tarts out and peeled off the plastic covering. There was still some whipped cream left from yesterday’s scones, so she piled a spoonful on top of each tart, after which, she took half a loaf of bread for the cows, and carried her stash out onto the back verandah.
The wind had died down; the sun shone. The traffic hurtled along the distant main road, matchbox cars piloted by well-dressed ants scurrying about their business. Her mother, surrounded by dogs, walked across the back paddock. Titch bobbed up and down behind them, trying to keep up.
The cows looked up with great interest when Marli balanced the plate on top of a post, and took the bread out of her pocket. As the slices vanished into slobbering mouths and she stuffed herself full of tart, she vowed, ‘This time I’ll do what I want.’
When they were babies, Brittany got the attention because she was noisy. The times her grandmother made one of her rare “Royal Visits”, her sister was always the first down the path to meet the car and wrap herself around the tall, autocratic woman’s knees. For some reason, their grandma didn’t seem to like mum, which confused Marli. Parents are supposed to love their children, no matter what.
One time when they were ten, Marli had been behind the sofa reading a book she’d sneaked off the shelf–one with bad words which her parents had placed off-limits– when her dad and grandma came into the lounge. She’d slid the book under the sofa and concocted a tale about why she was behind there, but something about the tone of their voices made her frightened.
‘Harry, you’ve got to stop Susan from pursuing this ridiculous this ... career ... it’s so low-class. A daughter of mine being a policewoman is unseemly. All that blood and those gutter types she mixes with. You have to make her stay home and be a proper mother to the girls. It’s for her own good. And it’s high time she had another baby. Too busy to take the time out from her precious career, no doubt.’ Marli’s eyes widened. Were they getting a little brother? She’d like that. Her father mumbled something, and grandmother continued.
‘Well, how should I know? You must be able to figure something out. Make sure she’s always late for work. Create an impression of unreliability ... perhaps I might have a word with Sally Harijan. She’s the Commissioner’s aunt, you know.’
They moved to the other end of the room and lowered their voices, so she couldn’t hear any more. She wanted to jump up and tell them not to be so horrible to mum, but was too scared. Not only would she be caught eavesdropping, but they’d find out about the book as well. She’d stayed absolutely still until her muscles stiffened and she perspired with the effort of being quiet. She’d thought they loved Mum, but how could they, if they wanted to get her into trouble? Marli didn’t know much about working life, but losing a job was a major disgrace.
She and Brit had always known Harry wasn’t their natural father but it hadn’t seemed important because he was devoted to them. Once, when she’d asked mum about their real father, she’d been vague. The only time she tried to talk to her dad about David, his face turned red and he’d gotten a scary look in his eyes.
Marli hadn’t realised the cop who came to the house with Adam Winslow was David. She’d gone out to the back verandah to put Titch in his pen, but their voices had become so loud, she had to intervene. Carissa, her mum and brother were in the lounge room, for God’s sake, talking about their dead auntie! She’d rushed in and been confronted by a man who looked so like Brit and her, it took her breath away. When she’d found out he was their father, she’d felt kind of funny about thinking him a hunk. Father’s were not supposed to be good-looking, though their father–Harry–was handsome, but that didn’t count because he wore cardigans.
When would David ring? Her mother’s job entailed long
The wind had died down; the sun shone. The traffic hurtled along the distant main road, matchbox cars piloted by well-dressed ants scurrying about their business. Her mother, surrounded by dogs, walked across the back paddock. Titch bobbed up and down behind them, trying to keep up.
The cows looked up with great interest when Marli balanced the plate on top of a post, and took the bread out of her pocket. As the slices vanished into slobbering mouths and she stuffed herself full of tart, she vowed, ‘This time I’ll do what I want.’
When they were babies, Brittany got the attention because she was noisy. The times her grandmother made one of her rare “Royal Visits”, her sister was always the first down the path to meet the car and wrap herself around the tall, autocratic woman’s knees. For some reason, their grandma didn’t seem to like mum, which confused Marli. Parents are supposed to love their children, no matter what.
One time when they were ten, Marli had been behind the sofa reading a book she’d sneaked off the shelf–one with bad words which her parents had placed off-limits– when her dad and grandma came into the lounge. She’d slid the book under the sofa and concocted a tale about why she was behind there, but something about the tone of their voices made her frightened.
‘Harry, you’ve got to stop Susan from pursuing this ridiculous this ... career ... it’s so low-class. A daughter of mine being a policewoman is unseemly. All that blood and those gutter types she mixes with. You have to make her stay home and be a proper mother to the girls. It’s for her own good. And it’s high time she had another baby. Too busy to take the time out from her precious career, no doubt.’ Marli’s eyes widened. Were they getting a little brother? She’d like that. Her father mumbled something, and grandmother continued.
‘Well, how should I know? You must be able to figure something out. Make sure she’s always late for work. Create an impression of unreliability ... perhaps I might have a word with Sally Harijan. She’s the Commissioner’s aunt, you know.’
They moved to the other end of the room and lowered their voices, so she couldn’t hear any more. She wanted to jump up and tell them not to be so horrible to mum, but was too scared. Not only would she be caught eavesdropping, but they’d find out about the book as well. She’d stayed absolutely still until her muscles stiffened and she perspired with the effort of being quiet. She’d thought they loved Mum, but how could they, if they wanted to get her into trouble? Marli didn’t know much about working life, but losing a job was a major disgrace.
She and Brit had always known Harry wasn’t their natural father but it hadn’t seemed important because he was devoted to them. Once, when she’d asked mum about their real father, she’d been vague. The only time she tried to talk to her dad about David, his face turned red and he’d gotten a scary look in his eyes.
Marli hadn’t realised the cop who came to the house with Adam Winslow was David. She’d gone out to the back verandah to put Titch in his pen, but their voices had become so loud, she had to intervene. Carissa, her mum and brother were in the lounge room, for God’s sake, talking about their dead auntie! She’d rushed in and been confronted by a man who looked so like Brit and her, it took her breath away. When she’d found out he was their father, she’d felt kind of funny about thinking him a hunk. Father’s were not supposed to be good-looking, though their father–Harry–was handsome, but that didn’t count because he wore cardigans.
When would David ring? Her mother’s job entailed long
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