by Di Morrissey
She got up, determined to stop her mind dwelling on thoughts of Sami and the friction between them. She was hungry and decided to eat out, somewhere local and casual. Dale had left two messages on her mobile, which she hadn’t responded to. He wanted her to join him for dinner at his home as soon as she was back, but Lily didn’t feel like it tonight. Her head was spinning with ideas and fantasies, and Dale would probably be pragmatic and throw cold water over them. And he lived so far out of town, she’d have to spend the night. While occasional sex with an attractive loving friend was nice, tonight Lily wanted to be on her own.
She settled on the cafe at Town Beach, near the caravan park. By the time she had walked there in the fading light she felt completely relaxed. She picked a small table with only one chair on the terrace overlooking the bay, then went inside to order. She was studying the chalked menu when she heard the girl behind the counter describing the Nepalese goat curry to a customer.
‘Sounds great, I’ll give it a go,’ he said.
The voice was vaguely familiar. Lily turned to find Tim Hudson, the young man she’d met on her last morning at Bradley Station, standing beside her. ‘We meet again,’ she announced brightly, ‘at sunset instead of sunrise.’
‘Well hello. Nice to see you again. Lily. Lily Barton, right?’
‘Yes. So, Tim, you’re braving the goat curry?’
‘Would you like to join me, or are you eating with friends?’
‘No, just a quick quiet meal.’ She turned to give her order. ‘Make that two curries. With all the trimmings.’
Tim pulled a chair over to Lily’s table and poured her a glass of wine from the bottle he’d brought along. ‘Can’t eat curry without a good red.’ Lily nodded. ‘So, what have you been doing since the races?’
‘Exploring a bit. What about you?’
‘Planning to explore. I’ve only been here once before,’ he said. ‘I love it, though. It’s better than a lot of places I’ve been.’
‘It must seem very different after the time you spent overseas. You said you were in Indonesia, didn’t you?’
‘Yeah, that’s right.’
‘What are you looking for now?’ The question was out even before Lily thought about it. Since returning to Broome it was the question she was constantly asking herself, and she felt a little embarrassed putting it to him. However, he showed no reaction.
‘I’m checking out all sorts of opportunities. Not exactly job hunting in the conventional sense.’
‘Meaning?’
He sipped on his wine as if giving himself time to ponder on the answer. ‘Well, I have some people interested in investing in this area, it’s up to me to find something that could work.’
‘Oh, like what?’ said Lily.
‘Any number of things. I have experience in a few areas, but at my last job in Indonesia I was running a pearl farm. On Roti Island. Interesting place – in many ways.’
Lily tried to stay composed, and sought assistance from a larger than usual attack on the wine. When she put the glass down Tim reached over and topped it up. ‘Thanks,’ she said and took a deep breath. ‘Let me tell you where I’ve been and what I want to do.’
She spoke quickly, summarising her visit to the old pearl farm at Red Rock Bay, how it was connected to her family and how she had a wild idea of trying to get involved with it.
Tim’s initial look of astonishment gave way to a sceptical frown, but that was soon replaced by serious concentration. When she finished he burst into laughter. ‘Bloody amazing.’
Lily ignored the exclamation. ‘I don’t know anything about the Star Two prospects except that it’s a big lease and comes with a slice of history. Dave George might be happy to get out or stay on as a third partner, if I could raise the money to buy into it.’
‘Third partner?’ Tim raised his eyebrows. ‘Would I be correct in thinking you are suggesting I consider this as the opportunity I’m looking for?’
The waitress brought bowls of rice, a pot of steaming curry and small side dishes. They dished up the food before resuming the conversation. ‘Lily, I’m in business, well in this case I’m charged with finding a deal that’s got potential, prospects, not a dream.’
‘You’re in Broome! What’s a better prospect than pearls?’
‘If you have a thousand employees, several farms and the latest luxury work boats, it looks good,’ he countered.
Lily leaned forward, ignoring the delicious, spicy smell of her curry. ‘But you’re not looking at a multi-million dollar business just yet, are you? What about something small, exciting, with huge potential. With the right people, imagination, and passion I think we could make it work.’
‘We?’
‘Come on, Tim, at least come up and have a look at it. There’s a reason we met here tonight.’ She drained her wine, her eyes sparkling.
‘Yeah. To have a good goat curry, and it’s getting cold.’ They both turned to the food and enjoyed exchanging opinions and jokes about the local scene and people they’d met. By the time they ordered coffee they both knew that a trip to Red Rock Bay was inevitable.
Back at the apartment, Lily got ready for bed then paced around before turning on the television. The local channel had the Mary G Show on and usually the wise-cracking Queen of the Kimberley kept her laughing. But the popular Aboriginal comedy show couldn’t hold Lily’s attention this evening. She went out onto the balcony and listened to the chuk-chuk of a gecko glued to her wall, laughter from an apartment across the lawns, and the splashing of someone having a late-night swim in the pool. Secure sounds she knew well. When she lifted her gaze, she saw stretching away to the horizon the silver water of Roebuck Bay. Lights from a yacht shone to the south, and below the manicured lawns of Moonlight Bay Apartments, the water sloshed rhythmically and speedily through the mangrove trees. Come the wet season and the cyclones, it would not look so benign. Somewhere in the mud of those mangroves were the skeletons of luggers, symbols of an industry and an era.
Could she resurrect the same dream her great-grandfather and his beloved Olivia shared? Could she make a new life for herself? One which involved huge financial risk, severing her ties on the other side of the country, and perhaps alienating her daughter. There was only one way to find out. Lily decided to have a bash at it – if she could swing Dave George, Tim and his investors to join her. She’d surprised herself at her impulsive suggestion to Tim. But it had felt right. She’d give it her best shot. She knew in a flash of deep understanding within herself that if she didn’t try, she’d always wonder. And become a bitter old lady.
She took a deep breath, went inside and slept soundly.
C h a p t e r S i x
SAMI DROVE INTO BROOME FOR THE FIRST TIME LATE ONE Saturday morning. She tried not to be moved or excited. She drove slowly, making it easier to take in the sights and sensations of Frederick Street as she approached the heart of the town. Patches of emerald grass, strips of bald red dirt bordering the bitumen, a young Aboriginal woman pushing a pram, an elderly man holding a parasol above his bald pink head walking with a measured gait that said it was too hot to hurry, a group of skylarking children on bicycles ignoring the heat, a wild and colourful mural along a brick wall, the sign announcing it was Broome Prison, a crowd of prison visitors around the entrance. Then she glimpsed through large boabs and palms a grand and elegant white bungalow with ‘Courthouse’ painted above the door.
On the lawns surrounding the courthouse was the weekly market – a profusion of colour and action that instantly grabbed her attention. She changed to low gear because of the traffic, then took the next turn and rolled onto the grass verge where haphazard parking almost seemed to be mandatory. Warm air, a hundred perfumes, laughter, blue skies, brightness and music engulfed her. Perhaps it was the expectation built on all she’d heard about Broome, the fact that she’d finally arrived here, that she had a connection to this place, that made her feel so excited. Whatever the reasons, she felt her spirits lift and found herself smi
ling at strangers – who smiled back.
Kevin and Bette had also gone to the markets to stock up on local fruit and vegetables and as they hovered at a stall Bobby Ching turned up. ‘Hi there. How you both doing?’
‘Hey, Bobby. Bursting with the healthy lifestyle, thanks very much,’ announced Kevin.
‘It’s a fun place to shop, and so relaxing,’ said Bette. ‘What’s new with you, Bobby? Still driving a taxi?’
‘No. I’ve got a new job. I ran into a bloke I met at the races – he’s hired me as a kind of tour guide.’
‘Excellent, well done,’ said Kevin. ‘We’ll have to get you to show us where the good fishing spots are. Where can we find you, Bobby?’
He pulled out his wallet and found a business card. ‘Ah, I might be out of town with Tim, so here’s a card for my dad’s office, down by the bakery. Leave a message there. Are you still at the Buccaneer?’
‘Yes, we love it. We’re settling in,’ said Kevin with a wink to Bobby. ‘Bette has planted a herb bed.’
Sami tied Rakka up under a shady palm and strolled among the stalls, stopped to watch the reggae band play and marvelled at the blend of electric guitars, didgeridoo and steel drums. She sampled spicy Asian dishes cooked on the spot, bought a frayed pre-loved straw hat and a loofah, the seller assuring her the sponge had been picked off the bottom of the local waters. Finally she bought a brilliant tropical orchid in a pot and a bag of mangoes. Pleased with her purchases she collected Rakka, returned to the car and followed the flow of traffic into the centre of town.
She noticed the posters for bands outside the pub, saw that Chinatown Music had an internet cafe, and glanced at several coffee shops that looked like they’d know what a soyccino or dandy tea would be. Then she drove past the elegant Paspaley Pearls showroom, the ABC radio station housed in a small building next to a smart restaurant, and next to it the Kimberley Bookshop. She could survive here, she thought. She parked for a few minutes just to watch the passing scene and to glance at the basic street map on the back of a brochure she’d picked up at the markets. Hammersley Street was five minutes away. Everything looked to be five minutes away.
Sami drove past the Mangrove Hotel, parked in the driveway of Moonlight Bay Apartments and sat in the car for a moment. She hadn’t told her mother exactly when she’d be arriving other than ‘this week sometime’. Lily understood what travelling in the outback was like, time took on new meaning, and the unexpected usually happened to cause delays to a planned schedule.
It had been a long drive since she’d parted company with Palmer and Bridget. Despite appearing very casual about the condition of his own vehicle, Palmer had double-checked Sami’s, making sure she was fully equipped before she set off. The drive provided much-needed time to herself. She had a lot to think about – the rock art, the expanse of the Kimberley, Goonamulli’s stories, the deep conversations with Bridget and Palmer. How she was going to weave it all into her dissertation was, for the moment, incidental to its impact on her personal life. The time for confrontation with her past that she’d delayed for years had arrived. She was in Broome, her mother was here, there’d be no putting off meeting her Aboriginal family. It had been easy to push it to the back of her mind while she lived in Sydney. Sami had decided to keep this sojourn in Broome an isolated event in her life. She could get this over with, make her mother happy and move on. She went to the reception desk and asked for Mrs Barton.
‘I think she’s out at Coconut Well. Do you want to leave a message?’
Sami paused. ‘I have a gift for her, a plant. I don’t want to leave it in the hot car.’
The receptionist directed her to a corner apartment upstairs at the far end of the building so Sami could leave it by her door. But first, she decided to have a quick look around the grounds. She opened a gate and walked across the lawn to look at the wonderful view of the bay. She turned towards the swimming pool then stopped sharply when a long skinny lizard, its tail arching, ran out from a low shrub, stopped suddenly and glared at her. Sami suddenly felt she was trespassing.
‘It won’t hurt you,’ called a friendly voice, and a tanned woman with sun-bleached hair came over to Sami. ‘There are dozens of them round the place. Ta-ta lizards we call ’em.’
‘Ta-ta as in goodbye?’
‘Yeah, look.’ She made a sudden move towards the lizard which rose up, waved its front leg and scampered away as they both waved goodbye to it.
‘How sweet,’ laughed Sami. ‘Do you work here?’
‘Yep. My name’s Blossom. Well that’s my Broome name. I’m ground maintenance department.’
‘Broome name?’
‘I came here with a boring name eight years ago, found a new life, decided to stay. I became a different person so I got a new name.’
‘Sounds reasonable,’ said Sami with a smile, recognising how well the name suited her.
‘Lots of people like me drift in and eventually have trouble even thinking about leaving. Broome gets to you. So are you on holidays here? I haven’t seen you around.’
‘I’m visiting. My mum’s staying up there.’ Sami indicated the balcony of Lily’s apartment.
‘Oh, so you’re Lily’s daughter. When did you arrive?’
‘Just now. I gather she’s away so I guess I’ll just hang about.’
‘Oh, they’ll let you in. Your mum won’t mind. So . . .’ Blossom studied Sami. ‘How was the bush?’
‘My God, news gets around.’ Sami spoke lightly but she felt a little annoyed that everyone appeared to know her business.
‘I’ve had a few early morning chats with your mum. I bring her mangoes from my secret stash for her breakfast.’
‘I just bought a bag at the markets.’
‘You can’t have too many mangoes. I’m glad to see you’re getting into the local scene right off. Anything I can do for you, let me know.’
‘Well there is something. I’m travelling with a dog. I didn’t fancy the idea of being on my own in remote places so I kept my best friend with me. Any suggestions where I can keep her while I’m here? I might be able to find friends . . . or family to look after her when Mum gets here.’
‘No problem. Just under the bottom balcony below your mum’s apartment there’s a tool and storage shed, it’s cool, we can make her a bed. What kind of dog is she? Will she be okay on her own for a bit?’
‘Rakka is a kelpie. She’s smart, she knows the drill. I knew there’d be problems, but I couldn’t leave her in a kennel. She’s my best mate.’
‘I know exactly how you feel. Listen, she can stay at my place if you have any trouble. I have a fenced yard and a fat old cat who will keep out of her way.’
‘Oh that would be fantastic. Thanks so much, Blossom.’
‘No worries.’
An hour later Sami was relaxing on the balcony eating a mango and reading that week’s Broome Advertiser when she heard the front door open. Lily squealed in shock then delight. ‘Sami! You monkey! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming today?’
‘I wanted to surprise you.’ She sauntered in to hug her mother.
‘Well you did that. Oh my gosh, it’s fabulous to see you here.’ Lily hugged her daughter tightly. They held hands then parted and looked at each other. ‘Oh, you’re looking great, the Kimberley seems to have been good for you,’ said Lily with motherly satisfaction and pride.
‘You’re looking pretty good as well, Mum. In fact, positively blooming.’ Lily seemed almost coquettish, very pleased with herself and Sami wondered if the love affair with the deadly Dale had intensified.
Lily hugged her again. ‘Oh, where to start. How long have you been here? You didn’t have any trouble getting in?’
‘Blossom fixed things.’ Sami pointed to the plant on the dining-room table. ‘I got you a little gift at the markets,’ she said casually.
‘Sami, it’s gorgeous. And more mangoes, goody.’
‘I gather Blossom keeps you supplied.’
‘She’s great. Now let�
��s put the kettle on. I want to hear everything.’
‘It’s too hot for tea, although this air-conditioning is nice. How about a swim?’ Sami wasn’t ready to sit down and have an in-depth sharing with her mother. Though she knew it was what her mother wanted.
After Lily had cuddled Rakka, she and Sami floated and paddled round the huge pool, which Lily was glad they had to themselves. As always when they came together after an absence Sami was a little casual, almost stand-offish. Lily had learned not to push her. She thawed slowly as if she’d been testing the water before opening her heart and sharing her feelings. Lily asked about her studies, the work in progress, friends, her impressions of the inland and the outback people. Gradually they moved in closer to the core issues.
‘What plans have you made?’ asked Sami.
‘For us? None really. Being here, things unfold.’
Sami gave her mother a sceptical look. Lily was an organiser. ‘So what’s unfolding?’
‘Well, I thought tonight we could go out to eat. I rang a couple of friends you might like . . .’ Lily stopped as Sami burst out laughing and, catching herself, she cheerfully splashed her daughter. ‘Okay. It’s very informal. I was going anyway. There’s a concert at the hotel, it’s supposed to be great music.’
‘And who are these friends?’ Sami hoped she wasn’t going to be plunged into family right off. ‘I don’t want to be instantly bubbling and scintillating, it’s been a big drive. I set out at four this morning from my last stop.’
‘Have a nap after lunch. And you don’t have to make conversation at a show. Just sit back and enjoy.’
In the twilight Sami and Lily strolled into town. Lily linked her arm through Sami’s as they walked in the balmy air down Kennedy Hill. She was deeply moved to have Sami with her. It had been too long since they’d had a night out together. There was a lot she needed to discuss with someone, but she decided it was too soon to talk to Sami about her plans just yet. She’d seen Dale the day before and had dinner with him, stayed the night and left him this morning. It had been pleasant, but when she had started to talk about her trip to Red Rock Bay and meeting Dave George at Star Two, he held up his hand.
