Heart of the Cross

by Emily Madden

  ‘But I can’t even wear a bra with it!’ she spluttered.

  ‘You got it.’ He gave her a wink. ‘There’s a ladies to your left.’

  The only saving grace was that the singlet top covered her nipples (just!) and that it wasn’t see-through, but only because she asked Mike for another top, one that was the next size up, and she wore them both for extra coverage.

  It was an unusually busy Sunday night, and even well after midnight, the club was near full capacity as the band, Away, took to the stage. The crowd no longer consisted solely of men. The girls were a mix of prostitute glamour, rock-chick grunge and those who looked like they’d gone out on Friday night and continued all through the weekend. The guys in the crowd were rockers, skinheads, musos and roadies with a dose of gangster thrown into the mix. It was almost a Jekyll and Hyde set-up and it amazed Maggie how the vibe of the whole place changed within an hour of gig time.

  Maggie’s shoes began to pinch and she cursed her decision to wear high heels. She made a mental note to wear boots next time. Stupidly, she speculated if Destiny would allow her to wear Chuck Taylors like Mike did, but dismissed the idea almost immediately.

  ‘How’s it going?’ Destiny seemed to materialise out of thin air, or at least from the haze of the smoke machine.

  ‘She’s handling it all like a pro,’ Mike sang her praises and Destiny gave an approving nod.

  Maggie noticed Destiny staring at her chest. ‘Are you wearing two singlets?’

  ‘I spilled Coke all over the front of the white one, so I just shoved the black one on top,’ she spluttered and held her breath. She could see Mike in her peripheral vision, smirking.

  ‘Ha.’ Destiny pursed lips and narrowed her eyes. ‘I’ve never seen a girl wear both white and black together. Looks good.’

  As Destiny walked off to deal with another backstage crisis, Maggie let out a staggered breath and Mike laughed.

  ‘She likes you,’ he declared.

  ‘Oh yeah, how can you tell?’

  ‘I’ve seen her drag girls out of the club by the ear for less than taking liberty with the uniform.’

  ‘Maybe she was just in a good mood.’ Maggie shrugged.

  Mike let out a guffaw. ‘Good mood? I’ve never seen Destiny in a good mood. For a woman who runs a quasi-strip club and who, rumour has it, has owned brothels, I don’t think she’s had a root since 1969.’

  ‘Her name isn’t really Destiny, is it?’

  ‘No one knows what her real name is.’

  ‘Glenda, maybe?’ Maggie mused.

  Mike chuckled as he polished a glass. ‘Beatrice?’

  ‘Doris?’

  ‘Peggy-Sue?’ Mike struggled between fits of laughter.

  ‘Inga?’ Maggie clutched at her stomach.

  ‘Maggie?’

  ‘No,’ Maggie said. ‘That’s my name.’

  ‘I know that’s your name, Maggie Hart.’

  It was at that point Maggie realised it wasn’t Mike talking. And as she turned she saw just whom the voice belonged to.

  Bobby Ryan.

  Twenty-nine

  Brianna

  Brie was en route to the apartment in the Cross when Joe’s phone call came through. After leaving Harry’s the night before, she had slept like a log.

  ‘Joe, do you have a name for me?’ Brie figured the only reason Joe would be calling was because he’d found out the name of the person who was contesting the will.

  ‘I do indeed. His name is James Thomas Fuller.’

  James Thomas Fuller. Brie thought of the worn deck of cards that Sienna Di Norro had given her with the initials JF. Sienna’s grandfather said they had belonged to Rosie’s son. Surely James Fuller was whom he was referring to. What happened to him and why had Rosie kept him a secret?

  ‘Rosie’s son,’ Brie spoke the words aloud before she realised she’d said them.

  ‘His lawyer didn’t say. All he did say was that he was someone who had been in Rosie’s life and he was of great importance.’

  ‘I’d say a child fits that bill. Wouldn’t you?’

  ‘Perhaps, but even if he claims to be Rosie’s son, they were obviously estranged. I knew your grandmother for almost thirty years and she never mentioned a James Fuller or anyone by that name.’

  ‘Do you think that whoever James Fuller’s father is, he may’ve been my mum’s dad, too?’ Brie wasn’t sure what made her ask. It was clear that this James Fuller was only coming forward because he wanted a piece of Rosie’s estate.

  ‘I’m not sure, Brie.’ She could hear a word of warning coming up. ‘But remember, if this man claims to be Rosie’s son, there would’ve been a good reason why Rosie never mentioned him and why he wasn’t written into the will.’

  In other words, don’t go expecting a happy family reunion. Brie couldn’t help it—there was a lot she didn’t know about her family, so the moment there was a potential clue, a small glimmer of hope ignited. For a long time, it never bothered Brie that Rosie was her only family. Her grandmother made sure she was loved and fulfilled, and supported her with whatever she wanted to do.

  But the older she got, the more she thought about her father and his family. Her grandfather. Rosie didn’t know who Brie’s father was, or at least that’s what she claimed, but at this point, with all the secrets that were unfurling, she wasn’t sure what she believed anymore.

  ‘There was another reason for my call.’ Joe’s voice cut through her thoughts. ‘Settlement date on the house is next week.’

  ‘Shit,’ Brie muttered. She’d known it was coming up, but because she’d spent the better part of the week dealing with a cyclone, it had slipped her mind. ‘What’s the latest I need to be out by?’

  ‘Friday.’

  Brie expelled a deep breath. ‘Okay, I’ll put it on my list to find a storage facility and book a moving van.’ That would be on top of figuring out where the hell she was going to stay. She could check out Air B&B and maybe book a hotel, but the problem was she didn’t know how long she was staying.

  ‘Sorry, Brie. I asked the new owners for another week or two, but they need to be out of their place by then, too.’

  ‘It’s fine, Joe, don’t stress.’ Joe had enough to deal with without worrying about where she was going to live. Which reminded her about his wife. ‘Hey, how’s Eliza?’

  She heard a deep sigh. ‘Some days are better than others,’ he answered truthfully. ‘Both Eliza’s mother and aunt were diagnosed with the disease in their late forties. In some ways knowing helped, but I guess nothing can fully prepare you.’

  The sadness in Joe’s voice was palpable, and for the second time during their conversation, Brie felt a sense of loss. She wouldn’t have a clue what illnesses ran on her father’s side of the family. Come to think of it, she didn’t know much about the Harts either.

  ‘Anyway, I’ll keep you updated once I hear back from Mr Fuller’s solicitor.’

  She bid Joe goodbye, feeling somewhat guilty that she was about to defy his advice about not entering the flat above the café. But first she needed coffee, and she was pleasantly surprised to see Josh behind the counter manning the coffee machine. Despite the intense concentration, he looked so at ease, as if this was what he was truly meant to do with his life. And he looked like he could make a mean latte.

  ‘Hey, good morning, you.’ He looked up with a grin when he spotted her.

  ‘Morning.’ Brie returned his smile as she took a seat at the counter. ‘Did you manage to get Harry to bed?’

  When she’d left, Harry was refusing to sleep despite being so tanked he could barely keep his eyes open. Brie also couldn’t keep her eyes open, but for a different reason.

  ‘Yeah, sometime after midnight.’ Josh shook his head. ‘If Sylvie had seen the state he was in, he would’ve been finished.’

  ‘Wasn’t he due at the hospital first thing?’

  ‘Yep. I called him half an hour ago to make sure he was up.’

  ‘How was he?’

&nb
sp; ‘Nursing a mother of a hangover and in dire need of caffeine. He made a pit stop here on his way. You missed him by minutes.’

  ‘Damn, I would’ve loved to have given him a roasting.’

  ‘Don’t worry. I’m sure Sylvie is doing that as we speak. I made sure he took a coffee for her, too.’

  ‘Speaking of coffee …’

  Josh feigned surprise. ‘Don’t tell me that’s why you’re here.’

  ‘Actually, I’m here to check out the flat upstairs, but the coffee’s a must, especially after discovering Rosie’s secret son is the one challenging the will.’

  Josh’s jovial mood visibly darkened. ‘It’s confirmed? He’s Rosie’s son?’

  Brie rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands. ‘No, but who else could he be? Did Rosie ever mention the name James Fuller to you?’

  Josh looked perplexed as he gave her request serious thought. ‘No, I can’t say that she did. But you seem convinced already.’

  She relayed the conversation she’d had with Sienna Di Norro at Rosie’s wake and then pulled the snap cards out of her bag, sliding them across the counter. ‘Look at this.’ She tapped the initials.

  Josh furrowed his brows. ‘JF,’ he read.

  ‘James Fuller.’

  ‘I don’t know, Brie. I think it’s dangerous assuming things without more proof.’

  ‘Well, hopefully there are some answers upstairs.’ Brie took a sip of her latte. ‘I mean, where else could Rosie have hidden her secrets?’

  ‘Whatever you find just remember who Rosie was,’ Josh warned.

  ‘I know who she was.’ Brie felt her back stiffen. ‘She was my grandmother.’

  ‘Who raised you singlehandedly, gave you unconditional love and support.’

  ‘I’m not forgetting that. But it’s become apparent that she was hiding things.’

  ‘Have you thought for a second there may be a good reason for all the so-called secrets?’

  Now Josh was getting on her nerves. ‘Are you saying that secrets are a good thing? Secrets are just like telling lies.’

  ‘All I’m saying is that if you dig, be prepared for the sting.’

  ‘When I’m on assignment, if I decided not to take the true photos of what I see, wouldn’t I be lying to the world? You can’t have an earthquake or bushfire or whatever without devastation.’

  ‘Not all truths are for the better.’

  Something told her by the way he was looking at her that they were no longer talking about Rosie. They were talking about them.

  ‘As I recall you seemed fine with knowing the truth when it suited you.’

  ‘Didn’t say I was fine with it. You assumed it.’ He poked an accusatory finger in her direction.

  ‘But you still moved on, you had other relationships, more significant ones, like Lauren, which makes me think we were nothing. Maybe even a mistake. No, not maybe, we were definitely a mistake.’

  Brie downed the rest of the latte and fished a fiver out of her bag. ‘Thanks for the coffee.’ She slammed the bill on the counter then walked out, not bothering to wait for Josh’s response.

  As she turned the corner to head up the stairs, her phone rang. It was Harry.

  ‘Hey, how’s the head this morning, Harry?’ She chuckled.

  ‘Brie, are you around?’ The panic in Harry’s voice wiped the smirk off her face quick-smart.

  ‘Harry, what’s wrong?’ Brie could hear her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

  ‘It’s the baby,’ Harry’s voice broke. ‘There’s something wrong.’

  Brie turned course and headed back to her car. ‘I’m on my way.’

  * * *

  Half an hour later, Brie had found a car spot in the hospital parking lot and rushed to the lifts. When she finally made it, the sight of Sylvie’s face stabbed her heart.

  Wordlessly, Brie wrapped her friend in her arms. She had planned on heading to the hospital later in the day to see Sylvie and the baby—this wasn’t how she’d envisaged it. She held Sylvie for the longest time.

  ‘Hey, Brie.’ Harry walked into the room, his ragged appearance reflecting how he was feeling.

  Sylvie lifted her head at the sound of her husband’s voice, her hazel eyes red-rimmed.

  ‘Did you see the doctor?’ Sylvie’s words were laced with hope and worry.

  Harry rubbed the back of his neck. ‘They’re still doing tests. One of the nurses said he’ll come to speak to us as soon as they have something definitive.’

  ‘Leon.’ Sylvie smiled sadly, her voice dangerously close to breaking. ‘We named him Leon.’

  ‘It’s a great name,’ Brie said as she rubbed Sylvie’s back. ‘And I’m sure whatever challenges little Leon is facing, like the meaning of his name, he’ll face it with strength and courage.’

  ‘One of the nurses noticed he had trouble breathing,’ Sylvie said as she grabbed a wad of tissues and blew her nose. ‘They took him into the nursery at about three am so I could get some rest. I was so exhausted from the labour that I was grateful for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. When the same nurse came in this morning without Leon …’ When Sylvie was unable to continue, Brie pulled her closer.

  ‘They think he has a heart defect,’ Harry finished. ‘One that he was more than likely born with but one they couldn’t see in any of the prenatal scans. They’re running tests to see which one it is and determine if he’ll need … surgery.’

  Sylvie sobbed silently against Brie’s chest. ‘It’s okay, sweetie,’ she reassured her, although really Brie wasn’t sure that it was indeed okay. What on earth could she say to Harry and Sylvie at a time like this? They’d gone from the euphoria of becoming first-time parents to the scary prospect of the unknown. She knew that surgery wouldn’t be performed on a newborn unless it was absolutely required.

  ‘Can I get you guys anything?’ Brie asked, determined to be of some help. ‘Coffee, something to eat?’

  ‘Not for me, thanks,’ Harry said.

  ‘I don’t think I can eat, but I’d love a decaf coffee,’ Sylvie said. ‘The one that Harry brought for me from Josh’s café has gone to waste.’ She nodded to the lonely takeaway that immediately reminded Brie of the mood she was in when she left Josh’s café. In comparison to what Harry and Sylvie were dealing with, her annoyance with Josh seemed petty.

  By the time Brie returned with the coffees, Harry had convinced Sylvie to have a shower.

  ‘I know she blames herself. She keeps saying she shouldn’t have let the nurse take Leon last night … I don’t know how to help her,’ he said hopelessly.

  ‘Hey, that’s ridiculous. Sylvie shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting to get some rest.’

  ‘I agree. The whole mother-guilt thing seems to have gripped her pretty quickly. I said that it was probably a good thing that he was in the nursery and it was picked up sooner. I guess all I can do is keep reminding her that we’ll get through this.’

  ‘You’re a good man, Harry.’ Brie reached out and squeezed his hand and placed a coffee in front of him. Even though he’d said he didn’t want one, Brie had made a judgement call and grabbed one for him, too. ‘You’re a great husband and you and Sylvie are going to be awesome parents. Little Leon is lucky to have you both.’

  Sylvie emerged from the bathroom and launched into fresh tears.

  ‘Aww, sweetie, I’m sorry to make you cry again.’

  ‘Oh, Brie, I’ve really missed you. I know you’re not back for good, but can I just say this morning, the moment Harry arrived, even without asking me, he knew that calling you was what I would’ve wanted. Thank you for being here.’

  ‘I wouldn’t be anywhere else.’ Brie meant her words wholeheartedly.

  ‘I mean, I love Avery, but I still think of her as a little girl.’

  ‘A little girl who’s married to Lo,’ Brie said wryly.

  ‘God, I’ve really missed you,’ Sylvie repeated, her lips curving into the tiniest of smiles.

  ‘You guys are going to pull through this, and
before you know it you’ll be home knee-deep in dirty nappies.’

  There was another smile from Sylvie, and this time even a hint of a chuckle. ‘God, I hope so.’

  ‘I know so.’

  Thank you, Harry mouthed from behind Sylvie and she smiled a silent, You’re welcome.

  As hard as it was to watch her friends suffering, Brie realised her words to Sylvie were genuine. There was nowhere else she would rather be.

  When baby Leon’s doctor arrived, Brie left, giving Harry and Sylvie the privacy they needed, making Harry promise to call her later on with an update. As she headed out of the hospital, Tam messaged checking she was still coming to dinner. She called her back, letting her know the situation with the baby.

  ‘Oh, poor mite! My mum misses you! I miss you.’

  With a promise that she would indeed come to dinner the following week, Brie ended the call, feeling strange how two friends—one old and one new—had both told her they missed her. It made her realise just how much she had missed having female friendships.

  A moment later her phone buzzed again, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the name displayed on the screen.

  ‘Josh, hi.’

  ‘Are you at the hospital?’ he said by way of greeting. For a brief second she felt disappointed that he wasn’t calling specifically to speak to her, and immediately chastised herself. Of course he would be concerned with what was happening with baby Leon.

  ‘Just left Sylvie and Harry with Leon’s doctor.’

  ‘What did he have to say?’

  ‘I’m not sure; whatever it is, I’ve asked Harry to give us an update.’

  Silenced bloomed, and Brie wasn’t sure if Josh was still there.

  ‘Are you going to stay at the hospital?’ he finally said.

  ‘I’m not sure, why?’ Brie was genuinely interested.

  ‘Sylvie and Harry could use the support. I’ll come past after I close up.’

  ‘Oh. Okay. Great.’

  ‘Great … I guess I’ll see you later.’

  ‘Wait, Josh?’