Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Sam spoke to Patrick for about 20 minutes. The twins hadn’t travelled before and Patrick had vivid memories of flying from Sydney to Grafton with young Sam. [see ‘Sam’s “Curtiousity”’] (Of course, Patrick had no recollection of flying from Perth to Adelaide and then to Brisbane and Roma. [see ‘Two Weddings, No Funeral’]) He called JetStar and found it would run around $1300 each for him and for Tessa. He’d take IDs for the twins, as well as their MMR certificates – they’d gotten their first shots in their eleventh month.

After a flurry of activity, Zeke drove them to the airport a few days later and only an hour thereafter, they were in Darwin. Rob and Marge had been well-behaved, sleeping all the way. They spent the night at the Mercure at the airport and ate in the restaurant there, allowing the twins to be cooed over by a dozen guests, hotel staff and waiters. The infants smiled, drooled, showed their teeth, babbled, and entertained the crowd, allowing Sam and Tessa to eat. In their room, Tessa bathed them both and Sam diapered them. Having been fed and entertained, they went right to sleep. They fed and amused the pair in the morning and went to the terminal after lunch.

The four hours to Sydney meant that both Tessa and Sam had to amuse the infants and they switched off several times, so the year-olds didn’t get bored. But they were quite happy to see Patrick waiting for them. And grandpa Patrick didn’t mind being drooled on, as long as they said “Da-da-da-da.”

All six plus impedimenta got into the SUV, with Rachel and Tessa and the twins in the rear. The twins conversed in exchanges of repeated syllables.

“We moved into the flat on Goulborne after Gordy died,” Patrick said.

“We know, you told us several times on the phone. Are you OK?”

“Yes. Rachel’s taken her mother’s death harder.”

“And my grandfather?”

“He’s never recovered from COVID or whatever it was. He’s in full-time care and it isn’t clear that he’s even aware of Rachel’s death. Al says he doesn’t recognise anything or anyone.”

“That’s sad. He’s my last grandparent.”

“I’ve put you into a new place near the Chinese Garden.”

“I’m sure it’ll be OK. We’ll take the twins to the Garden, the Domain, the Museum, the Zoo, and the Gallery. That will keep them overstimulated so they’ll sleep through.”

“Ah! You’ve acquired the secrets of parenthood.”

“Right.”

“Will you take the twins to the Council in Parramatta?”

“I’ll phone tomorrow and see who’s around.”

“Here we are!” Patrick pulled into a drive and porter with a cart appeared. “You’d best get a second. The name’s Hollister and there’s a lot of stuff.”

“OK, sir.”

In the morning Sam and Tessa became aware of Burns’ “best laid plans.” Their excursion plans went awry. Sam phoned the Land Council, as he’d said he would. That was the step that destroyed their plans.

It seemed that there were leaders from all over NSW who wanted to meet Sparrowhawk and Crane. No, Sam was told, a visit to Parramatta would not do. There were too many for the Council chamber. After some discussion, Sam agreed to arrange for a meeting room in the hotel that afternoon at 14:00.

He and Tessa took the twins to the Chinese Garden – where the children were admitted gratis, being obviously under five. After an hour or so they went to the tea house where they enjoyed dumplings and the twins gorged on Dou Sha Bao [red bean paste buns]. They then returned to the hotel, cleaned up children and put them down for naps. A bit before two they were down in the lobby awaiting their guests (Tessa referred to them as ‘invaders’).

“We’re going to need service,” Sam told the concierge. “Unfortunately, I don’t know either how many there will be nor what they’ll want. Just put it all on my tab.”

“Of course, sir.”

There were nearly two dozen, one from Yamba in the north, another from Wagga Wagga, several from Nowra. The others were all from the greater Sydney area. No one was wearing a booka. Tessa and Sam had dressed the twins neatly and their heads were on swivels at the audience.

“If any of you would like refreshments, please tell this gentleman,” Sam said. “I’ll take care of it later.” He waited a few minutes. “This is Margaret. I have been told that she is a crane. Some of you will know.”

“And this is Robert Sparrowhawk,” said Tessa. “He is the son of Bunjil and the grandson of the Carpet Python.”