Making Laws for Clouds by Nick Earls

someone like you two could take her on when the time comes. If you don’t blow up the stove, she shouldn’t cost you much to look after, and she might show you a few good times.’
    I have to look away from him, but I make the mistake of looking at Tanika and she’s stopped chewing mid-mouthful and she looks like she might cry. I feel sick. He’s fed us with all this amazing food, and now I feel sick. So I look at the table and tell myself it’ll be okay. Harbo looks good, not good but sturdy. Like an old tree that once got hit by lightning but got through it. Nothing’ll bring him down for a while yet, surely.
    â€˜But don’t feel sorry for me,’ he says. ‘Here’s howI look at it. I sink my boat, and stacks of people turn up wanting to help me. You two most of all. I know I keep myself to myself sometimes, and that suits me – it’s suited me since Sabine jumped ship – but it can leave you wondering if people notice you’re there at all. And now I know. They notice, and they want to help me. That’s about the best thing that’s happened to me in years. See? And that’s enough. That’s better than I was expecting. And now there’s this bigger thing they can’t help me with – the shadow on the X-ray – but that’s okay. They would if they could. I know that. And I’ve got a bit of money set aside, so I’ll talk to Father Steele about that and see if there’s anything he wants done. But I wouldn’t mind it if you two took the
Stormy Deluxe
.’
    There’s thunder outside, and a cool wind blows through the hatch and into the boat.
    â€˜There we go,’ he says. ‘Like bloody King Lear. The old bugger comes to grips with his own mortality and that, of course, portends a storm. I think portends is the word. Did you ever see that one?
King Lear?
’
    â€˜So what’s going to happen?’ I’d rather not ask it, but I need to know.
    â€˜We’ll see. They haven’t even finished the tests yet. But I wouldn’t get too worried about it. I’m pretty well set up here, whether it’s weeks or months or whatever. I just thought you should know. Before they turned upat one of your houses one day with a bloody big boat. I wanted to run it by you, that’s all. And I reckon you two don’t always get a fair hearing from some of those church people, so . . . So, have a boat instead. Something like that.’
    He laughs, and I laugh with him since it’s not a choice anyone gives you. So, Kane, it’s up to you – would you like the fair hearing or the boat? Like one of those dramatic game show moments, when you can take the cash and leave or risk it all on the next question.
    â€˜Well, thanks,’ Tanika says. ‘I don’t think we thought you’d . . .’
    â€˜Of course you didn’t. You were here to help. And maybe to spend a bit of time with each other, but mainly here to help. What do you reckon, Kane? You wouldn’t mind having one of these, would you? A smart-looking tub like this one?’
    â€˜Well, it’d be great, but . . . I hope it’s yours for a long while yet.’
    And maybe it’s reassurance that I’m looking for, but he says it doesn’t really bother him either way and he tells us he’s pretty tired now and he might have a lie down. But just tired – all gourmeted out – and fully expecting to wake up tomorrow, so we shouldn’t look so worried. It’s been a big day, seeing the boat go back in the water and his hands come out of bandages.
    And we shouldn’t bother with the dishes. He’s the host, so he’ll fix them up later.
    â€˜Might even leave them till morning,’ he says. ‘Just this once.’
    Outside, the wind’s picking up, tossing around leaves and rubbish, and the stars are all gone. There’s a flash of lightning