by Iris Blobel
Her phone buzzed. The ID introduced Sophie’s call.
“Hi honey, how are you?”
“Hello Jeri. I’m fine, but more importantly, how are you?”
“Can’t kill weeds, isn’t that what they’re saying?”
“Oh, Jeri, don’t talk like that.”
Jeri stood, walked over to the bench to pull some tissues. Carefully, she wiped the tears from her face. “All the exhibits are fine, honey. We’re good to go for Sunday. The water was only in the storage room, but not in the actual exhibition area.”
“Jeri, sweetie, I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about you.”
“Me?” Jeri asked in surprise.
Jeri knew Sophie since her friend had moved to Hobart — at least more or less. Sophie’s sister, Mia, was Olivia’s best friend. A smile tugged at her lips as she thought about the two teenagers growing up together. They’d been inseparable and still were despite Mia living in Melbourne. The sisters had moved to Hobart about the same time Jeri had opened her gallery, having inherited a house from their late mother’s boss’ ex-wife. Yes, it took Jeri a while to understand the whole situation. Sophie had struggled financially and had asked to exhibit one or two of her photos.
It’d been the start of a great partnership. And friendship.
Her friend dragged her back from her thoughts. “Of course, you. Apparently, it’d been quite a hectic and stressful day. Want to come over for dinner?”
Pulling out more tissues for the new tears, Jeri took a minute to compose herself. She’d shed so many tears with each miscarriage, she always thought she’d dried out of tears, but it seemed she was wrong. For all that she didn’t have, she had so much more elsewhere.
“I’d love to, but I’m very tired. I only feel like a long bath and the comfort of my comfy bed.”
“I understand,” Sophie said with some disappointment in her voice. “Let me drop off some beef stew with pasta, though. At least you won’t have to cook.”
Torn between her pride, and the convenience of having dinner made for her, she let out a long breath before replying, “Honey, you’re such a sweetheart. That’d be lovely and much appreciated.”
“I’ll see you then. I promise, I won’t stay long.”
An hour later at her house, she opened the door dressed in her bathrobe, her hair wet under a white towel. Sophie stood there with a casserole dish and a small bag from the bakery.
“Oh honey, please tell me there are doughnuts in this bag.”
Sophie smiled. “Let me in for five minutes and they’re all yours.”
Without any hesitation, Jeri stepped aside to let her friend into the house, who headed straight towards the kitchen where she placed the casserole dish into the oven.
“Give it about half an hour to heat up. I’ve added some gnocchi, so no need to cook rice or pasta.”
Jeri simply nodded, eternally grateful for her friend's help. Her body ached from all the mopping and moving items earlier in the day. The hot bath had helped, but left her very sleepy. She stepped closer to inspect the bakery bag, when Sophie pulled it out of her hands. Checking her watch, she said, “Okay, you have ten minutes to tell me about Ely.”
Her friend’s request brought Jeri’s eyes wide open.
Sophie laughed. “I didn’t believe Georgia, but hey, it seems I hit a nerve here.”
Trying her best to find her composure again, Jeri ripped the bag out of her friend’s hand and retrieved one of the doughnuts.
“Olivia had organised a blind date between Ely and myself. He never showed up. I was angry, Olivia mighty apologetic, and Ely…Ely showed up this morning as the carpenter I hired to do the shelves in my office.” Raising her eyebrows she added, “And that’s all I have to tell you about Ely. Time’s up. Thanks for dinner. I love you for it. You know where the door is, right?”
Staring at Jeri with her mouth open, Sophie ignored Jeri’s not so subtle request to leave. Her jaw muscle was twitching and with a hand on her hip, Jeri waited for her friend to laugh.
“It seems Georgia’s version is slightly different.”
Sophie shook her head, looking up at her, sporting a big grin.
“Did Gee tell you as well that he thinks I’m too old?”
Her friend nodded, still struggling to hold back her laugh.
“Out!” Jeri shouted, pointing to the door. “Out, before I smack your little behind.”
“So there’s something going on between you and Olivia’s neighbour?” Sophie giggled as she hurried towards the front door.
“Out.”
When hearing the front door close, a smile tugged at her lips. She took a bite of the doughnut and let out a little moan in delight. As much as she was annoyed by Georgia’s telling tales, she had to admit to herself how much she’d been drawn to this guy. Olivia’s description of sex on legs hadn’t been an exaggeration at all.
She smiled, thinking of his smile reaching his beautiful blue eyes. His ingenuity when it’d come to her office shelves. She hadn’t had much time today to inspect them, but the few little extras he’d added had already impressed her.
Chapter 4
Jeri was on her way to pick up Olivia for her mother’s birthday celebration. After the week she’d had, she was looking forward to a little bit of fun and mingling with others. It’d taken her a couple of hours to get ready. Why she’d made such a fuss was beyond her, because ultimately she didn’t want to attract anybody.
She’d baked most of the morning and prepared some salads as well. Georgia had asked whether she should postpone her birthday party to the following weekend, but Jeri told her not to worry about it. In hindsight, she wished she had accepted the offer. With the exhibition the next day, she still had so many things to organise and check.
Thanks to Olivia and Georgia’s help during the week, as well as Sophie’s, Jeri was able to get the storage room dry and the floor varnished. In the end it looked so good, she decided to open it up for the exhibition, displaying the special theme ‘Bushfires in Tasmania’ to gather separate funds to help those affected. It’d turned out nice.
She parked in front of Olivia’s house, got out, and stood for a minute, checking both houses on the right and on the left, wondering which one belonged to Ely. Shaking her head, she let out a little snort and headed towards the front door.
Knocking at the door, she had another peek to the right and the left, still wondering about Ely. The sound of someone cursing inside made her smile. It was Olivia. The uneven clicking of high heel shoes told Jeri that her niece was about to open the door.
“That’s what you get when you buy cheap,” Olivia said through gritted teeth after she’d opened the door, holding up a broken heel.
Jeri looked away, trying to hide her smile.
“Yeah, go ahead and laugh,” Olivia said as she took off the shoe on her foot, then turned walking back down the hall. “What am I going to wear?”
Following her, Jeri gave the door a little push to close. “Honey, high heels are not recommended at a garden party anyway. How about the nice purple ballerinas you bought in Melbourne?”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Olivia ran off to the back of the house while Jeri went into the kitchen to check whether she could pack up more cakes and trays of food. But the kitchen was clean. She checked the fridge and for good measure, the freezer.
Nothing.
“Honey, where are you hiding the food? I thought I—”
“Already at Mum’s,” Olivia said, hopping into the kitchen, trying hard to get on the second shoe. “I lugged everything over this morning.”
“Oh, you’re well organised.”
“Not really. Ely gave me a hand. He owed me for…” Olivia shrugged. “You know.”
Jeri wasn’t quite sure why her heart just skipped a beat, but it did. She’d thought of Olivia’s neighbour all week, not able to get him out of her head. He was like a little boomerang who kept invading her mind, leaving her annoyed when she remembere
d the reason for the no-show.
“Yes, he told me about the age thing,” Olivia added. “He’s really sorry. Apparently he asked you out, but you said—”
“No.”
“Care to tell me why?” Her niece lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug as she stepped towards Jeri. “Okay, I’ve just outgrown my teenage years, but hey, I’m not blind. Every time the name Ely is mentioned, your cheeks turn into a beautiful tone of rosé, like the wine.”
“I’ve got my reasons. Solid ones.”
“But they’re yours to keep, right?”
Jeri’s heart ached as she saw something like disappointment on Olivia’s face. Over the last few years, whenever she’d looked after the girl, she tried to instil in her little niece that honesty and respect are two of the most important traits a person should have.
And now she was the one holding back.
Jeri took a long, deep breath. “Honey. I’ll tell you why, but not now. It’s nothing bad or serious—” And seeing Olivia’s questioning look, she added, “And nothing criminal. But, hey, how about we enjoy your mum’s birthday today first? We’ll have dinner next week and I give you the whole story.”
“Promise?”
“Pinkie swear,” Jeri replied with a soft laugh.
Olivia nodded, seemingly okay with the deal.
Half an hour later, they arrived at Georgia’s house. Her birthday party was a small affair with close friends in her backyard. Her husband Leo was already busy at the barbeque. Jeri was able to smell the smoke wafting towards the front of the yard. Coming closer she heard the sizzle of the meat — and there was a lot of it: sausages, steaks, chops, and even a bit of seafood. She placed a kiss on Leo’s cheek to say hello and left him to his important job.
The tables were covered with an assortment of salads, vegetables, and chips and crackers next to various dips. Jeri assumed that the same amount of cheeses and cakes were going to be served afterwards. With a quick tug at her pants, she was glad she’d decided on the loose ones.
After she’d taken her cake and food into the kitchen, she grabbed a glass of wine, and wished Georgia a happy birthday before she mingled with the guest.
It was time to relax for a couple of hours.
* * *
Ely stood at the window and watched Jeri walking into Olivia’s house. He noticed how she’d hesitated to look at both houses on either side of her niece’s house.
Did he read too much into it or could she be possibly checking out where he lived?
He’d thought about her all week and it’d driven him crazy. Even a night out on Wednesday night with Scott hadn’t helped the cause. When Olivia had asked him to help him with driving food and foldable chairs to her mother’s house he’d been all for it, hoping to run into his magic wand lady.
“So, Ely,” Olivia had said. “Tell me about your dinner with—”
“Jeri? Give me a break Libby. You know all about it.”
She’d sat straight in the car, staring out the window, avoiding his gaze. “Yes, I know. I promised her—”
“Promised? How much has she told you?”
“She’s been all lady-like and left the explanations to you.”
He couldn’t help himself but snorted. “Yeah, right.”
Shooting around, she said with her voice raised, “Okay, yes, she told me that you thought she’d be too old for you.”
Shaking his head, he focussed on the road for a moment before he spoke again. “How old is she?”
“Beg yours?”
He shrugged. “Georgia said she’s close to forty, too old for your friends.”
“She’s not forty. Mum’s having a bit of an age denial moment.”
“So what is it?”
Olivia let out a long breath. “She’s just turned thirty-eight.”
He nodded, not really sure how to respond to that. Forty. Thirty-Eight. There wasn’t really a difference. The difference was in his head. Forty sounded so much more than thirty. What an idiot he’d been.
“Does it make a difference?” she’d asked.
He shook his head. “No. And it shouldn’t have.” Staying silent for another minute or two to overtake another car, he had to choose his words. “Libby, I’m sorry.” He shrugged. “She’s a great girl and if I could turn back time, I would and be there, but I can’t, so I’ve got to live with the outcome.” Ely looked at her. “I’m sorry,” he said again.
“Now what?”
“I apologised, at least I think I did, and asked her for dinner.”
“And?”
He shook his head.
Olivia had burst into laughter. “Yeah, that’d be my auntie. Going down with pride.”
“Libby, that’s not funny.”
“Which part?”
“The whole situation.”
She turned and placed her hand on his arm. “Okay, tell me the truth, nothing but the truth—”
“—so help me the guy above, I won’t kill you.”
She laughed again. “You like her?”
Throwing the question around his head a couple of times to find the right answer. Did he like her? Was it guilt? Was it sheer lust?
Ely shoved his hand through his hair and rested it at the neck for a moment before he said, “I don’t really know her. I mean—”
“Were you serious when you asked her for a dinner or just trying to ease your guilt?”
He looked around, raising one eyebrow. “You’re not beating around the bush, are you?”
“I love her dearly. She’s been a great auntie to me. You hurt her and I was involved in it. I want to make this right.”
“Ouch.”
“I don’t care.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed how she intertwined her fingers in her lap. She seemed nervous. “Look, Ely. You’re a great neighbour—”
“Well, thanks.”
She laughed. “The bit I know about you is that I think you two would hit it off spot on. I didn’t think the couple of years would be such a deal for you. She’s not a cougar.”
“Sweetheart, I agree.”
He parked and turned off the engine when Olivia turned to him. “So I can fix you two up again?” she asked with a grin on her face.
“Fixing up sounds a bit harsh. How about you leave things to us to sort out?”
The expression on her face told him she wasn’t at all happy with that idea.
“You will make an effort, though, right?”
A smile tugged at his lips. “What’s in it for you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Libby, you’re at this like a tiger. Why?”
She frowned. “I told you, she was really hurt. I want to fix it, that’s all.”
Staring out of the front window, watching Olivia’s mother approach the car, he stayed silent. Although he appreciated Olivia’s thoughts to help her auntie, in a way it magnified the guilt inside him. The guilt that had grown into a constant ache, and he yearned for some relief. It hurt him so much, even more so than when he left Tina. And that took him months to move on. He’d sincerely loved her and had thought her to be the one he’d grow old with. After that—his inside had been empty until he’d met Jeri.
“Come on, buddy. Stop dreaming, let’s get this done.”
Olivia opened the door and greeted her mother. Their conversation went from an update of the birthday preparation, to food, drinks, and what they were thinking of wearing, to who was coming and who wasn’t.
Ely shook his head, amazed by how many words two people could put into five minutes without taking a breath. He got out and unloaded all of Olivia’s stuff, when Georgia stepped towards him.
“Thank you, Ely. I really appreciate your help. Are you sure you don’t want to come this afternoon?”
“Thanks Georgia. Yes, I’m sure. It’s no excuse, I really have put my hand up to babysit my nephew.”
A smile spread across her face. “I love a man who babysits. It has something—”
“Mu-um
, leave it be,” Olivia interrupted her. “You can catch up with him in a couple of weeks at my barbeque.”
She turned to Ely. “You’re coming, right?”
He choked back a laugh. “I have no choice. You wrote it on my calendar with a red pen.”
Georgia laughed, even more so when she saw her daughter blush. At least that was what he thought the reason was. “Oh, I had no idea you two were—”
“We’re not, mum. But we’re good friends, is all.”
Ely raised his eyebrow towards Olivia, not comfortable with the conversation these women were having. He hoped none of this conversation would come anywhere near Jeri’s ears. He was in deep water enough and didn’t need this.
“Where would you like me to take these?” he asked, trying to abort the previous conversation.
He followed Georgia’s instructions and left all of Olivia’s food in the backyard, next to the backdoor entrance. Apparently, Leo would take it from there and find a cooler spot.
“Heading off now, Libby. Are you sure you don’t need a lift back home?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Dad will drive me home later on so I can get changed.”
“No worries,” he replied, but added, “And don’t start any rumours, okay.”
She laughed.
“Oh by the way, I’ve asked Scott to come along to your barbeque as well.”
Her eyes widened, but he wasn’t sure whether it was in surprise or irritation. But he wasn’t in the mood nor did he have the time to start this conversation about how he owed Scott, so he quickly slid behind the wheel and started his escape.
Chapter 5
The next few weeks were a blur for Jeri. The exhibition was a huge success. Thanks to Olivia and her excellent work with the cataloguing of all the items, sales went smoothly and without any complications.