What Matters Most

by Dianne Maguire

  Noah smiled. ‘She shows every sign of being one gutsy young woman. She is very intelligent and even though her father has betrayed her trust in the most profound way, she still has one supportive and loving parent in her mother. Many kids don’t. And in my experience, these are all important factors in helping her deal with what awaits her.’

  ‘I hope you are right,’ Mia said.

  ‘Now to matters more personal. About lunch on the weekend,’ he said.

  Here it comes, thought Mia, certain he was about to come up with some lame excuse to wriggle out of it.

  ‘I’ll pick you up from your house at 12 on Saturday.’

  Suddenly taken aback, and torn by Noah’s rather attractive tendency towards not asking permission for anything, Mia was confused and curious about what he could be thinking and feeling especially as it pertained to her. She cleared her throat. ‘Okay, I’ll see you at 12 on Saturday.’

  ‘Done.’ He slapped his thigh and smiled as he stood. Walked towards the door and turned, his face suddenly serious, about to say something else. ‘See you then,’ he finally said, fisting his hand and knocking it against the door jamb before disappearing into the corridor.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Tim stepped through the doorway to a raucous burst of laughter and the buzz of conversation coming from the boat-shaped, orange glass bar on his left and the dining area with the long cedar bar on his right. He looked around from where he stood, on the Baltic pine floor of the entrance, at an abundance of glossy grey paint covering some of the best cedar he had seen. There were two ATM’s immediately inside the front entrance and a line of forlorn untended pinball machines along the Baltic corridor. He was unable to make up his mind whether the contemporary additions to the pub, which had been built in 1890 if the sign above the door was anything to go by, had improved or detracted from its ambience.

  Deciding a drink would fill the 15 minutes before Ellen was due to arrive, he stepped through the open archway towards the orange bar for a quick beer. Surveyed the small stained glass windows that looked out onto the footpath and across the road at the Children’s Hospital. ‘I’ll have a pale ale, thanks mate,’ he said to a beefy barman.

  Choosing to stand at the bar, Tim sipped his beer through a broad band of froth and watched people of all ages come and go through the pub door, thinking back to his visit with Mia Sandhurst — which he still recalled as one of the hardest things he had ever done in his life. But if he hadn’t found the guts, he thought, then he wouldn’t be standing here now waiting for the hottest looking woman he had ever seen. He turned to watch the barman adeptly mixing cocktails, which he then set down proudly in front of two blondes sitting against the bar a few stools up from Tim who, he realised after a while, had been watching him. On gaining his attention they turned to each other with excited smiles, the heavier one uttering a few words to her friend. Raising their glasses they both smiled at him, and not wishing to appear stuck up he smiled back before peering through the small window again to the hospital entrance beyond, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ellen emerging.

  The sight of a tall brown-haired guy in his late teens wandering into the hospital alone reminded him of Trevor Carson. Caused him to wonder with a sinking feeling whether there was going to be any retribution for Trevor given he was still on bail and still walked the streets of Ackland Point. And even though Trevor had owned up to what he had done, Tim pondered what people would be saying and thinking — about him and about Rachel. His fist balled at the thought.

  The girls at the bar shouted an over-exuberant farewell when Tim drained his glass and wandered out. Occasionally stopping to study an historical picture hanging from the original rails along the corridor, he eventually stepped through another arched doorway at the end, this time into an intimate dining room featuring a few timber tables and a fire burning brightly under a timber mantle with a slate hearth. He smoothed his hair with his palm after glancing at his reflection in the giant mirror above the fireplace and selected a small table close enough to capture the fire’s warmth. Even the timber bar along the opposite wall of the empty room was unattended. Feeling awkward, he sipped from a tall glass of squash, and wondered how different it would be to live in the city. For a start, he wouldn’t have to drive almost a hundred kays to get home after a date, which meant he could catch a bus or a cab home after having a few beers.

  The sound of enthusiastic chatter and laughter, and the thump of footfall along the timber passage, produced a group of uniformed nurses who, without thinking or glancing around the room, headed immediately for a table by the bar.

  Tim’s breath caught the moment Ellen appeared at the doorway minutes later wearing skinny blue jeans and black boots with a black brass-buttoned military jacket. She paused in the entrance for a moment, her frown immediately replaced by a beaming grin once she spotted Tim at the corner table. She casually acknowledged her colleagues as she passed their table, finally dropping down on the seat opposite Tim with a sigh.

  ‘Hi,’ she said, her eyes sparkling as she unwound a printed scarf from her neck. Shoving the scarf deep into a large green shoulder bag, she then fished out a brightly embroidered wallet and her mobile phone, both of which she placed on the table. ‘I am dying for a drink,’ she said tossing her bag over the back of her chair and grabbing up her wallet. ‘Do you want one?’ Her frown at his squash lasted less than a second.

  ‘No, I’ll stick with a softie for now. But what’ll you have?’ he said rising.

  ‘You look so comfortable there. I’ll get it,’ she said walking purposefully towards the bar.

  He studied the perfectly round cheeks of her bum as she waited at the bar and chatted with her colleagues. And when she walked back towards him carrying a tall glass of dark liquid with ice, her cropped jacket failing to hide her tiny waist, her thick leather belt highlighting the way her hips moved, he tried not to look too hard.

  She sat down beside him and casually pulled off her jacket, exposing the thin tee-shirt which hugged the shape of her breasts. She grabbed his arm and squeezed. ‘I’m so glad we’re doing this, Tim. I love this pub — it’s the local for a lot of us from the hospital. And how lucky are we to have a table by the fire?’ She let go of his arm and sipped her drink. The tinkling of her phone caused her to lift it and read the screen, smile and text a few words before placing it on the table again.

  ‘So,’ she said leaning back in her chair, her dark brown eyes sparkling, ‘how was your day?’

  He did not want to tell her about the interview, or Rachel’s pleas to see their abusing father. That would only rob her, and him, of her upbeat mood. ‘Pretty good really. A bit like being on holiday. I’ll have to get back to work tomorrow or I’ll be fired.’

  ‘You mean on the farm?’

  ‘Nah. I only work on the farm when I have to. I work part-time for a local carpenter at Ackland Point. What about you? Was it busy today?’

  ‘It is always busy,’ she said, rolling her eyes. ‘I was in Emergency today. I reckon about 50 per cent of our patients should be seeing their GPs. There was even a poor old lady who brought her dog in because her vet was closed today. But,’ she said shrugging, ‘being frantic is heaps better than sitting around with nothing to do.’ She peered at the menu above the bar. ‘Are you hungry? Do you think we should order before the rush?’ Her mobile tinkled again and again she stopped to briefly message back. Tim stood and waited before they strolled over to the bar to order.

  ‘So, you want to be a carpenter?’ Ellen asked as she sat again at the table.

  ‘Yeah. Carpentry suits me better than farming for the time being,’ he said still standing and rolling his shirt sleeves to the elbow, wondering if it had been a good move sitting so close to the fire. ‘At least it gives me a trade to fall back on,’ he said, suddenly aware of Ellen’s lingering gaze at his forearms as he finally sat down. ‘But I’m seriously thinking about going to uni. I’ve always wanted to do more study, so has Rachel. She badly wants to study medicine
, but our parents have never been in favour because … well, for a whole pile of reasons. Who knows? I might do it one day,’ he said shrugging.

  ‘What would you study?’ Ellen said, smiling and leaning her chin on her palm.

  ‘I’m not sure. I just know I want to be successful at something that really matters.’

  ‘Mm. I get that. It’s an exciting ambition, Tim.’

  ‘I don’t reckon I could do your job though. When did you decide you wanted to be a nurse?’ he said.

  ‘When I was about two and my parents bought me a tiny nurse’s uniform, which I apparently refused to take off, even to have a bath.’ She laughed. ‘My dad’s a lawyer. He desperately wanted me to study law and join his chambers. But I was equally adamant about being a nurse.’ Again her phone tinkled. She laughed out loud when she read the message and placed it on the table again.

  ‘You’re popular,’ Tim said, slightly irritated at how easily distracted she was by her phone.

  She smiled. ‘No, it’s just my girlfriends. We’re pretty close. What were you saying?’ she asked, dropping her phone into her bag.

  ‘I was about to ask why you wanted to be a nurse,’ Tim said.

  ‘If I tell you, you might think I’m weird, or a religious freak or something.’ She immediately gasped, placing her dainty fingers to her lips. ‘Oh gosh, I hope you’re not religious, Tim. If so, I’m sorry if I offended you.’

  He laughed and shook his head. ‘Me religious? Not in the slightest.’

  ‘Okay. Well, the truth is that nursing gives me heaps of satisfaction. I just like looking after people. It sounds naff, doesn’t it? Don’t get me wrong. I don’t need to be needed or anything weird like that. It’s just that nursing is special. Not everyone wants to do it and not everyone can. And I’m really good at it too. I love that I get paid for something that comes easily to me and that I absolutely love doing.’

  ‘How did you convince your father to change his mind?’ Tim said.

  She smiled broadly, almost boastfully. ‘It was purely dogged determination. You know girls can always twist their fathers around their little fingers eventually.’ She stopped, her face flushing, her embarrassment making it clear to Tim what she was thinking.

  ‘It’s okay, Ellen,’ he said, ‘I know some girls have normal fathers. I don’t get traumatised or distressed when someone tells me about their awesome relationships with their fathers.’ He smiled.

  She reached over and squeezed his hand. ‘Sorry anyway,’ she whispered before going on. ‘I’m an only child. I reckon that had more to do with him finally giving in,’ she said.

  ‘What about your mum? Was she on your side or your father’s?’

  ‘Oh, there is no doubt about it. She totally encouraged me to follow my dream.’ She shrugged. ‘But they’re divorced now, both with new partners. So my family life is totally different to how it was while I was growing up.’

  ‘Have you ever been in a serious relationship?’ Tim asked, wondering if she had ever felt lonely.

  She nodded. ‘For five years. We lived together for a year before we broke up a few months ago.’ She clenched her jaw. ‘He still phones or messages me occasionally. And he sent flowers for my last birthday.’

  Tim watched Ellen’s thoughtful expression as she silently pushed the ice around her glass with the straw and he found himself wondering if she was still pining for him. Even more telling was that, despite a seemingly privileged upbringing, Ellen had faced and endured her share of life’s challenges. Tim knew even from their discussion so far that the nagging voice that had told him she was special had not been wrong.

  ‘Hiiii, Tim. Oh my god …’ The excited squeal of her voice shattered his thoughts and immediately caused Ellen to look up like a startled rabbit from her drink. With Tanya tottering excitedly towards them and Brad following dutifully in her wake, Tim’s devastation at seeing her was heightened by the curious glances from others in the room. ‘Imagine running into you here,’ she screeched flicking her ponytail and throwing her jangling bejewelled arms around his neck to kiss his cheek. She turned to the docile Brad. ‘Brad, you remember Tim from our engagement party, don’t you?’

  Brad wordlessly took Tim’s hand in his vicelike grip as the waiter dodged and weaved to place Tim and Ellen’s meals on the table. Looked Tim in the eye as though wordlessly assuring him they now shared a terrible secret, which he could rest assured was safe.

  ‘This is Ellen,’ Tim said, in response to Tanya’s intense scrutiny. He willed Ellen not to form the mistaken belief that Tanya and Brad were his friends and invite them to join them. And convinced now that she had told Brad, he willed Tanya not to say anything about his problem.

  ‘What brings you here, Tim?’ Tanya squawked before Ellen or anyone else had had a chance to utter a word.

  Tim often wished he had never met Tanya — but sadly he had. And he knew her well enough to know that she was one of the town’s most rabid gossips and it was highly likely she was acutely aware of the exact reason why he would be sitting in a pub immediately opposite the Children’s Hospital.

  ‘Rachel is in the hospital across the road,’ he said calmly, while his steak and Ellen’s chicken congealed before them.

  ‘Oh yes, that’s right,’ Tanya said flicking her ponytail off her shoulder and jarring her bracelets into tinkling clashes once again. ‘Shanksie told me what happened. I was so sorry to hear about it, Tim. This is the second time, isn’t it? Once at our place and now this. Poor little Rachel,’ she clucked, looking over at Brad who seemed oblivious to the conversation but nodded nevertheless. ‘And then that drop-kick Trevor Carson. What he did to her wouldn’t have helped. would it?’ She peered at her reflection in the mirror and flicked her fringe with her bright pink talons. ‘And how is the rest of your family, Tim?’ She turned to Ellen and flashed a brief, insincere smile while she studied Ellen’s hair and what she was wearing. Frowned briefly at her short unpainted nails.

  ‘We are all managing — thanks for asking. Are you guys on your way out somewhere?’ he asked.

  ‘Yeah, yeah, we must go,’ Brad said stepping forward and grabbing hold of Tanya’s hand.

  ‘See you, Tim,’ she said, kissing his cheek yet again with an exaggerated smack of the lips. ‘Have a good night. ’Bye, Eleanor.’

  ‘Who was that?’ Ellen whispered as they both watched Tanya prance from the room on the end of Brad’s hand.

  ‘I’m ashamed to admit it, but she’s an ex-girlfriend from way back.’

  Ellen shook her head. ‘I can see why you broke it off with her,’ she said, cutting into her chicken.

  It was dark when they stepped from the hotel door into the relatively quiet street despite the noisy conversations spilling from the pub and the buzz of passing traffic.

  ‘Where’s your car?’ Tim said turning to Ellen.

  ‘In the underground park next door,’ she said pointing. She glanced at his expression. ‘I’ll be fine,’ she said.

  ‘No. I’ll walk you,’ he said taking her hand.

  ‘Here’s it is,’ she said once they had navigated the steep decline into the cavernous mouth of the car park and sauntered halfway down a long row of parked cars on level ground. She commenced shuffling through her bag while Tim peered in through the window at the interior of her red sedan.

  ‘It looks pretty new,’ he said.

  ‘It’s a couple of years old now. A 21st present from my parents,’ she said, pointing the remote and glancing up at him as her car flashed and beeped.

  ‘I guess that’s one advantage of being an only child.’ He watched her toss her green bag onto the front seat, and took her hands in his when she turned back to face him. ‘Thanks for tonight,’ he said wishing he could think of a much wittier comment.

  ‘Thank you. I had an awesome night, Tim.’

  ‘It didn’t feel weird being out with me instead of your boyfriend?’ he queried.

  Ellen frowned. ‘Oh, I get it. You mean Craig,’ she said with a half-smile.
‘No. That’s well and truly finished.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ Tim asked, wondering if there were others.

  ‘Yes, I’m sure. I wouldn’t lead you on, Tim. I mean it,’ she said, her dark eyes boring into his.

  ‘Okay.’ Still holding her hands he stroked her soft skin with his thumb. ‘Shall we do something on the weekend?’

  She nodded, her eyes not leaving his. It came easily for him and, he was certain, for her as well. No clumsy knocks or silences. No awkward eye contact. She slipped into his arms as smoothly as a hand into a glove before he simply bent and kissed her as though it was the most natural thing for them both. She tasted and smelled as sweet as strawberries. And he felt he would burst with excitement at the feel of her body against his.

  Next morning, Tim watched Annie shuffle between the table and the kitchen, first placing a boiled egg and toast in front of Ben, telling him to be sure to eat it all, then sliding a steaming plate of bacon, eggs and baked beans, with almost toppling sliced toast, in front of Tim. She cast him yet another curious glance, probably the tenth since he had sat at the table.

  ‘Are you working at Laurie’s today, love,’ she eventually said.

  ‘Yeah, I always work for Laurie on Thursdays,’ Tim said watching the golden yolk ooze from the egg the moment he inserted his knife.

  ‘You look tired, love. You came in quite late. Was everything alright?’

  ‘Yeah. Everything’s good.’

  He felt her eyes on him again. Could tell by the tone in her voice that her curiosity was gnawing at her like a rat at cheese.

  ‘Did you spend much time with Rachel?’

  ‘A bit.’ He decided it was time to put her out of her misery. She had a right to know what was happening in his life anyway. ‘Then I went out to tea with Ellen.’

  Her face relaxed. ‘I knew it,’ she said thumping the kitchen bench with her palm. ‘I knew you’d been out with a girl. You have that mysterious silence about you that you get whenever you go out with a girl.’ She hesitated and studied him closer. ‘But this time, there’s something different. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. Who is Ellen?’