The Newcomer

by Laura Elizabeth Woollett

  Paulina looked: Laurent was strolling down the beach in his shirtless glory with his new girlfriend, Oliana, and her four-year-old son. ‘Fuck!’ She hid her face.

  ‘Pretty ironic, eh?’ Jesse took up the joint. ‘He dumps you cos he’s not ready for fatherhood … then straightaway he hooks up with the hottest single mum on Fairfolk.’

  ‘Thanks, Camel. I never would’ve made that connection. Fuck! He’s coming over?’

  ‘Hello,’ Laurent said.

  ‘Hi,’ they chorused.

  Laurent looked from Jesse to Paulina to Brooke, to the joint in Jesse’s hand.

  ‘Wanna toke?’ Jesse offered.

  He looked back at Oliana and her kid, toddling to the shore. ‘Yeah, bro.’

  Crouching, he took a toke.

  Jesse pointed at Paulina. ‘It’s her birthday.’

  Laurent looked at her solemnly. ‘Happy birthday.’

  ‘Yeah, you too,’ Paulina replied.

  Brooke got the giggles. Jesse deadpanned. ‘Did you and Oliana do the coastal walk?’

  ‘Yeah, bro.’ Laurent inhaled. ‘Beautiful views and ocean wind.’

  ‘You should try it at sunset.’

  ‘Yeah, bro. Awesome sunsets.’

  Paulina snorted. Laurent looked at her contemptuously. ‘You’re drinking … honey?’

  ‘Yep!’ She nodded. ‘Fergal’s Farm. Want some?’

  Sneering, Laurent returned the joint. ‘Thanks, bro.’

  ‘There’s more where that came from.’

  Laurent grinned. ‘Mate’s rates?’

  ‘Yeah, brudda.’ Jesse stood. ‘Step into my office.’

  As Laurent and Jesse wandered up the path to the cemetery, beyond which the Commodore was parked, Brooke cracked up. ‘“Happy birthday! You too! ” Classic!’

  ‘What can I say? I was dazzled by his abs.’

  ‘At least you can say you’ve been there. That’s quite an achievement!’

  ‘Pretty much the only thing I’ve achieved in twenty-nine years.’

  ‘No words of wisdom, then?’

  ‘Ummm. Stay hydrated!’ Paulina sipped. ‘Don’t fuck rabbits. Join the twenty-seven club while you still have the chance.’

  Brooke clapped gleefully. ‘Classic!’

  Paulina took another sip, watched Oliana and her little boy frolicking in the shallows.

  ‘If you ever cheat on a guy, don’t tell him,’ she added, after a while. ‘Doesn’t matter the circumstances. They don’t forgive it, hey.’

  Brooke turned onto her side. ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Yeah. I’d be married now, if I didn’t tell. I’d have my life sorted. We were gonna live in Adelaide while Vinnie did his Air Force cadetship. We were looking at home loans.’

  ‘Air Force? Sounds like a stiff.’

  ‘I really loved him. I was really sorry.’ Paulina shrugged. ‘It didn’t matter how many times I said it, but. One fuck-up and you’re a slut who can’t be trusted.’

  ‘How’d it happen?’

  ‘Some guy from the Melbourne office. I was trying to impress the big bosses and he didn’t even have to try; they just liked him better. Then all the bigwigs left, and we went to this club and he bought me all these shots and …’ Paulina shrugged again. ‘I woke up next morning in his hotel.’

  ‘God!’ Brooke said. ‘Did he roofie you?’

  ‘I drank too much. I fucked up.’

  ‘Well. Would you want to be married to a guy who couldn’t forgive you?’ Brooke offered. ‘Sounds like you dodged a bullet there.’

  ‘Dodged a bullet, walked into a minefield.’ Paulina sighed. ‘I really loved him. He was perfect. He was serious. Guys like that don’t go for me anymore.’

  ‘What about Ric?’

  ‘He knows better than to trust me.’ Paulina narrowed her eyes. ‘He’ll never marry me.’

  Jesse and Laurent walked down from the cemetery, went their separate ways. ‘You didn’t swim yet?’ Jesse shifted Brooke’s hair from her shoulder and kissed it.

  Brooke winked. ‘Just girl-talk.’

  ‘Good day for business?’ Paulina rolled over.

  Jesse turned to Brooke. ‘Oh, yeah. Good news: Baz commissioned me to paint a mural for Mutes’ this June. Two grand. Nice, eh?’

  ‘Jess!’ Brooke smacked his arm. ‘We’ll be in New Zealand!’

  Paulina’s guts froze over. ‘New Zealand?’

  ‘Well, you know, I was planning to go backpacking again right after my work placement … but this fella’s made it hard for me.’

  Jesse avoided Paulina’s eyes. ‘I meant to tell you. Just, we haven’t booked flights yet.’

  ‘Whose fault is that?’ Brooke laughed. ‘I’ll be gone by May — with or without you, Camilleri!’

  ‘Geez,’ Paulina mumbled. ‘That’s … exciting.’

  ‘Tell me about it! Civilisation!’ Brooke rolled her eyes. ‘Although, we’ll be camping out a bit, too. How could we not? Have you been?’

  ‘Nah.’ Paulina glanced at Jesse. ‘I’ve heard it’s really pretty, but.’

  ‘Yeah.’ Jesse avoided her eye. ‘Lots of extreme sports, too.’

  ‘Bungy-jumping.’ Brooke leaned against him. ‘Snowboarding.’

  ‘How long are you going for?’ Paulina tried to sound casual.

  ‘Oh, we’re playing it by ear! We’ll fly to Auckland first, then down to the South Island, then who knows? Maybe back to Australia, even.’

  ‘But … you hate the mainland.’ Paulina searched Jesse’s face. ‘You always say it’s full of racists.’

  ‘It is.’ Shrugging, he met her gaze. ‘But they don’t own the place. And I’ve grown up a lot since last time I was there.’

  ‘Grown up?’ Paulina scoffed. ‘You’re twenty-five.’

  ‘Yeah, yeah. Ulvini.’

  ‘I’d love to meet some of Jess’s mob over in Brisbane, if he lets me!’ Brooke swished her hair. ‘You know, in all the time I was in Sydney, I never saw any Aborigines? Who would’ve thought I’d find this guy on Fairfolk. That’s the beauty of travelling. You never know what’s around the corner.’

  ‘Ha, yep.’ Paulina drained her honey jar. ‘Just watch out your body doesn’t wind up in Belanglo.’

  ‘Honestly, better that than dying of boredom on this rock.’ Brooke cast a contemptuous glance up the beach. ‘I’ve forgotten how it feels to wear a bikini without being gawked at by inbreds.’

  Paulina noticed the pervert in golf gear, lurking. ‘Oh. Him.’

  ‘That’s just Yooey Turner,’ Jesse said. ‘He’s harmless. He just likes looking at chicks.’

  Brooke rolled her eyes. ‘Mm-hm. Until someday looking isn’t enough.’

  ‘Want me to say something to him?’

  ‘Um, yes please!’

  Puffing up his chest, Jesse marched down the beach toward Yooey.

  ‘You’d think he was going to war for me!’ Brooke looked askance at Paulina. ‘He would, you know.’

  ‘Oh, yeah,’ Paulina agreed. ‘Totally.’

  Brooke stood. ‘Coming for a dip?’

  ‘Nah. I’m good.’

  Once Brooke was in the water, Paulina turned onto her tummy and screamed into the sand. She didn’t stop until she saw Jesse’s feet. She sat up, glaring.

  ‘What’re you looking at, arsehole?’

  ‘Nothing.’ Jesse got out his Camels. ‘Nothing at all.’

  Paulina snatched one, stuck it between her lips.

  ‘You’re not going anywhere till I get my tramp stamp.’

  The sky was the colour of nectar when Rabbit dropped her off at the Mutineers’ Lodge bistro. ‘Call me when you’re done, gorgeous.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it, babe,’ she demurred. ‘I’ll get a lift.’

  Rabbit squeezed her hand. ‘You kno
w I can’t sleep without you.’

  ‘Get some rest, babe.’ She stroked his face. ‘You work so hard.’

  Five minutes later, she was at the bar, watching for Jesse’s car. When she saw it, she drained her glass and winked at Gayle, the bistro manager. ‘Thanks for the alibi!’

  Jesse smelled the alcohol on her as soon as she slipped into the passenger seat. ‘You know it thins your blood.’

  ‘Gawd, I haven’t been out after dark without Ric in soooo long! Let’s go to Wetties?’

  Jesse sighed. ‘He keeps a tight leash on you, eh.’

  ‘He’s from a different generation.’ Paulina checked her lip gloss. ‘He doesn’t think boys and girls can be friends.’

  At Jesse’s cottage, Paulina had an urge to cry. ‘Gawd, I haven’t been here in ages,’ her voice caught in her throat. ‘Tiny, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yeah, yeah, you live in a palace.’ He began laying out his tools. ‘You know the drill.’

  In the bathroom, Paulina stripped down and jumped in the shower. When she emerged in her laciest bra and g-string, hair dripping, Jesse did a double-take. ‘Jesus!’

  ‘What?’ She squeezed her hair dry. ‘Don’t you want me using your towel?’

  ‘It’s fine,’ Jesse mumbled, looking away.

  Paulina strutted to the kitchen, got the Jim Beam down from the shelf, and poured herself a mug. ‘Hope you don’t mind.’ She crept back to the lounge. ‘I made coffee.’

  ‘Paulina. I can smell that from here. You really don’t care about bleeding, do you?’

  ‘I bleed every month.’ Sipping, she watched his thick eyelashes. ‘Music?’

  ‘Yeah.’ He didn’t look up. ‘Good idea.’

  She tiptoed to the CD rack, bum out and tummy in. Knelt on the carpet and browsed till she felt Jesse’s eyes stray to her.

  ‘Hey.’ She held up an album. ‘What do you think?’

  He nodded, averted his eyes. ‘Nice.’

  Paulina crawled to the CD player, slipped in the disc, caught Jesse looking again, and approached him with the Jim Beam. ‘Want some?’

  ‘No. Jesus. I’m working.’

  ‘I’m getting a gut.’ Paulina snapped the band of her g-string. ‘These never used to fit so tight.’

  ‘Can you get out of my face? It’s really distracting.’

  She lay on the couch. ‘Better?’

  Jesse nodded. Paulina stared up at the ceiling, playing with her belly button and singing under her breath, till he approached in his gloves. ‘Flip over.’

  ‘Do you think I’d look cute with a belly-button ring?’

  ‘Do you want a tramp stamp or not?’

  ‘I dunno.’ She fingered her hipbone. ‘Could be cute here.’

  ‘Too bony. You’ll pass out from the pain. Flip over.’

  Paulina sat up, reached for her mug and drank deep. Then she got on her hands and knees, peeked over her shoulder. ‘Better?’

  ‘Lie on your tummy. Lie flat and, like … stay still.’

  Paulina obeyed. But as soon as he touched her with his cold gloves, she jolted.

  ‘Jesus!’

  ‘It’s cold!’

  ‘Want a blanket?’

  ‘… No.’

  He tried again. Again, she flinched. ‘Jesus! Calm down.’

  ‘I’m cold.’ She took up her whisky. ‘Sorry for feeling cold.’

  Jesse watched her swallow. ‘Alright? Or want a blanket?’

  ‘Alright.’

  ‘You want a blanket?’

  ‘Yeah … nah.’ She giggled. ‘You’re so talented, Jess!’

  ‘I haven’t even done anything yet.’

  ‘Do it, Jess. I’m waiting.’

  ‘I’m trying. Shut up and lie still.’

  ‘You shut up.’ She sat up and pulled him close, pressed her lips to his.

  ‘Jesus!’ Jesse wiped his mouth. ‘What the fuck, Paulina.’

  ‘Let’s have an affair!’ Paulina looped her arms around his neck.

  Jesse recoiled. ‘If you’re scared of the pain, just say so. Don’t play mind games.’

  ‘I’m not scared!’ Paulina burst into tears. ‘I’m not playing!’

  ‘Nup. Not today.’ Jesse peeled off his gloves. ‘I don’t care how much you pay me.’

  He stormed out. Paulina kept bawling until she got tired — he was gone a bloody long time. When he came back, he had wet hair and a fresh T-shirt.

  ‘Get dressed.’ He chucked her uniform at her. ‘We’re going to Wetties.’

  ‘The thing about Brooke is, what you see is what you get,’ Jesse told her, four pints in. ‘She doesn’t play games.’

  Paulina sneered. ‘If you hate games so much, why’re you always playing PlayStation?’

  ‘And she’s beautiful. Not just hot, but, like, naturally beautiful. She doesn’t even need makeup. First thing in the morning, she’s gorgeous. Those little freckles on her nose—’

  ‘Ric looks good first thing in the morning, too,’ Paulina countered. ‘All those little wrinkles all over his face? Gorgeous!’

  Jesse watched a waitress delivering chips to another table.

  ‘Ugh! You already had chips. You’re gonna end up like your dad.’

  ‘Yeah. Well.’ Jesse sipped his beer. ‘You’re gonna end up like … your mum.’

  ‘So? My mum’s beautiful!’ Paulina stood. ‘I’m getting another round.’

  Jesse shook his head at his near-empty glass. ‘I’m driving, remember.’

  ‘You’re boring as fuck.’

  At the bar, the first guy she’d hooked up with on Fairfolk was drinking alone. ‘Hey, Eddy.’ She smiled coyly. ‘How are you?’

  ‘Good.’ He looked her up and down. ‘You?’

  She leaned a little closer. ‘Good.’

  ‘What’re you drinking?’ Eddy pulled out his wallet.

  Paulina turned to the barmaid. ‘Another round. Don’t forget to chuck a shot in Camel’s Pine Brew, okay?’

  Eddy put his wallet away. ‘You and Camilleri, eh?’

  ‘He’s going through a break-up.’ Paulina winked. ‘He just doesn’t know it yet.’

  ‘Eddy’s married, you know.’ Jesse frowned as she set down the fresh round of drinks.

  ‘And I’m with Ric. So? I’m not allowed to flirt?’ She simpered. ‘Or am I only allowed to flirt with you?’

  Jesse shrugged. ‘Do what you want.’

  Paulina looked back at Eddy. ‘He’s pretty sexy. He’s got those Polynesian eyes. Nice and dark.’

  ‘Racist.’

  ‘I like dark eyes.’ Paulina shifted her gaze to Jesse. ‘Dark everything.’

  ‘Um.’ Jesse looked at his beer. ‘I don’t want this.’

  ‘You’re not a mainie. No one cares if you drive drunk.’

  Jesse took a reluctant sip. ‘This’s my last one, okay? I’m feeling it.’

  ‘Piss-weak!’

  ‘Alcoholic.’

  Paulina stiffened. Jesse got out his Camels, got up.

  ‘I’m going for a smoke,’ he said. ‘Then I’m going home.’

  ‘Whatever!’ Paulina knocked back her rum. ‘I’m going for a piss.’

  In the loo, the walls spun around her. But her reflection was steady in the mirror, applying lip gloss. The waitress came out of the adjoining cubicle to wash her hands.

  ‘How do I look?’ Paulina interrogated her. ‘Do I look nice?’

  ‘Yeah,’ the waitress reassured her. ‘You look nice.’

  ‘Did you see that guy I’m with? I love him!’ Paulina confided. ‘Tonight’s the night. I’m gonna fuck him tonight.’

  Out in the beer garden, Jesse was smoking with a pale-skinned guy in check pants. ‘What’s with the pants?’ Paulina asked the guy.

  ‘I’m a chef at The Pac
ifica.’ He shrugged. ‘The checks hide the stains.’

  ‘Yeah?’ Paulina snatched his ciggie. ‘All stains?’

  He looked at her lips, sucking in smoke. ‘Most stains.’

  ‘Come on.’ Jesse put out his ciggie in his beer. ‘Let’s go.’

  ‘Thanks for the ciggie!’ Paulina waved, linked her arm with Jesse’s. ‘Aw, did you make a friend?’

  ‘Why, are you interested?’

  ‘Why, are you jealous?’

  ‘He was just some junkie, trying to score.’ Jesse hesitated outside the Commodore. ‘Listen: can we just walk back to Mutes’? I’m too drunk to drive Cook’s Falls Road.’

  ‘Don’t bother, then.’ Paulina crossed her arms. ‘I’ll hitch.’

  ‘Don’t hitchhike. Jesus.’

  ‘I’ll ask that junkie for a ride.’ Paulina blew smoke over her shoulder. ‘He won’t mind driving me to Cookies.’

  ‘Forget it.’ Jesse fumbled with his keys. ‘I’ll drive you.’

  With painful slowness, Jesse drove out of town. At Cookies, Paulina unclipped her seatbelt. ‘Thanks for tonight. It was nice hanging out … just us.’

  ‘Yeah.’ Jesse wiped his forehead. ‘I’ll feel it tomorrow, but.’

  ‘Don’t think about tomorrow.’ Paulina leaned in. ‘It’s just us, now.’

  ‘Paulina.’ He shook his head. ‘Come on.’

  ‘Come on.’ She slid onto his lap. ‘It’s just us, Jess.’

  He turned his face away. ‘Cut it out, Paulina.’

  She kissed his neck, hitched up her skirt. ‘I’m so wet, Jess. I want you so much.’

  ‘Come on. Don’t.’ He stayed her hands. ‘You’re just drunk. Okay?’

  ‘I want you … you want me.’ She breathed on his mouth. ‘Babe: you’re so hard right now.’

  Jesse groaned as she rubbed his dick. ‘Paulina …’

  ‘You’re so hard, babe.’ She ran her tongue over his lips. ‘You’re so good. Put that hard dick inside me, babe.’

  ‘What the fuck, Paulina.’ Jesse shoved her off his lap. ‘Just … don’t.’

  ‘Please?’ Eyes misting up, Paulina kissed his knees. ‘I want you so much. I want you in my mouth. Please?’

  Jesse groaned again; pushed her head away as she nuzzled his lap.

  ‘Jesse-babe.’ She peeled off her shirt, unhooked her bra. ‘See how much I want you?’

  She dragged his hand to her hot breasts; her nipples, hard as weapons.