Without You I Have Nothing (28 page)

_{She began shaking his
head from side to side until he begged her to stop.}

_{“Susie, stop!  Stop,
I understand.”}

_{Susie laughed. “Now
this ‘someone special’ that Jennifer mentioned. There are many reasons why she
picked someone up at the airport. What if he was her boss?”}

_{“A boss doesn’t slap
her backside unless he owns her.”}

_{Susie blanched but
she would not stop. Ignoring his interjection, she continued. “You jump to one
conclusion and are hurt. I suppose I can’t blame you. You’ve had no
relationship in your life with which to judge this one.”}

_{Peter could feel the
tears beginning to flow once again. Susie’s countenance hardened.}

_{“Stop feeling sorry
for yourself or I’ll slap you hard.”  Like a mother, she badgered him until he
admitted that perhaps he might have been mistaken.}

_{“Go on, Peter, don’t
give up. Just because you’re an adult, you’ve given up fighting. If you want
her, fight for her. She won’t throw herself into your lap. That’s not the way
of women.”}

_{They sat and talked
into the night.}

_{“Susie, how can I
thank you?  How do I show how very sorry I am for Friday night?”  Peter didn’t
know how to apologize. “I don’t deserve a friend like you.”}

_{“I believe you have
already thanked my husband and me. You secured him a marvelous position and the
little I have done doesn’t repay you in the least.”  She led Peter to the door.}

_{“If you stand there
looking lost like that, I might just drag you back inside. Forget Friday night.
I have. Actually, I realized how much you wanted me and I felt flattered. It
did the old ego good.”  She laughed at his surprise. “Now go home to bed.”}

_{As she softly closed
the door, she added, “Just be there when I need you.”}

_{The next morning at
work, Peter could have fainted. Yet another monster stood outside the workshop
ready for delivery. The workers must have toiled overtime to get this one ready.
His heart sank at the prospect of yet another drive.}

_{Joe was not at all
happy when he arrived. He snarled and growled at everyone, especially Peter.}

_{Believing he’d
wrecked everything he had struggled so hard to establish and wishing to make
amends, Peter called Joe from the paint booth.}

_{“Joe. Come upstairs,
I want to talk.”}

_{Joe didn’t look the
least surprised as he walked into the apartment.}

_{“I’m sorry for Friday.
You’re a first class workman and an even better foreman. I don’t ever want to
hurt you or lose you. Please, I’m so sorry for Friday. It’s just things got out
of control.”}

_{“Jennifer?  Yes, I
know.”}

_{So Joe had known all
this time. Peter supposed that being a married man he had been through it all.}

_{“I worked Saturday
and she rang first thing. Then she called in. There was a handsome young man in
her Mini so I knew why you had exploded.”  He laughed and, to Peter’s surprise,
he found himself joining Joe’s laughter.}

_{“Funny though, she
was so worried - seemed frantic. Demanded to know where you were. Even rang the
company in Bathurst on the office phone. She nearly went crazy when the foreman
said…”}

_{Peter’s first thought
was that someone had mentioned Susie. Oh, my God they couldn’t have mentioned
Susie. He tried to think whether Susie had been with him at the freight yard. Jennifer
would never understand that.}

_{“What did he say?”}

_{“You hadn’t arrived
,
” Joe continued. “Jennifer wanted to launch a
land and air search.”}

_{They both chuckled. Joe
sounded as though he had cracked a joke but Peter knew he was relieved that his
boss was back safely.}

_{“She stayed for ages,
hoping you’d ring. I had to throw her out so I could lock up. Don’t know what
her passenger thought. He didn’t look at all amused as they drove off, but
something strange happened. I watched a car pull out and begin to tail them. Three
men were in the second car, so I wondered what was going on.”}

_{He changed the topic.}

_{“Tell me you drove
that load back from Bathurst,” and he pointed to the truck in the street
outside waiting the new driver. It dwarfed the cars and buses going past.}

_{“It was a handful.” 
Peter laughed. “I thought if I changed gears once more, I’d scream. My legs
tremble at the thought of driving that through the traffic.”}

_{“No wonder you look
tired.”  Joe moved to the door. “Have a rest for a while. You’ve earned it. I’ll
try to make another million for you.”}

_{Laughing, he left.}

_{‘Rest’, Joe had said
but Peter wondered how he could rest. Everyone was giving him orders. Joe said
rest. Susie said fight. If that’s what his friends demand then he would obey.}

_{With his hands behind
his head, Peter stretched out and leant back in the chair. Unseeing, he didn’t
think - he just stared, at the ceiling.}

_{Suddenly the peace
and quiet of the apartment was shattered as the door crashed open and Jennifer
flew into Peter’s arms hurling them both to the floor where he lay
spread-eagled under her.}

_{“Oh, Peter. I missed
you so much. Where have you been?”}

_{As if, she didn’t
know.}

_{“I thought all kinds
of things had happened to you. I’ve been so worried.”  Violently she kissed
him, not allowing him to draw breath.}

_{“So this is the
hooligan who has been pursuing my sister.”  A wondrously warm voice burst into
the room and a glorious chuckle bubbled from the chest of the man bending over
them.}

_{“What are you doing
to her down there on the floor?  Haven’t you Sydney men any decency at all?”}

_{A strong hand dragged
Jennifer to her feet and then Peter felt the grip of the same calloused hand
haul him from the floor.}

_{“Wait until I tell
Mum her daughter is no lady.”  His chuckle burst into a roar of laughter.}

_{“Well, don’t stare at
me as if you’ve seen a ghost.”  Jennifer’s ‘someone special’ was laughing and
gripping Peter’s hand with a firmness that showed he approved of Peter.}

_{“I’m Andrew and I
know who you are. I’ve heard nothing but Peter this and Peter that for months,
not to mention this weekend.”}

_{Peter realized he was
looking into Jennifer’s green eyes. He was almost looking at Jennifer’s face
but for the shadow where Andrew had shaved that morning. This man’s hair wasn’t
exactly black but was definitely darker than his sister’s.}

_{“Well, don’t just
stand there. I need something to drink. Thirsty work traipsing around after
Sis.”}

_{Jennifer followed
Peter into the kitchen.}

_{“Jennifer, get back
out here at once. I don’t trust him.”  Andrew knew they were in each other’s
arms.}

_{Neither of the lovers
stirred until two hands wrenched them apart. “I need a drink,” he laughed. “Come
on, Sis.”}

_{He dragged her out of
the kitchen. “We’ll never get a drink if you don’t stay out here.”}

_{She shook herself
free.}

_{“Oh, well - you two
go out. I’ll make a pot of tea.”}

_{“Peter, what
happened?  You said you’d be at the bar on Friday night. I asked Bob if he’d
seen you and he gave me this silly note.”}

_{“Well,” he allowed
his eyes to skim over the note but he did not explain.}

_{“Tell me,” with her
hands on her hips she stood, her eyes flaring, demanding an answer. “I’ve been
worrying until I was sick the whole weekend. The note doesn’t make sense.”}

_{“I rang you,” Peter
replied and she nodded.}

_{“You were so excited
you barely had time to speak to me. You gabbled something about ‘some-one
special’ and hung up.”  It all sounded so stupid telling her but her lips were
two tight red lines and she was furious.}

_{“I arrived at the bar
and the two of you walked in. Andrew had his arm around you and you showed you
loved his attention.”}

_{“Why shouldn’t he and
why wouldn’t I react like that?”  Her eyes were flashing.}

_{“And he smacked your
tail when you sat as though he owned you. He was so handsome and you were so
obviously a couple I could only think I had lost you.”}

_{“Am I interrupting a
lover’s tiff?”  Andrew’s gentle voice broke in. He placed the teapot on the
table and walked across to Jennifer. “Calm down, Sis. You’re lucky. If I’d been
Peter and Peter me, there would’ve been murder done if Peter is half as serious
about you as I believe he is.”}

_{He put his arms
around Jennifer’s shoulders. “Stand up straight, head up, chest out – oh god,
well perhaps not,” and he began to laugh as Jennifer punched his ribs.}

_{“Stand still.}

_{“Peter, take a good
look. No wonder we looked such a charming couple. We’re fraternal twins,
although God in his wisdom gave me the height and the beauty. Sis only got the
brains and those two bumps.”}

_{Again, Jennifer
punched him as he laughed. “As youngsters we couldn’t be separated but as we
grew older my voice changed and my hair darkened. Sis didn’t have such luck.”}

_{“Andrew, I'm such a
fool but I love your sister so much it hurts.”  Peter reached across and took
Andrew’s hand in both of his own. Their warm handshake said it all.}

_{Jennifer was glowing
with happiness.}

_{The phone interrupted
Peter.}

_{“You’re wanted. It’s
urgent and I can’t handle this one!”  Mark sounded worried.}

_{“I’ll be back in a
minute.”  Peter tossed the words back at Jennifer and Andrew as he charged down
the stairs to his office. Mark held out the phone. It was Susie calling from
next door.}

_{“Get in there and
fight. I saw her enter the workshop. You know she’s special, so fight for her.”}

_{“I am fighting for
her, and yes, she certainly is special.”  Peter threw in a quick reply but
Susie had ended the call before she heard his words.}

_{With Susie’s message
etched into his brain Peter returned upstairs.}

_{“What are you doing
for the rest of the day, Andrew?”  Peter asked casually. His tone of voice
revealed that he had warmed to Andrew although he found it hard to believe that
this calm, mature man was the same age as Jennifer.}

_{“I’ll be with
Jennifer all day but tonight I’m free. Perhaps we could all go to Chinatown.”}

_{“No!"  Peter
interrupted. “You’re both my guests.”  He was going to impress Andrew who would
prove a valuable ally if Peter were to win Jennifer.}

_{“How would you both
like an Indian meal such as you’ve never had in your life?  Promise it won’t
burn your throat out. Alternatively, you may prefer perhaps Chinese or Thai. You
decide.”}

_{“Shall we say an
Indian meal?”  Jennifer spoke for them both. “I’ll bring Andrew around to your
place at 7.30.”}

_{Enjoying her position
as boss of the two men in her life, she was all smiles.}

_{“Wait a moment and
I’ll check.”  Peter dashed down the stairs again and called Joe over. “That car
you mentioned. You said it followed Andrew and Jennifer on Saturday. Is it
outside, today?”}

_{“Yes,” Joe grinned,
reinforcing how astute a thinker he was, as he continued, “I knew you’d want to
deal with it so I have a car ready for you to drive straight out of the
workshop to ‘road test’. It has more than enough power to keep with the car
which is following Jennifer and her brother, no matter how fast they go.”}

_{The car Joe had
standing ready was an ex-police pursuit car he had purchased for re-sale. It
was in the workshop for detailing.}

_{“Good man. What would
I do without you?”  Peter rested his hand on Joe’s shoulder for a second and
they grinned at each other.}

_{Joe always enjoyed a
new challenge.}

_{Back with Andrew and
Jennifer, Peter voiced his thoughts. “Right, that’s fixed.”  He walked with
them to Jennifer’s car. “See you tonight.”}

_{Immediately they
left, Peter was in Joe’s car following the three men who seemed to have such an
interest in Jennifer and Andrew. For the remainder of the day he tailed them.}

_{It was a strange
procession. Jennifer and Andrew in her green Mini Cooper-S followed by three
large men, all generously tattooed and driving a Toyota Camry, followed in turn
by Peter in Joe’s ex-police chase car.}