Her voice was strained. Her concern for other people was noble but her emotions were still flying, still needing to land.
‘Could we try for Tuesday or Wednesday?’
‘That’s fine. I’ll phone them and get back to you. And, one last thing, Geraldine, and it’s probably none of my business, but you have to tell Hannah.’
‘Good heavens, do you think I don’t know that? You haven’t spoken to her, have you?’
‘No and I won’t.’
I hung up, wondering if there would be a time when Geraldine and I might have conversations that were easy, or whether we would merely cease to communicate once the emotional urgency subsided.
‘Gloria, it’s Carter, how are you?’
‘Oh, I’m well, Carter. I was hoping you’d phone. Have you spoken to Geraldine?’
I told her about my conversation with Geraldine and suggested we meet at my place. To my surprise, Gloria insisted on it taking place at her house.
‘If she wants to hear about Maxine’s childhood, then it’s appropriate she comes here.’
CHAPTER 49
Virginia opened the door with a big smile. Her hair was shorter, and she looked different. We hugged and I followed her down her hallway. I wanted to ask if she was in love, but decided that could wait. It had never occurred to me before that the look of love might be obvious.
Gloria greeted me affectionately. She was nervous but in control. ‘I thought you might have brought Geraldine with you?’
‘No, she wanted to come on her own. She phoned me only five minutes ago, she wanted to be sure I was here first.’
‘That makes sense. If I was her, I’d want you here,’ said Virginia.
‘So, how are you feeling? Are we all cool?’
‘Well, of course, we have to be. I don’t know quite what to expect, but I’m figuring anybody who brought such a beautiful person into the world is all right with me.’
The front door buzzed.
Gloria breathed deeply, and she turned and faced us. ‘I think I should answer the door. Why don’t you two wait here?’ And she was gone.
I looked at Virginia, who gave me a wry smile. ‘Nice…you know, in my whole life, I’ve never been as impressed with my mum as I am now.’ We heard voices at the front door. ‘Since Mum revealed all about her past, and about Max being adopted, she’s been a different soul, more relaxed, as if a weight was lifted. It’s been great and we’ve never been closer.’ Her arm softly touched mine, ‘and we need to thank you.’
I shrugged, but felt proud of myself.
With a broad smile, Virginia sat down on one of the bentwood kitchen chairs, her hand raised in the stop gesture that her sister liked to use when making a point. ‘Life never fails to fuckingwell amaze me.’
We laughed, shook our heads. I realised Virginia and I could become friends.
‘When I started high school, I wasn’t taking any notice of anyone, I figured they could discover me if they were lucky. Anyway, I’d developed early and this guy Sergio was giving me a hard time, threatening to feel my boobs, so I pushed him and he got agro and pushed me over. All of a sudden, he was sitting on the ground next to me with the weirdest look on his face. My big sister had walked up behind him and pushed him flat on his face, and, you guessed, it, the traffic cop had arrived. She said something like ‘You touch my little sister again, Sergio, and you are dead fucking meat, man…it was so funny.’ We sat quietly as the room echoed with the hum of things gone.
‘So, how about it, shall we wander in?’
‘Yep, let’s go.’ She linked arms with me.
They were sitting together on the brown corduroy couch, holding hands, and Geraldine crying and smiling at the same time. Gloria was looking intently at her, caring, remembering, telling. We waited. Eventually, Geraldine got up, wiped her eyes and hugged me.
I said, ‘Geraldine, this is Virginia, the much-loved sister of Maxine.’ They hugged. ‘In fact, Virginia was just telling me the story of how Maxine flattened the school bully for giving her a hard time in her first year of high school.’
Gloria looked at her daughter with wide eyes. ‘I don’t remember that story, Maxine was never the physical type. Did you just make that up?’
‘No, Mum. Let me tell you, when she wanted to, she could beat the living daylights out of me.’
‘Me too,’ I said with mock fear.
The laughs were louder and longer than the joke deserved.
Geraldine cleared her throat. ‘It really is nice of you to have me here. I’m not sure what I expected. I’m just so sorry I didn’t try to find Maxine years ago, and now all I can get is her story, but somehow,’ she looked down, ‘this seems like the right thing.’
Gloria moved forward, put her hand on Geraldine’s back and patted it tenderly.
‘Yes, it’s the right thing and, before we talk anymore, I think a cup of tea is in order and I’ve even baked a carrot cake.’
Virginia stood and started to say she would get the tea, but her mother had other plans.
‘You stay here and tell Geraldine about that big sister of yours, and no more of that rubbish about her beating anyone up. She was a gentle soul and you know it.’
When she returned with a tray, Virginia was showing Geraldine an album of school photos. She looked up. ‘New mugs, Mum?’
‘Yes, it seemed right, as they’re mauve.’
Virginia nodded. ‘Max’s favourite colour.’
I remembered the numerous articles of mauve clothing and crockery, the cushion covers, even curtains, which had adorned our lounge room for a period, before Maxine agreed that she might have gone a bit overboard and put the old ones back.
My mobile went, ‘sorry for the interruption, I’ll call them back…’
Gloria interrupted, ‘No take it, by all means, Carter’ and waved her hand dismissively while still managing a smile. She was in charge now, embolded by the occasion. In the hallway, I looked at my phone, but didn’t recognise the number.
‘Carter speaking.’
‘Oh, hi, Carter, it’s Sandy from Kyneton Collectables, how are you? Hope you don’t mind me calling, you did say I could call you on your mobile.’
‘Yes, it’s fine.’
‘I just wanted to tell you that that I met Lisa Birdsong. I don’t know if you remember that the last time I called you, I told you that Colin, who had worked here, told me he bought the painting off this Lisa and…’
‘Yes, I certainly do remember.’
‘Well, you won’t believe this, I was over in Gisborne yesterday, went to see my sister-in-law who lives over there; she’s not well, hip problems. Anyway, I go into the general store near her place and I hear the lady behind the counter say, “Lisa Birdsong, it’s been a long time.” So, my ears prick up and I turn around and there’s this skinny little thing, I reckon she was probably in her mid-fifties but looked seventy. I get my milk, and wait outside and introduce myself to her, and we had a good chat. She said that remembered the painting, that her boyfriend at the time, I think his name was Ozzie, had brought it with him when he moved in with her. She said that this Ozzie said that the painting should be worth something but that he kept saying to her, or to anyone who’d listen, that someone had repainted it. He said there should have been a person in the painting, or something like that. It didn’t make sense to me. Does it mean anything to you? Carter, are you still there?’
‘Yes, sorry, Sandy. Yes, it does make sense, a lot of sense.’
‘Really? Oh, I’m so glad I could be of help. Unfortunately, I didn’t get this Lisa’s number or anything. Eventually, she got a bit jack of me asking her questions, but, Carter, she did tell me that Ozzie had passed away three or four years ago, after being in a home. Evidently, he had Alzheimer’s and was not very with it in the end.’
‘Sandy, thank you so much for bothering to call me. I r
eally appreciate it.’
‘Oh, believe me, it’s nothing.’ Her voice softened. ‘You know, I think about you a lot. I’ll never forget the way you looked that day when you told me about it all. And, of course, your lovely partner, Maxine, I can still picture her, so pretty.’
‘Thanks for those kind words. I promise to come and visit you one day, and fill you in on the full story of the painting.’
‘Oh, would you? That would be really lovely. I’m glad I could help. I’ll let you go.’
‘Sandy, before you go, one more thing: Lisa’s boyfriend, you said his name was Ozzie, but could it have been Ollie?
‘Yes, yes, I think you’re right, I think it was Ollie. How did you know that?’
‘Oh, just a guess.’
‘Well, it sounds more than just a guess to me. Let me tell you, Carter, I’m looking forward to you telling me the full story one day.’
‘It’s a deal, Sandy, thanks so much.’
I had walked as I talked and had ended up in the backyard. Despite the fact that I wanted to share the information that had come from Sandy, I had a strong urge to stay where I was. The yard was dominated by a large oak tree, almost as wide as it was high. I wondered how old it was and who planted it. It was irregular in shape and leant to the left, and there were areas of dead wood; it looked as if it had accepted defeat. Perhaps its time had arrived — perhaps this tree had seen too much. I recalled Max mentioning it, talking about the swings that had hung from it and the cubby houses that had been built in its branches. That tree had seen two girls grow with it and I wanted to ask it how many times the sisters had pushed each other on a swing that now looked lonely. The green plastic seat had split in two and each part hung lifelessly on the end of frayed rope. I felt a strange camaraderie with this tree, and promised myself that I would discuss it with Gloria and Virginia. Perhaps we should consider getting in an arborist? But even that seemed futile. Had I come to accept that some things should be allowed to pass?
I went back inside via the bathroom, where I washed my face, and smiled at the bloke in the mirror. He seemed wiser.
As I got to the door of the lounge room, I heard ‘We weren’t entirely sure that he was good enough for her, but he was. They had a good relationship, there’s no doubt about that. Maxine and Carter loved each other.’ I wanted to retreat but it was too late. I had been seen.
‘Hey, don’t go telling Geraldine all my bad habits.’
‘Geez, Carter, we haven’t got that long. Geraldine might need to leave before daybreak,’ said Virginia.
I pulled a face and stuck my thumb up at her. ‘Truth is, Max only moved in with me to get away from her sister,’
‘What a load of bull, I was the perfect sister. Tell him, Mum.’
‘Well, I don’t know about perfect but you two can stop this rubbish. I don’t know what Geraldine will think of us.’
We all looked at Geraldine, and it seemed our light-heartedness hadn’t worked. Her head was down, her shoulders bouncing with each sob. I moved towards her but Gloria was a step ahead of me.
Virginia stood up. ‘I’m going to put the kettle on again, I need another cuppa.’
I sat awkwardly, while Gloria told her several times that it was all right.
‘It’s just that it’s you’re a happy family, there’s so much love.’
Virginia returned and said, ‘Geraldine, we’re just a normal family. Max brought out the best in us. Since we lost her, we’ve all realised what we had and..’ she shook her head and folded her hands together…’ it just reminds you that you have to get on with it, remember the good shit.’
‘Virginia, there’s no need to use that word in front of a visitor, please.’
‘See what I mean? Boringly normal to the point where the mother still has a go at her daughter for swearing, and she’s been doing it for years, you’d reckon I was still a kid…and, worst of all, she’s right, I do swear too much.’
‘Nice of you to admit it at last. Take note, Geraldine, I might need a witness.’
Geraldine smiled weakly. Suddenly, the clouds that had dulled the day moved and the sun was shining through the window. It seemed to have decided to nudge its way into a place where we could admire it, and perhaps thank it.
‘It’s just that you had all this. I guess I’m just envious. You were lucky having two such lovely daughters, Gloria.’
Gloria pursed her lips, as if giving this serious consideration. ‘Well, if that’s true, you must take some of the thanks.’ They smiled at each other. She continued: ‘But, Geraldine, you have a daughter yourself. Hannah, isn’t it? You haven’t told us about her.’
‘Well, that’s for another time. Unfortunately, I don’t think she’s a big fan of her mother’s. We were close up until about five years ago, and I love her dearly and want her to meet you….but I need to have a long chat with her.’
I breathed in quietly. I had no idea how Hannah would react to all this. I knew at some stage I would have to talk to her, but one hurdle at a time.
‘Does she know about Maxine?’ Gloria asked.
Geraldine shook her head, then looked at me. ‘No, I haven’t told her. You haven’t told her, have you?’
Not looking at her, I replied, ‘No, I haven’t seen her for a while and I really don’t know her well. You need to be the one who tells her.’
‘Yes, soon.’
Quiet surrounded us, and a cloud moved over the sun. Then Virginia returned with a tray filled with mugs of tea and yo-yo biscuits.
‘Try these; another of Mum’s homemade delicacies.’
I had a story to tell. ‘That mobile call I just took, it was from a lady named Sandy, who owns the shop in Kyneton where Maxine found the painting. Well, she phoned me a few weeks ago, to say that she had spoken to a bloke who used to work for her, who remembered buying the painting and even remembered the name of the lady they bought it off. This lady had the most wonderful name, Lisa Birdsong, and it seems…’
‘Lisa Birdsong...I remember that name. She was a hard case, one of Oliver’s old girlfriends, my mum disliked her intensely. It’s amazing that her name should come up after all these years. How would she have got the painting?’
‘When did you last see her?’
‘Oh, good heavens.’ Gloria’s eyes scanned the ceiling, as if looking for a diary entry. ‘I guess forty years ago.’
‘That’s amazing, because they got back together before he died.’
‘Really, after all those years?’
‘Well, it seems he was living with her. They may have been together up until he went into a home. It seems he had Alzheimer’s in the end and…’
With that, I stopped speaking, I suddenly realised that Geraldine might not have known that Oliver, the biological father of Maxine, her boyfriend from all those years ago, was dead.
‘Geraldine,’ I paused. ‘Were you aware that Oliver was dead?’
She looked at me and gently shook her head. ‘No, I wasn’t.’
I heard Gloria make a muffled noise, and, out of the corner of my eye, saw her shake her head.
‘I assumed he was. I mean, I’d never heard from him and I’d never tried to find him. He lived a wild life and I guess I assumed he wouldn’t have made old bones.’
With that, Gloria leaned forward and took Geraldine’s hand. The two of them looked at each other, as if with an understanding that only they could offer.
‘So, what did this Lisa Birdsong say about the painting?’ asked Virginia.
‘Well, according to Sandy, Lisa told her that Oliver had often said that the painting should have included someone that was not there; someone who had been painted over.’
I looked at Geraldine.
‘Painted over, what’s that mean?’ asked Virginia.
I spoke. ‘ I guess we all figured the reason that Max was so taken by the paint
ing was that she might have remembered the location, but maybe, just maybe, she knew something else, maybe she knew she was in it. I recall that night, the night before I — before we lost her — she was so absorbed in the painting, but couldn’t tell me why, said she didn’t know. Maybe some distant part of her memory was telling her.’ I went on to explain what the X-ray had found, and gave a précis of the recent meetings with Alexander and the Alley Cat. When I was finished, I asked Geraldine if I had got it right. She smiled and nodded.
Gloria broke the silence. ‘Surely my silly brother, god rest his soul, wouldn’t have painted over her?’
‘Well, we can’t be sure but, from what the two experts said, it appeared to be a very professional paint-over, so, unless Oliver had some serious painting talent, we have to assume it was Elaine herself.’
‘I know.’
We looked at Geraldine, who wore an ironic grin.
‘The artist did it. My mother put her there and my mother took her out; it makes perfect sense to me.’
She looked at each of us in turn.
‘We took her granddaughter away from her; me, by not wanting her because I was too selfish, and Oliver because it didn’t suit him to have a child. My mother would have painted over Maxine to say that if she couldn’t have her, then no one could, then probably gave the painting to Oliver as a bribe. She would have said to him to go and never return.’
We sat silently absorbing another piece of a tangled tale, a bookend to a saga that had changed us all.
‘I guess your mum loved my sister, just like the rest of us, hey, Geraldine?’
Virginia’s question echoed for some time; the answer was obvious.
‘Well, I guess that means that the painting is undoubtedly genuine, that Maxine knew a good thing when she saw one,’ Gloria said.
I replied, ‘Yes, I’m sure it’s genuine, but…’
I looked at Geraldine as she said, ‘Yes, me too, but can we convince my brother?’
‘Stuff him.’ We laughed at Virginia’s reaction and at the face she pulled.
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