Don’t shake it. Don’t shake it.
Their hands locked.
Aw, he touched it. I turned away to hide my unstoppable gag reflex.
“We’re taking the boat out on the river tomorrow. Stewart, Bree, and Andy are coming too. We were wondering if it’d be okay if Will came along to keep Adam company?”
Adam and Will both clasped their hands under their chins and did their best impersonation of a begging puppy, complete with sound effects. I didn’t know anyone who could say no to that. Except maybe Anna. But she wasn’t here to see it, so ...
“I don’t see why not, but I have to check with the boss first. Come in while I give her a call.” Dad went to the living room.
I slipped off my shoes and dumped my bag at the door before going to the kitchen. “Do you guys want a drink?”
Leaving his bag under the breakfast bar, Ben nodded. “Sure. Do you mind if I use the bathroom?”
“You know where it is. Down the hall, first door on the right.”
“Thanks.”
I poured waters for all of us before handing the kids theirs.
“I hope Mum says yes.” Will chewed on his thumbnail.
“She will. The pressure of you not missing out will get her.” I hope.
Ben returned and I passed him his glass. “You didn’t flush.”
“I didn’t need to. Thanks for the drink.”
Oh. I smiled to myself. He’d gone to wash his hands. Bless his impeccable manners. He hadn’t wanted to offend my dad. I bit my lip as I watched him drink.
“Good news.” Dad came around the corner. “Anna said yes.”
The boys gave each other a fist bump, their faces beaming.
“What time do you need him?” Dad rubbed a finger under his nose and I gagged again. I needed to remember to wipe the phone first if I ever needed to use it.
“We’ll come and pick him up around seven-thirty, if that’s all right?”
“Yep. That’s fine. See you in the morning.”
“Okay. Thanks, Mr Frazer.”
“Thank Anna. When are we going to see you back in a Knights’ jersey?”
Aw, shit. I pushed on Ben’s back to get him moving—he’s like concrete—and flashed my eyes at Adam to get his attention. “We gotta go, Dad. See you on Monday arvo. And maybe go change out of your sewer clothes.”
“I was about to when your brother tried to knock down the door,” he growled.
Maybe I’d been too harsh, but E. coli was no joke. “Okay. Good talk.”
My eyes remained wide and I pasted on a smile, putting some distance between poo man and my chances of ever dating Ben.
Bree pivoted to face us as she walked backwards. “Your dad’s kinda feral.”
“I know.” I grimaced.
“Nah, he’s cool.” Ben kicked a rock, sending it skidding down the footpath.
Adam chased it, booting it farther ahead. “I agree with Bree.”
“He’s cringetastic sometimes, but he’s still my dad and I’m lucky to have him.”
Ben’s expression tightened. “Yeah, you are. He’s one hundred percent on my dad.”
Anger slammed into my gut, but it hadn’t come from me. It sloughed off Ben like a peeling sunburn. Sympathy swelled in me to douse the burn. But I needed to share the remedy with him.
I stretched out to put my arm around Ben’s shoulders, acting on instinct. He stopped moving. He didn’t show it, but I could still feel his pain right in the centre of my chest. A cavernous abandonment that bored a tunnel from him to me. The drag of its teeth kept chewing and chewing, searching for something that would finally satisfy its hunger. It stole my breath.
I placed my other hand right on the middle of his chest and he angled himself towards me, putting his arms around me. Our pulses melded as one. Energy hummed between us, an osmosis of something more powerful than I could grasp. I knew it. Whatever this was, it wasn’t going away.
I don’t know how long we stood there. Long enough for the hungry beast to slow its scourge. Maybe there was something in me that could stop it altogether. Would I ever get a chance to try?
Ben let go first. I raised my head to search his eyes, but he’d turned away. Our siblings were nowhere to be seen. We weren’t that far from home. I hoped they’d stayed together and were waiting at Mum’s place.
“Sorry.” His apology came out raw, delivered with his back to me.
“What for?”
“See you tomorrow.” He jogged ahead, disappearing around the next corner.
The ache in my chest surged back to life, the teeth sharpening with each bite. It wasn’t my beast to tame, but I’d take it on for him. If that was what he needed me to do, I’d do it, no question. Maybe that was what he’d been apologising for. He’d given me a piece of himself that he never wanted uncaged.
What he didn’t know was that in my heart was a warrior. And it would slay whatever misery plagued him, just to see him smile.
Andrea
Rockhampton, Australia
23rd June, 2006, 7:07 p.m.
“Five, six, seven, eight.” Janice faced the wall of mirrors. The class lined up behind her, following her lead. “Scissor, two, three, four. And drop, roll, plank, twist.” She fired her instructions, not a hint of fatigue in her voice.
Sweat poured down my face despite the fans spinning above us. We’d been going through this routine for nearly an hour. I’d lost count of how many times we’d repeated the same movements. Pauline had it perfect. Janice needed to employ her to help because seriously, she was amazing. If she didn’t pursue a professional dance career, I’d be stunned to silence.
Like I had been only a couple of hours ago.
My thoughts went straight to Ben and the way he’d taught me a lesson in communication. I messed
