picked
herself up off the ground.
And now, as the evening light eased
toward full darkness, Caz Moon couldnt believe her luck. Here was Josh
Brownlee again, queuing to get into Retro, the club behind the RSL hall,
hitting on the youngest sister of someone shed gone to school with, what was
her name, Hayley, Hayley with a bare midriff, heavily kohled eyes, nipples like
pebbles in the cool air, a skirt less than a whisker past her groin, chewing
gum and enjoying Joshs pickup bullshit.
Josh! Joshy! cried Caz. Raped
anyone yet? Hes a rapist, she informed Hayley, Hayleys mates and everyone
else in earshot.
Josh lunged at her, she dodged away
laughing, and that cop lady was there again, saying, Everything okay here?
Fine! said Caz in her sparkling
voice.
The cop glanced at Josh, then at Caz
and murmured, Do you want to report a crime?
Me? No!
Caz, said the cop flatly. I just
heard you accuse that boy of rape.
Me? I was just kidding.
The cop stared at her, not in the
least bit satisfied. Finally she shoved a photo under Cazs nose. Have you
seen this man?
Not me, Caz said, striding off in
her conquering-the-world way.
When Pam looked, the boy had
disappeared.
* * * *
16
That
was Tuesday. Wednesday was Ludmilla Wisharts thirtieth birthday and the first
caller was her friend, Carmen Gandolfo, who sang Happy Birthday down the line
as Ludmilla was about to eat her muesli. Ludmilla blinked back a couple of
tears: Carmen was good for her, large in body and spirit, a real tonic. Plus it
mattered that even though she knew what Adrian was like, Carmen had called her
at home, not work.
They exchanged a few pleasantries,
Carmen apparently slurping coffee or tea. Ill call in at your office later
with a little something.
Size doesnt matter, Ludmilla
said, so long as its expensive.
On my salary? demanded Carmen.
Another slurp. So, what have you got planned for tonight?
Ludmilla said in a guilty rush, Adrians
taking me out to dinner.
Darl, Carmen drawled, putting a
lot of doubt and disapproval into the word.
With a whine that she hated,
Ludmilla replied, I cant leave him, you know that. Im scared hell hurt
himself if I do.
Utter bullshit.
Please, Carmen.
Get him into a MENS program. I can
set it up for you.
Carmen worked as a counsellor with
the shires community health service. MENSMen Exploring Non-violent
Solutionswas a behaviour-change workshop for violent or abusive husbands or
partners. Ludmilla knew there was a snowballs chance in hell of Adrian
entering such a program. He wasnt some uneducated labourer but an urbane,
highly educated professional; and hed hardly ever hit her.
Please, she said miserably.
Last time theyd had this
conversation Carmen had said, Its your funeraland I mean that literally,
but this was a birthday call, so Carmen steered the conversation onto cheerier
matters. Ludmilla was soon laughing and buoyant, but glancing at the kitchen
clock anxiously and keeping an ear open for Adrian, who was in the bathroom
down the hall, scraping his electric razor over his lean chin. She didnt have
much time. She thanked Carmen for the call and was rinsing her cereal bowl at
the sink when the phone rang again. Her mother said, Hows the birthday girl?
Hello, Mum.
They chatted for a couple of
minutes, then Ludmillas mother said, Is that gorgeous husband of yours taking
you somewhere nice tonight?
Ludmilla had tried confiding in her
mother several times in the past few years, but she simply failed to listen.
She adored her son-in-law. Adrian could do no wrong. Bolstered by her
conversation with Carmen, Ludmilla said the worst thing shed ever said about
her husband: Mum, Mr Adorable punched me in the stomach last night.
Oh, dont be silly.
Im thinking seriously of leaving
him.
Youve always been a complainer,
Ludmilla. A marriage requires work. You need to try harder.
Ludmilla realised with a start of
fear that Adrians razor had fallen silent. She murmured urgently, Id
herself up off the ground.
And now, as the evening light eased
toward full darkness, Caz Moon couldnt believe her luck. Here was Josh
Brownlee again, queuing to get into Retro, the club behind the RSL hall,
hitting on the youngest sister of someone shed gone to school with, what was
her name, Hayley, Hayley with a bare midriff, heavily kohled eyes, nipples like
pebbles in the cool air, a skirt less than a whisker past her groin, chewing
gum and enjoying Joshs pickup bullshit.
Josh! Joshy! cried Caz. Raped
anyone yet? Hes a rapist, she informed Hayley, Hayleys mates and everyone
else in earshot.
Josh lunged at her, she dodged away
laughing, and that cop lady was there again, saying, Everything okay here?
Fine! said Caz in her sparkling
voice.
The cop glanced at Josh, then at Caz
and murmured, Do you want to report a crime?
Me? No!
Caz, said the cop flatly. I just
heard you accuse that boy of rape.
Me? I was just kidding.
The cop stared at her, not in the
least bit satisfied. Finally she shoved a photo under Cazs nose. Have you
seen this man?
Not me, Caz said, striding off in
her conquering-the-world way.
When Pam looked, the boy had
disappeared.
* * * *
16
That
was Tuesday. Wednesday was Ludmilla Wisharts thirtieth birthday and the first
caller was her friend, Carmen Gandolfo, who sang Happy Birthday down the line
as Ludmilla was about to eat her muesli. Ludmilla blinked back a couple of
tears: Carmen was good for her, large in body and spirit, a real tonic. Plus it
mattered that even though she knew what Adrian was like, Carmen had called her
at home, not work.
They exchanged a few pleasantries,
Carmen apparently slurping coffee or tea. Ill call in at your office later
with a little something.
Size doesnt matter, Ludmilla
said, so long as its expensive.
On my salary? demanded Carmen.
Another slurp. So, what have you got planned for tonight?
Ludmilla said in a guilty rush, Adrians
taking me out to dinner.
Darl, Carmen drawled, putting a
lot of doubt and disapproval into the word.
With a whine that she hated,
Ludmilla replied, I cant leave him, you know that. Im scared hell hurt
himself if I do.
Utter bullshit.
Please, Carmen.
Get him into a MENS program. I can
set it up for you.
Carmen worked as a counsellor with
the shires community health service. MENSMen Exploring Non-violent
Solutionswas a behaviour-change workshop for violent or abusive husbands or
partners. Ludmilla knew there was a snowballs chance in hell of Adrian
entering such a program. He wasnt some uneducated labourer but an urbane,
highly educated professional; and hed hardly ever hit her.
Please, she said miserably.
Last time theyd had this
conversation Carmen had said, Its your funeraland I mean that literally,
but this was a birthday call, so Carmen steered the conversation onto cheerier
matters. Ludmilla was soon laughing and buoyant, but glancing at the kitchen
clock anxiously and keeping an ear open for Adrian, who was in the bathroom
down the hall, scraping his electric razor over his lean chin. She didnt have
much time. She thanked Carmen for the call and was rinsing her cereal bowl at
the sink when the phone rang again. Her mother said, Hows the birthday girl?
Hello, Mum.
They chatted for a couple of
minutes, then Ludmillas mother said, Is that gorgeous husband of yours taking
you somewhere nice tonight?
Ludmilla had tried confiding in her
mother several times in the past few years, but she simply failed to listen.
She adored her son-in-law. Adrian could do no wrong. Bolstered by her
conversation with Carmen, Ludmilla said the worst thing shed ever said about
her husband: Mum, Mr Adorable punched me in the stomach last night.
Oh, dont be silly.
Im thinking seriously of leaving
him.
Youve always been a complainer,
Ludmilla. A marriage requires work. You need to try harder.
Ludmilla realised with a start of
fear that Adrians razor had fallen silent. She murmured urgently, Id
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