Page 40 of Nothing Without You

‘She’s just a mate,’ Bob kept saying. ‘Don’t make something out of nothing.’

In the end, Evie had not spoken about the incident again, but the memory of him with the blonde girl niggled at her whenever he annoyed her. Now, however, she had his undivided attention, and even though he stared at the ceiling and not at her, at least he was talking to her about something they could do together.

He blew some more smoke upwards, his voice raspy. ‘I want us to go together. My mate has a bait shop near Rockhampton.’ She waited while he coughed. Eventually he stopped, leaned over and put his smoke in the ashtray beside the bed. ‘A place called Yeppoon. He reckons if I go there, I can lease the shop and whatever money I make is mine.’ Now Bob turned to Evie. ‘I’m sick of this shit hole and the band. I’ll be twenty-eight next year. I want to leave, and you can come with me.’

Chapter Forty-Four

For once her mum had stopped what she was doing and listened to what Evie had to say. Was she interested, or shocked? Evie wondered. ‘I’ll be eighteen at the start of next year. You or Dad can’t stop me. Bob is going to run a bait shop, and I’m going to work with him. We’ll live in the space behind the shop. It’s like a flat.’

‘You can’t. I forbid it, and so will your father. He’ll be horrified. You’re to finish year twelve and then go to university.’

‘I’m dropping out. You can’t stop me. I’ve packed my bag and some of my stuff. We’re going in my Datsun. Bob’s car doesn’t work. When I get to Yeppoon, I’ll ring you and let you know our phone number. It’s my life now, and I want to be with Bob.’

Her mother had lectured her, pleaded earnestly, and finally dissolved into a tearful mess of apologies and self-blame ‘This is all my fault. If I hadn’t fallen in love with David, none of this would have happened.’

‘What? You and Father would have just kept living a lie? I’m sorry Mum, but Bob is my boyfriend and he wants me to go with him.’

‘I’ve never even met him. How long has this been going on? You never told me about him until recently.’ She started to sound hysterical and for one moment Evie felt bad. But she was nearly an adult and this was her life. ‘How old is he and what does he do? My job is so busy. I haven’t even met your boyfriend. I wanted to support us, so I’ve spent all my time working. Now you’re going to run off with some boy from school.’

‘I want to be happy,’ Evie said. ‘And being with Bob makes me happy.’ Her mother had let out a wail when she added. ‘He’s twenty-eight and in a band. Does it matter who he is?’ She threw in the last comment to get one last dig in. ‘Are you happy?’

‘Happy? I’ve forgotten what that word even means. How can I be happy? You wouldn’t understand because …. do you love this, Bob? Look at me and tell me if you love him.’

‘I want to be with him. He makes me forget about everything else.’

‘That’s no fucking reason to go with him.’

The ‘F’ word was not a word her mother used, and she was shocked to hear her say it repeatedly as she cursed Evie for her stupidity and for not finishing school. ‘What the hell am I going to tell your father? You’re so close to getting your senior pass and going to university. He’ll come looking for you. He won’t just let you go.’

Evie stood up. ‘Tell him I’m doing just what you and he did. Looking for happiness.’

Chapter Forty-Five

The trip to Rockhampton had been fun and Evie let Bob drive most of the way, feeding him Fantales and reading the facts on the lolly papers. Once they drove away from the Cairns area and travelled further south, he talked to her more and they laughed about some of the funny things that had happened over the past year.

‘I’m really glad you came with me, babe. You know I love you.’

It was the first time he had declared that he loved her in a long while, and she reached up and touched his neck. She twirled his long hair around her fingers. For once it was clean and trimmed. ‘I can’t believe you went to the hairdressers. Your hair looks so good. It’s still really long, but much neater.’

As she pulled his hair between her hands, she peered at his neck. ‘There’s a mark on your neck,’ she said, taking a closer look as she pulled her hand away.

‘What sort of mark?’ he said.

‘Looks like a love bite to me. I haven’t done that this week.’

‘Must be an old one.’

‘No. It’s new.’

He laughed as he reached over and stroked her bare leg. As usual, she wore tiny shorts and a singlet top. Bob liked it when she didn’t wear a bra and she enjoyed the freedom of nothing under her top. ‘You worry too much,’ he said. ‘A couple of the girls at the hairdressers were mucking around when I went in there the other night. Just a bit of fun.’

‘Was it Isla?’

As soon as she asked the question, she regretted it, as his demeanour snapped into a different mood. His words, which had been friendly and happy a minute ago, were now surly and angry, and she looked out her window as he spoke. ‘I don’t like jealous bitches. Don’t be one, okay?’

They drove a long way in silence, the Pink Floyd cassette they were listening to suddenly losing its appeal. When they arrived at a rest area with a toilet and grassy area to park, he pulled in.

‘We’ll stop here. I’m not paying for a motel,’ he said. ‘We can sleep in the car for free.’

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