Prodigal Daughter

by Jane Carter

  ‘How do you know?’

  ‘Well, I’m a boy, of course, and I have two nephews much the same age who can intelligently discuss what the Australian cricket team has for breakfast.’

  ‘Weet-Bix. Everyone knows that.’

  That phone call had only been a couple of weeks ago, and Diana couldn’t stop thinking about it. Was Milo thinking they might go to Australia? Live in Australia? He’d have to if he was thinking of playing for Australia.

  She closed the window. She yearned for the hills of home—Mog’s Hill, with the paddocks silvery gold as they were at the end of summer. There’d been some rain, not enough, her mother had said yesterday, but at least there’d been something. Not that it would do them much good at the moment. They really needed it next month. And they had so much faith in the long-range weather forecaster. Why, she had no idea, he never seemed to be right. But the guru had forecast rain for March so they were happy. Diana had had to do some research for Patrick and had gone to Kent to check out some hop vines.

  ‘It’s fascinating, Patrick,’ she’d told him on the phone one day. ‘The kids thought we’d walked straight into the fairytale, Jack and the Beanstalk. There are these huge vines climbing up poles, and they lower the poles down to pick the flowers, which look like green artichokes, and then they chuck them straight into the beer. It gives the beer its flavour.’

  ‘You’re not doing me any good finding out all this information way over there,’ he said. ‘I need you here, tasting them, helping me choose which variety. I’ve decided on three. See if you can find them over there in a beer.’

  ‘Okay.’ She laughed. ‘I’ll try. I’m not sure it’s so good for the kids to be racing around looking for different beer flavours.’

  ‘I’m particularly interested in the “piney” and “citrus” flavours.’

  ‘Right. I won’t be able to get down to Kent again for a couple of weeks.’

  ‘Whenever. Thanks, Diana, I’d really appreciate it.’

  She must take the kids and follow it up soon. Milo was good at asking questions, too. Maybe Bart would have some ideas on how to taste-test the hops.

  ‘How are you getting on with my beer mugs?’ Patrick asked.

  ‘Not bad. I’m basing the size on the glass jars they serve drinks in in cafes these days, but I haven’t got it right yet. I think it’s more a middy size.’

  ‘I want my brand on the mug.’

  ‘Sure. I’ll send a photo when I’ve got something to show you.’

  * * *

  Diana missed her mother. Saskia did too; just the other day she’d asked when they were going back to see Stella and Tommo.

  She sighed and, wrapping the clay in plastic sheeting, she decided to leave it for the night.

  The door banged downstairs. The kids would be back from school. Food was all she had time to think of now. Heaven help her—she’d forgotten to do the shopping! She tore down the stairs, arriving at the bottom just as the first yells rent the air.

  ‘Mum, there aren’t any biscuits.’

  ‘Hello, everyone, how was school? I’ve had a great idea, let’s go out and get some donuts.’ Grabbing the keys, she shepherded them outside again before they had time to take their coats off.

  There was an off-license around the corner and the bell jangled as they trooped in and stood at the counter. Siena and Saskia pressed their noses as usual against the glass display counter, behind which lay pink, chocolate and banana iced donuts on china plates.

  ‘Hello, Mrs Akhtar, I think the usual. No one’s changing their minds today.’

  Three donuts were put in three paper bags and they all walked slowly back to the house.

  ‘How was your day, Saskia?’

  ‘Bella wouldn’t play with me so Anna and I went to the library.’

  ‘That sounds a good idea,’ Diana replied absently. The answer hadn’t been all that different from the day before. Rounding the corner, they saw a brand-new black Saab parked in front of their house.

  There was a figure wrapped in a coat, leaning against the car, and he raised his arm in greeting when he saw them. It took all of ten seconds before the kids recognised Patrick standing there.

  ‘Patrick!’ And they were running to greet him like he was some long-lost friend or relative they hadn’t seen for ages. Well, they hadn’t seen him since September.

  Neither had she.

  ‘What a surprise.’ Diana slowed her steps to retain her composure. He was diving back into the car for a bag of presents. The kids were all over him. She was so jealous. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Just passing and thought I’d drop in.’

  ‘Very funny.’

  ‘Sorry, it was a sudden decision. Is it a good time? Here are a couple of things I saw at the airport I thought the kids might like, some nougat and chocolates.’

  Patrick leant down to hug the children, shaking hands with Milo, and Saskia, as usual, ending up in his arms. A kiss for Sienna. He looked so good standing there, his blue eyes smiling hello.

  And all she wanted to do was jump his bones.

  ‘It’s so good to see you,’ composure, slowing her pulse rate. She raised her cheek for his kiss. It was a perfunctory kiss, very friendly.

  ‘Well, come on in.’ She turned and walked inside.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Patrick was here and Diana didn’t know why. He hadn’t let her know he was coming. He hung his cashmere coat on the stand in the hallway. It looked incongruous beside their parkas. She stood there for a minute, just looking at him. The children had taken over and were showing him homework, bears and bicycles.

  Things had changed between them again. The sparks were back, but she may be the only one to be experiencing it. Surely he could feel it—the damn air around them was electric.

  ‘Would you like a coffee?’ she asked.

  ‘Thank you.’ Patrick smiled at her and she nearly tripped over a backpack as she turned to go out.

  ‘How long are you over for?’ Diana picked up the jar of instant coffee she had on offer. ‘I’m sorry, there’s no milk.’

  ‘I’m not sure, maybe a week or two. There’s a couple of things I have to sort out. I’ve brought some things from your mother. They’re in the car.’ He looked distracted.

  ‘How is she?’ They knew he was coming and they hadn’t mentioned it. But she hadn’t talked to them for a few days.

  ‘Very well, very happy, she sends her love. And Tom, too.’ He was definitely on edge. What was the matter?

  ‘I heard that his hops are in,’ she said. ‘And you talked Dad into using your new man, one day a week. Thank you, Rosie and I appreciate it. We’re in awe actually—getting my stiff-necked father to accept help.’

  ‘There’s no help involved, he’s paying for Mark’s day.’ Patrick frowned. ‘Diana.’

  ‘Yes.’ She swallowed. He just looked so good. She wanted to walk straight into those strong arms and stay there. Heaven help her.

  ‘Mum, I need food to take to cricket tomorrow and I can’t find anything.’ Milo walked into the room.

  Diana suddenly remembered her empty cupboards. ‘We’ll go to the supermarket later.’

  ‘Why don’t we all go now?’ Patrick said.

  ‘Right. You’ve just survived a twenty-four hour flight and now you want to brave five o’clock rush hour in the supermarket?’ She looked at him curiously.

  ‘You shop, the kids and I are going to have a milkshake.’

  ‘Yeah,’ was the general reaction. Three children ran for their coats.

  ‘Can we go in Patrick’s car?’ said Milo.

  ‘No problem. Are you right to go, Diana?’

  She looked at him, slightly bemused.

  ‘Okay.’

  The supermarket was frantic, just as she’d thought. It was time to tell Patrick how she felt. This friendly thing wasn’t working. At least not for her. Eggs. So, how did she feel? Bread times two. She was so glad to see him, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him w
hen he was there with her. Oranges. She had to give herself a chance, and that wasn’t going to happen until she told him how she felt.

  She’d been standing with a packet of blue cheese in her hand for a whole minute. What was he doing here? Was he going to say he’d found someone else? That he was getting married next week and just thought he’d let her know? No, he wouldn’t do that … She hated blue cheese. She put it back. Cheddar cheese, little cheeses that Milo liked for tomorrow, margarine, butter. So what did she want—a long-distance relationship? No. Salami. But that meant moving back to Australia and problems times three. Bacon. And potting—make that problems times four, having to start building a reputation all over again.

  Now she was sinking into indecision. Ice cream. What was she—a woman or a mouse? Hell, everyone had problems. They’d sort it. Muesli bars. She wanted to love him. Sausages. And live with him, and care for him, for the rest of their lives. Mince and chicken legs. They could make it work, but all she felt now was that they were wasting time.

  There she went again, jumping the gun. Slow down and see how this visit goes. Let things work themselves out. Be patient. She reached for a tray of some tantalising and very expensive rump steak.

  Patrick just might stay for dinner.

  * * *

  Diana pushed her trolley over to the booth in the coffee shop to join Patrick and the children.

  ‘Mummy,’ Saskia’s face was alight, ‘Patrick said he would take me to the zoo to see Forrest.’

  ‘Oh no, Saskia, Patrick will not do anything of the kind.’

  ‘But he doesn’t know what a kinkajou is.’

  ‘No one knows what a kinkajou is. They’ve been learning all about kinkajous at school,’ she apologised to Patrick. ‘Move over, Sienna.’

  ‘I ordered you a Coke too.’

  ‘Are you all drinking Coke? At this time of night?’

  ‘Sorry.’ Patrick looked worried.

  ‘Mmm. It’s not your fault.’ She looked round at three innocent faces in front of her. ‘They should know better.’

  ‘We’re all right, Mum, it’s only Sassy who goes hypo,’ Milo said.

  ‘I hope so. You’ve got homework to do, as well, remember.’ She smiled at Patrick. ‘Thank you.’

  He passed over her Coke. ‘Well, what is a kinkajou?’

  Diana nudged Saskia, who was concentrating on finishing her glass as fast as she could, just in case someone might whisk it away.

  ‘It’s this cute little furry bear that comes from Brazil, and it loves eating honey, and it loves eating figs and peaches, and it can hang from the tree by its tail,’ Saskia announced to them all. ‘And Forrest is a kinkajou in the zoo here and Patrick said he wanted to see one.’

  Diana looked at Patrick sceptically. ‘I don’t think you do, really.’

  He cleared his throat. ‘Actually, I do. Tomorrow’s Saturday, let’s go to the zoo.’

  Sienna and Saskia glanced at each other. ‘Saturday’s our day with Grandma.’

  ‘She could come too,’ Saskia said firmly.

  Patrick hesitated. ‘Mmm, I was thinking just the five of us.’

  Diana was interested in Patrick’s hesitation, brief though it was. If she didn’t know him better, she would say he looked nervous.

  ‘My cricket’s on tomorrow,’ Milo said.

  ‘All right.’ Patrick definitely looked odd. ‘I’ve been planning this all the way over in the plane, and I had thought tomorrow, somewhere special. But what the heck, now’s as good a time as any.’ He took a deep breath. ‘I think I’d better get this over and done with, before I lose my nerve and you all disappear on your Saturday jaunts. So while we’re all together, the thing is …’ He cleared his throat. ‘I want to marry your mother.’

  Everyone except Saskia had ceased drinking.

  Diana’s eyes flew to his. What she saw there took her breath away.

  ‘I love your mother very much, but it is complicated. I haven’t asked her yet. Generally, a man asks the woman’s father first but Tom’s not here and I felt you guys were more important. So before I ask your mother, I want to ask you, Milo, Sienna and Saskia, to give me permission to ask your mother to marry me, and say that I can come and be part of this family too. Which I want, very much.’ Patrick took a large breath.

  Diana felt frozen to the spot. The children looked at her and she felt her face turn beetroot. Noises of the cafe around her melted away. What would they say?

  ‘Where are we going to live?’ Sienna was the first to break the silence.

  ‘Australia. But I’m thinking, how about one holiday a year in London, to catch up with your other grandparents and friends.’

  ‘Where will we go to school?’ Milo asked slowly.

  ‘Sydney is where my business is, but I spend a lot of time at Lost Valley, so I think that’s something we’ll all have to decide. I know it’s going to be difficult for you all …’ He paused uncertainly. ‘I do know I’ll be the happiest man in the world if you say yes. At least I will be if your mother says yes, too.”

  Patrick was looking at the children.

  Her children were looking at each other.

  Then Sienna smiled and got on her knees to whisper in Patrick’s ear.

  He smiled. ‘I certainly do.’ And he pulled a little black box out of his pocket and put it on the table.

  They all looked at the little black box.

  Then they all looked at Diana.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I salute those wonderful women of my mother’s generation. Born in the First World War, schooled through the depression and fighting in the Second World War, they produced the baby boomers. They sailed from lamplight and wood stoves through to our world of computers and mobile phones—although maybe they didn’t adapt quite so easily to the phones. They are the backbone of our country.

  I thank the wonderful Harlequins Sue Brockhoff, Rachael Donovan and Annabel Blay. You have been so supportive and enthusiastic and made this journey such a delight. And a special thanks to Dianne Blacklock, my caring editor. I have been so lucky.

  Then I wish to thank the people I have befriended in the wonderful farming community over these many years. Their humbleness and strength and generosity and wonderful sense of humour make them stand-out figures. To Skye, for being my ‘agent’ and steering me through the professional swamp of publishing, I give a grateful thank you. To Richard, a very special thank you. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my beautiful husband who understands how important this is to me. And finally, a big hug to Mia Sandilands for sharing her story of the kinkajou.

  BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION POINTS

  1. What were the main themes throughout this book?

  2. ‘Miss him. It was hard to know what that meant. It was so difficult to comprehend or understand the concept of death. Charlie was gone and she’d never see him again.’ What are your first impressions of Diana’s relationship with Charlie? How does this change once she travels to Australia, and by the end of the book?

  3. Diana keeps hearing Charlie’s voice in her head, but gradually it fades until, by the end of the book, it has gone. Why do you think she is having these imagined conversations?

  4. Diana’s relationship with her mother is vastly different to that with her father. While personality plays a certain part, why do you think Diana seems to blame her mother for things that happened more than her father?

  5. Rosie and Diana have a difficult relationship. Why do you think Rosie is so jealous of Diana, and why does Diana make excuses for Rosie’s outbursts?

  6. Families have various dynamics. Discuss the dynamics in the Crawford family as a whole, then discuss the dynamics of Diana’s own young family.

  7. How had Cody’s death affected the Crawford family? Did they all deal with the death the same or differently?

  8. It’s obvious Mal was in love with Diana when they were younger. Do you think he still has any of those feelings for her?

  9. We learn a lot about Patrick before we meet him.
What was your first impression of him through third-party information? How did this change after Diana met him for the first time?

  10. Why do you think Diana confided in Johann about the terrible night of Charlie’s death, and not in her mother, father or sister?

  11. Diana made it a condition that she would only display her works at the gallery if some of Charlie’s paintings could be shown as well. Discuss what you think her reasons were.

  12. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease for both the sufferer and their family. Diana was horrified by the deterioration and change in Peg, but there were times Peg was still present and behaving like her beloved grandmother. Diana herself remembers her past in Australia so clearly, but finds the happenings in the present confusing, not to mention her own mental dilemmas over Charlie’s death. Do you think Peg’s Alzheimer’s disease was a metaphor for Diana’s perspective when she arrives back in Australia?

  13. The ending was quite sudden. Do you think it made sense or do you think the author could have resolved the story more completely?

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  ISBN: 9781489241214

  TITLE: PRODIGAL DAUGHTER

  First Australian Publication 2017

  Copyright © 2017 JANE CARTER

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