41

‘Dad, come and see this!’ Cheryl calls, with urgency, from the sitting room, where she is watching television. Carrying the bowl with the salad he’s been preparing in the kitchen for their evening meal, Daniel hurries into the sitting room and into a full-screen still photograph of Aaron, eyes and smile twinkling with his usual mischief.

‘Last September, Mr Aaron Whairangi was found dead in Karangahape Road,’ the television says. It shows a head-and-shoulders photograph of Aaron.. ‘This afternoon the police emergency squad raided a house in Rotorua and arrested two men for the alleged killing of Mr Whairangi …’ The camera moves down a cordoned-off street, and pans in on the armed emergency squad in front of an old red and blue house surrounded by overgrown flax and sprawling trees. ‘Mr Whairangi was a highly successful businessman, and the two men arrested are believed to have been his business associates …’

‘They got the bastards, Dad!’ Cheryl shouts, jumping up. ‘I betcha it’s those crazy pricks Feau and Bonzy.’ Cheryl hugs Daniel, knocking the bowl out of his hands, and the green salad scatters across the carpet. Strangely, as Daniel watches the outward expanding flight of the leaves glittering with drops of salad dressing, it slows down as if it is going to stop, but he knows it won’t, and he is relieved by that. During the next few weeks, in his quest to maintain control of what takes place in his mind, he will continue viewing events in this way. ‘Dad, it’s Auntie Mere.’ Cheryl breaks into his thoughts and hands him her cell phone.

‘Are you watching the news?’ Mere asks. ‘I knew the police were going to arrest them, but I couldn’t tell anyone.’ The domino effect of this arrest has started, and the stark fear of his being unable to stop it is almost overwhelming. ‘Dan, did you hear me?’ In her voice is the same fear.

‘Yes. Don’t worry: as you’ve said, we just let the law take its course.’

‘That’s right, Dan. They’ll be found guilty, but as you know there’s no capital punishment any more so they won’t be executed…’

‘Mere, you have to stay out of it. Just leave it to us.’

Not long after Mere, Paul and then Keith ring. They are estatic about the news of the arrest and the likelihood that Feau and Bonzy will be found guilty and sentenced to long-term imprisonment, but he senses that they, like him, are profoundly fearful of events spinning out of their control. And even more afraid of what they have to do to fulfill Aaron’s final wish.

Instead of waiting for Laura to call, he borrows Cheryl’s car and drives to her house.

It’s as if she’s been waiting for him – the front door is opened as soon as he knocks. She kisses him on the cheek and he follows her into the sitting room. ‘Mere knew about the arrests beforehand,’ he tells her.

‘I’m sure the police have been keeping her informed about their investigation,’ she says.

‘I’ve told her to bloody well keep out of it.’

‘The media will be all over it if they get a sniff of her being involved in this,’ she says, ‘so I’ll talk to her too.’ She gets him a beer, and water for herself. ‘I’m relieved they got them finally, but like you I’m bloody scared of what’s going to happen. Have you told the others about Mere and me not accepting our shares?’

He shakes his head once. ‘Not yet – I need you to help me do that.’

‘No problem. I’ll be there when you tell them.’

‘How long will it take for the rest of the police investigation and the trial?’

She ponders for a moment and then replies, ‘At least six months. Why?’

‘I have to go back to Hawai‘i at the end of the month for another semester of teaching.’

Her gaze is searching. ‘And then what?’ she asks.

‘I’m coming back so I can be here for their sentencing – and …’ He can’t continue.

‘And?’ she asks quietly. He can’t admit it. ‘And has it been arranged?’

He nods once, emphatically. ‘I also have to be here to help you and Cheryl care for my mother.’

‘What about your wonderful life in paradise?’ she asks. Her face is shining with amusement.

‘Hawai‘i can never be home for me; I’m not rooted in it. I have many friends there, but …’ He has to pause. ‘Besides, the spiritual source of my work is here and Samoa.’

‘Anything else here?’ she asks, with a gentle frankness.

Nodding, he says, ‘Yes, Cheryl … and … and Phillip and you.’ He gazes up at her when he feels the warm wrap of her hand around his wrist. ‘Yes, you, Laura.’ Her arms encircle his head and she draws him into her breasts and alofa and forgiveness.

‘Let’s give it another try,’ she whispers.

With that, Laura feels her every cell releasing the mix of stress, betrayal, anger and the desire for revenge that had invaded her ever since they separated. Her sense of freedom is all encompassing, like at that moment when she was informed by her grandmother her mother had died. She isn’t naïve enough to believe the old unfaithful Daniel was dead – but she doesn’t care any more about that. Only that they are at a new beginning – or should she say, they are giving themselves another chance.

‘Yes, let’s,’ he whispers back.