The Sunnyvale Girls (29 page)

‘And I remember how you used to laugh about him and how your families wanted to set you up. Well, it must have pleased them all when you married.'

‘Yes, it did. I think that's why it was so easy to fool everyone about Toni. Except for Charlie. He was my confidant.'

‘Oh, dear Charlie, how is he?'

‘Still alive and kicking. He moved to the city to be with Val after Arthur and I married. They have two girls. He would love to meet you again. You were like a brother to him.'

‘As he was for me.' Rocco wrapped his arm around Maggie. ‘Can we start our life again now? I know we are in the middle of harvest, but will you visit my farm and meet my family? They know all about you, the one who got away.'

Maggie laughed and squeezed his hand as if to prove she wasn't going anywhere. ‘That sounds perfect. Will you write to me?'

‘I'd love to. After all, you were the one to teach me how to read and write English,
amore mio
.'

Her heart melted at the Italian words for ‘my love'.

They gazed at each other while a magpie sang in a nearby tree. If she closed her eyes, it was just like fifty-five years ago when Rocco had first kissed her. Her heart raced and the feel of his soft kiss was heaven. His arms were still strong, a man who worked hard even in his seventies, and he still smelt like Rocco.

‘I've never stopped loving you,' Rocco whispered against her lips.

And in that moment Maggie was eighteen again.

MAGGIE
looked through the kitchen window, watching the man she loved with his daughter. Sniffling, she wiped away a tear. It still moved her, seeing them together. They often spent hours walking around, talking farms. On one of the many nights he stayed, he'd mentioned how amazed he was with Toni, how she could give Mark a few lessons on farming. ‘She's so bright and runs this farm so well, she was born for it,' he'd said with a smile.

Maggie loved it when Rocco cooked meals for them that his mother had taught him. Often Stefano would join him, and they would create Italian feasts. It was like having their own Italian restaurant on the farm. So much had happened over the two months since Rocco had come home.

Maggie wanted to be by Rocco's side always but she gave him up gladly for Toni. Even so, she kept her eyes on them. Like today: Rocco was asking Toni something very important, and Maggie was dying to know the answer.

‘Mum, you can come out now!' yelled Toni.

Grabbing a tea towel she walked out, pretending to dry her hands as if she'd been doing the dishes and not trying to eavesdrop.

The sun was setting on another day outside. It was still very hot but their harvest was done, and finally they could all rest easy. Flick rode up on Contractor, with Stefano alongside on the motorbike and Fella trying to keep up.

‘Looks like everyone is just in time,' said Toni.

‘Hey, Nonno,' said Flick, testing out the new affectionate name. She dismounted and, keeping the reins in one hand, walked over to give him a hug. ‘You just get here?'

‘About an hour ago.'

Rocco's eyes sparkled any time he hugged Flick or Toni. It melted Maggie's heart, knowing the girls still had someone to count on. She knew they missed Arthur; even Maggie still missed him. He would always be remembered and never left out of their family. Their feelings for Rocco would never detract from that.

‘
Ciao
, Rocco,' said Stefano as they shook hands.

Flick shot him a dirty look. Rocco and Stefano had been banned from speaking Italian in Flick's company unless they were teaching her. But when they were alone they would go back to their native language and Maggie would sit and listen, not understanding a word of it but loving how it sounded.

‘Rocco is coming to live with Mum,' said Toni.

‘Really?' said Flick.

‘If that's all right with all of you,' said Rocco. ‘Mark's been trying to get me off the farm for years, for some reason he thinks I interfere too much. But I promise only to help out when you need me here. You're the boss,' he said directly to Toni.

‘As long as you remember that, then we are good,' Toni teased.

‘Then I say, yay,' said Flick. ‘Does this mean you're going to move in with Jimmy, Mum?'

‘She bloody well better be,' said Jimmy as he joined them, walking from the sheds with Gypsy by his side.

Toni nodded but her face looked grave. Maggie knew she wasn't finished. She may have happened to overhear that Toni had some important news for Flick.

‘Flick, I know you and Stefano are heading off tomorrow on your sightseeing adventure down south. I'm sure Stefano will love the Margaret River beaches and hopefully won't come back with a surfboard.' They laughed. ‘Stefano, it's been truly wonderful having you on Sunnyvale, you will be missed around here.'

‘Hear, hear!' shouted Jimmy.

‘I'm so glad you're staying another month.'

‘Or more,' said Flick with a grin.

‘But just make sure to come back and spend some time with us again.'

‘
Grazie
, Toni. Of course.' Stefano blew her a kiss.

Toni cleared her throat and faced her daughter. ‘Before you leave I need to give you this.'

Flick screwed up her face. ‘What is it? Travel money?' she said hopefully.

Toni pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to her.

Flick read the scrap. ‘Simon Templeton.' Her eyes flew back to Toni. ‘As in, my father Simon?'

‘Yes, I discovered his last name. And after some more searching I found him. He works at his family's winery – that's the address and his number.'

Maggie put a hand on Toni's shoulder. She was so proud of Toni for doing what was right. Rocco glanced up at Maggie and smiled. Finally they had their big family.

‘What . . .?' Flick's face was frozen in shock.

Everyone went silent, watching and waiting for an explosion or tears. Instead she threw Contractor's reins at Stefano and flung her arms around Toni. ‘Oh, thank you, thank you, Mum. I can't believe you found him.'

‘So this is okay?'

‘It's perfect. I can't believe it.'

Toni held up her hands. ‘Just don't get your hopes up. He's still getting used to the idea but he does want to meet you.'

Flick gave her a smile that said she understood all too well.

Maggie clasped her hands together. ‘I think this is cause for celebration.' She opened the beer fridge on the verandah and passed beers out.

Stefano tied Contractor and eagerly reached for a bottle. He'd embraced beer while working up a thirst over harvest. He cracked the top and joined everyone as they sat along the edge of the verandah, facing the setting sun with cold beers in their hands.

Maggie propped her beer between her legs and wrapped an arm around Antonia and Felicity, and pulled them both close.

‘Now, that's a perfect shot,' said Jimmy, pretending his hands were a camera. ‘The Sunnyvale girls. Stubborn, gorgeous, and the loves of my life.'

They all laughed as the sun dipped into the earth like a gold coin. Contractor neighed, galahs squawked and Fella chased Gypsy around the motorbike. Maggie smiled, her eyes misting. It was remarkable how long she'd held onto her hope, even when she thought she'd lost it all. Rocco squeezed her hand and she felt alive. Some dreams never die, no matter where your life takes you.

OUR
area has a history with the Italian POWs, one that I wanted to dive into and write about. I couldn't have done this without the help of others. Many thanks go to Ross and Lorna Murray for the stories and memories of Giulio and life in the 1940s. It was so amazing to learn about Giulio, to follow his story to the end and to be able to weave some of it into my own story. Thanks to my friends Lea and Yogi Murray for allowing me use your farm, Sunnyvale, and your stories as inspiration. It was great to see what was left of the old cottage. The tours around the farm were fun and an excuse to come out for a cuppa.

Searching for Giulio led me on a trip to Italy, where I met his daughters, Carla and Isalda, along with their immediate family, who were all just lovely. It wouldn't have happened without the help of Mimmo Maurelli and Giulio's granddaughter, Silvia Borioni, whose translating made our meetings possible. I will be forever grateful to you both. My time in Italy was very surreal and beautiful.

To my aunty Lorna Madson, Gaye Bario and my mum, Sue. Thanks for the most amazing trip ever. Memories I'll treasure. Well, most of them anyway – maybe not the time we were locked in the Florence train station toilets!

Thanks also to Kath Garard, Lina Varone and Bice Di Franco for the information and titbits. They all help give this story depth and truth.

Thank you to the amazing Ali Watts, as always. To the Penguin team who I've worked with, or have helped me out, thank you Jo Rosenberg, Chantelle Sturt, Laura Thomas, Kym Steinke, Louise McCall and Julia Rauch.

I have special writing friends who I can call upon when in need. Rachael Johns, Margareta Osborn, Cathryn Hein and Fleur McDonald to name a few, thank you for all your support! Especially Rach, I can't thank you enough for the wonderful cover quote.

I have an amazing husband who kept the home fires burning while I was away on my trip, and if it weren't for him, the trip wouldn't have happened and this book would have been ten times harder to write. Thank you, Darryl, for being so supportive and being a fantastic dad to Mac and Blake. We are so lucky to have you.

Lastly, thank you to all my family, fans and supporters who help me get through. I can because of you.

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (Australia)

707 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3008, Australia

(a division of Penguin Australia Pty Ltd)

Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

Penguin Group (Canada)

90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Canada ON M4P 2Y3

(a division of Penguin Canada Books Inc.)

Penguin Books Ltd

80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL England

Penguin Ireland

25 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland

(a division of Penguin Books Ltd)

Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd

11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi 110 017, India

Penguin Group (NZ)

67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632, New Zealand

(a division of Penguin New Zealand Pty Ltd)

Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Rosebank Office Park, Block D, 181 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parktown North, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

Penguin (Beijing) Ltd

7F, Tower B, Jiaming Center, 27 East Third Ring Road North, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020, China

Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

First published by Penguin Group (Australia), 2014

Copyright © Fiona Palmer 2014

The moral right of the author has been asserted

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

Cover design by Laura Thomas © Penguin Group (Australia)

Cover photographs: Girl: Michael Reh/Fuse/Getty Images; Girls in grass: Patrick Orton/Getty Images;

Flowers: kwest/Shutterstock.com; Sky: Nemeziya/Shutterstock.com

Historical photos and document courtesy of the Murray family

Author photograph by Lata Photography

penguin.com.au

ISBN: 978-1-74253-747-4