The knight, p.12
No Place Like Home, page 12
She was due to return to Murwillumbah later that day. So far, she hadn’t finalised what Toni and Levi wanted to do. They’d had a few conversations earlier in her visit, when the kids had suggested they wanted to come home soon after she did. But now she wasn’t so sure. They seemed happy, content with their dad. Maybe they should have more time.
In the end, she wasn’t sure it was even up to her, if she considered the legal implications. He was their father. Perhaps that meant it would be his call and not hers. If things continued the way they were going, she’d have to look into it and find out what her legal rights were as their temporary guardian. Although, she doubted Jay would go against what Toni and Levi wanted, anyway.
“Are you awake, Auntie Lisa?” came a whisper through the blackness.
She rolled to face Toni. “Yes.”
“I can’t sleep,” admitted Toni.
“Me either. Let’s go into the kitchen to talk so we don’t wake your brother.” Truth be told, the kitchen was only a few metres away from the living room floor where they were camped, but at least it would give them a little space to whisper together in private.
If Toni couldn’t sleep, perhaps there was something on her mind she wanted to talk to Lisa about. It would be a welcome relief after trying for weeks to get her niece to open up to her.
They padded to the kitchen, tugging on jumpers and beanies. Lisa shivered and immediately set the kettle to boil. It was louder than she’d realised it would be in the silence of the early morning hours and she shushed it with a grimace.
Toni giggled soundlessly. “I don’t think it’s listening to you. Since it’s a kettle, you know.”
Lisa pulled a face at her niece, then hunted in the cupboard for cups. “Tea?”
Toni nodded. “Yes please. Can I make it?”
Lisa shrugged. “Sure.” She stepped aside and sat on one of the bar stools to watch as Toni fixed them a chai style tea from various spices in Jay’s tea cupboard, then added an astonishing amount of sugar and warmed milk.
Lisa arched an eyebrow. “Are you trying to give me diabetes?”
Toni grinned. “It’s Indian tea. Trust me, it’s delicious.”
“Where did you learn to make that?” asked Lisa as Toni handed her the cup.
“In Chennai. We were there to cover the ten-year anniversary of the tsunami, and its aftereffects.”
Lisa’s eyes widened. “Really? Wow, that would’ve been interesting.”
Toni shrugged. “It was smelly and crowded. But the tea was good. That and the curry.”
Her niece seemed older all of a sudden. More mature. She’d been through so much, witnessed so many things children her age didn’t often see. There was a wise soul inside her skinny, tween body, that Lisa wished she’d reveal more often.
“I love curry.”
“I’ll make it for you sometime,” replied Toni, sipping her tea, and letting her eyes drift shut in delight. “Mmmm.”
“You cook?”
Toni huffed. “You don’t think Mum’s cooking is what keeps us all alive, do you?”
Lisa nodded. “Fair point.”
There were still so many things she didn’t know about Toni and Levi, or about her sister. They’d been so close years earlier, but a lot had happened since then. Things Callie hadn’t told her, parts of her life she hadn’t shared with Lisa. Regret filtered up from her gut and filled her chest with a weight that felt like sadness.
“I’d love to eat your curry sometime. If it’s half as good as this tea, it’ll be amazing.”
“Okay, well, I’ll make it next time I’m in Murwillumbah.”
Lisa sipped her tea and tried her best to leave the space for Toni to talk. Part of her hated having this conversation since she had a feeling about where it would lead. But she wanted the children to have some measure of happiness, and if Jay brought them that, she wouldn’t stand in the way. Although she’d miss them desperately. They’d brought joy and light into her life in a way she hadn’t even known was possible.
“That’ll be good. When do you think that might be?”
Toni’s gaze met hers. “I don’t know. I was thinking Levi and I might stay with Dad a while longer. Is that okay with you?”
Lisa swallowed a mouthful of tea. “Of course, that’s fine. Are you sure?”
Toni nodded. “Yep. I think he’s changed. I mean, Mum didn’t ever say much about him, only that he wasn’t ready to be a father. But now, it seems like he’s ready, like he wants us around. Don’t you think?”
Lisa sighed. “Yes, honey. I do think he wants you around, in fact I think he’s absolutely loving having the two of you here with him.”
Toni’s lips pulled into a grin. “Okay. Good.”
Lisa’s throat tightened and a lump filled it at the look of joy on Toni’s face. “So, I guess I’ll fly home today and then we’ll talk on the phone.”
“Yep. And we’ll visit soon, I promise.”
Lisa reached out a hand to squeeze Toni’s. “I’ll hold you to that. I’m going to miss you crazy kids.”
“I know, and I want to come back with you. We both do. But we want to get to know Dad better as well.”
“You talked to Levi?” asked Lisa.
Toni’s gaze fell to her teacup. “Yeah. He wants to stay too.”
Lisa pushed a smile onto her face. “That’s fine, honey, you don’t have to feel bad about it. I want you two to spend time with your dad. That’s why I agreed to this trip. He’s your father, you should be with him. But I hope I’ll get to see you again soon, because I love the stuffing out of you both.”
Toni wrapped her arms around Lisa and squeezed, snuffling into Lisa’s shoulder. “I love you too, Auntie Lisa.”
Tears blurred her vision. She felt as though her heart might break. All she wanted was for Callie to come home and for Toni and Levi to be happy. And for now, that meant leaving them behind with Jay, and going home without them.
The thought of her empty house, rented so the children would have their own rooms, made her heart sink into her gut. Maybe she’d get a cat. She’d always figured she’d become a crazy cat lady, even if she wasn’t particularly fond of the creatures. She might as well get started on her destiny. A sob hid in her throat and worked its way up. She pushed it down and hugged Toni tight. How long would it be until she could hold them both close this way again?
Chapter 17
“Let’s drink to new beginnings,” said Trina, raising a glass of red wine towards the ceiling.
Lisa curled her feet up to one side on the couch and reached for her own glass of wine.
They clinked their glasses together.
“New beginnings,” she said, her heart not in it.
“Don’t give me that glum sentiment,” chided Trina. “Come on, say it again with some enthusiasm. You’re in the prime of your life. The world is at your feet. Something about an oyster…” she laughed. “I’ve run out of cliches.”
Lisa couldn’t help chuckling along with her. “Okay, fine. I don’t believe you, but fine. Here’s to new beginnings!” She raised her voice an octave and pressed a cheesy smile to her face.
“Much better,” replied Trina.
They each took another sip.
“It’s true, you know. You can do anything you want with your life.”
Lisa sighed. “I guess you’re right. But all I ever wanted was to get married and have a family. I’d almost given up on the idea until the kids moved in, and I got to experience what it could be like. It was so much fun with them here. I loved taking care of them, hugging them, listening to stories about their day. I knew they were in pain, and I could help carry them through it. It’s crazy, but it gave me a sense of purpose I’ve never really felt before.”
“It’s not crazy,” admitted Trina. “I know exactly what you mean. I loved raising my kids, and now I’ve got an empty nest, sometimes I feel empty inside too.”
Lisa patted her friend’s leg. “Of course, you do. I haven’t been through anything as difficult as you have.”
“You’re going through something pretty hard right now.”
Lisa nodded. “Thanks for being here.”
“Of course. Where else would I be?”
“Anyway, I know I have to let it go and move on with my life. The kids are happy, well as happy as they can be without their mother. And I’m glad. But I’m finding it very difficult to concentrate on anything other than what they might be doing, or where Callie is, or how my parents are coping. I call them every day and they rarely answer the phone. Mum seems more down than she’s ever been. Dad hardly talks. My whole family is falling apart.”
She wanted to cry, but a laugh bubbled out of her mouth instead. “It’s not funny, I don’t know why I’m laughing.”
Trina arched an eyebrow. “Now I’m worried you’re losing your mind.”
That made Lisa laugh harder still.
Trina watched her, grinning. “Seriously, I’m concerned about you. Stop it.”
“My parents are pretending they’re not separated!” cried Lisa, slapping her thigh. “They’re sixty-five years old and worried what people will think if they find out.”
Trina chuckled. “It does seem a bit strange.”
“And I’ve got a crush on my sister’s ex-boyfriend. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Who does that?” Lisa bent double with laughter, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I think you’re right. I’m going crazy, I really am.”
Trina burst into laughter along with her. Before long they were both exhausted, weepy, and laid out on the couch staring at the ceiling. Lisa issued an occasional hiccough in the quiet aftermath.
“You really have a crush on him?” asked Trina.
Lisa nodded.
“I knew it.”
On the coffee table, Lisa’s phone vibrated itself in a circle. She picked it up and studied the number, it was the federal police officer she’d been communicating with over the weeks since Callie’s disappearance. Her heart thudded against her ribcage; her head felt immediately light.
“Hello?”
“Hi Lisa, it’s Brett O’Hara here from the federal police.”
“Hi Detective, I hope you’re calling with good news.” The thudding of her pulse almost drowned out the sound of his voice.
“I am.”
At first his words didn’t register. Good news? She wasn’t expecting that.
“What? What is it?”
“We found Callie. And she’s in good health.”
Before she could stop herself, Lisa burst into tears, covered her face with one hand. Rocking back and forth in her seat, she tried to get words out but couldn’t manage it.
“She’s okay, Lisa. She’s fine. We found her in a small building on the outskirts of the city. She’d been held there by her kidnappers after she was moved from the last place. She told us they were part of her investigation into a trafficking ring. Apparently, she got too close. But by the time we found her, they’d abandoned her. The local cops think the pressure of law enforcement getting close made them run. Someone passing by heard her making noise and went to investigate. She’s dehydrated and hungry, a bit worse for wear, but otherwise okay.”
Lisa pulled herself together, drew a deep breath and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Trina watched her in alarm, her eyes wide. Lisa reached out to squeeze Trina’s hand, an attempt to reassure her.
“Thank you, Detective. I really appreciate you calling to let me know. Where is she now?”
“She’s on her way to Sydney. I’ve already told your parents, so they’re expecting her. She’ll have a short stint in the hospital so we can make sure she’s medically ready to go home. Your parents have all of the details.”
“Thank you.”
She hung up the phone and stared at the ground, a grin slowly spreading across her face. “They found her, and she’s alive. She’s flying to Sydney as we speak.”
Trina embraced Lisa. “Oh, thank goodness.”
The overhead lights switched off with a ding and Lisa immediately pulled her laptop out of her carry-on bag. She opened it, already in flight mode, and checked her messages. There were several already that morning from Toni.
She’d called Jay and the children as soon as she’d recovered from the Detective’s phone call the previous day. They’d been excited to hear their mother was coming home and wanted to catch the first flight they could find to Sydney. Lisa managed to convince them to wait until she figured out what was going on.
Something inside of her felt as though Callie might not be in the best shape to see them yet. It’d been three months since she went missing and even though Det. Brett had assured her Callie was fine, she wanted to see for herself. The kids were happy and healthy, they could video chat with their mother as soon as she was able. And when Lisa visited and determined that Callie was ready to see them, she’d let Jay know to book their flights.
Perhaps she was being overly protective, but she wasn’t sure of anything right now. She didn’t know how any of this should work, or what was best. She was only moving forwards based on instinct and gut feelings. The last thing she wanted was for the kids to be hurt again, or disappointed by not being able to see their mother after flying to Sydney. And anyway, Jay had agreed that he thought it was best to wait, so that was what they were doing.
When the plane touched down, excitement and trepidation buzzed in Lisa’s belly. She couldn’t wait to see her sister but was also worried about how Callie would look. She didn’t know anything about what her sister had been through, the detective had been intentionally vague. So, she wasn’t sure what to expect.
The hospital was a half hour cab ride from the airport, and she’d only brought carry-on luggage. So, it wasn’t long before she found herself standing in front of a map, trying to figure out which way to go. She located the correct floor and rode the elevator, her heart thundering in her chest. Sweat beaded across her brow, and she wiped it away with a coat sleeve.
The hallway she found herself in had white walls, a white and blue tiled floor and white ceiling. It was in need of a paint job. The entire place smelled vaguely of disinfectant. There was a clock on one wall and doorways recessed into both walls at various intervals along the hall. Each door had a sign with numbers stuck on it.
She found the one she was looking for and stood outside a moment longer to inhale a deep breath and press a wobbly smile to her face. Then she reached out to knock on the door. There was no answer, so she opened it and stepped into a dimly lit room. There was a bed against one wall, a long set of windows with the curtains half pulled shut. A thin woman lay on the bed, covered with white sheets and a white blanket.
Callie.
Her sister lay in the bed on her back, head turned towards the windows. There was a drip in one arm. She was thin. Thinner than Lisa had ever seen her before. Her collar bone stood up starkly against her pale skin. Her hair was brown and streaked with grey at the roots.
“Callie?” she said softly.
She walked to the bed and sat in the chair beside it, reached for Callie’s hand and took it in her own. Callie’s gaze seemed to take a moment to adjust as she focused on Lisa’s face. Her lips were cracked, there were dark bruises beneath her eyes.
“Hi,” she whispered.
Lisa smiled with her vision obscured by tears. “Hi to you. I can’t believe you’re actually here. Am I dreaming?”
Callie inhaled a slow breath. “I don’t know.”
“Can I give you a hug?”
Callie nodded. Lisa leaned over to gently embrace her sister. She was skin and bones. She’d never been much more than that, but she’d lost so much weight it frightened Lisa.
“Are you feeling okay?” Lisa sat back in the chair.
“I think so.” It was a strange answer, but there wasn’t anything about this whole situation that was normal.
“Can I get you a drink or something to eat?”
“I’d love a Cherry Ripe and a Coke. They won’t let me have anything like that.”
Lisa winked, her throat aching with emotion. “You got it. I’ll sneak it in here for you.”
“Are Mum and Dad here?” Callie asked.
“They’re on their way. Did the doctor say when you could leave the hospital?”
She shook her head. “Tomorrow maybe. I don’t know. They want to make sure I’m fully hydrated and are running some tests.”
“Okay, well I’ll be here. I can drive you to Mum and Dad’s if you like. That is, if they’re not here to do it themselves.”
“Thanks,” replied Callie.
“The kids are anxious to see you,” began Lisa.
Callie turned away. “Not yet. I don’t want them to see me like this. Levi will be scared…”
Lisa bit down on her lower lip, pushing back the tears. “Okay, I’ll ask them to wait a little longer. Just until you’re a bit more yourself.”
“Are they okay?” asked Callie, her gaze flitting back to rest on Lisa’s face.
“They’re fine. They’ve been staying with Jay.”
Callie’s eyes widened. “What?”
“It’s okay, Callie. He’s been great with them.”
“But they don’t really know him. They’ll be terrified. Oh no!” She pressed a hand to her face, her breathing accelerated. “I have to get out of here.”
She tried to rise from the bed. Gently, Lisa stopped her.
“Listen to me for a moment, honey. The kids are healthy and happy. They miss you, that’s all. But they’re with Jay and he’s taking great care of them. He’s a different person to the man you remember. I travelled to Victoria with them a while to make sure they were comfortable with him, and they chose to stay longer. I promise you, they’re absolutely fine.”
She swallowed with her nostrils flared. “Okay. I suppose that’s fine. Thank you, Bear. I knew you’d take care of things. I thought about them all the time, but I didn’t worry because I knew you’d be here for them.”
