Read Online Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melina Marchetta
Tags: Fiction
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have a lot of money, but I’m on a scholarship with the school.”
“So if it weren’t for the scholarship, you’d be at Cook High.” He shrugged. “Like me.”
“I would be at a Catholic school still, thank you very much.”
“Yeah, a middle-class Catholic school equivalent to Cook High.”
“Well, yes I would, and I wouldn’t be ashamed of it either.”
He looked at me and leaned forward and I knew his intentions, so I leaned back. But just looking at him made me want to lean forward.
“Forget it,” he muttered, turning away. “Listen, you’re not my type, you know.”
“I know.”
“Not as an insult or anything.”
“No, of course not.”
We looked at each other uncomfortably for a few more seconds before he gave a final shrug.
“Got to go.”
“Are you going to meet the others wherever they were going?” I asked curiously.
He shrugged. “Naw. That red cordial they served tonight really did me in. It was too strong. Don’t want to be drinking and driving too much.”
I smiled and nodded. “Where do you live?”
“Redfern.”
“Redfern? Do you know that I’ve been in this country all my life and I’ve never spoken to an Aboriginal person.”
He shrugged. “Come to Redfern. I’ll introduce you to a few. I don’t know much about Italians either.”
“There’s not much to know except that they’re the best cooks, best lovers and a highly intelligent race,” I said seriously.
He laughed and shook his head, and with a wave he turned to walk back to his motorcycle.
Six
MY SECOND ENCOUNTER with Michael Andretti happened today at my grandmother’s house. She had a family barbecue, and because it was hot we were able to go swimming in the pool.
I spent the whole morning looking at him. He looked at Mama. Mama looked at me. Then he would look at me. I would look at Mama. She would look at him.
In different circumstances, I’d be amused.
I was in the water at one stage when Robert came from behind and shook my shoulders, pushing me down under the water. We struggled for a while until my grandmother told us to behave.
While we were splashing water into each other’s faces I saw Mama go inside and two minutes later Michael Andretti followed. I pushed Robert down and managed to crawl out.
“Jozzie, grow up,” Nonna Katia instructed.
“Oh, great. He tries to drown me and I have to grow up,” I said, trying to wrestle the towel from her as she tried to dry me. Robert followed me out of the water and gave Nonna Katia a smacking kiss before running away. I watched her beam after him.
“Don’t tell me. He’s a good boy,” I said, walking away.
They were in the kitchen. I stood outside the door with the towel and then sat on the step. I felt guilty listening to the conversation, but personally I don’t know anyone who’d walk away if someone was discussing them.
“What do you think I’ll do, Christina?” I heard him ask. “Fly into a rage and demand to see her? Do you think everyone wants a son or daughter? Do you think I’ll pretend that I wanted her from the beginning?”
“I’ll think and pretend no such thing,” I heard her say frankly, before she turned on the tap.
“I don’t want her,” he said flatly.
I cringed and wanted to walk away then, but couldn’t.
“I do not want to see her. I do not want to love her. I do not want a complication in my life, Christina. I’ve worked for fifteen years to get where I am, and I don’t want this in my life now,” he stated in a clear, no-nonsense tone.
“Don’t you dare call my daughter a complication,” she said coldly. “Because we have nothing to do with you, Michael. It’s
us
who don’t want
you
complicating our lives, so stop implying that we’re out to ruin everything for you. Get married, Michael. Forget Josie and have other kids. Ten of them if that will make you happy. Forget everything that happened eighteen years ago but the fact that it was your choice.”
I could hear the tremble in
“So if it weren’t for the scholarship, you’d be at Cook High.” He shrugged. “Like me.”
“I would be at a Catholic school still, thank you very much.”
“Yeah, a middle-class Catholic school equivalent to Cook High.”
“Well, yes I would, and I wouldn’t be ashamed of it either.”
He looked at me and leaned forward and I knew his intentions, so I leaned back. But just looking at him made me want to lean forward.
“Forget it,” he muttered, turning away. “Listen, you’re not my type, you know.”
“I know.”
“Not as an insult or anything.”
“No, of course not.”
We looked at each other uncomfortably for a few more seconds before he gave a final shrug.
“Got to go.”
“Are you going to meet the others wherever they were going?” I asked curiously.
He shrugged. “Naw. That red cordial they served tonight really did me in. It was too strong. Don’t want to be drinking and driving too much.”
I smiled and nodded. “Where do you live?”
“Redfern.”
“Redfern? Do you know that I’ve been in this country all my life and I’ve never spoken to an Aboriginal person.”
He shrugged. “Come to Redfern. I’ll introduce you to a few. I don’t know much about Italians either.”
“There’s not much to know except that they’re the best cooks, best lovers and a highly intelligent race,” I said seriously.
He laughed and shook his head, and with a wave he turned to walk back to his motorcycle.
Six
MY SECOND ENCOUNTER with Michael Andretti happened today at my grandmother’s house. She had a family barbecue, and because it was hot we were able to go swimming in the pool.
I spent the whole morning looking at him. He looked at Mama. Mama looked at me. Then he would look at me. I would look at Mama. She would look at him.
In different circumstances, I’d be amused.
I was in the water at one stage when Robert came from behind and shook my shoulders, pushing me down under the water. We struggled for a while until my grandmother told us to behave.
While we were splashing water into each other’s faces I saw Mama go inside and two minutes later Michael Andretti followed. I pushed Robert down and managed to crawl out.
“Jozzie, grow up,” Nonna Katia instructed.
“Oh, great. He tries to drown me and I have to grow up,” I said, trying to wrestle the towel from her as she tried to dry me. Robert followed me out of the water and gave Nonna Katia a smacking kiss before running away. I watched her beam after him.
“Don’t tell me. He’s a good boy,” I said, walking away.
They were in the kitchen. I stood outside the door with the towel and then sat on the step. I felt guilty listening to the conversation, but personally I don’t know anyone who’d walk away if someone was discussing them.
“What do you think I’ll do, Christina?” I heard him ask. “Fly into a rage and demand to see her? Do you think everyone wants a son or daughter? Do you think I’ll pretend that I wanted her from the beginning?”
“I’ll think and pretend no such thing,” I heard her say frankly, before she turned on the tap.
“I don’t want her,” he said flatly.
I cringed and wanted to walk away then, but couldn’t.
“I do not want to see her. I do not want to love her. I do not want a complication in my life, Christina. I’ve worked for fifteen years to get where I am, and I don’t want this in my life now,” he stated in a clear, no-nonsense tone.
“Don’t you dare call my daughter a complication,” she said coldly. “Because we have nothing to do with you, Michael. It’s
us
who don’t want
you
complicating our lives, so stop implying that we’re out to ruin everything for you. Get married, Michael. Forget Josie and have other kids. Ten of them if that will make you happy. Forget everything that happened eighteen years ago but the fact that it was your choice.”
I could hear the tremble in
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