The Banksia Bay Beach Shack

by Sandie Docker

  As she was doing the washing-up, there was a knock on the cabin door. Mum answered it and greeted Todd. Todd?

  ‘Evening, Mrs Gilbert. I was wondering if I might have a word with Gigi?’

  ‘Of course.’

  Mum motioned that Gigi could speak with Todd outside, ignoring the look of horror on her daughter’s face.

  Gigi stepped out of the cabin. ‘What do you want, Todd?’ She stood with her hands on her hips.

  ‘To apologise, actually.’ He looked at his feet in the dirt. ‘I shouldn’t have said what I said today, done what I did.’

  ‘No, you shouldn’t have.’

  ‘It’s just . . .’ He stepped towards her and she could smell the faint hint of alcohol on his breath. ‘Dad’s making me go into the force. You don’t understand the pressure. And the fellas were egging me on. I just . . . I’m sorry.’

  Gigi looked at the little boy in front of her, scared and confused, and believed his apology was genuine. In his mind at least.

  ‘That’s no excuse, Todd.’

  ‘I know. I’m sorry. I’ll go now. Just tell me one thing, though, Gilbert. You’re not really keen on that wog, are you?’

  Gigi refused to answer. It was none of his business. She stared at him in silence.

  ‘Are you kidding me?’ He tried to keep his voice low. ‘Damn it, girl.’ He threw his hands in the air. ‘People round here won’t take too kindly to you fraternising with a dirty wog, you know.’

  ‘Goodnight, Todd.’ Gigi turned and headed back into the cabin.

  Inside, Mum was getting ready for bed. A chill in the air blew through the open windows of the cabin. Autumn was definitely here.

  Gigi slipped a cardigan over her overalls, assured Mum she had no homework and that she’d be back before it was too late, then headed up the headland to her secret spot. The beach was deserted below, not a fisherman or surfer in sight.

  She lay back in the long grass and looked up as the first stars began to poke through the evening sky.

  ‘Virginia?’

  She sat up. Costas was standing over her.

  ‘I was hoping you’d come by tonight.’

  Her skin tingled at the sight of him. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, but the last time she’d seen him, he’d pushed her away. ‘Hi. Thank you for the apple today.’

  ‘I heard there was a bit of trouble.’ From his pocket he pulled out the tattered pieces of the note she’d written, stuck back together.

  ‘Where did you get that?’ Gigi asked.

  ‘Yvonne.’

  Gigi whistled long and slow. The girl had picked up as many pieces as she could and reassembled about half of Gigi’s note. ‘Isn’t she a little surprise?’

  ‘She’s a good kid,’ Costas said. ‘I’m sorry. About what happened.’ He looked at the ground.

  ‘You are not responsible for Todd’s pathetic behaviour.’

  ‘No. But I put you in that position, and I’m sorry for that.’ He reached out and brushed her hair behind her ear, and her breath caught in her throat. ‘You don’t deserve that, Virginia.’

  ‘No one deserves anything Todd dishes out.’ She grabbed his hand before he could pull it away. Everything was changing and she wanted to hang on to the one thing she knew to be true.

  ‘Virginia.’ He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her palm.

  Her cheeks burned, her stomach churned. But she didn’t let go.

  ‘Virginia, we cannot. It’s not . . .’

  ‘It’s not how the world works. You keep saying that. But the world can work any way we want it to. Surely. Todd is a mosquito. He’ll be gone at the end of the year. You and I, we have something, I know we do. And I’ll be damned if I let small-mindedness get in the way.’

  Costas held her hand to his cheek. ‘My sweet Virginia. It isn’t just that. Though that is a hurdle bigger than you realise. It’s also . . .’

  ‘What?’

  ‘My family. They have . . . plans. For me.’

  ‘Plans that don’t include me? They don’t even know me. If they took the time . . .’

  ‘Shh.’ He kissed her palm again. ‘If there was any way . . . I would make it happen.’

  ‘What are you saying? We can’t be together? Even though we both want it? End of story?’

  He closed his eyes.

  ‘Then maybe you’re not the man I thought you were, Costas Tinellis.’

  Gigi jumped up and ran down the headland. She didn’t turn back when she heard Costas calling her name, and she didn’t stop until she was back home.

  On her bunk she buried her face into her pillow and cried silent tears until she had none left.

  Gigi plodded through the next few months as best she could – doing chores for Mum, staying on top of her schoolwork, avoiding a certain street any time she had to go through town. Her withdrawal had the surprising effect of removing her from Todd’s radar, and she was at least thankful for that. He too had shifted away from the crowd, even ignoring his posse. Rumour had it he’d stood up to his father about not wanting to go into the force and Sergeant Broadbent had expressed his disappointment physically.

  At school Yvonne had taken to sitting next to Gigi for lunch. At first Gigi tried to shoo her away, but the girl was persistent and in the end Gigi gave up. Eventually, she grew to appreciate the quiet company. Then in the last week of July, Gigi received the post she’d been both anticipating and dreading.

  A letter from Lily. But not just a letter, photos of the wedding, too. Lily looked stunning, as Gigi had expected. And she looked happy. Her white dress was simple with long elegant sleeves and her veil tumbled down her shoulders from beneath a pillbox hat. Around her neck hung the sapphire and silver angel wings Gigi had given her. Richard looked tall and terribly proud beside her.

  Gigi pored over Lily’s letter, drinking in every word, every detail of the wedding and life as the new Mrs Prescott.

  ‘I have also sent back to you your guardian angel. Thank you ever so much for loaning her to me. She definitely helped me manage the few months leading up to the wedding. I am so deliriously happy now, though, I cannot possibly have need for her. And you sounded sad in your last letter. Perhaps you need her more than I right now. She is returned to you. I cannot wait to see you in the summer, my dearest friend. Until then, kisses from me, Lily.’

  Gigi opened the tissue paper that held the pendant safely inside. She didn’t like to admit it, but she could use a bit of guardian angel magic in her life these days.

  In August Yvonne turned fourteen and invited Gigi to a barbecue to celebrate. Gigi didn’t get invited to many birthdays, and certainly never to one of someone so young. But Yvonne’s mum, who’d given her the invitation, assured her it was just family and a few friends, so Gigi let her guard down and agreed to go. With Costas missing from her world, and all contact with Lily revolving around married life, Yvonne, despite her shyness, was the closest thing to a friend Gigi had.

  Gigi wrapped up a present – a book she’d picked up last time she and Mum went into Ocean Heights – and then picked a rose from the bush outside the cabin to make the present look a little more appealing. Mum would be mad if she found out Gigi had taken it; she didn’t have the greenest thumb and getting anything to bloom was a real feat for her.

  Oh well. Too late now.

  Gigi walked through town, the warm spring air blowing lightly through the tree-lined streets. There was never much activity in town on Saturday mornings – a few customers at the bakery, some teenagers at the milk bar, the paper boy returning his little yellow cart to the newsagent after his delivery round.

  She knocked on Yvonne’s door, hoping someone would let her in quickly. The longer she was out the front, the more chance that Costas, if he was home, would see her.

  The door swung open.

  And standing there in the hallway was Costas himself.

  ‘Oh. Hello,’ she said, hoping her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.

  ‘Hello. Come in. Every
one is out the back.’ He stepped aside and let her pass.

  Okay. So we’re going to act as if nothing happened. At least she knew where she stood. It seemed the older she got, the less she understood boys.

  In the backyard Yvonne sat on a picnic blanket, surrounded by a family of kittens. Mr Beaumont was at the barbecue turning over the steak, the aroma of which was mouth-watering. Not surprising, given he owned the local pub. Mrs Beaumont was at the salad table, pouring Mr Tinellis a drink. Mrs Tinellis stood behind him, saying nothing. When she saw Gigi enter the yard, her face hardened.

  ‘Oh, Gigi, you came!’ Yvonne jumped up and gave her a quick hug.

  ‘And you do have a voice.’ Gigi smiled at her.

  Yvonne cast her eyes down. ‘Yes. At home. Among friends. I . . . I get . . . nervous in public.’ She cast her eyes downwards.

  Yvonne introduced her to the partygoers, unnecessarily so, as Gigi knew everyone there except for the young boy trying to pull one of the kitten’s tails. ‘This is my cousin, Nick. Feel free to ignore him.’

  ‘Nico!’ Nick shouted without looking up. Gigi guessed he was around eight.

  ‘His grandmother, his other grandmother, is Greek, and he’s her favourite. She calls him Nico. It makes him feel special.’ She leaned closer to her cousin. ‘Even though he’s not.’

  Nick picked up a handful of dirt and threw it at Yvonne.

  Mrs Tinellis barked something at Nick in Greek. He looked at her, suitably chastised, and then poked his tongue out at Yvonne.

  ‘The Tinellis family know Nick’s grandmother’s family, distant cousins or something like that.’ Yvonne shrugged. ‘I don’t know how it all works.’ She ran to the table and got some fruit punch for Gigi.

  ‘Thank you, Yvonne.’

  Gigi couldn’t believe this was the same quiet girl from school who never said boo. It was nice, though. Her energy was happy and fun, and everyone seemed to be infected by it. Except Mrs Tinellis.

  Yvonne’s dad served up lunch and everyone devoured the steak. The salad that was served with lunch was fairly average, but everyone ate it. Except Nick. There was some sort of pie that was also served on the plate and it was the most delicious food Gigi had ever tasted.

  ‘What’s this?’ She turned to Yvonne.

  ‘Oh, that’s spanakopita.’

  ‘Spana . . .’

  ‘. . . kopita. Mrs Tinellis makes it. Isn’t it divine?’

  Gigi looked at Costas’ mum. ‘Can I have seconds?’

  For the first time since they’d met, Mrs Tinellis smiled back at Gigi. And hope filled Gigi’s heart.

  As the party wound down, the ladies cleared away the plates of leftover food, and the men put away the barbecue. Nick continued to tease the kittens, who’d taken to hiding behind the rubbish bin to try to get away from him.

  Mrs Tinellis wrapped four serves of spanakopita in foil and handed the parcel to Gigi, saying something in Greek.

  ‘For me?’

  She pushed the parcel into Gigi’s arms.

  ‘Really? Thank you. Um . . . ef . . . cha . . . ristó.’ She really hoped she was saying the word she’d learned from Costas correctly.

  ‘Nai.’ Mrs Tinellis nodded. ‘Efcharistó.’

  A second smile.

  While the two families were busy saying goodbye, Gigi caught Costas alone, outside the back door. He’d kept his distance during the party, staying as far away from Gigi as he could without being outright rude.

  She lowered her voice. ‘Do you know where the old cheese factory is?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Meet me there this afternoon. Four o’clock.’

  She turned and went inside to take her leave of Yvonne and her family before he had a chance to say anything.

  ‘Thank you, Yvonne.’ She hugged her new friend. ‘It was a great party.’

  ‘I knew it would be.’ She winked at Gigi and then turned her gaze to Costas.

  Gigi turned and got out of there as fast as she could.

  Four o’clock took forever to arrive. Gigi had been at the cheese factory for half an hour already, just to make sure she wasn’t late. She sat up in the old rafters, waiting. Every sound made her jump and look around. Every sound disappointed her.

  The sun began its slow descent and Gigi’s heart sank with it. Costas was half an hour late. He wasn’t coming.

  Well, she had her answer now.

  As she started to climb down the wooden support, she heard a rustling coming from outside. She clambered to the ground and turned around.

  ‘Virginia? Are you here?’ Costas stepped through the debris.

  ‘Here.’

  He looked at her with an expression she found hard to read. She motioned towards the broken cart and they sat down together. A mouse ran over her leg, disturbed from its hiding spot.

  ‘Yuck. I’m not a huge fan of mice.’

  ‘They are simply misunderstood. Something we have in common.’

  ‘I didn’t think you were coming.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I know I’ve been avoiding you lately. It’s just so complicated.’

  ‘Does it have to be?’ In her mind it was all so simple.

  Costas bowed his head. ‘It is what it is. We cannot change the world.’

  ‘We can change our part of it.’

  Silence fell between them and they held each other’s gaze.

  ‘Oh, Virginia.’ Costas took her hand in his. ‘We could be so happy together.’ He dropped her hand and dragged himself off the cart.

  ‘So,’ Gigi said, as she followed him, ‘let’s be together, then. I don’t care what people say.’

  ‘I know you don’t. It’s one of the reasons I . . . but this isn’t just about any old people.’ He ran his hand through his thick black hair. ‘My parents . . . they . . .’

  ‘I know your mum doesn’t exactly like me.’ She stood in front of him, her hand on his chest, her pulse thudding in her veins. ‘But today, at Yvonne’s, I felt there was a shift in her.’

  Costas put his hand over hers. ‘Sweet Virginia. Ma recognises how wonderful you are. But it isn’t enough.’

  ‘Doesn’t she want you to be happy?’

  He turned around, stepped back and then forward again. ‘She does. It’s just her idea of my happiness . . . it isn’t . . . oh God, why is this so hard? There was a reason we went away last summer. A reason I had to leave school and get a job.’

  Gigi took hold of his shaking hands.

  ‘My parents have plans for me to marry the daughter of a family friend. She’s Greek.’

  ‘An arranged marriage?’ Gigi dropped his hand and stepped back.

  ‘Not exactly. Sort of. We both have to agree.’

  ‘Then don’t agree.’ She didn’t understand why this was so difficult.

  ‘I couldn’t do that to them. My parents. They’ve been through so much already.’ He bowed his head.

  She lowered her voice. ‘Do you . . . want to be with me?’ She couldn’t look him in the eye as he answered.

  His voice was soft, cracking. ‘More than anything.’

  That was all she needed to know.

  In her pocket she squeezed the pendant that was always with her and made a wish. She took Costas’ hand and smiled up at him. ‘Where there’s breath, there’s hope.’ She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him, her lips brushing his briefly.

  He put one arm around her waist and pulled her in tight. He wrapped his other hand around her neck and kissed her, the want in him obvious, her own desire meeting his.

  They kissed and held each other and it was perfect.

  Gently, he pulled away.

  ‘Virginia,’ he said, through heavy breath. ‘What are we going to do?’

  She lay her head on his chest, unbothered by the obstacles in their path. ‘We’ll figure it out.’

  Hand in hand, they walked back towards town. As the shops came into sight they let each other go and simply walked side by side, no words needed.

  ‘Well, well, well.’ A
familiar voice came from behind.

  They turned around to see Todd standing there with his hands on his hips.

  ‘What have you two been up to, then?’ He swayed slightly.

  ‘Nothing, Todd. Leave us alone.’ Gigi’s voice was weary.

  ‘Looks to me like you’ve been up to no good, those silly grins on your faces. Don’t tell me . . .’ He glared at Gigi and she knew the redness in her cheeks was giving her away. ‘Oh, disgusting. You have, haven’t you? You’ve been necking this dirty wog.’

  Costas stepped in front of Gigi, his large frame between her and Todd.

  ‘Oh really, Wog-boy? You want a piece?’ Todd slurred his words and raised his fists.

  Gigi put her hand on Costas’ back. ‘Let’s go,’ she whispered.

  To Gigi’s relief, Costas began to turn away.

  ‘That’s right. Take your filthy whore home, you dirty . . .’

  In one quick movement Costas spun and decked Todd so hard he fell to the road. He tried to get up, but his legs gave way.

  Gigi stared at the scene before her, unable to move. Todd was bleeding from his eye. Costas’ shoulders were raised, ready to strike again. She touched his hand and he spun round. She shook her head.

  The tension from Costas’ torso released, and they backed away from Todd, who was now sitting in the gutter holding his head with dirt-stained hands.

  In silence they walked towards the caravan park.

  ‘This won’t go unpunished,’ Gigi whispered, Costas’ face an inch from hers.

  ‘I know. I won’t have you part of it, though. Lay low for a few days.’

  She walked into the park, not daring to look back lest she throw herself into his arms.

  An hour later Gigi heard the sirens. She snuck up the road and hid at the end of the street. Sergeant Broadbent’s police car was parked out the front of the Tinellises’ house. The lights were on inside and Gigi could hear raised voices, though she couldn’t make out what was being said.

  A crunch of gravel made Gigi spin around.

  ‘Yvonne, go home.’