Chapter 26 Kim #2
Danika sighs, but her smile belies her pretend irritation. “Give up?”
“Dani-anni-ka? Dandoodles?”
“Now you’re being ridiculous. I’m only ever called one thing other than Danika.”
“Which is?”
She grins. “Mummy.”
Kim laughs. “I think I’ll pass on calling you that.” She turns away. “Dani-anni has a nice ring to it, though. And one thing about a nickname is you don’t get a say in it. Dani-anni.”
Danika’s laugh rings out, and she throws a cherry tomato at Kim.
Kim ducks, and the tomato lands in the river where it’s carried downstream. At least Danika has relaxed somewhat. Her laugh is freer, her shoulders less tense, her smile more natural.
Bella and Cami arrive back and throw themselves into their chairs, reaching for plates in the same motion.
Cami makes a pattern on her plate with the sauce bottle, and after a beat, Bella copies her.
“Mine’s a picture of Lily,” Cami says.
“Mine’s me playing soccer.”
Bella’s picture looks nothing like a person, let alone a soccer-playing one, but Kim nods anyway, and three sausages, a foil-wrapped potato, and a small portion of salad soon cover the soccer player and Lily.
Kim and Danika fill their plates as well, and Danika pours water for everyone. Kim sprinkles cheese on her potato to make up for the lack of sausages.
“What’s for pudding?” Bella asks, her mouth full of potato.
“Finish this first, then you’ll find out,” Danika says.
It’s exactly what Kim would have replied if her own mouth hadn’t been full of salad.
“It’s cherry trifle,” Cami says confidently. “I helped choose it at Coles. I like cherry better than raspberry.”
“Me too.” Bella grins through her mouthful, grabs the hot sauce and squirts it on her potato.
Dinner over, cherry trifle eaten, the washing up done by all four of them, Cami asks if they can explore down the riverbank before bed.
“See that big white caravan under the tree at the end of the park?” Kim points.
Bella nods.
“You can go as far as that, but not a single step further. That way we’ll be able to see you.” She arches an eyebrow at Danika in an is-that-all-right-with-you? gesture.
Danika nods. “Keep along the bank. Don’t walk through other people’s campsites, okay?”
“Okay,” Bella says.
“What if there’s a dog?” Cami is already glancing wistfully to the camp three sites up where a golden retriever is lying next to the tent chewing on a toy.
“If there’s someone around, you can ask if you can pat it,” Danika says. “But not otherwise.”
Cami nods, and the two of them scamper off, straight toward the golden retriever.
Kim’s heart picks up a faster rhythm. Alone at last. She’d like to say that to Danika—flirtatiously, suggestively—but she’s not sure yet if that’s what Danika would like.
She thought so, but there’s still that lingering hesitation in Danika’s body language.
Instead, she holds up the opened bottle of wine. “More?”
“Yes, please.” Danika’s sigh is heartfelt. She picks up their glasses for Kim to fill.
They sit facing the river, at an angle that allows them to watch their kids. The sun is nearly gone, a soft lilac twilight is stealing in, and already wisps of mist rise from the river. Somewhere a kookaburra chortles, a fish jumps, and a dog barks once before its owner shushes it.
Kim looks for Cami and Bella, who—no surprise—are crouched and petting the retriever. Its owner hands each girl something, and they offer it to the dog, who takes it gently. At least Kim assumes so—both girls still have their hands attached.
“This is a lovely spot,” Danika says. “Thank you for suggesting it.”
Kim sips her wine. It gives her the courage to say, “Thank you for coming.” She turns so she can see Danika’s face. “The last camping trip was wonderful. I enjoyed it so much. I enjoyed getting closer to you, Dani-anni.”
“Stop.” Danika’s mouth twitches up in a smile. “That woeful nickname will not get any more airtime.” She reaches out a hand and touches Kim’s knee. “I got to know you too. More than I ever thought I would.”
Kim freezes. That sounds as if Danika is signing off. A sort of thank you for having me. Except they didn’t get that far. “We have tonight. And tomorrow.” She covers Danika’s hand with her own and presses it to her leg below the hem of her shorts.
“Yes,” Danika says, but there’s a hitch in her voice that says she’s not as wholehearted about this as she was the last time.
“I meant it,” Kim says. She releases Danika’s hand. “We can roll into our individual bags and go to sleep.”
Danika removes her hand from Kim’s leg. She’s staring at the dark river. “You must think I’m… What’s the equivalent of cockteaser when it’s a woman? Pussyteaser?”
“I don’t know. It’s never come up before.” She winces. That sounds as if she’s pressurising Danika.
Danika is silent for a moment. “Where are the girls? It’s full dark—I think I’ll go look for them.” She gets to her feet.
Kim rises too. The words, “I’ll come too” remain unsaid as Danika strides off along the riverbank. Instead, she gets out the flour and mixes the dough for damper, then finds the honey. When Danika and the kids return, she’s peeled the bark from some green sticks ready to cook the damper.
Bella’s an old hand at this, and she takes charge, showing Cami how to mould the dough in a long sausage along the peeled stick and hold it over the fire to cook.
A twist breaks it free from the stick, leaving a hollow cylinder of dough, which they fill with honey and eat.
It’s messy, it’s fun, and uncooked damper has never tasted so good.
By the time they’ve each had one, the girls’ eyelids are drooping, and they willingly go off to bed.
Kim holds up the wine bottle. “Another?”
Danika shakes her head. “I’m beat. I’m going to bed as well. Goodnight, Kim.” She gets her bathroom bag from the car and heads off to the amenities block.
Kim pours herself a glass and remains sitting, staring at the fire.
She doesn’t look around when she hears Danika return, when the tent zip opens and closes.
She sips her wine and gives Danika time to get into bed, to fight her inner demons and either feign sleep when Kim comes in, or maybe, just maybe, be ready to welcome her kisses again.