Always Jack

by Susanne Gervay

  ‘Hey Nanna, why did the cookie cry?’

  Nanna tries to answer this as it’s close to her heart and stomach. ‘Because there were no cookies at the party.’

  ‘Good try, Nanna, but that’s wrong. Anyone else want to have a go?’

  There are a few crummy (Get it? Crummy?) replies. ‘Give up?’ Everyone does. ‘The answer is. drum roll please,’ I tap the chair, ‘because its mother has been a wafer (Get it? Away for?) so long.’

  ‘That’s a good one, Jack.’ Rob puts his hand on Mum’s shoulder. ‘But Mum’s back now.’

  ‘And she’s back and well.’ Mr Napoli lifts up his glass. ‘A toast.’ Everyone lifts their glass for Mum.

  Mum stops Rob from doing the dishes. There are so many dishes as well. I’ll be needed to help afterward. ‘Let’s leave washing up for later, Rob.’ Then Mum whispers in his ear. Rob disappears into the backyard. Mum rounds up everyone in the lounge room. It’s speech time. I’m sitting on the floor between Anna and Christopher when I notice Rob’s head poking through the doorway. Mum waves her hands around and gets everyone’s attention. ‘Thank you so much for your support. Now I know that I have the best friends in the world and the best family. It’s been easier because of all of you.’ Mum’s face lights up. ‘Rob and I have got something special for Samantha and Jack. It’s a special thank you to our wonderful kids.’ Mum, please don’t go on. Not in front of everyone. She looks at the door. Then she gives a nod to Rob who wanders in carrying a big brown box. ‘Samantha and Jack, please come up.’

  We’re standing there like idiots when I notice something’s moving in the big brown box. Samantha looks in. ‘Ooooohhh … Oooohh … Ooooohh …’

  I look in. ‘Oooooohhh … Oooohh … Ooooh …’ He’s white with brown patches and cute ears and a waggly tail.

  We call him Ollie.

  Chapter 13

  Pooper-Scoopers

  Samantha is throwing a ball to Ollie, except Samantha is catching the ball and Ollie’s crazily licking her. Nanna’s all smiles as she watches comfortably from a chair. Puss is watching from Nanna’s window. Poor Puss. She’s still trying to work out what a puppy means and when it’s safe to come out. Samantha’s stopped drawing dog posters, but I have to take endless dog photos of Ollie. Luckily I like taking photos of Ollie because he’s so funny.

  Some hilarious moments: chasing his tail (he didn’t catch it); wearing Nanna’s yellow sunhat (he’s part of the family now); chewing Mum’s slipper (thought it was a rabbit, lucky it wasn’t); asleep (with paws stuck in the air and totally stuffed). Floppy has a real live friend now. Ollie’s barred from all rooms except the kitchen until he’s toilet-trained. There have been some wet spots and a poo, but he’s getting there. Can’t wait to take him to the park this afternoon. He can join us for the hill slides. Anna and Christopher are coming and, of course, Samantha.

  Christopher’s early. I want to show him my ponto and the baby pontos. ‘It’s scientifically recorded. Mr Angelou said I should enter it in the Schools’ Science Competition.’

  ‘You should, Jack.’

  With Mum being sick, I hadn’t felt like doing that. But it’s different now. ‘It’s a monster,’ I tell Christopher. He inspects the ponto. I put the camera on a timer on my desk and race to stand beside Christopher. Click. Photo taken.

  Christopher’s quieter than usual. He stands in front of Grandad’s Vietnam War medals hanging in the cabinet.

  ‘Are you all right?’

  ‘I’m all right, but.’ He waits for a while. ‘Something has happened at home.’

  ‘Is everyone all right?’

  ‘It’s something good, but Mum and Dad don’t want people to know yet. I asked if I could tell you.’ Since our Vietnam project and the Yellow Daffodil Cancer Cake Stall, we talk a lot more.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘My parents got this letter from the Red Cross. They’ve been looking for so long.’ Christopher touches the glass display cabinet showing Grandad’s medals. ‘My aunt. My mother’s sister. The Red Cross has found her. She’s alive, living in a village near Hanoi. My mother cried so much after the letter.’ He’s breathless. ‘The stories of escaping on the fishing boat. Not knowing where her sister was. She’s always felt very sad.’

  This is mind-blowing. Like Mum surviving cancer. ‘It’s been so long since they escaped.’

  Christopher nods. ‘My mother never gave up. She’s lit candles for her sister every Sunday.’

  ‘So what are you going to do?’

  ‘Dad’s going to work harder and keep the bakery open longer to get enough money for Mum to see her sister in Vietnam. He wants to save enough for all of us to go. And maybe one day she could come here.’

  ‘This is amazing.’

  Christopher smiles. ‘It is.’

  Samantha races into my room. ‘Anna’s here.’ Mr Napoli has dropped her off. ‘Come on, Jack. Ollie wants to go to the park.’

  We head for the kitchen and bump into Anna. ‘Hi, Christopher. Hi, Jack.’ She’s standing next to four strong flat fruit boxes from Napolis’ Super Delicioso Fruitologist Market. I reconstruct them back into boxes. Yes, they’re looking good.

  Christopher takes one box and I take another. ‘They’re just right.’ He checks the box out.

  Ollie will love the down-hill box slides, but he doesn’t love his lead. He keeps biting it until Samantha has to tap his nose. Ollie looks up with his doggy brown eyes at us, then charges ahead dragging Samantha behind him. Suddenly there’s a stop and sniff spot. Oh no, a poo on the neighbour’s grass. That is a seriously bad thing about dogs. I reckon they need a bum plug. Anna’s carrying a spade and bag. Scoop the poop. It’s bagged and dumped in the nearest garbage bin. Lucky Anna’s here. I don’t want to be a pooper-scooper.

  Ollie’s on the move again, sniffing, running, dragging Samantha in the wrong direction. I carry Samantha’s box. Finally we make it to the park and Ollie’s let off his lead. He goes nuts running here and there and everywhere.

  We all go to the top of the hill with our boxes. Ollie’s barking after us. The grass is dry. Looks like a good run. I have a first go with everyone watching. My box is perched at the top. I give myself a send-off and swoosh, I’m belting down the hill with Ollie woofing behind me. I climb back up. ‘Come on. Your go.’

  Samantha and Anna set up beside each other. I plonk Ollie into Samantha’s arms. Christopher and I give each other the nod, then give a shove to the girls in their boxes. They’re screaming. Ollie’s ears are flapping. Oh no, Anna does an airborne hop over a clump of grass. She makes it. Samantha nearly crashes when Ollie wriggles out of her arms. And they’re at the bottom. Christopher and I race down the hill to check that they’re all right. They’re laughing and Ollie is yapping. Yep, they’re all right.

  We slide down the hill heaps of times with Ollie barking, running, riding. I get some amazing shots of Samantha screaming, Christopher racing down the hill, Anna with her hair blowing in the wind. I repair Samantha’s box twice and Anna’s box once. Christopher writes his off when the bottom falls out on the last run. Boxes are getting wrecked and Samantha scrapes her knee. I look at my watch. We’re ready to go.

  I carry Ollie on the way home. He’s puffed and stuffed. His tail is wagging in my ear. ‘Stop it, Ollie.’ Suddenly there’s a huge slurp.

  Christopher’s laughing. ‘You don’t need a shower tonight.’ Samantha pats him and Anna takes Ollie for a long hug. He is one spoilt puppy.

  Mum’s waiting for us with water and food for Ollie and water and food for us. She takes me aside. ‘Christopher’s mother rang me. It’s such good news, isn’t it?’

  Everything’s looking good.

  Mum’s last check-up. The doctor says the tumour is gone and she’s healing. She has to go back in three months’ time for a check-up and later a mammogram. There are tablets to take every day for five years to help prevent it coming back. I just know that Mum’s going to be all right. It’s the best day of my life.

  Mum�
��s back at full-time work. She postpones her library diploma until next year, but she’s determined to finish it. I enter my ponto in the Science Competition. Mr Angelou is happy about that. Everyone is happy about that, except it makes me nervous. What if no one thinks it’s good enough? What if no one cares about my ponto?

  Anna whispers to me when I hand it to Mr Angelou, ‘Your ponto will win, Jack. It’s incredible. I’m so proud of you.’

  I wish Anna hadn’t said that to me. I pretend it doesn’t matter, but I’ve worked so hard on it. I’ll probably lose. ‘It’s nothing, Anna. I’m just entering it for Mr Angelou. That’s all.’ Please, please let me get a prize.

  Nanna wins the ‘Most Improved Bridge Player’ at the Seniors’ and gets an award. It’s a gold column with a shield at the top with Nanna’s name on it. Mum puts it on the mantelpiece.

  Ollie stops pooing and weeing in the kitchen. So now he’s allowed in the rest of the house. Frank and Spot freak out. I can’t move the mouse-house into Nanna’s room because Puss lives in there. Mum won’t allow them in Rob and her bedroom because she still doesn’t like mice. Samantha has Ollie in her room all the time. My rat Hector is going to have to get used to Frank and Spot.

  The wedding. It’s the main topic of conversation. We’re having a family meeting tonight to discuss the wedding again. The invitations haven’t even been posted. No one’s going to be here if they don’t get invitations.

  Ollie is chewing his soft furry black-and-white bone. He took a bite out of Floppy’s ear, and got into huge trouble. Floppy’s on Samantha’s shelf now with a bandage on his head. Puss is safe in Nanna’s lap. Rob strips off his yellow rubber gloves. He’s finished washing up. Hurry up. Hurry up.

  Mum starts at last. ‘Christopher’s parents have had wonderful news.’ We all know now. Let’s get on to the wedding. I’m still setting up my baby ponto plantation and want to get to the workshed. ‘Christopher is one of your best friends, Jack.’ Where is this going? ‘As a family I’d like to ask you if we can make the wedding extra special.’

  Mum gives Rob a look. He takes over. ‘You might be wondering why the invitations haven’t been sent out yet.’ I nod. ‘The invitations are from all of us and the wedding is going to be a great party. But we want it to be more than that. People are going to bring presents. Mum and I have thought about this seriously. We’d like to ask them not to bring a gift, but to donate money for three tickets to Vietnam. For Christopher and his parents.’

  It takes a while to think about what Rob’s said. It’s such a great idea.

  Nanna takes out her handkerchief to wipe her eyes. ‘Grandad’s here,’ she mumbles. Grandad would like this.

  Samantha nods so hard that Ollie starts yapping again.

  This feels so right. ‘It’s going to be the best wedding ever, Mum.’

  ‘I think it will be, Jack.’

  Leo arrives. He’s impressed with my pontos. We go to the beach most days. Anna comes sometimes, but it’s different from when it’s just Anna and me. Christopher meets us when he’s not helping in the bakery. Paul and my other friends bring their boards.

  Rob’s driving us to the beach today because Nanna’s coming, as well as Ollie. There’s a lead-free play area and special pooper-scooper garbage bins.

  ‘Come on, kids,’ Mum calls out. Rob gets a great car spot, but we’re never getting into the water. It’s Nanna. She’s stuck in the back seat and can hardly get out. I can’t find my camera until I look at Nanna. It’s under her. ‘I wondered why the seat was so lumpy.’ She rubs her bum and there’s a flash of purple.

  ‘Aren’t those underpants too hot?’

  ‘They’re just perfect and the right price.’

  Quickly I set up the sun umbrella and a fold-up chair for Nanna. She’s minding my camera. ‘And please don’t sit on it, Nanna.’

  Ollie’s already in the dog-play area with Samantha and Mum. The waves are gently curling. Leo and I race into the surf. The first shock of the water is cold, but then it’s perfect. Leo catches a wave that goes right onto the beach. ‘You’re good, Leo.’ He half-kneels and shows us a few tricks before paddling toward a new set of waves. ‘Glad about your mum.’ He paddles beside me to say this. Then he turns, paddling into the wave. Leo is all right.

  Chapter 14

  The Wedding

  Day before the wedding. It’s a military operation. Rob is the general. I’m the lieutenant. Leo and Samantha are aides. Anna’s coming to organise the flowers. Mum’s finalising the wedding celebrant, the order of events, guest list, food. Nanna’s helping Mum. She’s taste-testing the sweet treats. Ha, ha.

  The marquee arrives and Rob sets up its location. Samantha and I lay out the chairs and drag in the podium. Rob and I roll the red carpet down the middle of the chairs to make an aisle. Anna arrives. The Napolis have sent bucket-loads of cut flowers. The sunflowers in the garden splash yellow at the side of the podium.

  Wedding morning. Wedding cake arrives from Christopher’s bakery. Fruit platters arrive from the Napolis. Mum’s friend who’s a hairdresser has been doing hair and make-up since seven this morning. Rob and I are lucky. Our prickle heads are just right. Wedding clothes are laid out in everyone’s room.

  One o’clock. Nearly there. Mum’s in her bedroom with Samantha doing the final touches. Nanna’s having a quick nap before the ceremony. Rob’s in a large penguin suit with a sunflower-yellow shirt and multi-coloured bow tie. Leo’s in a small penguin suit with a matching sunflower-yellow shirt and bow tie. I am too. Rob and Leo go to the front porch to talk. The wedding starts at three o’clock.

  Anna floats into the lounge in her bridesmaid dress. She’s so beautiful that I can hardly breathe. ‘Let’s go into the garden,’ her musical voice sings. ‘You look handsome, Jack.’ I feel my face go hot. The garden is quiet now. It feels odd after all the noise and setting up. Anna shows me her flower arrangements. When she bends to smell the white jasmine, her black ringlets fall between the flowers. We talk for ages. I take her hand. My heart’s throbbing and then she kisses me on the cheek.

  Guests are arriving. Oh, there’s Mr Angelou wearing a blue suit. Makes him look bigger, especially with his bald head. He calls me over and says quietly in my ear, ‘It’s not announced, but there’s good news about your ponto. It’s shortlisted. We’ll talk more later.’ Anna, the ponto, Mum and Rob splash into my mind. This is such a great day.

  There are lots of envelopes dropped in the gift collection box for Christopher’s family. Ollie’s got a bow tie around his neck that matches mine. He’s being hopeless, chewing the chair covers. Rob’s tied him up with a long rope to a pole in the garden. Puss is watching from Nanna’s window.

  Oh, Nanna. Here she comes. I can’t believe it. She’s wearing a flouncy purple skirt. I run up to her and kiss her. ‘You look beautiful, Nanna.’ I just know she’s wearing her purple underpants. She shows me her locket pinned to her blouse. I open it. There’s Grandad. It feels as though he’s here.

  Everyone is seated. Christopher’s mother is wearing a flowing emerald áo-dài. The celebrant, who’s a lady dressed in silvery-grey, is facing the guests at the podium. Rob and Leo are standing at the front. The music starts. Anna and Samantha are holding posies of yellow roses and slowly walking down the red carpet. Mum’s waiting in the house. Her hair falls in soft curls around a daisy chain. Her dress is like summer, covered with sunflowers and sparkles. She is summer and I know she’s going to be my mum for a long time.

  ‘Jack, are you ready to give me away?’

  I nod, and take Mum’s arm, and walk her down the aisle.

  Famous Banana Cake Jack’s Notes

  125g soft butter Don’t melt it

  ½ cup castor sugar Castor means super fine sugar

  2 large eggs, beaten Try eggs from the farm — free range

  2 large, ripe bananas, mashed or 3 small ones Napolis’ squishy bananas

  1½ cups self-raising flour Grown-up flour (Jack joke)

  ½ teaspoon bi-carb soda Have
a burp here (Great Jack joke)

  pinch salt Don’t pinch too hard (Another great Jack joke)

  ¼ cup milk Mum likes low-fat milk

  2 tablespoons mango yoghurt Your favourite yoghurt is good if you don’t like mango

  How to Make the Cake

  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

  Beat in eggs a bit at a time into the sugary, creamy butter.

  Stir in half the flour, bi-carb soda and all the mashed bananas.

  Fold in the rest of the flour, bi-carb and milk, making it smooth. Then stir in the yoghurt.

  Spoon mixture into a greased 20cm x 10cm loaf tin or 20cm round cake tin.

  Cook Banana Cake

  Bake at 180°C for about 40 minutes, or until cooked.

  Cool cake for 5 minutes in tin before turning out.

  Jack’s Job: Eat Banana Cake

  Have a slice, and then another slice and share around. Yum.

  Acknowledgments

  Cancer Council NSW is a special organisation dedicated to defeating cancer. As well as funding more cancer research than any other charity in the state, it advocates for the highest quality of care for cancer patients and their families, and empowers people with knowledge about cancer, its prevention and early detection. I would especially like to thank Julie Callaghan and Kendra Sundquist from Cancer Council for their great support.

  I would also like to acknowledge the generous contribution of the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (www.nbocc.org.au) for providing expert advice in the development of Always Jack.