Chapter 24

I left the office early on Bastille Day and picked up Weena and Patrick. We saw Rob and Mary off for Singapore and went home. Mary had given Weena legal power to rent the house and I had spoken to Willy. I presumed she had spoken to Evans. We were tucking Patrick back into bed when the phone rang.

"I understand that you're becoming a realty broker," can the Commander's voice.

"We'll need at least two references if you're applying."

"Of course. Will military do?"

"Then you'll need three."

"Okay. Can we bring them by tomorrow?"

"After three and stay for dinner?"

"Wonderful. No fish please!"

"Aha. You've been dining on the beach?"

"And when not, it's cold prawns in the salad."

"Right. Tomorrow?"

"See you then."

I told Weena and we discussed cuisine. I said that I'd be at SciTech and couldn't help her market. She said she thought she could manage Patrick in the shopping cart. But she didn't want lamb again and fish and seafood were out.

"Maybe a small pork roast?"

"Good notion. I'll see if they can cut five or six ribs. You boys can have two each and we delicate flowers will just pick at the scraps."

"See what fresh herbs they've got. Rosemary'd be good."

"Potatoes and something green?"

"Right. If they've got berries, maybe you can make a Pavlova."

"You make it sound easy. That means buying eggs and cream, too."

"Do you need cash?"

"No, I'll use plastic. I'll fill up on fuel, too."

"How much will you charge them?"

"For dinner or for the house?" She laughed. "The place near Mary's rents for $345 a week. That would be $1500 a month. Two and a half months would be $3750. I thought that they should get 10% off. That would come to $3375 and I'd round down to $3250."

"Hey! You really worked it out."

"Of course. Don't underestimate me. I did run a hotel, remember. Anyway, $3250 works out to under $45 per night. And that's a bargain. As they're both Navy, the boat's gratis."

I laughed. "I wonder whether either one can handle oars."

SciTech seemed to be inhabited by little ones on Tuesday. Sometimes I thought they saw the experience as a half-day of being neither at home or at school. I jotted myself a note to bring up the question of appropriate ages. But I made it home before our "guests."

"Got a hug and a kiss for an old man?"

"Sure. Where is he?" But she did give them to me. "I started that Stead, but I don't think I'm going on. It's too depressing."

"Ah. Letty Fox -- you know it was banned as 'salacious'."

"I just think it's sad."

Just then Evans drove up. I noted that Willy wasn't limping anymore and remarked on it.

"Time and painful therapy do wonders," she said.

"Painful?"

"Only at first. Once those muscles aren't used, they deteriorate. The weeks immobilised in the hospital were boring as well. Once they said I was healed enough, the exercises were misery. At least at first. Now they're both tiring and boring. And I'm getting to hate the beach!"

"And you should hear her bitch about things," Evans said.

"Well, sit down and we'll tell you about the deal we've got for you."

"Beers all round?" asked Weena. It was a bit damp and windy, so we all sat in the kitchen.

Weena described Mary's house, the cabin, the boat and fishing tackle in reasonable detail.

"Are there any fish?" asked Evans.

"I've caught dinner more than once and Rob – Weena's dad – does it at least once a week."

"Sounds nice."

"I suggest that you, Weena and Patrick drive down there tomorrow. I've got to be at the University. That way Willy can make an intelligent decision."

"Willy?"

"How could a higher-level officer make an intelligent decision?"

"You've got him!" Willy said. "How much?"

Weena ran through the calculations, ending up, "so it's $3250 through the end of September. And I assumed you'd want to get to Adelaide around then."