5 Peppermint Grove (15 page)

Steve took control of cooking the meat. Like at home in
Dublin, Ruth noted that it was very much the man’s job but all the hard work and preparation had been done by his wife Michelle. She was a small woman with a big smile and Ruth liked her instantly. Her little boy and girl were aged eight and nine and the picture of health and happiness. She could see already the benefits of raising a family in this healthy lifestyle. One of Steve’s neighbours came over and introduced herself.

“I’m Anna – Steve told us that you were coming over – hope you like it here.”

Her accent was distinctly English.

“Thanks very much – what part of
England are you from?”

“The midlands. We’ve been here twenty years and we love it – meet my husband John.”

Ruth was swamped by friendly faces and stories of how happy and good life was in Perth. She didn’t think of Ian once all evening and was looking forward to starting work on Monday. It couldn’t have been made easier for her.

Chapter Eighteen

Julia didn’t feel as keen as she had been the night before to invest her time in matchmaking. She knew Gillian didn’t really suit Dylan – but she couldn’t go back on her word and disappoint her. Odette was delighted to hear that she would be coming along for the quiz and she would do her best to make the most of the evening. She had arranged to meet Gillian later at Malahide DART station. 

But first she would write a response to Michael’s email. She opened her mailbox to find one from him already there.

Julia, I didn’t do as you told me to! I answered the email and put my heart on the line. I asked her to come out to
Singapore and said that I would marry her and take care of her and do everything in my power to make her the happiest woman in the world. Anyway she responded to me with this. Hope you are having a good weekend.

With dread and trepidation Julia continued to read.

Dear Michael

It was really good to see you at Christmas and I’m sorry if I gave you any impression that there was any future for us. I needed to see you to be sure of my feelings for Peter. I didn’t mean to be cruel but I knew that if Peter wasn’t the one for me I would want to be with you again. I’m sorry to hurt your feelings and thanks for the lovely offer but I am happy in Ireland – yes, the job situation stinks and people are under pressure with huge debt and the weather is gloomy but it’s where I want to live and stay. It’s my home and I want to be with someone who loves and appreciates the things that I do. I’m not interested in running away or dreaming of bright lights in some far-off place – I like the lights here in
Dublin.

I also have found in Peter someone that I can trust and depend upon and you have hurt me in the past and I cannot trust that the same will not happen again. I hope you find someone that will make you as happy as I am now. It might be best if we don’t keep in touch.

Have a good life

Lydia
 

“
Eek!
” Julia found herself saying out loud. Michael had asked for that particular bruising and if only he had bided his time the way that she had suggested there might have been a door left open. But he had really blown it this time and given Lydia the much-needed revenge that she obviously needed to wreak!

There was no way to console Michael – he was a big boy now. She would give him a call when she got home from the yacht club.

Chapter Nineteen

Ruth was fading and jet lag was setting in. There were four text messages from Ian on her phone apologising in different ways for standing her up at the Duty Free but she didn’t answer them. She was too disoriented and each step she took felt like she was taking it on the surface of the moon.

Steve came over and whispered in her ear.

“I think you might be exhausted but too polite to say – do you want me to take you home?”

Ruth wanted to stay longer – she had met so many lovely people and was enjoying the big welcome but her eyelids were dropping.

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

“People will be leaving the barbie soon – we don’t stay up late – we’re are all early risers!”

Ruth thanked her hostess and said goodbye.

Steve was already in the Landcruiser with the engine started.

“You’ll probably want to get your bearings tomorrow and rest some more. I can pick you up on Monday and show you the office – then we have an intro lunch at Sandalford. I hope you’ll be happy here, Ruth.”

Ruth smiled. “I think I’m going to love it here.”

But when she had said goodnight to Steve and gone into her new home, her mood changed. She suddenly felt very alone. Julia wasn’t just a couple of miles away if she needed to see her for any reason. Her parents were so far away too. She looked at her watch and the realisation that it was only the afternoon in
Ireland hit her. She would be operating on a totally different timeframe and there would only be a few hours in the morning and at night when it would be convenient to ring home. She heard a creak from the wooden floorboards and jumped.

The kitchen was devoid of clutter. She opened the fridge and there was a variety of essential foods on the shelves including milk, butter, eggs and even some bacon. She smiled at Steve’s thoughtfulness and went over to the bread bin where a sliced pan, some biscuits, coffee and tea were placed beside a box of cereal. She poured herself a glass of water and turned on as many lights in the house as she could. She found herself checking that the back door was locked and looking at the latches on all of the window frames. It was unlike her to be nervous as she was used to sleeping on her own but she was in a completely different world.

Since her second wind had kicked in, she decided to unpack everything that she had brought. As she carefully removed the padding from the picture frames that contained photographs of her family at her younger brother’s wedding she felt some tears well up inside. Another frame containing photos of Julia and her in their younger years brought the tears to the surface. How could she be feeling homesick so soon – surely that wasn’t natural? Another strange noise – this time from the air-conditioning – made her jump. There would be a lot to get used to. With care she took each parcel and item from the case and tried to find a place for them.

After another hour jet lag had truly set in and she was feeling woolly and clumsier with each move that she made. This must be what it feels like to be an astronaut, she thought as she placed her toilet bag on the dressing table and knocked over the china pig moneybox that Julia had made for her when they were children. Ruth let out a wail and fell onto her knees. She tried to fix the broken pieces of china but it was beyond repair. For years the little pig had rested on her dressing table collecting loose change and now, when she really wanted something familiar from home, it was gone.

It was time to leave the unpacking and try to get some sleep.

She looked at her phone and saw that there was Wi-Fi available. She wished that she had checked that out before. She ran down to the hallway. Beside the phone was a notepad with a code for Wi-Fi connection. She breathed a sigh of relief and set up her phone. That was kind of Steve to organise broadband – she looked to see if Julia was online but she wasn’t. It was Saturday in
Dublin and Julia could be anywhere. Not so far away and then again a whole half a world away.

She took her glass and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. The water flowed down the sink in an anti-clockwise direction and she smiled. She was upside down in a topsy-turvy world and she would have to make the most of it.

Chapter Twenty

Gillian was waiting, wearing the top that they had bought in
Grafton Street the day before. Her make-up was slightly overdone and her hair straightened to the point where it stuck to her head. Julia would have to diplomatically take her to the ladies’ and discreetly fix her!

“Hi, Julia!” Gillian greeted her boss enthusiastically.

“Hi, Gill.”

There it was again – being called ‘Gill’ gave Gillian a thrill that made her buoyant with confidence.

“Do you fancy popping into Gibneys first – we have plenty of time?”

“Whatever you think, Julia!”

Already Julia was regretting her decision to go out with Gillian again. She was irritating her already and bounding along at her side like an over-anxious puppy.

This time Julia ordered a bottle of sparkling wine and they sat at the bar and sipped as the heads of all the eligible men turned to look.

“I love this bar – I was in it once before,” Gillian said.

Julia’s heart went out to Gillian and she felt terrible for being annoyed with her. For some reason she was on a shorter fuse than usual and she couldn’t figure out why. Maybe it was because she watched others move on with their lives – getting married – moving country. For the first time in her life she felt stagnant and she didn’t like the feeling. Her trip to
Australia would be coming at the perfect time.

“It’s a nice friendly place,” she said. “I told Odette that we were coming here first . . . oh, here she is now.”

Gillian was amazed by the stunning blonde woman. She had an even more beautiful smile than Julia’s.

“Gillian – nice to see you again – I recognise you from Julia’s office – it’s very good of you to come to the club and support the fundraiser.”

“It’s a pleasure! I’ve never been to a yacht club before.”

Julia looked around. “Where’s Craig?”

“Oh, he can’t come – said he wasn’t feeling very well. He’s going to mind the kids.”

Julia was flabbergasted – she had been monitoring her brother-in-law’s strange behaviour since Christmas and this was another first.

“Have a glass,” she said, pouring for her sister.

“Thanks, I need it!” Odette sighed.

Julia would find out exactly what was wrong before the night was out.

Ruth woke in the dense heat of the night, her mind reeling with thoughts of Ian and Dublin. She was still upset about the broken moneybox. It was more than a souvenir or memento, it was a part of home and more importantly it was given to her by Julia. Julia had painted it with her own hands – it was the first gift that she had ever given her. It was irreplaceable – in the same way that Julia was irreplaceable and she was beginning to wonder if Ian was irreplaceable too.

Ruth had never known feelings of loneliness like this. When she turned on the TV the news seemed so alien. She didn’t know or really think much about people in
Indonesia or LA or Japan yet these were the places that mattered to Australians.

She was on the other side of the world and totally alone.

Gillian was in her element – she knew the answer to every question about celebrities and soaps and even some sports questions about football. There were four members in each team and Dylan had joined the three girls to make a table. She was flattered by his praise and the evening was turning out to be a massive success as far as she was concerned.

Things were not quite so satisfying for Odette who fidgeted and played with her phone through much of the evening. When Julia got a chance to speak with her sister on her own in the ladies’, she asked her out straight.

“What’s really going on with Craig? I’ve been noticing changes in him and I’m really worried for you.”

Odette took out her blusher and started to touch up her cheeks. “It’s all of this pressure in work and he says that I haven’t helped by wanting another baby – he’s scared that he’s going to lose his job.”

Julia wasn’t believing these lines. “Every person in the country is afraid that they are going to lose their jobs – things are very tight for everyone. Is there something else? I mean, he wouldn’t be playing off side?”

Odette stopped what she was doing, shocked, and looked at Julia.

“I don’t believe you are saying that, Julia – you
know
Craig!”

“I know that he’s just a man and that the way he has been behaving hasn’t been normal.”

Odette was defending her husband and Julia knew her sister well enough by now to know that she wasn’t fooling anyone – least of all herself.

“Okay,” she said, “just don’t isolate yourself – you need help while he’s going through whatever!”

Odette took her sister by the hand. “I’m fine and when things settle down we’ll have another baby – when we start having sex again!”

Julia drew a sharp breath. “You still aren’t okay in the bedroom?”

Odette shook her head. “I’m going to lose more weight – make myself more attractive – the Boot Camp is working and come the spring things will improve.”

Julia wondered how her beautiful sister had let herself come to this. She wanted to slap Craig for undermining Odette’s confidence. Maybe she should try and talk to Dylan – much as she didn’t want to.

When the two arrived back in the hall Gillian and Dylan were engrossed in conversation.