by C. Fonseca
“You won’t be able to cut off your life over there,” Usha said, concern in her voice. “What about your team, your manager, your friends? Won’t you miss them?”
“I will, but cycling teams, no matter what country of origin, are truly international, fielding riders from everywhere. Whichever team I race for in future, I will have to travel and spend time away. That’s one of the great things about competitive cycling, Usha, you meet up with friends all over the world. Anyway, I’m exploring all my options here.”
“I’m going to refill our glasses. This happy news calls for another toast,” Usha said with a huge grin, just as a loud hammering sounded at the door. “Our pizza has arrived.”
Jess exhaled, and as her hand trembled, she placed her wine glass down on the coffee table beside her. Saying the words out loud was the first step. Now, she had to make it happen.
Chapter 28
What the hell was that? Lili sat bolt upright, awakened suddenly by a loud boom. Brilliant flashes of light shot through the open blinds, momentarily illuminating the living room. She stretched out her numb, tingly arm, rubbing it vigorously. Falling asleep on the couch was not very smart. A few seconds later, another even louder rumble rolled across the valley. Wind roared through the eaves and heavy rain pelted the tin roof, sounding like hundreds of marbles rolling over the corrugated surface.
The second bolt of lightning came with a resounding crack, and streaks of silver danced across the sky, followed by a few seconds of complete silence as the room was plunged into darkness. Power out.
“Mama, Mama.” Aruishi’s cry could only just be heard above the storm.
Lili jumped to her feet, reached for her phone, swiped the torch icon, and used the light to guide her way to her daughter’s room. Aruishi enjoyed the drama of a thunder storm during the day, but they really spooked her at night.
Although the power failure nightlight had come on automatically and Aruishi’s room was bathed in a soft light, Lili couldn’t see her daughter. “Ru, Mummy’s here. Are you hiding? Where are you?” She moved quickly towards the bed.
“Mummy.” Aruishi’s soft whisper had escaped from a small mound under the bedclothes.
Lili perched on the side of Aruishi’s bed, lifted one corner of the blanket and peered under. “I see Princess Teddy’s with you,” she said as two pairs of eyes stared back—one pair glassy and unblinking.
Aruishi had her arms securely around the pink soft toy. “She doesn’t like the noise. I’m protecting her.”
A bright flash of lightning lit the room, followed by rumbling thunder.
Aruishi huddled further under the covers. “Ooh, that’s loud,” she whimpered.
Lili lifted the bedclothes, squeezed in beside Aruishi and pulled the covers over them. She illuminated the small space using the phone torch. “This is cosy,” she said, putting her arm around Aruishi. “Clackety-boom. Clackety-boom. Just like in your book Rumble Boom.”
“It is loud. Thunder and lightning just like in that story. Teddy is afraid of the thunder.” Aruishi rolled on top of Lili and tucked her head under Lili’s chin.
Lili tightened her arms around Aruishi and Princess Teddy. “In the story, the little boy and his puppy were safe in Mummy’s bed, just like we’re safe in here.” She kissed the top of Aruishi’s head. “Listen to the sound of rain on the roof. Do you remember what I told you about thunder?”
“It’s just the sound that lightning makes.”
“That’s right, and the rain is good for the trees and our vegetables. The storm is feeding the plants.” If it didn’t create a flood, the rain would set off a massive growth spurt in the vegetable gardens.
“Mama.” Aruishi’s voice was a little panicky. She lifted her head, and gripped Lili’s arm tightly. “Is Auntie Jess home safe?”
Lili covered Aruishi’s small hand with her own. “Jess is safe. Remember, she’s at Usha’s house tonight.”
“She should be here with us.”
Lili was sure Jess had chosen to spend the night with Usha to give herself space. Why would she want to be around Lili, who’d accused her of being indecisive and ambivalent?
Aruishi’s eyes fluttered closed and her head nestled into her pillow. Lili shifted her cramped arm and turned on her side, towards her daughter. Aruishi had phoned Jess at lunchtime to remind her about the birthday dinner tomorrow night. She hoped Jess would still come.
Jess hated storms, and she would be okay with Usha, but Lili wished she was home with her and Aruishi. She stared at her phone screen for a moment, unsure, then hit the messenger app and typed out a text before she changed her mind.
Hope you are safe. Ru, Princess Teddy, and I are in bed, huddled together. Your niece is worried about you and wants to know why you are not here. I’m sorry you’re not here with us. We hope to see you at dinner tomorrow night. You will come, won’t you?
Lili lowered the blankets under her chin, tucked them carefully around Aruishi, and clutched her phone, waiting for a reply. Rain beat a steady pattern on the rooftop. The wind had died down, but there was still the intermittent flicker of lightning and rolling claps of thunder.
She kissed Aruishi lightly on her forehead and snuggled closer to her sleeping daughter. Still no reply from Jess.
Lili had fallen asleep on the couch at eight-thirty, and it was now two hours shy of her birthday. Running her fingers gently over Aruishi’s back, Lili let out a slow, deep breath. She already had so much—was it selfish to want more? To want compassion, intimacy, and a future with Jess? But what would a future—a relationship—with Jess mean? Even if Jess was willing to give it a try, was Lili prepared for life with an elite athlete? How would she handle the times Jess would spend away chasing her dreams? How would she cope with her fame and public status?
The softness of the mattress, the warmth of the sheets, Aruishi’s steady breathing, and the soothing sound of rain distracted Lili from her worries and lulled her into a restful state. She let her mind drift, imagining Jess’s gaze upon her. How her dark eyes grew ebony just before she kissed her, and how her long, thick eyelashes tickled her skin. Lili closed her eyes. She knew what she wanted for her birthday, what she wished for.
Chapter 29
Jess practically skipped out of the Sports Clinic. The diagnostic ultrasound showed definitive improvement of ligaments, tendons, and muscles around the knee surgery, and her clavicle was fully healed. She’d survived the prodding and poking from the stress and strength tests carried out by the sports physician. These were small steps, but she was moving forward in her recovery and beginning to feel like an athlete again.
Doctor Johnson had recommended Jess begin low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy on her anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The therapy would fully heal the tendon graft in the bone tunnel, allowing Jess to continue her aggressive rehabilitation to pre-injury activity.
Jess climbed into the Jeep, tossed her satchel on the passenger seat, and remembered she’d turned her phone off at the clinic. The phone powered up and pinged with two incoming messages. They were from last night. There must have been a problem with transmission during the storm. One was from Helen, the other from Lili, sent at 10.30.
What did she mean, you will come, won’t you? Of course she’d be there. She quickly replied.
Sorry. Just got your message. Last night was a bit hair raising, but I survived. Thank you. I will be at your birthday party tonight!
She attached a dozen silly birthday emoji’s and a row of smiley faces.
Next, she phoned Helen. “What should I bring with me?” she asked.
“Just yourself,” Helen replied.
“Where is Lili today? I expect she’s working?”
“Yes. The birthday girl is in the storeroom at Ailie, working on inventory with Alex.”
She smiled. “Why am I not surprised. Thanks, Helen. I’ll see you this eve
ning.” Jess finished the call, set her phone aside, and turned the key in the ignition.
Half an hour later, she turned left off the main road at Faodail Farm and left again up the long gravel drive that led straight to the restaurant. She’d passed Alex in her red car travelling the other way, a kilometre up the road, meaning Lili would be there by herself, if she hadn’t already left.
Jess leaned back against the headrest and took in a deep breath. The back seat of the car held a large bouquet of snapdragons, sea holly, and coral rosebuds, with flowering wild mint, purple basil, and raspberry greens. The florist had gone overboard when Jess suggested an earthy combination to suit Lili’s wholesome cheffy sensibilities. The fragrance was delicious, and the arrangement was colourful and fun.
Warm sunshine streamed through the Jeep windows, intensifying the perfume and making it a bit overpowering in the confined space. Jess rolled down the window fully, rested her elbow on the window ledge, and enjoyed the breeze dancing over her bare arm.
A nervous laugh escaped her, and she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. Her throat was suddenly dry. So many things depended on Lili’s response, her willingness to take a risk on Jess and to trust her. She couldn’t imagine making such monumental changes in her life, if there wasn’t trust on both sides.
In the rear-vision mirror, she caught sight of a shadowy figure in the bushy trees to her left, fast approaching the Jeep. She eased her foot off the accelerator and slowed to a crawl. She stuck her head out the window to greet the black-and-white dog that approached the car and barked loudly. Pulling over onto the grassy verge she greeted Rhona, Scott’s dog. “What’s the matter, girl?” she called as Rhona yipped, barked, and whined, then turned on her tail and took off towards the restaurant. Rhona was never without Scott. She was clearly distressed about something, and Scott was nowhere to be seen.
Rhona stopped suddenly a hundred metres up the road, turned back to Jess, barked again, then raced ahead, obviously urging Jess to follow. She put the car in gear and gripped the steering wheel tightly, her gaze glued to the dog sprinting ahead.
As Jess reached the top of the rise, she glimpsed plumes of smoke billowing up behind the restaurant complex. It was dark grey and yellowish, emitting a sharp, chemical odour. She pulled the Jeep into the front carpark alongside Lili’s orange Subaru. A shiver of dread crept over her. Where was Lili? Where was Scott? Was he in the storeroom with her?
She jumped out of the Jeep, grabbed the barking dog by the collar, and picked up her phone. Not nine-nine-nine, Jess, you are not in England—think. She hit emergency on the locked screen, while keeping a firm hold on Rhona’s collar.
“You have dialled emergency Triple Zero. Your call is being connected,” the operator’s voice was clear and calm through the phone speaker. “What is your location? What is your emergency?”
“Victoria. Ailie Restaurant. Bellarine Peninsula. It’s a fire.” Her voice broke. She must have sounded panicked.
“Street name? Your name, Ms?”
“I don’t know the street name. It’s Faodail Farm. A-i-l-i-e Restaurant. Hurry!”
“Your name?”
“Jessica Harris.”
“Stay on the line please, Jessica.”
“Come on,” Jess yelled at the phone as the seconds ticked by.
“Jessica. The fire department dispatched two vehicles to Ailie Restaurant five minutes ago.”
“They’re on their way?” Jess asked, with relief.
“Yes, Jessica,” the operator said calmly. “Stay on the line, please. They should be there soon. Stay on the line.”
“I have to go,” Jess cried. “Lili could be in there…I have to go.”
“Jessica. No. Under no circumstances—”
Jess shoved the phone into her jeans pocket, lifted Rhona onto the car seat, and slammed the car door shut. “Sorry, girl. You’ll be safer in here.” Her head was spinning. This was no time to panic. She pushed herself off the car, wobbled slightly, then steadied as she heard the harsh, but welcome, peal of sirens.
She dashed around to the restaurant’s main entrance and thrust the door open. “Lili, where are you?” she shouted. “Lili? Scott? Where are you?” She ran through the dining room, circumnavigating the tables and chairs that seemed to be placed directly in her way, as she scanned every corner. She pushed through the kitchen service doors with such force they swung back at her and nearly threw her off her feet. “Are you in here?” She raced towards Lili’s office. Surely she would have heard her by now. Not surprisingly, the office was empty. There was no point ringing Lili—her phone lay on the desk. Oh God! A wave of nausea shot through her as she imagined Lili and Scott lying unconscious on the storeroom floor.
She charged down the passageway and out the back door into the service carpark. Her gaze darted to the black smoke that poured from the storeroom’s broken window. “Lili,” Jess called again.
Sweat dripped down the side of her face. Her chest tightened. She coughed as the acrid smoke reached her throat and stung her eyes. Using her sweater sleeve to cover her nose and mouth, she edged closer to the storeroom. She had to find them before it was too late, but the fumes were overpowering, and she sheltered behind the large industrial bins to catch her breath. The sound of approaching sirens grew louder. Why aren’t they already here?
“Jess. Jessica.” It sounded like Scott, yelling from somewhere close by.
Thank God, he’s safe. “I don’t know where Lili is. I have to find her. She must be in the store,” she screamed back to him.
“Jess, stop.”
She pulled her sweater up over her face and stepped out from behind the bins. Just as her left foot hit the ground, her world shook with a deafening boom. A flare of heat was followed by a loud thud, and she threw herself backwards onto the ground. A sob escaped, and she forced her eyes open to stare up through the dust. She struggled to breathe and tried to lift her head, but a hand on her forehead held her in place. A flash of yellow passed over her, then red lights flickered and voices shouted around her.
“Get her out of here. Now,” a voice echoed in her buzzing ears. “All of you. Get out of here. There may be more cylinders. Hoses coming through. Move.”
Two hands curled around her armpits; two hands grabbed her calves. She was lifted bodily and carried aloft.
“Steady, lass.” She recognised Scott’s voice. “We’re moving,” he said.
“Where’s Lili, Scott? Please tell me Lili is safe.” Jess’s throat hurt, and her voice was rough and shaky.
“I’m right here.”
It was Lili’s voice. She closed her eyes with relief.
Jess was jostled up and down before being placed on some kind of solid board, and again lifted and carried. The movement caused her to tense, but there was nothing to grip onto.
“Hurry,” someone said. “Into the front carpark.” She didn’t recognise the man’s voice. “Should be safe enough there.”
Where was Lili? She tried to push herself up but could only raise a few inches before falling back against the hard board.
“Keep still,” the unfamiliar voice commanded.
A hand rested in the centre of Jess’s chest. “Lie still, Jess. Please lie still.” Lili’s voice cracked in a husky whisper.
“Down here should be okay, mate. Let’s put her down…easy does it. That’s it.”
“You need to lie still, you may be hurt,” Lili said. “You were thrown onto your back.”
“Lili.” Jess inhaled sharply and placed her hand over Lili’s. She was dizzy and her eyes flickered shut. She forced them open again, desperate to see her. One side of her face was streaked with dirt, and her hair and clothes were covered in grey powder. She was beautiful. “Are you okay? What happened? I called for you. Rhona was on the road. I thought you were in the storeroom, I couldn’t find you, or Scott, anywhere.” She gripped Lili’
s hand. “Thank God. I thought…you were…in there.” She gasped for breath, wheezing between words.
“Try not to talk. I’m okay. I was in the garden, getting the hose. I didn’t hear you call.” Lili crouched and hovered over her, her brow wrinkled. “Sweetheart, please lie back and let the fireman check you out.”
“I’m okay, really. I need water, though,” she said, reluctantly dragging her gaze from Lili to the large grey-haired man who kneeled beside her. “Don’t go,” she whispered to Lili, when she lost hold of her hand.
“I’m right here,” Lili said. “I need to give the fireman space.”
The fireman brushed her face with a cool damp cloth. “Hi, Jess. I’m Andrew,” he said. “Let me check you first, and then we’ll get you some water. You’re lucky you were close to the dumpster when the door blew out.” He smiled kindly.
“I’m all right. I threw myself out of the way.” Jess lifted her head. “The explosion—”
“Yeah. Something blew the door out,” he said. “The empty cardboard boxes you landed on broke your fall.” He shook his head. “Very lucky.”
Jess winced as Andrew prodded her shoulder. “Cycling injury,” she said, gritting her teeth.
Lili was back by her side, lightly squeezing her hand.
“Sorry, love. Just checking,” Andrew said. He skimmed over her torso and down her arms and legs with his large hands.
“What happened?” Jess asked.
“Not sure yet. The fire is contained. We’ll find out more soon,” he replied.
“It didn’t spread to the main building,” Scott said. “It was confined to the prefab store, bit of a mess.”
Jess turned her head towards Scott, who was standing behind Lili, resting his hand on her shoulder. “But the explosion? What was that?” she asked.
Scott hunched over her. “We don’t know yet for sure. Most likely the gas cylinders. We’re lucky it’s not worse.”
“Are you experiencing pain anywhere?” Andrew asked.
Jess shook her head. “Nothing new, just a slight headache.”
