Kirsty walked, arm in arm with her sister along the beach. They had just about put the last year behind them. Kirsty didn't know if Dani had forgiven her for her relationship with Kane, but she didn't dare ask in fear of rocking the boat. With Shelley gone, it was more important than ever for the family to stick together. They were getting their lives on track. Dani had Scott, Jade had Nick and she had Seb. Seb wasn't her ideal boyfriend, but he was sweet and kind, and she felt she could talk to him about anything. And he loved her. All she wanted after the mess with Dylan was stability in her life. And that's what she had, although life wasn't perfect.
"We're going away for the week - just me and Scott. He's got this cottage out in the country - it belongs to his Dad but he's away in Portugal for a few months so he said we could have the run of the place..."
Kirsty had never seen Dani so happy. After her failed relationships with Will and Josh she deserved some happiness. And Scott seemed like a nice enough bloke. And he loved Dani, that much was obvious. And Dani didn't stop talking about him.
Dani was trying her hardest to pull the family back together after Shelley's departure. Looking after the family with Rhys. She was trying hard to rebuild a relationship with Kirsty but at the back of her mind Kirsty's betrayal remained. Kane's name was never mentioned. They didn't want to open up old wounds.
"...Apparently Scott's had to pull a few strings with his new partner to let him take time off from the boat"
Dani stared dreamily across the beach. She was on her way to the wharf to meet up with Scott to finalise the arrangements for their holiday. It was likely that they would leave the following day - that's if Scott could talk his business partner around. Seeing as they had only just set out, Scott wasn't sure if he's be able to get the time he wanted off. A figure descended the steps from the wharf and made its way towards them. Dani instantly recognised Scott and grinned as he approached.
"Sorted. I've got the whole week off"
"When do we leave?"
"We could be out of Summer Bay tonight"
Kirsty felt a bit awkward, as if she was coming between them.
"I should probably get back - I've got heaps of homework"
She was getting behind at school. She had always hated it and that hadn't changed, despite her enthusiasm to succeed in becoming a PE teacher. Everyone else believed she could do it, but she was finding it hard to believe in herself.
Kirsty turned and walked away up the beach, leaving Dani and Scott alone. Everyone seemed to be happy except her. She was content, but never happy.
.......................................
CARAVAN PARK
Scott carries Dani's bags out to his car as Dani bids farewell to her family. Rhys looks awkward. He finds it hard to let any of his family go, even for a short while. Especially Dani, who had been his rock ever since Shelley left. Dani had held the family together when he was falling apart and he was proud of her. She had been through so much in the past few years and had still managed to come out happy.
"Bye Dad - I'll call you when I get there"
Rhys nods at her, smiling as she climbs into the passenger seat beside Scott. The car starts up and rolls down the road as he, Kirsty, Jade and Max look on.
.......................................
CARAVAN PARK
Dinner time
Dani's absence was obvious. There was just the four of them sat around the table and no one knew quite what to say. There was a time at which there was seven of them sat down to family dinner. But now Shelley, Brodie and Dani were missing the atmosphere wasn;t the same. Kirsty frowned.
"I forgot to ask Scott if I could have the spare first aid box off the boat for tomorrow"
Kirsty was in charge of organising the school sports day at Summer Bay High. Sally had thought that she would enjoy the challenge and Kirsty had been grateful for the opportunity. Rhys replied
"Dani mentioned that when she called earlier - Scott says it's on the boat in the crew room - you can just go and get it at any time"
"Right - I should probably get down to the wharf after dinner - I need it for tomorrow morning... do you want to come with me Jade?"
Kirsty didn't like the thought of going down to the wharf alone. It brought back too many memories. The happy times she had shared there with Kane. The following heartache.
"I can't - I said I'd meet Nick. Anyway, I thought you were seeing Seb after dinner"
"I'll have to be late - I won't have time to get it tomorrow before school."
.......................................
MV PRESSLER
Kirsty climbs on board glancing around to try and locate any sign of life. It is a reasonably large boat, about the size of the Mirigini. Scott owned half of it and his mystery partner the other half. Kirsty hadn't met him yet. He didn't think Dani had met him either. Apparently he and Scott hadn't known each other long - they had just struck up a friendship over a pint and realised they both wanted the same thing - to own their own boat some day.
"Hello?"
Kirsty entered the cabin and walked through onto the other side of the boat. She raised her voice. She thought it best that someone knew she was there in case they found her going through the crew room.
"Hello?"
She heard footsteps behind her from within the cabin and spun round, startled that whoever it was hadn't made their presence known through a verbal greeting.
Her heat skipped a beat as she turned to come face to face with Kane, looking just as awkward as her.
"Kane..."
Her voice was weak. It reminded her of the time when she had come face to face with him on the MV Mirigini. Only this time it wasn't fear that made her speechless, it was excitement and amazement. She didn't know how to react after all this time. He hadn't changed much even in fourteen months. He looked just as stunned as her and spoke with the same awkward tone.
"Kirst... hi"
"We're going away for the week - just me and Scott. He's got this cottage out in the country - it belongs to his Dad but he's away in Portugal for a few months so he said we could have the run of the place..."
Kirsty had never seen Dani so happy. After her failed relationships with Will and Josh she deserved some happiness. And Scott seemed like a nice enough bloke. And he loved Dani, that much was obvious. And Dani didn't stop talking about him.
Dani was trying her hardest to pull the family back together after Shelley's departure. Looking after the family with Rhys. She was trying hard to rebuild a relationship with Kirsty but at the back of her mind Kirsty's betrayal remained. Kane's name was never mentioned. They didn't want to open up old wounds.
"...Apparently Scott's had to pull a few strings with his new partner to let him take time off from the boat"
Dani stared dreamily across the beach. She was on her way to the wharf to meet up with Scott to finalise the arrangements for their holiday. It was likely that they would leave the following day - that's if Scott could talk his business partner around. Seeing as they had only just set out, Scott wasn't sure if he's be able to get the time he wanted off. A figure descended the steps from the wharf and made its way towards them. Dani instantly recognised Scott and grinned as he approached.
"Sorted. I've got the whole week off"
"When do we leave?"
"We could be out of Summer Bay tonight"
Kirsty felt a bit awkward, as if she was coming between them.
"I should probably get back - I've got heaps of homework"
She was getting behind at school. She had always hated it and that hadn't changed, despite her enthusiasm to succeed in becoming a PE teacher. Everyone else believed she could do it, but she was finding it hard to believe in herself.
Kirsty turned and walked away up the beach, leaving Dani and Scott alone. Everyone seemed to be happy except her. She was content, but never happy.
.......................................
CARAVAN PARK
Scott carries Dani's bags out to his car as Dani bids farewell to her family. Rhys looks awkward. He finds it hard to let any of his family go, even for a short while. Especially Dani, who had been his rock ever since Shelley left. Dani had held the family together when he was falling apart and he was proud of her. She had been through so much in the past few years and had still managed to come out happy.
"Bye Dad - I'll call you when I get there"
Rhys nods at her, smiling as she climbs into the passenger seat beside Scott. The car starts up and rolls down the road as he, Kirsty, Jade and Max look on.
.......................................
CARAVAN PARK
Dinner time
Dani's absence was obvious. There was just the four of them sat around the table and no one knew quite what to say. There was a time at which there was seven of them sat down to family dinner. But now Shelley, Brodie and Dani were missing the atmosphere wasn;t the same. Kirsty frowned.
"I forgot to ask Scott if I could have the spare first aid box off the boat for tomorrow"
Kirsty was in charge of organising the school sports day at Summer Bay High. Sally had thought that she would enjoy the challenge and Kirsty had been grateful for the opportunity. Rhys replied
"Dani mentioned that when she called earlier - Scott says it's on the boat in the crew room - you can just go and get it at any time"
"Right - I should probably get down to the wharf after dinner - I need it for tomorrow morning... do you want to come with me Jade?"
Kirsty didn't like the thought of going down to the wharf alone. It brought back too many memories. The happy times she had shared there with Kane. The following heartache.
"I can't - I said I'd meet Nick. Anyway, I thought you were seeing Seb after dinner"
"I'll have to be late - I won't have time to get it tomorrow before school."
.......................................
MV PRESSLER
Kirsty climbs on board glancing around to try and locate any sign of life. It is a reasonably large boat, about the size of the Mirigini. Scott owned half of it and his mystery partner the other half. Kirsty hadn't met him yet. He didn't think Dani had met him either. Apparently he and Scott hadn't known each other long - they had just struck up a friendship over a pint and realised they both wanted the same thing - to own their own boat some day.
"Hello?"
Kirsty entered the cabin and walked through onto the other side of the boat. She raised her voice. She thought it best that someone knew she was there in case they found her going through the crew room.
"Hello?"
She heard footsteps behind her from within the cabin and spun round, startled that whoever it was hadn't made their presence known through a verbal greeting.
Her heat skipped a beat as she turned to come face to face with Kane, looking just as awkward as her.
"Kane..."
Her voice was weak. It reminded her of the time when she had come face to face with him on the MV Mirigini. Only this time it wasn't fear that made her speechless, it was excitement and amazement. She didn't know how to react after all this time. He hadn't changed much even in fourteen months. He looked just as stunned as her and spoke with the same awkward tone.
"Kirst... hi"