by Iris Blobel
Another look over to Zach as she shrugged.
“Are you girls finished with your gossiping?” he finally asked, trying to keep the edge off his voice. The situation in front of them was getting to him, not to mention the gossiping. He’d never been a big fan of it.
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist, Zach,” Olivia said as she threw her school bag over her shoulder.
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I hope you don’t need a lift today, because you’ve just forfeited your chance.”
Pulling her hair gently from underneath the bag’s strap, Olivia looked at him. “Well, unlucky me, eh. Na, Mum’s picking me up from the corner today. She’s sick of the traffic here in the parking bay.”
Zach let it go. He liked his bickering with Mia’s friend, but he was in no mood that day.
“See ya, Olivia,” Mia said.
“See ya tomorrow, Auntie Mia.” She turned to Zach. “See ya tomorrow. Apparently sleepover is at your place.” She winked and walked off.
Zach grabbed Mia’s bag and headed towards his car with her following him.
“Zach?”
“Yes?”
“The sleepover thing.”
He spun around and pinned her with a look that stopped her in her tracks.
“I should’ve asked, I suppose.”
“You suppose?”
Hands on hips, she returned his stare. “Get over it. I’m more than a hundred per cent sure she’s not married. Okay? Sophie would’ve said something. If not to me, definitely to you.”
“What are we talking about, Mia?”
What was she talking about? She stepped closer and took her bag before walking around to the passenger side.
“Just because I’m a teenager, doesn’t mean I don’t know. And you know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Resting his arms on top of the car he looked across at her. “Way too many romance novels. I keep telling Soph to throw them in the corner.” And then he got in the car.
Mia cursed, and that earned her another glare from him. He assumed she’d given up, and they rode the rest of the way home in silence.
“I’ll be home tomorrow on the 4:30 p.m. flight. I might just make it for your sleepover party, but you owe me.”
“Owe you what?”
“The long version of why I haven’t heard you talking about Josh.”
“Any chance of the flight crashing over Bass Strait?”
****
Mia walked across the street to Number Forty-Six. Mark’s car was in the driveway, which meant Sophie and Hope had come home. Life as she’d known it would definitely change. She was grateful that Mark had agreed to add on a couple more rooms to the house, which would create a huge mess for a few months, but in the long run, would be a blessing. No doubt, Mia loved her little niece and had even mastered the nappy change routine. Not to forget she’d learned how to dress the tiny little thing, which was a challenge in itself.
Then she remembered her last words to Zach and hoped that the plane wouldn’t crash. She wouldn’t forgive herself and hoped he wasn’t angry with her. But the mention of Josh’s name had momentarily upset her. Actually, more than just momentarily. When she had gone to see him the week before, he was about to go to football training and hadn't had time. Then she’d found out the next day that he’d sprained his ankle and hadn’t been to school all week.
“Hello,” she shouted into the house. “Welcome home.”
“Shh,” came Sophie’s reply. “She’s asleep.”
“Well, she’s no fun, is she?” Mia threw her bag into the corner and went into the kitchen to grab a little snack.
“Where’s Mark?”
“Back in the office for a couple of hours to catch up on some work.”
“Sounds normal.”
When she turned to walk into her room, Sophie stood in front of her hands on hips. “That normal has provided us with a good life the last few years.”
Mia’s mouth dropped open, and she looked around, wondering whether she'd missed something. “I know,” she said to her sister. “I was kidding.” Then she exhaled a deep sigh and added, “Hormones?”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Lack of sleep,” she acknowledged.
She shook her head as she chuckled. “Why don’t you go and have a nap now. I’m sure I can go on baby duty.”
Her older sister seemed to ponder that thought and suggestion for a brief moment, before she declined. “I’d really want to catch up with you on a few events I think I’ve missed out on this week.”
Mia’s hand froze with the snack halfway to her mouth. “Events? What events?”
“Let’s go and sit down.”
She quickly threw the last piece of food in her mouth and wiped her now-moist hands on her school skirt. “What events?’ she asked again as she followed Sophie into the lounge room.
“The panic in your voice makes me think there are a few events we have to talk about.”
“Panic? What panic?”
Her sister turned and stared at her, and Mia was sure that Sophie’s lip twitched and wondered how much effort it was taking her sister not to smile.
“Sit!”
Exhaling deeply, Mia threw herself onto the sofa and fiddled with the fringe of the little pillowcase. She watched her older sibling as she went back and forth to the door, probably wondering whether Hope was making a noise. When Mia tossed the small pillow towards her sister, she obviously had her full attention.
“Tell me what happened last weekend.”
“What do you know?” Mia replied.
“That something happened. Mark and Zach are playing innocent.”
Mia dropped both hands into her lap. “Any mention of Darren Schuster?”
Sophie’s eyes widened, and she came closer to sit next to her. “Those little devils. No. Good grief, Mia, what happened?”
So she started at the very beginning of the story when Sophie had been driven off to hospital and finished with the conversation she’d had with both of the men. Then she turned and met her sister’s eyes. Sophie’s bright brown eyes were suddenly dull and full of worry.
“Mi, the reason I didn’t tell you about Mr. Schuster–” Sophie choked.
“You didn’t wanna lose me. I kinda got that now.” She sighed and took her sister's hand. “I might be just a teenager, but I’m well aware of what you gave up for me after mum died.” And with these words spoken, emotions ran high within her as well. “I get that you didn’t wanna lose me. Now it’s your turn to understand that you’re my family. You’re it, Soph. Not some rich guy from Sydney.”
“How old are you?” Sophie asked through a sob.
She laughed. “Ehrm. Too old?”
And without much warning, Sophie pulled her close for a hug. “I sometimes wonder who the older one is of us two.”
“I can’t breathe,” Mia mumbled.
“Fusspot,” Sophie replied and let her go.
“Mia, darling? How are you going with Josh?”
That startled her. Not the question itself, but the fact she had finally remembered his name. Too late, probably, as the name wouldn’t come up in conversations anymore. Focusing on the window and the soft breeze playing with the flowers, she shrugged. “That’s over.”
“Oh, sweetie–”
Mia moved back an inch. “I get it and consider myself bear-hugged again.”
“Fusspot,” she said again. Reaching out, Sophie tucked a stray strand of hair behind Mia’s ear. Her voice was full of warmth and understanding. “Too much for a day, or would you like to talk about that as well?”
Emotion clogged her throat, barely able to speak and she waited for a brief moment to swallow. Then she looked up and said, “Okay, I’ll take that hug now.”
Chapter Twenty
The emotional outburst earlier that afternoon had worn her out, and Mia lay on her bed reading a book. It’d been good talking to Sophie. Having questions answered and holes cleared up. Although she wasn’t a hugger as much as
her older sister was, the few hugs they’d shared had felt immensely comforting. She’d left the room knowing that their bond as sisters had become even tighter, and their love and respect for each other was as strong as ever.
For the first time in that week, Mia felt a sense of inner calm and contentment. Everything happened for a reason, Zach always told her, and she began to believe in it. If it was meant to be, it would be. She needed to trust the path ahead of her, and she was ready for whatever was thrown at her. Okay, except the fact that Miss Peterson had hot sex with Zach. She wasn't ready for that though. And deep down inside she had a feeling Zach had told her a fib.
“Honey, phone call for you.”
Mark stood in the door with the phone in his hand and an awkward smile plastered on his face. “It’s Josh,” he added almost in a whisper.
That stopped her in her tracks, and suddenly she wasn’t sure what to do or say. Or whether to answer the call.
“Take it,” he suggested with a wink.
She stood and slowly lifted the phone to her ear. A thousand scenarios were going through her head, but the main question was why was he calling?
“Hello?”
There was a momentary silence before she heard Josh’s voice. “It’s me.”
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out, and instantly she began to panic. Finally she was able to croak a “How are you?”
“Not too bad,” he replied. And then there was the miserable silence again before he went on. “Listen, I wanted to apologise for last week. I got rushed from doctor to doctor this week and didn’t have a chance to call earlier to ask why you’d come over.”
He cared! She had never known what it meant when authors wrote and described in the books she’d read of emotional relief flooding through someone. But at that moment, she’d figured it out. It actually wasn’t a lot of nonsense, but real. Her emotional flood was so powerful she had to step back and sit down on her bed.
“You still there?” he asked.
She nodded and then slapped herself against the forehead for the stupidity. “Yes, I’m still here.”
“D’you wanna meet somewhere tomorrow for ice cream?”
Her voice almost failed her again so the reaction was somewhat louder than she had intended it to be. “I’d love to.”
“Mi?”
“Uh-huh?”
“Congratulations. You know because of your little sister?”
She felt her lips tugging into a grin. “She’s my niece.”
“The baby is?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve got one mucked-up family.”
The tone of his voice told her he was teasing her. Her grin turned into a contented smile.
“So,” he hesitated. “About tomorrow. Three o’clock? Down Elizabeth Street near the Info Centre?”
“Sounds good.”
“Dad will take us to the ice cream place. I’m still on crutches.”
“I never thought about that. Would it be easier for you to come here?”
“Do you have good ice cream?” His voice telling her again he was teasing her.
“Nothing in this house is not good.” She paused for a moment. “Except Hope’s nappies.”
“That’s gross, Mia.”
Waves of hot and cold rushed through her as she hoped she hadn’t ruined everything.
Mia was about to say something to correct her faux pas when he said, “No worries, Dad will drop me off at your place instead.”
Yes! In one quick motion she was up on her feet squeezing her hand into a fist. Yes. Yes. Yes.
After she’d hung up Mia stormed out of her room and down the hall screaming, “We need good ice cream!”
“What for?” came out of Mark’s office.
“Shh,” was Sophie’s reply out of their bedroom.
She walked into the office. “Josh is coming here tomorrow.” As she’d finished the sentence, she looked down to inspect her feet. She was sure her cheeks were on fire. When there wasn’t a response she looked up and saw a huge grin plastered all over Mark’s face. Rolling her eyes, she turned and left.
“Mi.”
“Forget it. You seem to have after-birth-issues.”
He called out for her again, and she stopped only to have him bump into him.
“Missy.”
Her shoulders sagged and she turned.
“Josh wanted to meet down the street, but he still can’t walk so I invited him here instead of going for ice cream down the main streets.”
Mark nodded. “Olivia.”
“Come again?”
“What part is Olivia playing in this?”
That question puzzled her, and she stared at him, trying to figure out what he meant.
“Sweetie, you’re having Olivia over for the night.”
“Crap! I totally forgot about that.”
“Your best friend of all people.” He smiled.
Hands on hips, she replied, “You don’t have to rub it in.” Then she turned, cursing the house down and went back to her bedroom to make one important phone call to Olivia.
“I will tell Zach that you’re going to fill the cursing jar next week.” Mark laughed.
****
Zach’s twenty-four hour stay in Sydney had been uneventful. Yet, an odd feeling had niggled at him the whole time. Something inside that he couldn’t figure out. It bugged him relentlessly. Even though Natasha wasn’t available, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Hearing that she was married had been a big blow in his gut – whether true or not, he still wasn’t quite sure. Or, maybe he just didn’t want to believe it. Although she’d made it obvious that his line of work wasn’t something she was able to accept, deep down inside he had actually considered giving it up for her. What an idiot he was, thinking a woman like her would go for an escort. She was a teacher with a reputation, after all. But then again, only a few people knew how he paid his bills.
The buzzing of his phone jarred him out of his thoughts. “Hello?”
“It’s me. Where are you?”
“At the airport.”
“Oh. Thought I’d let you know there’s no rush to come home. There won’t be a sleepover tonight.”
“Fight with Libby.”
“Nope.”
Sure he'd heard the smile in her voice, he insisted, “Pumpkin. Tell me.”
“Josh’s coming over in a little while.”
He walked outside and hailed a taxi. “Well, what d’ya know. Good for you.”
“Sophie wants to know whether you’d like to come for a barbeque tonight?”
“I’m quite beat. I’ll take a rain check.”
He heard Mia giggle on the other end of the line. “The lady-in-need a bit too demanding?”
“You’ll pay for that one.”
“Zach?”
“Hmm?”
“Sophie says she’s coming over once you get home. She needs to talk to you.”
“Tell her that’ll be part of the rain check as well.”
“No rain check, mister.” Sophie’s voice sounded demanding and firm. “This is urgent. So get your butt here as soon as possible.”
And before he was able to say anything he heard a dial tone. Who had stepped on her toes?
A short while later he opened the door of his house and stepped in. Straight away, he knew that Sophie had been in, the smell of the dinner in the kitchen was a dead giveaway. He shook his head as he smiled. Then he dropped his bag and stepped into the kitchen to switch on the kettle.
“While you make yourself a cuppa, you can make one for me as well.”
He shot around and saw Sophie standing there. “Cupcake, one of those days you’ll give me a heart attack by sneaking in like that.”
“I didn’t sneak–”
“Did so.”
With a few steps she closed the gap between them and placed a kiss on his cheek. “You spend too much time with my teenage sister.” Then she poked a finger to his chest, her face breaking into a full smil
e. “Did not.”
He brushed off her hand and finished the cuppas.
“How was Sydney?”
“Good.”
The gentle steps told him she was coming closer again, and then he felt her arm around his waist.
“What’s wrong?”
He met her eyes. They were full of concern. “What makes you think something’s wrong?” he replied as he turned towards her. “I’m just dead-tired.”
She cupped his face and said, “Your eyes are an open book. Has this got something to do with Natasha?”
That got his attention. “Sophie. Would you mind telling me why you’re here?”
“I take that as a yes.”
“Soph!”
With all the time in the world, she went over to the cupboard, removed the sugar jar and stirred in a few spoonfuls. After taking in a deep breath, she finally said, “I’m trying to piece together the puzzle.” She licked the rest of the sugar off the spoon and took a sip of his tea.
Zach shook his head at the sight.
“Apparently quite a lot can happen in only a few days.”
“You know about Mia’s dad?”
She nodded. “We talked.”
He sipped at his cup of tea. “Know about Josh?”
She nodded again. “We talked.”
For a moment, he thought about what else had happened. “Know about her ridiculous claim about not having anybody to talk to?”
Another nod yes. “We talked.”
Then he met her gaze and momentarily studied her face. “That should be your puzzle completed.”
“Natasha.”
Zach placed the cup on the bench and walked towards the hall. “Not part of the puzzle.”
But her small legs were quick to follow him. “Is so.”
He felt a frown forming between his eyes and anger rising in his chest. “Is not.”
“Will you stop and look at me when I talk to you?”
Without acknowledging her words, he kept on walking into his bedroom.
“Oh for Pete’s sake, she’s not married, Zach.”
That stopped him short. “What.Do.You.Want?”
She was right next to him now. “Mia joked about how you fancied Miss Peterson, so I called Natasha this morning. After about five minutes, I got the picture, and Mia’s comments made more sense. When Mia also told me about you overhearing the girls’ conversation about Nat’s marital status, I got worried.”
