Chapter 17 #2
She’d totally done that. And fair’s fair—Ellie had too.
Because Katie was the youngest, they used to tell stories about some of the things they’d done on family holidays.
Like going to Uluru on a bus trip, where they’d ridden camels.
Katie had been too young to remember much, so they used to tell stories to help keep the experience alive in her memories.
Which meant some of her memories might not be as grounded in fact as others.
They had ridden camels, true, but Katie’s camel had not tried to kiss her, despite what they’d all said.
The song finished, they joined the thousands of others in applause, and Ellie realised she was thirsty. “Hey, anyone else want a drink? I need one.”
“I saw a fresh-squeezed lemonade truck back there,” Katie said. “Could you get me one please?”
“Sure. EJ?”
“I’m happy with anything matcha or green tea.”
Ellie made a face but nodded anyway, then carefully made her way to the aisle, sidestepping loose handbag straps and discarded jackets to avoid tumbling down the steps.
A short time later, she was lining up near the food and drink carts, along with a bunch of other hungry and thirsty patrons. She smiled at the couple ahead of her, who looked to be in their fifties, and they started chatting with her about similar nostalgia concerts they’d attended over the years.
“We saw Sting at the vineyards in the Highlands a few years ago. That was a good night.”
She nodded. “They often get some great performers there.”
Her gaze drifted, snagging on a man. She blinked. Was that—? No. She peered closer. Maybe?
“Hey, move along,” the man behind her called.
“Oh! Sorry.” She shuffled behind the friendly couple again.
“All good?” the woman asked.
“I just thought I saw somebody I knew,” she said.
She pivoted, watching as the man laughed with the exact same mannerism as she remembered.
“Lady, hurry up,” the man behind her complained.
“Oops, sorry!” Should she go over there? Speak to him? Maybe not speak to him, just let him see her, let him know that she’d seen him. That’d get an interesting reaction, she bet.
“Well, nice chatting to you,” the woman said, as they got their drinks and paid.
“You too,” she murmured.
“It’s your turn,” the concertgoer behind her said.
“Sorry.” She placed her order and found that there’d be a slight wait for the matcha. “But only a few minutes,” the server promised.
“That’s fine.”
“What name shall I give?”
“Elinor is fine.” Actually … “Make it Katie,” she said.
“Katie?”
She nodded. She’d see if that had any effect.
She retrieved her lemonade—hardly homemade, as the sign claimed, but delicious nonetheless—and held Katie’s drink in a cardboard drink tray while she waited for EJ’s matcha. Her eyes fixed on the man. What would he do if she just walked up? Was it wrong to pray for revenge?
“Katie!” the woman called. “Katie?”
The man’s head swung around, his gaze meeting Ellie’s. She took a step towards him, then remembered the drink. And seeing it was way more expensive than what she’d normally pay, she wouldn’t leave it. She retrieved it, then glanced back, but he had gone.
Of course he had. He seemed to make a habit of disappearing.
She felt a little shaken nonetheless and slowly returned to where her sisters were sitting, all the time scanning for him. She couldn’t wait to tell Emma-Jane, even if she’d need some wisdom about what she’d say to Katie.
So, he was alive and still in the area. What was his excuse?
“You took your time,” Katie said, accepting her drink. “Thanks.”
Emma-Jane frowned at her. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Well, that was because she had. “I have,” she murmured. Or at least somebody who had ghosted them.
“What’s wrong?” Emma-Jane murmured.
She shook her head. No, it was probably best not to tell Katie.
She needed time just to relax without any pain from the past intruding upon today.
They’d had a good morning at Emma-Jane’s church this morning, the faith-filled message coupled with a great testimony from a youth leader named Charlene had been just what they all needed.
Lunch at the pretty flower-filled Grounds of Alexandria had proved a great opportunity to people watch.
Then they’d visited a couple of discount brand-name stores before this concert.
No way did she want any of those good vibes spoiled because of a dumb man.
The concert concluded, and they packed up their things, putting their rubbish in the nearby bin. The crowds packed the concourse, forcing them to huddle together so they wouldn’t lose one another, and Ellie wondered if they would see him again. She hoped not.
“Who are you looking for?” Emma-Jane murmured.
She turned her head so Katie wouldn’t hear. “I think I saw Jason here earlier.”
“At the concert?”
She nodded.
Emma-Jane winced. “Better you than me. If I saw that man, I don’t know what I’d do.”
Ellie didn’t know either. That same protective instinct that made them all care for Katie ran hot and deep right now. “I think it’s best we just get out of here as quick as we can.”
“Amen,” Emma-Jane murmured.
Then the crowd in front parted, and a man appeared, his arm around a woman. Oh no. Ellie nudged EJ and pointed. She frowned, then tried to distract Katie. “Hey, do you want to visit the restroom again?”
“What? No, I just want to get out of here.” Then Katie blinked. “Is that—? Wait. Jason!” she called. “Jason?”
He turned, caught their glares, and instantly dropped his arm from around the blonde.
Katie shoved her drink at Ellie, then marched up to him. “What are you doing? Why haven’t you answered my calls?”
The woman looked at him, then looked at Katie, then moved closer to him, placing a hand on his arm. “Who is that?”
He shrugged. “Somebody I used to know.”
For real? Heat streamed through Ellie’s chest, and she moved forward to give him a piece of her mind, then realised Katie had stopped, even as the crowd continued to surge around them. EJ had her arm around Katie, who had paled, was shaking, and looked like she might faint at any moment.
“Hey, do you mind?” somebody muttered. “Get out of the way.”
She glanced back. Jason had disappeared into the crowd. Again. Now wasn’t the time for him. Now was the time to help her sister.
“Ellie, a little help please,” Emma-Jane muttered. So Ellie rushed to support Katie’s other arm. Trying to move through the crowd in such a fashion was clumsy, but it was the only way to ensure Katie could get out of there as quickly as possible.
Finally, they were able to access the concourse area again, and found a nearby seat, which Katie instantly slumped into.
Katie was shuddering, shaking, her whole body trembling. “He called me somebody he used to know.”
“Don’t think about him. He’s not worth it.”
“He’s got another girlfriend.” Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“See? Definitely not worth it.” Emma-Jane grimaced at Ellie.
“Katie, let’s get you back to Emma-Jane’s, okay?”
Katie shook her head. “I don’t want to. I want to go home.”
“Honey, I know you feel this way right now, but he’s not worth getting upset over.”
“How long do you think he’s been going out with her?”
“Who knows? He’s certainly not the man he made himself out to be. You’re better off without him.”
“But—but …”
By now, people were starting to look at them, a few children were pointing. Poor Katie. They needed to get out of this crowd as soon as possible.
“What should we do?” Emma-Jane asked Ellie.
“I don’t know.”
“Come on. You always have a good head on your shoulders. Do you want to catch a train home from Circular Quay?”