138 Dates by Rebekah Campbell

Author:Rebekah Campbell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2021-05-13T00:00:00+00:00

Matthew: I’m outside.

Me: I’ll be right down.

I pull on my brown leather jacket, check my lipstick and dart out my apartment door. Matthew is in a shiny blue convertible with his sunglasses on. He waves.

‘Nice car!’

‘It’s a Spider,’ he says, revving the engine. The wind smacks my hair to my face as we turn the corner to William Street. ‘Sorry, do you want me to put the roof up?’

‘It’s okay,’ I lie. ‘It’s nice actually.’ I feel fragments of foundation slide into my wrinkles. Mascara mixes with water from my eyes and dry crusts form at the edge of my lipstick. Just try to enjoy it.

We pull up to a strip of shops in Double Bay. ‘I can’t remember if I told you, but I used to be the mayor here, before I went into parliament.’

‘You didn’t say, but I read it on your Wikipedia.’ I want to nudge him in the side like I’m poking fun, but I hold back. I’m not sure he’d find it funny.

‘Let’s order pizza,’ he suggests. ‘There’s a great Italian place on the corner.’

Matthew ducks inside and I wait on the street. I glance around. Shiny shopfronts with pastel dresses in the windows, manicured gardens, neatly parked four-wheel-drive Porsches in every lot. I cross my arms and slouch against the wall.

I pull myself up just as Matthew emerges with two boxes of pizza and a garlic bread.

‘I’ve got to warn you,’ he says, ‘people recognise me around here, because I used to be the mayor. They stop to chat. It’s very annoying, but —’ he holds his hands up ‘— it comes with the job.’

‘Okay. Shall we head back to your place then?’

Matthew looks down the busy shopping strip. ‘Hang on, I need to get a magazine. The newsagent is just over there.’ He links my arm into his. ‘Shall we walk?’

Matthew strides tall as we make our way down the path. In my mind I see paparazzi jumping from the bushes and the headlines to follow. Page one of the Wentworth Courier: ‘Matthew Marino has a new girl! Matthew Marino engaged!’ He nods to passersby, who look back at him blankly. After a minute or so he frowns. ‘This is really strange. Usually I get accosted.’

I want to make a joke, but Matthew seems annoyed; his image is important. This realisation both draws me in and concerns me. I can see he’s vulnerable, a little boy handicapped by an overgrown ego. I could protect him. But I’m fearful of what happens when his ego takes a hit. Will he cry, explode, disappear? I tell myself to be careful. Watch what you say, watch what you do. Don’t ever offend him.

We step back into the car and drive slowly around the block. ‘See that kids’ playground?’ He points. ‘I did that, when I was mayor. And that garden over there. And the new parking stations.’

‘Wow, really?’ I emphasise my awe.

He pushes out his chin. ‘Let’s take a detour home. I’ll show you a few things.

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