The ferry dinged its final goodbye as it drifted down the harbour, disappearing into a thick layer of fog long before it could vanish behind the horizon. I waved, with no idea whether he could still see me or not, but quickly ran back to my car as the chill set in.
The doors blipped open obediently as my frozen fingers mashed the button on my keys, and I slipped into the driver’s seat, breathing into my hands to bring some life back to them. I fumbled for the ignition, pre-setting the air conditioning dial so that it would blow heat at me as soon as the car started.
I twisted the key in the ignition, bracing myself.
The car groaned, but nothing turned on.
‘What the hell?’ I frowned in the general direction of the engine and tried again. Nothing. On the third try, a flurry of lights flashed on my dashboard, and I scowled at them.
I pulled out my phone and tapped a number with my frozen fingers.
‘Hi, mum,’ I sighed when she picked up. ‘Can you come get me? I’m at the pier.’
‘What’s wrong with your car?’ she asked.
‘I don’t know, it just won’t start.’
‘Why don’t you get Dean to look at it? Doesn’t he work in auto electrics in the Hobart area?’
‘He is, which is why I just put him on a ferry back to Hobart,’ I frowned.
‘Oh dear,’ she tutted.
‘Can you help me or not?’ I rested my head on the steering wheel. ‘Because if not, I’ll just call Jess–’
‘Oh, of course I can help!’ she chided me. ‘So why didn’t you go with him?’
‘Bye!’ I said, and hung up. I called my sister next.
‘I need your help Jess,’ I said, and explained the situation to her. ‘I’d normally get Dean to help with stuff for my car. Service around Hobart can be spotty though, so I don’t think he’d get my call and–’
‘Say no more!’ she called down the line. ‘I’m on my… hang on. Why is mum calling me?’
I slammed my head back onto the steering wheel.