The Sister's Gift by Barbara Hannay

Author:Barbara Hannay [Hannay, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780143794226
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

The island’s aquarium was a relatively simple affair set in sheds at the end of a path that wound through tropical gardens lush with palms, cordylines and flowering gingers.

Molly, wearing yet another seahorse-inspired T-shirt and almost bursting with impatience, skipped ahead of them up the path.

‘You’ve done well to find her so many clothes with seahorses,’ Billie told Dan.

‘I have her granny to thank for that. She seems to find them online.’

‘Sounds like your mum’s a pretty special grandmother.’

‘She is rather.’

By now Molly was well ahead of them, having reached the ticket office, where she was animatedly explaining to the kid who served there that she’d come to see the seahorses.

After an anxious night, Billie decided to grab this brief window of opportunity. ‘Dan, may I ask about Molly’s mother?’

‘She died,’ he said simply.

‘Oh, God. I’m so sorry.’ Perhaps she should have been prepared for this news, but divorce was so common she hadn’t considered death for someone so young. Now the unfairness of this landed on Billie’s chest like a physical blow.

‘A car crash.’ Dan kept his gaze lowered. ‘A guy on meth ran a red light. Molly was only six months old and she was in her capsule in the back seat. Didn’t get a scratch.’

Oh, Dan. Rendered speechless, Billie couldn’t begin to imagine the horror for him, the unbearable shock and grief of losing his partner, combined with the sudden responsibility of caring for a baby daughter. She could almost feel her own heart breaking. ‘That’s terrible,’ she said softly as her eyes filled with tears.

‘It’s been hard,’ he said. ‘But we’re doing okay.’

Yes, of course he was doing okay. To Billie, he seemed to be coping wonderfully.

She blinked hard and stared at the bright red and cerise leaves of a cordyline plant, willing her eyes to dry.

Ahead of them, Molly was calling, ‘Come on, Daddy! Hurry up!’

Billie swallowed and somehow managed to smile, and mere moments later, with their tickets purchased, they found themselves inside, surrounded by a watery wonderland. On either side, walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling tanks filled with the delights of the Great Barrier Reef. Coral and rocks and clams, and fish of every size, shape and hue.

Molly was delighted by the whole spectacle, but she was on a special quest, of course, so she hurried ahead again, past the underwater beauty until she reached her goal.

She squealed. ‘Daddy!’ she called again. ‘Billie, hurry. Come here.’ The little girl was quivering with excitement as she beckoned them. ‘Look!’ she ordered in a dramatic stage whisper, as Dan and Billie drew closer.

And there they were, a little family of elegant seahorses riding up and down in a tank of bright pink coral.

Billie grinned. ‘They really are special, aren’t they?’

‘But they’re so tiny,’ squeaked Molly.

‘And incredibly cute,’ suggested Billie.

Molly nodded as she continued to stare, obviously needing a moment or two to realign her expectations with this diminutive reality. She was still smiling, though, and after a bit, she pointed to the biggest seahorse and announced quite assertively, ‘That one’s the daddy.

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