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Chapter Fifty-Eight

S everal months after they returned home, Abi received a phone call that set her emotions into turmoil. The coroner sought their help to locate the plane wreck, stating it was necessary to return the deceased. Despite the gut-wrenching reason for their request, Abi and Mackenzie were both delighted at the opportunity to return to Kakadu.

Abi was grateful when Krystal offered to look after Warrigal. He was a happy baby and was already living up to the meaning of his Aboriginal name ‘wild and free’. Krystal openly showed love for both her and for her new brother and Abi was comfortable leaving them alone for a couple of days.

When the army helicopter banked to the left, Abi caught a glimpse of rusty, corrugated iron rooftops. The swirl of red dust erupted as the rotors descended onto the dirt road. When the helicopter settled, she stepped out into the middle of the mining town and reached for Mackenzie’s hand.

“It hasn’t changed.” She shielded her eyes from the glaring sun. It had been five months since they started their arduous journey along this dirt road and yet it seemed like just yesterday.

“It will probably still look like this in fifty years.” Mackenzie squeezed his palm to hers.

Abi walked through the swinging saloon doors and ran over to one of the tables. Clutching her abandoned backpack, she remembered how torn she’d been when Mackenzie insisted it remain behind. At the time, all she could think of was her responsibility to Charlie and the letters that were inside.

Mackenzie took his time photographing parts of the town and looked delighted when the proud dingo appeared for a brief moment.

They climbed back into the helicopter and leaned out the sides as they pointed out sections of the river they identified along the way, the pool where they saw the beer can, the waterfall that plunged over an enormous boulder and the abundant hairpin turns that eventually led them to the cliff that had first shown them the way. From the helicopter, Mackenzie yelled with glee as he pointed out the cave they lived in while Abi’s knee healed.

Finding the wreck after that was a matter of completing concentric semi-circles from the cliff. It suddenly appeared as a white blemish in the green forest.

“There it is,” Abi yelled, pointing into the greenery below, and there’s the back part.”

Abi scanned the forest below and was overwhelmed with the sense that she was returning home. She spotted their lagoon with the cascading waterfall and smiled as she remembered hiding behind a tree to spy on Mackenzie as he swam naked.

Their time in Kakadu had taught her to appreciate the small things in life, like butterflies in the morning sun, or the sound of a bird’s call, the smell of wet grass and especially food on her plate and a hot shower.

She would always cherish the wonderful memories they created in the jungle despite the tragic loss they experienced there.

She fondled the new wedding ring on her finger and knew with certainty she and Mackenzie would continue to make more magical memories.