Page 26 of Kiwi Sin
“Probably,” he said. “No choice but to learn new ways.”
Patience announced, “Gabriel’s got a new ute, did everybody hear? All his own, because he bought it, and then he fixed it. It’s brilliant, but he still needs to paint it. He was telling me about it earlier. I think blue,” she told him in a confidential sort of tone. “That’ll be prettiest.”
She’d been Outside about three weeks, and she already knew how to talk to men better than I did! Women out here didn’t impress men by their cooking skills. They were witty and forthright and didn’t forget to wear makeup because they’d been in the kitchen all day. I looked down, because I couldn’t bear to look up, and realized I was still wearing my apron. I’d completely forgotten to take it off. I’d made it myself, and it was yellow and had flowers on, but it was still an apron.
Gabriel said, “Oriana’s still on the floor. I’ll grab a chair from outside.” And stood up to do it.
This was so embarrassing. Gray said, “You deserve to sit after cooking all this.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking the chair Gabriel had brought in and sinking back into my corner spot, wishing there were a discreet way to get rid of my apron.
“What color do you think I should paint the ute?” Gabriel asked, sliding down the wall to sit beside me without losing his grip on his plate. “All of you,” he amended, and I flushed again and thought,Of course he didn’t mean me.
“White’s best,” Raphael said. “More visible.”
“That’s what I said,” Gabriel answered, “but I got told it was dull. Anyway, it’s gold and white now, with some gray patches, and all of it’s ugly. So not white, gray, or yellow, I reckon. It’s old, though. Only so much better it’s going to look.”
It was more than Gabrielevertalked. Was that to turn the conversation after the awkwardness? Or was it for Patience? She was so pretty, and she’d been clever at school, almost as clever as Frankie. She was watching Gabriel, smiling, looking delighted, and now, she said, “I still say blue.Brightblue, and shiny.”
“Mm,” Gabriel said.
“May as well go for red, if you’re determined to stand out,” Uriel said. A little stiffly, and I didn’t think he was relishing the couch, or the change. Had Glory been the one pushing to leave, then? “It’s the Devil’s color, but never mind.”
“Red’s good,” Daisy agreed, as if she hadn’t heard any of the undercurrents. “I prefer bright colors, myself.Especiallyred.” As she was wearing a skinny tomato-red jumper today with her jeans, nobody would be too surprised by that.
“Oriana?” Gabriel asked. “What do you think?”
I wasn’t sure how I even answered. He was being kind, I told myself, the same way he’d been about getting me a chair. “Maybe green?” I asked. “A darker one, like the bush when you’re in the shadows? It would still be pretty, but it’s a bit quieter, maybe.”
“I can help you paint it, Gabriel, whatever color it is,” Patience said. “All I have to do until Glory’s baby gets here is to go to school, so I have heaps of time. You could bring it over here, to Gray’s, and we could spread a tarp on the ground so you don’t get paint all over. If you have anything else that I could help with, too, you should ask. Or if Daisy does,” she added. “If Oriana doesn’t want to be the one cooking and cleaning all the time. I thought being Outside would mean having fun, but she’s the same as at Mount Zion, always hanging out the washing or mopping the floor or sewing something. By hand, too, because she doesn’t even have a sewing machine. She’s basically Cinderella. Of course, at Mount Zion, that’s just called ‘Friday.’”
Gray said, “We’re all grateful for Oriana’s help, but you may be right that she does too much.”
“Oh, no,” I said, but then didn’t know how to go on. “It’s a very small yurt,” I finally managed.
“Do you want a sewing machine?” Daisy asked.
“Of course not,” I said. “I’m fine.” Ididwant a sewing machine, but I didn’t want anybody to buy me one. Gray and Daisy were doing enough. No, I was saving for it, along with everything else.
Aunt Constance said, “I’ve got apple custard crumble for a sweet. Oriana didn’t have to cook this one, anyway.”
Everybodydidexclaim over the apple crumble, even though there was no thick, rich, vanilla-sweet homemade custard to pour over the top. And when Patience asked Gabriel if he’d take her for a ride in the ute, he said yes.
He asked if anybody else wanted to go, but I was doing the washing-up with Frankie at the time and wearing my apron. I thought about saying yes anyway, especially when he added, “Oriana?” That was an invitation, wasn’t it? You wouldn’t say somebody’s name unless you really wanted to ask them.
I was about to answer when Aunt Constance said, “I’ll go. I haven’t even seen this famous ute yet. I can sit in the middle. No sin sitting too close to a woman if the woman’s your mum, eh. It’s not really on to go on a ride alone with a man,” she told Patience, “no matter what you’ve heard. Your mum isn’t here, but I am. This time, it’s Gabriel, but who will it be next time? Not a good idea.”
Gabriel said, “That’ll be good, Mum. Cheers for lunch, Oriana. Best meal I’ve had in ages.” But he left with Patience, and I didn’t see him again.
I finished the washing-up.
I had to get over this.
11
BIRTHDAY WISHES
Oriana
