Revival (Johanna's story with Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 26

26.
I come out to find Luke unlocking the passenger side of a blue Skyline in the driveway. "Uh - a different car" I observe.

"Yeah - I've got three" he responds casually, "well - only two that are running." He opens the door for me.

I pause and look at him. "I don't need some gentleman thing - just be you" I say to him.

He smirks at me, "The central locking's buggered. I haven't got round to fixing it yet - may as well open it this way."

"Oh" I sit inside.

"I'm allowed to look out for you though, aren't I?" and then he shuts the door before I need respond.

"Mechanic's cars aye" I say as he gets into the driver's seat.

"I've fixed plenty else on it" he protests. "I bought it cheap through the garage - off someone who couldn't afford to get it fixed up - same with the Fairlady." He backs out down the driveway.

"So do you have a thing with Nissan's?"

"Na - just the way it happened." He accelerates away. The car is a manual and he drives like he was born doing it. I don't know how he wasn't more frustrated watching me. "So where do I go?"

The place I suggested is kind of a glorified cafe close to the university. The walls are covered with handwritten classified ads - rooms to rent and people selling all sorts of things. There's also signatures of supposedly famous people who have visited, though I don't actually recognise any names. We slip into a booth towards the back, with Luke sitting directly opposite me. There are garish cushions along the back of the bench and an array of magazines and board games in the middle of the table.

"This is cool - very hippy. We won't get bored anyway" he remarks.

"Yeah - even free Wifi if we get sick of talking to each other" I say drily.

He smiles. A young waitress wonders over with bright red dyed hair in a pony tail and chewing gum. I see her notice Luke. "What do you's want?" she directs to him.

"I'll have a coke thanks" he glances up to her briefly, then looks to me, "You get whatever pizza you want - I'll eat anything with cheese on it ...and meat - don't get vegetarian aye." He starts to look curiously at some of the games.

The waitress reluctantly shifts her eyes to me. "Can we have a large satay chicken pizza please, and I'll have a strawberry milkshake."

She nods, looking bored, and then walks off blowing a bubble.

"Do you know how to play backgammon?" Luke looks up.

"I've never played it in my life" I tell him, somewhat amused.

"Hmm, neither have I" he pushes it aside.

"Was your Mum okay?" I try to say lightly.

"Yeah she seems fine" he nods slowly. He keeps his eyes on me and pauses for a time. "She first got depressed after Dad left a few years ago. I think it came as a real shock. I'd never really heard them argue that much or anything. He just made this excuse and then sort of walked out on all of us... - well, Josh had already moved out and Sam was at university."

It means a lot that he has opened up about this. I see the discomfort in his eyes, but maybe some relief now too. The pieces of his past fall into place more in my mind. "I'm sorry" is what comes out of my mouth.

He looks confused and even a bit annoyed. He shakes his head and huffs out, "Not your fault," before looking away around the walls of the cafe.

"Do you see him at all now?" I ask tentatively.