The Sunshine Potluck Society, page 12
He looked flustered. His gaze darted from the kitchen, back to her face and then the floor.
“I’m sure it was nothing. Maybe I brushed up against someone at work without realising it.” He shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. And I’ve got to get dinner on or we’ll go hungry tonight.”
He stalked back into the kitchen and started banging around, opening cabinets and slamming them shut again. She chewed on the end of a pencil, pondering. Was he hiding something from her?
She continued working on the plan for the Surf Club event. There was a meeting tomorrow night with the organising committee, and she needed to have everything ready to show them. She was hoping they could finalise the bulk of the schedule, menu, staffing and music for the event. If they could manage that, she would be able to focus on invitations and marketing efforts.
After a while, Duncan came back into the living room. “Dinner’s in the oven. I’m making a roast. But I’ve got to duck into the office for a bit. Call me if you need anything.”
She waved goodbye, wondering what could be so important that he couldn’t manage one day away. It was always like that with him. Work came first. She was grateful he’d been such a good provider throughout their marriage. But sometimes she couldn’t help feeling jealous of the attention he gave his work and his colleagues. She needed to feel as though she was the centre of his world every now and then. But it’d been a long time since she’d felt that.
Finally, she finished planning and turned the television on. She hadn’t watched a movie in a while. It wasn’t something she often did. She didn’t like to focus for long periods of time. She got twitchy if she sat still too long. But there was nothing else for her to do. She was too tired to go anywhere, and she couldn’t walk far. The house was clean. Dinner was in the oven. And Duncan was gone. So, she chose a romantic comedy and settled back in her armchair to enjoy it.
When the phone rang, it jolted her out of her reverie. She’d been so absorbed in the storyline, the ringing had given her a fright. She answered the phone breathlessly.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mum. It’s Brandon. How are you?”
“I’m feeling okay…”
He interrupted her. “Hey, Mum, I was wondering if you could have the two younger kids tomorrow? I’m supposed to watch them, but I’ve got a few things to do and it would be so much easier to do it all without them. Can I bring them by at nine?”
Irritation burned in her gut. “You want me to watch your two youngest children? Tomorrow?”
“That would be great. Thanks. I’ll see you…”
“Wait, Brandon. I didn’t say I would.”
He hesitated. “Oh… Okay, huh?”
She’d had enough. Her ankle was broken, and he didn’t seem to remember that fact, let alone care. “You know I broke my ankle. Right?”
“Oh, yeah. How’s that going?”
“It’s okay, but I can’t run around after two young children. So, no, I can’t watch the kids tomorrow. Sorry, honey.”
“Just throw on a movie for them. They won’t run far,” he said with a laugh.
“No, the answer is no, Brandon. You take me for granted. You don’t care about how I’m feeling or what I’m going through. And I’m not going to do it this time. You’ll have to figure something else out.”
The phone went silent.
“Okay, well, have a good evening, honey,” she said.
“What’s wrong with you, Mum?” he asked, sounding miffed.
“I’m going through some things. And it wouldn’t kill you to be a little more supportive of me every now and then.”
“What things?” he asked.
“It’s personal. But thank you for asking. I appreciate your concern.”
“Okay… Well, bye, I guess.”
“I’ll talk to you later, Brandon. Say hi to the family for me.”
When she hung up the phone, she felt strangely elated. She’d finally stood up to one of her children. She felt strong, determined and a little proud of herself. She’d had two confrontations in one day. That had to be some kind of record.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Two weeks later, Emily was folding laundry in the laundry room. She could hear Joanna and Aaron talking in the den. They’d finished dinner and were sitting in front of a muted television while the news played out on the screen.
“How’s work going?” Joanna asked.
“It’s fine. I’m doing better than I was. It was a steep learning curve, but I think I’ve got the hang of it now.”
“That’s good, sweetheart. I’m sure you’re doing great. You always were quick to catch on to things. I remember when you were a little boy, your father showed you how to build a model car and from then on, you handled it alone. You were so competent.”
“Really? I don’t remember that.”
“Hmm… Well, it’s just one of those things that’s stuck out in my mind.”
“The commute is killing me, though,” he said. “It’s over an hour and half without traffic. At peak hour, it’s horrendous.”
“I’m sorry. That must be hard.”
“I’ll have to move closer to the office at some point, I guess.”
“Don’t they have a train?”
“I think there’s one, but I’d have to drive there.”
“Might be worth looking into,” Joanna said. “I’d hate for you to leave just yet. You could stay here a while longer. You’re not causing me any trouble, and I love having you here. Besides, it’ll give you a chance to save a deposit to buy something of your own. Everything’s so expensive these days.”
“You’re right about that,” he replied. “I love living in Sunshine. I can go surfing when I get home, if it’s not too late. And on weekends. It’s pretty great living by the beach. Maybe I’ll hold on for a bit longer. I would like to buy a place of my own. I have some money saved, but it would be good to build up a safety net. That is, if you’re okay with me staying a bit longer.”
“I’m delighted for you to stay. It’s wonderful having Emily here, but I don’t know how long she’ll stick with me. She’s young and has so much potential. And besides, I’m doing so much better these days, I won’t need a full-time carer forever. Although I hate to give her up. Still, it would be unfair of me to keep her here. She should be spreading her wings, not fussing around me. And when she goes, I’ll be all alone. So, you stay as long as you like, my boy. You living here has been good for me. I didn’t realise how much I missed my family.”
There was silence. Then the noise of the television burst to life. Emily continued folding clothes while she considered Joanna’s words. She hadn’t realised Joanna was ready for her to move on. The idea of leaving wasn’t something she entertained often. She’d be lying if she said she never thought about it, but she usually dismissed it quickly, since the work was easy and she was paid better than she would be anywhere else with no qualifications or experience to her name. She had room and board, plus a generous stipend. It made life simple. And she was close to her sister.
But there was something to what Joanna said. Lately, Emily had begun to feel a little agitated—like she needed more for her life. She wanted an adventure. Some kind of purpose. A direction to take. And at the moment, she had none of that. Wanda’s illness was in the past. Joanna was on the mend. But the idea of leaving, striking out on her own and starting afresh, made nerves jangle in the pit of her stomach.
She was glad Joanna had talked Aaron into staying.
The laundry door opened, and he walked in. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realise you were in here. Is the dryer finished?”
She nodded. “I folded your things and put them on your bed.”
“Thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I don’t mind,” she said. “It keeps me busy.”
“Did you overhear…?” He suddenly looked panicked.
She smiled. “I heard, and it’s okay. Jo and I talk about my future sometimes. I know how she feels. She wants the best for me. And I love her for it. But I’m not sure what that is just yet.”
He leaned against the washing machine and crossed his ankles. “When we were kids, you wanted to be a ballerina.”
She laughed. “Yes, well, I think that ship has officially sailed.”
“Do you still dance?”
“Not really. I miss it, though.”
“You should start it up again. It takes a lot of discipline to be as good as you were. Don’t give that up.”
“Maybe. I can’t believe you remember that. You never saw me dance.”
He smiled. “I watched many of your dances.”
“You did? When?”
“Tristan and I may or may not have snuck into dance practice more than once.”
“What?” She laughed. “That does surprise me. Tristan always acted like it was a form of torture to go to my recitals.”
“He had a crush on Jewel.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right. I remember. He was so smitten.”
“And she was in your dance group. Plus, I wanted to see you…”
Her breath caught in her throat at the look in his eyes. He stepped closer. She cleared her throat and focused her attention on the shirt she was folding.
“You were always up to something back then.”
He folded his arms. “I had a lot of energy and plenty of teenaged angst.”
“You filled the principal’s car with whipped cream. It smelled so bad, he had to sell it.”
“I can’t confirm or deny…” He winked.
“And you wanted to see me dance?”
“I was a complicated boy. But I’ve changed.”
“I can see that,” she said. “You seem different.”
“I’ve been through some things,” he said. “Grown up a bit. Not too much, I hope.”
She finished folding and put her hands on either side of the clothes basket. He was in her way. She couldn’t get out of the laundry room without pushing past him. She waited.
“Would you have dinner with me?” he asked suddenly.
She frowned. “We eat dinner together every night.”
“I mean a date. Would you go on a date with me? Friday night?”
Her heart skipped a beat. “This Friday? Okay.”
He smiled and stepped out of the laundry room. “Great. I’m looking forward to it.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Joanna was gardening. She hadn’t done it in a while, her knees were already sore. But she’d purchase a special little cushion to kneel on, and it was helping. She dug up a weed and tossed it into the pile. Her gloves were covered in dirt, and it felt good to be out in the late-afternoon air.
The heat of the day had passed. The cool breeze coming in off the water was refreshing. And there were birds swooping and chirping throughout her garden. It was a beautiful day, and she was in a fine mood. Her head was a little dizzy, and there was a feeling in her gut that she should go back inside. But she was ignoring it for now.
“Good afternoon,” Chris said.
He stopped at the end of her driveway and smiled at her. He wore a pair of shorts and a collared shirt, with a cap that covered his grey hair and made it poke out in curls in the back. The look suited him.
“Hi there,” she said, getting to her feet. She brushed the dirt off her gloves, then pulled them off and laid them in the grass. “Going for a walk?”
He nodded. “It’s the perfect time of day for it. Care to join me?”
She glanced at the house. She wanted to go back inside. But his invitation was tempting. Could she manage a walk on the beach? It was what she’d hoped for. She’d longed to feel well enough to do it for years. And she was doing so much better. Maybe the time was right.
“I suppose I could give it a try.” She walked to the end of the driveway. Her stomach formed into a knot as she stepped out onto the footpath.
“We can come back anytime you like,” he said, and he fell into step beside her.
They walked side by side in silence for a while. Then they crossed the road to get to the beach. She slipped her shoes off at the beach entrance, and they trudged through the soft sand and between the dunes, down to the hard-packed damp sand by the water’s edge. All the while, she fought her anxiety to keep it at bay.
Chris was quiet; he seemed deep in thought. Every now and then, he glanced her way.
“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?” he asked.
“Okay.”
“Do you know why it’s so hard for you to go outside? When we spoke about it a few weeks back, you mentioned that the loss of your husband and the restaurant were hard for you. But I suppose I was curious to find a connection. It’s not my business, though, so it’s fine if you’d rather not answer.”
She inhaled a slow breath. “It’s called agoraphobia. It’s been pretty terrible now for about ten years, but lately I’ve been improving. I’m in therapy, and I think having Aaron move in has helped as well.”
“I’ve noticed you seem to be tackling more outings.”
“You know I lost my husband, but what I only hinted at previously is that without him, the restaurant wasn’t going to make it. I was a chef, not a manager. I couldn’t cope with managing the staff, the books, the suppliers. I’d always had Ron to take care of those things. He was the businessperson, and I was the creative one.”
“I can see that. He was a good guy. We knew each other from school. And of course, we were both members of the Rotary Club.”
“That’s right. I remember those meetings. He loved all of that. And you’re right, he was the best,” Joanna replied, recalling him fondly.
She didn’t get upset when she talked about him anymore. But for years, she hadn’t been able to say his name without bursting into tears. “He was my rock. And honestly, the only reason I enjoyed working at the restaurant and cooking was for him. When we had children, I didn’t work at the restaurant nearly as much. He hired another chef, and I filled in when he needed me to. But then the children grew up, and I went back to full-time. We were a great team. I loved the restaurant, the food, the people, being with Ron all day every day. It was the best time of my life.”
“It’s a real blessing to have that kind of marriage and partnership,” Chris said.
A flock of seagulls lifted into the air around them, cawing as they rose on the breeze.
“I was very blessed. But then he died, all of a sudden. I wasn’t expecting it and hadn’t prepared myself for the possibility. After all, he was only mid-fifties. I couldn’t believe it. We were so young. And then he was gone. The restaurant became a huge stone around my neck—I couldn’t go anywhere or do anything other than run the place. It took up every waking moment. And before long, it was losing money. A lot of money.”
Waves crashed to shore. The hushing of the water as it frothed close to their feet was comforting. She felt her anxiety fading.
“I was worried I would lose the place. I started looking for buyers. And then there was a fire. I was at the restaurant late at night, alone. I fell asleep at my desk in a pile of paperwork, and sometime during the night, the smoke set off the alarms. I woke up, completely disoriented and confused.”
“Wow, that’s horrible.”
“It was. I was so scared. I tried to get out of my office, but a beam fell to the ground and pinned me down. I could feel and see the entire restaurant burning down around me. The smoke was so thick. I panicked. I couldn’t get out, and yet I knew if I didn’t that I’d die.”
“I had no idea. I knew there’d been a fire, but I didn’t realise you were in it. I was away at the time, visiting family.”
“I don’t talk about it much. Anyway, someone called the fire department, and they pulled me out of there. I was in the hospital for weeks. Karen did her best but she was busy with her own family. Gwen and Debbie were so great—they cared for me. But when I was back at home and I’d fully recovered, they all went back to living their lives, and that’s when the nightmares started. At first, I didn’t really go anywhere because I wasn’t well enough, but after a while, it was because I didn’t want to, and then it became almost impossible. I’d have panic attacks and flashbacks.”
“I’m sorry that happened. You must’ve been really traumatised by it.”
“Some people would’ve managed it better, I know. And I used to beat myself up about that. But I’ve come to accept it. This is how my mind coped with the trauma of losing Ron and the fire. And after that, the legal issues with the insurance company who claimed I’d set fire to the restaurant because it was in financial trouble.” She sighed. “I didn’t open up about it with anyone for a while. Karen didn’t realise I was going through all of that and she moved away. But hiding it only made it worse for me.”
“That’s a lot for anyone to deal with,” he said.
“Thank you. I’m so grateful for all the help I’ve received, and Emily has truly been a godsend. She’s helped so much in recent years. And it’s made all the difference in my recovery. I really believe that.”
“You didn’t give up on yourself or on getting better. I think that’s been a big part of it too,” he said. “And look at you now — taking a walk on the beach. I think you should be proud of yourself.”
“I am,” she said. “Thank you for encouraging me to join you. It’s a big step for me.”
“How is Emily?” Chris asked. “Is she coping with having Aaron live there?”
Joanna smiled. “I think she’s enjoying it as much as I am.”
“Oh, really?” He grinned. “They would make a good match.”
“I think so too. Although I hate it when things change. I think the two of them would be very good for one another. I love my grandson, and he couldn’t find a nicer, sweeter girl than Emily. She’s a beautiful soul and never has a cross word for anyone.”
“If that’s true, then I hope they can make it work. Because there’s nothing better in all the world than finding that person who makes your heart sing.”
Joanna laughed. “Christopher Hampton, I had no idea you were such a romantic and a poet!”
