Jealous Storm

by Jack Stroke

  Yeah. There was a fair chance she did.

  15

  Ben was in bed when Joan burst in on him in a similar manner to how Grubby had on Amber and Vaughan. She had the decency to knock as she entered though.

  “Ben, Ben. You have to get up.”

  “What?”

  “Get up. Now.” She crossed the room and threw open his curtains. “There is a man here to see you.”

  Ben rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “A man? What man?”

  “A man. Quick, quick, quick. He’s waiting.”

  This being several hours before Ben generally rose, it took a few minutes for his brain to catch up. He was halfway out the door before he realised he probably needed to wear more than boxer shorts.

  He shuffled out to find a man sitting at his dinner table with Joan. The man had white hair and a white suit. Very striking.

  “Benny,” the man said, like they were friends or old acquaintances, at least. “What are you doing?”

  “Umm, nothing.”

  “Are you ready?”

  “Ready?”

  The man sighed theatrically. “You were told to be ready, were you not?”

  Ben stood there. Sure, yes, he was, but ready for what?

  “So, Mr Shake?” Joan said.

  “Just Shake, Joan. Please call me Shake.” He treated her to a smile somewhere between dazzling and creepy.

  “Okay, Shake. You work for this Diamond Logistics?”

  “I do.”

  “With Amber?”

  “Yes. Well, yes and no actually. It’s been a while since Amber and I have seen each other.”

  “And that other woman?”

  “Mother? Yes. You made quite an impact on her, Joan. You and this place.”

  “I did? I don’t see how,” Joan said, a bit of an edge to her tone.

  “How could you not?” Again with that smile. Joan wasn’t buying whatever Shake was selling. He turned to Ben. “Right, Benny. You good to go?”

  “No one calls him Benny,” Joan stated, prompting another smile from Shake.

  “Go?” Ben asked, furrowing his brow.

  “Go, yes, go. Right now. Chop, chop. Where’s your bag?”

  “Bag?”

  “Oh, for goodness sake.”

  “What does he need a bag for? Where are you taking him?”

  “He needs a bag for a few days away. Don’t worry, Joan. I’ll have him back to you safe and sound in short order.”

  Joan folded her arms. Ben scampered from the room.

  Bag… Bag… It was a simple process and yet everything took about a million times longer than it should. His room was a mess like always, all his possessions seemingly hiding from him. Ben threw in a random mix of clothes. Were they going somewhere hot or cold? He packed almost everything he owned before realising Shake had only said a few days and he couldn’t possibly need that much. He took a deep breath and tried again, just putting in one or two items.

  When Ben returned to the dining area, Shake was standing.

  “You and I clearly have a different idea of what ready means, Benny.”

  “Hold on, that’s not fair,” Joan said.

  Ben raised a hand to quieten her. “Sorry…”

  “Call me Shake.”

  “Sorry, Shake.”

  “Are you ready now?”

  “I think… Yes.”

  “You think so or you are?”

  “I am. Definitely.”

  “Good. Now, where is your phone?”

  “My … phone?”

  “Yes. Small black thing with a glass screen. Telecommunications device. Once used primarily to make phone calls, hence the name.”

  “No… I know what a phone is.”

  “Excellent. Progress.”

  “I just don’t know why you want…” Ben pulled out his phone.

  “Thank you.” Shake took the phone and passed it to Joan. “Joan, would you please be so kind as to take care of this for us? Just until Benny here returns home?”

  “But, I mean… I suppose I could. If it’s okay with Ben.”

  “It’s fine with you, isn’t it, Benny? Don’t worry. A little less screen time will do you good. Right. Let’s go.”

  Go? Ben’s legs were lead, refusing to move.

  “See you, Joan.” He gave his grandmother a kiss on the cheek. Not what he would usually do, but it seemed appropriate.

  “Aww, sweet. What a good grandson. Lovely to meet you, Joan. I won’t kiss you though. That would be weird.”

  Shake strode away. Ben followed out the door and into his new life.

  16

  In the end Grubby ran ahead, Amber and Vaughan too slow for him. Grubby keen not to miss a moment of any possible developments with the Tesla.

  Amber whacked Vaughan’s arm.

  “Oww.”

  “That didn’t hurt. If I wanted it to hurt it would have.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m still not allowed aboard your boat without asking permission.”

  “It’s basic respect, kid.”

  “And we’re together.”

  “Is that what we are?”

  “Whereas Grubby runs on board uninvited, you don’t even bat an eyelid.”

  Vaughan scoffed. “Yeah, cos it’s Grubby. I may as well ask you why you haven’t taught Lion to say please and thank you.”

  “Thanks for defending my honour too. Kicking him out because I wasn’t dressed.”

  “I said you needed to get changed.”

  “Yeah, eventually.”

  “Oh, we’re together, are we? Is that what we are?”

  “Shut up.”

  “Who is this guy? In the Tesla?”

  “I don’t know for sure.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  “It sounds like someone I work with.”

  “At your logistics place? Excellent.”

  “Don’t roll your eyes at me. What’s wrong with that?”

  Vaughan held his tongue. Probably wise.

  They made their way to Paradise by the Bay. The gleaming white Tesla looked oddly out of place parked by the owner’s cottage. Grubby rocked back and forward on the balls of his feet, ready for action.

  Ben and Shake made their way out just as Amber and Vaughan arrived.

  “Well, well,” Shake said. “Amber.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Long time.”

  “Shake.”

  The group stood about, no one quite sure what to do next.

  “Oh, umm, Shake, this is Vaughan and Grubby.”

  Shake half nodded, barely even looking at them. “Right, Benny. In.”

  They moved to their respective sides, Ben appearing as hesitant as Shake was full of himself.

  “I’d watch out, Ben,” Grubby said, highly amused. “Youse might not get too far.” He turned to Shake. “No charging station here either. How far you gonna get before you run out of power?”

  Shake flashed his best smile, saying nothing. He climbed into the driver’s seat.

  Grubby jittered with glee. “Should we follow ’em?”

  “You can if you want to, Grubs.”

  “I don’t think he’s going to run out of charge, Grubby,” Amber said.

  “Nah. Why was he asking about charge if he didn’t need it?”

  “It’s just Shake. He’s just that type of person.”

  “No way. Did you see how he was dressed? He thinks he knows everything and is better than he is. They’ll break down for sure.”

  Shake fired up the Tesla and took off far quicker than necessary, spraying bits of gravel behind.

  “You sure this is a good idea?” Vaughan asked.

  “What?”

  “Ben going off with this guy?”

  “Why? Is this about how you told Ben you don’t want him to turn out like me? Yeah, I heard all about that.”

  Vaughan nodded, not put off by Amber’s revelation. “Or him.” He pointed towards the fast-disappearing Tesla. “I don’t want Ben to turn out like that ei
ther.”

  Megan pulled up in Joan’s little hatchback. “Who was that in the white car?”

  “It wasn’t a car, Megan. It was a Tesla.”

  “Whatever, Grubby. Idiot almost ran me off the road.”

  “It’s a guy from work. Diamond Logistics,” Amber said. “He’s taken Ben for a few days for a training thing.”

  Vaughan was the only one who seemed concerned by this. Megan had moved on almost as soon as Amber finished talking.

  “Hey, what are you guys up to tonight?”

  “Usual. Watchin’ telly’n baked beans on toast.”

  “Not you, Grubby. You’re not invited.”

  “I’m gonna follow ’em,” Grubby said. “Find ’em and laugh.” He took off towards the bait shop, yelling over his shoulder. “Wanna come, Vaughan?”

  “No, thanks. You have fun though.”

  “Invited where?” Amber asked Megan.

  “Dinner at the Half.”

  “Dinner?”

  “Sure. You know, go somewhere nice, have a meal.” There was a definite twinkle in Megan’s eye. “Just the three of us.”

  “Sounds lovely,” Vaughan said when Amber didn’t respond.

  “Does, doesn’t it?”

  Amber kept her mouth shut. She didn’t like the sound of this at all.

  17

  The Tesla snaked through the green hills, away from Paradise Cove.

  “So, where are we going?”

  Shake responded with a smile, which wasn’t really an answer at all. “What do you think of the car?”

  “Ah, it’s nice.”

  “Is that a question?”

  “No. It’s nice.”

  “Tesla X.”

  “Okay. If you say so.”

  “No, not if I say so. It just is. Nicest car you’ve ever been.”

  “True. I’m not… really into cars.”

  Ben attempted to think of something to say that would make him sound intelligent. Shake beat him to it.

  “Who were those two rubes? With Amber.”

  “Oh. Grubby and Vaughan.”

  “They your friends?”

  “Sure.”

  “You don’t have friends your own age?”

  “Not really. I mean, a few. Not in Paradise Cove.”

  “Paradise Cove,” Shake repeated, sounding out the syllables.

  It seemed likely they were headed to Port Simmons, except Shake didn’t take the turn. They travelled about ten miles past and took a nondescript turnoff, which led to a small airfield.

  “Well. I never knew this place was here.”

  “Why would you?”

  The airfield had a single runway, overrun with weeds. A gleaming private jet waited. The white jet matched the Tesla, like a matching set, sold together. Shake parked by the stairs leading up to the plane.

  “Okay, Benny. In you go.”

  “Are you… Aren’t you coming?”

  Shake didn’t respond.

  “Do I take my bag?”

  “What do you think?”

  Again, not really an answer. Ben reached into the back and grabbed it.

  Wind buffeted him as he climbed the jet’s stairs. He moved as confidently as he could. The plane was nice on the inside, more like a lounge room and considerably nicer than the lounge room in the owner’s cottage back home.

  “Hello, Benjamin.”

  Mother’s voice prickled his skin.

  “Hi.”

  “Please, call us Mother.”

  “Hi, Mother.”

  She was in one of the leather seats and indicated for him to take the seat opposite.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Good, yeah. Good.”

  “The drive here was okay?”

  “Nice, thank you.”

  Mother took her time. She appeared to be looking at Ben, although he couldn’t be certain through her sunglasses.

  “Did Amber tell you what happens now?”

  “I don’t… I don’t think she knows.”

  “Or did she just not tell you.” The words hung in there. “How is she?”

  “Amber? Good, I think.”

  “We don’t get to see her as much as we would like anymore.”

  “Okay…”

  “You need to look after her for us.”

  “Really?”

  “Why not?”

  “Because… It’s Amber. She looks after herself.”

  “Maybe so, but she is a decidedly strange mix. As fragile as she is tough.”

  “You think? Okay.”

  More silence.

  “What do you think happens now, Benjamin?”

  “Well, I thought this was a job or something. Or a training exercise. But now I’m wondering if you are going to send me back home again.”

  “Why would we do that?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Mother took her time. “We need you to take care of something for us. Can you do that?”

  “I can try.”

  She shook her head. “This is a yes or no proposition. You either do it or you can’t.”

  “But I don’t know what it is.”

  No response.

  “Do… do you think I can do it?”

  “Would you be here if we didn’t?”

  “Okay, then. Yes, I guess.”

  “Good man.”

  Mother stood and walked past, tapping Ben lightly on the shoulder she she went by.

  “Do I… Do I wait here?”

  She ignored him and there was no one else on the plane to answer.

  18

  “Dinner?” Amber said when she and Vaughan were back on his boat. “With Megan?”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “She’s up to something.”

  “Because she invited us to dinner?”

  “Did you see that look in her eye? The invite was like a weapon she was attacking us with.”

  Amber sat on the side of Vaughan’s bed, mind racing.

  “Could just be dinner.”

  “But it isn’t. It’s revenge. She is trying to do to me what I did to her.”

  “She’s trying to set you up with me?”

  “Vaughan…”

  “That’s what you did, wasn’t it? Tried to set me up with Megan.”

  “Presumably this has something to do with her new man.”

  “You’re not going to accuse me of knowing things again, are you? I can’t be bothered having you mad at me.”

  “I wasn’t mad because you knew things.”

  “Sure.”

  “It was because I thought we shared stuff. I thought we were a team.”

  “Oh, we’re a team now? Before we were together.”

  “You know what we are going to be if you keep acting like this?”

  “Whatever.”

  Vaughan shuffled through his positions on the floor, looking for something.

  “Might be easier to find things if you cleaned up occasionally.”

  “My boat, my rules. I don’t come to the cabin and tell you where to put your stuff. Or I wouldn’t if I was ever invited in.”

  “Look, I know you won’t tell me or can’t or whatever, but let’s just say Megan does have a new man. It would certainly explain all the messaging. But how is that something she can use against me?”

  “Are you talking at me or to yourself?”

  “We’re having a discussion.”

  “Sure about that? Look, I get this is hard to believe, but maybe it has nothing to do with you, kid.”

  “Didn’t you see how pleased with herself she was? It’s about me. It so is.”

  Vaughan shook his head. “Aren’t you and Meg friends?”

  Amber waved him off, thinking.

  “You’re exhausting. I’m going for a swim.”

  She let him go. He wasn’t helping anyway.

  Amber spent the remainder of the day thinking about it (or more accurately obsessing) and getting precisely nowhere. It made no sense. Surely Me
gan having a new man was good for everybody. Amber only wanted Megan to be happy. Evening arrived with no answers. They borrowed Grubby’s car for the trip to the Half. Like the man himself, the vehicle had a distinct odour problem.

  “You look nice.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Not unusual. You always look nice.”

  “Aww, Vaughan. You say the sweetest things.”

  The car puttered along the quiet road.

  “Worried I’m not going to smell nice though. End up smelling like Grubby. Or worse, get this scent stuck in my nose and be smelling it for the next few days.”

  “Nice of Grubs to let us use his car.”

  “It is.”

  He shot her a glance and grinned. “Back to being Chill Amber, ’eh?”

  “Back to?”

  “You’re like a pendulum, kid. You totally overreact to something, and then you remember you’re supposed to be Chill Amber.”

  “I always forget you’re perfect, Vaughan. I wish you would teach me how sometime.”

  He smirked. “Aha. I’m right then.”

  “Right?”

  “Sure. You only bite back when I’m right.” He put a hand on her knee. It took every ounce of control for Amber not to rip it off. “I’m messing with you, kid. I think you’re doing great.”

  “Both hands on the wheel, please.”

  He left his hand on her knee. In fairness, she couldn’t imagine him driving any other way. Both hands on the wheel wouldn’t suit Vaughan’s persona at all.

  “Why wouldn’t I be Chill Amber? A nice dinner at the Half with friends. What’s not to enjoy?”

  As it turned out, and much to her surprise, Amber’s sarcastic comment turned out to be correct. They entered and found Megan by herself. No new man. And in pretty good form. Amber kept waiting for something. Whatever it was. Nothing eventuated. They had a pleasant evening, the three of them. Talking and laughing, the other two drinking. Maybe Amber had misjudged the situation. There was no surprise. No gotcha moment. Megan was her friend. She wasn’t out to get her.

  They ordered some food, Amber letting her guard down. Happy and content. And just as she was sitting there, thinking how wrong she was, a voice behind startled her. Still familiar after all these years.

  “Hey. Sorry I’m late. How we all doing tonight?”

  Every muscle in Amber’s body tensed.