Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms (20 page)

Joan is nervous as she walks out the back door. She hasn't really thought about what she's doing, of what Mary has done for months.

‘Be careful,' Banjo whispers behind her.

Joan knows that she is supposed to be pretending to go to the lav, is supposed to look slyly at both sides of the backyard to see if anyone is watching. She is most concerned about Marj, who poses the biggest threat. It's a hot night and there are flies around. Joan's not as confident as she thought she'd be but she is determined to get to know the man she believes Mary is besotted with.

She slides the corrugated iron sheet across. It is still warm from the heat of the day. She's noisier than she wants to be, and fears the sound will draw attention, but she can hear music in the distance and hopes that will drown it out. She climbs down the ladder carefully. When she reaches the last rung and has both feet firmly on the ground she can't see anything and panics.

‘Oh no,' is all she can say as she fumbles for the lantern.

Hiroshi sees it is not his angel and he panics too. Joan lights the lantern and they stand still, just looking at one another.

‘I am Joan,' she says, struggling to be calm. ‘Mary's mother.' Joan is stern, she is angry with herself for even allowing her daughter to be alone with a man she doesn't know.

Hiroshi just looks at her, confused.

‘Here's your food, some damper and water. It is all we have tonight.'

Hiroshi takes the food and bows his head with respect. ‘Arigat-o, thank you,' he says gently. ‘Thank you for everything.'

Joan stares at him. She watches him attempt to straighten his dirty clothes. He is unshaven and crumpled. She knows he has only been able to change clothes when she has given them to Mary and she is looking at him the same way Mary has been. She feels sorry for the man in front of her.

‘My mother will be very grateful that you have saved my life. I don't know how I can ever repay you, but in my heart I am so thankful.' Hiroshi is sincere, his words the most genuine of any stranger Joan has ever heard. She thinks of Hiroshi's mother, and tries to imagine what she is going through, not only having sent a son to war but probably believing he is dead. She thinks of little James who never leaves her side, and as clingy as he is, and as sooky as many believe him to be, she hopes he never has to endure a war like that happening in the world today. It is the first time she has thought about Hiroshi and what they have been doing for him from the position of a mother.

Joan feels relaxed with Hiroshi and can see almost instantly how easy it would be for her daughter to be comfortable around him. And although she doesn't want Mary to have an emotional attachment to him, she can understand the sympathy and caring her daughter must feel. ‘I must go,' she says, making her way back up the ladder. She struggles to put the sheet across again and walks at speed up the yard. When she gets to the hut, Marj is there.

‘You're out late,' her neighbour says.

Joan fumbles and stammers, ‘Ah, so, so . . . are you.'

‘I saw you take off down the yard,' Marj states with an official tone, ‘but it took me a few minutes to get out of my housedress and get my boots on. Everything okay?'

Joan's heart is racing, she's not good at lying, and what could she possibly be doing in the dark outside for such a length of time?

‘I'm on my rags,' she says, which is all she can think of. ‘Very heavy,' she adds, hoping Marj doesn't want to talk about it anymore.

Marj peers at her, distrusting. ‘Hmmmm, at least it means there's not another one on the way, James never leaves your side as it is.'

‘Yes,' Joan sighs.

‘Well, I hope you get a good night sleep, Joan.'

‘Yes, I am so tired, a big day at the convent and another one tomorrow, so I need to get to bed early. Good night.' Before Marj has the chance to say anything else Joan is inside with the door shut, her heart beating frantically, and Banjo waiting anxiously.

‘What happened with Marj? I saw her out there but couldn't do anything.' Banjo puts a cup of tea in front of Joan as she sits down, exhausted from the stress of it all.

‘Marj is fine, I fixed that. But that man, he is not fine. I feel sorry for him.'

‘So you can understand why Mary is so concerned then?'

‘Oh no, Banjo, I am concerned like a mother,' Joan says.

‘And Mary is concerned like a sister then,' he says, seeking confirmation.

‘Perhaps she is, but I know that dreamy look, Banjo, and it's not one a girl has for a man she thinks of as a brother.'

‘T
he goothas are talking about Santa coming, so we'll have to do something for Christmas,' Joan says to Banjo who is counting the endowment, knowing the three younger girls and James should have something from Santa. It's two days before Christmas and times are tough. Gifts are rare and food is still rationed but he and Joan will do what they can. Banjo wants to provide for his family and has been lucky with the work he has had building barns for some new farms near town. He's only half listening as his wife continues. ‘Father Patrick has promised me a chook to roast,' she says, her mouth watering with anticipation. Christmas is the only time of the year they have chicken and it's a treat for everyone. ‘There are some benefits for working at St Raphael's, Banjo,' she says matter-of-factly. Banjo doesn't respond but she keeps talking, and as much as he loves his wife, he'd be happy for silence. ‘They have given me a lot of old clothes that I can
mend and keep as well. You'll have some new trousers next week, and there's some for you know who,' she says with a nod towards the back of the house. Banjo finally looks up and nods back, knowing she means Hiroshi.

Banjo looks as his wife warmly for a few seconds. He wishes he could give her a better life. He wishes he could give her some money to go into town and buy some perfume or stockings or a nice pair of shoes. He wishes she could have some of the things the white women in town enjoy. A wireless to listen to like Marj has. He feels so much love for her as she pours his tea from the billy can that he wishes she would talk more now. He does love the sound of her voice, and hates himself for thinking otherwise only minutes ago. As he drinks his tea he has an idea about something for her for Christmas Day as well. It won't be fancy, but he knows she will like it, if he can just get that last job done. ‘I have to go out for a while,' he says and leaves the hut.

Banjo walks into the kitchen with Kevin in tow. ‘It's all goothas and mirris out there,' he says. They sit down at the table. It's already hot at nine am and Banjo is covered in sweat. ‘It's good the church donated a few toys – I distributed them last night and it looks like most of them have something to play with.' He and Kevin have passed little dark girls sitting in circles and giggling, playing with fair dolls with blonde hair, not even caring how different the plastic
girls in their hands are to themselves. One had a tea party set and was pretending to pour cuppas for the others, who were enjoying acting like grownups. Boys of all ages were throwing around not one but three footballs that had made their way to Erambie on Christmas morning. Banjo wishes he didn't have a bad leg so he could kick a ball around too. He's a bit envious that Kevin has always been able to be more active than he is.

Banjo disappears during breakfast, leaving Kevin at the table reading the paper. After the children finish their porridge they wash their faces and hands under the tap out the front of the hut and put on their best outfits. The girls have new calico dresses that Joan has sewn for them from material the nuns at the convent gave her; Joan worked late into the night to make sure her children had something special to wear. The clothes are a dull cream shade but each girl has a beautiful ribbon to put in her hair for colour. James has a new pair of shorts but they are a bit big and are being held up by the piece of rope. He loves them and smothers his mother in hugs and kisses.

‘Uncle Kevin, Mary gave us a penny to buy you a present, and we got you this,' young Jessie says and hands over a box of matches.

‘This is the best present anyone has ever given me.' Kevin hugs Jessie, then winks at Joan and says sternly, ‘But you know little kids shouldn't play with matches, don't you?' And the four children all nod a wide-eyed yes. The girls look more than pleased with their efforts and the gratitude their Uncle has shown.

‘You know what we can do with this newspaper?' Kevin asks the children, waving it around in the air. ‘We can make it fly.'

The children all moan, not believing a word their Uncle says.

‘Don't be silly, newspapers can't fly,' James says, hitting himself on the forehead.

‘What? You haven't seen a kite before?' And the kids all laugh.

For the next little while Kevin is busy making a kite from the newspaper, using twigs he sent the kids out to find. When it's finished Kevin is very proud of himself and the kids are excited. ‘Well, come on then, a kite is meant to be in the sky, not inside!'

James is the first one outside, bouncing up and down and clapping his hands with excitement. Before long other kids from the mission are standing close by as Kevin tries to woo the low, hot breeze to lift his newspaper kite into the sky. When he finally gets it up there are cheers and roars of laughter. ‘Give me a turn,' James squeals and his Uncle helps tie the string around the little boy's hand so the kite doesn't get lost to the atmosphere.

Banjo returns to the hut looking very pleased with himself as they all sit around drinking glasses of water with cordial. A treat for Christmas Day. He approaches Joan and hands her a brown box.

‘What's that?' the four youngest children say in unison and Banjo grins from ear to ear.

‘It's for your mother,' he says, a look of pride on his face. Joan and Banjo haven't given each other gifts since before the kids were born; everything has always gone into the
children's health and wellbeing, and something extra like a toy at Christmas, if they can manage it.

There is confusion and surprise on Joan's face. James is at her apron within seconds, tugging and jumping and wanting to know what's in there. ‘Is it for me too?' he asks.

When Joan opens the present she beams and hugs Banjo hard. Then she pulls an iron kettle from the box.

‘So you like it then?' He puts his arms around his wife. The children are excited about their new iron kettle too, fighting over who's going to take it outside and fill it up.

‘This is so fancy,' Joan says. ‘I'm the luckiest mum on the mission today.' She's happy because even Marj's kettle is an old one. ‘But how? There was no extra money,' she whispers in his ear.

‘I built a table for old man Jones yesterday and he paid me enough to buy this, but said not to tell anyone. So don't tell anyone,' he replies, slapping her on the backside. Joan squeals and James and the three younger girls all giggle.

At lunchtime they sit down to roast chicken and potatoes with gravy and there's extra watermelon for dessert. Everyone is happily munching away, savouring every delicious mouthful, though Banjo notices Mary is quiet and not eating much. But he doesn't say anything, simply happy to have all his family around him.

As they relax after eating, James starts combing Jessie's hair and yanks out a big knot that stays in the comb. Jessie squeals and pushes her brother away. He's fascinated with the hair he's caught, struggling to pull it off the comb before throwing it on the ground.

‘Ouch,' he says, in a delayed reaction to the shove and immediately starts sooking, looking at his mother.

‘You don't want to leave that lying there,' Kevin says to his nephew, who stops his fake crying and looks adoringly at his Uncle.

‘Why?' he asks as he climbs onto Kevin's lap and starts combing the hair on the man's arm.

‘You should never leave hair in your comb or just lying around. You should burn it, or throw it in the fire.' Kevin looks at the stove. ‘Not you, James, you aren't allowed to play with fire, but adults should put hair in the fire.'

‘But
why
?' James whines.

‘Because if the clever man gets hold of the hair he can use it against you.'

‘But
why
?'

Banjo sits back and rolls a cigarette, listening to his brother tell an old story he's heard many times.

‘Don't you know the story about the person who was really sick and the clever man went to see him and rubbed the sick man's belly, and he rubbed and he rubbed, and when the clever man walked out of the room he carried a bowl full of hair! Do you want to end up with a bowl of hair in your belly?' Kevin asks seriously, frightening the boy.

‘NO! Mummy, I don't want to have hair in my belly,' James cries as he runs to his mother.

Kevin stands up and says bluntly, ‘Well, don't leave the hair lying around then, okay?'