Rosa-Marie's Baby

by Robert G. Barrett

  Lorne appeared to be split in two by the Erskine River. On one side was a golf course and a road leading out to Deans Marsh. This side was the shops and the resort. The beach sat in Loutitt Bay, and Corio Crescent where the church was, wasn’t far from where he was staying. Les glanced at his watch and daylight saving in Victoria having slipped his mind, he was surprised how late it was. He paid for his coffees and left.

  On the way back to the resort, some striped shirts in a window caught Norton’s eye and a second-hand bookshop in a little old house up from the street looked interesting. Les bought some fruit, milk and a few things in a takeaway food store, checked out the menu in the restaurant under the resort, then crossed over to the hotel bottle shop and got a bottle of Jack Daniels, a dozen VB, ice and mineral water.

  Back in his unit Les had a VB, listened to some music and put everything away. He didn’t have a clue what was on TV, so he checked out the in-house movies then perused the room service menu. He rang down and ordered a prime rib steak with potato lasagne, a side salad, a caesar salad and oven-roasted asparagus with shaved parmesan. While he was waiting, Les had a hot shower and a shave, put his blue shorts back on and changed into a grey Winnipeg Blue Bombers T-shirt. The food arrived and the waiter placed it on the table near the balcony. Les tipped him, put the caesar salad in the fridge for later then sat down and ate the rest watching the movie he chose: Billy Elliot.

  The movie was a ripper. By the time the kid got into ballet Les finished eating and had his first delicious. When the kid did a routine with the woman dance teacher to Marc Bolan’s ‘I Like to Boogie’, Les got up and started dancing round the lounge room and Les almost burst into tears when the kid, now all grown up and starring in the Royal Ballet, leapt out onto the stage at the end. It was the feel-good movie of all time and after several Jack Daniels, Norton was feeling very good indeed.

  Les put his tray out on the landing, finished another delicious and contemplated his navel. He could have an early night and maybe watch another movie. Or he could go and have a drink. The hotel was just across the road. Les decided to go for a stroll down the other end of town and walk the meal off then come back to the hotel. He locked the unit and, taking his camera with him, caught the lift to the lobby.

  Outside, the evening felt pleasant and the sky was full of stars, however most of the daytrippers had gone home and there weren’t many people around. Les strolled past the shops and several restaurants still ticking over then shuddered when he went by the old picture theatre and saw the feature movie was The Two Towers, the second part of The Lord of the Rings. Further on he found some unexpected action. A restaurant with a white front, a white door and wide windows facing the street, was going off. There were chairs and tables along the footpath with people seated having a drink and music was coming from inside. A blue sign above the door said: ROSA’S. The name alone told Les he had to have a drink there, so he stepped inside to get a cool one.

  Rosa’s had soft lighting and pastel tiles with pink and black murals on the walls and people were seated drinking coffee or finishing bottles of wine after their meals. A square of bar sat opposite the kitchen and in a corner on the right a young DJ was playing ambient house music. Les got a delicious then went back outside and sat down at an empty table to have a look around.

  There were a few people on his left. But to Norton’s right, a crowd of casually attired drinkers faced each other over a long wooden table. Les overheard their conversations and gathered most of them worked in the local catering industry. Everybody was drinking and nattering away, except for a girl seated at the end of the table next to Les, staring pensively into an empty glass. She had spiky black hair and soft grey eyes set in a pretty, if slightly hard-boiled, face and was wearing a black cotton jacket over a long-sleeved yellow T-shirt tucked into a short tartan dress, and black gym boots. On the table in front of her was a well-worn leather handbag and near her feet sat a blue travel bag. Les would have put her age at around twenty. Seated next to her was a tall girl with a long face and long brown hair, wearing a white jacket and Levis. The girl with the spiky hair seemed oblivious to the people around her as she stared into her glass and Les didn’t have to be a mind reader to tell something was wrong. He had another mouthful of bourbon and took out his camera.

  ‘Excuse me,’ he said to the girl at the opposite table. ‘Do you mind if I take your photo?’

  The girl moved her eyes from her glass to Les. ‘Did you say something?’

  ‘Thanks,’ said Les, and fired off a photo.

  The girl blinked at the flash. ‘What was that all about?’ she said.

  ‘Nothing really,’ answered Les. ‘It’s just that I’m having such a good time sitting here. And you looked like you were having such a good time too. I had to take your photo.’

  The girl stared wryly at Les. ‘Having a good time? Are you fuckin kidding?’

  ‘Okay,’ shrugged Les. ‘Maybe I’m a bad judge. But that’s how it looked to me.’ He finished his bourbon and stood up. ‘Anyway. I’m going for another cool one. Can I get you something?’

  The girl looked at Les for a moment. ‘All right,’ she said. ‘Jack Daniels and soda, with a slice of orange.’

  ‘That sounds all right,’ said Les. ‘I might have one of those myself. Watch my camera for me, will you.’

  Les walked into Rosa’s and got two bourbons. When he returned the girl was still staring into her glass so he put her drink in front of her.

  ‘There you go,’ said Les, taking his seat.

  ‘Thanks,’ replied the girl.

  ‘No worries.’ Les reached over and clinked her glass. ‘Cheers,’ he smiled.

  The girl couldn’t quite manage a smile. ‘Yeah, cheers,’ she said.

  ‘So what’s your name?’ asked Les, after they’d each taken a sip of their drinks.

  ‘Stepha.’

  ‘Nice to meet you, Stepha. I’m Les.’

  The girl gave a little nod and turned to Norton. ‘Where are you from, Les?’

  ‘Sydney.’

  ‘Yeah? What brings you down here? I suppose you’re a waxhead.’

  Les shook his head. ‘No. Just a holiday. Till Friday. What about you, Stepha? Where are you from?’

  ‘Melbourne.’

  Les nodded to Stepha’s travel bag. ‘You on holidays too? Or have you just been kicked out of home?’

  ‘Yeah,’ nodded Stepha derisively. ‘You could bloody say that.’

  Suddenly the long-haired girl next to Stepha put her head in. She was waving a glass of wine around and looked drunk. ‘Oh, Stepha,’ she said. ‘I see you got a drink.’

  ‘Yes,’ answered Stepha. ‘Les got me one. Les, this is Trish.’

  Les raised his drink. ‘Hello Trish.’

  Trish gave Les a half once up and down. ‘I suppose Stepha’s been telling you all the trouble she’s in,’ gabbled Trish.

  Les shook his head. ‘No. We were just talking, that’s all.’

  ‘Well she’s in some, aren’t you, Stepha?’

  ‘Yes, Trish. I suppose I am,’ Stepha replied wearily.

  Les smiled at Stepha. ‘And I suppose it’s none of my business, either.’

  Trish turned to one of the windows and noticed something inside Rosa’s. ‘Nicole wants me,’ she said. ‘I’ll be back.’

  Les watched her leave then turned to Stepha who looked a little embarrassed. ‘All right, Stepha,’ said Les. ‘I know it’s none of my business. But what sort of trouble are you in? Are you involved with all the North Korean heroin they found in Lorne? Have you murdered someone? Done a kidnapping?’

  ‘I’d settle for any of the above three,’ replied Stepha.

  ‘Fair dinkum? Shit! You must be in strife.’ Les gave Stepha a congenial look over his glass. ‘Do you want to tell me your troubles, Stepha? I’m a good listener.’

  Stepha stared at her drink for a moment, then took a deep breath and turned to Les. ‘All right, Les,’ she said. ‘If you want to know, I came down here to work
the holiday season for three months.’

  ‘Doing what?’

  ‘Waitressing. The money’s always good and so are the tips. Anyway, I met this guy and moved in with him. He seemed all right at first. Then he thought he owned me.’

  ‘A control freak,’ opined Les.

  Stepha pointed to her eye and Les noticed a slight mouse. ‘You better fuckin believe it.’

  Les nodded slowly. ‘I see. So what does this … chap do?’

  ‘Burne. He’s a bar manager. And he sells dope. Which I didn’t know about at the time.’

  ‘What? Smack? Coke?’

  ‘Eccy mainly,’ said Stepha. ‘Plus speed. And a bit of hash.’

  ‘The Lorne cartel,’ said Les. ‘So what’s all the drama with the bar manager?’

  ‘I got out of the house,’ replied Stepha. ‘I decided to leave Lorne early and I’m getting the bus back to Melbourne tomorrow morning. But when Burne finds out he’ll come looking for me. As well as owning me, he reckons I stole some money off him too.’

  ‘Right.’ Les nodded to the bar. ‘What about your girlfriend? Can’t you stay with her?’

  ‘Trish?’ Stepha shook her head. ‘She’s not my girlfriend. And nobody else wants to get involved. Not with Burne.’

  ‘Sounds like one tough hombre,’ said Les. ‘So what’s the bottom line, Stepha?’

  ‘The bottom line, Les?’ Stepha had a mouthful of bourbon. ‘The bottom line is I’ve got nowhere to stay tonight and Burne will finish work soon and come looking for me. All the cheap motels are booked out. So I’ll most likely finish up sleeping on the beach. Then he’ll probably be waiting for me at the bus stop in the morning.’ Stepha raised her glass. ‘Life’s fuckin great, isn’t it, Les.’

  ‘Can’t you go to the cops?’ suggested Les.

  ‘What are they going to do?’ shrugged Stepha.

  ‘Fair enough, I suppose.’ Les shook his head then smiled at Stepha. ‘Well. All I can say is, Stepha, I feel your pain, matey. I’ve got a bit of a problem myself.’

  ‘You? What’s your problem?’

  Les nodded to his left. ‘I’m staying in a fully furnished unit at the Otway Resort. Besides my bedroom, there’s two big lounges. Two TVs, music. I’ve got a fridge full of beer, a bottle of Jack Daniels and a bag of ice. Tea and coffee. Oh, and there’s bloody room service if I want it, too.’ Les sipped his drink and stared into the glass.

  Stepha peered derisively at Les. ‘You got a fuckin unit in the Otway, with all the trimmings. And you call that a problem. Are you all right in the head?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ answered Les. ‘It’s just that I got it all to myself. And it’s too bloody big.’

  Stepha moved a little closer to Les. ‘You’ve got the place all to yourself?’

  ‘That’s right,’ nodded Les. ‘All on my lonesome.’

  Stepha fished into her battered leather purse, came up with a twenty-dollar bill and looked pleadingly at Norton. ‘Les. I haven’t got a real lot of money on me. But I’ll give you twenty dollars if you’ll let me sleep on your lounge for the night.’

  Norton took a sip of bourbon and looked evenly at Stepha. ‘Make it twenty-five.’

  Stepha fished out a five-dollar bill and handed the money to Les. ‘Okay. Twenty-five it is.’

  Les pocketed the money. ‘Righto. When did you want to move in?’

  ‘Now,’ replied Stepha.

  ‘Now?’

  ‘Yeah right fuckin now. Before Burne shows up.’ Stepha drained her drink and stood up. ‘Come on let’s go. There’s nothing happening here anyway.’

  ‘What about in the morning?’ asked Les.

  ‘I’ll worry about that when the time comes,’ replied Stepha, picking up her bag. ‘At least I’ll be safe tonight.’

  ‘Okay,’ shrugged Les. He finished his drink and stood up also. ‘Do you want a hand with your bag?’

  Stepha shook her head. ‘No, I’m fine, thanks.’

  Without saying goodbye to anyone, Stepha started off towards the resort with Les at her side. Les didn’t quite know what to say. He felt like a heel taking the poor girl’s money. However, there were no complications that way and if she got smart he could give it back and kick her arse out the door. But Stepha seemed all right and it was an awful predicament she was in. Nonetheless, Norton would be sleeping with his car keys, money and credit cards under his pillow. They walked on and by the time they passed the garage and got to the picture theatre on the opposite corner, Les found out Stepha was twenty-five and had a brother in the Navy. Les gave her the same spiel about his family owning a supermarket in Rose Bay. But added he’d just spent five years in the clergy.

  ‘You were a priest?’ said Stepha.

  ‘That’s right,’ nodded Les. ‘Father Les.’

  ‘What denomination? Catholic? Anglican …?’

  Les shook his head. ‘I don’t really want to discuss it, Stepha,’ he said. ‘As far as I’m concerned, it was five wasted years of my life.’ He smiled at her. ‘I’d have been better off joining the Navy.’

  ‘Yeah. Vince loves it,’ said Stepha. ‘He’s just come back from the Gulf.’

  ‘They do a bloody good job our armed services,’ said Les. ‘I’ve got no time for people that bag the military.’

  ‘Good on you, Les.’

  ‘Thanks, Stepha.’

  They passed some phone boxes opposite a wire fence running past a church when Stepha slowed down and the expression drained from her face.

  ‘Oh-oh,’ she said.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ said Les.

  ‘Here comes Burne. Shit! And he’s with Allan and fuckin Bucky too.’

  Les stared ahead at three shadowy figures diagonally crossing the road towards them. The tallest one in the middle was wearing a cap, the others at his side appeared bare-headed and not much shorter. Les turned to Stepha and smiled.

  ‘You know, Stepha,’ he said. ‘I had a feeling this was going to happen.’

  ‘Look Les. Don’t say anything. I think I can handle it. Christ!’

  ‘If you say so,’ replied Les. ‘But I can be very diplomatic in these sorts of situations. Which is who?’

  ‘Burne’s the tall one in the cap. Allan’s on the left. And Bucky’s the solid one on the right.’

  ‘Okey doke,’ said Les.

  ‘But leave it to me, Les,’ said Stepha. ‘There’s no need for you to get involved.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Stepha,’ Les assured her. ‘They’ll hardly know I’m here. Would you mind holding my camera for me?’

  The three men approached. Burne was wearing a red Quicksilver cap, black jeans, and a white shirt hanging out over a black T-shirt. Bucky was squashed into a pair of faded Levis and a black Rolling Stones sweatshirt with the sleeves hacked off. Allan was wearing a grey tracksuit and a thick grey woollen beanie. They were all around thirty, they weren’t small and no one was smiling when they stood in front of Les and Stepha. Burne looked positively filthy.

  ‘Where the fuck are you going?’ he barked at Stepha. ‘I’ve been looking for you. You fuckin little moll.’

  ‘Burne. Look, will you just listen,’ pleaded Stepha.

  Burne’s two friends puffed up and gave Les a menacing once up and down, then figured he looked harmless enough and there were three of them if he was stupid enough to put his head in. Les smiled at the three men and decided to put his head in.

  ‘Excuse me,’ he said politely to Burne. ‘Are you talking to Stepha?’

  Burne glared at Les. ‘Well, I sure ain’t talking to you, dopey. So why don’t you fuck off while you’re in front?’

  ‘Fair enough,’ nodded Les. ‘But you asked Stepha a question. Perhaps I can answer it for you.’

  ‘You?’ sneered Burne.

  ‘Yeah.’ Les pointed in the direction he and Stepha were walking. ‘My parents own a holiday house just up the road. Stepha and I are on our way back there. To smoke some pot, snort a few lines of coke, drop a tab of acid and do a bit of crystal meth. Then we’
re going to boil up some Viagra. Shoot it. And fuck each other all night. After that I’m going to order a pizza with the money Stepha stole off you. And when we’ve finished eating it, I’m going to invite you over. And shove the cardboard box up your fat arse.’ Les smiled at the three men before turning back to Burne. ‘Now you know, Burney boy. You happy?’

  Stepha gave Les a double blink. The three men exchanged glances then Burne sucked in his breath and snarled a reply.

  ‘What?’

  Les knew he was in Victoria and there wouldn’t be any huffing and puffing, so he whacked Burne in the face with a crisp straight left. Not hard enough to knock him out. But hard enough to stun him and make his nose bleed, giving Les a few moments with just his two mates. Les decided to get rid of Bucky first.

  Bucky and Allan started for Les. Norton weaved to the side and Bucky walked straight into a diabolical left hook from the big Queenslander that had all Norton’s shoulder behind it. Bucky’s eyes rolled back as his front teeth fell out in a gush of blood, then his knees went and Bucky landed on his rump and one elbow somewhere between Mars and Disneyland. Allan let go a flurry of good, hard punches landing a couple on top of Norton’s bobbing head. He set himself to throw some more when Les moved in and banged a short right under Allan’s heart, stopping him in his tracks. Les followed up with two filthy left hooks that tore Allan’s face open and almost jolted his head off, then belted another short, bone-crushing right into his ribs. Out on his feet and in an awful lot of pain, Allan closed his eyes and turned away. Using his right arm, Les grabbed him in a standing reverse headlock, bent down and sent Allan cartwheeling over his shoulder. Allan’s beanie flew off and he crashed heavily on his face near the phone boxes, out cold and oozing blood across the footpath.

  By now Burne had shaken away the cobwebs and noticed his two mates lying on the footpath. He snarled angrily, wiped some blood from his face and threw a solid left and right at Norton. Les caught them both on his arms, crouched slightly then moved into Burne and brought his knee up hard into Burne’s groin. Burne let out a howl of pain and started to double up. Les whacked him with a couple of left uppercuts, knocking Burne’s cap off, then pushed Burne’s head down and smashed another two knees into his face. As Burne started to buckle, Les grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and the back of his jeans and banged his head noisily into the corner of the nearest phone booth. Burne collapsed unconscious on the footpath next to Allan, then rolled over and the metal corner of the phone booth had split his forehead open from his hairline to the bridge of his nose. Bucky was still lying on the footpath on one elbow with blood pouring out of his mouth, wondering through glazed eyes what year it was and who was prime minister. Les walked over and booted him hard in the face, leaving him sprawled on his back out cold. Les had a quick look up and down the street and noticed that luckily there were no other people around. He turned to Stepha, who was still standing near the wire fence holding his camera.