If Bella gets fifty thousand as Cami did, and she and Kim split the rest, that would be roughly three hundred and fifty thousand each.
But to do that, Danika would have to sell or re-mortgage the house.
Their lifestyle would change.
She’d have to work more hours.
She rolls onto her side, facing the wall of the tent. What would a court determine about this? The estate is settled, after all, and a court might not revisit the division. But Danika knows she couldn’t live with herself if she keeps money that—ethically if not legally—belongs to Kim and Bella. She tries to be a good person, to do the best for Cami. How can she not give Cami’s sister the same treatment?
So what’s stopping her? Why hasn’t she already said to Kim, so, this is the situation?
Money again. It all comes down to money. And shehatesthat. She doesn’t think twice about paying for Mirza’s lunch if she forgets her wallet, doesn’t chase up people who owe her small amounts of money—like when she took Cami and one of her classmates to the zoo and Lola’s father said he’d transfer themoney for entry and forgot. But this is hundreds of thousands of dollars, not thirty bucks, and it’s different.
She’ll be upending her and Cami’s security, their future security. Can she do that to her daughter?
Her mother’s face floats through her mind: eyebrow raised in question. She knows what Shirley thinks she should do. And her mum is right.
All of this is a problem for future Danika. When Kim enters the tent, Danika’s not going to sit up and start a debate about it. Not now. Not with Cami and Bella so close they could overhear.
But now, she has a more immediate question.
Kim will enter the tent, which at Johanna Beach became their private world. Their cocoon away from the kids, where they were just Danika and Kim, two women who had found a connection that transcended the unbelievable tale of how they met, the threads and tangles between them. Two women who, however they had come to this point, wanted more. Kisses. Caresses. Skin to skin. And… more.
And it isn’t just sex or the possibility of sex. There’s an emotional connection now between them. Danika already cares deeply for Kim and Bella. Their connection may have formed because of—or more likely, despite—Chris, but he’s not in the picture now. Certainly for her. Chris’s betrayal froze her heart where he’s concerned. She will always hold him dear for Cami’s sake, but something shifted in her chest and now, when she thinks of him, she’s just cold. Impassive.
And in the right-here and right-now, she wants to kiss Kim again. Wants to feel her lips on her own, wants the sweep of her tongue, the push of Kim’s hand into Danika’s hair. Wants to trail her fingers along the side of Kim’s neck, to trace her collarbone.
And maybe more.
But to deepen this between them, while she’s keeping such an immense secret, feels so very wrong.
Kim has been transparent with Danika since the morning she arrived on her doorstep unannounced. She has freely given Danika the information she needed, and, to Danika’s knowledge, has held nothing back.
Danika is a secret-keeper, and that seems deceptive.
There’s a rustle outside, then the rasp of the tent zipper being lowered. Kim is being considerate and trying to be quiet in case Danika is asleep.
Her heart pounds an unsteady rhythm, and the noise in her head is louder than the rippling river. It’s a battle between head and heart.
Resolutely, she closes her eyes, lies still and tries to breathe steadily.
The nylon sleeping bag rustles as Kim enters. There’s a pause. Likely, Kim is checking to see if Danika is asleep—then the rustling resumes. Clothes being removed. Kim retrieving her singlet and boxers that she sleeps in from underneath her pillow. The brush of Kim’s arm on her back as she lies down. Is she on her back? Her side? Which way is she facing? Danika tries to keep her breathing slow and steady, but it’s as if she’s forgotten the rhythm. Her lungs feel too empty after her long exhale, too quick on the inhale, her breathing too shallow, not the slow diaphragmatic breathing of sleep. She waits for Kim to ask if she’s awake.
Kim is silent. She must know Danika is awake, but she must also realise that she’s feigning sleep for a reason.
Danika licks her lips, and the swallow, the wet sound of her lips parting and the movement of her tongue seem ridiculously loud. She swallows again. It must be in her head. Kim surely can’t hear her over the river noise.
But what if she can?
Danika opens her eyes. Through the tent walls she can see hazy light and shadow—moonlight on the river, the outline ofa drooping branch on the far bank. There’s no sound from the girls’ tent.
What to do? What to do?Her heart and body war with her mind.
She rolls onto her back.
Kim draws a quick breath.
“I’m awake,” Danika says softly. “And I’m wondering what to do.” She fumbles for her torch, turns it on, then looks over at Kim, who is on her side, facing Danika.
