CHAPTER 4
How do you think they knew?" asked Kane
I don't know"said Kirsty, "Did you tell anyone
you were coming back?"
"The only person who knew was Scott , the guy
from work."
"Oh!No!" gasped Kirsty "He's Dani's boyfriend!!"
"I guess I'm out of a job then , he's not gonna
want me around after what happened with Dani , I'd better go in in the morning
though and see what he says."
"Let's not think about that now,"smiled Kirsty
"remember today was going to be just about us."
"O.K babe" Kane turned his head and smiled at
Kirsty and her heart melted.
"I know" said Kirsty , with a mischievous look
on her face. "Since they all know about us , how about we just go in the diner
together and totally give them something to gossip about.As soon as Colleen
sees us together the whole of Summer Bay will know and at least we will have
got it over with." "Are you sure Babe, you know they're all gonna
stare , they might ask me to leave, I don't want to cause you any hassle
Kirst."
"I'm sure , let them stare , who cares , we're
not breaking the law are we, and we said we weren't going to sneak around this
time."
"O.K Here goes," said Kane as he pulled the car
up outside the diner
They smiled at each other as they got out of
the car, and entered the diner holding hands tightly.
The noise seemed to quieten as they entered ,
and some people stared and whispered.They walked up to the counter and Colleen
screeched , "Oh! My! Gawd! You and you , in here bold as brass , how could
you!"
"Are you going to stop shouting and serve us"
asked Kirsty, who was almost enjoying the sight of Colleen spluttering.Kane ,
however, looked extremely uncomfortable, and said quietly to Kirsty, "Do you
think this was such a good idea?"
Rescue came in the unlikely form of Alf
Stewart. "You heard her Colleen, can you just take their orders and stop making
such a flaming commotion , we do have customers in here you know."
Kirsty smiled and ordered two burgers and two
coffees.Kane looked relieved but puzzled at Alf's intervention.
"And for your information , Colleen, Kane
happens to work for me ,Scott took him on at the boat-shed.He's done well for
himself , got himself a Masters ticket and as far as I'm concerned he deserves
a chance same as any one else.Now if you have any objections to that , or any
trouble serving him I suggest you remember who the boss around here is."
"Um, thanks" ,muttered Kane still looking at
his feet. "I didn't realise you owned the boatshed with Scott. Thing is I
didn't know he was Dani's boyfriend either , so I don't know if I'm still
working for ya , cos Dani will have told him by now, you know , about what
happened.He's gonna hate my guts now same as everyone else around here."
"Hey! Not everyone" smiled Kirsty.
"Look Kane", said Alf, "there comes a time when
the past has to be just that.I know you would do anything to change the past,
but you can't,but that doesn't mean you can't move on and have a life.I agreed
to take you on , knowing what your past is like , and you were honest enough to
tell Scott that you had been in plenty of trouble before you left Summer Bay.I
reckon if we handle this right we can all get through it and work together.
Scott wasn't around back then and it will be hard for him to accept , but I
don't think we should give up on it all straight away.I've got to admit I was
surprised and impressed with what Scott told me about you, how well you'd done
in your job and studies.I just felt that it must have been very hard to turn
your life around like that with no help or family to back you.We all need a
little help now and then , and maybe I'll get criticised for it but I'd put my
faith in you sticking it out and doing the right thing.You've experienced the
less pleasant side to life and I don't think you want to go back to that.I'm
willing to put my neck on the line and back you up over keeping you on , after
all I knew all along this would happen , but you've got to promise me not to
let me down."
Kane was amazed, he remembered that the
previous year , after he had shared a hospital room with Alf that Alf had been
one of the very few people in Summer Bay who would even say hello to him, but
this was far more than he expected.He wasn't used to people actually going out
of their way to help him.He certainly couldn't remember anyone ,except Kirsty,
ever putting their neck on the line for him.Most people regarded him as scum
even before the assault on Dani , scum from a family of scum , the thing with
Dani hadn't been the start of it , it merely gave people the opportunity to
make their feelings about him more vocal.But he had always felt inferior , like
he didn't belong, and here was Alf Stewart , father of the bay , willing to
help him out.
"Um.Um,thanks" said Kane looking totally and
utterly astonished. "Um, should I go in tomorrow then?"
"Yes, and I'll be there if there are any
problems .To calm the situation.O.K?Six o'clock sharp , and don't be late.And
Kirsty I think you should be the one to tell Seb about these "developments"
don't you?After all he's been your friend for a long time and he deserves that
much.I've always thought things were a little one-sided , you've never really
had feelings for him , have you?"
Kirsty wished Alf wasn't quite so blunt ,
talking about her and Seb in front of Kane like that, so she just nodded and
said , "I'll talk to him as soon as I see him."
Alf walked away.
"What was that all about, Kirst?" asked Kane.
"Well I didn't know if you were ever coming
back , and I've been seeing Seb , but I don't feel anything for him.You have to
believe me.And you might as well know I saw another boy,Dylan, for a while ,
but it was complicated , I'll tell you all about it some other time.But you
must know that they are nothing to me compared to you.I've only ever loved
you,noone else."
"Fair enough" said Kane.Kirsty wished he would
say something more , but he clammed up , especially if he was hurting.
"I'm sorry Babe, please believe me."She so
wanted to know it was O.K, he must know it was only because she didn't think he
was coming back.
After what seemed to Kirsty like a massive
pause, but was only a few seconds, Kane turned to her and said.
"I know Babe.I didn't know myself whether to
come back or not.I figured you'd have heaps of boys after you, a girl like
you.I just can't believe you'd want me more than them I can't work it out.I
have no idea why ya love me , but I'm so glad that ya do.I almost feel sorry
for this Seb dude, sounds like he had it bad for ya , and now I've come back
and spoiled his party."with that he leant over smiled and kissed her.Right
there in the middle of the diner in full view of Colleen Smart and everyone
else!
Kirsty looked into his eyes and marvelled at
how blue they were , she looked at his smile and thought how cute his dimple was ,she looked and smiled and thought
how perfect everything about him was , and how perfect life was.Kane looked at
Kirsty and thought how beautiful she was , gorgeous , and wondered what the
hell she saw in someone like him.
Just then the diner door swung open and in
walked Seb,Jade and Nick
How do you think they knew?" asked Kane
I don't know"said Kirsty, "Did you tell anyone
you were coming back?"
"The only person who knew was Scott , the guy
from work."
"Oh!No!" gasped Kirsty "He's Dani's boyfriend!!"
"I guess I'm out of a job then , he's not gonna
want me around after what happened with Dani , I'd better go in in the morning
though and see what he says."
"Let's not think about that now,"smiled Kirsty
"remember today was going to be just about us."
"O.K babe" Kane turned his head and smiled at
Kirsty and her heart melted.
"I know" said Kirsty , with a mischievous look
on her face. "Since they all know about us , how about we just go in the diner
together and totally give them something to gossip about.As soon as Colleen
sees us together the whole of Summer Bay will know and at least we will have
got it over with." "Are you sure Babe, you know they're all gonna
stare , they might ask me to leave, I don't want to cause you any hassle
Kirst."
"I'm sure , let them stare , who cares , we're
not breaking the law are we, and we said we weren't going to sneak around this
time."
"O.K Here goes," said Kane as he pulled the car
up outside the diner
They smiled at each other as they got out of
the car, and entered the diner holding hands tightly.
The noise seemed to quieten as they entered ,
and some people stared and whispered.They walked up to the counter and Colleen
screeched , "Oh! My! Gawd! You and you , in here bold as brass , how could
you!"
"Are you going to stop shouting and serve us"
asked Kirsty, who was almost enjoying the sight of Colleen spluttering.Kane ,
however, looked extremely uncomfortable, and said quietly to Kirsty, "Do you
think this was such a good idea?"
Rescue came in the unlikely form of Alf
Stewart. "You heard her Colleen, can you just take their orders and stop making
such a flaming commotion , we do have customers in here you know."
Kirsty smiled and ordered two burgers and two
coffees.Kane looked relieved but puzzled at Alf's intervention.
"And for your information , Colleen, Kane
happens to work for me ,Scott took him on at the boat-shed.He's done well for
himself , got himself a Masters ticket and as far as I'm concerned he deserves
a chance same as any one else.Now if you have any objections to that , or any
trouble serving him I suggest you remember who the boss around here is."
"Um, thanks" ,muttered Kane still looking at
his feet. "I didn't realise you owned the boatshed with Scott. Thing is I
didn't know he was Dani's boyfriend either , so I don't know if I'm still
working for ya , cos Dani will have told him by now, you know , about what
happened.He's gonna hate my guts now same as everyone else around here."
"Hey! Not everyone" smiled Kirsty.
"Look Kane", said Alf, "there comes a time when
the past has to be just that.I know you would do anything to change the past,
but you can't,but that doesn't mean you can't move on and have a life.I agreed
to take you on , knowing what your past is like , and you were honest enough to
tell Scott that you had been in plenty of trouble before you left Summer Bay.I
reckon if we handle this right we can all get through it and work together.
Scott wasn't around back then and it will be hard for him to accept , but I
don't think we should give up on it all straight away.I've got to admit I was
surprised and impressed with what Scott told me about you, how well you'd done
in your job and studies.I just felt that it must have been very hard to turn
your life around like that with no help or family to back you.We all need a
little help now and then , and maybe I'll get criticised for it but I'd put my
faith in you sticking it out and doing the right thing.You've experienced the
less pleasant side to life and I don't think you want to go back to that.I'm
willing to put my neck on the line and back you up over keeping you on , after
all I knew all along this would happen , but you've got to promise me not to
let me down."
Kane was amazed, he remembered that the
previous year , after he had shared a hospital room with Alf that Alf had been
one of the very few people in Summer Bay who would even say hello to him, but
this was far more than he expected.He wasn't used to people actually going out
of their way to help him.He certainly couldn't remember anyone ,except Kirsty,
ever putting their neck on the line for him.Most people regarded him as scum
even before the assault on Dani , scum from a family of scum , the thing with
Dani hadn't been the start of it , it merely gave people the opportunity to
make their feelings about him more vocal.But he had always felt inferior , like
he didn't belong, and here was Alf Stewart , father of the bay , willing to
help him out.
"Um.Um,thanks" said Kane looking totally and
utterly astonished. "Um, should I go in tomorrow then?"
"Yes, and I'll be there if there are any
problems .To calm the situation.O.K?Six o'clock sharp , and don't be late.And
Kirsty I think you should be the one to tell Seb about these "developments"
don't you?After all he's been your friend for a long time and he deserves that
much.I've always thought things were a little one-sided , you've never really
had feelings for him , have you?"
Kirsty wished Alf wasn't quite so blunt ,
talking about her and Seb in front of Kane like that, so she just nodded and
said , "I'll talk to him as soon as I see him."
Alf walked away.
"What was that all about, Kirst?" asked Kane.
"Well I didn't know if you were ever coming
back , and I've been seeing Seb , but I don't feel anything for him.You have to
believe me.And you might as well know I saw another boy,Dylan, for a while ,
but it was complicated , I'll tell you all about it some other time.But you
must know that they are nothing to me compared to you.I've only ever loved
you,noone else."
"Fair enough" said Kane.Kirsty wished he would
say something more , but he clammed up , especially if he was hurting.
"I'm sorry Babe, please believe me."She so
wanted to know it was O.K, he must know it was only because she didn't think he
was coming back.
After what seemed to Kirsty like a massive
pause, but was only a few seconds, Kane turned to her and said.
"I know Babe.I didn't know myself whether to
come back or not.I figured you'd have heaps of boys after you, a girl like
you.I just can't believe you'd want me more than them I can't work it out.I
have no idea why ya love me , but I'm so glad that ya do.I almost feel sorry
for this Seb dude, sounds like he had it bad for ya , and now I've come back
and spoiled his party."with that he leant over smiled and kissed her.Right
there in the middle of the diner in full view of Colleen Smart and everyone
else!
Kirsty looked into his eyes and marvelled at
how blue they were , she looked at his smile and thought how cute his dimple was ,she looked and smiled and thought
how perfect everything about him was , and how perfect life was.Kane looked at
Kirsty and thought how beautiful she was , gorgeous , and wondered what the
hell she saw in someone like him.
Just then the diner door swung open and in
walked Seb,Jade and Nick