The tone of the meeting changed.
However, instead of sitting, Estelle and I remained standing, poised as if any second Pippa and her grandmother would disappear.
Coco kept her blue-green gaze locked on us, gripping the back of her chair with tiny fingers.
Daphne asked, “Do you have your passports by any chance? That would make the process a lot faster.”
My fists curled.
Seriously? They wanted to waste our time with these questions? Luckily, Estelle answered because I was about to lose it.
“No, they’re back on the island. Besides, they’re expired now.”
“Ah, never mind.” Alexander Jones looked at his clipboard. “You’ll be expected to undergo a full physical, despite the captain's doctor assuring us you’re all in good condition, considering the recent events.”
There was no question to that nonsense.
We remained quiet.
Daphne said, “Along with the medical, you’ll be expected to undergo a debrief on how you survived, what you cooked, how you sheltered, and why you chartered a helicopter in such bad weather. Search and rescue will discuss the parameters of their initial investigation when you disappeared and will have their own questions, I’m sure.” She smiled thinly. “Of course, such things can wait. This is just preliminary warning of what—”
“A warning?” I tensed. “Strange choice of words, don’t you think?”
Ms. Moore stiffened, glancing at her partner. “Um, well...”
“Not entirely, Mr. Oak. I’m afraid we do have a mixture of good and bad news.”
Of course, they did.
It would’ve been too much to expect a kind welcome. Everything had to be so hard when dealing with bureaucrats and red tape.
I crossed my arms, standing over Estelle and Coconut, preparing to protect them from whatever verbal stupidity we’d be subjected to.
“One thing we need to clarify, Mr. Oak. Is...” Alex looked at his paper for the millionth time. “You’re not Australian. Are you?”
I wanted to lie. To say I was Australian so I wouldn’t be separated from Estelle but my accent gave me away.
My English clip that I couldn't hide.
Anyway, they already knew the truth. They had every detail they needed. I wasn’t an idiot. My verdict had already been decided.
Before I had time to answer, Daphne jumped in. “Mr. Oak, you are in fact from Kent, is that correct?”
“You have our birth certificates and God knows what. Do you really need me to answer that?”
The two officers fell quiet.
These questions were a farce.
I balled my hands tighter. “Just get on with it. What’s the good and bad news?”
Ignoring me, Alex asked, “And you were heading to Fiji on a work visa for three months?”
They wanted to play?
Fine.
“Yes.”
“Yet you ended up overstaying by an extra three years and three months.”
“I hardly call crash landing and having no way off the island a deliberate overstay.”
What was with the skulduggery officials and pompous paperwork? Couldn’t they empathize? Couldn’t they understand what we’d been through? We didn’t need this Spanish inquisition.
“That being the case, we can’t permit you into Australia until necessary forms have been completed.”
“What? You can’t do that—” Estelle leapt in my defence. “He’s mine. We’re married. We have a child together.” She pointed at Coco as if there was any mistaking the blended creation of her blood and mine. “See.”
Alex frowned. “That does bring us to another issue. We will need to figure out what to do with the infant.”
Right, that was it.
“What to do with her? Don’t speak about her like she’s an inconvenience, mate. She’s my daughter.”
Estelle placed a hand on my trembling forearm. “Its okay, G. I’m sure that’s not what they meant.”
“No, quite.” Alex shuffled his papers. “Getting back to the point. We do require correct paperwork. Ms. Evermore is free to enter the country and as the child is clearly hers and below the age of five, she can travel under the proviso of attending the necessary meetings to arrange citizenship.”
“And what about me?” I bit back my rage.
“You, sir, are a little more complicated.”
“I don’t see why. You say I don’t have forms. Well, give me the bloody forms and I’ll fill them out right here, right now.”
“It doesn’t work like that.”
“It can work however you want it to work.”
“I’m afraid that isn’t the case.”
Estelle clutched my hand in hers. “We’re married. Doesn’t that mean anything?”
“Legally?” Daphne raised her eyebrow. “You have a marriage certificate and evidence of this union?”
Estelle straightened her spine, fighting for me. For us. “For all intents and purposes. Yes. Coco is evidence of our relationship. Surely, that’s enough.”
“But the paperwork?”
Estelle didn’t reply.
I did. “No, we don’t have a damn piece of paper. But that shouldn’t matter. We’re not separating. End of bloody story.”