Indian Summer

Dinner was another success. Mike would be working with Rishi in theatres and they got on so well. Soo-Lee surprised me with a huge ring on her finger that Mike had given her as the clock struck midnight rolling in the New Year.

"Oh my God! I mean, Wow! Like! Congratulations you two! You are perfect together and you know how jealous I am!"

Later, as the men went and washed dishes together, Soo-Lee and I sat and talked on their deck.

"He's gorgeous, girl! And it's pretty obvious he's into you in a big way!"

"Yeah, well he was into me in a big way last night and I think I have buyer's remorse because he's like the house sitter and he's helping me and Isabella out and it's like I took advantage of him, plus we had shared two bottles of wine and I was coming off nights!"

"And you had not had cock for how many months?"

"About thirteen, but who's counting?"

"And since decent sex?"

"Before last night? Um, years!"

"So, it was good?"

"It was bloody amazing, it was like, better than Tim!"

"Bloody hell woman, you know this deck is a Tim free zone!" Mike lead Rishi out from the kitchen.

"Tim?" Rishi enquired.

"Don't ask! Let's just say the hospital changed its dressing company because of him!"

"That's not true!" I conjectured, "It's just that their dressings were as bad as him!"

"Yeah, well this is a Tim free zone and we still have the sign up there in the corner that my beautiful fiancée made was it seven years ago now?"

"Anyway, it's getting late and we need to go as I have a plane to catch in the morning and I need to make sure Isabella is ok!"

I drove us home in silence. I'd stuck to my single glass of wine and the buzz of it had long worn off.

"Even more lovely people! I can see I really am going to love it here." Rishi told me as I opened the door.

"They are lovely, and Soo-Lee has helped me so much over the years. I'm a pretty broken person if you haven't already worked that out."

"We've all got our broken bits, it's what makes us who we are."

"Yeah, well I'm more broken than most I think, and I deal with a lot of the crazies who come into ED!"

"I think you're beautiful!" Rishi stepped forward and hugged me. I felt so comfortable and protected in his arms.

"No," I said, startled as Rishi pushed forward for a kiss, "I really can't be doing this. I'm sorry, but I just can't."

I pulled away from Rishi and told him I was going to use the bathroom. I stood and looked at myself in the mirror. My rational brain told me that last night had been pure lust. I had never dated a doctor or a colleague, arguing Tim had been a rep who visited the hospital when we met. In my mind I could rationalise that Rishi wasn't Tim, but I was still so wary. I cleaned my face, brushed my teeth, and passed Rishi as I went to bed.

"Goodnight." I said not even looking at him.

"Yeah, goodnight." Was his sorrowful reply.

Sitting in bed I tried to focus on the book I had been reading. I felt my phone vibrate and looked down to a message from Rishi.

'Do you need a lift to the airport in the morning, I'd be happy to take you.'

'Um, flight's at noon. It would be a help, thanks.'

"I'm sorry if I was too forward tonight. I haven't been attracted to anyone in the way I'm attracted to you in a very long time. I'd still like to go on a date with you sometime, just the two of us and that can wait until March when you are back if need be.'

I sat and read and re-read Rishi's text. He seemed so genuine, but I rationalised that Tim had seemed that way too. I'd had colleagues ask me on dates so many times, but I had always turned them down. Technically, Rishi was not yet a colleague and yet here I was scared to say yes to him. Soo-Lee and Mike had met at work, as had other colleagues including a couple who worked together in our department. Time away from each other would be for the best I decided and turned my light off to go to sleep.

There are many noises in the tropics that are different to other parts of the country. When I moved here and encountered cane toads for the first time I was horrified. I had forgotten however how frightening the curlew birds sounded at night. I had just moved into my house and rang the police in the middle of the night telling them there was a child being murdered nearby. The police laughed and told me to search the internet for curlews!

"Josie, Josie, are you ok?" I woke to hear Rishi banging on my door in panic and could hear the curlews outside the bedroom windows.

"They're curlews, don't stress."

"No, you're half asleep, someone is murdering a baby outside."

I threw on my gown again and opened my bedroom door. I took Rishi to the window, opened it, shone a torch down and pointed out the birds who were making the racket.

"I'm so sorry, I really thought you were in danger."

"Yeah, well I called the police the first time I heard them so I know how scary they can be!"

"And the click, click, click sound?"

"They're geckos! Pretty harmless, but Isabella likes to try and catch them! You might see an odd cockroach around sometimes too."

Rishi looked terrified. I checked my phone, it was 3 o'clock.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok here by yourself?" I joked.

"Is there anything else you haven't told me about?"

"Um," I thought, "Well Isabella has always been an inside cat only, but they neighbour's little dog was eaten by a python last month. You know you can text me if you have any concerns and I'm not here."

"Cool, cool, thanks." Rishi looked less than convinced though. "Um, I was going to make a cup of tea, would you like one?"

I was no longer tired so accepted Rishi's offer and followed him into the kitchen.

"So, who's Tim?" Rishi asked as he scooped tealeaves into the pot.

"That is not a 3am conversation topic!"

"Sorry."

"Don't stress. No doubt Mike is dying to tell you all about my woes!"

"We did talk about you when we did the dishes."

"Great! Well then the tl;dr version is Tim is my ex who I thought I was going to spend my life with, but he had at least three other women on the go at the same time and impregnated two of them within a few weeks of each other. My mother is an alcoholic whore who has strong borderline personality traits which I probably have too. I have an immense fear of commitment and despite me being attracted to you, I would probably be ignoring you if you weren't staying in the room next door to me."

"So, you are attracted to me!" Rishi was smiling that beautiful smile of his.

"Out of all I just told you, that was what you focus on? I mean, I am 100% fucked in the head."

"Maybe, but I still think it's a beautiful head!"

I sat and sipped my tea. Seeing Rishi had also finished his, I took our cups into the kitchen and when I returned Rishi was asleep on the couch. I grabbed a clean sheet and covered him, leaning in to kiss him on the forehead.

Tossing and turning in my own bed I reached for my trusty vibrator. I had to admit to myself that I was already aroused thinking about Rishi and remembering the amazing sex we had shared the night before. My climax felt totally different to the one I had experienced with him, but I still moaned his name as I came.

For the first time in ages I woke to my alarm and started packing. I had a list of the things I wanted to take including my vibrator. Isabella was nowhere to be found. The bathroom door was closed so I put on the kettle and waited for my shower. Rishi appeared from the bathroom wrapped in a towel and I had to bite my lip as he walked past me. No matter what my brain said, my body was definitely attracted to him.

Meg and Steph collected me from the airport in Melbourne. Dad was working in his clinic, but Steph promised me he would be home for dinner. Our first week together was lots of fun. Dad had time off with the university in recess, but he was trying to prepare a paper for publication. Meg was busy in her job as a Nurse Unit Manager. Steph and I spent time shopping and seeing movies and entertaining many of her large friendship circle.

Rishi texted me most days with a photo of Isabella. He told me he had sanded the windows in the lounge that wouldn't close properly and helped Jim in the garden. He raved about Maureen the cleaner, who always made everyone laugh, but he also complained about the rain! I was smiling reading his latest text one evening when Meg came in with a cup of tea for me.

"Who's got you smiling again tonight?"

"Oh, it's just Rishi and Isabella. I don't think she'll want me back at all. Rishi's complaining about the rain now- I knew it wouldn't take long!"

"He seems nice."

"Yeah, but I'm just, well, I think I'm still too broken to trust."

"It took me ages to get over Rick. Your father was so patient with me; I still wonder what I did to deserve him."

Meg was beautiful. She was ten years younger than my father. They had been together for thirteen years but were still devoted to each other.

"I just don't belief in myself to trust anyone else because I'm scared I'm going to be hurt all over again."

"But what if you miss out on something beautiful?"

I knew Meg had a point.

Rishi started work that week and had some orientation training to complete. He messaged me throughout the day telling me his love of the place and people was wearing thin with all the information they were trying to cram into him! Plus, he was sick of the rain.

'I miss you too. It's awfully quiet without you and I always make twice as much tea as I need.'

'Yeah, well maybe I miss you too. I mean, Meg is an amazing stepmum, but she doesn't make tea like you do!'

The following day I had a call from Soo-Lee.

"There's a definite bromance happening between Mike and Rishi! They worked together in theatre today and Mike hasn't stopped raving about Rishi's skills and sense of humour."

"He is a funny guy."

"He's dragged Mike along to the gym with him too, Mike is in awe of his body!"

"It's pretty impressive!"

"You're thawing to him, aren't you!"

"Maybe!"

"I'll take that as a yes then! Oh, and the weather bureau has a 50% chance of a cyclone forming in the next few days!"

"Great! I didn't show Rishi the cyclone kit."

"Nah, it's 50/50 which means maybe, maybe not!"

"True! We're going to his family restaurant, 'The Taj' tomorrow night for dinner."

"Do they know it's you?"

"No! I booked under Dad's name!"

"Did you tell Rishi?"

"No! that might be awkward!"

"Bullshit!"

"I'll see what it's like and let you know!"

Steph was so excited we were going out to dinner. The restaurant's décor was friendly and cosy with a lot of Indian elements. The smells wafting from the kitchen made us all hungry. I slowly browsed the menu wondering what Rishi would recommend. I yearned to text him and ask him, but I really did not want him to know I was there.

"There you are, Jose, number 37 is what you'll have!" Meg was laughing.

"Oh ffff..." I stopped myself from swearing in front of Steph, "That is funny and explains a lot too!"

Number 37 was 'Rishi's Delight- a fragrant and spicy chicken curry inspired by the owner's son. Any woman who finishes the curry is welcome to meet the handsome Rishi and perhaps get to know him better! Warning, Rishi is very hot!'

"I bet he named it himself!" I laughed to Meg. Steph missed the conversation and Dad was in his own world. "What the heck, I'll give it a go!"

Dad loved spicy food and settled on a Vindaloo. Steph just wanted Butter Chicken and Meg chose the Special Goat Curry. When the waiter turned to me and I ordered Rishi's Special, she smiled, "He's not here anymore so you won't meet him, but he is very, very hot!"

I could see this young woman was taken in by Rishi. She wore a pink sari and had beautiful dark wavy hair and dark brown eyes. I could imagine she and Rishi would make a fine couple. It was not this waiter who brought us our food, but an older man who I at once knew had to be Rishi's father. His white hair had the same wave as his son and his eyes were the same with the same lines. Unlike Rishi though, he sported a white moustache that elongated his smile.

"Oh, what a shame!" he announced as he placed my curry before me, "Rishi is not here, and I know he would be taken by you! Alas, he has moved to Queensland and left his parents heartbroken."

"Queensland, hey? Yeah, Jo's from Queensland down here visiting her old man!" Dad piped in, unaware why Meg was glaring at him, "He'll come back to visit, I'm sure!"

"Well, I will leave you to your meals and Miss, please let me know if Rishi is hot enough for you!"

I almost choked on the sip of beer I had just taken.

"See, if Rishi was here, he would know what to do, he's a doctor!"

"She's fine, she's not aspirating." Dad was either unaware or playing along, I could not work out which.

"Daddy's a doctor too!" Steph pointed out. I just wanted to eat our meals.

"Well, enjoy! And Anika will be back later to clear your plates."

My curry was delicious. I took after my father and enjoyed spicy food. Before starting, I snapped a picture and thought I would tease Rishi about it later. I figured he had Anika our waiter fawning all over him and probably many more women throughout Melbourne. I detected an almost pang of jealousy and wondered what my true feelings were towards my house-sitter.

Steph and Dad shared a dessert and Meg and I had a chai tea. Dad had gone to pay when Mr Chabra appeared again.

"My Anika tells me you finished your meal, Miss!"

"It was delicious!" I replied, "I probably should tell you a secret though, my name is Josie and Rishi is house-sitting for me whilst I am here visiting my parents."

"You are Mrs Josephine!"

"No, I'm not married, and I go by Josie, or Jo or Jose or JoJo to my family!" I could not seem to stop babbling.

"Rishi did not tell me you were so beautiful! Anika, Anika, this is the lady Rishi is looking after!"

"He's house-sitting for me!" I explained to Anika who looked confused.

"Ah!" I saw a familiar smile, "He told me you were lovely. Please look after my big brother for me and promise me you won't hurt him."

"Josie couldn't hurt a fly!" Meg offered and seeing my embarrassment, started walking towards the door.

"Please, come back any time, my treat!" Mr Chabra offered, "And next time, I will make sure my wife and other daughter are here too!"

I figured our visit would be back to Rishi before long. Dad had just started the car when I felt my phone vibrate.

'Did they embarrass you? I mean, you fluked the one night of the week Anika's there. She is still texting me telling me how lovely you are!'

'Well apparently because I actually finished 'Rishi's Special' I get to meet the hot Rishi!'

"No, no, no, no, no! Tell me he hasn't put it on there again?" Rishi had called by this stage.

"It was lovely, really nice, perhaps not as hot as I was expecting though!"

"I'm just, I can't believe he put it on there again. He knows my feelings on the matter. I'm going to fucking kill him!"

"Well he told me you'd broken his heart moving to Queensland!"

"I'm, um, I'm going to go and call Dad, but I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner."

"It was a lovely meal, Rishi, it really was, and I've been thinking of taking you up on the offer of getting to know you better."

I hung up. Meg was playing a game on her device and Dad was singing along to the radio. Meg turned to me and smiled, "There must have been some heat in that curry to melt you a little!"

I simply smiled back. I could feel my heart melting and although my anxiety was rising around what the future might hold, I was also enjoying the feelings that were stirring within me.

Visiting Mum had been put off for too long. She spent the first half of the visit complaining that I hadn't been to see her and the second half complaining that I was leaving already.

"You're staying with your father and his slut wife I suppose?"

"Mum, please don't talk about Dad like that."

"You know what he did to me, Josephine."

"Yes Mum." I had given up on arguing with her.

"At least you visit me. I haven't seen Bradley since his wedding. I don't like his wife. She seems like a bit of a slut."

"The weather's been nice, hasn't it, Mum?"

"It's hot and I don't like it. Well you'd best be off then. No doubt you've been slutting it around too. Don't let the door hit your arse on the way out."

Mum hadn't changed. I recognised a real degeneration in her mental faculties and wondered if all the alcohol she had consumed over the years had pickled her brain. She had few friends and now relied on a pension to live. Her house was a mess. Her clothes were dirty, and she smelt like she hadn't showered in several days.

I texted Brad and told him of my visit and my concerns. He knew her GP and said he'd have a word, but I doubted very much could be done.

Visiting Mum gave me another wake-up call. I realised then and there that there was no way I wanted to end up bitter and twisted like her. That night I sat and talked with Meg over a cup of tea.

"I think I'm going to get some therapy. I don't want to end up like Mum."

"You don't have the same traits she does though!"

"Yeah, but I feel bitter and twisted and the whole Rishi thing, well..." I trailed off.

"So, there is a Rishi thing then?"

"Well I mean he's absolutely gorgeous, but I don't know if my reaction is purely physical, or if I feel indebted to him for looking after Isabella, or if perhaps there might be something more."

"You know therapy helped me after my marriage ended. I thought it was the end of the world. I had married the man of my dreams only to find out I wasn't good enough for him and he wanted more. It battered my self-esteem a lot and I did not feel worthy of love for a long time."

"Yeah, I hate what Tim did to me and the self-doubt that has just enveloped me. I mean, Rishi may not be the one, but he actually seems to like me."

"And you actually seem to like him!"

"Yeah, well I mean, what's not to like? I just, I don't know. It's new and it's unknown."

"Well Rishi may not be as understanding as your father- I made him wait six months until I finally relented, and we had dinner together!"

"I didn't know that! I thought you met at a gallery opening or something!"

"We did, at the hospital. I kept bumping into him and he kept asking me out to dinner and I kept putting him off by cancelling at the last minute and making up silly excuses. I'm just lucky he didn't find anyone else!"

"But Dad told me that you met, and he knew at once!"

"Well he did, but I didn't!"

I thanked Meg for our talk.

Soo-Lee texted early the following morning after her nightshift.

'Cyclone's heading north, we'll be safe! Isabella is still alive, and she still hates me!"

'You called by? How's Rishi coping?'

'I think he's enjoying work! Mike says the women are throwing themselves at him.'

'Do you think I need to be worried?'

'Jealous?'

'Maybe... You know lots of people in town, do you know of any decent therapists? I've realised that perhaps I need some help unfucking my mind.'

'Great idea and I'll get back to you- I know of a couple of amazing psychologists in town. Mike's sister will know more, I'll ask, but not mention you of course.'

'Thanks! You are a gem you know that! Now sleep well!'

'Great news- Cyclone Bella is moving north. How dare they name it after my beautiful cat!' I then messaged Rishi.

'Yeah, Mike messaged me just before. I've been a little concerned.'

'You know if it was heading for us, I'd be on the next plane home, don't you?'

'You don't trust me?'

'Not at all! I just wouldn't want to miss a cyclone party! Joking! We haven't had a cyclone since I bought the house and I'd worry if I wasn't there.'

'Perhaps I should will it back then?'

'Haha! I heard half the staff at the hospital were throwing themselves at you!'