Chapter 55
Chapter Fifty-Five
S pending a night by herself in a motel in inner Brisbane was the ultimate. Her father had refused to take no for an answer, booking Evie a single room on the sixth floor of a hotel that overlooked the river. He wasn’t going to be at the wedding, although her mother had invited him. ‘Huge vacuum convention down here this weekend, so I’ll leave it up to you to celebrate with Mum. Now enjoy your two nights at the motel. The reception is nearby so you don’t have to catch a bus. I’ll shout you a trip down here to Sydney in a few months. It’s been too long.’
The train trip down gave her plenty of time to think, and the methodical bumping along the railway line that wound down the eastern coastline of Queensland, was a relaxing start to what she considered was her first holiday since she’d arrived in Yeppoon. It had been worth putting up with the sulky silences from Bob for the entire week before she left. He had hardly spoken to her and when he did, it was only to grumble about how he would have to work in the shop every day.
She had used all her patience and done everything to keep him happy. Nothing was going to stop her from going to the wedding.
Arriving in the city and finding her way to the motel was liberating. How long had it been since she had gone somewhere by herself, stayed in a room she didn’t have to share with anyone else, and come and gone as she wanted?
The first night, she treated herself to dinner in a little café down the street from where she was staying. It was a balmy night and the city was full of people out socialising, or out for a meal and a few drinks. The café had candles on the tables and the waitress treated her like she was royalty. A fancy meal with seafood and salad, accompanied by a glass of some crisp white wine that the gorgeous-looking barman recommended, left her feeling like she was on top of the world.
What would happen if she just never returned to Yeppoon? Would Bob do as he had promised and chase her until he found her, and then make sure she was so damaged she’d never be able to run again? Would he go through with his threat that no one would ever find her body, weighted down by concrete blocks in some remote waterway? She gulped and tried to avoid thinking about all the terrible threats he had made when she even dared to disagree, or question him.
A couple beside her smiled as they got up to leave, and she smiled back. The man gently took the woman’s hand and pushed her chair in as she got up. They looked happy and the woman was at ease, laughing and talking to the barman on the way out. As they walked up the street, the woman put her arm around the man’s waist and he drew her in, kissing the top of her head.
She averted her gaze and looked back at others in the street. Most were young, out for a night of drinking and dancing. Others were in family groups, with young children held tightly by the hand, other smaller babies pushed along in prams for a night out in the city. What would life be like to have good times together like that? She swirled the wine around in her glass, looking into the sparkling liquid that was sending a relaxed warmth throughout her body.
Memories of when her parents had been together flooded back to her — laughter in the house, spaghetti eating contests at night, and holidays on Stradbroke Island. Father, Mother and her. What life could have been like. And now her mum was about to start a new life. One with Mr David McIntosh. She thought hard about this new twist of events, and had to admit she was genuinely happy about the new arrangement. For all the hardships and unfortunate twists of fate her mother had endured, she deserved happiness. And Mr McIntosh, or now David as she would have to learn to call him, had always been a nice man. Their timing had just been off.
The next morning, she woke to the sounds of the bustling city. The honking of cars and the rumble of trucks were a stark contrast to the familiar quiet of her flat in Yeppoon. It was liberating not to wake up to Bob, with no added dread of his sexual demands. She looked down at her body. Last night she had taken the liberty of sleeping naked, something she never did at home. The least encouragement for him, the better.
Soon she would turn twenty-eight. For some reason she felt a lot older than that, almost as if she had already lived a long life. The years with Bob had gone fast in one way, but they had also dragged in another. By now, most girls her age had children. She looked down at her slender tanned legs and trim body. There was no extra weight on her. Walking, working and being under constant stress put paid to that.
Although she felt years older than she was, she knew she was still young—in the prime of her life, as Matilda often told her. At least this weekend would give her a break and allow her to mix with others. Juggling a full-time job while enduring Bob’s relentless scrutiny had prevented her from forming meaningful connections. With time, as Bob grew more aggressive and life became increasingly challenging, she found it simpler to keep others at a distance, avoiding social connections or making friends.
Evie strolled leisurely along the city street, taking in the sights and stopping to look in some of the shop windows. A nearby hairdressing salon caught her eye and she decided to call in for a quick blow wave. Before she knew it, she found herself persuaded by the stylist to have her makeup done as well. ‘Just a little bit. I never wear makeup,’ she insisted.
‘You should. You have amazing eyes and your cheekbones are to die for. You don’t need to have it on heavy. I’ll do it light. The men will go crazy over you. I notice you’re not wearing a ring.’
Evie sat up straight in the chair, her gaze fixed on her reflection in the mirror. She could hardly recognise herself. The transformation was amazing, and now with the added touch of makeup, she felt like one of the women she had seen in the glossy magazines she flipped through while waiting. ‘No ring. No. I’m single,’ she affirmed, repeating it for emphasis. ‘Single.’ It felt empowering, and liberating, knowing that Bob wasn't here to dictate her words or actions.
The hairdresser had been chatty from the start, and Evie soon learned she was navigating through a recent divorce. ‘Men,’ she nearly spat the word out, ‘Who needs them? Look at me. I have my own hair salon, and I don’t have to answer to anyone. I don’t know why I put up with the dickhead I was married to for so many years.’
‘Why did you stay?’ Evie asked.
‘Kids. Four of them. They’re all older now, except for the youngest, and he's with me anyway. He’s fifteen, but the others are working and renting their own places. They’ve all done well. Thank goodness none of them took after their father. Knob, I call him. Well, amongst other names, you know like dipstick, deadshit, moron—the list could go on and on. Believe me, you’re lucky you’re single. It’s the nineties now and women are standing up for themselves and not putting up with any of their shit. We can work, run businesses, and do whatever we want. You’re one of the lucky ones. Make sure you don’t waste it on some knob.’
By the time she left the salon, Evie felt transformed, not just physically but also emotionally. A newfound confidence surged, and she walked with purpose. The hairdresser's words resonated within her. Everywhere she looked, women were forging their own paths with determination. They exuded confidence, their attire and demeanour projecting strength and independence. As she contemplated returning to Yeppoon, a bold idea took shape in her mind. Perhaps it was time to assert herself, to express her desires to Bob without reservation? And if he couldn't accept it... well, she could... she could take charge of her destiny.
Uncertainty gripped her, as she recalled the chilling glare and intimidating manner he treated her with when he was enraged. She swallowed hard, pushing thoughts of him aside. Tonight belonged to her. It would be a celebration of her mother, and the dawn of a new chapter in both their lives. She was determined to revel in the moment—to eat, drink, and perhaps even dance. Everyone deserved happiness, and tonight, she intended to embrace it fully.