A Change of Pace - short story

I've been working on some other projects (as in my moving of late I've misplaced my October's Child notebook!) This is a short story I've just completed. Hope you like it!

China Doll

The doll was sitting in the window of the op-shop as Trish past it in her lunch hour. For some reason it grabbed her attention. Perhaps it was because of the colour of its clothing, or the expression on the doll’s face. Whatever the reason, Trish went inside and asked about it. “Oh, it came in earlier this week, Lass” the shop assistant replied, “It has quite a story, you know.” Trish didn’t and the interest she expressed encouraged the assistant to go on. “There was an elderly woman who frequented the store. She had been a missionary in Singapore in the 50s and 60s, and then married a diplomat and lived in Singapore till her husband retired about 20 years ago. She was what you’d call an eccentric, I suppose. She’d bring the most marvellous things into the shop, you wouldn’t believe. Collected from all of her travels over Asia. Oh she had stories to tell all right! The things those diplomatic types got up to….” The woman paused and Trish encouraged her to go on. “Well, they hosted all kinds of diplomats and important people in their home, and the guest usually brought gifts from their countries. Vera collected dolls and once it was common knowledge the guests would often bring dolls in traditional costume, and so forth. She said she had over 60 dolls at one point. Anyhow, it was strange, because she never had any children, so her doll collection came to be known as Mrs Spencer’s daughters.” Trish found a stool and brought it to the register, settling down for the tale.

Well, one summer there was a terrible cyclone and their roof was clear ripped off in the night. Most of the dolls either blew away or were ruined. Vera was devastated, but she found this one buried under a shelf when they were clearing out the room and it was undamaged. So, after that she treasured this doll above all the others. It had pride of place in her collection. She even told me that she packed her up among her belongings when they went on their tours, so the doll has seen much of Asia. Trish looked at her watch and gasped, “oh dear, I must get back to the office, I’d love to hear more about Vera and her dolls though.” She rose and replaced the stool. “Well, dear, I’m here every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. It’s rarely busy, so come in anytime and I’ll gladly fill you in.” Trish thanked her and made to leave the shop, “oh, and don’t sell the doll, I’ll buy it next time.”

Trish had to work through her lunch break the next day, so it wasn’t until the next Monday that she was able to visit the shop again. She picked up a sandwich and went straight to the shop, pulling up the stool and settling down beside the register. “I don’t think I introduced myself last time,” Trish said, “My name is Trish.” She held out her hand and the shop assistant shook it warmly, “lovely to meet you Trish, my name is Elsie. You didn’t come last Thursday.” Trish explained that she had to work through her lunch break sometimes and entreated Elsie to continue with the story. “Well,” Elsie began, “where did we leave off last time… that’s right, Vera and the little doll saw much of Asia.” She went to the window and collected the doll. She placed it on the counter and continued the story. “Gradually Vera rebuilt her doll collection. Many of her friends sent new dolls when they heard how her collection had been destroyed, and visiting dignitaries continued to bring dolls to add to it. She had special display cabinets built to protect the dolls and even had shades installed to protect them from fading in the bright, tropical sun. She still favoured this little doll above all the others, no matter how valuable, unique or precious, her new ones were. They were all labelled and catalogued, and she even insured the entire collection. It came to be well known, and visitors, especially little girls, would always ask to see them when they came. She was very proud of her collection and would show it off to anyone who even showed the slightest interest. She remembered how she had acquired each doll, or who had given it to her.” Trish leaned forward, “how did she come by this one? She asked. “Oh yes, that’s a lovely story, and perhaps another reason why it was her favourite.

Remember how I told you that she didn’t have any children?” Trish nodded. “Well, she had been pregnant, early on in her marriage, and her little sister had sent her the doll to wish her well. Unfortunately she miscarried a few months later and the subsequent surgery meant she was never able to conceive again.” Trish sighed, “Oh, that’s so sad.” Elsie’s eyes were moist, but she didn’t cry, though her voice trembled slightly, “Yes, I know that Vera would have dearly loved to have a real daughter, or even a son, but she was never lonely and often entertained children of friends and family. Her sister was living in nearby Singapore at the time, that is where the doll is from, and she would often send her children to holiday with their Aunt in Indonesia during their breaks from school. The children all loved to spend their holidays with Vera in Jakarta and she was a great favourite among them. Vera would take them shopping, or out to see the sights. They would go for picnics, or swimming in a waterhole. It was always reported to be a great lark to stay with Aunt Vera. She too treasured time with her nephews and nieces. No doubt indulging them far more than they deserved. She would even allow her niece to help her with the doll collection. In fact, it was her niece that brought the dolls to Australia, but no doubt I’ll have to leave that story for another time. You’ll have to be getting back to the office.” Trish reluctantly agreed that her lunchtime was over and replaced the stool where it usually sat. She also placed the doll back in the window. Just as she was about to leave, Elsie asked if she would like to visit her to hear the rest of the story. Trish agreed and they made a time for the following evening, after work.

Accordingly, on Tuesday evening, Trish picked up a cake from the shops after work and made her way to Elsie’s place. Following the directions Elsie had given her the previous day. She found it without difficulty and rang the doorbell. Elsie answered the door and ushered her guest inside. The kettle had just boiled and Elsie made them a pot of tea, also cutting several slices of the cake Trish had brought and placing it on a pretty dish. They took their afternoon tea into the front room and both settled down to continue the tale. Trish noticed that there was real art on the walls and plenty of photographs, but she was too keen to hear the continuation of the tale to ask Elsie about them. “You were going to tell me how the dolls came to Australia,” she reminded Elsie. “Oh, yes, so I was. I’m afraid it’s not altogether a happy tale, though,” she began. “I have already told you that Vera and her husband did a lot of travelling. They often had to attend meetings, visit other dignitaries, or even just for social reasons. Well, on one such occasion, they had reason to be in India. This would have been in the early 1960s. Although Vera’s husband had been to the subcontinent before, Vera had not, so they made time to see some of the sights, while they were there. Vera even found another doll for her collection. Well, they were returning from a daylong tour of some temple, or other and the bus they were travelling on had a terrible accident. It was full of foreign tourists like Vera and her husband, but only a couple of people survived. The driver, and most of the passengers perished.” Trish gasped, “Oh, that’s awful. It must have been big news.” Elsie nodded, sadly, “yes, I believe it was. Anyway, the bodies were returned to their native Melbourne, and most of the luggage returned here too. Vera’s sister and her family had already returned to Melbourne the previous year, so it fell to her to organise much of the funeral arrangements. Vera’s husband was an only child and didn’t have much family.”

“It came about that Vera’s entire doll collection went to her favourite niece, ‘who had assisted her so faithfully’, it said in the will. It was quite a large collection, and cost quite a lot to send from Jakarta. Trish butt in then, “and how did it come to the shop? Surely Vera’s niece wouldn’t sell her Aunt’s most precious doll?” Elsie laughed, “I am Vera’s niece. I’ve been looking after the dolls for years. I can even show you the rest of the collection. The doll hasn’t really been for sale though.” She said with a twinkle in her eye. Trish looked intrigued, “it hasn’t?” Elsie shook her head, “No, I was just waiting for the right person to ask about it, and then I would know who to pass the collection on to.” Trish was incredulous, “but surely you would pass the collection on to someone in your family?” Elsie looked a little sad, as she replied, “no, none of my children, nieces or grandchildren have ever really expressed enough interest. I couldn’t bear to have the collection just sold off or neglected. No I either wanted to find a new owner, who would look after them properly, or donate them to a museum.” Trish got up, “well, I guess you had better show me the rest of the collection then.” Elsie also got up slowly and linked her arm in Trish’s, “this way my dear, this way,” and she led her to a little room at the end of the hallway.

iii

Some old friends of Alex’s were having a BBQ for New Year’s Eve. Many of them were married and had children, so Kate and Jo were both welcome. They lived on a medium-sized property in the Southern Adelaide Hills, just outside of Coromandel Valley. A slip and slide had been set up on a gentle slope for the kids and you could hear their whoops and laughter as you came up the drive. Jo rushed to check it out as soon as they arrived and Kate was glad she hadn’t bothered to dress him up. There were a few adults keeping an eye on the slide, so Kate left him to it and followed Alex and Bess to the BBQ. Peter had come along too, but had already spotted some friends and was headed in their direction. Alex introduced Bess and Julie to his friends and everyone was given a beer. It was a hot afternoon and Kate savoured the cold brew. She joined in the small talk as the alcohol loosened her tongue. She was less outgoing and more guarded these days.

Meat was soon added to the now hot BBQ plate and a couple of women disappeared into the house to prepare salads. Kate followed them and stepped into the cool interior of the house with considerable relief. “Can I do anything to help?” she asked. A woman looked up, “sure, can you chop these tomatoes for the salad?” she handed Julie a small chopping board and a sharp knife, “they’re in the sink.” Kate collected a few tomatoes from the sink and began chopping. Someone put some music on and they were all soon singing along to the familiar tunes. The woman next to Julie introduced herself, “you came with Alex and Peter, didn’t you? How do you know them?” Kate nodded and explained that she’d met Alex through his girlfriend in Melbourne and was now living with his family in Glenelg. “I only moved to Adelaide with my son last month.” The woman asked if she was enjoying Adelaide and Kate said that she was. They continued to chat as the salads were being prepared. Thankfully, none of the questions that the woman asked were too personal. They were mainly about how Adelaide compared to Melbourne. The atmosphere was friendly and Kate was glad that she had allowed Alex and Bess to drag her along.

A feeble attempt was made to dry off the now sodden kids before dinner, but it was largely useless. The sun would soon dry them off anyway. Kate found Jo, a little bruised and dirty, but very happy. She filled a plate for him with salad, bread and sausages with plenty of sauce. They found a shady spot to enjoy their food and were soon joined by others. Kate couldn’t see Bess or Alex, but she wasn’t bothered. Everyone was friendly at the party. Conversations soon resumed, “you’re not from Adelaide, are you, Julie? I heard you talking to Wendy inside about Melbourne,” a woman near her asked. “No, Jo and I moved over here last month. I work for Alex’s dad.” Kate further explained how she knew Alex and Bess. The people around her were interested, but didn’t pry and Kate was happy to answer their simple questions. “Your boy sure is a quiet one!” another lady commented. “He doesn’t talk. His step-father was cruel…” Kate didn’t finish her sentence, but left it to her listener’s imaginations. She felt she had said enough.

The kids were directed into the house for videos after dinner and the men started up a game of cricket. Some of the women joined in, including Julie. She was tired of the small talk and thankful for the diversion. It was a friendly game with the usual additional backyard rules, like one-hand-one-bounce, but everyone was given an opportunity to bat. Julie even had a go at bowling an over and managed to get a cocky batsman out. Kate was enjoying the game, but it drew to a close as the sun began to set and the dwindling light made it difficult to see the ball. Coloured lights had been strung up along the veranda and they emitted a gentle light. Citronella flares were lit to ward off the mosquitos and their scent soon dominated the night air. It remained hot and still despite the lack of sunlight. Julie knew there wouldn’t be much sleeping done tonight. She found Bess and borrowed her phone to call Ben. They spoke briefly as Ben was about to leave for work. Kate had anticipated this though, so she wasn’t disappointed. She found Bess again and returned her phone. She stuck with her friends for the remainder of the night.

Five minutes before midnight Julie found Jo asleep inside and gently woke him. She led him outside and rejoined her friends as sparklers were being handed around. At one minute to all the sparklers were lit and everyone joined in to count down the last ten seconds of 2006. “Happy New Year!” everyone exchanged greetings and kisses. The unmistakeable sound of popping champagne corks would be distinguished within the merry hubbub. Plastic glasses of champagne were passed around and several toasts to the New Year were made. Bess handed Kate her phone, “it’s Ben.” Kate withdrew a little so that she could hear more clearly. There was also a lot of background noise from where Ben was calling. “Happy New Year, Kate!” he said cheerfully. “Yes, Happy New Year, what’s going on?” Ben sighed, “oh, just the usual. It’s hard to find a quiet spot around here.” They spoke only briefly as Ben had to get back to it. “I love you Ben, thanks for calling.” “I love you too, Kate. I couldn’t miss wishing you a Happy New Year, oh, and there haven’t been any riots!” he finished playfully. Kate smiled as she returned to the group and gave Bess back her phone. People began to leave soon after and Alex carried Jo to the car. Both he and Kate fell asleep on the homeward journey.

ii

“Jo!” Kate called outside, “come one, its time for church.” They had eaten an early dinner and Jo was outside playing with Benny. Kate hoped he hadn’t got his clothes dirty. He came inside and Kate sent him off to wash his hands. He was slightly dishevelled, but otherwise unscathed, and they were soon on their way. It took them just over twenty minutes and when they arrived the car park was already filling fast. Kate found a spot and followed the crowd inside with Jo in tow. Most people were casually dressed and there were kids everywhere. Kate and Jo were warmly welcomed at the door and directed to a seat on the wing. “Are you just visiting?” the woman already sitting in the pew with her family, asked. “Yes, we only just recently moved here from Melbourne.” The woman smiled and introduced her family. They were regulars and lived nearby. A youngish man stepped up to the microphone at the front and a hush fell over the congregation. The children were encouraged to come to the front, but Jo opted to stay in the pew with Kate. Several young people came to the front and picked up microphones and instruments and the music began. They were good players and the whole church was soon reverberating with the modern music. Kate joined in with the clapping. She was unfamiliar with the first few song but then they sang a carol; Jo was standing on the pew and soaking it all in. After the singing came a play and then a bible reading and a short, simple message from the young pastor. The service finished with more singing and a few notices. There were drinks and Christmas cake in the hall afterwards and children could be heard playing outside. It seemed to be a vibrant and welcoming church and Kate thought she would probably come again. The young pastor introduced himself to Julie and wished her a happy Christmas. She returned his well wishes then collected Jo and returned to the car. She was keen to get home as she had a surprise for Ben.

Alex handed her his mobile, “it’s ringing.” Kate took it and put it to her ear in time to hear it picked up. “Hi, Ben speaking, how ya going, Alex?” Kate laughed and walked outside to be out of earshot of the others, “Hi Ben, guess who?” There was a short silence, “Kate? Is that you?” Kate laughed again, “Happy Christmas, Ben, I wanted to surprise you!” “Well, you certainly did that!” he responded happily, “How are you? How’s Jo?” “We’re fine. We landed on our feet here. Things are going really well. Do you want to speak to Jo? He’s just here, playing with Benny.” She handed the phone to Jo and his eyes lit up at the sound of Ben’s voice. He laughed at something Ben said and then put the phone to Benny’s ear. The dog barked and was about to lick the phone, but Kate rescued it just in time. “You were about to be licked!” she laughed. They talked for another ten minutes or so as the sun sank below the line of the sea. It was a glorious evening and Kate could have talked for hours, but she didn’t want to cost Alex a small fortune. They farewelled one another tenderly and Kate waited a while before returning inside. Ben had promised to call again soon. Kate had been a little worried that his feelings for her would have faded, but the conversation had assured her otherwise and she was relieved and happy. She went inside and checked on Jo. He had put himself to bed and was reading. Kate finished the story for him and closed the book. She tucked him in and kissed him affectionately before turning out the light and returning to the adults. She thanked Alex for the phone when she gave it back to him. “So, he was surprised?” asked Alex. Kate smiled, “Yes, very. It was great to talk to him again. I was afraid…” She didn’t finish the sentence as Bess butted in, “as if! I’ve never known a man to be so smitten!” Kate blushed and sat down next to her friend. Bess squeezed her hand, “he really loves you, you know.” Kate smiled, she did know. If only she could see him again. Speaking to him had reminded her how much she missed him.

It had also reminded Ben of how much he missed Kate and he held the picture of them taken at the farm in his hand and stroked her face. He longed to touch her again, to just be in her presence. He had never felt so far away from her and it hurt. He replaced the picture frame on the shelf and switched on the television to distract himself. The Carols by Candlelight were being broadcast from the bowl, but it was no good. He couldn’t erase her face from his mind and he eventually gave in. The carols had finished. It was late and he was tired. He took one last look at her picture before turning out the light and going to bed.

Christmas Day was a scorcher in Adelaide. The sun beat down relentlessly and there was a hot, dry north wind blowing. They all sought refuge under a shade cloth at the beach. Lydia had packed a picnic, and Alex and Bess had gone in search of ice cream. Kate was in the water with Peter and the children. They were tossing a sodden tennis ball to each other, trying to keep it out of the children’s reach. The children were jumping up, laughing and splashing in their attempts to reach it and then the eldest girl, Katerina, found something even better. She threw it at Peter and it hit him on his bare chest. It was a large, jellybean shaped jellyfish. Fortunately it was harmless and a jellyfish fight followed. Kate ducked below the water and spied Alex and Bess when she emerged, “Oooh, I think I can see ice-cream!” The activity stopped suddenly and the children rushed out of the water. “Phew!” exclaimed Peter, “I think I was about to be annihilated!” Kate splashed him and followed the children up the sand. There was indeed ice cream, and everyone was endeavouring to eat it before it melted in the hot sun. Bess handed Kate a cookies and cream magnum. She knew it was Kate’s favourite.

Kate let Jo open one of his presents. The rest would have to wait until Orthodox Christmas. He chose the big box and unwrapped the board game. He eagerly opened it and unpacked its contents. He then invited his new friends to play it with him and it kept them all amused until dinnertime. After dinner they went for a walk. The wind had died down and the evening sun wasn’t quite as hot as it had been that afternoon. The children splashed around in the shallows and then built a sandcastle while the adults sat and looked on. It had been a pleasant day, though the sun had left them all feeling decidedly lethargic. Kate put Jo in the bath once he had said goodbye to his friends, and then put him to bed. He fell asleep quickly and Kate watched him for a little while. There was a light knock at the door and Kate looked up. It was Bess, “Ben’s on the phone,” she informed Kate quietly. Kate got up and followed Bess down the hall. Alex handed Kate his phone and she took it outside. “Happy Christmas, my love,” Ben said and she smiled. “Happy Christmas to you too. Have you had a good day?” Ben said he had. It had been a perfect day in Melbourne and he had just left his parent’s home and was about to head to work for the night shift. Everyone had gathered at his parent’s home for the celebrations. “How was yours? Alex said it was hot there.” Kate nodded, “yes, very. We had a pretty quiet day. The real celebrations won’t be until Russian Orthodox Christmas.” They talked for a little while longer as Kate watched the sun set over the ocean. “It’s beautiful, Ben. I wish you could see it.” “So do I,” replied Ben wistfully, “so do I.”

They spent the next few days in quiet relaxation. The hot weather continued and sapped everyone’s energy. Though they still had enough to enjoy late afternoon visits to the beach. The men were glued to the television watching the Boxing Day Test. It was the Ashes and the Aussies had their dignity to reclaim. Most afternoons Jo and Kate had a nap after lunch. Kate was really enjoying the quiet, lazy days, and she was now speaking to Ben every night. They alternated calling one another on either Alex or Bess’ phones. Kate looked forward to the call every evening, but it made the pain of their separation more acute. She longed for him with every fibre of her being and it ached. She was sure that Ben felt the same way. One evening nine o’clock came and went and Ben still hadn’t called. Kate didn’t notice at first because she had been playing cards, but now she wondered if something was wrong. She was tempted to call him, but it wasn’t her turn. At last Bess’ phone rang, it was twenty to eleven. Bess answered it and handed it to Kate. “Hi Kate, sorry it’s late. I can’t talk long tonight. I’m at work and it has been busy.” “What’s going on?” asked Kate. “Oh, its just the usual cricket hooligans!” It had been the final day of the test today and the ** had won, so the ** were letting of steam. They barely spoke for five minutes that night, but Kate understood. Ben had warned that he might not be able to talk tomorrow night either. He would be on night shift again and New Year’s Eve was notorious for trouble. “But you know I love you, don’t you Kate?” he said. Kate nodded, “I know, Ben. I love you too. Goodnight.” She hung up and gave the phone back to Bess, then disappeared to her room. She didn’t feel like talking anymore tonight.

She woke with a start very early in the morning. It wasn’t yet dawn and the clock blinked three twenty am. Kate had woken from a nightmare. Ben had been involved in a small riot and had been stabbed. He hadn’t died, but was in a coma when she woke. Kate remembered that he was on night duty and got out of bed. She hesitated a moment before dialling his number from her mobile. It was answered on the second ring, “Melbourne Police. This is P.C. Coombes.” Kate asked for Ben and he came on the line. “What is it?” he asked, concerned. Kate told him about her dream and urged him to be careful. He assured Kate that nothing like that had been reported and he would be careful. “I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you, Ben,” she told him. “It won’t Kate, it won’t. Don’t worry. Go back to sleep my love. I love you.” Kate had already returned to bed, “I love you too, Ben. Goodnight.” She eventually fell back to sleep and awoke with Jo in her arms. He had climbed into her bed as dawn broke and was still asleep when Kate woke. It was eight am, and Kate could feel that it was going to be another hot day. “New Year’s Eve,” she said to herself quietly. She could never have imagined this life for herself at the beginning of the year. She had a son, and was on the run, living under a false identity. It was beyond belief and sometimes even Kate hardly believed it. She held onto Jo a little more tightly, “I’ll never let anyone hurt you again,” she promised him softly.

Chapter 8 - i

Jo had been waiting on the doorstep for Alex and Bess’ arrival all afternoon and he leapt up with glee when he spied Bess’ sporty car approaching. He ran into the house and grabbed Kate, his eyes sparkling. Kate laughed and allowed herself to be led outside. “Hi there stranger! Have a good trip over?” Kate asked as she embraced her friend. Alex held Jo aloft, “Boy have you grown!” Jo had a huge smile plastered over his face, even before Alex swung him around in the air like an aeroplane. The girls laughed, Kate lent towards Bess’ ear as she saw Lydia and Yuri approach, “remember its Julie now,” she reminded her quietly. Bess nodded, “don’t worry,” and winked. They laughed again. “So this is the lovely lady we’ve heard so much about!” exclaimed Lydia as she warmly embraced Bess. Yuri shook her hand and kissed her on the cheek, “please call us Yuri and Lydia, Julie does.” The all smiled and turned back into the house. It was soon filled with talk and laugher. Peter appeared from his room and joined them. “Bro, how you going?” he asked his older brother and they had a friendly wrestle. Peter was a head taller than Alex, but Alex was all muscle and easily bested his younger brother. Presently they sat down to dinner. Lydia had prepared a roast and it was the liveliest dinner Kate had yet experienced in the Morova household.

They all went on a day trip to Victor Harbour on Friday. They took two cars so that everyone would fit comfortably as it was a fairly long way. It was a glorious day and there was quite a crowd on the foreshore. They caught the old, horse-drawn tram to Granite Island and went for a walk before returning to the foreshore for lunch. Peter said he knew the best fish and chip shop in South Australia, so off they went in search of delicious fried food. It was a tiny shop tucked away from the main strip of shops, but its reputation had drawn a reasonable lunchtime crowd. They all put in their orders and then the women and Jo returned to claim a spot on the beach, while the men waited for the food. “Mmmn, that really was delicious,” commented Bess as she licked the salt off her fingers. “Yes, I haven’t had fish and chips this good in ages!” Kate added. Jo had taken the scraps and wandered off a short distance to feed the seagulls. A pelican also made its way over to the delight of Jo. Peter produced his Frisbee and the brothers attempted to outdo each other in a contest of sorts. Bess and Kate wandered off together and Jo joined them once he had finished with the birds. Once they reached the rocks Jo got down and began to explore the shallow pools of water, collecting shells and other sea life. He occasionally returned to Kate to deposit his latest findings in her t-shirt. Kate and Bess relaxed into easy conversation. It was so good to be together again that they could hardly believe it.

The sun was setting when they finally arrived home. They had detoured via a couple of wineries on their return journey. Kate put Jo in bath and joined the adults for a light supper of toasted sandwiches. They had bought Jo some takeaway on the way home, so he had already eaten. He was almost asleep in the tepid water when Kate returned a quarter of an hour later. She gently dried him off and helped him into his PJs, then steered him to her room where they had set up a mattress on the floor for him. He was asleep by the time his head hit the pillow and Kate returned to the lounge after tucking him in. Yuri and Lydia had retired to their room and Peter was showing off his collection of albums. Their sister was due to arrive with her family from Brisbane in the morning, but they would stay at a beach house, as the Morova house was now full. The boys selected some music and rejoined the ladies on the couch. They were all tired from their busy day, but decided to sample some of the port Alex had purchased that afternoon. They moved into quiet conversation as the port took effect and it wasn’t long before they all started yawning. Alex was the first to get up and he assisted Bess up from the couch. Kate followed them while Peter tidied up and switched off the lights.

“Why won’t he talk to me, Mum?” asked a puzzled, seven-year-old Katerina. Maria had arrived with her husband and two daughters just minutes ago. Kate knelt down to Katerina’s height and gently explained that Jo didn’t talk to anyone. “Why?” asked Katerina, still puzzled. “He just doesn’t. Some bad things happened to him, so he doesn’t talk. But he likes to make new friends. Why don’t you go outside and he’ll introduce you to his dog, Benny?” Katrina brightened at this suggestion and raced outside with Jo and her younger sister, Tatiana. The adults could hear them laughing and playing in the backyard and were enjoying the peace it brought to the house. Lydia introduced everyone and began setting out lunch. They had already extended the table and scavenged extra chairs from around the house. The women helped Lydia in the kitchen while the younger men brought the luggage in from the car. Lydia had been waiting for her granddaughters to arrive before decorating the tree, which Yuri and Peter had brought home from the hills earlier in the week. Its fresh pine scent filled the rear of the house. Kate called the children in and sent them all to the bathroom to wash their hands. The table was again beset with convivial chatter over lunch.

The Hancock’s left after lunch to settle into their accommodation nearby and peace was restored to the house. Bess and Kate went shopping for last-minute gifts while the boys went to the beach. Kate was really enjoying having Bess around, though it painfully reminded her of the absence of her other friends and family. Bess had done most of her shopping in Melbourne, but Kate hadn’t really had a chance yet, so they headed into the city. Kate found some lovely gift baskets for the Morovas, and bought Jo some clothes and books. As they left the department store, Kate spied a new board game that she couldn’t resist. She thought Jo deserved to be spoilt this Christmas anyway. He had been put through so much for a boy of such tender years. They found cute little gifts for the Hancock girls and bought vouchers for their parents. Kate found a CD and book that she thought Peter would like and she bought a silk tie for Alex. She had bought some cufflinks for Ben, but she had already sent them so that they would reach him in time. The ladies took a break at Cibos on Rundle Street and watched the passing foot traffic. “It’s a lot quieter than Melbourne, isn’t it?” commented Bess. “Yeah, it sure is. You should see it at night, it’s practically a ghost town!” They laughed and nibbled their cakes. It was time to head home.

vii

Kate and Jo soon established a routine. Jo’s writing and arithmetic continued to improve and Kate decided that it was time to investigate school options for him. There were several schools, both public and private in the area, and although Kate could have afforded private schooling, she decided to focus her initial search on public schools. She was doubtful that Julie could have afforded private schooling. That Friday morning, Kate and Jo visited local schools and met with the principals. The principal at West Beach Primary was particularly helpful. Kate showed her several examples of Jo’s current work, “he’s definitely up to grade one standard,” the principal noted as she looked over Jo’s work, “even close to grade two, though I would recommend grade one at this stage to take into account his social difficulties.” Kate appreciated the principal’s tactful choice of words. The school wasn’t overly large and Kate declared her intentions to enrol Jo for the new school year. The principal was pleased and introduced Kate and Jo to the grade one teacher. Kate felt like she had made a good choice as they caught the bus home and had lunch.

While Jo was working on his writing after lunch, Kate wrote to her mother and told her all about the school, as well as other recent happenings. She hadn’t written to her mother for a few weeks and she felt a little guilty. Lydia had really filled the void Kate felt at the separation from her parents, especially her mother. Kate could smell dinner cooking and her stomach grumbled. There were many benefits to living with the Morovas; even her relationship with Peter had improved a little. She still wasn’t sure that she trusted him, but he had done his best to win her and Jo over. Jo loved spending time and playing with him, particularly at the beach. The weather was really beginning to warm up now and Kate wanted to revisit swimming. She took Jo to the pool a number of times with Lydia. He would sit with Lydia while Kate swam laps. He was content to watch and Kate didn’t want to push him into anything he wasn’t ready for. Slowly, he began to approach the water, cautiously at first, perhaps just sitting on the edge of the pool or standing in the shallow water on the steps leading down into the wading pool. Kate let him do it his way and in his own time. He hadn’t experienced another nightmare for two weeks now and she wanted to keep it that way. She began fitting Jo with floaties when they visited the pool now. She sensed that he was almost ready to explore further and she didn’t want anything to happen to him. She continued to swim laps. It would take Jo about twenty minutes to approach the water after they arrived, and he tended to be more comfortable when the pool was quiet. Kate found out at what times the pool was quietest and they aimed to visit then. Jo began wading in the shallow pool and Kate would join him after she had swum her laps, by which time Jo would have ventured from the safety of the steps. She began pulling him along with a kickboard and teaching him how to kick. Little by little his confidence began to build until Kate was able to gently coax him into the adult pool. After three weeks he was able to propel himself with the kickboard and Kate swimming alongside him. He wouldn’t venture without her by his side. Kate enrolled him in a summer swim school for beginners. It didn’t begin until the New Year, so she still had a few weeks to work up his skills and confidence. The pool manager had assured her that they wouldn’t push Jo into anything that he wasn’t comfortable with and Kate was free to participate in the classes. Parent participation was encouraged for the beginners. This reassured Kate and she was confident that Jo would enjoy the classes. She continued to marvel at the gains he made each week, both in the pool and with his work and social skills. He was so good at expressing himself without words now that Kate barely noticed that he didn’t speak.

It was now only two weeks till Christmas and Kate couldn’t believe how fast time was flying. Jo was gaining independence daily and Kate was so proud of him. She was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Alex and Bess for Christmas. They would be in Adelaide for three weeks and both Kate and Jo were looking forward to spending time with them. The Morova business closed for three weeks over Christmas and New Year and Kate was looking forward to the break. She felt like she hadn’t had a holiday for ages. Of course there had been the long weekend in November, but that felt so long ago and it was so brief and there had been a lot of water under the bridge since then. Julie was now well established at Morova Enterprises and was regularly catching up with Phoebe for a drink after work on Thursdays. They had even been to the movies together last week. It was the first time that Kate had been to the cinema since leaving Melbourne and she really enjoyed it. She liked Phoebe and it was good to spend time with someone her own age. The office Christmas Party was coming up next week and they had both been involved in preparing it. Everyone was invited, including spouses and children, and it was apparently the highlight of the work year. Phoebe had been involved in organising it for years and guided Julie through the process. It was really quite simple, though Kate hadn’t done anything like it before. The social committee at her old job coordinated the social events and Kate had never been a member of it. She was enjoying her work at Morova Enterprises, though it wasn’t particularly challenging, but this just gave Kate plenty of time to think. She had begun to decorate her desk a bit now and had a picture of Jo was proudly displayed. She had also customised the desktop on her computer, so that a bible verse scrolled across the screen when it went into screen saver mode. She hadn’t been to church yet, but she had heard about a good one in Kensington. She thought she’d try it out for Christmas, they held a family service on Christmas Eve. Julie’s immediate boss had also noticed that she was good with figures and increased her book keeping duties. Kate was glad, as it relieved the tedium of her other duties.

The evening of the Christmas party had arrived. Julie, Phoebe and a few other workers, had spent the afternoon decorating the Russian Club. It was still light at six o’clock when everyone began arriving. Kate had brought a change of clothes and had got ready with Phoebe in the rest rooms. Lydia had brought Jo along and he looked so cute in his new suit that Julie and Lydia had purchased for Christmas. He ran to Kate as soon as they arrived and she lifted him up, paying no attention to her new suit, as it didn’t crease easily. She put Jo down and kept hold of his hand. She led him in the direction of Phoebe, who had been eagerly waiting to meet the little boy that Julie constantly talked about. “Isn’t he sweet?” Phoebe cooed, “He has your good looks!” Kate smiled; people often commented that Jo looked like her, even though they weren’t remotely related. The evening began with a short speech from Mr Morova and the awarding of prizes to the staff. Everyone’s hands were red and raw from clapping when they finally sat down to dinner. Almost every employee received an award for something or other. Even Julie received an award for most efficient mail delivery! Dinner was traditional Russian fare. It was the same every year. After dinner they enjoyed a concert. A group of talented staff members had been working on a variety performance for weeks. The highlight was their hilarious caricature of the office, and it practically had everyone rolling on the floor with laughter. The evening ended with another short speech from Mr Morova, thanking everyone for all their hard work and wishing them all a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year. The night air was still warm when they all stepped outside and made their way home. Julie and Phoebe promised to keep in touch over the break. They wouldn’t see each other next week as the office closed on Wednesday, ahead of Christmas. It had been an enjoyable evening at the end of a long day and Kate slept well.

vi

Kate hadn’t had a chance to call her brother earlier so after she put Jo to bed she went for a walk. The evening had turned cool and the moon was waning, but it was still pleasant outside. Kate found a payphone and inserted her coins. She dialled Josh & Colin’s number and Colin answered. “Hi Colin, it’s Kate,” she greeted him. “Oh, hi Sis, how’s Adelaide treating you? Is the new job going well?” Kate made some generalised comments about Adelaide and work and asked after Colin and Deborah. Their wedding preparations were going well. Kate asked for Josh, he was about to go out, but came to the phone. “Hey Sis, I guess you got the package?” Kate told him that she had and thanked him, but warned him not to do it again. She gave him her PO Box details and asked that he address mail to Ms J Barnes. She congratulated him on his engagement to Sarah, “when are you going to do the deed?” she asked. Josh wasn’t sure. They were thinking early next spring, but hadn’t confirmed a date yet. It depended on venue availability. They would think about it after exams. He excused himself; they were catching up with friends tonight at the pub and were going to announce their engagement. Sarah had just arrived and Kate briefly congratulated her when she came on the phone. Kate hung up the phone. It had been so nice to hear familiar voices again. Kate stoped by a newsagent and bought a phone card. The shop was about to close, as it was almost nine o’clock. Kate headed home and went straight to her room. She booted up her laptop and wrote a quick e-mail to her friends. She thanked them for the package and letters and reiterated her warning to Josh. She shut down the computer and went to the kitchen to make a herb tea. Lydia was in the lounge working on some embroidery. Kate went over to have a look and saw that it was a Russian design. Lydia explained that it was the Morova motif and directed Kate to a heavy bound book on the bookshelf. Kate pulled out the hardbound book of Russian genealogy and looked up the Morovas. They had been an important family, but with close ties to the Tsar, had fallen from grace during the revolution. Still, they had a rich history and hadn’t been wiped out, like many bourgeoisie families. Kate asked if she could have a look at the book in her room and Lydia waved her off, absorbed in her work.

Kate settled back on the bed with her herbal tea and the heavy, old book. She opened it at R and searched for the Romanovs. They had been a middle-class family, though with and honourable history and had benefited from the revolution. As the Morovas had fallen, the Romanovs had risen to prominence. At least one member of the Romanov family was a member of the Politburo at any one time, and they had also managed to stere clear of both the fickle leaders, such as Stalin, and the KGB. ‘They must have had friends in high places,’ mused Kate as she copied down the pertinent information and drew a rough reproduction of the family crest. Next, she found the Kryukovs. They had been humble peasants prior to the revolution, but like the Romanovs, had shrewdly transformed their luck with the changing times. Several members of the family had distinguished themselves in the army, but their involvement in the halls of power was classified, ‘must have been KGB,’ figured Kate. She searched for any clue to their involvement in the mafia and finally located a possible link in a short sentence in their recent history. Kate shuddered as she read about a member of the family who had been disgraced and exiled to Siberia. Consequently, the family had been ostracized and fallen into disrepute. Kate wrote down the important information and copied their crest. She turned to P and found Petrov, but there wasn’t much of interest there, and nothing that seemed to link them to the underworld. Kate looked at the alarm clock beside her bed, 10.30, she should turn in, as she had work in the morning. She put the things she had copied from the book with Jo’s pictures and put the folder in her handbag. She returned the heavy, old book to the bookshelf in the lounge, and turned off the lights. Lydia had already gone to bed. She could see that Peter’s bedroom light was still on, but crept past his room so as not to disturb him. She still didn’t want to speak to him yet. She looked in on Jo after brushing her teeth. He was sleeping soundly, clutching his monkey toy. Kate smiled and turned to her room. She slept well that night and didn’t remember dreaming.

Thursday at work was uneventful for Julie. She met one of the other secretaries, Phoebe, during lunch. Phoebe had been with the company for six years, since leaving high school, but was now working part-time and studying business at university. Phoebe seemed to have a good sense of fun. Her mother was Russian, though now deceased, but her father was Australian. Phoebe explained that her mother had been a distant cousin of the Morovas. “We’re really all related, you know!” she joked. Kate smiled; she could feel herself immediately warming to Phoebe. Phoebe invited Kate out for coffee after work but Kate requested a raincheck, “I promised I’d take my son to the beach this evening. It’s our fish and chips night.” Phoebe looked a little surprised, “you have a son? You don’t look old enough!” Kate laughed; Phoebe hadn’t been at work on Monday, when she had given Julie’s spiel. “I was a teenager,” explained Kate, “then I married a man who turned out to be a right bastard, ‘scuse my language. I divorced him last year, so now it’s just me and Jo again.” Kate finished and handed Phoebe a picture of her and Jo, taken at the farm. The photo of her and Ben slipped out of her wallet as well and Kate hurriedly bent to pick it up, but was beaten to it by Phoebe. “And who might this handsome man be, Julie? Have you been holding out on me?” Kate blushed, “Um, that’s David, he’s back in Melbourne. We broke up just before I moved here, but we’re still friends, it was his family’s farm where the photos were taken.” Phoebe handed the photos back to her, “that’s a shame, he looked cute. Gorgeous kid though, how old is he?” Kate tucked the photos back in her wallet, “seven, I’m home schooling him till next year. Mrs Morova is helping me.” Phoebe was impressed, both with the fact that Julie was home schooling and because of her friendship with the Morovas. They were considered to be a little aloof by the staff. No one was a member of their inner-circle, “except perhaps for you, Julie,” Phoebe explained, “Mr Morova generally keeps his distance.” “Really?” replied Kate, “they’ve been nothing if not kind and generous to Jo and I.” Phoebe shrugged, “Who would have known it? Oh, they’re friendly enough, I suppose…” They were walking back to their desks now and Kate suggested coffee next week. “It’s a date,” Phoebe smiled and returned to her workstation. It was on the opposite side of the office to Kate’s and was festooned with figurines and soft toys. The rest of the working day passed slowly as Kate waited for the clock to reach five pm.

Kate went directly to the Police Headquarters on Wakefield Street and asked for P.C. Robertson. Kate felt a little nervous and told herself to calm down. P.C. Robertson collected Kate from the waiting area and escorted her to an interview room at the rear of the building, “no one will disturb us here,” he explained, “would you like a tea or coffee?” Kate requested a tea and sat down, pulling the folder from her handbag as she did. P.C. Robertson returned with the hot drinks and a female officer, “I thought it was best to ask P.C. Prescott to join us,” he said delicately. Kate thanked him for the tea and took a sip while the officers sat down. “Now, what was it that you wanted to show us?” asked P.C. Robertson. Kate pulled out Jo’s pictures, “Jo drew these for me last week. We had been swimming at the local pool and he had a terrible nightmare that night. He wasn’t himself the next day and this is what her drew when I asked him what was wrong.” Kate explained as she passed the pictures to the officers. She could feel her composure slipping as she glimpsed the pictures for the first time since Jo had drawn them last Wednesday afternoon. Kate explained that Jo had experienced nightmares every night when he was first with her, and how he had been afraid of the bath, and large, dark haired men. The officers nodded sagely, Kate could see that the female officer was particularly moved. She noted the wedding band on her finger and wondered if she also had children. “My God,” P.C. Prescott breathed when she saw the bath picture. “These certainly validate all the behaviours you have described to us,” P.C. Robertson concluded, “May we make copies?” Kate nodded, “of course,” and P.C. Prescott took the pictures away.

Kate pulled out the notes she had taken from the Russian genealogy book, “I also thought you should see these. I thought that it might help.” P.C. Robertson studied the notes, nodding and making occasional short comments. “Where did you get all this?” he asked when he had finished. Kate explained that she was staying with a Russian family and it was all from a book of theirs. She gave him the publication details of the book. He asked if they could copy the notes also, and Kate agreed. When P.C. Prescott returned, P.C. Robertson showed Kate out, “well, thank you for bringing all that in. We’ll ensure that they get copies in Melbourne. I thought that you might also be interested to hear that there’s an alert out on the Kryukovs for other criminal activity. You may not have to worry about them for too long.” Kate hoped so, but didn’t place too high expectations on the officer’s words. She was aware how slippery these kinds of people could be. She thanked the officers for their time and left. It had been a very profitable half hour.

v

Though she had woken grumpy and stiff, she couldn’t remain in that state for long. The presence of little Jo beside her soon cheered her up and when she got out of bed and looked out the window she could see that it was going to be a pleasant day. Adelaide was really turning on the weather. It was great for enjoying the outdoors. She had a shower and got dressed and when she returned to her room Jo was sitting up in bed, reading. “Good morning my little man, how are you today?” she greeted him and kissed him on the forehead. He grinned up at her and held out the book, “you want me to read it to you?” she asked and Jo nodded. She returned to the bed and sat down, Jo snuggled in beside her and opened the book. “Look who’s just moved in next door to us?” Kate began. It was another of Jo’s favourites. “Well little man,” Kate initiated when she had finished the story, “time for you to get dressed and have some breakfast.” Jo dutifully scurried off to his room and Kate met him in the kitchen a short time later.

They had the place to themselves this morning, as Peter wasn’t yet up and Lydia had gone out to get her hair done. It was her regular Wednesday thing. Kate felt like singing, “what’ll it be for my little man today?” she trilled. Jo giggled and pointed to the wheat-bix. “Wheat-bix, just like Benny, eh?” Well, why don’t you take this out to him and I’ll get some for you?” She passed him Benny’s bowl of soggy wheat-bix, and he ran off outside. Benny had become used to sleeping outside now and wasn’t quite so wildly rapturous as he used to be. Kate watched Jo and Benny together; they were firm friends now and trusted each other completely. Kate was so glad that Benny had joined them. He was the stabilising influence and companion for Jo that Kate had hoped he would be. Jo came back inside and Kate reminded him to go and wash his hands before he ate. He returned moments later and they sat down together, Jo with his wheat-bix and Kate with her muesli and yoghurt. They also had crumpets drenched with honey and a sleepy Peter appeared, as they were finishing. “Good morning,” Kate greeted him, somewhat crisply, “don’t you have classes this morning? I thought your presentation was today.” He grabbed an apple, “I’m going to the beach, want to come?” Jo raced off and returned shod and with Benny’s lead before Kate had a chance to decline. “I guess that’s a yes then?” Peter laughed. Kate nodded and they followed him out the door.

Peter had brought a Frisbee and threw it to Jo when they reached the beach. It was close to the ground and Benny reached it ahead of Jo. Then the battle was on to wrestle the Frisbee back. Kate laughed as she watched the boys wrestle with the dog. She looked out over the beach, and saw that it was quiet this morning. Glenelg was a beautiful spot, it was cleaner and quieter than St Kilda, though not as trendy and it lacked St Kilda’s famous cake shops.

Kate fell into a reverie contemplating her home city; she missed it so much it ached. She snapped out of it when the Frisbee whizzed past her head and landed just behind her. She looked up and Benny was headed straight for her! She leant back and retrieved the Frisbee before Benny landed on top of her and she jumped up and threw it in a graceful arc towards Jo. Jo leapt up to catch it in one hand and Peter whistled, “You throw a good Frisbee!” Kate laughed, “I have three brothers, I had to keep up somehow!” Jo threw the Frisbee to Peter, and Peter in turn threw it to Julie. She threw it back to him, ensuring that it would be just out of easy reach. Peter dived for it and caught it, but landed in the sand and Benny was soon on top of him. Kate laughed and sat back down in the sand. Jo ran to assist Peter and another wrestling match ensued. Kate watched them carefully to ensure that Peter was not unduly rough with Jo. She was surprised that Jo entered into the contests so eagerly. Less than three weeks ago, he would have run a mile. Kate smiled; he really was growing in confidence. You would not know that he was different from any other boy, ‘unless you took him swimming, or tried to talk to him,’ Kate reminded herself. She wondered if she would ever be able to teach him to swim. She got up, “come on boys, time to go home. Its school time for you Jo!” Kate called. They boys ignored her, but looked up when she repeated more emotively, “come on now, I mean it! You can come back this arvo if you’re good, Jo.” She walked towards them and deftly snatched the Frisbee while simultaneously snapping on Benny’s lead. She handed the lead to Jo and dusted him off. She kept hold of the Frisbee and took Jo’s hand in her free one as they headed towards home. “Wait up!” Peter called and caught up to them, “we were just playing,” he commented defensively. “I know,” retorted Kate, “and it’s time for Jo’s first lesson. We normally go for a walk after the first lesson,” she said authoritatively. “Oh,” was all Peter replied and they completed the short walk in silence.

Jo’s writing was improving rapidly and he almost had his two times table down pat. Kate was so proud of him. He would certainly be ready for school in the New Year and might even be able to start in grade one. ‘At least if he was in grade one he wouldn’t be so much older than the other kids,’ Kate thought. He would be two or three years older than the prep kids, but only twelve or so months older than those in grade one. Lydia knocked and poked her head into the room, “you two hungry? I’ve got a quiche in the oven and its almost done.” Kate looked up, “thanks, Lydia. We’re nearly done here.” She looked back down at Jo’s work, “just finish that page Jo and then we’ll have some lunch.” The quiche was delicious and Kate offered to do the dishes. Lydia and Jo went back to Kate’s room to start the afternoon’s maths lesson. They would have two lessons this afternoon as they started later than usual this morning. The front doorbell rang as Kate was putting the last dish away. “I’ll get it!” she called as she went to answer it. It was an Express Post deliveryman. The package was for Kate and she signed for it. She took it back to her room and excused Lydia. She looked over Jo’s shoulder; he was puzzling over a page of simple subtractions. She left him to it and sat on her bed with the unopened, small package. She looked at it for a while, it had come from Melbourne, but she didn’t recognise the writing on the address label. She gave it a gentle shake and then slowly and carefully opened it. Several envelopes fell out, as well as a couple of CDs, and a small box wrapped in silver paper. She inspected the envelopes. There was one from each of her friends and one addressed to Jo. She called him over and he climbed up on the bed beside her. She opened his letter and read it out to him. It was from Ben and was filled with cute anecdotes of his life on the beat. Kate sent Jo back to his maths and opened Steve’s letter, as she was eager to hear from him. The letter began with an apology, he had been a little angry, but he had been able to put it behind him now. He missed her and was sorry that they hadn’t parted on better terms. He told her about his business and life in general. Then, right at the end, as if it was an afterthought, he mentioned that he’d met someone. Kate put the letter down. Steve sounded happy and she was glad that things were working out for him.

She opened Sarah’s letter next. It was short, only a page and a half. She was busy preparing for final exams and applying for jobs. She had some news, but she wanted to leave it for Josh to tell…. Kate practically ripped open Josh’s letter and her suspicions were immediately confirmed. He and Sarah were getting married! Kate wanted to call and congratulate him, but she knew that she couldn’t. She read the rest of his letter. I was only marginally longer than Sarah’s and he too was busy with exam preparations and job applications.

Next she turned to Bess’ letter. It was long and descriptive and Kate decided that she needed a cup of tea to accompany it. She went to the kitchen and returned with cookies and a glass of milk for Jo in addition to her hot cup of tea. He smiled up at her and showed her his workbook. Kate bent down and corrected a couple of the sums and then drew a smiley face on the page. He grinned and reached for the cookies. Kate sat back on the bed and returned to Bess’ letter. Bess wrote of work, progress with Alex, and finished with the news that she Alex would be in Adelaide with Alex’s parents for Christmas! Kate was so thrilled with the news, and she wondered if the Morovas already knew. She opened Alex’s letter and recognised the writing as the same as that on the address label. The letter was short, like Sarah’s. He wrote of his work and Bess and mentioned about their plans for Christmas. He also wrote that he had also written to his parents to ask them about their plans for Christmas. Kate put down the letters and looked at her mug. She had already finished her tea. She went to make another one and found Lydia in the kitchen preparing dinner.

“What was in the package?” asked Lydia curiously as she turned the potatoes in the oven. “Oh, just a few clothes and letters from my family in Melbourne,” Kate replied nonchalantly. “That’s nice,” replied Lydia as she closed the oven door, “you must miss them.” Kate nodded and poured the now boiling water over her teabag, “yeah, I guess I do. I don’t know what I’m going to do at Christmas. It was always a big deal in our household.” Lydia placed her hand on Kate’s shoulder, “well, you and Jo are more than welcome to spend it with us. Of course, we Russians don’t celebrate it on the 25th of December, but when we do you’ll know about it! Actually, my son is coming over from Melbourne. I got a letter from him today. He’s bringing his new girl, Bess. It sounds quite serious. You know them, don’t you?” Kate smiled and nodded, “Bess is an old friend of mine actually. We went to school together.” She returned to her room. Jo had finished the maths exercises she had given him and was now drawing a picture for Ben. Kate corrected the exercises and praised Jo on his efforts. Jo wanted to go outside and play with Benny. Kate shooed him off and returned to her bed. It was time for Ben’s letter.

Kate clasped the precious letter to her chest as tears brimmed in her eyes, every part of her ached to be with Ben again. She longed to see him, to hear him, to touch and smell him. His feelings remained unchanged and he had written her a long and detailed letter. He wrote of work, and the developments in Jo’s case, which reminded Kate to call her Police contact about Jo’s pictures. He was keeping in touch with the gang and they all missed her. He was also playing tennis with Josh regularly and had met her parents. He desired more than anything to drop everything and rush to her side, but he knew that it could possibly put them in danger. The letter was filled with love and emotion and as Kate had read it she felt just like Ben was there in the room talking to her. She closed her eyes and didn’t open them again until she felt Jo tug at her elbow. He was clutching Benny’s lead and indicated that he wanted to go to the beach. Kate carefully put all the letters away and made sure she had some change in her pocket. She grabbed her mobile phone with one hand and took Jo’s hand with the other. They collected Benny at the back door and headed to the beach. Kate spied Peter as he got off the tram and headed towards home but she ignored him and hoped that he wouldn’t see them. Jo was playing fetch with Benny and splashing in the shallows. Kate plonked down onto the sand, perhaps Jo was overcoming his fear of water, or maybe he only feared contained water. She recalled the first time she had put him in the bath and the look of fear he had displayed on that occasion. Now it all made sense. She pulled out her mobile phone and found the Adelaide Police contact number in her phonebook. She dialled and it was answered on the fourth ring. “Hi,” Kate said after the officer had identified himself, “I was wondering if I could come in and see you, there’s something quite sensitive that I need to show you. It’s important to Jo’s case.” They arranged to catch up after Kate finished work on Thursday afternoon. Kate called out to Jo, it was time they got back, and dinner would be ready soon.