Epilogue
‘D RIVE safe, Cat, and call us when you arrive.’ Mum moves beside Dad, his arm coming around her shoulder as her lip trembles.
‘Can I have your bedroom?’ says Tommy, throwing his arms around me, his head down. He hugs me, hard.
‘This is a joke,’ says Matty. ‘She’ll be back in a couple of weeks for the long weekend. We already had the Festival of Cat celebration when she got her marks, and again when she got into law and freakin’ again when she got that scholarship. Do we really need to drag out a big dramatic farewell?’
‘Come here and kiss your sister goodbye.’ I hold my arms out.
I’m still genuinely in shock about the scholarship.
Who could have ever guessed that the issues assignment I started last summer ended up in federal parliament after a local politician heard about it on a school visit?
If it wasn’t for that, I know for a fact that my scholarship application would have gone nowhere.
Another fact? My assignment about misogyny and sexism wouldn’t have been half as good if I hadn’t have gone to see Isabel Dillon at the end of last summer, just her and me, talking, away from all the rumours and bitchiness.
I don’t know that we’ll ever be real friends, but I think now at least we get each other. ‘I’m going to miss you, turdburger.’
‘Me too,’ he says, tears in his eyes. ‘Shut up.’ He brushes them away when I give him a teasing smirk.
‘Catarina, remember where you come from,’ Nonna says to me in Italian. ‘You’re a good girl, you’ve worked so hard, you make me very proud to be your Nonna.’
‘Don’t let the petrol gauge go under half.’ Dad wraps me in a hug.
‘I love you, baby girl. We’re so proud of you. Go grab the world; it’s yours.’
‘I love you too.’ I don’t even bother to stop the tears.
‘Ugh, enough,’ drawls Matty. ‘I’m going upstairs.’
‘Don’t you even think of it.’ Nonna grabs him by the ear and even though he towers above her he lets her. ‘You stand there and show your sister some respect. The way you behave? You’ll be needing her as your lawyer.’
‘Man, it’s like she’s going off to war,’ he mutters.
‘Let’s give them some space,’ says Mum. ‘Come on, guys. Mama, don’t you have some biscotti for the boys?
Cat, we’ll talk to you later.’ She shepherds Dad and Matty up the stairs like she’s herding cats.
Matty swings on his arms up the stair railings, Nonna admonishes him as she leads Tommy into what she calls her house under the stairs.
Pots spilling over with red geraniums flank her doorway.
She blows me a kiss and I blow her one in return.
‘You all set?’ says Paul.
‘I think so,’ I say. ‘Thank your mum for the cupcakes. That was really sweet of her. And it’s just my clothes, my books, a few bits and pieces. And this, of course.’ I pull my sea glass necklace out from under my top.
‘Me too,’ says Paul, and tugs his t-shirt down to reveal his shell necklace.
‘We really need to sort out that situation with something a little more robust,’ I say.
‘Are you kidding? I love it. And I love you, Cat.’
‘I love you.’ My voice wobbles.
‘Oh, babe, please don’t cry. This is what you always wanted. Uni, the city, an amazing place with Sal and JB. You smashed it! It’s all good. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks, yeah?’
‘It just feels hard, all of a sudden. I don’t want to leave you.’
‘You’re not. You’re ninety minutes down the road. No biggie. I am so proud of you, my beautiful girlfriend, the soon to be lawyer, already tearing shit up. You got the playlist I made you? Crank it up, babe, and let’s do this shit.’
‘Kiss me,’ I say, and he takes my head in his hands, and kisses my forehead, my nose, my chin. ‘Kiss me properly.’
‘Still so bossy,’ he says. ‘I’m getting there.’ He kisses me until my head swims. ‘Drive safe, babe, and we’ll talk later. I love you.’
‘I love you.’ I click the seatbelt and check my mirror. As I drive down my street, I see my family on the balcony, waving, and Paul at the foot of the driveway, his hands in the back of his waistband. I hit a button and music floods the car.
‘Never dare dreamed, ever me, ever you, ever more, your heart my core, my dream come true, my dream come true.’