Chapter Forty Two
Wet Behind the Ears
Links to previous chapters: Ch1 Ch2 Ch3 Ch4 Ch5 Ch6 Ch7 Ch8 Ch9 Ch10 Ch11 Ch12 Ch13 Ch14 Ch15 Ch16 Ch17 Ch18 Ch19 Ch20 Ch21 Ch22 Ch23 Ch24 Ch25 Ch26 Ch27 Ch28 Ch29 Ch30 Ch31 Ch32 Ch33 Ch34 Ch35 Ch36 Ch37 Ch38 Ch39 Ch40 Ch41
Michelle and Richard gazed out through the enormous windows of the Wintergarden Restaurant. The sun was setting, bestowing its last benevolent rays across the sky above the Megalong Valley far below. Orange-streaked clouds, highlighted against the bruised blue cloud formations, were extraordinarily beautiful tonight.
The Hydro-Majestic Hotel at Medlow Bath was a fascinating historical site, containing the hatted Wintergarden restaurant, white tablecloths, golden velvet upholstered chairs, gleaming glassware, magnificent gigantic flower arrangements, subtly polite wait staff and of course, that stunning view. They were lucky to have booked early enough to secure a table next to the windows, even so, Michelle stood up and moved back a little to make the most of the panorama for a photo. Other diners were also busy recording the breathtaking sight on their ever-present mobile phones. Michelle took several photos of Richard with the sunset behind him, wine glass in hand. Happy that she’d swept her long dark hair up into an elegant coiffure, she smiled with shy confidence as Richard took snaps of her too.
This was a very important evening: Valentine’s Day. Richard had wanted to take Michelle somewhere special, they had both been getting intimately closer as their relationship had progressed, enjoying each other’s company and discovering that they shared similar values. Richard had realised that he was besotted and wanted to make sure that Michelle knew how much he cared.
The three courses were exquisite. Michelle was humbled by the contrast between here and her place of work at the Victory Café. Chicken Parmy and chips just can’t cut it! Seared scallops with Jicama, cauliflower cream and ‘champagne’ Beurre Blanc, Geranium salt-cured duck breast, parsnip gratin and molasses jus, Vairhona Manjari 64% Cremeux, that’s the way to eat! She supposed that it was not only that they were delectable, but their names were mysteriously obscure, and they were arranged with artistic fervour upon the plate.
They laughed and chatted as they ate, exclaiming with delight at each new taste. The waiters smiled indulgently at the happy Valentine’s couple, so obviously in love.
Buzzing from the wine and each other’s loving attention, they escaped into a safe and carefree world. The future seemed full of promise looked at from a larger perspective than everyday minutiae and mundanities.
Later, they held hands as they walked out into the cool night air. Cinderella’s coach tonight was the dingy white Ford from Mountains Taxi Service. No such thing as an Uber so far up here in the Blue Mountains! The taxi driver did look a little like the rat that a fairy godmother had transformed into the coachman, except he was quite a lot hairier.
Michelle and Richard, arms around each other in the back seat, looked through the photos that they had taken. Fuzzy ones and duplicates were deleted, the best ones were posted on Instagram and Facebook, to announce to all and sundry that they were an indissoluble couple. Back to Richard’s place on Evan’s Lookout Road for Valentine’s night cuddles. Warm, passionate and wild sex ensued of course, until, at last, they fell asleep entwined together amongst the rumpled sheets.
“What a night!”, Michelle mused foggily, as she sleepily reached for her buzzing phone the next morning. She swam up from the sleepy depths, shaking off dream images of cerulean waters and golden sands. A text message from Sarika with confusing words displayed on screen.
“What the hell!? What is Daniel doing in your photo? Did you even notice?”
“Call me!”
She looked over at Richard, still sleeping, tousled hair, gorgeous black eyelashes, bare legs protruding from the blankets, and crept quietly into the kitchen. As she filled the kettle, she dialled Sarika.
“What are you talking about Sarika? I was with Richard!”
“I know, you idiot! Did you even look at the photo of yourself before you posted it? Daniel is behind you! I’m sure it’s him! Didn’t you see him? I bet he saw you!”
Michelle hurriedly opened her Instagram post and scrolled through. There, in the background of the photo that she had liked so much, taken by Richard as she smiled adoringly at him, was Daniel. A profile shot, but unmistakably Daniel.
“I had no idea that he was back in the mountains! It really doesn’t matter, Sarika! You and Mum will be the only ones that will recognise him, let alone know anything about him.”
“Don’t be so sure, Michelle! I bet you’ve noticed that Horatio is beginning to look a lot like him already!”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Sarika!”
“What’s ridiculous?”, asked Richard as he staggered sleepily out of the bedroom.
“Oh, Sarika just thinks she’s recognised someone we know in the back of one of our photos.”
“Yeah? Show me.”
Michelle passed the phone to Richard, hesitatingly but unsure of an alternative. She said a quick goodbye to Sarika, who hung up.
“Great pic of you, my gorgeous one! Hmm, but yeah, I know that guy. He’s a patient of mine, lives down the Megalong. Only been back in the area for a few months. Divorced, stressed. Neck and back as tight as a drum.”
“Divorced!?”
“Yeah, d’you know him? You’re looking a bit white in the face there! Come and sit down, I’ll make you a cuppa. Then you can tell me all about it. It’ll be alright. I know there’s something, I’m not wet behind the ears you know.”