The Final Curtain (14 page)

Steinberger's face blossomed red. ‘You know I like Dr Frond?'

‘I figured it out.'

He looked either side of him. ‘Who else knows?' he whispered.

‘Oh, you know …' Max shrugged. ‘Everyone.'

‘But how …'

‘Steinberger, I hate to say it,' Harrison laid his hand on his shoulder, ‘but we have all known for quite some time.'

Max picked a white rose from the floor. ‘Now go after her, give her this and tell her you like her.'

‘I … I … I couldn't,' Steinberger stammered and gasped for breath. ‘What if she doesn't feel the same way?'

‘Trust me,' Harrison said. ‘She does.'

‘Really, sir?'

‘Yes, and we're staying right here until you tell her.' Max gave Steinberger a shove.

The Administration Manager brushed over his already perfect hair, straightened his already straightened suit and wiped his fingers against his teeth. He stared at Frond, who was at the security desk signing out.

He paused before turning back.

Max shook her head and pointed him the other way.

Steinberger obeyed with a pained look. He stumbled towards Dr Frond who, with her beehive hair, gentle smile and red rose glasses, was showing her security pass.

When Steinberger was behind her, he stopped. He turned to Max, looking like someone on a rollercoaster about to lose his lunch on a big dip. She gave him a thumbs up. He took a deep breath and tapped Dr Frond on the shoulder. She shrieked and dropped her pass. The two bent down simultaneously to pick it up and bumped heads again.

‘Oh, boy.' Max was about to take charge when Steinberger took Frond's hand and helped her up.
He handed her the flower and began speaking. Frond's face bloomed into a wide smile as she nodded her head.

Steinberger gave a loud whoop and Frond laughed. He kissed her lightly on the hand and spun away on his heel, his face awash with a smile that Max suspected went all the way to his toes.

‘Well done, Max. I've been wanting that to happen for years,' Harrison said. ‘Now to visit Linden.'

Steinberger said goodbye to Frond and skipped towards Max.

‘She'd love to come to dinner with me,' he staggered. ‘She'd
love
to.' He shook his head. ‘If only I'd known sooner, I would have asked earlier. That makes me one lucky guy.'

‘If you ask me, that makes
her
one lucky girl.'

Steinberger blushed. Max slowly folded her arms around him.

‘What's all this for?' Steinberger asked.

‘It's my new policy of making sure I hug all the good people I know.'

Steinberger smiled through teary eyes. ‘That's a good policy.'

‘It's taken me quite a few years to develop it, but I think I'll stick with it.' Max paused. ‘I've also
worked out something else. It's okay to let people help you, instead of wanting to be so independent all the time. It doesn't make you weak. Sometimes people just … like you.'

‘Sounds very wise to me.' Steinberger grinned.

 

On a fur-covered chair, surrounded by the cool blue glow of his new home, sat Blue. He sat before a chessboard wearing a large bearskin coat, raccoon-skin hat, mufflers and gloves.

He frowned and rubbed his bandaged hand against his chin. After several seconds he smiled, reached across and moved his knight forward two spaces and once to the left.

‘See what you can do with that?'

Blue sat back, the smug look he had perfected for years melted across his face. Opposite was an empty chair. He waited for the computer-operated board to light up, indicating its next move.

Outside the sea rose and fell in long slow swells. Dotted along the horizon were icebergs, shaped not unlike his new home, some as tall as buildings, bathed in the glow of perpetual Arctic summer daylight.

The Hyper Fast Invisible Jet hovered in the air, the wind from the engines stirring the dusty ground into a tornadoed flurry while making a slow and gentle landing.

‘Thanks, Sleek.' Ben unbuckled himself from his seat. ‘Smooth as ever.'

‘Did we make better time than before?' Eleanor asked.

‘Twenty-six minutes London to Mindawarra.' Linden checked his watch. ‘I think that's the best you've ever done, Sleek.'

‘Why have we stopped here?' Max looked out the window to see acres of wheat fields around them and an old falling-down shed.

‘This way we make sure we're not seen arriving out of nowhere,' Ben answered.

‘You live on a farm in the middle of nowhere. Who's going to see you?'

‘You never know.' Eleanor waved a finger. ‘Some days it's quiet as a church, next day everyone decides it's time for a visit.'

The four spies stepped down the hatch. Ben pushed it closed with a loud click before slamming twice on the invisible body of the jet. They waved to an invisible cockpit and moved away. The engine revved, wind bustled against them and the
sound of the jet lifted beside them before it sped away in a fraction of a second.

‘Eleanor, give me a hand will you?' Ben and Eleanor struggled to open the barn doors. They creaked like a temper tantrum before finally lurching open. ‘Jump in everyone.'

‘Will it work?' Max asked.

‘Sure it will.'

Inside the barn sat what looked like a car plucked from early last century. It was long and pink with white striping running along the body and ending in two wingtips at the back.

Max looked in through the window. ‘It's packed with camping gear.'

‘Just in case we run into anyone we know.' Ben grabbed hold of the driver's door with two hands and gave it three hard tugs before it opened. ‘I would have put the gear in the boot, but I haven't been able to get that open for years.'

‘That surprises me.' Max rolled her eyes and climbed in the car with the others. ‘Maybe this isn't making any sense because I'm tired and just need a good long sleep.'

‘Maybe,' Linden smiled and bounced on the seat beside her. ‘Still has good spring in the seats.'

Ben turned over the engine. ‘Oh, she'll be going long after we're all gone.'

Max wound down the window, which got stuck half-way. She took a long deep breath. ‘Smells good.'

She spotted Ben and Eleanor's house in the distance. ‘Someone's at your house.'

Eleanor squinted. ‘Looks like everyone has decided it's time for a visit.'

‘Lucky we look like we've just come back from camping.' Ben winked at Eleanor.

‘There's Mum and Linden's dad and Francis.' Max frowned. ‘And Ralph and Larry wearing a suit.'

‘Maybe it's a special occasion,' Linden said, looking suspiciously innocent.

‘There's Geraldine and her chickens,' Max said. ‘No one even knew what time we were coming home.'

Ben pulled up in front of the house. ‘There's nothing like a spot of camping to make you feel refreshed,' he boomed.

Max opened her door and was met by her mother's overly energetic hug.

‘I missed you so much, Max.'

‘It was only a few days.'

‘I know.' She wiped her eyes. ‘But this time I really felt it. What happened to your hand?'

‘Hurt it chopping wood for the fire. It's nothing.' Max's eyes narrowed. ‘I thought you were on tour with a new show.'

Her mother's eyes shifted towards Ben and Eleanor. ‘I fudged the truth a little.'

Linden's dad threw his arms around his son. ‘And your arm?'

‘I slipped on a mossy rock trying to fish,' Linden said. ‘Max tried to stop me going there, but I wouldn't listen.' He shot her a quick look. ‘Lucky we weren't too far from the nearest town, and the doctors there had it sorted in lightning speed.'

‘Thanks for trying at least, Max.'

‘No problem, Mr Franklin.'

‘That makes me sound like an old man. Please, call me Harry.'

Max offered Francis a cheeky smile. ‘How was your trip to America?'

‘It was very fruitful,' he smiled. ‘I'll tell you all about it.'

‘But first, we've got something for you.' Max's mum lifted a cloth off the karaoke machine and looked at the animals. ‘Ready everyone?'

‘I think my mum's lost it,' Max whispered to Linden.

The karaoke machine launched into the beginnings of ‘Happy Birthday', which Larry snorted along to in full force, accompanied by the backup singing of Ralph, Geraldine and her chicks positioned next to Larry's homemade heart.

‘Happy birthday, Max!' the humans shouted.

‘But it's not until tomorrow,' Max said.

Her mother brushed away her fringe. ‘Turning thirteen deserves a whole weekend of partying at least.'

‘Larry's come a long way since we bought him that machine.' Ben nuzzled Larry's cheek. ‘They'll be booking him for the Opera House soon.'

‘We've got something else inside.' Max's mum was like an excited little girl as she grabbed Max's hand and led her up the stairs to the kitchen.

The whole room was strung with streamers, balloons and a giant sign that said ‘Happy Birthday Max'. The table was bulging with pastizzis, lasagna, golden roasted potatoes, a baked chicken, chocolate éclairs, chunks of rockmelon, water-melon and mango. In the centre, on a platter raised above it all, was a triple-decker white-and-dark chocolate mousse cake laced with cherries, cream
and generous shavings of chocolate. And on the sidebench was a mound of presents.

‘This is what I call a party.' Ben rubbed his hands.

‘There's just one more surprise in the lounge room I need to show Max. Close your eyes.'

Max closed her eyes as her mother held her shoulders and directed her down the hall. She kissed her on the cheek and said, ‘Count to three and open your eyes. I'll be in the kitchen.'

Max counted.

‘Happy birthday, beautiful girl.'

‘Dad!' Max threw herself at her father and squeezed him tight. Beside him was a woman holding a small baby. ‘And Mee Lin! What are you doing here?'

‘We wanted to say happy birthday, and we thought it was time you met your little sister, Lily.'

Max stared at the small gurgling bundle in Mee Lin's arms. ‘She's so little.'

‘Would you like to hold her?' Mee Lin asked.

‘She's so small – what if I break her?'

‘She's pretty tough.'

Mee Lin held out the baby. Max sat on the lounge and held her stiffly. ‘What do I do now?'

‘She sleeps a lot, so you don't really need to do anything.'

At that moment, Lily opened her eyes. She stretched her arms and hands before falling back to sleep and curling her fingers around Max's pinky.

‘I'll be in the kitchen.' Mee Lin kissed Max's dad and left the room.

‘Thanks for coming, Dad. I've missed you so much.'

‘Me too,' his voice cracked. ‘How do you like you new sister?'

‘She's cute,' Max said. ‘In a squishy, small kind of way.'

‘Did you get my letter and the photos?'

‘Yeah,' Max said. ‘I was planning to write back to you, but I've been busy.'

‘You know she'll never replace you.'

‘I know.' Max smiled.

‘When you were this small, I couldn't take my eyes off you. I used to sit and watch you for hours. I thought you were the most beautiful little girl I'd ever seen.' His eyes became teary. ‘I still do.'

Max smiled and looked down at Lily. ‘She's got a good grip.'

‘Might be a mountain climber or a champion waterskier. It'll come in handy to keep the boys in
check.' He looked at Max. ‘And what about you? Any boys I should know about?'

‘Nah. That stuff's not for me.'

‘It will be. One day.'

Max's mum's laughter floated above the room.

‘What's this with Linden's dad and your mum?'

‘Not sure.' Max shrugged. ‘All I know is that since she's been coming out to the farm she's a lot more normal to live with.'

‘I have something else for you,' Max's dad said.

‘What is it?' Max felt Lily's hand squeeze her finger even tighter.

‘I've been asked to direct a new film. It's a really exciting project that's going to have lots of big names in it.'

‘So you can't stay very long, I understand.'

‘That's not it,' he said. ‘We're filming it in Australia. So for at least the next year, Mee Lin, Lily and I are moving back here.'

Max said nothing.

‘Are you happy?'

‘If I wasn't holding Lily I'd have screamed and jumped all over you by now.'

Max's dad breathed a heavy sigh. ‘The scream I can let you off, but the hug I want later. So how do you feel about being a babysitter?'

Max looked down at Lily. ‘You know, I never thought I'd say this, but I think I might have a knack for it.'

Lily let out a smiling squeal.

‘Even Lily thinks it'll be nice to come home.'

Max smiled. ‘I haven't heard you call Australia “home” in years.'

‘My home will always be where you are.' Max's dad leant in and kissed her on the forehead. ‘Oh.' He screwed up his nose. ‘I think Lily has left me a celebratory present in her nappy. Do you want to have a go changing her?'

‘We've just met. Maybe I'll leave that for another time.'

‘Don't blame you.' Max's dad lifted Lily and held her out before him. ‘Better do it fast before we drive away your guests.'

After hours of feasting and telling jokes and retelling old stories – ones that Ben exaggerated and everyone else laughed about – Francis leaned into Max and whispered, ‘We did it.' His smile curled into the corners of his mouth. ‘We now have an energy source strong enough to power the next generation of Time and Space Machine.'

Max's smile faltered. ‘You know it is broken.'

‘If you hadn't been wearing the Machine and belt when that electric bolt hit you, we wouldn't have you anymore. We can make another one.'

‘But all that hard work.'

Francis shrugged. ‘Yes, but so much more exciting work still to be done.'

‘It's ironic isn't it? When I first met Blue he wanted the machine so badly he would have done anything to get it, and now he's destroyed it.'

‘He destroyed a lot of things.'

‘Not us, though.' Max smiled and looked around the table. ‘He tried to, but he never even got close.'

After the meal, Max and Linden took the leftovers to Larry, Ralph and the chickens, with the sounds of the adults singing karaoke floating out of the house behind them.

‘I think Larry could teach them a thing or two about singing.' Linden rubbed his head. ‘Couldn't you, fella?'

‘Did you know about this?' Max asked.

‘It's been planned for months.'

‘And you never said a thing?'

‘It would have ruined the surprise.'

‘Larry's heart is looking good,' Max said.

‘You know Larry, once he gets his mind set on something there's no stopping him.'

Ralph helped Larry add more wildflowers to his heart while Geraldine clucked nearby, watching Amelia, who had taught herself to fly.

Another peal of laughter and applause drifted out of the house at the end of a song.

‘Do you remember when you were first here, and you marched off by yourself and got stuck in mud?' Linden leaned against the fence post and looked out over the paddocks.

‘It wasn't my fault the farm suddenly became a swamp.'

‘You didn't think you'd like it here, did you?'

‘I thought the pace would be a little slower than I was used to. Guess I was wrong.' She smiled. ‘And who knew if I stuck it out I could get happy birthday sung to me by a pig.'

Larry snorted.

‘A very good-looking pig, of course.'

The two stared out at the far paddock.

‘Are you okay with your dad's family being here?' Linden asked.

‘Yeah. It's good to see them,' Max said. ‘They're moving here for a year while my dad directs a film.'

‘Maybe he can get us some work as extras again.'

‘After the disaster I caused on his set in Hollywood, my acting days are officially over.'
¹⁵

‘Thanks for coming with me to see my mum. You were right, it was better with you there, and I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather introduce her to.'

‘She loved you,' Max said. ‘You could see that in every bit of her.'

Linden looked away and bit down on his lip. ‘I was always a really happy kid, but when she died I lost my confidence. Like I was always afraid the ground was going to trip me up or swallow me whole. I know that's silly …'

‘It's not silly.' Max looked into Linden's eyes.

They stared in silence.

‘When I met you, it was like I forgot to worry about that,' Linden said. ‘I wasn't frightened anymore, and for the first time in years everything felt like it was going to be okay. You know, safe again. Do you know what I mean?'

‘Yeah,' Max said. ‘I think I do.'

‘And when I've been sad about her, you've always known what to say to make me feel better.'

Linden looked down. ‘I dreamt about her a lot after she died. I'd have dreams where I would see her on buses and in cars and trains, but I could never reach her before she left. I always woke up feeling sad.' He smiled. ‘But when I was lying in hospital, I had a dream and we were sitting together on this country bus. It was a really sunny day, and we were singing and laughing. It was like she was there with me, helping me to wake up.'

Max pulled a red envelope with a ribbon tied around it from her pocket. ‘I got you this.'