Kakadu Sunset

by Annie Seaton

  David raised an eyebrow when he pulled out the first suitcase. ‘You really need this much for two weeks?’

  ‘Don’t forget the other bag on the floor of the back seat too,’ Gina said with an airy wave of her hand. ‘It’s full of toys.’

  He grinned and her stomach did a little flip. She was carrying their third child, and even with all the worry surrounding them at the moment, he could still entice her with that sexy smile. Problem was she didn’t get to see it – or him – much lately. ‘You should know by now what I’m like when it comes to travelling.’

  ‘Everything but the kitchen sink, I know.’ As his phone rang with an incoming call, David put the suitcase down and moved away, his voice quiet as he turned his back to Gina and the children.

  ‘Come on, you guys. Let’s go explore our room while Daddy is on the phone.’ She held the children’s hands and looked at David, her stomach sinking as she listened to his conversation. ‘Then we’ll go and get our ice-creams.’

  ‘I could meet you there this afternoon.’ David’s words reached her even though he spoke quietly. He turned and held her gaze, and Gina’s cheeks burned as she read the plea in his eyes.

  ‘The bar where the cruise boats leave the harbour?’ He glanced down at his watch with a frown. ‘Yes, five o’clock will be fine.’

  Gina turned away from David and left him to see to their luggage as he ended the call.

  ‘Mummy!’ Andrew protested as she hurried the children across to the building where their suite was located.

  Dropping Andrew’s hand, she swiped the card across the lock, her movement jerky, reflecting the anger that was building in her. So he’d intended spending the weekend with them and she’d fallen for his promise? The cold air of the foyer rushed out to meet her when she pushed the door open and Gina welcomed the chill on her burning skin. She sat the children on the floor inside the suite and went back to hold the door open while David made three trips back and forth from the car, filling the foyer with their luggage.

  Not a word was spoken until he brought in the last bag, and Gina closed the door of the suite where she and the children would be spending God-knew-how-long until David decided they could go home. She settled the children in front of a cartoon on cable television with a banana each, once again promising ice-cream, and when they were settled she went back into the kitchen. David was leaning against the stone counter top, waiting for her. He opened his arms but she ignored him, walking over to the kettle and filling it with water while she tried to contain her temper.

  ‘Where’s your bag?’ She looked at the pile of luggage stacked neatly inside the door.

  ‘I left it in the car. I’ll come back for the day tomorrow, and spend it with you. I have to go to this meeting.’

  She arched her eyebrow before turning away to rifle through a container of exotic tea bags. ‘Don’t bother. I’d hate for you to go out of your way for us.’

  Gina closed her eyes as she waited for the water to boil and shrugged David’s hand away when he gently touched her on the shoulder. She opened her eyes, staring out through the large window, and watched a family group cross the lawn to the pool area. She couldn’t hear their laughter but she could see the happiness on their faces as the couple watched two children run to the side of the sparkling pool.

  ‘You’ve changed so much, David.’ She flinched as he slid his arms around her from behind and dropped his chin onto her shoulder. ‘Tell me what’s going on. Show me you can trust me. What you are showing me now is that we are no longer important to you and you have dumped us out here in the wilds where we won’t bother you.’

  His laugh held no amusement. ‘It’s nothing to do with trusting you. I just don’t want to frighten you.’

  Uncertainty made her chest ache as his voice shook and she turned around in his arms. ‘Then tell me what it happening. Please.’

  David dropped his forehead to rest against hers. ‘I made a stupid mistake and signed a document I shouldn’t have. Now I’m being pressured to uphold a decision in a committee meeting that may have consequences.’

  ‘So?’ Gina wrinkled her brow and waited for David to continue. ‘Can’t the other members of the committee see it is not a good decision?’

  His breath was warm against her face and he didn’t answer. Screams and laughter carried in from the television show in the living area and Binny’s cute little chuckle followed soon after.

  ‘David, you’ve always followed your judgement, and your integrity is one of the reasons you got to be Chief Minister at such a young age. You know that. How can you doubt you are doing the right thing this time?’

  ‘I wish it was so easy. There’s more than that.’ He leaned back and the fear settled into Gina’s stomach as he held her gaze. ‘A very powerful man has threatened to hurt the children if I don’t recommend approval for a boundary change that could result in mining at the edge of the national park.’

  ‘Who has? What the hell are you talking about?’ She pushed away from his gentle hold. ‘How dare you not say that to . . . I mean . . . tell me that before. And you were just going to leave us here alone and go back to the city? Without warning me to be careful?’ Gina sought the right words, her voice becoming increasingly shrill. When she was really upset, her English deserted her and she would lapse into her native Italian. ‘How dare you play with us, with la nostra sicurezza, with . . . with . . . our lives, just to run your precious Territory?’ Her voice hitched on a sob and she pulled away from his hold. ‘Our bambini, David. You risk them for what? A fucking piece of land?’

  ‘Listen to me. No one knows you’re here. It’s safe here and –’ David’s voice was quiet and it was his calm that fuelled Gina’s anger even more. He ran his hand through his hair and then reached for her again, but she balled her fists and struck at his chest. David grabbed for her hand but she folded her arms.

  ‘Who are they?’ Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at him and she blinked them away. ‘Tell me.’

  ‘Keep your voice down.’ The patience in his voice despite his commanding words pissed her off even more. How could he be so calm? She and the kids were just there for him to be with at his whim, and she knew they always came second to his precious political career.

  ‘What are you going to do?’ Gina whispered and brushed away the tears that were now running down her cheeks. ‘I know you so well, David, and I love you for your high ideals. You will do the right thing as I would wish you to.’ She stared at him and her voice was cold. ‘But if anything happens to our children, I will never forgive you.’

  Chapter 8

  Saturday

  Makowa Lodge

  Kane pushed open the door to the administration block of the lodge, and welcomed the cool air on his face. He lifted his hand and wiped away the beads of perspiration on his brow, although the sweat probably had more to do with the pain in his damned hip than the heat of the day outside. The walk into the waterfall yesterday had left him with a nagging ache down his leg, and he’d barely slept after he’d come back from a late visit to the farm – his mind fogged with pain and worry until he’d finally resorted to painkillers in the early hours.

  Concern about what this job was going to require of him was interspersed with thoughts of his mother stuck in that rundown dump by herself, and of the fact that Ellie Porter had somehow snuck through his defences.

  He was hoping Jock worked Saturdays; he needed to ensure that he wasn’t rostered on to fly anymore. That misunderstanding needed to be cleared up or he would be out of here in a flash. The office was empty and he was relieved that Heather wasn’t there striking her Marilyn Monroe pose in the doorway. She seemed like a friendly enough person, if a bit over the top with the come-hither glances.

  Kane wasn’t interested in making connections. As soon as Mum was on the road to recovery, he was out of here. Where to, he wouldn’t know that until he moved on. He had no interest in the social bonding that was always a part of isolated work places. It had been different
in the Army; there you relied on others just to stay alive. They’d had good times together in the mess – as much as you could have in the middle of a war.

  A single drop of perspiration ran down his cheek.

  He squeezed his eyes shut but the flashback slammed in without warning.

  ‘Look out. Lift up, lift up.’ Hawk’s voice was steady but Kane sensed his navigator’s fear in the same instant that the machine gun fire ripped through the oil lines of his chopper.

  ‘Brace, brace.’ His yell drowned in the thin, high-pitched scream as the bullets penetrated the airframe and smashed through Hawk’s body. Surprise filled her eyes as her life drained away. The smell of her blood mixed with the acrid stink of the burning oil. Not my fault. Nothing I could –

  Kane swallowed and forced the image away, focusing on the stand in front of him. Postcards, small stuffed animals and books about Kakadu filled the racks and he reached out and picked up a small green crocodile with huge teeth and a happy smile. He held it loosely, letting the soft fur brush against his fingers.

  ‘Hey, there. Do you need a hand?’

  He put the crocodile back on the stand and walked over to the high counter.

  ‘I was wondering if Jock was about.’ Kane glanced at the name badge on the woman’s chest. ‘Hi, Jan. I’m Kane McLaren. I’m working over at the hangar.’

  ‘Nice to meet you.’ She held her hand out and he shook it. ‘Sorry, but Jock’s not here on weekends. He’s got a place in Darwin and he won’t be back till Monday.’

  ‘Okay, thanks, I’ll catch up with him, then.’ He turned to leave, but like seemingly everyone else in this place, Jan was on for a chat.

  ‘Are you staying in the staff apartments?’

  Kane nodded. ‘For a while.’

  ‘Where are you from?’

  ‘Brisbane.’ He glanced down at his watch and forced a friendly smile to his face. ‘You?’

  ‘Oh, I’m from Jabiru. A died-in-the wool-local.’ She winked at him. ‘Anything you need to know about the place, just ask.’

  ‘Thanks.’ He tried to think of something else to say but the art of social chit-chat had left him a long time ago. Rescue came in the form of a fluffy toy. There was another pile of them in a small basket on the counter and he reached out and picked up one of the soft green crocodiles. ‘I’ll have one of these. A memento of Kakadu.’

  As she took it from him, his gaze dropped to the assortment of Cadbury chocolate blocks on display along the front of the counter, and he picked one up and passed it over to her. If he couldn’t see Jock, he’d go for a drive to the farm and see his mother.

  The thought of spending the day alone in the lodge didn’t appeal and it also meant there was more chance of running into Ellie. From now on, he’d shut himself off. Do his job. Look after the choppers and put his energy into taking care of Mum. And stay away from temptation – even though her apartment was only three doors away from his.

  ‘Chocoholic?’ Jan rang up his purchases and he shook his head as he passed over a note.

  ‘Sure am.’ He hated the stuff, but he wasn’t going to say it was for his mother. That would open up a whole new conversation.

  Two hours later Kane stood on the porch of the old farmhouse. He’d loaded his Jeep with groceries from the small IGA supermarket in Jabiru. Last night Mum had apologised that she couldn’t offer him a meal because she hadn’t been well enough to go shopping. He stared out over the dam and bit hard on the inside of his cheek, holding back the words that he knew would hurt his mother. What the fuck was she doing here by herself in this dump when she had a beautiful home on the beach in Darwin?

  Susan sat behind him on an old sofa that looked as though the rats had been in the stuffing. Balls of white fluffy filling covered the verandah, and there were animal droppings scattered through it. Finally, he ran his hand through his hair and composed himself to speak.

  ‘So Panos is taking up farming?’ He kept his voice light as he walked over and sat beside her. Today her weight loss was much more apparent. On his first visit he’d tried to have a conversation about her illness, but she’d insisted she was fine and that the monthly visit to the hospital for her ‘treatment’ – she wouldn’t give him any details – was only for a short time and she was on the road to recovery.

  She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so. Why do you ask?’

  ‘I heard there was some work happening here.’

  ‘Oh, he said there might be some trucks; there’s a new dam going in down the back. Who were you talking to?’

  ‘One of the pilots at the lodge used to live here. She noticed them when she drove past the other day.’

  ‘That would have to be one of the Porter girls.’ Susan sat up straight and her eyes sparked with interest. ‘Let me see. Was it Ellie?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Oh, Kane. She’s a lovely girl. Her father died about the time I met Panos. It was such a tragedy.’

  ‘Tragedy?’ He couldn’t help himself.

  ‘Her father committed suicide and the family was left with nothing but debt.’

  ‘So how did Panos end up with the farm?’

  ‘He bought it to help them out. One of the sisters was away at university, and the other one was about to finish school. That young Dru was such a wild one.’ She shook her head. ‘Their mother had a bit of a breakdown when Peter died, and Panos bailed them out financially.’ She reached over and took his hand. ‘All families have their hard times.’

  Kane grunted an acknowledgement.

  ‘Are you feeling better now that you’ve left the Army behind you?’

  ‘Better? Me? I’m fine.’ Apart from the flashbacks. ‘It’s you we have to take care of.’ He took the opportunity that presented itself. ‘Mum? Why are you here on your own? Where’s Panos?’

  His mother’s hand gripped his and she turned her head away, but not before he caught the flash of tears in her eyes.

  ‘We made some bad investments. You know, the GFC and all that.’

  ‘And?’ Kane held his tongue. His mother and Panos had married the first year he had been overseas on his first tour, which was well after the economic turmoil of the GFC.

  She lifted her chin and this time she held his gaze steadily. ‘We had to sell our house at Cullen Bay to pay some debts that had accumulated.’

  ‘Your house.’

  ‘Our house. Panos is my husband. We owned this place so it made much more sense to move here rather than buy a smaller place in Darwin.’

  ‘So you’re not here by yourself?’

  ‘He stays in his electoral office in the city during the week and comes home weekends.’

  Kane looked around innocently. ‘So where is he? It’s Saturday.’

  ‘He had . . . he had . . . a meeting today, so he’ll probably come tomorrow.’

  ‘Good.’ Kane’s voice was clipped because he knew exactly what sort of meeting was on in Darwin today – it had been on the front page of the Darwin Sun this morning. There was a big winter meeting at the racecourse and Panos would be there with bells on. He bit back the anger that stuck in his throat. Mum was in this dump, and her husband had left her here alone – as sick as she was? His mother always had been perceptive and she turned to him, reading his thoughts.

  ‘He calls to check on me every day, so I’m fine.’ Her hands were icy as she held his hand. ‘You worry too much.’

  He’d be calling Panos as soon as he got out of here and giving him a piece of his mind.

  *

  Despite the pregnancy bump in front of her, Gina all but floated back to the suite, gliding on the memory of the massage. After they had argued, David had picked up the hotel phone and enquired about a booking for her. She’d scrubbed at her eyes; if he could get an appointment, he could damn well look after the kids. She didn’t want to be anywhere near him at the moment. Luckily the day spa had been able to take her straight away.

  ‘Mummy is going have some time out while we have an ice-cream. And then how abou
t a swim?’ David had held her gaze when the two children rushed across to him and wrapped their arms around his legs. Gina’s mood softened marginally though the fear still gripped her stomach like a vice. David tickled Andrew and he giggled, running away back into the television room. ‘Then we’ll come back here and you can have a nap, okay?’ He ruffled Binny’s hair and she scarpered back into the living room behind her brother. Gina held David’s gaze and put her hands on her stomach as the baby landed a good kick to one of her ribs.

  ‘We’ll talk later, I promise.’ His voice was gentle but firm.

  ‘All right. I’m sorry for yelling.’

  The massage had been just what she’d needed and calm had stolen over her as the long, firm strokes of the masseur had loosened the muscles in her shoulders, arms and legs. Gina laughed as the woman had held up the special pillow so she could lie on her stomach. As she’d lain there with her eyes closed, some of her worry had dissipated. She had to trust David, but she was still angry that he hadn’t told her earlier what was going on. The last thing she wanted was to be protected from reality. She’d had enough of being treated as a fragile female by her father – and her brothers – as she’d grown up, the only daughter in a boisterous Italian household.

  The massage was followed by a facial, and it was obvious that the staff didn’t get many pregnant clients through the day spa as the technician adjusted the chair and Gina tipped slowly backward.

  She clutched the sides of the chair when her head tipped back lower than her feet and a wave of vertigo hit her. ‘Can you sit me up a bit higher please? Not good for the blood flow.’ She placed one hand on her eyes and took a deep breath, placing the other hand on her stomach.

  The young girl adjusted the chair and reached to the table at the side. All was quiet as soft fingers rubbed a cool cream into Gina’s face. She closed her eyes and the room went dark as the girl laid rounds of cucumber and thin slices of cotton gauze on her closed eyelids.

  ‘Your face is glowing and your skin is quite full and firm.’

  ‘Thank you. It’s called pregnancy.’ Gina smiled and settled more comfortably into the chair, relaxing as the girl’s fingers gently massaged her temples. The time passed slowly as her face was scrubbed, masked and exfoliated. For a while, she drifted off into a light doze when she was left alone with only the soft harp music surrounding her.