the Beach Cottage, page 3
Evie shook her head. “It’s all going to work out. Trust me, the two of you are meant to be together. Everyone can see that.”
“Do you think so?”
“Absolutely. Who is more perfectly suited than the two of you? If it hadn’t been for—well, what happened when you were a teenager, the two of you would’ve never broken up.”
“You mean Mum’s death.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring that up. I’m just pouring salt into those wounds, aren’t I?” Evie wrung her hands together.
Bea laughed. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago. I can talk about Mum’s death now without wanting to crawl into a hole and cry for hours. These days I ask myself what she might think or do whenever I’m not sure about something. I don’t want to forget her. She was an extraordinary person.”
“You’re right about that,” Evie said, her eyes gleaming. “It was a hard time for everyone. None of us knew how to help you, least of all Aidan. I think if that hadn’t happened, the two of you would’ve gotten married and spent your lives together. You loved each other so much. This is just another bump in the road, but you’ll find your way back to each other.”
“I hope you’re right. But for now, I’m focused on getting this café up and running. What do you think about sticky date puddings for the menu?”
“That sounds perfect. Oh, by the way, we always mark the end of summer at Point Prospect with a dip off the headland with the dolphins. Are you up for it? We’re going next week.”
Bea frowned. “You still do that?”
“Every February.” Evie laughed. “Surely you’re not too old.”
Bea felt too old to do a lot of things these days. But for so many years, she’d opted out of taking risks, or having fun, or doing the things she wanted to do because she was more concerned with what her husband wanted or her children needed. It was time to do some things for herself, and if that meant frolicking in the waves with dolphins or jumping off the headland into the surf, she wasn’t going to miss out. She’d always been an adventurer, but she’d pushed that part of herself aside for so long, she’d forgotten how. “Okay. Count me in.”
Once Bea had finished up for the day, she stepped outside to feel the sea breeze on her face. The humidity level had dropped, and it was a lovely evening, with the sun setting over the distant mainland in a blaze of orange and pink.
A ferry pulled away from the dock, leaving a trail of white foaming waves in its wake. A car was parked beside the primary school, and a teen girl climbed out. Spindly legs stuck out from a pair of white denim shorts. Her long brown hair bounced down her back in a ponytail. She walked to the gate and waited.
Bea’s heart leapt into her throat. It was Grace. Aidan’s daughter looked just like him from that distance. She was the image of his teen silhouette with the setting sun behind her. Tall, lanky, athletic, but with long hair and a crop top.
Just then, Aidan walked out of the school with a briefcase beneath his arm. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing muscular forearms. His hair was messy, and he grinned at Grace. He embraced her, and they walked together back to the car, deep in conversation. He glanced up and noticed Bea watching them. Her cheeks blazed with the embarrassment of being caught out. He raised a hand in greeting, and she waved back. Then he climbed into the car with Grace, and they drove away.
Bea’s heart thudded against her rib cage. This was going to be more difficult than she’d realised. She hated that they lived on the same small island together and she couldn’t be with him. Couldn’t call to talk about her day or ask him what he thought about the photographs she and Evie had discussed. Hated that they were being pulled apart by something that’d happened fifteen years ago, back before she’d even realised they might get a second chance at a life together.
For so long, she’d buried her feelings for him because he’d walked away from her and she’d had her heart broken. But now that he’d told her how he felt, he’d opened that door again, and her heart had reawakened. She wasn’t sure she could go through the pain of heartbreak all over again. Especially not so soon after losing her twenty-five-year-long marriage.
But she had no choice. She had to keep putting one foot in front of the other. There was no alternative. Besides, she’d promised Dad she would cook dinner for him and Bradford that night. Even though she was exhausted, she was looking forward to seeing them both. One of the benefits of moving back to Coral Island was that she had renewed her relationships with both her father and her brother — relationships she’d let wane for far too long due to misunderstandings and her own fear of returning to the place where she’d suffered so much loss in childhood.
Her phone rang, and she pressed it to her ear as she returned to the café to look for her purse.
“Hi, Mum.” Danita’s voice brought a wave of affection. She missed her daughter already.
“Danita Pike, fancy hearing from you so soon.” Her daughter had flown back Sydney only a few days earlier to begin her new university degree. “How is interior design going? Have you made the world beautiful already?”
Danita grunted. “Very funny, Mum. I was wondering if you’d had a chance to put that money into my account for the textbooks we talked about.”
“I should’ve known this phone call would be about money, and yes, it’s in your account.” Bea slung her handbag over her shoulder.
“Sorry, Mum. How are you? How’s the café?”
“I’m fine. I miss Aidan already, but I’ll survive. And the café is almost finished. I can’t believe how quickly it’s all coming together. I should be able to open within a month or so, I think. If I can find some staff.”
“Well, I’ll help out during the holidays.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Bea smiled. Sometimes everything felt overwhelming. And at other times, she was grateful and truly believed it would work out. At the moment, she was sitting somewhere in between both poles.
They chatted for a few minutes, and then she hung up the phone as she walked to the old station wagon she’d borrowed from her father. He said she could have it, since he had no need of it. He had his truck to get around, so she’d put off buying herself a vehicle. There wasn’t much need for one on the island unless she intended to go across to Blue Shoal. And for that, she’d either need the entire day to circumnavigate the island or a four-wheel drive to cross it. She’d begun to think that buying a boat would be a better and far more enjoyable use of her resources.
So far, she’d had to rely on other people to drive her across the island. But since her move, she’d decided she should become more independent — she’d given far too much of her trust to Preston over the years, had relied on him and had regretted it. She was an independent woman now and in the spirit of independence she’d have to learn to do more herself. And that included buying a boat so she could navigate the island on her own.
Four
Bea squeezed the pastry between her fingers and set the dumpling aside. Then she reached for another circular casing. She pushed the pork and chives mixture into a clump at the centre of the dumpling, closed the pastry around it and pressed it shut with her fingers. There was something so therapeutic about making dumplings — the repetitive nature of it, the mundanity. It’d always been one of her family’s favourite dishes. The kids still asked for it when they came home for holidays.
Her father’s kitchen was a little dated, but it was spacious and well-equipped and one of her favourite places to work, since it had large picture windows that looked out across the ocean and she could stand at the bench and enjoy the view while she cooked. She also loved his marble bench tops in charcoal with grey streaks — they were a complete contrast to the latest trend of building everything in sterile white, as were the dark timber cabinets.
“What are you making there, honey?” Dad came up behind her, his hair dripping wet from the shower. He peered over her shoulder.
“Gyoza.”
“Huh?”
“Dumplings,” she replied with a smile, setting another dumpling on the plate.
“Oh, right. Looks nice.”
“You like dumplings, don’t you?”
“Not sure. Don’t think I’ve ever had them.”
She frowned. “Really? Well, I think you’ll like them. They’re very tasty.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” He walked into the lounge room and sat in his armchair with a sigh. “That feels better.” He raised the footrest and leaned back, eyes shut.
“Busy day?” Bea asked.
He nodded. “I did some slashing in the bottom paddock. The grass got really high this summer with all the rain.”
“Didn’t the neighbours used to bring their horses over to help keep the grass down for you?”
“They’ve been a bit slack this year. I think they sold a couple of them and haven’t replaced them yet. The girls are in pony club, but not sure how much longer they’ll be doing it. They’ve almost finished high school.”
“Wow. Time flies,” Bea said.
“How’s the cottage?” Dad asked.
“It’s great,” Bea replied. “I love it there. It’s so tranquil. I feel like I’m on an extended holiday. I miss having Dani around, but it’s good to know she’s back in Sydney studying to do something she loves. I don’t want her to miss out on anything.”
“The way you did?” Dad opened one eye to peer at her.
Bea’s lips pulled into a straight line. “I suppose so. I don’t regret having the children, of course. But maybe I should’ve waited a little longer — done some things for myself.”
“There’s no time like the present.”
Bea laughed. “What — you think I should go to university now? I’m not too old?”
He huffed. “Of course you’re not too old. If you want to study something, change course, go for it. But if you like what you’re doing, then don’t. I think it’s important not to have regrets. Especially when you can do something about it. If there’s something you’ve always wished you could do, now’s the best time to do it. The kids are grown, you’ve got a little nest egg saved up, you don’t have a husband to think of…”
Her heart squeezed at his words. She didn’t have anyone to think of any longer. Only herself. Now that her husband had moved on with his mistress and her boyfriend had broken up with her to spend time getting to know his new daughter, she was completely alone in the world.
Dad studied her face. “Sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to strike a nerve. But you get my point.”
She set the plate of dumplings aside. “You’re right, of course. Not having anyone in my life gives me the opportunity to make choices I might not have made otherwise. I should try to look at it as a positive thing.”
“That’s my girl.”
“But I think the cafe is a good start for me. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
“I’m proud of you,” he said.
Bea continued working, and in a few minutes, she heard the faint sounds of snoring coming from Dad’s armchair. She smiled and went to pull a knitted blanket over his legs before returning to the kitchen to continue slicing vegetables.
A truck pulled into the driveway. Bea heard the engine growl before it switched off. A few moments later, her younger brother, Bradford, barrelled through the front door.
“Hello? Anyone home?”
“In the kitchen,” she said.
He found her there and wrapped her in a bear hug, lifting her feet from the ground. “How’s my little sister?”
Ever since he was fifteen years old, he’d towered over her and liked to joke about her being the little sister.
She laughed, slapping his shoulder playfully. “Put me down, you giant.” They’d struggled to get along over the years, but after some long overdue discussions where they confessed their concerns and insecurities, they were doing their best to put the past behind them.
They’d both agreed to build a new, more mature relationship that didn’t involve bringing up the pain of the past as a battering ram to use against one another whenever they were irritated or frustrated.
He spied the plate of dumplings. “Yum! That looks delicious. I heard you were cooking, and I knew I couldn’t miss it. These days, I don’t get much in the way of home-cooked meals made by someone other than myself. And I tend to be lazy and throw salad and fish on a plate most nights.”
“Not exactly lazy when you’ve been working all day,” Bea said.
He shrugged. “True. But then I eat half a loaf of bread because the salad isn’t enough and I’m starving.”
“Sounds about right,” Bea replied with a grin. “So, I’m going to fatten you up tonight. I’ve got gyoza, san choi bow, stir-fried barramundi and coconut rice.”
He licked his lips. “I can’t wait. How’s the café coming?”
“It’s good. The renovations are almost done. Actually, I thought I should probably have a grand opening or something. Would you like to come?”
“Of course. That’s a great idea. I can help—just let me know what you need from the mainland and I’ll get it for you. I’m there every day for work.”
“Sounds like business is booming.”
He nodded. “We can barely keep up. Every single one of the boats is booked. We’ve got people sailing around the islands, or deep-sea fishing, or even holding corporate events on the water. I’ll probably have to expand, but I don’t want to overextend myself, so we’re trying to keep up as best we can right now.”
“Sounds wise,” she said. “Do you remember when we were kids and we used to swim with the dolphins off Point Prospect every summer to mark the end of the school holidays?”
He grabbed a beer from the fridge and popped the lid. “Yes, of course. It was fun.”
“Apparently, some of them are still doing it. Evie invited me to go with them next week. You should come too.”
He took a gulp of beer. “I’d like that. I’ll bring one of the yachts, and we can make a day of it.”
“That would be amazing,” Bea said. “I’ll let Evie know. We can pack a picnic.”
“It’ll be much more civilised than it used to be, when we’d starve for half the day and then someone would scrounge up a few dollars to buy hot chips at the local corner shop.”
“Much more civilised.” She washed a strainer full of rice in the sink before putting it in the rice cooker and switching it on.
“Hey, has Dad talked to you about his health lately?” Bradford leaned against the bench, crossing one foot over the other.
Bea’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“He really should talk to you about it. It’s not my place to say anything.”
Bea stopped what she was doing and spun to face Bradford. “Brad, spill it. What’s going on?”
He sighed. “Dad’s been having some dizzy spells and not feeling great in general. They’re running tests, but they’re not sure what’s wrong with him yet. I told him to talk to you about it, but he thinks it’ll only worry you.”
“Of course it worries me!” Bea shouted.
“Shhhh!” Bradford waved a hand. “He’s sleeping.”
“Of course it worries me,” Bea repeated in a whisper. “I can’t believe he’d keep that from me. I had no idea he wasn’t feeling well.”
“Don’t make a big deal of it. Okay?”
“Fine, but I have to say something so he knows that I know. Otherwise, he’ll just keep pretending everything’s okay.”
As Bradford walked out onto the deck, Bea watched him go with her heart racing. What if there was something really wrong with Dad? She’d missed spending time with him in recent years. Missed so much. And now that they’d finally reconciled and were able to see each other as often as they liked, what if he was sick and that time would be cut short? She couldn’t lose him yet. It was far too soon.
She shook her head and turned her attention back to dinner preparation. She was being overly dramatic. There might be a completely innocent explanation for what was going on with him. She didn’t know what was wrong or what it would mean for any of them. But even so, her anxiety levels spiked as she worked.
She would talk to him about it, but not tonight. Tonight, they could enjoy a nice meal together as a family, just the three of them. She only wished she’d done that more often instead of being so focused on her life in the city for the past two decades. But there was no going back; she could only move forward and do things differently from now on. Beating herself up over the past wouldn’t achieve anything. She glanced at her father’s sleeping form in the armchair, and a wave of emotion washed over her.
Five
The drive to the Blue Shoal Inn was best avoided. Instead, Penny climbed into the boat that was moored at the dock outside her beach house and drove it around the island. As she pulled away from the dock, she looked back at her house where it squatted amongst a thicket of she-oaks and semi-tropical rainforest. A large verandah along the back of the beach house was hung with climbing roses. She adored the beach house, it was her happy place.
Her parents had given it to her when they’d moved into a small unit in Cairns, and she’d spent the past few years doing it up a little bit at a time. She loved the peacefulness of the place, the way the beach behind the house was a private oasis that tourists rarely stumbled across. She loved that it was hers and that the rambling internal structure had been like a cubby with plenty of hiding spots when she was a kid. She’d loved exploring every room, nook and crevice with a stuffed toy under one arm admits the echoes of her mother playing the piano.
The boat pushed through the small waves that chortled to shore. The surf was always light, since the island was sheltered by the Great Barrier Reef. The boat surged over a low wave and then settled into the choppy ocean beyond. A southeasterly wind had picked up early that morning and still buffeted the shoreline.
Penny raised a hand to hold her hat in place as she drove one-handed around the island. It really was a beautiful sight, Coral Island with the midday sun glistening on azure waters and steep cliffs of red and brown clay intermingled with black rocks rising from the depths to her left.
