Chapter 4: A Beach Party

When her family were seated around the dinner table that evening, supper being the only meal that they usually ate together, Susan casually mentioned that Shelly had told her about the local beach party.

"I think we should go," she told them. "Mix with our neighbours and get to know some of them a little more. I only really know Shelly and I'd like to get to know the others a bit better. After all, we'll probably be spending a long time here and we need…"

"All right, mum, all right," Benny gave a sigh. "We'll all go down there for a while. Who knows, it might be a laugh. What do you say, Jess?"

"Why not?" his girlfriend smiled as she reached for the orange juice. "Besides, I get bored with sitting in night after night. If it's that bad then we always come home."

"Of course it isn't going to be bad!" Lucy said at once. "How can you even think that? It's a party and parties are just great! Tonight is going to be so cool!"

"Oh, to be thirteen again," Benny muttered sarcastically. 

"So it's decided," Susan said firmly. "We'll all go down there for a while and see what it's like."

"I'm not coming," Emma said at once, as she tried to tempt Jordan with a spoon of mashed banana. "You lot go and have fun."

"Emma, you can't just spend your life avoiding social gatherings forever," her mother told her. "You and Jordan come along, you might enjoy yourself. You need to get out and enjoy yourself more, doesn't she, Jess?" Both her brother and her brother's girlfriend nodded.

"I know that," Emma said patiently. "I just don't feel like it tonight."

"You have to come, Emma." Lucy said at once. "Come on, I know that you don't like parties, but Allee will be there and it'll be a right laugh and you don't have to stay for long. And you might meet a nice boy…" she broke off as Jess, Benny and her mother glared.

"Oh all right," her oldest sister agreed, finally giving up and lifting her son out of the highchair. "Come on Jordan," she said fondly, gently kissing the top of his head. "If we are going out, then we had better give you a bath."

The family, completed with dogs, arrived at the beach just after seven to find that the party was just beginning. Shelley and her husband Rhys, who seemed to have been watching out for them, instantly approached them. While Lucy dashed off to find Kirsty and Jade, Emma, Benny and Jess stayed and spoke to the Sutherlands for a few minutes, before wandering off and leaving their mum to her own devices. Benny briefly paused to talk to Alf, before they were approached by Sally Fletcher and her boyfriend, who she introduced as Flynn. Within just a few minutes, the four of them went off together to get some drinks, chatting away like old friends. Emma didn't go with them, although she knew that they wouldn't have minded. Instead she looked around for Allee. Finally she saw her standing with a group of young people, about her age. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and she wore a dark blue bikini top and white denim shorts. She saw Emma and waved her over. On her way over to her friend, Emma was stopped by an older lady who introduced herself as Irene and a young woman named Leah who had a young baby boy named VJ, although he was a lot younger than Jordan. Both wanted to know about her baby and she patiently answered their questions until they finally left her alone to go over to Allee.

"Hey Emma," Allee greeted her. "Glad you made it. I wasn't too sure if you would be coming or not."

"I got talked into it," Emma said with a grin. "Who are your friends?"

"That's Dani Sutherland," Allee answered, pointing to a pretty-looking girl with long, dark blond hair. "Alex," she pointed to a tall, muscular boy with dark hair and a tan. "And Josh West."

"Hello." Dani smiled and held out her hand. "You must be Emma Alexander. My mother has told me a lot about you. It's nice to meet you."

"And you." Emma shook the extended hand and smiled warmly. "Summer Bay seems like a great place to live."

"Oh it is," Josh agreed. "I could never imagine leaving." He smiled at Dani, who smiled back at him and squeezed his arm.

"Nice kid," Alex commented. "What's his name?"

"Jordan."

"Is he your brother?" Dani asked. "He's gorgeous."

"Actually, he's my son." Emma told them. They looked shocked and she shook her head. "Long story," she said. "Not something that I really want to talk about."

"Wow, look at Hayley!" Josh said suddenly, causing the others to leave the subject alone and turn to look at the wide ocean. Emma noticed an athletic looking girl with bleached blond hair out on a board, who she assumed was Hayley. Surfing beside her was a tanned guy with dark hair.

"That's her boyfriend, Noah," Allee whispered. Emma nodded, feeling rather uncomfortable. She wasn't used to these sort of social situations, back where they used to live she had rarely mixed with anyone for the last two years. Allee noticed that her friend didn't look too happy and put a hand on her arm.

"You want to go and sit down?" she asked. Emma nodded and Allee turned back to the others. "I catch you guys later!" she called and they all nodded and shouted their goodbyes.

The two of them settled in some beach chairs, and Emma placed Jordan on the sand to play with the two dogs. Benny, Jess, Sally and Flynn sat not too far away from them; deep in conversation, and Emma could also see her mum sitting on a blanket with Shelley and Rhys. Lucy and her friends were down at the water's edge, splashing each other playfully. Other people sat in groups, talking, laughing and eating. Pop music played in the background and some of the men had set up a barbecue. Allee excused herself for a moment and came back with two cans of soft drink and two hotdogs for them. Emma took out Jordan's bottle and a biscuit.

"So where's Gina?" she asked. Allee shrugged.

"She's with my grandma, she replied. "Grandma doesn't mix with the locals much and she doesn't like things like this. Gina does sometimes, but it's a bit late for her to be out and about."

"Tell me that it's none of my business if you like," Emma said carefully. "But what did your mum die of?"

"She died of ovarian cancer," Allee said quietly. "It's a wonder that Gina even survived. It was lucky."

"I'm sorry," Emma told her. The two girls fell into silence for a while, until Susan came over.

"I'm going back home now," she told her daughter. "I noticed that Jordan was looking a bit sleepy and I was wondering if you would like me to take back with me."

"All right," she agreed after a moment. She picked Jordan up, along with his bottle, gave him a kiss on the forehead and handed him to her mother. "Thanks mum" she said with a smile. "I won't be too long myself."

"Keep the dogs with you if you plan to walk home by yourself," Susan warned. Emma laughed.

"Don't you worry about me, mum," she said casually. "See you later."

"You are very lucky to have a mum like her," Allee commented as Susan walked away. "She's really nice."

"She can be tough when she wants to," her friend told her. "She's had to be, what with everything our family has been through."

Their conversation gradually drifted to more cheerful things over the next hour, including surfing. Emma confessed that she had always wanted to learn to surf and Allee told her the Flynn sometimes gave lessons.

"You should try it," she said. "Maybe we could learn together."

"I might just take you up on that offer," Emma smiled and then yawned. "Sorry," she said. "I was up twice with Jordan last night and I'm rather tired. I might get back if you don't mind."

"Of course," Allee nodded. "I'll walk part of the way back with you if you like."

"I'd like that," Emma told her. "I'll just go and tell Benny that we're going."

After talking to Benny and Jess, who were still having a laugh with Sally and Flynn, Emma and Allee left the beach and began the walk home. Benny had said that he would keep an eye on Lucy and that the three of them would probably be home in about an hour. It was about ten o'clock now and it was beginning to get dark, but Emma had the feeling that several of the Bay's residents would be there until the early hours of the morning. She was certain that Lucy would if she was given the choice.

They walked back to Allee's house, to find that all the lights were off and her grandma and little sister were in bed. She invited Emma in briefly for a drink and the two had a laugh as they discussed who was the cutest guy in Summer Bay. After about twenty minutes, Emma said goodbye to her friend and arranged to meet her on the beach the next day, before she, Shadow and Laddie left to begin the short walk home.

Despite having the dogs with her, Emma disliked walking in the dark, especially in streets that were still rather unfamiliar to her. As she passed by the Diner, Shadow began to growl and she jumped and looked around wildly.

"It's all right," a male voice said suddenly from somewhere in the shadows. "I'm sorry if I scared you, I was just taking a walk."

"No, it's…it's okay," Emma quickly called Shadow to her and clipped on his short lead as the boy stepped into view. "He just hates any male who he doesn't know."

"I can see," the boy said with a half-smile. He was tall, tanned and rather muscular like the other boys on the beach. He had light brown hair, which was rather messy and very deep, interesting eyes…

"I don't remember seeing you at the beach party," Emma said, mainly because she couldn't think of anything else to say. The boy shook his head.

"I wasn't there," he said simply. "I only arrived back in town today and the locals…don't like me very much."

"Really?" Emma was surprised. "They seem like a friendly lot to me."

"Well, I crossed some of them in the past," he said with a shrug. "People bear grudges. You're new around here aren't you?"

"Yes," she nodded and smiled. "I'm Emma Alexander. My family have just moved in the empty house by the caravan park."

"Nice to meet you, Emma," the boy said sincerely. "I'm Kane. Kane Philips."

"And it's nice to meet you too, Kane," Emma said at once. "Well, I'd better be going before it gets too late. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll bump into each other again." Kane smiled briefly and turned away. "See you."

"See you," Emma echoed, also turning and quickly walking in the direction of home.