Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Cabarita Beach
After a long day of work managing the inn, Bindi Summer sat in Dr Ash’s office, her feet tapping nervously on the carpet beneath her.
She pressed both hands to the sides of her plastic chair and chewed on her lower lip as she waited for him to close the office door and take a seat behind his large timber desk.
He shuffled a few papers and then met her gaze above a pair of glasses that’d slipped down the bridge of his nose.
He pushed them back into place with two fingers, then cleared his throat.
Bindi exhaled as relief washed over her. “That’s great. Thanks, Dr Ash. I hate getting the scans, lying still for so long in that awful machine, but I’m glad the news is positive.”
“I know they’re a pain, but it’s important for us to check every few months for at least three years to make sure the lymphoma doesn’t recur. So far, you’re in the clear, and I’m fully confident you’ll remain cancer free. You’re young and healthy—there’s no reason for you to worry.”
As Bindi walked out of the clinic, she let the coastal breeze blow over her face.
With her eyes squeezed shut, she raised her visage towards the sun.
It was a good day. Twelve months after going into remission, she felt better, stronger and happier than ever.
Facing death had given her a different perspective on life, and she was determined to make the most of every day.
Soft, fluffy white clouds slid through the sky on the back of a strong breeze that flew in from the Pacific.
Shafts of light from a golden afternoon sun reflected off their surface, giving them an ethereal look.
She wandered across the street to the edge of a cliff face that looked out over craggy black rocks and clear blue waves that crashed against them, sending frothy sea spray hurtling into the air.
She sat on a park bench and watched the surging ocean for a few minutes, letting the anxiety that’d tightened her shoulders all morning long dissipate.
Then she climbed into her car and backed out of the parking lot to head for home.
It wasn’t far to the small three-bedroom brick house in Banora Point she and Josh had moved into the previous week after returning from their month-long honeymoon in Europe.
Josh had bought the place prior to the wedding, and she loved everything about it.
It was cozy, set on Sexton’s Hill overlooking the mouth of the Tweed River.
Houses hugged the side of the hill, with driveways winding short and steep into garages and carports attached to red and brown brick-veneer structures with tiled roofs.
Bindi climbed out of the car to tug the brown garage door open, then pulled her vehicle inside through the curved archway.
She carried her purse inside and hung it on a peg by the door.
The scent of roasted meat set her stomach grumbling and her mouth watering the moment she stepped into the kitchen.
Josh stood at the bench, her frilly lace apron tied around his waist, as he tasted a bite of steak.
“Busted!” she cried with a belly laugh.
He grinned as he chewed. “The chef has to taste the goods. Don’t wanna poison my wife.”
She hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I love the apron. It suits you.”
He smirked and turned around inside her hug to lean in for a kiss. “I can pull it off.”
“Of course you can. You look good in anything.”
“You hungry?” he asked. “We should eat while it’s hot.”
“I’m starving.”
Josh had made a steak and mashed potatoes. Easy comfort food. They sat at the small dining table by the back sliding door and chatted while they ate.
“Have they given you a date for the detective’s exam yet?” Bindi asked around a mouthful of potato.
Josh nodded. “It’s the eleventh of January. I wish I had more time to study, but I can’t do anything about that now.”
“I’m sure you’ll do great,” she replied. “You know, I was thinking, with you getting a promotion…”
“That’s not certain yet.”
“I know, but I’m sure you’ll get it. And after visiting Kate in the hospital, seeing baby Noah, it’s on my mind…”
“What is?” His brow furrowed.
“Having a baby. I want to have a baby. Don’t you?”
Josh blinked. “We’ve been married a little over a month.”
“It’s not long, I know that, but I’m twenty-nine years old.
And Noah is so delicious, all I could think about when I saw him was that I want one of my own.
It takes nine months to grow a baby—we’d be ready by then.
We already have a house, and you’ll be making a better salary when you pass the exam. It’s the perfect time.”
He set down his fork and leaned back in his chair. “I don’t think we should rush into it. We’re newlyweds—we should enjoy that for a while. Let’s talk about it again later.”
Bindi swallowed the hurt she felt. “You talk about kids all the time. You love kids. I thought you’d be excited to start a family right away. How long do you think we should wait?”
He reached for her hand and held it between his.
“I do love kids, and I want children, but we’ve had so much going on in our lives.
You’re in remission after pretty intensive cancer treatments.
And I’m not ready to jump directly into the baby stage.
Let’s catch our breath and discuss it in a year or so. There’s really no rush. Is there?”
“I suppose not. A year is fine. I guess I’ve got baby fever from spending time with Noah.”
“It sounds like it,” he said as he picked up his fork again.
She tapped her fingertips on the table. If she couldn’t have a baby yet, she needed something to aim for, something to give her a sense of direction and purpose. “Maybe I could go back to university, then.”
He jolted. “What? Why would you do that?”
“I’ve been wanting to learn more about hotel management, hospitality, accounting… as the manager at the inn, there’s so much I don’t know and have no experience with. Since we’re not going to have a baby yet, this is probably the best time for me to upskill.”
He grunted. “Won’t that be expensive?”
“I can put it on HECs. The government will let me pay it back over time, so it won’t cost us anything upfront.”
“It’s still a debt, Bindi. We can’t afford that, especially if you want to have babies as well.”
“It’s an investment,” she replied.
“Both of us studying at the same time?” He shook his head. “That seems like a recipe for disaster. When would we see each other?”
“We’ll make the time. It’ll be fine. I promise.”
He offered her a resigned smile. “Okay, I guess we’ll figure it out. You’re determined, huh?”
She replied with a firm nod.
“Great. I’ll wave to you when we pass in the hall in the middle of the night after falling asleep at our desks.”
“How romantic,” she teased.