Beside the Brook

by Paulette Rae

  They found Craig in the kitchen, ferociously peeling carrots.

  “Hey, bunny, whatcha got there?” He smiled down at Sarah.

  “Go on, Sarah. Show him,” Kirsten prompted. She handed Sarah the piece of paper.

  “It’s a story.”

  “A story?”

  “Ah-huh.” She nodded. “Kirsty said to put it on the fridge.” She wrinkled her nose as if it was the silliest idea she had heard and was expecting confirmation of the same from Craig.

  “What a good idea.” Craig smiled at Kirsty. “Then we can all read it.”

  Again Sarah looked stunned, as if all the adults had lost their mind at the same time.

  “Really?”

  “Yep, you grab some of those magnets and go right ahead.”

  Kirsty helped Sarah by pulling some magnets from the top of the fridge then let her attach the story where she wanted. To her delight it was placed front and centre, where it couldn’t be missed.

  Kirsten heard an unfamiliar peel of laughter from the patio, and she turned to the window. The laughter belonged to a long legged woman with short dark hair. She wore a simple white tank top and a red skirt, which barely seemed to cover what she’d had for breakfast.

  “Uncle Ty.” Sarah skipped out to join them on the front lawn.

  “Who’s that?” A tiny part of Kirsten panged in jealousy. The woman was gorgeous.

  “That’s Leigh.” Craig smiled. “She works for Tyler.”

  “Oh, just works for him?” She watched them together through the window. Leigh’s body language seemed to indicate they were more than friends.

  “She could come and work for me any day,” Craig said enthusiastically. Kirsten laughed. “I’m sure she could.”

  “She’s nice enough, but typical of the women Tyler has hanging from his arm, she doesn’t have much between the ears.”

  “I wouldn’t think he had a type.” Kirsten thought back to the other night, when he had kissed her in the hot tub. She was a far cry from this Leigh whom he’d brought home for the weekend.

  “Ah, I think you have him figured out already.” Craig winked as he popped the end of a carrot into his mouth and crunched it between his teeth.

  “Well, he’s not a hard make,” Kirsten conceded. “Jamie on the other hand is a mystery. I haven’t figured that one out yet.”

  “Don’t be too disconcerted about that one. I don’t think Jamie quite knows who he is these days either.”

  “Oh, I’m not convinced on that score. He knows a lot more than he lets on.”

  “You think so?” Craig wiped his hands on a small white towel then balled it up and tossed it into the laundry basket at the far end of the room.

  “Yep, I do. I also think he’s a lion playing tame, just waiting for someone to put their head in his mouth. And I’m not going to be that person.” She smiled. “I’ve already felt the claws. That’s enough for me.”

  She left Craig to prepare dinner and returned upstairs to change. With it being the height of summer, Sarah’s little classroom was stuffy during the day, so Kirsten dressed lightly, usually in shorts and a loose t-shirt. When dinner was a formal occasion, which Beth insisted on when everyone was present, she always changed her attire before attending.

  When she came back downstairs Tyler and his lady friend were by the pool. Sarah had stripped off her clothes and was in the water, wearing only her knickers, while Leigh sat on the side, her legs swinging in the water as she held a flute of champagne.

  “Evening, Kirsty.” Beth appeared from the kitchen. She had just showered, her hair was still damp and she wafted under a layer of sweet fragrances. They had not spoken in great length since Kirsten had expressed her opinions about Sarah being locked up like Repunzel in a brick tower.

  “Hello, Beth. How has your week been?”

  “Oh busy, honey. You’d think at my age I’d be able to retire, but I got plenty to do.”

  She helped herself to a glass of bubbly from the bottle Tyler had opened. “I see Sarah has been busy.”

  Kirsty gazed expectantly at her boss. She truly thought when Beth saw the story she would be upset, but if she was it didn’t show in her tone or stature.

  “Did you like it?”

  Beth gave a wary smile. “Honey, if that kid spat blood on a piece of paper and twirled it round with a brush it would be good enough for me. But I don’t think that’s what you’re asking, is it?”

  “Well, Sarah thought you’d be mad if we put it up on the fridge for you to see.”

  “That girl doesn’t miss a thing does she?” Beth walked to the French doors and stood next to Kirsten. “Look, I know I was upset the other night about her going to school. But I’ve had time to think about it and you’re absolutely right about what you said. I

  lost my daughter, and to treat Sarah like she’s going to disappear the same way is unfair.”

  Kirsten glanced sideways at her boss. “What are you saying?”

  “Well I’m not sure yet.” Beth sipped her wine, leaving a lip shaped pink stain on the glass. “But after seeing that story it’s made me realise I need to think real hard about some things.”

  “Are you saying she’ll be allowed to go to school?”

  “I’d be foolish to say no wouldn’t I?” Beth glanced at Kirsten and continued before a response was forthcoming. “Now, I’m not saying that’s a straight out yes. I just think we can certainly talk about some options. I’m open to a compromise.” She grinned.

  “I’m not ready to let go of the apron strings completely yet.”

  “That’s great,” Kirsten beamed. She looked down the hill as Sarah climbed out of the water. Leigh was busy trying to splash Tyler, who was on the opposite side of the pool. Finally a spray of water connected with his legs, and before Leigh could get up from her position Tyler ran round the outside and pushed her into the water. Leigh screamed before she disappeared, and then came up spluttering, her fine coiffure of hair now plastered against her head in lank strands.

  “God, I don’t know why he bothers with that woman,” Beth commented under her breath.

  “You don’t like her?”

  “Oh she’s nice enough,” Beth dismissed. “But she’ll never get him to marry her.”

  “Craig said they’re just friends.”

  “Dear Craig,” Beth said with a fond smile. “Any woman who knows anything about anything could see she wants more than friendship from him.”

  “Well, I did wonder.”

  “Oh yes. She’d have him in a heartbeat. But he’s looking for the right one. Until then he’ll go through as many as it takes to keep his mind off it.”

  “Whatever do you mean by that?”

  “You know how people say women marry their fathers?”

  Kirsten nodded.

  “Well, for Tyler it’s his sister. He’s looking for someone just like Brook.”

  It was the first time Kirsten had heard Beth speak of Brook when it didn’t have something to do with Sarah.

  “That’s understandable I guess. They must have been very close.”

  “Sometimes I think there really wasn’t a two year gap between them. It was as if they came from the same egg. He was like her shadow.” She smiled. “That’s part of the reason why I sent Brook to boarding school when we came to New Zealand. And I think that’s why he and Jamie don’t get on,” she paused and sighed. “Sometimes the bond of siblings can be stronger than that of a man and his wife.”

  Kirsten pondered Beth’s last statement. It would explain why Jamie and Tyler hated each other. Tyler must resent Jamie for taking Brook away from him, and Jamie possibly felt Tyler had been too close to Brook, even after they were married. In which case neither of them was to blame; it was simply a rather unfortunate scenario. However it didn’t explain Jamie’s ongoing bitterness toward his in-laws. Something else lurked beneath the surface there.

  * * * *

  Dinner was an interesting event to say the least. Kirsten sat at the end of the table wi
th Sarah, a quiet observer of the way Leigh and Tyler interacted. Leigh was like a teenager with a crush, obviously threatened by Kirsten’s presence in the household.

  “You’re a lot younger than the last nanny, Kirsty,” she said snidely. Much to Kirsten’s surprise it was Beth who jumped to her defense. “She’s doing wonderful things with Sarah, Leigh. I’m so pleased Tyler talked me into hiring someone younger this time.”

  Kirsten bit her lip to stop a smile, as the comment was plainly intended to upset Leigh further.

  “Well, that’s good for Sarah isn’t it?” If looks cast daggers Kirsten would have been on the floor bleeding to death.

  “I can’t take all the credit actually,” Kirsten said quietly. “Sarah is a wonderful student.” She smiled down at her ward. Sarah’s face turned a brilliant shade of pink as she stuffed a forkful of mashed potato into her mouth.

  “She takes after me, don’t you sweetie?” Tyler winked at his niece.

  “Don’t be silly,” Sarah said seriously. “You don’t have blonde hair.”

  Everyone at the table erupted into laughter. Kirsten was amazed at how Sarah could light up the room with her naïve commentary.

  * * * *

  After dinner Kirsten excused herself. It was obvious Leigh was uncomfortable with her around, and she didn’t feel comfortable always socialising with the family, given that she was the hired help. She knew they didn’t feel that way about her, but keeping a professional distance was something she had decided she should do as much as possible.

  When the sun had disappeared behind the hills Kirsten snuck down to the pool and slipped into the clear water. Solar lights, placed around the edge of the lawn, provided a dim glow. For Kirsten there was nothing more glorious than lying back watching the night sky, her hair flowing generously around her shoulders, suspended in the cool, lapping water. She could forget everything for a while; it was like her own magical world where only she and the soothing water existed. She had thought about going down to the jetty and wading out into the tide, but visions of the opening scene of the Jaws movie prevented her from doing so at night. She hadn’t quite built up the courage for that yet. If she had someone to swim with she may have attempted it, but alone it wouldn’t be as soothing as lying back in a pool, where she knew one hundred percent she was safe. She was a strong swimmer, but even that did nothing for her confidence when she thought about a great white bearing down on her at twenty feet. Beaming headlights that cut laser paths of light through the black air above her caught Kirsten’s attention and she swam to the edge of the pool to see who had arrived. It was Jamie. He pulled his body out of the blue hatchback, his long legs falling onto the path as if he was weary from his drive. He raked a hand through his sandy hair and reached into the back seat for his bag. Kirsten pushed herself from the side of the pool and continued to swim lazy backstroke lengths. Hearing the movement of the water, he dropped his bag on the concrete patio and wandered across the grass, steadying his weight backward against the steep slope until he reached the poolside.

  “Hi.” She stopped swimming and let her legs drop to the bottom of the pool, treading the water slowly with her arms. She was surprised he had actually made the effort to come over.

  “Hi, yourself.” Jamie smiled. “Are you all alone?”

  Kirsten sniggered, resisting the urge to be sarcastic. Kid gloves remember? She reminded herself. Now would not be the time to try some good old irony. She finally had Jamie starting a normal conversation with a few pleasantries and she didn’t want to spoil it.

  Jamie, realising the stupidity of his question, laughed. “Of course you’re alone. Where’s Sarah, I thought she would have jumped at the chance to go swimming at night?”

  Kirsten smiled. “Your daughter was completely worn out and took herself to bed. I don’t think it hurt that I told her you’d be home when she woke up. If I’d known you were going to be home this early I would have let her stay up late.”

  Jamie waved his hand in the air. “No, that’s okay. I’ll see her in the morning.” He crouched down and flicked his hand into the pool. “How’s the water?”

  Kirsten watched him closely. Was he actually asking her a leading question? This was so unlike the Jamie she had come to be weary of. Or was this the real Jamie, and every other time had been his guise?

  “Why don’t you come in and find out?” She grinned.

  He lifted his head and met her gaze, a wide grin spread across his face. It made him seem younger and Kirsten was quite taken aback. All this time she had thought he was older than Tyler, but now, in this light, with him looking at her that way, she realised he was probably not much older than Brook would have been today. It made sense, for she had met Jamie while they were at school together.

  “Maybe I will.” Jamie let his hand trail through the water. But a shrill laugh put a stop to the magic, drifting down on top of Tyler’s deep voice, before the two of them appeared from behind the house. Leigh tore down the hill, her breasts bouncing dangerously close to escaping the two triangles of cloth, which held her bikini top together.

  “Oh, Jamie.” Leigh stopped in her tracks. “Hi.”

  Jamie’s mouth drew up into a snarl, his lips pursed into thin, tense lines. “Leigh.”

  Tyler arrived shortly after, wearing a pair of swimming shorts and carrying two towels.

  Kirsten sighed. The Jamie she had been hoping to spend some time with had departed. But more than that, there seemed to be something in particular about Leigh that was making him uncomfortable; even more than usual.

  “Hey man, I didn’t think you were getting back ‘til tomorrow.” Tyler observed him with a cool stare.

  “Well I’m here.” Jamie smiled sarcastically at his brother in law. Tyler ignored the remark and turned to Kirsten. “How’s the hip Kirst? I was meaning to ask you before, but it slipped my mind.”

  Kirsten blushed as Jamie swerved his gaze toward her, puzzled by the question. She gazed back at Tyler. It was as though he had chosen to ask her right this moment, in front of Jamie. She smiled, but could feel the heat rising in her cheeks.

  “It’s fine, thanks. I had a nice bruise for a couple of days but that’s gone now.”

  “What happened?” Leigh screwed up her pretty nose.

  Kirsten opened her mouth to answer but Tyler interjected before she had a chance.

  “She slipped while we were in the hot tub the other night. I had to carry her up to her room.”

  “Oh, poor thing.” Leigh pouted, the implied innuendo going straight over her head. Jamie, however, took it just how Tyler had intended it. His eyes narrowed and he glared at his brother in law. Tyler ignored him and asked Kirsten instead, “How’s the water?”

  “It’s great.” Kirsten glared at Tyler in disapproval. Jamie took a step backward as Leigh climbed down the ladder, into the shimmering water. Tyler moved to the end of the oval and dropping their towels on the grass, he dive-bombed into the pool. Without a word Jamie backed up a few more steps then turned and headed back to the house.

  Kirsten scrambled to the ladder and climbed out of the pool. Taking her towel and running up the hill she sprang into the house after Jamie, catching him in the hallway.

  “Jamie?” Her hair dripped on the carpet and she mopped at it with the towel she had wrapped around her neck.

  “What?” He swung round as if annoyed by her approach. She stopped. “God, do you really have to talk to me like that?” Kirsten snapped back at him. “A moment ago we were having a civilized conversation.”

  “Yeah, and a moment ago I didn’t know you and Tyler had gotten to know each other so intimately,” he spat back at her.

  Kirsten laughed. “Come on. You know as well as I do, that was completely misconstrued, just to piss you off. I don’t know why, and I don’t care to know why, but just to set the record straight, there is nothing going on between me and Tyler.”

  “Funny that,” Jamie mocked. “Leigh told me the same thing about two years ago.”

 
; Kirsten was lost for words. She stared back at Jamie, her mouth open in surprise. Jamie laughed, looking pleased he was able to strike her speechless. Then he left her standing in the hallway, climbed the stairs and disappeared into the darkness of the second storey. She heard his door close and she turned back to the lounge to watch Tyler and Leigh from her position behind the curtains. Wow. That was a surprise. She never would have guessed there was history between Jamie and Leigh. She seemed completely intent on getting Tyler into her clutches. Just what had happened there? It was apparent Tyler didn’t want Leigh. The attraction was so one-sided it would be plain enough to anyone who observed them for any longer than five minutes. Jamie had insinuated Tyler was at fault, but Kirsten was confused. Why would Tyler lure a woman, whom he didn’t even want, away from Jamie?

  The story was weaving into a spider web of intricate secrets, unwinding one by one for Kirsten to see. The problem was she was beginning to feel like the fly. Tonight Tyler had conveniently used her as bait to provoke Jamie. Somehow she had now been pulled into their little game of war. One way or another, she decided, she would have to find out what fueled their fire.

  Chapter 8

  Kirsten woke as the first fingers of dawn crept over the green hills in the east. Knowing it was Saturday she rolled over, pulled the sheet up over her head and tried to ignore her conscious state. But her mind had other ideas, and sleep would not return. She glanced at the red glowing numbers on the bedside cabinet. It was a little before six in the morning. She groaned, but hauled her frame out of the bed and padded to the window. A thin layer of mist covered the bay, below the line of the house, thinning to nothing as it reached the pool. It looked as though someone had crept in during the night and laid a thick blanket of cotton wool over the sea. Kirsten pulled on a tracksuit, socks and sneakers, then pushed her hair under a black baseball cap, threading her hair through the adjusting strap at the back to hold it in place.

  The air was cool as she tiptoed out the back door, wound her way through the ferns and down the pebbled path to the jetty. She remembered seeing a track leading into the bush when she had walked back from the boat with Sarah and Tyler, and she followed this now, hoping a morning walk would be therapeutic. As she crept closer to the sea the fog enveloped her, seeping in through the native Manuka trees and Ponga ferns. The advancing sun penetrated the mist in long thin rays. It was beautiful, but eerie, and Kirsten walked in silence, the stillness surrounding her. A few birds began to wake and call as she followed the path round the hillside, and she saw a few Wekas foraging in the Pigfern growing in thick clumps on either side of the track. The brown flightless birds made a strange guttural sound as they moved. It reminded Kirsten of a teddy bear she had when she was little, which groaned morbidly as she tipped it upside down. She rounded a bend and through a gap in the trees saw that the sun had found a hole in the fog, and beamed down on the glass top surface of the water. It was like a picture you would expect to see on an inspiration gift card from the Christian bookshop and Kirsten stopped to watch the scene unfold before her. She leaned against a tall Manuka tree, the black bark leaving a soft film on her sleeve. She was awestruck by the sight; never before had she witnessed anything so beautiful.