Chapter Text
Florence parked the Land Rover and walked around the verandah to the front of the Shack. There she found Neville sitting on the top step, fully engrossed in tying the final clinch knot that would hold the hook in place on the end of the fishing rods. He startled as she greeted him: ‘Morning sir.’
‘Oh hey Florence. Beautiful day for it, eh?’
‘Yes sir.’
‘Well, let’s get going then.’
They loaded the rods into the car, along with a net and a bucket. Two folding chairs followed. Neville added some beers. Florence already had an Esky containing a picnic stowed away in the back.
They headed for the jetty at the harbour, stopping on the way to buy bait at Hungry Steve’s – frozen prawns since Neville’s research had revealed that they were most likely to encounter snapper in these waters. They parked and carried everything to the end of the jetty, where there was a comfortable spot to sit and try their luck.
Florence reflected on how she came to be here today. There had been a conversation about the fishing rods that Neville found at the back of a cupboard in the ‘outside room’. They didn’t look like they’d been used in years, but he got them out and cleaned them up. The reels needed some oiling but were now in good (enough) working order. There were even enough usable sinkers and hooks in the tackle box to rig them up.
But she was the one who suggested today for the fishing trip. She had chosen today quite deliberately. She knew it was her niece, Danielle’s, 3rd birthday party. She loves her niece, of course, but this kind of family event just really messes her up. The extended family still avoids any awkwardness by shying away from discussion of her tragedy. And she really feels the loss of the children she might’ve had with Patrice on days like this.
She had confessed all of this to Danielle’s father, her brother Eric. He hugged her and said he understood. His wife wasn’t quite so understanding. Eric told his sister not to worry he would smooth things over for her.
Meanwhile, Neville had been waiting impatiently for today for the whole week since Florence had suggested a fishing expedition. Another opportunity to spend time with her outside the office. She had been good to her word about showing him around and they’d completed his original ‘to-do’ list quite some time ago. But, to his surprise, the outings didn’t end at this point. She had continued to suggest places to visit and things to do, and he had been more than keen to add things to the list and cross them off as they were completed. He kept hoping another chance to tell her how he feels would present itself one day.
So here they were. Two friends going fishing. Florence had never been fishing before, but it seemed that Neville had. Another new and unexpected thing she’d learned about him. He had rigged up the rods like an expert, and now he was handing one to her to bait the hook. But there was no way she was going to touch those prawns!!! They stank to high heaven and looked slimy.
‘Come on Florence, you just push the hook in at the head and run it all the way to the tail.’ He demonstrated then ‘Here, have a go.’
‘No way, I’m not touching those. Cook them and put them on a plate and I’ll eat them.’
So Neville baited the hook for her and handed her the rod to cast. He picked his rod up, released the reel and flicked it forwards, launching the line into the water. Florence watched and tried to copy but forgot to release the reel. The line pinged up and hit her on the arm. She winced in pain ‘Ouch. You said this would be fun.’
‘You grew up on an island. I thought you would’ve gone fishing before.’ He laughed. Another new and unexpected thing he'd learned about her. He stood behind her and reached around her shoulders to help her with the movement.
Having him so close to her brought all the confusing feelings she’d been experiencing recently to the surface. Her body immediately relaxed into his arms, and an overwhelming feeling of comfort and safety washed over her. Under his guidance her line was cast, and he released her to sit on one of the folding chairs. She wasn’t at all sure she wanted to be released.
Mid-afternoon. The picnic was eaten and the beers drunk. Florence caught a good-sized snapper that she was terrified of pulling in. Neville captured it, wriggling, in the net, and now it was in the bucket, not moving any more. They drove back to the Shack via the market, where they bought salad veges and potatoes to make chips. Neville seemed completely relaxed, and Florence marvelled at how easy this friendship was. If friendship was what this was, she rejoined to herself?
When they arrived at the Shack Neville set about scaling and gutting the fish. Another new and unexpected thing she’d learned about him. Florence was disgusted, so she escaped inside to cut the chips and prepare the salad. Once the fish was prepared Florence filled the cavity with butter and herbs and Neville put it on the BBQ. Under her guidance he turned it like a chef and removed it at the perfect moment so that it was cooked through but still beautifully succulent.
The meal was superb. Freshly-caught snapper, perfectly cooked, with hand-made chips and locally-sourced green salad with Florence’s secret dressing. It was paired with an aged riesling Neville selected in the local bottle shop. Another new and unexpected thing she’d learned about him. Against the backdrop of the late afternoon sun and the sound of the waves breaking gently on the beach the friends ate and drank, talked and laughed, and even did the washing up, together.
As the sun went down Neville put some music on the record player. He stood on the verandah to watch the sun set. Florence came and stood beside him, leaning on the railing so that their little fingers were just touching. Neville turned to her ‘Do you want to dance?’ She nodded and he wound his arms around her waist. She looked up and put her arms around his neck. They swayed to the gentle rhythm of the music. In this moment the rest of the world receded into nothingness. There was just them. This was the moment. For once Neville didn’t think - he touched his lips to Florence’s, just barely, just enough to know they were soft.
Unsure of her response, and more than a little scared, he whispered ‘I think maybe you should go home now.’
She looked back into his eyes and replied ‘I think I’d like to stay.’
‘I’d like that too’ he smiled.
Then their lips came together again, and the friendship became something else.
They went inside and laid down on the bed, their hands beginning to explore one another gingerly. Neville leaned over to kiss Florence again, but she took his face in her hands and stopped him. He saw tears in her eyes.
‘Are you OK?’ he asked.
The tears were streaming down her cheeks. ‘I care about you. I want to be close to you, I know I do. But my body isn’t ready. I’m sorry. I thought I was but I’m not.’
Neville stroked Florence’s hair gently. ‘Florence, you are the most precious thing in the world to me. Your happiness is my happiness.’
Florence snuggled right up to Neville ‘Can I just stay here with you, like this, tonight please?’
Neville wrapped her up close to his heart. To be here with her, knowing she cares, it was enough. Although he was going to need a cold shower as well…