‘So, are we okay?’
‘Yeah. We’re okay.’
‘Awesome. Thanks, mate.’ Bub opened the door to get out. ‘I’m heading back in. You all done here?’
Nathan looked around at the interior of the car. There was nothing to be found.
‘Yeah.’ He opened the door. ‘I’m done.’
Chapter 37
‘I can’t get it.’
‘It’s like this.’
Nathan repositioned Sophie’s hand on the neck of the guitar and moved one of her fingers on the string. She tried again and the chord rang out, a little disharmonious still, but closer. Sophie’s sling lay by her side on the verandah step. Steve had given her permission to take it off for a couple of hours a day, she’d said, and she was making the most of it. Nathan shifted, the late-morning sun warm on his back, and adjusted her hand on the strings once more.
‘Try again. Yeah, better that time.’
He saw Lo grimace at the sound, but she said nothing, just concentrated on her painting. From the aroma floating from the kitchen, the lunch preparation was coming along well, and Nathan could hear Liz rattling pots and pans inside. He and Bub had gone in to help, only to be shooed out by an exasperated Liz twenty minutes later for getting underfoot. Bub had been happy enough. He’d got a new cricket bat for Christmas and had roped Harry into bowling for him around the front of the house. Nathan couldn’t see them from where he sat, but could hear the occasionalthwackand cheer.
The screen door slammed and Xander appeared. He was holding a folded piece of paper as he sat down next to Nathan. ‘Sounding good, Sophie.’
‘Thanks.’ She smiled, focusing on the strings. It wasn’t only the absence of her sling. It was like a cloud had lifted after the funeral.
‘Here.’ Xander handed the sheet of paper to Nathan. ‘It’s not exactly a Christmas present but I wanted to give you this.’
‘What is it?’ Nathan unfolded it. Inside was a handwritten list of dates.
‘So these are the term dates and the exam weeks for this year.’ Xander pointed. ‘And here are all the potential holidays, here and here. Here, too. So we can plan something.’
‘Oh.’ The writing blurred a tiny bit as Nathan looked at it. ‘Thanks, mate. But seriously, you should stay in Brisbane, focus on your work, if you need to.’ He smiled. ‘Who knows? If your marks are good enough you might be able to follow Martin into the world of blinding metallic buildings.’
‘Yeah, I’m not going to be doing that.’ Xander grinned back. ‘But look, I probably will have to stay home most of the time, so that’s why you should come and visit me in Brisbane.’
Nathan hesitated.
‘It was Mum’s idea,’ Xander said, reading his mind.
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. Maybe I could ask her if you could stay with us. Martin built a guest house in the garden.’
‘Really?’
‘Well, he drew it and then paid someone else to build it.’ Xander laughed. ‘He can’t do the practical stuff as well as you can. Anyway, you should come. I’d really like it.’
‘Yeah. Well, thanks. I’d really like it too.’
‘Good.’ Xander stood up. ‘If you need help packing up the car at any point, just yell.’
‘You’re keen. We’re not leaving until tomorrow.’
‘I know.’ Xander smiled. ‘I just don’t want to miss the flight. New Year’s Eve in Brisbane has the edge on here somehow.’
Nathan caught a glimpse of Ilse passing by her office window. She gave him a little wave. ‘I struggle to believe that.’
‘Believe it,’ Xander said, and Nathan watched the screen door slam behind him.
