by Louise Guy
She broke into peals of laughter as they walked through to the garden, the scent of freshly mown grass filling the air.
Damien put the mower away in the shed and walked up the garden to join Hannah and Phyllie.
‘Thanks, love, you’re a good boy. So much like my Frederick,’ Phyllie said. ‘The lawn looks lovely.’
‘I’ll do the edges next time,’ Damien said. ‘They aren’t too long at the moment, so they didn’t need it. I’ll also bring my whipper-snipper, as that one you’ve got in the shed is a bit archaic.’
Phyllie laughed. ‘Frederick will be sending you evil looks from heaven for referring to his prized possession like that. He loved that thing. “Made to last, Phyllis”, he’d always say. It did do a good job, but yes, I’m sure the newer, modern equipment is much easier.’
‘Mum?’ Amy stood at the back door, Bear next to her. ‘The computer’s doing something weird. Can you have a look?’
Hannah stood. ‘I’ll be right back.’
Bear ran past her into the garden. ‘Let’s get this fixed,’ she said to Amy, ‘then you can head out with Bear and throw him the ball or a stick or something.’
She followed Amy and sat down at the computer. A warning had come up saying the site she was trying to access had been blocked.
‘That’s weird. I wonder why Nat would have blocks on the computer. What were you trying to open?’
‘Just a site that has lots of documentaries. They have a show on Arthur Phillip that might be worth watching.’
Hannah clicked through to the settings on the computer. ‘Let’s have a look and see if any sites are blocked. If they’re not, it’s probably just a glitch and you could try restarting it. I can’t imagine Nat would need to block any sites.’
Hannah found the setting that showed what was blocked. She stared at the screen. There were a number of blocks in place. By the looks of them, they all blocked gambling sites. She sucked in a breath. Eliza and Lia had been talking about Gamblock and Poker Problems the other day.
‘What are they, Mum? Anything that would be blocking the documentary site?’
Amy drew Hannah from her jumbled thoughts. ‘Um, no, not that I can see. Let’s just shut down everything and restart. It might clear whatever the glitch is.’
They spent a few minutes closing the open programs and restarting the computer. Amy tried the website again and this time it worked. She smiled. ‘Thanks, you’re smarter at this stuff than I thought you would be.’
Hannah wasn’t sure whether she’d received a compliment or not but smiled regardless. ‘Okay, have a look and then come out the back. We won’t be staying much longer, and I’m sure Bear would love to have a proper play in the garden.’
She walked through to the kitchen and the sliding door that led out to Phyllie’s patio area. All the comments Lia had made in the chat room were flooding her mind. It wasn’t possible that Lia was Nat, was it? She gave herself a mental shake. No, of course it wasn’t. It had to be a coincidence, nothing more. But why were all those blocks in place on Nat’s computer for online poker? It was only four or five weeks ago that she’d mentioned an interest in poker, after her big win at the poker night. Surely she couldn’t have run up a huge debt and needed to ban herself in that short a timeframe? She took her seat back at the patio, her eyes fixing on Bear, who was sniffing around one of Phyllie’s trees.
‘Get it sorted?’ Damien asked.
Hannah nodded, still deep in thought.
Phyllie frowned. ‘You okay, love? You went into the house with rosy cheeks and have come out as white as a sheet.’
‘Phyllie’s right,’ Damien said. ‘You look awful.’
She turned her attention from Bear to her husband and grandmother. ‘You two know, don’t you?’ It had just dawned on her that Damien’s inability to look her in the eye when he’d mentioned a friend having gambling problems wasn’t because it was him, but because it was Nat. And Phyllie, of course, had been the one to help Nat make changes. She was also the one who unwittingly gave Nat five thousand dollars, not realising it was being squandered on poker tables rather than invested.
‘Know what?’
‘About Nat’s problem. Her addiction to poker.’
Damien’s mouth dropped open. ‘What makes you think that?’
‘Don’t lie to me. I can see right through you.’ She turned to Phyllie. ‘The computer’s in the living room so you can monitor what she’s doing, isn’t it? And you encouraged her to put those blocks on it so she can’t access the gambling sites.’
‘I didn’t exactly encourage her; in fact, I didn’t even know about them. But when she mentioned them, I made sure she installed them. She wouldn’t want you knowing anything about this, Hannah. She feels like a big enough failure as it is. She needs help, and she needs compassion right now. She doesn’t need a lecture or anyone pointing the finger at her and saying she’s not good enough.’
Hannah sucked in a breath. ‘I would never do any of that. I’d want to help her.’
‘I know that,’ Phyllie said, ‘but she doesn’t. She has a chip on her shoulder when it comes to you, so any attempts at help will be interpreted as you lording it over her. Just leave it alone, okay?’
‘Leave what alone?’
They all turned as Nat came through the back door and out into the garden. She smiled at them. ‘This is a surprise, perfectly timed too as I wanted to see Amy, which I’ve just done. But what do you need to leave alone?’
‘Oh nothing, love,’ Phyllie said. ‘Damien’s been kind enough to mow the lawns for us and offered to prune the liquidambar tree. I said to leave it alone. Probably just for another six months or so. It isn’t out of control yet.’
‘Oh.’ Nat’s eyes flicked around the garden. ‘I’d planned to ask Leon to come and do those jobs for you.’
Phyllie laughed. ‘I’m sure you can think up another reason to speak to Leon if you want to.’
Hannah watched with interest as Nat’s face coloured. Was her sister interested in goat boy, as she’d previously referred to him? She sensed Nat’s discomfort and changed the subject. ‘Congratulations.’ Hannah hoped her smile looked genuine and Nat wasn’t going to read something else into it. ‘Phyllie mentioned you’re starting a new job tomorrow. The organisation sounds wonderful.’
Nat’s eyes narrowed momentarily before she nodded. ‘Thanks, yes, it certainly has a good feel to it.’
‘And it’s a community support officer role?’
‘Yes, covering St Kilda, Elwood and some of the bayside area. There are a large number of support houses in that area.’
‘I hope your first day and week go well. It sounds like a great opportunity.’
Nat didn’t seem to know how to respond. They were interrupted by Amy, which saved her having to try.
Amy came out through the sliding door and flung her arms around Nat. ‘Thank you, I love it.’
Nat laughed. ‘You’re welcome, and as I said, I’m sorry it was late and that I was in such a bad mood on your birthday. I promise to never be like that again. And I also thought that perhaps next weekend just the two of us could go out for lunch and a movie.’ She looked across to Hannah. ‘If that’s okay with you, of course.’
Hannah nodded. What had just happened?
‘Check this out, Mum.’ Amy held out her arm, now sporting a black Fitbit. ‘I’ve wanted one of these for ages. Skye and Brittney are always competing for how many steps they’ve done. Now I’ll be able to join in. And I needed a watch too. It’s perfect.’
‘It’s great, Ames, you’re very lucky.’ Hannah looked over to Nat. ‘Thank you, that’s very generous.’ She wondered how on earth Nat had afforded it. Assuming she was Lia, then she had no money at all.
They stayed for another half an hour, making small talk before Hannah suggested they head home and leave Nat and Phyllie to their lunch and afternoon.
Hannah’s head felt like it might explode by the time they arrived home. She waited until Amy and Bear h
ad disappeared upstairs before turning to Damien. ‘What did you know about Nat and the poker? Did you know she was in trouble?’
‘Yes. She told me a few weeks ago. I told her to cancel her account and put blocks in place so she couldn’t access the sites.’
‘And did she?’
‘As far as I’m aware, she did.’
‘Did she tell you how much she was in debt?’
He nodded. ‘Fifteen thousand, although I’m not sure if all her debt was due to gambling. God, I feel awful. If I hadn’t invited her to poker night this probably wouldn’t have happened.’
‘It’s not your fault, but I wish you’d told me. I would have helped her.’
He shook his head. ‘You’re not the right person to help her. She hates taking any advice from you. Any effort you made then, or make now, would be thrown back in your face. She specifically asked me not to say anything to you.’
Hannah swallowed a large lump that had formed in her throat. Tears glistened in her eyes.
Damien reached across and pulled her to him. ‘Don’t beat yourself up. It’s just how it is.’
‘I’ve let Mum down. From the moment she died I knew what she would have expected from me when it came to looking out for Nat. I’ve tried so hard to protect her from things and now look what’s happened.’
‘She’s a grown woman. Your days of protecting her are long gone.’
‘But the fact that we just don’t get along, I’m sure that would upset Mum.’
‘You can always change that. Be more tolerant and patient with her. Try and remain positive about everything she says and don’t push her buttons by going on about real or imagined risks.’
Hannah nodded. ‘Okay.’
He hugged her again. ‘And I’m sorry. I hated keeping it from you, but I made a promise. I won’t make that sort of promise again. Now, why don’t you go and sit down, and I’ll make us all some lunch?’
Hannah nodded again. She wanted to get back online and read through the previous conversations to see how many hints there were that Lia was Nat. Maybe she wasn’t. It was possible it was just another coincidence.
It wasn’t a coincidence. When Hannah read back through the messages, it was definitely Nat. The comments about her sister that Hannah had sympathised with were about her! Nat was discussing their relationship with total strangers. She took a deep breath. She couldn’t be angry with her. She was doing exactly the same thing. Enjoying new friendships where she felt safe to say anything. After all, she never imagined meeting the other two women and certainly never imagined she would know one of them.
It was amazing to think that she’d not put two and two together earlier. But then again, why would she? Nat hadn’t mentioned anyone’s names or used her real name, and Hannah had no reason to suspect her sister had a gambling problem.
She leaned back in her chair and considered the situation they were in. In the short time she’d known Lia, she felt like she was developing a firm friendship with her. The same with Eliza. Part of her wished she didn’t know that Lia was Nat. If she didn’t know, it was possible they could have become great friends. If at some point the truth had been revealed, then perhaps they would have had a better relationship than they did now? The truth would have come out as they moved further along the track and discussed jobs and family.
Nat had no idea that Suze was her sister. Hannah shuddered at the thought. She definitely wouldn’t want Nat knowing about the Zane Fox situation; she was likely to tell Phyllie, their father, or even Damien. Thank goodness she’d used a different name for herself. She hadn’t told Lia or Eliza what she did for work or even where she lived. She knew that Eliza’s brother lived in Toorak but had no idea where Eliza herself lived, other than it was in Melbourne.
Would staying in the online chat group be a way to have a relationship with her sister? It was certainly a way to find out more about what was going on in Nat’s life and do her best to protect her where she could. There was no rush to do anything for now. She’d made two great friends, and if she could treat Lia as a friend, not as her sister, it might be a turning point in their relationship. What Nat didn’t know regarding who Suze was wasn’t going to hurt her.
Chapter Twenty
Nat couldn’t believe how well she fitted in with the team at Endeavour Trust. She’d only been there four days yet felt like she’d been there for months. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and she could see that Col Fletcher’s enthusiasm impacted on every staff member. They wanted to do their best for their clients and at the same time make their workplace a great place to be. Phyllie had been waiting for her each evening with a list of questions about her day, which she assumed had been carefully thought through to check that Nat was going to work and not lying about it.
‘Drop in and see me one day like you said you would,’ Nat suggested. ‘I can tell you don’t trust me.’
Phyllie’s face had reddened, but she hadn’t denied it. ‘I believe in you and that is the main thing. And yes, I will pop in and see you at some stage. I wanted you to settle in first. We’ll organise a time for next week.’
That had been a small victory in itself. That Phyllie hadn’t suggested that she would drop in at a random time, as she had previously, meant she must believe Nat was telling the truth.
Nat smiled as she opened the dishwasher and put her dinner plate in. Verna had picked up Phyllie half an hour earlier for their monthly horticulture meeting, leaving Nat with an empty house for the evening. She switched the dishwasher on and went through to the living area and sat down at her computer. Sunday, when she’d last chatted with Suze and Eliza, seemed like an age ago. She wondered how they were going? She logged in and saw that BrownDog40 was online.
BrownDog40
Hey, Lia! Was about to log off thinking no one was here tonight.
PinkFish88
Phew, glad you didn’t. It’s such a relief having you guys to chat to. Each time I have the urge to log on to the poker rooms I check the chat room instead and one of you is often here. So, thank you! Never thought I’d make friends online that I rely on so much.
BrownDog40
Excellent that you’re staying out of the poker rooms – well done! How’s your new job going? You started this week, didn’t you?
PinkFish88
Going well. The company has a great vibe to it, and my job is great. I’m a community support officer. I have to organise carers and help in some of the community houses we have in the St Kilda and Elwood areas. I go in and check on the clients and make sure both their needs and those of the carer are being met. I also have to find housing placements for new clients and make sure the dynamic in the houses is working.
LizaE
Wow, that sounds rewarding. Hi to you two by the way.
PinkFish88
Hey, Eliza! Yes, it is a rewarding job. I’m not sure what I was thinking getting caught up with the poker full-time. I think I was in some addicted haze. How are you going? Still celebrating your brother’s investment? When do you find out if the second one was as successful?
LizaE
You won’t believe it, but Jacob’s just left. He turned up this afternoon with a bottle of champagne and a cheque for sixty thousand dollars. How crazy is that! He invested twenty thousand for us and increased it by three hundred percent. Can you believe it? We’re not out of the woods, but eighty-seven thousand dollars is almost halfway there. I’m more shocked about this I think than I was at the debt Doug accumulated.
Nat stared at the screen. That was incredible. Eliza’s situation was being turned around so quickly. Imagine having a brother who could do that.
LizaE
I should mention, Jacob doesn’t always make such massive profits. What he’s doing right now is high risk, but they see another three-week window of being able to make money quickly. He said it happens every two to three years. They refer to it as the ‘salmon run’. They catch as much as they can before the river runs dry. Usually, they lose on their last inve
stment, which is why they pace it out during the run. They expect a loss at some stage, so rather than investing millions at a time they minimise that final loss. Then once the loss comes, they go back to regular trading, hoping that the next salmon run won’t be too many years away.
BrownDog40
It sounds like they know how to manage their risk, and to expect that loss is sensible. I’m so pleased for you Eliza. You deserve a fairy god-brother!
LizaE
What about you Suze? Aren’t you due to see the private investigator this week?
BrownDog40
Yes, I’ve decided to tell him to get lost. I’m not going to pay him any more. I’m hoping to organise for my parents to have my daughter this weekend so I can sit my husband down and come clean. I have no idea how he’s going to react but your comment about being honest resonated with me.
LizaE
Oh gosh, I’m no expert. I hope it’s good advice. I think no matter what happens right now, at some point he was going to find out. Also, it does give him the chance to connect with his biological mother. That in itself might grant you forgiveness.
PinkFish88
If he’s a decent guy, he’s going to see exactly why you did what you did. It was for no other reason but to protect him. I think you’re amazing.
Nat did think Suze was an amazingly strong woman. She could only imagine the guilt she must be carrying around for what she’d done and telling the truth was going to take a lot of courage.
BrownDog40
Thanks, Lia. You have no idea how much I appreciate your words. How are things on the family front for you? You mentioned you were a bit worried about your grandmother. How is she?
PinkFish88
Good, although forgetful at times. I am a bit worried, to be honest. She’s starting to show signs of dementia. I may just have scared myself googling her symptoms though, so hopefully it’s just old age.
BrownDog40
What sort of things is she doing?