Gifts of the Peramangk

by Dean Mayes

Belle didn’t respond. She was too exhausted. But Virginia continued without missing a beat.

  “These children need you here, Belle. They can’t keep coming home to a broken down old bullock like me.”

  Belle snapped her head up and glared at Virginia then. Her fork clattered to the plate.

  “Well, what am I supposed to do Virgie—tell me? Rex can’t get any decent work right now can he? I’m the only one who can bring in any sort of income. If I don’t work, this household will fall apart!”

  The children stopped eating and gawked at the two women. Even Jeremy shared an awkward expression with Ruby. Virginia was stuck for a response and Belle knew, with a measure of bitter satisfaction, that she’d made her point—not that it made her feel any better.

  Collecting herself, she reached across and squeezed Virginia’s hand fleetingly.

  “Look Mum,” she offered, more softly this time. “It won’t last. The home says they’ll be taking on new staff soon, so I won’t need to work so many overtime hours. It’ll be fine.”

  Virginia’s own expression softened though her concern remained.

  “Have you heard from him today?”

  Belle shook her head, knowing immediately to which “him” Virginia was referring to.

  “Davo managed to get him a few hours at that building site over at the Corner, but I haven’t heard from him since this morning. I thought he would have been home by now.”

  Immediately, an unspoken feeling of dread passed between the two women and both of them glanced at the clock above the stove.

  It was almost seven pm—well past the end of the working day.

  Virginia and Belle looked at each other knowingly but said nothing. There was no need.

  “How did you kids go at school?” Belle queried, changing the subject as swiftly as she could. She looked to Jeremy, who sat hunched over his food, head down, chewing in silence. He shrugged his shoulders without speaking.

  “Well,” Belle pressed, nudging her son. “You’re not in trouble with that bloody teacher again are you?”

  Now it was Jeremy’s turn to roll his eyes. Stubbornly, he refused to respond.

  Belle gauged him with suspicion as well as sympathy and touched her hand to his arm.

  “It’s just that I worry about you love,” Belle implored softly. “You’ve gotta do well at school, if you’re gonna make a go of it.”

  Jeremy’s shoulders relaxed slightly and he offered her a single nod. Belle then diverted her eyes slowly toward the others.

  Minty sat upright in his chair, beaming proudly through a mouthful of food. He twisted in his seat and pointed at the refrigerator where a bright piece of artwork had been pinned to the door. The centre piece of the work was a rainbow that curved across the page in a slightly crooked, but charming arc that featured all of the correct colours. Surrounding this were several birds whose bodies were no less than scrunched up “Minties” wrappers, neatly arranged so that the tails, wings and feet of each bird were clearly discernible. There were pieces of multicoloured wool for trees and cellophane flowers arranged along the bottom.

  It was in fact, quite an accomplished piece for someone so young.

  For the first time this evening, Belle smiled and clucked.

  “Well! Isn’t that impressive. And of course, you didn’t leave out your favourite things with those “Minty” birds did you?”

  Virginia blinked at the sound of Belle’s descriptor and a shiver passed through her as a long dormant memory flashed inside her and was gone before it could take root.

  The memory of a bird.

  Virginia turned to Ruby who ate quietly, whilst watching her older cousin Jeremy with concern.

  “You’ve had a good day today too, haven’t you?”

  Ruby blinked and looked at her grandmother. She smiled wanly and nodded.

  “I got a good mark on my music project,” she said, turning toward her aunt.

  Belle studied her niece with an expression that was completely devoid of emotion.

  “Is that right,” she said flatly.

  “Oh come now Ruby,” Virginia interjected. “It wasn’t just a good mark—it was a great mark! 9 out of 10! The teacher was very pleased.”

  Ruby blushed as Asher dug her in the ribs playfully. Belle remained unmoving.

  “Humph,” she muttered under her breath as she ate a mouthful from her plate. “Don’t understand what use music is. Just a waste of time if you ask me.”

  She offered nothing more, which didn’t escape Virginia’s notice while Ruby felt an acute twinge of embarrassment and she shrank in her seat.

  “I reckon it’s real good, Ruby,” Jeremy said, through a mouthful of food, coming to her defence with a subtle smile from the corner of his mouth. He offered her an encouraging wink.

  Their dinnertime conversation was interrupted, as the sound of a car screeching to a stop in the driveway outside caused Ruby, Asher and Minty to jump in their seats. Belle stiffened where she sat and listened intently for the sounds of activity outside.

  There was a gap of several seconds as the car idled in the driveway, before the engine was extinguished.

  A car door snapped open. A man could be heard shouting at the top of his voice, a mouthful of expletives spilling forth as the crash and clang of a rubbish bin on the concrete made everyone jump again.

  The children shared worried glances, hesitating with their food.

  “Ginnie, why don’t you run the children a bath,” Belle suggested evenly, keeping her ear attuned to the commotion outside.

  Virginia didn’t hesitate. She was too old for a confrontation right now, even if it was her son. In the past, she had been able to get him to listen to her when she stood her ground. But his recent behaviour where alcohol was involved was too unpredictable.

  A single gesture from Virginia and the three younger children rose from their seats and filed quickly out of the kitchen. Belle shot a quick glance at Jeremy.

  “Stay with me,” she said firmly. “I might need you.”

  Virginia took Minty by the hand and led him straight to the bathroom while the others followed close behind. Asher paused beside Jeremy and she looked up at him through eyes that were filled with dread. He simply nodded as encouragingly as he could and brushed her away.

  Asher retreated to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Looking at both Ruby and Minty, it was clear that they were as frightened as she was.

  In the living room, Belle and Jeremy approached the front door and cautiously opened it, just in time to see the silhouette of two men standing in the headlights of the vehicle which sat at a crazy angle in the driveway.

  Both men were drunk—very drunk.

  One of them was being supported by the other as they limped up onto the porch. Belle flicked the porch light switch and squinted in the blazing head lamps.

  Just as she suspected, it was her husband who was the worse for wear, although his companion, their friend—Davo Thompson—clearly wasn’t far behind him.

  Davo was a tall, lanky Aborigine with a wild and curly shock of hair and a thick beard. He wore dusty work clothes—a flannelette shirt, dark jeans and solid steel capped boots.

  He looked up as the porch light came on and he squinted at the shadow of Belle standing behind the wire screen door. Rex lifted his head slowly, as though it weighed a tonne, and he gurgled something incomprehensible, before slumping further into the grip of his friend.

  Belle shook her head in disgust as she opened the door. Both men reeked. She stepped out to face them, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly.

  Davo fixed her with a stupid grin.

  “G’day love. How are ya?”

  Belle’s eyes narrowed and she shook her head slowly.

  “Where have you two been?”

  Davo worked his lower jaw impotently, unable to produce a response.

  Extricating Rex from his grip, Davo steadied his drunken friend on the porch, gently slapping Rex’s cheek in an effort to snap him awa
ke. He was cautious in doing so however, for fear of how Rex might react.

  Rex Delfey stood nearly six feet tall and had an exceptionally muscular build underneath a dusty, blue workman’s singlet. His dark, rippling arms were adorned with several tattoos. His face, though contorted into a chemically impaired expression, was hard but handsome. He had intense eyes and a closely shaven head which revealed yet another tattoo haloing his right ear.

  Any sense of his innate intensity was completely buried underneath untold pints of beer.

  “W-we finished on the build early today. Problems with supply,” Davo finally spluttered. “We had a few beers at the t-tavern…just a few.”

  Belle hissed disgustedly and stepped forward to take Rex’s arm. She was less fearful of her husband, knowing that he was completely incapacitated.

  She made a critical mistake. As soon as she tightened her grip on his arm, Rex spasmed and wrenched his arm away before whipping it around, fist balled, and she was forced to duck. The stinging blow glanced off the side of her cheek and ear as she baulked and though she didn’t absorb its full impact, the blow was enough to make her yelp in pain.

  All of a sudden, Rex was bouncing around like a crazed boxer, arms raised in preparation for a repeat assault.

  Inside the bathroom, Virginia and Asher tended to Ruby and Minty as they splashed in the bath, encouraging the kids to make as much noise as possible. Virginia began to hum a tune and she eyed Asher, encouraging both her and the littler ones to join in.

  Asher took off her glasses and set them on the edge of the bathroom sink behind her. Ruby watched as she wiped at her reddened eyes and tried to hold her composure. For Asher, it was a long suffering ordeal—her father’s drunkenness. Ruby hadn’t lived here long enough to experience it with the frequency that she and Minty had.

  Upon hearing Belle’s cry, Virginia looked at the bathroom door and began fidgeting where she sat.

  She turned to Asher and gripped her shoulder.

  “Stay here sweetie. Keep the girls safe.”

  Asher and Ruby’s eyes went wide and they both gasped as Virginia stood and opened the bathroom door.

  Out on the porch, Belle steadied herself and shook her head to rid herself of the pain. With one hand to her stinging ear, she looked up at Davo.

  “Help me get him inside,” she hissed shakily.

  Signalling to Jeremy, who stood inside the door, Belle turned and stepped back from her husband. Though she gave nothing away, her heart was racing, the white hot pain from her ear fed into her fear of him. It took all of her resolve to keep herself composed.

  “Come inside the house now Rex. Come on, before you hurt yourself.”

  “Bugger off!” Rex slurred, spitting saliva in all directions, which captured the light from the globe of the porch light and glittered in the space between himself and his wife.

  Davo was not so out of it that he didn’t feel a terrible awkwardness at what he was witnessing. He stepped forward and gingerly put his hands out, placing them cautiously on his friend’s outstretched arms.

  “Come on Rex, let’s get you in the house, mate.”

  Rex lurched his head in Davo’s direction and steeled himself against his friend’s hands. But this time, he did not protest. He lowered his arms slowly as Davo moved in closer and guided him toward the front door.

  “There you are, mate. That’s it,” Davo said evenly.

  Belle stood fast, her expression stony as her husband passed her.

  Jeremy held the door open for his father and Davo. When Davo looked at Jeremy, he nodded and smiled bashfully.

  “How are ya, fella?” he greeted encouragingly. Jeremy nodded respectfully but said nothing. He was watching his father with a mixture of revulsion and fear.

  Rex snapped his head up abruptly and glared maniacally at his son, through bloodshot eyes that were suddenly filled with a frightening focus. His face came to within mere inches of Jeremy’s.

  “He asked you a question boy,” Rex hissed malevolently. “Answer him!”

  Jeremy stifled his sense of smell against his father’s putrid breath and gulped.

  He looked sideways at Davo and cleared his throat.

  “Good, Davo,” he whispered.

  Without warning, Rex exploded from Davo’s grip and clasped one hand firmly around Jeremy’s neck, locking it like a vice. He shoved his son up against the wall beside the door so hard that Jeremy’s head hit the plaster, causing him to see stars. Filled with an incomprehensible rage, Rex tightened his grip on Jeremy, choking him mercilessly, lifting him fully off the floor. Despite Jeremy’s considerable biceps, which were flexed like stone, he was powerless to overcome his father’s grip. All he could do was flail impotently.

  “You show him some fucking respect boy! You useless little shit.”

  Belle was still following them in and screamed when Rex erupted. Davo reacted immediately and pushing a flailing Belle aside, he bull-rushed his drunken friend, knocking him off balance and forcing Rex to release his son from his grip. He crashed to the floor in the hallway roaring in pain.

  The children in the bathroom huddled together with tears streaming down their faces while Asher did her best to cuddle them close to her. Upon hearing the sound of Rex crashing to the floor, they jumped, fairly paralysed with fear.

  Without warning, Virginia appeared, as if from nowhere and shrieked at her drunken son. Grabbing a folded umbrella from just inside the doorway, she wielded it like a club.

  “You miserable bastard!” she screamed as she thwacked him hard in the side of the head, over and over again. All Rex could do was scramble impotently along the floor, tripping and falling over himself through the kitchen and toward the back door of the house, desperate now to escape his rampaging mother.

  Anywhere she could get in a good strike, Virginia found it easily. She seemed determined to beat him senseless, drawing blood with the metal frame of the umbrella as it began to disintegrate under the strength of her blows.

  Rex collapsed against the screen door and tumbled down the back stoop. Virginia finally stopped and flung the ruined umbrella at him.

  Lying spread-eagled on the lawn, Rex finally lost all momentum and promptly vomited all over himself. Out of breath and smarting all over, he finally lapsed into unconsciousness.

  Giving a satisfied nod, Virginia turned on her heel and slammed the back door shut locking it behind her.

  Returning to the lounge room, Virginia found Davo standing in the doorway behind Belle, who was rocking back and forth, tears falling down her cheeks and looking out into the night. Virginia knew instantly that Jeremy was no longer there and she felt a pall of dread in the pit of her stomach.

  “He j…just ran off,” Davo spluttered worriedly. “I turned ba…”

  “Go home Davo,” Virginia ordered malevolently. “Hopefully Cherie will kill you.”

  Davo didn’t linger. Without another word he stumbled out of the house and swaggered wildly toward the car, leaving Virginia and Belle standing on the porch, a relative peace having returned to her home.

  Virginia placed a hand on her daughter in law’s shoulder, but Belle brushed it away.

  Fighting to prevent herself from breaking down completely, Belle pushed the threatening sobs down and stood holding the door, looking for her son in the darkness.

  Chapter 3

  Virginia sat at the edge of her bed in the converted garage at the back of the house—her granny-flat—cradling the same china cup she’d drank from earlier in the day. Her eyes were closed. She swayed from side to side as she listened to the soft sound of a violin. The light from the lamp on her bedside table cast a soft glow across her features. Both Asher and Minty were huddled beside her on the bed in their pyjamas. Asher cuddled Minty in her lap and she held a picture book which she read quietly to him. Minty, however, was distracted by his grandmother and he kept watching her curiously, clutching his teddy bear as Virginia, seemingly lost in the music, allowed herself to be carried away by its melody.r />
  Ruby stood before her now, armed with that very violin, drawing the bow slowly and expertly across the bridge of the instrument, re-creating the beautiful sounds of Vivaldi in Virginia’s small bedroom.

  Ruby herself had her eyes closed and she moved slowly in a similar fashion to her grandmother, negotiating a set of complex fingerings that she knew by heart, with a skill that one would associate with someone much older. The battered instrument—an antique—was nestled securely against Ruby’s collar bone. Her chin was positioned on the rest. She did not choke the instrument. Rather she held it in a way that was relaxed yet firm—a well practised method.

  The children had become so accustomed to hearing Ruby play that none of them really understood just how talented she was. In the aftermath of the earlier violence, the violin was a soothing, calming distraction and they were appreciative of it as a means to put the terrible confrontation out of their minds.

  As Virginia and Asher listened, Minty had begun drifting off to sleep and he nestled further into his sister’s lap, resting his head on her chest. Asher gently lay the picture book down and picked up her own book from the bed beside her—C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe. Having Ruby play allowed her to delve into the wonderment of that story and focus her mind and her emotions there, forgetting for a moment all the violence and the anger here in her real world. Asher was a voracious reader, courtesy of her grandmother. Virginia often spoke of the importance of being able to read because, without it, one could not hope to make it in this modern world.

  This was her gift to Asher.

  Virginia looked across at her peaceful grandchildren and smiled softly. It was an indication of just how special Ruby’s talent was—that she was able to bring peace to them through her music and Virginia took a special pride in that, for it was she who had taught Ruby to play.

  This was her gift to Ruby.

  Approaching the end of the piece, Ruby lifted the instrument sharply and fumbled on the last few notes. Virginia screwed her expression into a disapproving frown, without immediately opening her eyes. She blinked in the half light and then looked up at Ruby quizzically.