heaven…
And silence fell again, but this time the silence was different.
They almost slept, only not quite. Because Harry was too excited and Shanni and Nick were too aware…
As the day wore on they rollerbladed through the Botanic Gardens, feeding the ducks, checking out every nook and cranny, feeling the oneness of themselves as a unit.
And in his pushchair Harry finally slept the sleep of the exhausted.
And the absolutely content.
As evening fell they pushed themselves home, back along the esplanade. Still there was so little to say to each other-but this was no awkward silence. It was as if they hardly knew where to start-as if there was a great well of untapped sharing that they were not brave enough to tap for fear of starting a flow that each was somehow fearful of.
The rollerblade hire place was locking up as they reached it. The owner smiled as he saw them come, not angry in the least.
‘Now, how did I know you’d be the last of my customers back?’ He beamed. ‘If I may say so, as I watched the three of you head off this morning it did my old heart good. “See,” I said to the wife, “there’s still love in the world.”’ He nudged his elderly wife and the two of them beamed with such goodwill that Nick nigh on blushed as crimson as Shanni.
‘When will your leg get better?’ the lady asked Harry, who, having just woken up, was lazily content to lie back and watch the world without fear. Normally a stranger talking to him would have made him shrivel. Not today.
‘The doctor says I might have to wear my cast until Christmas,’ Harry said. ‘But then it’ll be all better.’
‘You’re a lucky little boy.’ The lady smiled.
And so did Harry.
‘I know,’ he said proudly. ‘And Shanni’s going to sleep with us tonight.’
They left with Nick’s face burning, and Shanni in a bubble of laughter she couldn’t contain.
Then they ate-again!-in a restaurant overlooking the beach-and then…
‘What next?’ Harry demanded. He’d had a solid afternoon nap and was raring to go.
‘Nothing that requires legs.’ Shanni groaned. ‘I can’t feel my feet. They’ve gone walkabout. Or rollerbout. This afternoon my body forgot it was no longer a teenager, but it’s remembering now!’
Nick couldn’t agree more. He smiled at Shanni-at the pair of them-and he knew what would work.
‘Pictures, I think.’
‘Pictures?’ Harry frowned.
‘Have you ever been to the cinema?’
‘No.’
‘That settles it. Pictures.’
Which wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Nick’s local cinema catered for adults, and Shanni checked out its main offerings and shook her head.
‘No chance, Nick Daniels. “Mature audience” doesn’t mean three-year-olds.’
‘But that means there’s only…’
‘Yes.’ She grinned as they perused the advertisement board. ‘There’s a choice of exactly one. Or one hundred and one.
‘
‘Romance and comedy and dogs,’ she said. ‘What could be better? And fantasy to boot. It’s just what this weekend is all about.’
So Nick sat through a movie he’d never dreamed of seeing. As a child movies hadn’t been for the likes of Nick and, as an adult with his carefully acquired sophistication he’d have died rather than see such a show. But, to his amazement, he found himself chortling along with Shanni and Harry, and gasping as Harry did.
Then, as the dalmatians’ deadly peril grew closer and Harry abandoned his seat and clambered onto Nick’s knee, it was entirely natural that Shanni should move across to Harry’s seat to stay close-and it was also natural that Nick’s free arm should come around her shoulders so they could gasp together…
Happily, evil was conquered, and one hundred and one dalmatians were consigned to live happily ever after. And, as Harry, sleepy, sated, and totally content, was carried out into the foyer-it was also natural that Nick’s hand should hold Shanni’s…
‘Nick!’
The exclamation stopped them dead. It was a voice he knew only too well. Nick turned and there was Abe Barry, his head of chambers, heading straight for him. Rachel, Abe’s wife of thirty years, was right beside him, and both were smiling their pleasure. ‘Nick! What on earth are you doing in town?’ Abe demanded. ‘How are you, boy?’
‘I’m fine, thank you, sir.’ Nick adjusted Harry in his arms and extended his hand in greeting. It was pumped enthusiastically, but Abe’s eyes were on his companions.
‘This is Shanni McDonald, sir,’ Nick told him. ‘And Harry. They’re from Bay Beach.’
‘You’re settling in well, are you?’ Abe’s keen eyes missed nothing. His eyes darted from Harry to Shanni and back again. ‘Read about that bit of drama in the papers. Damned business. Thought you said nothing would ever happen in Bay Beach.’
‘I don’t get to try the case.’
‘But otherwise…the job’s turning out well?’ His eyes were still questioning Shanni’s presence.
‘I…you could say that.’ What else was he supposed to say?
‘I’m very happy to hear it.’ Rachel tucked her arm into her husband’s. She inspected Shanni and smiled her pleasure. ‘Hello, Nicholas. This is the kindergarten teacher you were held hostage with, isn’t it? I saw your picture in the paper. What a dreadful experience. And…Harry, did you say? Is this your little one, dear?’
‘He’s ours for the weekend.’ Shanni smiled and her smile hugged Harry all by itself. ‘Aren’t we lucky?’
‘What film have you been to see?’ Abe asked, frowning. This jigsaw didn’t quite fit, and he wasn’t a man who took kindly to gaps. ‘Rachel dragged me along to see some fine-art film. Did you see that?’
‘No, sir. We saw
‘Yes, dear,’ she said placidly. ‘With the grandchildren last school holidays.’
‘Oh.’ The elderly man’s bushy eyebrows beetled down, astounded. ‘So we did.’ And Nick practically groaned. He could see this story being all around the lawcourts within the week.
But…
‘Don’t you worry, my dear, I won’t let him gossip,’ Rachel said conspiratorially, and started pressing her husband away. ‘Not yet, anyway. I can tell that things are too precious and too new to breathe about. All the best, my dears. Nick, I’m so excited for you. I’ve worried about you so dreadfully…’
And she led Abe off-speechless.
And so was Nick.
‘I…we should go home. It’s time for bed,’ Shanni said finally, fighting mounting colour. ‘I mean…’
Her colour rose higher.
‘I know what you mean,’ Nick managed. ‘And, yes, I entirely agree with you. It’s time to go home.’
There was no trouble getting Harry to sleep. No trouble at all! He hugged them both, put his head onto the pillow and was out like a light before Shanni and Nick could move from the bed.
And then what?
Nick didn’t know. This was unfamiliar territory.
Nick was so aware of Shanni’s body beside him he could hardly breathe, and he was so tense! Why, on earth? Shanni was just a woman. A country kindergarten teacher. There was no reason at all why every nerve in his body should be screaming its awareness of her.
But it was-and she seemed to sense it.
