Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
Grandma Joy’s Words of Wisdom:
‘Tomorrow is a brand new day. Things will always be better in the morning.’
‘There you go,’ said T-Shirt Man as he handed two containers to Gina. His t-shirt said: ‘How do you feel today?’ and had pictures of various emojis, with a cursor hovering nearby.
‘Thanks.’ Gina went to turn away, but paused. ‘That one.’ She pointed to a smiley face on his t-shirt. Over the past two weeks she’d progressed through all the various emotions on his t-shirt, and had finally arrived at a smiley face. Not that she was overly happy, just at peace with her decision, and positive about the future.
‘Good for you!’ T-Shirt Man responded, after looking where she pointed. ‘Another customer pointed to the angry face earlier today. Life’s too short to be angry, don’t you think?’
‘I think you’re right,’ Gina replied. She’d wasted the last five years being angry. Anger without resolve was degenerative, and no longer would she allow herself to wallow in its pit of fire. ‘I’m Gina, by the way.’ She held out her hand, half expecting him to say ‘Hi Gina, I’m T-Shirt Man, nice to meet you.’
‘John,’ he said, and they shook hands.
John. A good, simple name. Heaven help her if he’d said his name was Marvin. That would have changed the whole dynamics of her lunchtime routine.
‘It’s nice to be properly introduced,’ she said.
‘It is. I’ve seen you here many times. Have you just returned from a holiday or something?’
‘No, why do you ask?’
‘It’s just, every time you come in here it seems like you’re under a lot of pressure, but now, you look all relaxed, like you’ve had two weeks on an island or something.’
Gina tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘Let’s just say, I’ve had a bit of a ... life makeover.’
‘Well, whatever it is, it looks like it’s done you the world of good. Enjoy your lunch!’
‘Thanks.’ Gina smiled, and before walking out she dropped one of Grandma Joy’s ‘words of wisdom’ cards on a table near the entrance. It gave her a satisfied buzz inside and she vowed to leave more of them wherever she went.
Five minutes later she arrived at her new apartment after surviving a week in a tacky motel.
‘I’m just about done, Geens,’ Naomi said, looking up from a pile of timber on the floor.
‘Oh, Nae, you didn’t have to start putting the bed together. Here, let me help.’ Not long after, it was constructed, and they heaved a mattress on top of her new bed. Her bed, not her and Marvin’s, but hers . She could spread out and not have to put up with his snoring anymore. ‘C’mon, let’s have lunch before we do anything more.’ Gina opened the containers of sushi and a bottle of juice, and put away a few supplies in the fridge. Her fridge.
Naomi had suggested Gina stay with her and Ben for a while, but she needed the solitude. She searched for rental accommodation immediately, and was lucky to find a small apartment ready to move into. She paid an extra couple of week’s rent to fast track the process, and now she was setting up home by herself. It would do for the next twelve months, then she’d find something better for the long term once the divorce was final. There was no going back.
‘Thanks for all your help,’ Gina said.
‘Don’t mention it.’ Naomi waved a hand at Gina. ‘I’m happy to help.’
Gina couldn’t have asked for a better helping hand than Naomi’s. The woman could lift just about anything, and knew her way around a tool kit. Ben would have pitched in had he not been working today, but they didn’t really need him. ‘Still no ring, I see.’ Gina pointed to Naomi’s left hand.
‘Ah, I’m over it. If he wanted to marry me, he would have asked by now. We have a great relationship already, and I’ve given up trying to make it something more. If we’re happy, why rock the boat?’
‘So, you’re happy to leave things the way they are?’
‘Yep.’
‘Well then, here’s to happiness!’ Gina lifted her glass of juice and clinked it with Naomi’s .
‘To happiness! And to you finding a better man!’ Naomi took a sip.
‘Let’s stick with the happiness for now. The last thing I want right now is another man in my life,’ said Gina.
‘Fair enough.’
Gina’s phone rang, interrupting their makeshift celebration. Unlike other people who had fancy ringtones, Gina always opted for a normal ringing sound. ‘It’s Mum,’ Gina said as she looked at the caller ID, tension shortening her breath. ‘What should I do?’
‘You can’t avoid her forever, just answer it.’
Gina gulped. ‘Hi, Mum.’
‘Gina! Why haven’t you returned my calls? Oh, and a text message doesn’t count, you know. We need to talk. I’ve been worried about you!’ the voice of Marlina Giovanni exploded from the phone.
‘Sorry, Mum, but I told you in my text I was okay. I just didn’t want to talk about it.’
‘You didn’t even tell me you walked out on him! I had to find out when I dropped in to do some laundry for you, and there he was, sitting in silence in the middle of the living room floor, like a child! Oh, Gina, you should have seen him, he was devastated!’
‘Mum –’
‘Now, when are you going back? Have you seen the counsellor yet? Have you had a doctor’s check-up?’
‘Mum! I’m seeing the counsellor and the doctor next week, but no, I’m not going back to him.’ She walked over to the window and watched the passing traffic below.
‘You can’t be serious! Where will you go? What will he do on his own?’
Gina contemplated faking a bad phone connection, but would never lie to her mother. Ignore her sometimes, yes, but never lie. ‘I am serious, I’ve just moved into another apartment, and ... he’s a big boy, I’m sure he’ll figure out how to look after himself.’
‘But ... what am I supposed to do about Christmas Eve, not to mention Christmas lunch? You, him, his parents, they’re all supposed to come!’
‘You’ll have to call it off, Mum. I’m sorry, but I’m not spending Christmas Day with him or his family. I’ll come to your place of course, but not if he’s there.’
‘Oh, Gina, why? Why now ?’
Gina pushed back the guilt that surfaced inside her chest, and inhaled deeply. She walked across the room, hoping the movement would help her get the words out. ‘Because he was an awful husband, Mum. Now, I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have to continue unpacking. I’ll speak to you about the arrangements for Christmas later on.’
Gina ended the call and picked up a painting, holding it up around the room. ‘Okay, where should I hang this picture?’
‘Gina, are you okay? That sounded pretty heated.’
‘I’m fine – can you pass me the picture hooks please?’
Naomi walked over and handed them to her, capturing Gina’s hand before she could pull away. Their eyes met. ‘Gina,’ she said softly.
At her friend’s gentle touch, so unlike Naomi, a well of built-up emotion overflowed inside and her chin quivered. ‘She’s my mother, and she doesn’t even listen to her own daughter!’ Gina blurted, collapsing into Naomi’s arms, tears dribbling down her cheeks. Naomi rubbed her back, and when she’d calmed down, Gina pulled away and jabbed at her phone.
‘You’re not calling her back, are you? Or him ... you’re not calling him? ’
‘No. I’m changing this damn boring ringtone.’