7,19 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: Allison & Busby
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Serie: Penny Lake
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020
In Australia, Simone has been widowed for four years and is ready to make a more interesting life for herself. Her friends are driving her mad introducing her to eligible men; her busy daughters are just the opposite, wanting her available for babysitting. When she is offered a house swap with a couple in the UK, she takes it, though not without some trepidation. On the other side of the world, Russ has just taken possession of his new house and wants only peace and quiet after a serious injury and months of rehab. Can Simone and Russ help one another avoid meddling friends and relatives, and build new lives?
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Seitenzahl: 427
Ähnliche
Marrying Simone
Anna Jacobs
Contents
Chapter One
Perth, Western Australia
When Simone Ramsey arrived at the school, her grandson met her in the playground as arranged and walked with her to the hall.
A young teacher standing at the door said brightly, ‘You must be Mrs Ramsey. I’m sorry but the junior hall’s too small to fit all the children, so I’ll have to send Tommy off to play games with the other non-performers.’
Simone watched open-mouthed as her grandson shouted a goodbye and ran away. It didn’t surprise her that he wasn’t performing. It was already evident to anyone who heard him sing that he wasn’t musical. Very evident! It did surprise her, however, that Clo had wanted her to attend today. Surely her daughter had known Tommy wasn’t going to sing in the concert? Or had he pretended he was in it?6
The hall was stuffy even though this wasn’t a really hot day, because March was often more humid. Why hadn’t they switched on the air conditioning, for heaven’s sake?
As she waited for the concert to begin, it occurred to Simone how often this torture was going to be inflicted on her during the next decade or so. Tommy was the eldest grandchild. She shuddered. She’d already gone through this sort of thing with her two daughters when they were young and not enjoyed it at all.
They’d now produced four children between them – and might produce more, for all she knew – and would probably expect her to keep attending in their place year after year while they carried on with their working lives. The arithmetic of that number of concerts made her gulp.
She should have refused to come today as the grandparents on the other side of the family had done. She had seen them refuse to attend nursery or school functions several times now. They simply smiled and said, ‘No, sorry, can’t make it this time.’
Why couldn’t she follow their example? Because she was a softie, that was why, and a pitiful liar, always had been. Her daughters knew her well enough to see through any attempts to say no.
There was another reason she should have refused. Experience had already taught her how variable these school concerts could be: occasionally excellent, mostly rather tedious and sometimes downright appalling, especially if the teacher hadn’t had any previous experience at organising musical events for young participants. Why was she so weak about saying no?7
The trouble was, Clo had asked her to go to the concert in front of Tommy and he’d looked at Simone with such happy expectation on his face that she hadn’t been able to refuse.
She was an idiot! Perhaps there was still time to leave.
Unfortunately, just as she was about to stand up and only fifteen minutes past the advertised starting time, an older teacher came out on the stage, smiled brightly at the captive audience and spoke into a faintly fizzing microphone. ‘Welcome to our school concert, everyone. I’m sure you’re going to enjoy it. Our Year 2 choir will start our show with a lovely song about the sea.’
Simone sank back on her chair with a sigh as a group of children filed on stage, shuffling and pushing one another. The teacher at the piano played the same note twice and sang it herself. This was clearly the signal to begin because the children began to yowl loudly, sounding more like a chorus of midnight cats than a group of human singers.
She winced. Half these children were too young to hold a complex tune like this. Whoever had chosen it had made a bad mistake.
She wriggled in another vain attempt to get comfortable. You’d think the school would provide bigger chairs for an adult audience. These were highly unsuitable for a woman in her fifties and she’d pinned up her hair too tightly. It was irritating her. She’d thought of having it cut but her daughters had both protested that she wouldn’t seem herself with short hair, and it hadn’t mattered enough to her.
The choir got tangled and faltered to a halt, so had to be restarted. She glanced along the row of fellow sufferers but could see no way of sneaking out without drawing 8attention to herself. She should just leave anyway but she didn’t quite like to do that. She was a coward.
The next item was a Year 1 class playing a variety of percussion ‘instruments’ allegedly in time with a recording. They didn’t have much sense of rhythm, but they were overflowing with enthusiasm for making a lot of noise.
Simone let her thoughts wander. Her husband had died suddenly four years ago and though she was used to living on her own now, it could be hard to do things like this alone.
She’d met a guy of her own age a couple of years ago and had enjoyed Phil’s company greatly until he moved in with her. He was definitely not domesticated, and she’d soon realised exactly why his ex-wife had left him.
Their cohabitation hadn’t even lasted three months. She wasn’t stupid enough to let anyone treat her like a servant and when he’d told her two weeks running that he was a bit short of money and couldn’t pay his share of the household bills ‘just yet’, that had been the final straw. She’d dumped his belongings on the front lawn while he was at work and had all the locks to the house changed.
‘Never mind,’ she’d said carelessly to her daughters when she told them, ‘I’ll be able to babysit for you more often.’
Big mistake. Since then she’d found herself in great demand. She loved her grandchildren dearly – how could you not? – but she wanted to do something more interesting with her life than sit watching TV while her grandchildren slept and their parents went out enjoying themselves.
To make matters worse, for the past year many of her friends and acquaintances had started introducing her to 9eligible men. Ha! There hadn’t been one she really fancied. But some of the men had taken a while to stop pestering her. With one or two, she suspected that was because she was financially independent rather than due to an overwhelming attraction.
People began applauding and she realised the concert had ended. Well, that was a relief anyway.
‘Weren’t they cute?’ the woman next to her said.
‘No. Dreadful.’ That got her several dirty looks from people nearby. Too bad. It was the worst school concert she’d ever attended.
When she went outside, she looked for Tommy, but he seemed to have vanished. Clo had said he’d catch the school bus at the usual time, so that Simone wouldn’t need to go out of her way to take him home afterwards.
The buses were all lined up with children bobbing about inside. The ones who’d been performing in the concert were running across the oval to join them, shrieking and yelling.
What a total waste of an afternoon!
She was wasting her life, too. She sat in the car, feeling depressed, wondering how to change that. There had to be a more meaningful way of spending her time.
When she got home, Simone stared at the row of family photos on her mantelpiece and the dreadful thought returned. Years of school concerts lay ahead of her.
Both her daughters and their partners worked full-time and didn’t go to many daytime school functions. And even the evening ones were usually too tiring after a day’s work. She frowned as it occurred to her yet again that they didn’t find it too tiring to go out in the evenings to cafés or friends’ 10houses, or even too expensive for all their claims of tight budgets. Partly thanks to her free babysitting, no doubt!
Did anyone run classes in how to tell white lies to family members whom you loved dearly but who were driving you mad? If so, she’d be the first to enrol.
The phone rang just as she was getting ready for bed, but she didn’t pick it up straight away. She listened to Deb leaving a message on the answerphone – another request for babysitting because a sudden wonderful opportunity had arisen for Deb and Logan the following evening.
‘You won’t believe it, Ma, but we’ve been given theatre tickets to a gala opening night, and there’s a reception afterwards, so you may as well sleep over because we’ll be late back.’
It was rare that Deb’s outings ended before midnight anyway, so what did ‘late’ mean this time? Simone was an early-to-bed person and staying up till the small hours disrupted the following day for her, because she woke around her normal time of 6 a.m. and struggled for lack of sleep.
She hesitated, hand hovering near the phone, then shook her head and made no attempt to pick it up as her daughter ended the call with a request to get back to her and confirm the arrangement.
‘No, thank you, Deb. I can’t face it,’ she said aloud.
Easy to say that now, but how was she going to say it to her daughter?
The following day the phone rang early in the morning. Simone checked who was calling before picking up and was delighted to accept a spur-of-the-moment invitation from 11her best friend, Libby, to go round for an Indian takeaway and drinks that evening.
She danced round the living room after she’d put down the phone. A genuine excuse for not babysitting this time. She could cope with refusing now. And Libby never tried to find her a new husband. Yeah!
Later, she left a message on Deb’s phone at a time she knew her daughter would be unable to pick it up because staff weren’t allowed to receive personal calls during working hours.
‘Hi, darling. Only just got your message as I had an early night. Sorry, but I can’t babysit for you tonight because I’m going out myself. Got to dash.’ She put the phone down hastily and backed away from it.
There was another phone call from Deb in the late afternoon. Once again Simone listened to the message being recorded and her heart sank.
‘Hi, Ma. Are you sure there’s absolutely no chance of you changing what you’re doing tonight? All my other babysitters are busy, and this is such a golden opportunity to see that play in style. Please take pity on us.’
Simone didn’t return the call in case she let herself be persuaded to change her plans. In fact, she left home a little early in case Deb called round in person to plead with her. That had happened before.
Her friend Libby opened the front door, beaming at her. ‘Oh, I’m glad you came early. I’m famished after running up and down those playing fields all day.’
‘You love running.’
Libby grinned. ‘Of course I do. I wouldn’t be a sports 12teacher otherwise, and it keeps me fit, but I do get tired sometimes by the end of the day. And hungry. We’ll order as soon as Greg gets home from work.’
She stopped talking to study Simone’s face. ‘Hey, what’s the matter?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Come on. I’ve known you since we were kids. I can recognise when you’re upset.’
Greg came in just then, but Libby wasn’t letting go. ‘Simone was about to tell me what’s upset her. Pour her a glass of wine and she can sleep over tonight so she doesn’t drink and drive. If anyone ever needed cheering up, it’s her.’
Simone leant back in her chair, relaxing as she always did with these two. ‘I’d love a glass of wine.’
When the food order had been phoned through, Libby said, ‘Right. Tell all.’
So Simone explained her dilemma, ending, ‘Am I being selfish?’
‘Not at all. It’s about time you made a stand. I know they love you and you love them, but your family are running you ragged, taking advantage of your kindness since you got rid of rat man. I’ve been wanting to give you a nudge about it for a few months now, but Greg kept saying it was none of my business.’
Simone felt tears come into her eyes. ‘You don’t think I’m being selfish, then?’
Libby came across to give her a hug. ‘No way.’
As they were settling down again, Greg snapped his fingers and exclaimed, ‘I’ve got it! I know exactly what you can do to change things, Simone.’13
The two women looked at him expectantly. Greg was a man of few words but rarely claimed what he couldn’t deliver.
‘A colleague of mine at work, Michael Westing, was asking only yesterday whether anyone knew a family who’d like to do a house swap for a few months. His in-laws in the UK want to come and stay in Australia for a while because his wife, who is their only child, is having her first baby. They have friends who do house swaps regularly and thought this might be a good, low-cost way to stay here, while still leaving their daughter and Michael their privacy.’ He beamed at her. ‘That might be just the thing for you.’
Simone gaped at him. ‘Swap my house with strangers? I don’t think so.’
‘Not complete strangers, friends of a friend. They’d swap both their house and car, and expect the same from you in return, so you’d get an overseas holiday at the cost of an air fare.’ He waited expectantly and when she didn’t say anything, added, ‘It’d be a perfect way for you to loosen the shackles of your loving family for a while.’
‘And for you to do something exciting,’ Libby put in. ‘After all, you’re from England originally so you can catch up with your relatives there.’
Simone stared from one to the other, still having trouble dealing with this idea. ‘I don’t know these relatives. We left the UK when I was six. That’s a crazy idea.’
Greg reached across to pat her hand. ‘Don’t be so hasty. You don’t have to decide this minute.’
But she wasn’t off the hook yet because Libby took over. ‘It’d do you good to get away, Simone. You gave up your job when Harvey died, so you’ve nothing to tie you down here.’14
‘Well, the business was dependent on Harvey’s skills. I only used to run the office. I couldn’t keep things going on my own without him and when I had a brilliant offer to buy it, I bit their hand off. My accountant agreed it was the right thing to do. And then there was all that insurance money. I’d not expected that much.’
‘I didn’t expect you to stay at home, though, Simone. I thought you’d get a part-time job, or do some charity work or something. Since you split up with rat man, you’ve almost turned into a hermit.’
‘I looked at Jobs Vacant sections when I’d got over things a bit. Part-time jobs aren’t usually very interesting. I don’t need to work so I don’t have to put up with doing something tedious. If I don’t go mad and spend all my money on extravagances, I need never go out to work again.’
‘That’s what rat man wanted you to do, wasn’t it? Stay home and wait on him hand and foot, as well as providing a house for him at zero cost.’
‘I thought we’d agreed that the least said about him the better. You were right about him and I was wrong. I’m well over that mistake.’ But she’d have trouble trusting anyone again.
‘Yes, I know, but I still get mad every time I think about him trying to take you for a ride. Admit it, though. You’re bored out of your mind half the time.’ Libby’s voice grew softer. ‘Don’t you think it’s time to spread your wings a little?’
Greg took over again. ‘Michael told me about the place where his in-laws live. It’s in a leisure village in Wiltshire and I’m sure you’d find it easier to make friends in a set-up like that.’15
‘What’s a leisure village?’
‘A small housing development on a campus of its own with a whole range of activities provided, rather like a miniature village. The other owners are mostly older people, apparently.’
‘Oh, retirement homes. I’ve looked at them here and the houses are tiny. It’d be like living in a cupboard.’
‘This isn’t like the Aussie retirement places. I’ve seen the photos and the houses at Penny Lake are quite big, and you’d have all sorts of activities available right on site. Owners pay an annual membership fee and take their pick from golf, a gym, a swimming pool, a hotel with restaurant and bar. Oh, and apparently there are lovely country walks near this one, as well as the lake it’s named after. You can just walk out of your front door and join in.’
‘That does sound rather nice.’ She enjoyed swimming, though not in the sea, which was too bumpy for her. And she’d been doing a lot of walking lately. It helped fill the time.
They waited and she couldn’t think what else to say.
Libby took over in a coaxing voice, ‘It sounds like a safe place for a woman on her own to live.’
Greg added, ‘The Dittons have only been living there for a few months. They love it and wouldn’t be leaving it and going overseas so soon after moving in if it weren’t for their first grandchild being on the way. Their daughter has been trying in vain to get pregnant for several years. They’re thrilled to pieces but she’s not been well, so has to rest a lot. Her parents want to help out without interfering too much.’
Simone had talked vaguely to Libby about finding something new to do with her life, but going away to 16England for a few months would be more than a bit OTT for a first step. The England she vaguely remembered from her childhood before her parents emigrated would have changed beyond recognition and she wouldn’t recognise a single one of her relatives now. Her parents hadn’t even taken photographs of them when they went back for a visit.
No, she couldn’t do it! Definitely not. She opened her mouth to say so but Greg got in first.
‘I know what, I’ll ask Michael and his wife to call round to your place tomorrow evening and show you the photos of her parents’ house. I’ve seen them and it looks lovely. They can suss out your house while they’re at it and send photos of it back to her parents. I’ll phone him now, shall I?’
As she hesitated, Libby nodded energetically at her, with that look on her face. No one could be as stubborn as her friend when she thought something was right, so Simone gave in. ‘It won’t hurt to see what’s involved, I suppose.’
‘And we’ll come round tomorrow too. I haven’t seen their photos, only heard about the place,’ Libby said. ‘Ah, there’s the doorbell. Our food must have arrived.’
They chatted about other things over the meal and Simone enjoyed her friends’ company as always. It was lovely to go somewhere and be sure no stray men would be joining them. If the samples of colourless, ageing manhood who had been trotted out to meet her so far were typical, she’d never want to remarry. However pleasant they’d been, none had attracted her in the slightest during the past couple of years.
Perhaps rat man had put her off men for good. She smiled. Funny how the nickname Libby had given him 17had stuck and defused some of her embarrassment. All Simone’s family and friends called him that now.
She wasn’t looking to remarry. Definitely not.
Only what was she going to do with her life? She didn’t know, only that she couldn’t go on like this, had to find something more.
When she went to bed, she looked in the mirror and told herself firmly that she wasn’t going so far away for several months. Definitely not. She’d make a show of considering it then refuse graciously.
Whatever Libby said or did.
Chapter Two
The following morning Simone went home as soon as she woke, not even staying for breakfast because Thursday was a working day for her friends.
As the day passed, she was even more certain that she wasn’t going to agree to a house swap, even if these people were pleasant and their relatives’ home looked like a beautiful advert. But she didn’t have their phone number and her friends were both at work. Anyway, she didn’t like to cancel at such short notice.
She felt increasingly nervous as the afternoon passed and was relieved when Libby turned up before the others to support her.
‘Greg’s coming with his friends, then he’ll drive me home.’ Libby brandished a bottle of Prosecco. ‘I brought this to celebrate the deal.’19
‘What deal?’
Libby stared at Simone. ‘Uh-oh! I know that expression of yours. You’ve already decided to refuse, haven’t you? Before you’ve even met them or seen photos of the house. Well, don’t you dare tell them no until you’ve seen what they have to offer and talked it over with me afterwards.’
‘But if I don’t—’
Libby held up one finger and waggled it at her. ‘No buts! You weren’t such a coward before, Simone. Harvey would be ashamed of you. And you couldn’t get a better time to go. It’ll be spring and summer there. You might not even see a winter this year.’
She froze. Only Libby would have dared say that to her. The trouble was, her friend was right. Simone was starting to worry herself at how timid she was getting these days about meeting new people or going to new places on her own. And yet she longed to change things – only how to do it? She seemed to be stuck in a rut, with a reasonably pleasant life and it wasn’t enough.
The doorbell rang just then and she went to open it. Greg introduced his friends, a pregnant woman and a man who kept shooting proud, fond glances at his wife.
‘Michael and Harriet, meet Simone, who’s known Libby since primary school, heaven help her.’
Harriet beamed at her. ‘I’m so glad to meet you, Simone. I do hope you’ll like the look of Mum and Dad’s house. It’s brand new and looks gorgeous. It would mean so much to me to have them here for the last few months and the birth.’
Simone mumbled something, not wanting to dent their happiness yet.20
Libby gave her a little shove. ‘You and I will show them round this house while Greg opens the bubbly.’
‘I have a bottle in the fridge, if we run out.’ She had a feeling she’d be drinking more than one glass.’
Simone led the way round the house and if she said so herself, it was looking good. Harvey would be proud of the way she’d looked after it.
Her visitors took dozens of photos with their phones as they went, oohing and aahing at how well it would suit Harriet’s parents, and what a nice feel it had.
After that Greg took Michael out to see the car, which would be included in the swap – if it took place.
Simone didn’t go out with them. What did she know about the technicalities of cars? They were tin boxes on wheels as far as she was concerned and what mattered most to her was the comfort of the seats and the effectiveness of the safety features.
Libby winked at her. She’d obviously guessed already that Simone was going to find it hard to spoil their delight. ‘How about us ladies make a start on the bubbly?’
‘Not for me.’ Harriet patted her slightly bulging stomach.
Simone got out some ginger beer for her visitor then accepted the glass of Prosecco her friend thrust into her hand and took a big gulp. It tasted lovely but it didn’t help her nervousness about refusing.
The men came back to join them and once they’d all got glasses they toasted the coming child and nibbled a few nuts, while the visitors began to show Simone photos of the house in England on an iPad. They started with an overview of Penny Lake Leisure Village, then panned slowly along Bob and Linda’s street to their brand-new 21house. Room by room they went through it then asked for Simone’s email address so they could send her a copy of the tour to review later.
As she, Libby and Michael accepted a second glass of bubbly, she had to admit to herself that it was a lovely house, not at all like the small retirement homes she’d seen in Western Australia. And the nearby countryside looked really pretty too, as did the small lake to one side of the leisure village.
When Simone had finished looking through the photos, Libby took charge. ‘Simone will get back to you within twenty-four hours. It’s a big decision to make … in her circumstances.’
Their faces fell and Simone felt guilty as she saw tears of disappointment tremble in Harriet’s eyes. The two of them left soon afterwards.
Once they’d gone, Greg exchanged glances with his wife and went out to their car, saying, ‘I’ll listen to the car radio while I wait for you girls to have a little chat.’
Libby held up one hand to stop Simone speaking. ‘All I ask is that you think about it. Right? I’ll come round tomorrow after work and we’ll have a chat before you contact them.’
‘But I already know that I don’t want to—’
‘Shh. Do not decide now, think about it really carefully. You’re surely not going to waste a golden opportunity because of being nervous? They don’t have fire-breathing dragons roaming wild in Wiltshire, you know. It’s a beautiful rural county with some lovely places to visit – including Stonehenge. And remember, you have family in that part of England as well. Ask your parents what it’s like.’22
She shrugged. Her parents were off touring in their caravan and would be mostly out of touch for a few weeks, roughing it. She knew they’d visited some of their British relatives but they hadn’t said much about them. Anyway, she wasn’t going to England, so she wouldn’t need to contact her parents about that, would she?
Libby gave her a hug. ‘See you after work tomorrow. And don’t you dare break your promise to me.’
As her friends drove off Simone said aloud, ‘You should have stuck to your guns, you fool, and said no straight away.’
She was going to be very firm with Libby tomorrow. Definitely. She’d rehearse what to say until she was word perfect and stick to it. She could manage that, surely? Libby was her best friend, after all. She’d understand.
But it wouldn’t hurt to look at the leisure village and the house again. It’d be something to do. This house could feel so empty after guests had left.
The following day Simone couldn’t settle to anything. Libby was right about one thing. It would be foolish to dismiss the idea of a house exchange out of hand.
She made a cup of coffee and sat stirring it, trying to look at the situation objectively. It was certainly a cheaper way to take an overseas holiday. Could she do it, though? Swap houses and go to stay in England for a few months? It seemed a strange idea to live in someone else’s home among all their possessions – not to mention letting them into your home in return. She’d never considered doing anything remotely like that before.
Well, she had nothing to be ashamed of. She looked 23after her home and anyway, she could put away her most precious objects.
She’d been too young when her family left England to remember that country clearly and had only seen it since in photos or on television, not noticing a lot because she wasn’t really interested. Picking up the cup, she took it across to her computer and sipped as she searched for images of Wiltshire.
Wow! It did look to be a beautiful county. She studied the green, lush fields of ripe crops, the picturesque houses and villages, and wondered why she’d never gone on holiday to England. Her parents had done it a couple of times, combining it with a round-the-world trip each time. They’d been full of themselves when they got back and had urged her and Harvey to do it too.
But they hadn’t said much about the relatives there.
She knew why she hadn’t gone: because Harvey hated flying. And because it hadn’t mattered much to her. After all, her parents and daughters were here in Australia. Harvey didn’t have any close relatives left, but he was very close to their girls and to her parents.
If she went, she’d be so far away, on the other side of the world. How could she bear not to see her family for months? Especially the grandchildren, who were shooting up fast.
And look how lonely she got even here sometimes. Evenings were the worst part of the day when you lived alone. They’d be far worse in a place where she didn’t know anyone at all, she was sure.
She shivered suddenly as she thought of the practicalities of what an exchange would involve: not 24only learning to use equipment and manage a stranger’s house, but driving around in a strange country. No, she couldn’t do that on her own.
But how did she say a convincing no to Libby when her friend was right about one thing: it was the sort of offer most people would have grabbed with both hands?
She went into the kitchen to get herself another cup of coffee before watching the early evening news, something she always did. Then she remembered there had been some Prosecco left last night. Libby had capped the second bottle and put it in the fridge. Oh, what the hell? It was a bit early to start drinking but if she’d ever deserved a comforting glass of wine it was now.
She poured some, pleased that it was still fizzy. She checked the label. She’d remember it because this one was particularly nice, not too dry and acidic.
As she reached for the remote to switch on the television, the doorbell rang and her daughters came in without waiting to be asked. They knew she kept the front door locked so always came with keys at the ready. She wished they’d not barge in like that, but hadn’t liked to make a point of it. They wouldn’t have done it when their father was alive, though.
‘We’ve been doing the week’s grocery shopping and thought we’d stop off on the way back and have a cup of coffee with you, Ma. The guys can look after the kids for a bit longer today.’ Clo walked across the kitchen and put the kettle on.
Deb kissed the air near Simone’s left ear. ‘I was a bit worried when you weren’t available to babysit the other night. Are you all right, Ma?’25
‘Of course I am. I went round to Libby’s on Wednesday and stayed over, that’s all. We had a great time.’
‘Well! You really should check your phone more often. I’d been trying to get in touch with you. You could easily have gone to Libby’s another night and babysat for us instead. We missed out on a very special evening.’
That assumption annoyed her. ‘I’d been looking forward to going out that night. It wouldn’t have suited me to have missed out. Why do you always think my wishes are less important than yours?’
They both gaped at that.
‘As for checking my phone, Libby and I always switch them off when we want a good old natter. Anyway, it’s rude to answer a call from someone else when you’re visiting people so I wouldn’t have checked for messages anyway. We’re not all glued to our phones twenty-four seven, you know.’
Clo gave her a scornful glance as if she thought her mother was being stupid. ‘Talking of Libby, she rang me at work at lunchtime and asked me to help her persuade you to accept an invitation to stay in the UK.’
‘What?’
‘You weren’t really considering it, were you, Ma?’
‘Well, I—’
‘Because you aren’t the travelling type and you’re so naïve about the world outside Australia. I hate to think how people would take advantage of you.’
They both stared at her, waiting for the expected agreement with that and frowning at one another when she didn’t say anything. She picked up her glass and took a defiant gulp.26
‘You don’t usually sit drinking on your own at this time of day, either,’ Clo added disapprovingly, ‘so you must be upset. Libby should know you better than to try to push you into it, shouldn’t even have suggested you do something like that.’
Simone opened her mouth to explain but just then Deb’s phone warbled its annoyingly loud jangle and of course she immediately took it out of her bag to answer it. She was as programmed as one of Pavlov’s dogs.
Quod erat demonstrandum, she thought angrily. One of Harvey’s favourite Latin quotes and Deb had just demonstrated the truth of that programming. Her younger daughter had picked up the call automatically, not even thinking about how rude that might be, and then walked out into the hall to answer it. Clo would have done exactly the same.
They did it all the time, interrupting conversations with their mother to chat to distant friends.
Why had she put up with it for so long?
She took another mouthful of wine and got more disapproving glances from both of them as Deb came back into the kitchen. She’d thought they’d got over their latest health kick about not drinking alcohol at all during the week. Apparently not.
‘Don’t let Libby push you into anything, Ma,’ Clo said soothingly. You know it wouldn’t suit you and you have trouble saying no to her. That’s probably why you’re drinking so early.’
‘I’m drinking because I enjoy an occasional glass of wine in the evening. I am not the one who gave up drinking during the week. That’s your choice. I don’t 27drink enough to need rules, thank you very much.’
They rolled their eyes at one another, then Deb said in the tone of one clinching an argument, ‘Anyway, I’m sure Dad wouldn’t have wanted you to travel so far on your own.’
‘Your father’s been gone for four years now and much as I miss him, I’m well past running my life by what he would have wanted. Besides, I’m more than due a holiday, don’t you think? You all go somewhere each year. Why shouldn’t I?’
‘We’ll take you to Bali next year and have a nice family holiday together. We were only talking about it the other day.’
And they’d expect her to babysit the kids every evening while they were there, Simone thought bitterly. Like that family weekend in Busselton they’d all had last year. She’d been left to sit around quietly in a hotel room in the evenings with a book to read, keeping an eye on the children. She’d been gobsmacked that the weekend away she’d looked forward to and bought new clothes for was just more babysitting.
But she hadn’t complained or refused to do it, had she? She had to learn to assert herself or she’d turn into a cabbage.
The words were out before she thought the consequences through. ‘A holiday in England sounds somewhat more exciting than one in Bali, don’t you think?’
They both gaped at her as if she’d suddenly spoken a foreign language.
‘Ma, have you gone mad? You’d hate it, you know you would.’28
That was the final straw. ‘Why would I hate it? Wiltshire is where Nana and Pops come from. We still have relatives there. It’s a lovely part of England.’
‘You always said you didn’t remember much about it.’
‘I’ve been looking it up online. I need to get out of my rut and this is a really great offer.’ She saw Clo look at her scornfully and start to open her mouth, so said slowly and clearly, ‘I’m definitely going.’
They immediately started trying to talk her out of it, and the more they said the more they persuaded her to do the opposite.
So she was useless at finding her way round new places, was she? Wrong. Why did they think that?
And she liked a quiet life, did she? It hadn’t always been this quiet, though. It was damned near silent half the time these days and she was fed up with it.
She was a bit old for adventures. She glanced at her image in a mirror. Not exactly elderly at fifty-six. A bit plump, maybe, for this scraggy generation’s taste, but that filled the wrinkles nicely, she and Libby always joked.
She’d miss the grandchildren more than she realised, surely? Well, of course she would, but not as much as her daughters would miss the free babysitting. Oh, no!
And finally, she’d be terrified of driving in England.
That was the final straw. She raised her voice, cutting off Deb’s next remark. ‘Why do you say that? I have an unblemished driving record and I used to drive Harvey all over the place, in other parts of Australia as well as here in Perth. I wasn’t afraid in Sydney’s traffic snarls, but he was. Even rat man said I was a good driver.’
They rolled their eyes at one another yet again, and 29Clo used her soothing tone as if speaking to a child. ‘Calm down, Ma. See how it’s upsetting you already.’
‘See how you two are upsetting me, you mean. You’ll be buying me a shawl and a rocking chair next, and chaining me in a corner in case I lose my way round the house.’
‘Look, we—’
The front doorbell rang and she bounced to her feet to answer it. ‘Ah, Libby. Do come in. I was just telling Clo and Deb how much I’m looking forward to my trip to England.’
Libby hugged her and danced her round the kitchen–diner area. ‘So they persuaded you to go, did they? Well done, girls.’ She beamed at the two younger women.
Simone kept hold of her friend’s arm and gave it a hard squeeze. ‘On the contrary. They don’t think I could cope with it, me being such a timid, elderly moron.’
‘We know she’d be out of her depth going on her own,’ Clo said firmly. ‘Come on, Ma. I know it’s tempting but you really aren’t the sort to go gallivanting around a foreign country alone.’
‘Not all that foreign. I still have dual nationality.’
Libby gave Simone an understanding squeeze of the arm in return. ‘Good for you.’
‘I’ll be fine tottering round but maybe it’ll make you two happy if I buy a Zimmer frame to take with me.’
Though Simone had meant it as a sort of joke, she heard the sharp edge to her voice. ‘As soon as you girls have left I’m going to ring up Michael and Harriet and tell them I’d love to do the swap as soon as possible. I promised them I’d call with my answer this evening.’
‘Phone them now.’ Libby held out her mobile and gave 30Simone a challenging look. ‘This is Michael’s number.’ She tapped something on her phone and handed it over as it began ringing.
‘Ma, at least sleep on it. You don’t want to do something you’ll regret,’ Clo said urgently, reaching out as if to take the phone away.
Simone moved further away. ‘I’ve slept on it once. Do I keep sleeping on it till someone else takes up the offer? Ah, Michael. Simone here. I’d like to take up your in-laws’ offer of a house and car swap.’
She heard him call out to his wife, ‘Harriet, she’s going to do it!’
Excited distant squealing made her smile. It was good to make someone happy.
‘Look, Michael, I’ve got my daughters here. Can I ring you later to discuss the timing and the details?’
As she ended the call, her daughters picked up their shoulder bags, radiating outrage.
‘Well, it’s your own decision, Ma, and I just hope you don’t regret it,’ Clo said loudly and slowly.
‘We’d better get going.’ Deb did a kissy-kissy in mid-air as usual. Heaven forbid she should actually touch anyone and smudge her make-up. Even her children knew better than to do that to their mother, young as they were. You’d think she was going into battle and needed war paint the way she got ready for work each day.
Clo sniffed disapprovingly. ‘I still think you’re rushing into this without thinking it through properly, Ma. But on your own head be it.’
‘Of course it’s on my own head what I do with my life. Did you think you were in charge of it?’31
She waited till she’d waved them goodbye to come back and collapse into her favourite armchair. Looking across at Libby, she asked faintly, ‘What have I done?’
‘Stood up for yourself. Go get ’em, girlfriend!’
‘I need another glass of wine. Join me?’ She wasn’t going to change her decision or she’d never hear the last of it, but oh, she was suddenly quite terrified.
‘Just give me half a glass. I’m driving.’ Libby grinned. ‘Bossy, aren’t they, your girls?’
‘Yes. And so are you.’ Then she giggled suddenly. ‘Did you see their faces?’
They both howled with laughter then raised their glasses in a toast.
‘To England!’
‘To a wonderful holiday!’
Chapter Three
Harriet came to see Simone the following morning to go through the basic arrangements, and they agreed to start the swap towards the end of May. This would be well into spring in Wiltshire and the countryside would be lovely by then.
Simone went to have a preliminary chat with a travel agent but decided not to make a booking until she got a firm date from the Dittons.
Harriet phoned three days later very early in the morning. ‘Are you free? Something interesting has come up that I’d like to discuss.’
‘Sure. Why don’t you come round now?’
After the call ended, Simone hastily put the tins of food back into the kitchen cupboard she’d been cleaning out and 33tidied everything up. If she was going to let someone else live in her home for several months, she was determined that every corner of it would be immaculate.
When she heard a car pull up in the drive, she peeped out of the window, then went to open the front door before Harriet could get there. ‘Come in and sit down. Can I get you a cup of coffee or something?’
‘No, thanks. But I will sit down.’ She gestured towards the laptop she was carrying. ‘Could we sit at a table? I want to show you something.’
Puzzled, Simone did as her visitor had asked and waited while Harriet got online.
‘I’ll get straight to the point. My parents have found a super-special price for a business class flight and want to come sooner than we’d arranged. Any chance of you agreeing to that?’
‘How much sooner?’
‘This week.’
The silence was deafening. She couldn’t think what to say and managed only a feeble, ‘When this week?’
‘Saturday.’
‘That’s only four days from now and I still have to book a flight.’
‘That’s why I wanted to come round. I have the details of the website they found where there are super-specials on international flights, some of them due to last-minute cancellations. How about we look at it now and see if we can find you a cheaper flight too? If not, there’s no problem. They can still come early and stay with us till you’re ready to leave.’
Since she’d found out the prices, Simone had been 34hesitating as to whether to book business class or not, because she was tall enough to find economy class seats very uncomfortable. But the super-specials for flights available in the short term on this site made her gasp. Wow! They’d save her a big chunk of money and make business class seem far less eye-watering in cost.
Then she noticed a cancellation offer blink abruptly into place. It was for tonight at quarter to seven from Perth airport, arriving in London just after five the next morning. If she could leave then, she’d save $3,000 on her return fare and get a non-stop flight. ‘Look at that!’ She pointed to the screen.
Harriet whistled and looked at her.
Simone took a deep breath and clicked on the icon to say she was interested before anyone else could do it. ‘You’re right about bargains.’ Then she thought about the practicalities. ‘But how can I go so quickly when I haven’t done what’s needed to get the house ready?’
‘It looks immaculate to me. Leave the food in the fridge as is and they’ll do the same for you. You can both eat up whatever’s left. And if you don’t mind, Michael and I can move things out of your wardrobe and drawers and take notes about what we put where.’
‘I can do that part of it in an hour or so if I just dump my things in the empty drawers and wardrobes in the other bedrooms. I had a pretty good clear-out of my own things after my husband died a few years ago, you see. I don’t want anyone to have to clear out my years of rubbish, as I had to do for Harvey.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I’ll do it. Let me get my credit card.’
She grabbed her bag from the kitchen and was back in 35a minute, taking out her purse on the way. She completed the cancellation offer there and then, because she doubted she’d find another special as good as this one. The travel agent had already told her the non-stop flights were booked up months in advance and the Dittons would have to change planes midway. Her flight would arrive in the UK two days before they were due to leave, given the time differences.
‘Perfect!’ Harriet said. ‘My parents can pick you up from the airport and take you to their house, and you can drop them at my aunt’s house the day before their flight. She lives near Heathrow. If you don’t mind, I’m sure she’d like to come and stay with them here.’
‘I don’t mind at all.’
Harriet hesitated, then gave Simone a quick hug, looking suddenly tearful. ‘I can’t tell you how much this means to me, how grateful I am to you.’
Simone returned the younger woman’s hug. ‘I’m glad. And I do hope it’ll help your pregnancy go more smoothly to have your parents with you.’
‘Thanks. Look, if we go round the house now, you can explain how everything works and I’ll take notes.’
‘Good idea. Though it’s all very straightforward. I don’t go in for fancy gadgets.’
‘We can take you to the airport this afternoon. What time do you want to leave home?’
‘I’d like to get there about three hours before the flight leaves. And can Michael deal with my car, show them about driving it, I mean? My insurance covers any driver I nominate, but there will be road tax due in a couple of months.’36
‘He’ll be on to that. And I’ll get Dad to cover your car insurance in England.’
They went round the reverse cycle air conditioning and other appliances, with Harriet taking notes but, as Simone had said, there was nothing fancy or difficult.
‘We’ll be able to get in touch easily if anything else crops up. And my parents will look after your house, I promise.’
‘Yes, of course. As I’ll look after theirs.’
‘I can see that. Yours is immaculate.’
Simone didn’t let herself smile. She could make her house look immaculate in a few minutes. Had perfected that when the kids were little.
Once Harriet had driven away Simone went along to her bedroom and proceeded to give her pillow a good pummelling, which was one of the best ways she knew to relieve severe stress.
She felt as if fate had grabbed her firmly by the scruff of the neck and was sending her to England ‘will-she, nill-she’ to paraphrase Shakespeare.
Then she pulled herself together and started on the practicalities, removing her sheets and putting them on to wash before returning to the bedroom to pack two suitcases and her backpack. Fortunately she’d already mentally sorted out the clothes she was taking. She’d need some of her winter stuff from here in Australia as well, because it could be cool in England, even in spring. And if she needed anything else she could buy it there.
Thank goodness there was an increased baggage weight allowance in business class, so she could fit quite a lot in. After she’d packed she’d clear out her wardrobe.37
On a sudden thought, she sent a text to her daughters and Libby, saying it was very urgent she see them as she was leaving for the UK TONIGHT!!! (in capital letters and bold). Could they get off work a bit early?
By the time they were due, she’d dried the sheets and remade the bed, packed all her bits and pieces into the hand luggage, got her laptop and phone ready and was going round the house checking every room.
Clo was the first to arrive. ‘What’s up, Ma?’
‘I’ll tell you all at once.’
Clo looked at her watch and gave one of her aggrieved sighs. Fortunately Deb and Libby arrived soon afterwards.
‘Good thing I didn’t have a class,’ Libby said cheerfully. ‘I claimed a family emergency and left early.’
When Simone told them how quickly she was leaving, her daughters looked at one another in horror and Libby beamed at her.
‘I didn’t think you’d go through with it, Ma,’ Deb muttered.
Join the club. Neither did I
