by Lilly Mirren
“I wanted to see you,” he explained. “And besides, the herd ate their fill, the grass is so long and thick now.”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “I’m glad to see you too.”
He grinned. “You’re getting so good at English, my darling.”
She ducked her head, her dark lashes fanning her cheeks. “I have a good teacher.”
When she met his gaze again, her eyes widened then focused on something over his shoulder. “Father!” she whispered.
She leapt away from him as though he were a hot coal, and continued pegging clothes to the line, her back to Charlie.
He shoved his hands deep into his pants pockets and studied her a moment, amusement tickling the corners of his lips. He was well enough to leave now. Well enough to find the rest of his troop, wherever they might be. Only, he didn’t want to. He loved Maria. If he left her, would he ever see her again? He still didn’t remember anything about his old life, but Maria and Bruno felt like family to him. Perhaps he didn’t have a family of his own — if he did, wouldn’t he remember them? Wouldn’t something draw him back to them? Instead, he felt a compulsion to stay here with Maria.
“Charlie!” barked Bruno behind him.
Charlie strode to meet the man, and they walked side by side towards the sheep pen. Bruno marched in silence and Charlie waited for the admonishment. Had he seen Charlie and Maria embracing? Maria had been afraid of this moment, perhaps with good reason.
When they reached the pen, Bruno raised a foot to rest on the lower railing and set his hands on the top to peer at the animals in silence.
“I’m sorry… I don’t know what you saw or what you think but—”
Bruno raised a hand to silence him, then spoke in Italian. Charlie understood most of what he said, with only a word here or there still unfamiliar to him.
He explained to Charlie that their food supplies were lower than expected due to carrying three, rather than two, people through a long winter. That, given the food shortages in the villages and towns in the area, it wasn’t likely they’d be able to purchase enough flour or other essentials to supplement their vegetable garden and mutton for the winter to come. There were too many mouths that needed feeding in the mountains and not enough food to go around.
Charlie inhaled a sharp breath. He’d expected this conversation for months now. It was time for him to leave. He was too much of a burden on the small family. Bruno wasn’t a man to show emotion, but he seemed sincerely sorry to speak the words, unable even to meet Charlie’s gaze.
“It’s okay,” replied Charlie in halting Italian. “I understand. Only, where should I go?”
Bruno sighed. “I don’t know…back to Pacentro. The Germans are still in the area, but perhaps you could head north?”
Charlie pressed both hands to his hips. That didn’t sound like much of a plan to him.
“I don’t want to leave,” he said.
Bruno nodded, finally meeting his gaze. “I wish you did not have to.”
“I want to marry Maria,” added Charlie.
He watched Bruno’s reaction carefully, unsure of what the man would think of his boldness. Slowly a smile built in Bruno’s lips. He slapped a hand onto Charlie’s shoulder.
“I know,” he simply said.
Charlie’s throat tightened.
“My brother has a farm, a much bigger farm than this, outside Casoli. You and Maria can marry and go there to live and work for him. He needs the help and can feed you both.”
Charlie grinned. “You will give us your blessing?”
Bruno nodded. “You have my blessing, son. I will arrange it for you. You will marry in quiet when you reach Casoli.”
Charlie reached out a hand and Bruno shook it hard, both men beaming.
“You’ve been so good to me, Bruno. Thank you.”
Bruno nodded. “And you to us, Charlie. We are grateful God brought you to our home.”
“But I’m concerned about you… how will you manage alone?”
“Signor Barese has a son, he has offered to help. I will be fine. You and Maria should take care of yourselves, don’t worry about me.”
It was the most Bruno had ever said to him that didn’t involve the sheep, the dog, or splitting firewood. Charlie blinked as excitement built within him. He watched Bruno walk away.
He and Maria would be married soon. It hardly seemed real. Only, she hadn’t agreed to it yet.
Charlie broke into a run, and found Maria still pinning clothes to the now almost full clothesline. He grabbed her, spun her around, and dropped to one knee.
Her eyes darkened with confusion even as a smile teased her lips.
“Charlie, what are you doing?” she laughed over the words.
“Maria, I love you. You’re like the sunshine on a cold day, the way you warm my heart. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. Will you marry me?”
Her smile faded. “What? Marry? What did Father say?”
Charlie stood slowly, caressing Maria’s hand with his fingers. “Your father gave us his blessing.”
Maria’s face split with a wide grin. She jumped into Charlie’s arms, threw her own around his neck. Her kisses peppered his neck until he laughed and set her feet back on the ground.
“Is that a yes?” he asked.
“Yes,” she nodded, her eyes gleaming.
He kissed her then and forgot all else, but for the love of the woman in his arms. For a single moment, there was no war, he knew who he was, and he wasn’t lost. No longer was he alone in the world, Maria would be with him, would stand by him, holding his hands. They’d face it all together.
12
November 1996
Cabarita Beach
Bindi crossed her arms over her chest and glanced up at the morning sky. A flock of seagulls cawed as they circled overhead, then aimed for the cove. White clouds clumped and hung, unmoving, seeming as soft as cotton wool to be jumped into and slid down like a children’s theme park ride.
The taxi’s boot slammed shut and Brendan’s face peered at her over the top of it. He rubbed his hands together.
“That’s all of it. I guess I’m ready to go.”
She nodded, rubbing at trails of goosebumps down the sides of her arms, dispelling them with the warmth of friction.
“Have a good trip.”
He walked to her and smiled. “Thanks, I will. I hope you feel better soon.”
Ever since she broke the news that she was sick, he’d been awkward, standoffish and hadn’t said another thing about her returning to Melbourne with him. She’d expected it, this rapid turnaround, she knew him well enough for that. Still, it annoyed her more than she’d thought it would.
He hesitated, leaned forward, and gave her a hug. When he patted her back, she almost shook her head but resisted the urge. He’d been so certain she should give him another chance. But she knew it was only that he was having second thoughts about his new relationship and his default was to return to her. It was how he’d always been. Something wrong? Bindi would know what to do. Feeling insecure? Bindi will make it right again.
Only now, things had changed. She had a new home, a new life and not only that, but she was sick. She knew that was all he saw when he looked at her now — the illness. How had she not seen this about him all along? He was selfish. He didn’t care so much about her, as about what she would do for him.
He’d hoped that by bringing her back to his newspaper, his boss would give him another chance. That by bringing her back into his life, he wouldn’t feel so empty. But that wasn’t up to her — she couldn’t fix that gaping hole inside of him. He’d have to do that without her. She had to focus on one thing — getting well.
She was glad he was returning to Melbourne. And with the wedding out of the way, now she could give all her attention to her health.
“I’ll miss you,” he whispered before ducking into the cab.
He waved goodbye through the window. She raised a hand in a kind of salute as the vehi
cle passed from the driveway onto the road, then sighed as it accelerated away. It was the end of something. She’d let him go, finally. Not only from her life but from her heart. In fact, his visit had her second guessing how she’d managed to love him and overlook so many of his flaws for so long.
With a yawn, Bindi wandered back into the inn. It was Sunday morning, most of the guests had checked out, and only a few would be checking in later that day. She was glad of the reprieve after a busy weekend.
Mima was in the kitchen, seated at the kitchen table with Kate. They were talking about menus and food, and Mima was smiling a lot. She missed working at the inn, Bindi could tell, but Kate made sure to include Mima in whatever was going on at the inn as often as she wanted. They had regular meetings about the menu, involving slices of cake, cups of tea and a lot of conversations that had nothing whatsoever to do with food.
Bindi smiled and headed for the kettle. She poured herself a cup of tea as well and joined them at the table.
Kate smiled at her. “He’s gone?”
Bindi nodded, grimaced. “Why did I love him again?”
Mima chuckled. “The heart is a mystery, my dear. I’m only glad you figured it out now and didn’t marry the guy.”
“You didn’t like him?” asked Bindi, her brow furrowed.
Mima’s lips pursed. “I know never to speak ill of a recently deceased relationship…it can backfire on a well-meaning friend.” Her belly shook as she chortled. “I’ve learned that lesson the hard way. But…I think there’s a greater passion in you that will find its true match someday, my darling.”
Bindi took a sip of tea, nodded. “Thanks, Mima. I think you’re right. I don’t know how I overlooked the one-sidedness of our relationship all these years. I suppose I was too busy with work to notice it, or maybe he wasn’t always like that and it crept up on me while I wasn’t looking.”
“Oh no, he was,” murmured Kate. She shot Bindi a smile.
Bindi gaped. “You didn’t like him either?”
Kate shrugged. “He was okay. I liked him because my little sister adored him. But…” She cocked her head. “I didn’t think he was good enough for you. Of course, no one is, so…” Kate put an arm around Bindi’s shoulders and squeezed. “I want you to be happy, and he didn’t seem to do that — didn’t seem to make you happy. When you were around him, you were always kind of tense, distracted, worried.”
Bindi shook her head. “You’re right. I was. I don’t think I realised it until now, since I’ve had some time away from him. It thought it was my personality, but honestly, I haven’t felt that way since I left Melbourne.”
“That calls for a celebration,” said Mima, raising her teacup high. “Cheers to freedom and starting again.”
“Cheers,” replied Kate and Bindi together.
They clinked teacups together, laughing and chatting with the noise of the kitchen staff cleaning up after breakfast as their backdrop.
“We have to talk about my honeymoon,” Kate said, her voice taking on a more serious tone.
“When are you leaving?” asked Bindi.
“In a few weeks.”
“You’re going to have such a lovely time,” added Mima, with a wink.
“Thanks, Mima. I’m really looking forward to seeing Thailand.”
“Thailand, yes…that’s what I was talking about. Not the gorgeous man you’re travelling with for a whole month.”
“Him too.” Kate chortled. “Anyway, what I was going to say is, I’ve narrowed down the search for a replacement cook while I’m gone.”
Mima’s mouth puckered. “Uh huh.”
Bindi frowned. “That’s good, isn’t it, Mima?”
Mima shrugged.
Kate sighed. “Is there something you want to tell me, Mima?”
Mima shook her head. “No, of course not, love.” She gulped a mouthful of tea. “Except that you have a cook right in front of you.”
“But I don’t want to put that pressure on you, Mima. It’s December, the inn is going to be so busy. It’s a lot for you to take on, and you’ve been so relaxed and happy lately…”
Mima’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve run this inn through December for more years than you’ve been alive, missy.”
“Okay, okay…so you’re going to take over the kitchen while I’m gone.”
Mima gave an abrupt nod of the head. “Perfect. I think that’s a great idea.”
Bindi shook her head slowly, smiling. Mima certainly knew how to get her way. “I think it’s perfect. I’ve got a lot on my plate as well, and now I don’t have to worry about training or watching over the shoulder of someone new.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” replied Kate, as she chewed the inside of her cheek. “That works out well then. Thank you Mima.”
Mima beamed. “I’m happy to help, my dear.”
“Hello!” called Reeda’s voice from the foyer.
“In here,” replied Kate.
Reeda strode into the kitchen smiling. “There you are. Good morning everyone.”
She went around the table kissing cheeks. Then sat with a loud sigh. “Phew. I went for a long run this morning and I think I might have overdone it a bit. But Duncan and I are loving this lifestyle. Morning run on the beach, then we had a lazy breakfast and he headed to the hospital. So, I thought I’d come over here to see what needs doing.”
“I’ve got a few things on, I could use some help,” replied Bindi.
“Great,” said Reeda. “Oh, and before I forget, there’s a police officer asking for you at the door.”
Bindi jumped to her feet her eyes wide. “What?”
“He’s cute, too.” Reeda winked.
“A police officer? Did he say what this is about?”
Reeda shrugged. “He seemed to know you…and he looked really familiar. He said his name was Josh.”
“Josh Owens?”
Recognition flitted across Reeda’s face. “Oh yeah, Josh Owens — from high school, right?”
Bindi nodded, pushed a finger into her mouth and chewed the fingernail.
“I knew I recognised him. Boy, he grew up well.” Reeda grinned. “What are you waiting for? Go and see what he wants.”
Bindi found Josh standing on the verandah dressed in his blue police uniform. The dark blue, buttoned shirt was tucked into a pair of long, blue pants. His arms were crossed over his thick chest as he stared out at the curving driveway to the highway.
“Hi Josh.”
He faced her with a wide smile, white teeth stark against his darkly tanned skin. “Hello Bindi, good to see you again.”
She nodded. “How have you been?”
He shrugged. “Good, and you?”
“Fine. Are you headed to work?”
He shook his head. “I just finished my shift and was going to get some lunch. I hoped you might join me.”
Bindi glanced at the police cruiser parked in the driveway. Her heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t planned on going out with him, had almost forgotten about him with everything that’d been going on. He’d caught her off guard. “That sounds lovely. I’ll get my purse.”
She hurried inside, ducked through the kitchen to the office and grabbed her purse. “I’m going out for lunch,” she called over her shoulder as she scurried by Kate and Reeda. She didn’t stop to see the looks on their faces. In all honesty, after she’d eaten breakfast that morning she’d felt nothing but nausea. Still, perhaps she’d be hungry by the time they got to the restaurant. They could have lunch together, as friends, and talk about their school days. It didn’t have to mean anything more than that.
Josh drove them to Kingscliff and pulled into a parking space opposite the beach. They walked across the road to a small cafe and grabbed seats on the footpath, where they could see the ocean and smell the salt in the air.
“Have you eaten here before?” Bindi asked.
“All the time. It’s one of my favourite haunts.”
“What’s good here?”
“Ever
ything,” he replied. “They do breakfast all day and I probably like the poached eggs with hollandaise best.”
They ordered from the waitress, dressed in shorts and a crop top. Then, Bindi sipped a cup of coffee while they talked about the old days, who still lived in the area, what they were doing and who had married someone from high school. Bindi was surprised how many of her fellow graduates had remained in the area, had married each other, and already had a brood of children. She owned a car. That was about as much as she’d managed as an adult, apart from getting fired. It was strange to think of school friends who were married and raising children at her age.
“Wow, I feel as though I’ve really underachieved.” Her lips pursed.
The waitress set their plates of food in front of them. Two perfectly poached eggs perched on top of a thick slice of sourdough toast. She prodded one with her fork, and yellow yolk oozed out to cover the bread.
“I saw you on tv a few times,” replied Josh. “I don’t think that’s underachieving. You’re pretty amazing, actually.”
Her face flushed with warmth. “Thanks. I thought you didn’t watch the news.”
He shrugged. “That wasn’t entirely true.”
She laughed. “You’re impressive yourself — you’re actually out there every day making the world a safer place to live. Now, that’s amazing.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know…sometimes I feel like all I do is crowd control. Last night, every call-out we had was to do with drunks or domestics.”
She chewed on a bite of eggs and swallowed. “That must be really hard.”
He nodded. “It’s rewarding too, but definitely not what I thought it’d be when I signed up.”
“Do you think you’ll stick with it?”
“Yeah, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I’m going to sit my Detective’s exam next year, hopefully move up the ladder a bit.”
“That sounds great.” She smiled.
The conversation between them flowed smoothly, easily, as they ate. Bindi found she didn’t have to pretend when she was with him. Something about the fact that he’d known her when they were teenagers made her relax. She hadn’t dressed up, wasn’t wearing makeup, her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and she didn’t care. She felt at home — in Kingscliff, and with Josh.
