Dawn
Dawn showed me around the house. She was still giggling about my 'Faux Pas' thinking someone else's art was hers. To my credit she admitted the artist was her inspiration for her own work. Hers was good though. Not from a surfer's point of view where we are looking for the perfect wave, but she seemed to have a knack for capturing the light of the sky and reflecting it in the water and waves. I thought she would have a studio, but she informed me it was elsewhere.
"How's Wendy doing?"
"Good... said she can't wait to meet you again. The doctor says she is still suffering a bit of concussion so it might be another day or so before she is released. Maybe Sunday. Ron stayed there with her last night. God he's a big softy when it comes to Wendy... he's like a big teddy bear."
The house was big, modern, and the setting looking out onto the bay was awesome. Being able to wake up each morning and check the waves from your living or bedroom is what most surfers aspire to. We ended up in the kitchen where Linda was preparing drinks.
"Oh Tim... there you are. Peter is out the back firing up the 'Barbi'. Grab yourself a beer and one for Peter and if you wouldn't mind taking the meat out for him, please." Linda had changed into a short dress similar to what Dawn was wearing, the two of them standing together could be twins they were so much alike.
Linda was having trouble looking at me and I hoped Dawn didn't notice. I grabbed the tray, tucked a couple of cans of beer under my arm and headed outside to the back of the house. 'Holy hell'. I thought to myself. The pool was at least 30 feet long and maybe 15 wide, with a diving board on one end and a gazebo with a thatched roof on the other. Peter was working at the barbeque under the gazebo and smiled at me before shaking my hand.
"Gidday Tim. How was your day?"
"Great thanks. Nice surf this morning."
"And you spent a bit of time with Dawn. Thanks, mate." Peter opened his beer and proceeded to drop steaks onto the hot plate.
"Yeah, we seemed to get along together alright."
"Are you hoping to fuck her?"
I nearly spat out my mouthful of beer. It took me a few seconds to recover from his question. I'd pretty much summed Peter up as a business man who probably worked too hard and maybe wouldn't have as much time for his family as he would like.
"Ah... look Peter... I don't go around hoping to fuck anybody. You've got a beautiful daughter, but if you think I'm the sort who goes around trying to screw everyone I can, then you've got it wrong. I admire women way too much to just screw them and then piss off. I've told Dawn that I'll be heading off as soon as I can and I'm not going to hurt her by giving her false hope that there is anything other than a plutonic friendship."
Peter stopped pushing the steaks around and stared at me. "Linda told me there was a bit more to you than meets the eye. If I'd asked that of most blokes, they wouldn't know what to say. Didn't mean to embarrass you by putting you on the spot, it's more from a father's perspective wanting to know what your intentions are towards his daughter. Dawn seems a bit vulnerable at the moment and more than a bit infatuated with you... couldn't get her to shut up about you, both to and from the hospital and then she was the same with Wendy. Haven't seen that in a while, if ever."
"I respect that a dad wants to protect his daughter. But don't worry about me hurting Dawn. Last thing I would want to do. I think it's best if I just move on. Wendy is okay and I'm not very comfortable about all the fuss me and Jono pulling her out of the water has created."
"Tim... please don't for my sake. I know you've fucked Linda and don't worry I'm not going to put out a contract on you. I agreed to it. Everyone I love would be down on me like a ton of bricks if they thought you'd left because of something I'd said. God help me. I apologize for taking you for granted. Could you not at least stick around until after the weekend? Ron has given the media the message to leave you and Jono alone. They won't hassle you."
This was weird and for the second time I nearly choked on my beer. 'Peter had agreed to let Linda fuck me.' She had said he was aware she had gone to the surf club.
"Look Peter... for what it's worth I didn't know it was Linda who hopped into my bed last night. I thought it was Dawn. It was pitch black and she wouldn't talk to me. I'm travelling and surfing in a last-ditch effort to enjoy life before what I know will be the hard grind of university...for me anyway. Others might find it easy. One thing I've learnt in the last couple of months is the longer I stay in one place the more difficult it becomes to keep doing what I'm here for. Tentacles seem to stretch out and want to latch on. Case in point... I'd be long gone if it wasn't for what happened with Wendy, but I had no choice, just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I've promised Jono I'd stick around until Saturday night but after that I'm off. I'm sorry if that might not be what Dawn, or you and Linda or Ron and Wendy might have in mind, but at the risk of sounding selfish... I've done my bit and It's time to go."
"I admire that, and I guess I'm a little jealous of what you are doing Tim. Look.... I know Ron Dawson better than anyone. I know how grateful he and Wendy are. It would very much be to yours and Jono's benefit if they had the opportunity to show their gratitude."
"No... can't speak for Jono but I'm not interested. I can look back and remember we did a good thing... that's all the gratitude I need. Here come the girls."
"And just what have you two been chatting about?" Dawn seemed to be a particularly happy mood as they placed salad bowls on the table.
"Actually, Tim was just telling me about his experience with octopuses."
"Sounds fascinating. Dad... you're burning the steaks."
We sat at the table, Dawn next to me and Peter and Linda opposite. I guess it was Peter and Linda's way of being good hosts, as the questions started again about my past and future ambitions. Once again, I felt like I was being interviewed. I think there was a mutual truce between Peter and I for the sake of the girls as we both tried to make light of the conversation. The subject came up about past girlfriends.
I wasn't going to lie to them and told them about Gwyneth. How we were school friends, her background and acceptance into my family.
"So, what happened, did you split up?"
"Not exactly. We decided that we'd go our own ways for a year or so. We got together quite young and we just wanted to make sure that we were both making the right decisions before we committed to a future together. We decided a bit of separation would decide that for us, so she went to Europe and I'm here."
"Isn't that a bit risky...what if she meets someone else?" Linda was a bit taken back by what I was telling them.
"That's the whole point. I could do the same. We both agreed that to ensure we both loved each other the way we think we do, the best thing was to go out, be with others, and ensure that our feelings are mutual. We've both agreed to a hall pass, but an extended one."
"Do you miss her?" Dawn looked quite worried.
"Yeah... of course I do, but I try not to dwell on it. We did it for a reason and I'm not going to mope around wondering what she's up to. That would defeat the purpose."
"Are you engaged then?"
"No, we've obviously discussed marriage but haven't committed to anything. She has ambitions to join the police but has to wait awhile because of her age and I'm committed to going to Uni."
"Why would anyone want to be a cop?" Peter shook his head.
"I think our Police force might be a bit different to yours. Gwyneth has seen lots of situations where kids from the wrong side of the tracks have gone bad through no fault of their own. Quite common where she comes from due to husbands and fathers being at sea for half their careers. She wants to become a youth aid officer and she figures that if she has a bit of authority, she can be more effective at the job. That's what she intends at the moment anyway."
