A Chance of Stormy Weather

by Tricia Stringer

  Rowena chattered most of the way into town about trivial things. It wasn’t like her. Rowena rarely said things without a purpose. Paula was relieved when they pulled up across from the post office. Rowena ceased her chatter and they’d arrived safely. Cause for a double celebration.

  “You are planning on coming back, aren’t you?”

  Rowena’s question caught her off-guard. Had she seen through Paula’s masquerade? “That’s a strange question,” Paula replied evasively.

  “I need to know. You see, I’ve got a close friend, a male friend, in Adelaide, and he’s asked me to marry him.”

  Paula looked at Rowena in astonishment then she forced a smile. “That’s wonderful, Rowena. Have you told Dan? He hasn’t said anything.”

  “I haven’t told him because I didn’t want anyone here knowing before I made up my mind. I’ve enjoyed having a part of my life that no one from the district knew about.”

  “And you’re telling me, so you’ve decided to accept?”

  “I wanted to make sure Dan was settled.”

  “Are you saying he’s not?”

  “On the contrary, I think he is but…he’s not always good at opening up about what’s on his mind.”

  “Perhaps not.”

  “He’s very much like his father. Daniel kept things to himself too much, bottled them up. He was a wonderful man, my brother, but he was too soft. I think Dan’s tougher than he was but I wouldn’t like to see him hurt.”

  Paula looked at Rowena, unsure where the conversation was leading. Rowena looked steadily ahead. Suddenly she shifted in her seat and turned her whole body towards Paula, resolve on her face as if she’d made up her mind about something.

  “Dan’s mother was an Adelaide girl, very pretty,” Rowena said. “She was tall, glamorous and had the most wonderful smile. Dan looks a lot like her.”

  Paula couldn’t recollect seeing any pictures of her among the collection at Rowena’s, and Dan didn’t have any photos except those of him with Paula. “Why aren’t there any photos?”

  “Daniel got rid of them all when she died. It was his way of dealing with his loss. It nearly broke my heart to see young Dan sobbing for his mother and not even a picture to remind him of her pretty face, but Daniel wouldn’t allow it.”

  Paula’s heart ached for her husband. He would have been Andrew’s age. “It seems so cruel.”

  “It was Daniel’s way of coping with his grief. He tried to go on as if she’d never existed but of course that didn’t work. When he died the doctor said his heart was diseased but I really think the old saying ‘died of a broken heart’ fitted him better.”

  Paula looked up to see if the bus was coming. “What has this got to do with you getting married, Rowena?”

  “I don’t want Dan to pine away, a lonely old man.”

  “He’s not likely to do that.”

  “There’s something that Dan doesn’t know.”

  Paula shook her head. “Not more secrets.”

  Rowena looked at her quizzically. “I think you should know. Dan’s mother was a city girl. She loved my brother but she couldn’t settle in to farm life. We hoped having Dan would help but as he needed her less, she spent more and more time in the city with her friends. The day she was killed in the accident the car was loaded up with her things and Dan’s. She was going back to the city. Thankfully, she didn’t take Dan with her, we don’t know why, but she dropped him off with my parents as she was leaving. She said she’d be back for him the next day but, of course, she died before she reached the city. She left Daniel a note. It was a cowardly thing to do, not telling him to his face that she was leaving him.”

  Paula thought guiltily of the note she had left on the kitchen dresser for Dan. But this was different. She wasn’t leaving him for good. She needed some space to think things through and maybe he did too.

  “I brought this…in case you changed your mind.” Rowena reached around and pulled Paula’s letter to Dan out of her handbag. She gave it to Paula as the bus arrived across the road.

  “I’m only going home for a holiday, Rowena. I’m not running away. This letter explains that.”

  “Of course, and that’s what I’ll tell Dan…to his face. And I’ll also tell him that you made a spur-of-the-moment decision to go and that you’ll ring him and explain, once you’ve arrived safely at your parents’ home.” Rowena patted Paula on the hand. “Now, we had better get your bags out or you’ll miss the bus.”

  Paula struggled with her bags and tugged at her coat. She was cross with Rowena for interfering but at the same time she was troubled by the sad story of Dan’s parents.

  Rowena organised a ticket from Marg in the post office. Then they stood to one side of the bus and waited in an awkward silence as the driver loaded up the luggage and assisted other passengers.

  “You have a safe trip and give my regards to your parents.” Rowena surprised Paula with a quick hug.

  Over Rowena’s shoulder Paula could see Marg watching them from the post office window. “Thanks for the ride.”

  “Appearance is very important you know.” Rowena straightened Paula’s collar. “You’re right, there have been too many secrets. It’s about time Dan knew the truth about the damage that lack of communication caused in his parents’ lives.” Rowena glanced behind her at the post office. “Some people have long memories and believe history repeats itself. I subscribe to the theory that says we can learn from the mistakes of the past.”

  Everyone else was on the bus and Rowena stepped back as Paula climbed the steps. “See you soon, dear,” Rowena called loudly behind her.

  Paula looked back at Rowena. The older woman stood at the bottom of the bus steps, her tall frame bent slightly forwards. A wisp of hair fell across her eyes. She flicked it back and leaned closer. “I never did like those curtains, you know. Mother loved them but I thought they were ugly.”

  Paula stared as Rowena strode away, her shoulders back and head held high. The bus door closed and Paula had to move quickly to find a seat. She watched the now-familiar buildings of the town slip by and it wasn’t till they passed Dara’s shop that Paula realised Rowena hadn’t given a definite answer about whether she had decided to marry her friend, or not.

  * * *

  Rowena stood on the road and waved cheerily at the departing bus, then got into her car and sat back in the seat, letting out a long sigh. Had she done the right thing? Matters had obviously deteriorated between Dan and Paula but Rowena had thought they would have come to their senses eventually. When she realised Paula was leaving, she had to do something. She couldn’t physically stop her.

  Rowena felt partly responsible for keeping the poor girl in the dark. Dan had been so stubborn, saying he didn’t want Paula to be responsible for his debts, and Rowena had agreed to continue to run their finances until he had a deal sorted out with Katherine. It was not that easy, of course. Katherine was determined to keep her hands on Dan in any way possible. He should have just explained everything to Paula from the beginning, but he wouldn’t listen to any words of wisdom from Rowena.

  Tonight he was going to have to. She was going to cook his evening meal and he could eat it and listen to what she had to say. He might not like all the things she was going to tell him but she should have done it long ago, including letting him know about Austin.

  Rowena started her car and drove to the supermarket. Roast chicken was one of Dan’s favourites. That would be their meal tonight and she would dish it up with a good serve of home truth.

  CHAPTER

  27

  “It’s so lovely to have all my girls together again.”

  Paula looked up from the picture she was colouring with Isabelle. She was sitting on the floor of her parents’ lounge leaning over the coffee table. The thick cream rug was soft beneath her and the winter sun sparkled on the distant harbour and warmed the room, as it had done every day since she’d arrived. No one looked anxiously out at the sky for rain here. Her mother was smiling
at her.

  “Susan is here with baby Rupert, and Alison with Oscar and Isabelle and now Paula home from the outback, I am so lucky.”

  “Mum, you do go on. Paula lives on a farm a few hours from Adelaide. You could hardly call that the outback.” Susan stood up, arched her back and rearranged her clothes. She had fed Rupert then given him to her mother to burp. “Although it does seem a long way from decent shops and I bet you don’t have a good restaurant handy.” She groaned and rubbed her lower back. “Honestly, Alison, does your body ever go back to normal after having babies?”

  Alison laughed. “Get used to the aches and pains. Trust me, nothing will ever be the same again.”

  Susan groaned again then gently ran her fingers over Rupert’s dark head of hair.

  “It doesn’t matter, does it, darling?” Diane cooed at Rupert whose little rose pink cheeks were plump from his feed. He lay contentedly in her arms gazing up at her. She looked around at them all. “You’re all worth it, even when you’ve grown up.”

  “Now, come on Paula, spill the beans about life in the country.” Susan sat on the other side of Isabelle and picked up a pencil. “We hardly hear from you, so you must be busy. What can you possibly get up to all day long? All that fresh air and a gorgeous man must be good for your sex life.”

  “Susan, the children.” Diane rebuked.

  Alison laughed. “I don’t think they’ll be corrupted, Mum. Come on, baby sister, tell us what you get up to all day. It must be so different to the life you had here.”

  Paula looked up from her paper, unsure how to explain her life to her perfect sisters whose days were so well organised. “I don’t know, the days fly by. I’ve done some redecorating, I’ve picked up some freelance accounting and I’ve kept up the work on the garden Mum started. Sometimes I help Dan, there are animals to feed, machines to shift, a trip into town can take half a day. Some nights I look back and don’t know what I’ve accomplished.”

  Alison looked at her closely then smirked at Susan. “Sounds a bit like having children. The time just disappears.”

  “Tell me about it. The other day I waved Jerry off in my dressing-gown, Rupert started crying, the phone rang, the washing machine was full, the place was in a mess and before I knew it Jerry was home again and I was still in my dressing-gown. I have no idea where the day went.”

  “The toughest fall the hardest,” Alison said.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Susan looked up at her sister.

  “Where are the nappies, Susan? This baby needs changing.” Diane was undoing Rupert’s all-in-one. “Are you sure you’ve got enough clothes on him?”

  Paula watched her mother and sister haggle over how many layers the baby needed but her thoughts were back on the farm. She wondered what Dan was doing now. Did he miss her? He hadn’t rung. Perhaps he was angry with her for leaving without telling him.

  She’d wanted space to think and she’d certainly had time to do that. The bus trip had taken two hours, then the wait at the airport and the late evening flight to Sydney had allowed her plenty of time to go over the events that had conspired to hasten her departure.

  She tried to ring Dan once she arrived at her parents’ home, but there had been no answer and she was relieved when his mobile transferred to message bank. She’d been able to let him know she’d arrived safely without having to speak to him. He hadn’t rung her back.

  She’d done little in the days she’d been in Sydney except sleep and spend time with her mother and sisters. The infection had left her feeling listless and lacking appetite. Her mother had made all kinds of tempting morsels for her but she could only eat small amounts.

  Susan and Diane had planned a festive meal for the next evening. It was the first chance all the men had to join them and it was a double celebration, a welcome meal for Paula and a wedding anniversary for her parents.

  Paula had hardly seen her father since she’d come home. He had picked her up from the airport but work kept him away for long hours each day. She was glad. Diane chattered and fussed over Paula and worried about her health but didn’t ask too many questions about Dan, other than who was going to feed him if Paula wasn’t there. Paula knew her father would want more detail. She didn’t want him asking questions that she didn’t know the answers to.

  * * *

  A night later the whole family was relaxing in the Crawford’s lounge after enjoying the delights of Susan and Jerry’s culinary skills. Diane hadn’t been happy for anyone else to be in her kitchen but they’d given her the job of minding Rupert while they cooked.

  “Come on, Paula, have you gone teetotal? What happened to the party girl?” Susan waved a bottle of wine in Paula’s direction.

  “I don’t seem to have the stomach for it since I had the flu.”

  “Leave the poor girl alone, Susan.” Jerry wrapped his arms around his wife. “Nursing mothers aren’t supposed to drink either, are they?”

  “I’ve only had one glass.”

  “Small amounts are good for milk production, aren’t they, Mum?” Alison said.

  “Isn’t that an old wives tale?” Jerry asked. “From what I’ve read —”

  “Oh here we go.” Susan groaned. “Jerry’s an expert on everything. He’s read every book on child rearing that was ever written.”

  “Not quite.”

  “I had a glass of sherry every night when you girls were little.” Diane cut across their teasing.

  “That explains it.” Jerry laughed. “The three of them have been pickled since birth.”

  “Charming.” Susan’s tone was indignant but she had a smile on her face.

  Jerry reached around and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. “Do what you like, my darling. You are a wonderful mother.”

  “Please, Jerry,” Alison scoffed. “Susan gets in a flap if Rupert poops out of routine. I think it’s a bit early to bestow the royal order of motherhood on her just yet.”

  “Where’s that wine, Susan?” Julian asked. “I’m not breastfeeding and I think it’s Alison’s turn to drive home.”

  Alison smiled at her husband. “I did rather overdo it last weekend at the Carsons’ party.”

  “Never mind, honey, you created some wonderful dance moves.”

  “Ali! Go girl!” Susan enthused.

  “Where’s the port, Diane? I don’t know if I can put up with any more of this prattle.” Their father grumbled, but with good humour. “We’ve been married all these years and produced this disorderly bunch. Please don’t tell me you were dancing on tables, Alison.”

  Diane looked horrified and everyone else laughed, except Paula.

  She had been enjoying the evening but suddenly she felt very alone. Watching her sisters and their husbands joking and enjoying each other’s company opened up the ache she had been hiding since she’d left the farm. Her mobile rang. Her heart gave an extra thump at the sight of Dan’s name on the screen. She stepped out into the passage to answer.

  “Hello, Dan.”

  “How are you?”

  “I’m okay, still tired, but okay.”

  “I’ve been getting in late and I didn’t like to ring then…I’ve missed you.”

  Paula’s heart ached for him but she couldn’t bring herself to say so. “I wanted to catch up with my family. You said I should come.”

  “I know. It was just a surprise when you went so suddenly.”

  Paula hesitated and loud laughter echoed from the lounge room.

  “Sounds like a party.”

  “Only the family. It’s Mum and Dad’s wedding anniversary.”

  “I’d better let you go then. I just wondered how you were.”

  There was a pause. Paula could picture Dan with the phone pressed to his ear, perhaps at the kitchen table where he often sat to make calls.

  “How long do you think you’ll stay?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. It’s been good to see Susan and Ali and the children. Now that I’m here, it seems silly to rush back.”
/>   “You’re right.” Dan paused again. “Still no rain here. Are you getting any over there?”

  “No.” The sound of loud voices and clinking glasses carried from the lounge and Rupert began to cry from the bedroom. “I’d better go.”

  “Let me know when you decide to come home.”

  “Yes…look I’d better go.”

  “Paula, we do need to talk eventually.”

  Paula’s heart thumped. She didn’t know if she wanted to hear what he had to say any more.

  “Not now, Dan. They’re waiting for me.”

  “I’ll ring again soon. It is important.”

  “Yes, bye.”

  Paula stared at the screen a moment then slowly slipped the phone into her pocket.

  “Was that Dan?” Diane was standing behind her with a tray of dirty glasses.

  “Yes.”

  “How is he?”

  “Fine.” Paula averted her eyes under her mother’s gaze.

  “I love having you here but it’s selfish of me. You must be missing each other.” Diane tipped her head to one side and frowned. “Is everything all right?”

  “Fine, Mum. Here, let me help you with that.” Paula took the tray from her mother and followed her into the kitchen where they stacked the dishwasher together and began making coffee.

  “I don’t think your health has improved since you’ve come home. Why don’t you go to the doctor while you’re here?”

  “Who needs a doctor?” Rex joined them in the kitchen. “Have you got any port stashed in here, Diane? That lot have polished off my last bottle.”

  Diane opened the pantry door. “There’s one in here. I was just saying Paula is still looking pale, don’t you think?”

  “She’s had pneumonia, Diane. Anyone would look pale.” He winked at Paula while Diane stuck her head in the pantry. “You need something to do. You probably haven’t given your brain a decent workout since you moved to South Australia.”