Atlantis. Now it’s all gone she has no idea what her dreams are, let alone how she’ll chase them.
Perhaps he catches the wistfulness in her tone. ‘So, what are you doing with yourself now the park has closed?’
She doesn’t want to tell him about the cafe. ‘Trying to figure out what next. I’m thinking of going to uni.’ She can’t hide the flatness of her voice.
‘What would you like to study?’
‘I don’t know. I had my heart set on studying while I worked at Atlantis – they were great at supporting people to do that. But there’s nowhere else like it near here, and I can’t afford to move out, so I’m stuck. I enjoy being outdoors, so I’m not sure about full-time study for years.’
Connor is nodding along as he listens.
‘You know, study doesn’t always have to take place in a classroom.’ Before she can answer that, he continues, ‘Do you believe in fate, Desi?’
She has no idea what to say – he seems to unravel or contradict everything she comes out with, and the intensity of his gaze is making her blush.
‘Sorry, big question. It’s just, I’ve had a complicated time lately. My research assistant let me down – and since everything else was in place, and it would have cost me a few thousand to reorganise, I’ve come anyway. I’ve managed to find someone to help me to begin with, but only for a couple of months. They have to go back when term starts, so I need an assistant…’
He suggests it so casually, but Desi is stunned. The image of her standing next to him on the boat in the dream-picture is suddenly extremely vivid. Is that really possible? She doesn’t dare believe in it. Her mind goes into overdrive with questions, and she has to force herself to listen to him.
‘… the pay is lousy – which means there isn’t really any money, but I can probably stretch to sharing my food. However, you do get to observe dolphins all day. Although you have to remember you can’t ride on these ones,’ he says, a teasing note in his voice, ‘or you’ll ruin my study. And it’s basic living conditions – you’ll need a tent.’
Desi’s mind is still whirling when he jumps up. ‘I realise that’s a bolt from the blue, and you might not even be interested. Are you interested?’
Dumbstruck, shading her eyes so she can see him against the sun’s dazzling corona, she nods.
He laughs. ‘Well, have a think about it. If you want to talk more, then call me at the Monkey Mia caravan park – there’s only one. It’s a tiny little place, but it’s paradise. I’m driving north tomorrow, so I’ll be there in a few days.’
He offers her a hand as she sits there on the sand. ‘Maybe I’ll chat to you again soon, Desi,’ he says. ‘I promise you, when you spend time with the dolphins up there, it changes your life.’
She watches him stroll up the dune path towards the car park. Only when he’s gone does she realise that, although they haven’t spoken in six months, he’s remembered her name.
15
Jackson
‘There’s a couple asking about diving – can you take ’em?’
Charlie is standing at Jackson’s door, hands on hips, his baggy top already lined with a V of sweat despite the early hour. The craggy line of his brow is furrowed even more than usual as he waits for an answer, squinting into the early morning sun.
There is no ‘How was your trip?’. Jackson wonders whether Charlie even remembers he’s been gone, except the grim line of his father’s mouth betrays him.
‘Not today, Dad,’ he says. ‘I need time to get things organised. But tomorrow I could – if they’re still around.’
‘Right-o,’ says his father, ‘I’ll let them know.’ And he marches back down the path.
Jackson sits down on his bed and wearily rubs his face. His flight had landed at two that morning, and it has taken nearly three days of flying and airport layovers to get home. In Galapagos, every moment of his day on the boat had been timetabled by someone else, and he’d rather enjoyed that. Now he is overwhelmed by the empty weeks ahead of him, and the pressure to fill them. He tries not to look too far ahead, just thinks about this morning. Should he contact Kate, or go and see Desi, or get the bloody diving equipment from a shop that’s a 45-minute drive away? Perhaps he should forget