The Silent Country Page 8

  Rowe studied the executive producer, whom he knew had a long and respected career in television. ‘Andy, I’ve taken on this network as a business. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re making steel or TV shows, if you don’t succeed, you’ll sink. I’m not heartless, so I hope I can improve the fortunes of this station and everyone working here. But I cannot indulge the arty, cultural warriors who argue that what we do is un-Australian.’

  ‘You mean making our own programs costs more than bringing in US or UK shows,’ broke in Andy, ‘but surely there is a balance and audiences in my experience have always supported us. And I do feel we have an obligation to tell our own stories.’

  Rowe opened the door. ‘I’m a businessman and you’re a producer and a passionate one.’ He shook Andy’s hand. ‘I hope we can make it work for both of us. Thanks for your time, Andy.’

  Back at his desk Andy felt angry and worried about the future of Our Country. He rang Veronica and asked her to pop into his office.

  ‘I was just coming in to see you.’ Veronica said. ‘I’ve had morning tea and lunch with Colin Peterson.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘Debatable. Interesting, but requires work.’ She saw Andy wasn’t paying full attention and seemed distracted. ‘What’s up?’

  ‘I’ve had my consultation with William Rowe. All very charming and we’re in this together, but I can’t stem the disquiet I feel over our new leader.’

  ‘And owner, don’t forget. Big Bill can jolly well do whatever he wants to,’ said Veronica. ‘Why the concern?’

  ‘I think he’s doing what others have tried before – go for the younger audience, dumb us down.’

  ‘Not again! The top womens’ magazines tried that and failed. There’s one channel that’s already got the youth market tied up. So how’s all this going to affect us?’ asked Veronica knowing their show appealed to a mature audience.

  ‘I’m supposed to come up with ideas, a plan. Let me sleep on it. I’d value any input from you, of course. Might throw it open to the team, too. But back to the moment – what did Colin Peterson have to say?’

  Veronica quickly ran through the gist of her conversation with Colin and Andy looked thoughtful.

  ‘Do you get the feeling there’s more to this tale?’

  Veronica nodded. ‘Yes, I do. It’s such a bizarre story, crazy-sounding characters, you can’t help wondering about the group dynamics, especially in what must have been rugged conditions.’

  ‘Humour me, pick away at it while we’re thinking of other things to entertain the under thirties set,’ said Andy.

  ‘Hey, that’s me! I’m not thirty for four months,’ Veronica reminded him.

  Andy stared at Veronica. She was so capable, so easy to get along with, her sense of humour and her ability to handle any office drama made him forget her age. ‘Well then, you can throw some of those young ideas into the production meeting, see what people come up with.’

  ‘Andy, Our Country isn’t about superficial celebrity stuff. Everyone working on the show respects what it’s all about. I think we should take the opposite tack. Go harder, dig deeper, refuse to do shallow.’

  Andy grinned. ‘That’s what I like about you, Veronica. You’re a bit of a rebel at heart. Dig away to your heart’s content.’

  ‘We could dig up some interesting players. Like John Cardwell.’

  ‘I wonder what that slippery fellow got up to with your expedition?’ asked Andy. ‘Have you talked to him?’

  ‘Not yet. I’m waiting till I hear more details from Colin. Seems in those days he was Johnny, the young cockney cook cum contact man. The guy who knew someone who could get anything . . . at a good price.’

  Andy smiled. ‘Is that where Cardwell started? And now he owns a string of racehorses, blocks of flats, a casino and a nightclub. Well, they’re the legit business dealings, right?’

  ‘Yep. But if rumours are to be believed you can add a couple of brothels and money laundering. Wasn’t he called the robber baron of Surry Hills? This story is definitely looking up.’

  It was Friday evening and Veronica was meeting two friends for a drink and dinner. She’d been looking forward to catching up with Gordon, an international air steward who was an old school friend and his partner, Brad, a graphic designer. It had been a while since she’d seen them and she was looking forward to the evening as they were such good company and made her laugh. But as she was dressing, she had a call from her sister.

  ‘Vee, I hate to do this to you . . . Can you help us out?’

  ‘What’s up?’ Veronica recognised the frantic tone in her sister’s voice. It wasn’t panic as in an emergency, it was the breathless, overrun, can’t cope, all too much desperation.

  ‘The babysitter let us down . . . again. Philip has a really important dinner this evening . . . Do you think . . .? Could you . . .? Are you free?’

  Veronica loved her sister but she found her trying at times. She just took on too much. Everyday was jammed juggling work, children, her husband’s career and their busy lifestyle. ‘Well, if you’re really desperate. I was meeting Gordon and Brad for dinner. Haven’t seen them in so long . . .’

  ‘Bring them over here. We’ll get in gourmet take-away. The girls won’t be any trouble once they’ve had dinner.’

  ‘It doesn’t make for much social interaction,’ sighed Veronica. ‘I’ll call the boys and run it past them.’

  ‘That’s okay, Veronica. We’ll come over and help entertain the angels and bring dinner with us,’ said Gordon. ‘I haven’t seen Sue’s girls since they were tiny. What shall we bring?’

  ‘Absolutely nothing. Sue has everything that has ever appeared in an ad on TV plus half the local store. But sweet of you to think of it. The girls will enjoy flirting with you and Brad. And Sue will provide dinner.’

  ‘We’ll read them a story. It’ll be a nice change to have a touch of domesticity,’ said Gordon. ‘What time is bedtime? We’ll come early to help tuck them in.’

  ‘Anytime after six-thirty,’ said Veronica, adding, ‘until midnight.’ She hoped the girls would settle down at a reasonable hour so she could gossip with Gordon and Brad.

  ‘I’ve made up the spare bed. You are a sweetie.’ Sue kissed Veronica and hugged the girls who were glued to a DVD. ‘You do exactly what Auntie Vee tells you.’

  ‘You look lovely, Sue,’ said Veronica, eyeing her sister’s expensive dinner dress.

  Philip put his jacket on. ‘Thanks Vee, this will be a boring evening, but if it helps the career, gotta do it, right?’

  Sophie and Sarah were bathed and in their pyjamas. Dinner was a quarter eaten. Veronica had tried to make a game of the meal, bribed them and threatened that they wouldn’t have time with Gordon and Brad if dinner wasn’t eaten. Sophie had cried, spilled the remains of her spaghetti in her lap and had to be washed and changed. When Veronica brought her back to the table she found that Sarah had left her dinner and the table and was in front of the TV.

  ‘Sarah, I said no television or DVDs until you’d finished dinner. Come on, back to the table,’ said Veronica firmly.

  ‘I don’t like the table. I want to eat here.’

  ‘No food in the living room,’ said Veronica firmly as Sarah knelt in front of the coffee table, pushing the magazines to one side. ‘You don’t learn manners eating in front of the TV.’

  ‘I don’t want to eat dinner. I don’t like it.’

  ‘Me too,’ echoed Sophie. ‘Ice-cream.’

  ‘No ice-cream till your dinner is finished and you sit nicely at the table. If you do and you’re good, Gordon and Brad will bring you something nice.’

  Too late. The doorbell rang.

  The girls squealed and jumped as the boys came in, kissed Veronica and teased the girls.

  ‘What’s all this?’ said Gordon as he picked up Sarah. ‘You haven’t finished your dinner. My goodness, that’s no good.’

  Brad inspected a messy plate. ‘Is this one of Veronica’s gourmet delicacies?’ he asked
wrinkling his nose.

  ‘It’s spasgetti,’ said Sophie.

  ‘Yum, it looks good,’ said Gordon, giving Brad a warning look. ‘Come on we’ll watch you finish dinner while Veronica does drinks for us all.’

  The girls adored the two visitors but, trying to keep them at the table, let alone making them eat, was impossible so Gordon and Brad gave up.

  ‘Okay, story time.’

  ‘Yaaay,’ squealed Sarah, racing for a book.

  ‘No, not out here. This is quiet time. Brushing teeth, into bed and sit quietly and Uncle Gordon will read you a story.’

  ‘Later. I want to watch The Simpsons.’

  ‘No way!’ exclaimed Gordon. ‘Look, Brad has a lovely book, let’s go and read Possum Magic.’

  The boys battled on with the girls as Veronica cleaned up the mess.

  ‘I need a drink,’ said Brad, coming into the kitchen. ‘I’ve capitulated. They’re watching a video game thing on their computer. I can’t believe that a four year old has her own computer. Where’s the wine? Good lord, the fridge is absolutely chock full of food. There’s enough here to feed an army. How would they ever get through so much? Why did she get take-away?’

  ‘Sue buys everything at once, when she has the chance. I think a lot of it gets thrown away. What’s Sophie doing?’

  ‘Helping Sarah win the war of the worlds in some dungeon,’ said Gordon as he joined them. ‘You know what I said about an evening of domesticity? I’ve changed my mind. Spare me from children. This place is bedlam.’ He wrinkled his nose. ‘Doesn’t Sue have a cleaning lady? They must be able to afford it. The girls’ room is buried in dirty laundry, toys and I hate to think what else.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Gordon. Yes, they have a lady a couple of times a week, but I don’t think that she’s much good. Sue’s always saying that she’ll get someone else, when she’s got a moment to look.’

  ‘Well, I hope your kids don’t turn out like this. Marry someone very rich so you don’t have to work or can have a live-in housemaid. Let’s warm up the goulash,’ said Gordon.

  There were a few more squabbles because the girls wanted to be with Gordon and Brad but the boys were surprisingly firm and made the girls stay in their beds with a book while the grown-ups ate dinner. ‘It’s how I handle passengers who over-indulge,’ explained Gordon. ‘I can be quite the bossy boots.’

  With Sophie and Sarah finally asleep, Veronica caught up on news and gossip and talked about her job.

  ‘I love my job, I love my boss – in a fatherly way – and I think the show is really good. I just hate the idea that the new CEO might want to dumb us down,’ she said.

  ‘Why don’t you go overseas, take leave? You need a change in your life,’ said Brad.

  ‘I couldn’t leave them at a time like this! And it’s no fun travelling by yourself. And there could possibly be a lot of changes in my professional life if Andy decides, or is told, to reposition our show.’

  ‘And what about your personal life?’ asked Gordon. ‘I’m getting worried about you. No social life, no lover, no interests. What’s wrong with you?’

  Veronica was unoffended and laughed. ‘Nothing, I hope. It’s hard to meet the right people. I don’t have time to hang out in bars and clubs. Don’t like it much, anyway.’

  ‘Are you over Eddie?’ asked Brad hesitantly.

  ‘Oh, ages ago. No idea where he is or what he’s doing. And you know, it doesn’t matter. I’m not interested anymore.’

  ‘Thank goodness for that,’ said Gordon briskly. ‘Well, it’s time we left. I have a flight tomorrow and I need my sleep.’

  ‘Thanks so much for coming over. I’m sorry it was such a madhouse. The girls are at that demanding age.’

  ‘Don’t make excuses. The whole family needs a dose of discipline,’ said Gordon crisply.

  After the boys left Veronica fell asleep on the sofa in front of a cable movie. When she woke it was after midnight. She checked the girls and got into the guest bed. On opening the closet to hang up her shirt she shook her head at its crammed contents. Sue had bought clothes at a designer sale that she’d yet to wear. Tags hung from them and, looking at the slashed prices, Veronica could see they were bargains, but if Sue wasn’t wearing them and she had so many clothes anyway, surely this was an unnecessary indulgence.

  Veronica was asleep when she dimly heard her sister and Philip come home. They’d obviously had a few drinks and they made no effort to keep their voices low as they sat in their living room for a nightcap. Sue’s burst of laughter startled Veronica into wakefulness. She got out of bed, pulled on the cotton robe Sue had left behind the door for guests and padded downstairs.

  ‘You obviously had a good time.’

  ‘Hey, Vee, have a brandy. Help you sleep,’ said Philip.

  ‘No, thanks, I was doing pretty well, sleeping,’ said Veronica. ‘I’ll get some water. How was the evening?’

  ‘Very interesting,’ said Sue. ‘Were the girls good?’

  ‘They’re so sweet, but getting them to go to bed and making them stay there is tricky,’ said Veronica. ‘So, how do I interpret “interesting” evening? Good? Bad? Boring?’

  ‘Kind of exciting, actually. We might have some news in a few days.’ Sue smiled at Philip. ‘Shall we tell her?’

  ‘Nothing’s confirmed, but sure, she’s your sister.’

  ‘Tell me what?’ asked Veronica now very curious. Philip was looking rather self-satisfied.

  ‘Philip’s boss is giving him a promotion and sending him to Melbourne.’

  ‘Really? What about your job?’

  Sue shrugged. ‘I can transfer to a Melbourne firm which has connections with my law firm.’

  ‘And you feel good about being in Melbourne? It’s a lovely city, but different from Sydney. Do you know people there?’

  ‘Not really, but Melbourne people socialise at home, at dinner parties and so you network and meet people in your own milieu,’ said Sue. ‘And of course the promotion means a lot more money.’

  ‘What will you do with this house?’

  Philip got up to pour himself another brandy.

  Sue waited till he was out of earshot and said quietly, ‘We had to take out a second mortgage as things have been a bit tough lately, so if we can rent this house it will help cover the mortgage. Philip wants to sell it, but I can’t bear the idea of not having a home here in Sydney.’

  ‘Oh, I see. Well, the promotion sounds good,’ said Veronica, suddenly thinking about Sue’s closet of unworn clothes and wondering how she paid for them. ‘When will you move?’

  ‘About a month. I have to go down and find a place to rent and suss out my job prospects.’

  ‘Okay. I’m going back to bed. I have an early call in the morning so if it’s okay I’ll just mosey out the door at six-thirty,’ said Veronica giving her sister a quick kiss. It was a bit of a white lie but she couldn’t face the breakfast chaos of Sue and Philip getting themselves and the girls ready for the day.

  ‘That is early. Thanks again, Vee. Did you see Gordon and his pal?’

  ‘Yes, we had a lovely chat – once the girls were in bed.’

  ‘You’ll be off the hook when we move to Melbourne. No more babysitting,’ said Philip, downing his drink.

  ‘I’ll miss you. And the girls,’ said Veronica.

  ‘Oh, we’ll be backwards and forwards and of course you’ll come down. And I’m sure Mum and Dad will come and visit a lot. Anyway, it’s exciting to think about it. New horizons.’

  ‘I hope things work out the way you want. Maybe it’s time you kicked back and relaxed and enjoyed the girls.’

  ‘Oh, I definitely want to work. I’d go nuts being a housewife. Besides if I take a break from my career, I’ll have no money and we need the extra income.’

  Veronica was surprised at the enthusiasm her parents showed at Sue’s news when she went to see them on the weekend.

  ‘We’ll miss the girls, of course. They grow up so quickly. But Sue can send videos
and we’ll talk on Skype,’ said Joan.

  ‘Easier to hop on a plane,’ said Roger. ‘I might be able to work in a business trip or two down there. This promotion will be great for Philip’s career.’

  ‘You’ll have to line up some stories in Melbourne, Vee,’ said her mother.

  ‘We don’t create the stories or where they’re set, Mum. They come to us and we follow along and see where the characters lead us. Like writing a book, but it’s all true.’

  ‘I never believe half of what I see on TV,’ said her mother. ‘Especially those tabloid shows.’

  ‘Then you shouldn’t watch them, Mum,’ said Veronica.

  Roger raised his glass. ‘Let’s make a toast to this new venture. This is a special bottle from my cellar.’ He poured the wine and sniffed it appreciatively. ‘2004 merlot. Excellent little red. Perfect for this occasion.’

  On Monday, Veronica mentioned Philip’s pending promotion to Andy over their first cup of coffee of the day.

  ‘I know that you’ll miss them all, Veronica. But if a break in Melbourne is what you’d like, to catch up with them, that can be arranged.’

  ‘Thanks, but it’s not just that. I have to say that when I see how Sue and Philip’s careers dominate their lives, I feel sad for their girls. I hope I don’t turn out like that.’

  ‘That’s not what you want?’ asked Andy calmly.

  ‘No. Of course not.’ Veronica paused. ‘They’re my family and I love them, but I don’t want to end up like them.’

  He glanced at his watch. ‘C’mon, show time.’ He paused. ‘Veronica, you’re a bright girl, talented and sensitive. Concentrate on your own life. And anytime you want an ear to listen, I’m here.’

  ‘Thanks, Andy. You’re a good friend.’

  She gathered up her papers, made herself a cup of tea, settled herself at her desk and looked over the notes she’d made with Colin Peterson as she picked up the phone to ring him.

  ‘Hi, Colin. I was wondering if I could ask you a few more questions,’ said Veronica. ‘I’m trying to get the story in my head, as it happened. How did you feel when you finally set off on this great adventure?’