The Reef

by Lois Kay

  “It is,” Jody answered. “But I think I know what to do. If I stay here, I’d probably disappoint Mom, but when I go down there and Dad finds out, he'll be furious. But Mom needs us. I know she never stood up against Dad, but you know him, he never would have accepted that. She’ll never publicly question him.” Jody let out a frustrated breath. “But she never gave up on me, either. We don't see each other as often as we’d like, but she went through a lot of trouble to find me when I moved up the coast. And she did all that behind Dad's back as well. She needs me now, Sam, so I want to be there for her. I’m not doing this for my father, only for Mom.”

  “I understand,” Sam answered. “But what about your dad? What if someone tells him you’re there?”

  “I’ll just have to make sure nobody does.”

  “You sound more hopeful than determined,” Sam said with a chuckle. She put her fingers under Jody's chin and lifted her face. “Be honest with yourself, Jody. You don't have to go there in full armor, but a little protection won't hurt.”

  Jody did not try to avoid Sam's eyes that were almost transparent in the light of the rising moon. They merely stood there, knowing the peace they felt could be shattered again within a few hours. “I’d like you to come with me,” Jody said timidly.

  Sam wasn't surprised. She had expected that request. In fact, had the situation been reversed, she would have wanted the same thing. “I will,” she promised. “But I’ll stay outside or somewhere else in the hospital. I'll be there when you need me, I promise, but I can't completely overrule your fathers' authority without creating havoc. That wouldn't be right. Coming in to be with your family would do that.”

  “If only he'd really know you, Sam,” Jody whispered. “You're so incredibly honest and decent.”

  “He has his convictions and so do I,” Sam explained. “I know he hates me, but that doesn’t mean I have to return the sentiment.”

  Jody tilted her head and looked up at Sam, whose eyes were pensive, but softened when she caught Jody's gaze. Jody's eyes mirrored the affection and Sam felt a strong connection. It was like every heartbeat pulled them closer together. With a smile, Sam ducked her head, brushing Jody's lips in a fleeting kiss. The gesture caused both to gasp at the unexpected, electrifying contact. Jody's hand slid behind Sam's neck. Her intention was to pull her closer for a more solid kiss, when someone behind them cleared their throat. “Damn,” she muttered. She turned around to find Lucy study marigolds in the flowerbed near her feet. It was obvious she felt uncomfortable.

  “Are you alright, Lucy?” Jody asked. Seeing Lucy modest was a rare sight.

  “Um...yeah, I'm okay. I came to check up on you, but I can see you're kind of... busy.”

  Jody didn't miss the trace of humor in Lucy’s voice and she chuckled. “It's okay, Luce,” she answered. She gently bumped her forehead against Sam’s chest. “We were about to come back anyway.” She patted Sam’s sides and stepped back, ready to follow Lucy, but Sam’s strong grip stopped her.

  “That's twice,” Sam said with wry humor. “Third time’s a charm, alright?”

  Jody exhaled slowly and smiled. “You bet.”

  * * *

  “There's no one home, I told you that.”

  “But how can you know for sure? They could be...I don't know, asleep or something.”

  “Listen to me Fred.” The big man turned to face his companion, a younger man in his late teens and did not try to hide his impatience. “She is not home. Got it?”

  “What about the blonde? Joe thinks they know each other. She might drop by. How do you know she won't?”

  “Because I use my brain, you Drongo. You should try it sometimes and get rid of those kangaroos in your top paddock. I'll explain it to you one more time: she checked out of the hotel and stayed here. This evening they left together. They didn't come back yet, so, I'll go into the apartment and you stay here, keep your eyes open and let me know if they're coming back. Hit the speed dial button of the phone, let it buzz twice and hang up. You think you can do that?”

  “Of course, I can,” Fred Matthews answered. He was visibly insulted.

  Little Steven left the car and crossed the street. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning night, but there was still quite some traffic. He knew he had to be careful. Picking the lock of the main entrance had to be done quickly, before anyone could spot him using his tools. He was very confident in his skills and was still amazed at the easy way he could get into buildings that were so called 'secured'. The main entrance of Jody's apartment building was no exception. It only took him twenty-five seconds to open the door. Without making a single noise he found his way to the door he was looking for. Within moments he was inside. He took a small flashlight from his pocket and carefully avoiding the window, he searched the place with precision.

  Chapter 7

  It was nearly ten o'clock at night when Jody, Lucy and Sam had left Megan and Sarah, promising to give them a call the next morning. Lucy would be driving to the hospital and Sam was about to climb into the back of the car, when Megan stopped her. Her dark eyes were pleading and Sam nodded. “I’ll look after her. I promise.” She returned Megan’s spontaneous hug. “We’ll talk tomorrow,” she promised, before getting into the car.

  Less than an hour later, Lucy parked her car near the entrance of the Hospital. She killed the engine and stared at the steering wheel.

  “Are you ready for this, Luce?” Jody asked.

  “No, and I don’t think I’ll ever will be.” Lucy let out a shaky breath. “But let’s do this. It’s for Mom.”

  Jody turned to Sam and sent her a tight smile. “Are you sure you'll be alright waiting in the car?”

  “Don't worry about me, I'll be fine, really. I'm right here and I won't go anywhere. If you need me, you know where to find me,” Sam said.

  “We might be gone for a long time. I’m not sure how I feel leaving you here by yourself. In the dark.”

  “I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself. Besides, I’m near the entrance.” Sam pointed at the brightly lit entryway. “I brought my laptop and will be doing some research, so, don't worry about me. If the car gets too cramped I might go inside and find a quiet corner somewhere. I may have to do that anyway if I need to leech off their Wi-Fi.” Sam smiled. “If I do, I promise I’ll send you a text.”

  Jody blew out a breath. “Okay. I’ll come to check up on you in a while anyway.” She smiled. “Whether you’re a big girl or not.”

  Sam laughed. “Fair enough.” She put a hand on Jody’s shoulder and gave her a playful shake. “Now, go. Call me if you need me.”

  “I will,” Jody promised. She took a deep breath, opened the door and exited the car. Their gazes locked for one more moment, before she joined Lucy, who was patiently waiting for her. They wrapped their arms around each other and slowly walked toward the entrance.

  * * *

  “Jody!”

  A skinny dark-haired teenager came running down the long hallway and threw herself in Jody’s arms.

  “Hi, Red.” Jody pulled Fiona in a tight hug. “How are you doing?”

  Fiona didn't answer, but Jody could feel her shrug. Her arms were still wrapped around Jody, so she just held her, brushing her lips against her freckled forehead.

  “Mom's been waiting for you two.” She finally let go and looked up. She grinned at Lucy, who affectionally ruffled the dark hair. Jody looked at her two sisters and couldn’t help smiling. Except for the freckles and the age difference, they certainly could have been twins. Both had the same dark-green eyes and same facial features, but where Lucy's skin was flawless, Fiona's was freckled. Still, the resemblance was striking.

  Jody wrapped an arm around Fiona’s shoulders. “Let’s go see Mom. Are Matt and Bird here yet?”

  “Matt's been here for ages, Bird arrived 'bout fifteen minutes ago,” Fiona answered. She rubbed her cheek against Jody's upper arm. “This is going to be a great reunion.”

  Behind her, Jody heard Lucy softly sn
ort and she suppressed a chuckle. Lucy could have said exactly the same thing, in the same tone of voice and with the same amount of sarcasm. “You two are so much alike,” Jody said. There was a smile in her voice. She opened the door to one of the many waiting rooms and braced herself for the upcoming confrontation with her family. Jody spotted her mother and three brothers in the waiting area. All four of them looked anxious and uncomfortable, but as soon as Joan McDonnell saw her daughters she jumped up. She looked so relieved, Jody knew it had been the right decision to come to the hospital.

  “Jody, Lucy, I'm so glad you're here.” Joan McDonnell wiped at the tears in her eyes. Her eyes were red and swollen. Her face was creased in worry.

  “I couldn't stay away, Mom,” Jody said, enveloping her in a hug. Her heart felt heavy at the sight of her mothers' pain. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “You're here. That's more than I could have asked from you.”

  Joan McDonnell turned to Lucy and Jody looked at her brothers. They were all tall, like their father. Matthew and Gerald were most alike, with their dark blond, almost brown hair and pale blue eyes. Michael was the only sibling who looked like Jody. He had the same ginger-colored hair, green eyes and freckles. She smiled at him warmly and he gave her a quick wave. Jody hadn’t seen him for a couple of weeks, but she could swear he had grown taller. Her gaze travelled to Matthew who stared at her with a sour expression on his face. To Jody’s surprise he didn’t say anything. Gerald, on the other hand had jumped up.

  “Hey, Jo.” He wrapped her in a bear hug. “Good of you to come,” he said softly. “That must have been hard.”

  Jody didn't answer, she nodded, swallowing hard to get rid of a lump in her throat. Gerald must have felt her sadness, because he held her tight and slowly rocked back and forth, providing all the comfort he could give her. “Better?” he asked after a little while.

  Jody smiled up at him and patted his shoulder. “Thanks, Ger.” Her voice croaked. “How’s Dad doing?”

  “You’ve just missed the cardiologist. They performed a cardiac catheterization and put in a stent. They’re still doing some test, but the Doc said he’ll be alright. His cholesterol was way off the scale, so he should cut down on a lot of things, including yummy lamingtons, the old fish 'n chips and yelling at his offspring.”

  “It's not funny, Ger.” It was the first time Matthew spoke and he seemed angry. He sounded so much like their father Jody frowned.

  Gerald turned and looked at Matthew. “I know it isn't funny,” he replied. He didn’t seem at all impressed by Matthew’s anger. “But he's going to live, isn't he? I know this isn't exactly a cheerful situation, but it's not as bad as it looks. You heard Doctor Parks, he'll be alright.”

  “Food’s not the only thing he should cut back on,” Matthew sneered. His eyes were dark when he looked at Jody. She was about to respond, but Lucy beat her to it.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Matthew drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair. “Dad will have a fit when he finds out Jo's here,” he said, not able to meet his mothers' sad eyes. “He should avoid stress, so—”

  “So, no one will tell him, right?” Lucy interrupted. “Jody didn't come for Dad in the first place, little brother, she came for Mom and, funny enough, also for you. You could show a little bit of appreciation, you know. I think—”

  Jody put her hand on Lucy’s arm. “Lucy, it's alright. Matt’s right, the last thing Dad needs right now is stress.” She looked at Matthew. “I wasn't about to give him that, Matt, I hope you understand that. He doesn't want to see me and I respect that.”

  “It's not you, Jo, it's your lifestyle,” Michael spoke. There was a hint of sadness in his voice. “I'm sure he doesn't ...I mean, you are his daughter, so—”

  Jody sent Michael a warm smile. She appreciated his effort to come to his father’s defense without hurting her feelings. He was a kind, gentle person, with respect for his father and a lot of love for his sister, which made it extremely difficult for him to deal with the situation. He didn't want to displease his father, but also would never want to hurt his sister.

  * * *

  After Jody and Lucy had left, Sam had taken a seat in the front of the car, creating as much room for her long legs as possible. She had booted up her laptop and inserted the flash drive. Within moments columns appeared on her screen. She scanned the rows and rows of numbers, studying the files Jody had copied. It was interesting to see how subtly the numbers were changed from the last time Jody had saved the file, to the next time. She was impressed with her for discovering the discrepancies. “Nice work, sweetheart,” she mumbled. Sam scanned every row, every now and then typing a note or a number in a separate file she had opened. When she was halfway down the first file she frowned, and scrolled back up. Suddenly, she noticed another irregularity. Some of the numbers had a strange resemblance. Sam was familiar with the use of employee identification numbers, she had one herself. It was a number that was unique for every employee and consisted of the month and year their employment had started, month and year of birth and a code identifying gender. It was almost impossible for two people, working at the same place, to have identical numbers. Or was it? Sam's eyes noticed nine different ID numbers that were almost identical. Two of them had a different month and year their employment had started, but all of them shared the same month and year of birth.

  “That's odd,” she muttered. “What's going on here? Did we hire three sets of triplets?”

  Sam's brows furrowed when she stared at the numbers, trying to understand what they were telling her. “I wish I had your brain for numbers, Tom.” She rubbed her tired eyes. “I sure could use your help right now, but I suppose I’ll have to be patient. I hope you’ll check your email on Saturday mornings.”

  * * *

  “Hey, Jo, how are you holding up?” Gerald nudged Jody and his eyes searched her face.

  “Um… I was thinking,” she hastily replied. Her gaze was caught by Lucy's and her sister winked, nearly making her blush.

  “Those must have been happy thoughts,” Gerald whispered. “It's been a very long time since I saw your eyes light up like that.”

  Jody looked at her younger brother, not able to hide the internal conflict. She knew Gerald had always liked Sam and when she disappeared, he had been genuinely upset. But telling him Sam had returned meant increasing the chances of her father finding out, with all due consequences.

  Jody looked at Lucy, who caught her gaze. A wordless conversation took place and after a few moments Jody nodded. She couldn’t hide Sam forever and Gerald was an adult, not a fourteen-year-old chatterbox. She could trust him to not say anything. Jody sent Lucy a smile and received a wink in return.

  She stood up and stretched her stiff muscles. “I need some fresh air. Do you want to go for a stroll, Ger?”

  “Absolutely.” Gerald jumped up and followed Jody out of the waiting room, into the brightly lit hallway. As soon as the door closed behind them Gerald grabbed Jody’s arm, forcing her to stop and look at him. “What's going on? I know something’s up and I’m starting to get worried.”

  Jody patted his hand and smiled. “I’m fine. Come with me. This is easier to explain by showing you.”

  “Alright, mysterious woman,” Gerald joked. He followed Jody through the hallway, toward the exit. The automatic sliding doors opened with a hiss and the warm evening air immediately clung to their skin. Silently, Jody walked toward a car Gerald recognized as Lucy's. His brows furrowed when he spotted someone sitting in the front.

  “Jo, what's—?”

  Jody held up a hand. “Give me a minute,” she said. She opened the car door and stuck her head inside. He heard her say something he couldn't understand, which only increased his curiosity. When Jody stepped back, a pair of long legs appeared, followed by the rest of a body. Gerald could tell it was a woman and he frowned. There was something familiar about her. When she turned around, Gerald's breath caught. “Sam,” he whispe
red. He took a tentative step toward her. “Sam, is it really you?” The look Sam and Jody exchanged told him everything he needed to know. Two steps brought him close to Sam and excitedly he threw his arms around her.

  Sam had not expected such an emotional outburst, but she gratefully returned the hug. She swallowed to keep her own emotions at bay. “It's me, Gerald. I’m back.”

  Gerald slowly released his grip on Sam and took a step back. “But how?” His voice was strained and with an impatient gesture he wiped his eyes. “When did you...? I'm thrilled, Sam, I really am, but I don't understand.”

  “Calm down, brother. Take a deep breath.” Jody laughed, gently patting his shoulder. She was pleased by Gerald’s open display of happiness. “We’ll tell you the whole story, but we can't stay out here too long or they'll send a search party looking for us. So, here's the summary—”

  In concise words Jody told him about the reason why Sam had come to The Reef, the way they had run into each other and how misunderstandings had caused the breaking up of their friendship a long time ago.

  “What misunderstandings?” Gerald wanted to know.

  “This is not the right time, Ger,” Sam answered. “This will have to do, for now. I promise we'll tell you the full version later. Okay? Jody's right, you can't stay outside too long. This is not the time to upset your entire family. How's your father doing?”

  Jody told her what the doctor had said and Sam was sincerely relieved to hear David McDonnell was going to be fine. She smiled at Jody, playfully ruffling her hair, which earned her a poke in the ribs. Gerald was watching them with a high wattage smile plastered on his face, still trying to come to terms with what had happened. He hoped Jody would finally find some happiness. She deserved it, especially after all the things she had been through.

  “I'll go back inside,” he said. “I'll grab a cuppa, find some tucker and join the rest of the clan.” He stepped toward Sam, leaned in and kissed her cheek. “It’s so good to see you.” He then turned around and walked back to the entrance of the hospital with a bounce in his step.