Page 125 of Ride the Wave

‘Congratulations on the launch of your new initiative, Mum. I’m sure your guests are in for a great evening,’ he says, giving her a brief nod.

Then he turns and, hand in hand, we walk away.

Michelle doesn’t call after us and we don’t look back.

33

‘We need to make a stop,’ Leo tells the driver.

I turn to him in surprise. It’s been a long drive from the ball back to Torquay, and although we didn’t stay long enough at the event for it to be that late, it’s still a long night when you’re meant to be up at dawn to surf.

‘Of course,’ the driver says, glancing in the rear-view mirror. ‘Where to, Mr Silva?’

‘Bells Beach.’

‘Leo,’ I say frowning at him, ‘please don’t tell me you’re planning on surfing right now. We should get home.’

‘I need a moment there.’

That’s it: that’s all the explanation he gives me.

The driver nods and makes a turning. Leo looks studiously out of the window and we fall back into silence. We haven’t spoken much on the journey, both of us absorbing what just happened, letting it all sink in as the adrenaline from the confrontation ebbs away. The only time he let go of my hand was so that he could take off his jacket, folding it onto the middle seat before he reached to thread his fingers through mine again, his jacket propping up his elbow.

I’ve been shooting him concerned glances that he’s ignored. That’s okay, I know he’ll talk to me about what went down when he’s ready. I stood up to Michelle Martin, a feat that I’m proud of, but will no doubt have its own repercussions. I’m not afraid, though. I know that, come what may, I’ve done the right thing. That’s what matters. I’d rather suffer the consequences of that then look back and wish I’d done more.

But for Leo, there’s so much to unpack. He’s spent his life trying to please her; even when he resented her, he was still trying to make her proud. Now, he’s got to come to terms with the fact that it was all in vain, that even now, she refuses to believe in him, and that ultimately, she would risk their relationship to better her public image. I can’t imagine what that’s like. I can’t imagine how that feels.

So, I don’t ask any questions or plead with him to talk. We sit in the back of the car in silence as it trundles towards the Bells Beach car park. When we arrive, Leo asks the driver to wait.

‘We won’t be long,’ he says, as he opens the door to slide out.

The ‘we’ is welcome because I wasn’t actually sure if he wanted me to come with him, but if I had any doubt, he squashes it quickly by appearing at my side of the car to open the door for me, holding out his hand to help me clamber out.

As we stroll in the dark, I link my hand through his arm.

‘Do I need to take off my shoes?’ I ask.

He smiles. ‘Why would you need to take off your shoes?’

‘Have you seen these heels? They’re like daggers. Not very practical on a beach.’

‘When have you ever been one for practicality?’

‘When I’m wearing shoes that cost more than my rent. If you think I’m getting a speck of sand on these, you have another thing coming.’

He laughs, shaking his head. ‘We’re not going down to the beach.’

‘Are you sure?’ I ask, reaching for the bannister as we start going down one of the sets of wooden steps.

‘I’m sure.’

With no idea what’s going on here, I grip his arm for balance as we slowly descend until I realise that we’re stopping at one of the viewing platforms.

I drop my hand from his arm and watch him as he goes to the edge of the fenced barrier, leaning his elbows on it and clasping his hands in front of him. His hair whipping about in the breeze, he takes a deep breath in through his nose. In the darkness, you can just make out the waves hitting the beach, the sound of them rolling and crashing in a rhythm of their own. For the first time tonight, he looks at ease again.

Hanging back at the steps, I smile, giving him a moment on his own over there.

After a while, he glances back to me over his shoulder. I take it as my cue.

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