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Back The Octopus and I
Chapters (19)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. PRAISE
  3. TITLE PAGE
  4. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  5. DEDICATION
  6. CONTENTS
  7. ONE
  8. CROSSING ISTHMUS
  9. THE OCTOPUS INCIDENT
  10. TWO
  11. A SEAL’S TAKE
  12. THE MULTI-COLOURED KNITTED KNOCKERS
  13. NO BIRD IS ONLY AN I
  14. THREE
  15. I AM SHE
  16. SPUN AIR
  17. THE OCTOPUS AND I
  18. NOTES AND REFERENCES
  19. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

‘Ah, you’re right,’ Flo says. ‘It was never my thing. And I’m getting too old for it anyway.’

‘The mutton-birds, though, they’re your thing. It’s so unfair.’

‘They were my thing. It’s from a bygone time. I’m a relic.’

Lucy surprises them both by walking across the room, and wrapping her arms around the older woman and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

‘You’re a gem, is what you are.’ Her words are hot on Flo’s cheek and stink of vomit.

Flo grunts and waves her away. ‘Sit, drink this,’ she instructs, passing Lucy a cup of tea. Lucy sits on the couch, cross-legged.

‘Speaking of gems,’ she says. ‘I think I’ve left him. Jem, that is.’

Flo nods. ‘Had a feeling it might’ve been coming.’

‘Yeah, he’s,’ Lucy pauses, frowns. ‘I don’t think we’re right for each other. I don’t know if we ever were; it just seemed like we were because I wanted us to be, because I wanted that life with him. I think I wanted and loved it more than I wanted and loved him, you know? I feel awful because he was there for me when I was sick but then afterwards everything changed and we just didn’t work anymore. And he’s, he’s …’ Lucy sniffles, and takes a deep breath. ‘He’s done something. I … I—’ Sobs shudder her body and stop her vocal cords. She can’t get the words out.

‘Later,’ Flo says. ‘We can talk about it later.’

They sit in silence as Lucy’s breathing calms.

Eventually Flo ventures: ‘Need somewhere to stay?’

‘I guess,’ Lucy croaks miserably.

‘I’ll make Harry’s room up for you.’

‘Harry—Harry’s gone?’

‘Yeah,’ Flo says. ‘Not far, though. He’s moved three doors down, into Paul and Claire Brinkman’s place. They’ve been trying to rent it out for donkey’s and then, the other night, he said to me, he said: I gave Paul a call and I’m moving into his old place tomorrow morning. And he’s taken over Gray’s old boat too—given the boys who’ve been leasing it a fortnight’s notice and told them they can stay on as deckies, if they want. So it’s just me now,’ Flo says. ‘Just me and you for as long as you want to stay.’

‘Thanks, Flo,’ Lucy says. Then she starts telling Flo about this thing she saw on the telly, on one of those paddock-to-plate cooking shows, about these people who brine then smoke mussels before pickling them in vinegar and oil.

‘Want to give it a crack?’ Lucy asks.

THE OCTOPUS AND I

THE OCTOPUS AND I