Page 34 of Nothing Without You

Wearing a flowing, floral dress and strappy leather sandals, her mother twirled around and paraded in front of Evie. Her hair was shiny and bounced on her shoulders, the dangling earrings and bracelets she wore adding a summer vibe. Evie noticed she still wore her gold wedding band, and she wondered how long she would wear it for. Did she still think about Mr McIntosh and dream about running away with him, or had that idea gone out the window, just like Evie’s illusion of being with Chris?

Evie plucked some stray hairs from her eyebrows, running her finger over them to flatten the dark hairs. A touch of mascara and eyeliner made her eyes look even darker, and she stared at herself in the mirror. She scowled, cursing her brown hair and green eyes. Why couldn’t she have lighter hair and blue eyes, like Peace and Sissy? Mother’s voice broke her thoughts. ‘I’m leaving. Now remember, you have to be home before lunch tomorrow. I know where you are, so if you don’t want me to embarrass you and come looking for you, remember what I said.’

As she stood on the front step and waved her mother off, a sense of liberation flowed through her. Picking a hibiscus flower off a nearby bush, she tucked it behind her ear, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a squashed cigarette. Her mother had the habit of leaving her cigarettes lying around, and it was easy enough to steal one or two every so often.

A small piece of flint paper and a couple of matches later, she was happily puffing away on a Benson and Hedges Light. A cane chair positioned in the corner was a good place to sit, and she leaned back comfortably, resting her feet on the veranda rail. This feeling was the best. Freedom. No more lectures. Instead, a no-care attitude from her mother. What more could she want?’

As she inhaled and then blew the smoke upwards, she thought about Chris. They had come so close to being together. Properly together. She inhaled harder and drew back deeper, the smoke burning her throat and lungs. She didn’t need him anyway. There were plenty of other boys, or even men, out there who thought she was pretty. A nearby ashtray already full of her mother’s cigarette butts was perched on the railing, and she stood up to squash the end of her smoke into the remnants.

Her hands ran over her sunflower dress, a cotton mini shift that fitted tightly and came to just below her bottom. It was her favourite, but she hadn’t worn it this summer because she always felt it was a bit short. Now she didn’t care. This was the new Evie. The North Queensland Evie, who smoked dope when she wanted, made her own decisions, and hung out with cool kids who lived in a commune.

Slipping on her leather granny shoes, she looked up as voices sounded on the track nearby. Before long, Sissy and Peace were strolling up the path to her house, waving their arms in the air when they caught sight of her.

A small sports bag packed with some clothes and her toothbrush was ready. She picked it up, waving to them. They greeted her like they had known her for years, and she invited them in while she shut the house up.

Peace and Sissy looked around inside. ‘Reedsy and Blue used to live here,’ Peace said. ‘They were friends of Katrina’s too.’

‘How come they moved out?’ Evie asked.

‘They packed up and went down south. Somewhere near Sydney. They’re with the anti-nuclear protestors, blockading the wharves to stop the government sending uranium overseas.’ Sissy looked up at some of the paintings on the wall. ‘I reckon I’d like to protest. They sometimes talk about putting a road through the Daintree. I’d tie myself to a tree for that.’

Sissy peered at a framed photo of Evie and her dad. ‘Is that your dad?’

‘Yes.’

‘He’s gorgeous. Looks Italian. I bet he drinks wine with dinner every night. Mum’s friend married an Italian, and he makes his own grappa.’

‘Talking about wine, I don’t have any,’ Evie said. ‘We haven’t been into town yet. I’ll have to find a way to get in there somehow without Mum.’

‘You won’t have a problem. Ernie at the bait shop sells grog to us. He has a stash for us kids. Don’t worry, we have plenty. You can share ours.’

Nerves rattled Evie’s stomach as she followed the others up the track, away from the stability and safety of her new home. She silently lectured herself to leave the old Evie behind. The further they walked, the more she felt like she was entering a new era, when adventure was going to be the number one thing in her life. The flip side of moving here was definitely the thrill of hanging with very cool friends. ‘Can I sleep with you two tonight?’ she asked the girls. ‘I told my mum I would be with you.’

Sissy grabbed one of her hands and Peace the other, positioning Evie in the middle of them. They started to skip up the muddy path. ‘Of course you can. You can be our sister,’ Peace declared.

When they arrived at the commune, Evie was struck by the sight in front of her. Nestled within the lush rainforest, a small clearing opened up, revealing a cluster of humpy style houses and other roughly built structures. The houses, crafted from rough logs, blended into the natural surroundings, their tin roofs barely visible beneath layers of fallen branches and leaves. Colourful pieces of fabric adorned the doors and windows, while small verandas extended invitingly from the front

In one corner of the clearing, two large teepees stood, their exteriors covered in a tapestry of moss and mould. Nearby, a central firepit served as the focal point, surrounded by makeshift log seats arranged in a circle. A few individuals lounged on large rugs, engaging in conversation and passing around a smoke, while others who offered friendly waves as Evie and Peace walked by, busied themselves constructing what Sissy said was going to be a new laundry area.

Encircling the clearing were tall, slender palm trees, their fronds swaying gently in the breeze. Evie gazed upward through the small gap in the canopy, observing the spiralling smoke from the fire as it dissipated into the clear, blue sky. The atmosphere was damp, yet refreshing, and she couldn't help but chuckle as a group of naked children dashed past them, their laughter echoing through the air. ‘This is cool,’ she said. ‘Very cool.’

‘It’s home,’ Peace replied. ‘Peace. Love. Weed.’

The first house they approached belonged to the girls, and Evie followed them inside through the open front door. The interior was dimly lit, casting shadows across the crude furniture, assembled from whatever scraps of timber and fabric were available. She surveyed the surroundings, taking in the makeshift nature of their furnishings with a mixture of curiosity and admiration.

Peace unrolled a thin mattress from a cupboard and put it between two other mattresses that were on the floor. ‘There, you can sleep here, right between the two of us. Motel Sugar Cove for the night. Welcome.’

Tim and Arlo met them in the centre of the commune. Tim had a tin esky with beer and a cask of wine in it. Arlo also had a cask. ‘We brought extra. We figured you wouldn’t have any supplies yet, being new here.’

As she walked out through the gates of the commune and headed further up the trail, she felt that tonight was going to be the start of a brand-new adventure. The end of childhood perhaps, and the beginning of a new adult journey.

The house where the party was held belonged to Stoner. He had grown up in the area, moved away and then returned only last year and started the band. He swung a rickety gate open for them to enter onto the veranda, cautioning them to step carefully as some of the floorboards were rotten and needed replacing. The entire house looked like it was falling down to Evie, but she smiled and followed the others, just as if these sorts of parties were something she went to every weekend.

Inside the house, groups of people sprawled on faded rugs, drinks in one hand and smokes in the other. Timber crates like the ones Evie’s dad used to bring home oranges from the market in, made for tables, their tops covered with drinks and ashtrays. Some old mattresses pushed against the chamferboard walls provided more comfortable areas to sit or lie, and Evie tried not to look shocked at a couple rolling around under an old blanket. She quickly turned away, the noises from the girl audible above the loud music that was blaring out of several large speakers scattered around the house.

Peace grabbed her hand, pulling her along as they made their way through the crowd towards the large kitchen, which was also full of people well into the swing of the party. The reggae beats of Bob Marley reverberated throughout the house, and a couple of girls danced on top of the large kitchen table. One of the girls wore a pink crocheted dress, its intricate design showcasing her tanned skin, which was visible through the generous holes in the design. Evie’s breath caught in her throat. The girl wore nothing underneath. Naked apart from the flimsy dress!

‘Cool, hey?’ Peace whispered to her. ‘Some of the kids are from school, but there are a lot of older kids here also. Watch out, here comes Bob. I reckon he’s hot for you.’

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