‘What?’

‘Come on, nurse’s instructions. We’ve got to go or we’ll be late.’

‘But Hessel’s got the good car.’

‘Where is he?’

‘He’s driven Polly over to Bendigo to the vet. She’s really not well. So I think maybe we shouldn’t go either, in case something happens.’

I frowned. ‘But you need medical attention too, Grandma. And I have my instructions.’

‘But the car –’

‘That’s alright, we’ll take the old one. It still goes doesn’t it? I saw Grandpa start it the other day.’

‘He likes to turn the engine over. I don’t know if it still drives.’

‘Well, it’s our only option, so let’s go.’

‘But Hessel’s coffee –’

‘He’s not even here.’

‘He might come back.’

I had to physically usher Bette away from the stove and out of the kitchen. ‘I’ll write him a note – you go and get your things.’

Hi Grandpa Hessel,

I’ve taken Grandma out for a spin in the beep beep Barina. You’ll have to get your own coffee this morning, but you’re a smart man, a thinker even, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

x Anna :)

I was still chuckling about the note as I turned the key in the Barina and it rumbled into life. I grated the gears into reverse and slowly backed the car out of its resting place in the shed. It was covered in dust, both inside and out, so after I’d managed to get it into first and brought it up alongside the back door of the house, I grabbed an old towel and wiped down the steering wheel and the two front seats. I’d made it presentable just as Bette appeared, looking wary, at the passenger door.

She climbed in, holding on to the cracked vinyl hand-strap of the car as she lowered herself into the seat.

‘You ready to go, Grandma? Clicked and clacked?’

I didn’t have my L plates with me, and I didn’t even know whether Bette’s licence to supervise me was still valid, but it was practically the Wild West out here, L plates and adequate supervision were surely optional. I dropped the handbrake and eased forward, nosing the car along the drive and out onto the road, my head giddy with a sense of autonomy again, of being responsible for my own direction.

‘Did you read the note I wrote to Grandpa?’ I asked.

‘No. Should I have?’

I chuckled again. ‘Good. You might have been tempted to change it.’

‘Oh dear,’ was all Bette said as she smoothed her skirt over her knees and watched the paddocks and fence posts and sheep filter past. She’d done something strange to her hair, I noticed – it looked all airy and thin and there was a hairspray smell in the air. She touched her fringe gently with her fingertips. ‘It’s nice to get out,’ she said. ‘I don’t get into town much anymore, now that I can’t drive myself. I used to enjoy driving.’

‘I love it,’ I said. ‘Well, let’s go somewhere for lunch afterwards, make an occasion of it.’