Free The Reef by Di Morrissey

fresh early mornings when they walked along the river watching wisps of mist drift across the gardens; warm balmy days as they explored the country around the vineyard towns, ate lunch in stylish and quaint restaurants, swam in the bathwater-warm pool at their elegant hotel; then lazy afternoons in their luxurious suitemaking love, sipping wine, before dressing to go out for dinner or staying in and being pampered on the terrace by candlelight. The Saturday night opera under the stars in one of the major vineyards had Jennifer clutching Blair’s hand as she wept at the sheer beauty of the evening.
    â€˜Oh Blair, the night, the stars, those amazing voices, the music went right into me. I couldn’t believe it was me sitting with a glass of champagne with all those smart people . . .’
    â€˜The midnight feast in the marquee, was that a triumph of catering or what?’ Blair had paid great attention to the details, the flowers, the candles, the table settings, how they’d got power into the huge marquee to keep the food warm, or ice cold, and provide just enough amplification for the chamber quartet. ‘Great setting for a wedding, or any convention function. Brilliant. I was talking to one of the organisers who told me how they managed in wet weather.’
    Jenny smiled, knowing Blair was filing all this away should the day ever come when he could do something similar.
    Blair rolled over in bed and reached for her hand. ‘Had a nice birthday?’
    Jennifer hugged him. ‘The best ever. Thank you, thank you.’
    â€˜Jenny . . .’ He was about to say something else but his words were stopped by Jennifer’s flood of kisses.
    The next morning Blair met Jeff, the manager of the hotel, for morning coffee. MeanwhileJennifer and Jeff’s wife Trudy headed to the river to share a kayak and paddle down to a spot where Blair and Jeff would meet them and they’d all go to lunch.
    Jeff and Trudy were in their thirties and had been managing the hotel for two years. ‘It’s been gorgeous because we’ve had a house here. Last job we had to stay in the hotel. But we’ll be moving on at the end of the year. Down to the snow. I learned to kayak and did a wine appreciation course while we’ve been here. Suppose I’ll be taking skiing lessons next!’ laughed Trudy.
    â€˜Sounds like a good life,’ said Jennifer. Though she thought living in quarters in a hotel or having to be on call and close by all the time would be a bit claustrophobic. She didn’t ask what they’d do if they had children. Vi had made her aware that childless couples might be trying desperately to have a baby. But Jeff and Trudy seemed such an ambitious couple, children didn’t seem part of their immediate plans.
    â€˜Are you and Blair serious?’ Trudy asked Jennifer suddenly.
    â€˜Depends what you mean. We’ve been together a year but I’ve still got to finish my degree. And then think about finding work.’
    Trudy didn’t answer as they concentrated on dipping their paddles into the smooth water. As they glided forward Trudy pointed. ‘Look, there’re the guys. I’m ready to eat.’
    Jennifer thought back to that afternoon several months later and wondered if Blair had talkedabout his future with Jeff. Jeff had promised to let Blair know of any job opportunities he heard of along the grapevine.
    Two weeks later Jennifer came home late on Saturday afternoon, after staying much longer with the rangers than she’d planned, and found Blair pacing around the patio.
    â€˜Hey! I was getting worried. You said you’d be back after lunch,’ he grumbled.
    â€˜Oh, did I? Blair, it was so fascinating, we were with this professor who’s been studying the disappearance of several species of frogs from Sydney. It’s all to do with the pollutants in the water, it’s shocking what people put down stormwater drains