They stood awkwardly. Kane hadn't expected seeing her again to be so awkward. It brought all the feelings back. Excitement, love, heartache. Kane ran the last words he had said to her through in his mind - 'I never want to see you again'. He never meant them. He hoped that she didn't think he did. He hoped that she had received his letter. Every word was true. He would always love her. That was one of his reasons for returning to the Bay. He had completed his TAFE course at another town about a hundred miles up the coast and had only returned following his aunts death, which meant that he inherited her house. He had decided to stick around, in the hope that Kirsty would still have feelings for him. Kirsty stammered.
"Kane... what...what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question..."
The last place he was expecting to run into her was on the MV Pressler. He wasn't prepared for this. She looked puzzled. He continued.
"...this is my boat"
They had obviously got their wires crossed somewhere.
"This is Scott's boat"
Kirsty suddenly realised that Kane must be the mystery business partner. Kane seemed to be oblivious to who Scott was. Dani's boyfriend. Kane was confused now.
"You know Scott?"
Kirsty was alarmed. Scott had always talked of his partner so highly. What would happen when the truth was revealed?
"Yeah... he's seeing Dani"
A look of sheer horror and disbelief spread over Kane's face. Scott was going to hate him. He should have known better than to go into business with someone he hardly knew. They had just struck up a friendship so quickly. It had felt right.
"You didn't know?"
"If I knew I wouldn't have gone into business with the guy, would I?"
Kane is agitated now. He and Scott had got on so well and now that was ruined. Scott had been a good friend. He had supported him through the death of his aunt and Kane had told him almost everything - except for the history with Dani. His biggest regret.
It was his aunt's money that had allowed him to buy the share in the boat. He had inherited everything when she died. She had been proud of him for completing his TAFE course. The first person in the family to get a proper education.
Kirsty looks awkward. She can tell how this information has affected Kane. He glances at her apologetically.
"Sorry"
"It's alright"
Another awkward silence follows. Kane was beating himself up inside. What would Scott say when he found out what he had done to Dani? Kirsty decides to change the subject
"So you finished your TAFE course then?"
"Yeah - finished it a couple of months ago... then... then my aunt died - "
"I'm sorry"
Kirsty knew that it was the typical thing to say but he didn't seem to mind. He smiled weakly. His aunts' death had hit him hard. He had no family around to support him now.
"I used the money from her will to buy the boat... so every cloud..."
He shuffles his feet anxiously and clears his throat.
"Anyway - did you decide what you wanted to do with your life?"
"Yeah... I went back to school"
"How's it going?"
"Not bad"
That was a lie. She was struggling at the minute. Mr Fisher was constantly going on at her about being behind. The only lesson she enjoyed was PE.
He smiles nervously. They couldn't find words to say to each other. Kirsty remembered her reason for coming.
"Anyway, Scott said I could borrow the spare first aid kit - I'm organising the school sports day tomorrow"
"Yeah, right, I'll fetch it for you"
Kane was flustered. He couldn't believe he was back. He couldn't believe he was talking to Kirsty again after all this time. She was all he had thought about for the last fourteen months. The thought of her had kept him going. Motivated him to continue with his TAFE course through all the heartache.
Kane disappears through a door and Kirsty wanders onto the deck. She couldn't quite believe he was back. Part of her was delighted to see him but part of her was anxious not to let things go the same way again. She had much more to lose this time. She was only just getting things back on track with Dani.
After a minute or so Kane re-emerges, handing Kirsty the first aid kit.
"Thanks... I should probably get back..."
"Yeah... maybe we could meet up tomorrow sometime - we've got a lot of catching up to do"
He didn't want to sound pushy but he had missed her so much. There had been a number of times that he had picked up the phone to call her, just to hear her voice but had failed to dial the last number, telling himself she would be better off without him.
"Kane..."
Kirsty sighed
"I don't think it's a good idea... you see, I'm seeing someone"
Kane's heart sank and he tried vainly to cover his disappointment. He forced a smile.
"Right... well, I guess I'll see you around then"
"Yeah... bye"
Kirsty turned and walked away hurriedly. Kane turned to stare out to sea, obvious disappointment in his face. He didn't know what he had expected. Of course she had found someone else. She was smart, beautiful and funny. Of course someone better would have come along. It was inevitable. But that didn't take away the pain.
....................................
CARAVAN PARK
Early evening
Kirsty enters. There is no one around and she goes straight to her room. Jade would be out with Nick and Rhys was probably at the kiosk. She could hear Max upstairs in his room. She lay down on her bed and gazed at the ceiling, her thoughts on Kane. She wished she had asked him why he was back but it had all been so awkward. Had he returned for her? She didn't know whether or not to mention his return to anyone. They'd find out sooner or later anyway. Off Scott or Dani. And if she told them it'd just make Rhys suspicious that there was something going on. She'd be under surveillance from the whole family and she couldn't face that.
She heard someone downstairs. Jade's voice drifted up and Kirsty slipped underneath the bed covers, closing her eyes. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts.
....................................
CARAVAN PARK
Morning
Kirsty emerges from the hallway, looking bedraggled having had a rough night. Rhys is on the computer and there is no sign of anyone else.
"Morning - you're a bit late aren't you?"
Rhys continues to stare at the computer screen blankly. Kirsty checks the clock. 8:00. She panicked.
"Dad - why didn't you wake me? I've got to be in school in half an hour"
"I've just got up myself Kirst - I assumed you'd have left with Jade earlier"
"Can you drive me to school? Please Dad - you know how hard I've worked on this sports day"
He looks up at his daughters pleading face and across at the clock before nodding obediently. He had been impressed at the effort and dedication she had put into it.
....................................
CARAVAN PARK
Afternoon
Kirsty and Jade walk into the house, arm in arm.
"Well I think you did a great job"
The sports day had gone off with only minor hitches. Sally had been impressed by Kirsty's organisational skills although Kirsty's heart hadn't been in it. Her mind had been elsewhere all day.
Rhys emerges from the hall, a thundery expression on his face.
"Kirsty, I think we need to have a talk"
"Kane... what...what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question..."
The last place he was expecting to run into her was on the MV Pressler. He wasn't prepared for this. She looked puzzled. He continued.
"...this is my boat"
They had obviously got their wires crossed somewhere.
"This is Scott's boat"
Kirsty suddenly realised that Kane must be the mystery business partner. Kane seemed to be oblivious to who Scott was. Dani's boyfriend. Kane was confused now.
"You know Scott?"
Kirsty was alarmed. Scott had always talked of his partner so highly. What would happen when the truth was revealed?
"Yeah... he's seeing Dani"
A look of sheer horror and disbelief spread over Kane's face. Scott was going to hate him. He should have known better than to go into business with someone he hardly knew. They had just struck up a friendship so quickly. It had felt right.
"You didn't know?"
"If I knew I wouldn't have gone into business with the guy, would I?"
Kane is agitated now. He and Scott had got on so well and now that was ruined. Scott had been a good friend. He had supported him through the death of his aunt and Kane had told him almost everything - except for the history with Dani. His biggest regret.
It was his aunt's money that had allowed him to buy the share in the boat. He had inherited everything when she died. She had been proud of him for completing his TAFE course. The first person in the family to get a proper education.
Kirsty looks awkward. She can tell how this information has affected Kane. He glances at her apologetically.
"Sorry"
"It's alright"
Another awkward silence follows. Kane was beating himself up inside. What would Scott say when he found out what he had done to Dani? Kirsty decides to change the subject
"So you finished your TAFE course then?"
"Yeah - finished it a couple of months ago... then... then my aunt died - "
"I'm sorry"
Kirsty knew that it was the typical thing to say but he didn't seem to mind. He smiled weakly. His aunts' death had hit him hard. He had no family around to support him now.
"I used the money from her will to buy the boat... so every cloud..."
He shuffles his feet anxiously and clears his throat.
"Anyway - did you decide what you wanted to do with your life?"
"Yeah... I went back to school"
"How's it going?"
"Not bad"
That was a lie. She was struggling at the minute. Mr Fisher was constantly going on at her about being behind. The only lesson she enjoyed was PE.
He smiles nervously. They couldn't find words to say to each other. Kirsty remembered her reason for coming.
"Anyway, Scott said I could borrow the spare first aid kit - I'm organising the school sports day tomorrow"
"Yeah, right, I'll fetch it for you"
Kane was flustered. He couldn't believe he was back. He couldn't believe he was talking to Kirsty again after all this time. She was all he had thought about for the last fourteen months. The thought of her had kept him going. Motivated him to continue with his TAFE course through all the heartache.
Kane disappears through a door and Kirsty wanders onto the deck. She couldn't quite believe he was back. Part of her was delighted to see him but part of her was anxious not to let things go the same way again. She had much more to lose this time. She was only just getting things back on track with Dani.
After a minute or so Kane re-emerges, handing Kirsty the first aid kit.
"Thanks... I should probably get back..."
"Yeah... maybe we could meet up tomorrow sometime - we've got a lot of catching up to do"
He didn't want to sound pushy but he had missed her so much. There had been a number of times that he had picked up the phone to call her, just to hear her voice but had failed to dial the last number, telling himself she would be better off without him.
"Kane..."
Kirsty sighed
"I don't think it's a good idea... you see, I'm seeing someone"
Kane's heart sank and he tried vainly to cover his disappointment. He forced a smile.
"Right... well, I guess I'll see you around then"
"Yeah... bye"
Kirsty turned and walked away hurriedly. Kane turned to stare out to sea, obvious disappointment in his face. He didn't know what he had expected. Of course she had found someone else. She was smart, beautiful and funny. Of course someone better would have come along. It was inevitable. But that didn't take away the pain.
....................................
CARAVAN PARK
Early evening
Kirsty enters. There is no one around and she goes straight to her room. Jade would be out with Nick and Rhys was probably at the kiosk. She could hear Max upstairs in his room. She lay down on her bed and gazed at the ceiling, her thoughts on Kane. She wished she had asked him why he was back but it had all been so awkward. Had he returned for her? She didn't know whether or not to mention his return to anyone. They'd find out sooner or later anyway. Off Scott or Dani. And if she told them it'd just make Rhys suspicious that there was something going on. She'd be under surveillance from the whole family and she couldn't face that.
She heard someone downstairs. Jade's voice drifted up and Kirsty slipped underneath the bed covers, closing her eyes. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts.
....................................
CARAVAN PARK
Morning
Kirsty emerges from the hallway, looking bedraggled having had a rough night. Rhys is on the computer and there is no sign of anyone else.
"Morning - you're a bit late aren't you?"
Rhys continues to stare at the computer screen blankly. Kirsty checks the clock. 8:00. She panicked.
"Dad - why didn't you wake me? I've got to be in school in half an hour"
"I've just got up myself Kirst - I assumed you'd have left with Jade earlier"
"Can you drive me to school? Please Dad - you know how hard I've worked on this sports day"
He looks up at his daughters pleading face and across at the clock before nodding obediently. He had been impressed at the effort and dedication she had put into it.
....................................
CARAVAN PARK
Afternoon
Kirsty and Jade walk into the house, arm in arm.
"Well I think you did a great job"
The sports day had gone off with only minor hitches. Sally had been impressed by Kirsty's organisational skills although Kirsty's heart hadn't been in it. Her mind had been elsewhere all day.
Rhys emerges from the hall, a thundery expression on his face.
"Kirsty, I think we need to have a talk"