Bungalow on Pelican Way

by Lilly Mirren

  “I don’t want to sell,” said Bindi, her voice so quiet Kate wasn’t sure she heard her.

  “Sorry?” questioned Reeda.

  “I think we should keep the inn. It was Nan and Pop’s, it’s where we lived when we were teenagers. It was my home for almost five years. It’s home to me now. I don’t want to lose my home; we’ve already lost so much…” She fell quiet, one finger trailing along the arm of her chair, her eyes following its path.

  “But we can’t run the place — not with all three of us living in different cities. Mima and Jack are too old to do it alone, and we’re all scattered… how would we keep it?” asked Kate, her stomach twisting into a knot.

  What was Bindi thinking? It didn’t make any sense. All of them knew they’d have to sell, even Jack and Mima knew it. No one was saying it, but everyone understood — the three of them couldn’t do it. They couldn’t manage an inn from three different parts of the country. And if they could, none of them knew how to do it. The idea of leaving Mima and Jack to cope with it seemed wrong. Mima had already hinted at leaving, that she and Jack were too old to keep things running alone.

  “That’s crazy, Bindi,” said Reeda, exasperation flashing across her face. She pushed her straight, brown hair behind one shoulder, her deep brown eyes flashing. “How would that work? We’d have to hire someone to manage the place, and who knows how many other staff. From what I’ve seen, it’d take months to refurbish the place, and then we’d have to advertise… running an inn, it’s a lot of work.”

  Bindi’s jaw set in a stubborn line and her nostrils flared. “I know it’s a lot of work, that’s why I’m putting my hand up to do it.”

  “What?” exclaimed Kate, straightening in her chair. “What do you mean, you’re going to do it? You live in Melbourne, you have a great job, and a successful career, you have a boyfriend you love… you can’t uproot your entire life for this. It doesn’t make sense. I don’t think Nan would want you to make that kind of sacrifice, I know I don’t want you to.”

  Bindi shrugged. “I want to do it. For Nan, Pop, Dad, Mum, for the two of you. You don’t realise yet what you’d be giving up, but one day you’d regret selling the place. It’s important to us, all of us. It’s a part of who we are. We have to keep it, and I’m going to stay here. I’m not going back to Melbourne.”

  Reeda and Kate stared at each other, open-mouthed. Kate couldn’t understand what was wrong with Bindi. She was usually the quiet one, the compliant peacemaker who went along with whatever Kate and Reeda agreed to do. But not this time. She could see by the tilt of her sister’s head that she wasn’t going to back down.

  “I can’t believe you want to give up everything to keep this place,” said Reeda, her voice low.

  “I’m not giving anything up, I have nothing else. Nothing left. This is my home and I only wish I’d come back here sooner.” Bindi’s voice broke, and with a sob she leapt to her feet and ran from the room.

  Her footsteps pounded up the staircase and her bedroom door slammed shut behind her. Kate stared after her, eyes wide and throat aching.

  “What was that all about?” asked Reeda with a shake of her head.

  “I have no idea. Has she said anything to you about what’s going on?”

  Reeda shrugged. “Nothing. I mean, I knew she was getting some flack at work over a piece she reported on a while ago, but I didn’t think it was anything serious.”

  “Has she broken up with Brendan, do you think?” Kate couldn’t wrap her head around what Bindi had said. How could her sister be at a place in her life where she felt she had nothing left other than the inn? And without a word to her sisters?

  Guilt flooded through Kate and her stomach roiled. She hadn’t been there for Bindi. She had no idea what her sister was going through, and it was her own fault. She should’ve called, checked in on her more, asked her how she was. She’d been too caught up in her own life.

  “I’m going after her,” she said, jumping up suddenly.

  Reeda lay a hand on her arm. “Give her some time. She’ll open up eventually, she always does.”

  14

  September 1995

  Cabarita Beach

  A week later, Kate sat at the dressing table in her room and studied her reflection in the chipped mirror. She slid a pale, pink lipstick across her lips and sighed.

  It’d been so long since she’d made any effort to do her hair or wear makeup, she’d almost forgotten how to. Although, in Cabarita there weren’t many reasons to get dressed up. The only time she’d worn something other than tracksuit pants, pyjamas or her wetsuit in the past week was when she’d donned some jeans to go grocery shopping with Mima in Tweed Heads. The sleepy coastal city seemed like a booming metropolis after weeks at the inn with no one to talk to but Mima, Jack, her sisters, and the occasional run in with the tight-lipped Alex.

  Nan’s old wooden box sat on one side of the dressing table and she glanced at it. She’d tucked Nan’s letter into the small space left in the box, on top of the journals.

  Outside, she studied the sky. It appeared the rainy weather had finally passed. The sky was a blanket of brilliant blue and the bright sun made her blink. Tree branches rustled in the cool breeze that blew in from the beach and leaves scattered and rolled over the patches of grass that struggled to grow in the sandy soil.

  She grabbed two cups of fresh coffee from the kitchen and found Alex in the stables. It was Saturday, his day to spend guiding guests around the property on horseback. Although, now that there were no guests, he was going to use that time to rebuild the stables.

  She’d taken to visiting the horses every morning either for a ride or to pat them and talk to them about whatever it was that was on her mind. It calmed her nerves to face the day ahead, although she’d already found the nervous energy she’d lived off in Brisbane had faded to occasional bursts of adrenaline whenever she thought about her job, Marco, Davis or driving back up the two-lane highway and home. Going home was less appealing with each passing day. But what option did she have? Soon they’d sell the inn and she’d return to her old life. That is, if they all agreed selling was the right thing to do.

  “Morning,” said Alex, glancing her way for a brief moment, before he turned back to hammering whatever it was he was working on.

  He’d begun tearing the stables apart the evening before, leaving old timber in neat stacks around the outside of the yard, beside piles of new, light-coloured timber.

  “Good morning. I brought coffee,” she said, holding one of the cups toward him.

  He straightened with a smile and took the cup. “Thanks.”

  “How’s it looking?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “About what I thought — termite damage, timber falling apart, holes in the roof — but the concrete foundation’s good.”

  “Well, that’s something.” She forced a smile. They still hadn’t received the paperwork to be able to access Nan’s bank account, so she’d be dipping into her own meagre savings account to fund the work on the stables. Although, their solicitor assured her the money would be available soon.

  “Thanks for doing this,” she said, as they each sipped the steaming coffee.

  He nodded. “Gives me something to do.”

  He’d taken off his jacket and hung it on one of the pieces of new timber. His truck was parked nearby, the back full of tools and sheets of Colourbond roofing.

  “Well, I appreciate it.”

  He seemed to be studying her, as though she were an insect or a class project. Inwardly she grimaced. Was he always so taciturn? He couldn’t scrounge up a “you’re welcome,” or “happy to do it”? Although, why did she care? It made no difference to her. He was an employee, and she was his boss, or at least, one of them. He didn’t owe her anything other than the work she was paying him to do.

  He emptied his cup and handed it back to her. She pursed her lips. “So, I thought I could help you today.”

  He dipped his head as he reached for the hammer. “Fi
ne by me.”

  Alex returned to his hammering and Kate watched as the tanned muscles in his arm flexed with each downward stroke. He paused and caught her staring. Her face flamed.

  “Uh, I’ll take these back inside and then I’m all yours,” she stammered.

  He arched an eyebrow, and Kate scurried for the kitchen, her heart racing. What was wrong with her? She was an engaged woman, happily betrothed to the man she’d marry and spend the rest of her life with. Yet a few muscles and a bit of sweat had sent her heart racing. She’d need to spend five minutes hovering in front of a pedestal fan if she stayed out there much longer.

  Perhaps she’d been away from Davis too long, although she didn’t remember ever having that reaction to him. He was a good-looking man, but he’d never built anything with his hands as far as she was aware. Never wielded a hammer, never ridden a horse. He was too busy dealing with server meltdowns, or something like that. She wasn’t exactly sure what he did, but it sounded very important whenever he described it to someone. She couldn’t ever seem to sum it up any better than, he works in operations. What did that mean?

  In the kitchen, she found herself alone and leaned against the bench to catch her breath. She rinsed the cups, set them in the dishwasher, then hurried back out to the stables, determined to be more mature and professional when she faced Alex again.

  They spent the morning working together and by lunch they had a sturdy frame in place for the main part of the stables. Every part of Kate’s body ached, and she was bathed in sweat, her jumper tied in a knot around her waist. Still, she was satisfied in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time. They’d started with nothing, just a pile of old timber and a rickety frame. Alex had torn that down and she’d helped him build something — something solid. They’d done it with their own hands. Granted, she hadn’t done much but hold this and carry that, but what they’d built would last for years to come. She liked it. Building something, being part of something bigger than herself. Life at the inn was growing on her in ways she hadn’t expected.

  She stood puffing, her hands on her hips, surveying the frame.

  “It looks great.”

  Alex sat on the tailgate of his truck and swigged water from a bottle. “It’ll do the job.”

  She frowned. “You’re a glass is half empty kind of guy, huh?”

  He huffed. “Guess so.”

  “Well, life might surprise you, Alex.”

  He shrugged. “Life’s thrown me all kinds of surprises. Can’t say I’ve enjoyed them. I prefer to keep things simple these days — no surprises, no disappointment, no pain.”

  She held back the questions she wanted to ask. What’d happened in his life to give him that outlook? He’d hinted at something dark or tragic, but she’d be crossing a line to ask him about it. She was his boss; she hardly knew him. If he wanted to open up and tell her about his life, he would. And she had a very strong feeling that wasn’t likely to happen in her lifetime.

  He stared off toward the sound of waves as they crashed and sighed against the shore, his look wistful.

  “The surf’s up today,” she offered.

  He inhaled a slow breath. “Yep.”

  “You should go… take out the surfboard.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t surf. Not anymore.”

  “Go fishing then… do something you love. It’s Saturday and you’ve probably got work the rest of the week. Sorry, I didn’t ask you what it is you do with your time when you’re not here.” She offered an awkward laugh.

  He swallowed another mouthful of water. “I’m a teacher at the high school in Kingscliff.”

  “Really?” That wasn’t what she’d expected to hear. Maybe a carpenter, or a labourer, or a mechanic, but not a teacher. Teachers were usually a little more… talkative. “What do you teach?”

  “Maths,” he said.

  Her eyes widened.

  “Kate!” called Reeda from the direction of the inn.

  Kate spun toward the sound, lifting a hand to block the glare of the sun. Her sister stood on the step, waving her over. There was a truck parked beside the inn and a man stood next to Reeda, a clipboard in his hands.

  She remembered with a groan the meetings she’d lined up with prospective contractors to renovate the inn. The three sisters had all agreed to look into renovating the inn, even though Reeda was fighting to sell the place.

  They all had to agree on a course of action, and so they were spending the afternoon interviewing contractors. According to Reeda, the only thing that made sense was for them to keep the inn closed to guests while they renovated, since whether they’d sell or reopen the place after they were done was still open to discussion. Kate and Bindi had agreed, because it made sense and to give Reeda a concession.

  “Sorry, got to go,” she said.

  He nodded, gulping down the last of his water.

  Kate hurried toward the inn, wishing she’d had a chance to shower before the meetings.

  She held out her hand to the man, dressed in jeans and a collared shirt. “Hi, I’m Kate Summer, pleased to meet you.”

  “Bruno Moore,” he replied, shoving a pencil behind his ear to shake her hand. “Pleasure.”

  The spray from the shower head massaged Kate’s tired shoulders. She leaned her hands against the shower wall and ducked her head, letting the full power of the spray pummel her aching muscles. By the time she’d dried off and dressed in her pyjamas for tea, she was so tired she could’ve dropped right to sleep without eating a thing. And if her stomach hadn’t been clenched with hunger, she would’ve.

  The delicious scent of roasted meat wafted up the staircase to greet her and her stomach growled. She was enjoying living at the inn. It’d revealed to her how lonely her life in the city was. She lived alone, woke up alone, worked at a busy restaurant until late most nights, which made her feel lonelier than anything, then back to her empty unit. Alone. It was nice to be around people again, people who cared about her, even seemed to like her.

  “That smells so divine; what are you making?” she asked Mima, as she slid into a seat at the kitchen table.

  Mima grinned, stirring something in a saucepan on the stovetop. “Roast beef, with vegetables and gravy.”

  “Wow, I’m starving, I think I could eat the whole thing.”

  “Physical work will do that to you,” replied Mima. “Looks like you and Alex got a lot done today.”

  Kate nodded. “We did the entire frame. I’m pretty chuffed actually — didn’t think we had it in us. Well, I was certain he did, and sure that I didn’t. Not that I contributed a whole lot, but I think he was glad to have me there.” He’d cracked a smile a few times and thanked her for her help when they’d packed up for the day. From what she knew of him so far, it was glowing praise.

  Reeda peeked her head around the kitchen wall, then joined Kate at the table. She looked freshly showered, but there were dark smudges beneath her eyes that Kate didn’t remember seeing before.

  “Have you been sleeping okay?” asked Kate, straightening in her chair to study her sister more closely.

  Reeda shrugged. “Not really. But what’s new?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Hey, what did you think of the contractors we interviewed?” asked Reeda. “We didn’t really get a chance to talk about them because you had to scurry on back to work with the hot horse guy.”

  Kate’s cheeks flushed with warmth. “He’s not the hot horse guy, he’s Alex, and he’s one of our employees.”

  Reeda’s eyes flashed. “Of course he is. So… what did you think?”

  “Of Alex?”

  Reeda sighed, irritation pursing her lips. “No, what did you think of the contractors. I’m fairly certain I know what you think of Alex.” She waggled her eyebrows.

  Kate knew Reeda, and her sister was never going to drop the subject of Alex’s good looks once she got a hint of any attraction between he and Kate. Not that there was a hint, there was nothing between them. He worked for th
em, and he was good-looking. So what? Lots of people were good-looking, it didn’t mean anything when she was already firmly ensconced in a loving, committed relationship.

  Although, it was strange that she hadn’t heard from Davis in days. Where was he? She’d tried his office and home numbers so many times she was beginning to wonder if something was wrong with his answering machine. Perhaps she should duck home to Brisbane for the weekend, before the renovation on the inn began in earnest.

  “I liked Baron Moore…” replied Kate.

  “Bruno, I think his name was Bruno,” said Reeda.

  Bindi slid into the seat across from Kate. “Who’s Bruno?”

  “Where have you been all day?” asked Reeda.

  Bindi tipped her head to one side. “I went for a drive.”

  “Are you feeling okay?” asked Kate, resting a hand on Bindi’s arm.

  Bindi sighed. “I’m fine. I miss Nan.”

  “We all do,” added Reeda. “It’s so strange to be here without her.”

  “I keep thinking I hear her singing in the garden,” added Kate. “It’s so strange, I smile and start toward the back door, then realise it’s all in my mind. She’s not there, and it hits me all over again.”

  Bindi nodded. “I know what you mean. So, who is Bruno?”

  “He’s the contractor Kate liked. We interviewed four of them today, I thought you were going to join us.”

  Bindi shrugged. “You guys are capable, and I trust your instincts.”

  “You’re the one who doesn’t want to sell,” replied Kate. “I thought you’d want to be part of it, the renovation, running the inn… isn’t this what you wanted?” Sometimes Bindi could be so frustrating. Whenever she was feeling down about something, she withdrew from the world. Kate couldn’t tell what her younger sister was thinking, or what she wanted.

  “Yes, it is, I’m sorry. I still don’t want to sell.”