39
I ’M on the balcony in my bikini top and shorts, legs crossed, science text spread open over my thighs, highlighter in hand. Earphones drown out the incessant noise from under the house when suddenly there’s hands over my eyes. I yank out my earphones.
‘Guess who?’
‘No way!’ I jump out of my seat. ‘JB! What are you doing here?’ I throw my arms around his neck, and he lifts me off my feet, spinning me around while we scream, holler and whoop.
‘Miss me, did you, Trines?’
‘Put me down before I vomit, you shithead.’ I push against his chest. ‘I don’t believe this!’
‘Believe it, gorgeous!’ He hugs me again and bends to hug Mum who has come outside at all the high-pitched screaming, mostly JB’s. ‘Angela! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, what’s for dinner?’
‘Enough!’ I say. ‘How are you even here?’
‘Took the thumbs-up bus.’
‘You hitchhiked? That’s so dangerous, even for a weapon like you!’
‘Who’s going to mess with this specimen?’ He flexes his muscles.
‘Yeah, yeah, put it away.’ I punch his arm, then tousle his blonde hair, grown long and floppy since the end of the school year.
‘JB!’ Tommy races across the balcony, Matty behind him. Tommy throws his arms around JB and he mock-stumbles.
‘Woah, little mate, look at you! You been working out, dude? Hey Matty, how are you? You’ve shot up too!’
‘We got new games for Christmas,’ says Tommy. ‘Come play, wait until you see how good I am.’
‘You’re shit, Tommy,’ says Matty, ‘I kick your arse.’
‘You’re shit. I kicked your arse two minutes ago.’
‘Language,’ says Mum.
‘Matty, Tommy, can you back off a bit?’ I put a hand on Tommy to restrain him.
‘What, you think I can’t take on these two?
’ JB flips Tommy upside down with one arm and brandishes his legs at Matty like a sword.
Tommy’s squeals of excitement and laughter bounce off the walls.
Matty dives for JB’s waist and drops to his knees, trying to use his inconsiderable weight to drag him to the ground.
‘Seriously?’ I turn to Mum. ‘Can you do something, please?’
JB sprawls on the balcony, feigning defeat, his legs draped over Matty as Tommy scrambles to his feet.
‘Guess what?’ Tommy says.
‘I can’t even begin to guess, mate. Hit me.’
‘Cat’s in love with her lover.’
‘Oh my God. Mum!’
‘Good to see you, mate,’ Dad materialises from nowhere and JB leaps to his feet. Dad hugs him, slapping his back. ‘You good? Work going well?’
‘Work’s work,’ says JB, shrugging.
‘Cat...’ Mum tilts her head, almost imperceptibly.
‘Oh shit, of course!’ I put my hand on Paul’s shoulder. ‘JB, this is Paul. Paul, meet JB.’
‘G’day, mate.’ Paul holds out his hand. They’re almost the same height and I’m standing between them looking up like a little kid, my head swivelling, a ridiculous smile stretching my face.
‘How’s it going?’ JB takes his hand.
‘Yeah, good,’ says Paul, his arm coming around my shoulder.
‘So I see,’ he winks. ‘How’d you get Trines’ head out of a textbook?’
‘Trines?’ Paul’s eyebrow raises.
‘Trines, Catarina, latrines,’ JB grins. ‘She loves it.’
‘No, she does not love it,’ I say. ‘It’s an annoying AF nickname I’ve been telling him to stop calling me for years. Anyway, you can talk, JB. I bet you’re miles ahead of me, of everyone. I also heard you’re fit as too.’ I slap his abs. ‘Freakin’ overachiever.’
‘How’s Mum, JB?’ says Mum.
‘Yeah, she’s good, Angela, you know Mum.’
‘Tell her we’re overdue a long lunch. Bring on the return to school so us mums can get back to our real lives.’
‘That’s so nice, Mum, glad to see we mean so much to you,’ says Matty.
‘She said to say the same thing to you,’ says JB, ‘only she wants a liquid lunch.’
‘Speaking of, it’s pretty much beer o’clock.’ Dad checks his watch. ‘Paul? JB?’
‘Not for me, Mick, training tonight. I’m grabbing a ride with Scampo.’
Dad walks onto the balcony, dusting his hands on his dirty shirt.
‘What? You’re not staying?’ My shoulders drop. ‘I haven’t seen you for ages, literally months , and you’re blowing me off for football?’
‘Trines, you know the old man.’ He shrugs. ‘He’ll blow a gasket if I’m not there tomorrow. All I’ve done since school is work, train, read and sleep. If it wasn’t for preseason, it would have just been work, read and sleep. As it is I’m lucky he pissed off to the races, so here I am.’
‘Here you are!’ I lightly punch his chest. ‘Man, you have buffed up, haven’t you?’
‘Careful, gorgeous, you break it, you buy it.’
Dad returns, two beers in hand and offers one to Paul.
‘Sorry, not for me, either, thanks Mick,’ says Paul. ‘I’ve got to go help the old man. I’ll see you later, Cat?’ He kisses me on the cheek then shakes JB’s hand. ‘Good to meet you.’
‘Yeah, you too,’ says JB. Paul disappears down the stairs as Tommy grabs JB’s arm.
‘Come on, JB, let’s play.’
‘That’s a no, Tommy,’ I say. ‘I promise you next time JB comes we’ll play with you for as long as you want.’
‘Are you guys going to the beach? Can I come?’ Matty says.
‘What do you think?’ I almost feel bad as his face lights up. I grab my t-shirt off the chair. ‘That’s a no, too. Let’s go, JB.’