The Reef

by Di Morrissey

  ‘Oh.’ Is that all seemed to drift above his head. ‘So what’s that mean? More money, I hope.’

  ‘Maybe.’ She then burst out, ‘It mightn’t sound interesting, but Professor Dawn hopes it could be groundbreaking and important. Like, you know, Silent Spring, or something. I’m helping with interpreting his research. One day I’ll do my own study.’

  Blair folded the newspaper, rattled at the intensity in her voice. ‘Listen, Jennifer, you’re not making a full-time career of this stuff. It’s just a job . . . for now.’

  There was something in his voice that made her uncomfortable. Why were they always talking at cross purposes, never really communicating? ‘What do you mean? I’m just filling in time before we have babies? Of course it’s a proper job.’

  ‘I hope you can continue this book project long distance.’ He got up from the table and gave her a strained smile. ‘I was keeping my news for a surprise. I was going to tell you over a bottle of champagne.’

  ‘Tell me what?’

  ‘I’ve got a promotion. Assistant manager. At a resort hotel.’ He opened his arms. ‘Aren’t you pleased? It’s a big step up. Thanks to Trudy and Jeff who we saw in the Hunter.’

  Jennifer felt her head start to spin. ‘The couple who ran that hotel? What’s that got to do with us? What do you mean by resort? Where is it?’

  ‘It’s a tropical paradise. An island. On the Great Barrier Reef. How about that?’ His smile faded as Jennifer stood staring at him in shock.

  ‘An island?’ She could hardly choke out the words. She couldn’t imagine anything worse. Somehow she’d imagined their first move, when it eventually happened, would be somewhere overseas. She’d imagined boulevards, cafes, antique markets. An island resort was the last place she’d imagined, not even Asia or the South Pacific, and not this soon.

  ‘It’ll be great. I’ll have a lot of responsibility, really be able to make my mark in the boutique hotel line.’

  ‘What about me? And what about uni? My book project?’

  ‘Listen, sweetheart, you knew this was on the cards, what our plans were. You’re not on contract, and can’t you do the book thing by email?’

  ‘But what’ll I do?’ Jennifer sounded on the verge of tears. This had come as a shock. ‘I didn’t even know you were thinking of applying for this job!’

  Blair became defensive. ‘You could get a job at the resort.’

  ‘What, making beds?’

  ‘C’mon. I’m sorry if this has come as a surprise. I thought you’d be pleased. Let’s talk about it tonight. I’ll bring all the brochures, pictures, CD-ROM . . . you’ll love it. I’ll let you know where we’re going for dinner. I got the night off.’

  ‘Why can’t you tell me now? I might have to go there straight from my meeting with Matt Dawn. God, I don’t know how I’m going to tell him about this.’

  Blair yawned, and headed to the bedroom. ‘I thought we might eat later with the two corporate managers. Then you can hear about it firsthand.’

  Jennifer just stared at him. ‘And I won’t be able to complain or say I don’t want to go there and embarrass you.’

  ‘Don’t you want to go?’

  ‘Do I have a choice?’ Jennifer turned her back. ‘Just let me get used to the idea, Blair.’

  Later in the week Jennifer had lunch with a girlfriend who worked in the admin department of the university and Trisha, her friend from university. Trisha thought the resort and the island sounded stunning.

  ‘Jenny, it’s right on the Barrier Reef – one of the wonders of the world!’

  ‘God, I can see myself sitting by that pool with a pina colada watching the waves crash on the reef outside the lagoon,’ added the other girl.

  ‘For a week or two, then what do I do?’ sighed Jennifer.

  ‘Can’t you work on your laptop and email?’ asked Trisha.

  ‘Or commute? How far away is the mainland? What town do you go from?’

  Jennifer could see they were not seeing this from her perspective. Neither was married and they had office jobs, not academic positions. ‘From Headland Bay. There’s a catamaran service that takes a couple of hours. Or an expensive helicopter trip. It’s a really small place.’

  ‘How romantic’

  ‘Yeah. You have to go to the mainland for shopping, entertainment, everything. I’ll probably get seasick.’ The girls laughed but Jennifer was concerned. The more she heard about the place from Blair and Reg Holding and Joe Fanzio, the corporate managers representing the resort owners, the more depressed she became.

  She rang Vi and asked to meet her for a coffee, telling her the basic news. ‘But don’t say anything to Mum yet. I’ll tell her when I can come to terms with this whole idea.’

  ‘It doesn’t sound like what you’d hoped Blair would do. What about your book? Could you stay on the mainland and visit Blair on the island?’

  ‘That’s not a silly idea, Vi,’ said Jennifer. ‘Remember what you told me, the woman always has to compromise. It doesn’t seem fair.’

  ‘If you love him, that’s the trade-off, sweetie.’

  Jennifer got on the internet and trawled through sites that covered Australia’s magnificent Great Barrier Reef. There were a few mentions of Branch Island and she spent time looking at the resort’s website trying to imagine how she would spend her days. Tears of frustration sprang to her eyes and she wondered what she’d done to deserve this place, of all locations, as her home for the next eighteen months – at least. And home meant a suite in the resort. Not even separate quarters.

  Blair cuddled her tightly curled body, trying to ignore her weepy voice as he held her during the night. ‘It’s going to be fine, trust me. I know you’re not a beachy person, but this is a big move for me. Just support me, hang in there for this first gig and then we’ll get a post in Europe. Somewhere nice. I know it.’

  Jennifer felt mean and selfish. And sorry for herself. The conversation with Professor Dawn about her move and the future of their collaboration had been traumatic. The arrogant and austere professor was relying on Jennifer more than she knew to turn his work of important, but dry, facts about the dangers of world pollution into a polished and emotive book. He had reluctantly agreed – ‘as I have little alternative’ – to work long-distance by email and exchange drafts of hard copy by post. Jennifer tried to be as accommodating and positive as she could because she saw this as the only intellectually stimulating diversion she’d have on the island and the only means of continuing and promoting her career.

  Vi and Don invited several of their friends to Sunday lunch, knowing Jennifer was going to break the news of the move to Christina. Blair was working so they thought their friends would act as a buffer. Vi had suggested Christina invite any friends from work or the tennis club.

  ‘Now, Vi, why would I want to do that? I thought this was a family luncheon. I see little enough of my daughter as it is. She’s always in a rush, I don’t want strangers monopolising her.’

  ‘Well, our dear friends Harry and Joan are going to be here, they like Jennifer such a lot, I just thought . . .’

  ‘Of course, I’d forgotten Jennifer must know all your friends seeing she spent so much time here while I was on my own. I so wanted to show her off when she came to visit but she never had time to socialise with any of my friends down south.’

  Jennifer had told Vi of her mother’s life in the claustrophobic town, how Christina had kept close tabs on the activities of people in the area through gossip in shops, the street, the library and the club without developing any close friendships or ever visiting people in their homes. Yet when Harry, a bird fancier like Don, and Joan, who played bowls with Vi, arrived, it was Christina who turned on the charm and personality, swamping them with anecdotes and feigning tremendous interest in their life while almost ignoring Jennifer.

  In the kitchen Jennifer whispered to Vi. ‘How am I going to tell her? Maybe I should wait till after lunch. Or after everyone has gone, when it’s just the two of us. Bu
t she’ll go on and on and be negative. And I’m not wildly positive myself, so I don’t want her to see that. If she finds out in front of other people she can’t shoot the idea down so much.’

  ‘I’ll prompt Joan to ask you about your plans,’ suggested Vi. ‘Play it by ear, Jen.’

  And so in an apparently light-hearted, off-the-cuff response, Jennifer prefaced her announcement before turning to Christina, ‘Well now, funny you ask. That’s the big surprise I have for my mother.’

  ‘I don’t like surprises,’ said Christina.

  ‘Blair has a great promotion. He’s going to be running a resort on the Barrier Reef. Very exclusive, very beautiful. We’re so excited.’ Oh God, I deserve an Oscar.

  ‘An island? You’ll live there? What are you going to do?’ asked Christina. ‘When are you supposed to go there?’

  ‘Well, it’s all a bit sudden, someone got sick, had to retire early so it’s a great opportunity for Blair.’

  ‘A tropical paradise, I could take a bit of that,’ smiled Harry.

  ‘What do you mean this person got sick? Is the water safe to drink? I suppose they have to send food over so it must go off,’ remarked Christina.

  ‘You can always live on fresh fish,’ said Harry.

  ‘It sounds pretty expensive, I think they have very flash food. Probably a top chef there, eh Jennifer?’ Don smiled encouragingly.

  ‘How do you get there? It doesn’t sound like a promotion to me,’ sniffed Christina. ‘What about cyclones?’

  Jennifer ignored the cyclones. ‘I’ll show you pictures. It’s going to be a bit of a change of lifestyle, that’s for sure. And we have to be up there by the end of the month.’

  ‘So soon! How are you going to manage that?’ Christina was visibly shocked.

  ‘Well, it could have been Europe,’ said Jennifer, gently trying to remind her mother that she was only a few hours up the coast and not on the other side of the world.

  There was a hasty removal of plates and passing of fruit salad and showing around of photos and brochures. Christina was very quiet.

  As arranged, Blair arrived late in the afternoon to collect Jennifer and over a beer, at Don’s insistence, accepted the congratulations and answered a barrage of questions. Christina busied herself in the kitchen, ignoring the group still gathered around the dining table.

  Jennifer closed the dishwasher. ‘Come on, Mum, let’s join the others. We have to go soon. Lots to do at home. And I have to get ready for uni tomorrow.’

  ‘Well, I suppose you can forget all about that now.’

  Jennifer winced. ‘Oh no, Professor Dawn has been great. I’ll be able to get a lot done on the book on the island without distractions and classes.’

  ‘And how long will you be at this place? I don’t imagine the likes of us will be able to afford to come and visit.’

  ‘I’m sure Blair can arrange a family rate. Unfortunately we won’t have our own place. Just a suite with its own garden area but it looks lovely.’

  ‘You’ll live in two rooms? What about all your things? Your place here?’ Christina was aghast.

  Yeah, tell me about it. ‘Storage, Mum. We’ll rent Blair’s house. We plan on saving as much as we can.’

  ‘It’s your house, too, don’t forget, Jennifer. You won’t be earning any money. Does he give you housekeeping money?’ she asked suddenly.

  ‘Oh Mum, that’s so old fashioned. I might be able to get a job in the resort or on the island.’ Fat chance. Blair is management and that puts paid to hiring family.

  ‘Do you have a phone in your room? When are we going to see you? It all sounds very odd.’ Christina’s voice trembled.

  Jennifer gave her a swift hug. ‘Come on, Mum, it’s not so bad. Just think of it as one long holiday. People pay a fortune, come from all over the world to visit the reef. We’ll get you over there or meet you on the mainland in Queens land for a visit.’

  Christina brightened visibly. ‘I suppose I could take holiday leave. What’s this island called again? Not that I plan on going. But a visit up the coast would be nice.’

  ‘Mum, let me get settled in first! It’s Branch Island. Off Headland Bay. Way up north. Come on, let’s join the others.’ She took her mother’s hand and drew her outside, catching Vi’s eye who gave her a ‘Well done’ nod.

  Blair went ahead to Branch Island to ‘settle in’, leaving Jennifer to drive Blair’s car, crammed with belongings, to Headland Bay. She’d sold her old car and put the money in her personal account. It would take her two days to drive, but Jennifer enjoyed being in her own space after the hectic weeks of packing up, rounds of farewells and reorganisation of their life. Without Blair around she had packed two big cartons of books, despite his repeating that they should take as little as possible.

  ‘You don’t need many clothes. It’s all very laidback. Just something nice to wear to drinks with guests occasionally. If you have any questions call Rosie, she’ll tell you what not to bring.’

  ‘Who’s Rosie?’

  ‘The manager, on the island. The bosses are in Sydney, you met them.’

  ‘So she’s your boss. On the island.’ Why was she pleased to know Blair would be answering to a woman boss?

  ‘I have my instructions from corporate headquarters. She’s been there for yonks. Probably a bit out of touch, though she has good local knowledge, I suppose. She’s not circulating through the hotel chain like I will be.’

  ‘Let’s hope!’

  ‘Listen, Jenny, this is a kind of trial. The big boys have their eye on me. I’ll be doing a bit of everything at the resort, to get the feel of how these boutique places work. It’s different from a big international hotel where you hardly get to meet three-quarters of the staff. I’ll be putting in long hours.’

  ‘And I’ll be working on my tan,’ she said flippantly, but he chose to ignore it.

  The packing process brought home to Jennifer how few possessions were hers. Apart from her clothes, books, a couple of paintings, her laptop, CD player, work materials and the juicer she’d bought, the house and everything in it, from furniture to placemats and bedsheets, had been bought by Blair. She’d walked into a ready-made marital home. She had added pots of flowers and herbs to the tiny terrace patio and she handed these over to Vi and Christina, ‘in case the renters don’t water the garden’.

  She imagined her mother had also pared back her life in the move from the farm to the house in town and then to a couple of rooms downstairs at her brother’s house. But to Jennifer’s surprise when she went to see her, her mother had pointed at a battered shoe box sitting on the kitchen bench.

  ‘Had that tucked away, don’t know if you want it.’ She put it in a carry bag. ‘Take it with you – I’ve got enough clutter in my room. When I get a place of my own I’ll spread around the stuff I have stored.’ Christina busied herself elsewhere. This was sensitive emotional territory.

  At home Jennifer took out the box, her childish writing on the lid, and she felt a catch in her throat. It held her treasures, gathered lovingly from the farm, which she’d kept under her bed in the house in town to remind her of the childhood home she’d lost. She gently separated the dried leaves and flowers, a silkworm cocoon, a dried-up stick insect, a butterfly whose wings had lost their powdery beauty, some drawings and the fossilised shell.

  She turned the shell over in her hand, wondering at its life span, the millennia it had taken to create this slice of earthly evolution. She put it with the jewellery she was taking with her, conferring on the ancient limestone a sense of value, of being somehow precious.

  As she drove, Jennifer thought about what she had packed for herself: the books waiting to be read, the notes and tapes from Professor Dawn, her collection of CDs to enjoy and the tennis racquet her mother had given her, ‘To fill in time. Get someone to teach you how to play, then we can have a game when you come to visit.’ She didn’t want to leave the racquet behind as her mother would notice, but Christina probably didn’t realise how hot it
was going to be. Jennifer assumed there’d be air conditioning and a nice pool. She kept blotting out the knowledge of the sea that surrounded this supposedly idyllic island. Much to her relief Blair had told her their room didn’t face the ocean, that was for the high-paying guests.

  Don had wanted to give her one of his masked lovebirds in a small cage but Vi had talked him out of it.

  ‘I don’t think you can take animals onto the island because it’s mostly National Park,’ said Jennifer. ‘Besides, the place is teeming with birds, but thanks for the thought.’

  ‘You will send us emails and tell us all about it?’ said Vi.

  ‘Of course. And you two must come and visit.’

  ‘Well, until we get up there and see for ourselves, we got you a present,’ said Don. He handed her a small satellite radio.

  Jennifer was touched. ‘Don! Vi! You shouldn’t have. This is so great!’

  ‘We know Blair has a digital camera. You can send us photos on the email,’ said Vi. ‘I’m having lessons on the computer. And it’ll make your mum happy too. Don thought the radio reception might be sketchy and he knows you like the news.’

  Jennifer wondered what she would photograph after the first week or so with the island being so small and there being so few people, but she was glad she’d be able to keep in touch with civilisation and thanked them profusely. ‘You’ve been so good to me. And Mum. I hope it won’t be too much of a strain with me not being around.’

  ‘Don’t you worry, pet. She’ll be fine. You get on with your life.’

  Jennifer had been surprised that the farewell with her mother wasn’t the emotional battleground she’d expected. In retrospect that would have been easier. Seeing her mother vulnerable and teary, defenceless almost, upset Jennifer. Christina clung to her.

  ‘I’m not going far away, Mum. Not like overseas or anything. We’ll get you up for a visit in a couple of months.’

  ‘You’re my girl, you remember that, Jen-Jen.’

  The mention of the pet name her brother Teddy had called her brought tears to her eyes and she couldn’t speak.