by Annie Seaton
Beach Walk
By
Annie Seaton
Beach Walk
Copyright © May 2018, Annie Seaton.
NOTE: This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organisations is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my fabulous friends, Kristen and Dianne.
Great friends, fun times!
Prologue
Christmas Day 2017
Sol parked the car up the road while Dave and Taj carried the suitcases inside. Rosie and the kids had run inside to see Sonia and Sally. When Taj and Sol had shaken hands they’d looked at each other.
‘We used to go to Christmas parties at your house when I was a kid,’ Taj said.
‘I remember.’ Sol put his head to one side. ‘I wonder if that means I’m related to Aggie too. I must ask my mother next time I call in.’ Since he’d moved in with Sally—his mother had taken to her straight away and was even going to a yoga class once a week—and he’d picked up his vet science, the attitude of his family had done an about-face.
Dave was waiting for him on the footpath outside the house. ‘Not a bad place, mate. You’ve fallen on your feet here.’
‘I’ve fallen in love here.’
Dave rolled his eyes. ‘Pathetic. I think I preferred the old vague Solomon Brown.’
Sol looked at him. ‘And I definitely prefer the old Dave Walker. The one who used to wear things resembling clothes and not have a stupid haircut. What the hell are you wearing and what’s with the hair?’
Heads had turned at the arrivals hall as Dave had walked down the ramp. His three piece suit was hot pink and patterned with large purple flowers.
‘One of my designs, and before you say anything, it was on the catwalk in Milan last week.’
‘Different.’
‘I’ve got an image I have to project.’
‘If you say so.’ Sol held the door open. He was part of the beach house on the hill now, although Sally had assured him she would move anywhere he had to go. ‘Come on in. I think you’ve met everyone except Sonia, Sally’s twin.’
Dave’s eyebrows lifted hopefully. ‘Identical? Sally is a stunner. I can see her modelling some of my designs.’
Sol hid a smile. ‘I can’t see Sally being interested in that, but Sonia certainly loves her fashion. I think she studied it for a while.’
The aromas coming from the kitchen were divine. Roast pork and turkey, baked vegetables and apple sauce were heading for the table on platters. Dave and Sol walked past a huge real Christmas tree in the front living room, and the fragrance of the pine needles mingled with the smell from the kitchen.
‘Sit down, Dave. I’ll see where the girls are.’ Before he could leave the room, the door burst open.
Sonia struck a pose in the doorway and Sol grinned. Sally stood behind her and caught his eye and winked.
Sonia was wearing a purple, pink and yellow striped dress—one of her signature tent dresses—and a matching turban. Her feet were bare and each toe had a different ring on it. Bangles jangled on her arm and her lipstick was the same purple as the stripes in her dress. Blonde curls puffed out around her face and down to her waist in a tangle.
Sol stiffened as Dave chuckled beside him and stepped forward. Dave was not known for his tact.
‘You must be Sonia.’ Dave held his hand out. ‘Is this for my benefit, darling? All you need is a bowl of fruit on your head, and you’d be perfect.’
Ice dripped from Sonia’s words. ‘Perfect for what?’
‘For the Mardi Gras parade.’
Sally stepped forward and nudged Sonia as she whispered. ‘Be polite, he’s Sol’s guest.’
Sol sat back and waited for the fireworks. This was going to be one hell of a Christmas dinner.
THE CONVERSATION OVER Christmas dinner was lively. At the end of the table where Sol and Sally were sitting, the mood was festive and happy as they caught up with Rosie and Taj’s news, and enjoyed the children’s excitement as they pulled the bon bons and played with the party favours inside.
‘Ooh, look I’ve got two frogs now,’ Lily said. ‘Aunty Sally, if you get a frog in yours, can I have it?’
‘Please,’ her mother added.
‘Please,’ Lily said. ‘I love frogs!’
Smiles and laughter drifted across the room.
The same couldn’t be said for the conversation at the other end of the long table. Every so often Sol and Sally would exchange a worried glance and try to interrupt with a comment or question to lighten the mood, but the two conversationalists were going at it hammer and tongs.
‘A clairvoyant?’ Dave’s lip almost curled and Sally flinched when Sonia bristled. ‘Is there much call for that in Bondi Beach?’ he asked.
‘Oh David, you would be very surprised.’ Sonia’s voice was saccharine sweet.
‘Dave,’ he said.
Sally stifled a giggle, wondering if either of them realised how silly they looked with the paper hats on their heads as they argued so seriously.
‘Do you have a business plan,’ he persisted.
‘I do.’ Sonia nodded. ‘Perhaps you’d like to see it.’
Sally bit back a grin. It would be a first if Dave bested Sonia. No one ever got the better of her sister. If it looked like things weren’t going her way, she’d retreat into her crazy persona, and confuse the issue with zany behaviour.
‘I could probably help you improve it a bit. Doesn’t matter what profession you’re in. Bricklaying, building, fashion, psychic stuff’ —this time his lip did curl and Sally waited for the fiery retort that was sure to come from her twin—‘a good plan will see an increase in profits, and let you reinvest to make more money.’
Sonia leaned forward and fluttered her eyelashes.
‘Uh oh,’ Sally thought. Dave leaned forward and the one-sided ponytail dropped across his face.
‘So what would you suggest?’ Sonia said moving in close and reaching up to lift the hair from his face.
‘Well, I suppose you have to incorporate ways to get prospective clients to come to you.’
Sonia’s voice was so, so sweet and Sally held her breath. ‘But I know who’s going to come, don’t I? I’m a clairvoyant!’
Chapter 1
‘Please, please, please, Aunty Sonia.’
The children’s voices got louder as they tried to outdo each other.
Four year old Lily Brown folded her arms and stared at her surrogate aunt. ‘You have to come to the beach because we need to be looked after.’
Sonia looked down at her as her goddaughter’s cute little lips pursed in disapproval.
‘And you have to get your swimmers and a towel,’ Theo, her twin, chipped in. ‘If we go into the water and go over our heads you’ll have to rescue us, ’cause if you wear a dress you won’t be able to save us.’
> ‘And we’ll get drownded!’ Lily piped up, seeing another way to convince Sonia to come with them.
Sonia folded her arms and looked to her sister, Sally, for help. ‘Maybe Aunty Sally could go instead? She could have a turn.’
‘No, we want you to come. Like you did when you came to visit us at our beach at home. We built that sandcastle, remember?’
‘It’s okay, Son. Kids, leave Aunty Sonia to eat her brekkie in peace.’ Rosie pointed to the two empty chairs beside her in the café overlooking the southern end of Bondi Beach. ‘Come and finish your eggs and then we’ll worry about what we’re going to do today.’
Even though it was still early, not yet eight o’clock, the world famous beach beneath them was already getting busy. The early summer sunshine glistened on the small surf as it crested in a wavy lace of foam before pushing its way to the wide expanse of sand. The tide was low and already small groups of children were playing in the shallows as the water receded. Seagulls squawked overhead before they settled on the footpath, squabbling over food scraps that unwary diners threw to them.
‘Rats with wings,’ Sonia muttered as she tried to think of a way out of going to the beach. She lifted the edge of the top pancake on her triple stack and let the maple syrup drizzle onto the berries, bananas, pistachios and ricotta cheese.
‘That looks yummy,’ Sally said. ‘But huge. I don’t think I could get through it.’
Sonia frowned, hearing implied criticism in her sister’s words. ‘I’ll need the energy to get through the day looking after this pair.’
‘I wasn’t having a go at you, love.’ Sally lifted her coffee cup to her lips. ‘Come on, Sonia. The kids would love you to go to the beach with them.’ She lowered her voice and stared at her. ‘You went to the beach in Hawaii, didn’t you? Why can’t you take them now?’
Sonia whispered as the children sat at the other side of the table. ‘You take them for a swim.’
‘I have a busy—and stressful— day ahead. Sol and I are going to his parents’ house for a visit.’ Sally narrowed her eyes and stared at her twin. ‘Why don’t you want to go to the beach here anyway?’
‘I didn’t know anyone on the beach in Hawaii, so it didn’t matter there.’
‘What didn’t matter?’
Sonia rolled her eyes at Sally.
Honestly, weren’t twins supposed to have some connection where they knew what the other one was thinking or feeling?
Ignoring Sally’s question, Sonia smiled brightly and looked across at her godchildren. ‘How about we do something different? Something really, really special.’
‘Like what? Not girly stuff.’ Theo’s voice was laced with a healthy dose of suspicion. His chin was equally laced with egg yolk, and Rosie leaned over and scrubbed at it with her napkin.
Sonia grinned at him and thought quickly. ‘How about the movies?’
‘Nope, we want to go to the beach,’ he said. ‘It’s hot and sunny. It’s a perfect day for swimming.’
‘Yes, it’s hot.’ Lily picked up a napkin and fanned herself reminding Sonia of dear old Aunt Aggie. ‘I want to have a swim too. With Aunty Sonia.’
‘No one is going anywhere on an empty stomach.’ Rosie wagged her finger and the two small children picked up their forks and continued eating.
Sonia put her head down, and focused on her meal, trying to think of a way of getting out of going down onto Bondi Beach with the kids.
‘Just like the old days, isn’t it girls?’ Sally looked at the buff tanned surfers walking past the open air café heading for the rocks where they’d jump into the water with their boards, paddle out and catch the waves.
‘The old days sans kids,’ Rosie said with a wry smile.
‘You wouldn’t have it any other way, Rosie.’ Sally looked at the children with a smile and Sonia could read her thoughts. She was thinking about the children that she and Sol would have, and Sonia suspected it wouldn’t be long after their planned Easter wedding.
Rosie and her husband, Taj, had an appointment at the solicitor’s office mid-morning. Sonia had agreed to look after the twins when Rosie had asked her last night. When she’d been in Hawaii last month, she’d had a great time with them, but fought the maternal feelings that had risen.
She would be a godmother, and an aunt to her twin’s children one day, but Sonia doubted that she’d ever be a mother herself, as much as she would love to be. She pushed the thoughts away; it was times like that she was pleased that Sally wasn’t in tune with her mind. Sonia took great pride in how clever she was in creating the persona that she hid behind. Loud, confident Sonia, in her brightly coloured tent dresses with her jangly bracelets, multicoloured toenails and toe rings, and her ability to have fun wherever she went. Looking to get laid in Hawaii, she’d told Sally on the phone when she’d set her up with Sol.
If only they knew.
Up until a few years ago, she’d even changed her name every month or two to keep everyone on their toes, but since her last name change—Ocean Lily—at Aunt Aggie’s funeral, she’d gone back to being plain old Sonia.
Yep, plain old Sonia, she thought.
‘What are you thinking about, Son?’ Rosie leaned over and touched her arm. ‘You look sad.’
‘No, not sad.’ She flashed a wide smile around the table. ‘I was just thinking about dear Old Aunt Aggie. And it made me think, it’s time to see what’s coming up for us gals!’
As Sonia turned and called the waiter over, Sally glanced at her watch. ‘I’ve only got half an hour. Sol’s picking me up here soon.’
‘Me too. Taj and I are going straight to Mr Pepper’s office from here,’ Rosie added.
‘Half an hour gives us plenty of time to read the tea leaves,’ Sonia said as the waiter came over. ‘Could we please have a pot of tea—a large one and three tea cups with saucers, Mitch?’
‘Certainly, Madame. Anything else?’ He looked around the table but his gaze lingered on Sonia. Sally nudged Rosie and they giggled like the teenagers they’d been a decade ago.
Chapter 2
Probably wondering how such a plain Jane like me can be with two stunners like that pair, Sonia thought as she watched Sally and Rosie check Mitch out. Sonia had only been home from Hawaii for a couple of weeks, but the change in Sally since she had fallen in love with Sol Brown was amazing. The dark shadows had gone from beneath her sister’s eyes, and she’d lost that intensity she’d always had. That’s what love had done for Sally.
Love at first sight. And Sonia hadn’t even seen it in the cards.
She smiled—if it hadn’t been for her placing the ad in the local paper last month, Sol and Sally would never have met. Different as chalk and cheese, but they adored each other. It warmed Sonia’s heart to see it, but she’d never admit it to Sally. They’d always had a strange relationship, never as close as people always said twins were. And over the past couple of years, Sonia had felt as though she had never quite measured up to her sister.
She sighed. Now that Sally and Sol were moving away, she was going to be lonely in the house on the hill.
True love at first sight.
Apparently it did happen.
‘A couple of small chocolate milkshakes please,’ Rosie’s words interrupted her musing. Mitch nodded before he walked away.
‘That’ll give you a bit of a break from the kids’ nagging, Sonia,’ Rosie added. ‘If it’s easier for you, we can take them with us.’
‘No, no. I love spending time with them.’ Sonia leaned forward and spoke to the kids. ‘How about we get our bikes, guys, and we can go for a big bike ride along the beach walk to the playground at Marks Park?’
Lily put her finger to her lip as she considered the option. ‘How about an ice cream too?’
‘And then a swim when we get back?’ Theo added.
‘You strike a hard deal,’ Sonia said, but she nodded. ‘But it sounds good to me.’ With a bit of luck, Taj and Rosie would be back in time for the beach end of the activities, and she co
uld opt out.
Mitch placed a fine china teapot on the table, and then carefully put a tea cup and saucer in front of each of the three women.
Sonia chuckled as he winked at her.
‘That should be right, Sonia,’ he said.
‘Do you know him?’ Sally asked suspiciously.
She nodded. ‘I read the leaves for Mitch and his partner a couple of weeks ago.’
‘Damn,’ said Sally. ‘He’s a good looker. I thought he was checking you out.’
‘Why damn, Sal?’ Sonia’s voice was surprisingly calm, considering how cross she was beginning to feel. ‘Do you feel the need to hook me up with someone now that you’re in lurve?’
Sally bristled, but Rosie put her hands up. ‘Come on you pair, no fighting. You’re grownups now.’
Sally touched Sonia’s hand lightly. ‘Sorry. I just want to see you as happy as I am.’
‘I am happy.’ Sonia picked up the teapot and poured Rosie’s tea. ‘What makes you think I need a man to be happy?’ She turned to pour Sally’s tea. ‘Oh my God, Sal. Look.’
Sally put her hand over her mouth as she looked at her saucer. Two teaspoons were sitting together on the saucer.
‘Twins!’ Sonia and Rosie said in unison.
‘Don’t get carried away. Wait till you read the leaves.’
Sonia took a deep breath and closed her eyes to relax and gather her thoughts as Rosie took the teapot from her and poured the boiling hot tea into Sonia’s teacup. ‘You can read your leaves today too,’ Rosie said.
Sonia’s eyes flew open. ‘Maybe.’
Rosie nodded. ‘Not maybe. Yes.’
The girls chatted as they sipped at their tea and the conversation was happy. Rosie sent Theo and Lily over to the small outdoor chess set, and they all smiled as the children began to climb the pieces. Sally was the first to finish her drink and she swirled the tea leaves around three times in a clockwise direction before unending the cup in the saucer and letting the small amount of liquid drain out.
Her face broke into a smile and she quickly passed her cup to Sonia. ‘Tell me later. Here’s Sol.’