So. I’ve come over
to take you out for a bit. Do you like coffee? Or not? We can just go for a
drive, it’s no big deal. But we’re going out for a bit.
The house is full of stony silence, despite the beating thud of the
Australian summer sun pouring through the open doors and windows, the fragrance
of lavender and basil floating around like middle-of-summer dreams. It in 9am,
I have just ripped off last night’s blue feathered dress and showered. The
Swedish refugee on the run from Interpol smiles at me gently. She is a psychologist
and I am glad she was there while you were going mental.
I still haven’t slept. This has all been WAY more stressful than I
imagined.
I’d love to. I turn
to you and extend a hand. Are we cool? I
know you’re mad. But it’s a new day. Please? Are we cool?
I can’t talk to
you right now. Just go you say.
I leave with Andrea. She is going fast in her tiny car and telling
me how she bought one even smaller so that no one would ever ask her to pick
them up from the airport again. A toy
car. She laughs. Red. So what happened? Your mum says you stayed
out all night.
Yes. I wasn’t
allowed to go to the after-party. So I just went. I get that it was kind of
stressful. But I made it clear that my intention was to go anyway. It’s not like
anyone thought I was a dead in a ditch. I don’t like to be controlled.
She tilts her strawberry blonde head. Sometimes, around your grandparents I deliberately use terrible language.
Why?
She just smiles. So what do we
do here Caitlin? I’m supposed to take you out and give you a good talking to I
think.
Do I deserve a
lecture?
To party all night
is forgivable. And you’re telling me that you didn’t lie. Maybe it is harder
with daughters. I really don’t know, to tell you the truth. Hunter never
pulled this nonsense. Your mum was pretty worried.
I nod, shameful.
Here is an idea.
What if the whole world starts again tomorrow and everyone forgives everyone?
You get past this moronic cr*p about the draconian conditions in which you are
confined, your mum forgives you and that is that?
I can do that.
