Chapter 6
When I enteredthe open-plan living area the next morning, Jasmine stood at the kitchen sink washing the dishes. It was 7am, and apparently, they’d already eaten breakfast. The children were in their bedroom, and from the snippets of conversation I heard drifting up the hallway, Bailey wanted to get dressed but Rose was annoying him.
I’d tried not to linger or eavesdrop on their conversation. Was this what most mornings were like? All cosy and familial? Everything I’d seen so far showed they connected as a family; nothing like my own growing up.
Dinner had been strange last night. I hadn’t intended on joining them, but what else was I going to do? Jasmine had cooked enough for all of us, and it stood to reason that we would share meals together. Rose had talked the whole way through. It saved us from awkward silences.
Seeing we were alone, I took the time to study my co-worker. She was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and work shorts, the same uniform that she’d given me the evening before. She’d explained that we should wear long pants for most outdoor activities. But for days when we were at the office or on the boat, shorts were acceptable. I’d remembered to put sunscreen on this morning, Jasmine’s words about the sun being strong down here echoing in my head.
She was all business today. Her long hair was tied back, giving her a more controlled persona. Her movements were sharp and deliberate. Not flowing like they had been yesterday. I tore my attention away. I’d been staring for way longer than I should.
“Good morning,” I said as I entered the kitchen.
Jasmine gave me a smile. “Good morning. How did you sleep?”
“Good. The sound of the water lapping at the sand was like a lullaby.”
She turned back to her task. Her calf muscles flexed as she reached for a plate on the counter. Why was I still watching her?
“The keys to the office are on the table. I need to drop the kids off at the school bus and then I’ll meet you there.”
As if on cue, Bailey came into the living room, Rose trailing behind. “Just leave him alone, Rose.”
“He’s my cat too. And if I want to make sure he’s comfy, I will.”
“Not having to listen to you all day will make him comfy,” Bailey said.
“So will not having to smell you all day,” Rose retorted.
They were both in the living room now. Neither acknowledged my presence.
Jasmine dried her hands on the towel. “Have you got everything?”
“Yes,” they said.
“Go wait outside.”
“Bye, Ethan.” Rose waved as she rushed out the door.
Bailey looked at me and said a hasty, “Bye,” before following his sister. They ran and jumped off the steps with more energy than anyone should have that early in the morning.
Jasmine picked up her keys and bag. “I’ll get to the office around eight.” She headed to the door, stopped mid-stride, and turned back to me. “Timmy has already been fed. Don’t believe his ‘I’m starving’ act. And ignore his pleas to go outside. He’s only allowed out under supervision.”
“OK.” That’s all I managed to get out before she disappeared out the front door. It seemed like their mornings ran like clockwork. In my brother’s house, mornings could be like mutiny on the high seas.
I acquainted myself with the kitchen and the lack of a coffee machine. Who could survive in this world without a good coffee in the morning? Jasmine apparently. For me, it was the smell of fresh coffee that awakened the senses. Hopefully, there was a machine at the office.
I popped some bread in the toaster and went to grab my phone. Only one bar of service. This place was remoter than remote, far beyond the black stump the guy had spoken about yesterday. I don’t think half the people I knew could survive with no phone service. It didn’t matter to me. Jasmine had told me they had good internet. That’s all I needed for my research.
I connected to the internet to call my brother. Steve’s face appeared on the screen. “Hey, Ethan. How’s the land down under treating you?”
I set the phone down on the bench and buttered my toast. “I’ve been thrown a bit of a curve ball. The house I was meant to move into is being renovated.” I grabbed my plate and phone and went out onto the porch. “I’m living with the female ranger and her kids.”
Steve’s eyes widened. “How many kids?”
“Two. A boy and girl.” I took a bite of my toast.
Steve’s lips turned upwards, and then he laughed. “Let the fun begin.”
It was alright for him. He embraced his life which was often in disarray because of his mutinous crew. Especially since he often led the mutiny. I’d witnessed it on more than one occasion from my studio apartment above his garage. I was smart enough to just watch and not be convinced by my niece and nephew to join in their shenanigans.
“What about the female ranger? What’s she like?”
“She’s nice. Friendly. A bit awkward.”
He nodded. “Having a stranger live with you would do that.”
I wasn’t helping on the awkward front. I was lucky she hadn’t noticed how my eyes kept gravitating to her this morning. Imagine how awkward that would have been.
“And Haven Bay?”
I turned the camera around. “The view is magnificent.”
“Fuck yeah. That alone is worth having to share your space.”
“I don’t think sharing my space is going to be conducive to finishing my dissertation. The kids are pretty loud and active.”
He nodded. He worked from home when the kids were on vacation and was never as productive then. “Hopefully, your house will be renovated quickly.”
I told him about the town as I ate my breakfast.
He shook his head. “I don’t know how people live like that.”
“I’ll soon find out. I’ve got six months of it to look forward to.” I finished my toast and headed inside. “First day of work today. I can’t wait to get out there and check out the sea lions.”
“At the end of six months, this will all be worth it,” he said.
Best I grab onto that optimism of his. Because this remote town, child roommates and a beautiful stranger in the kitchen every morning, might make me wonder if this was the best place to complete my dissertation.
* * *
Jasmine walkedthrough the office door and zeroed in on me. The office was a portable building big enough for two desks, a wall of national park maps and leaflets, a fridge and a couple of extra chairs. No coffee machine.
She headed to her desk and turned her computer on. “During tourist season, we usually have a sea lion tour at 9.30 and if there’s enough bookings, another one at 1.”
I looked at my watch. Just over an hour until the next tour. I smiled. I was going to meet the sea lions, finally.
“There are no tours booked in this morning, so you can get started on your online inductions. And we’ll need a copy of your car licence and boat licence to add to your file.”
My stomach dropped. “Are we going out to see the sea lions today?”
“If you get your inductions done. And we need to check campers have paid their fees, clean the amenities at the campground, and refill brochures there and at the entries to the driving tracks close by.”
I shifted in my seat. “I was hoping to see the sea lion colony to get an idea on how to structure my study.”
Jasmine sighed and turned her chair to face me. “Your job here is part-time ranger. The part-time part means that you have time to do your research. The part-time part comes first. It’s what pays you, gives you a house to live in, a car to drive and a boat for your research.”
I stiffened. There was nothing like being chastised by your new co-worker. She had that don’t mess with me tone that mothers across the world had mastered. And she’d used it on me…a grown man.
I wasn’t going to argue. What would I say anyway? I’d grown up learning quickly that it was not in my best interests to say anything. And when I got older, I never trusted myself not to be like my father. It would always be about who he could beat down with his words. And if necessary, his fists. I never wanted to be in a situation where I lost control like that, so I just shut up and put up.
And I doubt arguing would have a positive effect on Jasmine. She seemed to have a no-nonsense attitude, and I didn’t want to get on her bad side seeing we had to live and work together. I needed that to be harmonious if my work and research were to be productive.
Jasmine stood. “I’m going to clean the campground, then I’ll collect the mail.”
I nodded and continued to work on my inductions. Jasmine stormed out of the office. Those long tanned legs sure could move fast.
Great. How was I supposed to work and live with her? Considering my words more than usual would be a good start.