Cassie Read online

  Her shift ran from eleven to five. Normally, she’d be home by five-thirty. Not tonight. Tonight, she was going to watch a movie at her own cinema. She did get free tickets, after all. Two, to be precise. She pulled her phone from her pocket.

  Even if she didn’t get a reply, she’d still go by herself. It wouldn’t matter that she’d seen most of the movies before.

  She was just in the mood, that’s all.

  Ivy

  ‘I don’t know what’s got into that girl,’ said Ivy, returning to the kitchen. ‘She’s taken off like a scalded cat.’

  ‘Being a teenager. That’s what gets into them,’ said Fern. She gathered the last of the scrambled egg and spooned it into Cassie’s mouth. ‘I’ll tell you one thing, Cass,’ she said. ‘That journey has done nothing to dint your appetite. As my grandmother used to say, “I’d sooner keep you a week than a fortnight.”’

  Ivy sat on the chair next to Fern and leaned in to Cassie’s wheelchair.

  ‘How did you sleep, poppet?’ she asked.

  Cassie twisted her head, smiled and gave a low gurgle. Her hand, fingers bent as if they’d been broken and mended very badly, lifted and waved. Ivy glanced at Fern.

  ‘She says she had a great night’s sleep,’ said Fern. ‘Just as well, because frankly I was in a coma. And now we both feel refreshed and ready to rock and roll, don’t we kiddo?’

  ‘Are you sure you don’t want to just rest today?’ asked Ivy.

  ‘What ya reckon, Cass? Rest or party?’

  Cassie beamed as her body convulsed. Her eyes stayed on Ivy who noticed how deep a brown they were. And sparkly. Little flashes of light danced in her pupils.

  ‘Looks like that’s a vote for party,’ said Fern. ‘I’ll just get these breakfast dishes done and then we’ll take my car. See what this place has to offer for a couple of tourists from the NT. Sound okay, sis?’

  ‘No, it doesn’t,’ said Ivy. ‘No way are you doing these dishes.’

  Holly

  Raph McDonald turned up for the twelve-thirty showing.

  One minute Holly was doing an EFTPOS transaction for an elderly couple who had chosen to see a very violent road movie and the next Raph loomed, like a vision, on the other side of the counter. Holly’s mouth dried up and her tongue turned rubbery and died. She stared blankly at him for a moment or two, doing a terrific impersonation of someone hit round the back of the head with a baseball bat. He smiled at her and his teeth glinted.

  ‘Hey!’ he said. ‘How are ya, Hayley?’

  Being directly addressed by Raph McDonald jolted the dead muscles in her tongue back to life. Like those medical shows where they stick a couple of plates onto someone’s chest and go, ‘Clear, pow!’

  I like the name, Hayley, thought Holly. It’s a good name.

  ‘Hi, Raph,’ she replied, heart thudding. He was with a few of his mates from the school basketball team. Like him, they were tall, lean and muscled. But they weren’t in his league. Holly had tried out once for the girl’s basketball team at school. She’d discovered she’d need a stepladder to get even close to shooting a basket. ‘What can I get you?’ she asked.

  Raph bought tickets for a movie Holly had watched the week before. She’d only watched it because she’d seen everything else on the program. It was about a group of boys who stuck their heads down toilets and rode down main streets in shopping trolleys and lit their flatulence in amusingly inappropriate places. Holly didn’t find it funny, but the rest of the audience did. They screamed with laughter. As she was the only girl in the entire place, she put it down to the gender divide.

  Raph bought enough popcorn and coke to sustain a third world village for months. Holly leaned over the counter and glanced from side to side, as if checking for spies.

  ‘Would you like a free choc-ice, Raph?’ she said.

  ‘Sure,’ he said. ‘That would be cool.’

  Holly laughed. What a witty guy! Raph kept a dead pan face.

  ‘Only for you, though,’ she said. ‘I can’t do it for your mates. It could cost me my job.’

  ‘Sure,’ he repeated. ‘Thanks, Hayley.’

  Holly watched as Raph and his mates staggered to the cinema entrance under their load of consumables. He glanced back at her once, then said something to one of his friends and laughed. She sighed as she dug into her purse for a five dollar note.

  The prices at the candy bar really were outrageous.

  Fern and Ivy bought bread and a variety of dips and nibbles from a deli in the city centre and walked to a park, just up from the river. They spread a blanket on the grass, put the food onto plastic plates and arranged plastic cutlery and foam cups. Fern poured milk into one of the cups and raised it to Cassie’s lips.

  For a while no one spoke. The park was beautiful, the trees bowing in a gentle breeze, the river winding and glittering, people sprawled out in relaxation or simply wandering along the paths. A fountain drew a gathering of children who ran into the edges of the wetness and shrieked with pleasure.

  It was Ivy who broke the silence.

  ‘So what’s first on the agenda, then?’ she said. ‘Now you’re here.’

  Fern sighed. ‘Too many things on the agenda,’ she said. ‘Job, house, getting Cass into school. That’s the priority. We’ll start first thing in the morning, won’t we kiddo?’

  ‘What sort of a school? A special school?’

  Fern tossed an olive into the air and caught it in her mouth. Cassie shrieked with laughter. Fern smiled.

  ‘Gets you every time, doesn’t it sweetheart?’ She turned back to Ivy. ‘Yes, it should be a special school. It should have special teachers, a special principal, special students. I don’t want anything less for Cass. What about Holly’s school? Is that any good?’

  ‘It’s got a good reputation.’

  ‘Well, we’ll try there first, then. Interview them. See if they’re special enough. Hello!’

  A child hovered at the edge of the blanket. He was about six. Soon he was joined by another child, maybe a year younger. Judging by their faces, they were brother and sister. The boy stuck a dirty finger up his nose and twisted. He pulled it out and rubbed the slimy ball between his thumb and index finger. But he didn’t take his eyes from Cassie. The girl stared with large, round eyes.

  ‘Why’s she in a wheelchair?’ the boy said suddenly.

  ‘Cassie can’t walk,’ said Fern.

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Cassie has something called cerebral palsy which means her body doesn’t do what she tells it to do.’

  ‘Why does she wave her arms around?’

  ‘Same reason.’

  ‘Can she talk?’

  ‘Yes. She’s talking now.’

  The boy twisted his face up and considered this for a moment.

  ‘She’s not. She’s yelling.’

  ‘That’s her way of talking.’

  ‘I don’t know what she’s saying.’

  ‘I do. You have to learn it. If you were around Cassie long enough, you’d understand her as well.’

  ‘So what’s she saying, then?’

  ‘That you’ve got snot on your fingers.’

  The boy looked down and wiped the snot on his shorts.

  ‘Is she stupid?’

  ‘No. Cassie is very smart.’

  ‘Oh. Okay. See you.’

  ‘Bye.’

  The boy toddled off back towards the fountain. The girl stayed where she was, so the boy came back and yanked her by the arm. Ivy laughed.

  ‘Do you get a lot of that?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Fern. ‘Kids just ask. And when you give the answers, they accept them.’

  ‘And adults?’

  ‘Ah, adults. Well, they’re the real problem.’

  Holly

  My name is Holly Holley and I hate going into a movie when it’s already started. Even if it’s just the pre-show with all those dumb ads and annoying previews.

  Amy is late. I keep checking my watch and tapping my foot. Neither seem
s to help. Finally, she bursts into the foyer, all sweaty and dishevelled.

  ‘Holly, I’m so sorry I’m late,’ she pants.

  ‘It’s okay,’ I lie.

  ‘Mum was running late.’

  ‘Whatever.’ I head for the entrance. ‘Let’s go in.’ I’ve already picked up popcorn and drinks.

  Amy scampers at my side. She takes the two cardboard drinks containers while I fish out the tickets.

  ‘What’s the movie?’ she asks.

  ‘A romantic comedy. Kate Hudson is in it.’

  ‘Isn’t that the one you said was absolute garbage last week?’ ‘It gets better on second viewing.’

  ‘But this is my first time. And how do you know it gets better if you’ve only seen it once?’

  We stand outside Cinema 3. It’s dark in there and I can hear the low rumble of dialogue.

  ‘Look Amy,’ I say. My foot is tapping again. ‘You want to see this or not? I mean, it’s not like you’re using your own money.’

  She flinches at that, but doesn’t say anything. We enter the cinema just as the opening credits come up. I suppose I should be grateful, but actually the pre-show entertainment is better than the film. I hated it last week. I loathe it this week. It seems to me that something billed as a romantic comedy might contain a suggestion of romance and a hint of comedy. Maybe I’m old-fashioned.

  This turkey has neither. It’s worse than I remembered.

  Not that Amy seems too disappointed when we finally emerge blinking into the foyer lights.

  ‘That was okay,’ she says. ‘But the plot was kinda lame.’

  ‘Yep – about the same entertainment value as having a tooth filled,’ I reply. ‘Look, do you fancy a burger? I haven’t eaten anything except popcorn all day and I’m starving.’

  Amy glances at her watch.

  ‘Well …’ she says. ‘It’s a bit late and I have homework to finish. Shouldn’t you be getting home as well? I mean, your new guests and everything?’

  ‘I told them I’d be late. They’re not expecting me. Come on, Amy.’ I don’t even try to keep the irritation out of my voice. ‘Live a little.’

  She shifts from one foot to the other and checks her watch again.

  ‘Well … I suppose …’

  ‘Good,’ I say. ‘And you’re buying.’

  I got the popcorn and the tickets, after all.

  Holly

  Holly turned the key in the front door and Ivy pounced on her.

  ‘I’ve been going mad with worry,’ she said. ‘Why are you back so late?’

  Holly manufactured a look of surprise.

  ‘Mum, I texted you. Said I was going to catch a movie with Amy and then have some food afterwards.’

  ‘You know I never check my mobile. Why didn’t you ring the landline?’

  It was true. Ivy had a mobile phone, but she wasn’t comfortable using it. She’d told Holly that it had rung once while she was driving and the panic almost caused her to take out a long line of elderly people at a bus stop. Since then she kept it mostly turned off. Holly thought it was the world’s most expensive paperweight.

  Now she put her hands on her hips and glared at her mother. ‘It’s not my fault you never check your mobile,’ she said. ‘And I couldn’t ring the landline because I’ve only got about fifteen cents credit left. What’s the point of having a mobile if you never look at it, Mum? It’s crazy. I left a message and it’s not my fault you didn’t get it.’

  ‘I tried ringing your mobile, but it was turned off,’ said Ivy.

  ‘Yeah. In the movies, Mum? Hello?’

  If they’d been alone, Ivy would have blown up. But Holly knew she was conscious of Fern and Cassie in the kitchen.

  ‘All right, chicken. Okay. But I was worried. That’s all. Come on in and talk to Fern and Cassie. We’ve saved you some dinner.’

  ‘Thanks, but I’ve already eaten, Mum.’ Holly wasn’t keen to go into the kitchen. She glanced longingly towards her bedroom but followed her mother into the kitchen and sat at the table. Fern was at the sink drying dishes. Cassie was in her wheelchair, crooning softly. Holly caught her eye then looked away.

  ‘Hi guys,’ she said in a desperately cheery voice. ‘Have a good day?’

  ‘Hey, Holly,’ said Fern, polishing a dinner plate. ‘Excellent, thank you. We had a picnic, then painted the town red. How about you? How was work?’

  ‘Boring.’

  ‘Shame you couldn’t have joined us. We had fun, didn’t we, kiddo?’

  Cassie gave a huge smile. Holly looked at her properly for the first time. She had masses of dark hair in ringlets that fell to her shoulders. Holly would have given her right arm to have hair like that. The things she could do with it! It was Cassie’s face that kept her attention, though. Her grin showed large, white teeth, but the smile was so much more than that. Holly had always thought that the idea of expressions lighting up a face was simply poetic license. Now she understood that a smile was more than a twisting of lips and a flashing of teeth. Every part of Cassie smiled. And her eyes! They were so large, so deep a shade of brown. Looking into them, Holly suddenly got the strangest feeling. It was like she could see herself from Cassie’s perspective, as if she was deep down in the girl’s body, looking out. And what she saw was sad. She almost had to force herself to break eye contact. When she looked back, the eyes were still remarkable in their depth and the expression that flooded them. But the moment had passed.

  ‘That’s great,’ she said. ‘Maybe next time.’

  ‘Would you like some food?’ asked Fern. ‘A little speciality of mine. Spaghetti carbonara. Your mother had it without the bacon, of course, but Cass and I are confirmed carnivores. We kept you a plate of the non-vego version.’

  Holly was tempted. The burger had been thin and tasteless and now she was hungry again. But she’d already told her mother that she’d eaten. Trust her luck to lose out when a decent home-cooked meal made a guest appearance. It wasn’t fair. Not much was fair, anymore.

  ‘No thanks, Aunty Fern. I’ve already eaten.’ Then Holly got a brainwave. ‘I could take it to school tomorrow, though, for lunch. If that’s okay.’

  ‘Excellent idea,’ said Ivy.

  Holly helped herself to a glass of milk from the fridge. She thought she’d wait a couple of minutes before she excused herself for bed. Fern put away the last plate and draped the tea towel over the oven handle.

  ‘Oh, while you’re there, Holly, could you get a glass for Cass, please? She drinks so much of the stuff I’m thinking of investing in a cow.’

  ‘Sure.’ Holly looked around. Did Cassie have a special cup? She couldn’t see one and Fern had asked for a glass, so she filled up a tumbler like her own and put it on the table. ‘There you go,’ she said.

  ‘Could you help her drink it? Just hold the glass up to her mouth and, trust me, she’ll do the rest.’

  There wasn’t much choice. Holly drew up a chair and put her own glass on the table. She lifted Cassie’s milk and brought the rim to her mouth. This was so strange. So intimate. Holly felt uncomfortable, particularly since their faces were so close. Holly smiled and hoped that she didn’t look as strange as she felt.

  ‘Hi, Cassie,’ she said. ‘I’m Holly. I’m not sure if we’ve been formally introduced yet.’ Then she felt bad. Of course Cassie knew who she was. And what was she expecting in response? ‘Wassup, Hol? I’m Cass.’? She felt her cheeks flood with colour. And she knew that Cassie couldn’t possibly miss it. The thought made her blush even more. Cassie smiled, a thin trail of milk spilling from the side of her mouth. What should she do now? Mop it? Like cleaning up after a baby.

  ‘Look, guys,’ said Holly. ‘I’ve got homework to finish and I’m getting a headache. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go to my bedroom.’ She put the half empty glass of milk back on the table.

  ‘Sure,’ said Ivy. ‘I’ll come in to say goodnight in half an hour.’

  ‘Hold Cassie’s hand,’ said Fern.

  ‘I’m
sorry?’

  ‘Hold her hand. Here.’ Fern took Holly’s hand and placed it into Cassie’s gnarled fingers. ‘Now close your eyes.’

  All Holly wanted was to get her hand back and escape into the welcome isolation of her unfamiliar bedroom. But she couldn’t. She’d been rude already. So she did as she was told.

  ‘Cassie was born with a caul, Holly.’ Fern’s voice came from her left. ‘Do you know what a caul is?’

  Holly shook her head.

  ‘It happens sometimes in birth. When the baby comes out it looks like it’s wearing a thin veil of skin over its face. It’s not a problem, or anything. But the presence of a caul has been associated with strange abilities. Call me mad, but Cassie has healing powers. I’m not kidding. Hold her hand and the headache will go away. Better than paracetamol, aren’t you, kiddo?’

  Holly wanted to laugh and call her mad, but she restrained herself. How long would this take? When could she reasonably remove her hand? She was starting to get pins and needles and her head felt light and airy, like she was about to pass out. Thirty seconds passed and then she pulled away.

  ‘Hey, thanks,’ she said. ‘But I’d best be going. This homework is a real bummer and it’s due first thing in the morning. Goodnight. Goodnight, everyone.’

  Holly took off down the corridor. She nearly opened the door to her old bedroom before she remembered. Only when she was in her shoe box, did she allow herself to relax. She leaned back against the door and let out a very long sigh.

  Cassie

  I must learn everything again. A new school, teachers who will look at me and see only surface. Other people think surface is. But I am buried, fold within fold, and only those who look can see me. I have been here before.

  I am good at learning.

  I will be born afresh in this place.

  And down here, where I live, I can keep those I’ve left. I can keep Dad. I am strong.

  Holly has a kind and soft centre, but she is more scared than me. I will help her.

  If she lets me.