Murfey's Law (21 page)

Jenny gave her a hug and closed the front door behind her, leaving Kristy alone in the shop.

Taking out her mobile she sent Simon a quick text message to update him on what was happening here and warned him not to wait up for her.

Down on the rocks watching the clouds roll up from the south Lori sat with her arm around Bob, still in her bikini and still wrapped in Zeb's picnic blanket.

‘No more putting things off.’ She took a deep breath and peeled open the envelope.

My Dearest Lorikeet,

Firstly, I want to assure you that this letter is not about me unloading my guilty conscience on you and nor is it seeking your forgiveness. I won't ask for something I do not deserve. I do however want you to hear me acknowledge that what I did was intolerably wrong. There is absolutely no excuse for the choice I made and it's now too late for me to put it right. I know that from my mistake you will have learnt the terrible consequences that come from not having the courage to fight for what you believe in, and I know that because of this, you won't make the same mistake, because if you truly love it, you won't let it go.

Eternally sorry,

Dad

‘Wake up!’ Kristy whispered into the back of Lori's sleeping head. 

There was no response.
 

‘Lori, wake up, I think someone's in the shop... hic... pardon me haha!’ She tried to move her hands to cover her mouth but couldn't release them from the grip of tangled covers, so instead she buried her giggles in the massive bird's nest of Lori's hair.
 

‘Wha... What?’ With her entire body paralysed from the effects of way too much wine, and added to the fact she'd passed out on top of her surfboard, sending every muscle in her body into shock, Lori could barely move. Still mildly drunk, it took all of her effort just to lift her head a little and turn it towards the voice.
 

‘Hey, you're alive!’ Kristy stifled another snigger then shushed herself and carried on, ‘I mean you're awake! I was just saying... that I think somebody is in the shop.’
 

‘Don't be silly, go back to sleep.’ Still in yesterday's bikini, lying on her stomach with her hands wedged under her gift and the grubby picnic blanket woven between her limbs, Lori was a mess. Her head thumped and her eyes stung, but as soon as she returned her face to the cool surface of the board she drifted off again. Beside her on the bedside cabinet her phone ticked silently over to five-thirty.
 

‘Ok, but don't blame me if you get burg... burger... robbed.’ Exhausted from the histrionics of last night Kristy nodded compliantly and closed her eyes, falling straight back to sleep.
 

Between the girls, laid amongst the empty bottles and plastic tableware Bob listened to the quiet thud of heavy footsteps on the stairs. Lifting his chin he wagged his tail at the figure that appeared in the doorway then turned his head, resting his chin on Lori's ankle as his eyes and ears continued to track the footsteps as they made their way across the floor.
 

Lori sighed as she enjoyed the peaceful calm that sleep brought her. Away from the pain and sadness of yesterday's events, and in her dreams, she could feel the warmth of Zeb's fingers against her skin, brushing the hair away from her face and tucking it tenderly behind her ear. It was like Christmas Day all over again.
 

As the footsteps returned to the doorway, pausing for a moment before descending the stairs, Bob put his head back between his paws and sighed too.
 

The harsh reality of seeking solace in fizzy wine and birthday cake was not a pretty sight. As the sun streamed in the window around seven Lori woke with a start when, mid dream, she fell off the edge of her surfboard. The drop was merely a couple of inches, but the sensation was enough to make her subconscious trick her into believing she was falling off the edge of the earth. As her body jumped she scared Bob and Kristy awake also. The three of them sat upright on the bed, hazy eyed, all looking at each other and the mess of their surroundings for a few moments as they truly came to. 

Bob was the first to make a move. In a leap reserved only for cattle dogs and gymnasts he cleared Kristy's legs and the pile of rubbish on the floor landing in the doorway where he stretched his limbs and trotted down the stairs in anticipation of his breakfast.
 

‘What time is it?’ Kristy unravelled herself from the covers and rummaged for her watch, lost somewhere amongst the detritus.
 

‘Ten past se...’
 

‘Seven?’ Kristy looked at Lori who'd turned to check the time on her phone but now seemed frozen. ‘Lori? You ok?’
 

On top of the cabinet, beside her mobile and lying on the single sheet of paper that was her father's letter was something that hadn't been there last night, she was certain of that.
 

‘What's that?’ Kristy asked as Lori picked it up.
 

Twisting back round on the bed Lori held it out in front of her, holding it up high by the little piece of white ribbon it was tied to so that the sun shone on it, making it sparkle and flash, she spoke slowly, ‘It's a key.’
 

‘Oh my god, he must have put it there.’ Kristy climbed out of bed and began collecting the rubbish to take downstairs. ‘I knew I wasn't going mad, I told you someone was in the shop.’
 

‘When?’ Lori initially highly doubted Zeb would have come round, although when her memory of the last week pushed through the fog of her hangover and kicked in, she supposed rather sadly, that it was in fact possible.
 

‘This morning, some time just before dawn I'd guess by the way the birds were going crazy outside.’ She took the key from where it hung on Lori's finger. ‘Do you think it's for his...’
 

‘No, absolutely not,’ Lori interrupted, snatching it back. Regardless of how much she wanted it to be, she didn't allow herself to even think for a second that it was a key to Zeb's house.
 

‘But it could be.’ Kristy led the way down to the kitchen. Stopping at the bin she disposed of the empty cake box and dropped the bottles into the recycling. The noise made the pair of them wince in pain. ‘Whoops, sorry!’
 

‘It's not, I'm certain, and I'll prove it to you.’ Lori filled Bob's bowl with biscuits then walked slowly out the kitchen and through the shop, pulling open the front door.
 

As she ran the ribbon through her fingers she closed her eyes and dropped her shoulders. Still raw with the emotions of yesterday she wanted nothing more than for Kristy to be right, however, she just knew in her heart that if it was Zeb that Kristy had heard earlier, then he'd been returning his key to her place, making fully sure she understood that there was nothing left between them. Lori's hand shook as she lifted it hesitantly to the lock. Pushing the tarnished silver key into the opening it slid with ease and when she twisted it clockwise, the latch moved compliantly.
 

‘Oh shit, I'm sorry babe.’ Kristy rushed over to her. Pulling the key out again she kicked the door shut with her foot and led Lori away, settling her down into her desk chair.
 

After her second cup of coffee Kristy felt confident she could drive the car safely back to Green Bay . Although Simon had texted her to say he had everything under control and that she could take as long as she wanted, Lori needed some space to think, and so Kristy decided it would be best if she headed home. 

‘Now you know you can call me for anything ok?’ Kristy wrapped her arms around her fragile friend and kissed her cheek.
 

‘I know,’ Lori squeezed back, ‘and thank you, but I need to sort this mess out on my own.’
 

‘Ok, well, once you've sorted out in your mind whatever it is that you want and the meeting is done, will you let me know if you need me to come over? I may not be up for wine, but I can always bring more cake.’ She laughed and opened the front door, stepping out onto the verandah.
 

‘We should probably give both of those things a miss, for a while at least, but I promise, I'll call you this afternoon and let you know.’ Lori blew her a kiss and watched as she disappeared out of the driveway.
 

Writing a quick notice for the front, explaining that the shop would be closed for the morning and reopening at lunch, Lori stuck it beside the screen door and shut herself inside. She had precisely two and a half hours to clean herself up and make possibly the biggest decision of her life. Right now, as she tried to run her fingers through her hair, the latter seemed the more painless of the two.
 

An entire bottle of conditioner and a shower drain full of long blonde hair later, Lori was satisfied she no longer looked deranged. Now, as she stood in front of the mirror in the most conservative summer dress she could find, which, being held up by tiny little spaghetti straps and ending three inches above the knee, was in reality not particularly conservative, Lori thought she just looked sad and tired. Tired of holding a grudge against her father, and tired of feeling sorry for herself. 

Zeb's words resounded in her ears, he was right, she'd been wallowing in self-pity for too long and if she was fed up of hearing it, she could only imagine how frustrated everyone around her must feel too.
 

‘Lorikeet? You here darling?’ Jenny's voice travelled up from the kitchen.
 

‘Coming!’ Lori called back as she brushed the last of the cake crumbs from the bed and went down to face the music.
 

Greeted at the bottom of the stairs with one of Jenny's trade mark hugs Lori knew she was forgiven before she'd even apologised. Still it was important she said it. ‘Jenny, I am so, so sorry that I lied to you about the offer on the shop.’
 

‘Oh Darling, I don't care about this silly old place, I just want you to be happy, you know that don't you?’ Jenny stepped back from the hug to look up at Lori's face, but kept her hands gripped firmly on her hips.
 

Feeling the familiar sting of tears behind her eyes Lori sniffed them back, determined not to wallow anymore. ‘I do, yes. And I want you to know in return that I value everything you've done for me since I arrived.’
 

Wiping a tear from her own cheek Jenny looked like she wanted to say something but then stopped herself. Jiggling Lori's hips under her hands she changed the subject, ‘Good grief child, I can feel all your bones, come on lets get a proper breakfast into you.’
 

‘Did someone say breakfast?’ Tyler had come in via the deck and appeared in the doorway to the kitchen grinning like the Cheshire cat.
 

Lori rolled her eyes as he lifted his shirt and patted his stomach, winking at her as he did. He knew the effect this had on her and was using it as a means of trying to cheer her up. It certainly wasn't doing her any harm. As he let his shirt drop back down he stepped forward and enveloped her in his huge arms, pulling her face in to his chest and kissing the top of her head as he smoothed her damp hair. He put on his campest voice, ‘Ooo! Coconuts!’
 

The three of them all exploded with laughter.
 

Both tucking in to an enormous serving of fried everything, Lori and Tyler talked about his plans for the future. This time next year he would be let loose on the animal kingdom and would be in search of a position in an established practice until he felt confident enough to set out on his own. He explained that his grandmother had just come in to a little 'spare cash' as she'd apparently put it and was going to set it aside for him to use when he was ready to branch out on his own. 

‘So where do you think that'll be?’ Lori asked through a mouthful of pork and apple sausage.
 

‘I'm not sure,’ he grinned, knowing exactly where her question was leading. ‘Maybe the vet in Green Bay will take me under his wing for a while until he's ready to retire, and if I save my backside off then I could buy him out. What do you reckon?’
 

‘I reckon that's a brilliant idea,’ Jenny interrupted as she rattled the oven shelves, realigning them so that they'd fit all four cake tins she was trying to cook at once.
 

‘Enough about me.’ Tyler put down his knife and fork and swivelled on his stool to face Lori. ‘What about you beautiful, what the hell are you going to do today?’
 

‘Tyler!’ Jenny reprimanded him.
 

‘What?’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I'm only asking what everyone is thinking.’
 

‘Yes, but it's none of your business young man, you know better than that.’
 

‘It's ok Jenny, he's right,’ Lori smiled. ‘My honest answer is, I don't know.’
 

‘You don't know? Hell girl you've got barely one hour to make up your mind, talk about cutting it fine.’