The Beat of Safiri Bay (14 page)

“Lane it would be so much better for everyone if we just took the Audi, think about it.” I think about it but I see no real good reason to take his car. “I promise if you do not feel safe with me at the wheel you can drive, how is that?” hmm okay, that sounds better.

“Deal,” he laughs and we run faster, time to put in some effort now.

We have decided that he would pick Emma and me up at two o’clock. I drive back home and stop at the Strydom’s house. Emma opens the door but I don’t go inside. “Oh no thank you Emma, I am all sweaty. I just wanted to ask if you would mind if Alex came with us, actually he would be taking us with his car.”

“Off course not, I am very grateful to you for organising this opportunity for me.” She really is such a nice person.

“It is the least I can do Emma” I smile at her. “Okay, so we will pick you up just after two o’clock. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes, thank you, I will go tell my mom,” and I must go find my dad.

“Okay, see you later Emma.”

My dad’s Jeep is back in the garage but Christina’s car is gone. Oh boy, I hope they didn’t have another fight. I walk into the kitchen and take out a Powerade from the fridge. I drink half of it and take the bottle with me. “Lane?” Ah, he is in his study. I peek in and he smiles at me. “Hi dad,”

“Hello Rosie. Did Bessie tell you that David has gone to pick up Sarah?”

“Yes, it is very scary, what they tried to do to her.” I cannot get myself to think of it for too long. It really does make me want to throw up. “I am just glad she is safe now, thank you dad for doing that.”

“Lane, if it was you,” he goes silent.

“Dad it wasn’t me and I would never do something so stupid, you know that don’t you?”

“Off course I know that Rosie I just want you to be careful.” I don’t think now is the best time to break the news to my dad but I will have to. I trust him and he needs to know what I am up to. “Dad, there is something I would like to discuss with you.”

“Sit down Rosie, what is it?” I don’t feel very comfortable in my running gear but I know I will have to do it now, before this opportunity passes or my nerves take over. “Dad, I think I might be in love.” I blush. I cannot believe I just said that out loud.

“That, my dear Rosie I noticed.”

“So you don’t mind?”

“I think you are old enough now to make these kinds of decisions don’t you think. Anyway, I like him. Matt is a bit older than you but he has always been a good friend to you and I think the two of you might just be very happy.” Whoa, Matt? Oh no, I need to put this right right now. “Dad, it’s not Matt.” My dad sits up straighter and frowns at me.

“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone else, who is it then Rosie?”

I know this won’t go down well and I stare at my toes and whisper, “Alex”.

“Lane, you know that I asked you to stay away from that man, you cannot trust him.” I want to cry but if I want this I will have to stay strong and tell my dad exactly how I feel. “Dad, I know you warned me against him, but until you can tell me why, until you can give me some evidence that he is such a terrible person I don’t think you can judge him.” I feel the tears sting my eyes but I blink them away and stare back at my dad. “Daddy, he is a good person, you said yourself that I am old enough to make my own choices...”

“But I thought you were talking about Matt. Lane you are not experienced enough for this and you don’t know anything about him.” I know he won’t be happy with my next confession but I need to tell him the little bit I know. “Dad, I don’t understand, Matt is older than Alex but you approve of him? Anyway I do know some things about him. His father is Ian Dover, the author.” My dad’s eyes grow wide, “ Yes, and he was a doctor. Dad anyone can’t just become a doctor, this must mean something to you?” I am out of breath. I don’t know how to get my dad to see what I see. “Lane you are right. I cannot tell you to stay away from him because of some nameless man’s warning.”

“Thank you daddy.”

“But if it is evidence you need then I will find it.” I can’t believe he is being so stubborn about this. “Can’t you just let it go and let me try this out for myself?”

“I will not bother you about this again so you may see him if you want, until I have enough proof to show to you that Alex Dover is not worth of your love.” I am speechless. My dad is going to dig in his past and who knows what the hell he will find. He will dig until he finds something to use against him I am sure of that. Shit. What can I do? I don’t think there is anything I can do to stop him. “Well, since we are here now I just want to tell you that I am taking Emma back to school this afternoon and I will sleep over at aunty Lee’s tonight.”

“That is a very nice thing to do Lane,” my dad smiles at me. “Would you like to take the Mercedes?” He is offering me his city car? Geez.

“No thanks dad, that won’t be necessary, Alex is taking us with his car.” Before he opens his mouth to say anything I say, “Dad, you don’t have anything on him yet, you said I could see him until you have proof.” My dad looks defeated. It breaks my heart to see him fight me like this but I need him to know that I can handle this. “Does he at least have a decent car?” I breathe out,

“Yes, I think you would approve.”

“What time are you going?”

“Two”

“Just be careful Rosie, please, keep your phone on and give Aunty Lee a time you will be there. If you do not stick to the eta you give I swear I will drive there and give you the hiding I never gave you as a child.” I think he is actually serious on this one and I nod. “Lane, one more thing,”

“What is it dad?”

“Why not Matt?” I don’t know how to answer this.

“Dad I don’t know, he is just a friend.”

“That’s not what it looked like the other night,” Oh crap, what did he see? I ignore that.

“I will be careful.” He walks around his desk to me and gives me a long hug. “I love you Rosie and I love it when you use your clever mind just not when you use it against me.”

“I love you too dad and I will be okay, you’ll see.”

I take a long shower and wash, dry and straighten my hair. Aunty Lee’s farm works on solar power only and my GHD doesn’t work so well there. It’s a cool day so I dress in jeans, a pretty top and pumps. I will take my jersey with me in the car. I pack for the night. I hope Alex and Emma don’t think I am mad for packing the way I do. I have a traveller’s kit with small containers of everything I need so it doesn’t take
that
much space. I pack everything neatly in my smallest suitcase and wheel it out of the room to the back door. I put my jersey on the suitcase and my bag on top of it. I am ready. There is still two hours to go before Alex arrives. I need to eat breakfast or rather brunch and check the fridge for something. “Hungry?” My dad stands arms folded against the kitchen arch and smiles at me. “Yeah, a little,” I smile back at him. I am so glad he is not angry at me. He checks his watch. “You still have time; do you want to go out? We will make it quick.” 

“Will Christina join us?” I don’t know if I can face her weird mood again. “No Rosie, just you and me.”

“Okay, that would be nice.”

Dad takes me to ‘The Shack’ the little coffee shop and I order French toast and he orders a chicken burger. We both have tea.

“Christina was in a very weird mood this morning, friendly and actually a bit caring,” I say and take a bite of my toast.

“I saw.  I think this is her way of saying thank you to us for having her in the house for another two weeks.” Or her way of trying to get you back, I think to myself. My dad wipes his mouth with his serviette and smiles at someone. I look back to see who it is. Matthew’s aunt Cat walks over to our table. “Good day Peter, Lane,”

“Good day Cat,” dad says I nod and smile at her. They start talking about the house renovation she is busy with but then switch over to French so I carry on eating. She is such a beautiful woman. She has the same black hair as Matt and her tiny frame is always covered in very tasteful clothing. She is as petit as any French girls dream and her beautiful soft voice is like a bird’s song. She says good bye and dad gets up to greet her. He sits back down but doesn’t finish the last bit of his burger. He is on another planet. We order more tea and he reads the Sunday newspaper. I take out my phone and check for messages, an email from the music forum and a message from Matt.

I wonder whether he is on his way back already. I open his message.

Matt: Hi, Lany. On my way back. Can I see you tonight?

I need to answer but I am still not sure how to put it. Do I tell him about Alex and me? There is not much to tell so I decide against it.

Me: On my way to Paulsburg to drop Emma at school. Will be back tomorrow. What do you want to see me about?

Matt: Ok, enjoy your trip. Don’t worry not important, we’ll chat tomorrow. Drive safely.

Me: Thanks ;)

We have spent well over an hour out for brunch and it is time to get back to the house. Alex will be there soon. Dad is quiet on the way back but I don’t mind. We don’t usually talk a lot. Christina’s car is not parked in the garage but out in the driveway. She will probably go out again later today. I don’t understand where she always goes. It is not as if this is the biggest village or best place for socialising. Maybe she has a friend somewhere I don’t know of; actually I do not know anything of her. Too late now, she is leaving soon in anyway. As we walk to the door she walks out of the house and smiles at us like she is happy to see us. “I wondered where the two of you went,” she says and opens the back door of the hatchback. She takes out a bag and hands it to dad. She reaches into the car then and takes out a box. We walk into the kitchen and she opens the box. “I got us some treats for the week.” She unpacks the box, chocolate cake, lemon meringue and lots of sweet biscuits. She gives me a little pack and sounds all motherly when she says, “The ginger snaps are for you Lane, I know they are your favourite.”

“Yes they are, thank you very much,” I look at my dad and he pulls up his shoulders. “That bag is for you Peter,” Dad opens the bag and takes out a big pack of dried wors and a big pack of biltong. She will be sending us to our graves with all this cholesterol. Dad thanks her as well and she hums as she puts everything away in it places. “Would anybody like some tea?” We just had some but I feel bad saying no thank you again so I accept. Dad disappears into his office and I am left with crazy Christina. I am not sure that I trust this new act she is putting on, she is way too friendly. I do feel bad that she knows what my favourite biscuits are and I don’t even know her middle name. I pick up my biscuits and wonder what Alex’s favourite are. “These look very nice, where did you get them?” I ask, just in case I they are really nice and I would want to get some more. “I got those from the church sale this morning,” she went to church? Whoa, since when does she go to church? Dad and I sometimes attend the evening service but she has always made it clear that she is not interested in religious activities. She puts out two cups and pours the hot water into the tea pot. Is she planning on having tea with me? I wasn’t going to actually drink it I was just being polite but now I have no choice. Boy am I going to need the toilet a lot on the road, that’s a big problem. All those germs on the seats of public toilets is something I try to avoid at all costs. I will have to pack some gloves and many antiseptic wet-wipes. 

Chapter 8

Emma is really quiet on the trip. She is sitting in the back with one of her school books open on her lap. If I do that, I’ll vomit. Alex has only made a few comments on the weather and the road. Every now and then he will glance at me quickly. I try to look unaffected by it but it feels as if I might start floating from the crazy flying of the butterflies. After spending an hour together in the car I can feel Emma relax. She puts down her book and stares out the window. “This is my favourite part of the route,” I say. It is beautiful with the mountains and yellow grass fields. “Yes, it is very beautiful,” she says with a sad tone. I think Alex picked up on that, he starts talking now too and we have a lovely chat about different places and off course England, his home. “How is it that you ended up in Safiri Bay Emma?” she thinks about it then, “Well, my dad has worked at the mill for many years. He met my mother when she came for a holiday with her friends. They got married and had us. I guess that sums it up.”

“Wow, you have been living in Safiri all your life? You are very lucky to have grown up in such a lovely place.”

“Yes, I guess so. Did you know that Safiri means journey? Only problem is I don’t think many people actually make the best of their life’s journeys.” Alex nods and seems to be taking her very seriously. She is so right it is scary. No doubt she is talking about her sister and the bad choices she made for her young life. I do the only thing I know will ease the tension that has made its way back into the car in record time, I turn on the music. It is tuned to the local radio station and we listen to the traffic news, nothing that affects us. The weather is up next, a warning of lightning storms toward the west, which is where we are heading. Tired of the radio I turn on the CD shuttle, the best way to get my answer to the question that has been in the back of my mind. The sound of ‘Nickelback’ fills the roomy interior of the Audi and Alex smiles a sly little one. “I love this song,” Emma says and instant relaxation comes with that. Alex starts singing along and so does Emma, oh my gosh, we have a full blown sing along going on. I feel left out and the only way I can get back in is by joining.