Callum’s throat had contracted at these words. ‘How’s he doing?’
‘It’s slow and steady – but there’s progress, and that’s the main thing. You have a lovely family, Callum. Take good care of them.’
‘Are you nearly ready?’ Anya asks, interrupting his thoughts as she comes into the room. ‘I don’t want to be late.’
Callum quickly finishes buttoning up his shirt. Not everything can be resolved so easily. Despite their best efforts, things are still strained between him and Anya, but they have been making plans for the future: local jaunts and foreign holidays, and he hopes it will get easier with time. They are working at getting to know each other again, after all these years, and some of their conversations have surprised him. Turns out they have been sharing a bed and not much more for quite a while.
Anya leans against the window. ‘I can’t tell you how relieved I am that this day has arrived,’ she says. ‘I only hope that Georgia feels the same.’
‘She’s been desperate to be discharged for ages,’ Callum replies. ‘You know that.’
‘Yes, I do, but I can’t help remembering what it was like before the accident. She barely spoke to me. I’m scared we’re going to go backwards again.’
Callum comes over and hugs her. ‘You know, it’s your job to fuss,’ he says, ‘and her job to ignore you.’
She manages a short laugh, but then her face drops. ‘I know that Georgia might not leave us as quickly if she has to delay her exams,’ she confides, ‘but I feel like I’m on this big countdown to the day I’m dreading – and I can’t do a thing about it, because we have to let her go.’
‘Well, be that as it may, we will always be here for her. We don’t stop being Mum and Dad when they leave home.’
‘I know.’
‘And she’ll always come back.’
‘Will she?’
‘Of course – she’ll always need money.’
Now Anya really laughs. ‘Yes, fair point. You mean we bribe her into coming home?’
He kisses her shoulder. ‘Yes, if that’s what it takes, then that’s exactly what we’ll do.’
She turns around. ‘Come on, we’d better go.’
He hesitates. ‘Actually, why don’t you go and bring her home by yourself? I think you’d both like that. And there’s something else I need to do . . .’
42
ZAC
Zac had helped his mum set up the ‘Welcome Home’ banners and balloons, but he’d refused the invitation to come to the hospital. He was still cringing from his uncomfortable apology to Georgia about how her photo had found its way online. He’d stammered explanations while their parents weren’t present, only to find that Georgia wasn’t as furious as he’d expected. She’d told him she understood, she knew he hadn’t meant it to happen, he should just forget it. When he’d explained about Jacinta, Georgia had seemed thoughtful. A few days later she told him that Sophia was hassling Maddie to ‘ditch the bitch’. Zac hoped Sophia would have more success than he’d had.
He should be offering some kind of penance, but he has no idea what, since the damage is done. He can’t believe he has escaped so lightly. Perhaps Georgia hasn’t yet recovered all her faculties. Perhaps that rock smashed into the exact spot in her brain that would ordinarily have told her to kill her brother.
Maddie hadn’t spoken to him since the day of the race. At first he’d felt awkward about the silence between them, but this has slowly evolved into disappointed resignation. It doesn’t seem as though he knows Maddie any more. Perhaps they are moving in different directions now, not destined to be lifelong friends.
He’s listened to his parents getting ready, and he’s melancholy as he hears the front door open and close. It was his decision not to go to the hospital, but he feels a bit left out. He looks idly at the controls lying on his bedside table, but he’s not sure he wants to get absorbed in gaming again – at least, not yet. Something has shifted in him over the past few weeks. It might be time for a new phase.
In fact, he might try to stay offline altogether for a bit. He knows that photo is out there, still circulating, and he’s not yet sure if the rumours will incriminate Georgia. At least she’ll be off school for a while longer. By the time she goes back, no doubt some other poor student will be publicly reaping the consequences of a bad decision. In fact, he hasn’t ruled out some sort of payback for Jacinta, but he’s trying to let it go.
There’s a knock on his bedroom door, and to his surprise, his dad walks in.
‘I thought you’d gone to get Georgia?’
‘She doesn’t need both of us – your mum will fuss enough for everyone, I’m sure.’ Callum sits on Zac’s bed. ‘I thought I’d see what you’re up to.’ He picks up a control, handling it like it might explode in his hand. ‘Do you want to teach me how to play?’