Page 113 of Summer, in Between
‘Why, yes, I do believe you can.’He takes my hand and we walk across to join Mum by the fire.
‘There’s actually something you should know.’I pass Paul a flaming marshmallow.‘You might want to brace yourself.’
‘I’m a big boy, I can take it.’He blows out the flames, his cheeks puffing.‘Do your worst, Kelty.’
‘Okay, this might come as a surprise to you, but I have a bit of a temper.’
Mum and Dad hoot with laughter.
‘Really?’says Paul.‘I hadn’t noticed.’
Epilogue
‘DRIVE safe, Cat, andcall us when you arrive.’Mum moves beside Dad, his arm coming around her shoulder as her lip trembles.
‘Can I have your bedroom?’says Tommy, throwing his arms around me, his head down.He hugs me, hard.
‘This is a joke,’ says Matty.‘She’ll be back in a couple of weeks for the long weekend.We already had the Festival of Cat celebration when she got her marks, and again when she got into law and freakin’ again when she got that scholarship.Do we really need to drag out a big dramatic farewell?’
‘Come here and kiss your sister goodbye.’I hold my arms out.I’m still genuinely in shock about the scholarship.Who could have ever guessed that the issues assignment I started last summer ended up in federal parliament after a local politician heard about it on a school visit?If it wasn’t for that, I know for a fact that my scholarship application would have gone nowhere.Another fact?My assignment about misogyny and sexism wouldn’t have been half as good if I hadn’t have gone to see Isabel Dillon at the end of last summer, just her and me, talking, away from all the rumours and bitchiness.I don’t know that we’ll ever be real friends, but I think now at least we get each other.‘I’m going to miss you, turdburger.’
‘Me too,’ he says, tears in his eyes.‘Shut up.’He brushes them away when I give him a teasing smirk.
‘Catarina, remember where you come from,’ Nonna says to me in Italian.‘You’re a good girl, you’ve worked so hard, you make me very proud to be your Nonna.’
‘Don’t let the petrol gauge go under half.’Dad wraps me in a hug.
‘I love you, baby girl.We’re so proud of you.Go grab the world; it’s yours.’
‘I love you too.’I don’t even bother to stop the tears.
‘Ugh, enough,’ drawls Matty.‘I’m going upstairs.’
‘Don’t you even think of it.’Nonna grabs him by the ear and even though he towers above her he lets her.‘You stand there and show your sister some respect.The way you behave?You’ll be needing her as your lawyer.’
‘Man, it’s like she’s going off to war,’ he mutters.
