Member-only story
A novella in 30 chapters
Stingaree Bay: Chapter 30
Two Years On
It was an immaculate afternoon in early autumn.
A light breeze from the Bay took the edge off the sun’s heat and made the sheokes sing — that sound both eerie and beautiful: once heard, never forgotten. The day smelled of warm earth and fresh-mown grass.
‘Well, this is all quite … odd, isn’t it?’ said Tony quietly.
‘Yes — yes, I suppose it is. But in a rather lovely way, don’t you think?’
Tasha slipped her arm around his waist and gave him an affectionate squeeze. He nuzzled behind her ear and kissed her softly.
‘OI! TONY!! Put that woman down — and get your arse on stage!’
Loz’s voice, amplified by the PA system, echoed around the garden. The startled couple suddenly found themselves the focus of forty-five amused pairs of eyes.
He grinned. ‘Gotta go, love.’
Striding across the lawn and stepping onto the low dais, he grabbed his guitar from its stand and shuffled into position with the other members of the Pickin’ Chickens around the vintage condenser mic.
‘Sorry to keep the brides and grooms waiting.’
‘Bloody guitar players, sheesh!’
It had been Nigel’s idea to have a double wedding, though at first he had intended the suggestion only as a joke.
Two years of COVID had thwarted his and Hugh’s plans time and again. After setting a firm date, twice, then having to cancel venues and retract invitations, they had almost given up hope of ever marrying in the company of their friends and family.
Then, at last, the state government had announced that the restrictive lockdowns and limits on social gatherings were to lift. They were now a thing of the past, hopefully never, ever to return.
‘Why don’t you get hitched the same time as us?’ he’d suggested. ‘Two for the price of one?’
The idea was just too bizarre to turn down, Anna and Loz had decided after much discussion.
It would almost halve the expenditure of the two weddings, and their guest lists had a huge overlap anyway. Staff from their café…
