The Art of Friendship

by Lisa Ireland

  Cam nodded. ‘Arcadia Lakes seems lovely from what I saw when I was down there for the interview. There’s a golf course, and a big community centre or country club type thing for the residents. I thought it’d be fairly average, like some of those other developments you see out west, but honestly, Lib, this is different. The company has put a lot of money into making it into the sort of place people want to move to. The houses are all lovely, the streets are wide with loads of trees and it seems like a really safe area. Harry could ride his bike everywhere. It kind of reminds me of the way life was when I was growing up.’

  Cam was obviously smitten, and perhaps seeing things through rose-coloured glasses now he had the job. She didn’t remember him being so effusive about the development when he’d come home from the interview. In fact when she’d asked, he’d commented only that the place seemed ‘nice’. Still, a rent-free house was nothing to sneeze at.

  ‘Besides, it comes with the job,’ Cam continued as if he was reading her thoughts. ‘We’d be mad not to take it. Think of how far ahead we could get on the mortgage if we rented our Sydney place out.’

  The waiter arrived with their meals then, providing Libby with a moment to assess what else would need to be done and whether it could be achieved in a few weeks. She made a mental list as she served herself some pad thai, and then shook her head. It was impossible. Packing, finding a school for Harry, not to mention finishing the Christmas shopping – it would all take time. ‘Is the Arcadia Lakes place suitable? I don’t want to be moving into some pokey little house. I mean we’ve just finished renovating our place, Cam, and I love it. I don’t want to go backwards. Perhaps we shouldn’t rush into anything.’

  Cam put his fork down and looked at her. ‘You mean knock back the offer?’

  She shook her head vigorously. ‘No, no, of course not. It’s a fantastic opportunity. I’m just saying that maybe we should go down and have a look at the place first, and if it’s not for us perhaps we can rent elsewhere.’

  Cam shook his head and pulled out his phone. ‘Hold that thought.’ He scrolled through it for a few moments, then stopped and handed it to her. ‘They emailed me some photos. Take a look.’

  Libby did as instructed. The first photo showed a street view. It was a modern façade with a subtle seaside vibe. External timber slats shielded the large windows, meaning the occupants could see out to the street but it was hard for passers-by to look in. The front garden was expansive – manicured lawns and meticulously maintained garden beds full of native grasses and shrubs. She scrolled through a number of photos showing off the house’s many attributes – a state of the art white kitchen complete with two ovens, polished timber floorboards, floor to ceiling windows. The floor plan revealed four large bedrooms and three separate living areas. There was even a study. It could hardly be called poky. The styling was a bit too spartan and clinical for Libby’s taste, but once they got their own furnishings in the place would be very comfortable indeed. And the backyard was to die for. Sliding glass doors opened out onto an alfresco area complete with a built-in barbecue. Beyond this was a pool and then more manicured lawns.

  ‘Wow,’ she said. ‘This is way better than I imagined.’

  Cam beamed. ‘It looks fabulous, doesn’t it? We could make one of the spare bedrooms into a craft room for you if you like.’

  She nodded. Losing her newly created creative space would be a definite downside to moving – she’d just completed her sewing nook to her satisfaction – but it seemed this new house could accommodate all her craft stuff. And then there was the lure of the blank canvas. The idea of decorating a new home from scratch was definitely appealing.

  Cam offered to top up her glass but she shook her head – she had to drive home. ‘The house seems great, it really does, but I’m still worried about the timeframe. Maybe you should go down first and Harry and I can follow when everything here is settled.’

  ‘There’ll be no need for that. The company has thought of everything. They’ll arrange movers for us, they’ll even send people to help with the packing and unpacking. Not that there’ll be too much unpacking to do.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘The house comes as is, with all the furniture you see. We only need to take our clothes and personal items, some extra bedding and linen, and any furniture you can’t bear to part with. It’s even set up with basic kitchen stuff. We can take our own if you prefer, but the email I had from the HR department says all the basics are there.’

  A slight prickle of disappointment settled in Libby’s chest. She loved her furniture. It had taken her years to perfect her home’s look, but now that the renovations were finished she was completely satisfied with what she’d achieved. The Melbourne house really wasn’t her style, the angular, modern furniture even less so. Still, she could hardly complain. It was a luxury home, one some of her friends here would no doubt envy, and with the right soft furnishings, she could probably achieve the cosy feel she desired. ‘That seems odd that it’s fully kitted out, don’t you think? Why would they do that?’

  Cam shrugged. ‘It seems they move their executives around a bit and they like to be able to accommodate people at short notice. I remember Richard – that’s the CEO – talking about a consultant they’d had with them who’d recently gone back to Singapore. Maybe this is the house his family vacated. Anyway, what I’m saying is, everything is sorted for us. All we have to do is sign the contract and go.’

  ‘Not quite everything, Cam. What about a school for Harry? You know how long and hard I researched before choosing St Pat’s for him. We need to make sure there’s an appropriate school nearby. Are there even any schools in the area? Or would Harry have to go to the city?’

  Cam leaned back in his chair, a relaxed smile settling on his face. He’d clearly anticipated the question and was ready with an answer. ‘There are plenty of options for schooling, but most of the executive team send their kids to Claybourne Grammar School, which I believe is not too far from the development. I’ve been assured that the school will offer a place to Harry if we would like it, and even better than that, the company will make a contribution towards his school fees. We just need to let them know before the end of the school term, which is next Friday apparently.’

  Libby was quiet for a moment. Claybourne was a school with a good reputation. She’d make her own inquiries, of course, but it certainly did seem like an attractive option. It appeared Cam had answers for all her questions, and with everything on offer it seemed like they’d be crazy not to make the move. In some ways moving before Christmas might just be the best thing for Harry. He could spend the holidays settling into his new environment and start the new school year at his new school. It would be a crazy few weeks, but it would be worth it.

  ‘So,’ Cam said, ‘what do you think?’

  She grinned. ‘I think a celebratory toast is in order.’

  ‘Too right.’ He picked up the bottle to top up her glass and this time she let him. One more sip wouldn’t hurt. ‘Here’s to us,’ he said, raising his glass in a salute. ‘All our dreams are about to come true.’

  *

  Before they picked Harry up from Melissa’s house, Libby made Cam promise not to tell him about the move until they got home. She wanted to be sitting down face to face with Harry when he heard the news, not sneaking glances at his reaction in the rear view mirror. So often these days he drew into himself, making it hard to know what he was thinking. Long gone was the chatty and expressive toddler who’d craved her attention. These days she was lucky to get a grunt out of him when she asked how his day had been or what he’d learned at school. He used to hang on her every word, but lately much of what she said was greeted with eye-rolling or sarcastic retorts. She knew from the reading she’d done that Harry’s behaviour was normal for a thirteen-year-old boy in his first year of high school, but somehow she hadn’t expected it from her own sunny child.


  They waited while he showered and changed into PJs before calling him into the lounge room. He slumped into one of the overstuffed armchairs without taking his eyes off his phone.

  ‘Hey mate, Mum and I want to talk to you about something important.’

  Harry’s eyes flicked up briefly. ‘Are you getting a divorce?’

  ‘Of course not!’ Libby shook her head and glanced sideways at Cam, who was sitting beside her on the couch.

  Cam was also shaking his head. ‘What would make you think that?’

  Harry shrugged and looked back at his screen. ‘Dunno.’

  A flicker of annoyance flashed in Cam’s eyes but he responded with a smile on his face. ‘Hey, buddy, I think you need to put down the phone. This is important.’

  ‘I can listen and play at the same time. I’m almost at the next level.’

  ‘Harry!’ Cam said. ‘Put the phone away now.’

  Startled at Cam’s stern tone, Libby smiled at her son to reassure him. All the parenting books advised being confrontational was not the way to get teenagers to do what you wanted them to. Cam didn’t place much faith in parenting books or websites. He was fond of saying that his parents hadn’t had a manual and he’d turned out just fine. ‘Harry,’ she said quietly, ‘Dad and I want to talk to you about something that affects all of us. You really do need to listen, okay?’

  Harry shrugged, but he placed his phone on the coffee table in front of him and folded his arms.

  Cam leaned forward and began to speak. ‘Harry, mate, I was just telling Mum about the job I’ve been offered. It’s with a relatively new company called Accola Lifestyle Developments. It’s a company that develops property. Do you know what that means?’

  Harry shrugged again. ‘Not really.’

  ‘Well, simply put, companies like this buy up land and then they improve the land somehow – usually by building houses or apartments on it – and then they sell the finished buildings to people. Accola is a little bit different in that it doesn’t just build housing but it develops whole neighbourhoods, or communities if you like. It’s experienced huge growth in the last couple of years, hence the development of an in-house legal department. I’ve been offered the job of head of that department.’

  Harry looked unimpressed. ‘That’s great Dad. Can I go now?’

  Cam’s brow creased in annoyance. ‘No, you cannot. We’re not done yet, and I can’t possibly imagine what’s so important that you can’t spare your parents five minutes of your precious time.’ His voice rose as he spoke and Libby reached over and put her hand on his knee to calm him. It was critical that this conversation go well, and Cam getting angry at Harry’s attitude wasn’t going to serve any of them.

  Harry looked defiant. ‘I want to text Aunty Kit to see who the Bulldogs picked up in the draft. She said the list should be finalised by today.’

  Libby felt some of the tension leave Cam’s body. He and Kit argued about football, and she knew he’d rather Harry followed the NRL, but passion for a team was something her sports-mad husband understood. ‘It’s still early,’ he said, ‘and I know for a fact your Aunty Kit is a night owl, so you’ll have plenty of time to compare notes when we’re done.’ He grinned at Harry. ‘In fact, mate, the news we’re about to tell you has something to do with Aunty Kit, and the Bulldogs, in a roundabout way.’

  Libby patted his thigh. Good move, Cam. Play up the positives. ‘Dad’s right. Next year you’ll be able to go to the footy as much as you like.’

  Harry said nothing, but Libby could tell his interest had been piqued.

  ‘So this job I’ve been offered. It’s in Melbourne, which means we’ll have to move down there,’ Cam said.

  It took a moment for the news to sink in, but then Harry started to shake his head. ‘No. I don’t want to move. What about school? What about my friends?’

  ‘There’s a really excellent school close to where we’ll be living,’ Libby said. ‘I know you’ll miss your friends, but it won’t take you long to make new ones, I’m sure. And we’ll have a big house in Melbourne, with plenty of room for your friends from here if they want to come to visit.’

  This statement was met by silence.

  Cam had another go at presenting the pros of moving. ‘The house has a pool.’

  ‘So what?’ Harry’s voice came out in a squeak, which probably added to his annoyance. He scowled and cleared his throat before continuing. ‘We have the beach just up the road here. Do they even have beaches in Melbourne?’

  Libby shook her head. ‘Well, not surf beaches, but we are close to the bay –’

  ‘The thing is, Harry,’ Cam interrupted, ‘we’re moving, whether you like the idea or not. Life’s like that sometimes – you don’t always get what you want.’

  Libby opened her mouth to mitigate Cam’s harsh words, but he silenced her with a look.

  ‘What I’m trying to say is I know you don’t want to move and I’m sorry about that, really I am, but there isn’t a choice. However, Mum and I want you to be happy, so we’ll do everything we can to make this as easy on you as possible. Starting with getting you that puppy you’ve always wanted.’

  Libby raised her eyebrows in surprise. Cam had always staunchly opposed the idea of a dog. He gave her a sheepish look in response.

  Harry’s shoulders slumped in resignation. ‘You better not be lying about the dog.’

  Cam’s face was serious. ‘Scout’s honour.’

  ‘Can I go now?’

  Libby nodded. ‘Of course.’

  Harry got up and made his way to the doorway before turning around. ‘Does Aunty Kit know about this?’

  Libby shook her head. She hadn’t managed to find a moment to make the call yet. ‘No, sweetheart, she doesn’t. You can go ahead and tell her if you like. I’m sure she’d love to hear that news from you.’

  No matter how much she wanted to tell Kit herself, giving Harry the job was a small price to pay if it made him happier about the move.

  Chapter 3

  On her way to work on Friday morning, Kit broke her rule about never using her mobile phone on public transport. Normally she gave scathing looks to those wankers who subjected their fellow passengers to loud, one-sided phone conversations, but this morning she really wanted to catch Libby before she left for her art class.

  After Harry had texted her with the wonderful news of his family’s impending move to Melbourne, she’d called him to make sure it wasn’t her godson’s idea of a joke. After a somewhat more subdued conversation than she’d anticipated – she hadn’t factored in Harry’s reluctance to leave his friends, which now that she’d had time to think about it was a pretty stupid mistake – she’d promised to buy him a Bulldogs membership for the following season, which seemed to cheer him a little. After he’d hung up she immediately called Libby, who’d laughed and cried and said over and over again, ‘Can you believe this is really happening?’

  It was hard to believe. Over the years, she and Libby had spent hours on the phone talking about this very thing. They discussed all the dinners they would have, all the drinking sessions, and the fabulous shopping they would do (Kit wasn’t much of a shopper in fact, but she humoured Libby on this point) and most importantly all the uninterrupted conversations they could have, if only Libby could get Cam to see the error of his ways and move the family to Melbourne. Kit frequently sent links to houses that she thought would suit them via Domain or realestate.com. ‘Look what your money will buy you down here,’ she’d say. ‘You’d be mad not to move.’ But she’d been half joking; until now she’d never truly believed it would happen. Cam was a Sydney boy through and through. Libby often commented on his vocal antipathy towards her hometown. This being the case, Kit found it interesting that he’d chosen to do his law degree at Melbourne Uni, but Libby explained his decision as being a youthful whim, brought about by his desire to be free of parental scrutiny
. The minute his degree was done, he’d hotfooted it back to Sydney, which wouldn’t have been a bad thing at all, except that he’d taken Libby with him.

  He wasn’t the type of guy she’d pictured Libby with. When Libby had started her law degree she’d been all about saving others, so when she told Kit she’d fallen in love with another law student, Kit had pictured someone similar; a young man focused on human rights. When she’d finally met Cam she’d been in for a shock. Brash, outspoken and, it seemed to Kit, more concerned with his hip pocket than the plight of his fellow man, he was nothing like she’d imagined. At the time she’d given the relationship a year at best. But she was wrong. It might have had some ups and downs, but Libby and Cam’s marriage had gone the distance.

  It had taken a little while for Kit to find any common ground with Cam. Thank God they’d discovered a shared love of football – outside of sport the pair of them struggled to find anything to talk about – though even that didn’t go much further than her ribbing him about preferring NRL over AFL. He certainly wouldn’t have been Kit’s choice, but Libby loved him so Kit figured that ultimately he must be a fairly decent human being, hubris and NRL notwithstanding.

  Still, there were times that she really wanted to talk to Libby without Cam. When she’d spoken to Libby on the phone last night their conversation had been punctuated with excited interjections from Cam. As nice as it was to hear firsthand how happy he was about the move, today she was hoping to catch Libby on her own.