Chapter 13

Sunday was calm. I rubbed in lotion twice. I timed contractions thrice — more frequent, but not closer together. We ate cold lamb remnants and other remains for lunch and no meat at all for dinner. I told Weena we were becoming un-Australian.

"We'll have goanna to make up for it."

"Ah! We're gonna roast a goanna!" She hit me. And the phone rang.

"Hi, dad. Yes, I'm fine. No, I have occasional contractions, but they don't lead anywhere. Yes, Gordy always has his mobile with him and I've got the number on autodial. Don't worry. We're in Perth, not Laverton or Kalgoorlie. Tell Mary to calm you down. Yes, of course I love you, too. Bye." She turned to me. "He's going to drive me crazy."

"You don't have far to travel."

"Right."

"Anyway, I'll only go into the office for a little while tomorrow, but I do have to be at Scitech on Tuesday. Do you think I should cancel Thursday?"

"No. Patrick's waiting for Easter Sunday."

"Aha! You do believe the ngungi!"

"I'm beginning to. He was right about the gender."

"And that you wouldn't have a difficult time."

"Also true." The phone rang again. "Hello. Willy! How are you? Tell me everything!"

I went into the study. If I was lucky, Weena would tell me what they felt I should know.

On Monday morning I phoned Chaz and asked him to meet me for lunch, but then to come here rather than Floreat. I then turned to the mound of administrivia on my desk. About 11 I came across a note and asked Mona to step in.

"Did you read this?"

"Of course?"

"Can we do it?"

"I don't see why not. You've been executing appropriate tasks; you haven't been filching from petty cash; and you've taken care of what's necessary at Scitech and Floreat."

"Do you have an example?"

"I've got last year's annual reports for Floreat and you can pick up Scitech's tomorrow. Don't worry, it can't be that tough."

"This week everything worries me."

"Oh, right. I forgot. You're the one having the baby."

"Don't be sarcastic."

"Well, what are you tense about? Weena's in good health, no one's told her to lie still or keep her knees up or whatever they say these days. The fashions change so often. But the babies get born anyhow."

"Thanks. What time is it?"

"Before 11."

"I'm meeting with Chaz and then dragging him back here. We should be here before two. I'll have my mobile with me, in case Weena calls."

"You're getting over-wrought again."

"I guess so. I'm turning into a caricature."

"You are one, already."

"You're teasing again!"

"And I'll keep doing it till you get back to reality."

"Thank you."

She went back to her office and I stared at the notice of due date for annual reports. Had I done one last year? I couldn't recall. If Shirl were still here, she might know. But she was off in the Northern Territory. And Maggie could have sent her anywhere. Oh, well. I looked in my file cabinet. There was a tab marked "Annual Report 2004-05." The report was two pages long and listed my talk to the vintners, my work in Monkey Mia, my "award," and a few other things. I felt much better. I shut down the office and locked the door.

"On my way," I said to Mona.

At lunch, Chaz asked about Weena and then began bragging about Rachel, who was talking like crazy. Then he paused. "Do you have a camera?"

"Yeah. I've got a 35mm Leica."

"No, ninny. A digital camera."

"No. Why would I need one?"

"Do your parents have a computer? Does Weena's dad have a computer?"

"Yes and yes."

"They're going to want pictures. Even you and Weena will want pictures. But you can take pictures and email them and they can print 'em or send 'em on. That's what we do for Michiko's parents. They get pictures every few days of Rachel and Rachel with Michiko. I don't count any more. You'd better get one."

"I guess so. I don't know much about them."

"You don't need to know much. The pictures go onto a memory card and you connect the camera to a USB port on your PC, download, attach and mail."

"How much? And where?"

"You can get a decent Sony or Sanyo for under $200. Probably there's a less-well-known brand for under $100. Have you been taking pictures of Weena?"

"No."

"You'd better. Sort of before and after. You follow me on the way back to your office. We'll stop someplace along Stirling Highway and fit you out. Got plastic with you?"

"Sure."

Chaz paid for lunch, we drove along, he pulled in to Retravision. We looked at cameras and then walked outside. "We'll look at another place and then decide." We stopped at a Rick Hart and started to look around. A salesman homed in on us. "Something small and simple for baby pictures," Chaz told him. After looking and demonstrating, I bought a shiny Sony, an extra memory card and a USB cable (I didn't know whether I had an extra at home). All in all it ended up only a bit over $200. Then we went to my office and talked about the report.

Chaz said I needed to get one from Scitech and one from Floreat (him) about two weeks early and then append them to my report. He told me to make certain that my medal citation and my brevet lieutenancy letter were included. He then had me take two pictures of him and one of Mona. He connected the camera to the machine in my office and showed me how to send the one of Mona to her office machine. We then erased all three pictures.

When I got home I showed Weena my acquisition and told her I wanted to take a few shots.

"But I look like a whale!"

"A beautiful whale, then. Anyway ... think of it as before and after. The after will be you holding Patrick."

"OK, but let me do my hair and change my blouse."

"I was going to suggest a bikini top, so everyone can see."

"You're disgusting!"

"Yes, dear."

But I took several pictures and emailed two of them to my folks and Bob.

"Time!" Weena called. I looked at my watch.

"How's it been today?"

"Fourteen minutes this morning, then nothing for about five hours."

"And Patrick?"

"He's been quieter. I think he's got less room to kick these days."

"What's for dinner?"

"Sausages, potatoes and salad. I got some of that hot mustard you like."

"I'll put up water for the potatoes." The phone rang. Weena picked up.

"Hi, mum. What! Already? Right. I didn't want him to; I think I look like a whale. That's what he said. He just bought it. Yes, I think so. I'll tell him. Bye."

"My mother."

"Right. She loves the pictures. She thinks it was clever of you to buy the digital camera."

"I'll have to tell her it was Chaz' idea." The phone rang again. Weena got it and I peeled potatoes. From what I could overhear it was her dad and the conversation was pretty much the same.

When she go off, she said "About a minute ago." I looked at my watch.