The rest of the afternoon passes pleasantly, comfortably. Cami and Bella stay in Cami’s room doing whatever eight- and nine-year-olds do.
Danika gives Kim a tour of the garden. The raised beds, the wildflower patch, the sprawling patch of dark green leaves that will soon produce more butternut pumpkin than Danika and Cami can eat. They give most away, Danika says, promising some to Kim.
They’ve finished the pink wine and moved on to water and green tea. They’ve chatted about their lives, the girls, finding similarities between the two that may be genetic (both kids are good at writing, but struggle with maths, both wrinkle their noses and scrunch up their eyes when asked to do something they don’t want).
“Nature versus nurture,” says Kim, although with the same part-time father, it’s not easy to separate.
Finally, when it’s nearly five, Kim stands. “We should get out of your hair. I’ll take Bella home.”
Danika blinks, as if surprised. “There’s no rush at our end. Cami and I have no plans tonight. Well, I’m sure Cami’s include telling me every time she successfully tackled Bella, and vice versa.”
“Thanks, but we need to go. I promised Bella we’d watch the eight o’clock fireworks from St Kilda Foreshore. We might already have left it too late to get a good spot.” She watches Danika, blinking in the sunlight. It spills over her shoulders, paints her gorgeous legs with a golden glow. Truth is, she’d rather stay longer, but she’s conscious of them not overstaying their welcome. Before she can say maybe just another cup of tea, she walks down to Cami’s room and knocks on the door.
There are giggles from inside, and Cami’s voice calls, “Just a minute.”
The sound of shuffling, of something heavy being dragged across the floor. Bella’s voice, sounding breathless, “That’s good. I can’t see it now.”
What are they hiding? Some secrets that kids have.
The door opens. The room is a mess, with the rug hitched up on one corner and the bedside cabinet skewed.
“Hella-Bella, help Cami tidy up, then we have to go.”
“Mu-um, just a little longer? Please? We’re in the middle of something.”
“If you want to see the fireworks, we have to leave now,” Kim says. “And next time, Cami can come to our flat.”
A long look between the girls, then they nod in synchronisation. That’s apparently acceptable.
“Five minutes,” Kim says again, and returns to the kitchen and to Danika.
The kitchen is spick again, not that it was a mess to start with.
“When would be good with you for our night out?” Danika asks. “I need to check with Mirza.”
“And I need to make sure Bella’s happy with that,” Kim says. “Maybe Friday? Do you have somewhere in mind?”
“Not really,” Danika says. “I’m out of touch with what’s on. And this part of Melbourne can be quiet. That day works for me, though.”
“Let me think about it,” Kim says. “Maybe we could meet somewhere in the middle. I know a few places that would be good, but they’re all on my side of Melbourne.”
Bella appears, and Danika and Cami walk with them to the car.
“See you soon,” Kim says as she gets into the driver’s seat.
Danika nods.
As Kim drives away, in the rearview mirror, she sees Danika, her arm around Cami’s shoulders. They’re both waving.
Chapter Seventeen
Danika
Mirza’s happy to watch the girls. Sylvie’s delighted too, and Mirza says Cami and Bella can stay over if they want.
Danika rings Kim from Mirza’s place to check, and she hears Bella in the background saying she’ll justdieif she can’t stay over with Cami and Sylvie.
With the girls catered for, she turns her attention to where to go with Kim.
