Crossing Paths

by Dianne Blacklock

  Joe noticed his father was beginning to tire, he had become attuned to the signs now.

  ‘Sorry to interrupt you two,’ he said, ‘but we have to get going, Dad.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  Jo got to her feet. ‘It’s been such a delight to meet you, Joe.’

  ‘The pleasure was all mine, my dear.’ As she took his hand, he added, ‘I hope you’ll visit again.’

  She glanced at Joe. ‘I hope so too.’

  ‘You made my father very happy today,’ said Joe as they drove out of Leura and onto the freeway.

  ‘It was mutual.’

  ‘You were really good with him. Most people wouldn’t cope so well.’

  Jo glanced at him. ‘I had a stint in a nursing home when I was working my way through uni.’

  ‘Oh, really? What was that like, depressing?’

  ‘No, I loved it,’ she insisted. ‘After a while, you don’t notice the package, you only see the person inside. And that’s all they want, you know, to be respected for who they are.’

  ‘That’s all any of us wants, isn’t it?’

  Jo nodded. ‘But it must be awful to get to the end of your life, to have accomplished who knows what, to have had status and position, and then to have it all taken away. To be treated like a child again, like you don’t have a clue.’ She paused, staring ahead. ‘Not that that’s the case with your father, I should add. It was such a thrill to meet him.’

  Joe was listening thoughtfully. ‘Where did you come across all his articles, by the way?’

  ‘On the Net.’

  ‘But what were you looking for?’

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘Well, were you researching Cambodian history for some reason?’ he suggested guilelessly. ‘The Vietnam War, perhaps?’

  ‘No . . .’

  ‘Then how did you come across articles by a “Joseph Bannister”, what could you possibly have been searching for?’

  Jo looked sideways at him. ‘Okay, so I Googled you. Happy now?’

  ‘Yes I am,’ he said expansively, leaning his head back against the seat and gazing at the road ahead.

  ‘Don’t get smug, Bannister,’ she said.

  He smiled. ‘Okay, so what will you be taking away from the great talk-fest this week? Apart from the hotel toiletries. What do you know now that you didn’t know before?’

  She thought about it. ‘Well, that Manhattan is the greenest city in the world.’

  ‘How so?’

  ‘Because of the concentration of people, the transportation system, the proximity to everything,’ she explained. ‘See, if you were to build an entirely green, self-sufficient house out of the city, grow your own food, catch rainwater in a tank, generate your own power, you’d still create more greenhouse gases every time you drove into town than you could ever offset in the house.’

  ‘Well, there you go.’

  ‘You need a fifth of a hectare of trees to offset the greenhouse gases produced by the normal use of a car over one year,’ Jo went on, warming up. ‘But the real problem is going to be air travel, which is set to increase dramatically over the next few years. It takes a half a hectare of forest, the same as roughly three years of vehicle travel, to offset one return trip to London.’

  ‘You’re a regular fountain of greenhouse knowledge,’ Joe said dryly.

  She glanced at him. ‘That’s a little like saying I’m full of hot air.’

  ‘You said that, I didn’t.’

  ‘Okay then, what did you learn, Bannister?’ she asked.

  ‘I learned . . . that cats are mating more because of the shorter winters.’

  ‘So what does that mean for the environment?’

  ‘There’s more cats, I guess.’

  Jo smiled despite herself. ‘I get the feeling that you’re not taking this seriously.’

  ‘Oh, I think it’s very serious,’ he countered. ‘But I also think we’re fiddling while Rome burns. When a few waterfront properties sink into the ocean, then everyone might start to take global warming seriously.’

  Jo glanced up at the cloudless blue sky. ‘Weather like this in the middle of September, I don’t know how people cannot believe in global warming.’ She paused as a troubling thought buzzed around in her brain like an annoying fly.

  ‘Omigod!’ she exclaimed. ‘It is, isn’t it?’

  ‘It is what?’ asked Joe, not understanding.

  ‘It is the middle of September,’ she said. ‘It’s the fourteenth today, right?’

  ‘Yeah. So?’

  ‘It’s my niece and nephew’s birthday,’ she explained, hitting the steering wheel with her hand.

  ‘Both on the same day? That’s a coincidence.’

  ‘Not when they’re twins,’ she sighed. ‘I remembered, but I figured I just had to get through the conference and then I’d deal with it. But staying on the extra day, I forgot . . . I’m going to be in the bad aunty books now. What’s the time?’

  ‘Going on one.’

  Jo bit her lip. ‘I really should go and see them, but by the time I get back and then make my way out there . . .’

  ‘Where do they live?’

  ‘South, in the Shire.’

  ‘Isn’t that on the way?’

  ‘From here?’ she frowned. ‘Not really.’

  ‘Well, it’s kind of on the way; it is between here and the city, if you just veer to the right a little.’

  ‘A little?’ She glanced at him. ‘Are you suggesting that you drop me there on the way?’

  ‘No, because I’m not allowed to drive the car,’ he reminded her. ‘But I am suggesting that it’s not so far out of the way . . .’

  ‘But what will you do? I can’t just dump you at a train station, I wouldn’t feel right.’

  ‘So I’ll come with you,’ he said simply.

  Jo turned to look at him. ‘You don’t want to come with me.’

  ‘I don’t mind.’

  ‘You don’t want to come with me,’ she repeated firmly. ‘They’re two years old. They’re not civilised, they’re not even toilet-trained.’

  ‘I take it they don’t live alone?’

  ‘No, but my sister, well, she’s great, but she’s also a little mad. And my brother-in-law, well, he’s . . . I don’t even know how to describe him.’

  Joe sat up in his seat. ‘Look, they’re not expecting you, we’ll just call in. It’s better if I’m with you,’ he said. ‘Remember how your parents wouldn’t go mad on you when you were late or whatever, if you had a friend with you?’

  ‘Is that what happens in normal families?’ she said wryly.

  ‘Now, you’ll have to get them something,’ he added, warming to the plan.

  Jo looked at him. ‘You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?’

  ‘Yeah, why not?’ he asked, looking at her.

  ‘You’re actually prepared to come with me to visit my sister and her family, who you’ve never met?’

  Joe shrugged. ‘You’d never met my family before . . . until you met them. That’s kind of the way it goes.’

  ‘But you don’t have to do this.’

  ‘You didn’t have to drive me to my dad’s the other day,’ he said simply.

  ‘That was an emergency.’

  ‘So is this, isn’t it?’

  ‘Hardly on the same scale.’

  ‘It’s all relative,’ he dismissed.

  Jo bit her lip, hesitating. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Absolutely. Now what are you going to get them?’

  Jo winced. ‘I don’t know. What do you get a two year old? Two two year olds?’

  ‘I’d go with colour and movement,’ he said. ‘We’ll stop somewhere on the way, buy them a couple of giant stuffed toys, some helium balloons, you’ll walk in looking like Santa Claus. All will be forgiven.’

  She sighed. ‘I don’t know, do they really need more stuffed toys?’

  ‘Do two year olds really need anything?’ he pointed out.

  ‘I guess, but a
fter that conference, I feel like I shouldn’t be filling the planet with more junk.’

  ‘This is an emergency. You can always buy a few hectares of that forest to offset it.’

  When they pulled up outside Belle’s place an hour and a half later, there were balloons tied to the letterbox and streamers draped around the front door.

  ‘Oh great, they’re having a party.’ Jo turned to look at Bannister. ‘There’s still time, you should save yourself, make a run for it while you can.’

  ‘Are you kidding? I bet they’ll have those little pies,’ he said, opening his door. ‘I love them.’ He got out and opened the back door to retrieve the garish oversized monstrosities of acrylic fur and foam they had bought. A pink bunny for Cascey and a blue puppy for Carsyn.

  Jo sat there for a moment. She couldn’t pretend – she felt hurt that her only sister had thrown a party and not invited her only sister. Of course, if she had, Jo probably would have come up with an excuse not to go. She was fully aware of the irony, but it still bothered her.

  ‘Are you coming?’ Bannister was standing by her door, holding the toys. She reached for her handbag and reluctantly got out of the car.

  He transferred the presents into her arms at the front door, and then she couldn’t reach the doorbell, so he pressed it for her, before stepping back to fall in behind her.

  ‘This is fun,’ he said.

  Jo was beginning to wonder about him, when the door opened and she observed the expression on Belle’s face go from welcoming to shocked to guilty. As well it should.

  ‘Jo!’ she faltered. ‘You’re here.’

  ‘Surprise!’ Jo sang. ‘I hope gatecrashers are allowed?’

  ‘Now Jo,’ Belle chided, ‘I wanted to invite you –’

  ‘But you managed to restrain yourself.’

  ‘But you wouldn’t have come,’ she corrected.

  ‘Why do you say that?’

  She sighed. ‘Because Mum’s here.’

  Jo nearly dropped her bundle on the doorstep.

  ‘See? There’s no way you would have turned up if you’d known Mum was going to be here,’ said Belle. ‘I didn’t know what I was going to do, but when you didn’t ring all week, I figured you must have forgotten their birthday.’

  ‘Does it look like I forgot?’ Jo declared archly. She had avoided calling because Belle had mentioned Charlene’s visit, but that was weeks ago. She didn’t think she’d still be here; Belle was right – she wouldn’t have come if she’d known. Jo really didn’t feel like seeing her, but she could hardly run away now, tempting though the idea was.

  ‘Okay, okay,’ said Belle. ‘I appreciate the effort, I really do. And I am glad you’re here. Only please don’t start anything with Mum.’

  ‘Fine, then point me in the direction of the gin bottle.’

  ‘Jo,’ she chided, ‘it’s a children’s party, there’s no hard liquor.’

  ‘So what’s Mum doing? Hiding it in a hipflask?’

  Belle would have scolded her for that, except her attention at that moment had been taken by Bannister, who was still waiting patiently in the background. ‘Hello?’ she said, intrigued.

  ‘He’s with me,’ said Jo. ‘Are you going to let us in?’

  ‘Yeah, sure.’ Belle stood back, gaping at Joe as they both walked past her into the house.

  ‘Hi,’ he said, offering his hand. ‘I’m Joe.’

  ‘Are you her alter ego?’

  He laughed. ‘That’s funny.’

  ‘We work together,’ Jo explained. ‘We’ve been up at a conference in the Blue Mountains.’

  ‘Oh right, the climate one,’ Belle nodded. ‘It was on the news.’ She seemed to be having some difficulty taking her eyes off Bannister.

  ‘Can I put these down somewhere?’ asked Jo; her arms were beginning to ache.

  ‘Sure, sorry,’ said Belle, disentangling her. ‘The kids are all outside, everyone is.’ She arranged the toys on the sofa, with the balloons twisted around their cartoon paws. ‘The twins are going to love them, Jo, they’re so cute.’ She turned around. ‘I really am glad you’re here.’ She gave Jo a hug. ‘But promise you won’t start anything with Mum, yeah?’ she said in her ear. ‘Come on outside and I’ll introduce you to everyone.’

  As they followed her through the house, Jo felt Bannister’s hand come to rest lightly on the small of her back, just for a moment, and she found it strangely reassuring.

  Belle slid back the glass doors that opened out to the paved area. ‘Look who made it!’ she announced.

  The children paid no attention. There were dozens of them running around in circles in lopsided party hats, falling over, crying, screaming, dropping food and spilling drinks, while their parents scampered about like hapless kelpies attempting to round up recalcitrant sheep.

  Belle’s friends were all her neighbours, it was as though she didn’t have a life outside these few blocks. Jo wondered how it hadn’t suffocated her. The women were all variations on a theme – streaked hair, gym-toned bodies, false fingernails, department-store couture. The men varied only in the extent of their receding hairlines. They were all dressed the same, in long shorts and surf-brand T-shirts, reclaiming their bygone youth and thinking they were getting away with it.

  Jo spotted her mother immediately. She was hard to miss, clad in a hot-pink, low-cut dress, dyed platinum hair piled high on her head, make-up visible from half a block away. Mutton done up as hamburger.

  Charlene dragged deeply on a cigarette as she fixed her eyes on her eldest daughter. ‘Jo, you’re here,’ she drawled, blowing smoke out as she sashayed over to them. She probably imagined that looked sexy. ‘I thought you weren’t coming. But I should have remembered you’ve never been on time in your life.’

  Jo swore her mother just made things up for the sake of hearing her own voice. ‘What are you talking about, Mum? I’m very punctual.’

  ‘Of course you are, love, if that’s the story you’re giving out these days.’ She swooped closer, thrusting her cheek against Jo’s and immediately stepping back again, leaving a lingering haze of cigarettes and perfume. ‘It must be some other child of mine who sat stubbornly in utero for a whole two weeks after her due date, till I was fit to burst, in the middle of the hottest summer on record, should I say how many years ago, Jo? It’s probably better if I don’t at your age, isn’t it, love?’

  The whole time she spoke she was fluttering her claggy eyelashes madly at Joe. ‘And who’s this attractive young man?’ She extended her arm out to him and he obliged by taking her hand.

  ‘This is Joe Bannister,’ Jo sighed. ‘Joe, this is my mother, Ms – What surname are you going by these days, Mother?’

  ‘Oh, knock it off, Jo, when have we ever been that formal? Call me Charlene,’ she said to Joe.

  ‘Nice to meet you, Charlene.’

  ‘The pleasure’s all mine, I assure you, Joe,’ she gurgled.

  ‘Hey, look who’s here? Aunty JoJo!’ It was Darren, holding Carsyn under one arm like a football while the boy struggled to free himself.

  ‘Hi Carsyn, Happy Birthday,’ said Jo.

  ‘LET ME GO, DAD-DEEEEE! I’S MY BIRFDAAAAAAYYYYYY!’

  ‘Okay, okay, matey,’ he said, popping him back on his feet. ‘But you’re not allowed to bite the other kids just because you’re the birthday boy,’ he called after him as Carsyn ran back to the fray. ‘Hi Jo, this is a surprise. Belle said you had to work and you wouldn’t be able to make it.’

  Jo glanced at her sister and then back at Darren. ‘As if I’d miss their birthday? I got off work early.’

  ‘Unreal,’ he nodded, his eyes flickering expectantly from Jo to Bannister.

  ‘Oh, sorry,’ said Jo. ‘Joe Bannister, my brother-in-law, Darren Grainger.’

  ‘My husband,’ Belle piped in as the men shook hands.

  ‘Hey, you two’ve got the same name,’ said Darren. ‘That’s pretty funny.’

  Why did everyone think it was funny? A coincidence, sure, but it was hardl
y comedy gold.

  ‘I said he was her alter ego,’ said Belle, leaning her elbow on Darren’s shoulder.

  ‘Good one, hun.’

  Perhaps in some circles.

  ‘So don’t keep us in suspense,’ said Charlene. ‘What’s the story with you two?’

  ‘There is no story, Mother,’ Jo sighed. ‘We just work together.’

  ‘I thought it was too good to be true,’ she muttered.

  Jo bit her tongue, while the knot of rage in her gut twisted another notch. It didn’t matter that she was independent with a good career and her own apartment, her mother wouldn’t think she’d succeeded till she’d bagged herself a bloke. And then she’d be jealous and bitchy about him. Jo couldn’t win a trick with her.

  Joe was watching her thoughtfully. ‘Oh come on, hun,’ he said. ‘It’s okay to tell family, isn’t it?’

  ‘Tell them what?’ Did he just call her ‘hun’?

  ‘I know you want to keep it a secret at work, but we don’t have to keep it from everyone, do we?’ He threw his arm around her and planted a firm kiss on the top of her head. Jo hoped she didn’t look as stunned as everyone else, though her mother’s expression had a tinge of suspicion to it.

  ‘You never mentioned you were seeing anyone, Jo!’ Belle exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of some of the party guests, who began to drift over to the circle. ‘How long has this been going on?’

  ‘It’s all pretty sudden,’ Joe answered for her.

  ‘That’s an understatement,’ she muttered.

  ‘How did you meet?’ Charlene asked, raising an eyebrow.

  ‘That is a good story, actually.’ Bannister was smiling down at her like a big galoot. ‘Do you want to tell them?’

  ‘No, you go ahead,’ said Jo.

  ‘Well, it sounds like something that only happens in the movies, but we actually got trapped in an elevator together.’

  ‘You’re elevator guy?’ Belle gasped.

  He nudged Jo. ‘So you did tell her about me.’

  ‘He doesn’t look like Viggo Mortensen,’ said Belle.

  All heads turned towards Joe, and there was a general mutter of consensus that no, he did not look like Viggo Mortensen.