by Iris Blobel
“Em, you’re drooling again,” Jack whispered.
She glanced over at Jack and heat crept up her cheeks. Actually, it was like her head was on fire and she was about to faint when Jack’s words registered in her brain, “Sir, if you wouldn’t mind, I need to take this call. I’m sure Emma will help you with any queries.”
She gazed at him, biting the inside of her cheek and the pencil still in her hand. There he was in front of her with his athletic figure, broad shoulders and his tall build.
“Excuse me,” he said in a deep voice, as he slid his sunglasses on top of his head.
Emma looked into his hazel-brown eyes. “Yes, sir. How can I help you?”
“Could you please let Mrs. Gibbs, room five-o-two, know that I have arrived. My name is Flynn McCormack. I’ll wait in the hotel café.”
“Certainly, Mr. McCormack.”
He turned and walked towards the café. She followed him with her gaze and just thinking of his long eyelashes and the stubbles covering his jaw-line gave her a shudder. Emma took the phone and dialled room five-o-two. It took a while until Mrs. Gibbs answered.
“Mrs. Gibbs, Emma from the reception here.”
“Well, dear, about time. Have you been successful with the babysitter?”
Reality check. She had forgotten about that. “No, but I will check with our management, and I can help you out myself if that would suit you,” Emma lied and slapped her forehead as soon as she had said it. What was it with this woman who made her do or say things without a second thought?
There was a deep sigh at the other end of the line. “Well, young lady, I suppose I have no other choice.” And she hung up.
Emma stared at the phone in utter astonishment and then dialled the room number again.
“It’s Emma here, again,” she said with as much confidence as she could muster.
Mrs. Gibbs sighed. “Now what?”
“Mrs. Gibbs, my original call was primarily to inform you that Mr. McCormack is here, and waiting for you in the hotel café.”
“Thank you, dear. I expect you upstairs at one o’clock.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Emma hung up, rubbed her hands over her face, and then sighed in frustration.
“Jack,” she said through the little gap of her hands.
Jack looked over and his mouth tugged into a smile. He came closer, leaned against the reception desk, and crossed one foot over the other.
“What’s up, sunshine?”
Emma widened the gap between her hands just a bit further to look at Jack. She shook her head and wearily said, “You don’t wanna know.”
He hooked his finger into her skirt and pulled her closer. “You mucked up?”
“Big time.”
Jack slowly took her hands away from her face. “How big?”
Letting out a small grunt of frustration at her own wrong doing, she said, “Big!”
He smiled, and if Emma hadn’t needed his help, she would have been annoyed with him. Her eyes met his and she sighed. Jack was an attractive man, even in this ever-boring-looking hotel uniform, which nicely hugged his toned chest and abs. She placed her hand on his chest and another sigh escaped her lips.
Jack’s his eyes slightly narrowed. “Okay, Em, spill it.”
Emma met Jack’s gaze. She knew the look of his brown eyes so well from all their staring competitions they’d had, as to who would get the next drink out of the fridge. No wonder all the other girls were keen to share a shift with Jack – or even more.
“I told Mrs. Gibbs I would look after her. I couldn’t find anyone, you know, as in to look after the girl. It’s just something about her… she’s so–” Emma exhaled. “–so… I have no idea. Intimidating, like my old teacher. So I rang her to tell her that this man was here. The good looking one. You know who I mean, don’t you?” Emma didn’t wait for his answer. “–and she wouldn’t listen, and asked me about the babysitter. The next thing I know… Oh Jack, what’ve I done?”
The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth. “I don’t know, Em, but what on earth did you have to drink this morning?”
With a gentle thump against his chest with her hand, she said, “Jack, this is not funny!”
He wrapped his hands around hers. “That might well be, Sunshine, but I honestly have no idea what you’re trying to tell me.”
With a big exhale, Emma said, “I told Mrs. Gibbs I would look after Nadine.”
Jack raised his eyebrows. “Seriously? When do they expect you?”
“At one, for about one and a half hours.”
“I’ll cover for you,” he said without hesitation.
She turned towards him, finally able to smile a bit. “Really? But–”
He came closer to her face and said almost in a whisper, “You’ll owe me, though?”
And her smile disappeared. “How much?”
Jack touched her hands with his lips.
“Ho-o-o-ow much?” Emma drew out the words.
“You do the cooking and the kitchen for a week.”
Emma hesitated. And as she slowly removed her hands, she said, “I can’t believe you’re taking advantage of my brief lack of brain function.”
Jack laughed. “Lack of brain function? I’d have called it… hmm, let me think… ”
She slapped Jack against his chest yet again. “Only one week, though,” Emma said in defeat.
3
Emma quickly made a gesture with her thumb pointing to the door, to tell Jack she was off to look after Nadine. When she saw his thumbs-up, she took her sandwich and made her way to the staff lift at the back of the hotel and pressed the button. After only a few bites, she threw her lunch into the trash bin next to the lift before entering. Her knees weak and her stomach tight, no way was she able to keep anything down. Although she loved children, she wasn’t around them often enough to know how to look after one. Not to mention one who had a grandmother like Mrs. Gibbs. But she liked Nadine and was confident that they would pick up on their conversation from earlier that day.
Once she heard the ping of the lift informing her that she had arrived at the requested floor, Emma took a deep breath and stepped out. The hotel had covered the walls with classic art and huge vases along the walls. They looked out of place and too big within the small corridor. She shook her head and smiled as she looked out the window ahead of her, but the view was nothing less than the wall of the building next door. Emma wondered what people coming for a holiday would think of this sight. Turning to the right, she followed the hall towards the end to room five-o-two. She loved the feel of the newly laid carpet and the sponginess which made it soft to walk on.
Emma’s heart was thumping up near her throat. Taking a deep breath, she gently knocked on the door of the room occupied by the Gibbs couple. When the door was opened by Mr. Gibbs, his tired blue eyes seemed to lighten up a tad.
“Ah, hello. You must be Emma,” he said with a croaky voice.
Emma was slightly relieved at his unexpectedly warm welcome. “Yes, sir.”
“Come in,” he said as he opened the door and stepped aside.
Emma followed him inside the room. William Gibbs had a hunched walk with heavy steps, and Emma wondered how old he actually was. His grey eyes were dull, and his face lifeless. William still had a full head of hair, though grey in parts, and despite his stooped shoulders, it looked to Emma that his body was still in decent shape.
“Now, I hope you don’t get the wrong impression. We’re normally not leaving our little girl with just anybody, but Mr.–” William Gibbs rubbed his temple. “I can’t get used to being forgetful. Anyway, this man from this department–” He walked over to the desk and picked up a piece of paper. “Mr. Morgan!” He smiled in delight. “That’s him. Anyway, what was I saying? Now–”
Emma’s heart sank when she heard the name. “Mr. Morgan?” she reminded him carefully.
“Yes! Anyway, he spoke very highly of you.”
Emma wasn’t sure
what to think of his comment, but she very much doubted whether she would still have a job after this little babysitting stint. She noticed how Mr. Gibbs was staring at her.
“Where’s Nadine?” she asked sympathetically.
His face lit up. “That’s what I was supposed to tell you; our little princess is asleep. We had a bit of a late night, but she knows that you’ll be here when she wakes. In fact, she didn’t want to go to sleep at all when she heard that you’re coming. I think she likes you.” He smiled and then looked around the room. There it was again; his face lit up. “Ah, here t’is.”
Emma drew in her lips as she tried not to smile, watching him as he took his jacket, gave her a small note with contact details, and left. She smiled. Emma couldn’t believe how a couple could be so different. And then she remembered. Emma quickly picked up the phone and dialled reception.
“Reception,” Jack answered.
“Jack! I’m in even bigger trouble.”
“You wouldn’t by any chance be talking about Mr. Morgan?”
She almost dropped the phone. “How do you know?”
“He heard about your tiny brain mishap and came here. I just told him the truth. He seemed to be okay with it, but he did ask to leave a message for you to see him after your shift tonight.”
Emma sat on the chair with her hands slightly shaking. “Jack? Does that mean I lose my job?”
“I don’t think so. He seemed cool about it. Do us a favour and do this babysitting stuff and don’t worry, okay?”
“I owe you, Jack,” she said with a bit of relief.
“I know. And I can think of exactly what.”
Emma could only imagine the grin on his face, and she rolled her eyes at the thought that Jack was probably milking her misfortune to his advantange.
* * *
* * *
Flynn sipped at his coffee and studied Teresa Gibbs sitting in front of him. He wasn’t quite sure what he was doing there, or why he had agreed to come. An odd scent hung in the air, and Flynn couldn’t figure out what it was. Probably a mix of Teresa’s perfume, his own anxiousness to get out of there, and the aroma of coffee and cakes. Though an unusually pricey choice for Teresa to meet in the hotel café, he enjoyed its comforts. The interior was warm and modern as the rest of the hotel, yet cosy enough to sit back and relax. It was decorated in the same earthy colours as the lobby, though not as bright, and lit with only a few old-fashioned lamps in contrast to the modern paintings.
“What is this, Teresa?” he asked without looking at her.
“There’s no reason to get testy,” Teresa countered, signalling for William to join them as he entered the café.
“Look, I haven’t got all day. I’m very busy.”
Flynn raised his head slightly and nodded at William, who sat down opposite him. As he studied the man, he wondered if it was life with Teresa that made him look so much beyond his age. He couldn’t be older than sixty. Flynn took another sip and the corner of his mouth twitched into a grin as he remembered William’s fiftieth birthday party in the Gibbs’ backyard just outside Launceston – and his stomach ached as he thought of Sarah. It had been a while since memories had popped up in his head, but when he did, he missed her. William reminded Flynn so much of her.
Flynn had liked her from the first day he had seen her in high school after he had moved to Launceston with his parents. Her brown curly hair, the freckles she had desperately tried to cover with make-up. And her smile! He had never forgotten her smile.
“How’re you going, Will?”
“I can’t complain, son,” William smiled. “I retired last year and I’m glad we’re having–”
“William!” Teresa interrupted in a harsh voice.
Flynn’s mouth curved into a bitter smile as he shook his head. Nothing had changed between these two people. “Retired, eh?”
William nodded, but it seemed he knew better than to say anything else. They all watched the waiter as he placed another tray of tea onto the table. William dunked the teabag a few times, then took a sip. “You seem to be doing well, son.”
Flynn choked back a chuckle, and echoed the same sentiment. “Can’t complain.”
“Well,” Teresa interrupted. “We haven’t got all day, and we have to get back to the room soon.”
“Suits me fine.” Flynn replied nonchalantly.
“We need to talk to you about Sarah.”
Flynn’s eyebrows shot up as he turned to her. She had his attention. “How is Saz?”
“She died just after last Christmas,” Teresa said without any obvious emotions.
Flynn stared from Teresa to William and back, not really focussing on them. A heaviness centred in his chest, and as he buried his head in his hands a feeling of emptiness spread through his body. Choking him. Distressed at having lost her the second time, and this time for good.
4
As soon as Emma hung up the phone on Jack, the sound of Nadine’s small steps grabbed her attention. The young girl stood in the door holding tightly to her doll. Her hair was in a mess, and her cheeks red. Yawning wide, she came towards Emma – and Emma couldn’t help but smile.
“Hello Naddie.”
“Hello,” Nadine said with a sleepy voice, on the verge of another yawn. “Grandma gone?”
Emma picked her up and sat on the chair with the girl on her lap. “Your Grandma and Grandpa have gone to a meeting, but they told me you knew I was coming.”
Nadine beamed. “Yes.”
“I’m a bit new to this, so how about you tell me what you would like to do? Did you bring any other dolls?”
Nadine hopped off Emma’s lap. “Yes,” she said excitedly, while rushing into the bedroom. She came back with – what else! – her bag packed with dolls, and then emptied the contents onto the floor in front of Emma.
“I see,” Emma laughed. “You brought a whole town.”
Nadine quickly involved Emma in her imaginary story, and Emma couldn’t help but adore the girl for coping so well with the loss of her mother. After ordering some biscuits and milk for Nadine, they both sat down at the table and a corner of Emma’s mind wondered about the girl’s mother. She knew curiosity killed the cat, but asked anyway.
“Naddie, sweetie, what happened to your mum?” she asked carefully whilst having a bite of a biscuit. She watched Nadine cautiously, not wanting to upset the girl.
“Mum had to take medicine which made her lose her hair, and then she went to hospital, but never came back home,” Nadine said while breaking up some biscuits into pieces for her dolls.
Emma’s heart sank within her. Inwardly annoyed with herself for being so nosy, she sighed. After all, it wasn’t any of her business.
She stroked Nadine’s hair. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
The girl placed the glass of milk back onto the table, and with a weary smile she looked at Emma. “That’s okay,” she said quietly. “Would you like to see a photo of my mum?”
Emma tilted her head to the side. “I’d love to.”
Nadine hopped off the chair and as quickly as she had previously retrieved her bag with dolls out of the other room, she returned with a framed photo.
“That’s Mum and me on my birthday. I’m six!” Nadine beamed.
“She’s beautiful.”
“Grandma says she’s in heaven, but I know she’s with the rainbow fairies now.”
Emma smiled at that thought. “That’s the fairy with the boy who didn’t want to grow up, isn’t it?”
Nadine’s eyes opened wide. “No! That’s a tinker. Mum is now up in a rainbow and creates the beautiful colours in the sky.” The girl held onto the frame tight, and it caused Emma’s chest to squeeze as she thought of her own mother.
“How long are you staying here in Melbourne, Naddie?”
“Don’t know.” And while slowly taking the photo back into the other room, she whispered more to herself than Emma, “I probably won’t go back home again.” She stopped in the doo
rway and wiped her face with the back of her hand. “I miss her so much,” she added quietly.
Emma walked over to her, bent down on her knees, and took Nadine in her arms. “Shh, everything will be all right.” Emma stroked the girl’s hair and just held her for a while, until the young girl’s breathing slowed back into a steady rhythm.
“I don’t think Grandma loves me. She wants me to stay with my dad.”
“Oh, sweetie, I’m sure that’s not true.” Emma tried to smile and hoped her expression was comforting. “How can someone not love a beautiful girl like you?” She pulled Nadine even closer to herself. “I’m sure there’s a very good reason. It’s not easy to all of a sudden look after someone else again.”
Nadine gazed at Emma and through her misty eyes she said, “I like you. Will you be my friend?”
A genuine smile now across her face, Emma touched the girl’s nose. “I couldn’t think of anything nicer!” And no sooner had she said the words then her young friend wrapped her arms around Emma’s neck.
* * *
* * *
Flynn looked from Teresa to William. Deep lines of worry appeared on William’s face, and he slowly nodded. Flynn rubbed his face in disbelief. William reached over and placed his hand comfortingly on Flynn’s shoulder.
Flynn’s eyes stung and he couldn’t quite face them, but quietly asked, “What happened?”
“Cancer,” he heard Teresa saying, and for the first time Flynn thought he was able to detect some emotions.
With his back hunched, elbows on his knees, and his hands folded in front of his mouth, he sorted his thoughts – cancer! One tiny word, yet it had a devastating effect on him.
Flynn gave a sudden curse, then leaned back into the chair as he rubbed his eyes with his fingers.