“Definitely not.” Danika’s lips are twitching in amusement.
There must be some nickname she has, some shortening—or lengthening—of her name. All Aussies have an affectionate nickname. “Anika?”
The twitch is now a full-blown smile. “Not even close.”
“Annie? Ann? Nikita? Speedy?”
“Speedy?” Danika’s forehead wrinkles. “How did you come up with that?”
“There was a race car driver called Danica something. I’m guessing Speedy’s wrong as well. Nik. Nix. Danka?”
Danika sighs, but her smile belies her pretend irritation. “Give up?”
“Dani-anni-ka? Dandoodles?”
“Now you’re being ridiculous. I’m only ever called one thing other than Danika.”
“Which is?”
She grins. “Mummy.”
Kim laughs. “I think I’ll pass on calling you that.” She turns away. “Dani-anni has a nice ring to it, though. And one thing about a nickname is you don’t get a say in it. Dani-anni.”
Danika’s laugh rings out, and she throws a cherry tomato at Kim.
Kim ducks, and the tomato lands in the river where it’s carried downstream. At least Danika has relaxed somewhat. Her laugh is freer, her shoulders less tense, her smile more natural.
Bella and Cami arrive back and throw themselves into their chairs, reaching for plates in the same motion.
Cami makes a pattern on her plate with the sauce bottle, and after a beat, Bella copies her.
“Mine’s a picture of Lily,” Cami says.
“Mine’s me playing soccer.”
Bella’s picture looks nothing like a person, let alone a soccer-playing one, but Kim nods anyway, and three sausages, a foil-wrapped potato, and a small portion of salad soon cover the soccer player and Lily.
Kim and Danika fill their plates as well, and Danika pours water for everyone. Kim sprinkles cheese on her potato to make up for the lack of sausages.
“What’s for pudding?” Bella asks, her mouth full of potato.
“Finish this first, then you’ll find out,” Danika says.
It’s exactly what Kim would have replied if her own mouth hadn’t been full of salad.
“It’s cherry trifle,” Cami says confidently. “I helped choose it at Coles. I like cherry better than raspberry.”
“Me too.” Bella grins through her mouthful, grabs the hot sauce and squirts it on her potato.
Dinner over, cherry trifle eaten, the washing up done by all four of them, Cami asks if they can explore down the riverbank before bed.
“See that big white caravan under the tree at the end of the park?” Kim points.
Bella nods.
“You can go as far as that, but not a single step further. That way we’ll be able to see you.” She arches an eyebrow at Danika in an is-that-all-right-with-you? gesture.
Danika nods. “Keep along the bank. Don’t walk through other people’s campsites, okay?”
