by Bec Johnson
‘Do you want to tell me what happened?’ Kristy took a sip of the Zibibbo she'd brought several bottles of on her way over in the car after she'd received Jenny's call for help.
‘I have to go back to London.’ Lori sat up slowly, sniffed and took a few swigs of her wine.
‘Why?’ Kristy put her hand gently on Lori's arm to make her drink a little more slowly, then repeated her question, ‘Why do you have to go back to London?’
‘Because I'm an idiot.’
Kristy spat her wine back into her cup and looked at Lori's face. ‘That wasn't a joke was it?’
Lori shook her head and opened the cake box.
‘How about you tell me why you're an idiot.’ Kristy grabbed the box of tissues from the windowsill and picked up the plates off the floor. Wiping the sticky melon juice off, she held them out while Lori picked out two slices of cake with her fingers.
‘I don't want to sell the shop.’ There she'd said it out loud.
‘Then don't.’
‘But I have to.’ Lori's eyes threatened to spill over so she took another swig of her wine and tapped the top so Kristy would pour her some more.
‘Of course you don't have to sell the shop.’ She glugged the fizzy wine into both their cups.
‘I do, because I can't tell the Peters' that I've changed my mind.’ Lori didn't look at Kristy but she knew what she was thinking.
‘Isn't that what got you into this mess in the first place?’
‘I know, I know, but even if I could tell them I've changed my mind, which I can't, then what? Living here after what I've done to Zeb, the residents will make my life a living hell. I'll be the outcast. They'll boycott me, and the shop will finally go broke.’ Lori stuck her fingers in the cake box and swiped the icing from another slice, washing it down with more wine.
‘I don't for a second believe that. I don't see Zeb as the type to go telling everyone what happened and you know I won't tell a soul.’
‘I know you won't, but Tyler and Jenny,’ Lori whispered, running her fingers up and down the smooth surface of the surfboard beside her, ‘I'm not so sure about.’
‘Can I ask you a question?’ Kristy took a swig of her wine, feeling the fizzy bubbles making their way to her head.
‘Sure.’
‘Do you think you could be in love?’
A car horn somewhere outside saved Lori from having to respond to Kristy's question, not that she didn't know the answer.
‘Lorikeet darling, I'm so sorry to interrupt but there's a delivery for you,’ Jenny opened the door a little and spoke through the gap.
Looking at Kristy she questioned her with a frown.
‘Nothing to do with me,’ her friend replied honestly.
On the front verandah Lori stood staring at the beautiful old nineteen fifties delivery truck. The side of the shiny red vehicle emblazoned with the name of the company, Wattle Farm Timber.
‘Lorikeet James?’ The old bearded man called from the back of the truck.
She hesitated, then stepped down onto the driveway and walked slowly towards him. ‘Yes, that's me.’
‘Great, then this is for you.’ He drew back the giant bolts on the doors and swung them open.
‘Umm, I'm so sorry to have wasted your time, but my father passed away and I don't need the timber he was having you deliver anymore.’ Lori hoped he would take pity on her. She didn't really want to have to pay him for a pile of wood she'd then need to pay someone else to take away.
‘I know love, but before he died, he asked me to finish this for him.’ Leaning in to the back he undid a few long straps and lifted down an exact replica of the solitary armchair Lori found on her very first morning here.
‘Oh, ok, well umm...’
‘Don't worry, the account's all paid up.’ Sensing her concern the grey-haired gentleman smiled kindly as he closed the doors back up.
‘Thank you.’ She smiled politely as he gave her a salute and climbed back into the driver's seat.
Tyler came out of the shop and joined her in the driveway, picking up the chair he gave her a kiss on the cheek and carried it back to the verandah, placing it beside it's partner. Lori followed slowly behind.
‘Wait! I nearly forgot.’ The man jumped out of the truck again and jogged over to her, waving an envelope in the air.
‘Sorry?’ Lori spun around.
‘Your father asked me to promise you got this too, not sure what I would have done if you weren't here,’ he laughed and handed it to her, saluting again. ‘Goodbye love.’
‘Are you sure you don't mind staying with her tonight?’ Jenny asked Kristy as they put away the last of the washing up. Tyler had been sent home and the closed sign had been hung on the shop's front door as soon as Lori had taken off down the garden with the envelope.
‘Of course not.’ Kristy patted her arm affectionately. ‘I have cake and wine remember! I'll come and get you if there's any problem, I promise.’
‘Ok, well, it'll be getting dark soon so you should probably try and get her in before long.’ Jenny picked up her house keys and walked through the shop.
‘Don't worry, I'll take care of her. Unless the storm breaks soon I'll give her another half an hour and then go get her.’
Jenny gave her a hug and closed the front door behind her, leaving Kristy alone in the shop.
Taking out her mobile she sent Simon a quick text message to update him on what was happening here and warned him not to wait up for her.
Down on the rocks watching the clouds roll up from the south Lori sat with her arm around Bob, still in her bikini and still wrapped in Zeb's picnic blanket.
‘No more putting things off.’ She took a deep breath and peeled open the envelope.
My Dearest Lorikeet,
Firstly, I want to assure you that this letter is not about me unloading my guilty conscience on you and nor is it seeking your forgiveness. I won't ask for something I do not deserve. I do however want you to hear me acknowledge that what I did was intolerably wrong. There is absolutely no excuse for the choice I made and it's now too late for me to put it right. I know that from my mistake you will have learnt the terrible consequences that come from not having the courage to fight for what you believe in, and I know that because of this, you won't make the same mistake, because if you truly love it, you won't let it go.
Eternally sorry,
Dad
Chapter Nineteen
‘Wake up!’ Kristy whispered into the back of Lori's sleeping head.
There was no response.
‘Lori, wake up, I think someone's in the shop... hic... pardon me haha!’ She tried to move her hands to cover her mouth but couldn't release them from the grip of tangled covers, so instead she buried her giggles in the massive bird's nest of Lori's hair.
‘Wha... What?’ With her entire body paralysed from the effects of way too much wine, and added to the fact she'd passed out on top of her surfboard, sending every muscle in her body into shock, Lori could barely move. Still mildly drunk, it took all of her effort just to lift her head a little and turn it towards the voice.
‘Hey, you're alive!’ Kristy stifled another snigger then shushed herself and carried on, ‘I mean you're awake! I was just saying... that I think somebody is in the shop.’
‘Don't be silly, go back to sleep.’ Still in yesterday's bikini, lying on her stomach with her hands wedged under her gift and the grubby picnic blanket woven between her limbs, Lori was a mess. Her head thumped and her eyes stung, but as soon as she returned her face to the cool surface of the board she drifted off again. Beside her on the bedside cabinet her phone ticked silently over to five-thirty.
‘Ok, but don't blame me if you get burg... burger... robbed.’ Exhausted from the histrionics of last night Kristy nodded compliantly and closed her eyes, falling straight back to sleep.
Between the girls, laid amongst the empty bottles and plastic tableware Bob listened to the quiet thud of heavy footsteps on the stairs. Lifting his chin
he wagged his tail at the figure that appeared in the doorway then turned his head, resting his chin on Lori's ankle as his eyes and ears continued to track the footsteps as they made their way across the floor.
Lori sighed as she enjoyed the peaceful calm that sleep brought her. Away from the pain and sadness of yesterday's events, and in her dreams, she could feel the warmth of Zeb's fingers against her skin, brushing the hair away from her face and tucking it tenderly behind her ear. It was like Christmas Day all over again.
As the footsteps returned to the doorway, pausing for a moment before descending the stairs, Bob put his head back between his paws and sighed too.
The harsh reality of seeking solace in fizzy wine and birthday cake was not a pretty sight. As the sun streamed in the window around seven Lori woke with a start when, mid dream, she fell off the edge of her surfboard. The drop was merely a couple of inches, but the sensation was enough to make her subconscious trick her into believing she was falling off the edge of the earth. As her body jumped she scared Bob and Kristy awake also. The three of them sat upright on the bed, hazy eyed, all looking at each other and the mess of their surroundings for a few moments as they truly came to.
Bob was the first to make a move. In a leap reserved only for cattle dogs and gymnasts he cleared Kristy's legs and the pile of rubbish on the floor landing in the doorway where he stretched his limbs and trotted down the stairs in anticipation of his breakfast.
‘What time is it?’ Kristy unravelled herself from the covers and rummaged for her watch, lost somewhere amongst the detritus.
‘Ten past se...’
‘Seven?’ Kristy looked at Lori who'd turned to check the time on her phone but now seemed frozen. ‘Lori? You ok?’
On top of the cabinet, beside her mobile and lying on the single sheet of paper that was her father's letter was something that hadn't been there last night, she was certain of that.
‘What's that?’ Kristy asked as Lori picked it up.
Twisting back round on the bed Lori held it out in front of her, holding it up high by the little piece of white ribbon it was tied to so that the sun shone on it, making it sparkle and flash, she spoke slowly, ‘It's a key.’
‘Oh my god, he must have put it there.’ Kristy climbed out of bed and began collecting the rubbish to take downstairs. ‘I knew I wasn't going mad, I told you someone was in the shop.’
‘When?’ Lori initially highly doubted Zeb would have come round, although when her memory of the last week pushed through the fog of her hangover and kicked in, she supposed rather sadly, that it was in fact possible.
‘This morning, some time just before dawn I'd guess by the way the birds were going crazy outside.’ She took the key from where it hung on Lori's finger. ‘Do you think it's for his...’
‘No, absolutely not,’ Lori interrupted, snatching it back. Regardless of how much she wanted it to be, she didn't allow herself to even think for a second that it was a key to Zeb's house.
‘But it could be.’ Kristy led the way down to the kitchen. Stopping at the bin she disposed of the empty cake box and dropped the bottles into the recycling. The noise made the pair of them wince in pain. ‘Whoops, sorry!’
‘It's not, I'm certain, and I'll prove it to you.’ Lori filled Bob's bowl with biscuits then walked slowly out the kitchen and through the shop, pulling open the front door.
As she ran the ribbon through her fingers she closed her eyes and dropped her shoulders. Still raw with the emotions of yesterday she wanted nothing more than for Kristy to be right, however, she just knew in her heart that if it was Zeb that Kristy had heard earlier, then he'd been returning his key to her place, making fully sure she understood that there was nothing left between them. Lori's hand shook as she lifted it hesitantly to the lock. Pushing the tarnished silver key into the opening it slid with ease and when she twisted it clockwise, the latch moved compliantly.
‘Oh shit, I'm sorry babe.’ Kristy rushed over to her. Pulling the key out again she kicked the door shut with her foot and led Lori away, settling her down into her desk chair.
After her second cup of coffee Kristy felt confident she could drive the car safely back to Green Bay . Although Simon had texted her to say he had everything under control and that she could take as long as she wanted, Lori needed some space to think, and so Kristy decided it would be best if she headed home.
‘Now you know you can call me for anything ok?’ Kristy wrapped her arms around her fragile friend and kissed her cheek.
‘I know,’ Lori squeezed back, ‘and thank you, but I need to sort this mess out on my own.’
‘Ok, well, once you've sorted out in your mind whatever it is that you want and the meeting is done, will you let me know if you need me to come over? I may not be up for wine, but I can always bring more cake.’ She laughed and opened the front door, stepping out onto the verandah.
‘We should probably give both of those things a miss, for a while at least, but I promise, I'll call you this afternoon and let you know.’ Lori blew her a kiss and watched as she disappeared out of the driveway.
Writing a quick notice for the front, explaining that the shop would be closed for the morning and reopening at lunch, Lori stuck it beside the screen door and shut herself inside. She had precisely two and a half hours to clean herself up and make possibly the biggest decision of her life. Right now, as she tried to run her fingers through her hair, the latter seemed the more painless of the two.
An entire bottle of conditioner and a shower drain full of long blonde hair later, Lori was satisfied she no longer looked deranged. Now, as she stood in front of the mirror in the most conservative summer dress she could find, which, being held up by tiny little spaghetti straps and ending three inches above the knee, was in reality not particularly conservative, Lori thought she just looked sad and tired. Tired of holding a grudge against her father, and tired of feeling sorry for herself.
Zeb's words resounded in her ears, he was right, she'd been wallowing in self-pity for too long and if she was fed up of hearing it, she could only imagine how frustrated everyone around her must feel too.
‘Lorikeet? You here darling?’ Jenny's voice travelled up from the kitchen.
‘Coming!’ Lori called back as she brushed the last of the cake crumbs from the bed and went down to face the music.
Greeted at the bottom of the stairs with one of Jenny's trade mark hugs Lori knew she was forgiven before she'd even apologised. Still it was important she said it. ‘Jenny, I am so, so sorry that I lied to you about the offer on the shop.’
‘Oh Darling, I don't care about this silly old place, I just want you to be happy, you know that don't you?’ Jenny stepped back from the hug to look up at Lori's face, but kept her hands gripped firmly on her hips.
Feeling the familiar sting of tears behind her eyes Lori sniffed them back, determined not to wallow anymore. ‘I do, yes. And I want you to know in return that I value everything you've done for me since I arrived.’
Wiping a tear from her own cheek Jenny looked like she wanted to say something but then stopped herself. Jiggling Lori's hips under her hands she changed the subject, ‘Good grief child, I can feel all your bones, come on lets get a proper breakfast into you.’
‘Did someone say breakfast?’ Tyler had come in via the deck and appeared in the doorway to the kitchen grinning like the Cheshire cat.
Lori rolled her eyes as he lifted his shirt and patted his stomach, winking at her as he did. He knew the effect this had on her and was using it as a means of trying to cheer her up. It certainly wasn't doing her any harm. As he let his shirt drop back down he stepped forward and enveloped her in his huge arms, pulling her face in to his chest and kissing the top of her head as he smoothed her damp hair. He put on his campest voice, ‘Ooo! Coconuts!’
The three of them all exploded with laughter.
Both tucking in to an enormous serving of fried everything, Lori and Tyler talked about his plans for the future. This time next year h
e would be let loose on the animal kingdom and would be in search of a position in an established practice until he felt confident enough to set out on his own. He explained that his grandmother had just come in to a little 'spare cash' as she'd apparently put it and was going to set it aside for him to use when he was ready to branch out on his own.
‘So where do you think that'll be?’ Lori asked through a mouthful of pork and apple sausage.
‘I'm not sure,’ he grinned, knowing exactly where her question was leading. ‘Maybe the vet in Green Bay will take me under his wing for a while until he's ready to retire, and if I save my backside off then I could buy him out. What do you reckon?’
‘I reckon that's a brilliant idea,’ Jenny interrupted as she rattled the oven shelves, realigning them so that they'd fit all four cake tins she was trying to cook at once.
‘Enough about me.’ Tyler put down his knife and fork and swivelled on his stool to face Lori. ‘What about you beautiful, what the hell are you going to do today?’
‘Tyler!’ Jenny reprimanded him.
‘What?’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I'm only asking what everyone is thinking.’
‘Yes, but it's none of your business young man, you know better than that.’
‘It's ok Jenny, he's right,’ Lori smiled. ‘My honest answer is, I don't know.’
‘You don't know? Hell girl you've got barely one hour to make up your mind, talk about cutting it fine.’
‘Tyler, enough!’ Jenny smacked him with the tea towel. ‘You've finished your breakfast now why don't you go make yourself useful and set up the tables so they're ready for lunch when the shop re-opens.’
‘Yes ma'am.’ He snapped to attention and turned to go and do as he was told, poking his tongue out at Lori as he left the room.
Lori chuckled, enjoying breakfast with Tyler as Jenny had busied herself around them was what she'd always imagined it would be like to have a brother. And Jenny herself, was everything she missed in her own mother and more. Her mind swung back and forth, was this place really just a perfect way for an old retired couple to see out their remaining years or could she actually make it her life?