Chapter 44: Intermezzo: Gordy

I'd barely returned from lunch with Chuck when my mobile buzzed.

"Yes?"

"Dad, it's Patrick."

"Tell me about it."

"What?"

"You've called with a problem."

"In a sense. But it's yours, not mine."

"Oh?"

"Sarah called me."

"Unsurprising."

"She wanted me to call mum, but I thought I'd call you first."

"And... ?"

"Sarah's in Geraldton. She's met a bloke and is going on to Port Hedland for a week. She sounded fine, I told her to get the car checked at a real garage prior to driving that far."

"Is there more?"

"Not really. Some of it is comical. But mum won't think so."

"In that?"

"The bloke's with a traveling circus."

"Oh my God! An acrobat?"

"No. Funnier. A vet. Large quadrupeds."

"You're right, Weena won't find it funny. Are you two okay?"

"Yes, quite fine. Winnie put us on to her advisor at Westpac. Have you made a decision yet?"

"It's got to be by Monday."

"Right. I'm going to get off and call mum."

"Fine. I'll leave here and get home."

I packed up some papers, let the receptionist know that I was leaving and went out to my elderly Safari (over 300,000 klicks!) and drove home. I took my time.

At lunch, Chuck and I talked about leaving Perth. I'd been here for over 23 years, and he for just over 25. Both of his kids were in Sydney, as was Patrick. And Sarah? The CSIRO wanted him at Black Mountain. The Museum wanted me. I was now 54, he was only a bit younger. Here we'd get older and greyer. Should we move? All four of us?

I walked in on an over-excited Weena.

"Patrick called! He spoke with Sarah! My baby's okay!"

"I spoke to him, too."

"And she'll call soon! What should I say to her?"

"'Hello', might be a good start." I got a bottle out of the fridge, pour a glass of white and handed it to her.

"Thanks." She chugged it down and I refilled it. "She's in Geraldton having sex!"

"Well, I doubt whether that was the entire basis. She's nineteen. I'm certain she's done that here."

"Gordy! Your own daughter!"

"Weena. Calm down. Relax a bit." I steered her to the sofa and she sat down. "Let's try to be rational. Sarah's of age. Unless she does something blatantly criminal, she won't have trouble with the law. And she's not done anything particularly reprehensible or illicit. Let's see. At her age you were sweet and virginal in Adelaide, right?"

Weena went bright red. "Oh! You! You... !" and burst into giggles. "I'm being a truly silly mama bear, aren't I?"

"Well, if she'd eloped and called to say that she'd wed a jackeroo and was off to live in a tin shack, it might be serious. But go wash your face and see what she says when she calls."

When the phone rang, Weena answered and took it into the kitchen. After a few moments with no shrieking, I called Michiko on my mobile.

"Gordy. Yes, I think everything's fine. Weena can tell you later. How about meeting us for dinner? On me. Let's try The Wild Fig. It's on The Esplanade on the Indian Ocean beach in Scarborough. Right. When do you expect him? Well, let's make it 1900, then. Wonderful."