Page 87 of Catch a Kiwi
A thin, raspy voice from the shadowed corner of theroom, then. Koro, who hadn’t been asleep. “That’s good,” he said. “That’s good.” He sighed, a long sound.
“Is it a nice birthday, Koro, like you wanted?” Maia asked. “Even though you’re too old to do fun things anymore?”
“Yeh,” he said. “It’s what Summer says. It’s today. My favorite day. And you’re here, too. That makes it the best birthday a man could have.”
36
BADLY ARRANGED CONSTELLATIONS
Roman
I walked out through the kitchen with Summer and tried to think of what to say. It wasn’t easy. I finally said, “You’re good with kids.”
“I like them, that’s why,” she said. “It’s probably all the Barbie parties.”
“Or,” I said, “it’s that you’re kind.”
She said, “Don’t be getting all soft on me now.”
I laughed, and the moment passed. “About ready to leave?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “It feels like the right time, especially since Koro’s asleep. You stuck it out longer than I’d expected. It wasn’t easy, I know. I was—” She paused.
“You were what?” I asked, thinking,Need to go find Delilah next door.
“Proud,” she said. “I know I don’t have a right to be proud, but I was. You stood up for yourself, and you stood up for me. You were honest and strong, but you were kind, too. That isn’t easy.Thisisn’t easy. I was proud.”
I had a sort of pain in my chest, and somehow, I had herhand in mine, too, was looking down at those soft platinum curls, at the ivory skin of her shoulders in the pretty dress she’d admitted I’d paid for, because she had to be honest, even if it hurt. Especially if it hurt.
Hemi was right. That kind of courage didn’t win you any prizes, and it didn’t really help you get ahead. The only reason for it was that you couldn’t be any other way. I wanted to tell her that, and was trying to work out how to do it, when I heard something over the noise of insect song and music and lazy chat.
“Coo-ee!” A happy trill of greeting.
I froze where I stood. I knew that voice.
I’d avoided Daniel almost this whole time. I’d avoided Ana, too. Now, Daniel was hurrying forward with Ana behind him, Daniel saying, “Thought you weren’t coming.”
“I didn’t want to intrude,” my mum said. Because of course it was my mum. She was wearing a floaty dress, heels, and the kind of makeup she favored, which she’d explained to me was “age-appropriate” but looked too glossy to me, not to mention the Botox that had erased any lines that dared to appear on her face, and I could see the glint of gold jewelry from here.
I walked over to them, because what else could I do, and Summer squeezed my hand.Things are as they are,I reminded myself. Looking out into the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations.Alan Watts, and he was right. There was no embarrassment here, because my mum wasn’t me, and I accepted my thoughts and controlled my actions. I could feel, and then I could let the feelings go. Although I was going to need to get her out of here, and I didn’t know how. I breathed in, breathed out, and prepared to meet the situation without flinching. Which was why I didn’t say,If you don’t want to intrude, why are you here?And saidinstead, “Hi, Mum. Surprised to see you.” And kissed her cheek.
“I invited her, of course,” Daniel said. “She belongs here. And it’s a party! The more the merrier. This is my daughter Ana, and this is Lola. Roman’s mum. You’re a stepmum, I guess,” he told my mum. “Another surprise. Lovely, eh. Lovely.”
Ana, who’d barely spoken to me so far, said, “Hi. I could introduce you tomymum, but she hasn’t been invited for yonks, not since she and Dad split. Oh well, nobody ever asks me.” She was a stocky woman who looked ten years older than Hemi but probably wasn’t, with the kind of marionette lines around her mouth that spoke of bad temper. She surprised me now by sliding her arm through mine and saying, “Who’d think I’d find another brother now, though? It’s like life’s given me another chance. I’ve got three kids, too. That makes you an uncle, Roman. Always a good thing to have another uncle to spoil the kids, hey. I reckon it even makes you a grandmother, Lola, if we’re counting that way.”
A spasm of something crossed my mum’s face for the barest instant, then she laughed, an artificial trill of a thing, and said, “But I’m much younger than you, surely. Too silly.” Which made Ana stiffen, but my mum ignored that and said, “Now. Where’s that father of yours, Daniel? Roman’s grandfather. Imagine meeting him at last. I have to greet the guest of honor. I was practically a daughter-in-law, after all.”
Practically how?I thought.If he hadn’t run like a bunny after your so-called romance, you mean?
“He’s asleep.” That came from behind me. Hemi, speaking with finality and no warmth at all. Despite all my training and all my self-discipline, I wanted to say,Not my idea, mate.Seemed I cared about his opinion after all, but then, that was because he’d turned out to be a surprisingly decent bloke, or maybe just somebody I understood.
“Oh,” Mum said. “What a pity. I guess I’ll just meet everybody else, then.”
“My son,” Daniel said. “Hemi Te Mana. Richest bugger you’ll ever meet, and the tightest, too. Squeezes a dollar until the Queen sneezes, Hemi does, unless he’s spending it on himself. Look at this place. Not exactly the Taj Mahal, is it? Unless you’re comparing it to my place, anyway, or Ana’s. Shonky as hell, both of them. You should see wherehelives, though. Sounds like Roman knows what’s due to his mum, because she has a house. In Auckland, and not one like this. Hemi could learn something, maybe.” He glanced around and added flatly, “And Hemi’s wife. Hope.” Hard to see how any man could respond like that to the pretty, sweet little person who was Hope Te Mana, but I was guessing there was a reason. Probably that Daniel had chosen to blame Hope for the lack of the support he felt entitled to, as if she’d be less charitable than Hemi in this or any other universe.
“Oh.” My mum widened her eyes in a way I’d seen all my life—girlish, I thought that was, though it was getting less effective as she got older—and put out her hand. To Hemi, not Hope. “Hemi Te Mana. How exciting, and to find out you’re Roman’s brother! I’m gobsmacked, but how wonderful to have you in the family. I’ve read all about you, of course, but I never dreamt— And your lovely clothes! I can’t really afford them—Roman thinks up-to-date fashion doesn’t matter, and that I should be happy wearing any old thing, though you and I know better, don’t we?—but I always look out for your new lines. Quite daring, I thought your autumn line was. Everybody else doing those oversized things that swallow a woman up, and then there was yours, with those lovely flowing fabrics that just skim over your body. So forgiving, but so flattering, too. Just brilliant. What a thrill it must be to go to Paris Fashion Week and see those beautiful clothes in person. That’s a dream ofmine. An impossible dream, probably.” She smiled brilliantly.
Hemi said, “Thank you,” but his mouth barely moved.
