5 Peppermint Grove (12 page)

“Yes, I think you’d be happier and cooler beside the sea.
Mosman Park is good and City Beach . . .” Angela paused. “And then there’s the likes of Peppermint Grove.”

Ruth’s ears pricked up as she poured boiling water into the mugs.

“Oh, what a lovely name for a place!” she said, prodding her mother to tell more.

“Did any of your friends live there?”

Angela shook her head and wrapped her palms around the china mug as Ruth handed it to her. “Peppermint Grove is an exclusive suburb . . .” She paused as she took a sip from her mug, then added briskly, “On second thoughts I think a young woman like you would be better off in the city centre.”

Ruth wished she had more time to talk with her mother and in two days she would be gone. But she knew from her mother’s body language that there was only so much she would divulge.

Julia stirred the ratatouille and waited for the doorbell to ring. She intended to really enjoy this meal as it would be their last together before Ruth’s departure to
Perth.

It would be nice to send her friend off with a meaningful memento. She thought about the best gift that she could give – it would have to be easy to transport and durable. She remembered times they had spent together as little girls. They used to go to tap-dancing classes every Saturday morning and performed in a show. If only she could find something from that time that Ruth could easily transport with her to
Australia. She went into the study and took one of the photo albums down from the shelf. Her father had documented so much of her young life with great precision from behind the lens of his camera. There was bound to be a perfect photograph somewhere. The first photograph was of the two standing beside a slide in their friend Clodagh’s house. They couldn’t have been more than nine years of age. The next page showed a photograph of Julia with her cousins – Michael was standing in the background with a hose in his hands. Julia recalled Michael drenching them all under a cascade of water seconds later. On the next page she saw a photograph that she had never seen before – it was so poignant that it brought a tear to her eye. Two little pairs of silver tap-dancing shoes laced with pink ribbons resting neatly at the end of the stairs beside each other. Her father must have taken it without her knowing and somehow it said more than all the photographs of the other friends and family members. Julia remembered seeing an offer on the internet for business-cards key-rings and other printed items. She would scan this photograph into her computer in work and make the perfect key-ring so that both of them could have a copy.

Suddenly she smelt something burning and dashed back to the kitchen to tend to the ratatouille. At that moment the doorbell rang but Horatio was in the hallway and went to open it first. Horatio loved Ruth – the two friends had spent many evenings in his home when his wife was alive and, although the years had passed and she was now a woman, he still saw her as a little girl.

Horatio smiled. “It’s lovely to see you, Ruth. My goodness, 2012 is going to be a wonderful year for you – think of all the adventure you’ll have!”

With that, Julia appeared. “What are you saying now, Granddad?” She gave Ruth a kiss on the cheek.

“I’m only telling her what she already knows!” the old man laughed.

Julia led the way back into the kitchen. She went to the oven and opened the door.

“Are you going to have some of this, Granddad?”

“I had a ham sandwich earlier,” Horatio said with a smile. “Anyway, I’m sure you girls have lots to talk about that you won’t want an old man to hear!”

Julia pretended to take umbrage at his words but he just playfully brushed his palm against the side of her hair and went into his room which was purpose-built for all his needs and backing onto the kitchen.

“You’re so lucky to have a granddad,” Ruth said. “I never knew either of mine!”

Julia nodded her head. Family were so important to her. Sometimes to the point that she couldn’t contemplate ever having children of her own because she would be so concerned about them all of the time.

The two women sat at the kitchen table and Julia dished out the pasta bake and ratatouille.

“I’m going to miss this!” Ruth sighed.

“I’m sure they have ratatouille in
Australia,” Julia said brightly, even though inside she felt a knot in her stomach.

Ruth giggled and appreciated her friend’s attempt to make light of their situation. “I’ve always been able to pick up the phone and see you in a matter of minutes.”

“And now you’ll just have to Skype me in the same way as Michael does and all of my other friends who are scattered around the world.”

Ruth rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know how I’ll cope being apart from Ian – he said that he’ll try and come visit in February.”

Julia rolled her eyes. “You might meet a fantastic hunky Aussie!”

Suddenly the kitchen door swung open and Horatio hobbled over to the kettle.

“I’m sorry, girls – do you mind if I make a cup of tea?”

Julia jumped up and went over to help her grandfather.

“I’m fine, Julia – sit back down there with Ruth.” Horatio chuckled. “She’d have me in the knacker’s yard, Ruth, stopping me from doing my bits and pieces.” He paused. “So why the sad faces?”

“I’m going to miss home, Mr Daly. But Julia was just talking about the opportunities I’ll have.”

Horatio nodded his head vehemently. “And this is something I have to say she is right about. Travel is the greatest way to broaden the mind. Sure, isn’t it my greatest regret that I never left the old sod myself. I’ve seen generations of young Irish people on the telly and their stories in the newspapers and I’ve envied every one of them going off to find adventure and a new start in another part of the world.”

Julia was aghast. “You never said anything like that before, Granddad. I always thought that you were a home-bird.”

“Sure, didn’t I try and get your grandmother to move several times and try out different places – but she wasn’t happy unless she was a five-minute walk from her mother. It’s only when you get to my age that you realise how quickly life passes you by and all of that time – that wonderful time that you think you have plenty of – it just flitters through your fingers like sand in an hourglass. So go and be happy and have adventure and taste all that life has to offer, young Ruth.”

“Oh, I’m only going for two years, Mr Daly. It’s just a change of scene and, well, it seems to be a positive career move.”

Horatio tilted his head and grinned. “You never know what lies waiting for you in Australia. I’ve read
The Thorn Birds
, you know – watched
The Sullivans
for years – it was one of your grandmother’s favourite programmes, Julia. But it’s not like long ago – sure, you’re only a phone call away on the computer – all of you young people do Skype.”

“That’s what I was just saying!” Julia agreed.

“And there was a fella on
The Joe Duffy Show
only yesterday, saying that he reads a goodnight story every single evening to his grandchildren who live across the world in Sydney. He does it after his breakfast and sure they are all delighted with the routine.”

“Really?” Ruth laughed. “Well, I guess I’m not surprised – plenty of the older generation use the internet.”

“And speaking of someone who is always on the internet – where is your mother?” Horatio asked Julia.

“Oh, it’s her bridge night tonight.”

“I suppose we should be grateful that she’s playing with real people at least,” the old man said with a roll of his eyes. “Now I’ll make my brew and leave you in peace.”

“I’ll bring it in to you, Granddad,” Julia smiled.

“Alright – but remember what I said, Ruth – you won’t get this time back. How I’d love to be going off with you and be fifty years younger! There’s many the country that was made by the labour and drive of the Irish emigrant. We come into our own when we go off to other countries. It’s how we’ll get out of this stupid recession the politicians have put us in!”

Horatio shuffled back to his room.

“He’s a wise old man,” Ruth said with a sigh. “It’s not like I’m going away for ever.”

“Exactly. It’s only a two-year contract – you will be back before you know it.”

“Do you think your granddad is right?”

“About coming into our own when we move abroad?”

“Everything he said really – is it in our psyche?”

Julia shook her head. “I think he always felt that Granny held him back. But maybe there’s something in what he said – don’t forget my father lived in
New York for a few years before he married my mum. It certainly made a difference for him and his business skills.”

“Did you never consider living abroad, Julia? I mean, we never even took up our J1

Visas when we were in college.”

“That’s because we had it too cushy here!”

Julia giggled. “Because my dad paid us too much to work for him! But I don’t regret the time I spent with him – he’s gone now and all of the factory jobs in Boston and New York are still there and I’ve been to the States for work plenty of times with Perrin Travel. So, you see, we’ll get to see the world one way or another, Ruth, and I will make sure that I come to Perth to see you as soon as I can.”

Ruth stopped eating. “Oh, would you, Julia? I would love that so much!”

“Of course I will – I have a plan already to expand the business with the new route open through the Middle East. It will make such a difference to Irish travellers going to Western Australia and at the moment Perth is the place to be.”

“So when are you thinking of coming over?”

“February is a good month for me – so many people book their holidays in January I like to be around and I’ve the holiday fair to supervise but I could slip away for a week or two in Feb and the business will be fine.”

Ruth’s eyes started to water. “You’ve no idea how happy that makes me – I’m not going to know a soul down there.”

“It’s strange, don’t you think, that your mother has no contact with anyone from the time that she spent living in Perth?”

“Very odd!” Ruth agreed. “And I’ve wondered why my mum is so slow to tell about the time that she spent there. In fact, I was only talking to her about it before coming here.”

“Did she tell you anything?”

Ruth shook her head. “But I was putting some keepsakes up in the attic and there was an envelope that she had hidden there with the address of a place in
Australia – Peppermint Grove.”

“Oh, what a lovely name – I bet it’s some romantic little cove filled with wooden cottages with verandas out the front and roses in the gardens.”

“It does conjure up all sorts of images – but I Googled it before coming here and the houses are all palatial mansions – it must have been millionaire’s row when Mum lived in Perth.”

“Wouldn’t it be great to find out more?” said Julia.

“I’d love to know what was in the envelope. And she also kept her diaries from that time!”

“Oh, Ruth, you have to ask your mother about it before you go! Did she live there?”

“Apparently not. I’ll try to get her to tell me but I’ve only got a couple of days to do it!”

But still Ruth wondered why Angela disliked
Australia so much. When she got to Perth she might have a better understanding why.

Chapter Fifteen

Julia had been dreading this moment. She had never been apart from Ruth for more than a few weeks and, although Ruth’s contract was for only two years, things didn’t always go to plan and there was always the chance that she would stay longer. Of course if Ruth did meet someone and decide to settle in Perth it would be a wonderful outcome because Ian would finally be out of her friend’s life. But it was also a high price for her to pay.

Julia pulled on her coat and grabbed her car keys. She had to have her friend in the Departures lounge no later than
11.20 a.m.

The sky was heavy, with thick grey clouds hanging over
Dublin Bay. Sprinkles of rain fell on the windscreen of her Audi. She hoped that she could hold it together for Ruth’s sake. It was unlike her to feel so emotional but it wasn’t every day that she said goodbye to her best friend.

The front door was open and Angela was dragging a case out to the porch. Julia could feel her sadness as she got to the front door.

“Oh Julia, what are we going to do without her?”

“We won’t feel the time passing, Angela,” Julia said with a smile. “And maybe you’ll pop out to see her soon.”

“If I can get her father to make a move I’ll definitely be there before the year is out. But I’m glad that you’ll be going out soon to check up on her – when exactly are you going?”

“The first week of February. She’ll be well settled by then, I’d imagine.”

Angela nodded with a tight-lipped smile. “You’d better come on in – she’s still putting the last few bits and pieces into her case.”

Julia followed Angela up the stairs and into Ruth’s bedroom.

Ruth was sitting in the middle of the floor surrounded by bottles of liquid soap and towels.