Holding onto Hope

by Nicki Edwards

  He’d invested wisely in property from a young age, flipping houses in his spare time while studying, then working as a vet. He lived frugally and saved as much as he could while also giving away money to young people who weren’t as fortunate as he’d been to be taken in by someone like Bill and Beth. He did it all without telling anyone.

  A lump formed in his throat as he considered how life might have turned out without them. They might have scrimped and saved to give their foster kids presents at Christmas, but none of them had gone without love—the greatest gift of all.

  After pulling on some clean clothes he headed back into the kitchen. He knew without needing to open the fridge or freezer that they would have been stripped bare of their contents, wiped clean, sprayed with something that smelled like vanilla, and restocked with an assortment of plastic containers whose contents would keep him well fed for at least two weeks. No need to order pizza tonight.

  Last time he’d checked, his fridge contained a carton of milk four days past its use-by date, a stale loaf of bread, butter, and some green leafy veggies covered in a layer of white furry substance which looked and smelled like a staph infection.

  Every few months Beth took it upon herself to look after him and he loved her for it. Sometimes it was his washing, sometimes the fridge, and sometimes he’d come home to find the floors vacuumed and mopped and not a cobweb in sight. Thankfully she hadn’t bothered trying to keep this place clean—the amount of dust was mind boggling.

  The area where they lived was classed as semi-rural with a dozen or so houses in a five-minute radius. He lived on five acres fronting the beach, Beth and Bill on three, and they were his closest neighbours. Sadly, Bill, who had been a builder before he retired, had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and he struggled to do much. Keeping up with the yard around their house was too much for Beth so Mitchell took it upon himself to keep the grass cut and look after things around the property without her asking. It was the least he could do after everything they’d done for him over the years.

  After feeding the dogs, he donned his coat and beanie again, grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed out to the back deck. He couldn’t wait to finish this area. The deck was done—although it still needed staining—and he was planning to add a pergola in the next week or so. It would be the perfect place to sit and watch the sun as it set.

  The wind had eased but it was freezing. Flopping down in one of the timber Adirondack chairs, he put his feet up on a plastic milk crate and sipped his beer. In between swallows, he breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with salty flavoured air. As he breathed out, he let the week’s hassles leave, and solitude seep back into his soul. There was nothing better than starting his weekends like this.

  In the distance, waves crashed on the shore and overhead a lone seagull flew, but other than that, there was total quiet. Just the way he liked it.

  He rubbed Chester’s ears. ‘Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?’ he asked the dog.

  The only thing missing was someone special to share it with.

  Chapter 3

  Hope had barely set foot on the gravel path when her cousin burst out of the front door and raced down the steps.

  ‘Finally,’ Courtney cried. ‘What took you so long? I saw the bus come in nearly half an hour ago.’

  Hope chuckled and opened her arms in reply. ‘Do you know how long it takes to walk on one leg?’

  Courtney wagged her finger. ‘You’ve never used that as an excuse so don’t start now.’

  She pulled Hope into a rib-crushing hug and Hope returned her cousin’s squeeze. It felt so good to be back.

  Courtney eventually released her, stepped back, and gave her the once over. ‘Considering you walked in the rain, you don’t look too bad. You know I could have arranged for someone to go down and pick you up if you’d let me.’

  Hope shook her head. She didn’t relinquish her independence unless absolutely necessary.

  ‘The walk was just what I needed.’ She lightly touched Courtney’s waist. ‘Speaking of not looking too bad. You look amazing. Are you sure you’ve just given birth?’

  Courtney laughed. ‘Trust me, this jumper hides a multitude of sins—and at least a dozen layers of loose skin. My body will never be the same.’

  ‘And you wouldn’t wish it any different.’

  ‘True,’ Courtney agreed, smiling.

  Four weeks earlier Courtney had given birth to triplets, delivering two perfect girls, Charlotte and Piper, and a little boy, Oliver—by emergency caesarean. Yet as always, she was perfectly made up and put together. It was a mystery to Hope how Courtney managed to look amazing whatever the time or place or season in life. Courtney was tall and lean, with flawless skin and glossy brown hair that reminded Hope of Kate Middleton’s tresses. She was one of those people who looked elegant even just out of bed, still in her pyjamas.

  Hope was not one of those people. Her own mop of unruly blonde curls ensured she would never be called elegant. It didn’t help that she favoured a messy topknot rather than taking the time to straighten her hair like Courtney did. And as for her body shape, Hope had her father’s Italian heritage to thank for her height and curves as well as her olive skin tones. She didn’t have any major body issues other than her leg, but she occasionally wished she’d inherited a larger portion of the DNA from her cousin’s side of the family.

  Despite how different the girls looked from each other, many people seeing them together assumed they were sisters because of their eyes—a blue so bright they were often asked if they wore coloured contact lenses.

  As gorgeous and glamorous as Courtney was, nothing could hide the tinge of tiredness around her eyes today which was hardly surprising. Hope couldn’t imagine having one newborn to care for, let alone three, which was part of the reason she was in Macarthur Point—to be a much needed extra pair of hands.

  Courtney looped her arm in Hope’s. ‘Come on inside, it’s freezing. The fire’s lit and Mum can’t wait to see you.’

  Hope grinned. ‘I can’t wait to see her, too. How’s she doing?’

  ‘As bossy as ever. But she’s obviously had the fear of God put in her, because she’s doing exactly as the doctor ordered.’

  Hope chuckled. ‘Yeah right. I’ll believe it when I see it. I’ve never known Aunty Margot to sit still and do what she’s told. Hopefully she’s resting and taking it easy, but if she’s not, that’s why I’m here.’

  Margot had been so excited when Courtney and Lachie announced they were expecting triplets and she couldn’t wait to help them out. Instead, mother and daughter ended up in hospital together back in Melbourne—one in the maternity ward at the Royal Women’s Hospital recovering from giving birth, the other in the Coronary Care Unit at St Vincent’s recovering from an unexpected quadruple bypass.

  Four and a half weeks earlier, when Lachie had called Hope to say the triplets had arrived early, Hope had rushed straight to her cousin’s side. Luckily, she had. While she was at the hospital cooing over their cuteness, her normally fit and active aunt had quietly confessed she’d had three days of what she described as an elephant sitting on her chest. Hope questioned her further and Margot admitted she was unusually short of breath too. With great difficulty and a lot of threats, Hope had convinced Margot to go to the emergency department. Everything progressed swiftly from there. Margot was sent for an angiogram which showed severely blocked vessels necessitating urgent coronary artery bypass surgery two days later.

  ‘Don’t expect Mum to do as she’s told,’ Courtney said.

  Hope laughed. ‘Challenge accepted. You know me. You always called me Miss Bossy Boots for a reason. I’ll have your mum following my orders in no time.’

  Courtney rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah, well, good luck with that. My mum isn’t like yours.’

  Hope laughed again. True.

  The two sisters couldn’t be more dissimilar. Margot Hobbs wasn’t the type of woman to go where she didn’t want to go without a fuss. In
contrast, Hope’s mum, Pamela, went wherever her husband Enzo felt they were called.

  ‘How are those babies?’ Hope asked as she followed her cousin up the steps, through the front door, and down the central hallway leading to the kitchen.

  The front of the house was very traditional, with a formal lounge room on the left and Lachie’s study on the right. Before John and Margot gave the house to Courtney, they’d expanded and modernised the entire back section of the home.

  ‘I can’t wait to hold them again,’ she added.

  They’d spent four weeks in the special care nursery and Hope had visited every day. She hadn’t seen them in nearly a week since Courtney had brought them back to Macarthur Point and she missed them like crazy.

  ‘How are they right now? Perfect.’ Courtney chuckled. ‘Because they’re asleep. And I have learned there’s truth in the saying “let sleeping babies lie”. In other words, you are not going to disturb them.’

  Hope smiled. ‘I’m so glad you and Lachie asked me to come and help.’

  After their respective surgeries, neither Courtney nor Margot could drive so Lachlan had asked if she’d come and help because he knew neither his wife nor mother-in-law would want anyone other than family helping.

  ‘I’m not sure what my darling husband would have done if you’d said no,’ Courtney said.

  Lachie was an anaesthetist who travelled for work between Geelong, Portland and Warrnambool. His busy job meant he couldn’t be there around the clock to care for his wife, new babies, and mother-in-law.

  ‘There was never any chance I’d give up the opportunity to be here to help. And I would have killed Lachie if I’d found out you needed help and he hadn’t asked.’

  When Lachie had sent out the distress flare, Hope had responded, jumping at the chance to help without a moment’s consideration. What she hadn’t told anyone—not even Courtney yet—was that she’d also resigned from her job and left her boyfriend to come back to Macarthur Point.

  Hope was a big believer in serendipity. When one door closed and she had no idea what she was going to do next, a window always opened.

  They entered the huge open section of the back of the house that boasted a lounge area, a massive dining space with a table easily seating a dozen, and a spacious, modern kitchen. Floor to ceiling sliding doors led out onto a covered deck with spectacular views across the ocean. Hope loved the back section of the house with its clean, modern lines, white walls and natural stained timber. If she ever settled somewhere, she’d want to live in a place that looked like this.

  ‘Hello, sweetheart,’ Margot called out from an armchair in front of the fire.

  Her aunt was nearly seventy—ten years older than Hope’s mum—and normally she didn’t look a day over fifty. Prior to her surgery she’d had the energy of a woman half her age. She still wore her hair dyed platinum blonde and kept it trimmed in a fashionable short bob. Today she wore skinny white jeans, a knee length navy blue knitted jumper that looked casual and comfortable but had probably cost upwards of two hundred dollars, and a pair of pink lace-up brogues. Margot was the classiest person Hope knew and it was no surprise that Courtney had inherited the same sense of style and incredible taste as her mother when it came to clothes. Margot and Courtney were a formidable fashion unit and well known down at Country Living and Urban Seed, their favourite shops in Macarthur Point.

  Hope glanced down at her own attire and grimaced. She’d picked up a few hints from Courtney over the years when it came to fashion, but still favoured comfort and practicality over style. Today she wore loose fitting denim jeans cuffed at her ankles, white tennis shoes, and a hoodie under her puffer jacket. Her wardrobe could be described as sensible and serviceable, her shoes as practical. Heels weren’t an option for her.

  She shrugged out of her jacket and draped it over the back of a chair before hurrying over to greet her aunt. Margot shifted in her chair, ready to stand, but Hope put out a hand to stop her.

  ‘Don’t get up.’

  She bent over and wrapped her arms around her aunt, breathing in the familiar fragrance of coconut and lime—Margot’s signature scent.

  ‘You’ve lost weight,’ Hope admonished. ‘Just as well I’m here to nurse you back to health.’

  Margot tilted her head as her gaze swept slowly over Hope’s body. ‘Speaking of losing weight.’ She made a disapproving sound. ‘You’re all skin and bones.’

  ‘Hardly.’ It hadn’t been intentional but what with running between wards at the hospital visiting Courtney, the babies and Margot, then the stress of breaking up with Brett, she had lost some weight.

  ‘Well, you’re here now,’ Margot was saying, ‘and we’ll take care of you.’

  ‘I think it’s supposed to be the other way around,’ Hope said with a chuckle.

  Margot tut-tutted. ‘Rubbish. Being here with your family will be good for your soul. It’s been far too long.’

  Courtney put an arm around Hope’s waist. ‘You have no idea what a relief it is to have you here.’ A whimper sounded through the monitor on the kitchen bench and Courtney let out a soft sigh. ‘And there goes my moment of blissful peace and quiet. Feeding time at the zoo starts again.’

  ‘Do you need help?’ Hope asked.

  ‘Not right now, thanks. Why don’t you make Mum a cuppa and sit down for a while? I promise it will be the last time you sit until these babies turn one.’

  Hope relaxed. At least Courtney was so focused on the babies she hadn’t asked about Brett. Hope wasn’t sure how to broach the subject without inviting a million prying questions. It wasn’t every day a woman left a man who’d talked about marriage.

  Hope watched Courtney leave the room before turning to Margot. ‘Is she doing alright?’

  Margot beamed. ‘She’s doing an amazing job. Incredibly tired as to be expected. With Lachie going back to work and me as useless as a wooden frying pan, I’m relieved you’re here to help.’

  ‘The relief is double-edged,’ Hope said. ‘I’m more than happy to do whatever it takes to get you back on your feet and help Court get some rest. And the bonus is, I get to play with babies and hand them back.’

  Margot chuckled. ‘Wait ’til you see them again. I promise your uterus will be aching for babies of your own after a couple of hours with them.’

  Hope pretended to shudder, but secretly she’d love children of her own one day. She headed into the kitchen, flicking the switch on the kettle, and pulling down cups from the overhead cupboard. She’d always been encouraged to make herself at home at The Anchorage. ‘Tea or coffee?’ she called out.

  ‘Tea please.’

  ‘English breakfast or Earl Grey?’

  ‘Earl Grey please, sweetheart.’

  While the kettle boiled Hope found a Tupperware container of freshly baked shortbread. Courtney said the neighbours had been incredible, dropping off meals and treats for the past week since they’d all arrived home from hospital. Hope was slightly daunted at the prospect of having to cook for her cousin and aunt but figured if she could keep children alive as part of her job at the hospital, she could follow a simple recipe. Either that, or she’d make sure the local takeaway food shops or pizza delivery guy were on speed dial.

  Hope handed Margot the cup of tea and shortbread before tossing another log on the fire, stoking it, and prodding the other logs until the flames leapt again. Once she was satisfied, she dropped into the chair opposite her aunt, eased her shoe off and put her foot up on the coffee table and held her breath for the interrogation. She didn’t have to wait long.

  As Courtney appeared, carrying one of the girls—Hope couldn’t tell them apart yet—Margot sat forward. ‘How are things with you and Brett, sweetheart?’

  Hope swallowed. Now or never. She pasted on a smile. ‘We broke up.’

  Courtney’s eyes bulged. ‘What? When? Why didn’t you tell me?’

  Hope shrugged. ‘You’ve been busy.’ She pointed to the baby at Courtney’s breast. ‘You’ve got enough of y
our plate without having to worry about me.’

  ‘But what went wrong? I thought he was talking marriage,’ Margot said.

  Lots went wrong, but where to begin? ‘I’m still sorting everything out in my head,’ Hope said.

  ‘When you’re ready to talk, I’m always here. You know that.’

  Hope smiled at her cousin, thankful they knew each other so well that Courtney knew when to back off. ‘I do. And I’m very grateful.’

  Margot took her hand. ‘Sweetheart, I’m sorry for you, but obviously, he wasn’t the right one.’

  Margot had that right. Brett definitely wasn’t the right one for her. Shame she’d wasted two years figuring it out.

  Sinking back into the plush chair, Hope closed her eyes and listened to the fire as it cracked and popped. She breathed in and out and allowed the peace to wash over her. It was such a blessing to have family who cared, and people who wouldn’t push her to talk until she was ready. She’d made the right decision to come. By the time the triplets were sleeping through the night and Margot was back on her feet, Hope would be well and truly ready to take on the world again and go wherever fate led her next.

  Hope reached for another piece of shortbread. She wasn’t going to think about what would happen if fate stayed quiet.

  Chapter 4

  Mitchell had almost finished his second beer when the dogs’ heads popped up in unison. A split second later he heard a car coming down the driveway. The dogs gave a warning bark and took off to investigate. He didn’t call them back. Whoever it was would either fear their size or they’d come around the side of the house with the four of them bouncing along beside the visitor, wagging their tails and trying to lick to death whoever it was.

  The car pulled up, the engine was switched off and a door slammed. The barking stopped immediately which meant the dogs knew who it was. Probably Jordan. Mitchell lived far enough out of town that few people other than his closest friends popped in casually to say hi.