Two
Luke Findlay re-read the email, leant back, tipping his chair up on its back legs, and pulled on his beard. It was only six months since he’d left his vet practice, deciding that at sixty-two, it was time to retire and spend time doing all the things he’d promised himself he’d do… one day. Since then, he’d barely scratched the surface and the prospect of returning to the town he’d left to attend university held little appeal.
He'd enjoyed growing up in Pelican Crossing, the small coastal town on the Queensland Coast, but when his parents moved to the city soon after he’d started university, he’d never gone back. He’d met his wife at university and the small animal vet practice they’d opened together in a leafy suburb of Sydney had provided him with everything he wanted in life. It had been a shock when Ness had died in car accident, but he’d kept the practice, delighted when their son decided to join him, after spending two years overseas. Now Josh ran the practice himself with the help of a couple of assistants – Guy and Rose, and Luke tried his best not to interfere, spending his time with Nelson, his faithful pet, the boxer he’d rescued when his owner wanted him put down. Now, he couldn’t imagine life without him.
‘What do you think, Nelson?’ he asked. ‘Fancy a few months by the beach?’
The dog favoured him with one of his superior glances, seeming to indicate he was no more in favour of it than Luke.
Luke pulled on his beard again and sighed.
The email had come out of the blue, from a guy Luke had met at a conference the previous year. He recalled how, over a beer one evening, he and this guy – Bob Reed – had been reminiscing, and when Luke revealed where he’d grown up, Bob had slapped him on the shoulder. ‘That’s where I have my practice,’ he’d said. ‘Great town. Why did you leave?’
The conversation had brought back memories of growing up with the sun, sea and surf, far removed from his current lifestyle, and the recollection of girls with tanned skin and legs that seemed to go on for ever.
Now Bob had been accepted into a three-month programme at Colorado State University and had asked Luke if he’d be willing to look after his practice while he was away.
Deciding he needed a good cup of coffee to help him decide, and knowing he was fresh out of coffee beans, Luke picked up Nelson’s leash and, the dog padding eagerly after him, headed out of the house. It was the house he and Ness had bought and renovated when they were first married, before Josh was born, and he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, despite Josh’s suggestions it might be time for him to downsize. Luke hated the term and the thought of leaving his comfortable existence.
Once outside, Luke breathed in the fresh air, only partly spoiled by car fumes, as Nelson wandered along at his side, sniffing at the pavement. He loved his home, and the leafy suburb with several coffee shops only a short walk away. He’d miss all this if he took up Bob’s suggestion. He couldn’t imagine he’d find the same delights in Pelican Crossing. From what he remembered, there had been one café, a fish restaurant and not much else. He supposed it might have changed in the meantime – it had been over forty years ago – but he had no desire to find out.
Luke was enjoying his coffee, along with an almond croissant he’d been unable to resist, and was flicking through the latest edition of the local paper, Nelson lying happily at his feet with a bowl of water, when his phone rang. Seeing Josh’s number, he pressed to accept the call.
‘Hey, Josh, what’s up?’
‘Dad, I need a favour. Can Abby and I come over tonight?’
Luke’s immediate thought was to wonder if his son needed money. He knew Josh’s girlfriend had recently moved in with him, into the tiny one-bedroom unit in North Sydney which was all the young man could afford as he was determined to pay off his HECS (higher education contribution scheme) fee as soon as possible. But Josh had already refused Luke’s offer to pay off the debt for him. ‘No problem,’ he said. ‘Would you like to come for dinner?’ Since Ness passed away, Luke had worked on his cooking skills, determined not to become one of those men who lived on takeaways.
‘Thanks, Dad. That would be great. See you around six-thirty?’
‘See you then, son.’
‘Well,’ Luke said to Nelson, ‘I wonder what that’s all about? We’d better do some shopping. I think barbecue steak with a nice salad.’
‘Woof,’ said Nelson, recognising the word steak and clearly hoping a piece of it might come his way.
*
By six o’clock, everything was ready. Nelson had been fed, the barbecue was lit, the salad prepared and in the fridge, and the steak was marinating in a mixture of Worcester sauce, French mustard and rosemary, a recipe Luke had found on Jamie Oliver’s website and which had become a favourite of his. He took a beer out to the courtyard while he waited for Josh and Abby to arrive, wondering what sort of favour his son wanted from him.
As was usual with Josh, his arrival set off a flurry of barking from Nelson, and everything was chaotic for a few minutes while they all hugged and the young couple fussed over Nelson who revelled in the attention.
‘For you, Dad.’ Josh held out a bottle of cabernet sauvignon from Luke’s favourite Margaret River winery. This must be some favour, if he had shelled out on what was an expensive drop of red .
‘Thanks, son. This will go well with the steak.’
‘Barbecued steak? Yum.’ Josh headed outside to where the barbecue was ready for the meat.
‘Can I do anything to help?’ Abby asked, flicking back her hair. Luke liked Abby. She was a step up from the girls his son had brought home before her, and this time, it looked as if Josh was serious about their relationship. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too long before there were grandchildren running around. Ness would have loved to have been a grandmother .
‘No, it’s all good,’ Luke said, grateful for the offer, nevertheless. ‘I’m betting you’d like a glass of wine.’
‘I’ll get it, Dad,’ Josh said reappearing, Nelson at his heels. The dog had abandoned Luke as soon as the young couple arrived.
Their meal was over, and Abby had disappeared into the kitchen to make coffee – Luke had replenished the coffee supply earlier in the day – when Josh cleared his throat.
Recognising the signs, Luke said, ‘Okay, Josh, so what’s this favour you want to ask? If it’s a case of money…’
‘No, Dad. It’s not money.’
Abby reappeared carrying three mugs of coffee which she placed on the table before taking her seat next to Josh and placing a hand on his arm.
Under the table, Nelson snored gently, happy to have been the recipient of several pieces of steak.
‘It’s like this, Dad.’ Josh squeezed Abby’s hand. ‘My landlord has decided to sell the unit. His mortgage has skyrocketed and so have prices. He wants to cash in. Problem is…’ he scratched his chin, ‘… it’s not so easy to find a place to rent at the moment, low vacancy rates, rents have gone sky-high… and Abby and I…’ he sent an affectionate glance in her direction, ‘… we want to save up a deposit. In the current market, it makes sense to buy, not rent.’
Luke had an inkling of what was coming. He was right.
Josh continued, ‘We thought… if we could move in here for a bit… just until we get a deposit together… You don’t need all of this house, and…’ his voice trailed off.
‘Well!’ When Josh said he wanted to ask a favour, Luke hadn’t expected this. He tried to think how Ness would react. He could almost hear her voice. ‘W e were young too, Luke. He’s our son. It’s up to us to help him. It was easier in our day. And he’s right, you’re living in two rooms in this big house .’
‘Dad?’ Josh sounded anxious. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I was just thinking about your mum. If she was here…’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘I was imagining what she’d say, and I know she wouldn’t hesitate.’ Ness could never deny Josh anything. ‘Of course you can both move in. When did you have in mind?’
The young couple shared a relieved glance. ‘Would next weekend be too soon?’
Luke swallowed hard. But what did it matter when the move took place, now he’d agreed to it? ‘Sure. Need any help?’
‘No, we should be right. We can hire a truck.’ Josh glanced at Abby again. ‘We thought we could store a few of our things in the garage.’
Luke swallowed hard again at the realisation he wasn’t only about to share his house with the two young people but was going to have to provide house – or garage – room to all their belongings.
‘Thanks, Dad.’ Josh gave Luke a warm hug when he and Abby left later that evening, after they’d celebrated the decision with glasses of the vintage port Luke kept for special occasions. He wasn’t sure this one called for it, but it pleased Josh.
Once he was alone again with Nelson, Luke poured himself another glass of the port and took it outside, the dog at his heels. As he sipped on the tawny liquid, Luke thought about what the next few months would bring, what it would be like to share his home with the young couple whose lifestyle was so very different from his. Maybe it was time to enjoy some of those things he’d been putting off, to hike the Larapinta Trail, go scuba diving on the Barrier Reef, ride a camel on the beach at Broome, follow the dinosaur trail and dig for fossils at Winton, rent a caravan and travel around Australia, or…