by Meg Buchanan
Geneviève shook her head. “They live in the country. They have a cattle ranch, a ranchero. That is where I was raised. I went to live in Montevideo, so I could study. I was this little country girl in a big city when I met Mason.”
“How big is Montevideo?”
“A little bigger than Auckland, I think. About one and a half million people.” She picked up the salt pot and played with it. “And out of all those people I chose Mason.
“You said he swept you off your feet?” he teased.
She pulled a face. “I was so naïve. Why couldn’t I see him for what he was? My family warned me not to rush into anything.”
“What are your family like?’ He’d change the subject. They’d wasted too much of their time together talking about Mason.
Geneviève watched the other diners for a while before she answered.
“My brothers work with my father on the ranchero. My sisters and little brother are still at school. My mother is lovely. She looks after the house and my brothers and sisters. Sometimes she helps on the ranch with the cattle, we all used to.”
“Do you ride?” He couldn’t imagine either the sophisticated party girl or the hood rat on a horse.
“Of course I do. I can ride like a cowboy.”
“Roping cattle and helping with the round up?”
Geneviève nodded. “That is how I was brought up. It is very beautiful where my family lives. My father’s land stretches out as far as you can see, and you can ride for hours before you reach the boundary.”
“It sounds perfect.”
Geneviève sighed. “It is. I should never have left and gone to university.”
“If you hadn’t we wouldn’t have met,” he said.
She nodded. “One day you should come and see my home,” she said. “I think you would love it.”
“One day.” He had only just met her, and they were already talking about being apart and visiting. It didn’t seem right. But, they still had nearly three days together. He wouldn’t even think about that. “You could teach me to ride.”
“And my brothers could teach you to rope cattle.”
“I’m not sure I’m prepared to go that far.”
“Ah,” she said and reached over the table to stroke his cheek. “If you wanted their respect you would have to.”
He captured her hand and kissed her palm. He hoped she was teasing him. “I could just sing for my supper,” he suggested.
Chapter Fifteen
They found his mother outside hanging out the washing. The old vicarage looked the way it always had. A little on the worn side but welcoming. His mother saw him coming through the gate and smiled her welcome.
She watched him walk along the path towards the clothesline with Geneviève in tow. Then she came over to them and hugged him.
“It’s lovely to see you Adam. We hoped you’d come and see us before you left but we weren’t sure you’d have time.” Then she looked behind him to Geneviève. “Welcome to our home,” she said.
“Mum, this is Geneviève.”
Geneviève leaned past him to shake his mother’s hand.
“I’m pleased to meet you.”
“What a lovely accent,” said his mother. “Where are you from?”
“Uruguay.” He answered for Geneviève because he wanted to get their story straight, so his mother understood they weren’t staying for long. “Geneviève is catching a plane back home and I offered to take her to the airport.”
“Welcome Geneviève. Come inside.” She looked at Adam. “Your father is in his office. I think this week’s sermon is causing trouble again.”
That’s the way it always went for his father early in the week. A panic about the sermon. He always seemed to get over it.
“Where are the kids?” he asked as they went to the back door.
“They’re at school and Stevie is at kindergarten. I will pick him up after lunch.”
Maybe Geneviève wouldn’t get to meet all his family after all.
But she’d meet his mother and father. They’d have a cup of coffee together and some lunch and then they’d leave again for Auckland.
“How long have you known my son, Geneviève?” his mother asked as they went up the back steps together.
“Just a few days,” said Geneviève. “We met at a party.” They had agreed that maybe the picking each other up at a bar wasn’t the best story to tell. The back of her hand brushed against his. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Then he saw his mother watching them. He guessed it didn’t matter if she thought he had more invested in this than just giving a tourist a ride to the airport.
His mother turned back to him. “That’s nice of you to give Geneviève a ride to the airport.”
“The timing was right.” The kitchen was untidy, the big kitchen table littered with stuff, the chairs sat haphazardly around it as if everyone had left in a hurry.
“What will you do with your car?” his mother asked. She checked the coffee machine had water in it and turned it on. Whatever time of day visitors turned up they always got offered coffee and biscuits.
He went to the drawer where the mugs were kept and pulled out four.
“I’m not sure, I thought maybe I’d get Laura to look after it for me.” He went to the fridge and got the bottle of milk, while his mother dealt to making the coffee. Jess’s sister Laura lived in Auckland and was the only person he knew who might do it. Maybe he should have put more thought into it.
“Laura Murphy?” asked his mother. Now she piled everything on the table onto the sideboard to make room. He might have a talk to his brothers and sisters about being a bit more helpful.
He nodded. “She’s the only person I know in Auckland.”
“I think she’s away at the moment,” said his mother. Now she’d cleared the table she found a tin of home baking. “I spoke to her mother yesterday.”
That wouldn’t work then. They might have to go by bus to Auckland or get a rental car. He’d talk to Geneviève. But it sounded like it would be better to leave his car here with his family.
“Is there a problem?” asked Geneviève.
Adam shrugged. “We’ll sort it out.”
His father must have heard the coffee machine start up. He came into the kitchen. “You’re on your way, son?”
“Yep.”
“What did your tutor say?”
“I won’t get any credit for this year’s work.” Adam found the sugar bowl and teaspoons while he talked. “But it won’t show as a DNF on my record. and I can carry on when I come back.”
“That’s good.” His father settled at his place at the head of the table. He’d been surprisingly understanding about him putting studies on hold to go and play with Stadium for a few months. Sometimes his parents surprised him.
Geneviève watched Adam talk to his parents. He should be spending more time with them before he went away. And if he didn’t stay tonight, he wouldn’t see any of his brothers or sisters. That wasn’t fair on him or them. They seemed to be lovely people and Adam was already telling half-truths to them. Now he had a problem with where he’d leave his car when he got to Auckland.
Finally, the coffee was ready and she sat down at the big table with Adam and his parents. It was a lot like being at home, loving parents and all the debris of a family living in the house together around them.
Adam’s mother turned to him after she’d sat down. “There’s a spare bed in Susie’s room. Geneviève can sleep there tonight,” she said, assuming they’d stay the night.
“Thank you, Mrs Turner, that is lovely,” said Geneviève. She knew Adam mightn’t be pleased at her interfering, but he wasn’t being fair to these nice parents. She wouldn’t let him disappoint them just for her. She turned to him. “That is so kind, isn’t it Adam.”
He looked at her caught off guard. She kept talking before he could contradict her. “We could stay here and go to Auckland with Luke and the others, couldn’t we Adam? Then there is no problem with your
car.” He stared at her open mouthed.
“That would be lovely, Adam,” said his mother. “The little ones will be so happy to see you.”
He nodded then pushed away from the table. “I’ll go and get our bags then.” He didn’t sound pleased.
Geneviève went outside with him.
“What did you do that for?” he asked sounding sour.
“I thought you should be with your family.”
Adam released a slow breath from between his teeth. “You did? Did you?” He reached inside the car and unlocked the boot. Then stomped to the back of the car and opened it. He stood there examining the two bags.
“Don’t be cross, Adam.” She slid his arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. “It will make your mother and father happy.”
He sighed and turned in her arms. “I know.” He kissed her briefly. “But I wanted to spend the time with you.”
“Your family is important.” She leaned into him and after a moment he gave in, he rested against the tail light and pulled her closer, so she stood between his thighs.
He kissed her again then murmured against her lips. “Yeah my family is important. We’ll stay.” Then moved his lips to her throat. “How are you going to make it up to me?” His hands rested on her hips and his thumbs slid under the edge of her hoodie and t shirt and caressed the bare skin above the waistband of her jeans.
She could feel the heat start to sizzle between them again.
“We could go for a walk after dinner,” she suggested, and her hands went to his shoulders of their own accord.
“Could we? And how does that make up for not being able to sleep together?” He murmured into her lips again.
“We could find a secluded spot.”
He grinned. “This is sounding better.”
“Anyway.” She pulled away then reached around him and grabbed the handles of the khaki bag. “I think you need a good rest.”
“Hmmm.” he said. “I look forward to it. Do you want to walk to the kindy and pick up Stevie now? The other kids will be home by the time we get back. You can meet the whole tribe.” He turned and pulled his bag out of the boot too. “You might regret doing this.”
She went up on tiptoes and kissed him again. “I don’t think so. If your brothers and sisters are as nice and you and your parents.”
“You could have had me all night,” he whispered as he went up the steps.
“You’ll just have to make do with memories of last night,” she whispered back.
He laughed. “I’ll show you the room you’re in.” He led her through the kitchen to the passageway. Maybe he didn’t mind her interfering after all. He wanted to be here.
His mother was heading into the bedroom carrying sheets and pillowcases.
Geneviève took the pile of linen off her. “We’ll make up the bed, Mrs Turner. Adam will help me do it.”
“That will be lovely, thank you, Geneviève”
“Yeah we’ll do it,” he said. “Then we’ll go and pick up Stevie for you.”
“He’d like that he’s been looking forward to you coming home.”
They walked together to the kindy hand in hand. Adam showed her the sights.
“This is the domain where I played when I was growing up.”
She studied the playground with its swings and slide and could imagine him looking after the other kids and taking them from one piece of apparatus to the next, making sure they were using it safely. A beautiful tree filled space where the swings were and then it opened out to a playing field with rugby posts at each end.
“Did you play rugby there too?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes, but not very well. I really didn’t mind if the other kids got the ball.” She laughed, and he squeezed her hand a little. “I’m pleased we’re staying. You were right.” A relief. “This is the kindergarten where we all went.”
They crossed the road again. Weaving in and out of the parked cars and parents going to get their kids.
“It’s busy,” she said. She watched parents holding back packs and the hands of little kids and taking them back to the cars.
“Yeah, it’s always like this.” Adam lifted the small knob at the top of the gate and held the gate open for her. “Stevie won’t be ready. He’ll have found something he wants to do before he can go.”
“Do we have to find him?”
Adam nodded. “It won’t be hard though. He’ll be outside.” She followed him around the building to the front and saw a little boy swinging on a tyre swing.
“Is that him?” The little boy looked the way Adam must have at that age, sturdy, with the lovely brown eyes and chestnut hair.
Adam nodded and watched the little boy with a grin on his face. She could see the love for the kid radiating from him. She liked him even more that he loved his family this way.
Then the little boy looked up. “Adam!” He wiggled out of the tyre, picked up the little backpack and ran over. “Mummy said you would be home soon. I didn’t know you were coming today.”
Adam bent down to pick him up. “Me neither,” he said and turned to Geneviève. “Stevie meet Geneviève.”
Stevie studied her. The straight hair flopped into his eyes. He even pushed it back the way Adam had the first time she saw him. “Are you Adam’s girlfriend?” the little boy asked.
“Just a friend,” she said after a moment. If almost anything had been different she is sure she would have said, yes when Stevie asked that question but they both knew where they stood. They had two more days together and then very likely they would never see each other again. The thought made her sad.
Chapter Sixteen
Being at the Turner house still felt a lot like being at her home. Noise and movement and everyone talking over each other. When they got back from the kindergarten the other children had already arrived home from school and were sitting at the table eating biscuits and drinking milk. They all hugged Adam.
She learned more about him watching him with them. He was genuinely nice. Another thing to like about him. He knew a lot about each of them and what was going on in their lives, and they excitedly told him about their day.
“Mum said you’ve got your full driver’s licence now,” he said to Lily, the older of his two sisters. A slimmer younger female version of Adam. With her long brown hair and tawny eyes. She’d opted for an apple for a snack over the biscuits all the others were eating.
She leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin on one fist. “When you go away, can I look after your car?” She used the apple to emphasise the question.
“Look after it?” Adam asked teasingly.
“Keep it fed and washed and take it for a run every now and then,” said Lily. “Like a puppy.”
Adam laughed. “What does Dad think of this idea?”
“I haven’t asked him. You tell him you want me to do it,” Lily suggested then took a bite of her apple. “He listens to you.”
“I’ll think about it,” said Adam. They all looked like versions of him like Lily and Stevie did. Tall, brown eyes and hair. But he was the only quiet one. The rest were all noisy and laughing.
“Have you been in New Zealand for long?” Lily asked Geneviève. Adam had said Lily was in her last year at college and would be going to university next year.
“Only a year,” said Geneviève.
“Why did you come?” Stevie asked then munched into his sandwich.
“A holiday,” she said. “But my holiday is over. I’m going back on Thursday.” She didn’t like lying to them, but she didn’t want to talk about Mason either.
“Whole year on holiday. I’d like that.” Ben had a drink of his milk. Mrs Turner had been sitting with them, but she’d gone into the kitchen muttering something about getting dinner on.
Then Geneviève realised, there was no television. She’d seen a computer in Susie’s room and tablets and things laying around but no television anywhere. She’d ask Adam about that later.
; Ben put his glass down. He had a milk moustache that he wiped away with the back of his hand.
“Adam’s in a band,” he said. “Did you know that, Geneviève?”
She nodded. “Yes, I’ve met all of Stadium.”
“Have you heard them play?” Ben poured himself more milk.
“Not live,” she said. “But your brother played me some songs they’d recorded.”
“Did you like them?” Susie asked.
Geneviève nodded. She guessed if all of Stadium grew up in this town these kids would know them.
“Did Adam tell you Isaac wrote them all?” Lily leaned in excitedly. “He is so good at it, isn’t he?”
“I’m going to be in a band when I grow up too.” Ben dipped a biscuit in the milk. “I’m going to get my friends to play in it too.”
“What instrument do you play?” asked Geneviève.
“Everything, like Adam does.” He waved the wet biscuit around the table. “We all do. But I’m the best on the guitar.”
“Do you play everything too?” she asked Stevie.”
Stevie nodded. “Soon I’ll be good like Adam.”
She looked across the table at Adam. His brothers and sisters really liked and admired him.
“Do you play anything, or sing, Geneviève?” asked Lily.
“No,” she smiled. “I am tone deaf.”
After dinner they sat in the lounge together. The big lounge felt crowded with all the talking and movement. There seemed to be musical instruments everywhere.
Mrs Turner settled on one of the big armchairs. Stevie sat on her lap and snuggled into her the way her mother often sat with her younger sister and it made her homesick for a moment. She didn’t realise how much she missed her family until she saw Adam’s.
His father sat on the other armchair near the fireplace He looked more relaxed. He must have won the battle with the sermon.