Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cabarita Beach
Charlie Jackson, or Jack, as he was known these days by his friends, was starting to feel every single one of his seventy-five years of life.
He’d always been a fit, lithe type, and his age had never hampered him much in all that time.
But these days, he felt the creaking in his bones and aching in his joints a little more with each year that passed.
He looked at Mima across the wide expanse of vinyl on the bench seat. She sat in quiet reverie, staring out the passenger window.
“It’s not like you,” he said suddenly.
She frowned. “What?”
“You’re never quiet like this. Something on your mind?”
She grunted. “I can be quiet.”
“Knock me over with a feather, then,” he replied with a grin. “Because I’ve never seen it.”
“Ha!” She sniffed. “Sometimes a girl has things on her mind.”
“Girl? Well, I guess we’re time-travelling now.” He winked at her.
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t flirt with me, Jack. I’m not in the mood.”
Something was definitely wrong if Mima wouldn’t give back as good as she got. She was always in the mood for a bit of sparring, and now Jack was officially worried.
“Come on, Mima… tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’ll tell you when I’m ready. In the meantime, why don’t you try holding the conversation for once? I’ve given you enough passes to last a lifetime.”
“Fair enough. I thought I might go back to Bathurst to visit Syl. She’s turning seventy-one next week, and she’s been having a bit of a rough trot health-wise.
The dementia’s getting worse, they say. I feel badly that I live so far away now that my parents are gone, and she’s all on her own down there.
Her friends visit sometimes, but it’s not the same as family.
I have some cousins nearby and I keep in touch with them.
They tell me how she’s going, but I think I should spend some time with her. ”
“That’s a really good idea, Jack. You should go home for a bit and see Syl. I’d come with you if I could, but I’ve got some things going on here that I have to deal with.”
“Maybe next time? A road trip could be fun.”
“Definitely next time,” she replied with a nod. “Do you think you could drop in to see my parents? They’re getting on in years, and I’m not sure how much company they get.”
“Happy to, although I was never their favourite person,” Jack replied.
“Neither was I,” Mima retorted.
They both guffawed.
“Ah, those were the days,” Jack said when it was quiet again.
“I miss them—funny as that sounds. My parents and the old days. Even though they made my life hell, there was a certain familiarity to that.” She quipped.
“And so many years have passed, so much water under the bridge, that I’ve forgotten to hold on to old grudges.
The last time I went to visit, it seemed they had too.
They were kind and affectionate, and both told me they missed me, although Father said it in a gruff voice.
And they seemed genuinely saddened when I left. ”
“That’s nice,” Jack replied. “We all change, I guess. And times have changed too. Perhaps they regret how strict they were with you. I can’t count how many times you snuck out of the house in the middle of the night.
If they knew about half of what you got up to, I’m sure they were tearing their hair out over you. ”
“Mother once told me she didn’t know what to do with me, and I think that’s probably an accurate assessment of the situation. So, in the end, they simply decided not to deal with me at all.”
“Well, you turned out all right, I guess.”
“Thanks a lot, mate. You aren’t too bad yourself.” She grinned at him. “Even if you do enjoy far too much tree bark in your bread for my taste.”
“You never give it up, do you?” He shook his head. “It’s not tree bark—it’s grain. And it wouldn’t hurt you to give it a try. Fibre is good for your system. It regulates…”
“Ugh. Jack, if you’re going to start talking about bowel movements, this conversation is over.
Besides, I’m on my way to see my doctor about managing my diabetes, and he’s going to say the same thing.
I’m destined to eat tree bark bread, but I don’t have to like it. By the way, thanks for driving me.”
Jack huffed. “Given your culinary skills, I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it delicious. And you’re welcome.”
“You’re right. I should see it as a challenge. How to embrace my new diet with food that’s actually edible.”
“Now you’re talking. So, you’re really not going to say what’s wrong?”
She inhaled a slow breath. “No, Jack. I’m not. But I will say, the past has a way of coming back to haunt us when we least expect it. And sometimes, I’m not sure I can face it. Do you know what I mean?”
He arched an eyebrow. “Do I? Yeah… I think I have a pretty solid grasp on that particular dilemma.”