Chapter 29 #2
‘It’s okay, Maggie. I’ll ring her. But thanks.
It’s been good for her having you here. She’s missed a woman around the place.
I do my best to be both parents, and I’ll try to discuss any topic with her, but there are some things – periods, for example – that she point-blank won’t talk about.
And I know my eyes glaze over when she talks about clothes.
I’m a jeans and T-shirt man; I can’t get into fashion. ’
He didn’t need to get into fashion when he looked so hot in jeans, I mused. I gave myself a shake, recalling how he wouldn’t be drawn on whether he still loved Andrea or not.
‘I know it’s a touchy subject,’ I said, ‘but maybe the best person for Daisy to speak to about that sort of stuff might be her mum. Is there a way the two of them can rekindle their relationship? Even regular phone calls might help.’
‘I’m with you there.’ Jono’s face set in a grim line. ‘But Daisy wants nothing to do with her. Maybe time will soften the blow, but she shuts down whenever I mention her mother’s name.’
It seemed there was simply a misunderstanding between father and daughter: Daisy wanting to see her mum but worried about appearing disloyal to Jono; Jono not wanting to force his daughter to see Andrea before she was ready. An impasse fuelled by love for each other.
‘Time will help,’ I agreed. ‘Even the bitterest of feelings lose their sharpness eventually.’
‘I hope you’re right. Okay, let’s see where she is.
’ He dialled his daughter’s number and held the phone to his ear while it rang.
He gave a sigh. ‘Voicemail … It’s Dad. Drop me a quick text, sweetheart, let me know where you are.
You’re missing the foot-stomping, you know.
’ He ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket.
My stomach twisted; I didn’t like being part of this deception one bit. I was going to drop her one last message too, hoping that both of us getting in touch would entice her to reply. If she didn’t reply, I was going to tell him myself, because it wasn’t fair.
I set down my beer bottle, took out my own phone and found her number, turning the screen away from him.
Daisy, your dad is getting worried. You promised you’d tell him where you were going. I’m sorry but I’m going to have to tell him the truth. xx
‘Has she texted you?’ Jono asked, watching me.
‘Er, no,’ I replied.
I attempted to press send quickly but the phone slipped out of my grasp and onto the ground.
I bent to pick it up, but Jono got there first.
‘Whoops, here you go.’ His eyes glanced at the screen, he saw the unsent message and froze. ‘What the …? I’m going to have to …?’ he read. ‘Maggie, what’s going on here?’
‘Okay, I can explain,’ I said hurriedly.
The intensity of his stare stopped my heart for a second. In my panic, I grabbed the phone from him and sent the message.
‘Is it that boy, Tom?’ he growled. ‘I knew I should have said something.’
‘It’s not Tom,’ I reassured him. ‘But I’m afraid that Daisy didn’t go to school today.’
‘Okay.’ He frowned, not taking his eyes off me for a second. ‘And? Where is she?’
‘She’s gone to meet Andrea.’
‘She what?’ His eyes widened with disbelief. ‘I didn’t even know they were in contact.’
‘I don’t think they were until yesterday. Daisy sent her mum a message and they arranged to meet up today,’ I told him as calmly as I could.
‘Let me get this straight,’ he said, running a hand through his hair, his tone curt. ‘You knew about this all day today and didn’t think to tell me? For God’s sake, Maggie. How would you feel if it was your daughter?’
My face burned with shame. ‘I’m so sorry. She made me promise to keep her secret and in return I made her promise to tell you. But she evidently decided against that part.’
‘Do you know what? Whatever.’ He held his hands up, his eyes hard and cold. ‘Where the hell are they meeting?’
‘Sydney. Daisy got a train there.’
‘Jesus Christ.’ He started pacing, both hands in his hair now. ‘On her own? She’s fourteen!’
He strode off across the yard, swearing so loudly that everyone stopped in their tracks, alarmed. Max started barking and jumping up at him, sensing his master’s distress.
‘What’s up, boss?’ Nora asked, catching hold of his arm. But he shook her off and opened the door to his truck.
‘Wait,’ I cried, reaching the truck as he slammed his door. ‘Where are you going?’
‘To fetch her,’ he growled through the open window. He looked at me as if I was a stranger. ‘I’ll drive to Sydney if I have to. I’m not letting Andrea get away with this.’
He put the keys in the ignition and started the engine.
‘Jono, please.’ I gripped the side of the truck. ‘Go easy on Daisy. The only reason she didn’t tell you about this trip is because she didn’t want to upset you. She’s protective of your feelings, and trying to keep everyone happy.’
Before he could reply, his phone rang and connected to the car’s Bluetooth.
‘It’s Daisy,’ he said curtly, stabbing at a button on his steering wheel.
‘Hey, Dad,’ came a small voice.
‘Sweetheart, where are you?’
‘At the train station, I get into Cessnock in forty minutes. Are you mad at me?’
I stepped away from the truck as Jono turned off the engine.
‘I’m annoyed that no one told me where you were going.’
His eyes slid to mine, his anger clearly aimed at me. I shrank away, wracked with guilt.
‘But I’m glad you’re safe. Do you want me to collect you?’
‘Jono,’ said an older female voice. ‘It’s me.’
‘Andrea.’ He gave a harsh laugh. ‘I would say, how could you act so irresponsibly? But then I remembered who I was talking to. The woman who was shagging my manager behind my back and then buggered off without a single thought for her own child. Nothing you do can surprise me now. My expectations are already rock bottom where you’re concerned. ’
‘Come on, let’s talk about this like adults,’ she replied.
‘Adults? Are you kidding me?’ Jono thrust himself back against his seat, his arms outstretched in disbelief. ‘I’m the only adult left in this broken marriage. You behaved like a teenage girl with a crush last year and you have the nerve to suggest I’m not being adult about this. I can’t do this.’
‘Tough shit,’ came the response. ‘We have to because our daughter needs us to.’
I suddenly realised I was eavesdropping on their private conversation – frozen to the spot, my pulse thrumming to a guilty rhythm.
I should have told him sooner, let him know that Daisy had been missing her mum and had considered this to be her only option.
She’d grasped at the chance to see Andrea again, regardless of the consequences.
I forced myself to move away from what was turning into a bitter row between Jono and his ex-wife, and I stumbled back to Creek Cottage feeling terrible about being a part of it.
Thank goodness tonight was my last night. There would be no more talk about me staying longer, I was sure about that. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.