Page 16 of No Strings

I look from where his finger is touching me up into his eyes. They’re soft as they hold my gaze. And then as quick as the panic attack started the realisation that I’m sharing this moment with Rhys comes rushing back.

I drop my hand, he follows the move, and I stand up, “I, ah, yeah.” I don’t know how to process what just happened. He talked me down from a panic attack.

Since when has he cared enough about me to help me down from a panic attack?

I don’t know how long I’ve been laying on my bed, trying to sort out my head, when a knock comes at my door. Liftingmy head I see Shane holding up my sketchpad, “You left this out there.”

Placing it on the desk, he enters my room. Sitting next to me, he tells me he is leaving today, going to catch a ride with the bus back into Burra Point to save someone driving him in.

“Do you have to go?”

“Yeah, shit’s going sideways back home.” I’m not sure what part. Family, the town, or the weak excuse we call a police department. “Rhys and the others are checking the cattle and other shit around the station, readying for this storm that’s hitting in the next couple days.”

“Okay, I’ll go find Dani.” She’s fun to talk to. And Molly will be around. She’s a sweet kid; her smile is so contagious. Tears fill my eyes without permission and I’m grateful Shane thinks it’s for him. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and squeezes me into him.

“Hey, come on, you’ll be home as soon as I find the fucker.”

Swiping at my eyes, “Yeah, yeah no I know. Just yeah…” I trail off.

After some time, we get up and I help him pack his bag. He was only here for two days. Almost feels like a waste. But he got to see his best friend, so I guess that’s something.

We walk to the front shop where we watch as the bus pulls up. Shane gives me a quick hug and then steps in, the doors closing behind him. I watch him find a seat and then continue to watch as the bus pulls away, and just like that, he’s gone. Leaving me in the middle of nowhere with his best friend. What could possibly go wrong?

“Morgan.” I turn around to see Molly with her missing front tooth and blonde hair twisted around her face.

“Hi, Molly.” I wave as I walk to her. Together we enter the shop, and I sit her on the counter. Dani is on the phone, so I put my finger to my lips to signal to be quiet and go about finding the hairbrush and hair ties I know Dani keeps at the desk. I’ve barely been here, but they have taken me in with open arms.

“Molls, guess who that was.” Dani says as she gets off the phone.

“Um,” she places a finger on her chin to add emphasis to her thinking. “Nanna and Poppa F?”

“Sure was. They will be here next week.”

I pause brushing her hair and look at Dani in question.

“Val and Barry, two of the grey nomads that we get up here.”

I nod in understanding, “No, wait, what?”

“Grey nomads? They’re retired people who come up here to escape the Perth winter.”

That makes sense, I guess.

I plait Molly’s hair and tie it off. She squeals her approval and darts off outside. She has so much energy. I should held Dani, but I think I get underfoot more than I help, so I chase after Molly.

We spend the day drawing and playing. I read her a story about princesses, and we turn on a princess movie to watch while we eat our lunch.

My heart aches; spending time with her is both filling the hole that has been there for almost two years and causing it to bleed more.

I watch her from the door. She’s colouring in a drawing of a princess I drew for her, while Rapunzel dances around the town square on the tv.

“It’s so quiet. How did you do that?” Brent asks as he approaches.

I swear I almost leap out of my skin. Brent chuckles his apologies.

“Nah all good, she’s just colouring.” I point to where she is sitting.

“Thank you for watching her. Trying to parent and run this place can be exhausting.”