Page 31

Chapter Thirty-One

M ackenzie saw the longing in her eyes but didn’t pry. “Okay, I’ll let you know when lunch is ready.” He watched her walk toward the plane and step inside.

Since they’d dropped the fuselage from its stranglehold in the trees, their settlement was more comfortable. Mackenzie had removed the last of the chairs and stripped the interior of the plane back to a bare shell. In doing so, he’d discovered a metal box in the cockpit that contained a variety of tools, the most valuable being a small axe that came in handy with everything from preparing meals to cutting wood.

He’d bashed the floor until it was as flat as possible and with two mattresses made from parachutes stuffed with leaves, it now served as their bedroom. Mackenzie built a wooden frame to cover the back half of the plane to enclose it more and protect them from the elements. Despite their isolation, he was quite proud of their cosy little campsite.

His hunting skills were now quite good too and he could usually catch small animals with ease. Although he had to apply limits to the amount of flour, sugar and beans he used with each meal, their supply was steadily diminishing.

God help us when we run out completely.

To celebrate her birthday, he wanted to do something special and as he deboned the quoll an idea formed in his mind.

During a recent bush exploration, they’d stumbled upon a shrub with plump green and red fruits. According to Charlie’s journal they were called Munthari and were known as bush cranberries. Their Granny Smith apple flavour tasted great with wild meat and Mackenzie had even used the fruit once to make mini tarts for dessert.

As he stuffed the quoll with a mixture of the berries and crushed wattle seeds, he sensed Abigail sneaking glances. He stopped what he was doing, stared at the side of the plane and chewed on his bottom lip as he waited, knowing it wouldn’t be long. She was terrible with surprises, always needing to know the details. Finally, he caught her peeking out the side.

“Aha, caught yah. You’ll spoil the surprise.”

She grumbled and disappeared. Moments later she strolled to the fire with Charlie’s letters tucked under her arm. “I’ll just be over here then … in case you need me.”

“Okay, but no peeking.”

After removing the sharp spines from half a dozen spiral Pandanus leaves, Mackenzie wrapped the long strips of greenery around the quoll meat. He added a layer of paper bark and tied the bundle together with a strip of wire. He dug out the loose dirt from the earth oven he’d already used dozens of times.

With the axe, he scraped glowing stones from the fire into the pit and placed a layer of wet grass over them. Then he dropped his roast bundle on top. Smoke billowed from the ground as he covered it with more grass and hot rocks. To finish off he covered it with dirt and patted it down with the palm of his hand.

As he cleaned up, Abigail chose one of Charlie’s envelopes and removed the folded letter inside. She always took her time reading them, sometimes reading the same letter several times over. Despite her insistence, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to read them.

He caught her rubbing away a tear. “Why are you reading those sad letters?”

She jolted and turned to him. “I can’t help it. Will you let me read this one to you?”

“No, I told you I don’t like snooping into other people’s business.”

“Come on. It’s my birthday.” She grinned up at him, her eyes pleading.

Mackenzie agonised over his answer. He knew what it felt like to have your privacy invaded. But maybe somehow this was different. Maybe Charlie would’ve wanted them to read the letters.

How else will we know what to do with them ?

Sighing, he hoped he wouldn’t regret his decision. “Okay, but just this one!”

Slipping into the seat beside her, he tried to ignore his dirty feet as he stretched them toward the fire.

“Trust me, you won’t be able to stop at just one.” She cleared her throat. “I should really start with the first letter. It makes more sense to go in order. But this one just seems more appropriate given that it’s my birthday.”

“Just read the letter.”

She huffed. “Maybe I should give you some background?—”

“Read it, Abigail.” He poked her in the ribs.

“Okay.” She giggled before she began reading.

‘Hello Holly, it’s your father here,

Happy birthday, my beautiful girl. I can’t believe you’re eleven already. I thought my heart would burst with joy when I saw you in the park today. I felt like it was my birthday, too. Your pink dress made you look very grown up and your friends looked so happy. I wish I could have been there to celebrate with you, but your mother wouldn’t let me.

I’m sending some money for you to buy something special, and I hope your mum gives it to you this time.

In my dreams I give you lots of cuddles. I hope you get them. I will love you forever. Please write.

Your daddy … ’

Abigail’s voice began to quiver. ‘ Charlie. ’

Tears balanced on her lower lashes, and she seemed more upset by the letter than the words warranted.

Something deeper was going on.

He placed his hand on her knee. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” She dropped her eyes to the page. “It’s just so sad.”

“Do you think she wrote a letter? ”

“Why do you think all these letters are here?” She patted the bundle. “His letters were returned. It’s hard to tell if she even read them.”

A tear escaped and trickled down her cheek and it took all his might not to wipe it away. Charlie had obviously put a lot of time and effort into all these letters. It didn’t make sense that he kept sending them, knowing they’d be returned. “Why wouldn’t she read them?”

“I have this horrible feeling his daughter doesn’t even know he existed.”

Mackenzie remembered when he was eleven and quickly forced the thought aside. This was meant to be Abi’s special day and reading these letters was making her miserable. He couldn’t stand it any longer, he reached over and wiped the teardrop from her cheek. Their eyes met, and her chin dimpled.

“Enough of this sad stuff. It’s your birthday and we’re not having any more tears. Besides, you’ll ruin what precious makeup you have left.”

He watched her laugh—eyes closed, white teeth showing, slight dimples in her cheeks and a lock of blonde hair falling across her face as she tilted her head toward him. With each passing day, she was growing more relaxed, she put on less makeup and her high heel shoes had long ago been abandoned.

She laughed more freely too, and subtle creases had gradually appeared at the sides of her eyes.

Despite their rugged setting, she was blossoming, and he liked what he saw.

He stood up and held his hand toward her, helping her to her feet. “Now go wash your hands. Lunch is nearly ready.”

Walking away, she wore her sadness on her downcast shoulders.

Now more than anything, he wanted to make this day special, and he had the perfect idea to cheer her up.

Lunch first though.

As he dug the roast meat out of the oven the savoury smell made his mouth water. Licking his lips, he juggled the steaming bundle to the table he’d previously made out of a plane-wing. Abigail joined him just as he unravelled it.

They ate with their fingers, peeling off mouthfuls of meat at a time and mixing it with the stewed cranberries and crunchy wattle seeds. The quoll was sweet, tender and delicious.

“This is better than anything the caterers were planning for my birthday,” she mumbled, her mouth full.

“You’re just saying that.”

“No. I mean it. The combination of flavour and texture works so well with the meat. You’re very clever.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He raised his eyebrows. “I have another surprise.”

Her eyes lit up. “What?”

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

She cocked her head. “What are you up to?”

“You’ll have to wait and see. But no peeking. In fact, you need to lie on your bed until I call you, then I know you can’t see what I’m doing.”

She gasped with mock hurt. “It’s my birthday and you want to send me to my room?”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way.” He laughed. “But yes, do as you’re told.”

A small dimple appeared in her right cheek as she grinned at him. “Okay. But only because you asked so nicely.”