Double Take (4 page)

Murray tapped Gemma on her bottom. “Come on.
Cheers
is about to start.”

She smiled on the outside, but a little piece of her died on the inside as she wondered what other twenty-nine-year-old women were doing tonight.

C
andice heard the familiar rumble of Jack's Datsun ute well before it came into sight. As he navigated it along the narrow streets of the caravan park, the heavy beat seemed to rebound off the rows and rows of small metal homes. She wiped the paint off her brush, dropped it into the water pot and slipped out from the kitchen booth carefully so she didn't get dizzy. She walked the couple of paces to the bedroom and checked her face in the mirror hanging on the wardrobe door. She touched gloss to her lips and ran a brush through her hair.

At the front door she watched Jack's frog-green-coloured ute cruise towards her. A healthy weed at the curved front corner of the caravan caught her eye. It was so high it reached the thick red cable connecting the caravan to the electricity pole. She made a mental note to ask Jack to cut it down before it did some damage they couldn't afford to fix. When they'd first moved here, Jack designed the perfect garden to suit their little caravan site. But it seemed he didn't have enough time to maintain it anymore.

Her elderly neighbour Rose was pushing her washing basket down the street and Candice waved to her too. Although most of the caravan park's residents were several decades older than Jack and Candice, she didn't feel out of place. Maybe it was because she felt as old as they were.

Jack's head rocked from side to side as the car thumped over the speed bumps some genius had decided to put in the park last year. The dreadful things did little to slow the occasional hoon down; it just made the cars noisier when they bumped over them. Even at this distance she recognised the moment Jack saw her. His eyes lit up and he waved as if seeing her for the first time after months apart. It wasn't every day Candice had the energy to greet him at the door, but today was a good day and she loved seeing his reaction when she did.

The doctors recommended that she didn't get excited but as Jack pulled the ute to a stop, jumped out and strode towards her, she couldn't help it. Her heart thundered in her chest and she felt sudden weakness.

“Hey baby.” She fell into his arms.

He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed so hard she could barely breathe. But at the right moment he lowered her to the step, and when he sat beside her he held her flush against his rock-hard body. His embrace was her sanctuary, freeing her from her life of despair.

“Looks like you've had a good day.” He pressed his lips to her forehead.

She relaxed even further against him and her hand slipped from his knee to between his thighs. “I have. I actually did some painting.” Years ago, Candice had spent every spare moment painting and some of her pieces had paid well. Now, however, it was barely a hobby, one that produced little to help with their burdened income.

Jack threaded his hand around the back of her neck and eased her over to kiss her cheek. “That's great, baby. I'll have a look in a minute.” He stood up and helped her to stand. “Let me just grab the dinner things.”

As he strode to the ute with an athletic gait that gave his shoulders a steady sway, she admired how well his khaki pants hugged his perfect butt. She had always liked him in that uniform. When he bent to reach into the passenger seat, her heart skipped a beat. Even after fifteen years together he still had this effect on her. But as he walked back towards her, arms loaded with groceries, she noticed his hazel-coloured eyes looked more green than brown. His eyes almost had a personality of their own, and it was early in their relationship that she'd learnt to read them. Right now she could tell he was worried about something, but she also knew he'd be reluctant to share it. He'd never been good at voicing his troubles.

She followed him into the caravan and helped him unpack the food. “We need to do something about that weed out the front. Did you see it? It's nearly at the power cord.”

“Oh, I hadn't noticed. Remind me to do it on Sunday.”

“Sure. Hey I managed to get Michael on the phone today.” She hadn't seen her brother for a year or so, mainly because he lived so far away. But also because she couldn't drive anymore. Candice tried to call him at least fortnightly. But he was so busy with his job at the Water Board that often she couldn't reach him.

“How is he?”

“He's good. Still working at that dam they're building up at Lake Clarendon.”

“Is he coming to visit soon?” Jack didn't think much of Michael, not after Michael's last visit to their mother. Her mum was just fifty-six years old when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. And it seemed that once they knew what was wrong with her, her condition deteriorated even more dramatically. The last time Candice and Michael visited their mum it had been a disaster. Mum didn't know who Michael was and he didn't handle it very well. He grew angry, Mum grew aggressive. It was a side of both of them she'd never seen before. “He can't visit at the moment.”

“Right.” Jack rolled his eyes, clearly sceptical. He had no tolerance for family who abandoned each other. But Candice understood Jack's viewpoint. What Jack's father had done to them could never be forgiven.

“But the dam's nearly finished so he said he may move back to Brisbane.”

Jack gave her a wry grin and turned his attention back to the grocery bags.

On the way home from that dreadful visit to their mother, Michael had told her that he'd never visit their mother again. As far as she knew he hadn't.

Jack held up a bottle of wine, a rare treat. “I had a feeling you'd had a good day. Thought we could celebrate.”

“Oh really, what made you think that?”

He shrugged. “Don't know. Maybe I was just hoping.”

She smiled, but when the golden halo around his hazel eyes darkened she couldn't help but think the wine was really for him. Something was troubling him and if he needed alcohol to settle his nerves then it was something big. But the direct approach never worked. He was just as likely to clam up and change the subject. Candice needed to be subtle.

“What do you think of my clouds?” Her latest painting was propped up on the kitchen table. Today she'd added fluffy white clouds and a couple of seagulls swooping about. The lower half of the painting was still just a basic yellow ochre under wash that would eventually be a sandy beach.

“It's coming along nicely.” He picked up the photo that was propped up beside the canvas and compared it to the painting. A smile curled at his lips.

“Do you remember that day?” It was hard to believe how much their life had changed since then. For their tenth wedding anniversary she had surprised Jack with a Jet Ski safari at the Gold Coast. It had been exhilarating dodging the windsurfers and flying over the waves as they scooted across the white-crested ocean. Their guide took them to a beautiful secluded beach and then presented them with a picnic that she'd prearranged. She and Jack had settled down in a lovely spot nestled amongst the trees and looked over the view in the photo.

“Of course.” He sucked in a shaky breath as he put the photo down. “We'll do that again one day. I promise.” It wasn't like Jack to be so emotional, and now she was certain something was troubling him.

Jack had bought mince and a jar of pasta sauce. “Spaghetti bolognaise?” she said.

He huffed. “How'd you guess?”

She plucked a frying pan from the cupboard and set about browning the meat. “Did you have lunch today?” Jack was so busy he often missed lunch.

“No, I'm starving.”

It wasn't often she had the energy to cook, and just being up and about and doing something so normal made her feel better.

“Cheers.” Jack held the now-filled wine glass towards her and she brushed his fingers as she reached for it.

“Cheers to you too.” His fingers were so strong and tender when he caressed her. But he rarely held her now. Although Candice would have welcomed his hands on her, Jack usually held back. Not because he didn't want to touch her. God, no, she saw that longing in his eyes so often it crushed her heart, but the doctors had told them that making love could put too much stress on her heart—it might even kill her. Candice often joked that going out that way would be worth every moment. It was devastating to see the burning desire in his eyes and be unable to satisfy him.

It wasn't until the meat was simmering and Jack had taken a few hasty gulps of his wine that she spoke again. “Did you have a good day?”

His eyes snapped to her from whatever imaginary place they'd drifted to, and it seemed like a moment or two before her words reached him properly. “It was okay, nothing special.”

“Which offices did you do?”

“Mostly all the banks on the eastern side of the city. Big day.”

Jack had a business renting plants to banks and offices throughout Brisbane. His days were filled with swapping the plants around from the nursery where he rented space to the banks and other customers' buildings and vice versa. He'd been doing it for so long he knew most of the people in these places. Some of the bank staff were his favourites, some…not so much. Maybe he'd lost a client today, or a plant for that matter; both were equally important to him.

“Can you open this please?” Candice held the jar of sauce towards him. She hadn't had the strength to do that for years. When he reached for it she caught a hint of perfume. It made her pause. Jack normally smelt like a man who'd done a decent day's work. She loved that about him. But at the unfamiliar scent her mouth went suddenly dry and it was her turn to take a gulp of wine. Candice had no doubt that Jack was faithful. Faced with their situation, many men would've run off years ago. No, the problem was that he hadn't told her why he had perfume on him. Whoever
she
was, was the problem. She turned to him, wanting to see his reaction. “You smell like perfume?”

He did react. His gaze fell to the floor and his shoulders sagged; if he'd been a puppy his ears would have fallen to the ground and his paws would have covered his eyes. Clearly this was the subject he didn't want to talk about. He reached for his wine glass, took a gulp and then slid into the bench seat behind the table. Candice turned off the hotplate and sat opposite him, staring at his downcast eyes.

“What's wrong?” She reached over and placed her hand on top of his. “Tell me.”

He looked to her, his troubled eyes blinking. She had the feeling he was working out what to say. “Do you remember Rachel?” he finally said.

There was only one Rachel she knew and she wasn't the type of woman you forgot easily. “Rachel Templeton?”

He nodded.

“What about her?”

“I bumped into her at the Westpac Bank in Anne Street today.”

The green in his eyes darkened further. Candice knew that Rachel and Jack went back a long way. Way before he even got into trouble. The only time he ever spoke of her, though, was when either of them saw her in the paper. In every picture of her, Rachel was not only the most beautiful woman in the room, she also looked to be having a world of fun—something Candice and Jack hadn't had in a very long time. Some of the news articles over the years made her aware that Rachel was nothing like the person Jack remembered. Well really, how could she be? Jack remembered a fifteen-year-old confused tomboy. Candice only saw a wealthy, stunning woman with the world at her feet. Something else was troubling him. “And? What happened?”

He blinked and his frown made her wonder if he was telling her everything. “I'm sure she would've dashed out if she didn't see me looking at her. But she strode right up to me. I thought she was going to slap me, but she didn't. She gave me a hug instead.”

Candice laughed and allowed herself to relax. She could just imagine the greeting. It was a wonder she recognised him. As far as she knew, Jack hadn't seen Rachel in person since the day he was released from juvenile detention. He didn't like to be reminded of his past. Some things were impossible to run away from, though.

Suddenly Candice's laughter turned deadly. In a split second she was struggling to breathe. She clutched the table as her world twisted and blurred, fighting back the all-too-familiar dizzy sensation. Jack was instantly at her side.

“Take it easy, babe.” He brushed her hair over her shoulder, gathered it into a ponytail, and blew onto her neck. The heat left her as quickly as it had come. She turned to him. His eyes had morphed to intense green, the golden halo around his irises glimmering. She leant forward to kiss him. Their lips met and she pushed her tongue into his mouth, tasting, exploring. A familiar but rarely pursued desire tingled up within her. Jack moaned and when she ran her fingers over his neck, his tongue forced entry into her mouth. Candice wanted him, needed him. And no sickness was going to stop her. Not this night anyway.

“Make love to me.”

Jack pulled back, his eyes glistening with lust. “Are you sure?”

She could see him thinking, almost knowing word by word the debate that would be going on in his mind. But she didn't want a debate. She wanted him inside her, and now. She tugged at his shirt, hard, and ripped almost every button off as she tore the fabric from his body. The debate was over and her husband was back. He reached for her shirt and she raised her arms so he could lift it over her head. She wished she was wearing sexy lingerie, anything but the drab bra and undies she had on today. Candice quickly unclipped her bra, freeing her breasts from their constraint.

Jack moaned and as he cupped her breast he kissed her again. His movements were gentle at first, but became more demanding as he played with her nipple. “Take me to bed,” she whispered.

Jack jumped up, quickly undid his pants and, from the second he stood naked before her, Candice's heartbeat exploded. Blood coursed through her body, burning want throbbed between her legs and dizziness mingled with lustful hunger. Jack lifted her into his arms and Candice kissed his neck, tasting his bitter saltiness as he carried her the four paces to their bedroom. He placed her down carefully, taking a moment to look right into her eyes. “You still with me?”