The Life of Riley

Chapter 2: June

He'd always wondered why his parents from Brisbane had chosen Port Lincoln as their settling place. There wasn't much there at all. A general store, a post office and an airstrip, but driving through the streets he was reminded of the oval where he spent hours kicking the footy and days playing cricket. He was reminded of the school where he, Lucy and their mates whinged about assignments and hated on teachers.

The hospital was as eerie and as gloomy as the last time he'd seen it. People, more often than not, left the place with one less person than when they arrived. Death's breath rustled the trees, and death danced in the waves that lapped upon the shore.

"Wouldn't raise my kid here." The policeman stated.

Jack didn't debate, because look how he'd turned out. Constantly living on the edge, caught up in the drug and alcohol scene at a very young age.

Port Lincoln had a good side. Good people, a beautiful beach, but it did have a bad side. Just like every town, Port Lincoln held a side of violence, abuse, a side parents usually would keep their kids away from, but Jack had been born right into it. He'd walked into the hospital more times than he could count, with a black eye or broken bone.

"No I wouldn't either." Jack stuttered.

"Good, I hope you get out of here as soon as possible. Look after that little girl, she's been through a lot." The policeman pulled open the door and let Jack out.

Jack pulled out a cigarette and his lighter. He placed the rolled tobacco in his mouth and hovered the flame over the end.

"Get rid of those Jack, she doesn't need them." The cop advised.

Jack dropped it on the ground and crunched it under the toe of his boot, "Right, don't smoke around kids."

"Good luck with it all Mr Riley." The policeman shook his hand firmly.

"Thanks." Jack mumbled before being guided into the hospital.

"She's down here Mr Riley." The nurse gave him a sympathetic smile and he wasn't sure whether she meant Lucy or June.

"Am I able to see my sister?" Jack questioned, powering after the nurse.

"That's where we're going young man." She pushes open a door and Jack's jaw dropped.

There lay, on a metal slab under a fluorescent light, was his sister. Her long wavy brown hair sprayed behind her head and eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her freckled skin bruised and her hand clasped in a little girls.

The weren't any Pink tutus or barbie dolls. There were denim overalls and a tattered teddy bear that looked like it had lived some very long days. The little girls piercing blue eyes focused on him and her long dark hair fell below her waist.

"Are you Uncle Jack?" She asked very softly.

Jack nodded. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears and he could feel the blood draining from his face.

"Good." She mumbled, turning back to her mother.

Jack walked over to his sister, his shaking hand rested against her cheek, the sleeve of his flannel shirt feel against her shoulder and his akubra hat tilted forward over his eyes.

"Bring her back!" The little girl ordered forcefully.

"June, don't speak like that." Jack snarled.

"I don't want you! I want my mum!" She yelled.

"Shut up June, please! I've got nothing left!" Jack snarled.

June's little face screwed up, tears erupted from her eyes, falling like a broken dam. She whimpered softly into the bed. Jack sighed and returned to Lucy.

"G'day Luce." He said. "This shouldn't have happened."

"But it did Uncle Jack, now I've got no mum." The little girl cried focusing on her little elastic sided boots that she swung beneath the chair, a heart breaking frown lodged on her lips.

Jack, feeling like he'd been stabbed in the chest, crouched down in front of her. His hands rested on his knees and he looked her in the eye.

"June, it's just me and you now kiddo, we've got a whole world to explore out there. Mummy's gone up to heaven with God and Grandma where she'll help us get to where ever it is we need to go." Jack explained.

June nodded, her bottom lip still drooping. Jack could tell that she needed someone to love her and he knew she was relying on him to do so.

"Hey, we're gonna be alright, I promise." He held her tiny face in his calloused hands. He stroked his thumb down her little freckled nose and she giggled. He smiled and pressed his hat on her head before hoisted her onto his hip.

"But, in order for us to be happy and for mummy to go up to heaven we have to say goodbye don't we?"

"I don't want to." June crossed her arms.

Jack sighed, "me either kiddo, but we've got to."

He bent down and kissed his sisters cheek, June did the same.

"I love you Mum." She sniffed, tears falling from her eyes. She wrapped her arms around the cold neck of Lucy, pulling her mother close just one last time.

Jack placed June on the ground before turning back to Lucy.

"This is my favour to you Luce, for all those times you pulled me out of the gutter, or picked me up from a rodeo when I was drunk. I promise, with all that I have, that this kid will grow up to be the most beautiful, well mannered, educated and charming little girl in the world, I love you Lucy Grace, seeya when I seeya." Jack pushed the hair from her face before taking June's hand.

"Righto Kiddo, we've got a wild ride ahead of us." He looked down at her little face which stared back at him.

"Uncle Jack, can we go home?"

Jack smiled, "June Alexandra, we can go home."

His heart felt empty when he entered the hospital, like nothing in the world could fill it again. Then two piercing eyes stared deep into his soul and suddenly a little hand was clasped in his.

He had love.