Damaged Goods by Diane McNab - HTML preview

CHAPTER SEVEN

ZAC'S ARRIVAL

1986

Summer went into labour and after a water birth that only lasted a mere six hours her precious little bundle arrived. Summer put him straight to her breast and he immediately started suckling, his small eyes looking straight up in to hers. Even if she had been a writer Summer could not possibly have expressed in words what she felt at that moment, the word euphoria not even coming close.

“What, you want to call him Zac, are you sure?” asked Grayson.

“I can't explain it but he looked at me and I just felt that is what his name should be” replied Summer “besides I know how you hate any abbreviations of a name so it will be hard to shorten it and also I have made up my mind.”

It had taken a while for Grayson to get used to the fact that Summer called him Gray, though it still bristled him when she called him Doc (and yet here he was a Father to a Son called Zac, holy hell).

Zac thrived, he was a perfect baby, sleeping, feeding and filling nappies on a regular basis.

Summer floated through the early days of Motherhood enjoying every moment. However, when Grayson visited he noticed that the sink was full of dirty dishes, even though there was a dishwasher next to it, and not a particularly great smell coming from the laundry.

“Summer it's not often I put my foot down when talking to you but I think its time for you to get a cleaner. Now don't go off in a tangent, I just believe that it would be a good idea, for now anyway” Grayson stated unsure what the outcome would be.

Summer looked around recognising the disarray for what it was and said “Oh my God Doc that would be a God send but can I pick the person that will be in my life?”

“Shades of the past” thought Grayson but obviously agreed.

Summer put up a notice in the local grocery store stating help wanted and Madge arrived on her door step.

“Yep well there's work to be done here when would you like me to start?”

Summer honestly answered “One week ago.”

“Done like a dogs dinner” announced Madge and with that immediately went to work.

Grayson arrived four days later to a completely new home. The place was sparkling and something smelling divine wafting out of the kitchen.

“Oh she is a treasure Gray, it's like I have a new bestie.”

“Don't forget why she is here and why she is needed” Grayson replied in his usual abrupt manner.

“Fuck off Gray, you know your way out” and with that pushed him out of the door and slammed it behind him.

Grayson waited a week before deigning himself to visit Summer. He arrived on the doorstep with Summer behaving as he had just been gone for an hour.

“Hey you” she said kissing him fully on the lips “can you smell the feast coming from the kitchen? Mum, Dad and Ethan are coming for dinner and Madge has done herself proud.”

Grayson felt a moment of panic, not sure how to react. “Perhaps another time would be better” he said fitfully.

“Don't be silly your Zac's Daddy and anyway don't you want to see Zac?”

Summer placed Zac in his arms, the baby smelling of talcum power and lanolin. Grayson looked at him feeling a bond, recognising that he had never felt that way for Jane but also acknowledging that he had probably never let himself have feelings for her. At that moment he did not feel very proud of himself.

Summer's parents arrived with a quilt that each and every person on the commune had pieced together bringing tears to Summer's eyes. The dinner went magnificently with Madge leaving instructions on times and when to serve. There seemed to be a tussle on who got to hold Zac the most but eventually Summer and her Mum took him up to his cot to put him down to rest for the night.

“So how is your Wife. Does she know about Zac?” asked Summer's Father Brad.

Dark territory we are treading here thought Grayson. “No she has no idea about Zac” he answered truthfully.

“Are you going to tell her?” asked Brad.

“No, my honest answer is no, but I do intend to end our marriage and ask Summer to marry me because as matters stand I believe it is the right thing to do.”

Both Father and Son burst into laughter.

“What really Grayson?” said Ethan “You think my Sister would be happy with a proposal just because you have had a child together? Whoa now I am worried for you cause you are on the edge of a very large cliff and Summer is standing directly behind you.”

Totally perplexed Grayson asked “So what do I do from here?”

Brad put both elbows on the table and looking directly into Grayson's eyes said “Bring up your Son to be a good man.”

That night in bed Grayson told Summer about the conversation with her Father and Brother. When she stopped laughing (wishing she had been a fly on the wall) she then stated “Gray you cannot break a promise. You have a Wife, a Daughter, another family, and I have never wanted to be the person to come in between that. Be happy with what you have for it is more than enough.”

Madge stated that Zac would be running before he could walk. As if to prove a point Zac managed to pull himself up at the coffee table at at the tender age of eight months old taking a couple of shaky steps. He fell flat on to his face but decided to give it another go ending up with the same result. Summer and Madge watched him adoringly.

Summer had asked Madge what her Husband did for a living.

“Well the truth is he holds up the bar at the local” was Madge's reply.

Summer saw a shadow of resoluteness spread over Madge's face and decided not to pursue the matter any further.

However, one morning Madge arrived bustling away as usual but her smile not quite reaching her face.

“You ok?” asked Summer.

“Oh I am fine, just fine, perhaps you not being a morning person has rubbed off on me” Madge answered.

An hour later Summer and Madge sat down together and had their usual morning cuppa after 'the Prince' had been fed and put down for his morning nap.

Summer leaned over the table and reached out for Madge's hands. “What the hell happened to you, both your arms are badly bruised?”

“Oh I am such a klutz I fell taking out the garbage.”

“What you fell on to one side and rolled on to the other?” asked Summer.

“Summer leave it alone. It was a silly little accident that's all” proclaimed Madge.

A couple of weeks later Summer noticed a dark bruise on Madge's lower back as she was hanging out the washing.

When Madge arrived one morning sporting a shiner that would have made Lionel Rose proud to have placed on an opponent Summer decided enough was enough.

“Madge you have to leave him” Summer implored.

“I have no where to go” was Madge's answer.

“What the hell do you mean you have no where to go? You are standing here in this house right in front of me” Summer almost shouted.

“That's kind, too kind, I can't impose on you like that.”

“Oh for Gods sake you will leave that brute of a man today if I have to make you do it kicking and screaming” declared Summer.

They sat down and made a plan. Madge would go and collect her belongings after 10.00 am.

“I will come with you” said Summer.

“No way. I don't want Zac or you anywhere nearby. Anyway, I can do it by myself easily. The Local will be open and I know Hubby won't be home once their doors open.”

Madge arrived back a couple of hours later with two battered suitcases. The women took them up to the third bedroom and Summer had to hold back tears watching Madge unpack her meagre belongings.

There wasn't much to put away. One suitcase mainly held clothes, handbags and shoes. The second held photographs of Madge's twin boys Blake and Mark at all ages. The two women mulled over them for some time.

“Don't have any frames left for any of them but I reckon when I get myself sorted I would like to display some in my room.” Madge said this hesitantly, almost shyly, as if she was asking too much.

With exasperation Summer said “This isn't just your room Madge, it is your home, don't forget that.”

With that both women hugged each other wiping away each others tears.

Two nights later at approximately 1.00am there was a loud banging on the door and a voice shouting out very loudly “I want my fucking Wife back and if she isn't home by the morning I will be back to get her myself.” There was a lot of mumbling and clattering after that and then the noise went away.

The next night was like the movie Groundhog Day with more banging and cursing.

The next morning Madge announced she was going home. “He won't give up and I can't put you and Zac in the middle of this predicament.”

“Madge don't give in to him. He will wear himself out eventually. Besides I have called your Son's to come and have a word with him” said Summer.

“How did you know my boys numbers? I don't believe I ever gave them to you” asked Madge.

“You didn't but your address book spoke volumes” replied Summer with a cheeky grin.

“Well I never” thought Madge but secretly pleased Summer had gone to such lengths.

Madge's boys arrived the next day. They were totally identical except for the fact that one was pale and the other a deep golden brown.

Madge proudly introduced them to Summer explaining Blake was a Lifeguard at Bondi Beach and Mark was a vet. “The difference in their skin colour is the only way I can differentiate which one is which” laughed Madge.

Both of the young men were effusive in their gratitude towards Summer for finally wrenching their Mother from a bad situation.

“Don't thank me” was Summer's answer “I found a good friend that I value dearly, can't imagine life without her.”

When they left Summer had an urge to paint and went up to the attic. She picked up a 8 x 10 canvas and painted the boys as if they were looking at each other from the opposite side of a mirror. One pale and one a darker version.

She saved it until Madge's birthday which was only one short week later, having grilled the twins on her birth date. On opening it Madge burst in to tears of joy.

“Never, ever, in all my years have I have been given something so beautiful, it is the most perfect gift I have ever been given. I can't wait to hang it up in my room.”

“Well it is up to you where you hang it, after all it's your gift, but why not hang it in the dining room next to the painting I have done of Zac? I reckon it would look wonderful in that position” asked Summer.

“Really, in the dining room, really?” asked Madge going a bright pink “I mean I would love that.”

“This is your home Madge, get used to the fact” answered Summer laughing.

Grayson arrived a few days later and Summer kept him up to date on the latest.

Grayson was perturbed to say the least on hearing that a drunk had been yelling the neighbourhood down but was proud of how Summer had handled the situation.

The fact that Madge was now living on the premises also pleased him. What did not, however, was that Madge joined the dinner table after serving, making him feel a little less comfortable.

He bit his tongue sharply realising that was the way matters would be from now and decided not to rock the boat.