He’d been so sure that he’d stored it away—but maybe he had missed it.
Nick carried the book back to the table. He should give it back to Peter since it belonged to his family. Peter’s kids would probably like the old stories.
For a moment, Nick pictured Sophie reading the book. She was sitting across the other side of the table, and she looked up over the open book and smiled. Whenever she felt down she’d bring it out and read a tale or two. She always said it was almost like getting a hug from her departed gran. Nick closed his eyes to try and forget. He didn’t want to remember.
With the book in hand, he walked over and placed it in a drawer, shutting it with a determined shove. He’d make sure Peter got it next time they saw each other. Until then, it was better out of sight.
Chapter 12
Tash was having a catch-up with Sally, which meant they were both leaning against The Gumnut’s counter sampling the latest muffin recipe.
‘So what do you think?’ Tash asked. ‘It’s apple, walnut and cinnamon.’
‘Heavenly,’ said Sally. ‘I could eat a dozen of them.’
‘Well, you can’t do that—you’ll get fat,’ Tash said as she gave a pointed look at Sally’s expanding belly.
‘Oh, shut up,’ Sally laughed. ‘It’s bad enough that I feel like a balloon, you don’t have to mention it.’
‘So how long have we got before we can meet baby?’
Sally ran her hand across her pregnancy bump.
‘A little over a month, give or take.’
‘Excited?’
‘Ecstatic, but I think my feelings pale into insignificance compared to Davey’s. It’s lovely he’s so happy, but I swear he thinks he’s the only man on earth that has ever fathered a child.’
Tash laughed.
‘Well that makes it a bit problematic for the rest of us.’
‘And he’s read every book on parenting he can get his hands on. I love the commitment, but I have to admit it’s beginning to wear a little thin. I feel tired, enormous and have aching ankles, and all he can do is read me another chapter of some expert’s book.’
‘Yeah, but does he do it after he gets you a cup of tea?’
‘Of course! The man’s not stupid; he knows his life would be in peril if he didn’t,’ Sally said with a wink.
‘And when do you finish up at the school?’
‘A few more weeks. You know that Jules Harvey is standing in for me while I’m on leave, don’t you?’ A small frown passed over her pretty features.
‘Yeah, I know. Bec told me the other day. I’m happy for her.’
‘Sometimes, I think you’re too good,’ Sally said as she reached over and squeezed her hand.
‘Nah. Anyway, it’s got nothing to do with Jules. I mean what I say, I’m happy for her. She trained for this so it’s got to be exciting. Besides, it’s not her fault that I read that whole thing with Nick wrong.’
‘Did you, though? I guess we were both wrong. If there had been…Well, things would have turned out differently.’
The bell of the front door jingled and Jules breezed into the shop with a smile on her face.
‘Hello! I was worried that you’d be closed before I got here,’ she said.
Tash shook her head.
‘Nope, we’re too busy doing quality control to notice that I should have shut ten minutes ago.’
‘Quality control?’
‘Tash’s new muffins,’ Sally explained. ‘She’s practising on me before she launches them to the wider public.’
‘How can I get a job like that?’ Jules asked as she eyed the plate.
‘Be in with the management,’ Tash said with a smile as she pushed the muffins towards Jules. ‘There you go.’
‘Oooh, don’t mind if I do,’ she said as she took one.
‘So how’s the move going, Jules?’ Sally asked as she nicked another muffin and pretended not to see Tash frowning at her.
‘You know that’s your third one.’
‘Shhh, I’m eating for two, remember?’
‘Yeah, right,’ Tash quipped. ‘Sorry, Jules. Are you all moved in yet?’
‘Pretty much. I’ve taken over what used to be Matt’s office.’
‘So he’s not writing then?’
Jules shook her head.
‘Not this week. It took him and Bec several days to move her parents into the new house.’
‘I know Bec’s mum was looking forward to the move, but she wasn’t sure how well Jack was going to take it.’
‘It sounds as if they both love the new place. Bec’s dad can go into every room with his wheelchair, which was something he just couldn’t do before.’
Tash nodded her head and smiled.
‘That’s great. They’re good people and deserve something amazing to happen to them.’
‘Not to mention them moving out of Bluestone Ridge means Bec and your brother can get on with the next step in their lives.’
‘And from what I’ve seen, neither of them can wait,’ Jules said as she popped a piece of muffin into her mouth. ‘I’ve never seen Matt move so fast when it came to packing up his stuff. I think it only took him a few hours to have everything ready to go. But they’ve come up against a few setbacks with Bec’s parents.’
‘Like what?’ asked Sally.
‘I think Jack and Maggie are excited to move on to the next stage of their lives, but are finding it a little hard to let go of some of their things,’ said Jules with a shrug. ‘Bec’s all about redecorating and putting her own stamp on things—and Jack is having some trouble coming to terms with it.’
Sally thought about it for a moment.
‘I suppose that would be difficult. Bluestone Ridge has been in the family for generations. Jack grew up there, so I guess it would be hard to walk away. He’d be so used to things being one way; it’d be hard to see them change.’
‘I get where he’s coming from too,’ Tash said with a sigh. ‘When my mum sold our grandmother’s house, Alex and I found it hard. We’d grown up there, learned to bake in that house, and then Mum sold it as soon as she could.’
‘You didn’t think about buying it from her?’ Jules asked.
‘I did, but Gran had already left me my cottage, as well as half of this place. Mum was desperate to sell up and move on. I don’t think she would have waited until I’d sold the cottage to come up with the money.’
‘Why was she in such a hurry to leave White Gum Creek? I think it’s one of the loveliest places I’ve ever been,’ Jules said. ‘I can’t imagine wanting to go anywhere else.’
‘She didn’t see it that way, she never did. For her the town was more like a prison and she couldn’t wait to get out. I guess sometimes you can feel different about a place when you’ve grown up there. Mum’s a lot happier now that she’s living in Melbourne, which is good.’ Tash pushed herself off the counter and walked over to flip the sign on the door to Closed. ‘I guess country living isn’t for everyone.’
‘I may have a romanticised vision of this place,’ Jules said.
‘No, it’s a great place to live,’ Sally said with a wink. ‘Don’t worry, my vision is as romanticised as yours. I came here by accident, met Davey and basically never left.’
‘It’s true. They kept the rumour mill churning for months.’ Tash said before she had another nibble of her muffin. ‘Mmm, I think maybe white chocolate and blackberry next time.’
Jules raised her hand. Sally did the same.
‘Willing guinea pig.’
‘Me too. I think I need white chocolate and blackberry muffins in my life.’
‘I’ll remember that.’ Tash laughed as she walked back around the counter. ‘But getting back to what you were saying before, Jules, this is a great place to be—it’s just some of the people born here want to experience what else is out there. It’s only natural really. I’ve never wanted to live anywhere else, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to travel. I guess some people, like Mum, just want to be some
where exciting.’
‘Well, I hope that she’s happy,’ said Jules with a nod. ‘And I get what you’re saying. I’m moving here because I love the town, the peace and quiet and to be near my brother, but others want the excitement and hustle and bustle of the city.’
‘So are you ready for next week?’ Sally asked, turning to Jules. ‘It’s your first position—are you looking forward to it?’
‘Yes, but I’m slightly terrified.’
Sally laughed.
‘You’ll be fine. And I’ll be there to show you the ropes.’
‘I was so glad when I found out that we’d overlap. I really appreciate you being there for me.’
‘There’s nothing to worry about. We’ve got a mixed-level grade, but all the kids are fantastic. They’re looking forward to meeting you.’
***
Things never go to plan, Tash thought as she drove over to pick up Bec. She knew how much Sally had wanted to help settle Jules into the school, but after only two short weeks it seemed that the baby had other ideas. She continued up the dirt road past Matt’s cottage and drove through Bluestone Ridge’s impressive Victorian-era gate. Bec was already waiting for her on the front steps as she pulled up. She opened the car door and got in.
‘Well, I guess the baby has a mind of its own,’ she said.
‘But it’s early! Sally said that she wasn’t due for a few weeks.’
‘Baby Blackwell obviously had other ideas. Anyway, he or she is only a tad early; it shouldn’t be a problem.’
‘Says the woman who’s never had a baby, talking to another woman who has never had a baby.’
Bec grinned.
‘You’re right, but I have been around a working farm most of my life so I do have a bit of insight into the process. You worry too much; everything will be fine.’
‘I hope you’re right,’ Tash said as she drove back through the gates and headed towards Castlemaine. ‘This wasn’t exactly how I imagined spending my Tuesday—nothing ever happens on a Tuesday.’
‘Well, it is today.’
Tash had received a call from Davey to say that Sally had gone into labour earlier that morning. There had been a couple of further updates from him, but Tash hadn’t heard anything in the past hour. She and Bec had decided that they’d go to the hospital and wait.
‘Do I pick Matt up on the way?’ Tash asked.
Bec shook her head.
‘He won’t be back until tomorrow. He had a meeting with his editor and figured he should visit his parents while he was in Melbourne.’
‘Guess it’s just us, then.’
‘Yay—road trip,’ Bec said.
‘For the next half an hour,’ Tash said with a laugh.
It was just around lunchtime when they arrived in Castlemaine. The hospital sat on top of a high hill and looked over the sunken oval and the beautiful botanical gardens beyond. The sunlight hit the waters of the expansive lake as people fed bread to the ducks that swam or waddled about.
They pulled up in the hospital car park and made their way to the main desk.
‘Hi Jill, how are you?’ Tash said to the lady at the desk.
‘Hey, Natasha! I don’t suppose you brought any of your yummy buns, did you?’
‘’Fraid not, but I can next time.’
Jill grinned. ‘I’ll hold you to that. Now, how can I help you?’
‘Our friend came in this morning to have a baby. Sally Blackwell.’
‘She’s still in the labour ward. You can wait over there, if you want?’
‘I wonder how long it will take?’ Tash said as they wandered over to the waiting area.
Bec shrugged.
‘Don’t know. It could be minutes or hours. Babies tend to come when they’re good and ready. Listen, I’m going to grab a coffee—want one?’
‘Thanks, that would be great. I’ll wait here just in case.’
‘Okay, I’ll be back in a flash,’ Bec said as she walked off, following the signs to the cafeteria.
Tash looked around the waiting room. Everything was sleek and modern, which seemed almost out of place given the building was so old. However, there were giveaway signs from the past like the high ceilings and old mouldings. The minutes ticked by and Tash picked up a magazine and pretended to flick through it. She was never very good at waiting.
The silence of the room was broken when a middle-aged couple walked in. The trim woman with blonde hair smiled at Tash as she and her partner took a seat. It took Tash a moment to place her, but then she recalled Sally’s wedding, and she realised that these were Sally’s parents.
‘Hello,’ she said with a smile.
The lady looked over at her, and a look of recognition lit up her face. ‘Oh, you’re one of Sally’s friends aren’t you!’
‘Yes, that’s right. I met you at Sally’s wedding. It’s Tash…Tash Duroz.’
‘Tash! Yes, of course. How are you?’
They were interrupted by Bec appearing in the doorway carrying cups and a paper bag. ‘Here,’ she said as she dropped the bag in Tash’s lap. ‘They won’t be a patch on yours but I got us some muffins.’
The man looked up and smiled. He had salt and pepper coloured hair and a determined-looking chin ‘Oh, is there somewhere we can get a cup of tea? We’ve just driven up from Melbourne and could do with one.’
‘Sure,’ Bec said as she handed a cup to Tash. ‘Out the door and turn left, there are signs.’
‘Thanks,’ he said as he stood up.
‘I’ll stay here, just in case we hear anything,’ the woman said before she turned to Tash. ‘We’re a little jittery about Sally’s first baby.’
Bec looked up. ‘Oh, are you Sally’s parents?’
‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Tash interjected. ‘This is Bec, another of Sally’s friends here in town.’
Sally’s mother opened her mouth to say something but stopped as Davey Blackwell appeared in the doorway—beaming.
‘The nurse said you were here,’ he said to Tash before turning to his parents-in-law and giving them a hug. ‘I’m so glad you made it. Sally’s going to be so happy. She’s fine, by the way,’ he reassured them. ‘And so is our son, Sebastian.’
Tash and Bec didn’t stay long. They knew Sally and Davey would want to be alone with the baby and her parents. But they did pop into Sally’s room for a minute and found her propped up in bed with the baby in her arms. She looked tired but at the same time, she was glowing.
Tash kissed her forehead and told her how brilliant she was before taking a turn to hold little Sebastian. He was so tiny that Tash worried that she’d hurt him by holding him awkwardly. But Sally’s mum laughed and told her she was doing just fine. Sebastian had blue eyes and a great tuft of blond hair. As Tash held him and looked at his little fingers something inside her clicked. Before this she had never really thought about children, even when Sally was walking around with her big pregnant tummy. But now, for the very first time, she thought that maybe one day she may want to hold a baby of her own.
***
Maybe it was against her better judgement, or maybe that comment of Alex’s about finding something outside the bakery had taken root, but Tash agreed to catch a movie with Gilbert on Tuesday night. However, between closing up the bakery and meeting Gilbert, she had managed to squeeze in a quick visit to Sally and the now five-day-old Sebastian. With Sinclair’s becoming busier as its reputation grew, Tuesdays were about the only nights Gilbert could take off. They went to a political thriller at the local cinema and ten minutes in Tash realised that she was enjoying not only the film, but also Gilbert’s company. She sighed, relaxed back into the chair and went with the flow.
They found a little place to have coffee after the movie was finished. Gilbert was charming as usual and Tash was glad that she’d come. Afterwards, he walked her to her car and kissed her on the cheek before she drove off. And for the first time in quite a while, Tash felt a buoyancy that had been missing. Maybe it was time for her to look to the future and find
something just for her.
***
Ten days later, Tash was just letting herself through her front door when her phone rang. She dumped her carry bag on to the polished wooden floor. It was Bec.
‘Have you got any plans for tonight?’
‘Nope.’
‘Good. Sally and I are coming around. We’ll be there in about half an hour. Bye.’
‘Okay, see you then.’
Tash glanced at the clock on the wall. It gave her enough time to get out of her work clothes and sit down with a cup of tea.
True to her word, Bec knocked on the door thirty minutes later.
‘Hi,’ Tash said as she let her friends in. ‘What, no baby?’
Sally grinned as she walked past.
‘Nope, Davey’s having some bonding time. And it’s not as if I’m that far away.’
That was true: Sally’s place was only a few blocks from Tash.
‘Well, even though I don’t get to cuddle the cutest baby in the world, I’m glad you’re here,’ Tash said as she followed them through into the lounge room. ‘You’re looking fantastic, by the way, Sally. Motherhood agrees with you.’
Sally chuckled as she put down her bag and sank into the couch.
‘Yeah, it’s amazing what a good concealer can do.’
‘So, we figured we needed to catch up,’ Bec said as she dumped a carry bag on to the kitchen bench. ‘A quick one, anyway. Sally can’t stay for too long.’
‘What’s that?’ Tash asked as she gestured to the bag.
‘Essentials. Biscuits, fruit, some of Gary’s goat’s cheese and a bottle of wine,’ Bec said as she started pulling out the goodies. ‘Oh, and some sparkling mineral for those of us who are breastfeeding.’
Sally bowed her head.
‘Thank you.’
‘Is this an occasion? Oh God, did I forget a birthday again?’ A horrified expression settled over Tash’s face.
‘Don’t be a goose, though I have to say you suck at remembering things,’ Bec joked as she took a container of olives out of the bag.
‘We just thought it would be nice to have a chat and a catch up, that’s all,’ Sally said. ‘I caught myself talking to one of Seb’s teddy bears today and I figured I needed some adult interaction. I haven’t been out of the house since I got back from the hospital.’
White Gum Creek Page 12
