party.
Thirty! Pete shook his head. How the hell did that happen? He couldn’t be thirty. He didn’t feel much different to the day he was handed his MR licence – his passport to driving medium-sized trucks and the first step towards the combination licence he now held as a road train driver. He was a better driver now, of course, after that many years on the road. Older, too, of course. But thirty? He couldn’t be thirty.
Where had the years gone?
There was a wooden table and chairs behind the pub for the smokers to use, but they were empty at the moment. Pete leaned back against the table and looked up at the sky. He could see the stars, but not enough of them. Many were lost in the refracted light of the houses and cars and street lights. It was one of the things he didn’t like about living in a town even this big. He liked the vast open skies at night, with so many stars a man would need a lifetime to count them all.
‘Hey, birthday boy. What are you doing out here all alone?’
The scent of perfume cut through the night air as Linda approached.
‘Just getting a breath of fresh air, Linda,’ Pete replied.
‘Do you mind if I join you?’ It was a rhetorical question. Linda had already taken up position next to him, leaning against the same table, her leg gently touching his.
‘I hope you’re enjoying the party,’ Linda said.
‘Yeah. You’ve done a great job. Thank you.’
‘No worries. Anything for you. You know that.’ Her voice dripped with meaning.
They sat in silence for a few moments. Linda was pretty, with shoulder-length brown hair and a trim figure. She looked terrific in a tight T-shirt and even tighter jeans. She was funny too, and kind. All the drivers liked her, but none of them had ever made a move on her. Because she was Pete’s girl.
Pete felt pretty bad about deceiving her tonight. It seemed cruel to pretend all was well between them, when he’d already decided to call it quits. But surely it would be even more cruel to end it now, when she’d gone to all this trouble to set up the party? Let her have tonight. He was heading out on a run to Birdsville tomorrow, stopping off at the mine near Coorah Creek. He’d be gone a couple of days. When he got back, he’d tell her.
He didn’t think she’d be too upset. At least, he hoped she wouldn’t be. In Pete’s mind the relationship had never been more than casual. He thought she felt the same way and no doubt spent time with other men when he was away. That thought didn’t bother him at all. He made no claims upon her – nor she on him.
‘I have a present for you,’ Linda said softly.
‘You didn’t have to. I mean, all the work you put into the party. That was enough.’
‘That was nothing,’ she said. She was looking at him intently now. He could see the emotion on her face. She looked uncertain. That was rare for Linda. She normally exuded confidence. It was part of her appeal.
He didn’t say anything, he waited for her to go on.
‘We’re going to have a baby.’
Pete froze. The world around him did to. He struggled to understand what he’d just heard.
‘A baby?’
‘Yes. I’m pregnant. Isn’t that wonderful!’ Her voice held a slight tone of desperation.
‘But we … always used … How?’ Pete fought to get the words out.
‘Just one of those things. It really doesn’t matter now. We’re going to have a baby. I love you, Pete. And I’m so happy.’
She stopped speaking, obviously expecting him to reply in a similar way. He struggled to find some words.
‘How far? I mean … when …’ he stammered.
‘I’ve only just found out. I’m only a few weeks along. Please don’t tell anyone. Not yet. I want to wait.’
Linda stopped speaking and stared into his eyes. Hers began to well with tears. ‘Oh, Pete, tell me you’re happy about this. That you and I …’ She started to step away from him. ‘You’re not going to dump me, are you? You can’t.’
The fear in her voice
Thirty! Pete shook his head. How the hell did that happen? He couldn’t be thirty. He didn’t feel much different to the day he was handed his MR licence – his passport to driving medium-sized trucks and the first step towards the combination licence he now held as a road train driver. He was a better driver now, of course, after that many years on the road. Older, too, of course. But thirty? He couldn’t be thirty.
Where had the years gone?
There was a wooden table and chairs behind the pub for the smokers to use, but they were empty at the moment. Pete leaned back against the table and looked up at the sky. He could see the stars, but not enough of them. Many were lost in the refracted light of the houses and cars and street lights. It was one of the things he didn’t like about living in a town even this big. He liked the vast open skies at night, with so many stars a man would need a lifetime to count them all.
‘Hey, birthday boy. What are you doing out here all alone?’
The scent of perfume cut through the night air as Linda approached.
‘Just getting a breath of fresh air, Linda,’ Pete replied.
‘Do you mind if I join you?’ It was a rhetorical question. Linda had already taken up position next to him, leaning against the same table, her leg gently touching his.
‘I hope you’re enjoying the party,’ Linda said.
‘Yeah. You’ve done a great job. Thank you.’
‘No worries. Anything for you. You know that.’ Her voice dripped with meaning.
They sat in silence for a few moments. Linda was pretty, with shoulder-length brown hair and a trim figure. She looked terrific in a tight T-shirt and even tighter jeans. She was funny too, and kind. All the drivers liked her, but none of them had ever made a move on her. Because she was Pete’s girl.
Pete felt pretty bad about deceiving her tonight. It seemed cruel to pretend all was well between them, when he’d already decided to call it quits. But surely it would be even more cruel to end it now, when she’d gone to all this trouble to set up the party? Let her have tonight. He was heading out on a run to Birdsville tomorrow, stopping off at the mine near Coorah Creek. He’d be gone a couple of days. When he got back, he’d tell her.
He didn’t think she’d be too upset. At least, he hoped she wouldn’t be. In Pete’s mind the relationship had never been more than casual. He thought she felt the same way and no doubt spent time with other men when he was away. That thought didn’t bother him at all. He made no claims upon her – nor she on him.
‘I have a present for you,’ Linda said softly.
‘You didn’t have to. I mean, all the work you put into the party. That was enough.’
‘That was nothing,’ she said. She was looking at him intently now. He could see the emotion on her face. She looked uncertain. That was rare for Linda. She normally exuded confidence. It was part of her appeal.
He didn’t say anything, he waited for her to go on.
‘We’re going to have a baby.’
Pete froze. The world around him did to. He struggled to understand what he’d just heard.
‘A baby?’
‘Yes. I’m pregnant. Isn’t that wonderful!’ Her voice held a slight tone of desperation.
‘But we … always used … How?’ Pete fought to get the words out.
‘Just one of those things. It really doesn’t matter now. We’re going to have a baby. I love you, Pete. And I’m so happy.’
She stopped speaking, obviously expecting him to reply in a similar way. He struggled to find some words.
‘How far? I mean … when …’ he stammered.
‘I’ve only just found out. I’m only a few weeks along. Please don’t tell anyone. Not yet. I want to wait.’
Linda stopped speaking and stared into his eyes. Hers began to well with tears. ‘Oh, Pete, tell me you’re happy about this. That you and I …’ She started to step away from him. ‘You’re not going to dump me, are you? You can’t.’
The fear in her voice
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