Losing Jack

Chapter 6

Michael made a beeline for the machinery shed, glad to be out of the clutches of Beth.
Although he had made the decision to watch over Jack a long time ago, he really was at a crossroads. He was undecided on the whole idea and wrestled with the question; what was best for Jack. It didn't matter what was best for everyone else. 

And then there was the thought of him being taken to Perth of all places. Michael knew Jack always hated the city when they were kids.

Being honest with himself, Michael knew that somewhere in the deep dark recesses of Jacks broken mind the real Jack was still there, trapped with no way out. That was what really tormented him - knowing there was nothing he could do about it, except watch and live with the guilt that they should not have been driving that night.

He also pondered whether Jack knew exactly what was going on. Would he would know if he was left in Perth. He already knew Jack would notice if he was being abandoned by all of them – it's just how would he react to it? Now that was the real question.

Then there was Sandy - he was worried about her. It was no secret he had feelings for her. Everyone seemed to be aware of it – everyone except Sandy, that is. She seemed blissfully unaware of the quiet and advances he had been making towards her. The truth was, the highlight of his visits to see Jack had now become seeing Sandy. It almost made him forget what he was there for.

There had only ever been one other girl that he had loved in his life. Mary Lynne had left him here to face himself day after day. She had disappeared without a word at a time in his life when he had needed her most.

It was this abandonment as well as guilt and fear that had trapped him in this time warp. Trapped him in a town that he had never felt much for to begin with. He had trust issues - who wouldn't.

Sandy was different though, she barely even acknowledged his existence. She had never chased or pursued him. It had taken a great deal of persuasion on Jude's part to get her just to talk to him.

She treated people suspiciously too, he guessed it was her way of making sure that no one could ever hurt her. Smiling Michael thought they really were alike, he just didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

After all this time he had to admit he still didn't know much about Sandy, but longed to know everything.

What was her favourite colour, where did she grow up, what did she dream about, did she ever dream about him? She never answered questions about herself when he asked, instead she either shrugged them off with a silly remark like, "I don't know, I have never really thought about what my favorite colour was." Or ignored them completely and changed the subject.

It was difficult for him to show her how he was feeling when they had Jack there too, but today would be different. This time Jack wouldn't be there, it would be just the two of them, alone.

Pulling up at the shed and killing the engine he reached over to the back seat where he found a cooler bag containing a few rounds of sandwiches and some cans of soft drink. He had brought them along in case he ended up taking Jack out for a while to give Beth a break. Instead he thought he would use them to entice Sandy out of the shed so they could talk.

As he stepped out of the car Michael saw the vineyards supervisor Rick leaving the shed. He was a tall, scruffy looking fellow, with a black jovial beard that covered most of his face and made him look as though he would break out into a hefty belly laugh at any moment. From his weathered baseball cap tufts of the same black hair jutted out from the sides.

Rick was a man of few words, now lighting up a cigarette he idly shuffled towards Jack, his boots making scraping noises on the gravel. A trail of smoke followed obediently behind him as he puffed away on his cigarette without removing it from his lips.