Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

79. Damo

Jack had returned back to Wangarra with his family (including Damien) and Chaz – who was still furious with Hendo and Jenna.

Jack had come home that evening to find Kylie pacing around the front verandah, her arms folded so tight she could feel her muscles aching from the tension she was withholding. She wasn't the sort of person to wait for the danger to pass, she had grown up being thrown right into it all and fighting through it all, no different to anyone else.

She was angry at Jack for taking off in the middle of the night when she was asleep, just so he wouldn't have to argue with her that he didn't want her anywhere near those fires, knowing all too well what she was like. She was also furious that he left without so much as a note to say where he had gone, that she had to call him to find out where the hell he was.

Kylie turned hard on her heel and stood perfectly still, chewing the inside of her mouth behind her clenched jaw as Jack's ute rolled to a stop in the driveway before her. Jack climbed out of the driver's side, with Chaz filing out of the passenger side.

"G'day Kylz, mate –" Chaz said and was cut short when Kylie yelled at Jack.

"What the fuck were you thinking?! I woke up this morning and nothing – fucking nothing! What the hell was I supposed to think, Jack?!"

"Jesus ..." Chaz muttered under his breath, raising his eyebrows and taking a step back while Jack huffed loudly, walking around the ute towards her.

"Now, Wombat –"

"– don't you fucking 'Wombat' me, James!"

Jack flinched and stopped in his tracks, stung by her words. He knew he was in serious trouble when she levelled the J word at him – and more than once today too. He took half a step backwards and gave her an apologetic yet determined look.

"Kylie, I told you that I would do this if things got too close to home –"

"– yeah, you just failed to mention that you'd piss off in the middle of the night –" she saw Chaz wandering towards them, a sports bag flung over his shoulder. He was determined not to make eye contact, sure he would feel the burn if he did and just slink inside to let them have their domestic in private.

"Hey!" Kylie growled at Chaz, who stopped dead in his tracks. "Stay put."

"Look, Kylz – you knew I was going to get everyone, so why are you so shocked?"

Kylie glared at Jack with murderous disbelief. "You don't – don't, James – run off in the middle of the night like that. You don't piss off and leave me behind without a goddamn fucking word. Got it?"

"Loud and clear. Mate, I didn't want you to get hurt –" Jack offered tenderly, with Chaz standing awkwardly beside him, trying hard not to listen – or flinch and duck involuntarily when Kylie let out a hollow laugh. The woman certainly knew how to set fire to thin air when she wanted to, Chaz thought. He was sure he saw embers flutter from the ends of her fiery hair.

"This is what I've done every summer! Why did you think I wanted to go with you? I know what to do! I'm not some fucking trophy wife who sucks you off and cooks a roast on Sundays!"

Chaz turned right around to glance over the sparsely developed estate in the smoky sunset to smirk, without copping his own assault from Kylie.

"I–I know you're not –" Jack gasped, stunned she was charging at him like this ... and in front of Chaz as well.

"I'm pissed off you didn't trust me to help! Your family is mine and vice versa – you know that if it were my parents that needed evacuating, I wouldn't go out there without you! Even though I know the area like the back of my hand!"