“Then why—?” Darcy pressed his lips together, not finishing his sentence. Instead he pointed to the right. “They’ve upgraded the harbour since you were last here.”
Relieved to have been given an out Brandon asked, “What have they done?”
They spoke of town changes until they reached the hospital. Both studied the single storey building, with its low roof and garden beds filled with Australian natives. Inside were his parents’ bodies and the last things they’d touched. He didn’t want to go inside, didn’t want the confirmation his parents were dead. It all felt so final.
Darcy was the first to get out and Brandon followed him into the building. The walls were white and informational pamphlets about diabetes and mental health covered a corkboard. The young, dark-haired receptionist looked familiar and it took him a second to place her as a school friend of Georgie’s. She stood and hugged Darcy. “I’m sorry, Darce.”
“Thanks, Tracy. We’re here to pick up their stuff.”
“Let me call someone for you.” She spoke into the phone and then covered the receiver. “Do you want to see your parents?”
They both shook their heads. A few minutes later a nurse arrived holding a small plastic bag which she handed to Darcy. “This is their jewellery and what was in their pockets,” she said. “Their clothes… weren’t salvageable.”
Darcy nodded, blinking, his hand shaking. Christ. Brandon couldn’t handle Darcy breaking down. He stepped next to his brother, put a hand on his back. “Thanks.” He used a little pressure to get Darcy to turn and they walked outside. Brandon sucked in a lungful of air while Darcy made a beeline to the car, the bag clutched tightly against his chest.
Brandon followed a little slower, needing to get his own breathing and tears under control. Darcy stopped and leaned his head against the arch of the window frame, his body shaking.
Shit.
Acting on instinct, he wrapped his arm across Darcy’s shoulders.
Darcy shoved him away. “Don’t! Don’t fucking pretend like you care.” He dashed the tears away from his eyes. “You left when we all needed you most.” He yanked open the car door, forcing Brandon to step back. The fury on his face made Brandon tense, ready for attack, but Darcy slammed the door, fired up the engine and drove away.
Brandon placed his hands on the back of his neck and stared after the ute, his gut swirling with nausea. There wasn’t a damn thing he could say to defend himself. Darcy was right. He had abandoned his family… for their own good. He couldn’t ever explain the truth though. They’d kick him off the property so fast he’d have whiplash.
The ute disappeared around the corner.
What now? He tapped his thigh. Amy had given Darcy a shopping list and Darcy wouldn’t go back to the Ridge without getting what was needed.
Which meant Brandon was likely to run into more people he knew, more questions about where he’d been.
His muscles tightened. He deserved it.
With a sigh he headed to the main street and the small shopping centre located there.
Chapter 4
Retribution Bay had hardly changed. Brandon walked from the hospital to the small shopping complex in the middle of town, detouring down a side street to check out the district high school. So many hours spent there playing football on the patchy oval, or trying to impress the girls. So many friendships he’d left behind when he left the town. Except for Dot, he didn’t know what any of his high school friends were up to now. Who had stayed in town, and who had left the moment they could?
What did it matter? It wasn’t as if he was staying around to rekindle old relationships. Darcy wouldn’t welcome him back to the Ridge permanently. If their parents hadn’t died, he probably wouldn’t have let him back at all.
Several cars were parked at the shopping centre and he spotted Darcy’s white ute immediately, theI love horsessticker on the back was something Lara must have stuck on and reminded him of the four-wheel drive. At least he didn’t have to find transport back to the station. As he walked towards the independent supermarket, he checked out the other shops in the complex; Brown’s newsagency was there, probably still selling a mixture of newspapers, magazines, books, stationery and souvenirs. Next to it stood a camping and fishing store, then there were a couple of dive and tour boat shops. The one where Georgie worked had a nice welcoming feel with bright colours and an open door to welcome people in.
Across the way, another building housed a bakery and a cafe. The cafe was now called Coral Connections with an ocean themed display so it probably wasn’t still owned by Anna who had always given them an extra cup with their milkshakes.
Brandon entered the supermarket to find Darcy at the checkout with a half dozen bags already packed. He barely glanced at Brandon as he paid, however the woman behind the cash register shrieked. “Brandon Stokes, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” Her smile faded. “I’m so sorry about your parents.”
Brandon floundered around his brain for a name. The woman had owned the supermarket for decades. Grey now streaked her blonde hair and her skin had more wrinkles but aside from that she was still the small strappy woman she’d always been. Darcy waited for his answer. Not going to offer him any help like Amy had this morning. Unable to find the name, he smiled. “Thank you. How have you been?”
The woman waved her hand. “Same old, same old.”
Darcy gathered the shopping bags. “We’ve got to get back, Lindsay. I’ll make sure Georgie calls you with the funeral details.”
Lindsay nodded. “Thank you. Take care, boys.”
Brandon grabbed the remaining shopping and followed Darcy out to the ute where they put the bags in a couple of insulated crates in the tray.
It was a silent ride home and Brandon didn’t have the energy to fill it. Bridging the chasm between them seemed like an impossible feat. Nothing could change the past. The best thing for him to do was to get the hell out of there as soon as the funeral was over and let them get back to their own lives. He wasn’t needed or wanted here.
