Birds of a Feather, page 6
The chicken could be frozen and she hadn’t started on dessert. She glanced at her kitchen clock; it was mid-morning – not too late to cancel. Whatever it was that Spiro and Mary wanted to discuss over dinner could wait. Mary would probably be relieved not to have to come anyway.
Spiro didn’t answer her call. She tried Mary’s phone. It rang a long time. With a sense of relief Eve waited to leave a message when Mary’s voice cut in sharply.
“Hello, Eve.”
“Mary, how are you?”
“Fine.”
“Looks like a blow coming. I guess Spiro’s battening down the hatches.”
“He’s off somewhere. Why are you ringing? It is tonight we’re coming for dinner, isn’t it? Spiro reminded me this morning.”
Eve was used to Mary’s sharp edges but today they cut easily through her resolve. “It was to be but I’m feeling a bit off-colour.”
“We shouldn’t come then.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing but best not. I’ll reschedule when—”
“I’ve got another call incoming, Eve. I have to go.”
Eve was left holding a silent phone. She’d been determined not to let Mary get under her skin but she was too late. She clicked her tongue. Some days it was difficult to cope with the knowledge that Spiro, her business partner and friend, had married a woman who disliked her so much. Eve had lived her life reluctant to use the word hate but these days she was more realistic. She was sure hate was a better word for the way Mary felt about her.
“Damn!” She marched across her kitchen and scrubbed the one cup and plate she’d used at breakfast. She’d learned a long time ago to banish self-pity from her life and had mastered the art of not letting Mary one-up her, but today she was at a low ebb.
Outside the rattle of a downpipe and the whoosh of trees announced a strengthening wind from the north. In the distance she heard a thud. She hung the tea towel and listened. It came again. Something was loose outside.
Eve had very few maintenance jobs left to be done on her small property. Over the last year since she’d stopped her volunteering and committee involvement, she’d kept herself busy going over every inch of her house. Zac had come from Darwin twice to help her.
First she’d emptied cupboards and then she’d started on the building itself, patching cracks, painting walls. Zac had done the ceilings. She’d gone on to sand and varnish any exposed wood, and even re-tiled the laundry. Outside she’d pulled everything out of the garage and the old boatshed. Zac had been there with his wife and children that time. They’d had a happy week sorting through more than thirty years’ worth of accumulation. Eve had only put back what she deemed useful. The rest had been stacked behind the shed, taken for scrap or to the dump once Spiro and her neighbour, Pete, had gone through it for anything they wanted. She’d kept herself so busy there was little left to do.
She lifted her head and listened as the thud came again. Obviously something wasn’t right outside. It was times like this she missed her old dog, Merc. He’d been a companionable presence for seventeen years and his loss a year ago had been but one more change in her life that left an empty space she couldn’t fill.
Eve went outside and followed the path to the back gate, listening for the sound. It came again, a hollow blow accompanied by a screech of metal. A movement across the yard caught her eye. One of the big wooden doors to the boatshed was shuddering in the wind. She hadn’t been in there for weeks but Spiro sometimes used it – perhaps he hadn’t latched it properly. The catch was difficult to put back in place. She headed towards it.
The boatshed had been a barn. It was made of stone and was as old as the house. It had been a part of the original farming property when Eve and Rex had bought their subdivided portion thirty-five years ago. Rex had done up the old shed with its huge doors and high roof line. He’d put down a cement floor and used it for boats, nets, motors and everything in between that went with commercial fishing. There were no boats now but Spiro still used it to store nets, flat packed prawn boxes, preservatives and other gear they needed for the business.
Eve reached the door just as it flung back. Leaves and debris whirled on a strong gust that propelled the giant door against her shoulder. The force of it and the accompanying burst of pain sent her stumbling backwards. She clutched her arm then sank to her knees as her usually strong legs turned to jelly. Nausea pushed up her throat and erupted as a scream. The sound was lost in the roar of the wind and the clanging of the giant door.
six
Lucy had barely brought the car to a stop before Poppy leaped out and ran for the back door shouting, “Daddy, Daddy!”
“Slow down, Poppy,” she called but she was wasting her breath. If Noah was resting again, he wouldn’t be for long with all her noise.
When Alec had brought Noah home from school, they’d come into the house laughing and joking. Noah’s temp had been up a little and he’d looked flushed so she’d made him go to bed in spite of his protests. By the time she’d allowed him to get up and eat a late lunch, his temp was back to normal. He’d said he was feeling better but he only picked at his sandwich and she’d sent him back to bed. He’d objected but when she’d stuck her head in last, he’d been absorbed in the latest Weirdo book. Alec had fixed the shower and was working on the loose hinges of the front screen door. With him home she’d been reassured enough to head to the street to do a few jobs before she picked up Poppy.
She’d just made it to the back door, weighed down with bags of shopping and Poppy’s school bag, when the little girl came flying out the door. “Daddy’s not here.” Her bottom lip wobbled.
“Dad’s probably just outside somewhere. I told you Noah’s not well, so he’s in bed.” Lucy propped the screen door with her foot and heaved her load inside. The beach shack was small, only two bedrooms and a kitchen–living area with the wet areas attached across the back. It didn’t take her long to find neither Noah nor Alec were inside.
“I’m hungry,” Poppy whined.
“Have a banana.” Lucy pulled a cloth bag from the shopping.
“No.”
“There’re apples or some strawberries in the fridge.” Lucy unpacked the rest of the groceries.
“I don’t want fruit.”
“Fine.” Lucy wasn’t in the mood for Poppy’s tantrums. She was wondering where Alec and Noah were. Had Noah got worse and Alec found a ride to the doctors? Surely he’d have rung her.
“There they are!” Poppy called. She was kneeling up on the window seat pointing towards the beach. While the shack was basic it was in an excellent position, only one house back from the beach on a side road and built at an angle across the block. Apart from the large pine tree on the front fence line they had almost uninterrupted views to the beach and bay.
Lucy moved to the window beside Poppy. Two figures huddled on a rocky outcrop, one tall, one short, and from their stance they appeared to be fishing. Lucy’s poor mood deepened. What was Alec thinking, dragging a sick child out fishing? It was sunny outside now and the earlier strong winds had abated but there was still a stiff breeze across the bay.
“Can I go to the beach too?”
“No.”
Poppy wailed her displeasure.
Lucy flicked the kettle on to make herself a cup of tea. “It’s getting cold. They’ll probably be back very soon.” She tried to give her daughter a hug but the little girl pulled away and flopped to her bottom. “How about I whizz up a banana smoothie?”
Poppy straightened up. “Can I have chocolate on top?”
“A little. Empty your school bag and wash your hands first.” Poppy shot off to do as she was asked. Lucy felt bad about the bribery but a little sprinkle of Milo on top of the healthy milk drink was a small price to pay for peace.
A while later she and Poppy were on the window seat in the sunshine, sipping their drinks in between Poppy’s attempts to read aloud her latest take-home book. Lucy’s annoyance at Alec had abated a little as she enjoyed some one-on-one time with her daughter, playing with her soft curls turned golden by the afternoon light. The concentration on Poppy’s little face as she sounded out a word was so cute and then a confident nod would follow as she said it. Poppy had grown up fast now that she’d started school. So different to the frightened little girl she’d been the previous year.
There was a thud outside the back door and Poppy shot off the seat.
“They’re back.”
Lucy grabbed the large smoothie glass that teetered after Poppy’s rushed departure. Luckily it was nearly empty. She swallowed the last of her tea then followed her daughter outside. Alec was scooping Poppy into a hug and Noah was putting the fishing rods away.
Lucy shivered in the cool air after the warmth of the window seat. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned on the door frame. Alec met her gaze over Poppy’s head.
“Noah brightened up and the tide was right so we thought we’d chuck in a line.”
Lucy shook her head. “He shouldn’t be out in the cold.”
“He’s fine,” Alec said.
“We’ve got enough fish for tea, Mum.” Noah held the bucket up triumphantly.
“And we all love fish for tea, don’t we, Popsicle.” Alec put Poppy back on the ground and she squealed in delight as he tickled her. The three of them laughed then turned as one to look at Lucy. She knew she’d lost this time.
“I’d better peel some potatoes to make chips then,” she said and with one last querying look at Alec she retreated inside. The casserole she’d started could wait until tomorrow.
Eve swallowed her nausea as the doctor prodded at her shoulder. After getting back to the house she’d sat and hoped the pain would go away but it hadn’t so she’d tried to lie down and that had been agony. Admitting to herself she might need a medical opinion, she’d rung the surgery and managed to get an appointment with her doctor for late in the day. Driving herself there had been the difficulty. Now the pain was so intense she could hardly keep from moaning.
“I suspect you’ve torn your rotator cuff,” Ryka said.
Ryka Sandeep had been Eve’s doctor for several years. Eve liked the woman for her thorough, matter-of-fact manner on the rare occasions she needed to see a doctor.
“That sounds serious.”
“And your blood pressure is higher than usual.” Ryka had insisted on giving Eve a full once-over before she looked at her shoulder. “That’s probably because you’re in pain. I’ll write you a script for that.”
“I don’t need painkillers.”
“I’m not forcing you to take them but it will take a while to get a specialist appointment.”
“A specialist?”
“We won’t know until you’ve had tests but given your lack of arm movement and the amount of pain you’re experiencing, I would expect you’re going to need surgery.”
“Now?”
“Oh no. It’s elective but I don’t think you’ll get better without it.”
“Are you sure surgery is necessary?”
Ryka sat back in her chair. The direct look in her dark brown eyes softened. “You shouldn’t be worried about having the surgery, Eve. The end result will be much better than living with it as it is. But, before we get ahead of ourselves, I’ll organise some tests and a referral to an orthopaedic specialist.” She began typing at her computer. “Do you have a preference?”
“Preference?”
“For a specialist?”
Eve shook her head. “I’ve never had trouble with my shoulder before.” Even as she said it she realised that wasn’t quite true. She’d injured her shoulder after Rex had died. She’d done a lot of manual labour in those days, proving she was up to as much physical work as the men. Some physio and heat packs had eventually fixed it, but that shoulder had always been her weak spot. Spiro had convinced her there were other roles for her that were just as important in their partnership. That had been a long time ago.
“Jock Campbell consults at the health centre,” Ryka said. “He’s as good as any.”
“Are you sure it won’t just come good with physio?” Eve leaned back in the upright chair and the sharpness of the pain made her gasp.
Ryka raised her eyebrows as she handed over a script. “Get the script filled. Strapping the arm will help, one of the nurses can do it for you, but you’ll need stronger painkillers than paracetamol in the interim.” She stood up. “Jock will want some imaging done before he sees you. His receptionist will be in touch once he has the referral. We’ll let him be the one to decide if surgery is necessary or not.”
By the time Eve was being ushered out by Ryka her head was in a spin. How was she going to manage everyday tasks, housework, shopping, even dressing herself? And if she had surgery that would be a few weeks of invalidity. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest. She swallowed, trying to moisten her dry mouth. It was a rare feeling for Eve but she recognised that strange sensation that was alarm building inside her. She had lived her life never having to rely on anyone. It irked her to ask for help.
She was so caught up in her thoughts it took her a while to refocus and sort the payment. Once that was done she turned away from the counter and almost bumped into a woman coming in the door.
“Hello, Eve.” Norma Banks swept her beady gaze over Eve.
Eve tried to pull herself up straighter. “Norma.”
“I heard you weren’t well.”
“Nothing to worry about,” Eve said grandly and glanced around, looking for Audrey. The two were rarely apart. How unlucky to run into her again so soon.
“I saw Mary at the supermarket.” Norma waited to see if Eve would elaborate. She didn’t. “Anyway she mentioned you’d cancelled dinner. I hope it’s not the flu.” Norma took a small step back. “I’ve had my injection of course but there’re no guarantees and we don’t want—”
“Mrs Monk?” The nurse saved Eve from further grilling. “You can come through now.”
“Oh, you need the nurse.” Norma peered around Eve. “And it’s Jess, isn’t it? I heard you’d moved back to town, and a new bub on the way by the looks of it. Isn’t IVF wonderful?”
Jess’s face went pink from her cheeks to the top of her forehead and she turned to lead the way to the treatment room.
Eve gave Norma a brief nod and followed.
“You take care, Eve,” the woman called after her. “Get well soon.”
Eve gritted her teeth. Of all people to meet. She should have just told Norma she’d hurt her shoulder. There’d be another much juicier story circulating around town about her before she knew it. She’d have Covid-19 by dinner time.
Eve shook off thoughts of Norma then gasped as her arm brushed the door frame on the way into the treatment room. That’s if she could stomach the chicken roll she’d kept for her dinner. The scratchy throat and headache had long gone but the nagging pain from her shoulder made her feel mildly nauseous. She might have to fill Ryka’s script after all.
Jess’s colour was returning to normal by the time they settled in the treatment room and she gave Eve an encouraging smile.
Eve smiled back. She recognised the young woman now. She’d grown up in Wallaby Bay and had been in either Arlo or Zac’s circle of acquaintances.
“How’s Zac?” Jess said. “I haven’t seen him for several years. Is he still in Darwin?”
Zac’s age then. Eve nodded. “It’s nice to see you again, Jess. Are you back for a while?”
“Yes, my husband’s a builder. An opportunity came up for us to move here and …” She put a hand to her baby bulge. “I’d like to be closer to Mum and Dad.”
“Family can be a great help.”
“Doctor says you need a sling?”
“I’ve given my shoulder a bit of a bump.”
“More than a bit, by the way you’re holding it. I’ll try to be as careful as I can.”
A short time later Eve’s arm was neatly strapped to her body and the pain had settled to a dull ache.
“This is only to help keep you comfortable while you’re moving around. You shouldn’t keep it on all the time. Do you have someone at home who can help you, Mrs Monk?”
“I live alone.”
“How will you manage? I assume you’re right-handed?”
Eve sighed. “It won’t be easy but I’m sure I’ll be fine. I’ve done for myself for a long time.”
“The simplest of tasks can be difficult with a damaged rotator cuff. I can organise some home help for you.”
Eve stood up. “That won’t be necessary. Thank you for this though.”
Jess glanced at her watch. “You’ve missed the chemist now.”
“I’ll fill the script tomorrow.”
Jess opened the door then paused. “How did you get here?”
“I drove.” It was out before Eve thought about it.
“You really shouldn’t be driving.”
“I’ll be fine, Jess. Thank you for this.” Eve indicated the sling.
“I hope you feel better soon.”
Outside the doctor’s surgery the sun was low in the sky and a chilly wind blew along the street from the sea. Eve got herself back into her car then took a moment to rest and let the pain settle again. She looked at the gear stick. She hadn’t told Jess her car was manual. It had been difficult to drive herself to the surgery but she’d managed to hold the wheel steady by pressing her legs up against it when she needed to change gears.
Eve took a breath and fiddled with the keys. It was so awkward trying to do it with her left hand. They slipped from her grasp and she slapped the wheel in frustration as they hit the floor.
“Damn!” Eve swivelled, felt around for her keys then she tried again. The key slid into place.
A few minutes later she was stopped on the side of the road, watching in her side mirror as a tall policeman approached. What on earth did he want? She’d just turned onto the road leading up the hill to her house when she’d heard the whoop of a siren behind her. She’d glanced in her rear-view mirror to see the flash of the police car’s lights and had pulled over.
