Back on Track, page 19
Her phone pinged. Freya’s name appeared on the screen.
How’s it going? What’s the train like? Met any cute guys yet? Send photos xx
Lacey smiled and scrolled through the photos she’d taken. Hers were all images of scenery. She found the group shot Birgit had forwarded from yesterday and a selfie with Birgit from the night before and sent them to her sister with a brief message to say all was well and the trip great with good company.
She pictured Rory and Rhys. Were they good company? She’d describe them both as cute and they were fun to be with but that was all. She got the impression that was what Rhys thought too but Birgit appeared besotted by Rory and he was certainly paying her plenty of attention. For Lacey it was still too soon. Her heart belonged to Dean even though it wasn’t reciprocated.
Her finger hovered over her phone and before she knew it she was looking at the few photos she had of her and Dean together. There was one in particular she loved. They’d been out for a meal and it had been taken afterwards back at Dean’s apartment. He’d snapped a selfie of them. She was wearing his hot pink T-shirt and they were cuddled together beaming at the phone.
It was the night when she’d known he was more to her than a casual acquaintance.
twenty-four
The previous February – Randwick, Sydney
“I’d better get going soon,” Lacey said when for the first time that evening there was a lull in the conversation between her and Dean.
He smiled at her across his kitchen table. “Going to turn into a pumpkin?”
“I hope not.” She grinned. “But I’ve got a few things to do tonight and you’re heading off early tomorrow.”
“Fair enough. You can keep the T-shirt.”
“Oh, no. I’ll wash it and return it.”
“I don’t think my sister wants it back.”
Lacey glanced down at the vibrant pink T-shirt Dean had loaned her. It was a breast cancer awareness shirt and Do it for the girls was printed across the front. It hung in folds even though she’d tied a knot in one side and tucked the other into her skirt. “Not my usual style.”
He laughed. It was a hearty sound and one that she’d discovered, from their now regular catch-ups, came easily.
“I still can’t believe how useless that waiter was when he splashed sauce all over you,” Dean said.
“My T-shirt came clean.” Thankfully they’d finished their meal before the waiter had accidentally splattered tomato sauce down her back. None of it had reached her linen skirt but her white shirt had been sprayed. The waiter had apologised and dabbed uselessly at her shirt with serviettes. He was only young and very embarrassed. “It was an accident. Thanks for letting me rinse my shirt here before I head home.”
“Lucky my place wasn’t far away. And you’re lucky it’s tidy at least.” He waved a hand around. “I did a quick clean-up and clear-out ready to get away tomorrow.”
Lacey liked Dean’s apartment nearly as much as she liked him. It was run-down like her house but it had a comfortable vibe and it didn’t reek of cigarette smoke. And in the background his favourite country playlist was something she was getting used to. Her dad liked country music but he was a fan of the older tunes from singers like Slim Dusty, John Williamson and Smoky Dawson. Dean’s playlist was a mix of modern musicians.
“Your family will be pleased to see you.”
“It will be a crazy weekend. Weddings in my family are big and boisterous.”
Lacey glanced down. He’d been invited before Christmas, before he and Lacey had become, how would she describe it, close? He’d suggested he ask his cousin to add her as his plus one but Lacey had said no. Their relationship was still new and fresh and she kind of liked keeping it to themselves. They hadn’t got to the point of meeting each other’s families.
“Mum will be happy,” Dean said. “I haven’t seen her since the new year. She’d like me to go home more often.”
“She must miss you.” Lacey nearly said she envied him but swallowed her words and smiled instead. He’d talked a lot about his big extended family. Lacey said little about hers.
“I think it’s a mixture of that and guilt.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Guilt?”
“Mum blames herself for this.” He tapped his legs.
“Oh.” Lacey had been surprised when he’d got out of his wheelchair once they were inside his flat and used sticks to support himself to move around. He’d only ever used the chair when they were together. “Do you mind me asking what your disability is?”
He looked surprised. “Haven’t I told you? It’s usually one of my opening lines. If we’re going to be friends you should have all the gory details.”
Lacey studied him, anxious she was going to hear about some terrible accident.
“Don’t look so worried. It’s not contagious. I have cerebral palsy.”
“Oh.” She’d heard of it, of course. “I don’t know much about that.”
“It can vary but for me it mostly affects my legs. I prefer to use a chair when I’m out and about. It’s easier. But at home it gets in the way and I can manage better with the sticks.”
Lacey hesitated. “So why does your mum feel guilty?”
“She thinks I’m like this because of something she might have done while I was in utero. And for not realising sooner there was something wrong when I was young. We’ve been through it with the medicos. In my case there’s no one thing that CP can be pinpointed to. It’s what it is. My dad’s way of dealing with it is to ignore it so I wasn’t cut any slack growing up as the middle child of five kids and because of that Mum overcompensated and felt guilty. I’ve grown up surrounded by love and learning not to feel sorry for myself.” He grinned and opened his arms wide. “And look what a great guy I’ve turned into.”
“You’re amazing.” Lacey grinned back.
“You picked up on that.” He got to his feet. “Do you mind if we get a photo? Mum will ask.”
“In this T-shirt?” she wailed.
“Just head and shoulders.”
She stood beside him. He leaned one shoulder against hers, held his phone out for a selfie then showed her.
“That’s not too bad,” she said.
“I’m not totally useless.”
“I’d never think of you as any kind of useless.”
His deep brown eyes, only a short distance away, studied her carefully. “I don’t believe you would.” He leaned closer. “May I kiss you?”
She nodded, her throat suddenly dry. His lips brushed hers then gently pressed, the kiss deepening. A tingling sensation rippled through her. He wrapped one arm around her, pulling her against him. She felt at ease, alive, excited, all those things in one embrace, then he suddenly let her go, wobbled slightly and adjusted his stance.
“Sorry, lost my balance.” His look was sheepish. “You almost knocked me off my feet.”
“I’m sorry.” She flapped a hand at him, appalled at the thought of him falling.
“I’m teasing.” Once more that easy laugh of his relaxed her immediately.
“Now that I’m up I’d better go,” she said.
“I’ll see you next week?”
She nodded and he leaned in for another quick kiss.
Flustered by her body’s enthusiastic response, Lacey quickly gathered her bag and her own T-shirt that was a wet lump on the kitchen sink.
“Let me get you a plastic bag for that,” Dean said.
They fumbled over it, the T-shirt almost missing the opening, and laughed together as they both tried to catch it and push the soggy fabric into the bag.
Dean opened the door and she tumbled through it, pulling up quickly as she nearly bumped into a woman in the outer entry.
“Miss Carslake?” Judith dropped the hand that had been poised to knock and looked her up and down.
Lacey couldn’t help but glance down at the oversized T-shirt that had obviously caught Judith’s attention.
“Hi, Jude.” Dean’s welcome was bright as usual.
“I was coming to see if you needed anything done while you were away.” Once more her gaze went back to Lacey.
“I was just leaving.” Lacey smiled at Dean and took the plastic bag he was holding. “Thanks for a lovely dinner.”
“You actually cooked dinner?” Judith gaped at Dean.
“Well, thanks for casting nasturtiums on my cooking prowess in front of Lacey.” He laughed. “We did eat out though, Jude.” He grimaced at Lacey. “Something you’d better know about me is I rarely cook unless it comes out of a jar or a packet.”
Lacey smiled but didn’t speak, aware of Judith’s close scrutiny.
“I’ll see you Monday, Miss Carslake,” Judith said.
“Crikey, Jude. What’s with all this Miss Carslake business? You’re work colleagues, aren’t you?”
“I must go,” Lacey said. She smiled again at Dean, gave Judith a quick nod and set off.
“I’ll ring you,” Dean called after her.
Lacey thought about Dean and his kiss all the way home.
twenty-five
Day Two – Alice Springs
Voices sounded outside Lacey’s door. She slipped her phone into her pocket and glanced out the window. The train was barely moving now. She picked up her bag and hat. She was going to be among the first to get off so she could avoid Birgit and merge with the crowd. Hopefully there’d be lots of buses and people milling about like there had been at Katherine the day before.
Lacey opened her door and peered out. She could hear people talking in the distance but there was no-one in the corridor so she strode down to the carriage door where she came to a sudden stop. There was a woman in front of her carefully making her way down the steps and a man hovering on the platform holding an ornate walking stick. He reached for the woman’s hand but she batted him away.
“Don’t fuss, Beau. I’m best to do it myself.”
Once she reached the platform Lacey followed her down. One of the golf-cart style buggies waited alongside the train. Lacey turned away to set off on foot down the platform but the woman called to her.
“Young lady, would you like a ride?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“It’s a long way to the buses. Please do sit next to me.” The woman indicated the seat beside her. “Beau and I enjoy company when it’s fresh and bright like you.”
“Don’t embarrass her, Mum.” He smiled apologetically at Lacey.
She smiled back and looked along the platform. Their carriage was a long way from the buses. She did want to get there quickly and the day was already hot.
“Thank you, I’d love a ride,” she said and climbed on beside the woman. Beau took a seat behind.
“I’m Virginia,” the woman said. She wore little make-up over her softly creping skin but her elegant features needed no enhancement and her silvery hair sat gently around her face in a silky cloud. It was hard to guess her age.
“I’m Lacey.”
“It’s nice to see some younger people on this rattling antique.” Virginia waved a hand at the train as the buggy set off along the platform.
“I’m travelling with my work colleagues. There are six of us including our employer. She’s treating us to a staff holiday.”
Virginia gave her a haughty look. “She must be a very rich woman.”
Lacey had a sudden pang of guilt. She’d been so worried about her own finances she hadn’t considered at all how much Ketty had spent on this trip. She must have thought Lacey so ungrateful, bleating on about her money troubles the previous night. “She’s very generous.”
“What kind of place do you work?”
“It’s a dressmaking business in Sydney. Ketty Clift Couture.”
“That sounds intriguing, doesn’t it, Beau?”
The buggy had reached the bus area and Beau had already stepped off. He appeared at Virginia’s side.
“Yes.” He nodded. “Sounds right up your alley, Mum.”
“I was a model once, you know,” Virginia said. “Not that you’d know it to look at me now.”
“This is just a small setback.” Beau handed over her stick.
“A knee replacement isn’t a small setback.” Virginia shook her head then turned back to Lacey. “Don’t let anyone tell you it’s a simple thing. Almost three months and I’m still hobbling. Once upon a time I strode down a catwalk in six-inch heels. I modelled for several of the well-known Australian designers.” She paused then said, “Virginia Dupont.”
She spoke the name with a French accent, giving it some extra pizzazz.
“I’m sorry…I don’t…” Lacey fumbled, not sure how to tell this rather imperious woman she’d never heard of her.
“Don’t worry.” Beau came to her rescue. “It was a long time ago.”
Virginia glared at him. “My son doesn’t appreciate what it took to achieve what I did.”
“Of course I do.” He gave his mother a wide smile.
Lacey hopped off the buggy. “I’d better go and find my bus.”
“Which tour are you taking?” Beau asked.
“The Simpsons Gap walk.”
“I’d have chosen that if I was able,” Virginia said. “Touring the town in a bus doesn’t appeal.”
Beau smiled indulgently at his mother. “We’ve never been here before. You might be surprised.”
He offered his hand. Virginia sighed then accepted the support and stepped down.
“I hope you both have a great day.” Lacey eased away. There were steady queues of people boarding the buses.
“We might see you in the lounge car later.” Virginia smiled hopefully.
“Yes, perhaps.” Lacy nodded and set off to find her bus. It was already half full when she reached it but at least she’d avoided Birgit and being pressed again to take a camel ride she couldn’t afford.
Ketty peered at herself in the bathroom mirror. She didn’t look too bad for someone who’d had little sleep. She put her toothbrush away, patted her lips dry, reapplied her lipstick then ran a comb through her straight chin-length hair.
The train had stopped at the Alice Springs terminal and she’d already heard the voices of passengers alighting for the buses. Carlos was waiting for her in the cabin. A couple of times she’d thought she’d heard him talking beyond the thin veneer of the bathroom door.
She was looking forward to her first view of Alice Springs. She hadn’t had a chance to ask what the others had chosen, except for Birgit who she’d almost run into in the lounge car, and who’d told her excitedly about the camel ride she was taking. Ketty could see Birgit was enjoying herself. She could only hope the rest of her staff were.
She opened the door.
“That’s good news, Felix.” Carlos had his back to her. He spun, his phone to his ear. “That’s fine,” he said into the phone. “I’m sorry, I have to go. I’ll call when I’m back in Sydney.”
“You don’t need to stop your call because of me,” Ketty said as he slipped his phone in his pocket. “Was that Felix from the cafe?”
Carlos gave a slight shake of his head, then held out his hands, palms up. “You look ready to tackle the day. How did your chat with Val go?”
“Very productive. I think their problem might be not managing the change from Warren working to retirement. Like my neighbour Maurice, but it sounds like Warren is better at occupying himself. Maurice is constantly checking on Lee to see what she’s doing.”
Ketty settled on the couch by the window and Carlos took the other end.
“How are your Paddington friends?” Carlos asked. “I’m looking forward to seeing them again. I enjoyed our get-togethers when I stayed with you in Sydney. You don’t have to travel to gather an interesting group around your table, Ketty. Your friends are a fascinating mix. Not at all lame geese, as Maurice described them.”
Ketty laughed. “The expression is lame ducks and no, none of them could be described as that, tempted as I am to brand Maurice with his own label. Nothing much has changed since you saw him last. He’s still opinionated and tries to dominate the conversation.”
“He is a bit fond of the sound of his own voice but he’s an interesting character. And what a varied life Klaus has led. An engineer turned architect turned wood carver.”
“He’s such a nice man. So sad he’s got no family in Australia now but he says he doesn’t want to go back to Germany. I’ve tried a couple of times to have him over when Judith is at my place. We had dinner together, just the three of us, after I broke my wrist. He seems to enjoy her company but she doesn’t say much.”
Carlos raised his eyebrows.
“Don’t give me that look, Carlos. Judith would never admit it but she’s a lonely woman.”
“And yet when I returned the week after you broke your wrist I seem to remember you hurrying her away.”
“I didn’t hurry her away. It was a help to have Judith there for the first few days after it happened but then I was ready for her to leave. I’m used to living on my own, having my own space. Sometimes her attention can make me feel crowded.”
“Then I came back to stay for a while and now here I am again, crowding your space.”
“You’re not at all. It’s different with you, Carlos.”
He held her gaze a moment as if he was trying to read her thoughts. Ketty glanced down, avoiding his piercing look and trying not to think of Judith’s concerns.
“I suspect that’s one of the reasons she’s not so fond of me perhaps,” he said. “I take up some of your time. Especially now I’ve come on this holiday.”
“I see Judith nearly every day,” Ketty said. “But you and I don’t…won’t get the chance to catch up often…I want to make the most of it.” She looked up at him. “You’re welcome here, and to stay with me when you’re in Sydney any time, Carlos…truly.”
He turned one of his enigmatic smiles on her. Sometimes he was hard to read.
“I don’t want to monopolise your time though.” Ketty suddenly felt selfish, remembering his phone call. “You’ve got family and other friends to catch up with.”
