Patrick
Copyright© 2010 by Peter H. Salus
Chapter 5
In the middle of dinner, the phone rang and Mum answered in the kitchen. I was talking to Rob, and so I didn't overhear. But when Mum returned she said: "You're going to be quite happy, Pat" and sat down to continue eating.
I waited a minute or so and took the bait. "Why will I be happy?"
"Rachel's coming back to Perth."
"Really?"
"Yes. That was Michiko. The earthquake the other day seems to have frightened her parents – Rachel's grandparents. The tsunami in the north raised the water in Osaka about 60 centimeters. And they seem to have felt aftershocks. So she'll be flying in from Hong Kong over the weekend."
"Can I go to the airport?"
"I'll ask tomorrow, okay?"
"You're very excited, aren't you?" asked Rob.
"Yes."
Dad said: "'Journeys end in lovers meeting'."
"Shakespeare again!" remarked Mum.
"Where's it from?" I asked.
"Twelfth Night," said Rob. "The clown sings
'Journeys end in lovers meeting,
Every wise man's son doth know.'
to remind everyone, the twins, Orsino and Olivia, but mostly Olivia that he had earlier sung to her 'O mistress mine, where are you roaming? O, stay and hear; your true love's coming.' And now, each of them has their true love."
"See," said dad, "I'm not the only one who quotes Shakespeare!"
"All right," said Sarah, "Can we now play Scrabble?"
I was still excited. Rob absolutely killed us by using "jonquil" across "long" and "nail." I ended up last. Sarah was happy to have beaten me. Little sisters are like that.
Chaz and Michiko, Rachel's parents, called for me after dinner on Saturday; Al was with a sitter. It was late because Rachel was on Cathay Pacific and they arrive at 2230. I was wearing my suit – my first suit, that Mum had gotten me for the funeral. I was very excited. We got to the airport only a bit early and I was the first to spot Rachel, accompanied by a flight attendant. I jumped up and down and waved; she saw me and ran over. We hugged while Chaz signed a slip of paper for the attendant.
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