Bella raised her water glass. “Buon Appetito.”
Allie clinked her glass against Bella’s. “Buon Appetito to you too, my friend. I hope you enjoy it.”
“It smells heavenly. Is that fresh coriander?” asked Bella.
“Just a touch. I thought it would add to the flavour. I know how much you love it.”
For the next five minutes the only sounds were spoons clinking against bowls. Watching Bella out of the corner of her eye, Allie was pleased to see that she was tucking into the soup with great relish. Before long both bowls were empty.
“Oh that was wonderful,” Bella sighed contentedly.
“There’s more if you want.”
Bella held up her hand. “No, that amount was just perfect.”
“I’ll leave the rest in the container in the fridge in case you feel like some later on. Do you want anything else?”
Bella yawned. “No, I feel so much better after that meal.”
Bella’s colour was improving and although she was obviously still tired, Allie thought she seemed more relaxed.
“Well, why don’t you have a nap while I fix these dishes? Then I can sit and read. You two have made a perfect little nook out here,” she observed, looking around.
Bella smiled. “I can’t believe these vines grew so fast. We only put them in about five years ago, but you are right. They make this patio the perfect spot for a lazy afternoon snooze.”
“Are you warm enough? You aren’t in a draft are you?” Allie asked.
“No, it’s all just perfect. Thank you so much, Allie.” Bella yawned again, her eyes slowly closing.
Dropping a soft kiss on her cheek, Allie collected the tray and left Bella to her nap.
CHAPTER 9
Pat watched from her seat as the other OWL’s day-trippers boarded the bus. Winter seemed to have flown by and the warm sunny day hinted that summer was only around the corner. As the women clambered aboard, Pat smiled at the variety of white winter legs clad in the first shorts of the season.
“Hey Pat! I didn’t know you were coming,” Daphne called as she made her way down the aisle, a huge smile on her expressive face. She, together with a small woman Pat had not previously seen, settled in the two seats across the aisle.
Daphne leant over to Pat. “How’s Bella coping with the chemo?” she asked quietly.
Pat shrugged. “She has good days and bad days. She’s spending the afternoon with Allie, which will cheer her up.”
Squeezing her arm in sympathy, Daphne gestured to her companion. “By the way, I am not sure if you have met Sparrow?”
Pat leant forward, nodding at the other woman. “No, I don’t believe we have met.”
Sparrow smiled. “It’s lovely to finally meet you.”
Several other women stopped to say hello to Pat on their way to taking a seat. When Meg reached them, she greeted her with characteristic acerbity, “Well, it’s about time you joined the rest of us. Some of us were seriously starting to worry about you.”
Daphne coughed and nudged Meg. “I think what Meg meant to say,” she said pointedly, “is that it’s great to see you again.”
Meg cast Daphne a steely look and raised her eyebrow. Giving Pat a squeeze on the shoulder, she moved past, heading to the back of the bus.
Leslie, who was coming up the aisle behind Meg, broke into a grin when she saw Pat.
“Well, hello Pat, what a wonderful surprise! I haven’t seen you in ages. Do you mind if I sit next to you?” Leslie indicated the spare seat.
“Hey, Leslie, it’s nice to see you too. No, the seat is empty, help yourself.” Pat stepped into the aisle so Leslie could slide past.
Once everyone was on board and settled, Pat watched as the driver walked down the bus checking the names off her clipboard.
“Now, ladies, you know the drill, seatbelts on—and keep them on,” she reiterated firmly, casting a look at Meg and several others at the back of the bus.
Pat smiled as Meg rolled her eyes, displaying her fastened seat belt to the driver
“Great to see you are all in top form today,” the driver declared with a smile, moving back towards the front of the bus. “Now if you are all ready and your seatbelts are on, we’ll be on our way.”
The bus rumbled to life and Pat sat back, listening to the chatter around her. Despite her reluctance to leave Bella, she found herself caught up in the general good humour, and realised how much she was looking forward to the prospect of a day with her friends.
Pat watched Sparrow and Daphne, their heads close together, talking quietly. As Sparrow took Daphne’s hand, Pat was shocked to realise just how much she had missed over the last several weeks. She glanced over at Leslie, who was scrolling through her iPad.
“I see you’ve got one of those things as well,” Pat said. “Bella and I were talking about them the other day.”
“This?” Leslie indicated the device. “Oh, Pat, it’s the most wonderful toy. My grandson introduced me to it.”
“So, basically, it’s like having a miniature portable computer?” Pat asked.
Leslie nodded. “Exactly. I mean, it has some limitations, but one of the reasons I love it so much is that it gives me instant, twenty-four-hour access to all the newspapers and news sites. I’ve got it all on here, from ABC to CNN, as well as The New York Times, The Australian and The Times.”
“I’m not a great computer whiz, but Bella loves them, and apparently these iPads have wonderful art doodads… I can’t remember what they are called.” Pat laughed.
“Apps,” Leslie supplied.
Pat nodded. “That’s it. Well, I thought because they are so portable, it would be a terrific idea for Bella so she can keep doing her art, even if she’s in bed. I know she misses painting, but she just doesn’t have the energy right now. This might be just what she needs. Do you know anything about the art apps?”
Sparrow leant in to Daphne. “How long have Pat and Bella been together?”
“Forty-five years,” she answered with a sigh.
Sparrow grimaced. “Oh, that has to be hard for them. The cancer.”
Daphne nodded. “Between you and me, I don’t think it’s a promising outcome, but we are all keeping our fingers crossed.”
Sparrow sat quietly, watching Pat and wondering at the turmoil she must be experiencing. After several moments, she gently reached out for Daphne’s hand.
“I guess you never know what’s around the corner.”
Looking down at their joined hands, Daphne smiled. “No, I guess you never do,” she replied softly, linking her fingers through Sparrow’s.
Pat felt the excitement growing as the bus started winding its way down the road leading to their destination. Gazing through the window, she smiled at the sight of the horseshoe bay ringed with white sand. The ocean was calm, waves lapping the shore softly. She watched as the gulls effortlessly rode the air currents, soaring and dipping over the sparkling water, the noise of their calls echoing around the bay.
As the bus stopped, she rose and stretched. Grabbing her bag, she moved towards the exit, greeting friends as she went. She was standing by the picnic tables looking out at the ocean when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“Fancy a walk down the beach?” Daphne asked.
“Sure, if you have nothing else planned,” Pat replied, indicating Sparrow chatting to several other women.
“It’s fine; walk with me and tell me what’s been going on with you. I haven’t seen you in weeks.” Kicking off her sandals, Daphne began trudging through the sand, away from the others.
Pat sighed as she joined her, relishing the feel of the warm sand between her toes. “Same old, same old, I guess.”
Daphne stopped. “Pat Campbell, you are not being straight with me. Now I want to know why you haven’t been returning my calls and why you’ve been avoidin
g all of us. Meg’s right, you know, you’ve just completely dropped out of sight.”
“Oh, sorry,” Pat said snidely, “didn’t you hear? My partner’s got cancer and I have rather a lot on my plate right now.”
Both women were shocked into silence.
Horrified at her outburst, Pat closed her eyes, misery etched on her face. “Oh shit, Daphne, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean that!”
Daphne put her arms around Pat as she started to cry.
“Hey, it’s all right,” she crooned, holding the shaking woman tight.
“No, it’s not,” Pat exclaimed angrily, pulling away. “It’s a lot of bloody things, but all right is not one of them. I’m fucking falling apart, and I don’t know what to do.”
Daphne took her arm, and Pat followed her over to a depression in a small sand dune where they could sit in privacy. Pat took a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes.
Sitting close, Daphne looked carefully at her. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s happening.”
Pat sat shredding her tissue, tears falling freely. “I just don’t know how much longer I can hang on. Some days Bella won’t even talk to me, and I don’t know what to do. We don’t know if this treatment is working, but she insists on carrying it through to the end. I feel like I’m just watching her slip away and am powerless to do anything about it.” Pat mopped frantically at her tears. “I’m terrified to leave her in case something happens while I’m away. I know it drives her crazy, but I can’t help it. Last night she became so incredibly angry when I mentioned I might not come on today’s trip. I swear it was as if she hated me.”
Pat looked across at her friend, her expression desperate. “I can’t lose her, Daphne. She is the only woman I have ever loved. When I met her, I was eighteen, six feet tall and a hundred and sixty-eight pounds. I stuck out like a sore thumb; I felt like a freak. I was so shy I could barely say hello to most people, and I was just so miserable. None of that mattered to Bella, though; she treated me like I was the most gorgeous woman on earth. I couldn’t believe that this truly beautiful, gentle woman wanted nothing more than to be with me; it was as if a door had been unlocked. In all the years we have been together, we have been able to talk about anything, even through her first bout with cancer, but now I can’t seem to say anything…” Pat stopped, choked with emotion.
“Go on,” Daphne gently prodded after a moment.
Pat ran her hand roughly over her face. “Isn’t that enough?”
“No, there’s more. Come on, let it all out and then we can talk about it.”
“When did you suddenly become Dr Daphne?” Pat muttered with a ghost of a smile.
Daphne bumped her shoulder. “Quit stalling.”
Pat took a deep breath. “Bella was so excited that Allie was coming around today…”
Daphne waited.
“…well it sounds so stupid but I realised I was jealous that she wanted to spend time with Allie, rather than me.” Pat buried her face in her hands.
Daphne sat quietly staring out at the ocean, her face a study in concentration. After a while, she put her arm around Pat and spoke quietly.
“I don’t know much about a lot of stuff. I left school at seventeen and joined the Army, so I’m not that academically inclined, but I have had a few relationships in my life and there’s one thing I can tell you with certainty. Apart from infidelity, there is almost nothing that can’t be fixed by two people talking. I can’t begin to imagine what you two have been through with these two bouts of cancer, but I do know that you’ve had a lifetime of experiences to get you through it.” Turning, she made eye contact with Pat. “You and Bella have got to talk about all this. Right now it sounds like the two of you are coping with this alone, when you should be coping with it together.”
“I don’t know what to say to her,” Pat confessed miserably, looking out at the ocean.
“Then let her talk and you listen to what she says. You know Bella, she loves talking about feelings and all that stuff. You and me, we aren’t so good at that.”
Pat nodded. “You got that right.”
“Give her some time and space every now and then. Come over to my place, watch some football and have some beers, just like we used to. Give Bella the chance to have some of her friends over, or just spend some time alone. If she’s too sick for visitors, she’ll tell them. You just have to love her; you don’t have to manage her.”
Pat dropped her head on her arms and let out a big sigh. Daphne gently rubbed her back.
“You can always come and play a game of golf with me.”
Puzzled, Pat lifted her head, frowning. “You don’t play golf.”
“I know, that way you can always be guaranteed of winning,” Daphne replied with a grin. “Greater love hath no woman for her friend than to play golf with her, knowing she is going to get thrashed.”
Pat chuckled. “Thanks Daph.” Sifting the sand through her fingers, she shook her head. “I know you’re right, it’s just been so damned hard.”
“Of course it has, but I’ve missed our time together. It hasn’t been the same without you cluttering up my living room and drinking all my beer.”
“I’ve missed you too. I just haven’t been very good company lately,” she admitted sadly.
“Hey, you and Bella have always been there for me, even when I didn’t realise I needed you. Let me help you with this. What is it you two are always telling me? You don’t have to do it alone.”
Pat gave a shy smile, fighting back more tears. “Thanks, buddy,” she said hoarsely.
“And trust me, if you don’t, I’ll come around and drag you over to my place, kicking and screaming,” Daphne warned.
Pat held up her hands in mock surrender. “I promise, whatever you say.”
Staring out at the ocean, Pat let the rhythm of the waves slowly calm her. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Daphne. “So, do you feel ready to go and see if there is anything left of the barbeque?”
Daphne held out her hand. “Only if you pull me up. I think my legs have seized up on me.”
Standing and dusting the sand from her pants, Pat laughed. She grabbed Daphne’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “Just remember, you’re the younger one, so you can’t play the old lady card. Come on, you old bag of bones.”
Together they walked slowly back towards the scattered group at the picnic area.
“So, is it my imagination, or is there something going on with you and Sparrow?” Pat asked.
Daphne suddenly became fascinated with something out at sea. “Well, um…I’m not, um, sure at this stage, maybe…” she stuttered, reddening with embarrassment.
Pat laughed at her friend’s obvious discomfort. “That’s great. She seems nice. I mean, not that I’ve gotten to talk to her much, but she seems to like you and that’s always a good start.”
“Yeah, well, we are just taking things slowly. You know how it is, the village is a hive of gossip, and we want to keep things quiet until we figure out where we want to go with this.”
“So you haven’t…” Pat tapered off with a smile, wriggling her eyebrows.
“Oh hell’s teeth, Pat!” Daphne slapped her arm.
“Well, I was just asking.”
Daphne coloured once more. “Well, not that it is anyone’s business, but no, we haven’t…you know. We thought we’d wait,” she mumbled.
Pat frowned in confusion. “Wait? What for? It’s not as if you aren’t old enough, or…she has had sex before, hasn’t she?” Pat asked in mock horror.
Daphne kicked sand at her. “Of course she has, you great goof. I don’t know, it was Sparrow’s idea and I just agreed. I mean, it makes sense, doesn’t it? We don’t want to rush into anything, and I can’t remember the last time I had sex, so I need a bit of time to get used to that idea again. The truth is, I’m torn between desperately wanting to se
e her naked again and feeling terrified at the thought of what happens next.”
Pat stopped in her tracks, staring at Daphne in puzzlement. “What do you mean, again? I thought you said you hadn’t had sex; when exactly did you see her naked?”
Daphne turned. “Oh, Lord, don’t tell me you haven’t heard about the late-night skinny dip?”
“The what?” Pat spluttered.
Daphne laughed. “Oh, you’re going to love this story.” Between bouts of raucous laughter, she filled Pat in.
Pat shook her head. “Oh, I wish I’d been there for that,” she laughed. “You’ve got to hand it to Meg, she sure can come up with some loony ideas. So you just lifted this woman right out of the water, hey? It’s a wonder you didn’t have a stroke next to all that naked flesh.”
Daphne rolled her eyes “Oh, you have no idea. She’s so tiny, I had to lift her up quite high, and her backside was suddenly right there in front of me. It took all my self-control not to take a bite.”
“Eeww…too much information there, mate,” Pat hooted, screwing up her face.
“Well, you asked.” Daphne smirked.
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you should just go for it. You’re not getting any younger, you know. You’d hate to wait so long that you got Alzheimer’s and forgot what it was you had to do.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I get the feeling that Sparrow would remind me.” Daphne laughed again.
“Speaking of whom…” Pat gestured at the woman coming towards them.
“Oh there you are,” called Sparrow. “I was just coming to look for you. The barbecue’s ready and we better be quick or we’ll miss out.”
Daphne clapped Pat on the back. “Well then, my friend, let’s go eat.”
CHAPTER 10
As Allie drove into her carport, she noticed Meg about to enter her front door. Giving a quick toot of her horn, she waved. After gathering her things and locking the car, she waited as Meg hurried over to join her.
“Hey there.” Allie smiled at Meg’s windswept appearance. “How was the beach?”
Times of Our Lives Page 7
