5 Peppermint Grove (39 page)

Ruth was entranced. She wanted to hear every detail so remained silent.

“I walked in from work one day and the two of them were ‘at it’ on the kitchen table. It was like something from a soap. I couldn’t go back with her after that and she agreed to separate but property has gone through the roof for the last couple of years and every time we find somewhere to move the price keeps going up – our house has gone up too but we each want to buy something nice and it’s more difficult to do it now.”

“Why don’t you rent while you wait?”

Brian shrugged. “I’m an architect so I like to own my home. The house is really big – you should come up and see it. I’ve told Jessica about you – she won’t mind – we are civil at this stage. We’ve put in our divorce papers and are just waiting to hear from the courts. It was a big mistake – what’s it they call them now – starter marriages or something? So you see you are getting a guy who has been broken in if you take me back.”

Ruth did feel like she had been unfair – he had a very plausible way of explaining his predicament.

“If you do decide that you don’t want to see me again then I’ll take it like a man but I needed you to hear me out.”

Ruth found it difficult to answer him properly. She wasn’t a vestal virgin herself and now that he had explained himself perhaps her attitude had been over the top.

“My mum has arrived in Perth so I am going to be busy with her – can I digest what you said and maybe we can talk again in a couple of days?”

Brian nodded. He was relieved to have got so much off his chest. Ruth was the first girl that he had been truly interested in since he had split from his wife.

“Will you let me meet your mum?”

Ruth had to think that one through. “Give me a day or two, please, Brian. She only arrived last night.”

“Of course.” He stood up and she followed his lead. He opened his arms. “Any chance of a hug?”

Ruth nodded. She put her head on his shoulder and breathed in the fresh scent from his crisp white shirt.

“I’m going to Peppy Grove now for the rest of the day – maybe you can call around with your mum some day – I’ll be there all week. It might help jog her memory?”

Ruth pulled away from his strong hold and smiled. “Maybe I will.”

“And then I can take her out and try and impress her?”

Ruth smiled. “Okay maybe.” She was warming to the idea.

When he was gone she felt sad and wanted to run after him but she had to be strong and this was a different sort of relationship to the one that she’d had with Ian. She wanted it to be right. But now she was so happy inside because the days that she had spent away from Brian had been more miserable than any she had suffered while in her relationship with Ian.

Ruth returned home to Subiaco some time around three o’clock.

“I’m home, Mum – where are you?”

“I’m in the garden!”

Ruth went into the kitchen and out the back door.

Angela looked up from her book. She was sitting under the shade of a eucalyptus tree. “I’ve been like a big lump of jelly for the last hour – this must be how it feels to be one of those moonwalkers. I didn’t get to Coles. I was at the front door and I couldn’t find a key.”

“I left it on the hall table.”

“Yes, but there were a few of them and I couldn’t get any to turn in the lock and I was afraid to risk it – just as well really because I’m still so wobbly.”

“Well, take your time – tomorrow you’ll see a big difference.”

“Oh, I’m sure.”

“Is there anywhere that you would like to go now?”

“I wouldn’t mind a little trip to the beach – maybe just sit on the sand?”

“Sure – I’ll bring the Esky and some cold wine. We can get fish and chips and watch the sunset.”

“That sounds nice – we used to do that with Kevin.”

“You and Daddy?”

Angela laughed. “Eh, no – as I said before your father was always working. Me and Myra Jones from Cardiff. She was a great friend and companion and she had a little girl called Sian who used to play with Kevin. It’s hard to believe how long ago that was!”

“Alright then, do you want to go now or wait until nearer teatime?”

“Whenever you think, Ruth – don’t worry about me and time – I’m so all over the place you could give me some breakfast and my body wouldn’t be any the wiser. I don’t know where I am at all.”

“Okay then, I’ll have a quick shower and we can go to Cottesloe.”

“Lovely,” Angela said, turning back to her book.

While Ruth was foaming her skin with soap, her head filled with thoughts of her meeting with Brian earlier. She couldn’t let him slip away now. He was so gorgeous – she couldn’t blame him from hiding a disastrous marriage from her until he was sure that they were going somewhere. She believed him utterly. He was so different to Ian and she had to remember that all men would not lie and hurt her like he had. Brian deserved a second chance. She might even mention him to her mother – she would see how the trip to Cottesloe went. She rinsed off and put on a pair of shorts and a fresh T-shirt.

Angela was standing ready for action when Ruth went out to the garden.

“Okay, are we off?” she asked.

“Yes, I’ll just get the Esky and some water for the car journey.”

Ruth got some things together and the two went out to her little Jeep.

“Oh, I love these great big high-up Golfs.”

Ruth chuckled. “It’s a
Toyota, Mum – it’s called a Rav 4.”

“It’s like a blown-up Golf.”

Ruth had to laugh. “So let’s go!”

They drove down
Railway Road as she had done with Brian not so long ago. She was tempted to swing onto Stirling Highway and take the scenic drive through Peppermint Grove but her mother might suspect something if she didn’t take the direct route. Although the chances were that the roads had changed a lot over thirty years.

“I took Julia to see Peppermint Grove when she was here. The houses are fabulous – was it like that in your day?”

Angela’s ears did prick up when she heard the mention of Peppermint Grove.

“Oh there!” she sighed. “Yes, it was the place where the wealthy and powerful lived – there and Dalkeith. I’m sure it still is.”

“Actually you won’t believe this but we bumped into a friend of Julia’s from years ago – Richard Clery – and he lives there now.

“I think I remember Julia going out with that chap – he had piranha fish or something like that – very strange.”

“Yes, and a motorbike – well, he is married to an Italian woman and lives in Peppermint Grove.”

“He’s done well for himself then – there were the lucky ones, I suppose, but most of us worked hard and saw little reward. You had to be
in the know
!”

Ruth took a right off
Curtin Avenue and onto Eric Street – she could see the sea in the distance almost immediately.

“Do you think Dad regrets going home?”

“Oh, he did for a little while but you know he is a home-bird really and there were plenty of times – especially in the last few years – that he said he is glad that he did come back.”

“You mean ‘we’ came back surely?”

Angela swallowed hard. “I came home a few months before he did because I was pregnant with you.”

“Why did he stay on – was it to do with his work?”

Angela hesitated. “Work? Oh yes, that’s what it was – his work delayed him.” She turned her head and looked out the window, lost in her thoughts. She had played those few months back in her head during the plane journey, over and over – she didn’t want to tell her daughter the truth. She was concerned that she wouldn’t understand.

They parked at the beach and decided to walk along the sand. It was blissfully warm with the
temperature just over thirty-two degrees and coming into the nicest part of the day.

“I was only here for the first time a couple of weeks ago actually. I went for dinner in the Tearooms.”

“Oh, Myra and I used to dream of eating in there – but we had to make do with our homemade sandwiches.” She chuckled.

“You never spoke of
Myra before – have you kept in touch with her?”

Angela shook her head. “After I left
Australia I was so happy to be home that I wanted to focus all my time and thoughts on Dublin. It wasn’t like nowadays where you can just Skype someone for free. It took up to three weeks to get a letter – airmail was more than a week. And the telephone line would be so crackly and it was just too expensive.”

“That must have been hard with Dad still here. He wasn’t with you when I was born then?”

“Well, in any case men were never allowed into the theatre in those days and it was just as well sometimes.”

“I think if I was having a child I’d want my husband to be there.”

“Well, things were different in those days,” Angela said curtly. “Things weren’t great with your father and me for a number of reasons. I had been very lonely, you must remember. All sorts of things happened and well . . . let’s just say they worked themselves out, thank God!”

Ruth was very curious – these were all new revelations. She would love to know more and she had plenty of time to draw it out from her mother.

“Who did you say you went to the Tearooms with?” Angela asked.

“A guy called Brian – Julia and I met him and his friends on
Rottnest Island. We then met back here – I’ve seen him a couple of times.”

It was Angela’s greatest fear that her daughter would fall in love with an Australian and stay. It was the first thought that sprang to mind when Ruth had said that she was going to
Perth in the first place.

“And is it serious?”

“No, Mum – I don’t know him very well – we’ve just had a couple of dates.”

“I’d like to meet him,” Angela said forcefully.

Ruth hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. “Why?”

“I want to make sure that he’s good to you, Ruth.”

“Ah, Mum – it’s only been a few dates. But he would like to meet you too so I guess that you will.”

Now Angela was surprised. She would have thought a man would shriek at the thought of meeting his girlfriend’s mother so soon. She had to be careful not to be prejudiced. Not all Australian men were like Charlie Walters and she didn’t want her daughter to know the real reason why she had left
Australia.

Chapter Fifty-two

Michael got the DART from Howth Station to Tara Street. He enjoyed taking in the new architecture along the River Liffey – Dublin had come a long way. His walk finished at Julia’s office – but she wasn’t in work yet.

Gillian was thrilled to meet Julia’s brother and gushed with pleasure as he spoke. He was attractive and she always fancied guys with receding hairlines.

“She should be here any minute – can I get you a coffee?” she gushed.

Michael nodded his head in appreciation. Gillian was a pleasant girl and he wondered why Julia had been so dismissive when she mentioned her before.

“That would be lovely, thanks.”

“Milk?” she asked.

“Just black, please.”

“I’m so pleased to meet you at last, Michael. Julia has told me so much about you – how do you feel now that you are home for good?”

“I’m very glad I’ve made the move – just hope that I get the job now.”

“It’s been difficult times – we’ve had to be very creative to survive. Julia is a great boss though – I’ve learned so much working for her.”

“Glad to hear it.”

With that the pounding of footsteps could be heard coming into the office. Michael and Gillian turned around.

“Morning, Gillian,” said Julia. “Oh hi, Michael, I didn’t realise you’d be in so early.”

“It’s really the afternoon for my body clock.” He grinned. “Can I help you with anything?”

“Actually, now that you ask I could do with a hand with the figures for this month – I’m so behind and I have to send them in to the cruise company. Gillian, would you mind dropping the paperwork into my office. I think they were in yesterday’s post and I didn’t file it away before leaving.”

“Of course,” Gillian said with a beaming smile aimed at Michael.

When the office door was closed and brother and sister were sitting at the desk, Julia was happier than she had been for a long time.

“So are you ready for the interview tomorrow?”

Michael grimaced. “I’m nervous now – it was impetuous of me to throw in the towel the way I did but I really think I made the right move. I just hope I feel that way if I don’t get the job.”

Julia felt for her brother. “Well, you know, if you don’t get it you can always come and work with me – it might be a nice change. Odette was considering coming in a few days to work with me at one
point.”

“Maybe she’ll need to work even more now – now that she is on her own?”

Julia had thought about that too – she was concerned about how her sister was going to manage.