Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

40. Christening

Sunday morning was cold and wet. Kerryn and Jim ushered Kylie and Jack into the back of their car, reminding them to make room for Robbie, who was joining them on the way to church. His girlfriend Tayla had been called into work at the hair salon at the last minute and wouldn't be able to make it to the christening.

Pulling up outside Robbie's apartment building, Jim introduced Kylie to Robbie before Jack could, while they both shuffled across to make room for Robbie.

Kylie could see the decade age gap between Jack and Robbie; he looked relatively babyish beside Jack, with his cleanshaven face and thick, wavy light brown hair. He had Jack's hazel eyes and warm smile.

Rob turned awkwardly to shake Kylie's hand and grinned broadly.

"G'day Kylie, how you doing? Jack." Robbie added with a very mature nod to his brother.

"I'm good – you? Hope you've recovered from your accident?" Kylie felt guilty asking him about his accident, considering when she heard about it, she had felt nothing but hate for Robbie ... his accident forced Jack away from her for two days and just when they broke through their feelings too.

"Aw yeah, the cast came off the other week but I'm a bit, you know, nervy." Robbie said.

"Serves you right for driving like an idiot!" Jack reprimanded him and surprising Kylie. She had never heard him speak to anyone, even his students that way.

"Jack! Go easy on him, it wasn't his fault!" Kylie hissed, chastising Jack and smacking his chest.

"Nah, nah don't stress, Kylie. Jack's right." Robbie said, looking down at his feet.

"See?" Jack said to Kylie and grinning, his voice light and playful yet again. Kylie frowned at him – she couldn't understand why Jack was suddenly being such a hard arse. It didn't make any sense to her, even when his students misbehaved, even when he was stressed or tired, Jack never spoke to anyone that way. He sounded like a disappointed father.

"What's that look for?" Jack asked Kylie, narrowing his eyes at her in confusion.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That – the way you talk to Robbie like he's your naughty kid and then – it's like you flick a switch and you're normal with everyone else?"

Jack looked between Kylie and Robbie, turning back to Kylie.

"I don't talk to Robbie like that –"

"– oh yeah, you do!" Kylie and Robbie both said to him.

"See Jack? Keeper." Jim chuckled from the driver's seat, glancing at Jack in the rear view mirror, entertained to see the stunned look on Jack's face.

Robbie broke the silence before it became awkward, asking Kylie about herself.

"Oh well, I'm a proper bush kid, I am. I grew up in Murruma –"

"– is that the place where you and Jack work?"

"Mate don't cut Kylie off like that. You wait till she's finished talking!" Jack reprimanded him in the same manner as before. Robbie's face fell to have disappointed Jack and apologised to Kylie. She waved him aside and shot a warning glare at Jack.

"Stop being so mean to your brother!" Kylie hissed again. All Jack did in response was grin at her boyishly.

Turning back to Robbie, Kylie answered his question.

"Yeah, that's where we work. Surprisingly, not where I went to school. There was this huge feud going on when I was little – the school had this – at the time – local woman who was the principal at the time. She used to hound the families to enrol their kids in the school, like six years in advance. Sometimes she didn't even wait until the kids were born, coercing young couples to promise to enrol any future kids so that it looked like the school had a constant surge of students. Because of that, my parents sent me to Taratatta Public. Country politics for you!"