But this doesn’t sound like a shop for two. . .
It could be, Lily. It absolutely could be a shop for two.
What if he’s divorced?
‘There you are!’ Kay calls.
I look up and see my three sisters walking towards me. ‘Sorry to be so long,’ I tell them.
‘I need the loo now, too,’ Kay complains.
‘And me,’ Isabel pipes up.
‘Where is it?’ Kay asks.
I look around, thankfully spying a sign for the toilets. ‘This way,’ I say, and they all follow me.
How can I find out if he’s married or not?
You can ask him when you see him on Monday.
Monday?Monday?I can’t wait that long!
And that’s what it’s like for the rest of our outing. I can’t concentrate, my sisters begin to get annoyed with my jitteriness, and all I can do is search everywhere we go for another sighting of Ben. He’s nowhere to be found and it damn near kills me.
Eventually Isabel starts to whinge about her sore feet, and soon enough Olivia does too.
‘We haven’t seen the birds yet,’ I tell them, panicked.
‘I don’t want to see the birds,’ Isabel moans. ‘I’ve had enough.’
I scan their faces for any sign of giving in. Resolute. I drag my feet all the way to the exit.
The zoo is in North Sydney so we have to catch the ferry back to their flat in the Rocks. The girls want to sit down so I find them a seat and slide away to sneak a look at Ben’s number.
It’s a mobile number. He hasn’t given me his home number. Perhaps his wife would answer the phone. Or his kids . . .
God, it hurts.
A shiver goes through me. I don’t know if it’s anticipation or dread.
I’ve found him again.
What about Richard?I quickly crush that thought. I can’t think about him now. I have to concentrate.
We make it back to the flat to discover that Dad and Lorraine are already there.
‘Good day?’ Dad asks.
‘My feet are killing me,’ Isabel whines.
‘Mine are, too.’ Olivia has to compete with her.
‘But did you have a good day?’ Dad tries again.
‘Yeah.’ Kay shrugs.
‘We fed the kangaroos,’ Isabel says proudly.
