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“I nearly chuck just cleaning up after Bluey. You doctors are used to smells, aren’t you?”
“It is a part of the job that’s true. It doesn’t mean I like it.”
We continued through a thicket of trees and then along beside a rockface. Autumn stumbled and grabbed my arm.
“You, okay?”
“Yep.”
She kept hold of my arm as we marched higher and the path became windier.
Eventually, Maureen stopped. “I’ll turn off my flashlight, and if you all look to the rocks and let your eyes acclimatize, you’ll be able to see them.”
Autumn stood so close I could smell her perfume. It was floral but light and reminded me of the jasmine climber I had on the side of my cottage. When you brushed against it, the smell would waft over you. I wanted to brush against her.
Autumn gripped my arm tighter. “Look, I think I can see some.” She pointed in front of us. There were oohs and ahhs coming from all around as people started to see the twinkling lights before us.
I didn’t think I was soppy, but there was something magical about the whole thing, even if it was just nature. All you could hear was a rustle of leaves in the trees. The smell of the eucalypts danced in the breeze, and the tiny bugs looked like Christmas fairy lights. It was as if everyone was sharing a special moment together.
After about thirty minutes, Maureen and her husband turned their flashlights back on, and we headed down the hill to the shed. Autumn held onto my arm all the way, and I enjoyed every moment of it. I was sure once we got to the bottom she would let go.
We thanked the couple and got in the pickup.
“Thank you, Ryan. That was fantastic and something I would never have dreamed of doing.”
“So, am I forgiven for bursting into the bathroom now?”
“I think you are. Do you know, Maureen was saying the bugs get caught in spider webs and they still glow? Their glow attracts others to the web and they get caught too. I thought it was sad. But then I hate flies and spiders eat flies.”
She was changing the subject from the bathroom and nudity, then. Pity.
“I’ve never been bothered by spiders, so you can always come and knock on my front door if you find one in the bathtub.”
“That is very gallant of you, but I’ll keep a large can of bug spray in the kitchen too.”
I pulled up outside the cottages. Bluey was barking at the sound of the pickup.
“Do you want to come in for a hot chocolate?” Autumn asked. “I’d offer you a nightcap, but I don’t have anything. I should have picked up something duty-free when I came over but didn’t think of it.” She was rambling.
Was she nervous about asking me in?
“I’d love one. I’ll just let my dog, Bluey, out for a pee and then be right there.”
* * *
I stood by my back door. Damn, the dog was taking a long time to do his business. I would go around the yard in the morning and make sure I cleaned up everything Bluey would have left.
Once Bluey was back inside, I headed back next door.
It was only hot chocolate, but we were having fun with each other. I thought her stiff when I had first met her but could now see she wasn’t and wanted to find out more.
I sat on the other end of the couch as she brought over the mugs of hot chocolate. She had even popped some marshmallows on the top. She had my heart already.
“Marshmallows. Now I know you are the perfect woman.”
“Just drink. I was thinking about what you said earlier about traveling. I want to go to Queensland and see the Great Barrier Reef. I can’t dive but could go out in one of those glass-bottom boats.” Autumn sipped on her hot chocolate.
“There’s a town I stayed at long ago. It’s called Airlie Beach. I think you’d like it and you can get boat trips out to the reef. It’s a bit bohemian.” I was keen on the idea of her being more adventurous. It would mean we could do things together. “I don’t know, one evening with the glow worms and you want to take on the world.”
