Four
It was only a week since Josh and Abby moved in, but already Luke was beginning to feel the house didn’t belong to him any longer. It was strange how two people could manage to take over and turn his home into… He didn’t have a word for it. All he knew was that he could never find anything in the kitchen, the music which blasted out whenever the young couple were home threatened to burst his eardrums, and there were strange scents in the bathroom. Even Nelson seemed different, choosing to spend more time curled up in his bed than before.
He wondered what Ness would have thought but knew she’d only have been delighted to have their son back home, and would have regarded the inconvenience as a small price to pay. Maybe Luke was becoming grumpy in his old age, but sixty-two wasn’t really old, was it? He didn’t feel old, but somehow, seeing Josh and Abby leave the house dressed in their gym gear made him feel as if life was passing him by.
Today, he’d waited till they left before opening his laptop and googling Pelican Crossing. He still hadn’t given Bob Reed an answer, and it didn’t do any harm to check out what the town was like these days.
What he found was a surprise. The sleepy little fishing village he remembered had become a mecca for yachties from all over the world and was now on the tourist route for many international travellers, while still managing to retain its unique ambiance. From what he could see, some of the original buildings were still standing, while many had been renovated. The old fish and chip shop he remembered was now a classy restaurant called Crossings , was touted as one of the best restaurants on the coast, and had been featured on the popular television programme, Weekender . There also appeared to be several cafés with good reviews on TripAdvisor. Maybe it wasn’t such a backwater after all. Luke stared at the screen, undecided, then looked down at Nelson whose expression seemed to be one of encouragement. Acting as locum for the Pelican Crossings vet wasn’t on Luke’s bucket list, but it would provide some relief from Josh and Abby, and maybe by the time he returned either they’d have managed to save a deposit, or he’d be more willing to accommodate them.
Before he could change his mind, he typed a reply to Bob, offering to help and asking him when he planned to leave.
That done, Luke fetched Nelson’s leash and the pair set off for their morning walk to the park. As they followed their usual path, Luke tried to imagine what it would be like to walk on the beach instead of the concrete pathways they were used to. Nelson had never seen the sea, never felt the sand beneath his paws. He wondered how the dog would react to the different environment. It would be a big change for both of them, but one he was beginning to look forward to. He decided not to get too excited, however. Given the time he’d taken to respond to Bob’s email, it was quite possible the other man might have already found someone else to fill in while he was gone.
It was a relief when his phone rang, and he heard Bob’s voice. ‘Got your email, Luke. I was about to give up on you, but I held off contacting anyone else. I’m delighted you’ve agreed to look after my practice for me. You won’t regret it.’
‘I hope not, Bob. Sorry it took me so long to reply. I wasn’t sure about going back there, but a few things have happened…’ No need to say how he felt like a stranger in his own home. ‘What sort of timeframe are we looking at?’
‘Well…’ Bob paused, ‘… the programme doesn’t start till January, but if you could get yourself free, I’d really like to travel around in the States a bit before then. How soon could you get up here?’
For a moment, Luke didn’t speak. It wouldn’t take him long to pack what he’d need for a few months. With Josh and Abby there, he had no need to worry about the house while he was gone. He took a deep breath. ‘I could be there next week if it suits you.’
‘Couldn’t be better. I can spend a few days with you to do a bit of a handover, then it’s all yours till the end of March. Call me when you’re on your way.’
When the call ended, Luke looked down at Nelson who had remained standing at his side, his head cocked as if trying to figure out what was happening. ‘Well, mate, looks as if we’re going to Pelican Crossing,’ he said. ‘You’re going to find things a bit different there – the scent of the ocean, the sand underfoot and the pelicans.’ Suddenly the image of those magical creatures filled Luke’s mind. How could he have forgotten the birds from which the town got its name, though that wasn’t quite right. Didn’t the name come from the nearby Boodalang River, boodalang being the Aboriginal word for pelican?
Nelson nodded his approval. Now, all Luke had to do was to break the news to Josh and Abby.
*
Luke waited till after dinner, which they’d eaten in the courtyard – a pasta dish Abby had cooked for them and which proved to be very tasty, though not a patch on Luke’s mother’s cooking, which she’d learned from her own Italian mother.
‘I had an interesting email from this guy I met at a conference last year,’ Luke began.
‘The one in Canberra?’ Josh asked, nodding.
Abby fussed with Nelson, displaying no interest in the conversation. The dog enjoyed her attention but kept his eye on Luke clearly sensing something was up.
‘That’s the one. He has a practice in Pelican Crossing where I grew up.’
‘I think I’ve read about it or seen it advertised. Isn’t it in Queensland?’ Abby asked, showing she was still following the conversation.
‘It is.’
‘What did he want, Dad?’
‘He’s been accepted into a programme at Colorado State Uni and asked me if I’d take care of his practice while he was gone. Now you two are here to take care of the house, I’ve said I will.’
‘Will what? Go to this Pelican Crossing place? What’s it like? You never talk about it.’
It suddenly occurred to Luke that he had never mentioned it to Josh, or if he had, the young man had forgotten. ‘It used to be pretty quiet and laid back, but I checked it out on the internet, and it seems to have changed since I lived there. It’s no surprise. It was over forty years ago.’
‘Wow!’ Abby said, as if she couldn’t imagine anything that long ago. She probably couldn’t.
‘How long are you talking about?’
‘The programme lasts for three months, January till March, but Bob’s keen to get off. I said I’d be up there sometime next week.’
Josh’s eyes widened. ‘I hope we’re not chasing you out of your own home, Dad. It’s a bit odd you deciding to do this just after we’ve moved in. Abby and I… we’ve tried to fit in, not to disrupt your life here. I know it must feel different, when you’ve been on your own since Mum passed, but you did agree…’
‘No,’ Luke lied, ‘it’s nothing to do with you and Abby.’ He smiled at the girl who now had a worried expression. ‘I’d been thinking about it for a few weeks. It’s time I got out of my comfort zone, and this might just be the first step.’
‘To take care of another vet practice?’ Josh sounded doubtful.
‘To move away from the city for a bit, to…’ Luke waved his hands in the air, not knowing exactly what he meant, if he meant anything at all.
‘Well, if you’re sure. We’ll take care of the place for you.’ Josh shot a glance at Abby who nodded enthusiastically, giving Luke the impression they’d be glad to see the back of him and have the house to themselves. He’d probably have felt the same at their age.
‘I’m sure. I think this calls for a drink.’ Luke rose to fetch three glasses and the port from the sideboard. ‘To the next four months,’ he said, raising his glass.
The other two followed suit, then, ‘Hey, we could join you for Christmas. It’s always a quiet time. The practice will be closed for a few days and Guy and Rose could carry it for the rest of the week. What do you say, babe?’ Josh said to Abby. ‘How do you fancy a beach Christmas in this place Dad grew up?’
‘Sounds good to me.’
‘Sounds like a plan,’ Luke said, glad the matter seemed settled. It would be good to see the pair of them in Pelican Crossing for the holiday. By that time, he’d have found his way around, met some locals. In a tiny corner of his mind, he wondered if there was anyone he knew still living there.