“Mum, I’m on the island. I caught the ferry over. My battery was dead, but I charged my phone at Uncle Bradford’s office. Can you please come and get me?”
Bea parked her car outside Bradford and Evie’s office and hurried inside. She scanned the room and found Dani sitting huddled in a corner, with a backpack at her feet. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked miserable. Bea’s heart sank, and she bustled across the room to wrap Danita up in her arms.
“Oh, sweetheart, what’s happened? Are you okay? Why didn’t you call me?”
Danita sobbed then drew a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I wanted to call, but I hadn’t charged my phone and I didn’t want to stop. I had to get out of there.”
“You can tell me all about it in the car. Come on home, I’ll make you a nice drink. I’ve got dinner already cooked.”
She waved to Evie, who was busy with a customer, then headed out to the car, carrying Dani’s backpack for her.
“What do you have in this thing, it weighs more than I do?”
Dani sniffled, then giggled. “My books. I’m a student, Mum. Remember?”
“Haven’t you heard of the internet?” Bea grumbled beneath her breath as she readjusted the backpack on her aching shoulders.
“Damien says that the feel of pages at our fingertips helps ground us to the earth.” After Dani sputtered the words, she burst into a howl of tears.
Bea helped her into the car, set the backpack in the boot, and then drove home. On the way, Dani stopped crying and stared out the window in silence. Bea glanced at her every now and then. She would give her space and time to open up. It never helped to push her daughter. Besides, she was home and that was what gave Bea some comfort. If Dani had called her in this state from Sydney, she would’ve felt anxious and helpless. But Dani was here, and she could comfort her, cook for her, give her a chance to work through whatever was going on in her life. She could be a mum, and that was Bea’s favourite role.
They pulled into the garage, and Bea carried Dani’s backpack inside. Aidan was in the kitchen, spooning dinner onto plates. He looked up, then gave Dani a hug, his eyes full of questions that Bea had no answers to.
She shrugged silently and he nodded.
“It’s good to have you home,” he said.
Dani sniffled. “It’s good to be home. I missed you all so much.”
“We missed you too. Let’s sit outside on the deck to eat. It’s so beautiful this time of night.” Bea carried plates out to the table.
Aidan brought his own plate and a bottle of wine. They sat at the table and ate, discussing Dani’s classes, Bea and Aidan’s reunion, anything other than what was troubling Dani. The sun lit the ocean up like a bonfire, with red and orange streaks across the clear blue sky.
With a deep breath, Dani thrust her fork into a pile of mashed potatoes and then looked up at Bea. “I broke up with Damien.”
Bea did her best not to grin or shout with delight. She was concerned about Dani and how her daughter felt, so instead she let that emotion shine through. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. What happened?”
Dani wiped her nose with her napkin. “He said I was immature and ridiculous.”
“Why would he say that?” Anger flickered in Bea’s gut.
“Because he thinks everything I do is wrong. He wanted me to quit uni so I could afford rent, but you didn’t think it was a good idea and I agreed with you. I’ve got to finish uni, or I’ll never get the kind of job I want. So, I stayed in class, and he wasn’t happy about that. But then he said I should switch to architecture, because I was wasting my talent in design. When I investigated it though, it would’ve meant a lot more years of study and I’m not sure I even like architecture. So, I decided not to do it. There are a million other little things that I could tell you about, but this weekend, we went to a party at his friend’s house. They were talking about politics, and I didn’t agree with something one of them said, so I spoke up and told them. They were all super offended, and when we went home, he wouldn’t even talk to me. The next day, we had a big fight about it and he said those things to me.”
Bea bit down on her tongue. She glared at Aidan as if to saycan I call him names yet?
Aidan shook his head. “I’m sorry, Dani. That sounds terrible.”
“I know how much you liked him, sweetheart. But that’s not a loving way to treat someone you are supposed to care about.”
“I know,” she said, fresh tears on her cheeks. “I told him that, and he said I was a baby. And if I was going to cry like a baby, I might as well leave. So, I did. And I gave up my flat to move in with him, so now I have nowhere else to go. I’ve neglected my friends to spend time with him and his friends, now I have no friends. I’ve been slacking on classes and assignments so I can work extra shifts to pay for his expensive rent, so my grades are falling. I’ve done everything I thought he wanted me to do, and all that’s happened is I’ve lost myself. I don’t even know who I am anymore, or what I want, or who I like spending time with. I’ve put all my energy into being more mature for him, and liking the things he does, and talking about the topics he’s interested in, and he doesn’t even appreciate it.”
Bea put down her fork and reached for Dani’s hand. She squeezed it gently. “You’re learning some valuable lessons here, honey.”
Dani blinked. “What? What lessons?”
“That you should never give up who you are to be with someone. You should be yourself, and if he loves you the way you are, then you can make a life with him. But don’t ever change for him or hand over parts of yourself. Don’t become another person or let go of your friends, your hobbies, or your career path for him. It won’t work, and it’ll leave you stranded.”
She blew her nose, then nodded. “You’re right. I won’t do that again.”
