by Mandy Magro
Fonzie fidgeted beside her, his little paws digging in the sand for hidden treasures, his tail wagging furiously as he waited for Summer to take him for a swim. Discovering a buried hermit crab, Fonzie tried to chase it down the minuscule hole, his snout submerged in the sand as he dug energetically, only to resurface with the hermit crab clinging like buggery to the end of his nose. Yelping, Fonzie pawed at it and the hermit crab let go and made a mad dash for freedom across the sand, sideways.
Summer looked down at her adorable pooch, laughing at the sight of him as he shook his head, his entire face covered in sand. Wriggling her eyebrows, she pointed to the water. ‘Come on then, buddy, let’s go have some fun before heading back to the house. I reckon it might be a good idea to rinse that sand off your noggin before you get it in your eyes.’
Fonzie didn’t need any further invitation as he dashed to the ocean, his mini dachshund legs going at top speed. Leaping through the air, his ears flying high, he landed in the shallows, diving beneath a wave, only to reemerge with salty sea foam on his head. Summer joined him in the water, enjoying the feeling of the waves breaking against her bare legs, throwing a stick only far enough for him to swim a few metres to fetch it. Looking towards where the water appeared to fall off the edge of the earth, her thoughts drifted to Dean and the way she had retreated from his loving advances last night. The hurt in his eyes had cut her. She would have to make it up to him somehow and soon, because in two days he’d be leaving her for three months. The very thought of not being able to see him, touch him, feel his lips upon hers, for such a long time almost made her heart crumble.
Wandering out onto the back verandah with a tray balanced in his hands, Dean sat down in the old cane chair beside his dad, his eyes watering from the brilliance of daybreak. He placed two cups of tea and a plate of toasted ham, tomato, cheese and onion sandwiches on the coffee table in front of them. Matilda joined them, enjoying a scratch behind the ears from Dean while eyeing off the food, then flopped down at Tony’s feet and closed her eyes, her pink tongue poking out the side of her mouth. Dean grinned down at her. It certainly was a dog’s life. He wondered how Indy was doing, and hoped the guys were giving her lots of love and attention while he was away. She was the only reason he looked forward to going back to war, especially now Tommy wasn’t there to brighten his days. His heart squeezed with the recollection of Tommy’s coffin going into the earth. Another life cut way too short. Just like his mum’s.
Dean pulled sunnies from his top pocket, and slipped them on then slouched back further into the couch, enjoying the summer dawn chorus of the kookaburras and the flashes of vivid colour as rosellas and lorikeets flitted from tree to tree. He watched with pleasure as the golden orb of fire slowly rose into the orange and apricot hued sky, bringing with it a beautiful warmth as day and night met fleetingly. The scattered clouds acquired shades of pink and crimson as dawn finally broke over the horizon in spectacular glory. Golden light oozed over the sweeping landscape of Whispering Meadows like syrup over damper, the morning dew sparkling on the grass and making the many cobwebs seem like they were adorned with rhinestones. This, to Dean, was heaven on earth.
The two men sat in comfortable silence; watching the dawn on New Year’s Day had been their ritual since Dean was a little boy. They never spoke through the sunshiny spectacle, both of them mesmerised by nature’s beauty. Although this morning, Dean’s attention kept wandering, the question he was about to ask his dad weighing heavily on his mind. Donald’s actions last night had shocked him, and his motives had to be more than those of a protective father. Dean was sure of it.
He took a few gulps of tea before turning in the chair to face Tony, his heartbeat beginning to pick up pace. ‘There’s something I need to talk to you about. And I want you to be completely honest with me, okay?’
Tony squinted beneath his spectacles as he met Dean’s gaze. ‘From the look on your face, it sounds pretty serious, Sage. I’m a little worried, but shoot … I’ll do my best. You know I’d never lie to you.’
Dragging a folded piece of paper from his pocket, Dean pulled it open and turned it around for his dad to read. Tony put his reading glasses on and leant forwards in his wheelchair. The colour drained from his face as he realised what Dean was holding. He sat back, his lips tense and nostrils flaring, hands that had been resting in his lap now clenched by his side. ‘That low-life bastard hasn’t changed one bit. Who does he think he is, trying to buy you?’ He motioned to the paper. ‘When did he give that to you, and what did he say when he did?’
Dean shrugged. ‘He gave it to me last night, at the party. He didn’t say much, just made it very clear that he would prefer me to stay away from his daughter and then offered me this fifty-thousand-dollar cheque to do it.’
Tony’s eyebrows shot up, his eyes wide. ‘You’re not going to bank that, are you son?’
‘Of course not! No amount of money could change how I feel about Summer. I love her, Dad, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. But tell me, why is Donald Milton so hell-bent on keeping me away from his daughter? The way you skimmed over the subject of knowing Summer’s mother is a little weird. What aren’t you telling me?’
Tony removed his glasses, placed them on the coffee table and then tersely rubbed his face, sighing. ‘Okay, here goes … You know how I said Summer’s mother and I were friends in high school?’
Dean fidgeted impatiently. ‘Yep.’
‘Well, Marie looked at me as more than just a good friend. She was in love with me, deeply in love, but I just didn’t feel the same about her because I was already in love with your mother. Marie tried to kiss me one night when she was a bit drunk and I had to tell her to forget the idea of us ever being together. She was devastated and never spoke to me again. I hated hurting her.’ Tony dropped his gaze to Matilda, his shoulders hunching. ‘Donald Milton lived down the street from Marie and he’d been trying to get her to go out with him for almost a year. He was a typical rich kid, always used to getting everything he wanted – including the girls – so it really pissed him off when he couldn’t get Marie because she was in love with me. Anyway, when the word spread that I had knocked her back, he moved in for the kill, at her most vulnerable time, and hooked her.’ Tony took a sip from his tea.
‘I’ve heard through the grapevine that she’s never really been happy with him. I feel for her – it must be horrible living your life with someone you’re not soul mates with.’
Dean blew air through his teeth as he slowly shook his head. ‘Shit, really? No wonder the bloke’s on tenterhooks, thinking his wife is going to be reunited with a man she was madly in love with years ago, especially if their marriage isn’t great. Although, it’s not a good enough reason in my eyes for him to try to keep me from Summer. It’s pretty bloody selfish.’ He stood and started pacing the verandah. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before, like when you met Summer? That would have been as good a time as any, don’t you reckon? You should have known it was going to come out eventually.’
‘I’m sorry, Sage. I just didn’t want to dredge the past up. I didn’t feel it was my place to speak of Marie’s feelings for me. And don’t get me wrong, Marie was a beautiful young woman, so if it weren’t for the fact I was madly in love with your mum, I would have fallen for her at the drop of a hat.’ He smiled nostalgically. ‘Summer looks exactly like her mother did at her age. And she’s got the same free spirit, too. Marie was never one for hoity-toity stuff; she was always too down to earth. I s’pose over time she’s gotten used to it, because a life with Donald means a life of living up to the image of being well-to-do.’
Matilda stirred, rolling onto her back with her paws dangling in the air. Dean knelt down to give her belly a rub, turning everything over in his mind before speaking. ‘Strewth, Dad, what a small world we live in. Who would have thought I’d fall for Marie’s daughter, hey? It’s as though fate was determined to bring us together.’
Tony nodded, chuckling. ‘Tell me about it. That�
��s what I meant in the kitchen when I said it was karmic. It’s shocked the shit outta me, that’s for sure.’ He took another mouthful of tea and then picked up a triangle of toasted sandwich. ‘Do you think Summer knows about her mum and me? And more importantly, does she know about that bloody cheque?’
‘Oh shit, no. I reckon she would have told me if she did. And there is no way in hell I’m going to tell her about the cheque. It’ll only create more friction between her and her dad, and I don’t want to be the cause of that. Blood is always thicker than water, or so they reckon, and I’m not going to risk telling her and then it coming back to bite me on the arse.’
Tony put the last of the sandwich in his mouth, licking his fingers as he did. ‘Good thinking, Sage, I don’t reckon it would benefit Summer to hear what her father is trying to do. And it’s up to her mother to tell her about me. It’s not our place to come between her and her family.’ Tony reached out and squeezed his son’s shoulder. ‘You just stick to your guns, and don’t let anything come between you and Summer, okay? That girl is worth fighting for.’
Dean grabbed a sandwich, finally feeling he could eat now they’d chatted. ‘You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know, Dad. I’d lay down my life for Summer. She’s everything to me. I never thought I could love a woman the way I love her, especially in just a couple of weeks. It’s like she’s the reason I was put on earth.’
‘Those are words of true love. I know, because that’s exactly how I felt about your beautiful mother. I knew the second I laid eyes on her that she was the one for me. I would give my life up this moment if it meant she could be back on this earth, living out her days. And even though she’s not around any more, I still love her more and more every day …’ Tony smiled at Dean, but his eyes spoke of the pain he felt deep inside, as tears begin to well.
Dean’s throat tightened with emotion, his arms reaching out for his father as Tony did the same, the pair of them embracing tightly with a few loving slaps on the back. Dean could feel Tony trembling, his father finally crumbling beneath the terrible weight he’d been carrying around since his mother’s death. And then what Dean had been praying for happened, the dam broke and tears spilled from Tony and trickled onto Dean’s shoulder.
As his own tears began to fall, Dean remained silent, feeling words weren’t appropriate right now. This was his dad’s time to grieve, to mourn the loss of the woman who had borne his children, shared so many of life’s ups and downs with him, and loved him with every bit of her heart and soul until her very last breath.
Wandering through the clean-up crew that had been hired to tidy up after the New Year’s Eve party, Summer spotted her mum beside the pool, chatting with the owner of the cleaning company. Smiling, she gave them a wave, and Marie beckoned for her to join them with a curl of her finger. Fonzie raced over and Marie bent to gather him into her arms, laughing as he gave her some doggy kisses.
‘Morning, ladies,’ Summer said.
‘Good morning, Miss Milton. I better get back to it, Marie,’ the smartly dressed woman replied before shuffling off to order her employees around.
Marie lifted her sunglasses, her eyes bloodshot. ‘Morning, Summer. Have you seen your father yet?’
The slight edge in her mother’s voice irked Summer, making her instantly defensive. ‘No, not yet, I was down on the beach doing some yoga, I’ve only just gotten back. Why? Is there a lecture coming my way?’
Tutting, Marie put Fonzie down. ‘Well, after the show Dean put on last night, assaulting Marcus in front of all our guests, what do you think? It was very embarrassing for your father and me, not to mention very awkward.’
‘That was not Dean’s fault. Marcus only has himself to blame. He was insulting me and Dean was protecting me. Anyway, after how Dad treated Dean, I really don’t care what he has to say. I’m tired of him thinking he can bully people into doing what he wants all the time, including me.’
‘That’s between you and your father, Summer. I have enough of my own stuff to deal with right now, including organising the cleaning. I’ll talk to you later. Your father is inside if you want to face up to the music. Up to you.’ And off Marie stalked, conviction in her every step.
Summer felt like screaming. Where was the gentle mother she had spoken to only a few days ago and why couldn’t her mum and dad show some confidence in her for once, instead of siding with the enemy? There was going to be a battle between herself and her father, and she was damn well ready for it. Gritting her teeth, she turned on her heel and stormed into the house with Fonzie scurrying loyally beside her.
Walking into the informal living room, Summer clutched Fonzie tighter to her hammering chest as she met eyes as thundery as her own. Very calmly, Donald closed the Time magazine he was reading and motioned for her to sit beside him on the couch. After years of being mayor, he was a master at keeping his cool, and today that annoyed Summer even more. With the mood she was in, she felt like an all-out war, not a cosy little chat where Donald once again manipulated her into getting his own way.
She stood her ground, defying his request to join him on the couch, the simple act annoying Donald, as his face took on a slight shade of red. Sensing Summer’s rage, Fonzie leapt from her arms and scuttled out of the room, his claws scrabbling to gain friction on the floor as he absconded.
‘Fine, Summer, remain standing if that’s what you wish. But I think, after bringing your riff-raff boyfriend to the party and the way in which he treated Marcus, you owe me and your mother, an apology. Yes?’
Like a firecracker that had been lit, Summer exploded in a flurry of words, her body trembling in anger. ‘How typical of you to assume Dean was the cause of the argument with Marcus. And how dare you demand an apology without even having the decency to ask me what happened.’ Summer shook her finger at her father. ‘Take my word for it, Marcus deserved what he got. He’s a pig of a man and I wouldn’t spit on him if he was on fire!’
Donald stood, arms crossed, his face contorting in anger. ‘Do not speak to me like that, Summer Milton. I am your father and you will show me some respect, especially when you’re under my roof.’
Summer huffed. ‘Respect? Why should I show you any respect after the way you treated Dean? You ought to learn that just because a man isn’t toffee-nosed like you, it doesn’t make him a bad person. Dean is a good man and I love him. And nothing you do or say is going to change that. Ever!’
Donald smirked as he sat back down and crossed his legs. ‘Really? Nothing will ever change it? We’ll see. And just remember, I’ve only got your best interests at heart. One day you might thank me for being the way I am.’
‘Thank you? Thank you? Yeah, right! Sometimes I wish you’d just come down from that high horse, Dad, and see that there are some things in life that money can’t buy … like true love.’
Donald picked the magazine back up, indicating the argument was over. ‘Oh, believe me, sweetheart; there’s a price for everything. You still have a lot to learn about life, and by the sounds of it, you are going to have some pretty hard lessons.’
Summer stomped her foot, her fists clenched at her sides. ‘Don’t “sweetheart” me, Dad. Not now. And just for the record, I’m not going to be an accountant either. I’m going to follow my own path in life and open my very own yoga studio in Edens Edge. And I’m moving in with Fi and Phillip and starting a casual job at his café in town next week.’
Donald waved his finger warningly. ‘Over my dead body, Summer Milton. There’s no way in hell I’m going to allow you to live with a gay man. And I’m—’
‘You need to get with the times, Dad,’ Summer cut him off, her voice harsh and filled with condemnation. ‘There is nothing wrong with homosexuality. Phillip is a lovely guy, with a heart of gold, and I will not stand here and let you berate him just because he’s gay.’ She choked back a sob. No way was her dad going to see her cry. ‘And the same goes for Vince; from now on, I will not stand by and listen to him putting Phillip down. How about le
arning to take a person for who they are, not because of their financial ranking or sexuality?’
Donald shook his head while pinching the bridge of his nose. Then, hands on hips, he began to pace the room. ‘I don’t need a lecture from you about my beliefs, Summer, and neither does Vince. I do not agree with the same sex being together and I never will.’ He stopped and turned to face her, his arms firmly crossed. ‘And, I’m not going to let you waste years of university just to work in a café and become a goddamn hippy who teaches yoga. You haven’t got the finances to support such a stupid idea anyway.’
‘I’ve got my inheritance from Pop coming to me in three months, and you have no say in what I spend it on, so just watch me!’ Summer shouted before turning her back on her father, hot tears stinging her eyes and rolling down her cheeks before she’d even gotten out of the living room. Racing down the hall, she ran up the stairs and towards the guest bedroom where hopefully Fiona and Bailey were now awake. She didn’t want to interrupt the two lovebirds, but she needed her best friend right now.
She rapped on the door a few times. ‘Toots, are you awake?’
‘Is that you, Sums?’ came a mumbled reply.
Shit, she’d woken them up. ‘Yup, sorry to bother you but I need your shoulder,’ Summer replied, her voice breaking as she began to sob.
In seconds Fiona was at the door, still doing up her robe, her hair looking like she’d stuck it out a car window at a hundred k’s an hour. She held out her arms, pulling Summer into a hug. ‘Let me guess, your dad?’
Summer nodded, her head still against Fiona’s cheek. ‘Uh huh.’
Bailey got up from the bed, his lop-sided smile and equally crazy bed hair enticing a smile through Summer’s tears. She gently pulled out of Fiona’s hug and gave him a wave. ‘Hey, Bailey.’
‘Hey, Sums, I’m just gonna jump in the shower, so don’t mind me. I think you guys need some alone time.’