Written in the Stars (10 page)

Chapter Eleven

Kirsty watched Steve drive away from the house with mixed feelings. She had done everything possible to please him and her foster-parents during the past two weeks. Whenever Hepora or Iritana phoned, she limited the conversation to a few minutes.

However, the battle within raged on. She greatly appreciated all that Vince and Norah had done for her, and in her own way she loved them both, but she was always conscious that they would never fulfil that inner need. And Steve? Well, he was a wonderful guy, and she loved him too, but not in the way she loved Joey. Steve did not understand how she felt, nor did he realise what was really important to her. It was only when she was with her Maori friends that she felt truly happy.

She had wondered if he was going on the trip to get away from everything, but he had assured her it was to help out an old friend. Norah had suggested that they visit her sister, but she didn’t fancy sitting around all weekend, so she bundled some clothes into an overnight bag and left a note on the kitchen table, saying: ‘I’ll be back Sunday.’

Then she let herself out of the house and drove across town to the predominantly Maori area of the city where her friends lived, determined not to get drunk or take any dope. If she kept to that plan she would be all right.

Hepora greeted her with a kiss as she opened the door of the communal house. ‘Well, hi, Kirsty, come on in.’

Iritana and her boyfriend turned up soon after and they all went down the pub for a drink. After they had each bought a round, Hepora’s boyfriend picked up a case of beer to take back to the house, and they soon piled into it, sharing it with a few other friends who had dropped in to say hello. Kirsty had enjoyed some beer, but when marijuana was produced she pleaded a headache and went to the bedroom.

The next morning the house was quiet when she awoke, so after swallowing a quick coffee, she grabbed a plastic bag and was collecting the empties that littered the rooms, when she heard the sound of an approaching car. Through the front window she saw a battered Chrysler Valiant cruising slowly down the street. It came to a halt outside the house and as she watched, a heavily built young man climbed out. Joey. Joey Ruawhane,’ she cried, opening the door and flinging herself into his arms. ‘Oh, Joey.’ All the emotions she had tried to suppress shot to the surface as the big man held her close. After a few moments, he raised Kirsty’s head and looked into her tear stained face.

‘I was afraid you might have forgotten me,’ he said.

‘Never.’

‘Can we talk?’

Kirsty pulled him into the house gazing lovingly at him as he perched on a kitchen stool.

‘It’s so wonderful to see you again, Joey. When did you get out?’

‘Yesterday. I rang your folks, and your mum just said you’d gone away for the weekend, but they didn’t know where. I guessed you might be at Hepora’s, so here I am.’ He drew her to him and gently cupped her bottom in one large hand. ‘It’s been a long time, Kirsty. Too long.’

Over the next fifteen minutes Joey explained that his sentence had been reduced for good behaviour, but before she could question him further about life in prison, Joey grabbed her hand. ‘Come on, let’s go say hello to my folks.’

‘What are you going to do now, Joey?’ Kirsty ventured to ask.

Once again he turned her question back on her. ‘What about you, what have you been up to?’

‘It’s a long story, but I’ll try to keep it simple.’

When she had finished, he sighed,

‘It must have been hard trying to please everyone. Like you say, it’s a pity you weren’t born into a full Maori family.’

‘I know, but they’ve been so good to me and that’s why I feel guilty about it all.’ She grabbed his hand. ‘I don’t know what to do, Joey. I tried to explain to them, but they don’t understand my need to be with my own people.’

‘So what will you do? Is there anyone you can go to?’

Kirsty looked at him coyly then touched his cheek with the tips of her fingers.

‘You. I want to be with you.’

‘Do you really mean that?’ Joey asked, stamping on the brakes.

The incredulous look on his face brought tears to Kirsty’s eyes. Barely able to speak she merely nodded her head,

‘That changes everything,’ he said firmly, shoving the car into gear and letting out the clutch. ‘Yes, that really does change everything.’

*

Suzi placed her coffee on the table by the window, her favourite spot, where she had a view of approaching guests, as well as allowing her to watch the changing pageant of pedestrians who thronged the crowded shopping area. It had been a particularly busy week, and she was pleased that Gary was there to help out. People were still enquiring about Christmas dinner, and it looked as if they would have to arrange two sittings.

Gary joined her after he had called his bookie again. ‘Don’t know why I bother with this treadmill of an existence,’ he said, as he sat next to Suzi. Noticing her sudden look of concern, he laughed. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t quit before Christmas.’

‘Can you support yourself by gambling?’

‘I don’t call it gambling,’ Gary replied, testily, ‘it’s a form of investment, like the stock market.’

‘But surely it’s more risky?’

‘Only if you don’t know what you’re doing.’

Suzi stared at him as she thought about his words, and was about to comment when Mark bustled in. ‘It’s mighty cold out there,’ he muttered, peeling off his coat and rubbing his hands together. He poured a coffee and pulled up a chair. ‘Well, how did we do today?’

‘Good,’ Suzi replied. ‘We had a big lunch crowd and more enquiries about Christmas dinner.’

‘We’ve got two up so far, and both at a good price,’ Gary said, grinning.

Suzi looked at him with a puzzled expression.

‘What do you mean, two up so far?’

‘Two winners,’ Mark replied, grinning broadly.

‘Oh? Don’t tell me you’re betting on horses, too?’

‘I’m giving him a few tips.’ Gary laughed again. ‘There’s more than one way to skin a cat.’

‘But…’ Suzi began, and then stopped.

‘Look, if Gary can afford a Porsche and holidays on the Côte de Azure, it’s gotta be worth the gamble,’ Mark hastily added. ‘All I want is to pay off my bank loan, and what I borrowed from my folks.’

Rather than get involved in a discussion about horse racing, Suzi turned the conversation back to the restaurant, happy that Mark assured her everything was in place for the wedding reception on the following weekend.

During a lull that afternoon Suzi phoned Charlize and voiced her concern about Mark’s intention to augment his income by betting on horses.

‘Don’t worry; Mark’ll lose interest when Gary leaves; it’s a phase some men go through.’

When Suzi got home that evening she checked the answer-phone and found a message from Charlize.

‘Suzi,’ she shrieked. ‘I’ve won that holiday for two in Australia. Call me straight away.’

Charlize was still bubbling with excitement when she answered the phone.

‘Isn’t it fantastic?’ she cried. ‘An official letter from the distributors of Castlemaine Fourex was waiting for me when I got home.’

‘You mean that slogan you scribbled on the back of the pub coaster won first prize?’

‘It did, so we’re both off pretty soon. I’ll arrange time off, and you’ll be all right, being your own boss, won’t you?’

‘I don’t know. Two weeks away will be stretching things.’

Not to be put off, Charlize enumerated the various excursions that were part of the fully paid holiday in Australia. The prizes included a trip to the barrier reef, a visit to a crocodile farm, and a ride on the scenic railway through the rain forest. It sounded wonderful.

Suzi thought about arrangements once she replaced the phone; Narelle could take over as hostess and Mark could do the books and banking. She leaned back against the sofa and wondered why she felt so stressed. The business with the inheritance still rankled, but Steve Pardoe had every right to make a claim. If only he had missed the solicitor’s advertisement and she had never met him, life would be much simpler right now.

‘Blast you, Steve Pardoe,’ she muttered. ‘You should have stayed where you belong.’

*

Chapter Twelve

Steve spent most of his flight north to Auckland thinking about the weekend with Jock. It had been good to see Jock again, but his thoughts were centred on Jenny. She had dropped him off at the airport and kissed his cheek as Jock shook his hand. Then as he began to walk into the terminal she had slipped a note into his hand.

When the plane became airborne he pulled it from his pocket.

Dear Steve
,

Words can’t express how much I enjoyed your visit
.
I feel as if a whole new chapter of my life is about to begin
.
Were you
the catalyst
?
I think so
.
Maybe you only see me as a precocious redhead who enjoys male attention
,
but I long for something more meaningful
.
I don’t believe in love at first sight
,
but something has happened to make me reconsider the possibility
.
Do you believe in déjà vu
?
Please keep in touch
.
’

He recalled their conversation of the previous night, when she spoke of starting a new job in Auckland in the New Year. If she moved to the northern capital it would complicate things, and although the prospect of a sexual dalliance with her was exciting, it would be unwise. After all he had to consider Kirsty. He folded the note and stuffed it back into his pocket.

Life had become too complex lately. There were times when he wished Vince had never seen that advertisement in the newspaper and urged him to write to the Welsh solicitor. He had never considered he might have relatives in the U.K, and knew little about his natural parents’ background.

Vince and Norah were his parents—he knew no others. They had urged him to claim the inheritance, even suggesting he should present his case in person. He probably would have ignored their advice if his Dutch friend, Pieter Boersma, hadn’t written again to ask when he was going to visit them in Holland; it had helped him make up his mind.

He thought about his visits to places of interest in London, and how he had become embroiled in the break-in at Caxton Manor. He wondered what would have happened if things had happened differently; if he had never gone to the manor house and encountered the burglars or Suzi Lysle Spencer.

All the if onlys and what ifs ran wild through his head. If he had not become sexually involved with Kirsty and promised to marry her, he would have been free to pursue another path. He might even have considered sharing the manor with Suzi and having the chance to make a new life for himself in Britain, but he had to consider Vince, who had come to rely on him so much lately. Besides, he loved New Zealand, and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. The cabin steward’s call to fasten seat belts for landing interrupted his thoughts.

He collected his car from the car park, and threw his bag onto the back seat. As he headed out of the airport complex, he felt reluctant to go straight home, and found himself driving towards the local club. As he walked into the main bar, he saw Vince drinking with a couple of his friends.

‘Steve,’ he called, ‘come and join us.’

The other men drifted away one by one until only Steve and his father remained. Now that they were alone Vince asked about Jock and his family, and then voiced his concern about Kirsty.

‘Norah found her note when she came home on Friday,’ he said, quietly. ‘All it said was, ‘I’ll be home Sunday’.’ That evening a man rang up and asked to speak to her.’ Vince looked worried.

‘Do you have any idea who it was?’

‘No, but I wondered if it was that this Joey that Kirsty was so involved with had been released from prison. Your mother and I did everything we could to dissuade her from seeing him, but you know what she’s like.’

‘Do you think she’s with him?’

‘I’m inclined to fear the worst,’ Vince said as he downed the last of his beer. ‘Come on, we’d better go home before I drink myself over the limit.’

*

A surge of joy swept through Kirsty as she looked into Joey’s face. The words: ‘I want to be with you’, had completely transformed him.

‘That’s the best coming-out present anybody could ever want,’ he said, holding her in his massive arms. Kirsty’s tears slid unchecked down her cheeks as their lips met. His response to her declaration of love brought forth a tenderness that caught her by surprise. She did not know he was capable of such emotion.

When they arrived at his parents’ house she was greeted like a long lost daughter.

‘Kirsty, hey, where’ve you been?’ Joey’s mother, Kathy, folded the young woman into her voluminous bosom. ‘You know you was always welcome here girl. No need to stay away because our Joey was doing time.’ She stepped back and smiled. ‘Now you come say hello to all the folks here.’