Water and Fire - A Short Story

Part 6

Just before Aidan was due to arrive, my telephone rang. I didn’t receive many calls, but I answered anyway.

The voice on the other end told me that my replacement was arriving early the next morning, and could I make sure I vacated my accommodation by 8 am tomorrow?

I agreed automatically. We said goodbye and hung up.

I had intended to spend the following day on a boat, viewing the humpback whales in the ocean near the old whaling station. It didn’t matter. I could leave early in the morning, before my replacement arrived, and have brownies with ice cream together with my mother tomorrow afternoon.

I began packing up my few belongings. It didn’t take long. Perhaps I should leave tonight, after dinner? Then we could have brownies tomorrow morning.

I’d lost track of the time, so it came as a surprise when I opened the door to take my bag out to the car that Aidan was right outside.

He looked shocked. “Are you leaving already? Aren’t you coming to dinner with me?”

I looked down at the bag in my hands. “I just got a call saying I have to be out of the house by tomorrow morning, instead of Monday, as I’d planned. So, I figured I’d leave after we have dinner.”

Aidan’s face lit up. “You can stay with me for the weekend.”

I hesitated. I did not want to share his house. It was difficult enough appearing normal for so much of my time - I couldn’t manage it all day and all night.

He took my hesitation for distrust. “I know that sounds bad, but I’m staying at my uncle’s friend’s holiday house. It sleeps heaps of people. You’d have your own room, at the other end of the house from me. It’s not like I’m asking you to sleep with me. I’m just offering you a place to stay, if you don’t want to go home early.”

I found my voice. “I did intend to go whale watching tomorrow. If I leave early, I’ll miss out on the whales.” I wavered in my desire to go back to Perth. I missed the whales so much, and they would be calving soon.

He perked up immediately. “I’ve never seen a whale before. Do they really come close to here?”

I smiled. “Sure they do. There used to be a whaling station, where people killed them for their oil. It’s closed now, but the whales still come to the bay where it was. Come with me tomorrow and you’ll see.” The invitation slipped out before I’d seriously thought about it.

His smile was joyful. “So you’ll stay with me for the weekend?”

Realisation dawned that in my mind, I’d already accepted his invitation. “Okay.” I reflected for a moment. “I’ll just put this in the car. Then I can head straight to your place after dinner.”

Aidan looked stunned. I wondered if I’d said or done something strange.

“Or I could come by in the morning…” I suggested.

His voice was breathless with the excitement that shone through his eyes. “You can come over any time you like. Tonight or tomorrow. Whatever you like.”

I studied him for a moment. “Tonight, then,” I decided.

After all, my bag was already packed. It was a simple matter to transfer it to the back of my car. I left the key in the meter box, where it had been when I arrived. It would be as if I’d never been there.