by Di Morrissey
‘She will if you and Patch go public. If we need to add that to the case.’
‘Well, I’ll speak up if I’m needed. I felt terrible about covering it up. I thought maybe it was best for Rhonda, but I hated to see Willsy get away with it.’ Jennifer remembered the arrogance of the TV personality. ‘Blair is pretty shattered. He’s taking the job in Switzerland. What was Gordon’s connection with all this?’
‘I don’t think Daddy knew what he was up to, until late in the piece when Gordon got involved on the ground here with Willsy. Gordon’s father has a private zoo and he wanted the wildlife. He was prepared to pay money and unwittingly became part of the network.’ Tony stood up. ‘Look, don’t fret about this. You have more important things to think about. We’ve done our bit.’
‘Well, you certainly have. We’ll have a tale to tell the gang when they come back, won’t we?’ She smiled at him.
‘Yep. That’s a few weeks off. You enjoy Bella. I’m going back home to do some writing. I’m on the email and the phone. I still have work to do.’
‘I’ll get back to mine when I go back to the island. Tony, I can’t thank you enough . . .’ Jennifer faltered.
‘Hey, what are friends for?’ He opened his arms and gestured towards Jennifer sitting up in bed with her baby sleeping contentedly in her arms. ‘This is worth everything.’ He leaned down, kissed her cheek and brushed his lips across the baby’s head. ‘Ciao, Bella. Say goodbye to Don and Vi, they’re good people.’ To his relief Christina had made herself absent, walking to the shops.
Three weeks passed and Jennifer was so grateful she had friends to break the obsessiveness of her mother. Vi and Don adored the baby, but they couldn’t help noting that, while Christina loved showing Bella off at the tennis club and around the local shops, her attention was constantly on Jennifer.
Outings, lunches and breaks away from Christina with Rosie and Beverly, Isobel, and Vi and Don, gave Jennifer great relief. She had Bella in a routine where they’d adjusted to each other, Jennifer fitting in with the baby’s sleeping and eating pattern. In between, she tackled her computer, emailing Mac pictures of Bella as well as her redrafted papers.
Sitting on the balcony of her mother’s unit while Don had a cigarette downwind, Jennifer told him, ‘I’m making arrangements to go back to the island. I have to attend some classes at uni eventually, but I’ll move back there. I was thinking of having the baby-naming on Branch. I want you and Vi there. What do you think?’
‘We’ve been looking forward to an island holiday. Bored with the caravan park. But I don’t know how your mum will take to the idea. She’s been talking about having a party at the RSL . . .’
‘No way, Don. All my friends will be back there.’
Don carefully stubbed out his cigarette, waving the smoke away from Bella. ‘You do what you think is best and what you want for your little girl. We’ll fit in, luv.’
Jennifer waited till the last possible moment to tell Christina of her plans, even though Rosie and Isobel had been working on them for two weeks.
Christina was not impressed. ‘I know Don and Vi want to go to that place for a holiday. It’s certainly not my cup of tea.’
‘Mum, there’ll be plenty of people over there. Carmel and Lloyd are back and engaged. The party is for them too. Please come over.’
‘We’ll see,’ said Christina, which meant she had no intention of considering the idea.
Jennifer was packed and, with her doctor’s consent, was moving back to the island. Bella was a placid baby, loved people, and was happy to be passed around to strangers like a parcel. Isobel and Gideon were featuring in the media – prompted by a great write-up from Tony as their film had been nominated for a prize in a world documentary festival. Isobel was using the publicity as a means to promote awareness of the dangers facing the Great Barrier Reef.
Rosie had a suite set aside for Vi and Don, who left on the cat for their holiday. Jennifer was taking the chopper over with the baby. Blair had promised to be there for the naming ceremony and, at present, the only unconfirmed participant was Christina.
As Jennifer carried her bags and boxes down to Isobel’s car, Christina watched sullenly. Bella was asleep in the carry cot. Jennifer came back and looked around the unit filled with cards, flowers and small toys.
‘Well, I guess that’s it. I’ve left the bassinet and some other gear. It’s great that’s here when we come back over.’
‘Oh, and how often will that be?’
‘Mum, we’ll visit every ten days. At least. Now come on, why don’t you come too? It’s not a big deal. You’ll like it once you’re there.’
‘I will never set foot on that place in the middle of nowhere. I have no love for the sea, Jennifer,’ she said pointedly.
‘Mum, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I want to have Bella’s naming ceremony over there.’
‘Tosh. Such new-age rubbish. I would like my granddaughter to have a proper christening. In a church. Before Vi and Don go back to Sydney.’
‘I guess we can do that too, if you insist. But the Minister who does the marriages is doing it. Rosie has everything arranged.’
Isobel quietly appeared in the doorway and edged into the room, not wanting to interrupt.
‘What if Blair doesn’t get back from Europe in time?’ said Christina in a rush, grasping at reasons to stall Jennifer.
‘Mum, that’s too bad then. Blair and I are separated. I want him to be involved in Bella’s life but we’re not going to run things to suit Blair. If he doesn’t get there that’s his loss.’
Christina caught sight of Isobel waiting in the background to take her daughter and granddaughter away. She spun around and pointed a finger at her. ‘This is all your doing. Ever since you came along Jennifer has been different! You’re brainwashing her.’
Jennifer laughed. ‘Mum, don’t be ridiculous!’
Isobel took a step forward and said calmly, ‘No, your mother is right. You have changed, Jenny. You’re not intimidated any more. You’re making a life for yourself, finding a passion and a career. You should be proud of her, Christina.’
‘I’ll decide what I think, thank you very much.’
‘Mum, you’re just worried about me, that’s all.’ And you’re jealous of Isobel, you poor, insecure woman. ‘Look, I’m going to be fine without Blair. Things are different than in your day.’
Isobel stepped closer, smiling, placating. ‘And look what a good job you did. You raised Jenny on your own.’
At this Christina exploded. ‘Because I had to! Her father was no good. He just abandoned us. After everything that had happened, he ran away and faked his death . . . and I’m the one who had to struggle on, pick up the pieces, and what credit do I get?’
‘Wait, wait, stop. What do you mean, Dad faked his death? He drowned, out fishing . . .’ Jennifer’s face was white and she took a step closer to her mother.
Christina backed away, her face frightened.
Jennifer swung to Isobel. ‘What’s she saying, Isobel? Make her tell me.’
Christina turned her back, her shoulders shaking.
It was obvious to Isobel that this shocking family secret was a revelation to Jennifer. ‘This is the moment to tell your daughter the truth, Christina. It will be better, for you and her, if you do. Jennifer loves you, no matter what,’ said Isobel gently.
Christina spun around, her eyes fiery. ‘What would you know about my daughter and me? What do you know about the pain and suffering, the struggle, I’ve had? All these years knowing . . .’
‘Knowing what, Mum?’ Jennifer’s voice was cold. She couldn’t forgive her mother for keeping from her this secret. ‘What happened to my father?’ she shouted.
Christina seemed to shrivel. She twisted her hands together. ‘He ran away. Staged the whole drowning thing. Pretended he’d gone fishing and disappeared.’
‘How do you know? Just because they never found his body’ Jennifer couldn’t bear to think he was out ther
e, living somewhere she could have found him. ‘Where is be?’ she shouted.
‘I have no idea.’
‘Did he try to contact Jennifer?’ asked Isobel quietly.
‘After some years. After I’d been to hell and back trying to make ends meet. Feeling guilty that he’d killed himself. I lost a son, too, you know,’ she snapped at Isobel.
‘Mum, why didn’t you tell me?’ Jennifer was bewildered.
‘That he had done such a terrible thing? Been such a coward? All very well saying he was sorry and he wasn’t coming back, but tell her I’m all right and I’ll see her one day. What good is that?’
‘One day? When? Where did he go?’ cried Jennifer. ‘How come he let us suffer so much? How could he do it? Why? What did he say to you before he went? Did you have a fight? What?’ He was running away from you! Not me.
‘Don’t you dare blame me, Jennifer. How do you think I felt losing darling Teddy? It was your father’s fault. He should never have let you go on those rocks.’
‘Mum, how do you think he must have felt? He blamed himself too!’
‘So Christina, you had no support, no money and no life as long as he was out there somewhere. Did you know where he was? He didn’t tell you how to reach him?’ asked Isobel, incredulously. ‘Did he have any money?’
‘Of course not. I don’t care how he managed. We had a useless farm, he wasn’t much good at anything. He just made my life miserable, but was I going to go to the police? No. The shame of it. They wouldn’t find him and what was I going to do? Force him to come back and look after us? Make him love us?’ Christina shook her head. ‘No, it was better to think he was dead. To me, he was.’
‘But what about me, Mum? All the years I wanted a father, needed him. He’s Bella’s grandfather, for God’s sake!’
‘He doesn’t deserve to be.’ Tears streamed down Christina’s face. ‘I was the one who raised you, looked after you, made a home and a life for you. I tried so hard . . .’ She began weeping, her face in her hands.
Isobel signalled Jennifer to go to her. But for a moment Jennifer couldn’t move. Anger, hurt, frustration welled in her at the overwhelming knowledge her father was probably still alive. All the years they’d lost.
Isobel’s voice broke into her thoughts. ‘Jenny, think if it had been you. Remember back to how it was for your mother . . . maybe you would do things differently. But she did what she thought was best . . . for you.’
Jennifer held her mother and they both cried. Then Bella whimpered and Jennifer broke away to take her baby in her arms. She looked down at the small child with trembling mouth and trusting eyes. There would never be secrets between them. Silently she pledged always to be honest with her daughter.
‘I’m sorry, Jen-Jen,’ whispered Christina as she found a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. ‘You go now. I’ll be all right.’
Jennifer heard the edge of self-pity in her mother’s voice, it had always been there and always would be. I’m not staying, Mum. I will love you and share my daughter and my life with you. But I’m leading my life my way.
‘I’m going to the island, Mum. It’s your decision whether you come over or not. Whatever you decide, we won’t love you any less. You call me tomorrow and let me know.’ Jennifer fled.
Isobel pulled the car up at the wharf and they sat looking at the water and the activity as Jennifer fed the baby.
‘What are you going to do? About your father.’ asked Isobel quietly.
‘I don’t know. I’m in shock.’
‘It was a foolish, awful thing to do. But think of the pain he’s lived with all these years.’
Jennifer looked at Isobel. ‘Do you think so? Or did he move on, have another family and never wonder about me. That’s what’s so hurtful. Did he ever remember my birthday, wonder how I did at school, what became of me?’
‘I think if he did try to contact you early on Christina would have fobbed him off. She wanted you all to herself. She knew he was alive and perhaps that’s a reason she’s never thought of remarrying. It’s her way of paying him back. To punish him. He sounds a weak, soft kind of man. He wouldn’t have fought Christina,’ said Isobel.
‘He knows Mum would have poisoned me against him. She’s never made me feel proud of him, ever. But I remember good times. I loved him, Isobel. He was my father. And now I feel like hating him for this. I wish he was dead.’ The tears came again, splashing onto Bella’s soft hair. ‘He probably has another family and forgot Mum and me.’
‘In your heart you never forget your child. Come on, Bob is waiting to fly you back.’ Isobel started the car, her heart aching for Jennifer. At some stage Jennifer would need to address this issue. She might have half siblings, another family somewhere. A family who might not know this history. It was not fair to deny Bella the chance to know her paternal connections. Poor Jennifer. Poor Christina. For a moment Isobel felt guilty that it was she who’d inadvertently pushed Christina into spilling her secret. But she hoped that now it was out in the open Jennifer and Christina would come to a better understanding of each other. She was happy Jennifer had asked her always be close to them and able to help and watch over Jennifer and her beautiful Bella.
Epilogue
Branch Island, Five Months Later
IT WAS DAWN. DOORWAY to the day. It was a time Jennifer cherished on her morning walk. It reminded her of a watercolour painting, all soft, runny colours. But now she shared it with Bella. Snug in her piccaninny pack on her mother’s back she cooed and sucked her fingers.
This bright morning Jennifer went through the pisonia trees, scattering noddy terns and seagulls and a swooping grey heron that appeared to delight Bella. Past Coral Point she saw a figure sitting in the lee of the wind, looking to sea. Poor old Patch, he still kept his distance but he seemed to have recovered from the blaze of publicity he’d triggered over the revelations in the press about Willsy. Rhonda had bravely told what happened, including being paid not to speak out.
It was just one of the stories to come out of the exposure of the wildlife being smuggled out of the country and sold for drugs to an international syndicate with the help of various officials. Branch Island, described as the sleepy island with a small and exclusive resort, had been the focus of major media though implications that the owners of the resort in the UK were involved in the illegal operations had been hosed down. Nevertheless, Gordon and his father were no longer part of the company. The chairman’s desire to add to his private zoo was a bit too hot for comfort. Investigations and charges were still pending as legal teams, police and officials circled.
The positive stories had dominated – Mac’s team at the research station and their work to save the Great Barrier Reef. Isobel and Gideon’s film had caught everyone’s imagination as to what beauty and mystery there was in the deep ocean, and the need to research it responsibly. Rudi’s work had expanded into medical and energy sources, and he had gained an adjunct position with the university as well as working for a large non-government corporation to advance his research.
But for Jennifer it was past history. She had her future to think about. And now so many options were open to her. She was undecided about tracing her father. She put the idea on the back burner.
She could smell the coffee as she passed the goat tethered in its patch. ‘You’re the only goat allowed to live in a National Park, I reckon,’ she said. ‘Maybe we should go back to Cookshead and rescue that poor old emu to keep you company. What do you think, Bella?’
‘Good morning, ladies. How is my goddaughter this fine morning?’ Gideon lifted Bella up and hugged her.
‘Morning, Gideon. Ah, we have company. Mac, you’re up early.’ Jennifer sat down and stretched her legs.
‘Planning the day, taking time out before the invasion,’ he smiled.
‘It’s going to be quite a celebration, isn’t it? I still can’t believe I’ve done it. First-class honours, a scholarship, two job offers.’ Jennifer shook her head. ‘Who says sitting on an island is
a cop-out? I’ve never worked so hard in all my life.’
‘You deserve it. You can work with Isobel, take up a position with our university, or continue to write and research. Now the whole world wants to read that book you and Tony did together.’
‘Yeah, well, I hadn’t quite anticipated the end turning into a thriller,’ she laughed, then said softly, ‘I couldn’t have done it without you, Mac.’
‘Yes, you could’ve. You just needed someone to crack the whip occasionally. I think Bella’s fairy godmother helped too.’
‘Isobel? She sure did. I can’t wait to see her. She says she’s bringing back a pile of presents from Brazil . . . she spoils Bella dreadfully.’
‘Rosie is going overboard with the wedding for Lloyd and Carmel. Her family are all coming. We’re being overrun by South Americans!’
‘Tony offered to take photographs. He’ll be busy. Did you see the gorgeous photos of Bella he took?’
‘I did. That man has a sensitive eye, all right,’ said Mac.
Gideon joined them, handing around mugs of coffee. ‘And a good eye for boats. We’ve finally found one that suits him. A small schooner with a romantic South Seas history. He’s sailing it over for the festivities.’
‘Is that what you’ve been up to? I wondered where you went,’ grinned Jennifer. ‘How exciting. He misses using Lloyd’s boat.’
‘Well, Lloyd and Carmel are going off in it on their honeymoon. Not telling anyone where.’
‘And will there be a toast to our successful new PhD candidate during all this partying?’ Gideon lifted his mug. ‘To you, Jennifer.’
They clinked mugs and looked at Bella on the rug at their feet, happily sucking a sandy finger. ‘And to baby Bella.’
The last of the flowers, scattered over the water as the honeymooners sailed away, had drifted to other shores or fluttered onto drifts of seaweed and coral below. The wedding visitors had left. Families had come together and gone their separate ways. Blair had marvelled at his exquisite daughter and returned to Switzerland. Jennifer had agreed to bring Bella to see him.