With her outfit for Peggy’s wedding in the backseat of her truck, she drove to the house at Pademelon Road—humbled, bruised, but stronger. She had lost a round with Nev, but lived to fight another day.
She felt lighter.
The fact that she owned property still felt miraculous.
She remembered why she liked being single: more solitude, more time to muck about in gyms and watch sports, no one to nag her if she ate greasy takeaway on the couch with her fingers, like she was planning to do today.
The Rugby World Cup was tomorrow, October thirty-first. On the radio a sports commentator said, “If they win, this roster will be the fifth-best rugby team in history.”
Reg’s front door was unlocked. She let herself in. Reg’s dogs jumped on her, sniffing her and licking her hands. “Good morning.” She used an empty yogurt container to pour scoops of dog food into metal bowls on the kitchen floor. While the dogs ate, tails flapping, she opened the fridge and poured mango juice from a plastic bottle directly into her mouth. Cold juice woke up her tongue.
Reg and Blaise had flown to London to watch the game. Mattie’s son, Luca, would be there in the stands with his mother, the coffee barista social media influencer from Barcelona who lived in Madrid near the Prado. The All Blacks were defending their title against the Wallabies.
Her brother had not offered her a ticket.
She hoped he won and got the hundred-thousand-dollar bonus so that he could buy a house. Mattie spent money as fast as it came in, but he needed to plan for retirement. At twenty-eight, his prime wouldn’t last forever. The gravy train would dry up unless he made a sound business plan and courted sponsors, brand endorsements. He could advertise deodorant, she mused, punch the television camera.
Her phone vibrated. A photo of Nev smiling in her car. Her smile was unusually lopsided.
(Nev) YOU’RE SINGING TOMORROW. CAN’T WHISTLE WORTH SHITE.
Nev had been to the dentist that morning.
(Ronnie) Dentures?
Her phone vibrated again before she could return it to her pocket.
(Nev) Root canal.
Ronnie frowned.
(Ronnie) I don’t know what that is, but if I become lead singer I’m renaming the band ‘World Peace.’
(Nev) What band? Without me you’re a duo.
(Ronnie) I’m sending you to a home.
(Nev) Everything goes to Kaz. You’re not in the will.
At five o’clock, Ronnie dressed to go dancing at the pub. Barney’s band was playing tonight—Fleetwood Mac hits again. She was loving her Johnny Cash era, leaning in. Black pearl snap shirt from the men’s section that fit like a glove tucked snug in Nev’s father’s jeans. Silver belt buckle with her initials. Black hat, boots.
The car park was full. Inside the Lionheart pub, locals with mullets, sunburns, and crooked teeth packed the room. She had to take off her hat to fit through the door.
Heads turned. The warm buzz of noise in front of the bar grew quiet, then loud again as people returned to their conversations.
Maude and Rainbow sat at a table with Maude’s parents. Ronnie couldn’t remember the last time she had seen Maude’s father. They waved her over, toward an empty fifth chair, which they must have put there for her. The invitation from the Greens had come as a surprise. They had never asked her to join them for dinner before, let alone out in public. That was something family did.
Maude looked clean and well put together. Ronnie knew her ex had spent an hour putting on makeup to look like she wasn’t wearing any. Now that she and Maude shared custody, Ronnie discovered she was no longer terrified of her.
The Greens stood and took turns hugging her, which wasn’t as awkward as she expected. Rainbow was nose-deep in a book about pirates. Ronnie leaned down to kiss her on the head. “Hiya, baby. Good book?”
Maude’s parents talked about the big match tomorrow. They were going to a barbie at Maude’s aunt’s condo in Cairns, which sounded like a terrible idea because of traffic, but they were bringing the pavlova and were certain the traffic would be fine.
When they moved to the dance floor Ronnie followed.
Maude’s parents danced together in front of Barney’s band.
Maude turned toward her, asking with a half-smile before raising her arms to reach for Ronnie’s shoulders. Maude’s palms were cool on the back of Ronnie’s neck. “Are you disappointed you’re not going to London?”
