I don't know.
His ex wife used to tell Simon he was vague. Vague. Blurred, formless, indistinct. Unfocused. Bereft of desire or passion. She left with another man. A man he knew. And he did nothing to stop her.
The girl stood up and slowly walked away. Her shadow gradually moved across the palm trees leading towards the park gate. The pedestrian crossing was just outside the park. When the girl reached the crossing, the red light was on. It was four o'clock and cars were scarce on St George's Road. The girl could have crossed if she wanted to, but stood next to the traffic warning, slightly altered by graffiti:
Stop here on red light.
The boy sat on the bench with his back turned towards the crossing. He saw Rachel and smiled at her from afar. Rachel smiled back and said softly
She is leaving him, isn't she?
Maybe.
But, it's not as if one of them is going to die. Dad?
2.
Two weeks later, Simon took Rachel to the park again. They sat in the shadow of a large palm tree and spoke about the forthcoming holidays. Rachel asked Simon:
Dad, can we go somewhere together?
We can go to Fiji Not this year. Maybe next year. Next year I could take you camping, in Tasmania. Or for a week.
Mum and Richard want me to go to Perth with them, to visit Richard's sister.
Good. You should go.
I want you to come with us.
I already told you that's impossible.
Why? Richard's sister has a big house. You could stay with us. During the day, you could go around, minding your own business. At night, you could put me to sleep and then go into your own room.
It's difficult to have all our holidays at the same time. Besides, Mum and Richard now have their own plans.
Rachel did not listen. She looked at a boy sitting on his own in the concreted area of the park.
We know that boy.
The boy sat against the brick wall of the barbecue, facing the line of palm trees leading towards the entrance to the park. He was crying. At first, Simon thought of approaching him, but decided to leave him alone. Rachel kept looking in his direction. After a while, the boy got up and slowly moved towards them. He was distraught. His eyes were red and he spoke in short, broken sentences.
Hi. I don't think you recognise me. I remember you. You are the only people.
You are the only people who saw. Who saw us. That day.
Simon smiled politely.
I remember you. Two weeks ago, you were sitting in the park with your
girlfriend. What happened to you?
Haven't you heard? Haven't you heard? It was on the news. The day after you
saw us here. The day after we broke up, on Monday. Sarah, the girl I was with,
was running across St. George's Road, to catch a bus. She was run over by a
car. She died that night at the hospital.
Simon remembered the girl's face, her pointed nose and red curly hair.
You don't believe me? Check it out for yourself. A hundred metres down the
road you'll see a photo and a bunch of flowers at the bus stop.
I believe you. I'm sorry.
Simon gently touched his daughter's hand.
How old was she?
Nineteen. We finished school together, last year. She said there was another
guy. I thought she was joking. I thought she made it up. But, at the funeral, on
Saturday, everyone knew about him. Everyone knew she was breaking up with
me. She told people. She had plans. I thought she made it all up.
The boy sat next to Simon. He had a small mark on his right cheek. Perhaps a childhood scar made by a toy.
I thought I should ask you. Because you saw her when she walked away. You were here.
Yes.
What did she do?
What did she? Do?
Yes. What did she do when she walked away?
She stood at the crossing, over there. She stood there for a while, perhaps a minute or so.
And?
And then she crossed the road.
The boy nodded. He sat silent and sombre, his face sinking into gloom.
There was a pause in the conversation. Rachel noticed that the boy looked older than the last time she saw him.
How old are you?
I'll be twenty. Next month.
Do you know any other girl?
No. I don't want. Any. Other. Girl.
So, what are you going to do now?
I don't know.
The boy got up and left. It occurred to Simon that they do not even know his name
Three months later, on a sunny autumn morning, Simon took Rachel to the park to give
her a farewell present. In the distance, one could see helium balloons floating above the city skyline.
Simon's ex wife and Richard were moving to Western Australia where Richard was offered work with a big pharmaceutical company. They were taking Rachel with them.
Unpacking the present, Rachel noticed a twitch on her father's face.
Why are you worried?
I'd like to see you more often.
But you will. Every month or two. There's a plane between here and Perth. You
eat, you sleep, you watch a show and you're there. You can always stay with us.
Remember what they said?
Simon did not listen. He saw a familiar face in a small group of boys and girls on the other side of the park. Rachel took a doll out of the box. The doll wore a light blue dress, a straw hat and dark sunglasses. Rachel kissed Simon and said
We know that boy, Dad. We met him right before Christmas.
The boys and girls were loudly recalling a scene from a television show. They quickly passed by the park gate and reached the crossing. The boy stopped for a moment while his friends continued to walk across the street.
Have you seen him again?
No. I haven't seen him since then.
He seems happy.
There was a pause in the conversation. Rachel held Simon's hand firmly as she looked into the sky.
Do you think he forgot her?
I don't know.
Do you think he would have remembered her?
Remember? The girl?
Yes.
But, how?
If he only turned around.
Above them, in the sky, overlooking the park, the crossing and the surrounding streets, floated a large helium balloon. It sounded like an animal, struggling for air.
