Mars Hill Ch. 02

We spent the next day touring around Sydney, visiting the museums and getting a backstage tour of the Opera House. There was an opera playing that night and since our tickets gave us a discount we figured 'what the hell' and got tickets for it. Becca and I both love music and the opera didn't disappoint. The next day we headed over to Melbourne. Becca wanted to show me where she had completed her undergrad, and we met up with her friends from school.

We spent the day riding around the trollies with Becca's friends, visiting old childhood haunts and museums that I was told I couldn't miss. We happened to be there during a street art festival and we were up half the night looking at the art exhibits and installations covering the buildings of the city. You could play tic tac toe on an office tower, and there were lights and stands open all over. We didn't get to bed that night until well after midnight.

A few days later we flew up to Alice Springs to finally meet Becca's family.

Throughout the flight north into the centre of the country, the land got more and more red. All you could see from the window of the airplane was a road, and every half hour or so a small village lost in the landscape of red sand and dried out lakes and rivers.

When we got off of the plane and walked across the Tarmac the heat just about took my breath away. The whine of the airplane was really loud and you could smell the jet blast until we got into the terminal.

"Ah it's a bit chilly today," Becca said idly as we walked through a tree lined path toward the terminal. The closer we got to traveling to Alice Springs the more moody and distracted she seemed to be getting. She even threw up this morning before we headed to the airport. When I asked her what was wrong she just said she was fine. She had said it in such a way as to tell me she didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to upset her so I just let it drop.

Becca's sister had come to pick us up from the airport.

"Hi Abby!" Becca squealed as she saw her sister.

"Heya Becks," Abby replied with a grin as the sisters hugged. "I'm not used to seeing you so often. And this must be lover boy. Damn you're cute," she looked me up and down. "I know you were there when I was out in the USA, but I never got a chance to meet you. Wish you had met me first." She licked her lips.

Abby had visited Becca when I first met her to see about coming to university in Flagstaff. Instead she had decided to take a gap year before going to school.

"Hi I'm Jeremy," I said offering my hand.

"Nah Lover Boy suits you better," Abby said with a grin and pulled me up in a hug.

"Abbs don't be an ass," Becca said to her sister punching her in the arm and grabbing my hand possessively.

"But it's true," Abby said with a laugh and a wink at me. Becca looked at me over her shoulder and I just smiled and laughed, but squeezed her hand reassuringly.

The sisters got into the front seat of what I was told was a Ute, but to me was a pickup truck. I piled into the back after tossing our bags into the bed of the truck and we headed out of town. The two sisters chatted and I occasionally joined in but I mostly looked out at the outback scenery.

I was nervous to meet Becca's mom, especially after what Becca had said about her earlier. Other than that though I didn't really know much about Becca's family other than her sister. Becca spoke about her mom fairly rarely. Becca never spoke about her dad. . All I knew about him was that he was estranged from his family and was in jail for some sort of crime. Becca didn't mention what, and I didn't ask.

It took 3 hours to get to their farm. The rumble of the tires over the road became a low drone, and the sound of the AC blasting full cold filled the truck. The family owned a sheep farm, or station as it is called in Australia, by a place called King's Canyon.

When we got there Becca's mom was standing outside on the porch waiting for us. I could hear sheep bleating in the distance and the air smelled of sweet grass and sunshine. Becca ran into her arms and they hugged for a long time, alternating laughing and crying. I grabbed our bags out of the back of the Ute and carried them up behind her.

"And you must be Jeremy," Becca's mom said, as she turned toward me with an arm over Becca's shoulder.

"Yes Ma'am," I said, immediately going into super polite mode. I dropped our bags and took a step forward offering my hand, which she took. Instead of shaking though she pulled me into a bear hug and squeezed surprisingly tightly for as small of a woman as she was.

"No more of that Ma'am nonsense. You can call me mum or Gwen," She said firmly.

"Yes ma'am. I mean Gwen. Thank you very much for letting me stay with you," I said.

"No worries, at all," Gwen replied. "I have to look after Becca's man after all. Welcome to 'straya. I wish you guys could have stayed longer than the week you'll be here. I've got lots of stuff planned for you and Becca."

"Mum, seriously. We don't need to do a big production," Becca said with Abby coming up behind her and grinning at the three of us.

"Nonsense. This is your first time down under right Jeremy?"

"Yes."

"Well then Becca you have to be sure to show him around. And I have arranged for some things for the two of you as well."

"But you didn't have to mum," Becca said.

"I wanted to Rebecca. I'm happy to have my daughter back in my home even if it is just for a week, and I'm happy that she finally has a serious man in her life," Gwen said.

"Um thanks," I said.

"Mum it's soooo hot. Can't we go inside. Becca and Lover Boy might turn into puddle if they stay outside much longer," Abby complained with a smile.

"Yes let's. We can give Jeremy the full tour," Gwen replied shooting a glare at Abby who just shrugged and smiled.

The house was fairly small, with a kitchen and dining area when you walked in. Further back there was a big office, and off to the right there was a living room. Upstairs there were 4 bedrooms and a bathroom. And there was air conditioning, which was very welcome.

We settled in a guest room. Abby told me later that none of the bedrooms upstairs were the same as when Becca was growing up. The entire upstairs had been renovated when Becca was 17, and none of the rooms now matched the old rooms.

After quickly unpacking we went back downstairs to watch the sunset on the front porch. We had some beers while Abby worked the Barbecue. Gwen asked about me. She wanted to know when by birthday was, about growing up in Chicago. About the cancer. A lot about the Cancer. About my recovery. About how Becca and I met. When Becca protested that she already knew how we met, Gwen replied that she wanted to hear it from me. So I re-told the story, including my crazy aunts, how we went camping, and how we came here. I left out all of the sex though.

"Ok then, my last question... for now. Yes, I have more questions Becca," Gwen said overriding Becca's protests.

"What would you like to know?" I asked. I was reeling a bit from all of the questions.

"How long have you been in love with Becca."

Abby laughed. "Jeremy and Becca sitting in a tree," she sang softly.

"Shut up Abby!" Becca shouted annoyed.

"Well I know it's cliche, but I fell for her when I first saw her at the Lowell. But, and I know this sounds crazy, I fall even deeper each time I see her. I'm not a poet, but this is the most real thing that has ever happened to me," I said honestly. I looked over at Becca to be sure I had not said too much, and she smiled and leaned in and kissed me.

"Well OK then," Gwen said.

"Dinner time," Abby called out.

We had some meat that I had never tried before. It was tough and had a strange taste, but I liked it a lot. I found out later that it was kangaroo tail. I didn't know that you could eat Kangaroo. As the sun went down the stars came out. Becca took me for a walk down one of the roads on the farm, carrying a blanket. We walked out under a blanket of stars. The moon set not long after the sun and we were in one of the darkest darks that I had seen in. It was even darker than Beth's campsite where Becca and I had spent the night when we had first started dating.

She shook out the blanket and laid it down on the side of a small hill. We laid down together and just held hands under the stars.

"Sorry about my mom. She can be a bit overbearing," Becca said after a while.

"It's not a problem. I don't mind answering questions."

She rolled onto her side to look at me.

"What did I do to get a guy like you?" She asked.

"Be yourself. I dunno. I ask myself the same thing every day," I said. "To clarify, I ask myself what did I do to get a woman like you, not a guy."

"Would you say that no matter what happened? Would you stick by me if you found out that I had done something terrible? What if I needed you look after me because I couldn't walk or move?" She asked.

I used my elbows to prop me up and turned to her.

"Would you stick by me if the Cancer comes back?" I asked. "You would have to do something pretty horrific to get me to stop loving you. A small thing like being sick wouldnt stop me."

"Yes I would be there for you if the cancer came back," she replied quietly.

"Becca, I love you. I don't just lust for you, but of course I find you wildly attractive as well," I said rolling over on top of her and looking down into her eyes.

"As professions of love go I give that one a 6.5 out of 10," she laughed, reaching up and pulling me down for a kiss.

We laid there under the stars, listening to the sheep and feeling the hot air blow over us, before we finally went back to the house to go to bed.

Becca woke me up before the sun rose the next morning.

"Get up Jer. Today we're going to King's Canyon. You have to see it since we are here. And if you want to do it and not die from the heat you need to get moving now."

I got out of bed, and before I knew what was happening we were in the Ute and driving. About 15 minutes later we had pulled into the parking lot of the park. The first part of the hike was the worst. We basically climbed stairs straight up a cliff.

"It's called Heart-attack Hill," Becca said. When I had asked if she was serous about climbing those steps, she laughed and bounded up the steps, with me just trying to keep pace behind her. When we got to the top we had to walk along this narrow ridge with a steep drop on one side and the side of the cliff on the other. Once we got over that we were on top of the canyon.

"When I was a girl I used to come here all the time," Becca explained as we walked. "I would hike all over the canyon. I would jump in the pool in the garden of Eden even though we are not supposed to."

"What garden of Eden?" I asked

"That," she said pointing as we rounded a corner in the path. The bottom of the canyon was a lush forest, especially compared with the surrounding area. Tall green trees, flowing streams and lots of wildlife could be seen.

"Wow," I said in awe.

"Yeah I know right?!" Becca said. "Just wait till we get down there."

Another half hour on the top of the canyon and a series of stairs down into the valley below brought us into the garden. Becca showed me the small pond where she would swim as a child. We climbed back out just as the first tour groups started to show up. When the hike was done we headed back to Gwen's house.

Becca and I helped out around the farm for the next few days, and Becca seemed to relax and really enjoy being back home. I was happy that I had made this possible for her.

On our second last day Gwen had an announcement.

"Well everyone," she proclaimed "We are going to Uluru tomorrow. I can't have a guest from so far away not have a chance to see it. We are going after dinner. It's a four hour drive down in the Camper. We will spend the night and then we will be up at the break of dawn for a walk around Uluru before it gets hot. And yes Abby that means you too."

Abby groaned and rolled her eyes. "Ok Mum," she muttered.

"Good." Gwen said. Becca looked over at me and smiled and squeezed my hand.

"You will love it Jeremy. Dawn is the best time to see it," Becca whispered.

"Speak up you two. If you are talking then talk to everyone."

"I just said that Jeremy is going to love it and that dawn is the best time to go mum..." Becca said sardonically

"Good. Just because you don't live here anymore Rebecca, doesn't mean that the rules have changed," Gwen said sternly, but with a smile.

"Yes mum," Becca said and turned to wink at me.

I smiled back at her a bit tentatively. I was not still entirely sure how to read Gwen, and she was a bit intimidating, both because of her no nonsense personality and the fact that I wanted to look good in front of her so she would accept me and Becca. This was of course the first time I had ever met a girlfriend's parents, and I still didn't really know if I was doing it right.

"Let's go for a walk Jeremy," Becca said.

"Ok"

"Be back in time for dinner you two. That's in 50 minutes in case you don't know," Gwen reminded us.

"We will mum," Becca said.

"See you soon," I said to Gwen and Abby.

Abby smiled and waved while Gwen just nodded.

We walked out of the front door, across the porch and down the steps to the driveway. Becca lead us out toward the road.

"There is a little trail to the fire pond that I loved to walk when I was younger," Becca said as she lead the way.

"Do you think your mom likes me?" I asked.

"Yeah she likes you fine. I know it can be a bit odd to be around her sometimes. She starts off treating you like the prodigal son, but the more she likes you the more curt and abrupt she is. She's been like that for a while."

"Have you been feeling better?" I asked. Becca had thrown up before we got here and then a couple more times since we got here.

"Yeah I'm feeling better. I think it was just nerves," Becca said.

"What do you have to be nervous about?" I asked.

"Well it's been almost 10 years since I last lived here. I keep in touch with mom by phone or email, but we're not all that close anymore. I was worried about what she would think about what I have become since the last time she saw me. Don't get me wrong I love my mom, but I sure didn't always. And I wanted her to like you of course."

"Would it have mattered at all if she didn't?" I asked.

Becca reached out and held my hand.

"Not at all Jer. You're just as much my family as mum is, or even Abby who I do love and keep in touch with much more than the rest of them."

I gave her hand a squeeze and I smiled at her. We walked along the path by the pond, lapping it twice before heading back to the house for dinner. The next day after the afternoon chores were done, we made the long trek to the campsite and while Becca and I lit a fire outside, Abby and Gwen made up the 3 beds in the camper. We had a short time under the stars before Becca and I crawled into the upper bunk and fell asleep.

Once again it felt like almost no time before the alarm in the camper went off, and we pulled ourselves out of bed and drove down to the rock. I could barely see the outline of it against the faint light growing in the east. One of the weirdest things about being in Australia is that the sky is upside down. I noticed it even before Becca pointed it out, which was a good sign that her astronomy lessons were starting to stick.

Becca and I had planned to walk together, a bit apart from Gwen and Abby, but Gwen had other plans.

"Becca, you will walk with me. I want some mother daughter time." Jeremy you can go with Abby. Becca and I will walk to the right and Abby and Jeremy, you two will go left. We will meet back here whenever we are done. And of course we'll see you on the other side." Gwen announced.

I looked over at Becca and she just nodded and smiled somewhat grimly at me.

"Alright then lover boy, you're with me today." Abby said, pulling my arm as we started walking left around the base of the giant rock.

The gravel of the walking track mashed under our feet as we set off side by side around the rock.

"Becca is really lucky," Abby said after a while.

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"To have you of course. I'd love to meet someone like you. You're funny and hot. Does Becca say that to you often? Do you have a brother?"

"No, I have twin sisters, and they are only 14," I said, dodging the first question.

"Well damn. I was hoping you could set me up."

"Why didn't you come to school with us?" I asked

"Well for one thing someone needed to stay home and keep an eye on mum. She's not always totally stable. Emotional abuse does that to you sometimes you know."

The rock was starting to glow red with a shimmering light from the east.

"Is that what happened? Becca hasn't told me." I asked.

"We'll partly I guess. But if she hasn't told you then I better not till she does."

Fair enough I thought, wondering again at what the big secret Becca was keeping was. I was fairly certain it had to do with her father, but I had no idea what it was.

Abby and I continued to walk in silence. The sun continued to rise. The sky started an inky black, slowly turning purple and then orange and then blue. I kept looking at the rock, smooth in some parts, totally distorted in others. I can't deny that I felt some sort of primordial connection to the place. I looked over at Abby, who was walking focusing mostly on her shoes.

"Isn't this incredible?" I asked trying to draw her back out a bit.

"It's ok," she replied not looking up.

We walked for another while in silence again.

"Look Jeremy, don't mind me. I just find it hard to keep secrets, and this is a big one. I think it's kind of bullshit that you have been dating Becca for so long and she hasn't told you. But like I said it's her story." Abby said.

I remembered Becca saying that she was on my side with her family. I thought that we should be on each other's side, so I I said "It's not a big deal to me. I don't need to know all her secrets. I trust that she will tell me when she is ready."

"Yeah... Sure." Abby said shooting a glare past me. Down the track I saw Gwen and Becca walking towards us.

"Bitch," Abby murmured as Becca walked by. Becca heard and looked at me questioningly. I shrugged, and made the 'I have no idea' face. Becca nodded. Once again we were walking in opposite directions, but now I was beginning to wonder what this big secret was. The more I wondered the more I promised myself that I would not ask. That I would live up to the commitment to be there for Becca when she is ready to tell me, and not to pry. But I was also starting to get worried deep down.

Abby walked the rest of the walk in silence. I tried to not let her get me down and to enjoy the rest of the walk. It had turned into a beautiful morning and it was just starting to get uncomfortably hot when we all got back to the camper. Gwen and Abby jumped in with Becca saying that she needed to use the washroom and grabbing my hand to go with her.

"What the hell is going on with Abby?" Becca asked.

"You remember when I promised not to pry about the thing with your past when we were camping?"

"Yeah," she said, confused.

"Abby thinks you should have told me."

"Oh she does, does she?"

I pulled on Becca's hand to stop her and spun her to face me. She had a look of anger on her face which she turned to me.

"Becca, please. I am on your side. I'm not going to ask you to tell me. I'm not going to say anything. I'm on your team. But I'm not going to lie to you about why Abby is upset, even if I don't understand. My promise to you still stands."

"This is none of her business." Becca said, fuming.

"Becca, I don't know what else I can do other than be here for you."