Interrupted Romance (10 page)

Army life hadn't left a lot of time for Adam to practise his piano technique.
 
In the Israel Defence Force, you trained all week, for weeks at a time.
 
Then, when leave was granted for a weekend, it was a mad scramble to get home, the best way possible.
 
That usually meant standing on the side of a road, hitching a ride.
 
There was never enough money paid to the recruits to cover travel costs.
 
Barely enough for cigarettes for those who smoked.
 
Fortunately, in Israel, many people were prepared to give a lift to these soldiers.
 

Throughout this time, Adam told Dafna, he had maintained a reasonable standard of proficiency with his music.
 
But he always longed for more.
 
After the army service, during which time he'd seen his best friend killed in a skirmish on the northern border, he spent less and less time actually playing the piano and more time travelling about Europe.
 
He'd returned to Tel Aviv after about a year away to attend the university, where he again studied music for a further four years.
 
While studying, he earned a living by playing in hotels, at weddings and parties.
 
As an aid to earning extra money, he had become a part-time security guard.
 
It was a job arranged for him by a friend.
 
It was this friend who had been sick and couldn't go to work on the day of the bombing at the airport.
 
Adam had taken his place.
 
The rest Dafna knew.

She was pleased to learn more about him.
 
About his life.

With each passing day Adam was able to see a little better.
 
He could watch a movie and make out what was happening, but it tired his eyes.
 
He usually preferred to listen to music, or go for a walk with Dafna.
 
On their walks, they crossed the road from her mother's house and strolled through the park, where he could see some of the bird life pecking food from the grass, until their approach frightened the birds away.
 

The walks were good for both of them, as it got them out of the house so that Adam could have some exercise.
 
It also meant time alone together.
 
They strolled arm in arm along the winding pathways, through the flowering trees and shrubs, with Dafna identifying some of the plants for him.

On one of these walks, after a short, sharp shower, Adam guided her around a puddle in the centre of the path, and Dafna spun around to look at him.
 
"Did you see that, Adam?" she asked.
 
"You are seeing better every day.
 
You just led me away from the puddle there."

"I did, didn't I!" he said.
 
"I'm sure things are getting clearer and clearer.
 
Yesterday I don’t think I would have done that.
 
It's usually you who guides me around such obstacles."

They were delighted with this little triumph of Adam's and stopped to hug each other.
 
Adam released Dafna and took her hand, walking on again.
 
"When do you have to return to the shop, Dafna?" he asked her.

Dafna thought a moment, and said, "Not for a while yet.
 
I've been keeping in touch with the girls and they seem to be coping quite OK without me.
 
I don't know why I bother to go to work some days, I don’t think I'm needed there.
 
The place runs like clockwork whether I'm there or not.
 
They have it down to a fine art by now.
 
Why do you ask?"

"Well, Dr Feldman will be back next week and I'm expecting a clearance from him that he won't need to see me, unless something untoward happens.
 
My family will be expecting me home after that.
 
But I don't particularly want to leave just yet.
 
Now that my sight is coming back I'd really like to see something of this country before I leave it.
 
And I wanted to see it with you.
 
What would you say to that?"

"You mean, go away together somewhere?"

"Yes, I don't want to leave you, Dafna.
 
Your face is coming clearer to me day by day, and I love what I'm seeing.
 
I love you, Dafna.
 
Stay with me a while longer, please."
 
His grip on her hand tightened as he tensed, waiting for her answer.

"Adam, I'd love to show you this country, and be with you.
 
I think you already know I love you, too.
 
I've loved you for almost as long as I've known you, which isn't very long, now that I think about it."

During this dialogue they had walked back to their starting point where the pathways joined the street again, but Adam now pulled her back behind the hedge growing along the park boundary, holding her tightly.

"Say it again.
 
Say you love me again, Dafna."
 
He bent over her, covering her lips with his own, not allowing her the chance to speak had she even wanted to.
 
They remained in a close embrace, totally lost in each other, kissing, until finally he lifted his head, and she could breathe again.

"Where would you like to start your exploration of Australia, Adam?" Dafna asked with a smile.
 
"In the city, or the country?"

"Definitely in the country.
 
One city is much like another, anyway."

"Well, you're wrong there, my dear," Dafna admonished him.
 
"Sydney is like no other city you've seen.
 
The harbour is just magnificent and you're not leaving Australia without having seen it!" she said.
 
"However, the glare off the water may be a bit strong for your eyes just yet, so we'll do the country part first.
 
By the time we come back, you should be better able to stand the light in the harbour."

They reached the house and walked inside, still laughing with delight at their new-found romantic status.
 
Dafna's mother was aware immediately of a change in them both.
 
Dafna was radiant, flushed and happy.
 
Adam was smiling happily, looking more confident than ever before.
 
She decided to say nothing, but to wait until they announced whatever was pleasing them so much.

CHAPTER 13

The appointment with Dr Feldman went pretty much as Adam expected it would.
 
After a brief examination, Adam was pronounced well enough to go home if he chose to do so.
 
His sight would gradually return as the eyes healed and became accustomed to various degrees of lighting.

Adam told the doctor what he planned to do - travel with Dafna for a few more weeks before thinking about going home to Israel.
 
There was no objection from the doctor.
 
He'd done his part and Adam would see again, but only time would tell if there would be a slight blurring of vision on a permanent basis.
 
Wearing glasses would be an option to help, if this happened, he told Adam.

As Adam stood up to leave, he held out his hand to the doctor.
 
He took the doctor's hand in both of his, thanking him earnestly for his efforts in restoring his sight.
 
Dr Feldman was all smiles.
 
As far as he was concerned, Adam's case had been well timed, as he was able to incorporate Adam's medical problems into the lectures he had given around the country.
 
Both men clasped hands again and Adam turned to the door.
 
Dafna waited outside.

It was a happy couple who returned to the house that night.
 
Dafna planned a special dinner, which included wine and candlelight, for atmosphere, when they would tell her mother of the latest plans to travel around the country.

Adam sat with Mrs Zoreff while Dafna made herself busy in the kitchen.
 
They talked of the day's happenings.
 
The phone rang beside Dafna's mother and she picked it up, exchanged a greeting and listened a moment.
 
A look of consternation came over her face and she turned to Adam with the handset held out toward him.

"It's your father, Adam.
 
There's been an accident."

Hastily, Adam took the phone and spoke rapidly in Hebrew with his father.
 
They talked for about ten minutes before Adam slowly replaced the phone.

Dafna had come to the doorway, when the phone was handed to Adam.
 
She stood there, pale and silent, afraid of bad news, but knowing, from what she'd heard him say, that it wasn't good.
 
She and her mother waited for Adam to tell them what had happened.

"My sister, Susan, has been seriously injured in a car accident," he said, "on the road to Haifa.
 
A truck jack-knifed into the oncoming lanes, cars ran out of control trying to miss it and one hit Susan's car.
 
She has head and chest injuries.
 
My father wants me to be there with them.
 
I'll have to go."

"When?" was all Dafna could say.

"As soon as I can, darling.
 
I'm so sorry, but I must go back as quickly as I can."

She nodded.
 
Dafna's mother was already pushing herself up out of the chair and went into the kitchen.
 
She turned to Dafna and said, "Go and help Adam pack his things, dear, and I’ll prepare the meal as best I can.
 
At least, we still have to eat.
 
You talk to Adam and sort out the details of what has to happen.
 
I'll be in here if you want me."

Adam's face had dropped.
 
He looked so anxious, so worried, so sad, that Dafna hurried to him, putting her arms around him, holding him.

"Darling, I'm sorry about Susan.
 
Of course you have to go.
 
We'll get you on the first flight possible."

They walked to his room where Adam stood staring at the window, not able to think straight.
 
Dafna pulled him over to the chair and lightly pushed him into it, seeing that shock was taking its toll on him.
 
She lifted his suitcase from the wardrobe and dropped it onto the bed, unzipped the top, and turned towards the chest of drawers, which held some of his clothes.

As she folded the clothes and placed them in the suitcase, she couldn't help but think of what could have been.
 
They were to have gone away together, had time to learn more about each other.
 
She wanted to have had that time with Adam, when his sight became so clear that she would see the wonderment on his face as he saw the countryside stretched out before him.
 
The blue of the famous Blue Mountains, the grey-greens and browns of the western plains, the beautiful harbour around which Sydney had been built.

Looking at Adam, sitting in the chair, she knew she had three immediate choices.
 
She could leave her mother to manage on her own and go back with Adam; she could take her mother with her and go with Adam; she could stay with her mother and let Adam go back alone.

Her mind was racing with these possibilities but the answer was only too clear.
 
She would feel so guilty if she left her mother to manage alone just yet; her mother wouldn't be up to the long trip back to Israel and the rushing about to facilitate that happening.
 
The only decision she could make would be to stay in Sydney, continue to watch over her mother's ongoing recovery and let Adam go back on his own.
 
Later, she could either return to Israel to be with Adam, or he may even decide to come back to Australia after he had seen his sister and learned the full extent of her injuries and made sure that she would survive the crash.
 
From now on, it would all be played by ear.

Adam stood up and moved to the wardrobe.
 
He removed everything but a pair of slacks and a jacket and shirt, which he would keep out to wear on the plane.
 
He still hadn't spoken since coming into the bedroom.
 
He handed the rest of the clothes to Dafna and she placed them in the suitcase along with the other things.
 
The only other items not packed were his bathroom toiletries and they could stay until the morning.

Dafna hurried to the phone, before it became too late to call the travel agency she generally used. She was connected at last to a person who could answer her enquiry and set about the task of securing a place for Adam on the first available flight to Tel Aviv.
 

The evening meal was a very subdued affair.
 
The candles weren't lit and Mrs Zoreff wasn't told of the original plans to travel.
 
Instead they spoke of the arrangements made to get Adam back to Tel Aviv, plus what information he had about his sister's awful crash.

Dafna's mother was aware that something important had been put on hold, that neither Dafna nor Adam felt like sharing that night.
 
She made a discreet exit to leave them alone with what time was left before Adam was to fly out of Sydney.

With Adam's arms around her and her head on his shoulder, Dafna sat cuddled close to him on the lounge chair.
 
They had long since bemoaned the fact that they wouldn't be going away together.
 
Now it was time to come to terms with the fact that Adam would go far away on his own and Dafna would look after her mother until such time as she felt she could manage the household by herself.

Adam was naturally concerned for the life of his sister, but was torn between the flight home and leaving Dafna.
 
He knew he had to go and she knew she had to stay.
 
It was that simple.