Page 2 of Seal of Approval

“They—”

I pushed Bailey in the direction of his room. “Your bookcase, now.” We did not need a discussion about mermaids and their anatomy or their ability to read.

Once the bookcases were in place, they started to put their books away talking with each other the whole time.

“Finished, Mummy,” Rose said, appearing in her doorway.

“Bailey, too?”

“Yes.”

“Good job. Go play on the beach while I go to the store to ask Jack for help with the bigger furniture.”

I walked along the beach to the general store. The sea breeze played at the tendrils of hair that had escaped from my ponytail. It was unusually warm for October, hinting at the hot summer that was soon to come. I made a mental note to check the fire trails over the next week.

The holiday homes to my right overlooked the sandy beach and the bay to my left. Some were big, others small. The larger houses were double-storey, with large windows taking in the view. They were modern and rendered in natural colours to blend in with the bush behind.

They were interspersed with smaller houses, almost like fisherman shacks. These timber houses had paint peeling from years of exposure to the sea. Although they weren’t as grand, they were no less popular with tourists.

Only a one-lane dirt road separated the buildings from the bush behind. The lane allowed access when the road out the front flooded in a king tide.

The campground that straddled the beach was no less popular. Grey nomads in their caravans and motorhomes inhabited it, even in the cold winter months. The younger travellers used tents while families often packed into camper trailers.

The water was calm, tiny waves lapping at the shore.

The one-kilometre walk did me good. Bailey and Rose had hardly stopped bickering all afternoon. Even Timmy, their four-month-old ginger kitten, had left them, seeking solace on my bed.

This had better not be a sign of things to come. Our peace had already been shattered before Ethan even arrived. Living with Ethan would be nothing like living with Max, Rose and Bailey’s father. I’d make sure of that. There was no way my children would feel uncomfortable in their own home. That’s one reason I’d moved Bailey into Rose’s room. It was closer to me, and it would give Ethan space to himself at the other end of the house.

I made my way up the steps to the front door of the store. Soft sand had accumulated under the stairs. Jack would need to clear it out before the treads were overcome with a carpet of the small particles.

The bell clinked as I entered. Jack’s weathered face turned toward me and broke into a smile. “What brings you here on this fine afternoon?”

“I was wondering if you could help me move Bailey’s bed into Rose’s room, please? And some furniture from the house next door into the new ranger’s room.”

Lily popped out from one of the aisles. Her greying, curly hair framed her face. “Preparing for your American co-worker?”

I leant against the counter. “He arrives in two days. I thought it would be a good idea for the kids to get used to their new living arrangements before then.”

Jack’s blue eyes twinkled. “And how is that going?”

I looked out the window to the beach where the kids were playing. “Well, they haven’t killed each other yet.”

Lily laughed. “I hope it doesn’t come to that. Do you have a name for your new co-worker?”

I pulled out my phone and scrolled to the email. “They emailed it this morning. Ethan Shaw. Marine biologist. Splits his time between Monterey Bay Aquarium and the university.”

Lily came to stand beside her husband. “Ooh, high level. Do you have a picture?”

I shook my head. “If you’ve seen one middle-aged man, you’ve seen them all.”

Jack puffed out his chest. “Some of us are finer specimens than others.”

I laughed.

Lily took out her phone and tapped away. A cheeky smile lit up her face. She showed her husband whatever was on her phone.

He slapped his leg, chuckled and gave her a nudge. “That is no ordinary middle-aged white man.”

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