The Model Wife

by Tricia Stringer

  “You haven’t put money aside?”

  “Keeping the business afloat takes all our time, money and energy.” Bronwyn’s normally cheerful outlook was nowhere to be seen.

  “I can relate to that.” Natalie thought of the years they’d done it tough. At least in between there’d been good years, a little cash put away.

  Bronwyn gave a soft snort. Took another sip of her coffee.

  “What’s that mean?” Natalie frowned at her.

  “I know your overheads are much bigger than ours and there are huge fluctuations in income on the land but have you ever truly had to worry where your next mortgage payment was going to come from? Do you even have a mortgage?”

  “There’re constant ongoing costs in running a property. It’s like having a mortgage, a huge one.”

  Bronwyn clutched her cup and stared into it. “Have you ever lain awake at night, staring into the dark, a lump as big as a beach ball in your throat, wondering how you were going to pay the school fees…put another meal on the table?”

  “Sometimes my teaching wage was all we had.”

  “Well…at least you had that.”

  Natalie stayed silent a moment. She understood the look of despair on her sister’s face. There were other things besides lack of money that could keep you awake at night. “It hasn’t always been easy.”

  “I’m not saying I envy you but from where I’m sitting it looks like you’re doing okay.”

  Discomfort built in Natalie’s stomach. Was she doing okay? Looks could be deceptive and there were some things one sister couldn’t tell another. She wondered briefly if Karl had ever cheated on Bronwyn and immediately pushed the idea aside when she pictured her easy-going brother-in-law. Still, what had she just thought about looks being deceptive?

  “I did envy your Christmas holidays down here though,” Bronwyn said. “You’d take several days around Christmas and I know you pitched in with cooking but it was a holiday for you.”

  “You came our way some years.”

  “Only when Christmas coincided with an extra day’s holiday and then it would be a quick overnight trip. We rarely get time away from the business.”

  “Nor do we.”

  “What about the two weeks at the beach each January?”

  “We didn’t get there this year.”

  “And when your girls were younger you took them to the Gold Coast.”

  Natalie thought back to that. They’d had a couple of excellent years on the property and Clem had pushed them to take a break. It was two years after Connie’s family trip to America and Natalie hadn’t been slow in saying yes. Even Milt hadn’t taken much convincing. It wasn’t much but she conceded in comparison to her sister she had notched up more holiday time.

  “This isn’t about our families. It’s about us. What do you think?”

  Bronwyn’s dark eyes met hers across the table. “No offence, Nat, but if I could afford a holiday I’d be going with Karl.” She took a big slurp of her coffee. “Speaking of whom, I must get back. I said I’d only be gone for half an hour. What are your plans?”

  “I don’t know.” Natalie was still feeling a little stung at Bronwyn’s rejection of her idea of a holiday together. But, to be fair, a week ago her response would probably have been the same. If she was taking a holiday somewhere she wanted it to be with Milt but what if he wouldn’t go? And, she was shaken by her next thought…what if she didn’t want him to?

  “You don’t have to stay on, you know. Mum and Dad will be fine. I just panicked when they were both acting a bit clueless.”

  Natalie shrugged. “I don’t think they want me here anyway. Mum seems to have no adverse effects from her fall apart from a couple of bruises. Must have strong bones. And Dad’s picked up since she’s come out of hospital.”

  “I’m sure it’s because you were there.” Bronwyn grinned. “And your good cooking.”

  Natalie smiled at that. “I’m not allowed in the kitchen now that Mum’s home.”

  “You can come and cook dinner for me!”

  “Really?”

  “Well, not tonight. Everyone’s got basketball so it will be pizza on the run.”

  Natalie thought about spending another night in her parents’ compact, tidy unit: the stilted conversation, Dad with half an eye on the sports channel, Mum with her knitting. They had a routine and her extended presence upset that. “There’s not much for me to do. I think Mum and Dad would be happier if I went home.” She’d asked her mum about the invitation to Tony’s birthday and that had caused a stir. Her mother had become defensive, saying they could be friends with anyone they liked and they liked Tony. When Natalie had next gone to the fridge she noticed the invitation had disappeared. There was so much about her parents she didn’t know, so much about her life they would never be privy to. They were acquaintances rather than parents and daughter.

  Bronwyn stood up, came around the table and hugged her tight. “I’ve enjoyed seeing you and, in their own way, they have too.”

  Natalie smiled and nodded, thankful for the sentiment but not sure of its validity.

  “Do you want a ride back to the unit?”

  “No, thanks. It’s only a few blocks and I need the walk if I’m going to be in the car half the day.”

  “You’re definitely going then?”

  “Unless the wheels have fallen off big-time when I get back to the unit, yes.” Now that she’d made the decision to go home the uncertainties crowded in on her again. She squeezed Bronwyn’s hand and stepped back, forcing a smile to her face. “I’ll call in and say goodbye to you and Karl at the shop on my way out of town.”

  Fourteen

  Easy conversation drifted around the table and for a change male voices outnumbered those of female in the Kings’ kitchen. Bree slid into the vacant chair between her dad at the head of the table and Owen, who was in conversation with Jack seated on his other side. Kate sat opposite her and beside her was Sean. That had been a surprise. Not so much his arrival, Kate had said he was coming, but it was the way she had thrown herself at him and clung to him that was weird. Kate wasn’t usually the outwardly fussy type.

  “Anyone for a red with dinner?” Milt raised the wine bottle he’d just opened. Only Owen accepted the offer. The others were sticking to beer or, in Laura and Jack’s case, the Floradora cocktail she was keen on and had talked him into trying.

  “What happened about Granny’s picnic?” Bree asked. “Wasn’t that meant to be tomorrow?”

  “Yes, damn, I forgot all about it,” Laura said.

  “She knows we’re busy,” Milt said. “And with Nat away she found someone else to host it.”

  “We should have invited her out tonight,” Kate said. “She must find it lonely on her own after all the years of being in this house.”

  “She wanted to move out.” Milt’s tone was gruff. “I spoke to her this morning. She had a meeting this afternoon and she was planning an early night.”

  “Perhaps I should go in and see her tomorrow,” Laura said. “Mum usually calls in regularly and she’s not here.”

  “It’s a pity she’s not.” Milt glanced around and lifted his glass. “Cheers,” he said. Everyone joined in, taking a sip of their chosen drink. Milt nodded. “Nat loves lots of people at her dinner table.”

  “Although not someone taking over her kitchen.” Bree eyed the mess Laura had left.

  “Laura’s done a great job.”

  “She needs to work on keeping to one spoon and one bowl,” Kate said.

  “A top chef can’t do everything, little red hen.” Laura waggled her head at her sister. Her rainbow-coloured hair was swept up in a bun tonight, and she wore a peasant-style shirt that showed off her pale, elegant neck and shoulders. She could be a model for outrageous hair but Bree didn’t say anything. Her dad seemed to have got used to the colour and she didn’t want to remind him by drawing attention to it.

  Laura waved a spoon in the air and juice flicked.

  “Careful,�
�� Kate said.

  “I’ll mop it up,” Laura said.

  That was something Bree very much doubted.

  “It’s ready now,” Laura said. “Who’s helping me dish?”

  Kate stood. “I will.”

  Bree was happy to leave them to it. The stitches in her leg had been removed and the doctor had declared it was healing well but tonight, after a lot more activity today than she’d done for a while, it was feeling stiff and a bit tender.

  “That lamb ragu smells pretty good,” Owen said.

  Bree gave him a nudge. “I love anything I don’t have to cook.”

  “Are you hinting that I’ll be on cooking duties?” Owen looked like he was going to say more.

  Bree cut him off. “Has anyone heard from Mum today?”

  “I sent her a text a while ago.” Laura lifted the lid from the pot responsible for the delicious aroma. “She didn’t answer.”

  “I’ll ring her after dinner,” Milt said. “Your nanna’s home from hospital and Aunty Bronwyn’s back so your mum will probably come home tomorrow. And you said your parents will be too, Jack?”

  “Yep. Mum wanted to come home for a couple of days before she…before her treatment.”

  “Yes, well, that’s good.” Milt shifted in his chair. “Good idea. Give her some space to get herself together.”

  Bree decided to change the subject. “So you had a big weekend at the beach, Sean.”

  Her brother-in-law grinned back at her across the table. “Just a quiet one with the boys.” He sat back as Kate slipped a plate of steaming hot ragu in front of him.

  “We saw pictures,” Laura said as she brought more plates to the table. “It looked like there were a few others there besides the boys.”

  A puzzled look crossed Sean’s face.

  “Laura’s referring to the baby and the blonde. There were photos on Facebook,” Bree said.

  “Oh, right. That would have been the people in the shack next door. They joined us for a barbecue one night.”

  Bree saw the looks that passed between Sean and Kate as she took her place at the table. His was sheepish, hers worried.

  “Be prepared, Owen.” Milt took a sip of wine. “There’s nothing private in this family.”

  “It was on Facebook for everyone to see.” Laura sat on Bree’s other side.

  “Bloody Facebook,” Milt growled. “As if there aren’t enough problems in the world.”

  “You need to get off the ark, Dad,” Laura said. “Everyone’s on Facebook.” She looked at Bree. “Except Bree of course.”

  “And me.”

  They all turned to Jack.

  “It’s too toxic,” he said.

  Milt gave Bree then Jack an appreciative look. “Thank goodness some people have some common sense.”

  Bree was happy to take his praise for a change, even if she did have to share it with Jack.

  It was dark and Natalie was feeling weary by the time the tyres of her car rumbled over the familiar stock grid and she pointed the nose of the vehicle to the garage. The headlights highlighted several vehicles lined up at her back gate and further away she’d glimpsed a stock truck with the distinctive blue and red logo of her son-in-law’s family transport company.

  At least Olive’s car wasn’t among them. Milt had said he’d sort the situation with Connie but Natalie didn’t like the sound of it. Connie was percolating something and it filled Natalie with unease. Not that she would expect to see her mother-in-law on a weeknight these days but she wondered who else she’d find inside.

  She took care to keep hold of the door so it didn’t swing and bang as she went in. Male voices carried along the passage; a rumbling chuckle, perhaps Sean, Laura’s higher-pitched voice complaining.

  “The local grapevine works fine here.” Milt’s voice rose above the others. “Your neighbours look like they’re putting a plan together to help out while your mum’s…away. If there’s anything more that we can do to help let us know, Jack.”

  “People are being great.”

  Natalie paused. Her heart gave an extra thud. Jack! At the sound of his voice her determination to continue on as if he didn’t exist was swept away. It was easy to ignore him when he wasn’t sitting at her kitchen table. Once again she wondered how often he’d come their way on visits she’d been unaware of.

  “Dad wants to stay with her…while she’s having the treatment.”

  “How long will it take?” Laura’s question was gentle, full of empathy.

  “She’s having the operation first and then treatment…I don’t know.”

  A chair scraped. “Your mum will fight this, Jack, and she’ll get through it.”

  Natalie peered around the kitchen door, which was slightly ajar. Through the gap she saw Laura put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. Her rainbow-coloured hair hid the lighter colour that would be the same fair shade as Jack’s, the same as Milt’s used to be.

  “She’s a strong woman, your mother.” Milt was looking at Jack with such, what would she call it? Compassion or…love?

  Natalie pushed open the door.

  “Hell’s teeth, Nat, where did you spring from?” Sitting opposite the door, Milt was the first to see her. They’d all been focused on Jack.

  Then there was a clamour of voices as they all welcomed her, Sean the only one to get up. He came to her and kissed her cheek. “Good to see you, Natalie.”

  She forced herself to smile and murmured a response but she was finding it hard to breathe. They were all staring at her – her husband, her daughters, Owen. Jack.

  Laura came to give her a hug. “You look worn out, Mum. Have Nan and Gramps been running you ragged?”

  “Have you eaten?” Kate asked. “Laura’s made a passable lamb ragu.”

  Natalie glanced around the table at their empty plates then to the mess on the benches. She was home and yet it brought her no sense of relief.

  “I snacked on the way,” she managed. “I’m not hungry but…I am tired. I’m sorry…I…”

  Laura peered at her. “You don’t look well. Are you okay?”

  Milt got to his feet.

  She waved at him to sit down. “I’m fine.” She was saying it again. “Just tired. It has been a bit hectic.” Another lie. It had been like a holiday at her parents’ place compared to home.

  “I ran into Claire while I was in town,” Bree said. “She covered one of your days off. She said to tell you the kids are fine and she had your program folder and gave it to me to bring back.”

  Natalie glanced at the desk in the corner and the green folder perched there. She didn’t want to think about school or anything else really. Her head hurt from thinking.

  “Thanks. I’ll leave you all to it and head straight to bed.” She backed away.

  “I’ll bring you a cup of tea.” Kate looked concerned.

  Natalie gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile. Kate and Laura were quick to empathise, and Bree had said a quick hello when she’d arrived but sat back now, so like her father, who was doing the same. Poor Owen must think her a lunatic and Jack, well, Jack was watching her steadily, those pearly blue eyes searching. She couldn’t bear to meet his look.

  “Thanks…sorry to disappear. I’ll be fine…after a decent sleep.” She turned away from their gazes, made her way to the bedroom. Normally this room was her haven but not tonight. There was no peace here as she stripped off, no comfort as she slid under the covers.

  She’d felt an outsider in her parents’ home and now that she was in her own, she still couldn’t find that elusive peace. The sight of Jack in her kitchen, Laura bending over him, her hand on his shoulder, had made the pieces of her puzzled life jumble again and now she doubted her decision to not ask Milt the question she’d tried to avoid.

  “Are you sure your mum’s okay?” Sean shut the bedroom door and began to strip.

  Kate watched him. Normally she’d be hungry for his strong, lean body after a week without him but tonight the lethargy clung to her, dampening any
stirrings of desire. “Yes. I guess.” She slipped down in the bed, trying to focus on his question. “Although I thought she seemed a bit…” A bit what? Kate spent each day struggling to keep her own head up and she didn’t have a lot of energy left for her mother’s mood.

  Sean switched off the light and slipped into bed, drawing her to him. She relaxed in his comforting embrace, so glad he was there. “She had to go to Adelaide for tests the same time as Jack’s mum. Everything was fine, she said. Maybe it’s been a bit of a shock… Mrs Halbot’s news.”

  “I didn’t think they got on.”

  “It’s not that they don’t get on. They just…I don’t know. I think there may have been some kind of falling-out when I was little. We’ve not really mixed much with the Halbots until…” Kate thought about that. Bree had muttered something about Jack turning into Dad’s golden-haired boy while they’d been out mustering. Bree was often touchy and Kate hadn’t thought much about it. “Until recently.” She slid a hand up Sean’s chest and rested it on his shoulder. This wasn’t what she’d wanted to talk to her husband about. “You haven’t said much about your weekend.”

  “Nothing much to tell. No luck fishing, although I enjoyed trying. I drank too much trying to keep up with Damo and Shortie. Woke up Monday morning with a sore head and crook guts and decided I’d never do it again.” He patted her back. “That should make you happy.”

  “I don’t mind you having a boys’ weekend, once in a while.”

  Sean groaned. “No, I mean it, please be the wife that says I can’t ever do it again.”

  Kate laughed, gripped him tighter. “So who were the neighbours?”

  “A couple and their baby, Adelaide friends of Tom’s from the next-door shack. They were staying for a week. We had a barbecue with them on the Saturday night.”

  “The baby looked cute.”

  “She was.” Sean rolled away, flicked on the beside light.

  Kate blinked at the sudden brightness.

  “When were you going to mention Sarah and Nick’s baby?” He studied her.