does odd jobs on a sheep or cattle station,’ he added, sensing this was a term that was unfamiliar. ‘And now I’m on an oil rig.’
She nodded for him to go on.
‘That’s it.’
‘What sort of work is it?’
‘Not very exciting,’ he said, toying with his drink. He readied himself for more detail but she seemed to be satisfied with the answer.
‘Is that where you get your tan? On the deck?’ she laughed.
He checked his arms. ‘I guess. A lot of the work is on the platform, but some of it is in the engine room too.’
‘Is it dangerous?’
‘It has its moments.’
‘What kind of moments?’
‘There’s been a few accidents. I don’t like to think about them.’ He pulled his feet in. ‘What about your parents?’ he asked. ‘Tell me about them.’
‘My folks? Well my mom died when I was four, and my dad, Brian, remarried a woman from Cleveland called Beth. She’s an interior designer. He’s been with her now for a long time, actually twenty years!’ she recalled, doing the sums in her head. ‘She raised Kurt, my brother, and me, and to me she’s my mother. She’s wonderful.’
‘Have you been back to see them?’
‘I haven’t, but I’m … oh!’ she exclaimed suddenly as her bag, which was resting on her lap, buzzed loudly. ‘Excuse me, but do you mind if I take a quick peek at this?’
‘Not at all.’
She retrieved the phone and studied the message.
‘Oh heck! I am meant to be meeting my friend. She is wondering where I am. If I don’t go now she will give me the whole nine yards! Oh, and I owe you for a drink …’
‘Go,’ said Ryan, waving her off. ‘Can I catch you again?’
‘Here, I’ll give you my cell.’
Ryan took the number. Suddenly she leaned forward and gave him a bold kiss on the cheek. ‘Nice to meet you, Ryan,’ she said smiling. ‘Sorry I’ve got to fly. Call soon.’
8
Monday, 2 October
INDIO STIRRED. SOMEONE WAS calling her. Maybe Ryan was reaching out …
Within a moment her senses were restored, and the sound that was ringing in her ears was all too familiar. Jayze was crying.
But it was no longer a soft whimper as his little body first beckoned, seeking the nurturing warmth and caress of his mother. It was now a full-bellied howl from lack of attention – a demand that could not be ignored. Soon, if she did not move, his high-pitched shrieks would ripple through the apartment and the buildings foundations would be close to shaking, threatening a visit from the neighbours and a call from the real estate agent about unacceptable noise levels. She sighed and looked at her watch. Another hour had passed, and there was no sign of Ryan. As usual, he was never here for his son and she’d have to get up.
This was not the life she had imagined. The day was just crap.
9
Tuesday, 3 October
AS THE SHIFT FINISHED, Kate felt decidedly better but the reality of the bare home she would return to was a cold and stark reminder. A catch-up with the girls would at least give her time away and she felt a little more assured as she sat with her friend Angela at their regular table at the Hummingbird Cafe. Gradually, however, she felt the despair return and stared despondently into her coffee.
‘I can’t believe he did this, Angela,’ she said, her usually cheerful face drawn. ‘I can’t believe I didn’t recognise the signs.’
Kate drew her coffee closer and wrapped her hands around the cup, feeling its warmth soak into her skin. She peered into the froth, as if it were tea leaves that might tell her how she had come to face this predicament and what the future might be. But the cappuccino wasn’t giving up any of its secrets.
Angela gazed at her friend for a moment in thoughtful silence. Kate’s eyes had dark circles beneath them and her hair, normally tied neatly into a ponytail, had loosened from the band’s grasp and was settling somewhat untidily around her ears. Her lips were downturned and she looked as if she was about to cry.
Angela reached over and touched her. ‘Sometimes you just can’t see these things coming,’ she said.
Kate lifted her hand and clasped it over her friend’s. ‘I was so blind. Everything was normal, just your usual everyday things. He never said he was unhappy!’
Angela nodded, listening quietly. Kate was her closest companion, aside from Jason, and she was glad she could help. What had begun, years ago, as an introduction over a bike group and partners get-together and a chat about shared interests had since transcended into a long and mutually rewarding friendship. Kate admired Angela’s logical and pragmatic approach to life and Angela appreciated Kate’s welcoming and accepting demeanour and her instinctive understanding of those that she cared for. She looked now at the sadness in her friend’s eyes.
Kate hesitated, gathering her words. ‘Everything was fine on our holiday. You know how long I’d been planning it, and he never suggested we shouldn’t go. We laughed, we toured around town, we snorkelled around the reef, we even hired a jet ski and visited an island. I thought we both had a wonderful time. When we got to the second last day he told me we would plan another as soon as we got back. But he’d already emptied the garage!’ A gasp escaped and she covered her mouth.
Angela gave Kate a reassuring look.
‘He never said anything to make me suspect there was no future between us. That’s what makes it so hard. He kept it all a secret. He lied.’ Kate shook her head in disbelief.
The noise in the café grew louder as a group of women