Chapter 31

I wandered a bit on Saturday morning and bought a present for Weena: a t-shirt with "BABY" on it and an arrow pointing down. She could wear it in four or five or six months. I then had a snack, checked out and took a taxi to the airport.

The short flight to Melbourne was just that. I was able to read more of Seven Kinds of Ambiguity on the long leg to Perth. Weena was waiting for — still excited. "PSM! You can service me in public whenever you want! Well, you may not want to for the next day or three."

As we drove home, I retold the tale. We decided to be modest, not ostentatious. I'd keep the medal in its box, not on my lapel. We also talked about 'the Evans Plan' — speculating on what it might be. Neither of us had an idea.

Rob was quite congratulatory when we got home. I was tired so I went to bed after having a small snack. Sunday morning at breakfast I learned that Rob was nearly done with the draft of his report and that he'd been phoning Mary nearly every day. I eschewed comment — not even a bad joke.

The yard looked a mess. I hadn't raked the litter after trimming and edging and, of course, it was all brown. I raked and bagged it all: an hour's outdoor exercize, which I certainly needed. Weena wanted to go to the supermarket, so we took off, leaving Rob with finishing his report. Or at least the first draft of his report.

"Have you spoken with Michiko?" I asked.

"Friday. She's going a bit stir-crazy, but Rachel is happy and gurgling and kicking."

"I'll have to call Chaz before the CSIRO rumor mill gets to him."

"When we get back, if you can get daddy off the phone."

"That bad?"

"I've not eaves-dropped, but he goes on for an hour or so at a time. Teenagers!"

"Well, he must be doing other things. He was on a trip and he's been working on his report."

"Oh. And he bought a car yesterday. He took yours and drove around, shopping. He told me this morning that he'd made a purchase. He's to take delivery tomorrow."

"What did he buy?"

"No idea. You can ask him when we get back. That's boy talk."

"You're probably right."

When we got home, Weena made a big salad for lunch. Afterward, I took my book and sat outside in the sun. Only a few minutes later Rob joined me. "May I?"

"Of course."

"Did Weena tell you of my purchase?"

"'A car' was what she said."

"I guess that's so."

"And it is?"

"A 2001 Toyota truck with a custom suspension."

"Expensive?"

"No. A double repo. Hardly scratched. Anyway, I'll know how well it wears in, say, six months."

"Aha! You're going to use it in the field."

"And — uh — wherever I might settle."

"Like Margaret River."

Rob grinned. "A possibility. A definite possibility."

"I'd say 'a hit, a palpable hit'."

"Shakespeare?"

"Hamlet."

"Do you and Weena play at that?"

"Like Ferdinand and Miranda playing at chess?"

"Yes. That's another one. But I know it. Tempest, right?"

"Yes. It's also a famous painting by Madox Brown."

"Anyway, I take delivery on the truck tomorrow. Can you drive me to the dealer?"

"No problem. But it will have to be in the morning. Where's the dealer?"

"Right in Nedlands. Corner of Loch and Stirling Highway."

"Walking distance from my office. Really easy."