by Karen Wyld
‘You have to see all the things for me,’ she whispered to Victoria. ‘You’re a wanderer, just like your grandfather. Just like that stubborn mother of yours.’
Victoria grunted in her sleep, causing her nana to laugh softly.
Nana Vic turned her attention to Maggie. ‘And this little bub, she’ll go with you, taking the stories with her. Don’t worry if you forget them, dear Maggie. As long as you carry these stories, you and your sister will be all right.’
NINETEEN
Entering the gallery, Tori heard raised voices coming from Andrés’s office. She knew it was Andrés shouting, and the other voice was Marcie’s. Tori put her ear on the office door.
‘You can’t, Andrés. It’s morally repugnant, and probably illegal.’
‘I bought the negatives off a cop, so of course they’re not illegal.’
‘No doubt a corrupt cop. And did you ask Ana? I didn’t think so. Did you steal her photos?’
‘She left the negatives here, after using my darkroom. Ana should be grateful her work will be exhibited alongside such a famous photographer’s work.’
‘He was clearly a degenerate. Those photos are exploitative of minors. And that photo there, that’s a goddamn lynching. You purchased crime scene photos from a crooked cop. How can you even consider exhibiting these?’
‘Don’t be so closed-minded, Marcie. It’s art.’
‘It’s really not. Put these on display, and someone will call the police.’
‘I can control access to the small gallery. Only invited guests will be able to see this exhibition. It will be all right.’
‘How? Nothing about this is all right. And what about her? Imagine how she’ll react when she sees these.’’
‘Keep your mouth shut and she won’t know.’
‘You’ve gone too far this time, Andrew. These photos are repulsive depravity.’
‘These images were his finest work. They need to be seen, to be contemplated. I owe a lot to him. His work inspired me when I was just beginning. I was even fortunate to have been mentored by him, for a short while.’
‘I don’t care about that degenerate. I care about those girls. Distorting blackness for his macabre exoticism is disturbing. This won’t go unnoticed.’
‘Get off your soapbox. Your black-power nonsense won’t work here. Our blacks are too lazy to rise up.’
‘You’re a racist bastard, Andrew.’
‘Isn’t it time you were leaving? Your shift is over.’
‘I’m leaving now. And going straight to the authorities. If you won’t listen to me, then maybe some time in a cold cell will help you see reason.’
Opening the door, she saw Tori a few feet away. Whatever they’d been fighting about in the office, Tori noticed that it had made Marcie agitated.
‘Hon, don’t go in there. And don’t go near the small gallery. Promise me you won’t.’
Tori said, ‘Why not?’
‘Just trust me, okay? I’ll make sure he’s punished for this.’
Marcie walked to the counter and retrieved her handbag. She opened a drawer, and collected the personal items she stored there.
‘I’m not coming back here. I’m done with him. You need to get out of here too.’
Tori shook her head. ‘I can’t. I need the money.’
‘I’ll give you money, anything you need to get away from that evil man. Go home, to your family.’
‘I don’t know where they live. All I have is my sister.’
‘Look, I’ll help you get away from here. I’ve got something urgent to do first. Meet me at my place after work. Okay?’
Tori nodded. Marcie picked up her bag and hurried out. Walking past the office, Tori heard Andrés on the phone. His voice was muffled, but Tori heard him say something about “dealing with” Marcie. She crept over to the small gallery and turned the handle. The door was locked.
‘You stay out of there,’ barked Andrés, from his office doorway. ‘If I find you anywhere near that space, you’re fired. Understand?’
Tori nodded, and looked at the floor. She’d never seen him this agitated before.
‘I’ll be out for the rest of the day. Lock the front door when your shift is over.’
Tori went to Marcie’s flat after work, as promised. She knocked a few times but no one answered. The door opposite opened slightly, and an old woman peered out from the crack. The woman opened the door wider and stepped into the corridor.
‘She’s gone. They took her away.’
‘Pardon?’ asked Tori.
‘The police. They took her. They made a right mess of the place when they searched it. They must have found what they wanted by the time two men in suits arrived, because they all left shortly after, taking Marcie with them.’
‘Do you know where they took her?’
‘No idea, but I don’t think they plan on letting her return. I heard them tell Marcie to pack her belongings. Maybe she overstayed her visa? Can’t imagine her doing anything criminal. She was a good neighbour.’
Tori was surprised to see Angie already in the gallery when she arrived for the morning shift. Before she could say anything, Andrés came out of his office.
‘You’re to work a full day today, to show Angie how to manage sales. She’ll be taking over Marcie’s shifts.’
‘It will be so much fun working together,’ said Angie breezily.
Tori frowned. ‘What about Marcie?’
‘She’s gone. You’re both to stay out of the small gallery. Viewing the works in there will be by invitation only. I’ve hired people to help at the launch, so there’s no need to come to that. I’ll be in my office all day and I don’t want to be disturbed.’
Angie whispered, ‘What a grumpy boss.’
‘Always rude, occasionally shouty.’
‘We’ll soon show him how to treat women.’
‘If Marcie couldn’t sort him out, not sure we can. Angie, I’m really worried about her. I went to her flat last night. A neighbour told me the police took her away.’
‘Really? Maybe Ana can make some enquiries. Her family is friends with lawyers and important people.’
‘Simone might know something?’
‘Yes, we could get a message to her through Simone.’
‘Marcie and Andrés had a big fight yesterday. I think it was over that upcoming exhibition in the small gallery.’
Angie whispered, ‘It’s so weird he’s told us to keep out. We should look in there, when he’s not around.’
‘The door is always locked now. And I need this job, so I’m not doing anything that will get me fired.’
‘If you change your mind, I know how to pick locks. For now, you’d better show me what I need to do around here.’
‘It’s not hard,’ said Tori. ‘This gallery doesn’t get many visitors.’
‘Probably because of grumbles over there,’ suggested Angie, looking towards the closed office door.
‘Tori, I need some help,’ stated Ana, walking into the gallery.
Tori noticed Ana was flustered, which was most unlike her.
Ana said, ‘The negatives, from that day we dressed up, I can’t find them.’
‘Where did you see them last?’ asked Angie.
‘Here. I developed the film in Andrés’s darkroom. Mine is getting repainted at the moment. I was sure I took them home with me.’
‘You were told not to disturb me today,’ grumbled Andrés, as he walked out of the office. ‘Oh, it’s you.’
Ana said, ‘I’ve lost some negatives. Have you seen them?’
‘You left them in the darkroom. I put them in my safe. Wait here, I’ll get them.’
The rest of the working day was uneventful. Tori had enjoyed working with Angie, but it wasn’t the same as the times she’d spent with Marcie. She’d let Angie go home early, after Andrés had left for the day; she needed that last hour of silence. After locking the front door, Tori was surprised to see Simone at the nearby bus shelter.
‘Simone! Is Marcie here too?’
‘That bastard had her deported,’ Simone said. ‘He dobbed her in for running a hairdressing business in the flat. Marcie didn’t have a working visa, so Immigration put her on a plane today.’
‘Is she all right?’
Simone nodded. ‘We were planning on leaving the country, anyway. It won’t take me long to pack up our flat. I’ve got a work transfer, so I’ll be joining her soon. She wanted me to tell you something before I left.’
‘What?’
‘She was only allowed a quick phone call, so it’s a bit confusing. Something about she tried to tell the police about those photos, but no one would listen. She warned you to stay out of the small room. Do not look at those photos, but the evidence to get justice is in that room and the negatives are in the safe.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Neither do I. Was hoping you would. Marcie insisted you have to get the police to go in that room.’
‘I’m confused. I wish Marcie was still here. She was one of my few friends.’
‘You should leave too. He’s a horrible person. Go home, Tori.’
‘I don’t have a home.’
‘Everyone has a home; you just haven’t found it yet.’
The community centre appeared to be empty. She was about to leave when she saw a figure going past the window. She went outside and walked down the side of the main building, towards the big shed out the back. The door was open, so Tori peeked in.
‘You can come in. I won’t bite.’
Tori saw Gloria up the back, opening what appeared to be an enormous oven.
‘These should be cooked just right,’ she said, picking up oversized tongs.
Gloria reached in and pulled out a large urn. She placed in on a circle of sand, and went back to the oven. After pulling out three more pieces of pottery, she put down the tongs. She wiped sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand.
‘Once they’re cool, I’ll paint designs on them. Lizards, snakes, birds, wattles. Like the ones over there.’
Tori looked at urns and pots of many sizes on a bench. ‘Did you make all these?’
Gloria nodded. ‘With that potter’s wheel.’
Tori went over to look closely at the wheel, before sticking her finger in a clump of clay that was in a bucket next to it.
‘Would you like to learn?’
‘Is it hard?’
‘Not really. Like everything, just takes someone to show you the way and a bit of practice.’
‘Would you show me?’
Gloria sat down on a stool. ‘I could, if you promise to listen. Do you?’
Tori nodded, already imagining her first urn. Wide and tall, with an eagle painted on it.
‘Can you show me other things too? Like you mentioned at the protest?’
‘First, you need to call me Aunty. That’s respect. That’s our way.’
‘Yes, Aunty.’
When Tori left an hour later, she felt exhausted. She knew there was a lot of work ahead of her, but she felt more confident, and hopeful. Tori understood now that she’d let grief and loss simmer, unaddressed, for too long. Now she felt ready to let go and start to heal. Deep in thought, she hadn’t noticed Louis until she almost bumped into him.
‘Look out,’ he laughed.
Tori took a step back. ‘Sorry.’
‘No harm done.’
‘I mean sorry for the other day. When we were sitting by the duck pond after the concert, and I walked off in a mood.’
‘Oh, that.’
‘I know you were just trying to help. I shouldn’t have been so rude to you. I’m not ready yet, but one day I’ll tell you more things from my past.’
‘You don’t have to, but I’ll be around if you ever need someone to talk to.’
‘Hey, do you want to come to our place for dinner tonight?’
Louis nodded. ‘Walk there now with you, or should I come over later?’
‘Now is fine.’
They talked all the way there, filling each other in on things they’d been doing recently, until they reached the park. Tori noticed the little black-and-white bird before she heard it. It hopped along, following them. She smiled. That bird had grown on her.
‘Louis,’ asked Tori, when they’d reached the bench at the duck pond.
‘Yes?’
‘There’s something I want to clear up.’
Louis sat down. ‘Okay.’
‘I get the feeling that you like me,’ she said, sitting next to him.
‘Of course I do, we’re friends.’
‘No, I mean like like.’
Louis fell quiet, gazing at the ducks on the pond. One made a V-shape in the water as it swam quickly towards him. Probably expecting bread, Louis thought. He was glad that Tori had been the one to bring up this difficult subject and not him, but he was anxious about how the conversation would go.
‘I do have feelings for you,’ he said softly. ‘I’ve really tried not to, because I think you don’t have similar feelings for me.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with liking me in that way, it’s just I’m unsure about these types of things. I don’t know what romance or attraction feels like. I don’t think I can have those types of feelings, for anyone.’
‘Can we still be friends?’
‘Of course,’ Tori answered.
Louis picked up a pebble and skimmed it across the pond. Tori watched it bounce across the water’s surface one time, two times, three. Even after the pebble sank under the water, the ripples created circles within circles at those three places. The patterns reminded her of a painting she’d just seen in the art shed at the community centre.
‘I went and spoke with Aunty Gloria today. She’s going to help me learn not to be so angry and defensive.’
‘Aunty is good with that sort of help. She helped me see what I need to do. Brother Eddie helped too.’
‘What are you going to do?’
‘Well, I just got some good news. My nan wrote back. She wants me to go home, and I want to be there.’
‘When do you leave?’
‘Soon. Eddie’s helping me with travel arrangements.’
Tori watched a duck and her ducklings climb up onto the grass and waddle towards them. She suddenly had a pang. She didn’t know what it was, but it made her chest hurt. Tori instinctively put a hand over where the pain was.
‘Are you okay?’ asked Louis, looking at her with concern.
She nodded, the pain having vanished as quick as it had appeared. ‘Just anxiety, I guess. Gloria talked about how worry or fear can feel like physical pain, and told me to focus on the thoughts I might have had just before the pain.’
‘I used to get those too. Before I had Gloria and Brother Eddie teaching me new ways of dealing with things.’
‘I want to meet this brother. Maybe he can help me find my mother’s mother. Maybe he can help me get home too.’
‘If anyone can, it would be him.’
‘I hope so. For now, let’s get that dinner I promised you.’
As they walked towards the treehouse, Tori didn’t notice the small bird that landed on the grass beside her bird companion. And she didn’t notice them fly off together.
TWENTY
Angie was frivolous, chatty and spontaneous. So unlike Marcie. Tori couldn’t share her thoughts freely with Angie, as she had begun to do with Marcie. The way the world treated them was too different. Angie wasn’t even aware of these differences. She seemed to have no idea that inequality or oppression existed, let alone an awareness of racism. Angie mostly talked about her upcoming wedding, which wasn’t of much interest to Tori. Still, Tori liked Angie and listened to her expanding plans.
When Angie walked out the door earlier, she’d whispered to Tori that Andrés was in one of his foul moods. It was now nearing closing time and Tori still hadn’t seen him. She had a sudden thought that perhaps he’d gone out by the back door. She got up and went towards the office. She coul
d hear Andrés’s voice. He wasn’t speaking loudly, but Tori could still tell he was annoyed about something. There were no other voices, so Tori assumed he was on the phone. She put an ear to the door. Andrés said something about not giving back the negatives, which puzzled Tori, as he had already returned Ana’s negatives. Then he said, to the person on the other end of the phone, that he’d paid good money for them and would not pay a single cent more.
He raised his voice: ‘No, I won’t tell you where they live, Peters. And stay away from here. I don’t need you distracting my employee.’
Tori tried to think where she’d heard the name Peters before.
Andrés laughed into the phone. ‘Are you attempting to blackmail me? Your position doesn’t scare me, Senior Sergeant Peters. I have contacts higher than a cop.’
Tori heard Andrés swear and slam down the phone. He was muttering to himself and walking around the office. Tori hurried back to the sales counter, in case he came out and found her eavesdropping. She suddenly remembered a policeman named Peters. Constable Peters had been a friend of von Wolff ’s. Tori shuddered. Not just at the unwelcome thought of von Wolff, but also of Peters. She’d never liked him. The way he’d look at her always felt wrong. The way he’d sometimes watch Maggie had unnerved her more. If this police officer was the same Peters, then Tori knew she had to make sure he’d never find out where she and Maggie lived. Tori looked at the clock and was relieved to see it was closing time. She shouted goodbye to Andrés and locked the front door, before running down the street. She had to find Louis; he would know what to do.
The community centre was locked when Tori arrived, so she asked some children in the playground if they knew where Brother Eddie lived. It didn’t take her long to get there. Tori saw Louis leaving the house just as she turned the corner.
‘Louis!’ she called out.
He turned. ‘Hey. How’d you find me?’
‘Wasn’t hard. I need to talk with you. It’s urgent.’
‘Do you want to come in? Eddie’s out.’
Tori followed Louis inside. He showed her to the lounge room, and went into the adjacent kitchen.
‘What’s up?’ he asked, returning with two glasses of water.
‘I overheard something just now and it got me worried. Andrés was speaking on the phone to a cop called Peters. Something about negatives.’
