The Banksia Bay Beach Shack

by Sandie Docker

  ‘I know. But this evening, when you were out having fun on the water, I overheard her asking Charlotte about you and me.’

  ‘About both of us?’

  Virginia rubbed her hands. ‘About our friendship.’

  ‘That can’t be good.’

  ‘Exactly.’

  Yvonne opened up the computer, and with a few swift movements of her fingers across the keyboard, something opened on the screen.

  ‘What are we looking for?’ Yvonne turned to her.

  ‘Anything we can find.’

  ‘I googled her when you asked me to before. There’s no Laura Hamilton that matches her.’

  ‘Is that normal? For a young person like her these days not to be on the line?’

  ‘Online,’ Yvonne corrected her. ‘Actually no. It is a bit strange.’

  ‘Try something for me, Yvonne. Look for Laura Prescott.’

  Yvonne gasped. Her fingers typed.

  Virginia watched as a list came up on the screen. They scrolled through and every time Yvonne opened a new article, Virginia read with increasing horror.

  Laura Prescott’s name was everywhere, a small photo often accompanying the articles. And not one page they opened had anything to do with travel.

  Yvonne pushed her seat back and Virginia stood up and paced the room.

  She had trouble breathing.

  ‘She’s an investigative journalist.’ The words barely came out of Virginia’s mouth. ‘She knows. She has to.’

  ‘We don’t know that for sure.’ Yvonne stood up too. ‘Maybe . . . maybe . . .’

  Virginia waited. Sweet Yvonne, always looking for the good. She was unlikely to find any in this situation, though.

  Her face fell. ‘Shit, Virginia. What are we going to do?’

  ‘We’re going to have to do some investigating of our own.’

  Virginia slumped into the chair and Yvonne put her arms around her. Normally she’d swat Yvonne away, keep her at a safe distance. But there was no safe distance now.

  It looked like their past was about to catch up with them.

  January 1963

  In the early morning light, Gigi walked quietly around the caravan park, completing the chores she knew wouldn’t disturb the guests – cleaning the shower block, picking up the litter left behind by those who’d moved on. She would empty the bins later, the heavy metal lids clanged loudly no matter how carefully she lifted them.

  Out the front of his caravan, Arthur was bent over a small gas camping stove. Gigi put down her bucket and walked over to him.

  ‘That smells good,’ she said, and he stood up to greet her.

  ‘Scrambled.’ He stirred the eggs in the small frypan. ‘They were Elaine’s favourite. Would you like some?’

  Gigi knew it would be impolite to impose on him, but she hadn’t eaten breakfast, and after tossing and turning all night she was genuinely hungry.

  ‘Oh, no, I couldn’t.’ Then a sound, something like a dog growling, came from her stomach.

  ‘I think maybe you could. Please. I’d enjoy the company.’

  The delicious smell of the eggs cooking did not, unfortunately, match the taste. They were like rubber and had a strange metallic flavour to them. Gigi didn’t say anything, though. Arthur looked so proud of himself. She simply thanked him and told him how much she appreciated him sharing his breakfast with her. Which she did. The sentiment, at least.

  ‘So tell me, Arthur. Where are you heading to after this? When summer ends?’

  Arthur raised a finger, pushed himself out of his chair and disappeared into the caravan. When he came back he was holding a large, folded-up map. He cleared the tiny camping table and laid the map out, the sides spilling over the edge.

  It was a map of Australia, with a long red pen line that looped its way all around the country.

  ‘That is some journey.’ Gigi put her hands on her hips, impressed.

  ‘Now that I’ve started, I just can’t wait to get all the way around.’

  ‘How long do you think it will take you?’ Gigi looked at all the towns and cities. Some she’d heard of: Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, of course. Some she hadn’t: Tanunda, Busselton, Woorim. She didn’t count them, but there had to be at least one hundred stops marked along the winding route.

  ‘I suspect many years.’ His voice was wistful and there was a sadness in his eyes. ‘I may not get to all of them, but where there’s breath, there’s hope.’

  Gigi wondered if he had any intention of making it home at all, or if he would simply wander endlessly until the good Lord decided to take him. Perhaps it wasn’t such a bad way to spend the last of one’s twilight years.

  ‘Will you do something for me, Arthur?’ Gigi turned to him.

  ‘Anything, love.’

  ‘Will you send me a postcard? From every place you stop in?’

  Arthur’s eyes lit up. ‘Of course. It would be my pleasure.’

  There were still chores to be done, so Gigi excused herself. As the rest of the park guests began to stir, she put away her bucket and prepared to empty the rubbish bins. One day she would cast embarrassment aside and actually put a peg on her nose for the job.

  Once her chores were done, Gigi cleaned up, grabbed her knapsack and filled it with the requisite supplies, before swinging by the holiday house to collect Lily. Together they walked up the beach, letting the waves splash their legs despite how cold the water was.

  ‘You seem pretty chirpy this evening.’ Gigi turned slightly to face her friend.

  Lily’s face went bright red. ‘Do I? I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  ‘Don’t play games with me, Lillian Woodhouse. I know you better than you think I do. And that silly grin across your face is a dead giveaway that something’s happened.’

  It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that whatever had happened had something to do with Richard. He was the only one who could cause such a tragic doe-eyed look like that.

  And it was starting to get on her nerves.

  There was no doubt he made Lily happy. Any fool could see that. And Gigi supposed he was an all-right bloke, as far as blokes went – though he was a little too self-assured for her liking. It wasn’t him so much that upset her, but the fact that Lily spent so much time with him. Away from her. She was jealous.

  ‘Okay. Yes, Richard came over this morning. He took Daddy and me over to Ocean Heights for morning tea. It was really quite lovely, and he and Daddy got on so well.’

  Gigi changed the subject. ‘Are we still on tomorrow? For our walk along the south track and a picnic?’

  Lily nodded.

  Gigi didn’t think Lily would back out. But it seemed Richard was escalating things. Taking out Senator Woodhouse? Why couldn’t Richard and the Prescott’s holiday somewhere else? Anywhere else.

  Still. She wouldn’t let thoughts of that man ruin tonight. The most special night of all summer nights. When Lily’s stuffy parents let her stay over at the fishing shack.

  They strolled arm in arm up the sand towards the weathered hut, sleeping bags and pillows under their arms, a stash of popcorn and chocolate in the hessian knapsack Gigi carried on her back.

  Gigi’s dad had left the wooden pallets out the front of the shack as their makeshift deck. As good a job as he always did cleaning the fishing shack before the girls had a sleepover, he couldn’t ever quite eliminate the smell completely, so Gigi and Lily chose to sleep outside, using the shack to wash up in if needed. They also stored their food on the benches in there, making it harder for the crabs that liked to scuttle up the sand and steal their supplies when the tide turned.

  Ian had also left a few lanterns out for them so they’d have some light during the night.

  They ate the popcorn as soon as they set up their sleeping bags, and lay back against their pillows watching the sky over the ocean begin to fade from white-blue to soft orange.

  ‘Should we try to catch our supper?’ Gigi leapt up and headed into the shack to grab
their rods.

  ‘Is there any point?’ Lily groaned.

  ‘Always.’ Gigi dragged her down the beach.

  An hour later and the fish still weren’t biting. Gigi’s tummy was beginning to rumble and Lily was shuffling in the sand next to her, clearly not happy about their situation. Giving up, they headed back to the shack.

  As they got closer, Gigi could see a familiar figure standing on the deck waiting for them. Her stomach tightened.

  ‘I won’t intrude.’ Costas bowed his head as the girls hung up their rods. ‘I was just out fishing before and caught way too much for just my family. If you want them . . .’ He held up two large snapper. ‘They’re cleaned and ready to go.’

  ‘You are a lifesaver.’ Gigi took the fish from him. Their hands touched briefly as she did and her cheeks burned red. Thankfully the light was all but gone and they hadn’t lit the lanterns yet. ‘We were facing the very real prospect of chocolate for dinner. Not that that is an entirely bad prospect.’

  Costas laughed and Gigi had to turn away.

  ‘Thank you, Costas,’ Lily said, maintaining a certain yet polite distance.

  ‘Rightio, then. Enjoy your evening, ladies.’ He bowed and walked off into the dark.

  ‘I guess he returned,’ Lily whispered, as she stepped up beside Gigi.

  Gigi hadn’t mentioned to Lily that Costas was back. She felt awful, keeping it a secret, but it was better that way. Really.

  ‘Please don’t tell me you’re harbouring a silly schoolgirl crush for that . . . boy, Gigi. You cannot possibly be flirting with the idea that he’s an acceptable suitor.’

  Gigi turned around and put her hands on her hips. She knew what was coming next and she really didn’t want their night to be ruined.

  Lily took in a deep breath, but her voice faltered. ‘It’s just . . . well, you know. He’s . . .’

  ‘Don’t half-say it, Lily.’ Gigi wouldn’t let her get away with that. She would force her to confront her ugly thoughts.

  ‘He’s Greek.’ Lily whispered the word like muttering it would invoke a curse. ‘An outsider.’

  ‘Yes. He always has been. Ever since I’ve known him.’ Gigi would not take this. Not even from her best friend. ‘And he’s been my friend since then, too.’

  ‘I know that. And I’m not a bigot. Really. He does seem like a lovely chap. For a foreigner. I just think, maybe you can do . . . better. Like Todd.’

  Oh, here she goes again. Gigi knew that if they discussed this any further, she was risking her friendship with Lily. She also knew that if she could only get them to spend some time together, Lily would see that Costas was a great guy and didn’t deserve her misinformed opinions. What did her dad always say? ‘You can’t change people’s minds by beating them over the head. You have to change their experience, and that will change their mind.’

  But how did she make that happen?

  She turned back to the barbecue and emptied the bag of sawdust into the bowl below the grill plate. Ian had taught her how to stoke it just right to get it to burn properly. Then she added a few sprigs of oregano that Costas had snuck her from his garden to infuse a delicious flavour into the fish.

  ‘Costas doesn’t like me like that, anyway,’ Gigi said, as she put the fish on the barbecue. It hurt to admit it out loud. The truth often did. Every time she thought they were getting close, he pulled away. Still, she had to try to come up with ways for Lily to get to know Costas. He may not like her in that way, but he was a friend, and would always be part of her life. Just like Lily would be.

  ‘Are you sure you’re just friends?’ Lily stepped beside her.

  ‘Yes.’

  Lily raised her eyebrows, but didn’t say whatever she was thinking. Which was probably just as well.

  ‘Let’s go for a quick swim before we eat.’ Gigi had to salvage their night. She jumped up and stripped off her overalls, her old swimsuit underneath.

  Lily stood and removed her dress, revealing a brand-new costume.

  ‘Race you.’ Gigi giggled, and they ran towards the sea, laughing all the way.

  The water was cold as they splashed in the waves and Lily stopped when it reached her knees. Gigi kept going until she was so deep she couldn’t touch the bottom.

  ‘Come back,’ Lily called. ‘Don’t leave me.’

  For a moment Gigi hesitated, wishing she could float out to sea, where life was surely simpler than here on land.

  ‘Gigi!’ Lily’s voice carried across the waves.

  Gigi took a breath and dived under the water, where it was silent and dark and nothing else existed. She pushed her way through, staying under as long as she could, popping back up right next to Lily.

  ‘Don’t ever do that to me again. I thought you’d drowned.’ Lily hugged her tightly. ‘I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.’

  Gigi laced her fingers with Lily’s and they walked back up the sand. ‘You’ll never have to find out.’ She bumped Lily’s hip gently. ‘Sisters of Summer, remember?’

  Dried off, they lay under the stars with bellies full of delicious fish, and just a little chocolate. Gigi looked up to the moon, which was now directly above them. She’d sleep outside every night if her parents let her. The air was warm and heavy, and the cicadas droned on. She didn’t mind their noise when she was out here under the stars.

  ‘You know,’ Lily said, ‘this old fishing shack could be so much more.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Gigi turned onto her side.

  ‘Well, look at this location. What if it were a restaurant?’

  Gigi snorted. The only restaurant in town, if you could even call it that, was the pub. Banksia Bay wasn’t really a restaurant sort of place.

  ‘Okay.’ Lily realised her mistake. ‘What about a book store? We could run it together.’

  The thought of running a business with her best friend sent goosebumps pricking all over Gigi’s tanned skin. ‘Or a milk bar? Aren’t they all the rage these days?’

  Lily clapped. ‘Maybe when your dad retires, we could turn this into a milk bar and sell milkshakes to the tourists and we could put a pinball machine in the corner.’

  Gigi could see it now, the two of them running The Milk Shack. They could even put chairs out the front. There was only one problem.

  ‘Dad’s going to fish till the day he dies, and then Ian will probably take over the boat.’

  ‘Hmm. We might have to give this some more thought. Maybe I can ask Richard tomorrow. He’s so smart. I’m sure he can think of something. Wouldn’t it be fun to have a little summer business together?’

  Okay. There were two problems. Richard didn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d think this was a good idea at all.

  The cicadas continued their evening song, long after they should have gone to bed. It was going to be a hot night, so Gigi threw open her sleeping bag.

  ‘I think I love him, you know,’ Lily whispered into the night.

  Gigi had figured that out ages ago. ‘And does he love you?’

  ‘I hope so.’

  ‘Me too.’ Gigi let out a long silent breath and Lily reached across the dark and took her hand.

  Dawn broke and Gigi stirred. Quietly she started rolling up her sleeping bag. Lily always slept longer than she did.

  She tidied up their rubbish and packed down the barbecue. Perched against the shack wall, she watched the sunrise while she waited for Lily to wake. All night she’d dreamed of what they could do with this place one day – some brightly coloured paint, chairs out the front, a milk bar or a gift shop selling Banksia Bay key rings – and the thought filled her with joy. Even if there were two rather significant potential issues with the concept. Gigi just knew that if they really put their minds to it, they could come up with a solution.

  The first of the morning surfers hit the waves as she watched on, Ian among the group.

  Lily began to stir. ‘Morning.’ Peeling herself out of the sleeping bag, she stretched her long, slender arms.

  �
�The weather looks perfect for our trek today.’ Gigi handed her a vegemite sandwich she’d packed yesterday. They always had a vegemite sandwich for breakfast when they camped out.

  She helped Lily pack up their things and they headed back to the rental before setting off for the day.

  Even though it was technically her house – well her parents’ at least – Gigi never went inside when renters were holidaying there. And the Woodhouses never invited her in. She knew how Lily’s family felt about the tomboy daughter of the local fisherman. And while they never once stopped Lily from spending time with her – she suspected they were secretly happy she was occupied for the summer, leaving them to do whatever rich adults did when they didn’t have a kid in tow – they also never extended anything other than the civility of practiced politeness her way.

  She stood at the bottom of the path, waiting for Lily to come out. And she waited. And waited.

  What was taking so long? Even Lily didn’t need this much time to get ready. They really should get on their way before it got too hot.

  She took a step forward, then stopped. She could just knock on the door, softly, and ask if Lily was ready. But she didn’t want to intrude.

  She turned around. Three times. Stepped forward. Then back.

  And she waited.

  After what felt like hours, though the sun was nowhere near its peak, the door opened and a resplendent-looking Lily stepped out onto the verandah. There really was no other word for it. Resplendent. She was wearing a teal and white polka-dot swing dress with white gloves and a teal headband. Her hair was perfectly turned under and she had little white heels on. Heels!

  She wiped away a stray tear and walked towards Gigi.

  ‘Oh, Gigi. You won’t believe what’s happened. Richard is here. He came by this morning to ask Daddy for my hand. We’re heading off now to meet his family for tea and he’s going to propose.’ Tears, happy tears, fell from her eyes.

  ‘Stop that. Or your make-up will run.’ Gigi handed her a handkerchief.

  Lily giggled. ‘I’m so sorry, Gigi. We won’t be able to go trekking today after all.’

  Gigi threw her arms around her best friend, and then released her, afraid she was going to crumple her perfection. ‘Don’t be silly. This is far more important. Congratulations.’ She squeezed Lily’s gloved hands.