Dessi's Romance by Goldie Alexander Page A

She’s used to changing her guys pretty quickly. A
shame Sacha is gay as they are so fond of each other and have so much in
common.
    I’m writing ABDUL, ABDUL
MALOUF, Mrs DESIREE MALOUF...
on an unused envelope, when I hear voices in
the kitchen. Graham and Nanna Pearl. I have one grandmother - my father’s
mother. And one grandfather, my mother’s father. I love them both, but Nanna
Pearl Cowan is by far my favourite. Nanna’s body might be old, but she’s
wealthy enough to be able to travel widely and she intends seeing every bit of
the world before she dies. Graham might joke about his mother’s escapades, but
I love having a grandmother who considers visiting India as the only way to
celebrate turning seventy-five. Lately Nanna’s become interested in Asian
religions. Like, she’ll say, ‘I would rather be a Buddhist than anything else…’
    I’ve no
other relatives as my other grandparents died before I was born and my parents
are only children. I suppose not having too many blood relatives is why Emma and I are so
close…
    Emma!
I have to stop thinking about her. Does Abdul have other relatives in
Australia? I know there’s been fighting in Northern Lebanon between religious
factions all wanting to control the country and between Israel and Lebanon. Me
being quarter Jewish and Abdul a Muslim, does that make us natural enemies?
Would we even have met if we weren’t Aussies?
    I hop into
the kitchen to find Dad talking to Nanna Pearl. Her face lights up as she
exclaims, ‘Darling! Feeling any better?’
    ‘I’m fine,
Nanna. I‘m fine.’ I head towards a chair and place my damaged ankle on a
stool. From the look on Graham’s face, I guess they’ve been talking money.
Seems that I’m only half-right. It’s about Hannah and money. Nanna turns back
to Graham and says, ‘Surely she doesn’t have to work such long hours.’
    ‘The
bank expects it. If women want equal positions and salaries, they must work the
same hours as male executives.’
    Nanna Pearl
shakes her head and gives up offering advice. Turning to me she says, ‘Darling,
here’s a little something,’ and hands me a DVD.
    ‘Always
spoiling you kids,’ is how Hannah describes Nanna. But I view Nanna Pearl as
wonderfully generous, someone who never turns up without bringing us something.
‘Thanks.’ I read the title aloud, ‘Mr Blandings Builds His dream House.’
    ‘All about
renovating. Seems appropriate, don’t you think?’’
    ‘Nanna,
when did our family come to Australia?”
    Nanna
looks pleased. ‘Didn’t think you’d be interested. My great, great grandfather,
Moses Cohen, came out in 1852 during the gold rush.’
    ‘Did he
make his fortune?’
    ‘He made
enough to marry well, have eight children, build several houses and give two
daughters expensive weddings.’
    ‘What
happened to the money?’
    ‘His
grandsons lost most of it in the Depression. Rags to riches back to rags in
three generations. Shame isn’t it?’
    I grin.
‘Isn’t it?’ I remember the DVD. ‘Thanks. I’ll watch it when I get back from the
physio.’
    ‘Physio!’
Graham springs to his feet. ‘Nearly forgot.’
    ‘How about
I drive this girl?’ says Nanna.
    Graham
looks openly relieved. Pearl pushes herself away from the table and slowly
stands up. ‘Growing old isn’t for wimps,’ she says. Everyone laughs. But I
can’t imagine growing old. Right now, even my twenty-first seems a long way
off. I’m following Nanna Pearl when my cell phone rings.
    ‘Hi, Dessi?
Abdul.’
    My heart
flutters. ‘Hi.’
    ‘What are
you up to?’
    ‘Not much.
Off to the physio.’
    ‘How about
I pick you up and we go for coffee?’
    ‘Great.’ I
give him the address. But after, I keyboard:
     
    Emma…
    We’ve been as
close
    as the books
you like to read
    your voice on
the phone
    the way you brush
your hair
    the sweat
stain under your arm.’
     

18. EMMA, Surfers
     
    After sun-baking all afternoon on the
balcony, us four return to the same