by C. Fonseca
Jess began to ask about the couple when she noticed a piano occupying the corner of the room close to the terrace.
“A baby grand? I can’t believe I didn’t notice that before.”
“They only brought it back from the piano technician yesterday. What a drama it was to move. Two strong men and lots of ropes.” Helen chuckled. “All because of some moisture-stabilisation problem. Hopefully it won’t have to be moved again.”
“Moisture can damage the wood and alter the pitch.”
“Yes, so I believe. Do you play?”
“I’m out of practice.”
“Lili used to play, but she doesn’t have time these days.” Helen sighed. “It was my mother’s piano, and has been fully restored and tuned. Feel free to play it when the restaurant is closed.”
The restaurant manager approached them with a bottle and two glasses in hand.
Jess had been briefly introduced to Owen at the staff party. She’d stayed mostly in the background that evening, watching the close-knit group from a distance.
“Owen,” Helen said. “I hope that wine is for us.”
“Definitely.” He smiled and poured dark rose-coloured wine into the stemmed glasses. He was elegantly dressed. His hair, thick and fair, was brushed back from his wide forehead. “It is nice to see you again, Jess.”
“Owen is our restaurant manager extraordinaire.” Helen grinned. “Who, as well as looking after the dining room, brings to Ailie his exceptional knowledge of wine and beverage.”
“Welcome to Ailie.” Owen handed each of them a glass. “Scotchman’s Hill Pinot Noir. It’s a local favourite.”
She tilted her head, taking in his accent. “Thank you, Owen. What part of London are you from?”
“East Finchley,” he said.
“My flat is in Hampstead,” she said. “Practically from the same neighbourhood.”
“Mind you, I was twenty when I left. I’ve lived all over the place since then.”
“And now, we are very lucky to have you here.” Helen raised her glass to Owen before taking a sip.
“And I’m lucky to be here, Helen.” He turned to Jess. “What do you think of the wine?”
“Hmm, it reminds me of ripe plums, with a bit of spice. I like it.”
Helen excused herself to greet a diner who waved at her from across the room. A server joined Owen behind the bar. Like him, she was smartly dressed, although the attractive young woman’s outfit was completed by a full-length apron. While she spoke to Owen, her gaze strayed to Jess several times and a knowing smile formed on her slightly pouty lips. She hadn’t been at Lili’s staff party—of that Jess was sure.
Jess held her gaze as she came around the bar counter and stood before her. “Hi. Jessica Harris?” she asked. “I’m Haley. It’s totally awesome to have you right here. Right here, on the Peninsula, I mean. I saw you win in South America two years ago—you were amazing.” Haley held out her hand.
Jess raised an eyebrow and accepted Haley’s handshake. “You were there?”
A flush crept across her cheeks, and she let go of Jess’s hand. “No. No, I wish,” she said. “I saw you on TV.”
Jess smiled. “Ah…that was a great race.”
“It was a great year for you all-round, wasn’t it? And that tour—two individual medals in the one event. Wow.”
“Our whole squad did well. It’s not just about individual medals.” It was the first time she’d been approached by a cycling enthusiast since she’d been in Australia. There was a hint of flirtation in the way Haley engaged her.
Haley leaned close enough that Jess could take in her faint floral scent. “Oh, I know that…but I can’t believe I’m meeting you in the flesh,” she said, reaching out to touch Jess’s forearm.
Jess didn’t flinch from Haley’s touch. She looked down to where Haley’s hand lightly caressed her.
“Haley. Can you help Mei, please?” Owen frowned from behind the bar.
Haley withdrew her hand. “Yes, of course.” Turning to Owen, she tilted her chin defensively, then flicked her head back to Jess and grinned. “It’s so good to meet you. I hope we can…talk again?” She stood to attention and clasped her hands behind her back.
“Yes. That would be nice,” Jess said as Haley returned to her station. She was cute, in a fresh-faced, bright-eyed, eager kind of way. Jess had to admit she didn’t mind the attention from someone who clearly followed the women’s cycling circuit.
At the sound of loud laughter, Jess spun her barstool around as an elderly couple were seated at the central table. They were greeted with handshakes and hugs by the other members of their party.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have met the love of your life at twenty and be celebrating sixty years together?”
Jess jumped at the soft tone of Lili’s voice in her ear and her warm breath against her face.
“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Lili remained close beside her. “Mr and Mrs Hubert are celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary.”
“Quite an achievement,” Jess said. “It’s hard to imagine any relationship lasting that long.”
“Is it?” Lili’s blue eyes sparkled, and she lifted her chin as though truly interested in her response.
“Yes.” She took a gulp of wine. Jess didn’t know many marriages that lasted even half that length of time. Her parents had divorced before she turned three.
“That’s unfortunate.” Lili smiled sadly and stepped back as Helen joined them at the bar. “Mother,” she greeted.
“You must be pleased with the turnout tonight,” Helen said, and turned to Jess. “So, what do you think?”
Jess placed her glass on the bar counter. Lili’s expectant gaze unsettled her. “It’s not what I imagined.”
Lili raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”
“I’ve only seen the restaurant in daylight, and empty.” Jess gestured towards the kitchen. “This is a new experience for me. I like that I get a glimpse of the kitchen in action through the small windows beside the bottles. The serene atmosphere of the dining room is quite a contrast.” She looked up to meet Lili’s curious stare. “The diners get to experience the food preparation without the noise or heat.
“Spot-on. Very observant.” There was just a hint of a grin.
Jess held up the menu and bit her lip. “Do people just trust you to serve them…whatever?”
“They do,” Lili said confidently. “Our degustation tasting menu is a great way to experience new flavours, be adventurous—give up control a little.”
Was Jess being teased? She gave Lili an appraising look. She liked what she saw. Dressed in a pristine white jacket with off-centre zipper and front pockets obviously tailored to fit her body, tapered black trousers, and polished work boots, she looked the part. Certain of herself and capable, Lili radiated energy.
“Lili.” Helen tugged at her jacket.
Lili quirked an eyebrow and glanced at her watch. “Time for action.” She lifted her shoulders in a playful shrug. “We’re flexible. We cater for special dietary requirements, and there’s always a vegetarian alternative for each course. Our motto is fresh, seasonal, and simple.”
“Chef. We’re good to go,” Owen said from behind the bar and then signalled to Mei, who poured a pale pink liquid into aperitif glasses arranged on a tray.
“Okay. Please let Alex know we start in ten. I’ll do my walkabout now.” Lili bowed to Jess and headed to the Hubert family table. She welcomed the elderly couple with a hug and a handshake, then moved away.
Lili had that look—the look Jess once knew so well: the look of success. The look of a winner. Did she get tense before a big night? Did Lili’s hands tingle with excitement, or nerves? Did Lili, like Jess at the start of a race, enjoy the thrill of a challenge? Did she, too, experience the adrenaline rush of the build-up and the sprint to
a finish line?
Jess admired the way Lili moved from one group of diners to the next, shaking hands with a few guests, smiling at others along the way. The whole process took less than ten minutes before she slipped back into the kitchen.
Conversations, the clinking of glasses and silverware, the swish of the revolving door between back of house and the dining room hummed around Jess.
“I’m ready to go now,” Helen said. “If you want to stay longer, Owen will keep a watch out for you.”
Jess drained her glass and reached for her jacket. She would have liked to stay a little bit longer—to have another glass of wine and observe how Lili’s degustation menu was received. Lili appeared so sure the diners would be entranced by her selection, and Jess was curious to witness their reaction. “No, thank you. I’m ready to go,” she said reluctantly.
There was something compelling about Lili the chef. Her self-assurance was attractive. Jess was sure she’d made the right decision. She’d go to Melbourne tomorrow, meet the executor, and sign the papers. Stage one completed.
Chapter 11
The moment she entered the café, Jess identified the delicate figure of Usha Joshi from the way she sat, always upright, those thin-framed glasses perched on the edge of her slightly bent nose.
Jess’s memories were hazy, but she would never forget how important a role this woman once played in her life, especially the day her mother died.
Usha had collected her from school after lunch break. The fierce storm had kept everyone inside, and the driving rain made it impossible to get from the schoolhouse to Usha’s car without getting soaked. Ben had sat shivering in the rear seat, arms crossed tightly against his chest, his face unreadable. Jess had tugged at her seatbelt, the fabric choking her so she could barely breathe. During the fifteen-minute drive, Usha had stared straight ahead, concentrating on manoeuvring the car along washed-out roads as rain lashed the windscreen. Jess had caught sight of the bright-blue neon sign above the hospital emergency entrance. The nightmare had begun. It was a lifetime ago, almost nineteen years.
Jess walked past empty tables now with an odd assortment of chairs, a worn leather couch, and side tables piled with magazines. Under the focused beam of a retro pendant light that hung directly above her, Usha’s hair looked grey, but she still wore it braided in one single plait down to her waist. As she looked up from her magazine, Usha’s soft brown eyes—with just a few laugh lines visible at the corners—gleamed in recognition.
Jess’s throat constricted, and unshed tears stung her eyes.
Usha pushed back her chair, stood, and held out her arms to Jess. “Come,” was all she said. She wrapped her arms around Jess’s waist. They were strong arms, just as they had been that day in the emergency room. The doctor had shaken his head, and Jess would never forget Usha’s sharp intake of breath as she’d gripped Jess’s forearm so tight to stop her from running.
She lowered her head to Usha’s shoulder, and they stood together for several moments, oblivious to their surroundings.
“Child,” Usha said quietly, “we are lucky the café is empty this morning. This is a small town, and people will gossip about us.”
Raising her head, she edged back to look down into smiling eyes. Usha winked, then rested one hand on Jess’s forearm.
Having Usha hold her so tenderly, being unable to resist, and allowing herself to be comforted in this way was so far from her experience of the last nineteen years, she nearly fell into the chair that Usha held out for her.
“Let us share some tea and talk a little.”
They sat across from each other at a small table near the window.
Usha turned sideways in her chair as a robust middle-aged woman approached their table with a menu in hand. “Ah, Jess, this is my friend and the café owner, Maddie. Maddie, this is my dear Jessica, whom I have not seen for a very, very long time.”
“Welcome.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to be here.”
“Doc,” Maddie said, “I’ll take your order and leave you two to catch up.” She turned to Jess. “What can I get you?”
“Earl Grey, please. Black.” A cup of tea was just what she needed to steady her nerves.
“Make that a pot, please,” Usha added. “And a couple of those fresh cinnamon scrolls. You don’t have to twist my arm today, they smell so delicious.”
“Two cinnamon scrolls and a pot of Earl Grey tea coming up,” Maddie said, then headed towards the counter.
“I couldn’t.”
Usha held up her hand and shook her head from side to side. “Of course you can. They are very good. I do not like to eat alone. Let us spend some time together and share some food.” She reached across the table and squeezed Jess’s hand. “I have waited a long time for this day.”
“I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t be sorry. You are here now,” she said. “After the divorce and your father returned to England, you and your brother and mother were my family. You were just a child when she died and your father came to Australia and took you away. Some things are different between us, yes. But some things never change.” Usha waved her hand between the two of them. “You are still family.”
Jess gasped at the power of Usha’s words and slowly met the woman’s steady gaze. “You and Ben stayed in contact.” She hesitated. “I am glad he wasn’t alone.”
“I was his guardian until he turned eighteen. So, yes. We did. It was good for me too, Jess,” she said. “When he moved to Melbourne, we lost touch for a year or so. Ben wanted to prove he could make it on his own.” Her eyes twinkled. “He was a man. He didn’t need me to watch over him.”
“Did you know about Aruishi?” Jess was unable to hide the pain in her voice.
“I’m so sorry he didn’t tell you.” Usha cast her gaze downward. “I didn’t even find out myself until that beautiful child turned two.”
“But why? Why did he keep it from you?”
Usha twirled the end of her braid with her fingers. “I think he was embarrassed,” she said eventually. “In your e-mail, you said you knew about the arrangement between Lili and Ben, that he’d relinquished his parental rights?”
Jess nodded.
“I don’t know why he thought I would not approve of their arrangement. He was helping a good friend, and Lili is a wonderful mother to Aruishi.”
“I wish I hadn’t kept him at arm’s length.” Jess sighed.
She held Jess’s gaze. “Your brother always moved from one place to another, and he wasn’t the best communicator.”
The same could be said of herself. “I was so angry that he didn’t come with us. He left me alone with my father. I didn’t even know that man.” Jess looked away before Usha glimpsed the tears welling in her eyes. “I couldn’t forgive him,” she whispered.
Usha reached for her hand and gently squeezed her fingers. “I’m so sorry.”
Jess willed herself to get a grip of her emotions. “So, how did you find out about Aruishi?”
Usha picked up a spoon and stirred the tea before pouring it carefully into their cups. “Ah, Ben was overseas. Hawaii, I think. I received a telephone call in the middle of the night. Aruishi had been taken to Geelong Hospital.”
Jess almost dropped her teacup. “What on earth happened?” She carefully placed her cup on the saucer.
“Aruishi was admitted with respiratory syncytial virus. Usually the symptoms are minor, just like a cold. But it developed into bronchiolitis, and she was struggling to breathe.”
Even though Jess knew her niece was in good health now, her hands trembled, and she tucked them under her thighs.
“Lili called Ben in Hawaii to let him know. Ben rang me. He was frantic with worry.”
“It would have been hard being so far away.”
“Yes, but he was also worried about Lili. Her parents were on holiday in Scot
land.”
“Lili was on her own?” Jess bit her lip. She couldn’t imagine how traumatic it would be to have a child admitted to hospital. “She must have been out of her mind.”
“Yes, she was. Ben first asked me if I could go to the hospital to check on a friend’s child. When he told me the girl’s name was Aruishi, I understood immediately. I asked him directly, and he confirmed that Aruishi was his daughter.”
“What a shock.”
“Yes, but I went to the hospital immediately. Aruishi was receiving supplemental oxygen and fluids to prevent dehydration. Her breathing had settled, but she looked so small and helpless. When I arrived at the child’s bedside, Lili looked as though she would collapse, she was so pale and exhausted. It took me a long time to convince her Aruishi was stable.”
“I’m so glad you were there for Lili. I didn’t know that you knew each other. Do you keep in touch with her and Aruishi?”
Usha nodded. “When Ben returned, we dined together at Lili’s restaurant. I met Lili’s parents, Helen and Scott.” Usha reached into her bag for a handkerchief. “It was Lili who came to give me the news of Ben’s accident. She asked me to speak at the memorial service.” She dabbed at her eyes. “They are a very loving family who cared very much for Ben. And that child, Jess—she is something else. Aruishi—she is so beautiful, just like you were at her age.” She smiled at Jess. “Just like you are now.”
“Thank you, Usha.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s scary, really how quickly Aruishi’s got under my skin. I’ve only just met her, but it’s like I’ve known her all her life.”
Usha nodded, encouraging Jess to continue.
An idea popped into her head. “I would like to do something special for her, so she doesn’t forget me when I go back.”
“She’s not going to forget you, Jess.”
I hope not. “She’s really keen on having her own bicycle. Aruishi is fascinated not only with my racer, but also my cycling kit,” Jess said, smiling. “I caught her attempting to climb onto my bicycle and stopped her just in time. Imagine if Lili had seen her.”
